Confessions of a Brunette on the Internet 159

I'm feeling a lot better now... but the cough lingers, which is annoying. At least I have energy and am back to normal life.

I have been able to participate in some of my roommates 25 things she is doing for the firs time before she turns 25. Last weekend we went and got sushi (which we all know I love) it was her first time and I got to experience that with her and she had lots of support in that.

I also got to be a part of her first time singing at karaoke. We went to Wing Nutz last night and it was a packed house. We sang "The Sign" by Ace of Base... a 90's classic. Because of my lingering cough, I still don't have my full singing voice back (which I hate), but  I always love getting up and singing. So that was fun. Tomorrow I will be throwing Sarah her first themed birthday party (which is also on the list). So excited. Love me a good party.

Loving Hip Hop class. Such a good idea for my roommates and I to take it together. We are learning a fun dance. I just love hip hop music and I just love to dance, so really it is a win win situation. I should get in the habit of taking classes.

I love it when my friends feel comfortable at my house. On Sunday, my friend Josh came over. He didn't see anyone (I think we were all in our rooms) so he just came in and got comfy on the couch and turned on the tv and fell asleep. We discovered him later. I think it is awesome. I love making my house a place where people feel comfortable and want to hang out.

Last friday I had a dream about this guy that I know and think is cute. In my dream we had a baby together. The baby was really cute (side note) so when I woke up the next day... obviously I was thinking about him. Although he is roommates with a guy that I used to spend a lot of time with who is now avoiding me... that shouldn't mean that we can't hang out right? So I decided to text him and tell him I'm still waiting to watch this movie we both have talked about watching together for a long time. He text me back and tells me maybe that night. He text me later that night and says lets watch the movie. I figured he would come to my house... but then tells me to go to his house. I bring up that that might be awkward since his roommate had been avoiding me the last two months. Of course he asks him if he cares if I come over and of course he says no and now I feel obligated to go over there so I don't make a big deal of things... however this was NOT my plan. Then I thought, well, he is avoiding me, so maybe he won't stick around and just me and the guy I want to spend time with will just watch the movie a lone. I show up at their house and it is a little bit awkward. Boy I want to spend time with comes and gives me a hug while boy that has been avoiding me the last two months sits on the couch and says nothing with their other roommate. I sit and watch the end of a movie with all of them. I just hoped that after the movie was over they would both leave and me and the boy I want to spend time with will just watch the movie together. This did NOT happen. Other roommate goes to bed but boy that has been avoiding me stays the whole time I am there. I say that I am cold, he jumps up to give me his blanket (which later boy that I want to spend time with says is a big deal and boy that has been avoiding me tells me it is a peace offering... which I guess is sweet, but I would rather have a conversation as a peace offering than a blanket). Then I start coughing and boy that has been avoiding me jumps up to get me a glass of water. He validates everything I say, doesn't want boy that I want to spend time with to embarrass him in front of me. He wants to hear all of my stories and has been keeping up with my stuff on facebook. It is hard to be mad at him... but i really kind of am. He never made things write. Now I'm not quite sure what to think of that evening... not what I was going for or expecting. Boys confuse me.

I think that pretty much sums up this exciting week. Except for today... after work I went to this Green House plant shop in Draper with my friend Melodie. We are going to do a little project together that I am excited about. Step one, buying the supplies. So excited.

Tonight my roommates, Josh and I went to BYU's LAST basketball game. It may just have been the most exciting and intense BYU game that I have been to. It was a packed house. The crowd was wild and excited. The game was so close and towards the end we even tied it, but Washington ended up winning in the end by a few points. It was sad, but still a good game. We were all screaming with excitement. I'm pretty sure every seat in that place was taken. It was a VERY exciting game. So glad that we decided to go.

Now I am ready for the weekend. BRING IT ON!!!

Photo of the Week 157

Another photoshoot with BFF Neighbor... this time up Hobble Creek Canyon. Lots of deer came out and posed for us.

Nail Polish Addiction

I used to have a hat obsession. Well, I still love hats, but I don't wear them the way I used to wear them. I used to wear a different hat almost everyday, to the point that one of my co-workers told me I reminded him of the kid on "Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium" because he used to wear a different hat everyday.

Although I still wear my hats sometimes... I have a new obsession. Nail Polish. I used to love to grow my nails out long. Now I love to keep them very short and paint them with pop colors or different colors and designs. Especially since I have to type all day at work.

Typically, I cut and paint them once a week... usually on Saturday. I like to do new colors every week. So here are some of the many...

Back to Online Dating...

I'm in a guy funk, so after my roommate got online to see what dating options it would bring her, I decided to do the same. Afterall, I know many success stories... two recent ones even. There are SO many people online... there has got to be someone out there for me right?

Well... I have been contacted by a lot of OLD MEN. Seriously, guys twice my age. What are they thinking? The guys that contact me that are my age.... ish... well... I tend to get guys like this...

Mr. Online Dater: "Hey"
Me: "Hey, how are you?"
Mr. Online Dater: "Good. How are you hottie?"
Me: "I'm good, thanks."
Mr. Online Dater: "I wanna go lay in the hot tub ha ha"
Me: "Yeah, that sounds nice a guess."
Mr. Online Dater: "I'll come pick you up then ha ha.. wait, do you have a bikini?"
Me: "No"
Mr. Online Dater: "Dang, why not?"
Me: "Because I don't want one... maybe you could tell me about yourself"
Mr. Online Dater: "Well i'm taking you to get one"
Me: "Why do you care if I have one or not?"
Mr. Online Dater: "Cause you are hot and you'd look way good in one."
Me: "Mm... thanks. So had much success with online dating?"
Mr. Online Dater: "I have been off and on for a year and met a hand full of keepers"
Me: "Oh well, I'm already thinking of getting off, but maybe you think I should stay?"
Mr. Online Dater: " Oh ya? I might be a little too naughty ha ha"
Me: "Why do you say that?"
Mr. Online Dater: "lol idk... I seem to love bikini's"
Me: "So I have noticed."
Mr. Online Dater: "So you want a bikini? :)"
Me: "Nope"
Mr. Online Dater: "Come on.. I bet you would look way good in one." (obviously this guy is blind)
Me: "No"
Mr. Online Dater: "I'll buy, let's go shopping."
Me: "Let's talk about something else. So far you have not bothered to get to know me at all, all you have cared about is seeing me in a bikini."
Mr. Online Dater: "Seriously... no? You won't? Why not?"
Me: "Why is that the only thing you care about?"
Mr. Online Dater: " I've been in an overly sexual mood this weekend. I'm sorry... it's not who I really am... I would respect you and treat you like a princess. I don't want sex... I'm just a little playful... I wouldn't take your bikini off if you wore one."
Me: "And we are back to the bikini. It's getting old."

*He went on to say a lot of other very inappropriate things in which I didn't respond to and then...*

Mr. Online Dater: "I'm depressed"
Me: "Why?"
Mr. Online Dater: "Because I want a fun girl."
Me: " Sorry"
Mr. Online Dater: "You are fun, I just wish you would wear a bikini"
Me: " Maybe you should get off LDS Singles and get on a website for people who are not LDS. I'm sure you would find a "fun girl" on there. I think most LDS girls are going to have standards."
Mr. Online Dater: "Why does everyone think that... cause you are wrong! lol"

Yeah... I stopped responding. It became pretty annoying. Yeah, I know I shouldn't have even talked to him as long as I did. What a loser... that is what I attract online. You would think I was putting up slutty pictures of myself online or something to attract these gems. How do people find success online? I'm still trying to figure it out.

New Challenge

So today at church the Bishop's wife gave us all a challenge. I think it is a good challenge so I thought I would share it. The challenge includes a list of 5 things.

#1- Look someone in the eye and smile.

#2 - Apples and Onions (look for the positive but also embrace the challenges in life)

#3 - Keep a gratitude journal.

#4 - Find a daily miracle in your life and share it.

#5 - Try one thing you have never done before.


I thought the challenge given to us was a great one because it forces you to look at the positive everyday and have a better attitude about our mostly very minor problems. And trying new things forces us to get out of our comfort zone and gives us a feeling of accomplishment.

I love it when my elders give me advice... because they are wise. They have lived and learned from their lives and just want to help us out, so I think it is good to take their advice to heart.

Anyway, I'm really going to try and do this everyday. If you like the challenge, maybe you should take it too. :) Always good to stay positive about life.

Playtime

On Sunday's I look forward to playing with this cute little girl. She is at such a fun age. She is almost 1. I walk with her around the house and crawl with her, she is starting to give this cute little pirate grin. Her new thing is she loves to peek at me below the table and then above the table. I sure love Irelyn.

Flashback Friday 105

One time, back in March 2006, one of my BFF's (Nate) decided that he wanted to know what it felt like to have shaved legs. He asked me if I would help him shave his legs.... in which I replied, "Why yes Nate! Yes I will help you shave your legs.". I think this was shortly after Brad asked me to wax his chest... but that is another story.

Just for fun, we first shaved stripes into Nate's leg hair. Then we just did one leg and left the other to see the comparison (before and after). Then before he knew it, both legs were shaved.

Personally I love the feeling of shaved legs. I can't go more than a week without shaving. Nate now understood this feeling. Feels great when you first get into the bed, the sheets against your smooth legs. Then he started to get prickly and it was itchy and he realized he hated it and would never shave his legs again.

So glad I can be a part of these life changing experiences.

Confessions of a Brunette on the Internet 158

I don't really have much to say about this week since most of it was spent in bed sick. However... although I am not 100% better, I am SO thankful to at least have my energy back. Now I just need to get rid of the raspy voice... and this nasty winter. Over it! Usually that is how everyone feels by the end of February. Good thing I have a sunny vacation to look forward to.

I needed more dating options... so I went back to online dating. We will see what it brings. So far... not much. I just hear so many success stories (even recently) that I feel like I need to give it more of a shot, but it is so hard when you get so many messages from old men and weirdos or booty calls. Seems so hopeless. However... maybe it will be some more awkward guy stories for your reading pleasure. We shall see. I have lots of guys wanting to take me out right now. It has been a while since I have had a guy story on here.

I started watching Greek because a girl I visit teach suggested it to me as the next show I watch. I really should have people give me reasons before I start watching shows. It is pretty stupid. How stupid? Well, because I watched it on my netflix, it is telling me if I like that show then I should watch Laguna Beach. Umm... no thanks. So if you are going to give me a suggestion of a show to watch, tell me why you love it so much. Thanks.

Being in bed so much this week has really made me appreciate how much I love my bed. It really is so great... and so comfortable. It is a great bed to be stuck in. I'm trying to be positive here.

It's my roommates birthday coming up here pretty soon. I asked her what she wanted to do. If I can throw her a big party (which I will be) and what she wanted to do for her big 25! She is not only going to do a party... but she is going to do 25 things that she has never done before in like a 10 day period. BEST IDEA EVER! Why didn't I think of that? Not that my 30 floating lanterns on my 30th birthday wasn't magical.... it was and I am so glad I did that. This idea is a good one though. Maybe I will use it for my 31st birthday. :) Anyway, she has come up with a great list. I'm excited for her. I will be happy to participate in as much of it as I can with her.

Chapstick was a great invention. Just sayin.

My new sleep cycle app tells me that I get pretty quality sleep. I kind of look forward to looking at my sleep cycle chart first thing when I wake up. So interesting. Glad I get quality sleep when I do sleep. More so I just love the alarms on that app. The alarms on the iphone are just no good, so this is great. I am always telling people about it. They should probably just pay me to advertise apps. Next app I want to get and explore.... Stylebook. Yep! One of the reasons I wanted an iphone. I know it is going to be a lot of work to take pictures of all of my clothes and accessories, so I haven't done it yet. When I do, I will let you know.

Flying to Miami is expensive!

I think I want to start juicing. I need some good recipes. Being sick has really made me want to be really healthy. I can't wait to get back into shape so I don't feel like an old woman anymore. In the meantime... at least I have great teeth and great hair. Trying to be positive here.

Photo of the Week 156

Love aquariums.

SICK

I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired.

But seriously... I'm sick... AGAIN! That makes the 3rd time this year (in the last 2 months) that I have been sick. Different virus's each time. I'm pretty sure I have caught every virus that has gone around this Winter.... or let us hope there is no more after this. I can't take anymore. This one has already ruined my long holiday weekend. I was in bed for 3 days straight. So not like me. I usually don't take sick days from work. No energy. Achy body. Headaches. Sore throat. Yuck. Make it go away.

Today I took a detox bath. Don't know how much it did... but it always feel good to take a bath. Also my friend Sabrina came by and brought me orange juice and some throat coat tea which seems to be doing wonders on my throat.

Hopefully I will be back at work tomorrow and this will all be over soon. And HOPEFULLY I will be done getting sick this Winter. This has been the worst winter ever.

The End.

Copacabana

First thought that comes to my mind when I think of Copacabana is my friend James singing the song at karaoke. It was epic. I laughed so hard that I was crying. However, this post is referring to something else. We had a ward activity that was called Copacabana where everyone dressed up 40's and we had 40's music like Frank Sinatra and such and people played games and danced. It was awesome.

I love my ward because you can come up with an activity such as this and not only will people come and play... but people will dress up. It was awesome, and fun. I love dancing and I danced my little heart out. I also played games and I was a social butterfly and I had a couple of people make me some club soda's. You could mix your own club soda... pretty fun.

It was a great night with a great turn out with great music. I had so much fun. Ellis was a great photographer for the night too. Liz and Josh did an amazing job on this activity. Thank you!

Love Day

 I don't love Valentines Day... but I don't hate it either. There has only been one Valentines Day where I have actually been dating someone, but a while ago I decided it didn't matter if I was dating someone or not. It was going to be a day where I let people that I love care about know that I love and care about them. So I got a rose and candle for each of my roommates, dropped off Valentines to my parents with Chocolates along with my sister and brother in law and made little cards for Reanne, Sierra and Grant. I dropped off a couple of goodies to my visiting teachees and to a couple of my good friends.

I wasn't expecting anything from anyone... but the Relief Society dropped off something for everyone in the RS, when I got together with Monica for dinner, she had written out a little card and gave me a little bag of treats that she had made. Liz gave me and my roommates slap bracelets and rings. I have secretly wanted a slap bracelet for the past year or so and have not had one since I was a kid. I also had someone drop by a nice card and some heart shaped sugar cookies (don't know who) and someone ding dong ditched a rose for me (also don't know who) but I wish I did know who so that I could thank them because it meant the world to me that people thought of me on this lonely holiday. So nice.

Along with those gifts, my nieces Reanne and Sierra both made me a Valentines which they both worked very hard at. So cute. Reanne constructed this Fashionista Valentine for me. A T on the top for Tracy and angel wings and lots of fashionista dresses and shoes. I love that I'm their fashion icon.

Sierra's valentine to me was very different but just as clever and cute. She made a message out of candy hearts. Right away she said don't eat the candy hearts cause they are part of the valentine. So I read the Valentine. SO CUTE! I can't believe she came up with this on her own.

Later on that night, my BFF Neighbor had an epic BBQ which was a huge success as usual. He is kind of a big deal. Then there was a girls night. Girls night included cute decorations, yummy treats, a chick flick and painting nails.

Flashback Friday 104

January 2001. That is our flashback for today. I was good friends with Tom and we had this awesome idea to perform... lounge style. Our big hit? "Scotch and Soda". We had big dreams to make a CD and we did this photo shoot for our album cover. Sadly we never did it.... but we had fun practicing. Oh and Lolly came along for moral support and to do my hair and make up. She is so great.

Good times. I always have big dreams to perform and make albums. Why is that? ha ha

Confessions of a Brunette on the Internet 157

Happy Valentines Day. Hope it was great and filled with love. Mine was good, but I will blog about that later.

I have been busy at work this week. On the bright side, it is staying lighter longer and the sun has been shinning more and it is getting a little tiny bit warmer. There is a light at the end of the tunnel!

I finally finished the 3rd season of Downton Abbey. Yikes. Not how I wanted things to go. Not at all. It makes me wonder what the next season is going to bring and makes me not want to watch it all at the same time.

Sunday was Reanne's birthday. She turned 10. Can you believe that? It is crazy that I am an aunt to a niece that is 10. She was so excited for her birthday she set up ALL of her ponies to watch her open presents. My parents got her office supplies for her birthday. I have never seen anyone so excited to open up gifts and see paper and a stapler and tape. ha ha. She is so funny, and creative.

Wednesday I had dinner with my dear friend Monica. We had a good long chat that made me think about things a lot... mostly relationships.... and making sure I'm in a good place and looking out for myself. I really appreciate her. I'm thankful for good friends in my life.

We had stake conference last weekend. It was great. I really love our stake presidency. However, I don't love when they just randomly call people up to share their testimony. I feel like that is something you should do if you feel like you should do it, not because someone else is putting you on the spot and forcing you to do it. Oh well.... at least I didn't get called up.

Tuesday's Hip Hop class was a lot of fun. I love the music and the dancing... and somehow I always end up in front of the line in the class.... just like zumba. It is kind of a big class, so I guess I don't mind.  Did I mention it is the same dance studio that I used to take tap years ago? I saw my old teacher there and she said she remembers me and told me I should come back to tap. I kind of miss it... so it is tempting. It has just been so many years. It would hurt my feet all over again. ha ha. We shall see.

So you know how I have been on a total kick with my new years goal to make more things that I pin on pinterest? Well, I tried something else. Salad in a Jar! It is pure genius! Seriously. You layer the salad in the jar so that the dressing goes on the bottom and then the fruits or veggies come next and so on and then you put the spinach or lettuce on top so it stays fresh. Then you store it in the fridge and that way you can grab it on the go (like to work) and you have a quick and healthy lunch. Oh and I just love my salad. Everyday when I eat it, I literally say out loud a lone in my office how much I love my salad. At first, my co-workers (the guys) were making fun of me. "What do you have in that jar". "Why did you put your salad in a jar?"... but then, when I dumped it all out onto my plate and showed it to them, they were like "yum, that looks good" in which I replied "Oh, it is." Now everyday is like "Tracy, did you bring your salad in a jar?" and I say, "Why yes, yes I did. I can't wait for lunch so I can eat it."

So I need to focus on my health. I mean... I'm a pretty healthy person. I eat pretty healthy and I exercise pretty regularly. I just signed up for my first half marathon (another one of my new years goals). I'm excited and scared.... more scared... but the exciting part is that there are a bunch of people in my ward that all signed up and we are going to do it together. This makes it so much more encouraging. It really does. I need all the support I can get. Another thing I am working on is sleep. Getting more sleep, improving the quality of my sleep. I was looking at the top paid apps and there was this one called Sleep Cycle that I bought. You put the phone on your bed and it tracks your sleep cycle according to your movement while you sleep. It is actually really interesting. After a week of tracking, it can tell you the quality of sleep you are getting. I have only done it for two nights but I am going to keep it up. It also has a really nice soothing alarm. All of the alarms on the iphone are lame and annoying... so it was worth getting the app just for the alarm sounds. They are so relaxing, like the music they play when you get a massage. It is super interesting. I will report back on my sleep when I have been using it longer.

So, I am already having to look for new roommates. That's right... both of my roommates are moving out. Not because of me by any means... our roommate situation couldn't be better. Meg is going back to school and moving to SLC and since Sarah is a teacher, she wants to do a summer camp with kids in Colorado with her months off of school. It makes me sad to lose them. It has been so great. Thankfully I have found more great girls that are most likely going to move in . However, whenever I have people that I really care about come and go out of my life (which happens often) it makes me feel like I don't have a lot of stability in my life. Even though I do, but when it comes to people... I kind of don't and it can be really hard on me. That is one of the many things I think would be great about marriage... no matter who came and went out of your life, at least you have your spouse to always be there by your side to go through things together. Hopefully my next roommates will be as great as the ones I have now.

My roommate Sarah was practicing the recorder one day so she could teach her class (I remember those days) and it was so funny to listen to it from downstairs. After laughing, Megan and I decided to join in. It is harder than I remember. ha ha. We had a good laugh about it though.

Photo of the Week 155

I was showing Darrell my photo's from my San Francisco trip and he really loved this one I took of the cemetery there, so I thought I would use it for my photo of the week this week.

San Fran

Mid January I was getting the Winter Blues and I hadn't seen my friend Kirsten in a long time nor had I met her baby yet, so I booked a flight to San Francisco two weeks later. That was not last weekend but the weekend before. I was just looking forward to seeing my friend and enjoying the sunshine and being away for the weekend... but Kirsten is great and she made sure she had a fun weekend planned for me. Since I have been to the bay area many times before, she was great at finding new things for me to do that I have never done before.

So we...

Went to the Academy of Science. I had never been and loved it. What a beautiful place. Oh and we got to hang out with our friend Lisa who now lives int he Bay area.

We then went to the Japanese Tea Garden which is across the street. BEAUTIFUL!

We went to see the Golden Gate (can't be in SF without seeing the Golden Gate)

We hung out on Pier 39, listened to live music & had dinner.

The next day we relaxed and did the things we used to do together. We went and had a yummy brunch, got pedicures and went to the movies. We saw "Warm Bodies" a zombie chick flick. It was cute... in a morbid way. ha ha. We loved it.

The next day we went back into the city and I did my first Duck Tour! So fun. Party on a boat/bus. Such a fun way to see the city.

Then we met up with Dallas (Kirsten's husband) and we went and got sushi! YUM!!! So good. Best to get sea food when you are next to the sea.

Next day they had regional conference and we went to watch it next to the beautiful temple. Then we drove to see some amazing views of the city since it was such a clear beautiful day.

I left early the next morning. It was a relaxing, fun and wonderful trip. Thanks Kirsten for letting me come visit and showing me a good time. :)