Yesterday I got to go and see one of my favorite authors! Shannon Hale came to the Barnes and Noble nearby and did a book signing. (me doing a little dance.) She has written Goose Girl, Enna Burning, River Secrets, Austenland, The Actor and the Housewife, and so on. I got there early and I felt like a big nerd, but I wasn't first so that was a bonus. It was so awesome. She spoke to all of us before hand about her books and the letters she has received regarding her books. (note to self: darcy, nuns, carmex, fav characters, razo: fishing all day, writing process, rejections, firth.... yes)
Anyway. after that was the book signing, which was great and good. Colleen is gonna be super stoked. (She is a Shannon Hale groupie and I had one of her books signed for her.

what else what else.

OH WORK! I started working at Michaels this last week. YAY I HAVE WORK! It's only part time, but it's something. I have kind of gotten the hang of things BUT!! Today was the first day I had to do it all on my own!! Thankfully there was no hiccup with the deposit and I am totally getting the hang of that.. now it's everything else! *YIKES!* There is only so much you can do when the person that has trained you isn't giving you all the information. DOH! What the heck in the world??
I work in the back most of my shift, so I really don't get to know the other associates or the store for that matter.. So those few moments that I AM on the floor and some needy pesty customer asks me for help, I stutter, nearly wig, and find someone that is thankfully nearby and ask for assistance. BAH! I just don't know what to do with myself. Although today we unloaded the seasonal truck, which supposedly takes an hour to unload. We did it in about 30 minutes. I would like to think that my mad skills had something to do with the speediness of the transaction. They have this really cool roller thing that you start in the truck that runs down to the people who figure out where it goes. I put it on the rollers. I was incredibly entertained although my superior was not as entertained as I was. So sad for her.. but i'm new. Maybe I will deplete too. *merh*
I was going up an isle today and found the cool clay.. I was so excited I started talking to a customer about it and she promptly told me that her son sculpts clay and now works for Pixar and worked on UP, and asked if I had seen it. I haven't, but I promptly asked for his name, cause when I do I am going to look for him in the credits. You should too. Jonathan Hoffman I think it was. It was a great conversation, and really made my day.
Note: There are some people at work that it's like PULLING TEETH trying to talk to them. Dude. Lighten up, catch on that I am joking and SMILE!
On my second day, I filled my trainer in that I hadn't gotten an employee number yet. She looked at me, waiting for a reason. I told her that I wasn't actually an employee.. that I was infiltrating the store. Reaction? look of surprise and continued explaining.
Today I was sweeping the receiving area.. A girl comes through, I stop sweeping so she can pass and she says: so.. you're sweeping..
nope, just testing out my mode of transportation home.

I need to get ready for work tomorrow.

looking at google maps
ended up at Tasty-Taldy, Kazakhstan

I live in a magical kingdom with castles, dragons and dashing knights.

The room I am in has this really great mural on the wall. It's kind of great waking up to it in the morning... Although not when I bash my head into it.. Not intentionally of course. That would just be ridiculous.

So guess what? I got a job. yay. I am working part time at Michaels craft store as the other "Support Specialist." WHICH means that I basically am in charge of the bank deposit, checking in freight (which occasionally includes checking in individual packages of beads... whoever thought up that plan just WANTED to pay me to waste time.) Today was my second day. It was somewhat better than the first. I work in the am.. so I have my afternoons totally free! I am kind of stoked about that, because I want to find another job... or 2. I will find out on Monday if I get the job at Seagull Book, and I have an interview in an hour or so (ohhh duuuude!!) at Payless Shoes and an interview on Monday at SubZero. (mmmmm tasty)

Yesterday I went to SLC and went to the Twilight Concert Series. (NOTE! this has NOTHING to do with Stephenie Meyer. It's just what they call it. :P ). Iron and Wine was playing, and it was a free concert. Yay. It was an interesting experience, to say the least. A lot different to the previous shows I have gone to with Derek. *I got a locket and a henna tattoo/stain. ;) I have been wanting a locket for a long while. It's cool.

what should i keep inside?

the end.

I was cleaning my room today and found my Dad's sunglasses... enter Photobooth... :D In the course of moving out of Mom's house and pillaging through potential things to be donated or some such nonsense...i found THESE! which is also why I have Dad's suit jacket, his briefcase and sunglasses. (if any of my family wants these items, you just let me know.... although the briefcase amanda? really?) merh.. In other news: I have more job potentials... I was hired by Michaels (a craft store), although I am a little worried cause they dont want me as an associate.. but for something regarding filing/book keeping... I'm not sure if I'm their girl. BUT!! It's far more entertaining that I am HIRE-ABLE. Yay. (enter be doing a jig.) I also have an interview with Ross and Seagull Book. Oh the potential... YAY! Also.. I found out while at random authors websites that one of my FAVORITE authors co-wrote this book, but it's only sold in AUSTRALIA! and I am on a Merlin/King Arthur kick... it needs to be here... whatever.. i'm done. Currently listening to: "Dr. Illegible; a hero, a celebrity or a fake psychic who does everything and hates Jesse McCartney" (smirk)

Alright folks. I went to Colorado this last weekend with Kj. It was a fantastic trip. I got to go to where I was born and spent the first 5 years of my life. And I'm not gonna lie, I got into the first hour or so into the state... wondering WHY we had loved it there so much. Where was the "colorful colorado" they were promising me. It was once we hit Montrose that I really saw why. Kj and I went first to Kays but got booted cause we were too early. So instead we went to find my old house that I grew up in. Please mind that I stole these pictures from my sisters facebook page because I used Kj's camera and I haven't retrieved them from her. This was the house I was in till I was 5, although when I was there it was red and didn't have the crosses. It has gone through several owners and different colors, but according to Kay the house looks amazing on the inside. They are also the ones that tore down a wall in the house to find a machete hidden in the wall.. Thank you Dad. While we stood outside, the neighbor came to ask if we needed any assistance, mainly to see what we were up to. It took her about 5 seconds to realize who I was. I havent seen her in at least 10 years. It was a magical moment. We're back at Colorful Colorado. THIS is why we loved it here... This is why we would come back on family vacations. This is why as soon as we would cross over the Colorado border, he would roll down the window of his '65 Chevy Impala just to feel the Colorado air. Logan and Derek... Logan can be such a sweetie at times, and really, Derek is a sap for that boy. I really liked this picture of Cassidy going down the slide. She's a cutie patootie. My siblings are hilarious and I am pretty confident that they might pop me upside the head for posting the picture to my blog. OH WELL! And here is the reason for it all: My beautifully fantastic Grandma passed away in March. When she actually did pass away it honestly didn't have any affect on me. She was falling into altzeimers when I knew her. . and even then she was still my favorite. She is spunk. She was my real life Maureen O'Hara. Saturday was the memorial and we all (meaning us and aunt/uncle/cousins) talking memories about Grandma and I was reminded of how fantastic she was, and further mourned the loss of this great woman, who, if she hadn't had this disease, would still be driving around in her old Chevy Impala, dressed to the nines. So here's a couple of my favorite stories; minimal background first: Grandma was born and raised in Hawaii. She love love loved it there. She married my Grandpa "Tex" and moved to Texas and then they later moved to CA *She would take her car onto a deserted highway and go 100+ mph. When she was caught by a friend of her husband, she denied any of it. And when she came to Arizona and drove with Donny, he would have to remind her several times that she was pushing 100 and that she needed to slow down. Can you imagine? "Grandma... you're going too fast..." Her reasoning? It just ran so smooth she didn't notice... My dad definitely used that same reasoning. *When Dan (dad) and Aunt Patty were growing up, apparently there was a boy down the street that would come and just knock Patty over just for the thrill of doing it. When Dad found out, he went and beat the crap out of the guy. (which is honestly hilarious to think about). This guys mom came over and told Grandma that Dan was a delinquent. My Grandma basically walked this woman backwards down the driveway and back to her door, daring her to call her son that again. This really was Grandma in a nutshell. She was barely over 5 feet tall, but she is also not a woman to be messed with, and you definitely didnt want to be on her bad side. She would go to the ends of the earth to defend her children/grandchildren, and she did. I wish I had known her better. There were so many stories, thankfully Colleen had a nifty contraption that we used to record the entire storytelling shindig. It was a good family gathering... It would good to see my extended family, since it has at least been a decade since seeing them. And as anxious as I was about this gathering, it was definitely something we have been needing to do.

My good friend Christine gave me this massively massive list of writing prompts in her last letter which I have been attempting to plow through. One of her ideas was my top 5 favorite memories; which is HARD, btw. One of which she persuaded me to share, and because of todays DATE I figured now would be the best time to share this one.

***********

I was so excited to see an actual wedding and the huge bonus was that I got to participate as a bridesmaid. I was wearing an amazing dress and rockin' cool heels, although a horrendous hairdo plowed my head; courtesy of a friend of the bride. I did my simplistic walking down the stairs and the isle, praying I didn't biff it in front of the crowd. I laughed with everyone else when Ben (age 4?) went practically RUNNING down the isle, chucking the pillow at Jared and bolting. The super ceremonial music started, indicating that the bride was going to make her entrance. I saw Megan at the top of the stairs and begin to descend, holding her dad's arm. She was stunning, everything a bride would want to be on her wedding day. All eyes were on her, but I turned away to look at Jared looking at his bride with complete joy, love and wonder. I still remember that spark in his eyes when seeing her. My mind flashed to a few weeks prior; Megan had asked Jared if he wanted to see her dress on before the wedding. He was persistent with his no, telling her that he didn't care what it looked like, but as long as she looked like a princess. I watched him as he waited for his princess to stand before him. Words were spoken, vows exchanged, and the love in his eyes never left hers. It was that look and promise to have and hold that made it completely worth it all.

Happy Anniversary Jared and Megan.

I love you both.

Kj and I just got back from this movie.. and let me tell you.. it was phenomenal. It's only playing in select theaters, but I'm sure it's somewhere close. It was really absolutely fantastic. I loved it. And just like the preview and the beginning tells you... It's not a love story. I would see it again.. will purchase when it is released.. and will find that dagnab soundtrack if it kills me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PsD0NpFSADM