Suddenly I See

I've been neglecting my beloved Pearl recently. Between being out of town a lot and basic laziness, it had been months since she had had a bath. And thanks to the marine layer that rolls in every night, the grime was quite thick.

So last Tuesday I threw in the towel and took it to a car wash. But not just any car wash--it was the kind where you hand over your keys and the magical elves bring it back 30 minutes later all sparkly and clean. I'd never been to such a car wash before (I'm from Wyoming...they just don't exist there) because it seemed like cheating. In my family, the only time you don't wash your car yourself is when it's too cold. And that's only when it's really dirty.

Friends, it was the best $17 I've ever spent on that car. The elves even managed to remove the grime on my rims that had been there for years. Not only did they vacuum, they dusted the dashboard. But the best part was when I got in and discovered I could actually see out the windows.

At that point I realized I had been putting up with inferior conditions. I was reminded of a quote that I thought I remembered from Conference but I can't find right now that says something to the effect of "we live far below our spiritual potential." Around the same time, I'd had several spiritual experiences that, like my car, reminded me that I could have so much better. I just wasn't putting in the effort.

Of course, life can't be all uplifting, amazing experiences. It rained on Sunday; my car is now dirty. I get caught up in work and friends and fun; I loose some of the peace I found. But the memory of the good is newer. And at least one of these things can be fixed by a quick trip to the magical elves again.

I'm your recent acquisition, time to celebrate me

Proof that I really am better now: Yesterday I discovered that someone had thrown out/eaten my leftover burrito. I had been looking forward to finishing it all weekend (I forgot it in the fridge on Friday). Those coworkers gathered with me in the kitchen tried to console me.

"Maybe they were just cleaning out the fridge" Nice try, but no. In my frantic search through the shelves, I found several pieces of moldy fruit that DEFINITELY should have gone before my burrito.

"Maybe they just didn't know whose it was." I wrote my name on the top. And there were several other styrofoam containers that weren't labeled at all.

I was mad for about 5 minutes as I nibbled at the yogurt I had also left in the fridge. And then I was over it. Okay, not entirely, because I'm still writing about it a day later. But it didn't ruin my day; it became the most interesting thing that happened.

Life's a journey, enjoy the ride.

Don't it always seem to go...

They blocked streaming radio at work this week. Most of the time, I bring my mp3 player so it's not a big deal. But there are days when I forget, and I've built quite a collection of good stations at Pandora. And I'll have to kick my Chunga and Mister habit now too (hey, they're funnier than anything in L.A.).

Last night I went to the library and got a crusty look from the librarian when I flip-flopped my way back to the young adult novels. I figured it was for the noise. Only on my way out did I notice the small sign at the entrance that the children's room was for children under 12 and their caregivers only.

What's up with one or two people ruining stuff for everyone else?

Happy is what happens when all your dreams come true

So tonight, while trying to convince myself that "choosing" to be alone was better than outright rejection, Becoming Jane became the fourth movie I've ever cried in. The other three are Moulin Rouge!, Ladder 49, and Kate and Leopold (don't ask).

There was once a time when I was strictly a happy ending sort of girl. I wanted to know how things end, and I wanted them to end well. I've never really liked Romeo and Juliet, Gone with the Wind was good until the end, and I absolutely hated The Perfect Storm.

"But, then one day, the girl grew up and went beyond the walls of the grounds and found the world." In effect, I finally had the opportunity to live those chick flicks (at least on some level...). But unlike those movies, none of these relationships had a happy ending. Suddenly, My Best Friend's Wedding had a perfectly acceptable ending.

For various reasons, I've spent most of this week feeling 14 again. I think that's why I had such a strong reaction tonight. Normal me loved the movie; young me was ridiculously upset that true love didn't conquer all. Young me is winning the battle tonight, but normal me will win the war.

Everything will be okay in the end. If it's not okay, it's not the end.

The gentle island

I just had an amazing vacation (why don't we call it holiday like the British? It sounds so much more sophisticated.).


We spent a day visiting the College of Piping and the French/Acadian part of the island (including authentic food in the community center cafe).


We spent a day paying homage to the local literary heroine (I wish I had the picture of my sister and I dressed as Anne and Matthew...maybe when I get it from my mom). Turns out Gilbert Blythe is a little young, but still cute.


We spent a day wandering Charlottetown, including a few hours in a blessedly air conditioned theater. We also went to a ceilidh with an amazing fiddler.


We also ate ice cream every day and slept in and ate microwaved steak and got overheated in Boston and in general enjoyed ourselves thoroughly.

The end.