So remember how I felt all materialistically guilty after returning from Peru and got rid of a bunch of stuff? Yeah, well I kinda want it back now.
This may be too much info, but I had like the worst case of PMS over the weekend. You see, when I get PMS, I get PM-effing-S. I seriously thought I was losing my mind on Saturday. I'm pretty sure my family thought I was too because my mom refused to leave me by myself. She seriously sat in my bedroom with me while I laid in bed, stared at my screensaver and cried. It was pretty bad. A funny side note: my mom told me that she used to PMS really bad too and when people would irritate her, she would wish they would get in a car wreck and die. O.k., maybe that's not so funny, but it made me feel better.
I'm back on the exercising kick again.
Have I mentioned how much I love my job? I think I have, but just in case I haven't, I do. Actually, I guess it's not so much my job I love, it's my coworkers. Not that the job is bad, it's cool, but I really like my coworkers and I want to force them to be my friends and hang out with me not at work, but I'm not sure how to manipulate them into doing that. Another reason I like my job: one of the guys I work with has pretty much the sexiest arms I've ever seen. It's not just me who thinks so-my boss and I have discussed it. Now lest you think I've been inappropriate at work, she brought it up first. I just agreed . . . enthusiastically.
I really wish I could sing and not sound like a dying animal. I have all these amazing gifts and talents (muahahahaha!), but that's the one thing (of many) I can't do, and it pisses me off.
Alright, well . . . that's all.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
please tell me you're joking
This guy from one of the singles websites says this on his profile:
before i date, i require a hand written letter which i pray about and go to the temple about which may keep in my church cloths. silly i get impressions and feel that this is the best way to find my help mate.
i need a good fit in my life eather some one who could live in a small place or was well off. and i could sell my place and buy a better place with her, in this area hopefully maybe some where else depends. i am not a great writer so phone calls are better or person i will pray about it and get back you. you pray about it too please.
Oh, and then there was some other guy who sent a little flirt thing, but I don't think we'd be a good match since he lives in Iran and is 4'10".
before i date, i require a hand written letter which i pray about and go to the temple about which may keep in my church cloths. silly i get impressions and feel that this is the best way to find my help mate.
i need a good fit in my life eather some one who could live in a small place or was well off. and i could sell my place and buy a better place with her, in this area hopefully maybe some where else depends. i am not a great writer so phone calls are better or person i will pray about it and get back you. you pray about it too please.
Oh, and then there was some other guy who sent a little flirt thing, but I don't think we'd be a good match since he lives in Iran and is 4'10".
Monday, September 29, 2008
Sunday, September 28, 2008
hmmm . . .
I'm tempted to start another blog. I want an outlet for addiction woes, church gripes, etc., and I hate talking about it here because I feel like it changes the vibe of the blog. This blog is always just soooooo cheerful you know! Actually, I don't know what exactly the vibe of this blog is, but I don't want to change whatever it is. I don't even know if that makes sense. I guess I just want a place where I can be more open and not worry about offending anyone. I know, it's my blog and I shouldn't worry about offending people, but I do. I censor what I say quite a bit based on who I know reads my blog (ie. my little brother and occasionally my mom). So . . . here's the plan . . . I'm going to create another blog and make it private. It will probably not be G-rated (not that it'll be R or anything), and will focus more on the insanity that is my mind and life instead of my observations of BYU students and hot celebrities. As long as you're not in my immediate family, I would love for you to read it. Even if I don't know you, feel free to ask for "permission" to access it once I set it up (which will be in like five minutes). Hopefully this blog will be more upbeat now.
Saturday, September 27, 2008
introspectiveness
I went to Beth's house last night for a little girls only fun. Good friends, good food and interesting chit-chatting always make for a good time! Things we will never mention again: the Haunted Mansion, jacuzzi jet tubs, and vaginal dryness cream.
I woke up feeling a bit introspective this morning. Hanging out with married and procreating LDS friends always does this to me. Plus I've been hitting up the LDS Singles sites waaaay too much lately. I need to find a real person to go out on a date with. Not that these guys on the websites aren't real people, but they're pretty much whoever they want to be because it's all very anonymous.
I'm afraid that I am getting too settled into my singleness. I'm starting to get the attitude of I don't need someone to support me, I don't need someone to complete me, blah, blah, blah, I'm just fine on my own, thank you very much! But I don't know if I have that attitude because I'm trying to convince myself or because that's how I really feel. I think if I beat myself over the head with it enough times it'll sink in and I won't feel so lonely.
I realize I'm only 27, which is technically still a youngin', but it's really not in the Mormon world. We're commanded and raised to believe that we get married and have kids. That's our job. That's all I have ever wanted; that's all I ever tried to prepare for growing up (well, minus a few drug-hazed years). But I feel like now all of a sudden I have to shift my focus from that to "I'd better make sure I can support myself because you never know what could happen." But I don't want to support myself, I say in a whiney voice. I'm still clinging to the marriage and family ideal, but it's like my fingers are slipping off the life raft. Should I just let go?
Well, this turned out to be a downer post. Sorry about that. Actually, I'm not sorry, because it's my blog and I can say whatever I want! Can I tell you something else that kind of bugs me? Good, 'cause I'm going to. I know plenty of good, single guys, but none of them have ever shown the least bit of interest. These are people who know me, know my family, we're all friends, but I guess I've never been taken seriously as a potential anything. That kind of hurts my feelings just a little bit. I don't think I'm repulsive or anything. So how do I let these guys know that I'm interested without making it all awkward if they aren't? That, my dear readers, is the question.
I woke up feeling a bit introspective this morning. Hanging out with married and procreating LDS friends always does this to me. Plus I've been hitting up the LDS Singles sites waaaay too much lately. I need to find a real person to go out on a date with. Not that these guys on the websites aren't real people, but they're pretty much whoever they want to be because it's all very anonymous.
I'm afraid that I am getting too settled into my singleness. I'm starting to get the attitude of I don't need someone to support me, I don't need someone to complete me, blah, blah, blah, I'm just fine on my own, thank you very much! But I don't know if I have that attitude because I'm trying to convince myself or because that's how I really feel. I think if I beat myself over the head with it enough times it'll sink in and I won't feel so lonely.
I realize I'm only 27, which is technically still a youngin', but it's really not in the Mormon world. We're commanded and raised to believe that we get married and have kids. That's our job. That's all I have ever wanted; that's all I ever tried to prepare for growing up (well, minus a few drug-hazed years). But I feel like now all of a sudden I have to shift my focus from that to "I'd better make sure I can support myself because you never know what could happen." But I don't want to support myself, I say in a whiney voice. I'm still clinging to the marriage and family ideal, but it's like my fingers are slipping off the life raft. Should I just let go?
Well, this turned out to be a downer post. Sorry about that. Actually, I'm not sorry, because it's my blog and I can say whatever I want! Can I tell you something else that kind of bugs me? Good, 'cause I'm going to. I know plenty of good, single guys, but none of them have ever shown the least bit of interest. These are people who know me, know my family, we're all friends, but I guess I've never been taken seriously as a potential anything. That kind of hurts my feelings just a little bit. I don't think I'm repulsive or anything. So how do I let these guys know that I'm interested without making it all awkward if they aren't? That, my dear readers, is the question.
Friday, September 26, 2008
I can't help myself
I just made a kinda rude comment on someone's profile on lds singles. It actually wasn't rude, it was funny, but it may possibly be taken as rude. This is his intro paragraph:
I want to nearly miss a flight in Reno just because it's too hard to say goodbye. I want to taste starbucks on a stroll through times square, ride a train to Queens to bid farewell, or maybe catch a nighcap in the Bronx. I want to drive all night in a rainstorm to the Windy City and make a mad dash to Aunt Lill's. I want to run down the river near the plaza in Kansas City. I want to catch a concert in Columbus. I want to cross the border and add a stamp to my collection. I want to eat turkey with the Cowboys, buy treats at Maverick when most men are buying coffee. I want to eat a fifteen dollar burrito at a white trash park near LA. Make a fire on the beach and walk down the walk of fame. I want to eat Hummus and Broccoli, fudge and carmel apples at the cider mill. I want a piece of cheesecake at the Factory. I want to be able to fall asleep at night.
Now maybe this is from a song or something and I completely missed it, but I had to comment. I ignored the wanting to catch a "nighcap" and several other things, but I HAD to comment on missing a flight in Reno. Basically the comment I left him said "I can understanding wanting to miss a flight because it's too hard to say goodbye, but Reno? Really?" Like who even wants to go to Reno, let alone miss a flight there? I'm thinking that it's comments like these that are the reason why I'm still single.
I want to nearly miss a flight in Reno just because it's too hard to say goodbye. I want to taste starbucks on a stroll through times square, ride a train to Queens to bid farewell, or maybe catch a nighcap in the Bronx. I want to drive all night in a rainstorm to the Windy City and make a mad dash to Aunt Lill's. I want to run down the river near the plaza in Kansas City. I want to catch a concert in Columbus. I want to cross the border and add a stamp to my collection. I want to eat turkey with the Cowboys, buy treats at Maverick when most men are buying coffee. I want to eat a fifteen dollar burrito at a white trash park near LA. Make a fire on the beach and walk down the walk of fame. I want to eat Hummus and Broccoli, fudge and carmel apples at the cider mill. I want a piece of cheesecake at the Factory. I want to be able to fall asleep at night.
Now maybe this is from a song or something and I completely missed it, but I had to comment. I ignored the wanting to catch a "nighcap" and several other things, but I HAD to comment on missing a flight in Reno. Basically the comment I left him said "I can understanding wanting to miss a flight because it's too hard to say goodbye, but Reno? Really?" Like who even wants to go to Reno, let alone miss a flight there? I'm thinking that it's comments like these that are the reason why I'm still single.
new intro
I changed my greeting thing on my dating profile. It used to be all like "oh, I love children, holding hands, long walks on the beach, rainbows, butterflies and kittens." O.k., maybe not really like that, but I did make myself sound more frou-frou-y than I really am. So this is what it says now. Or what it will say once the powers that be approve it:
My last intro didn’t seem to be getting me anywhere, so here’s one that’s a bit more honest.
Want to know all about me? Well, I’m 27 and I’m starting to get lonely. When I was a young (stupid) teenager, I had a list of requirements for a perfect husband but now I’ve realized in my old age (!) that the perfect man doesn’t exist. And since I’m exceedingly unperfect myself, I probably wouldn’t mesh well with the perfect man anyway. So how about this . . . you’re not perfect, I’m not perfect, so let’s be less than stellar together. We can balance each other out. Do you like to eat? Well I like to cook. Do you like to go camping and hiking? Well, I don’t, but because relationships are about give and take, I’ll do it anyway and try not to complain too much. Have you been burned in a relationship before? Yeah, me, too, but I’m willing to try again. Let’s just make sure we’re patient with each other and not let the past dictate the future.
So now I guess the question is, are you going to contact me? What’s stopping you? I won’t take it personally that you might be looking for someone skinnier, prettier, and with bigger lips and/or boobs. But until you find Angelina Jolie (and somehow lure her away from Brad Pitt), how about giving me a chance? I promise not to reject you (unless you’re really old and creepy), I don’t care if there’s plenty of you to love (but you listed yourself as above-average-don’t worry, I did it too), I don’t care if you’re going bald, or if you have kids, or if you don’t have the perfect job making tons of money. What I do care about is that you have a good heart and are willing to take a chance. Oh, and you also have to love (or at least accept) dogs, be willing to kill spiders, and not laugh at me if I cry at stupid stuff like Saturday’s Warrior.
So is it a deal? Are you just itching to push that “send a message” button? Go for it! What do you have to lose?
So there you go. If you have criticisms about what I said, feel free to not share them, as I don't want to hear them. If, however, you would like to say something nice about my greeting, feel free!
My last intro didn’t seem to be getting me anywhere, so here’s one that’s a bit more honest.
Want to know all about me? Well, I’m 27 and I’m starting to get lonely. When I was a young (stupid) teenager, I had a list of requirements for a perfect husband but now I’ve realized in my old age (!) that the perfect man doesn’t exist. And since I’m exceedingly unperfect myself, I probably wouldn’t mesh well with the perfect man anyway. So how about this . . . you’re not perfect, I’m not perfect, so let’s be less than stellar together. We can balance each other out. Do you like to eat? Well I like to cook. Do you like to go camping and hiking? Well, I don’t, but because relationships are about give and take, I’ll do it anyway and try not to complain too much. Have you been burned in a relationship before? Yeah, me, too, but I’m willing to try again. Let’s just make sure we’re patient with each other and not let the past dictate the future.
So now I guess the question is, are you going to contact me? What’s stopping you? I won’t take it personally that you might be looking for someone skinnier, prettier, and with bigger lips and/or boobs. But until you find Angelina Jolie (and somehow lure her away from Brad Pitt), how about giving me a chance? I promise not to reject you (unless you’re really old and creepy), I don’t care if there’s plenty of you to love (but you listed yourself as above-average-don’t worry, I did it too), I don’t care if you’re going bald, or if you have kids, or if you don’t have the perfect job making tons of money. What I do care about is that you have a good heart and are willing to take a chance. Oh, and you also have to love (or at least accept) dogs, be willing to kill spiders, and not laugh at me if I cry at stupid stuff like Saturday’s Warrior.
So is it a deal? Are you just itching to push that “send a message” button? Go for it! What do you have to lose?
So there you go. If you have criticisms about what I said, feel free to not share them, as I don't want to hear them. If, however, you would like to say something nice about my greeting, feel free!
Thursday, September 25, 2008
new recipe
For those of you who use the Reader, would you like me to give you a little heads up each time I change the Recipe o' the Week? Please leave me a comment and let me know. Thanks, you're a peach!
I'm in a bad mood
so I'm going to buy a pair of shoes and perhaps a purse. Retail therapy is the best!
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
profile names
Rebecca asked me what some good profile names are, since I complained about the bad ones. There are basically several categories of names (good and bad):
Oh, and one more thing, if you are choosing a photo to put on your profile, please do not use a Glamour Shots photo or your previous engagement photo that your ex-wife has been cut out of, except that half of her head is still in the shot.
- Funny: PICKmePICKme, CaptainHubcap, festivus, superradish, theoldman, StorminNorman
- Descriptive: sportsdoc, lovescameras, boyatheart (from a 60 yr old), acyclist,
- Creepy: nighthunger, spiderbiter
- Your name: Nathan, Seth Richmond, greghobbs
- Cocky*: hotwomenadoreme, smokin', professorofluv, theguyyouwantt,
Oh, and one more thing, if you are choosing a photo to put on your profile, please do not use a Glamour Shots photo or your previous engagement photo that your ex-wife has been cut out of, except that half of her head is still in the shot.
Monday, September 22, 2008
Um . . . k . . . no
For guys out there who do the dating website thing, I feel I should urge you to not use stupid screen names. For example:
- hotwomenadoreme-really? Is that why are you're still single?
- spiderbiter-is it not a well established fact that girls don't like spiders? I can't even go on your profile because I've already got the heebiejeebies thinking about spiders.
- professorofluv-also, when you say you volunteer for the Food Bank, do you really mean you're a client of the food bank?
- algernon-wasn't that story, Flowers for Algernon, about a mentally handicapped person?
- smokin-you smoke or you're smokin' hot? I'm guessing you're referring to the second option, but I'm not sure why.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
additions
Those of you who use Reader won't notice, but I have added a recipe of the week (or however long it takes me to add a new recipe-could be a day, could be a month) feature to the sidebar of my blog. These will all be recipes that I have tried and loved and now expect you to try and love. I also added a National Geographic picture of the day feature. Enjoy!
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
muahahahaha!
I am one of those people who laughs at pretty much everything. Even in totally sad or awkward situations, I find humor. I can't help it. Sometimes I laugh out loud, but most of the time I laugh inside my head. But when I do, it isn't just a little chuckle, it's an evil, maniacal laugh. And do you remember forever ago when I blogged about how my fingers type everything I hear/say? Well, they type my laugh too, so all day long, my fingers are typing muahahahaha! I even think and type it when things aren't funny sometimes. It's like I'm the villain in some comic-book movie who laughs when something bad happens. For example, on CNN.com tonight, there was a headline that elicited a muahahahaha:
"Thousands of bees take over 3 homes" Muahahahaha!
Hmmm . . . it sounds kinda lame when I write it down. Whatever. It entertains me, alright! Here's another headline from CNN:
"The smart side of Paris Hilton" Muahahahaha!
"Thousands of bees take over 3 homes" Muahahahaha!
Hmmm . . . it sounds kinda lame when I write it down. Whatever. It entertains me, alright! Here's another headline from CNN:
"The smart side of Paris Hilton" Muahahahaha!
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
I don't want to study
I can't bring myself to study at the moment, so I've been trying desperately to come up with something to blog about. I'm not having much luck. I thought about telling you about my co-workers, but there isn't much to say. They're nice and fun to be around. Oh, and one of them has a mullet. I could also tell you about the lame assignment I have to do tonight, but I'm bored by it, so you probably would be too. So . . . what to blog about? Here are some random thoughts (you should be used to those by now!).
- The season premier of House is on tonight. I'm pretty psyched.
- I couldn't sleep last night. It felt like I was tossing and turning all night, although when I did manage to sleep, I had weird dreams.
- I really like to make lists. And I really like to use bullet points.
- The Primary Sacrament Meeting Program is in a couple of weeks. I need to find a way to be released from my calling before then so I don't have to go sit up there with the kids. I can't handle them regularly, so the thought of having to control them while they're sitting in front of their parents and the whole ward is frightening. I hated Primary Programs growing up. I think they're stupid and I don't understand the point of them. They should really be stopped.
- Speaking of co-workers (as we weren't really doing, but whatever), I'm semi-crushing on one of them. He's young though. Like newly-returned-from-the-mish-young. Well, newly as in a year ago. Any way you look at it, he's young. How young is too young, though? (Lorri, don't answer this question.)
- There's an Alumni BBQ thing coming up for the people from my rehab. I don't want to go. I don't really want to hang out/catch up with people who know all the nitty-gritty, dirty details of the worst moments of my life. I just think it would be awkward. I mean I wouldn't know what to say to some of these people-"Hey, it's good to see you again. How's the herpes?" or "Wow, I thought you were still in jail!" And I don't even want to think about what people might say to me. I would give examples, but I don't want to go there. :)
Monday, September 15, 2008
Parasite Watch 2008
I am pleased to announce that the parasite seems to be on its way out . . . literally. Ew, TMI! TMI! Sorry about that-I'm just a little excited to start feeling better. :)
Sexist much?
In my Adult Development & Aging class today we discussed sexuality amongst the elderly. Not something you really want to think about, right?!? The textbook talked about how sex decreases later in life for women because they have a harder time finding willing and appropriate partners (after their husband dies, divorce, etc.), but then it talked about how men have a hard time finding willing partners. I thought that was kind of odd. Why do the men's partners just have to be willing and not appropriate? It makes me think of dirty, old men prowling for young girls or something. But then I thought about it again and it was kind of funny because it made it sound like old men have a hard time finding anyone who's willing, so they just take what they can get.
So . . . yeah.
I changed the title of my blog because I'm trying to work really, really, super hard on being grateful and having a charitable heart instead of being the ungrateful eejit that I normally am. Plus I was sick of the other title, although it probably more accurately described what you'll find on my blog.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
a confession
Since going to Peru I have had this overwhelming urge to get rid of things. I have this horrible need to possess things (books, clothes, shoes, junk) and now all of a sudden it seems kind of stupid. I've been going through my things and I've gotten rid of hundreds of books; clothes I never wear, but have kept just in case; shoes that hurt my feet; and basically just stuff. As my bedroom gets less cluttered I feel more content and at peace. I'm sleeping better, too. I think having too much stuff weighs on your spirit in a way. Does that sound all new-agey and ridiculous? As much as I've gotten rid of, I still have an absurd amount of belongings, so I'm not going totally crazy with the purging. I haven't even started on the bathroom and all my product yet. That could be scary. I don't know if I'm quite ready for that yet; but I have taken the first step and admitted I have a problem!
food
It wouldn't be a vacation without a trip to a buffet! On our last day in the Cusco area our cab driver, Adrian, suggested this restaurant that had a buffet.* I don't think there was a single person in the place that wasn't a tourist. Other than potatoes, here are some typical Peruvian dishes:
Cuy-guinea pig. I tried a little bite at the buffet, but at a different restaurant my mom got cuy nuggets. She said it was kind of stringy. Driving around the countryside, we saw lots of houses that had giant cuy ovens. I think my aunt took a picture of one. I'll post the picture later.
Ceviche-fish that has been "cooked" in lime juice.
Yuca-also known as cassava or manioc. It's a root that was cooked similar to a potato. Tapioca is actually made from this kind of root. I liked this stuff alot-especially when it was fried like a french fry.
Chicha morada-a beverage made from purple corn. The alcoholic version, which is just called chicha, is made with yellow corn that little old ladies grind up, stick in their mouths to get it spitty (to break down the starch), then spit it back out. Sounds tasty, huh! If you see a house that has a red flag hanging outside, it means they have homemade chica for sale.
Sopa a la Criolla-a traditional soup usually made with chicken, noodles, an egg, and some milk in the broth. Every restaurant has their own version. My dad and I ate quite a bit of soup. He usually got Sopa a la Criolla and I got Dieta del Pollo, which was basically chicken noodle soup.
*I'm pretty sure the amount of food we ate there could have fed a Peruvian family for about a month.
Llamas!
The only place we really saw llamas in Peru was at Machu Picchu. I think they have a herd there just for the tourists. Unfortunately I didn't witness any spitting (llamas are part of the camel family and spit if upset). I think they must've been so used to having people around that it didn't phase them. My mom and Aunt Mary wanted their pictures taken with the llamas, but I refused. I thought they had been harassed enough already and wanted to just let them be. This decision provided me with a good half hour of self-righteousness.
Hats
The people of Peru wear lots of different kinds of hats. You can tell which region a woman is from based upon what kind of hat she wears. Here are just a few examples, along with a picture of the woven ear-flap style hat that everyone associates with Peru.
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Friday, September 12, 2008
Reader
It appears that I have not been abandoned. (sigh of relief) Apparently everyone uses Google Reader and like me, finds that it takes too much effort to click onto the blog to leave a comment. I'm glad I'm not the only one who does this. I want to comment on peoples' posts all the time, but those couple of extra clicks seem like a million. It's kind of sad, isn't it!
Thursday, September 11, 2008
You're killin' me, Smalls!
Because Peru is in the Andes, it tends to be quite mountainous (duh). Therefore, there are lots and lots of steps. My aunt's knees started to hurt after a while and I revolted at this place called Ollantaytambo on our last day in Cusco. I refused to go up any more stairs, so I sat and watched "The Prince of Egypt" on my iPod and drank my Kool-aid (They have those individual packet things that you just dump into your bottle of water. It's nice to have flavor sometimes.) Here are some of the steps of Peru:
Some steps just stick out of the wall.
These steps in Cusco are called Amargura, which translates into "the bitterness." They were much longer, but I couldn't get it all in.
If you could zoom in on my face, I'm betting you might see a snarl or grimace.
Even the llamas have to go up the stairs!
Some steps just stick out of the wall.
These steps in Cusco are called Amargura, which translates into "the bitterness." They were much longer, but I couldn't get it all in.
If you could zoom in on my face, I'm betting you might see a snarl or grimace. 
Even the llamas have to go up the stairs!
The hills are alive!
It's not Austria, and it sure isn't Julie Andrews, but my mom can (when forced against her will) play a mean Maria!
9/11 part 2
Here's my journal for the next day, Sept. 14. Don't worry, it's not nearly as long as the last one!
"Right now there is a memorial/prayer service being held at the Cathedral in Washington. All the political people are there (except Dick Cheney-separation of powers). How safe is that? If these terrorists really wanted to destroy our country, all they would have to do is bomb that place. I have no idea what we would do then. It's a scary thought. At the service Billy Graham spoke, as well as an Islamic leader. I think a Rabbi was also there. Emails are being forwarded to everyone-we're supposed to step outside tonight at 7pm and light a candle. They just said on the news that the 10 people arrested yesterday were basically mistakes. On the radio right now they are doing an hour of special music. It's not all patriotic music. They played "I Hope You Dance" by LeeAnn Womack, "I Will Remember You" by Sarah McLachlan, and others."
Those weeks and months right after it happened were insane. Everyone seemed to be on edge, but at the same time everyone was trying to help everyone else in whatever way they could. Remember the firefighters going car to car at big intersections, collecting money? And all the telethons (this was pre-Kanye West, so no random, inappropriate comments)? It's interesting to look back at these journal entries and see the discrepancies between what we thought at the time, and what actually happened, like the death toll for example. Anyway . . . I didn't want to let today go by without saying something about it. Every year it seems like less and less is said about it. That first anniversary I was a basketcase, crying all day long. Actually, that's not true, I was probably loaded up on drugs so that I wouldn't have to think about it. Now I want to think about it because I don't want to forget it. It sucks that for those weeks we were so together as a country and so supportive of everyone, but now all we do is bicker and call names like little kids. How quickly we forget what it means to be the UNITED States of America.
"Right now there is a memorial/prayer service being held at the Cathedral in Washington. All the political people are there (except Dick Cheney-separation of powers). How safe is that? If these terrorists really wanted to destroy our country, all they would have to do is bomb that place. I have no idea what we would do then. It's a scary thought. At the service Billy Graham spoke, as well as an Islamic leader. I think a Rabbi was also there. Emails are being forwarded to everyone-we're supposed to step outside tonight at 7pm and light a candle. They just said on the news that the 10 people arrested yesterday were basically mistakes. On the radio right now they are doing an hour of special music. It's not all patriotic music. They played "I Hope You Dance" by LeeAnn Womack, "I Will Remember You" by Sarah McLachlan, and others."
Those weeks and months right after it happened were insane. Everyone seemed to be on edge, but at the same time everyone was trying to help everyone else in whatever way they could. Remember the firefighters going car to car at big intersections, collecting money? And all the telethons (this was pre-Kanye West, so no random, inappropriate comments)? It's interesting to look back at these journal entries and see the discrepancies between what we thought at the time, and what actually happened, like the death toll for example. Anyway . . . I didn't want to let today go by without saying something about it. Every year it seems like less and less is said about it. That first anniversary I was a basketcase, crying all day long. Actually, that's not true, I was probably loaded up on drugs so that I wouldn't have to think about it. Now I want to think about it because I don't want to forget it. It sucks that for those weeks we were so together as a country and so supportive of everyone, but now all we do is bicker and call names like little kids. How quickly we forget what it means to be the UNITED States of America.
9/11-long post
Does everyone remember what they were doing seven years ago today? I actually just found my journal entry from 9/13. It says:
"Two days ago on Sept. 11 (9/11), two planes crashed into the towers of the World Trade Center, another crashed into the Pentagon, and a fourth in Pennsylvania. I had just gotten out of the shower when I came into my room and heard the news on the radio. At first I thought it was a joke. Lilian was walking by and I asked her if she had heard about this. Then we went in and turned on the news. We couldn't believe it. Before long both towers had collapsed. Witnesses said they saw people jumping out of the windows so they wouldn't be burned alive. There was actual footage of the second plane crashing in to the building. It didn't seem real-it was like a movie or something. All of us sat around watching for a while, then I had to go to class. When I got there my professor announced that class was cancelled. As I was walking home I saw a sign that said the devotional was cancelled and instead they were holding a prayer meeting. For the rest of the day until my next class in late afternoon, I was glued to the t.v. I don't remember what happened on what day, but a lot has happened. Footage of the first plane came out, and along with the other footage, has been played over and over again. All airports were shut down and flights that were already in the air had to land at the nearest airport. A building next to the WTC also collapsed and another is near collapsing right now. The death toll for the Pentagon is about 190. The total for the crashes should be about 5000. That's about twice the death toll of Pearl Harbor, which is what this is being compared to. It's being called an act of war. Some people have been rescued from the WTC rubbnle. Right now they can hear several people tapping from under the debris, but it's so unstable they don't know if it will cave in before they can get to the people. They've called in people to tunnel from below to see if that works any better. The black box from the PA crash has been found. the cockpit from one of the WTC planes has been found with a body inside-possibly that of one of the terrorists. Osama bin Laden is the prime suspect right now. President Bush said that the countries harboring these poeple will also be held accountable. There are reports that we may bomb Afghanistan this weekend. All of the hijackers who were on the planes have been identified. The news reported today that the body of a flight attendant was found with her hands tied. Late this evening the Pentagon caught on fire again. I don't know if it's out yet. It's so sad to see all the people on t.v. with pictures of their family members who are missing. They all have a different story, each one of which is heart wrenching. All the major channels have had nonstop coverage since Tuesday. Another issue that has risen is the problem of asbestos in the air, which is very dangerous. Everyone has to wear masks. In a press conference today Pres. Bush almost started crying. I'm glad it's him who has to deal with this and not Bill Clinton or Al Gore. Bush seems so much more genuine and compassionate. There was footage shown of Clinton visiting with family members-mostly female, and he kept hugging them. Given his history it didn't seem nice and conforting-it was just weird. The US gov't is talking with Pakistan right now, trying to get them to comply with what we're doing. They have been given the request of closing their border with Afghanistan, and letting our planes fly over their country. We'll see what happens with that, but I would imagine they would cooperate. Also today 10 people were arrested (9 men, 1 woman) at NYC airports. They had fake ID, knives, and info identifying them as pilots. Whether they were planning another attack we may never know, although it seems likely. The plane that hit the Pentagon was reportedly supposed to have hit the White House, but something went wrong and they crashed there instead. Alot of people made cell phone calls from the planes. They called mostly family, but I think one man called 911. One man who called from teh PA plane said some of the passengers were going to try to overtake the hijackers. Apparently that's why it crashed there and not into a building. They are using many different things to help find people at the WTC. There are dogs, cats (???), heat sensors, and robots that sense heat and movement. One rescue worker is in the hospital after falling 6 stories. They said something about back problems, but I haven't heard anything new. They are using horns at the WTC to warn of danger. 2 or 3 blasts mean run and get out as fast as you can. Alot of the rescue workers are getting their hands cut up from sifting through debris because they don't have gloves. Construction boots are also in need because the bottoms of the boots are being scorched. I still can't believe this is really happening. I never ever thought we would be attacked here in the U.S. We're the most powerful nation in the world, so how did this happen? People keep calling this a cowardly act, but I don't think it is. Not many people in the world would dare to do this and take us on knowing that we wouldn't just sit there and do nothing. They were either brave or stupid! But considering the type of operation they planned and carried out, they weren't exactly morons. I just heard on the news that the people arrested at the airport were on the FBI's list of people associated with the hijackers. At Logan Airport in Boston on Wednesday, I think, they found a rental ar that had flight manuals in Arabic and the Koran in it. Other countries worldwide have been extremely supportive. Yesterday at Buckingham Palace they played the American National Anthem at the changing of the guards. A lot of countries also lost people in this attack. The ones I can remember are Great Britain, Japan, South Korea, and either France of Germany. Tomorrow is a National Day of Mourning. Even Wirthlin cancelled work and BYU postponed Spring Fling. Many other things have been cancelled or postponed as well, such as the Emmy's, the Latin Grammy's, football, golf, baseball, late night talk shows and Broadway shows. On the news earlier this evening they had a CEO of a company that was located on the 101-105 floors of the WTC. He got to work when they were evacuating. As people were running ouf he asked htem what floor they were from. He only got to the 91st floor. All of his employees who were there are missing. The other employees went back to work despite him voting against it. They didn't want to stay at home. As he was crying he kept talking about how he had 700 families to take care of. Another person who died was David Angel. He was on one of the planes and worked for the tv show, Frasier. Also on a plane, the one that hit the Pentagon, was Barbara Olson. Her husband is a high level gov't official and she was also well known in political circles. My hand is cramping up from so much writing! I'll have to write again tomorrow. I'm sure there will be more news then."
"Two days ago on Sept. 11 (9/11), two planes crashed into the towers of the World Trade Center, another crashed into the Pentagon, and a fourth in Pennsylvania. I had just gotten out of the shower when I came into my room and heard the news on the radio. At first I thought it was a joke. Lilian was walking by and I asked her if she had heard about this. Then we went in and turned on the news. We couldn't believe it. Before long both towers had collapsed. Witnesses said they saw people jumping out of the windows so they wouldn't be burned alive. There was actual footage of the second plane crashing in to the building. It didn't seem real-it was like a movie or something. All of us sat around watching for a while, then I had to go to class. When I got there my professor announced that class was cancelled. As I was walking home I saw a sign that said the devotional was cancelled and instead they were holding a prayer meeting. For the rest of the day until my next class in late afternoon, I was glued to the t.v. I don't remember what happened on what day, but a lot has happened. Footage of the first plane came out, and along with the other footage, has been played over and over again. All airports were shut down and flights that were already in the air had to land at the nearest airport. A building next to the WTC also collapsed and another is near collapsing right now. The death toll for the Pentagon is about 190. The total for the crashes should be about 5000. That's about twice the death toll of Pearl Harbor, which is what this is being compared to. It's being called an act of war. Some people have been rescued from the WTC rubbnle. Right now they can hear several people tapping from under the debris, but it's so unstable they don't know if it will cave in before they can get to the people. They've called in people to tunnel from below to see if that works any better. The black box from the PA crash has been found. the cockpit from one of the WTC planes has been found with a body inside-possibly that of one of the terrorists. Osama bin Laden is the prime suspect right now. President Bush said that the countries harboring these poeple will also be held accountable. There are reports that we may bomb Afghanistan this weekend. All of the hijackers who were on the planes have been identified. The news reported today that the body of a flight attendant was found with her hands tied. Late this evening the Pentagon caught on fire again. I don't know if it's out yet. It's so sad to see all the people on t.v. with pictures of their family members who are missing. They all have a different story, each one of which is heart wrenching. All the major channels have had nonstop coverage since Tuesday. Another issue that has risen is the problem of asbestos in the air, which is very dangerous. Everyone has to wear masks. In a press conference today Pres. Bush almost started crying. I'm glad it's him who has to deal with this and not Bill Clinton or Al Gore. Bush seems so much more genuine and compassionate. There was footage shown of Clinton visiting with family members-mostly female, and he kept hugging them. Given his history it didn't seem nice and conforting-it was just weird. The US gov't is talking with Pakistan right now, trying to get them to comply with what we're doing. They have been given the request of closing their border with Afghanistan, and letting our planes fly over their country. We'll see what happens with that, but I would imagine they would cooperate. Also today 10 people were arrested (9 men, 1 woman) at NYC airports. They had fake ID, knives, and info identifying them as pilots. Whether they were planning another attack we may never know, although it seems likely. The plane that hit the Pentagon was reportedly supposed to have hit the White House, but something went wrong and they crashed there instead. Alot of people made cell phone calls from the planes. They called mostly family, but I think one man called 911. One man who called from teh PA plane said some of the passengers were going to try to overtake the hijackers. Apparently that's why it crashed there and not into a building. They are using many different things to help find people at the WTC. There are dogs, cats (???), heat sensors, and robots that sense heat and movement. One rescue worker is in the hospital after falling 6 stories. They said something about back problems, but I haven't heard anything new. They are using horns at the WTC to warn of danger. 2 or 3 blasts mean run and get out as fast as you can. Alot of the rescue workers are getting their hands cut up from sifting through debris because they don't have gloves. Construction boots are also in need because the bottoms of the boots are being scorched. I still can't believe this is really happening. I never ever thought we would be attacked here in the U.S. We're the most powerful nation in the world, so how did this happen? People keep calling this a cowardly act, but I don't think it is. Not many people in the world would dare to do this and take us on knowing that we wouldn't just sit there and do nothing. They were either brave or stupid! But considering the type of operation they planned and carried out, they weren't exactly morons. I just heard on the news that the people arrested at the airport were on the FBI's list of people associated with the hijackers. At Logan Airport in Boston on Wednesday, I think, they found a rental ar that had flight manuals in Arabic and the Koran in it. Other countries worldwide have been extremely supportive. Yesterday at Buckingham Palace they played the American National Anthem at the changing of the guards. A lot of countries also lost people in this attack. The ones I can remember are Great Britain, Japan, South Korea, and either France of Germany. Tomorrow is a National Day of Mourning. Even Wirthlin cancelled work and BYU postponed Spring Fling. Many other things have been cancelled or postponed as well, such as the Emmy's, the Latin Grammy's, football, golf, baseball, late night talk shows and Broadway shows. On the news earlier this evening they had a CEO of a company that was located on the 101-105 floors of the WTC. He got to work when they were evacuating. As people were running ouf he asked htem what floor they were from. He only got to the 91st floor. All of his employees who were there are missing. The other employees went back to work despite him voting against it. They didn't want to stay at home. As he was crying he kept talking about how he had 700 families to take care of. Another person who died was David Angel. He was on one of the planes and worked for the tv show, Frasier. Also on a plane, the one that hit the Pentagon, was Barbara Olson. Her husband is a high level gov't official and she was also well known in political circles. My hand is cramping up from so much writing! I'll have to write again tomorrow. I'm sure there will be more news then."
giardia
Just one more reason why you should be very careful with what you eat and especially what water you drink in foreign countries: it's official, I have giardia. I have to go get some antibiotics. Here's what giardia looks like:
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
More to come
I'm getting tired, so that's all you're getting for tonight. I still don't have all the pictures, just the ones from my Mom's camera, and she took the least pictures out of everyone. So . . . check back tomorrow for more Peru posts, as well as more info on the parasite. Don't think I don't know which one you're more looking forward to!!!
Please ignore my pants
Here's a picture of my Aunt Mary, me, and my mom at Machu Picchu. I bought these ugly pants specifically for this trip but ended up leaving them in Peru because I was thoroughly unimpressed with them. They were too short and just all around looked funny. Anyway . . . that's Machu Picchu behind us. Ignore the pants and be impressed by the scenery.
Let me once again reiterate that nothing really prepares you for seeing Machu Picchu. No picture can possibly do it justice.
Let me once again reiterate that nothing really prepares you for seeing Machu Picchu. No picture can possibly do it justice.
More pics from the car
There are hardly any empty walls in Peru. Everywhere you look fences, houses and walls are painted; sometimes with graffiti, sometimes with slogans, and sometimes with art.
Taken from the car pictures
We did a lot of driving around, especially in Cusco, and my Aunt Mary and I got to sit by the window so we could take pictures from the car. A lot of them turned out blurry, and probably about half of the time we completely missed what we were aiming for. There were some that turned out o.k. though. These will give you a better idea of what Peru is like.
I touched her lamb
Pretty much anyplace in Peru that is touristy, has girls and women dressed up in traditional Peruvian outfits. You're supposed to give them money to take their picture. One girl I saw was sitting on the steps of a Cathedral holding a lamb and the lamb was apparently not turning its head the way she wanted because I kid you not, she punched it square in the head. As soon as she saw I was watching her, she put a big grin on her face and tried looking all cute. I was on to her, though. There was no way I was going to give a sol (1 sol = $.38) to that little animal abuser. Instead, I gave a dollar to this cute little, old lady in exchange for a picture and, me being me, permission to pet her lamb.
Potatoes
Peru has long claimed to be the birthplace of the potato. Turns out they were telling the truth. A scientist discovered through some kind of gene something or another that potatoes actually did originate in Peru. If I recall correctly there are around five thousand varieties of potatoes world-wide, and three thousand of those are grown in the Andes. Peruvians use potatoes in everything. We even saw potato-based face cream.
This is the potato section of the supermarket.
Ancient ceramics dedicated to the potato.
A potato plant.
A display of different kinds of taters. (You can't tell very well in this picture, but when I first saw this display it looked like a bunch of pieces of poop.)
More varieties of potatoes. I love how some of them are really colorful.
This is the potato section of the supermarket.
Ancient ceramics dedicated to the potato.
A potato plant.
A display of different kinds of taters. (You can't tell very well in this picture, but when I first saw this display it looked like a bunch of pieces of poop.)
More varieties of potatoes. I love how some of them are really colorful.
Museo de Antropologia Dos
At the same museum we saw an example of Incan record keeping. Instead of writing down the events that happened, they tied knots in string.
The last little gallery had paintings by modern Peruvian artists. These pictures don't do the colors justice. They were absolutely beautiful. Notice the potatoes in the pictures. I'll do a whole other post just about potatoes.
The last little gallery had paintings by modern Peruvian artists. These pictures don't do the colors justice. They were absolutely beautiful. Notice the potatoes in the pictures. I'll do a whole other post just about potatoes.
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