living like a tourist

I've decided that I should start living more like a tourist. So, next time I go to NYC I have to go to the "touristy" places which include:
Statue of Liberty
Ellis Island
Brooklyn Bridge

And while I'm living here, I need to:
tour the Kennecot Copper Mine
go to the Tracy Avairy
swim in the Great Salt Lake
go to the Hot Springs
take some tours at Temple Square
churn butter at This is the Place Monument

Also, when I go to Vegas this summer (which is touristy enough) I'll:
watch the water show at the Bellagio
go to the Coke factory
see the Hoover Dam

Then I'm going to Los Angeles and I'll:
go to the beach
see a Jon Brion concert
Dodgers game...
eat In-n-Out (I would do that anyway)

I think within 5 years, I won't be living on this side of the Mississippi so I need to visit all of the places that people travel here to see. Also, I love going to New York City because its so relaxing to just wander around the city but I really should check out this statue of Liberty. Its been years since I last saw her. I'm thinking she's gonna look a lot smaller now that i"m so big!

Update: I just went to NYC and didn't do anything on the list and I haven't done any of the Salt Lake things yet. When I was in Vegas it was too windy to do the water show at the Bellagio, the Coke factory doesn't exist anymore, and we didn't go to the Hoover Dam. In LA I DID go to the beach, I DID see a Jon Brion concert which was at the same time as a Dodgers game so I could do both and of course I ate at In-N-Out. Not bad.

This is stupid.

I just want to write a blog to aknowledge the fact that I haven't blogged in a while. I have some drafts going but nothing ready to post. I'm busy.
I go to college.

Lookie Here

Have I done this one yet? Here is a list of things that I have memorized at some point in my life.

the entire movie Hook, as well as Toy Story and most of Billy Madison
pledge of allegience
paul revere's ride
some scriptures
o captian my captain
all of the states and capitals
preamble to the constitiution
gettysburg address
the alphabet forwards and backwards!
dental codes
my lines for the school play Readin' Writin' and Rockin'
the night before christmas
chicka chicka boom boom
that book I read to jake a billion times, bees buzz
shel silverstien poems
a few shakespearean monologues such as the beginning of Romeo and Juliet

There are probably a billion more things that I have memorized but I can't think of them right now.

My Bucket List

I haven't seen the movie (The Bucket List) but I'm pretty sure its about guys who do the things they wanted to do before they die. I've had a list like this in my head for a while but I've just called it "a list of things I want to do before I die". Here are a few things on that list that come to mind right now:

learn sign language
write a book
own vending machines
learn spanish
get a college degree
have babies
go to Italy
learn to enjoy running
see the MOMA


Two of these goals should be done, or well on their way in 2008. But I'm not telling which!

Tragedy Struck

This morning Linwood and I woke up around 6:40 and a few minutes later, we started to hear a creaking sound followed by a CRASH. Our bookshelf on the wall had fallen down...on top of our 4 month old laptop. It was by far the most expensive thing we owned followed by a very distant second with Linwood's acoustic guitar and our car. Unlike the car and guitar, we used the computer every day. It was so shocking to look at the screen that stayed intact but the picture shattered and blacked out in spots. Linwood and I love our technology (Linwood especially) but to distract myself from all of this I've been making a list in my head of non-technological things that I am grateful for.

Alphabetically:
Art
Baby Jake (Big Jake isn't so bad either)
Birds (but not as pets)
Books
Cereal (and the cereal shelf that we keep it all on, hopefully it won't fall)
Chocolate cake
Christmas
Circles
Crunchy leaves
Diversity
Faith
Family
Family Photos
Flowers
Friends
Frozen yogurt
Granola
Hope
Linwood
Music
My jobs
My "teddy bear" blanket
Ninjas
Our apartment
Pie
Prayer
Rain storms
Rice
Salad
Simplicity
Sleep
Snow
Sunshine
Strength
The University of Utah
Warm bed
Warm/Comfy clothes

The list keeps growing and it isn't hard to come up with more. Some people are reading this thinking, its just a computer! Well they are exactly right but for me, it takes a little more work to put it into perspective. I'm so excited for Christmas and to spend time with my friends and family!!!

*this was written on a computer at work... its not like our computer was the only one that existed!

Update. I went to the Apple Store and they seem to think that only the screen was damaged so we're going to replace it for about $500. I guess its better than another $1800 computer. Also, I met a guy at the store who hangs shelves for a living and I explained our problem. He said that I put it up correctly. Oh well.

A Lady's Purse

Lately my purse has been feeling really heavy! I thought I would see what was going on and here is what I found:



Now, can you find: twenty two cents, a Nintendo DS in its case, a pile of reciepts, a picture of myself posing with a hula dancer, two packets of instant oatmeal, a DS charger, my card case, two parking validations for the Gateway, fancy sunglasses case with the sunglasses in it (but you wouldn't know that), an apple, an envelope that may still contain a paycheck, my super-secret sketchbook, an excessive supply of tampons, two paintbrushes, a cell phone, a folded piece of paper with unknown contents, a Best Buy gift card from 2001, tissues, a bra strap headband, ticket stub for Bourne Ultimatum, a pen, ticket stub from a Pirates/Phillies game, an abandoned to-do list, two tubes of chapstick, a frequent shopper card for Paradise Bakery, a frequent shopper card for Subway, a Dum-Dum, a Trax pass, moisturizing lipstick, and a baggie full of business cards? I hope you can!!!

music of 2007

Every month Linwood makes a cd featuring his favorites for that time of the year. So, here we are in December and his favorite albums of the year are in!
1. Arcade Fire -- Neon Bible
2. LCD Soundsystem -- Sound of Silver
3. Radiohead -- In Rainbows
4. Deerhoof -- Friend Opportunity
5. Menomena -- Friend and Foe
6. Animal Collective -- Strawberry Jam
7. Once Soundtrack (The Frames)
8. Kevin Drew -- Spirit if...
9. Of Montreal -- Hissing Fauna
10. Feist -- The Reminder

Honorable Mention:
Iron and Wine-The Shepard's Dog
Panda Bear-Person Pitch
Peter Bjorn and John-Writer's Block

You don't have to take his word for it!