Crystal's Random Blog

The Last 5 Years

2010-03-02T08:15:00.000-08:00

I have been reading through my blog. It's amazing how much has changed in 5 years. Though I would never say or do some of the things I blogged about before, I still agree with a lot of my old thoughts. At the core, I am still me. I am still a liberal "tree hugger", I am still a researcher(/stalker?), I am still anti-social and sarcastic, and I still love music and singing. Little things still bug me. While I was reading the older posts, I was thinking how much I wish I could set the paragraph format to "Justify", now I can. haha

I am not clinging to God as I did 5 years ago. My beliefs in that way seem to have changed a lot. I think I craved that meaning and oneness at that time but truly my beliefs were not that far off from where they are now, I just was emerged in the culture and needed something to believe in and music is the easiest way to persuade me.

Let's see, I am an aunt now. I have a sister-in-law. I wouldn't have expected that 5 years ago. My father has passed by his own hand, I wouldn't have seen that coming either. My mother has been living with me for a while, I wouldn't have imagined that a year ago...I barely can now. ha. I know I even posted about that in 2005, and as Jenny (the Great) commented, "If she is in need, that is when you owe her" so, I guess I owe her (for now). I still don't talk to my half-sister but she is my "friend" on social sites. haha

I have been with my current boyfriend, for nearly 3 years. He just bought a house in town, and that is not something I would have seen coming either since I would love to leave Las Vegas but I love him more.

What else? I was a Private Investigator for a while and that is not surprising at all! I did love that job, but it did not prove to be as lucrative as I had hoped.

One thing that hasn't really changed is the people in my life. I still have a group of people that I consider my closest friends. We may not all see each other as much as we used to but I still hold them close to my heart and would do anything for them. There are people I am still friends with now that five years ago it would have seemed impossible.

I was inspired by my post to listen to "The Last Five Years" musical while typing this. See, I haven't changed that much. I'm not sure that I will continue updating. I do have thoughts on some of the things I touched on in this post but I'll just see how it goes...

16 THINGS THAT IT TOOK ME OVER 50 YEARS TO LEARN:

2007-03-27T15:17:00.000-07:00

By Dave Barry

1. Never, under any circumstances, take a sleeping pill and a laxative on the same night.

2. If you had to identify, in one word, the reason why the human race has not achieved, and never will achieve, its full potential, that word would be 'meetings.'

3. There is a very fine line between 'hobby' and 'mental illness.'

4. People who want to share their religious views with you almost never want you to share yours with them.

5. You should not confuse your career with your life.

6. Nobody cares if you can't dance well. Just get up and dance.

7. Never lick a steak knife.

8. The most destructive force in the universe is gossip.

9. You will never find anybody who can give you a clear and compelling reason why we observe daylight savings time.

10. You should never say anything to a woman that even remotely suggests that you think she's pregnant unless you can see an actual baby emerging from her at that moment.

11. There comes a time when you should stop expecting other people to make a big deal about your birthday. That time is age eleven.

12. The one thing that unites all human beings, regardless of age, gender, religion, economic status or ethnic background, is that, deep down inside, we ALL believe that we are above average drivers.

13. A person, who is nice to you, but rude to a waiter, is not a nice person (This is very important. Pay attention. It never fails.)

14. Your friends love you anyway.

15. Never be afraid to try something new. Remember that a lone amateur built the Ark... A large group of professionals built the Titanic.

16. Thought for the day: Men are like fine wine.. They start out as grapes, and it's up to the women to stomp the crap out of them until they turn into something acceptable to have dinner with.

I got this in my email, thought I'd share.

My Temperment...

2007-02-23T12:52:00.001-08:00

I took this quiz and it seems to be very accurate in it's description of me.

You Have a Melancholic Temperament

Introspective and reflective, you think about everything and anything.

You are a soft-hearted daydreamer. You long for your ideal life.

You love silence and solitude. Everyday life is usually too chaotic for you.

Given enough time alone, it's easy for you to find inner peace.

You tend to be spiritual, having found your own meaning of life.

Wise and patient, you can help people through difficult times.

At your worst, you brood and sulk. Your negative thoughts can trap you.

You are reserved and withdrawn. This makes it hard to connect to others.

You tend to over think small things, making decisions difficult.

What Temperment Are You?

New

2007-01-03T10:32:00.000-08:00

New post, new phone, new stereo, new outlook, new year.

Here's to fresh starts and a fantastic year!

I will not leave you with empty promises of updates...but I will try to update more. I just need to complete some pending posts and you'll beg me to stop blogging. Not really...but you get the point.

I hope all is well for all of you in the blogosphere.

Take care.

Violated

2006-11-11T12:13:00.001-08:00

To the people who broke into my car:

The camera bag had nothing in it but filters...enjoy.

The CDs you stole will not be for high resale. Not many are in the CD black market for musical and high school choir CDs. There are some original CDs but really, I haven't bought any CDs since the 90's...all else has been burned.

That's all I have to say about this....

Rock the Vote.

2006-10-24T08:26:00.000-07:00

I voted! Will you?

for.get.ful: Marked by neglectful or heedless failure to remember

2006-08-29T21:28:00.000-07:00

Back by popular demand.

Hi all. How's it's going? I hope everything is great. Me? I'm good. Since the last time that I really wrote in here I got a new car, I got into a "community" choir, I had my cat neutered, went to a couple of weddings, I had an emotional breakdown (or two), I've sung songs, danced dances, drank drinks...

I don't know what to update about in particular. Any suggestions? You are the ones harrassing me...give me ideas.

HA

2006-08-08T05:44:00.000-07:00

Is it bad that I forgot that I made the last post?

Is it bad that I forgot what I was going to post??

Is it worse that I have no intention of posting?! Just kidding!

This isn't going to be the greatest post because really, how great can it be at 5:30 in the morning?

Let's see...where to start?

I have an audition today for the Las Vegas Master Singers. I am not a big fan of sight singing but I will try my best. I will be interested to see if this interferes with my church music group because the rehearsals are on the same day. (Maybe I found my way out. ha)

In a couple of days Janell and I will be going to San Diego. We are both very excited to get out of town. It's only for a weekend (plus Monday) but it will be good. Of course, if you know Janell at all..you can expect us to post a ton of pictures. :)

So...anyhow, I should get ready for work! I'll try to update again sometime soon...ish. (I'll try not to forget!)

Wait!

2006-07-14T06:00:00.000-07:00

It's been a while, I know.

I just wanted to let my few readers know that I am planning to update sometime soon. It's just hard to figure out where to start. So...just wait for it!

TFTD

2006-06-12T15:41:00.000-07:00

"People are lonely because they build walls instead of bridges."

~Joseph Fort Newton

Good Night Baltimore

2006-06-06T07:24:00.000-07:00

06/06/06! AHH! Oh well. I don't expect anything exraordinary today. The only bad thing that I foresee today is my choir rehearsal.

So, for those who didn't know, Hairspray is closing on June 11th. If I were Spamalot, I would be scared. I am going to make sure I see it in it's first month. I am very sad that Broadway doesn't work here in Vegas. We are fortunate with our variety of shows but it's not the same as a Broadway show. There are only so many times you can go to see showgirls...which I haven't done at all thus far.

Moving on...it's amazing how time goes by and things are in constant movement. People move, people grow up, people fight, people stay silent, people stand up for themselves, people change.

Good luck to Megan, David & Colin who just moved out to Colorado! Good luck to my brother who moved in with his girlfriend (omg).

One day I plan to write an entry that isn't just fluff, but this is it for now. Bye!

Last Action Weekend

2006-05-22T07:14:00.000-07:00

Rock and roll, booze, police, a high speed chase, an accident, a rescue and one girl's race against time. That was my weekend.

I'll start at the begining. On Friday night, Janell and I got free tickets to see Rock of Ages (Thanks L&R) I know a lot of 80's songs but apparently none of them are from the hair bands. I was a little sad that I didn't know most of the songs they used. Other than that, the singing was great and I loved the fact that they handed out disposable lighters at the door.

The next day we (Tina, Brandon, Laura, Robert, Janell and myself)jumped in the "party van" and drove to Lake Havasu. We got there at about noon, set our half-tents up on the beach and had a couple of drinks. Now, I don't know if you are familiar with Lake Havasu rules but they enforce the "No glass containers on the beach" rule and I don't know if you are familiar with portable alcohol but it almost always comes in glass bottles. So, we are minding our own business when we are approched by two police officers. They come from both sides (to keep us from running??) and have backup waiting behind the tents. They asked if we had any glass bottles. Welied andsaid no. Luckily for us, Tina had just taken all of our empty bottles to the garbage can. Brandon just opened a can of soda so it looked more believable. They looked into Janell's tent and asked her about the bottle of Parrot Bay. She said it was plastic (it wasn't). I was worried that they were going to try to look in our cooler but they seemed content enough and rode away.

After relaxing for a while, we all decided that we should rent some jet ski things. Neither Janell or I had ridden on one before. We had a lot of fun. The thing that sucked is that we rented them for an hour and it took 20 minutes to get out of the no wake zone. So, when we got into the fast zone we sped around. We chased our friends around and had a blast. After 10 minutes it was time to start heading back. We slowed down when we got to the no wake zone. We didn't expect to get the wake from a big boat going by. Janell and I capsized! After much struggling to balance, we made it back on our jet ski. To our dismay, Janell's flip flops (that we got while we were in Australia) were floating at least 20 feet from eachother and us. Pressed for time, we decided to leave them behind. When we finally got back to the dock we found out that Tina and Brandon had maneuvered themselves on their jet ski to rescue our flip flops. We were very grateful (as we were already making plans on how to get her new shoes before dinner!)

The rest of the trip was fun but uneventful.

The race against time that I mentioned was my Sunday morning rush to learn the psalm I was singing at church later that morning. By the time I had to leave, I thought I learned it but I messed up while singing it during the service...it wasn't a horribly noticibly embarrassing mess up though.

Anyhow, that was my weekend. I hope yours were great! Bye.

Manic Monday

2006-05-15T07:07:00.000-07:00

Where oh where did the weekend go?

First, let me congratulate my best friend, Laura, on graduating this weekend with a degree in Journalism. YAY! Also, congratulations on your new job! Hopefully you can pass that drug test!

In other news, Janell and I got free tickets to see Hairspray (thanks D&D!) It was cute. I really enjoyed the singing. I am excited to see the new movie remake. John Travolta is apparently playing Edna Turnblad. That should be interesting! I want to see if Queen Latifah can sing the way that the Motormouth Maybelle from the Las Vegas cast did. I know Queen Latifah can sing (I've heard her Dana Owens album) but if she can belt it out like this woman did I will have a new respect for her. Not that it would mean anything.

I have a busy week ahead of me. Havasu this weekend! YAY!

I guess I should get busy. Bye!

5th of May

2006-05-05T11:49:00.000-07:00

Happy Cinco de Mayo.

As with St. Patrick's Day, the holiday is often observed in the United States, particularly in areas with a large Mexican-American population, but many people treat it as an opportunity to get drunk, overlooking the historical significance of the day.Source: Wikipedia.org

If you are one of those American's who are just using this as an excuse to drink...don't worry, I am one of you! That is my plan tonight, I think. I will celebrate the Mexican independence from the French at the same time!

Today, I will even have a margarita instead of my normal preference of the daiquiri.

Have a safe weekend all!

Update Already!!

2006-05-03T10:49:00.000-07:00

I've been slacking...as has everyone else in my blogging circle.

I don't feel like blogging right now...but I feel the need to...just so that everyone knows that I am alive.

I have various ideas to blog about and hopefully I will get to them.

Someone asked if I was Italian! Where did that come from? I don't look Italian. I can understand the other mistakes more:Indian, Native American, Mexican, Middle Eastern...but Italian? There's nothing wrong with Italians...but I don't look like one. The funny thing is that the person who asked me was Filipino himself. I never knew that I looked so obscure to others.

Anyway, time to get back to work. Bye.

Crappy Birthday to You!

2006-04-19T07:31:00.000-07:00

Yesterday started off great. I was busy at work and time went by quickly. 4:00 comes fast and I am ready to go. I go downstairs and realize that I forgot my cellphone. I run back up into the office and search. I call it, but nothing. Frustrated and empty handed, I return downstairs. I figure that I'll find it the next morning. I get in my car and turn the key but it doesn't turn. It doesn't even try. Instead I hear: *click*. I pop the hood and try to wiggle the battery to get it to work but to no avail. I am frustrated at this point because I can't even call Janell for help. A co-worker sees me and gets help.

I drove home without knowing the time (something that drives me crazy.) I end up getting home at the same time as Janell. She is annoyed at me for taking an hour + to get home and for not answering my phone. After she finds out why, she feels bad.

The rest of the night went fine but it was still stressful for a birthday. I still can't find my cell, which baffles me. I knew I had it on my desk last. I'm pretty sure that it's dead somewhere. :(

Anyhow, I'm sure I'll celebrate more later to make up for the actual birthday. Help make it happen! :)

Okay

2006-04-18T05:52:00.000-07:00

It's my birthday. The above pic is my decorated cube. What you probably can't see in this picture is my dancing chicken toy, my GIANT happy face balloon, the Sponge Bob in the Happy Birthday banner and my "My Little Pony" wrapping paper under the chair. The people I work with are awesome :) I didn't expect it at all.

My mom called me this morning and wished me a happy birthday. I told her how old I was and she refused to believe it since she is only "28". Ha.

Alleluia!

2006-04-16T08:37:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter!

Good Friday Song

2006-04-14T18:13:00.000-07:00

Most people who read my blog know this song, but I wanted to post it anyway because it's appropriate.

Why - Nichole Nordeman

We rode into town the other day
Just me and my Daddy
He said I'd finally reached that age
And I could ride next to him on a horse
That of course was not quite as wide

We heard a crowd of people shouting
And so we stopped to find out why
And there was that man
That my dad said he loved
But today there was fear in his eyes

So I said "Daddy, why are they screaming?
Why are the faces of some of them beaming?
Why is He dressed in that bright purple robe?
I'll bet that crown hurts Him more than He shows
Daddy, please can't you do something?
He looks as though He's gonna cry
you said he was stronger than all of those guys
addy, please tell me why
Why does everyone want him to die?"

Later that day the sky grew cloudy
And Daddy said I should go inside
Somehow he knew things would get stormy
Boy was he right
But I could not keep from wondering
If there was something he had to hide

So after he left I had to find out
I was not afraid of getting lost
So I followed the crowds
To a hill where I knew men had been killed
And I heard a voice come from the cross

And it said, "Father, why are they screaming?
Why are the faces of some of them beaming?
Why are they casting their lots for My robe?
This crown of thorns hurts Me more than it shows
Father, please can't You do something?
I know that You must hear My cry
I thought I could handle the cross of this size
Father, remind Me why
Why does everyone want Me to die?
When will I understand why?"

"My precious Son, I hear them screaming
I'm watching the face of the enemy beaming
But soon I will clothe You in robes of My own
Jesus, this hurts Me much more than You know
But this dark hour I must do nothing
Though I've heard Your unbearable cry
The power in Your blood destroys all of the lies
Soon You'll see past their unmerciful eyes
Look there below, see the child
Trembling by her father's side
Now I can tell You why
She is why You must die"

Thank God It's Finally Friday

2006-04-07T15:26:00.000-07:00

Now for something completely different.

As of this moment I am in a decent mood (ask me again in an 2 hours when I am just getting home from an hour drive from work.)

My Reasons to be in a Good Mood Today:

It's Friday...duh

Tomorrow is Saturday. That's my day to sleep in.

I have the two coolest Grey's Anatomy episodes downloaded (shh) at home: It's the End of the World {the Code:Black one}& (As We Know It) {Part II}

Work is going great.

It's starting to warm up outside.

The apartment is pretty clean.

My birthday countdown can start tomorrow. lol

Janell got a bonus.

I think we are going to see a drag show this weekend. (anyone wanna go?)

I have reasons to be in a crummy mood too but I don't want to get into that because this is a happy post. I'll complain another time, I'm sure.

Anyhow, have a great weekend all!

Hope There Is

2006-04-06T08:05:00.000-07:00

I found this quote(on a mug)and wanted to share it:

"Just when the caterpillar thought the world was over, it became a butterfly." ~ Anon

I think the quote is pretty self-explanatory.

All of our troubles (and good times) in our past helped to mold us into the people that we are today. Although at the time of a hardship we feel like we can't go on or that things will never get better, they usually do and we are usually the better after it. Some take a bad experience and bury it deep within and try forget about it but there are others decide to take it and learn from it. That's when the metamorphosis happens. Each time we become a little stronger and a little wiser. Only time will tell when our metamorphosis is completed.

Arrgh!

2006-03-31T09:28:00.000-08:00

That's what a co-worker said to me today as he passed. In fact, he did that every time he walked by me. The reason?

I had to wear my contact lenses today because I had some issues with my glasses. One didn't feel right but I figured that after a few eyedrops and a couple adjustments that it would be fine. During my ride to work it kept bugging me. All of the sudden I had this feeling in my eye and I knew what it was. My lens was popping out. I was on the freeway, I didn't want it to pop out! I came to a light and let it go into my hand. I looked at it and to my surprise, It was torn. This was at 6:50 in the morning.

What am I to do? I can only see out of one eye. My glasses are miles and miles away. I called Sam's club and asked when their optomitrist office opened. 10. So...for the past couple of hours I have been covering one eye or just closing that one so I can see. This is where the "Arrrgh" comes in. I need a pirate's patch, the co-worker said.

Well, after 10 I will get my new contacts...assuming that they have my prescription there. If not, I will have to be a pirate all day. I can feel the headache coming already.

Wish me luck.

Giant Ad?

2006-03-29T14:07:00.000-08:00

So, there is a rumor going around that Apple made this giant ad that could be seen from space. However, other sources say that this was visible via satellite images before the iPod even came out. Either way, I think it's kind of cool. What do you think?

Google Maps It's centered, just zoom.

Thought for the Day

2006-03-21T11:16:00.000-08:00

Resentment is like drinking poison and waiting for the other person to die.

~Carrie Fisher~

The Long Weekend

2006-03-21T07:37:00.000-08:00

Back to work for me.

Weekend Rundown!!!

Friday: I left work early to go pick up my friend from the airport. It really feels good to leave work before everyone else! I picked my friend up from the airport. We just talked for a while and later we had dinner and just hung out for the rest of the night. It was fun.

Saturday: Tourist day.I was on the Strip much longer than any local should ever be! :) We went to the Stratosphere. My friend convinced me to ride the Insanity and Big Shot. The Big Shot wasn't a big deal because I've ridden that one before. The Insanity was scary to me because I am wary of these new rides on the Stratosphere. I survived though. It was kind of scary, but mostly I started getting dizzy which made me wonder if anyone had ever gotten sick while they were riding it and if so, what happened to the people below? Gross. Later, when I regained my balance, went to the MGM (looked at the lions) and worked our way down to the Bellagio. There was some guy preaching about Jesus. He didn't have a soapbox but he did have a sign and megaphone. We watched the fountains a couple of times and then moved on. Later, we went to get drinks at a karaoke bar. I sang a couple of songs (one was a duet with Laura) and we called it a night.

Sunday: I ditched church! It was nice to have the full day though. We drove out toward Lake Mead and Hover Dam but it was so backed up that we just turned around and left. We went back to the Strip. This time we went into the Bellagio and looked around at the conservatory and the art gallery. We also went to Caesars Palace and watched the aquarium for a while and watched the newly updated "Fall of Atlantis" show. It's still not super high tech but it's better than it used to be. Later that night, we went to Treasure Island to watch the new Sirens of TI show. I don't know if anyone else has seen this, but it wasn't good but it wasn't bad. For being free it was pretty decent but I don't know if it was worth the crowd. I had some guy right behind me (aka, I was practically giving him a piggy back ride). When we were finally able to get out of the crowd, we headed over the Wynn to see Avenue Q. Yes, it was my 3rd time to see it (the second time was free though so it didn't count!) I saw a different person play Princeton each time. The funny thing was that my friend realized that they went to school with the new Princeton! We sent a note back and waited for him afterward. It was cool to see the whole cast up close. We spoke with Princeton, aka Steve Booth, for a while and then left.

A note about Avenue Q: I was really sad about some of the changes. I really missed "I Wish I Could Go Back To College" and though I wasn't always a big fan of "There is Life Outside Your Apartment" I did miss that too. They used a "Three Weeks Later" sign on the screens in it's place. They also moved "There's a Fine, Fine Line" and shortened "Mix Tape". Other than that, it was great, as always.

Monday: Back to the Strip. We went to the Venetian and watched the gondoliers and human statue people for a while. After that, we took my friend to an authentic Vegas buffet and convinced them to try Megabucks (which, of course, was not a success story) and whisked them off to the airport.

I was sad to see my friend go but I am happy to be done playing tourist. I don't think I will be going to the Strip again any time soon.

Who's Your Paddy?

2006-03-17T07:10:00.000-08:00

Happy Saint Patrick's Day! I'm not Irish and chances are that you aren't Irish either but hey, it's a free pass to get drunk! Whoo hoo.

I know that some are worried about me from my last post, but I'll be okay. Thanks for the concern.

I am excited about today. Not because it's St. Patrick's day but because my friend from CA is coming in today! :) I only have a half day today and then I have Monday off. I am veeeeery happy about that. It should be a good weekend! Yay. I hope you all have a good weekend too! Bye!

Beware the Ides of March

2006-03-15T18:42:00.000-08:00

Emotion Timeline
Mental Breakdown ~> Hurt ~> Mad ~> Frustrated ~> Had Enough ~> Done

Labor Day Weekend

2006-03-11T08:18:00.000-08:00

Janell's sister, Megan, is in labor right now. I am very proud of her for waiting for her husband to get back from Texas (just 2 days ago after 7 weeks) and she waited for a weekend (as we requested.)

Update:

Happy birthday to Collin Patrick Hurlburt! He is a healthy 7 lb boy.

Congratulations

2006-03-06T13:18:00.000-08:00

I just want to make a shoutout to my old HS choir friend Brian Lee and his band Ashbury for winning the Mix 94.1 opening act competition. The prize is to open for Bon Jovi when they are in town. After that I believe that there is a national competition to get signed for a major recording contract. I could be wrong on that.

At any rate: Congratulations!

The Follower

2006-02-24T13:51:00.000-08:00

So...I am being a follower of Laura. I made a quiz about myself for people to take. Hopefully it will be pretty easy for the most part.

Don't forget that once you are done everyone can see your score so be sure that you have studied hard before trying!

Take The Quiz Now!
View Scoreboard

Lifted From the No of All Nothing

2006-02-22T09:27:00.000-08:00

I was listening to a song that used these words and was pondering the poem's meaning. Though I am not sure that I fully grasp it, I still wanted to post it...just because I can.

Notice that there are only a couple of words that are actually capitalized in this poem.

i thank You God for most this amazing day
E.E. Cummings

i thank You God for most this amazing day: for the leaping greenly spirits of trees and a blue true dream of sky; and for everything which is natural which is infinite which is yes

(i who have died am alive again today, and this is the sun's birthday; this is the birth day of life and love and wings: and of the gay great happening illimitably earth)

how should tasting touching hearing seeing breathing any-lifted from the no of all nothing-human merely being doubt unimaginably You?

(now the ears of my ears awake and now the eyes of my eyes are opened)

28 Hours

2006-02-20T14:52:00.000-08:00

28 hours...That's how many hours I technically worked to pay to repair my car today. Of course it's not just my income...if you combine Janell and my hourly rate, we worked about 15 and a half hours to pay it off.

It's almost depressing when you think of how much stuff costs by the time that it took to earn it. "This meal I am eating took about 20 minutes to earn" "What? Those shoes cost 5 hours??!"

It could be worse, but I'm a little down about having to repair my car. I would love to get a brand new car but that will take at least 1,100 hours to get a decent new one (that Janell would drive). :(

Happy Friday!

2006-02-17T12:59:00.000-08:00

Random Thoughtlets:

Today is Janell and my anniversary but we celebrated last night. Tonight is a cleaning night in preparation of the baby shower that is taking place tomorrow. I'm not looking forward to cleaning, but as Gloria Gaynor said I will survive!

I'm a little sad because I have to work on Monday. Everybody that I know has Monday off...I miss working for realtors! They take every possible day off that they can.

Never put eyeglass wipes and wet naps in the same place...One day there will be a mix up and your eyeglasses will smell lemony.

I have a friend coming to visit next month. I'm excited!

My highlighter says it's a twist cap but it's just as easily a pull cap. Is this really such a special feature that they had to advertise it? Eh.

It's hard to fill someone's shoes when you don't wear the same size or style that they would.

I am so tired of the wind! I hate the cold already and the wind just makes it worse!

I feel bad because I keep making up excuses for why I am missing choir rehearsals. I've become what I get annoyed at...but I think it's just because they don't show respect for their choir so I don't feel that I should have to either. I've grown apathetic toward that group anyway.

I need to get a new car. I hate shopping for cars. It's going to hurt my bank account. I can feel it now! OUCH!

I'm sad that Avenue Q is leaving, but I saw it coming. It will be better for them anyway...now they can tour.

It's Friday...Yay! Have a good weekend!

Happy Valentine's Day!

2006-02-14T08:17:00.000-08:00

I have no special plans tonight. I have rehearsal tonight. I'm not upset about it though because my anniversary is on Friday and hopefully we will be able to celebrate some time this week.

Everything is hectic right now because we are preparing for Megan's baby shower that is taking place this weekend. Janell and I are "officially" hosting it which means that we have to buy all of the decorations, prizes, materials for games and such. It's hard to do all of this stuff when we are needed in 10 places at once!

I miss the apartment and cats these days. I miss being able to read before bed. Nowadays, I get to bed and pass out because I have to get up early in the morning. *SIGH* Anyway, enough complaining.

Let me tell you all about something semi-exciting. I'm not a big video-gamer but I do get hooked into a game, I am hooked (Final Fantasy, Katamari Damacy[courtesy of my brother])I recently got a new game that is perfect for me! It's called Karaoke Revolution (Party Version). It's really fun to play alone or with a group of friends. It's easier than dealing with big crowds and smokey rooms. You can go head to head against someone and compete for high scores or just sing for fun. There is one game on there that is hilarious. Stage divers that jump when you sing the correct pitch at the right time. I bet Karaoke Revolution would be a great game to play drunk! :)

Anyway...that's all for now. Bye! I'll try to update more often...I promise!

Happy Valentine's Day Janell (and everyone else)

Blasted Groundhog!

2006-02-02T08:43:00.000-08:00

More winter?!! You've got to be kidding me! Didn't Punxsutawney Phil read my blog? I specifically requested the end of winter! :(

Oh well...Happy Groundhog's Day...I hope you enjoy the extra 6 weeks of winter.

The First Week

2006-01-31T11:10:00.000-08:00

To summarize my first week in my new job I will let my kitten, Trey, show you how I feel:

Hanging on for dear life but working my way up.

It's not that my job is hard. It's just been stressful with both jobs and dealing with traffic. I haven't had to drive further than 3 miles to get to work in a long while...now I am going 16 miles every morning and afternoon. I leave home at 6 in the morning and get home around 7 each night. Tonight I won't be home until 9ish because I have a rehearsal. Blah.

Other than that though, things are going well. I am still learning my job as is everyone else. My boss told me that I will be the most popular person in the office as soon as everyone realizes what I am doing for the company. (No pressure or anything) So...that's the update for now. That's all the time I can afford. I'll try to keep up with my blog a little more than I have been. Take care!

Is It Spring Yet?

2006-01-20T08:41:00.000-08:00

I hate winter. I hate the cold. I hate the wind. I hate the cold wind. I hate having to wear shoes and socks. I miss my flip flops and tank tops. I wish that I could just migrate south every winter and come back in spring. I am not a cold weather girl at all.

Anyway...I am starting a new job on Tuesday. I am doing basically doing the same thing as I used to do but I am going to be the head of my department and make a lot more money than I used to. Whoo hoo.

So...I just wanted to update. I hope all is well. Bye!

Crimson

2006-01-08T13:25:00.000-08:00

By: N. Nordeman

One choice
One tree
One fall for humanity
One lie
One liar
One bite is all death required
One great regret
One squandered chance, and yet
One hope
One day
One name above all other names
One bridge between then and now
One way to discover how
One price
One tree
One drop of crimson covers me

Happy New Year!

2006-01-03T11:12:00.000-08:00

The Great Search for the Stranger

2005-12-29T13:55:00.000-08:00

Ever since I was about 7 or 8 I've known that I have a half-sister somewhere in Colorado. When I first found out I was very excited. I saved all of my money and bought her a Barbie beanie for Christmas. I waited for my father to send it off. Christmas passed and still my dad still hadn't sent it to her. I watched my gift go to waste as time went on. The beanie was never sent to her and I moved away to live with my mom and didn't think of my half-sister anymore. I thought that since my dad didn't know her that I would never know her either.

Fast forward to now. Just recently I decided that I will start talking to my father again after a long silence. I am passed the part of my life where everything is about me (aka the teenage years) and would like to know about my half-sister. She is 18 and I am curious to know more about her (what is she like, what does she look like, etc..). I finally decided to ask my father about her. Unfortunately, he doesn't know much more than I do except for her mom's name and the city she used to live in.

As many of you know, Janell and I are almost like online detectives. We love to search and stuff. Normally we can find contact information on anyone very easily but of course, there is nearly nothing on my half-sister's family anywhere. I am getting very frustrated. What 18 year old girl doesn't have Myspace!?! (lol)

Well, the search continues. I don't even really know what to say to her when I actually get in contact with her. What is there to say?:

"Hi...um...my name is Crystal. I am your half-sister....nice to meet you. Let's be friends."

Or

"Hi, I'm the daughter of the man who abandoned you and your mother 18 years ago."

It's also a bit awkward because I don't know what my half-sister's mother has told her about my dad. Is there a man who she's been told is her father from the time that she was a little girl and has no idea that my dad is her real father? As far as I know my dad only spoke to her when she was 3 years old. Hmm...well.. I am more confused now...so I am off to figure out what to do. Wish me luck! Bye!

UPDATE:

After exhasting all of my normal avenues I decided to look at classmates.com to find my half-sister's mother and found her. I sent her a message and she confirmed who she is. My half-sister is actually 17 (as I thought, but my father told me she was 18). I also found out that I've been spelling her name wrong. Anyhow, I now have sent my half-sister an email and am anxiously awaiting the reply. I don't know where it will go from here, but hopefully we can start a relationship and perhaps one day we can meet.

The New Addition

2005-12-28T12:06:00.000-08:00

Meet Trey!

Trey is the latest addition to the family. He is an 8 week old kitten.

You may (or may not)wonder if he gets along well with Ash and the answer is "Yes". Ash is very happy to have someone else to play with. Trey will enjoy it more when he is older and able to play without getting slapped around.

Here are the boys

The Contest

2005-12-23T14:02:00.000-08:00

There was a balacony decorating contest in my apartment complex. Janell and I recruited her sister and our decorations got underway.

After days and hours of toil, we had a finished product:

The next day I awoke to what I thought was the sound of rain. I was worried about my little penguin guy so I ran outside only to find that I put one of my candy canes right into a sprinkler line.......oops.

Anyway, I am happy to say that we won 2nd place. The prize was money off of our rent this month! YAY

Pomp And Circumstance

2005-12-20T09:18:00.001-08:00

CONGRATULATIONS TO TINA RAE AND BRANDON FOR YOUR GRADUATION LAST NIGHT FROM UNLV WITH YOUR NEW DEGREES IN KINESIOLOGY!!!!!!

OZ

2005-12-13T09:21:00.000-08:00

Slowly but surely I am going to make a post about my AU trip...but for now:

Let me start off with an Australian to American English dictionary. These are all words that I heard while in AU:

Aussie (pron. Ozzie): Australian
Barbie: barbecue
Capsicum: Bell pepper
Chunder: vomit
Dinky-di: a true Aussie, one that was born and bred in AU
Esky: a cooler
'Elloi: Hello (that's just the accent though)
Footy: Australian Rules football
G'Day: hello!
Great Aussie Wave: brushing away flies with the hand (first thing that you learn)
Lollies: sweets, candy
Mackers: McDonald's
Mate: buddy, friend (duh)
Mozzie: mosquito
Nackered: Tired
Oz: Australia!
Postie: postman
Prezzy: present, gift
Roo: kangaroo
Root: Slang for sexual intercourse/Slang for being extremely tired (equivelant to the US word f*ck.)
Ta: Thanks Alot
Tra: Bye
Trunks: Speedo type swimsuit
Two up: gambling game played by spinning two coins simultaneously
Ute: utility vehicle, pickup truck (ugly ugly truck)
Woop Woop: BFE
Yoghurt: Yogurt...but they add an 'h'

Great fun. Use these words on your friends!

AU Pictures

2005-12-11T18:54:00.000-08:00

I really want to write a post about my trip and I hope to do so tomorrow...but for now....here is a link to a bunch of my pictures.

Crystal & Janell's Australia Pictures

Alive and Well in AU

2005-11-26T22:16:00.000-08:00

First, I would like to tell everyone that I am alive. I made it to Australia without any problems.

Second, I'm having a good time in AU. There are many things that are different here. For example:

This is a drive through liquor store. There is a lane that you can use to browse and one to just buy. Promoting drinking and driving? Hmm...That's all for now, I will try to update later sometime with more pictures.

I hope all is well. I hope your Thanksgivings were great!

The Anti-Social Butterfly

2005-11-14T11:01:00.000-08:00

I am not very outgoing. Most people know that. However, I haven't really tried to go to a party full of people that I don't really know or care to be friends with until this last weekend. I am not one for random small talk....especially when I am the only sober person in sight. It's hard to have a converstation with someone when they keep falling over or bust out in laughter. Some people are good at adapting in these situations but I am not one of those people. I am the person who sits in a corner and waits for the party to end.

Sure, it's amusing to see people who are drunk off their asses and watch them make fools of themselves...but the more I see that the less I ever want to get drunk ever again. It's only funny for a short while before it starts looking sad.

Thank You For Your Visit!

2005-11-08T10:18:00.000-08:00

I have a statcounter on my site that keeps track of how many pageloads/visitors I get. I like to look at it from time to time to see who is reading my blog and from where. It's pretty cool to see that there are a lot of people who appear to read my blog regularly from cities across the US and other countries(don't be shy you can leave a comment.)

I always think it's funny to see what people type into websearches to find my blog. Anything from Avenue Q to 80's hairstyles...there was one search really sticks out to me though...someone searched: "how much crystal tina up the ass?" and found my site somehow. I know I've mentioned Tina before but usually I don't say things like "ass" on my blog. I think it's pretty funny that someone found my site by looking up those words...I bet they were disappointed when they got to my site though because...well...I don't think I cover whatever they were looking for. I can't find my blog by the same search in the same search engine...I tried.

Oh well...anyhow, I just wanted to share that. Thanks to everyone who reads my blog! You're awesome!

Awkward

2005-11-07T09:19:00.000-08:00

Ever been in an awkward situation that you wish you could get out of quickly?

That was me yesterday. Who wants to be standing in church with the music director and the choir group leader talking about virgins?? Not me.

"There is a reading about virgins today. I don't think I know any virgins any more" "Me neither" ::they look at me:: I smile and look at my music instead. This is not a conversation that I want to get sucked into. They continued on but luckily I was kept out of it. (Oh yeah, I got my new S&S 2 Book!)

Anyhow...hopefully everyone had a good weekend. I really had nothing to post about but I wanted to update since my last post was about Halloween.

Happy Howl-oween!

2005-10-31T08:25:00.000-08:00

I'm hoping that my bosses will let me out early today! I still have to do payroll at Opa and I really want to be home as early as possible so I can pass out candy. Janell and I are planning a scary movie fest tonight.

Has anybody noticed how over the past week Halloween is already over in stores like Albertsons and Walmart? It is imposibble to find things I need (like pumpkins and carving tools). These stores have skipped over Thanksgiving completely and are preparing for Christmas. It's not only like that in stores though....I walked into Janell's sister's house yesterday only to hear "Ay,Ay,Ay it's Christmas...and I don't know what to do!" That means two more months of Christmas music in that house. I don't think I could stand it.

Anyhow, hopefully everyone had a good weekend. Be safe!

Oh, The Irony

2005-10-25T11:48:00.000-07:00

Okay, not all of these are ironic...but they are still pretty funny. Enjoy.

HA

Just in general I think it's funny...and the phone number...it's just wrong.

Smart ass...just like me

Look closer....

"I'll never let go...."

Always one to help others but never looked after itself

If it were the people who were leaving I wouldn't think it's as funny.

You'll have to click on this picture to read what the bus ad says.

Bite of Las Vegas & My Weekend

2005-10-23T23:27:00.000-07:00

First things first....Janell & I found a costume for our cat, Ash. I did my best to edit the picture...but the only program I had available was Paint...so...hush. Anyhow, I call him Frankencat.

Bite of Las Vegas was pretty fun. I got there at 12 and left at about 4. There was a big selection. The food I had was yummy. I waited for Ashbury to come on. While waiting, I got to hear who Jem was...blah. I don't like her. She's very polite though but she is from Wales... maybe they are nicer there. Ashbury was good. I have tons of pictures of the band but I didn't upload them...oh well. Here's me & Laura clapping with the music! YAY.

Other than that...the weekend was full of stripping and staining of our new dresser drawers and night stands. It's less fun than it sounds...which shows you how much fun that is. =)

Time for work. Bye.

Free

2005-10-21T11:08:00.000-07:00

Free tickets kick ass. Laura kicks ass! Avenue Q kicks ass! Whoo hoo... (that's all for now)

I am...........

2005-10-17T15:03:00.000-07:00

John Lennon

You enjoy poetry, painting & a fine wine. A lover not a fighter.

What Beatle are you?

I Hate Guacamole!

2005-10-13T15:29:00.000-07:00

So...Today I had my first real experience in discrimination:

I had to go to Kinkos for work to pick up some site plans. I was dressed in my normal work attire...which is almost identical to my church attire: A skirt and a nice shirt. I got to Kinkos and waited in line...the line did not move for 15 minutes so I began to get impatient.

Finally I was about to be next. I waited for the lady behind to counter to motion to her register before I moved just in case she needed to finish anything up. When she looked up she stared at me for a second and then made an exaggerated motion over her service counter and register and said in a very slow manner "I....not...open" or something to that effect.

I was shocked...huh? Did I give off the impression that I didn't speak English or was too dumb to understand? Did I look like I just got off a boat or plane from another country? I might be brown but I don't think I look overly ethnic. I don't think I look Hispanic (as many people have assumed) and I don't even think that I look Filipino really.

Later...she finally found time to help me. She said, "I'll try to help you if I can." I walked up to the counter and said, "I am here to pick up plans I ordered" She looked confused for a second and the man next to me laughed (he must have seen her embarrassment too) and after that she was overly nice.

So why is it that anybody who is brown is counted as Hispanic? Tina and I don't look Hispanic yet we are asked if we are all the time. I was even in that Spanish magazine that one time but I still don't agree. I think it's just the naturally tan skin and dark hair.

Anyhow, I wish she would have just tried to talk to me first and then do her exaggerated gestures if I still didn't understand her. On the up side, her manager got a call and hopefully she will think twice.

Show Themes (on video)

2005-10-11T15:28:00.000-07:00

Let me take you back:

Jem (for the ladies...some guys might not care/remember)

Fraggle Rock (ha)

Kids Incorporated (K-I-D-S)

Smurfs

The Wonder Years (one of my all time favorites.)

Alvin & The Chimpmunks

Gummi Bears

Ducktales (a-whoo ooo)

Saved By The Bell

Punky Brewster

Charles In Charge

Doogie

READING RAINBOW!

There are so many more...you can go through and look...I was just wanted to show a couple.

Finally!

2005-10-06T14:08:00.000-07:00

So...now for the update.

Last Friday I finally got to go see the band Ashbury perform. For those of you who are not familiar with Ashbury you're in the majority. They have yet to be commercially released.

Brief History of Ashbury
My interest in the rock band started in high school. A little band named Blissen had just formed by some of my fellow choir members. I was told that they were pretty good. They even won first place in a local "Battle of the Bands" competition. After graduation I heard they broke up which was not surprising since one of its members was leaving town.

Later I heard that the lead singer, Brian Lee, had formed another group named Chase the Day. I was very excited that I could listen to their music on Myspace. Again they had some band member changes they changed their name to their current name, Ashbury.

So anyway, KOMP 92.3 (the Rock Station) threw a CD release party for Ashbury on Friday and I figured that it was finally time to see them live. I was not disappointed. Ashbury rocked the building. Brian's vocals and guitar wer right on, Jeremy was good on his bass, Joey rocked on lead guitar and Jason was awesome on the drums. They definately woke the place up once they stepped on stage. I definately recommend that you keep an eye out for these boys. Who knows if they might become the next big thing? Check them out.

If anyone is interested in hearing them you can visit their myspace site at:

Ashbury: My favorite song on here is This Story

or

Chase The Day: My favorite song on here is Sad Song. Always Wrong was released on their Ashbury CD.

Also, if anyone is interested in seeing them perform they will be at Mix 94.1's 9th Annual "Bite of Las Vegas" at Desert Breeze Park on October 22nd with Collective Soul, Better Than Ezra, Josh Kelley and Jem. It is being hosted by Tommy Lee.
Click HERE more info on "Bite of Las Vegas".

Update....

2005-10-05T08:24:00.000-07:00

I've been meaning to update since Monday but haven't had time...I'm on deadlines (and I update at work) =) Anyhow...I hope to update later. Bye for now.

TFTD

2005-09-29T09:51:00.000-07:00

"At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us."

~Albert Schweitzer~

So...basically...take your candle and go light your world...lol

Rolling Stone Greatest Songs of All Time

2005-09-28T11:00:00.000-07:00

So...sometimes I look at lists of songs so I have an idea of what to download...I can no longer do that for free since my program was shut down...Anyhow, I was browsing and came across Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. I noted that there are only 3 songs from the 2000's and 21 from the 1990's. I'm not surprised by that though....there was so much fluff released in that time...a lot of it can't compare to the classics. So anyway...here are the top 50 some with one-line commentary by me! (Be warned...they aren't profound by any means)

1 Like A Rolling Stone Bob Dylan 1965 (I don't know this...sorry)

2 (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction The Rolling Stones 1965

3 Imagine John Lennon 1971 (Great song. I agree completely)

4 What's Going On? Marvin Gaye 1971

5 Respect Aretha Franklin 1967 (Of course! How could you do a list without Aretha)

6 Good Vibrations The Beach Boys 1966 (My favorite is Kokomo. Beach Boys are good)

7 Johnny B. Goode Chuck Berry 1958 (I love the piano and guitar. They don't make them like this anymore)

8 Hey Jude The Beatles 1968 (It wouldn't be a top 10 if the Beatles were missing)

9 Smells Like Teen Spirit Nirvana 1991 (I was way into Nirvana. I like other songs of theirs better but this is a good one too)

10 What'd I Say (Parts 1 & 2) Ray Charles 1959 (I love love love the beginning of this song)

11 My Generation The Who 1965 (Cool song...I don't have a recording though)

12 A Change Is Gonna Come Sam Cooke 1964

13 Yesterday The Beatles 1965 (Great song...but can't live in yesterday can we?)

14 Blowin' In The Wind Bob Dylan 1963 (I didn't know Bob Dylan was so popular)

15 London Calling The Clash 1980 (Sorry Jan...still don't know it)

16 I Want To Hold Your Hand The Beatles 1963 (Back in the day of actually clapping in the background?)

17 Purple Haze Jimi Hendrix 1967

18 Maybellene Chuck Berry 1955

19 Hound Dog Elvis Presley 1956 (Every time I think of this song I picture Forrest Gump)

20 Let It Be The Beatles 1970 (This is one of my favorite songs.)

21 Born To Run Bruce Springsteen 1975

22 Be My Baby The Ronettes 1963 (This song is cute.)

23 In My Life The Beatles 1965 (I really like this song...it speaks to me)

24 People Get Ready The Impressions 1965

25 God Only Knows The Beach Boys 1966 (Love this song. It is my 2nd fav. Beach Boys song)

26 A Day In The Life The Beatles 1967

27 Layla Derek and the Dominos 1970

28 (Sittin' On) The Dock Of The Bay Otis Redding 1968 (How can it get better than Otis Redding...this song is classic.)

29 Help! The Beatles 1965 (This reminds me of Laura lol)

30 I Walk The Line Johnny Cash 1956

31 Stairway To Heaven Led Zeppelin 1971 (This is a song that takes me back. I had to slow dance with a really tall guy to this song...I didn't know it was 8 minutes long at the time.)

32 Sympathy For The Devil The Rolling Stones 1968

33 River Deep, Mountain High Tina Turner 1966

34 You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling The Righteous Brothers 1964 (Gone...gone gone..)

35 Light My Fire The Doors 1967

36 One U2 1991

37 No Woman No Cry (Live) Bob Marley 1975 (I don't know if I got to hear the original but I liked the cover..{that's bad I know})

38 Gimme Shelter The Rolling Stones 1969

39 That'll Be The Day Buddy Holly 1957

40 Dancing In The Streets Martha and the Vandellas 1964

41 The Weight The Band 1968

42 Waterloo Sunset The Kinks 1968

43 Tutti Frutti Little Richard 1956 (Little Richard scares me nowadays...but I like that song...WHOOOOO)

44 Georgia On My Mind Ray Charles 1960 (The orchestra is great)

45 Heartbreak Hotel Elvis Presley 1956 (I like the bass & piano...I wish I could see Elivis when he was in his prime)

46 "Heroes" David Bowie 1977

47 Bridge Over Troubled Water Simon & Garfunkel 1970 (I've heard many versions of this song but I've always liked theirs best)

48 All Along The Watchtower Jimi Hendrix 1968

49 Hotel California The Eagles 1976 (One my my absolute favorite songs...I really like Tequila Sunrise as well..Desperado is good too though)

50 The Tracks Of My Tears Smokey Robinson 1965

Complete Rolling Stone List

Blogger For Hire

2005-09-23T11:32:00.000-07:00

Apparently you can try to sucker someone into writing your deepest, most profound thoughts. That doesn't make sense to me.

To me, a blog is a personal sounding board. Something that I should be able to say whatever I want/feel. Sure, I have restrained myself from writing about things I've truly thought or felt because I was worried about other people's feelings and whatnot, but everything I've written has come from me...from my mind and thinking.

"I've vented to you before" doesn't cut it. I don't know what your daily thoughts are...or what it's really like to be you.

I could never imagine dictating to someone else what to enter in my blog or even trying to enter for someone else with a vague idea of what to say.

So anyway...to you...you know who you are...stop being lazy and enter your own damn post. lol

(FYI This is not about Janell)

Check It Out

2005-09-21T08:11:00.000-07:00

So, some have noticed and some may not have...

I made up buttons to the blogs I have listed as going to (instead of working)and added some links to other pages I go to often. Some of those didn't have banner things so I made my own (Nichole Nordeman, PostSecret, You Damn Kid, CTK & Avenue Q)

So check it out scroll down to the "Blogs to Visit" section ....I might change some but that's that for now.

P.S. I know you love yours Jono...embrace it.

Warning: Full Puppet Nudity!

2005-09-19T10:50:00.000-07:00

Before I review the show let me start by saying that the Wynn is awesome. Before I even walked into the casino I was impressed by their parking garages. They have a counter that keeps track of how many spots are left on each level so you can see how many open spots are before going onto a level. The number changes each time someone enters or leaves the garage. It's cool. I didn't have to go to the bathroom but I was told to go in there anyway. The sinks are really nice and the walls are covered in bunched ribbon. The Wynn doesn't stink of smoke like so many other casinos, oddly it smelled like flowers without a single one in sight. The slot machines even look better at Wynn. It's so nice there.

Now down to business:

What can I say? Avenue Q was great!! John Tartaglia and Rick Lyon, from the original Broadway cast, and the new cast additions are hilarious. For those of you not familiar with Avenue Q I will give you a brief synopsis: In a world of puppets and people Princeton, a puppet played by Tartaglia, is fresh out of college but soon finds that life doesn't become easy simply because he received his college degree. Princeton can only afford housing in Avenue Q where he is met by others who, like him, are down on their luck (and funds.) Despite his misfortune, Princeton is determined to find his purpose and make a difference in the world. The songs range from wildly funny to heart warmingly touching. By the end of the musical the audience was definitely relating with the characters.

The characters include an out of work comedian, a clientless therapist, a kindergarten teacher assistant who is seeking her soulmate, a closeted gay republican investment banker, porn addicted monster, a slutty lounge act and a former child actor turned apartment superintendent. Most of the characters are puppets but there are 3 human characters. If you go to the Blue Bear cast Princeton and Rod are played (beautifully) by John Tartaglia, Nicky/Treky Monster/blue Bad Idea Bear are played by Rick Lyon, Kate Monster and Lucy The Slut is played by Brynn O'Malley, Christmas Eve played by Natalie Gray, Gary Coleman played by Phyre Hawkins.

To those who are familiar with the Avenue Q, if you know all of the songs you know pretty much know the whole show but I still suggest seeing it. I even want to see it again! The moment that made it all even more worth it was during the song "You Can Be As Loud As The Hell You Want (When You're Making Love)" You'll have to see it to understand fully. Hilarious! All of the performers gave a wonderful performances and I was never left wishing for the original cast members. I think I may even prefer this new Kate Monster. So...if you were considering watching the musical, I say "Go for it!" It's a greatly entertaining show.

Tonight's The Night

2005-09-15T15:34:00.000-07:00

Some may have noticed my countdown on the bottom of my posts this week and you may have noticed that today is the end of the countdown.

Tonight starts with a (presumably) lovely martini party at the Mandalay Bay. This is a party thrown by one of the marketing firms that our company works closely with and all of their other clients. (Think Pie) The founder of the company, Christine Johnsong, is awesome. You would never know that she owns her own company and (probably) makes a lot of money. She even gave Janell and I one of her brothers inventions because she liked us lol (Germ Terminator) Anyway, it should be a fun party...Janell is actually going to wear a dress! =)

After that Janell and I are going to see Avenue Q. I've been waiting for over a year to have the chance to see it and I am excited to finally go. I am so happy that it didn't get the 'Vegas chop' where it'd be reduced to 90 minutes. I think that's so stupid. I know that The Phantom of the Opera, We Will Rock You, and Hairspray are getting cut...is it that people from Vegas don't have the attention span?? Anyway, I know I've made a couple of Avenue Q fans out there so I'll let you know how it is on a future post.

So now I have to get back to work! Adios.

Twin Telepathy

2005-09-14T11:47:00.000-07:00

My brother and I aren’t twins but we have been mistaken as so while we were growing up even though we are two years apart. There are times when I feel like I have sibling telepathy. For example: Last week I was vacuuming (preparing for my Thanksgiving dinner) when I got this really bad feeling and I was suddenly worried about my brother. It was late at night and I didn’t want to wake him if it was nothing so I finished vacuuming and went to bed. I forgot to call on Saturday because I was making food but on Sunday I decided that I wanted to see if he was alive. I called and left a message. I was surprised that none of his 5 roommates answered. I called again and again but no answer.

Today I decided to call while I was at work and I finally got in touch with him. It turns out that on the night I had the bad feeling that he was in another car accident (one was late last month.) Some car ran into a light pole and my brother's car hit it too and (without his knowledge) punctured his oil tank. The next day he was driving somewhere and his engine exploded. What is even worse is that my brother was borrowing the car from our uncle and he knows nothing about this yet! My brother is fine physically but he sounded happy that I called. It is rare that any of my family talks to eachother.

We have never been a close family but I feel a mental connection with my brother. We’ve been through a lot of stuff together through our childhood and I think we have an unspoken bond/understanding of each other and of where we are coming from. We are both quiet but in that silence I can usually know what he is thinking.

If you have a minute please send a prayer in my brother's direction (his name is Bobby) he could use it right now. Thanks.

P.S. Only 1 more day to Avenue Q (and a martini party)

Blame It on the Homos

2005-09-13T10:13:00.000-07:00

The "True" Reason for Hurricane Katrina

For those of you who don't have time to click and read the link, I'll cut and paste bits:

Pat Robertson on Sunday said that Hurricane Katrina was God’s way of expressing its anger at the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences for its selection of Ellen DeGeneres to host this year’s Emmy Awards. “By choosing an avowed lesbian for this national event, these Hollywood elites have clearly invited God’s wrath,” Robertson said on “The 700 Club” on Sunday. “Is it any surprise that the Almighty chose to strike at Miss Degeneres’ hometown?” (Metairie, LA)

Robertson also noted that the last time DeGeneres hosted the Emmys, in 2001, the September 11 terrorism attacks took place shortly before the ceremony.

In order to avoid further tragedy, Robertson called not only for the Television Academy to find a new heterosexual host, but to bar all homosexuals and bisexuals from taking part in the ceremony.

“God already allows one awards show to promote the homosexual agenda,” Robertson declared. “But clearly He will not tolerate such sinful behavior to spread beyond the Tonys.”

HAHAHA on the Tonys comment! I highly doubt that God would be punishing us for Ellen. I could look at anything and find coincidences and make up reasons why God is punishing us. For example: G.W. Bush was in office during both of the major instances that Robertson is blaming on Ellen (not to mention that his dad was president when Hurricane Andrew hit) and though I don't like Bush, even I don't believe that any of this stuff is his fault. Pat Robertson is an ass. How can someone truly believe this stuff? I know it's easy for people to blame things on gay people...well on behalf of all of us: I'm sorry that we are making the morals of this nation go down the drain, I am sorry for making your marriage fall apart, I'm sorry that we are all lustful deviants, I'm sorry we're all pedophiles, I'm sorry that we are always hopped up on drugs, I'm sorry for bringing God's wrath on all of the straight people. Do you feel better now?

P.S. 2 Days to Avenue Q!!!!!!!!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2005-09-12T09:56:00.000-07:00

Here's the weekend rundown:

Friday: I did some pole-dancing....not really...I was holding/hanging on a pole to help Janell put together a makeshift patio made from canvas...my arms are still sore and the pole is leaning 6 inches toward the house now.

Saturday: I finally cleaned my filthy car! I can now tell that my car is red and not dirt brown. Later Janell and I made a lovely Thanksgiving dinner (turkey, mashed potatoes, veggies, biscuits, and pie.)We invited over friends and celebrated. It was pretty fun...good food and company. I really appreciate my friends! They are the best! There's nothing like a random Thanksgiving celebration in September. However, I was violated by a certain someone...you know who you are!

Sunday: Normal church stuff...I got stood up by a co-worker who said she wanted to hear me sing and find a new church community...but it's okay, she's not at work today so I'm sure she has a valid excuse. I wasn't cantoring anyway. Later Janell & I went shopping for clothes to wear to our martini party on Thursday. I found two dresses I really liked. I bought both (one was ony $12.25 from Dillards!). Later I had to drop off Ash at Janell's moms house (our apartment is being inspected today and we don't have a cat ::wink wink::) He's such a cocky cat...he already thinks he owns her moms house. He gets along well with other animals though and I think that's really cool. He was rubbing all over the dalmation that is at Janell's moms house.

Anyway...boring...I know. It was my first Sunday getting home before 1:00 AM in a long time.

P.S. 3 Days to Avenue Q!!!!!!

Faith, Hope, & Love

2005-09-11T14:45:00.000-07:00

Faith

Hope

Love

We hold fast to our faith and pray for those whose lives changed on this day 4 years ago. We keep hope for the future as we continue to heal and rebuild. We are reminded to love eachother and never take a day for granted.

TFTD

2005-09-09T11:20:00.000-07:00

"The answers that you seek are already a part of you. You have only to understand and practice them. Only then will you become peaceful within yourself and with all humanity."

~Thomas D. Willhite~

Why

2005-09-07T13:56:00.000-07:00

Well, to those who are fans of Nichole Nordeman's song "Why" you can hear the song sung by someone else and put to parts of video from the "Passion of the Christ"

Click here to see the video

Who is this person singing? Anyway...I was surprised to find it, so I decided to share.

You may have to download Google's video viewer, but it's pretty painless.

Haunted

2005-09-05T11:09:00.000-07:00

Lost hauntings of my mind returned to me
It yelled in my direction in a place I usually feel safe
I mummbled in return and ran
I was thrown completely off guard

Images flashed in my mind
Regret and pain set in again
How could I have changed things
I remember saying no...

I never told It how disgusted I am at the sight of It
How my blood turns cold when I see It
How I wish I could erase It from my mind like It never exsisted at all
How I hate that It had no regret and no remorse

So after trying to forget I am haunted again
Scars are open but will heal again I'm sure.

Katrina

2005-08-31T10:11:00.000-07:00

Katrina has come and gone from the south leaving a path of destruction...It is really sad to hear about all of the looting...I guess that people looted Walmart and took all of their gun collection...that is really scary to me. My prayers are with all that have been affected by Katrina. Here are some pictures I've found from MSNBC that I wanted to share...

These dolphins had to be moved from their aquarium to this hotel pool to ensure their safety

Here is what is left of a highway

That's a lot of water....

Poor dog...

Scary...

That's crazy

City view

The Anti-Spam

2005-08-26T16:27:00.000-07:00

For those of you who are like me and are battling spam check out this site:

Word Verification

Hopefully this will stop spam or at least reduce the amount of spam I get and hopefully it will help you too.

It's Friday, I'm in Love

2005-08-26T15:29:00.000-07:00

The title has nothing to do with this post...

Anyhow...I'm feeling political today. I don't want to ruffle feathers, just randomly talking.

I've been looking at some sites and am inspired to become more involved somehow.

Political Humor

Catholic Democrats

Democracy Means You

I've been told before that when I grow older I'll become a Republican....HA! Each day that seems less and less likely. How can a group that is all about preaching God be so materialistic and full of hate at the same time? Of course this isn't true of all Republicans, this is just from what I've seen on TV and on message boards but it makes no sense to me... I don't understand why Democrats would be considered 'traitors' or 'America Haters' just because we disagree with Bush. I disagree with some things Janell does but it doesn't mean I love her any less. And just because I disagree with Bush doesn't mean that I don't like America. I think it's healthy to have these opposing opinions though otherwise we'd be worse off...who'd keep people from going too far? I've read where it seems as though there are people who feel that, "if you aren't with us you're against us therefore you must die" and that is a scary mentality to see.

A couple of months ago I tried to read a book by Ann Coulter....wow.....every single page was oozing venomous hatred. I couldn't get halfway through even though I really really tried to. ::shivers:: To me it is scary to know that there are so many people who read and agree with her. It seems so narrow minded.

Anyway, I just wanted to update. Have a good weekend.

PostSecret

2005-08-24T12:56:00.000-07:00

PostSecret is an ongoing project where people mail in their secrets or confessions anonymously on one side of a homemade postcard. It can range from random little things to deep dark secrets. Some are funny while others are shocking.

I love PostSecret. I try to check it every Sunday. It's funny how I can read some and relate. It's even funnier when I can read one and think that I know who wrote it. For example I read one that said "I tell people I'll pray for them but I never do" and the handwriting looked just like it belonged to someone I knew. I doubt it was that person but it was funny.

I haven't sent anything in just so everyone knows.

So anyhow, if you have a moment you should check it out.

PostSecret

Additional Postcards

And then even more

Google Geek

2005-08-24T11:44:00.000-07:00

Those who know me know my love for all things Google....well, Google has (finally)just launched their instant messenger service: Google Talk. I am excited to use and it get rid of my MSN messenger. However here are things that I don't like so far: no emoticons =(, no file transferring, no cool little "What I'm listening To" thing.
Oh well, Google Talk more discrete plus, if I want to make a phone call via the internet I can do it through Google Talk...not that I ever will. Anyhow, just thought I'd share my excitement for Google Talk. Have a good day.

It's a Little Bit Funny...This Feeling Inside

2005-08-23T14:12:00.000-07:00

However, this funny feeling is kind of icky.

Teacher's are human too, I always thought I've accepted that...that is until I heard about a recent engagement of one of my favorite high school teachers.

I always looked up to Mr. Barber. He had a way of teaching that drew students in and made things interesting. I was sad that I only had him for a summer school session. He changed the way I look at things. My friends and I would stop by and say 'hi' to him throughout my senior year of school. After talking to him I found out more of his story, the heartbreak, his brush with the priesthood, his rise to become a teacher. I admired him very much. He was a very smart man.

Today I found out that he is engaged...that was fine but then I found out that it is to one of his former students. A girl who is 2 years younger than me. A strange feeling washed over me, he is engaged to a girl who is about half his age. All of this makes me wonder: Who made the first move? Was it hard to start calling him Daniel instead of Mr. Barber? What do her parents think? I know none of this is my business, but I can't help but imagine the awkwardness of it all.

Overall, I am actually happy for him. I know he was lonely. Some friends and I used to joke about fixing him up with people. Anyway, he is a good man and deserves all of the happiness in the world...so into the abyss I send out a congratulations to Mr. Barber and his future bride!

I Love The 80's: Strikes Back!

2005-08-21T09:22:00.000-07:00

In honor of those who have mentioned 80's hair styles and such before, this is for you. I am glad that I was still a kid when I was in the 80's I don't know how people could deal with all of the teasing and hairspray. The worst I had to deal with when I was younger was the side ponytail...and that was bad enough for me. I showered right when I got home but I can still smell the hairspray in my hair!

There I am with my 80's hair.

Janell with her 80's hair.

Look at that hair...Front Row: Andrea, Cyndi Back Row:Me, Brookes, Janell

More of the same

Here is our dance floor...there was some break dancing going on.

Apathetic

2005-08-18T21:00:00.000-07:00

I skipped out on choir practice Tuesday because I didn't feel like going. I'm thinking about quitting all together. It felt nice not to be in a hurry and to actually have time to relax. I am also finding that I am tired of my second job. I really miss being able to sit and do nothing after work. Sure, free Greek food is nice and all but it isn't nice to have to tell someone something 10 times and they still don't understand or if they do understand they just don't do it anyway. It is really frustrating. I find myself dreading it now.

I would love to just quit each of those three things (2 choirs and a job) and just be happy but I can't just walk away. I feel bad when I miss a day of church or work. I know I can be replaced easily, but I still feel bad. =( The guilt keeps me there but I don't want to wake up dead(yes, wake up dead)one morning from the stress.

I know I've been complaining about choir for a while, but I'm at a point now where I don't really care if I sing in these groups or not. I'm not really enjoying it anymore...(No Laura, I don't want to sing at the Newman Center) Anyhow...blah. That's all I can say right now because as for work, the extra money helps and as for choir I'm too wimpy to just quit but I will not just disappear as I've seen others do. I have to just suck it up for now I suppose.

Orkut!

2005-08-16T14:22:00.000-07:00

I just found another thing that Google has been testing: Orkut. It is like Myspace or Friendster but I guess it's more grown up (members are supposed to be 18 and older). It is by invitation only and I found someone to send me one. I'm excited to see it because I love all things Google so far.

Anyhow, I don't know if I'll have friends on here anyway, but I just wanted to have access to it since it's by Google. If anyone else is interested in it let me know and I'll invite you!

YIPPEE!!

2005-08-14T00:13:00.000-07:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JANELL!! I LOVE YOU! =)

I am very happy that you were born! I hope you have a great day celebrating (other than doing your mom's yard work)

Plumb - Nice, Naïve and Beautiful

2005-08-12T11:23:00.000-07:00

She’s only known heartache and pain
But she’s never known pain like this
She stands alone defending her name
When all that she’s done is be who she is
Well is it so wrong to be who we are
When all she’s done is fail

Cause she’s so nice, naïve and beautiful
Why does she get taken advantage
Why does she live in a world so cold
She takes advantage of the nice, naïve and the beautiful

Cold is the throne of her hardened heart
No one has seen the softest part
Day after night she holds an ache
And won't budge to show this secret place
Well is it so wrong to hang on to hurt
Maybe she could set it free

Cause she’s so nice, naïve and beautiful
Why did she get taken for granted
Why did she live in a world so cold
He took advantage of the nice, naïve and the beautiful

If you’ve been there you know
If you’re still there hang on
We’re all dealt our lumps of coal
What you do with it can turn beautiful

Well there’s a life outside of this madness
And there’s a face behind every scar
But there’s a love overflowing with gladness
Get out of that place that’s restraining your love
I said get out of that place
that’s restraining your love

Random

2005-08-12T09:49:00.000-07:00

You know what's funny? Sometimes I get so engrossed in checking everyone else's blog to see if they've updated that I forget my own sometimes. So here is some randomness that is happening in my neck of the woods:

Today we are celebrating Laura's 21st b-day which was yesterday...That means no more drinking behind dumpsters for you! You can do it in public without reprimand! ;)

Sunday is Janell's 23rd B-day...It's a little anti-climactic. I think she has all of her gifts already. It's also on a Sunday this year which means we can't party all night...Maybe we'll party Saturday night, who knows? Maybe we'll do some bar hopping.

My mother has been worrying me. One day she's in NY and the next she's in CA. She doesn't know where to go. The funny thing is that she is still paying on child support from when my dad had me and my brother...I offered to help pay for it...That's funny. I'd be paying back my dad for raising me (and taking advantage of the welfare system). Maybe I should ask my dad for a loan and give it to my mom...then it'd go back to him and she'd be in the clear.....but then I guess I'd be in the hole. Damn.

My brother finally got his license a couple of months ago...and a week ago he got in an accident. He's okay but the bad news is he had no insurance. He said he didn't know that it was required. I just looked it up from the CA DMV and it looks like his license will be suspended...That sucks. I know he's in a tough spot so I offered to help him pay for the damages...I hope my mom and brother don't take me up on the offer for money at the same time because then I'll need the help.

Anyhow...that's my update. Have a good weekend!

A New Point Of View

2005-08-08T11:40:00.000-07:00

I love being able to look at the world in new and fresh ways...but this is crazy. My neck is stuck sideways...it hurts so bad. I can hardly move it. I have an appointment at 2 today and hopefully they can help.

I had to miss church yesterday because of it. I can't really cantor with my head sideways grimacing with every movement. That could scare people.

Anywho, that's all for now...wish me luck and healing!

UPDATE:

So I walk into the doctor's office and take a seat. The nurse goes through the normal steps (blood pressure, pulse, asking why I'm there, etc..) I sit in pain waiting for the doctor to arrive. She walks in and I slightly move my body to see her. She takes her seat and says, "I notice that you barely turned to look at me, should I be offended?" (drum fill: ba doom boom chhhhh) ha...ha...so it turned out to be a muscle spasm...she said it could take anywhere from a week to months to heal completely. (Yippee) She gave me a print-out of stretches to do and prescribed Tylenol (ha) and Flexeril (a muscle relaxer) for me. Hopefully it will all be better in a couple of days!

Turn! Turn! Turn!

2005-08-04T02:35:00.000-07:00

To everything there is a season,
a time for every purpose under the sun.
A time to be born and a time to die;
a time to plant and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
a time to kill and a time to heal ...
a time to weep and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn and a time to dance ...
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing;
a time to lose and a time to seek;
a time to rend and a time to sew;
a time to keep silent and a time to speak;
a time to love and a time to hate;
a time for war and a time for peace.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

I had a whole bunch of stuff to say but nothing will come together. Timing in the world boggles me, but that being said let me say this:

Congratulations to Megan & David for your blessing. I pray for your health and for the health of the new baby as well.

I might add to this later, but for now, this is it.

Wrong, All Wrong....Well...Somewhat

2005-08-02T14:15:00.000-07:00

I discovered my truth. I've been living a lie. I'm not the same person I thought I was yesterday. Why, you ask? I received my birth certificate in the mail yesterday and made a discovery:

I've been spelling my middle name wrong on everything. Even my social security card is wrong. According to my birth certificate my middle name is Lyn...What's that about?? I called my mom and she said they just did it wrong. Not only is that wrong but her name is wrong on there too...Linda (it's Belinda) and her maiden name is also spelled wrong. I verified with my brother as well to make her that my mother's real name is Belinda and her maiden name is Ocenada (not Oceanada)...So either I was adopted by my mother from a lady named Linda Oceanada or there is a mistake.

You might be asking, "Crystal, why didn't you ever notice this before?" The answer is funny...My mom wrote in the other 'n' in my middle name. I guess I never questioned it. I was in total shock when I saw it yesterday. You might also say to me, "It's one letter, get over it" and to you I'd say "Shut up" lol. My name on my license, credit cards, social security card, apartment lease, health insurance and everything else I have under my name with "Lynn" as my middle name and I really don't want to change all of that.

So, I've contacted the County of San Francisco and they are sending me a form to amend my birth certificate...Hopefully it won't take forever to get...

How I Spent My Weekend:

2005-08-01T10:00:00.000-07:00

Friday: Megan turned finally 21 on Thursday. Janell and I decided that we would treat her and her husband to dinner at my second job, Opa. I don't really eat there that often but the fillet mignon was REALLY good and everyone really enjoyed it.
(Really good strawberry daiquiris as well)

After that I had to go home to change for bar hopping. We started at the Harrah's Carnival Bar which is outside. It was soo hot. The go-go dancers are funny. Drinks were expensive but we expected that. Next we went to the NY,NY and went to Nine Fine Irishmen. That is a fun place. The music is fun there. There was a lady who was doing an Irish jig and that was cool. Buttery Nipples are good. However we noticed that the birthday girl wasn't drunk yet so we moved on. The last stop was The Bar at Times Square, which is a piano bar. $10 to get into a bar!!?? Damn...Megan was lucky it was her b-day and also I kind of wanted to see this one. It wasn't bad, but I am very happy that I wasn't going to sing on Sunday because everywhere we went we had to scream to be heard. The loud party/bar scene isn't my thing, but it wasn't too bad. When Janell and I were leaving we decided to play Megabucks...she tried to no avail, when I got my turn I won $160, so that was nice. It paid for the night.

Saturday: When the alarm went off I didn't want to get up, but I knew I had to...Laura was going to be picking us up to go camping in a couple of hours and we hadn't packed yet. So...rather than go into detail I will tell you things I observed or learned while on the trip:

A 60% chance of rain doesn't guarantee a heavy downpour (maybe just a light sprinkle for 5 minutes)

13 year old girls feel that they NEED make-up in the woods

Mallets can be used as pest control...even from bees

It's a hatchet, not an axe (and no, you can't bury it)

13 year old girls go camping to talk on their cells phones and compare the strength of their signal

It's hard to start charcoals in the wind (but just give it time and viola, burgers & hotdogs)

Outdoor bathrooms are scary, but at least there was one

Camp fires are fun

Gin Rummy is fun to re-learn

It's fun to take morning walks in search of firewood

Even if you forget to bring things (like hamburgers, utensils, firewood, charcoal and lighter fluid) it works out somehow

Rocks are hard to sleep on

It was fun camping. We should do it again for sure. Thanks for inviting us Laura! It was nice to meet your friends they are fun.

Sunday: We left camp and thought about taking a hike, but HA. We were sore from the rocks (except for those who slept on air mattresses). We headed back for Vegas and ate at IHOP where we had horrible service and were forgotten in the corner. Once again Julia was asked if she was my sister...(it's just the skin tone Laura). Janell and I got home and relaxed until 6. Then we went to celebrate Megan's birthday again but this time with her family. We taught her to gamble. Janell and David played Black Jack at the tables. All in all, Janell and I broke even again which is fine with me. My contribution was turning $2 into $10.

So that was my weekend. The only thing I'm sad about is that I didn't get to sing at church. It was the group I still kind of like to sing in. Maybe I'll like it more when Tina joins up :) We'll see which one she decides to join..maybe she'll sing in both like me. Anywho, I need to get to work lol.

Confusion

2005-07-28T09:50:00.000-07:00

Once the cause of laughter, joy and tears
It's his mommy's voice he now hears
begging, "Please stay with me," her cry comes from deep,
"I need you here." She starts to weep.
Looking at her swollen belly,
she pleads,"Don't take him God, I'm just not ready."
She falls to her knees and looks toward the sky
"Why did you choose my babe? Don't you hear my cry?"

God, in reply, spoke to her heart,
"I hear your cry and know more than I can impart,
But that child you hold can no longer stay here
I need him in Heaven and one day my reason will be clear"

She tries to speak to her unborn love
"God wants to take you back above,"
She rubs her tummy and continues on,
"I love you and I'll miss you when you're gone"

So...I am confused and sometimes question God's reasoning. I know that it's beyond my thinking and one day I will understand but as for now I am not sure of what to think. The person who my poem is about hasn't had a miscarriage yet...but the doctors say she will...please keep her and her child in your prayers.

The False Start

2005-07-26T10:04:00.000-07:00

I've had a couple of people ask me about the job and whether I took it or not and here is the scoop:

The lady who offered me the job got ahead of herself. She didn't tell or ask anyone about offering the job to me or about the salary that she proposed to me. She caught everyone (my 2 bosses and the two owners) by surprise. They decided that they want me to stay where I am. I am in the middle of a huge project and they want someone who is already licensed for the other job.

So, hopefully what will happen is this: I will kick ass in this project and get the $10,000 bonus my broker promised me and then I will break even with what I would have gotten from that other job and then some (counting additional bonuses).

I do wish though that she would have checked with people before offering me the job. I'm glad I didn't just accept. She hasn't really said a word to me since she offered me the job...she must have gotten reprimanded. HA.

TFTD

2005-07-22T09:34:00.000-07:00

"Every day people crucify themselves between two thieves: one, the regret of lost opportunity; the other, the fear of what tomorrow may bring. Worry never accomplishes anything."

~Thomas D. Willhite~

50 Questions

2005-07-21T07:19:00.000-07:00

[1] when was the last time you went to the bathroom outside?
Eww, I don't remember ever doing that.

[2] when was the last time you saw one of your parents?
I saw my dad many months ago sometime before my birthday.

[3] which family member do you most resemble?
I have my mom's skin and my dad's nose...that's all I know

[4] which cologne/perfume do you wear?
none

[5] which deodorant do you wear?
Lady Speed Stick I think.

[6] do you 'clean up nice'?
I used to, dunno anymore.

[7] when was the last time you tripped and fell?
:( In Target I think........Janell couldn't stop laughing...you jerk.

[8] where was the last place you slept besides your home?
At Janell's sister's

[9] what are you listening to right now?
well playing is Mandy Moore version of Mona Lisa's & Mad Hatters...I just have all of my music play throughout the day.

[10] have you ever started an uncontrollable fire?
No...my brother has though

[11] ever run out of gas on the road?
Yes...it sucked. It was after church so I had high heels on (this was about 3 yrs ago)

[12] would you rather cut the grass or rake the leaves?
Cut grass

[13] Your name spelled backwards:
Latsyrc

[14] What is the last thing you downloaded onto your computer?
A Greenday song

[15] Last time you swam in a pool?
At Laura's house two weekends ago

[16] Have you ever been in a school play?
Yes.

[17] How many kids do you want?
Two if possible

[18] Type of music you dislike most?
Hardcore Rock/ super heavy metal

[19] Are you registered to vote?
Yes indeedy

[20] Do you have cable?
Yes.

[21] Ever prank call anybody?
I used to all the time in middle school

[22] Best friends?
Yes I have a few

[23]Would you go bungee jumping or sky diving?
Sky diving...if something goes wrong, I probably won't survive to feel the hurt.

[24] Do you have a garden?
no

[25] What's your favorite comic strip?
Crap I Drew on my Lunch Break @ crap.jinwicked.com

26] Bath or Shower?
Shower

[27] Best movie you've seen in the past month?
Coach Carter again I suppose

[28] Favorite pizza topping?
olives or pineapple, depending on my mood

[29] Chips or popcorn?
Depends on the chips

[30] What color lipstick do you usually wear?
I don't really wear lipstick, I wear gloss sometimes

[31] Have you ever smoked peanut shells?
umm....no?

[32] Orange Juice or apple?
Neither.

[33] Favorite type of chocolate bar?
Symphony with Toffee

[34] When was the last time you voted at the polls?
Presidential election

[35] Last time you ate a homegrown tomato?
Never. I don't eat tomatoes

[36] Are you a good cook?
I can be

[37] Ever order anything from an infomercial?
Janell has ordered something for us from one

[38] Sprite or 7-up?
Either, makes no difference to me.

[39] Have you ever had to wear a uniform to work?
Yes, when I worked at the Adventuredome...::shivers::

[40] Ever thrown up in public?
I don't think so

[41] Would you prefer being a millionaire or find true love?
A life full of money but empty of love would be a lonley one indeed.

[42] Do you believe in love at first sight?
Nope

[43] Can ex's be friends?
After time I think it's possible. It took about a year for my last ex and me to start talking again...I think it also depends on how bad the break up is

[44] Who was the last person you visited in a hospital?
Erin after the eizures (lol)

[45] Did you have a lot of hair as a baby?
I think so

[46] What message is on your answering machine?
"You've reached Crystal & Janell, leave a message" something to that effect

[47] What do you think about most?
I'm not sure...my mind is everywhere.

[48] favorite form of travel?
I haven't really traveled by boat or balloon yet, so I haven't experienced all forms

[49] ever drink rotten milk?
No, I usually smell the carton if it has a possiblity of going bad

[50] what do you think of the person who posted this ahead of you?
I think Laura is a great person and a great friend who is very talented in many ways!

Ch-Ched 'R' Peppers

2005-07-20T08:22:00.000-07:00

Normally I don't go to pubs...I don't drink beer and all else is expensive. Last night was the exception though. Janell's brother-in-law, John, became grandad to James Lee Kilby at a whopping 10 lb and 2 oz. We decided to celebrate by taking him to Crown N Anchor since it's a British pub...to make him feel at home. =)

Anyone who knows me knows that I am not coordinated, so it was no surprise that I didn't join Janell and John in a game of darts. Instead Erin & I tried our luck at video poker. We started with $4 each and ended with 0. I was up to $7.50 at one point but I am not very good at video poker. We left shortly after I lost Erin's money and Janell finally beat John in darts and went to get food. You never know how funny it is to hear a British man say Ched 'R' Peppers in an American accent when everyone is tired and had been drinking (me and my rootbeer.)

So anyway, Congratulations to Grandad John, Grandnan Erin, Uncle Jono and of course, the mum and dad, Annelli and Danny (who I've never met, but still they were a big part of this too!)

My Friends

2005-07-18T16:35:00.000-07:00

In my life friends have come and gone..not by choice but because I moved so much when I was younger. I've lost touch with so many people and am sad for that but it's hard to keep in touch when I didn't pay the phone bills yet and there were no email accounts for me to have at the time.

I am grateful however, for the friends I have kept. Some are casual friends some are the best of friends...but I am happy for all of them. You guys are awesome!

Anyhow, the reason I started this post is because I am starting to really miss one of my best friends...I don't know why this is, but it just hit me today that I really miss her.

I miss you....come back to America...now!
(no my hobbit friend, I am not refering to you in this blog but I do miss you too.)

Infinite Cat Project

2005-07-13T07:41:00.000-07:00

Hey! Check out Ash! He's now famous!

Infinite Cat Project

Explanation:

The infinite Cat Project started with a picture of a single cat. Someone took a picture of their cat looking at the picture of the cat and sent it in. Then someone took a pic of their cat looking at the pic of the cat looking at the original...and so forth. Ash is #984. I was looking at the site last night and decided to submit a pic of Ash doing it and lo and behold, there he is.

What To Do?

2005-07-11T11:09:00.000-07:00

So, I was offered the job again by the woman I once thought as evil. She isn't as bad as she originally seemed, she just seems brash (as my current boss put it) when you first meet her.

Today is the deadline for my decision.

Here are the pros and cons:

Pro: I'd be making about $10,000 more per year
Con: No more bonuses (although I don't know that it would be equal to the salary I could be making)

Pro: Working as her assistant would actually mean she'd be out of the office more
Con: I'd probably have to be on the phone a lot more

Pro:I could probably get a real estate license compliments my company
Con: I don't even know if I want one and I am not sure of the time it takes

Pro:I'd still be in the same company that I am in now which means I could possibly transfer back if I don't like the job
Con:I don't want to move around too much and I like my bosses now.

Pro:If I would like to I can get out of the office from time to time running errands (only if I specifically ask to)
Con:Well...my A/C sucks in my car now, but I guess I could fix with the the extra $ lol

I think that I might want to try this new job but it's just a bit scary going into the unknown...I feel bad for leaving my current bosses because they've been great to me. Oh well, I guess we'll see what happens.

Man...

2005-07-05T08:56:00.000-07:00

Let me just say that I think that the day after the 4th should be our off day as well. Everybody is out late on the 4th...don't they know that?

Oh well, I get a 4 day work week so that's nice...the down side is that I to squeeze in payroll and choir practice today. That means that I don't get to go home until around 9...BOO!

Speaking of choir, that reminds me of something. Note to former choir directors: I think that a certain ex-member (Mariah Carey) lied to you about going off to college in CA. Not only did I see her last night (which could be understandable) but I've seen her on at least 5 separate (non-college break) occasions. Why would she feel that she had to make up such an elaborate lie? Geez, doesn't she know she could have just said she was going to take a break?

So, anyhow, I hope everyone had a great weekend!
Thank you to my friends for making it a good weekend for me too, even if we were sweating in that storage unit and at Desert Breeze. Thanks for the mudslides...that was yummy. Enjoy your futon! Thanks to Jan for putting up with my whining. I promise I'll call the doctor. And a special shoutout to 'team yellow': "Aha" is that lyric (I think) that we were wondering about which isn't quite as exciting "whaaaa haaaaooo" ;)

The Room

2005-07-01T13:31:00.000-07:00

So there are forwards that people send you in your email and you chuckle or say "aww" and delete. For some reason there is one that I always remember and I have decided to post it. Enjoy! (HAHA you don't have the power to delete it afterward)

The Room

By Joshua Harris

In that place between wakefulness and dreams, I found myself in the room. There were no distinguishing features save for the one wall covered with small index card files. They were like the ones in libraries that list titles by author or subject in alphabetical order. But these files, which stretched from floor to ceiling and right to left as far as the eye could see, had very different headings.

As I walked up to the wall of files,the first to catch my attention was one that read, "People I Have Liked." I opened it and began flipping through the cards. I quickly shut it, shocked to realize that I recognized the names written on each one. And then, without being told, I knew exactly where I was.

This lifeless room with its small files was a crude catalog system for my entire life. The actions of my every moment, big and small, were written in a detail my memory couldn't match. A sense of wonder and curiosity, mixed with horror, stirred within me as I began randomly opening files and exploring their content. Some brought joy and sweet memories, others a sense of shame and regret so intense that I would look over my shoulder to see if anyone was watching.

A file named "Friends" was next to one marked "Friends I have betrayed". The titles ranged from common, everyday things to the not-so-common-"Books I Have Read", "Lies I Have Told", "Comfort I Have Given", "Jokes I Have Laughed At". Some were almost hilarious in their exactness: "Things I Have Yelled At My Brothers and Sisters." Others I couldn't laugh at: "Things I Have Done in Anger", "Things I Have Muttered Under My Breath at My Parents". I never ceased to be surprised by the contents. Often there were many more cards than I expected. Sometimes less than I had hoped.

The sheer volume of the life I had lived overwhelmed me. Could it be possible that I had time in my number of years to write each of these thousands or millions of cards? But each card confirmed the truth. Each card was written in my own handwriting. Each card was signed with my signature. When I pulled out the file marked "Songs I Have Listened To", I realized the files grew to contain their contents. The cards were packed tightly, and yet after two or three yards, I hadn't found the end of the file. I shut it, shamed, not so much by the quality of music, but more by the vast amount of time I knew that file represented. When I came to the file marked "Lustful Thoughts"; I felt a chill run through my body. I pulled the file out only an inch, not willing to test its size, and drew out a card. I shuddered at its detailed content. I felt sick to think such a moment had been recorded.

A feeling of humiliation and anger ran through my body. One thought dominated my mind: "No one must ever see these cards! No one must ever see this room! I have to destroy them!" In an insane frenzy, I yanked the file out. Its size didn't matter now. I had to empty it and burn the cards. But as I took the file at one end and began pounding it on the floor, I could not dislodge a single card. I became desperate and pulled out a card, only to find it as strong as steel when I tried to tear it. Defeated and utterly helpless, I returned the file to its slot. Leaning my forehead against the wall, I let out a long, self-pitying sigh.

That was when I saw it. The file bore "People I Have Shared the Gospel With". The handle was brighter than those around it, newer, almost unused. I pulled on its handle and a small box not more than 3 inches long fell into my hands. I could count the cards it contained on one hand. And then the tears came. I began to weep. Sobs so deep that the hurt started in my stomach and shook through me. I fell on my knees and cried. I cried out of shame, from the overwhelming shame of it all. The rows of file shelves swirled in my tear-filled eyes. No one must ever, ever know of this room. I must lock it up and hide the key.

Then as I looked up through my tears, I saw Him enter the room. No, please not Him. Not here. Anyone but Jesus. I watched helplessly as He began to open the files and read the cards. I couldn't bear to watch His response. The few times I looked at His face I saw such sadness that it tore at my heart. He seemed to intuitively go to the worst boxes. Why did he have to read every one?

Finally, He turned and looked at me from across the room. He looked at me with pity in His eyes. But this was a pity that didn't anger me. I dropped my head, covered my face with my hands and began to cry again. He walked over and put his arm around me. He could have said so many things. But He didn't say a word. He just cried with me.

Then He got up and walked back to the wall of files. Starting at one end of the room, He took out a file, and, one by one began to sign His name over mine on each card. "No!" I shouted, rushing to Him. All I could find to say was "No, no", as I pulled the card from Him. His name shouldn't be on these cards. But there it was, written in red so rich, so dark, so alive. The name of Jesus covered mine. It was written in blood.

He gently took the card back. He smiled a sad smile and began to sign the cards. I don't think I'll ever understand how He did it so quickly, but the next instant it seemed I heard Him close the last file and walk back to my side. He placed His hand on my shoulder and said, "It is finished." I stood up, and He led me out of the room. There was no lock on the door. There were still cards to be written.

Fo Shizzle

2005-07-01T08:29:00.000-07:00

So I know what you all have wanted to see from my site and I've decided to give it to you. For your viewing/reading pleasure, I have translated my site into Ebonics for you (or do I actually write it in that format and then translate it into a way you can understand?? You'll never know!)

Translated Site

Thought For The Day

2005-06-30T14:30:00.000-07:00

"Life is part positive and part negative. Suppose you went to hear a symphony orchestra and all they played were the little, happy, high notes? Would you leave soon? Let me hear the rumble of the bass, the crash of the cymbals, and the minor keys."

~Jim Rohn~

Philosophies to Ponder

2005-06-29T10:17:00.000-07:00

No! I didn't just copy and paste these...I added the bullets too.....I just wanted to update.

If at first you don't succeed, destroy all evidence that you tried.

A conclusion is the place where you got tired of thinking.

Experience is something you don't get until just after you need it.

For every action, there is an equal and opposite criticism.

He who hesitates is probably right.

Never do card tricks for the group you play poker with.

No one is listening until you make a mistake.

Success always occurs in private, and failure in full view.

The colder the X-ray table, the more of your body is required on it.

The hardness of the butter is proportional to the softness of the bread.

The severity of the itch is proportional to the reach.

To steal ideas from one person is plagiarism; to steal from many is research.

To succeed in politics, it is often necessary to rise above your principles.

Two wrongs are only the beginning.

Work is accomplished by those employees who have not reached their level of incompetence.

You never really learn to swear until you learn to drive.

The problem with the gene pool is that there is no lifeguard.

Monday is an awful way to spend 1/7th of your life.

The sooner you fall behind, the more time you'll have to catch up.

The light at the end of the tunnel is the headlight of an approaching train.