illumination

I recently purchased the new energy-saver light bulbs. I am not a fan of the squiggly pig tail shaped, low frequency humming, overly bright-blue-hued light. I'll recycle rain water, walk instead of drive, use cloth instead of paper or plastic, but I'll keep using the old fashioned kind of light bulbs.

Maltie and Pennywhistle

If I could control my universe, at the top of my list I would be married and have four children.

Coming in second, I would like a pet sheep. I had a pet sheep once and she was the best furry friend ever! I bathed her once a week, I read poetry to her, and I played my flute for her. She never once told me I was bad. Unfortunately, sheep and city living don't mix.

Thirdly, I really, really want a dog. A little four legged friend to go on hikes, to play games in the park, a co-pilot on errands, and a happy heart to greet me when I come home at night. Only trouble is I tend to come home too late and I think little Fido would be very sad all by himself.

I knew what the logical choice was; a cat. ugh. a single woman with a cat. But I do love cats. And have had several pet cats in the past. (okay, what kind of pet haven't I had? well, only North American animals anyway...) I went to a cat shelter looking for ONE fluffy orange cat. Orange is my favorite! What did I get? Two little fluffy calico sisters. (I am one cat away from the crazy cat lady!)


I still would prefer children, sheep, or a dog, but I love these two little girls. They give me comfort and affection and only give me dirty looks when I accidentally step on them, which is often since they follow me from room to room.

And maybe it's good practice for being a mom: I have to sweep the floor every day from all the things they scatter around, put away all sharp tools, pick up toys and put them where they belong, clean up kitty vomit, feed, water, and change the litter box, I never get to even shower alone because they come and sit on the edge of the tub to keep close to me, I get up earlier than my alarm because they seem to think it's time to be held and petted. But I like it. Gives me something more than me to be responsible for and they cuddle and purr and pet me back.

Spoiled

I never thought I'd do it, but I finally went to a spa and had a facial. I can think of a million more important things to do with $90 bucks, but it was a pretty nice experience!

Stake Through the Heart

Today is stake conference. I never go. I feel a little guilty about it, (I actually just feel guilty that I slept in until 9:00 a.m.) but I always come away feeling depressed. It seems like stake conference is more like a 6 month reunion where you see who else has gotten married, who is pregnant or on their 2nd (3rd, 4th...) child. And you get to see who the popular single people are as they set up their little camps around the gym, saving seats for one another. Where ever I am sitting, I focus and concentrate straight ahead as hard as I can, with blinders on, like a race horse, so that I can't see all this going on around me. And I feel like a race horse just running around and around the same track and not really going anywhere. Except to maybe the barn every once in a while.

The last conference I went to I had arrived early enough to get a nice comfortable seat near the front. There was an older man from the Belmont ward on the same pew. I asked him if I could sit there. At the time, he was only saving room for his wife and there was ample room for me. Along came married friends of mine; they sat next to me. A few single friends in the row in front. Two minutes before the conference was to begin, with seats jammed packed, the older man's daughter and son-in-law came over and wanted to sit on our filled bench. The older man's wife told me because I was single, I should move to make room for the family. I had never liked this woman before this episode and I assure you this did not endear her to my heart.

Needless to say, I'd much rather stay home and work in my flower beds in the drizzle than endure Stake Conference.

What & Why

I've been thinking a lot today about questions and the people who ask them. It seems there are people who ask "what" questions and people who ask "why" questions. I don't think I respond well to "what" questions. I feel like I'm being interrogated and the question lingers in my mind long after the conversation ends. These are a few examples of 'what' questions from various levels of friends in the past few weeks: "what do you like to do on the weekend?" "what is your living situation like?" "what would you do if you were in an argument with a friend?" "what is your idea of a perfect marriage?"

These sort of 'what' questions do not stir thought in me. They don't speak any language in my mind for me to answer with emotion and thought but only black and white words. I get "why" questions. "Why do you like Steinbeck?" "Why do you enjoy hiking on Saturday morning?" "Why do you like animals so much?" "Why did the chicken cross the road?" (just kidding. just seeing if you were paying attention.)

Is there a difference between a "what" and a "why" question? Do different personality traits ask one kind of question more over another? Like, I'm an INTJ and I ask and respond more often to 'why' questions. One of my closest friends is also and INTJ and they also seem to ask and respond to 'why' questions.

I tried GOOGLEing this topic, but doesn't seem to be a lot of research out there. Maybe I should change the name of my blog to Why Why's??

Zip It Zip It Good

Can someone please explain why they still make fold-n-seal sandwhich baggies???

If a Woodchuck Could Chuck Wood...

My first official date was with a boy named Chuck. I was 17, he 16. He drove a beige Chevy Nova and I thought he was soooo cool. We worked together at Burger King and bonded over burgers and Beatles. Even though we had a great time goofing off at work, I was terrified to go on a date with him alone, and made my friend Beth, go with us. Even though the date was disatrous, we flirted and dated for another six months before he moved away to MI.

There's a new Chuck in my life. http://www.nbc.com/Chuck/ I'm almost as in-love with this Chuck as the first Chuck. Except this new Chuck won't leave me crying in my pillow at night.

I've watched Chuck so many times, that recently I wrote out a check to "Buy More" instead of "Best Buy". I know, seriously, who writes checks anymore??

Watch the show. It's awesome. And hopefully someday soon the writers strike will be over and more than 13 episodes will be available.