Walkabout

I started a Morning Walk regimen this month. Seeing as I usually wake up around 5am... early to bed early to rise...I decided to get out into the neighborhood, give my regards to fellow early-risers, and get a bit of exercise while I'm at it. (They say the best time for cardio is on an empty stomach. Another plus for the time frame.)

So many great interactions have been created because of this new practice. I'm beginning to know my neighbors and I love it!

I enjoy studying the quirky landscapes and architecture of Lakewood.

I even scored a free art print of Jack Vettriano's The Singing Butler- one of my all time favorite paintings and one of the UK's most celebrated and successful artists. Thanks to Rachel and Yvette's yard sale. :)

I Heart My Momma!

Love You Lady!

A Little Thing Called Love

I just read a friends Love Story online. She's getting married soon- never thought love would come her way, and here's the rub: The night she had her first real convo with her soon-to-be hubby, she was in a low place, emotionally speaking. She was stressed out about work and money and didn't feel like being around anybody- let alone a coursing gathering of over 100 people. (She'd helped to put together the night's event.)

She escaped for some fresh air, Brian followed her, listened to her vent, encouraged her, even invited her to dinner for that same night- and they've been inseparable ever since! She was depressed and still met a wonderful faithful man!

I want to add to this, a thought that's been simmering in the mental pot for a while. I was conversing with my brother and a guy friend earlier this year. My friend's brother-in-law has a gaggle of cute single sisters, two of which attend our congregation. My brother asked our friend if he'd ever considered dating one of them. He quickly replied, "No way! I know too much."

That sentiment sat with me and then this thought came: Loving someone is knowing "too much" and loving them anyway.

All the myths I've built up in my head about having to be perfect or perfectly prepared to meet a great guy, are crash and burning at my feet. Yes prepare. Yes have a strong relationship with the Lord first... but, perfection may just be a starry-eyed dream, reserved for the other side--

Me Graduated Now

The Crowning Event of my closing CSULB career occurred last night. It was the Advanced Documentary track Student Showcase, where my film, No Place Like Home, debuted. After weeks and weeks of intense, tiring, glorious work, my doc hit the big screen at the William Link Theater on campus. It received praise all around!

I grimace to think of all the premature and needless fretting I exposed beforehand- The sound isn't perfect- That voice-over happened too soon...True, it needs a little fine tuning, but the other fact that's just as true is, people dig it! :)I am so thrilled!!! I look forward to cleaning the film up, and begin to learn the festival submission process. I am so thankful I stayed on another year to do a film production minor- and for Kirk Marcolina who was hired 3 days before the start of the Fall semester to take on my class- he is brilliant- a true God-send- I learned so much from him!

YaY!

Happy graduation to all Spring 2009 graduates!

Great Scotts!

What a day! I slept at my editors house last night- attempted a late night and morning crunch session of final editing, as Maya left for San Fran this morning at 9. Still work to do- so tired- work was hectic- After work I drove to LBCC where I have my Photojournalism final in 30 minutes- Needed the memory card in my camera, which I forgot at work- drove all the way back to work- back to LBCC- left my flash drive at home- borrowed one which fried my memory card- drove home and cried- took Jen to the airport- so tired- came back to school- lost some great photos- which are now being retrieved by a man named Scott at the computer lab on the 2nd floor of the newly beautified LBCC library- God bless Scott and his file retrieval software!!!

Swing Like There's No Tomorrow!

I really like Ingrid Michaelson's The Way I Am. Just wish she didn't support smoking.

It's the eve before crazy, wonderful, endless editing- Maya and I are about to have a 48 hr marathon- We're finishing up the Documentary.

I'm so thankful I've had this afternoon/evening to regroup and rest.

Earlier in the day, I went to an ancient cemetery to photograph my final photojournalism assignment; Death (Is Not the End!)

The stone and woodwork that fashion the ceilings and facade of these final resting grounds are absolutely amazing- Unfortunately there is a No Photo-Taking policy indoors- Otherwise I would've snapped away at the 400 ft swinging pendulum this swings smack dab in the middle of this archaic maze! -With it's gigantic stone weight, swooshing slowly, yet powerfully, through the air- It's antiquated song echoed through the empty halls- mesmerizing- creepy- lovely.

P.S. We're in luck- someone broke Mausoleum Code of Honor and posted a pic of the very pendulum I was referring to on Google Images!

Fried Pineapple and a Soccer Ball

Mmmm mmmm. Nothing says lovin like the ooey gooey-ness of pineapple slices fried in their own juices...the thick brown crust that forms around the edges- how the natural sugars seep out and solidify. Yes. Frying pineapple is one of my most favorite preschool activities to conduct. Today the children laughed and pointed as the steam rolled upwards from the hot plate, fogging my glasses. We feasted upon fried fruit as the coolness of the morning whipped around us.

My fellow teacher assistant Sarah L. asked me to save her a slice. I looked up a bit later to find her replacement. She'd gone on break, so I saved her a bit of tropical heaven. When she returned, the pineapple was still warm. She smiled and said, "aww. you really do care about me." Then skipped over to the sand box. It filled my heart with joy. Like I'd given a little secret treasure. It is such a good feeling to connect and to give. Back to giving- I want to give more. Maybe 2 RAofK a day...

Right before lunch I got involved in a rousing game of soccer with the kids- I had SO MUCH fun. It was 5-8 against 2. The odds, although fair, (I was on the 2 member team), made me laugh. I realized once again how great team sports make me feel. I never played them growing up and didn't appreciate them then, but I certainly feel the benefits of them now!

One more thing. Morgan, our preschool chef, made the best chicken mac n' cheese and cucumber salad today for lunchy! And Sara the kid brought her hamster to school:) Toot-sey Sparkle Diamond is the hamsters full name.

D to the P

Yesterday, friends from Charles Lauren Films came over to help with pick-ups (shots/scenes still needed) for my doc. I am so grateful to David and Kelsey for all their help and hard work! You can see some of their commercial work at: http://www.charleslauren.com

They are brilliant and talented!

Ahhh Sunday

As I sit at the computer, my grandma is occupying the room next to me, giggling away at the Sunday funnies. Laughter is one of the things I love most about living at home. No one can cause fits of laughter to seize upon my soul like my family can. I think it's one of their superpowers. Yesterday for instance, my brother at I were driving homeward, he'd just gotten head shots done. One of us made the comment, "it's a small world..." This sent Justin into a seismic sing-song production, rearranging the words of Disney's It's A Small World. "The world is someting, the world ah ah,...the world is smaaaaaall!" What made it so silly is the nasally-whinny-latin accent he was singing with- I love my brother.

My dad is endless quick-wit. I was on hold with the DMV customer service line this week- every few minutes this automated voice would come on the line encouraging me to hang up and opt for clearing up my issue online- "Your hold time will be more than 10 minutes..." I ignored the prompt, leaving the phone on speaker. My dad and brother were putting about the kitchen also encouraging me to end the call. The 5th time the automated voice came on, there was a glitch; "Yer...yer...yuh". The machine was trying desperately to spit the phrase out. My dad chimes in, "It's laughing at you." He mocked the recording (and me for waiting so long) adding repressed laughs between each "Yer".

Maybe you would've had to have been there, or get my family's humor. :) It's a blessing to have so much fun con mi familia.

I Like this List A-Lot.

So I'm gonna share it:)

9 Things You Can Do to Be Happy in the Next 30 Minutes (+2)

1. Raise your activity level to pump up your energy. If you’re on the phone, stand up and pace. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Put more energy into your voice. Take a brisk 10-minute walk. Even better…

2. Take a walk outside. Research suggests that light stimulates brain chemicals that improve mood. For an extra boost, get your sunlight first thing in the morning.

3. Reach out. Send an e-mail to a friend you haven’t seen in a while, or reach out to someone new. Having close bonds with other people is one of the most important keys to happiness. When you act in a friendly way, not only will others feel more friendly toward you, but you’ll also strengthen your feelings of friendliness for other people.

4. Rid yourself of a nagging task. Deal with that insurance problem, purchase something you need, or make that long-postponed appointment with the dentist. Crossing an irksome chore off your to-do list will give you a big rush of elation.

5. Create a more serene environment. Outer order contributes to inner peace, so spend some time cleaning off your desk and tackling the piles in the kitchen. A large stack of little tasks can feel overwhelming, but often just a few minutes of work can make a sizable dent. Set the timer for 10 minutes and see what you can do.

6. Do a good deed. Introduce two people by e-mail, take a minute to pass along useful information, or deliver some gratifying praise. In fact, you can also…

7. Save someone’s life. Sign up to be an organ donor, and remember to tell your family about your decision. “Do good, feel good” — it really works!

8. Act happy. Fake it 'til you feel it. Research shows that even an artificially induced smile boosts your mood. And if you’re smiling, other people will perceive you as being friendlier and more approachable.

9. Learn something new. Think of a subject that you wish you knew more about and spend 15 minutes on the Internet reading about it, or go to a bookstore and buy a book about it. But be honest! Pick a topic that really interests you, not something you think you "should" or "need" to learn about.

10. Pray sincerely, even if you don't feel like you want to. The adversary wants to keep us from praying because he knows how helpful and potent it can be- not to mention, his main objective is to cut us off from the presence of God-

11. Read from the scriptures- return to a favorite verse and try memorizing it. My current favorite is 2 Ne. 8:12

Maya the Brilliant!

Maya pulled off a intensive full night of editing successfully and I am ecstatic! She stayed for my Doc production class, watched the rough cut with us and we were able to take in the positive reactions together:) I am SO grateful the 1st rough cut came together!!! And I am SO GRATEFUL for Maya! 3 more weekends of filming, a 2nd rough cut, and hopefully a lot of changing for the better will be wrought in the life of the main character because of this experience!

:)

You want a Necklace Beard too!

And I want to make you one! :)>

On Tuesday, one of the girls arrived to school clutching a handmade necklace for her friend. Her mom marked how excited her daughter was to Give. It was another inspiring moment for me- I want to get into that habit of finding Joy in Giving to others just for the sake of Giving-

Speaking of giving, Saturday March 28th Matt came over to help me film- I interviewed my parents talking about their hopes and fears for the main character of the doc- It was during this interview that my parents taught me I don't have to be perfectly prepared to find love- we're never really prepared for marriage when it comes our way, and the right-person-for-us can help us become the person we need to be-

The following day at church, preparing for Linger Longer, I learned that one of the mellowest people I know used harbor a boiling temper. They had ripped down the garage overhang and pulverized it to bits the day they banged their head on it- they were married to a easygoing happy person even!!! One day they finally decided it wasn't worth it to lash out in such violent bursts. Slowly over time they changed- the point is 1. they decided to change and 2. That change came after the person had married a wonderful companion-

I'm not saying we should enter into that most sacred union nonchalantly, lazily, or purposely under prepared. I realized however that what's Ideal, isn't always what's Real.

Fuse Beads

There is a time guzzling drug marketed specifically to 4 and 5 year olds- It's manufactured in a multitude of colors, with or without glitter, transparent or opaque... Yes! Fuse beads! If in your youth you missed out on this activity of wonder, there's still hope- somehow adults are willingly lured into the fuse bead festivities of their children-

Today at work a valuable lesson was reintroduced to me. Gabriel had be slaving away at a circle template with a deliberate color pattern. This had involved asking everyone at the table to excavate their individual fuse bead bowls for a few rare and precious black fuse beads. Then he had to convince the other 6 children that they wanted to devote their coal colored beads to him. It was an arduous process. I had been so proud of him for working hard to obtain his goal.

Meanwhile, one of the girls was drawing a crowd at an adjacent table with her 3 pokey-backed black caterpillars she'd captured at home. Gabriel and "Carlito" left for a moment of admiration and upon return, Carlito's elbow sent Gabriel's beads rocketing across the deck- Gabriel's face dropped, his brow crinkled, he huffed a few understandably flustered words and jetted to the structure to be alone-

My heart ached, especially because Gabriel refrained from retaliation (a common response at this age). I wanted to scoop all the orphaned beads into a bowl and recreate his masterpiece for him. As a Purple Side teacher, I know that fixing or saving a child from disappointment is a big no-no. Still, I let my natural response mode get the best of me, at first. I collected as many black, green, red, and white beads as I could find from the floor, put them in Gabe's bowl and even started beading the black periphery. Years of training began creeping into my mind.

Am I helping Gabe by trying to take this negative experience away? It might make me feel a whole lot better. In the long run though, kids need to go through hard things so they learn how to handle trying situations, the emotions *and appropriate solutions* that accompany them.

I dumped the beads back into Gabe's bowl, set the template on top, and asked another teacher to check in with Gabe. No immediate response. A while later he started playing with Ricky. Then! A half hour later he returned to the table. This was terribly rewarding to see.

I offered him the scavenged remains and his barren template. He refused the template saying he wanted to use a square instead of a circle. With the same color scheme, he created a white door with a black nob and deemed it far superior to the original. In his words, "I didn't like the other one. This one is a lot better."

As he made this remark Andres' fuse beads spilled from his template. Disgruntled, he began chucking the beads across the table. I stopped him and explained how Gabe had lost his work that day and that sometimes when we are forced to start over, it is an opportunity to assess where we've been and create something better- :) The principle clicked and Andres began a new project, agreeing that he could like this one even more than the last.

Great lessons for life. I heart preschoolers!

Ansa Verse SOiReE

A soiree- a party; a social gathering of celebration and recreation, with religious, cultural, or seasonal implications...

Last April I ventured to the desert wonderland of Ansa Borrego with my dear friend Erin. Yesterday we returned to this arid landscape, bustling alive with flowering spring- it was GORGEOUS! And, instead of two, we were three! I accompanied Erin and her fiance of two months, Brandon, and shot a days worth of engagement photos.

As I reminisce about the day's activities, I smile. It was truly a fun adventure- Loved every minute- even the moments I stepped and sat in cacti! I'm still laughing about that! :)

Thank you Erin and Brandon for a great day!

My Momma

I gotta pay some homage.

In countless ways throughout my life, my mother has shown me what it means to put her children first. She has modeled sacrifice, sheltering, and selflessness. I hope to shadow her one day.

Let me share two illustrations.

Two weeks ago, she attended an annual Spaghetti dinner fundraiser- after dinner, to add to "the pot", they had a dessert auction. My mom monetarily maneuvered her way into winning a plate of rice krispy treats sprinkled with a rainbow of M&Ms. Let's just say those turned out to be the costliest marshmallow delights in the world! AND she gave them to me to take to church the next day for the Linger Longer Pot Luck! Elmo says sharing is caring.

Yesterday, after having spent a full morning orchestrating and running the Scouts Pinewood Derby then grocery shopping the afternoon away, she agreed to prepare and host a family dinner especially for a scene in my documentary short film. She fed all the family and my small crew of friends and helped dinner convo to stay on topic. She is a lifesaver! God bless you Momma! Thanks for 31 years+ of hard work and love.

Free at Last

Friday was laced with good intention. I attempted to fulfill requirements for 2 photography assignments in one go; one project focusing on color, the other composition. I drove to Signal Hill's industrial district, parked in 1 hour parking, and began to scout the area on foot.

I stumbled upon a photographic treasure trove at Gardena and 29th St. A giant lot heaped with monochromatic and analogous colored scrap metals, orphaned car parts, and towering trucks. I asked the 2 men sweeping for permission to take a few photos. They welcomed me. Before I knew it, 1 photo led to another and another...and...

One of the men called to me as he was leaving, "Good luck with your project!" "Thanks!" I called back. Half an hour later it occurred to me that it might be beneficial to my pocket book to move my car so I wouldn't get a parking ticket, or worse, towed.

I walked towards the gate I had originally entered. Strange. It was closed. Anxiety inducing. It was locked. It was the only way out and I was the only one inside! Which left me with this chilling challenge: To find a way out!!!

Like a pinball rickashaying off all 4 walls, I bounced from corner to corner, searching for a loose board, a latter, anything that would help me scale the tall gate sporting it's wiry barbed hairdo. Nothing.

My eye spied the vintage truck parked beside the gate. I hopped onto the running board which lent me enough height to become a floating head. "Look at me, here I am, right where I belong..." A bobbing head-

I tried waving down the cars driving by, yelling to cell phone man down the street- no one noticed me- My car! I had to get out of here! I offered a desperate prayer. Heavenly Father, please please please send someone to rescue me. Five minutes later a delivery truck pulls into a driveway across the street. On his way out, he begins rolling down his window. I call to him, he stops! He let me borrow his cell phone. I called the cops.

An officer showed up with backup. The first thing he said to me was, "So you're turning yourself in for breaking and entering huh?" "No officer, I got permission to be here." "Oh yah? From who?" "Shoot. I didn't get their names." "Oh. You don't know their names..." He gave me a really hard time, laughing all along the way.

The officer had just completed a two hour lock picking training a couple weekends before! Unfortunately it didn't help him. Somehow they were able to get a hold of the company's owner and 2 hours later I returned to my car. Yes! It was still there and no ticket! :)

Cappy

Answer to prayer #40,109,327.
After rushing to class last night, I was surprised and saddened to see the lens cap was not attached to the lens of my camera. Where could it be!? I was sure it was intact before I got in my car to drive to school...

Long story short; I tore apart my room, my car, and retraced all my steps. This included leaving a half hour early for work this morning, returning to school to comb the grassy lawn, carpeted floors, and hallways.

Fortunately, I had more than luck on my side. I'd prayed to find cappy and the Lord saw fit to align circumstance. The Lord has the power to put us in the right place at the right time. For me, this meant being in my car, facing west in a parked position at 8:15 a.m. Having to wait for peace of mind any longer than that may have figuratively killed me.

After scouring the campus, I returned to my car defeated, yet oddly hopeful. I opened the driver side door, eyes skimming the ground as I sat down with door still open. And there it was- a brilliant ray of morning sun, acting as a spotlight, shown into the floor of my car in the exact spot where my lens cap lay, upside down, atop a patch of plastic flooring that matched the cap exactly.

I immediately and profusely thanked God for this tender mercy and went to work with a huge smile on my face.

The night ended just as wonderfully. I had a great reciprocal visiting teaching session with Meagan, Alyssa, and Ashley. I love those girls! It's such a blessing to be surrounded by people who share my values.

Thirt Tee Won

I had a great birthday today starting with a serenade from my mum and salmon tinted tulips from Autumn (my favorite flower and sister). When I walked into work, all the teachers and kids sang to me- I got lots of hugs- they made me a birthday banner signed by kids and staff, complete with a gaggle of glitter! As I was getting ready to leave work, a group of kids walked the completed banner towards me, surrounded me and cut off my air supply. Not really, but that would've been creepy. The afternoon staff and kids sang to me- more hugs!

I went to Institute, Br. Johnson and the people hanging out sang to me- a stream of texts poured in throughout the day- I have yet to check my facebook profile, but as of yesterday I'd had several happy birthday posts. Do I feel loved or what?!

I went to Disneyland in the afternoon *for free* It's their new promotional for the year, and then upgraded and bought an annual pass- a gift to myself- Autumn and I met up with Kristen and her friend Joseph-- We went to dinner at the Grand Californian and rode Heimlich's Chew Chew Train- it was my first time, and I laughed my head off for the entire duration of the ride! What a great way to end a first day back at the park-

The day finished with my beloved photography class and when I got home I opened a gift that had been dropped off by my friend Jon...a 24 carrot necklace. That's right folks. Literally. We plan to juice it tomorrow.

p.s. I got my first dslr camera last Friday from Momma. YaY! I shot pix all day on Saturday- loved it! A BIG THANK YOU to everyone whose helped to make this birthday SO special!!! xoxoxo

The Crazy Chicken

I was sitting in Moran's History of Broadcasting class last night when he offered this philosophical gem: We are unnecessarily competitive. There is more than enough for everybody, if we organize it right- so stop hurting each other.

It's a beautiful thought and invitation. What kind of world would it be if everyone operated from a place of abundance rather than scarcity? Certainly our mortal sphere would be a much different place, if everyone had sufficient for their needs.

This is not a Utopian theory- it is a call for the elimination of greed and a belief in abundance.

I'd come home between work and class- Momma brought home El Pollo Loco for dinner-bringin home the chicken- I noted that each of us prefer a different cut- and when all is divvied up, there is a perfect amount for each of us and everyone gets what they want- it works out perfectly. With a little faith, maybe this is how all areas of life are meant to work- not just dinner.

Saved from the Eternal BBQ

This week has been filled with goodies, with the best yet to come; a weekend in the mountains with family- we leave tomorrow- yay!!!

The 24th marked the 8 year anniversary of my return home from my mish and the 27th, my 1 year celebration of semi-regular contribution to this here bloggie-poo.

On Monday, my coworker brought homemade chocolate chocolate chip cookies to work- I told myself I would wait to snag one after a proper lunch, if there were any left- When I finished work, there was one lowly cookie, staring up at my open mouth as I chomped it to oblivion. One left, just for me!

Little Albin came running up to me today, hands cupped, smiling. he said, "dawn. guess what i have." "what is it albin?" his hand blossomed to reveal two plump purple worms with bodies swirled around each other. albin's smile widened, "they're wrestling!" we both started to laugh. SO CUTE!

A miracle transpired yesterday. If ever you've wondered if miracles still happen today, I am here to tell you they do.

I've had a power strip that plugs into a wall outlet, closest in proximity to where I lay my head at night to sleep. This power strip has been the hub of all nightly electrical activity in my room; the alarm clock, stereo, lamp, cell phone charger, and camera battery charger have all juiced up here until two nights ago.

It was akin to a scene from the Haunted Mansion at Disneyland. It started with my alarm clock, which began to flicker. My lamp sulked 12 degrees dimmer than usual, emitting an eerie fluorescent glow instead of it's usual intense white light. There was a faint smell of electrical burn, but I couldn't pin point the source and assumed it must be my lamp which I then promptly turned off. The smell subsided.

In the morning, I found my alarm clock completely dead and my cell phone uncharged. I went to turn on my stereo to listen to my morning news show- it fuzzed out twice, defaulting the tuner to the beginning of the fm dial, causing inconvenient interruptions to my programming. What the heck was going on?!

Long story shorter, I later shuffled things around and plugged my lamp directly into the wall instead of the power strip to see if it would bring back the brightness. It did. As I was plugging my phone into it's charger last night, surely I was hearing a sizzling sound coming from behind my bed. I crouched down to get a closer look. There it was. The converter situated between the power strip plug and the outlet was melting before my very eyes! Hence the smell and all other weirdness.

I quickly unplugged everything and threw the power strip away. An electrical garden had been sucking energy from that source the entire day. A fire could have easily spewed forth from that wirery orifice- I am completely convinced we were protected from harm these past few days. Thanks be to the sheltering hand of the Lord.

Did I Do That?

All week, my sister's car has refused to do it's job and start! Well, today is street sweeping day and you know what that means. Move it or be fined. It was early, round 7:15a.m. Zack came over to give Autumn a ride to work. In addition, he thought he could jump-start her car so she could drive, rather than push, it onto the sidewalk and out of the Sweeper's way.

I'd previously overheard Autumn explaining she'd just bought a new car battery and felt sure that wasn't the source of malfunction. Still, Zack was now attaching battery cables. Old Red's ignition clicked away- nothing connected. Zack unplugged the cables and while storing them in the back seat, I decided I could make his job easier by shutting the hood of his car for him. He could then simply board his car, back it up, and we could push Autumn's car to safety.

Sturdy and almost unwavering, I really had to give his hood a good shove downwards before it connected with the rim of the front bumper. All I saw was the expression on Zack's face, a combination of terror and quivering lips.

Yes. There was a metal rod holding the hood in upright position. And no! I had not removed it from said position before closing the hood! You can imagine my dismay when my eyes commuted from Zack's panged visage to his now v-shaped hood. Oh me! Oh my! Oh no! In the immortal words of Urkel from Family Matters, "Did I do that?"

I immediately boosted the hood back up and reached for the latch which proceeded to break in my hand. That couldn't be good either. The whole thing was just sort of unbelievable. I left the house with intentions of being helpful and I broke Zack's car instead. I'll probably have to pay a pretty penny to get it fixed.

Moral of the story: when given the choice to stay inside your warm cozy home or egress to the frigid exterior and help someone in need, Please! Stay inside! Both of you will be glad you did.

A Vote for Walkable Cities

I would love to live in a walkable city. Why? Opportunistic for cool shoes! And the real reasons: For cleaner fresher air, water, and world; less traffic accidents; less DUI's; retention of moola that might have been spent on fuel, insurance, registration, tickets; increased physical activity; added opportunity for cordial community exchange; less conflict over oil...world peace? OK. Maybe that's taking it a little too far, but the list of benefits go on!

Transportation could be provided for the necessaries: large loads to carry, women giving birth (other medical oriented stuff), travel to far away places, etc. But, if a majority of movement could be made by foot, everyone might just be a lot happier and healthier. AND incidents (as mentioned in above post) would be eradicated from reality.

P!S! After walking back to the house from noted auto-fiasco, we discovered the storm drain had detached itself from the side of the garage and landed on top my grandmother's Camry, leaving a large gray scratch in place of the once umber-toned paint. Another mishap that could have been avoided if we didn't have such a dependency on automobiles!

Spirited Away

Today at work I was surrounded by the chitlins- I've been given an opportunity this week to get to know some of the younger kids at The Center, as age groups 2&3 and 4&5 are combined for Winter Session.

We were in a woodsy corner of the yard where clusters of bamboo and pine tangle together forming a natural wall separating us from the outside world.
Some of the kids were showing off their bamboo balancing skills when without warning, pine cone particles began spilling from the tree tops. I heard a rustling in the boughs and told the kids we had a visitor-- "A squirrel is having lunch up there." I pointed skyward.

A hush fell over the group. We all huddled together, chins up, trying to locate the little critter. "I don't see it!" came the bewildered chorus. "I don't see the squirrel either." I tried to appease them. The kids resumed their acrobatics.

Claire approached me. Something had just fallen on her head. I removed a russet colored pine cone piece. And then the little showers of debris began again. This time the squirrel was hopping from one tree to another. We watched it shower over there, then there, then there... I smiled.

Phoenix deduced, "I can't see the squirrel, but I can hear it! And I can feel it!" The thought came, "this is a perfect parallel to the Holy Ghost!" I paused. My eyes began to get all salty-wet as I looked at this sweet little girl and thought of how precious kids are- We had just experienced an eternal truth in a new way.

Jan You Air Re

This smorning Erin and I put our best feet forward! As tradition, 2009 marks year New Years Day Hike #3. :)

We rolled along the 110, and followed the twisting curves of San Pedro. Across the board, every possible view was dripping with fog. It reminds me of the new song my brother and I made up last night. Put to the chorus of The Killers, Human, "Are we driving? Or are we flying? Are they clouds? We can't tell..."

8 hours later the land of So Cal was still blanketed in brume. Erin and I managed to arrive at a perfect hiking spot. We drove aimlessly right to a hillside dropping down to a rocky beach. Here is what we found on our adventure:

1. Drunken ninja man, dressed in black from head to toe, stumbling over the tall grass across the street. He was calling out to the wind, "Yaaaaaghhhh! Ughhhh-Yaghhhh!" fighting some invisible force known only to him. We stood in amazement, hoping he'd win.

2. A beach side cat colony- approximately 60 gatos! They are being fed and cared for by a team of volunteers, one is a woman named Sandy who had pushed her graying hair back with a fuzzy black cat-eared head band. She gave us the low-down on the situation-

3. Sea glass for Sarah L., frosted by the relentless pounding of the sea.

4. A network of rock-side channels, miniature water slides.

5. Rob and family who'd arranged a tiered kaleidoscope of flowers and fruits as an New Year's offering to the God of the Sea. Talk about organic art. Swollen purple grapes, placed inside a halved coconut, floating in a bath of molasses, mangoes tangoing with oranges... Yum!

It was such a beautiful varied morning & early afternoon, which brings me to my New Years Resolution. Grateful girl in 2009.

Happy start of the year to you all! Much Love!!!

Who does Number 2 Work For?

I find myself thinking a lot lately about a dear former friend. We used to spend gobs of time together. Gobs is actually an understatement. Our spirits had been surgically sewn together.

Sadness caused his face to crumble the day we parted ways. I was leaving for my mission. Yes, *sigh*, that was a long time ago... If I had known, as he most probably did then, that that moment would eventuate our slow divide, my face most likely would have joined The Puffy Pink Pancake Club too.

Those few years together were sheer panacea; The Wonder Years; some of the happiest times of my life. (Funny how our minds can polish memories into perfection-overlooking the rough and tumbly.)

I miss our connection. I hope to find someone like him again one day, God willing.

Sweet Ginger

Ginger Cox married Sean Jones today. They are so happy together. *Yay* I happened to be volunteering at the L.A. temple and finagled my way into being assigned to Ginger's wedding party- Hah! Ha!

When I approached Ginger and Sean to unite them with their adoring, but reverent, fans, Ginger invited me to witness their sealing- that was sweet of her! During this same shift, I ran into a couple whom were married last November, whose family I had been assigned to help congregate, and now his brother was getting sealed- both cousins of Mark Wright... Small world!

Speaking of love at Christmas time... though ironic it is, did you know mistletoe is a parasitic plant that usurps nutrients and water from it's host plant? It's also poisonous... I wonder who decided to deem it the trigger to share a kiss.

"Look honey! A poisonous parasite is looming above us! Can't eat it, but why don't you come over here and gimme a kiss!"

Butterfly in the Sky

I can fly twice as high.

Yesterday I crashed an advanced writing class in order to be a part of a magical experience. Levar Burton, a familiar name to anyone with children or a childhood over the past 25 years, is the proud co-creator and former host of the pivotal children's show Reading Rainbow. But you don't have to take my word for it.

The series aired by PBS from June 6, 1983 until November 10, 2006, encouraged reading among children. Each episode centered on a theme from a children's book and was explored through a number of segments or stories. In later years the series tackled issues that other children's programs have historically avoided, such as poverty in U.S. inner cities, the September 11 attacks, childbirth and its impact on the family, and prison, all from a child's point of view.

Levar has an electrifying presence. It was such a pleasure to be in the same room with him. He spoke for practically 2 hours. He asked which of us were born to be filmmakers. Which of us MUST make films? If we don't wake up every morning living, breathing, and dreaming the film making process, then it is time to get out now.
Find your passion.

He told us of his journey from USC grad to stardom. His first film role was Kunta Kinte in Roots. I remember watching that 8 hr miniseries in 10th grade history with Mr. White. In the period of a week, when Roots aired, Levar's life changed forever.

He talked about the importance of balance. If there was one thing he would have done differently in early life, it would be to just relax. Relax. Everything will work for your good.

The life he dreamed of as a youth was never as good as his life has turned out to be. He gives all the credit to God. It was awesome to hear him praise and offer thanks to God in front of the class.

Stepping Into Liquid

I attended a baptism tonight. I'd originally planned on going straight home after Linger Longer clean up (Linger Longer = snacks after church). Instead, I drove myself straight to the baptism and thoroughly enjoyed it.

A young man baptized his girlfriend of two years. I watched as they entered the water together, both dressed in white. I thought about the commandments they were living in order to be worthy of participating in that ordinance.

While millions of teenagers in the world are caught up in themselves, partying, drugs, sex...the list goes on- here are two young people who care deeply for the Lord. They are committed to Him and to living His teachings.

I am so grateful I ignored what I wanted to do and chose instead to be a part of an uplifting evening. The Lord's way is always the better way.

What Choo Talkin Bout?!

As I reviewed Our Hearts Knit As One by Elder Eyring yesterday, the immortal words of the "Different Strokes" theme song came into my mind-

Everybody finds a way to shine,
It don't matter if you haven't got a lot
They'll have theirs, You'll have yours, and I'll have mine.
And together we'll be fine....
Because it takes, Diff'rent Strokes to move the world.
Yes it does.

What this song says to me is, there is abundance in the world and I have a little piece of it. Each of us carries a person-sized portion. This is why we must work together to combine our parts to make a whole. Each of us has a unique gift to contribute. Knitting our hearts together as One.


Two of the stand-out thoughts from Elder Eyring's talk were:

1. The Great Truths of the Gospel are more important than our differences.

2. Differences can help bring you what you lack and help you serve God better.

I sometimes feel intimidated by qualities in others that make them different from me. Fear exists because the Unknown exists. We fear things only because we feel there's a possibility they can hurt us...

I now know that differences in others are encouragements for us to become better and stretch a little further.

Prevent the Madness

Just when you thought there was nothing left to burn...California is on fire... again. This time it started in Santa Barbara County Thursday night.

Since Thursday evening, the wildfires in Southern California have destroyed an estimated 800 mobile homes, houses, apartments and other buildings and blackened an estimated 67 square kilometers of land. Street signs are melting like milkshakes.
Add to this, the infamous Santa Ana winds, scorching temperatures (which were predicted earlier in the week), low humidity levels, and you've got a recipe for disaster.

Fire erupted in both Orange and Riverside counties last night.

Capt. Leonard Grill, a 20-year veteran of the Riverside County Fire Department,has been quoted as saying, "It's gotten worse and worse every year. I can't keep track of them anymore. These used to be the out-of-the-ordinary fires, once-in-a-career kind of fires. Now they're every year."

On a local level, a blanket of smoke that came from the North stretching towards the sea, choked all the blue from the sky. Buckets of ash were falling in flurries to the ground- California's version of a "winter" storm?

Employees at Costco were wearing masks to prevent extreme exposure to the carcinogenic dust. The afternoon took on a bit of an Apocalyptic feel... This mornings air quality is incredibly poor. It's really difficult the breathe right now. *cough* *cough*

Interesting that these fires are raging on the weekend of the planned nation wide protest against Prop 8. Could this be God's way of saying, "Protesters stay home."
It's very possible.

The Garden

Today I attended a pot luck lunch at the Wild Oats Organic Garden in Long Beach upon invitation from my co-worker Charlene. If I could give Charlene a nickname, it would be Mother Earth...She is One with the soil, rooted deep in concern for the environment. I like her. She's always smiling and her pockets are filled with inner peace.

The idea of a Community Garden fascinates and intrigues me. It appeals to me in every way! People come together, practicing principles of self-sufficiency, organic sustainable living, hard work, and getting back to the basics. It's a remarkable way to connect with your neighbors and the serenity of creation!

A note about the pot luck lunch- (they have work days from 9-12 every 1st and 3rd Saturday which ends with lunch at 12ish- let me just say, the chicken dogs, homemade lemon hummus, fresh salads, and the thick sweetness of the raw smoothies were divine!) Come give service and then enjoy the food!

What I learned:

Spinach doesn't like to grow in heat.

There is a variation of mint that tastes like lime called, of all things, lime mint.

Cauliflower comes in purple.

The director of the garden, Heidi, is brilliant and she says non-profit work is SO much harder than being an Executive Program Developer...she wants to create a quilt of gardens throughout the city.

If you eat a pot belly pig, it will trigger a virus in your body that goes straight to your brain and makes you wacko.

I ate with a potato fork. (Forks can be made out of potato!!!) AND I've drank from a biodegradable cup made from corn!

Sorrel is a baby green that tastes like lemon!

LBCC has a spring sale with all sorts of seeds and starters for sale!

Quote for the day: A poochie poochie girl in a gucci gucci world.

West Coast Rendering Company off of 4105 Bandini Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90058 has a subdivision, which I believe is called Baking Commodities, who are part of the animal food production process. They add all sorts of evils to pet food, such as cancerous cow tumors, and euthanized animals from the pound... dogs weren't meant to eat other dogs were they? Combine this with the soy and wheat that go into most major brands of pet food and wuh-la! You've got pets with cancer, allergies, asthma...

I met Johnny the urban missionary, who was tending his plot. He plans to embark on a missionary trip around the world in 2010 through a program called TheWorldRace.org

I took a hulking amount of photos- maybe I'll post some on Facebook...

I thoroughly enjoyed my time at the Wild Oats Garden.

Just the Beginning

The elections were three days ago, and proved historic is so many ways. On a personal note, it was my first time getting involved in a campaign, one which was not just political, but moral too. I am so thankful I was able to participate in the overwhelming task of fighting for freedom of religion and the sanctity of marriage within one of the most liberal states of the Union. Sweat, disappointment, and blessings flowed, as the LDS community, in a small way, helped Proposition 8 to pass. We were a small cog in a BIG wheel.

I spoke with a gay father several weeks ago, and his words now return to my mind. "No matter which side "wins", you think that will be the end? This is just the beginning!" Is it really the beginning though? It seems to me, an extension of the war that has been waging since the beginning of the earth.

I watched the 11 o'clock news last night. They had air-cam shots of the L.A. temple. No on 8 protesters swarmed the grounds, flooding the streets. The boiling point was reached when some of our Pacific Islander brothers and sisters began tearing down hateful signs that had been posted on the temple gates, and telling protesters to take their anger and energy somewhere else. They were among the few brave enough to face the rioting masses.

Threats were made regarding the temple, fire and destruction were promised- Thankfully the temple was reopened today and serenity has maintained. The Lord is protecting us.

Yes Means No

I've had a wonderful afternoon doing something I LOVE; Interviewing a bunch of people while holding a video camera. The first was my potential documentary subject, (a.k.a. homework.) Afterward, I met up with David Land-o-Lakes to distribute yard signs for Proper 8. 1st street, one bumper sticker, 2nd street, one sign and 2 bumper stickers, and as we were shrouding the metal post with it's plastic sign cover, 2 neighbors began their ascent upon us. Here it comes Dave-o. They want to scrap. The first guy says,"I want one of your signs. How can I get one?" "Uh, I've got a trunk full. I'll give you one." The guy next to him says, "Give me one too. In fact give me three." Then his neighbor comes driving down the street. He stops him in the center of the road. "Hey! Yes means No! You voting Yes on 8?! Give him a sign too." Then this same guy calls to this lady whose just emerged from a 3rd house. "You want a Prop 8 sign for your yard?" he calls to her. She says yes! Are you keeping count with me, cause I'm not. :) The man who instigates this all, disappears into his garage, brings back a 20 ft. ladder and leans it against a towering tree in his front yard, shimmies up, and lassos two sign around the highest point of the trunk! Talk about the right place at the right time! And I caught a bunch of it on video!

The night closed with FHE dinner and Luau and an interview with Wayne, a guy I'd met with Johnathan last Saturday when we walked for Prop 8. Lets just say Wayne is absolutely hilarious! I hope to have his video posted on You Tube by Thursday.

The Four Agreements

I have a screen writing class on Wednesday nights. My prof is a former lawyer turned Hollywood writer. He possesses the vernacular of a genius yet, thanks to 20 years in all boys schools and years in a profession where swearing is almost prerequisite, managed to pick up a sailor's tongue. The man wreaks of brilliance and I knew he could do so much better than the protruding prolificness of his four-letter-word vocabulary!

So it happened one night- towards the end of September. Class ended and I was gathering my belongings, seriously considering dropping the class. The thought came to my mind, if not now, when? If not you, who? (a reiteration from Sunday's meeting regarding Prop 8). How awkward to approach the professor about his word choices.

It was the first class meeting I had made a vocal presence, overcoming my shut-down defense mode. I had made an impression on the professor- he'd even asked my name. This helped me in initiating the conversation. He started with, "So how are you liking the course?" "Well, I like parts of it..." "Oh no just parts?" "Yah I can explain it to you once everyone has left." It's just the two of us now:

"This is really hard for me to say..." I trailed off.

"Did I do something wrong?" his voice was worried, sincerely. "Not intentionally or maliciously," I replied, trying to ease his mind. "It's just that it's hard for me to listen to swearing." He took a step back and raised his hand to his mouth.
"I am so sorry. I had no idea..." He continued, "I needed to hear this. I need to push the envelope of literacy. Do me a favor. If I slip, will you raise your hand? You don't have to say anything, just raise your hand and I'll know what you mean. We can even keep a tally going on the board. Should we involve the class?"
"If you want to..." "Let's see how we feel come next week."

His reaction was above and beyond anything I could have hoped for. I choked back tears of joy as I walked to my car that night.

The next Wednesday not only marked the start of October, but a renewal of all that is beautiful regarding this class. Not a single swear word left his lips! NOT ONE! It was wonderful. I was able to let down my guard and soak in the class content unconstrained. My trust, respect, and appreciation blossomed for this man.

Where's the Candy?

Breakfasting with pops:

I stayed home from work today, a climactic finish to the build-up of Monday's attack of evil-throat. Presently, to formulate any kind of audible speech is pure exasperation!

We laughed over runny eggs and and homemade wheat toast, Pops doing most of the talking and joking, as my voice is on hiatus. It went a little bit like this: "You know, McCain has seen the face of evil! I didn't know Cheney was at the Convention." (A Jay Leno joke.) My dad joked about Maureen (my Australian Mom) coming for a visit next year, accompanied for the first time by her husband Zeller. They were married in 2005. :) They'll pull up in the army jeep. Mo will emerge wearing camouflage, and call out, "Zeller! Front and center!" His scenario was too silly, considering Maureen is relatively soft spoken. Then he included me in his fun.

A bit of background:

My dad was born and raised in Washington Heights NYC. I've visited twice. The first time I went with my Aunt Wendy. We found and met Aunt Lucy, my father's mother's sister. She was living out the end of her days in a Bronx nursing home. She knew exactly who I was when I started talking about my father Richard. "You're the preemie!" she exclaimed.

My second trip to NYC was with Maureen (Mo). The two of us have done quite a bit of traveling together. During this trip, Mo supported me in a second endeavor to connect with Lucy. Just as we exited the subway in the Bronx it starting to rain. We jogged parallel to Van Cortlandt Park and sought respite under a drug store's awning. This is when my pops corrected me. "They're called candy stores in New York...We don't have drug stores. Although, most candy stores were simply fronts for drug dealers."

As Mo and I are standing under this awning, we're wondering why we're still getting wet. A man to our right, who is managing to stay dry, gives us the answer. "Hey lady. You're standing under a hole." We look up. So we are. Daddy loves to recall this, and other personal past chagrins.

He recalled a favorite childhood purchase, an emerald colored fountain drink, the Green Rickey. A sweet lime-ish concoction.

I love my green Rickey.

Give Me Back My Phone!

Part II of previous entry:

While in the shuttle, walking to our seats at the Bowl, and thereafter, I would periodically fish around my handbag, then the shoulder bag it was sitting in, grasping for any object that remotely felt like my cell phone. I was sure I had brought my phone with me.

Upon returning home, I poured all contents of both bags onto my bedroom floor... No Phone! How could this be??? Wait a minute. Retrieving seating arrangements from mental compartment: Johnathan, me, my bags, strange man stuffing face with greasy popcorn and guzzling beer. Hmmm. He left his seat mid performance and NEVER CAME BACK! Dun Dun Dun! Could it be that I was robbed?! My heart began to pound as I thought of all the potential lost phone numbers and the inconvenience of procuring a new phone!

I'm just sure I had it in my purse! (You know how the mind begins to fog in moments of anxiety?) Maybe I was completely off. Maybe my phone was somewhere in the house. I ran to the kitchen phone, dialed my number, and then proceeded to listen VERY carefully for the whispered buzz it would emit upon connection. Nothing! But the phone was ringing. My voice mail clicked on, but where was my pre-recorded message?? Simultaneously, the caller ID flashed my phone number. How strange! *BEEP* I began leaving a message for the perpetrator holding my phone captive! (My voice was a raspy desperate whisper):

"Hello. You have my phone. Give me back my phone. I need my phone. Give it back! Good Byyyyyyyyyyyyyye...."

I hung up. The number was still flashing on the caller ID. I read it one last time...562...805...wait a minute! That's not my number! I'd switched two of the numbers around!

Some poor unsuspecting person woke up that morning, saw they missed a call at 1:50 a.m., then listened as some creepy whispering weirdo was going on about their phone; a non-stolen stolen phone!!!

A Chair of Bowlies

It was a Saturday August 30th, 2008. I had walked for Prop 8 in the morning with Miss Cassidy. We had a few truly unexpected encounters. The first two doors we knocked on were answered by felons...why were they on our list of registered voters? Then there was the ribbiting motion detector frog. Cat asked the couple, "If the frog were to vote today..." Cat came with me to Costco- we had lunch, bought and loaded 7 watermelons into my car, then I drove to church where I met Johnathan.

I mentioned to him a group was going to the Hollywood Bowl that night. John Williams was to conduct the L.A. Phil while they played various film scores he has composed spanning half a century. J said lets go!

We found free parking by the Kodak Theater and proceeded to scout out a foodish venue. While in the midst of a crowd waiting to cross the street, my and Johnathan's gaze were pulled in opposite directions as we stepped off the curb. There to my left, was a greasy middle aged man, cradling a digital camera, which he was aiming straight at the women's butts in front of him! As he began snapping away, I uttered, "Sicko!" But he continued on. Johnathan on the other hand was busy being baffled by a second man clad in cowboy boots and black underwear. (I thought that was strictly a Times Square phenomenon...) When we hit the opposite curb we both turned to each other and exclaimed, "Did you see that?!"

This was Johnathan's first concert of any kind. What a beauty it was. Projected on gigantic flat screens were various film clips and medleys which coincided with the live music. My favorite part was the army of light sabers sprouting up as the opening strains of the Star Wars theme song began. Stems of red, green, and blue bounced to the beat of the symphonic swells. It put a HUGE smile on my face.

After the show we opted to walk back to the car, bypassing the hour long shuttle line and rows of cars piled bumper to bumper for miles.

This brings me to one of L.A.'s little treasures. The only street food L.A. can really claim it's own: the famed "heart-attack dogs". Passing by a string of carritos, the smell of bacon coiled hot dogs, onions, peppers, and poblano chilies crackling and spitting on an open grill captured our full attention. (Swirl a bit of mayonnaise on top and your mouth will be caught up in the rapture.)

We had parked behind Crossroads of the World, hailed as America's first modern shopping mall. Located on Sunset Boulevard and Las Palmas, the mall features a central building designed to resemble an ocean liner surrounded by a small village of cottage-style bungalows, complete with a working lighthouse! Once a busy outdoor shopping center, the Crossroads now hosts private offices. It has been used for location shooting in many films such as L.A. Confidential.

It was here that J and I tried to cut through the parking lot to Sunset. Bad move! Two monstrous thugs quickly came into view. They began yelling and ascending upon us as we drove past them. We didn't dare slow down for fear that they might thrash us with heavy chains. Our bypassing them only led us to a fenced off parking lot- Oh No! What now?! J said, "I'm gonna turn around and mow them over if I have to!" Thankfully we were able to maneuver past them. It felt like we tore out of that lot at 65 mph!

The last incident of the night had to do with my phone, but I'll save that for the next entry. :)

The State of Our Unions.

A button that will certainly sizzle when touched, is the controversially charged Proposition 8. It will be voted on by the people November 4th. If passed, it will amend to our State's Constitution to read, only marriage between a man and a woman is recognized or valid in the state of California.

There is a growing friction between "Tradition" and "Tolerance".
I wrestle with both words. I feel traditions are mainly people-perpetuated-practices.

Prop 8 reinforces something more powerful than a conventional or orthodox custom. Marriage is an eternal law and a commandment tailored by God. He created boundaries for this alliance. His direction for a man and woman to leave their families and partner in marriage remains unchanged.

The very fact that the perpetuation of our race depends on this type of union should be proof enough that God's instruction is inherent, real, and necessary. This speaks nothing to the ends of morality or the potential loss of civil rights associated with this Proposition.

We live in a confusing world. A cornucopia of lifestyles have come into practice, and subtly and slowly, have become permissible. If tolerance means turning a blind eye or numbing the heart in the name of Acceptance, then I can not accept.

I wonder how many of us truly understand the significance and ramifications of this legislation (Prop 8), or even care.

A "Yes" vote will preserve God's definition of marriage. A "No" vote will allowed the recent decision of the California Supreme Court's 4-3 vote to remain intact; legalization of same-sex marriage.

I will be voting Yes on 8.

For more info on Prop 8 visit:

http://protectmarriage.com

They Might Be Giants

I could say many wonderful things about Family Camp at Lake Sequoia- (I just returned.) My aunt Wendy started attending Central Valley YMCA Family Camp 4 years ago, fell in love with it the first year, and has extended an indefinite invitation to me for the years thereafter- I have since completed 3 successful stints, returning to the same wonderful place, the 2nd week in August, each year.

What I thoroughly enjoy about Family Camp:

Oscar a fellow camper turned friend, leading us through swathes of tall grass, wild rose, and Indian Paintbrush. Hovering close to the towering Redwood Sequoias, stooping down to scoop up one of it's pine cones, and marvel at how an entity so considerable in size, precipitated from beginnings so small. The constant smell of earth and pine. Recurring reminders of Creation. Lake hikes. Campfire in all it's silliness and glory. (Families take turns performing skits, songs, etc. each night at sundown-).

Above all, my favorite event is "family camp rules" volleyball! The camaraderie and sheer joy of it all! My love for the sport was born 5000 feet above Fresno, 3 years ago, and has since shown me likable aspects of my personality I wasn't aware existed before. An unexpected blessing.

You shall know a tree by it's fruits, and Sequoia Family Camp is irrefutably, terrific timber.

The Dawntrix Rebuffed.

I am feeling utterly rebuffed. Three! Count them, three times I've been abruptly refused passage into my latest facebook obsession: Pieces of Flair. Mind you, I've only been a subscriber to this application for 5 days, but it's latched hold of my brain, and is threatening to take hostages!

The snubbery started this morning when I dragged myself to the computer at 5am because I couldn't sleep. Power on, Internet...not connecting- Weak signal. I tried engaging the signal at least 92 times- without success. Then, when at the computer lab this afternoon, I told myself I would only check my email to get a ph # I'd emailed to myself. My hand maneuvered the mouse in such a way, that I found myself trying to log onto Pieces of Flair! I swear officer- It wasn't me!!! And then, for a third time I was not allowed access! This time it was due to kinks in the app. Moral of this story: do not put your trust in the applications of man.

This Sure is Quality Popcorn

On Wednesday night I tagged along with Autumn and Erin to see a movie at the beach- the cinematic classic Casablanca, with a surging soundtrack of the sea behind it. (One of the many reasons I love L.B.).

The best part of the night was riding bikes to and from Autumn's place- like cowgirls tackling the West, we rode into the sunset. Literally. We were drenched in golden luster.

Before the film began, levity ensnared us-

It started over the quality of the free popcorn being handed out in WWII-style rationings. Erin was mortified that it was bagged rather than freshly popped. She reminisced about the days when she used to buy cheese flavored popcorn from an elementary school, far superior to the homogenized yellow puffs we were now munching on. Her solemnity and conviction spurred us on.

"This stuff isn't even popped in America!"

"Do you smell that? Smells like... lead!"

"How can you keep eating at a time like this!"

"These kernels probably date back to the 80's before they started turning corn into fuel- No wonder it's so crappy! It's vintage!"

There we were, three little burritos, wrapped snuggly in our blankets and hoodies, laughing hysterically into the night.

Silly Martian, Tricks are for Kids.

While studying for my summer class final,(Music for Early Childhood Ed.), I was allowed a single note card to miraculously cram 6 weeks worth of copious notes onto- a teacher-approved cheat sheet... Because it was early morning and only hours till the exam, words began spilling out my pen all rushed and googily... For example:

Instead of writing the song title, Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes, I began with, "Heads...". This version of the song was arranged with Martian-children in mind. After all, the goal is all-inclusive classrooms, right?

Still on Tuesday of this week: To give you an idea of how little "the little things in (my) life..." can be, let's just say that 3 weeks ago I enthusiastically planned my schedule around donating blood on Wednesday in order to claim a coupon for a free Subway sandwich- (Food... a legitimate and persuasive bait!)

Anyway- to my surprise, I saw what looked like the Blood Donor Trailer, parked in it's usual spot, a day early! Beads of drool starting forming prematurely at the sides of my mouth...

I marched over to the trailer, cleared my throat and said, "Excuse me. I'd like to donate." The woman with her back to me, wearing scrubs and fishing for something inside a drawer, turned around and paused.

Then, with a mix of confusion and curiosity she asked, "Donate what?"

"Ummm, blood?"

"Honey, we're doing free Pap and STD testing."

OK Dawn, just like we practiced; Smile, nod your head, and slowly back away from the vehicle.

What Drink Are You?

Just one of the millions of applications (I'm sure), that you can add to your facebook page- I saw it on a friend's profile today. She's a Cosmopolitan: Girly, Stylish, Classy. I could chose to think nothing of this little app, but I often tend to careen about in an ocean of scrutiny...so...here's what I came up with: External entities defining our very selves. Another cloud-like haze to cover our eyes while here on earth.

I spent many formative years concocting an outward image, how I wanted people to interpret me as an individual, based on style and personal interests. Sure, style and interests are great, I guess it's the motive that bothers me.

What measures do we use to define ourselves?

Advertisers want us to believe it's trendy brands, fast cars, what you've got on your ipod...that will morph us into chic, attractive, fashionable peeps. We will increase our surplus population of friends if we shop the isles of this world carefully.

It's not the ruby blush of a Cosmopolitan that defines us, but the inner fire of our souls, burning white with divinity. The spirit's inhabiting our bodily frames are what make us each unique, courageous, and lovable.

Mind, Tummy, and Soul

I've just experienced one of the best evenings of my life! Driving home, I felt like I was wrapped in a soft fuzzy blanket, plucked straight from the dryer! We had Enrichment Night (dinner club) @ Jamie C's tonight. We laughed, lounged, and savored ethnic cuisine in her top floor apartment by the beach. Candle light danced in the cool salty breeze. Talk about a glorious comfort food concoction! The main course was a chicken potato rice dish that catapulted us all into Nirvana! Our Columbian dinner was complemented by the fried plantains and fresh frothy watermelon juice. YUM!

Meaningful faith-building conversation intertwined with random silliness; Jamie busted out an airbrush makeup kit, then proceeded to give impromptu makeovers- high tech glamor at it's finest...I left feeling (and looking) a million times better than when I arrived- what a gift! One last highlight: Tamara and I dished out some love to the burgeoning hydrangea plant at the bottom of the stairs. We laughed till we were red in the face. Happiness abounds.

It is true- life is SO much better when you have wonderful people to share it with.

My family is...

The oxygen in my tank.

Today is my dad's birthday. He's pushing 60 and I'm in denial... how has life slipped by so quickly? Today was wonderful. It started with Stake Conference (a special quarterly church meeting where several congregations meet together.) The take home message (for me) was: look for the good in everyone and everything. I recommitted myself to this personal goal while in the conference session, then proceeded to break said commitment only half a day later while on an evening walk with pops- I took it upon myself to critique a newfangled landscaping fad that's sweeping my neighborhood. To go into details here would only further violate my new personal code- Take home point: What we look for becomes all we can see.

Justin and I drove out to Harbor 2nd Ward post conference. The ward building is nestled below the Palos Verde Hills with the Pacific just beyond the rolling green. I took a moment while walking across the courtyard, to stop and watch the clouds pour over the roof's edge- the misty clumps swirling and crashing into each other, then slowly pulling apart like feverish taffy fresh off the stove. I was filled with gratitude for the gospel and all the wonders that testify of God.

Before the evening walk, I studied my dad's face in the moonlight and flashed back to a time when I was 10. My dad used to take each Altier child on a "date night" once a month. My most vivid recollection of this practice is when he and I walked to the now non-existent drive-thru dairy a few blocks away from our home, where he let me choose any item I wished on his dime. We walked back home as I shoved mini powdered donuts into my mouth, one after another, developing a coating of sugary dust on my face and shirt- my childhood memories are sweet. Thank you parental units, and thanks be to God.
Happy birthday Daddy. xoxoxo