Vegas, Baby

So I generally despise Vegas. In fact, there are usually a million other places I would rather be than the wholly manufactured "city." All that even in the face of my love of gambling. But this weekend, I think Vegas will be fun.



It seems like only yesterday, but as of Monday, Jaime and I will have been officially married for a year. I know, right! Can't even believe how fast the last year has gone. I imagine moving and starting new careers had something to do with that.

So her Mom is in Vegas as we speak for one of her several jaunts for the year. When we found out she was going, we figured it might be fun to go see her. Then on top of that we realized it would be our anniversary weekend. Even the more reason to go.

I secured a reservation for Saturday night at the restaurant at the top of the Eiffel Tower at the Paris Hotel. Pricey, but hey, you only have one first wedding anniversary.

Brief

Well, I went to spin class last night and was so not into it. In fact, I’m tired of writing about it, probably as tired as you are of hearing about it. So I’ll switch gears. (Nope, could not resist lame pun).

Random thought: I’ve worked at Best Friends for nine months. Still love Kanab, still love working here, still love our friends…but it’s funny when you’ve been around for a little while how people start to show their true colors. People and things you thought about in a certain way are in reality, not that way at all. And I'm not talking about the sort of obvious ones. But I will say, without going into too much detail, that my lessons in the classroom of life are prolific on a daily basis.

I just came home from the gym tonight and my husband has left me. First for a golf course, and now for basketball game at the Andrews'. Just received a phone call from he who is at Andrews’ that the Steeles are there as well, and that my presence has been requested. So I now abandon word processor for an evening with friends. But you so know I am making it home for episode two of Top Chef Chicago.

Make Mine Chocolate!

Easter is just around the corner, and what is the traditional symbol – the bunny of course! Thinking of giving a rabbit as a gift? Please reconsider. Rabbits can be magnificent furkid companions, but each year humane societies and shelters see a huge influx of rabbits after Easter. So before you give in to temptation and purchase a live rabbit, please consider the following...

Know The Facts:

• Rabbits are not "low-maintenance" pets, and are a poor choice as a pet for children.
• They have a lifespan of 10 years and require as much work as a dog or cat.
• Your home must be bunny-proofed, or Thumper will chew cords and furniture.
• Rabbits must be neutered or spayed or they will mark your house with feces and urine.
• They should live indoors, as members of the family.

The Columbus House Rabbit Society started the Make Mine Chocolate campaign in 2002 to educate on the public on the realities of living with a rabbit, and to discourage giving live rabbits as Easter gifts.

And who can argue with chocolate?! Even our vegan friends have options. Here are just a few: veganfamily.com, katescaringgifts.com, allisonsgourmet.com

Better yet, if you really want to spoil someone, consider making a donation to sponsor a bunny at the Best Friends Bunny House, or donate to the Make Mine Chocolate campaign in the name of your loved one.

As I step down from this soapbox, I sincerely thank you for making compassionate, humane choices during this joyous spring holiday.

Oh Baby!

Just winding down from a long day of festivities. The baby shower was a smashing success and I am pretty sure the mama-to-be enjoyed herself, so my mission is complete. Unfortunately, our camera croaked in the middle of the party, so I will have to get some photos from Jen, Pam, or Laura to post for everyone. But we had a good crowd, and even the boys came for the beginning to share in the fun before heading off to the Buckskin for beers and debauchery. The party is continuing over at the poker game tonight, but I am pretty beat so I am sitting this one out, even though I heart the Crooks and all the poker peeps. Our friends here in Kanab are so great – we are really lucky.

The fitness program is still underway, although I took two days off this week. I was pretty tired, so I didn’t go to the gym Tues or Wed. I was tired like exhausted, not just the regular ‘I’m tired and don’t want to go to the gym’ , so I took a few days off.

Last night Jon and I stayed home and got the house cleaned up and made brownies for the baby shower. The brownies were featured on the cover of the most recent issue of Cooking Light Magazine. We bought Jen & Daron a subscription for Christmas, so they get the magazine too and Jen commented on how yummy they looked so Jon wanted to make them for the guest of honor. They turned out quite nicely. Here is the recipe if you care to indulge…

That’s it for now. I really enjoyed the soiree but am looking forward to a relaxing “do nothing’ day tomorrow. The animals agree with me – I am already surrounded by two crashed out dogs and a cat.

"I was thinking you're new but you're not".

Yeah, I know you’re all dying to know how it’s going. So here’s your fix. I set my alarm clock last night on a whim that I might – might-- get up at an early hour and attend an exercise class. I’m not sure how it happened, but I did. Six o’clock a.m. spin class. Which is really 5:00 a.m. with the time change and all. In my opinion the best part about exercising at such an early hour is that I’m not fully awake enough to realize the full extent of my misery. I had yet a new instructor this time, a guy. After huffing and puffing for the duration of the hour, upon dismount of my bike, the woman next to me said,

“So you’ve been on a bike before”. It was more of a statement than a question.

“Well, this is only my third class, but yeah, I’ve ridden a lot”.

“You did really well. He [instructor] is really hard. Most people don’t make it all the way through the class. I was thinking you’re new, but you’re not”.

I thanked her. Not sure if that was the appropriate response, but I guess it was a compliment. It’s also a little randomly odd that she was keeping tabs on me. I can tell you the least of my concerns during the class was the performance of her or any of my other classmates. I just didn’t want to fall off or pass out.

The rest of the day was fairly uneventful. I was pretty tired, but it was nice to get the rough stuff out of the way early.

Jon is still in Austin and is not doing so hot. He’s come down with some kind of cold/flu illness. He is pretty well through with his part of the convention but can’t get a flight home until Wednesday, so he’s more or less stuck in Austin. The irony – I would love to be stuck in Austin. He got to have dinner with my aunt & uncle last night, and even went to see my cousin’s band at a hole in the wall bar on 6th Street. I am so envious. That being said, I wish he could come home since his business there is basically done. I know it would be easier if he was feeling better – he’d definitely be down to go see some live tunes or savor some tasty cuisine. Best case scenario would be me, him, and a couple of free days to kill. But alas, I’m keeping down the fort solo and he’ll be home soon enough.

This weekend is Jen & Daron’s baby shower. Should be a lot of fun. I’m pretty sure Jen is over the whole ‘being pregnant’ thing. The other day she told me “I can’t believe that soon I’m not going to be pregnant for the rest of my life!" Better her than me.

Accidents and Inspiration Lead You to Your Destination

Well, I am happy to report that I made it through the week. It’s one of the longest weeks I have endured in a long time. I did manage to make it back to the gym each day, including this morning for another brutal spin class. I hesitate to admit this, but I think I actually liked it. Seems like I am a sadist after all.

I wanted to sincerely thank everyone who has expressed concern about my mom and her health. She has been out of the hospital for about a week now with little improvement, but she is a stubborn fighter (see—I come by it honestly) so I have faith that she will, with time, make a full recovery. So thank you for all of your kind thoughts and well wishes.

Jon is en route to Austin for the SXSW geekville festival. You can read about that in his post below.

I was listening to one of my favorite albums on the way home from work tonight. Mary Chapin Carpenter is quite possibly one of the finest lyricists I have ever had the pleasure of indulging. She is so brilliant in so many ways. I felt compelled to post this song.


The Long Way Home – Mary Chapin Carpenter

You could be this man, he's got it all worked out
To the nth degree, no fears, no doubts
He'll retire at thirty to his big-ass house next to the putting green
Now he's got a picture in his head of the perfect wife,
Their perfect children, their perfect life
Nothing wrong with that, coming home each night to his cul-de-sac of dreams
Funny now how it all went by so fast
One day he's looking over his shoulder at the past
When everybody had to go, had to be, had to get somewhere
How did he forget about what got him there

Now you could be this woman, she's the CEO
She's got her power suits and her IPO's
She punched a hole in the ceiling years ago and she hasn't pulled back since
Now there's a gardener for the flowers, a cook for the meals,
A maid for the laundry, an accountant for the bills
A walker for the dog and a trainer when she feels the need to lose an inch
Funny now how it all went by so fast
One day she's looking over her shoulder at the past
When everybody had to go, had to be, had to get somewhere
Somehow she forgot about what got her there

Accidents and inspiration lead you to your destination

Or you could be the one who takes the long way home
Roll down your window, turn off your phone
See your life as a gift from the great unknown
And your task is to receive it
Tell your kid a story, hold your lover tight
Make a joyful noise, swim naked at night
Read a poem a day, call in well sometimes and
Laugh when they believe it

Funny now how it all goes by so fast
One day I'm looking over my shoulder at the past
Now everybody's got to go, got to be, got to get somewhere
Baby don't forget about
You really shouldn't forget about
Baby don't forget what got you there
I think it's what got you there
Yeah it's really what got you there

I know it’s long and you probably skipped reading the whole thing, so I italicized my favorite part. It’s probably really corny, but here’s me being reflective. Moving to Kanab and of course working for the animals was certainly one way of taking the long way home. The people settling into their cul de sac of dreams; the CEO that punched a hole in the ceiling – these are people I know; people I knew…might even have been me. But now here where I live there is red sand in my house, in my car, in my shoes. And to tell you the truth I really don’t think I’d have it any other way. Don’t get me wrong – this place is not perfect. Hardly! But I will say it’s a far cry from the trite cement jungle I have always known.

I am particularly fond of “…call in well sometimes and laugh when they believe it…” and “Accidents and inspiration lead you to your destination”. So much truth here. So much truth.

Off Again

So I am on the road again, this time to Austin, Texas. I am honored to be going to the SXSW Interactive conference. It's obviously the same gang that puts on the music festival, but this is geared to all things web. Since I am doing the social marketing stuff for Best Friends now, it should be pretty interesting, and I should learn a lot. The guy that invented Facebook is the keynote on Sunday for example.

The more I read about this stuff though, I think probably 90% of the conversations there, I will have no frickin idea what people are talking about. The people there are like the people who are people with today's internet and video games. I should feel pretty dumb for the whole week. Good job I am used to that :)

Back In the Saddle

As we await amid the suspense of the election returns, I will recap for you day number two of the fitness challenge.

Spin class. Have you done this? I have been a gym member for years. Sometimes faithful, sometimes not so much, but in all those years I have never engaged in such an endeavor. It’s by no means a new phenomenon, so I’m not sure why it’s taken me this long but tonight was the night I decided to jump in the saddle. (Bad pun intended, of course).

First off, I heeded many a warning as to the butt kicking potential of a spin class. I have always enjoyed riding a bike—my beloved mountain bike in particular, so this is no new machinery or sensation to me by any stretch of the imagination. But I guess when you combine being overweight and out of shape, it makes things interesting. In my last post I suggested that the instructor might be a sadist. Actually, that is wrong. Not only is the instructor a sadist, but the students are as well. It’s basically a really intense bike ride to jamming music. Simple enough. Right? Wrong again. Last night before the start of my yoga class, I sat next to a very kind middle aged woman, who had not attended the yoga class before. She asked me a few questions about how the class would go and I feel I gave her some good pointers. She mentioned that she, too, is taking part in the fitness challenge.

“Have you done the spin classes?” I asked.

“Yes", she replied. "I started about a month ago. It’s very challenging".

“I haven’t taken one yet”, I told her. “Tomorrow is my first go”.

She then lowered her voice, looked around to see that no one was listening and then leaned toward me and said, “When I first started, I found that my crotch was really sore from riding on the small hard seat”.

Wow! Too much information, I thought to myself.

“Really?” I asked.

She nodded and then added “it does get better after a few classes, but yes, your rear end really takes a beating in the beginning”.

I then recalled many a ride through the red sands of Moab or Gooseberry Mesa and the accompanying soreness at the end of the day. By then class started so our conversation was left at that.

That very same kind woman was in my class again tonight. Before the class began, she asked me, “Jaime, would you like a gel seat cover”. “Yes, thank you!”. Yes, yes I would. And yet, I may as well have had a cold metal rod between my cheeks for the next hour, because that’s about as comfortable as it got. It was pretty rough. Like really tough. But the good news: I made it. I lived through the entire hour. I was asked several times on my way out of the gym, “How was your first class?” to which I responded, “Well, I didn’t fall off, and I didn’t quit”. So there. I didn’t fall off, and I didn’t quit. I would also like to point out that I out-rode the 21 year old gal who was also there for her first class. In fact, she only lasted 20 minutes. That girl is hardly a sadist. I dare say I even felt good in the hour following the class. But then the muscles soreness and stiffness started setting in, so I’m back to hobbling around the house moaning. My poor husband who is desperately trying to be supportive, is ready to rip his hair out. He’s tired of listening to me complain. To my credit, I did forewarn him that I was not going to be pleasant to be around for the next week or so. Lucky for him tonight he went after work and shot nine holes at the golf course and is now slumbering peacefully on the couch.

So I’m off. I’m off to inhale some ibuprofen, and then I’m off to melt into a sudoku puzzle as I chant my new mantra…”I didn’t fall off, and I didn’t quit”.

Fitness Challenge

So I signed up for the "March Madness" eight week fitness challenge at our local gym. First prize wins a free 3 month membership to the gym. I'm already a paying member, so that's not really the goal, but I am "competing" against 20-30 other folks who are also trying to get in shape. The challenge requires that you attend 3-4 spin classes per week, plus 2-3 other cardio classes or workouts on the days you don't spin. Now I've spend a lot of time on a bike in my past, but I've never done a spin class. I'm told the instructors are pretty much sadists. I'm not looking forward to that aspect, but I'm willing to at least try. I was also warned not to be discouraged if I can't make it all the way through the class on the first go. I'm going to go ahead and wager that I'll be making an early exit. But again, the theme...trying.

Friday I went in to have my weight & measurements taken, including my body fat percentage. Let me just say it was not pretty. Actually, it was beyond ugly. So since the weather is really turning gorgeous, I decided I'm going to try & jump start into the hiking season by getting a little better fit. We'll see how long I can hang.

BTW, the guys had a great time in Mesquite this weekend. Check out Jen & Daron's blog for photos from the golf & gambling expo. Also some great pics of "the belly" as well (baby Addyson in her mama's belly).

Jen is an inspiration to me -- she has been such a healthy mom and has religiously been going to the gym. She -- and her belly -- are teaching my yogalates class tonight, so if she can go (and teach!!) I really have NO excuses for not going too.

The Plane, The Plane!

Recently I took a trip to Texas to see my family. Unfortunately Jon was not able to come this time, but he did a good job at keeping the home fires lit. I’m not exactly sure but I think he did a good job at polishing off some beers, too, along with playing a little Golden Tee down at the Buckskin….but I digress.

Living in a small town is both a blessing and a curse. I love that it is so quiet and slow here. I don’t’ even mind being so far from shopping, or a real movie theater. What I really hate is traveling anywhere of significant distance. It’s an hour and a half drive from Kanab to St. George where we can catch a puddle jumper to Salt Lake and then fly direct to most places. But when you have to drive 80 miles, then get on a plane for an hour, then have a layover and get on another plane for 3 or 4 hours, it can be daunting. Plus it always takes a little more time getting home because of headwinds. Anyway, last Wednesday en route to Houston I flew from St. George to Salt Lake in the middle of a snow/rain storm. Which is really no big deal as the crow flies, but in a smaller prop plane you can really feel (and see) the turbulence. Following are some notes from a journal entry of sorts that I composed on the plane.


2/20/08

7:05 PM
Out the window the aircraft’s light shines underneath the prop. I can see the ice & snow coming at us in horizontal sheets only cut by the power of the propeller. Some stupid lady next to me across the aisle in 8C just received (and answered) a phone call on her cell phone. IDIOT. If we go down because of instrument interruption I’m beating the shit out of her. What’s worse is that I think she is a Skywest employee. She was in line before me through security. I was a little taken aback when she commented on some man who was checking in at the kiosk. “I didn’t know you could choose seat assignments at the kiosk!! I’ve never seen that before!”. (Who doesn't know this--an employee no less!) She and her male companion were traveling standby. The final reason I think she’s an employee? She’s wearing a hot pint sweater with “Skywest” and their logo on it. Dumb.

7:35 PM
So I just looked up from my crossword puzzle and noticed our flight attendant “Debbie” has taken a seat behind stupid lady and they are chatting. She is from Dillon, Montana. Aha! Stupid lady in pink sweatshirt does work for Skywest, I was right! She has for one year. Moved to St. George to take care of her parents who are in their 80’s. Is it just me or does an on-duty flight attendant chatting in the seat next to you slightly creepy? Like isn’t there an unspoken rule –like when you eat in a restaurant—the waiter can’t just sit down at your table and start snacking on your appetizer and make small talk. Weird.

Just dug my iPod out of the depths of the bottom of my carry on buried under the seat in front of me. Music will save me. Keane - Somewhere Only We Know.

Dammit! One minute 48 seconds into the song & I gotta turn it off. We’re descending now. @#$%^

Did I mention the drive from Kanab to St. George is longer than the flight from St. George to Salt Lake? There’s something not right about that.

7:55
Someone farted (not me). It’s a horribly confined space and I am trapped. Thank God we’ve landed.

The GOP

The Republican Party, the party of values!

Feb. 22 (Bloomberg) -- Representative Rick Renzi, a Republican from Arizona who isn't seeking re-election, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in an alleged scheme to profit from a land deal.

Renzi, 49, who was first elected to the House in 2002, was charged along with James Sandlin, 56, a real estate investor and one of his political backers, and Andrew Beardall, 36, an attorney who had been general counsel of Renzi's family insurance business. Renzi and Beardall are accused of embezzling money from insurance clients to fund the lawmaker's congressional campaign.

Duke Cunningham, Mark Foley, Larry Craig, and now Rick Renzi. What a bunch of good guys that care and uphold solid family values.

Laf.

New York Times Article

Tomorrow morning the front page of the New York Times will be featuring an article about the Vick (aka Victory) dogs we are rehabilitating at the sanctuary. The article is here. Read and discuss. Insider commentary to follow shortly....

A Few of My Favorite Things

This is a really cute and fun blog that I borrowed (ok, stole) from Teandra. So here’s what you do:

Type your answer to each of the items listed below into a google image search and post a photo from the first results page. Hint: at first I thought you had to post the first picture, but it says you can pick from the first page, so having a few choices made it a little more fun.

Favorite animal:

Working at an animal sanctuary, this is really kind of an unfair question, but I went with cats & dogs. Since I live with them, I figured they better be in the top two.

Favorite place:
My answer is "home". This isn't my home, but it's someone's home. It's from a demo on insulation I think.

Place you would like to visit:

This is Yorkshire, England where Jon is from.


Your college major:

Psychology -- pretty straightforward.

Favorite holiday:

Thanksgiving, of course.

A bad habit:

This goes without saying....

An old pet:

Our first dog was named Poppy....

Age you will be on your next birthday:

(Yikes!!)

Favorite food:
Ooooh yeah, Mexican food!

Middle name:
Elizabeth....

Favorite color:

My fave is blue. I thought this pic was fun.

Where you live:
Kanab, Utah. And yes, it's really this beautiful.

Update on Gas Pump

For inquiring minds…apparently the hoses at gas pumps are equipped with quick disconnect valves so that when someone drives off with the nozzle still in their car, they pull apart quickly, and cleanly - ideally with no damage. That was the case last week when Jon drove off with the hose attached. The hose was reattached within a day. One of the clerks who works there in the evening knows Jon farily well as we frequent there often. She was not working the morning of the incident, but he went in a few days later and told her what happened. She laughed at him but was unimpressed. Apparently she informed him “People do it all the time”. So there you have it.

My new toy!!

So here's how it goes in our house when I want something expensive...

DAY 1

ME: "Hey Budgie, did you hear that there is a new iPod out? You know, mines not working too good."

JAIME: "Oh really? Cool."

DAY 3

ME: "Hey, so yeah....My iPod really isn't working still"

JAIME: "Oh that's too bad"

DAY 6

ME: "Waaaaaaahhhhhhhh, I need a new iPod......Waaaaaaahhhhhh"

Jaime: "How much will it cost?"

Sometimes it takes longer than that, somethimes shorter. Either way, I usually get what I want.

Love you babe!




P.S. I showed Jaime this post right after I published it.


She rolled her eyes.

Fun at the Gas Pumps

Did you ever see a photo like this and laugh "ha ha, what an idiot" or "how dumb, must be photoshopped". But no, I am here to tell you it happens, as is the case this weekend with my beloved husband. We were on our way to St. George to do some shopping and Jon pulled into the gas station. While the gas was pumping I gathered up some trash from inside the truck and put it in the bin next to the pump, and Jon ran in to get a drink and a snack. When he came back out, we both jumped into the truck and drove away....only a few seconds later we heard a huge crash and bang. We looked behind us and there it was -- the gas nozzle still inserted into gas tank on the side of our truck, and a long black rubber tube trailing behind it!

Jon hit the breaks and ran in to tell the clerk what had happened. She apparently shrugged her shoulders and said "ok". And Jon said "ok" and split. He replaced the nozzle back into its cradle on the pump and we drove off, laughing all the way to St. George.

Politics....Twice!

Ok, so it is a Presidential election year after all. I just couldn't go without posting this load of crap.

As someone who has been on the street with a microphone, for the Reporter to call out like that was a little out of line, but Mitt Romney is a lying piece of shit, that if elected, would make George Bush look like Dennis Kucinich.



Also his bouncer of a press secretary was an ass. Everything about it was lame, including the choice of Office Depot as a campaign stop. I'll bet it's the first time millionaire Mitt has even stepped in such a store.

This may get yanked off youtube....

Fandies

My throat is sore from cheering and my hands are raw from clapping. I don’t think I have experienced such excitement since I met Mickey Mouse at Disney World when I was eight. (Sorry dear…the wedding was thrilling and I almost wet myself that day, but still…)

We just watched Jon’s step-brother Andy win tonight’s episode of American Gladiators. He has now advanced to the final eight. For those who may have missed the glorious episode, we are hoping it will re-air on Sunday night. Stay tuned for updates. Go Rev!

Iceman

Happy New Year to All. I hope your 2007 was spectacular, and that your 2008 is even more blessed.

A few exciting things. For starters, I am working on a new project for the Community Programs & Services Division at Best Friends. It will be a lot of minute details and data tracking…tedious perhaps, but I am so well suited for this type of gig, it’s really quite fitting. It will be just like having all my old probate cases, but the cases will instead be centered around special project plans. I am looking forward to the new challenge.

Another exciting thing…tonight I went back to Jen’s yoga class. I must say she is quite adept at the whole exercise thing. Even at 7 mos pregnant and with a slightly swollen belly she is like this beautifully graceful swan….and then there’s me, the grunting elephant in the corner, sweating like a pig. Oh well. At least I went. I have a sinking suspicion that I’m not going to have much mobility over then next few days.

I just watched my dog (Moki) who is not really a fan of water, roll around on her back doing a snow angel in the back yard. So that was a fine treat.

And finally, but not least of important. Our friend and favorite Betta fish, Iceman passed on over the rainbow bridge to the big pond in the sky. He was a gift from me to Jon on his birthday in 2005. The life expectancy of such a fish is only a year or two. So I guess he lived a long and hopefully happy life. We adore him and will miss him.

REST IN PEACE ICEMAN ~ 2005 - 2008 ~ YOU WILL BE MISSED DEAR FRIEND

How Often?

How often could you say that the place where you work is the focus of a series on a major cable network?

Starting right after the New Year, the National Geographic Channel will begin airing the first of several episodes of a show named, 'Dogtown.'

The show centers around the lives of many dogs who come through the area at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary known as Dogtown. Most of the dogs featured in the show, are just like most of the animals we see. Sick, injured, very unfriendly or all of the above.

Even though Jaime and I don't actually work with the animals, we know most of the people in the show, and you will get a great look (it will be shown in HD) at the place that we call our "job."

For a sneak peek at the show, please click here. A short commercial preceeds the actual clip.

The first episode is January 4th at 9pm Eastern.