Fast Times Now

Last Post ... New Me

2009-07-01T12:58:00.002-06:00

Well, today's the day that I switch from blogger to Squarespace. If you feel the need to continue following my random photo blogs and my life you'll have to come to Krysta Higgins Photography here. I really like the new blog. It's sleek. Easy to look at. Everything I've always wanted. lol. Enjoy!

Looking For My Place

2009-06-27T11:10:00.007-06:00

I told my parents the other night that I've been looking into getting an apartment. They reacted differently then I thought they would. They understood the need for me to have my own space and for moving out. Dad talked about me going on a mission. He talks about that a lot. At this time in my life I feel like I need to live on my own. Maybe in six months I'll think about going on a mission. That is not where my life is headed right now. Mom just stared at me the whole time while Dad and I were talking. I asked her what she thought about me moving out. She didn't say much. I felt better after I talked with them and knew that they were going to support me and not try to keep me here. I told them I was taking my furniture with me when I move out, seeing as it was gifted to me. I've been looking into getting a one bedroom/one bathroom apartment in Laura's complex. But they are kind of expensive. Maybe I'll look today online for less expensive apartments. I really like Laura's place though.

Come July first I think I'm switching blog places. I haven't decided for sure yet. Now that I'm actually posting a lot I can see that Blogger is a good blog. I just don't like the way the layout is. The design just isn't me. Okay, I talked myself into changing. lol. I haven't been to my new one in a few days ... maybe I should go see if it's what I really want. It's good. The layout is very customizable. I like that. ... Okay, it's official. I'm switching July 1 to a new website. I'll give you a link that day. ;)

And I know I've posted this sign from London before, but it seemed appropriate for today's post. Plus I really like it.

Post Script

2009-06-24T13:10:00.000-06:00

I was writing my blogs throughout my trip to New Mexico but due to Internet failure and camera/computer compatibility issues I decided that first day that I would post them all when I got back. So you can either scroll down to first one and read them in the days order. Or click the links and they will bring you to that blog.

By the way, I wore my heart on my sleeve and you’ll probably learn a lot about who I am. I know I did. And if Jon actually reads these I am going to be somewhat embarrassed. lol.

Day One – Driving Back To My Childhood
Day Two – A Dangerous Question
Day Three – Playing New Mexican Chess
Day Four – This Town Ain't Big Enough For Both Of Us
Day Five – Really … Driving Back To My Childhood
Day Six – Naboo and Packages

Naboo and Packages

2009-06-23T19:28:00.003-06:00

I have decided to go back to Naboo … I mean Utah. I woke up this morning, without the help of an alarm, at 5:15am. It’s an eleven hour drive from here so I thought I’d get an early start.

So I drove and drove and drove … it felt like I was driving forever! I had another mental breakdown when I crossed the Colorado border. I had to check myself. Why was I going back? What am I going to do when I get here? I cried some. I did a lot of talking back and forth with myself. lol. I did get gas once, I think once. Yeah, I stopped in Cortez for gas. lol.

I got back to South Jordan around 6:30pm. I am so sore right now because I’m stiff from sitting in the car for twelve hours.

When I got home I brought all my stuff to my room and opened my packages that were waiting.

Package One: I was really hoping this first one would have gotten here before I left but it didn’t. It got there the same day. I bought a Canon EF 28mm f/1.8 USM lens. In layman’s term … it’s a really nice wide angle lens for my SLR camera. It’s so cool! I’m excited to actually use it.

Package Two: A late (not thought of until the day before I left) birthday gift from Chad. (lol. Love you!) He got me a Sansa Fuse, aka a MP3 player. It has a 4 GB internal memory with the option to put more space using a microSD card. It can also play FM radio, video, and photos. I can’t wait to put some music on it.

Really ... Driving Back To My Childhood

2009-06-22T20:25:00.006-06:00

Went to bed at 8pm like I said before. Woke up three hours later. Didn’t go back to sleep until 4:30am -ish. Mosquito bites are going to be the death of me. They hurt so bad. Was on Facebook and taking random photos until I got tired. So five hours later I finally got some sleep again. For one hour. And then a few more minutes until 6:30am. And then slept until 11am.

Something was bothering me, obviously. I knew what it was but I'm scared of what the outcome will be. I had something else to say to Jon that I didn’t know how he would swallow it. I left him a message on Facebook at 11:33am and he responded back around noon. The same time that I left that town. There is no turning back. I can’t retract what I said. Just friends. That hurts.

I checked out of my Holiday Inn Express and left Socorro at noon. I was glad to be leaving Socorro and happy to be heading toward White Rock, 170 miles away. It was just shy of a three hour drive to my old town. The closer I got the more excited I was. Here is the route I took:

It was fun driving here because I saw landmarks that I remember as a kid, namely the Santa Fe Opera House (we went and saw an opera there once), Camel Rock (it looked smaller than I remember but it really does look like a camel), and NM-4 right before you get to White Rock.

And then I got to White Rock. I am amazed at how this place is still the same, yet different. Next to the LDS church there used to be a forest of sorts. Now it’s developed and there is a neighborhood there. And all of the “theme” parks are that plastic rubber playground equipment. There is no Cinderella Park (complete with orange rocking couch, and swings, and the coolest thing here, the merry-go-round thing); it’s rubber ground, no swings, equipment looks funny where the once was a playground with sand. That used to be our favorite park. The one next to our old house is changed to. It used to be Cowboy and Indian Park. And Rocket Ship Park (next to the Smith’s and post office) is still called Rocket Ship Park but the sign is the only thing that has a rocket ship. The playground is the same as all the others. It used to have a metal rocket ship right smack in the middle of the park. I remember it being really tall and it had two slides, one mid way up and one farther up. Actually maybe there was only the one slide. But you could climb (using stairs inside) all the way to the top. And if you were a daredevil like my brothers you could climb to the tip of the rocket by climbing up the inside. lol. I haven’t gone by to see if the “hidden park” is still the same or not. I’m guessing they changed Submarine Park to be like the rest. We never really went to that park as kids. Either we couldn’t always remember how to get to it or it was too far away. One of the two. lol. I just thought it was hidden, you have to go through a whole neighborhood and then a pathway that’s on a dead end. It was really hard to remember how to get there. At least for my eleven year old mind. lol.

But let’s back up a tad … when I got to White Rock I drove around and decided to stop by Overlook Park (which by the way is exactly the same) and took a look at the overlook. lol. I took a few photos. The Rio Grande down in the canyon made me happy.

At that point I called Mom to let her know I was in White Rock. I hadn’t decided where I was going to stay for the night and Mom suggested I talk with the Peterson’s. I drove to Smith’s and got some anti-itch spray because my many mosquito bites were driving me crazy. I decided at that point that I didn’t want to impose on anyone so went and got a room for the night at the Hampton Inn and Suites. (Something funny in Socorro I was in room 128 and here in White Rock I am in room 129, and they are very similar in arranging of the rooms. lol.)

At around 7:30pm I drove by the “boat house” and to the Canyon and took a few more photos. That house, by the way, really does look like it’s a boat. It was awesome as a kid! I also wished my headache would go away because at that point it was turning into a migraine.

Well, one hour later and I’m eating a late dinner and then going to bed.

This Town Ain't Big Enough For Both Of Us

2009-06-21T19:53:00.004-06:00

I woke up at 11am so I didn’t go to church this morning. Surprisingly, I was okay with that. lol.

That mosquito bite from the other day was itching all night at the BBQ. I was pretty good about not scratching it until the very end. And then I woke up this morning to me scratching that one, two on my left arm, one on my foot, and I think one on my neck. I got eaten last night. lol. I also was super buzzed and then crashed because I had two Mountain Dews within a two hour span. (Yes. You can laugh at me.) I had a headache around the time that Jon got there at 8:30pm. But then the party moved inside and my headache went more away. (More away … that doesn’t even make sense.) It was there all night but I think that was due to lack of oxygen because we were all laughing so hard. lol. It was a really fun night.

I’ve been thinking a lot today about Jon and I. I am so relaxed around him, it scares me sometimes. I like who I am with him. I am me. I don’t want to leave. I got kind of got pissed off at Jon and I think I scared him. I … um, said something to forward and he responded (after some thinking) like I didn’t even say it all. It pissed me off that he didn’t say anything. He came over to the hotel and gave me hug. I didn’t want let him go. I hugged him for maybe a minute. Just us standing there, his arms around me, mine around him. I thought I was going to cry. He smelled so good, it was intoxicating. I hugged him tighter and snuggled closer. I don’t want leave. I like it here. There just too much in Utah. Work, although I like my job. Family, I like them too, I just need more space and room to breathe. Church, I am not that good of a Mormon and being here has showed me that I have a lot of work to do. I have no boyfriend, actually my social life is nowhere to be found. I am not as outgoing as I’d like to be. I have been so outgoing this weekend. Actually, this trip is outgoing for me. I like my comfort zone and driving, by myself, 700 miles, to see a guy I haven’t spoken to, or seen, in ten years was big leap out of that comfort zone. I know that I’m going back to Utah changed, more the woman I want to be. When I get back I intend to look into an apartment and move out of my parent’s house. I know that I’ve said that before but this time, I have money, I have the guts to actually tell my parents I am moving out. Not just ask them what they think about it. It’ll probably be a sparsely furnished apartment for a few months but I don’t care. I want to buy and cook my own food, drive my car, come home to my living room, listen to my music as loud as I want (with out disturbing the neighbors of course), and do anything I want. I can go to parties and laugh at the drunken people and not worry about what others are going to think. By the way, I did cry when Jon left me alone again. I closed the door, leaned against it, cried hard … I mentally curled up in ball and physically cried.

It’s 4:42pm. I just talked to Laura for about half an hour and, with her help, I have decided that I need to tell Jon how I feel. I would like to stay here for another day or so, so I can figure out who I am. I can figure out what I want in life and hopefully, he’ll understand and support me and maybe he’ll feel the same way. I am going to go jump in the pool and get these jitters to go away.

It’s 6:30pm and I thought I’d tell you what I’ve been doing. I was in the pool and hot tub for an hour talking to Chad and the rest of the family. I told Chad that I might be taking a few more days to get back to Utah. But also that I didn’t know for sure so not to let Mom and Dad know. After I got out of the pool I called Jon and asked if I could talk with him later about my feelings and why I’ve been so emotional this weekend. He said that would be fine and that he’d give me a call later. I thought I’d let Laura know what was going on so I called her, also to let myself know what was going on because talking really does help. During my phone call with Laura, Jon called so I told Laura I’d call her back and switched over to Jon. He had a few minutes and asked if we could talk right then over the phone and not face-to-face like I’d asked. I took a deep breath, I didn’t know where to start. I told Jon that I like it in Socorro because I’m not tied down by my parents and I am on my own two feet for the first time. I told him about growing my confidence and the leap of outgoingness mentioned above. He understood where I was coming but told me if I stayed that he couldn’t guarantee that he would have time to spend with me. I even suggested going out to eat but he told he was not going to make any promises because he feels bad when he breaks promises. I told that I would do some more thinking about leaving Socorro tomorrow or not and I would let him know. I hung up with Jon, and immediately called Laura back. She had to go eat dinner (which, by the way, is something I should do) so we only got to talk for five-ish minutes. She said that she would call me later when her evening had calmed down. (It being Father’s Day she is spending time with her family.)

It’s 6:50pm and I feel like I am going to puke. I need food. I’ll be back to let you know more.

It’s 7:47pm and I just got back from eating at Arby’s. I am so drained of energy it took every bit of it to get my PJs on. I am going to bed and maybe I won’t hurt so much in the morning. Laura did call me back and I told her I would be headed up to White Rock tomorrow. It’s only a two an a half hour drive so I’ll leave mid-morning.

Playing New Mexican Chess

2009-06-21T02:10:00.008-06:00

Today I woke up at 8:30am. I got in the shower and actually had time to eat breakfast. lol. I wasn’t terribly hungry so I just ate some eggs with salsa and a banana, which was really good. I got a mosquito bite last night near my elbow and it really hurts this morning. Today I thought I’d go check out the plaza that Jon told me about last night.

I am listening to Chess (again). I feel like I’ve listened to this every day since I got it. I think I might have listened to it twice on some days. Like on Wednesday when I actually watched it on PBS. It is an amazing musical. The music is fabulous. It’s right up there with Phantom and Les Mis on my list. Chess is a fairly new one to me so we’ll see if it stands the test of time. So far it’s working for me. (BTW, I love the click of my nails against the keys. I think it is just so much fun. I’ve always liked that sound. People think it’s hard to type with long nails but it really isn’t.) I love Josh’s laugh! “My wife … Come to Bangkok … No.” “Surely you knew.” “I did not!” If you listen to the lyrics of Chess it’s so poignant and deep. I have cried many a times since listening to this musical. The first time, certainly, and when I saw it on TV. Some songs just really get to me. And then when you actually stop and think about what the story is. It’s a tragic love story played out beautifully. I would love to see this musical actually played out on stage, not just the concert version. I wonder why they haven’t revived it. I suppose it’s not known enough to actually have people come and see it for very long. Well, if you get Josh Groban to play Anatoly again I’m sure you’d get every Grobanite to come! lol. The cast of this concert version is great! Josh as Anatoly Sergievsky, Adam Pascal as Frederick Trumper, Idina Menzel as Florence Vassy, Marti Pellow as the Arbiter, Clarke Peters as Walter de Courcy, David Bedella as Alexander Molokov, and Kerry Ellis as Anatoly’s wife Svetlana Sergievsky. With the music composed by one of the finest men in musicals you can’t go wrong. Tim Rice and Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson wrote this musical.

I went down to San Antonio this morning. lol. New Mexico, not Texas, it’s about eight miles from Socorro. Well, actually a little past there to the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge. It was nice and quiet. Very hot though. I got back around noon. It was a fun two hours detour out of Socorro. There was a cactus garden near the visitor center which I stopped by before I drove the tour loop. Here are some pictures I took.

I took an hour long nap and headed over to Tami’s at 6 for a BBQ. Jon met us there after he got off work. It was so much fun. I didn’t leave until two in the morning. Everyone was having so much fun. I took a nap during the movie, I think we all did. lol. We’ll see if I wake up in time for nine o’clock church or not. lol.

I talked to Jon via Facebook for an hour, which was a ton of fun. So I didn’t go to bed until three in the morning.

A Dangerous Question

2009-06-19T22:57:00.006-06:00

I have had a fun afternoon and evening today. lol. What about the morning, you ask? I have no idea because I was sleeping. I went to sleep last night around 3:30am or 4am. And I woke up 4pm. lol. Jon texted me earlier, six times. “How’s it going?” “Hello?” “Are you awake?” It made me laugh. I usually am pretty quick at texting back. I wrote back when I woke up. I had Sonic for dinner and then wandered around campus this evening. I ate at a park on campus called, Joanne Ford Playground. It was nice to be outside and listen to the birds chirping. I then proceeded to play on the playground and the walked around campus a bit. lol.

Then I went back to the hotel and had a breakdown. What the hell am I doing here? I want Jon. I want to be loved and hugged and appreciated. I shouldn’t have come here. It shows me what I don’t have. Sun. A man. Someone to hold me and hug me. Yesterday when I saw Jon I wanted to give him a hug. And then I got in his truck, smelled his cologne, almost died. He smelled so good! And then while we were watching the movie I wanted so bad to go sit next to him and cuddle. I didn’t. That would have been too forward of me.

Jon texted me and I texted Jon about plans for tonight.

Jon: “You just going to chill at the hotel tonight?” 7:05pm
Krysta: “Maybe. You wanna come?” 7:08pm
Jon: “Maybe. I want to try to get some of my homework done and go to bed early.” 7:08pm
Krysta: “ok” 7:09pm
Jon: “That okay with you?” 7:09pm
Krysta: “In my state of mind that’s a dangerous question … Honestly, no. I want you, Jon.” 7:14pm
Jon: “Hmmmm … now I am in an awkward position.” 7:15pm
Krysta: “Sorry … Do your homework. Come over when you’re done.” 7:19pm
Jon: “I will depending on what time it is.” 7:20pm
Krysta: “ok. Let me know when.” 7:21pm
Jon: “I will let you know if I decide to stop by. I have to be at work at 6:30 tomorrow morning.” 7:22pm
Krysta: “ok” 7:23pm
Jon: “I am not trying to be an asshole. I am trying to get some better study habits and whatnot.” 7:28pm
Krysta: “I understand.” 7:29pm
Jon: “Thank you for understanding.” 7:30pm
Krysta: “;)” 7:32pm
Jon: “If I come by, what would we do?” 8:12pm
Krysta: “Swim, watch random TV, talk … anything.” 8:14pm
Jon: “K. When does the pool close?” 8:15pm
Krysta: “ten” 8:16pm
Jon: “Let me eat and take a quick shower and I will come by and swim for a bit.” 8:17pm
Krysta: “Fun! I’ll be in the pool or my room.” 8:19pm
Jon: “Okay. I will text you when I am on my way.” 8:21pm
Krysta: “fyi, I’ll be in the pool.” 8:44pm
Jon: “K.” 8:50pm
Jon: “On my way.” 8:53pm

We hung out in the pool until it closed at ten and then he went home. He gave me a hug before he left. I didn’t want to let him go.

I listened to Chess (again) while I got ready for bed and wrote this blog.

I don’t have many plans for tomorrow. I’ll go check out Socorro for some good photo ops. We’re having a BBQ tomorrow night with Tami and some other friends. That should be fun.

Driving Back To My Childhood

2009-06-18T23:47:00.004-06:00

I left for my rendezvous with Jonathon today at 6am. I woke up at 4:30am so that I could gather the rest of my stuff and be off early. I was aiming for 5am but that didn’t work out how I planned. Hey, an hour behind schedule for my first trip, that’s good. lol. The weather was beautiful! I grabbed my point-and-shoot camera out of my purse just so I could take photos while I drive and that I did. lol. I took a total of 103 pictures today! But you should have seen those clouds! They were gorgeous! With the mist/rain and the sun behind them … I know God loves me because he gives me scenes like this. I even pulled over at one point just to take a photo. lol. I don’t usually do that. Here a few (I mean it!) of my favorite shots of the day!

According to Google Maps I drove 714 miles. I wasn’t planning on going through Arizona at all during this trip but since I didn’t turn when I needed to I ended up taking a different route and going through Arizona instead of Colorado. lol. This is the route I took.

After I got here I checked-in to my hotel and texted Jon, called Dad, and texted Laura to let them know I was here. I brought my stuff to my room, which I really like. Jon took me by Arby’s so I could get something to eat. That sandwich was so good. And the Mountain Dew … that caffeine really hit the spot. It tasted so good! We then went back to his apartment where he finished some homework and I ate while watching some old Knight Rider episodes on DVD. (Jon LOVES that show! lol.) Then we went to his friend’s house (her name is Tami) and watched Top Gun. I haven’t seen that movie in so long. I forgot how good it is.

And now I am about ready for bed. I just have to brush my teeth and give thanks to God for giving me such a wonderful day and then I can let the Groban bite. rotfl. (Umm … only a Grobanite would find that funny. Don’t let the bed bugs bite … Don’t let the Groban bite … or do depending on your mood. lol.)

Baby Shower

2009-06-12T08:03:00.000-06:00

We (when I say we I mean Mom) threw Amber a baby shower last night. It was really fun. There were a lot of family was there and a few of Amber's friends. I didn't take any pictures. Amber got lots of cute stuff for Cayden.

Birthday Fun and more

2009-06-08T13:01:00.001-06:00

Yesterday was my 21st birthday! I had so much fun!!

I woke up at 6am so that I could get ready for church and be ready for 7am. Why was I up and waiting for 7am? Tennis, of course. lol. The French Open men's finals were yesterday morning. Technically they were in the afternoon. Paris time they started at 3pm. NBC Sports showed the match live. I had to watch it! I was not going to miss Roger Federer possibly win his first French Open and make history. Since Rafael Nadal was knocked out of the running everybody knew Roger had a good chance of winning. The guy that knocked Nadal out made it to the finals to face the Number 2 seed in tennis. Robin Soderling, Number 23, fought hard to be in his first Grand Slam final. Roger won in one hour and 55 minutes with the score being 6-1, 7-6 (7-1), 6-4. That is very short for a final match. I really wanted Roger to win! It is his first French Open ever won in his whole eleven year career! That's something right there. But Roger also tied Pete Sampras for the most Grand Slam titles in men's tennis at fourteen. Roger was so fluid throughout the match. I thought he looked relaxed and ready to play, even in slight rain. ... How about some photos of the greatest French Open ever? lol. They are from the official website.

This was Roger's reaction when he won the match! It was so great!

Robin Soderling and Roger Federer

Roger cried tears of joy when he heard his national anthem being played during the trophy ceremony.

Roger with his prize.

The finals wasn't all that happened yesterday though. I painted my nails while I watched the match. I wanted to paint them red to match my red dress and shoes. My toes are solid red to match my red peep-toed shoes. And my fingernails are so long I didn't know if I wanted to French Manicure them or do all red. I decided to do paint the ends red, kind of like a French Manicure only with color. I did one hand to see if I really wanted to do that. I decided it looked cool so I did my other hand too. lol. I love having long and healthy nails. I can do fun things with them and not worry about them being too brittle. lol. Here is a picture of my fabulous nails:

At church I was put in as the 2nd Counselor in the Relief Society. It was exciting! lol. I have never been in a Relief Society presidency before so this should be a fun, new time. I will be over Enrichment and working with one of my visiting teachers, of all people. I thought that was neat. I know that this calling will be very good fo me. I have been trying to change my life for a while but never really got the courage, no not that ... I never was able to move on. The last couple of weeks I have been praying and looking for ways to improve my life. This calling is a blessing in so many ways. It will help me to be more outgoing because I have to talk and interact with the ladies and others in the branch. I was thinking a lot about this calling yesterday. It's already helped me a lot. For many years I haven't been the best church-goer but I try. Problem is ... I haven't felt anything. I haven't felt the Spirit in my life for many years. I get snatches here and there when I'm doing good but not like when I was little. I have wanted the feeling back, hence the praying. Being called to be a 2nd counselor is an answer to my prayers. I look forward to helping Tami and Amber in their callings as well as growing my testimony.

I took my car to TechnaGlass on Saturday to have them replace the window. I looked at it to see the glass after it was installed and didn't think anything more about it. On Sunday I noticed the the back passenger window wasn't closing right. The rubber that goes around the window to seal it was tucked under the window. I rolled it down and then back up again and it was the same. And I also noticed that the rubber trim around the window was cut and glued above the vent window (that's the one that got replaced). I drove home and showed Dad. He said they didn't install it right. The trim around the door has to be replaced and the inside rubber wasn't right either. The glass is fine but they ruined to rubber trim. So after work today I get to go talk to the manger and say "Look. I paid you $190 to replace this window and I'm not happy with the install. I want it replaced, with new trim, free of charge as soon as possible." No joke! I want it done right away so that (a) it's done right, (b) I have it before New Mexico. We'll see what they say.

On to official birthday stuff ... As I mentioned before I turned 21! I'm legal but I don't feel any different. lol. For dinner the birthday person gets to pick what we have. I chose baked potatoes, steak, and sweet peas. And cheesecake with cherries for my cake. To tell you the truth, when Mom was making the menu on Thursday that's what she wrote down without asking what I wanted for dinner. And then she remembered on Saturday after she went shopping for food. I laughed because that's what I wanted. Her cheesecake had strawberries and blueberries. I asked if we could have cherries too. It was kind of funny how that turned out. lol. As for presents ... I got a blue dress from Chadwick's (really only the cutout from the magazine because it's on backorder), earrings that match, The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas, Keith Urban's latest CD called Defying Gravity, A Target giftcard, scrapbook paper, a flat iron, and my visiting teacher's were kind enough to bring me a gift of bath stuff.

I had a fun day but since I got up so early I was loopy at 9'oclock-ish because I was really tired. I couldn't talk or walk straight and the most random things made me laugh. lol. It reminded me of this video.

My Fantastic Night

2009-05-29T10:35:00.000-06:00

I had a great night last night! (Yes. I am using a sarcastic tone there.) Why, you ask? Some idiot broke into my car yesterday and stole my stereo out of my dashboard. I saw the glass on the ground and thought it kind of odd. Opened the door, put my purse on the passenger seat, and looked to my right to put my key in the car and saw that my car was ripped apart. I wasn't even all the way in the car. I still had my foot touching the ground. I turned around and sat there. One minutes later I called my dad. He didn't answer. I left a message. Four minutes later I called my mom. She was already on her way because she and Dad were going to a dinner downtown. I got out of the car and closed the door and leaned against the front light to wait for Mom. She called the police. An officer came twenty minutes or so later. (Traffic was at rush hour.) Meanwhile I looked, didn't touch, to see what other damage they did. They broke the little window on the driver's side to get in. Nothing else was stolen or broken. I took photos with my camera. When the officer came she took pictures, looked around, put gloves on and looked in the car. She had me open the trunk to see if anything was stolen from in there. I laughed. I don't keep anything in the trunk except of the ice scraper (during the summer). I opened so she could see. She smiled. Ice scraper still there. Carpet spotless from the other day when i vacuumed the car. "That's a really clean trunk," she said. She had to call her Sargent to come and bring the finger print kit. He took another twenty minutes. Finally, he got there and they lifted prints from the inside door handle. There is a little black box that fills the extra space where the stereo is and they got some good prints off that. But that could have been from the installers. The police took that for evidence. Oh, and the police also took the cigarette butt that the guy left in my cup holder. (It's not mine. I don't smoke.) Today I plan on calling Techna Glass to get an estimate on the window. And I woke up in a bad mood still so I'm wearing my red dress and heels. It makes me happy.

And here are some pictures ...

Book Quote

2009-05-26T10:13:00.000-06:00

I was reading Emma this morning and I found a funny quote. Mr. Knightley was talking to Mrs. Weston about Emma's reading habits, or lack thereof. He stated:

"She will never submit to any thing requiring industry and patience, and a subjection of the fancy to the understanding."

(Page 32; line nine)

It's so true!! Reading does require work and patience. lol. And as for "a subjection of the fancy to the understanding" I find that rather easy. To let my mind wander in another time, another place, other people's lives. It's fantastic! Reading is so relaxing to me. Even while reading Jane Austen, whom I find somewhat difficult to read and actually grasp picture and interest until well into the story. Austen's books are very well written and they challenge my vocabulary and mind. I love it! I haven't been this stimulated from a book since I read Les Misérables last year. It's nice to be challenged and relaxed at the same time. lol.

Red High Heels

2009-05-15T08:12:00.000-06:00

See my pretty red shoes! I bought them from Kohl's last night. I am wearing them right now and they make me smile. They are the first pair of colored shoes I own. They are apt. 9 Kendal Dress Heels in red, obviously. They also come in black. I love them!

Our American Flag

2009-05-06T13:14:00.000-06:00

Flag Folding Procedures and Symbols

Although there are no Flag Code provisions requiring any particular method, the traditional method of folding the flag is outlined here.

Tradition also sets the meaning of the flag folds along with actual program for folding the flag.

Straighten out the flag to full length and fold lengthwise once.

Fold it lengthwise a second time to meet the open edge, making sure that the union of stars on the blue field remains outward in full view. (A large flag may have to be folded lengthwise a third time.)

A triangular fold is then started by bringing the striped corner of the folded edge to the open edge.

The outer point is then turned inward, parallel with the open edge, to form a second triangle.

The diagonal or triangular folding is continued toward the blue union until the end is reached, with only the blue showing and the form being that of a cocked (three corner) hat.

Meaning of Flag Folding Program

The flag folding ceremony represents the same religious principles on which our great country was originally founded.

The portion of the flag denoting honor is the canton of blue containing the stars representing states our veterans served in uniform. The canton field of blue dresses from left to right and is inverted only when draped as a pall on the casket of a veteran who has served our country honorably in uniform.

In the Armed Forces of the United States, at the ceremony of retreat, the flag is lowered, folded in a triangle fold and kept under watch throughout the night as a tribute to our nation’s honored dead. The next morning it is brought out and, at the ceremony of reveille, run aloft as a symbol of our belief in the resurrection of the body.

Symbols for the folds of the Flag

The first fold of our flag is a symbol of life.

The second fold is a symbol of our belief in the eternal life.

The third fold is made in honor and remembrance of the veteran departing our ranks, and who gave a portion of life for the defense of our country to attain peace throughout the world.

The fourth fold represents our weaker nature; for as American citizens trusting in God, it is to Him we turn in times of peace, as well as in times of war, for His divine guidance.

The fifth fold is a tribute to our country, for in the words of Stephen Decatur, “Our country, in dealing with other countries, may she always be right, but it is still our country, right or wrong.”

The sixth fold is for where our hearts lie. It is with our heart that we pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

The seventh fold is a tribute to our Armed Forces, for it is through the Armed Forces that we protect our country and our flag against all enemies, whether they be found within or without the boundaries of our republic.

The eighth fold is a tribute to the one who entered into the valley of the shadow of death, that we might see the light of day, and to honor our mother, for whom it flies on Mother’s Day.

The ninth fold is a tribute to womanhood, for it has been through their faith, love, loyalty and devotion that the character of the men and women who have made this country great have been molded.

The tenth fold is a tribute to father, for he, too, has given his sons and daughters for the defense of our country since he or she was first born.

The eleventh fold, in the eyes of Hebrew citizens, represents the lower portion of the seal of King David and King Solomon and glorifies, in their eyes, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

The twelfth fold, in the eyes of a Christian citizen, represents an emblem of eternity and glorifies, in their eyes, God the Father, the Son and Holy Ghost.

When the flag is completely folded, the stars are uppermost, reminding us of our national motto, “In God We Trust.”

After the flag is completely folded and tucked in, it takes on the appearance, of a cocked hat, ever reminding us of the soldiers who served under General George Washington and the sailors and marines who served under Captain John Paul Jones who were followed by their comrades and shipmates in the Armed Forces of the United States, preserving for us the rights, privileges, and freedoms we enjoy today.

See original site.

Laptop Musings

2009-05-05T08:46:00.000-06:00

So since I have been getting more into my photography I have wanted to buy a laptop to do editing on and to store them and such. I also wanted to be able to blog everyday. So therefore I would need an Internet connection, which isn't hard to get nowadays. lol. I have looked at NewEgg to just browse through their selection of computers and I have no idea what I'm doing. I'm not a computer geek and know exactly what size memory I should get and what the CPU should be. I may sound like I do but that's what you get for having nerdy friends and four brothers who love video games. I have no idea what I'm talking about. lol. Anyways, what I want in layman's terms ... a small laptop with a full keyboard (that includes the numbers keypad on the right; I use that a lot), light in weight, color: green or white or red (white being my first choice, green being my second choice), enough space for all of my photos in raw form and edited form, fast Internet capabilities, a webcam (not required but I think that would be fun), Windows Microsoft Office (I don't really want to use something other then Microsoft Office, as that is what I have always used), and I suppose I could tell you more if I was asked the right questions. Off the top of my head that's what I got. I don't really care about who makes the computer. I don't care if Hewlett Packard or ASUS makes the computer I just want one that will last me a few years with a company that I can trust.

Camera Lenses and NM

2009-04-30T14:10:00.004-06:00

So I have been thinking about getting another lens for my camera. I can't really decide on which one. I really love macro photos and love attempting them with my current lens. I could do so much more with a macro lens. I was also thinking about a wide-angle lens. I've heard that they are really nice to shoot ... well, wide-angle photos. lol. I also was thinking about getting some sort of zoom lens. I was thinking that would be fun. You know what would be nice if there was some sort of zoom/macro lens. I would buy that. I think I am going to get a macro lens since I love close-up shots so much. I don't know if I'll be able to get one before I go to New Mexico but that would be really fun if I could. Canon lenses are really expensive but so worth it.

Irritation

2009-04-23T10:58:00.001-06:00

I am just so tired today. I don't know why. I really didn't want to come to work today. It's not even noon and I really just want to be somewhere else right now. What I really want is to not be in Utah. I have half a mind to take a weekend road trip somewhere. Any one want to come? Maybe I'll go crash at Chad and Amber's place (with your permission, of course) for the weekend. Even though they just live in Provo I think it might do me good to be away from my parent's. And they can't tell me I can't take the car because it is now solely mine. As soon as I write them a check it will be mine , at least. Which I could do any time they want. I really want to go see Jon in Mew Mexico. That would take nearly 12 hours of driving. I really don't want to take that long of a road trip right now. I want to spend a few days down there not a few hours. So that trip will have to wait for a bit. (If I go at all it will be in June sometime.) This morning I wanted to be there soaking up the sun and relaxing. But this irritation I feel is just not helping my un-relaxed state of mind right now. I want sun, Doctor Who (David Tennant in any form would be nice), and a few days off so I can drive to New Mexico. lol. The more I think about going and seeing Jon, whom I actually haven't seen in ten years, nor spoken on the phone to, the more I think about that trip the more my resolve not to go breaks down. Yes, Jonathan, you read that right. I didn't know if I wanted to see a complete stranger. Hence the sleeping arrangements ... but I feel that I can trust you. Look at what my non-stop giggling is doing to me. I want to come and get to know you face-to-face. But I really think I should wait. But the weather is so nice down there. It was 86 degrees there yesterday, right. I bet lots of sun and great vistas. I miss New Mexico's great vistas and sunsets. And now that I'm older and know how to handle my camera I have wanted to go photograph some place cool. After seeing Becker's blog about Santa Fe I really wanted to go back and see New Mexico. But that doesn't change the present. Anyone have any ideas on how to get this stupor of thought and feeling to go away? I just want to cuddle up in some one's arms and cry. I really feel like I could cry right now. Life is bogging me down with nothing. I feel like this storm, or lack of storm, is keeping my life from going anywhere. I own a car. Whoopee. It's about the only thing I have going for me. I don't know whether or not I am moving out of my parent's house or not. I need money in order to do that. So from now on nearly all of my paychecks will be going into savings. Maybe by July I'll have found a decent place to move into. That would be nice. But I feel like I have been thinking to far beyond the now. I don't want to live in Utah for the rest of my life therefore I don't want to date anyone here. Besides all the Mormon boys here are way to preppy. I have never liked the culture here verses outside of Utah. If I had a choice I would have stayed in New Mexico or Colorado. I feel like I have been suffocating here. Especially living at my grandparent's house the first year or two. That was crazy. I had two sets of parents. I feel as if I have made little progress toward my own happiness in the three years since I have lived in Utah. I thought things would change but they aren't. I have tried to be happier and change the way I think about my situation but some days, like today, I just feel like crying. I just want to be happy and loved and cuddled. Nothing more then that.

If you read all of that I am sorry. But like I said I'm not having a very good morning.

Happy Earth Day!

2009-04-22T12:56:00.002-06:00

Happy Earth Day! Remember to love the planet you walk upon and trust in it's heart. Take care of our dear home. Enjoy the outdoors and life and love everyone the way you want to be loved.

Tulips

2009-04-14T10:17:00.000-06:00

I love tulips! They are my favorite flower, next to cala lilies. They are elegant and gorgeous. I love black tulips. They are very hard to find because they are quite rare. Saturday morning I was watching a garden show in which the focal point of the garden was a old stone vase. The gardener had planted tulips around the base and they showed a shot in the springtime when all the flowers were in bloom. I wanted a bouquet of tulips from that point on. So I went to Walmart and looked and they didn't have a very large selection of tulips. I then went to Smith's but they didn't carry any tulips at all. Yesterday, I got to the point of driving down to Albertson's, which is far away from my house, and looked at their tulip selection. I love the selection there. They have a whole bunch of colors and the flowers look healthy. I bought three bouquets of five flowers each. They smell really good and make me smile every time I look at them.

Easter Fun

2009-04-13T08:07:00.010-06:00

Brian didn't know what to put on his first eggs so he made a bird's nest. lol. It's pretty ingenious.

Brian and his alien egg. The alien's eyes are really thick glow-in-the-dark crayon. And it really does glow-in-the-dark!

Eric being a dork. lol.

Eric's eggs. Can you tell his an artist?

My batch of eggs. I like my Yoshi egg (the green one with white dots).

But I love my bright red egg. It took forever to make it that red. lol.

Chad can be so egotistical sometimes. lol. Just kidding, Chad. You know I love you.

Idiots and Phones

2009-04-06T08:23:00.004-06:00

Some idiot called my phone at 12:45am last night. I guess I was somewhat awake because I woke up and looked at the number. I didn't recognize it so I didn't answer it. The guy left a message. So it beeped at me a few seconds later. I didn't appreciate that at all. I couldn't get back to sleep for thirty minutes, maybe forty. I did not sleep well last night. I tossed and turned a lot. I really ache this morning.

London Photos ...

2009-04-05T00:52:00.001-06:00

Sorry, this is such a long post. I had so many favorite photos I couldn't choose a few. Plus, I did have seven days I had to post. Enjoy!

Friday, March 13 -- Flying to London

Utah from the airplane.

Cincinnati airport.

Cincinnati airport.

Saturday, March 14

Kason

Kason

Makaya

Kason

Kason

Kason

Stonehenge

Stonehenge

Stonehenge

Stonehenge

Stonehenge

Sunday, March 15

A Porsche

The forest we had to go through ...

... the bad way.

... the good way. lol.

Shannon, Becca, and Krysta.

Krysta in a red telephone booth.

giant Lion (with Shannon in the background).

Krysta (me) and the giant Lion

Her Majesty's Theatre -- London's home of Phantom of the Opera

Tuesday, March 17

Cat that followed us part of the way to the train.

Cat that followed us part of the way to the train with Shannon.

Cat that followed us part of the way to the train.

Becca and Shannon

Brighton

Brighton

Brighton

Brighton

Brighton

Brighton

Brighton

Brighton -- Becca

Brighton

Wednesday, March 18

Big Ben

Big Ben

Westminster Abbey

Westminster Abbey

Westminster Abbey

Westminster Abbey

Westminster Abbey

Westminster Abbey

Westminster Abbey

Westminster Abbey

Westminster Abbey

Westminster Abbey

Westminster Abbey

Westminster Abbey

Westminster Abbey

Westminster Abbey

Westminster Abbey

An Aston Martin

Krysta

Shannon and Becca

Shannon

The London Eye

The London Eye

This is sightseeing bus we took the first Monday.

The London Eye

The London Eye

The London Eye

Hamleys --

Hamley's bear --

Hamley's bear --

Hamley's bear --

Hamley's bear --

Hamley's bear --

Hamley's bear -- Baby's

Hamley's bear -- Baby's

Hamley's bear -- Baby's

Hamley's bear -- Baby's

Thursday, March 19

Backyard fun -- Shannon

Backyard fun -- Becca

Backyard fun -- Becca and Shannon

Backyard fun -- Becca, Shannon, and Krysta

Backyard fun -- Becca, Shannon, and Krysta

Backyard fun -- Shannon

Backyard fun --Becca

Backyard fun --

Backyard fun -- Becca

Apollo Victoria Theatre -- Wicked

Apollo Victoria Theatre -- Wicked

Apollo Victoria Theatre -- Wicked

Apollo Victoria Theatre --

Friday, March 20

Playing at the Park -- Kason

Playing at the Park -- Kason

Playing at the Park -- Kason

Playing at the Park -- Kason

Playing at the Park -- Kason

Playing at the Park -- Kason

This was the train we took to and from London and Brighton.

Saturday, March 21

London Temple --

London Temple --

London Temple --

London Temple --

London Temple --

London Temple --

London Temple --

London Temple --

London Temple --

London Temple --

London Temple --

London Temple --

London Temple --

London Temple --

London Temple --

London Temple --

London Temple --

London Temple --

London Temple --

London Temple --

London Temple --

London Temple --

London Temple --

London Temple --

London Temple --

London Temple --

London Temple --

London Temple --

London Temple --

London Temple --

London Temple --

London Temple --

London Temple --

London Temple --

London Temple --

London Temple --

London Temple --

London Temple --

London Temple --

London Zoo -- Makaya

London Zoo -- Aquarium

London Zoo -- Aquarium

London Zoo -- Aquarium

London Zoo -- Aquarium

London Zoo -- Aquarium

London Zoo -- Aquarium

London Zoo -- Aquarium

London Zoo -- Aquarium

London Zoo -- Aquarium

London Zoo --

London Zoo --

London Zoo -- Gorilla

London Zoo -- Gorilla

London Zoo -- Gibbons

London Zoo -- Gibbons

London Zoo -- Gibbons

London Zoo -- I had to go here ...

London Zoo -- ... for this reason. lol.

London Zoo -- Lion and Lioness

London Zoo -- Tiger

London Zoo -- Tiger

London Zoo -- Tiger

London Zoo -- Pelicans

London Zoo -- Pelicans

London Zoo -- Pelicans

London Zoo --

London Zoo -- Penguins

London Zoo -- Penguins

London Zoo -- Penguins

London Zoo -- Giraffe

Walking to Buckingham Palace through the park

Walking to Buckingham Palace through the park

Walking to Buckingham Palace through the park

Walking to Buckingham Palace through the park

Walking to Buckingham Palace through the park

Buckingham Palace

Buckingham Palace

Buckingham Palace

Buckingham Palace

Buckingham Palace

Buckingham Palace

Buckingham Palace

Buckingham Palace

Buckingham Palace

Buckingham Palace

Buckingham Palace

Buckingham Palace

Monday, March 23 -- Flying Home

England from the airplane

Ireland from the airplane

Clouds from above

Off the coast of Canada

Off the coast of Canada

Off the coast of Canada

Off the coast of Canada

Pennsylvania from the airplane

Sand Art

2009-04-03T08:01:00.009-06:00

Madeline Video by TMP

2009-04-01T12:16:00.004-06:00

Randomness on my Mind

2009-03-26T13:33:00.000-06:00

I figured how I messed up my finances while I was in England. lol. I didn't keep track of all the withdrawals and money shuffling while I was there. I waited until I got home to figure it all out and write it down. The exchange rate was my reasoning for not doing it then and there. But now that I figured it out I have to pay my bills. And I think I have enough to pay of my credit card and my car payment. But I don't remember how much my Target bill is. If I remember right I have enough to pay that one too. And then I'll be all caught up with my finances.

So, on Facebook, I have been talking with a friend from elementary school that I had a crush on. It has been really nice to get back in touch with him after ten years. I feel like a giddy school girl when I talk with Jon. It makes me happy! lol.

I haven't sat down and figured out my London photos yet. I need to do that at home on the computer. But I need to do that soon because I want to post my favorites here and Shannon and Becca want them too. I have some great shots. I really like the temple shots. The light was great when we first got there. And there was frost on the ground. It was very pretty.

As soon as I figure out how to find an easy way to adhere my logo to my photos I'll unveil my Krysta Higgins Photography page and no longer write here. I just kind of frustrated because all the people have talked to use Photoshop to put their logos on their photos. I will not use Photoshop. And I am not going to buy it just to put a logo on a picture.

I'm home from London!

2009-03-24T09:06:00.003-06:00

I'm back in Salt Lake now. I had so much fun in London. It was nice and relaxing. The weather was great all week some I kind of bummed to come back to cold weather and snow. I have tons of pictures. I took around 970 pictures total. I haven't looked though them to see if all of those are good or not. I'll do that this week. And then I will share them. Here's a fun one for you while you wait for them.

Friday in London

2009-03-20T16:25:00.001-06:00

Today not much happened. We went and shopped around Haywards Heath this morning. Nothing stood out so I didn't buy anything. We then went and picked up Makaya from her school. We played at the park while we waited. They had one of those merry-go-round things. So fun. I was playing with Kason on it. It was a nice relaxing day today. Know Shannon, Becca, and I are watching 'Enchanted'.

And now I'm drinking a Mountain Dew, which tastes so good.

It's 10:25pm here in London.

Thursday in London

2009-03-19T19:50:00.003-06:00

It was cold today. I don't know the temperature. It was not very sunny. We wore coats to London because it was cold. I am not looking forward to coming back to snow and more coldness.

Guess what I saw this evening?! 'Wicked'!! We went into London at five-ish. Funny story ... We were going to leave at three but as we were walking down the street, not two houses away Shannon realized she didn't have the ticket voucher with her. It was in the house, which was empty. We didn't have a key to get into the house. Sarah wasn't going to be back until four so we hung out in the backyard for an hour. We took jumping pictures and acted like we were models. It was great fun! And then Sarah got home, laughed at us, and we grabbed the tickets and headed out the door again. When we got to London we bought dinner, which was just sandwiches for a grocery store. Then we head across the street to the Apollo Theatre. We took pictures of the sign that said 'Wicked' on it. We were so excited!! We went in and got our tickets and bought t-shirts and programs. The shirts are so cool. It says 'Wicked' and has Elphiba's hat (Wicked Witch of the West) and below that it says London. We put them on after the show and took pictures with the sign out front. The play was amazing!!!!! I knew the music before but something about seeing it. And the talking parts, especially in the end!, are a big part of the play. lol. I LOVED it!!!! I am really glad we decided to see this one. None of us had seen it, so that was really cool. We had great seats too. They were up on the balcony, about two rows back from the edge, slightly left of center stage. They were great! I really liked it and would not mind going to see it again. We all cried during the play. Becca had no idea what the story plot was. I think she cried the most. Shannon knew more of the story then I did. I just knew the music. She knew how it ended!! Amazing!! I took a picture inside of the theatre but not during the play, of course. That was "strictly prohibited." lol. After the play when we got back "home" we had Alan pick us up because we didn't want to wait for a bus. That was all we did today. But it was a lot of fun!

The plan for tomorrow is to go shopping. ... And that's all. lol.

Saturday we are planning on going to Buckingham (with Sarah and kids), go to the London Zoo (with Sarah and kids), and go to the temple (with Alan, I believe). That could change but that's the plan as of tonight. lol.

By the way, I watched an episode of Dr. Who last evening and it was great! I did find out the David Tennet is stepping down from the role at the end of the year. I am really disappointed. I LOVE David Tennet as Dr. Who. He is the BEST ONE!!! Now the have to "kill" the Time Lord and regenerate a new one. I'm really sad! ... And you have no clue what I'm talking about. lol. (Eric will. He watches it with me sometimes.) Dr. Who is on Saturday night at 11pm (back in the States). I like to stay up and watch it. But since it is on PBS sometimes they have their money telethon, whatever the heck it's called, and all shows go on hold while they raise money for the network. March is telethon month. Therefore, no Dr. Who!

And ... It is 1:50am in London. Yes ... I know go to bed!

Wednesday in London

2009-03-18T18:01:00.002-06:00

Good Evening! (Or morning I don't know when you read these. lol.)

Today I slept in again. I think all my sleepless nights are catching up to me on this trip. Tomorrow we are going into London later so we get the morning to do whatever. I'll probably end up sleeping. lol.

So we went into London around noon. (Well, we got there at noon.) We walked down the street to the Parliament building and saw the Big Ben clock tower. We also went to Westminster Abbey. But we just walked around it. We didn't go inside. That would have been cool. (Next time.) We didn't want to pay twelve pounds to go see the inside of a church that you can't take pictures of. I took my Canon Rebel XSi into London. It's the first time it's been to London. lol. It was really fun. I took pictures of Big Ben and Westminster Abbey and the such today.

We walked down the bridge where the London Eye is. (That's the big farris wheel thing.) There were street performers that we watched for a bit. Shannon and Becca didn't want to go on the Eye because they didn't want to spend the money. They would have waited while I went on it. I really wanted to go on it but not so much that I would lock myself in a room with twenty-four other strangers for thirty minutes. But I hear the view is great! Next time I come to London I am definitely going on the London Eye. I regret not going. I took pictures of it though.

We also went to Hamley's Toy Store today. Have you heard of Hamley's? It's the largest toy store in the world. (If I remember right.) And I believe it. The store has six floors. Four floors above, a ground floor, and a basement. All filled with toys. The different floors were different topics, categories. Let's see if I can remember them all. Interactive games (basement), stuffed animals and checkout (ground floor), games (1st floor), baby and toddler (2nd floor), girl's (3rd floor), boy's (4th floor) and there was a cafe area at the very top. (So I suppose there were seven levels.) We started at the top and worked our way down. In the boy's section they had everything Harry Potter related you could think of. All of collectibles. There were even Star Wars and Lord of the Rings stuff. It was awesome!! But I wasn't going to spend all whole bunch of money on Cedric Diggory's wand or a Horn-tailed dragon figurine. I just bought a bear (from the ground level). It's so cute and soft. I love it!

Coming home from the train station we walked instead of riding the bus. It is usually dark when we get back from London but today we got back early. The sunset was really pretty. Yesterday it was pretty too, coming home from Brighton.

So tomorrow our big adventure is seeing 'Wicked' at the theater! 'Wicked'!!! It is going to be so much fun. We bought our tickets this afternoon so we have a voucher thing. The show starts at 7:30pm but we have to arrive no later than 7:00pm. And the theater is right next to the London Victoria train station. That's the one we use.

I am falling asleep and my feet are screaming at me. They hurt so bad. I need to go to bed. It's 11:58pm!

Tuesday in London

2009-03-17T16:04:00.003-06:00

Today I didn't wake up until noon. It was really nice. We didn't really have any plans so it was okay.

I wore green because it's Saint Patrick's Day. I don't think that tradition got to England because no one was wearing green. lol. Shannon, Becca and Sarah wore green. I didn't notice if the kids were wearing green or not.

We went the seaside today. We rode the train to Brighton and walked down to the beach and Brighton Pier. We came across the shopping center and there was a H&M. We went shopping there and then went to the pier. I bought a pair of earrings and matching necklace. They are really cute. There was a shirt too but it was one size too big. I could find a smaller size or else I would have bought that too. lol. At Brighton Pier there are rides. We didn't go on any of the rides. It was fun to look at them. We were hungry at that point so we got crepes. I filled mine with chocolate and cherries. It was so good.

Tomorrow I believe we are going into London to Buckingham Palace. I think we are going to buy our 'Wicked' tickets for Thursday night as well.

By the way, it is 10:08pm here in London!

Monday in London

2009-03-16T14:32:00.002-06:00

Well, it is Monday evening. We went into London today. It was a lot of fun! We rode the train into London from Haywards Heath (where my cousin's live) and got of at London Victoria Station. We rode the Big Red Bus Tour, the one where you get off and on. We got off and walked around near Piccadilly Circus. We saw a red phone booth and we took a picture inside of it. For lunch, at two or three, we bought a sandwich from the little grocery store thing. Only 2.27 for a sandwich. We ate while we walked to the Gallery. We went to the National Gallery and walked around the square in the front, as well as inside. We couldn't find the building right at first but we knew we were in the area. It was great! We climbed onto the monument and took pictures with the lion statue. After a bit, we got back on the Red Bus and it drove past the London Bridge, Parliament, Big Ben and the clock tower, etc. It was really cool. But I have no pictures because my camera died. I think Shannon took some for me. The battery is charging right now. And then we caught the train home. The day was so much fun!!

By the way, it's 8:32pm here in London. Love it.

Hiya! London stuff.

2009-03-15T12:55:00.002-06:00

So something I forgot to mention the other night ... I broke two nails at SLC International. TWO!! All the way to the skin. So I had to cut them ALL short. That's just the kind of person I am. I have to have all my nails the same length. But of course it had to happen after we checked our luggage. So I had to wait until we got to London to cut them. And typing with my middle finger hurts. lol. And I am so mad ... my beautiful red luggage has black marks all over it. It looks like shoes prints or something. And they broke my zipper off. That's the price of traveling ... dirty suitcases with zipper broken. lol.

So we went and saw Stonehenge on Saturday and it is really, kind of, cool. I took some really nice pictures. Before we left the house we went to an ATM to get pounds. And I was going to use my credit card to pull money out but I couldn't remember my password. I thought it was the same as my debit card. I ended up pulling it from my debit card so I hope I have enough money in my check book. I should look.

Today we went to church with my cousins. (They don't have single's wards.) Both missionary's are from the States. One of them is from CA and the other one is from UT. I don't remember what part. And next week Sarah is giving a talk. She thought it was today but the schedule got messed up. The high councilman was here this week. I think those weeks were switched on the bishop's schedule. lol.

This morning I woke up to birds chirping. The weather is gorgeous here. It is sunny and not very cold at all. I haven't needs my umbrella or jacket. Now watch ... I'll need them tomorrow. lol. We, including Sarah, walked down to the train station this afternoon and it was beautiful outside.

By the way, it is 6:58pm here in London.

I'm here!

2009-03-14T03:14:00.003-06:00

I'm at my cousin''s house! In London! The flight went great. We got to watch a movie, of our choice, during the flight to London. I watched The Duchess, with Keira Knightly, which was really good. Kind of a slow movie but whatever. lol. I slept a lot on the plane. Going through customs was really easy. Right now we are going take showers while Alan goes grocery shopping. I think we are then going to go to Stonehedge. I don't remember what our plans are. No phone service. So I might just turn my phone all the way off since the clock won't even work. lol.

By the way, it is 9:18 in the morning here in London!

No Sleep

2009-03-12T08:58:00.002-06:00

One more day until London! I was packing last night because I have school tonight. I did my laundry and was getting excited to leave. I didn't go to sleep until 1am because I was really excited. I got up at midnight and packed some more thinking maybe that would help me get to sleep.

As for living with my co-worker, I am really glad I have a vacation coming up. I just need to get away from Utah and everything here. The snow is killing me! Why is winter so long? I miss the sun and the flowers and grass.

The new blog is going great. I was going to stay with Blogger and try and figure out a different format and/or design scheme but I have been looking at other blog sites. I settled on using Wordpress. So the blog has a sleek, black design. I'm not quite ready to unveil it yet. I need to tweak a few more things. I love it though!

Talking

2009-03-11T15:37:00.002-06:00

I talked to Mom and Dad last night about moving out of the house. I hate the feeling I get when I have to tell them something. I always feel nervous and anxious. I don't relax for a long time after the conversation. Anyways, they reacted how I thought they would. Mom is worried, as she always is. Dad is worried about my finances. They thought that they gave me enough freedoms that the feelings of moving out would pass. It has been two years since we moved to Utah and that seed started to settle. I told them I don't feel like my life is going anywhere. I have to move out and maybe something will happen. I didn't tell them that I might be able to sleep better and my nerves won't be in a knot if I move out. So pending details I will be moving come the first of April. After London I'll talk with Laura and find out what's going on with her situation and see if the offer still stands. Hopefully, it does because I think it could be fun being her roommate.

Concert Canceled

2009-03-10T15:54:00.003-06:00

So ... Tickle Me Pink cancelled the Salt Lake show. It's a good thing I didn't buy tickets yet. lol. Go check out their website anyway ... http://ticklemepinkrock.com/.

Good Girl Gone Bad

2009-03-10T13:42:00.000-06:00

I just realized that I am going to London in two days! I am not ready. What do I pack? What is the weather like? Should I bring my SLR camera? What is going to happen when I get back? Laura is kicking her roommate out of the house and I told her I wanted to move in. So guess what? ... I am moving out of my parent's house come April 1st, if not sooner. I haven't told Mom or Dad that I want to move out and that I have a place to live. I don't know how they'll take it. I guess I'll tell them when I get back from London. Mom is already really worried about me going over-seas for ten days. And I haven't talked to, or seen, Chad for over a month. I miss you, Chad! I don't really know why I am not allowing myself to call you. I suppose it would be because whenever I want to call you it's midnight! lol. I know I've called you that late before but I am always afraid I'm waking you up. Oh, and Tickle Me Pink is coming to Salt Lake City this week. I was planning on going but decided against it. They are coming on Wednesday or Thursday. Sean has bronchitis so might not even be there. But it is also right before I leave for London. I need to relax and get sleep before I go on vacation. By the way, I know what I am going to pack, I plan on bringing a jacket and an umbrella, and ... yes, I am bringing my SLR camera. And I will plan on blogging while I'm in London.

*sigh* I feel better now.

Blog, Tired, Dancing, Math & London

2009-02-26T17:08:00.007-07:00

So the redesigning of the blog is quite fun. I have great ideas and have written them all down so as to not forget anything. I'm working on it all and I'm not ready to unveil it yet. I can tell you I am really excited to see how it looks. Hopefully, it looks like I want it to. I do have a question and want to know if anyone will know the answer. ... How do you attach a logo to a photo with tweaking the resolution, etc.? I have designed a logo that I really, really like but don't know how I would adhere the logo to my photos. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

I am so tired tonight. I was out in the truck with Laura all day picking up orders at work. I wasn't tired than. But when we got back I was really loopy so I know I was getting to that point of crashing. lol. And then I got to school and sat down at the computer and about fell asleep. I really hope this class lecture doesn't take long because I want to go home and watch Survivor and go to sleep.

I think all the excitement of last night finally caught up to. I watch Jonathan Roberts dance on America's Ballroom Challenge. I thought it was very funny that his wife Anna Trebunskaya was also there but dancing in a different category and with a different partner than Jonathan. Both got to the finals of the challenge but only Jonathan got to the final finals. I really liked his dancing and thought he should have won. But I understand why he and his partner, Valentina, didn't win. The other couple was so good.

For my math class we have to create a budget. So I have been working on seeing what I spend. It is so funny on what I spend my money. Most of it's on food. It really makes me laugh.

I am getting really excited to go to London. I met with Shannon and Becca the other night and we discussed what we wanted to do. I can not wait until we leave. This trip is going to be great! I really need a break from everything that is going on.

Redoing Blog

2009-02-19T12:01:00.003-07:00

Jasmine Star's Fingerprints Make Me Proud blog post almost made me cry. Granted I am kind of emotional today so that's not hard to do. The last paragraph is what kind of got me. She writes:

Their website is a total reflection of them. As my website is a total reflection of me. Both sites are completely custom, unique, and have our smudgy fingerprints all over the sites. If you're a blog reader who fears your brand isn't adequately displayed, I challenge you to find ways to carve your path and start loving your business and brand!

For a while now I have been wanting to redo my blog. Possibly, changing the name to Krysta Higgins Photography. I was playing around with PictureIt the other day and I found a cool logo that works for KH. I don't know how I would attach it to my photos easily. I suppose I could use PictureIt to edit every single photo. ... Yeah, no. That would be so much work. Maybe I'll look around later today and see if there are any free websites that are easy to use, that look clean and sleek, and black. I am a fan of the black background. lol.

Groban Post

2009-02-17T07:51:00.003-07:00

Josh Groban's Valentine post is hilarious. It's just so Josh. lol. Go check it out here.

Happy Valentine's Day!!

2009-02-14T14:21:00.000-07:00

I woke up this morning and rolled over and smiled. Dad left flowers on my nightstand. He bought me African Violets. They are a very pretty purple.

Mom got flowers too. Although she gets the more "traditional" dozen red roses. She was surprised. I was kind of happy that Mom got flowers because I was going to go buy myself some this weekend and photograph them. I still might go look at what there is.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Josh at the Grammy Awards

2009-02-09T10:12:00.002-07:00

Josh went to the Grammy's last night. And I didn't get to watch all of it. I did get to see Josh when he announced Neil Diamond. He looked so gorgeous in his black suit. I did find out this morning that he did not win the Grammy. Natalie Cole won for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album. At least Josh was recognized. Maybe next CD ...

Colored Sprinkles

2009-02-06T13:36:00.001-07:00

So I really wanted to photograph this week. But the weather has been so cold that I haven't wanted to go outside. Thinking about photography made me want to paint my room. So that's what I'll be doing this weekend. I'm painting it purple, albeit a very light purple. And then I want to take a photo with high enough resolution that I can make it huge and hang it on my wall. I don't know what I would take a picture of though. Flowers are always really nice. I want it to be a macro shot of something and spring is great for close-up shots.

We got paid today. My whole paycheck is going toward paying off my credit card so that I can have all my money to spend in London. lol. Seriously! I want to make sure that I have money to spend on entertainment and souvenirs, and emergencies (just in case). I think I even might up my limit. I have to call Wells Fargo anyway to tell them I'll be out of the country in March. It is going to be so much fun.

David Beckham can't leave the LA Galaxy yet! I want to see him play! The game that my family and I went to he never played in because he was injured. And now he wants to cut out of his five-year contract with LA to go play for Milan, which is where he is right now. Beckham has only been in the states for two years. If his contract was for $32.5 million it makes me wonder what Landon Donavon is getting? I like watching him play too. And he won't be leaving the USA for some foreign job ... he is American. Did you know that he is the team captain of the USA men's soccer team? lol.

The Grammy Awards are this Sunday! Josh Groban better win because he is the best! Noël is nominated for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album. The other nominees are Still Unforgettable by Natalie Cole; The Sinatra Project, Michael Feinstein; In The Swing Of Christmas, Barry Manilow; Rufus Does Judy At Carnegie Hall, Rufus Wainwright. I think Josh has a real chance of winning. Guess we'll see on Sunday.

=)

2009-02-05T18:30:00.000-07:00

Cheese and Lace ... Thanks for visiting!

I crack myself up! lol

Puppy Size

2009-02-05T08:53:00.003-07:00

This is one of the neatest stories you will ever hear. You will know precisely what this little girl is talking about at the end (you'll want to share this one with your loved ones and special friends)!

'Danielle keeps repeating it over and over again. We've been back to This animal shelter at least five times. It has been weeks now since we started all of this,' the mother told the volunteer.

'What is it she keeps asking for?' the volunteer asked.

'Puppy size!' replied the mother.

'Well, we have plenty of puppies, if that's what she's looking for.'

'I know... we have seen most of them, ' the mom said in frustration...

Just then Danielle came walking into the office.

'Well, did you find one?' asked her mom. 'No, not this time,' Danielle said with sadness in her voice. 'Can we come back on the weekend?'

The two women looked at each other, shook their heads and laughed.

'You never know when we will get more dogs. Unfortunately, there's always a supply,' the volunteer said.

Danielle took her mother by the hand and headed to the door. 'Don't worry, I'll find one this weekend,' she said.

Over the next few days both Mom and Dad had long conversations with her.

They both felt she was being too particular. 'It's this weekend or we're not looking any more,' Dad finally said in frustration.

'We don't want to hear anything more about puppy size, either,' Mom added.

Sure enough, they were the first ones in the shelter on Saturday morning. By now Danielle knew her way around, so she ran right for the section that housed the smaller dogs.

Tired of the routine, mom sat in the small waiting room at the end of the first row of cages. There was an observation window so you could see the animals during times when visitors weren't permitted.

Danielle walked slowly from cage to cage, kneeling periodically to take a closer look. One by one the dogs were brought out and she held each one.

One by one she said, 'Sorry, but you're not the one.'

It was the last cage on this last day in search of the perfect pup.

The volunteer opened the cage door and the child carefully picked up the dog and held it closely. This time she took a little longer.

'Mom, that's it! I found the right puppy! He's the one! I know it!' She screamed with joy. 'It's the puppy size!'

'But it's the same size as all the other puppies you held over the last few weeks,' Mom said.

'No not size... The sighs. When I held him in my arms, he sighed,' she said.

'Don't you remember? When I asked you one day what love is, you told me love depends on the sighs of your heart. The more you love, the bigger the sigh!'

The two women looked at each other for a moment. Mom didn't know whether to laugh or cry. As she stooped down to hug the child, she did a little of both.

'Mom, every time you hold me, I sigh. When you and Daddy come home from work and hug each other, you both sigh. I knew I would find the right puppy if it sighed when I held it in my arms,' she said.

Then, holding the puppy up close to her face, she said, 'Mom, he loves me. I heard the sighs of his heart!'

Close your eyes for a moment and think about the love that makes you sigh. I not only find it in the arms of my loved ones, but in the caress of a sunset, the kiss of the moonlight and the gentle brush of cool air on a hot day.

They are the sighs of God Take the time to stop and listen; you will be surprised at what you hear. 'Life is not measured by the breaths wetake, but by the moments that take our breath away.'

Nothing and Everything

2009-01-22T17:03:00.000-07:00

I have been thinking a lot about nothing and everything.

This inversion that Utah is having really sucks. I just want it gone. I have been waking up with a sore throat for the past couple of days due to all the smog in the air. (And that's another thing ... Who thought up the word "smog"? It's an odd word.) I am glad that it somewhat rained today. I think we need more though to actually get this stuff away.

I have been thinking about my trip to London. My parents made a good suggestion the other night. I should get together with my cousins and discuss what we are going to do when we get there. I still have to call them. I think we should find out on our own some places we want to see and then when it comes to be a little closer to March we can get together and discuss our findings.

I don't really want to go to class tonight. I have to stay until 8:00 pm. I guess that's fine but I always get through before that time. I guess I'll just have to work on future assignments. Maybe I can get some done early that way I don't have to worry about them.

I want a puppy. I really miss having Miana sleep at the end of my bed and having Sydney be really happy to see me when I walked in the door. I think when I'll get one when I'm home more. That way she won't be lonely and I can actually see her.

Some people annoy me. They don't understand about computers and think they know everything.

Josh Groban posted on his blog this morning. I think Josh was in a thoughtful mood when he wrote it. He talks about his trip to D.C. and the day he had off yesterday. He speaks about the troops. I was taken aback because all of his other posts have been somewhat random and funny. They have had either a picture and a sentence or two or a video. So when I went and checked it today and saw a essay of sorts I just chuckled.

Obama's outfits: 'A real departure for first ladies'

2009-01-21T10:11:00.006-07:00

Obama's outfits: 'A real departure for first ladies'

By Jim Young, Reuters

First lady Michelle Obama makes her entrance at the Home States Ball, which honored Hawaii and Illinois, in her Jason Wu gown.

By Maria Puente and Olivia Barker, USA TODAY

WASHINGTON — Michelle Obama, an unprecedented first lady, made some unprecedented choices for her Inauguration Day apparel Tuesday, announcing herself as a self-confident style-setter willing to defy expectations.
She picked unexpected silhouettes, unusual colors and non-celebrity designers Jason Wu and Isabel Toledo.

Unlike most recent first ladies, she didn't release pictures or descriptions of her inaugural clothes in advance, apparently because she didn't make up her mind until the last moment.

By contrast, President Obama's clothes Tuesday provided no surprises: He wore a navy-blue business suit and white shirt with a red tie under a black overcoat with a flag pin. He wore a Hart Schaffner Marx tuxedo to the Inaugural Balls.

But all fashion-conscious eyes were on Michelle Obama. When she appeared at the first ball, around 8:30 p.m. ET, she was wearing a white, one-shoulder chiffon gown with a fitted bodice and covered with fluffy appliqués and beading, set off by sparkly shoulder-sweeping earrings.

"In her elegant gown, (she) sent out a message loud and clear: She is a refreshing dichotomy of change and tradition," said Joe Zee, creative director of Elle magazine.

"There's a long history of first ladies wearing white, including Jackie Kennedy and Nancy Reagan, but it's also somewhat unconventional" to wear it in winter and at night, said Nicole Phelps, executive editor of Style.com. "It's a great night for Jason Wu, and a good night for American fashion in general."

Wu, 26, who was born in Taiwan and raised in Vancouver and Connecticut, has dressed Obama before, including a silk dress worn for an interview on a Barbara Walters special in November.

Near midnight, Wu talked by phone to CNN. He had submitted sketches, along with other designers, but had no idea Obama picked his design until she appeared at the first ball. "It's thrilling, it's emotional, it's inspiring," he said. "For a young designer, you couldn't ask for any more than this. This is my dream come true."

His vision for the dress: "I wanted it to stand for everything she and President Obama are about — hope, newness, history. I wanted it to have a dreamlike quality."

Despite his youth, "Jason is known for having a mature sensibility," says Patricia Mears, deputy director of the museum of the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York. "This gown had a very polished, ladylike quality to it. It's fancier than most ball gowns he does; he does chiffon, he does white, he does one-shoulder, but I've never seen it all together with this kind of surface texture."

The Isabel Toledo brocade sheath-dress-and-coat ensemble she wore during the day Tuesday was a distinct departure (recent first ladies have chosen skirt suits), and it was widely acclaimed.

It was an unusual gold-yellow color, sparkled a little and had a jeweled collar, and the coat closed with a ribbon at the breast. She wore leather gloves from J. Crew and Jimmy Choo patent pumps, both in a coordinating olive green color.

"It's glorious," said Mears. "It's lemongrass, a golden color, and a real departure for first ladies, who typically dress in primary colors. It's a sophisticated color for a sophisticated woman."

The outfit was designed for the cold weather, she said. The lace is layered over wool, and the pashmina lining provides warmth.

The Obamas "clearly understand the importance of symbolism as they try to inspire a nation," said Anne Slowey, fashion news director for Elle. Obama looked "fantastic," Phelps said. "It's a surprising color for her but one that seems pitch-perfect for the historic occasion."

The choice of the Cuban-born, New Jersey-raised Toledo, 47, whom Obama also has worn in the past, continued Obama's habit of supporting under-the-radar, on-the-rise American designers such as Thakoon, Maria Pinto and Maria Cornejo, Phelps said.

"This is a good indication that she'll continue to do so in the White House, which will mean so much to the fashion industry in this time of economic crisis," she said.

"In a single outfit, Mrs. O has introduced another name best known within the inner circle of fashion to the American public," added Mary Tomer, who runs admiring website Mrs-O.org, which tracks Obama's fashion choices.

There are always naysayers. Fashion tracker Bonnie Fuller reported on her Huffington Post blog that some fashion followers thought it was too dressy for daywear. One of her friends was aghast, likening it to couch upholstery.

"The style merits are definitely debatable, but what's obvious is that Michelle has made a major statement," Fuller wrote. "This is a woman who speaks through her clothing. There was nothing traditional, meek or remain-in-the-background about this outfit."

I really liked her choice of dress. It was very elegant and classy. Beautiful!

America's Song

2009-01-21T10:08:00.001-07:00

Performed on the Oprah show on January, 19, 2009

Co-written by David Foster

Will.i.am on "America's Song"

David Foster Shares His Inspiration

Collaboration on "America's Song"

Bono and Will.i.am Rehearse "America's Song"

Josh Groban at Inaugural Ball

2009-01-21T09:44:00.005-07:00

January 20, 2009
Posted: 11:54 PM ET

From CNN Producer Rachel Streitfeld

To celebrate Obama, Hollywood comes to Washington

WASHINGTON (CNN) — It's unlikely President Obama will stop by, but for Hollywood fans the Ibiza nightclub is the hottest ticket in Washington tonight.

A star-studded group strolled the heated red carpet at the Recording Industry Association of America's post-inaugural bash.

Rihanna, who was slated to perform, told CNN's Jessica Yellin that during her travels abroad she'd found tremendous excitement about Obama's election.

"It had such a strong impact all over the world," she said. "The first black president, and being part of that was such a big deal to the rest of the world."

Colombian singer Shakira couldn't vote in the presidential election, but is still an ardent fan of Obama's. She gushed that she "can't be objective" about the 44th president — she just likes him too much.

Other celebrity Obama fans who turned out included Leonardo Di Caprio, Cher, Courtney Cox and David Arquette, Roseanna Arquette, Tobey Maguire, and Josh Groban.

Groban said he was inspired by the president's call to action — as long as it didn't include basketball.

"I'm going to have to work on my game," he said.

The function was a benefit for Feeding America, a hunger-relief charity.

A Day In History

2009-01-20T10:22:00.000-07:00

Barack Obama ... the 44th President of the United States of America.

I am proud to be an American!

London ... Here I come!!

2009-01-16T08:03:00.000-07:00

I bought my plane ticket last night. You know what's kind of funny? It was cheaper that evening. lol. I somewhat invited myself to come along. lol. Come on, it's Becca and Shannon. I knew they would be delighted to have me tag along. We fly to Cincinnati from Salt Lake and from there to London. Coming back we fly from London to Atlanta to Salt Lake. Each stop is with a four plus layover. Dad thinks that is a really long time. I don't mind though. I told Michele that I am going to be gone March 13-23 to go to London. She feels so sorry for me. *sarcastically stated* lol. Now I have to figure out what I am going to pack. And I don't think I am going to bring my Canon Rebel XSi to London. I would be afraid of breaking it, or someone stealing it. And my Canon SD750 we be sufficient. I will bring my 8G SD Card as well as the two 1G cards that I have. Maybe I'll go buy an extra battery for the camera. I'll have to remember to take the charger. I am so excited for this trip! Needless to say, I am not planning on going to New York City this year. London takes place of that need. lol. I will have to figure out what books I am going to take. I haven't started anything yet so I can either read Jane Austen books or the Inheritance Cycle (Trilogy ... which is what it was originally going to be.) Maybe I'll start Harry Potter again. ... I am so excited to spend a week in London with my two cousins!! It is going to be so much fun!

Finances

2009-01-15T19:13:00.001-07:00

My finances are giving me a headache. After being in a Personal Finance math class for two hours and thinking about my trip ... it's just too much. I might not have enough to pay my $1000 monthly payment for the car but that's okay. Dad told me that as long as I have it (the car) by July he says I can skip one payment. I was looking at plane ticket prices, and making sure I can get on the same flight, and tickets are cheaper than I expected. It's around $780 to fly to London from Salt Lake City (round-trip). And you add baggage costs to that ... it's around $850, give or take a few bucks. And pending my vacation time and personal preference days I might be going to London. Actually, I am going whether or not I have enough time. I only need seven days ... I talked to Michele, my supervisor, and she said to go even if I am shy a day or two. That makes me feel a lot better about leaving them alone for a week. But I haven't set anything in stone. lol. I'll let you know tomorrow for sure.

Earth ... Save It!

2009-01-12T15:35:00.006-07:00

Earth, our home planet, is the only planet in our solar system known to harbor life - life that is incredibly diverse. All of the things we need to survive are provided under a thin layer of atmosphere that separates us from the uninhabitable void of space. Earth is made up of complex, interactive systems that are often unpredictable. Air, water, land, and life - including humans - combine forces to create a constantly changing world that we are striving to understand. (NASA)

It's the only world we've got so why don't you save it. Recycle. Don't liter. Take public transportation. Do anything you can to protect the planet and the environment. Due to all of the pollution in the air we have global warming. That is not help anything or one. The polar ice caps are melting and spilling into the ocean. It is too fast. The ocean can't cope. Coral reefs are dying. They can't live in anything but 70–85°F water. Any temperature warmer or colder and they die! (We are talking warm water coral. There are cold water coral, which are rarer.) The Great Barrier Reef is dying for two reasons. Temperature being one. The other is all the chemicals that people are dumping into the ocean. Coral are very sensitive. It does not like change and can't even survive on change. This morning I saw someone liter and I was so infuriated. I picked up their trash and threw it away. They were staring at me like I was crazy. Little steps could make this world so much better. It's your world! Do you want to live on the earth now that it's got smog everywhere and we're killing it? Haven't you seen the movie Wall-E? They are trying to get you to think about that very fact. How much trash do you throw away in the wrong bin? Do you drive to work alone in a gas guzzling car? Do you recycle? Go GREEN! SAVE THE PLANET AND IT WILL SAVE YOU!!!

FYI

I Died and went to Heaven

2009-01-09T15:45:00.001-07:00

Most of the photographs are by Nabil.
Check his website here.

Things I have learned from Television and Movies ...

2009-01-09T09:24:00.002-07:00

1. If being chased through town, you can usually take cover in a passing parade.
2. All beds have special L-shaped top sheets that reach up to armpit level on a woman but only waist level on the man lying beside her.
3. All grocery shopping bags contain at least one stick of French bread.
4. Once applied, lipstick will never rub off - even while scuba diving.
5. The ventilation system of any building is a perfect hiding place. No-one will ever think of looking for you in there and you can travel to any other part of the building without difficulty.
6. Should you wish to pass yourself off as a German officer, it will not be necessary to speak the language. A German accent will do.
7. The Eiffel Tower can be seen from any window of any building in Paris.
8. A man will show no pain while taking a ferocious beating but will wince when a woman tries to clean his wounds.
9. When paying for a taxi, just grab a bill at random and hand it over. It will always be the exact fare.
10. If you lose a hand, it will cause the stump of your arm to grow by 15cm.
11. Mothers cook every morning even though her family never have time to eat. The Mother will not be upset by this.
12. Cars and trucks burst into flames upon impact.
13. A single match flame is sufficient to light up a room.
14. Medieval peasants had good teeth.
15. All single women have a cat.
16. Any person having a nightmare will sweat.
17. One man shooting at multiple men has the better chance of hitting them.
18. Creepy music coming from a graveyard should always be investigated.
19. Most people keep a scrapbook of newspaper cuttings-especially if any of their family or friends has died in a strange boating accident.
20. If you are heavily outnumbered in a fight and use martial arts your enemies will patiently attack you one by one.
21. During a very emotional confrontation it is customary to stand with your back to them.
22. When you turn out the light to go to bed, everything in your room will turn blue.
23. Dogs always know who is bad and will naturally bark at them.
24. When they are alone, foreigners prefer to speak English.
25. Megalomaniacs prefer to kill using complicated machinery involving fuses, pulley systems, deadly gases, lasers, etc.
26. Having a job of any kind will make all fathers forget their son's birthday.
27. Many musical instruments - especially wind instruments and accordions - can be played without moving the fingers.
28. All bombs are fitted with large red LED readouts displaying exactly when they will explode.
29. There is always parking directly outside a building you are visiting.
30. A detective can only solve any case once he has been suspended from duty.
31. If you decide to start dancing in the street, everyone will know all the steps.

Slow Work

2009-01-06T12:54:00.002-07:00

Super slow and boring today. I was online talking with some Grobanites on Facebook and one of them asked me what time it was, where I was. I looked at the clock to respond and almost cried. It didn't feel like it was 10:29am. It already felt like it was at least noon at that point. And now it's only 12:47pm. I think I am going to die from lack of brain function! I went through the thread on FOJG and added everyone that was there. Now I have lots of Grobanite friends I can talk to. *sniff* I really don't think I can function anymore. Maybe If I go grab something to eat ... hold that thought, the phone just rang ... something to eat from the vending machine to help me stay awake. Maybe I should change the music too. Joshua Bell playing violin is making me very relaxed. lol. And post ...

Reminiscing Through Poetry

2009-01-03T00:51:00.007-07:00

Forever Lost

Dark. Gray. Cold.
I am falling. Falling out of
existence. I can not go on.
They won't accept me.
I am lost. Forever Lost.

No one knows. How can they
see one that is a fly. A
stupid fly that buzzes
around. I sense darkness.
Musty mist fills my nose.
I am lost. Forever lost.

The pain from their evil laughs
fill my soul. They cut me.
They make my crimson blood
spill. There is no truth.
No point to search for life.
I am lost. Forever lost.

Wait. Unless mine eyes
play tricks on me. I
see a light. Hope. Love.
I see the sun.
I am not lost. Forever lost.

---------------------------------------------------------

I wrote that poem for an English assignment in 2006, my senior year of high school. I was going through a dark time in my life and I sat down the morning that the poem was due and wrote that within ten minutes. "Forever Lost" still gets a mixed review from me. In the classroom, I had my friend read aloud my work. I was so nervous. And I had good reason to be. Silence ensued the reading. I don't know what for. Was it my random stroke of genius which allowed the words to flow from my mind to the paper so well? All I did was title the poem and turn it in. I don't know but I do know I was inspired to put pen to paper and let my mind tell me what I needed to know. Over the past couple years I have found myself drawn back to "Forever Lost." Reading tonight the lined paper on which the poem was written brought tears to my eyes. How can one mediocre poem have such a deep meaning to my life? What does it mean?

2009 Goals and Resolutions

2009-01-02T15:51:00.002-07:00

Books I Want To Read This Year
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Mansfield Park by Jane Austen
Emma by Jane Austen
Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen
Persuasion by Jane Austen
Glass Book One: Storm Glass by Maria V. Snyder
Inheritance Cycle (book one): Eragon by Christopher Paolini
Inheritance Cycle (book two): Eldest by Christopher Paolini
Inheritance Cycle (book three): Brisinger by Christopher Paolini

Moving out …
Save money.
Look for a place to live.
Move out.
… and it is as simple as that …

Photography
Take lots of photos.
Print the ones I like.

New York City
See a play on Broadway.
Buy heels.

Josh Groban
Renew FOJG membership.
See Josh on tour … again.
Get autograph and hug and photo.

Re-decorating
Paint room very light lavender.
Put photos on the wall.
Buy throw pillows for bed and chair.

Movies I Want To See
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Transporter 3

Saving The World
See the Great Barrier Reef before we kill all of the coral.
Make people more aware of the environment and how they can help.
Recycle.

Myself
Exercise.
Get contacts.
Change the way I think.
Change the way I feel about myself.

For Amber

2009-01-02T14:58:00.008-07:00

Books of the Year 2008

2008-12-31T14:29:00.000-07:00

Les Misérables by Victor Hugo

The Music of Silence by Andrea Bocelli

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian by C.S. Lewis

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C.S. Lewis

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Silver Chair by C.S. Lewis

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Horse and His Boy by C.S. Lewis

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Magician's Nephew by C.S. Lewis

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Last Battle by C.S. Lewis

Posion Study by Maria V. Snyder

Magic Study by Maria V. Snyder

Fire Study by Maria V. Snyder

Tathea by Anne Perry

Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card

The Wedding by Nicholas Sparks

A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens

Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë

Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson

Austenland by Shannon Hale

Cécile: Gates of Gold by Mary Casanova

A Complaint Free World by Will Bowen

The Giver by Lois Lowry

Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry

Messenger by Lois Lowry

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

New Moon by Stephenie Meyer

Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer

Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer

Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë

Leyla: The Black Tulip by Alev Lytle Croutier

Release From Nervous Tension by David H. Fink, M.D.

Hitman: Forty Years Making Music, Topping Charts & Winning Grammys by David Foster

Barrington Family Saga: Volume I, In Search of Heaven by Anita Stansfield

Barrington Family Saga: Volume II, A Quiet Promise by Anita Stansfield

Barrington Family Saga: Volume III, At Heaven's Door by Anita Stansfield

Barrington Family Saga: Volume IV, Promise of Zion by Anita Stansfield

Christmas Day

2008-12-29T15:11:00.003-07:00

Christmas day was a lot of fun but hectic. My family opened presents at eight o'clock and then had breakfast. As the tradition goes some of us chose to stay in our pajamas that we opened on Christmas Eve. We went to parties at both our Grandparent's. It was fun but I'm not used to spending Christmas with so many people. For 19 years I haven't been around many extended family for the holidays. Occasionally, we come up for Thanksgiving but Christmas was always an immediate family all-day event. So the past couple of years I have felt like we have been rushed to open presents and then go visit both sides of the family. I think that they (as in Grandma's and Grandpa's) should have parties before Christmas so that the families can spend time with their immediate families more. People could have time to open presents and enjoy spending the day with family. That sentence somewhat makes this whole rant sound off but still. lol.

Oh and by the way I uploaded all the photos to MyPhotoAlbum. And I even put my favorites on Facebook. How cool is that. I actually got called out about a couple I didn't put on and had to go pull them from the many photos I took and add them to the Facebook album. It was funny. I think right now we are all good.

Oh! Have I told you about my Christmas present to myself? About a week before Christmas I bought seasons two through four (I already have season one) of Numb3rs. I love that show! I also got a SLR camera. I looked around and compared simple SLR cameras and decided upon a Canon Rebel XSi. It is so nice. I always leaned more toward Canon than Nikon and I would never go beyond the two of them. If I am going to get an expensive and really nice SLR camera I am going to stick with the high-end companies who know what they are doing. lol. But I like Canon more. lol. I love my new camera. I bought an 8G HDSD Card to go with the camera. I can fit so many photos on it. So much fun!

A Fun Night said in sarcastic tone

2008-12-22T08:58:00.000-07:00

Last night I woke up at 11:46pm to voices ... and then a steam cleaner ... and then a vacuum. What is going on!? I crawled out of bed and opened my bedroom door to Dad steam cleaning the bathroom. Mom, Amber and Steven were downstairs in the living room vacuuming the carpet. And Chad and Eric were trying to mop up the rain in our kitchen. Seriously! Saturday night the upstiars toilet broke. We were able temporally fix it until today when Dad could go get the part. Apparently our fix slipped somehow and the bathroom flooded. The water leaked into the floor and the main floor ceiling, dripping onto the floor and into our cabinets, soaking down into the downstairs ceiling. Amber woke up in the middle of the night and thought it was raining. She walked upstairs and found a flood in the kitchen. I didn't go back to bed until 12:30am. We had to take everything out of the islands (which is all the pots and pans, the silverware, cooking utensils, Tupperware and lids). It was a mess but hopefully we were able to dry most of the water out.

Packages

2008-12-18T15:37:00.004-07:00

I just looked on Amazon to track my package. Guess what!? It is here. Well, there ... at my house. It was signed for by a Higgins (according to online tracking ...) at 3:06 pm. That was half an hour ago. Exciting! I can not wait to go watch Numb3rs and play with my new Canon Rebel XSi SLR camera! So much fun! I'll post more later about the camera. I am sure I'll have lots to tell you.

Right now I have to go crash from my fun high ...

Stressful Hitman

2008-12-18T09:47:00.000-07:00

I pre-ordered David Foster's CD/DVD a while back. On November 14 I got an email saying that my credit card was charged and that the item was shipped, via standard shipping (which is five to nine business days). Well, about a month later I still had not received it. I was starting to wonder where it was. So I sent Warner Brothers this email:

To Whom It May Concern,

I ordered "You're The Inspiration: The Music Of David Foster And Friend" by David Foster (aka: Hitman CD/DVD). I received an e-mail on November 14 saying that the item was shipped, via standard shipping, and charged to my credit card that day. My credit card has been charged and I have yet to receive the item. I was wondering when the item was going to get here.

If this matter could be looked into I would greatly appreciate it.

Sincerely,
Krysta

I got this reply from Warner Brothers yesterday morning:

Dear Customer:

We apologize that you did not receive the order. Unfortunately, this item is no longer available for us to replace. Therefore, we applied a full refund to your credit card. We apologize again for any inconvenience this may have caused.

Sincerely,
Warner Bros Records Online Customer Support

I was pissed off after reading that. Where was I going to get a sold out PBS special by David Foster!? The only other places I saw the CD/DVD was Barnes and Noble and Target. And at each place I only saw one copy. So after work I went to Barnes and Noble to see if I could find it again. I couldn't. I was starting to panic at that point. When I was on the train I called my brother and asked him to go to Target and get the other copy that I saw. At least look for it. It took him at least half an hour to find it. But he found David's CD/DVD. I was so glad and relived. I didn't really sink in until after I got home. *sigh* Now I have David Foster's Hitman CD/DVD. And I am really happy.

Slowness

2008-12-15T14:28:00.002-07:00

Today has been really slow at work. All last week it was slow and we are expecting next week to be slow too. It is so boring. I played games online all day. I think I have done maybe an hours worth of work today. No one has anything to do. I updated the rest of my photo album. So now every picture is up including the ones from August. I still have to go Christmas shopping for some family members. I don't know what to get them. I have been on Facebook all day playing The Dot Game with some friends. I should go hang out at FOJG. Maybe I'll do that now.

This is hilarious!

2008-12-13T19:50:00.001-07:00

Thoughts and Wants

2008-12-13T16:38:00.001-07:00

I have had a fun morning. I awoke to snow. I hate snow. lol. Last night I was watching PBS because they were playing David Foster's Hitman, again. I love it! The bad thing about that though ... I have yet to receive my copy of the CD/DVD. I really want my David Foster CD/DVD! I emailed Warner Brothers to see where it is. Some other random things ... I have been looking around Facebook and played a bit around there. I have changed some things on my blog (like the color scheme and some links). Now I am on FOJG. I don't think I'll be on much longer though. My Internet is really slow.

I still have some Christmas shopping to do. I would go but I have no idea what to get anyone. I know what I would get myself. lol. I need to buy for others first before I can splurge on myself. I don't really think anyone will get me my camera so I don't feel too bad about getting it now. Have I told you about that? I am planning on getting a Canon Rebel XSi. After researching which SLR camera would be the best I decided upon that one. And I was always leaning more towards the Canons more than the Nikons. I love and trust Canon. lol.

Photography Final

2008-12-11T18:01:00.005-07:00

Well, I am done with school. Yeah! The final was a take-home test that was really easy. I think the hardest part was choosing the photo that I would print. We had to bring a 8x10 photo to class to be "judged" for part of our grade. I finally decided on this one. I love it!

Facebook Surprise

2008-12-11T14:34:00.000-07:00

So on Facebook I was on my homepage seeing what my friends were up to ... reading and commenting on status reports and the such. And I noticed that, yesterday, my cousin became a fan of Tickle Me Pink. I started laughing. I had posted a status saying "Krysta loves Tickle Me Pink and recommends you listen to their CD, Madeline." on December 4. Now I don't know if that influenced him to listen to it and become a fan but I think that is pretty cool regardless. Tickle Me Pink, the greatest band on the planet, has a fan page on Facebook! I love Tickle Me Pink! Sean is an amazing song writer and singer. And consequently I am now listening to Madeline because that's the way my mind works. You mention something and I have to listen to either the song or the whole CD, depending what reminds me.

No Sleep

2008-12-08T15:13:00.000-07:00

I am really tired of having no sleep. (No pun intended.) I don't know why I can't sleep I just can't. Last night I only got three hours of sleep and amazingly, today I have been rather sane. lol. Only around lunchtime did I start to lose it. And then I ate and I was fine. But I have been rather quiet. On Friday, I called in and told them I wasn't coming into work because I didn't feel well. I slept until 1:30 in the afternoon. And I did the same thing on Saturday. Am I just getting to much sleep? Is that why I feel so drained and ache everywhere? I have thought before that I might have depression. But I can't figure out why I would have it. ... Actually, this whole paragraph has been a lie. I really do think that I have some form of depression due to all the pressure from everywhere. Some factors that I think have made it worse (and I am in no way blaming anyone!) are: (1) Mom and Dad want me to start dating, (2) Chad and Amber are having a baby, (3) my thoughts are not always the way I would like them to be, (4) I feel I need to move out of my parent's house but have no money, and (5) (the biggest factor I think) I feel very alone. I have tried everything I can think of, within my limited means, to change my life. I have colored my hair, which has helped some. I am planning on buying a SLR camera, which I have always wanted. I try to talk to people, mostly Chad whom I respect very much. I try not to think about anything while going to sleep. Thinking about it seems to make things worse. Last night, around 1:30 in the morning, while not sleeping, I was so scared (for reasons I cannot explain). I was sitting on the stairs (because I couldn't be in my room) hyperventilating and resisting the impulse to run! *sigh* I don't want to live my life like this anymore.

Photo Album

2008-12-04T18:04:00.002-07:00

It has been many months (four to be exact) since I updated my photo album. I have put more photos up but I don't think I will EVER name them. I want to, but there are just too many. I have decided to update the album often and start naming my photos as well as tell you where the photo was taken (even if it is a general location) and maybe put some camera information too. I haven't decided on that last one for sure or not. But it could be interesting to know later.

Part of August is not up yet because I didn't know I needed those photos. Therefore, I didn't grab them. lol. Come to think of it I don't remember if there were any other pictures that needed to go in the August album. I will check and if I need to I will put them up tomorrow. lol. I just can't think right now.

DWTS week 10 (finale; part two)

2008-11-26T08:25:00.001-07:00

First Place:

Brooke Burke and Derek Hough. Viennese Waltz. Score for dance: 30/30 Total score for the two nights dances: 88/90

Second Place:

Warren Sapp and Kym Johnson. Hustle. Score for dance: 27/30 Total score for the two nights dances: 80/90

Third Place:

Lance Bass and Lacey Schwimmer. Jitterbug. Score for dance: 28/30 Total score for the two nights dances: 81/90

DWTS week 10 (finale: part one)

2008-11-26T08:15:00.000-07:00

Last night, all three couples danced a Samba to the same song at the same time. First they re-showed some dances. After the couples danced the Samba they did the Freestyle.

Scores and Thoughts:

Lance Bass and Lacey Schwimmer. Re-showed the Tango and the Mambo. Samba. I liked their tricks. Their part was good. Score for dance: 26/30 Freestyle. They did a hip hop routine. I thought it was okay but didn't really care for it. Score for dance: 27/30 Total score for dance: 53/60

Brooke Burke and Derek Hough. Re-showed the Quickstep and the Paso Doble. Samba. She had good extensions. I liked it. But she did mess up a few times. Score for dance: 28/30 Freestyle. Wow. Some of those lifts I wouldn't trust anyone to do with me. Like the one where Brooke is upside down while Derek is spinning. Crazy! They did great. Score for dance: 30/30 Total score for dance: 58/60

Warren Sapp and Kym Johnson. Re-showed the Viennese Waltz and the Paso Doble. Samba. He did good. Score for dance: 25/30 Freestyle. Score for dance: 28/30 Total score for dance: 53/60

more than one deer

2008-11-25T10:14:00.000-07:00

Color

2008-11-25T08:49:00.005-07:00

On Saturday I did something daring. I colored my hair. My cousin, Angie, owns a salon and she offered to color it. Normally, I go to my mom for a haircut but she doesn't do color. So I went to Angie, who specializes in color. lol. The only thing I requested was that my hair be kept long. Other than that I let Angie do whatever she pleased.

This what I look like before.

And this what I look like after.

Angie put highlights of auburn, blonde, and dark brown in my hair. That day she straightened it too. I might have to buy a straightener. It make for a good change.

Writing Mood

2008-11-20T17:56:00.001-07:00

I am in a writing mood but don't know what to write about. ...

{Insert some writing here. Krysta is drawing a blank. lol.}

Hitman

2008-11-20T11:06:00.000-07:00

So I finished David Foster's biography two days after I received it but I am just now getting around to reviewing it. I loved this book. It was simple and great to read. You can definitely tell while reading the book that David is not a writer. He knows music not words. It is such an easy read and that's one of the reasons why I loved it. I really loved it because I got to hear David's versions of how his artist's got discovered (i.e. Celine Dion, Josh Groban, Michael Buble, William Joseph). And I found out some new things that I had never known about David. For instance, he never takes elevators because he does not like them. He has elevator claustrophobia. lol. Seriously! It has caused some problems for him like missing interviews and "friendly" hotels upgrading his room to the twenty-third floor. David has (or had; he started losing it when he turn 50) perfect pitch. He discovered it when he was four and started piano lessons shortly after that. No wonder he is so amazing. lol. And a couple of other random facts I found out was that he can drive a bus and fly a plane. He's a pilot! I knew he like planes but I didn't know he could actually fly one. lol. Something else I didn't realize was that he has six sisters and no brothers and he has five daughters and no sons. He is surrounded by females.

And on a somewhat related note: David Foster was on Dr. Phil this week talking about the book and the DVD/CD and his life. I watched the show last night. And I fell in love with David even more. He is so funny. I love it when David plays the piano. He is just so fluid and amazing. I can't take my eyes off of him. Natalie Cole and Seal were there as well. And I really want to buy Seal's new CD now. I listened to it last week and seeing him sing again really reiterated the want to buy it. lol.

DWTS week 9 (results show)

2008-11-19T08:46:00.002-07:00

The couple that got voted off last night was Cody Linley and Julianne Hough. I was thinking either he or Warren would go home and next week the other ones are going home. It's kind of sad that Julianne came back just in time to dance one more dance with Cody.

Cuteness

2008-11-18T15:54:00.002-07:00

DWTS week 9

2008-11-18T08:10:00.002-07:00

Lance Bass and Lacey Schwimmer. Their first dance is a Mambo. I love their outfits. Best ones all season. And to add to that they did a wonderful Mambo. I loved it. Lacey's choreography is great. Score for dance: 28/30 Their second dance was the Jitterbug. Lance was kicking so hard that his shoe came off during the dance. I think that would be really weird dancing with one shoe going really fast and doing lifts. But he never skipped a beat. It was great. At the end of the dance you could tell he was embarrassed. But they both thought it was hilarious. The dance was good. I was crazy about the outfits. They should have gone with a more traditional colored sailor theme. And the red and blue was not working for me in Lacey's outfit. Score for dance: 29/30 Total score for dance: 57/60

Brooke Burke and Derek Hough. Their first dance was the Jive. I thought it was too scattered. They tried to put too much into the dance therefore getting nothing to work right. Score for dance: 21/30 Their second dance is the Salsa. Brooke's outfit was hideous. It would have been a little better if it was a mini skirt instead of the pants. But still, I did not like it at all. And her hair matched her outfit. Just so odd. But enough about the outfit choice, thoughts on the dance. It was good. Score for dance: 28/30 Total score for dance: 49/60

Cody Linley and Julianne Hough. Their first dance is the Paso Doble. I liked their army outfits. Cody looks good in a uniform. lol. But I didn't think the music and the dance actually called for the outfits. It didn't really fit. That aside, I did like the dance. Score for dance: 22/30 Their second dance is a Salsa. They did some dangerous lifts, I thought. Cody almost dropped Julianne on one of them. But he caught her just in time and it didn't look too bad either. I liked the dance. It was good. Score for dance: 24/30 Total score for dance: 46/60

Warren Sapp and Kym Johnson. Their first dance is the Mambo. Honestly, I don't remember much about this dance so I must not have liked it. lol. Sad. I know. Score for dance: 24/30 Their second dance was the Jitterbug. Their out fits are awful. It's too much too focus on. Not my favorite at all. The dance was good. Score for dance: 25/30 Total score for dance: 49/60

DWTS week 8 (results show)

2008-11-12T09:23:00.005-07:00

I loved this result show.

Brad Paisley was the special guest. The first song he sang was Ticks. Lacey Schwimmer and her brother, Benjie, danced great. It was fun with all those lifts in there.

This week the Macy's Stars of Dance performance was the dance that got voted upon by the fans via Internet. It was a jive to Great Balls of Fire. I loved the outfits. Those were ones I voted for. The dance was performed by Julianne and Derek Hough. I thought it was great that a sister and brother were dancing. They could do lifts and flips that I wouldn't be comfortable with someone I didn't trust. Here is the performance.

Brad Paisley's second song was off of his new CD, Play. There were three couples dancing, Maks and Karina (who are dating), Alec and Edyta (who are married), and two other people I don't remember. Maks looks so odd with his head shaved. I loved the curls!

The couple going home is Maurice Greene and Cheryl Burke.

DWTS week 8

2008-11-12T08:00:00.004-07:00

On Monday the couples danced two dances. Here are my thoughts and the scores.

Lance Bass and Lacey Schwimmer. First dance, foxtrot. It classy and fun at the same time. I liked it. Score for dance: 28/30 Second dance, samba. I was not to crazy about the outfits. Lance's solo was very boyish. I didn't think it fit with the dance very well. Score for dance: 24/30 Total score for dances: 50/60

Brooke Burke and Derek Hough. First dance, tango. Brooke looked gorgeous in that red dress. I loved the choreography. I thought it was really great. Score for dance: 28/30 Second dance, mambo. I liked this dance too. It flowed together and looked like a lot of fun. Brooke's solo, at the beginning, was really fun to watch. Her footwork was great. I wasn't to fond of the wig. Score for dance: 27/30 Total score for dances: 55/60

Maurice Greene and Cheryl Burke. First dance, quick step. I am tired of the burgundy. Is it just me or have they worn that color a lot this season. The dance was good. Score for dance: 24/30 Second dance, paso doble. I thought it was great that they sat down and looked at last weeks team dance, in which Maurice did the paso doble. That helped them to get their posture right. Maurice's solo didn't have dancing in it. He just flipped a cape around amazingly fast. Score for dance: 24/30 Total score for dances: 48/60

Cody Linley and Julianne Hough. First dance, foxtrot. I liked it. It was a very grown-up dance for Cody. Beautiful. Score for dance: 24/30 Second dance, mambo. I liked the dance but thought it sort of chaotic. It didn't flow together well. Cody's solo was egotistical ... that might be too strong of a word. Score for dance: 24/30 Total score for dances: 48/60

Warren Sapp and Kym Johnson. First dance, tango. I love Kym's dress. It looked fabulous on her. I loved their dance. It was classy and elegant. Warren's footwork was great. Score for dance: 28/30 Second dance, jive. I thought is was a lot of fun. Warren's solo fit right in with the dance but still had his style. It was great. Score for dance: 26/30 Total score for dances: 54/60

post script

2008-11-06T10:08:00.001-07:00

I watched American Masters last night. It was about Annie Leibovitz, a photographer. This program might have saved my life. And I am serious about that. My life was in a downward spiral to who knows where. This program and Annie have motivated me to follow my dreams. It has inspired me to buy that camera I have been wanting and take pictures of anything and everything. So instead of moving out I am buying myself an early Christmas present.

Disney Dreams Portrait Series by Annie Leibovitz

2008-11-06T10:03:00.002-07:00

Roger Federer as King Arthur

Rachel Weisz as Snow White

Beyoncé as Alice, Oliver Platt as the Mad Hatter, and Lyle Lovett as the March Hare

Jennifer Lopez as Jasmine and Marc Anthony as Aladdin

Julie Andrews as Blue Fairy and Abigail Breslin as the apprentice

Scarlett Johansson as Cinderella

Jessica Biel as Pocahontas

David Beckham as Prince Phillip

Gisele Bundchen as Wendy Darling, Mikhail Baryshnikov as Peter Pan, and Tina Fey as Tinker Bell

Julianne Moore as Ariel and Michael Phelps as a merman

Whoopi Goldberg as The Genie

Annie Leibovitz: Life Through A Lens

2008-11-06T09:56:00.000-07:00

Born in 1949 in Waterbury, Connecticut, Annie Leibovitz enrolled in the San Francisco Art Institute intent on studying painting. It was not until she traveled to Japan with her mother the summer after her sophomore year that she discovered her interest in taking photographs. When she returned to San Francisco that fall, she began taking night classes in photography. Time spent on a kibbutz in Israel allowed her to hone her skills further.

In 1970 Leibovitz approached Jann Wenner, founding editor of Rolling Stone, which he’d recently launched and was operating out of San Francisco. Impressed with her portfolio, Wenner gave Leibovitz her first assignment: shoot John Lennon. Leibovitz’s black-and-white portrait of the shaggy-looking Beatle graced the cover of the January 21, 1971 issue. Two years later she was named Rolling Stone chief photographer.

When the magazine began printing in color in 1974, Leibovitz followed suit. “In school, I wasn’t taught anything about lighting, and I was only taught black-and-white,” she told ARTnews in 1992. “So I had to learn color myself.” Among her subjects from that period are Bob Dylan, Bob Marley, and Patti Smith. Leibovitz also served as the official photographer for the Rolling Stones’ 1975 world tour. While on the road with the band she produced her iconic black-and-white portraits of Keith Richards and Mick Jagger, shirtless and gritty.

In 1980 Rolling Stone sent Leibovitz to photograph John Lennon and Yoko Ono, who had recently released their album “Double Fantasy.” For the portrait Leibovitz imagined that the two would pose together nude. Lennon disrobed, but Ono refused to take off her pants. Leibovitz “was kinda disappointed,” according to Rolling Stone, and so she told Ono to leave her clothes on. “We took one Polaroid,” said Leibovitz, “and the three of us knew it was profound right away.” The resulting portrait shows Lennon nude and curled around a fully clothed Ono. Several hours later, Lennon was shot dead in front of his apartment. The photograph ran on the cover of the Rolling Stone Lennon commemorative issue. In 2005 the American Society of Magazine Editors named it the best magazine cover from the past 40 years.

Annie Leibovitz: Photographs, the photographer’s first book, was published in 1983. The same year Leibovitz joined Vanity Fair and was made the magazine’s first contributing photographer. At Vanity Fair she became known for her wildly lit, staged, and provocative portraits of celebrities. Most famous among them are Whoopi Goldberg submerged in a bath of milk and Demi Moore naked and holding her pregnant belly. (The cover showing Moore — which then-editor Tina Brown initially balked at running — was named second best cover from the past 40 years.) Since then Leibovitz has photographed celebrities ranging from Brad Pitt to Mikhail Baryshnikov. She’s shot Ellen DeGeneres, the George W. Bush cabinet, Michael Moore, Madeleine Albright, and Bill Clinton. She’s shot Scarlett Johannson and Keira Knightley nude, with Tom Ford in a suit; Nicole Kidman in ball gown and spotlights; and, recently, the world’s long-awaited first glimpse of Suri Cruise, along with parents Tom and Katie. Her portraits have appeared in Vogue, The New York Times Magazine, and The New Yorker, and in ad campaigns for American Express, the Gap, and the Milk Board.

Among other honors, Leibovitz has been made a Commandeur des Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French government and has been designated a living legend by the Library of Congress. Her first museum show, Photographs: Annie Leibovitz 1970-1990, took place in 1991 at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C. and toured internationally for six years. At the time she was only the second living portraitist — and the only woman — to be featured in an exhibition by the institution.

Leibovitz met Susan Sontag in 1989 while photographing the writer for her book AIDS and its Metaphors. “I remember going out to dinner with her and just sweating through my clothes because I thought I couldn’t talk to her,” Leibovitz said in an interview with The New York Times late last year. Sontag told her, “You’re good, but you could be better.” Though the two kept separate apartments, their relationship lasted until Sontag’s death in late 2004.

Sontag’s influence on Leibovitz was profound. In 1993 Leibovitz traveled to Sarajevo during the war in the Balkans, a trip that she admits she would not have taken without Sontag’s input. Among her work from that trip is Sarajevo, Fallen Bicycle of Teenage Boy Just Killed by a Sniper, a black-and-white photo of a bicycle collapsed on blood-smeared pavement. Sontag, who wrote the accompanying essay, also first conceived of Leibovitz’s book Women (1999). The book includes images of famous people along with those not well known. Celebrities like Susan Sarandon and Diane Sawyer share space with miners, soldiers in basic training, and Las Vegas showgirls in and out of costume.

Leibovitz’s most recent book, A Photographer’s Life: 1990-2005, includes her trademark celebrity portraits. But it also features personal photographs from Leibovitz’s life: her parents, siblings, children, nieces and nephews, and Sontag. Leibovitz, who has called the collection “a memoir in photographs,” was spurred to assemble it by the deaths of Sontag and her father, only weeks apart. The book even includes photos of Leibovitz herself, like the one that shows her nude and eight months pregnant, à la Demi Moore. That picture was taken in 2001, shortly before Leibovitz gave birth to daughter Sarah. Daughters Susan and Samuelle, named in honor of Susan and Leibovitz’s father, were born to a surrogate in 2005.

Leibovitz composed these personal photographs with materials that she used when she was first starting out in the ’70s: a 35-millimeter camera, black-and-white Tri X film. “I don’t have two lives,” she writes in the book’s introduction. “This is one life, and the personal pictures and the assignment work are all part of it.” Still, she told the Times, this book is the “most intimate, it tells the best story, and I care about it.”

–Rachel Somerstein

Rachel Somerstein is a writer who lives in New York.

DWTS week 7 (results show)

2008-11-06T08:45:00.003-07:00

Susan Lucci and Tony Dovolani went home. I am going to miss seeing Tony every week but it was their time to leave the competition.

DWTS week 7

2008-11-04T15:34:00.002-07:00

Lance Bass and Lacey Schwimmer. Rumba. Bare foot. Score for dance: 25/30

Brooke Burke and Derek Hough. Foxtrot. Score for dance: 30/30

Maurice Greene and Cheryl Burke. Cha cha cha. Score for dance: 25/30

Cody Linley and Julianne Hough. Viennese Waltz. Score for dance: 22/30

Susan Lucci and Tony Dovolani. Paso Doble. Score for dance: 24/30

Warren Sapp and Kym Johnson. Foxtrot. Score for dance: 21/30

Team dances: Cha cha cha vs. Paso doble (scores added to individual dancers' scores)

Team Cha cha cha is Lance Bass, Cody Linley, and Susan Lucci (and their respective pro partners). Score for dance: 20/30

Team Paso doble is Warren Sapp, Maurice Greene, and Brooke Burke (and their respective pro partners). Score for dance: 29/30

I totally forgot what day it was so I didn't vote. I really hope that Tony stays but I have had the same feeling for the past couple weeks about them. They are going home tonight. Sad! *tear* Now who do I vote for?

Random music questions

2008-11-04T10:12:00.000-07:00

Go to the music player of your choice and put it on shuffle. Say the following questions aloud and press play. Use the song titles as your answers.

*Note: I used Rhapsody's David Foster channel to do this quiz. I love David Foster!*

1. How does the world see me? "Love Theme From St. Elmo's Fire" by David Foster.

2. Will I have a happy life? "Smooth Criminal" by Michael Jackson.

3. What do my friends really think of me? "My Love" by Justin Timberlake featuring T.I.

4. Do people secretly lust after me? "Hangin' Tough" by New Kids On The Block.

5. How can I make myself happy? "Praying For Time" by George Michael.

6. What should I do with my life? "Let's Make Love" by Faith Hill and Tim McGraw.

7. Why should life be full of so much pain? "Te Aviso, Te Anucio (Tango)" by Shakira.

8. How can I maximise my pleasure during sex? "(I Got That) Boom Boom" by Britney Spears.

9. Will I ever have children? "Waiting For You" by Seal.

10. Will I die happy? "Don't Be Cruel" Missy Elliott featuring Monica and Beenie Man.

11. What is some good advice for me? "Greatest Love Of All" by Whitney Houston.

12. What is happiness? "Gone" by 'NSYNC.

13. What is my favourite fetish? "Jumpin', Jumpin'" by Destiny's Child.

14. How will I be remembered? "Kitty Kat" by Beyoncé.

15. What is my best memory? "Where Is The Love?" by Black Eyed Peas.

16. What is my theme song? "How Am I Supposed To Live Without You" by Michael Bolton.

17. What do I look for in a partner? "Ritmo y Romance (Rhythm and Romance)" by Kenny G.

18. What is my day going to be like? "Blame It On The Boogie" by The Jacksons.

19. What one thing could I not live without? "These Boots Are Made For Walkin'" by Jessica Simpson.

20. How's my love life? "Up The Ladder To The Roof" by The Supremes.

21. How am I feeling today? "Lost" by Manudo.

22. How far will I get in life? "Hey Bulldog" by The Beatles.

23. What is the story of my life? "On And On" by Stephen Bishop.

24. What is the best thing about me? "Surfin' U.S.A." by The Beach Boys.

25. What is the worst thing about me? "The Sweet Escape" by Gwen Stefani.

26. How is my life going? "Open Your Heart" by Madonna.

27. What will be the hardest part of my life? "Mi Reflejo (My Reflection)" by Christina Aguilera.

28. What will this year be all about? "Miss Independent" by Kelly Clarkson.

29. What should I be doing instead of this? "Someday" Mariah Carey.

30. Will I fall in love? "Words Get In The Way" Gloria Estefan.

Change

2008-11-03T13:40:00.002-07:00

I am so tired. I think the time change messed me up. I couldn't sleep from one to three in the morning on Saturday. I have no idea why. I watched TV. I don't remember what I watched. One show was CSI: Miami. I remember that one. I can't think ... there was a reason for writing today ... more than the following at least. Grr! I can't remember.

This weekend something happened that really made me want to move out of my parent's house. I have decided to look for my own place to live. Somewhere I can have pets because I am getting a dog when things settle down. For my own sanity I need to move out. I haven't started looking at any places yet but I will. I was thinking of looking online first and just trying to figure out what my price range would be. I expect to not have much of my paycheck left over every month but I am okay with that. I'll keep you updated.

Happy Halloween!

2008-10-31T09:02:00.001-06:00

New Journey

2008-10-30T15:41:00.006-06:00

Journey has a new song and I heard it today. It is called After All These Years. They have a new lead singer which I really like. His voice is great. But this song almost made me cry. It is beautiful. Take a listen.

Smile and Have a good day!

2008-10-29T08:48:00.003-06:00

DWTS week 6 (results show)

2008-10-29T08:17:00.005-06:00

Yeah! Cloris went home! She really needed to go before Toni and Misty (although that one couldn't been stopped). Cloris needed to go a long time ago. Now this can be a competition and not a joke. I'm kind of nervous for Susan and Tony. They have been in the bottom two (at least last to know they are safe) two weeks in a row. I don't know if I can save them. This always happens. Tony and his partner start to slip and then get eliminated. They should just get Tony a really good partner so that he could go to the end. Although I don't think he would mind being voted off because he has twins at home (or in LA right now) that I don't think he has had time to spend time with them. For the first time yesterday I noticed that Tony wears his wedding ring. That is so cool. He should take some time off (after he is done with the show) and spend time with his wife and three kids.

DWTS week 6

2008-10-28T15:03:00.000-06:00

Thoughts and scores for last night:

Lance Bass and Lacey Schwimmer. I liked their jive. It was fun. I thought the choreography was good for them. Score for dance: 27/30

Brooke Burke and Derek Hough. She was worried about her ankle. She didn't do as well as she could have in her rumba. Maybe if they stay to the point where they get to try a dance over they will do the rumba. Score for dance: 26/30

Maurice Greene and Cheryl Burke. They danced a waltz and I thought they did okay. Score for dance: 21/30

Cloris Leachman and Corky Ballas. She needs to go home!!! She can not dance! They were supposed to be dancing a cha cha cha. I do not know how Corky can stand to teach her because she never listens to him. Score for dance: 15/30

Cody Linley and Julianne Hough. I thought their samba was very good. Poor Julianne though. She is dancing with stomach pain. She is having surgery today. Next week Cody will dance with Edyta while Julianne recovers. Score for dance: 23/30

Susan Lucci and Tony Dovolani. They danced a mambo. Dare I say it but they weren't too great this week. I still voted for Tony. So hopefully they can stay in and keep working. Score for dance: 23/30

Warren Sapp and Kym Johnson. They danced a rumba. I thought it was good. Kym looked odd with her hair straightened. I wasn't used to that. I liked it though. Score for dance: 25/30

DWTS week 5 (results show)

2008-10-22T08:29:00.002-06:00

Talk about nerve racking! Susan and Tony were in the bottom two, at least didn't know they were safe until last. I am kind of sad that Toni and Alec went home. I really wanted Cloris and Corky to go home. But they were one of the first ones to be safe. Oh, well. Next week they are doing two dances. One group dance and then one individual dance. But with the couples having already done two dances they kind of know what to expect.

DWTS week 5

2008-10-21T19:16:00.001-06:00

Scores for Monday night's dances:

Lance Bass and Lacey Schwimmer. Score for dance: 21/30

Toni Braxton and Alec Mazo. Score for dance: 22/30

Brooke Burke and Derek Hough. Score for dance: 29/30

Maurice Greene and Cheryl Burke. Score for dance: 27/30

Cloris Leachman and Corky Ballas. Score for dance: 21/30

Cody Linley and Julianne Hough. Score for dance: 28/30

Susan Lucci and Tony Dovolani. Score for dance: 22/30

Warren Sapp and Kym Johnson. Score for dance: 25/30

What does one 20-year-old, 374 miles, and one tank of gas result from?

2008-10-20T09:05:00.004-06:00

A mental breakdown at midnight. No kidding! Last night I woke up from my non-sleeping state of mind and cried for five minutes. Then I couldn't stay in that room, let alone that house a minute longer. I had to get out! I had to run! I put some shoes on, grabbed a jacket, and grabbed the car keys. I took I-15 southbound for two and a half hours. I didn't really want to turn around until that point. I just kept driving, and driving. I had to stop for gas once. I checked google maps this morning and I figured I went from South Jordan to Beaver, which is 187 miles. I know I went I little bit past that but not far. I am running on no sleep right now. I have no idea if I'll be able to make it through the day but I am going to try.

Grrr ... Frustrating

2008-10-18T18:03:00.001-06:00

I have been really down on myself this last week. I have been trying to find a friend of mine from high school. And I feel like I have looked everywhere via Internet. I have looked on classmates.com, MySpace, Facebook ... I have googled her ... I don't know what else to do. Kristine, I need to talk with you. Please, God, just let me find her before I do something I really shouldn't. I feel like I need to move out of my house. And now that I have money coming in I feel like I can look into that more. But Dad needs to get rid of some assets so I am buying the Honda. I was going to do that anyway when I turned 21, which is in a few months. But he needs me to buy it now while they are talking to the bank about ColdStone. My name has been put on the title so I suppose that I do own it now. I haven't paid anything yet. Dad says I can pay him a little each month up until June. I really just want to pay him as much as I can now so that as soon as I can I will be able to start saving for my own place. What I really need to do is to get a complete change of scenery. Hopefully, moving out will help me do that. I need to take a step back from my life right now. Chad, can I come and stay with you guys for a bit. I am kidding about that, although that would probably help my sanity right now. I don't know where my life is going. School is slow and I just want it to be done. So many things are tying me down to Utah. I have to finish school which will take at least another year. My entire family is here ... but they are the ones I need a break from. Maybe I'll take a trip and go visit some Grobanites. That would be fun. I am sure that Anja would love for me to visit her in Croatia. I could take a week or two off from work and fly over there and recharge. How's that sound, Anja? Can I come visit you? On a somewhat happy note, David Foster's website has been redone. I have been wanting a new websites for months. But to tell you the truth I don't think I like this new setup. I loved the old pictures. They were so hott. Although some of the new ones are pretty hott too. lol. Oh my goodness, now everyone knows that I think David Foster is hott. lol. Well, he is so just back off the age factor. I know he is in his 60s. That does not stop me from saying that he is so hott. I love when he plays the piano. Oh, and his singing is divine. He is no Josh Groban but I still love him. And speaking of Josh we got a Thursday surprise this week and they are four of the hottest pictures I have ever seen of Josh Groban. I love the third one. He just looks so cuddly and I said on the boards and I will say it here ... That suit is gorgeous and makes Josh look amazing. I just want to hug that man. Right now would be a really nice time to get a hug. I don't really like myself right now. I don't really know why. Amber, I love your music. I am listening to it and it is making me feel better. But that could also be because I am writing a freaking novel. Sorry people. If you get to this point I congratulate you. lol. Oh, on FOJG I revamped my signature. I was tired of the old one. It now has that picture of Josh I love so much. It makes me smile. Maybe that's why I am having a difficult time right now. This Internet connection is so slow. I was on FOJG earlier and I couldn't stand how slow it was. I had to log off. And I didn't really get a great night's sleep last night. No scratch that ... all week. You know half an hour of free-writing actually helped me. Thanks for listening. lol.

DWTS week 4 (results show)

2008-10-15T08:36:00.001-06:00

So last night for the first time this season they told who in the bottom two. The bottom two were Cloris Leachman and Rocco DiSpirito. Rocco DiSpirito and Karina Smirnoff were the ones with the lowest score/votes. They went home. I really hope that Cloris goes home next week. I was really glad that Tony and Susan were the first people to know that they were safe. I was waiting for their names to be read. They aren't usually the first ones. I am so nervous for them every week. I never know how much my votes are really doing.

And next week they are introducing new dances to the competition. The hustle, jitterbug, salsa, and west coast swing are the four that they now get to dance. I can't wait to see what Tony does for choreography.

Fast Times Now

Last Post ... New Me

Looking For My Place

Post Script

Naboo and Packages

Really ... Driving Back To My Childhood

This Town Ain't Big Enough For Both Of Us

Playing New Mexican Chess

A Dangerous Question

Driving Back To My Childhood

Baby Shower

Birthday Fun and more

My *Fantastic* Night

Book Quote

Red High Heels

Our American Flag

Flag Folding Procedures and Symbols

Meaning of Flag Folding Program

Symbols for the folds of the Flag

Laptop Musings

Camera Lenses and NM

Irritation

Happy Earth Day!

Tulips

Easter Fun

Idiots and Phones

London Photos ...

Sand Art

Madeline Video by TMP

Randomness on my Mind

I'm home from London!

Friday in London

Thursday in London

Wednesday in London

Tuesday in London

Monday in London

Hiya! London stuff.

I'm here!

No Sleep

Talking

Concert Canceled

Good Girl Gone Bad

Blog, Tired, Dancing, Math & London

Redoing Blog

Groban Post

Happy Valentine's Day!!

Josh at the Grammy Awards

Colored Sprinkles

=)

Puppy Size

Nothing and Everything

Obama's outfits: 'A real departure for first ladies'

America's Song

Josh Groban at Inaugural Ball

A Day In History

London ... Here I come!!

Finances

Earth ... Save It!

I Died and went to Heaven

Things I have learned from Television and Movies ...

Slow Work

Reminiscing Through Poetry

2009 Goals and Resolutions

For Amber

Books of the Year 2008

Christmas Day

A Fun Night *said in sarcastic tone*

Packages

Stressful Hitman

Slowness

This is hilarious!

Thoughts and Wants

Photography Final

Facebook Surprise

No Sleep

Photo Album

DWTS week 10 (finale; part two)

DWTS week 10 (finale: part one)

more than one deer

Color

My Fantastic Night

A Fun Night said in sarcastic tone