Death by Boredom

Can you die from boredom? I guess being bored is a choice but I can only file so many papers and read for so long online before my eyes fall out of my head, or watch so many movie trailers (two or three times each), or shop or count how many times "Ken" (that's the guy that works next door) walks past our windows, or see if the lady across the way slips on the ice again or, heaven forbid, WORK. But being glued to my desk at work is agony.

F.Y.I: This DOES NOT work with the new fangled flat screen computer monitors- just in case you considered trying it.

Unexpected Treasures

Whenever ago Andrew and I made a stop at the downtown Deseret Industries. (You know, it wasn't until I was much older that I realized the term "DI" wasn't the generic name for places like The Salvation Army and Savers. In fact those places are called thrift stores. Who knew?)


We left with a car full of treasures. I bought a pair of cognac colored ankle slouch boots for $4- something I wouldn't buy full price because I'm still working my way into this fashion trend. But for FOUR dollars? I'm in! I also got a pair of very near new Saucony Jazz sneeks. Like these but brown with dark orange accents. 5 bucks (Don't believe me? The DI tag is still on the bottom).

I also found a pair of BRAND NEW tasty Steve Madden red leather, kitten heeled, pointed toe slip ons. The bottoms were factory direct- seriously. They had NEVER been walked in. I bought them though they fit about as well as the glass slipper did on Cinderella's ugly step sister. I figured Jana might enjoy them... turns out Rhonda (Jana's mom) has found them a warm home in her closet.

As we were pulling away loaded with our booty Andrew exclaimed "PLEASE TELL ME I'M LOOKING AT THIS!! PLEASE!" On the sidwalk next to the car we saw this kid with his amazing invention.

He was more than happy to pose for us. You better believe that's a sub wolfer between the back wheels and a CD player between the ape hanger handle bars. So rad!! I'd definately consider trike-ing to work on one of those.

Genetic Melting Pot

A funny thing happened when the genetics were getting passed out in my family... they got all mixed and jumbled up and now we don't match. There are siblings that can be recognized as "Joe's little brother" years later by the algebra teacher and then there are those who's only resemblance lies in their last names. The latter is true for me and mine.

Spiv is narrow hipped, brunette with dark eyes and gets super tan when exposed to ultra violet rays. And is short.

Calvin is TALL has dark hair, grey-blue eyes, our grandma's nose and our dad's hands. AND shares Spiv's gift of absorbing UV rays and transforming them into Golden Tan rather than Freshly Cooked Lobster like I do.

I have that same grandma's complexion: fair and freckled, blue eyes, am much taller than Spiv and have a few more curves to boast about. And when I dye my hair red no one suspects it's a farce.

We all take after someone who came before us but we don't have anything very similar.

Maybe Spiv and I have similar voices on the phone? Grandma Nonnie never cold tell if it was me, Spiv or her own daughter who answered. Oh how I'd love to see Grandma Nonnie again!

So, we don't look like we're related. Big deal.

This Lawn is Your Lawn

I think it's a smashing idea to use the huge White House lawn for something more productive than Kentucky Blue. This video shows us the history and future plans to return to history of the White House lawn.

Oh ye of little faith

And you thought I'd never post pictures of my trip to Boston... you probably already forgot about it.
Ok, well I hope you're ready for way too many pictures! I'm terrible at editing and pairing down, so there are a TON of pictures following...

Boston and Watertown, Halloween 2008.
David tells me that this is where Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck and Violet live. I asked "how do you know?" and he said "because I've seen them". Can't argue with that. This house is just across the grass from where David goes to church.

This is where Washington had his headquarters during the war.

I think the colors in the stone on this church are so pretty; I think it's slate. David disagreed with me.

I would like a head stone like this one.

Cristina Carruth at a Halloween party David and I stopped at. It was a ward members party and turns out Cristina was there; she used to be in my ward here in SLC

David's charming street.


David left for school early in the morning so I showed myself around Cambridge and Boston....

Harvard University

More Harvard.

And more Harvard. I started to think... "these people look pretty normal, I bet I could have gone to Harvard" Pffffff... yeah right!

"Smile Jana, I'm taking a picture" Jana was "with"me while I was walking around Harvard.

MIT

I definately didn't think I could go to MIT!

Along the river with Boston in the background. I walked all the way down the river, over the bridge and all around Boston.

Beacon Hill. THE fancy pants neighborhood in Boston. Yes please.

This street reminded me of Jorrit (Tag) Wjin's street in Liden in The Netherlands.

Right before this picture was a catering set up... it was for some movie that was being shot in Boston. A few blocks later I walked right past all the camera men and movie stuff.

The city building.

Doing my part... I've kissed a lot of frogs!

This is in Boston's North End where David's school is.

North Bennett Street School. Piano making, cabinetry and Luthier school... it was pretty sweet.

David's desk.

The piece at the bottom is the cello David is making. His final is 4 violins, 2 violas and 1 cello.

3 of the 4 violins.

Incredible detail!! Those two black lines are inlayed wood and they are TINY.

With a little bit of this...

....this....

...and this....

...you'll get one of these!

Everything is so old!

Cemetaries all over the place, right in the middle of a neighborhood.

Near Boston Commons

Salem, MA for Halloween!!

David, Shelby and Ben

The witch house had such tiny windows, nice and dark for all the boil and brewing.

He really looked like Batman (the Val Kilmer verson)

Every street for 6 or 7 square blocks was packed like this.

This guy could barely walk down the street but not because of his shoes but because everyone wanted a picture with him.

This is where they burried a bunch of the "witches" from the trials. There were 18 "witches" tried at the trials. The city had it lit up so we could all see it.

Boston Temple.

This house has been sitting like this for A LONG time! The story goes that the awful man that lived here with his wife and baby (or babies, I don't remember how many there were) was abusive and mean. The wife made plans to escape but the night before she was to leave he found out, killed her and the baby and disappeared. It's been empty ever since. Creepy.

Indian dinner in Cambridge at Harvard Sq. SO GOOD!!!

Sunday morning walk back from breakfast!

This is David playing the violin. I had to be sneeky about taping him because he wouldn't let me... that's why it's at a funny angle.

PHEWW!! Now I can cross this off my "To Do" list.