Tag. I'm it.

So because I have been tagged, it follows that I must produce something tag worthy. I don't feel up to this gigantic task, but I will attempt to produce some 6 or 7 things that most people don't know about me.

1. I collected black and white postcards while I was on my mission in Geneva Switzerland. Most of them were of couples kissing (I don't know why because I wasn't particularly missing this). My favorite was one of an older lady dressed up like a queen and feeding chickens.

2. I wrote a short story when I lived in Ohio about this woman called "Queen of the Chickens." I never finished the story, because she stopped talking to me. It could be that she was upset that she died fairly early in the story. It could also be that I lost quite a bit of my soul, hope and creative desire during this time. I hope to one day finish this story. She bugs me about it every once in awhile. But all she says is "The story's not done." She doesn't tell me what happens next.

3. I told someone once that he has a reputation for not forgiving others. I have regretted this because I have since realized I have this same propensity. I try very hard to forgive and move on, but I don't. If you severely hurt me or mine, I don't forgive. I also realize this does not hurt the person I'm not forgiving. I hope one day to learn how to completely forgive someone even when they continue to be an ass. I hope when I do learn, I can teach others how to do the same.

4. I sometimes say ass. And various other benign swear words. Most of the time, I don't care unless I slip around my kids.

5. I love words that most people have heard before but don't know the meaning of and I like to use them frequently. I download them quite often to my notebook so I can remember them later. And by download, I mean write. My favorite word of the moment is esoteric.

6. I love this picture of me:


7. I love Tom Lehrer and I love to play Masochism Tango on the piano.

Oh and I love Viggo Mortensen. But I don't think that's a unknown fact to most people.

I tag Tiffany and Brandon.

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.