The evolution of connection in modern times....

So, is it me or are there less brag Christmas cards going around this year? I like that. My theory is that it's because more people are doing family blogs and, well, that's where they do most of their bragging. But, seriously, even there, it seems people are bragging less. I like that.

Now, I do also notice that people are connecting in increasing quantity...but not quality. Lots of texting, blogging, facebooking, twittering going on. (I still have to understand twitter better- that's on my list of things to do next year- to understand it, I mean.) I mean, these days, I seem to have a lot of quick connections with people. Short, easy messages to express frustration, affection, connection, what have you.

But, I get the sense that I'm having less meaningful, deep, and vulnerable conversations with people. Also, is it possible that there are less person to person verbal conversations? I wonder. I wonder if that's been looked at yet....I'm sure it has. Listen, I'm just saying that if this keeps up...in 50 years, will there be less need for talking? How 'bout in 100 years? Or 500 years? Will our vocal chords be like one of those organs that our bodies no longer need, therefore, shrink in size or become unneccesary through subsequent generations? Hmmmm.

Giving Thanks

Once again, it's time to give thanks, officially, I mean. To be honest, this year I have focused more on giving thanks all year long than in other years past. So on this particular day of Thanksgiving, I have been reminded of more unusual things for me than the normal. Particularly, my health. Joaquin's ordeal, as well as many other reminders I have had lately has made me much more aware of the wonderful way our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ have created our bodies. I am grateful for a strong and healthy body that can do so many things. Yes, I get more aches and pains than in the past. Yes, I get self-concious of my body and often wish it was less....bountiful. Butt, (pun intended), I can see, hear, dance, run and sweat, cuddle, ski (for which I am craving, thank you!), etc etc. Oh boy, it's not perfect. But perfect for my needs.

Sunday Laughs and Carbs

I wanna know what's the deal with Sundays and pig-outs. Why do I always pig out like I'm about to hibernate for months and have to store as much fat as possible in my body...on Sundays? I'm bored for like, 5 minutes, then I decide it's time to eat something. So, as I'm eating my 3rd bowl of cereal, I happen to turn to E!- I'm watching 101 Most Unforgetable Moments on Saturday Night Live. I'm laughing so hard I can't eat.

Eddie Murphy- Black Like Me "Go on, take it!" (I'm still laughing about that)

Phil Hartman as Frank Sinatra- "I ain't afraid of you, I got chunks of guys like you in my stool!"

Lyle, the effeminite heterosexual

Sprockets

Hannukah Harry

The Church Lady

Chris Farley- "I'm 35 years old! And I live in a trailer down by the river!"

I need more cowbell

"Strategery. Lock Box."

"A three hour tour! A three hour tour!"

and so on....more Cap'n Crunch Berries anyone?

On the President-Elect

Rewind to a July, 4 years ago in a Park City timeshare. It was a warm evening. Belo, Bela and the rest of the family lazing around after hours of swimming. I'm sitting at the kitchen table. Peanut M&Ms and Strawberry Twizzlers being passed around from person to person. The tv is on. Channel surfing. Nothing of interest. Pause at MSNBC. It's the Democratic Convention. A handsome young black man is speaking. Who is that? Let's see what he has to say. Within 5 minutes, it is apparent. Abuela turns to everyone and prophetically says "Wow. That's man is gonna be the President of the United States!" The rest of us are in awe-and we're all thinking "Yeah, no kidding". We listen intently, and don't turn the channel until after he is finished. Not one of us in that room considered ourselves Democrats. Not one, yet we were all frozen, hanging on to every word that came out of that unknown's mouth.

Fast forward back to November 4th. I voted. I won't publicize who I voted for, but I joined billions of Americans as we watched the news, as the map of the United States begins to take on those well-known colors of red and blue- lots of blue. (I watched Tom Brokaw pull out that white board from the last election. Awww! I miss Tim Russert!) History unfolding.

Then I watched Senator McCain give his concession speech. I was touched. I was impressed. I absolutely loved the grace and leadership he projected.

On to Obama. I witness history. I was touched. I was impressed. I was moved. All I kept thinking was, no matter who you voted for, you can't help but be moved by this man. You can't help but be moved to witness such an unforgettable moment in the history of this nation. I, too, like many others, hope that he continues to inspire and lead and move us. I kept thinking, I hope I never forget this moment.

Dems been dark days

Hi! remember me?
I'm curlygirl and I write my thoughts here. It's been awhile. Why?

Dems been dark days. Been reading Dracula. Been working alot. Been Facebookin' too. Not that it really matters because I have, like, what? 3 readers who read this?

And I haven't read other people's blogs either.

On a brighter note, did anyone see Marion Jones's post prison interview on Oprah? I didn't, but wish I did.

Since you asked, I am proud of her. I'm proud that she came clean. Is she still a role model? Yes. A role model for people who are willing to take responsibility for their behavior. Remember...she wasn't caught. She came clean and confessed- without being cornered. Can you imagine being in her shoes? Actually, I can't. Due to the fact that, well, she runs pretty fast. With or without performance enhancers. Performance enhancers. Hee hee hee! That makes me giggle. Are you thinking what I'm thinking? Years ago, the word "performance" used to conjure up thoughts such as automobiles, horsepower, musicians, dancers, the arts. Now I think of...male peformance...male performance enhancers...little blue pill...hee hee hee. Oh damn those stupid Cialis/ Viagra commercials. Oh...I've got some thoughts about those commercials!

#1- who looks that good at that age?! They make those men and women look like they're friggin in the prime of their lives lookswise. Every one of them! Reality- most (I know, not all) people that age don't look that amazing. We're talking a little more weight around the middle- at best.

#2- who the hell puts two stand alone tubs in the middle of their front yard overlooking the sunset?! And even worse, who the hell wants to sit in a tub sitting in a front yard? Naked?! Lady, if you're with a guy who likes to sit naked in a tub in plain view of others, you got a lot more to worry about than his performance.

#3- sometimes I can't get that stupid ViVa Viagra! song outa my head!

Anywhooo.

I'm back. Maybe I can keep this blog up. Hope so. More thoughts to come when i think of them. In the meantime, Vivaaaaaa Viagra!

Don't drive like my brotha!

Okay, let me give you a tip...you gotta listen to NPR at 10 am on Saturday mornings! You gotta!
There's this show on called Car Talk hosted by a couple of brothers out of Boston. Holy Crap they're funny. Really funny. You don't have to love cars to really dig the show. I dig it. How did I find them? I stumbled on to them a few weeks ago while driving around running errands. For some reason, I'd never heard of them before. No one's ever talked about them. When I mentioned them to my dad, he immediately responded with "Oh, I love them! The're hilarious! I used to listen to them on my way to the office and I used to laugh my head off!" Then I wondered...it's NPR, I'm in Utah, and I just left a different age bracket. That's why.

Then, after that, listen to the 11 am show called Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me. Warning. It's very funny, BUT I didn't like it as much the first couple of times I listened to it. Now I think it's hilarious too. It's a gameshow based on the news over the past week, and you kinda have to keep up with the news to get a lot of the jokes.

Anyway, these 2 shows are great to listen to on Sat mornings while you're cleaning the house, running errands in the car, etc. You'll be glad you did.

Rejected.

So, I'll admit it. I lurk. Through the stroke of luck, or genius, several months ago i found several blogs of people I know through other people, etc. And I check on them regularly. There are a few blogs that I quite like reading...but then one fine day, I clicked on one I hadn't checked on for awhile only to find

the door locked

no trespassing.

They're soooooo exclusive. Who do they think they are?! Special?! Too good for us? Private club for members only?

I hate it when people do that. (but not when they've always done that, just the ones who suddenly do that. So that doesn't count you Rachelle or you Heidi, just others)

Politics As Usual

I watched the debates tonight, as I did last week. So, the thing I gotta ask is, is it me or are the debates so full of....the same old stuff? I mean, their tactics were so obvious. Both candidates constantly stroking the viewers by talking in ways that honestly did not feel genuine but more car salesmanish. I rarely felt like they answered the questions directly and concisely. Essentially, all they did was answer questions by pointing out the flaws and weaknesses of the other canditiate in regards to the topic at hand, with not even accurate information, and worse, they never really gave straight answers for themselves. I got so annoyed I could not watch the whole thing- though I really tried. I mean, honestly, what are those debates really about anyway? I mean, they can promise all they want but what percentage of those promises actually go through all the way? Honestly...'cause I don't know. But I remember that everytime I watch presidential/ vice-presidential debates, I feel this way. Thoughts? Educate me. This inquiring mind really wants to know.

My Heart is Full

This will be a conference weekend to remember for me. The Lord is putting a temple in Philadelphia! I cannot imagine what the response must have been in those Stake Centers all over Pennsylania, South Jersey, and Delaware. I started balling like a baby! And I can't stop crying. All I can say is the Lord answers our prayers and his timing is perfect. It is interesting to me that in the past few weeks I have felt a strong longing to reconnect with old friends from my stake and my heart feels full as this news brings us overwhelming joy and strengthens our bonds. I look forward to taking a trip back there and attending the temple...I hope to see some of you there as well. I am also so happy for the temple being built in Cordoba. That is were my family is from, that is where I lived at one point, although I was little. Happy Day!

Stuck in the middle and things I've observed

V: So I joined Facebook...
You: No duh, that's how I found your blog, dork!
V: I first I avoided it 'cause you know how I hate being another statistic.
You: So why did you join?
V: 'Cause everyone else was doing it.

So, as I've become more involved in the techno world of blogging, facebook, what have you, I've learned a few things...

1. Mormons love to blog, it is a total trend..and the closer you are to Utah, the more mormon bloggers there are. The further away, the less there are, but they are catching up.

2. People my age (ok, I'll admit it...35, I mean, 25) are at the cusp of sharing self in technoland.
People even 1 or 2 years younger than me have much higher numbers of involvement in facebook/ blogging than those my age (25) or older... with a few exceptions...

3. If you are not mormon, you are very likely to be involved in blogging/ facebook. Especially facebook. (Myspace is no longer cool- see Stuff White People Like)

4. If you are single and mormon, you don't blog as much , but you use facebook religiously...unless you consider yourself a writer or are older and are professional, with opinions to share, then you also blog.

5. If you are mormon and have a family, yes, you use facebook, but you are very likely to blog as well.

6. Lots of mormon wives who have a blog about their family love to rant and rave about how awesome/ perfect their lives are...either it's true, or they're trying to convince themselves, or they're faking it. I've also noticed the younger the wife/ family is, the more likely the picture is painted perfect, the older, the more real.

Was I crossing the line with #6? Shoot...maybe. Hey, I do it ('cause I'm in the middle). Well, not so much. That's okay, let's still love each other.

Dracuuuuuula!

I've just started this book, and I better get the pee scared right outa me! Or else, no soup for you, Bram Stoker!

I got gas...I think...

Tomorrow is Joaqo's payday, and I have very little $ until then. I had $8 cash in my wallet, and my tank was totally empty, so I thought, hey, I'll just put in the $8 until tomorrow...it'll be plenty. So I did. Um, the needle went up, like 2 millimeters. No kidding.

On Politics....

Well, since everyone's posting about the recent conventions, I thought I'd join the bandwagon. So, here are my thoughts...
McCain- I worry about major budget problems- like we need more debt. The war? I think it was a mistake to go to Iraq- How's he gonna keep paying for it? The good- he has fought for this country and I really believe he is committed to it heart and soul.

Palin- love, love the idea of a woman being there, but this one? Not enough experience! What's her foreign policy record like? (Besides with Canada). I don't know if I could handle the idea of her being president should something happen to the other one. Good- she seems like a great representative of the average american woman - she has a whole lot experience with all that comes with it for sure!

Obama- love, love the idea of a black president for so many reasons. He is intelligent, driven, cares for the minority, understands the needs of the people of this country. But, oops! Not much experience in government, like Palin.

Biden- I think this guy's great. Tons of experience, great leadership, great morals, fights for what he believes, and I believe has some experience with foreign policy (I'll have to double check that one). But, what about the financial mess we're in? I have no idea what his background is with that.


So, to sum it up.....I think I'm going for Obama-Biden. Yeah, that's right. Those two...Um. Will you still be my friends?

Dear God,

Tomorrow I will be paying my tithing. I will find some time to quickly run to the box that holds the tithing envelopes before sacrament mtg (if I'm on time), quickly fill out the paper and check (probably during a speaker, so, that reduces my listening time, on top of the fact that I have a toddler), then put it in the diaper bag (hidden so that the toddler doesn't take it out to draw on or play with), then cross my fingers and say a prayer, hoping to remember to give it to a member of the bishopric when they drop off their kids in my nursery class- hoping that I will remember while I am holding 2 toddlers in my arms in heels and a dress- one crying for her mama, the other asking repeatedly to read him a book- 2 toddlers who I love so much, but make it difficult to remember to hand the bishop my tithing envelope when he steps in to drop off his own son, because I love his son so much also and want to console him as well when the tears start flowing. All of these things greatly reduce the odds of that tithing envelope coming in for a landing ever so smoothly into the hand of the Bishop. Yes, I could do other things, make preparations ahead of time. But truth be told, (and I'm being authentic here) the aforementioned scenario is the typical scene, no matter how much I try to do otherwise. It doesn't last.
So what I'm really asking for is...could you make it so we can pay tithing online? It would make it so much easier to be obedient.....pretty please?

Are you ready for some football?!

Eagles v. Panthers.

My team won 24-13.

Time to bring out the Eagles and Cougars accessories.

Ni hao!

It's Olympics time again. And I love it. I relish watching the Olympics and cheering for our athletes. My favorites in the summer games? Gymnastics, soccer, diving, swimming, and here it comes... wrestling. Yep. I love wrestling. Go ahead. Make fun of me...but then I'll take you down.
And I can, you know. But don't worry, I'll let go as soon as you are calm... or you tap out...but that's another sport.

Wanted:

Married Hispanic Female seeking a long-lasting, flexible partner to spend fun-filled and serious time with. Must be dark, fabulously rich, and willing to deal with all my baggage.

Hello lover! Ooooo! You look scrumptious!

Lucky!

Today I ran into a lady coworker from years past. We exchanged small talk. I walked away so astounded I had to call Kimmie ...first, b/c I couldn't remember this gal's name, and 2nd, I had to process. Process this: Said lady coworker has no children (she got married shortly before leaving the co), has not worked for 2 years. In her words "I just hang out all day". Lucky! (said in napleon dymanite tone). How can I get that gig?

Trucks, trees, UFOs and monsters, oh my!

I'm bummed. I've been bummed about this for months now.
You: What, V? What's got you down?
V: Besides all the craziness in my life, I have to deal with the fact that the History channel is driving me mad, mad I say. I keep turning to the Hx channel only to find shows that really have nothing to do with history. Ice Road truckers? Monsterquest? UFO Hunters? Ax men? What the? I don't know about you, but these shows? They're a stretch. I wanna learn about world history, U.S. Presidents, The Civil War, etc. Remember? I wish I was a history buff. Now, how am I supposed to get history lessons?
You: Read a book.
V: Damn.

War Games

Tonight, as I was typing my previous post, I was waching War Games. Oh. My. Gosh. So many reactions to this. Let me start by saying first that Matthew Broderick is darling in this. I'd forgotten until I saw this tonight that he was one of my first crushes. He's adorable! Next, the technology. You should see this stuff. Huge floppy disks. DOS. Server rooms the size of a high school gym. Dot matrix printers. Telephone modems. WOPR? (is that right?) Raglan sleeves (oops. they're current again). Telephone booths. And a lot of drama. The world is coming to an end, but if you have any time, you gotta see it.

It's All In The Details

So today, I had to do a lot of convincing to get da little boss to consent to a walk. I finally got the green light after animatedly listing all the things we might see...birds, sheeohs (horsies), cool cars, etc. Of course, in my head, I was hoping we'd see half of what I promised, but I badly needed the walk. So, off we went. When what should my wondering eyes should appear? A cute bunny! Does this look wild to you? Honestly, it looks like someone stuck their pet rabbit on their front lawn. But Alex and I watched it for like 15 minutes, talking about it, watching it hop around, and no one came to claim it. We continued on...and we saw a cute little American Eskimo dog. Now, to keep Alex happy, I kept pointing to his cute little face, it looked like it was smiling at us, and we laughed at how silly he was acting. We continued on...and we saw the coolest backyard ever, which I had never noticed before on our walks. This yard had everything. Before I go on, let me remind you that I'm reading Robinson Crusoe. This guy gets stuck in an island with minimal tools and resources, and manages to do the most amazing things with what he has. We stopped to look at their chicken coop. While Alex talked to the chickens, I stared at the yard. Wow. This place was hooked up- in case there was some emergency where they would have to sustain themselves with what they got, they would be just fine..I'll spare you the details, but these people would have everything they need foodwise, and the backyard was gorgeous to boot. Neat, tidy, and gorgeous. We continued on...we saw interesting people pass us, some we knew, some we didn't. We continued on...and I pointed out all the colors. All the different shades of green, burgundy, and the colors of the flowers. We stopped and smelled some flowers, laughing when the bees chased us away. By the time we made it home, we had so many things to talk about. This was the same path we have taken many, many times. When you really stop to smell the flowers, the mundane things that you take for granted suddenly pop out at you! It's amazing how much fun you can have if you allow yourself to be present, not walking as fast as possible to the next adventure. Instead, enjoy the adventure you are currently living, and the future will be twice as exciting!

I got tagged...

In all my glory and excitement last night, I forgot I got tagged by Misty. A book tag.
Directions:
1. Get the nearest book to you, or one that you are reading, that contains over 123 pages.
2. Go to the 123rd page.
3. Find the 5th sentence.
4. Post the 5th sentence.
5. Tag 5 people.

Here goes:
"All the while these things were doing you may be sure my thoughts ran many times upon the prospect of land which I had seen from the other side of the island; and I was not without secret wishes that I were on shore there, fancying the seeing the mainland, and thinking that in an inhabited country I might find some way or other to convey myself farther, and perhaps at last find some means of escape"

I know it looks like there are mistakes in that paragraph. There aren't. I'm reading Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe. Written in like the 1700's. It's not a book I would highly recommend. It's good if you like books like Treasure Island. But I like it.
Okay, I tag Brooke, Joanie, Rachelle, Jenny (that means you need to start the blog), and Lori (time to update that blog).

Too cool for school

Well, I feel totally cool tonight. I officially have a personal assistant now. I mean, a personal travel assistant. Let me begin with the awesome present my dad gave me. A Garmin- a totally cool GPS for the car - that has bluetooth (raising the roof). Why? That's what I get for getting lost a few times and having to call my dad to bail me out on mapquest while I called from the car. Dad, once again, thank you, thank you, thank you. Oh, and to raise the geek bar even higher? You can download geocaches unto it. Yeah, I'm in heaven, thank you.

Now, on to the next cool thing about tonight. (Drumroll please) I hooked up Vonage. All by myself. Am I awesome? Am I cool or what? Now, I will reduce my phone bill by about 50% if all goes according to plan. 50%. And that's being conservative.

I rock. And I will bask in that feeling all night tonight. Maybe some more tomorrow.

Next step, Tivo?

I am way too cool for school.

Singin' In The Rain

So, I woke up this morning, looked out the window, and thought...

"Mother Nature, what gives?"

then I vascillated back and forth- "Should I go on my walk, or not?"

I kept coming up with reasons in my head why I should go:

*After this weekend's endless eating of bad-for-you-food, I need to switch directions again, Oh, yeah, and this evening I'm gonna eat like crap again

*The canine needs this

*This is good for Alex

*Get back on the saddle

*What about the jeans you want to get back into?



Not go:

*It's raining

*Alex has no cold weather clothes that fit him and are clean

*It's a holiday. Be lazy.


Then I thought about my neighbor who told me she was so impressed with how committed I am with my walks/runs. I remembered I replied with something like, "yeah, but it's just a matter of time before I get lazy again, that's how it always goes" She replied "yeah, me too." Then I thought, "but not today Tina!"

So I threw some clothes on Alex that are a wee bit small on him (fr. this past winter), leashed the dog, then headed out into the wild gray yonder.


Exactly halfway through my walk, when I couldn't be farther away from my warm and coushee home, the rain started. At first, it was soft and light. Quite...pleasant. No worries. Within a minute or two, I looked down on my arm to see little white balls and large drops of water landing all over me and everywhere else. So there we were. Standing like a little clump of plants on the receving end of a giant watering can being poured on us. And I smiled. We turned around and took our time coming home. We took our time because I loved walking in the rain. Alex was dry and coushee in his chariot while I contemplated on life, birth, and everything in between- as I usually do on my walks. It felt so good, that I was truly disappointed when the rain stopped about 5 minutes before the end of our walk.

Only to receive the wonderful news of a certain baby girl named Marin who was born today to my wonderful friend, K. Congratulations. And so continues newness of life. And I smile once again.

Yes, Rachelle, a shocker

American Idol.What. a. shocker. Really. I thought the little guy had it in the bag. On a side note, I was kinda worried that winning would be too much for such a young, innocent kid. And there was this part of me that was hoping he wouldn't win so that he wouldn't change. He still needs to grow up, and, yes, he still will be famous and have a music career. But maybe he won't be quite as messed up? Hope not.

Now, on to that other show that I love so much. What the heck is this about some of my favorite choreographers leaving? Shane Sparks, Dan Karaty, and Wade Robson? That really sucks. I wonder how that will affect the show. Hey, next week- Salt Lake City tryouts. I hope we made a great impression.

Ar.chu.le.ta! Ar.chu.le.ta! Ar.chu.le.ta!

All aboard the hot tamale train...

Ooooo. Guess what this week is? A week of unbelievable happenings and fun times on the small screen. We have two major events: the finale of American Idol....Go David! (Archuleta of course- because he's mormon- and his nostrils). And most important...

Good times, my friends. Good times.

David...or.....David?

I don't normally watch American Idol. But this time I have followed it more or less because I like David Archuleta. I like him because his nostrils flare alot. Especially when he is listening to the judges critique him. I vote David Archuleta.

On Women and Expos

Today Jen and I went to the Women's Expo. I always like checking things like that out- see what's new around here. We saw some great stuff, and, not so great stuff. We were amazed at all the women out there that were getting exposed in some form or another to demonstrate stuff- getting some weird thing placed on their belly- with their belly exposed. Another naked from the waist down - except for a pair of white tights and getting something done to their legs. Weird. Gave new meaning to the word expo- it was an expo, alright! The thing that stood out to me the most? There was a plastic surgeon's office there. There was a display of breast implants. I really, really wanted to pick them up and feel what they're like- to pass them from hand to hand. But I didn't. It just wouldn't feel right without acrylic nails on.

p.s. not a rip on women who wear acrylic nails, it's just that if you've ever watched Dr. 90210, it always shows close-ups of the women handling the implants and they always have acrylic nails and they pass the implant back and forth. Just an image I have in my brain.

Indiana Jones is a geocacher, not an archeologist.

Yesterday on my way home from an appointment, I was listening to NPR, as I often do (yeah, that makes me officially a grown-up, but that's for another post) and they did a story on Indiana Jones. They basically asked the question- what did he do for the field of archeology, and how does he compare to real archeologists? You probably already know the answers. He gives kids out there an inaccurate perception of what archeology is all about. It's not really about chasing adventures and finding hidden treasures, and more about examining tree rings for hours on end and digging into garbage. So, some college students hope to find that excitement in archeology, only to find something very different. Some leave the major, others stick around. Of course, most archeologists are not wearing fedoras and carrying bullwhips, either...but chasing adventures and finding hidden treasures... Huh... Sounds more like geocaching to me. Oh, and the bullwhip? Mine is a GPS. From now on, you can call me Dr. Jones. Especially if you're a little asian boy named Short Round.

Reconnaissance? Special Forces? Count me in.

Certain mothers would make fantastic reconnaissance agents. You know, those guys that sneak in to the enemy's headquarters and save people, or gather secret information. Yeah, that's totally me. I practice sneaking skills every.....single......night. Every night when I put Alex to bed, how do you think I get out of the room? You guessed it. I sneak out. Without a single noise. I mean, my knees don't even crack. I have become quite proficient at it. In pitch black. Sometimes I even do a little roll on the ground or do an army crawl, or add some other heart pounding element. I bet there's quite a few mothers out there who do the same thing. Put us together, and we'll have Osama in no time. Right about now you might be thinking, "Gee, Virginia, you're a behaviorist, is that the best you can do? Can't you use your behaviorist skills to make it so you can walk out w/o a hitch?" Yes. But this is way more exciting. And those of you who know me know I love adventure. My little nighttime adventure. See? Motherhood can be really exciting if you do it right.

P.S. Family: does this remind you if anyone else? Hint: Starts with the letter D and rhymes with cave. Ninja.

I love to kill...

wasps, that is. Wasps are my enemy. Every spring, I declare war on the wasps trying to build in the crevices around my house. I gear up with, at least 5 cans of wasp killer (you know, the kind that sprays like 20 ft.) Then I become obsessed. I start shooting those things left and right. When I kill them, I often leave the dead ones out so the living ones will see them and get scared. (By now, you should be whistling that song to yourself from The Good, Bad, and The Ugly. You know, that song that goes on whenever there's about to be a shootout) I picture the wasps looking at the dead carcasses of the other ones, then telling each other, "I don't think we should build around here- there's trouble in these here parts". And when I kill them, I don't feel bad at all. When I say I hate wasps, I mean it. I think that's why I haven't been able to watch Bee Movie (yeah, I know, it's bees, but I don't like that part of the family either). I was looking at pictures of wasps on wikipedia, trying to get some information that might give me an edge against my enemies, and my hair was standing on end, I had to shudder several times. I had to stand by someone wearing yellow and black today. I refused to turn my back to them.

Looky. If that's not evil, I don't know what is.

I had no idea.

After Alex's checkup I drove him around to help relax him after his shot. I decided to drive on 9th East, partly to reminisce on old times and easy days...and then I saw it. Saw it and felt it both at the same time. My first Utah home- reduced to nothing but bare bones. What the ....(heck)?! And all the other towers? Gone. U-Hall is the last to go. I checked online. They've been tearing them down now for months, maybe years. One by one. Thank God (no, I'm not taking his name in vain here) I drove by just in time to get a few more shots ( I always carry my camera- for moments like this). BYU hasn't disclosed exactly what they're gonna do with that land yet. Maybe more housing. Boy, I'm officially part of eras gone by. I always imaged driving my kids by and pointing out mine and Heidi's room (608) and telling lots and lots of funny stories. The last one I'd tell would be the story of the Big Bird and Gummy Jets. Ahh, boys and girls, I shall tell you that one another time ;-)

1993 <- 2008
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Conference Weekend

I love conference weekend. As soon as its over, I can't wait for the next one. Usually, it's because I get spiritually recharged. Well, not this time. Each session, I would pull out my journal, hoping that "this time, I'll get to jot some notes" No, no, no. Not one jot or one tittle. Alex was too much of a handful. That being said, I still definitely loved it. Here's a confession- half the reason I love it so much is that I get a vacation from church. There, I've said it. No need to dress up, no calling to do, no missed naps, no missed meals- just listening to the good word of God in my pjs, a warm blanket, and a full tummy. That's as good as it gets, kids.

Words can't express...

I have been so saddened by the murder of that little girl in Salt Lake- Hser Nay Moo. For some reason, it has really touched me. I remember when I saw the Amber Alert on the news on Monday night. I remember thinking, "Aww, they'll find her soon". She reminded me of my niece, Gabriela, and I instantly felt in love with that sweet face. The next night, I saw the breaking news. She had been beaten to death. How can we tolerate this? I read so many comments on KSL's boards from people who were also saddened and outraged. I keep asking myself, how does something like this happen? What leads to this? How can we prevent this? Of course, I wanted to hold Alex extra tight all day. Today, I squeezed him like a thousand times and covered him with kisses. I must confess, I have a tendency to always keep my eye out for suspicious behavior. Honestly. Whenever I am anywhere, even when I walk the few yards to my mailbox, I look around and try to remember anything that is unusual. Who's outside,etc. I do this always, so that if anything goes wrong, and I could be a potential witness to anything, that hopefully I could assist somehow. So that maybe something horrible could be prevented. I hope others would do that also. 'Cause, I mean, who knows if something were to happen to you or a loved one, how important it would be if someone could contribute the slightest piece of information that could lead to a safe resolution to a scary situation. Please pray for her family.

Breathe.......

It has been a CRAZY week! I feel like now I can breathe. Doesn't that always happen? I have a bad habit of looking over my to do lists and the things I have coming up and then deciding, essentially, to hold my breath until it's over. The problem with that is that I become miserable until the task is over, the week is done, the behavior consult is finished, the plan is written, the lesson has been taught, the house is clean, etc (you get the picture). Why can't I just breathe through the stressful times? Like, audits, for example. I just did a bunch of stuff, and held my breath. I subconciously held my breath until I could get through the paperwork and then, I'll relax. That's how it always goes. I'll breathe when _______ is over, or when I can get through _________, then, I can breathe.I believe when I hold my breath, it keeps me from living. But...when I breathe, I live. I take in the life around me. I remove the junk from inside of me. My body gets replenished. I have recently been reminded of yoga breathing. When you come upon a difficult position in yoga, you are challenged to focus on your breath. To keep the breath the same while your body is under stress, because the quality of your breath will reflect your mind and body and vice versa. If you keep your breath relaxed and deep, your body...and your mind will follow. And you will get through it. Peacefully. Yeah, easier said than done. Lots of practice required. Thank goodness I have plenty of opportunities to practice ;)

AUDITS ARE OVER!!!! YAY!!!

Friends are the best!

Well, I have to publicly thank some people who helped me through a rough couple of days. Things have been really stressful at work (audits) and I was in crisis mode at the office yesterday and thank goodness for friends. I vented to Misty and Kim a ton yesterday and they helped me get regrounded and get good perspective. Likewise, I was able to help another friend by doing the same thing for her today. You know, I've always been a pretty private person in terms of sharing my inner self. In the past few years, I've been able to put myself out there some more and feel more comfortable with being vulnerable around others (thanks to my wonderful girlfriends). It started by sharing with some amazing girlfriends who have supported me through some tough times and continue to love me despite my failings and are always there for me (you know who you are)...and little by little...I have learned the value of close, wonderful friends...Now I need to work on letting them know how much I appreciate them. I love you girls!

On Achiving Balance...physically and mentally...

Those of you who know me know that I've dabbled with a good amount of yoga and a teensy bit of meditation in the past. This brought me peace and tranquility during times when I felt in the middle of a storm. Well, as years went by, motherhood creeped in, and there was less reason (and time) to give my all to the Eastern methods of achieving balance...until recently. Well, the past few months have been once again tumultuous. In the past few weeks, however, I have been feeling once again lighter (not physically, of course) but emotionally and a little more balanced. And wouldn't you know it? I feel the urge again to re-enter yoga-ness and meditation. This time with a little more meditation than in the past. Why now? Why, when I'm finally feeling like I can breathe? Who knows. The point is, once again, those who know me, know that I tend to follow my instinct alot and "go with the flow"- if that includes yoga "flow" and asana poses, so be it. I recently started yoga again, albeit "remedial" yoga, but, hey, it's something. A few weeks ago I read Eat, Pray, Love and a lot of the book is about the author's experience with meditation and how much it enriched her life.

My friend Lori (yeah, you) recently gave me a Shakti Gawain guided meditation cd. I started it today. Wow! I feel fantastic. Now, I'm not promising to get so in touch with the earth and the universe that soon you'll see me headed for an ashram in India, but I'd like to once again incorporate this into my life in a realistic, BALANCED way.

Tag, you're it!

1. Your Rock Star Name: (first pet & current car) Francois Forrester
2. Your Gangsta Name: (favorite ice cream and favorite cookie) Vanilla Sugar
3. Your “Fly Girl” Name: (first initial of first name, first three letters of your last name) Vjim
4. Your Detective Name: (favorite color, favorite animal) Green Dog
5. Your Soap Opera Name: (middle name, city where you were born) Pittsburgh
6. Your Star Wars Name: (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 letters of your first) Jimvi
7. Your Superhero Name: (2nd favorite color, favorite drink put “The” in front) The White Sprite
8. Your Nascar Name: (the first names of your grandfathers) Miguel Luis
9. Your Stripper Name: (the name of your favorite perfume/cologne, favorite candy) Style Snickers
10.Your Witness Protection Name: (mother’s & father’s middle names) Genoveva Guillermo
11. Your Hawaiian Name: (the first 2 letters of your first name, first 2 letters of your middle name, the letter i, double the 4th letter in your last name, the letter a) Viigga
Okay. Now all the rest of you have to do it, too.