Stifling!

Today I had a flashback of Egypt while sitting on the metro.

Let me explain.

We went in the pyramid that's behind us in the picture. I was so excited. Seriously. I remember my sixth grade history teacher, Ms. Williams, tell us about going into the pyramids and I had wanted to go ever since. There's not a whole lot of room in the tunnel leading into the great chamber in the middle and you're walking hunched over and people are walking in the opposite direction directly next to you. There are dips and rises as you make your way to the chamber. And worst of all, it's hot. Stiflingly hot. So hot and humid in there that the walls are wet and sticky from the condensation of sweat. The hand rails are sticky and left our hands smelling like vinegar from touching them to keep balance. I thought the great chamber would provide some relief from the nastiness experienced from the tunnel, it didn't. Despite being in a dark space out of direct sunlight, it was worse. I wanted to explore the room, climb down into the area where the sarcophagus once rested but was disgusted when I felt the walls and they were wet. The walls were wet from the sweat of people. Ew. I was dripping sweat down my back, my arms were getting sweaty, my face and head were pouring sweat down my neck. And after taking in as much as I could, I booked it back outside, into the direct noon sunlight, the 100 degree weather and felt immense and immediate relief. I had never been so glad to be in 100 degree heat in my life. And that was the one and only time.

Today was a close second. I waited for the metro to come after work. It was pretty hot and it had been all day. I had cut lunch short that afternoon because it was just somewhat miserable even in the shade. So, I waited for the metro on the un-air-conditioned platform for the train to come. I was anxious for the train to come because my shirt would show sweat when wet and I didn't want it to show. So, when I stepped onto the train and realized immediately that I had walked into a sauna I was really disappointed. My face must have reflected the pain my lungs were feeling as they breathed in the stale hot air because someone said jokingly, "Welcome to Hell." I sat in an empty seat and was soon feeling nauseous thanks to the horrendous heat I couldn't wait to get off. In fact, I was practically willing the driver to go faster, and silently praying that there would be no delays.

I thought of Egypt and coming out of that pyramid and knew I would be just as happy getting off that train.

I think I'm going to start having to pray for air conditioned metro cars to come my way. That's not too much to ask is it?

DC Temple

August 2009

with Miss Laney, my first trip to the DC temple, picture taken because we were wearing the same colors

June 2010

with Miss Debbie and Miss Laney at last weekend's ward temple day (the picture was supposed to be from waist up...)

How much of a difference a few months can make on appearance! But the temple will always look and be the same.
It's so comforting to know that.

(Thanks for sending me the first picture Amy! And, just for you, 3 weeks, 1 day!)

15 Books

I saw this thing once on facebook: "Here are the rules: Don't take too long to think about it. Fifteen books you've read that will always stick with you. They don't have to be the greatest books you've ever read, just the ones that stick with you. First fifteen you can recall in no more than 15 minutes." Then you're supposed to forward it out/tag a whole bunch of people. I'm not really into that part of it, but it was interesting to think of the first books that popped into my head.

Disclaimer: This does not include the scriptures. Because, duh, of course it did.

1. The Power of One
2. The Giver
3. The Jungle
4. The Chosen
5. Yearning for the Living God
6. Night
7. Jane Eyre (please forgive the Twilight-esque cover of that one)
8. Ella Enchanted
9. My Antonia
10. Harry Potter
11. The Good Earth
12. Those Who Save Us
13. The Gurnsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
14. In Cold Blood
15. The Truth About Forever

I included the links for you to the books. This isn't a, you-should-read-this-book, book list, it's just a handful of books that stuck with me. That being said, if you want to talk to me about why they stuck with me, let me know.

And finally, enjoy this lovely picture of these lovely new shoes I bought today. I love them already.

 

pppst! they'retoms

O'Jays

"Make all the white people feel welcome!"
-O'Jays during the opening of the summer concert series at the Ronald Reagan Building

Everyday from 12-1:30 there is a free concert at my building's plaza. Today was the opening. It was packed. It was absolutely full of people dancing, screaming, and cheering for The O'Jays. And I didn't know who they were. I seem to think I know a lot of stuff. I like to think all those nights listening to Super Gold on Oldies 99.1 taught me the names of groups. Au contrair. It taught me to sing along with every oldies song out there.  I should have known The O'Jays, they have quite a resume. But, being one of the few white people there and it was obviously a generational thing, I had a awesome time people watching, and trying not to sing, "one of these things was not like the other"...

And, it was a fantastic concert. Absolutely fantastic.

Here's a video of them from the 70s though they aren't rocking the matching white suits they wore today:

Too much.

Are you an idiot too? Do you talk too much too? We must share a life!

If you know me personally you know I like to talk. Too much. I think.
In kindergarten we were studying Native Americans. (Well in the 80s it was still Indians.) Anyway, every kid got an Indian name. My mom came up with mine: Little Babbling Brook. I had a tea dyed dress with fringe and beads and everything. (Not until I was in high school did I stop to think of the meaning of babbling.)
In 5th grade I was voted "Most Talkative" by fellow students.
Elementary school report cards have comments like, "A joy to have in class." Followed closely by, "Frequently distracted." and "Too talkative when should be completing tasks."

Ok, we get it, it's been a problem since birth. I always want to see what's going on, I always want to know what's happening and be "in the know". I've been trying to stop this for a while. Sometimes it just isn't my business to know thing, you know? (It's kind of like one of those innate things that I need to fix. Like my really intense competitiveness that I realized could be curbed if I just either a) didn't play the game at all or b) tried to be really really nice to the other players and see them how God sees them--this was the case with Flag Football or c) play a game without a winner.) So I realize there are just some things that aren't my business. I'm not fishing for info, I'm trying to not spread info, even if it seems harmless.

I have a friend from college who frequently would tell me to stop telling her a story about someone because she didn't want to have preconceived notions about them, or hear anything bad about the person. Though initially infuriating because I wanted to share, I realize that her example was something I needed to follow, and I have tried to not spread news, not seek out news or stories. 

Within the past few months however I have been accused twice of spreading information that was/is hurtful to a party. Each time, I was only partially privy to information and each time I realized that talking to anyone about the situation was inappropriate, even if it was in a completely non-gossipy, trying to get the full story to dispel the current belief way. Both of these situations have hurt someone or people, made them loose respect for me and caused me tears, nausea (because I feel so horrible) and stress.

(It makes me sound like I'm a horrible gossip. I'm really not, and in the case of both of those recent situations, what information was talked about was not talked about in a mean way or a judging way. But somehow me having talked about it was all that got back to the original person and then I become the gossip, the lie spreader, the big mouth.)

I'm not perfect. We all aren't perfect. But I am trying and doing my hardest to keep sensitive information sensitive. And good news private (until permission is granted to share). I don't think I'm a bad person, but you better believe I feel like one today!

And to those who might read this that I have hurt ever by what I have said. I deeply and truly apologize. I can't even tell you how absolutely horrendous I feel.

PS. In church two days ago we had a lesson about gossip and the teacher compared it to the Gulf Oil Spill and how we don't know the consequences yet of all that oil in the ocean, and just as is with gossip, we don't understand the repercussions what we say will have down the road. I'll say I didn't think the application of this would have come so soon. I wish the lesson could have also included how to make things right again.

Humidity and hair

Summer humidity does incredible things to my hair. This could be construed as good, or bad depending on if you want curly hair or straight hair. I haven't decided yet which I like. But long gone are the days when I could straighten my hair in Utah and it would look good for hours.

Exhibit A:

(Pictures left to right: Julia McGarry's mission homecoming, Valentine's Day 2009 Monster Truck Rally)

Enter moving to the East Coast and adding some humidity and heat. I'm just have a mess of curls and frizz.

Exhibit B:

 (Pictures top to bottom, left to right: New York with Lisa; Jordan with Loral and Whitney, though not technically a picture from the East Coast, it still shows the frizz; Duck Beach with Andrea; Duck Beach house with Laney and Debbie)

Today I have frizzy hair. Incredibly frizzy hair. I think I was born in the wrong decade, NO, wrong century. Today my hair makes me look a lot more like Anne's.

Though don't have a picture of today's do, just picture me looking like Anne, except with brown hair. Or maybe having hair like Anne's in the scene where she finally realizes she loves Gilbert. Yeah, that's me today.

But, if that hair is what snags Gilbert? Sign me up asap, I'll deal with the frizz any day.

Or how about a Jimbert?

Jealousy

Have you ever been so jealous of someone you just want to cry? I am. Right now.

Kristen spent her weekend in Italy with. her. husband. (And although that trip popped up in my google reader, she must have taken it off her blog...Sorry for your disappointment! But you can see her other trips to Ireland, Netherlands, etc on the blog.)

I on the other hand spent my weekend at Mormon weekend on speed, aka Duck Beach (or, The Outer Banks).

Although a lot of fun and am nursing a wicked sunburn and some funny tan lines, I'd rather have been in Italy.

(I forgot to take my camera to Duck so I have zero pictures of my own. Maybe I'll get some good ones that someone else took.)