The 80's were bad for all of us...

You know, I used to love to look at my parents' old yearbooks and see the great late 50's/early 60's fashion and hair. Alas, if you were born in the 70's like me, your children will not have the same reaction. Thanks to the magic that is YouTube we see that even the 1986 Dodgers had no sense of fashion, rhythm, or propriety for that matter. Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you: The Baseball Boogie starring, sadly, my boys in blue.



I used to practically worship these guys. So sad to see your idols fall from grace. Thanks David!

Star Wars: What it's REALLY about

Ok, I'm not usually one for the cute factor, but this video is ADORABLE!

La Familia

So. . . I just have to post this AMAZING family photo circa 1985. It's a family favorite for several reasons:

1. We aren't the family photo kind of family, so it's one of the few surviving pictures with all of us in it.

There was a FABULOUS poster sized picture of all of us at Circus Circus from about 1983 that has mysteriously dissappeared. I blame my dad who wasn't a big fan of his hairstyle in the photo. It was last spotted when my brothers and I found it behind our mom's hope chest when I was a junior in high school. We laughed and laughed and laughed and laughed and then it dissappeared. Suspicious, no?

2. It reminds us of our very special day in Tijuana when my father asked the cab driver IN SPANISH to take us to the mercado where they sell the touristy stuff. The man smiled, told us "No problemo" and dropped us off in the middle of my mother's worst nightmare. We got out of the cab right next to a shop with an enormous mound of dried shrimp, a dead cat lying in the street, and a young boy of about ten sharpening his knife on the curb as he stared at us with dark, haunted eyes.

We eventually found our way to the part of town my father had originally intended and had a pretty good day. My sister Christy got her "wooby" (a blanket she still has to this day. She insists her attachment is only because "it's a comfortable blanket" but we all know better.), we saw a velvet painting of Joseph Smith, Jr., and my dad bought me a beautiful opal ring (I lost it about 2 weeks later while swimming at a family friend's house. I can't be trusted with rings. That's why I'm not married.).

3. It's amazing that my dad took the time and actually paid to have this picture taken. He's not cheap, but doesn't go for this kind of tourist nonesense.

4. We all look like idiots in our sombreros (which I remember NOT wanting to put on my head. . . let's just say I doubted the proprietors had been vigilant as far as cleanliness goes.) but my dad's is just absolutely ridiculous. Why do you give the only adult man in the group the tiniest hat? And one that says, "Oh Boy!"? Priceless.

If you notice, I'm in the middle wearing a sombrero that pleads, "KISS ME!" Talk about desperate. Oh, Eleven Year-old Me, NEVER BEG!! Boys don't like needy girls. Learn it now, it'll save us both a lot of heartache.

5. THAT IS IN FACT A BURRO PAINTED TO LOOK LIKE A ZEBRA! It just doesn't get better than that.

"I always wanted to be somebody. . . maybe I should have been more specific" -Lily Tomlin

This past Friday night my friend Jill and I were trading text messages about the sad state of our social lives (it was 9 pm on a Friday night and we were both already in our PJ's and the highlight of each of our evenings had been a trip to Vons. Seperately. In two different cities in two different states. Seriously, we're kinda the same person...it's scary)

Anywho, after realizing that I too, was a party animal like no other, I texted Jill, "Yeah, you know me, an inspiration to millions." Here's the crazy thing. I am a chubby, single, boring English teacher who is about to turn 34 years old. I have very little social life, and the highlight of my week is when those wonderful little red envelopes from Netflix arrive in my mailbox. The only time I have a man to gush about he's either a fictional character from an Australian Television show

( Alex! Nick!)
or Toby Stephens. . .

(ahhhhhhhhh Toby!)

I guess the point that I'm trying to make is that I'm kinda a sad sack. That's why it's so funny that I have a groupie. Her name is Lucy, or at least that's what I'm calling her. She's a student in my sophomore level honors English class, and A-DOR-A-BLE (That's like a hundred cutes according to my niece Samantha). She's also very popular at my school, fashionable, has tons of friends, etc. Meaning, she'd be one of the girls that tortured me in Junior High. For some reason, Lucy looooooooooooves me.

Now, I'm not going for false modesty. I know I'm a good teacher and my students, on the whole, like me. More importantly, most learn a lot from me. I just have never taught a kid with such a desire to be my best friend EVER!!

She stops by to see me at least 3 times a day when she's NOT coming to my class. She wants to

1. hug me
2. touch my hair
3. comment on my outfit
4. ask my opinion about her outfit
5. ask my opinion on the relative "hotness" of boys who walk by (icky!)
6. know what I did last weekend
7. know what ward I attend or if I think she should "Go Mormon"
8. find out my hopes and dreams
9. go to the movies or shopping together, and
10. be my best friend.

At first I thought she was kidding when she suggested we go shopping at the mall and then go and see a movie. I laughed. Then she looked at me, totally serious, and said, "No, I really want to go. I think we'd have so much fun!!" I replied, "Lucy, that'd be really creepy!" She responded, "No it wouldn't! You're cool! No one would think I was wierd if I hung out with you." I had to explain that I : 33 year old woman, would be the one the target of all the pointing and staring, not her: 16 year old girl.


All I have to say is this: Why can't an adult MAN feel this strongly about me? Huh? Is that too much to ask? Every guy I've dated has been pretty ho-hum about me, but this 16 year old girl wants to spend every waking hour at my side. All I have to say is ... Don't just pray to find someone who will love you... BE SPECIFIC. Heavenly Father has an interesting sense of humor.

Did someone slip me a mickey?

Hey all. I'm tired. Yep. That's all I have to say. I'm tired, and although I didn't exactly go to bed early last night, I can't quite figure out why I feel like I took a benadryl instead of my vitamin this morning. I think I'll blame it on my mom, dad, and sister who are in town visiting. Yes. That's it. This is all THEIR fault. I'll remember that when I'm at class tonight falling asleep during my presentation. Humph! Family!

Just in time for Valentine's Day...

Online Dating Helping Pathetic Women Get Their Hopes Crushed More Efficiently

Whew! Now I Feel Better

Don't worry my love, you'll feel better soon. I'll make dinner, clean the apartment, and rub your feet when you get home. You're the best thing that's ever happened to me.

Love,
Toby