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Catch Up

I know many of you might be wondering what the heck happened to me....Well, a lot has happened and the long anticipated (as if I have enough readers) top 10 travel log for the end of the year and last week has come! :)

First...CHINA! November 2008

10. Moutai smells like lighter-fluid and comes in a bottle that looks like lighter-fluid, why would anyone drink that? Ladies and Gentlemen, I learned this last trip that if you are someone that doesn't drink, like me, you do the following, "I'm sorry, I don't drink for religious reasons. But, Tou has informed me that he will be drinking my share for this evening."
9. Fitting four americans into one taxi cab to save money really doesn't make a difference when you find out your trip cost 25 cents.
8. Parrots in the US speak english and parrots in China speak Chinese, "Ne Hou Ma?" I'm not really sure why this surprised me, but it did...
7. We learned a whole new meaning to Hanedashi - or "to vigorously expel", Thanks Barbara!
6. Watching a bunch of Chinese high officials make paper airplanes and yelling in Chinese to make it go faster was hilarious!
5. Each part of the great wall that I walk I learn something new. This section had a maze attached to it. So when the enemy made it over the wall, they were still dazed and confused. Pretty ingenious if you ask me!
4. You know you're in China when you see everyone on a bike, people sweeping the freeway, cyclos on the freeway, etc.
3. Pulling silk is harder than it looks. Mike, Barbara, Barry, Bruce and I had a really hard time with it. "Here, let the ladies take care of that, they can fix the mistakes..."
2. Dumplings in Xi'an are still the best!
1. I never get over the culture and history of China. I am amazed by it! And it's true what they say, "The Olympics make everything magical" We saw the "cube" it's incredible to see a whole building change colors like that! I'll post pictures I promise!


Alabama December 2008:

10. Bama Pride! "Crimson Tide" Everybody wears something with Alabama on it, purses, shirts, hats, socks, ties, etc.
9. Everything is fried I had the following: Pickles (Which were the best!), Okra, Shrimp, Onions, Scallops, etc.
8. SO GREEN!!! Gorgeous green oak trees and fields. Amazing
7. I swear I gained 10 pounds in one week: Gumbo, Whiskey Steaks, Hush Puppies, Keylime Pie, Grits, the list goes on and on...
6. I love the accent, but I am a mimicker, I slipped into the accent a time or two. My favorite phrase from the whole week was in reference to someone level loading work as "Peanut butter spreadin'"!! LOL
5. It was the week before the "Big Game" Alamaba/ Florida...Football is life! I had a blast teaching them about the "Holy War" BYU vs UofU...Who knew that a couple weeks later the U would crush Alabama?!
4. I don't know what it is about the South, but it seems like there are outlet stores everywhere!
3. Houses on stilts, I don't think I'll ever get used to that...
2. I love the Southern Hospitality. It's SOOOO true! I loved the plant and Foley. Such a great place!
1. Beautiful WHITE sand beaches! "Alabama...Who Knew?!" Seriously some of the most beautiful beaches I've ever seen. I loved it. But the threat of hurricanes on the Gulf scare me.

North Hollywood January and Last week 2009:

10. Met a lot of famous people: Chucky, Dracula, some kid named Adam "Hi Adam"...yeah scary!
9. Walked the street walk with all the Stars
8. Saw the famous "Hollywood" sign
7. Stood on Harrison Ford's feet imprints at the Grauman's Chinese Theater! :)
6. Drove down the amazingly SHORT Rodeo Drive
5. Almost convinced someone in the group to get a tattoo because the other two of us won't. ha
4. If you go to Hollywood, make sure that you go with someone who has never been there, we had Tammy from Foley Alabama. It was a riot. Loved the Southern drawl in Hollywood :)
3. If you want a real taste of Burbank, go to Target after 9pm. You meet some very interesting people. One individual told me his philosophy on life and another lady offered me a job in finance for Citibank. Who knew?
2. U2 was on David Letterman every night that week!
1. The new U2 album came out while I was there.

I promise I'll post pictures soon! Thanks for your patience! Loves!

Happy Holidays

MUSICA DOS

Well, it's been a while since I've posted a soundtrack for life. These songs all have meaning for me recently...at least the play count on my Ipod seems to indicate that, here is why:

"Shadow of a Day" - Linkin Park: It was my theme song for moving, just listen and you'll understand why...

"Settlin'" - Sugarland: Well, it just seems appropriate to my current "status" minus the red wine part

"Come on Get Higher: - Matt Nathanson: It's just got a really nice sound that I heard at the Sugarland concert that I can't get out of my head.

"Together" - Michelle Branch: recognizing the power of relationships and how they affect us

"First Single" - The Format: Just makes me want to get up and dance, but at the same time I can relate to the lyrics

"It's Good to Be in Love" - Frou Frou: I love the way the title of the song has nothing to do with what you think it does, and I can relate to the lyrics

"Matter of Time" - Cartel: I've met these guys a few times, awesome band from Georgia. I love the idea of change and the struggle that we all go through in order to make it somewhere different.

"Typical" - Mute Math: AWESOME song and I miss the person that introduced me to this band. To me, it's about "becoming" and moving forward but recognizing the individual struggle with getting there.

"Suspension" - Mae: This has been on a few of my playlists. I just love it. About the beginning of what could be the greatest relationship of all time and the nerves that come with it. Love it!

"The Outsider" - A Perfect Circle: I LOVE Maynard's voice! I absolutely love the music to this song. The lyrics to this song aren't the point to it for me. It's all about the music and Maynard's voice! I'm not suicidal. :)

"Miss Independent" - Kelly Clarkson: Well, this is silly. But I think a lot of us go through the cycle that the lyrics to this song talk about. At times I relate to it, others no. But I mostly added this one for the immediate effect that people recognize it.

So I hope you enjoy the current playlist. There will be another at some point in time as I'm trying to convert the world to a couple bands my good friends Kaddisfly and Ayin!!!!

Yes another trip made and another adventure had: Destination, Waco Texas

10. Wacko Waco is not a new joke, they've heard it for years
9. The Branch Davidians are still practicing and they plan to rebuild the compound (I know you all were wondering...)
8. "ea' yeet?" "naw u?" nope, ya'unt to?" "Aite".....is holding a conversation
7. The Hilton was really nice except it was really hard to walk into the front door....the door hit the "coffee nook" and I thought to myself, "dang it, I don't drink the stuff...they should have no coffee rooms so I don't have to bang into this thing everyday"
6. It doesn't matter how hungry you are, the freeways don't let you get off. We would see a sign for a restaurant and want to get off the freeway, but if you didn't already know that it was there 40 miles ahead of time, you weren't going to eat there. (the exits were literally 5 miles ahead from when you would actually see what you wanted to get off for)
5. Watch out on off ramps!!!! You could be headed in the wrong direction into on-coming traffic!!!!
4. High School football is LIFE. We saw a high school stadium that can seat 40,000 people.
3. Miss Nuvi saved our lives yet again and she said, "there is a better way" never heard her use that phrase before....It could have been because the road we were on showed us out in the middle of nowhere (not even on a road) for her.
2. Pay attention to the time change....I was working off my computer time and subtracting two hours instead of adding two hours....no wonder I went to bed at 2am that night....
1. Buzzard Billies never ceases to amaze me. "That there Cajun meal is mighty fine if I do say so myself"

Thanks MarathonNorco for inviting us to join you! I'm glad that we could chat a bit about Lean AND the BYU/UofU rivalry. (there were a few BYU and UofU grads at the facility) live on Holy War! :)

Back from the UK

Yet another top ten from my latest trip for work! This time was in Sheffield UK. What an incredibly beautiful place!

10. Flying in to Manchester on a half empty plane was SWEET!
9. There are sheep and cows all over the place
8. Tom Tom ain't so great (ALL the round abouts! I've never seen so many...not even in my other trips to the UK)
7. Even though our supplier's name was Doncasters, they weren't located in Doncaster...(AND I was the ONLY woman on the shop floor, I'm not even joking about that)
6. Pub food is still the way to go and the only choice in Sheffield (Most restaurants in the area you order from the bar and when you are seated, your food is ready...I kinda like this arrangement)
5. My traveling companions are HILARIOUS: Jim and Olivier "Stupid Tom Tom" ripping it out of the car jack and threatening to throw it out the window...."I stayed up late last night watching a movie on one of the three channels we have"
4. Cherry Coke tastes COMPLETELY different...it's definitely a cough syrup flavor
3. I don't know what it is, but I still find the signs funny..."Humped Zebra Crossing", "Mind Your Head", "Sheep Crossing", etc.
2. The homes are a lot like cottages, or old time manor houses (our hotel was a renovated 11th Century Chapel, and a 16th century Manor house with stables...GORGEOUS!)
1. Even though it was nothing like London, it was an incredible place, more like what I picture England to be like with all the farm land and sheep, etc.

Thank you Doncasters for inviting us to come and help out! It was a great experience and I'm glad to have met you all!

Thanks Percy and Sarah!!

I've been tagged. This one is funny. (Thanks Percy & Sarah!)
1. My Rockstar Name (first pet, current car):"Friskey Jeep" LOL
2. My Gangsta Name (favorite ice cream flavor, favorite shoe):"Vanilla Vans" (hum...Vanilla Ice wanna be?)
3. My Native American Name (favorite color, favorite animal):"Silver Tiger"
4. My Soap Opera Name (middle name, city where you were born):"Fontana" (I will only have one name)
5. My Star Wars Name (first 3 letters of last name, first 2 of your first):"Scumi" (I'm not sure I like this one too much...Leia is just too good...I sound like intergalactic rubbish with this name...)
6. My Super Hero Name (second favorite color, favorite drink):"Blue Pina Colada" (That would be a Pina Colada without the alcohol of course)
7. My Nascar Name (first names of your grandfathers):"James Vernon" (that actually has a nice ring to it)
8. My Stripper Name (favorite perfume/cologne/scent, favorite candy):"Cool Water Caramelo"
9. My TV weather anchor name (5th grade teacher, city that begins with same letter): "HP Hamburg"
10. My Spy Name (favorite season/holiday, favorite flower):"Spring Plumeria" (this seems a little weak for a spy name...)
11. My cartoon name (favorite fruit, article of clothing you are wearing now):"Cherry Linen"
12. My Hippie Name (what you ate for breakfast, favorite tree):"British Biscuits Cherry Blossom" (wow now that's a name...)
Have fun with this one! Short and sweet