usedtocould

When I was in high school, I used to spend most of my time down the street at the Hicks home. We would make short movies, music videos, watch movies, play music and all sorts of other stuff. Jared taught me to play the guitar and we had a great time with it. I also played the drums a little bit with them. The first song that I ever played just like the drummer in the real thing was from Material Issue - Valerie Loves Me. Maybe not "just like" the real thing but you get the idea.

Things have been busy for me since I got married and we've had a baby. Now that I am not working for a little while and have a little more time, I am realizing that I miss that more musical/creative part of me. I am interested to see what you think of the song. The video that was good quality on youtube doesn't allow posting in blogs and all the other versions of the video have sound that is horribly off, and it annoyed me. So, I found this wonderful youtube gem of a dancing mechanical mule set to "valerie loves me"

It may be wierd but we are mostly focusing on the song right?



When I used to play a lot I knew mostly Weezer songs, Fountains of Wayne, Everclear, some Beatles, a couple songs from the Cure, and Material Issue as well. I knew every song the band 'For Now' played (i was in it) and a few 'Fixit' songs as well.

Oh well. Enough of that. I need to go visit my friends again.

txting epidmc

Okay, I have to rant a little bit. Its true I have sent a text message or two in my day. But thats probably about all. I think the text message craze is undermining the importance and art of communication. I was perusing the Scroll (school newspaper) today and I came across an article about texting. Allow me to quote a student featured in it: "You can do it in class, in the library, while you're talking to other people, or even in the two seconds it takes your date to get in the car." Automatically I thought to myself, "that would be the last date I would ever go on with that guy." Besides the obvious rudeness of texting while on a date with a girl, why is he just waiting in the car for his date? I think it is very sad that communication with others has been reduced to this. This guy (and it was a male student, a Business major, evidently, but that is another post...) obviously knows how to make those around him feel important. Dave and I have a friend who got dumped via text messaging. Of course, they also got together via text messaging, and most of their relationship consisted of it. Now, I do think texting has its place - but 27 out of 100 students admitted to having 10 or more text conversations a day. A girl featured in the article said, "It's nice ... when you don't really want to talk to someone." I think with the loss of communication came the lost art of common courtesy and compassion. Well, I could go on, but I think I've got it out of my system now...

At breakfast today...

Some of you may think these sausages look/are gross. You may be right, but I definitely don't agree with you. They are 100% processed, pre-cooked, greasy goodness. I do like them a lot but that is not the only reason I am posting about them right now.

After I got back from class this morning I put a few in the microwave for breakfast. (No, I didn't eat before class. My day started at 6 today and I didn't have time. I'm working on it.) Anyway, as always, Ana really wanted some of the sausages because if Dad is eating some, they must be the coolest, best food ever. I fed her a few pieces but wouldn't let her hold them because of the aforementioned greasiness and the fact that we still have some half folded clean laundry on our couch. She started trying to grab the pieces I was putting in her mouth and just as I thought to myself something like "She will just have to accept that I am putting it in her mouth for her..." - I don't remember what I was thinking exactly, basically something about me being in charge - so, just as I thought that, she grabbed the piece of sausage from my hand and ran away giggling with a huge smile on her face.

Our 15 month old baby outdid me. Maybe I should get used to it...

Confession #3 - Am I the only one?

Or do other moms have a problem with over-emotionality. For example, I was driving through the Wal-Mart parking lot, perusing for a spot, listening to country radio. A song comes on about a boy who is asking his girlfriend's dad for her hand... The guy sees all these pictures of her as a little girl - dressed up as Cinderella, playing in the sprinkler, riding a bike for the first time, etc. And he realizes that in her dad's eyes, he's just stealing Cinderella. So there I am in the parking lot, listening to this cheesy song, bawling my eyes out. It was pathetic really. Things like this happen frequently, particularly when involving family tenderness. Hallmark commercials, and even my friend's wedding do it to me too. (Dave is always quick to point out that I didn't cry at our wedding, but I cry at everything else.) So, I ask again, am I the only one?

I can hear the bells (or) my husband is really cool

I was really tired yesterday, so I laid down to take a nap while Ana was napping. Dave left to go to Hollywood Video to rent a Wii game. When he came home, he had a surprise for me. THE HAIRSPRAY SOUNDTRACK!!!! He knew how much I loved it, read my post and decided I needed it. Isn't he cool? I love the CD. Thanks, Dave. You are so my favorite husband ever!

You can't stop the beat

Dave and I went on a date last night. Shocking, I know. We don't venture into that realm much. Mostly because we usually decide we want to go only a few hours in advance, and then can't find a babysitter. But, last night we put Ana to bed and went to the 9 o'clock show. Dave's nephew (and finacee) came over and watched a movie at our house, and we brought them milkshakes.

Anyway, we saw Hairspray, and I loved it. Here's a run down... First of all, its a musical (rated PG) so that makes it about 10x better in my book. John Travolta plays an overweight a woman (by the by, the part he played has always been played by a man on Broadway), Christopher Walken as his/her husband and Zac Efron (from High school musical, and we all know how I feel about that) the heartthrob of a teenage dance show in the 60s. Overweight Tracy Turnblad gets to dance on the show, changing the face of the show forever, much to Beauty Queen Michelle Pfieffer's (and daughter) dismay. Add the racial turbulance of the era, featuring Queen Latifah and Amanda Bynes who falls for a black dancer (much to her Christian mother's dismay). Music, dancing, and a whole lot of fun! I loved every minute. I'm pretty sure I want to own in when it comes out and I think I might just convince Dave that I need the soundtrack. And I'll listen to it all the time. And I mean all the time. And I'll probably be dancing too. Just so you know.

PS - Dave, we really should go on dates more.

B101

Remember in Businuss 101 when my group couldn't think of an idea for the commercial we had to do? I remember. No one thought of anything so I did. It is a bit of ... lets say ... bathroom humor.

Now, that wasn't really too bad was it? I just remembered this video existed earlier today, we made it about 3 years ago. It may not be the most appropriate but honestly who doesn't need a little more fiber in their diet? Anyway, I think that's enough for one post.

zrrbtts

Ana tonight learned how to "zrrbtt" my tummy. I was laying on the floor, and she came and pulled up my shirt and blew a raspberry on my stomach. It was really funny. Then we laughed and she kept doing it...

Work no more

Friday is my last day at Melaleuca. Why? -



1. Erin Suggested it.
No, I am not kidding. Yes, I was very surprised as well. After all the times that dumb stuff happened and I really wanted to quit and find another job only to hear Erin say something like, "Dave, you really need to stay there. It works perfect with your schedule and you get more money there..." It really gave thinking about it a different feel this time.

2. It's been busy
This is the reason Erin suggested I quit really. She saw me getting more stressed than I was admitting or even noticing myself. Here is a quick run down of last week - work 30 hours at Melaleuca, taking 14 credits (including O-Chem) on a short semester system, starting to do research which will require about 12 hours a week, doing mutual, going to scout training.

3. The job changed
I was used to lots of change at Melaleuca, but I wasn't ready for this one. For those you who don't know, I used to listen to people's phone calls, evaluate them, and then sit down with them one on one for a 15-20 feedback session. One day they said we could no longer do one on one feedback, we just email a numerical form to their supervisor and never talk to any of the other associates all day. Anyway, there is a little more to it than that but it just came down to the fact that I no longer enjoyed the main part of my job AT ALL. I might have been able to work through the other things if I still loved it.

I am not bitter with Melaleuca, it was just time to do something different.

So, we have enough money to make it through the end of the year. I will be a tutor or something like that on campus starting in January. I will get to talk to people face to face again and help them work through problems; it will probably even make me feel smart sometimes. For now, it will be great to have all that time back for me, Erin, and Ana - oh, and homework too I guess.

*i love*

*Ana's smile. She's been really happy the last few days. Its cute. She seems so big to be walking and talking. Her little voice is really cute.

*that Dave's last day at Melaleuca will be Friday. It'll be good for him to be able to have a little more time to devout to school work and other goals he has for the year.

*having friends over for dinner. Dave's nephew is coming tonight. Not only does it give me motivation to clean, but I love being with friends.

*how we rearranged our living room. It doesn't look nearly so crowded as it did before.

*Dancing with the Stars. We watch it online which means I can't vote, but its fun to watch. Even though some of the girls dont' wear very much.

*getting up before Ana to read my scriptures. It makes the day go so much better, and I don't have to think about it the rest of the day.