Canada is very cold. Its in the 50's today. I think I've been cold for a week straight. I'm looking forward to experiencing a real winter and the beginnings of a white holiday season, but I know I'm in for a bit of a shock. Keith brought the only heavy jacket he has - a leather jacket. They told us that he'd have to get a new one because once winter hits as soon as he walks outside, the leather will crack instantly.

We finally got to move into the guest house, otherwise known as the A-frame. The place is a lot bigger than I thought. There are two bedrooms and two bathrooms downstairs. There is also a huge loft area upstairs that has four more beds. Its really cool. Its very rustic and woodsy. Its really nice, but it was built in the 60's so it has all of the problems of an old place - it creaks a lot at night, there are mice living in the walls, and it is quite drafty. But I like it so far. Its a little scary to be here alone at night. There is a sliding glass door and two windows that don't have curtains or anything on them. At night it is pitch black when you look out them. And of course they are in the middle of the living room where I use the computer and watch TV. It's a little creepy, but perhaps it'll toughen me up.







It was rainy out today. It makes for beautiful scenery. It also makes it quite cold.




We haven't really done much other than work. We've been working 6 days a week, which is exactly what we intended to do - make money and save money. We also spent one evening playing poker with Natalie and Stosh. I've really tried to avoid learning to play poker. I'm not really sure why, I guess just to be stubborn. Keith loves to go play. But I learned, and I'll admit it was quite fun.



Keith and I also drove into Dryden on one of our nights off and had a date night. That consisted of Chinese food and a trip to Walmart. The food was alright. I wouldn't really call it Chinese food. There wasn't a single Chinese person working there or eating there. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't great. And it cost us $50.

We've been making good money and saving a ton. I'm definitely glad we decided to do this. I think it will really give Keith and I the fresh financial start we need. We're having fun and getting to experience a new lifestyle. But I am getting really homesick and I'm glad we won't be living in Canada permanently. I miss my kittens so much. And I miss my bed, my new Dallas apartment and all my friends and family.

Keith and I have been in Canada for a little over a week. As I'm writing this, this is the view I'm looking at. (I haven't quite mastered the art of taking scenic pictures on my camera, so its a little dark, but I'm working on it.) The weather has been pretty amazing. It looks like it could rain today. I walked out on the porch to take a few pictures of the sky. I was wearing some old Nike running shorts and a t-shirt and it was too cold. I had to go back in and put pants on. I'm not sure what the temperature actually is since everything is in Celsius up here. According to weather.com it is 63 degrees out. I've been meaning to post about all the happenings since we set out on our journey, but every time I sit down, I just can't bring myself to do it, so here goes...

We left Dallas last Monday. Of course it was raining and we still had errands to run, so instead of leaving at 8:30a.m. like I had hoped, we finally got on the road at 11:30. We made a lunch stop in McKinney at Taco Bueno, figuring we wouldn't see many more Bueno's as we went further north. It rained the entire day, all the way through Oklahoma and Missouri. The most exciting thing that happened on Monday was at our dinner stop. Around 5:30 we stopped in Vinita, Oklahoma at Clanton's Cafe. According to Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives if you go to Clanton's you have to eat their Calf Fries. Perhaps Keith and I are just not well enough educated in southern foods, but neither of us knew what they were and the waitress wouldn't tell us. So she brought us a sample. Some of you may be laughing at us at this point. It turns out Calf Fries are Bull testicles. Yeah, I'm serious.


The rest of our drive was pretty uneventful. We stayed a night in Des Moines. We saw lots of cows and corn fields. It was a really beautiful drive, but rather boring. I really never realized how beautiful Minnesota is. I guess its since I'm from Texas and never get a chance to see rocky hills and fur trees, but Minnesota was exceptionally nice. We stopped at the Wienery and had Drive-In Dogs and fresh cut fries. They were delicious! If you're ever in Minneapolis, you should try it out.


We finally made it to the border around 10:30 on Tuesday night. Keith made me drive through because he wasn't sure if his license was valid. We had no problems at customs and made into International Falls without trouble. I was surprised it was so easy since we had an entire Jeep full of luggage. From the border we had a two hour drive ahead of us. We switched and Keith drove the rest of the way. Our drive from International Falls to Vermilion was somewhat frightening. It was absolutely pitch black and there were no street lights. The road was a narrow one lane high way and the only other cars out were 18-wheelers, and they were usually coming from the opposite direction. Let me tell you, there are very few things more scary than an 18-wheeler coming at you, going 70 mph on a dark narrow road. At one point, the road turned from a well paved highway to a gravel road. And there were still 18-wheelers coming at us going 70 mph! Keith and I were both having panic attacks. He was trying to drive slowly, but we were still sliding around on the gravel and when the 18 wheelers would pass they would throw the gravel up on us. Keith was so scared that when it was all done his brand new Jeep was going to be covered in large dings. But we arrived unharmed and Keith's car has no damage. We got to the house at 1:00a.m. and went straight to bed.

The next day the people we're staying with (Stosh and Natalie) showed us around town, or rather the surrounding towns of Dryden (30 minutes away) and Kenora (1 hour away). The city we're living in is Vermilion Bay. Approximately 300 people live here. The town consists of lots of lakes and camp grounds. During tourist season (which is apparently almost over) tourists come to stay in the camps and go on hunting and fishing expeditions. There is also a gas station, a grocery store (or co-op as they call it) and a few restaurants. The nearest Walmart is in Dryden so if we need anything beyond the basics we have to drive 30 minutes. The first evening we were here our hosts wanted to take us into Kenora to see a movie. (The nearest movie theatre is in Kenora.) All three cities (Vermilion Bay, Dryden, Kenora) are on the same highway which is undergoing major construction. So if you try to go somewhere there is a good chance you'll have so sit for at least 15 minutes while they close down your lane and let the other side pass. It took us an hour and a half to get to the movies and when we got there, it was sold out. So we turned around and came home.

It is so surreal to be here. It is beautiful and a nice change of scenery, but it is just so weird to be in such a small town so far away from the big cities I'm used to. Growing up I though Kennedale was a small town, but compared to Vermilion Bay, Kennedale is Manhattan. I have never experienced a place like this. Everybody knows everybody. The nearest major town is Winnipeg and it is 4 hours away.

So far all I've really done is work. Which is good because thats what we came here to do. I had forgotten how exhausting waiting tables is. I'm getting a pretty good work out and making good money. So is Keith. And the good thing is, there is nothing here to spend money on, so we won't be tempted to spend what we make.

I miss home so much! I miss my kittens terribly. I miss my bed and my city apartment. By the time our stay here is up I am going to be so home sick!

3 Things I like About Canada:
1. The weather
2. The scenery
3. The unpolluted breathing air

3 Things I Dislike About Canada:
1. The lack of cell reception
2. You are not here
3. My kittens are not here

WAAAAAHHHAAAA

The complete Canada post will come tomorrow. I promise.

I'm in Canada! I'm a bit exhausted so I'm not going to do a full post now. It is beautiful here and I think we're going to have a great time. Pictures will come soon.

Sorry about the double posting on a few things recently. I tried to use YouTube's automatic posting, but it didn't appear to work. So, hence the double post of Kim Zmeskal.

I already miss my kittens so much. Its actually to the point where I found one of Murphy's hairs on something and I kept it. I don't know how I am going to last three whole months without them. Kareah, I miss you too!!

Kim Zmeskal the Great!

The Olympics are one of my favorite things. Particularly the Gymnastics. When I was younger, my favorite gymnast was Kim Zmeskal. When I googled her today I found out that she now owns a gym in Coppell which is about 20 minutes from my apartment. I may have to stop by sometime and catch a glimpse of one of my childhood idols. And you better believe when I have daugthers I will do my best to make them Olympic stars. (Not in a bad way.) Take a look at this video of Kim's beam routine. Such control. It's amazing!!

When I was younger and my dreams of Olympic gold were still alive, Kim Zmeskal was my favorite gymnast. In the early 90's she was IT. She was the gymnast to be. I loved watching her and wanted to be her. She's been retired since 2000, but she is still my favorite. Check out this beam routine from the 1991 Worlds.



After googling her today I found out that she now owns a gym in Coppell, not 30 minutes from my apartment. You better believe that when I have daughters I will try my hardest to pass on my love of gymnastics to them. Maybe one day they can train under the great Kim Zmeskal and my dreams of Olympic gold can be passed onto the next generation.

This montage of Kim is also amazing. She sticks everything perfectly. It gives me chills. And her whipback tumbling passes are incredible.



Oh, to be young and in shape again.

A few months ago I got a speeding ticket. I won't bore you with the story, but lets just say I got screwed over by the city of Dallas. I had to pay $275 for the ticket and today I've been doing defensive driving on-line for an additional $25. I'm thinking the other 10 people who were pulled over on the side of the road with me are probably doing the same thing. If there are that many people pulled over in the same spot, wouldn't you think the city might say to itself "Perhaps the speed limit in this school zone is not marked very clearly. Perhaps we should fix that or at least give these poor people a warning instead of a $275 ticket." BUT NO.

Anyhow, today while doing my defensive driving I did learn one interesting fact: If a police car (with lights and siren), a fire truck (with lights and siren), an ambulance (with lights and siren), and a postal vehicle all arrive at a four-way stop intersection at the same time, who has the right-of-way? Because they are conducting official United States business, under federal law, the postal vehicle has the right-of-way.

With that, I leave you for the weekend. I hope that your weekend is relaxing and enjoyable. At least 4 hours of mine will be spent finishing defensive driving.

Canada, oh Canada! Let's leave today!

It's official! Keith and I are leaving for Canada on August 18th and returning home sometime around Thanksgiving. After much reserach, we figured out it will be a lot cheaper to drive instead of fly. So we're taking a road trip through Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, and Minesota. If all goes as planned we should arrive in Vermilion Bay late Wednesday night.

We have recently become addicted to "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives" on the Food Network, starring the wonderfully cocky Guy Fieri. I have planned our route through the US so that we can have meals in at least three of the diners featured on the show. We'll actually drive past 12 so I've been having a tough time narrowing it down.

Right now our day 1 itenarary includes a nutritious breakfast of Egg McMuffins at McDonalds, lunch at Clanton's Cafe in Vinita ,Oklahoma and dinner at 39th Street MaMa's in Kansas City, Missouri. We'll stay for one night at the La Quinta in Des Moines, Iowa. (No we will not be eating at the Denny's next door.) Day 2 will probably begin with a complimentary hotel breakfast and then a lunch at The Wienery in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Truth be told, The Wienery was the deciding factor in my decision to undergo our adventure to our neigbor to the North. Last Sunday Keith and I were watching the Burgers and Dogs episode of "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives" and The Wienery was one of the featured dives. I decided I absolutely had to have a specific hot dog that includes cole slaw and there homemade chili sauce. Normally that kind of thing wouldn't sound good to me, but this looked amazing!! So I said "Keith, thats it, we're going to Canada. I MUST have that dog."

I'm not sure what we'll do for dinner that evening. There are five or six diners in Minneapolis, but none any further north. So I had tentatively scheduled a stop in Duluth at Hell's Kitchen, a restaurant that I found on-line. But Duluth is only about two hours north of Minneapolis. We won't really have made enough progress in our drive to warrant a stop, nor will we be hungry. I can't find any information about any of the cities further north. Its mainly small Minnesota towns. So, at this point, I'm thinking we'll drive till we hit the Canadian border and go through customs, and surely there will be something near there suitable to eat. Rest assured, I will take LOTS of pictures to document our journey.

Meanwhile, I have about a million things to do between now and when we leave. It's one thing to move to a different city for a few months, it's quite another to move to a different country. I know Canada isn't that different from the US, but there are so many logistical things that have to be taken care of. We need international travelers health insurance. We need to figure out how we'll get money into our US bank accounts. I have to find a home for my kittens while I'm gone, which, to me, is like trying to find a home for my children. We have to arrange for people to pick up our mail and check on our apartment periodically. The list goes on.

Bottom line, I am SUPER EXCITED and I cannot wait to leave!

"Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." (Matthew 6:21)

The writer of this verse probably wasn't referring to physical possessions when he wrote this, but it definitely applies. You can learn a lot about a person by knowing what they hold dear to their hearts. Here are three things that mean a lot to me.

My Kittens. Most of my friends don't like cats or are conveniently allergic. I think cats get a bad rap. It is true, they are not at all like dogs. But to say that cats aren't loyal, playful, or loving is a straight up lie. Ellie (left) and Murphy (right) are two of my best friends. They have personalities and are genuinely loving creatures. Sometimes they can sense that I am having a bad day or am upset and they will sit with me or curl up in my lap. At night they sleep next to me. Often I will wake up and Murphy will be snuggled up under my arm so that I am spooning with the cat. They provide me with an unmeausurable amount of joy and entertainment. Almost every day at work I get on Craigslist and read through all the adds of people who are trying to find new homes for their pets. It breaks my heart to see how many people are simply getting rid of their animals. Just giving them away like you would an old pair of pants. I cannot fathom how people are willing or able to do this. There is not a thing in this world that could make me get rid of my kittens. I would risk my life to save Ellie and Murphy. They are my family, my friends, my babies and I need them just as much as they need me.



My Aggie Ring. If you're not an Aggie, you probably won't get this. Most colleges have class rings, but very few students actually ever get one let alone wear it. At A&M you count down the days until you are able to get your Aggie Ring and once you have it, you wear it forever. There are very strict rules about who is able to purchase one. You have to have a certain number of A&M hours, a certain GPR, etc. When you can finally order your Aggie Ring it is a HUGE deal. The Association of Former Students throws a big party at the Clayton Williams building on campus. Numbers and stickers are handed out, people wait in line for hours, family comes in town to see the big moment. (My family did not. I'm the red headed step child. No bitterness.) Its an important moment in the life of an Aggie. Every Aggie Ring looks the same. You have three choices: white or yellow gold, antiqued finish or not, and diamond or no diamond. Every detail of the Aggie Ring has significance.

The Aggie Ring is so important to the Aggie family that each year in the A&M Alumni magazine a whole issue is devoted to it. It always includes stories of miraculous ways Aggie Rings have been returned to their owners after having been lost. Stories of soldiers losing their ring on the battle fields of World War II or Vietnam, only to be returned to them decades later. I got my first Aggie Ring on September 22nd of 2004. Yes, I said first. Somehow I managed to lose my first one. I think it was accidentally thrown away inside a rubber glove when I was working at Bernie's (a coffee shop.) At a little over $400, it took me over a year to save up the money to buy the second one. I'm hoping one day my story can be featured in the A&M magazine after my first ring finds its way back to me. There is also the Aggie tradition of "dunking" your ring. It involves dropping your ring in a pitcher of beer and drinking it as fast as you can, ending up with your ring between yoru teeth, while your friends watch on. (Or hold your hair back while you barf.) Some people do a certain number of shots, a pitcher of soda, a huge ice cream sundae, but most do beer. Stupid...absolutely, but a priceless memory I will never forget! My Aggie Ring represents 6 years of my life (the best I've had so far,) the wonderful friends and memories I made, all of the life and academic lessons I learned, and the school that I love so much.



Charlie the Bunny. In 1999 a devastating tornado hit the Oklahoma City area. A group from my church youth group went on a mission trip to help clean up after the disaster. We took two vans full of teenagers and stayed at a church in Oklahoma. We brought sleeping bags, toiletries and work clothes. All of the girls and women slept in one giant carpeted room and the boys in another. We got up every morning at the crack of dawn and did hard manual labor all day. I spent one day in a field picking up debris - anything from pieces of houses to paper trash. (Did I mention this was in the dead heat of summer.) Another day was spent in a huge warehouse separating clothing donations that people around the country had given. And I spent another day in a food shelter packaging frozen blueberries. My hands were stained blue for several days after that. The work was hard and it was exhausting, but very rewarding. In the evenings we would go out to eat and hang out with all of the other youth groups that had come to help. It was just an all around great time. We had a blast. On the trip home to Arlington we stopped in an outlet mall and did some shopping. It was there that I saw Charlie. The name given to him by the Ty corporation was Hippity, but I named him after the cute boy I had spent that week swooning over. I haven't seen that boy since that trip and actually didn't even remember that he was my bunny's name sake until I was writing this. I slept with Charlie the Bunny every night until I moved in with Keith. Now he sits beside me on my bedside table. Charlie has been on many trips with me, stayed with me through out college, through break ups and crushes, and through times when I didn't really see the point of going on. He is a very snuggly friend and I will keep him forever.

Today is one of those days where I'm wondering "Whats the point?" Actually, its been one of those weeks. I'm overall frustrated with life. I'm a sad panda, if you will.

#1. I'm really happy that I'm back in school studying something that fascinates me. I'm excited about my future as a designer. However, I'm not excited about my present. This quarter I'm taking Life Drawing I and History of Art and Design. I am the opposite of excited about these classes. So far we've spent two classes drawing skulls and skeletons. I'm not very good at it, so its been 6 hours of utter discouragement. Do you know what its like to be forced to spend long periods of time doing something you're not good at? Its kind of like someone repeatedly kicking you in the stomach. On top of that, its so damn expensive. At the Art Institute it costs $437 per credit hour. Each class I'm taking this quarter is 3 credits, 6 total. So thats $2622 in tuition, plus about $200 for books and probably another $150 in supplies. That is so much money that I don't have. I'm willing to take out the student loans for the end result. But right now, it is grueling. AND, on top of it all, I feel like there is no end in sight. I'm in my 4th quarter now. I'm taking 6 hours per quarter, because that is what I can "afford" and that I can handle, time wise. I started with 37 transfer hours from A&M. The program I'm in is 180 hours.

So...

180 total credits needed
-37 transfer

-24 credits earned

119 credits still needed

At this rate...

6 credits per quarter

4 quarters per year

24 credits per year

4.9 years left of school!!

I'll be 31.4 when I get out. I know, I chose this. And I really am excited about it. But right now I'm overwhelmed.

#2. Keith and I are in one of those seasons where we are getting on each others nerves constantly. I feel like he doesn't help me out enough around the house, he's bad with money, he's not motivated to change his dissatisfaction with his job or his financial situation, he's never going to grow up and stop wanting to go out with his friends and drink all the time, and he will never want to marry me. He feels like I never want to do anything or be social, I sleep too much, I complain too much that he doesn't help me with things, and when he does help I complain about how he does them. I'm condescending, I nag him about money, I'm pressuring him to get married. I'm sure there are a million other things he could say. I'm at a standstill and I want change. But I don't know how to get it. It takes two to tango and I'm the only one who wants to dance.

#3. I started this "new" job on May 21, 2007. I had my one year review today. The whole reason I got this job was because I wanted to move to this part of the metroplex so that I could be closer to Keith so that we could see each other more thinking that would lead to marriage. Nope. Originally I was a Project Manager. I started out with a huge pay increase from my previous job and excellent benefits. About 4 months in I decided that I wanted to go back to school. A few months after that I decided that it was way too hard to juggle school and working full time. I approached my boss about decreasing my hours. I explained the whole situation to her. This was in March of this year. She offered me a new position as an Assistant Project Manager where I could decrease my hours to 32 per week. This decreased my pay by 20% which is the percentage I was decreasing my hours per week. Totally fair. What she didn't tell me was that due to this change I would not be eligible for a raise at my one year review. In fact, she did say "You do have a review coming up." Which made me think she was saying "I realize we're decreasing your pay quite a bit, but with your one year review coming up, you'll likely get a raise which will make up for the $8000 less a year you'll be making." I was wrong. They told me in my one year review that because of my change of position I would not be getting a raise and that I am actually over paid.

Again, I chose the change in position and decrease in pay. I know this. The decrease in hours is awesome and I'm not sure how I'll ever go back to working full time. But I was really counting on getting a raise of some sort. Its so disheartening. Keith and I can barely afford to eat.

I could continue on with the compaints, but I'm too sad to do so. I need a nap, a good cry, or a strong drink.

I am very much looking forward to this weekend. It is 4:30 now and I am finishing up the last few things I need to get done at work. (Billing my time in "Web Time Sheets", cleaning up my office, etc. You know, the really fun stuff. Ugh.) The day has been dragging by. If I can just make it through one more hour...

Tonight Kareah is coming over and we are going to watch the new MxPx dvd she got in the mail this week. We are both pretty psyched. MxPx was one of our favorite bands when we were in high school. We went and saw them several times and were always so stoked when we would actually get to talk to or even stand near one of the band members. I had a particular infatuation with Mike Herrera. In fact, I still do. He's on my top 10 list!


Saturday I'm meeting my dad at his apartment at 10:00 am. Which is a little earlier than I'd like to be up and moving around on the weekends, but thats okay. I know at this point you're thinking that 10:00 am is so late, and that I'm spoiled. But I'm unmarried and have no kids and that is one of the luxuries I have for "choosing" to be 26 and "alone". You get to claim children on your taxes, I get to sleep late. Anyways. I'm meeting my dad at his apartment and then we are meeting my uncle Jon and two cousins, Jessica and Elizabeth, at Wet N' Wild!! (I refuse to call it Hurricane Harbor. It will always be Wet N' Wild to me.) I'm super excited about this. I haven't been to Wet N' Wild since....well, since it was called Wet N' Wild, which was when I was still in high school. Kareah and I used to go somewhat frequently. And my friend Amy and I spent a good portion of the summer of 99 or 2000 there. When your 17ish theres nothing better then spending the hot summer days in the Lazy River being hit on by the boys who would stand on the little bridges waiting for girls to float by. Those were the days. I'm exceptionally excited this time though. I rarely get to hang out with my cousins. They are about 11 years old and are just the sweetest things! I know when I was 11 I enjoyed hanging out with older girls and young women, which is the category I think I fall into. I'm young enough to where they still think I'm cool, and I'm glad that I can share in some of their happy child hood memories.

This picture was taken during Christmas of '06. We were all showing off our new watches. My uncle Jon is the man in the picture, Jessica is in the red shirt and Elizabeth is in the black shirt standing in front of me.

Saturday night Keith, Lou, Mike and I are going to see the Dark Knight. I have been looking forward to this movie for months!! I have been counting down the days ever since I saw the first preview (a few weeks before Heath Ledger passed away.) I am still really sad about Heath being gone and I really hope that the Academy will honor him with recognition for his role as the Joker. Granted, I haven't seen the movie yet, but from what I hear he is supposed to be incredible.

I defy you to tell me that that is not one of the most beautiful men you've ever seen.

Chaos

I know I've been on a bit of a blogging hiatus lately. This is why...

I like moving, but man is it a lot of work.

Picture of the Day, July 8th

Beauty for beauty's sake. Because I need a little in my life right now.

The mind does strange things to the body...

A few weeks ago I was packing up the mass quantities of books that Keith owns and I came across one that looked interesting to me. A couple of days later, as I was home alone, I decided it would be a good time to start reading. It is called The Night Stalker by Phillip Carlo and it tells of the murder spree, capture and trial of Richard Ramirez (aka the Night Stalker) in the Los Angeles area in the mid 80's. It is a true story, it is terryfying and yet it is so interesting that I haven't been able to put it down. I won't go into any detail because I know that one of the few people that actually reads my blog is my cousin Kareah and she doesn't need to hear any of the scary stories that have kept me awake for the last week.

On Friday night Keith and I were doing the last minute packing and disassembling of things so that we could move the following day. We disconnected all of the TV's, DVD players, computers and radios. He had to work the next morning so he went to bed around eleven o'clock and I stayed up to get some more things done. Keith was in the next room sleeping and I was scurrying about the rest of the house in absolute quiet with no TV or radio to keep me company. Our old apartment has two large sliding glass doors whose blinds don't close all of the way and three windows whose blinds I keep partially up so that the cat can look out the window. A few hours earlier I had read several chapters in my book and was a bit on edge. In the middle of packing a box I heard a very loud bang which sounded a lot like someone kicking in my door. I jumped about three feet in the air and I swear to God my heart stopped beating for three whole seconds. My darling cats had chosen this time to chase each other around the house causing chaos and knocking into the door. The adrenaline was pumping through my body so intensely that my chest literally hurt. I calmed down a bit and got in the shower, poking my head out of the shower curtain every few seconds to make sure there wasn't a serial killer in my bathroom. I barely slept a wink that night.

Over the weekend Keith and I were together pretty much every second of the day and night so I had little time to be scared. But as he left me at home alone yesterday to go to work and again this morning, I couldn't help but feel afraid. I jump at every noise at night and triple check the locks on all the doors and windows. As the elevator doors open up into the parking garage I get in ready mode in case there is someone waiting to attack me. But I still can't stop reading. It is amazing to me that the mind has so much power over the body. The things we read about or watch on TV really can take a hold of us if we let it. It makes me realize how important it is for parents to not only take an active role in what their children allow into their heads, but also effectively teach them how to deal with the bad things that will inevitably get in. Perhaps if Richard Ramirez's parents had done that, he wouldn't have killed so many people and I wouldn't be reading a book about him today.

Picture of the Day, July 3rd

In 2005 I went to a reunion in Collge Station with my best friends. We had a blast reliving old memories and drinking too much. This picture was taken the first night we were there at the Chicken. It reminds me of good times and happy thoughts. I think its the perfect send off into a holiday weekend.

Todays the day the teddies will have their picnic!

In a few hours I get to pick up the keys to my new apartment. I am psyched!! I have a vision for this new place. A decorating vision, that is. Now if I can just come up with the money to make it happen. It won't take much, but as I've mentioned before, I don't have much. I've been watching a lot of HGTV and other decorating shows lately and I have some good ideas. Stay tuned and I'll eventually post some pics of the new pad and the decorating process.

FYI, I still haven't talked to my dad. I will do it soon and I'll let you know how it goes.

Picture of the Day, July 2nd

I wish I were there instead of at work. Actually, I just wish I were on a beach, not necessarily this one in El Salvador. Perhaps Fiji, Hawaii, Australia or California.

At Any Given Moment

If you flip through the top 40's/pop stations on the radio you will hear at least one Justin Timberlake song. It could be NSync, a collaberation with Nelly Furtado or Madonna, or perhaps one of his solo songs. It could be from 1998 or 2008. The man is everwhere and I am a big fan. Go ahead, turn on your radio, try it out. It is truth.

Picture of the Day, July 1st

This is my baby dog, Macie. I miss her horribly.

The Knot In My Stomach

I'm moving again this weekend. My dad offered to help, which is awesome. It presents a problem though. My dad doesn't know that I've been living with my boyfriend for a year now and that I'll be moving into a new apartment where my boyfriend will again reside.

At first I chose not to tell him because I just didn't want to deal with 1. him knowing that his only daughter was no longer a virgin, and 2. the judgment that his side of the family would place on me. For the past several months I've wanted to tell him. But everytime I'm with him I chicken out. My dad is a good man. I can't really remember a time when I felt like he was judging me or that he was angry at me. He has made plenty of mistakes in his life so I know he will understand. I'm not really sure what I'm so afraid of but I'm still so nervous. So now I'm in a position where I have to tell him within the next three days. The sooner the better. Now, not only am I a sinner who is having premarital sex, I'm also a liar who has been dishonest to my dad and his whole side of the family for almost a complete year. I don't even know how to begin the conversation. I've been thinking about it constantly for the past few days and everytime I'm aware of the thought, I get a nautious, sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. When it comes down to it I'm an adult. I'm 26 years old, I fully support myself and even if he were to get furious and stop speaking to me (which I know won't happen) I would survive. I've psyched myself out now and I'm freaking out.

I'm going to call him when I get home from work and tell him. Wish me luck.

Picture of the Day, June 27th

This is one of my favorite pictures of my little brother, Alex. He's just so darn cute! It was fiesta day at his preschool.

Things my family says that Keith will never get…

I’m quite sure this list will continue to grow throughout the years.

1. What fur? Cat fur, to make kitten britches.
2. My hand itches, I smell peaches. Yonder comes a man with a hole in his britches. (I might have messed that one up a bit, but that’s how I remember my aunt Lindy saying it.)
3. Igmo
4. Cadywompus
5. MaMa don’t make things that ain’t good.
6. Can’t couldn’t eat a biscuit. (For the record, I’m not even sure I get that one.)

My very first Picture of the Day

At the beginning of 2008 we had several freak snow storms and then the next day it would be beautiful outside. This was one of those days. I was at work taking a lunch break in my car and was parked under these beautiful trees. I couldn't resist the photo opp. The sky was so blue and the blooms were so lovely. It is hard to believe it was 29 degrees and snowing the day before.

Four times a bridesmaid, never a bride?

34 couples have gotten married and 9 have gotten engaged since I have been dating Keith. FOURTY THREE married and engaged couples!

Mike & Lou
Sarah & Nathan
Jeremy & Amber
Jill & Mark
Bethany & Chris
Ariel & Paul
Nancy & Allen
Ryan & Katy
Courtney & Adam
Catherine & Albert
Casey & Bobbi
Jim & Lauren
Nick & Hailey
Shannon & Sabrina
Johnny & Corey
Sarah & Ryan
Sam & Rebecca
Elizabeth & Josh
Lydia & Chris
Jeremy & Cammie
Kyle & Jessie
Sarah & Carlo
James & Crystal
Jeana & Patrick
David & Candice
Tommy & Crystal
Carol & Chris
Virginia & Michael
Adrian & Becky
Cassi & Brandt
Cory & Jenny
Christin & Michael
Meghan & Rhet
Kim & Adam
Cody & Angie
Shannon & Koby
Chelsi & Kevin
Nicole & Richard
Becky & Matt
Andrea & Jonathan
James & Kelly
Lauren & Trinity
Manolo & Katy

Will it ever be my turn???

The cats outta the bag!

While packing up our apartment and getting ready for the big move, I noticed I had left one gift bag laying in the middle of the living room....

"Hey, theres a bag in the floor."

"There is a cat in that bag!"

At This Moment

I am always poor. I have been financially blessed with over $6000 in tax refunds, stimulus checks, and loans from family members and yet I am still broke. Between rent, utility bills, insurance, student loans and cell phone bills I have no left over money to pay for such luxuries as food and toilet paper. And don't even get me started on gas. (Damn George W.) There is no end in sight. It is overwhelming and depressing. There are so many things I need or just want and I can't afford them. So for now I'll just day dream....

If I had money I would buy:

1. A German Shepherd puppy and all that must go along with it, i.e. food, crate, toys, etc. They are so darn cute and I'm pretty sure he'd protect me if I needed him to.

2. A Volvo S40. My truck has 156,000 miles on it and if my luck continues it will stop working within the next 6 months. I want a safe, reliable, cute, adult car.

3. Bookshelves. We are moving in two weeks and I spent this weekend packing. We have 6 boxes of books, 5 boxes of DVDs, 5 boxes of CDs and only 3 shelves on which to put them. I could easily spend $100s at IKEA on shelving units alone.

4. New bedding. I've had my eye on this set ("West End" by Nautica) for almost two years now. Keith and I bought a beautiful new bedroom set a year ago that is very similar to the one in this picture and I just know the comforter set would look so beautiful.

5. Apple Mac Pro & Adobe Creative Suite. This computer makes me want to do a happy dance. I can just imagine all the fun design projects I could do with this guy.

And oh so much more.

That Girl

I've always been somewhat confident in myself. I know I'm not the most beautiful girl, but I think I'm attractive. When I was in high school I wasn't the most popular person, but I was liked and I wasn't exactly a dork. In college I "came into my own." I learned how to wear my make up and do my hair to where it was the most flattering on me. I wore the right clothes and finally had boobs that got noticed. I realized that boys found me attractive and when we went out I got hit on and usually had several drinks bought for me. I've never needed to be the center of attention but definitely enjoy it when I am. I don't base my self worth on what others think about me or how men treat me.

But, I've always been surrounded by "that girl". You know the one. You may even be the one. The girl who has really great clothes that look really great on her. The girl whose hair always looks amazing - always with the latest, most flattering style and new highlights. (Or lowlights.) The girl whose nails are always professionally done and who gets pedicures every week. The girl who has a perfect fake tan and bikini body. The girl who had braces as a child and who wears Crest White Strips once a week. The girl who is always perfectly put together.

I've always been jealous of that girl. As hard as I try, I will never be that girl.

The Reviews Are In

Keith and I have seen a ridiculous number of movies in the last few months...

What Happens in Vegas (PG13)
The Lauren Rating: ****
I love Ashton Kutcher and I love Cameron Diaz. Put them together, and you have one funny (and very attractive) movie. When we went to see this movie I wasn’t expecting it to be great, but it really was. Did it have a new and ingenious plot? No. But it was 100% entertaining and 110% hilarious. If you’re in the mood to laugh, go see this movie.

Iron Man (PG13)
The Lauren Rating: ****
I was not overly excited about going to see this one. Keith loves comic books, so in turn, we must go see every comic book inspired movie that hits the big screen. Even if it is getting horrible reviews, Keith will make me go see it. I was way impressed with Iron Man. I’m not a big Robert Downey Jr. fan, but he was fantastic, likeable even. It had some gross parts, but overall I loved it. Definitely a movie we will be buying.

Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull (PG13)
The Lauren Rating: **
I have never seen the other Indiana Jones movies. I have seen bits and pieces of them, but never one in its entirety. I’ve always wanted to and will get around to it one of these days. I was excited about seeing this movie, but a little bit worried that I would need the back story that the other movies provided. I didn’t. Keith had to do a little explaining, but for the most part it was totally okay that I hadn’t seen the others. This movie was mediocre at best. The first 75% of it was pretty good. Very exciting but somewhat unrealistic. (Of course!) The ending was ABSOLUTELY ridiculous. It was so ridiculous that it ruined the previous 75% that I though was pretty good. If you’re into the series, see it, if you’re not, don’t waste your time.

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (PG)
The Lauren Rating: *
The Chronicles of Narnia books are amazing. C.S. Lewis is a genius! The movies, not so much. I’m pretty sure he’s rolling over in his grave as we speak. Keith and I went and saw The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe when it came out a few years ago. Keith fell asleep. I was disappointed in it but thought perhaps it was just a disappointment because it was somewhat riding the coat tails of the Lord of the Rings trilogy which are AMAZING! So I made Keith go and see Prince Caspian and had high hopes that it would be better. It wasn’t. It’s been several years since I read this book, but I didn’t recognize the story at all. It seemed to me like they left out so much important stuff and only kept in the battle scenes. And what is with the actress that plays Lucy? She is so annoying I want to stab someone. The acting as a whole is pretty damn bad, the special affects look cheesy, and the story leaves much to be desired. I did like Reepicheep, though. He was cute. I do not recommend this movie. I hope to God that the next one they make will be better. As much as I’ve hated the first two I know I’ll continue to go see the others that they make in hopes that at least one will do justice to the magnificent books.

Sex and the City (R)
The Lauren Rating: **
Geeze, where to begin? I was so excited to see this movie. I literally got goose bumps the first time I saw a trailer. Keith made fun of me and rolled his eyes relentlessly. Sex and the City is just one of the many shows that Keith and I disagree on. I have seen every episode numerous times and like many other women in the world, feel that I have a personal relationship with Carrie, Charlotte, Samantha and Miranda. Lou and I spent many, many nights at home in college watching episodes on DVD. So I dragged Keith to see this with me on opening night. He was the only straight guy in the whole theatre. He is now officially the best boyfriend in the history of the world. I was utterly disappointed in this movie. It felt like the crammed two seasons worth of TV into two hours of movie. They moved through it so quickly there was absolutely not story or character development. I realize that most people (mainly people that don’t really watch the show) think that it is moral-less and is all about slutty women and sex. But that is simply not the truth. They spent 6 seasons developing these characters and taking them from single, sexed up women to ladies with feelings and needs and flaws. They ended the series perfectly. Everyone was happy, loose ends were tied up, and we got to see growth in each character. They successfully ruined that in this movie. They took a perfect ending and stomped on it. Specifically, they made Samantha a selfish whore again. It made me angry. It was entertaining, it had some good parts to it, and I’m glad I saw it. But I will not be buying this one.

The Strangers (R)
The Lauren Rating: ***
If you like scary movies, this is one you should go see. But don’t go alone. Take a strong man with you because you will definitely want to hide in his shoulder during 95% of this movie. And that really is most of the fun in going to see scary movies, right? I like scary movies, but I’m very picky about them. I don’t mind being frightened but I don’t like anything with rape, disturbing sexual content, or torture. There was none of that and very little gore. It was suspenseful from the first moment. I wouldn’t say it was a cinematic masterpiece or that it was an overly original story line, but for what it was, it was fantastic. Plus, I love Liv Tyler and Scott Speedman (aka Ben from Felicity.)

Kung Fu Panda (PG)
The Lauren Rating: ****
I went to see this with Kareah, Chloe and Corban. We had a great time! It was so cute and absolutely hilarious. It made me want to go buy a Red Panda and then hug it for days. The animation and scenery were superb. Jack Black does such an excellent job. There are so many cute little characters. I think one of the best things about this was hearing Chloe and Corban say “scadoosh” repeatedly after our movie experience was over. Go see it, rent it, or buy it!

Atonement (R)
The Lauren Rating: ***
On Father’s Day I was in the mood for a good, sad movie. (I wasn’t depressed or sad, I just needed a good cry. You know what I mean?) I had wanted to see this when it was out in the theatres but never did. So I rented this and another movie. I had heard mixed reviews about it. It was a little slow at first, but very good. It wasn’t quite what I expected, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. It had some shocking language and sex scenes, but not to the point where it made me want to turn it off. I’m a big Keira Knightley fan and she was wonderful! It definitely made me cry. Rent it, but be aware of who you watch it with. It could make for some awkward moments.

I Am Legend (R)
The Lauren Rating: ***
I have a strange infatuation with Zombie movies. I bought this movie without having seen it and it did not disappoint. If you have or have ever had a close bond with a pet this one will make you cry. The special affects were a bit cheesy compared to other Zombie movies (Dawn of the Dead, etc.) And if you like to over analyze the realism of movies this one probably isn’t for you. But aside from that, it was very entertaining and Will Smith is excellent.

Grace is Gone (PG13)
The Lauren Rating: ****
Yet another movie that will make you bawl. John Cusack plays the father of two little girls whose mother has just died fighting in Iraq. The three of them travel across the country to Enchanted Gardens while he tries to find a way to break the news to them. As you can guess, it’s emotional from the first second. The colors and soundtrack all have the same sad tone. I’ve never seen John Cusack in this kind of role before and he does an excellent job as do the two little girls. It was also very political which I did not know before I rented it. I classify this movie in the same category as “United 93” I’m really glad I watched and I think everyone should see it once, but I won’t ever watch it again.

8 Things

This morning in my boredom, I was reading random articles from msn.com and I came across this one titled "8 Things No One Tells You About Marriage." I'm not married, but I have been with Keith for over 3 years and I hope to marry him in the near future. The advice in this article can really pertain to any long term, committed relationship. It gave me some good advice and made me grateful for my wonderful boyfriend.

1. You will look at the person lying next to you and wonder, Is this it? Forever?
2. You'll work harder than you ever imagined.
3. You will sometimes go to bed mad (and maybe even wake up madder).
4. You will go without sex — sometimes for a long time — and that's okay.
5. Getting your way is usually not as important as finding a way to work together.
6. A great marriage doesn't mean no conflict; it simply means a couple keeps trying to get it right.
7. You'll realize that you can only change yourself.
8. As you face your fears and insecurities, you will find out what you're really made of.

The Dog, the Cat and the Rat

This is the most wonderful thing I've seen all month! I need these guys to travel with me everywhere I go. I'd name them Larry, Darrell and Darrell.

Random Facts and Thoughts, Part 1

1. Sometimes I talk to myself. I'm sure most people do. But when I do it, I refer to myself as Walden. The reason behind this is that when my cousin Blake was a toddler he couldn't quite say Lauren. He called me various things througout his stages of learning to enunciate each letter's sound, some of which are unwritable in the English language. He called me Nordeen for a while, but he pronounced it in a way that made him sound like he was speaking in another language. Eventually it evolved into Walden. Now Blake is 13 and speaks correct English, but I still like to think of myself as Walden. (Perhaps some day, if you're lucky, we'll get into the Bobbotzki story.)

2. I think I'm a bit OCD. I have to do everything in multiples of three. Nine ice cubes in my drinks, three sugar packets in my tea, 12 seconds to get from point A to point B, etc. If it can't be done in a mulitple of three, its not worth doing.

3. I'm really, Really, REALLY ready to be engaged and then married. Will my time ever come??

4. My dad and his side of the family don't know that I'm living with my boyfriend. I have a slight suspicion that he might know but isn't telling me that he knows. Even if he does, I still have to go through the formality of telling him. I know I need to do it soon. I'm tired of feeling like I'm sneaking around even though I am a fully independent adult. I'm not sure how to tell him and I'm really nervous.

5. I went to church last weekend for the first time in three years. I have nothing against church, but I am having some family issues that make me really bitter towards the judgmental Christians of the world. I don't doubt my faith, I know what I believe, and feel I don't need to prove that to anyone, especially the people who are supposed to love me unconditionally. I have been having a lot of inner turmoil about religion, church and relationships. I am glad, though, that the God I love loves me and knows my heart in the deepest way possible.

Unexpected Surprises

Yesterday was a very long day. I worked all day and took my lunch break at my desk. After work I went straight to class until 10:00 pm. Class was very enjoyable but going from 8am to 10pm makes one pretty tired. My professor is this wonderful little Spanish man (he might actually be Mexican, but we'll go with Spanish) who makes me laugh every time he says "yellow" because it comes out sounding like "yah-low" due to his thick accent. I didn't have time to eat dinner so I spent most of class looking forward to eating leftover pot roast at home. Mr. Zarazua let us out around 9:45 and I made the 30 minute trek home in the rain. I stopped by the mail room at my apartment complex hoping my autographed video cell of Silverchair was waiting for me in the mail from Australia, but alas it was not.

I finally made it into my apartment and instead of walking in and seeing Keith on the couch watching TV I came into a dark apartment to find him already in bed. Keith almost never goes to bed before I do, but he and I have both been battling colds for what seems like months. I changed out of my work slacks and sweater and into some comfortable PJ's and washed my face, all the while trying not to wake Keith. He stirred a bit, woke up to tell me he loved me and to ask me if I'd put another Simpsons DVD on for him. I kissed him and told him good night and then went into the kitchen to make myself some dinner and watch a Tivo'd episode of 90210. When I walked into my dining room and turned on the lights for the first time since I came home I noticed a present sitting on the table for me....new DVD's of Aladdin and Cinderella that Keith had bought me before they go back into the Disney vault.

Its the little things.

5 Months Later...

So I started this blog several months ago when I was bored at work. (Shh, don't tell my bosses.) And I wrote this big long blog about what was going on in my head at the moment, something to do with how my parents hate me and treat me like the red-headed stepchild. I saved it and never posted it. So here I am 5 months later, finally getting around to posting something. Today I have nothing really all that worthwhile to say, but I figured I should start by putting something up. So here goes, here are a few things that have been affecting me today...

I really can't seem to get over the fact that Heath Ledger died. It has really affected me. I don't know the guy, I wasn't a diehard fan, and I haven't even seen that many of his movies. But for some reason I feel like I've lost someone. I'm actually going through a mini grieving period. I don't know what it is. He just seemed like a nice guy. He looked genuine and sweet, and I really feel for his family, his little daughter and Michelle Williams. Everyonce in a while something like this happens and death becomes so real all of a sudden. Three days ago Heath Ledger existed, and now he doesn't. He just doesn't. Just like that. His body is lying somewhere, cold, and cut up, and he's not in it anymore. His daughter will never know him. Its just all very sobering.

I don't like my job. I don't hate my job, but I just don't like it. I feel like I'm wasting my life away. I so wish I could find a differnt job that was a little more interesting where I could only work 30ish hours a week and still make enough to live comfortably. Today I looked into getting my teaching certificate so that I could do that while I'm working on my Graphic Design degree. Unfortunately I didn't study enough the first time I was in college so my undergrad GPR isn't high enough to get into most teaching certificate programs. But I'm not quite ready to give up.

Its cold outside and I really wish it would ice over tonight so that I could sleep in a little bit in the morning. Or at least lay around the house in my fleece robe for a few extra hours and drink coffee while I watch the Today show.