A Rant Round Up After the Glee...

Okay, okay, I’ll start with the good news before I get to my vent. The Beavers look promising this year, I still LOVE my job, I love pretty much everything about my life right now. And, well, that‘s about it. Nothing I’m about to vent about relates directly to me because well, I don’t have anything to complain about. Yeah, yeah, you can be happy too, I swear…just stop wasting time on things that don’t fulfill you, surround yourself with people you love, and, ok, I’ll shut up now…but do give me advice on where I should go this winter for a trip…warm and sunny only…and invite yourself along if you can afford a ticket…I’m not kidding.

Alright, on with the rant…

This newscaster on CNN right now has the worst haircut and the biggest teeth I’ve seen in a long time…and she’s yelling everything she says, as if I can‘t hear her. If you don’t believe me, her name is Jane Velez-Mitchell. Try to watch for five minutes. She looks a little like Sonic the Hedgehog. Way to glorify abductions and child abuse too little lady.

Please take a cab, drunk bus, or have a designated driver this football and Oktoberfest season…as the Sonic the Hedgehog chick on CNN just yelled…“When you drive drunk, you are ALWAYS potentially a murderer.” Ok, maybe you’re not so bad Jane…I’m sorry for saying you have a bad haircut.

A message to diehard conservatives AND diehard liberals…listen to the many sides of every story, situation, and political issue before making baseless comments or jumping to conclusions. It’s absolutely okay to sway on issues, think for yourself, and not believe everything your political party believes or endorses. I promise the conservatives you won’t go to hell for thinking about something liberally. And I promise the liberals it’s okay to believe in God and have moments of conservative expectations for the world. Congratulations to those of you who already know this. If you don’t yet, work on it.

What’s with politicians and affairs? What’s with affairs period? If you don’t want to love and be faithful to the person you married, divorce them. You suck cheaters. Even you John Edwards…and to think I may have voted for you back in the day. Moral incompetence…life isn’t a soap opera. And nice ‘storytelling’ Duvall…way to ban gay relationships but then go screw around on your own wife…nice family values…you idiot.

Jon and Kate media mongrels…shut up! Kate was evil, Jon was a philanderer…as a radio show down here in Eugene said today…they’re both the scum of the earth…leave it at that and make them focus on their kids.

Every child I meet in foster care reminds me of the amazing resilience of kids in this world. I wish we didn’t have abuse, abductions, and murders. Children, adults, and families just don’t deserve to go through any of this. As always, those of us who work in social service would gladly celebrate the day our jobs are not needed anymore…I only wish there was a chance that could happen.

Song round up time: Only You Can Love Me This Way by Keith Urban, The Heart of Life by John Mayer, One Day by Matisyahu. And oh, I like Lady Gaga…I can’t help it…that stuff is dance worthy.

Some Music For Everyone…

I have always greatly disliked when people say “I like anything but country,” or “I’m fine with anything, but if you play rap, I‘ll break your iPod.” Music is music and a great song can come from any genre. I truly like most every type of music (except maybe Death Metal…unless Gwar counts). Be it the one good gift of my bizarre mother who threw the tunes down on us and let us listen to anything when we were little (my first concert was Poison and Alice in Chains at age twelve…shh, that‘s not bragging…yikes), or the pre college program I was in where I was one of a few white kids and we had hiphop dance parties in the basement and volleyball court at night, or my ‘favorite dad‘ who played Zydeco, blues, and classic rock all the time, or my damn sister who played the soundtrack to EVERY musical known to man over and over and over...I feel fortunate to have ears that like everything.

So, I compiled a list of some good stuff that’s in my play list lately…trying to make a handful of you happy…

For those who love country songs that make you cry or are required to play a country ballad at your wedding…Then by Brad Paisley.

For those who only listen to the song that ‘nobody else’ is listening to and only list bands on your Facebook page that are “sooooo cutting edge“…go f**k yourself and find that song and then rave about how it’s so totally awesome and how you discovered how cool they are…I have no time to find ‘that’ song.

For those who want to go dancing with me next weekend…Turnin Me On by Keri Hilson. You can ignore the Lil Wayne part…new proud future daddy to not one, but TWO baby mamas…when will he fade out?!

For those of you who are missing your ‘favorite dad’ and Robin anytime Tom Petty plays (ok, this one will really just be me)…Scare Easy by Mudcrutch…this is Tom Petty’s little band of goodness.

For those who find all your favorite music in the 15 second blurb they play in emotional moments of movies and TV shows…Friends and Family by Trik Turner (from Mr. Deeds…a crappy movie, but I digress…the song is great). And remember Rogue Wave and William Fitzsimmons too…they’re sneaking onto soundtracks and shows near you!

For those of you who think that Christian music is only by Christian artists on The Fish…Stand by Rascal Flatts, Pass Me Over by Anthony Hamilton, or ANYTHING by Guster…so many bands sing about religion all the time, so it kind of annoys me when people slam Christian artists…okay, I don’t really listen to too many, but, don’t just slam a genre because you want to sound all detached from anything relating to religion…you’ll miss some good songs.

For those of you who feel like you are on the path to feeling better…Fine Again by Anthony Hamilton.

For those who like little ensemble songs…Knock You Down by Keri Hilson, my future husband Ne-Yo, and Kanye West…just get the CD version and not the radio edit.

For those of you who want to lose brain cells…Party in the U.S.A. by Miley Cyrus…seriously, WHO SIGNED THIS CRAP?! This is a horrible song! And the pole dance being ok’ed by dad at that awards show?…really Billy, really?!

For people who love a little someone...it reminds me of my niece and dancing with her...Forever by Vertical Horizon.

For those who like cool songs, I can’t explain it any other way…Believe by The Bravery or Ruby by the Kaiser Chiefs.

For those of you who are missing everyone right now because you’re working all the time or tied up in millions of summer obligations (raise my hand!)…From Where You Are by Lifehouse…it will make you think about anyone who has died too though, so be careful!

And, finally, for those of you who are tired of reading this and want to go to bed…Singing In my Sleep by Semisonic. It’s old, but I like it.

There, I feel better. Have a good week or month or whenever I get back to writing another one of these.

The Lefty Quote Post

I’m left handed. This is nothing incredibly original, but for Christmas, Lexy, Ben, and Taylor gave me a left handed daily calendar with facts about left handed people and quotes from left handed people. My brain is on overload, so I figured tonight would be a great night to share some of my favorite quotes from left handed people.

And, if anyone wants to have a DO NOTHING weekend with me starting August 21st, feel free to join…summer has been busy and it’s the first weekend in months where I don’t have some type of birthday, wedding, or other event planned, or an event that trumps another event, or anything really. So I plan to DO NOTHING that entire weekend…wait, if I want to do nothing, I shouldn’t be telling anyone unless they want to sit and watch movies on our projector all weekend….I kind of hope it rains all that weekend.

And here goes with some quotes from The Left-Hander’s Calendar…I mean, we are some smart people being that we can write with the wrong hand and all. And apparently, we are better at detecting deception than right handed people too, so always tell me the truth, otherwise I might get you…

“Find something you love, and go after it, with all your heart.” ~Jim Abbott

“Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.” ~Thomas Edison

“We can do anything we want if we stick to it long enough.” ~Helen Keller

“Everything depends on how relentlessly one forces from experience the last drop, sweet or bitter, it can possibly give.” ~James Baldwin

“A great secret of success is to go through life as a man who never gets used up.” ~Albert Schweitzer

“Don’t be afraid to see what you see.” ~Ronald Reagan (see, I don’t totally despise everything Republican)

“We do not own this place, we are just passengers.” ~Robert Redford

And, that’s all. I’m currently a fan of Keri Hilson and think you should go listen to her. I am currently not a fan of my car hitting 5000 miles after less than three months, but, my little baby commute is still fantastic and it will start to balance out over the rest of the year. And honestly, this heat isn’t bothering me much since I have the luxury of living in an air conditioned house…just remember to check on your older neighbors this week to make sure they are alright in the heat.

Begging Tater

Taylor loves food. Most 11 month old babies probably do, but, this girl is persistent...she can already say banana, she zeroes in on anyone with anything edible (if she doesn't already have some) and bats her pretty eyelashes (or more appropriately I suppose...makes puppy dog eyes) until she gets what she wants. My stepmom just told the story of her at the airport this past week...she'd make contact with anyone eating, and walk right up to them and do exactly what she's doing in the picture above...minus the four legged competition...and people would cave and hand her food. The kid even says 'Anen' before prayer is over because she gets so excited about food following an 'Amen.' So far, the kid is a tall and slender eating machine, much like her crew of aunties and uncles.

These two pics will serve as good ammo for embarrassing her for many years to come...

I can't believe I only have two more weeks with this little girl until she's mostly gone for three years. Good thing Arizona and Oregon are pretty close...

The Almost Summer Post

I'm starting my new job in the morning, ready for the real summer to kick in, and loving life (as usual). Not much to report at the moment really, but, I'm never one to leave my opinions at the door now am I?

Four miles: That's my new commute starting Monday morning...the shortest commute I have ever had for a job. This translates into about 2900 miles a year of driving for work...that's what I have typically been doing in about six weeks. Eight hours of my life back, a chance to workout in the morning, lunch at home when I want to, a view of Mt. Hood from my building...I'm excited. Maybe I should add in here though that I'm very thankful for the friendships that came out of my Salem DHS experience and I'm not about to let you guys fade away. Just pray for me that everyone at the new office is okay with having 'the loud one' move in.

See this: The Hangover...it's made over $100 million for a reason...it's hilarious. Fellow Child Welfare friends will have a hard time looking past the baby issues...but, you'll get over it.

Don't go see this: Orphan...kids who need adopted have it hard enough as it is. This little 'Esther' character is wrong, wrong, wrong and will kill the adoption rate in the United States, at least for a little while. Yeah, I'd like to think I'm joking, but, I'm serious. Esther's just no Little Orphan Annie.

Favorite new artist from Pandora: Jose Gonzalez...typical 'Sarah' music, but I'm incredibly fascinated by his voice at the moment, so, let me love it :).

Disturbing: The Naked Bike Ride through downtown Portland. I kind of forgot this was occurring Saturday night, and got stuck in the middle of it...literally. 1000 naked/mostly naked people on bikes...there are no words to explain this experience, really, and not in a good way.

Addictions: I'm currently struggling with addictions to Slurpees and Frosters, Tillamook Teriyaki Beef Sticks, McDonald's mochas and Starbucks Chai Tea Lattes, Circus Animal Cookies, Spaghettios with meatballs, and thankfully to balance all that crap out...running. So, by the end of the summer, I will probably still be 10 pounds lighter...because if I run too much, I disappear, even when I eat like this. Yay cracked out metabolism! Thanks dad's genes...because of them, I can take many nights off from pounding the pavement.

Kyle: First of my six siblings I have ever seen graduate from high school. I almost cried a few times just because it was such a cool experience, but also because it was kind of sad knowing a few of the family members are leaving the NW soon and we won't be travelling in our usual loud pack everywhere...please remind me that frequent flier miles are better than uprooting and following the sibs this time around...not that it wasn't fun when I graduated from college, but, taze me if I try to move!!!

And since I will have more time on my hands, I figured that I should start reading books again. Send me some suggestions so I don't end up subscribing to too many girly magazines that suggest $550 shoes and challenging high maintenance men are in my budget...because as we know...neither are.

Songs of the moment...The Last High by The Dandy Warhols and anything by Sufjan Stevens...I always forget about them until I hear one song, and then I remember why everyone should love them.

Onward with the new job!

Sorry, But Life Could Be a Nickelback Song

I always feel like I need to explain myself when I am home writing on a Saturday night. So, for once, I won’t…and I will just say I am content, slightly sunburnt, and really ready to go to sleep…so this will be all over the place, and probably end with no real closure, as usual.

At least there will be a doctor in the family when they come back…I’m bummed. Okay, I‘m actually happy for them, but, my little sister Lexy, niece, and brother in law are moving away for a few years so Ben can go to med school in Arizona. Last time a baby relative of mine moved away, I ended up leaving the state for 4 years, so someone tie me down so I don’t follow this time. I wish them luck, but, I’m still probably going to try to kidnap Taylor before they leave. I’m expecting to spend many a long winter weekend in Arizona starting next year. You can come along if you’d like…sun in the winter, yes please!

Shocking Offer: I scored a new job. Pretty exciting stuff. No more commuting, no more caseload, no more Salem…but still with the same state agency, so everything carries over like vacation, benefits, etc. I listened to the job offer message three times to make sure my new boss actually said my name, and I am still slightly in shock that I got it. I can’t lie…I was literally jumping up and down for about three hours the morning I found out…and then Thomas took me out for Starbucks to celebrate, so I pretty much shook the rest of the day from the shock and overdose on caffeine. I feel kind of blessed as direct case work was starting to get the best of my heart, head, and energy. I’ll miss my kids and the many awesome people I work with for sure, but, this is an exciting new opportunity, and I am thrilled to be a part of it. It’s a pilot project for at least one year where I will be assessing ALL kids in foster care in my region for the payment rate redesign. I start June 8th.

Vroom: I decided to get myself a brand new little Rav-4 a couple weeks ago after mulling it over for almost six months…Bailey friendly so we can go everywhere together again. Normal cars weren’t meant for me. You can’t load tons of crap in them, camp or sleep in them, or carry a 90 pound dog around with you. Plus, the car had some baggage to it that I just wanted to let go of…and now, the baggage, and the car, are long gone. It’s black, gets better gas mileage than my last car, and it already has its OSU sticker and license plate cover on the back. I’ll take you somewhere in it one day (except you dad, because you don’t like when other people drive I hear).

Holla to Mt Hood Softball! Who has the MVP of the NWAACC tournament in her family?! I do!!! Mt. Hood’s college softball team scored their first championship, carried by none other than my own little sister, Miss Lauren Hadenfeld. She was amazing, and I (like the rest of our crazy family) am extremely proud of her.

Sun Kil Moon: Finally got to see these guys in concert. Simply amazing! I am marrying Mark Kozelek’s voice. Not him, just his voice. It should be an interesting union.

A Little Thing: Some know that I always, ALWAYS carry food in my car (because, despite my slender appearance, I eat, constantly). Lately, I have realized that some need this food more than I do. Every time I pass the place where my family unloaded 50 lunches in three minutes on Christmas Day, I think about how many people don’t have food, money, anything. So, I rolled down my window the other day and handed off a granola bar to a homeless guy. He looked at it, then looked at me, and said thank you. I liked that. I’m going to carry a box or two in my car at all times now. It’s a little thing, but still.

Good Times: It’s mentioned in numerous books, theories, and songs, but, I’m truly convinced that good stuff happens when you are thinking good and doing good. Sure, there are setbacks, life’s imperfections, unavoidable tragedies, and those days where you just want to hole up and go to sleep, but, overall, if you think it, you can probably achieve it, or change the bad…to some degree at least. Walk the walk you want others around you to walk, do the things that would make whoever you think is watching proud, think about how to make your life better everyday. Not to say you can’t have some Jello Shots and lie about getting married on occasion, or decide to skip church because you saw Angels and Demons two nights before, or just have a pissy day now and then…but…don’t shoot me for comparing life to a Nickelback song…listen to If Today Was Your Last Day. How Nickelback can spin a tune that makes me think is beyond me, but, on occasion, Top 40 gets the best of me. As the guys with bad hair say…“Each day’s a gift and not a given right.” I just know that I’m loved, blessed, and surrounded by the most amazing people, all the time. I love that. Now, if any of them can find me someone to marry or offer themselves up for me to marry, life would be just about flawless. I’m not kidding…really!

Songs of the moment…Maybe Be Alright by William Fitzsimmons, Single by Ne-Yo, Up in Here by DMX (I like to dance to it) and Blinded by the Light by Manfred Mann’s Earth Band…Megan, you may need to move to my new branch so we can continue to be twins born 6 years apart...HIIIII TUNNEL!!!

The Blessing and Fault

I heard from someone you're still pretty, and then, they went on to say that the Pearly Gates have such eloquent graffiti like: “We'll meet again” and “Fuck the Man” and “Tell my mother not to worry”…

The above doesn’t necessarily tie into anything I’m about to write, nor did I write it…but, I like it and thought it was worth seeing. So, now it’s on with the show…

I haven’t been sleeping very well for a couple weeks now. I have some obvious ideas about why this is, but won’t mention them, and I can actually identify times when I sleep better. I just know my mind refuses to turn off most nights.

I don’t like when people are hurting, especially people close to me, but also people I barely know. Who does really? Sometimes I wonder I guess, but for me, this has been both a blessing and a fault of mine for years. I just wish that I could instantly ’fix’ certain things for certain people so that they are happier, healthier, and ’wholer’ as if that’s a word. Why isn’t ’wholer’ a word anyway? I like how it sounds. I’m submitting it to the dictionary Gods.

I just wrote a lot and decided to erase it. I’ll replace it with this…at church on Sunday, the pastor mentioned that we are not the policemen of the world and to focus your ‘love’ on the people you truly care about, then let the others figure it out for themselves.

Maybe it’s the line of work I have done for nine years, but that’s hard for me to grasp. And I know he didn’t mean to turn yourself into a thoughtless person when interacting with people who aren’t close to you…but, I focus on strangers all the time in my work, hoping to mold them into ‘better’ people. I love it at times, and other times I just feel like a nagging bitch because they don‘t listen. Meanwhile, people very close to me could definitely use the energy I am expending on people who don’t want to hear it right now. So, maybe I will work on my approach so that I am mentally ready to be there for the ones I truly want to be there for.

Alright, the root of this personality appraisal of myself…I have been thinking that going back to school to become a counselor of some type is in my future. Maybe FAR future, but, what I’m doing right now seems more like grand maintenance of chaos…it’s just not exactly what I love about social work. I’m thinking school, crisis, grief, something in those categories. My job is getting to me, and while I know I’m passionate about what I do…I just don’t have enough time to do the part I truly love because of all the paperwork, policy, and procedure. I’m getting jaded, and I feel it getting worse rather than better.

Anyway, lyrics at the top of this are from The Trapeze Swinger by Iron and Wine. The whole song is fabulous and also says…so please remember me, mistakenly in the window of the tallest tower, call, then pass us by, but much too high to see the empty road at happy hour gleam and resonate just like the gates around the Holy Kingdom with words like: “lost and found" and "don't look down" and “someone save temptation”

Another good quote: Death ends a life, not a relationship. I saw that yesterday and thought how true it is of everyone I’ve never wanted to forget…and never will.

Lessons From Vegas...

Las Vegas is awesome. There was a point in my life when I would not have said this, and it had something to do with having to be there for a wedding that ended up getting annulled three weeks later and spending too much time in the gambling areas of casinos.

But now, I love the place. Last year, a few friends literally forced me into buying a ticket to go with them on a big trip with several people. I teetered for weeks, remembering that I hated that place...the smoke, the stupidity, the little porno cards that they flick at you on every corner. But, (cue the violin of 'wah wah wah') I was in a crappy place in my life, and definitely needed to get out of town and forget about things for a while. And that is exactly what ended up happening...I went, I danced, I (sorry responsible people in my family) drank more than normal...I had an awesome time.

Going for the Second Annual Vegas Birthday Bash this year was a no brainer...2008 was fantastic. And with 24+ people on board for 2009, we definitely managed to have a blast again.

Here's my advice on how to have fun in Vegas:

1) Go with a big group of people, but don't expect everyone to have to do everything together...you'll just get stressed out. Our group does a great job of planning multiple things to do that you can join in on, or not.

2) DO NOT pay admission to get into any club...no matter how awesome it is. One person in our crew scores a promoter every year, and then prearranges club options for when we arrive. We get in earlier, faster, and FREE...every time. We've been up close to Run and LL Cool J at Rain and Tao, danced our way through high admission clubs for free, been given free drink promotions, got the guys in at the same time as the girls (rare for some of the bigger clubs). PS...Leslie, you're a rockstar for getting this done the past two years.

3) Travel with a posse of very tall, muscular and good looking guys...they'll keep you safe from the skeezy nasty dudes trying to hit on you and buy you drinks, and you will always have a cute guy to dance with, because, well, they already love you. These ones also make excellent babysitters.

4) Don't travel with a posse of very tall, muscular, and good looking guys...they'll keep you far from all the hot dudes trying to hit on you and buy you drinks, and you won't get to dance with any cute strangers. For example...one night I approached some cute foreigners who immediately asked if one of our guys was my husband. I told them no, and I suddenly had free drinks in my hands for the rest of the night. Shh, don't tell my dad this...oh crap...you're reading this aren't you?!

5) That said...don't try to find a husband or wife in Vegas...don't disappear with a stranger around a corner...just look, accept free drinks, and then scurry off with your buddies to the next bar. I guess for some, this one makes no sense...but come on, don't do anything you may regret. Take it for what it is and have fun with the group you came with instead.

6) Believe your buddy when he escorts you to a cab and orders you home...go take a nap and get up in two hours and go back out again. Note on this...NEVER travel alone in Vegas...always have another person with you...even in cabs...I always had someone with me, and most of the time, a male...one of the tall, muscular, cute ones of course.

7) Sunscreen is good. Apply it correctly. Especially after you get out of the lazy river at your hotel pool. You think I would have learned from my kayaking trip two weeks before.

8) Flipflops are good, even with fancy dresses. There's no point to wearing fancy 4 inch heels when you'll just end up taking them off to walk barefoot on the filthy streets because your feet hurt so bad. BUT, boys and girls...remember to take NICE shoes/heels for the clubs, because flipflops and tennis shoes don't fly at most of them.

9) Eat food. Let me say that again...eat food!

10) If you're traveling with a significant other...think ahead and make sure you are actually getting along well enough to go together to a place where there are tons of beautiful people and lots of opportunities to get mad when people drink too much. Nuff' said.

11) Take advantage of the Limos and Party Busses. As cheesy as they may seem, it's usually cheaper than splitting people off into multiple cabs. Plus, they really are kind of fun.

12) Don't get talked into anything you don't want to do...glare at the porno card guys, ignore the Grand Canyon helicopter tour promoter, don't accept a drink if the dude freaks you out.

13) Gamble $1...each year, I've lost it in 10 seconds...plenty good for me.

14) Buy a lot of alcohol, mixers, and water at the CVS closest to your hotel room...drink before you go to the club that sells $12 baby shots of Jaeger. You'll save a grip of cash that you will be able to spend on replacing your wallet, ID, and/or cell phone when you lose it.

15) Remember that almost no one in Vegas is ever going to see you again...change your name, drink too much, laugh too loud, pretend to be from a foreign country, tell people you are a rocket scientist. I was Catherine, I was 'married' to some of my buddies if a weirdo approached me, I flirted shamelessly to get free drinks, I danced until my pedicure was history, I DID glare at the porno card flicking guys. It's the only time of year that I am completely comfortable being 'That Girl'...yes, that one...because in reality, I was safe, had a blast, and stuck with my friends the whole time.

Hmm, some songs of the moment...Vegas by Sara Bareilles will do. And I'm kind of overplaying Somewhere Only We Know by Keane right now too. Oh, maybe I should admit that I am going through a Rascal Flatts stage again also. The band at my church sing 'Stand' so I'm liking that one at the moment.

Oh, I no longer work on Fridays...life just got that much better.

Dizzy Talk

Well, I've been dizzy on and off for three days from some mystery something, but, it's time for some updates on the life of me and the lives of the ones I adore...

Violet...I hope you are here and we just haven't heard yet!!!

My little brother Scott got engaged to Christi last Thursday. Sure, he's only 21, has me beat by ten years in the whole engagement endeavor (okay, I was engaged once, but the whole follow through to the altar obviously didn't happen), and also spurred the awesome question from my father, "So, honey, when are you going to follow suit?" That all won't change the fact I'm happy about it...I'm pretty fond of officially adding another great person to the family. Congratulations guys.

On the wedding track...today I went to the wedding of my old friend Brian Beck. His new wife Heather has a son, and they included him in the ceremony, bought him a ring, and inscribed it with his new name (he's taking Brian's last name). I thought that was such a great idea to include him like that. Congrats Brian, Heather, and Casey...you guys make a cute family.

I only have a few weekends until Vegas. This year, we've got 24 people going. Last year was a blast, and I imagine this year will be just the same, if not better. I really need that break from work right about now, and the sunshine too...

Really, I have nothing more to write about right now other than that I'm pretty thankful for where my life is at the moment, the friends I have, and the family that seems to keep getting bigger and bigger everyday. I may exhaust people by saying that, but, I'm happy for all of this, everyday, and I kind of think that the day I start taking it for granted is the day that I'm not me anymore.

Last words...

A cute quote that I'll publish without giving away the author, other than that she's pre-kindergarten and was saying this to one of her favorite people..."Will you SHUT UP, I'm talking to God right now!" There's other quotes from her that floor me as well, but, that's the only one I'm offering up to public ears, just because it's so hilarious.

And to an old friend in SLC...I'll keep you in my thoughts until you weather the storms, and after of course.

My song of the moment (and if you make fun of me, I'm, well, nevermind...I deserve it)...I Hate This Part by The Pussycat Dolls. Yeah, once again, I find myself saying...huh?!

Happy Spring people...we made it out of winter alive. I mean, summer is only a few months away now.

Hope, Late at Night

I went to church today with three of my friends. This isn't something I do very often, but, I was invited and actually enjoyed it.

After church, we went to lunch and, as we usually do, got to talking about random things. The theme of the sermon today was 'hope' which was fitting considering the personal issues of some of us at the moment and the general state of the US as well. As we continued talking, I made the comment that "Life is frigging great right now." It was met with some giggles and laughter...I mean, who says 'frigging' right?

Well, the point of the statement was, and I said this...

I've got a job...friends and family I adore...a roof over my head...minimal debt...food anytime I want it...dispensible income...a nice and safe car...trips out of town as I see fit...a bright future, blah, blah, blah...

Most everyone reading this probably has something they're struggling with. Some much more than others whether that be not finding a job, grief, debt, illness, relationship woes. A friend of mine posted an article the other day that reported crisis call lines in Oregon are up 72% right now. People are thinking of giving up, they're crashing, they're lying in bed all day, they're isolating themselves from their friends. For lack of a better word, it kind of sucks.

Anyway, there's a line in a very popular song that I really like that says: "And while you're out there gettin' where you're gettin' to, I hope you know somebody loves you..."

No one is alone. And you're probably much more loved than you'd guess, even if you're an ass to people. I guess I just hope that people feel comfortable letting others know when they're struggling and need help, or if they're just feeling pissed and need someone to put their life in perspective for them. Whether your outlet is friends, God, a crisis line, or a random stranger on the street...find someone to help you feel better if you can't seem to do it yourself...and don't feel bad about it either...because eventually you'll get to a point where you'll make yourself feel better on your own...but that time doesn't always have to be right now.

At the end of lunch, one of the four of us stated that he's tattooing HOPE on his wrist now, and IDIOT of his forehead. We'll work on talking him out of the latter one...maybe.

Songs of the moment: You Found Me by The Fray, Cobwebs by Ryan Adams, Never Hold Back by Method Man. Don't ask about the last one...I just like it.

Baby Sischo is officially named Brayden James Sischo now. I'm still going to call him Love, at least until he starts telling me to quit when he is ten.

Oh, and I get to go see William Fitzsimmons in concert in a few weeks. For the few of you who know who he is, this is a cool thing. Everyone else can make fun of me. I'll get over it.

My New Love...

Occasionally, someone comes along who captures your heart, brings an instant smile to your face, makes you know that you are going to love them for as long as you live...this little guy is one of those people.

Introducing the first born son of Levi and Robin Sischo. He decided to finally come into this world 13 days late on Friday February 27, 2009 at 8:45 am by C-section weighing in at 7 pounds, 15 ounces. At press time, he is yet to be named, so I think my only name for him is going to be 'Love.' I've already warned him that he is stuck with me for the rest of his life...he seemed okay with this...I am pretty sure I got a thumbs up underneath his hand protectors.

As many know, Robin is one of my best friends, but also more like a sister to me...making Love an extra special addition to my life. To me, he's just another addition to my family. I couldn't put him down on Friday, and can't wait to see him again already.

Congratulations Robin and Levi!

Two by Two

It’s late, I’ve been out all day, and I should be sleeping, but, I can’t sleep…or I don’t want to. I’ll figure that part out later.

So, there’s been a lot on my mind lately…superficial things like whether or not to buy a new car, what kind of cute clothes I want to buy for my Vegas trip, what color pen I’d prefer to balance my checkbook with, why I have completely justified wearing a heart shaped ring from Tiffany that an ex gave me as an ‘empowering ring‘ now…but then, there’s the other stuff, that maybe I shouldn’t write about, but come on…this is me…and now this is just a run on sentence.

Anyway, I was out with friends tonight playing pool. One of them has had absolute crap happen to him recently and it just seems unfair. That’s as far as I will go because, while I have feelings about it and want to ‘fix‘ the situation for him, it’s not my business to share his struggles with you, and only time and lots of support is going to improve what he‘s going through. So, onto me…at the pool hall, a song came on, and I sang along to it. It reminded me of being at a bowling alley slow dancing with a really cute ten month old baby. I didn’t like it…not the song, or the feeling in that moment…I loved that moment actually…but just remembering it and having feelings about it…and missing it.

I know what I want, how I want my life, what I have done thus far to succeed in getting to where I am. I’m proud that my boss recently called me a ’shining star’ and assigned me to some special committee that only two of us from my building got assigned to. I love that I have amazing friends and a family that I’d rather spend most of my time with, and that my dad thinks not seeing him for eight days is ’too long’ and that my step mom simply refers to me now as ’my daughter,’ no ‘step’ included. Honestly though, I’m not particularly content at the moment, and I am not sure how to fix that. But I know it surrounds the other half and all those pieces we are supposed to fulfill by a certain age. I like the whole idea of going on two by two in this world, but, yeah, not sure where to go at this point with that ideal.

I’m also wondering why Bailey will lie down somewhere but not move his toys first…even if it’s his favorite spot…he’ll just mold himself around where the toys have fallen.

And really, I should be going to bed now, so, that’s all.

My Mummy Peeve

Alright, to start, a few things in a sentence or three each:

Chris Brown: You idiot, what were you thinking?
Work: Small successes between the failures and teenage thinking errors are keeping me in it.
Annual Work Review: My boss told me I am a 'star who has been shining and shining the whole time'...that was pretty great because I doubt myself daily in this job.
Steve: I love and miss you still. I will never get tired of letting you know this.
Robin: I already love your son and can't wait for him to come to the world. He will fit in well at our Wednesday lunches. I love you too by the way and I thought about you all yesterday and today.
Trina: I still can't think about Robin's baby shower without getting tears in my eyes...what a great memory for the rest of our lives. And you need to market your perfume btw. Good stuff.

And on with the show...

So, little known fact, but my freshman year of college, I thought I wanted to be an archaeologist...probably not the best idea considering I just had to Google the profession to figure out how it's spelled. Well, the class was really early in the morning, I hated figuring out what era different artifacts came from, the professor's facial hair annoyed me, and the dream quickly turned back to my first love of journalism. Okay, so that major died too when I figured out I would have to betray my beloved OSU for Duckland to get a degree in it, but that's not the story right now.

Tonight, this news story on thirty mummies being discovered popped up on MSN. I'm not sure why, but the idea of us digging up someone's grave bothers me incessantly every time a new mummy find is reported. Maybe it's the fact that 'gravedigging' and 'corpse abuse' are felonious crimes in North America, but most of it lies in my feelings that these people, however long ago, were laid to rest with meaning and rituals, surrounded by people in tears just like today. I feel like we are reversing all of what was meaningful at their burials.

I understand that people want to know history, the past, what happened hundreds to thousands of years ago. And I understand that documentation of how we live today seems a little more blatant than it was back then. But, how many years will it be until they are digging up our graves to figure out how we lived?

I am sure about five people in the US will agree with me on this, but, I'm sticking to my thoughts that I'd prefer if we left the 'mummies' alone and let them rest in peace. And, remember, I'm sticking to becoming dust in the wind, literally.

Hopefully this isn't too much of a crazy rant, but, while I am at it, I will just add in that I also think it'd be nice if I-5 and Oregon country roads employed someone to collect the dead animals on a more regular basis. They probably deserve a little love too, even though they're dead. Yep, I know that sounds insane. But, this is from a girl who used to not crush spiders (though I gave up on that this summer after they attacked the Roethe House...vacuum=friend).

Alright, that's enough for now. Restless Winter Sarah has been kicking in lately. The 2nd Annual Vegas Trip is two months away...that should take care of me until summer. I'm hoping.

25 things you may or may not care about regarding me...

I got tagged somewhere else to write up 25 facts about me. What better excuse to publish it into my blog so I can remember these 25 facts for years to come. Anyway, for those who are wondering, or not...

1. I will probably never move out of the Pacific Northwest again.
2. I LOVE playing board games with my family and extended family and would rather do that than go out and party. Maybe I’m getting old.
3. I have never been in a tanning bed, and plan to never be in one.
4. I really hate when people have “Well behaved women rarely make history” as their tagline on their social networking pages. It always seems to be attached to some bimbo who has pictures of herself in seductive poses or taking shots and beer bongs…I’d much rather be well behaved than portray myself like that.
5. That said, I did teach younger ‘kids’ in the fraternity I lived in for a summer how to shotgun beers. Oh, what a proud moment to admit that.
6. I want a picture with me and all six of my siblings together, and assume that it may happen when I finally get married.
7. When people call me to ‘catch up’ and then hang up without ever asking me how I am doing, it drives me insane.
8. I have a juice box every morning on the way to work, and have for well over a year now…100% juice of course.
9. I have wanted twin boys since I was a little kid, and still do. I (scare the men away) know what I would name them too, though, when I was little, I was going to name them after the twin lead singers from Nelson…not so much anymore.
10. Even though I really like camping, I have discovered that I am much more into staying in hotels with showers…I hate to admit this.
11. Eleven is my most favorite number.
12. I don’t spend as much time with my dog as I should, and I feel genuinely guilty in the morning when he plays the pity party and cowers to the ground as I walk out the door.
13. Guns still pretty much terrify me.
14. I cried the first time I saw my niece Taylor. She was, and still is, so beautiful.
15. I wanted to be a roadie for a hard rock band when I was in middle school
16. I still think George W. Bush is a criminal.
17. I almost always play country music when I am driving in the country.
18. I have a celeb crush on Joel McHale from The Soup. I have no idea why.
19. Soda of any kind, diet or regular, is virtually out of my diet this year.
20. I prefer living with males to females and am kind of sad that one day, I will probably have to move out and not live with Will and Gary anymore.
21. I really like wearing dresses and am not sure why I don’t wear them more often.
22. I have a Hallmark Christmas ornament for every year of my life, BUT forgot to buy it this year, and it is one in a collector’s line…crap!
23. Sitting in court for nine hours with family and extended family on Tuesday was interestingly enjoyable.
24. I really do only watch The Office and The Soup this year…
25. I probably make up for all that other time screwing around on Facebook though.

Assault By A Short Mercedes Posse

My friend got hit by a car on Friday night while I was with her. Wait, wait, wait, before you get all nervous, let me tell the story of the little monsters who did this...

On Friday after decorating Gwyn's house for her baby shower, Natasha and I decided we were starving...STARVING! So, we swung back by her condos to pick up our friend Edee. They live downtown close to Henry's, so we decided to find a parking spot in between there and their condos. Parking in downtown Portland is always a major competition on the weekends, and this is where the fun begins.

Natasha eyed a spot from across the street and shouted out for me to snag it. We crossed through the intersection and I nosed in across traffic to get it. Up speeds a Mercedes, clearly ready to push us out of the spot that is rightfully ours now. "Wait, I'll get out and stand in the spot," Natasha said as she got out of the car. She went to the back corner of the spot and stood there so I could back in. I'm looking in my rear view mirror, when all of a sudden, I see Natasha pushed toward me. What the hell, did they just hit her?! The car then sped off.

We secure the spot, and Natasha comes back to the passenger door. "Did they just hit you!?" I yell. "Yeah, they ran into me!" she shouts. They decided to nudge her with their car, and then kept the gas on, pushing her forward. Who does that?!

So, we go into Henry's to eat. Our time there goes well, other than random pickup lines from men...did you know that the new pickup line in a bar is apparently, "Excuse me, what is that you're drinking?" Really, really, lame, especially when you're drinking virgin mojitos, Hef, and water...this conversation can only go so far men, especially when it's girl's night and we have no interest in talking to you anyway.

So, we pay the tab, and we're about to leave when three short little guys come up to us and say, "Oh, there you are...NEVER DO THAT AGAIN! Never steal someone else's parking spot!" "What," we reply. "We had the spot," Natasha says to them. "No, no, that was our spot, we talked to the guy and everything." "How were we supposed to know that?" Natasha asks. "Well, just don't steal people's spots again, you could get shot, or your car could get keyed." "Whatever, we had the spot," we say. "We needed the closer spot because we're girls and we shouldn't have to walk as far in the dark," I tell them. They don't think it's funny. "We are leaving, so you can have our seats if you want," Edee offers up. "Oh, you girls are so rude," they say. "What? We are offering you our spots!" "Whatever guys, who hits someone with their car," I yell.

Their reply to Natasha..."I should sue you for $800 for denting my bumper!" (And yes, he IS talking about the bumper he hit her with!)

Are you kidding me?! I wish we would have gotten their plate number so Natasha could press charges (though, luckily, she's completely fine). We leave, flipping them off a little bit, telling them they are stupid. I wanted to remind them that what they did could be a felony, a big crime...but these idiots are remorseless, and don't seem to understand why hitting someone with your car is not okay in America. We walk back and do a once over on my car...no keyed marks, dents, or concerning issues...other than that these guys are likely to strike again with their Mercedes...

I guess that's just what you do when your whole posse is shorter than 5'6" tall.

Far From the End of This Book...

Sunday night was my family birthday party. We waited an extra week to celebrate because my stepmom was in Orlando for my real birthday and she really wanted to be there too...she has a thing about not missing our birthdays.

After dinner, my dad started talking about one of the presents he brought for me. He said he picked out the book I used to make him read to me every night before bed when I was little. He scurried off to the kitchen and came back with the little board book of "The Monster at the end of this Book." (Click on the link for a tragic story about Grover from The Onion). The instant he handed it to me, I remembered how much I loved that book as a kid. He said that my sister would get mad because every night, we each got to pick a book, and she would choose different ones, but I would always get this one. Then, he put on his best Grover voice and told me, "And I used to read it to you with this voice, and as you turned every page you would laugh and laugh."

I like when my dad tells me these stories about my young days with him, and I thought it was cute that he found a book I adored to give to me as a present. Most everyone who reads my postings knows our history of being apart, but every day I have with everyone in my family makes me thankful that I get another 80 or so years to make up for lost time with them.

And on separate notes...ever since I bought an iPhone, driving and texting has kind of gone the wayside. I know I used to be the texting monster, but texting on an iPhone while driving seems to be the best chance I have at committing involuntary manslaughter at a young age...so if I don't reply, go old fashioned and ring me up.

I am thinking about putting in for a transfer up to the Portland area for work. It appears I will get to stay in my current house for quite a long time, so it seems logical to stop commuting ten hours per week and spend that time with friends, family, and Bailey the loveable 91 pound mutt instead. I'm still on the fence, but I'm pretty exhausted too, so transferring will probably ring victorious.

Oh, I really miss Mexico too. I figured out that I really do like Mexican food...as long as it is actually made in Mexico. I can't get Fajita Republic, Quixote's, or shrimp out of my head. Well, that and the 80 degree sun filled days. Where do I want to go next winter?

I have no songs of the moment right now. The Office can be my show of the moment instead...mostly because I forgot to start watching all the other shows I used to watch last year again this year, so The Office is the only one that I have picked up again...

"Learn your rules, you better learn your rules. And if you don't, you'll be eaten in your sleep. Chomp."

Two Stories About Lilac Dresses

There's two stories about the dresses, both worth hearing. I liked Amanda's telling of the first one the best, but since she's not here at the moment, I will try to dictate from her voice for the first story...

Story One: "So, Sarah, Kyla, and I were supposed to be in a wedding on Saturday. The bride picked out three dresses, but they were BORING, I mean, plain with no embellishments, too long, just dull! So, we decided to alter them and add all these pretty ribbons and bows and tulle. Well, we arrived for the wedding and the bride got so mad, she kicked us out of the wedding! Can you believe it!? Keep in mind that Sarah was going to miss part of her birthday party to be in this stupid wedding, and the bride was so ungrateful! So, we decided to come out to the party in our dresses since we didn't get to wear them in the wedding."

The girls told Story One all night to random people in the bar and were gifted with free drinks, begged for pictures, and heard multiple, "Oh, that bride is so stupid, you guys look beauuuutiful!" Drunk people were especially compassionate to the woes of the jilted bridemaids. It cracked me up...well, kind of cracked me up because mine was on so tight around my rib cage that I could hardly breathe. But Story Two makes me laugh too just because these girls take their themed outfits so seriously...

Story Two: Kyla and Amanda dress up for everything...denim jumpsuits for a Sir Mix A Lot concert, blue eyeshadow for a night out on the town, coordinating business suits from Goodwill for a day at the office, animal prints for their bookclub...we're always wondering what they will come up with next. So, when they announced to me that they needed to dress me up as a pretty pretty princess for my birthday party, I was a little scared. But, I agreed. The days leading up are filled with shrieky phone calls and texts about what we will be wearing. It's decided that we want to look "pretty pretty" instead of "trashy pretty"...if there is such a thing. So, Thursday I head over to their office to try on the first dress...it's a teeny little kids dress in the lovely shade of lilac we ended up wearing. "You guys, I'm not THAT small," I shriek. Well, any good crafty girls have measuring tape in their social service office, so they pull it out and measure me up. "Okay, come back tomorrow, we will be ready."

Well, 'tomorrow' turns into a packed day with a child on meth by my side all day, not my idea of fun, but work is going to have to take precedence. So, no fitting. Then Saturday is too chaotic to make the 'fitting' as well. "Just bring the dress to the party and we will wing it" I text Kyla on the way back up to Portland.

Welcome to 8:30 pm. Guests are arriving for the party, and Amanda's husband Nathan comes in and waves me over. "Hey, the girls are outside waiting for you." "Oh crap, really. Can they change and come in til more guests arrive." "Oh, no, they are in their dresses and didn't bring any back ups." "Oh, well, I guess I better get out there then." As we walk out, Nathan explains his last 24 hours of sewing bows on our dresses and getting to be the model for my dress. "They made me put it on, but I made them fix the torso because I knew they were making it too short for you." He clearly is used to his wife's sewing escapades. We arrive to the car, and Amanda and Kyla are giggling on the sidewalk with a big bag labeled 'Goodwill' on it. They see me and yell, "Take off your clothes!" "Here?!" We're on a residential sidewalk. "Strip!" Off come the clothes and they cram me into the dress. As they are getting me into the dress, they explain that they drove all the way to Corvallis to find this little number and sewed bows on it on the way back up. It barely fits around my ribs, but they fight the zipper like this is the biggest battle they're about to win. The zipper goes up, the air leaves my body...they tear the Goodwill tag off with one swift pull, and we head in to have some fun in our lovely lilac dresses.

So, the dresses were a great addition to my 31st birthday, even if people were wondering why in the world we were in fluffy lilac gowns with fur and bow embellishments (the wedding of course!). I have moments of boldness, but this one actually made me really nervous before doing it, so I am glad these girls literally stripped me on the sidewalk and made me wear my dress...which has since been best described by this quote... "Good lord - there's enough flounce in there to power at least two seasons of Sex in the City!"

Thanks again girls. And thanks to everyone else too for making 31 a memorable birthday weekend.

A Collection of Quotes, Mostly From 2008

Quotes I like that I am dumping off my Facebook because it's a new year and it's getting to be too many...so here they are:

"Once you're connected with someone, time and space become irrelevant." ~sideon...I have never met this guy, but it sums up how I think about everyone.

"The most violent element in society is ignorance." ~Emma Goldman...on a bumper sticker on a hippie car of course...love it.

Wes: "What are you doing?"
Me: "Sitting in the sun."
Wes: "I knew it!" ~Wes and I, 2006...I like to rub this one in every year.

"We can't change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand." ~Randy Pausch...I hate pancreatic cancer, and losing great people like this guy.

"Women are crazy. Men are assholes." ~David Gonzales...thanks for the accurate analysis.

"Prove it!" ~Kirack...and occasionally I do, though I prefer 'do nothing' days if the sun is not out.

"If I never give up, I will eventually succeed." ~a child welfare caseworker...the video surrounding this quote made me cry...I guess I do really love my job, most days.

"Sarah, you make Pollyanna look like a pessimist!" ~Megan Vandecoevering...thanks Megan, I liked that one.

"I want a pet penguin and a doggie door on the fridge so he can go upstairs and go to sleep." ~Jonathan Albright...always random.

"It just creeps me out that he has cats!" ~Jessica Anderson...What?! What about the fact that he had no sense of smell, almost no furnitiure in his house, and showed up unannounced at a bar I was at because he was in the neighborhood "seeing a play"...really?! But yes, this all affirmed I will never be a cat person if the other half doesn't know how to clean up after his cats.

"You two live in your own little autistic world that no one will ever understand." ~Kimmie Harding...I know, I know. Thanks for reminding me of the last ten years of my life with one of my favorite BFF's. And yes, I just used the term BFF.

"If I had opposable thumbs, I'd choke you!" ~Courtney Mattson regarding what a cat thinks when its owners dress it up in a costume.

"You're writing with the wrong hand." ~a gas station attendant in Oakley, Utah...don't try to be left handed in the sticks...this is old, like 2004

"Does anyone want to go down to the natural gas leak and smoke with me?" ~Amber Smith...maybe this was a particularly hard day at work?!

"Dad, how about telling a joke from this century!" ~Kyle Hadenfeld...our dad tells some real winners, but I usually laugh because my jokes are generally just as bad.

Happy belated new year.

Thirty Things From My 30th Year…

I leave for Mexico on Tuesday and won't be back until 6 days into the new year, so I figured I would offer up early what I figured out in 2008, the exit out of my twenties, my first full year back in Oregon.

Thanks again to all of my family and friends who made it a wonderful, interesting, challenging, thought provoking, exciting, and worth while 30th year of life.

In no particular order...

1) Rafting down the Clackamas river at nightfall is a terribly cold idea. Even if it is 90 degrees that day. Be patient and wait until the next day when the sun is back on the water again.

2) Snow is an evil monster. Please stay in the mountains next time.

3) The best part of Christmas is less about the presents and more about helping out those who truly need it.

4) The second best part is playing games until 2 am with your family, and beating them all at Yahtzee. Nevermind that I horribly lost the other games we played.

5) If your dad throws down “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” as the card for the ‘Song that best represents Sarah is…” it could be his passive aggressive way of saying, “I want more grand kids, preferably in the next decade.” Maybe I should get on that whole marriage track someday.

6) It will never make sense to me that God takes beautiful young mothers away.

7) I did too deserve my Garmin. Hell yes I did.

8) That said, I know I can actually find my way around most of the Portland/Salem Metro area now without Garmin. But, he’s still my best friend, in electronic device form, besides my new iPhone…that thing is pretty addictive.

9) Selfish doesn’t work for me. Neither does self centered. Neither does anyone with cats that aren't clean and cute.

10) It’s okay to cry tears of joy when your Beavs beat the number one team in the country, especially when you are at the game! And it’s okay to cry the next week when they get a bad call at the end and lose the game. And it is okay to cry even more when they blow the biggest game in forty years on their home turf during the Civ...oh man, I can’t go on…I think I am going to go cry now.

11) Selling ex-boyfriend jewelry is an excellent way to fund a trip to Mexico. Well, that, and good old fashioned hard work and overtime.

12) If your friends tell you that you ‘need’ to go to Vegas…you better go to Vegas. And you should probably go the next year too, and make it a point to win MVP again, or at least tie with Wes.

13) I am an Oregonian, tried and true. Anyone who tries to get me to move from this place again is probably going to have to fight most of my friends, and several of my family members, with sharp weapons. Be prepared to leave without me, because they will probably win.

14) I love working with teenagers.

15) I hate when they are on the run, let down by their parents, or in really tough spots in life.

16) I worry about ‘my teenagers’ too much.

17) Slumdog Millionaire is the best movie of my 30th year, hands down.

18) Being designated driver tends to be more fun than being the one driven. And no, peer pressure does not work on 30 year olds.

19) I have very amazing close friends. Really, they are kind of psychic, intuitive, compassionate, matter of fact, ready to kick my ass. I love them.

20) I also have a wonderful family. Not to sound all braggy and stuff, but they’re pretty awesome.

21) And yes, Bailey is still the best dog ever. High emotional needs, snoring, and shedding aside.

22) Not knowing your future niece’s name for 40 weeks while she is in utero can drive you insane. Thanks Tater Bug for being perfect in every way though. I am glad they decided to not name you Lexamin or Ducky.

23) Watching Obama’s acceptance speech and being excited to the point of jumping up and down is completely okay…especially after surviving eight years with that evil guy from Texas.

24) Speeding tickets and parking tickets suck. Especially when you get both for the first time ever in the same year.

25) Nothing really matters unless you want it to.

26) It’s important to see the ocean at least once a year. And even more important to not read too into the fortune that the weird machine on the bay spits out at you. And even most important to load up on as many calories as you can while you are there.

27) Exercise and physical activity kicks the hell out of every negative emotion.

28) Always stay true to yourself and make sure you say what you need to say. But try not to be an asshole too.

29) Going to bed before midnite, while probably good for me, just still seems impossible most nights.

30) Turning, and being 30 was nothing more than a number, and some extra laugh lines, and an excuse to have three parties…I didn’t mind 30 at all and look forward to 31...(and this year, if you want to come to the party and we forgot to put you on the invite, just remind me…it‘s in Portland for those of you down south who fear the bigger city…but it‘s for three of us and it'll be fun!).

Happy New Year everyone. I look forward to all that 2009 brings my way.

Snow Day ADD (And a Plug for Slumdog and Fitzsimmons)

It's a snowday, on the weekend, so I'm not too happy about it. It's put the kibosh on my family dinner, and I can't go anywhere. Oregon with snow is funny. I'm trying to embrace that a couple inches here is a combination of joy, photo ops, snowmen, and an excuse to stay home all day due to the shear terror of driving. But I'm kind of bored, and not stupid enough to go drive all over Portland, so I'm going to terrorize my blog with my ADD...

1) So my first piece of advice on this snowfilled evening is to go see Slumdog Millionaire. It was seriously the best movie I have seen in years. It evoked the same level of feeling in me that City of God and Crash did years ago. You have to see this movie. It actually just got nominated for four Golden Globes too. Even the children actors in this movie are amazing.

2) Speaking of Golden Globes, I am completely surprised that Tropic Thunder and Pineapple Express got nods. It seems comedies never get any attention, but both were great in my opinion. Of course, Kate Winslet got two nods for Lord knows what, so they still have a lot of evolving to do. (Sorry Kate, I like you and all, but I just don't understand how you can be nominated for almost every role you play...maybe I am still bitter that stupid movie with you and Johnny Depp got nominations).

3) Tonight I put a jingle bell collar on my roommates dog. It's velvety and loud, but she growled at me when I tried to take it off. So now, it's still on, and it sounds like Santa Claus is huffing through our house with his reindeer.

4) My roommate and I are watching an old episode of Fresh Prince right now. The fashion was terrible...did we really dress like that?

5) I've always wanted to name a kid Atticus after the character in To Kill a Mockingbird. I would call him Atty for short. I've been told said child would probably disown me. I may still take a gamble and name a kid Atticus. I hope he is really cute so he can get past it. And no, I am not having 'Atticus' anytime soon.

6) There's this singer out who apparently has a few CD's already, but I'm just hearing about him. His name is William Fitzsimmons. Not a big fan of the facial hair, but it's the music that really matters in this case because I don't have to kiss him, or look at him for that matter. His music is fantastic...and if he shaved he may actually look alright too. He sounds a little like Iron & Wine if you like them.

7) Speaking of William Fitzsimmons...according to Wikipedia, his music has been featured in 'pivotal' scenes on Grey's Anatomy. Okay, okay, so, let me take this chance to say that I think the only reason Grey's is successful is because they play great music at all the so called 'pivotal' scenes. The acting on that show is absolute crap in my opinion. I've watched a couple episodes, and they never use the lame monotone acting to evoke feeling...it's always the really good music. So there, all you Grey's lovers can kick my ass...I hate that damn show and wish it, and all it's bad acting, would go away.

8) If Grey's doesn't go away, at least I get to for a while: I'm leaving the country at the end of December for eight days and I am really, REALLY excited. After a year of digging through myself, and what is, and is not me, 2008 ended up being a wonderful year. So, this is my reward and celebration for a year of hard work on so many levels. Going to a little town close to Puerto Vallarta where my hotel is literally inches from the ocean on a sunny and sandy beach. Can't wait.

9) Back to stalking the 'school and business closure' websites. Someone out there con Oregon into making it so I don't have to take a personal day because I can't get out of my driveway.

Night.