Oh yeah... that.

Do you think my irritation with clutter could have anything to do with the fact that I want my house to look something like this?






Where is everything? I do not know, but I want in on this realm of existence.

Clutter

I have a few "hoarders" in my life. I tend to scoff rudely, roll my eyes, and say, "what on earth are you ever going to use this for?" or "my lord, this box of muffin mix expired ten years ago!"

But recently I have found that I am also quite the hoarder.

*hangs head in shame, a single tear falls in slow motion*

I have many, many cords. Extension cords, ethernet cords, cords to connect my iPod to car, camera to computer, phone to wall, DVD player to TV, speakers to subwoofers, cords cords cords cords cords. I have a box of cords labeled "Mystery Cords." My logic? If I have the cord, I must need it. Why else would I have it? Better hang on to 'em.

I also have an abundance of old notes, exams, papers, research, etc. dating back to my freshman year of high school. Now, I have but one small folder of high school papers, and I keep those solely for the purpose of proving to myself that I have indeed, become a better writer. But all those other papers? They are just hard to let go of I guess.

But really what has gotten on my nerves lately is the clutter. Just stuff that doesn't really have a place. Spare keys. CD cases. Manuals. Notebooks. Index cards. Blank CD's. The phone book. Travel packs of Kleenex. That stupid bowling ball I stole a few years back. Unused picture frames.

I blame my failure to eliminate this mess on my apartment and its furnishing. The only enclosed, hidden space we have is in the kitchen. Those hiding spaces are already being put to use housing (imagine this...) dishes and food. Other than that, open bookshelves, open desk, open everything. All I own is in plain view.

Anyway, I am getting bored with this post. My apologies to the boredom I am causing those reading.

Stupid clutter.

Better late than never

This was to be the first year in the history of Me that I did not carve a pumpkin. So sad. But Lance saved me by providing an evening of "what should we do?" "I dont know, what do you want to do?". He just so happened to have a pumpkin just begging to be turned into a ghoulish face. We obliged.

Happy Halloween!

Some old photos for your enjoyment.

Where's Waldo and Afro Man. (Ben and Steven)


Carving pumpkins and smoking hookah at the Castle


More pumpkin carving at the Castle


One of my favorite photos ever, with two of my favorite girls. From left to right: sexy ninja, sexy cop, sexy truck driver. Like my sword made of cardboard and tin foil? heck yes.


This was taken at the tarp party... remember that? Oh goodness. Chris was dressed as a Mormon. Was this freshman year??

Hello, Tulip

POP QUIZ

True or False?

The following items were all found in the glove box of Kara's car.


- 1 book on tape: On The Road by Kerouac
- 5 CDs
- 1 tape: Top Gun soundtrack
- 4 mystery cords
- 1 wallet
- 2 keychains + house key labeled "Doug's Shack"
- 3 lighters
- a grip of individually packaged eye drops
- 4 dead batteries
- 1 alcohol swab
- 1 mini-bottle lens cleaner
- 2 headbands
- 4 barrettes
- 1 tweezer
- 1 nail clipper
- 1 cuticle trimmer
- 5 1/2 pairs of earrings
- 3 rings
- 1 piece of driftwood
- 2 bottles perfume
- 2 bottles room spray
- 1 tube shampoo
- 1 lower tray teeth whitening strip
- 1 fork, 1 spoon
- 1 penny

Times up!!

If you answered "True," you get an A for the day! Congratulations!
If you answered "False," sorry, you fail. Better luck next time.

Gossip

Always seems to be a bit of drama around here in the neighbor department. I suppose this is to be expected when living in such close quarters with such an array of families and individuals. Really makes one appreciate "normal people."

As I have alluded to before, we have an odd old man upstairs, Lee. Nothing new with him- he has been avoiding me ever since we had an extremely awkward conversation. (He asked me to call and wish a young, male relative of his Happy Birthday whose girlfriend just broke up with him. Lee thought it only appropriate to have a young, female neighbor call and try to make him feel better on his birthday. I declined. He was not pleased.) I know the old guy is lonely, but I can't help but wonder if maybe he is lonely for a reason...

Downstairs we have a young couple with a little girl who will be two years old in a few months. Their whole situation just breaks my heart. Mom and Dad obviously do not get along with one another, as evidenced by their endless screaming matches. When they fight, the little one gets ignored... or yelled at. Often not a very happy environment down there. Soon Mom and Daughter are moving out. I wish them all the best, especially this little cutie you see here.


All in all I really like this apartment. Other than directly above and directly below the people are nice and appear to be functional, respectable members of society. Honestly I don't see too much of them. Meredith and Spencer have been around more often since Mer is back in school (Go Mer Go! You are almost finished!). Its great having them around. Good people.

Beautiful

Thank you Jayne for the beautiful flowers. Every time I look at them they seem to have changed and somehow become even more spectacular.



Check out the use of thistle. Such unexpected texture and color. Awesome.


Again, thanks so much. I am a very lucky gal.

T-Town

Twix

I am in line at Target.

Very important purchases to be made: One spray bottle of Goo Gone. One bottle of Dove "Shine" shampoo. One box of Target brand NyQuil softgels. One anonymous bottle of wine with a cool label from the "$12 and under" section.

I anticipate these purchases will make for a good day.

Then, I see it. I see the golden wrapper. The bold, red letters shouting, "Buy Me! Eat Me! Love Me!"

I respond.

"Okay."

Per my request, the Twix bar makes itself comfortable amongst one bottle of "fresh citrus scent", one bottle of "repairing serum", one box of "green death", and one bottle of "pineapple, fresh peach, lemon zest, and mango"

I am tempted to devour my entire shopping bag. If the item does not taste yummy or smell yummy or look yummy, it at least has the potential to knock me out for the evening.

I am home. I have all but forgotten my Twix impulse buy. I see it. I get googley eyed. I eat it in about 4 seconds.

I am transported.

I am in South Dakota. Specifically, rural South Dakota, near Mitchell, (Stickney? Mt.Vernon?) and even nearer Gary's farm. It is pheasant season (mid-October) and I am with my grandfather (Dad's dad) in his small, old, brown pickup truck.

It is like a dream in that time, sequence, and other details are blurred. For example, Grandpa and I are in two places at once; the cab of the truck, and the bed of the truck. In both places I remember it being just my Grandpa and me, thought I know there were others around.

When we are in the cab, we are parked at the end of a field waiting for, "the walkers". (I was young and walking through fields yelling, "up bird" lost its appeal by mid-morning) It is just Grandpa and me. The heat in the truck is on, and he is using a fine tooth comb to get the cockleburs out of my shoelaces and socks. I can feel the seats (like sitting on a hay bale- stiffer than anticipated) and smell the cab (like hunting things: dirt, grass, leaves, dried blood). It was a stick shift and the knob was big and round.

In the bed of the truck, we are sitting on the sides, with the big white toolbox open. Inside are hard salami sandwiches made by my grandmother (most with butter, one or two without in case my mom came along) and mini candy. Namely, Twix. We eat as much as we want of both the sandwiches and the candy and nobody tells us to save room for later or that we will get sick if we don’t stop gorging ourselves with miniature candy bars. The smell of fall wraps around us like blankets.

Fantastic.

All this because of a Twix bar.