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?!

I got tagged... but just kept on running...

Yeah. Missed this. Woops?

10
Things
that
Make
Me
Happy
(Not necessarily in this order... though not necessarily not in this order either... just to keep ya guessin'!

1. Spell check through Firefox. If makes me look smarter than my own brain might do (For instance, on words that I have struggled with forever... like "necessarily"... for instance.)

(more cat pictures?)

2. Water Aerobics with my mom. Because some days it is the only time I actually feel able to MOVE.

3. New baby goats at work. Just freaking adorable.

4. Cute with Chris. Adorable animals. Sarcastic hilarious commentary via video. Cute guy. Win+win+win.

5. Watching my sugar gliders turn on wild hunter mode to stalk live crickets (a rare treat. Mine usually just get mealworms) in the reptarium. They swished their tails like little cats and lept at them and Lilo was a lazy butt and just tried to steal Heber's kill every time he got one but they just cracked me up the whole time. Made me glad I was a lot bigger than them though. My babies are darling and beautiful... but it reminded me they are also ferocious and anything but domesticated!

6. Fun books to read, either curled up in bed, on a swing, or in the tub (don't worry, Public Library! 1. I ONLY do this with my OWN books and 2. I have never dropped one anyway!). Right now it's The Host. And yes, I like it.

7. My new glasses. They are Transitions and while they may look weird and scare the kindergartners ("How did you do that?" "Do what?" "Make sunglasses!") They help not to trigger so many Migraines because a lot were triggered by changes from dark to light as I go from the classroom out to the farm. Not that all of my headaches are gone, but at least a FEW of them are lessened! YAY!

8. My brother. I miss him but just seeing his stuff, like looking at his room or whatever, totally makes me smile. Because he rocks and his letters are awesome. I am very lucky to be in possession of one of the few BoyKids who actually writes decent letters!

9. I went upstairs yesterday to find my mom watching the new Weezer video, like just watching it by herself.

Then she turns to me and says, "okay, so, I want to get ALL the jokes. Can you find all the links?" I told her that a lot of them she would NOT find funny, that some of them swore a lot, etc, but she insisted. So we sat there for HOURS watching the kid tell us to leave Brittney Spears alone (and then Seth Green to leave Chris Crocker alone which was freaking hilarious. I *heart* Seth Green), Kelly shop for shoes, the Star Wars kid, the Sneezing Panda, the dramatic prairie dog, etc. I basically watched EVERYTHING "important" on YouTube with my MOM. Some I had sent her before, of course, but yeah. It was so Bizzare. And my mom is the coolest.

10. People who value inteligence (and entertainment value) over waist size.

Friends and Fuzzies!

I went to the doctor again yesterday. Something in my ankle is... TORN.

So I am living in my parent's basement with a wheelchair... possibly for WEEKS. My mom and roomie are taking care of my gliders (and turtle and tortoise and crabbies and fish) for me and I sit here for hours doing NOTHING on the couch because I can't even get to the bathroom with out help. Not exactly good for my Depression. And I feel like crap and, I'll be honest, I wanted to die.

So, amazing move by my dad who I often hate and who on many occasion has said the gliders are not even allowed to VISIT their house because "they smell," and regularly tells me I should get rid of them, suddenly agrees with my mom to MOVE THEM TO THEIR HOUSE SO I CAN TAKE CARE OF THEM HERE!!!!!! Actually give me something to care about and DO and love and live for! I am so excited! I have missed them terribly!

AND while I was gone? MY RAFFLE PRIZES ARRIVED!!!! *hugs Megs so hard* They are amazing things and made me feel so loved, even though, you know, I WON them, I still felt loved! I just started crying and HUGGING toys and pouches and stuff. It was ridiculous, I know. But, Oh it meant so much.

And soon... SOON... my parents will bring my gliders to me again! I feel like I am getting sugar babies all over again! I am all excited and anxious to see their sweet faces! I have missed them. My babies.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They are here!!! My dad went and brought them tonight and I have been holding my babies for hours now and they are SOOOOO tired of me! hee hee hee hee! But I am so happy they are with me now. My dad put their cage in the storage room (the only place he'll allow it) but it is warm in there and I can roll in there with my chair so it is okay. I just BARELY let them go IN there, though, just now, because I haven't let them OFF of me since they arrived.

AND I had mom check my mail... Stewie, THANK YOU!!!!! A tin postcard of Rosie the Riveter!

I love my friends!

I love my family!

I love my furrkids!

Kipluck: International Heart Breaker!

Okay, this isn't as funny as Nitty Gritty, but still. This Moses Person wrote to me and sounded actually cognitive and moderately nice, though I wasn't much interested. But he wanted my PHONE number. So I wrote back a polite, thanks for the note, maybe you could tell me more about yourself because I don't really give out my phone number, but maybe if we wrote awhile, I'd see. (Note, the first letter SOUNDED like someone FROM THIS COUNTRY. I don't know where he pasted it from)

THIS is what I got back...

To: kipluck
From: moses
Subject: hi
------------------------------------------

Thanks for your mail......i really appreciate what you said in your email...AM the only child of my parent, am single with no kids, i use to work with my dad he own an oil firm but due to our difference i had to stop working with him...I believe that partners are 100% equal in a relationship and both should be able to feel they can trust each other 100% at all times. I feel that any man who ever disrespects a woman is not a man at all.... My comon day schedule create time for fun, i like to get involve with any event outdoor for fun..... Well people that i have met will tell you am honest,concern, caring, respect other people opinion, sharing and not selfish.. I am affectionate also and I have no trouble showing it for the right man in public or private. ..my dream man will be someone who does not loves to argue, respect my opinion.....i want a man that is honest, concern, caring, sharing, loving and loyal. A man with a shoulder i can lean on right now due to what am going through at the moment.A man that his outgoing and funny but not like a clown all the time. A man that is kind not critical, not anal but easy going, spontaneous, affectionate and generous with his feelings, and time. He should like to go out and keep active. I don't like sitting at home on the couch too much. He needs to be an open, honest and patient person but not a pushover. I love walks on the beach,cuddling up and watching television, especially sports.Am a very transparent person in character,am caring, sharing, loving, and most of all trustworthy.....i want a man with enough experience in life to see both of us through....am not ready for mind games and i don't want my match too be the same.....am supportive and also i want my man too be supportive.
I am looking for something permanent and I know it takes time and a lot of good effort to form a good relationship. I want my man to be my best friend at all times, my sweetheart, love of my life, my partner and my soul mate all wrapped up into one man. I would be all of that for him and more,I would love him with all of my heart and have nothing but good feelings for him. He should be a very caring person, with a lot of good feelings, be honest, reliable,pleasant and personality.
I have been cheated in the past and it really hurt me so much.......because i trusted my ex with everything that i am but he turn out to be a liar, a cheat and a betrayer.....I know what it mean to be hurt and i will not want a fellow human been to go through the samr....Please honest with me.....
Tell me about your family background ? If you have a chance to change the world what will you do? Are you trustworthy ? Do you believe in Honest is the best policy? because my om thought me that honesty is the best policy......what do you like to do for fun? what are your dream, what are you ambition? can i confide in you ? will you confide in me?
I look forward to read from you
With all that i am and Loyalty
moses.

Excuse me, WHAT THE?! I wrote back that there was apparently a mistake made and that he was either 1. gay and just sharing his dreams and aspirations with me 2. a woman and thought I was a man, therefore never ACTUALLY read my profile and therefore was a scammer or 3. was not familiar enough with English to understand that there was a difference in Male and Female and also probably was a scammer. I said, sorry, but none of those 3 were going to work for me, relationship-wise.

I also have VERY good news. I have been getting shots directly in my muscle because they now think it is a nerve/muscle thing and IT IS HELPING! I am even SLEEPING IN MY OWN BED!

Yep, I am at my house as we speak! (the book and my meds are still at the padres and I am still being checked on but STILL! BETTER! YAY!!!)

Which also means Mom and I are going with Padre and Rinny to Vegas for Christmas. Both a good and bad thing. Because, well, I AM still hurting, and I am a little nervous about things... one of which is I really hate leaving my suggies kenneled at the vet's starting tomorrow because we leave very early (ugh) Saturday morning.

AND in preparation for Christmas I am going to SEE if I can get someone to chauffeur me around tomorrow but chances are they will be too busy so CC, Cupcake, Stewie, Thai, Prism, Darci, Heatherbella, Bobbie, "neighbor Pam," Coats, Megs, Miss Meliss, and Pepper, know I at least have a card or something for you that WILL be late. Because, yeah, I won't even be in town. hee hee!

I love you all very VERY much.

And now I should dose what I am allowed and turn off awhile. Peace Out.

Teenage Messy Nolongervegitarian Turtle

If I keep busy... OR keep stupid (sleep/occasional but appropriate pills/watch dumb TV shows and moves)... I can keep from thinking about Fresno all the time.

This morning CC came to get me and we went to Stewbert's church to support her awesome daughter Munchkin in her decision to be baptized! Maybe that's an odd way to put it, but I believe even a kid (but especially an awesome one like Munchkin who is one of my favorites) makes that CHOICE and commitment and should be recognized for that. It ISN'T just a given. It's a big thing. A huge step. And bravo to her for making it. :O)

Then we went back to The Ark and played with the dogs (who were sore from overdoing it on the hike The Roomie took them on as part of that Date the other day, I think.) and tormented the parrots a little while waiting for TheBoy to call CC back and do some computer thing. CC ended up taking a short nap on the couch before he even called. He's an idiot. But then, he's a GUY so I guess that's a little redundant.

I didn't cry much today. Just a little during Munchkin's cousin(?)'s confirmation and for awhile later in the afternoon and then again this evening. But in general I kept occupied enough not to cry extensively. Progress.

Things I am thinking about a lot today... about changing myself so I like me better:

Losing Weight... WW, funny recipes, and frustration with doctors.

Getting my dang house in order. ie: FlyLady

Taking better care of my babies. Basically, more play time with my suggies, and I am on a desperate search for a free 30 gallon or bigger aquarium for Tortuga. He is an angsty teenage turtle right now and NEEDS MORE SPACE but I can't buy one right now. He even attacked and ate all but the HEAD of his catfish friend Daveycat! So I am pouring over Craigslist and Freecycle but I don't know if it will be fast enough. He has ESCAPED a few times already. He needs a big boy room now, poor little dude.

Church. Tomorrow the "special" ward may have gotten my records from the other ward. I don't love either. But I think I dislike this one a lot less. At least as of last week. So, yeah. Kind of nervous to be official though. We'll see.

Unfortunately, He still seems to be attached to every thought, even at the edges. It is annoying. Go away, you stupid heart.

Well, if there WERE Dinosaur Doctors maybe they wouldn't have HAD such a high mortality rate

Okay, so first of all, let me get this out of the way: Turns out Fresno was actually NOT receiving my messages as he was with J-and-Y and the fam camping and there was no reception. So he isn't a big jerk... maybe just a little one for not TELLING me he would BE in said woods awhile. I told HIM I would be. But whatever. As we have mentioned, many many times, boys are stupid heads. COOTIES. (and I *heart* this photo.)Anyway, like I said, *I* can go to the mountains and out of range TOO, you know. And we did, for the family reunion yesterday!

Our family. Woods. River. Pasta Salads. Kids. Dirt. Wild Animals. HILARITY ENSUES.

It really WAS cool. The few family members I DO like end up making up for the ones that don't. (Oh, and Bobbie, just FYI... my names really don't fool anyone. I am pretty sure if anyone came on the site they would know who they were and be more than a little pissed off and it would start a whole NEW feud. The Kip's Blog Incident would never be forgiven and we would be even less invited than we are to stuff. Luckily 1. I don't much CARE. 2. none of my family is all that net-savvy.) Mom, though, would DIE if she knew what I wrote. Like be mortified. Luckily she hasn't the patience to find out.) At first Squall and her kiddlets didn't come and as Rinny wasn't there (she had filming for her movie) and I am REALLY missing BoyKid right now, I was feeling REALLY bummed. I took some pictures of cute kiddlets of various cousins...

played in the river...

but was ready to go home within an hour.

But then my little cousin Scotty (little brother of Leslie and Cynthia... my 3 youngest 1st cousins) says "Hey, I found a moose! Wanna see?"

I think, hey, cool! A moose in the river, I want a shot of that and he runs down the path and I follow, cheered up until he turns a corner and see him almost TOUCHING a HUGE bull moose standing in the road. He is chattering away, and runs back to me not TEN FEET from the animal, "see?!"

I grabbed his shoulders and start pulling him backwards as I see some more little cousin's kids running toward the moose on the other side and I start waving them to freeze and go the other way. FINALLY I feel the situation is safe enough I tell Scotty that the moose is BEAUTIFUL but they can be VERY dangerous and never to go that close again. Then I started talking pictures, wishing I had brought my nicer fancy camera, which I considered but thought there was no way I would risk in the dirt, water, etc. So the pictures are not good and will NOT do it justice.
But STILL... SIGH! <3

I followed that animal for hours.... closer than I should have, but he was in velvet, and so with his antlers all soft like that he wasn't aggressive and besides he seemed really used to people of the camp. So I felt okay, Still, probably dumb, but I felt entranced. I took pictures. I talked to him. I wrote him poetry. I walked MILES just to stay near enough to watch. He was AMAZING. An absolutely gorgeous creature. SIGH. Like something magical.

He looked young but infinitely old at the same time, if that makes sense. It was the same way I felt when I saw the sea turtle in the wild. I never wanted to leave him. What is it about animals like that that do that to me? It's like when I look into the eyes of my gliders. They become the most important thing in the world to me. Like they know more about the world, God, and life than I ever could. But it is a different thing with a truly WILD thing, like the moose... like the turtle... there is just this... magic they have. Like I never want to go home, like I CAN'T go home. Not until THEY leave. I wouldn't have left him first, I couldn't. So I took pictures. All the same shot, basically, too, so most I deleted. Filled a 512 MB SD card with the moose when the day was over, trying to capture something I COULDN'T... a memory. A feeling or experience. Not just an image. I don't know.

I wish I could explain that.

Anyway. Yeah. I saw a moose. Tried to avoid letting my cousins be trampled by said moose. Good times? hee hee! (oh and just as an aside, I know I picked a very silly Slide theme (8 mm) but it just made me feel a bit like a Big Foot tracker. So I picked it. hee hee hee hee hee hee! I am a dork, I know.)

And then, finally, Squall DID come and we had fun hanging out and laughing at her kiddlets. JanBrady told me she wanted to be a Play-lientologist or a veterinarian. (Squall told me she USED to say she wanted to be a "Dinosaur Doctor" till they explained to her that the dinosaurs WERE dead.)

"What are you doing with the rocks?"
"They aren't rocks. They are Raptor bones. I am working on the head and she has the belly."

(Incidentally, Stewie, JanBrady reminds me a ton of someone Munchkin would TOTALLY click with. We should have some sort of party with kids invited.)

Mini-Squall can totally WINK. Like on COMMAND. How cool is that for an 18 month kid?
So we had fun. But it got late and while Padre was one of those staying, Squall, JanBrady, and Mini-Squall were not and neither were Mom and I and we were carpooling.

We finally got home, late, and I finally had net (YAY.) and was online but should have been in bed when my Mom called me. She was sick. Like, maybe hospital sick. So I fed the babies and spent the night there. It was pretty scary. She is okay. But yeah. I have been with her all day till recently. Tomorrow, though I have Day Camp again.

But, well, Thursday I have my MRI and such. So... yeah. A bit nervous. SIGH. UGH. I hate Doctors.

So that is about it (isn't that ENOUGH!?). Family Reunions... SHEESH. But it was a good one after all.

YARR.

I am still not at work. But I can't be AS crappy as yesterday because LOOK AT WHAT FRIENDS I HAVE?!

I was feeling exceptionally crappy today as, that's right, the flood SPREAD. Under the walls and into the glider room closets. And the smell in my basement is like living in a cave. It is horrendous. Especially since I have been sick and so I am extra queezy anyway.

I was feeling really crappy when I got a phone call from CC saying "are you home? We are coming over!" I didn't even know for sure who "we" would be, but it ended up being CC and Cupcake down from Ogden AND Stewie, too! AND they gave me a present to celebrate my growing "ocean" of a basement! A pirate hat, a musket (that can really shoot caps!), an eye patch, an earring (clip-on... my ears are hole-less) and a hook hand and a pair of rather creepy bride and groom rubber duckies. Big ones! (these! I found the pic online! Except the close up...)

Personally, Mrs. Duck, if I had those head freckles(? Tattoos? OR maybe she is, like, whatever Dax was on Star Trek? (YES, I am such a NERD.)), I'd have opted for a veil.

Anyway, yeah. GOOD friends.

Also good family. As CC, Cupcake, and Stewbert were leaving, my Mom came over to help me with the sugar glider room and Padre, too. The damage is a lot worse than he thought (I knew that, but whatever) she we had to rip up all the carpet and throw away the padding and move my poor babies into the hall away from the cold, damp fans. I HAD been doing better, sickness-wise, a little better anyway. But I was talking to Mom, and I threw up without even feeling sick first. Just... BLEH. No warning. I think it was the first time Padre even was really believing I was "really sick" not just "dealing with something." Because, you know, to my dad Depression isn't an actual ILLNESS... whatever. Anyway, he was really nice to me all of a sudden. I think it really surprised him. He said "Hey, maybe you should sit down. I think you're sick?"

Mom gave me a really funny I really DID tell him look and I sat down. Anyway he WAS a lot nicer after that and worked really fast ripping up my carpet and trying to prop fans and heaters everywhere.

I found another casualty of floods, though. I was looking around a few minuets ago. The humidity from the water on the floor has wrinkled framed photos and unstuck pieces of a collage I made and that made me cry again.

But not as much as before. I feel like I am sort of running out of tears, if that makes sense. Maybe I should drink more water?

ANYWAY, my parents helped a lot and after they left I felt like we HAD accomplished a little and I was feeling pretty good about the friends I have. Then I went upstairs and remembered that I was a little embarrassed that my flowers were literally ROTTING at the stems and dead when the girls came over. I had popped the dead balloons yesterday (but flattened the mylars... to keep. "To Cheer You" Hee hee hee hee...) because the day before they had floated like a ghost across a dark room and scared me. SO, I just now threw away the flowers except for the one remaining alive daisy and the... what are those purple filler flowers? They almost seem dried before they ARE. They aren't Baby's Breath. Maybe statice? (Laurie? Do you remember from high school horticulture?) Anyway, I saved that. Tied it with some hemp string... to keep it.

I *AM* getting better at the being a girlfriend thing, I thing. At least, more sappy? I don't know. Sometimes, it still weirds me out. Like today. See, I am on Kaboodle. Because I feel it necessary to have a place to keep all the things that I go "Oh! I want that!" about, I guess. Anyway, it said invite your friends, and I did,m a few, but I don't REALLY care THAT much. Anyway, sort of forgot about that. Then I get this "accepted" notice... from Fresno. And my first thought was "HOCRAP! I think I mentioned things my BOYFRIEND would like!" And my panic was not because it would spoil a surprise but because I called him a boyfriend.

HELLO, KIPLUCK, YOU AND HIM HAVE SAID THAT ALREADY! It's not a secret! But still, my initial thought is PANIC that he'll find out I like him. It is STUPID. I KNOW that. But it remains that way still. Anyway that was my freak out today that I had to step back from and go, umm, okay, that is okay.

And, of course, days like yesterday there is still my stupid SadBrain thinking "Don't do this. Tell him not to like you. Don't make someone else be part of THIS." Sometimes I can think happier about these things... about HIM. He is... ALWAYS... awesome. I'm not kidding. He IS. It really is me. And sometimes I do not like me.... especially lately.

WORKING ON THAT, THOUGH.

ANYWAY, yeah. I have wonderful friends. (Not just for bringing me pirate stuff... or sending me flowers on my birthday (OH! And CC! You were HERE and I didn't give you your Christmas gift. It is UNDER THE TREE!!!! GRRRRR.)... but also all y'all and your sweet words on my notes. Blogger is like my own little support group! *hugs*)

In OTHER news:

etcetera.

Eeew?

TMI Survey (from Stewie)

1. Sex is best in the morning, afternoon, or night? I don't know yet.
2. What side of the bed do you sleep on? I move a lot. And plus also, I don't share a bed. When I DO have to (like with my sister or cousins at a hotel or something) I just call whatever side has a nightstand. I wear glasses, you know.
3. Pork, Beef, or Chicken? I don't really like beef. Sometimes I like chicken. I like the kind of pork in Cafe Rio salads. I am not a meat person, typically anyway. Though I feel like a carnivore at home with my roomie since she's vegetarian.
4. Have you ever had to pull over on the side of the road to puke? Yeah. Bleh.
5. What leg do you put in pants first when putting them on? To be honest, I think it varies. Whichever way feels the least like I will fall over from. And sometimes that changes.
6. Candles or Incense? Depends on the scent of either. Both have equal capacity to either sooth me or give me a headache, depending.
7. Do you dance when no one is watching? Yes. And ONLY then.
8. Did you play doctor when you were little? Yes. I mean, I played doctor... but I don't remember actually playing doctor, you know? I don't know.
9. Have you ever taken your clothes off for money? Nooo... but is anyone offering?
10. Stove top cooking or microwave? If *I* am doing it? Microwave. If someone else is? Then most things taste better from the stove of oven.
11. Would you rather want your car or your house be dirty? The car. That way at least it is only ME being constantly inconvenienced. Also the car is an easier job to tackle over and over and over than my ever cluttered house.
12. Shower or bath? Shower for cleaning bath for reading and relaxing.
13. Do you pee in the shower? I *have* but just when I was TOLD to for a UTI.
14. Mexican or Chinese food? Chinese!!!
15. Do you want someone aggressive or passive in bed? IDKY!
16. Do you own sex toys? I wouldn't call anything down there FUN yet.
17. Corn Dogs or Hot Dogs? I really don't like the ORDER of these questions. Disturbing!
18. Your favorite restaurant? Maybe Macaroni Grill or any good Chinese place or, like, Kneaders.
19. What did you have for lunch today? some eggs and toast and milk.
20. Which do you prefer, iceberg or romaine lettuce? I HATE Iceberg. I mostly just like spinach. But romaine hearts are good for wannabe lettuce wraps.
21. When did you last fall down? Hello, I'm ME. So, like, probably last week?
22. Have you ever wished someone were dead? Yes. But I have never acted on it.
23. Love or Money? I should say Love. But money is much less THREATENING. Still, probably love.
24. Credit Cards or cash? If I didn't have to actually PAY BACK the cards, I would so vote plastic because then I don't have to COUNT! But since I *do* have to pay them back, CASH, definitely.
25. Has there ever been anyone in your family you wish wasn't? Yes. USUALLY I want them back the next week after I've cooled down (like in the case of Padre or Aunt O or T-La), but not always. And some (like Padre's Bro Uncle Rude or Mom's BiL Uncle MikeLestor) I would be just plenty pleased if they fell in a hole and never climbed out.
26. Oreos or Vanilla Wafers? Oreo. I want some RIGHT NOW! If they had, like, fat-free sugar-free ones... that tasted the same... that magically appeared in my cupboard right now. ACTUALLY, if they existed they wouldn't have to appear. I'd go buy them right now.
27. How do you like your steak cooked? By someone else, FOR someone else. I don't like steak.
28. How do you like your eggs cooked? Over hard. NOTHING runny. BLEH. Eeew.
29. Have you ever knocked someone off their feet in fight? Not, like punching then and knocking them out, but I have pushed them to the ground, yeah.

30. Would you rather go camping or to a 5 star hotel? Mostly
camping. Until actual time to sleep, because, well, beds are better for my back, but in terms of before and after I LOVE camping!
31. Would you rather have a root canal or minor surgery? surgery. i have extra nerves in my mouth and they *never* get me numb. <--- ME TOO! Weird! Anyway, at least with a major surgery you would be presumably ASLEEP during it and root canals I am awake and super stressed.
32. Would you shave your entire body (including your head)? Why?
33. Would you rather have lice or an STD? LICE.

34. What is your favorite hard candy? I am a HUGE fan of Werther's and Creme Savers because both of them have a sugar free version that tastes just the same!
35. Ever been to a strip club? No
36. Ever been to a bar? yes, but not to drink.
37. Ever been kicked out of a bar or a club? Well, we had to leave that one place that we were getting Garlic Burgers because the "LifeExperience" girl didn't remember to bring her dang LICENSE. I mean, that wasn't really ME getting kicked out, but we were nice and didn't make her eat in the car by herself.
38. Ever been so drunk you had to be carried out of somewhere? Nope.
39. Have you ever kissed someone of the same sex? Not unless you count, like, kissing babies on the forehead or little cousins on the cheek (For the record I do not believe in kissing children on the mouth, not even your own kids. I mean, some people would disagree and I am not saying I would think THEY were bad for doing so, I just think it is... unwise. I think it makes your child more of a target for sexual predators. Too hard for them to know the difference between appropriate and inappropriate affectionate touching.)
40. Thrown up from drinking too much? Yes... but not alcohol. hee hee!
41. Have you ever kissed a stranger? Not on the lips. I had to randomly kiss cheeks with the older Latina ladies on my mission. Which was weird enough, really.
42. Does anyone have naughty pics of you? Not NAUGHTY, No. Heck, not even *I* have naughty pics of me. There are plenty of EMBARRASSING shots out there of me though. *grumble grumble*

Fres-NO

Almost

CONFERENCE!






I was really looking forward to Conference and now I am bummed. I mean, I am still looking forward to it in the usual ComeListenToAProphet'sVoice kind of way... but not a SitVeryCloseToACuteBoyAndProbablySmellHimSmellingAllCleanAndChurchy (NotThatHeDoesn'tUsuallySmellFineButYouKnowWhatIMean) kind of way. Stupid Rental Agreement. *Grumble grumble*

I just... miss him. Okay, so there are a lot of times I love the long distance thing, because too much THERE-ness tends to freak me out. But right now I hate it and need him to be here in Utah. At the same time, I am glad he's not because my depression is NOT doing so great and it is bad enough dealing with it in PRIVATE, without worrying it is going to weird him out. BLEH.

Okay, now it is Friday (last sentence it was Thursday.) and I am still missing him, but thanks to having GREAT friends I am feeling better. :O)

Work was LONG today. Left my house at 10:30 to go help with a 5th grade field trip on the farm. Got a short tractor driving lesson from Rinny during it.

Taught some of the parents of the kids about ducks

Fed kids cheese flavored (but REAL) mealworms, etc. Then I spent several hours doing research at the dinosaur museum. Trying to write curriculum, I figured I should know it in chronological order. Anyway, walked a lot in there, till I thought my feet would fall off, went back to the office to work on it there. Then went with Rinny to buy supplies in Salt Lake (for a Relief Society thing and for work, both). I wasn't heading home until 7 something, when CC and Stewie called and said they were on their way to my house! YAY!

We hung out, ate at Carl's Jr. (Fried zucchini! Mmmm! And nobody tried to kidnap us. Hee hee!), and went to look at another castle! One in Cedar Hills. It was funny AND cool! Then we picked up Stewie's kiddlet, Munchkin (one of my favorite kiddlets. Seriously, she is right up there with Bucksome's Little Buck, Bestsariah's Corina, and T-La's 3 boys in sheer funniness.) from a sleep over she wasn't sleeping over at and CC and swung on the swings. (We are SWINGERS! HA!) However, doing so, after too much fat in our meal, and following it with chewing gum too long, well the combo made me sick to my stomach and was just about to say so when CC said SHE felt sick with it, too. Anyway, then she needed to go pick up Cupcake from a mission reunion (I should probably have gone to MY mission reunion, but the only people I care about from the mission probably wouldn't BE there (either from distance or disinterest) so I didn't) so CC drove me home.

I watched Scrubs, and now Perry Mason, of course. Friends like CC and Stewie really help fix a bummer day. JD and Perry don't hurt, either. Hee hee! Thank you, you guys. Seriously.

On the Ball... with a Martian Moose watching your every move

This weekend has been, at least, more social than usual. YAY! It is good to have friends and actually SEE them on occasion.

Thursday, Coats drove up because a lady in the grocery store that she did not know set her up with her nephew for a date in Provo. So before her date she came to my house to talk and hang out. That was fun because we just have not talked in some time. She then was going to stand the boy up because she was in an exceptionally pissy mood. Like I don't even KNOW the boy and I felt bad for him. I THINK I convinced her to at least not dog the poor guy, but I don't know. I haven't heard the post-date report, but she was already mad that they were meeting at Red Robin as she doesn't like hamburgers. Hee hee! She is so weird. But FUNNY.

Friday was the official "Damn Good Taco Night" at CC and Cupcake's house, "The Lodge." It was fun (well, most of it)! On the ride up there me and Stewie talked, mostly about Fresno and my relationshipaphobia, (and her kiddlet making a "robot" dog out of a radio) etc. Because that woman is WISE! Then we picked up Stef and continued to "The Lodge" which is basically a townhouse that has a rock path through beige carpet (sand?) and a lower level of greenish blueish carpet (a pond?) with a VERY SCARY moose painted on the wall with big alien eyes! CREEEEPY! (and the bathroom wallpaper is also HILARIOUSLY pornerific! hee hee!) However, hey, CC and Cupcake live there so it is cool by association. Hee hee hee!

A lot of people were there that I did not know, and to be honest, I felt very intimidated. Sometimes I make myself mad. I know, in my heart, I am an outgoing person. I am gabby and loud with my friends. But with strangers I sometimes want to shrink into the background until I disappear. The people weren't really all STRANGER-strangers... a few looked familiar and we got to see CD, of Cupcake's Blog (VERY cute, chica! Way to go!). And other people had met each other, it's just been awhile since I have been able to get out, so I felt a little lost.

When I finally WAS talking I was telling about Parker calling me to get the Birds and the Bees talk, but with the sex = basketball analogy the boys there just took that and ran with it, and basically turned all sports dirty, which was funny, but also made a few people uncomfortable and left. I didn't mean to do that.

Anyway, I was ready to go home when Stef and Stewbert were. It was a good party. I just had a bit too much on my mind to have a lot of fun. I was missing BoyKid... and Fresno... and thinking a lot about Megs... and wondering if I am ever going to get a job so that I can feel self-sufficient EVER in my life, etc. I really liked the brownies and ate 3 of them which was not wise, but I sort of didn't care because they were yummy and I was not feeling that stellar inside my own head.

Saturday, too, was a bit of a party! I went up to Salt Lake to hang out with Megs and St. Jake since she is home from the hospital and I still hadn't given her her Christmas present (which, btw, I actually have one for CC, but forgot it. hee hee hee. And yes, it is MARCH.). Her and St. Jakey collect those official Disney pins (they are both OBSESSED with all things Disney) and I had bought a Stitch surfing one in Hawai'i for her when I was there! She also had a Christmas present for me... a really cute journaly notebook with Wonder Woman decoupaged on it! SWEET! Anyway, St. Jakey made us breakfast for dinner... eggs, bacon, orange juice, the whole shebang! Then we 3 just hung out watching random interior design shows on HGtv. It was fun. I haven't spent near enough time with Megs and St. Jake. I so love them. SIGH!

Which brings us to today. I went to church, my own, slightly dysfunctional, ward even. Just Sacrament though, I could not mentally/emotionally handle more today to tell you the truth. I am glad I went, but only because I SHOULD go. Right now I just need to take what I can get from this ward, even if all it is is obedience because I don't really LIKE it here. I DO very much like the new-ish Bishop. Mostly because I know he is a man of God and REALLY appreciate the blessing he gave me prior to the scary nerve block thing with Dr. YeahBaby. So I go because I should and keep hoping my feelings about the other people in my ward change, especially now that The Roomie is 31 and has taken that fact as the chance to run from our ward, even if it is to an "older singles" ward. So I sit alone. But... yeah. Right now I am just patting myself on the back for showing up at all.

The Bishopric's wives sat right behind me today and were quizzing me on how I was doing during the opening song. It was kind of annoying, but hey, at least they missed me. Sigh. Anyway, church was good. The Relief Society president spoke about "raising the bar" not just for missionaries, but ourselves as members of the church. And she kept saying that chef's thing "Bam! Kick it up a notch!" which was funny in church. But yeah, it was good, just... frustrating.

However, during the sacrament I was thinking about Fresno (yes, bad me. I know we are supposed to be thinking about Jesus, but I was mostly thinking of the boy *blush*) and RIGHT THEN he called my phone! I HADN'T turned it off, but I HAD at least put it on vibrate. But I quickly turned it off right then. Still I thought it was pretty eerie for him to call WHILE I was just thinking of him.

Granted, later I decided it really WASN'T that spooky considering I tend to be thinking about Fresno the MAJORITY of my time and so it is only statistics that he would call during that great expanse of time. But STILL.

Anyway, that was today... and Saturday... and Friday... and Thursday.

I am going to post this and maybe go home. (Right now I am at the Padres' because they got a letter from Anziano BoyKid and I wanted to read it! Plus, I was driving home from church and saw some people making a MOVIE! So I was really curious and drove around the neighborhood they were in trying to figure out what they were doing. Yes, following their crew like a dork. Anyway, some how in my paparazziness I ended up by the Padres' house and wanted to read BoyKid's first letter home. TA DA!) TTYL, Journal Friends!

(btw, sometimes I forget that people read this. In fact, the other night Stewie mentioned someone reading my blog besides her, CC, Cupcake, Bobbie, Granola, Mali, etc. (she didn't mention those people, I am just saying she said somebody else) and it really surprised me. I guess I forget some people read with out responding. It is fine either way, I just didn't THINK about other people reading it besides my direct friends. I guess mostly because I think WHY? If I had an especially interesting life, I would understand. It is just funny that anyone but people who are my friends (and thus required to think I am funny) who give 2 pins about my life. Odd. Anyway, friends and strangers alike, have a good night.)