Have you noticed?

This morning as I'm getting ready for the day and cleaning the house - I've been watching a new "Great Performances." This is the 250th celebration of Mozart. The music is so lovely and relaxing - but seriously - why do opera singers look so retarded* when they sing?! Trying to emote so much and still hit all the right notes - and then if they have mouths that move oddly...wow. They are painful to watch, that's all I'm saying here. Plus - who chooses what they wear when they are just singing in a concert?

And so are the members of the orchestra. They are bobbing and weaving, squirming and leaning like a two year old in church. They play so beautifully but all I can keep thinking is "SIT STILL!!!"

*approved Michael Scott usage

Ready, Set, READ!

The departure time approaches (Monday at 1:00pm) and I'm quickly reading plays that I'll most likely be seeing whilst in London and Paris...I just don't want to take any unnecessary books with me. There are enough plans in place that I can arrive in London and Paris and have a place to stay but still having adventures and flexibility. A plan with room to deviate!

Since I've been home...

'I went to see three movies...that's more than Ive been to in the last four months combined. I saw Beerfest with my father, Talladega Nights with my brother, and Little Miss Sunshine with my mother. I wonder if our selections have revealed too much about my relationship with my family members.


I worked at my mom's office doing simple assembly stuff...mindless and tax free.

I went to the circus. The greatest show on Earth? Probably not. But I went with Eric Snider - so that made it fun. The most enjoyable aspect of being in the audience at the circus is that you don't have to try to keep quiet during the show - because there is no real story to follow and the music is loud enough to cover anything I would say...at full volume. I know!


I went on a tour of the Portland Underground Tunnels - haunted and all. My friend Ryan from Los Angeles is in town visiting with his mother (who is very nice). Their main purpose was to see Wicked which is in town. But they invited me to join them on the tour of the underground tunnels in Portland which were used for "Shanghai-ing" people and white slavery. Creepy and HOT. You'd think that being underground it would have some sense of cool...and you'd be wrong. But the tour was very interesting. I didn't have any haunting experiences my ownself...nor anyone in my party. But I would go again...

Make new friends?

After feeling poorly for two weeks, I discussed my symptoms with my aunt - and we realized that I'd contracted a parasite up at camp! Thank goodness for Mina and Dr. Pierce (our family doctor) as they diagnosed over the phone - and called the pharmacy in Boise to get me on antibiotics. This made the trip of canning peaches so much more enjoyable. I learned how to can peaches - and the most important thing to remember is to have at least four grown adults doing the work. My Aunt Connie and Uncle Crockpot and Grandma and Grandpa "put up" 72 quarts of peaches in four hours. I worked on my knife phobia and did my best to be more of a help than a hindrance...but it sure was fun. And we have a great new song about the whole thing.



It's so hard to believe that I've been away so long - getting settled in at home is taking a while - but I'm getting a lot done in preparations for my trip to Europe. Trip details will be coming soon but a countdown is underway....19 days until departure!

Airport bound...

This evening I'm flying back to Portland for a quick lay-over before my Mother and I fly to Boise. We'll be joining my Aunt Connie and Grandma Siple in a peach canning workshop. I am so looking forward to seeing my Grandparents...haven't seen them since February. But I am sad to be leaving the Malleys...

Apotheca Malley

IF you're ever going to vacation or be sick...or both...the place to do it is the Malley Apotheca. Since the last day of camp I've been very nauseous...praying for the ability to vomit and end the misery. This was unpleasant at camp and at home, but it's an even bigger inconvenience when vacationing in Utah. The food around here is so good - it's so sad to have to miss out since the idea of food makes me want to ralph. But this morning, Cap'n Malley and Malley Haus Frau got me some Pepto and club soda - and things are looking up. Plus, on Sunterday there is plenty of napping, reading, watching football, and (apparently) not barfing. HOORAY.

Out of the woods...

To anyone who checks my blog, I'm so sorry for the last 3 months. Being out at Camp Namanu left little time to try and blog and on my 22 hours off, I could barely read all my e-mails, let alone write back.

But the good news is that camp was so much fun. A lot of work, but there was much fun to be had! I was the office manager and nurse's assistant. For the first month of camp I spent every Tuesday going to the emergency room. One night we had two campers going in...but usually it was only one camper at a time. We did have some staff injuries...like my dear friend Matt - who broke his leg during staff training...leading our Risk management workshop...NO JOKE.

Mainly my world was paperwork and band-aids...and getting the mail and running the camp store. I also answered the phone...a lot.

It's a really good thing I'm headed to Utah tomorrow, because I think I'm starting to get camp sick...like home sick...but for camp.

On my honor...

Tonight was an Eagle Court of Honor for a friend of ours. We've known McKay a very long time and tonight our whole family was asked to participate in the presentation of his award. Geoffrey read the Scout Challenge and then Mom, Dad, and I were asked to do the presentation of the medals and pins. And I, of course, was a weepy mess. Of course I was. It was a real honor to be asked to participate in the celebration for McKay - and no, his momma didn't want a Fresca.

Evening out...

Tonight was the end of the year party for Camp Fire. The food wasn't great - but I was voted "Most likely to make you laugh so hard you snort a little" so the evening wasn't a total wash. Since the fruit and veggie platter didn't cut it for dinner - a bunch of camp folks headed to the Restaurant Bleu. This is the culinary institute's restaurant. Such a great deal and so much food. We did the three course meal and I'm stuffed to the gills. And any meal that starts with a shot glass with an artichoke heart and sauce in it - is one fine meal. Plus being out with the great camp peeps - that was great too!

Get the picture?

Tonight I saw a production of Charles Mee's "Big Love." This is a play that is assigned in my American Theatre class but I haven't read it yet. I think I would rather see a production of a show before reading it - to create some mental picture or frame of reference. I guess that's why I read the book version of Back to the Future III over ten times when I was in the sixth grade. And that's just another reason I'm a super nerd.


PS - the play was very good.

Tuesday people...

I'm normally a Tuesday person. It's a great day for lunches. But today didn't really feel like a Tuesday, so it's okay that I didn't feel super accomplished today.

The long weekend was spent out at Camp Namanu at Family Camp. Despite the never ending rain - it really was a great time. I lead a card making class and took all my stamps. The ladies loved the stamps. Two hours flew by and then I was on to running the camp store and then skit night. OOOHHHGGG SKITS...uh...yeah. The next morning I was the driver up to our high ropes course and had a great time coaching (and having no real clue what I was talking about) couples on our High V element. Harnesses are involved. It's a pretty good time - even in the rain. More camp store - and then our closing council fire. I sure love fire. Burning things is great. On Monday we began cleaning up - and then paused for some races on the duck pond. The adult in the boat was blindfolded and the child in the boat was to shout directions. Several families did really well. Some did not. And then the sun finally came out. Just in time to mop the dining hall floor. Which was actually fun. No kidding! OH...and did I mention the BINGO!?!? Remind me to tell you about it if I talk to you. BINGO...oh yes.

Today was early, as I was picking Mom up at the airport at 7:30a.m. and then to meetings and classes. But now I'm in my pajamas - and I'm sleepy. Feeling good - but feeling that there are many miles to go before I can really relax. MUCHO.

Overdue...

I haven't blogged in quite a while - but I guess that's because I haven't had too much that's new going on. Still working with the Camp Fire kids and I went out and taught some camp songs a few weeks ago. That was really fun - much better than sitting in an office!

Schools is really fun this quarter. I'm loving my American Drama class. I wish it were a full year long series. I'm also a director in our New Play Workshop. This means that I was directing staged readings of two short plays. I was also a director for a short play written by a young lady that was 14 years old. Our class is the "performance arm" of the Afield Playwrighting Project. The Afield plays are written by troubled young people and then the scripts come to our class and we performed them. All ten plays from this year's group were performed last week during our class on Thursday and on Friday evening. Oh my, were these plays full of great lines! Such as:

"I'd say you could come and visit me in space, but there isn't enough space in space!"

"But! I was planning to have a plan with you!"

"If you don't help me, I"m gonna suicide. I'm gonna suicide right here."

"I need your money so that I can have a place of my own and be free to be a vegetarian"

"Look, dude. You know how we've been friends and stuff."

I fully believe that all the actors should get medals for getting up and seriously saying the words these young playwrights wrote. And the playwrights did get to come and take a bow at the end of their play. It seemed like this was the first time anything these kids have done has gotten any kind of applause.

One of my other "classes" is an internship with the Every 15 minutes film shoot in Pasadena, California. My Aunt is the producer and with a few pieces of paperwork, I'm getting credit for being here in balmy SoCal. Right now it's a quiet morning and I'm watching the squirrels try to bust into the bird feeder. The new stream/pond that my aunts had installed is amazing. It's so relaxing and beautiful. I'm really excited for them.

The film shoot is tomorrow morning, and then Friday morning I am back in Portland with just enough time to change clothes and drive out to Camp Namanu for an overnight with 200 kids from our after school program. I'm the nurse for the weekend...

If you have to ask...

So, the Entertainment Weekly website has a headline which reads: "Lost": Does it suck or does it rock? And I don't watch "Lost" so I can't answer the question. But I do know this: If you have to ask the question, the answer is usually the latter. Because in the world, rare are the times that you don't realize if something is awesome. Now, we might not know just HOW awesome it is, but we have a sure understanding that it certainly doesn't suck.

One thing I know that doesn't suck is birthdays, and today was my Aunt Karen's birthday. I sure hope she had a good one!

Too good to be NOT true...

There is a contestant on the Price is Right today and her name is Cletus. She's from Texas. Of course she is. In the future I think we will be chart the decline of humanity by watching the Price is Right contestants and how trashy they have become. Plus...how would I know the price of a carousel crib? It's so ugly.

May I recommend...?

So I got my new flipflops for the summer - and I love them. Do get yourself a pair of Croc Athens shoes. The memory foam is so comfy - and there are no pressure points to cause blisters. Get some...get some now.

Sunny morning!

I am sure enjoying the morning. So sunny and bright. It's quite a busy week coming up with dinners with friends and school and work and laundry and cleaning and...blah...it means I'll be busy and getting things done. Spring might be here for reals.

Little Peter Cottontail, Coming down the bunny trail...

Today was Easter Sunday. So nice to have a day where the only thing to do is go to church. I have missed just being at home and puttering. Grandma needed a simple weekend - and she got it.

The Tax Man Cometh...

So - I've had "Do Taxes" on my perpetual "To-Do List" for three months now...but I only got around to doing them this morning. Thank heaven for online filing - and having ZERO income outside of my special little part time job with CampFire. Oh...butcept that I had to stick to my Grandma roots and print the forms and mail them in. I'm not sure why I did that, but at least H&R Block did all the really hard work and all I had to do was print. And sign. And put a stamp on an envelope. I'm EXHAUSTED!

Such a dense time!

I'm amazed that it's only been 10 days since being sick and driving home from the Mountain West. Our family has moved and we're still getting settled in. It may still be a few days before it really feels like we live there.

But my new favorite thing is my rounded shower curtain rod. I love it. It's so great. If you have the means (and the need) I highly reccomend picking one up.

I killed you ten minutes ago...

So I'm home again and for the first time in over 48 hours I'm not feeling nauseous. A sad ending to a very great trip to visit the Malley's with Seth, Reyna, and I getting food poisoning. We're blaming the srimps. So sad. But quite frankly, I have a new found respect for the Malleys as they still hosted a delightful birthday party for their son, Bennett - even after barfing all morning. I am still impressed.

Our bodies sure are amazing...if something isn't supposed to be in it...it sure makes sure that the toxin is removed by any means or hatch it has.

But it was a great time other than that...and my aunt and uncle let me stay at their house while they were away. It was so nice to be able to rest in a quiet bed and sip Sprite. I drove home today from Boise without stopping once. I'm not sure if I'm proud of that or worried. Jury is still out.