The Bathroom Sink

The bathroom sink.

Did I mention it has a clog?  Yes - it stopped draining well a few weeks ago.  And after two applications of liquid plumber, it still backs up regularly.

Me and home appliances and repairs.  We have such a great time together.

I mentioned this to Gloria, my now friend who owns this house and who lives below.  This morning we spent some time trying to unclog it.

When us two get together to try to do any "around-the-house" stuff we usually get along just fine and figure things out.  It's fun and I like to learn about this type of stuff.  But sometimes you just need a man around.  There is a third tenant to this house.  He is male.  But...not the man a woman needs when her sinks are clogged and the dishwasher is broken and the pipes are frozen, or the snowblower won't start.  He just resides and is.  That's about it.

This time we were not successful in our Saturday morning fix-it's!  In fact - we made it worse!  Lol.  Now the sink is full of standing, dirty water and won't drain a bit.  Before it took only a couple of minutes to drain.  We tried plunging it.  Worse.  We tried unscrewing the pipes (Kim, did you get my voicemail?).  Worse.

Eh, we'll get it figured out one of these near days.

I am very grateful I am friends and live in the same house as Gloria.  She makes me feel like I don't live alone.  We like to keep tabs on each other.  It's always nice when someone wants you to know where they are at.  It makes you feel needed and wanted.  Yes, I am glad we are friends. 

This past week has been full of grey days. Very overcast. I'm afraid that some of those grey tones have seeped inside. I've lived in my place since last November. Since then I let a really nice AC unit fall out of a second story window, the vacuum fried up on me while I was using it - kaput, it started smoking and everything, and this week I might have broken the dishwasher due to my stupidity. What's next? I have laughed at all these mishaps - but today I have become tired of laughing at myself. It's getting expensive. I was suppose to hear back on a bid today - a job I desparately need. I didn't hear a word. Maybe Monday. Until then I'm crawling into bed and staying hidden under the covers until the sun decides to come out. Besides, then I can't break anything.

Transcript

I stumbled upon my college transcript the other day while I was working on my student's grades.

I graduated with a Bachelors of Science: Horticulture with an emphasis of Landscape and Urban Horticulture.  As I was going through my grades for the major, I had to laugh.

Living with Plants: B-
Residential Landscape Design: B+
Interior Landscapes: B
Landscape Bidding and Estimating: B+
Principles of Accounting: F (and that's not for "Fantastic")
Spreadsheet skills: F
Soil Science: C
Soil Science Lab: B+
Autocad/Drafting: W
Arboriculture: B-
Field Botany: C+
Floral Design: C-
Plant Material : B+

(Did you get any A's????!!!)

Yes - a few:
Plant Community Design: A
Landscape Design Graphics: A
Landscape Structures: A

(All of the above courses were taught by the same professor, take note)

Oh - I also got an A in:
Fly Tying
Violin Lessons
Basic Equestrian
Tennis
Canoeing
Bluegrass Ensemble

It's funny - my professors remember me as an "A" student - never mind taking off school for two+ weeks to go to Brazil during competition.  I don't think I'll remind them that I likely pulled a B or a C in their class (I did that the other day - eeehhhh....)

Well - four years later and I am running my own business in my field, and back at BYU...teaching.  So yeah, grades are overrated.  Just love what you do.  Unless you are going to grad school and want to get into a great program....then yeah - you probably wouldn't want any "F's" or "C's" your transcript.  (Although I was more or less verbally accepted to a program for an MLA if I wanted to get a graduate degree, meh).

Big Horn Sheep Tracking

Last Saturday I drove out to Tooele to track Big Horn Sheep.  My good friends dad tracks them as a part-time job and he was gracious enough to let me come along for the adventure.

We headed out - probably later than a Big Horn Sheep Tracker would prefer.....(10 a.m.)...me, Brooke (7 months pregnant) Mr. White...the owner of the tracking device, and their dog (oh my I forgot his name, but he eats icecream cones in record time). 

While we were driving out to the Stansbury (?) Mountains I was able to ask any question I wanted to in relation to the Big Horn Sheep.  It was very educational and I was delighted to learn more about these amble creatures. 

Once we got near the mountains we pulled out the tracking sheet and the tracking device.

I got to be the record keeper for the excursion and write down where we found the signal for each BHS, and the strength of the signal.  All the sheep have collars on them with a tracking device, each programmed to a different station.  We scanned through the stations until we heard a beep that would come every second.  If it was double that, the sheep may be dead. 

We never heard a double beep.

This is where we found a bunch hanging out.  It took me a second to adjust to being able to find them through the binoculars...

Brookie and her pops.

These BHS were transported via the air from Antelope Island - they spread them out to avoid inbreeding, diseases and the like.  There are basically two different phenotypes, and the "type" a sheep ends up being is dependent really on the environment in which they live.  I think the first type is considered "Maintain" (Oh my - if you are Brooke's father and you are reading this I am embarrassed that I forgot).  Basically this sheep lives in a place of little food.  Therefore, he adjusts his habits and "lifestyle", if you will, to these conditions.  He is more conservative.  He lives within his means.  As a result he may live to be a ripe 16 years old!  The other phenotype is "Varied" (I could be making the name for this "type" up too).  This sheep lives in a land of abundance, more or less, and is pretty carefree (except predators of course).  They are more rambunctious, liberal, and roudy.  These guys have a shorter life span - maybe 12-13 years.

All Big Horn Sheep have yellowish eyes.

We went to the East, North and West sides of the Stansbury Mountains - and found all but a few of the sheep that were on the list.

Compost in action!  Always a fun sight to see.

When we got back to Brooke's, there was a delicious lunch waiting for us - then we talked about bees.  Brooke and her dad are bee charmers!  I got to see their hives and learn more about bee keeping.  Something that I would love to take up as a hobby.

Maybe

I haven't wanted to post in a while....I guess since February 09th.  I am always writing in my head - I post a lot there...but whenever the thought of sitting down to tap tap tap (tapioca everybody!) it out on the keyboard, I become like dredge.

DReDGe........blaaahhhhhh.

I am really tired of dark colors.  I walk into my closet and find a lot of cold blues, cold browns, cold greens, cold purples, cold blacks.....those are my staples and I want to throw them all out!

But then I would be like the emperor.  Although, I am sure being an emperor he could afford some new garb.

My blog template was a reflection of my wardrobe.  Dark.  Cold.  Deep.  Sometimes a bit too reflective.  You know what I mean?  It's like - okay already!  You've thought long enough!  It didn't make me happy anymore when I logged in to write something.

So I switched.  (But there's green and brown and blue in your template still!)

Ya ya.  But there are monsters!  And there's a heart, and birds, and stars.   And it doesn't feel gloomy.  That's the main point.  We'll see how long this template lasts - I might look for something a but sunnier.  But for now - I love it.  And I hope you love it too.  And that the little red devil reminds you that sometimes when we are not our best selves, it's really just a costume and not the true us.  Because really, we are an awesome blue monster underneath that red devil suit.

An elder sister of mine does a creative post for the Shade Clothing blog once a month (I think it's once a month?).  She's a very creative mind and is always coming up with different projects.  She once made me a bench for Christmas when I was in third or fourth grade.  That's how far back it goes.

So here's her February post for the Shade blog - I love it!  I think it's such a neat idea.  And I think all of you will love it too...just in time for Valentines Day!


The hand model *cough cough, wink wink* isn't too bad either...lol. 

p.s. - I'm getting ready to post the answers to the previous post - did anybody even do those exercises?

 

Visual Media Exercises

Okay folks - before you read one line further - get out a pen or two and four sheets of blank paper.

Yep.

Really - go get them.  I was pretty serious (said like Kip from ND).  Then come back.

.....

Okay.  Now we can continue.

Paper # 1.  Close your eyes and fantasize about a chasm.  Design a way of crossing that chasm, imagining that you have every means known (or unknown as yet) at your disposal.  Then open your eyes and draw your solution.

Paper # 2.  Fold a large piece of paper into quarters.  Silently draw in the first quarter a symbolic representation of "Where do I come from?"  After a few moments, draw a symbolic representation on the second quarter, "Where do I want to go?"  Next, draw a representation of "What is in my way?"  Finally draw one of "How am I going to overcome my obstacles?"
Look inside yourself and be very honest with each of these questions.  The results are always best when one is honest with oneself.

Paper #3.  Take a fantasy trip with closed eyes.  Walking along a country road with a fishing pole over your shoulder, you come upon a stream.  Cast the line into the water and, after a few moments, reel in what you have caught in your fantasy.  With your eyes open draw what you have caught.  Now write a story about the object at the end of the line (it doesn't have to be long).

Paper #4.  Create two animals on one piece of paper.  They don't have to look like anything you have ever seen.  Take about 10 minutes to do the drawing.  Describe the animals you have drawn.  Write down three adjectives that describe them.  Note the animals' expression.  Can you make up something that the animals might want to say to each other?  Can you write a free verse or fantasy about what the animals say or do?

Okay - now that you have filled all four sheet with the appropriate task - save these.  I will address each of these papers in my next blog so you can see why I asked you to do these exercises.  I did them myself and was pretty intrigued, which is why I am sharing them with you now.  SO - if you were too lazy or just didn't care to do the exercises, now is the time to go get your pen and four sheets of paper!



*For copyright purposes, etc - these exercises were outline by Eric Maisel, PhD

My FaVoRiTe THiNG iN THe WoRLD

My very favorite thing in the whole world is to meet and be with people.  I love it even more than gardens, even more than design, even more than the purple hippopotamus I'm going to have one day.

I love it even more than water basketball.

I met a new friend a few days ago.  She's a lawyer that lives downtown and served a mission in Kyoto, Japan for the LDS church.  We're getting together at her place next week after she gets back from DC.  We're having sushi and I get to meet her roommate - I have a feeling these two are going to be some great friends.  I think we'll all go to China together - or Europe.  Yeah - either one.

Just tonight I stopped by my old place to pick up a tax document.  Morgan, who is from South Korea, is living there now.  She's learning how to make violins.  Next Thursday we're going to meet up downtown for lunch. It's great!

Last week I also became better acquainted with Marie - a very cool lady indeed.  We're going to play a practical joke on a fellow friend this week.  It's gonna be hilarious.  It's going to create some good memories.

I just met a guy with the last name Moses.  How cool is that.  He laughs easily - those types of people are always good to have around as friends, especially when their humor is genuine.

I continue to have a growing relationship with my dear friend Gloria.  And even though we are 51 years apart - we have too much fun sitting in her front room chatting for hours, raking leaves together to fill 21+ bags full, going out to a long lunch, chatting in the driveway, laughing and gabbing for hours on the phone - and just smiling together.  I give her fresh flowers every time I pay rent and she gave me a book for my birthday which I will always treasure.

Memories are made by spending time together.  NOTHING replaces face to face time.  Nothing does - and nothing ever will.  It's when you do the normal everyday things together that you really get to know a person.  There is no replacement.  No phone call, no email, no text will ever replace being in someones presence.  The others are great yes, and I enjoy all methods of communication.  But there's something unique about face time because it's human time.  The human connection.   
Going to buy groceries - going driving just to listen to some tunes together, looking for a shirt or some cool tights, a walk in the park - checking out some event that even though it turned out lame, was still fun because you were with someone and a memory was created and a moment was experienced.  I would love it if someone called me and said "Hey, I'm going to wash my car - wanna come?"  Um... yes! 
That's when inside jokes are created, that's when you get to act like a goof and it's okay.  That's when people may have a chance to see your real, sincere - "this is really me" side.  The side of imperfections and mess-ups are what make people real and that's when I feel like I can really connect with someone - and when I let someone see all the dumb and silly things I do, then I feel more real around them.  And when they're still your friend even after getting to know you - that's a friend you keep and trust.  It can take some time, but it's time that's worth it.  So here's to face time.  May we all get a little more of it and value it when we do.

Three Cheers for January

January hasn't been such a horrible month.  Actually I have for the most part enjoyed it very much.  Which makes me think that February is not going to be so bad either!  Especially considering a southern desert getaway (you better watch your back Tre!) and a distant Vancouver to keep me entertained.  It's not that these months are supposed to be unfriendly - they're not.  It's just that sometimes I get a little stuck in these slow times and when there's no one to dig you out (and I'm finding that only you can really dig you out) - it does get a bit numbing and droney-like.  :I

I used to go to the gym 6 days a week - weights and running were a constant.  My day wasn't complete until I hit the building full of machines and motivated people.  Then I got really busy and my schedule was wacked, after that I forgot, then I think I got lazy - and then I became *gasp* ....unmotivated.

It's true.  And while my ideals stayed very motivated (as most of ours do, ahem), my body hasn't really been interested in what my ideals where saying.

So - to shake the numbness from me bones-me bones, my body has finally aligned with my ideals! (blessed stars above)

It's nice to be apart of the real-time, instead of ideal-time, motivated crowd again. 

And I am still fairly neat.

Three cheers for January.

I should start taking my old photos and scanning them to a digital format.

Me on the swing in Mantua.

 

Stephanie, Bethany, and Me - hanging out in the ditch in Mantua.

It's a start!

PWS 103

I really do love my class.  I have 31 wonderful students that are eager to learn, willing to participate, not afraid to ask questions, and sometimes they laugh at my attempted dry humor.

I teach once a week for 2.5 hours at a time.  2.5 hours may seem like a long class, especially when it hits right in the middle of dinner-hour. 

*Yawn* 

And although I have seen some people shut their eyes (I think it was just a really long blink...with both eyes...), they are for the most part quite attentive and the 2.5 hours really gives us time to feel bonded.  It's like a big group of friends that just happens to love to hang out in a class room together and listen to me ramble on randomly about landscapes and design, beauty and inspiration, lizards and purple hippopotamus....

They are excited for their assignments and generally start them earlier than later, which is different from last semester.  They don't whine about the work load, which is different from last semester (at least I haven't heard that they do.....yet).  I have twice as many students this semester, and I am keeping up better with everything administratively thus far.  Cross my fingers. XX.  I think since I am a better teacher this semester, I have better students.

Today I had many students stay afterward to talk, to ask a question, get feedback, etc.  It's great.  Really I teach 3 hours if I include the after class time with students.  This evening one student brought pictures of a water feature he designed and built for his parents when he was 14.  He was eager to show me the pictures and I just thought that the greatest thing ever - that someone would want to show me what they had created, hoping that I would be excited about it as well.  And I was.  It was important for him to show me these pictures, and you don't treat that lightly.

I have received emails from my students with comments like:

"I can't wait until next Tuesday."
"I really enjoyed our first class!"
"I am really excited!"
"This class is going to be amazing!"

How can you not be excited to teach a class that makes comments like that!  Hullo.

I am really grateful for the opportunity to teach at a university.  It's creating a better designer, thinker, and individual out of me.  I love education in all it's forms - how could one ever get bored by learning, I ask you!
("I ask you" to be read with an English accent, in the Scarlet Pimpernel fashion of course...lol!).