The Race Card Project: Oh my gosh. I'm white too.

"You may not control all the events that happen to you,

but you can decide not to be reduced by them."

~Maya Angelou, Letter to My Daughter

You may or may not have heard about The Race Card Project, an idea that began with Michele Norris, of All Things Considered fame, and her desire to take the nation's pulse on race and start a conversation. The idea was to think about experiences, questions, hopes, dreams, laments or observations about race and identity and then turn those thoughts into a six word sentence. Since she started, this has blossomed into a project that has piqued the interest of many, not only across The United States, but all over the world. It's a fascinating venture that is published on this website.

Some of the stories are funny, while others are heartbreaking. Some you'll be able to relate to, while others will make you uncomfortable. Fascinating to me, really. All in the name of understanding and having a conversations. I'm all for it. I mean, are not we all cousins anyway? Hey, that's six words... :)

You can even make your own "race card," which of course I jumped at the chance of doing.

So here's my submission, which has not yet been published on the site, maybe it never will be. I'm not sure. They must be reviewing thousands of submissions. Who knows. If Michele decides to publish it on the site, I'll update this post with a link. Cross your fingers!

Oh my gosh. I'm white too.
by Emery Smith, Salt Lake City, UT

I grew up in San Francisco where being a white kid in public school placed you in the minority. Most of my friends were Chinese, Japanese, Korean, black, or some mixed combination. We were like a mini U.N. With my very pale skin and light blue eyes, I was different. People would comment on how fair my skin was or how blue my eyes were. I felt noticed.

When I moved to Provo, Utah to go to college, I felt somewhat out-of-place in this "vanilla-city," full of so many "foreign" looking faces...that were white. One day, well into my freshman year, while walking down a very long hallway at school, I spotted a tall, very good looking black man at the other end. Immediately, I felt a connection and hoped that he would notice me too. As we walked towards each other, my thoughts turned to why I might notice him among the many faces in the crowded hallway. "Well, he's tall. {I'm 5'10", myself.} He's stunning. And, he's black. He's different." With my eyes glued to him, willing him to look up and notice me (the other "different" one in the crowd), I suddenly realized why he wasn't giving me a second look... "I blend in. I'm not different. I am lost in this sea of white faces. Oh. My. Gosh. *I'm* white, too."


(Oh and random piece of trivia for you today... Michele pronounces her first name MEE-shell.)
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Randoms.

"Your life is what your thoughts make it."

~Marcus Aurelius

Double Rainbow in Salt Lake City on 15 May 2013
Photo Credit: Lennie Mahler, found here

... We had a beautiful rainstorm the other day, which was a welcome relief after the uncharacteristcally hot week. It's supposed to be spring, so I invite any and all rainstorms our way! Especially when they result in stunning double rainbows like the one we had (shown above). The colors were so brilliant.

... Do you think women who name their children Braxton never consider the name until they are going into fake labor? Maybe, except then there might be an equal number of babies named Hicks. Either way, I can't figure out the appeal of the name. (It was the 125th most popular baby boy name in the U.S. in 2012. Whaaa? Want to see others click here.) (Also for a good laugh, read about Idaho's baby names here.)

... Speaking of babies and pregnancy... apparently someone is trying to pose as me and got a 14-week ultrasound in my name in March. Hahaha. I got a bill a week and a half ago, from a familiar company (since I had so many tests and xrays, etc. done last year). Since it looked familiar I didn't open it right away, even though I wondered to myself what it might be for. When I opened it, I still couldn't figure out what it would be for, but when I spoke with them on the phone today, they said, "Oh that's for the ultrasound you received on March 27th." Ultrasound? Haha. Sorry, see that's the problem. I didn't receive an ultrasound. And for the record, I'm not pregnant. :)

... Showtune Saturday night on 106.5 FM in Salt Lake is no more. SO sad. I was really sick during the middle to end of December and not at work, so I wasn't listening to the radio much. At the beginning of January, I took a marvelous cruise to Hawaii with my family (more on that in a post to come), and so I didn't start listening to 106.5 until mid-January. A month hiatus, if you're pay attention. For two weeks, on my way to work, I couldn't figure out why 106.5 had such weird, songs. I finally heard that they were bought out and completely changed the genre of music and did away with Showtune Saturday night. Five months later, I'm still in mourning.

... Still obsessed with Kate. Which Kate? HRH The Duchess Kate. I am my grandmother's daughter.

... In my absence from this blog, I became addicted to Grey's Anatomy. They are now an extension of my family. At least that's how it feels sometimes. In three months, I shared eight years with them, thanks to Hulu. I got caught up in time to step into the last half of Season Nine and watch with Kate. You know, The Other Kate. KDJ The Other Kate. (She pines after Harry, as much as I pine after Pine.)

... I have lost the majority of motivation to cook for myself. You'd think this would help me lose some of the weight I gained last year being sick. No such luck.

... Because I can.

... After buying my house, I soon learned that I live parallel to a helicopter route. While this might annoy some people, I absolutely love it. Whenever I see a helicopter I always wonder where it's going and imagine its occupants. Unfortunately, all too often, it's Life Flight, so I say a little prayer.

... I've decided to add "extensive experience dealing with stupid people" to my resume. That has GOT to be a marketable skill.

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Random: Emery, The Original.

"Always end the name of your child with a vowel,

so that when you yell the name will carry."

~Bill Cosby

I suppose it's possible that one of my three readers doesn't really know me and therefore, does not know that my name is Emery, not eclaires. Well, my name IS eclaires, but maybe that's a post for another time. Anyhow...

I know I should find this flattering, but somehow, as someone who never had to "share" her name or be relegated to using the first initial of her last name in order to be identified in her 3rd grade class, I find this reality encroaches on my sense of individuality. Seriously identity crisis. I'm going to focus on feeling flattered, since I was born 27 years before my name first appears in the top 1000 names. By then, I was the coolest person ever and everyone wanted their children to take after me... right?

Check out baby name popularity in the U.S. here.
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Granite Flats. BYUtv Original Series.

"The vision must be followed by the venture.
It is not enough to stare up the steps - we must step up the stairs."
~Vance Havner

Photo found on byutv.org

Several weeks ago, I started watching this family-oriented TV show on BYUtv. The series is BYUtv's first attempt at a scripted drama. They cater to the whole family, trying to produce a show that every member of the family could sit down and enjoy as they watch together. I think they've done a pretty good job. It's not my favorite, maybe because I'm used to the dramatic story-lines that appeal only to a more mature audience, but still it's not bad, especially for the younger crowd. And tonight is the season finale, but you can watch all the previous episodes right on byutv.org. I'll be curious to hear your review.

With a desire to encourage them to continue venturing out into the scripted drama series world, I "liked" the Granite Flats page on FB and left this comment. And guess who "liked" my comment? Oh, just the lead actor, Nathan Gunn. :)

Thanks for an entertaining show. I watched the first two episodes on byutv.org and will continue to watch.

The plot lines were slightly on the slow side for me; I wish that it would be slightly meatier and move a little faster. Or maybe it was the development of the characters that seemed slightly loose and not yet fully convincing of their "reality." I'm not sure. It could just be that I'm used to in your face TV drama. :) But I suppose your target audience age range is wider than most popular mainstream shows, so you must be able to appeal to all both in interest and comprehension.

But overall, I quite enjoyed it. I felt the acting was good. Acting is only ever as good as the writing. The details in scenery and props were very convincing and added to the authenticity of Granite Flats. The hair, clothing, cars, etc. were really great! Immediately, I knew the time period simply because of the details.

I hope that it will be enough of a success, that you and byutv will continue to delve into more scripted series such as this one, providing a genre that is simply hard to come by these days. Thank you for your efforts. You should be proud of your work. I look forward to more! (Wow, that turned out to be a very long comment.) :)

Oh, and if you watch, pay close attention in the pilot episode for my future father-in-law, Robert Pine. (Yes, that's Chris's dad who used to be on CHiPs. And for crazy trivia purposes, for you Mormons out there who may have ever seen the short video "On The Way Home," a kind of goofy (because it's old-school) Mormon movie produced in the 1990s about how families are eternal units: Robert Pine plays the Dad. And let's be honest, while the video has an overall good message about families (a few ways they present doctrine are odd to me), everything produced in the 90s seems a little goofy to me. Just take a look at their clothes. ;) Fun times.

And just for the heck of it:

Chris

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Not giving up... on blogging nor Chris Pine.

"Never, never, never give up."
~Winston Churchill

I haven't given up on blogging. Really, I haven't. At least I don't think I have. All the time, I think about things I could write about, but then, for some reason, I just don't sit down and write. But I'm turning a corner (in many aspects of my life) and I have a few posts brewing right now, so be excited. Very very excited.

Or at least try.

For now, I just have to publicly admit, once again, that I am in love with Chris Pine. (Remember when I first fell for him, four years ago? Hyeah. Me too.) The man is beautiful. Talented. And the first thing he looks for in a woman is intelligence. We're meant to be, right? ;) I'm not giving up; he's single. Said so on Ellen. By the way, I love the beard he sports on Ellen. Love it. Love him. Go ahead, click on the link and watch the video.

Okay, just one more. Just look at those eyebrows.

Emery Pine. It works.
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I don't know where to start...

"Do the best you can where you are, and when that is accomplished,

God will open a door for you, and a voice will call "Come up hither into a higher sphere."

~Henry Ward Beecher

The last time I blogged was September 22, 2012.
Today is January 27, 2013.
I don't know where to start.
Four months has passed.
Four months and five days.
Tonight is probably not a good night to start.
I'm tired.
Even though I stayed in all day because I'm sick and it's snowing and I'm tired.
Did I mention I'm tired?
A lot has happened in the last four months.
And at the same time, nothing has happened.
Funny how that works.
Anyway.
I'd like to update the blog with some trips.
Mt. Rushmore/Devils Tower.
Jackson Hole, WY.
Hawaii.
Oh, and I guess the majority of things missing from my blog in the last four months (or really, the past year) are all the sicknesses I've had.
For over a year.
Have I mentioned I'm tired?
On a brighter note... I bought a humidifier.
I love humid, moist, wet air.
So, now that I've broken the ice with a blog post, maybe I'll try to write more.
And add some pictures.
Pictures are fun.
And I like reading and looking back, even if my readers are now non-existent.
So yeah.
Starting again.
Fresh start.
New year.
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I should be asleep...

‎"Your goals, minus your doubts, equal your reality."

~Ralph Marston

I don't know if this counts as an "actual blog post," which my last post indicated was on its way. I think I have been less apt to post for a number of reasons, but one main one is that I don't have WiFi, which means that I have to come into my office where my laptop sits plugged into the ethernet plug. No more sitting in my bed on my way to sleep quickly getting some thoughts and pictures up on this blog... Well, that is until I get a wireless router. I know, I know: they're not that expensive, right? That's what you were thinking, right? Well, I just haven't done it and I guess that means that it's not a priority for me.

At any rate. Just a few thoughts tonight, as I should be doing laundry and cleaning...

... I love musicals. And I especially love Show Tune Saturday Night on 106.5 FM here in Salt Lake. Keeps me entertained on Saturday nights when I can tune in. And most importantly, helps me not feel lonely when I'm at home alone.

... I'm no longer addicted to Sea Battle Live. But I sure have been playing a lot of Sudoku and Words with Friends.

... I'm still obsessed with HRH Kate. Yes, and I even have a new favorite website: www.hrhduchesskate.blogspot.com. Check it out. She and Will just finished their two week-Southeast Asian tour and man, she looked beautiful. Some of the most beautiful dresses I've ever seen showed up on that tour. Can I be Kate, please?

... I have an ongoing love affair with clouds, which I don't see ending any time soon. Or any time ever. I'm mesmerized. In love. Infatuated. In love. Enchanted. Forever. With each and every encounter.

... Couch to 5k. I started again. Tomorrow will complete the first week. It's easier this time around. Not sure why, since aside from this week, I think I've only run like ten times this year, probably. Ugh. It's hard but good. I know I must suffer the pain of discipline or suffer the pain of regret. My choice.

...Today, I was on the treadmill watching the history channel while I ran. Did you know there is a stretch of road call Death Road in Bolivia. El Camino de la Muerte snakes its way through the Andes Mountains. Watch this:

Seriously one of the most treacherous roads in the world in GOOD weather conditions. Just imagine when the fog and rains come in. Wow. Crazy. It was built in the 1930s and has claimed thousands of lives since. Wanna drive it? Yeah, me neither.

Picture found here.

... Speaking of driving. Confession: I roll through stop signs. Call me a California driver. My Aunt does. She calls them California stops. She should know. She's a native, as well. :)

... I have to find my own husband because my culture doesn't practice arranged marriages. Doing my best. I just wish falling in love had traffic lights so that I would know if I should: Go for it, slow down, or just stop.

... I'm really tired and should be in bed.

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While I cook up an actual blog post...

"God has promised forgiveness to your repentance,

but He has not promised tomorrow to your procrastination."

~Augustine of Hippo

So, I've not been intentionally procrastinating all the posts I want to share with you... it just has happened that way. So, during this "down time" here are a few things you can think about, laugh at, roll yours eyes at, or whatever it is you choose to do while I'm procrastinating posting pictures of my new house. Yes, I said, my new house. :)

My cousin Lindsay sent me me this link a long time ago and I just found it again. Enjoy.

I've made this recipe twice since I found it nearly two weeks ago. If you're ever looking for a pretty yummy, quick, and easy recipe when you're wanting something sweet fast and you don't want to have to work very hard for it, try this. :) Like that ever happens. What? :) Now go ahead and click on it and make it. You'll thank me.

Oh, and this one. This one you don't want to miss. I've been meaning to post it for some time, but keep forgetting. I've been reading this girl's Name updates for a couple of years now. Hilarious. Seriously, I can't make this stuff up. Ha...but people do! People MAKE UP THESE NAMES AND GIVE THEM TO THEIR CHILDREN FOR THE REST OF TIME! Gosh. I won't pretend to say that I understand the heavy weight parents must feel as they choose a word (a name) by which this new human being will be known for the rest of eternity. Heavy stuff. But with that weight on your shoulders, you went ahead and chose Reggie Tayzlie? Seriously? Or Razdyn? Gosh. I know I may have unusual ideas for names (maybe it's good I don't have children), but at least they aren't a combination of letters arbitrarily put together. I LIKE unusual names, people. Trust me. My name is Emery, for heaven's sake. I LIKE having a fairly unique name. Trust me. I'm all about being the only "Emery" around (had a near identity crisis when I read that in 2005 "Emery" entered the top 1000 names for baby girls receiving SSNs in the U.S.--about near died.) But my name isn't made up. It's a name. It's spelled correctly. But Arkadian? I looked it up--it's an Xbox game. Seriously people? And Kasten? Sure as heck you won't catch me castin' my vote for Kasten. Heh. I'm funny. Anyway, enough. Check out the link here.

Speaking of babies, my friends D&S are having one, so I've had them on the mind. I saw this supercool airplane contraption. SO cool. I like it. But they're sold out. Put myself on the waiting list in case they get more in stock. Maybe by that time, I'll have a baby to put in it. :) Here's hoping.

And lastly, my love for the Royal Family (okay, my love for the Duchess of Cambridge) has not waned and I   often go to this website to see her latest sartorial picks or this website. Both are good. I mean anywhere you can see this Kaleidoscope Kate is worth visiting regularly. :)

Well, that's it for now. More later. Lots more hopefully. Pray that procrastination doesn't get the best of me.
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Random Photo: Sourpuss Smith.

"Crime is naught but misdirected energy."

~Emma Goldman

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If You Moust, You Moust.

"Pink is the navy blue of India."
~Diana Vreeland

Disclaimer/Apology/Writer's Note: I told you I'd hurry up and push that last picture of me lower into the depths of blog archives by blogging again soon... you just didn't know it was going to be replaced by a picture of my feet, did you? Don't you worry. Once again, this is incentive to blog again soon. What will be up next? Hmmm...

Last Saturday, I decided I'd gone long enough without a professional pedicure. I'll admit that I used to frequent the nail salon at least every two or three months and get a pedicure. But when I started re-prioritizing my funds so that I could make a certain larger purchase top-priority (more blogging on that later), I eased off the self-pampering indulgent whims.

But by Saturday, I'd had enough. Really. My toes were a mess and no amount of my own babying of them was going to make a difference anymore. So off to Sky Nails I drove. In an unexpected move, I veered from my almost religious allegiance to OPI's reddish hue "I'm Not Really A Waitress" and picked out three colors--all pink. (I know. This kind of news, unprecedented change in polish color, is definitely front-page-worthy.) Nothing screams summer more than a bright pink toenails, right? So, I brought all three shades to the chair and continued to mull over my choice as my feet soaked. Finally, with the help of my new found friend, Susan, in the seat next to me, I went with "If "You Moust, You Moust."

"If You Moust, You Moust" is the quintessential pink polish. It has this creamy bright Pepto Bismol look. (Hate it already? Don't.) Perfectly bright, yet light and feminine, its shiny creme finish looks great, makes me smile every time I see my toes, and is a perfect divergence from my norm. I will, however, admit that every time I've looked at my toes since Saturday, I have done a mental double-take and reminded myself that these are, in fact, MY toes. My PINK toes.

So for the first pedicure of the year -- Yes, it IS the first of 2012... all you who think I pamper myself all the time, pshaw. I haven't had one since December -- so for the first of the year, I think it was a success. AND I met a new friend, Susan, who also did her toes pink. All in all, a perfect Saturday splurge.

And that, my friends, is exactly what you wanted to read about (not to mention, be forced to see a picture) today, right? Thought so.

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A happy life with a few guilty pleasures.

"Don't put off your happy life."
~Anyone Smart

Okay, so now that I've broken the silence, I feel like I can share all my random thoughts again. Like...

... I know you've missed me (come on, indulge me...just nod and smile), so I'm including a picture of me so you remember what I look like. And no I don't always wear glasses, but I am about the blindest person I know. Except for my friend Janet. She's definitely blinder. You know, the kind of blind that only makes you a candidate for hard contacts and not soft. Coke-bottle-blind.

... A picture of me at the top of this post ensures that I will post again soon, so I don't see myself full screen every time I come to my blog. The picture of Will and Kate was just fine. But a picture of me... don't worry, I'll move that down soon with a new post.

... I'm addicted to the Bachelorette. Okay, now don't get all judgmental on me. I don't even own a TV. I don't watch any other TV, especially no other reality TV. But I really love the Bachelorette/Bachelor. Especially this season. (Don't worry, I hated last season. Ben and Courtney? Ugh.) But, I just love Emily. She's just got a good head on her shoulders. I didn't know I could love a blonde, Barbie doll with a brain, southern belle as much as I do. But I do. And heaven knows I love Arie and his kissing. My goodness. I think he's in the top three for his sweet lip-locking moves alone. He's a pretty tasty treat, I tell ya. But there are two more: Sean and Jef with one f. This is going to be tough. I'm already nervous. Decisions, decisions. What to do? What to do? Eek. I'll get through it. ;)

... I love fireworks. Love them. I had a really-no-so-great day at work today. Felt like crying and screaming and punching people in the face. All at the same time. (Be happy you weren't there.) But tonight, I went to a fireworks show (the 3rd of July one I've gone to every year for the last 6 years--each of the four years prior to that, I was out of the country) and the fireworks lighting up the sky and ka-booming deep into my chest cavities immediately elevated my mood. Because let's face it...work was not fun. People stepping on my blanket spread out on the grass so neat and perfect was not so fun (when did I turn into a blanket nazi with a nasty stink eye punishment for those who cross into my territory?). But fireworks spraying through the sky to a round of patriotic songs. Yeah, enough to warm up a girl's cold heart. Love them.

... So, my lovely friend Sharona is a clothes designer. And she has two new dresses being sold by Shabby Apple. How cool is that? She's a pretty talented go-getter who is still humble and loads of fun. And her dresses? Beautiful. Shabby Apple is having a 20% site-wide sale, so I went ahead and purchased this pretty thing in cobalt blue. Serenade. I like the name, too. And don't you worry for a second... I'll be taking pictures and posting when it arrives. (Did I just commit myself to that? I think so...sigh) Here is the other one too. Rhapsody. I think I'll name my first child Rhapsody. (Who am I?)

... I have a tan. But you'd never know it. You probably think I'm the whitest person you've ever seen. I probably am. But. But, the skin you can see has seen the sun. And gosh darn it, it's tan. Freckly, yes. But nevertheless, still tan.

... I'm also addicted to this crazy little beta app for android called Sea Battle Live. Thanks a lot, Brian. I play it on my phone every day. Every. single. day. I know the attraction will fade soon enough, as it has with Draw Something and Words with Friends. I know, strange that my attraction to a word game has faded--I think I just value my time (and my naps) more than I do games right now. But for now, it's a fun little blow-em-up little game.

... All the pictures you're going to see coming up on future blog posts are from my phone. I apologize in advance for the fuzziness and poor quality. My phone doesn't take half bad pictures. But maybe they're a quarter bad.

... Häagen-Dazs. Three flavors. Vanilla. Chocolate chocolate chip. Pistachio. Oh, that pistachio. One scoop of each. Tiny bites of each flavor on the spoon at the same time. I'm kind of addicted.

... I've driven 7,000 miles in the last six months. I can prove it. :)

... I think I've revealed all my current guilty pleasures tonight. Who does that all in one sitting?

... I really love my life.

... Is 12:12 lucky just like 11:11? I hope so because that's when I'm posting this.

Love you all and happy birthday to the USA and happy liberty-filled lives to us!

... Um, I just noticed that my last post was also posted at 12:12. Exactly 12 hours ago. I think this is a sign. A good one, I hope. :)

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Still standing on the face...

of the earth, if not the blogosphere. Sorry for my absence. Like you care. But I do. And I will be catching you up on regular programming. Promise. A few trips. A few purchases. A few pictures. :) It will be fun. We'll have tea. Well, I'll have tea. You'll have to make yourself some and pull up a chair and pretend like we're tea-ing together.

But for now... happy birthday to my Fit today and happy birthday to our country tomorrow!

(Oh, and this whole new blogger dashboard interface thing... I guess I'll get used to it. Supposedly it's streamlined to make things easier for me to find. I don't see it that way, yet. But I'll give it time. Change. Pshaw.)
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Happy Anniversary, William and Kate!

"Love does not consist of gazing at each other, but in looking together in the same direction."
~Antoine de Saint-Exupery

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Hola!

Photo found here.

Bonjour mes amis!     Sveiki mano draugai!     Hola mi amigos!     Hello my friends!

If you know me well, you know I’m a lover of language. Of grammar. Of spelling. Of being correct. (And yes, I am fully aware of the fact that I don’t always write in complete sentences. And yes, I’m aware that if I were following all the rules of my native language, I wouldn't be starting a sentence with the word and.)

Along with loving the English language and all its rules and exceptions, I’m a lover of foreign languages. I love learning a bit of a new language each time I've traveled to a new country. This definitely comes in handy when trying to ask where the closest internet cafe is or when buying a bus ticket.

Lithuanian is the only language, aside from English, which I speak fluently. Oh, how I love Lithuanian grammar. Everything makes sense and there are very few exceptions. Nevermind that each noun in the language can be declined (meaning the suffix changes and therefore the meaning of the word changes) in six or seven different ways (cases) depending on its function in the sentence. Then there are five different declensions or sets of endings appropriate depending on the spelling of the original word in the nominative form. This means that a masculine word ending in -as declines differently than a masculine word ending in -is or -us. Or a feminine word ending in -a will decline differently than a feminine word ending in -e. Too confusing? It's really not, once you get the hang of it.

Take for example the Lithuanian word for world - pasaulis.You may see it in the following cases within a sentence depending on its function or meaning:

Nominative: pasaulis -the world (subject)
Genetive: pasaulio - of the world or the world's
Dative: pasauliui - to/for the world
Accusative: pasaulį - the world (object)
Instrumental: pasauliu - by the means of the world
Locative: pasaulyje - in the world
Vocative: pasauli - used when addressing the world, as in: "Hey world! Are you listening?"

So if you wanted to say, "He has the whole world in his hands," it would look like this:

Jis turi visą pasaulį savo rankose.

Or if you would rather say, "There are many hands in the world," it would look like this:

Yra daug rankų pasaulyje.

You can see that both the word hands (rankos) and world (pasaulis) changed suffixes based on their function in the sentence. What I didn't note is that one could also easily change the order of the words in the sentence and it would carry the same meaning because the word endings are indicative of the meaning.

I suppose it is rather complex and can be incredibly confusing to an English speaker, but once you learn all the grammar principles, it actually makes complete sense and helped me to understand English better. As Wikipedia states, "Lithuanian declension is quite sophisticated in a way similar to declensions in ancient Indo-European languages such as Sanskrit, Latin or Ancient Greek. It also is one of the most complicated declension systems among modern Indo-European and modern European languages."

Aside from Lithuanian, which surprisingly to many is an Indo-European language, though in ways more like a Slavic language, I used to be able to have a meaningful conversation in Russian. Now it’s mostly just numbers, “I don’t really speak Russian”, and the LDS sacrament prayers that roll around in my brain. And then there are the random French phrases that I memorized in middle school and high school. I even translated for a French girl who came to church one Sunday. Yeah, that was interesting. What else? Need someone to count to ten for you? I can do it in nearly 10 languages!

And of course there is my Spanish. I am skilled. In fact, I’ve had successful Spanglish conversations numerous times. One particular phrase came in handy at a very desperate time:

Solamente quiero ser amigos.

That, my friends, is a good phrase to memorize. (Go ahead copy and paste into Google Translate.) Maybe even more handy than: Donde esta el bano?

On a more serious note, for the past couple of years, I’ve been thinking about how I really should learn Spanish. It just makes sense. So many opportunities to connect with people have been missed because I don’t speak Spanish. And it’s a beautiful language. I mean, who doesn’t like rolling their R’s just for fun? Why not put that skill to good use?

Then about a month ago, my goal to learn Spanish became all the more relevant to me. I mean the importance of the need to learn it became evermore clear, when I received my voter registration card in the mail, detailing my polling information and redistricting of our political boundaries in the area. Right off the bat, it read:

Due to the new census data, Salt Lake County is now required to provide election information in both English and Spanish in accordance with the 1975 federal law, Section 203 of the Voting Rights Act.

Debido a los datos del Nuevo censo, el Condado de Salt Lake está obligado a proporcionar información sobre las elecciones en Inglés y Español, de acuerdo con la ley federal de 1975, Sección 203 de la Ley de Derechos Electorales.

And there you have it. It was as simple and quick as that. Spanish is officially on my to-do list.
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A Park City Summer Adventure with Mom.

"Mothers hold their children's hands for a short while, but their hearts forever."
~Author Unknown

Long overdue, but nonetheless fun for me to see again, here are some pictures from my graduation trip with my mom to Park City. Taking a trip and spending time alone with your mom is always fun. (At least I think so.) We stayed at this great hotel and just played for a few days.

We ate at some great restaurants. (I can't remember which ones.) Of course, we went swimming at our hotel. (No pictures.)

We walked and shopped up and down Main Street, buying a few books, a couple silver charms for our charm bracelets, and an ice cream cone.

The Deer Valley Music Festival has become a favorite summer activity for us. We went one evening to hear the Utah Symphony in the summer home at Deer Valley, with spectacular views of the mountains and sunset. Among other pieces, we were especially looking forward to Tchaikovsky's "1812 Overture" with actual cannons!

They were trying to protect the piano from the blazing sun, so it wouldn't go out of tune again before the concert started.

The following day, we rode the Park City ski lift up just to see the views. Seriously, that is one of my favorite things. I've taken a few ski lifts in the summer and I love it. I love the views. I love the peaceful feeling of just being up there and alone in a serene setting.

We made it to the top and walked around for a bit before we got back on and rode down the mountain.

At the top we found the weight that holds the ski lift in place. I guess I don't really know how it works, but it was fun to see.

On the way back down, we saw the old towers from the old lift...

we crossed paths with another lift and saw live pine cones...

Being on a lift like that is one of my favorite things in the world during the summer months. With a slight breeze, it's just peaceful and quiet, and perfectly relaxing ride.

Spending a weekend with Mom is just what I need every once in awhile.

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Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Cranberries with a Balsamic Vinegar Reduction.

Hated Brussels sprouts.
Then got old and figured out
Brussels sprouts are yum.
~Brussels Sprouts Haiku
by eclaires

Is your mouth watering just from the title? No? You hate Brussels sprouts, you say? Well, really, I still urge you to try this recipe.

Roasting is my favorite way to cook vegetables. Toss any vegetable with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper and then roast and you've hooked me. Roasting brings out such a rich earthy flavor.

I found this particular recipe on Pinterest and modified it for a smaller portion on Saturday night. I only wish I had more Brussels sprouts now so I could make more. So delicious!

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic Vinegar Reduction Topped with Dried Cranberries
(adapted from Pioneer Woman's blog)

1 pound Brussels sprouts
1/8 cup Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
1/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar
1/8 cup Sugar
1/4 cup Dried Cranberries

Trim/clean Brussels sprouts, then cut them in half if desired (or you can leave them whole). Put Brussels sprouts in a mixing bowl. Toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Arrange on a baking sheet covered in tin foil, for easy clean up, and roast at 375 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes, or until brown.

Combine balsamic vinegar and sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and reduce until very thick, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Drizzle the balsamic reduction over the roasted sprouts, then sprinkle on dried cranberries. Toss and serve immediately.
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A Dream About A Boy.

"Dreams are true while they last, and do we not live in dreams?"
~Alfred Lord Tennyson

A San Francisco Sunset. January 2012

I dreamed about a boy last night.
That doesn't happen often.
Certainly not often enough.
As you know from my last post, the main characters of my recent dreams have been large animals,
and the dreams are usually funny... although,
maybe someday soon I'll tell you about some of the intensely dramatic ones I've experienced lately.
But nevertheless, this dream joined the ranks of all my dreams of late, in its vivid detail.
And in the fact that I remembered it in the morning.

So this boy (cute cute boy)... in real life, I barely know him.
But we've had slightly more interaction in the last two weeks than we've ever had since we first met nearly four years ago.

In my dreamworld, this boy liked me.
First off, this makes any dream better.
I mean, come on now. The man in your dreams is in love with you?
Score one for the dream card!
He was cute. He was skinny. And he was in love with me.

Anyway,
the odd part about the dream was that he had a half prosthetic right upper thigh.
{insert laughter here}
Yeah, I know, I know. Weird.
I'm strange. Even in my dreams apparently.
But seriously, this prosthetic piece of thigh was amazingly functional.
So. cool. So detailed, so perfect.
He detached it so so I could see how it worked.
And his leg was still intact, just had a gaping hole the size of small watermelon, which the prosthetic filled in.
Okay, so maybe not a watermelon... but a SMALL oblong watermelon.
(This boy is skinny, so I'm sure his thighs aren't all that thick.)
I was so intrigued by how it worked so fluidly with his leg and didn't cause any sort of limp or anything.
An amazing medical device.

Random dream, I know.
But I can't help these random vivid dreams from coming.
And I don't want to.
It's fun.
And I know you all expected this "dream about a boy" to be a little more romantic in nature or maybe even foretelling.
And instead you got a medical oddity.
I know.
Work with me people.
And don't worry, it had its fair share of romance. :)
Let's just say my heart melted a little.
But, I'm going to go ahead and keep that to myself.

Oh, and happy St. Patrick's Day!
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Dream a little dream.

"Dreaming is an act of pure imagination, attesting in all men a creative power, which if it were available in waking, would make every man a Dante or Shakespeare."
~Frederick Henry Hedge

Photo of white tiger found here

Lately, I've been having extremely vivid dreams, which, lucky for my sense of humor (and yours), I typically remember in the morning.

Last night's dream was a battle with a hungry white Siberian tiger. Silly me thought I could just lock him out...however, the door did not have such sturdy locks. He barreled through despite throwing all my body weight against the door. Luckily, I was able to whip up a tiger dinner in seconds -- it was a dream, afterall. He was much nicer after that.

Also last night, I dreamed that I was running down some path with a friend and the wind kept kicking up my skirt so my underwear was exposed. I kept attempting to hold it down, but the wind just kept blowing harder and couldn't make it stop, so I finally gave up trying and danced around exposing myself to all who could see. (Somehow, that one doesn't seem so outrageous.)

Earlier this week, I was so impressed with my dream when I awoke that I posted it on FB:

Still marveling at my intensely vivid Cirque du Soleil dream from last night. There were tons of people flying through the air all throughout, but the finale was the most spectacular... about 50 people in the air in the shape of a hot air balloon, with sheets forming a "balloon" and mid-air acrobatics and costume changes. But the best part? Those 50 people were not even standing on any shoulders...they all could actually fly. It was a sight to see. :)

And just to shake up your sense of humor, here a few other random dreams I've had fairly recently, that I wrote about just so I'd have something to laugh at later.

So I've completely forgotten the full dream, but I had a dream a few weeks ago about a wild donkey bucking around in our house downstairs, though "our house" didn't look anything like our house, of course. Agnė, who was staying with us at the time, was screaming (something very unlike her) because the donkey was going crazy bucking around the downstairs. Suddenly the donkey, turned into a kangaroo, which was totally weird. Then the next thing I remember is that these two guys came out from hiding. They apparently had planned the whole thing as a practical joke. Apparently, one of the guys ended up being my boyfriend, but I didn't recognize him. Darn.

And another about animals attacking me. Hmmm, I'm beginning to see a pattern here.

Sunday afternoon, I took a nap and had a dream about a deer wandering into our house, which, of course, didn't look like our house. Then a big deer with antlers (an elk, maybe?) wandered in and was upset. He sort of held me at "antler point" in the back. Every time I breathed I could feel the pointy tips of his antlers. It was scary.

Seriously, where does my brain come up with things like this? Still, the Cirque du Soleil dream was so mesmerizing. Hope it happens again.
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Fish.

"Cooking is like love. It should be entered into with abandon or not at all."
~Harriet Van Horne

Several weeks ago, at one of my MANY doctor visits during the month of January (remember how I was sick with the heart attack flu?), my doctor recommended that I introduce more fish into my diet. Let it be said that I love fish and all things de la mer. That said, I just don't cook it all that often myself. I order it when I got out to eat. It's like my favorite delicacy...when someone else makes it for me.

Well, now that the doctor's orders have been laid down to eat it at least two to three times a week, I am trying to do just that. Only, because I'm always trying to save some money, this means cooking it myself and not spending an arm and a leg for someone else to do it for me.

Teriyaki Tilapia over greens - last Saturday's lunch

I must say I'm pretty proud of myself. Well, I've been successful at making some delicious tilapia and salmon. Tilapia is pretty mild, a little too mild, but still tasty especially when prepared well. But salmon? I love salmon. I always have. Tonight, when I went to Costco (only to buy paper towels, toilet paper, and shrimp, mind you), I came home with a 3.5 pound cut of whole salmon.

Whole salmon, you wonder? Yeah, I was a little over-ambitious, thinking that deboning it myself so I could save $4/lb wouldn't be too bad. Ha. Well, it wasn't really that bad, but I just didn't expect it to have so many bones. I know the bones are soft and pliable, which makes it that much more difficult. I'm not so sure I'd go that route again... except that my lemon rosemary salmon fillets (with most, but not all, bones removed) that I made last night were de-licious!

Lemon Rosemary Salmon

I was so busy de-boning that I didn't have time or energy to make the asparagus and Israeli couscous that I had planned on adding to the meal. Maybe I'll do that tonight, since I still have leftovers.
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Gilgal Sculpture Garden.

"Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful, we must carry it with us or we find it not."
~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Awhile back, I decided that I wanted to be a tourist in my own city. I don't expect to live here my whole life, so I want to take advantage of the beauty and sights around me. You know, actively love the place I live (because I do). In case you may have missed some of my adventures, I'll refresh your memory.

Hiking Ensign Peak
Hiking to Cecret Lake in the Albion Basin
Exploring Bingham Canyon Mine

Little by little, I'm going to make it through my list of places to see. And maybe sometime I'll share my list, in case you want to add to it. :)

This weekend, I went with my friend BRB to Gilgal Sculpture Garden in downtown Salt Lake. It's been on my list for a little while, simply because I heard about it on a couple of websites talking about interesting places to go in SLC.

To be honest, the sculpture garden sounded a little odd to me (with a sphynx of Joseph Smith? weird), but nevertheless, I wanted to check it out. BRB had a project for his art class which required him to go somewhere he'd never been before and take pictures (or draw them), so I suggested Gilgal Sculpture Garden. We had just enough time to make it there, walk around, and take a few shots before the sun went down.

The sculpture garden is located in the middle of a downtown block, rather tucked away from view, so many people don't even know it exists. As the pamphlet, which I picked up at the entrance, states, "Gilgal Garden is the legacy of Thomas Child's desire to give physical form to his deep-felt beliefs."

Job 19:23-27

With twelve original sculptures and over seventy stones engraved with scriptures, poems, and other literary texts, the park has a decidedly religious feel to it. The sculptures all symbolize some story in the scriptures or a religious theme. Mr. Child expressed these themes in completely different way than I would. Interesting, I thought, because most of the time I feel like I can connect with an artist through their work. In this case, the person I imagined, through viewing his art, is not someone I think I'd have much in common with. Nevertheless, I can respect his desire to express and share his beliefs through his talents.

One that was interesting to me was his depiction of the shattered giant from the Biblical story of King Nebuchadnezzar's dream found in the Old Testament in Daniel chapter 2.

All in all it was an interesting field trip. Not interesting enough to return, but interesting enough to see one man's beliefs expressed through his art.

I promise that my next "tourist in my own backyard" post will be more interesting... in a good way.
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