tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21517036815377460622012-02-16T07:58:05.978-07:00Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.comBlogger1511100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-53450812099085066902010-07-25T11:42:00.001-06:002010-07-25T11:44:14.068-06:00

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-3042807564968620292010-04-11T15:51:00.003-06:002010-04-11T15:56:08.757-06:00

My ducks are back! Even though my little backyard pond is more like a group of puddles this year, the duck couple was happily floating and digging this morning like it's their private resort get-away. I'm totally in love. I bought them cracked corn and hopefully the plethora of food will make up for the paltry pond.

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-75113845623962254362010-04-07T15:11:00.005-06:002010-04-07T15:40:49.545-06:00

I don't want anything bad to happen. I really don't. But I have to admit I feel a strange sense of excitement when things happen. Sometimes I go charging right in to see the aftermath. Maybe it goes back to my years as a journalist where story chasing naturally took me into the heat of the excitement. It's really a rush like no other.My friend Kim and I react to intense situations very

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-5951182002407878002010-03-31T20:09:00.004-06:002010-03-31T22:33:42.596-06:00

I'm leaving for San Diego and a cruise and Mexico and beaches tomorrow. Couldn't be better timing for me since I'm looking out on a couple of inches of new snow. Of course I had to get ready: buy a few new clothes, get a pedicure, find somebody to play with Captain Casey while I'm gone; and I had to get tan. And fast. So spray tan it was.Turns out, that spray tanning place works just like a car

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-28031431592325309132010-03-30T22:11:00.006-06:002010-03-30T22:40:21.767-06:00

That white stuff is going. The sledding hill is still a sledding hill, but the edges are getting pretty soft. The grass in my back yard is almost back. The curb in my front yard is back. The unfinished landscaping of my side yard is back. And the spring pond behind my house is back. Now I just want the ducks to come back.

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-65108025163032457572010-03-27T21:56:00.006-06:002010-03-30T00:26:50.908-06:00

Tonight my house went dark for Earth Hour. I joined people around the world who dimmed their lights from 8:30 until 9:30 p.m. For 60 minutes, the lights were off in some 4,000 cities in more than 120 countries.As for me, I found myself listening to the loud silence as my house slowly went darker and quieter with each fuse I flipped. Most of my senses were heightened as I wandered around my

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-43180597889794737942010-03-24T11:15:00.002-06:002010-03-24T11:20:54.579-06:00

It is said without guilt, without introspection or embarrassment. They say it with force and while looking you in the eye as if they truly believe they are right. Not only right, but justified. And moral. And indignant.It's not that they don't want to help other people, it's just that they want to choose the people to help. It's not that they think other people are less deserving, it's just that

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-76205647670842101092010-03-23T22:23:00.007-06:002010-03-24T11:53:35.425-06:00

The true meaning of life is to plant trees, under whose shade you do not expect to sit. ~Nelson Henderson

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-37465819227505943152010-03-17T23:25:00.004-06:002010-03-18T00:35:03.928-06:00

I've learned a new swear word. It's gluten. Sounds pretty awful, huh? It's better if you say the "glu" part while scowling and wrinkling up your nose and then bite down hard on the "ten" and swallow it meanly.This terrible-sounding stuff has quite recently reached the top of the 10-most-unwanted list and all my friends are swearing it off. They are giving it up for lent, taking it out of their

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-88586906212665905752010-03-14T22:13:00.005-06:002010-03-14T22:28:14.727-06:00

I got welcomed home from a work trip to Indianapolis by a three-foot drift across my driveway. I had to climb my way through in snow up to my crotch just to get into the garage and snow-blow my way out. So, after a long four days of travel and work, more than 9 hours of traveling today and an hour of snowblowing and digging, I'm finally home. I cut a swath through the drift only about as wide as

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-55225072202792200812010-03-09T19:27:00.004-07:002010-03-09T20:38:03.318-07:00

Say hello to Aunt Barbara.She's the nation's top Tupperware sales person, she's irreverent and sassy, and she's a 42-year-old Manhattan man in drag. What an idea! And what a way to stand out in a sea of sameness. I'd go to her Tupperware party any day.

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-86359514660323363252010-03-08T09:50:00.004-07:002010-03-08T10:07:47.688-07:00

Speaking of cars, I'm the proud owner of a shiny new windshield. It's so damn exciting. I looked around at all the different styles of windshields and waited until the perfect day to make the long-awaited purchase. I will certainly miss the pleasure of shopping for windshields, but I suppose there is always next year when the helpful safety inspector will get his "rejected" stamp out again. I

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-46862563038814443482010-03-07T12:17:00.005-07:002010-03-08T09:49:40.099-07:00

The auto industry has let me down.The biggest disappointment is, of course, not delivering the flying car I was promised. I feel this disappointment even more acutely because the advertising mascot for the flying car was George Jetson. In my young mind, I was quite convinced that if an idiot like George Jetson could get a flying car, then I most certainly would get one eventually too. Chitty

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-29299075340572634222009-10-11T01:20:00.003-06:002009-10-11T01:25:34.906-06:00

I seem to be on some kind of video binge lately, but this is pretty spectacular. The two girls on the right are 6 years old, the two in the center are 7, and the one on the left is 8. Amazing!

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-29603470582326039512009-10-09T22:46:00.001-06:002009-10-09T22:49:18.674-06:00

Turns out, I just need more fun in my life!Something I need to remember. I'm nearly always motivated by fun.

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-3323875374258915192009-10-02T23:22:00.003-06:002009-10-03T00:33:46.992-06:00

Knock knockWho's there?YogaYoga who?Yoga to try this, it feels amazing.I pulled together a little make-shift yoga studio in my unfinished basement with a big bolt of cool fabric for the walls and some smelly candles for lights. On most days that space is used by my friends and I for a nice, relaxing, and rejuvenating yoga class taught by our favorite yogini. Tonight, however, the class was taught

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-76543559966132270262009-10-01T20:18:00.002-06:002009-10-01T20:19:12.844-06:00

It snowed today. It's definitely October and not May. Where did summer go?

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-47259180552568872742009-05-01T07:53:00.005-06:002009-05-01T09:34:09.322-06:00

It's May Day or Beltane and I don't have a Maypole. Does anyone do that any more? I remember doing a Maypole dance when I was a little girl. I finally was allowed to wear the pretty yellow dress I got as a flower girl at my uncle Ross' wedding and I had ringlets and daisies in my hair. The yellow dress was long and twirly and shiny and satiny, and I felt like a princess. May Day was a liberating

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-22825989099402410002009-04-21T19:35:00.004-06:002009-04-21T20:35:27.057-06:00

I'm having a love affair with pine nuts. It all began when I got an impossibly big bag of the little suckers from Costco. I started with the expected: fresh pesto. I love that stuff. Then I moved on to adding them to stir fry, which was also unexpectedly delicious. These jewels are tender and a little sweet and crisp. Perfect for stir fry. I'm not going to Google this idea and just pretend that I

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-21818150909260599582009-04-15T18:03:00.004-06:002009-04-15T18:11:16.581-06:00

Holy cow! Check out this freaky tax-day snow. I can't bear the thought of shoveling or snowblowing. I think I'll just let it be. I'm beginning to think I live in Narnia.

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-91692997751388047842009-04-12T13:27:00.005-06:002009-04-12T20:05:00.419-06:00

You have to watch this video all the way through. I promise you won't be sorry. Susan Boyle is an unemployed 47-year-old lady who has a dream to be a professional singer. Never been married (or kissed for that matter), she lives in a flat with her cat called Pebbles. Her audition is something to see!If the embed feature is blocked, go to this Britain's Got Talent link.

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-5325669628690647782009-04-08T18:26:00.003-06:002009-04-08T23:20:01.180-06:00

Sometimes I think I'm some kind of cross between Anne of Green Gables and Bridget Jones.This afternoon my friend, Julie, and I decided to wander down to the new Red Mango that just opened a few blocks from where we work. It was a blustery afternoon, to say the least. We could feel the building swaying in the wind and had to hold on to our skirts when we got outside.We enjoyed our delicious fro yo

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-27926050565662770892009-04-04T09:29:00.002-06:002009-04-04T09:33:38.811-06:00

I could be wrong, but I was almost sure it was April. Isn't it?

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-83364942359454315752009-03-29T10:40:00.013-06:002009-03-29T11:57:38.633-06:00

It's a surreal experience to celebrate Holi or the Festival of Color in Spanish Fork, Utah. Most of the people who converged on the Sri Sri Radha Krishna Temple yesterday were BYU students reveling in their own form of spring break.In the legend commemorated by the festival, an evil king named Hiranyakashipu forbids his son Prahlad from worshipping Vishnu. But Radhu rebelliously continued to

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-69688615198887778472009-03-22T18:31:00.005-06:002009-03-23T06:52:28.631-06:00

A man named Sing convinced me I could make Indian food "just like they make it at Bombay House." And I was naive enough to believe him.I wandered into Sing's shop in the heart of Taylorsville in the hopes of finding cardamom pods—anything whole that hadn't been ground to a blackish dust by McCormick. But Sing saw me as a white girl who definitely needed several impromptu lessons on Indian

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-87764417973249255662009-03-19T22:13:00.002-06:002009-03-19T22:22:11.412-06:00

If only I spoke French!All day today I was working on labels for bottles that will be sold in Canada. Everything from ingredient decks and usage recommendations to positioning statements and marketing copy on the label must be in both French and English to meet Canada's stringent regulatory standards.This afternoon I was struggling with an English phrase we needed to have translated into French.

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-17266455936781737082009-03-15T09:53:00.006-06:002009-03-21T00:37:15.637-06:00

My friend Jan died this week, and her passing has stirred up all kinds of memories and people from the past. It has been very bittersweet, but leave it to Janny in her final act to arrange for a big reunion of old friends.Jan was a great outdoors woman. And she knew how to camp. I was pretty lacking in that area, to say the least. I didn't really grow up camping. My family's idea of a camping

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-43743777023030773512009-02-24T23:07:00.012-07:002009-02-25T18:57:39.652-07:00

Tonight the President spoke to Congress. He spoke to the House and the Senate, the members of the Supreme Court and his cabinet, to honored guests and the First Lady. And he spoke to me.He reassured me with his knowledge, he inspired me with his optimism, he comforted me with his wisdom, and he made America seem a little less scary today.I've never seen a leader like this in my lifetime. Not even

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-6128969249216927762009-02-22T09:59:00.004-07:002009-02-22T11:03:58.107-07:00

My friend, Maren, hosted a sled dog and skijoring race on Saturday in Park City called the iDIDaRACE. I got to watch. And I fell in love with the dogs and their complete joy of purpose. Their excited calls would echo over the hills when they knew their time to start racing was getting closer. They could hardly contain their excitement and would raise their voices together to announce their

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-78127839245681067152009-02-16T10:05:00.009-07:002009-03-19T22:34:47.464-06:00

Yesterday I got to see the movie Milk about the first openly gay elected official who was a supervisor in San Francisco. This film rattled my soul a bit and watching it in Utah after the recent fight about Proposition 8 made it even more poignant. Today I got this link from a beautiful friend of mine who married her long time partner last year in a joyful and loving ceremony. This video made me

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-8325192965958252202009-02-08T02:10:00.002-07:002009-02-08T02:18:31.810-07:00

I probably should be told to step away from the computer when it's after 2 a.m. and I just found out that a friend of mine is dying. This post might deserve a warning stronger than the swear-word warning--so stop reading now if you are not up for tragic and morose.My friend has been told she has advanced, inoperable liver cancer and will probably only live another three months at the most.I found

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-70424671779803682112009-02-04T21:13:00.007-07:002009-02-05T22:12:55.987-07:00

This post comes with a little warning for all of you sensitive types. If you don’t watch rated R movies because of the “naughty parts” or if you have used “oh my heck” in a just-so-darned-charming way within the last week, stop reading right now.......I see you are still with me so I will have to apologize for unfairly loading the expectation wagon. There is really nothing all that titillating or

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-53151097534923587282009-01-28T22:18:00.001-07:002009-01-28T22:12:37.341-07:00

I just watched Vicky Cristina Barcelona, a Woody Allen film about two friends who go to Spain and fall in love with the same painter who is still entangled with his ex-wife. Light and sparkly and somewhat classic Woody Allen, it's an entertaining film with beautiful people who are fun to watch. But I have to admit, I probably wouldn't have ever watched it were it not for the Academy Awards.For

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-9286202095318515682009-01-27T22:02:00.006-07:002009-01-27T22:43:17.208-07:00

The sights at SunCrest's Village Green today were nothing less than magical. I felt my heart beating a little faster and I could hardly take it all in. An impromptu photo shoot with my friend Bonnie was one of the funnest things I've done in a long time. It was dazzling everywhere we looked. Here are a few of my shots. Luckily with scenery like this, being a novice was a lot less of a handicap.

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-88773975470246487602009-01-26T08:47:00.002-07:002009-01-26T08:51:11.164-07:00

Look at it now!

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-55031534140251832642009-01-25T12:44:00.002-07:002009-01-25T12:48:19.467-07:00

Oh what a difference a day makes.

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-43186500485338429242009-01-24T16:06:00.005-07:002009-01-24T16:15:13.236-07:00

I love it when the fog rolls in. It's so soft and silent. Feels like I'm up here alone. No one in the back, no one in the front. Just my little house on a mountain in a cloud. Oh yeah, and the naked guy next door who thinks he is invisible in fog.

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-34471132773265513032009-01-23T18:06:00.008-07:002009-01-23T18:23:08.580-07:00

Sometimes I like to live dangerously, buck the system, be a rebel.So, today while I was at the doctor I blatantly disregarded this very professionally taped-up sign in the office warning me not to use electronic devices. Ha. I scoff. This room is way too small and boring not to text while in there. It's just too bad my phone camera takes such crappy evidence pictures. Pus, my phone doesn't look

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-16075874620175716242009-01-20T18:46:00.005-07:002009-01-20T19:58:58.707-07:00

Yes, today was amazing, historic, exciting, and incredibly inspiring. But I think Michelle Obama's feet must hurt! It's possible that really expensive high-heels are a little more comfortable than really cheap high-heels, but still...they made her stand up ALL DAY LONG. (I loved that she was taller than George Bush when they met at the White House. I guess I'm taller than him too since I'm the

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-8180156769179390632009-01-14T23:32:00.008-07:002009-01-15T00:00:49.522-07:00

This post is dedicated to my nephew Jaxson just because he's cute.And he always goes for what he wants.And because he does a cool trick with one eyebrow.

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-70755172452591094212009-01-12T22:30:00.003-07:002009-01-12T23:30:00.431-07:00

Are there any mysteries any more? Remember when we used to just wonder about things we couldn't figure out? Then we would have to resort to either going to the library or finding some person much smarter than we were to answer our questions.For example: What is cream of tartar? I know it's used in baking, but the name just sounds...well, wrong. Sorta like the stuff the dentist scrapes off teeth.

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-67402461447563365222009-01-11T21:59:00.007-07:002009-01-12T23:42:57.480-07:00

I'm so glad Slumdog Millionaire won the Golden Globe for best picture tonight! It's a brilliant film and I loved it.I also loved Kate Winslet's best actress acceptance speech for Revolutionary Road. It's awesome that she won two Golden Globes. Overall a great show. Can't wait for the Oscars now.

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-63155452658385001802009-01-10T23:42:00.000-07:002009-01-10T23:47:37.149-07:00

I could survive. That's all I'm committing to right now—survival. But it wouldn't be pretty. I'm fully addicted to electric power. My life would be dramatically different without it.Last night the power went out all over SunCrest. I got home to a cold and dark house that just proceeded to get colder and darker. I piled all my blankets on my bed and dove into the middle of them and trusted that

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-86330803696105610472009-01-08T23:07:00.006-07:002009-01-08T23:57:38.733-07:00

I'm convinced I live in a snow globe on top of this mountain and someone won't quit shaking it.I drove up the hill tonight on completely dry roads, singing songs from the Juno soundtrack at the top of my lungs, and not even watching for deer. I bounced over to my friend's house to play bunko with the neighborhood girls on this sparkly and sorta warm (40 degree) night.But be warned: you can never,

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-48916257151779229122009-01-07T22:57:00.005-07:002009-01-07T23:20:09.028-07:00

It has been a busy night. I went skiing—ran through a few slalom courses, played some doubles tennis, went bowling and bowled my best game ever, and then played a little baseball. And the truth is I'm tired, even though all these activities were done in Bonnie's living room on her Wii. It's pathetic, but I'm going to be sore tomorrow.

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-44694742668147267632009-01-06T22:08:00.004-07:002009-01-06T22:49:34.260-07:00

I know there is something wrong with complaining about a self-imposed moratorium on shopping, but man oh man this is kinda getting to me. At first it was just the little things I thought I needed, like black socks and night lights, but now I've started fantasizing about totally redecorating my bedroom. It has been so cold lately that I've taken to climbing into my warm bed early and dreaming

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-16467573984485229942009-01-05T21:09:00.006-07:002009-01-05T21:54:03.897-07:00

It might just be time for me to get some new and more exciting stories. It became painfully obvious to me over the holidays that at some point in your life you stop telling new stories and just start recycling the old ones. And I'm convinced I'm going to need a much bigger bundle of stories than my mother has. My mom's stories are so familiar to me it's like they have been made into a major

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-46508361835552162542009-01-04T21:51:00.003-07:002009-01-04T22:43:18.458-07:00

I've been on a bit of a movie binge these last couple of weeks. It's my very favorite time of year for movies with all the best films coming out now. I saw Doubt tonight and it was breathtaking. The performances by Meryl Streep, Amy Adams, and Philip Seymour Hoffman are absolutely riveting. The story simmers and burns and builds to an explosive confrontation between the two powerful and

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-43991830633727494782009-01-03T23:30:00.007-07:002009-01-04T00:37:20.584-07:00

It's 3 degrees tonight—3! In Idaho we would say it's cold enough to freeze a newborn calf to the ground. Unfortunately that's the harsh reality of life on a dairy farm in Idaho sometimes. Many times on nights like these we would end up with a brand new calf in the tub trying to warm him up on his frigid birthday. When I was home this year for Christmas I got to visit a new little colt born the

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-28252383472878364082009-01-02T21:22:00.004-07:002009-01-02T22:05:33.005-07:00

Atlanta sucks! Literally. It keeps sucking my friends away and I don't like it one bit. It already sucked one friend right out of these beautiful mountains and now it's working on the second one, my friend Dana. The strength of the suction just got more intense tonight and I'm not ready.Change always happens quicker than I expect it to. I seem to fool myself into believing I have more control

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-27640433484581385172009-01-01T13:08:00.002-07:002009-01-01T13:36:56.272-07:00

I've had writer's block. I'm going to try to force myself out of it by posting every day in January. NaBloPoMo.com will be watching me to keep me honest and I may just put some very lame crap out there until I get my mojo back. (Unless my mojo is lost forever, in which case the whole month of January will be filled with crap.)Though 2008 was an extremely momentous year for me, here is hoping that

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-4092248401044189632008-12-18T20:15:00.007-07:002008-12-18T22:16:42.485-07:00

I have the most incredible fairies watching out for me. Tonight a snow fairy shoveled my driveway. And my sidewalk. And my porch. I don't even think it was the same fairy who stained my fence this fall, just another amazing fairy who made my night.She must be one tough fairy, able to wield an oversized snowblower and a heavy snow shovel. Maybe she's a superhero fairy. (What? It could happen. Or,

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-16199510837448773432008-12-16T15:56:00.005-07:002008-12-16T17:35:59.116-07:00

This white stuff is beautiful! I'm sticking to this story for now, mostly because Dana's snowblower rocks!

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-41746744689249053252008-11-13T07:21:00.003-07:002008-11-13T09:35:29.050-07:00

This commentary by Keith Olbermann about the vote on Proposition 8 in California is the best one I have seen. I hope that, regardless of how you feel about this issue, you will watch this commentary and listen with your heart. He puts into words many of the things I have been thinking and was too angry and too emotional and too heartbroken about that vote to say myself.

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-77888553625725030212008-11-05T09:46:00.002-07:002008-11-05T14:52:10.578-07:00

"If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible; who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time; who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer."Obama's speech last night was one of the most exciting and thrilling addresses I've ever heard. Like a friend of mine said with tears streaming down his

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-83741942743036978042008-11-04T17:22:00.004-07:002008-11-04T17:51:26.975-07:00

I went into Utah County today to vote and decided to stop in on a new bakery in Highland at the bottom of the hill. I was hoping to make another quick stop for some wine for an election victory toast, so I asked the girl at the bakery if she could tell me where the nearest liquor store was. Her eyes got wide and she looked at me blankly as if I was speaking some strange foreign language. I just

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-59118592896894893812008-11-01T18:09:00.004-06:002008-11-01T19:16:36.128-06:00

My plants are a barometer of melancholy. It's during the times I fancy myself fighting off torture in the pit of despair or stumbling blindly through the fire swamp that my plants lose their luster, start to turn yellow from lack of water, and slowly start dropping their leaves in defiance, marking the path of their imminent demise. My one plant has been through this with me time after time. Like

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-44038438491121978852008-10-28T18:00:00.003-06:002008-10-28T18:36:22.917-06:00

A fairy stained my fence while I was at work today. Okay, maybe it wasn't really a fairy, but that would be a very cool story. Except I guess it would take a fairy an awfully long time to stain a big huge fence and she probably couldn't even lift the paint brush with her little arms and getting stain on her wings would be disastrous. So, it probably wasn't really a fairy. But it was some secret,

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-23527574836134799462008-10-27T22:42:00.004-06:002008-10-27T22:53:35.840-06:00

Have you ever had one of those moments when you suddenly realize that your life might just be defined by before this moment and after this moment and you are pretty sure everything is going to change? I might have just had one of those moments. Just wanted you to keep track so I can say, "See, I knew it!" in retrospect.

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-13293873568393869132008-10-26T18:17:00.005-06:002008-10-26T19:34:36.405-06:00

The following is a public service announcement. By taking my errors public, it is my sincere hope that I can save you, the grocery-buying public, from the egregious embarrassment of making these mistakes yourself.First, never buy sugar-free hot fudge sauce. It's really a dark, shiny, melted-down plastic goo made to resemble a rich sauce for ice cream. This trick is doubly cruel because by

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-27155078262489906762008-10-25T22:19:00.006-06:002008-10-25T22:42:02.861-06:00

"Love is not loveWhich alters when it alteration finds,Or bends with the remover to remove:O no! it is an ever-fixed markThat looks on tempests and is never shaken."It's senseless how much I like Sense and Sensibility. I've seen it no less than 25 times and every time Margaret Dashwood says, "He's sitting next to her. He's kneeling down!" I burst out crying. Yep. Crying. Every time. I'm such a

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-54572495307340129782008-10-13T21:55:00.002-06:002008-10-13T22:18:56.710-06:00

This Need Less, Give More experiment is chock full of catch-22s. Like Dr. Dolittle's pushmi-pullyu, sometimes I can't decide which direction is right. For example, I want to cut back on my use of paper goods. Like my friend Dana, I want to stop using paper towels and napkins and use cloth instead. But that would mean I would have to buy cloth napkins. And so, I run headlong into the Need Less

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-64432061807217941852008-10-12T18:06:00.003-06:002008-10-12T18:50:07.854-06:00

Because I'm freaking out and feeling sorry for myself about this slap-you-in-the-face winter weather, I decided to try to come up with ten things I like in the winter.Here goes:1. My instant gratification fireplace. I love curling up by it, reading a good book, and dreaming about summer.2. Taco soup. I'll admit that taco soup is pretty good any time of year, but it's the perfect thing to chase

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-24364662515388685412008-10-12T10:36:00.003-06:002008-10-12T10:42:09.943-06:00

Just two questions: What happened to fall and why can't I learn to move my grill in earlier?

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-76976500959989246552008-10-11T11:33:00.008-06:002008-10-11T11:47:43.141-06:00

It's white in front.It's white in back.It's white on the side.It's winter here.

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-11212065129372614422008-10-10T09:26:00.006-06:002008-10-10T09:30:57.259-06:00

People keep asking me who is getting all this crap I'm giving away. Well, here is one happy recipient.

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-74536246314143023322008-10-07T22:44:00.008-06:002008-10-09T09:18:27.175-06:00

"A Thneed's a Fine-Something-That-All-People-Need!It's a shirt. It's a sock. It's a glove. It's a hat.But it has OTHER uses. Yes, far beyond that.You can use it for carpets. For pillows! For sheets!Or curtains! Or covers for bicycle seats!"--From The Lorax by Dr. Seuss I want that.Not a day goes by without the thought of something I want (read NEED) flashing through my mind. It's funny that I

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-78209731663413354982008-09-30T21:36:00.008-06:002008-09-30T22:10:39.214-06:00

I am so excited for the vice presidential debate that I can hardly stand it. I have scheduling conflicts all over the place that night, and things I should be going to (I'll be a little late to bunko), but I'm pretty sure nothing could tear me away from the spectacle. I'm planning to watch with my extremely insightful friend Dana and her sagacious husband. I haven't been this excited about a vice

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-42691862064277150902008-09-24T22:33:00.005-06:002008-09-26T16:04:37.440-06:00

No matter how old (or how tall) my little brother gets, I guess he'll always be my baby brother. Today while I was at work, I got several quick texts in close seccession."Wendy...Wendy...Wendy...Wendy. Are you there?" Thinking something was terribly wrong I quickly texted back. "Yes?""I just tore my favorite pants on the chain of my dirt bike. Can you fix them?""Geez, Micah. I thought someone was

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-56510790412867180202008-09-23T23:07:00.013-06:002008-09-24T00:08:08.668-06:00

I say we just go ahead and call it. The George W. Bush presidency is the worst in history.Okay. I realize this may be slightly premature and the historians will need a cooling off period before this prestigious and competitive award can be ceremoniously bestowed. But I've run an official poll in my head and I don't think any other president in history stands a fighting chance.Using almost any

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-29823362483082536892008-09-18T00:11:00.004-06:002008-09-18T00:38:40.058-06:00

Captain Casey has a new friend. She's a fat, round house fly that seems way too rotund to actually get lift off. But flying is her specialty. We're calling her Felicity (the fly) and Casey can't take his eyes off her. He chases her around the house, sliding through the hallway on the rug, and leaping from the couch to the table--then onto the counter with a flourish and a twisting back flip. An

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-7692372066604913392008-09-17T20:26:00.010-06:002008-09-17T22:45:35.646-06:00

Okay, I'll admit. It's hilarious. Pure entertainment. Who would have thought that mentioning soap one time here would lead to a complete soap opera. The funny thing is: you all came up with this independently and without prompting. I hope it's not a hint that you really think I need a good lathering up. It's sort of like the hundredth monkey phenomenon and myth--it started with a couple of you

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-19058758777734014352008-09-16T06:23:00.006-06:002008-09-17T23:38:57.204-06:00

My best friend from law school stayed with me on Sunday night. She's one of the world's most amazing people, so I have to do a little bragging about her. She made partner this year at Chicago's most prestigious law firm, on the fast track, and is the first woman partner in the tax division. It's not a surprise to me. She is brilliant. But more importantly, she is witty and warm and interesting

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-84771784149073014802008-09-14T09:02:00.003-06:002008-09-14T10:03:32.047-06:00

Every once in a while I get a childhood flashback to something someone said that has gotten stuck in my head. I think I must have been going along as a kid, pretty oblivious until, wham, someone said something that changed my thinking and it got filed away in the "how can this be true" category. These were usually adult conversations I overheard and had to think about to make sense of.One of

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-41337030658225201262008-09-11T22:52:00.005-06:002008-09-12T00:22:19.738-06:00

I often wonder which people will end up having a lasting impact on my life. I'm in a new environment, and I find myself looking around and trying to guess which of these new people will be the ones I tuck into my heart and carry with me for the rest of my life. But one thing is very clear to me. Somebody is comin' with me.I find myself already sorting and gathering and I think I have a couple of

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-18135533125553683222008-09-09T23:40:00.007-06:002008-09-10T08:57:16.135-06:00

The Need Less, Give More experiment got a little disconnected today. And, it hasn't even been a month yet! Sigh. I've been busily dialing up justifications in my head ever since. Let's see if you buy them.My phone has been giving me stress for months now. I don't get cell service on the mountain, so I had to get a thing called "HotSpot at Home" to pick up service through the Wi-Fi instead of a

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-27549483300230360692008-09-07T21:26:00.003-06:002008-09-07T21:50:02.811-06:00

As it turns out, I'm the white-trash neighbor. This whole summer I've watched with barely passing interest as the little patch of weeds between my house and my neighbor's house turned into an alfalfa field. I wondered why my neighbors had landscaped their whole yard and left that little strip between our houses undone. My landscaping was done by the builder before I moved in, so why would they

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-27103689254926036092008-09-06T17:58:00.002-06:002008-09-06T18:10:14.240-06:00

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-38048309212981005902008-09-03T19:04:00.003-06:002008-09-03T19:46:56.772-06:00

Power is trippy.It seems to me that few people can handle power and still be open and available to other people's opinions and suggestions. Most people just grab up power and clamber on top of it, happy to have the leverage they need to beat off anyone trying to join them on the power pile. And while they are at it, they will fend off anyone with a suggestion that would make the pile bigger

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-13357295935736101922008-09-01T14:18:00.003-06:002008-09-01T14:39:29.808-06:00

The most touching spin-off happened from the Need Less, Give More experiment. My friend, Teresa revealed on my birthday that she is doing an experiment of her own. She decided to send one card or letter of encouragement and love to someone every week until my next birthday. Not an email, not a phone call, but a real life, snail-mail card.I love her idea and I love the response she is already

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-60885730019069842592008-08-31T08:21:00.003-06:002008-08-31T08:33:03.632-06:00

I broke down and put my list of give-away items on my sidebar because everyone keeps asking me about it. But it's an embarrassing list and seems extremely puny and unimportant. When this unnecessary stuff is written down in a list, it makes it even more evident to me that this stuff is completely irrelevant. I'm hoping that documenting the silly nature of my junk will be the impetus I need to do

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-406477452104451722008-08-28T22:09:00.000-06:002008-08-28T22:09:25.946-06:00

I'm a people watcher. No. I'm a people studier. And whenever I am captured in another corporate zoo with a herd of other human specimens, I can't help but closely examine all the animals caught in that trap with me. It's just something I do. Sometimes it's the only thing that keeps me sane. And for the most part I'm pretty good at figuring people out.But I'm a little more cautious about getting

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-34942389587219041932008-08-25T21:37:00.004-06:002008-10-04T16:32:16.732-06:00

I realize it's a bit redundant, but wildfire is wild. When you get the word that a wildfire might be threatening your home, it's funny how quickly you can assess what's really important and what isn't.So, just in case you are anxious for the whole story, here it is so far: I was at work today around noon thirty in a lunch meeting on the top floor of our shiny new corporate building. We have a

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-85844528453551591672008-08-19T20:56:00.009-06:002008-08-19T22:27:35.181-06:00

One problem I have with conservation is that it almost has the word conservative in it. It is somewhat ironic that it's usually liberals and not conservatives who are concerned about conservation.But not always. Nobody is better at this conservation thing than my mom is and she is one of the most conservative people I know. Because of my involuntary indoctrination on conservation while growing up

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-38288192398175339442008-08-17T11:54:00.007-06:002008-08-21T17:50:51.716-06:00

Just over a day into my little experiment and I'm already thinking about all the things I "need" and can't buy. I find myself making a list in my head of items I meant to get before this self-imposed deadline and just didn't really get around to buying.I realized I've lived for years without a plastic cover thing that you leave in your microwave to use as a barrier for splattery dishes, but

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-8282067108714580782008-08-16T22:18:00.011-06:002008-08-16T22:58:14.945-06:00

The first pictures with my new camera: A few of the Tour de Utah racers going past my front door and my nephews by my back door. I don't know much about using this camera yet, but I'm sure I'll get better! At least I hope so.Today I'm giving away my old pink gym bag because my friend Shelly gave me a new pick gym bag for my birthday that's much better! And who needs two?

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-20492516640617617012008-08-15T22:35:00.004-06:002008-08-16T01:07:36.483-06:00

I believe a better, healthier world is possible. I think it may be the smallest things that end up making a difference, or at least catapulting the biggest changes.Today is the day I've been looking forward to for several weeks. It's my birthday and it's the day I'm starting on a year-long experiment. I'm calling it Need Less, Give More. This little experiment is relatively simple, I won't buy

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-71878553145686972002008-08-14T21:37:00.005-06:002008-08-15T08:34:04.107-06:00

I just found out that a real-life road race with famous pro cyclists will be going right past my front door on Saturday. I couldn't be more excited. My friend KC, who is the best athlete I know and a fantastic pro mountain biker herself, told me about the Tour de Utah and it turns out they go right past my house.They are calling this race "the toughest bicycle stage race in America." It takes

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-46427187581178024442008-08-13T23:29:00.012-06:002008-08-14T00:39:51.142-06:00

I would like to award some Olympic medals of my own for craziest head wear.BRONZE: The bronze medal goes to the track cyclists with this Star Trekkie little number.SILVER: The silver medal has to go to the shrieking women's fencing team with their Darth Vader masks.GOLD: And the gold medal goes to the ear-muff baby bonnets of the water polo team. Grrr. Sexy!Ladies and Gentlemen. Please stand for

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-74038955828211426162008-08-12T22:51:00.004-06:002008-08-14T15:00:55.061-06:00

Since when is death preferable to embarrassment? Is getting embarrassed really the end of the world? Take the Chinese gymnastics coach, for example, who said he would "jump off the highest building" if his solemn team of gymnasts didn't take home more gold than last time. No wonder those boys never smile. A fall off the high bar becomes a life-and-death situation. Lucky for all of them, they won,

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-59545009057667342452008-08-11T20:45:00.004-06:002008-08-11T21:53:43.774-06:00

Just when I start thinking I should leave this state I have a weekend like last weekend. It's easy for me to get so caught up in day-to-day that I forget to look up. But once in a while I get a vivid reminder that some of the world's most spectacular mountains surround me and I really should appreciate their proximity and grandeur.This weekend we camped at Albion Basin in Little Cottonwood canyon

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-66867338082230446992008-08-09T15:21:00.004-06:002008-08-09T15:46:57.103-06:00

Latvia upset the U.S. in men's beach volleyball--a match that was incredibly mesmerizing. A little like David and Goliath, Latvia's two young players weren't intimated by the older, bigger, and usually dominant American team. Latvia, ranked close to the bottom at 23rd weren't even supposed to be competitive with the top-ranked Americans. I felt sorry for the dazed Americans, but you have to smile

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-63456750613400535502008-08-08T22:05:00.000-06:002008-08-08T22:04:46.187-06:00

I'm crazy about the Olympics. I love all of it. I love the opening ceremonies, I love the swimming. I love the gymnastics and the diving and the sprinting and the...well, like I said, I love all of it. I love the personal profiles of all the athletes and the way the world seems to come together. I love learning about the under dogs and hoping for a Cinderella story. I love the discipline and the

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-4828960251606498112008-08-06T22:26:00.004-06:002008-08-06T22:58:09.486-06:00

After last night's somewhat snarky blog I thought about being a little nicer tonight. But yesterday I read this article in the New York Times and I'm still having trouble wrapping my mind around it.Here is the lead: "Soaring oil prices will leave the Iraqi government with a cumulative budget surplus of as much as $79 billion by year’s end, according to an American federal oversight agency. But

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-73954883240129356942008-08-05T23:15:00.005-06:002008-08-05T23:55:33.042-06:00

I'll keep it short tonight because the beautiful, funny, smart, and humble dinner club babes kept me out late.Speaking of late (kinda), I had to note this. Tonight I saw a vanity plate that said ALWYSL8.Really? I'm thinking that means "always late," but I can't really figure out the point of that. Either her husband is constantly annoyed because she's always late and made her get that plate as

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-7371010355879171702008-08-04T20:26:00.001-06:002008-08-04T20:28:45.653-06:00

The little SunCrest Market is closing and I'm so sad about it. I knew it was struggling, but I was cautiously optimistic that our letter writing and puny "Save the Market" campaign would help. I shopped there as much as I could, but let's face it, I'm just one person and my 1/2 gallon of organic milk and coffee creamer a week just wasn't going to make all that much difference.It's a bummer though

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-68057203385341903792008-08-02T10:07:00.003-06:002008-08-02T10:18:23.825-06:00

So, I got locked out of my own blog last night. SHUT OUT! I don't know what was going on, but it might have been something with blogger or it might have been something with Sitemeter. My friend Natalie was having the same trouble and sent me an email about what to do. (Thanks Natalie.) But now it seems fixed and I didn't even follow the instructions she gave me.Here is the real story though. I

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-53260885634605745882008-07-31T18:54:00.004-06:002008-07-31T19:09:28.130-06:00

Someone from Dammam, Ash Sharqiyah, Saudi Arabia found my blog today by searching for "jumper sex." You know...Polka Dot JUMPER and the SEX and the City post. Makes perfect sense. But what exactly is jumper sex? Is that sex while wearing a polyester, zip-up jumper? Is it sex while sky diving? Or maybe it's sex in the UK wearing sweaters. (The Brits inexplicably call those things jumpers.)I have

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-74167221941424530452008-07-30T23:30:00.003-06:002008-07-31T18:43:13.761-06:00

A song came on the radio tonight that reminded me of this guy I used to know. He was taking voice lessons from some completely unqualified voice teacher and ended up learning how to sing the lamest pop song out there. So tonight, during the four minutes it took for the song to whine its way into my ears, I flashed through scene after scene of our interactions. And the feeling over all was...well

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2151703681537746062.post-50975987485220931152008-07-29T22:21:00.003-06:002008-07-30T09:39:51.441-06:00

My friend Rob showed me an interesting quote from Ayn Rand's book The Fountainhead."Jules Fougler said in last Sunday's Banner that in the world of the future the theatre will not be necessary at all. He says that the daily life of the common man is as much a work of art in itself as the best Shakespearean tragedy. In the future there will be no need for a dramatist. The critic will simply

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00138325682782633413noreply@blogger.com2