Attention all book lovers!

I was recently introduced to a new Web site for book lovers. For those of us who have yet to find the perfect book club, check out this site ... and be my friend!
http://www.goodreads.com/

The Simpsons Movie

I just enjoyed a laugh-filled visit to Springfield, USA courtesy of Homer, Marge and the fam.
Stretching the 30-minute comedy into 80 minutes proved a riot.
During the movie, amid the laughter, I couldn't help but notice a few Homer-like chuckles. Seriously I think there was a guy near me who was either mimicing the doughnut lover or cursed with his distinct laugh.
I'm hoping Spider-pig makes a guest appearance when the next season begins! Hahaha!

Glen May Reunion 2007

Here are some fun photos from the family reunion in Baker City, Oregon!

Group shot

Sam with her fan

Little Nash

Krista

Kelsy
Dad
Colton
Andy

The Mad Hatter

OK, proof positive that I really shouldn't wear hats... Even though I love them so much!!




Whatever ... I think I can totally pull of this funky cowboy hat!!

Feeling nostalgic...

OK, so I found some photos from last year... A trip to California and Magic Mountain. So much fun!!
I so miss my St. George friends!!!

More of the random thoughts

#49 - Childhood brattiness moment: One Christmas I really, really wanted a Swatch watch! Sadly Santa wasn't able to comply. Instead I got a crappy digital watch. I pretty much pouted all day long. I was so sad. Apparently Santa sent a message to the Easter Bunny however, because that Easter I got my beloved Swatch watch! I really, really did love that watch!! I think I still have it somewhere, actually!
#48 - During the summers while we were growing up, we would all hang out at the neighbor's house and create mini-plays we would stage for our parents. I was pretty good at "dying." I remember falling out of the back of the pickup truck in one scene after being shot ... luckily it was onto a mattress. But I was quite the little wanna be actress. In fact, all us kids were pretty dramatic!
#47 - I have never had the chicken pox! Both my brother and sister had the pox, but I escaped unscared ... hopefully it stays that way!!
#46 - While at Ricks College I had a huge crush on a guy named Glen. I was so excited when I managed to hitch a ride back to college after the Christmas break! But being the shy, dorky, socially awkward girl that I was (or am), I hardly talked to him at all during the entire 3-hour drive. I pretended to be sleeping ... I was so nervous and didn't know what to say! (I think there are some people out there who now wish I would just shut up sometimes!)
#45 - I love watching Young and the Restless. I TIVO it every day.

She's a Pepper!

My family had a recent scare earlier this week. My Aunt Marge suffered a stroke and was in a coma. The entire family, all planning on a great family reunion in a few weeks, was all extremely worried for her and her immediate family.

Seems, however, that she is starting to improve (no actual medical updates at post-time) and actually woke up yesterday ... Opening her eyes she said, "I think I'd like a Dr. Pepper."

As my mother so plainly stated, this family needs to invest in Dr. Pepper stock! A few years ago Aunt Marge and Uncle Lyle were in a serious car accident where the car rolled. As rescuers tried to free them from the car, they became alarmed at fluid that was leaking from the vehicle, worried it might be gasoline. Nope, no need to worry ... it was just a case of Dr. Pepper that had be punctured during the accident!

So Aunt Marge, I hope you get your Dr. Pepper real soon! I join the rest of the family, I'm sure, in my prayers for your speedy recovery!

Lucky 7s

I'm heading off to St. George this weekend!! Ah, sweet Southern Utah, my old friend!!
Anyway, I'm heading that way for a friend's wedding!
Now I don't know if she chose this date intentionally, but she's getting married on 07.07.07 ... an apparently VERY LUCKY DAY!
Since the wedding is rumored to be outside and they've been seeing some record high temps, I'm hoping for a bit of my own luck ... A LUCKY CLOUD COVER!

I've been tagged

Jobs that I've held...
1. Pizza Hut Waitress
2. Bagger/Cashier at Dick's Market (yep, it's called Dick's)
3. Hastings Books, Music, Video store (loved that job and the DISCOUNT!)
4. Journalist

Movies I Can Watch Over and Over....
1. Pride and Prejudice (any version)
2. Princess Bride
3. Mrs. Doubtfire
4. Bridget Jone's Diary

Places I've Lived....
1. Montana
2. Utah
3. Japan (2 months counts!)
4. California

T.V. Shows I Enjoy...
1. Grey's Anatomy
2. The Office
3. Monk
4. Army Wives (new fave!)

Places I Have Been On Vacation...
1. Seattle
2. NYC
3. Washington DC
4. Yellowstone

Favorite Foods...
1. Lobster
2. Cafe Rio Steak Salad
3. Pasta Factory's Chicken Alfredo
4. Stroganoff

Websites I Visit Frequently...
1. The King Family Blog
2. Myspace.com
3. thespectrum.com
4. amazon.com

Places I'd Rather Be Right Now...
1. Alaska sounds nice ... supposed to be 118 today!
2. At the pool relaxing
3. Shopping with my friends!
4. Eating a great lunch with a cute boy!!

blogger buddies to tag...
1. All the
2. bloggers I know
3. tagged me or have already
4. been tagged.

The list is growing...

#59 - I thought of another favorite physical feature: My hands! I have very long, slender fingers and, when manicured, lenghty, strong fingernails ... all the more wonderful to claw my sister with while growing up!

#58 - I'm multi-talented. I can raise my upper lip in that Billy Idol-like snarl. LOVE IT! Combined with my cocked eyebrow ... that's sexy! haha! (couldn't find a pix of him with that trademark smirk ... oh well)

#57 - My younger brother enjoyed playing tricks while we were growing up. One that scared the holy hell out of me was when I walked into my bedroom one evening and he reached out from under the bed and grabbed my ankle! I screamed so loud! That was worse than any scary movie or any haunted house! I think I scared him, too, with my horrified scream. Thanks Jeff!

#56 - Growing up I always hoped I'd open up the kitchen cupboard and see the Hamburger Helper Helping Hand. Either that or the Pillsbury Doughboy! I really wanted to play with them ... Mrs. Butterworth would have been cool too,
but she seemed too "motherly." I wanted a fun playmate, not someone who made sure I ate all my breakfast.

#55 - Bad Luck Curse Moment: My first day of classes at Weber State University. I had just bought a car from my parents -- a sweet Nissan Sentra -- and I rear-ended someone!! It did a couple thousands dollars damage to my car, but only broke the bike rack on the SUV I hit. Good thing I was early for classes that day.


#54 - The most frightening movie I ever saw as a child was Walt Disney's "Watcher in the Woods." I saw it at a sleep over at the neighbor's house and it scared me to death! I saw it one other time and tried to sleep my way through it while others watched. I haven't seen that movie since. Too Scary!!

#53 - And then there was "V" the TV mini series that the nation was engrossed in about aliens invading Earth. It was great up until one of the humans, impregnated by an alien-posing-as-a-human, gave birth to twins. One was a lizard-like alien baby and the other was a human-like baby with a forked tongue! Freaked me out! Nightmares for a week, I think, with that one! Would actually like to see that mini series agein one of these days.

#52 - Guilty pleasure: I love eating a small handful of walnuts and chocolate chips. Not quite a cookie, but good to calm that craving (especially where there are only a handful of each left in the pantry).

#51 - The Utah Shakespearan Festival is launching it's summer season on Monday and I'm really, really sad I won't be there for opening night! That was one of the highlights of my job and this marks the second year I haven't been a part of it! SAD!

#50 - OK, I will admit it ... one of my (oh-so-few) flaws is that I like being right! I never have claimed to be a know-it-all, but I do have quite a bit of random information floating in my brain! I also tend to point out when people are wrong, too. I'm an egotistical brainiac ... what can I say?

Having your niece with you at all time ... Priceless!

I just ran and got some lunch a bit ago and, like so many instances in the past year, the gal at the register commented on my adorable niece! Now, obviously Adi lives thousands of miles away from me, but I carry her with me wherever I go and see her quite often ... At least whenever I make a purchase with my debit card!

America First Credit Union has the greatest perk for being a member. You can customize those photos on your debit and credit cards! So when I took my brother, sister-in-law and niece out to dinner last year, I got to say "This is on Adi," as I handed our waiter my Adi-adorned debit card!

This has proven a great conversation starter as curious cashiers ohh and ahh over Adorable Adi and are amazed that I carry her with me everywhere! It's such a great concept! In fact, I just created a new Visa card with my dog Izzy's face on it! How cute is she!!

More randomness

#69 - I'm a passer outer ... I pass out when I am in pain, get too hot or haven't eaten in a while. I always pass out at the most embarassing moments, though ... and usually it's in front of a large crowd! Girl's Camp ... CONK! Primary ... BYE BYE! Out on a story assignment ... DOWN FOR THE COUNT!
#68 - When I was 16 and hadn't had my license very long, I drove to the grocery store on Sunday to grab something for dinner. And I totally hit a car trying to pull in a parking spot! Luckily there was no damage at all to either car. Guess that's what I get for shopping on Sunday!
#67 - Nicknames ... I just remembered one more from childhood... Someone in grade school called me Fish Eyes. JERK! haha
#66 - I love Kevin James ... The King of Queens ... I have a mad crush on him!
#65 - There is nothing better than crawling into bed when the sheets are fresh and smell like bleach and fabric softner!
#64 - Childhood brattiness moment: In church (under the peer pressure of one of my "friends") I pulled out the chair my sister was about to sit on and she fell and bonked her head. I was such a brat!
#63 - My first concert was Neil Diamond with my mom and sister!
#62 - Speaking of concerts. ... My friends and I went to the Bel Biv Devo concert in like 1990 ... I thought I was so cool buying the T-shirt. It had a giant "Do Me" on it! I was such a loser!
#61 - I have always thought it would be fun to get a pie thrown in my face.
#60 - Before I die I want to go skydiving!

20 more "Realities"

OK, so I've been thinking about these over the last few days and then, when I sit down to write them, I can't remember any of them. Let's see what's still left:

#89 - When I get stressed out at work, I tend to play with my hair. I pull it up, twist it around my fingers, braid it, stick a pencil through it or whatever. I'm not sure if it actually calms me, but it is a nice break.
#88 - I tend to stick my tongue out when I'm really concentrating on something. Usually it's when I'm working on a craft project or coloring!
#87 - I've always been fascinated by the dried soapy foam in my dad's shaving mug. Can't really explain it, but it's just so cool ... kind of spider web-like for me.
#86 - As my brother reminded me ... I had a really bad experience with Thin Mint Girl Scout cookies when I was little. I got sick on them once, and I've hated them ever since. In fact, I am not a fan of many chocolate-mint things (not all, though ... love Andes Mints!)
#85 - Growing up my dad always threatened to pull us out of school if we didn't make our bed (like that was such a threat). But it worked! To this day, I am dutiful in making my bed each day!
#84 - I've decided that the elderly (at least in Palm Springs) think the world revolves around them. Just yesterday there was a lady at Kinkos who thought everyone working there should be assisting her RIGHT THAT SECOND! She was sure making a scene. Sure we ought to respect our elders, but it's awfully hard when they are so demanding and just plain rude.
#83 - I think I might be addicted to online dating Web sites. Not that it's doing much good, though. (I really need to find a social life ... FAST!)
#82 - One of my favorite movies, probably one of the worse movies ever, that I can quote almost verbatim is Grease 2.
#81 - I started a Kidney Stone trend in my family. After having my round of stone attacks, my brother and then my sister have also been afflicted with the horrible curse! Sorry, guys!!!
#80 - I am a lousy swimmer and actually flunked my swimming lessons growing up because I wouldn't dive into the deep end. As a result I am kind of afraid of the water.
#79 - Making this list is actually kind of cathartic ... and fun!
#78 - I have always been really good about keeping in touch with all my old friends. In fact I'm kind of the one who keeps everyone else in touch and updated on gossip, marriages, babies, etc...
#77 - Speaking of friends, however, even though I went with my very best friend from high school, I HATED my 10 year high school reunion. I still felt like a loner and like it was still a popularity game. I don't think I would have gone if it wasn't for my friend.
#76 - One physical feature that I am most proud of is my hair! I love my locks! Long or short, curly or straight, I think I have great hair! (although right now I could use a trim and color retouch!)
#75 - Childhood brattiness moment: Not a fan of chicken pot pies, I threw mine on the kitchen floor one night for the dog (who was outside at the time) to hopefully lick up. But I was busted and as a result I couldn't watch "Wizard of Oz" on TV that night. I bawled and bawled the whole night while my dad stayed in my bedroom with me.
#74 - Oldest guy I went out on a date with was 51 years old. He'd never been married and was horribly rude! I felt like I was on a date with my dad. He even tried to kiss me! Completely laughable! A post-date email exchange even made things worse with a barrage of insults flying back and forth. Never again! Lesson learned!
#73 - I am apparently cursed with really bad luck, but not just ordinary bad luck. If something bad is going to happen to me, it is the weirdest, worst, most painful or most unusual! Attacked by a cat. Car and home being broken into multiple times. Being hit by a car. And the list goes on.
#72 - I hate unloading the dishwasher! I don't mind loading it, but for some reason I really don't like unloading.
#71 - I don't really talk in my sleep, but I do mumble and sigh and some talking on occasion. But mostly I make little, I'm-so-relaxed sighs and noises as I fall asleep.
#70 - Even though they are scarred from surgery and cause me all sorts of pain in cute shoes, I kind of like my feet.

100 things

I was reading one of my cousins' blogs tonight and was inspired by her "100 Real Things About Me" list. And, since I have been struggling to find things to blog about, I thought I would swipe her idea.

This could be fun. And I'm interested to see where it goes, so let's get started with at least the first 10 (in no particular order).

#100 -- I am not a California girl. I wish I could either move back to Utah or bring all my friends here!
#99 -- I love to squeeze my puppies paws.
#98 -- I am almost always moving ... feet twitching, fingers tapping, leg bouncing. I think that's why one of my not-so-nice nicknames in high school was "Nervous."
#97 -- I often work out problems in my sleep ... through my dreams
#96 -- I have only been to Disneyland once in my life ... and that was only for dinner! We only did one ride.
#95 -- I can't start my work day unless it's with Matt Lauer and the Today Show! I really miss Katie Couric, though.
#94 -- One regret: that I didn't practice piano more growing up.
#93 -- I wasn't kissed for the first time until I was 23 years old ... but very good things come to those who wait!!
#92 -- I love to drive. Turn up my stereo, sing loudly and drive anywhere.
#91 -- My ultimate comfort food treat? Those frosted, pink and white animal cookies!

(Well, there's a quick start to this list. I'm sure as I continue thinking about these items they will become more profound.)

Puppy Pix

Sexy Single Gals!

I just returned from a great LDS Mid-Singles Conference in Huntington Beach. My sister and I drove 2 hours and met up with St. George friends and thousands of other single men and women (more women than men, of course). It was a really fun weekend full of all sorts of mingling activities!

Completely impressive, the conference was so well organized. Clearly a ton of work, thought and planning had gone into the event! Speed dating was a blast! The dance was rockin'. The "Chill Lounges" were groovy. It was awesome! And you can't beat the beautiful beach city-setting!! A bit cold and hazy, but a great weekend.

Sizzling Hot!!

This post is long overdue... Too bad there isn't much to really say.
Life in Southern California is hot, hot, hot.... And I mean that literally!! It hit 100 degrees here last week! Holy Crap!! It's only March!!! It's going to be a very long hot summer!

Life at work has been completely hectic. A stark change from the slow pace I experienced for the first 4 months while out here. I have received a promotion and I'm doing about 3 jobs at the same time right now until they hire someone to take over my La Quinta position and I fully train someone to take over production of the entertainment section I'm editing. I will be really relieved when everything is smoothed out!

Last week my sister and I went and saw "300" ... an incredible movie! One of my favorites, for sure! Such great action ... and those men... Ahhhhh, the six packs on all of them!

Crooked Smile?

Doggie Day at the Spa

I was glancing through all my posts the other day and realized I didn't have one single photo of my puppies on this site! What better day to post pix that when they are fresh out of a lovely afternoon at the groomers!


Izzy, the West Highland Terrier. merely had a bath and brush and is now a fluffy princess.


Riley, my large Yorkshire Terrier was long overdue for a good close shave. Gone are his dreadlocks (he aspired to be Bob Marley, but kept tracking in all the leaves after each walk outside!) and he is a new, much skinnier and likely chilly puppy!

Last weekend both puppies had a rough time with a round of doggie flu ... or something. It was not a pretty picture as puppies were puking for several days. But all is better (except maybe my carpet).

Back to Japan

During my two months in the land of the rising sun, I had some incredible times, but I also had some lousy days, too. Luckily they didn't last very long. I pretty much chalk it all up to homesickness. That, coupled with the heat and humidity, not knowing the language and not having any friends to hang out with ... well, I was pretty lonely for awhile.

One of the most memorable moments of my trip was when I decided to buck up and set out on an adventure, one that brought me to the Tokyo LDS Temple! It was a bit of a turning point in my trip. I managed perfectly to get on the right trains and then onto the subway ... I left the subway station and followed the directions, turned the corner and there it was! So incredible to see such a beautiful, familiar sight in such a completely foreign country.

Walking in, I tried to contain my relief and excitement. I managed to find my way through the session even though I was pretty nervous that I would make a fool of myself or not understand anything, but everything went wonderfully. The matrons at the temple were so sweet and I think I was their "Special Project" for the day.

It was such a spiritual experience. I realized that, no matter where I was in the world, no matter how homesick I was, the Church would always be there! The next day I went to church for the first time and was quickly welcomed into the fold, making many great friends along the way.