From Winter Wonderland to Disgusting Murky Hell

Christmas is literally magical.  I'm not talking about the kind of magic that brings warmth and kindness into our hearts and makes us want to give change to needy children in the cold.  I mean that The days between November 25th and December 25 have some weird sparkly dust in it.  It's like we all get brainwashed in those days but the minute those days are over somewhere during the time we are all sleeping on Christmas night the Christmas magic disappears.  Let me explain.

Scenario: A snowstorm.

Example one: December 21st.  It's been a long day at work.  You are all ready to go home and you're very tired and a little stressed.  You walk outside to see the snow gently falling from the sky.  You smile as one small snowflake falls onto your nose and melts.  You turn on your car as the song "Silver Bells" comes on over the radio.  The lights in the city are sparkly as the snow glistens in the sky.  The night smells like joy and the air is crisp.  The feeling of Christmas is with everyone.

Example two: December 26th. You wake up with a stuffy nose.  How the heck did that happen.  The whole day of Christmas all you did was stay inside and watch movies.  How is it possible you got a cold.  Still you have to go to work.  You turn on the morning news to find out that it snowed all night.  It also got below freezing so now all the roads are frozen over with ice.  There are already a few cars sliding off the roads and traffic is worse than ever.  You walk outside in the snow and start cleaning off your car. The snow is perma-plaqued onto your window to the point where you are looking out the wee bottoms of your windows because you've given up trying to scrape it all.  You turn on the radio to hear classics like 'Maybe I like it' and 'One more Night'.  Nothing brings a happy feeling like fornication and adultery!  Car horns and screeching tires fill up the air.

How does that happen?  How does one day change everything?  It's like night and day.  It goes from Let it Snow, Mr. Snowman to Make it stop you evil man also known as Frost Bite!  I think we need a smoother transition.  Maybe we should try to get the radio stations and tv stations to keep playing all the cheesy music and movies for a little longer.  No chances are we would all get so sick of it in a day.  Maybe we need to create a new Holiday in January where we all get time off work and are required to go play in the snow for a day.  That might help.  I dunno but I do know that right now I'm sitting at work and people have come in tired, grumpy and cold whereas two days ago they've come in with Holiday spirit up the whazoo.

Living vicariously through the stories around me

Today was a good day.  You may think this is because I nailed that still life depiction  in Drawing 1 (can I draw a stool with a cone and potato on it? heck yeah) or maybe because it's 5:56 and I'm home from school for once in my life but it's not either of those.  It's because I got to hear the drama of not one, not two, not three, but four good people's love lives today.  I enjoy these moments so much! Some more than others depending on the person.  But today I heard some quality stuff.  After about the third person, my friend had overheard and awakened me of how much satisfaction I get out of these tales of love, passion, and at times sadness.  I've begun to evaluate the why of this predicament and decided to share my findings.  Here we go.

TV, Duh.  I grew up on shows like Boy Meets World.  Let's just talk about how many times Cory and Topanga broke up and got back together.  Let's think about the time when Cory kissed gross Lauren even though he loved Topanga and how it took her kissing another hot ear-pierced artist to get her to realize her love for Cory.  Let's talk about how they had an adorable friendship for a few seasons before they got together and in the meantime he dated some other girl that totally wasn't good enough (even though I loved TK).  I even learned my fair share from

Even Stevens and Power Rangers.  Louis and Tawny were great friends until they professed their love in the form of home video (do I plan to do this someday? yes) and I'm still sure that Jason (red ranger) and Kimberly (pink ranger) had a thing.  They also worked together which brings me to the next thing I learned from TV.  If you are forced to spend at least 4 out of the 7 days of the week together you are obviously getting married.  Jim and Pam, Castle and Beckett, Tony and Ziva, I could honestly go on and on.  I have learned how to seduce men through work relationships.  Sometimes it's through favors like bringing them coffee everyday just to see a smile on their face.  Other times it's through being able to talk all through work and then seeing Pam go home to her stupid fiance Roy who doesn't even appreciate her.  Sometimes it's saving them from the deserts of Somalia (while I have never done this one specifically you get the metaphor).  Any way you look at it, working together always leads to marriage, unless your Tobey.  But why do I get so much satisfaction from these stories?  I mean you've gotta be wondering, "Doesn't this girl have anything better to do with her day than listen to stories?


Well technically it's what I do with my day as my aspirations are to become a Broadcast Journalist.  I adore listening to stories.  If those stories are about the people closest to me, even better.  I especially love, love stories.  If I listen to a story from a guy every day for a year and that ends in marriage it's like the best thing of my life!  My good friend Katie and I made a Love Montage a couple years ago.  Three and a half hours of the most heart-wrenching love stories from chick flick movies like Runaway Bride, to the classic action tv show '24'.  I have watched this masterpiece probably about 20 times which means I have literally watched 70 hours of love.  But besides that point I do it to learn and grow.  If it's a cute guy I am talking to it's always a plus to know that (blank) is what cute guys look for in girls.  I'm a single girl in my twenties after all. More than that it's just fun to get inside the male brain for a minute.  It's like New York City: It's crowded and different and I don't care to live there but it's nice to visit and man if looking at it from the outside isn't gorgeous. If your a girl I don't really have that incentive.  I do like my romantic partners like I like my letters: in male form.  When giving advice to girls I love pushing the whole "strong independent woman" ideals.  There is only one way to get over a guy who treated you like garbage.  We've all peed on our share of men's yards haven't we girlfriends.  If not give it a try, it's most satisfying.


I'd like to finish this up with showing how helpful I could have been to a few friends in the past if they had only let me help: Ahem . . .

Ok Brad now I know you did a little movie entitled: Mr. & Mrs. Smith and I know that was such a fun time with your lovely long-legged co-worker Anjolina Jolie.  I get it I do but come on man.  Think.  After that skin goes wrinkly and that figure goes away all you're going to be left with are a couple black kids whose life will probably be made into a TV series like Tia and Tamera Mowry.  Nobody wants that.  What do you have now?  You've got Jen.  Jen loves you!  She has done several roles with several extremely attractive men and she hasn't run off with them.  She's a natural beauty and will age well.  Her proportions may not be Laura Croft style but she will make you happy.  Don't be stupid.


Hey there R-Patts, how ya doin? Now I know that they offered you this big role in the new Twilight film.  I get it, I do.  Money, actors, teenage fan-girls up the wazoo.  But let me just warn you now brother, it is NOT gonna end well.  This girl Kristen Stewart?  She's got a dark secret that no one knows yet.  It's burried deep in her death trap of a heart.  Are you ready, here it is. . . she's boring.  She literally has no interesting characteristics. Facial Expressions, nada. Her main talent is how many times she can blink her eyes. You can do better dude. Pass up this role, do some BBC; it's up and coming I promise.






So you're thinking of dating Miley Cyrus.  Hm . . . never give her your address.  Ok nuff said.








But probably the top reason we all console the men folk comes down to one simple reason: We all want what we can't have.  What is more irresistible than a guy telling you his love life.  It's the only time a guy is ok with being vulnerable.  It's cute and shows they do have a heart past the whole football lovin, Chuck Norris watchin stuff men always talk about.  You know he is not going to leave this girl for you and you probably wouldn't even want that.  It's just fun to play with that idea that he sees you as something, even if that is no more than a friend.  And yet you can still walk through the streets of London singing "On My Own" and then someday die in his arms (or maybe that was Les Mis, I get confused).  They're nice, you want them to be happy and if that isn't with you, you might as well find a way to make yourself an asset to their life right?  Another TV moment: How many times have we seen the consoling opposite sex friend who later marries the character? Um too often my friends, me too.

You're 21. Get Married.

As I begin a new school year I have been wondering what would be appropriate to say about college life.  This year is quite a bit different for me.  I thought through the topics of things I could write about.  Well I'm a Broadcast Journalism major so I could talk about why I chose that particular vocation.  I have a new adorable baby niece so I could write about how she is the angel of my life and I am so very excited to watch her grow up with her amazing parents.  I could talk about how there are only two weeks until the new season of NCIS starts and how the writers have apparently started reading the crazy fan mail I've been sending them resulting in finally getting Tony Dinozzo and Ziva David together.  All of these are fun, full of the things I love, and completely stress free.  But as I thought about what is the biggest part of my life at this, the 21st year of my life as a senior at Utah State University and as I met with the bishop today to discuss callings and all that jazz there was only one topic that kept coming up over and over again.  Marriage (enter eye role and exhausive grown . . . here)  Ok people yes. I'm writing one those posts.  The ones when the world is attacking me for being 21, a senior, and not married.  Now I know many of my followers are out of state (haha as if I have followers ;)) so I must first explain things to you the way of world inside of Utah.  It's very long and complicated but I'll try to explain it simply.  OK here we go.

If you are a single college aged person, especially but not limited to a girl, you are insane, chastised by every bishop, mocked by every married couple, and metaphorically kicked in the shin by every beautiful busty blonde out there.

Yup that pretty much sums it up.  See for some reason, time for Latter Day Saints is different than the rest of the world.  I don't know when it happened.  Could have been the polygamy years, or when BYU was created.  If we aren't married by 30 we are automatically spinsteresses.  I won't get too far into that particular word as I've done a whole post on that part of it but we do get more pressure to get married earlier.  Whatever the reason it is sure getting annoying to be a college student.  I graduate in a few months and if I'm not married there is a good chance I will be rejected from my community much like Kovu was during The Lion King 2.


You see what he went through?  I can't handle that.  The problem is that even if I reject the world and go Kovu style I likely won't have my love follow me into the wilderness and sing "Love will find a way" like Kovu and Kiara. You see LDS culture isn't like the world.  The idea of 30 flirty and thriving isn't as true.  We don't go out to bars and clubs and drink.  I'm not saying this is a bad thing because I really have no desire to do so but that is how people meet in the world.  In our culture we have something quite a bit different but just as affective.  It's called singles wards.  Stick 190 awkward young adults and 10 not awkward young adults in a community together and let them play never have I ever for an hour and everyone will apparently find their soul-mates.  I'd say it is all lore but I've seen proof so whatevs.  So basically I've got  8 months to fall in love and get married or my life becomes Golden Girls (which wouldn't be the worst thing in the world).

I think I'm like Britta from Community.  Britta dates all the wrong guys.  Some are full of themselves, others literally have no shame.  I don't know if I do this on purpose or not but they are either emotionally or physically unavailable.  It may be my commitment issues coming to a front but I think I'm cursed.  Maybe I did a love potion in a past life that backfired in this life.  I think that's a lot more likely.  Someday I'll probably meet a boy who is my age, graduating, zero commitment issues, living exactly where he needs to, oh yeah and interested in me and I'll implode because I can't find something to stop.  I've been trying to decide what to do.  Here are my top choices





- Become a nun.  I say this for two reasons.  First of all it writes off all men which would be great.  Second I could sing great songs like in Sound of Music.  Third I could find myself a Captain Von Trap.  He does have some emotional baggage with a dead wife and all and control issues but it's a start.

- Male through Mail.  Order a husband.  I mean then I could stay single as long as I wanted and then when the time is right I just send for him.  The biggest flaw with this is that I would want the body of Hugh Jackman and the brain of Mr. Darcy (actually I'll take his body too).  This combination is probably unlikely.






- Stay single.  Nope I like men too much.  I want marriage, family, the whole thing, I just want things to work without any problems.  I know it's unrealistic but I had to say it.  I don't want the Wonder Years.  I just want simplicity.






Ok in all reality I know whatever is supposed to work out will, in it's own time frame.  Maybe distance doesn't matter, maybe dating a wardy isn't as deadly as it's been in the past.  Maybe opposites don't attract and it's better to find someone so much like you it's almost creepy.  Maybe he'll finally talk to me, maybe it's better to focus on my career right now.  Maybe my life will become a Jane Austin novel but until then I'm going to just focus on having fun with no regrets!  Emily out!

Labor Day Weekend: Thunderstorms, Fishing, Moose and More

For as long as I can remember Labor Day in my family has been about one thing: fishing.  Since I was a wee child the lovely Uinta Mountains home to Teapot Lake has been my vacation location.  When I was eight I caught seven fish on one trip, something that I gladly bragged about to my second grade class.  I remember eating gummy bears and scrambled egg sandwiches on the lake, going out in the canoe with Dad, occasionally taking a nap in the shade of a tree.  This trip changed slightly a few years ago when Mom and Dad bought some property up Ogden Canyon.  It is in a place called Sourdough Ranch.  It's a simple place where you can't even build a cabin, but we've never been a family that looks for much luxury in our camping.  All we need is a tent, a sleeping bag, and of course a place to fish.  The lake at Sourdough is stocked with trout.  Some days we have the best luck and catch our limit within an hour.  Other days we can go all day and not catch a thing.  It's never really been about what we catch though.  It's about how much fun we can make it.

It's a fine line between cute and creepy

The post of the day comes from an inner turmoil of mine.  I recently have found myself admiring from afar.  It's gone from randomly showing up in his line of vision to Facebook stalking to try to seduce this person. For the purposes of this blog and the hope that said crush remains anonymous we'll just call him The-very-good-looking-hopefully-single-boy-who-I-someday-hope-to-talk-to or TVGLHSBWISHTTT for short.  Anyway - so as I was contemplating my next move (do I stalk him to his work or the grocery store for a happenstance meeting) the thought crossed my mind that perhaps I may come off a little creepy sometimes.  I mean in my mind I am like a secret CIA agent whose identity is a complete secret and to him I'm just the cute girl that he randomly runs into once in a while but he may see me as kinda crazy.  Think of all the things that girls/guys do to try to run into the opposite gender (or same, I don't judge) just to get their attention.  Now probably 51% of the time this comes off completely adorable and is someday put in a chick flick entitled "You've Got Mail" or "While You Were Sleeping" think how easily (49% of the time) these things could have turned out the other way.

Take "You've Got Mail" the perfectly adorable movie about two people who fall in love through e-mail.  Ah, it's impossible to hate this cute rom-com featuring the charming Tom Hanks and quirky Meg Ryan.  But wait.  Let's really analyze what would have happened if Kathleen Kelly hadn't taken so kindly to finding out Joe Fox was her romantic pen pal.

Joe rounds the corner of the park.  Kathleen sees him and realizes that he is the man who wrote her the adorable letters.
Joe: "Don't cry ShopGirl"
Kathleen: "Wait - so you have known that I have been ShopGirl for like a few months and you've not only continued writing me but also decided to trick me into dating the real you on the side?  Oh yea and you also put me out of business."
Joe: "Uh yea but remember how I'm sweet and I brought flowers to you when you were sick?"
Kathleen: "You mean when you 'heard' I was sick, found out where I lived and when I wouldn't let you in snuck up to my apartment and forced your way in.  Oh yea real sweet."
You see how that can be seen as just a little creepy?  It's not only in movies folks.  It's everywhere.  You never know if what you are going to do in the name of love is going to come off as completely romantic or like you're the vampire who watches them sleep (which for some reason is also romantic?  I'm lost).


Take writing a cute note for the boy slash girl you like and leaving it on their car.  Now this comes off as either, "I just decided to leave you a cute little note because I was thinking about you and thought it might make your day," or  "I know where you are right now, I know what kind of car you drive, and I will be following you for the rest of the day."  One instance results in a twinkle in the eye and flutter of the heart while the other results in a restraining order.  You just don't want to send the wrong message.



Another scenario:  Once in a while your phone freaks out and doesn't send a text.  When responding to that person who makes the world got round you don't receive a text back.  You think, either my phone freaked out and didn't send the message or they just don't want to text me back.  You obviously jump to the conclusion you can control which is it didn't send the text.  So you want to send another text approximately an hour later just checking to see if he/she got your text.  Now in your mind this is so cute and sweet and normal.  In their minds they most likely are thinking that you are desperate, needy, and yes just say it with me creepy.

There is always that line.  It's so small and easy to cross some don't even realize they've crossed it.  One minute you're writing a cute love story and the next your characters are in an abusive relationship of wanting to die so they don't have to be away from the other and watching them sleep constantly.  Occasionally their is a demon child eating away at the mother from the womb but hey now I'm just spit ballin.

I guess the only way to end cycle is find someone just as creepy as you.  They leave a note on your car, you text them three times in a row.  Both of you have an understanding.  You'll have to get used to someone always watching you but hey at least you'll stop picking your nose!

Real Steel, Double Dutch, and Hello Dolly!

I know what you're thinking.  What could these three things possibly have to do with eachother?  Well actually they were my Sunday afternoon.  Yes I was sitting at the kitchen table after finishing an epic Media Law Final deciding what to do with my life.  I was alone in the house.  Roommates were out and about doing hm . . well let's think, they were with:
Roommate 1: Boyfriend
Roommate 2: Boy-friend
Roommate 3: Boyfriend/ almost fiance (let's face it here)
Roommate 4: Boyfriend
Roommate 5: Who knows?
Yea they all had fantastic lives full of kissin, and scooter rides and 2 AM bedtimes (that's right I heard you all) and I had, well it got me thinking what I had.

I first had been craving a cheesy, heartwarming, family film with extremely hot men and robots.  Well Real Steel has all of that and a terrible child actor!  So obviously I popped that in my computer.  After a good two hours of that I began listening to some epic "Simon and Garfunkel" Pandora (yes Peter, Paul, and Mary is my new obsession) when "Me and Julio down by the schoolyard" came on.  Oh my!  I watched the music video with much joy in my heart.  I saw that they were doing double dutch in the video.  Now I myself have the hand eye coordination of a African tortoise but I find double dutch awfully enthralling to watch.  So, well, here's how my brain process went

Youtubes
Double dutch -> National Jump Rope Competition -> World Jump Rope Competitions -> Olympic Men's gymnastics -> Women's gymnastics.

At this point the darn internet in my apartment was going too slow so I took a break to correct my Media Law Paper.  Then I began thinking about music, thinking about muscials thinking about favorites, thinking about Hello Dolly!  Back to YouTube!  I listened to several songs when my roommates began returning home, some with men some without.  Well reality hit me like the freight train in Inception hit Moll and Cobb in Limbo.  I am turning into a Spintress.  Now this wasn't my first clue but it definitely started the ball rolling.  I mean come on, my favorite television show is NCIS gosh darn it!  I sit at home on weekends watching reruns of my favorite television show and I do own my grandmothers nightgown!  I think at this point it is inevitable.  It's a running joke with my roommate that we are both going to end up as Spinstresses.  We are obsessed with fictional men, had a twelve hour marathon of the classic television show Firefly and often take naps at 2pm.  If we can just pick up a couple matines and start eating at the local country club I think we're set.

I guess it's time to take up knitting and stop shaving my legs (half-way there).  Then I started thinking what is so bad about being a Spinstress?  Besides never having kids and living alone it would seem to work out just fine. After all:
1) Men suck!  Sorry men but you are really quite idiotic. Minus a few (David Thunell, NID) all I ever see you do is take advantage of naive girls and make stupid jokes.  I don't need that.
2) Live alone, live for yourself!  Yes I could make decisions by myself.  As soon as I get over my abandonment issues this will work out great!  Not to mention I could have my career and become a strong independent woman!
3) More bread for me:  Literally I could eat the entire loaf of bread without worrying about anyone else gettin any.

So yes maybe I'll be a spinstress.  Men aren't that great anyw - oo who is that cutie?  I've never seen him in this class . . . this may be harder than I thought.

PS: This post is in no way affiliated with life as i have it by Samantha Florence.  Please respect our creative differences

Emily Landeen in 2023

Butterfingers, Bolthouse, and Toilet Paper

Tonight I was taking a ride in my rental car, a 2011 Hyundai Sonata mind you. I was with my roommate and with the weather being so nice and my car speakers being so prestine we decided to listen to some great music from Bieber to Chris Brown and Nikki Minaj.  We drove to the mall, then to Walmart where we bought the following things: Butterfinger Eggs for Easter, Bolthouse Juice, and Toilet Paper.  While these are simple items they represent so much in my life from necessities like the Toilet Paper, to the REAL necessities like Bolthouse Juice to the fun stuff like Butterfinger Eggs.  As we were standing in line with the girl in front of us giving her life's information to the cashier I began to reminisce on the good things in life, the things that make me smile, laugh, and remember why I'm here.  A list began to form and I decided what better way to enjoy my existence than to share it with all.  So here it is.  Here is my toilet paper, Butterfinger eggs and Bolthouse Juice.

Mountains - I don't think I could ever live anywhere without them.  Camping, fishing, walks, animals, the mountains offer it all.
Grilled Pineapple - The celestial food if I have anything to say about it!  Best served with Brazillian meat!
Talking TV with the fam. - Yea some would say we have no relationship when the first thing I say to them when I pick up the phone is, "Did you see _______ last night!!??"  yet I love it!  I love that we all connect on the point of TV.  I love that I can say, "Shut up Leonard, you're not wearing any shorts!" And they will know exactly what I mean.
Bolthouse Juice (literally) - This simple juice encompasses a lot.  2011 summer mostly.  Brooklane, Samantha Reeves, Troy Pickett, Fly Fishing, Big 5, so many things that made my summer!
Creepy Bug Pictures - You know the ones.  The ones that are on the back of the pest control ads and the ones you used to creep out your big sister for years?  Oh yea.  That one.
Celine Dion - Really what doesn't she have.  The Gays, Titanic, Shauntel Byron, Lightning, the girl has a finger in all pies.
TAM - "That awkward moment when _______" I think I have 5 to 10 of them a day.  Luckily it's socially acceptable now!
Zefron - He's Troy Bolton, he's Link Larken, he's a freakin Horcrux!  All you who think you've got Bieber Fever?  Zefron created the fever!
Toast - Come on, it's gotta be on there
Fun. - We are Young, Carry On, All the Pretty Girls, and oh yea a car crash.  Oh well!
Super Nintendo - Sure you guys have your Halo, Call of Duty but I have the original Pilotwings!  Eat it!
The Ultimate Love Montage - 3 and a half hours.  Every moment you could ever want.  Katie Lovendale we are legends.
Energy Drinks - JK
Adventure Time - Algebraic!

Yea life's pretty swell when you think about it!  Remember the good times!  The bad ones come but the you can go through life laughing or crying and I prefer laughing, crying hurts too much!

That Night Must Have Been A Good Good Night!

I have never been one to run off and vacationate letting go of all my responsibilities and worries.  Most of the time for vacations I sit at home and watch an entire TV Show.  House, Buffy, Veronica Mars, How I Met Your Mother.  Yea that's kinda my life.  This year however I tried something a little different.  I went big!  I was sitting in church two weeks ago and my friend Shelley asked me if I had plans.  She then invited me to come to San Diego with her and 5 guys.  Heck yes!  My fabulous roommate Jordan also joined.  We had our group and were ready to party! Josh, Cody, Sam, Peter, Jason, Shelley, Jordan, and Me!

We left Sunday Night.  Josh had slept through the day, drank an energy drink, and taken his ADD meds so he was wide awake and drove the whole way.  Shelley, Me, and Jordan took the back seat. We were insanely squashed but we didn't mind because we were, after all, going to the best place ever!  We slept very seldomly.  We reached Vegas at like 5 in the morning and took a minute to drive the strip and take a pic in front of the sign.

Then it was on the road again.  We watched the sun rise in San Bernadino and finally drove into the city at about 10.  We were really sick of the car but were loving the city.  Skyscrapers, Taxis, Cute little shops, and then I saw it.  Right in front of us was the biggest most beautiful hotel I've ever seen!  It was a silver rounded building and on the side it said Marriott.  I was so excited when Josh pulled in.  This was our hotel??!!!  Never could I have imagined this nice of a place!  We went inside and were in awe.  People in business suits walking around and us in our T-shirts and shorts.  Out back I went into shock.  There were two pools.  The Pools were surrounded by palm trees and tanning chairs.  Out of the way in back were hot tubs.  I knew where I was going to be spending my vacation.  The first day was just resting.  We tanned and slept under the sun.  We did a little shopping because we were right by the city.  We had a very rejuvenating first day.  That night we went to a Brewery and had a fantastic dinner.  Then we all hit the sack pretty early

Day 2 brought another set of adventures.  We went to the Beach!  It was so so good!  I was the only one who played in the water but that was fine.  I also played soccer with this really cute kid Stefan!  Even got his digits.  Ah yea!  We had amazing sandwiches made by the guys and chased the seagulls away courtesy of Jason.  We stayed for a couple hours.  We buried Cody in the sand, tanned, relaxed and let our cares fly away with the breeze.  It was awesome!  Then we went back to the hotel and swam for a while.  We were all starting to get hungry so we were going to walk over to the Fish Market for dinner.  Along the coast we watched the sun set, talked to the local shop owners and took pictures.  It was a gorgeous night!  The Fish Market had a long wait so we decided to get out of the city for the night.  We drove over to the San Diego Temple and took some pictures there.

Then we went to a little set of restaurants and had whatever food we wanted.  I got pizza.  It was way good!  Back at the hotel it was time to decide what we were going to do for day 3.  It was a split decision between Knott's Berry Farm, San Diego Zoo, and Sea World.  After a lot of discussing (we decided on six flags but they were closed) we decided on Knott's Berry Farm.  I had never been there and was insanely excited.

The drive took an hour and a half but it didn't matter.  We had a blast listening to music and talking.  We arrived at the park at about noon after having lunch at Subway.  From then on we had a blast going on ride after ride.  The Xcelerator took us on a exhilarating 0-80 in 3 seconds.  The Ghostrider gave us a bumpy thrill, the Silver Bullet took us on twists and turns of all sorts.  Still my favorite ride must have been the Pony Express!  You got to ride a horse!  It was so so fun!  I went all day without stopping!  Others got tired and took breaks but not me!  I wore myself down.  So that night when we returned home all I could think about was going to sleep.  Then Cody mentioned he wanted to experience the night life of San Diego.  This was something I really wanted to do.  I was dead but agreed to go anyway.  Three of us: Josh, Cody, and I started driving around.  Then came the  energy drink.  Now folks I have only had 1 energy drink in my life before this.  Girls camp 07.  It was not a pretty picture.  I don't remember much of it.  That night was 10 times worse.  I downed it and well I'll just let you see what happened after. . .


Anyway so yea I drove with them a while, went crazy in my hotel room, laughed, cried, exposed secrets, watched Psych and eventually (4-5 AM) crashed.  The next morning I got filled in on the night.  Wow.  That is all I can say.  Such is my life I suppose.

Thursday we drove a lot!  We stopped in Vegas for dinner.  I gambled a whole dollar and lost it terribly.  I played the Ocean's 11 theme song while walking through the Bellagio, and eventually we drove home.  It was a long ride but we did make it.

Seriously it was the best vacation ever.  Fun people, fun activities, relaxing, exciting, at times a little overboard perhaps but truly "inspirational"

 

~TTP

Some Vids

One thing many people know about me is that I'm a Broadcast Journalism major.  I have done a number of packages for ATV.  This semester however I'm taking a video productions class.  I have done a couple of other videos for the class that are a little more fun.   The first is of two of my friends Audri and Dallin.  They are married and adorable.  They agreed to let me film them for the day.  The second is of a night in Salt Lake City with me and all my friends.  It is less structured and not tripod-ed but I still like it!  Check em out and comment with your thoughts.
~TTP

Dear Boys

I saw this on a Blog once and I loved the idea of it.  Here are letters to all the guys in my life.  The ones I loved, the ones I liked, and the ones I never got the chance to like.

Dear High School,
You taught me so much about life and relationships.  You gave me the butterflies in my tummy.  You gave me the giggles.  You gave me a reason to talk to my older siblings for advice.  For the first time in my life I shared a lot of feelings with a boy.  I trusted you.  We had a blast even though half the time I think we were so uncomfortable with our relationship.  Breaking up hurt more than I could bear even though I knew it was right.  Over time I thought more and more about our journey and in the end I never regretted it.
Love,
TTP

Dear Woodward,
You were my first love.  I think I can honestly say that. We had a relationship that was give and take.  We had that: will they (kiss), won't they tension that I've always wanted.  You cared about the things I cared about solely because I cared about them.  You were the reason for waking up in the morning.  You were the reason I went to class.  You were the reason I went to certain musicals.  Then I saw things I wish I hadn't.  And it hurt.  You hurt me so much and it was so hard to let go but I did and now I understand everything.  It all makes sense now.  I wish it had then.
Love,
TTP

Dear Dan,
No Dan is not your real name but you were Dan.  You were what I needed however short of time we had.  You took me on one of the best dates I've ever been on.  You were so kind to me and respected me in every way.  You were dang hot!  We were young and infatuated.  We were stupid and didn't say how we felt.   I'm glad we got to share the memories.
Love,
TTP

Dear Artemev,
Will I ever get over you?  Let's face it.  I've tried and then you creep back in and surprise me.  We get along with our wit and sarcasm.  There are even some things that we have in common.  If you could just get on board there could be a future so just get on board.  Maybe it will never work out.  Maybe I just can't be the one to grow you up.  But every time I see you or talk to you the thought just comes back.  There's been a lot of empty promises and commitments and eventually I'll give up but having you there in the back of my mind is comforting.  You are the one who got away and maybe just maybe I'll get a second chance.
Love,
TTP

Dear Rusty,
You were the second boy I loved even though I won't admit it even to myself.  We had fun.  We had laughs.  We had cries.  We went on adventures on screen and off.  We never got tired of each other.  I saw the future and it made me smile.  Then it was different.  Then it changed.  I wish there were no lies.   I wish you wanted me.  I wish I could have been different.  I wish you could have been different.  I wish we could have aligned our lives.  I still think about you.  Wish I didn't but I do.  It kills me to think of the pain we both went through.  In the back of my mind I still have that future with you and it won't turn off.
Love,
TTP

Dear Rebound,
You were everything I needed.  I screwed it up.  I know that.  If it had been a different time, a different circumstance, if I just didn't say a few things who knows.  Maybe I could have fixed myself for you.  Maybe we could have worked some things out.  But I will never regret all the fun times we had.  They were so fun!  We had so much in common.  You were great!
Love,
TTP

Dear Drive,
We'll always have Logan.
Love,
TTP

Dear Wishful Thinking,
Dang.  That is all I can say because that is what I thought about you.  You were so so attractive and sweet and smart.  You were everything I was looking for and more.  I planned our entire life together.  I knew how I felt about you.  I was perfect for you.  You were perfect for me.  We got along great!  We laughed.  We shared moments of happiness.  We liked the same music.  We connected deeper than normal.  We talked about culture, books, movies, TV.  You made fun of me at times but I knew it was all in jest.  There was only one problem.  You never asked me out.
Love,
TTP

I'm Toast

Dear Reader,

You are at this point wondering why I created a Blog entitled: The Toast Phenomenon.  Well it's like this: I love toast!  I mean I am obsessed with it!  I eat it all the time.  Toast crumbs fill my life and my counter tops.  for those who are still skeptic about why toast is the best thing in the world here are the top ten reasons why it rocks socks!

10) It's quick: all you need is a toaster some bread and butter and about 5 minutes.  Perfect for any college student.

9) It's cheap: on a tight budget?  That's fine.  Bread is $1.29 at your local grocery store and a cheap toaster runs at about $20.  Find yourself a handy dandy outlet and you're all set!

8) It's healthy: Let's say your chillin on the coach after a long day.  There is a bag of potato chips OR you can just make yourself a quick healthy slice of toast!  Go toast you won't regret it!

7) It requires few dishes: Here's another one for all those college students out there.  You all have sinks full of dirty dishes that never go away.  Toast requires no frying pan, no pot, just a knife and a toaster.

6) It brings life to the party!  My wonderful roommates threw me a toast birthday party 2 years ago and can I just say it was the best of my life.  Guests bring a loaf of bread, you get a few toasters and let the party begin!

5) French Toast: We've all had it we all love it.  It's like pancakes but better!  Nuff said.

4-2) It's good for any meal: Breakfast? Add eggs and Bacon and make it a meal.  Lunch? stick some tuna fish or scrambled eggs between it and it's perfect for that time of day.  Dinner? Put some garlic on it and add some pasta and you've got a romantic Italian evening!

1) It's delicious!  Don't take my word for it try it!

Will this blog be all about toast?  No.  This blog is about me.  About my love and life and desires and accomplishments and occasionally my woes and sadness.  But I wanted to entitle it something that I loved so so much and that just comes down to toast!

Sincerely
~EKL