On this day in history

July 19th, 2011

July 19th, 2012

Veins, Shafts, and Recurves

Today I was living the dream. First, I biked to a stupid work meeting. I love that biking is the first thing i do in the day, you know after getting out of bed, stretching, eating, dressing, and eating one bite more. It calms me and gets me so jived. I love it. Then after the meeting I biked 8 more miles to the archery range! I have been trying to get back into archery since I took a class with Lindsey in Rexburg. But everywhere I have lived just had inaccessible ranges and no rentals. FINALLY, in SLC it is not the case. One of the things going for the city. I spent THREE HOURS shooting! This older dude gave me some pointers and I did much better after a while. I got a blister on my finger. After many strange experiences with 50 year old single men, I tried to be as unfriendly as possible. Somehow I still ended up with Donnie from Tennessee's business card. Anyways, it felt so good to shoot again. Now, I know the big question. Did i only do this because I am so obsessed with the Hunger Games that I thought I should be a big shot like Katniss? While I love Katniss and secretly do want to be like her, I have been trying to get to the range long before I read the books. Towards the end I was getting some really nice grouping.

 By the way, Donnie also shot at my target which made me mad because I wanted to keep it to see how it recorded my improvement. Whatever. Bottom line, it was amazing. I am on my way to being lethal.
 

Dress

Ps. I still don't have your phone numbers. Please text me if you have mine. Don't forget to tell me who you are.

MJW as of late

HEY Y'ALL! I am back! I apologize for the really long absence. I MOVED!! After my long birthday post it was an endless slough of busyness. I moved out of Anna's house the first week of January. I finally got rid of my tineas corpus (i hate the generic term) which some of you know was a 4-month long trauma for me. I moved in with a coworker much closer to my job. I still take the bus (down to 30 minutes from 1 hour and 1/2 YAY!) but I am finally in the position to start saving money for a car. I just have one roommate and her cute dog, which is actually fun to have. So the point of all of this was to say that I don't have the internet in my new apartment. I have a smart phone now so I still have access, but I probably won't blog unless I come to the library. Other stuff: I stopped eating bread because it makes me sick, I am losing weight despite my 3 week birthday cake diet, I love my new ward and am playing basketball, I see Shanna whenever I can, I try not to talk about work outside of work because I feel too crazy, and I just made a new dress for my friend's wedding (one of the best weekends of my life!) Oh, and I am now 25. Prime of my life!

I know that proabably doesn't come close to the update some of you were hoping for, but we are now moving on to silliness.
I have learned the song Safe & Sound from "The Hunger Games" soundtrack. I have been obsessing over this song for a long time now. I know my voice is scratchy thanks to the cesspool I work in, but I had to post it before I saw another person bring it up on facebook. Because I don't want to be a spoiler of the story for some of you who have not read the series (Shanna, I am talking to you. Read 2 & 3) I will just say generally what I have said so eloquently and beautifully in my journal. Yes, I journal about this stuff.
I think this song was released way too soon. I think they should have saved it for the third movie. I think it captures the mood of the entire trilogy better than it captures Book 1. In my mind verse 1 is Katniss dwelling in the past. Verse 2 is Katniss singing to Prim. And then I think the end chorus is Prim singing to Katniss. I know I sound like one of those nerdy lumpkins right now who make up things in their mind and think they need to blog about it. Ok, I guess that is what I am. I have just never heard a song that I feel goes so well with the characters of the book. Anyways, I hope you like it and can hear past my vocal chords ruined from the constant coughing and hacking I do.

To Lindsey another birthday post, and it is she who will understand it the most!

Twas the eve of her birthday and it was probably prudent

That I had no gift to give the miss minimalist student

I must do something for her to show her I care

So I put on my thinking cap and sat in my chair

Suddenly it came as quick as a flash

An idea that was brilliant, I’d thought of it fast.

“I’ll throw her a party,” I said with a grin.

And I laughed and I thought “I’ve outdone me again!”

With the help of my magical friend Harry Potter

My invites went out as a quick as penguins in water.

By the next evening, the venue decorated with glee

Was glowing like Christmas garnished with holly and wreaths.

Ding-dong! Went the bell and the first guests had arrived,

We gasped as we realized they weren’t even alive!

Oh the undead Cullen couple crashed with ease,

 

I guess Mr. Potter had a joke up his sleeve.

I rolled my eyes but saw Lindsey was delighted

Then came in Atlas and we all got excited.

Ariel and Mike became the first present givers

And then Greg came a-sailing on the great Boise river!

Cindy and Jim were already there!

Cindy was taking great pictures with all that love in the air.

Aunts, uncles, grandparents, cousins, and friends too (sigh)

All came to show up for dear Lindsey poo-poo-pie

And that, my friends, is where it all got exciting

Because more unusual guests were arriving.

In came the band, all their members intact.

Jesse began warming up so his voice wouldn’t crack. 

Then two freaks jumped out from behind the curtain, 

Lindsey fell down to her hero Tim Burton.

As soon as they hugged in came another crowd!

And we stood in awe as the ringbearer’s fellowship gathered round.

 

Trevor and I got a little carried away,

But came back to our senses when Gandalf started to say,

“I found this package that’s message is revealed only by fire,

but I fear, little Lindsey, it comes with evil desire.”

A threat rang out from the fire that ended the fun.

It said “I want to kill ever-y-one”

Then a crack and a boom and there appeared,

Lindsey’s evil twin who was widely feared. 

A green woman who was strangely obsessed with shoes

Screamed, “I’ll get you my pretty, and your little man too!”

 

She spit and she cackled and got on her broom

And set about terrorizing the room.

Everyone panicked but Lindsey said with a yawn,

“Ricky Butler says just douse her with water, and then she’ll be gone.”

If Ricky Butler said it, it must be true,

But that wicked old witch had turned all water to glue. 

When all hope was vanishing someone amazing hovered in.

The Flaming C had come and he brought his friends with him!

 

His fishnet stockings were making all of us double over

But he looked so daring with that flaming pot holder.

He said to the witch “We will end this tonight”

“Haha,” said she, “but I’ve brought your kryptonite!

You see up above in my tower,” she sniggered

“Is a cat with his finger carefully on the trigger!”

 

He shakily said, “A cat sniper!  I’ll die in an instant, I swear!

And with that the Flaming C and his friends disappeared.

Everyone held their breath as the witch simply smiled.

Trevor stepped forward, his eyes looking wild.

She snarled and said, “What do you want, my pretty?”

Surprising us all he cried, “AGUAMENTI!”

In his hand he held his homemade wand,

And water shot forth, enough for a pond!

The witch melted and cried, “What a world! What a world!”

But that’s what you get when you mess with his girl. 

He hadn’t forgotten about that kitten, refusing to fail.

He showed him a picture of this girl as blackmail.  

So Trevor saved the day, though he says this story is too long.

I still claim that I can do nothing wrong. 

We clapped and we cheered and Lindsey kissed him with pride,

But then we all hushed when someone else came inside.

A figure walked in from the storm,

The lights came back on and we all cried, “NORM!!”

He dropped off a present and sat down for respite

He said, “Happy Birthday to Lindsey!  Now bring me a pint!"

 

Happy Birthday Lindsey!  I can't give you a gift so let me give you an idea.  One of the most precious things I learned from you was to do what I love because I LOVE IT and do it when I want to.  You always encouraged me to "sing" (for example) even if I knew there would never be an audience.  Let me try to encourage you with that same inspiring care.  Now please, go pick up your guitar.  Write a song!  Sing it as loud as you can!  Know that there are so many of us who would love to be your audience at anytime, but distance separates us.  I hope you have a wonderful birthday!  I LOVE YOU!

Baby Surprise!

 It began Friday afternoon.  We drove to St. George to stay with Shanna's old missionary companion (where great stories were told).  We spent the night and then took off for Vegas.  Passed the most beautiful and amazing path through rough and red rocks.  Gorgeous.  The whole drive (with the exception of the time during our breathtaking view of rocks and ridges) we entertained ourselves by the reading of The Hunger Games.  I read to Shanna as she drove.  It was my second and her first time.  It is all I can do from not shouting out everything that happens to her.   

 We made it with the sometimes untrusty GPS to the house of the shower.  Hands shaking, stomach flipping, I walked through on tip toes to try to catch her at an ultimate surprise.  It came as a surprise to us that she wasn't there yet.  Shanna said, "I am going to go get my purse" and not 5 seconds later she was back at my side saying "Rachael's here!" We hid in the pantry and waited till she had said a few hellos.  I walked out and timidly waited till she saw me.  Love, hugs, happy sounds, more trembling with excitement.  I was stunned with happiness to be in the same room as someone who I consider one of my greatest friends again.  The same room as one of the special persons who I feel shaped me.  One more moment to always remember. 

*Video for Snickers . . . is not working.  :(

For Ashley

 

We kind of ended with "they get to be the jealous ones this time!"  It might be a little mean, but it was kindly meant.  What I mean by it was that we all have to take our turns sometimes to be the person that couldn't be there.  But who are we fooling.  We are all there in spirit!  

Love,

M. Jean

happiness is a warm gun . . . OR it's a UKULELE

I just love my uke.  I got it because after 2 years I finally realized I don't live with Lindsey anymore.  I have to make my own music.  Despite my lounge wear, a sickly voice (the worst part about being sick for me is not being able to sing-it has been four weeks . . . ), and nails not long enough to pluck very well, here is a little song for y'all.