Thursday, December 27, 2007

Talk about a major "whoops!"

Okay everyone, get out your address books, look under Shawna and see what address you have....if I gave you a directional of east please change that to west (the numbers are all correct). Luckily the patient occupant on the eastern side of town has been nice enough to put my stuff back in the mail with a note of "try the west side" on the front (I need to run that gal some cookies!) Mom, your present arrived yesterday and I loved it! More later!!!!

Tuesday, December 25, 2007

Merry Christmas and all that jazz....

Well, its actually a mix of music here at Jase's....we're downstairs and Yancy and I are playing with our blogs while Jase is playing various tunes on his roommate's guitar (his is in his classroom right now). A peaceful end to a long, but satisfying day. We stayed up late last night watching "White Christmas" and then we slept in this morning. Made a delicious breakfast of bacon, eggs, french toast and hash browns before finally hitting the living room to open presents.

For those in the know we almost didn't have a tree this year. Jase insisted that mine was a "Charlie Brown" tree (its a thin tamarack) and didn't want it up. Well we didn't end up getting one elsewhere so yesterday evening he drove over to a friend's and borrowed theirs (they are in Hawaii for the hols so its not as if they would even miss it!) Anyway, we sat down to open presents and yes I did have some stuff....my presents from mom and my "secret santa" family member have yet to show but Yancy bought me a calendar and Jase gave me a gift certificate for a local movie theater. My roomie even got me something....a gift certificate for a craft store that will be selling a pair of scissors I really want at a great price tomorrow (Jase and Annie both complained that I own too many movies and neither one knew what else to get me--I need to develop more dimensions!)

Anyhew, by the time we were done we came downstairs and watched a documentary on Zions National Park and then it was time for me to start cooking dinner (which turned out to be not half bad!) Jase's friend Melanie came over for a little while and that catches you up until now. Its nice to be able to sit and really do nothing. You'll notice a couple of changes coming to my blog over the next little while as Jase showed me how to add images to my header, etc. Oh, and I learned to link! (try to contain yourselves out there in reading-Shawna's-blog-land).

Impressions of this holiday: I don't want to cook anything again for at least the rest of this year....I've made fudge, several batches of cookies, rolls, breakfasts, dinners, literally a ton of "munchies" and several italian sodas. Actually its not that bad but I don't plan on anything elaborate for the next week or two that's for sure!

All-in-all it was a fun holiday but at this moment I feel as if I need a holiday to recover from my holiday!

Wednesday, December 19, 2007

Oh the things we find when surfing the net...


Stumbled across this picture today on the internet and the blog that went with it on an architectural site...apparently this is not a manip or even planned but what was left behind in Sweden after a clear-cut took place...amazing. The site didn't list any other additional information regarding the image but its wild the patterns and images we find in nature that others might not even notice.

Tuesday, December 18, 2007

"The Hobbit" update!!!!

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071218/ap_en_ot/film_the_hobbit

One of these years I will learn how to actually insert a link but the article above simply states that Peter Jackson has agreed to produce The Hobbit...but not direct. He will work with the director however so The Hobbit should have the same wonderful feel of the LOTR. The story will be cut into two films--filmed simultaneously--and will go into production in 2009 with part one released in 2010 and part two in 2011...and now we wait...

Wednesday, December 12, 2007

Interesting article online today regarding Mormons and fasting....

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071211/ap_on_he_me/diet_skipping_meals;_ylt=AifqCE6sOMMRd3DvDFjSlxeKOrgF

Check it out....hmmmmmm, think maybe there's some truth to this "Joseph Smith was a true Prophet" stuff we've been spouting????? Maybe he really was talking to God, who really did know what was best for us all along???? You gotta love it when the medical world suddenly comes up with some new "oops....that's bad for you" news flash when we've been avoiding it all along!

Tuesday, December 11, 2007

Is anyone else excited?

May is going to be a busy month for me....trade shows, school starts at the end of the month...and not one but TWO anxiously awaited for films.

Monday, December 10, 2007

Prince Caspian

Hey everyone.....I have no idea how to put the vid clip in here so go to this address to see the trailer for Prince Caspian, coming to theaters this May! Its going to be amazing!!!!!

http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1809244324/video/5318792/

Additional note on the power of prayer....

Just talked to Dan this morning and he says that by ten in the morning Salt Lake had over a foot of snow with more falling over the afternoon. Wow..... all I can say is a hearty THANK YOU LORD for sparing us from that and letting us have decent moving weather!

Moving moving moving...with the flu

What a weekend! Friday I wasn't able to get out of work until just after four and I booked home and started packing. Took one load of stuff (mostly foodstuff) up to Annie's and then packed some more. Two a.m.....still freaking packing. By this time I was roasting hot and had the door open to cool off (realized a little later that I was running a fever but hey, the thermometer was already packed!) I laid down from about 4 to 6 in the morning (it was that or fall over--I was feeling pretty lightheaded and nauseaous), took a shower, and started packing again. George and Joyce showed up just before 9 and I made them follow me in their truck to the U-Haul place rather than ride with them (hey they're both old--they do not need to get sick from me!) and then I scuttled back home to wind up the packing. Sure enough I was pretty much done by the time Jason and friends showed up to help me move...I quickly stripped the bedding off my mattress and chucked some last minute items into boxes while everyone carried my crap out. Cynthia showed up about half an hour later to help wind things up and then we headed up to my new digs in Orem.

It was supposed to have snowed all week, with 4-5 inches coming down friday night but I was sending massive prayers skyward all week for the snows to hold off until I was moved and all involved made it home safely...and it did! The snow started lightly falling while we were packing, and there were flurries as we headed up the Interstate but nothing stuck to the roads until later that evening (and according to the accumulation on top of my car we got the full five inches!) Kuddos and thanks all around to everyone who helped and did most of the moving...THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU! Everyone involved was amazing and thanks mucho for setting up my room for me. An especially big thanks to Jase who not only helped after being up all night at a school function, but actually brought some friends along to help! After everyone left I started unpacking and began my first of 18 billion loads of laundry. Annie just laughs over how much I am washing but doesn't have a problem with it...honestly, after living with mice you want to wash EVERYTHING that can be washed! I unpacked until around 8 and then collapsed into bed...my sheets weren't done yet so I just laid my matress pad on top and pulled a quilt on top of me. Bed never felt so good!

Sunday I admit I skipped church and continued unpacking and, as of this morning, most of my boxes are unpacked....well, the ones that went to Annie's anyway...I haven't touched the ones in the office yet! My room is tiny, completely packed, but actually very nice now that it has more and more of my familiar items all over it and the duplex isn't bad either...it just needs some serious dusting! Really like the new roommate and I think this place is going to be great for me. I even feel pretty good this morning...I think the flu has run its course. Now just to finish that laundry.....

Friday, December 7, 2007

Christmas parties and first dates.....


Doesn't this place look amazing?

I should have pulled a Jason and brought my camera to capture all the wonderful food that was at dinner last night...but let me start at the beginning....

Okay, I got off work at three so I would have plenty of time to get ready. Ran to the bank to cash my check and stopped by the storage units to pay for the small unit I reserved and didn't end up getting home until four. Eeps---George and Joyce were picking me up at five so I jumped into the shower long enough to wash my hair, dried it and did like the worlds fastest makeup job before zipping into my room to get dressed. Found out that washing my patchwork black skirt at Jase's the other night ripped a lot of stitches and there was no way I could wear it so I frantically dug through my wardrobe, trying on and discarding half a dozen get-ups before going back to my original maroon sweater and a different black skirt. Now this skirt was one I had never worn before as I was a little too big for it when I bought the thing on sale and never really fit into it. Well, I fit into it now with a little room to spare and even though it is miles shorter than skirts I like to wear (mid-knee) it actually looked great on me. George and Joyce pulled up and we drove over to Bill and Kris' to all carpool up together when I realized I hadn't brushed my teeth since that morning! I really hadn't eaten anything that day so I wasn't tooooooo worried, but I admit I grabbed a paper towel from Bill's place and gave my teeth an impromptu scrub before we piled into Bill's new Cadillac (oooohhhhhh....leather seats!) and headed north for Salt Lake.

We didn't find out what happened but the traffic was at a crawl from Orem Center Street until Lehi so we were definately running late by the time we got to the restaurant...Dan and Lori were there on time and my date was there as well--apparently they were having a pretty good conversation with eachother until we showed up. Surprisingly, I still wasn't nervous but I had no idea what to do when I met Richard for the first time--I ended up shaking his hand! We all headed up to the table and the fun started. Richard seems fairly shy but was nice talking to (and was very nice looking!) and I had a lot of fun talking and laughing with him and the crazy bunch I work with.

Dinner started off with appetizers--I had a veggie neopolitan which was a slice of portabella mushroom with other veggies stacked on top (yum!) George and Debbie split a seafood medley and we all laughed to see this 4 layer tray come to the table stacked with oysters, crab, lobster, scallops, salmon and sushi--the thing was a meal in and of itself! Debbie's husband ordered Escargo (I'd joked to Dan about ordering it but chickened out!) The idea of eating some slimy snail just repulses me... Next was salads--I had wilted spinach (servers recommendation and it was great) Dan had an avacado/crab/grapefruit ring that looks delicious though I didn't sample it. Richard had stepped out for a moment to take his insulin and George started laughing when Richard's "salad" showed up--it was a long leaf of romaine, a slice of tomato on the side with one soggy onion ring in-between. The laughs turned on George though as his salad showed up and it turns out he'd ordered the same thing!

Next I had rare lamb rack with mint jelly...and when they say rare they mean rare...chunks weren't even cooked but oooohhhhhhh it was delicious...I can't believe I managed to eat it all! I didn't think I would be able to but one minute I was starting to eat while talking with Richard and the next thing you know it was gone and the dessert menus were being handed out. I didn't even bother to look--if creme brullee was on the menu then that was all I wanted and they didn't disappoint. Oh... I only wish I'd had enough room left to eat it all! Yes, I finally found the top of my stomach.... I don't even want to see the bill... Dan ordered bananas foster flambe and it was wild watching them pour this burning liquor over the top of his dessert (with Dan and I leaning well out of the serving wenches' way!)

Richard and I left while everyone was finishing up to walk around the building-- ice had formed on the fountains outside, turning them into crystal stacks and I stopped to pet a huge gray cat that came trotting up. He followed us a few feet down the driveway and then jumped into the open window of a car sitting alongside the driveway. I can only think that the cat belonged to the car as it was drizzling outside and no one would be insane enough in that cold weather to leave a window completely unrolled! We stood outside talking for a few minutes before heading in out of the rain and then explored the turret--climbing the stairs up to the second floor and balcony--before heading back to see how our party was faring. Lori said we should check out the view out the back windows so we went over to take a peek. Old french doors led out onto that patio and Richard dared me to go out--so I did. Outside a large raised fire pit was merrily blazing so we stood out there for a few minutes warming up while admiring the lights that spilled across every tree in the yard down to a detached summer porch (boy would I love to see this place in the summer!)

Then it was time to go...we all headed out to give the valets our parking stubs and headed our separate ways (Richard got a hug this time). I settled in for a peaceful ride home and listened to the chatter in the car all around me. It was just after eleven by the time I got home...I had no idea it was so late...happily brushed my teeth and tumbled into bed...only to wake this morning at 5:30! Actually I set my alarm for that early because I had to be at Sam's Club before 7 to be sure I'd be the first in line to get snow tires on the car....I didn't want to be late for work! So here I am, still happy, tires on the car, first date out of the way and perhaps a second date in the future. sigh. Even if Christmas turns out to be nothing special I still feel all aglow and about as far from "Bah Humbug" as a girl can get!

Thursday, December 6, 2007

Moving, music and Christmas parties....

The move goes on....I still have stuff to pack and will probably only work a half day tomorrow (Friday) to be sure it gets done. I have discovered one nice thing about moving though....I find things I forgot I owned and fall in love with them all over again! Speaking of finding things...I found a cd binder tucked in a corner of the spare room that held my copy of "Plans" by Death Cab for Cutie....listened to it this morning on the way to work and then brought it inside for another listen. Dang I forgot how much I love that cd--I haven't listened to it since August when it got packed. (Btw--thanks Yancy for getting me into these guys!) And now the Christmas party... its tonight at La Caille in Sandy and this place looks amazing! No idea what I am going to order yet because it all sounds so wonderful but I will let you guys know tomorrow how it went. Oh, finally get to meet Richard tonight as he's meeting me there. Funny, but I am not the least bit nervous....

Tuesday, November 27, 2007

How I Spent My Thanksgiving Vacation PART TWO

Where did I leave off? Playing Neopets at Jase's I believe....

Saturday evening--we ate leftovers and watched another episode of Mystery Science Theater--"This Island Earth"....I hate to admit it but I was actually getting into the movie they were watching; but then I like cheesy B grade old sci-fi movies! Got home sometime between 10 and 11 and then decided to watch the old TV series "Twin Peaks" so I watched a couple of episodes before crashing around 2 am.

Sunday....told myself I was going to pack but went to Jase's in the afternoon and helped him with a Step Mania program...I am making him a "dance routine" to New Radicals "You Get What You Give" remix. Didn't think I would like it....in fact I sat there for the first 10 minutes thinking "I'm too dumb to do this...I am not computer literate...What was Jase thinking?" before venturing to tap a few keys. Lo and behold I am good at this! Of course, Jase's "easy" level song turns out to be incredibly hard to do so I am going to have to scale down the combination steps a bit! I really had a good time playing with it and am looking forward to finishing up the song and making him new ones. Whoa....didn't think there was a secret geek hiding out in me like that. Still, there's a satisfaction in knowing I am able to comprehend a little of what I am doing on the computer! We ate more leftovers and watched a couple of episodes of "Heroes" before I headed home and watched even more "Twin Peaks" (I am evil). Once again up until two and then up at 6:30 to get ready for work. Funny, but I didn't feel tired.

Monday...after work I went home, watched even more "Twin Peaks" (only a few episodes left) and started packing my crap...actually set aside books to donate!

Tonight....go through the craft boxes in the spare room and start deciding what to keep and what to give away. Yes I will watch "Peaks" some more...just on the computer this time rather than the TV. Still have plenty of energy and feel great about the move.

Side note: over the holiday I would have sworn I needed a root canal or something because the side of my jaw really hurt. There's a filling on that side that's been bothering me for about 4-5 years now but no one can see anything wrong with it. I think I may have just had a sore in the gums though because now its not bothering me. Thank goodness since I no longer have dental insurance the last thing I need is oral surgery!

Saturday, November 24, 2007

How I Spent My Thanksgiving Vacation.... an essay by Shawna Zimmerman PART ONE

Well on Wednesday I got off work early to cash my paycheck and rush to the grocery store (I love Super Target)...spent my time wandering up and down the aisles trying to figure out just how many yams should I boil up and would everyone prefer jellied cranberry sauce or the whole berry. Hauled the spoils to Jase's place and then we took off to get more movies at Flix and did a drive-through at Taco Bell. We stayed up that night and watched "1408" which started out great and ended badly (but you can say that literally about every Stephen King movie out there). Stayed the night at Jason's as I was going to be cooking the turkey the next morning so I had a GREAT night of sleep on one of those wonderful new mattresses he bought for the spare room (I highly recommend trying it out!)

Thursday dawned bright and squirelly and in no time the turkey was cooking, potatoes and yams simmering on the stovetop and Jason's house pretty dang clean before I even bothered taking a shower. By the time everyone arrived (Annette and her 6 kids, Melissa and Kirsten) the place smelled great. Thankfully though Melissa and Kirsten were running a little late so I could run home and grab my barstools for extra seating! Everyone had a wonderful time, Jase had a dance pad set up in his office downstairs hooked up to the computer and the kids spent a lot of time boogying their feet off while the adults talked. Melissa and Kirsten left first but not before Janelle showed up and stayed for awhile. Annette was the next to go and she took two of her kids with her, leaving the rest to finish watching HP and the Order of the Phoenix. Once the movie was over Jase and Janelle took the other kids home. Once they got back we all finished looking at the ads for the next days "sweet" deals. Janelle was planning to try for a huge tv, Jase was on the lookout for an IPod sound system and DVDs, and I wanted a 2 GB jump drive (the 128 MGB is now a thing of the past!) Headed for bed around 11 knowing we had to be up before the sun!

Friday....we left late, about 4:45 am and drove to Best Buy. The line was huge but people were zipping through fast. Jase got his sound system (which later in the day he returned) and I got my jump drive. The DVDs were already sold out and we headed to to Circuit City. Nothing worth getting there so we went to several other office supply places with equal success. We ended up at Mervins (shocker--they have a plus size section!) where Jase ended up with a belt and me with a couple of shirts. (Yes, you heard right...he ended up with a belt--a belt after all the driving we did!) Regardless, it was fun for me but tiring! By this time Jason had a migraine so we came home and he went to bed while I boiled down the turkey carcass and made a great soup! I had planned to go home mid-afternoon and get some packing done but I ended up staying the night as we watched an episode of "Mystery Science Theater 3000" and then "Shaun of the Dead". Jason was fairly awake by that time and was watching "Three Amigos" when I stumbled off to bed.

This morning....again, I planned to go home and pack but went to the store instead for breakfast supplies and made us scrambled eggs. Came downstairs and have spent the remainder of the day on Jason's laptop playing games in Neopets, checking email and watching Jase do his Dance Revolution workout. I did a couple of rounds but I really stink at it since I don't always register which direction the arrow wants me to go and I stomp the wrong square. Regardless, it is after 6 pm I am still here going to heat up leftovers and then watch another MST before REALLY going home this time. My goal with the move is to take something to Deseret Industries every day this coming week which means I really need to go through some boxes tomorrow. He hasn't said it but Jase is certainly getting tired of my hanging around as well!

Thus ends my weekend adventures so far......

Anywhere you hang your hat you call home....

Well, me and my hat are moving again....to Orem. Its a small 2 bedroom duplex a little over a mile from work so the commute will be great and the rent is amazingly low (try $260/mo with no utility charges). Downside? Sure....its a SMALL duplex....girl has got to go through 18 million boxes of crap and freaking downsize. The place is also a little dark...there's a large bay window in the front but no window in the back where the kitchen is. No biggie. She has a dog which I can live with: she's small, unable to jump on you and seems very well behaved (so I get a lint brush and remember to shut my bedroom door).

Move time? Hmmmm..... how fast can I pack? Actually it'll be at least two weeks--probably three so lets set mid-December as the goal. Not that I want to be moving my stuff in the middle of winter but, given last year's weather, the roads will probably be clear and it'll just be cold out. Luckily where I am now has only a couple of steps down to the U-Haul and the new place has none at all!

I am looking forward to being closer to work, and I like the gal I am moving in with...I met her through Dan, she works for the company next door to us.

Wish me luck!

Tuesday, November 20, 2007

Back to Vegas....


Well, its back to Vegas in February for another trade show and I am excited (for the show, not necessarily for Vegas itself). Dan has already paid to have a booth for his alarm switch at the Self Storage Association show Feb 5-8 at the Venetian Hotel (which looks amazing--I can't wait to ride on the Gondola!) We decided to also try a "tabletop" display in the Car Wash Expo section for the bollard covers. I'm getting creative with this one since I can't have anything on the floor, just what I can put on the table. Since I can't block the guy next to me I thought why not cut down our usually 52" covers down and display just the top 18" across the top of the table in a mini rainbow, along with a slideshow on a laptop and all of my brochures, flyers, etc etc. I think it will look great....its going to be hard to sit still for the next two-and-a-half months until we do this!

What cancer cannot do

It cannot cripple love
It cannot shatter hope
It cannot corrode faith
It cannot destroy peace
It cannot kill friendships
It cannot suppress memories
It cannot silence courage
It cannot invade the soul
It cannot steal eternal life
It cannot conquer the spirit.

This is a sign I read the other day and started pondering...

Monday, November 19, 2007

The Week In Review....

Well lets see....work work work work work (kidding). We finished painting the office and it actually looks pretty good--I love how my office turned out! The rest of the office is a beige and cream combo but I painted my space in a spring green that looks very fresh and perky to me (Dan and Bill just roll their eyes but then they don't have to work in here!) The accent wall is a kind of tan/peanut buttery color and the trim is cream so its a nice, but interesting combination. And on that note Bill, the other boss, is back from his couples mission to Greece. I think Dan was a little concerned whether or not I'd like Bill and vice versa since he's got a unique personality but I think he's a hoot. No problems there, and according to Debbie (accountant) Bill likes me back (says I have spunk!) Its just a relief to have the office back together more or less.

Confirmed dead mouse #1, unsure of how many more there are but they are still carrying off the bait blocks so I'd say there are at least a couple more hiding out.

Actually vegitated out this last Saturday--gave the kitchen a deep clean and then read a couple of books (yes you read that right). I actually polished off four books but you really have to count 2 of them as one because they were smaller books. Read The Romanov Prophecy by Steve Berry, Redbird Christmas by Fannie Flagg, Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder and Countdown by Iris Johanson. Wasn't impressed with the Johanson novel....I used to really like her but her books are all the same and fairly unbelievable from start to finish. Was surprised by the Romanov Prophesy though....DI had a copy of one of his other books--The Amber Room--I think I will swing by there on my way home tonight and see if its still there. Redbird Christmas was an absolute gem to find...I love Fannie Flagg's stuff and just hadn't gotten around to this one yet. Little House simply made me want to read the rest of the series since this is the only one I've ever read. Now I am halfway through "French Girls Don't Get Fat"....

What else? Went to Jase's on Sunday for our now-becoming-a-regular-thing dinner and watched a couple episodes of Heroes. We also wandered into a website with this ongoing comic/cartoon called "Making Fiends" that was actually quite funny.

Got a call from Richard during the first Heroes episode so I went outside to talk with him while Jase finished watching the episode (I'd already seen that one anyway). It was a nice talk and its official, he's now the one going with me to the work Christmas dinner.

I think that fairly well wraps it up.....thank you for tuning in.....

Friday, November 16, 2007

Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair....



It's official kids...Disney is finally getting around to animating my favorite fairy tale character, Rapunzel. Called "Rapunzel Unbraided" its scheduled for a 2009 release. I hope that it lives up to my expectations...but she looks pretty spunky for a gal locked in a tower. Come to think of it, it doesn't look like she's even IN a tower! Kewl.....I am looking forward to this one!

Thursday, November 15, 2007

Its raining men? Well...a drizzle anyway!

Funny thing....I asked Jase's roommate Brian to go to the work Christmas party at La Caille on the 6th. Now Richard is talking to me again (sigh). Knowing me I am going to spend my time wondering if I should have waited and asked Richard to go! It is flattering though...I am going with one guy but another one is interested in me. Okay, okay, I know that the thing with Brian is a one-timer and its only because I asked him but its a nice (and extremely foreign) feeling anyway!

Are they gone yet????

Who knows....I came home last night though and the little stinkers hauled off one of the blocks! Yes! And I found some bright blue mousey poo (I'll never look at turquoise the same again) so I know they are eating it! Lets hope they are stupid to the last mouse and not realize that its the "food supply" that's making them cramp up and die...

Wednesday, November 14, 2007

Following a little something Miya did....

Okay, do a google image search with the answer to each of these questions and post--pick an image off the first screen of search images only...its amazing how some of these really don't make sense with the actual answer!

1. Your age on your next birthday:


2. A Place you'd like to travel to:


3. Your favorite place:


4. Your favorite object:


5. Your favorite food:


6. Your favorite animal:


7. Your favorite color:


8. The town you were born in:


9. The town you now live in:


10. The name of a past pet:


11. The name of a past love:


12. Your nickname or screen name:


13. Your first name:


14. Your middle name(I cheated since I don't have one and used one mom thought up a couple years back and wanted me to change my name to):


15. Your last name:


16. A bad habit of yours:


17. Your first job:


18. Your grandmother's name:


19. Your college major:

Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Its a mouse invasion....



Well there's more than one mouse...looked over last night and saw two zipping along the kitchen wall. I looked back a moment later and then saw one of them (or possibly even another mouse)happily checking out the middle of the kitchen floor. Ewwwwwwwwwwwww. All I can say is thank goodness I am moving in the spring (I keep pushing it sooner and sooner--first May, then April....now I am thinking March). I didn't get around to buying mouse poison earlier because the idea of coming home to a dead mouse in the middle of the floor was grossing me out...now the idea of living rodents are even worse! Sadly we've reached this point because the little stinkers are smart enough to avoid the traps; lets just hope they aren't smart enough to ignore the poison.

Monday, November 12, 2007

Happy Girl

Always found listed under Martina McBride but the song was written and first performed by Beth Neilson-Chapman and she does it so much better.... just a little song I love.

I used to live in a darkened room
Had a face of stone
And a heart of gloom
Lost my hope, I was so far gone
Cryin' all my tears
With the curtains drawn
I didn't know until my soul broke free
I've got these angels watching over me

Oh watch me go
I'm a happy girl
Everybody knows
That the sweetest thing you'll ever see
In the whole wide world
Is a happy girl

I used to hide in a party crowd
Bottled up inside
Feeling so left out
Standing in a corner wearing concrete shoes
With my frozen smile
And my lighted fuse
Now every time I start to feel like that
I roll out my heart like a welcome mat

Oh watch me go
I'm a happy girl
Everybody knows
That the sweetest thing you'll ever see
In the whole wide world
Is a happy girl

Laugh when I feel like it
Cry when i feel like it
That's just how my life is
That's how it goes

Oh watch me go
I'm a happy girl
And I've come to know
That the world won't change
Just 'cause I complain
Let the axis twirl
I'm a happy girl

Oh, yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah
I'm a happy girl

Mouse Update

Well, he's still alive and kicking....or rather, alive while I am doing the kicking. I was awoken early Sunday morning (3 am)with a very early morning caller and while I tried to wake up enough to carry on a decent conversation I moved my feet around. Squeak. Didn't think much of it and moved again. Squeak. Paused and deliberately moved my feet again and this time got a torrent of squeaks. Maybe I was too tired and still sleepy but it didn't really occur to me at the time that the mouse was on my bed. If memory serves I think I told my caller that it sounded like there was some mousy fight going on in the house....it wasn't until later that morning that it occurred to me that he could have been squeaking because I was kicking his little rodent butt. Needless to say I got up this morning moving rather carefully just in case.

Thursday, November 8, 2007

Disclaimer

Okay....okay.... Thank you for your concern and I really do appreciate it but contrary to how my previous post sounded I am not steaming mad or contemplating suicide here. I had a blue day....I get them every now and then. I feel bad, blow it off and then am back to my normally (whatever) self. Its a cycle, I know its a cycle and I have learned to accept it. I get up, go to work and get through my day--its not like I am holed up in my home, unable to crawl out of bed. Still...I am glad to know you all care and I love you all dearly.

Wednesday, November 7, 2007

Oh the power of forgiveness...and the agony of misunderstanding

Just got off the phone with dad a little while ago. He cried, I cried...he was so worried that I was upset and hurt by him and I was so worried that he was disappointed with me. Turns out both of us were wrong.

It is sad to think that I have spent these last few weeks and months feeling that I wasn't wanted when the truth was exactly the opposite...

We talked about what is happening at home, about me coming home, about dad's plans for after.

We talked about friends, jobs, and homemade jalapeno jelly.

We talked....and felt loved again....

Tuesday, November 6, 2007

Do we ever reach the point where we feel like we're worth something?


Angry, sad, anger again, tired, hateful of myself, hurt....as Ron Weasley so perfectly put it "No one person could feel all that...they'd explode" (cue cleanup crew)

Once again I am just reminded of how much I do not feel as if I fit in, as if every choice I make (however right it seems at the time) is yet another mistake. I am angry that I allow people to lie, manipulate and use me, tired of being so trusting but feel like I am being a real witch if I try to stand up against it. Why is it wrong to stand up for yourself...and why do I feel like a complete s*%t when I do? I am just tired of always questioning my place on this little ball of dust and wondering when I am going to pull my act together enough to make something of myself. I guess I just feel overwhelmed and fast approaching burnout... I want to start screaming if anyone adds one more thing to all that is crashing around me already. Sadly, I wouldn't though...I'd just smile, say "no problem" and do whatever it is while berating myself for being a spineless wimp. Why do I attract these kind of people who just know they can use you and use you and use you until there is nothing left? How can people believe its okay? And how do they freaking justify being angry with you when you finally do reach the breaking point and say "no more"? I just want one accomplishment in my life; it doesn't even have to be a big one. Hell, I don't even care if no one else knows about it...I am used to people being disappointed in me. Just one thing I can look back on and say "see, you didn't screw that up. Good job". I go into so many things with the best of intentions and I always manage to mess it up and fail miserably... and I am so scared of trying yet again only to fail. I should have had my life together long before this....no wonder I feel worthless.

Monday, November 5, 2007

A little scare and gray hair


Well this was quite the packed weekend--sleepover, late nights, making jalapeno jelly...and a head lice scare....all of that before the sun had risen far on Sunday. Elaborate? Okay.....

Friday was a sleepover at my friend's--just her and her daughters as her husband is up in Canada for work/research. We had tacos and then we left the girls to watch "Meet the Robinsons" upstairs while we watched "Evening" and "Lucky You" on the big screen downstairs (sadly, neither one was very good). Woke up early the next morning and while I waited for everyone else to come crawling out of bed I started reading a copy of "Tuck Everlasting" by Natalie Babbitt that was sitting on the counter (love the movie--never read the book). Finally everyone was up and moving and I made some bacon, eggs and toast while they went around doing their little projects. Afterwards they went to a baby shower while I stayed "home" to make some jalapeno jelly since they have all the canning apparatus that I needed.

Forward to later evening...I had gone to the store for more Certo (jelly gel medium) and grabbed a roast and some fresh rolls from the bakery next door and had that cooking when everyone came home. We had a great dinner (tho everyone seemed a bit shocked I had done it) and then we finished it off with cherry pie (yum!) Snuggled on the couch with the girls several times over the course of Friday night/Saturday before heading home....didn't mention to anyone I had started a killer headache--gotta hate caffeine withdrawls.

Sunday. Didn't go to church as my headache was worse but was thinking I should call the gals and cancel coming over later to help make greeting cards when I get a call.... a bug had possibly been spotted in one of the girls' hair. Eeps.....I hugged and held kids on my lap all weekend....crap. I'd never had lice before but now I was panicking. Sunday visit was cancelled but I did find one thing while I was worriedly checking for little buggies....a whole crapload of gray hair. Its not noticable with my hair down but dang, once you lift it up (my hair is nearly long again to french twist)there is a ton of gray in there. Seriously...its a freaking silver mine on my head.

Of course there is a part of me that thinks I will look great salt and peppered but there's another part that wants to shriek out "I AM NOT OLD!" and scramble to the store for hair dye. Of course I know dye won't do a thing since my gray is resistant...crud, all of my hair is dye resistant...but its hard to accept what literally lies beneath the surface here. No bugs (thankfully) but a definate sign that I am getting older. Sadly, I know it makes me look more "dignified" but I still haven't got my act together enough for gray hair....don't I have to be more responsible first?

Thursday, November 1, 2007

Chivalry is not dead


It is alive and well in the form of a preschool cowboy! Okay, okay I know his dad must have pulled him aside and told him "this is what you do when you see a lady" but it melted my heart anyway. Allow me to explain....I am driving east on 12 South in Springville on my way to Cynthia's when I spot this little cowboy on the side of the road waiting for his parents to catch up. The little buckaroo looks up, sees me driving towards him, reaches up to tip his hat to me and gives me a big grin.... and that was all. Nothing earth shattering; the world is not going to be all sunshine and daffodils because of it....but one sweet little boy definately made my day....

Wednesday, October 31, 2007

NO! No. no? .......crap.......

Soda is the pits to stop drinking--caffeinated or no. I gotta be strong, have to say no, have to remember kidneys deteriorating under the strain and that lovely little disclaimer on each can of "produces cancer in lab rats" (hmmm....maybe I should be letting the mouse at home have a few sips) Keep in mind that oh so gross fact that if you leave a steak in a bowl of Coke for a couple of days it will be completely eaten away...for that matter you can apparently do the same with nails but it takes a bit longer. Cops supposidly carry cola products to wash away blood stains at car accidents and crime scenes....and the manufacturers of Pepsi supposidly use the product to clean off their engines (I really don't believe that one since pop is pretty dang sticky!)But if even one of the above is true, just think of what its doing to my poor little intestinal tract (come to think of it I really am chewing a lot of antacids lately...proly because not only am I swigging tons of pop but I've also downed a lot of jalepeno poppers in the last week--darn these new addictions!)

So it comes down to me saying fare-thee-well Cherry Coke, toodles Black Cherry Vanilla Dr. Pepper, and just say NO to Henry Weinhardt tall and frothy cream soda from the long neck bottle..... oh who am I kidding!?

Holidays that just can't wait their turn.....

Okay, the push for Christmas Christmas Christmas is just getting worse and worse and worse. I have accepted the idea that retailers have their Christmas crap out long before the Halloween aisle is even descimated (got to get it in for those early Christmas shoppers!) but this morning was a new low in the holiday world. Driving past Hampton Inn and Resort this morning the building was ablaze in the pre-dawn with Christmas lights all over their sign and on all of the pine trees in the front area! I mean really....the trick or treaters are still gearing up for the long rounds of door-to-door and haven't even started getting sick on candy and the Christmas lights are up? What is this world coming to? Now Halloween is my favorite holiday but its usually a second banana to Christmas in the world view of favorites....now it has to deal with Christmas not even waiting for the first of November? Nope, Christmas has to step in and take Halloween's fine glory...it just reaches in there and snatches the day without so much as a by-your-leave or "oops....sorry". sigh. Whatever happened to Halloween and then Thanksgiving AND THEN Christmas? You know, something to look forward to? What'll be new for next year....buying your September back-to-school supplies along with a couple of stocking stuffers?

Monday, October 29, 2007

Fashion Faux Paux?

Okay, bit of the absurd here. Spotted in the hallway at church yesterday was a toddler who couldn't have topped 2 years old making a beeline for the watering fountain with a very fashionable mommy trailing behind. Sadly, the toddler was togged out in thigh high black leather boots (with heels!) and a tartan mini skirt.

First thought...what kind of values is that mother giving her child?
Second...why did I leave my camera home cause no one is gonna believe this one.
Third...those boots look ridiculous with that skirt.

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

2 Days and 2.8 Tons

In two days I have loaded, unloaded, boxed up and shipped 2.8 tons of just one of our switches (its actually more since I also freighted out some light modules and other styles of switches but that's still pretty dang impressive) Its no wonder I am tired (but happy with the accomplishment)!

Of course that's not the only reason I am tired: its mostly a serious lack of sleep. I have nightmares that wake me and keep me up...for a girl who doesn't have nightmares it has been very disturbing. Yesterday I managed to get about 6 hours of sleep but since Saturday I have averaged around 4-5 a night. I think one of the reasons I slept fairly well last night was (not only my exhaustion) but I went for a drive around the southern part of the lake after work. It was a beautiful afternoon and I enjoyed it very much. Stopped to stroke the nose of a horse along the roadway (who was very friendly) and just generally unwound. Of course as soon as I pulled into the driveway the world crashed in again--a friend called with her daily list of complaints and then Cynthia wanted me to meet her at Reams so she could borrow Transformers and to give me the jars of pumpkin butter that I'd left cooling at her place last Saturday.

So I listened, and I drove....came home, set the box of canned pumpkin butter on the kitchen floor, heated up some leftovers, popped in a movie and then was in bed by 9. Lucie woke me at 10 but I don't think I was on the phone with her for long...I was fairly out of it by then...and only woke up twice. Of course, both those times had me lying there in the dark for a good hour or two but I still feel a lot better this morning. I missed a couple of good lake shots on my way home last night (ran out of juice on the battery) so I think I will swing out that way again tonight after I pick up Jason's computer...I had planned to drive all the way around the lake Saturday but that will have to wait. Oh well, something delicious to look forward to.

Monday, October 22, 2007

what a weekend....

For those readers NOT in the family, we got bad news this friday. In the midst of sadness good things still happened this weekend: I went to a friends house and canned about 2 dozen jars of pumpkin butter (yum!) so I will be eating that for awhile to come. I love going to Cynthia's house--it may be loud at times and very distracting but its a comfortable place to go and just flop on the couch when you need to not be by yourself anymore (thanks again honey for wanting to be sure I have somewhere to go for Christmas!) I also found out that my sister went ahead with her plans to "sneak off to the courthouse" and get married...just got some of the pictures printed up at WallyWorld and I am soon to be off to pick them up (can't say it enough Miya--you looked beautiful--and I still say it looks black not brown!)Its comforting to think that even when all seems lost that somehow you find glimmers of sunshine in the darkness.

Friday, October 19, 2007

Oops! I did it again....


Sorry Deviants.....I uploaded another ton of photogs tonight! Here's a preview:

Wednesday, October 17, 2007

A girl and her camera.....

I got my camera back last night and wasted no time snapping pics again. Explanation? Ronetta was carrying it in her purse at the trade show tuesday of last week so I would have access to it rather than packing it up in my duffle or in one of the show boxes. We crawl into town around 8 in the evening, she jumps in her car and heads home (another hour and a half drive) and about five mins after she leaves I remember my camera....still in her purse! A week without a camera completely sucks as it figures this would be the week that autumn decided to really go all out down here. Fall in its glory and all I have is my camera phone! Well, I got a lot of pics out of that phone and thankfully the text messaging still works even though the account is closed...I'd snap and snap, text the pictures to my email and then snap some more. I haven't looked at them yet because I am afraid I'll be disappointed by the lousy quality of my phone (even tho I upped the resolution as high as it would go)....Sadly I noticed this morning that a lot of the trees I was loving last week have no leaves on them (you were right Jase, fall is brief here!) but I think some are still blazing gloriously; gonna go out tonight and re-acquaint myself with a real camera!

Monday, October 15, 2007

This means war....

Well the "live catch" trap has done nothing....in fact I don't think the thing is really even working since the door was such a pill to set up! Did a serious "put-away" this weekend--cleaning stuff stored on the counters, started emptying the boxes of desk stuff that have been sitting in the spare room and there is mouse poo all over the place! Ugh! No place seems to be sacred except the bathroom countertop...but just because he hasn't pooed there doesn't mean he hasn't been exploring! The little stinker has GOT TO GO! He came out a couple of times from under the stove to look at me while I was sweeping the floor and is getting used to me--NOT GOOD!

Went out yesterday and bought two "quick kill" mousetraps...mouse goes in and doesn't come out. The problem is that I feel hideous for just having the traps in the house--so much that they are still sitting on the countertop, unset. I know its just a mouse but its still a living and breathing creature (and kinda cute in its own stinker-like way). Its the idea that its gonna hurt....I honestly don't want to know what the killing method is inside that round canister! I know the packaging says "instant kill" and that the mouse is supposidly dead before it knows what hit it but what if it isn't quick? I don't want the poor thing taking its sweet time to die.

Just going to have to go home tonight, gird up my loins, set the traps and be done with it. Just remember him pooing on my favorite fall jacket and BE TOUGH! I am all for nature and such...just not when it invades my home! Now lets hope it hasn't invited the fam in for the winter--one mouse is more than enough!

Do the crime....pay the fine

Sadly Miss I-don't-speed-and-frankly-get-upset-when-people-run-red-lights should learn to get off her high horse. Yes, I rarely speed and I stop for the yellow light...and I took pride in the fact that its been forever since I was pulled over, let alone given a ticket. Well, pride cometh before the fall I guess. To my defense I would like to point out I'd just worked 12 days in a row (nearly 50 hours in week one and 55 in week two) and was very very tired, but then what good is justifying the infraction? I did it, I am guilty and now have a ticket and fine to prove it.

I was driving to Springville friday after work and was distracted for a moment by scaffolding on a building I love. I was thinking it was wonderful that the owner was going to continue his efforts to preserve such a beautiful building when I looked up and saw the light had just turned red at the intersection I had just come to. Sure, I could have hit my brakes and probably come to a stop partially into the crosswalk but impulse took over and I ran the red light...right in front of a cop. Cue one cute policeman pulling me over, handing me an $82 ticket and seeming fairly shocked that I not only admitted my error without excuse but actually said "thank you" when he handed me the ticket! (Mom would be rolling her eyes over that one...sorry mom but I was raised to say thank you when things are given to me--even though you specifically told me that one time never to say it to a cop giving you a ticket).

So I now have a fine and goodness only knows how many points coming off of my drivers license (I still haven't figured out the whole point system anyway!) What a way to start the weekend.....but I learned my lesson. Once again I come screeching to a stop at a yellow light, much to the annoyance of everyone following behind me.

Wednesday, October 10, 2007

Viva Las Vegas???

Try dirty icky yucky Las Vegas...well, the strip anyway.

Day 1: Went to Vegas bright and squirelly Sunday...actually got up at 3 to be ready by 4 and the boss didn't show up until 6:30, but that's another story (wonder if I can claim that time I spent waiting???) We actually made it there in plenty of time though since Dan drove 95 pretty much the entire way! Dan did make a 2-second stop in Virgin Creek Canyon so I could jump out and get a rock (no I didn't have to ask...he just did it) Arrived at Vegas, parked illegally in the taxi zone at the convention center (leaving Lori in the car to watch out!) and Ronetta and I carried the stuff in while Dan set things up. Luckily we managed to get it done in about half an hour and then we went to In 'n Out Burger for lunch (lousy fries--good burger). Dan dropped Ronetta and I off on the strip while he and Lori went to the mall and I talked 'Netta into going to the Titanic exhibit with me. I wish I could have snapped a photo of the promenade deck but there wasn't enough available light. They had a velvet curtain up with "starlight" shining through and there was air conditioning blowing to simulate cool night air and if you looked over the railing you could see the lights were set up to look like starlight shining on water than ran by....seriously I stood there for several minutes just feeling like I was really on board! (Note: definately worth the $25 price tag if you're a Titanic buff!) After that I couldn't justify spending more in the gift shop so I dropped .51 cents and got a penny squished with an imprint of the ship. We then went to the M & M store (total overpriced madhouse) and then the Coke store (less of a madhouse but still overpriced) since 'Netta wanted to look for stuff before meeting Dan a little later (with some confusion as to just how far down the strip did we manage to go and would we mind backtracking to where he was sitting on the side of the road) We then drove to the Hilton to check in and get ready for the show.

That night we only had to be at the show for 2 hours, then Dan took us all to dinner (absolutely delicious prime rib!) and then he and Lori flew back to SLC while 'Netta and I took the Monorail down to the strip and watched the Bellagio water jets/light show thing. WOW! I took several video shots on my camera phone as well as stills (wouldn't you know I forgot the digital camera back at the hotel!) Anyway, between the afternoon walking and the evening (we mistakenly walked from the Bellagio to the MGM and back so she could go to the M & M store again)we put some serious mileage on our tootsies and I came back to the hotel with a blister on the bottom of my foot and one bleeding on my heel (so much for the walking power of my sneakers!)Tried to get dessert at a cafe in the hotel only to find that they closed in five mins but had already stripped all the food out of the kitchen (well, that's their story anyway). Went to the room and ordered 2 slices of carrot cake and 2 glasses of moo to the tune of $25 on room service! Talk about OUCH! Quite an expensive, painful and eye-opening day as I realized those weren't newspaper boxes we were passing on the street but hooker advertisements!

Day 2: Tried to get breakfast at the same cafe we tried the night before....line was wayyyyyyyyyy too long so we grabbed a muffin and pop at the in-house coffee shop (man, I didn't eat healthy at all on this trip!) and then had the trade show from 11 to 6:30. It was not bad (except my feet were feeling like bruised hamburger by this time so I kicked my shoes under the table and went barefoot). Got some really good contacts and a couple of orders for the show and felt it went great so we decided to eat at the Rainforest Cafe over at the MGM. Found out the Monorail takes you to the back of the casino so you have to walk all the way through them to get to the strip--this way you're more likely to gamble--and you add that much more mileage again to already sore feet! The restaurant was worth the pain--if you ever get to Vegas you need to try it! Not bad prices, the food was amazing (I had fish and chips)--oh, don't go for the side salad cause its just bitter greens on a plate with a chuck or two of tomato hiding under it all for $4.99! Anyway, the atmosphere is fun (its a simulated rain forest and when you walk in you walk through this huge salt water fish tank arch. Afterwards we stopped at the rainforest gift shop and found the prices really reasonable (I bought a beanie bat in halloween colors for $5 and learned they give 20% of the proceeds to a protection fund so it was worth it. We then stopped at the Cirque du Soleil KA store where I gazed at the lovely (and expensive!) masks before heading to the Treasure Island to watch the pirates show. Stood in the crowds waiting for it to start when I noticed all the signs said the show was called "Sirens of the T.I." hmmmm.....soon found out why as all these women come sliding out in super skimpy garb, capture some poor pirate and ravish him...sink his fellow pirates ship when it comes to rescue him and then they swim over, climb aboard and are ravished as well. Geez...the whole town revolves around smuck. Was glad to hear other comments around us after the show as to how disappointing and vulgar the crowd found the new show. After that it was walking again, this time down to the Mirage where we watched the volcano explode out front before finally making our way back to the casino. Watched Ronetta drop $9 gambling and win $25 before she decided she was too tired to want to do more (and me standing there wanting to cry cause my feet were really killing me by then) so we hobbled up to our room and passed out for the night. Oh, and 'Netta got propositioned to join a group and become an escort while we were wandering around....

Day 3: Was smart and checked out at 8 in the morning (beating the line I noticed after the conference as all the other vendors tried leaving) and then stuffed our bags behind our booth out of the way. The show only ran for 4 hours (9-1) today so we weren't expecting much--in fact several of the exhibitors had already taken down their booths and left. We did get a couple really good contacts before the end of the show and we broke the booth down as fast as we could, grabbed a couple of bellhops to wheel our boxes and bins out to the truck and then we made our escape. Actually, we were on the road about an hour after the show ended. The drive back wasn't bad....I averaged 85-90 for most of it except through Virgin Creek Canyon--road construction kept us around 55 for about 20 miles (yikes--after 90 55 seems like you're crawling!) Pulled in around 8 pm and was never so happy to come home--even if there was only a mouse to greet me! (Which reminds me...more traps--the little stinker jumped out of the gas burner the other day (it was off!) and made a beeline for food I had sitting out--cheeky little bugger!)

And today? Total pandemonium in the office, spent the day in a rush-rush-rush and am ready to go home and eat something real! But man its good to be home.....

Monday, October 1, 2007

Humblest Appologies.....

For all of you who watch me on Deviantart....

Sorry but you just got hit with about 40 deviations that I submitted today. I added everything I've taken in the last few weeks that I wanted to get on there in one fell swoop.

Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!


Wonderful weekend...was up canning at Cynthia's until 3 in the morning and then couldn't sleep for another hour but it was fun. Finally crawled out of bed (officially) at 11 and saw beautiful rain coming down...showered, ate and got ready to head over to Cynthia's to pick up my canning spoils and had to do a double take--it was a snow storm outside! WOW! Grabbed my camera and snapped a bunch of pics on my way to Cynthia's and then stood outside her house shivering as I took photog after photog of her flower garden covered in snow. I ended up using my battery completely over there (I seriously need to look into getting a second battery!) and got some cute shots of the girls making a snowman (yes, there was enough snow for a full-size snowman!) I'll put a couple in here but I have so many I wanna post on Deviantart that I don't know where to start. I know I said I'd have the other pics posted there on Friday but its been a bit of a zoo lately getting ready for the trade show this next weekend (eek!) that I am lucky I remember anything else right now! I have the group of photos narrowed down and will decide officially this evening after work so they SHOULD be on by tomorrow morning.

Wednesday, September 26, 2007

Robert Jordan

Sadly I just learned that one of my favorite authors, Robert Jordan, passed away on Sept 16th. Just spent a few minutes scrolling through his blog and was amazed at how positive he sounded about beating this blood disorder he'd been diagnosed with....in fact he had posted about beating it just a few days before his death. Amazing author...and a very nice man--he was kind enough to autograph every copy of his books that I had (a present for Yancy) when I met him about a decade ago. If you're interested, I couldn't get a link set up but here's the blog address: www.dragonmount.com/RobertJordan

Its gonna be a lovely day

You know it HAS to be when it has started so perfectly. The other day I was talking with Jase about this cornfield I pass every morning and have been wanting to photograph....so this morning I pulled over, got out of the car, and walked out into the field. It was so amazing--the colors of the cornstalks shining in the sun, the birds singing from somewhere within the field--it was so calm and peaceful I was able to forget the fact that beyond the drainage ditch waited numerous cars sitting and waiting for a train to pass. I eventually had to come back out though (camera ran out of juice--I haven't charged it in awhile!) and join the rat race but what a perfect way to start my day!

p.s. I'll have a couple of the field shots posted up on my Deviantart account friday...

p.p.s. Hey! I just figured out how to upload my pics on here...here's a sample of this morning's perfection!

Tuesday, September 25, 2007

It's all about the bum.....

Guess what gang....IT IS MY TUSH! I put that quilt down on the chair and PRESTO...no more shocks. While its nice to know where the problem lies (both of my last work chairs were fabric) its still humiliating to know my bum is, technically, the culprit! I should be getting my own computer chair here at work soon since the one I am using is broken; guess I will have to be sure to get a vinyl one rather than fabric......

Monday, September 24, 2007

and now for something a little more shocking....

UGH! Fall, amazingly beautiful and as WOW as it is also brings with it one thing I definately do not enjoy....I become one big electric shock! Everything around me gives me a buzz....light switches, door knobs, any and all electrical equipment. For those not in the know I actually shorted out the motherboard of my last employer's fax/copier/scanner....seriously fried the sucker (thank goodness it was a rental under warranty!)

Anyone with any advice for me...send it my way! I have a plant in the office (norfolk pine), I wear tennis shoes and try to avoid dragging my feet, I am NOT wearing ANY wool whatsoever....other than wearing gloves around the office (highly impractical) I am at a loss for what else to do other than break down and buy one of those silly "plug me into an outlet" bracelets. I DO plan to bring in the throw quilt that worked at my last job....I set it over my chair and it helped tremendously (does that mean that the culprit is my tush???) Hmmmmmmm....I guess tomorrow will tell the tale.

The most wonderful time of the year....

I know that everyone thinks of Christmas when that phrase comes around but for me fall is the most wonderful time of the year....leaves are turning colors, the days twine by in ever-changing skies of brilliant blue and cloudy gray and the smell of rain hangs fresh on the air. Fog lies gently on the fields in the morning and low-hanging clouds climb the nearby mountain peaks....peaks that this morning revealed their first coat of snow! Its this time of year that makes you feel all snuggly-warm, listening to the rain on the rooftop, drinking warm cocoa while bundled up warm on the couch. I don't know about the rest of you out there but for me, fall is not a time of death and endings, but of laying the old aside, and pulling ourselves together to become something new in the spring.

Monday, September 17, 2007

Update

Mouse: still uncaught (unsurprising since the trap is still sitting, unbaited on the counter!) but he's been spotted a couple of times

Home: 90% unpacked...we're down to figuring out what books to have out and unpack about 8 tons worth of fabric

Work: still love it, but exhausted today....girl needs to work out and get into shape (but then I spent today lugging around 96 lb boxes!)

Life in general: about as much of a mess as always!

Tuesday, September 11, 2007

There's a mouse in my house!

Yup....you read right...there's a stinking cute tan mouse living somewhere in my home! I stayed home from work yesterday with the flu and was sitting on the couch when I happened to look into the kitchen and see this little guy come out from under the stove. He sniffed the air for a couple of moments and then casually wandered back from where he came from. Sure he looked adorable but it doesn't mean I want to share my home with him. Haveta admit that I was tempted last night to toss a peanut in that direction since I was eating some....haven't seen him since but I set up my computer and noticed there's mouse poo on my computer desk! Sure he looked cute earlier but mouse poo--absolutely not! So now I get to find a humane trap and then cart his little furry butt across the road to the dairy farm. Just hope he doesn't have some mousy family in the walls with him!

Thursday, September 6, 2007

Brothers, birthdays, unpacking and hilarious comic fun

Okay, I know pretty much only family reads this blog but I just wanted to say that this saturday at four we're having a bbq at jason's place to celebrate his birthday...hope you can come....

Well the unpacking progresses...its starting to look as if I live there now. Its nice to know that you've reached that point where someone could walk into the house and say "yep...this is where Shawna lives". I am getting so anal about cleanliness--proly since I've lived with a roomie who was a bit of a slob and then I am cleaning up the previous tenants ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww-ness that he left behind. Its making me automatically put things in the dishwasher once I am done with them and keeping stuff nice and neat. Frankly, all the boxes I still have lying around are driving me nuts but the goal is to be done by Sunday so I am not too worried.

As a heads up to anyone who may not have stumbled across this yet you gotta go to Miya's web comic.... its hilarious, tho' I warn you now she's not against dropping the F bomb when you're not looking! The link is on my page or just go to suchrubbish.com. You won't regret it. The last couple of weeks following Alice and her "misadventure" at work have literally had me peeing my pants!

Wednesday, September 5, 2007

Cure

Its all right everyone, it turns out the Cure just postponed their U.S. Tour until March/April of next year; they still plan to come to SLC!!!!! (whew!) I can still try to go, and who knows, maybe by then I can find someone who likes the Cure enough to want to go with me.....

Tuesday, September 4, 2007

So much stuff.....

Well, I survived the weekend....Swiss Days was fun but both Cynthia and I were up wayyyyyyyy to late the night before so we were both tired. Watched a nice parade and got a couple of nice shots from it but I couldn't help but compare it to parades I've seen at Chataqua. Sorry to say it Midway but Chewelah has you beat for parades. Actually, there were some amazing booths set up and also the typical middle-of-the-road junk...I was surprised to see a couple really cheesy ones made it through the jurying process as well. I bought myself two metal sculpture things--a hanging dragonfly and a pumpkin candle holder along with a couple small miscellaneous items. It was DEFINATELY crowded and I came home with a mild sunburn on my neck but it was worth it--I had a lot of fun!

Went back to Cynthia's...had some bbq chicken and then ate that cheesecake....hmmm... it wasn't bad but I think I want to play around with the recipe a bit as the carrot cake could have been better and the same with the cheesecake. I think if I incorporate two recipes I already know and love I could come up with something fairly spectacular.

Sunday and Monday were pretty much spent unpacking and cleaning cleaning cleaning. Went to WalMart last night and spent a freaking $200 in kitchen junk because the idea of using what Marty left behind was making me sick. I bought four bowls, four plates (from different sets but they look amazing together!) spatula, can opener, really neat metal collander with the holes being a cut-out design of grapes, a pot/pan set, two casserole dishes and a set of glasses. Also got a mop and broom among other items. Realized I really need and want a blender so if anyone out there still hasn't gotten me anything for my birthday a gift cert to somewhere I can pick a blender up from would be great!

Realized that with all of this unpacking (and still so many boxes to go) just how much stuff I have. I gave away so much when I moved down here but its overwhelming to see just how much I still have. Ronetta, Mike and Meggie stopped by yesterday afternoon for about an hour and Ronetta stated her amazement as to how many boxes I'd gone through and how she couldn't see where it had disappeared to. Ah the illusion of full bookshelves, etc etc....you never imagine just how many boxes it takes of books to fill one of those things. I do, however, need to go through my books and take some to DI as I have far far far too many! But that's a chore for a couple weeks from now....my main focus is to finish up with those boxes and finally be moved in before sorting out stuff to get rid of! I have to admit I shouldn't have expected too much from this weekend as I did spend most of it over at Cynthia's....junk doesn't unpack itself!

Friday, August 31, 2007

WEEKEND!

Hooray! The weekend is almost here! I know I have several plans already set in motion and am really excited about them, but I think I am looking forward to Sunday/Monday the most. I will be able to finish unpacking and actually know where my stuff is. Tonight if its not too late I am going to stop by WalMart for a small fish tank and set it up....that way it can run for a day or two before I get some Tetras on monday. As my dad so quaintly put it the other day...fish are easy to get rid of. I think he's thinking about flushing them but I know that if I ever decided I didn't want them anymore I can convince a certain little girl I know to take them on! It'll just make the place a little home-ier to have something else moving around other than me and the mice that I may or may not have....I think the hole is an old one......not sure yet.......

Thursday, August 30, 2007

Birthday....birthday....birthday

Well, my plans are now officially set....yesterday Dan told me I had to go to Swiss Days up in Midway so last night while canning pears with my friend Cynthia I asked her if she wanted to go with me. So she, her daughters and I are heading up bright and squirelly Saturday morning. Dad called last night to find out what my plans were and offered to pay for whatever I found up there that catches my eye for my birthday which is sweet, and Jase is taking me out Friday night for dinner. So here's the itinerary:

Friday night...dinner and whatever with Jase

Early early early predawn Saturday morning...watch the meteor shower

7 am Saturday morning...go to Cynthia's,get 'em out of bed and be on the road by 7:30

9 am...watch the parade, wander around the campgrounds and have fun

evening...hmmm...there's supposed to be a birthday cheesecake in here sometime from the Smiths...I found a recipe for Carrot Cake Cheesecake and they offered to bake it for me so at some point I will end up back at their place for dessert

10:15...catch the late show at ComedySportz cause its my birthday and I get in free

12:30 Sunday morning.....PASS OUT!

Wednesday, August 29, 2007

Found!

Found my make-up and nail polish last night...all is right with the world once again, in fact I could hardly wait to sit down and paint my fingernails a different color!

Found my movies too.....its a good thing since I'll probably spend my birthday weekend finishing up emptying my boxes and vegging out in front of the tv....

Tuesday, August 28, 2007

little sisters.....

Well, Lucie flew home this afternoon. I drove her to SL airport, walked with her until we reached the security gate....and then watched her go. YES I CRIED A LITTLE! All I can say is thank heavens for sunglasses so no one could see the coupla tears I had leaking out (no I didn't break down sobbing in front of everyone....I saved that for the car!)

Honestly, I cried but it wasn't bad....in fact I was well on the way back to work before she even boarded the plane....and by the time she landed I was hip deep in shipping boxes and packaged orders. I'm a little sad to see her go, but I know she was getting a bit homesick and hanging out with me 24/7 watching me pack and then unpack my boxes could not have been fun! Besides, she plans to move down here after graduation next June and that's only what....9 months away? I think I can survive. Besides, as she pointed out to me today; she'll be calling pretty much every night as it is...who has time for hysterics because she's talking to me from another state?

Moving....eclipses....and where's my kitty?

sigh....someone is telling me most firmly that NO I am not to get a cat (and no, I am not talking about you Jase!) Echo's adoption fell through....I was approved, had the forms, went to the college to set things into motion only to find someone else had already adopted the little stinker and taken him home. Then my friend Ronetta offered me a half-starved abandoned kitten that she would bring down for my birthday this weekend--he's been claimed by the maintenance guy who found him in the first place (never mind the fact that Enrique already has 6 cats!) Obviously there is a higher power stepping forward here...at least that is how I plan to interpret things. Oh well, fish are less hassle anyway...think I will get some tetras this weekend once I clear up some counter space.

The unpacking moves slowly forward...found my cell phone charger but still haven't found the box with my makeup in it. I'd better find it tonight because Lucie flies home today and I won't be able to borrow hers anymore! My desks are in place now in the spare room which will allow me to start unpacking all the stuff that goes on and in it. Little by little it is starting to look as if I actually live there....tho it still smells like the old tennant (what do I expect though...he was there nearly a year and I've just been in for three days).

Woke up at five this morning to see the lunar eclipse and it was beautiful...the moon was a deep rusty red with pale blue around the edges. I went out into the street in my pjs to watch for about fifteen minutes and then I went in the house to try and wake up Lucie. Turns out you could see it pretty good outside my bedroom window so I woke Lucie up to take a peek. One peek was about all she took and then she passed right back out! I sat there for another hour watching the moon slowly pass out of the earth's shadow--the white moon shone brilliantly against the red and the blue became more and more pronounced as the eclipse slowly ended. I missed the final stages though because some clouds got in the way but I was still amazed by all I was able to see.

Thursday, August 23, 2007

Isn't packing supposed to be hard?

Last night I had no problem packing up my junk....I popped in "Heroes" on my compy and packed as I kept half an eye on the screen....finished the last 6 episodes that way and got a LOT of stuff boxed up. I thought this was going to be incredibly hard without Lucie being around to help but, so far, not so bad. The worst bit is that I am finding oodles of black spiders in my room as I move stuff around and THAT is just bugging me to no end...just how many spiders have I been sleeping with down there?!?!?! Boxes that have only sat there for two days now have webs and someone trying to create a little home! Can we say Ewwwwwwwwwww?

Now that I've finished with Heroes I will either pop in the first season of Kids in the Hall or the first series of the original Star Trek (no Jase I haven't finished watching Voyager yet....KITH and ST I don't need to really focus on...Voyager I need to be sitting down and paying attention!) So far most of my movies, all of my cds, all of my books and everything in my (VERY BIG) closet are packed. Tonight I'll get the fabric rack, under my bed, the desks, the bathroom and my dresser. Wow....I think I may just be able to do this!

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

Moving and Marmalade

I fell in love yesterday....with this sweet marmalade cat at the Vet Tech school Lucie is thinking of attending next year. His name is Echo and he's FIV so he has to be an only cat and remain indoors....and I think I am going to adopt him. I need to check with the Humane Society about what it would take but it turns out the timing is good--I am moving this weekend not next (eeps! can anyone say NOT PACKED!) Anyway, by Labor Day weekend I should be unpacked and fairly settled in so I think (with the Humane Society's blessing of course) that I will be driving up after work next Friday and coming home with a fluffy new roommate.

Speaking of the move I am absolutely frantic....I slept maybe two hours last night because I was worrying over how much crap I have to haul around. Looking at it a little more realistically this morning though...the truth is I didn't unpack a ton of my stuff when I moved to Tammy's so a lot of things are still in boxes. The next three nights after work are going to be filled with packing, packing and more packing but I honestly think I can get it done tonight and tomorrow and then Lucie will be back Friday (she's staying with Dan and Lori for a few days). I think we'll spend Friday grabbing last minute stuff and hauling boxes upstairs and into the garage so the free "moving help" will have an easier time getting the stuff loaded.

All-in-all the next few days will be jam packed and interesting.....

Monday, August 20, 2007

MapQuest and our Saturday adventures

Let me just open by saying MapQuest lies....it lies, it lies, it lies. Lucie and I went up to SLC this Saturday to see Hogle Zoo and printed out our driver-friendly map to guide us on the way....only to drive up and down the same road over and over trying to figure out where we had lost our turnoff. There were banners up around the street we were driving on proclaiming "Hogle Zoo" but nothing else. Finally I pulled into a gas station (yes, I admit I was extremely frustrated by that time!) and after filling the tank asked the cashier for directions. Well wouldn't you know it but the street we were looking for ran PARALLEL to the one we were on and the two were several blocks apart (major whoops over there MapBoys!) Re-oriented ourselves, found the Zoo and promptly started wandering around taking photogs of all the wildlife that caught our eyes. Sadly tho I find zoos rather depressing as the animals have very little room to roam and must really be bored out of their skulls. About the most animated creatures we came across were the monkeys (which Lucie and I both don't like). When all was said and done we had a good time, rode the little kiddie train ride, bought our souveniers and then poor Lucie, worn out and probably tired had to deal with me dragging her up to This Is The Place Monument (I didn't know it was right across from the zoo....been wondering where that thing was!) We didn't stay for long as it was past five but I plan to go back at another time and wander through the village. On the way home I turned off so we could drive up to the Squaw Peak lookout (hadn't been up to the top before) and admired the view....and it also gave my poor car a chance to cool off as it DEFINATELY did not like the drive up there! I must have stopped the car 3 or 4 times on the way back down to snap more pics with Lucie rolling her eyes by the end as I pulled over YET AGAIN...but she didn't complain when I then took us a couple miles farther down the road to photograph Bridal Veil Falls. We hung out there for probably 45 minutes and had some guy in a van laughing at us. We were joking about how much child abuse Lucie was going through having to hang around while I took pictures and I was replying how I'd show her child abuse as soon as I was done taking pictures. Definately a fun day, though I'd wished we'd had enough time to go to the aquarium as well....but now that's an adventure for this next Saturday.....lets hope MapQuest gets my directions right this time!

Wednesday, August 15, 2007

Birthday!

Okay, if anyone really wants to make me happy for my birthday I have stumbled across the PERFECT gift!!!!! The Cure (my favorite band of all time!) is performing at the E Center in West Valley on October 4th (yes, its a Thursday) and I would LOVE (repeat that peps....LOVE!) a ticket to go!!! Don't procrastinate.....tickets are on sale now!

Tuesday, August 14, 2007

Anything but purple.......

Once again I allowed myself to be seduced by the hair color goddess....the one who says "sure your hair looks nice but why not try something with some kick to it?" sigh. A box of Herbal Essense "Paint the Town" red slips itself gently into my cart among the bagels and cream cheese and I am now $10 poorer than when I first walked into the store.

Cut to late last night---tired, really wanting sleep and yet that magical little box keeps whispering "you really want to use me now"...so I grab an old towel and begin the process of morphing from a brunette to a redhead. (Side note: I have no idea why red is so appealing to me since it really isn't a good hair color for me but dang it I am always tempted by the reds!) Imagine my shock when I put this on and see what looks like carrot juice orange going on my hair.....okay, calm down, as usual its not the shade I am going to end up with. Wait out my 30 minutes impatiently and then step into the shower. Halfway through rinsing this stuff out I glance down and see that it looks like I have stepped in the middle of a bloodbath--eeps! So I quickly finish rinsing my hair out and then spend another five minutes making sure that nothing in the bathroom has been permenantly stained with this crud. By the time I look in the mirror I am too tired to really care what color it ends up being and give it a quick comb and then crawl into bed.

Woke up this morning to find that it LOOKS red.....kewl, I think as I jump back in the shower, make myself up and head out the door for work. I stop floored as I catch a glimpse of myself in the rearview mirror--crap, in the sunlight my hair definately has a purple cast to it! Oh well...the Goddess has slinked off, smirking how once again she has fooled me into thinking I was making some kind of improvement to myself and I am left thinking thank goodness red doesn't stay in my hair for long!

Monday, August 13, 2007

When all the stars were falling.....

That's kind of how it seemed this morning anyway for the Perseid meteor shower. It was a bit of an adventure getting to see it though!

Lucie and I stayed up late last night (won't humiliate myself by telling you what movie she talked me into watching!) and I passed out somewhere around 1 am--poor Lucie had insomnia last night and didn't fall asleep until 3. Brave little trooper she is though, she crawled out of bed when I woke her at 4 in the morning and we drove down Hobble Creek Canyon heading for the Boy Scout campgrounds about 20 miles away. On the way we passed a badger in the road, numerous deer and something white that zipped up the hillside beside us before either one of us could really see it--tho we know it was bigger than a breadbox!

Reached the turnoff, headed up the worlds most rocky road and bumped up that for a couple of miles (praying I wouldn't pop a tire!) only to be stopped by a miniature lake/oversize pond in the road! Backed down (still dark out kids!) and managed to turn around. We ended up parking at the end of someone's driveway (the house was out of sight up and around a hill) and settled in to watch the show. For being a bit cloudy out in the forty minutes we had before the horizon started lighting we counted 20 meteors between the two of us and watch Orion rise from behind the mountain in front of us. Some of the meteors were real dazzlers--I spotted a red streak and one that, in the growing dawn, glowed minty green.

The one bummer was that I borrowed Jase's digital camera and wasn't able to use it for the light show since I had no idea how to set it for a timed exposure, but I got several beautiful shots of the sunrise so it was worth it. We joked about being eaten by mountain lions as we traipsed across the road to a pasture where Lucie had spotted some horses, though she couldn't convince them to come closer and then headed back for the car. No sooner than we got into the car and started it then the property owner drove by, rolled down his window and asked if he could help us. I smiled, said how we'd just watched the meteor shower and were actually off for home but thanks just the same and he drove away.

Got home to a bowl of Life cereal and a shower while Lucie crawled sleepily back into bed, though she did stay awake long enough to watch me off to work at 7:30.

What a beautiful way to spend the morning! I can't wait until the next "light show" on my birthday!!!!!

Thursday, August 9, 2007

Dating and Deviants

Boy...bet the title of this one caught you! No, I am not dating a deviant...not dating at all! But at least I worked up the courage to call this guy I really like (YES! Voicemail takes the heat off!) Left my name, number and asked if he wanted to catch the new Bourne movie that I know he was dying to see...which left the ball in his court. Ran home after work and cleaned up (just in case!) and OMG he called me back!!!!! Of course it was to tell me that he was in SLC at the moment and wasn't able to go to the show but that he thought it sounded like fun and was sorry he couldn't make it. Okay, here I am thinking "okay there's some hope here" when he dropped the bomb that he was thinking of buying a place in Salt Lake as he now works up there.....crap! I told him to give me a call whenever and we had a nice chat but damn I looked good yesterday....date-able good! Needless to say my little sister and I went to the show and loved it but I spent a hefty chunk of that time wishing a certain someone could have been in the seat next to me (sorry Lucie!)

Oh...and as for the deviants? I uploaded some of my photography (unphotoshopped) onto deviantart...I plan to keep uploading so check up on me every now and again...

Monday, July 30, 2007

its all in how you look at it... an interesting (?) accident

Well, today was my first official "I'm a clutz" maneuver at work. I was using a Phillips screwdriver to pry apart some defective switches for recycling when the screwdriver slipped and imbedded itself about halfway through my palm. Funny but it didn't hurt at the time so I calmly pulled it out, walked to the sink and began washing it. Heading to the cupboard where we keep bandaids I looked down and noticed something thin, silky/silvery looking and about an inch long coming from my oh so lovely puncture wound. I think it was a nerve fiber! It felt weird pulling on it...it didn't hurt, but I could feel some strange sensations along my wrist when I played with it. Don't worry....it definately hurt when I tugged hard enough to snap the sucker off!

Needless to say, I threw it away, put a bandaid on my palm and went back to work, thanking my (lucky?) stars that I'd just had a tetnus shot a month-and-a-half ago! The funny thing is that, in spite of the fact that 8 hours later my hand is stiff and freaking sore, today really was a good day at work and I got a lot accomplished. And on the plus-er side, I got to see a part of me that I never have before in a soooooooooo kewl, forensic files kind of way....am I sick or what?

Friday, July 27, 2007

moves and little sisters...

Well, my friend Ronetta has offered me her mobile home for the low low low price of $300 a month...and the sucker is furnished! Hooray! My own home again....no roomies and all that entails (for those of you in contact with me you've proly already heard a few of the complaints!) I should be able to move in labor day weekend but am not sure if I will be moving then or the following weekend as Ronetta, the gang and I are thinking of heading for Wyoming to go Dude Ranching for my birthday...mine or hers....no one has really decided yet. 'Netta's birthday is at the end of the month so it would just be one day on the ranch unless everyone took an extra day off of work so I think it would proly be a better idea for labor day weekend but we'll discuss it tonight.

Of course moving means packing and packing means GOING THROUGH ALL MY CRAP TO BE SURE I REALLY WANT TO HAUL IT WITH ME YET AGAIN! sigh. I hate moving. I've already decided that this weekend is gonna be me, packing boxes, my junk and a couple of movies playing in the background for company. I also have incentive since my little sister Lucie is coming down to spend a month with me. She arrives this tuesday and will be here until August 28th. It'd be nice to have most of the extra crap boxed up before she gets here so she can not only show up to a nice clean room but so that I won't be panicking because I have no intention of packing while she's here (talk about boring!) Of course I've invited Mikey over for dinner sometime this weekend so I will have some human contact to look forward to. Turns out he's packing this weekend too cause he turned in his two weeks notice and plans to head up to Layton in a couple of weeks.

So....if I don't answer my phone this weekend odds are its cause its buried under a pile of my junk, or that I can't climb over the boxes fast enough to get to it. If you still haven't gotten a hold of me by the middle of next week you may want to start worrying that I've accidently taped my cell up into one of the packing boxes! With my luck, it'll proly happen.....

Monday, July 23, 2007

what a week....

Okay, managed to survive my first week on the new job (with a ton of yawning!) and realized, yet again, why I am happy I no longer work for my old employer. Apparently he freaked when he saw my "extra hours" over the weekend and wasn't happy about "being forced to pay me for it"...man, what a jerk! Forward to new job...okay, my new boss is my uncle so there's already an "i like you as a person" vibe going on but its been funny to see how we have a professional working relationship here. It's not strange at all...but it feels like it should be.

Regardless, I LOVE MY NEW JOB! I do a lot of things and there's quite a bit of flexability with it so its a lot of fun. I enter, fill and ship product from this office and call on orders coming from the warehouse. I get to call on old estimates and see if they are interested in placing an order (a lot less scary than I thought!) and try to think of new ways to drum up business. I also get to handle the couple of walk-in customers that we get (and let me get this out of the way now..THEY ARE ALL GUYS! and some of them are pretty darn cute!) My flirtation muscles are getting exercise again!!!! I also am getting tons of exercise around here with running around filling orders and lifting some extremely heavy boxes (97 lbs is not uncommon here!)

The week ended well...went to Wendover and did some mild gambling for Meggie's birthday (Ronetta's daughter). Ended up losing $15 in the end but had fun except for one teensy weensy little sin...girl had a shot glass sized pina colada. Yup, the kind that's made with rum...tho after me beating myself up over it the people I was with admitted that there was less than a spoonful of booze in that thing...still....BAD GIRL! Too bad it tasted kinda yummy....until I tasted the rum anyway. Don't worry, I am still kicking myself for that one...confessed my sin to my 16 year old baby sister and she asks, "uh..can't you get those things non-alcoholic?" Aw man! Why didn't I think of that while I was ordering it????

Came home late Saturday with my new Harry Potter book in tow and then spent Sunday reading it off and on. Finished by 4:30 in the afternoon and was fairly upset with Mrs. Rowling because she freaking killed off my favorite character!!!!! Okay, maybe upset is a bit strong since I had a feeling this person wasn't going to make it but it still was upsetting to get to it....especially since we don't know how they died or which person killed them...we just come across them lying there dead.

In one sense I am happy that the series has wrapped up and there's no more waiting to find out who comes out on top in the end, especially since I was getting a little tired of the ongoing storyline (seriously, how many times can we hear the chorus of "ooh Snape is the bad guy!" without wanting to smack those kids upside the head?). Kudos to Rowling for definately wrapping this thing up with no real ends to come back to later.

All in all it was a very long, but rather satisfying week.