DAY 151 - Lost in the Wilderness

I had been hiking for hours parched from exertion. My legs had grown tired, my stamina depleted, my thoughts and dreams had drained along with the torrents of sweat dripping off my brow, when finally I happened upon a waterfall oasis.... Ok, so its like a block away from my parents house, but I wanted to look outdoorsy. I spent most of today doing laundry at ma and pa's. I took a little walk up the street and noticed the waterfall was running pretty strong. It's not even a REAL waterfall. It is, because its water falling over rocks, but I remember them building it when I was a kid after the big floods of '83. I remember the neighborhood standing around watching this little stream flooding over onto the street, and my dad helping sand bag in front of the houses down below. I guess it was a scary time for people, but I just remember how much fun it was, everyone in the neighborhood was outside, all the parents would sit together chatting and the kids were running around playing. Ahhh such a simpler time, I think I'm the most sentimental person in the world, I really would give anything to be a kid again. I loved growing up at the time I did and with the people I did, we had a great little neighborhood.

DAY 150 - All Ginned up for the Frolic Pad

I've been a slacker... I have two more videos to finish before I'm caught up on this school year....the school year ends Friday. Oops! I frantically started trying to clear up hard drive space to get capturing video. I got a little start today so hopefully I can get at least one of them done before the end of the week... Well at least have it edited, probably going to have to mail them to the kids during the summer. I wish I had the motivation I used to, I just get kind of burned out sitting in front of a computer all the time. Then it seems like it never goes smoothly, something always gets messed up. Must be me.

This evening Alane heard of a show going on at Club Manhattan, I've always wanted to go there, it seemed so metropolitan. its on Main Street and 4th South. You have to go down a little stairway to get there. I always pictured it being filled with gangster types with their secret door knock and bootlegged liquor. It did have a 40's atmosphere, the guy hosting the show owns the place and he said it opened the day after Pearl Harbor. It is definitely designed for dancing and dining, not so much dinner theater or a cabaret show. There is a dance floor in the middle with a small stage at the front of it, then booths and chairs along the outside walls. The only problem is there are gigantic pillars surrounding the dance floor, so you can't see the stage while sitting in the booths. We'd only got a quick glimpse of the singer as they appeared momentarily between the pillars down the extended stage. It was like watching for Sasquatch singing show tunes from Chicago while lumbering through the forest. We watched each of the singers sing one song, then at intermission we decided to leave. We emerged from the underground club to find it still light out side. So much for a wild and crazy night out on the town. We decided we would go get something to eat, so we got a quick sandwich then went to Spoon Me for some frozen yogurt. We just sat and talked forever outside of Spoon Me, it was just a nice evening outside and nice to sit and chat.

I love living in the city, I'm starting to feel a twinge of regret when I think about moving out in a month.

DAY 149 - NYC Dreamin

For a short week, it felt really, really long!!! I was soho ready for Friday and some good weekend fun. The evening did not disapoint. I had a good time with Latoya, Jess and Tyson. We went to Iggy's Sports Bar up in Ogden. It was a good dinner, they just had this annoying basketball game going on all night, sheesh, would have been nice to have a little peace and quiet. After dinner we went back to Jess and Tysons. They have a cute house out in North Ogden. I get so jealous of my friends who have stuff. Tyson opened up the pantry and it was as if birds started singing and cartoon deer where wandering around in there, it was all organized and stocked full. They are so grown up, but still tons o' fun. We had lots of laughs, I always have so much fun hanging out with them. Jess and Tyson are going back to New York in a few weeks, I want to hide out in their suitcase and go. They introduced me to a new show tonight, its called [title of show] it only ran for a little while on Broadway last summer, they were lucky enough to go see it. I have just started listening to it, but I love it so far! If I had some money I'd move to New York in a second to be able to see all these little shows nobody has ever heard of. I'd have to live on my credit card, but since they're almost maxed out I'd have to see how far I could coast on my Cafe Rio frequent buyers card.

DAY 148 - Forget all your troubles, forget all your cares when you go DOWNTOWN!

My trek downtown, such a beautiful lush green view with the Church office building in the background. From the blinding light behind me it looks like Jesus was just leaving work for the night. Wasn't quite midnight, guess he got off early today. Probably going to get Sushi with Peter.

It was a lazy Thursday night. Just did the standards, a little workout, some grocery shopping, average every day thing. I was kind of bored, trying to find something to watch on TV. Everything is in reruns, and I spend all day at work playing on the interweb so I just couldn't seem to find anything to do. I decided it was such a nice evening I would take a little stroll. I usually walk up through the Avenues or up South Temple, but tonight I was feeling wild. I took a walk downtown. I walked through City Creek park and then up through that cool little neighborhood before you get to Memory Grove. I saw an old school apartment building that looked like an old motel. They had an apartment for rent, I think I should call on it. It didn't look like it could be too pricey. I would love living down that way, its so quaint, and its a pretty nice area, even though the building didn't have much charm, and looked like it could have been in a 70's horror movie. But I'm sure if anyone was murdered in the building they were kinda classy.

Happy Birthday Mish!!

DAY 147 - Ghost of Matthew McConaughey's Career

It was real bad movie night at Brewvies.  Brandy and Kirsten asked me to tag a long with them to see "Ghost of Girlfriends Past" starring Matthew McConaughey.  It was not good.  I'm all for a good chick flick, but this was just not good.  Not so much funny, a little creepy and possibly a little over acting...but I'm not one to judge.  It was the three of us and two other people a few rows behind us who were able to enjoy this cinematic treat along with us.  But from their bursts of laughter, I think the quite enjoyed it...good for them!

I was a little jealous of the people in the next theater over.  City Weekly does a free movie once a month at Brewvies, and this month's movie was Edward Scissor Hands... I LOVE that movie, I kinda wanted to go, but was out voted.  It's all good, I've seen Edward Scissor Hands quite enough, and will probably see it again.  But Ghosts of Girlfriends Past was a unique one time experience.

DAY 146 - Fake Play Me A Song Piano Woman

The accuracy of my photos need to be questioned.  By looking at this picture one would assume that this evening consisted of Latoya playing softly on the piano as Lisa and I sang lullabies to little Cash... However nothing like that occurred, I don't think Latoya even knows how to play a note.  Lets dive in deeper to the real story...  I think people are getting somewhat annoyed with my 365 project.  But that's too bad... And I admit, its difficult coming up with a unique photo each day.  Latoya did not want to be a part of the photo, and Lisa suggested I just hold Cash.  But I all ready have a few baby holding pics from a few weeks ago, and even one holding Cash.  So I insisted everyone be in the picture.  Latoya had some eye issue earlier in the day and took off all her makeup, so she didn't want to be seen.  It was her idea to sit with her back towards the camera.  At least there was a piano there so it didn't seem quite as awkward as if she were just facing backwards sitting on an armchair.  Then the next issue came with the taking of the photo, Matt, offered to take the picture so I didn't have to use the timer function and awkwardly place the camera on some flat surface.  But it took several shots to get this fine piece of art you see at the top of this post.  Eyes were shut, glares off the piano, all sorts of technical aesthetic issues... but finally, we ended up reviewing the proofs and chose the first shot we took was the most well composed...  Nothing but the best for this blog.

DAY 145 - Forever and Ever

Its eternity, in my temple, the fitting room at Nordstroms.  The circle of my love extends beyond these size 32 jeans.  

Today was Nancy and James last day in Utah before they head out for another six months on the ship, so sad.  We did what we have done best....we went shopping.  I was good and didn't buy anything, I had to halt the spending spree I've been on.  It was a pretty nice time, just hanging out with  at the mall.  No big hurrah, but that's what's nice about them, its not super sad when they leave cause I have every confidence I'll see them again soon and we'll pick up right where we left off, we're bff's!!

Later that evening I went over to Brandy's for our kick off to summer smore's party!  We had the first of hopefully many, backyard fire pit get togethers.  It began somewhat awkwardly.  Brandy has one of those annoying neighbors, like on an 80's sitcom.  He comes over and talks to her whenever she's outside.  When I pulled up he was in her front yard talking to her and had a glass of white wine with ice cubes floating in it.  I don't know much about wine, but I didn't really think you drank wine "on the rocks" maybe I'm wrong.  We were able to smooth talk our way out of the situation and he ended up leaving, but he did say he would come back over later.  We we're hoping it was just the icy wine talking, but sure enough, about an hour later after we were all sitting around just chattin' and laughin' we heard yelling from the other side of the fence.  His little head was poking over the top of the gate waiting for Brandy to come let him in.  She let out a pleasant hello while rolling her eyes and let him in.  Once again he had a glass of wine with ice, not sure if it was the same glass, but by the way he was acting I'm assuming it was a new glass and there may have possibly been several glasses since we saw him last.  There were only 4 chairs around the unlit fire pit, each were occupied.  He came over and tried to get involved in our conversation...he didn't fit in well with us, lets just say he didn't know who Hugh Jackman was, he can't be a friend of ours.  After he squatted down for a while he finally went and rounded up a chair so he could permanently embed himself in our conversation circle.  We continued on like normal, paying minimal attention to him, and I'm sure he had no clue what we were even talking about.  Then moments before we were going to make up a fake errand to run, he was distracted by his roommate across the fence who had found something in the back yard.  It was probably a bunch of snails, he had mentioned he was starting to collect garden snails to make escargot...Now I know as much about escargot as I do about wine, but I didn't think that the common Utah garden snail was a delicacy, but he claims they are the best to cook with.  I guess after a couple of white wine slushies, and enough butter and garlic anything tastes good.

He finally left and didn't return the rest of the evening.  We were able to enjoy our Smores in solitude...mmmm, summer never tasted better.  

DAY 144 - Declaration Day (That's how they say it in these parts)

Today was the annual trek to the dead folk.  Honoring our ancestors and soldiers with some Mum's in colorful foil and plastic wrap, a fitting tribute to a life well lived....  I'd like to give a special thanks to my Great Grandpa May for holding the camera in this picture.

I actually kind of enjoy this day, kind of a strange holiday, but it does give you some reason to think about those who came before you.  My favorite place to go is the Harper 

Ward Cemetery where my mom's side of the family is buried.  There is a big May family plot with my Great Great Grandpa and Grandma, Great Grandpa and Grandma, Grandpa and uncle are buried.  My Great Great Grandpa May was one of the first settlers in the area, and did the whole polygamy thing.  He and Lorenzo Snow were good friend and he would hide out in Lorenzo's basement in all these secret rooms.

 Finally he moved to Canada with one wife and left the other wife behind to t

ake care of things.  He g

ot sick in Canada and had his son (my

 great grandpa) go to Canada to pick him up to bring him home where his 1st wife Martha took care of him til he died.  My great great grandma Martha's dad was one of Joseph Smith's bodyguards in Nauvoo, IL. then when they were told to go west, Brigham Young had him and a few other guys go out ahea

d of everyone and build bridges and plant crops.  Kinda cool.  I'm completely Utahn through and through.

As we headed back from Honeyville we stopped at the Willard Cemetery where my dad's grandparents are buried.  We don't usually go there, but I was feeling all genealogical and wanted to get a picture of their headstone.  My Great Grandpa Rock fought in the Civil War for Ohio, 

wierd!  He's just my great grandpa.  He was in his 50's when my grandma McEntire was born.  My 

great grandma Rock's dad was part of the party that went to Martins Cove in Wyoming to save the stranded Handcart company that were coming to Utah.

Just a little history lesson about my fam.  So when ever anyone makes fun of me for having an accent they can't blame me I come from a long line of Utahns that have been dropping T's and believe the words barn and corn rhyme.

DAY 143 - Waffles and a Wetland Wasteland

Memorial Day Weekend has arrived, and I'm exhausted.  This week seemed so crazy packed, but it was mostly all fun.  I spent the last several nights up in Ogden "working" on the benefit stuff and didn't make it home until 2am.  Last night after the show we hung out at Alane's and I didn't get home til after 3am.  Wild and crazy, I know!  So I'm excited for a low key weekend.  

This morning I met Clete and Greg for breakfast at a little place called Waffles and Frites.  All they have are waffles and fries, good morning carbs!  I had a cinnamon waffle with cream.  It was spectacular.  Greg got some fries and some sorta special dipping sauce, they have a ton of different dipping sauces, its like fry sauce on steroids.  I tried one and it was a tasty fried potato delight!

After breakfast I headed back home to do some spring cleaning.  I had a very disturbing event occur earlier in the week.  I spotted a roach!  It may have been the single scariest thing that I've ever experienced.  Bugs usually don't bother me.  I can squish a spider, swat a fly and shoe away a bee...but th

is cockroach gave me some pulmonary stress.  It was sitting in the middle of my kitchen floor.  I went to step on it and it ran down the hall to my bedroom.  I'm getting chills just thinking about it.  I got a Smiths grocery bag on my hand and jumped on my bed where I preceded to survey the room for any moving objects.  I moved my little space heater and he was just sitting there exposed. I quickly leaned over off my bed and squished him.  Whoosh, that was close, I'm sure there are no more...That's what I thought til I read about them on Wikapedia, now I live in fear.  I did see a few more the next night coming out of a crack by a pipe in my kitchen.  I blocked up the crack an

d I'm hoping for the best.  But I decided a deep cleaning is in order.  I spent the entire morning on my hands and knees wiping the floor with Clorox antibacterial wipes.  I even moved the fridge out and mopped and cleaned all around it.  I bought a bug bomb, and I'm going to set that off before I go to work on Tuesday, hopefully that will do the trick.

After the emotional and physical stress of the kitchen cleaning, I took a nap, which isn't like me.  I'm not much of a nap person.  But I needed it, I slept for a few hours.  When I get up from a nap I feel like I have wasted the day.  Since it was 

a holiday weekend I felt I should go do something outdoorsy.  So I drove to the number one outdoor recreation spot in the valley, Salt Air...well its the number one recreational spot in the valley for rave goers and brine shrimp enthusiasts.  I haven't been there since I was a kid, and recently I saw a big photo gallery of the lake and it looked beautiful.  Well its obvious that those pictures had been touched up more than Madonna on the cover of Vogue.  The sun on the water was pretty, but as I was walking along, I thought it was dodging little tumble weed bushes, however on close inspection I realized these little bushes had feathers and beaks, there were tons of dead birds, it was like a flock of Seagulls Jonestown, just a mass suicide when they realized they were living in Utah and not California, as there name would suggest.  That's when I decided to head back to my car, besides the entire point of the trip was to get some nice pictures, but after shooting a few the battery died on my camera.  It was a sign.

DAY 142 - It's the Day of the show ya all!

The night has finally arrived, excitement fills the air, the house is packed...kinda, audience members fill the lobby in anticipation...and perspiration from the junior varsity basket ball tournament going on across the hall... the cast is gathered for a pre show pep talk while the smell of today's lunch wafts down from the leaky cafeteria dishwasher overhead, ah yes, this is high school theater at its finest!!

The benefit was actually a big hit!  Nancy, James, Megan, Kim and Nate are all AMAZING!!  They sounded great, and put on a super show.  There were about 300 people that came.  It would probably have been a little better if it hadn't been moved to Memorial Day weekend.  Just a scheduling snafu by the principal...apparently Family Home Evening is a legitimate excuse to not schedule anything at the school on Monday nights...can we say "separation of church and state?"  But I'm not one to judge.

The show went off swimmingly, no major problems.  Until I get my one moment of fame.  I hosted the show which went fine, but was given one featured singing line in the finale "One Day More" from Les Miz.  It was Nancy and I singing the Thenardier part.  Real simple goes like this "Watch em run a muck, catch em as they fall, never know your luck when there's a free for all... Here a little dip there a little touch, most of them are gonners but they won't miss much"  Now I'm sure if you read this a few times you would have that memorized... OH not me.  For some reason I can get up in front of a crowd of thousands and make a total fool of myself and not get nervous, but if I have to sing I freeze up, especially since we only rehearsed it once, I need copious amounts of rehearsal.  I got the first part out... then it came to "Here a little..touch there a little dip...." I said them opposite, and Nancy said them in the right order.  Therefore the audience knew we messed up.  Nancy started to laugh as we sang, so she was singing all staccato like, and I was holding things out too long, then she put her hand on my back and was shaking in laughter as the rest of the chorus sang.  In order to hold my composure I put on a real mean face and stared straight forward.  If you notice in the picture I look terrified and Nancy has a huge smile on her face.. It came time for us to sing another part, we just sing our line along with everyone else in the big finish to the song, Nancy brought the microphone up for us to sing, but she was still laughing, and if I would have moved I would have laughed as well, so we both just stood there in silence and she slowly lowered the microphone down.  We are such the professionals.  Probably best not to put Nancy and I together.  

Overall it raised about $3200, not bad, every little bit counts.  But honestly I think it was just an excuse for us all to get together and do a little show.  It was so much fun to be a part of.  I'm glad I got to play with the cool kids.

DAY 141 - Let Me Dance For You!

Well... American Idol is done, time for a new obsession?  Cassie loves, "So You Think You Can Dance"  I've seen a few throughout the years but never followed it.  Tonight we all got together at Brandy's to watch the season opener.  It was the auditions, just like American Idol.  I enjoyed it, my only problem is I can't tell who's good and who's bad.  Sometimes its obvious, but other times I thought the person looked like they were having some kind of Grand Mall Seizure on the stage and when it would go back to the judges they were all in tears because of the beauty of the piece.  I am not one to judge.  It will be interesting to see how it goes.  I'm willing to stick with it for a while.

After the show, Cassie, Brandy and I did our own dance audition.  We're real good, we made a lot of music dancing them and I.

DAY 140 - And they said they wouldn't make it!

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY MOM AND DAD!!!  Wow! 43 Years.  Those crazy kids, still goin strong.  To celebrate we went to the good ole Olive Garden.  I guess the 43rd anniversary is the Fettuccini Anniversary.  Who needs silver, or gold or paper when you've got noodles and a heavy cream sauce!!  It's always nice to spend time with the parents. Gotta love em, glad they went on that blind date and then dated for 5 years and finally decided to tie the knot. Then 10 years after that they had their precious little accident named Ken!!

After dinner I went up to Alane's to work on the script a little more and watch the American Idol results show.  I'm happy with the outcome, I would have been fine either way.  I really wasn't surprised because before the show even started I opened up my computer and logged on to Facebook and saw Matt Hewitt's status that said "I can't believe Kris won!!"  Thanks Matt, he's a ruiner, and also very violent, he almost drowned me at Willard Bay one time, but that's a different story, anyway.... I think both will do just fine.  It's probably better Adam didn't win, I think he will be better off going out and getting his own label rather than being tied to American Idol, I think Kris is a better fit for the Idol.  Because I know things like that.

DAY 139 - Throw another slab o' beef on the barbie!

Ever since we gave Alane the grill for her birthday we've been braking it in for her.  Every time I'm up there we do a little grillin'!  I love it.  Grilled chicken, grilled onions, mushrooms and Capicums...yep Red Capicums, nothin like a tasty grilled Capicum, I need to stop saying Capicum.  It's a new word I learned.  James asked if the Capicums were ready for the grill.  I was a little nervous, I wasn't sure what type of ethnic food was being prepared.  Those Australians, who knows what they eat.  Ya know they come from a long line of convicts, you can't trust em.  Luckily he was just referring to the Red Peppers.  Apparently they are called Capicums down unda.  Who knew?

After the tasty chard goodness was consumed it was time for a little American Idol!!  The finale, Adam and Kris... Such a hard decision.  We all know Adam is freakishly talented, but Kris is awesome and I like his style.  Both had high points, and Kris had some down points.  He didn't sing the last song well at all, it was really flat and too high for him.  Nancy and I felt so bad for him that we voted for him.  I wasn't able to get through on my phone, but James has AT&T so you can text vote from it.  Nancy voted 25 times, then James informed her he doesn't have unlimited text messaging on his plan...ooops.  It was sort of a Desi and Lucy moment, except it was a blonde man with a thick Australian accent yelling NAANCEE!!

I then began writing the script for the benefit concert.  It took me most of the night to come up with just a few segments, and it is full on smoked gouda cheese!!!  I think I may have a future in banter writing.  Hold on to your pink rimmed glasses Bruce Vilanch, here I come!!

DAY 138 - Be Prepared!

Monday...blah, but a week from today is Memorial Day...YES!!  I've been counting down for 9 weeks.  Tonight I went over to Clete and Greg's and watched an old Ugly Betty episode, we're really far behind.  Then Brandy came over and we took a field trip over to Maverick for some frozen yogurt.  I didn't partake, as I'm trying to be a healthy fell this week.  I got some green tea, hopefully if I keep drinking that my metabolism will click into overdrive and I no calorie will go wasted.  My efficient body will have no need to store anything away.  I really don't need my food storage in my belly hips and thighs, I'll just get some pork and beans, a two liter bottle of water and stick it in the basement, that will suit me fine in case of an emergency.

Brandy and I are honing our life saber skills.  I think I'm pretty good at it.  However I was wishing I had a life saver instead.  mmmm Butter Rum

DAY 137 - Puttin' it together!

We had our first rehearsal for the benefit concert... well technically the only rehearsal.  Tonight Nancy, James, Megan, Kim and Nate went through their songs with the accompanist.  They all sound freakin' AMAZING!!!  I'm sining one tiny line in One Day More with Nancy, I couldn't even remember it, not going to be good.  Alane and I haven't really even started writing it.  It's going to be super cheesy, but people like cheesy, right?  Just look at the popular Ron Bergeron of Dancing with the Stars and America's Funniest Videos...He's a big hit.  I'm not too worried about it, but we'll see how I feel come Friday!!  At least the crazy talented people will make up for the lame hosting.

I really have extremely talented and good looking friends, I hate them!!!

DAY 136 - A splash of Coke and a Splash of Color

Last night during the game night, I put some Diet Cokes in the freezer to chill nice a quick... that they did.  Unfortunately I had one of them and forgot I put the rest in there.  During the night I remember hearing a banging noise, but figured it was a gun shot outside, possibly a small explosion at the Cathedral, maybe some Frankincense spontaneously combusted, I don't know what they do in there?  Anyway, I didn't worry about it, I just continued in my restful slumber.  When I woke up and went into the Kitchen, my freezer door was wide open and frosty caramel coloring #12 Diet Coke stalactites and stalagmites formed beautiful creations in my cavernous freezer.  The Diet Coke can's had turned into game night shrapnel.  Who know such an event could occur?  I have had a can freeze before, and back in the day glass bottles would explode in our basement deep freeze.  But this was a cataclysmic event of epic proportions.  It blew the freezer door all the way open!!  I had to clean up the mess, and it was probably good for the freezer to get a good cleaning anyway.

After the Diet Coke debacle, I went to the mall with Alane and Nancy.  We went up to Park City to the outlets and to Fashion Place to find Alane a dress for the benefit.  It was a fun day of shopping.  Alane found a great dress, I found some pants that were on sale and I really liked.  But they're not black, they are a deep navy.  The theme for the benefit is all black with a splash of color.  I'm a little concerned about that, but hopefully they are dark enough no one will notice they're blue.  Oh well.  I'm still on the search for a shirt and tie.  I'm spending way too much money and effort on this.  But its so much fun to have something fancy to dress up for.  After I get the new clothes I'm going to have to find other fancy events to attend.  Guess I'll have to go on a cruise, I got to get good use out of the new clothes.  

DAY 135 - Things that are stupid, that begin with "S" Scattergory rules!

FRIDAY!!!  We had a little game night tonight.  Since my time in my apartment is nearing a close, we had one of the last game nights that will take place.  So sad!!  But there's still over a month left, so hopefully this one wont be the last.  We went to the Café Rio and then came back and got the games going.  We played the usuals, however for the first time in my life we played Scattergories how it should be played.  Who knew?!  For years I've been playing it where you change the card after each round.  Apparently that is incorrect, you are suppose to play the same card 3 times, just with 3 different letters.  That's so boring!  I like to mix things up.  I thought his idea was crazy talk, but we consulted the instructions, that are amazingly still in the box after 15 + years, and it did confirm that the 3 round same card is the correct way to play.  Who'd have thunk.  I think I will continue playing the other way, who needs rules, they only get in the way.  I'm a renegade.  

DAY 134 - Fer Fun

Tonight we went to a little show called "The Passion of Sister Dottie Dixon."  I was a little apprehensive about going.  I wasn't sure what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised.  It's humor was very relevant and it was also extremely touching.  Over all it was hilarious!  Dottie is a little mormon housewife from Spanish Fork Utah, she speaks with a heavy Utah drawl, she gives a "Spanish" lesson during the show, not español, but Spanish Forkeese.  She explains that when someone "cuts in line over ta the Costco's, you say "fignorant or frude!" 

Dottie is a progressive type mormon housewife that get's in a little bit of trouble with her bishop when she gets arrested for chaining herself to a Desert Book store in a Provo strip mall to protest how the church is treating her gay son.... It's not her fault, she was just doing what the giant Box Elder bug dressed in a Donna Karen pants suit from the KMarts, told her to do in a dream.  It was a funny show that takes on some serious issues.  Not everyone will agree with Dottie, but the overall message was to love yourself and love one another.  It was a great show, and I wish everyone would be open minded enough to see it.

DAY 133 - He's just a...can't

MAC ATTACK!  So this is what the kids are doing these days.  I remember a time when you would hang out with your friends and speak to each other in person.  It's so much more convenient to simply communicate using technology.  Talking is hard.  Actually Nancy is looking for Pants on ebay, James is playing Internet poker (he didn't even know her) and I'm working on the newspaper ad for the benefit.  Every once in the while we would grunt something to one another.

Tonight we watched the elimination American Idol.  Technology almost spoiled the fun, Alane opened up her computer, logged onto Facebook and saw the status of one of our friends back east that said what the results were.  So she kept quiet the whole time, even though she new..  Geez people, watch what your status says!  But for those who may have DVR'd it and haven't watched be warned I will now announce who was voted off..... Danny is gone.  Awww poor guy, first his wife, now this.  Like I've said before, I really did like him, and I was expecting it to be him in the finale.  All three of them could have won.  But I'm secretly (well not so secretly) excited that Kris made it, he is just so....can't.  I think he'll....can't.  He just makes me....can't.  (Inspired by the eloquent words of Kris Allen's father)

Stay tuned to see what happens next week when the Sleaze and Crooked Mouth face off.

As Simon put it, it will be a real "ding dong!"

DAY 132 - The Sleaze, The Mouth, The Dead Wife

Its down to the last few weeks of American Idol...  Jess and I shared our love for the show over the weekend and decided that all of us should get together to watch it.  Christian was kind enough to open up his home for the event.  It was awful nice of him, however Jess and I were the only two who have even been following the show, the rest just came along for the free pizza and Oatmeal Caramelitas.  I felt bad that we put them through such torture.  Latoya appreciated it and I think she may be a little more into it now.  And Tyson, Jess's husband claims he can't stand it but I think deep down he likes it.  Christian's girlfriend and her friends were kind enough to put up with us.  Jess and I had to watch both Kris and Adam a few times, Danny is good too, I think it's going to be Danny and Adam in the final two, but Kris is probably my favorite, I would buy his stuff, he's more my style.

Adam is the hard core rocker screamer type. But he's freakishly talented, its not just screeching its actual sing screaming, if that is such a thing.  Jess LOVES him!  In a previous episode one of the judges said he had a sleazy look about him, but in a good way.  Jess is all about the Sleaze.  He is awesome, and I'm sure he'll win.  In a way I think he'd be better off not winning, makes him more legit.  Winning kind of cheapens him, and he'll be tied to American Idol for a year.  But either way he'll be a big hit, and so will Kris Allen.  He's the exact opposite, the boy next door with a charming crooked mouth.  Danny has the soul to him, has a good career in Christian Rock ahead of him.  His wife is dead.  But I really think he deserves to be in the top, he's not coasting by on pity.

Those are my thoughts and feelings about the American Idol, the views expressed in this Blog may not reflect the opinions of the readers.

DAY 131 - Don't Go Punching Monkey's...

Well, the convention is done, but most of the company feels they deserve a day off, so once again, Juan and I were the only two around.  A few other people filtered in through out the day, including my boss.  But he wasn't in the mood for work either.  He gave us all this program to load on our computer with old arcade games.  So I spent much of the afternoon exploring those. Some of the old favorites like Frogger, Donkey Kong, Pac Man and the rest.  

I found this old game called Kangaroo that my sister and I would play at my dad's old office.  It was in one of those table arcade games, where you looked down at the screen.  We thought it was so much fun, I remember going down there on Saturdays when my dad would go into the office, no one else was in the building.  My dad owned the candy machine so he would open it up and let us get a treat, usually a Grandma's Cookie (didn't they used to be a lot bigger and better, or is it just me?).  Then I would run around the halls, and go play in the men's bathroom.... It had a giant fountain like sink, it was circle and you stood on this big bar on the ground and the water would spray out of the top and into this big basin.  It was beauty-ful.  Like my own personal Billagio Hotel fountain!  After the fun in the men's bathroom, I would end off the day playing Kangaroo.  It's basically punching apple throwing Monkey's and trying to get to the top of the four levels.  I'm sure there is some sort of metaphor for life in there somewhere.  Maybe something like, "Don't go punching Monkey's, stick to the men's room fountains you're used to"

DAY 130 - Nuthin' Says I Love You Like 300g of Fat!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!!!  Today we went to dinner at the Ruby River and I made my traditional mother's day cake...  I decided to try a new cake recipe, I wasn't too happy with the results, it was really, really crumbly, but the frosting was the whole reason I chose the recipe.  1.5lbs of Lindt Chocolate then make a homemade caramel sauce and heavy cream, then pour over the chocolate to melt it.  Let it set up and then whip it up, whip it good...mmmmmm rich chocolatey goodness!  The cake was so crumbly that I poked holes in it and poured sweetened condensed milk over the top to moisten it up.  It ended up tasting really, really good!

I tried to be fancy with my decorating, I still need to work on my piping techinque.  I was watching cake decorating shows on You Tube at work, but got a little embarrassed, so I had to switch over to American Idol clips, because thats so much more butch.

All and all it was a good mother's day.  I hope my mom enjoyed it.  Kind of seems a little uneventful with just the three of us.  I miss my sisters being around for special days, most of the time I don't even notice they're gone... JUST KIDDING!!  

My mom is a great woman, she has been through so much, 3 brain surgeries, cancer survivor, hip replacements.  She may have a screw loose in her head, blind in one eye and can't see out of the other (those are her jokes).  But I'm so thankful to still have her with me, I don't know what I'd do with out her.  I remember the first week of Kindergarten, I would grab a hold of her and not let go when she'd drop me off for school.  Mrs. Terry was pulling me with one arm as I was grabbing a hold of my mom with the other.  It was a literal Tug-A-Kenny-War.  In many ways I feel the same way, still trying to grab a hold of my mom with one arm, while the real world is pulling me with other.  

Love you mom!

DAY 129 - Singed, Sealed, and Grilled

I love to see the temple, well the Ogden Temple just reminds me of a giant cup cake so I really love to see it.... Today my friend Nick asked me if I would take pictures at his brother's sealing.  So I got to go up to Ogden and pretend I was a photographer.  I really had no clue what to do, I'm not a professional photographer, and a sealing is different than a wedding.  At a wedding you can do lots of stuff with the couple all cuddling and holding hands and all that.  A sealing is just sorta like take a family shot and be done.  But I felt I had to do more.  I just had them stand by flowers and by the reflecting pool, nothing to fancy.  But the girl's aunt was following me around.  There is always one like her every time I take pictures for something.  She asked if she could stand by me and take her own pictures, I said sure.  Then she pushed me out of the way so she was standing front and center.  So I just stepped back and let her take her picture, when she was done, I stood in front of her.  It was my passive aggressive way of telling her she was in my way.  Didn't work, she followed me around the rest of the time.  At one point she asked where I got my pictures developed.  I told her it is digital, so I just give the disk to the family and they can take it anywhere to get them made.  She scoffed at the idea, she said she threw her digital camera away.  Apparently her pink 1991 point and shoot camera is the pinnacle of photographic excellence.  I believe it's what Ansel Adams used.

After the photo shoot, I went over to Alane's and we did a little shopping and a little grilling.  I bought a few shirts, I'm out of control, and I think I like it.  It's been a long time since I've let myself buy new clothes, in the last few weeks I've bought more than I have in the past year and a half.. and that's not very much.  I still have a few more purchases to make before I'm done.

DAY 128 - Lettuce Wraps and Body Bags

Finally Friday!!  After my stressful, hectic week at work, I had to unwind...  Hey sitting around doing nothing is very draining, seriously it is.  Tonight I hung out with Latoya, Jess, and Christian.  We had a nice dinner at PF Chengs.  I love me some lettuce wraps.  Next time I go, I'm just going to order me a whole head of lettuce wraps and not share... all for me.  Had a great time discussing American Idol with Jess, we are big Adam Lambert and Kris Allen fans.  We have decided we need to watch it together, we can get up and dance on the coffee table together, then rewind and repeat!  

After the PF Chengs we went to "Sunshine Cleaning" it was a great movie.  I loved it!  All about crime scene clean up and quality family time.  So sweet.  

It was a lovely start to the weekend.  

DAY 127 - That Roseanne Barr thing

I don't know what's wrong with me this week.  I have been soooo tired.  Doing nothing all day long takes a lot out of me.  I've been so slow at work, then when I come home I have no energy to do anything.  I did go for a little run in the park, but my knee started to hurt so bad I only went half as far as I usually do.  It's getting worse, time to go to a doctor... blah!

After my run I went to my parents house to get my Power 90 DVD I left there over the weekend.  I thought I would come home and do that to finish up my work out.  But instead I came home, and sat on the couch and fell asleep, and when I say couch I mean my tiny two seater love seat, not the most comfortable for napping.  I woke up at 11pm and went straight into my bed.  I think I may have that Roseanne Barr disease, that disease where there doesn't seem to be anything wrong with you but you're real, real tired, and every once in the while I'll just start screaming out the national anthem, in a retched screaching voice.

Well tomorrow is Friday!!!  Last day of nothingness at work.  I'm sure as soon as I get a few new projects going, I will long for these days of peace.

DAY 126 - Douse The Light Kenneth!!

Woo Hoo, finally feels like spring, it was in the mid 70's today, I broke out the shorts and my pasty white legs were exposed for all the world to see.  I have been asked by the US Navy to stand on rocky outcrops in the Great Salt Lake to warn passing ships.  I am the Beacon of Paleness!  

It was a pretty lazy day.  Work was ULTRA slow.  It is only me and one other person in our entire office, with no work to do.  I believe my day consisted of Facebook, watching 30 Rock on HULU, and other Saturday Night Live clips, followed by Dr. Horribles Sing-A-Long Blog, starring Neil Patrick Harris, I highly recommend it if you haven't seen it, it can be found on hulu.com.  So I'm glad I was paid for catching up on my entertainment for the week.  I wish the ABC player worked on my computer.  I could catch up on the entire season 4 of Lost.  And I'm not worried if my boss finds out about my activities, he is well aware of the situation.

After work, I went home and did a new workout LaToya had sent me, it's called the "Best Bikini Workout Ever!"  I figured I best get into good bikini shape with my new job as the beacon of Paleness.  It is the required uniform ya know.  

DAY 125 - BORING! BORING! BORING! Nothin' ever happens at 4Life!

Painful I tell you, painful.  Today was the last day before convention.  Most of the people in the office are gone.  The hectic crazy days of a few weeks ago, have turned into listless hours of idleness.  I'm pretty sure I have finished the Internet, I'm done.  I got to the last page, I wont spoil it for the rest of you, but I know what happens.  Seriously, there are only so many Facebook quizzes to take.  I'm grateful I've got LaToya to keep me entertained on the instant messenger.  It was so slow my boss Wade let us leave early.  I left about 3pm.  It was such a nice day outside I decided to go do a little shopping, and then go for a run in the park.  After which I met Brandy, Jamie Fackel, Clete and Greg and saw a play at Granger High School...  It was...cute?  Was a play with just two boys and they played a bunch of different characters.  Got a little repetitious.  But the high school kids enjoyed it, and I'm a supporter of the arts in our schools.  Even though I didn't pay, I supported.  I didn't even buy cookies from the young man trying to sell cookies for a fund raiser... But I think that was for football, I don't support football, they have enough supporters.  And why are the sports kids selling cookies?  They should be selling Powerade or something.  Give the baking back to the drama kids, they appreciate baking more!

DAY 124 - Who Are These Children Coming Down?!

I tell ya, babies, babies everywhere.  It's like it's raining kids... a storm is coming!  This is little Maxwell Adams Tesch, one of my best friends, Jake's little boy.  He was born a week ago today.  I can't believe he has 2 kids, seems like not too long ago we were making midnight runs to Del Taco and watching videos in the fort in the basement.  He was just a kid (we won't mention how old I was when these events occurred).  

I'm really happy for him, he's a great dad, and husband, always knew he would be.  And Amanda is a great mother and wife, these two are the perfect couple.. made for each other.  And I'm glad they don't beleive in that Zero Population theory because zero population is not the answer my friend, with it the rest of us are doomed.

DAY 123 - No one mourns the WICKED!!

Went to see Wicked today.  I've been such a theater goer this week.  First Miss Saigon, and today Wicked.  This was my third time seeing it.  I always enjoy it, but it was kind of missing something for me, maybe its just because I've seen it twice before, and we were on the second to last row.  The further away from the stage I get, the less I enjoy the show, I have decided its not worth spending the money to sit too far away, I'd rather pay more and be closer to make it worth it.  We also saw the understudy to Glinda, she wasn't all that great, I think Chicago was still my favorite time seeing it, however Eden Espinosa as Elphaba in New York was awesome.

I felt a little Wicked myself, I had promised myself I wasn't going to bake until Mother's Day, I made it all the through the weekend, but I was craving chocolate chip cookies, so I made some, and ate TONS of the dough.  It was a serious problem.    I made them with wheat flour so I figured they were healthy...right?  Anyway, I threw out what was left so I could start Monday fresh.  I wish I had some magical wizard who would take away my sweet tooth.  

DAY 122 - Location, Location, Location

Today was the Utah Herritage Association's historic homes tour.  I was really excited about it, it was in the Yale/Harvard area of Salt lake, about 1500 East and like 9th south.  It consisted of about 10 homes that had been built in the 20's.  I've always loved this area and wondered what it would be like to go inside some of these homes.  Today was my chance!  They were all pretty nice, my favorites were the two bungalow style homes on Michigan Ave, they had been restored and updated, but they kept the integrity of the style.  I loved them, I would have lived in either.  All of the homes were pretty nice, except for 2.  One was just kind of like a normal home, nothing too impressive, decorated pretty standard.  And one was really charming from the outside, looked like it could have been in the Hollywood hills, wasn't big, but just nice looking.  But inside it was sad!  It hardly had any furniture and they said the renovation had been done in the 80's and it looked like it.  It was really dated and basically just empty.  I was concerned for them.  One of the portraits hanging on the wall in the basement was of a group of old time prisoners, the volunteer was saying that all the photos on the wall were of relatives.  So obviously they come from a long line of fugitives, I'm sure they probably feel right at home in a hollow dimly light corridor of a house.

None of the homes were huge, about 2000 - 3000 sq feet.  Nice sized, but just average, however its all about location.  There was an original ad for one of the homes from 1927, it was for sale for $13,000.  Then somebody came through the tour and said their family had bought it in 1931 during the depression for $5000.  They didn't say how much the home was worth now, but the one across the street is 200 square feet smaller and is on the market for $993,000.  So I think the moral of the story here is if I buy a home now while prices are lower, and hold onto it for 70 years, I have the potential of making quite a bit of money!  I look forward to finally getting to travel and see the world with my new found wealth when I'm 102!

DAY 121 - MOG! Chuck E Cheese!

Zippadee-a and Hi-dee-ho! There's something we can do, we'll sing a song that we all know.... Happy Birthday to you!  Today was Clete's son Parker's 6th birthday.  So the group of us went to Chuck E Cheese to celebrate.  That was a tradition in my family growing up, we would go to the Chuck E Cheese in Ogden on our birthday's.  I loved it, it was such a big event for me.  It seemed so exciting.  There was the room with all the anamatronic characters in the wall, the piano playing Moose, or sometimes it was a hippo.  Then there were all the games, Skee Ball and the such.  I loved it.  So when they were talking about going there for Parker's birthday I got excited to go relive my youth....how dissapointed I was.  Chuck E Cheese has been hit hard by the recession, or is just getting lazy in his old age.  We went to the one in Sandy, it was so depressing, it had a little area with a stage where Chuck and his friends would perform, however there was no sound, just a bunch of mouth moving characters, and the spot lights were burned out on most of them.  Then the game area was so small and light by depressing fluorescent lighting.  How I longed for the Chuck E of my youth.  But that has been over 20 years ago, Chuck has really let himself go.

The best part of the night was when we got back to Clete and Greg's Preston walked in the house and saw that Beency, the dog, had torn up an entire roll of toilet paper, the entire kitchen was filled with white bits of cottony soft tissue.  Preston saw it and said "M-O-G! look what Beency did."  For those not familiar with the lingo "OMG" is an acronym used in texting for "Oh My Gosh."  He was a little off, not sure what he was trying to say exactly, "Mired Ostentatiously in Guilt", "Mere Ominous Guile."  Preston is so wise.