EATS, SHOOTS AND LEAVES

I realized while writing my thesis that I had a vague to ambiguous idea how to use an apostrophe and comma, and other various english rules...I think I must have missed that day in school - either that or my English education forgot the English part! I called my Dad one day and told him my dilemma and he sent me this book for Christmas. 

This book almost completely clears up the fickle rules of English language - and is completely hilarious at the same time. You should get it...it's also a really quick read. 

Also, I just finished Bleak House - another one by Dickens... I loved it. I laughed...I cried...and I think you should read it... though not a quick read.  

25 RANDOM THINGS

25 Random things...

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Thursday, January 29, 2009 at 7:24pm | Edit Note | Delete

Rules: Once you've been tagged, you are supposed to write a note with 25 random things, facts, habits, or goals about you. At the end, choose 25 people to be tagged. You have to tag the person who tagged you. If I tagged you, it's because I want to know more about you.

(To do this, go to “notes” under tabs on your profile page, paste these instructions in the body of the note, type your 25 random things, tag 25 people (in the right hand corner of the app) then click publish.)

1. I used to own a purple elephant (teddy bear). I won it at a fair and loved it more than lots of other things.

2. My first best friends name was Joanna Harris - she lived in a mansion and taught me to ride horses. Her mum left her dad and became a lesbian - with a lady named Helen. She moved into the house and I didn't like her!

3. I went through a phase of loving the color green -- especially green eyeshadow from m.a.c. makeup. I spent way too much time putting it on and taking it off and looking at myself in the mirror thinking, "damn I look good." 

4. I'm in love with the guy who plays Dexter on Dexter -- also Bear Grills from Man Vs Wild. I also fall periodically in love with great actors -- my heart is a fickle site.

5. I met my husband because of my friend Shelby - who went because of a friend Colin, who went because of a friend Andrew...who had a house party. My husband went because of a friend named Kelly. We met - and sat on the doorstep of the next house over -- we fell in love. 

6. I fell off a horse when I was little and landed on a log -- I still don't have feeling in that part of my leg.

7. I'm pretty good at painting with oils.

8. I suck at trivial pursuit.

9. I just finished my masters - it was hard...I never want to look at my thesis again. 

10. My first boyfriend's name was Steve Owens - we dated on and off through most of high school. we wrote our names on the bus stop. One time I ran to where he was - slipped on some ice and looked like a complete dumb butt - it was never the same after.

11. I like going to school and could be happy going for the rest of life. 

12. my baby in my belly is a girl -- we're going to name her Ainslie Jane Shepherd.

13. I have great handwriting.

14. Can't sleep at night.

15. My brother bought my a decorative spoon once -- I loved it - lost it - wish I still had it.
(I also used to own a butterfly necklace - I loved it, lost it - and wish I still had it).

16. I broke both my little toes - they're pretty small so all the docs did was tape them together. 

17. I'm obsessed with Charles Dickens - right now I'm reading Bleak House - but my favorite is probably Nicholas Nichleby or David Copperfied. 

18. My husband proposed to me by the Salt Lake Temple - he's the bestest I've ever known. 

19. My dog - Dash - farts all the time. Sometimes we're embarrassed in case people think it's us.

20. I used to play netball - I was pretty good. 

21. Scotland is my favorite - I want to live there - but we're in debt and broke. 

22. I went to Italy one time with my friend Liz - we missed the plane home and had to stay in the airport the night - the airport closed - it was awkward. 

23. I like strawberries, ladybirds, yellow umbrellas, lambs, and thistle's. 

24. My dream vacation - India -- with my hubbers of course. 

25. I was bit by a dog in the face when I was wee - I still have scars. 

movies and stuff

Mitch and I both got our diplomas in the mail - actually squashed into the mailbox to be precise -- but at least we have them now...my thesis also came in the mail. It's pretty thick and impressive looking - I started reading it and thought to myself - "wow - this is awesome," then I saw a speller...!!!

We went through a movie going phase recently - I always love those.  Then you realize how much money it is to go to see them and that quickly stops! So lets pretend that I'm the critic...we started with doubt - which was excellent. The play has already gained lots of critical acclaim but I think that the movie speaks for itself. Meryl Streep gave an outstanding performance and I will be amazed if she doesn't win for best actress.   

 

Another one of our favorites was Gran Torino - which I loved and embarrassingly bawled at by the end. There was nothing spectacular in it - in fact it could have closely bordered on corny but for the fact that it was so beautiful and well executed. 

We also saw Slumdog Millionaire - for me this was so so - I expected it to be a lot better than it was - I don't know...I was iffy. Another one was Defiance - which was excellent - a show about a sect of Jews who lived in the forest during Nazism and lived...It was great. You can't make up stuff like that. oh, also, we saw Benjamin Button, and again - not as good as I expected - I kept thinking - this is a long movie -- and that's never a good sign.

Also - here is a tip for those of you who like to go to movies -- don't walk in after the movie has already started - go in front of a bunch of people, talk aloud that someone is in your seat, and then let you cell phone ring...loudly and obnoxiously...Secretly people hope you will fall down the stairs and die!!! 

 

I'm Hungry

I'm hungry...all the time...

MATT HILL

My good friend Matt Hill passed away last week of cancer.  

First of all, Matt is one of the most generous and loving people I've ever met.  He took care of me during a really rough time in my life.  

Also, he really helped me believe in myself -- he was one of my first TA's at BYU and was so encouraging and uplifting as a teacher.  

One time Matt came to see one of my first plays I had written -- afterwards he told me that he was so nervous that it wouldn't be good - but I could tell by his reaction that he thought it was great.  

Needless to say -- I love you Matt...

Baby Baby in my belly...

This is our little baba -- we got an utlrasound and found out it's a girl...

we've decided that we like the name AINSLIE.  

Bates Lodge

Our long overdue trip up to the Lodge.  The Bates Lodge is up by Driggs Idaho near Jackson Hole.  It belongs to Mitch's mother's side of the family and it's the best little getaway ever...

Driving to the lodge with a Parrot on Mitch's shoulder.

Me and Dash up by the lodge...

Old Bates Ward House...
Bates Bridge.

Inside the Lodge.

don't you wish you had a lodge too?  aren't you jealous?  well...you should be.