From One Fully Ensconced in her 30s

OK, peeps.  I'm back, and I'm better than ever.  JW, your diligent, daily checking will finally pay off. 

Oh dear, where to start?  Life is busy, and life is good.  Here are a few reasons why--

1. Jordan, my dearest cousin, got married about two and a half weeks ago, and I'm seriously blissed out on his behalf.  I don't know that I've ever seen him so happy!  His wife, Andrea, is cute as a button and we all suspect she has the patience of Job (or, at least, we're praying she does).  Mom, Ash and I went to the wedding and had a marvelous time!  Savannah, GA, was a major highlight for me with a trip to Back In the Day Bakery and Primary Art Supply.  Also, have you ever had South African food?  Totally delicious.  Charleston also won my heart.  The architecture is gorgeous and so are the people.  Everyone is fit, and everyone has a dog.  I noticed flying back that people got less and less attractive the further west we went (but don't say that to my California buddies!).

2. The famed Cupcake Exchange was a total success.  What?  You haven't heard about it?  Well, lemme fill ya in.  Even though I was on death's door the day of the party (darn airplanes and their dry, recycled air!), it was a smash.  Basically, I'd invited a bunch of my cousins and their little girls (plus a few other friends) to a cupcake party at my house.  We had great (non-sweet) food, the kids did a cakewalk, and there were prizes for the Most Creative, Prettiest, and Best-Tasting cupcakes.  And as if the children weren't already hyped up on sugar, they all took several boxes of cupcakes home.  All the fun, none of the naughty leftovers.  I was pleased.  I'd like to try this party again with adults.

3. The birthday came and went, and it was mostly painless.  I spent the afternoon/evening before the big day with Michael, who was good enough to distract me from my vanishing youth.  We stayed up til midnight so he could see if I'd instantly sprout grey hairs a-la- Chia pet, but no such luck.  I did find a stray grey on my bathroom counter this morning.  Seriously didn't know I had them til Ashley plucked one out of my head a few Sundays ago.  Anyway, after a very nice Saturday, the birthday itself was pretty chill.  Heard from several long-distance friends, and would have been able to talk to more of you had I not indulged in a birthday nap.  Boy, I needed it though, because I had to store up my excitement for this little beauty:

Ben, Skye and the girls got me a bike for the big 3-1, and I LOVE IT.  I've been thinking about getting a cruiser for a long time, but the problem has mostly been finding one that fits.  Yes, this is a "tween" bike with 24" wheels.  I still had to lower the seat all the way down, but now I'm a riding fool!  I'll try to post a picture with the bell and the basket, because they really add a whole level of awesome.  Between my bike and my uke, I think I've crossed fully into the hipster zone, though I really didn't mean to (I submit this based on evidence from a very poorly written YouTube video called "What Hipsters Say and What They Really Mean."  It's horrible and not worth your time, but all the things the girl makes fun of are things I do).

Other goodies soon to be reported on-- a possible part-time job, outlines of my magnificent summer plans, and perhaps more pictures because I also got a sweet camera for the birthday and I'm ready to use it!  Ta!

Pontifications and Revelations

OK friends, get ready-- this is a long one! But I know you won't mind because you look to me to lead and guide you in all things, right? Right? (Crickets chirping here? Oh well, let's not put off the inevitable free advice!)

First, let's talk about a movie you should never see:

I think "Georgy Girl" is one of the most depressing shows ever. Because you're not going to see it anyway, I'm going to tell you why it is so awful. If you are a sadist and think you'd watch it despite my best advice, go ahead and scroll down. I believe this is the only spoiler alert I'll need in this blog, ever.

OK, so here's the premise: Lynn Redgrave plays Georgy who is absolutely bonkers, but is generally a good person. Gives us a sense of empahty, right? Plus also, she is a bit on the chubby side and a virgin, and one would initially think this film is my life-story, right? Wrong. Poor Georgy has awful parents-- her father thinks she should do whatever she is asked by his rich employer, even if it's awful. Daddums also tells Georgy what an ingrate she is, and consistently calls her ugly. What a chump! Then you've got the rounder who employees Daddy, who honestly asks Georgy, via contractual agreement, to be his mistress! Cheeky and entitled, I'd say. Poor G also has a self-absorbed roommate, and falls in love with the father of roommate's illegitimate child. This guy is a slacker and a nutter, and in the end Georgy is left holding the responsibility bag for just about everyone. The moral of the story seems to be "Heaven help you if you're weird and overweight. But maybe you'll get lucky. No, of course you won't find true love, but you might end up married to a rich old man." And it's all set to a very chipper tune. The English are a very cruel lot, or at least they were in the 1960s. If you want irony, go watch "Harold and Maude" instead.

Next up, a little information about a book you can take or leave:


Ann Brashares brings us an update on Tibby, Lena, Bridget and Carmen in this latest installment of "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants." The bottom line: read it if you were somewhat invested in the initial four books, but if you miss it, don't feel like your world is ending. To be honest, I didn't like the 4th book in the series at all, but when I saw this at my local Hastings, I decided to give it a whirl just the same (this, it should be noted, should be a book you borrow, not buy, but Lou has the others in her Leyte Library, so I thought I'd complete the series... I'll send it soon LS!). To her credit, Brashares has created characters so strong that as you read the book you realize "Of course this is what B would do. Lena wrote herself!" The story is engaging, and still will tug on your heartstrings.

Of course, if you want a real page-turner, may I suggest:

If you love Brandon Mull, and you know you do (and you know I do), the second installment in his Beyonders series is delightful. I'm not finished with this one yet. I love Brandon's work so much, and taking the time to savor it is difficult-- I'd love to sit down for a few hours and read it at once, but as he only has about one book come out a year, I'm taking my time with this one. So far, very engaging. I do wish I'd re-read the first one before I jumped in again, only because there are so many characters, but Brandon refreshes our memory without a ton of heavy exposition.

So what else have I been up to besides reading and watching DVDs (it should be noted I've finally broken down and started trying to watch all James Bond movies-- Pierce Brosnan is not my favorite Bond)? Believe it or not, I've actually had a life recently! I'm happy to tell you about it.

Cute story alert: One highlight of my life comes in the form of spending time with the nieces. I love the two I have, and we're getting No. 3 on Friday! Yes, they wear me out, but they're really what I live for. On Friday the fam went out for my dad's birthday to our favorite restaurant. Zoey, 4, came in with four pennies in hand and slapped them on the table saying, "I'm paying tonight." Love, love, love!

Another fun Friday fact: Did you know that Smith's in the Mountain Run Shopping Center has sensors in their aisles for saving light usage/energy? Pretty cool, except the place did seem a little dark. I heart grocery shopping (or any kind of shopping) with Michael. I was pretty excited when he bought this:

Yum! Blood Orange juice is to die for. Bahahahaaha! I really love it, though.

As a matter of fact, Michael and I had several food adventures this weekend. He'd never been to Sweet Tomatoes (gasp!) so we hit it for some most excellent salad and the Grilled Cheese Focacia. Yum, yum, yum. They only have the GCF in March and for one week in October, so I take advantage. After lunch, we joined the beautiful Christina V for Albuquerque's Chocolate (and Coffee, though CV was the only one partaking) Festival. Hooray for Chuck from Theobroma. He was delightful, and his wares were the prettiest in the whole show!

As if that weren't enough, we capped off the afternoon with "The Hunger Games." To Seneca Crane, in the immortal words of Ke$ha, "I like your beard."

So you see, my life has been pretty jazzy lately. Mostly it's been work, work and more work, but the weekends are packed with fun. Of course, it's not all just hearts and flowers. I did have a minor-major-breakdown (if you see what I mean) which, upon reflection, I think stemmed mostly from a) M and I talking about my old bf and b) the fact that my doctor didn't authorize a refill for the good old tri-sprintec in time for me to start the Rx, and I'm pretty sure a month without it is making me an emotional wreck, if also atypically fertile. Sigh. Such is life.

But one other important thing: My friend Corey needs your advice. He's going to Thailand for his 30th birthday in a couple of months and can't decide-- to wax, or not to wax?

I apologize for the less-than-stellar representation. I'm not sure this is exactly what his body looks like because for some reason he didn't want to show me his shirtless chest (though he wanted me to touch it-- WOOT for 2nd base-ish!). He is orange because he is planning on getting super-tan. His arms are lumpy because a) Paint is a crap program, and b) Corey has been working out. If you know him in real life, I suggest you go check out his arms. Nice.

Anyway, please weigh-in with your opinion. Corey wants to know what the ladies like, and doesn't trust just my opinion. I think I'm getting more tolerant of weird body hair in my old age (see picture of Seneca Crane above). I promise to forward all relevant information and comments to him. That way, you can exert your expert opinion in the same way I do! Thanks friends!

Pure Pleasure

The other night in bed just before I fell asleep, I counted my blessings, and sometimes you just have to express gratitude for things that make you blissfully happy. Here's one of mine:

"The Invention of Hugo Cabret" by Brian Selznick. Have you read it? What are you waiting for?

Not only is the story enchanting, but the artwork is fantastic. I love pencil on watercolor paper. The texture makes the work that more emotive. Also, major props to Martin Scorsese for being so true in the film adaptation, which I loved months ago.

But if I'm being really honest, the experience was heightened by the pure joy from the way the book smelled. Bibliophiles know what I'm talking about. And if you happened to attend BYU, you'd recognize the smell of "Hugo." It smelled like every official booklet you ever received-- from Orientation to Grad Guide, there's this particular smell of ink on that thick paper, and you can experience it all again by picking up a copy of this book.

Many thanks to McMichael MacHansen for his recommendation.

Not gonna lie--I take a lot of pleasure in the viewing of this picture. I knew Michael and I would be friends from the beginning, mostly because we both have great hair. But you know how I adore people who celebrate their heritage.

PS. I ironed that kilt the night before.

In Praise of my friend Luis

I know, I know. I'm not gonna waste time with apologies. Allow me to jump right in.

Have I told you about my friend Luis? Let me tell you now.

L is fantastic. He carries things out to my car, which is always appreciated as I generally have more junk than one person can carry alone. He opens doors. He does dishes, even when he's not the one who messed them in the first place.

That is all. I mean, there's a lot more to Luis, but that is all I have to say today.

I'll Be Kind Tomorrow

1) Grrr to the general contractor from yesterday's post. If you're thinking of building a house, I know lots of really nice GCs who are professional, experienced, and fair. I'd be happy to make a recommendation or two, and perhaps steer you away from the crooked ones.

2) It's getting easier to feel more positive Man 2 and Man 3. Not so positive that I'm as emotionally invested, but I'm feeling less grumpy today.

3) A call for help-- anybody know how I can get rid of these weird links that are now embedded in my text? Obviously, I'm not putting them there, and I find them obnoxious.

How I Know I Need to Be Kinder

Gentle Readers,

I'm back. Life has been generally beautiful, a tad frustrating, and mostly busy. Oh, how I'd like to tell you all of it, but that would be boring, unprofessional, and a bit whiny. Here are the bullet points, starting with the happy:

* First, I'm still riding a wave of creativity. Mom just got back from a buying trip to Canton, and came home with all sorts of materials and inspiration. Hobby Lobby and Michaels aren't disappointing either. Even though some of my projects fall short from the mark (for example, a toille skirt I made for church and some of the pinterest postings I've tried for myself), there are plenty of other things to inspire. I'm finding it everywhere-- a pair of jeans in my favorite store, browsing at the local bookshop, even food from a dinner party. Love!

* I'm getting back to my entertaining roots. Mum and I are planning an Alice-in-Wonderland-themed fete for some of her friends, and the only problem is there isn't enough time to get everything done we'd like to include. It's been too long since I've held a legitimate party.

* My nieces remain the most darling people in my life. Z has been working on a special Valentine for me, and I'm honored. P came shopping with me on Saturday, and I'm pleased to see her turning into a little Bohemian. We're gearing up for Baby H in just a couple of months, and I can't wait to meet her and see what kind of joy she brings to the Sego clan.

As for the not-so-happy, here are the grumplies, which can mostly be summed up with the statement: People are RUDE! Evidence includes, but is not limited to, the following:

* I've been dealing with the most churlish customer. First he was angry that we didn't get him a bid the same day he sent over the plans. Brother called for some clarification, but this man doesn't answer his phone. I suppose he prefers aggressive emails (nothing passive here). He has continued to insult me via email, and I'd really like to tell him to shove it, or to at least point out it's bad life policy to be rude to the information gate-keepers. He may think I'm simply a glorified secretary, employed mostly because of my last name, but 1) he's selling me short, and 2) someone needs to tell him that one should always be kind to secretaries and assistants, because we take care of the people we like first. Also, I'm rather disappointed in him because there's a part of me that holds certain members of society (that is, members of my church) to a higher standard, because we're taught to be kind. He really ought to know better.

* Another person in my life is leaving my feelings chafed and my heart bruised for treating me like a convenience. No one likes to be taken for granted. Do you ever feel like you're punished for being nice to someone? Oh, I'm not going to pretend there wasn't an ulterior motive-- I was looking for a friend. I'm selfish, I suppose. I thought if I were kind some of that might come back to me. And it is, but not from the focus of my friendshipping campaign. This chap (yes, of course it would be a boy) doesn't seem bothered in the least that I'm unhappy. I told him he was on my list. He said he knew, but hasn't done a thing to understand where I'm coming from. I guess he figured he ought to get out while the getting was good (otherwise known as right after I did something nice, pre-reciprocation).

* Sometimes I get put out because I deal with so many people with an over-developed sense of entitlement. See the contractor above. Also, see a young man I know who was huffy because he was asked to do something, but the request came via text rather than face-to-face appeal. It wasn't me doing the asking, by the way, but someone I care about. Said young man spends a lot of time texting, so I'd guess he's not morally opposed to it (for example, he loves to text other girls when he's hanging out with me), but I guess he wanted it to be a big to-do. Ugh. Pride.

Anyway, enough complaining. When I think about these men, my skin feels tight and my lips tend to snarl. But this will not do. And I know, I should probably just toughen up and be as helpful to my customer as possible, because "he's always right." Likewise, I shouldn't give with any expectation of reciprocation, even if it's friendliness. And as the third situation doesn't really involve me, I shouldn't get bent out of shape. But just not letting things bother me isn't really enough, I think.

The world can be so discouraging-- I know there are really good people out there trying to make it better, and I'm recommitting to being one of those kind. When people are rude, I don't just want to not have it get to me, I want to be nice in return. When someone makes it clear they don't want my kindness, I'll just go spread it elsewhere. Instead of being mad at someone for wanting more attention, I'm going to try to be more understanding. If I can't give enough attention to sate their appetite, then I'll renew my energy by offering attention to another lost soul.

I don't expect my personal quest to change the world in a big way, but I wouldn't mind adding the blessings of being a kind person-- that intrinsic, inescapable feel-good-ness-- to the joy I've been experiencing creatively.

Life Looks Like

This morning, the office was deliciously quiet. Not too many phone calls, everyone out but me. There's always more to do, of course, but I had a moment or two to think about my romantic life and appreciate what is proving to be a new year of Bohemian abandon.

New addiction: Pinterest. I'm happy to say I'm limiting myself to a few minutes a day, but since joining last Monday, I've made two trips to Hobby Lobby.

In Celebration:

My favorite local band, Le Chat Lunatique, released a new music video on Friday, and I gathered some friends to join me at Low Spirits for the show. May I suggest downloading their cover of Paula Abdul's "Straight Up?"

New Favorite Sandwich Joint: Prime.

The Kitty Kat Club is delicious, but share it with a friend, because like all the sandwiches here, it's immense.

New way of going back to my roots: The Holga. I've been a little distressed thinking I've lost my ability to shoot on film. I'd love a nice digital SLR sometime, but with other things competing for my small, small discretionary income (e.g., plane tickets to South Carolina and Seattle, a bike, a freezer, tuition to an online bridal consultant course, a gorgeous drafting table from Cost Plus World Market), I'm going small and trying my hand at film again. I'll let you know how it goes.

New place to hang out:

(My friend Michael loves power tools. I love light bulbs and spray paint. I think I have a partner in crime.)

New Year with Old Friends:

We've been going to Szechwan for as long as I remember. Much love to Ai and her family. Last night's food was phenomenal!

Happy Year of the Dragon, everyone!