A Simple Girl's Notes

Same Day. Same Place.

2010-09-30T14:26:00.000-07:00

We Did It. Finally.

2010-09-28T19:31:00.001-07:00

If you scroll down a few posts, you will find an entry about a mountain called Lone Peak and how I wanted so badly to climb it and totally failed due to an allergy attack I got (that Tiff prayed for).

So, I climbed it Sep. 23rd, one year later. Teaching me, if you fail, try again in a year.

I also learned:

-I got all the stupidity genes in my family

-Also, you can lose a toenail in a day and two hiking poles

-Don't forget, God put pine trees on earth to give us something to grab when we fall

-Cairns don't always mark the best route

- I do get tired of PB&Js

-trail mix is the most correctly named treat to date

Yes, the mountain is a learning experience, and it's free (if you don't count the time off work and the mental and emotional exertion)

Luckily, this hike was nowhere near the 'learning experience' that Timponogos was a year ago (scroll even further through the blog entries for that life threatening lesson). Probably because we didn't have the exact hike group members as the year before. Namely, Tiffany. She got a job and thought about joining but didn't. We had Elle, Val, Drexel, Danielle, Kassie, my brother Dan and cousin Adam.

Started at 6:30 a.m. at the Jacobs Ladder trailhead and we booked it up the trail. It felt fast and good (not like our return).

Took a group shot at Lone Rock and then began the 2400 ft elevation gain on Jacobs Ladder. Folks, a ladder it was. That's all I can say...straight on up for 1.3 miles. I didn't mind the first half of it and I won't mention how I felt about the last half. What's cool is once you knock out the first 3 miles, everywhere you look is impressive. It was unlike anything I've done.

Rolling waves of granite slabs were everywhere with some fascinating intricacies carved into the stone from millions of years of mother nature working her awesome miracles.

Craning your neck upwards you can see the intimidating cliffs creating an unforgettable cirque, and we were still 2 miles away. There were detours and doubts about trails. Worries that others were on the wrong trails but all accompanied with the faith that people could see which direction to go. I felt so relieved and happy when we spotted part of our group surfing the granite slabs.

It was comforting when I hear various members "whooping" and yelling from different sections of the mountain. I'm just sayin'

The Top: Was scary...period. We found ourselves on a flat stone slab about 5 square feet. Three of the four sides had a 1000 foot drop :) (maybe like 300 ft but it felt like way more!). For some stupid reason, I like doing crow on mountain peaks. However, I didn't dare lift my feet from the slab. My brother Danny crawled onto the summit and made sure as much surface area of his body was touching the slab at any given second.

My friend Drexel (real name) claims she is new to hiking, but she's more like a pro. She handles a mountain like it's an apple. She doesn't need to hike anymore because she's conquered the best ones on the front. I mean, I've been preparing for Lone Peak for three years, Drexel prepared for like a month. Her neon jacket was the best. You could see her anywhere on the mountain.

Dan and Adam worked the mountain like it was the living room. Poor Adam, I think the closest one to Adam's age was still 10 yrs older then him. He and Dan could've done the hike in 7 hrs or so. However, they are extremely smart and opted for the company of the less agile and age-ed.

We did the 12 mile, 5700 foot elevation gain hike in 10 hrs. I think that's awesome. Definitely my favorite hike I've ever done. Unforgettable. I can't stop looking at the Peak. I drive Suncrest as often as I can to get a look at that gorgeous beast.

Thanks to all who hiked it. I love you all! You all add so much to the experience. It wouldn't be the same without you. This is the first summer I've had the great opportunity to hike with my brother Dan. There are 7 years separating us, so we've not had many opportunities to do things together and this summer has been a treat. Love you Dan.

Karma Works for Me Now

2009-10-20T20:34:00.000-07:00

You know how if you say, "I will NEVER do that!" You will, one day, actually do that. Or you feel contempt towards a friend for something rude and inconsiderate they did, you will, one day, watch yourself do the exact same thing? It's like a universal rule, Karma, a law...infallible. I try to watch what I say, because I know I will eat every critical, contemptible, arrogant and prejudice remark that escapes my lips. Unfortunately, those things still slip out. However, today my friend Amy Poulsen introduced me to a whole new world of thought. My eyes are open and I am overwhelmed by the possibilities this new thought will shower upon me.

Amy, Tiff and I sat at Zupa's today. I ate an asian salad (mmmm...sesame ginger dressing), Tiffany some onion soup with coconut (barfarama) and Amy some lame drink...probably water...because she ate a sandwich before she came...that's cheating (and I can accuse her of that and not fear Karma because I too have been guilty of that treachery). Anyway, Amy sat there mocking her brother's parenting skills with caustic and slanderous digs. I agreed 100 percent with Amy's analysis of why the kids have poor.....(fill in the blank...I still don't dare say it). And then, the epiphany decended upon us, like a train on it's track (oh...that's a good one)....Amy proceeded to dare Karma to prove her wrong. Almost shouting the child raising errors to the skies. Give her a chance big K....prove her wrong. Give her some kids of her own and SHOW her. TEACH her. SUBDUE her! I dare you. (By the way, Amy is single, she run's 6 miles a day, rode the Lotoja, and ran into a tree in college when trying to escape a boy chasing after her). Seriously, why not? If there is something missing in our lives, critisize someone who has what we want, and I bet....pretty soon...we will be on our way to having exactly what we want.

I'm gonna get a bumper sticker make for this : Tricking Karma since October 20, 2009.
And a wooden sign with this painted: Kicking Karma est 10/20/09 which will hang where my real one ought to have been hanging for the last 10 years.

My heart works better when I'm around these cherubs

2009-09-30T21:42:00.000-07:00

Felt an urge to post a bunch of pictures of my lil' guys and gal. I never had a clue how much I would care about these little ones. I miss them everyday of my life since each of them was born. (It's obvious that there are more pics of some then the others, not because I'm biased, only because some parents post more pics than others)

Olive in Utah, chilling by grandpa's car, holding Pyper

Olive and James in a stroller war

Olive and James with their favorite aunt

Max in skeleton PJ's and tights

Sam and me after chowing on ice cream

Max demonstrating downdog

Just rescued Sam from getting pelted with water (I thought it was funny, he didn't)

Classic brothers shot

Max and Sam (who looks ticked)

Best outfit EVER!

They are gong to be great friends

The boys with their dad

James and his dad asleep in my car

James sucking on a hose

James talking on a camera

??Just having a good time

Love the tongue

Sometimes Failure is the Best Option

2009-09-30T20:39:00.000-07:00

I felt like I should knock on wood as I made the statement, "I'm so excited, I'm going to accomplish my physical summer goal." It was 5:30 am and I was in the car with Tiffany Peterson as we headed toward the Ghost Falls trailhead that would take us on a 12 mile journey to Lone Peak. I've wanted to hike this for years, but felt intimidated. This year was going to be different.

Tiff and I on a campout up Big Cottonwood

This IS NOT Lone Peak, but I wanted you to see a picture of mountains incase you didn't know what they are

I couldn't sleep the night before. I can never sleep when I'm excited about something. All night the elevation and distance of the hike were running through my head as I made comparisons to other hikes (Olympus, Pfeifferhorn, Timpanogos). Seriously, numbers rolled through my brain all night. It also didn't help that the wind was blowing...I can't stand the wind...except for the time I was a passenger on the Santa Maria (sister to Nina and Pinta) crossing the Atlantic.

To be honest, I felt like I should throw the towel in when my alarm went off. No sleep, wind and an already 76 degrees is not a combo platter I want to order. However, you all know I can be extremely stubborn and I was afraid this might be my last chance for the year, since snow was predicted for the following day (prediction correct). I didn't care. I just wanted to accomplish my goal. So off we went.

This is to show how stubborn I can be

And stupid (but a fighter too, yes?)

So when I forgot to clock the distance on the dirt road (supposed to go 2.6 miles) to the trailhead we just weren't sure where to start. Tiffany expressed some concern about getting too late of a start, I of course shrugged it off and thought we should go back and clock the distance....we would only be 40 minutes behind schedule. Tiff is a person that I think understands how I operate....I just need time to come to the right decision...AND I need an insurmountable obstacle in my way. WHich is why I'm positive she prayed that I would have the worst allergy attack I've ever had in my life. It's two days later and my eyes are still swollen shut. The attack was awesome! In three minutes time I was sneezing like crazy, tears streaming down my cheeks, eyes puffing up...and I was driving. I was too dumb to have Tiff drive, because it was only 20 minutes to my place, I didn't know that in minutes I would be blind!

I usually feel really bad when I don't do what I say I'm going to do. Even a good excuse makes me feel like a loser. However, there was NO STINKING WAY I could've done that hike. And now? I'm left wondering if I will accomplish my goal...and if it doesn't happen...it doesn't happen. It was a good lesson for me, sometimes you gotta give, and if you don't, God will blind you.

My Time, Well Used

2009-09-14T14:55:00.000-07:00

I have several things to discuss or state at you so I might have to break it up into a few different posts.

First: Serena Williams. What the crap?! I get it...you work so hard to get to the finals (this is tennis we are talking about) and then someone makes a bad call in a CRITICAL part of the match...You still don't yell the f-word at a little Asian lady making the call. You are a big, powerful, black woman and a scrawny little lady will run to the umpire judge and get you in all the trouble she can...she is afraid for her life...I was afraid for her life just watching it on the tube. However, Yippee for The Belgium who went on to win the championship...she took two years off to become a mom and in the first year of her return, unseeded, she won a grand slam event! WOW!

Next: I went to Seattle for what was supposed to be five days and it ended up being eight. I had no clue Seattle has the weather in the summer that is my personal heaven. I've never been happier, not even the day my kids were born.

Two things happened...the first...I got to spend those days with my Elaine Benice dancing niece, Olive and my amazing sis-in-law Shannon.

I was introduced to Mad Men and watched it everynight on my double decker air mattress placed perfectly in front of a huge flat screen tv (I think I slept about 10 hrs a day, 2 hr nap included...I always napped when Olive did). Olive and I would chill on the bed in the mornings eating cheerios and watching Sesame Street...which is now my favorite tv show (I also grew to hate Curious George and a book with a bunny rabbit that would hide).

Olive and I had a pizza party while Shannon was fulfilling a bride's dreams by being her wedding planner. We watched Grease, can you see it in the background? Can you also see my double chin?

We also rode the ducks all over Seattle for a tour. The transportation was WWII vehicles that could go on land and water. We did both...it freaked me out on the water.

This is Olive's happy place

Olive and I took the bus into town and ate fish n chips, fed disgusting Seagulls, and walked the streets of Seattle looking for New Born Vampires

May I also report for my second thing that happened...since I was in Seattle...I naturally thought of Vampires, New Borns. WHich led me to thoughts of Port Angeles and Forks...which happened to be a couple hrs away. We never quite made it to Port Angeles (where Bella went shopping and almost got killed by the four gross men...and Edward saved her)...we probably got about 5 miles away from the city limits, on our tour of the Olympic Peninsula.

On the ferry to Bainbridge Island that would eventually get us to the Olympic Peninsula. This was right before Olive fell off a seat in the ferry and landed on her head. Shannon got it on video and aunt Chrissy was too late to catch her from falling...stupid aunt. But there was a beautiful dark haired single man right by us who thought is was just as funny as we did. I kick myself for not kissing him.

What a gorgeous tour it was. I would love to live there, in the summer. I'm planning a nice long trip next summer to the area which will include Seattle, Olympic Peninsula, Victoria, Vancouver and Oregon Coast....google them...they are beautiful and you should join me. Unfortunately, I've become obsessed again with the vampired. I watched the movie again, also with commentary and it was hilarious. I highly recommed it to those who were upset with the film. I was/am one of those, it seemed so poorly done in countless ways BUT the actors, Bella and Edward, were so funny with the commentary and pointing out the same things that I thought were lame that I'm not as upset as I had been. I'm ready for New Moon to come out. I'm totally recommitted and I'm looking for a group who will go with me to the midnight showing, something I swore I would never do again. It's gonna be awesome no matter how dumb it is...because one day the dvd will come out with the commentary and the world will be right again.

The Girl Then and the Girl Now, Is the Same

2009-08-26T21:19:00.000-07:00

Everybody in my family seems to be moving to new homes. It has been a bit hectic. I now have the urge to simplify and downsize my posessions. Although I would like to increase my vehicles to two. Boy am I unbalanced. ANyway, I'm in the mood to clean out closets and tonight I've accomplished destroying my loft with crap and clutter. It's everywhere. Shambles. Because, of course, I got caught up reading journals. I've always wanted to write a book. The first time I started at book was my senior year in high school. I've been reading it tonight and, although it has no point or purpose that I can find, it has been entertaining. I was not a very nice girl back in the day. At one point in my unfinished book I was attending a church meeting (to my embarassment as a full functioning adult, this occurred right after sacrament before we separated to sunday school) and when the chorister asked the congregation for hymn suggestions, I requested AC/DC's Back in Black. Ugh. I am shocked but not surprised. ANyway, I wanted to share a small portion of the book:

I have two interesting things to tell you about dying cows (then I go into a long explanation about someone you wouldn't expect to laugh like a dying cow...and I eventually get to this point...). Just today (april 1) in a class some girl started making some wheezy dead noise and it was such a terrible noise that I thought she was just doing it for fun. And all of a sudden she flung her head down on the table..hard!! And she just laid there groaning and it sounded like she sneezed so I cynically asked her if she wanted a kleenex and she burst out laughing...so I thought. She was like that for two minutes and all of a sudden she said,"will somebody get me a kleenex?" I thought I was going to die laughing, and none of us got her a kleenex so she used the piece of paper under her. When she flung her head down on the table she hit it so hard that she gave herself a bloody nose. She claimed she was choking and I say, "no way." I was just about to say, "why didn't yo hold your neck or something?" and she says, "Geeze (yelling) I was giving you guys the international sign for choking."

I vaguely remember this experience...and I do remember laughing...hard. Especially when she flung her head onto the table. Even better that it gaver her a bloody nose.

Someday I will post about the hard core rant I go on about abortion referring to the baby as "it" and pleading, "You don't kill it" and "give it a chance." It was a very strong voice for a 17 yr old with very little tact. Sounds about right.

A Few Random Thoughts That Might Relate to the Above Paragraphs, Or Not

This is my hike group that may never re-group for a hike again

This is a glacier that my hike group slid down last wednesday at 10 am. that turned a 10 hr hike into a 15 hour hiking disaster

This is Tiffany. Tiffany and I attended high school together (and Jr. High) and was part of my inspiration for my book writing. Tiff almost died on the glacier and escaped with relatively few injuries. Sadly, after she almost died and I knew she was alive and wouldn't die, I broke out into hysterical laughter, and it quite possibly sounded like a dying cow. After reading my partially written book and thinking of my reaction to Tiff's near death experience, I realize I have not matured and am still very much the same girl

However, the girl back then and the girl now has always been grateful for her long lasting and unwaivering friendship with Tiff...and hopes to never witness something like that again!

Raisin Bran Makes You Smart

2009-06-08T20:46:00.000-07:00

Last July I bought a cieling fan for my bedroom. It was my birthday gift to myself. The room gets a bit warm at night and the air conditioner wakes me up as it clicks on and off. Naturally I thought of a ceiling fan to save me. My gift to me was opened the day I bought it, and closed back up a few minutes later. Too complicated for me. It sat in my front room for a month and then one day was taken to the loft, where I worried, it would never return.

(Unfortunately I jumped the gun before I bought the fan and took my light down, thinking that would motivate me to buy the fan and assemble it. But it's amazing what you can get used to living without. This picture shows how my cieling looked for a very long time. Side note: I have been without a microwave for 6 months...hard at first...now I don't even notice)

But a miracle happened two weeks ago (I'm posting this WAY after I wrote it...it took awhile to remember to get pics), I decided I WOULD get it done and hung. Maybe I wanted a challenge. Maybe I wanted to do something that my family told me couldn't be done without an electrician. Maybe I was ticked off and didn't want to be around people. But mostly, I just wanted to be cool at night. And I'm cheap. Why pay an electrician?! I enjoyed getting electrocuted (notice the black and white wires in the above picture, somehow they moved and were touching PERFECTLY when I turned on the power). I enjoyed destroying my circuit braker. I enjoyed paying $50 for an archaic "fuse box" (??) that if weren't a collector's item would've only cost 6 bucks. I enjoyed begging a friend who knew what he was doing to finish the project. I REALLY enjoyed that he had to disconnect the wiring he had just connected because I had done something wrong which needed correcting. I loved that I didn't have a battery for my remote so we couldn't even tell if it worked. And the best, I love that 4 days later I finally got the battery and ......it didn't work. I love dejection/rejection/a slapped face/humility/shame. It felt good. But what felt better was me eating a bowl of Total Raisin Bran and realizing "maybe my light switch on the wall wasn't on , that would keep the remote from working" and being right. IT WORKS!!!!!!!! And I can control it from the comforts of my bed and the light exercise of my digits.

(It will be another year before I get to painting that circle on the cieling. I'll send a picture when that day happens....cold day in hell or I decide to move)

Sorry, No Pictures

2009-04-30T11:15:00.000-07:00

It's a scary and comforting thought that "Life is always changing." But one thing remains constant, every spring I get an injury that RUINS my life for weeks and sometimes months. I guess "ruins my life" is a bit dramatic but anything that forces me "down" physically causes me pain at the thought that activities will not reach full swing. This year, my body decided that since it is in it's 36th year it would like to remind me that I am not superhuman and must stretch ALOT before I engage in competitive activity, like soccer. It also reminded me of the lovely lesson that when your quadriceps hurts and is partially damaged, it is speaking to you and you should go sit on the sidelines and not chase down a ball at full speed (my full speed is unimpressive) only to completely damage the muscle. I have a silly type of pride that won't allow me to stop unless there is no other option. I had no other option, I could barely walk. The sad thing was, it was my night to score a goal. The other team had a sadly unathletic fella defending the goal, and I wanted to take advantage. The good thing is, I am Wolverine. Seriously. I thought I was in big trouble last night. THought I'd spend the next 2 months battling this injury and today I'm a million times better. Last night in my sleep I could feel my body healing and progressing. I don't need crutches. I went to Yoga. I weight lifted (upper body). And met an Antonio Banderas look a like the gym who said to me, "I have the pig flu" after his friend had just chastised him for leaving forehead grease on the bench. It's going to be a great recovery.

This Weeks THeme: Glass 1/2 empty or 1/2 full?

2009-03-10T16:13:00.000-07:00

Somehow this theme is popping up into every part of my life. Bring it on! It's too bad it has become so cliche.' So much of the meaning is lost when it teeters over the peak of "cliche'".

Anyway, I was wishing (hurling firey darts at reality) that my nephews and niece were local enough for me to steal away for little outings like the one I had on monday with my little buddies and pinchess (princess) Sadye. We spent an extremely fast 90 minutes at Cabella's. Yet we managed to fit in: screaming, jumping, fish feeding, kid feeding, germ sharing, sleeping bag resting, gun shooting, vandalizing, rushing to bathrooms before accidents, washing hands, cutting people off, sugar eating, piggy backing, bear watching, house (tent)playing, couch jumping, window banging, cart stunts, animal naming, nose picking, cuddling, singing---and nobody got hurt.!

Everytime we would move to a new spot I would yell, "All aboard!" and the three of them would jump on the cart (we did it so much they even had their own designated spots) and I would push them to the new location. We saved ALOT of time and energy with this transporting method. We also came close to running over Chance and decapitating Eli (as he would uncannily lean back right as we were passing a objects that could seriously damage his head)

Seriously, I think I had just as much, if not more fun than my little Rat Pack. I was truly happy and time flew. My glass was definitely half full that day.

Thank You and Happy Birthday

2009-02-20T18:04:00.000-08:00

I have adopted every person I know as a personal secretary. Traci Monson happens to be my Executive Assistant and for the last 10 years has kept record of most of my personal engagements. She reminds me of dates, times and most importantly memorizes directions to venues and passes them on to me as I am en route.

(Pictured are myself and Traci. This is in Boston where she of course, made all travel arrangements, and paid for my ticket. What?! I didn't have a job at the time)

Since I am old-er I have trained myself to memorize information regarding soirees to a close degree of accuracy. I almost always get the date correct, arrive within plus or minus 30 minutes to start time and can recall the location within a three block radius. Therefore, I have needed Traci's help less and less as the years have passed but occasionally am saved by her incomprehensible ability to plan, organize and regurgitate data that, I swear, was stolen from my hand. I hope to one day return the gesture she has so kindly offered to me a million times.

Sometimes I am invited to a function by a social circle that has not the privilege of knowing Traci. And I, finding myself in need of logistical info, wonder if she still might know where I am supposed to be. I am in such a situation tonight. Knowing that even this Super Woman does not know the answer, I turn to other sources, like the focal point of this evening. IT happens to be her birthday, and is just as unreliable as myself.

(Pictured below is Stephanie Doyle in a fantastic attempt to snowboard)

(This is what she looks like, with a helmet on)

I have called her twice and sent a text message (5 minutes before the party is to start) and still no response. What?! Am I left to getting on-line and finding the original invitation?! Work?! THEN! The phone rings, lo and behold, the caller ID reads "Steph Doyle" and I answer with excitement,

*"Birthday Girl?! What is wrong with you? You know I need help getting to your place?"

*This is not the birthday girl, it's Aly!"

The conversation went on but I got stuck in the humorous thoughts that a) Steph is just like me and has someone else dealing with the awful boringness of flat information and b) Once again, I am saved from my annoying habit of zero preparation.

Each of you at one point has aided, or enabled, me in such a situation. I thank you.

(Among many other talents, Steph is also an artist, and felt this represented the lonliness that metals must feel)

Aaaaaahhh!!! (said with much frustration)

2009-02-19T16:36:00.000-08:00

I'm going to DIE if I don't find something insane to do...that won't get me killed or thrown in jail.

I think it comes from repression. Everything I have an impulsive urge to do, is not accepted by society. By not acting out I have the sensation behind my eyeballs that they are going to pop out.

Here is what I would do if no consequences were involved:

I would rip up.....ooooh....lots of stuff (stimulus bill included)

I would follow Eli's lead and smack people in the face (nobody in particular)

I would quit my job. Not answer my phone. And burn Facebook.

I would be on an airplane to Phoenix

I would adopt a dog and buy half a cow

I would definitely be homeless and know which clothes I would take on my back (can anyone guess?)

I would break the news to people who think they are funny, but aren't.

Until I have the guts, I guess I will just go to the gym and to Phoenix...those are do-able.

Valentine Treat

2009-02-12T17:25:00.000-08:00

This is my father, Gary Kurt Lassen. Today during my Zumba class (a crazy-latin-dancing-hip-shaking-body-sweating-fiesta at 24 hour fitness) This amazing fella called me and asked if he could take me to lunch for Valentine's Day. What a LOVELY surprise. A Valentine for me? Plus he said we could go to a "nice" lunch like the kind at Market Street. Anyway, Gary knocked on my door and walked in with red gorgeous roses! I haven't been given roses since I took advantage of a guy who liked me when he asked, "What do you want for your birthday?"

I forgot how happy flowers make me feel and halibut. I thought it was a perfect way to spend the lunch hour, what more could I want? And then he offered to chase those well spent calories with frozen yogurt from the Yogurt Stop. Wow. Content. Full.

I don't need alot. I rarely ask for or demand things. I get by with what I have. And I'm satisfied. But on occasion someone teaches me a lesson with their unnecessary demonstration of service and my reaction of love and gratitude surprise me as I realize those "unnecessary" gestures add an element to life that really is necessary!

Dad, you totally made me feel special today. I enjoyed every second we had and I will always remember today. I love you. Thank you! I'm a very lucky daughter.

Hawaii, the Hostess with the Mostess

2009-01-08T14:58:00.000-08:00

$30 Wal-Mart tent purchased so that mom and baby were protected from the winter sunshine's killing rays of cancer. Probably one of the coolest purchases ever. The rest of us were jealous, especially when it rained.
Cohen (I choose to believe he was named after Seth Cohen of the hit tv series The OC), not sure what to do in this situation. I knew what to do though, document!
Huge waves at Waimea beach on the north shore. I'm not normally a big fan of getting pounded by the awesome raw power of the seas, but I sure enjoy watching other people's poundings.

James on his first Harley. Pretty astute of a 4 month old to know how to look cool.

Grandkid pictures. Gma and Gpa (Gma) bought the hawaiian outfits. Andrew (the one crying) wasnt a big fan of the sand or water.

My new facebook profile:) Courtesy of Danny. A penny for my thoughts...what the h#$ is going on in that head? I really couldn't tell you but it must have been deep.

Dede missing her job and boss at Goldman Sachs.

Dan's yellow shirt says "Man Scouts".

The Man Scout bursting through the water's surface for airj and show; A dramatical reinactment of A Normal Day for a Dolphin. (Excellent form Dan)

Claire thinks we are all idiots.

Way cuter on a kid than an adult.

Bonnie and Andrew enjoyed watching people getting pounded too.

Thanks Gary and BOnnie for the amazing trip! What a way to spend the holidays. I'm gonna be good every year from now on.

Our North 40, and Some People's South

2009-01-08T14:47:00.000-08:00

The sun is setting pretty early these days. I had a grand scheme to get up into the mountains to capture the essence and beauty of a Utah winter sunset but my timing was WAY off. Instead of Red Pine I had to settle for Red Butt (I mean Butte)....and it wasn't too shabby.

Stupid jogger. I was just jealous. Who wouldn't want to run a bit when surrounded by this scenery?!

As crappy as winters can be.....come on....this should surely help us endure the bitterness.

Ode to Joy

2009-01-08T14:20:00.000-08:00

Did anyone ever get into Calvin and Hobbes? A brilliant comic strip! My friend Steph Doyle reminded me of it today so I just threw up some quotes. Enjoy.

-Calvin"Weekends don't count unless you spend them doing something completely pointless."

-Calvin"Reality continues to ruin my life."

-Calvin"What assurance do I have that your parenting isn't screwing me up?"

-Calvin"Sometimes I think the surest sign that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe is that none of it has tried to contact us."

-Calvin"I hate to think that all my current experiences will someday become stories with no point."

-Calvin"I used to hate writing assignments, but now I enjoy them. I realized that the purpose of writing is to inflate weak ideas, obscure poor reasoning, and inhibit clarity. With a little practice, writing can be an intimidating and impenetrable fog!"

-Calvin"As far as I'm concerned, if something is so complicated that you can't explain it in 10 seconds, then it's probably not worth knowing anyway."

-Calvin"It's only work if somebody makes you do it"

-Calvin"In my opinion, television validates existence."

-Calvin"Life is like topography, Hobbes. There are summits of happiness and success... ...Flat stretches of boring routine... ...And valleys of frustration and failure."

-Calvin"What I like is when you're looking and thinking and looking and thinking... And suddenly you wake up."

-Calvin"There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want."

-Calvin"A day can really slip by when you're deliberately avoiding what you're supposed to do."-

-Calvin"I keep forgetting that rules are for little nice people." -Calvin

Technology, Helping Us Enjoy and Document Life

2008-12-10T15:48:00.000-08:00

This is a picture I took from my phone as I stalked a theft-flee-chase-capture-and return event a couple weeks ago. I happened to be an eye witness during the flee-chase-return portions of the adventure. I witnessed it all from the comforts of my own car. Had it not been for technology I would've missed the whole event. I give credit to my phone for the slow driving (because I was talking on it) that put me right where I needed to be so that the fugitive could place his hand on my car to stop me in the middle of a busy road. My phone also gets credit for taking this crappy picture during the return portion, but still provided a medium to pass it on to you. My car of course helped me find the post-capture section after a brilliant U-turn upon realizing the green bag the kid was carrying was probably full of stolen goods. My car also helped me follow the participants [bad guy-pictured center (his hands are in handcuffs), undercover Smith's security pictured left (with green bag containing stolen goods) and other security dude's lower half of body pictured right]. And of course credit goes to the invention of blogs, helping the world to stay connected with everyday life.

Obsessions

2008-11-24T13:09:00.000-08:00

How do I confess this? And truly make you understand? I am not joking when I say I have an obsessive personality. I have tried to verbally convince people before and it doesn't work. So you can think it's a joke if you choose. I'm pretty sure my immediate family knows of my problem, and a few friends. Here is a list of things that have captured my passion in the past:

Sobe

Grapefruit (Everyday from December to February)

Golf (held captive for three years)

Boating (prisoner for several years....missed weddings and showers)

The OC (So in love with Seth Cohen that I will name my child after him. COuld there be a better couple than Seth and Summer?)

Julia Roberts (Back in the Pretty Woman days. I lied to my mom to get out of the house to see an R rated show. Of course I felt guilty and confessed to her, while also demanding she lighten up because I was going to see R movies and there was no sense in lying about it)

Not working full time (definitely an obsession...going strong for....since I was...I can't remember but a very long time now)

Working (Even though I don't want to work full-time, I probably do, some weeks I end up working 80 hrs a week. I can't say no to work. I have to go. And sometimes I get sick thinking about the work I miss. I must get a life. And a husband. And make my friends and family like me again.)

Twilight--This is the latest obsession.

Pictured below is the night the 4th and last book was released in the series. Traci, Candice and I joined hundreds of other crazies at midnight to get our copies. FYI--the book was LAME (other than it made me want to be a vampire)

Not a surprise I'm sure. Most people have been obsessed with the series. And since the movie has been released, people have revived the simmering obsession into the boiling hot mess it was in the past. Damnit! So have I. I DID NOT like the movie. Maybe it's because I had to stay up until midnight to watch it. Or I went swimming at 10pm to find a second wind, only to find a headache. Maybe because I was sitting next to someone who at every scene would say, "That IS NOT what they said." Or would improvise some of the lines, Like "Edward, Remember who you are." And she would add..."a child of God." Maybe it's because the people I was with wouldn't share their carmel apples with me. But mostly I think it's because:

-Rosalie WAS NOT beautiful.

-The editor just flipped coins about which parts to cut, or was only 10 yrs of age.

-Pet names like Spider Monkey?

-Climbing trees? Professing their love in trees?

-Edward scary?

-Some very bad acting in a hospital bed.

-And most important, absolutely NO character or relationship development at all!

See, I'm obsessed. So badly obsessed that I had to go see it again. And I like it WAY better.

PS..I did lie in one part of this post for the purpose of entertainment. The truth is the carmel apple was offered to me and I did take a piece.

Kentucky, Crazy Capitol of the World

2008-11-10T20:58:00.000-08:00

Lucky me spent Halloween in Kentucky this year. Awesome weather and some of the cutest kids you will ever see! Pictured below are Riley and Max (my nephew). Riley and Max are like boyfriend and girlfriend. She bosses him around and he just grunts. Once in awhile he will get fed up and yell at her. She can't quite say her "M's" so she calls him "Ax." Which is what we called him too.

Sam was a bat and slept the entire evening while we walked from house to house. Nothing better than a sleeping baby.

This is a rare time that Sam was awake (see the little owls on his outfit ?). Normally when I pack for a trip I pack light (I hate checking baggage) knowing full well I will need to wear the outfits more than once. Didn't work out so well with a baby that spits up as frequently as I take breathes. Sam was considerate though, he always saved some for his dad :)

Max enjoys many unhealthy foods like:

Dog treats (eaten in the kennel for full effect)

Whipped cream

Chips (jalapeno), coke, slurpees (which I got in trouble for...I gave him one for lunch), ice cream, pie and suckers. However, he does have a penchant for green peppers, raw onions and pickles. Interestingly, he is just learning to speak and chooses words like: pickle, candle, bubble and purple to be among his first.

I couldn't get enough of his pirate costume. I laughed everytime I looked at him.

Sam was so sweet. We had some great bonding time. Poor little guy has a hard time breathing so his mom and I referred to him as "piggy." I miss our early mornings together where he was half asleep and squirmed EVERY second that passed, hoping to find a comfortable position.

Just an FYI: THis kid is pure-raw trouble. I've never seen anything like it. I believe it to be unparalleled. You can't tell from the look on his face, but Ax IS NOT to be messed with.

Just an FYI for the family, Matt actually is in dental school. I met an instructor of his. Went to his clinic. He even worked on my teeth.

Also, Sarah is a superstar! How she manages both of those children without having gone crazy is a mystery. She is a great mother...don't be afraid of medication if you need it though. Stay alive!

The Bear Has Spoken

2008-10-22T20:43:00.000-07:00

Last weekend was SOOOOO GREAT! Olive Kate came to visit. Olive is a very good eater and takes it seriously. She is on a perfect little schedule, even for pooping--it's like clockwork.

We went to Wheeler Farm and chilled with Donkeys and Diesel fumes from tractors. (Personally, I felt inspired to become a farmer and vowed to the pigs and other livestock that I would be back to make their lives better. I informed the staff at the farm of my intentions to volunteer and #1 They wanted to know if it was court ordered...I guess most people don't want to work on farms. And #2 They were excited that I could help them in the offices, to which I said, "I'm more interested in being with the animals. YOu know, feeding them, cleaning their stalls, milking, piggy back rides. No offense." Peoples responses to me are starting to make me feel like I'm not normal)---okay....back to Olive

The girl will sleep for 12 hours a night and then wake you up with smiles and giggles. There is nothing better than a happy baby waking you up. I wish she could wake me up every morning.
Grandpa carried her in the Bjorn around Silver Lake. Something I wish I had had for our walk earlier that morning. I was dumb and took a stroll and when she was sick of it...I carried her in my arms. I had to switch arms about every 30 seconds!

Bjorn usage requires a 6 hour course inorder to use it correctly

I tried to eat her cheeks everyday.

I had the best time with them and wish so bad they lived right next door to me, or in my loft. I had to sleep off the depression for three hours after they left.

Some Little Jaunts

2008-10-22T20:04:00.000-07:00

I have well over 100 cousins. Here are five of them. Christina, on the far left, is 17 and has been doing her public service by working on the Bill Dew campaign (I voted for him solely based off my theory that Christina would never work for someone she didn't respect. Her mother once told her in a moving car to take her crying baby sister, pictured second from the right , out of the carseat. To which Christina replied, "I will NEVER help you break the law." You can definately trust this half Japanese beauty)

Pictured below is the cry-baby sister spoken of above. Sadye and I spent a lovely saturday afternoon hanging out with Alpaca's on Rebecca Bergman's farm. They ARE NOT lamas. Rebecca has been begging me for months to come to the farm to meet Eduardo/Pedro because "he is so hot and young." So I finally make it to the farm and she informs me that she won't introduce us because I need to marry someone rich. I don't know how to take that comment. Is she looking out for me? Protecting me? Does she think my personality can only be with a rich man? Does she think money is that important to me?

I don't think Sadye had that much fun. How could you not have fun riding an Alpaca?

Breakfast at SIlver Fork Lodge with Daniell and Joanna. I wish I knew the reason for the look on her face (Bad food? My head is touching hers? Somewhere in her childhood she confused the command of "smile" with constipation?)

If I ever run away from home, this is where I will be.

Eyeliner Anyone?

2008-10-12T21:05:00.000-07:00

This is my friend Danielle. She came to my house Saturday night to hang out with several of my other friends (it was a mix of three different groups of friends) and announced that she only has a quarter of her eyebrows. I never realized it but she was right! How could I not notice?! I spend hours hiking and talking with this woman and never noticed the missing eyebrows.

You can see for yourself.

Of course my friends are the type to jump right in and "fix" the issue (not that it needs to be fixed). Within minutes Danielle had a new set of eyebrows. (FYI-it was MY eyeliner that was used, yes, I have eyeliner---but no sharpner--I've had this particular eyeliner for over a year) . THe look on Danielle's face as she saw herself in the mirror for the first time with eyebrows was priceless. I've never seen so much suprise on her face (now that I think of it--maybe I have but she never had the eyebrows to show it). She actually screamed and ran out of the room, where all of us gathered and laughed as she said, "Why don't you just connect the two?"

Yes, Another Baby

2008-09-17T15:46:00.000-07:00

This is where Sam Matteo's placenta was disposed of. I'm glad the room is labeled. You wouldn't want to walk into that room accidentally. Could cause nightmares. (I knew a lady who made soup from the placenta's of her children. And yes, she would eat it)

Sam was born September 9th via C-section. He weighed 8.15 lbs. When he left the hospital he was down to 8 lbs. Yes, his name is Sam Matteo. Middle name after his father's american name but translated into spanish.

As you can clearly see, Sam's father IS NOT latin american. Nor does his brother Max have any latin american blood.

Just a little FYI, Sam looks EXACTLY like his older brother Maxwell did when he was born. Although Sam has a more clement demeanor than Max did/does.

Welcome to the family St. Matthew. I can't wait to see you in October!!

Palin-Clinton Non Partisan Message

2008-09-16T21:08:00.000-07:00

This is a link to see the much talked about Saturday Night Live skit with Tina Fey as Palin and Amy Poehler as Hillary. HILLARIOUS.

http://www.nbc.com/Saturday_Night_Live/video/clips/palin-hillary-open/656281/

September 15th Activity Log

2008-09-16T12:51:00.000-07:00

-Drove to Logan at midnight while watching "Jumper" on portable DVD player. (watched it going up Sardine Canyon.....ooooohhhh Dangerous).

-Actually started watching show when realized actor is the bad actor who played Aniken Skywaker, who is dating my favorite actress from The OC, trying to figure out why in the world she would date Darth Vader when she could have Seth Cohen. Idiot.

-Realized that my favorite actress from THe OC is in Jumper.

-Realized the tramp must have cheated on Seth when she was making the movie with Darth.

-Talked about ghost stories in the OR while recovering tissues from donor

-Talked about my obsession with The OC.

-Defended my position that just because I say a girl is beautiful or I'm obsessed with her doesn't mean I am gay.

-Took a 45 minute nap on my office floor

-So tired that when my boss saw me and wanted to know what I was doing I couldn't say one word. Just stared at him.

-Went to Medical Examiner's Office after I was rudely awakened from my nap to work some more.

-Made cookies with my little buddies Chance and Eli while their mom was at work. The dough was good but the cookies were gross.

-Watched Chance and Eli spread as many germs possible from their bodies to the cookies while packing down the brown sugar, licking it off their hands, then packing it some more. (They also tasted the salt and flour...Eli liked the salt.) Tried to show them how to smell vanilla but they would only blow on it.

-Taught Chance how to lick raw-egged-batter off of beaters. Eli wouldn't do it. I think he knows about Salmonella.

The boys TOTALLY know how to dip cookies in milk. One of the cutest things I've ever seen. Also one of the messiest.

-Realized my fourty-five minute nap at 7 am wasn't going to be enough so took an hour nap and woke up realizing I had Sushi dinner plans. (Wasn't babysitting at the time)

-Could not formulate thoughts into coherent words or sentences for 10 minutes.

-Attempted to excuse myself from dinner plans if people were coming I didn't know (Didn't want people I don't know to know what I am like on no sleep...it's personal).

-Was told to get my a#$ out of bed

-Ate half priced sushi at Mikado to my heart's content. Normally I would say half priced seafood is a bad idea. I guess it still is a bad idea. BUT, I'm not sick and I sure the food handler's protector chapter frown upon feeding customers bad fish.

-Dinner conversation revolved around dreams. Dreams to not be shared on-line.

-I made my dinner friends (Dr. McKellar--ER doc extroardinaire and Kathryn Creer--holder of 23 yr swimming relay record at local pool) come to my house for frozen yogurt and peaches. BEST BATCH EVER!

Great sunlight Eh?

-Bedtime: 10:30

James Conley It Is

2008-09-14T21:53:00.000-07:00

For those of you who don't know much about my family, I will share a smidgen of information. We are retarded. I guess slow is a better word. Maybe I should say we are slow when it comes to getting married (well, I am slow when it comes to that) and having babies. There are four of us siblings and the youngest is 28 and the oldest is 35. In that time my brothers have collectively added four babies to the fam, and it's pretty much all been done in the last year.

So I give you this disclaimer: At my age you would think I would be over having nephews and nieces, but I feel as excited as the day I was first introduced to silly puddy. IF you tell me to "get over it" I will kill you.

Meet my cute little James. He is really little. Doesn't fit into his skin yet. Has a high pallate. Loves to sleep. And it takes 10 minutes of him stretching like a cat before he will wake up. And he can create some serious pooh. I couldn't get enough of him while visiting in Palo Alto. I held him as much as possible, even when sleeping. So much so that it made the parents worried that I would condition him to sleeping on humans.
He is really smart and already knows how to flip people off. IF you look at the smirk on his face you can tell it was intentional.

This is what I did most of the four days I was there. (while also getting addicted to Million Dollar Listing and Flipping Out. Some of the best shows I've seen since the OC and Jack and Jill...but not quite as good).

We did get to visit Santa Cruz and watch the crazy surfers. Apprently people get killed here because of the danger of the wave smashing you into the cliff. Which wouldn't happen to me because I probably couldn't catch the wave (unless I had a 12 foot board).

My brother is an awesome cook. He made two great meals and it really stressed me out that he knew how to cook and I can only bake. How did he get so good? (all my brothers are great cooks). He even has a smoker and made amazing Lexington pulled pork sandwiches. I gave him accolades and he gave me a piece of information that blew my mind. He said, "When I cook a meal I keep it simple, I have a piece of meat, a veggie and a starch." How profound. I might be able to implement guidelines like that.

No matter what he says, it still takes skill. I attempted making poached eggs one morning and as I dumped the egg on Dan's plate, realizing it was 90% raw, he said, "I'm not eating that." If you can't even get the "meat" dish right, you're gonna have problems. Eggs people. How can you mess up eggs?!

Little Red Riding Hood

2008-06-08T21:31:00.000-07:00

The following conversation took place on June 7, 2008. If I had not been a participant in the conversation I would've thought it at least extremely embellished, if not completely fabricated.

"Crap, I forgot water. How am I going to boil the noodles?!"

Me:"Just use water from the river."

"No way. I need pure water."

Me: "If you boil the water it will be pure. It kills anything alive and makes it safe."

"No. I won't do it."

Me:"They say it's safe."

"Who is 'they'?"

Me:"Every person in the world. It's an undisputed fact."

"I won't do it."

I had this conversation camping the night before the Little Red Riding Hood 100 mile race. I only did 64 miles, but that was all I needed.

Because river water is unsafe to boil noodles in, Eli survived off hard boiled eggs and dirt.

We had a great night full of medical malpractice as I poked needles into some sort of cyst on Pam's thumb. I think in this pic she was trying to hold up the hurt thumb but just ended up giving us a thumbs up. And a thumbs up it was.

The next day Pam, Alli and I headed into town for an all women's ride. We met up with Trish who brought her own car support team (Dave Monson). We are all pretty new to cycling, novices if you will. It was overheard during the ride that "these riders don't know the language of the road!" It's true. When someone said, "Left," Alli thought they were saying her name. When somebody said, "Car back" we would just laugh and think the people were strange. I didn't know until an hour into the ride that it meant that there was a car in back of us. Cool.

I met a really cute guy on the ride too! Doesn't get much better than that.

Aaah...good times

2008-05-29T18:55:00.000-07:00

I feel like I'm going insanse with posting, I should at least limit myself to one post a day. But I guess since I didn't post for months I'm just catching up. I just really like this video. It makes me laugh. If you listen closely the whole thing is explained in the video.

Summer is about Survival

2008-05-28T22:12:00.000-07:00

I feel angry and I want to fight someone. My back is KILLING me cause I got punched and pushed at least a hundred times in soccer tonight. Some blond girl seriously punched my back as if I were a boxing bag.

I also want to kill someone. I do have someone in mind. It was this other girl in soccer who was a dirty player, I only went up against her once and that was enough to invoke "killing chrissy" personality. All I could think the whole game was how much I hated her. This isn't a regular reaction for me but I kind of like how it feels.

This is a pic of my team 4 years ago, I have no pictures of the current team because they never show up. I don't even know who really is on the team. Usually we have a few Mexicans join. Also we have boys on our team.

Hike club is in full swing. It is deffinatley a different year. I am a co-founder and you would think it a position of power and authority. I've held this position for 4 years, I have experience, yet feel no respect. My job has become one of transporting cargo. Which means I'm not allowed to do anything dangerous or fun just because I have a child on my back. And if I do something in the gray area (always gray, I would never go black bc once you do you'll never go back) which to me looks totally white, I am treated like a 5 year old that bit a baby (which I have done before only I was older). I can't coax kids into crawling through pipes, I can't rock climb and I can't look at rattlesnakes. My hands are tied. The only part of me allowed to function naturally is my autonomic nervous system (ANS). Everything else is under strict orders.

The following is a picture of hike club 4 years ago. I have no pictures of the current club, but I will.

Hike Club has risks:

Luckily Danielle has a brain and stopped before the ice bridge gave way and she fell into the river below that dissapeared under the snow for 50 yards.

Timp caves are dangerous as well, I lost my leg.

If you ever hike Timp #1 take something warm for the top #2 don't take short-cuts (ask Danielle and Val) and #3 please look for the rock that went up Danielle's wazoo. She carried it for an hour then carelessy left it after a bathroom break.

I'll Bee Damned

2008-04-29T23:25:00.001-07:00

I've killed three wasps in my home in the last 24 hrs. Of which, I have only been home for 12 of and 9 of those were spent sleeping. According to my calculations I have killed one wasp per hour. They were easy to kill, sluggish. Which I'm sure means something but I don't really care what it means. I just want to know where the heck they are coming from.

My aunt Diana almost died from a wasp attack a few years back because her japanese husband, who had seen the giant wasp nest, didn't know what it was, so he saw no reason to call pest control. I thought there were bees in every part of the world. She only survived because one daughter went running to the neighbors screaming for help. The other ran away and prayed.

Meet My Niece

2008-04-29T23:01:00.000-07:00

My family pisses me off. Well, my brothers do. They all moved away from Utah and now each one of them either has a child, is having one or both. I am not a happy aunt. Luckily I have some blogs where I can sit late at night and read over and over about them and watch the videos. It really makes me sick.

My sweet little Olive Kate was born February 27th. I flew into Seattle to be with Dave and Shannon and could not have had better timing. Shannon and I went on a 3 mile walk (she didn't think she'd have the baby for a few days) and then she went into labor. Dave and Shannon were the best, they let me hold her whenever I wanted, which was pretty much all the time. I loved my time holding "Teeny Biggs". She was so little but STRONG. the girl was lifting her head up and doing sit-ups constantly.

Dan and Emily are having a baby in August. Matt and Sarah are having another boy in september. It's a good thing they are having another boy, I can't imagine what Max would've done to a sister. He would probably eat her.

I can't stand the thought of not living by these muffinitos. It's so much fun being a part of these little lives. Hopefully I can get married soon so I can travel each week to be with them.

Bryce Canyon Jaunt

2008-02-03T18:02:00.000-08:00

I wrote this blog entry MONTHS ago but had technical difficulties loading the pics. I guess you need to resize them. You would think that since I have previous entries with pictures I would've known, or eventually remembered. I didn't. I was just trouble shooting and feel like I resolved a problem. A problem I must have resolved before but have no memory of.

This last weekend I went to Bryce Canyon with alot of great friends. Mission: Cross country ski the 22+ mile rim. Results: Near heart arrythmia

In retrospect, all the ingredients for disaster and catastrophe were staring us in the face. Four novice women doped out on energy drinks, on skis, three feet from a precipitious cliff. We worked up a sweat trudging through deep fresh snow, climbing (on skis mind you) sliding backwards with each centimeter of progress. One of our most astute members thought taking off her skiis would improve her predicament. I assumed the physics of deep snow and feet were inate. Apparently not. Unless you are a squirrell, keep the skiis on.

Our trek came to an end as I came close to falling off the edge (I knew what I was doing the whole time), Danielle spent 2 hours trying to put her skiis back on, and I almost threw up. I hate to be arrogant but it is inarguable that my temporary illness saved four lives that day.

Total distance traveled: less than a mile (way less)

We never returned to the disaster area. Maybe some day when we have a plan that involves more than taking pretty pictures. We opted for safe and easier routes for the duration of the trip. Some (one) would argue we still weren't safe because we "lost track of the blue dots (on the trees)" but I knew where we were the whole time. Again, saving lives.

What I do do

2007-11-28T22:18:00.000-08:00

Sometimes people are confused about my job. They wonder if I even have a job. But I do. I work. I found this video I took years ago driving back from a case in Idaho. I know you can't see anything in it, but it's the audio that is the key. The guy you hear in pain is Shad, who had just eaten some undescribably nasty food at Burger King and was paying dearly. So this is me working.

Didn't Yo Mama Teach You?

2007-11-26T20:24:00.000-08:00

What is up with people and perfumes and things that smell very badly?! Everywhere I go I get stuck by someone who stinks. The gym, theaters, airplanes...you name it. People think, "Oh, this stuff smells good, I bet if I put the whole bottle on my neck I will be irresistable." Right, why not go swimming in a pool of cologne before you get on an airplane?. There I was, sitting patiently in a middle seat waiting to fly home from visiting Max in Kentucky. And along comes a very attractive man and to my suprise he sat by me (I can't remember the last time I was on a plane and got to sit by a cute guy). My accute olfactory senses picked up on his cologne overload immediately and 5 minutes later I was ready to puke. It took me 12 hours to get over the migraine that his carelessness caused. Cute doesn't count once the artificial smell threshold is reached, unless you look like my lil' big Max.

Where To Begin

2007-11-26T19:27:00.000-08:00

I have finally succumbed to the societal pressures of blogging, and I do it with enthusiasm. I feel relieved to join the masses. Next project: Match.com. I really can't wait for that one.

There is no possible way to catch up on all that has happened in the last 34 years....so I begin with only this picture and a story. As you can see, I look happy. Happy for several reasons #1 I am in Palo Alto #2 I had just eaten a mint brownie made by Kay Paugh #3 I am about to go biking on sunday.