Yeah, I got nothin'

So, um... life is good. I've been busy. Ya know, work and more work. I've been havin' some fun. Weaving more in SLC, going to Sushi and Jazz night with friends. Oh, I was in my ward talent show last night... I did "string tricks." Like, um, Jacobs Ladder and Cup and Saucer. I had my friend A. come up and I stood behind him and put my arms around him and then did these tricks and held my creations up against his white T shirt. It was pretty funny. I did some shopping up in PC with K. and that was fun. I got a good deal on somme purple stripped knee socks. .99$. You really can't beat that. Other then that, yeah, like I said above, I got nothin.' Course, no news is good news, right?

Domestic Goddess

Quick! Someone be proud of me...! Yesterday I bought about 50lbs of apples for 9 bucks. Some of the sweetest tasting apples I ever ete. Today I borrowed the food dehydrater from good ol' F. and took an hour and filled that sucker up. I didn't even use up a quarter of this big box of apples which means, not only do I have my work cut out for me, but I'm in the apples!! I love dried apples and I loved putting on my apron, singing some songs to myself and parring apples. I can't wait to see a nice full bag of white and yellow apples in my pantry. I'm going to snack on them, put them in my oatmeal, make up a trail mix. I think tonight I'm going to make an apple pie. All I have left to say about these apples now is, after all I'm going to eat of them, good thing I live alone!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PAUL SIMON!! I LOVE YOU!!
In honor of Paul Simon's 64th birthday today, I publicy declare to all the world, that I shall name my first born man child, Simon Paul... Paul, your my favorite. Thanks for all of my favorite songs. You make my day happy.

So, what did you do last night? Part II

I baby-sat my boss' kids. Not just my boss, like my manager boss, but the owner of the gym I work at. His children are 18 months and 5 years and I was the first non family baby sitter they have ever had. No pressure there, right? I was scheduled to work at the gym last night but switched to watch his kids. Nice thing is, I got paid the exact amount I would have made at the gym. You can't beat getting paid to play with awesome kids. And this time around it was a little more then the 1.25$ an hour I got when I was 12.

Self Improvement

Again with the self improvement thing, I know, but this time I have a really good idea. I need to drink more water I decided. Clear and copious being the goal, right? So, I made myself a chart. Each time I drink an 8 oz. glass of water (actually from my Nalgene) then I get to put a sticker on my chart. I like stickers. If I drink at least 8 eight oz glasses of water each week then on that Saturday I get to get myself a suprise. I'm not sure what I get this week but boy am I excited!! I wrote a contract with myself and I signed it and had my boss M. be a cosigner (I wonder if that means if I'm to broke to buy a surprise if he has to...). I'm up and down and up and down and up and down but at least I'm getting my water in!

So, what did you do last night? Part I

I rolled my socks and organized my underwear. Seriously. It's all planned out for the next three weeks. I'd hate to make a mistake and wear the same color two days in a row.

Back to School

So, in the interest of continual self improvement, I went to my fist guitar class today. I signed myself up like a little girl and with my hair in braids and my socks up high to my knees I took my guitar like my lunch bag in hand and headed off to class. I was a little nervouse, but because it was a one on one class I figured I couldn't make to big of a fool of myself. I sat there across from the teacher and picked out Good King Wencelses... (is that how you even spell it?). Up, down, up down. Now move your finger, no not like that, here, good girl. Anyway, I have my next class next Thursday and I'm very excited. When I grow up I'm going to be a rock star. Or, maybe I'll just pick a few tunes out around the campfire.

Bloody Mess

So, I think that I make the guys who draw blood nervouse. I always have the worst time with these guys. Vampires is what they are. This afternoon I went to have my blood drawn for my thyroid test. I was kind of nervouse about it because I always seem to have trouble. The girl came out and called my name and so, in the hopes of calming her nerves as well as mine, I made nice with the jokes. She asked how I said my name, and I told her. I said that the silent 'j' was to protect me against telemarketers. If they can't say my name, then I know I don't want to talk to them. As we're laughing about my parents good planning, she's wiping my vein down to pop it. She's about to puncture me when I stop and remind her, Um... doesn't that rubber band thingy needed to be wrapped around my arm. Oh yeah, she says. So, I'm thinking Oh Great. She gets my vein but the blood won't come so she pulls the needle out. All of a sudden blood is pouring down my arm and on the floor. The girl is trying to stop the blood with cotton and clean up at the same time. Oh brother. So, I am pinching cotton between in my 'elbow pit' while she tries again on the other arm. Luckily, she got it right closer to the first time. Ouch. Oh well, I guess that's why God gave me two arms. Good thing I only need these tests two times a year from here on out.

Visby

Don't know why that last post didn't post all of what I wrote but I'm in Visby now and off to see some Viking ruins. Love to all!

Huddinge

Sitting in a library in Huddinge, trying to get used to the caps key being a little off. ALL!!

Swim In

I went tonight to a pool party hosted by C. the company I work for. It was for all the Providers in the community. All these cute handicapped people came and had hotdogs and soda pop and then got to go swimming at the pool we had rented out. My job was to walk around and make sure everybody was having a safe and fun time. T. my good friend made a deal with one of the individuals we serve that if he got in the water so would T. jeans and all. So, this guy did and so T. did. Well, I thought that was pretty funny and was having a good ol' time watching T. goof around in the water in his jeans and all when he came up behind me and tried to throw me in, white t-shirt, capris and all. Well, I fought him as best I could, I mean, I really faught him hard. But he put me in a mandt restraint from behind, picked me in and then fell in with me. My glasses flew off but we found them before anybody stepped on them. Then I realised I had my phone in my pocket. I got it out as quick as I could but the sucker is pretty water logged. I won't be calling anybody for a while, but tomorrow T. and I are going to go pick out a new phone. Looks like I'm getting a new upgraded phone!! You da' Man T! Oh- and I really didn't mind getting tossed in. I rather enjoyed it.

Smooth Move?

So, I just made a deal, hopefully not with the devil. Today in Church a girl mentioned that she was looking for a place to live until she got married and asked if any one had a room to rent. Well, I've kind of been stressing out with K. leaving and all, having to pay 650$ in rent plus about 150$ in utilities all by myself. So, I pipped up. She came and looked at it tonight and moved some stuff in. The deal is that she pays 250$ in rent plus half of utilities. It's not half and half but at this point anything is better then nothing. She isn't going to sign a contract or anything, she'll stay as long as she needs to and I hope that this is all going to work out. I'm not very smart about things, but I have a nice feeling about her as a person and she's going to pay a couple months rent up front. The nice thing about all of this is, I can afford to pay it all if I have to, ie: she flakes out, I can ask her to leave if I need to, she isn't staying forever and in the meantime I have a little bit of help with rent. So, we'll see. The only thing I feel kind of bad about is that J. said she might be interested in moving in. Also, M. wanted to move in. Oh, and Z. said she wanted to check it out. But I went with D. because she seemed to be in a tighter spot then everyone else. She was pretty much living in her car. Oh, me and my bleeding heart. I hope this all works out!

Belly FLOP!

I went to Jackson Hole, Wyoming on Friday with my friend J. to kayak/duckie/raft the Snake river. It was...theraputic. I put that dramatic pause in there because this was a trip with the Adventure Buddies. After the last 'adventure' we had together this last week, it was good for us to get together again and love each other and enjoy each other in an adventure that was not so dramatic as the last. It was nice to reassure ourselves that we aren't cursed but that we can have an adventure without it turning into an epic. J was there, as was of course Adv. M and J. and J flew in from NY and M was there and R and J and then a bunch of girls I didn't have much to do with. Oh, and J. brother-in-law was there as was his sister who is a sweetheart. Anyway, J and I drove up there together later on Friday and didn't get there till late. I pitched my new lovely, wonderful, beautiful tent in two minutes all by myself!! I was so happy and content to sleep in it. I just loved it! The next morning we had breakfast, took our time, enjoyed reuniting with old friends and then headed for the river. I hooked up with M., my wing man in a duckie. I took the steering position while M was the powerman. We had our own sign language for the rapids and everything. We enjoyed trying to ram the raft as well as watch out for J and J in the Pirate Kayaks. We spent about 4-5 hours on the river that day. Just long enough to dunk everyone once or twice. We headed back to camp after that to nurse our sunburns and cook up dinner. Around the campfire that night we did the whole marshmallow thing, set up a slack line (pictures to follow) and played Mafia and Murder in the Dark (literally!). Then I got to sleep in my wonderful, fabulous, marvelous tent again!!
The next day, J and R and P joined up with us and we got back on the river. I did the raft this time and that was great. We really rocked that sucker. As we got through the big rapids, the "Big Kahuna" and "the Lunch Counter" we came to this spot that was ideal for cliff jumping. Here's the part where on every 'adventure' Maija comes away with a bruise! I'm not a jumper at all. I'm not a diver, nor even a swimmer. I know this about myself. And yet, somehow, I got talked in to jumping. First off, J talked me into jumping from a 4 foot rock out. I did it, and I totally belly flopped! Well, I didn't want to hit the rocks. Then J. comes and takes my hand and says,"come on, lets do it higher (where everyone else was jumping, about 25-30 feet higher). I'll do it with you." Well, the boy has my hand so with legs shaking I climb up higher with him. I'm standing up there, shaking with pure adrenaline and a big raft full of people start drifting by, all set with there cameras to catch me in action. J. whispers in my ear, "now, jump. Live in infamy, you'll be famous." I grab my life jacket with one hand, plug my nose with the other, instruct the raft to count off for me, and then proceed to do the most spectacular side FLOP any of them had ever seen. As I come up from the water I can still hear everyone going, "eewwww" and see the grimace of pain on there face. I BIFFED it. I am covered in a big black bruise all down behind my arm, on my side, my hip, my thigh, everywhere. Oh well, I lived. And I will go down in infamy. We continued down the river, loaded up and headed home. After we dropped everyone off, J. asked me to drive home so he could sit in the back with his baby (she didn't come, we had just picked her up). I was okay with that except he drives a stick. I haven't done that in about 9 years. I did get about three miles down the road before he said never mind and switched me. I love that he makes me do things out of my comfort zone. He said he'd take me out and help me practice driving stick. Anyway, it was a great weekend, very therapeutic, very fun, and I love all those guys. Now off to bed for some much needed sleep. (Whaa! I want my tent...!)

Blinding Detail

Blinding Detail
Originally uploaded by Amelia Bedelia.

I know, I know, I had the flash on to strong, but my batteries died and I couldn't redo it... So, the reason for this pic... First of, I'm going to talk to you tonight about my Friend With No Initial. Now, the reason he has no Initial is because I don't believe it's very nice to write about someone on the internet if they don't know it, so I always refere to people by just there initial as a way of showing my respect for them. Well, the Friend with No Initial is so amazing that I just want to show him even more respect. Heres the story. If you can see through the white light of my flash, my hair, you may see that I have it in two braids that are pulled over the top of my head and secured. I then have a long crimson scarf woven and twisted around the braids and then hung down. I realize it's not a hair style that you will see walking down the street, but today it perfectly fit my mood of gypsy spirit, court princess, long braids, and I want to do something different. While most people said nice things or nothing, of course there are a few hecklers. Well, I stopped by the Q. tonight and the Friend With No Initails was there. I was just picking up my paycheck and was on my way out when my Friend With No Initial stopped me and in all scincerity said, Hey Maija, I like your hair that way... Dear, sweet Boy! Dear, kind Friend. He has forever won a place in my heart!

I am a ship upon the waters

So, I just wanted to get this thought out tonight. I've been ruminating over it all evening. As most of you know, I am particularly fond of analogies, so lets see if you can wrap your mind around this one...
I am a ship upon the waters. I am a big Viking ship that is constantly batteling tsunami waves and sharks and whales and a particularly bad case of scurvy. The people in my life, my friends, are my crew. I have all of my friends in a category, or a job. I have Adventure Buddies, and Game night Buddies, and Climbing Buddies, and Movie Buddies, and it works for me. The reason for this is because I know what kind of relationship it is, I know how to best utilize it to make my ship sail more smoothly. I know the best way to use each friend on my ship. So, I have one particular friend who refuses to be compartmentalized. While, I have to appreciate his wiley ways and his carefree spirit, he is worse then a pirate who stole on my boat. He is a loose cannon. Now the thing about cannons are two fold. A cannon can be my best friend in a fight against pirates and marauders (who I am constantly running into, people who seem to suck a part of your soul without your consent), or they can be the big lug of metal you have to haul around and with each tiny toss of the ship worry that they are going to knock a hole in your keel and take you down under. So, this friend is a loose cannon. He isn't quite the big gun I need, and he isn't quite the hole knocker he could be, but I'm not willing to take the chance. A cannon loose on a ship is a cannon loose on a ship. So, while he may refuse to allow me to give him a job in my life, I'm doing it anyway. I'm stuffing him full of perservatives, putting him in a fancy cake box, tying it double knotted with sailors string and putting him in the galley to be taken out and looked at on special occasions when I feel like cheating on my diet. So there.
Anyway, got to love those story problems, huh? They sure are fun to work out in my mind. And they do seem to make work go so much quicker. Good night y'all!!

Curiouser and Curiouser

It's an interesting thing, this is. I went to lunch today with three friends who know me fairly well. On the way out to the car, one called me a flower girl, as in flower child, and just a bit earlier another had been teasing me about my "happy, hippy, horse -shmit." At lunch, all three of them teased me about hugging trees, recycling, and consumer consumption. The interesting part of this, is having people pick out something in you that you saw as a noble strength and deride it. I don't see being environmental as being "hippy," I see it as being responsible. I'm ashamed of those who waste resources so frivolously as though there were an endless supply. It's not hard to be a little more conscientious, to not create so much useless paper waste. Why not reuse instead of cut down a tree. It's just so irresponsible. And if I choose to reuse my plastic lunch bags, at least I'm still shaving my legs and using toothpaste instead of birch bark. Although, I hear that's really good for your gums. Hmm...

What Happens in Vegas...

So, I'm here in Vegas... Kind of. Henderson, actually. One of my favorite places in the world right now if for no other reason then because that's where my sweet little niece and nephew live. In all the world I've never met such a sweet little girl as my niece K. She just loves to hold her new brother and to give him sweet little pats and kisses. On todays agenda, we're off to a baby clothes sale, then home to clean the house. YEAH! What fun! While you may not be able to fully fathom the full spectrum of sarcasm in that last line, I do want to assure all faithful readers that there really is nothing I would rather do today then spend time with the beautiful women (mother, sisters, niece) in my life.

Time Off

Time goes by so quickly. I can't even hardly believe it. I think one thing for me that makes it go by so quick is that I'm so 'scheduled.' I don't think I have a weekend or a day off that isn't planned until sometime in September. How's that for making the summer go by quickly. It's not that the things I'm doing aren't fun, I just miss the spontenaity. Here, in all it's glory, is what I've got coming up. First off is a quick trip to Vegas to visit some family, new and old. Then I'm off to do a slot canyon, Mistery Canyon all in one day. Then I'm signed up to do the Outdoor Retailer Tradeshow. That's will take up not only a full day in the week but my whole weekend as well. Then, there is a hike up near Logan I want to do. It's supposed to be the most beautiful in August when you hike to the lake through meadows and meadows of wildflowers. Where I'll gather armfuls of blossoms of blue. Then we are doing a quick kayaking trip down the Snake and then another in Jackson. Okay, so now into September, I'm taking two weeks off to go to Sweden with my dear Auntie. Then when I come back, it's another canyon that can only be done later in the season when it's cooler. I already know that I probably won't be going home for Christmas this year, but with so much time off I just don't think I can afford it, monetarily or day off-ily. So, that's my plan for the next few weeks. Stay tuned to Flickr, hopefully I'll be smart enough to take some pictures where I can and post, post, post. Okay, off to bed, love to all.

Class is in Session

Hello Kiddies. Have a seat and lets begin our lesson. Today I’d like to take a moment to not only pontificate, but to enumerate the immeasurable impact words, both written and verbal have on ones soul. First of all, the written word. Ah, what sweet joy a well worded letter can bring, and yet, the excruciating sting a scorching written rebuke can leave. Or even more bitter, words written in sincerity, with all of the best intentions and real depth of feeling, that cast too broad a generalization over a group of people, lumping them all together with misguided and demeaning accusations. One has to be so careful when writing ones prejudices in a public forum such as this. Especially if one is attacking not only one persons faith, but being so ignorant as to attack a million peoples world wide faith. Though done with nothing but the purest of motives, it is still a base and vile thing to do. Now on to the spoken word. There is nothing like the sweet caress of a loved and wanted word whispered in ones ear. The gentle reassurance of some kind soul who with the purest mouth tells you what you’ve longed to hear. The serene feeling of peace and light as you whisper aloud your prayers to heaven knowing they’re reaching a ready and willing ear. And yet, there is nothing as sharp and cutting as a comment said so casually, meant to belittle and demean. No hornets sting has ever hurt so bad as something said behind ones back. Words are so necessary for the expression of ones soul. While it may be true that a painting is worth a thousand words, a single word can conjure a thousand emotions, thoughts and images. Let us all be more careful in our conversations, more guarded in our personal revelations. Let us all be better in keeping ones thoughts and feelings at heart when choosing how to express ourselves both with the written as well as the spoken word.

Boy that was fun to write. Me like big words. Me like to pontificate. Me like deep thoughts. Me like cookies. Hmmm... cookies.

Whoosh!

My goodness but this weekend was busy! I did so many fun things with so many great people, but boy could I use a nap. I spent some time this weekend working, I went to the SLC Jazz Festival and heard some great bands upto and including the Big Bad Voodoo Daddies. Oh, yeah, play that funky music. It was crazy the different types of people that Jazz draws out of the woodwork. You should have seen the mohawks on the punks, the dreads on the hippies and the chinos on the old men with their wives in pearl necklaces. I loved it. I felt so at home. I also went up to Deer Valley ski resort to watch K. compete in her mountain bike race. I got a pretty bad sunburn on my shoulders, but it was a beautiful way to spend a morning. You'd think for all of my 'mountain experience' I'd remember that being that high up on the mountain, yes, it's going to be a little bit more windy and cold, and yes, you are more likely to get a burn. Oh well, lesson learned and noted. Gosh, this whole weekend was just run, run, run. Good thing I've been eating my spinach, no? Now I've got a 'nice, easy' week to recoup and I'm off again. Yes!