[untitled]

remember the never ending story? more specifically, remember the three doors atreyu had to walk through to find the cure for the nothing? and even more specifically, remember the third door? the one where atreyu had to look at himself for who he truly was?

i always thought atreyu’s decision was silly - i thought that looking in a mirror and walking through seemed much easier than running past two huge winged mammoths with lazor eyes… i guess that made sense to my eight year old mind… but i’m realizing that when one gets to be twenty-eight, they tend to think quite differently…

i’ve realized that at twenty-eight, you really grasp just what you’re capable of and gain an authentic understanding of who you really are. you see the lives you have affected and those that have affected you – both positively and negatively. you see that you’ve stubbed your toes a few times and caused yourself to learn things the hard way – but you also grow from these lessons and appreciate the strength you didn’t know you had. you can realize that the reason you’re frustrated with someone else is really because you’re frustrated with yourself. you can set boundaries and stop the bad habits. you can realize your own selfishness. you can love and let yourself be loved. you can score 20,418 points in bejeweled and still meet your monthly quota. you can speak your mind or you can hold it all in. you can vocalize your fears and you can make a difference. you get to make a choice. and when you smile, you can feel that you are whole.

twenty-seven was good, but i have a feeling twenty-eight will be even better…

champagne taste, beer budget

sometimes my frugal-savvy-ness really gets in my way. i refuse to pay full price for anything - unless i absolutely, stop-in-my-tracks-can't-live-without-it-love something. which rarely happens. this anj-ism is really crampin my style [so to speak] in regard to purchasing a big girl bag. i really, really want one [and will even go as far as to say i need one], but i just cannot bring myself to spend $250.00+ on a bag...

*all from urban outfitters. i couldn't even bring myself to look at anthropology.

sucker

i'm a sucker for beautiful poetry, a beautiful voice, combined with a beautiful sound... i found a solution to the predicament of yesterday:

deVotchKa - januray 28th - in the venue.

in need of...

... some LIVE music!

something happens at a live show - there's an aura in the air that just exudes energy and excitement. i need that. i need that badly. it's been a bit since i have attended a live show [i think of montreal was the last one] and while listening to my oh eight was so great mix earlier, i got all uppity and anxious about the lack of concerts as of late. such is life, i guess... i get that bands need to take some time off too - but i sure could use that special "something" that recharges me when i am fortunate enough to attend a good live show. especially when its an artist or band that i looooove.

i'd even settle for something i luke-warm love right about now...

[so about the oh eight was so great mix: i've been experiencing some pretty serious technical difficulties with my computer, so just be patient and i'll get it to you as soon as i am able... remember: good things come to those who wait.]

randomness

one: december is by far the most blog-o-riffic month i've had. i think i'm at something like thirty posts... this blog thing goes in ebbs and flows, so i guess its a good think i'm taking advantage of the holiday "down time".

and two: i went to buy some new jeans yesterday, not that i needed them, but because i was feeling festive. i went to urban blues on 33rd south where they sale designer denim at discount prices - i highly recommend checking this place out - they have gear for guys too! so as it turns out, i wear two sizes smaller than i thought! you can imagine what that did for my psyche the rest of the day... needless to say it was a good day.

and three: i hope you all had a wonderful christmas, filled with fun and laughs and plenty of treats... i know i sure did!

walk with me...

... down memory lane:

for some reason i've been enthralled in the footloose soundtrack the past little bit. ok, maybe "enthralled" is a bit much, but i've listened to it more than twice but less than ten times. [sidenote: doveman actually covers the album, and you can find more about that here.] anyway, this soundtrack, and specifically the title track, remind me of our house in kaysville. ty and i were probably four and three [respectively] and we'd put the cassette in the biiiig ghetto blaster, crank the volume up, and get dancey! i think my favorite part of all this is when we'd put on our sunday shoes just to kick them off when kenny loggins sings, "...kick off your sunday shoes" ...

wow, ty, you were a really good sport. i'd like to post a picture of you playing dress-up with me, but i can't find it and mom's scanner is not working. perhaps i'll see what i can come up with...

fitter, happier

it occurred to me today while i was putting in some much needed treadmill time that i haven't been able to wear my favorite pair of jeans in about five years. yeah, FIVE YEARS. give it a minute to let that sink in, i sure had to... now i could get all depressed about this subject and come up with various justifications and reasonings for my lack of favorite-jeans-appreciation, but that is not the point of all this [nor is it a characteristic i choose to oblige]. perhaps my endorphins played a part in my reaction or it was the playlist i was running to - i'm not sure - but this realization inspired me to push harder and go farther/longer than i have in quite awhile. more importantly, though, this "little" factoid sparked those feelings of determination and ambition i had for being fit [and healthy] that somehow got lost five-ish years ago. i can't really explain it - but my sense of dedication to physical fitness came back just as quickly as it was lost... and guess what? it felt soooo good!

now my reasoning for blogging about this is two-fold; first of all, it means a lot to me that these feelings have returned. over the past four-five years, i have had more than a few bouts of, "i'm going to hit it hard [come monday]!" and, "it's high time i get back in shape!" ... but nothing has quite sparked like what happened today. like i said, i can't explain it... i feel this is important for myself to put down in writing, so here we are. i also feel that blogging about this holds me accountable to keeping it up. being accountable is huge for me - so i really can't think of a better way to accomplish these things...

i plan to write a weekly blog about where i'm at and how i'm feeling. and also, about how the jeans are fitting. :) hopefully you people will enjoy reading about this journey as well. i got a new app for my iphone called "iShape" that will help me track my progress. i hope to be brave enough to post before and after photos, but for now, those will remain private... for obvious reasons. :)

post script: the title is from a radiohead song you can find on ok computer

hey lisa!

two words: four corners
two more words: four corners TO THIS!



i've had some sweet dance-parties to this song... solo and mono-y-mono and even whilst laying in bed.

text exchange between the oldest [trav] and the middlest [me]

middlest: hi brother [sent from my iPhone*].
oldest: what? you got an iPhone? why didn't you blog about it or put something on your facebook?
middlest: i did. last friday. get with the now.

so here it is, for all the world to know - my street-cred/social-stock-value has just gone up. how much? i'm not sure due to the economy... but friend me now, sweet people of the internets, and you can maybe touch my new phone. but only maybe.



*remember how i mentioned i do things for my own amusement a lot of the time? this was one of those times.

happy festivus!

december 23: festivus
n. an alternative to the crass commercialization of christmas, typically celebrated on december 23. it involves the airing of grievances (telling your family and friends all the ways they have disappointed you during the year) and does not end until the feats of strength (pinning the head of the family) are accomplished. a plain, metal pole is used in lieu of a christmas tree, because decorations (such as tinsel) is distracting from the true meaning of the holiday.

"a festivus for the rest of us! -george costanza

source: urban dictionary.

who would've thought

built to spill covers m.i.a.

happy [early] birthday to me!

it was a toss-up between the big girl purse i've been wanting since september view here in coffee bean but refuse to pay full price for ... or THIS ... so i went with the latter.

i have regretted not seeing justin timberlake in phoenix for two years now... and that two years has really taken it's toll - i've had to settle for his concert on dvd... anyway, back to the matter at hand...

b.spears - april 14th - she better perfom songs off in the zone, my favorite of hers due to nostalgia.

p.s. it just dawned on me that i paid the same for these tickets as i did for david sedaris. although the sedaris monies went to npr and i got to write it off, regardless, that show was well worth it! so i'm sure that brit will also make me proud!

girl talk

gregg gillis + macbookpro = girl talk

i'm going to be brief about this and give you the idea, link to his myspace, and allow you to take it from there.

anyway, girl talk mashes up indie/pop/hip-hop and creates not only an outstanding dance-party, but also some pretty sweet beats to run to [yes, i did just say "sweet beats"]. i've seen this guy and his computer a couple times at the urban lounge, and i can tell you this: no one, not one person, leaves the place not dripping in sweat [no exaggeration] and also, reeking of cigarette smoke. these shows were some of my favorite nights of '07 and '08. and just as a sidenote: girl talk insists on being part of the crowd - at the first show i saw, he pulled the table off the stage and into the middle of the floor. a tarp covered his computer to protect it from the amount of sweat that was flying through the air.

so his latest album, feed the animals, is available as a "pay what you want" download. much like radiohead did with in rainbows. so you really have no excuse not to check it out. but listener beware, a parental advisory for explicit lyrics is included [sorry, mom].

linky link:
take me to the girl talk myspace page so i can see for myself this dance-tasic dude anji speaks of

eye-tunes revamped

this may be for my sole amusement but that's the case with a lot of the things i do, so i'm ok with it. for whatever reasons, i almost always wake-up in the morning with a random song in my head. i'm not sure the why's or how's, but this has been an on-going thing for as long as i can remember. i've tried to trick myself into using it to my advantage, like saying to myself, "self [i don't actually say "self" but i threw that in for lisa], you're going to be so psyched in the morning when you get to find out just what song mister sandman planted in your head!" ... that tactic has actually never worked... i'm still not the biggest fan of getting out of bed.

i digress, i've decided that my eye-tunes will now be changed daily to the song that i woke-up with in my head. what a fun way for all of us to enjoy this wackiness!! that's right kids... this will be FUN!

well, without further adu, i present to you the song-o-the-morn.

pS keep in mind you can always just pause the song if you're not into this sort of thing.

work perk [part deux]

this picture speaks for itself. my only commentary is this: if you talk about something enough, people just may start to listen. AND mick jagger was right, "...if you try sometimes, you just might find, you get what you neeeeeeed..."

moh-stache

one of the perks of having long-ish hair [aside from the obvious sexy-factor] is that i can disguise myself with a hair-stache whilst utilizing public transportation...
exhibit a:

sorry about the image quality but you get the 'picture'. also, please no jokes about mustache rides.

share and tell

i've had a few requests from you people to post some of my written "work". early 2007 i came up with some pick-up lines, written in the voice of a neurotic person. although only slightly neurotic myself [i think all women are] i did my best and think they're kinda clever, but then again, i'm biased. so here are three of my favorites from this little collection...

what time do you have to be back in heaven? i'm not suggesting you're dead or that you look dead or even that you believe in an afterlife. i was just referencing the widely accepted notion that heaven [regardless of religion] is a utopia. and since a utopia is a perfect place and everything in it is perfect, i just thought you'd be from there. you got time for some falafel?

you must be a light switch, because every time i see you, you turn me on. and i'm not so sure that's a good thing, what with global warming and all. i'm not so sure it's bad thing either, but i try to leave the lights off as much as possible and definitely if i'm not in the room at the time. i even shut down my computer every night. you'd be surprised how the little things can make a big difference. have you used those energy-efficient light bulbs?

if you were words on a page, you'd be what they call "fine print." now, that's not to say you are the much maligned and oft-ignored small-print disclaimer that the legal department of many corporations slip in toward the bottom of their ads to stipulate the limitations of their offers. i was just using a little wordplay with "fine."

one. two. three. four...

... and i want more.

yum

i had a weird craving that just had to be satisfied today. its kinda chilly outside, but i walked to the grocer to purchase some lucky charms and a pint of milk. i honestly have no idea where this craving came from, but god bless that man who came up with this cereal. and god bless my ability to get to the store sans car. i guess stranger things have been known to happen, just not usually to me.

charm on!

pat myself on the back...

... i don't mean to toot my own horn, but i gotta brag a little... and seeing as how this is my blog i feel justified in doing so...

i just got a verbal commitment from the salt city derby girls that they have decided to take 'me' up on 'our' offer and will now be calling the salt palace "home"! boooyaaaah! i mean, BOOOOYYYYAAAAHHH! that's nine solid events [quite possibly more], contracts to be issued, and my name surrounded in stars... not really, but go with me on this one...

so aside from the feeling good about myself and my ability to successfully perform my job, this really doesn't mean much [read: i don't work on commission]. however, i'd say feeling good about oneself and one's success is worth more than any commission would be...

p.s. my main contact [dirty pirate hooker - seriously, that's her derby-alias] said, "...on a personal level, i just want to thank you for all you've done. we really enjoy working with you and we think you're awesome."

question...

...for you blahg-savvy individuals out there who have me on an rss or google reader [em? bean?]... first of all thank you, how flattering! even though it makes it easier on your lives, i still find it exciting that someone, other than my mother, wants to keep up with my to-do's and ramblings. anyway, to the point of this rambling: i typically proof-read before i post in the create window. then i'll publish and "view blog" to read it again. often times i decide to edit when i'm "viewing blog". so i edit. then post. edit again. then post [again]. so my question is this: does it show multiple posts in your 'tracker' or just the once? if it shows multiple times i sincerely apologize, as it is easier for me to proof-read when i see how the final 'product' comes together.

let me know. i hate to be annoying [the only exception to that is when i'm with my brothers - its what sisters do].

JemCon and jem's influence on my life

i randomly came across a photo of a keytar today. it reminded me of my jem and the holograms plastic keytar toy i had in the second grade. i even took that keytar to show-and-tell and remember getting made fun of relentlessly by the popular girls for it [namely, jennifer kauffman]. did i care? not really, because that thing was awesome! soooo awesome, in fact, the top even lifted-up for a storage area! and a 'funny' sidenote: jem's shoes fit ken [barbie's boy-toy] so he became a cross-dresser and stayed in the keytar at all times [mom, you might have wanted to look into that]... anyway, i quickly google-image-searched "jem and the holograms keytar" and although i couldn't find anything on the keytar, i found a link to a thing called JemCon ... a convention for jem enthusiasts! seeing as how i'm in the convention business, this might be something i could convince to come to salt lake... but probably not.

so back to jem, she meant a lot to me. grandma holt even had a special jem coloring book that only i got to color in. she'd bring it out just for me when we'd come to visit. spoiled much? you betchya! that grandma holt was amazing.

and another jem story: for my sixth birthday all i wanted was a jem figurine/doll. i remember my dad being gone all day shopping for one... turns out he didn't find one so i got jem's best friend, kimberly, instead. kimberly?! she was no jem. this was a big deal to six-year-old little me. and although he tried, i used to joke that this was the beginning of the daddy-disappointment ... he doesn't read this blog so i'm ok in saying that.

in closing, here's a photo:

that's kimberly playing the keyboard - wait a minute - maybe dad was just foreseeing something in my future?! whatever it is - jem will always hold a special space in my heart. as will that keytar!

oh eight was so great

after some tweaking and fine-tuning, the "oh eight was so great" tribute-to-concerts/shows-i-attended-in-2008 compilation c.d. is fineato! [did you notice my play on the word "finito"?! fi-NEAT-o?! sometimes even i'm impressed by my own cleverness.]

although this compliation does not include tracks from all the shows i attended this year [i'm forgetful sometimes, you see], it does include the majority of them and most definitely the highlights. also important to note, some of the songs i chose are select favorites from each artist - not necessarily what was played at said show. keep that in mind.

so just what is on this compact disc, you ask?!... well let me tell you...

you will find artists such as:
the faint, cansei de ser sexy, feist, andrew bird, the fleet foxes, of montreal, yelle, m.i.a., the swell season, etc., with special guest, CHROMEO, from the show in portlandia.

so anyway, if you'd like a copy, leave a comment. and if you don't, then you're missing out.

p.s. i'm going to number each copy because i'm rad like that. 001 has already been spoken for.

interesting* turn of events...

*i use "interesting" loosely...

yesterday beth [hi mom!] and i went past the sugarhouse shopping center on our way to "the hamptons" [i've appropriately dubbed their house "the hamptons" since it is in the 'burbs and is kinda fancy... well, compared to my a.p.t. it is fancy] ... mom went into michaels and i told her to come find me in the nordstrom rack. to make a not-long story shorter i walked outta the rack empty-handed and walked outta michales with $50 less to my name.

yeah, like i said, "interesting" was used loosely.

doo bee doo bee doo

as i'm continually seeking out new music and examining my ever-evolving [not to mention eclectic] tastes - i've noticed a theme. it's no question how i feel about the arcade fire and as i was listening to radiohead's in rainbows today it dawned on me just what that theme is: i really, really, really love the inclusion of classical music & orchestral instruments in modern "rock". this might have something to do with my time spent on the viola in fifth, sixth, and seventh grades, but i'm really not quite sure. regardless, there is a certain appeal of the versatility, not to mention beauty, with this integration of classical instruments.

anyway, after this "aaahhhhh - that's what it is" moment, i remembered this youtube video from a couple years ago. this guy is amazing. what's the deal with asians and their unnatural talent?!

if they only knew...

from: jim in IT
to: all staff
subject: holiday party

Here’s a fun idea for those of you who can take pictures with your cell phones. Take fun or interesting pictures of your co-workers and send them to me. We need some fresh pictures for our holiday party slide show.

--------

mwahaha... if there was one way to get me to the holiday party, this was it.

pretty little things...

... being a girl ain't so bad:


i love the simple elegance of this necklace. i need to add more necklaces to my collection. which isn't much of a collection at all.

necklace and other lovelies found here

i think she loves me...

after a busy, busy morning i get back to my desk and find the following e-note in my inbox. thanks, mom. you made me teary.

Anji,
Today in the paper, I saw where KUER is asking people to write first person insights into what "the author" feels is important. It is for essays to be considered to be read on "This I Believe" series. I think I have heard it before, but not thinking of any of the essays specifically. You are such a good writer, I thought you might be interested.
With your gift, you could start writing for the fun of it and submit your articles "like" to McSweeney or something. You laugh but I bet your stuff is just as good. Perhaps having a little time at work, you could use this to springboard your hobby into being "known" as a writer/entertainer. I really think you are THAT GOOD. I have your first published work "Pile of Petals" to show your started long ago!
Just a thought cuz I love you!!
If you want more info on this KUER thing..It was in Section E/The Mix under Finds on the front page. It is titled What do you believe? Send as an email attachment to cwc@slcc.edu and include "This I Believe" in the subject line. For more info it says to contact Christina Smith at Christina.Smith@slcc.edu of 801-957-4992.
Hope you have a GREAT day. This I believe you deserve!! :-)

---------

sidenotes:

-the articles "like" that my lovely mother is referring to are, for the most part, complete satire. so i think she says "like" because they're not what she's accustomed to reading in martha stewart. also important to consider, they may be about you or someone you know. i cannot guarantee that they won't be offensive to said persons. i can guarantee, however, that they will make you laugh.

-"pile of petals" was written for the literary magazine in junior high or high school. do not ask to see it because i won't show it to you.

-if you are unfamiliar with mcsweeney's quarterly concern, i suggest you remedy that situation immediately by clicking on the link to the left.

-finally, i feel it necessary to point out that when she said i could be an "entertainer," she did not mean adult entertainment. clean it up, people.

please and thank you, santa

here is my eChristmas list. since the majority of these items cannot be purchased at costco [all apologies], i have included links for your purchasing ease. i also feel it is important to let you know that i have been a very, very good girl this year. ;)

*holga green fisheye set here [note: if this is not an option for christmas, it is most definitely what i want for the birthday]

*i want a simple, yet efficient sewing machine. you're an expert in this field so i'll leave you to the researching on this one.

*random access memory for my notebook. i cannot find a link so we'd just have to take it to mac docs or the apple store. for your budgeting purposes, santa, i believe it will be around $100 [at least that's what they told me when i took it in a few months ago].

*gift cards here or here are always a safe bet as i know you don't like picking out apparel for me. which is understandable.

*these are always nice. and you can purchase them at costco.

*here is a want and not necessarily a need, but would protect my eyes whilst looking stylish. tortoise frame, not black.

*one of these to ice my ankle after running. but you may want to talk to emilee before you buy.

*and on the subject of running these - size ten. big feet = big heart.

*this family to live within direct-flight distance, if not closer.

*stocking stuffer ideas: this and this

that seems like a good start. let me know if you have any questions, you jolly fellow-ette, you. you've got my contact info.

twenty eight

in twenty eight days i will be twenty eight years old. although i'm not the biggest fan of my date of birth, i'm feeling ok about this one. i guess maybe it's the idea of going back to even numbers. and being closer to thirty. did/does anyone else look forward to thirty like i do? and can anyone explain to me why i'm looking forward to thirty and have been since i was, like, twenty? that doesn't seem very typical. but then again, this is me we're talking about.

she's crafty...

... she [doesn't] get around... she's crafty, man, she's always down...

i made this:

last night. i was inspired by something similar i saw at urban outfitters. they wanted 18 bucks for what i made with $5. there was one minor problem ---> i have no idea where my glue gun is [hint hint, santa] so i had to use elmer's.

"save the cheerleader..." more like, save me from having to watch you hayden pinkett or whatever your last name is...

most of you will not get this. some of you may. whatever.

claire really bothers me. she always has. and i've tried to give her a chance. it just didn't work. last night's episode was good for a lot of reasons, but mainly because she didn't say much. except to gasp for air when the eclipse passed.

hiro nakamura, however, does not bother me. i get the biggest kick out of him when he speaks english. i don't know why. maybe its just his dialect. or maybe the way he squints his eyes.

ps i think this is a record for longest blog title on anj-eye. i think i'll buy myself a diet cherry cola in celebration.

what?!

i'm really not quite sure how i forgot to mention this because, in all honesty, it is the best thing to happen around here [read: the office] since we learned about tin foil and plastic wrap [here] ...

are you ready for the news?! any idea what i'm gonna say next?!

wait for it...
wait for it:

casual friday has been extended to CASUAL MONTH.

i don't even care if i'm the only one out there in this blog-o-sphere who is excited about this - casual fridays are good. casual month is even better! first of all, you know how i feel about denim. second of all, you know how i feel about my closet and what is in my closet. third of all [that doesn't sound right] no more changing from bicycle-appropriate-attire to work-attire in the morning. and then back again for the ride home.

here is a visual for your viewing pleasure [and also because bill told me my blog had too many words]:


now if they'd only listen to me and get me that mac. i told the-powers-that-be i could guarantee my productivity increasing immensely, but still its a no-go... i'll keep 'working' on it [as opposed to actaully 'working' - which i would do if i actually had anything to do].