too much time on my hands, it's hard to believe such a calamity

I have a list of things I want to do, if only I had the time. Well, now I have the time, so I better get to it. There are several lessons I'd like to take like voice, guitar, photography, jewelry making, painting, writing, and tennis. I don't have big dreams about becoming really good, just interested in knowing a little more and enjoying myself. It always seems to me that it is often easier to get more done when my schedule is crowded. I think it's inertia--a body at rest remains at rest. When I was young I took lessons like piano (and just like my mom warned, I'm sorry I didn't practice-big sigh), tap dance, and ice skating. In college some of my best classes were electives like acting, flower arranging, and watercolor. So, if you know of any teachers (or are willing to be a teacher) or are interested in taking any classes with me, I'd love to know.

you say toMAYto, I say toMAHto

I'm up in Portland with my people for our family reunion. I could tell you about the glorious reunion with warm embraces and making merry. Or that I am so blessed to have them, which is completely true. But let's cut to more important matters. This morning my dad said GRANola. Perhaps this is an alternate pronunciation. I don't know as I don't have my Big Book of Beastly Mispronunciations with me to check. He's a smart man. Just ask him, he'll tell you. Which is why it makes it strangely gratifying. He has his own take on accurate. His version is something like ACK-er-ut. Many years ago, before they were so common, he ordered a que-SAW-dah (quesadilla). We'll never forget it, nor will we let him. The only one I can think of for my mom is that she says cah-FAY (cafe). But what she does do is get things just a little bit wrong. Peepee Longstocking anyone?

sing (canta), sing a song (canta una cancion)

Today I sang in the church choir for the first time in years. I loved it! We sang a very pretty arrangement of Beautiful Savior. I had forgotten how much I enjoy singing in a choir. I have an okay voice, but I really need to have someone sing in my ear to find the alto notes. My talented friend Erin is the new choir director and she invited me to join the choir. After church, Margo (yet another talented friend) asked if I'd sing a musical number in church this summer. I used to do that a bit, too, long ago. Every time I would sing a short solo part, my voice would crack. I was happy if it only happened once. It's so nice to be invited to get involved and to again be doing something I love. I'm taking requests.

matchmaker, matchmaker make me a match

Do I need to justify my fascination for shows like Project Runway, Top Chef, and Millionaire Matchmaker? We all have our guilty pleasures. (Care to share yours?) Okay, so the latest was this show about a matchmaker named Patty. I'd like to take a crack at that job. (I know, it's like the blind leading the blind.) I've recently thought up a few matches and have run the idea by the guys. One of them is someone I went out with a handful of times awhile back, and another is a friend. While I can't say they were excited (I get it) they seem willing. Maybe I'll have a casual little get together and see how it goes before I open up for business.

school's out for the summer

I spend my days with 20 little people, all different, all with their funny little quirks, and all with things that make them lovable (which I have to remind myself of sometimes). Some people think that teaching is a breeze. It's actually a career with a very high drop out rate. Many teachers don't make it past the first few years. It can be a challenge to be in the same room with the same people all day long, not to mention managing their behavior and actually teaching them. But if it fits your personality, and it does mine most days, then it's great. It allows me to be creative, a must for me. Of course there are the obvious perks-vacations. My dad likes to figure out what he calls my actual salary because I really only work about nine months a year. I am looking forward to summer vacation, but I will miss this group of students. We've had a wonderful year together. Enough of that. Time to play!

you spin me right round baby, right round

I like games that are good for a laugh like Guesstures and Hoopla. Fast paced word games like Taboo, Password, Scattergories and the like are some of my favorites. I'm not particularly good, but I'm better at them than a board game that requires strategy. And patience. I just got a game called Werewolves of Miller's Hollow. Haven't played it yet, but have heard it's fun. I'll be the judge of that. As a child I didn't have enviable games like Hungry Hungry Hippos, Operation, Mousetrap, or Light Bright (not technically a game, but oh how I wanted one). Before you start to feel sorry for me, don't. I had Please Don't Break the Ice. We played Heigh Ho Cherry-o. And those were good times. The ultimate was Life with the big colorful spinner, cars, bridges, and plastic people. A game of Sardines was just fun. Sometimes I still want to play. On the other hand, Hide and Seek was scary. Who decided that hiding alone in the dark while anxiously waiting for someone to find you was a good idea? It was better when my dad helped me hide because then he was nearby. Sometimes he hid me behind the newspaper he was reading or in his closet while wearing his cowboy boots and one of his shirts. Sweet memories.

bermuda, bahama come on pretty mama

Sunset magazine, in case you don't know, is a magazine about the west (not for people in the sunset of their lives, Eric). It's got great articles about places to visit, food to make (or recipes to collect and not make), homes, gardens- I love it. A recent issue had an article about Kauai with a photograph of a helicopter flying over these magnificent green cliffs and I thought, I need to do that. I'm thinking of hammocks, pineapple, snorkeling, exploring, and maybe, if I'm brave, riding in a helicopter or on a zipline. I'm going to use it as motivation to get fit, too. Who wants to go?

things that make you go hmm

If I weren't a school teacher (or an interior designer driving down PCH in a convertible on my way to decorate ocean view homes--a fantasy since high school), then I should have been a dermatologist. I am mesmerized by those full color medical books showing all manner of things that go wrong on a person's skin. And don't even get me started on tumors. My friend Rosanne once thought I'd be a good match with this guy because of our, "mutual love of tumors." That's just wrong, and I know it. "Love" is a little strong. More like, "strange fascination in manner of looking at an accident". Today I got an email from my friend Kim with some photos of a big bunch of rattlesnakes someone had come across on a hike. She wrote, "I sent this to you because I know you like weird things." Maybe I'll work on this.

i get by with a little help from my friends

The other day MaryEllen (my gorgeous and hilarious friend from work) told me her adorable husband Duane (also my friend) was talking about me saying he wished he knew some single Mormon men for me to meet. He said that the next time the missionaries come knocking on his door he's going to say, "You have something to share with me? Well, I have something to share with you." Made my day.

oompa loompa doom-pa-dee-do

Getting a tan was part of growing up in southern California. I never "won" the junior high ritual of putting forearms together and comparing. Instead, I burned and blistered almost every summer of my life. I've come to accept my fair skin for the most part, but every few years I try a self tanner. My first attempt was about 20 years ago and the result wasn't pretty. Neither were the comments. It took several days and a lot of St. Ives Apricot Scrub to get rid of the deep orange glow. But I'm still lured by all the self-tanners lining the shelves at the drugstore and think they must have improved over the years. Jergen's makes a lotion that really does give a nice, subtle color, but the smell is more than I can take. My latest try was a mousse by Neutrogena. I'm waiting for the stripes to fade.

put on a little makeup, makeup

These days whenever I talk to my mom, her advice goes like this, "Just be nice to everyone and wear a lot of makeup." And we laugh. But for being so concise, it covers a lot. If you, dear reader, and I have spent any amount of time together, my mom has heard about you. We are very close. She thinks I can do anything. On the rare occassion that I cook her a meal, she says, "You could have a cooking show!" When Katie Couric left the Today Show she said, "You could do that job!" No wonder I talk to her so often.