Kristina Belina

Happy (early) Earth Day :)

2011-04-21T10:27:00.001-07:00

I haven't been feeling super green lately (maybe it's the 100 mile roundtrip commute I make four times a week- at least my car is fuel efficient!), but reflecting on some of the beautiful places I've been in the last year sure helped my outlook and love for old Mother Earth! It's nice to remember how many beautiful places there are, and how much effect (good and bad) we can have on them. Enjoy!

evidence of man enjoying God's creations, Grand Teton, WY

Monsoon in Cataract Canyon, UT

Pines in Monashee, BC, Canada

Columbines near Silver Lake/Ajax Peak, Telluride, CO

Tanner Flats, Grand Canyon, AZ

Wildflowers, Liberty Bell Bowl, Telluride, CO

Heavenly cloud and the North Rim, Mile 160-ish, Grand Canyon, AZ

Frozen trees, Grand Targhee, WY

Confluence of Little Colorado River, Grand Canyon, AZ

Not-so-wild-flowers, Kirtland, OH

6 AM rainbow, Rapid 5, Cataract Canyon, UT

Niagara Falls, Canada

White Rim, UT

Mount McKenzie, Revelstoke, BC, Canada

Battle Creek Falls, Pleasant Grove, UT

KN, RN

2011-02-28T15:52:00.000-08:00

Trading in powder days and white water for a retirement fund and health benefits...

Well folks, this girl is all grown up. I got me a real "adult" job, working the night shift on a cardiac floor at a big hospital here in Utah. It's crazy hard and quite a change from the pace I've been cruising at the last couple of years, but it feels good to get worked over every now and then, don't it? The learning curve is STEEP and I'm learning more than I ever thought possible; it's different and great at the same time. I took my nursing boards last week and passed (huge sigh of relief), so I guess I'm the real deal now. I know this doesn't signify the absolute end of adventuring, but it does drastically slow some things down for a bit (i.e. no guiding this summer). It'll be fun to see how the pieces fall and what this new life brings!

Thanks river

2010-12-12T11:37:00.000-08:00

I just got home from church to find a whole slew of emails/attached photos in my inbox from various river passengers. I feel like I always tell my friends and family how great the river is (i.e. the scenery, the water, the FUN, the tan, etc.), but I may fail to convey how great some of the people are whom I'm privileged to meet. I feel extremely lucky to get to know some incredible people. I'm glad for the gorgeous medium in which these acquaintances begin, and for the sheer magic that the Canyon provides in order to facilitate our friendships.

Thanksgiving photo feast

2010-12-01T07:42:00.000-08:00

Warning: there are a million pictures here of my family; you may not love them as much as me, and therefore don't care to look at all of them. I, however, think they are the greatest people in the world and had a fantastic Thanksgiving with them at Scott and Shellie's house in AZ. It was a bit tumultuous getting down there; it involved an epic 16+ hour car ride complete with a broken down minivan, driving through blizzards, and seven people in very close quarters. Even though the trip had the makings of a bad holiday movie starring some B-list movie star, it turned out great and made me realize how grateful I am for all of these people (and many more people not pictured who weren't there :)

The frenzy; everyone trying to get their share of deliciousness.

The kids table

After dinner game extravaganza

B & V, making a business call

Cute girls

Hostess extraordinaire checking our rolls (I ate six)

Jacob, schooling everyone in the cup game

The two who got me there; Thanks Matt and Tristan for taking on a fifth child for the weekend!

Our day-after "digestion" hike to South Mtn.

I never tire of taking pretty lichen pictures

The marvelous hosts, thanks again guys!

Hear no, speak no, see no evil

70 degrees F is a far cry from the frigid temps we left in SLC!

And last but not least... here is a video from Emilie, I especially love the cameo appearance at the end. You never know what you're gonna get when you give your camera to a 8 year old for an hour:

beach babes

2010-11-17T22:28:00.000-08:00

Welp, since I forgot Robin's birthday, I thought I'd make it up to her by posting some long-overdue pics from my trip home to CA two months ago! Plus, EmmaJane's b-day is next week, so let's just make this a double whammy birthday post (and a cute babies-at-the-beach picture frenzy).

Diligent mothers keeping a watchful eye on their elder children

Cute little Rose, perhaps that concerned look on your face is because you can foresee into your teen years when your mom won't let you wear a bikini to 42nd street... like mother, like daughter!

Sweet DaviJewell, if you're anything like your mother, in 6 or 7 years time, instead of eating that sand, you'll be using it to bury your best friend and turn her into a mermaid.

Oh Diego, my little future-shredding-sponger/surfer, little do you know that you'll probably be back at this spot strutting your stuff for hot chicks

And ElvisAnn, little do you know that in approximately 12 years you'll be back at this very same beach, scoping for lifeguards and surfers, just like your mom used to...

This is me pretending to be a hot mom, with my super hot mom friends.

EJ, thanks for letting me borrow EA.

Gals, here's to 20 + years of friendship, happy 27th to both of you! Thanks for a fun day at our old stomping grounds, and for allowing me to take copious photographs of your beautiful kiddos!

Weekend warriors

2010-11-15T11:18:00.001-08:00

Had fun poking around Logan Canyon with these goons last weekend...

yeah, that's a blimp that reads "GUNS." Nuff said.

Pretty day in the backcountry!

rime & reason

Winter's here

2010-11-15T10:53:00.000-08:00

Just last week I was running outside in shorts and a tank top; now everything is covered in snow and it's freezing! Here's some photos of the last warm weekend of the year (it looks cold b/c we're at 9,000 + feet, but it was actually in the 60's in the valley).

Happy to be done with a steep hike

Northwest view of Big Cottonwood Canyon

Oquirrh Mountains sunset

Greek god, jumping atop Mt. Olympus

Don't forget to vote!

2010-11-02T08:22:00.000-07:00

Just a friendly reminder :)

Die Utah County construction, die!!

2010-11-01T14:05:00.000-07:00

That pretty much sums it up. I couldn't be moving to Salt Lake at a more appropriate time. The traffic from the FrontRunner construction on I-15 and everywhere surrounding my house in AF is starting to wear on me...

Kind of a stretch to make this picture relatable to the content matter, but hey, it's the best I could do. (it's from Montezuma, CO last summer)

Does anyone else share my sentiments??

A Welcome Sight

2010-10-27T16:34:00.000-07:00

This is what I was graced with this morning on my way out the door, and I couldn't have been happier. SNOW! On our jack-o-lanterns!

Happy (almost) Halloween.

P.S. I won the pumpkin carving contest at FHE with this beauty. Just bragging.

P.P.S. My roommate won the "cutest" category for her Mickey Mouse rendition, well done.

engaged!

2010-10-25T09:35:00.000-07:00

Since it's not officially news until it's announced on this here blog, I thought I'd let you all know that Andrew and Holland got engaged last week! I'm super excited for them.

Couples that barbeque together stay together I guess.

Congrats Brother.

of baseball and fathers

2010-10-22T15:10:00.000-07:00

I feel very disconnected from the MLB postseason this year as I have no TV and the only playoff team I had any vested interest in got swept by the Yankees in the ALDS; way to go Twins. Now we are left with four teams, three of which are honest-to-goodness my least favorite clubs in the majors. The outcome of the NLCS will be an absolute lose-lose situation. In the ALCS, I'm left to cheer for the Texas Rangers, a team I'm mildly interested in. At least I can live vicariously through my Dad, brother Matt, and nephew, Jacob (Ranger fans of various loyalties...). My dad used to live in Arlington (where the Rangers play) and I was able to see a game there when I was thirteen. Being a child of Mike Nielson, I was forced into a love of baseball from an early age. Little did I know that he was planting the seed for one of my life's ambitions. You see, just like any loving father, my Dad only wants a few things for/from his daughter in life:

-graduate school

-marry a guy who doesn't deal drugs

-make lots of money so that I can support him in his old age

-visit all the major league ballparks in the country

Well I'm happy to announce that I'm two steps closer to that last goal! A few weeks ago I visited Heidi and Cameron in Michigan and we were able to go to games in both Detroit and Cleveland.

Good looking couple at a good looking ballpark

Baseball was not intended to be a cold sport, but this is the Midwest in Fall afterall.

"Heidizzle, make sure you can see the sign in the background, you know, to prove that I was here." Don't worry, Cameron was able to remedy this situation and get the right shot.

famous Fox theatre in the background

steam rising from the sewer

Lions and Tigers and fans, oh my! Ford Field is literally next door to Tigers Stadium.

Progressive Field, formerly called Jacob's Field or "the Jake"

H & C, looking particularly great on a chilly Cleveland evening.

The entire stadium was so empty! Apparently Ohioans aren't too jazzed about their near-last place team on a cold Tuesday night in September

it was officially the emptiest game I've ever attended. I would estimate less than 4,000 spectators.

All in all, a positive experience. A special thanks goes out to Dizzle, Cameron, Bud Selig, Papa Nielson, Ty Cobb, and these guys

for making it all happen. There may be more coming on my Midwest Mayhem 2010 Tour... stay posted.

'Tis good to be back in the Wasatch

2010-10-19T08:18:00.000-07:00

After consuming half a gallon of milk last night (**sidenote: I'm lactose intolerant), and waking up with the most heinous food hangover ever, I decided there's no better way to cheer myself up (and procrastinate homework) than to post some cool images from the last few weeks of awesome-Autumn-Wasatch-ness.

Moose up AF Canyon

Cool cracks in the sediment; evidence of higher water days at Silver Lake.

I finally hiked Lone Peak, one of the coolest mountains in the area; Just look how excited I was!

Apparently my buddy, Mark, was pretty excited too! (Twin Peaks and Uintas way off in the distance)

Just hanging out in the cirque

On the way back down, my friend's brother proposed to his girlfriend, no one knew what was going on, kind of crazy! It was a super cool thing to witness.

Tibble Fork of AF Canyon, glowing with aspen

Camille and I finally toured Timpanogos Cave National Monument. We now feel like legit Utah County residents.

Sam and I backpacked into Pittsburgh Lake...

...you could see into Mineral Basin! That's the top of the Snowbird tram hidden amidst the clouds.

Unidentified hottie carrying my massive pack.

Ok, so I know this is a weird shot, but I don't have any biking photos from the last couple of months (it's not exactly handy to stick a camera in my jersey), so instead I'll just show off the mechanism that added to some great rides: shiny new cleats (my old ones were hashed beyond recognition). The cycling weather has been prime!

After being in red rock desert all summer long, it's so nice to be back in/near the mountains. Alpine beauty is truly something to behold and as much fun as I have during the summer months, I really begin to crave these landscapes. Extra special treat this year with the rainstorms we had last week: the colors seemed to prolong and the precip brought on a new crop of green vegetation, making for a lovely mix with the already changing leaves! I fear this week is the beginning of the end: temps are cooling down and school is heating up (big time) for me. Glad I got it in while I could!

Goodbye Summer

2010-09-22T15:31:00.000-07:00

Well, it only seems fitting that it should rain like crazy on the first day of fall. I'm extremely sad to see summer go; I've been out trying to savor every last bit of sunny warm weather that I can. It's a very interesting time to be outside right now; nature is caught in between seasons right now in a very cool way. I've been seeing hints of summer blending with fall everywhere I look. I love seeing wildflowers still in bloom while the leaves are changing. I have also noticed that despite my fancy schmancy conservation degree from BYU, I know next to nothing about plants. Geez! I've seriously forgotten so much from those dreaded botany and plant ID days.

some aster with mountain maple??

Serviceberry maybe?

Oregon grape color contrast (i'm pretty confident about this one)

Kristinacus nielsonion @ Silver Lake Flat up AF canyon

My Sunday afternoon hiking partner!

another vacation?

2010-09-21T00:01:00.000-07:00

Q: What does an unemployed girl who is only taking 8 credits do with all her free time?

A: Take a bunch of trips, I guess.

I will be seeing all of the following this weekend:

Yes, that's correct, I will be going to Michigan to visit Heidizzle and Cameron. What makes this trip that much sweeter is that I will be adding 3 more major league ballparks to my list of those visited. We're going to a Tigers game in Detroit, a Blue Jays game in Toronto, and an Indians game in Cleveland. Nice. Anybody have any travel tips/recommendations for any of those cities?? Particularly Detroit?? Particularly if they involve delicious places to eat?

welcome back kotter

2010-09-20T22:06:00.000-07:00

I know, I know, it's been far too long. BUT, if you'd been having as much fun as I've been having you wouldn't have blogged either. And after all, the best time to blog is when I should be doing homework, so now is the perfect time since I'm back in school! Where to start? Should I back date all of my summer material and do a bajillion blogs for all of my river and travel adventures? Or shall I just start from today going forward? You tell me blog readers, if anyone is even still reading this (you've probably all given up on me)... Anyways, for now, here is a random smattering of pics. These pretty much tell you all you need to know.

Ducky-ing the Daily with Monte & Emilie, Moab.

Having WAY too much fun w/ Grace at the Little Colorado River, Grand Canyon.

the loneliest little century plant in all of Grand Canyon

My favorite new pretty unnamed beach Grand Canyon mile 140ish?

Being dorky at Havasu Creek, Grand Canyon

View from the Dollhouse, Cataract Canyon, UT

Quick back-cooler snack on the S-rig (yes, fried chicken)

Rope swing in Moab

Nankoweep Granaries, Grand Canyon

Camera Obscura

2010-04-25T10:55:00.000-07:00

No, I don't have too much time on my hands, but I am at a loss for bloggable info, so instead, I'm going to do what I do best: take something seemingly mundane, and transform it into an incredibly fascinating read, based solely on my cleverness and humor. Todays' topic: my broken camera. Apparently my little 3.2 megapixel Canon has come to the end of its road. One too many accidental baptisms in the Colorado River, far too many drops onto sandstone/granite/concrete, infinite grains of dirt/sand trapped in the innards of the zooming gears, near-theft from Guatemalan hooligans, and lots of precarious balancing on tree branches in order to obtain awesome self portraits have finally deemed it not functional. I desperately want this new one but alas, I will have to wait for my first big paycheck. I began having troubles a few months back and was able to pinpoint the issues to these five:

Issue #1: Unintentional sepia tone. Yes, although it's nice to play around with fun color schemes and developments, it is not fun when you were merely trying to take a simple best friends portrait, such as this one of the Mom, and "Crazy Analisa." Wow, these two are inseparable!

Issue #2: 1992 TV view. While I was trying to photo-document my first (and greatly anticipated) visit to Mad Greek Restaurant in lovely Baker, CA, I came across this issue. Apparently, the shot is skewed to appear as if it were being broadcast on a television in the early 90's.

Issue #3: the all-too-common line through the middle.

Issue #4: Anime feature. Yes, you too can achieve the cool look of Japanese cartoon animation. This is my personal fave: Anime Camille eating popcorn in Maple Canyon.

Issue #5: Creepy white spots. Wasn't there some awful recent horror movie that showcased ghosts being captured in photos?? Anyways, here I am getting spooked at the Getty Villa Museum in October.

Happy Earth Day!

2010-04-22T07:58:00.000-07:00

I hope you each get outside today to enjoy the beauty of our world! Enjoy this random spattering of beautiful earth shots!

Sundance, UT

Joshua Tree NP

Point Reyes waterfall

Zion NP

Stuart Falls, UT

Ode to the Mom

2010-04-21T20:50:00.000-07:00

Right now my dear mother is "stuck" in Munich, Germany due to an Icelandic Volcano... Poor lady. What better way to cheer her up than to post a super cheesy shot of me in my scrubs?! I know she's been wanting to see me in all my glory and this is the last chance she'll have until autumn... Thank goodness I can put these flattering clothes in storage for a few months, SUMMER HERE WE COME!

Sunday evening bike ride

2010-04-11T22:32:00.000-07:00

Who knew that so much could be seen and done during a simple cruise around lovely American Fork?

We rode clear to the Pacific Ocean! (aka Utah Lake)

down on the (creepy, abandoned) farm

I even made it all the way to Boulder, CO to climb the Flatirons

Alicia, reaching mind-numbing (and camera-blurring) speeds

Eat-ster

2010-04-09T12:34:00.000-07:00

I am now down to only 5 eggs; each time I crack one open it gets

harder and harder to decide which beauty should be destroyed next.

It breaks my heart to see the colorful art eliminated one by one :(

This past Easter Sunday was a perfect day. Reflecting on things of weightier consequences, Conference, feasting, friends, family, conversation, beauty, etc. And, WOW: I had forgotten how much intensive eating was involved with Easter. I put its holiday-induced emphasis on meals third in line after only Thanksgiving and Christmas. What a perfect day. My friend got tickets to the Sunday morning sesh at the Conference Center (thanks Hayley!), and we had "great seats" on the floor (don't you love how people always brag about their General Conference seats, as if it were a Bon Jovi concert or something??). That was followed by not one but TWO incredible Feasters mooched off of two great families (thanks Emily & Richs/Thaynes!). Earlier that weekend, I had the wonderful opportunity to attend yet another Easter party, complete with dying my own personal carton of eggs (thanks Runolfsons!).

My main goal for the day was to be photographed for the

May issue of the Ensign. Try as I might, all I could

muster was this mock-shot. Next year I will wear something

that makes me look more like a sister missionary; cowboy

boots aren't really church publication-material.

Switching to homemaker mode: if you're not sure what to do with those semi-gross hollow chocolate easter bunnies (does anyone actually enjoy eating them??), take my advice and put them to good use: Strawberries were on sale for 97 cents, so we melted down our poor crushed bunnies and made something far more delicious:

Yes, your math skills prove you right. I couldn't wait to to

take a picture before eating 4 of the strawberries.

Sprung

2010-03-23T21:10:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I returned from a much needed Spring Break retreat to Arizona. Some of the highlights include: family bonding time, baseball spring training games, free continental breakfasts, lots of driving, getting a pedicure from my 7 year old niece, hanging out in PHX with ALX, eating Dodger dogs, staying overnight at the fanciest resort in Scottsdale, and a Glen Canyon Dam tour. Wow, what a weekend. I would LOVE to show you some photos from the trip, but alas, I have no camera. Therefore all you get are these 2 important pictures taken on my cellie.

Did you know that Phoenix has more bros per capita than any other geographical location in the world??

Many good times were shared with family members, Andre Ethier, Analisa, Grace & Co., etc. However I wish I would have spent more time with these two dudes.

Happy St. Patty's Ry-laina

2010-03-17T11:20:00.000-07:00

No comment.

Today is St. Patrick's Day, a day I love because it allows me to wear my green blazer (going on 6 years strong!). However, it is also the birthday of my niece, Alaina! Two days ago was also her little brother's b-day; happy belated Ryan! Since they are pretty much two of the most classic kids I know, I'll use this as an excuse to unload some shots I have of them from my cell phone. Happy birthday guys!

Way to go Ryan, you show those brownies who's boss

The little old lady from Pasadena

2010-03-15T23:15:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite little old ladies, Grandma Joyce. She is NOT from Pasadena, but I am.

Lately I've been feeling very, very OLD. Now before you all jump down my throat and reassure me that the best years are yet to come, just bear with me for a short moment (or five) as I complain about my failing body.

Exhibit A: My sore hip.

(I generally like to include only my own personal photos, so here is a disclaimer: this is not a picture of me, it is, however, very applicable to the story)

No, apparently you don't have to be an 81 year old woman to have a "sore hip." Maybe nursing school is turning me into a hypochondriac (I had a patient with a total hip replacement the other day...), but I seriously think my joints are going by the way side. I'm supposed to be running the Salt Lake Marathon on April 17th, but I'm afraid I may have to cancel, due to a throbbing hip flexor and every-day fatigued legs :( After thoroughly scaring myself by researching hip injuries on the interweb (don't EVER look up battle stories about the ailment you're dealing with, you won't like what you find), I've taken the last three days off from training. Humbly subdued into rest, and feeling rather sorry for myself, I headed for FHE; there's nothing like a great night of Mormon bowling to lift the spirits. Little did I know that this activity would only re-aggravate my injury (yes, bowling=pain). Somewhere around the 5th frame I felt a tight pinch...Granted, it was kind of worth it- I still managed to get a turkey and out-bowl everyone in my ward (the Bishop being the lone exception).

Exhibit B: Failing eyesight

Ahh, the glory days...

I've always taken great pride in my 20/20 vision, knowing that it was necessary if I ever wanted to become an ocean lifeguard. I recall watching my all-time favorite show, "Baywatch," as a little girl, and distinctly remember the episode where John Cort develops cataracts, becomes legally blind, and has to wear those ridiculously cool sun shades. Sadly, he has to quit lifeguarding and leave CJ, Mitch and the rest of the crew forever. [***Important sidenote: upon researching this story, I came across no fewer than SEVEN episodes of B-watch with "blind" in the title, kudos to those imaginative writers] Lately, I find myself squinting at objects, sitting at the front of the class (so as to read the board more easily), and getting fuzzy-eyed when reading small print. Sigh. So much for my perfect vision, I guess I'll have to rely on my astute sense of smell (since my hearing is only so-so, right Heidizzle?).

Exhibit C: Baby fever

Imagine the awesome ski outfits, Dodgers gear, and sweet shoes I could subject my children to wear!

My twenty-fifth year of life has brought with it a kicked-in motherly instinct; I can feel my biological clock ticking now more than ever. Again, I will blame this partly on nursing school, since many of my clinical hours are spent in Labor & Delivery, Mother Baby, and Pediatric units. In addition, my mind has been jam-packed with facts about optimal years for child-birthing, and the dangers of waiting too long... not to mention the small window of opportunity for "hot mom" status; I need to start popping them out before my most fertile years expire!!! I will also blame my baby fever on the fact that my best friends and family members keep producing absolutely adorable children. Perhaps if they were a little uglier I wouldn't have such a longing for my own (if you love me at all, heed this suggestion). All of this being said, maybe the two biggest reasons for wanting a baby are:

1) Being prego would finally allow me a legitimate reason for having a bit of a belly.

2) I could make a really dramatic blog-post announcement, garnishing dozens, maybe even hundreds(!) of comments from well-wishers and loved ones. Yes, I'm a bit of a ham, which is a great segway into...

Exhibit D: Putting on weight in unexpected places

Me, eating, at Point Reyes in Northern California.

Not to get too personal here, but geez! They weren't lying when they (whoever they are: mothers, grandmothers, etc.) said I wouldn't always have the metabolism of a hummingbird. A little winter insulation is expected, but when you can actually see your body composition begin to change, it's frightening! Now that you're all imagining me as a 723 lbs. woman, rest assured, I will include a current picture on my next post (don't worry: I'm only SIX 23!!)

Exhibit E: Staying up too late

Not one of my best nights of rest; sleeping out on Colorado Blvd. on New Years Eve

I just flat out cannot function without a decent night's sleep. My favorite saying lately has been: "I'm just not 19 anymore..." This indicates that I can no longer do the things that a spry college sophomore could pull. Late nights, waking up at 4 AM to cram for a test, all-nighters, and the like absolutely wipe me out. My body cannot keep up and I will operate at <30%>

Despite all of this, I still feel like I'm 12 years old some days- those days are just fewer and further between. I'm caught somewhere between a teenager and a grown adult. I think Britney said it best, when she sang her hit song: "I'm Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman." I'll leave you with her profound words as she stands atop the beautiful red rock scenery of Southern Utah: a place that tends to make me feel like a kid again, and a place I CANNOT WAIT to get back to in approximately 1.5 months!

Cory + Kristina = LOVE

2010-03-09T21:00:00.000-08:00

Only important cars get special photo shoots every year on their anniversary/birthday

In light of recent events, I wish to uphold the good name of Toyota by telling you all about a very special vehicle...

I wouldn't consider myself a particularly trendy person, but I'm definitely not afraid to jump on a good bandwagon (i.e. Harry Potter, sushi, crocheted flower headbands, etc.). Toyota Corollas are the world's best selling car (fact-checked and yes), and 84% of Mormons own one (I might have made up that second statistic), but these band-wagon-esque traits didn't hinder my decision to buy one five and half years ago. Cory the Corolla and I have traveled tens of thousands of miles, to the lowest point in the US highway system (242 feet below Sea Level) and up to 11,000 feet above, the highest point among the interstate system. He has been my most consistent travel companion as we've logged dozens of road trips, often with a Diet Dr. Pepper snugged into one of his many cup holders. He's braved temperatures from -25 to 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Although Cory is a mere 2WD vehicle, with his special snow tires he has charged through countless (seriously) blizzards and sketchy snow conditions ascending and descending various canyons. He has also defied logic as he's been off-roading (more than many Jeeps) on rock-strewn dirt roads that other Corollas wouldn't dare drive down. He has visited 13 national parks and housed many kisses and DTR's with numerous old flames, all without showing any jealous. Serving as a safe-haven, he has provided some badly needed square footage of solitude when I need to get out of the house and feel alone. He has held all of my earthly possessions and been my moving aide as I've changed residences nearly a dozen times. He has put up with a terrible owner who leaves melting-snow-soaked-skis in for months, resulting in a constant musty smell from December-March. He even survived a near death experience; one that I and my family were sure he would not recover from, seeing as he was nearly totaled due to my careless driving. He has been licensed in two states and can obtain over 40 MPG on a good day.

In the last few months, Cory and I have reached two milestones: a finally paid off auto loan (!) and the 100K mark.

Here's to another 100,000 miles!

Toyota is a good company. Don't believe the hype.

dang, he looks good there.

any ex-homegirls recognize this driveway?

one of our low points.

Pareidolia

2010-03-08T08:44:00.000-08:00

Inspired by the American Express commercial with all the faces, I went a little crazy and took a bunch of smiley and frowny (is that a word?) faced photos... some of them are kind of a stretch (i.e. tele binding) plus I don't own a working camera right now (just my cellie), so bear with me!

My take on the Olympics

2010-02-28T19:24:00.000-08:00

I don't own a TV, and 95% of the time I'm perfectly happy with my television-less life. Being a person who generally lacks self control, I would probably piddle several hours away watching various MTV reality shows and killing brain cells; therefore I'm glad to eliminate the temptation. The other 5% of the time during which I desperately wish I had television access is usually during sporting events, political elections/speeches/debates, and General Conference. The last two weeks have been an excellent example of my sincere yearning for TV. Not that I've had any free time to watch the Olympics, but pretty much every night I've dreamt about going home, turning on the tube and doing homework whilst watching speed skating and attractive Scandinavian skiers in the background. Thanks to my dear brother and sister-in-law, I was fortunate enough to watch 2 nights of Olympics in the comfort of their home. During these 4 or 5 cumulative hours, I learned heaps of information which I'd like to share here:

-Bob Costas has been the same age for as long as I can remember. When I was a little girl, he looked 40, Now that I am 25, he is still 40. Further, Bob is probably the most beloved person in the country. If you don't like him, you're most likely un-American. He is incredibly knowledgeable (or at least convincingly so) about every existing sport, nay, every topic.

-News-flash: Athletes are generally good-looking people and have great bodies (with the exception of bob-sledders). Who would have thought that people who work out for a living would be hot??

-Although the Cold War has been over for 2 decades, I think Americans still have some serious angst for the Russians. Any chance we have to beat them, is considered a particularly sweet victory. Even more importantly, we'll seize any chance we have to openly criticize them, especially for wearing ridiculous ice skating costumes, or not abiding by the rules.

-I realize that I am an extra sentimental person, but the Olympics serve me as yet another opportunity to get emotional. I'm proud to say I only got teary-eyed a handful of times while listening to the "Star-Spangled Banner" and watching various human-interest pieces and athlete bios.

-Maybe the reason we love the Winter Olympics so much is because we'd like to think we could excel in some of these more obscure sports if only we applied ourselves...

-I knew very little about Canada; apparently it is the second geographically largest country in the world and Queen Elizabeth is the head of state. Thanks NBC and Wikipedia.

-According to my brother, Matt, Ice-Dancing gold medalist Scott Moir looks just like Justin from the Disney Channel's "Wizards of Waverly Place."

-Great Britain's national anthem, "God Save the Queen," is the same tune as "My Country Tis of Thee"?!!

-Shout out to the 801 for being home to SO MANY Olympic Athletes. Apparently Salt Lake is a great place to train. Greatest snow on earth, elevation, Olympic venues, mountains...

-Thanks to Mrs. Miller's 6th grade world social studies class, I know that the Greeks invented the Olympics back in 700 BC, however I now have some serious suspicions that the American government has been feeding the IOC millions of dollars to keep the Games going. Why would I suspect such a thing? The Olympics serve as yet another reason for the US to arrogantly show the world how much better we are than everyone else by keeping close tallies on medal counts.

-Shaun White's hair is glorious and so is he.

-Sad that the US didn't win a medal in women's figure skating, especially given my personal rich history with the sport. In the fifth grade, I was Nancy Kerrigan for Halloween and my best friend was Tonya Harding. Enough said.

-Even though we go four years without caring one iota about such sports as curling, ice-dancing, and skeleton, for 2 short weeks, we are transformed into experts, allowed to criticize athletes for the slightest mishap; all while sitting lazily on our couches.

-As for the ski divas: Lindsey Vonn wears too much make-up, and Julia Mancuso is way cooler anyways because she dated Steven Nyman.

-Viewers are incredibly flighty and are just as fleeting as the Olympic coverage shown on TV. One week we are in love with mogul skiers and the next, we worship a new 16-year-old figure skating darling. The media absolutely controls our obsessions with these athletes!

-I wonder at what age I will stop fantasizing about winning a gold medal. I can't count how many times I have role-played standing on the podium, nor through how many sports I've dreamt about accomplishing this feat. I still have hope for 2014...

In summation: America IS the best, and I LOVED watching the Olympics. Despite my cynicism, I cannot wait for the Summer Games in 2 years.

my friend, the model

2010-02-25T07:55:00.000-08:00

Today is a special day, February 25th; Analisa is another year older. In fact, this is the year in which I can say we've been friends for half our lives. Way to go ALX, we made it!

I cannot think of a better way to celebrate her birth than by sharing a sprinkling of her fantastic (and extensive) photo collection and allow you all to become a bit more acquainted with her. Did you know...

She loves unicorns?

She loves animals?

She loves nature?

She loves this guy?

Happy Birthday!

Matt

2010-02-22T09:39:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday to this guy (the one on the right)!

a Sunday miracle

2010-02-21T19:43:00.000-08:00

I know I write about food quite a bit on this blog, but only because it warrants special attention in my life. Many years ago, when I was a proud subscriber to "Seventeen" magazine, I read a quote by Tyra Banks that read, "I eat to live, I don't live to eat." Apparently she was trying to reveal her big diet secrets and convey how she kept her figure as a supermodel. Most 15-year-old girls would have read into this article and thereby developed major body image issues. I however, rather than starving myself, found great sorrow in this philosophy and somewhat pitied poor Tyra. I live my life to the exact opposite of her mantra: I live to eat. Perhaps this attitude explains why I’ve never graced the cover of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition and why I am not the host of “America's Next Top Model” (*side note: this show might be my biggest guilty pleasure in life, I can and will watch it for hours), but I’ve found myself to be an above-average happy person living this way. That being said, I’d like to tell you a little story.

Being a church-goin gal, I’ve sat through many Sunday School and Relief Society lessons in my days. Some of the teachers are good, some not so good, and some are excellent: they bring treats. After sitting through my first two meetings today and listening to my grumbly tummy, I contemplated where I might be able to find some food in the building. After visiting the kitchen and finding nothing, I was left only to hope for a delicious treat in Relief Society. Upon entering the room, I looked for any clues that might hint at possible goodies. Major indicators of RS treats generally include:

-kitchen towels covering small to medium sized humps

-distinct smells (my closest friends will tell you I have the nose of a blood-hound)

-elaborate centerpiece or table displays (usually someone who goes all out, will go ALL OUT, if you know what I mean)

-object lessons (typically the food detracts from, rather than reinforcing, the implied message since most of the partakers develop single-tracked mind aimed solely at obtaining the baked good. As the plate is passed around, people -i.e. ME- are far more concerned with choosing the largest cookie than with the lesson itself. Regardless, I still warmly welcome food/object lessons.

-Holiday Sundays (Christmas, Valentines, etc…)

-teacher of the day: most wards have a token (or two if you’re lucky) treat-maker, and the one Sunday out of the month on which they teach cannot and should not be missed.

After surveying the area, I realized there was an extensive table display with a few Reese’s PB cups here and there. There was also a side table mysteriously covered with a jacket. My initial thought was, “well, something’s better than nothing. I only have one more hour to go until I can go home and eat.” Little did I know that I was about to witness the greatest Relief Society miracle of all time. Two minutes into our lesson on free agency, the teacher uncovered the side table to reveal the following:

-gummy Bears

-M&M’s

-homemade blueberry muffins

-donuts

-Reese’s peanut butter cups

-brownies

-carrot sticks

-snap peas

-cherry tomatos

-peanut M&M’s

-sour gummy worms

-chocolate chip muffins

-peanut butter bars

I thought I was dreaming. Seriously. The added bonus was that there were large quantities of everything listed AND our Relief Society is rather small. Never in my life has such a spread of deliciousness been made available to me during church. This is a day that I will remember for the rest of my life.

Here's the take-home lesson kids: go to all of your church meetings. You will be blessed.

Updates

2010-02-17T11:23:00.000-08:00

I returned late Monday night from a wonderful weekend trip to St. George and found the sugar cookies sitting right where I'd left them. I ate two. They were delicious.

In case you were wondering about the mouse... apparently the Rodent Kings (I capitalize this because I'd like to think that there really is a bureaucracy for mice/rats somewhere out there, plus it's probably the name of some indie band I don't know about yet) have granted my wish and produced neither a dead mouse, nor another sighting of my furry little friend. Voile! Problem solved, without becoming an intentional mammal killer and having my PETA membership revoked.

Several weeks ago (after blogging about it) I tried the Beefy 5-layer burrito from TacoBell. It was disgusting and awesome.

Heidizzle Smizzle (I cleverly disguised her name so that online hackers will not know her first and last monikers) gave in to my threatening, blackmail-type post and has finally been leaving comments on my blog. Dear friends and family, don't think that you can get away with those shenanigans; I will pull the same dirty trick on you. My embarrassing photo archives are vast.

And lastly, since this is kind of a boring post, let's include some (non-embarrassing) pretty pictures. I've had SERIOUS river fever lately.

I miss this place:

and this place:

and heck, even this place (kind of):

Yeah, I know they're all on the Colorado River, but they represent pretty different places and experiences. Bonus points if you can identify all three!

My Greatest Challenge

2010-02-13T18:03:00.000-08:00

This morning I woke up to the following scene in my kitchen:

Apparently my roommate had a cookie-baking extravaganza last night and left these delicious morsels to tempt me. I would normally indulge and not think twice, however, this same roommate had left a pan of brownies out earlier in the week, telling me that I was "welcome to have some." She just recently moved in and is obviously not savvy to my eating capabilities; the pan was gone in a day and half, and I personally accounted for 85% of the damage done to said brownies. I felt rather guilty.

SO. You can imagine my moral dilemma upon finding this delightful assortment of baked goods today, without receiving an open invitation to partake. I examined the plate of decorated sugar cookies for a good five minutes, carefully trying to determine which could be extracted from the plate without being noticed.

Has she counted the cookies?

Is she particularly attached to a certain color?

Just how delicious ARE they?

Will the concentric circles on the plate be askew if I take one?

These questions, and many more, raced through my voracious brain as I grasped desperately to devise a plot clever enough for me to savor a single (or perhaps two) cookie(s). After realizing that further time spent scheming was going to make me late to work, I put my tail between my legs, admitted defeat, and left the house EXTREMELY unsatisfied.

Returning home several hours later I found the same cookies, which had some how become even more delicious-looking in my absence. Through the miracles of frosting and sweets, their enticement had increased at an exponential rate, defying all logic. Again I scrutinized the plates of goodies, but gave up after only a few minutes. I approached this problem from every angle imaginable, but sadly it just did not seem possible.

My roommate is still not home, there is still no offer of delicious sugar or oatmeal raisin cookies, and my tummy remains devoid and denied of treats: this may be the hardest thing I've ever had to [not] do.

P.S. The photo of the Prophet was not planted; however its placement, combined with the location of the cookies, does seem very ironic...

after-church photo shoot

2010-02-11T16:36:00.000-08:00

A few Sundays ago I dragged my roommate (and her

camera- sadly mine is out of commission right now)

out to take unas fotos of Mt. Timpanogos. She obliged

and I was happy, especially since it was a particularly

pretty day. Thanks Pearl, for use of your digital device!

if you only saw one thing during the super bowl...

2010-02-10T22:20:00.001-08:00

This was by far the highlight from multiple hours of television watched on Sunday. If anyone knows where I can download this song, please notify me ASAP. It is quite possibly my favorite new tune. This and the Outback Steakhouse jingles. Seriously.

red shoes, not red sox.

2010-02-07T12:47:00.000-08:00

I have a strange obsession with Minneapolis/St. Paul. My entire life (or at least the past 3 years) I've had a burning desire to visit the Twin Cities in order to do the following:

1) Attend a live taping of my absolute favorite program, "A Prairie Home Companion," starring Garrison Keillor. It is performed weekly at the Fitzgerald Theatre in St. Paul.

2) Go to a Minnesota Twins game. The purpose of this would be two fold as my quest to visit every Major League Ballpark would be that much closer to completion and also because the Twins are arguably my favorite AL team (RIP O-Dog, good riddance Thome).

3) Visit my favorite Nelsons (that's NELSONS not NIELSONS).

Last week, one third of this goal was (partially) realized when I viewed a special live broadcast of "Prairie Home" shown in select theaters, nationwide. I sat alone in bliss watching and listening to GK and the crew up on the big screen. I'm pretty sure I was the only attendee under the age of 55, but I can assure you that it was the perfect end to an otherwise hellish week of school. Some may feel that the price was a little steep, but hey, we were supporting public radio and after all, it may be the closest I get to St. Paul for a while. Twenty-two dollars well spent.

skipop

2010-02-02T18:52:00.000-08:00

If you go skiing on an epic powder/bluebird day, your experience will only be further enhanced when you come home and find what your roommate has purchased for only $1.25 from the local gas station (sadly, not a Mav): a huge bag of the butteriest (yes) popcorn imaginable. Here is a simple equation to demonstrate the kind of joy you can expect:

Dizzle of the most High

2010-02-01T20:59:00.000-08:00

Upon viewing some old photos, I came across these gems and decided they must be shared with the world (and my blog readers). Please note her impeccable fashion sense (and that she's donning a doyers hat) in both shots. This is also an attempt to shame Heidi into making a comment on my blog; something she has yet to do although I KNOW she's reading...

Wizard of Aw's

2010-01-31T01:45:00.000-08:00

Working night clinicals at the hospital is kinda awesome but also kinda awful. Awesome because you get to do stuff that you never would during the day. Awful because it throws off your whole sleep schedule. Hence, it is 2:30 AM and I'm wide awake pondering many random thoughts...

Maybe it's because I don't live in CougarTown any more, but apparently I was living under a rock and didn't realize that BYU basketball was 20-1 and ranked in the top 15. Way to go Cougs. (P.S. Did you know that Brigham Young University is the whitest college in the nation with at least 15,000 students? Interesting factoid...)

If you want an easy way to donate money to Haiti, you can simply text "Give" to 864233 (UNICEF). It is an automatic $5 donation and will just be tacked onto your phone bill, no extra charge. You can do it multiple times and 100% of the funds go to Haiti, not your phone company.

I hate shopping for clothes (ski/technical-type jackets not included in this statement), but I take great pleasure in grocery shopping. I generally allow myself one "splurge" item a week. Here's this week's delicious take home:

I've been doing some Sundancing this week, seeing as the Festival is going on and all. My favorite parts about the Sundance Film Festival are that I get to call movies "films" for a change, wear a black down coat (mandatory uniform if you want to cruise on Main Street in Park City), pretend that I live in a snowy-mountainous-Hollywood, and point out how cool I am several months later when the movies finally get widely-released to the general public. It's like saying you were into a band like "Vampire Weekend" way before they ever got popular. The films can be pretty hit or miss but I've been lucky enough to see some great ones the last few years. Some of my faves to check out: "The Visitor," and "Amreeka." This year we saw, "The Pat Tillman Story."

If the Dodgers had unlimited funds, and if these players were free agents, I would LOVE to sign the following guys: Ryan Howard, Matt Holliday, and Tim Lincecum. I know we don't need a first baseman or a left fielder but you can never have too many young pitching aces. I like these three and hate to see them continuing to play for NL teams that I vehemently oppose (actually the Cards are alright, but the Phillies and Giants should die a slow death).

Like him or not, President Obama is a pretty darn hard worker and a compelling speaker. Maybe he did take on too much in his first year of office, but when I listened to the State of the Union this week, I was overwhelmed with a feeling that he is busting his tail for this country and that he sincerely cares. Uh-oh, I've just gone and made this blog political... I'd better lighten the moment by including this ridiculous Obamicon of myself:

on a serious note...

2010-01-28T19:23:00.000-08:00

I may just be an emotional person, but one thing is for sure: nursing school makes me cry at least once a week. These fits of emotion are occasionally brought on because of a heavy work-load or stress (the problem there is usually my own procrastination), but more often the crying results from stories shared by professors (accomplished career nurses themselves), case studies read for homework, or being bedside in the hospital with a dying patient. I never realized the emotional repercussions this line of work would bring. In many ways I feel like I haphazardly wandered into this career path without considering how HARD it is.

The photo above is of my friend, Anjali, who recently started sessions for a tattoo to commemorate the 2 year mark since her mother's death. I initially (and rather ignorantly) opposed this idea, but the conversation that she facilitated turned out to be a great eye-opening experience. Emotions and coping mechanisms are as varied as the billions of beautiful people who inhabit the earth.

My instructors constantly remind me that we are human, and a life devoid of passion would mark us as emotionless robots, not as compassionate caregivers. I guess it is not only okay, but expected that one will have intense feelings associated with death and dying, even in the workplace. Further, these feelings will be expressed in a myriad of medias. I'm taking a palliative/end-of-life care class this semester which has brought on a greater level of reality for me.

I'm grateful for unique opportunities that have allowed me to explore my ability to express empathy and consider losses (actual or anticipated) in my own life. Confronting these issues will hopefully aide me in being not just a better nurse, but a better friend, daughter, sister, aunt, etc.

I would love to hear your thoughts and opinions on this matter!

The curious incident of the mouse in the night-time

2010-01-24T12:28:00.001-08:00

(if you're not sure what you're looking at here, these are pictures of L.Ro and I from our old Bean Museum taxidermy days at BYU. Don't ask.)

As I was walking out of Wal-Mart at 3 AM this morning in my pajamas and slippers- during a blizzard, mind you- I decided that I definitely need to get a husband (or at least a live-in boyfriend or male roommate- sorry mom and dad) ASAP. As I swerved my way home on the snow-covered roads devoid of other cars, I envied all the other people of American Fork sleeping peacefully in their beds.

Flash back to earlier when I was laying restless in bed (and had been for hours) absolutely convinced there was either a serial killer or a small animal rustling about in my room (not sure which of these would have been more terrifying). After working up enough courage to turn on my small bedside palm light, to my sheer horror I found- a mouse (!!!!!!!!!) sitting atop a picture frame on my wall. I sat crouched on my bed, completely paralyzed, stifling back screams that would surely wake up the whole house, trying to reason with myself. Try as I might, the strong, independent, confidant woman that I had been just hours ago (before learning that there was a rodent in my bedroom), had vanished and left a weak, helpless, scared little girl in her place, longing for some manly aide to take care of this problem. Knowing that I was too wired and terrified to sleep, let alone stay in the room, I slowly moved to the door, put on some slippers (after making sure there were no mice inside), grabbed my keys and headed for any store that would sell me a mouse trap at 3 in the morning. Upon returning from the store, I tiptoed into my roommate and woke her up like a frightened 4 year old after a bad dream, asking: "can I sleep with you tonight?"

I sincerely hope that the mouse doesn't resurface (dead or alive), I would much rather him/her find a new home elsewhere so that I don't have to kill it, but for my peace of mind, the traps lay all over the house. Not sure where I'll be sleeping tonight, but I hope it is more peaceful and less eventful than the last! If there are any strapping, brave young men out there who would like to come help a damsel in distress by either trapping a mouse or running pesky errands in the middle of the night, please comment here.

Leslie, I could may soon need your expertise in stuffing mice.

:)

2010-01-21T07:50:00.000-08:00

Today

Snow

Hi 30 °F

Tonight

Snow

Lo 21 °F

Friday

Snow

Hi 21 °F

Friday
Night

Snow

Lo 12 °F

Saturday

Snow

Hi 19 °F

Saturday
Night

Snow
Likely
Lo 9 °F

lucy in the sky

2010-01-19T13:16:00.000-08:00

In honor of today (the first beautiful, inversion-free day we've had in weeks!!) this post is about skies. (sidenote: never mind my serious issues/paranoia with the fact that it's 50 degrees outside and the measly snowpack is melting and it's only JANUARY!!) Yes, skies, not to be confused with skis, a commonly misspelled word. I was noticing in my iphoto that lately I've been really into taking lots of pretty sky pictures. Not sure what brought on this sudden trend of skyscapes, but here are a few:

This is in Pasadena, after the Rose Parade. 1/10

Near lovely (baah!!) Blythe, CA. 12/09

Also taken during the parade, the traditional fly-over of F-18's. (i have to give photo cred to Daile on this one- we were lucky enough to be sitting underneath a palm tree!)

Beautiful Mojave Desert sunset, 12/09

Palm Desert, CA. 12/09

Palm Springs windmills. 12/09

Palos Verdes Pennisula, CA. 1/09

I have no idea where this is, it was on my cellie. Please forgive the windshield.

Palm Desert with near-full moon. 12/09

Some where on I-15 near the Nevada/California border. 10/09 (again- please forgive the windshield and camera phone quality)

Outside Buy Low Market (if you're okay with not always buying local, shop here because it is THE CHEAPEST grocery store in Utah County. I drive all the way from AF to Provo just to shop there (Gala apples 4 lbs for a dollar?!!), but beware, if you go on produce Wednesdays, it is brutal trying to push a cart around). Walking out of the store one evening I tried to get my fellow shoppers (strangers) to appreciate this Utah Lake sunset, but they just thought I was a weirdo... Provo, UT. 1/10

Tri City Park, Placentia, Brea, Yorba Linda or Fullerton (are those the 3 cities they're talking about?), CA. 12/09

Let us hope for more beautiful skies, but also for some more cold snowy days!

Sweaty Encounters

2010-01-16T14:51:00.000-08:00

WARNING: this post may be too graphic for some. Bodily functions are discussed liberally.

This is a strong statement, but I'm pretty anti-gyms. However, in light of recent freezing temperatures and HORRIBLE inversion (inversion is Salt Lake's euphemism for smog), I gave in and purchased a temporary pass to the local rec center (technically not a real gym because there aren't as many tank-top wearing muscled out bros nor matching outfitted light-cardio bro-hoes, and it's MUCH cheaper). One unfortunate thing that comes along with indoor treadmill running is the lack of air resistance, thereby resulting in large amounts of perspiration for above average sweaters such as myself. Seriously, I'm always AMAZED when I see people getting off the treadmill perfectly dry, while I look like I've been swimming laps.

On a similarly tied note, a few weeks ago, I posted a less than kind photo of my brother, without giving a proper explanation. And to answer the many questions, no, he is not secretly doing an ad campaign for Right Guard. Whilst pondering the treadmill and Andrew's slightly embarrassing photo, I began to compile a mental list of my sweatiest ordeals in life. Here is a list of the top five (in no particular order):

1. Climbing to the top of the pyramids in Tikal National Park, Guatemala. Just imagine a frizzy haired girl climbing lots and lots of stairs in a Central American rain forest. You get the picture (literally- here it is).

2. I've become quite accustomed to living in the dry climate of Utah to the point where I think my sweat glands would have a hay-day if I ever moved to a humid area. One example to illustrate the truthfulness of this statement involves a visit to East Texas, where my brother and sister-in-law used to live. I remember going for a run in the midday Texas sun and returning to find Tristan's face with a look of horror and utter disbelief; she did not know such perspiration could be achieved in real life. Since I don't have photographic proof of this event, I'll just post a picture of the cute kids I saw in Texas instead:

3. The previously mentioned Dodger game, although it was in October, was sincerely a sweaty experience. LA was experiencing record-highs for that time of year and we were sitting underneath a blazing SoCal sun, unprotected in the Left Pavilion. One of the sure-fire ways to rate sweaty encounters is if shin sweat was involved. Yes, sweating from the FRONT of the legs, and I assure you, there were plenty of swins (= sweaty shins) that day at Chavez Ravine. In Andrew's defense, yet also to his fault, I must add that he wore probably the WORST possible color for sweat detection.

4. Working in the desert on the Colorado River, one will be exposed to extremely high temps, but 2 activities in particular may drive that same person to the brink of their perspiratory capabilities. These two activities are: rowing in high-stress situations and setting up the toilet in camp. We like to call hot experiences on the river, "face-melters." If you inquire more about the use of this term, I can use it in a sentence.

4a. On numerous occasions I have had passengers ask: "Umm, are you okay?" after seeing my warm, sweat-soaked skin (sorry if that sounds like an unintentional excerpt from a bad romance novel) as we approach rapids. The following is actually not a gross, high stress, or even Colorado River rowing picture, but actually a rather cute one from the Salmon River in Idaho:

4b. This is obviously not a picture of me setting up a toilet but instead a much more pleasant shot from one of my favorite bathroom locations in all of Cataract Canyon. I assure you that this is more pretty than a girl who has just melted her face off carrying 2 very heavy, large, metal toilet boxes for several hundred yards over sandy/rocky terrain in the 106 degree heat of the day:

5. Virtually any Stake Youth Dance that I attended from ages 14-17. Yes, it is sad but true that I danced my pants (or tight, knee length skirt) off to such music as: Cotton Eyed Joe, any Venga Boys song, TLC (R.I.P. Left-Eye), and even slow danced to various Backstreet Boys and Seal tunes while oogling boys from the Long Beach and Cypress Stakes. It is a travesty, yet a blessing that we did not have digital cameras back in those days to properly photo document those fantastic evenings. Instead, here is a photo with some of my main homegirlz, who I boogied the nights away with.

Dear friends and family, please remind me if I have forgotten any other note-worthy moments.

a little pick-me-up

2010-01-12T09:26:00.000-08:00

Sometimes, when I'm feeling down, I simply glance at this picture and realize that all is right in the world...

Sucker

2010-01-08T15:12:00.000-08:00

Oftentimes a fast-food restaurant will advertise for a new menu-item. The proposed food may be a gimic (such as a "black taco"), or to many people it may seem disgusting (KFC's new sandwich that replaces the bread with a chicken breast on either side), it might even come off as gluttonous to some (i.e. bacon wrapped-beef), or perhaps it is simply a new twist on an old favorite (mini burgers).

As society watches these marketing campaigns unfurl before their eyes, many wonder, "who is dumb/gross enough to waste money on these foods?" The answer to that question is: ME.

Surprisingly, I actually eat pretty healthy most of the time... however when I see a restaurant commercial advertising these new, fattening, scrumptious foods, I run for my nearest Burger King, Sonic, or Del Taco and fork over the cash (pardon the pun). The marketeers behind these huge corporations clearly have their hollow-minded target audience (again, identified: ME) pinned. Until I satisfy my craving/curiosity and consume that cleverly disguised package of cholesterol and sodium, the food in question will continue to haunt my thoughts. Am I weak-minded or just very in tune with what my body needs and wants?

The latest culprit is the beefy 5-layer burrito, from Taco Bell (it's only 89 cents!!). Maybe this will be the weekend to finally try it...

Here are a couple delicious morsels that have gotten me in the past (keep in mind these are only the ones that were lucky enough to be photo-documented, these few shots represent a much larger category):

Macaroni and cheese bites from Jack-in-the-Box

Cookie dough shake from Carl's Jr.

And last, (but CERTAINLY not least), virtually anything from this place:

(I realize that Mav is not technically a fast food institution, but it deserves special mention on this blog, as my unhealthy eating largely stems from there)

Please, please, please feel free to share any items (past or present) that I may have overlooked or failed to mention.

Firsts

2010-01-07T14:38:00.000-08:00

Life is full of many firsts, I've had a few notable ones as of late (and some far less notable/filler picture ones):

Skiing with these cute kids for their first time. Laney and Ryan did awesome!! There is something magical about experiencing something with loved ones for their first time, even if it's something you are very familiar with yourself. I like to call this "sharing the stoke." Being able to show and share your passions with others is very cool.

Can you guess which skis are mine? Don't be deceived by the skewed depth perception...

Taking Grandma Nielson to In-n-Out for her first time. It was a little too hectic for her taste, but she can now say she has experienced the hype.

I know I already blogged about this, but he's just a really cute baby, and this picture is hilarious. Please note the sheer disgust in meeting his favorite aunt for the first time.

first time visiting Chadder's, (**if you live in Utah please note: Chadder's the most blatant imitation of In-N-Out imaginable and if you do not want to deal with crowds, you can settle for a "Stubby Double" rather than a "Double Double."

We're famous!

2010-01-06T12:48:00.000-08:00

if that doesn't work above, click on this link:

http://www.ktla.com/videobeta/watch/?watch=e44c334f-2faf-4d23-9704-899488eafbf9&src=front

Holiday Wrap-up

2010-01-05T10:38:00.000-08:00

I thought about doing a holiday wrap-up rap, but then I realized how long it would take to rhyme all of these events, so here is a more straight-forward compilation of my Christmas break... it was a huge success because I got to see every member of my immediate family (not collectively, but spread out over 2 weeks) and so many other people whom I love!! With almost 3 full weeks of school off, a girl can do many things:

showing off some loot

Traditional Nielson Christmas morning stair shot

One thing I remembered while being home was how much meat Nielsons consume. Seriously, I come from a family of carnivores. My body was kind of shocked by the vast amounts of meat, and I'm glad to be back to a more omnivorous diet. This was, however, a delicious meat-lover's omelette made by Dad.

This is me and the Mom getting totally sloshed on Christmas Eve

And here we are after sobering up a bit

(she will probably kill me for posting these)

hanging out with my favorite beautiful, dark-haired, tall, babyless lefties @ Tri City Park

3rd best photo of the break:

Perhaps the highlight of the holidays was meeting this little guy for the first time, Vincent, my 3 month old nephew. His cuteness was further enhanced by his attire:

Mom and I snuck over to Phoenix for a very quick visit to see some of my favorite kids

We also got to see the world's largest Christmas tree @ Scott & Shellie's house

Probably the best photo taken all break. Emilie wanted a shot with our matching skinny jeans. Please note a) newborn on a trampoline and b) the serious (and embarrassing) difference in tightness/fit:

sleeping overnight on Colorado Blvd with Daile and the Greenman's so that we could....

...watch the Rose Parade from front row seats!!

Getting interviewed by the news for our prime set-up

Skyler pounding a bratwurst

2nd favorite photo of the break. Mom giggling like a little girl- due to bubbles

New Year's Day @ Dad's favorite breakfast spot on the old Redondo pier

The rest of New Year's Day consisted of exactly what I wanted: sitting on my butt eating delicious snacks and watching football.

A trip to California wouldn't be complete without a roller skating birthday party for my best friend's husband.

The trip wound down with a stopover in Vegas with Weegan, Brother, and Holland, complete with gourmet breakfast

Thanks to a very accurate scale at my mom's house, I know that I gained exactly 4.5 lbs over the break, which is only to be expected. All in all, a great trip, thanks family and friends!

golden state reflections

2009-12-27T23:23:00.000-08:00

As I watch the flames of the fireplace whip back and forth only feet beyond my laptop, cozily sitting in my dad's favorite love-seat, sipping overpriced hot cocoa, I let the fire warm my toes which have been chilled from the "weary" Redondo Beach winter and listen to the mixed sounds of Merle Haggard music, SportsCenter, and the neighbor's hound dog, weeping next door. Ahh, what an idyllic setting for a less than epic blogpost; I must be in a retired man's house, pondering my residential status.

Southern California is indeed, another world. I forgot how many Mercedes, Jaguars, BMW's, and the like, litter the streets of PCH, the 405, the 91, the 10, the 101, the 60, the 57, the 5, the 710, and the, well you get the idea. When I left to go running this afternoon, the neighbors (owners of the above mentioned dog), asked if I was in fact crazy for attempting to go running in a mere t-shirt and shorts in this rather "chilly" weather (60 degrees, Fahrenheit, mind you). I encountered numerous other joggers on the boardwalk, clad in tights, hoodies, beanies, even gloves (!) walking their designer dogs and listening to friends' tales of failed plastic surgeries and the new Juicy Couture bags they just purchased for their 11 year old daughters. Luckily, my scoffs and scorns were replaced with a smirk as I paused to watch the gorgeous Pacific sunset beyond pounding 4-6' surf. The oranges, pinks, and yellows in the sea spray seemed to soften my contempt and judgments as I remembered that I was once, and still in many ways am, a proud Californian.

Looking for a theatre in which to watch "Sherlock Holmes" tonight, (*sidenote: the movie was very good, but the previews almost caused me to lose faith entirely in Hollywood; six horrible sneak peaks and not a single film on which I would waste a dollar at Movies 8) I found five within a single zip code. Good and various restaurants abound are within fingertips, cultural and sporting events (one in the same) occur daily, and you can partake of a myriad of outdoor activities in world-class settings virtually year-round: surfing, skiing, boating, biking, golfing, climbing, hiking, celeb-spotting, etc.. If I head in my car, (or on my bike if feeling more adventurous) I can leave the country sooner than I can enter another of United States. If I head due East, North, or even West a few miles offshore, I may find one of eight National Parks (a number matched only by Alaska, which occupies a geographical area four times as large as CA). I can hear nearly a dozen different languages spoken on any given day simply by visiting a shopping mall (which, ironically, are boasted to be tops in the country). I can support one of 15 professional athletic teams (the good: go Blue!, the bad: RaiderNation, and the ugly: SF Giants) within state line. If blessed with residency (and good grades), you can attend one of hundreds of higher-learning institutes, including the nation's two best public universities, UCLA and Cal Berkeley.

Whether you crave a big city scene, fun beaches, hippie deserts, snow-capped mountains, towering redwoods, sleepy coastal towns, wide open spaces, agricultural valleys, or wine countries, I'm pretty sure you can find it here. Sure, my friends may out-pay me four to one in rent and cost of living when compared to other locales, and the Kindergarten Cop & his gubernatorial cabinet may have left the state economy in shambles, and there may be smog, along with a few pretentious people ("the land of gracious living?!!"), blah blah blah, but the simple fact is: this state is incredible. Take it or leave it, love it or hate it, California is worth all the hype. Perhaps some day I will once again grace this sunny southland with my more permanent presence, but for now, I am a full-fledged, proud Utahan. I really do love UT, but I can still be a native California girl at heart.

Hermosa Beach Pier '05

Christian/Skyler @ Lake Tahoe '05

Point Reyes '06

Death Valley, '07

Mammoth Lakes '07

Point Reyes, '06

San Fran, '06

Yep, I took 'em all.

O Tannenbaum

2009-12-22T23:56:00.000-08:00

The homegirlz and I decided to add a little personal flava to our tree (yes, sadly it is fake, but when you're a poor nursing student you just happily accept a free tree rather than pay for one). We added pretty much anything we could find around the house, along with some traditional ornaments and meaningful objects. Which is your fav? Bonus points for identifying my additions...(and yes, this is a feeble attempt at getting more comments on my blog).

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! I'm off to California...

bittersweet Holidays...

2009-12-22T08:40:00.000-08:00

It's always nice to open up your email to find a picture of one of your best friends in a zebra snuggie.

Then I realized just how cruel Nick's intentions were:

I hope you're all getting along okay as we celebrate this, our first Christmas without MJ.

finals are over.

2009-12-20T12:24:00.000-08:00

In the words of Alice Cooper, "schooooool's out for [winter]." So, in order to celebrate, I spent some time here:

and here

and definitely here

we snowshoed into this killer cabin in the Abajo Mountains

There are no roads to the cabin, it's about a 3-4 mile hike in. No other cabins in the whole area!

beautiful La Sal Mountains with Church Rock in the foreground

This cabin is incredible! There is no electricity or running water. It's a true backwoods, rustic cabin, built with all local materials.

Hwy 6, near Price, UT

I was pretty into this heart-shaped dinner bell, in case you can't tell by the number of photo appearances:

look for these shots in the 2010 REI catalog

Blue Mountain

snowshoe acrobatics

the gear

da boyz, gettin crazy playing risk

The crew: a redhead, some good ole boys, a Swede, and me.

showing some skin, winter style

Scenic Highway 191

my precious Colorado River, frozen. (excuse the bridge rails)

I hope you enjoy the plethora of pictures!

la tortuga morada

2009-12-17T22:45:00.000-08:00

The Purple Turtle is a mainstay in Pleasant Grove, UT. If you've ever been up American Fork Canyon you've probably driven by, or at least heard of it. Seeing as I am a North-Eastern Utah County resident, I thought it only appropriate that I finally dine in and see what is so darn special about the place. First and foremost, TPT gets 5 gold stars (out of an arbitrary 5) for their creative decor. I love love love it when local businesses stick with a theme or when they incorporate regional activities and landmarks into the decorative mix. They nailed both of these aims by having several water color paintings of turtles doing various outdoor Utah-themed activities.

The food is your typical diner-style fried stuff and was pretty average (with the exception of the juicy, far-above average burgers). It was also rather expensive for "fast food;" almost 10 buckaroos for a burger and bland fries. They really pride themselves on their fry sauce (word to the wise: it isn't really that good). My expert tongue took only one taste to pinpoint the so-called secret ingredient: miracle whip instead of mayo.

You'd think that by charging $13.49 for a fish basket and fries, the Purple Turtle management could afford to replace this frame glass; apparently not. Prognosis: I will probably not return to the Purple Turtle, however I thoroughly enjoyed my visit.

C-A-L Ranch

2009-12-16T22:08:00.001-08:00

I've clearly been doing my Christmas shopping at all the wrong businesses, that is, until recently...

Me: "Excuse me, could you tell me where the dressing rooms are?"

Friendly Customer Service Rep: "Sure hun, they're up in the front, underneath the elk heads."

What kind of wondrous store could be home to such an amazing dialogue?? I could have bought gifts for everyone I know, like this lovely camo PJ set for someone special.

A+ student

2009-12-16T13:41:00.001-08:00

It's finals week, and to prove just how studious i've been lately, I wanted to show you:

a) how attractive i look,

b) the sweet outfit i've been wearing for the past 5 days (yes, a robe i've had since i first began college and sweatpants from high school waterpolo), and

c) where i've been spending all of my time.

Bye-bye JP

2009-12-15T09:55:00.001-08:00

With all this talk of cold weather and such, one's mind tends to drift to warmer, more pleasant, summery places... i.e. river trips, baseball, beaches, etc. I was figuring that I have about four and half months until my summer starts, and even shorter until spring training begins! So, first things first, let's get a little update on everyone's favorite team (or at least the one that this blog supports).

Juan Pierre, the semi-beloved-socks-over-the-pants-wearing-left-fielding-base-stealer, has been traded to the White Sox. You would think that most Dodger fans would bid good riddance, considering that Pierre was arguably the most expensive bench-sitter in the leagues. I however, will miss him (and his speed) but am excited to see the two new acquisitions promised by Chicago. During the off season last year, we were the talk in all of baseball as this man's (see below) salary deal was highly contested. Things are a little more quiet during this off season but hopefully we will see some fantastic additions and get a couple quality starting pitchers. I will use this as an excuse to post some sweet shots from the playoffs this year. I had the chance to go to games 1 and 2 of the NLCS, but have yet to post any proof until now (2 months later).

Brother was visibly nervous to meet Manny.

before Game 1, I hiked up to the sign. I made The mom leave 4 hours early for this game

listening to a touching rendition of the National Anthem sung by Miley Cyrus' Dad. Yep. This performance was only to be overshadowed by the Backstreet Boys the following day for Game 2

the Game 2 crew. Andrew's buddy, Jake, drove something like 15 hours down from Portland to be there.

I tried to get us on National TV by making this sign

The mom, showing off some Game 1 booty.

"I Love L.A."

These towels are now proudly displayed in my kitchen, however they are not permitted for use on messy spills, solely for drying hands and other clean tasks.

paying $60 for a pavilion seat never seemed so right

2009-12-13T15:57:00.000-08:00

So i thought that perhaps i should stop writing about eating, snuggies, and waxing my mustache and start providing what i promised on this blog: exciting content on my travels and whereabouts. Then I realized that this was the only photo i took on my last weekend away, the toilet paper roll at Grace's condo in Jackson.

An oxymoronic phrase for today: ice cream shake melts girl's cold heart

2009-12-11T12:06:00.000-08:00

I think I am a pretty positive person by nature, but I'm going to be a bit of a Negative Nancy, just for a few more sentences. I do not like Hogi Yogi/Teriyaki Stix (in case that wasn't clear by the thumbs down photo). They are a fast food chain based out of Provo, and I think that they represent everything bad about Utah Valley enterprises. On any given night (except Sunday!), you can go and find zit-faced kids serving bad, overpriced food with slow service and a poor demeanor. It is always the last choice of eatery options in the Wilkinson Center food court (just ask any BYU alumni). If you want me to go into greater detail, send me an email, I obviously have more to say.

HOWEVER, once a year I have to eat my words and take my hat off to the Hogi Yogi corporation for bringing me this kind of bliss (see below). Their yogi-nog shakes are a little slice of heaven right here on earth. Although they are $4 for a small (!) and I waited over 13 minutes to get this one, it is worth them being open the other 11 months of the year when they don't offer this menu item. Thank you yogi-nog for reminding me that I should more appropriately have the Christmas Spirit in my heart, not icy bitterness.

2009-12-10T08:14:00.001-08:00

Sometimes you just show up at your brother's house and find your nephew layin' back, watching football in a BYU snuggie. Naturally. Ahh, simple pleasures.

simple arithmetic

2009-12-08T17:32:00.000-08:00

+ (plus)

= (equals)

+ (plus)

= (equals)

I love me some snow. Even when I'm not skiing, I still love living in a snowy climate. Everything looks cooler/cleaner, the roads are less crowded, etc. etc. Kinda weird, I know. One of the only things I don't like is feeling like I'm going to fall and break my neck when I try to go running. Add almost hacking up a lung while doing it and it doesn't make for a very pleasant cardiovascular experience. The roads are SO ICY right now and i think all the snowplow drivers are on strike (I thought unemployment was high or something?!!). Oh well, I guess I'll just continue not exercising and putting on my winter blubber. (**sidenote** I consumed an entire Little Caesar's pizza for lunch today. If you don't believe this statement, you obviously don't know me very well, and should probably not be reading this blog)

Natural beauty

2009-12-06T10:20:00.000-08:00

My dear friend, Emilia, once said that "natural beauty is the hardest kind of pretty." Well, I'm sorry to disappoint her, but it turns out i've been faking it all along... here's the proof. (*this is my roommate, Alicia, in the photo. She is an amazing hairstylist and esthetician, and will frequently bust out her wax pot to have a little fun at our house)

Holiday cheer

2009-12-05T10:45:00.001-08:00

During my long tenure at Color Me Mine, i worked with a wonderful girl named Whitney who introduced me to the wonders of Sufjan Stevens' Christmas albums. I am forever indebted to her for brightening my holidays with his very, very happy music. I have been known to listen to some of these songs in May or September, because they are just that good. Have a listen/watch to one of my favs (it's short)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gKzXlqsOeE&feature=related

if you live in socal, you should probably go to this event:

2009-12-03T12:25:00.000-08:00

Not sacrilegious, just a little funny.

2009-12-02T07:54:00.000-08:00

the above picture was beautifully colored by my niece during the last General Conference. I couldn't help but notice how her color selections led to an uncanny similarity with another (yet secular) world leader...

maturity

2009-12-01T17:47:00.001-08:00

i finally have enough posts to have an "older posts" link on the bottom of the page!! wahoo!! i'm such a blogger...

Yeah, Thanksgiving was good.

2009-11-30T09:50:00.000-08:00

I got to eat a ton of good food,
spend time with this great family,

and chop down a Christmas tree in the Tahoe snow-covered forest.

Thanks Greenmen for a good time as always!

"Gobble gobble wee setcha wee setcha wanna wanna"

2009-11-24T13:15:00.000-08:00

Did anyone else ever think that those were the opening lyrics to that Ramones song, "Pinhead?" Turns out i was WAY off. These are the real lyrics:

"Gabba gabba we accept you, we accept you one of us!"

Anyways, sorry for that random aside. This semester I have a psychiatric clinical at the Utah State Mental Hospital. It is EXTREMELY interesting and I'm glad to have had the experience. But even more glad that it's almost over! As part of the treatment, patients are encouraged to do group therapy sessions which can include arts and crafts (see above). I thought i'd share my latest creations with you all in the spirit of Thanksgiving! I've gotta hit the road right now for the Greenman's house in Tahoe!!!

Happy B-day to this Pretty Lady

2009-11-23T09:26:00.000-08:00

Sorry EJ, I know this pic is a little outdated, but I still love it of you. I promise that not every other post will be a birthday tribute to one of my friends, but it just so happens that four of my besties (and the mom) celebrate in the month of November. Rob, don't worry I remembered you, I just started my blog 2 days after your day, so here is a picture of EmmaJane and Robin after they had their first babes.

...a little more recent one. And let's not forget this cute girl (because I already forgot her birthday on Nov 12th!).

Love you Dai!

*** Heidizzle, this is a disclaimer to you: I realize that your birthday is only 12 days off from November, but I'm sorry, you didn't make the cut this time. Better luck next year.

What's wrong with this picture???

2009-11-22T10:36:00.000-08:00

I LOVE the Wasatch Mountains. And I like In-n-out, but these are two things i never thought would come together. On Thursday, two Utah In-n-out franchises opened: the one above in Orem, and another in Draper. Two more will open in the next couple of weeks: American Fork and West Jordan. As you can imagine, these burger places have turned the whole area into complete pandemonium. Mormon moms and BYU students abound have lined up for hours just to get inside and order a burger. I took this picture 3 days before the store actually opened, and it was already swarming with people anticipating the grand opening. People spent the night in their cars in the drive through line! Crazy. I sincerely like In-n-out but i think it's a tad overrated and definitely overhyped. I don't want to go anywhere near these stores right now. Maybe in a few months I'll try to stop in and eat there, but certainly not any time soon! I'll leave you with this quote from my dear brother Andrew: "There are lots of women in Utah that have been waiting their whole lives for a day this epic- New Moon and In N Out open!!"

Hey Mr. Postman look and see, is there a letter in your bag for me?

2009-11-20T10:31:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday Elsa

2009-11-19T13:27:00.000-08:00

"Older, but hotter." Couldn't have put it better myself. As a bday gift to Elise, I am posting a mock cupcakery review. In case you didn't know, she is the author of the (2nd?) most successful cupcake blog in the world! (or something like that...) Check it out: www.cupcakeactivist.com

When I was home a few weeks ago, my dad had a bright idea to stop and try his very first gourmet cupcake. Honestly, it was all his idea. Luckily, there is a SusieCakes in Manhattan Beach, so we popped in. I knew it would be good b/c Elsa holds SusieCakes in high regards.

To be honest, Dad thought the cupcake was overrated, overpriced, and overly rich- but what practical man wouldn't? Happy Birthday Elise, thanks for being a big part of my blogging inspiration!

b minor

2009-11-18T11:20:00.000-08:00

My singles ward has been asking for volunteers to do family home evening for an assisted living home in our area. On a sudden (and uncharacteristic) whim of charity and service that could only happen during a relief society lesson, i signed us up to do it. Obviously my judgment was clouded by churchiness that day because i delegated myself as the pianist! A couple nights ago, my roommates and cruised over to the Bel-Aire center (sounds swanky, doesn't it?) to entertain some old folks for a bit. I was sooo embarrassed by my lack of piano playing skills. I could only play a handful of hymns and the ones i thought i knew i ended up butchering so badly.

This is NOT one of those confessions that mothers long to hear their children make. You know the ones i speak of. They go something like this: "oh i WISH i would have kept playing the _______ (fill in the blank) like you wanted me to. I really should have listened to you..." My mom might die of satisfaction if she heard those words out of my mouth. The reason I'm frustrated about my lack of current piano proficiency is not because I wish I had practiced more or kept playing into my later high school years, but rather my frustration stems from the fact that I haven't had an opportunity to play in the last few years. I will admit that i was fed up with having piano forced on me from age 6-15, and that after i was granted amnesty from the ivories, i had some teenage and maybe even early adulthood angst towards the instrument. However, now that i am a mature young woman, i recognize the importance of continued involvement in music. In the last 5-6 years, if i had a piano readily available, I would have found time to utilize it at least once or twice a week. In fact, last year my roommate Camille had a way professional keyboard, and i played it quite frequently. I've even been known to stay late after church to brush up on songs.

I don't want this post to turn into a strongly opinionated statement; I'm not yet a mother. I honestly don't have an official stand on whether or not my future children will be forced into a musical venture they don't see profit in, because I realize I may have to eat my words someday. However, I would like to encourage them to seek various musical arts and give them opportunities to explore their talents. My sister and her husband have done a fantastic job of this in their home, as evidenced by these photos I took last Thanksgiving:

This last photo more accurately depicts my own sentiments on the subject:

maybe a little overzealous...

2009-11-16T21:40:00.000-08:00

Yes, i know, 2 posts in one day, perhaps a tad overboard, but i figure if I am going to do this, i'm going all out. Plus, I need to prove to my readership that their time spent here will be valuable!! Some of my photos may be out of chronological order but i couldn't resist showing the world these gems after i found them in my collection. I've had skiing very seriously on the brain lately. I went to Jackson Hole, WY last weekend, so after being in a ski town and the first real "valley snow storm" just a few days ago, it's hard to escape the hype. These shots are from a spring skiing day last year with the mom @ Alta.

Have a great day!

maiden voyage

2009-11-16T12:49:00.000-08:00

Well, well, well... this is something I've been putting off for a while, but I've finally decided to start a blog. For a long time I figured you had to have cute kids or a business or something to blog about, but then I figured, "Hey, i've got a pretty interesting life!" Plus, I do own a macbook now, and will soon be moving to a bigger city, so it kind of goes with the hip territory. Next thing you know, I'll be wearing skinny jeans, listening to bands like Sigur Ros, riding a road bike, and attending left-wing political events. Ok, so I actually already do all of those things, but only in moderation!

Hopefully between my exciting happenings and extreme wit I can keep you all more updated (and entertained!) on my life.