Road Block Averted

My writing issues? Gone. I took the suggestions, went on a drive, went on a walk, took my camera, and played with the settings. And I got over my writing block. So I'm happy.

This field, that is literally my back yard, makes me happy.

How could you not be happy with this right outside your back door?

I'm already anxious about the heat that's coming this week, I want this field to stay green forever.

It makes me happy.

And so do these mountains.

Once Upon A Time

Once upon a time there was a girl, named Amy (oh wait, are we talking about me here?) who was studiously writing a book, falling in love with her characters, sometimes being amazed at her plot, only to come to

A.Big. Fat.Brick.Wall. 

And the girl realized her book was awful, her characters flawed, and the plot, ohhh the plot.

(If any of you lovlies have site recommendations for writing tips, do share!)

Wouldn't it be lovely if she could set pen to paper or fingers to keys and the words would just flow seamlessly?

And more lovely still if she didn't come to a moment like the one she's in now where she just wants to give up.

And erase everything she's done thus far.

Or burn it in a rubbish bin.

But she doesn't have a rubbish bin, they've only got those in England. Here they call them trash cans.

She might be able to burn her writing in a rubbish bin, but never in a trash can.

So since she won't be flying over to England any time soon, she's stuck with what she's got, hoping to get another wonderful idea so the words can flow onto the page like magic and her story will get its happily ever after. 

With a hot guy handsome prince riding off into the sunset. 

Or whatever it is that happens at the end of a book.

Favorite Quote This Week

‎"If ever there is tomorrow when we’re not together,

there is something you must always remember.

You are braver than you believe,

stronger than you seem,

 and smarter than you think.

But the most important thing is;

even if we’re apart... i’ll always be with you."

— Winnie the Pooh

I Got It......

So the Nikon camera I posted about a few weeks ago?? The one I was lusting after??

I got it.

And I've been happily practicing how to use it.

And Phoebe is thus far my favorite subject. Because now I'm actually able to get photos of her that don't look demonic- I really could only get photos that had her with glowing eyes (unless I used my camera phone). This is MUCH nicer.

This is what she does EVERY day when I let her out after work. After racing around the house, she sits on the arm of the couch, and waits for someone to walk or drive by, so she can bark madly at them, thus asserting her freedom. Or ferocity. I'm not sure which.

I freaking LOVE this new camera!

Favorite Quote This Week

If the sight of blue skies fills you with joy, if a blade of grass springing up in the fields has power to move you, if the simple things of nature have a message that you understand, rejoice, for your soul is alive.

-Eleonora Duse

On a Sunday

See my little garden plot?

It's growing lots of fantastic things!

I just hope I don't kill them all off like I did last year. I still don't know how I did that.

Incase you are wondering, I planted rosemary, basil, onions, lettuce, kale, broccoli, tomatoes, snap peas, and one cucumber. I hate cucumbers, but it looked so lonely all by itself that I bought it anyway. 

Don't worry that it was either stepped or knelt on before it ever got planted in the ground....

Half of it looks nice and alive, the other half.... we'll see if it makes it.

It may be my first garden casualty of the year.  

Did Anyone Hear?

I graduated on Saturday.

And I was so excited.

I got my bachelors.

And I thought it was a huge accomplishment.

I had some of my good friends over for a party afterward.

And my sisters showed up to the graduation.

My sweet aunt Jan made me an awesome camera strap cover for my newly aquired camera.

I didn't fall off the stage (someone else did... more on that later....).

I managed to get my cap on the right direction, right before walking out to take my seat.

It was a good day.

But I have to say, it would have been nice to have a little recognition from my other family members...

Because I know everyone got the invite.

So I'm feeling a little rain on my parade.

The House of Dust

One, where the pale sea foamed at the yellow sand,


With wave upon slowly shattering wave,

Turned to the city of towers as evening fell;

And slowly walked by the darkening road toward it;

And saw how the towers darkened against the sky;

And across the distance heard the toll of a bell.



Along the darkening road he hurried alone,

With his eyes cast down,

And thought how the streets were hoarse with a tide of people,

With clamor of voices, and numberless faces . . .

And it seemed to him, of a sudden, that he would drown

Here in the quiet of evening air,

These empty and voiceless places . . .

And he hurried towards the city, to enter there.



Along the darkening road, between tall trees

That made a sinister whisper, loudly he walked.

Behind him, sea-gulls dipped over long grey seas.

Before him, numberless lovers smiled and talked.

And death was observed with sudden cries,

And birth with laughter and pain.

And the trees grew taller and blacker against the skies

And night came down again.
 
- Conrad Aiken

I am Not A Supporter

First of all -- let me just say that I hate South Park -- LOATHE it in fact.

But a guy at work showed this to me and I had to share it - because it was funny.

It's a religion clip -- and for those of you that are mormon (or those of you who aren't) you'll find it amusing.

So for the first and last time, here is a SP clip on this blog.

Probably
Tags: SOUTH
PARKmore...

The last 10 seconds are lame, so feel free to skip once the devil walks off the stage.

Sidenote: stuff on my writings will be coming soon, so stay tuned.
And thanks for the comments on the last post - I loved every one of them.

Choose A Side

You really have to watch the first video to fully appreciate the second.

For the record, I hate Miracle Whip. I can't stand it.

I would rather starve before eating it.

But these commercials make me WISH, that I loved it.

Because they are honestly the funniest thing I've seen since Easy A.

The Secret Ingredient?? Miracles.

(Best line of the whole commercial by far)

So, Choose a Side -- Which one are you?

Strangers

I recently sold a lot of my stuff on KSL -- tv's I didn't need, a baby gate I had been using for my puppy - who likes to make multiple escape attempts-, and lots of random odd and ends so that I can get out from under the debt that is literally suffocating me -- (damn those student loans....)-- and whilst I was steadily throwing more things into piles of 'donate' and 'sell it!' I had a few moments of thought.

When I went to meet these random people who wanted to make my junk their newest purchase, I was given  information that was completely unnecessary to the transaction.

Such as Lady # 1 was adopting. She was a clean freak. And she spent so much time cleaning her house that she hasn't made it baby ready, and the adoption agency was coming to check the house in 2 short days.
She was frazzled, and stressed, and was feeling upset with certain family members for quite a few reasons.
Or
Lady #2 was struggling to make ends meet and was currently subbing at a high school near my house. Her kids went to a certain school in a city farther south and she loved their teachers. And their curriculum, and the area. She also loved the movie Serendipity. And wished her home looked more like mine. She wasn't looking forward to going home to have her husband complain about the laundry that hadn't been done, even though she should have done it since they were currently fighting.

And I thought it funny (and probable) that I was hearing things that they hadn't told their spouses or friends. I wondered at the thought that it is often easier to tell a stranger what is stressing you out, or how you feel, or what upsets you because you get responses like mine: sympathy, agreements, and you have the anonymity of knowing that you can unburden yourself without fearing ridicule, without your friends talking behind your back about it (even in a kind way),  or having to relive the moment.
Telling a stranger you felt like hanging yourself in the garage the night before, or that you are thinking of going to law school, or running away to Hawaii for a year, or that you just demolished an entire 3 layer chocolate by yourself and are feeling guilty, or .... really anything, gets you a response that is so DIFFERENT from what you would get from a friend, or family member.

I can see why the people I have met in the last few days feel this need to unburden themselves as I meet them at the door, or the back end of a sunny parking lot. I'm sure they each felt some measure of relief after talking to me, hearing my sympathetic (and often witty, if I do say so...) responses to their frustrations and worries. And it made me think that maybe I should track down some likely looking item on the internet and tell them my thoughts and worries.

But, I don't think I could ever do that -- because I can picture myself doing this, and the next day they would surely be the new hire in the sales department, or the cousin of a friend, or some other random relation that would sever the anonymity of my discussion and make me wonder why on earth I would have ever said those words to another human being.

So, to the strangers out there - I'm completely willing to listen..... even if I'm not completely willing to share.