A very fluid concept

At midnight I snuggled in to my bed and pulled out my iPad, Jareth the Goblin King. I fell asleep watching My Boys (which came out in like 2006, but I never saw it. It was suggested to me on my instant queue, and I think it is hilarious.) on Netflix, and had really really strange dreams. I was very sure I would remember the details of said dreams, but they disappeared by the time I snoozed my alarms. Boo.

I set 5 alarms on my phone every night because I have the bad habit of turning off the alarm, fully convincing myself I am awake, only to immediately fall back to sleep and not have anything to wake me back up. Oops. This morning I snoozed every single one of the alarms at least once. First alarm went off at 6:45, last one went off at 8:05. I got out of bed around 8:15. :D (I have to leave the house by 8:25 to be at work, clocked in, by 8:45.)

I was draaaaaagggggggging myself around the salon all morning. After a few hours of this, Annicka got herself a Dr Pepper and I decided to venture out for some caffeine as well. I hit the gas station down the street and filled my purple mug (I think its a 44 oz) and purchased a 44 oz cup of Diet Mtn Dew with a splash of Sobe Lean, mmmmm. (I usually go for the cranberry grapefruit, but this station only had that cherry lime one; it was ok.)

The salon was quiet for most of the morning, but it picked up around 12:30. Jamie came in four hours early to get the schedule ready to send to our general manager. Jamie clocked in and helped out with one or two cuts when we got slammed, which was super helpful.

A woman came in with a picture of this:

Her hair was about shoulder-length on the one side and much, much longer on the other. She asked me to cut the short side to her jaw, like in the picture. But she asked me to not touch the length on the other side. Ok.
After finishing everything (she wanted it super choppy, so I had some fun with my razor) I asked her how it looked. She asked if I would make the long side shorter than it was. Yes, yes I would. I told her that I could take about three inches off, it would help the angle. She agreed to it, and thank heavens she did--it looked so much better after that.

Later a woman came in and as I led her to my chair she loudly informed me I was to wash her hair very first, she didn't want to even sit in my chair at all. After I washed her mid-back length hair, she told me she wanted a short pixie cut. Why did I spend the time to condition your ends when they will be landing on the floor in a few seconds? Ok, fine, whatever.
She kept saying, "I want it short, ok? I mean it. Short." I would ask how short she wanted it and she would reply with "Short." OOOOOOOOK. :/ So, when you said short you meant short? Ok, now I understand. Sheesh.
I grabbed a book of hairstyles and started to find a page of pixies so I could get an actual idea of what short meant to her. She ignored me and pulled out her phone. She showed me a picture of Halle Berry and said, "See? Short. Like this short."
I explained that "short" is a very fluid concept around here. I told her that "short" to some people means 1/8" on the side. She said, "Like buzzed short? Ew, not that short."

With this picture in mind, I started cutting on the sides. As I made my way around the back I kept it long, just so I could have her feel it and give me a more definite idea of how short she wanted the back. She felt it and liked it. (Thank goodness I didn't take it shorter first.)

After 40 minutes and a few actual instructions from her, she looked like Kris Jenner. These haircuts are not the same. Nope, not the same.

But the woman loved it and told me it was perfect, just what she'd wanted. Phew! She tipped me well.

-----

So, uh, between April and August of last year I lost something like 38 lbs. Then I went on a cruise for two weeks. Then I traveled through Italy for a week. CRUISE + ITALY = TOOOOOONS OF CARBOLICIOUS FOODS.
So,  uh, I am up 5 lbs, uh 12 lbs, ok 19 lbs! Whatever.

This number doesn't actually faze me all that much. I go up, I go down. I have a jawline, I have no jawline. I can look like completely different people rather quickly. I'm kind of ok with it, is that bad?
Of course I would love to be the thinner, jaw-ed version of me. But I am not going to beat myself up over it. It pains me to see women get so wrapped up in their lack of self-esteem. Love yourself, baby. Have confidence in your awesomeness! Life is too short to freak out.

So anyway, I am back to trying to be very ...umm... controlled? in my lifestyle. I can't unfold my treadmill (seriously. Like, at all. I think it is mocking me.) so that is out, but I have been playing with my Wii Sports and my Wii Fit more.
I am very controlled in my foods now. I bought a new purse-looking lunch bag a few days ago, to encourage me to pack things. I am not supposed to be spending money because I have to pay $1000 for my insurance deductible for getting my new car fixed (oops) and I have about $400 in bills in the next few days, but I decided that if it is encouraging enough that I actually do it the $20 was well spent.

My foods yesterday consisted of: cottage cheese with blackberries, strawberries, applesauce, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, greek yogurt with low-fat granola, low-fat string cheese and a wrap with spinach, turkey, fat-free cheese, mustard and a pickle. After work Meridith asked if I wanted to go with her to get some groceries and ice cream. We got the groceries first, then found that the ice cream place had closed while we were shopping, so we went back in the store and bought some little ice cream packages. I got the teeny tiny 280 calorie Blue Bunny Personals cookie dough ice cream with the oh-so-cute teeny tiny plastic spoon inside.
(So cute. Oh my. I like the packaging because when it's cleaned and dried it makes a great jewelry container for traveling. It is about the size of my palm. I used an old one to take all of my jewelry on my cruise/Italian trip. Fabulous.)

I ended yesterday at about 1,300 calories. Today I had granola and yogurt, an orange, applesauce, baby spinach salad with fat-free dressing, string cheese, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, cottage cheese with strawberries, an apple and a 180 calorie package of parmesan broccoli pasta.
I am ending today around 1,125 calories. Too low for me, I know, I know. But I am not hungry, dang it!

I don't crave meat...so, uh, my meals don't really have much meat in them. But I'm taking a vitamin, so, uh, that's good, right?

This is me being good. This is me not giving in to the temptation to just stop eating altogether like I did from January - April 2005.

Pillow schmillow

My greatest rationalizations come when it is late at night, the lights are on, I'm wearing shoes, I'm sitting in a chair and I'm JUST SO TIRED!

Staying right here will be just fine. I am listening to the TV with my eyes closed, I'm not going to fall asleep. Even if I did, I am tired enough that it will not bother me to have a light shining directly in my eye.

I next wake up at 4 am, rip off as much clothing as possible, tear off my shoes, turn off the light and convince myself that laying down on the floor will be even better than walking the two flights of stairs to my bedroom.

Who needs restful sleep? Who needs to wake up not in pain?

Turkey

Breakfast as we pulled into the port. (My usual grits. I became very fond of grits on this vacation.)

Met at 8:00 in Medusa Lounge, got off boat onto a small pier. We had arrived in Alanya, Turkey.

Got on two buses, taking our places in the back row. (As there are three of us and all of the seats are clumped in twos except for the three seats across the back.)

First stop: Perge
According to Acts, Paul traveled through Perge then later gave a sermon in Perge.

I didn't quite understand what it was we were looking at, other than ruins. It was very interesting, none the less.

We bought these matching dresses in the gift shop on the cruise ship. I enjoy that, although we are dressed in similar clothing, we all have our own distinct style. (And I look to be 72% legs.)

There is a roped-off section where the dirt was swept away to reveal this beautiful tile work underneath. We brushed away the thick layer of dirt we were standing on and were pleasantly surprised to see these tiles underfoot.

Outside the ruins was a little gift shop. I dropped a 2 Euro coin and it fell through the slats in the deck porch area of this gift shop. :/ I don't think I bought anything in this shop, but I believe Celeste bought a scarf. (One of thoooooouuuusands she purchased on this trip.)
On the outskirts of the parking lot, a woman had jewelry laid out on the ground. I chose a chunky necklace, which I think I paid about $5 for.

We got back on the bus. Lunch time!

Our guide explained that lunch would be a buffet, and it was $10 a person. He would collect the $10 as you got off the bus. Objections were raised, and our guide agreed to let us look over the food before we decided to purchase the buffet.

I perused and refused.

I spent about $4 for this Coke Zero. I enjoyed this meal of Coke Zero.

After lunch we headed over to Aspendos Amphitheater.

Our cute little guide was born in Turkey but was raised in Germany. Oh my, what an accent! I had a hard time understanding 30% of what he said.

Our lesbian power couple Christmas card pose:

The gladiator that you had to pay well to pose with.

After Aspendos:

SHOPPING!

We were taken to a market that had shops down every little street. The shops and streets were all pretty neat and clean. We stopped in a few stores and chatted with the employees while looking at the goods. One man in particular LOVED AMERICANS! He got all gushy when we told him where we are from. Unfortunately, his watches and jewelry were way too expensive for me. Nice guy, though.
I bought a few keychains and bracelets (with a nazar for the Evil Eye) from a little shop being run by two brothers in their teens.
Celeste and Rachel went wandering down to, um, I'm really not sure where. I was wearing boots and my feet were killing me. I chose to stick around the shops.
I wandered into a store that had interesting knick knacks, carved chess sets, tea pots, etc. I ended up buying three rings with large stones (for about $3 each, if I remember correctly).

"I can show you the world; shining, shimmering, splendid."
Cele has found herself a flying carpet.

There were belly-dancing outfits EVERYWHERE. One guy kept trying to get me to buy one. I laughed. I laughed hard.

Back on the bus!

A little market, as seen out my window.

 

The sun sets over Turkey.

 

1795-1852

Yesterday marked 160 years since my Great-Great-Great-Great-Great Grandmother's death. She'd been in Utah less than 4 years.

I get on genealogy / family history kicks. Learning about my ancestors is really interesting to me. I enjoy knowing not only their names, but their stories. It is so frustrating to me when there isn't information about them. Yeah, yeah, I know their birthdate, but that is not what I want!

My interest in my Great-Great-Great-Great-Great Grandmother, Susannah Young, has more to do with her life than our shared name. I wish she had kept a journal. Something, anything. She had a hard life, I am so curious to know her feelings about it all.

Susannah Young was born in Massachusetts in 1795. She married an Irishman named James Little when she was about 20. (I want to know about the courtship!) Susannah's mother, "Nabby", died shortly after this. Two of her younger brothers, Brigham and Lorenzo Dow, came to live with her and her husband. (Brigham Young)

James and Susannah had a successful farm in New York; James was the first person to sell seeds in packages and to sell tomatoes for table-use. (Because they were considered poisonous at the time, James had to get a permit from the Governor of New York.)
About James: “He was a short well-knit man with great powers of endurance. He was never known to complain of being weary. He slept about four hours out of twenty-four and read or worked the remainder of the time. It is also said he was well read and an intelligent man who possessed quite a collection of books.”

Her second child, a daughter named Eliza, was only 4-years-old when she died. (I don't know why she died. I want to know how Susannah felt!)
Susannah was 27-years-old (my age) and had four little sons when James was killed. He was coming home from buying supplies when the wheels on the side of his wagon slid into a crevice/pit by the road, flipping the wagon over on top of him. James was only 32.

I want some sort of journal! Her mother dies, her little brothers come to live with her, her daughter dies, then her husband dies.

After James' death, Susannah gave up the farm. She went to work for Richard Oliphant. There are conflicting accounts as to whether or not she married him, but she had a son with him. Richard Oliphant was abusive, Susannah left him. (journal, journal, journal!)

Her two oldest sons were sent away to work on farms when they were young. Then Susannah placed her third son with a childless couple in New York (who gave him a good education but were never affectionate with the boy)

Susannah married William Bostwick Stilson and had a daughter named Emiline, who died at the age of 2. William was an alcoholic and was abusive to his stepchildren, whipping Susannah's sons for silly things. Because they were poor, Susannah placed her son Charles with a family in New York. (His uncles visited him later in life.)

The whole Young family read the Book of Mormon and soon Susannah and William were baptized in April 1832.

Susannah had another son and then, three years later, a daughter. William deserted the family, not speaking to them for years.  So Susannah packed up the family and moved to Kirtland, Ohio to be with her siblings and the Saints. She moved from Kirtland to Nauvoo and probably stayed with her oldest son, Edwin (my Great-Great-Great-Great Grandfather).

In 1842 she heard from her husband, William, and took her daughter Cornelia and her son James (leaving her 10-year-old to work a farm in Nauvoo) to live with William in St. Louis. The next year William died of lung fever, so Susannah moved in with her second son, Feramorz (who was living in St Louis) and soon they all moved back to Nauvoo.

Four years later, in 1846, Susannah married Alonzo Pettingill in the Nauvoo temple. Alonzo was a shoemaker--a quiet, good man. A change for her, I'm sure. When the Saints were driven out of Nauvoo, Alonzo and Susannah couldn't afford the wagons and supplies. They moved to St Louis. In early 1849 Alonzo got sick and died.

(Come on! I want some sort of journal! She had to give away several of her children! Three of her husbands died! She left the abusive other guy! She went from well-off to really poor!)

Susannah traveled to Salt Lake City with her daughter Cornelia and son James. She died in 1852.

What a crazy hard life! How great would it have been if someone had a record? A diary of sorts, venting, expressing, detailing. I have these details about her, but I want to know why she made the decisions she did.


It is encouragement to me to keep a record of my life. I don't do much of anything, I cut hair all day. My life is simple. But maybe Kumquat's daughter will be curious about her Great Aunt's life?

Annoyed

Blogger's new format wouldn't load on my iPad, therefore my complete posts about my trip were replaced with blank pages (all that loaded...a blank page.)

I am annoyed.

:/

That time I went to five countries

My best friend's wedding

 Sarah, my gorgeous best friend since birth, got married this past Thursday.

 (Above: ages 27 and 26; below: ages 6 and 5)

Thankfully we both survived our horrible bangs years.

You can't scalp anybody unless you do a war dance first!

So, uh, I got strep throat.
For almost 11 days my throat was so sore I was threatening to cut it out. I could survive without a throat, right? At least a good chunk of it. I could slice it right out, no problem.

When it is excruciatingly painful to swallow you are very particular about what you try to eat. Every bite is well thought out. You don't waste a bite on something gross.

This got me thinking about what foods I dislike. The food-like items that make me shudder just typing their names:

fish

mushrooms

peas

green / red / yellow bell peppers

canned string beans

capers

lemon juice / zest

honey

peanut butter sandwiches

cooked tomatoes

tomato soup

tomatoes by themselves (cherry tomatoes)

ground beef (hamburgers / meatballs / meatloaf)

zucchini

sausage

thick cuts of chicken

celery

chocolate

white chocolate

egg yolk

almonds / pecans / walnuts / etc

beans (black / pinto / lima / kidney / etc)

pico de gallo

meat on the bone

chili (that whole ground beef, tomatoes, and beans thing. Blech!)

soggy bread (bread pudding / breakfast casserole)

bananas

Cool Whip / whipped cream / whipped dessert

eggplant

proscuitto / limp bacon

honeydew

cantaloupe

octopus, oysters and other strange seafood

raisins

dried cherries

cherry-flavored things

cranberries

goat cheese

gorgonzola cheese

bleu cheese

feta cheese

swiss cheese

hard cookies (biscotti)

olives other than black

cornbread

pumpkin pie

beets

rice pudding

barbecue sauce

Ugh. I just gagged a little.

I showed my list to my little sister. Meridith laughed at me. :/

Is there anything you DO like?!

 Um, yeah. His name is my boyfriend the potato. 

 

I like some foods that most people don't enjoy. I love brussels sprouts, asparagus, cauliflower and yellow squash.

...this may be why I have such a difficult time at restaurants in foreign countries. I hate not knowing what the menu says. I hate so many ingredients and I want to know that they will not be in my food.

Fuchsia hair and crap

I am used to being rejected for my looks. My entire adolescence and young adulthood I've been rejected for my looks. I am not the short skinny blonde that bewitches without trying. I am the tall chunky brunette built like a cross-dressing linebacker, who is often disregarded.

What? Cross-dressing linebacker women just aren't your thing?
I am so used to it. I am surprised when I receive attention.

But lately I've learned that I'm being rejected not only because I am more masculine than half the men around me, but because I am not good enough.

You dye your hair unnatural colors, I just can't see myself with someone like that.

Wait, what?!

Sue, you are the coolest girl I know. You're fun to be around, you're so awesome, Sue...but you drink caffeinated drinks.

Apparently I am an unworthy person because of my sporadically pink hair, love of Mtn Dew, occasional skirt above my knee (with 40" legs it's shocking more skirts aren't above my knee), my semi-coarse language (what the crap?!), movie collection that includes a few questionable titles (come on, it's a Simon Pegg classic!), I don't bear my testimony enough / am not outwardly spiritual enough (I never have been vocal about this. Ask my family. I have always kept everything very much to myself.), and of course my shirts are too low cut (try having this much flesh and not have a cleavage shadow in anything but a turtleneck!)

Sue, you are awesome, you're the coolest girl I know, but you are obviously a heathen (despite my knowing you are actually a pretty decent person and actually not heathen-like at all.)

So to be worthy of being a good girlfriend/spouse/parent I must have a natural haircolor always, quote scripture in everyday conversations, shun the very idea of a Diet Coke, and refuse to view anything over a G rating.

My mom was right?!

Sorry, guys. It's just not going to happen.


...maybe I need to get out of Utah again.

Maniacal laugh, maniacal laugh, maniacal laugh!

 

Tonight I took my 4-year-old nephew, Ezra, on his first Auntie Date.

Deborah dropped us off at the Ice Cream place, where Ez-Dawg got a little bit (and "just a little bit more...a liiiiiiittle bit more") of vanilla ice cream and Auntie concocted an egg nog/chocolate/butter pecan mixture.

After Ez couldn't finish the rest of his ice cream (told you so, E) we put our coats back on and headed across the parking lot to the movie theater.

We bought our tickets to The Muppets and headed over to the concession stand. E doesn't like candy, he doesn't really like sweet stuff (vanilla ice cream notwithstanding) so he was not tempted by the kettle corn in the same fashion as his chunko auntie.

So we both had our own popcorn: one kettle corn, one gross regular. I asked Ez-Dawg over and over if he wanted a drink, maybe a water bottle? He declined. So halfway through the movie he asked me for his drink. Uh...want mine? So the little dude tried, and liked, Vitamin Water Zero (Rise flavor).

Poor guy wasn't expecting all those "commercials" at the beginning. He kept leaning over to ask, "This the Muppets?" "Nope, little dude, this is a commercial for a different movie." "Oh." ... "This the Muppets?"

E seemed to enjoy the movie. It took a minute for him to get into it (me too, actually). About halfway Ez said loudly, "Umm, Auntie Susie, I'm done with this movie." Hahaha. I told him it wasn't quite over, he seemed appeased with that and sat back.

The little guy laughed so hard during the "Am I a Man or a Muppet?" song. Cracked him right up. So cute.

After the movie E-Z and I refilled the good popcorn and took pictures in the photobooth.

Then his mom picked us up.

A successful date.

To the untrained eye

My iPad (Jareth the Goblin King) cost me A LOT of money, but sitting in a cold hostel in Rome, Italy, surrounded by strangers, and getting to see my little 8-month-old niece Kumquat* wave to me for the very first time makes it totally worth the money.




*not her real name. But that'd be cool, huh?

"I don't know how to say 'no cheese' in Italian."

Day before yesterday we explored Rome all day. We did an open-top bus tour and saw almost all of the big touristy spots.



We sat on the Spanish Steps... and, uh, sat there. Then we cheesed it up for the camera: