Thursday, December 31, 2009

2009: a year in review

i realized i've done more than i thought this year
so in copying my friend, smash,
here is my year in review:
JANUARY
started off the new year in seattle
celebrating with spencer

later in the month i got to see my cuz, lindsey, marry micah
cute couple! later in the month taylor and i tried to do
a covered bridge bike tour

we saw the first one...
we started with
and didn't anticipate such big hills with our mtn bikes on the road
FEBRUARY

my beloved holly came to visit
(i hate this picture but she looks so darling!)

MARCH
i discovered bagby hot springs
after a 12 miles snowshoe hike
a bit longer than expected
but it warmed my heart to oregon

APRIL

my dear friend levi came to visit
with his mom
we drove as close as we could to mt st helen's
we got to chill his distance relative's "cabin"
that was nicer than any home i've lived in

MAY

i was able to be in vegas for my gpa's birthday

and go see DMB with
two of his other largest fans hilary and katrina
(sorry no pics)

then for memorial day
jose n' analee drove to come visit!

JUNE

the favorite came to visit
wedding dress shopping ensued
and my nice friend, dave, took us sea kayaking
and we saw seals with their babies my great old friend, steph, from high school
came to visit from the valleyi ran my first
and possibly LAST marathon
by myself in seattle
the rock-n-roll marathon music tunes
helped me while missing danielleJULY
i saw crater lake for my first time with bob
we had a family reunion in utah
my family was all grateful
we currently only have adults in our family
and didn't have to go on rides
we didn't really want to go on
and were able to relax up at the bird
jaimie took out her endowments at the jordan river templea special time with the fam
on my personal religious "must do" checklist
shot the tube with fun friends

AUGUST

hiked south sister
made new friends
i could officially be a "mazama"
if i felt like paying the fees

jaimie and wolfgang got married

new families combine!karen and i head to europe for the open house
and some traveling along the wayi fell in love with venice
and gimmelwald and switzerland

SEPTEMBER

danielle, fart pipe and holli came to visit
we started the weekend off by seeing
mason jennings in eugene
with sarah and taylor
mason is dreamy looking but a very mellow music man
and not much of an entertainer
slept on the beach and didn't get caught!
OCTOBER

had a killer "undead" party
with brian king
never dressed so scary/zombie-ish in my life

NOVEMBER

i turned 30.
i don't want to talk about it.
my family in vegas made it special
despite my ill thoughts towards
the new decade of my life

DECEMBER

saw swell season in concert
AMAZING.
sang along
loved every minute
saw brett dennen and got first kissed on the concert floor
loved it.
Christmas in AZ
was shared with bassie
and daniellehad yummy cheesy fondue
that we all enjoyed
and the whole family (including the brunners)
were all in attendance
had a superb time!
cheers to 2009
bring the joy 2010!

Sunday, November 29, 2009

dirty 30

after a slightly crazy week of my g-pa
in and then out of the hospital
we rang in my 30th year of life
as the clock ticked to midnight
by a bonfire at dry lake north of vegas ahh tender...
sparklers... legal in nevada
we were trying
to write i heart you...
you kinda get it...
right?
sparklicous
end of the night
i lapped the fire 30 times
we even danced with glowstick jewelry
who needs alcohol or drugs?
cousins and friends do the job.
other than that...
30 sounds old...
sad.
dirty 30

Thursday, November 19, 2009

youth voices

one thing i love about my job
is being in a setting that respects
when youth speak

i've been multiple meetings in the past few months
when youth share their voice
or are asked on their observation or opinion
and a hush comes upon the group
because the youth speak truth
of what adults need to hear

it humbles adults
and the group gets strengthened
by the honesty, clarity, and forthrightness

i hope we all give opportunity
and value the strength and insight of our youth
and children for that matter

really i love when people feel empowered
to share their voice

this week i was humbled by
three youth at the governor's summit
on eliminating disproportionate minority contact
in the juvenile justice and child welfare systems
they spoke plain and clearly
on how we need to improve systems
i felt like we've failed them
and i moved me to action
on how to resolve some problems

last week four youth in lake county
that gave perspective of how they view the world
in their communities
they also shared their interest and desire
in being part of a mainly adult group
in resolving social issues

two weeks before that it three youth in jefferson county
silenced adults on what the "real" issues are currently
for youth in their school and area

give time and space to hear important voices
often the voices we don't think to ask
need to be at the table the most
adults (we) don't always know best
ask opinions of those
who we think we're supporting
more insight will be gained
go to the source
and don't presume anything

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

battle studies

dear john,
in being a devoted fan i just purchased your album yesterday on the release date.
i like what i'm hearing but i'm sorry to inform you that i'm not in the same mind set
to fully enjoy your album. you see, i've recently went through a break up myself but it wasn't as tragic, as it may needed to be, in order to enjoy your music with the intensity you put into it.
i, however, am grateful that it was a mutual-we're on the same page break up.
this rarely happens in the dating world where two mature individuals give it a good whirl,
realize it's not at the level both need and are able to give a good kiss at the end. it's beautiful to have warm thoughts for the other and not act awkward the next time they see each other.
AND still think the other person is exceptional and wishes the best for them.
in the past have i thought after a break up..."i want you so bad i'll go back on the things i believe." yes, but i didn't go back on things that i believe. i've had to be true to me. you may be at "the war of (your)my life" but i feel like i'm "at the door of my life." just wondering what will happen next. just trying to be patient until then.
if this album is about jen, she's not worth it. and as you said in a live recording before you sang the song "love song for no one" it's one of my mantras "maybe they're rollin' around in the hay with someone else, but they're not as good as you'll be...you just have to wait your turn. she's out there, he's out there, they're just learning what to contrast you against."
as one of my dear old guy friends asked me on the phone the other night if i'm tired of dating, i replied no. it isn't the easiest thing in the world. while my friends lose sleep over their new babies or multiple children, i lose sleep over the wanting to stay with a person... a lil' longer to be with them and get to know them just a little more. it's like you're a teenager all over again and can't get enough of a person. like the neko case song, "i'm holding on to that teenage feeling." there's days when an old friend may say... "just move here and we'll get hitched and make desert babies" and it tempts me... but i have faith it will work out for the both of us in the end.
yours truly,
me

cheers to nyquil

after a monday night full of coughing
and a lack of sleep
last night's dose of nyquil
was heaven sent
i successfully almost slept till 11 a.m. this morning

no i don't have the swine flu
and yes i've heard of the swine flu
even without owning tv

i 've been on the edge of being sick
and i think working two 14-15 hours days
last thursday and friday
sentenced me to being sick at home for the weekend

monday and tuesday
i've been in portland town for work
it never ceases to be a magical town with bridges
that frame it very picturesque

but today i'm resting...
with maybe a bit of work in the middle.
i need to shake this thing!

the worst part has been missing un-rainy days
saturday was nice
and today is sunny
that's what drives me crazy the most
by this weekend
i must be over this

chewy simply oj
puffs plus with lotion
and the new john mayer album
should help

a review on the album to come

Sunday, November 15, 2009

kait to the rescue

this week work was busy busy...
as it's been for a while
the holiday didn't actually help
in preparing for my work trip to paisley
but the holiday was enjoyed
by a great day in the temple
earlier in the week
i mentioned to my friend, kait,
that i was heading to lake county
a county we both serve
but in different departments in the state
she's been trying to find a time to come down and luckily for me
she could come with me on thursday
i worked in wilsonville all day thursday
then met kait in salem and headed to summer lake
around 4 p.m.
luckily willamette pass wasn't as bad as we thoughts it'd be
and i scheduled a 4 wheel drive this time in case of snow
instead of the hybrid i did last winter
and learned how to put chains on for my first time up santiam pass
i've been on the edge of getting sick
so it was so relieving to
a. have kait just come with me for the 6+hr drive
b. have company, and good company
c. she even drove most of the way which gave me more time to prepare
needless to say, i'm grateful
this is pretty much what paisley looks like...
cute town, good people from lake county
wanting to make a difference in their community
we met at the homestead restaurant
and switch up the old man but it looked just like this
with killer cinnamon buns and soup! kait even jazzed up the day
by doing some activities that moved the group,
(i was the boring one)
got them thinking and showed the great program
she runs for sexual education in the state
the driving to and fro in the dark
didn't allow for as many beautiful scenes hoping to be seen
but we got to see the starry night sky thurs night
and even got to hear coyotes right by the hotel.
eastern oregon is pretty magical
being sick= nothing magical
kait then saved the day yesterday too-
when i was changing the oil to my car
i already drained the oil
but found out i couldn't get the oil filter off
so she kindly picked me up
and i got a device that actually worked in loosening the filter
i just hope i didn't contaminate kait
or any of the rest i presented to
i realized i worked too much during the week
which made me sick over the weekend
not healthy.

Sunday, November 8, 2009

new hair cut

as of halloween day