Random Photos....

I was flipping through some of my photos recently and came across a couple that might interest Sean - I really like the second one.

And I found a photo of the Half-Marathon I ran in March.

Draper....

In March I moved to Draper. Rented my first Uhaul - loaded up all my stuff and my many treasures and moved about seven miles down the road to Draper. There's this goofy u-turn on State Street before you get to my place, you can't do a left turn on this road, from either direction - it's weird. Follow the road and you'll come to a gate - I'm closer to the northern gates than the eastern gates but either one works. I'm across from Ikea at the Bangerter exit - the distance doesn't really matter because work takes me all over the Valley and same pretty much with school. My new place is a town home - there are four of us, none of us are home a lot, busy with work, school and life but the best part is there's no contract - I can stay as long or as short as I'd like. At this point I'd like to stay till I finish my pre-recs for the nursing program, which I figure won't be till Fall 2013. At that point I'll apply to nursing programs country-wide and probably move again - preferably somewhere close to water. Staying in one spot longer than nine months is the goal - that hasn't happened once in the last seven years. What can I say, I get restless - though actually Hospice has been really good for me in that regard, it keeps me on the move and I like that. My ward is a bit different than my Sandy ward - in Sandy it was huge and I just got lost in the crowd, a lot of people still lived at home and maturity wise they were very young. In Draper, in that regard at least they're a little older, they're working on advanced degrees and are established in jobs and the ward is a lot smaller - I feel like I have more in common with these people.

Doors....

With my recent move to Draper I moved into a new ward, got new roommates, new bishop, collected another door - I collect roommates and housing doors; in the 15 months I've been here I've added three doors to my collection and 10 roommates. At this point I have 16 doors in six different states and 46 different people I've lived with - not the point.

I was meeting with my new bishop and he asked me where was I from - that question has always stumped me a bit. Well - most recently I moved from Sandy, before that Bountiful. I went to college in Idaho, but I'm not claiming Idaho. I worked for a bit in Florida - which was fabulous, I loved it. Fifth grade through 12th was spent in Colorado before that I was in Ohio but I was born in California. So I guess I'm from everywhere, the short answer I guess would be Colorado but I don't really call anywhere home anymore. I am a wanderer.

An Ode to Oats...

I do not like oats. I do not like the way they smell. I do not like the way they taste. I do not like the way they feel sliding down my throat - I do not like them Sam I am.

And yet I have almost three boxes of them. Why? Because they're good for you and I'm trying to eat healthier. I don't like granola bars in any form. I don't like oatmeal cookies or rolled oats either. The only exception is strawberries'n'cream or peaches'n'cream oatmeal or granola cereal.

Celery on the other hand - I love celery. It has just the right amount of crunch, it's low in calories and high in vitamin C and fiber. It's also 95% water. Which got me wondering....we are 65% water, the planet we live on and all call home is 72% and onions are 89% - so vastly different and yet so similar. Just for the record, I would rather eat celery than onions or even myself.

Smile...

First of all I love otters, they are adorable - the aquarium here in Sandy has an exhibit of otters and as soon as I have some free time I'm going to go visit them. Secondly, I was surfing the internet a while ago and came across this image and I fell in love all over again - totally made my day :)

The Spider and the Fly...

The Spider and the Fly
Mary Howitt

Will you walk into my parlour?" said the Spider to the Fly,
'Tis the prettiest little parlour that ever you did spy;
The way into my parlour is up a winding stair,
And I've a many curious things to shew when you are there."
Oh no, no," said the little Fly, "to ask me is in vain,
For who goes up your winding stair can ne'er come down again."


"I'm sure you must be weary, dear, with soaring up so high;
Will you rest upon my little bed?" said the Spider to the Fly.
"There are pretty curtains drawn around; the sheets are fine and thin,
And if you like to rest awhile, I'll snugly tuck you in!"
Oh no, no," said the little Fly, "for I've often heard it said,
They never, never wake again, who sleep upon your bed!"


Said the cunning Spider to the Fly, " Dear friend what can I do,
To prove the warm affection I 've always felt for you?
I have within my pantry, good store of all that's nice;
I'm sure you're very welcome -- will you please to take a slice?"
"Oh no, no," said the little Fly, "kind Sir, that cannot be,
I've heard what's in your pantry, and I do not wish to see!"


"Sweet creature!" said the Spider, "you're witty and you're wise,
How handsome are your gauzy wings, how brilliant are your eyes!
I've a little looking-glass upon my parlour shelf,
If you'll step in one moment, dear, you shall behold yourself."
"I thank you, gentle sir," she said, "for what you 're pleased to say,
And bidding you good morning now, I'll call another day."


The Spider turned him round about, and went into his den,
For well he knew the silly Fly would soon come back again:
So he wove a subtle web, in a little corner sly,
And set his table ready, to dine upon the Fly.
Then he came out to his door again, and merrily did sing,
"Come hither, hither, pretty Fly, with the pearl and silver wing;
Your robes are green and purple -- there's a crest upon your head;
Your eyes are like the diamond bright, but mine are dull as lead!"

Alas, alas! how very soon this silly little Fly,
Hearing his wily, flattering words, came slowly flitting by;
With buzzing wings she hung aloft, then near and nearer drew,
Thinking only of her brilliant eyes, and green and purple hue --
Thinking only of her crested head -- poor foolish thing! At last,
Up jumped the cunning Spider, and fiercely held her fast.
He dragged her up his winding stair, into his dismal den,
Within his little parlour -- but she ne'er came out again!


And now dear little children, who may this story read,
To idle, silly flattering words, I pray you ne'er give heed:
Unto an evil counsellor, close heart and ear and eye,
And take a lesson from this tale, of the Spider and the Fly.

The Fence or the Ambulance...

The Fence or The Ambulance
Joseph Malines

‘Twas a dangerous cliff, as they freely confessed,
Though to walk near its crest was so pleasant:
But over its terrible edge there had slipped
A duke and many a peasant;
So the people said something would have to be done.
But their projects did not at all tally:
Some said, "Put a fence around the edge of the cliff"
Some, "An ambulance down in the valley."

But the cry for the ambulance carried the day.
For it spread to the neighboring city:
A fence may be useful or not, it is true,
But each heart became brimful of pity
For those who had slipped o’er that dangerous cliff,
And the dwellers in highway and alley
Gave pounds or gave pence, not to put up a fence,
But an ambulance down in the valley.

"For the cliff is alright if your careful," they said,
"and if folks even slip or are dropping,
it isn't the slipping that hurts them so much
as the shock down below-when they're stopping,"
So day after day when these mishaps occurred,
Quick forth would the rescuers sally
To pick up the victims who fell off the cliff,
With their ambulance down in the valley.

Then an old man remarked, "it's a marvel to me
that people give far more attention
to repairing results than to stopping the cause,
when they'd much better aim at prevention.
Let us stop at its source all this mischief, cried he.
"Come neighbors and freinds, let us rally :
If the cliff we will fence, we might almost dispense
with the ambulance down in the valley."

"Oh, he's a fanatic." the others rejoined:
"dispense with the ambulance Never!
He'd dispense with all charities, too, if he could:
no, no! We'll support them forever.
Aren't we picking up folks just as fast as they fall?
And shall this man dictate to us? Shall he?
Why would people of sense stop to put up a fence?
While their ambulance works in the valley?"

But a sensible few who are practical too,
Will not bear with such nonsense much longer
They believe that prevention is better than cure
And their party will soon be the stronger
Encourage them, then with your purse, voice and pen
And (while other philanthropists dally)
They will scorn all pretense, and put up a stout fence
On the cliff that hangs over the valley.