*MICHAEL JACKSON 1958-2009 RIP*

Such a sad day for so many across the globe, including myself. Hearing that Michael Jackson passed away from a cardiac arrest brought true sadness to my heart. I loved him! He was one of my favorite music idols growing up and this poster hung on my wall for a couple of years. I had the opportunity when I was 12 to go with my two friends to Mile High Stadium in Colorado and see him live. Chance of a lifetime and I will never forget it.
I have watched him suffer so much in his life and so often scrutinized for EVERYTHING he did. I don't think he ever had a chance to grow...and obviously in many respects remained child-like his whole life. He really was like a lost little boy. The pressure of having the whole world looking at you, judging you and no chance to really be free can kill anyone. I'm actually surprised he lived as long as he did. It's my heart and the spirit of the Lord that tells me that it was his time to go home to his Heavenly Father and to his Savior, Jesus Christ, where he could find the rest that he so needed! My heart goes out to his children, family and all those who loved him and saw him for the true beautiful soul he was/is.

Rest In Heavenly Peace.

ps. I just read this quote by someone who knew him and I really liked it.

"Rarely has the world received a gift with the magnitude of artistry, talent, and vision as Michael Jackson. He was a true musical icon whose identifiable voice, innovative dance moves, stunning musical versatility, and sheer star power carried him from childhood to worldwide acclaim. A 13-time GRAMMY recipient, Michael’s career transcends musical and cultural genres and his contributions will always keep him in our hearts and memories. We are deeply saddened by this tragic news and our hearts go out to his family and to music lovers around the globe who mourn this great loss."

~Neil Portnow

Side note: I ALWAYS believed that he was falsely accused of abusing children. I specifically remember his interview that he gave before his trial in which he said,

"I would rather slit my own wrist than hurt a child."

At that moment...in my own heart, I felt and KNEW by the gift of the Holy Ghost that was given to me at my baptism, that he was telling the truth.

*IF IT'S NOT SCOTTISH, IT'S CRAP!*

I can't believe I've taken so long to post the photoz from the Travis concert. I seriously think it's in the top 5 favorite moments in my life of all time! To have my little sister Jen come from Las Vegas (I told her that's all I wanted for my birthday from her...ha!)my older sis, my best friend Christine, and my rockin' niece Tiff. We seriously had the time of our lives! We were front row (of course) and sang and sang and jumped up and down! Travis puts on an amazing show. I couldn't believe that this band who can and does fill stadiums in the UK were here in a small venue in Utah and they were right in front of me. I have loved this band for years, they make me so happy! All of us left with the happiest feelings in our hearts and even Jen who hadn't been to a concert like this in years, (because she's married and busy with her 3 little ones) could barely sleep that night as she thought of how amazing it was. :) They are a very HAPPY band and they really do make people happy.

Truly a night to remember. I didn't take my camera on purpose. I wanted to just enjoy it! But my sis brought hers and thank heavens! I got a few sweet shots so we will never forget that night. I kept forgetting to turn on her flash and some of the best photos were hard to salvage since they were black. ha! Anyhow...it was just a once in a lifetime experience...and I wouldn't have rather been with anyone on earth but my best friends!

*A ROOM WITH A VIEW*

So, I'm moving...or rather I'm getting kicked out of my house. Without sharing too many details, my parents are selling my place and I will be forced to find somewhere else to live. Where that place is, I have no idea. I think I have less than a couple months left here so I'm trying to think fast on where I should or need to go. Wherever it is, I will be renting. It's been kind of an amazing feeling having a place that I considered my own. I've been here 6 years. A time of great healing and great sorrow. I think Kahlil Gibran said my feelings best,

Joy and Sorrow

"Then a woman said, "Speak to us of Joy and Sorrow."
And he answered:
Your joy is your sorrow unmasked.
And the selfsame well from which your laughter rises was oftentimes filled with your tears.
And how else can it be?
The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain.
Is not the cup that holds your wine the very cup that was burned in the potter's oven?
And is not the lute that soothes your spirit, the very wood that was hollowed with knives?
When you are joyous, look deep into your heart and you shall find it is only that which has given you sorrow that is giving you joy.
When you are sorrowful look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight.
Some of you say, "Joy is greater than sorrow," and others say, "Nay, sorrow is the greater."
But I say unto you, they are inseparable.
Together they come, and when one sits alone with you at your board, remember that the other is asleep upon your bed.
Verily you are suspended like scales between your sorrow and your joy.
Only when you are empty are you at standstill and balanced.
When the treasure-keeper lifts you to weigh his gold and his silver, needs must your joy or your sorrow rise or fall."

I love that...it say's so much. So much about my experience of living in this home and going through what I have gone through. It has been a place of safety and peace to a certain degree, it has also been a prison in which I had to learn many lessons alone.

Besides the huge pit of dirt which is my backyard, if you look off to the right, there are beautiful hills and mountains that have shined brightly and have many times lifted my soul. This week I took this photo when the light seemed just right. If you look to the right it appears to be the #7. That's my lucky number. I guess it's known as a lucky number but It was mine before I knew I that. ;) Maybe it's a sign of good things to come? Maybe...maybe my next place will also have a room with a view. Keep your fingers crossed for me.

Right now the words of Tom Petty are playing in my head,

"It's time to move on...it's time to get goin'...what lies ahead, I have no way of knowin'"

Peace out.

Ps. Kass, I know this may be your first notice that your ghost of a neighbor is moving, but I'm pretty sure you will barely notice I'm gone. (Unless you get some obnoxious neighbors...then you will wish I was back! *wink* And btw, I always knew that if there was EVER a problem, I could turn to you and Mike. Respect to you for allowing me to just be me and reassuring me in your own way that you were there for me.

*THERE'S A PERFECT STORM A BREWIN'*

As it's raining, thundering and lightning outside right now, I was contemplating that getting struck by lightning would be the koolest way to go...as in death. I know it sounds morbid, but come on...think about it.

"Our beloved sister, daughter, cat lady and friend was taken back to her heavenly home (or hell) by a lighting strike right to the heart er head. May she rest in peace...rock on sweet rocker!"

Actually I kind of feel like I have been struck by lighting. ECT (Electric shock therapy) shocked my brain SIXTEEN TIMES! Isn't it kind of the same thing? The worst part is that my brain is now half dead. I think I might have been shocked as a kid too. I have a "Harry Potter" scar on my chin. A perfect lightning bolt. My mom say's I fell out of shopping cart when I was 3 and the teeth went right through. It sounds fishy to me. Like any mom is going to admit that she let her kid outside during a lighting storm to swing on the metal swings... and the next thing you know, the kid comes in with smoke coming out of her mouth, hair standing on end and a lightning scar on her chin. I think It makes for a much better story.

Well...there really is no point to this blog other than there is a lightning storm outside and I thought I would document it. I also thought I really do think it would be a kool way to bite the dust.

ps. I found this killer photo of lightning I wanted to share. I found it on a google search...rad!
pss. Here is my Harry Potter scar. I have to kind of bite my lip for people to see it and it's much better in person. But sometimes people gasp because they actually think I am Harry Potter...it's identical.

*THE FASHIONISTA IN ME*

I would just like to share some of the styles that are TOTALLY in right now. I would know, because I always have style (T-shirts & jeans.) My favorite? "The Jumper"...wow...I'm speechless. Okay, I do have one thing to say about it...it looks like they have a saggy diaper or something.

Well, just thought I would quickly share some of the looks I'm LOVING. *wink* Sorry the pics not very big, it wouldn't enlarge...but you get the point, right?

FYI: The new colors for summer are BLUE & WHITE. Not light blue, not navy blue, not electric blue, but ROYAL blue.

UPDATE!!! My friend was kind enough to give me inside scoop on Fergie! Ahh snap! I knew it was a diaper!

"Fergie does need a diaper. She has been known to 'piss herself' on stage. Seriously. She peed her own pantalones. Too much meth she later reported."

K.E... thanx for the info! ;)

Question of the day: is it worse to tell people you pee on stage or that your a meth addict? Hmm...something to think about.

*OH ETSY! I lOVETH YOU!*

So I am totally in love with the online story, Etsy. Everything is homemade or vintage.
And during those times of Insomnia when I have already read, written, played on the computer, taken photos of something in my house, and so on...I finally can't stand the idea of just staring at the wall... so I usually turn to Etsy. It is my guilty pleasure. I could spend hours looking at all the creative things that people make! I'm so impressed and have added tons of things to my "favorites" list. And usually buy the end of my online looking, I have purchased at least one thing. One of the beauties of this online store is that people keep their products at a more affordable price. Here are a few recent finds that I bought all together under 100 dollars. Yay for Etsy!

1- Lots of new material...not sure what I'm going to use it for, but I like it a lot!
2- A new journal...I haven't bought one in over a year! It's time to start one up again and I love this one.
3- A necklace with my initial and birthstone on it.
4- Orange creamsicle flavored fudge! YUM!!!!!
5- The cutest Apron ever! I'm actually going to wear it as a skirt for summer! :)
6- Orange and yellow flower/beaded necklace. I saw a yellow one similar at J-Crew a few months back and turned it down when I saw the price. This one was less than half of what the J-Crew one cost. So cute!
7- And for those who know me well...you know I love cards/stationary! I loved these one's with the VW bug on them. :)

http://www.etsy.com/

"I HATE THE WORD ADULT"

So let's go back in time for a moment and hit up my journals again for some totally awesome entries. With my nephew graduating, I couldn't help but wonder what I wrote during that time in my life. Especially because I didn't graduate with my class. I graduated 2 months later. Here are a few excerpts,

May 31, 1992
"Today I'm getting ready to go on my Senior trip to Jackson Hole, Wy. I'm sooo excited! I hope everyone gets along & and are friends. I'm so excited! Also, in church we talked about going to young adult wards! It was weird! I still feel like a kid. I wish I never had to grow. I hate the word ADULT. But I have to say that I'm a little excited to try something new."

June 28, 1992
"Gosh! Once you leave High School it's almost like time doesn't matter anymore. To start off I think I should talk a little bit about graduation! It's a long story but to make it short, they wouldn't let me graduate with my class. I had to finish 3"target" tests and you can only do one a week. So I was short a credit. With the help of Heavenly Father and my family I was very comforted. We went shopping instead."

Bah hahhahahh There are so many things that make me laugh about this, but my favorite line was "I hate the word ADULT!" :)

I never really cared that I didn't graduate with my class. My parents were worried that I would regret it all my life. Yeah, right! I cared more about what boys were going to be at the all-nighter at the Orem Rec Center than standing in a line for hours waiting for someone to hand me a piece of paper. That's how I rolled then and how I still roll. :)

Peace out and Happy Graduation to my nephew, Nash! He's such a stud! Here's a picture of him and his mom (my sis)
ps. I later wrote that my trip to Jackson Hole was REALLY DUMB. So much for all the "excitment" I wrote about. ha!

*WORDS OF WISDOM # Eleventy Billion*

*JUST SAY NO TO JEALOUSY*
Today I was talking with my little sister and as most converstations, they can lead from one topic to the next. How we got on the subject of jealousy is not note worthy...but what came out of it was were thoughts of truth that I found myself pondering about tonight.

It all started in the pre-existance when Lucifer who was considered "The Sun/son of the morning" became jealous of Jesus. That was the very thing that caused the war in heaven. And it is the very thing that causes wars on earth and in the hearts of the people. My younger sister reminded me today of a talk she heard by Ed J. Pinegar (a favorite teacher of both of ours) he stated something to the effect of this,

"The only TRUE & FAITHFUL antidote to overcoming any form of jealousy is LOVE."

And may I add a reminder that an antidote is a remedy to counteract the effects of poison. Jealousy is poison...and it can be as cruel as the grave. It can fester inside ones soul and become as black as tar. It may start out as just a tad bit of tomfoolery and then soon it can spread to unrealistic thoughts, malicious anger and a pounding persitance that you deserve to feel the way you feel. It can consume ones time and thoughts to the point where it has made a mountain out of a molehill. I cannot deny that I have felt these feelings at various moments in my life, I think everyone has. But I always try to realize and remind myself that the key really is LOVE. I've seen firsthand how love can change even the hardest heart. I could give some examples but I think that deep in your own hearts you will feel exactly where there might be a paticular instance or problem in which love could be the answer for you. A dear friend recently said to me, "When I feel jealous of someone, I make them my friend" I love that.

With the help of the spirit and LOVE we can rid ourselves and our lives of jealousy.

Just something to think about. ;)

*GRANNY B's COOKIES*

Do you remember these? Maybe that is a dumb question. Yesterday I had one and all the sudden I was transported back in time to a small gas station in Pleasant Grove. (I was probably 13) I walked in to get my typical orange julius and saw that pink glowing cookie for the first time. It was love at first sight. They are SO good! I should have taken a picture but I ate it to fast. So here is a "stock photo" don't tell anyone.