Bike Riding

Okay I haven't been on a bike in like 5 or 6 years. It's been a really long time. I'm reminded of a line from Harry potter where she is talking about how Dudley Dursley got a racing bike for his birthday and Harry can't figure it out because Dudley is very fat and hates excercising... yeah well...

So... Like I mentioned I'm trying to be a better person and I have actually been working very very hard in my yard and in my shed I discovered my old mountain bike that has sat neglected for... I can't even tell you how long. Years and years and years and years. Part of the reason I've neglected it is because the tires are flat and I will admit I am useless when it comes to mechanical things or fixing things that are broken. Part of the reason I'm so poor is that when something breaks, my idea of fixing it is going and buying a new one. But thankfully I have parents who sometimes.... not so tactfully.... inform me of the foolishness of this way of thinking and my dad brought over his handy dandy compressor and blew the flat tires up. And low and behold... the tires remained inflated. Woo-hoo! So I, Tiffy, being the oh so brave and oh so silly soul that I am decided I would attempt to ride that two wheeled beauty and I didn't die. It was a beautiful thing.

I did fall once. I will not say that I was graceful or anything, but I stayed upright and I was trying to turn and I didn't quite make it and I fell, but there were no major injuries. No broken bones. No scrapes. Not even a bruise (except to my delicate ego). It was a very sad thing though because it made me realize just how out of shape I am. I decided that since I had a bike and since my parents live only a couple of blocks away I would ride my bike to their house and enjoy a lasagna dinner with them and despite the fact that the hills are almost unnoticeable I was breathless and my legs were sore and I had to change gears to the easiest gear with the least resistance and... it was very embarrassing. But it is something I can and will improve. I think instead of walking my puppy I will ride my bike and she can run behind and hopefully she will have enough sense to stay out of my way.

Busy Busy Busy

Sunday May 17,2009

Ok I just want to start out by saying to all you mother's out there that have kids and still maintain a blog and do all the other things you do... I tip my hat to you because I have no idea how you do it. I have a dog... albeit a crazy, energetic, attention hog of a dog... but just a dog that when I am extremely hurried I can lock in her dog run. You can't do that with your kids and in the laswt week I have been really busy and haven't even had a chance to think about writing in my blog. It's great to hear how people are doing and i haven't even had a chance to read anyone's blog this week. So kudo's to you.

Now I'll try to explain why I've been so busy. I'm trying to be a better person and I have made certain goals that I havebeen neglectful at doing in the past, but that should be done every day. Like, work in the yard a little bit each day, walk my dog, clean at least 1 room (which since it's just me and i work ten hours a day you would think would be fairly easy but... ehem... yeah it's not) read scriptures, pray, write in my journal, watch my money, go to work, ... just daily things that I should be doing and that I haven't been doing and oh my goodness how the hours fly. And sadly, I STILL don't accomplish all of the things that I think I should be doing. Instead of eating out as much as I do, I should cook... and I don't. I should have time to excercise a little bit and my excerice is walking my dog. No wonder people say time flies because there is no possible way to accomplish everything.
I want to read something every day. Write a little bit every day. And I just can't manage to squeeze it in. If anybody has any tips... please let me know.

At any rate... here's to trying to be a better person.

Pictures

Okay, I've decided I'm going to post some pictures about all of these people that I talk about if i have a picture available... so...

This is me. Tiffy... A younger... healthier.... happier me. I'm working on getting back there (all but the younger part which isn't possible, but I'm working on the healthier happier part).

This is Kizzy, my cute but hopelessly naughty puppy and I love her to death. And just between you and me, she's not nearly as naughty as I claim she is. She's doing a lot better with some of the behavioral problems she used to have. I like her quite a lot.
This is a picture of my parents. I know everyone thinks their parent's are the greatest, but I truly believe mine are. Like I mentioned before, I was adopted and I hear so many horror stories about kids that are adopted being treated different or like lesser... I never felt that. Not for me or for Devin, my brother that was also adopted. I don't know anyone as generous or hard working as my parents either. Nobody is perfect and I would be lying if I claimed we have a perfect Brady Bunch relationship, but I never doubt that I'm loved and I hope they never doubt that I love them because I do. I love them with all my heart.
In a rare moment of silliness, this is a picture of my older Brother Devin. He was born on March 22 so he just celebrated his Birthday and we're going to do a bit more celebrating tomorrow.

This is my brother Brandon, his wife, Laura and Little Erastus... the baby that they're going to have in June. Wow... can you believe it's less than three months away! I doubt he'll really be named Erastus, but for now he is known as Erastus Augustus and even though he hasn't been born yet, we all love him very much. Aren't Brandon and Laura the cutest little couple?


This is my Sister, Shantell, her husband, Don and my two nephews, Corbin and Logan. The boys are extra cute and extra extra spoiled. (I'm not biased or anything). Corbin looks a lot like his mommy and I think Logan looks a whole lot like his daddy.

And last but not least is my crazy eccentric, Aunt Joan. She's my dad's twin sister and she's always been a very important part of our family.


So there you have it. These are the pictures of the people I'll be talking about most.

4 10's

Hello all.

Today is the end of my first pay period being on a 10 hour schedule for 4 days of the week with every friday off.

10 hours... or if you want to be accurate 10 and a half hours if you count lunch... is tough. By 2:30 I am really ready to go home but I still have 2 whole hours left to my shift. Those two hours drag on and on, it seems, forever. And I worry about my poor little puppy locked up in the bathroom for such a long period of time. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday are long, tedious days... but then....
Friday comes and glorious... beautiful... Freedom. It's amazing the difference a day makes. By Tuesday night... my week is half over. I can't wait until summer when I'll be able to go to bear lake on Thursday night and have a wonderful long weekend. Ah... I love it love it love it.

Yeah for 4 10's

My Bear Lake RV/Helen/Dorothy/ and little Dorothy Dream

I have decided to Blog about once a week. It's been ten days since my last Blog so I'm a little slow. What I've started to do is write down things during the week that I find interesting or that I want to talk about.

So, Subject 1: Chris Butters & Bob Lansbury.
I hate Bob Lansbury. He is really annoying. I can't stand him but he is always on in the morning as I am heading to work. The other day he was talking about Utah Senator Chris Butters.
To Be honest, I don't really know who Chris Butters is or what he really stands for or where he works. Is he in Washington DC? Is he in Salt Lake? I don't know. What I do know about Chris Butters is that he has said a few innappropriate things and he's getting major flack for it. I guess last week he made the following comment: "Homosexuality will always be a sexual perversion. And you say that around here now and everybody goes nuts. But I don't care." He also compares gay activist to radical Muslims and said they are 'probably the greatest threat to America going down."
In the last week or so Ive heard radio stories about him being fired or being forced to stand down from his position. People are crying for his head basically because of those comments.
I bring up Bob Lansbury because for the first time I agree with what he has to say. While I agree with the fact that a person in a political, public, position should be more sensitive in the way he or she speaks, I believe that we live in a country that allows for free speech. Should Senator Butters say things like that? Probably not. It is insensitive and he's in an elected, position... should he be fired or scrutinized or threatened because of the things he said? No. Our founding fathers fought and died for the right to free speech. What Happened to free speech? Is anyone else afraid of the sensoring that is occuring?
I'm going to be honest. I haven't heard anything more, the story must be old... I don't know if Chris Butters resigned or was forced to step down but I hope not. I hope that America remains a country where we are not oppressed or afraid to say the things that we believe... even if some of those things that are said are not tactful.
While I'm sort of on the subject... I went with my brother, Devin, to see Milk. I will be 100% honest. I didn't want to see Milk. I hate Sean Penn and I am severely conflicted on how I feel about Homosexuality and whether it is a moral sin or whether the souls that claim to be gay are born that way and all the disgust and revoltion toward that act that I feel is biggotry at its core.
I went to Milk because Devin is gay and he really wanted to go see it. It's the same reason I went and saw Brokeback mountain.
I struggle with the fact that my brother is gay, but I love him very much and I want him to know that even though I cannot necessarily condone it, I love and accept him and I will support him where I can.
Anyhoo... I went and saw Milk. It was one of the hardest films I have ever sat through. I am a prude. I'll admit it. I don't like sex in movies for any reason. I think sex is a beautiful and private thing that should be shared between two people... and only two people. I don't need to know your sex acts or how many times you do it or... whatever. When there's is sex in movies they're trying to express 'love' between two people but they're cheapening the experience and perverting the act. I just don't need to or want to see it and it makes me sad that one of the most beautiful things that God gave us has become, often times, a sick joke or a one night stand. At any rate it is seldom necessary in movies and I hardly tolerate sex scenes between men and women in movies. But seeing two men... in what I was raised to think of as a perversive, twisted act of intercourse... made me sick. (especially because it was Sean Penn. ick) I really did have a difficult time sitting through the movie. But it was an eye opening experience and in a rare turn of events my brother opened up a little bit and we had a discussion about gays.
I don't know that I believe homosexuality is okay. But I have a new perpective on it and I think I have a little bit more of an understanding. And I want Devin to know that I Love him very much and that I will always support him in any way that I Can.
Do I recommend Milk? I don't know.
On Tuesday Feb. 24, 2009 it was national free pancake day. Well, it wasn't really Free because you got free pancakes with the understanding that you would donate to Primary Children's Hospital which is a wonderful cause. At the risk of being arrested I will admit I went to two different IHOPs... but I donated quite generously and actually bought other food so it still cost me like 8 bucks. But oh, i miss pancakes. I don't have the very often. And I hope they made a lot of money for Primary Children's Hospital..
Every Other Monday Night I am taking a play writing class. I have always loved writing and I dabble in poetry and stories and stuff like that, but I'm not a play write. I'm no shakespear. And I've really struggled with this class. I love it. I've learned a lot and it's been a good experience but boy i've struggled with it. My Play is a futuristic play and when people are born they get a microchip implanted into their brains that hold all the knowedge of the world, supposedly. One of the characters doens't think it is possible and that really it's a device to inhibit learning and discourages discover and stuff and so he's trying to convince his friends that the implants are bad. I think it's an interesting Idea and hopefully it will fall in to place. If anyone has anyideas... let me know. I'm really struggling.
Not Sunday March 1, 2009 but the Sunday before that... so I'm thinking that would be... Feb. 22, 2009 my nephew, Corbin, was very naughty. He decided it would be fun to run from his mom as they were coming out of church. She said he ran right to the busy street and it was the first time she had to raise her voice to him. He's 2 and is getting a bit of a stubborn streak. I just thought I would note it because who remembers when and why they first got yelled at? I'm sure it's not the last time but it was the first time and it should be remembered. By the way, I will talk a lot about my Nephew Corbin, My Nephew Logan and the rest of my family in this blog. they're the biggest part of my life and since I don't have a family of my own, I will dote on them and spoil them and talk about them a lot. For stuff I might miss, check out my sister's blog http://donandshancrawford.blogspot.com
The Academy Awards were on Sunday Feb. 22, 2009. I wasn't going to watch them this year. I have lost my fascination with multi millionaire, liberal actors, patting each other on the back telling themselves how absolutely amazing and great they are. Puke. Also... in the last few years the movies that have wone great awards are contraversial, perverse flicks that advocate evilness and immorality. However, every Sunday we get together as a family and they were watching the academy awards. For a full listing of awards and who won what check out http://www.oscar.com/but the movie I want to talk about is Slumdog Millionaire. it was great. It wasn't what I thought it was going to be. I thought it was going to be this gang movie and... it's about this kid that goes on to who wants to be a millionaire. It won best picture and I highly recommend it.
okay, this is the last thing I'm going to talk about today... at least in this post. I'm going to go back and add details about my friends and family and who is who and the role they play in my life but... that's totally different than my ramblings.... anyhoo... last week I saw a show on the history channel about Abraham Lincoln. Did you know that after he was shot that counterfeiting theives tried to steal his body? They wanted to hold it for ransom. But it was like a series of follies that nobody could make up, that they failed to get his body. they hired some guy to help them with their plot and he was one of the first members of the CIA or something and it was just insanity.... I was laughing the whole time because of the stupid mistakes they made. Hee hee... but after they failed to steal his body his remains were buried under a bunch of junk to protect it and all in all his body was moved ten different times before he was finally laid to rest. It just boggles my mind the disrepect and carelessness one of the greatest presidents of the United States endured. And furthermore, why don't we learn about cool stuff like this in History Class?
Well, I'm done for today. Maybe a week and a half of my thoughts is a little too much and I should update this more often. what do you think?
Hope you enjoy

Dreamin'

Okay, I just have to say... I have only read my sister's blog and my friend Rachelle's blog so maybe i'm being unconventional or sharing too much... I don't know but can I just tell you I love dreams. Most of the time. Of course, occasionally I'll have a real night mare that I wake up and just lay in bed in utter horror for a couple of hours but usually my dreams are quite fun and entertaining and I wish... I wish I had had the forsight or energy or rather ambition to write some of them down before now. Last night I had the craziest dream. It was about balloons. And I don't have like a photgraphic memory and I can't remember all the details but I just know that there was this guy that gave me some balloons and the strings on the balloons were really really short and I was very afraid of loosing them so I tied the strings all together so that the balloons were in one great big bunch and then I lost them anyway. And then the rest of the dream was like a quest and I was trying to find more balloons. I remember offering a trade with someone (I can't remember who) and that I was looking for bubble gum. because bubble gum has so much to do with balloons.

I am currently taking a play writing class. There was a time that I wrote for several hours each and every day. And I had grand aspirations to be a writer and make a million dollars and be the next 'J.K. Rowlings' or whatever. But I don't write so much anymore. I need someone to bounce my ideas off of and that's one of the main reasons I miss Jenny because she always fullfilled that need for me. Anyhow... I only bring this up because I was thinking about what a great story following a balloon would be. Where would it end up? what would it see? It just got my imagination going.
I remember in elementary school we all got together and we wrote a note and tied it to the end of a balloon and then we all gathered in the playground. There were hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of balloons and excited little kids and it was excitement and chaos and wonder and we all counted to three and then we let our little balloon go.
It made me wonder last night after my dream, what had happened to my balloon. Who found my note? What did my note say? Did anybody actually find it or was my balloon a lost soul that got stuck in a tree or went down in the middle of the great salt lake? What if it was possible that the balloon actually made it to space somehow? oh the possibilities.
I bring up my play writing class because one of the things the instructer, Clarence, talked about was getting ideas for plays or stories and I think this could be a fun idea. I may be talking about story ideas a lot on my blog. I will also be sharing... for the first time in my life and to people other than my friend Jenny, and my parents some of my writings and poems and... anyhow... enough on that. Thanks for Listening.

Sick

ly,
I am still sick and i'm sick of being sick. I've had a cold now since Tuesday and I just can't seem to kick it. urg. At any rate it made for a very uneventful and quite boring weekend. With two exceptions. Every Friday my Parents, my aunts and uncles and my Brother Devin congragate at either Chuck-a-Rama or Golden Corral. Part of me, admittedly is embarrassed by this weekly family tradition. I mean, really... whose family honestly gets together and eats as this huge family unit each week... hello! Nobodies... but then I think... whose family gets together as this huge family unit and eats each week... ours! I love it. I love hearing the stories and talking to my aunts and uncles and my parents and I actually think it is an awsome and amazing thing. It's great and embarrassing all at the same time. So on Friday we met my Aunt Arlene and my Uncle Rod at Chuck-a-rama. Then I went home and spent the rest of the night tearing my house apart looking for my 2007 taxes so that i could file my 2008 taxes. Talk about exciting. I know. You're all just jealous. Being one of the totally disorganized makes life an adventure. Saturday I slept all day long except for... my family met at the local arby's. Again, this is my entire family. My Mom, My Dad, Brandon, Laura, Devin, Shantell, Corbin, Logan. my Aunt Joan and Me... we were, unfortunately missing my sister's husband, Don because he had to work. But we had Kylie too so it was quite a crew. Then, like I said, I went home and slept. Really, there are times when my life is far more exciting. I just need to get over this crud.

I was telling my brother, Devin, about my blog because this is all new to me and I was quite proud of myself for figuring the darn thing out and he was like "i don't know what the big deal is with Blogs." and I was thinking about it. I don't know what the big deal with blogs is either, really... except I love reading Rachelle's Blog and being kept up to date with her family and I love reading my sister's blog and seeing pictures of my nephews and learning what they are up to and how they're progressing and being able to see glimpses of my friends and family to understand how they think and feel.

I will not claim that I have the most adventurous or exciting life....yet... I don't have a family of my own but I have plenty of family and even though I tend to claim I don't have any friends... that's part of the 'woe is me' thing I go though... I really do have quite a few friends and they're amazing and wonderful people. I'm in the process of trying to improve myself and do some exciting things. I'm trying not to get caught up in 'me' to much. I'll work on it and I think expressing my feelings and sharing my thoughts will help me.