2008 in Review: Part II

2008 Continued...

July

3 weddings. LIVESTRONG Summit in Columbus where I had some crazy adventures and saw Vanilla Ice. Very, very sick after Columbus and the doctor tells me I really need to have my tonsils out soon. 

I turned 30!  Sarah and Jed come to town for the big Dirty Thirty party. Derek told me he wouldn't be able to come from Seattle, but he and Jed cooked up a plan and totally surprised me! Best. Present. Ever. 

August

Maberly and Bill get married. Brandy Alexander on repeat. Michael Debacle occurs and I start nipping things in the bud. Sent an impulsive late night Facebook message and made a good friend. 

Ryan, Jed and Derek visit!

Phoenix for a work vacation.

Jed and Chris moved to Seattle so up I went.

Monty tries to buy some beer wearing an interesting outfit.

September

Nine Inch Nails concert. Rock Band party at Metra's. Road trip to Wendover with the girls. 

Allen and I learned how to make sushi.

October

Tonsillectomy. World Series. College Football. Watched lots of tv and ate a bunch of popsicles.

November

The door to the gun room is re-opened and then quickly closed. Barack wins!! Prop 8 protest at Temple Square. Finally saw the Body Worlds exhibit. Bowling at Bonwood. 

New Orleans to see Miss Amy!

Seattle for Thanksgiving. There was lots of food, drinking and dancing, of course.

December

English Beat at The Depot. Discovered Poplar Street Pub. Paige got her tonsils out. 

We got a few big snowstorms. My house looked super haunted.

Spencer left for his mission in Uruguay and we had a small cousin reunion.

Decorating cookies, Christmas presents and lots of people came to town!

Soundtrack for 2008

This Modern Love: Bloc Party
Freedom: George Michael
Don't Stop the Music: Rihanna
My Rights Versus Yours: The New Pornographers
Touch My Body: Mariah Carey
Both Sides Now: Joni Mitchell
Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels): Arcade Fire
Mercy: Duffy
Brandy Alexander: Ron Sexsmith
Sex on Fire: Kings of Leon

Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It): Beyonce

2008 in Review: Part I

If 2007 was a year of tremendous personal growth, 2008 was a year a experimentation and controlled spontaneity (ha!). I pushed myself out of my comfort zone, I made a few impulsive decisions, I met some great new friends, I traveled a lot and I am a happier person after all of it. Enjoy the highlights of 2008!

January

Had my first drama free New Year's Eve in many, many years. No sleeping for 3 weeks straight, stupid insomnia. Sent several Fatal Attraction-esque 4 am e-mails. Ron Paul became my nemesis. Became obsessed with Daniel Day-Lewis after seeing There Will Be Blood. 

Stanley went to dog heaven.

I got my picture taken with Punk Rocker. Hung out at Juniors way too much.

The infamous Mussel Debacle occurred.

February

Chinese New Year at Hong Kong Tea House. Had to get several fillings at the dentist. Road trip to Logan for the Chocolate Festival. 

Monty and I took a spontaneous trip to Wendover. 

Good times in Seattle with Sarah, Kim, Grumbley, Derek, Jed and Chris! I ended up getting very, very sick once I arrived home. 

March

Sick, sick, sick. Is it the flu? Is it mono? Is it the plague? I would feel better for two days, then be sick again for another week. I took lots of pills and lived on popsicles. I felt like dying. Good Friday turns into Bad Saturday.

Jed visits!

My first trip to New Orleans! I felt deathly ill, but I still partied hard. 

April

Insomnia returns with a vengeance. Still sick. Developed an unhealthy obsession with Arrested Development.

Ryan visits! We go to a wedding and I make him dance. 



Aimee, Jack, Macklin and Braden visit!

May

Chris Williams visits for Cinco de Mayo and makes Meximelts. My a-hole neighbor Joe has loud parties. A seagull pooped on my face. Became obsessed with Flight of the Conchords. A late night game of poker ended in an interesting way, let's just say something was broken.

Phoenix to see Sarah! 

June

Thirsty Thursdays at the Bee's games. My grandpa turned 80. Arts Festival. Pride Parade. 

Brooks turned 21 and I went crazy with the Jameson. 

Scarlett got a bike!

44 Things You Probably Don't Want to Know About Me

1. Do you like blue cheese? I love it!
2. Have you ever smoked? Yes.
3. Do you own a gun? No way.
4. What flavor of Kool Aid was your favorite? Fruit punch.
5. Do you get nervous before doctor appointments? Not really. But I hate the eye doctor...the eye phobia kind of gets in the way.
6. What do you think of hot dogs? They are delicious.
7. Favorite Christmas movie? Christmas Vacation or Home Alone.
8. Favorite thing to drink in the morning? Tea or coffee.
9. Can you do push ups? One's all you need!
10. What's your favorite piece of jewelry? My boutique rings from Phoenix.
11. Favorite hobby? Cooking, knitting, watching movies, reading Vanity Fair, texting.
12. Do you have A.D.D.? No, I'm a pretty focused person.
13. What's one trait you hate about yourself? I can be moody sometimes.
14. Middle name? I don't have one...but Chris Williams thinks it should be Maybelle.
15. Name 3 thoughts at this exact moment. When will it stop snowing? What will I eat for lunch? Can I still remember how to ice skate?
16. Name 3 drinks you regularly drink? Water, tea, beer.
17. Current worry? My nephew's surgery tomorrow.
18. Current hate right now? Snow!
19. Favorite place to be? Hanging out with friends and family.
20. How did you bring in the new year? I really don't like New Year's, it's my least favorite holiday. Last year was low key...hung out with my mom, Paige and Nolan. Watched some football and laughed when my mom thought Dick Clark was dead.
21. Where would you like to go? Anywhere! But recently I've been thinking about Hawaii, Greece or Africa with Paige. Now that I have a new passport I can travel the world until I'm 40. GD, that's old.
22. Name three people who might post this: Probably no one.
23. Do you own slippers? No.
24. What shirt are you wearing? A black sweater.
25. Do you like sleeping on satin sheets? No, too slippery.
26. Can you whistle? Yes.
27. Favorite color? Purple.
28. Would you be a pirate? I wouldn't make a very good one, I get sea sick. However, I do like speaking with an accent. It's a toss up.
29. What songs do you sing in the morning? Whatever is on the radio.
30. Favorite Girl's Name: Caroline, Eliza, Ava
31. Favorite boy's name: Liam, Sean, Emerson
32. What's in your pocket right now? Nothing.
33.Last thing that made you laugh? I don't remember. That's sad.
34. What vehicle do you drive? Honda Civic.
35. Worst injury you've ever had? I cut my finger almost completely off once.
36. Do you love where you live ? Yes. But my neighbors annoy me sometimes.
37. How many TVs do you have in your house? One.
38. Who is your loudest friend? Jed. Shocking.
39. Do you have any pets? No.
40. Does someone have a crush on you? I highly doubt that.
41. Your favorite book(s): The Power of One, Catcher in the Rye, The Bluest Eye, The Great Gatsby, Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee, To Kill a Mockingbird, The Red Tent, Invisible Monsters
42. Do you collect anything? Books!
43. Favorite Sports Team? Utes and Cubbies!
44. What song do you want played at your funeral? "Everything I Own" Bread

Late Thoughts

I just realized I started this blog about a year ago. Why, you ask? Mostly because I like to write and I needed something to help me cope with my rampant insomnia. I also kind of liked this guy who had a witty, quirky, artsy blog and I guess that in some way his blog encouraged me start writing again. I don't know if he reads my blog now or if he ever read it for that matter. But if you're out there somewhere B, thank you for sending a little inspiration my way. It just may have been fate. 

Recently I've been wondering if this blog has become irrelevant. Between facebook, twitter, IM, texting, e-mail and the fact that I am a pretty social person, people generally know what's going on in my life. Do I really need another forum to tell the whole world every little thought that goes through my mind? No, I don't. Luckily for you, dear readers, I do not blog about my every waking thought because that would scare most of you. 

Looking back on the past year, I feel like I've grown. I hope I've grown. I have certainly had the challenges, disappointments and inevitable regret to provide sufficient emotional growth. Do I still find myself making bad choices, even when I know it's not the best thing for me? Yes. Do I still turn to self-destructive behavior to escape overwhelming feelings or to not feel anything? Yes. Is the perfectionist in me still rearing her ugly head? Yes. Do I still make decisions with my heart instead of my head? Absolutely. Here's the point: Yeah, I still do stupid shit and will probably do so until the day I die. But I find myself doing stupid shit less often and I suppose that's a small sign of progression. 

It's no secret I'm in my head a lot; I'm very insightful and in tune with my emotions. I generally like that about myself, but in some ways it's not healthy for me. I tend to isolate myself when I get in certain moods. I feel like I'm a slave to my feelings and I hate that I am unable to control that part of my life. Today I was listening to Bob Marley and I heard this line in Redemption Song: 

Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery, none but ourselves can free our minds.

I've heard this song 900 times, but I never really got it until today. Suddenly it dawned on me: I need to work on me. This brings me back full circle, back to the relevance of this blog. I enjoy writing. I'm fairly good at it, I like entertaining people and it helps me express myself. Writing allows me to free my thoughts, but there is still work to be done. I will continue writing this blog because it is significant to me and it gives me some sense of control on my path to mental freedom. So I hope you enjoy the ride, it looks like my maelstrom will remain in print for the time being. 

Top 10 Christmas Movies

Most of you know I love Christmas and I love movies! So here's a list of two of my favorite things, in no particular order. 

1. Christmas Vacation

2. The Grinch Who Stole Christmas

3. It's a Wonderful Life

4. A Christmas Story

5. The Santa Clause

6. Love Actually

7. Scrooged

8. Preacher's Wife

9. Home Alone

10. The Muppet Christmas Carol

Honorable Mentions: Miracle on 34th Street, Elf, White Christmas

PS: Happy Birthday to Matt and Brian!

November Wrap Up

November was a fabulous month! I was able to visit New Orleans and Seattle to see some of my very best friends. My energy has been renewed and I'm excited for the holidays. December will bring Sarah, Jed, Chris and Derek back to Salt Lake and I am really looking forward to seeing everyone in the same place. Things I love about December: making caramel popcorn, writing Christmas cards, finding the perfect present, drinking hot cider on Christmas Eve, walking in the snow, lots of family time and Christmas music on repeat. 

Top 5 days in November: 4, 13, 15, 27, 29

Top 5 Things that Must Go:

1. Negativity 

2. Dead computer batteries

3. Leftover Halloween candy 

4. Max Hall

5. Port O Call

Top 5 Things That Make Me Smile:

1. Amy 

2. Pecan pie

3. Seattle mist

4. Ciroc on the rocks

5. Reading the words "President-Elect Obama"

Top 5 Songs

1. Move On Up: Curtis Mayfield

I hadn't heard this song in forever and then Amy played it for me on the jukebox at Henry's. I love me some Curtis Mayfield! This song will make you dance, guaranteed.

2. Green Light: John Legend

I've been a huge John Legend fan since his first album came out a few years ago. Once again, Amy played this for me in New Orleans and I was hooked. Plus it doesn't hurt that he's HOT.

3. Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It): Beyonce

How can you not dance to this song?? 

4. Beast of Burden: Rolling Stones

One of my favorite songs ever!

5. Papa Was a Rolling Stone: The Temptations

I heard this song in a bar in Seattle and I was once again reminded of the genius of The Temptations.  

Giving Thanks

Gratitude (grat-i-tood)
–noun
the quality or feeling of being grateful or thankful

Today is Thanksgiving! It's always been one of my favorite holidays. And not just for the obvious reasons like massive amounts of food, days off from work, pie or square dancing. Thanksgiving marks the beginning of the holiday season: a time for generosity, introspection and resolutions. 

What are you thankful for? Take the time to think about that. Let people know you are thankful for them and truly appreciate them. No matter how, where or with whom you celebrate it, value the holiday and what it represents. Everyone has something and someone to be grateful for. Have a Happy Thanksgiving!!

Top 5 Things for Which I Am Grateful

1. Family-My family is not just a bunch of people to whom I am biologically linked. I consider many people in my family to also be my best friends. Cousins are more like brothers, sisters are non-judgmental confidants and my mom is indispensable. 

2. My country-Our nation just elected a young, smart, hope inspiring man that is going to change this world for the better and that makes me happy. 

3. Health-Ok, so I had my tonsils out and I was sick more times this year than I care to count. However, I'm actually pretty healthy considering the way I treat my body. I need to work on that.

4. Friends-Past, present and future. I have some of the best friends in the entire world! Sometimes I get lonely because so many of my friends live far away. Luckily, they are only a phone call away. 

5. My Job-I get to go to work and do something I love everyday: helping people, giving back, working towards the greater good. Yes, some days are difficult. I deal with people in crisis on a daily basis and that can be emotionally taxing. But ultimately it's extremely rewarding and I learn so about what is really important in life. 

Weekend Update

It's been awhile since I've done a weekend update; I feel so behind on life sometimes. This weekend was pretty fun, but not out of control. I had a cold and I was in a bad mood so I didn't really do much all week. But I was ready to go out on Friday night, just to see people. We started at one on my favorite restaurants, Mi La Cai, for some Vietnamese food. It was delicious, as always. I was a little taken aback when the girl Jeff brought with him asked me what eggplant was. I tried not to act like she was stupid, but I'm not sure I was very convincing. I admit I sort of judged her at first. But as the night went on I found her to be quite interesting, baring the whole eggplant thing. 

After dinner we decided to go bowling at Bonwood Lanes. This place is rough. I think at least half of the convicts from the Utah State Prison hang out there after being released. It was good people watching, for sure. Bill was in charge of entering our names for the games. I'll give you one guess for the name he picked for me. Thanks for that, Bill. It's #2 for those of you who aren't familiar with Peppa or her hands.  

Les, Sonny, Bill, Mabe

Sonny, Bill, Jeff

Jeff was hopeful, but not lucky

Mabe and Lesley

Jeff's huge ride; every time I get out I risk death from falling ten feet

Jeff and Bill became very close

Saturday was the Utah/BYU game. The Utes have been playing well and a perfect season was hanging in the balance. Turned out to be a pretty good game. I really, really hate BYU and I was glad to see Max Hall throw 5 interceptions. Looks like the Utes were living right. So much for BYU's pathetic Quest for Perfection. When the Utah score got to be 40 my mom decided to bust out this Olde English 40 she had stashed in the fridge. Paige and Damien had given it to her as a joke, I was surprised she drank it. Here she is polishing it off. Final score: 48-24. Go Utes!


After the game Monty and I met some people at Port O Call. I f-ing hate that place. I hadn't been there in awhile and I decided to give it another chance. Bad idea. It is full of the creepiest guys and the bartenders are a-holes. I didn't even take any pictures, that's how bad it was. 

Sunday was pretty low key. I started out the day by visiting my sister, Mercedes, at Odyssey House with my dad and Scarlett. Mercedes is doing well and she graduates from drug court in January. She's making progress with her treatment and will probably be at Odyssey House until early Spring. Here's my niece, Scarlett!

Song of the day on repeat: So Here We Are, Bloc Party