Revel In Vintage

1946 Smith-Corona Floating Shift Typewriter

2010-05-14T22:01:00.002-06:00

Add some flare to a boring office or workspace with this classic piece.

Comes with a black portable case (has a couple minor scratches)and brand new ribbon.

All keys work, in mint condition.

Fun Times

2008-09-06T01:28:00.009-06:00

It's been a really, really really, really, long time since I've hung out with my best buddy, Jen. She moved out here earlier this year and we haven't spent much time together. But alas, here we are, I'm using her mac, btw, to post this. Since her husby is out in HB this weekend for an interview, we decided to have a girls (and toddler) night out on the town. The night started out with pot stickers and trail mix, followed by some soccer. We then walked about 2 miles to visit Glendale's new flagship, the Americana. We walked around, toddler played with 50 other kids in the jungle gym, did some shopping, and finished the visit with Pinkberry's. Here are some pictures for your visual stimulation.

Oh! I can't forget to publicly thank my thoughtful and amazing boyfriend for the new camera I used to take these pics. Thanks, Dave-bird.

Ladytron (and I'm not talking about myself)

2008-05-31T12:15:00.007-06:00

A couple weeks ago my brother won a pair of tickets from KCRW to see Ladytron at the Fonda in Hollywood (just wanted to let you experience how annoying it is when people get carried away with hyperlinks or make the word 'here' the link instead of being a little more creative). Ha ha... my boyfriend loves it when I get super angry at such things like hyperlink etiquette or Pearl Jam posers. OK, enough of the side notes, this post is about how to stand at a concert. I've been to a few concerts to develop what I call the Gabstance. It's a pretty sweet stance where other fellow concert goers can't really crowd you in or have their soft, sweaty arms touching your tanned, muscular arms. What you need to do is basically keep your feet shoulder-length apart, put hands in front pockets and stick elbows out. If the crowd pushes forward, stick your butt out, it works every time. If you happen to be standing next to a drunken Latina, sharpen your elbows and keep those arms firm. She will then realize that she's only hurting herself as she would if she were dancing 2 inches away from a real 5'3 statue.

Anyway, the experience was quite colorful, not as much as the crowd though. We saw three bands: Modwheelmood (which I liked the best), Datarock (eh), and Ladytron (which I enjoyed but probably won't get into).

Time for a quiz.

Click on the hyperlink which is used correctly:

a.) Buy a t-shirt here.
b.) Modwheelmood put on a pretty good show last night.

P.S. I know, this post was mostly about hyperlinks and the Gabstance. I love the title so I refuse to change it.

Substitute Blues

2008-03-06T17:37:00.003-07:00

Hi, it's a total drag getting a sub for your class (preparing sub lesson plans, students getting out of control, etc). Apparently, my 7th graders didn't react well to Mr. P. After getting a negative report, my team teacher had them type up a letter explaining why Mr. P called them 'rude' and an apology. Here's a sample

Gifts to Give

2008-03-04T18:26:00.003-07:00

This month's theme: Gift Etiquette.

One of the 3rd grade assignments is to create a list in Excel of gifts you'd like to give to family and friends.

I wonder if the boots for Stefany are the ones with the fur?

Basketball

2008-02-13T20:33:00.003-07:00

Thank goodness for Luke, he makes the game lovely to watch.

Sometimes, Creepy-Looking Guys Really Are Creepy

2007-10-22T15:37:00.001-06:00

There's this guy at church that dresses pretty weird (women's faded skinny jeans, white flats, and cardigan). Well, he always goes out of his way to talk to me and I do return the convo but I must draw the line! He's been creeping me out and he knows it because he always begins the conversation with: "Sorry I creeped you out last time" and I respond: "THAT'S OK." Notice that I didn't say "No, you didn't creep me out." Anyway...

There's this other guy at church that had called me about 2 weeks ago to ask me out. I thought it was the creepy guy so I lied; I told him I was dating someone. I was on the verge of telling him the truth, but I couldn't find a "nice" way to say it. I wanted to say, sorry you're not my type and I don't want to waste your time or money and especially not mine.

Yesterdy, my sister came to church with me and I pointed out the creepy guy and said: "That's the guy that asked me out!"

She gasped and said: "NO! you've got the wrong guy!" and directed me to a non-creepy guy. She explained the situation to him.

We managed to patch it up somehow but the noncreepy now seems a little reluctant to take me out.

What's a Cursor?

2007-09-20T22:56:00.000-06:00

Miss Macias: "Students, who can tell me what a 'cursor' is?"

Student: [Shoots arm into the air and waves it frantically]

Miss Macias: "Yes, student?"

Student: [In a most serious tone] "It's a person who says bad words."

Miss Macias: uhhh...hmmm... [thinking, "how could I fix that one?"]

Mind Your Manners

2007-09-17T20:22:00.000-06:00

This year's project theme for my computer students: Manners and Etiquette

In preparing for a lesson I ran into this site. I will not be using it in my lesson.

Proper manners vary widely from culture to culture. But what about in America? What are the proper manners? Fortunately I’ve compiled what I believe to be an excellent source of recommendations should you be visiting the U.S. soon.

Manners for Guests in an American Home

House Guest Rules:

1. Most Americans will smile and shake hands or may even give a simple hug when first meeting. Kissing on the cheeks is thought to be too forward in most instances. However, make sure that you kiss and cuddle and ooh and awe over the family pet. Your hosts use this as a gauge of whether you will fit into their home. Loving the pet is imperative.

2. Informality is not unusual in an American home. Hosts often will say, "Make yourself at home," to a guest. However, this does not mean that you may eat the last of any opened package of your host’s favorite cookie. If you are given permission to eat the last cookie decline even if your host insists, as they are only being polite while inside they are hoping you won’t eat it. It is not considered rude to say you have reconsidered and would rather have another snack, as both you and the host will know you are saving them face.

3. Ask your hosts how they prefer to be addressed. This will likely be by their first name or Mr. or Mrs. and their last name. Be considerate of this request. Attempts to call them anything otherwise such as “Homer and Marge Simpson” or “My fat, lazy American hosts” probably won’t fly. Insisting later that you only meant it as a term of endearment may cause them to chuckle lightly, but you can never be certain that they have truly dismissed it. At some point in some small way they may get even. This is the American way.

4. Do not remove your shoes when entering an American home. Only members of the family who actually reside in the home may do this or if you have been a guest for at least a week. Removing your shoes at an entrance is a signal to an American that this is somehow your house and you can do what you please. Wipe your shoes on the doormat and then proceed to enter. If you are still tracking dirt return to the doormat and wipe again. If they are extremely muddy ask for a rag and wipe them outside or hose them off and dry them. Apologize but do not ask if you can remove your shoes, ever. Your host would rather clean the carpet later rather than see or possibly smell your socks or bare feet. (Americans will only remove their shoes and hold them up in a shoe store when they are gesturing to a shoe salesman that they need help.)

5. Do not ask to use the host's toothbrush or underwear. This does not mean that it is all right to use them discretely without permission because you are trying to avoid embarrassing your host by asking. Do not think that if you use them and clean them it is all right either. If you are caught with them in your possession you will be in the wrong. Yes, you will be in the wrong even if you are not using them but simply carrying them about. Do not offer to clean them later to be helpful.

6. Never ask your host how much money they make or expect them to give you money because you assume all Americans are rich. Rather if you are short on money say, "Can I borrow a few dollars until I can get more funds?" Americans are happy to lend, but don't forget to say thank you immediately and always pay it back promptly. That is considered polite. Do not say, "Americans have an obligation to give money to people in other countries because of their political policies in the past" and then proceed to ask for cash, ATM codes or signed blank checks. You will receive nothing and will instead incur their wrath, which varies from individual to individual and might not be pleasant.

7. Do not bother asking your hosts when tea is. They will not understand, but may offer you a glass of iced tea. Others may say, “Did you mean to ask where the tea is? If we have any its in the cupboard.” Its best to just make your own tea when you want it. Your host will be pleased that they are not responsible for making it. Do not be surprised if you can not find a kettle or teapot.

8. If you break anything in your host’s home tell them immediately saying, for example, "I am so sorry, I broke your television set". They will not be angry and will readily forgive you although you will be buying them a new television set, their choice and probably something expensive.

9. Do not play on your host's computer without their permission. Do not open and read emails or send out embarrassing emails you've written to people in their address book posing as them. Do not delete files or move them to other directories, modify pictures or send their personal financial information and credit card numbers to friends and family in your home country. Do not remove programs, change operating systems and passwords or move the computer into your room without permission. All these things are frowned upon and would require a sincere apology of at least 5 minutes in length to avoid police action.

10. Never start a fire in your host's home. Put on an extra sweater if you are chilly or ask the host politely for another blanket, but do not start a fire in a wastebasket or hibachi indoors to warm yourself. Most American homes are not built with cinderblocks and are not fireproof, but will likely go up in blazes within minutes. Burning down your host's home and all their possessions is considered an insult. It is also likely they will not pay your hotel costs while you find new living quarters.

Meal Rules:

1. In the US punctuality is a highly valued trait. To be late for an invitation is insulting to the person who is kept waiting. Therefore guests invited for dinner at 6.00 pm on Tuesday, for instance, are expected to arrive at 5:59 pm or 6.00 pm, perhaps at 6.01 pm but not later than 6.02 pm. Guests who are unable to be on time will telephone their hosts, beg forgiveness for their lateness and give an estimated arrival time which better not be greater than 6:04 pm. Its best to just leave early and wait outside their front door until it is precisely 6:00 pm and then ring the doorbell. As they open the door smile and say, "I hope I am not too early or late." to which they will reply, "No, you are right on time." although they may be seething inside if you are in fact 45 seconds late. Remember to set your watch with the atomic clock as soon as you arrive in the US.

2. The host will tell you where to sit. This will most likely be on a chair placed close enough to the table for you to reach the plate. Feel free to move your chair in and out to find a comfortable position from the table. Do not, however, insist on moving or rotating the table or removing extraneous pieces of dining room furniture or knick-knacks because you will only eat in a feng shui environment where the element of water creates a prosperity corner. Your hosts may not wish to have their home “enlightened” and you will know this if you are assigned a prosperity corner by the dog’s waterbowl*.

3. It is polite to wait for others at the table to be served before you begin eating unless someone at the table announces, "I'm eating now while the food is still hot. If you want to be stupid and wait that's your problem", in which case everyone will grab their fork and dig in as no one wants to be labeled "stupid". Don't be last.

4. Food is passed to the right. If you pass it to the left you will hear large gasps and receive major glares from the other guests. You may even be taken aside and brutally chastised. Food is passed to the left at a funeral so unless you are indicating that you wish the host is dead or that their food tastes like food for the dead, you might want to practice your right from left hand before sitting at the table. There is no forgiveness for this.

5. Keep the table and tablecloth as clean as possible. Do not put bones, dentures, leaves or pet insects on the table that may wander off onto someone else's plate.

6. Do not spit any food out onto your plate. Do not spit onto your lap or your cup or another guest’s plate or even out a window. You will not receive applause or cheers for distance spitting as you might in your home country. If there is something in your mouth that you are having problems swallowing (e.g. bones, seeds, etc.) you better darn well just swallow it and go on.

7. Do not overload your mouth with food and then attempt to start a discussion. It is considered polite to look at a person when they speak and no one wants to watch you slide food side to side in your mouth, or spray and dribble it down your chin while you tell us about your wonderful country. You're going to make people sick and throwing up at a table is considered rude in America.

8. Watch how fast others are eating. Try not to be too slow or too fast. You might try to keep up with their pace by following what the person across from you is doing. Do not, however, feel you must mirror everything that person does. Double coughs or requests for green bean casserole may go largely unnoticed, but repeating every sentence they say and using duplicate hand gestures may draw stares and tsks. This is known as "copycatting" and is only acceptable between the ages of 4 and 10. It is best to avoid being labeled childish as you may be asked to move to the folding table with the other children in which case just hang your head, take your plate and go.

9. Never wipe your face, teeth or neck sweat on the table napkin even though you may assume that's what its for. The eating utensils are not souvenirs to be pocketed.

10. When you are finished eating say, “What a delicious meal! Thank you so much.” Avoid overzealous burping, common in some countries, as it only nauseates most Americans or causes them to be forced to restrain otherwise painful, uncontrollable laughter which is an unkindness. A simple apology is best. Do not make a big scene by fanning the air.

© 2004 Suzanne Weber

The Dirty 30

2007-09-08T10:09:00.000-06:00

Here we are celebrating Golden's at Duke's in Huntington.

Congratulations Daniel & Liza (and Christopher too)!

2007-08-19T11:11:00.000-06:00

Daniel and Liza tied the knot yesterday, August 18, 2007. I want to congratulate them for taking such an important step in their life and wish them the best. Thank you for inviting me to be a bridesmaid :-) I had a lot of fun. The ceremnoy and reception were beautiful and everything was perfect.

The Flower Girl Getting Ready

Before she sees the Groom

Sisters of the Groom

At The Pike in Long Beach (we saw Victoria Beckham there)

Our new sister-in-law

Bride & Bridesmaids

Bride & Son

Daniel, leaving his bachelor days behind

My Sister & Nephew

Me & My Bro

My Bro-in-law showing off his sweet dance moves

Settling in - Settling down

2007-08-07T18:22:00.000-06:00

Oh the joy of learning and getting trained on the new job. I just started work this week with my first job out of grad school. Beyond Technology Education is a company that teaches technology to students, teachers, and helps integrates technology in private and public schools. I will be teaching technology/computers to K-8th graders starting next week, yikes! I'm super excited as I will be working with my passion, technology, and with children.

The room we trained in today was freezing, it reminded me of Utah winters, which I will not experience this winter and mos def not miss. I guess the cold really got to me, I kept asking the most airhead questions and making ridiculous comments like: 'Why am I being asked to change the color of the "slide"?' Then the trainer points to a picture of the kind of slide you see in a playground; what a hilarious misunderstanding!

I'm stoked about my boss and the people I'm working with; they're all really good people. They are spoiling us already; expensive restaurants and nice hotels on the beach (even when some of us live only half hour away). I know I'm going to love my job, if not, I already know I'm going to enjoy all the perks! I just got back from my boss' house, he and his wife hosted a welcome-to-the-company dinner; amazing house in Southern Orange County. Right before I left he reminded me of how it was 'meant to be' that I work for the company. I'll have to write another post for that story, though.

Huntington is great, I have no complaints anymore. I had some rough patches but they seem to be smoothed over. I'll be working in Pasadena so I'll be moving out there this weekend and coming home on the weekends since I want to continue to go to church in Huntington. Besides that, not much else to report, hope you're all doing great!

Upon Arrival

2007-07-27T19:51:00.000-06:00

I arrived to the sunny and humid weather of So. California about a 1.5 weeks ago. I still feel like I'm in the process of moving since I haven't unpacked. Upon my arrival, I interviewed with a company based out of Chino Hills. I'm proud to report that I did land the job and I will be working in Pasadena as a technology teacher. I'm super excited about my job and looking forward to moving out there. I've heard good things about Pasadena and will hopefully find a gem for a housemate. I will surely miss the clean air, mountains, and my friends. I will not, however, miss driving in the snow. Here is a clip of my bro-in-law reading the kind note that was given to me before I left, he says: "this is how I imagine the guy that gave this to you."

"By unanimous decision..."

2007-07-01T15:35:00.000-06:00

The votes are in. 'Moving to Southern Cal' won by a landslide. Thanks to all those who voted, I now know what to do with my life. California: here I come. It looks like only one person will miss me here in Utah. Cali friends, I'll see you around mid-July!

Should I stay or should I go?

2007-06-25T00:18:00.000-06:00

I can't decide, help me decide...

I just got back from Huntington. I went out for a few job fairs and to look for employment. As some of you know, I just graduated and I'm looking for a job that pays what I deserve. I miss LA and Huntington Beach so much but I'm so comfortable here in SLC. I can't decide if I should stay in SLC or if I should just move out there with no job. Right now I'm working part-time in SLC from home with full benefits. I'd keep the job and move to Calif but I can't work from out-of-state. If I stay in Utah I'd have some source of income and can job search when I get off work, around noon. If I move out to CA I'd have to move in with the parents until I find a job (ugh!). I'm so ready for a change, I'd love to move to LA but I can't until I have a job offer. It sucks looking for a job in CA when I'm in UT. Then I think about Salt Lake, I like it here, most of my friends are here, it's clean, not as much traffic, I'd be able to purchase a nice house in the near future, hmmm...what else? I love OC and LA, perfect weather, it's where I grew up, I miss it, I need a change. BUT the traffic is depressing, I wouldn't be able to afford a house until I'm about 40, and living with my parents until I find a job is scary!

Tools of Ignorance

2007-06-24T17:10:00.000-06:00

Tools of Ignorance (n): baseball slang term for catcher's equipment.

I agreed to watch my friend, Adam play city league co-ed softball on Friday. First requirement: four girls minimum on each team. Only three girls had shown on Adam's team, the fourth girl was going to be late. And guess what? Yes, I was told if I didn't play I would force the team to forfiet. What?! I don't like playing playing sports, mostly because I'm not very athletic. I love watching sports but playing, no way! I never played sports when I was growing-up only during recess and P.E. Even then, I didn't enjoy it very much. I would rather run the mile than play flag-football. I thought of two excuses: (1) I was wearing flip-flops and (2) I haven't played since elementary and I sucked. I know I sucked because evertime I came up to bat the outfielders would take about seven steps closer because they already knew I didn't hit the ball very hard.

Well, those excuses didn't work. I was given a long pair of red socks and Converse and was told to erase the elementary school memories. The first time I went out to bat I hit the ball and didn't make it to first. The second time, I didn't attempt a hit and walked. Adam hit me in. The last time I went up to bat I striked out. My outfield position: catcher. Playing catcher was not easy, I throw like a girl. The next day my arm was sore.

I have to admit that I had eff you en. Final score: Us 16, Christians 14. At the end of the game the Christians did a prayer circle and Adam joined it to be silly. In their prayer they said: "Please help those in this circle that haven't accepted you." I think they were talking about Adam, he he he.

"there is one thing I would break up over and that is if he caught me with another man. i wouldn't stand for that."

2007-06-15T00:14:00.001-06:00

i've been addicted to blogging this week. oh yeah, it's because I don't have anything better to do. just wanted to share a silly, silly story with you and a short film to compliment it.

so the story goes, there is this guy that i met briefly about four years ago. we lived in the same complex down in happy valley and we only interacted twice after our first encounter. shortly after he moved away. i then ran into him again last may after many years. he asked for my number and i gave it him, thinking he's alright. well, he never called and i had forgotten about him. i then get a call this last may from him and he asks me out. we have lunch one saturday afternoon for an hour and he wanted to tag along to a concert with me, so i let him.

the day of the concert i told him to just meet me there because i knew my o.c.d. would over-power my good-nature about getting there hours before the doors opened (he just wouldn't understand). i paid for both our tickets and he agreed to pay me back for his later. you see, when i go to concerts i'm solely there to soak up the sound and presence of the ones i adore. so i guess this guy was annoyed with me that i wasn't putting out the tlc so he started making convo with the girl next to him. and he left his front-row spot to supposedly go to the bathroom but returns with a water bottle for her. that's ok, he got me one too.

so the story goes, i owed him $15. i texted him and we made plans to met up so i could pay him. anyway, too skip a lot of detail (which i hate to do, but will do for your sake) i call him 15 minutes after we were supposed to meet and ask him where the-where he is. he was like...(in a voice that may have sounded like ben stiller's airhead voice) "wha?...wha? you didn't get my message? wha..? i didn't think it was worth it to drive all the way up there for just $15 and was thinking we could just use it go to a movie or something." "well, sure" i reply. little did i know, it was a booby trap! ;-) he then proceeds to accuse me of the following: he heard through the grapevine that i have a boyfriend (lol, sorry, i'm laughing) and that it seems like i'm not into him. i was taken back to my dana jr. high days for a brief moment. as soon as i felt like i cheated on him, i successfully ended the call.

[actually, no details were left out--for my sake].

so here is a film i stumbled into on a friend of a friend's blog. i love it!! notice how the guy is so into her and she, not so much. she then has to break-up with him when there wasn't a relationship to begin with!

it's 26 minutes long so give yourself some time to indulge. you know i love quoting humorous lines and sometimes it spoils it for you but i'm going to do it anyway because i want you to pay close attention!!!

-"this is an awesome party."
-"yeah, great...decorations."

-"chicks are attracted to lonely guys."
-"You look good but you look like you're waiting."

-"and when you're on the street--depending on the street--i bet you're definitely in the top three good-looking girls on the street."

-"you're so beautiful, you could be a waitress or a part-time model."

-"i can't believe i'm sharing a kabob with the most beautiful girl i've ever seen with a kabob."

-"you're so beautiful like a..tree or a high-class prostitute."

-"it's just that i think she's 'the one'."
-"sally? what makes you say that?"
-"you just know. when it happens to you, you'll know." [pffff]
-"you said michelle was 'the one'."
-"yeah, she's 'the one' too."
-"you said claire was 'the one'."
-"she another 'one'."
-"so you get more than one 'one'?"
-"some people are lucky..."

-"you can tell me anything, anything. i promise i won't think you're a pervert."

-"when you told me you were leaving, that's when i definitely knew you were leaving."

-"you can't break my heart, it's liquid. it melted when i met you."

-"if i am crying, it's not cuz of you, it's because i'm thinking about a friend of mine--that you don't know--who is dying, that's right, dying."

-"i'm not crying, i've just been cutting onions. i'm making a lasagna, for one."

Seattle

2007-06-14T11:41:00.000-06:00

This trip was taken almost a year ago. Dena and I sacrificed Lake Tapps fireworks and rushed home before the 4th so we could spend it with our "men" who turned out to be a losers. We live and then we learn...

I don't think I ever blogged about it, so here is a slideshow I created for your viewing pleasure.

SOME OF MY FAVORITE CHAIN LETTERS

2007-06-08T16:26:00.000-06:00

I'll be honest, if I get an email from you with "FW:" in the title I will do one or more of the following:

1) Roll my eyes
2) Be disappointed in you
3) Say: "pffff"
4) Delete it without reading it
5) Laugh my socks off

Here are the ones that I responded with #5

TEN TRUTHS ABOUT WHITES, BLACKS, ASIANS, & HISPANICS

2007-06-07T00:35:00.000-06:00

TEN TRUTHS BLACK, HISPANIC, AND ASIAN PEOPLE KNOW, BUT WHITE PEOPLE WON'T ADMIT:

1. Elvis is dead.
2. Jesus was not white.
3. Rap music is here to stay.
4. Kissing your pet is not cute or clean.
5. Skinny does not equal sexy.
6. Thomas Jefferson had black children.
7. A 5 year old child is too big for a stroller.
8. NSYNC will never hold a candle to the Jackson 5.
9. An occasional spanking helps a child stay in line.
10. Having your children curse you out in public is not normal.

TEN TRUTHS WHITE, HISPANIC, AND ASIAN PEOPLE KNOW, BUT BLACK PEOPLE WON'T ADMIT:

1. Tupac is dead.
2. O.J. did it.
3. Teeth should not be decorated.
4. Ranch is a salad dressing, not a side dish.
5. Your pastor doesn't know everything.
6. Jesse Jackson will never be President.
7. Wearing a ring on each finger is bad fashion sense.
8. Church does not require you to wear expensive clothes.
9. Crown Royal bags are meant to be thrown away.
10.Your rims and sound system should not be worth more than your car.

TEN TRUTHS WHITE, HISPANIC, AND BLACK PEOPLE KNOW, BUT ASIAN PEOPLE WON'T ADMIT:

1. You can't drive.
2. Disneyland is not the happiest place on earth.
3. It's not necessary to change your birth name to an "American name."
4. We have enough nail salons and dry cleaning businesses.
5. Taking pictures is fun, taking pictures of strangers is weird.
6. Feet were meant to grow.
7. You need girls just as much as you need boys.
8. Dogs were meant to be pets, not eaten.
9. You dont need above a 4.0 to graduate.
10. Fanny packs are not an accessory.

TEN TRUTHS WHITE, BLACK, AND ASIAN PEOPLE KNOW, BUT HISPANIC PEOPLE WON'T ADMIT:

1. Hickies are unattractive.
2. Chicken is food, not a roommate.
3. Jesus is not a name for your son.
4. Your country's flag is not a car decoration.
5. The only part of the car that should touch the ground are the tires.
6. "Jump out and run" is not in any insurance policies.
7. Ten people to a car or house is considered too many.
8. Buttoning just the top button of your shirt is a bad
>>>fashion statement.
9. Mami and Papi can't possibly be the nickname of every person in your family.
10. Letting your children run wildly through the store is not normal.

TOP TEN SIGNS YOU'RE NOT THE MOST POPULAR GUY IN SCHOOL

2007-06-07T00:22:00.000-06:00

KEEP SHARPIES AWAY FROM MEXICANS

2007-06-07T00:02:00.001-06:00

YOU KNOW YOU'RE FROM SO CAL IF...

2007-06-06T22:39:00.000-06:00

1. Your monthly house payments exceed your annual income.
2. You drive next to a Rolls Royce and don't notice.
3. You don't know anyone's phone number unless you check your cell
>>phone (this goes for anyone who has a cell phone).
4. You speak Spanish, but you're not Mexican.
5. You begin to "lie" to your friends about how close you are when you know damn well that it'll take you at least an hour to get there (see below**).
>> **Getting anywhere from point A to point B, no matter what
>>the distance, "about twenty minutes".
6. You drive to your neighborhood block party.
7. In the "winter", you can go to the beach and ski at Big Bear on
>>the same day.
8. You eat a different ethnic food for every meal.
9. If your destination is more than 5 minutes away on
>>foot,you're definitely driving
10. Calling your neighbors requires knowing their area code.
11. You know what In N Out is and feel bad for all the other
>>states because they don't have any (besides NV and soon So. UT)
12. You don't stop at a STOP sign, you do a California Roll.
13. You really can never be too rich or too thin or too tan.
14. You've partied in Tijuana at least 3 times... You don't
>>remember at least 1 of them.
15. You go to a tanning salon before going to the beach.
16. You eat pineapple on pizza (yuck! I hate it).
17. Your cell phone has left a permanent impression on the side of
>>your head.
18. You think that Venice is a beach.
19. The waitress asks if you'd like "carbs" in your meal.
20. You know who the tinsel underwear dude in Venice Beach is.
21. You classify new people you meet by their Area Code. An "818"
>>would never date a "562" and anyone from "323" or "213" is
>>ghetto/second class.
>>Best area code: "714." Nobody likes anyone from the "909" because
>>it stinks there.
22. You call 911 and they put you on hold.
23. You have a gym membership because it's mandatory.
24. The gym is packed at 3pm...on a workday.
25. You think you are better than the people who live "Over the
>>Hill". It doesn't
>> matter which side of the hill you are currently residing, you
>>are just better than
>> them, for whatever reason.
26. You know that if you drive two miles in any direction you will
>>find a McDonald's or a Starbucks.
27. You know what "sigalert", "PCH", and "the five" mean.
28. You can't remember . . . is pot illegal?
29. It's barely sprinkling rain and there's a report on every
>>news station: "STORM WATCH"
30. The Terminator is your governor.
31. You actually get these jokes and pass them on to other friends
>>from California.

THE WORLD'S SHORTEST FAIRY TALE

2007-06-06T22:33:00.000-06:00

The World's Shortest Fairy Tale
Once upon a time, a girl asked a guy "Will you marry me?"
The guy said, "No."
And the girl lived happily ever after and went shopping,
dancing, drank martinis, always had a clean house, never had to cook, and
farted whenever she wanted. The End.

25 SIGNS YOU HAVE GROWN UP

2007-06-06T22:26:00.000-06:00

Like it or not, I think these apply to all of us in one way or another.

25 SIGNS YOU HAVE GROWN UP
1. Your houseplants are alive, and you can't smoke any of them.
2. Having sex in a twin bed is out of the question.
3. You keep more food than beer in the fridge.
4. 6:00 AM is when you get up, not when you go to bed.
5. You hear your favorite song in an elevator.
6. You watch the Weather Channel.
7. Your friends marry and divorce instead of "hook up" and "break up."
8. You go from 130 days of vacation time to 14.
9. Jeans and a sweater no longer qualify as "dressed up."
10. You're the one calling the police because those kids next door
won't turn down the stereo.
11. Older relatives feel comfortable telling sex jokes around you.
12. You don't know what time Taco Bell closes anymore.
13. Your car insurance goes down and your car payments go up.
14. You feed your dog Science Diet instead of McDonald's leftovers.
15. Sleeping on the couch makes your back hurt.
16. You take naps.
17. Dinner and a movie is the whole date instead of the beginning of one.
18. Eating a basket of chicken wings at 3 AM would severely
upset, rather than settle, your stomach.
19. You go to the drug store for ibuprofen and antacid, not condoms and
pregnancy tests.
20. A $4.00 bottle of wine is no longer "pretty good stuff."
21. You actually eat breakfast food at breakfast time.
22. "I just can't drink the way I used to" replaces "I'm never going to drink that
much again."
23. 90% of the time you spend in front of a computer is for real work.
24. You drink at home to save money before going to a bar.
25. When you find out your friend is pregnant you congratulate
them instead of asking "what the hell happened?"
* Bonus:
26: You read this entire list looking desperately for one sign that
doesn't apply to you and can't find one to save your sorry old butt.

Then you forward it to a bunch of old pals & friends 'cause you know they'll
enjoy it & do the same.

it's chowdah, not chowdaire!

2007-06-01T13:26:00.000-06:00

i got back from boston, mass couple days ago. chris needed a date so he asked me to come be his date for his cousin's wedding. awww, thanks for picking me chris. flew out with christy and we met up with chris. we stayed at the hyatt on the charles river. it was so nice to actually see boston when it's normal weather. last time i was there we stayed indoors most of the time because it was below 28 not including the wind chill or whatever.

museum of art. highlights included hopper and donatello.

Here we are...

Eating on the sidewalks of Newbury St.

Museum of Science

Fenway Park

Cheers!

Chris' cousin's wedding in NH

acting gay in Hahvahd

USS Constitution

(acting gay on the USS constitution, trying to be like the titanic)

freedom trail

having gelato in little italy

we also went to the boston temple, prudential center, and had some boston seafood. good times, yes.

they bring the 'bump' to the 'grind'

2007-06-01T00:22:00.000-06:00

Hi faithful readers of my blog. I just got back from the Killers concert. An amazing show. Of course, I got there 3 hours before the doors opened and of course scored front row. I went with Jud, an old friend from Provo. A local band opened, I forgot their name but the vocalist's last name was Vegas. Anyway, I wasn't impressed. Louise XIV was pretty cool though. First time I've heard them, I'm planning on listening to more of this Louise XIV.

When the Killers came on stage I was blown away. All this confetti just came pouring down when they started out with Sam's Town. I could tell Brandon was so happy to be playing for his native UT; he would smile at the most random moments. Sound was good, crowd wasn't too pushy. Highlights included On Top, When You Were Young, Jenny Was a Friend of Mine, For Reasons Unknown, and All These Things. He also played a Joy Division song and Can't Take My Eyes Off of You. At the very end of the show (after he played Exitlude), he talks to his band for a moment and then says: "We still have one more in us." They played When You Were Young a second time but this time it was all heart. How amazzzzing is that, huh?! At the end of the show, I caught one of the many flowers that decorated the stage. I LOVE THE KILLERS, AGHHHHHH!!!!

Here is a little footage I took on my cell phone camera, he's singing 'Bones.' Really bad quality but thought you would enjoy a visual. You might want to turn the volume all the way down.

What Happens in Vegas...

2007-05-16T21:47:00.000-06:00

Last weekend I took an end-of-the-semester road trip with a couple friends. I vowed never to go to a club again. I'm so sick of the sleaze, claustrophobia, and pole dancers; plus my feet get really tired from dancing all night because I choose to wear improper foot attire (fashion before function, what's a girl to do?). Anyway, on our way there we were stuck in traffic because of a fatal accident. As we drove by the scene we saw two body bags. The driver was either drunk or tired and the victims obviously weren't wearing seat belts when the accident occurred, their bodies were thrown out of the vehicle. It was a serious wake up call: WEAR YOUR SEAT BELTS AND DON'T DRIVE IF YOU'RE SLEEPY/TIRED/INTOXICATED! I know you hear it all the time but life is so, so fragile.

So anyways, despite the mood killer, we did enjoy ourselves in Sin City. We ate at Chipotle, In N' Out, and some sushi place. We went to a few clubs-danced the night away. That picture was taken at Tryst, btw, Christy found it on their website. I love the outlet shopping there, picked up some items at French Connection. One of the girls I went with met with a well-to-do interior designer for a potential job offer. We went to her house to have brunch, supposedly. We were there for about 3 hours but she never offered any food, we were really hungry. Her house was incredible though, so it was worth the starvation.

Moz

2007-05-09T07:47:00.000-06:00

I'm still on a high...it was amazing. Ok, where to start...I went to the show with Denise, we got there about 2.5 hours early to make sure we got good "seats." We ended up 2nd row and quickly made friends with some high school boys in front of us. In the middle of the show it got a little crazy and they let us squeeze in the front. So now we had this front row view of the Moz. He was spectacular, enjoyed his witty remarks during the show. Whe he came out he said (referring to the venue): "This will be the wierdest hockey you'll ever see." The E Center was not crowded at all, the GA section was full and the seats were about 1/3 filled to which he stated: "Why aren't we in a decorative theater with cushioned seats, do such places exists around here?"

During one of my favorite songs (Let Me Kiss You), he threw his shirt into the crowd, right behind us. There were about 6 people fighting for it for like 15 minutes. Moz then said, "Why is my shirt such a major concern...I only bought it at Target!"

He played 22 songs, he spoiled us; in previous shows he's played 19-20 songs.

And now for the highlights: He looked at Denise and and reached out for her hand and shook it! During the last song Denise and the high school boys were pointing at me so Moz could shake my hand since they all got a handshake. And lo and behold he did! I squeezed his hand a little to tight cuz when he let go he said "ouch!" oopsie

At the end of the show the band threw their set lists into the crowd and I was one of the lucky ones to get one.

It was everything I every dreamed of and more...

It's Official

2007-05-06T00:58:00.000-06:00

Here is my mom and I at my graduation ceremony; what a memorable day. Thanks to all my supporters who came and those who've helped me trudge along the strenuous and horrific, yet rewarding path. I feel a wee bit smarter but hopefully you will observe the tremendous growth in my B.S.'ing skills without me having to point it out.

The Sweet Escape

2007-05-01T12:57:00.000-06:00

My brother, sister-in-law, and I went to see Gwen Stefani last night at the E Center to celebrate my graduation. Let me tell you, she puts on a fantastic show. I don't think I've ever been to a concert where I've been impressed with all the aspects: stage set-up, sound, performance, dancers, etc.

Lady Sovereign opened, we only heard two of her songs. Obnoxious, the last song was too roudy. Akon was cool. I didn't realize, but I recognized many of his songs. He asked us to smack the person on our right when he sang "Smack That." Since my seat was in between a really fat guy and a really skinny guy both of which had girlfriends and didn't know me, I decided not to take his advice. Luckly, a teenie-bopper sitting next to my sister-in-law gave up her seat and I was able to enjoy the rest of the show with her and my bro.

Then Gwen opened up with "Sweet Escape" we yelled our hearts out. The stage was incredible, I can't even explain it in words. The Harajuku Girls were cute, the breakdancers were amazing. Gwen is a great performer, eloquent. I admired that she came to the back and sang a whole song, shaking people's hands and spending some time with those of us sitting way in the back. It was awesome, go see her if you get the opportunity.

I can hardly wait for Morrissey. I'm way too excited to see him. I actually had a dream about it last night, LOL!

Happy Birthday...

2007-04-27T18:47:00.000-06:00

...to my blog. It is now 1 year old.

Free at Last! Free at Last!

2007-04-26T19:52:00.000-06:00

I made it! I'm done!

I just got done "defending" my capstone project. I was prepared to supposedly defend it against a committee that was going to tear it down and grill me on various design and learning theories. But guess what? They just smiled and said, "Well done." I'm ecstatic to say the least!

On the down side, I can't pull the old I've-got-homework-and-lots-of-studying-to-do card any longer. I've got to find a new excuse to decline stale dates, but most importantly find a real job.

If you are single, after graduation there isn't one occasion where people celebrate you ...

2007-04-25T16:58:00.000-06:00

... Hallmark doesn't make a Congratulations-you-didn't-marry-the-wrong-guy card. And where's the flatware for going on vacation alone?
-Carrie Bradshaw

This is why I'm having mixed feelings about finishing school. I don't know if I could face the realization that I won't be celebrated after graduation.

...oh the hell with it! School's a jerk, Gaby is out!

I'm almost done, dear!!! I defend on Thursday and after that, I close the coffin and bury school FOREVERRR. I hope I don't change my mind and decide to go for the Doctorate's. Please, if I do, save me; it's suicide.

Please pray that my committee will have compassion on me and accept my defense.

Good-bye and thank you...

I don't always prepare such rich meals. Sometimes I'll just serve a simple quiche, salad and dessert for dinner. During the week I try to eat lightly.

2007-04-19T21:21:00.000-06:00

Yeah right! I eat, alot!

This week marks the dawn of a new era. For the first time in my life I'm going to start eating healthy. I hate eating fruits and vegetables. I don't eat vegetables and the only fruit I'll eat is half a banana or canned peaches but I was just informed that fructose-drenched peaches do not provide any estrength or nutrients (in the words of Eskeleto) to my body so blah. I got this idea from my roommate and went to Costco to buy about 15 pounds of fruit. I hope I can eat it all before it goes bad. Open to suggestions for a healthy diet (that includes carbs).

Dena's Wedding...more pics to come

2007-02-19T15:43:00.000-07:00

Happy...New Year!

2007-01-13T23:20:00.000-07:00

Well, it is a new year. I ususally write down all my goals and reflect to see if I accomplished last year's goals. This year I have two goals that I'm pretty excited about! One, I'm graduating and two, I'm planning on going to Italy!

Last semester was one of the hardest semesters I have had, EVER! It was seriously depressing and it gave me some anxiety. But in the end I got an A in both classes, it seriously was a miracle!

Christmas was nice, I was able to go home and spend some time with the fam and then Daisy, Micah, and I headed to Las Vegas for Cammy's wedding. It was nice, but it was nicer to come back to Utah to get to know Brett a little better. We've been dating since November and on New Years day he went 90% and I went 10%.

Homework can go to Hell!!!!

2006-11-30T22:02:00.000-07:00

I hate homework like I hate flies! I have all these assignments due and I feel like I'm falling behind on everything! I'm so angry! I'm getting a slight anxiety attack even thinking about it! I'm so overwhelmed I just want to quit school but I know that would be a stupid decision since I only have two weeks left but MAN....do I hate all the lame assignments that the teachers decide to pile on at the end of the semester! Homework should go to hell and stay there. I'm glad I'm going to heaven when I die so I don't have to deal with it in the next life.

Sorry for being so negative, I just needed to vent. Thanks for listening.

Hula

2006-11-10T16:40:00.000-07:00

I just got back from Hawaii. It was soooo rad! I went with my sisters Carmela and Daisy; my brothers-in-law Shawn and Micah; couple of Micah's friends Andy and Angel; and their friend Caroline. We had an amazing time! We went to Oahu and stayed there for a whole week. I've got to say that I'm so proud of myself for catching a wave and standing up on the longboard. I was told it's big deal for a girl to stand up her first time surfing so I guess that makes me sort of a big deal. My favorite adventure was the snorkeling at Shark's Cove; my favorite encounter was with Jack Johnson. I had the best shave ice and coconut cream pie a girl could ever dream of and the best hamburgers, pizza, and pineapple my taste buds have ever stumbled upon. One thing I admire about the people of Oahu is that they value and protect their land. Despite the size of the island, the green pastures seemed endless.

The creepiest thing that happended to me while I was there was I got a phone call from some random guy I've only met once. I have no idea how he got my number (If you're a guy and you're reading this, let me give you a word of advice: Don't call a girl if she didn't give you her phone number; at least a have friend in common before you do). This guy was so nerdy and aggressive; I didn't know these two characteristics could coexist in one being at the same time. Anyway, he just left a psycho message to no avail.

Macias trait number 1: Watching a hil-a-rious movie over and over again

2006-10-08T17:15:00.000-06:00

It all started out with Revenge of the Nerds. I remember Alvin and I running home from school with excitement to watch the nerdy frat boys get back at the in-crowd for the 17th time. The last time I saw a clip of the flick I was appalled at all the sexual content, I had no idea!

To explain a little more on this Macias peculiarity, the movies that make it to this VIP list, or should I say VHM (Very Hilarious Movie) list is not necessarily a classic but more of a light-hearted comedy. Surprisingly, the movie does NOT have to be categorized in our top-5-favorite-movies-of-all-time list. It's the kind of movie that you could pop in during lunch break just to watch at least 20 minutes of it (as was the case with Mean Girls). It's also the kind that you know so well you could fastforward through the beginning to get to the good parts.

My latest favorite is Just Friends; I've already seen it about 7 times but I can watch it some more if you need some companionship. All the subtle humor just keeps me wanting "more, MORE!!!" Not to mention, Ryan Reynolds is not ugly.

Some of my favorite lines:
Chris: "In some countries they'd spank you for that!"
Girl: "Uh, I love to travel."

Samantha: "I'm helping promote vegetarianism in 3rd world countries."

Samantha: "What if we got someone like Bono to sing backup? I'd be all 'forgiveness is the way,' and he he'd go 'forgiveness everyday' only all Bono-ee."

Mike: "You'll always be fat to me!"

Samantha: "Let's go Chris, there's pee on the floor, [hiss]."

Chris: "I'll just enjoy this glass of water. [Takes a sip of water] I'm stuffed."

Chris: "Mom, I need my skates to show off my talents."

Chris: "Then I get caught in this sort of kiss-hug limbo type thing, I don't know what that is but I end up shaking her entire body."

Samantha: "I hate this town!!!!"

Clark: "The man's juice..."

Samantha: "I'm sorry I'm not poor."

Among many, many others, I don't want to ruin it for you.

Other movies I have watched over and over:
Napoleon Dynamite
Mean Girls
Blind Date
Sixteen Candles
Shrek
Dirty Dancing (not a comedy, I know...it was all about Patrick)
Hitch
Legally Blonde
Sandlot
Ferris Bueller's Day Off
Mr. Mom

O.K. family, I'm counting on you to remind me of any I missed.

Movies I'm planning on watching over and over again:
Nacho Libre (Check out the website; I love it, especially the opening sound clip)

Dad's pick is Beverly Hills Cop.
What are some of yours?

Trips I've taken this Year

2006-10-07T12:00:00.000-06:00

The Happiest Place on Earth: Aug 2006

City of Angels: Aug 2006

Jet City: June 2006

Surf City: Feb 2006

"Paris?" You ask. Not quite...Sin City, actually: Aug 2006

Home of the Big Kahuna: Aug 2006

The City that Never Sleeps : May 2006

Here are some shots of the places I've been this year, not to mention Hawaii next month. This has been my most traveled year, pretty pathetic. But once I graduate and start making some mulla, I'll be running out of places to tour.

...i'm such a dork

The 8th Wonder

2006-09-20T23:00:00.000-06:00

It's that annoying situtation: he likes you more than you like him. Oh, what a chore to try and get rid of him now. I'm not trying to come across as a snob in any way, but you know what I mean, you've been there. I've also been on the other side and it does not bring memories of rainbows and butterflies. My feelings were hurt and I was in a vulnerable situation. So, how does one do it in a way that will not hurt the other person's feelings? It almost seems inevitable to me. Usually I could tell on the first date if I'm going to be interested, if not, I keep a friendly conversation but watch my body language so as to show that I'm not interested. I recently went on a date; the guy was too boring for my taste. No sense of humor at all and when I told him to loosen up, he just became corny. Anyway, enough of the body slammin'. So he kept calling, wanting to out again. I couldn't stand the idea of another boring "interview" so I just kinda ignored his phone calls and texts. I felt lame not returning his calls; I hate avoiding THE situation. So I said, fair enough! Next time he calls, I will be straight with him...not so easy. Another thing I hate is lying. I'm no good at it, and I don't ever want to be. But unfortunately, I lied!!! I told him I was seeing someone else. So this is my entry for today, I'm confessing that I lied! But after feeling bad for what I did, I tried to think of a better way I could have let him know I wasn't interested...I couldn't. How do you tell someone you don't want to go another date without sounding like a snob, a jerk, an ice queen and still be honest? "Oh, hi, yeah, after being on one date with you I found you to be boring and corny, so I don't want to continue dating you." That is being honest, completely, but isn't that rude?! So help me figure this out, how could I have told him that I wasn't interested in a nice, honest way?

Shakira, Shakira!

2006-09-04T15:32:00.000-06:00

August 11, 2006
The Shakira concert in Las Vegas was so much fun! She is an amazing performer. The only bad thing was that she didn't sing most of my favorites.

I know, I know

2006-08-29T09:42:00.000-06:00

I am past due for a new posting!!! In going to school while trying to squeeze in some vacation time I have, sadly, neglected my blog. Since NY I've taken some mini-vacations here and there, I'm going to post pics...promise. School has started, I'm excited to report that this is my second and last year of grad school...eight months to go, woo hoo!

Photoshop

2006-06-19T21:31:00.000-06:00

I'm learning a ton about photoshop in my multimedia learning class. Thought I would post these to show you how cool I am :-P

The Straw that Broke the Camel's Back

2006-06-19T13:44:00.000-06:00

Shallow, picky, high maintenance, etc. I thought these were all starting becoming self-fulfilling prophesies but I cracked the case! I’m really not all shallow, picky, high maintenance, etc. I discovered this a couple weekends ago when me and the girls went to a party. I started talking to an attractive guy whom we had seen earlier that evening at Chili’s. But the more we talked, the less I wanted to give him my number. First off his name ends in “ie” like “Mattie,” “Robbie,” or “Scottie.” I asked him if I could just call him _____ without the “ie” and he said: “No, do you like people calling you Gab?” I answered, “Yeah, I don’t care; it makes me feel more comfortable around the person.” Anyway, we talked for about half hour and like I said before it just kept going down hill. During the convo we ran into an awkward pause so I looked down at his shoes (to see if he was wearing construction shoes…just kidding) and I noticed he had a cast. He told me he broke his ACL playing soccer. To make a long story short, I just wasn’t into this guy even though I found him attractive. I thought, well…he’s ok so I’ll take HIS number. At the end of the night my friends asked me for the scoop. I told them that he was just mediocre and didn’t make a big impression but they kept prying. Without further ado I yelled out, “HE WAS WEARING A CAST! I DON’T WANT TO BE SEEN WITH A GIMP!” They were baffled and I was baffled, and you’re probably baffled as well…but let me explain! Read the title again. It really was the last straw. When people ask me why I’m not interested in a person the reason I always mention is the last straw. So I will reiterate, I’m not a shallow person J. The real reason why I didn’t like this guy was because he was about 30, still lived with his parents, didn’t seem to value education as much as I do, and was working as a secretary or something like that. The cast was just the cherry.

Gaby & Christy's Trip to NYC!!!!

2006-06-04T19:49:00.000-06:00

We went to the Opera and saw Rodelinda; it was all in Italian. A beautiful opera house, inside and out.

2006-06-04T19:48:00.000-06:00

"Little Italy," where they have the most delicious pasta you'll ever encounter

2006-06-04T19:47:00.000-06:00

Erasure concert at Crash Mansion. We met Andy!!!!!

2006-06-04T19:46:00.000-06:00

The Flat Iron Bldg, one of my favorites.

2006-06-04T19:45:00.000-06:00

Having a frozen hot chocolate at Serendipity 3.

2006-06-04T19:44:00.000-06:00

Having some New York food, pretzels and hotdogs.

2006-06-04T19:43:00.000-06:00

The Met was amazing! We were there for 5 hours and didn't even get to see half of it.

2006-06-04T19:42:00.000-06:00

A tribute to John Lennon

2006-06-04T19:41:00.000-06:00

I was the last stand-by person they admitted on the Late Show.

2006-06-04T19:37:00.000-06:00

Wicked! It really was...

2006-06-04T19:33:00.000-06:00

Ground Zero

2006-06-04T19:29:00.000-06:00

What movie is this scene from?

2006-06-04T19:24:00.000-06:00

Golfing at Chelsea Piers

2006-06-04T19:18:00.000-06:00

A beautiful sunset and view from the Empire State Bldg.

2006-06-04T19:17:00.000-06:00

Fat Cat Jazz Club

2006-06-04T19:08:00.000-06:00

Liberty and Ellis Islands

2006-06-04T19:01:00.000-06:00

Go Yankees!

2006-06-04T18:54:00.000-06:00

Manhattan Bridge and the Brooklyn Bridge

Pictures of NY coming soon...

2006-05-31T07:43:00.000-06:00

Our First Limo Ride...

2006-05-04T18:05:00.000-06:00

Actually the first timmers were the neices and nephew. We had a blast! The kids were all hyped up before it showed up and were chanting, "the limo is coming, the limo is coming!" It was cute because they didn't even know what a limo was. Micah drove us around town and then we pulled into Cold Stone for a cold snack. Just look at their faces, they are they are having the time of their life!

Cheers!

2006-05-04T17:51:00.000-06:00

Finals are over! This last semester was great but very stressful the last couple weeks. My roommate and I went to TGI Friday's to celebrate. Two weeks off and then it's back to the old drawing board. In exactly one year from now I'll be marching to the graduation theme song, I can't wait.

Another Day, Another Concert

2006-04-22T13:08:00.000-06:00

I'm not trying to procrastinate my obligations as a student but what am I supposed to do when Yellowcard comes to my school?!

As we made our way to the venue we see their tour buses...we were only brave enough to take pictures in front of it, we should've knocked.

The show was pretty crazy, lots and lots of people, about 8,000. They told us it was their biggest yet, but maybe they just tell everyone that; think of like LA and other huge cities. How could SLC be their biggest? Just thinking out-loud. Anyway, we had a ton of fun. Crimson Nights followed and we were a little bummed that our tarot card reader didn't show up. Some of the predicitions he made about me in November were pretty accurate and have come to pass. A little freaky!!! Oh, I almost forgot to mention that I ran into construction shoes, a little akward to say the least. I know that it's finals time but he has become some kinda hermit. Egh...whatever.

You're how old?!

2006-04-14T01:23:00.000-06:00

On Sunday he asked me out for Saturday. A girl needs some advanced notice but not a whole week's notice! Anyway, I guess construction shoes couldn't wait cuz he called me Tuesday and we went out for appetizers and dessert on Wednesday. We had a good convo, it was so good that we lost track of time. We were at the restaurant for 2 hours! Anyway we went to his place afterwards...Ready? ...He lives with his parents and little brothers. OK, not ideal for a girl my age but oh well. When you date younger guys you just gotta roll with it; like accepting the fact that I'll be done with my master's degree before he's done with his bachelor's. Darn, that makes me feel old. Anyway, his dad asks me how old I was and I replied in a nonchalant way. I bet he was thinking, "You freak! You're 5 years older than my son!"

A-ahem...Sir, your son here is the one who asked me out, right?

This whole experience is so new to me, I've got to admit...it's a little scary. I just laugh at our age difference and I think he's getting annoyed that I point it out so much. I know, I know..."relax gaby, age ain't nothing but a number."

Dance,Dance!

2006-04-12T00:43:00.000-06:00

My roommate got tickets to go to Fall Out Boy, Hawthorne Heights, & All American Rejects. I couldn't pass up the opportunity even though I had a ton of homework! We had an amazing time despite the b.o. from all the pre-teens. Hey, check-out the coolest 4 yr-old there!

Construction Shoes

2006-04-08T23:42:00.001-06:00

I love shoes and have a problem when a hot guy sports a bad pair of shoes with a suit.

I saw him at church; he was sitting in the front row. The first thing my friend and I noticed was his edgy hair and nice suit. But when he walked by I couldn't help but notice his shoes...they were hideous! Brown, untied, worn-out, low-top, construction shoes (ok, oxfords). You just don't wear constrcution shoes with a nice suit, I'm sorry! As shallow as it may sound, the bad shoes was a turn off.

We went at battle of the bands last night. The bands were *cough terrible cough* and it was too loud so we decided to step out and walk around, hoping to run into familiar faces. There it was, the only face I recoginzed, Construction Shoes. This was the first time I had seen him in casual clothes, styling as always (from the ankles up). We smiled at eachother and he started by telling me that I looked familiar. "Of course, we're in the same ward."

We had a long intriguing conversation and ended it when he told me that he would like to take me to dinner sometime. We exchanged numbers and said good-bye.

My roommate and I waited until we left the building and then I exploded with excitement, "He is so hot! I can't believe we finally met!"

She informed me that she checked-out his shoes for me since I had forgotten to do so. She was happy to report that the infamous construction shoes did not enfold his feet last night, he was actually wearing nice ones.

Fearless

2006-04-07T15:39:00.000-06:00

"For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."
2 Tim 1:7

Don't be motivated by fear...be motivated by courage!