Normal Depression.

I don't know why I watch shows like this. House. Grey's Anatomy. Even Scrubs. I watch them and there are people that die, but mostly problems get solved. People go the hospital and doctors take hard problems and they solve them. People get better. They don't keep hurting. The answer isn't yeah, this is normal. Normal for Gastroparesis. Normal for Fibromyalgia. Normal for YOU. The answer isn't suck it up and just know you will keep hurting.

Hurting and hurting. Not dying. Not being cured by the star of the show.

So I try to distract myself with things like, well, that last entry. Cabbage Patch clothes, Critters 2 Go, etc. But sometimes I just... those things get hard to handle while hurting and feeling hopeless. And I get frudtrated and even all the things I want to do, wish I could do, and NEED to do... they fall by the wayside.

So pardon this rant, but I just got back from the hospital again. And I am watching Grey's Anatomy. And I am crying, not for the story on the TV, but selfishly just. for. ME.

This is My Brain on Christmas. Any Questions?

Things on my mind (that I am paying more attention to than blogging) are as follows:
My 1st official "gig" as Critters 2 Go. Trying to pull together a Utah sugar glider (and other small exotics) club called Mountain West Pocket Critters Conference. Learning to sew Cabbage Patch Kid clothes... steampunk ones! My Endoscopy... toworrow at 5 am (Bleh!). My mom's eye surgery to TRY to correct some of what the stroke did to her (it was Monday. But they are doing more on it tomorrow morning. So we will both be in the hospital tomorrow morning.). Printing (and maybe selling) my own stick figure family window clings that INCLUDE sugar gliders! Learning to decorate cakes. Becoming a Big Sister (as in Big Brother/Big Sister. Not as in my mother is having a baby). Writing Christmas cards and wrapping gifts. Perry Mason.

Yeah, my brain is a bit busy.

my brain... in the family way

no, not THAT. Heh heh. That'd be pretty tricky minus the sex. Makes me think of Glee, though, and how she was faking with that baby bump. (WHAT WILL HAPPEN NOW?! HE KNOWS!!!)

I am just thinking about family right now. Part of this is because I am attempting to cobble together a more complete family tree for a project via Facebook's FamilyLink.com and LDS.org's FamilySearch.org combined.



Part is because Megs texted me her hubby was very sick and I am worried about him. Megs is my bestfriend and cousin and Jake is easily among my favorite cousins-in-law. He is a great guy. I am praying for things to go well, but I hate any time anyone is in the hospital.

I know that feeling.

*I* am in the hospital enough. Tonight I am on heavy meds as I am hurting badly. I don't want ANYONE I love to feel like this. Not ever.

I want to know my cousins more... and my cousins' kids and all of the various relations. I want to KNOW my family better than I do. I feel THAT more keenly than any pull to know my ancestors. I mean, they are alive. They have lives and needs NOW. I want to have them as friends. Facebook helps. But I need to learn more. And actually freaking remember who is who.

in project mode

So guess what? I have a church calling for the first time in over a year at least. I am Relief Society "Publicity." So I need to make a poster for their Christmas Party this week, plus the door hanger invite thingies with rubber bands. I know it's just a small thing... flyers, posters, a few meetings... but I am nervous to have a calling again. I know that's weird. *sigh*

The other project on my mind is being totally ready for my first OFFICIAL Critters 2 Go show this month! Sure, I have shown off pets to classes before for work, and to my family, but this is the first time it will officially be under the Critters 2 Go heading. The name, the whole show I have worked up, the outfit, etc. I am trying to get the passports I give out to each child all written up and made now.

Yikes.

Thanksgiving and the Boob Blanket

BoyKid and I went to UCMT for their 2 for 1 massage special. BoyKid has never gotten a massage before and sadly didn't love it. But mine was very helpful. A lot of good massage therapists come out of there, though... Thai, Ehu, apparently The Irish, too, who we saw after. She ran up to me and hugged me and said "Why didn't you request me?!"
"I forgot you were going here! Sorry?"

Anyway, it was probably good for my sore muscles. Fibro is doing a number on me.

Also, BoyKid bought a blanket. He was all excited because it's the size of his room and, as the package says "extremely soft and supple." I told him I have never heard the word SUPPLE used in relation to anything but BOOBS. I said it was a Boob Blanket and he was mad at me, which was pretty funny. Yes siblings are awesome, I know. hee hee!


My FAMILY is awesome. I loved Thanksgiving. Even though I ate (not like turkey or anything, just "allowed" Gastroparesis things like the sweet potatoes and rolls) and therefore HURT a LOT, it was so much fun to see everyone. I love my cousins! Megs and Jake came, T-La and Lester and their little boys, Aunt Claire and Uncle Lynne, and Uncle Pat. Aunt Shy and her partner couldn't come this year as they were going to her family's house. But it was super fun.

OBSERVE!!!

Thanks!

This Year I am Thankful for...

Jack's little gecko smile

NCIS

my mom surviving her stroke

Muppets singing Bohemian Rapsody

my Blackberry and the awesomeness of checking email in line at Walmart

effective sleeping medicine

the blessings of taking the Sacrament

BoyKid

BoyKid's guitar and him to play it for me

my cute little tree frogs and long tailed grass lizard

reusable grocery bags

the idea to start Critters 2 Go

finding a nice wagon at DI

my aunts, uncles, cousins.... and those semi-relatives like ex-uncles and ex-aunts who are still part of things and aunt's lesbian partners and coiusins' awesome spouses, etc.

Brazilian Cheese Roll mix from Sunflower Markets

the distraction of boys even if they are only sort of "practice" relationships, since they are so far away... Brazil and Spain.

the chance to tend the puppy, Ratchet

Ratchet finding a real, forever home

my hilarious sugar gliders and their antics every night

being able to help educate people about gliders via Twitter

my Cali Cat coming back and being friends again even after betraying her by holding a puppy right in front of her!

SNL skit about Lawrence Welk

"Artctic Shatter" PowerAde

The Living Planet Aquarium

G2 Gel Pens

Nice Weather!

Holy Tea

Perry Mason

knowing how to raise my own mealworms so that the shortage did not affect my animals.

Visiting Teachers

audio books

a little motivation to work on my portfolio so that I would start drawing, painting, and doing other art again.

a room with a window

REXANO people

Sugar Glider People

Russian Tortoise People

Medicaid accepting me again

Friends who've known me for more than 5 years and are still friends

baby toys from Big Lots

my Job!

Axert

a New-to-me Computer

this day. :)

Nine and BoyKid

I went with my little brother, BoyKid to a movie today! It was fun to hang out with him. We were PLANNING to see Where the Wild Things Are but it's not playing anywhere, so instead we went to Nine.

I liked it! It was rather creepy and unsettling but awesome and beautiful at the same time.
It was like The Secret of NIMH and the Steampunk comic, FreakAngels, had a baby and named it 9. I THINK I recommend it. It was super good. But don't take little kids to it unless you want them to have nightmares for a month.

Colbert could kick Fresno's Butt

I learned from Stephen Colbert that the Wednesday before Thanksgiving is "No Complaints Wednesday." So I thought I better post this TODAY as it IS a bit whiny. It's just a few things I WISH is all.

Like I wish I wasn't sick all the time and could go back to school full-time to be a vet tech. I think I would be good at it. But right now I couldn't even pass the CLASSES because I wouldn't attend half of them.

I wish that Fresno wasn't one of the biggest words down in that tag cloud of blog topics. I mean, seriously, why did I have to talk about him SO MUCH?! I talked about him even more than my sugar gliders? HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE? I rarely shut up about my suggies, as my family and friends will attest.

I wish I wasn't randomly losing control of my hands! They are spasming and not only is it WEIRD but it is DANG inconvenient while typing. I have to get into my neurologist ASAP about that one.

Shedding my Old Ways!

So nice of Jack to make my metaphorical title for me. Sorry it's a cell phone pic. He is pulling off his shedded skin and underneath he is all bright and shiny! Awww... my gecko is so freaking cute!

Welcome to my new blog!!!

Since my post by email email address was compromised (thanks, MyLife! YOU SUCK!!!!) I have had to move. But at least it's a good time for a fresh start.

Now, to try and tell all my friends where my new digs are located! Spread the word! The Library is CLOSED! Enter the fascinating
www.Thefreelogomakers.com

Bucket

So, I am sitting here with World's Cutest Puppy watching a Food Network Challange. This one is about making city skylines out of Rice Krispy Treats. I LOVE these cake decorating shows.

Anyway, it is just all reminding me of things I want to do someday. A Bucket List. WHY are those called Bucket Lists? Things left in your bucket to do?



So, MINE...

I want to learn to decorate cakes

I want to do Agility training and competitions with a dog

I want to get my Vet Tech license

I want to own a Capybara

I want to raise goats

Critters to Go [and STAY!]

I haven't been writing for awhile and since then, even my family has grown...
Okay, mostly in the Herp sense. ;)

If you are my friend on Facebook then you probably know that Conference Weekend was also REPTILE EXPO weekend and I went with Jakey and Megs and I brought home a sweet little gecko named Jack. He is adorable. Seriously adorable.

But that's not all. Much of this, or at least SOME of this, you can blame on my new business endevor "Critters 2 Go." You can see the website, a work in progress... here. Let me know what you think though. Because I am still trying to figure it out. But here is my little Furry, Scaley, Slimey, etc. Family up to date:

Lilo, Epiphany, and Heber, my babies, my darlings, aka: my Sugar Gliders


Bratanik, my Russian Tortoise, who's Observed Birthday (adoption day) was yesterday



Tortuga, my Red Ear Slider Turtle



Jack, my new baby Leopard Gecko



Mab and Oberon, my new baby American Green Tree Frogs



Legolas of the Woodland Realm, my new and very very LONG (measured him today - 13.5 inches from nose to tail tip!) Asian Long Tailed Grass Lizard



Edward, Giselle, Lil' Spencer, Jessi Jr., Cynthia Jr., Rooster, and their 24 Unnamed Relatives, my Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches



(Oh... and though I don't OWN her, I still almost always count my friend, Cali

Apologies about that MyLife Spam

Dear, well everyone I have every known!

I entered some information into a search on a site called MyLife and, in doing so, it sent "I am looking for you messages" to everyone.  First of all, I DID NOT MEAN TO and am NOT looking for you. 2nd of all I am so sorry to have spammed you like that.  I will use more caution in the future and am now attempting to remove all of that from MyLife.

Please forgive me. If you are my friend, don't hate me.  If you are in a group with me don't ban me. If you don't know who I am then just ignore both that first, and this, message.

--
Bugs and Stitches,
BethAnn aka:  Kipluck, Bob, Mayberry

(and my babies, Epiphany Jo and Lilo and Heber!
Wanna *see* the loves of my life?  http://www.sugarshock.homestead.com/ )

I've Been Clunked... but it's not MY Cash

I recently have become much more environmentally friendly, you might say.

I am pretty conservative, but I have always been the "granola" one in my family. I recycle when I can afford it, I care for animals, I either use reusable grocery bags or take home the plastic ones to use as trash bags.

And, of course I am in education so I am CONSTANTLY collecting and using the following for art projects:

2 Liter Pop Bottles
Toilet Paper Rolls

Film Canisters

CapriSun Pouches

Vegetable Scraps

Cardboard Egg Cartons

Wire Hangers (appologies to Mommy Dearest!)

Plastic Water Bottles
By the way, we need a THOUSAND of the water bottles and hangers soon, so if you have some for me I'd love you and if you have a LOT for me, I'd BRIBE you. Like you're fam could be my half price guests at Thanksgiving Point or something.

ANYWAY, back to the point... my family just recycled something BIG. Ducky, my Jeep. Even though it truly was a "clunker" and had to be towed half way there and then fixed BY the dealer for the deal to go through, I still cried a little.

Nutshelling It

1. What time did you get up this morning? 10, which is plenty early, thank you. Cali asked me if she could come in via my window and I let her. Good thing as I was supposed to go to work. I really do love that cat.

2. How do you like your steak? Mooing. No, not rare... literally. I don't LIKE steak, so I rather prefer cows as friends. Not that I am a vegitarian even, it's just I hate getting to KNOW somebody only to have them become FOOD. And this is me and my new favorite cow. She is a calf named Rosebud. She is so cuddly she thinks she is a dog.

3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema? Probably Twilight, with the Fam. It's been awhile.

4. What is your favorite TV show? Office, or Heroes, or possibly 30 Rock or NCIS. Sometimes Perry Mason, still though.

5. If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be? If I somehow was sill allowed the pets I have and want though they are illegal there then back in Hawaii, probably.

6. What did you have for breakfast? SlimFast: The

7. What is your favorite cuisine? Probably Chinese or Italian.

8. What foods do you dislike? My System greatly dislikes spicy things, even when my tongue likes them. Other than that, umm, a lot of stuff really. Because a lot of foods make me sick, so I am pretty picky.

9. Favorite Place to Eat? Possibly Macaroni Grill or China Bowl.

10. Favorite dressing? Depends on the salad. They have to go with the salad. For, like, fruity ones, like Asian salads with mandarin oranges or spiced nuts raspberry vinigaretes or poppy seed. But for, like, a salad made mostly of lettuces Bleu Cheese. I am a big fan of dressings that GO with the salad... like a salad RECIPE, not just "oh, what can I dump on this?"

11.What kind of vehicle do you drive? Ducky, the Jeep may NEVER be out of the shop, kind of like his driver. SIGH. Most often these days I find myself driving either the Tractor or Super Golf Cart things at work.

12. What are your favorite clothes? This is going to sound so evil, but if I could I swear I would be nude.

Other than that, funny t-shirts.

13. Where would you visit if you had the chance? Australia. I would totaly dig seeing cousins of my babies flying all wild through the trees!

14. Cup 1/2 empty or 1/2 full? It's both... duh.

15. Where would you want to retire? My own little goat farm or something. But I'd ike to do that BEFORE being too old to enjoy it.

16. Favorite time of day? Non-morning

17. Where were you born? Chicago, Illinois-ish... Downer's Grove specifically.

18. What is your favorite sport to watch? Quidditch ;) (Yup, still answering that that way.)

19. Who do you think will not tag you back? Don't care.

20. Person you expect to tag you back first? Don't Care.

21. Who are you most curious about their responses to this? Not really doing the Tag thing here. Just writing something other than whining about medical problems for a change!

22. Bird watcher? Yes, a little, though, I do not hang bird feeders in this, the parent's, yard. Because they would just make it a little too convenient for Cali to murder them.

23. Are you a morning person or a night person? NIGHT.

24. Pets? 3 adorable sugar gliders. 1 semi-feral neighbor cat. 1 Russian tortoise and 1 turtle, still at my apartment being tended by my Roomie that I don't even live with right now. 3 Bull frogs, in various stages... but I really WILL return them to the wild soon.

25. Any new and exciting news that you'd like to share? I don't like any of the news that is currently in my life. My Uncle Ken has Cancer and they are doing surgery this week. This is Brady's dad... Brady who was killed in 9-11. I don't think that is freaking FAIR is all. *crying*

My mom still can't see. I also may have the same heart defect that caused her stroke, which may be why my migraines are so bad. I will be getting the tests. But they are expensive.


26. What did you want to be when you were little? An astronaut, teacher, vet, paleontologist, mom, zookeeper, artist, author and professional roller skater. Except for the skating, my job pretty much covers it, so that works (except for the salary and benefits).

27. What is your best childhood memory? I have a LOT of them. I can't decide. I had a really awesome childhood. No joke.

28. Are you a cat or dog person? Yes. I used to say Dog person, no question. But now, well, I really like Cali, so it turns out I am a CAT person too. Go figure!

29. Are you married? No way!

30. Always wear your seat belt? Always!

31. Been in a car accident? Yes, though fortunately only minor ones. Though I still think they are pretty traumatic! Like hitting that deer that one Valentine's with Mali and Megs and BoyKid? That seriously STILL gives me nightmares, even though BoyKid was highly funny and quotable.

32. Any pet peeves? People who ONLY talk on speaker phone, and walk into rooms doing so, and then are annoyed YOU are being loud. UMMM, YOU walked in, Dad. Go talk in YOUR room.

33. Favorite pizza topping? "Hawaiian"... Canadian Bacon, Pineapple, etc. Mmmm!

34. Favorite Flower? Daisies or Plumeria... or Dandelions!

35. Favorite ice cream? Pralines and Carmel

36. Favorite fast food restaurant? Einstein Bagels or Betos... or Sonic just for the drinks

37. How many times did you fail your driver's test? Zero. Passed it the first time

38. From whom did you get your last email? Ummm... someone in the Red Ear Slider Yahoo group?

39. Which store would you choose to max out your credit card? Ummm since I would just have to PAY THE BILLS, none. But if I could just have a GIFT card, any bookstore, thanks!

40. Do anything spontaneous lately? Took a picture of a Stegosaurus wearing plastic booties?

41. Like your job? I make cardboard tulips, drive tractors, color pictures, hug baby animals, make a thermometer out of a water bottle, program robots, raise tadpoles, grow wheat in a necklace, make ice cream in a tupperware, make space suits, convince 12 year olds there is such thing as fairies, get free popcorn, snuggle calves, pet chickens, laugh at children, make fossils, launch rockets, and take pictures of a stegosaurus wearing plastic booties...

WHAT IS NOT TO LOVE?!?!

42. Broccoli? It's okay. I prefer Cauliflower, but it is okay. I used to LOVE it when I was little though, with Velveeta. Now, for some reason, I don't love it as much. :(

43. What was your favorite vacation? Probably Hawaii with the fam when we saw the sea turtle or the really random Disneyland trip with Coats and the Deaf club or spring break that was just HILARIOUS with Melissa and Alia and Karalee when we were totally LOST most of the time in Honolulu.

44. Last person you went out to dinner with? The fam. :)

45. What are you listening to right now? crickets.

46. What is your favorite color? Purple

47. How many tattoos do you have? a bunch! They are in my junk drawer!

But, umm... none of them are real.

48. Coffee drinker? Just a coffee smeller... were it not for being Mormon though, I think it would SURELY be a one of my DAILY vices, though. Because I LOVE it.

49. How many children do you have? depends on the day! But I don't take them home with me. ;) Unless you count the furry or scaley kind.

50. How many siblings do you have? 2 (and I'M from Utah, TOO, Kami! :OP).

Stroke

Saturday, my world fell apart again.

My Mom had a stroke.

We were watching some recorded NCISs downstairs and I was about to start another when Mom said not to. I thought she was going to say she was going to run to the bathroom or something. Instead she said "I think I am having a stroke. I need you to call an ambulance.... wait, no..." she paused a minute as I picked up the phone, but her eyes were wall-eyed, like going 2 different ways. "Are my eyes crossed?"
"No, they are wall eyed" And I dialed as she said "yeah, I think you need to call."

I called 911. I told the paramedic, and at first it was pretty easy to be calm because Mom answered all my questions clearly.
"Is your mom having trouble breathing?"
"Mom, any trouble breathing?"
"No, I'm breathing fine."
Etc.
But then she started to slur, and sort of fall asleep. I kept trying to make her stay awake and talk to me, but she got less and less coherent. I yelled upstairs to BoyKid that he needed to go outside so that he could wave down the ambulance. He did not really know what was going on, but came downstairs instead, so I said, "fine, *I* will go out! Keep talking to her and 911 wants to be called back if her condition changes!"

I ran upstairs and threw on clothes (because, as usual, I was still wearing PJs at, like 3 in the afternoon) while calling Padre on the cell (because, as usual, he was golfing) and ran outside just as the paramedics and a firetruck arrived in the cul-de-sac. I told them that she had now basically gone UNconscious, and we could not keep her talking and that they would probably have better luck getting a gurney thing down the outside stairs/lawn thing and through the bay doors then through the front.

They came and took her to the hospital. They couldn't wake her up all day. She was sleeping, but sleeping so HARD it was like she was under anesthesia. The doctors kept saying everything was normal. EKG, normal. Blood sugar, normal. They tried smelling salt stuff and she wouldn't wake up but she was breathing heavy, and snoring weird... like a cartoon snore... they had her on oxygen.

For hours, she slept. Every time she seemed to stir, we almost yelled at her and begged her to wake up and stay alert. A few times she almost did... she even woke and TALKED, but it was only to say something weird. (Like once she said "I'm okay. I'm gonna go get some peaches." Before going out again.)


_------__-------_------__------_-------__------

So, I started this post over a month ago, and never finished it. I guess I just wanted to end it differently. Like "and that was last week. But now she's fine." But the thing is, while Mom IS much better... she is out of the hospital, and can talk and stay awake and stuff, she still can't walk with out help, and can't see right. Her eyes go different ways making it near impossible to really see more than doubled blurs. She uses a walker, and one of us, to go to the restroom, but a wheelchair for trips to the kitchen. She still gets foggy, and slurs when she gets tired. She is on oxygen.

I am doing so okay with things. Lately, I have been having to rely heavily on my mom for things, with my whole medical thing. Now she is worse off than me. I feel worried for her... and worried for ME, too. Anyway, it has just been... bad. My mom is awesome. My family is AMAZING. But I am feeling scared of what will happen to us. I don't know that we can make it with a Mom who can't mother.

Pretty Sure a Cat is mandatory when you are 30 and single

Yet again I am behind in my writing, so here is a little recap of my recent life changes...

I turned 30. And Befriended a cat. Figures, eh?

My awesome friends threw me a surprise party! I got 30 of all kinds of little things. 30 little plushies, 30+ bubble gum coins, 30+ ring pops, etc. We played on the Wii on the Big Screen, and I got an action figure of Hiro from Heroes who I crush (I'm a nerd, yeah) and SoftLips and yummy cake. Also really yummy food that I could really only suck on due to the pain in my teeth at the time but it was the thought that counted and they were AWESOME.

I got a few MORE root canals and realized I can no longer go to regular dentist for this stuff, even good ones. My problems are too complicated. I hate my teeth.

My fam got me a pass to the Aquarium which rocks since it's very near my Endodontist. So I have been able to use it OFTEN. Those stingrays are gonna start RECOGNIZING me, I tell ya!
I love it. Plus, this now makes it both Living Planet AND the Zoo that I have a pass too. Since I WORK at Thanksgiving Point (though I haven't been able to go in for forever), about the only animals I CAN'T see anytime I want are those at Secret Garden in Vegas. I need a membership THERE now! HA!

Now I am dealing with a craptastic stomach thing. As usual we don't know what it is, except that I had some really bad test results in the ER last awhile ago, which led to a colonoscopy and endoscopy yesterday and a liver biopsy planned for Friday. But right now I am just on lots of meds, and hurting a lot.

I am still living at the parents' and neglecting my OWN apartment (and my turtle and tortoise. :O( Bummer.) where the Roomie is. My best friend at this house is totally that cat, even though I am really a dog person.

And I am totally digging all things Steampunk. A beautiful combination of history and science fiction... and making technichal things look old and weird and lovely.... AND talking all British and saying things like "What what" and "By Jove!".... WHY am I late to this party?!

Bill HR 669 greatly affects sugar gliders, turtles, hermit crabs, gerbils...

but also affects pet birds, snakes, and many others. It really MUST
not be allowed to pass. Please get the word out to as many pet people
as possible and CONTACT YOUR CONGRESSMEN before APRIL 23rd.

Don't let this bill sneak by and suddenly find yourself breaking the
law and putting your pets in danger.

--
Bugs and Stitches,
BethAnn aka: Kipluck, Bob, Mayberry

(and my babies, Epiphany Jo and Lilo and Heber!
Wanna *see* the loves of my life? http://www.sugarshock.homestead.com/ )

Tweeting my way back out of Obscurity?

So, it's been a long time since I updated, so here is the gist. My hilarious brother, BoyKid, is back, my best friend around here is a very strange little cat with OCD, and I spend at least a day a week at the dentist or doctor. I am becoming obsessed with the beautiful modifications of Steampunk, I am using Twitter, and I am still living at the padres' while the Roomie is roommates with my turtles. And with that, hopefully, I will try to write more in the future.


Ninja Pirate Quiz by QuizRocket.com fun quizzes!
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Part... yeah... Never mind.

Part... yeah... Never mind.

I am not finishing my vacation entry or Christmas, or anything.

Cirque Du Soleil (Ka) was freaking amazing. Blue Man Group was uncomfortably hilarious but gave Germaphobe Rinny a pretty bad anxiety attack because they buried us in toilet paper. And I got a Grey tree frog for Christmas and named her Costanza.

That's all you get. Now I am going to attempt to move on and blog every so often, starting with the quiz I got on Facebook about 25 Random things.

Yesterday at 5:53pm

RULES: Once you've been tagged, you are supposed to write a note with 25 random things, facts, habits, or goals about you. At the end, choose 25 people to be tagged. You have to tag the person who tagged you. If I tagged you, it's because I want to know more about you.

[Or you tagged me, like a zillion years ago and I am finally getting to it. Sorry I suck so much!]

(To do this, go to "notes" under tabs (+) on your profile page, paste these instructions in the body of the note, type your 25 random things, tag 25 people (in the right hand corner of the app) then click publish.)

1) I have recently begun really considering my 3 sugar gliders my children. I always CALLED them my babies. But I recently realized that my love for them has reached the level of "Crazy Cat Lady" and I do, in fact, consider them my children. My tortoise and turtle are eeking close to actual child-ship as well. Is it because I will soon be 30?

2) I turn 30 in April.

3) I used to blog a lot. Now I am back going to the Doctors a lot. Blogging is much cheaper, but I just seem to have lost my ability to complete my thoughts and so I start entries and don't finish them. So I quit. It makes me cry. I know it's dumb to cry about blogging. But it was better than therapy and therapy isn't working. And I still can't finish my thoughts so...

4) I saw the Blue Man Group in Vegas. It was very funny BUT Rinny kind of freaked because they covered us in Toilet Paper. That was not as much funny as stressful. I know that feeling too well.

5) I hate elevators and they give me panic attacks sometimes.

6) I think Capybaras are the coolest animals since sugar gliders and someday TOTALLY want one as a pet!!!

7) I am ALWAYS reading something. If I don't have a book I am in at the moment I feel utterly lost.

8) I feel like I gave a piece of my heart away when I had to give Josie, my goat, to that nice lady with a farm. Even though I was giving her an awesome life. I know that it will sound insulting to them, so I won't tell them, when I hear women talk about giving up a child for adoption inside I want to say "I know how you feel. EXACTLY how you feel." and cry. But they would hate me.

9) I recently found out after a year of the first med that has ever given me ANY kind of LIVABLE life with my pain that it has been causing my teeth to rot and I now have 16 cavities. I still WILL take it... because I can't NOT. But, seriously? 16 cavities? My teeth are breaking out of my mouth? I have a prescription toothpaste now? Can I not catch a break EVER?!

10) I like water aerobics... MOST days

11) I have an apartment with an awesome roommate who has adorable dogs and takes care of my shell babies... and I don't LIVE there. I live at my parents' house.

12) I love off-roading but there is nowhere decent to do it here.

13) I mostly listen to Christian Rock ALL the time... then will randomly turn for 10 minutes to the angriest, darkest alternative music ever. Weird.

14) I have 3 bettas and each HAD a "pet" snail. This week one of the snails (Michael Phish Phelps' snail, China) died. And I cried for a solid half hour.

15) I bought a Gray Tree Frog for Christmas and named her Costanza. Now I would totally love to buy her a boyfriend!

16) I still miss my ex-boyfriend "Fresno." It's been LONG ENOUGH to be WAY over him. And I AM. I just also... miss having someone to play with and feeling cute and funny.

17) I LOVE MY JOB. I rarely GO, but I LOVE it. If I could do it more, and get, like paid for it more, it would be perfection. My job at Thanksgiving Point, but full-time, WOULD be my dream job.

18) My little Brother is coming home from Italy MARCH 13th and I am so freaking excited!!!!!!! I sort of idolize the BoyKid.

19) My little sister is my BOSS at work! And it is her birthday today. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, RINNY!!!

20) I have an undying crush on Perry Mason.

21) I almost ALWAYS have my suggies with me. At present they are all 3 in a pouch in my shirt.

22) My glider Heber is partially named after a Plyg relative of Coats' Heebs' whole name is Heber Lyman Nestor the Molester (the Molester Part is NOT from Coats' Fam!)

23) I love Photography. I take at least 10 pictures a day... most nobody sees as I just save them and decide what to do with them later. And yes, I admit, MOST are of my gliders. Hee hee!

24) I miss the Fringe. The Fringe is a group of 4 of us in the mission (Coats, Parker, and Lil' Jeppsen) and now includes the Fringe-in-laws Risa Parker and Uhh... Mrs. Jeppsen and the MiniFringe their kiddlets. We are awesome friends. Coats and I remain single. She does things like join the Army and Skydive. I do things like... umm 1- 24. hee hee!

25)<-- is one of my 3 favorite numbers. The other 2 are 7 and 222. "The Boys are Back!"

MY HOLIDAY REVIEW: Lions and Tigers and Frogs OH MY! PART 1

Yes, I am finally going to write (or at least post pictures) of my holidays. Part of the reason I haven't is because there is just a lot and I have been busy. Part of the reason is I haven't been so good and I haven't really wanted to talk to anyone, even my blog. Yeah. Having a bit of an "episode" you might say. Which is really hard to say because I really want to go home and I can't right now until I am doing better.

ANYWAY, I am going to attempt to ignore that and tell you about Vegas! Wild Animals! Spiritual Stuff! Irish Neighbors! And Helicopters! And other things that deserve exclamation points!!!!

First of all, about a week or so before Christmas we went to Vegas to visit my Uncle and Aunt J... dad's FAVORITE big brother. Padre is, like, OBSESSED with anything J does. It's like "Oh, you are into model trains now? OH, so am I!" Like he is 4. ANYWAY, so apparently there was some model train/plane/etc. thing that he wanted to go with John to and so we were all going under the Guise of Christmas, PLUS, of course Rinny and Dad wanted to see BYU play in the Vegas Bowl again like last year.

Only THIS time they decided the trip basically would BE the gifts... we were going to do a couple BIG SPLURGEY shows (we just didn't actually KNOW this, it was a surprise)... plus Rinny got the Vegas Bowl... so *I* could go back to the Secret Garden to see the tigers and dolphins and such (alone since nobody else much cared enough to make tickets worth it, but dang, I would LIVE there if I could!).

So, first we had to drive there. Listening to Talk Radio... and listening to my dad talk BACK to the talk radio... makes for a VERY VERY long trip. And for some reason, we didn't actually remember to BRING things to do. Or walkmans. But we had cameras. So, literally, we took pictures of ourselves the whole way.

SEE SLIDE-SHOW-O-RAMA!!! (you really should)

The scary thing is... WE DELETED THE MAJORITY of them. That's right. THESE are the GOOD ones.

Also, the trip was made much longer by the fact that 1. we were caught in a full-on white out blizzard in some mountain pass. 2. It was the worst (first?) snow storm in like 20 years in St. George (we actually stopped there for a bit to rest at the condo because the cars going off the road and we wanted to go to the temple in the morning!) and apparently in 30 years in Vegas. The snow in down south in St. George and Vegas was certainly not, like OUR bad weather, but for people not used to it... YEAH it was pretty big! And the flakes WERE enormous. Not flakes... like snow CLUMPS. It was hilarious.

When we finally got to The Orleans, we brought our picture frenzy into the gift shop...

and then the arcade, where I found this horrible and yet very fun game called Flamin Finger. It's awful! We just KEPT PLAYING! At least it gave us pretty good tickets.

We with our tickets bought some fuzzy dice to hang on our tree (hee hee!) and a yo-yo with Pacman on it. Then we split up. Nobody else wanted to spend the money to see the Secret Garden but as Dad was taking Rinny to the Las Vegas Bowl, *I* could go alone. They... actually, I am not sure what they did. I think my mom and went to the room with Rinny who took a nap and Dad gambled or went golfing. I could care less. I went to the Mirage. I took a few pics in front of the Beatles Lounge and then spent hours with dolphins, tigers, and lions.




Only problem? MY CAMERA DIED. Yeah, and it is one of those you charge in a charger, not the kind you can buy and replace batteries at the gift shop. I DID buy 2 highly-over-priced disposable cameras for more pics of the cubs, but you don't get to see those (yet.) So everything after that had to wait till I could borrow Rinny's camera. SIGH.

The secret garden was awesome (however, the info I gave about the litter of cubs isn't right. The Golden might be in Florida now, but there is only one golden and he IS male and his name is Svenghali and the other female was white with stripes. But they aren't with the mama. Anyway, I got it mixed up. But they are beautiful. As were the dolphin babies. SIGH! I could just LIVE there.

After a few hours there we went to dinner and because it was part of the super good deal with the hotel (that *I* found us online, thank you very much go me.) we got drinks. In our family it is always "just waters, thanks." but these were actual DRINK drinks. Like I ordered a REEEEALLY good Virgin Pina Colada. SO YUMMY. And Rinny had her VERY FIRST EVER MOCKTAIL! No, really. FIRST EVER. She is pretty firm on that "avoiding the appearance of evil" thing and she wasn't going to order one! She said they all sounded "yucky." I told her to go with a virgin Strawberry Daiquiri and that it was "basically a Zuka juice." She took a lot of coercing, but finally drank some. She didn't like it (and honestly, it wasn't the best mocktail ever... my Pina Colada was heaven but Rinn hates coconut!)

After dinner we saw Rinny's Dancing Waters some more (well, I had a migraine, so I actually just sat in the building being sick while Rinn did that) and we got ready for the night's big Splurge! Actually, I went back to the hotel and went into a little migraine coma until they woke me up and said "we are going now." Because I felt so super sick. Which was NOT awesome. But the SHOW was. TO BE CONTINUED.... AFTER you SEE all you can of what I just said! HA!

Which pretty much is all the explanation of AAAAAAAALL of these:

ENJOY! (and you can turn the music off up top of the little screen.)