rednecks and race cars

My dad took John and me to see the NHRA drag races in Las Vegas this weekend. What an experience. You may not be able to picture what it’s like, so let me enlighten you.

*NASCAR is the one that goes around a track a million times. Drag races are the ones where each race lasts about 4 seconds.

*Some of the cars run on tear gas (or something like it). I was standing 20 feet away from one of the cars practically crying my eyes out. Some people were standing less than 5 feet away.

*The race car drivers are celebrities. We walked around the pit area, and every time a crowd formed, we knew that a driver was in his pit area. Have you heard of John Force before? Yeah, neither had I. But he’s famous. Wait, is he the one with a TV show? Then maybe you have heard of him. How about Tony Schumacher, Jason Line, Morgan Lucas? Famous.

*One of the official sponsors was Skoal. Other sponsors were giving out free samples. I kept waiting for a free sample of Skoal. “Here, have some free cancer!”

*Speaking of cancer, evidently there are no laws in L.V. to protect nonsmokers from second-hand smoke. We were packed tightly in a stadium, and I can’t tell you how many people lit up and blew their disgusting smoke on everyone around them. I don’t care if it’s legal or not – if they had any decency they’d get up and go out for a smoking break.

*Not that it mattered much anyway. Those cars emitted so many fumes it was scary. I think the drag races have single-handedly destroyed the ozone. In one day.

*The drag races last for three days – Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Of course, you can’t go to the drag races on Sunday – you’d miss church. But wait! Not to worry – they provide church services ON SITE. So you can watch your favorite race car driver, attend church, AND eat carnival food all at the same time! Hooray!

Well, I’ve never seen a bunch of people who were more serious about their ‘sport’. It was hilarious and enlightening, to say the least. And also, the races were pretty dang cool. Watching a car go 330 mph is just amazingly cool. I don’t care who you are.

how could we?!!

Last night we were in bed and John said, "You looking at my bum?", which is a Charlie quote from LOST. Suddenly the realization sank in and we both gasped at the same time -- We'd forgotten to watch LOST!

Luckily, I think we can watch the episode at abc.com today. But still...it's not the same watching it on a computer screen. I can't believe we forgot LOST!!!

blink and you miss it

I'm slowly moving out of the funk I was in. You want to know how I know?

Because I cleaned my kitchen. Because I want to take guitar lessons. Because I want to write poetry. Because I'm interested in people again. Because missing my husband (he's in Kansas) doesn't make me feel sad, it makes me feel alive.

fast moving blues

I need a paper journal to record thoughts like these.

I can’t hold it together anymore. I realized that I am not working toward any goals, and I’m not accomplishing much of anything. I worry incessantly about things outside my control. I don’t do much about the things within my control.

I’m struggling. Not sure what to do about it. I want to run and keep on running. But I probably won’t.

funny girl

Someone called my cell phone today while I was on my work phone and left me a message. When I checked the message, it was from Barbara Streisand. She was just calling to remind me to vote. Seriously. That's all she wanted. Thanks for the reminder, Babs. I appreciate the call.

in paradise

Did I say that Karate Kid was the best movie ever? Well, that was before I saw Paradise, Hawaiian Style. This movie has picturesque Hawaiian background, beautiful people frolicking about in bathing suits, romance, hijinks, a fist fight, superfluous use of cheesy songs, and...Elvis. Top THAT Karate Kid!

missing the one i love

Went on a walk today and listened to the iPod -- Iron and Wine, Lion’s mane. The sound and lyrics make me feel sad. Especially when my beloved is flying on an airplane hundreds of miles from here.

and love is the scene i render
when you catch me wide awake
and love is the dream you enter
though i shake & shake & shake you
and love's the best endeavor
waiting in the lion's mane
-------

if only...

If only I hadn’t wanted to soak in the hot tub with my soul mate late on Friday night.

If only John and I hadn’t each thought the other person brought the house key.

If only we hadn’t locked the front door.

If only we had brought a cell phone with us.

If only we weren’t in bathing suits when we asked to use the phone at Hungry Howie’s.

If only the locksmith had been more competent and hadn’t taken more than an hour to drill through our front door.

If only he hadn’t charged $150 for the service.

If only.

The good news? We’re both alive, we’re healthy, and we had some extra money lying around in our account, just waiting for an emergency to happen. So everything’s A-ok. Except I never did get to soak it up in the hot tub with my soul mate.

my lost thoughts

We finished Season 2 of LOST last night. Oh my goodness. Several episodes in a row that were just crazy! Here are some of my thoughts. (I never thought I would be a person to write my thoughts about a TV show, but...here I am.)

*Season 2 Spoiler alert*

1. Several people mentioned that we might be disappointed by Season 2. That was not the case. Maybe it's because we got to see all the episodes one after another, but each episode drew me in and intrigued me. Maybe I wasn't disappointed because I didn't expect any real answers. Nah, I can tell that the writers enjoy keeping us in the dark just enough to drive us crazy.

2. I'm totally shocked by how many people died this season. Shot dead. I was really starting to care about Libby and can't believe the writers had the audacity to cut her out. Not fair! And Michael -- I knew he was too emotional and selfish and couldn't be trusted, but to kill people? I don't know about that.

3. What about Hurley's fear that the Island is just a figment of his warped brain? It never really cleared that up to my satisfaction. Is the final season going to cut to a scene of Hurley in the psych ward, explaining away the whole story as part of his imagination? I hope not, but it seems like the option is there.

4. Polar bears seem to be a running theme in many of the episodes. Sometimes a very subtle reference, but often there. I'm sure there are many other subtle themes like that. Makes me want to watch all the episodes over again!

5. Now we're just like everybody else, watching the shows one week at a time. :(

blue girl

I'm feeling a little better today. I got home yesterday and my husband had cleaned up the house, emptied the dishwasher, and taken out the trash. How wonderful is he? I knew those things needed to be done, but I just didn't have the energy for them. I'm so blessed to have a husband who saw that I was struggling and did something thoughtful to help out.

My visiting teacher came over last night, and when she asked the requisite question, "How are you doing?" I responded with, "Great. Everything is fine." And everything wasn't fine. The ache in my chest was still there. When you come to my house once a month or so and stay for 15 minutes and then ask me how I'm doing, how in the world would you expect me to answer that question honestly? I'm just going to say everything's A-OK. This is more a lesson to me than pointing a finger at her. I have visit taught many women and I probably missed out on how they were really doing because I didn't take time to be their friend.

Anyway, I'm still not 100% back to happy, but I think I'm a little better.

disclaimer

I've been so down lately. It's really been a damper on my blogging, on my life, on my accomplishing anything at all. I don't know what the deal is, but I just want to crawl into bed and stay there. And this is one of those weeks where hiding out isn't very possible.

But I will make time for more episodes of LOST. We bought the DVDs on the 6th, and we are almost through the whole season. I'd like to take my time and enjoy each episode slowly. Then again, our impatience wins out because we can't wait to see more of the story. We average 3-4 episodes per night.

Otherwise, I'll be either busy or reading books. My mood is not going to allow for much else.

ciao,
Holli

gonna change my way of thinking

I've been feeling so nostalgic the past few days. Maybe it's because an old friend is in town visiting. But my mood has bordered on the sad.

We watched a LOST episode last night (Season 2, baby!) and Hurley was scared that everything was about to change. Locke said, "Change is good." Hurley replied, "Everyone says that, but it's not true."

Is change a good thing? There are times when I love change. I've moved five times in the past five years. I loved living in China on a whim. I love thinking that in one year we'll be in an entirely new place so that John can get his PhD.

The hard part about change is the way it affects relationships. One of my best friends moved to Washington a few years ago. My siblings got married and started having kids. My parents are getting older. I don't see my friends from college anymore. I got married, and friends I used to hang out with several times a week I'm lucky if I see once a month. Things just change.

When I was a missionary in Bulgaria and it was nearly time for me to come back home, I was so excited to go home to my family, but so sad to leave all my friends in Bulgaria behind. I wished so much that I didn't have to give up one to have the other. But that's the way it is. You leave one place and leave friends behind, but you make new friends in the place you go to.

I think Locke is right. Change is a good thing. It brings many new experiences and friends into my life that I wouldn't have otherwise. I just sometimes wish I could stop time and keep everyone I love with me forever.

top movies from my childhood

I'm listing my childhood favorite movies, too. Aren't there those movies that are so dear to your heart, that no matter how many other movies you see, none can top the ones from your childhood? Me too.

The top five:

Swiss Family Robinson

I love, love, love this movie. Who doesn’t? Tight-knit family, daring adventures, wild animals, marauding pirates, handsome brothers, and they live in a TREEHOUSE! I wanted that treehouse so bad it hurt. Then all my dreams came true when I toured a reasonable facsimile at Disneyland. And then my dreams were shattered when they turned Swiss Family Treehouse into Tarzan’s Treehouse. What the …?!!!

Candleshoe

A girl from the streets pretends to be the long-lost granddaughter of an eccentric old woman so that she can search for the treasure hidden somewhere in the mansion. (I’m a sucker for movies about hidden treasure.) But then she starts to fall in love with the motley family she planned to steal from, and that’s when it gets good. Disney and Jodie Foster at their best! I will always have a place in my heart for this movie.

The Goonies

At the time that I saw this movie, it seemed like the most amazing, most adventure-filled, funniest, and scariest movie I had ever seen. My parents were in Las Vegas when my siblings and I watched this, and I was truly scared! The Fratellis were frightening (especially Sloth!), the gang was so funny, and their underground adventure and search for pirate treasure is every kid’s dream. And also I was in love with Sean Astin.

The Neverending Story

Back in the days of cassette tapes and VHS, my parents rented this movie for us while they went out on a date. My brother, sister, and I watched it and fell in love. We loved it so much that we had to have it for our very own. So what did we do? We got out our tape recorder, put it up next to the TV as the movie replayed, and recorded the whole movie onto cassette tape. Did we ever listen to that tape? I think only once, but it makes me smile at how ardent our love was for that movie. I believe that tape is still around somewhere.

The Karate Kid

My sister and I used to play that the Kobra Kai gang was chasing us. Also, my sister was the sensei of the karate dojo while I ran the knitting class (“This is a karate dojo, not a knitting class!” – Why did my sis get to do karate while I knitted?!!) Like I said in a previous entry (and I stand by this), I don’t know if you can make a movie better than the Karate Kid – action, romance, character-building, comedy, suspense, and catching flies with chopsticks. What other movie has all that?!

5 most influential books from my youth

I’ve noticed that the things I saw and read in my childhood made such an impression on me. I’ll read a book or watch a movie now and forget it by next week. But the stuff from my childhood, some of those things I’ll never forget.

It’s hard to quantify which books were the best or meant the most, but the five listed below truly made an impression on my life.

Island of the Blue Dolphins
by Scott O’Dell

This book was so well-written, so lyrical, so tragic. I was mesmerized by the story of one solitary girl’s survival on an island. It was haunting, and the story stuck with me long after I read it.

Summer of the Monkeys
by Wilson Rawls

This book was so vivid to me, and so magical. The adventures of one boy and his desire to earn money for a horse knew no bounds. The monkeys were hilarious. The story was touching. The little sister Daisy was so influential for me that in 3rd grade my goal in life was to become a nurse. (And then I learned that nursing involved blood and other bodily fluids and my dreams were quickly shattered.) But Summer of the Monkeys is one book I will always treasure.

The Little Princess
by Frances Hodgson Burnett

Sara Crewe was the portrait of a princess – kind, giving, loving, open-hearted – even when life turned against her. She started out as the star pupil at a boarding school, but circumstances brought her low and she became the maid to girls she once learned with. Her imagination and buoyant spirit couldn’t keep her down, and this is one book I plan to pass along to my kids.

Anne of Green Gables
by L. M. Montgomery

Who wasn’t in love with Anne of Green Gables? I think I dreamed of having a bosom friend just as wonderful as Anne was. Her vivid imagination and flair for the dramatic made the books delightful to read. And Gilbert Blythe? Come on! Every girl loved this story, and if you haven’t read it, remedy that right now!

Trixie Belden series
by Julie Campbell / Kathryn Kenny

Oh, Trixie Belden. Loved her name. Loved her detective adventure stories. She and the gang (comprised of her brothers and several friends) were always having adventures. Trixie would discover some kind of mystery, but no one would believe her until she had solved it and saved the day. I think I loved her because while she was nothing like me (she was tomboyish and daring), she was also not the most beautiful, she was clumsy, and she sometimes made mistakes. I related. “Oh whoa!” Plus, this is the series that inspired my dream to become a writer. I am still in the process of collecting all the books in the series (There are 39 total), which isn’t easy as they’ve been out of print for a while.

maybe we should move to australia...

My husband had one of those days yesterday -- a Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. I'm not going to chronicle it (he might, who knows), but send some good vibes his way, okay? He could definitely use them.

It's Friday! I haven't been good about updating my blog lately. Maybe because I just don't have a lot to say.

Recently I weighed myself and found out that I had gained two pounds. Fact: If I eat cookies and candy all day at work and don't exercise when I get home, I'm going to gain weight. So...I decided to start up SparkPeople again (I sort of slacked on that) and watch what I eat. John has been good at keeping me motivated for the exercise. He keeps going on DDR after I would have stopped, so I get more exercise in, which is good.

AND, I got enough sleep last night, which is a first. Guess what? I don't feel tired today! I feel wonderful. All I did was go to bed an hour earlier, and look what happens! I can't believe the difference it made for me.

How boring am I? Talking about losing weight and sleeping. Sigh.

monday monday monday

Happy Monday. Top thoughts of the day.

5. I hate work. The situation just gets worse. A coworker was brought into the boss's office and berated for things she had no control over. We all pray for a way out of this office.

4. I taught Relief Society at church yesterday, and the lesson was on families and eternal life. I feel the need to be a better person. I know I need to, but it's so hard to change!

3. I need a haircut desperately. My last haircut was great, and looked sort of like this, though with less bangs. I think I'll do something similar again:










2. Saved by the Bell watching is going strong. I know you're dying for some quotes:

Mr. Belding: Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey! *What* is going on here?!!
.......
Zack: I like school... it's a good way to kill time between weekends.
.......
Lisa: Screech, would you like to rejoin the human race?
Screech: You always said I wasn't a member.
Lisa: I'll sneak you in.
............

1. I am so excited! My husband said I can crochet this and he would wear it!:

SBTB!

Guess what we just purchased?
Yep, Saved By The Bell Seasons 3 & 4! (I gave John Seasons 1 & 2 for Christmas.) Any guess as to what we've been doing lately? John and I have some specific goals we're working on, and to stay motivated, we get rewards! This is John's first reward for doing well on his goals. May he accomplish many others and bring us closer to owning all the Saved By The Bell episodes!

We've been watching lots of episodes every night. And sadly, I've been neglecting my crocheting. Usually I crochet while watching episodes, but I got sick of it! While on our trip last week, I crocheted all the way to Nevada, all the way to Utah, and all the way back to Nevada again. In all, I think I crocheted 40 rows of the baby blanket I'm giving to my nephew Isaac. I finished the body but still have the edge to do. I'm just crocheted out!

In other news: I'm Kelly Kapowski. But I have a hard time believing that's true. Which character are you?




Which "Saved By The Bell" Character Are You?

I'm sure I've mentioned before that:
I still hate my job, and that gets me down sometimes, BUT...
It's alright, cause I'm saved by the bell!

weekend update

This past week has been quite busy. First, my younger sister Alexis came to visit for the week. Since she was about 11 and I was living in Provo, Utah, she has come to visit for a week during the summer. Now she's a senior in high school, and the tradition lives on!

We had fun doing DDR together, clothes shopping, watching Saved by the Bell episodes (Oh, Saved by the Bell, how I love you!), and eating delicious food. Good times.

On Friday, John, Alexis and I took a road trip to Nevada to take her back home. Saturday morning we were up early and on the road to St. George to see my cousin's wedding in the St. George temple.

We decided that it would be necessary to visit the St. George Wal-Mart. Why? Well, John had never seen a poligamist before, and we needed to remedy that. (What? You haven't seen a poligamist either? Well, you're missing out on an interesting phenomenon. I direct you to the Wal-Mart store in St. George, Utah, usually in the fabric section. I guarantee you'll see at least one.) I won't tell the rest of that story for now, because I think my husband is going to tell it. But rest assured, poligamist sitings galore were had by all.

Sunday morning we went to church with my family, watched The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (which was much better than I expected it to be), and then drove back to good old Arizona. I wasn't ready to come back, though. I love being around my family.

chinese proverbs and calligraphy

A while back I said I would post projects from my Chinese calligraphy class. And today is the day that I do.

I took the class this past spring, but I've been wanting to take it since 2001. It was a dream, and I did it. The reason I wanted to take it? I was in China, November of 2000. My American friends and I were walking through a park in Beijing. The weather was cool, and it was overcast as usual.

As we walked along, I saw an older Chinese man. He was holding a paint brush that was nearly as tall as he was, and he was standing straight, painting Chinese characters on the sidewalk. But the brush was made of sponge, and the 'paint' was actually water. He would paint a row of beautiful Chinese characters and by the time he got through several rows, the first row had faded away to nothing.

It was spontaneous art, and the beauty of it overwhelmed me. The man didn't care how fleeting his art was, he was only intent on creating it. Right then I decided I wanted to learn Chinese calligraphy. I didn't think I'd ever get the chance.

Then I came to ASU in 2001 and saw that they offered Chinese calligraphy courses once a year! The planets never aligned until this year. It was one credit hour; it was fun. Chinese calligraphy is very relaxing, and I think I'm actually good at it!

Here are a couple of projects.

This first one is a rough draft of the final project we had to turn in. I don't know what the writing says; it's from an inscription written on somebody's tomb. This is the project my teacher was so impressed with she offered to frame it while she was in China! I was speechless...

And this last pic is actually a project I did after the class was over. I made it for my husband when he graduated from ASU with his MPA. I can't remember the exact translation, but here's the gist: "When you have climbed the highest peak, the mountains below you seem small."

Anyway, I love Chinese calligraphy. It's an art form that I would like to keep up because it's beautiful, it's relaxing, and it's a hobby that's pretty unique (unless you're in China!).