bethanesque

Latest Facts

2012-02-01T19:11:00.000-07:00

BLTs and Cap'n Crunch are both delectable foods, but they always damage my mouth when I eat either of them.

I do not want phones in my future home.

Text messaging is not my favorite method of communication.

I somewhat irrationally dislike the process of getting ready for bed. It takes too long. Then I take 9.2 times longer putting it of than if I would have just gotten ready for bed forty-two hours previous.

There has never been a time that I have kept my room clean longer than fourteen days. ["Never" meaning "never" and "fourteen days" because when I was a younger tot, my mother offered to paint my room if I kept it clean for two weeks. I failed. Consistently. I feel like the colors on my walls is a recurring problem in my life.]

I really don't watch much tele. Like, ever. Except when my parents are watching a show that I happen to make myself sit down for. And only a few other exceptions.

Sometimes I find little ways to rebel. Right now my latest rebellion of choice regards my hair. I want to chop it off. Or find some hairstyle that is longer, but unique. Also, I'm oh-so tempted to color my hair in an interesting manner. However, I'm hesitant to break my I-have-never-dyed-my-hair-before streak.

Absence

2012-01-31T16:12:00.001-07:00

My camera is missing.

Perhaps this is what happens when you:

1. Get lazy and avoid putting it back in its case
2. Share it with family members.

But honestly, how do you lose a dSLR.
No, really.

On a happier note, I took a couple pictures of my now bloomed amaryllis with my film camera.

And even though I miss my other mechanical eye [and my insides are irked at its absence],
I still, and always will, prefer film.

CATS!

2012-01-27T16:19:00.000-07:00

I was in the middle of a text message conversation (why can't we all just go back to the postal service method of communication?) and my phone received a text. I looked at it, expecting to see a response to my last message, but instead I read the following from an out-of-state number:

"Thanks for signing up for Cat Facts! You will now receive fun daily facts about CATS!" [Insert symbols placed together and vaguely resembling a feline face]

I could really only think the following:
1. What.
2. Apparently a random person typed a random [my] number into a random daily cat fact text message service.
3. I don't even love cats.
4. Maybe one of my friends signed me up for this [and why didn't I think of that idea before they did?]
5. What is the area code for this random number? [It turned out to be a random enough state, so I concluded that it had no relevance.]
6. This is definitely going on the blog.
7. I guess it's fine that I wasn't told how to opt out & that I get cat facts every day for forever.

The whole situation was beautiful. Simply beautiful. And completely outrageous.

Later on I visited my friend's blog and read this.

And that is all I have to say.

Change

2012-01-23T14:33:00.001-07:00

Intuhview tomorrow.

I feel like my blog mostly consists of interviews, my messy room, the pink that [previously] diseased itself onto my bedroom walls, and my eating habits.

However, my walls have been cured. As have my eyes. And sanity.
Well, partially.

Via birthday present last month.

Disregard the green and yellow painting tape.

I told you it was pink. [Here, here & here, for example.]

Now it's not.

And neither is my decor.

Disregard the pink in my blanket.

I think that I'm fine with the change.

reminiscence Emerging

2012-01-22T22:04:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I think about how I wish things were
And nostalgia wraps itself around my brain.

I miss it, even though I don't know it.

Then,
Even though I can only pluck the strings and strum half-songs the guitar

Blisters on my fingertips

And play the same bundle of songs over and over on the piano

If I don't think, I don't stumble on those notes

And imagine book-writing and photographing, music-filming, song-covering and traveling

Impending-wheels reeling

The nostalgia somehow drifts away, inside my brain
And a comfortable anticipation emerges.

You Grow, Girl

2012-01-21T13:09:00.000-07:00

Ain't my little amaryllis turnin' into a little beauty.

You have to talk like a hick if you're an amaryllis farmer.

I'm just pleased with the fact that it's alive and thriving, still.

Shades

2012-01-17T10:22:00.002-07:00

Occasionally at one in the morning [and post one in the morning], I get bursts of creative energy. And I draw somethings and anythings. Today's one in the morning was one of those mornings.

All It Takes

2012-01-16T01:39:00.000-07:00

Sometimes all it takes
is updating your journal
And your brain
then thinking about everything,
Crying
then Praying

and then Breathing.

Because even though I'll be a hobo
sooner than you can say
"unupdated resume,"
Things
will probably turn out
Just fine.

Blang

2012-01-13T00:38:00.000-07:00

Basketball game tonight. With some of the women from church. It was swell. Then we lost.

Afterward I ate two burritos and drank a gallon and a half of milk. Then Kiyna suggested Coldstone. Naturally, I couldn't pass that up. So we got in my car. [I use the term 'my' very loosely.] A pair of fake glasses were sitting there. They were white and mildly large with little jewels lining the frames. Outrageous. And totally fabulous. So I put them on. My little sister, Jillian, got them from a birthday party she went to today, I could only assume.

So we arrived to Coldstone.

"Should I wear these glasses inside?"

"Yes."

So I did. Along with my snow boots, sweatpants, t-shirt, and hoodie.

And I looked great. Even ask the girl inside Coldstone. The one who widened her eyes and muttered profanity when she saw me. And told her guy friends how fabulous I looked when she thought I was out of earshot.

Then I ordered cotton candy ice cream with gummy bears in it. Because, hey, what else do you mix in with cotton candy ice cream.

And that girl left as soon as she could to see if she could get a hold of some white glasses with bling on them at ten o' clock at night.

It All Comes Down To

2012-01-11T19:55:00.001-07:00

Sometimes it's hard to try and decipher the tongue-ties and the accuracies.

Sometimes it's hard to interpret the tongue-ties
And to filter through the accuracies.

Sometimes it's hard not to.

And sometimes it's hard not to eat everything you find
And everything that finds you.

Dwindling

2012-01-08T19:59:00.000-07:00

To the cabin:

From a dwindling

Summer.

Routine

2012-01-07T16:08:00.000-07:00

Lindor Truffles. Also known as the first thing in my mouth for the last three days.
Three A.M. Also known as my bedtime the last [insert accurate time frame here].
Noon. I feel like you can guess what I'm about to say.

Teeth: Still hanging in there.
Eyes: Wide and tired.
Sanity: Dwindling.

A Lake, A Camera, No Coats

2012-01-06T14:58:00.000-07:00

matter

2012-01-05T12:44:00.000-07:00

as much as i'm glad

the 90s are through

i miss when

indecision

didn't matter much

until i was choosing

ice cream

Leaves and Twigs and Amaryllis

2011-12-31T15:24:00.001-07:00

When I was about to plant my Amaryllis kit, I realized that there wasn't a hole in the bottom of the pot to drain the plant water.

I asked my green-thumbed mother what to do. "Fill the bottom with gravel."

So I went out to the garden, scooped up some gravel, and brought it into the house. My mom looked at the handful of rocks and leaves and twigs and said, "You might want to pick out the leaves and twigs. And probably wash the gravel in case there's bacteria on it."

So I began picking out the leaves and twigs, slowly realizing that the process was going to take longer than I would have liked to complete.

Then Jillian chimed into my internal conflict. "I have an idea. Fill up the sink with water and pour the rocks in. All the leaves and twigs will float to the top. Then you can wash the gravel at the same time."

I blinked.

The process was completed a lot faster than I anticipated.

Amaryllis

2011-12-30T22:55:00.002-07:00

At my work party a couple weeks ago, we had our waiter divvy out the gifts we brought to each of the shop workers.

I got an amaryllis kit. Including a pot, a bulb, and soil.

Just add water.

I planted it today. Even though the label said, "Plant ASAP or else your plant may die because you neglected it. Nature hater."

I'm not really the plant-seeds-and-bulbs-because-I-have-the-greenest-of-thumbs type of person, but today I was a little excited to have my very own plant in a cute little white pot. I don't know if it's the responsibility of caring for this little photosynthesis-reliant sprout or if it's the idea of something new that is appealing to me.

Either way, I have a plant. It's an amaryllis. I am adamant that it thrives.

Grand [December 18, 2011]

2011-12-30T19:30:00.000-07:00

Today was a work party. It was at a really immaculate hotel downtown, and I was forewarned that the food would be ridiculously delicious. Including the sushi.

A few days ago, my boss said, "It's just going to be casual. Wear your pj's if you want."

So this morning I threw on some skinny jeans, my favorite striped shirt, and my purple ankle boots. I thought about wearing my seven-buck tennis shoes from Walmart, but decided on the boots instead. Also I had a lovely time searching for my pea coat-ish jacket until I was running significantly late. So I put on my Hollister fur-rimmed hood coat. [My one and only purchase from that store. It's nice to find a coat that fits nicely in the sleeves.]

We all met at the shop.

Apparently "casual" in my dictionary is different from the "casual" in my coworkers' dictionary. It's fine. So I looked like a Hollister beach bum. Also fine. At least I had decided against wearing the $7 Walmart tennies.

Also, I don't think I realized how elegant and extravagant the restaurant in the hotel would be. So basically I looked like a hobo in the midst of well-dressed rich people.

And I nearly had a panic attack until the waiter informed me that there was food other than seafood and sushi.

It was delicious. I ate tortellini, "hen", yum-cheesy potatoes, asparagus, pineapple, bread, crepes with whipped cream cheese & berries, topped with chocolate or maybe nutella... either way it was a crepe. Also, pumpkin cheesecake and a little fruity berry yum thing. And fresh squeezed orange juice. And seventeen glasses of water. No sushi. No seafood.

Also, Jane Seymour walked by a couple times. She was in town and was also enjoying a really pricey meal in the exquisite hotel. It was weird. Because Sully wasn't even with her.

Also, the hotel had a couple shops that were like childhood dreams. The candy/ice cream shop was like enchanting cotton candy memories and the toy store was like Willy Wonka minus the candy and plus the toys. Seriously. It was borderline insanity, borderline if-I-ever-try-to-spend-that-much-on-one-toy-for-my-children. And borderline magical.

The entire hotel was, really. Chandeliers, lovely interior design, fancy furniture.

And I was even able to catch the tail-end of church.

Which was nice. Because I was mildly bitter, thinking I was going to have to miss it for expensive delicacies and chandeliers.

Rely and Reliability

2011-12-20T12:37:00.001-07:00

It all comes down to one thing.

"All", meaning my procrastination, my lack of punctuality, my stubborn epitome, my laziness. Sometimes my schedule, the voice in the back of my mind telling me to listen to just one more song, my excuses. My need to eat whenever I realize I have a deadline.

I am the least dependable person. In the world.

Unreliable?

At least...
Never mind. I can't thing of an "at least".

Titles To Date

2011-12-14T00:38:00.000-07:00

Bethany: Name given at birth

Bet: Nickname used through fourth and fifth grade

Frank: Spurred from Oliver and Company. After quoting the bulldog at a primary activity, a group of girls then began using the nickname
Franky: See "Frank"

Bethania: Used by a family friend when I was little.

Beth Ann: Used by my uncle today.

Bethers: Used by girls from church; Used today

BJ: Initials. Used today by only one or two people
BeJo: The first two letters from my first and last name. Never really used. Just spurted some other notable inspirations of names
Beej: Stretched from 'BeJo'. Minus the 'oh'. Frequently used today by close friends
Beejaloni: Rooted from Beej. Used today by close friends

Beejee the Squeegee: Rooted from Beej.
Beej the Squeeg
Squeeg: Used quite frequently by close friends and select others.

BenyQ: Pronounced "B'neek". Rooted from a time I jokingly spelled my name with a silent 'Q'. A roommate spontaneously wrote "BenyQ" on a flyer that was lounging in the apartment. Therefore creating the lovely nickname
Q: Shortened version of BenyQ. Used by roommate friends (along with all Q-rooted nicknames listed below. And any other Q-names I may have unintentionally forgotten). Ever so rarely do they call me by my first name
Queue
Q-Face
Q-bicle/Cubicle
Queb: Pronounced "Cube"
Quebeth: Pronounced "Que-bith"
Q-bee-doo

McBethany: Used today

Beth: Used by coworkers. I normally don't let people get in the habit of using this name for me, but sometimes it just subtly slips in. But really, to me, Beth ≠ Bethany.

But certainly Franky, Squeeg, Q, etcetera = Bethany.

I Forgot About Graphite

2011-12-13T15:27:00.000-07:00

Post barefoot garbage-can-retrieving-in-the-snow state.

Post revival of paper/pencil production. Also, I'm not sure why I find entertainment in drawing face-on-fist style.

And, as you can probably tell, I couldn't care less at present about the quality/appearance of my drawings on the screen. Disregard.

I Draw At Night

2011-12-12T23:36:00.000-07:00

My mood. Minus the book. And the long hair.

Too bad sketches can't be scanned to look normal.
Too bad I could probably make this look more normal.

Oh, well.

Sorry, Mother, for staying up late drawing.
I'll go to bed, I promise.

Soon.

Surmising

2011-12-11T21:33:00.000-07:00

Shifts in speculated shoulds

Should be speculated

On either end of the spectrum.

Ante Meridiem

2011-12-06T11:23:00.001-07:00

I cleaned my room yesterday. Maybe you don't find the event to be significant. But it's significant.

And redundant. Because I've mentioned the same news more than once on here. Oh, well. Old habits die hard in the category of not keeping one's room clean.

I washed my clothes. I washed my sheets. I dried my clothes. I dried my sheets. Except I dried my sheets right before I wanted to go to bed. So I lay on my bed, anyway, and just thought. And waited. And inevitably fell asleep.

I made my bed at just before six this morning. Paired with that's just about when I finished getting ready for bed.

So I basically went to bed at six a.m. today.

Normal.

Ctrl+Alt+Del

2011-12-05T11:26:00.001-07:00

One may find much discord when they realize the backspace key only works on a screen.

Glaciers

2011-12-02T10:41:00.001-07:00

It's weird how at one moment time can be at a perfectly glaciered standstill
And then at the next moment it's melting off a hot butter knife at, once again, a flurried pace.

Tuppence A Bag

2011-11-30T17:22:00.001-07:00

Basically I dislike when every time I open iTunes it pops up with a suggestion to download the latest ten-point-six-eight-point-thirty-six-point-seventy-three update. Or some number around there.

Basically I love when I can say "one more day" with a sigh of "I forgot time actually passes sometimes."

This morning I opened the shop. I started bringing the old sleds, Christmas decor, etcetera out to the porch. The shop is right next to a little river, bridge & mainly ornery ducks included. From across the river I heard a woman's voice calling to the birds. I turned, curious to see if she thought the birds would respond to her voice. They did. They all quacked and swam over to her. And she fed them.

It was like Mary Poppins all over again.

Also,

They're married now.

Tapestry

2011-11-29T19:48:00.001-07:00

My last 1,440 minutes:

Chocolate mingling
Christmas light-finding
A welcomed 'hello'
Self-leveling cement
Carpet prep
A second nosebleed in a day
Verge of voice loss
Carpet prep
Acquainted disappointment
Outlet retrieving
Light fixture-fixing
Corduroy purchasing
Anticipating
Etcetera

Envelopes Are Grand,

2011-11-27T21:02:00.001-07:00

But I find telephonic communication to be quite pleasant and rather acceptable.

4, 3, 2, 1

2011-11-27T12:10:00.001-07:00

My throat will discontinue in its soreness. Before it amounts to anything severe.
I demand it.

I am a countdown type of person. I count down to everything in every way possible so as to partially understand the time process between now & later.

For instance,

"In one hour I will only have two hours of work left."

"Three weeks. Four Sundays. Nine work shifts. Give or take. Ish."

"In twenty-eight days, there will be four days until my birthday."

But apparently one cannot always count down to the arrival of envelope-encased messages. Unfortunately.

Sautee

2011-11-24T18:23:00.000-07:00

My niece turned off the lights. I blinked. Shannon kept cooking in the dark.

Wed

2011-11-22T19:21:00.001-07:00

This about sums up my day.

I'll post more photos after the continuing of events tomorrow.

Blue Skies

2011-11-21T12:29:00.001-07:00

I can be pretty picky when it comes to covers. The music kind.

But I found this little cover today. Actually, like eight minutes ago. And I am kind of a fan. I like the original, and this version is swell.

Labels

2011-11-18T13:13:00.000-07:00

She went to the store to buy a label machine
Then she came back and put a label on me.

The label said “clumsy”, “dumb”, and “mean”

On just one tiny label, but it was easily seen.

She went and placed labels on all in sight

And I saw what she saw, only seeing in one light.

I was surrounded by babies, by whiners and brats

Only noticing by the words on their shirts and their hats.

She went to the store and bought a label machine

Altering my thoughts; I only saw what she had seen.

Time Travel

2011-11-17T15:58:00.001-07:00

I've been scrolling through Dallas Clayton's blog for a while, just reading his brain. I have found plenty of posts that I thought were quite relevant and clever, but this is one of the swellest things to think about. Partially because I frequently think about bringing people to the future.

But look through his website for a while. It makes me want to write a children's book. Like I've always thought could be fun.

From Before

2011-11-16T23:06:00.001-07:00

I went national-parking with three of my sisters. Ten months ago. I posted a few and a few more pictures not long after the trip. Then I moved on with my photography and with blogging.

Fast forward to right now and I haven't much to say. I haven't photographed anything lately. But I felt like posting something for your eyes to pace over. So I did. Exhibit A is placed above.

Also, the third picture up is not a picture of wand-imitating. It's stick-racing on a bridge. You see whose goes under the bridge first, and I've done it since I was a small person.

And when I said "I haven't much to say," I really meant "I feel like I have a million thoughts inside of my head and you probably don't want me to start on a rampage; plus I wouldn't even know how to pretend like I'd know how to organize my thoughts into a coherent, normal, organized, and effective manner."

Then again, does that ever happen?

Stitious

2011-11-11T15:47:00.001-07:00

What is my problem with drinking orange colored beverages that have gone bad?

And bloody noses?

And peeling my nail polish off before it sees the light of day?

Maybe '11/11/11 at 11:11' is mildly overused today, but I still made a wish. Even non-superstitious people can make wishes. ["I'm not superstitious, but I'm a little stitious."]

Last night I set three different alarms on my phone to wake me up. Each set to go off in two minute intervals. It was the most annoying idea I've ever come up with.

If you missed the 11^5 minute of the day, do yourself a favor and set an alarm & be a little stitious. You still have a minute.

Mailbox

2011-11-10T19:19:00.001-07:00

Have I listened to "Postcards From Italy" four thousand times today? No, only six times that.

It was fitting, though. The anticipation leading up to the transferring of envelopes from a truck to a postage case outside. I stumbled out to the mailbox (I definitely need a more accurate prescription for these occasional-wear glasses) and subsequently threw the world a rock sign when I saw a little message waiting for me. Not quite a postcard, but perhaps better. Not quite from Italy, but from a place perhaps seemingly equal in distance. Inside I scampered and the eye-pacing began.

I quite enjoy postage.

Postcards

2011-11-10T10:24:00.001-07:00

I was as ornery as a goose last night. And stressed. And stuff.

Then I listened to Pandora. Beirut's station.

The songs were nice, but my poultry-like orneriness was still there. And my stress. And stuff.

Then this familiar song came on,

And for some moments, I was content. Complacent. Relaxed.

Then I was reminded of this nice little piece of visual and melodious poetry.

A sidenote: The instrumental parts, along with the "la da da da da" parts in the last chunk of the song, are purely excellent and heart-squelching.

Distaste & Taste

2011-11-06T23:22:00.000-07:00

I do not enjoy when I start cleaning my room and then I don't finish. Because then I never finish.

I do not enjoy when my impatience swallows me.

I do not enjoy when no matter how much I check off on my To Accomplish list, there's always a check mark I overlooked.

But mostly, I do not enjoy the space involved in distance, time, and otherwise.

But I do enjoy sweet rolls.

And I do enjoy milk.

In Formation

2011-11-05T19:13:00.001-06:00

Meh to:

Long days
Messes
Anticipation
Money
Distance

Here's to:

Passing time
Skinny jeans
Sweaters
Wall collages
My rearranged bedroom
Paychecks
Shortened long days
Creamy Swiss cheese

Ballerina

2011-11-03T00:07:00.002-06:00

Did I ever tell you that I used to be a ballerina?

Up until eighth grade, officially. Which I find odd, because thinking back to eighth grade, I feel like I am thinking back to childhood.

And ballethood seems like just a few hours ago.

I miss ballet. I can't pretend like I miss some of the classmates throughout the entire experience. But I miss ballet.

I miss a lot of significants right now. Namely my post-consumption of rotten orange juice esophagus. And my post-lifting 6 tons at work state.

Among other things.

But I'll spare you the eye-pacing and brain storage, for now.

Shavings

2011-10-31T14:22:00.000-06:00

It is nice when you discover that you really don't have unlimited photo space on this whole blogger deal. Google's a smart cookie in that regard.

I don't have a list of people I hate. I have a list of people who hate me.

I finally have a real blog header. If you hate it, I'll probably add you to the list of people who hate me.

Sometimes the Grooveshark playlist I listen to gets old, but it's the only thing my ears are comfortable with right then.

This song is a nice reflection of life, to put it vaguely. It has three stages within the song, and I enjoy each one.

I have infinite tasks to do in the photography area of things.

Happy Candy-Begging Day; Welcome, winter months.

I'm Out

2011-10-30T20:05:00.000-06:00

California is up next on my hypothetical To Do list.

I'm moving.

I've been practically stationary for the past twenty years, ten months. Not including the nine months of time my mother was pregnant with me.

That's basically the equality of ninety-seven years of stationary living.

There's way too much to explore and experience to stay in the same place for my entire life.

See you.

Nearly Falling

2011-10-29T19:21:00.000-06:00

It feels like fall has melted into place this year. Rather than winter biting into summer, causing me to be ornery and bitter toward the current axis of the earth.

Some years I feel like fall never really exists. And then I dread winter, I hate winter, and I wish winter away.

This year, I've come to terms with the shifting seasons and tilting planet.

I am not promising a permanent complacency, but only declaring my lack of hatred toward the diminishing hours of sunlight each day.

However, I am hoping my content attitude regarding the chilled air lasts for a few minutes longer.

Facebook Diet

2011-10-26T22:59:00.000-06:00

Motivation is like the 24-hour flu.
It only lasts for a short time.

And then you're on Facebook again.

BRB

2011-10-23T22:43:00.000-06:00

As my family is well aware,

I have recently grown a mild distaste for the television. Psych. The Mentalist. I've watched those, recently. Other than that, it's all kind of a waste of time to me.

I think it was my Courtship & Marriage professor last semester who pointed out that we watch the tele when we are bored. Then the show is over and we're still bored.

Tonight I checked facebook. Then I checked who updated their blogs. I checked to see if anyone commented on my blog. I checked facebook again. Checked my email. Facebook. Then I thought, "What else is there to do on this screen??"

And then I realized. That there really wasn't much else to do while staring at a screen.

And I realized something else.

I'm tired of facebook being a daily ritual. Fourteen times a day. Same with blogger. [Don't hate.]

So I'm here to tell you that after my social networking/blogging binge,

I'm taking a break.

Basically, within the next little bit, I'm going to limit my computer time to editing pictures and satisfying my music addiction, and then I'll be reading A Series of Unfortunate Events, writing in my journal, and recording my thoughts onto a tangible piece of paper.

I just thought I would let you know.

Thank you for your support.

Over and out.

Love, Laugh, Live, And Then Some

2011-10-23T13:19:00.001-06:00

I like to write worn-outs on my hands, take pictures of them, and post them on my blog.

Speaker On Ear

2011-10-20T20:54:00.000-06:00

To whom it may not concern,

If you are anything like me, you see someone post a video or song and you disregard the idea of ever playing it. Here is another opportunity to do so.

And here. If you want to ignore a whole playlist I just made. Collected from Pandora bookmarks/a couple other songs that I wanted in the new playlist. [Forewarning for the first ten seconds of Imogen Heap's appearance in the playlist, if you have sensitive ears like me. Other than that, I think we're good.]

P.S. My room still reflects a certain air of pink.

P.P.S. The postal service keeps me on my toes.

P.P.P.S. It's making my toes ache, a little.

P.P.P.P.S., etc:

I miss ballet.

I miss poetry.

Decision-making's not my cup of tea. My cup of milk, if you will.

There are 77 posts in my draft bucket.

I'm sometimes glad clouds aren't made out of cotton candy, or else it would be a waste; I wouldn't be tall enough to reach up and eat them.

Eardrum art could be my diet.

I actually do hope you take a taste of that playlist up there. It's playing to my brain and pink room right this moment.

As expected,

Bethany

Dust Collection

2011-10-14T21:27:00.000-06:00

Updates in the areas of:

*My hibernating photography blog

*The Artichoke Box. Chapter fourteen tapped the dust from it.

Now somebody finish all my photo edits, catch up in my journal, make my noggin pretend like it's not aching, and get ready for bed for me.

Then I'll be on top of things.

Benjamin Franklin On A Clear Day

2011-10-12T22:08:00.001-06:00

Today was tragic.

The electricity went out. At first, crazed mobs swarmed the street begging the sky to release electrics into the outlets in their homes. Then, all was quiet and still. Because people realized that their televisions weren't working. That their refrigerators could only be used sparingly so as not to let out all of the cool air. They found that in order to shower, they would have to shower in the dark. And that washing their hair before work was out of the picture; How would their hair dry on time and straighten itself? The blogosphere was still. Facebook was unoccupied. The stove had to be lit with a lighter.

The world became unlaughably archaic. People began to foam at the mouth.

Nobody foamed at the mouth.

But they wanted to. Because the world was suddenly dark. Cold. Alone. Virtual-free. And dark. And cold. And alone.

And virtual-free.

I can't tell you how many times I tried to flip the light switch on. Even when I was holding a flashlight. Even when I was mentally complaining about the lack of electricity. My hand would automatically reach for the switch.

With no avail.

So I ran outside and rampaged the streets for a while.

Sunflowers

2011-10-11T14:30:00.002-06:00

They're in love.

Disclosure

2011-10-08T15:46:00.000-06:00

Confession: I didn't take a shower today.

Fact: My eyes hurt from photo-editing.

Fact: If my phone ever does anything related to erasing the wrong texts ever again,

I'll introduce it to the blender.

Fact: This week has done anything but add years to my lifespan.

Confession: I'm mildly looking forward to winter. First time for everything.

Clarification: My heart is already craving summer.

Fact: I took engagements today.

Baby

2011-10-06T00:02:00.001-06:00

It took me about thirteen days to come up with the title for this post. Obviously creativity always wins.

blaŋ·kət

2011-10-04T15:29:00.000-06:00

About a month ago:

"Mother, after all the blankets we use at the cabin are laundered, may I keep the afghan blanket which you bought in Mexico many years ago?"

A little later:

"Bethany, I left that blanket on your bed. I'm going to the cabin now, and I am bringing along the other freshly laundered blankets with me. Farewell."

A little later, later:

"Oh dear, Mother left the wrong blanket on my bed. She left this odd, old quilty thing that will clash with everything in my bedroom rather than the Mexican blanket which I thought would be pleasant to have spread upon my bed. Now what."

But then a remarkable thing occurred. Although Bethany originally found the blanket to be rather unusual, against her expected preference, and more squatty than a normal bed covering...

...She soon came to find the intricately knotted yarn to be rather charming, comforting, uniquely cheerful, and quite fitting to her taste.

To this very day, it canopies the young girl as she counts sheep every night.

And That's All

2011-09-29T19:11:00.000-06:00

You know when your entire neck and shoulder area feels like death? All sore and stress-knotty? Do you think the word "knotty" is funny?

If You Give A Swede Some Sushi

2011-09-28T11:15:00.002-06:00

...She'll ask for some soy sauce to go with it.

Actually, it was probably the weirdest experience of my life. And by "weirdest experience of my life" I mean, "Oh, well that was mildly odd."

As Jillian later pointed out, I don't eat fish, and I don't like associating with raw meat. Nevertheless, there I was at the sushi restaurant. And I ate three sushi rolls. One had caviar on it. And it felt like I was eating little beads, or something. And I hoped that I wouldn't get little, orange fish eggs caught in my teeth. Because that might be even more creepy than the fact I was consuming little water-bird offspring.

For you sushi eaters who think I am being dramatic, I guess sushi's not that weird. Those that accompanied me claimed that sushi is an acquired taste. The first roll I ate was fine. I didn't feel like there was much acquiring necessary. But then while I ate the next couple of rolls, my brain said, "Oh hey. You're eating fish. Taste it? Taste it?" Oh, little brainy. Thank you for reminding me.

Because then the sushi was weird, a little.

But hey. I ate sushi.

Employed It & Enjoyed It

2011-09-26T14:47:00.000-06:00

Yeah, sometimes I buy strapless shirts and I wear them as skirts. So sue me.

And sometimes I wear them to work.

Today was my first day of work. At a nice little vintage shop. Lassies (and laddies), I think I'm going to love it. Antiques everywhere, delicate little glass things waiting for me to bump into and break, ridiculously lovely furniture that likely wants to relocate to my house...I even love the distinct smell of the store. It's one of those smells. Lightly musty and laced with a lavender-ish scent.

However intimidating it all seems (all the inventory, consignment, register, etcetera-etcetera stuff), I think it'll be fine, and I think I will mesh into it in a couple minutes.

And here's my last week. From raspberry-picking to wearing an outrage of striped socks with meant-to-be-sockless shoes to Pocahontas birthday partying.

Statement

2011-09-24T00:11:00.001-06:00

Oh, and I am employed.

Bethany

2011-09-22T17:20:00.000-06:00

I'll share food. I'll share my Barbies. I'll even share my light bulbs.

But I'm not used to sharing my name.

There's a little girl at my house right now who refers to herself as Bethany. Someday I'll try to recover.

Stung

2011-09-21T13:32:00.000-06:00

Yesterday I was on the phone setting up an engagement photo session. I paced my back lawn because I often walk around when I'm on the phone. I'm not sure why. I just do. I recommend it; especially if you enjoy stepping on insects that sting you.

Poor little footy.

A tube of toothpaste goes a long way. I think I'm just about out of that tooth-shiner, and then I squeeze out a few more days' worth onto my toothbrush over the next jumble of days. Sadly, though, eventually all of the toothpaste is gone. Gone. And then you end up whimpering about it on your blog. Consider this my whimpering.

I may take up snail mail instead of text messaging. And instead of verbal communication. Both are detrimental to my social health. So I figure the postal service would only help me. My conversations would be extremely drawn-out, but probably also more tactful, intelligent, and sensical.

Interview today. I'm getting a lot of practice with those things.

Wish me luck, anyway.

Drapery

2011-09-19T15:30:00.000-06:00

This picture just drapes my brain with this song. Every time.

But Only A Peek

2011-09-16T18:58:00.002-06:00

Have you ever been a wedding photographer?

Me, either.

Except for today.

Forget The Lyrics

2011-09-15T00:01:00.000-06:00

When looking up lyrics to a song, I do not find one bit of joy in ads popping up. The kinds of ads that take over the whole screen. The kinds of ads that take over the whole screen with a tiny, hidden close button that takes seventeen days to find.

Every lyrics website has those ads, now.

My stress levels are rising.

Muttered Uneloquence & Porching

2011-09-12T23:12:00.000-06:00

I most of the time eat dried blueberries.

Sometimes I buy cheap Walmart tennies. Because I can.

It is much easier for me to pour eloquence into written words than into spoken words.

I find instagram photos attractive yet overused and subsequently unoriginal. But at the same time, does that make normal pictures overused and subsequently unoriginal?

Today it took me nine years before I actually got ready for the day. I went outside on the porch where my parents were sitting. I was still in my pajamas, my hair was ridiculous, and my face was unpainted. As cars passed us while we porched, I asked my mom and dad, "Does me sitting out here like this lower the value of our house?"

I'm not sure they ever gave me a direct answer.

Enterprises II

2011-09-09T12:38:00.000-06:00

Herbavore (Citation Needed)

2011-09-07T01:17:00.000-06:00

I am a nonpracticing vegetarian.

Raw meat is the death of me. No, really. I died today. Twice. I was assigned to cook the ground beef. Which required me pulling the meat out of the Ziploc bag with my bare hands.

It was traumatizing.

But then I made my brother finish cooking it while I washed my hands.

And while I wept in the corner, likely.

Gouache & Other Enterprises

2011-09-03T12:46:00.000-06:00

Scavenger

2011-09-01T00:39:00.000-06:00

If my last interview seemed like it carried potential but it ended up disintegrating into nothing,
Does it mean that today's interview that seems like a joke will end up being my employment?

I'm not sure if I should hope so, or if I should hope it actually ends up being a joke, after all.

The past couple of days I have been roaming back and forth from the refrigerator to the cupboard. Scavenging. However, certain things were missing. Edible food that I actually felt like eating, first of all. And some of the basics, like bread, second of all. So I have been satisfying my appetite with Chips Ahoy cookies and dried blueberries.

But then, today I opened the freezer. A beautiful loaf of my mom's homemade bread was hibernating. I shouted an exclamation of joy.

My dad asked me why I was so overjoyed.

Already pulling the ingredients for a BLT out of the fridge, I explained in a delighted voice, "I found bread in the freezer!"

He walked away and said in a narrator's tone, "And the peasants rejoiced."

I laughed for a while.

Houdini

2011-08-31T11:24:00.001-06:00

I don't know what it is about this song.

But it kills me. I can listen to it over and over again.

My mom says that she'd rather listen to The Fray. "Any day."

So...One long-awaited point for The Fray.

One blow to Foster the People.

One Hundred and One Famous Poems

2011-08-31T01:39:00.000-06:00

"Think not, because no man sees,

Such things will remain unseen."

-Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

When I graduated this spring, my grandma gave me a book of poetry. One Hundred and One Famous Poems. She read to me some of the poems she likes, but after that, I only found time to become familiar with the cover.

Tonight I pulled the book out. I only planned to glance through it, considering the time. But I re-realized the brilliance behind the worded-art, and my glancing through it became a delving.

People are lovely. Words are lovely. And I now have many scraps of paper marking poems that I find intriguing and lovely.

And to think that I used to get a horrible taste in my mouth whenever I tasted poetry.

That Thing In Which We All Exist

2011-08-29T15:47:00.000-06:00

I've never broken a bone. I credit my intake of 3.4 gallons of milk. Daily.

Pandora should never play music I already have on my iPod.

I feel like the word "life" is overused and worn. I often want to say, "Life is _____." And I often do. But then I often feel blended into the Dictionary of the Overused Vocabulary. Because life is swell, but to express this would mean to express a somewhat cliche statement.

I have often heard that life is unpredictable. I believed that. To an extent. Because I always believed that life could also be a little bit predictable. Because it's always been a little bit predictable. Minorly.

Life is unpredictable, kids.

Too

2011-08-27T13:52:00.000-06:00

I have too much to do within too much time I don't want to do it.

Unpretended Eyes

2011-08-26T21:19:00.000-06:00

enervation

2011-08-24T23:23:00.000-06:00

[ m u t e ]

Interviewee

2011-08-24T14:52:00.000-06:00

It's nice to hear that out of 120 applicants, I was one of the narrowed-down twelve.

Also, I wish every interview could be like today's. The photography-talk, the Napoleon Dynamite references, discussing in-common crushes in elementary school between the two interviewers...

We'll see about this Friday business. Maybe I'll be employed again.

Maybe I won't be.

But maybe I will.

I Blank

2011-08-23T22:38:00.000-06:00

I think the guy on the right is a genius.

I purchased my second phone in one week, today.

I have an interview tomorrow.

I miss plenty of things. Including my camera. It's sitting right next to me right now. But still.

I am going to go eat something.

A Constant

2011-08-23T00:39:00.000-06:00

I have heard it a million times. "Life's only constant is change."

Every time I hear it, I ponderously purse my lips and I nod my head in a thoughtful fashion. Because how true is that statement.

Life is changing right now. As it must. But in a backward manner. It's morphing to what it once was. To a previous state, it feels like.

I think I am going to start being spontaneous. No, Really. Unpredictable. It always sounds like a good plan in my head, but my follow-through somehow dissolves like cotton candy on tongue. It is sometimes so easy to let my knees give out from under me and to just float down life. But maybe it's time for a kayak and a paddle. That way, I at least have a sip of control over my direction.

Right?

Don't worry, I'll be fluent in Metaphor any day now.

We Always Lawn-It

2011-08-22T15:12:00.002-06:00

We like cinnamon rolls in this joint.

We like Sunday evening lawn-sits in this joint.

And Sunday evening lawn-stands, I guess.

Bee El Tee

2011-08-19T11:45:00.000-06:00

I asked my mom if she wanted to have a midnight snack with me. She said, "Like what kind of midnight snack? Water?"

Then I dragged her along to Sconecutter. Well, she actually came without much budging.

This is why we love mothers.

Now Put Your Hands Up

2011-08-18T12:53:00.001-06:00

It was Alex's birthday.

We, the trio, frequently make an appearance at Vill Inn. Also referred to as Village Inn. It's tradition. So we went to put some grub into our bellies.

There was a large group of high school students occupying some of the tables. They left just before we did, and after we left, there they all were, chilling in the parking lot. Sitting outside of their cars. Hip hop blasted. Pumped up bass. Pumped up kicks, more than likely.

So Kiyna, Alex and I scampered over to my car, ignoring the awkward looks the high schoolers threw at us. When we got into my vehicle, I said, "Want to be obnoxious?" I turned the key, rolled down the windows, turned the radio up to the first song I found, and I pumped up the bass. "All The Single Ladies" wasn't the most gangster song I could have found, but we all found it mildly amusing.

So I started to back out of the parking spot and all seventeen year-old eyes were observing us skeptically. The three of us laughed and sang along, "...shoulda put a ring on it..."

Thud.

The tire hit the curb on the way to back out. I braked. I blinked. I pulled forward. And I re-pulled out of the parking space. As "All The Single Ladies" and the high schoolers' gangster music blared through the parking lot, we experienced a very awkward moment.

But at least three of us were laughing hysterically.

So, How Was It?

2011-08-17T11:54:00.001-06:00

You know when people come home from Europe, Disneyland, serving a mission, a cruise, etcetera, and people always ask, "So, how was it?"

Everyone asks it.

I can just imagine after we've all lived life and we are all in Heaven, we will be asking each other, "So, how was your life?"

And everyone will answer with the typical small-talk, "Oh, it was good. There were some hard things, but it was worth it. And how about yours?"

I also imagine another common question being asked. "So, how did you die?"

It will be amusing, I think. In a really strange way.

Whereabouts

2011-08-14T11:35:00.003-06:00

Assuming you find relevance in the following words,

If I could tell you my life story in one post, I would. And by life story, I mean all of my recent enterprises of thought, experiences, dreams, laughs, confusions, employment, anticipations, smiles, adventures, and etcetera.

I may have been neglecting my blog for a minute, but rest assured, I have been keeping up with each of those lovely blogs I follow.

And now, I must dash off to some other happenings. All the while my fingers will be crossed; My brain will be contemplating photo blueprints; my stomach will be butterflying; My mouth will be smiling, frowning, whistling, and etcetera; The blog wheels in my head will be turning, and I will post the many thoughts in my head. Especially the ideas I have placed in my phone's drafts, and maybe some ideas I placed in my blog's drafts.

Until soon,
Bethany

Little Arty

2011-08-05T22:35:00.001-06:00

Remember this? Little Artichoke? I've neglected that little box of a blog. Kiyna and Alex were keeping a count of how many days I hadn't written my chapter.

And really, just read chapter one if you haven't read any of it yet. That's all. Just chapter one is all I'm asking of you.

Overlooked

2011-08-02T00:09:00.002-06:00

Dusting away inside my computer.

Play days,

Rooftop gandering,

Table petals,

Odd seating,

Swing-soaring,

And tree petals.

You Love

2011-08-01T12:09:00.003-06:00

You love broken plumbing in the sky.

You love s m i l i n g.

You love a fat, swollen, unpleasant lip that looks (un)attractive in the mirror.

You love (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7...) decisions made.

You love waking up early and discovering the perfect peace that morning can be. The kind you've missed out on all summer.

You love a shifted revision.

Because I do.

TP

2011-07-30T20:09:00.000-06:00

Today I asked my mom if she would trim my bangs for me. So I brought her the scissors and the comb and as soon as she started, both my dad and my little sister, Jillian, started throwing comments into the air that were ridiculous. The hilarious kind of ridiculous. So I would laugh, and naturally my mom couldn't cut my hair with me in that sort of state.

My mom told them to leave the room. It was getting out of hand. But Jillian kept talking, and I finally said, "If you don't listen to Mom, I'll toilet paper your room." My parents were confused at how I would even come up with a threat like that.

Long, long ago, a friend and I would toilet paper my two brothers' room. I'm not sure why. But we would. Kind of frequently.

I hadn't remembered that prank until today. I felt all devious and nostalgic. Then my mom finished my bangs, and I carried on with my day.

Later, I went downstairs and into my bedroom. Guess what was strewn over everything.

I Am & I Am

2011-07-24T22:32:00.010-06:00

I am seventy-three inches long. I have bad posture, long fingers, and a smile that shows my gums. My hair is blonde and shoulder-length, and I have size eleven feet.

I am afraid of the dark, I hate keeping secrets, and I tend to care what people think about me. Sometimes my thoughts filter through in either blog or facebook status form.

I long to accomplish something, anything, and everything. I will alter my mindset to please others, to a fault. I constantly long for adventure, life, and love. Smiles melt me and genuine laughter makes me grin. I cry when others cry, and I am terribly impatient.

I find people amusing, confusing, and purely wonderful. I like to read when I have a book in my hand, but otherwise I'd rather read the world through my camera lens. I dissect songs, bands, and singers, consequentially causing me to find unbreakable adoration for people I'll likely never meet. I eat for fun, and I hate cleaning until I start; then I can't stop.

I sometimes get headaches when I am not listening to music, and I love reading people's blogs to read into new people's lives. I want to write a book, but I'm too distracted to get started. I hate making decisions, both big and small, and I am unintentionally flaky. My weaknesses are well-shot photographs, cheesecake, and clearance clothing. I have a collection of light bulbs and some blog drafts that will never be posted, and I am never on time.

I can't ever keep my blog posts or stories short and sweet, I never initiate hugs, and I love the smell of cotton candy, vanilla, and waffles. I find life's insignificants to sometimes be the most significant. I think life has the potential to become a piece of poetry or a work of art. I hate staying up late and I hate sleeping in, but I can never seem to do otherwise.

I am self conscious, mostly obnoxious, and sometimes reserved. I am sarcastic, passionate, and lazily determined.

I am emotionally driven, and I find it hard to throw anything away that is attached to a memory. I am a follower of the rules, and I am inconsistent.

I'm

Bethany.

Entrance

2011-07-23T00:57:00.004-06:00

My uncle got me this new job.

He brought me a security card. The unlock-door kind.

"You just hold it up to the box, and it unlocks the door."

It sounded simple enough. But I was still afraid that I wouldn't be able to get it. The next day, the door was propped open with a dustpan. I was relieved that I didn't have to use the security card. The day after that, It was just me, the door, and the card.

I scanned the card, the light turned green, and the card made a beeping sound. I'm in, I thought. I went to turn the handle, and my worst fears were confirmed. The handle wouldn't turn. So I scanned the card again. And again. And again. And again.

And again.

The handle just would not budge. So I ran to the main entrance [Who am I kidding. I walked to the main entrance.] And went through to the factory. I told my boss and my uncle that the card wouldn't work. My uncle said to just try it one more time to see if it would work.

So today I pulled up to the building. I was purposely a little early, in case I had to walk around to the main entrance again. I scanned the card. I turned the handle. Not really, because the handle wouldn't turn. So I scanned it again, and again, and again.

Irritated, I scanned it one more time and pulled the door open. It ended up that there was zero handle-turning necessary.

So I went about my day stacking planners, etcetera.

Later on, I kept hearing a buzzing noise. The you-got-the-answer-wrong on a game show type of noise. I wasn't sure what it was.

Even later on, I heard the noise again, and a couple moments following, I saw a group of employees walking up the stairs by the scan-card door.

And then I realized what the sound was. Every time someone scans their card, the game show buzzing noise follows.

No wonder I got a strange look from my cousin when I walked in today. Because everyone had to hear the buzz buzz buzz buzz of me trying to make an entrance.

And, boy, did I make an entrance.

Profession

2011-07-20T11:38:00.003-06:00

Yes.

That's my job.

I have other pictures on my phone.

Better ones, compositionally.

My phone was having issues exporting.

I'm making planners in an assembly line. Six and a half hours of picking up the stacks, putting them into the vibrating slot that straightens them out, checking to see if the hole puncher worked correctly [not the three hole kind, mind you], and then placing them into a neat pile on a cart.

Occasionally if the machine gets jammed, I have to open it, stick my hands into potential death and rip the paper from its jaws.

You should be jealous.

Because I am. And I already have the job. That's saying something.

Yesterday I was told that I can listen to my iPod. [It's really loud in there.] So today I may have some sort of entertainment and ear-break from the droning machines.

When I walked into my house at almost ten last night, my dad asked if I found myself a career choice.

I definitely found myself a career choice.

Checklist

2011-07-19T11:00:00.001-06:00

Phone: Check.
Job: Probably more than probably Check.

Short

2011-07-17T21:41:00.005-06:00

Short on dough equals short on cell phone.

For those of you reading who also occasionally throw a text to me: Sorry.

For those of you reading who do not occasionally throw a text to me due to a lack of possessing my phone number or otherwise:

Pity me.

Because I'll be in a corner for a while.

Just a little while.

Hopefully.

Life Examination

2011-07-15T20:04:00.003-06:00

Today, I stepped back from my everyday perspective and examined my life, even though I knew it would be a difficult feat to check off on my mental To Do list.

I decided a number of things, including [but not limited to] the following:

I want to write a book. The details are quite less than existent, but I just know that I want to write a book. And have it published.
I want to sell decor. Flat art, if you will. Photography, paintings, etcetera; in the wall-hanging form.
My blog needs a header. A real one. I'm working on it in my brain. But it needs to come into existence. Soon.
MGMT's "Kids" and Weezer's "The Greatest Man That Ever Lived" are basically the same songs. Well, the chorus of the latter, and the instruments in the background of the former.
I'm lucky I have a pay-as-you-go phone. However, unlucky because of the fact that I may not have a phone in a couple days, due to my lack of employment
I lack employment. And out of the like, 286 jobs to which I sent my resume, I had better be lacking in the unemployment category soon.
I may chop off my hair next haircut around. Chop off. I've wanted to for quite some time, and I just might talk myself into it.

Seamstressless

2011-07-13T21:59:00.004-06:00

There are plenty of ideas in my brain,

the design kinds of ideas.

But in my brain

there's no knowledge of sewing.

Somethings, Otherthings

2011-07-12T12:54:00.000-06:00

I can't handle it. I wish I had money. For this. How simply wonderful would that even be?

My heart is melting.

Read this. I've already written chapter eight. And you probably haven't even read chapter one. And Kiyna's already working on chapter nine. [Ehem. Right, Kiyna?]

Also, photo shoot on Friday. I think it will be a grand event.

And I think this is a fitting song of the day.

And finally, here are some recents:

Almost Drafted

2011-07-12T00:08:00.002-06:00

Sadly, my haircut today was not enough adventure to satisfy my brain taste buds. Although, I do feel slightly accomplished for chopping it off. It's much shorter than I am used to.

But adventure is brewing someplace else.

Neither Blogger nor Facebook is taking me to this "someplace else," however much I enjoy reading into other people's lives.

School's up in the air, employment is a laughable situation, my decisions regarding the future are entirely unmade.

Today I [re]realized that I belong quite elsewhere.

I thought, "San Francisco." I thought, "I could have been a nanny in San Francisco." I thought, "I could have been preparing to be a nanny in San Francisco. Before the end of this year." I thought, "Too bad I didn't get that nanny job in San Francisco."

But why San Francisco? I don't know. It just felt like it could have been a swell decision. Like a satisfying or effective or right or free-spirited or new or different or fulfilling act could have been set into play. Plus, the opportunity was blaring right in front of me.

And since that didn't work out, I obviously have to work with what I have. That's something called Life.

Pity this post will end up in my drafts, likely. If not, I welcome you as warmly as I can to my sphere of thought.

Pity I'm not offering something more visual, like a photograph, or something. I'm only offering a stream of words that had no use except for bubbling on the stove top.

I promise I'll have something posted soon that contains something for the right cerebral cortex of your brain to enjoy.

Hopefully that "something posted" involves adventures of someplace adventurous.

Tell Me Something.

2011-07-11T11:32:00.001-06:00

How is it that I set up a hair appointment
And I write three o'clock on the calendar
And I put it into my phone as eleven o'clock?

Good thing I have eyelids,
Otherwise I wouldn't be able to blink as much as I am right now.

Because blinks are fluttering off my eyelids
And my hair still isn't cut.

Beneath the Estimated

2011-07-10T20:17:00.004-06:00

It's funny how things turn out.

It's funny how things don't turn out.

Sometimes my indecision morphs into fickle-mindedness.

Sometimes my fickle-mindedness repeats itself, quite generously.

But then I just sift through everything, and I smile.

But sometimes a frown peeks from behind my lips.

It's funny how things turn out.

It's funny how things don't turn out.

A Fourth, Part Two

2011-07-08T14:19:00.005-06:00

So you know in the cartoons, when a bear disturbs a beehive, and the bees swarm the bear and chase him all over the place? My cabin was like that.

Minus the beehive, minus the bear, and minus the bees. But then, plus mosquitoes.

It was ridiculous. I would look down and they were covering my pants. Sometimes I thought I was wearing a swarm of mosquitoes. They'd buzz all around me, smacking their little straw lips. And they buzz in my ears and I hated it. Because, hey, I don't know how to speak mosquito.

I was destroyed. Death by West Nile carriers. Even when I had bug repellent on me.

Oh, and also, how do you feel about ticks? Because I am scared of them. And one night I went to take a shower [yes, hot, running water at my cabin; a recent and lovely addition], and I announced to my family, "If I find a tick on me, I'm going to scream."

So as I was preparing to take a shower, I looked down and the cutest little arachnid was crawling upon my clothing. Cute, meaning disturbing. Arachnid, meaning a fellow named Tick. Clothing, meaning my underwear.

Yes, it is true.

And so I died. Twice.

And the tick died. Once. By being flushed down the toilet.

Goodbye, Tick.

A Fourth

2011-07-07T21:17:00.003-06:00

On Sunday evening and for the first time this summer, I tagged along with my family and began trekking up into the ridges which were caused by years of movement across the earth's crust. In other words, I went to my cabin for a few days.

The car I rode in was a little Nissan. And the dirt road leading to our cabin doesn't really care for small cars. So we stopped at the main gate of the property and waited for my parents to come so we could hitch a ride in the truck.

At this gate, however, was a new little friend. A little puppy sort of friend. Just lying in the shade. Sadly, said puppy did not seem to be in the greatest shape. We knew that it was likely a sheepdog puppy. Because there are sheep roaming around the mountains. With dogs herding them. But this puppy was basically acting like it was starving. It was pathetic and heart-wrenching. So we waited with this puppy [a female which my older brother considerately named Li'l Brudder], but the truck to pick us up was nowhere in sight.

And so my older siblings contemplated. And decided that we would venture on the rest of the dirt road in the little car.

But Li'l Brudder was still lying pathetically and motionless by the gate. So we did what any law-abiding citizen would do; we stole the puppy.

But don't worry. The puppy promptly received food and water. And more food. And then it still wouldn't move. But my parents weren't too happy with their children running around like puppy bandits. So we drove down and returned the baby canine to its mother. And to the sheep. To my dismay.

And when we dropped her off, she even stood up for the first time. All by herself.

And you know that movie? Fox and the Hound? When the lady leaves the fox in the middle of the road and drives away? And it's the saddest thing ever?

It wasn't like that at all.

Because Li'l Brudder has her own family. And she's a sheep dog. So please. Dry your tears.

Pertaining To Yesterday [Carnivaled]

2011-07-02T13:48:00.000-06:00