Life....and Death

Unfortunately, my life has been touched by several loved ones who have taken their life recently.  Its one of the things that goes with coming from a state with a high suicide rate and well...just living in this cruel world.  A few weeks ago, a friend I grew up with took his own life.  This morning, an old favorite single, Rhett Miller's song, "The Believer, (For Elliott Smith) popped into my head."  Elliot Smith was another favorite singer who took his own life. Rhett's tribute to his friend is poignant, if you listen closely.

A Brief History of True Roundy Feild

True and Verna Roundy.  Sisters.  

Yesterday was my mother's birthday.  I only got to chat with her briefly and then left my phone at work (oh, well), but I was thinking of my mother and my mom's mom.  I noticed that Trudy Anne, my cousin, posted the second biography of our grandmother True.  I read through this biography which I'm not sure I've read before (but nothing in the biography really surprised me.)  Yes, my grandmother loved to wander (sometimes in a book (even though she didn't approve of fiction), sometimes on the road, loved her baby sister, and family, and loved the ranch. If Grandma didn't have the "risk" gene, I would be very surprised. We have a picture of her in her late 50's or 60's riding a motorcycle...and we always joked about grandma speeding. Yes, she loved animals in her own way. Yes, she had a really hard time after Keith, my grandpa died.
Yes, the hardest thing about her getting old for me was we never laughed together anymore.  We were always giggling about something, and she stopped giggling her last couple of years. I missed laughing about something whether it be spilled milk, or someone saying something clever.
My grandma was a rock to a lot of people, and pretty much everyone who ever met and spoke with her, thought that True was their best friend.  The past couple of years since my grandma has died has been hard on my mom and the rest of the family (immediate and extended) but my mom is hanging in there...and hopefully will get to speak to my mom today.  Yay! And get a card out to my Aunt Hannah (Trudy's mother), whose birthday is today,  in the mail too.

http://trudyanne.wordpress.com/2014/01/12/breif-history-of-true-roundy-feild/

Davies

I'm bothered by the Brandon Davies saga. I think BYU did the right thing by suspending Davies, but what bothers me is the publicity. Here's a 20 or so year old kid who had consensual sex with his girlfriend and now the whole nation knows about his mistake and he's going to be known by many people as "that" Brandon Davies throughout the country. That punishment seems pretty harsh to me.
I can't figure out in my head a way where BYU could continue to uphold the honor code and keep the offender's discretions private, but even though Davies is a representative of the school and a very public face of the standards of the school, the punishment still seems pretty harsh.

On another note, my ward now lets women say the opening prayer in Sacrament Meeting since December. This makes my little feminist heart happy every Sunday.

Random Thoughts

Emmy Rants

I didn't watch the Emmys last night, but I was happy to see America Ferrara win for her role on Ugly Betty and 30 Rock (best comedy since Arrested Development) win. Both were totally deserving. However, I was bewildered, dismayed and wanting to know how in the world did Katherine Heigl win best actress for Greys Anatomy? Her storyline in Season 2 tanked, her storyline in Season 3 was even worse...and she won the Emmy? The Emmy? Just because she's hot doesn't mean that translates well into acting. She's the weak link on Greys and she wins the Emmy? Between Heigl and Jeremy Piven winning, I'm glad I didn't watch.


Sherpa Wants

I saw this sweater on Whip up, and I fell in love. I want, but then I think if I have that sweater, I'll probably wear it any time I can..its absolutely brilliant and I've never been a big fan of Wonder Woman. Check out the original blog and pictures here.

Best Week Ever

The fall is becoming busy, just the way I like it, but the week of the 24th to the 29th has pretty much turned into the best week ever. Seeing DC United play Chivas, A Bob Dylan concert and then taking in a Yankees game that may mean something (the second to last game in the regular season?) the next night?

Cooler than I am....

I've been thinking of what to blog today. I could blog about Saturday night's White Stripes Concert, last nights screen on the green, Sunday's phone message about which I prefer in a gospel setting-sheep or goats, or an article in NPR about a murder of a 15 year old boy 50 years ago yesterday. Maybe I could've blogged about a possible upcoming trip to New York, or another one to Utah at the end of next month. Then there's the new single from Josh Ritter that's up on Fuel,Friends. Already, its in my top five singles of the summers...if I had a list. Instead of all or any of that, I'm leaving you with this instead.

Fashion Police

As much as I dig those shoes, and well the whole ensemble....he's just not hot. Any thoughts?

Rumbling Ramblings

Have you ever gone through those time periods where you just have nothing to say? Even though I've been blogging, I feel like I've been going through the motions this past month. Oh, I could talk about the inanity of some of the things I have to do for my job (as someone said, I'm to my neck in bureaucracy) or the rediculousness of some members of the current administration that fly under the national radar, but since I'd like to keep my job, I'll refrain. Too bad, because I do have some great stories.

Or there's the recent health scare I just went through. I did get a needle biopsy about 10 days ago after a mammogram on the 18th. Oh, the tumor is benign and I'm choosing to monitor it for a while rather than getting it removed.

Then there's the fact that Erin took off for Utah without saying good-bye. Just kidding, I know that she was in a hurry to get out of town. Another friend is probably leaving for Utah within a month. Talk about a Utah migration. Makes me a wee bit jealous.

Besides all of that, work has me crazy busy, and I even dreamt of people from work last night. That's not a good sign either. I usually bake when I'm stressed, but lately I've been sewing. I may throw some pictures up here of the stuff I've been sewing up. My roommates are all thankful I'm not baking either. Because I don't eat when I'm stressed, so there's more for them to eat. But we're going to Peru in six days and it'll be all that we dream of and more!

Stats

I like having a stat counter on my blog. About this time last year, I took it off for a while--but I brought it back because I think its fun to see how many people stumble across it--and its cool to see where they are located and what key terms they use to get to this blog. I also get a kick out of raw data (I'm showing my modest stats background here). Anyway, The last day people googled the following and came to my blog:

nationals female wrestling tournament 2007
classically handsome christian bale
rachael yamagata time machine
tom waits demo mp3
tina fey jason sudekis

As you can see, its a fairly diverse list (and the last one watched 30 Rock last week). Its also fun to see what other people look up on google.

Oh, sure I tease a couple of friends when they get a little carried away about their sitemeter, but that doesn't mean I don't think its a cool site. Well, the past 3 weeks, I've discovered something a little odd. The past year, I average probably 50-76 hits with about 30-40 visitors a day. Nothing too phenomenal. Well, the three weeks, I'm getting 90-260 hits with 60-200 visitors a day. The funny thing about it is my repeat visitor list has declined at the same time. What's perplexing is 80% of the visitors are from google images. I guess I've downloaded several pictures on here that individuals keep clicking on. It's bizarre. So, anyway I feel a little like my little private party has been crashed--but at the same time this blog is online--for anyone to stumble on, and at the same time it amuses me how I'm just wanted for the pictures I post on here. Better than being wanted only for my body. ;)

Quandry:

Last night as I was talking to my mom, she mentioned that she wanted to tell me where they were going for President's Day weekend. To celebrate dead presidents and my youngest brother's birthday, they are doing something all four have wanted to do for a long time: snowmobile through Yellowstone...I looked for flights to go to UT the next day, and found them a little outside my price range (1200 bucks?) and I sighed. Since I was a little kid and read about winterkeeping in Yellowstone in an old National Geographic, seeing the park in the Winter has been a dream of mine too. We were up there my last year in Utah (2001) for President's Day Weekend, but didn't go snowmobiling. Since I've been cross-country skiing since I was a little kid, I'm not a big fan of snowmobiles or snowmobiling, but its Yellowstone, and the second best way to see the geysers, wildlife, and vistas in winter. I then thought of Kelli's upcoming trip. I passed because I couldn't be gone that long in early March from work, and I got a little blue. Two dreams of mine that I miss in a 3 week period. But then I thought of all the cool things I've done, will do this year, and the fact that debt sucks. I also thought, I've been to Rome, and several other cities comparable to Paris. So, I pose this question to you--which is cooler? Paris or Yellowstone in Winter? If you say Paris, is it because of the exoticness of Paris, compared to yellowstone?

If you had to pick between Paris, France or Yellowstone in winter, which would you pick?

Oh, and I'd like to put a shout out to my baby bro. Happy Birthday Steve!

Fruity!

August '06: 2 friends at an open market in Etla, Mexico. They are looking at a bunch of crewel embroidery patterns that are cheap. (this one was a little less than a dollar). One friend looks at the other and says, "I'll buy it, if you sew it up for me." The other one says, "That's christmas, and New Years and your birthday for 5 years! That's a 2 foot pineapple!" Finished in '06, and really didn't take that long to do. However, the finished project is in embroidery floss, and not crewel, but a few crewel stitches and effects were used. the color scheme was deliberate since its more or less a souvenir from Mexico.

If I remember tonight, I'll post the recipe. Apple pie rocks! Even apple pie from apples(and a pear) that had been sitting in your fridge for about a month.

Commentary on my 2006 Goals Post

2006 Goals Revisited

The start of the new year finds many of us in a state of introspection and determination to fill our new years goals. Although many leave their goals by the wayside come February, I enjoy coming up with New Years Resolutions.

This is still true. I like Lent, New Years Resolutions, and just coming up with new goals.


Although there seems to be a misperception amongst a few of my friends that being a "goal oriented northern virginian" is bad, it sure beats living at home and not having a full time job--but I digress.

Yeah, um, I still think that teasing people because they are goal oriented is really, really, lame..

Anyway, here's some of my new years resolutions:

1) Work out 3x a week- I've worked out a "rewards program" for this-so that it'll stick and I can move up to 5x a week by the end of the year.

Pretty much failed at this one.

2) Run a 5k by September-I love playing soccer and even played midfield for a while, but I hate running (I'm asthmatic).

Failed, but I did sign up for one right before I screwed up my ankle for like the 10th time in a 2 month period. Then, the Dr. said don't do it. Goal for next year.

I need to do this again to prove that I can.

3) Go visit Mont Blanc- the highest peak in the Alps at 15,780 feet. Now, this one is kind of unrealistic because it looks like I'm going to Central or South America this year, but a girl can dream. Or I could wait and climb it.

I think this was a not so subtle answer to a debate I had with a friend about the height of Mont Blanc.

4) practice the guitar regularly
Failed.

5) work out a better budget-follow budget

Working on it.

There's more, but this is enough for now. Of course, there's always the dream of learning how to windsurf.
Still a dream.

Desktop Inventory

I moved offices yesterday here at work, and this morning I took a look at my new surroundings and thought I'd paint a mental inventory (because I'm too lazy to get my cellphone camera out) of my desk for my post today. I'm in a cubicle with a wraparound desk counter. On my desk of note is an unplugged cd-alarm clock, a banged up Eddie Bauer coffee travel mug(mmm, herbal tea), an Aflac stuffed animal duck, a Snoopy christmas card, a small beaded indian elephant perched on top of my monitor, an unopened can of sprite, toothpick holder, a green (cross between grass green and lime) t-shirt, a Berry Petroleum Company water bottle, and underneath my desk is a copy of Juiced by Jose Canseco. You?

Dear Diary

At the first of the year I made a goal to write in my journal daily. I failed miserably, but I did blog nearly every day this year. So today I decided to blog what would be an average journal entry.

Story #1
On Tuesday night I walked out of the Interior Dept Building in DC and headed to the Metro. I crossed the street, and cut through the park. In the corner of my eye I saw something running straight towards me. I instinctively froze, looked over and there was a rat "playing possum." Now, I don't know why I froze, it was probably the 20th time I've seen a rat since I moved here 5 years ago, but this was the first time I startled a rat. As soon as I regained my composure I moved on and so did the rat. The next day at the same exact place, a rat darted out towards me. The day after that I walked around the park.

Story #2
Yesterday I stopped by Trader Joes for a few groceries. Coming out of the parking lot a fully loaded, red, six-pack, short-bed chevy silverado pulls up next to me, and out gets an immaculately groomed guy with a handlebar mustache wearing wranglers, boots and a western shirt. I immediately check my surroundings because the parking lot of Trader Joe's in yuppie Northern Virginia isn't exactly the hotbed for cowboy types. As I get into my car, I look into the car, sure enough, tan leather upholstery and several "cowboy" decorations in the truck. For some reason, I walk to the back of the truck and see his license plate which reads, Cowboy Ted..and then I notice something a little out of the ordinary: a rainbow cowboy sticker. I've seen rainbow Texas stickers, but never a gay cowboy sticker. I turn around and smile as I get into my car.

Story #3
Yesterday, I was waiting to make a left onto Wilson over in Ballston on a very busy Glebe Road. The light was yellow, and since it was raining pretty hard and so congested, I decided to just wait for a green arrow. Well, a little Z pulled up in front of me and made the turn on a very red light. My jaw dropped a little but I shouldn't have been that surprised.

Story #4
I saw the Dr. again for the ankle. I've been prescribed an anti-inflammatory for the ankle, have been asked to not exercise except for swimming and stationary bike and will be going to PT 2-3 times for the next two weeks. I'm looking forward to PT. I'm a fan, and I'm also excited at the possibility of having a joint that doesn't give me so much grief as it has in the past 3 years. Woo hoo for finally healing up these ligaments!!

Ode to Pepto Bismo

I really can’t do the dance

But I think we have a sort of romance

For I always think of you

When I feel a little blue.

Don’t be jealous but in my desk drawer

Two Bottles of Pepto await when I’m on the floor.

I could write leafs to your hevenly hue

But instead this poem will have to do.

In my closet lie clothes in that exact shade of pink

A fitting tribute, I do think.

When my stomach starts to rumble

Your taste makes my heart a tumble.

Four out of Five Doctors can’t be wrong

I've been with you all along.

Based on True Events

I'm thankful that this is my 668th post....

My list of 50 in no particular order:

1. My pez dispenser, and lemon pez candies.
2. little healthy, crushes. Not the obsessive ones from afar, but the ones that you know, talk to and are friends with.
3. non-comformists and creative peeps.
4. My friends and their babies—seeing their lives transformed by their rugrats.
5. A gruff voice on the other end of the line yelling for his “Red.”
6. Mouse, my ipod
7. The security guard who tells me goodnight every evening and calls me sweetie, but not every day (so I don’t take it for granted, I feel).
8. A roommate I can hear at every end of the house, wherever she may be.
9. The kindness of strangers
10. The Joker
11. Trader Joes
12.People who rather then tell you how awesome they are, or how much they know, simply be, and in just that simple way they are more awesome and knowledgeable then those that flaunt.
13. A cookie, a glass of milk, and their two biggest fans (my siblings)
14. The strive to not accept complacency
15. Jeter, and his biggest fans.
16. My HenchMeg
17. The Blonde James Bond.
18. Walt Whitman. And his niece.
19. A Mom who e-mails me only to tell me about her latest music find (Il Divo).
20. My only grandparent left. She taught me early that happiness or misery is a choice every day, and to not to lose the awe and happiness in the little things. My other Grandparents too, especially my Grandma who has been gone almost 3 years. I miss her, but memories make me smile.
21. The little things
22. Friends who accept who for who you are.
23. Liza Minelli and her biggest fan I know (not me, you hoo)
24. Disco Baby Jesus and his owner
25. Masters of war fixations
26. A good job, a good boss, and a good paycheck.
27. Trader Joes
28.The other JB in ‘da house.
29. Public Library Tuesdays
30. Simple optimism
31. Little acts of selflessness
32. You are dearer to me than myself---that is love (romantic and platonic) in one phrase.
33. Witnessing several guys’ closure, and being able to see them move on and marry.
34. My bum left ankle, and the lessons it teaches me every day (that have taken me 3+ years to learn)
35. My little brothers, by birth and by claim. Even though they are both much bigger than me physically, they’ll always be the lil’ bros.
36. The DC Metro system.
37. Being burglarized. Totally sucked, but some good may have came out of it.
38. Street tacos in Mexico (okay really, Spanish, latinos, latino food and culture)
39. Working in a 30’s deco building 2 blocks from the White House.
40. A feather bed.
41. Springer Spaniels—even the suicidal one in Utah .
42. Realizing what makes others happy
43. Heidelberg bakery
44. simply divine little movies
45. commuters bundled up in all arrays of winter and fall gear.
46. writing and writers
47. A $5.00 backpack thats on its second winter.
48. The last leaves holding on to dear life…contrasted with a black thunderstorm in the not so distance, and bleak trees who have shed for the winter.
49. Playing soccer with the guys and realizing how much I missed it.
50. Seeing the little kids of the Admin support here in the building.


Have a Wonderful Thanksgiving

Time Out of My Mind

The past two days, time has unsettled me. I’m not talking about my impending birthday which I think I’m totally okay with, but time itself.
Yesterday, I didn’t bring a lunch so I went downstairs to the building cafeteria to grab a salad. The Caesar salad lunch station is the most popular section of the cafeteria, so I figured if I’d get there as the noon crowd was winding down, I wouldn’t have to stand in line for 15 minutes. As I walked up, I noticed the lady who mans the station was cleaning up. I inquired about the possibility of getting a salad and was informed I had to be there on time a little sternly. She then informed me that it was 1:45 and more than time enough to start cleaning up. I looked down at my watch and said, “but its 12:45” and then got another lecture about how the kitchen is closed at 1:45. I knew by this time that I was in September, or in a little mini part of Indiana where Daylight Savings is ignored. I went back outside the cafeteria to check on time, and sure enough the cafeteria did close at 1:45..but when I walked into the cafeteria, the cafeteria worker stopped what she did to glare at me. I sighed, went outside and ate at a place that observed Daylight Savings, the local hotdog stand.

This morning, after I checked my e-mail, I went through my Google news alerts and noticed an article about the top albums of 2002 from a news station in Raleigh-Durham. I thought, hmm is this a throw-back article? The more I read the article, I realized that the author of the article hadn’t heard “A ghost is born” by Wilco, “Guero” or “The Information” by Beck and well…even 2003 hadn’t happened yet either. Daylight Savings is one thing, but 4 years?
He was still obsessing about the lingering effects of Christina, Britney and Justin. I imagine somehow the format on the page was changed and Google picked it up as a new article. I’m tempted to address the Journalist’s concerns about the state of music in 2006, maybe I will. However, even though the two are only remotely connected, I couldn’t help of thinking about the episode of the Office recently where Jim revealed that he still had a packet of the Scranton Office stationary and sent Dwight a fax every morning from future Dwight…

The Shop is closed.

I don't have anything to say today, but it was 76 degrees today. In November.

A Prince Amongst Men?

Last night I was watching “Friday Night Lights,” when I recognized the song in the opening minutes of the show. I think this was the first time the Heartless Bastards made it to prime time. I was excited to hear “All this time,” which is arguably the strongest song on their new cd. Don’t believe me? They’ll be at the IOTA in Arlington on November 14, at 9:00. Hopefully Erika Wennerstrom, the heart and soul of this Cleveland based group won’t be drunk like she was last week at a show. Seriously, the girl has way too much talent to be wasting it on booze. We’ll see in two weeks how she does. Kelli and I went to see the band in April and it was a seriously good time.

Anyway, I hope everyone has a great Halloween. I’ll probably be sitting at home, but the crazies come out after dark here and it’s probably not a great idea to be out on the roads. Speaking of Halloween and Dia De Los Muertos, Mayans in the village of Pomuch exhume their dead after they’ve been dead for three years and then every year after that clean the remains. Fascinating.

I’ve had this in my folder to blog for several days, but have neglected to talk about yet another fustrated mormon democratic trying to convince his fellow Utahans to vote Democratic. The thing about the article that got me was his tunnel vision (I could probably write a similar article using the scriptures and current issues justifying why Mormons should vote republican and I’m not much of a conservative). Seriously dude, trying to convince others that their religion is more one party than the other is lame. Read it, be amused, be angry, but vote a week from today…I’m not here to tell you who to vote for, I’ve got confidence that your smart enough to figure it out.

What's on my Nightstand

Latest Book: I'm reading "high fidelity" by Nick Hornby.

Latest CD purchase: " Yankee Hotel Foxtrot," by Wilco. Yup, I'm trying to replace music that was stolen last month. My "new" purchase was Beck, "The Information"

Last food item of note: Sweet Potato fries.

Last items of clothing bought: A t-shirt from threadless.com Threadless is having a 10.00 sale until Wednesday night.

Last movie: "Marie Antoinette" I'm not sure what I think of it. I'd write about it, but I really don't know what to say right now.

Last TV of note: "Studio 60" but it really wasn't "of note." Worst episode of the show yet. I really hope Sorkin wakes up. Really.

Hey Magic * Ball!

Today, I decided to ask the Magic 8 ball on my google homepage 10 questions. These questions are mostly about me (because i was lazy and didn't ask others if I could include them on the blog)...and pop culture because yeah, that's pretty much what I talk about on here. Here goes:

1. Will I have to be in a cast?
Outlook not so good.
2. Will Isaiah Washington be written out of Grey’s Anatomy?
It is decidedly so
3. Will the Republicans keep the house?
It is certain
4. The Senate?
Very doubtful
5. Will I move out west in the next year?
Better not tell you now
6. Will I play soccer again?
You may rely on it
7. Will Iraq plunge into civil war?
Yes-Definitely
8. Will I get an Ipod in the next 6 months?
You may rely on it
9. Will I spend T-Day in NoVa?
As I see it, yes.
10. Are you ever correct?
Concentrate and ask again.

Since I asked the questions and now, 2 of the 10 questions have been proved correct. I'm not telling which.......