Attempted Vixen

I wore lipstick today. It's a very dark, dark, dark, plum/brown/red. That's the best description I've got. For those who don't know me very well, I never wear lipstick. Eh, I take that back. The only time I wore lipstick was on dress up days at school and Halloween where I busted out my goth black lipstick. I loved that stuff and if I could, I'd wear that almost every day. The only reason I don't is to save myself from even more odd looks.

This new lipstick is a lovely color. I spotted it in Saphora (I think that's where I was) while I was waiting for my sister to pick out her stuff. I put a tab bit on my lips and jokingly asked my mom if I should get it. She replied (non-jokingly) that I should. So right there, I dropped $20 bucks and bought the darn thing. I had this image in my head that I would put it on and BAM! I'd be this dark, sultry vixen with pouty lips, ready to make all the boys crawl and the women green with envy. When I looked in the mirror, however, it was more like... "oh." I'm not saying it looks horrible, I'm just saying it didn't that the effect I was hoping for (a girl can dream, right?).

The lipstick might help a bit in an effort to start looking my age. On my flight to Washington this last Thursday, I happened to be sitting in the emergency exit row. The flight attendant asked us if we were over 15, but as she said that she looked directly at me with a raised eyebrow and a tone that said "you better not lie to me!". I was asked again on my flight back whether I was over 18 yet while I was heading through security. That may be due to the fact that I was wearing a bright blue Pikachu hoodie.

Ah yes, Christmas! I've been gone all week visiting my family in Washington. I had a blast hanging out with my family (all were able to make it home for Christmas).

It was fun seeing my very pregnant sister 

for the first time in several months.

I went around the house taking pictures

and telling everyone to look "fierce and fly"

This is the result:

Mom didn't understand the first time

2nd time was much better.

Our tree that was barely taller than me.

One of my favorite Christmas presents.

Feel free to laugh. I did.

I should have taken more pictures but I was too busy eating and chasing my family around the house. Despite popular belief, I love Christmas and the Season of Hope where we can spend time with those we love to celebrate the birth of our Savior. I'm glad to be back in Arizona but my home will always be with my family.

I hope you all had a very merry Christmas and a great New Year to come.

My sad attempt at being sultry.

(I need to get more black lipstick...)

The Amount Of Time...

For a little over a year now, this phrase has been plaguing my mind. I was doing a free-writing journal entry when I lost track of what I was writing about, and then out came the words, "The amount of time..". What comes next? I really don't know, I never finished it. My though process deleted itself seconds after I wrote that. Now, whenever I am trying to think of something to write, that phrase comes out. When I need to say something but can't think of the words, that's the first thing that comes to my head.

Someday I will finish that sentence and remember why I thought it in the first place. I decided just now that it is my goal to have those words be the last words I speak before I die, and if you are unfortunate enough to be the one to hear them, their meaning will plague you for the rest of your life, as it did mine.

Mold And Mashers

I'm like my Dad in the way of, if I get too hungry, I start to get weird and can't concentrate. Since I know this about myself, I went into the kitchen at work to get some bread to make toast. I hadn't been shopping in weeks so my food supply is very scarce, making every day a battle to survive. I pulled the remaining bread out of the cupboard and realized that there was a huge mold spot on the bottom. I tossed it and thought to myself, when was the last time I had a piece? Had the mold already been there? I tried to keep myself from barfing. 

Desperate for food, I surveyed the kitchen for possible alternatives... and I found my answer. A large, 4 layer chocolate cake sat on the counter with a heavenly glow about it, bu now after a way too large slice, I'm really regretting the decision.

Here's a silly story for you. Last night we had a family Christmas party for my Dad's side of the family. There were probably around 200-275 people there so it was decent sized. The party started at 6 and I was still at work at about 5:30, so instead of going home to change then come back, I decided to ask Rich to bring me some clothes when he comes with my Aunt to the party so I could just change there. He agreed and I guided him over the phone to specific pants and shoes I wanted (which were both on the floor, right where I left them*). I stopped and the told him, "Now Rich, I'm going to need some socks, but I keep my socks in my underwear drawer." He accepted the challenge and started rifling through the drawer, making silly comments as I listened on the other line. He just finished joking about if he would be caught in the act, when my Aunt walked past my room and saw him elbow deep in panties. She laughed and (jokingly) accused him of being a masher**. 

This morning, (after a night of sleeping in separate bedrooms), Rich heard my alarm from the other side of the wall. I usually sleep through this alarm so he was kind enough to come in and wake me up so I wouldn't be late for work. After I got up and started heading to the bathroom and Rich back to his bed, my Aunt walks by and sees us both leaving my room, bleary eyed and still in our pjs. Bad timing once again, making for a long day of convincing her of our innocence. Poor Rich is starting to look like some kind of creeper. :)

It made for an interesting story.

* For some reason I am a messy person (in my room) but I find it much easier to locate things when I make the mess. Like, "Oh yeah, I wore those pants yesterday and I threw them under my pillow for extra support. Yep. Right where I put them."

**"Masher": noun Slang .a man who makes advances, especially to women he does not know, with a view to physical intimacy.

This is now a word commonly used at our house.

Have a lovely day.

Thoughts For Today

Okay, today is another momentous day. My blog has received over 2000 hits! yay!

Enough celebration.

Here are some things that occupy my thoughts as of late:

• My man, Rich, who is at this moment, at my house and I will see him after work.
• My stomach. I shouldn't have had that large piece of cake. :S
• Today's youth, and all the sadness and worry that comes along with that.
• Cats. The need for one of these fuzzy things is overwhelming at times.
• The fact that I'm going home for Christmas in just 3 days.
• Money. Saving, spending, acquiring. You know, the usual.
• Bettering myself. Did you know I have 2 other blogs that are secrets? I'm not telling tho.
• Whether or not "tho" is correct spelling.
• The soreness of my legs from running with Rich and the fact that I want to go again.
• Work. But only a small amount of my time is spent really thinking about it.
• Rich. He's really cute, so he's occupying my thoughts most of the time.
• The amount of time...     someday I'll finish that sentence.*
• Painting. There are a few projects that are plaguing my brain and I need to get them out.

*For some reason, that first line always pops into my head, but I don't know why and I don't have an ending for it. A later post will cover it in detail since I'm sure it must be the key to life.

That's about it for now. I will take pictures this week. I think yes.

We're So Cute! *Barf*

I've been sucking at the blog thing lately due to holiday and manly preoccupations. Yes, manly, not many.

This being the holiday season, it was bound to be busy; however, it was 10x more busy for me than it usually is because this year I had to be in charge of "All Things Christmas" at my office, including sending out 300 Christmas cards, large gift baskets, and decorating. That on top of doing my own Christmas shopping because I actually have the money to do so this year. I didn't calculate how much I've actually spent, but I have a feeling I'm going to be over budget this paycheck.

Luckily enough, I get to go back home to Washington for Christmas to be with all my family (except my brother-in-law *sad face*). I could get no presents this year and be completely happy with the fact that we just get to all be together in our home where we grew up and bug each other and chase each other around the house. I may have mentioned my aversion to Christmas music, but I feel it best to keep my focus on the birth of our Savior, being with our families, and giving to others. That's exactly what I'm looking forward to this Christmas.

As for my above mentioned "manly preoccupations", I was referring to the fact that Richard is a few states away from me and any free time I have, I want to spend talking to him. He is, however, going to be here this very Friday (tomorrow). It hasn't been more than 3 weeks since I last saw him but that is still way too long and he will have to accept the fact that I'm not letting go of him once he gets back (I know, the sappiness/cuteness makes you want to vomit).

Now I have a day and a half to get through and I do NOT want to spend that time at work. After that, about a week till I get to go home for a few days. :)

I'm a happy camper.
I will be a happy camper tomorrow.

In Which I Make Children Sick

Here I am Monday morning. It's raining outside and I love it, but since my recent blood work shows a lack of vitamin D, I should be hoping for sun. I have a bowl of lumpy oatmeal that I'm letting go cold because I realized I don't like oatmeal and I'm now questioning why I even bought it.

This weekend was good enough. I slept in till 1pm on Saturday, which is insane but less so since I went to bed at 3am the night before. I got a little bit of Christmas shopping done but couldn't do as much as I wanted since I had the regrettable idea to wear heels that day (don't ask). Sunday was rather lovely. I slept in a bit then went to help teach my primary class of 3 and 4 year olds. I'm still finding glitter all over me. I spent the evening with my Aunt and Uncle, eating way too much, playing cards and watching Christmas musical performances while I texted with my man the whole time*.

Sunday night I had to do some work. Something had not been finished so I had to take it home so it could be filed today. The whole time I was working on it, I was saying a silent prayer that the attorney who was filing it wouldn't be in on Monday. Maybe he could have a meeting or maybe one of his kids would be sick. Wishful thinking.

So around 12:30 I got into bed and chatted with Rich on the phone for a bit then fell asleep quickly. This morning I could tell it was a gray day before I even looked outside. My bed had me tangled up in its sheets and refused to let me go. When I finally escaped, it was well past 7, giving me only a half hour to get ready. I found one of my dear fish belly up. His name was Caesar and he was a good fish. I could tell what kind of day this was going to be.

I made the slow journey to work and started up on my project again. A few minutes later I got an email from the attorney I was talking about. He said that he wouldn't be coming in today, his kids were sick.

.........

Did I do that? I couldn't help but be a little bit (okay, a lot) happy that my silly prayer had been answered. I now have more time to work on the project. I think that this day will be good after all; however, I apologize to those young kids whose misery brought my happiness.

*Rich is coming down on Friday! I can't contain my excitement :)

Sweet Peanut Butter

When discussing whether we like Chunky or Creamy peanut butter, Rich told me that he liked Chunky but he switched to Creamy so he could get used to it because he figured I would like the Creamy peanut butter due to my dislike of weird textures.

My mind is blown 0_o

I didn't know guys thought like that.

Even If You're Not A Man

If only all men took after this man. Fictional, he may be, but he is a great example to men and women everywhere. If you haven't read this book, or you did back in Jr. High, I recommend you do it again.

Lessons in Manliness from Atticus Finch

Time Warping

If you want a month to go by quickly, you need only do one thing: set a goal or have something that has a deadline by the end of the month. It will zip by before you even have time to start it.

He Always Has Food On His Shirt

So there was a last minute decision for me to go to California with my boyfriend for Thanksgiving. His mother lived there so there was going to be a convergence of his family and I was invited. 6 hours in a car seems like a long time unless you're sitting next to your favorite person, holding hands and laughing about very stupid stuff. I was there from Wednesday night to Sunday and I had a great time. It's always interesting to look in on another family and watch their dynamics and interactions with each other.

Although I was with my sweetheart over the holiday, I couldn't help but miss my family. This was my first Thanksgiving away from home and it's funny how much one can take things for granted. It was definitely a good experience because it made me that much more thankful for my family.

I must say, I am still sleep deprived from this week. We did the Black Friday thing in L.A, leaving around 10pm and I don't think I crawled into bed until 6:30 when the light was starting to shine through the blinds. That's something I wouldn't mind doing once a year, but only if it's in a warm area. I can't imagine what it would be like to wait outside for hours in Colorado or anywhere colder than Cali (I was freezing even there).

Me and my boy JB

Rockin' the footies

 My boyfriend (fine, his name is Rich) was kind enough to take me to the Griffith Observatory where I had to take pictures of everything. From the rooftop you could see the Hollywood sign. I have to admit, I was kind of freaking out about that. I had seen it so many time in movies and then Bam! there it was in real life!

We also got to go to the Los Angeles temple and see all the Christmas lights up. I took some pictures but my phone doesn't do the real thing justice.

We also got to go to the beach but it was dark by that time so my picture taking spree ended. I was just glad I got to put my feet in the sand and be in the water for a bit. The ocean really does something to me. It helps me to stop and look in on my life with a new perspective. It seems so endless and it is a great place to just lose yourself in the waves and the smell and the moving sand. Now I want to go to another beach, but in the daylight this time. 

I'm going to go ahead and get a bit gooey and say that I miss Rich. We've got this great connection and miraculously, we have similar senses of humor (if we didn't there would be a whole lot of misunderstandings). I'm sure he's going to be a creeper and read this blog, knowing that I will probably mention him and his large biceps, so I will deny him the satisfaction of getting to read all the things I want to say about him. :)

Now I'm back into the 9-5 grind (8:30-5:30 actually) while I'm still mentally in LaLa Land. I'm just holding on till Christmas when I'll be able to see Rich again and I will be able to go home to my parents and revert back to a child with my siblings. I'm counting down the days.

Before I Embark

I'm about to embark on a journey. This journey holds many unknowns and variables, a fact that has me almost stressing. I've always enjoyed long car rides; however, this would be much more manageable if I didn't have cramps. Wish me luck and have a super wonderful/safe Thanksgiving. Don't forget to give thanks to the One who deserves it most and don't forget to eat a lot of food!

I'll be back Monday, hopefully with stories and pictures.

A Greater Perspective While Dropping Cash

This week has been a myriad of adventures, sleepless nights, and money dropping. In my last post I said how my long-distance man came down for Thanksgiving break and it's been a grand time. Fortunately, we are both blessed with the ability to laugh at things going terribly wrong and make the most of our time together since everything went wrong, or at least, not according to plan.

We had planned to leave on Friday after I got off work and head over to California for the weekend. Everything was planned out, his mother was letting us stay with her, I got my oil changed, we filled the car with water bottles and Goldfish crackers and started to head out. We were going to take my car which I was at first hesitant about because it had been acting up the last couple of weeks, but after a few dreams of my car blowing up, I pushed it from my mind and figured we'd be safe either way. 

My dear man was kind enough to drive the first part of the way since I had gotten up early and worked all day. We commenced our journey and things were going well. About an hour out of Phoenix, however, there was suddenly a loud noise and some violent shaking. It didn't take more than a few seconds before we realized that my car had just blown a tire so we quickly and carefully pulled off to the side. We sort of sat there in shock for a second but we quickly recovered and started calling around about insurance, the existence of a spare tire in my car, letting mom know we weren't dead, etc. Luckily my man had insurance that covered a tow truck so we cuddled and laughed as we waited for the truck (I'm really really glad he was there with me when it happened because I'm not sure what I would have done if I was by myself).

We were taken to Goodyear, a town I had never heard of, and the car was parked at Pep Boys*. My man's brother was kind enough to drive an hour to come get us and take us back to his house because it was too late for any tire places to be open. Luckily I was packed for an overnight stay so I was able to be clean and decent the next day. That morning we borrowed a car and headed back up to Goodyear and began a search for the cheapest tires known to man. It turn out Pep Boys is very very spendy and they have attitude. After a few hours of calling, haggling, taking off the tire ourselves, a few cuts and greasy hands, we had 4 new tires on my car (Discount Tire**). Unfortunately, we also found out my battery was dead so we had to get a new one of those (Brake Master***).

I think we were both a bit bummed about missing the trip, but the whole reason we were going is so we could spend time together and so far, we were able to be together for a full 24+ hours. But it didn't stop there! On Saturday evening I took him back to my house to watch Pokemon**** and hang out with my Aunt and Uncle. Once I got him back to his house (20 minutes away) we realized he was locked out with a dead cell so I took him back with me and put him in the guest room. The next day, we did the whole Sunday morning breakfast thing, went to church, then a family event for him and then back to my house for a game of Five Crowns. Once I took him back home that night, (luck wasn't finished with us yet), we realized that he was locked out again with no one answering their phones. We must be really patient because we just had a good laugh and I took him back home and he got the guest room again. 

* Pep Boys is a place I will never go back to. bad prices, bad service.

** Discount tire had very helpful guys who got the job done quickly and even let us use their big sink to wash the tire grease off our hands.

*** Brake Masters was very inexpensive, got the job done fast and waved the instillation fee as long as I promised never to go back to Pep Boys. ...done.

**** I have the first season on DVD :) I love Pokemon with a fiery passion. 

It is now Tuesday and things have been working out a bit better besides the fact I'm running on very little sleep. The man and I still get along just fine, not once did we get tired of each other (if he did, he wasn't saying) and I'm really enjoying having him around. Plans keep changing and it turns out that I will be going to California with him after all, but this time for Thanksgiving and we are going with his brother in his car (he has good tires). After a very busy weekend and almost no sleep, I'm still smiling like a buffoon and having a great time. I guess it's all about perspective and who you are with that makes a difference. 

*If you read this whole thing, you deserve a cookie. Let me know if you want some and I'll see what I can do.*

Not All Boys Are Scum

I'd have to say that yesterday was one of the best days I have had in a very long time. Days like that are pretty rare just because it was so jam packed with good things. Abnormally so. First off, I didn't have to go to work, automatically making it one of the best days of the week. Sleeping in was on my to-do list but my internal clock just had to wake me up at 6:45 so after a quick potty break, I forced myself to go back to sleep.

I was awoken by a phone call since I slept through my alarm. Luckily it was a very cute boy on the other line so the wake up call was nice instead of disrupting. So this boy lets me know his flight is a bit delayed (which was good because that changed all our plans which worked out great). I took my sweet time getting ready, making sure I took time doing all the girly getting ready things I usually skip when I'm in a hurry for work. Once I was presentable I took off for the airport to pick up my long-distance man. Our plans had been to go to the zoo but due to the delayed flight, hungry tummies and other factors, we decided to do some grocery shopping, watch a movie and be happy.

I had pre-paid tickets for the Breaking Dawn premier, not for the midnight showing...but a 7:00 showing, and due to a very wonderful sister who so thoughtfully gave up her ticket, I was able to take this very cute boy with me. I only felt slightly sorry for him since he knew next to nothing about Twilight. I gladly gave him a quick run through of the first 3 books. I give major kudos to this boy who had sworn never to get involved with anything Twilight. I'm pretty sure that means he likes me : )

I must say, going to the midnight showing means you're a true dedicated fan. Going to the 7:00 even earlier showing means you're an even more rabid crazy fan, so it wasn't surprising that whenever a character makes an appearance (ie: Jacob ripping off his shirt) all the girls in the theater scream and make cat calls. Sometimes I must say that I am embarrassed by my gender.

I would also like to say that I was thankful to have my man next to me so I didn't have to watch this most tender of love stories wishing that I had a man next to me. If you're reading this, thank you. <3

All in all, a very very good day and I'm thinking this weekend will be even better.

Now here's a little something for y'all.

(I was going to post a shirtless picture... but I felt like a creeper)

The Next Post Will Be Better

I won't say I'm sorry for not posting lately, because I'm not.

I won't say life is too boring for me to think of something to write about, because it's not.

I will; however, say that I am a happy camper and that not all boys suck. 

Here are some pictures just for you.

The story of my life.

I want to meet this man.

That's all folks!

(I promise I'll have some new ((and exciting)) stories after this weekend)

Fried Nerves With Ketchup

Right now is a bad mixture of hungry, under-slept, emotionally compromised, uncomfortably dressed, and currently at work. I am seriously seconds away from banging my head against the keyboard. It's so close to becoming "one of those days" so I'm trying to focus really hard on the positives.

1. I have a job.
2. A cute boy is texting me.
3. Some guy smiled and waved while driving to work.
4. ....

That's about it. *face-to-desk*

A Good Dog

About ten years ago, my family was all crammed into our car, heading to the next city over. We were wiggling with excitement and it seemed like we couldn't get there fast enough. Our destination? The animal shelter. After weeks (maybe longer) of pleading, Dad finally gave in and said we could get a dog. Since we lived a good ten minutes from town, our property was an ideal location for animals and us kids took advantage of that.

We have always had a wide array of pets from the domestic cat to ducks to the diabolical chinchilla we lovingly call Chico. We always had a self replenishing supply of animals. Cats birthed kitties which we gave most of them away and kept our favorites, our dog Macarena was always popping out a new batch of puppies that looked nothing like her. So it's safe to say, we love our animals.

That day we went to the shelter we looked around and saw all the sad dogs, but one stood out to us the most. An old German Shepherd with sad, kind eyes. We asked the owners if we could take him for a walk and after two laps around the yard, we knew he was going home with us. It was good timing too because he was scheduled to be put down the next day since he was older and no one had chosen him.

We loaded him into the car and soon after dubbed him Brutus Apollo Barnes. A fitting name for a studly dog. Brutus was the best guard dog we could ever ask for. He scared off would-be burglars with his deep bark yet he was as gentle as a butterfly. He would always follow us when we went out for walks despite the pain he had in his joints and he "smiled" the whole way. He would squeak and whine when he saw that we were coming to pet him or brush his forever shedding fur. Brutus was always there when we got home from school, when we came home late from an event, and in our later years, when we would come home for Christmas or any other homesick visit. He was always there.

Last weekend my parents told me that he could no longer move his legs (on top of already being deaf) and ask how I (and the rest of the kids) felt about putting him down. Today he is going into the vet and I know that when I come home this Christmas, he wont be there to greet me with nuzzles and stinky dog licks. I didn't think I would be this affected by it but he is a member of our family and is most loved. He has always been a constant in my life but now he will be sorely missed by our whole family and our friends. I love my Brutus and I will miss him.

Pre-Turkey Day List

I keep seeing posts on Facebook of things people are thankful for. One for each day of the month, I'm guessing. I felt a little left out and possibly ungrateful so I decided to make a list of things I'm thankful for. Commencing to start!

• My siblings. We used to fight like rabid hamsters but now that we're older and spread out, we miss each other dearly and have mostly civil conversations now. They are my best friends.
• My parents. They are the dynamic duo. They complete each other. They are also the silliest and most fun people I know. I would give up a whole paycheck just to hang out with them for a night. 
• Eternal families. I'm so thankful my parents were married in the temple and that our whole family is now sealed together forever and that is exactly what I want.
• My animals. Whether it be my fish here in AZ or my cute array of animals back home, there is not much that can make me smile like they can.
• My job. I'd say it was sheer luck that I landed this job. I was under-qualified and yet I still get to have a job I love and a great work environment.
• My body. Whoa, I'm not getting all conceited here! I'm just saying I'm glad I have a body that can walk, run, talk, see, and do almost anything I tell it too. I don't want to take a functioning body for granted.
• My friends. So these guys are a bit more spread out than my family. Although I don't get to talk to them as much as we did back in the day, I still think about them and hope they are doing well. 
• Teachers. I've had so many of these. Church, school, family, so many people taught me so many different things. I'm glad they took their time and energy to help me better myself.
• My talents. So far I'm still figuring out what they are, but I know I'll make use of the ones i'm sure of.
• Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost. I know I don't talk about religion very much but that doesn't mean I don't think about it and my love for my savior and all the blessings that I am given daily, even when I know I don't deserve it.
• Music. Although I can't sing very well and I may be a bit rusty of the sax, I still enjoy music and the richness it brings to my life. 
• The earth. Many days I go home with the top down and feel the wind on my face, watch the sunset and take in the palm trees silhouetted against the sky. This earth is beautiful.

I'm out of time. Believe me, I could have done quite a few more. I may do this again later but in more detail. Also, I am thankful for my car. I just hope it starts so I can get home tonight. :S

A Sad Topic

I've never been very good with words when I'm speaking. Writing comes a bit easier just because I can stop and think of what I really want to say and not worry about how stupid it sounds coming out of my mouth. To be completely honest, I've struggled with depression for most of my life. I was pretty young when it started and it fluctuates in intensity over the years. The hardest thing is talking about it and finding some way to describe it. I found a comic that sums it up pretty well, minus the last few windows. I'm not sure who made it and I'm not sure if it's supposed to be funny but I felt that it rang pretty true (there is a bit of language in there, I apologize).

Some days are fine. Perfect, even. Lately I've had a lot of those good days where I'm too busy to be depressed. Other days, it randomly creeps up from behind and forms a little rain cloud above my head that sticks to be like glue. It's been so bad on occasion that it physically hurts to move, to think, or even breathe. Thankfully I haven't had one of those days in a while.

For those who may feel the same way, or just partially, I found a few things that help prevent/fix an episode. I'm no doctor but I've had time to test a few of these out.

• Stay busy. That doesn't mean overwhelm yourself, but if you are feeling down, being productive does wonders! Especially if you're helping someone else or there is an end product that you can physically see.
• Write about it or paint a picture. This is 90% of the reason why I blog. It really does help and there is something soothing about moving a paintbrush back and forth.
• Clean your room. Uncluttering your room helps you to unclutter your mind. It's more room for you to think and to think clearly.
• Talk about it. I don't do this one, but I've heard it helps. Find a listening ear and just vent for a bit.
• Stay away from sad books or movies. I am the biggest hypocrite in this one because there is nothing I do better then wallow in my own misery by googleing "depressing poetry" or watching the saddest things I can find. Don't do this. Read something uplifting, watch a Disney movie or...
• Go outside. If it's a nice day, find something green and living. Walk in a park but walk like you have no where to be. Just enjoy and soak in some sunshine.
• Hug a cat. That may just be me, but there is something comforting about a warm fuzzy cat that is purring next to your ear. If you don't have a cat, hug a hairy friend and ask them to purr/hum. You will get a similar effect.

Hopefully this helps you out or was just interesting for you to peruse. I feel a bit better just by writing about it. I hope you have a very pleasant day.

A Novel Or Hairy Legs? You Decide!

I've mentioned a couple times that I will be writing a book. Actually, I will be writing a lot more than one if I have my way. Today I read about National Novel Writing Month (which is November*) from my favorite blogger (thanks Kara). Naturally, since 'all things writing' gets me excited, I made an account and now a goal to have a novel finished by December! yeah right. I can dream, can't I? I will try my hardest to reach the goal, but if it's not done by December, I won't sweat it. I'll just keep working till it's done!

So today is my story outlining day and one of the outline questions was to sum up my story in 1-3 sentences (actually it was 1-2 but I failed at that) kind of like the back of the book. So here is my semi-cheesy blurb.  

Almost a century after the First Annihilation things are starting to look up. The Demons that almost wiped out the human race are now under control, registered, and functioning members of society along with the Angels that saved the human race from extinction, but what most people don’t know is that there is growing unrest amongst the demons and someone is planning a second Annihilation. It’s up to Zyon, a demon and traitor to her kind, and a secret group called the 4^th Division to stop the uprising before humanity is wiped out for good. 


Don't worry, I plan for the story to be waaay more epic then that sounds. 

*It's also No Shave November but I don't think the office would appreciate it if I neglected my legs for a month.

The Key To Happiness: Go Outside.

There is something so very serene about night. I love it best when it's neutral, neither not or cold. Last night was one of those nights. I sat in our driveway with my aunt, uncle, and cousin. We had a little table set up with glowing orange lights and a big bowl of candy that constantly had to be refilled. My aunt brought us dinner so we could eat outside and we sat there enjoying the warm meal and watching the kids running from house to house with parents in tow.

As the flow of kids started to thin out, I pulled my knees up to my chest and just took in the the soft night air and reveled in the fact that I wasn't busy, wasn't rushed or tired or stressed. The best word to describe it would be peaceful. I am pretty thankful for nights like that. I wouldn't complain if I had a few more.

While nights are amazing, today was lovely. I left my office to walk out to the mail box and I walked as slow as possible because the sun was shining on my (very white) legs and face, it was relatively quiet, and I smelled freshly cut grass (one of my favorites). I fantasized of moving my desk outside and working from there. One of my least favorite things about working is the fact that I can't go outside during the nicest parts of the day, especially since I have huge windows surrounding my desk so I always know what the weather is like.

So my plan is simple. This Saturday will hopefully have fair weather and I will spend my day outside. I think I will even wash my car, something I've only done once since I moved down here. This is what I'll do, and I will be happy. :)

I Refuse To Be A Sexy Cop

My goal every Halloween is to be really cool looking, and every year I fall short. Sometimes I'm almost there but it would have been 57x better if I had prepared beforehand. This year I have the same goal; however, I just realized that the parties are this Saturday and I have most of my costume. Not all. Most. 

I'm guessing you want to know what I'm going to be. I will tell you because the worst thing is when I dress up and everyone asks "So...what are you?" I know I probably dress as obscure and made up things so it's a legitimate question, but I have spent the last month and a half coming up with and planning out this costume so my thoughts are how can you not know that I am a generic action hero/zombie apocalypse survivor? Yes, that is what I am this year. I think I look kind of cool. Alas, it is not complete. 

At least I'm not going as a sexy banana or something like that. I'm pretty sure there is a costume out there like that. The costume creators have the easiest jobs, they think of random objects or professions and then change it to a mini shirt and v neck top. Add some thigh high stockings and heels and tada! A sexy banana! 

(I fixed her face to make me feel better about myself)

(at least I'm honest)

Have a safe and happy Halloween and take lots of pictures! I know I will!

At Least One Of Us Gets It Right

I'm glad that half of me is sane. It's one of those days where I'm just not feeling it. Something I would normally be up for, I now want to run away from screaming. Then my other half sets me down and says:
"Haley. You're just in a mood. It'll pass and you know this is what you want."
Then I almost start hyperventilating and I'm sure my heart stopped at least twice. That's when I slap myself and tell me to pull it together.

Thanks Haley. I needed that.

Corny Inspiration

 So I have this Uncle who is insane. I'm guessing he is at work when he sent me a Facebook message. It read: 'corn chips'. Surprisingly, this isn't an abnormal occurrence. I get these types of messages every once in a while. Today, I gave this response to his 'corn chips'.


     Detective Corn Chips spent his nights alone with his scotch. He would spend his evenings in front of the television, watching only the most mindless of programs. Anything to get the faces out of his head.
     When he and Marlene were still married, she would make him a hot dinner and talk about her day at the beauty salon. Her mindless chatter was one thing that could take Corn Chips' mind off of work. He'd watch her animated expressions and the way she would act out everything with her hands, and her hair would bob back and forth when she got really worked up.
     After she had left him, there was nothing to fill up the cold house. Everywhere he looked, a memory would come to mind. Painting the kitchen with Marlene, reading the paper together at breakfast, the fight on the stairs...
     It was painful being home, however, it was painful being at work as well. The faces of the parents of missing children, the frazzled wife being questioned about her husband's murder, so many faces that Corn Chips couldn't get out of his mind.
     Work was torture. Home was torture. It hadn't been a home since Marlene left. Corn chips sat in his worn out chair and closed his eyes. If he could only fall asleep, maybe he wouldn't dream tonight and he wouldn't see anymore faces. He listened to the hum of the air conditioning, the moaning of the house as it settled into it's self.
     Then Corn Chips heard a noise he was not familiar with. Foot steps. No one should be here.
     "Good evening, Detective." came a low gravely voice.
     Corn Chips turned his head to the side and saw Scott Callahan, the man he and his team had been tracking for months. The mans wide, dry mouth was turned up in a cruel smile. A gun was in his hand, pointed at Corn Chips' head. 
     "Evening, Scott. You're here to kill me."
     "Smart man. Yeah, you fellas got a bit close last Friday. Too close. They're not going to get me. There's no way I'll let them put me behind bars again." Callahan pushed the gun against Corn Chips left temple. "Not this time, Detective. I've been waiting for this for a long time now."
     Corn Chips crossed his legs and placed his hands in his lap. "You know what, Callahan? Me too." He closed his eyes and saw one last face.  Marlene.

7 Reasons Why

Why older men rule:

1.) They look refined.

2.) They don't waste all their time with silly video games.

3.) They have taken the time to learn that hard work pays off.

4.) They work.

5.) They developed a sense of humor. 

6.) They know everything.

7.) My dad is an older man, therefore, he rules.

I decided I want to marry a man that is as cool as my dad. Well, almost.

Proud LOTR Nerd

It's amazing how many brilliant* ideas I have in a single day. Sometimes a random thought just pops into my head and I think, "Hmm that would be funny if.." or "Maybe I should try...". This goes on all day but the worst part is, by the time I have time to do it, I totally forgot the idea. There is nothing better than that raw, first time inspiration. It's either do it now or never.

I try really hard to write down these little rays of inspiration. The sticky note idea isn't working out.**

Today on my way to work, I had this funny thought. So you know what I did? I took time during my lunch break to follow through with it. See below for the end product

*What I consider brilliant may not be exactly what everyone else thinks.
**I would link this back to the post, but I have no idea which one it is.  -_- fail.

(my favorite part about this picture is his body is actually 

the body of a large black woman. Hooray for Photoshop!)

All My Hate For The Week

Today I will write about something I really hate. I know that "hate" is a strong word but it applies in this situation. What could she possibly hate? you ask. It's simple: Christmas music. I know. I can hear you gasping from here, but it's true. Before you burn me at the stake, however, I'd like to clarify. The only Christmas music I don't hate are the hymns that we sing in church around the holidays. One of my favorites is Angels We Have Heard On High. This may due to the fact that there is a part in the chorus and instead of singing "Glooooooooria in excelsis Deo" my young child self thought it was "O-ooooooooreo, in ex Chelsea's day-o". I liked oreos, okay?


Anyway, church Christmas music is fine. What I can't stand is Jingle Bells, any child song, any soulful renditions done by Christina Agulaira, Mariah Carey, Celine Dion, etc. I think you get the point. I just can't stand them. Thankfully it's not even Halloween yet so we still have until Thanksgiving before I have to abandon my radio and steer clean of any shopping departments. 


I also hate pictures like this during the holiday season:

You know what else I hate? This:

I'm contemplating deleting that... :S

Sorry for all the hate. I'm just very passionate. How about I leave you with something I love? Here you go:

Art Feature!

Check out Mezamero's Gallery!

I Actually Think The Combat Boots Helped

Last week I was invited to go to a haunted house on Saturday. After excitedly buying the tickets and putting the date on my calendar, I remembered that I don't like scary things like that and was horrified that I had paid $25 just to scream and be made fun of. -_- I've never been to a haunted house before. I'm pretty sure a "haunted" corn maze was the closest thing to scary I've been to. As for scary things in general, I don't mind scary movies... as long as I watch them in the day time and then have the whole day to replace the images with nicer things.

Since I had paid the money and didn't want to bail on my friend, I gathered any courage I had hiding in the corners, donned my combat boots and my favorite jacket (so no one could touch me) and went out the door.

Anyone who has ever been with me to Silverwood, Disneyland, or a state fair, they will know the horrible fear I have of those life size characters that run about giving hugs and fliers. At the haunted house they had similar things but non of them were anything like Mickey or Sully and we're interested in giving you a flier.

(I cringe when looking at this. Run, kids! Run!!)

I tried my very hardest to be brave. I tried jamming my hands into my pockets but they kept flying up to my mouth whenever I screamed or squeaked or did an odd combination of the two. The group of friends I went with sure got a kick out of it. Something scary would happen and they would turn and look back at me to see my reaction! One guy in our group thought it would be funny to scare me himself but he thought wrong and got my fist flying into his shoulder.

To tell the truth, I would have loved to have had a gun in there and got rid of all the creepers, but sadly they were just underpaid nerds who get a kick out of making girls scream.

I will admit it was fun once I was out of there and I'm glad I went, mostly because we went to Denny's afterwards and we were "That Table". The one the waitress wanted to kick out. This followed by a Walmart run for contact solution and a thermometer.

I think it's safe to say that I'm a pansy, BUT  I can and will beat the crap out of anyone who says so!
Got it? :)

Stamps, Grass, Steak, and Words.

This has been a less than wonderful week. I've had this strange illness come over me which is even more strange due to the fact that I don't usually get sick. If you've ever donated blood, you may be familiar with the paper they give you afterwards saying "If you get a fever afterwards and feel like you're dying, call us". I gave blood last Saturday and for the rest of the day it felt like my heart was going to beat out of my chest. It was probably freaking out like" Oh my gosh, we're running out of blood!! Must. Pump. FASTER!!!!" But seriously, I've had a slight fever all week accompanied by aches, chills, dizziness, and a headache. All week. I normally don't take pills but when an illness get in the way of functioning at work, I will drug myself up and pay for it later.

Now on to things I have learned.

1. I'm in love with the mail man.

One of my responsibilities at work is to retrieve the mail, sort it, log it, and distribute. What I have discovered is that I absolutely love doing the mail. I would be undeniably happy if I could work in a mail place. Opening mail, sending mail, sealing it up and putting a stamp on it. Heavenly. So now whenever I see the Mail Man zoom past my window, I give him a salutatory fist pump. A recognition of one mail lover to another. This is why I love the mail man. Also because he wears shorts, a sun hat, and tall socks that poke out of his sneakers. He would be the man of my dreams, if only I was born 30 years ago.

2. I miss mowing the lawn.

What seems like a chore to most people, mowing the law was something I looked forward to. I'd wake up on Saturday morning and postpone my shower. I'd hop into some shorts and a tee and trek out into the tangled yard. I put on a dust mask, plug in my ear buds to listen to some epic lawn mowing music and top that off with some large ear protectors. There is almost no better smell than freshly cut grass. When I get my own house, I will need a lawn. A decent sized one with real grass. This is vital to my happiness.

3. I am a hypocrite in the worst way.

Last night as I sat "watching" sports with my Uncle John, I chastised him on the importance of eating healthy and buying fresh food. I told him that his sleeping patterns will get better and he'd feel healthier. There are few things more important that your health. Then I took a bite of my pepperoni pizza and got some BBQ sauce for the stake he had cooked. 

4. Using words you don't know the meaning of? Dictionary.com.
This is a common occurrence. I'm typing away at mach speed and then come across a word I think fits the sentence but am not entirely sure. There is nothing worse than someone using a word that they obviously don't know the meaning of. It's worse when they throw a big cool sounding word in there, just to make them seem smarter. To avoid this, I keep Dictionary.com a click away to be sure I am using something correctly and therefore, not sounding like a complete dweeb.

This is all for now. Have an epic weekend.

4 Good Reasons To Be Normal

There are a few problems that go along with being anti-social.

1. You can't do it all the time.
Even when I'm in that mood where all I want to do is close my door and read a book, I can't always do just that. Life comes as a package deal with this little thing called responsibility. Quite frankly, sometimes I flat out hate it. Imagine you didn't have responsibilities: no work, appointments, social gatherings, you don't even need to eat or go to the bathroom. If that were possible at this moment I would probably go soak in a tub and maybe fall asleep.

2. You get relentless flak from family and friends.
Mother calls up on a Friday night.

Mom: "Hi honey, what are you up to?"

Me: "Not much. Just playing with my fish".

Mom: "Oh... that's nice. Why don't you call your sister or brother and go out"?

Me: "Eh, I've already got my pjs on".

*10 minute lecture ensues about the need to make friends and socialize*

3. You start to get weird(er).

4. The chance of dating drops dramatically.

There isn't a whole lot to say on this topic. It must be common logic. The only way you would find someone during an extreme bout of antisocial-ness would be if you spent your time...no, if perhaps they, no... that won't work either. Maybe if you could...no, not possible. Sorry. At that point there isn't much hope.

I would go over the positive sides of it, but that would take up my whole afternoon. :)