random freelance headache

hello everyone. what a lovely flurry of posts we're having.

yesterday one of my mum's friends asked me to take a look at an issue she was having with her online business. i've been recruited as some sort of freelance web consultant now. it's weird and random, but she paid me $40 yesterday and i'll get a bit more for this weekend. it's pretty crazy... breaking me head over html like this totally takes me back to kelli's class when we had that monster of a department website on our hands. those were the days, weren't they?

other than that i've been hanging around, tying up the loose ends of my web design class. i have a lot to prepare for this summer. we're still trying to figure out how i'm going to get down to the mtc in july.

you all are going to write to me, right? i really hope so.

I don't even have a good excuse...

I am a very bad friend and correspondent... I feel like it's been years since I've spoken to any of you! and for that I am VERY sorry!

Elsie - Be strong, great opportunities come around every day and life's too short to be stuck at a job you hate! (You should find a job in SLC and move there so we can play!)

JeriLynn - I'm so sad I've missed seeing Liesel, she sounds adorable, so you'll have to post pictures somewhere or just email me...

Hollie - Congratulations on being firmly entrenched in your own home :D I'm so excited for you! And every night before I go to bed, I remember that I never called you back, but by then it's much to late to call you. I really don't hate you and I do want to talk to you!

Amelia - I think you will have an amazing time in Canada and reap all sorts of rewards, both spiritual and professional - Canada is one step closer to England :)

I have some news but nothing life changing... and a funny/strange story.

News first:
Lisa and I moved into our very own office about 3 weeks ago! It's very nice, with a wall of eastern-facing windows and two desks, and room for a couch! We're super happy to be out of the cubicles in the hallway and the best part is that we have a place to sit that isn't the floor or a desk chair! I took pictures so I could post them, but my computer seems to have hidden them from me at the moment and it's very late, so they'll have to wait until next time.

Now the funny/strange story:
Our documentation manager (the one in charge of customer facing documents, not technical stuff, so not in charge of me and Lisa) needed to hire a new person, so she did the whole interview thing and found a girl who seemed like a good fit and was well-versed in InDesign, so she offered her the position. I met her when she came in last Monday for her first day in the office.
By noon on Monday she was gone! They had to fire her, because it turns out that she lied on her resume about receiving a degree and faked a letter of recommendation from a professor (on BYU letterhead she forged)! She worked a grand total of 4 hours and my boss said they're even going to pay her for them. :(
To be hired, you need to provide three references, but company policy only requires that they check two in a time crunch, which this was. The two references that were checked both loved her, but apparently super late in the game - the first morning she was there - HR started turning up things that raised some red flags, so her manager called the third reference, the professor who had written such a glowing letter of recommendation. Basically this professor said "Don't hire her! She plagiarized and cheated her way through her classes (even though she didn't need to and has excellent InDesign and writing skills) so the university kicked her out one class shy of receiving her degree." When they asked about why this information was so different from the letter of recommendation from the same prof, they found out that he never wrote a letter and she had forged both the university letterhead and the prof's signature!
Then, HR discovered some things in her employment past that made them decide she might be "dangerous" so they've had our office locked up super tight the last 4 days! Lisa and I couldn't decide if dangerous meant they thought she would steal company secrets or charge into the office with guns blazing, so it's been a little tense. When I got to work on Thursday, there was a police car parked in the parking lot and I was super afraid of what I was going to find when I got to the sixth floor, but it turned out to just be overreacting on my part, because they weren't there for our office.
Today they unlocked our office so you can go in and out of the front door without using your key card, so apparently the danger from deranged former employees has passed.

I hope you enjoyed this tale of drama and intrigue in the office place, and I'll try to write more often in the future!

Love and miss you all,
Mandy

In case you haven't heard:

I don't have internet at my house yet.
But I do have a 27" HD Flatscreen TV, and a red sofa and matching love seat, and a garden, and a cat.
Yes, he is a male cat (he's not broken anymore, he's been fixed) and yes, his name is Segue. I got him from the humane society, he is a brown tabby, with green eyes, white paws and underside and very handsome ... for a cat.

He was de clawed today. Which my friend at work says is cruel, but they do it with lasers, and I'm tired of being a scratching post and living in fear of coming home to a shredded sofa and love seat.

My neighbors are great, and most of them are old enough to be my grand parents.

Of Leaving Jobs and Leaving Babies

Hey, Elsie, it makes you feel any better, I am no longer "affiliated" with Parent Help. It's a long story. . . most of which involves me putting family & home (and other things) way, way, way ahead of work; not meeting deadlines; and basically becoming replacable. By Chelsi. (Don't worry, babe- no hard feelings!) By the way, I talked to Shae about that after three months of trying to get a hold of her. She said I wasn't fired but that they won't pay me for my last project. So I respectfully broke off affiliation with them permanantly. The reason I gave Shae was that I had a very difficult time getting anyone over there to let me know what was going on. The one I didn't tell her was that I hated working for friends. Not that I hated working for Shae, because she's wonderful, but that I both felt too pressured by and I took advantage of the personal relationship. For example, I started working again only two weeks after having Liesl. This led me to feeling overwhelmed and contributed to my minor bout of postpartum depression. So I let off a lot. Unfortunately, by the time I felt completely adjusted, it was too late: I had already gotten the call that my services were not required anymore. That was late December, and at that time I was told I was not fired. Anyway, I spent a few hours over the next three months trying to get a hold of Shae to get approval to finish a previous project. This is when I couldn't get a hold of anyone. When I finally did get through to her, I asked to turn in what I had finished and was rejected. That's when I broke it off. Anyone needing clarification of this story can ask. I did tell Shae I wanted to still keep in touch, but she has not emailed me back. It sounds like a harsh story, but I feel okay about it. I honestly don't hold anything against her or anyone else for that matter.

But I have various other jobs/projects. I hate outside work, to be honest. I am completely content being a mother. Contrary to what many professors may say, I get much satisfaction out of making sure my family and home is taken care of.

Please forgive the grammar mistakes and the rambling. I have jet lag. Jay and I just got back last night from a ten-day stay in Baltimore. We left Liesl with my brother & his wife. That was hard on me. We spent two days in DC, and one each in Gettysburg, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and New York City. It was an exhausting trip. (But dirt cheap-- we spent around $800 for both of us, for everything.). We came back and now Liesl can take about three steps on her own. It's pretty crazy. I missed her terribly and felt like a bad mom for leaving, but how often do trips like that present themselves? It wasn't like a honeymoon, though, because we went for a history seminar class through USU and stayed in barracks. With shared bathrooms. That we had to clean ourselves. Yeah.

So Liesl is growing up so fast. At nine months, she's now considered a toddler, not a baby, though in many ways she still acts like a baby. I adore her. She loves books. She will sit and turn the pages and babble to herself. Anybody who has not met her is missing out. She's about the best baby anyone's met. At least that's what people who meet her say. I'm not even being an egotistical mother here: we have an excellent, easy baby. How else could I leave her for 10 days and not have any problems with her?

Well, my eyesight and mind-finger coordination is leaving me. I'm so tired. I love you all and wish you luck. I really missed Vanessa while I was in New York. Anyone know how she is? Oh Hollie-- me and Jay will need a place to lay over on our trip to Richland, WA in August. Would you be up for that? Amelia, Canada rocks, but I already told you that. Elsie, it's okay to be fired once in a while. Just don't make it a habit. Or include it on your resume. Chelsi, still no hard feelings. I will cook you Indian food any time you want. If you know a different side to this story, I would be interested in hearing it. I'm afraid Shae hates me now. Mandie, I hope all is well with you. You haven't been stuck in an elevator lately have you? Eek. Eek? What a stupid word.

Good night. XO-JLF

soo...I was fired

This is not a belated April Fool's joke. I was fired on Tuesday....and I'm kinda okay with it. I hated working there so much....and I already have a interview for another job in like an hour.

Anyway, I don't have a lot of time. I'll have put another post in here giving all the details. If you want you girls can call me. I haven't heard from some of you for so long!

And if you hear of any sweet positions lemme know....I'm looking :)

it has arrived.

i go to Calgary, Canada.

this seems very cool. it'll be good. i've never been to canada.

randomly, i also got another job yesterday. i'm now a hostess at a little italian restaurant down the street. that'll be exciting. i have missed the hectic life of a caterer a little bit, so it'll be fun.

i report to the MTC on july 11th.

i have two months to sew as many skirts as i can... ready set go. :p

Dreams of French Toast

So,
Tomorrow, I close on my house. I'm spendng this weekend moving in. I still have almost no furniture. I'm borrowing a bed, I have a coffee table, I have a vanity, I have an ugly end table and .... oh wait, that's it.
I was thinking of throwing a house warming party *after* it was more furnished. When works for everybody? Maybe not everybody wants to come, but let me know when is a good time so I can schedule it.

what happens next

i took this picture in the park by our house. it makes me laugh.

yesterday i taught my class about the glory of external stylesheets. next week i will attempt to get some usability standards into their heads. fonts, navigation... contrast, repetition, alignment, proximity... blah blah blah.

how is everybody else doing? i'm still waiting. i think i will go for a walk today. in my near future i will be expected to walk miles and miles and miles every day. i'd better get used to it.

Rent-a-Baby and other Rants

Hi Everyone. I know it's been a long while since I've posted, but I haven't had much to say besides this little whine, "I'm sick again! I'm so sick and tired of being sick and tired..." *me bursting into tears* And I was quite sure nobody wanted to hear that over and over again. Well, brace yourself, this is gonna be a bitchy post. Nothing really interesting has been happening. I am, as I'm sure we all are, trying desperately to find my place in society as a working adult and find a fulfilling career that gives me purpose in that aspect of my life. I don't mean to sound so melodramatic. It's only that my health has not allowed me a normal job, and while I'm grateful to Shae that she pays me to work from home and my work load is very minimal, I'm happiest when I'm stressed out and busy...and running all over town in a cute little business suit. For now, till I get better, I am trapped without a driver's license in this apartment, though it is adorable, in sweats and a pony tail, laptop on, sitting in front of the TV watching Rachel Ray, Studio 5, Scrubs, Days of Our Lives, Passions, Martha Stewart, and Friends. I hate TV now. Sometimes I turn it off and belt out music, but I got a noise complaint the other day. I need to listen to something lively while doing laundry right? Stupid neighbors. This senario will be perfect when I have little ones, but right now I want more than counting down the seconds till my hubby comes home. *sigh*

I need a fur baby I think. No, I know. I want a puppy so bad! You have no idea. It's getting much worse because I get lonely here by myself! All of our friends are getting pregnant now. I am the baby of my vast realm of married friends, the last one married. Sometimes I want a baby, then I regain consciousness. My health will definately not allow it now, if ever, and we are way to poor to adopt, and even feed a baby. I am also too selfish still. I want to travel, and build my career.

Both of my sister in laws have 1 year olds and my dear MIL always plans every get together around them. For example, easter was great fun: The babies had an easter egg hunt, then they recieved millions of presents while their parents filmed and took pictures and changed their clothes. Spence and I watched TV. Then whenever I try to talk with them, they either talk about Payton and Miley and baby things I know nothing of, or bash their husbands, which I do not and will not participate in. I end up either staring off into space whilst my husband and FIL and brother in laws talk sports, or play barbies with my evil step-sister-in-law. She's a demon child. This alienation of me and Spence has recently become worse after his mother accused us of spending more time with my family than them. (Which is not true because my mother is going through a mid-life crisis and I can only take so much of her.) It makes no sense to me because we keep a damned journal of how much time we spend with each family and make sure they're even. And it doesn't matter if we're even present around his family, we have no offspring so we may as well not exist. I've come up with a solution: Rent-a-baby. When we spend time with his family, we'll rent a child so we may be involved, and when we're with my family, my mom can fuss over the baby instead of telling me how I can eat, clean, launder, wife, and work better. Then we can just return the baby to the rent-a-baby center. Perfect! Ugh, family. Can't live with them or without them.

Spencer's mom and dad are divorced, so every Sunday one of his parents has dinner. Every other week with his mom and his dad. So, every Friday we pack up and head down to Ogden to spend the night at my parent's house. We get there about 10, we go to bed, we wake up and hang with them on Saturday, then Sunday we go to church with his family, whose ever Sunday it is, then eat dinner with them, and return home at about midnight. Weekends aren't so weekendy when you just wanna stay home!!! This weekend was the best. His mom called and said she wouldn't be having dinner because they were going out of town. We had a little newly wedd party friday night. Saturday Spence didn't have to work so we satyed in bed ALL day. Then Sunday we went to OUR ward, came home, took a nap, then we went to the park on our motorcycle and had a picnic and fed the duckies. I got attacked by seaguls. It was hillarious. Anyway, then we came home and I painted while he did homework, then we made dinner and watched two movies! It was the best sunday ever.

I'm so excited it's Spring. I think I'm starting to feel better. The flowers are out, the pool is open, baby animals are everywhere! I'm going to plant an herb garden on my porch I think. The only sad thing about Spring is that Ballet is over. :( But Summer is almost here and so is our trip to Disneyland with Spencer's family. Disneyland is the happiest place on earth. I can't beleive I get to go again! Only a year later! I also can't beleive I've been married a year almost. It's crazy. He's so wonderful that time is just flying by...It feels like I got married two months ago. I want to do it everyday. I know this post is very negative....but I really am ok. I'm happy and very blessed...just a little fed up as we all get. As for the in-law issues, I'm sure Jerilynn and Lisa can attest that they're normal. Don't be excited for them. ;) I love and miss you all! We should all go back to school.

they're in

here we are, on the brink of eighteen unimaginable months...

(am i not insane to be doing this?)

in two or three weeks i'll get that white envelope from salt lake.

any guesses?

A memorable trip to Paris

Follow These Steps [in order of course]
1.go to www.google.com
2.click on maps
3.click on get directions
4.go from "new york" to "paris, france"
5.scroll down in the directions to number 23 and read
6.laugh

#6 is optional of course, but only people with a sense of humor won't accomplish #6

my baby boy

Mandy told me that I need to post some pictures of my dog. I'm sure she's sick of hearing about him at work, but he is just so damn cute! We went on a road trip together this weekend and we had a lot of fun. He is about a year and half old and still very much a puppy. We adopted him through Pet Samaritan Rescue here in Salt Lake a couple of weeks ago.



I don't know if you can tell from his picture or not, but he has one eye that is half white and half brown. Kids get a little freaked out about it. Also, when he stands up, he's my height.


Hope everyone is well and enjoying the spring sunshine.

another meaningless saturday

weekends are not as weekendy when you only work once a week.

i do have a pair of sunburned legs to report, along with yet another ridiculous delay on the submission of my mission papers. but it will be soon... it will.

other than waiting around reading preach my gospel, i'm writing, scribbling on things, just like always. it's springtime. the flowers up here are beautiful.

jerilynn, i'm not very sure how far away the tri-cities are from here. maybe i'll have to find out.

my sister and i want to take a trip down to rexburg to see our other sister, probably sometime in may. we'll see if we can squash any cache valley-ness into our itinerary or not... i hope so. we'll see.

has anyone talked to wilson lately? he emailed me a bit ago about joining the new blog... but he hasn't posted at all.

anyway, happy easter everybody.

She scoots, and she SCORES!!!!

Hollie, I already commented how excited I am for you.

Am I the only one who wished Shae would post so we could get the dirt on her exciting life? I talked to her at the end of December and she wasn't even really dating anyone. Now she's married?! It's crazy.

Liesl is eight months old now, and she gets around. She does something between a crawl and a scoot. She goes forward and can even get to sitting on her own. She loves being read to (which is good since I just spent $80 on books for her). And she laughes at almost everything. She's totally awesome.

Jay is almost done with the ROTC. He has one last outing with them in two weeks, and I'm going to spend all that time playing Halo, which I'm addicted to, barring I get my chores done.

I applied for a temporary job at Cache Valley Office Supply. They need someone to learn how to use their website creator program and then teach them how to do it so they don't have to depend on anyone else for it. I'll probably write an instruction manual like me and Amelia did for InDesign. It sounds totally easy and I'm looking forward to it. Oh, I haven't went in for the "interview" yet, but both Jay and I think that I was the only applicant.

Well, good luck with everything. Post more, everyone!

House PIctures

I told my real estate agent yesterday I want to put an offer in. It seems very fast and I haven't looked at too many other houses (like, two others) but this kitchen, made me very happy. There was jumping up and down involved. That says something.

So I'm attaching pictures of the kitchen, the counter tops (did I mention they're granite? that's my favorite part!). These were the selling points to me. The backyard and rooms and garage were also bigger than anything I had seen, or heard about and it was about the same price as these townhouses that were way smaller. So ... I'm buying a house. I feel like an adult now.

House Shopping

I've started house shopping. I found a townhouse I LOVE that is in my price range, is less than three years old (built in 2005), has granite counter tops, laminate wood floors in the kitchen, matching stainless steel appliances, three bedrooms, two baths, a garage, and a backyard with a vinyl fence.

Is it impulsive to buy the third house you've looked at just because you adore it so much? The only problem with it that I can see is its not in Idaho Falls, its in Blackfoot. Which translates to being on my bus route to work (yeah I'd get to sleep in an extra half hour) but farther away from the good stores, the mall, my doctor, my dentist, and lower taxes. I'm going to be looking at it again today, but this time, I'm taking pictures.

Hello everyone! Liesl is 7 and a half months old now. It's insane. She's starting to crawl/scoot. She's a pro at using something to stand up. And she's insanely cute. Right now she's got a grip on Jay's missionary tag. She's pretty attached to it. We adore her.

I haven't updated her site yet because I'm crazy busy working on my dad's site. He's got a landscaping expo this weekend, and I'm more or less their "Digital Technology Technician." I gave myself that title. I've built their website from scratch. Could you guys take a look at it for me? If you can give me a little feedback, that'd be great. But I need it by Thursday (22nd) afternoon. Just email it to the address on the site. I love you guys for it. The address: www.spencersrock.com. Thanks.

Also, you are all invited to my Usborne Book Party this Saturday (24th) at 11am. Don't worry about coming if you're out of town. Primarily, this is for Chelsi and Elsie, since you guys are in town. Any of you are welcome, though, if you guys want some awesome childrens books for nieces/nephews/future children. Come if you can. If you want to see the catalog, call me.

Elsie, I hope your hip is better. Mandy, I hope you're feeling better. Good luck with your jobs!

xo-jeri

Up, down, status quo

So basically...it has been interesting the past little bit for me.
I've been on probation at my job for the past three months.
As of today I moved from probation to full-time salaried. (At least...I assume that means that I'm off probation)
I contused (which means very very very badly bruised) my hip a couple of weeks ago.
I bought a car. A 2006 red Pontiac Vibe.It's really cute. I like it...a lot. And it's not really a station wagon no matter what people say.

But I'm looking for another job. I think I need to get out of logan ...and I don't think that I've been treated entirely fairly at my current job. So anyway.

I'm alive...and kicking. At least. I am at moment.

LOVES!

cough cough

As you may have gathered from my title, I'm sick! I have some strange cold/flu combo thing: I'm coughing and sneezing and snuffly and i have a fever, which is great, cause every time I sit down, I'm really hot and every time i stand up I'm really cold! Charming.

I'm staying home, sort of working from home, but I have a hard time concentrating and I don't really have anything to work on that I can do without input from the software developers (and they're bad at answering emails).

That's really all that's new with me, but I did want to post and say hi... I'm still here. I miss you girls!

i want this job

so... once upon a time i went to England. it was fantastic. on my way back, i spent a few hours wandering about all the airport shops in Gatwick, spent most of my last tenner on a book, and with the remaining bits of change, bought a smoothie.

i don't remember what flavor it was, but i fell in love with the bottle. its label was the cutest and most witty piece of branding i'd ever seen. i kept that bottle for a long time, even though it got a bit smashed in my carry-on luggage. eventually it got lost, thrown out by my mum or something... but i never ever forgot innocent smoothies.

i looked up their website. it's very stylish these days, moreso than it was three years ago. they have a blog. (who doesn't?) and there's a gallery of all their cute labels. they sell books. they have grass covered vans and every year they do a summer festival--fruitstock, they call it. they're all about that organic, recyclable, sustainable, green commerce sort of stuff. it's so enchanting. i sound like an utterly smitten fan-girl. oh well.

and now they want to hire a creative person. me! i would love that. any excuse to move to london, right? how exciting that would be.

if only i weren't all committed to this serving-the-lord idea... dropping off the planet for eighteen months.

but anyway, all i can do now is hope that when i get back they might need another creative person. perhaps to bring the glory of innocent drinks to America, as i've been hoping, ever since i smuggled an empty smoothie bottle out of England.


(image borrowed, of course, from innocent themselves.)

Okay, here goes. . .

Hi everyone. I'm posting because Hollie told us to. Nothing new is going on in my life other than I can keep a baby happy and a house clean at the same time. Life is good. Easter is my favorite time of the year because of Cadburry eggs. Chelsi, you looked beautiful when I saw you at church, and I loved your shirt. You should come over for dinner over spring break since we probably won't go anywhere.

Well, I love you all!

xo-jeri

oh, i'm here. sort of.

the only real news i have involves my webdesign class coming along swimmingly and my mission papers inching ever closer to being finished. all i have left to include is a decent photo, a date when i can start, a few comments, and the final interviews.

wish me luck guys. i'm still halfway terrified about this whole thing.

Hello?

Is anyone out there? No one has posted for awhile on either blog. Have we all forgotten each other? or has everyone gotten too busy to keep in touch?

Hello?

Is anyone out there? No one has posted for awhile on either blog. Have we all forgotten each other? or has everyone gotten too busy to keep in touch?

I'm not Pregnant.

Hello Loves,

Jerilyn, I'm so happy to hear you are posting. Spence told me he saw you and I was sad I wasn't there. I hope you aren't unhappy with me about the whole Parent Help situation....it was a weird thing that happened and I can assure you I shed some tears when I learned details. If it makes you feel any better I can't get hold of Shae either. I'm trying to work as much as I can...but there is hardly enough work for me to work full time. I usually only get 20 hours a week in. I'm getting a little concerned about the situation, but I'm not quite sure what to do about it. :( Shae is so busy with her music thing and now wedding plans that it's getting quite hard. I've started doing some freelancing to bring in some extra money since I am now the primary bread winner. Scary. I'm glad you had a good anniversary. If you ever need an in-town babysitter just call. It might help me with my bad attitude about getting preggers.

My V-day was fun. It's nice to not loathe the day entirely now. (Hollie, sadly, I was one of those pathetic girls who spun into a spiral of self-loathing on the wretched holiday that you spoke of in the survey you sent me. I think that was you?) I got Spence a harmonica harness and a harmonica that I had engraved with this line from our song, "I'll be the harmony to every lonely song that you learn to play." I also got him tickets to the Jazz game that night since last year he took me to the Ballet. (Romeo and Juliet.) That morning I woke up at 5 am...yeah, me, 5 am!!!! and made him a candlelight breakfast. I was actually so excited about it that I couldn't sleep a wink that night. He out-sweeted me though. At 9 am I was awakened from a nap by a weird beeping that got faster and faster. I was so confused and due to the fact that we've been watching all of the seasons of 24, I was sure it was a bomb. I frantically searched the house and found an alarm clock beside two dozen rozes. At 12:00 another went off and I found a stuffed puppy. At 2:00 I found a Valentines playdough set, some heart cookie cutters, and a gun that shoots cupids. Then, at 4:00 I found some candy and a cute little heart bracelet. I thought that was all and I was so impressed. Then at 5:12 another alarm went off and I found an aquarium with two adorable froggie lovers in it. There was a card attached, a perfect one that I can't beleive he found. It was hot pink with a princess crown on it. When you opened it up it said, "I'm glad you're my wife. If it weren't for you, I'd still be a frog." The he wrote all of this heart wrenching stuff about how I give him courage to be a warrior and a prince. I bawled like a baby. You should all come see our frog babies. They stay in their aquaruim castle together a lot though and makeout. Either that or my previous frog, Prince, wrote an epitaph on the castle walls. May he rest in peace. He died when I was a sophomore, followed by Romeo and Juliet, who ironically killed eachother. After that trauma, I put the aquarium away, but have been asking if we could get some pets. Now we have Chuck Jr. and little Chanda. May they live and love long.

So anyway, we went to the Jazz game and to Hard Rock Cafe because I knew he'd love all of the rock and roll memorabilia. I made reservations 2 weeks ahead and the host said I got the last one. But when we got there, there were only two other couples there. So sad. :( It makes me cringe to think of how scared those poor innocent people were that night. My MIL was on her way to Pottery Barn but her husband wanted to eat first, thank goodness!!!

Hollie, I'm sorry you're so sick. I feel your pain, I got it too. :( It hit me so suddenly on the way to SLC. At the jazz game I was using napkins to wipe my nose and the noise was KILLING my head and ears. I had to go seek out some cough drops at half time. I've never had a cold hit me in a matter of hours. I think it was because my neices gave me the flu the week before so my body's defenses were down. Mine developed into a sinus infection too...yucky!!!! Then Spencer's tummy got bad from a hot dog he ate at the game so by the time we got home, we were so sick we just went to bed. Zycam really helped me, so try that...although I hope you're over it by now!

Els, how's the hip? And the lip? You're a dip. Just kidding...don't flip. Okay, that's enough. Sorry.

Well, I must retire to cleaning my house. Much love to all.

I have a little catching up to do . . . .

Hello everyone! I know it's been a terrible while since I've posted. I get so sick of the computer anymore. I'm hardly on it at all.

Valentine's day was a big day for Jay and me. It was our third anniversary! Jay's mom came up and stayed for a couple nights and watched Liesl. We wanted to go to the movies, but nothing decent was playing. So we went to Gia's, where I ran into an old roommate. The next day we went to get icecream. That was fun. I gave Jay a movie and soundtrack, and he gave me a bunch of chocolate and some gold earrings. Wonderful!

Liesl can pull herself to her feet. She loves standing and walking, though she can't balance on her own. She doesn't even crawl yet, though she is starting to lunge forward from sitting. She still hates tummy time and using her arms. It's quite possible she will walk before she crawls, because that's what I did. Who knows. . . .

She is very vocal. She makes these horrible screams and squeals and wails. It's terrible. Sometimes my ears ring! But she loves using her voice. She also dances-- wiggles back and forth to music or singing. I'm starting to teach her sign language, which she won't pick up on for a while. In a couple months, I will potty train her. I'm not going to wait 'til she's a rebellious toddler; I'm going to start teaching her very soon.

She's been eating cereal and solids for a couple months. She loves prunes, sweet potatoes, mixed vegetables, and saltines, but not really peaches or pears. She's had two teeth since New Years day. She is also six and a half months old. Oh how time flies!

I've seen Karrissa and her baby. McKinley will look just like Karrissa, luckily for her. She was born with green, green eyes, but they turned black. Liesl's are still blue and sometimes a little green. But we can't tell if she will have mine or Jay's.

Liesl assumes everyone is her friend. She loves church because she gets to stand on the bench and smile at the people behind her. She loves people, and unless she's tired, she always has a smile. She also knows how to take off her socks, and today she tried to pull my socks off for me! She's funny like that. We like her a lot. She's our source of daily laughs.

Anyway, I'm not working. I work as-needed. Sometimes I get bored, but I use those times for hobbies. Jay stays so busy. Enough for both of us.

It's good to see you guys posting. Vanessa, don't quite school. You're nearly halfway through your master's degree, right? Hollie, you sound terribly sick. My sympathies. How is your new job? Amelia, thanks for the homeschooling info. Elsie, I'm sorry I didn't make it to your party. I haven't been keeping up on the blog. Chelsi, I'm glad you're keeping busy. I saw Spence the other day in Walmart. I haven't talked to you in a while. I haven't heard Shae's music. . . . I can't even get ahold of her to turn in my timecard!

Mandy, as for your elevator story, that's horrible! I've had nightmares of elevator deaths (not necessarily my own). But I'm glad you kept a good attitude and made it to your meeting. What a story! Better luck next time, eh?
Anyway, all's well here for me. Love you all! Keep posting!

Chinese New Year

Happy Chinese New Year!

This year, I celebrated by being invited with my parents to a Chinese resteraunt by the owner who is from China. She invites all her friends, and all her local family for a feast.

I ate too much. But it was good.

happy v-day

i got a very cute little 1-inch square valentine today from a guy in our institute class. he handed them to all the girls.

i also got a funny little musical message from chelsi. :)

i am also taking every opportunity i can to eat lots of chocolate. and i hope the rest of you are too. happy valentine's day.{ from veer }

I'm sick of being sick.

So I started out with the flu, and last Wednesday I had a fever and went to the doctor. He gave me cough syrup laced with codine. That was nice the first day. After that, it REALLY started messing with my head. I was all swirly around the edges and my dreams were a little too vivid for comfort. So once my cough went away I stopped taking it. (Ok, before my cough went away, but it went away enough I could sleep at night.)

My flu has now morphed into a lovely sinus infection. So, on twice the amount of ibuprofren that i usually take and a pain killer specifically designed for sinus headaches, I must wait another 2 hours 45 minutes for the clinic to open up and I can go beg for some antibiotics to help me get over this.

I hope everyone is doing well, or at least better than me.

yawn

hollie, so sorry you're ill! my family was all sick in bed yesterday too, skipped church and all.. it was way sad.

we went to the beach this weekend. it was cold, but we had fun. it's been ages since i've been camping.i've checked the old blog, and it has decided to let me post, randomly. but i'm not sure if it will let everyone else post or what. what do you all think? shall we just keep this one and leave that one in the dust of the past?

SIESTA FIESTA!

Okay, I am throwing a Siesta Fiesta tomorrow. It's going to be fantastic and I want as many of you to come as you possibly can.

It will commence Saturday evening, 8ish. You can come whenever.
Come in your PJ's, or sombero, or poncho, or any other mexican attire.
We will provide slushies, multple chips and dip, PS2 games including guitar hero, American Idol, Dance Dance Revolution, and possibly a pinata.

It's going to be awesome and I want all of you there.
Call me if you have any questions!!

I'M PREGNANT!!!

Just Kidding. Hahaha! That was funny though, yes? I think it was. I'm glad I am finally able to post...I've missed you all. Good news; I talked to Wilson and he is alive and well. He's still dating the same man; he must be a keeper. Shae is doing well also. You should hear her music- she's a regular Avril Lavigne! Nothing is new AND exciting with me. I'm recovering from the flu and one of my diamonds fell out of my ring! I found it and it's fixed now. I'm taking ballet again; it's GLORIOUS! I also painted a picture of a poppy garden last week and I am continuing to cross books off of my "Want to Read but Haven't Yet" list. I made Spencer a cake that looked like boobies yesterday...it was very realistic because I used fondant frosting. He was having a bad day and so I wanted to give him something to "perk" him up. Hehe. I am working though, promise. And I'm quite enjoying it. If you wanna see go to www.parenthelpcenter.com. I wrote most of the text on the site. It's fun. Well, that's all for now. Much love and adoration!

undead?

hmmm.... now that Mandy's switched to the new blogger, our old blog has indeed started working again. yipee skippy. now what will we do?

look at me: an english major, teaching

my first class monday went quite well. it was hectic getting all the projectory equipment set up but after that, the kids behaved themselves and i taught them a nice little packet of beginning HTML.

most of them had a lot of fun i think. it'll be cool, instilling their young minds with good design principles and CSS and all that....

as for the job interview, i failed for not being a salesperson. fine with me. i don't want to sell things.

in fact, i think i may just go down to the local applebees and waitress for the next few months.
it'd be so much easier...

[edit]
P.S.

i got this email from the blogger people yesterday:

Hi there,

Thanks for writing in. I'm afraid that you will have to wait for the last admin member of that blog to migrate to the new version of Blogger before you can access it.

Sincerely,
Karl
The Blogger Team

i'm not sure who else had admin priveleges but me... maybe Mandy? anyway, if the old blog does start working, then we'll decide what to do. i'll let you all know.

why mandy takes the stairs...

i'm just going to launch right into this, some of you know about it, some of you don't, and some of you were present...

i took time off work for christmas to go on vacation with my family so when i went back to work on thursday the 4th, I was feeling really out of the loop, like i'd been gone for a very long time and had way too much to do with not enough time, so i was ready to work hard on friday.

friday started out strangely, normally i'm not the first one up because my dad and sister and i all leave the house at around the same time and my mom gets up with us because she's nice like that. so i got up to take a shower and the entire house was dark. strange, but not completely unexplained because my sister's high school starts late on random fridays and my dad gets every other friday off. So when i got out of the shower and still didn't have anybody up, i thought that was getting stranger so i went to get dressed. while i was putting on my makeup, my dad came and knocked on my door and told me my mom had the flu - thereby explaining the complete lack of activity upstairs. i went up and packed my lunch and fixed my breakfast with my dad hovering nearby - completely useless, but trying to be helpful... by this time, i was late leaving for work and i knew i had a 9:00 meeting so it was crucial that i get there on time (by 8) so i could prepare for it.

of course, because i was running late, i ran into more traffic than usual! so when i got to work, i felt fortunate that i was only 20 minutes later than usual. being lazy and pressed for time, i decided to take the elevator to the 6th floor of the building because that's a lot of stairs to climb when you're in a hurry.

i got on the elevator on the 2nd floor and being distracted and ditzy, hit the button for 2. then i realized what i was doing and pushed 6.

the doors closed and the elevator started moving - down! the doors opened on the first floor and the button for 2 lit up. i thought that was strange but figured it didn't know what to do because i had requested the floor it was already on. then, it went up and it opened on 3 but the lights said 1. getting stranger, but still not a big deal. finally i made it to 6 and the light above the door said 6 and the bell dinged, but the doors didn't open.

i pushed the door open button and nothing happened. then i tried the 6 button again, still nothing. i worked my way through all the buttons in the elevator and then tried to open the little door at the bottom for the emergency phone, but it was stuck!

i whipped out my cell phone, a little concerned, and called lisa and said "this is the weirdest phone call i've ever had to make, but I'm stuck in the elevator... and explained my situation.

she tried pushing the elevator call button to let me out and when that didn't happen she alerted the receptionist in our office who called the building manager. she came running and stood outside the elevator shouting in, asking me if i was okay (and sounding a good deal more upset than i felt). they told me that the elevator company wasn't answering and so i would need to use the phone in the elevator.

i got down on my hands and knees and tugged as hard as i could on that stupid little door and finally it popped open. i pushed the call button and was connected with the sandy fire department. the nice woman on the other end of the phone said that she would send someone right out, and to just stay calm. i didn't think that would be a problem because i thought the whole situation was actually pretty funny, especially considering one of my new years resolutions was to take the stairs from then on. and i was excited about the possibility of meeting a cute fire fighter, who was coming to rescue me!

while i was waiting, my boss came out and shouted in that he was sorry i was stuck, and this was the only time i could use that excuse :-) then he told me if i got bored, he'd round up a group and they'd come sing through the elevator doors to keep me entertained.

i went back to waiting and text messaged almost everybody whose number was in my phone because i was getting bored and kept thinking about what i would do if the elevator broke and dropped... not comforting! finally the repair guy got there (not a fireman like i had hoped, or even a cute man). he might have been old and fat, but he was a sight for sore eyes.

in total i was stuck for 30 minutes. i made it to my meeting on time and didn't even have the worst elevator experience of the day... one of the other girls in our office got stuck in a big accident on the freeway so she got there after i made it out of the elevator and got in the same elevator. she was trapped and then it suddenly dropped down a couple feet (a much bigger deal when you're actually in the elevator) and she only got out when one of the guys on the 5th floor pushed the elevator button to go up to the meeting and it opened.

so that's my story of the elevator. the moral is keep your new years resolutions!

eek again

so... this teaching gig of mine begins on monday. apparently there are seven kids crazy enough to want to try and learn webdesign from me. i'm not in the least ready for this...

also, i have a job interview tomorrow, downtown Seattle, for a managing editor position at some magazine. i'm insanely nervous about that. i hardly remember applying for it.

we'll see what happens. i have my doubts about my abilities to manage anything, but i do know i can edit. wish me luck.

in other news: i'm going to the dentist next week. once that's done and i have my shots, i will be able to submit my mission papers. it's taking far far too long.... but i guess i need to be patient.

hello again!

I just want to say hello to everyone since I was inactive/too stupid to use the last blog that was available; no one's fault but my own! Hope everyone is alive and well.

live from la mele grande

hey guys and girls!

It's probably a good thing Amelia "inadvertently" killed the old blog spot so we can all start anew. So how's everyone doing? still kicking A-double S I trust?? I'm still scraping by in New York, wondering if I want to finish school or not. By show of hands, who thinks I should finish and who thinks I should regain my sanity and quit? Any good books to read that anyone would like to recommend? Preferably mindless and inconsequential prattle vs. deeply provocative prose. I'm listening to The Be Good Tanyas right now, I submit that to the board for review. Hope you're all doing mighty fine. I miss you all!!

this is all my fault

dearest fellow alumni,

i am very sorry for killing our old blog. it was all my fault. in my enthusiasm for the new version of blogger, i attempted to switch the blog over and was careless enough to let it get lost in the ether.

blogger has been notified of the problem and perhaps they'll fix it. but for now take this brand new sparkly replacement blog as a token of my appology.

invitations/emails will be coming to your inboxes very shortly.

dead?

long live the ghost of Ray B. West.

eek

woah...

so i have a chance to teach a bunch of 10th graders webdesign, as part of the home-school group my mum and siblings participate in.

when i was in tenth grade, i didn't even have my own email address, did i? my how times have changed...

anyway: anyone remember the most helpful techniques rylish used when he taught us?
anyone think i'm crazy to even think i'll have anything close to the kind of patience you need to teach anyone anything, much less children?

i've been looking into free webdesign software... there's apparently some open-source stuff: Nvu. Mum says they've formerly used FrontPage. As FrontPage is being discontinued last year, this is probably not so smart a move...

Anyway, I'd love to hear ideas or other forms of support from all of you lovely fellow-alumni. This is a pretty cool opportunity and it pays well in spite of the limited hours, but I'm basically scared out of my wits.

Networking (don't tell cheryl)

So I got an e-mail from a former roommate who wanted to know if I needed a job. I told her no, but I'd pass it along to people I know from the major.

JeriLynn, I know you read this, maybe you can pass it on for those losers who forget it exists.

Its at Gecko Software, they are wanting to hire a tech writer, part time, who has a quirky personality (the boring ones don't last long apparently) and web/graphic design experience is a plus.

Interested: contact Kim Lyon at klyon@geckosoftware.com

Why?

Hey, why isn't our new design for the English dept.'s website up yet? I thought it was supposed to be up by now!

Anybody know?

-jeri

New Year Resolution

Right now I'm watching Supersize me! on tv. I think it goes along with the New Year resolution fad that people have in January. I'm not big into New Year resolutions. I believe in all year round resolutions.

One of the things I got with my first paycheck was a membership to the gym. When January hit the amount of people doubled. My dad and I are betting that by the time summer hits, most of them will be back to their regular ways. AH well. Better machines for the rest of us that stick it out.

Today at work they gave me the annual report to do. I've been doing the weekly report on my own quite nicely (once stupid male masoginist were introduced to the idea that I AM NOT A SECRETARY and can now do my job). The 2006 annual report is due Feb. 28th. But I'm not worried. They just barely finished the 2005 annual report before Christmas, and the 2003, and 2004 annual reports the month before that. I will be doing the job that 3 engineers were splitting ... do I want to make a joke here or leave it to you all to assume?

My best gift at christmas (besides Balderdash of course) a Barnes and Noble card. I now own two books that I haven't even read yet and have plans to buy two more. I'm in heaven.

Tasty and fragrant frailty of delicacy!

It's good to see most of us posting again. It appears we all had a nice Christmas. My brothers and I finally got the guts to tell our parents to come visit us for Christmas (since we've been splitting the day between our parents for 12 years, which has made me hate the holiday). Soooo, me and Jay had a quiet little Christmas at home with Liesl. I actually forgot to get her a gift, but I figure that she won't hold it against me, and I do buy her stuff all the time. She did, however, suck on a gift from my dad until it opened.

But I did find a good gift for her one-year birthday. It's a Chinese-made grocery cart. And, like "All Your Base," has some very amusing translations. It also uses at least three different fonts in. . . get this. . . ALL CAPS! Read on.

Product Name: SUPER SHOP

Descrption 1: Collect all these exciting new set!

Descrption 2: High quality, Funny cookware sets, It will give you infinite pleasure!

Descrption 3: Special for you of children design.

Descrption 4: The best cooking companion for all day long playing.

The best, however, is the box for a fake product. The picture is of a bowl of corn flakes.

Product name: Tasty Pine Cracker

Product: Tasty cookies

Motto: Tasty and fragrant frailty of delicacy

Description: The fragrant frailty is tasty, and guarantee you on eating to still want to eat, nourishment plentifulness, old and little all fit, welcome taste!

Jay and I figure "Special for you of children design" probably means "Made especially for children". But we also think it could mean "Designed by children". And what about "fragrant frailty"? I think they looked in a theasauras under "delicate" and came up with "frail" and decided that would work. And is "plentifulness" a word at all?! And, who in the world would eat a cracker made out of pine?!

Anyway, we've laughed at it a lot.

Chelsi, all those gifts are wonderful. You are so spoiled! Let me know when you're ready to read "The Proper Care and Feeding of Husbands."

Hollie, I wish I could laugh that much. Sounds fun to me.

Amelia, you are quite the little photographer. Why are we switching blogs again?

In other news, Liesl eats rice cereal once a day now. She is also using a high chair for that. And, she rolled over from her belly to her back-- on purpose-- the day after Christmas. She thinks she's pretty great, now, but she's growing up too quickly to suit me. But we love and adore her. She is still so snuggly soft and sweet.

Well, love you all. It's nice hearing from you!

Merry Christmas Darlings...

Happy New Year too! Oh how I love Karen Carpenter. So, sorry I haven't been keeping up lately. It seems, however, that I'm not the only one. I hope everyone had a magical Christmas. What did everyone get? We got soooooooooooooooooo much! I guess that's the one benefit of marrying into a divorced family. My favorite gifts were the following: some gorgeous crystal and pearl jewelry from Spence, a sexy, tiny little 7.2 mega pixel camera from my family, a HUGE jewelry box to hold all of my gaudy bling from my mama and daddy, a 7 man tent from his mom and step father, a karen handbag from his mom, a swiffer sweep and vac from my g-ma, and....drumroll....A MAGIC BULLET (brother and sister-in-law)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm not talking about one that kills warewolves, I'm talking about the mini food-processor/smoothie maker. I have wanted this thing for at least 6 years now. It's my favorite infomercial. We got it because Spencer's brother and I share a bond in that we LOVE the Food Network. He picked it out because he's always wanted one and he knew I'd love it. YAY! Don't worry, I've used it 6 times already.

Listen to me, rambling on about my presents. My Christmas was wonderful, even without the presents. We attended my mother's house for Christmas Eve...it was so fun. We slept at Spencer's mom's house though...it was really hard to leave my family on Christmas Eve. Then it was great to get to be a part of new traditions with my other family. The best part was watching my three-year-old neice. It was wonderful to see Christmas through her eyes. :) I wrote Spence a story and painted pics to go in it...that was great to see him open too...I made him cry, which is ultimately my goal in all my gift giving endeavors. We gave my two 6 month old neices these toys that shoot balls into the air after they drop them into a tunnel...it was the cutest thing ever to watch them play with it. They were so facinated! I like giving gifts even more than recieving them! Ps. If you're looking for a killer couples gift, go to lovopoly.com You can make your own customized game sheets for Monopoly. My sister-in-law bawled like a baby when she opened it.

Elsie and I graduated. It was actually a lot of fun, mostly because I had my Els. The week after finals I read four novels. It was FABULOUS!!! I can't wait to scrapbook and paint!!!! I think I might even start teaching ballet again! I'm so excited. I'm not going to lie though; I will miss it.

Well, speaking of free time...I was going to do this before Christmas, but I didn't have time, then I lost the book. So, now that it has been found, I would like to introduce you to Merry Christmas Amelia Bedilia for my lil' Amelia.

Merry Christmas!

Sorry I have been lax in checking and reading the blog. Besides work, I have taken care of the majority of the christmas shopping for my family this year because my mom was going to school and working full time. Then I had to finish this teddy-bear afghan for my brother and sister-in-law (they're expecting a baby in March. Hurray another nephew!) I thought I was going to be done on Saturday but its a block quilt and when I put the blocks together it was too small so in a frantic panic I've worked on it all weekend (whenever they were around) and I finished it last night at midnight. I am so happy. But tired. Very tired.

as my brother would say: Merry Freakin' Ho Ho

My younger sister and I both got games last night (we open one gift on Christmas Eve, our exchange gift). So we played Balderdash, and then Apples to Apples. During Apples to Apples I was laughing so hard I stopped breathing, and my older sister was afraid I was going to pass out. That didn't stop her from making funny commentary however. It was good to laugh so hard but my head hurt the rest of the night and today my stomach muscles hate me.

fiddly bits and happy christmas

hello. this is amelia here. i'm posting as granddaddy west because recently i switched my various blogs over to the new blogger (speaking of: new pointless hobby) and so my regualr login is all changed and this is just easier than figuring out how to post as me.

as soon as blogger will let me, i'll switch our dear old blog over as well, if nobody minds. it could use some shaking up. maybe i'll design it a new header bit too, while i'm at it.

anyways. i've moved home and abandoned shae... it's pretty weird. i do miss my job out there, but i am looking forward to whatever happens next for me.

everyone have a great christmas and throw some snowballs at somebody for me. :)

Merry Christmas everyone!

Hey, y'all! I guess we are all quite busy. Life is good here. Liesl is growing up quickly. She's such a funny baby. She has this really irritating squeal that she uses when she's impatient or bored. We've started feeding her rice cereal, too. She's still too young to sit up on her own or roll over, so she's still pretty immobile. I like that because I don't have to child proof quite yet. Soon, though.

Jay is on vacation. Another year and he'll be graduated. I can't wait til he has a regular job and no homework. If you can call active duty regular.

I actually called Dr. Laura a few weeks back. She was a jerk to me, too. My goal when I first started listening to her was to find a reason to call her. Now I did, she's lost her charm. But I still listen to her on occasion. I don't listen to Rush so much either. I got sick of the radio.

Anyway, Merry Christmas to you all! Congrats to Chelsi and Elsie on graduating!

xo-jeri

I actually have news

First of all, for those of you who were wondering, my grandma is out of the hospital but isn't able to take care of herself or be left alone for long periods of time. She can't take of her colostomy bag so because my job hasn't started because I was waiting for a security clearance from the government I was basically babysitting.

JeriLynn - she doesn't have demensia (or not that bad) she just doesn't have any sense of modesty anymore because of the periods she's spent in hospitals and a stint in the nursing home. It was her solution to a problem ... and if you follow her train of thought its logical, in a way. And I'm glad you like the bracelets. At thanksgiving two of my aunts found out about them and I made some for my two cousins, one who is less than a month old and the other who is six months old.

After that incident my dad started shopping around for assisted living centers because he says we can't provide her the care she needs anymore. She was all sorts of pissed at us, but my mom pointed out that she couldn't be left alone and I would start work soon. We just didn't know how soon. So, we found this really nice, small, homey place and she moves Saturday.

I get a call yesterday from my aunt. My security clearance has come through and I start work on Monday. She's going to drive me the first day so I need to be at her house at 5:30 a.m. to get there in time. Did I mention that the place I'm working will have over an hour commute by bus each way? What was I thinking? Oh yeah, this is a great job, and I have tudent loans I need to pay back.

Hope everyone is having a good holiday season!

Huh? It's almost December? What?

Hi, yeah, Liesl's four months old today. Wow, time flies.

She puts herself to sleep now. Very nice. She plays with her hands and squeals and blows bubbles. She is very fun.

So, this is how flustered I've been since she's been born: I asked her pediatrician about the rash all over her body. She says she's sensitive to the laundry detergents. I've been using Dreft for fabric softener, which should by safe for babies. Well, it turns out, the Dreft I have is not fabric softener, but detergent. So I've been soaking Liesl's clothes in soap, which would explain the rash.

Holly, thanks for the bracelets. You are a doll. I look forward to a Christmas card from you. I hope to do my own, as well. I doubt I have everyone's address. Go ahead and send me your addresses to jelyfisher@gmail.com. Please. Also, Holly, in that survey you sent me, I didn't laugh when I read about you finding your grandma in the nude. That is upsetting, though I can see the humor too. Dimensia must be very hard to live with.

Well, I love you all. I only check my email about once a week now, I'm so . .. everywhere else.

xo-jeri

count down

i have one week left out here.

and i just finished revising this little writing project: a photo essay

i can't say how interesting it is or isn't to anybody but me, but there it is.

Happy Turkey Day

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving and I am thankful for many things. One is the post office. I love to mail things ... weird I know. I also like to buy stamps. If I don't have your address I need it, because I am sending out Christmas cards (my parents think I'm weird because they have NEVER sent out Christmas cards but I have for the past 4 years and they don't know where I got the idea) and I need everyones addresses.

Some of you I'm lucky enough to have your address already so if I have it, and you don't want a card, tough cookie. This and wrapping presents makes my season. Luckily my mom hates to wrap Christmas presents so there is always plenty to wrap!

Don't write your addresses here, e-mail them please.
hollie.street@gmail.com

Hope everyone travels safe tomorrow (or whenever) and has a good day!

farewell flamingo

somebody show this to cheryl for me:

the end of the pink flamingo

i also added some coolio links to the sidebar.

i'm also coming home in 2 weeks!

hooray!

three weeks and counting

for wilson:
a cool game design job
check out the footnote on 'isle of wight'. hilarious.


as far as i know i'm not booked for any speaking engagements.
so... um. don't get your hopes up?

:p

No news is good news...

I miss you guys! I'm really sorry I couldn't make it up for the Halloween party, but it just wasn't a good weekend. I will be coming up to visit again soon though. As soon as I figure out when I'll email you all.

Work is going well, nothing specifically good about it. I get up, get ready, drive for an hour, work until 4:30, drive home, go to the gym, eat dinner, relax and then do it all over again tomorrow. Being graduated is so glamorous! :D I am enjoying work and it feels like I'm accomplishing stuff. I do wish I were more outgoing so that I'd have more friends, but I'm sure that'll come as I'm there longer. Hopefully they'll pick me up as a permanent employee. My directly over me boss has said three times in the past week to people other than me, that he hopes they'll make me permanent, so that seems promising.

My personal life is still boring, no prospects... but that's okay cause I figure when I move to salt lake in January when I get hired permanently or somewhere else when i get a different job, I can find a neighborhood pub (so actually a bar) and become a regular and join a bowling league. Basically that means I'll be turning into my uncle, which i just realized and is very frightening!

In other peoples' news... Lisa and Mark Ferrara (she said he was considering taking her name) just bought a house! It's off of 10100 So, really close to where Lisa and I work. She showed me pictures and it seems really cute.

Well, like I said, no news is good news, and I have no news!

Love you all!

I used to be known as Crimson Cinderson, Tawanda, and Catwoman. For this month, I am Cranberry Jeri. Happy Thanksgiving.

Hi everyone! How are you all? It's good to hear from all of you. I am doing well. Liesl is three months old now. And I feel completely adjusted. I can keep my house clean, work, be a mom, cook, be a wife, and play a little, too.

I just haven't started running yet. I made significant progress today, though: I woke up to my alarm and actually got out of bed.

Before getting back in bed and going back to sleep.

Well, I have no news. Life's pretty good. I love my little girl a lot. She's fabulous. And growing up way, way, WAY too quickly. Babies are fun.

I don't have a lot of friends, and I miss you guys. Luckily, Chelsi's coming over this week to be my personal fashion consultant as I get ready for the military ball and family pictures this weekend.

Thank heavans elections are through. That's all I can say.

Love you all!

-jerilynn

how much do you hate comic sans?

do you hate it as much as these people?

attn: jerilynn fisher, there are some pretty fun free fonts on that site. i've downloaded them all just now.

more about comic sans:

from the designer himself
at design observer
in boston

and speaking of fonts and design, i've fallen in love with veer.
just look at all the cool stuff they have for sale. i think i will buy that tin full of pins for myself for my birthday...

mm. yes.

What's wrong with this?

Find what's wrong here...
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Did you know that 80f Stanford students could not find the error above? Click Here to see if you were right or to get the correct answer.

I actually found the error, but I couldn't figure out how to put it into the drop down menu so it would say I got the right answer. The "O" is a zero in the list. Whoever wrote it needs to go back to basic English. When they give the correct answer they use "your" instead of "you're". Is it wrong that annoys me?

hmm...

so october is almost almost dead.

there are five weeks left. yes, five weeks from now i will be packing up my life and driving it home in my little blue honda. i really hope little blue honda makes it all that way... she needs her oil changed and after hitting that deer her poor hood could use some plastic surgery.

but more importantly, i hope to be able to visit many/most/perhaps all of you fellow-alumni along with my plentous relatives in utah, as i'm passing through. i've got the week of dec. 4 blocked off for miscellaneous travelling and nostalgia. mark your calendars.

this is me in my alien costume. am i not adorable? (don't answer that)

this week was magazine torture again. i will have callouses from the papercuts. thank heaven it's over.

it hasn't snowed here yet. mostly we get rain. lovely bucketsful of rain all day long... wonderful midwestern rain. today the sun came out again. i love the autumn. no doubt there will be frost in the morning.

unrelatedly, national novel-writing month begins in a few days. i'm lazily toying with the idea of if not writing a whole novel in a month, at least finishing one i've already started. but we'll see how that turns out.

I woke to snow today.

I love fall. I hate snow. Here its been perfect fall weather for over a month. But that's over now. Snow has arrived. Why didn't I move to a place where it doesn't snow while I had the chance?

Party

Come!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's after the howl. If anyone needs a place to crash, we have room!

Come. I miss you.

Chicago

First of all...they are not lying when they call this city the windy city. It was constantly windy! And have you ever tasted Chicago style pizza? It's crazy! It is the deepest pizza that I have ever seen or eaten..and the cheese is underneath the sauce. I might have gone to three different restaurants to try the different styles...and they were all amazing. I went to the Art Insitute of Chicago--I love art...I really really love art, the John Hancock Observatory--the second tallest building in Chicago, the Field Museum & Underground Adventure--home the the famous Sue T-rex and many other very cool things, Shedd Aquarium VIP--komodo dragon and lots of fish...very cool, the Adler Planetarium & Astronomy Museum--I thought that one of the guides was going to keel over.

One of my favorite Chicago moments is when we were getting an impromptu walking tour of downtown Chicago. We were crossing the street and one of the guys we were with was honked at by a trolley. So he yelled, "Hey we're walking here!" in the most quintessentail chicago manner and with the Chicago accent. It was great. Like something from a movie and I loved it!

Millenium Park has a giant reflective bean....which is awesome. This is a picture from underneath it.

We also went to two plays (musicals) while we were there. The first one was called Madame X and whitney and I changed into skirts while in a car with three guys. That was interesting...and the play was very well done as well. Our second night we went "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum" which was done at a spa. And we walked through New Orleans to get there. And at the begining of the second act we were mooned by one of the actors...also great.

The view from the top of the John Hancock was amazing...but my camera was mostly dead so I couldn't really get a very good picture....which makes me sad.

It's so sad...I did a ton while I was there but I still feel like I didn't have enough time to do it all...and I might want to go back. Why can't I find a job were they would pay me to do what I want? Gr...

See pictures!

Hey, I finally really updated my daughter's site. See more pictures. PLUS up-to-date coverage of the Extreme Makeover: Home Edition thing going down here. Yes, I'm totally a dork, but totally on top of things! Sort of.

www.spencersrock.com/Liesl

Good luck everyone. It sounds like you all need some.

Also, I deleted my blog, Abourneman. I was paranoid about privacy, and I also didn't update it often enough. Besides, Liesl has her own webpage. She doesn't need a blog on top of that!

"Destiny is no matter of chance. It is a matter of choice. It is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved." ~William Jennings Bryan

I'm glad that I have such funny friends.

So remember how awhile ago I said I might be dating somebody? Well...I broke it off with him on Sunday. I should be in love with him maybe cause he is really sad right now...we are trying to be friends. I don't know if that is possible...cause I kinda want to jump him sometimes but I'm sure that I shouldn't be dating him right now. I don't know. Life is weird. I should stop talking about boys because it never sticks.

I am leaving for Chicago tomorrow! It's going to be AMAZING. We (whitney and I) leave early early morning and arrive in Chicago by noon. We are going to all sorts of museums (like 5) and the Art Institute of Chicago and a play every night that we are there. It is going to be so much fun that I will probably have to take a vacation from my vacation. It is going to be fantastic. I'm headed to the windy city baby!

I've decided that I am going to make my life cool...cause if I sit around waiting for it to happen....then it never will. I've been waiting most of my life for things to happen and the never/seldom do. So my new mantra is to make life happen! I'm not waiting around for it anymore.

Vanessa changed her phone number...

hi darlings,

i figure this is a fast way to keep in touch with all of you wild things...my number has changed and it is now 415 963 1334.

call me!

vanessa

Friday the 13th hit me late this year

Bad luck is suppossed to follow us on Friday the thirteen but my Tuesday the 17th wasn't all the great either.

For those of you who don't know, because I'm cheap and want to save on rent, I live upstairs at my parent's house. There's two apartments up there and they're both mine, for free, until I want to move out and get my own house.

My Grandma Street also lives with us because she is no longer able to take care of herself. I've been doing the majority of that since school again because my mother is going to school full time and working 30 hours a week at a real job. She's the type who freaks out if she doesn't get a 4.0 so she's giving herself more stress. My dad is oblivious, and plus because its his mother, I think he's in a lot of denial.

About 2 weeks ago, Grandma started to feel like garbage. I won't go into the symptoms but we were concerned. She refused to go to the doctor and had my mom cancel the appointment that was made (I get my stubbornness from her). This weekend she declined significantly so Monday we got her into the first appointment we could with another doctor in her regular doctor, Doctor Taylor's office. It was at 4:30. My mom and I explained her syptoms and told him we'd been through these symptoms before and what we susspected it was. He blew us off, said to keep doing what we were doing, ordered some x-rays, sent us home, and told that if it was anything they'd call if not just to keep her regular appointment in January.

My grandma has lost her appetite enough that we were begging and pleading to have her drink one ensure for any meal. Those are less than two cups of liquid. We took her home and continued to worry. Then the next day, Tuesday, she had another docotor's appointment for her foot. She's severly diabetic and has developed a foot ulcer that won't heal so once a week since August I've taken her into see Dr. West. All of the CNAs and the Nurse Practitioner know my grandma on sight. Grandma was too weak to use her walker so I had to take her in the wheelchair. When the CNA and the Nurse Practioner say my Grandma they said, she's sick, what's wrong. So I went through all the same things I did the day before with the other doctor. They checked and said she was dehydrated. They were highly concerned, to say the least. They were freaking out enough it started making me freak out. They insisted that I take her to the ER as soon as I left.

So I called my mom as we were leaving the office. She had talked to the doctor who took the x-rays. He said its not a bowel obstruction (which is what we feared it was). She said she got a little bit of the run around but basically was told to keep fluids in her, and keep doing what we were doing. I took her to the ER.

They did a catscan, and after three people tried got enough blood to do blood tests. I got there around 11. I told them all of the information that I knew, what the other doctors had said, what we suspected, what the x-rays told, etc. I even had to give her birth date because when asked she gave the wrong day. Its january 7th and she said january 5th. Her mental state was altered enough she couldn't remember her own birthdate.

Between 1:00 and 1:30 the ER doctor comes in and in the most angry voice I've ever heard a doctor use said, "Who told you that it wasn't a bowel obstruction?" So I told him that which doctor told my mom that. He told me that her bowel was kinked and swollen and nothing about it was right. The nurse came in and informed me she was severly anemic and needed a transfusion. Her veins in her arm were too small so I had to make the decision a central line (which is a operational procedure) or an IV in her jugular vein. Yeah, that's in her neck. I knew that the last time she had a bowel obstruction she wasn't a surgical candidate because of her frail health. I opted for the jugular IV because I knew my parents would want to avoid surgery at all costs.

Between 2:00 and 2:30, the ER comes back and introduces me to Dr. Richards. He starts to explain to me that the nature of the bowel obstruction will not fix itself. The only way to fix it is with surgery. I say, is there anyway not to have surgery. He says, "No, surgery at this point is our only option. We're going to try to get her in this afternoon. I'm not going to lie to you, she is very frail and you need to prepare yourself that she may not make it through this."

I was being such an adult until that point. As soon as he left I called my mom who I had been playing phone tag with all day to keep her updated on what was going on. I let it ring 5 times, hung up and dialed again. I found out later she was with a client at work and when i called the 2nd time she said, I better take this, my mother-in-law is in the ER with my daughter. So as soon as she picks up and says hello. I say, "Mom, she needs surgery. They're going to get her in this afternoon."

My mom is quiet for about 5 seconds, and with emotion in her voice says, "I don't have a car, I will call your dad to come pick me up we'll be there in about an hour." I got off the phone with her and called my older sister who had called before the doctor showed up and started to tell her what my morning had been like. While talking to her, I apparently went into shock because I started to shake uncontrollably and I was so cold I couldn't get warm. Let me just tell you how alone I felt at that moment. Here I was, sitting in a tiny ER cubicle with my grandma and knowing that in 24 hours she may not be alive.

My mom called my aunt Lisa, and they split my aunts and uncles up and started making phone calls. It wasn't just surgery, it was emergency surgery. My aunt Mary thinks the entire family hates her so she doesn't answer her phone when my mom calls. My mom leaves two messages to have her call us. Then my uncle calls and leaves a message as well. It still takes her over an hour to call, but she doesn't call the cell numbers that are left on her machine. She calls my uncle's house and talks to my aunt and finds out what's going on before she'll call my mom. Then she's very rude about it, and says that my mom should have left it on the answering machine what its about. How can you leave a Mary-your-mom-is-going-to-emergency-surgery-which-she-may-not-live-through message on someone's machine?

To make an already long story shorter than I could, at a quarter after 5 they finally had her in surgery and all of her kids knew, her two living sisters knew and my father and this male BYU of I nursing student had given her a priesthood blessing. They had put 4 units of plasma in her because her blood was too thin (one of her medications is a blood thinner), a little morphine for the pain, and an anti-naseau medication. The operation was to take at least an hour, if all went well.

I had gotten to the ER around 11, I was driving home around 6 too tired and stressed out to remain, plus I had started my period the day before and had such bad cramps I could barely stand up. I had my cell phone and waited by the house phone. The call came at 8:35, she was out of surgery, she pulled through it but they were going to keep her in ICU for 24-48 hours, sedated and on a respirator to help her heal and after that would move her to the regular hospital room to help her recover.

So, this could be a reason that I haven't gotten my security clearance and haven't actually started work yet. My security paperwork was sent to the main office in Pittsburgh yesterday and my expected start date is January 20th . I'm going to start applying for seasonal work today because I don't want to hunt for a real job until then and I won't be taking care of my grandma anymore, canning season is pretty much over, and so is my garden.

fedex kinkos needs a better phone system

so today i called kinkos four times.

i was put on hold about thirty times.

i had to explain who i was and what i wanted at least sixteen times.

that was a pain in the neck.


in other news: my car's slightly dented hood opens and closes just fine thank heaven.
however, my car's battery is staging a revolt against me and my life.

yay.


i'm also coming down with a cold. any pity and/or warm soup you have to spare would be everso nice.

Time flies and then some

It's been a month since I've posted. Wow.

So life blurrs on by. I lost track of how many weeks old Liesl is. I just know she's two months, and that's all I say. She's such a charm. I've never been happier in my entire life combined. I love her like the day is long. She laughs and smiles and sings along with me. We often talk back and forth. And no, I don't speak baby-talk. I'm WAAAAAY too sophisticated for that. Really. I'm telling the truth.

Here are some pictures of her in her blessing dress. None of the links work on the page. It's messed up. But the pics are great. http://www.spencersrock.com/Leisl/blessing/bless1.html

Nothing special has happened to me. I splurged on curtains. I listen to Rush Limbaugh and Dr. Laura. I have five loads of laundry to fold. I've called my landlord multiple times since Liesl's been born. Here's why:

1. Broken lightswitch in bathroom
2. Leaking roof in Liesl's room
3. Leaking dishwasher
4. Another broken lightswitch in dining room
5. Broken Mailbox lock
6. Broken doorknob

Gosh, that can't be all. . . there must be something more.

Huh. Well . . .Oh, yeah, you heard me right. I listen to Rush. I'm even becoming a "Rush Baby," or whatever it's called. But mostly I just say that as a joke.

And all y'all should read "The Proper Care and Feeding of Husbands." It's a must if you're married or getting married.

Speaking of marriage, my mom finally got married today.

Amelia, thanks for the pictures. I'm sorry about the deer. Did it do much damage? I hope not. It's a terrible thing. I guess.

Vanessa, I'm glad your exploits at NYU have taught you to be brave about speaking up about something you're embarassed about. Is there anything else going on in your life? I mean, hello! I've never lived anywhere in my life except Utah? What's it like out there?

Elsie, I'm sure you posted something. I can't remember what. I'm tired. I love you anyway.

Hollie, I'll be sending you the bracelets as soon as I'm not lazy anymore. I love you too.

Chelsi, I'm glad we hung out on Monday. Unfortunately you didn't see me at my best: I was a little stressed. However, the thought of your lovely pink heels makes me warm inside.

Okay, I'm tired. I feel the love though.

xo-jeri

frost!

not robert, no--real actual frozen condensation all over the place.

including my windshield.

i found myself wishing for one of those STC ice scrapers.

Elsie, want to steal one and send it to me?

please?

until then i'll be making do with one of the several hotel keys that have found refuge in my wallet. somehow.

yeah.

in other news: i hit a deer on my way to work thismorning.

Might I express my fondness for Berlin Sans?

Hey, Vanessa here: we all have our geeky streaks and one that we share is our periodic adoption of a favorite font...mine is Berlin Sans at the moment. That's something I would have told you all in person over bundt vodka cake had we not graduated and moved on or otherwise dispersed. I'm a nerrrrrrd!!! neehee.

righto. now it is raining.

i've been waiting for it to rain for days.
and now it is, the steady gentle rain that lets you know it's goign to be here all week long.

mm.

when the clouds come way down close like that and everything is wet and gray, every color and every space is more condensed. more real. i love it.

so shae and i got to see our favourite wilson last weekend. that was way fun. the rest of you ought to be very jealous.

today i'm a bit jealous of miss shae. she's off in utah playing with jerilynn and chelsi. okay, that's a lie. as chelsi and jerilynn can attest, we've all be working hard these past two days. it's a bit crazy, really.

anyway. life proceeds. october is very settled in. i almost don't want it to leave... but in fact i have a lot of things to look forward to. even if snow isn't quite one of them.

jerilynn asked for more pictures the other day. so here:

don't ask me what it is, exactly.
a wheel of some sort.

if anyone's really really interested in my silly attempts at photography, i've made a section for them all, using a neat little javascript trick i learned here at my lovely little job. mm. yes.

Happy Misogynistic Chauvonistic Philandering Cretin Day

Yesterday was Columbus day. My best friend Monika sent me an e-mail iwth her thoughts on Columbus and I laughed so hard I've included them in this blog.

"Maybe I could do a lesson about what a misogonistic chavanistic philadering cretin Columbus was, and how all he really did was stumble into Cuba, and not find China like he thought he did. Really? China? didn't he know the Chinese have yellow skin not brown?"

My comment to that is we can add "racist bastard" to Columbus's attributes. All he saw in the indigineous people was that they weren't white and therefore lesser than himself, poor, uneducated, savages. Which isn't of course true. They had a beautiful and rich culture. They didn't have the same technology that the whites did but they were better adapted to living in the land, as proven by the number of pilgrims who tried to make a go of it and were never heard from again. The white settles only managed to survive the winters when they listened and learned from the indigenous people ... coincidence?

Anyway, Happy Columbus Day, or Happy Get Lost and Find Cuba when you think it's China day, or Happy Misogynistic Chauvonistic Philandering Cretin Day, or Happy make-the-most-of-what-you've-done,-even-if-it-wasn't-what-you-expected day!

(Somebody needed to post something)

You can't know yet you have to know

Don't cha all worry. I am now able to use the toilet in my home once again. And don't worry about that whole underwear issue...cause I have a washer and dryer in my house now! Yippee!

You should all listen to the song "Ugly Side" by Blue October....it's kinda how I feel right now. I've been enjoying Blue Ocotober a lot recently. Kelli is doing much better for those of you who have been concerned. She even came to class last week and should be all better now.

I don't really have much that I want to say. I just thought I would post again so that I could shock everyone really.

Chels your pictures are gorgeous. I'm sad that I couldn't be there.

So how did everyone else manage to make it through their last semester? I'm lacking the ambition to want to finish this up.

Nostalgia

Today as I was walking across the quad, the autumn leaves painting a picturesque seen, the crisp fall air tickling my face, the smell of "is it a good smell or a bad one?" trickling into my nose from the hub, I let out a long sigh and said outloud, "I'm going to miss this." I realized I'd already taken my last nap on the quad without even realising it. :( I'm not ready yet.

On a happier note, I finally put all of the pics from my wedding online. I had to divide them into several albums due to the large number. Links are below:

http://usu.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2004394&id=122800461&l=f1683

http://usu.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2004354&id=122800461&l=e2d6b

http://usu.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2004353&id=122800461&l=e3e4c

http://usu.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2004347&id=122800461&l=de325

http://usu.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2004345&id=122800461&l=f35a5

http://usu.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2003128&id=122800461&l=31f3c