Australia and New Zealand Rock!

I'm doing this blog on the fly, but I wanted to show off a couple of pics from Australia. I realize that in these pictures I look horrid. However, my curling iron melted a couple of days into my trip. So I had to be very inventive with my hair.

So with that said...


Here's a pic of me in Auckland. It was windy. I was very tired. But the city looks cool!

I'm going to Australia!

So, because I've got a cool job, I get to go to New Zealand and Australia in October. This is most likely going to happen but there is a small chance that it won't. But I'm supposed to be planning that it will.

I'm going to be flying into Auckland and spending a couple or three days there before going to Adelaide for at least two to four days and then flying to Sydney for the convention. So it will be about a 13 day trip. The only problem is that I won't be home for Xander's b-day (I'll be home a couple of days after that) and I'll be pretty homesick by being gone on that day. But we can celebrate it royally when I get home right?

This will be my first time going back to AU since I lived there oh so many years ago. I can't wait to see how its changed.

So what I need to know from my friends and family is....

What do you want me to bring back for you?

Kicks in the pants are free.

Updation

Unlike some, I don't always have wonderful things to talk about. However, I do today. Last night we had two rocks thrown through our front window. This was one - appreciated and two - good timing. Since we are trying to move, we have people who schedule appointments to see the house. We have one today and thanks to the punks that did this, we now have one less person who will interested in buying it. If you're trying to make us stay in the neighborhood, you're doing a good job.

And let me move on from there by saying my new favorite quote:

"Sweet, sweet wall. Don't listen to those other walls. They're just jealous."

20 things I am grateful for....

Ok. So I watched part of "The Secret" and while I don't know how much of it I completely subscribe to, I do like the part about being grateful. I especially feel the need to list these things because I have been feeling some stress in my life in the recent past and it feels good to remember that which I have been blessed with. It counteracts the negative things happening in my life quite well.

So here it is.

I'm grateful:

1. To be the mother of Rhiannon and Xander. Two wonderful, active, happy and smart kids
2. To have a job that causes me little stress and pays well for the area.
3. To have a roof over my head and food in my belly everyday.
4. For the gospel that teaches me how to improve, grow, love and live happily despite what life may throw at me.
5. For the gospel, because I have a ward family no matter where I go on this earth to help me if I need it.
6. For my wonderful mother who helps me emotionally, physically and spiritually every day.
7. For my brothers and sisters and brothers and sisters-in-law who love me no matter what and who enjoy being with me and are good listeners when I need to talk.
8. For a loving Heavenly Father who has provided many miracles in my life recently and in the past. So many that I can never deny Him.
9. For good friends that buoy me up in the storms: Tina, Heidi, Almond, Brenda, Emily, Lori, Irene, my co-workers, Nanette... and list goes on longer than I can list.
10. For a car that runs most of the time.
11. For beautiful mountains surrounding the valley I live in and the incredible sunsets we have here.
12. For the opportunity to go to college and get a degree.
13. For the opportunity to go on a mission and spread the gospel.
14. For the chance to see Canada, France, Switzerland, Austria, Hungary, Slovakia, Australia and a good part of the U.S. and some of the beauties they contain.
15. For my Lacefield family who still show kindness and love to me.
16. To live in the U.S. and have what a good amount of people on the earth would consider many riches.
17. To come from a strong and wonderful line of ancestors who embraced the gospel in the church's early days and who have lived good and productive lives. They give me a lot to live up to.
18. The members of my ward who teach with inspiration, love everyone they meet and who truly care for each other.
19. For my cats - even if one is dumber than dirt. :o)
20. The experiences that I've had in my life that have led me to this point in my life where I am learning how to truly forgive and let go of anger, to live more positively and more closely to the Lord.

I would love to hear what you're thankful for as well!

Stuff I'm doing right now in my life

I just got off the phone with a friend and when I was asked what I was doing lately - I came up with a blank. I'm not doing anything particularly special. But to prove I am doing stuff here's a list of said stuff:

1. I'm listening to all the Harry Potter books on audiobook on my ipod while I drive to work or sometimes while I'm at work.

2. I'm reading (again) the book "Twilight" by Stephenie Meyer. Its a guilty pleasure kind of book. Not really an intellectual read, but a good one when you need something light.

3. I hang out with my friend Almond once a week. The kids call this night "Almond night". Its their favorite day cause they go with us to hang out somewhere (except for the 3rd week which is reserved for just the two of us to do something together.)

4. I go to my brother's house once a month for MST3K night. However, we've been watching "Rifftracks" instead lately. This is Mike's new project and its a lot of fun.

5. I've been trying to plan the next family reunion that's going to happen in July. I'm failing miserably I think. Mostly because I'm not sure what I'm supposed to do. However, I do have the date and the place. But that was done by someone else so I can't really take credit for it.

6. My best friend EVAH! is coming to visit on June 1st. She's flying in for her mom's b-day and we're going to take some time together to go dancing - a favorite past-time in our youth.

7. A close friend from Ohio is coming the end of June to visit as well and I'm so excited to see her.

8. My kids are going to be with their dad for 3 weeks in June. Almond and I are planning on going down to Vegas for a few days. I'm going to see "Cirque de Soleil" finally!

9. My daughter is going to turn 7. And for the first time ever, I'm not going to be with her on her birthday.

10. We're looking for a house to move into with a big back yard for the kids. We're fixing a few things in the condo we live in to get more equity out of it when we move.

11. I saw Spiderman. I was not impressed.

12. The kids and I have gotten very creative in our book reading times at night. I end up singing the words or reading them like a robot or doing some other silly thing. Rhiannon's favorite thing is when I add something about the characters having a cup of tea (when that's not a part of the book at all.)

13. My piece of Saab has broken down and is not being easy to fix. I'm spreading the word that I'll trade it for a Camaro.

14. I'm looking forward to the new Harry Potter book and movie coming out this summer.

15. I have a 91 happiness in my brother's online game.

Well that's about it really. The film ends mainly visually. (Monty Python)

Are People Insane? (Or is it just me?)

So, I have a bad habit in my life of running into a lot of people that to me are just insane. I usually don't find this out until I've spent a good amount of time with them. You'd think I would have figured out that they are insane when I first meet them, but I've found that insane does not necessarily mean stupid. Insane people are ingenious at some things. Like acting normal when they first meet you for instance. This has caused some issues in my life because I have a hard time getting these people to leave my life once they are in it.

For instance - At least two of my best friends in high school I would now consider insane. One treated me like dirt if there was anyone else around that she wanted to impress. Most of the time, these people she was trying to impress were idiots themselves. Now, best friends shouldn't be taken lightly in my opinion, so how insane is it to treat the one person in your life that not only puts up with you, but actually chooses to hang around you, like crap? I was asked recently by a mutual friend to let bygones be bygones (I had finally had enough of her behavior and let the friendship end after she decided to have yet another tizzy fit about nothing) and to get together again. As I have had more than my share of drama the last few years, this is exactly the thing I do not want to do. I tactfully said to the mutual friend that while I wish her the best in her life now (as my ex-best friend and I have not seen each other in about 15 years), I really do not wish to bring more insanity into my life. I've got a full tank of insanity that's been handed to me over the past few years thank you very much.

There are more examples, but they have basically the same behavior pattern. Insane people treat other people that are obviously not nice or faithful or emotionally smart as though they were the coolest or most wonderful and best people in the world, while ignoring or hurting or insulting or cheating or stepping on people who were actually good friends, lovers or companions (or at the very least would have been if they had been treated better). And I'm not just talking about this being done to me. I see this insanity happen to a lot of very good and nice people.

So its my new motto in life. No more new insane people in my life. If you are just getting to know me and you know that you are certifiably insane, please go away. If you are already in my life and you are insane, you are welcome to leave as well.

I'm not insane. I believe that if you treat me well, I should treat you well also. It doesn't matter what religion, ethnicity, sex, or sexual orientation you are. If you are nice, I will be nice back. If you are insane, I will tell you to go away. Find another insane person who will treat you like dirt. You'll like that. It will be better for everyone in the end. Well, at least it will for all the sane people.

Oh by the way - crazy is not the same as insane. I like crazy people. As long as they're not insane.

Piece of Saab

So back in my married days, I gave up my beloved camaro because it was too hard to get a baby in and out of the back of it. It was a sad day indeed, because the car was so fun to drive. And it smoked just about every car off the line. 5.0 litre with standard transmission, t-tops and got me a lot of stares. It was heaven.

Once it was sold, I started driving my then husband's '95 9000 Saab. It hasn't been a bad car and has actually held up pretty well over the years, but I relied on him to fix it since he was a Saab connoisseur. And it looks like just an average no-head-turns car. Now that we're divorced and he lives hundred of miles away, I'm stuck with a car that has bad memories attached to it and is going down hill. Since the new camaro doesn't come out for another year (and I probably wouldn't be able to afford one right off the lot anyway), I'm stuck driving this piece.

The worst problem this car has is something that afflicts many of the Saabs of that year - the gas gauge is not always correct. This has made my life a living hell on a few occasions as I do not know when its telling me the truth and when I'm about to run out of gas.

I usually try to watch the mileage but when the odometer was broken that didn't work either.

I've had the odometer fixed, so I guess what happened the other day was partly my fault. I was due to get gas pretty soon according to the odometer, but thought I could at least get to work. I was trying to get there early so I could leave a little early too so I pushed it too far.

I ran out of gas about a 1/2 mile away from the next exit. Ironically, the last time this car did this to me (when the odometer was broken) it was in almost the exact same spot.

I was prepared this time having bought a gas can the last time this happened, so I grab the can and my wallet and started walking - in the cold, on the highway. I was mumbling many things under my breath, mainly about stupid Saabs and their stupid quirks and many other things that I could not say in church or in front of my kids.

I called one of my co-workers that I knew took the same route to work in hopes that he would be coming my way soon. However, he was already at work. But being the nice guy that he is he offered to come and get me.

I told him that I would continue to walk to the gas station and to just meet me there.

I kept walking and down the road a bit a big truck with a trailer pulled over. They were so far down the road that at first I thought that they had lost something off the back of the trailer. A guy was running towards me and I started looking on the road to see if I could see whatever they had lost. Just then a little black car pulled over and I could see the guy clearing off the passenger seat.

"Hooray!" I thought. "I don't have to stay out in this cold! I'm saved!" He opened the side door and asked if he could give me a ride to the gas station. Now I don't usually take rides from strangers, but he seemed ok and I knew there were people who knew where I was if for some reason something went wrong.

So I got in the car and he asked me to hold some of the stuff that had been on the seat. I looked up and saw that the guy who had been running toward me was returning to the truck. So I had two offers for a ride almost immediately. Such nice people here in Utah!

I explained my situation and what a stupid car I had to the guy and thanked him for the ride. He then said something that made the whole morning worth it.

He indicated that he too was late for work and that I should really not think him too much of a good samaritan as he had an ulterior motive. He knew he was going to be in trouble when he got to work because he was late. He saw me walking and thought that I would be the perfect excuse for him being late! He told me he was going to tell his boss that he helped a lady who had run out of gas. What was he supposed to do? Leave her? :o)

The gas station was right on his way to work so it worked out perfectly for both of us. He had his excuse. I had a ride. Nice how things work out that way.

As I was filling up the gas can, another co-worker (Tara) called me and said "Is that your car on the highway?" When I indicated it was, she asked if I ran out of gas again. **sigh** She offered to come back and get me, but I let her know that Jared was coming and thanked her muchly for offering.

Jared picked me up a few minutes later and took me back to my car and made sure I got back on the highway before going back to work himself. I stopped and fueled up immediately, being unwilling to take a chance that my little gas can would have enough gas in it to even get to work.

So it was an interesting adventure. All provided by my piece of Saab.

Blog heaven

So I'm liking this blog thing. I get to spew out all sorts of nonsense and people might actually read some of it some of the time. Its kind of empowering.

So what I want to do next is...start yet another sentence with the word so. I like the word so. It can have so many meanings, although most of them are lost when placed on paper (or through electrons).

But enough of the nonsense. My subject for the moment is going to be movie quotes. So.......

Some of my favorites are:

"Have fun stormin the castle" (Princess Bride)

"Touche, my Lord" (Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy)

"Pizza,Pizza" (MST3K's version of Hercules Against the Moonmen)

"I mean, how much more black could it be? And the answer is none. None more black." (This is Spinal Tap)

"I'll have what she's having" (When Harry Met Sally)

Voilà! In view, a humble vaudevillian veteran, cast vicariously as both victim and villain by the vicissitudes of Fate. This visage, no mere veneer of vanity, is a vestige of the vox populi, now vacant, vanished. However, this valorous visitation of a by-gone vexation, stands vivified and has vowed to vanquish these venal and virulent vermin van-guarding vice and vouchsafing the violently vicious and voracious violation of volition.
The only verdict is vengeance; a vendetta, held as a votive, not in vain, for the value and veracity of such shall one day vindicate the vigilant and the virtuous. Verily, this vichyssoise of verbiage veers most verbose, so let me simply add that it's my very good honor to meet you and you may call me V. (V for Vendetta)

These are not all. But I'm tired.

So tell me what your favorites are. I'll probably go "oh yeah!", smack my head and wish I had thought of it first

That's about all Really.....

I've determined that I want to write a story on here. However, I'm trying to first think of good ideas. Here are some pretty raw ideas I have and maybe you can help me choose one and/or flesh it out:

1. A woman (girl, teenager) discovers that she can alter reality, but the consequences become more and more dire each time she does.

2. Through a series of bizarre events, nature decides its had enough of humans and goes about "cleaning up" the earth.

3. The hero (or heroine) finds that each time s/he falls asleep, s/he wakes up in completely different realities (or worlds or as someone else).

Again, I'm tired, so that's all I can think of at the moment. If you have better suggestions, I'd love to hear them. I'd just like to try my hand at writing something.

I have a blog to pick with you....

Ok. So I keep getting asked what a Regulatory Affairs Coordinator does (or is). So I'm going to try to explain it to everyone here and then when people ask, I can say go to www.currentlyunimpressed....blah blah blah for an explanation. See I never had this problem when I worked for LexisNexis. I told them I was in customer support and that seemed to satisfy them. At least about my job. Now, of course, I got the "What's LexisNexis"? To humor myself, I would tell them that I sold shampoo out of the back of a really nice car. [All my friends from LN will enjoy that joke as they've had the same question poised to them a million times too].

If you really want to know what LexisNexis is, go to www.lexisnexis.com. I don't work there anymore and don't feel the need to explain it to anyone anymore.

As for my current job – I work for one of the many MANY dietary supplement/ cosmetic companies here in Utah. Regulatory Affairs is a subdivision of the legal department. Our department does many things having to do with registration of products in foreign countries, labeling laws, advertising and research. I specifically do the following things:

• Review and revise U.S. labels to ensure they are compliant with U.S. laws and regulations.
• Review and revise advertising materials to ensure that they are also compliant with the specific country's laws.
• Research information on the market/industry and competition to make sure we are kept abreast of current trends or issues especially involving the FDA or FTC. We try to learn from others mistakes by seeing who the FDA/FTC is going after and why. Ironically, I use Westlaw [LexisNexis' competitor] to do most of this research now.
• Review formulas to make sure the ingredients are approved for use in the US.
• Work with our vendors to get information needed to label our products correctly.
• I'm also a notary and spend quite some time notarizing other co-workers' documents that go to different governments in order to register our products.
• Anything else that the big boss throws on my plate.
• Attend various workshops/ conventions to increase my knowledge of U.S. laws and regs.

Yes, I love my job. Yes, I really really like my co-workers (we hang out after work quite often which says a lot). No, I won't be quitting anytime soon to do something else. I'm learning a lot and it's a challenging (but not overwhelming) job. Its perfect for me. Mostly because I almost never have to talk on the phone. Any questions?