I Don't Want to Live in a Wigwam

So, get this, the place that I moved into this summer has a movie rack with 18 seasons of Star Trek (all of the original series, including the animated series, the Next Generation series, and the Deep Space Nine series). It also has both the theatrical and extended versions of The Lord of the Rings movies, all three Tolkien cartoons (with custom covers and internet downloads to replace various atrocities), every Star Wars dvd (yes, the kind where you can view the original along with the pointless George Lucas reboots that came out about 12 years ago), and…need I go on? This person is obviously a hardcore nerd, right? Yeah, kinda, but more accurately, he’s my brother.

Matt shares a duplex in Salt Lake with my sister Ali and her husband. And, he's good enough to let me live here too until I graduate. So, really, we are once again a bunch of Dukes under the same roof. And already, it feels a bit like I’m reliving some of my childhood summers. I currently don’t have a job yet, so it especially feels that way. One of my favorite things about this location is that there is a park right on the other side of the fence in our back yard.



So it is fun to go for walks on the trails, and I am fully intending to get some yard games to play out there (croquet, all the way!). We also all want to start playing some tennis in the courts that are there in the park. I'm considering getting a retro bike for the trails, as well. I also love to go hang out there at night.

My sister and I actually played Dead Poets Society there one night. We snuck out with flashlights, and I read her what I consider the coolest thing ever to read aloud, “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner.” It was actually a lot of fun, especially since my brother’s cute little kitties actually followed us, and started frolicking around during the reading. I love reading at night in the park! I read The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde at night in a park in my neighborhood in Logan, and it set the mood so perfectly. So, we are certainly planning to try more Dead Poets nights again. My sis wants me to read her “something Greek” next time :)

Apparently, though, you aren’t supposed to be in any public parks around here at night. Ali actually showed me the sign that said it was closed from 10 pm to 6 am. Nuts to that! I don’t see the problem. On the plus side, it will make those Dead Poets nights more exciting, keeping in mind that we are truly doing something we aren’t supposed to be :>

I really love being here with my family! And think my brother is the best despite my cracks about his nerdish…leanings. Love ya, Matt! Also, my sister’s been wanting me to move out here for years, but I certainly have been taking my time getting through college. Now I’ve just got a Distance Ed. independent study class left to do this summer, and then I’m on to student teaching in the fall at (a lavish Neil Peart drum roll, please)…Northwest Middle School. Yes, I’ve decided to try my hand at a middle school. More details to come, but it should be exciting. I fully expect some tips from you sometime, Amanda.

I also recently had a birthday on Saturday. That's 25! It is a time of transition, I suppose. I was about to get all reflective about where I am in life, and where I want to be going, and what state of mind I have, and ought to, but now I am reminded of my first experience with a Yoga class (which I tried for kicks on my birthday). I was compelled by some of the things the instructor was asking us to think about through the exercises. It came as quite a surprise, actually. I’m at least a moderate skeptic about the point of New Age trends. Anyway, some of the ideas behind it really advocate a sense of self-awareness and acceptance of your current state of mind and body, with its strengths and limitations. I think that seems to be a pretty valuable concept however you go about exploring it. Also, it’s nice to clear time in your schedule for quiet reflection. Looks like for the moment, I have a bit of an abundance of free time. So, maybe I'll add Yoga to the list of things to try this summer. Most likely, I'll be spending more time than I want to doing homework. Blah.

Well, there’s the update. Thanks to those who got me a present/made me dinner, and such. Give yourselves a good pat on the back, from me (vicarious-like). No hugs, though.

Eye of the Tiger

Rocky slowly got up from the mat, planning his escape. He hesitated a moment and thought. Things were not going well. What bothered him most was being held,especially since the charge against him had been weak. He considered his present situation. The lock that held him was strong but he thought he could break it. He knew, however, that his timing would have to be perfect. Rocky was aware that it was because of his early roughness that he had been penalized so severely--much too severely from his point of view. The situation was becoming frustrating; the pressure had been grinding on him for too long. He was being ridden unmercifully. Rocky was getting angry now. He felt he was ready to make his move. He knew that his success or failure would depend on what he did in the next few seconds.

Yeah, sorry, that intro. was probably more confusing than those talks from youth speakers where they just launch into reading something out of New Era without even telling you what, or why. So, I read this passage in my textbook today as an example of...constructionism, I think (I guess I'll have to review that before quiz time). Apparently there are two perspectives here that you can take. Rocky is a fighter or a prisoner.

Now the intention of this example was to clue us pre-service teachers into the fact that students interpret and learn new things based on prior knowledge. If there is little or no prior knowledge on the context or relevance of the reading, you can expect minimal comprehension. La de da, quite obvious and boring. However, what I found interesting is that this passage, from both the perspective of a fighter and a prisoner, describes the recent events in the life of my brother's little kitty...whose very name happens to BE Rocky.

A few days back Rocky developed a very red and goupy eye. I happened to be at my brother's house this weekend and got to take a look at it for myself. We didn't suspect that it had been too serious. Perhaps it was just an infection that an antibiotic eye cream could cure. So we took him to the vet on Monday and it appeared that trauma and not an infection was the cause, and that we had to see a specialist. Upon taking Rocky to the specialist, it was determined that the cut in his cornea was very likely caused by, none other than his favorite sparring partner Apollo. I don't think I need to tell you who is who:



They do so like to playfully gnaw at each other, and roll around with the occasional swipe of the paw to the jaw. And thus there came to be this claw shaped wound to Rocky's eye. Ouch. But Mr. Rocky is a tough Italian Stallion. He hasn't shown any behavior that would indicate that he is having pain, not even when the lab tech. administered these eye drops which she warned us would cause him to violently foam at the mouth. Luckily, that didn't happen, and he purred and played with us as usual.

The good news was that the blow did not puncture his lens. That would have actually guaranteed the removal of his entire eye. In this case though, there was the option of surgery, or medical treatment (with unknown success expected). Matt decided to just get the medicine for now and see what happens. If the eye doesn't heal enough by tomorrow morning, I'm pretty sure that surgery will be highly recommended so he won't have to lose the eye.

It turns out that the medication and visit alone were over $500, so it obviously becomes a question of money where surgery is concerned. Suddenly the idea of pet insurance that we so readily scoffed on the way to the vet didn't seem like that bad of an idea anymore. Anyone without any sort of savings really wouldn't be able to make these sorts of decisions, and would be confined to...even putting the animal to sleep over an injured eye. This just reminds me that the more assets we have in any sense (money, knowledge, etc.) the more choices and ethical responsibility we have.

Anyway, right now Rocky is separated from Apollo, and he can't go outside. He also has one of those cones around his neck so that he doesn't touch that eye of his. So sad to see it. His meals are supposed to be portioned too, like rations. Poor little prisoner. I hope that his eye will heal, and that surgery won't be necessary. If it is though, I hope it works out all right. He is a sweet, loving kitty, and deserves it.

Having said all that, I can't resist the impulse to post this:

Surprise Paradise!

This one's for you, Brother!
But remember to pause the music first. :)

Singin' N' some Rain

This weekend was a lot of fun. I went to Salt Lake on Friday and hung out with Ali and Matt. We didn't do much for the 4th of July except go to the Pie and have what turned out to be a pretty nasty Greek Pizza. Every inch of it was covered with low-quality lamb. I actually didn't even try it, because the smell was a little too nauseating. I was perfectly content with their delicious cheesy bread, though. We were planning on watching fireworks from the stadium since Ali lives right by it, but they didn't have them. We're guessing that it will happen on the 24th. I also missed the fireworks in Logan due to work, so, I really want to go see some for the 24th now. I do love a good firework show.

On Saturday my nephew Noah got baptized. I didn't get to see my other nephews get baptized, so I was pretty excited about it. It was especially cool because they did the confirmation just afterwards. When I first got to the Stake Center, Noah came right over and gave me a hug. When someone pointed out that Matt had also come in, Noah said "I know," and continued his way down the hall to get ready. I don't want to say I was happy that Matt didn't get a hug. But I was happy that I got singled out. That sounds weird, but it meant a lot. I don't get to see them very often.

After having lunch together, Matt and I went out to see Speed Racer with Scott and the kids. I was pretty bored, but I think the boys liked it. I was thinking that it was a stupid movie, but would probably be a fun video game. I blame it on the monkey. Monkeys automatically make movies horrible. My niece Emily didn't seem too entertained by the movie either, so she was hanging out in the lobby. When I went out to get a drink, I bought her a rub-on tattoo, and we went to the bathroom to put it on. She was really excited about it, which was pretty hilarious. I also bought the boys some tattoos after the movie. One cool thing about the movie, I will say, is that it introduced me to the Korean pop sensation, Rain. Of course, what I really mean is that it introduced me to the rivalry between Rain and his nemesis, Stephen Colbert. They both put out killer music videos:



But what the battle finally came down to was a Dance Dance Revolution dance-off, where sadly, Rain outshined Colbert's sweet sweet dancing skills:

Rain!!!

After the movie, we picked up Ali and went out to a birthday party for my friend Dave. It was a lot of fun, complete with Guitar Hero and fireworks. Personally, I've always been more a fan of throwing parties than going to them. You can invite who you want, and do what you want, and see all your plans and preparations come to fruition, with full enjoyment. So, I tend to notice elements of party planning when I go to other peoples' parties now. And I can say that Dave was well prepared, from all the signs, decorations, and food, to a complete transformation of his room to a dance floor, including his very own fog machine. I think I'm allergic to those, I mean, they make me sneeze at least.

On the way home from the party, a Starship song came on the radio and Matt, Ali and I all burst into song. All of a sudden, we were in the mood for karaoke. The only place to really do that late on a Saturday night is a bar, so we decided to pick up Ali's friend Gentry to come with us, who knows where we could sing nearby. I had never sung karaoke before, so, it was a first. That's right, never before. And that's right, I let it loose in a bar, to Duran Duran's Hungry Like the Wolf! Gentry happened to have a Duran Duran shirt on, so she sang it with me. I can't say I enjoyed it that much. I think it was the fact that I was...in a bar. But, that was a new and interesting experience. So, have you ever heard that people really let out some emotions when they are drunk? Like, "I love you, man!" when they don't know you. Well, Matt and I got the, "I respect you!" speech, because we don't drink alcohol. It was kinda funny, really. As it turned out, closing hours didn't even stop our singing, we kept going all the way home with the radio. However, despite the mood that I get in the next time I belt out R-E-S-P-E-C-T...I think I'll avoid a karaoke bar.

Spiders Hate Pink

I'm so glad that I'm not going to have a job in a cubical when I graduate...no offense Matt. I've just been working a few extra hours the last couple of days and I realized that sitting for over eight hours at a computer is really bad for one's (MY) back. Although, my back's been sore lately, as it is adjusting to my new firm mattress. Whereas, the one I had at Old Farm was basically just made out of that cheap yellow foam (no springs or anything). I actually prefer that thing, especially now.

As part of my b-day present, my sis gave me a massage. But, it didn't help as much as I had hoped. As long as I am mentioning my birthday, I'll try to remember everything I got: a 24-pack case of bottled coke, chocolate cookies, roses, a Jamba Juice, Homestar Runner dvds, a little corny unicorn purse filled with old-timey candy, a massage, House Season 3 dvds, a "speckled hug", lotion, and some money. I also got this weird crow music box thing. And by weird I mean freakin' awesome, of course.

My sister shares a rental contract for her massage studio with her friend Gentry who has a little store upstairs called Frosty Darling. It is so cute! All of the best items are handmade. Check it out: http://www.frostydarling.com/. Anyway, she was nice enough to give me the crow because I got such a kick out of it. She said it was a Bingo prize (which they play on Tuesdays apparently). The store even has a balloon toss like a genuine carnival! And I am a dead-eye shot, shooting. Three of three!!...from probably only three feet away.

On Sunday, my parents and I went to the cemetery in Heber and put some flowers on some of our family's graves. It was surprsing to see that just out of a few graves, two relatives had died on my birthday. Sad. And I hadn't realized before that both my grandpa Duke and his twin brother lost their first wives to the flu only within a day of each other. That's much more sad. And my mom was actually excited to show me the plot that they bought for themselves, which I thought was weird. I don't like thinking about the future, it feels so out of my control.

On Monday, I practically got to see my whole family (and all of my brothers!). It was a surprise, but a happy result of the fact that Scott's family couldn't picnic in the rain. We decided to give his kids Jason's old slide playset, and as we were taking it apart I noticed something moving inside of a shroud of spiderweb. "Ehw, an eggsack." I said. My brother Jason came over and gently poked out what was actually a pretty cool looking spider (not a horrible hord of spider babies), who had just been sheltering himself from the cold.

Jason then explained that spiders liked the playset for some reason. And then I remembered this hilarious Far Side cartoon with two spiders who had woven a web across the bottom of a slide. One of them says to the other, "If we pull this off, we'll eat like kings!" Haha. Anyway, my neice was nearby and was a little concerned that their new playset attracted spiders. "Oh no," Jason reassured, "spiders hate pink!" That seems reasonable for kids, right? After all, everything evil is somehow miraculously repelled by the mere mention of love (I'm thinking of the last Harry Potter film...). So, spiders likewise must be repelled by pink. Emily seemed satisfied.

A View to a Kill

Well, summer is officially here, and I'm actually pretty excited about it. I've moved back to the Beach House, and am near some of my friends again. It's nice to be back.

As far as the job goes, I've actually decided to stick with the same one for the summer, for a few reasons:

1. I hate looking for a job.
2. I hate waiting around to get hired for a job.
3. I hate training for a job.
4. I like having my weekends off, always.

Good enough for me. I do like changes, but not at the expense of too much stress when you are absolutely poor. I am...absolutely poor. Unfortunately, for the first half of the summer I don't have very many hours at all (seriously, only about 25/week). That's what happens when small summer classes end up getting canceled. Bah! Maybe I'll just enjoy it, as I actually have Friday afternoon-Monday completely off. Wow, now that's a weekend!

In other news, the last couple of days I've been at Ali's house watching over her kitty Crash, and her garden, plants, etc. I was really looking forward to a whole week of just bumming around her house while she's in Oregon, but I actually had to come back early due to work starting earlier than expected. While there, I discovered a good reason why she should have someone staying in the house, rather than just having someone come by and check up on things.

So, I awoke Sunday morning to the sound of Crash's jingling bell from his collar as he jumped through the window (he comes in and out as he pleases). I looked up from my sleep to greet him, and he sets down this dead mouse on the floor and starts meowing in a bright and chipper fashion, as though to brag. I was a little horrified by the greeting, but a little amused at the same time by the nature of cats to impress you with their kills.

The next morning, I woke up to the same jingling and looked up to see a dead bird this time. Feathers all over and everything. Definitely gross. But then I thought, maybe this cat likes me if he's trying to impress me with two kills in two days. There is a bright side to everything. And it's a good thing I was there to get those dead animals out of the house.

Here's the culprit:

Anyway, now that I'm back I've got to unload all my stuff into my new room, which is actually really nice because it is usually a shared room, so it is fairly large with it's own spacious bathroom and a walk-in closet. I've always wanted a walk-in closet! Plus, the walls are green, which is my favorite color.

I've thought about planing some weekly or semi-weekly events for the summer, much like the Simpsons Night from a few years ago. Heidi and I also want to organize our own little book club. We'll see how that goes.

Also, I just checked my grades, and am pleasantly surprised to find no C's this semester, and two A's. I got a B- in Physics II just like I hoped for (yeah, I did hope for a B-). My health/motivation/class attendance/whatnot have all pretty much sucked this semester, so, it's a good thing most of my classes were really easy or else who knows what the results may have been. I do have to retake Physics I, since I screwed that class over last semester. I found that the one I was in this semester was actually pretty interesting as we talked about sound waves, electricity/electromagnetism, and optics whereas last semester it was all about calculating applied forces...boring, boring stuff. I actually might read up on optics in my spare time, I've got lots of it for a while :)