All delighted people, raise their hands!

So I haven't stopped listening to this EP since it was released last week. You might have seen it in the iTunes top ten albums, and it's there for a reason. Quali-T. Old-time fans of Sufjan will not be disappointed. I wasn't at least. Click the album cover for the iTunes link and preview it.
Acoustic/folk/indie/jivey

Kitchen contraceptives??

finger condoms

trish is in the background.

I try to learn something new everyday. Yesterday I didn't have to try. Next to the stove at the Geyser Grill was a small baggie of miniature rubbers. Before I could make a witty comment to the cook, he informed me that they're a common first aid applicant for a bleeding finger in kitchens (hopefully, to go over a band-aid). So no, not a contraceptive, but yes, a guard against HIV and other blood-transmitted diseases.

il faut avoir du ZESTE.

"It is in the compelling zest of high adventure and of victory, and in creative action that man finds his supreme joys."

-Antoine de Saint-Exupery

"Zest is the secret to all beauty. There is no beauty that is attractive without zest." -Christian Dior

"What hunger is in relation to food, zest is in relation to life."

-Bertrand Russell

NEWS: Never gonna happen..

So today I made another attempt at updating myself, like any good citizen should. I checked CNN, Drudge Report, NY Times, Huffington Post.. didn't last for fifteen minutes. Call it apathy, indifference, or small attention span - but I have an aversion to the news. All the top stories are either about an argument, an accusation, or some sort of eruption. Sarah Palin said this, Hurricaine Katrina is still happening. Don't get me wrong, I'm all about being aware of one's surroundings and being informed. But come on.. Barack Obama is 70% up in polls: "we love him!" To 69% of Americans have lost trust in our president and think he's a terrorist: "when's the next election?" It's getting exhausting. I heard this Chinese proverb the other day that said:

"Better to light a candle than curse the darkness."

I liked it. It seems like all the news can focus on is "dark" economy cliff-ends and Snooki's new abusive boyfriend. Yet here I am, the hypocrite: cursing the news.
In the wise words of Trish, the southern lady I work with, "You'd never go and plant yer picnic right next to the only pile of dog sh*t in the park." Almost wiser than the proverb I'd say. So there's my resolution. I'll be avoiding the piles of dog sh*t and eating my picnic elsewhere. Call me "plain ignorant" (also in the words of Trish), but if my country has a nuclear warhead pointed to it, I'm sure I'll hear about it from the ten people around me with their live iPhone feeds. But even then, what good would "knowing" about it do? Excuse me, I'll be enjoying my ham sandwich and strawberry milkshake in the sun.

My lunch -everyday.

This is a Turkey Parmesan sandwich from the Geyser Grill. If it looks slightly burnt it's because I order it like that. It's also on wheat. It comes with swiss cheese and sauteed onions and peppers. It's amazing. AND since I serve there at nights, I get a killer discount. I've had this lunch everyday for the past week and I'm not sick of it yet. With 1000 island dressing, an iced tea, and a side of applesauce - I couldn't be happier at 12pm.

a new song

"Palace In The Air"

So for those of you that don't know yet.. I like to write music. This is a self-produced demo of the newest song I've been working on. Electro/Pop/Dance. Somewhat RedOne/Gaga inspired. I also put an interesting twist on a Les Miserables song for the verse ha.. you'll see. Click the image to visit my artist myspace.

Gilty

click logo to join the site. it's free

eh.. i just spent $200.. this website is becoming a problem for me. but i figured that i've spent hardly any money at all this summer so i deserve a reward. plus with the great deals i got, i technically saved $200 -so there's really no need for me to feel guilty at all. money is only put to use if it's spent. that's how i see it at least

No. 9

Two days ago.. on the 25th, I got a call from my Dad congratulating me on my new baby brother. Here's some snaps from his iphone:

noah looking ecstatic to have a little brother

hannah and samuel

the whole shabang -still minus one, believe it or not

Ruth is looking a little unsure about the new development

But I can't wait to go home and meet him..

Mystery Solved...

Last night I was serving a lovely British family from Chettenham, UK (2 parents and their daughter). After their dinner I asked if they'd be interested in dessert, and they said they were, but wanted a 15 minute reading break. Of course. So they all pulled out their books and read.
When I returned, the woman told me she met some 'yanks' that day using the word "ordinary" in the strangest context. She said the cowboy she was talking to was discussing his horse and how short-tempered and "ordinary" the horse was. "But he didn't even say ordinary, he said ornry."
ME: "Oh awnry??" Apparently this word is not in the British vocabulary.
She then asked me how to spell the word and I had no idea. We tried seven spellings of the word in my dictionary and couldn't find it. Awnry, aunry, onry, aunrey, onree. However, a knowledgeable eavesdropping gent at the next table observing our struggle chimed in, "It's spelled O-R-N-E-R-Y. It's an American invention from the nineteenth century, and began with the mis-pronunciation of the word ordinary." Well thank you Mr. Etymological Dictionary.

ornery |ˈôrn(ə)rē|
adjective informal
bad-tempered and combative : some hogs are just mean and ornery.
• stubborn : taking the singer's ornery radicalism in a different direction.
DERIVATIVES
orneriness |ˈɔrn(ə)rin1s| noun
ORIGIN early 19th cent.: variant of ordinary , representing a dialect pronunciation.

The funny thing about it is, American's pronounce their own word with a British accent. Ornery is awnry. But there you have it. The correct spelling of the word, awnry, and it's explained origins.

ONLY 28 Days..

..of my sentence in Montana is left. Then onto big dreams in LA.Laundry Room, Hibernation Station, West Yellowstone MT

"People" Gossip of West Yellowstone

So... don't really know/listen to her music, but Jewel stayed at the Hibernation Station and I got to clean her cabin today. It added a little extra excitement to the day, and I successfully beat the temptation to dish some "hot tips & info" to the popular gossip magazines of things I learned. But "do unto others" I guess..

AND OPRAH? wtf??

her expression is how i feel

Apparently she was here a month ago for a 2 night stay. Our manager only juuust told the vice manager today --who told me. Anyone who knows me and my curious intrigue with the near-Deity, can imagine my utter disappointment and rage surrounding the matter. But it's probably for the better, as I would have undoubtedly resorted to extreme measures to meet her. I suppose I can still claim that I've cleaned her cabin. Just without the fresh Oprah dust.

And last year my friend Melissa Fjelstadado, got to check in an incognito Ryan Reynolds. Rumors say that his girl-friend-at-the-time, Scarlett Johannson was awaiting his return to the car.

So there you have it. Hibernation Station is apparently a celebrity hot spot.

-Oh ya, and I work here. That's gotta count for something too.

a short story..

So here's one. I started my serving job at the Geyser Grill last week. Trish is a (white) southern baptist woman I work with there. She has one of the largest and strongest personalities that I've ever encountered: she says it how she sees it and won't waste a second to think before it all comes out. Most of the time she's hilarious, but..

the other day as we were discussing schedules:

Me: "Wow, I'm so tired of work. I hardly get a break.. I feel like I'm going crazy."

Trish, with a dark wild look in her eyes: "Oh. I know I'm crazy."

(awkward pause)

T: "Mah mother was crazy. A racist too."

Me: "Oh.. haha"

T: "One day she done told a black man she was gonn burn his house down if she eva saw him agin. So this black man, he gets all-offendid! An he starts cussin an swearin -all, 'eff this, eff that.' An wehw(well), you know mah motha?"

i thought the question was rhetorical. but she waited so long I had to shake my head.

T: "Wehw she don't take sh*t from no one! Especially blacks. So she done did it. She burnt his place down. Wait - akshilly half of the apartment complex. And then her own house. See? I told you. An thas a true story."

This was one of those moments that hits me like a friendly punch in the face. I'm actually living in West Yellowstone. Where locals proudly report a 90% drug usage in the population. But I can't dwell on it too long, or I'll get a panic attack. so, THE END.