Shenanigans

Cougars

2010-07-18T22:10:00.000-07:00

I am facinated with cougars of all shapes and forms. Please see the video below. It is some of my finest work.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=kEiKqkFQvyg

Once it Ends...What do you do?

2010-03-15T19:24:00.000-07:00

News Flash...I am single (just in case anyone was still confused by the pictures in the previous posts). Lately I have gained more and more experience in the dating world. I know it is weird that I am approaching 29 and still cannot figure out the whole end of the date at the door. It is borderline traumatic. It requires reading signals, which often times I misread or do not process fully until after the shining moment has passed. I can have a great time on the date and be totally into the dude then suddenly and inadvertently send him cues that I am not interested. It is not my intent to be dating challenged, but I am.

Here are a list of things not to do at the end of a date (unless you don't like the guy) because they send the wrong message:

1) High Five-nothing says "I think you're sexy" like a high five. Also the crazy special handshake with back flips and twirls is not appropriate either.

2) Head Lock followed by Nuggie-This is something only boys in 3rd grade did. No person above the age of 12 should ever do this to someone they like. Especially at the end of a date. I have not fallen victim to this, I am sure this happens.

3) Side Hug-There are a few occasions when this cannot be avoided. However, I have given plenty of side hugs at the end of dates. Even if I had a great time and we had great chemistry, it is that moment of trying to read their signals that you move one way, they move another...next thing you know...the side hug comes out you look at each other awkwardly, hope for a redo, but it never happens.

4) "I Think I am taller than you"-This has never ended on a good note for me. Though not said in spite, but mere observation mixed with my lack of filter it did not help me out. I may have said this more than once. Sometimes I need to learn the first time and move on.

5) Single Handed hug with the Double Pat-There was this time I was totally crushing over this boy. He was cute, I even fake laughed for him a few times. We went out, had fun. At the end of the date we were talking he complimented me and then he brushed the side of my face with the back of his hand and leaned in. My natural reaction...that is correct...The one armed hug with the double pat. I should have learned how to read the signals he gave from all the chick flicks in this world. However, I still failed. I double patted him. It wasn't until about 3 minutes after he left that I put it all together. I didn't get a second chance. After that he moved on.

6) Sneeze in his Face-I will not admit to ever doing this. Just imagine the awkward moment after.

7) Lose your Keys-I lose my keys often. This does play to your benefit though. Sometimes the dude will show his thug skills and attempt to break in to your apartment and show you just how insecure your house is. Other times, they will use it as an excuse to hang out with you, go get ice cream and talk some more. It shows you what a stand up guy they are if they stay with you until you are able to get into your apartment.

8) Fall as you are walking up the stairs-This is not uncommon at all for me. I lack coordination, unless I am playing competitive sports. I have actually fallen coming up the stairs. The fall was graceful, as graceful as I get, and with blood drawn, and a twisted ankle, I played it like nothing happened, standing tall and trying with every ounce of strength not to walk with a limp. It is rough to be me.

9) "Want to see my Rash?"-Skin conditions should never be discussed at the end of a date. I have had guys pull out their battle wounds, pull of the bandages, and describe to about how and when the wound oozes the most. I tried to block it out, but I am writing about it, so there is residual trauma left.

10) Good Game-For those not familiar with the Good Game, think of any sporting team as someone scores, there is a slap on the butt to represent respect and pride in a team member. It signifies a job well done. Is is bad that I have always wondered what reaction would come at the end of a date if the girl Good Gamed the guy. What if it was a double Good Game?

11) Chest Bump-Lucky number 11. No this is not the appropriate time or method to employ the boob graze. Occasionally, both people go in for a hug aggressively and it ends in either a head butt or a chest bump. Next thing you know someone is lying on the ground because of their lack of preparation to receive such an action. The chest bump is something that must be expected, you need proper footing and proper tightening of the core muscles.

Now you all can stop wondering why I am single. I lack skills in reading body language at the end of a date. I lack a filter which does not help my situation. Also, I apparently don't pay enough attention during chick flicks. One of these days I hope to encounter someone who is either as dating awkward as I am, or that finds it adorable. Either way, keep cheering for me. Until then, I will continue to gather funny stories about awkward situations, and I will try and stick with something simple like a normal hug, however, when under pressure it is like spinning the Price is Right wheel, I never know if it will be 5 cents or $1.

I burned the "Rice A Roni": 3 ways to tell the previous posting was a hoax

2009-12-13T09:19:00.000-08:00

As I was putting together the last posting I felt deceitful and mean. I knew that when I posted it inevitably some people would not understand that it was a joke. I also went in knowing that this may become a "boy who cried wolf" scenario. I tried my best not to keep people in the dark. I received several congratulatory calls and emails in which I quickly told people it was fake.

I left several clues in the posting that it was fake. Perhaps it was that the pictures were so strong that they overwhelmed the readers to the point that they lost all ability to reason in the hope and desires of me finding Love. I do have to give my friend props for his participation in the pictures. He was very convincing with his face and held character much better than I did. He had the whole "look into her eyes with hunger" thing down. Also, my roommate was an amazing photographer and helped capture the moment with her mad skills. However, here are 3 clues that they were fake.

1)Dude was wearing a tie, I was wearing Jeans:

There are several ways to rationalize that this did not matter. Perhaps, that the romance happened so quickly that I didn't have time to put on a dress before our ever so romantic pictures were taken.

2) The names of the websites

I do not doubt that these websites might actually exist, however, I would hope that all the readers out there would have higher expectations for me than to use a website called "FindYourLover.com" that focuses in on mail-order husbands. I just want to point out that I am not even 31 yet. Thus I don't need to resort to such drastic measures.

3) Me Laughing in the Pictures
If you zoom into the facial expressions. You will see my friend who makes it look real enough for the both of us. Then you look at me...smirk on my face...and trying not to laugh. Perhaps people thought that I was just so happy that I was giggly.

I thank all people who offered up congratulations. I apologize for making you feel gullible. I appreciate that you gave me the benefit of the doubt. Please continue to be trusting.

Meet "Rice A Roni": My San Franciscan Treat

2009-12-07T21:00:00.000-08:00

This perhaps is not the best way to introduce the Love of my life to my family and friends, however, it is the best way to spread the word around. This was indeed a whirlwind romance. My dad has been encouraging me to try online dating for a while. So I did. Meet my San Fransiscan treat. I met him on a site similar to eHarmony but it was called FindyourLover.com. FindyouLover.com is more focused upon mail order husbands. I have to say that this site was a step above SugarDaddiesRUs.com and I didn't quite qualify for the CougarliciousCougarsSeekingCubs.com website either.

I took a trip to San Fransisco to meet him. I spent the weekend trying to see if him and I could connect. From the pics below you can see the chemistry.

**No animals were harmed in the snapping of these photos.

Top 10 Ways to Get Ahead During the Economic Downturn**: A New Economic Stimulus Program

2009-05-07T19:42:00.000-07:00

With all the talk about Swine Flu the News coverage on the Economy has taken a swift decline. I know, I know that all of you think about it every day. There are so many ways that we can save during these tough times and ways to increase money making potential. See Below:

1) Steal the Ketchup packets from restaurants- It is amazing how much ketchup one person can consume. Seriously...we are talking about $2-20 dollars a month depending on the quality and quantity of ketchup.

2) Eat your roommates food-There are definite perks to having a roommate. One of the biggest cost of living on your own is buying food. There is always the Ramen option, but realistically, after freshman year of college...no one can look at Ramen the same. $100-300 per month.

3) Hookie Bob to work- I have always wondered what to do with my old Rollerblades. Driving to work is such a hassle and it consumes large amounts of gas. Just strap on the skates, and hold onto someones spoiler. Don't forget to wear proper protection....sunblock during the summer is a must. With the cost of insurance and gas you are looking at $100-$300 savings per month.

4) Recycle-I see many people in California who take advantage of the "pay for recyclables" programs. They are not afraid to dumpster dive for the plastic bottles. I really should try that. I could also pass the scent off as a new perfume. Supplemental income of $30-800 per month (even more if you include the savings in deodorant and perfume).

5) Stop Shaving- Razorblades cost a lot of money. As long as you don't mind the extra insulation in the summer this is a no brainer. $5-25 per month in savings.

6) Outsource your job- That is correct. Hire someone else for cheaper to do your job so that you can spend your time either dumpster diving for greater earnings on #4 or so that you can start a second job. Supplemental income of $1000-5000 per month.

7) Find a Sugar Daddy/Cougar- There will always be that significantly older person who is looking for a youngster to fulfill their desire to stay young. In this economy this can be beneficial for someone like me. Being single and not so picky I can definitely capitalize on this aspect. As long as you are willing to ignore the moral compass of exchanging your chance at love for materialistic support this could be a winner. We are not talking about just taking care of a few bills...we are talking about Creating a lifetime of security.

8) Start a New Business- It is never too late to start a new business. My coworkers and I began talking about this subject when they announced there would be layoffs at my company. I decided that if I were to loose my job I would definitely start a company. It would be titled..."Tacos and Hos" Imagine a taco truck and an RV parked next to each other. I would be the manager/pimp. I would help create the menu (including the combo platters; 1 Taco & 2 Hos, 3 Tacos & 3 Hos, etc.) We would also have Horchata and Whorechata. You get the Idea. Supplemental income $1,000,234 per year. (Yes, I have a proforma statement based on historical data to support that)

9) Cut back on the Shoe Obsession- Lets be honest. Shoes are really unnecessary. I triple dog dare anyone to walk around the next 3 weeks without shoes on.

10) Live in a Van down by the River- I have always wanted to own my own place. In California...this is my best chance. For what I pay in 2 months rent I could buy an awesome van with carpet inside. This would allow me to save nearly one whole paycheck from living expenses. It would make moving really easy. Just put the car in drive and go where the wind blows. As for hygiene...I will already have my new perfume and deodorant methods. As for friends...it wouldn't be too difficult to find those....My unshaven legs and armpits mixed with the bare feet, and recycling habits I could easily find some people who have been living in trees to play with. Also...throw in my new scents and I would easily blend into a pack of wolves.

Please keep in mind that these are merely suggestions and not all of them apply to my actual life...However, I may or may not have tried some aspects of #1, #2, #5, #7.

**As with any suggestion the cost savings and earning potentials realized depend solely on one's dedication to the economic stimulus program provided.

Attention! Attention!

2009-05-05T22:12:00.001-07:00

Hello Blog Readers, I know that there has been a long hiatus from new material on the blog. Stay tuned...actual real postings to occur this week.

Ahhh...The beach

2008-07-03T11:11:00.000-07:00

I have not written much since I moved. To be honest there has been some adjusting for me. I have been trying to understand my new job, getting use to working long days, and trying to figure out my social life in California. It has been a bitter-sweet experience.

Here are some pictures that I took at the beach. I think the beach is amazing. The atmoshpere there is really amazing. I have decided to share some of these moments with you. These pictures were taken at Redondo Beach. It is OK if you are jealous.

I have been searching for apartments here and have found it difficult to find something in my price range that is not in the ghetto. I thought about renting one of those places and buying a huge dog that could rip someones face off. However, I decided that this would not be the best situation. I will probably end up staying in Torrance and commuting everyday. This is not the ideal but for now it might work. I still have some apartments to look at so we will see how that turns out.

As for work. I have been trying to get grounded there. I am finally starting to understand some of my responsibilites. I am getting use to the long days. Oh.. I have also officially sold my soul. I now have a blackberry for work. Right now it is not too busy but we will see what happens.

I will post some more amusing stories later.

Can I please experience The Price is Right??

2008-06-05T13:25:00.000-07:00

There are a few things that must be done when moving. First you must pack up the belongings and figure a way to transport them the the new location. After this is said and done you must arrive at the new location. For me I was able to to do these phases rather well. However, upon arrival to California I learned that I must do a few more things. There have been several trips to Target. I have wandered around and learned some of the streets. I found the In and Out Burger and experimented with the flavor combinations there (including the secret menu). I found the Brazilian Grocery Store. I have found my work. Finally, I visited the the DMV.

The DMV was a rather dry place to be. I stood in line, to get a number, for nearly an hour. This would have been great if there were a guarantee of an amazing show or the prospect of free prizes. Instead, it was a mere number to allow me to wait in the plastic seats next to hundreds of other people hoping for their number to be called. That is right my prize was G103. I sensed a very dry atmosphere there. I didn't know what to think so I let my mind wander. Suddenly I thought...What if everyone had the excitement for their number to be called like those in the Price is Right audience...What if music started playing and lights started flashing. I highly considered screaming and jumping in the isles when I heard G103 over the system.

I sat in the plastic chairs for nearly 40 minutes imagining the scene in my head as though it was Price is Right. In my mind I saw a crowd with Signs and T-Shirts that were plastered with G103. At this point they had finally gotten to G90 and I heard some guy start saying....G93 G93 G93...really loud like it was "No Whammy..No Whammy...Stop". When they finally got to his number he jumped out of his chair and rejoiced then went to counter 14. Those around him gave him strange looks. However, It fit in perfect with my ongoing fantasy.

Many more numbers were called and eventually even mine was called. I approached my counter and thought about how the traffic at the DMV is similar to that at In and Out Burger. However, at the DMV the employees get to sit on chairs and at In and Out you are served quicker.

I was sent from line to line. As I waited for my picture to be taken I noticed the decorations around the DMV. This included 2 very notable pieces. The first was a poster that announced that you must have thumbs to get a license. I wanted to take a picture of the sign and post it on the blog but due to the security guard standing nearby I refrained. The second decoration that I noticed was a framed letter size sheet that cited the law for threatening DMV employees and noted the $10,000 fine.

I actually spoke with the lady who took my picture and my fingerprint and confronted her with the question about people who don't have thumbs. I think it caught her off guard. She looked at me strangely and gave me a very serious answer. I was hoping to at least crack a smile from her. I guess she didn't understand my weirdness.

Overall I have enjoyed my first week in LA. It has been a very lonely week. I have missed my friends. I have missed having people to chill with. There has been a lot to explore here and I have barely seen anything. Mostly I have resorted to watching TV this week.

Reconnecting

2008-05-12T20:51:00.001-07:00

The weekend was full of great experiences. About half of my family came into Lafayette, I graduated from graduate school, and I was amazed by the friendships that I have. It was really great to have so much going on. At the same time I was extremely sleep deprived. I guess the sleep deprivation was needed to be the bad that gave me a greater appreciation for the great things. When I was younger I was able to function on 2 hours of sleep per night. However, I cannot do that anymore. Usually I need at least 6 hours to function, but for some reason my exhaustion did not ruin my ability to function and enjoy my family and friends.

I was able to spend some quality time with my sister Heather. She is my oldest sister so I have not really got to know her that well. Her life and my life are drastically different. However, over the 2 days she was here I learned so much about how we are similar. She is very realistic. She cares so much for her family. She is the type of person who gives of her time selflessly to ease others burdens. I really admire her even though she does snore. It was great to have her here and reconnect. I enjoyed taking her on the scenic route to show her the beauty of Indiana. I enjoyed helping her shop for things for her kids. I enjoyed spending time with her and learning more about her as a person.

When Sunday came around it was time to send most of my family on their way. Again this involved more sleep deprivation as they left early in the morning but I was happy to help them get to the airport, not because I wanted them to leave, but rather because i appreciated their visit so much. I appreciated that they had traveled so far to come see me despite how inconvenient it was for them. Sunday afternoon I headed to Chicago with my sister Maryann, her husband Chris, and my mom.

When I was a teenager I did not get along with my mom. Mostly because of the fact that I was stubborn, independent and I did not want her to meddle in my life. I thought that I was so self-sufficient that I did not need her for anything. I guess through all of this I neglected to realize the things that she did for me. I guess that I did not realize it until today how much she sacrificed as I was growing up.

My mom taught High School art and art history classes. Today I took her to the Art Institute of Chicago. As we were looking at the works of the impressionists she was brought to tears. She was so happy, excited, and grateful to have gone to the museum. For the first time she was able to see paintings up close that she had only seen before in books. I was able to be there as she experienced Rembrandt, Renoir, Seurat, Degas, Monet, Van Gogh, Manet, Delacroix, and other impressionists. It was a great experience for me to be at the museum with someone who truly understood art and the artists who created the works. Even more, it was great to understand a little more about my mom and the things she is passionate about.

I have been fortunate enough to see several art pieces throughout the world. I have been to wonderful museums such as the Louvre and the Museu d' Orsay additionally I have seen large collections and museums by Rembrandt, Picasso, and Rodin. Throughout my experiences at these museums I have always thought about my mom and how much I would like to show her the works. Today I got the opportunity. The opportunity was much more than showing her paintings. It was about making some of her dreams a reality. It was about finding some way to serve my mom to help me reconnect with her.

Driving for Doritos

2008-05-08T21:11:00.000-07:00

With graduation approaching it is important to ensure that all required elements of graduation are present. In my case these include:

Cap and Gown (Done)

Completed Required Coursework (Done)

Paid Tuition and Bills (Done)

Pick up family from the airport (OK-will do)

I went to complete my graduation list at the airport today. I was intending to pick up my sister. It was raining on the drive so we were delayed a little at arriving at the airport. As the landing time approached I began to call my sisters cell phone. She did not answer. I assumed that she was still on the plane.

We arrived near the airport and got some gas. We bought a small back of Doritos, Zingers, and a snickers. I was happy that I was going to be able to see my sister. We waited for her to call my cell phone to tell me she landed. It was nearly an hour after her plane was suppose to land and we had not heard from her. We then decided to go to the baggage claim to see what was happening. We parked the car and entered the baggage claim. We were looking ferociously at the monitors that show the arrivals. I did not see a plane coming from Denver. My friend had not either. He kept asking me if I was sure that we got the date correctly. I kept replying "Yes".

I was starting to feel very confused and I called my sister's husband. He was very helpful in informing me that her flight was actually tomorrow. I must say that it was embarrassing. However, it reaffirmed that I should maybe be more careful to details. I thought about how I could brush this off as a dry-run or a practice of picking her up tomorrow.

I am glad that I can laugh at myself. Even though I have had a day full of emotional chaos, life took the opportunity to try and trick me. It is funny how often I trust myself and my knowledge more than confirming a simple itinerary in my inbox. I must say that even though all this happened I did have some great company along my journey to buy Doritos.

My Audition as a Windex Bird....

2008-05-06T21:38:00.000-07:00

I like to laugh at the strange things that happen to me. Here is one of them.

From the pictures you can only imagine what happened. Yes, I will confirm that is my face print on the glass sliding door. This is not something that traditionally happens to me.

When I moved to Denver I moved into a townhouse with a few roommates. They were great. I enjoyed living with them. Because of their dislike for cleaning windows I took the initiative to clean them as one of my first chores there. It was really a great job for me and I took pride in my work.

One day I was leaving the apartment and it was dark by the door. I was under the impression that the door was opened and I speed walked into the door. I hit my hand and I thought...that was an intelligent move. I chuckled a little and then left. Later that night I was leaving the apartment again. As I approached the door, I thought is it really opened and I allowed myself a false awareness that the door was opened. I was in a hurry and I tried to rush out the door with such haste that someone might say that I was charging out the door. Suddenly I was brought to a sense of reality. I hit the glass nose first with such force that I am surprised that I did not break anything. I seriously fell backward and to the ground after the impact. That is right...I ricocheted off the glass onto the floor. It was a painful turn of events that left me always questioning whether the door was open.

I know that other people have ran into closed doors. Lets be honest here. I was not under the influence of any substances, I was 26, and I believed myself to be of sound judgement. All this considered I still can not figure out why I ran into a closed door 2 times within a 24 hours.

I took the pictures of the face print afterward to commemorate my intelligence. I decided to leave that face print on there as a reminder to me that the door was actually closed. I know that this is odd and disgusting. It did not stay up for too many days. I guess some people like to show off new shoes I like to show off my face print.

Blog Confessions

2008-05-06T21:10:00.000-07:00

So I think this blog may be incriminating. Just look at some of the pictures in the last entry. There is a story behind each one of them. I guess that is why it is so fun. Anyone reading this blog must think that I have several alter egos that can escape at anytime. If you know me well you know that it is not only on this blog but it is merely what to expect from me. If I had to describe myself to people it would vary depending on who I was speaking with.

Generally speaking I say that I am happiest when I am able to be creative. I love to fly by the seat of my pants and you will rarely see me with a schedule or a list. This is because I don't function well in that way. I live by the oxymoron of organized chaos. I enjoy flexibility and change. If I feel stagnant, then I am unhappy and I will seek to mix things up.

I like to push buttons of people who take themselves too seriously. I don't know why but when I see someone who likes everything planned out, who always follows the norm, and who always seeks positive perceptions from the public I find a challenge. This challenge is to try and crack their structure, to make them escape from their routine and enjoy the moment. I have a little more tact than walking up to random strangers and doing this. Generally speaking this happens with people who I have spoken with on more than one occasion or people introduced to my by very good friends.

I think that life is meant to be enjoyed. Every moment should be filled with laughter and light-heartedness. I learned that if I can not laugh at myself and the craziness that happens around me that I would be miserable. I think that this has helped me through many situations. This has helped me to move along through life with a laid back attitude. I guess that part of this comes from the fact that I have realized that I can only do so much. I can push myself hard and I can achieve great things, but there comes a point in time when stressing itself serves no purpose. I know that there are only so many factors that I can control and and the things I can't I have to just be patient and wait for the time when everything works out.

Now, just because I do not take my life too seriously does not imply that I do not know how to be serious. In this blog I have introduced my serious side to many people. I like to internalize situations. I like to learn from my past mistakes. I think that relationships with people are perhaps one of the most important aspects of this life. I love to observe and learn from the world around me. As such I have formulated several philosophies that have become part of my being.

Emerging from my childhood cocoon...

2008-05-04T17:37:00.000-07:00

So I am happy to be graduating with my Masters....Yeah. Well, I guess anyway. Though I am glad that I am done forking out $30k per year to Krannert in tuition there are some definite downsides to it all. These downsides come from the realization that I might actually have to become a responsible adult.

I know that it is rough to comprehend that I am nearly 27 and I don't consider myself an adult. However, in the next few weeks I will need to come out of my cocoon and morph into what can be considered an adult. There are some qualifications of being an adult. I have met some of these but not all of them. Here is my adulthood scorecard.

1)Read the Newspaper Daily (3 points possible)-
Even though at Krannert they expect us to read the Wall Street Journal on a daily basis I have refused to do so. Though I don't read the Newspaper I do read about current events on the Internet.

Score: 1 point

2) Own New Furniture (5 points possible)-
Like many college students I have lived with whatever furniture I could get my hands on. This included hideous purple chairs that were stolen from Weber State Residence Halls that I sat on when I moved into my last rental in Ogden.

When I moved to Lafayette I looked at acquiring some used furniture but to be honest I was scared of catching a disease just from getting within 5 feet of it. Thus I started to actually purchase my own furniture. Granted it is not glamorous. Most of it was purchased at the IKEA in Chicago.

In regard to my move much of the furniture will be left. I will keep my amazing bed that is not a twin and I will move my book shelves for this I earn 3 points.

Score: 3 Points

3)Own Major Appliances (10 points possible)-
Lucky for me this is not an area of danger. I had the opportunity to inherit a washer and dryer but I turned this down. This would pretty much have been a deal breaker in the adult appliance section. As for now my major appliances include a blender and a blow dryer.

Score: 0 points

4)Buying a new car (10 points possible)-
This new car must have a new car smell. Though I almost own my truck, I did not buy it when it still contained a new car smell. In the future I am looking at purchasing a nice electric hybrid that will help the environment so that we need less trees to torment me and my allergies.

Score: 0 Points

5) The Real Job/Steady Paycheck (15 points possible)-
So this is where I start to really look like an adult. Starting June 9 I loose all rights to naptime and to sleeping in whenever I want to. Additionally, I take an adult role in a large company with high expectations based on the fact that I have a Masters degree.

Score: 15 Points

6)Spouse/Child/both (20 Points possible)-
I do not have anyone to worry about but myself. I have noticed that people my age who are married have a significantly higher level of maturity than myself. I noticed that maturity increases even more with the presence of a small human being IE..a child. This carries over to pets as well. I don't even have one of those.

Score: 0 Points

Total Score: 19 Points

Considering the cutoff from becoming a full-fledged adult is 20 points, I am barely squeaking by. I am right on the border, I know it is time for me to take the dive and transform into an incredibly responsible adult, but there is a part of me who fights it. That part of me who is trying to ride the fence between adulthood and my childish ways, but it is just a matter of time. Until I decide to grow-up completely I will continue to explore life, travel, and continue on in the chaos of life I enjoy so much.

My Windy Road

2008-04-27T19:05:00.000-07:00

My journey to discovering myself has been a crazy one filled with highs and lows. It has been a journey with windy and troublesome detours that I have chosen. I know that my current life span is merely a portion of the puzzle that is to become my overall existence. I know that there are still many lessons to learn through the challenges that I have yet to confront; but the lessons I have already been taught have molded me into who I am.

I grew up in a home where I learned about God since I was a baby and I was taught about the blessings of living a righteous life through obedience to commandments. I was baptized when I was eight years old. I was taught that Prophets speak the word of God and that there are living Prophets today. I was taught about Jesus Christ and the fact that he suffered for my weaknesses and my sins so that I could return to Him. However, just because I was taught this did not mean that I necessarily believed it or understood it all. For me, in my young age I though that religion purely a social thing. When I was 13ish I felt as though I did not fit in with the social scene within the congregation that we attended and I stopped attending church.

I continued on this way for several years. I avoided people from my congregation by all means necessary. I would pretend that I was asleep when people came to visit me. I would escape out my window or the back door. At one point I even hopped the fence to avoid speaking to the Young Women Counselor who came to speak with me. I hid throughout the house. I guess it was part of my stubbornness that I continued on this way for so long.

Even though I was inactive during this time I continued to live principals of the gospel. I stayed away from drugs and I continued to have high morals. I lived as a member of the LDS church even though I did not frequent the meetings. When I made the decision to stop attending I felt enabled. I was proud that I had taken control of my life and I was only 13. I was proud that I was not doing something just because my parents told me to.

Throughout the next few years I went through a downward spiral. The longer that I stayed away from church the harder my life became and the more lost I felt. I went through several emotions throughout this time including anger, frustration, and depression. I did not quite know what I needed to do. By the time I was 15 almost 16 I realized that the way I felt was not healthy. I had experienced several emotions and thoughts that frightened me and left my conscience to question my decisions. I was constantly fighting with my parents. My self-image was incredibly low and I felt awkward in all aspects of my life. It was not a place of happiness.

After recognizing that I was miserable and unhappy I decided to figure out what made those around me have such a positive outlook on life. I had to figure out how they made it through their tough times shinning. As a naturally observant person I started to watch those around me. The underlying factor in all of these situations was a belief in the gospel of Jesus Christ. I figured at that time that I needed to figure out if a God actually existed. I needed to know if the things I was taught as a child were true.

As I began my journey to discover my faith I had to remember promises that were given to me. One of these was about the confirmation of the truth of the Book of Mormon. I was 16 when I started to read the Book of Mormon with the intent to know whether it was true or not. I read this book daily starting at the beginning. I read it completely and I asked God if it was true. I did not get an answer. I was not willing to give up. I continued to read and to try and understand the contents of that book. I read it again. Still I did not received my confirmation of the truth.

At this time I would spend much time reading and trying to understand the contents of the Book. I would pray to God in hopes to recieve some confimation that he was real and he was there. I kept reading. I was on my third read of the Book of Mormon and I was now 17. I was reading and suddenly I felt all the confusion, all the frustration, all the torment of my soul be aleviated. For the first time in quite a while I felt a calmness in my mind. I knew that this was my answer.

At that point I knew that God existed and he was aware of me. I knew that the Book of Mormon was a true book sent to teach me about God. I knew that the things I had been taught about as a child were true. I felt hope through God.

I have had several other experiences where I have felt weak and strayed from the path. It was through these experiences that I have built my relationship with God. I know that He exists. I know that He loves me. I know that through all my struggles He has never given up on me. He has constantly been in my life, even when I have not deserved it, and He has been there to lead me back. I have a testimony of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. I know that he bore pain and suffering for my sins.

I have faith that God will continue to lead my life if I but let him. I do not know what is in my road ahead, but I know that there is a new lesson to be learned. I know that through my challenges I can continue to build my relationship with God and that he will continue to teach me about my divine nature and the things he has planned for me.

I know that my road was more painful and difficult than it needed to be. Some people are able to go through life always making the correct choices. I am a little too stubborn and independent for that. I was fortunate to return to the gospel and find my faith before I took too many wrong turns. I know many people who acted similar to me and took an uneccesary detours, only these others have never returned and continue lost not knowing the greatness of God and the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I was fortunate enough to realize my need for something more.

My Random Phone Calls

2008-04-20T18:35:00.000-07:00

In my housing search I have been reaching out to all corners of the universe. I guess this is part of mad networking skills gained from all the money I have paid to Krannert graduate school of Managment. Crazy I know. I have contacted friends of friends; friends of mere acquaintances I have discovered through my roomate search. Oh yeah and not to forget the neighbor of the brother-in-law of this lady my friend goes to church with (No joke). It has been quite and experience.

Luckily I am not afraid to look like an idiot calling people I do not know and asking them for stuff. I guess working my way through my senior year of college as a bill collector paid off more than the $9 an hour and weekly massages. Realistically speaking I enjoy speaking to random people. I guess this will be helpful as I will be working in University Relations and speaking with random strangers all day, every day.

I hope that through all of this I end up finding some place to live that does not require me to sell my eggs to pay rent.

Earth-Shake.......not to be confused with milk shake.

2008-04-18T09:56:00.000-07:00

While I was sleeping last night I heard a creaking that woke me up. Suddenly my bed appeared to be shaking. I was not sure if this was actually reality or if it was merely my imagination. I quickly rationalized myself through the experience thinking that there are no mountains around here...thus no fault line. I know that fault lines are not always along mountain ranges but I wanted to dwell on the facth that there are not any mountains here.

As the day went on I did not even think about the fact that there was possibly an earthquake. Then during my meeting for a class project the building started shaking again. One of my team members commented the shaking was an earthquake. We all discussed about how we were woken up that morning but again we rationalized what happened as the strong Indiana winds. This is a problem of groupthink.

During my meeting my mom called my cell phone. Since I was in the middle of a group project I rejected the phone call. Within 10 minutes my dad called me again. I knew that something was going on. During the conversation with my dad I learned that there was actually an earthquake. My group and I were all taken back by the fact that we just attributed a huge building shaking to winds.

A 5.2 scale earthquake occured at 5:30ish in the morning it was the largest earthquake the Midwest has seen. The latter earthquake or aftershock happened about 11:15 and was 4.6 on the Richter scale.

This is not the only time that I have looked past the reality of earthquakes. When I was really young (3-5 years old) I had a similar experience. I shared a bed with my sister at the time and I remember waking up to the bed shaking. Her response to me was "no...shut up and go back to sleep". I don't know why I remember strange moments like this or the things said during sleeping hours in my early childhood.

I guess I needed to experience an earthquake before I go out to California. I can just imagine myself trying to attribute something like that to wind in front of colleagues or friends who would mock me for my inexperience.

Naked Bus Drivers

2008-04-16T20:56:00.000-07:00

I am now sitting in my $35 IKEA chair which I have decided to dub my blogging chair. When my butt hits this chair it is like Pavlov's dogs when they hear the bells...I get the desire to add thoughts to my virtual journal.

Over the last few months I have began to notice that my quirks are not necessarily a sign of my uniqueness but rather a collection of the things that I find interesting in the people in my life--things that I have adopted to take a piece of them with me wherever I may live. I guess one of the first times I noticed this is when I began to say goodbye to people by using the words of caution "Don't trust any naked bus drivers". Though this may be a startling and random phrase to some, those who are close to me have started to expect me to say it.

The phrase "Don't trust any naked bus drivers" comes from a significant origin, particularly, my father. All of my siblings know this phrase well. It is something we heard much growing up. When we would leave for the night, weekend, or college we could count on hearing this phrase from my Dad as we would attempt to sneak out the door. These days when I speak with him on the phone I still get the opportunity to hear it and those words still mean the same today as they did 10 years ago. To me this phrase is more complex than the literal meaning. It may seem weird, but to me this phrase was how my father expressed his concern and love in the "Whipple" way. This style of communication is similar to smoke signals where if you have been trained in the signals it is easy to understand from 40 miles away otherwise you are oblivious. There was a hidden code to be broken, and for me the phrase "Don't trust any naked bus drivers" was not necessarily an easy one to break.

I am my fathers daughter and I grew up learning the "Whipple" communication style. Though I claim I have broken myself of communicating through smoke signals I know that deep down inside part of me still withholds transparent communication. This is especially true when it comes to my emotions. So as such, I have adopted the phrase that my father has said to me so many times. Though it is nontraditional, I have decided to let the "Naked bus driver" live on and continue, through me, to help people know they are cared about.

Some may argue that me using this phrase is a merely a device enabling me to continue to avoid expressing my emotions. This may be so, but it is a phrase that has become part of my character. It is a phrase that has helped lift my spirits. It is a phrase that has allowed me to let others know of my concern and care for them despite my own emotional defects. So for all of you who have heard my naked bus driver wisdom keep in mind the hidden meaning and know that I care about you and wish for your safety wherever you might be.

Teachers: Underpaid, Overworked, Catalysts for Good.

2008-04-15T18:13:00.000-07:00

Today I was a guest speaker in a Masters of Education class. It was a little weird mostly because of the fact that 10 of 12 people in the class have much more time in the classroom as teachers than myself. I merely worked for 1 year as a teacher whereas some of the others have worked longer than I have been in my college phase. I was a little leery going into my presentation. Mostly because I was clueless on what to speak about.

I started talking with the class about my personal experiences in the classroom. Everything from starting an after school program to my experience working at Ben Lomond High School. I was actually surprised at my own experiences as I was speaking. During my 1 year of teaching I participated in High School Reform, several cross-functional teams, experimented with methodology while working several students who were high risk but still amazing. I realized that even though I only taught 1 year I had incredible experiences . I realized what made me successful was the level of interest I gave the students. It was my willingness to put the stereotypes behind me and look at the students as the amazing people that they are. I dedicated myself to being straight forward with the students and keeping them aware of their progress. I kept on their backs to always improve and I took personal interest in their learning.

It was a very difficult decision for me to leave teaching, but as I left Ben Lomond I not only felt content with the things that I had accomplished but I was proud of my work and of my students progress. I left feeling as though my work there was complete. I left knowing that I had made a difference.

I admire teachers and all that they go through on a daily basis. I admit that teachers are highly underpaid for the services they render. Hopefully, soon the supply and demand spoken of in labor economics will provide a wage that teachers deserve. I admire those who stick with teaching despite all of the chaos that surrounds them.

Ode to Denver

2008-04-14T14:11:00.000-07:00

Last summer I headed to Colorado for a summer internship. I really enjoyed the time I spent in Denver and I wanted to stay even longer. I had a huge desire to go back and work in Denver full time. Then again looking at these pictures can you blame me. These are some pictures that I took on my adventures through Denver and the surrounding areas.

The first 3 pictures are on my first venture to see the mountains after living in Indiana for a year. I was so excited that I almost wept for joy when I saw them.

The picture to the right is at Castle Rock. It was a short little hike where I got to climb over some huge boulders. When it was all said and done I slipped into the river. My foot was wet and I was completely content. The funnest part of the hike was going off the trail and climbing over the rocks by the river.

The next few pictures are from when I hiked Quandry Peak. Quandry is what is known as a 14er. It is basically a mountain over 14,000 feet, This hike pretty much kicked my butt and made it so that I could not walk for about a week. I tell myself the hike would not have been so bad if I had more than 2 hours of sleep. Realistically, sleep or not it would have still kicked my butt. Some hints in case you hike one of these in the future. 1) Pee before you leave the tree line (it is about 1/3 of the way up that there are no trees to go behind. 2) Set the right pace. I learned that slow and steady was what made the difference. 3) Camelbacks rule. 4) Once you get to above 13,000 feet it get

s difficult to breath when this happens drink water.

With all of these adventures and more Denver has a special place in my heart. One day I hope to return to Denver and live. It is an amazing place. Good restaurants, great light rail system, incredible scenery, and a great culture.

Welcome to my Life

2008-04-13T18:44:00.000-07:00

So I decided that it may be time for me to get into the blog phase of my life. Since I don't keep a journal, I figure that with all the moving I have done and with the future moves it is a great way to keep people up to date with my life happenings, despite the distances between us.

For those of you who are just getting to know me. I grew-up in Idaho and as such I learned to love potatoes and mountains. I have always had a huge desire to explore life and the opportunities around me. This may be everything from huge career changes to taking a walk to enjoy the scenery.

After high school graduation, I decided to check-out of Idaho and I moved to Ogden, UT. Where I started and finished my undergrad at Weber State in 2005. That's right...I was on the 6 year track (there was a mission in there somewhere). In Ogden I was given many great opportunities. One of these was to teach high school. I enjoyed teaching math and chemistry and I had some really amazing times working with my students. Given the fact that I was still single and unattached to anything I really wanted to pursue other life adventures. I was given the great opportunity to go to graduate school at Purdue and I took it. Summer 2006 I moved to Indiana.

Since living in Indiana I have had huge trouble distinguishing north, south, east, and west. Now that I finally have my directional bearings down it is time to move again. I have enjoyed living here and I have had some amazing experiences. I have met some really amazing people and living here has made me feel normal (as compared to being 26 and single in Utah).

Now it is time to prepare for another move. I am not looking forward to growing up and taking a huge turn toward adulthood. This includes but is not limited to: loss of regular nap-time, paying a ridiculous amount of money for rent, working on salary, and owning furniture that is not used. On the plus side every time I move I get the opportunity to redefine who I am and that excites me.