The annual Arthritis Walk is coming up in just a few short weeks on June 7, and I will be participating this year. As ya'll know, one of the symptoms of my UCTD is severe rheumatic arthritis, it is a major pain in the ass, and well... joints. I've been becoming more active in the Arthritis Foundation and am really impressed by the work they put into trying to make peoples lives better, and the preventative measures they are trying to get the medical field to put into practice.

If you're interested in knowing more about the walk, click here.

And if you feel the sudden need to donate some money to the cause, I'd appreciate it if you did it through my donation page.

I'll be posting photos from the walk!

It's that time of year again, a wonderful magical time of year. The time when parents openly take their children to R-rated movies, when people openly chug beer and smoke all kinds of illicit substances under the beautiful Utah sky. Yes of course, it's Drive-In season.

I have a tremendous soft spot for the Redwood Drive-In. Since Mary Ann and I turned 16 we have been there all summer pretty much every summer. Mary Ann is my longstanding movie buddy, and generally our taste synch's up pretty well. And you consider, you're getting two movies for the same price as one at a theater, sweet deal! Besides, you get to bring your own snacks and crank up the volume to that deafening level that I seem to require these days. All those years of playing guitar with no ear plugs, and not to mention concerts where I was practically strapped to the speaker. Smart move Mindy.

So Mary Ann and I opened our summer tradition last night. We took my Jeep, put the seats down, put down foam pads and blankets and settled in to watch our two movies.

Don't waste your time on:
"Harold and Kumar escape from Guantanamo Bay". I actually don't think I've squirmed through a worse movie. I've really been trying to think if I have. I never saw the American Pie movies, but I know this is worse. I've never watched all of Meet the Feebles, but I think this had more gag factor, and I mean gag reflex factor. In the first five minutes you had to endure a poop scene and masturbation scene. I basically had a Han Solo moment, "I've got a bad feeling about this". And the whole movie went from bad to worse. Painful racial stereotyping, gross for the sake of being gross sexuality, and Darwin Award level stupidity. The only redeeming part of the whole movie was Neil Patrick Harris playing a deranged version of himself. At one point he downs a bag of mushrooms right in front of a police roadblock and his 2 minute vision quest is the only funny part of the whole movie. Bottom line, even if you had smoked yourself into a permahaze in junior high at the back of the school, I doubt you will find this movie worth harshing your mellow.

Triumphantly enter:
"Forgetting Sarah Marshall" was just adorable. Seriously, just adorable. I've been hearing lots of good things about it since it came out and I'm happy I finally saw it. Jason Segel wrote and starred in this pretty realistic take on a horrible break up. It is easy to relate to his shell shocked character who is simultaneously desperate to get over his ex, while at the same time having the need to poke at the bruise and make sure it still hurts. I really don't want to give any of this movie away because you just have to see it yourself; just know, it's a very complete comedy that'll leave you "awww"-ing for more. Oh and bonus, male frontal nudity.

Things I wanted to be when I grew up (chronological order):

Elementary school teacher.
Veterinarian.
Comic book artist.
Science fiction author.
Junior high teacher.
Famous opera singer.
Geneticist.
Children's book author.
Famous rock/pop singer.
Comic book writer.
Fashion designer.
Music store owner.
Book editor.
Sound engineer and music producer.
Film actress.
Film producer.
Photographer.
Travel writer.
Magazine writer.
Music store and boutique owner.
Modern dancer.
Belly dancer.
Book store owner.
Hair stylist.
Professor and author on human sexuality.
Music store owner.
Graphic designer.
Layout and print.
College professor.
Professional musician, bass.
Jewelry designer.
Professional artist, printer.
Music store owner.
Mother.


That about sums it up.

The inaugural craft day was a blast! If you didn't make it, don't worry, there'll be more soon.

And as a bonus, here's a video that Becca shared.

Be prepared to be shredded by rock.




Awwwwww yeah, that's White Gold baby. And while they are brought to you by the Milk Board... I just don't care.

Spring is finally here, I think it's official. Woo!

Things have been busy lately, I've been working on disability stuff, which is slow going and rather tedious, but moving along. I had been feeling a lot better for a couple of weeks, and then boom, all swollen again. Bother.

I'll tell you though, this nicer weather has gotten me ten kinds of motivated. I've been slowly digging out all the grass that had encroached into the front flower beds in preparation for planting some new flowers. I want to find some nice native plants, but also some non-native things like poppies, cosmos and lavender. I also re-potted all of my inside plants, which all seem a tad perkier since I did it.

I've been doing more cross stitch and teaching myself some embroidery. This has been a blast and a have a project list a mile long, I just need the skills to pay the bills. And on a happy note, I got my sewing machine back from my mom. It's a long story, but suffice it to say, that machine was mine! :) So the next step is to make sure it still works and then get out the test fabric and see if I can stitch in a straight line anymore. Everyone better expect hand made gifts this year.

I have been doing craft days with the SILLY group (Sister-in-law...y, kind of). On our first day;Kris and Brittany, Kristal and Sarah, and my mom and I got together and worked on projects and had a fabulous lunch. Then we had another gathering a couple of weeks ago where Laurie also came and we had the rest of the family show up later. We had a big family meeting where my family all pitched in ideas and help for me, which was above and beyond generous.

This coming Saturday is the first friend and family craft day at my house. I haven't gotten too many responses back yet (AHEM) as to who is coming, but I hope we have a full house. We're going to be also working on getting a gift bag put together for Becca's recovery from her heart surgery. She may be feeling up to joining us, and I hope she does! That girl is stronger than just about anyone I know.

Anyways, good things seem to keep coming my way lately and I've felt incredibly lucky. I just hope I can keep up the motivation and translate it into more improvements in my health. Werd.