Things I Am Slightly Obsessed With

I firmly believe that I need to have a yearly post of things I am loving. In order to show some creativity I will refer to this year's list as "Things I am slightly obsessed with." Here they are, in no particular order:

1. Zumba - Before I dive into this I would like to point out that I am NOT a dancer. I was always the sporty little girl. However this doesn't mean that I don't watch "So You Think You Can Dance" and wish desperately that I could express myself through movement. That being said I LOVE zumba. I love working out for an hour or two a week by shaking my booty to my hearts content. I always thought I would attend zumba and feel embarrassed because of my lack of dance skills. Not true. I may not have the best rhythm but homegirl can shake this bootay! Plus 90% of the other people in the class aren't that great either. So it works. I love the music, I love the teachers and their ridiculous enthusiasm. I love that when I am done with the class I have sweat dripping down my back. I love that I am totally sore the next day. Seriously, working out shouldn't be this fun. But it is. If you haven't tried it - do yourself a favor and try it. It's a total riot! Also for the record I look nothing like these people. In fact the only person that looks like these people is the teacher. You get the idea though.

2. Mad Men. People you have to watch this show! I have talked several times about how amazing Dexter is (and I still firmly believe it) but Mad Men has taken over what I consider the "best show on TV" spot. "But why is it so great becky?" you may ask. It just is. It's a beautiful and sometimes stark representation of the 60s. The plot of the actual show (ad agency workers and their shenanigans) isn't that exciting but the small things they throw in the show make it genius. The gender roles, parenting skills, smoking, drinking, work habits, civil rights issues and the political climate is what makes this show fascinating. Lets not forget the fashion - sadly I really feel like I should have been born in the 60s. It's fantastic. Plus the writing is perfection.

Now I would be lying if I didn't admit that a large part of the reason that I watch this show has to do with the lead actor. My new boyfriend (and number 2 on my top 5 list) Don Draper (aka Jon Hamm). Hot! Smoking hot! Side note: John Stewart had him on his show and confessed that Jon Hamm was his "man crush". Love it.

3. Red Mango - Just typing those words makes my mouth water. I could eat Red Mango every single day. It's too damn expensive so I won't but I wish I could. It's so tarty and delicious. Don't give me any fancy flavors, I just like the original with a little mango and chocolate. Plus if I get a small it's only 3 weight watchers points! Score! Clearly that 3 points doesn't count the chocolate pieces but I can only do so much people. Also, there is a frozen yogurt - decorated in super modern furniture - in every strip mall in this city. Red Mango is the best. End of discussion.

4. The Bachelor - oh man how I love this show. The Bachelor is a highlight of any television season to me. This season it totally was bumped up a notch when I heard the news that Michelle Cartwright Money was going to be on it. Michelle and I were Student Body Officers together in high school - here's proof.

She is the hot brunette right next to me. We were friends and I always felt a little cooler because I was friends with her. Michelle's beauty was famous among high school students. I heard many times "You are a Cottonwood SBO!? So is that HOT GIRL Michelle." Well it's true she is on the show. Not only is she on the show but she is causing so much drama. I have to say knowing the girl that every other girl in America hates right now is hilarious. I am convinced it is an act. I can't be 100% sure. Michelle and I haven't been "friends" for 10 years now. I have only bumped into her here and there. She'll still stunningly beautiful though. (I kind of hate her for it)

The other best part of The Bachelor are the Monday night viewing parties we have been having. It's fantastic and such good fun to mock the entire 2 hour program. Sometimes we get so embarrassed watching how the girls act that we have to watch through our "goggles". Don't ask me the direct science behind this but it helps. It really does.

5. "Room". This book is now firmly in my top 5 books. It is the most beautiful and touching book I have read in years people. "Room" is a story told by the perspective of 5-year-old Jack. Jack and his mother live in "room" and early on in the plot you realize that they are captives. His mom was kidnapped as a teenager and has been forced to live in this room. She has her captives's son - Jack. I know it sounds terrible and gruesome but it isn't. It's lovely. Jack has no awareness that a world exists outside of his "room". Everything he knows is what they have. He believes that the people in TV are fake and that anything outside of his "room" is outer-space. I don't want to give much more away but you must read it. It's simple and stunning and beautiful.

6. Cardigans. I could wear a cardigan every day of my life. A cardigan can take a boring work outfit and add a splash of style. A cardigan can be put over a basic funky t-shirt and become stylish. A cardigan is comfortable and warm on these cold smoggy days. I have way too many of them but I have put them to excellent use this winter! I currently don't own either of these but I am hoping to shortly. Damn you car payment!!

7. Movie Awards Season - The Oscars are coming up. In fact I am going to host an Oscar party this year. A party in which my guests must come dressed up and we'll have fabulous food and cocktails. Who is in!? The best part of awards season (besides being able to stare at all my celebrities) is the movies themselves. Gasp! Really?

Really. I still have a couple of movies to see but I have seen most already and it's been great! Here are my hopeful wins for a couple of awards:

Best Actress - Natalie Portman. She was stunning in Black Swan and deserves to win. Breathtaking.

Best Actor - Colin Firth in The King's Speech. Wonderfully touching and heartbreaking.

Best Supporting Actress - Hailey Steinfield from True Grit. Damn this girl can act. I heard that it took 15,000 girls before they found her. It's her first film and she was remarkable.

Best Supporting Actor - Mark Ruffalo from The Kids Are Alright. He made this movie. That's all I will say about this.

Best Picture - Black Swan. There I said it. Somehow me saying this will help me decide because it's really between Black Swan and The King's Speech. True Grit was wonderful, as was Inception, Toy Story 3, Social Network AND The Kids Are Alright. But I am going for Black Swan. Woo hoo!

8. My new car. Forget about the fact that I have a cracked windshield (oh the profanity that came streaming out of my mouth after seeing this)- I LOVE my car. I love that it still smells so deliciously new when I get in it (and not like crayons). I love that I have functioning cup holders. I love that it doesn't creak when I drive it - and that the alarm doesn't go off unexpectedly. I love my cruise control and power windows. I love that it is a unique car that you don't see many of on the road. I don't mind driving out of my way just because I enjoy driving it so much. I did name it (don't tell Seth). His name is Peregrin. Pippin for short. I think it fits him.

9. Two-Year-Olds. Terrible twos? I think not. The last couple of weeks I have had the chance to hang out with some pretty amazing two-year-olds. I watched Krachel's little girl Lexie the other night and had a blast. We loved getting our wiggles out together. Then I tended Oscar who melted my heart with his songs and sloppy kisses. I enjoyed dinner with Calvin who did a fabulous "mash-up" of "Jingle Bells" and "I Am A Child of God". I have laughed watching Drex and his constant obsession with vacuums. Seriously - I love this age! Can't they stay this cute forever?

10. Carmex chapstick. You may be thinking, "Well interesting Becky but what do you have on this list that is applicable to me?" Well I'll tell you! I'll round off the list with something completely reasonable and awesome - a good chapstick. I got a tube of this at the Bike MS event in Logan last summer and it changed my life. It is THE best chapstick you can find. Trust me, I know my chapstick. It stays on, it isn't too sticky and it lasts a LONG time. Looking for a good chapstick - invest in some of this. You won't be sorry.

Tales of a Flying Lobster

Remember how last year I wrote a blog about a large wooden beam falling on me? Well in case you missed it here's a quick summary:

Seth and I were asleep in Deer Valley. I woke up, looked at the ceiling and jumped hysterically out of my bed. I could have sworn one of the large wooden beams above my bed was falling on us. I turned on the light and woke Seth up before I realized I was dreaming.

This sort of thing happens to me a more often than it should to any normal human being. But since when have I ever been considered normal? I mean really.....

Most nights it happens to be a dream about a large spider descending upon me. These spiders are usually the size of a trash bin lid (funny - isn't this how JK Rowling describes Hagrid's hands?)

Most nights it takes about 2-3 minutes for me to wake up enough to realize that I am in fact, simply dreaming. Seth usually doesn't wake up enough to even realize what is going on.

One special night in Boise was no exception.

We were asleep one evening in the early fall. I should preface this by saying that without my contacts in I am blind as a bat. I never sleep with my contacts in so I never see well at night.

This particular night was like any other. Until I woke up in the middle of the night and saw something crawling across my ceiling. I watched for a moment as it practically flew across the ceiling from the foot of my bed up toward the top of my bed.

Like any girly girl I couldn't have something large and creepy flying above my head. I sat up and noticed that this wasn't a spider. Oh no, a spider would make perfect sense. How curious that when I looked up I saw a giant LOBSTER flying across my room.

Now I ask you dear blog readers, wouldn't you jump out of your bed if you saw the closest relative to a cockroach above your head!?

Well I did. I flew out of bed and turned on the bathroom light. Then I realized that I better notify Seth that we have a crustacean in our bedroom.

"Seth! Seth wake up!!!!" I yelled. Seth moaned and rolled over. "Seth! Look up, there is a lobster in our room!!" Seth opens his eyes and says "What?" I reply, "There is a lobster on our ceiling! I can't see with my contacts but I think it is right there - so help me look."

Let me throw in this aside - when I can't see I find that it helps to pull the corner of my eye out. My mom has always done this. It doesn't help me see perfectly but I does seem to help.

So picture me standing in my pajamas (usually nothing more than a tshirt and underwear) - lioness hair out in full force, pulling the corner of my eye and staring intently at the ceiling right above our bed.

I often find myself questioning often why Seth married me - it's true.

Seth of course didn't see anything, but rather looked at me like I was crazy before rolling over and going to sleep.

It was about this time that it dawned upon me: why would a giant lobster be flying across my ceiling - in Boise, Idaho?? I mean, Boise isn't anywhere near an ocean. And even if we did live in say, Seattle - we wouldn't have a lobster in our bedroom. Let alone a flying lobster. Last time I checked lobsters don't fly.

Or do they?

The next morning Seth was up early getting ready for work. I woke up and looked at the ceiling where last night's culprit was apparently hanging out. Turns out there was not a lobster, rather a red fire alarm. Well, quite easy to mistake for a half awake blind woman!

When Seth came to kiss me goodbye I said to him, "Hey honey I am really sorry about last night."

Seth looked at me curiously "What about last night?"

"Well you know, about the whole flying lobster thing."

"I didn't dream that!?!?!"

Oh we laughed and laughed and laughed. No Seth, sadly you didn't dream that. You just married a giant freak show. Congrats! You are stuck with me and my flying lobster. I think we should name him Leonard.

He can be friends with the Tube Bunny.

A Ghostly Tale

Important announcement: I have decided to no longer have a private blog. Private blogs are lame and I am convinced drastically reduced my readership. In return this has made me less willing to blog. As a result I have felt my creativity be reduced to something withered and small - like a raisin.

Wow - still not creative. My apologies.

Seeing that my husband no longer works with prisoners (rather just Xanax addicted patients) I figure the threat of me being murdered is once again low. I have decided to sell my gun (that's a lie) because I no longer need it (I don't have one).

So for those of you who may be new to my blog, and see yourself referenced in previous blogs (I'm looking at you KUER people, and don't tell Doug that I talked so highly of him) welcome! Not that I think KUER people would read by blog but you never know right?

It's back to an open blog for me. Glad to have all 10 of you back reading my blog. I know - I know - I missed you too.

Back to the theme - a ghostly tale.

Ever since I was a little girl I have seen ghosts. Well, this isn't entirely true. I am not sure if they are ghosts or rather just weird dreams. Throughout my life I have waken suddenly in the night to see someone standing next to my bed. Only once did it feel threatening.

I was in high school at the time. I woke up and saw a man standing at the foot of my bed leaning over me. I screamed bloody murder! Luckily my mom and Wally were still awake and able to come in my room and calm me down.

Another time, during my divorce, I believe I saw my great-grandmother. I always had a feeling that she was watching over me during that difficult time. One night I woke up and saw her kneeling next to my bed. I didn't scream. She was glowing in a way. She smiled, stood up, backed away from me and disappeared.

The rest of the time it has been random people. I can't recall many other than a little girl, about 3-5 years old with long blonde hair. She was standing next to my bed a couple years ago. Right by my face. I gasped and struggled - luckily Seth was with me at that time. He was able to calm me down but I think it really scared him too.

A couple of years ago I was with my brother Fer in San Francisco. We decided to go visit a psychic one night.

I can't remember everything she told me but one very clear thing. She asked me if I had a child, or sibling that died when I was young. I said no and she informed me that I had a little girl with me, a little girl about 3 years old.

Interesting....

I didn't tell her that I was working for Make-A-Wish at the time.

While I was still at Make-A-Wish we had some pretty odd "ghostly" things happen at our building. One night while working late I came out of my office to find a balloon drifting waist level right in front of my office door. It had somehow came untied from the centerpiece in the big room, drifted around the "wishing tower", down the hall and halted in front of my office. I stood there shocked for a moment before exclaiming, "Thank you!" to whatever child brought it to me as a gift.

We heard weird noises. Elevators would move on their own, music would turn on, we would hear voices, etc. While it was often unsettling, it wasn't ever scary to me. I never felt threatened. I just felt like there were children there that liked to play.

I do believe in ghosts. I am not sure I believe that they are "trapped on Earth" or anything like that. But I do believe they are all around us. After my grandpa died I was desperate to see him, to talk to him, to smell him or have some sense that he was around me. I stopped praying to God and found myself praying to Grandpa. I felt like he was closer to me and watching over me more than God. My cousin had a sweet dream after he passed away. In the dream my grandpa told her, "Being dead is like being in the next room. I am all around you." I believe this. I believe that there are children at the Make-A-Wish building because it was a beautiful place full of wonderful memories for them. I believe our loved ones are around us. I believe they watch over us.

Some of my old coworkers recently met with a "medium". When they asked him what the "activity around the building was like" right now he responded, "You have had a lot of employee turnover the last year. When one coworker in particular left, a lot of the children went with her."

Me?

Possibly.

I'm a believer. Another psychic told me that because the ghosts tend to startle me, that I need to kindly ask them to give me space.

Which I have. I happily spoke out loud in my bedroom one night, "Hi. I know some of you may be around me. If you are going to be around please don't startle me in the middle of the night. Give me a little big of space please."

I haven't been startled since.

So perhaps they are here. Maybe they have fond memories of us, or of the homes we live in, or of the buildings we work in. Maybe they are watching over us - like guardian angels?

I for one am happy to have them around.