I think there are tiers of pets as you grow up. There are the ones that you are too young to remember that well and don’t really remember mourning their loss, the ones that come and go without putting those soul roots down in your heart, the ones that happen when you leave home and while you love them… they are more like your replacements and your parents answer to empty nest, and then there are your pets. Your childhood friends and constant companions, the ones that will always be remembered and never be replaced. I guess as I think back on my childhood there are only three real animals that fall into this category.

First, there was Maggie. Click To Continue Reading…

Chicago and I hung out Tuesday night belatedly for his birthday.  Any time with Jeff is a good time and tonight was especially fun.  The evening began at Hiro’s where the salmon and eel is plentiful and waiters…odd. I swear everytime I’m at Hiro’s we have a different waiter with a different personality disorder.  Whether it’s the girl who claims to have undergone a ‘race change’, the stoned mumbler, the pirate, or the too cool to actual wait on us pretty boy, I wonder if these people realize we’re in Flagstaff and not Hollywood.  After consuming massive amounts of raw fish, we headed downtown to catch open mic night.  This has to be the highlight of the evening for me.  Talented is not a word I’d use for the musicians we ‘experienced’ tonight.    If I had to say who my favorite performer of the evening was it would have to be a tie between the lion-like older man with his out of tune guitar and painful Bon Jovi covers or the instrumental artist who used his keyboard to create a full band experience that included his high-pitched screaming.  My least favorite part of the evening would have to hands-down be the part where Jeff was digging his fingers into my thigh in an effort to squelch the full-body chuckle that was building within me.  Even with his arm around me and a stern look in my eye, the entertainment portion of the evening was more than I could take.  I even suggested that we hop on stage and show ‘em a thing or two, but the Jeff and Laurel musical extravaganza still needs to be polished a bit, I suppose.  We survived four performers before ducking out the back.  Knowing that nothing could top, an off-key rendition of “Wanted Dead or Alive”, we ended the evening by watching Volver.  Really strong movie with superb that I would highly recommend.  Great movie.  Great company. Great laughs.  Yeah, great night.  Happy 25th, Chicago.

I’ve spent a lot of my last few months sorting through every emotion there has ever been. I would list them one by one. But google ‘emotions’ and you’ll find me there. Today I decided to quit being so angry. Emotions aren’t a choice but how you deal with them is. So today, I’m not angry. I’m working to not let things get to me. I going to be happy, not bitchy, but happy. Why? Because it’s healthier. Because no one wants to deal with someone who is an emotional vampire. No one likes a party pooper but most importantly, because its best for me. Because I’m hoping my tears have dried up and my smiles are here to stay. Each day will get easier and easier to be genuinely happy as I learn to base my happiness on heavenly things and not the order and belonging I desire.

How do you know what God has in store for you? You ask. You rest. You bury yourself in Him and His word. There will be hard days. I’m sure of it. But the only way I live out my Faith is actually living out my Faith. Not talking about it. Not pretending. But bunkering down and standing firm in Him. Pray for me….. and me, pray for you.

I think I have an issue with the English language. Not all the time but just when I’m put on the spot primarily by Zac. I could tell countless stories displaying my tendencies to not think through my answers to his questions before beginning to speak. Such a moment happened today… After months of contemplation and research I finally purchased a new digital camera for myself last week. I love my old camera but it just wasn’t cutting it with its functions and features and after playing with my friends’ Canon S3-IS I bought one. She is a beauty… 6MP, 12x optical zoom, 2gb memory cards… but I digress.

Zac was visiting my parents the week she arrived, but as soon as he got back to Flagstaff, I was gushing to him about my new camera. Explaining all the functions and features. Finally, he asked the million dollar question, “Why do you need this camera when you already have one? What do you plan on taking pictures of?” Automatically, I began to respond, but before I could give him my pre-prepared speech I could only utter, “Life”. Life a shark, Zac can sense conversational blood in the water. Pictures of life. Why do I have this feeling that this will become the new “Do I Smell Pizza”, “Ten-Minute Nap” or “This is my city, my weather, my mountain”…

[coolplayer width="480" height="380" autoplay="0" loop="0" charset="utf-8" download="1" mediatype=""] The Hurt – John Mayer – OKC
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“How do you break a mended heart? I’m bored and want something to do”

“I wanna fall, fall asleep asleep in the arms, the arms of a woman a woman who doesn’t, doesn’t deserve my love”

“I wanna lie, lie to myself myself and someone else just to feel something, something that hurts me the hurt makes me feel alive”