Private

Dear Friends,

I'm going private, temporarily.  I'm still looking for a job and google searches provide ways to find my blog.  I don't post anything on here that I wouldn't tell an employer or a coworker, but I still think I should be going private.  I know some of your email addresses, so I'll send you all invites, but if you aren't sure if I've got your address or not, let me know it in either a comment, an email to me ([firstname].[lastname]@gmail.com), or a facebook message.  Or, when I go private, request one there.  Lurkers are welcome to request invites, too.

Hayley

Turkey Trot

I've always thought the idea of a Turkey Trot is great: run a race to try and counteract whatever meals you may eat later in the day.  I've never done one, but this year my family is doing the Farmington Turkey Leg.  Come join us!  So far, there are less than 50 people signed up, total.  Thus, if you have ever wanted to run and win a race, this might be the run for you!

Pandora

In theory, I really, really like Pandora.  I'm mean, think about it.  It's free.  It's music you like.  It's personallized for you.  Wow!  But, thus far, I have tried and tried to create stations that I like, and I end up with random weirdness.  I get to about 20 songs and I decide I have to start over.  So maybe I have no patience.  Whatever.  Well, today I went on one of my besties pages and started listing to one of her stations, and it was amazing!  I think I am now a Pandora convert (except for that silly 40 hour rule which I am sure I will soon break...I hear Slack is like Pandora without the limit...I may need to check this out)  Thus, I am now petitioning you, dear blog readers, to send me invites to your good stations, please.  I would love to try some new music!

No More Blogging

I really don't like blogging every day, and so I've decided to quit my quest to do so.  My appologies, I know how this must devestate you all.  On a happier note, my obsession with chocolate milk has been justified.  H/T Whitters.  XOXO.

Chritsmas Gift Ideas: Part II

Neiman Marcus has once again compiled a list of over-the-top gifts for those with copious amounts of cash.  Last year's list was better (IMHO), but there's still some great ideas this season.  My picks for this year include the a Cupcake Car, which will come in very handy when my child becomes infant royalty in the [insert fruit of choice] Day's Baby Pagant...bonus points if the flavor of the cupcake matches the city's celebrated fruit!  His and hers flying lessons, but you have to share the plane.  Comes complete with an iPod dock so you can play your song while deciding whose turn it is to fly.  Dinner with literary greats of our day.  I think this would actually be fascinating, but I've only heard of one of the "greats" so I think I'd feel slightly embarassed to actually eat with them.  Now, these all come from the section of the catalogue called "Fantasy Gifts."  But, the gift I'd like the most comes from the "regular" section.  It's a special edition Martin Guitar.  Don't worry that I don't know how to play.  Lessons could be my birthday present :)

Christmas Gift Ideas: Part I

Don't know what to get that special someone?  Normal gifts just don't convey what you'd like to say?  Well, Elk Meadows is up for auction, just in time for the holidays.  The former ski area of Southern Utah is up for grabs.  These 1,138 acres require a minimum bid of $1,000,000.  It reportedly gets 400 inches of snow a year; for reference, Park City gets 350.  For all that, I think it sounds like a steal!

Lost

I can't find anything these days.  My sunglasses, my ipod shuffle, my calculator, my magnetic entry card which gets me into my parking lot, my building, and my office, my umbrella cover, and one of my favorite earrings* are all numbered among things which are currently misplaced.  My mind might be the next to go.

*This has been misplaced for some time now.  Do any of you dear blog-friends know someone who make jewelry?  People often asked if I had made the earrings myself, so I'm confident it could be done.  I'd buy all the materials and I'd pay whatever they deem is a fair price for their work.  I'm completely serious and somewhat desperate to get them back.  Thanks!

November Jog

I went running today for the first time since the Hamptons Marathon.  It's been a while!  The weather was perfect for a "quick" jog.  I can't decide if I want the weather to stay this nice for the rest of winter or if I want it to snow so I can go skiing!

Dinner in a Pumpkin

One thing I love about October and November is that pumpkins and pumpkin-flavored goods are abundant.  I already shared my favorite pumpkin cookie recipe; one of my next favorite meals is dinner in a pumpkin.

Ingredients:
3-5 cups cooked white rice (enough to almost fill the pumpkin)
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 pound hamburger, cooked
1 onion, cooked
1 can waterchestnuts
1 can mushrooms
1 medium pumpkin

 Begin by hollowing out the pumpkin.  Mix the rest of the ingredients together and put them inside the pumkin.  Cook in the oven at 350 degrees for 90 minutes.  It's that easy!

Tip Top!

Here's a shout out to Alyssa at the Tip Top Shop. She made a banner for my Grandma's Etsy site and was very nice about it. Then my grandma wanted poster for a craft fair she is going to, and Alyssa redesigned the banner into a poster. Thanks Alyssa! I highly recommend working with her!

The Mix-Up of Emails

Have you ever been sent emails that weren't meant for you? Have you ever had people grossly misspell your name after they have typed you an email, which happens to be your email address? Or, they just misspell your name after you've sent an email with your signature. These things happen regularly to me at work.

Today, however, I saw a new one. I sent a guy and email a few days ago and today he responded to "Mr. ..." That's a first!

What's the worst email mistake you've been a part of?

Power's Out

The power was out when I got to work this morning.  This meant I got the morning off!  In honor of getting the morning off and the power being out, here is one of my favorite Arcade Fire songs, aptly titled "Neighborhood #3 (Power's Out)".

100 Things About Me

In honor of my 100th post, here are 100 random facts about me.

1. I like to own things. Borrowing books from the library or buying music off iTunes without owning the cd just doesn't do it for me.
2. I am a pizza connoisseur; I only eat the good stuff!
3. I have a freaky memory when it comes to dates and clothes. I can remember what I wore and what the date was for every semi-important date over the last few years.
4. I've played the YMCA's bells in Jerusalem.
5. I have an irrational dislike of the number 5...
6. ...and the color red.
7. I've eaten cow tongue.
8. I can't spell maintenance.
9. I love make-up.
10. I don't like football. I just don't understand the point.
11. I don't like to use mayonnaise for sandwiches or cooking, even though I love potato salad and deviled eggs.
12. Trees make me feel claustrophobic. I like dead stuff like dirt and rocks and when you can see things that are far away.
13. I don't have a very good poker face...
14. Yet somehow, I'm really good at poker.
15. I have to psych myself up to wash my face every night; I never want to get my face wet.
16. I love calculus and all other forms of math.
17. My favorite "board" game is Boggle. You think you're good?  Bring it on.  I love a challenge.
18. A girl named Megan and I won our elementary school Field Day Three-Legged-Race competition in 4th, 5th, and 6th grades.
19. Once, I ran from my apartment in Provo to Bridal Veil Falls and back. I hadn't trained, so I was sore for weeks.
20. I have never broken a bone.
21. I find standardized tests somewhat enjoyable.
22. I had never been to Colorado before I moved there.
23. I can French braid my own hair.
24. I can solve a Rubik's Cube, but not in less than a minute.
25. My left eyebrow is more pointed than my right one, and thus, I like it better.
26. I love to scrub the bathtub but I hate cleaning toilets.
27. I prefer gold to silver.
28. I was once offered all the camels in Luxor if I'd be a guys bride. I might have taken him up on it if I thought he could actually procure them.
29. I have twin conjoined freckles just above my knee. Two freckles right next to each other look like figure eights. It's strange.
30. Despite how much running I do, I really don't like it. I like racing.
31. I love all things about birthdays; the parties, the presents, the cake...I especially like mine :)
32. I love throwing birthday parties, but not mine.
33. I do not like Chipotle. Sorry.
34. I didn't like cantaloupe until I lived in Italy.
35. I didn't like watermelon until I lived in Israel.
36. I speak Klingon. No, that's actually a lie to see if you are still reading.
37. I have had 63 roommates.  Four have been named Rachel, and one was named Rachelle.
38. I never had an imaginary friend when I was little, but I wanted one because everyone else seemed to have them.
39. I have gone on whole vacations to Lake Powell and never gotten in the water. I just don't like to be wet!
40. I can't float, even if I try really hard.
41. Despite not liking water and not being able to float, I did both at the Dead Sea and had an immensely enjoyable time.
42. I love to write missionaries and send them packages. Going on a mission? Send me your info. Really.
43. Blowfish shoes fit my feet perfectly.
44. I love eating rice and beans. I wonder why I wasn't born into a Latin American family.
45. I have extremely short hamstrings. I have to stretch daily just so I can touch my toes.
46. I love free t-shirts.
47. I don't type using my pinkies. I need to retrain myself because I can't type that fast.
48. I don't like plain water. I need to put Crystal Light or some other flavoring in it.
49. I love quizzes that come in magazines.
50. I only like toothpastes that taste minty or have an otherwise clean taste.
51. I do not like to drive.
52. If I drive, I prefer SUVs.
53. When I grow up, I want to live in a house with a wrap-around porch and white walls.
54. I don't like to fly, but it is a necessary evil which facilitates my travelling habit.
55. I tried to like "This American Life" but I can't get into it.
56. I love ice cream cones. They make me feel young and jovial.
57. I love it when people read to me.
58. I prefer Western Family Mac'n'Cheese to both Kraft and homemade versions.
59. I love to read about the weekly grocery specials. Love.
60. I don't like wearing shoes...
61. But when forced to, my shoe of choice is a peep-toe pump.
62. I really like striped clothing.
63. I have never cooked on a grill.
64. I love pebbled ice.
65. Sponges gross me out. I prefer washcloths.
66. I don't like to touch raw meat. Ick.
67. I am scuba certified.
68. I love acronyms and making up acronyms for things.
69. I have a very girly sneeze.
70. I like to sleep on the couch.
71. I enjoy riding donkeys.
72. I am not allergic to anything.
73. I like climbing things, but I don't like jumping, climbing, or rappelling down.
74. I am slightly afraid of heights (hence the not likeing coming down).
75. My favorite colors are kelly green, aqua, and purple, in that order.
76. I don't like it when my ankles are cut off in pictures; it's such an awkward ending place.
77. I adopt other people's habits quite regularly.
78. I struggle to keep my shoes in my closet. I can think of at least five places in my house right now that are not my closet that have shoes in them. Oops.
79. I cry during most movies, sad and happy.
80. I dance in my car to the music, but only by myself.
81. I love foreign films.
82. I think grey should always be spelled grey and never gray.
83. My favorite Disney movie is Mulan.
84. All four of my grandparents are still living.
85. I am a Cancer, but I really don't believe in that stuff.
86. I like to google people I know.  Oops!
87. I love travelling by subway; I really dislike planes.
88. I love knitting, crocheting, sewing, and other domestic things like that.
89. When I put away the dishes, I almost always forget to close the cupboard doors.  Roommates have teased me because they always know when I've done the dishes.
90. I only use white hangers.
91. I want to have a personal ceramics studio in my home some day.
92. In my studio, I will make my own dishes from which my family will eat.
93. I frequently read four or five books at once, and it thus takes me months to finish reading anything.
94. I am very jumpy. People stop by my desk just to say hello and I jump.
95. I think semicolons are underused; they are very useful.
96. I also like ellipses...
97. I don't ever wear turtlenecks because I feel like they are choking me.
98. I will never voluntarily own a pet, although I was rather fond of our dog lucky.
99. I have never had hair longer than my shoulders.  I'm currently growing it out.  We'll see how long that lasts.
100. I am a wanderlust at heart.  I've moved 5 places in the past year.

That's all.

At Least Orange is Festive

I got a new haircut about two weeks ago, and I'm still getting used to it.  My hairstylist was awesome, thought, and she showed me how to style it and she showed me some hair tricks, including how to curl your hair with a flat iron.  (Intrigued?  Don't be... you'll see why!)  So yesterday I decided to try the flat-iron thing on my own, and it ended up working really well, so I decided to try it again, today.  When I was done, there was this one spot that looked funny.  I look closer, and it is Orange!  I must have somehow burnt my hair while trying to curl it, and the piece is right next to my face.  I'm afraid it's going to all fall off when I comb it or wash it!  There will be no flat irons used on my hair for a while.

Can you see it?

So I've photoshoped (clearly, I should work on my photoshop skills) the photo to delineate where it burned.  At least I looked cute!

New Feed

I updated my feed settings.  If you use a reader and you were only getting my title and a paragraph, or worse, just my title, I changed it.  Now you can get it all!  If it doesn't change, delete your subscription to my blog and then re-add it, and it should be fixed

Boring post?  Yes, but this is just prepping for all the upcoming posting I'll be doing.

Happy Halloween, too!

So What are You Doing These Days? Part II

I realize some (most) of you are out of the loop. I rarely post details on here because of an irrational fear of stalkers (I know you guys are out there...one of you is from MICHIGAN, and you didn't come out here. Who are you? You can still reveal yourself. I don't mind that you read if I "know" you!) But, I've been especially neglectful of my e-updates as of late, so here ye' go.

Things that were but are no longer:

I no longer live in Boulder :( I liked my Boulder buddies!

I was going to go to Columbia and I would have hung out with the likes of A&B and Erin Masi. But then I didn't.

Things that are:

I got a sweet internship in Salt Lake. They offered me a job if I wanted it, and or I could stay on as intern until I find a job I really want. I went with option B.

I applied (on a whim, funny story for another time) to Texas A&M's Master's of Statistics Program and got in. Now I'm a distance student there.

Since I am the intern, I now have the great joy of looking for more full-time employment. Woot woot!

November is National Blog Posting Month. I'm going to try and be a good girl and post every day for you. Translation: Lots of good (or not) stuff coming up!

Sea Level is for Sissies

Or so they say at the BolderBoulder , so I didn't really train for the Hamptons Half Marathon. Needless to say, 13.1 miles is not for sissies, no matter what the altitude. The half marathon did not represent my finest judgement. I may or may not have done the following.

• Tapered for two weeks, and by taper I mean "not run."
• Forget to eat breakfast.
• Stay up until midnight the night before while still suffering from jet lag.
  
• Pop the same pill I took when I got my wisdom teeth removed before the race. You still feel the pain, you just don't care about it.*
  

I think that's about it. I ran the race with my sister Carly. This was her first and hopefully not last half marathon. And it was in the Hamptons. And we stayed in the Hamptons. And the race swag was really great. On my list of Half Marathons, this might be the best one I've ran, despite the time!**

Carly, Adam, and me, Post Race.

*I actually think this was one of the wiser things I did.
**I've only ran two. It's not a hard list to top.

Bike MS

I like to ride my bike.


My sisters like to ride their bikes, too.

And we love New York.
Thus, we are combining our loves and joining the National MS Society to help raise money to find a cure and better treatment options. When we raise enough money, we get to ride through New York City with NO CARS. Yeah, I wonder how often that happens. Help me join my sisters by donating here.* If you donate, I will personally deliver homemade cookies to you if you live along the Wasatch Front. If you don't live local, I will mail them to you, with a thank you note, of course.

*Update: It works now!

Tech Support

My grandparents frequently need help with their computer. I am no expert, but I frequently perform tech support for them. Here is what I should take up with me next time my assistance is required.

Tech Support Cheat Sheet from xkcd.org.

Fugly, but oh so comfortable.

It's official. Boulder has ruined me. Yesterday, I bought a pair of pants with an elastic waistband, and I like them. Fashion is a thing of the past.



You can buy your own pair here.

*For the record, they actually do look pretty good on, but I just can't get over the fact that they have an elastic waistband. Whatever. Try them on. You'll love them, too.

Far Away in the Near East

A little over a year ago, I returned from a study abroad in Jerusalem. It was, without a doubt, the best thing I did with my undergraduate education. This is my favorite picture from the trip. It's falukas on the Nile in Luxor. The picture was taken in full color, not sepia, and this is amazingly what the place really looked like.

Office Space

Here's a list of things I love about my work. I'm really not being sarcastic.

• My boss takes us out to eat at least once a week.
• Yesterday when I came in, my (male) office mate was wrapped up in a fleece Harry Potter blanket because the office is so cold.
• And he had slept in his car the previous night, too.*
• My boss yells (in a non-angry way) instead of emailing/calling/walking next door when he wants to talk to someone in another office. ("Hayleeeeeeeeeeeeeey")
• My project supervisor calls me "Hay".
• They brag about me to clients because I am currently the only female in the office. ("Look, we hired a girl!")
• I am the only female in the office. There are eight guys.
• The person I email the most is my office mate, and we sit within an arms reach of each other.
• He and I pick songs of the day, every day.
• My project supervisor compliments me on my outfits.
• My office mate has been known to address his emails to me as "howdy neighbor."
• My office is within walking distance of the Gateway. Don't worry, I still drive there...

*Although it was casual Friday, we are generally required to dress professionally, so every Friday is a bit of a shock to see people look normal, let alone walking in to him with his blanket after sleeping in his car.

Picky, Picky

I used to be a picky eater. I was reminiscing about foods I used to not like (and by not like I mean I probably hadn't tried them) and now I'm wondering what I ever ate. Here is a sampling of foods I used to not like but now I really love.

Strawberries
Watermelon
Cantaloupe
Honeydew
Pineapple
Honey
Syrup
Caramel
Yams
Squash
Zucchini
Green beans
Lettuce
Peas
Scrambled Eggs
Whipped Cream
Cheesecake
Green Beans
Bagels
Mint flavored anything
Frozen Custard
Mushrooms
Avocados
Tomatoes
Granola
Rice
Beans
Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
Cashews
Marshmallows
Anything Asian
Lunch Meat
Dark Chocolate
Couscous
Pie

I'm amazed I didn't starve.

Something's in the Water

On my bottle of water:

Ingredients: Purified Water (and shouldn't this be where this list ends?), Potassium Bicarbonate, Sodium Bicarbonate, Calcium Chloride (there's SALT in my drinking water?), Calcium Chloride (and it needs to be mentioned twice?) and Magnesium Chloride. Not a significant source of Potassium, Sodium, Magnesium, Calcium, or Trans-Fat. (I'm SO relieved that my water isn't making me fat. I was worried.)

Zucchini

It's one of few vegetables that I like. It's in season right now. I've got more than I can possibly consume using the few recipes that I currently know.

So, I ask, what is your favorite way to consume zucchini?

FSU Flying High

I've been looking at university budgets for the last few days at work. Schools have some crazy things! For example, Texas A&M has a Meat Judging Team. Apparently, they're good, too. But by far the most ridiculous/fabulous expenditure made by an institution of higher learning is the Florida State Circus. Why didn't I go to FSU?

Cardboard Love

I just love this blog.

Hayley's Musical Picks for the Week

These two songs have been stuck in my head for ages. Kristin Andreassen just came out with the video for hers.



I listened to this Elliott Smith song while climbing in Moab, and I didn't know what it was called. After some extensive searching today (which is hard when the song has no lyrics!), I finally found it.



My poor office mate has no idea what he's in for this week...

Come Out, Come Out!

Dear lurkers -

I love that you read my blog, so I'd like to know who you are, too. Come out and introduce yourselves!

Loves,
Hayley

Best. Day. Ever.

Why? I went to the oral surgeon yesterday and had four wisdom teeth and two baby teeth pulled (yes, I had baby teeth at 24, and I still have another to be removed at some undecided future date.) And this is all a good thing? Oh yes. The loss of these six chompers has led to:

A piggy bank balance of $1.50, curtousy of my tooth fairy (yeah, that's a whopping 25 cents a tooth!)

Magnolia Bakery Banana Pudding for all meals.

Jello Shots. Ok, actually it was just jello in really small containers.

Lounging and watching movies.
Lounging and reading Kurt Vonnegut Jr. short stories.
Flowers from well-wishers.

My first ever hard pain killers experience (which was a little bit of a let-down)

Finally being able to listen to Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon in the manner in which it was meant to be listened

Thank you, Dr. Newey.

"It doesn't get any better than this, boys."

I spent the last two weekends in June camping and climbing in Moab and Triassic with Sharla and Mike. We are awesome. Here are a few pictures.

Sharla and I got in some early morning yoga.

This is the only picture of me climbing from both weekends. How'd that happen?

Mike, our designated chef for weekend one, found this "apron," which we later used as kindling. He fed us quite well: he made raspberry brownie cobbler, peach lemon poppyseed cobbler and barbeque beans.

Me and Mike and his All-American Hot Barbeque Beans. The name of the beans was really longer, I just don't remember it all. Also, note the layers. I have on four. It was COLD in Triassic. And it rained. Lots. What happened to deserts being hot and dry?

Sharla being an All-Star and me spotting/watching.

Sharla and I hiked Bowtie and Corona while Mike road the Poison Spider Bike trail. Please note we did all our scrambling and hiking in Rainbows, Mike included.

Oh, the Grandparents

While visiting the Grandparents:

Grandpa: Have you seen my flowers yet?

Hayley: No, I haven't. Are they good this year?

Grandpa: Oh, they're really nice.

Grandma: They are really nice. He talks to them!

Grandpa: That's right. I talk to them, and they're doing really well.

Grandma: Now imagine how well I'd be doing if only he talked to me!

I'm Yours

I was reading the Wall Street Journal (well, I was actually looking at the pictures and reading the captions of the interesting ones) and a story intrigued me. Luke Jerram has installed 30 pianos in public places across London in an artistic piece called "Play Me, I'm Yours". The idea is to promote people to take a more active role in their urban landscape. It is a little reminiscent of people playing "Waterfall" in the Wilk, but as someone who doesn't own a piano but would love to do so, it seems genius. A&B, if you head to London anytime soon, you'll have to play a little something, even if it is just Chopsticks!

Piano and Pianist outside the Natural History Museum

Best Pumpkin Cookies Ever

These cookies really are the best. I've made them a handful of times over the past few weeks, all to rave reviews. Try them and love them yourself.

Ingredients for cookies:
2 cups butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 15 oz can of pumpkin filling
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon

Ingredients for Glaze:
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup milk
1 1/2-2 cups powdered sugar

Directions for cookies:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cream together sugars and butter.
Blend in pumpkin, eggs, and vanilla.
In another bowl, sift together remaining ingredients.
Blend dry mix into wet mix.
Drop tablespoon-sized dough balls 1-2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
Bake for 10-12 minutes until golden on edges.
Transfer to racks or paper towels to cool.
Let cool completely before glazing.
Makes 120 small cookies.

Directions for glaze:
Heat butter and brown sugar over medium heat until bubbly.
Cook, stirring constantly, for one minute or until thickened.
Beat in the milk.
Blend in powdered sugar until the glaze is smooth and spreadable add only a little at a time to avoid lumps.
Use a silicone basting brush to barely coat the cookies. If you don't have a basting brush, you can use a butter knife or spoon on a little bit.
NOTE: This glaze hardens quickly. If you keep the glaze warm on the stove, it won't harden.

You can do lots of different stuff to the recipe, too. I've added chocolate chips to the pumpkin dough and I've left the glaze off because it is sometimes too sweet. If you try anything fun with them that turns out well, let me know!

Faster, Faster!

I run a 3-mile loop near my house which takes me past this speed limit sign. Notice anything about how fast I'm going? Either I missed my calling as a world class runner, or, these things don't work really well.

Intruder of the Loft

So this is a picture of my awesome room. I live in the loft, and those doors lead out to a huge porch. I have the whole upstairs to myself, and except for the occasionally low ceiling (and hence my decision to not put my mattress on a frame) I really, really like it. Tonight, I decided to take advantage of the beautiful weather and open my door for ventilation, but keep the inner screen doors shut. As I was typing my last blog post, I looked up to see this leaning on the screen door, causing it to begin to open. I screamed (yes, audibly...is that really a surprise?) which fortunately scared my little intruder off. I took several minutes to debate whether I should open the screen door so I could shut my outer door, risking the sneak attack from any hiding scoundrels seeking vengeance, or, if I should barricade my screen door and hope the perpetrator doesn't tear through the mesh or return with bear-sized reinforcements, making the barricade obsolete. After much thought, I decided to shut the outer door (which I did with much stealth and speed) and barricade the screen door. You can never be too safe.

Ode to a Great Pair of Shoes

I love shoes. I appreciate the perfect peep-toe pumps and a pair of fabulous flats. But few of my shoes have performed as fantastic as my running shoes. Today, I retired them. These lovelies carried me through my first 10k, first half marathon, first marathon, and my best 5k. They've led me over trails in Boulder, Austin, and Moab. Here's to the 400+ miles we spent together.

Into Thin Air

I just finished Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer. I LOVED this book. It is SO good. A brief synopsis for you lovely readers not familiar with the 1996 Everest Disaster goes as follows: 34 people tried to summit the same day, and 8 died. (You find this out in the first page or two of the book. I promise I didn't spoil anything.) It goes into lots of details about how mountaineering can be dangerous and what mistakes were made on this particular day. Then it talks about climbing over, around, and past the dead bodies, even years after. Yet, now I REALLY want to climb Everest. Crazy? Yeah. So, I've actually checked out a guiding service, and it costs $65,000, not including all the gear I'd have to buy, my airfare to Nepal, climbing insurance, and the money I actually need to invest to learn to mounaineer. And before all that, I've got to spend a few years learning to climb. Therefore, I think I'll be summitting in approximately 2020. Times ticking!

Happiness...

comes in brown boxes from Henri Bendel. Of this, I am sure.

Texas is Great: Part II

In fact, I liked Austin so much, it may be my next elective move.

Texas is Great

I haven't seen a single Subaru.

The Essence of White Trash Cooking

My amigo Josh and I were talking about white trash cooking, and we think we figured out the key secret ingredient: Hot Dog Stock. Just think about that one.

For { M }

Marissa has posted a couple comments about things we did in our youth at BYU. This got me feeling a little nostalgic. Here is one of my favorite obsessions--both the shirt and the boy :)

Why bother with France...

when you can Tour de Bronx? My awesome sisters (or "sistas" if I get into character) Carly and Whitney signed us up for this bike ride. Sweet! I'd better start training :)

What is a Nightshade Vegetable?

My workplace is having a fitness challenge for the employees for the month of May. One of the things you can do to earn points is participate in a cleanse. First of all, I am NOT a fad dieter. I eat what I want, when I want. I mock people who participate in cleanses and weird diets. My simple philosophy is moderation in all things except vegetables. (I figure binging on broccoli and green beans would probably do more good than harm, given my current eating preferences.) So this cleanse is called a macrobiotic cleanse. The girl at work who promoted this particular cleanse says it's "gentle and easy." The premise of the cleanse is that you don't want to eat extreme foods, just balanced foods. Extreme foods include nightshade vegetables (because everyone intuitively know what those are...I have learned they include bell peppers and tomatoes), sugar, white rice, honey, caffeine, alcohol, chocolate, dairy, hot spices, preservatives, gluten, poultry, meat, eggs, and salt. So what am I supposed to eat? Sea vegetables (again, everyone intuitively knows what constitutes a sea vegetable), beans, fruits, nuts, seeds, fish, and whole grains that aren't glutenous. In addition to all this, you are supposed to eat foods from your natural habitat, as in, I live in Colorado, so I should eat Colorado foods. The reason for this is your body has adapted to best process the foods from your local region. But I find some problems with this. Does this mean I should eat Colorado foods because I'm here, or does it mean I should eat Utah foods because I grew up in Utah and have lived 95 percent of my life there? And bison are local to Colorado, so why can I eat sea vegetables and not bison? And then, when I asked what some menu ideas were, my coworker suggested avocados (grown in tropical climates), brown rice (grown in wet climates), quinoa (from South America), and sushi (do I need parenthesis here?). While you ponder the merits of this "gentle and easy" cleanse, I am going to go mock my coworkers and binge on nightshade vegetables.

Mothers in the Old Testament

I know I said I'd post this Sunday, but after giving the talk, I really just wanted to be done with it. Warning: It's sort of long. I mean, really, I had to speak for 15 whole minutes, and I'm a bit of a speed talker.


I was chatting with Sister Holt, the institute secretary the other day and she told me how her family was preparing for Mother’s Day. Her daughter, Heather, asked her father and Sister Holt’s husband, Bruce, what he was planning on doing for Sister Holt for Mother’s Day. His response was, “She’s not my mother!”

Very few of us are mothers, but that doesn’t mean we can’t learn from scriptural stories of mothers and act as mothers ourselves. I’m going to talk about a few mothers from the Old Testament and what we can learn from them.

Pharaoh’s daughter is a prime example of a woman who was not herself a mother, but took it upon herself to help raise children. The pharaoh’s daughter was washing herself near the river when she saw Moses in his ark in the reeds. She asked her attendants to get the basket and she adopted Moses as her own and raised him. Now, we may not adopt children but there are definitely opportunities for us to help raise children.

Sheri Dew, who has yet to my knowledge had the privilege of bearing her own children, said, “We are all mothers [in Israel] and we have always been mothers. [It is] our calling to love and help lead the rising generation through the dangerous streets of mortality.” In reference to family roles, Elder Russell M. Nelson said, “Masculinity has no monopoly on the mind, and femininity has no exclusive dominion over the heart.” This means you brethren can be mothers, too.

Most of us have nieces and nephews. Are there times when your siblings might be overextended but you could take the time to make some quality memories with them? Have you ever thought about places you can volunteer in the community? Some of my favorite college experiences came while I was volunteering at Slate Canyon, a detention center for at risk youth. A friend of mine expressed his love for being a merit badge counselor for local scouts. Being a mother to these people doesn’t necessarily mean they need to be younger than us. Many people are shocked when I tell them that I moved to Boulder without knowing anyone, but I was confident that someone in the ward would notice I was new and help me out, and they did, and now that I’m more settled, I try to do the same.

Mothers look for ways to improve their communities.
Number chapter 27 tells the story of the daughters of Zelophehad. Zelophehad was a man with five daughters and no sons who died in the Wilderness of Zin. At that time, if a man died with no male heir, the right to property which would be granted to families when they entered the Promised Land was lost. Zelophehad’s daughters petitioned Moses that they might inherit the land instead, because if they didn’t, Zelophehad’s name would be lost to the clan. Moses prayed about it and the Lord told him their plea was just. Because of the daughters of Zelophehad, the inheritance laws of ancient Israel were changed so men without male heirs could pass on their inheritance to their daughters, and then the next of kin. The daughters and their families were also blessed to be able to carry on the family name. These women saw a need for something to be changed, and so they took the proper action to change it. By proper action, I mean they approached the correct authorities and raised their concern in a legal and respectful way. President Ezra Taft Benson counciled us that, “As Latter-day Saints we should pray for our civic leaders and encourage them in righteousness.” Now, I’m not saying we should start a revolution or that we all need to change the world. We make significant changes to our current community. My former roommate was on the Student Advisory Council, or SAC, at BYU. They take suggestions from students a try to implement them on campus. SAC improvements to BYU’s campus include changing the honor code to allow shorts and sandals without socks, installing Wi-Fi in Brigham Square, BYU’s main plaza on campus, allowing remote printing from laptops to campus printers, and accepting credit cards at the on-campus food court. All of these improvements began when a student noticed something could be improved and so they took initiative and approached the right authorities with their ideas.

Mothers stand for what they believe.
Esther was one of my favorite biblical women when I was little—I’m pretty sure it was because she was a queen and I my highest life aspiration was to grow up to be a princess. Esther was a Jewish girl whose parents had died, so she was raised by her cousin Mordecai. Mordecai worked for the king of Persia, who happened to be looking for a queen, so Mordecai presented Esther, and she was chosen so she became queen. Haman, the chief prince in the king’s court, didn’t like Mordecai because he wouldn’t pay homage or bow down to him. Haman deviously convinced the king that there were certain people who wouldn’t obey the king’s laws and should therefore be destroyed. Haman obtained the king’s permission to handle these people, so he sent out a decree ordering all Jews to be killed. Mordecai notified Esther of this decree and asked her to go to the king and plead her case for his people. Ironically, he had previously told her not to tell the king she was Jewish. Going to the king without being summoned was punishable by death, unless the king held out his scepter and allowed them to live, so Ester was hesitant to go. She asked Mordecai and other Jews to fast for her and she went. At the king’s court, the king held out his scepter, so she was spared. She arranged a feast where she revealed herself as a Jew and she exposed Haman’s plan to kill all the Jews in the kingdom. Her plea to spare the Jews was granted. Through Esther’s fasting, faith, and courage, she was able to act as protector over her people much like our mothers do. Like Esther, we may find ourselves in situations where we are required to stand for truth and righteousness, which isn’t always easy. Edmund Burke said, “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” But like Esther, “who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”

Mothers do not procrastinate righteousness.
Rebekah is great example of obedience, and not just obedience, but being obedient in a timely manner. Abraham had commanded his eldest servant to go find a wife for his son Isaac, and the servant found Rebekah. After meeting with the family, the scriptures say the following:
and they rose up in the morning, and he said, Send me away unto my master.
And her brother and her mother said, Let the damsel abide with us a few days, at the least ten; after that she shall go.
And he said unto them, Hinder me not, seeing the Lord hath aprospered my way; send me away that I may go to my master.
And they said, We will call the damsel, and enquire at her mouth.
And they called Rebekah, and said unto her, Wilt thou go with this man? And she said, I will go.
And they blessed Rebekah, and said unto her, Thou art our sister, be thou the mother of thousands of millions, and let thy seed possess the gate of those which hate them.
Because of her righteousness, Rebekah was blessed to be the mother of thousands of millions.
“I’ll do it tomorrow,” is a plague of our generation. Have you ever had a task at hand and thought, “I’ll do it tomorrow?” and tomorrow becomes the next day and the next day and the next, and it goes on, possibly for weeks, that you will do this task, tomorrow. Spencer W. Kimball said One of the most serious human defects in all ages is procrastination…[It is] an unwillingness to accept personal responsibility now.” Procrastination is tricky because you don’t mean to neglect your responsibilities or the commandments; you really plan on getting things done, tomorrow. But being righteous can’t wait. Let us be like Rebekah and instead say, “I will go.” I will choose to follow the Lord’s commandments today so we, like Rebekah, will secure our eternal rewards.

Mothers are peacemakers.
Abigail was married to Nabal, who the scriptures describe as being very wealthy but “a man of churlish and evildoings.” Abigail, in contrast, was described as a woman of good understanding and beautiful countenance. During his wanderings, King David and his army came into the area Carmel area where Nabal had his flocks. King David sent a group of ten men to meet Nabal and ask him for provisions for his army, and in asking he also implied that Nabal was able to do so well because his army kept the area safe for shepherds. Nabal’s response was, “Who is David? and who is the son of Jesse?” This made David angry, and he prepared 200 men to attack Nabal’s household. Meanwhile, a servant from Nabal’s household told Abigail what had transpired and how the army really was a peaceful army that protected them, and how he feared what the army would now do. Abigail recognized the need to act, so she gathered provisions and took them to King David and his approaching army. King David was pacified and he stopped the impending attack. Abigail was able save her household because she recognized the need to act as a peacemaker. We can be peacemakers by practicing and teaching forgiveness. We can be peacemakers by keeping our home orderly. We can be peacemakers by avoiding criticism. Henry B. Eyring said, “To be that peacemaker, you need to have the simple faith that as children of God, with all our differences, it is likely that in a strong position we take, there will be elements of truth. The great peacemaker, the restorer of unity, is the one who finds a way to help people see the truth they share.”

Mothers have lasting influences for good.
The final piece of council I will bestow you with today is to remember the influence you have on generations to come. Two very contrasting examples are as follows. First, look at Jezebel. She was the evil Queen of the northern kingdom of Israel. She introduced the worst kinds of Phoenician worship to the nation. The Bible Dictionary says of her marriage to Ahab, “This marriage, more than any other single event, caused the downfall of the northern kingdom.” Jezebel and Ahab’s daughter, Athaliah, tried to kill all her sons to solidify her position of power. It’s hard to blame her, because her family life I’m sure was less than ideal. In contrast, look at Keturah. Keturah was the third wife of Abraham. Not much is mentioned about her, but we know she had six sons, one of whom was Midian, from whom the Midionites are descendants. After Moses killed the Egyptian, he fled to the Midionites where he met Jethro. From Jethro, learned more about the delegation of responsibility and he received the priesthood. We can assume Keturah was righteous because the priesthood was passed through her heirs. Image what the Old Testament story would have read had Moses not received the priesthood! And though we don’t know much about her, look at her lasting influence. As we live the simple principles of the Gospel, we too, can have lasting effects on those around us.

In remembrance of Mothers’ Day, may we all embrace the opportunities we have to be mothers just as the Pharaoh’s daughter did. Like the daughters of Zelophehad, may we improve our communities. Like Ester, may we stand for truth and righteousness, and might we do so today, like Rebekah. May we be peacemakers like Abigail. Through exhibiting these characteristics from mothers in the Old Testament, we, like Keturah, will create a lasting influence for good.

What will I say? Stay tuned...

So, I get to give a talk tomorrow in Sacrament meeting. It's Mothers' Day and I've been asked to speak on mothers in the Old Testament. Actually, I was asked to speak on Sarah and Eve, but I asked if I could just talk on all the mothers in the Old Testament because there are so many better stories that we never talk about! Therefore, I'm not talking about Eve and Sarah, or Hannah, Ruth, Naomi, or the widow of Zarephath. You may wonder who is left, besides Jezebel, who incidentally is getting mentioned in my talk. I'll post my talk tomorrow after I give it (and finish writing it) and you can read for yourself! After my two Old Testament courses and a Women in the Scriptures institute class, I can't think of a subject I'd rather speak on! (Really!)

New Purchases

I bought these on Thursday.
My tutorial with my amigos starts this week. This will be a good summer!

Do you have swine flu?

All this talk about the swine flu has got me thinking. What if I were to get it? How will I know? So I checked out www.doihaveswineflu.org. It definitely cleared things up for me.

"O"-bsessed

Our nation is obsessed with the Obamas. The latest proof can be found here. That's right, folks. The first family now comes in paper doll form.

If you are too old for paper dolls, you can try this instead. The magnetic version of Mr. President himself comes complete with a bling-blingin' "Hope" necklace and an afro, because we don't racially stereotype.

Spare Change?

A homeless man outside the supermarket had a sign that read the following.

"Obama wants change. So do I."

26.2

I did it! I finished my very first marathon!

The morning started early--my parents and I left our house at 5:30 and we got to the starting line at 6:30. We were staying warm in the car when I realized I had forgot my timing chip. Oops! I quickly ran to the "Solutions" tent and told the lady my predicament. She rolled her eyes at me and then wrote my name on a paper with about 20 other names and she gave me a new chip. At least I wasn't the only one to forget!

The course had 200 feet of elevation gain from miles 5-10, so I trained on a 2 mile hill here in Boulder with 500 feet of elevation gain. The Boulder hill is SO much bigger; I hardly felt the uphill.

My friend Jeff (from the laser show, not the fisherman) also ran the race. At about mile 9, I looked to my left, and Jeff was passing me! I said hello and we chatted for a minute or two, and then he ran on.

A man had a pink poster that said, "Run Mark." Said man would be at a spot until Mark passed, and then get in his car and drive down the race course about two miles and cheer Mark on again, then move down the course again. After seeing this man about four times, I cheerfully commented as I ran by, "Mark sure has a great cheering squad!" After this, the man started cheering for me, too! It was really fun to see them. I really wanted to take a picture with this guy at the end of the race, and I was curious to see who Mark was, but I didn't see him after about mile 20. I guess I was too fast for Mark :)

After my parents watched me start my race, I they went to the gym at mile 15. They worked out, showered, and came out in time to watch me run by. It was good timing and very convenient because my mom had more ShotBloks for me. Then they went to breakfast and then to the finish line. The finishing area was really fun because people lined both sides of the streets and cheered you on. It's so nice to have people cheering for you! It really energizes you! I can't imagine how awesome it'd be to run in a huge race like the New York City Marathon or the Boston Marathon, because so many people would come out to watch the race and cheer on runners.

My final time was 4:39:37. I'm proud of myself for finishing, and I'm looking forward to my next race. Anyone up for running the BolderBOULDER with me?

RIP Swiss Army Knife

My trusty Swiss Army Knife fell casualty to the Denver Airport Security on April 17, 2009. The knife has been with me since October 2005 and has travelled with me throughout the US and Europe. It's clipped many loose strings and opened numerous envelopes. Oh, how it will be missed. :'(

She's Running Again

I signed up for the Salt Lake Marathon. I've toyed with the idea of running a marathon for a while and I finally got enough training so I finally signed up. I feel a bit crazy and nervous, but hey, it's only 26.2 miles, right? And it's bound to be over in less than six hours because the course reopens to traffic after six hours. So this now means I'm recruiting for Team Hayley, aka my cheer squad*. Do you want to come watch me cross the finish line extremely fatigued and somewhat sweaty? Let me know. I'll look for you :) Or if you plan on watching from somewhere along the route, tell me where you'll be so I can look for you and I'll give you my projected time of arrival and so you can look/cheer for me. After the race, if I feel up to it, I'm going to stop at Nielsen's Frozen Custard in Bountiful with my family, and you can join me there in celebration of my first marathon. This will probably be my last time I'm in Utah for a while (I'll stick to local races for a bit) so I'd love to see all you all while I'm around!

*T-shirts, posters, and cowbells are not required but highly encouraged.

Happy Easter and a Ham

I baked a ham all by myself for Easter. It was the first large piece of meat I've ever made on my own, and it turned out really well. I made a delicious glaze to put on top, too. I should have taken a picture to document this but alas, I did not. Oh well. Up next is some sort of ham bone soup since my party of 8 only ate about a third of the 9 pound ham. Do you have any good recipes for ham? I have 6 pounds to experiment with...

You're No Fool...

so I'm not going to try and trick you today. Seriously. But, I will tell you about one of my favorite family traditions. Every April Fool's Day, my mom would make us banana splits for breakfast.

Did I continue the tradition today? You bet!

Well Said

The institute building has the address and telephone number of the building written in sharpie next to the phone, which is also adjacent to a bulletin board. I noticed this and questioned a nearby elder.

Hayley: Why did they write that on the wall?
Elder: In case someone needs it.
(Well of course, Elder.)
Hayley: No, I understand why it is there, but why didn't they write it on a piece of paper and pin it to the board?
Elder: Hayley, this is Boulder. Paper is for recycling.

Snow Day

Work called this morning and said not to come in--there is a foot of snow and it's still falling at a rate of three inches an hour. I feel no desire to attempt my 5 mile run in all that snow, and my favorite yoga class has been canceled. So, I am staying in today. What does one do on a snow day as a grown up? Most of my free time in Boulder has been spent outside, running, hiking, and exploring the city. My to-do list includes writing a talk for a baptism, trying out a recipe for torciglione, and cleaning, but I doubt all this will last me until 5:00. What would you do if you had a snow day today?

The Half Marathon: A Recap

I did it! I am so proud of myself! My final time was 2:04:09. My training runs have been at about an 11- or 12-minute mile pace, this was 9:28. Fabulous, right? I attribute it partly to the adrenaline and partly to the altitude change--thank goodness Boulder is higher! I also had an awesome cheering squad, my mom and Jenny. Also, at mile 10.5 , a friend named Josh saw me and yelled my name, giving me a much-needed extra boost for the rest of my run. I am now VERY excited for my next run, whichever that may be. I'm thinking it will be the Bolder Boulder. Anyone want to join me?

Almost There

I'm currently on my way to Moab, Utah, to the Canyonlands Half Marathon. I'm hoping my weeks of training (and some weeks of rest) have prepared me well. Wish me luck!

It's Smart to be Super

I love cooking. If there is any holiday to celebrate or friendly get-together where I can bring a treat, you can find me in the kitchen prepping. Sometimes, I want to cook, but I don't have a particular recipe in mind. This is where supercook.com comes in handy. You keep a running list of the ingredients you have on hand and supercook.com gives you a suggestions for recipes you can make given the ingredients you have. Great, right? It will also give you recipes you are close to being able to make and then list the ingredients you need so you can go grocery shopping. You can also emphasize ingredients you want to use--maybe you want to use your broccoli before it gets too old or you are craving cheddar cheese--and it will bring up recipes specifically with those ingredients. This site has totally helped me cut down on grocery waste. I love it!

Green

I love the color green, and therefore I love St. Patrick's Day. It seems everything is celebrating. Einsteins has green bagels, the grocery store has green bananas (I don't think that one is on purpose), I've seen an unusual amount of green vehicles, and I think the grass is starting to grow (my friends say I'm imagining that one). I celebrated by wearing green (but it's not like I need an excuse to do that!) and eating potatoes for breakfast. I think my roommate Kelly's mom knows how to celebrate best--she sent Kelly some green in the mail. Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Me, Last St. Patrick's Day

I Didn't Understand

You know how sometimes you try and think about something and no ideas come? Then you spend hours or days, or in my case, weeks, thinking about it. The issue is ever-present in your mind; it's an obsession. When you are focusing on other things it creeps into a corner of your thoughts and then it is all you can think about? But then, one day you have a small epiphany, and it gets your mind going, and the pieces begin to come together and soon everything is in place and it all makes sense. You understand it all, and it's the best feeling ever.

Well, friends, I finally got my inspiration. I get it now.

Such Great Heights

I admit, I am guilty of having "Utah" hair. I didn't realize most people find Utah hair hard to achieve until I went to college where I had multiple roommates and friends ask me how I achieved said hair--one even asking if I used bobypins to make it look like that. During a commercial break the other day, an infomercial for Bumpits came on. In theory, this is a great idea, but I think they went a bit too far with these.


No wonder people make fun of Utah hair!

Just a Hop, Skip, and a Jump Away

Boulder has a great public transportation system, and it has the most clever marketing. Boulder's bus lines are named things like Hop, Dash, Skip, Jump, and Bolt. Everything is literally a Hop, Skip, and a Jump away. I love it! Also, I took my first trip by bus yesterday. It was pretty exciting, yet uneventful, which is a good thing. I have a slight fear of travelling by bus--I don't know why Maybe it's the weirdos who frequent the buses in Utah, or the creepy Italian men who frequent the buses in Italy, or the infrequency of the buses in Rome (have you ever waited over an hour for a bus that's supposed to come every 10-15 minutes?) So today's trip was quite the victory. I didn't even do it with a friend! Wow, I know. I won't be purchasing a bus pass any time soon (I love my gas guzzler) but knowing how to ride the bus is pretty handy.

Secrets Don't Make Friends

Alrighty, friends. I've decided I've been overly paranoid. If someone is out there to stalk me, they probably already have much better info than can be found on this blog. From here on, I will divulge a few more details. For example, I live in Boulder, Colorado, and I love it! I also realized how confusing it must be when I have so many friends with the same initial, ie, Jeff (and Jeff and Jeff), Julia, Julie, and a different Jeff. For some reason, that doesn't seem much clearer...

Banff Mountain Film Festival

I visited the festival today. It's AWESOME! I feel completely inspired to spend more time outdoors, try new things, and be eco-conscience (as if living here hadn't already done that). If the tour comes your way anytime soon, I'd recommend going. In fact, they are showing different movies tomorrow night, and I'm considering going again. :)

Carnivale

Carnivale began yesterday. Celebrate with some feijoada and rice. Yum!

I don't mind the weather.

The weather here is great, so I took a nature walk and saw the following yesterday.

The Valley

The Mountains

There is an arch further up the trail (yes, there are arches outside of Utah) that I want to hike to this next week. I heard that Punxsutawney Phil predicted winter would last long this year. With weather like this, I wish winter would last all year round!

Familiarity

I heard an ad on the radio today for the Shane Co. You know the ones I'm talking about.

The Shane Co. On the corner of State Street and 7200 South. Open Monday through Fridays til eight, Saturdays til five, closed Sundays. And now online at Shane Co Dot Com.

When the last part began, I instinctively began to recite the ad, but it changed! The Shane Co. is not located on the corner of State Street and 7200 South in every state. It shocked me that the ad had "changed" and I momentarily forgot that I was driving somewhere. Funny how things you are familiar with can throw you off so badly.

I'm Sticking with You

I love Google. They make awesome web applications and they still have a sense of humor. Their latest fun item is not as tech savvy as I've come to expect, but it is much more fun. So what is it? Stickers! No really, you can get Google stickers!


They posted this a while ago, so I don't really know if any are still available, but you can still send them a self-addressed stamped envelope before Valentines and try. I wondered if it was a scam, like Google Paper or Gmail Custom Time, but after some quick googling, I don't think it is. (But, I did search using Google. Maybe the results are biased) I am childishly giddy about the upcoming arrival of my stickers, and maybe I'll finally learn those pesky shortcuts! If you, too, would like to learn the shortcuts, or you are just drawn to the unicorn bookplate, you can send a SASE to:

Send me some Gmail stickers already
P.O. Box 391420
Mountain View, CA 94039-1420

For those of you overseas (this means A&B), you can get some, too, you just need to send an International Reply Coupon, whatever that is.

The Kitchen

I showed pictures of the lovely wallpaper I view daily. Now, for the kitchen, which can best be described with a story. I made cinnamon rolls for a dinner group last night. As I started cooking, I realized that my house (which is supposedly fully stocked) has no mixing bowls. As I progressed, I discovered there was no mixer either, and then no measuring cups or spoons, no rolling pin, no spatula, and no hot pads. These items can be improvised, but the lack of ALL of them is a bit much. It seems that I'll be heading to the local kitchen depot for some basics some time this week. Oh, and the cinnamon rolls tasted fabulous!

I'll be there, climbing up the walls

I went rock climbing today! I had a very good time. A local climbing gym will let you climb for free if it's your first visit to the gym, so I went and tried it out. I bouldered a bit and got to the top of a few easy problems. I was improving pretty quickly, so I was psyched. Unfortunately, my forarms and fingers weren't really up to the task, so I had to quit before I got this really cool orange problem where you climb to the top, then take a slide down. I'm thinking about enrolling in a climbing course and then I'd get the orange problem--and the slide!

Can you spell "Iyengar"?

I dropped into a yoga class yesterday morning. I'm going to a couple classes next week with a friend, too. I'd love it if this turned into a regular thing. We'll see.

Please revel in the glory that is my house.

My place came completely decorated. This is the wallpaper that I am privileged to view on a daily basis.

My roommate M's room

The Bathroom

My room.

I know you are jealous. It's ok. You can come visit. Unfortunately, the guest room has no wallpaper. Sorry.

There's a Coldest Day in Every Year

As you may recall, I'm training for a half marathon. In my lovely new hometown, I do not have a gym membership, so I run outside. The weather has decided to take a nasty turn from Tuesday's and Wednesday's lovely 72 degrees to a brisk 13 today. 60 degree difference in less than a week? Yeah, apparently that's the norm here. So for my run I wore layers, lots and lots of layers. My new running attire consists of the following:

• snowboarding socks
• shoes
• long underwear bottoms
• fleece pants
• a short-sleeved tech top
• a fleece top
• soft-shell
• puffy vest
• bandanna on my head (I left all my hats in my former state of residence. What was I thinking?)
• mittens
• my softshell's hood

If you counted four layers on top, you counted right. And, in my very puffy state, I had an extremely enjoyable run.

Home Sweet Home

I just moved*. I LOVE my new place. The city is a great! Here are some things I've noticed about my new hometown that amuse me.

• Everyone drives Subarus, and they generally have Obama stickers on the back.
• You can't judge gender from the back; boys have long hair and girls wear guys' clothes.
• Not having a Starbucks in hand is like not wearing shoes: people sometimes do it, but they get funny looks.
• Bikes are the second most common form of transportation (next to Subarus).
• Most people who look like hobos choose to dress that way.
• The library has a magazine called The Healthy Hippie.

The place is a dream. I have a spare room, come visit me.

*If you don't know where I moved, check my facebook page. I just don't like to post too much personal info on my blog.

"There is no dark side of the moon really. Matter of fact it's all dark."

Saturday night, my awesome friend J and I went to Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon, a cosmic light show. (What a name, right?) My verdict: AMAZING! First of all, I love this album. It's great. Second, the light show was really fun. We sat under a domed screen where computer generated graphics were projected. The screen seemed really big, so it was sort of like an IMAX. I'd love to go see it again. Now, J is a Pop 40s type of guy. He's had tickets to Britney Spear's April show since Thanksgiving and he can whip up a better dance party mix than anyone else I know. J had never listened to Dark Side of the Moon before. This brings up two issues. First, how could you not have heard Dark Side of the Moon before? If you haven't heard it, you REALLY should go listen to it. It's such a classic that you should listen just so you can say you have and so you can understand when people talk about it. Second, even J enjoyed the light show. If J enjoyed it, this tells you it must be pretty great. So, get a copy of the album and listen to it a few times, and then head down to your local planetarium and watch the goodness for yourself.