grateful

Tonight my family and I were at the grocery store picking up a cake for my little brothah's birthday tomorrow (he's seventeen... weirdest.)
Right as we were checking out, there was a family checking out in the next lane who, when everything was bagged, discovered they couldn't pay for their groceries.
After we had finished paying, we looked for the family in the parking lot to see if we could help, but they were already gone.
It made me sad. These are really hard times economically, and these people are probably just one family out of the millions who are down on their luck. I feel so grateful to have a stable financial situation.

On a happier note: Happy Birthday Harry Pottah! Love HP. Probably an unhealthy amount. :]

finish line

873 pages later....

 I am finished! I loved it so much. I am already planning to read it again. Tolstoy is a GENIUS. Really, really, really.

The guy who wrote the introduction, Malcom Crowley, said he is a genius because "Tolstoy writes as if Anna Karenina were the first novel ever published. To be more accurate, he writes as if there are other novels and he has read them, but doesn't need to be bothered about them, being perfectly convinced that he can do better." 

Which A) it totally true - it doesn't seem like AK is copying anything else I've heard of or read. and B) totally reminded me of Ovidian conceit! 

In my London Greek/Roman Mythology class (first rate, ps. If any BYU folks want to take such a class, take it from Macfarlane, please) our text was Ovid's Metamorphoses. Ovid was convinced that he could write a better epic than Homer or Virgil. And he wrote a book that still centuries later is the go-to for mythologists. 

So, maybe that's what it takes to be a great writer - or to write a great book. You have to be aware of the other works that are out there, but be perfectly convinced that you can do better.

I guess it's the being convinced part that takes years to get to.

...the point is READ ANNA KARENINA. I guarantee you will not be sorry you did. 

50/50

Seriously. Either one could take the cake now. Which is high, high praise for Chris. Serious.

vs  

tune in next monday for the nail-biter.

p.s. if Frank comes back I will KILLLLLL him. Just, ps.

see it NOW

.... while i go ahead and marry joseph gorden-levitt....

let it be

when i find myself in times of trouble, Mother Mary comes to me speaking words of wisdom:
let it be.
and in my hour of darkness she is standing right in front of me speaking words of wisdom:
let it be.
let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be.... whisper words of wisdom: let it be.

and when the broken-hearted people living in this world agree, there will be an answer. let it be.
for though they may be pardoned there is still a chance that they will see.
There will be answer - let it be.

And when the night is cloudy there is still a light that shines on me. shine on 'til tomorrow, let it be.
i wake up to sound of music Mother Mary comes to me; speaking words of wisdom: let it be
let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be.

there will be an answer

let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be.

whisper words of wisdom
let it be.

*photo courtesy of the best photog/thornton enthusiast ever: kate turner

google reader

do you know that i LOVE google reader?
and this would be why:

"The important thing is this: To be able at any moment to sacrifice what we are for what we could become." -Charles DuBois

and

I love him.


... except the running of the bulls is super cruel to the bulls. Do they all die? Cause they all bleed... a LOT. This I never knew.

picture compliments of "The Big Picture"

F * R * I * E * N * D * S

So, as I was looking at Kate's bloggy I realized that I have never said a lot about some great folks I met in the UK.

Please meet my lovely friends:

1. Mark. Marcus. Marcus Aurelius. He is the father of my gnarly bruise (which should receieve a post of its own someday) called Gerald. I probably annoyed the crap out of Mark (which caused fishes to attack him. heh. funny me) because I treated him just like he was my brother. That is how much I love Marcus. We also run into each other at Cafe Rio all the time. Right Mark?
2. Brianna. Oh Brianna I am so gratetul that I met you, that we're semi-related, and that you live so close to me. Seriously, I got home from England at 2 AM on Tuesday... and I saw Brianna on Thursday. Brianna is just already one of my best friends for.ev.ver. She is stuck with me for life. In that case, I will probably be spending a good amount of time in hospitals. :]
3. KATE. Kate Kate Kate, do you know you were the first person out of the crew here that I felt really comfortable with? I cannot even tell you how glad I am to know you - "for good" baby! I love quoting movies with Kate we think the same things are so funny. Also, I would not have survived the coach without Kate. And all of them... but Kate was right next to me. We shared a special Dixie Chick, Glee, Bieber-fever, "now can I be her soldier, please?" bond. And Kate made me cry when she left. Yeah. All who know me, know how momentus that was.
4. Alyssa. Aryssa. The only one of the crew who was literaly my roommate. Alyssa is probably one of the most cheerful, sweet, inclusive people I have ever met. It is impossible to be around Alyssa and not have a party. I still laugh about when I met Alyssa... the day we walked into the center both of us thought the other didn't take the prep class. Maybe that's because I hardly spoke and sat on the other side of the room. Crazy. Alyssa I love you. Hurry back to Utah to be with me.
5. Jared. What can I say? I thought you and Kate were engaged when we met (ha! I know you love hearing that) and you really are one of the kindest boys ever. Jared was always making sure everyone was together and knew the plan and,oh my goodness, NAVAGATING. Even though once we got where we were going he and Ryan brought a little bad luck... we were always on time for whatever bad luck there was.
6. Mua....hahahaha. I will paper cut your eye balls. I am lucky to have such good friends. Suck on that!
7. Ryan. Ohhhh Ryan when we first met you were just so fresh of the mish. Let me say, I wasn't too sure about you. But you were hands down, the funniest person on the trip. I tell everyone this. I love Ryan! Apart from the stalkerish, Glenhood bond we shared, we took the plane over together. Remember that one time, in Pizza Hut, with the cheese? I think that may have been the hardest I laughed the whole time. And that is saying something.

So here they are. I love you guys, I hope that you already know it! You made London what it was.

book list

After A.K. I will be reading:

and

and next I will be listening to

(because my mom says it is so marvy when the women who read it, read it.)

boom - roasted!

Seriously, my legs are so badly burned right now.
Maybe because I went to HAWAII! And it was great and wonderful and I loved it.
Check out the view from our swank hotel:

Also, in other news. I am way more than halfway done with this little book called Anna Karenina by some guy called Tolstoy. No big deal. But I LOVE it. Seriously, read it read it read it.

As I have been home now for 11 hours I have now had time to watch both episodes of The Bachelorette that I missed. Let me tell you two things:

1. Roberto better take the cake... or else Ali is certifiably nuts.

2. Holy crap - Jake you are a pyscho, controlling, lunatic. Heaven knows I supported you and hated Vienna, but there is no way you're a normal calm guy. What kind of girls did you date, doormats? Because if you have never raised your voice and you did all that then.... hm.... 

That said, Vienna - you are still a drama queen and attract all the bad attention you get... except from Jake. Seriously, who throws a GPS out the window to "prove a point"?? Psycho. 

Let me just leave you with the best line from the show. Possibly ever.

"Okay, we don't care about the dog...."