A New Kind of Storytelling: The Decemberists

The band, The Decemberists, have quickly become one of my favorites. From Oregon, the lead singer’s-Colin Meloy- unique voice (I thought he was from Australia.) blends to an array of musical instruments (the accordion is a favorite), and splendid, imaginative lyrics.

Here is a glimpse of some of my favorites:

‘Eli, The Barrow Boy,’ from Picaresque
(For a quick listen, scroll down: http://www.amazon.com/Picaresque-Decemberists/dp/B0007M22S4/sr=1-1/qid=1159299987/ref=pd_bbs_1/102-3195775-0508942?ie=UTF8&s=music)

Eli, the barrowboy, when they found him
Dressed all in corduroy, he had drowned in
The river down the way
They laid his body down in a church yard
But still when the moon is out
With his pushcart he calls down the day

"Would I could afford to buy my love a fine gown
Made of gold and silk Arabian thread
But I am dead and gone and lying in a church ground
But still I push my barrow all the day
Still I push my barrow all the day"

‘The Sporting Life,’ from Picaresque
(For a quick listen, same link as above.)

And father had had such hopes
For a son who would take the ropes
And fulfill all his old athletic aspirations
But apparently now there's some complications
But while I am lying here
Trying to fight the tears
I'll prove to the crowd that I come out stronger
Though I think I might lie here a little longer

There's my coach he's looking down
The disappointment in his knitted brow
"I should've known," he thinks again
"I never should have put him in"
He turns and loads the lemonade away
And breathes in deep
The sporting life
How he loves

‘The Bachelor and the Bride’ from Her Majesty
(For a quick listen, scroll down: http://www.amazon.com/Her-Majesty-Decemberists/dp/B0000BWVMJ/sr=1-3/qid=1159299987/ref=pd_bbs_3/102-3195775-0508942?ie=UTF8&s=music)

There's a wrinkle in the water
Where we laid our first daughter
And I think the wind blows so sweetly there
Over there
And the windows and the cinders
And the willows in the timbers
The infernal rattling of the rain Still remains
"But I," said the bachelor to the bride
"Am not waiting for tonight
No, I will box your ears And leave you here stripped bare"

‘Billy Liar’ from 5 song Billy Liar EP
(For a quick listen, same link as 'The Bachelor and the Bride.')

So the summer is eternity for you?
Sleeping in until your father's shaking you down
He's shaking you down
And the mailroom shift gets a real short shrift
As you dole out the packages, no one seems to want you around
All skulking around

Let you legs loll on the lino
Until your sinews spoil
Will you stay here for a while, dear
Until the radio plays something familiar?
Plays something familiar

Even more stories will be ready for a listen in 1 week- 10/3 (Jeffy’s b-day) when their new album, The Crane Wife, comes out. And, I can’t wait!

http://www.decemberists.com/

Anatomy of Grey's...

Yay! It's back! My favorite show, "Grey's Anatomy" made it back to the air, on a new night. (Okay, don't even get me started on that- Sunday is the best night for this show.)

At the end of last season, the writer's left us with too many cliff-hangers: who was Meredith going to choose? Does Izzie really quit medical school after loosing Denny? (All the while making the Snow Patrol song 'Chasing Cars' insanely popular.) Can Burke still practice after injuring his hand? (Now that I think of it, was Burke in only 1 scene last night?)

So, after an entire summer of waiting, we were finally going to get some answers!

The writer's showed many flashbacks throughout the episode... Which, actually, was entertaining. (Wasn't the scene of Derek and Addison intense? I now have a better understanding of why she desperately was trying to get him back.) And, we see McDreamy confess his love directly to Meredith, as he leaves her with a decision. But, wait a minute, isn't he still with Addison? When is he going to decide that he's not in love with Addison anymore...?

Ultimately, though, we don't get many answers... The plot remains the same- no conclusions have been decided- but! The drama is back... Or, was there too much drama?

I thought so. The main story I had a problem with was Miranda's. Miranda's usually the calm, tough, level-headed Doctor. But, last night, she gave into her emotions. (Was she feeling guilty about Denny's death?) And, to boot, her performance last night didn't convince me. I wanted her to back away from the door and stop asking that man to touch her hands. Cheeezay!

And, the Plague story-line... still didn't convince me. Was that the only thing that would've been able to quarantine George and Derek, so that George could ask Derek if he ever told Meredith he loved her?

Yes, I know this is just the beginning of the season, but already my high-hopes for this show were somewhat squashed. And, to top it off- the music wasn't as great as it usually is...!

But, this won't detur me from tuning in next week... My DVR (Thanks honey.) will be recording this show... It has to get better... right?

Happy, happy birthday Stayce Lynn!


(This picture is from Father's Day 2004.)

The Last Taste of Summer...

3 months ago, I swore that we would use our tent for the second time. I thought our summer would be full of camp-outs, hikes, and road-trips to Southern Utah. 3 months later, I'm realizing the only time I actually used my tent was getting it out of our Shed to let my little sister borrow. (And, even then, it didn't get used.)

And, after an all too cold weekend, I felt real guilt. I only sat around a camp fire once this summer. Only ate 1 smore! Didn't snap any good shots of Utah's beautiful landscapes!

So, after my sister told me it was a beautiful day, I thought we'd experience one last taste of summer with a drive up Big Cottonwood Canyon.

First stop- Moss Ledge. I've never hiked all the way to the waterfall. (Seen to the left.) I thought the Moss Ledge was the Ledge covered in Moss by the picnic tables as soon as you began hiking. I'm glad Jeff convinced me otherwise- because aren't waterfalls beautiful?

After Jeff and I both got our right shoes wet, we continued to Silver Lake. After all, I had to walk around the Lake!

After a slow climb up the mountain... we realized the temperature dropped from 58 degrees to a cool 32 degrees. But, I was still determined to get out- enjoy the outdoors- take it all in. After all, the Summer was ending!

Then...

I saw...

all... of... the... SNOW.


I then realized our Summer was over. We hadn't yet bought any patio furniture for our deck. I hadn't gone swimming in our swim pool. I never beat Jeff in 1 game of tennis. (But, I came close.)

And, I couldn't even walk around the Lake... I was too cold.

But, on our way home, seeing the leaves turn colors, I realized... We still have Fall- Sweater weather, Pumpkins, Halloween and all. So, here's to hoping we get that tent out sometime soon.

Camp-out anyone?

My New Obsession: 'Project Runway'



So… Jeff was pretty intent on getting HD when we purchased our new, slim, cute TV. It was an additional cost every month, so I wasn’t too thrilled with the suggestion. (I still can’t tell which channel is in High-Def?)

However, after having the HD for a few months, we’ve found hidden treasures in the mass number of channels, including: Noggin- reruns of ‘My So Called Life!’ G4- reruns of ‘Arrested Development,’ and Mojo- where we saw a live Belle and Sebastian performance. However, Bravo, is the network that airs my new favorite show: ‘Project Runway.’

This is, hand’s down, the best Reality show on TV- Why?

There is a pool of Designers who make a new outfit every challenge. The contestants have to make an outfit with a specific theme in mind (Fashion Icons- poor Bradley), or make the outfit out of very interesting materials (Recycled goods- go Michael!).

The contestants rely solely on their talent. (Okay- there’s ‘So You Think…,’ ‘American Idol’ but for the most part, they have Choreographers and Vocal Coaches for assistance… right?) PR contestants have no help. (If you try and use help- you get kicked off.)

Although, Tim Gunn, the silver-haired stylist, tells them, constantly, ‘Make it work!’ if he feels like it’s not going to. (And, you know, he’s usually right on.) Additionally, the contestants have to create an entire outfit, sometimes, in only 1 day.

And, what they create is (usually) amazing!!! (I’m NOT talking about Angela or Vincent. Why, oh, why did they have to come back?)

So, to diffuse my excitement for this show, I thought I'd share my prediction for the final 3:

• Michael: He’s hands down my favorite. From head to toe, he’s got a fabulous sense of style. And, he creates great pieces. (Okay, I didn’t love his couture dress. But, Vincent’s was worse, much worse.)
• Laura: Uh… Laura wasn’t my favorite in the beginning. Every piece she created was far too similar. However, seeing her cocktail dress last night, it’s apparent she knows how to dress a woman, and she’s a clean designer. Now- she just needs to come up with something spectacular for the next challenge. And, I do think the judges really like her.
• Jeffrey: (Surprised?) Yeah- Jeffrey’s a jerk. From the beginning, I think, he’s been the most conceited contestant to date. I don’t love his work- really- I can’t think of one piece that I was impressed with. (Wait- his recycling outfit- now that was amazing.) But, I do think the judges will place him in the top 3. (I do realize he’s got a tattoo across his neck, and wears his diamond studded shades every week- but does he have to create Rock Star-esque pieces every challenge?)

And, that leaves Uli. I do like her… She has a signature style, I like her choice of colors, but I don’t think the judges like her enough.

This is the first season I’ve been a devout ‘PR’ watcher, so we’ll see if any of my predictions stand true.

Who do you think will be in the bottom 3?

Auf Wiedersehen! (Sorry... I had to.)

http://www.bravotv.com/Project_Runway/

San Diego.

‘Wasted away again in Margaritaville, Searchin’ for my lost shaker of salt…’ That’s the song that was stuck in Brecke’s head the entire time we were vacationing in San Diego. Did we get intoxicated from Margarita’s in San Diego? No. Rather, I think we were intoxicated with the joys of being on a vacation… !

For me, the joys were from observing first plane rides… (The way Hanna squeezed my arm tight, tight, tight while waiting for the plane to leave. Or, the way Elliot kept his nose in a SkyMall Magazine as we took off- It took some coercion before he looked out the window. Or, the way Malory screamed- ‘Those clouds are HUGE! HUGE!’ on the airplane.)

First trips to Sea World… (Shamu’s House of Douse? Not as spectacular as I remembered it when I was younger… didn’t it last longer than 22 minutes?) But, the kids loved it. (Mom and Brecke left early. I guess they can’t hang with sea life. We missed you Polly.)

First big-time embarrassing moment while walking along the boardwalk- Let’s just say there was a fart that was heard ‘round the world- including a Body-builder who heard it, and made sure the accomplice knew he heard it. Trust me; the guilty was fully aware of it. (And, let me take this opportunity to say… it wasn’t me.)

First trips to the San Diego Temple- me, Mom, Dad, and Breckie, attended a Saturday session… What a beautiful temple. (Even if it’s too large to try and snap a good picture. Sorry Brecke.) Thanks to Dad for convincing me to go. It was one of my favorite parts of the trip.

First Bus Rides in San Diego… Say Mom and Dad- why didn’t we take advantage of Public Transportation sooner? For only $1.75 (for kids 6-60), and $1.00 (ages 6 and under, or 60+ yay Dad!), it’s a straight shot up Garnett to Sea World. And, the kids, well, they loved the bus. (And, mom and Brecke had a lovely encounter with a bum and his sardines. Ask them.)

Winning prizes at San Diego… Kyra won a stuffed Shamu! We, somehow, ended up at the Arcade where we played the game that’s a miniature ski-ball. And, Kyra won! (Dad had a great tip: Get at least 5 of your own party to play 1 game at the same time, and odds are, one of you will win something.)

So, after happily enjoying all of these firsts- I just wanted to say- Thanks Mom and Dad! I had the best time in San Diego!

Here’s hoping more of us can go together another year…

"My friends are my estate."- Emily Dickinson

(Thanks to James for the picture taken 8.11.06)

An Excerpt from The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams:

"What is REAL?" asked the Rabbit one day, when they were lying side by side near the nursery fender, before Nana came to tidy the room. "Does it mean having things that buzz inside you and a stick-out handle?"
"Real isn't how you are made," said the Skin Horse. "It's a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become real."
"Does it hurt?" asked the Rabbit.
"Sometimes," said the Skin Horse, for he was always truthful. "When you are Real you don't mind being hurt."

Everyday Gum…

Yes, the Journey continues. (I feel obligated to finish what I had previously started.)

So what defines a stick of ‘Everyday’ Gum? It’s the gum you can rely on for fresh breath, sound taste, and a pain-free chew.

Again, I feel that my knowledge in this field can assist you in finding the best choice for gum chewing. Especially for Everyday chewing- because this is the gum you can rely on!

From 8th-11th grade, I relied on Wrigley’s Extra Peppermint (but only a half-piece at a time) to maintain fresh breath. The green Spearmint was just a bit too strong, and slowly the chew became quite tedious- my chewing couldn’t keep up to the pace of the quickly vanishing taste. (And, in 7th grade, I placed a piece of Spearmint in my mouth, and instantaneously it turned into liquid. I was stuck in the middle of Mrs. Jones’ English Class with a mouthful of liquid gum- what to do…? Well, that’s another story.)

And yes, when Wrigley later revealed their new flavor- Polar Ice- that too became my ‘go-to’ gum. But, soon the crystals in the gum, which were the polar ice, became too strong- I no longer needed my sinuses cleared every time I chewed it.

Of course, there’s always the reliable Trident gum, which, was the first sugar-free gum on the market in the 1960s! So, needless to say, Trident has always been a substitute for my ‘go-to’ gum. I could rely on both the Spearmint and Original flavors. (The Original is in the blue packaging… I’m assuming it’s a mixture of Peppermint/Spearmint, and rather than name it PepperSpear, they dubbed it Original.)

One recent feature that helped the quality of Trident gum is the change in packaging. Rather than rip through the outside packaging to get to the next piece, (and have an excess in paper that ends up in your jeans pocket, to be later found in the dryer stuck to your black shirts…) simply open the back, take a piece out, and close the back by placing it in the open slot. Thank you Trident!

Orbit… Ah, Orbit. I love Orbit.

Orbit was introduced in 2001 with standard flavors, including Peppermint, Spearmint, Cinnamint, and Bubblemint. I quickly began choosing, religiously, Peppermint and Spearmint as my ‘go-to’ gum. The Peppermint, in the blue packaging, has a very sweet sharp Peppermint taste, and it’s yummy. And, Spearmint’s, in the green packaging, flavor has a long-lasting punch.

My technique for chewing Orbit was eating a half-piece at a time. But, soon, my gum chewing habit hit rock bottom. It did. My jaw hurt at the end of the day, and I was eating 1 pack of Orbit gum each day, which equals 14 sticks in a single day, and 70 sticks in an average work week. And, yes, Orbit is a pricier gum, so it also became an expensive habit. (A pack of gum at a Maverick gas station is $1.29. Wowzers.)

So, although I love Orbit, the elasticity of the gum didn’t last long enough- my jaw was hurting, I was buying a pack of gum a day, and I couldn’t stop. I needed a new alternative.

So, finally, after countless taste experiments, what is the best Everyday Gum?

Dentyne Ice’s Wild Winter in Soft Chew!

The Soft Chew is the crucial element to making this gum so dynamic. Dentyne gum usually has the coated shell, but the Soft Chew is different. No coated shell. No weird packaging that you have to push your gum out of- Just soft gum with a perfect flavor.

The flavor is a happy medium between Peppermint and Polar Ice. Not too heavy- sinuses aren’t fully cleared- not too sweet- you’ll continually be satisfied with the flavor chew after chew- and, the flavor is continually maintained.

If you haven’t tried it, which you may have not, since it’s new, go buy a pack. You won’t regret it.

Tip: Chew ½ pieces at a time.

What's your favorite Everday Gum?

Happy 3rd Birthday Malory Ann. (This picture was when you were 1.)

Why I’ve become a Connoisseur of Gum…

First, gum makes me happy… It truly does. And, gum’s fun- you can make annoying sounds with it, create some amazing bubbles, and keep your breath smelling yummy.

And, to boot, there are some great health benefits to chewing gum, including:
-Improving Concentration (Ah yes, definitely.)
-Eases Tension (Nothing better than using gum to ease that tension headache.)
-Freshens Breath (We can all attest this is true.)
-Provides a Low-calorie Snack (And, I’m always craving a high-calorie- so, why not easily subside that craving with a small, low-calorie stick of gum?)
-Helps Fight Tooth Decay (Damn the cavities!)

I’ve been a gum chewer for 23 years, 313 months, and yes, 9311 days (give or take the days that I wasn’t able to chew gum). And, I am proud to say, that I have found some of the best gum for everyday chewing, flavor, sweetest piece, and best bubble.

How did I find this amazing brand of gum? Well, if gum were cigarettes, I would be considered a chain smoker… So, needless to say, I have completed countless experiments with many different brands/flavors of gum.

So, over the next week or so, I will be analyzing my favorite gum for different reasons... My findings will be detailed here. (Lucky you! You'll never have to second-guess that the gum you purchase wasn't a wise one.)

First up: Best Bubble-Blowing Gum.

For me, it all started with the sweet smell of Wrigley’s Juicy Fruit Gum. (You remember it- .25 for 5 pieces- yellow packaging.) Can’t you remember that smell? Heaven! Only problem- the elasticity of the gum became very hard within minutes of putting a fresh piece in my mouth. So, yes, although Juicy Fruit subsides a mean craving of something sweet, it becomes too difficult to chew, and thus, bubbles are difficult to create.

Next- Pink Bubble Tape. If you were a kid, your first pack of Bubble Tape was something extraordinary. This was definitely a step-up in packaging. You could pull out the amount of tape you wanted and use the packaging to cut the piece for you- genius! And, the chew of the gum helped create some worthy-sized bubbles. But, again, the flavor ran out too fast. And, the taste became an insatiable craving- once the current piece ran out of juice- it was a necessity to get the next piece in your mouth as soon as possible. For me, a pack of Bubble Tape only lasted 4 hours, at the most. And, the bubbles fell flat too fast.

Dubble Bubble. Wow, what an amazing piece of gum. To this day, Dubble Bubble is one of my favorite sweet pieces of gum. It’s all in the sweet, potent, almost creamy, taste that defines Dubble Bubble. There’s nothing better than first putting a piece of Dubble Bubble in your mouth. The first 5 chews are what the gum chewing experience should be! And, the types of bubbles one can create- I’ve been known to create some spectacular bubbles with a couple Dubble Bubble in my mouth.

But, again, the chewing soon becomes achingly painful for the jaw. And, that amazing flavor first experienced? Quickly, it is gone. So, because the gum becomes too hard to chew, it is not the best gum for Best Bubble-Blowing. (Another fascinating fact about Dubble Bubble- it’s great to chew while working out. Many different times I have found my little sister working out with a bag of Dubble Bubble- workin’ the jaw and the body, all at the same time.)

So, after all of these amazing, sweet, pieces of gum, what’s the best for bubbles?

Orbit’s Bubblemint. Orbit has created some amazing flavors (which, will appear in the next categories) of gum, and the packaging was also dynamic. (Dynamic enough to make Trident change their packaging to something quite similar to Orbit.)

So, what makes Orbit’s Bubblemint the best? Well, it’s the taste, the chew, and the bubbles. The taste is overwhelmingly new and refreshing. It has a very lite/minty taste to it. And, the next crucial element- the chew- is first-rate. I can have a piece of Bubblemint last in my mouth for up to 1 hour, without worry of the gum dissolving, or becoming hard. And, most importantly, the bubbles! The bubbles are easy to create, are surprisingly thin, and grow to be a healthy-sized bubble. And, it’s easy to create the perfect bubble repeatedly, as this gum stays juicy for a long time.

Tip: Chew 1 full piece at a time. Perfect for a beginner bubble creator.

Best Bubble-Creators I Know:
- Camie ‘Bucky’ Petersen
- Autumn ‘Bottom’ Ure
- Pam ‘I don’t smack my gum’ Carlson

What’s your favorite gum for blowing bubbles?

Happy 6th birthday, Elliot! (This picture was when you were turning 4.)

Beautiful Lilies from my husband, which reminded me of one of Jeff's favorite Cat Stevens songs, 'Lilywhite:'

Back up on the mended road I pause taking time to check the dial
And the Lilywhite I never knew her name But she'll be passing my way sometime again.
I raise my hand and touch the wheel of change taking time to check the dial. Thank the Lilywhite I never knew her name. But she'll be passing my way sometime again. But she'll be passing my way sometime again.

Who's up for another girl's trip?

'To You'
Stranger, if you passing meet me and desire to speak to me, why should you not speak to me?
And why should I not speak to you?

- Walt Whitman

The Pappas Family

Jeff got 'saguine,' and I attempted to add a 'd' to the end of it- saguined- it's not a word.

I spy an Elliot, Savannah, Hanna, and Kymbal Jane.

Jeff's new hobby: Creating the perfect Pizza Pie... And, he's almost there. (We've been eating Pizza every night until the secret family recipe is delizioso!)

My Dad's better than yours! Yep, that's my dad in the middle of me (on the left) and Polly.