One Year Later...

Last year at this time we were here:

And we were enjoying this:

And we had to sign this:

So that we could do this:

And then enjoy this:

I still feel today the way I did in that wedding photo, straight out of the Oahu Temple where I got hitched to the love of my life.  What a year it has been.  There is never a dull moment with BC... Just how I imagined it.

Love your guts, Benny.  Always will.  Happy Anniversary, Lover!

iTunes Celebrity Playlist

Now that I am back in the music circuit,  I have been busy rediscovering some lovelies in my iTunes collection whilst working away at my office.  I have always liked checking out the celebrity playlists at the iTunes store and have decided to create my own celeb playlist (minus the celeb part) with some of my all time favorites.  Here is a top 20 list of the stuff I can always listen to:

1. "See You Soon" by Coldplay.  I found this gem back when I was illegally donwloading music (Ben has now banned me from doing so)  and I fell in love with this song. 

2."Zero" by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. The latest and greatest from Karen O and Nick Zinner. Looking forward to their new album coming up in April.  First since '06, and I am thrilled.  

3. "Wonderwall" by Ryan Adams.  the best cover ever made, in my opinion.  I listened to this on repeat for about a three month period back in late 2006.  

 

 4. "Paranoid Android" by Radiohead.  Radiohead is just plain genius and this song changes key about a million times.  I kill to hear the key changes.

5.  "Heartbeats" by The Knife.  Porch Parties at Miaken's house and nights out with the gal pals at the W.  It is the ultimate indie dance song.

 6. "Time won't let me go" by The Bravery.  On Ben's first mix I made him, which later became "the anthem".  I fell in love with him listening to this song,  not to mention I blasted this from my headphones while cruising down the amazon in Peru.  It always takes me back to those places.

 7. "7/4 Shoreline" by Broken Social Scene.  I just plain love this song.  It reminds me of cruising with my windows down in the summer.

8. "Panama" by Van Halen.  This one is for Ben.  I am NOT a butt rocker by any means, but Ben sure is and he has turned me on to some good butt rock over the past year.  This song makes you want to jump around and air guitar like you won't believe.  

9. "Ahi Estas Tu" by Chambao.  People make fun of me for my love of flamenco, but I don't care.  This is a bit of modern flamenco from a group straight out of Malaga.  It reminds me of riding the bus to El Palo.

10. "Maps" by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Repeat on the playlist.  Karen O's voice on this song kills it.  I remember watching her perform this song on stage and it was mind blowing.  If you want to see an amazing performer, hit up one of the YYY's shows and watch KO rock out.

11. "Take It Off" by The Donnas. Though not the greatest lyrical content, this song helps me  vicariously live my dreams of being a hard core rock chick.  These fine ladies know how to play a rock song.

 12. "Sorry I am" by Ani Difranco.  I have a special place in my heart for really depressing music.  Ani is one who lives out a lot of crappy moments of her life in her songs.  It makes for some phenomenal music and we all reap the benefits.  

13."The Great Salt Lake" by Band of Horses.  This song is appropriate considering my place of residence.  Saw them play this live a couple years ago and it was stellar.  I see a slide show of my Salt Lake life in my head when I listen to this tune.

14. "Lost Cause" by Beck.  A friend I met in Peru played this song for me on a ipod dock in a ghetto hotel in Iquitos.  It was an instant player on my playlist. 

15. "Nantes" by Beirut.  Lead Zach Condon not only does the vocals but he also plays accordian, keyboards, saxophone, clarinet, mandolin, ukelele, horns, glockenspiel and percussion. I find it fascinating. 

16.  "Brothers on a Hotel Bed" by Death Cab for Cutie.  Another depresso song, but I love the lyrics.  There is so much truth to this song.  

17. "I Feel it All"  by Feist.  She has a crazy beautiful voice.  I love that it is so pure and clean.  It seems so incredibly effortless for her.  This song never fails to make me smile and want to put on a sundress and dance. 

18. "Banquet" by Bloc Party. Another killer dance song.  love it.

19. "Heartbeats" by Jose Gonzalez.    The slower, guitar rich version seen in #5 on this playlist.  I would kill to play the guitar like this guy.  

20. "Find Love" by Clem Snide.  Sweet, simple, unique love song.  Listen to it.  

More playlists to come. Let me know what you think of this one.  Just don't mock my flamenco choices...

Creative Coma

As spring approaches (or as mother nature teases us with glimmers of spring) I realize what a drag I have been recently.  Oh, and by recently,  I mean the past 5 months.  I'm not sure what it is, but for the past few winters  I end up thinking that I won't make it out of winter alive or at least not with my sanity.  I used to looooove winter.  Snow days, snow forts, sledding, boarding, cozy fires. All those things now seem to bring on the anxiety that keeps me hidden in my bed for the better portion of November through March.  I don't know what it is.  I crave light, warmth, flip flops and t-shirts, the freedom to drive anywhere without wondering if my poor honda civic will make it from point A to point B without sliding to my death.  Not that I don't enjoy sliding around in the snow every now and then,  I just wish it wouldn't last THIS long.  Seriously though,  isn't five months a little on the long side?  Can't it go from, oh I don't know, December to January?  

Maybe it was my mission that did me in.  I spent two winters in southern Spain with southern california temperatures and although I thought I would really miss a white winter,  guess what folks? I didn't.  Not one bit.  Terrible isn't it?  I know!  I should care more about winter!  The snow covered mountains, the awesome ski resorts, the... k, thats all I can come up with, sorry winter lovers.  

There ARE some things that I do LIKE about winter.  I like it when it snows on Christmas,  I like being up at my cabin in the winter with friends, I like snowshoeing and I even enjoy myself when Ben forces me up to Alta to ski.  I did grow up skiing.  My parents met skiing for crying out loud!  My brother desperately wanted to be Johnny Moseley for awhile and my sister was a sponsored snowboarder!  not to mention I married into a die hard family of skiers! Great!  I did learn to ski when I was six and was forced into going up there a million times a year until I was about 15 and I started having soccer and bball practice on Saturdays. And, I do ENJOY skiing when I get up there, but  I always find myself up there, sitting on the ski lift, wondering when it will be warm enough for me to take the boat out and start waterskiing again.  I am never waiting in anticipation for the ski resorts to open up.  

Bottom line is:  I am a summer girl.  I wave buh bye to winter with a little chip on my shoulder... not to mention with tighter pants and some pasty white skin. Woe is me.  I also leave winter behind with some new found goals (on the positive end)  My newest goals include:

1. Getting myself into race shape (this could be a toughy):  I plan on heading to the SL running company for some new duds to go pound the pavement in (as soon as my next paycheck comes... and after I pay all of my bills, of course.  Responsibility really blows).

2. Redecorating:  I have become obsessed with updating my house and giving it a funkier feel.  I also have to do this on little or no money.  I am going to be refurbishing a lot o crap.  No worries, I have all my DIY mags dog eared and ready to go! 

3. Falling back in love with new music:  I used to peruse the internet constantly for the latest and greatest sounds and up and coming artists.  I think I made Ben a new mix almost once a week when we first started dating.  I am going to start that up again.  

4.  Rock Climbing:  This has been something I have wanted to do forever and really enjoy.  I spent about a year rock climbing with some buddies a few years back, but then I ended up dating one of them, breaking up with said person, and needless to say, we are no longer "climbing buddies".  Thus ended that stint.  Come to find out that Ben has a bunch of gear and wants to do it with me! Yay!  new hobby.  I may need some lessons first...

5.  Traveling:  I am a travel junkie.  As I have stated in earlier posts,  if I had it my way I would be here in Salt Lake for six months of the year and traveling all around the world the other six.  My goal is to take Ben to Spain before the end of the year... If I can get him away from work long enough.

I'm sure new goals will arise, but here you go for now.  Here's to sunny days and 70 degree temps!  

Sweet Eleanore

I had the pleasure of heading out to good ole' Erda last weekend w/ Ben to visit my teeny tiny Grandma Hale, the cutest Grandma you have probably ever seen.  My granparents lived in Logan for over 40 years, but when my Grandpa past away in late 2006, my Grandma got lonely and it was too hard to stay in her home by herself.  So, she headed down to my aunt Jane'ts ranch in Erda (for those of you who are wondering where Erda is, it lies just beyond the great salt lake near Toelle, way out west) for some r and r and to live in a cute little upstairs apartment above the garage next to the house.  That way my aunt can check on her often and someone is always nearby should she need it.  My aunt has several horses and two ponies at the ranch and my Grandma likes to sit and watch the horses next to the Oquirrh mountains. 

Anywho,  we ran out to take her some delicious shrimp alfredo, listen to Frank Sinatra and chat about old memories like days in the camper, fresh raspberries and cream and playing games in Grandma's basement.  

I love the little moments with her.