Going back to Cali, Cali, Cali

Okay so that song doesn't give a good impression but I couldn't think of anything else. Plus its LL Cool J. Anyway, I loved being out of the state of Utah for a week. I needed a break from school, work, and I was able to miss the first snow of the season. YAY!

10 Things I Loved about Cali

Missing the first snow of the season - need i say more.

Pandas - Two were sleepy and one was eating. My fav is the one in the tree, she didn't move the entire time.

T2 and Jurassic Park- two movies I loved and two attractions I was really excited about. T@ is my all time favorite movie and Jurassic park was just fun. Although the numerous times riding it I never got a good picture. I always look goofy when they take pics on rides.

Extra car insurance - With it parked across the street, Steve was able to see a white mini van hit the bumper of our rental car. We didn't worry due to Jen's insight on getting full coverage insurance. Also, note that Jen doesn't like to back up into a parking space. This led to the second dent in the bumper and a funny comment about the parking attendant. (more info ask Jen)

Sea otters, Shamu and Dolphins, oh my - I love sea animals. We went to Sea World and watched their dolphin and shamu shows. They were both fun (even though shamu's was kind political). I loved going to the Arctic area and we were able to see the Beluga Whales (Jen's fav) and the penguins... so cute. The sea otters were funny and playful looking but they were more interested in eating their shrimp. I also learned that bat rays are slimy and Jen has tasted a lot of the exotic fish they had in some of the tanks (via sushi). 

Wade the magic guy - It's Disney's year of a millon wishes or dreams. While waiting for Steve to get his name sewn into his Mickey ears hat, jen, cindi and I were approached by one of the elusive 'dream' people. Wade was funny AND he gave us a fast pass to any ride. we immediately went to the Haunted Mansion (my favorite ride since it was decked out in Nightmare Before Christmas decor).

The Beach - 

My skin needed a tan. While most of the sun I got was not at the beach our venture to Newport took us to the nice (and chilly) beach where we actually got Jen to go bare foot on sand and kinda go into the water. There were no sea lions... so this was a plus. Cindi really loved it. I think if we stayed the whole day she would have eventually been soaked instead she only went in up to her knees in the water.

We were wicked! - I liked the book (yes, I know that a lot of people don't like the book) but I thought that the Broadway musical was a good adaption. The funny story takes the audience through Oz through the eyes of Elpheba, the wicked witch of the west. The cast was incredible but I loved seeing Carol Kane on stage. She's hilarious!!!

Going to hell while at Disney & Being escorted off Splash Mountain - 

okay, okay... it was due to the ride malfunctioning. But it is funny to say that you've been escorted off a ride in the happiest place on Earth. as for the Hell part, if you've ever been on Mr. Toad's Wild Ride then you'll know there are demons, the devil and Hell... all in Fantasy Land at Disney. They truly have everything.

Last but not least....

Hanging out with 3 friends on vacation.

Top 5 Scary Flicks

Halloween is my favorite holiday. You can dress up and be anyone you want. There's free candy. Scary movies are played on TV all the time. Legends and myths are told in graveyards. Haunted Houses open their doors. It's a great time. Did I mention that there are scary movies on all the time?

For those who like scary movies, and even you crazies who don't... here are my top 5 (at least right now).


1) The Ring

How creepy is a girl with long stringy black hair who kills you 7 days after watching a VHS tape. I don't what is more eerie, the girl or the fact that it is a VHS tape. My first encounter with this movie (at age 22) had me sleeping upstairs at my parents house WITH the light on. And I don't usually get scared by movies.


2) Saw

Usually gory flicks are not my favorite but this one is good! The lack of budget did not hinder this really engaging film that proves that the idea of something is often more frightening than actually seeing it. Cary Elwes (Westley in "The Princess Bride") is amazing in this flick as a doctor locked in a room with a dilemma. Saw his own leg off by 6 PM to save his family or stay there and die. This film, while kinda gruesome, is deemed one of the best due to the ingenious ending. Go low budget horror.


3) Candyman

This movie is just great. Legend and film come together. This film launched the uber-creepy Tony Todd's horror career with his portrayal of Candyman, an Urban Legend much like that of Bloody Mary. If you say his name 5 times in front of a mirror he'll come out and kill you. However, this movie was not a good choice for me at the age of 15. I decided (like a dumb teen) to watch it at 11 PM when my parents were not home.






4) Sleeping with the Enemy

While this isn't a horror film it's really a truly scary film. As a woman, the idea that you could fall in love, get married and then ten days or ten years later your husband could change and become this violently abusive man is just horrifying. I love this film because they have an awesome use of "Brown Eyed Girl" and I am a brown eyed girl so I love that song. Julia Roberts is great as the terrified - and yet determined to be strong - battered wife. Patrick... I don't remember his name... is just plain creepy. In the UK he's always portrayed the "good guy" but here in the US he's always the "Bad guy". As the abuse husband searching for a wife whom he believes is his property, the guy never blinks. NEVER. Just you watch. That is what makes him so intense and creepy.


5) Pulse

I know. Another Japanese horror flick remade by us Americans. But what can I say Japanese filmmakers have a knack for creeping me out. This film takes place at a college campus as a group of students accidently release the dead on an electronic frequency. Okay, I'm not doing it justice but it has Kristen Bell (Veronica Mars, Sarah Marshall) and Wes Bentley along with some really eerie ghosts.

Shopping during a monsoon

So today Jen, Cindi and I braved the weather to finalize things for our trip to California next week. We set out and discovered the entire Salt Lake Area was in the middle of a monsoon. Huge drops of water pelted pedestrians as they walked or ran for shelter. Some things that I learned during this outing:

*don't even attempt a hairstyle in the morning it'll be flat in two minutes.
*wearing a hoodie is not wise as the water will soak through to make you soggy.
*go for higher ground - parking in lower parts of any parking lot can be tragic as lakes tend to form and they will engulf your car.
*avoid I-215 at all costs - the state of Utah needs to invest in drainage for their freeways.
*stay away from malls as the masses swarm until the weather clears up and/or the shops close.

While I am sure there are other suggestions for surviving a shopping spree in the middle of a rainstorm, I only listed those which I encountered. Next time I'm just going to curl up on the couch and watch a movie or nap. But for today, I survived it and blogged about it and now... I'm going to go and dry off.

Things I'm going to do...

Okay so if you read this (and you are not some creepy stalker) you are welcome to join me at the Avalon on Nov. 5 for a fun evening with Ludo (see Big @$$ blog). Tickets are $12 and it'll be well worth it. We'll actually get to see their faces. YAY! Jen... yes, I will get you, Thor, other Jen and Jane a ticket.

Also, before that Thriller is coming to Kingsbury Hall again. I'm going to keep the tradition alive and get a group together to see it. If you are interested then let me know tickets will be around $20-$25. I'm thinking Oct 25 at 7 PM so it's on a Saturday. I just love Halloween. It's my favorite holiday and this is just a perfect way to celebrate it with all of my friends and the classic horror characters like Jason Voorhees, Frankenstein's monster, and my favorite River of Blood Dance. (Insert evil laugh here).

Big @$$ Concert

So I'm a HUGE music fan. I like it loud and angry (as Angie always says). Well this weekend I was sun kissed as I sat at the USANA Amphitheater to witness the annual x-96 Big Ass Show. It's a great event even if you're not sure of the bands. Usually tickets are no more than $25 and you get to see at least 8 bands... sometimes more. Its just a fun, cheap way to see a lot of groups live with a huge crowd of insane people.

This year was the first time I have been in a couple of years and several co-workers were also at the event. We sat on the grass (I'm still not sure I like USANA over the Utah State Fairpark) and listened to some great live music and, of course, people watched. The people watching became a sport. Find the strangest clothing on a person and point it out the rest of the group. Jen's favorite, a small black top hat attached like a barrette to a gothic-ish girls head. My favorite was the crazy dancing dude wearing a cardboard sign telling the concertgoers to check out his band, Elizabethan Report, on the Live and Local Stage. His moves were sure to get a crowd for their show. One of the perks of people watching is that you notice the cute cops, especially the one with pink handcuffs - KINKY!

Some of the people watching turned to disgust when a pink tank top wearing women who was very inebriated decided to practically have sex on the lawn area with a short "Coyote Ugly" dude. The term "Get a Room" wouldn't even cover this public display of affection. YUCK!!

The hours of people watching did have a grand soundtrack featuring Innerpartysystem, Ludo, Mindless Self Indulgence and 10 Year to name some of my favorites. I still can't get "Shut Me Up" from Mindless Self Indulgence out of my head or Ludo's "Love Me Dead." I'm telling you I will be at their next appearance in SLC. I would recommend all my favorites (listed above) as they are great live acts. All in all it was a fun day to hear some tunes, hang out with friends and a turn a slightly reddish hue in the sun.

LUDO - "Love Me Dead"

Pirate Party Memories

So Friday was International Talk like a Pirate Day and my co-worker had her annual party on Saturday to commemorate the event. There was roast fowl, wenches, pirates, grog, and more importantly friends. Johnny Depp did make an appearance and even as a cardboard cutout he's still really cute.

I traveled to the festivities with Cindi and Jen. We drank (our non-alcoholic drinks), laughed, gazed at intoxicated co-workers, barely covered ladies who were showing off their 'favorable assets'. All in all the night was just fun.

I did wear a pirate hat but realized that for next year's party I need to invest in a corset and some serious wench gear. Maybe some pirate undies like I saw on some of the 'wenches' in attendance. Yes, I saw people's under things when they all mooned the camera for a picture of their matching underwear.

I'm whelmed

Like many, this fall I began the annoying quest to gain a B.S. degree at the University of Utah with a degree in Communication Technology. I've had two semesters under my belt and, along with an A.S. from SLCC I should be graduating soon, right?

Nope, wrong.

With my 40 hour a week work schedule (okay, I'm in school it's more like 36-38 hours), and my need to see movies, sleep, hang with friends and generally not let school run my life, I'm whelmed... and bordering on being overwhelmed. (brownie points to you if you catch the movie reference).

Some of the things that are making me whelmed are:

*working 1 pm to 8 pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays - it's hard because all I do is school in the morning and working then going home to get some homework done before sleep.

*having an instructor who cannot tell me what I need to do for a paper - I really hate cryptic instructors. I have 4 analytical papers to turn in and I've received contradicting information (from the same person) on how to write such papers. I also have 2 process analysis papers (I have no idea what this is going to entail) and a group project...

*group project... need I say more. With an already full schedule these are the hardest for me to complete. I also have a group member who is hard to communicate with. Our project is to do research for a non-profit. This person has worked for this group before (YWCA) and continues to think that we all know everything that she does about the organization. It's really frustrating because when I point out my concerns I feel like the bitch in the group. I'm probably not as patient as I could be since our group meetings are around 12:30 (i.e., lunch time) and I'm usually starving. YAY!

*my pop culture class is the least of my worries as I get to watch TV for my homework... I loved Twin Peaks. It's really funny and would recommend it to anyone. Not overly David Lynch but enough of his quirkiness to be interesting. Plus I love Kyle MacLachlan. After watching this show, I think he's underrated as an actor. His take on his character Agent Cooper is wonderfully refreshing to watch. Plus there's a llama. anything is great if there's a llama. the only part of this class that is whelming me is the two assignments I have to do. I'm, again, stuck with an instructor that just says "it can be anything." Which can be the kiss of death because 'anything' refers to anything that the instructor deems appropriate for the assignment. I think I need to get my ESPN fix so I can read minds.

Well, now that I've vented via my blog I'm hoping I can stop acting like a Bee-otch to my friends, family, and co-workers. Well, I've got to go and write a paper...