Another Monday dawned with me participating in abuse. Abuse? I say? Indeed. Rodney and Ziggy have decided to wake me up earlier and earlier. This follows stealing most of my bed during the night, so I should be used to such treatment. Of course, after I feed them, I get to go back to sleep for about five minutes before the day begins.

Work was full of chocolate, donuts, fiche, and promises of citrus fruit. In case the word hasn't got out, I am a big fan of citrus fruits. I am also a big fan of sugar to boost my Monday. I see light at the end of the tunnel on a couple of my smaller projects. Of course, the last time I saw light, someone dropped more floppies between me and my star, causing an eclipse.

The evening was rounded off by Monday Mormon Moments. We played the signs game that I find so amusing. My friend Chad had the least subtle sign of all, but managed to pass his sign successfully a couple of times. I am so proud of my fellow hobbit. Anyway, sleep now calls. Sweet dreams!

Another One of Those Surveys

Here's another fun-ish thing.
1. Put your iTunes on shuffle (I think this would work with any sort of media player you have on your computer that has a bunch of your songs).
2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer.
3. YOU MUST WRITE THAT SONG TITLE DOWN NO MATTER HOW SILLY IT SOUNDS!
4. Spread the joy to other friends.

I used Yahoo launch for this. Weee!

Questions:

1) IF SOMEONE SAYS "IS THIS OKAY" YOU SAY?

"Snow White Queen" ~Evanescence
Sounds like something cryptic I would say when someone finally decides to tell me the truth and then asks "is this okay?" "Snow White Queen" "What? Natelle, that makes no sense" "Precisely." "Ummm..." *walk away*

2) WHAT WOULD BEST DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONALITY?

3) WHAT DO YOU LIKE IN A GUY/GIRL?

"She's In Love With the Boy" ~Trisha Yearwood
Yay! I'm straight. I was so afraid "Pretty Woman" would pop up. Of course, as noted a long while back, this song does kind of describe what I like in a guy. *shrug* C'est la guerre!

4) HOW DO YOU FEEL TODAY?

"The Conductor" ~The Faint
I conduct? That makes sense. There is a lovely rhythm to the craziness that dances around me...And I am watching the rhythm spin this morning.

5) WHAT IS YOUR LIFE'S PURPOSE?

"The Mystic's Dream" ~Loreena McKennitt
Once more, it is a mysterious answer. I like it. "All for the love of you". Heh! I wish I knew who you were...

6) WHAT IS YOUR MOTTO?

"Carraroe Jig (Acoustic Version)" ~The Corrs
I guess this means I'd rather dance a jig than have a motto. That makes sense.

7) WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR PARENTS?

"Just Say the Word (Encore)" ~Josh Kelley
I could interpret this so many ways, but wisdom says not to touch this subject. Move on now.

8) WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT VERY OFTEN?

"Love Don't Live Here Anymore" ~Lady Antebellum
Ironically, I do think about that often.

9) WHAT IS 2+2?

"Pretty Girl" ~Eric Clapton
Does this mean I am 2+2?

10) WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR BEST FRIEND?

"Sand in My Shoes" ~Dido
Apparently, I think we should go to the beach together. "I want to see you again." You available???

11) WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE PERSON YOU LIKE?

"Thousand Mile Wish" ~Finger Eleven
Well, I have a thousand miles worth of wishes for him... "cause laughing lovers can overcome their closest demons" That might fit far too well, actually.... "I'm so far into your story/ I don't know why/ We think we're in control/ When we lie between the lines" "there's nothing we can't get around together"

12) WHAT IS YOUR LIFE STORY?

"The Day That Never Comes" ~Metallica
Oh my goodness. Does this mean my story is never going to reach "le fin"? Awesome!

13) WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?

"A Long December" ~Counting Crows
Well, I never thought about it before, but if I was going to be a month, I'd want to be a long one with a fabulous holiday to celebrate.

14) WHAT DO YOU THINK WHEN YOU SEE THE PERSON YOU LIKE?

"Sinking In" ~Lisa Marie Presley
That could work, I suppose. "You don't seem to see me sinking in do you?"

15) WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS THINK OF YOU?

"Any Man of Mine" ~Shania Twain
Well, yes, I do believe they think that I deserve a man who will basically worship me :)

16) WHAT WILL YOU DANCE TO AT YOUR WEDDING?

"Drawn to the Rhythm" ~Sarah McLachlan
Interesting. I guess if I am drawn to someone's rhythm enough to marry him, I would dance to this song with him. "heaven is a stranger place than what you've left behind"

17) WHAT WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR FUNERAL?

"Man On the Moon" ~R.E.M.
I think that says everything that needs to be said without any assistance from me.

18) WHAT IS YOUR HOBBY/INTEREST?

"Through the Dark" ~K.T. Tunstall
Actually, I do enjoy wandering around in the dark (or pretending I am in the dark). I get a good giggle every time my roomie turns on the light in the kitchen and finds that I am getting a glass of water in the dark. He screams like a girl!

19) WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST SECRET?

"I'm On a Roll" ~Sammy Haggar
Wow. I think people would have to be blind for that to be my biggest secret. For fun, let me break it down. If it refers to being in constant motion, most people have caught on that I have this problem. If we are thinking of rolls as a form of bread, anyone who has ever seen me appreciate bread knows that I am definitely going to be on a roll if it is within 3 feet of me:)

20) WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR FRIENDS?

"I Believe" ~Tears for Fears
Yes, I believe my friends. My real, true friends (the ones who aren't lying to me in case they need one of my many talents later) are worth believing and believing in...but that is another story...

1) IF SOMEONE SAYS "IS THIS OKAY" YOU SAY?

"Crime of the Century" ~Shania Twain
That's a big fat "no". Thanks for playing:)

2) WHAT WOULD BEST DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONALITY?

"U + Ur Hand" ~Pink
Well, that would explain why I annoy so many men, wouldn't it? "I'm not here for your entertainment!"

3) WHAT DO YOU LIKE IN A GUY/GIRL?

"Goodbye" ~Elton John
Um. If I liked them to leave, would I really like them?

4) HOW DO YOU FEEL TODAY?

"Daydream Believer" ~The Monkees
"The six o'clock alarm would never ring" I can totally feel that and I do need to to "cheer up sleepy".

5) WHAT IS YOUR LIFE'S PURPOSE?

"Brothers" ~John Mellencamp
Does that mean I am going to end up married to two brothers (at different times obviously), going to have all boys, or have to keep my brothers out of trouble? I hope it is the second one...The other two are creepy and not likely to happen.

6) WHAT IS YOUR MOTTO?

"Wish I" ~Jem
Sadly this works. "Wish I could go too."

7) WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR PARENTS?

"Woman In Chains" ~Tears for Fears
Wow. That's kind of true in a very sad way. We each allow ourselves to be bound somehow, don't we?

8) WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT VERY OFTEN?

"Desperado" ~Eagles
Excellent. Maybe I have a future in crime:)

9) WHAT IS 2+2?

"Me and a Gun" ~Tori Amos
Well, that adds up if I have two bullets in the gun.

10) WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR BEST FRIEND?

"The Best @#$% Thing" ~Avril Lavigne
Okay. That works despite the word I can't type or say.

11) WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE PERSON YOU LIKE?

"It Goes On" ~The Psychedelic Furs
Yes, yes, it does...

12) WHAT IS YOUR LIFE STORY?

"U Want Me 2" ~Sarah McLachlan
Oh yes , yes, yes. "You walk on by/ Clueless and so high/ Following your aimless path/ Away from us" If I took a count of how many times that applied, I am sure I would be surprised.

13) WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?

"You're Missing" ~Bruce Springsteen
Wow. Maybe I should work on disappearing and see who notices my loss. Feel free to weigh in on this one.

14) WHAT DO YOU THINK WHEN YOU SEE THE PERSON YOU LIKE?

"I'll Always Be Right There" ~Bryan Adams Indeed. I will always be there. I think I have proven this enough times. "You're the one I trust/ Our time has come/ We're not two people/ Now/ We are one"

15) WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS THINK OF YOU?

"Breathe (2 AM)" ~Anna Nalick
I like to think they assume I am still breathing at 2am.

16) WHAT WILL YOU DANCE TO AT YOUR WEDDING?

"Ballad of a Paralysed Citizen" ~The Faint
I would definitely dance to this song. In fact, I do frequently while I clean. However, I don't think this is a wedding song. "Now I'm paralyzed while they just hope to make amends"

17) WHAT WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR FUNERAL?

"Watched You Fall" ~Meredith Brooks
Gee, that would be really cheerful. "Sleeping could wait until we died" "Can I forgive myself for not standing by" "I was blind to ya/ Was lying to you/ Said I love you but I'm laughing/ When you crawl/ Was lying to ya/ You fall/ I watched you fall" Anyone feeling that level of guilt should probably just not come to my funeral.

18) WHAT IS YOUR HOBBY/INTEREST?

"Up Around the Bend" ~Creedence Clearwater Revival
My interests and hobbies involve pushing forward and finding out what is around the next corner? That could explain why I have so many.

19) WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST SECRET?

"Till It Feels Like Cheating" ~Jewel
Apparently, when I get married, I want to role-play naughty things with my husband. Gee, I hope he doesn't mind then....

20) WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR FRIENDS?

"Shoes" ~Patsy Cline
"But them shoes don't fit me anymore" I think that is the opposite of how I feel. I never throw away my friends even though some of them might deserve it. (Some people just aren't good friends in return.)

Integrity, Elder Wirthlin, and Football--Yay!

As a boy, Joseph Wirthlin enjoyed sports and went on to play running back for the University of Utah. His abilities earned him the nickname "Speedy" on the field. He once recalled a story about being tackled just inches from the end zone, saying that he remembered thinking he could move the ball and no one would have known.

"I had dreamed of this moment from the time I was a boy. And it was right there within my reach. But then I remembered the words of my mother. 'Joseph,' she had often said to me, 'do what is right, no matter the consequence. Do what is right and things will turn out OK.'

"I wanted so desperately to score that touchdown. But more than being a hero in the eyes of my friends, I wanted to be a hero in the eyes of my mother. And so I left the ball where it was--two inches from the goal line.

"I didn't know it at the time, but this was a defining experience. Had I moved the ball, I could have been a champion for a moment, but the reward of temporary glory would have carried with it too steep and too lasting a price. It would have engraved upon my conscience a scar that would have stayed with me the remainder of my life. I knew I must do what is right" ("Life's Lessons Learned," Ensign, May 2007).

I am one of those people who sleeps to dream. Why? Because my dreams are often much more rational than my reality. Unfortunately, sometimes the craziness that is my waking world enters into my dreams. The people who try to deceive me in the real world sneak into my dreams and try to deceive me there. The people who love me but are afraid to admit it do so in both realms. This defeats the point behind dreaming and letting all the insanity settle somewhere outside of my notice

My Christmas Wish List

I need to update my wish list on my website, but I decided to post the updates here first. All I want for Christmas is:

1. Pennies
2. Nickels
3. Dimes
4. Quarters
5. Dollar bills of any denomination
6. Love :)

Why?

1. I am moving sometime this holiday season, so I don't need to deal with more stuff.
2. Most of what I want is too expensive for any one person to be expected to buy.
3. Change makes pretty jingly noises...

We come from a society that would make a mountain from a molehill just to justify our own faults. I won't explain what I mean by that. I just hope I am wrong in thinking that one of the oft-repeated falsehoods about me isn't about to come about again. Luckily, the people who know me at all never believe the lies. *shrug*

In other news, I almost become a godmother again tonight. It is only a matter of time. I am trying not to be impatient to meet the little guy, but his parents are just as excited as I am, so that makes it hard.

Another non-exceptional Tuesday is slowly climbing under it's magnificent quilt and going to bed. I am not quite to that point yet though Rodney has the highest hopes that I will soon be asleep so he can wake me up. The problem with non-exceptional days is that sometimes we forget to appreciate them.

Today found me putting a spreadsheet to bed by relinking and deleting records. This left me almost despondent without at least three projects waiting for my attention, but some darling books found their way into my cubicle. I offered them assistance in being ready for the depository. They also slipped off of my desk and out of my life.

I also continued to help some friends at work eat some delectable treats. I was surprised some of the chocolate crackle cookies and a pecan tassie had escaped my belly yesterday. I dispatched many of my foes with very little remorse. I also got some yummy leftovers from another friend today.

Of course, the main feature of the day was realizing that each of us does have the right to choose where we will stand. We also have the right to choose our friends, our homes, and the fuzzy people who will influence our sleep. Anyway, I'd say more, but I have a deep desire to slowly drift off into sleep.

Rain greeted me again this morning. A soft pattering of water to wash the earth a little before the snow comes, perhaps. The snow has still not begun, but I find that snow has an amazing way of appearing when I am hiding indoors. The day was not full of anything unexpected. I did get the confirmation I needed that I failed to do what was wanted of me recently. This confirmation came by someone deciding, again, to accuse me of doing what they had done. I have to admire the ability of human nature to remain consistent.

A Song for My Girls

This is something all of us need to remember as we get hammered by the way the world around us wants us to perceive ourselves.

"She's Not Just A Pretty Face" ~Shania Twain

(Oh na, na, na)

She hosts a T.V. show--she rides the rodeo
She plays the bass in a band
She's an astronaut--
a valet at the parking lot
A farmer working the land
She is a champion--she gets the gold
She's a ballerina--the star of the show

[Chorus:]
She's--not--just a pretty face
She's--got--everything it takes
She has a fashion line--
a journalist for "Time"
Coaches a football team
She's a geologist--a romance novelist
She is a mother of three
She is a soldier--she is a wife
She is a surgeon--she'll save your life

[Chorus:]
She's--not--just a pretty face
She's--got--everything it takes
She's--mother--of the human race
She's--not--just a pretty face

Oh, oh, yeah
Oh na, na, na, na.....
She is your waitress--she is your judge--
she is your teacher
She is every woman in the world

Oh, la, la, la
She flies an airplane--
she dirves a subway train
At night she pumps gasoline
She's on the council--she's on the board
She's a politician--she praises the Lord

[Repeat Second Chorus]

No, she's (she's) not (not)--
just a pretty face
She's (she's) got (got)--everything it takes
She's--not--just a pretty face
She's got everything it takes
She's not just a pretty face

We have entered the holiday season. Every other moment is overtaken by thoughts of gifts we wish to receive, gifts we wish to give, and gifts we feel obligated to give. This is not the way this holiday should be celebrated, but it is the only way we seem to know--most of the time.

I find that my days are pretty packed like the piles of boxes accumulating in the living room in preparation for my egress. I am hoping it leads me to solitary confinement with my two darling cats. Humans have been disappointing me of late and I need the chance to regroup and remember that none of us are perfect. Besides, the cats seem to enjoy having me all to themselves (when I am at home).

My days have been busy of late. Friday I spent where I have been spending most of my time--at a friend's house, chatting and waiting for the future to happen. I spent Saturday cleaning, packing, and prepping for a baby shower that I was in charge of. I bumped into some friends who were on a way to a Christmas party that I had to miss to throw the baby shower, but, as I often mention to those who haven't stopped paying attention, I can only be in one place at a time, so whichever one peaks my interest first gets me.

The baby shower went well. We at cream puffs, brownies, pecan cookies, cinnamon rolls, and candy. We drank punch. We skipped scary shower games and enjoyed looking at all the presents. Most people brought diapers and wipes, so baby Nicholas is set for all his diapering needs. I produced a beautiful Pooh quilt which was greatly admired and left my friends with no excuse to harass me about making one. It still seriously bothers me when people tell me what to give them instead of giving me the option to decide what they are getting.

Today was spent with church people. This is no great surprise. I snuck in some alone time with the cats and a cheesy Hallmark Christmas movie before going to a friend's celebration of his baptism. From there, I made my way to a mini-party where me and three other lovely ladies sewed little tags on Linus blankets. We also watched The Grinch and tried a delicious cranberry cobbler. All of this has left me well-fed and ready for bed.

This is going to sound preachy. I have been turning to the scriptures more and more for peace because not much else is such a perfect cure-all for my worries. Anyway, I have been struggling lately with the deep urge to scream at people, "Don't you see that this is important?" as they belittle themselves, me, and the world around us with their actions. So what are some of these important things (Bella doctrine, of course)?

1. It is important to make time for God.

2. It is important to remember that we can't do everything ourselves and listen to those people who really have our best interests at heart.

3. It is important to be true to ourselves and the people around us. We are all children of God. We should respect this at all times.

4. It is important to follow through with promises. If you say you will do a favor for someone, very little should keep you from doing it.

5. It is important to trust your friends. If you can't trust them enough to share the important things in your life, you have to wonder if a) those things are really important or b) those friends are really your friends.

6. It is important to make time for the people who really care about you. This can be hard in my case, since I have a bad case of being in love with most of the people I know (in a platonic way) and many of them feel the same way about me (or my cookies, at least).

7. It is important to take time to appreciate the little things that make life worth living such as quiet moments alone with a cup of cocoa and a good book or good movie.

8. It is important to be honest at all times and in all things. Any small slip to the dark side takes you further away from Yoda....

That's a brief list. I have so much on my mind and so little time to express it or do the twenty things I have to do NOW NOW NOW, so I am going to go back to working on those.

One of the books at work today referred to the infamous Helen of Troy as all three of these depictions of a woman. Which one am I? I have had someone tell me that they weren't sure if I were a gypsy, tramp, or a thief in the past. I really couldn't be either of the latter. My innate nature is not inclined to sleep with anyone who asks (though they don't realize that and still proclaim I would after I reject their offer) and I would rather earn what I have rather than steal it from others. Of the three in my subject, however, I could be the first two (and have been in my own right).

When I wear my wrap around skirts, I find it is a good idea to wear full slip. This keeps me from showing people my legs when a stiff breeze comes by and leads me to have odd thoughts in the wee hours of the morning. Odd thoughts? Odd thoughts of me all in white?

I know the assumption being made now by my dutiful readers. It is the wrong assumption. I wish we could all be dressed in white. I wish we could all feel that clean. We can, actually, but it is so fleeting here on this earth. It is like most of our loves--quick to be tossed aside when something better comes along.

Something else to read!

So this weekend has been a test of my endurance, and I think I have failed. I began the big move from the trailer to the townhouse. I am saying farewell to the marshy lawn and hello to neighbors so close that they probably are already shocked by my relationship with my cats.

I guess I can start with the cats. First, I don't have a cat carrier. Well, I do, but it is currently unusable, but that is a different story. So I packed my precious little bundles of love and claws into a paper box and hefted them out to the car. You'd think carrying approximately twenty pounds of cat would be easy, but it gets difficult when Ziggy is attacking Rodney and he is trying to push his way free. I succeeded and placed them on the passenger seat, where they stayed critiquing driving by cowering terror every time I took a turn. I tried to console them by patting their heads, but this did not

As always happens to divas, dolls, and independent damsels (as opposed to the damsels in distress that the boys adore so much), my holiday has been filled with every thing except the desire to write. This is the only explanation or excuse to be given for half-finished and non-existent entries in this lovely journal.

I spent the better part of the holiday on wheels. I was either driving from place to place or rollerblading in wobbly circles around my friends' gym. I have video footage of this, but little desire to find a place to post it, so the public will just have to wait. That or you could invite me and my rollerblade to your local roller rink, but who is likely to do that?

And, as always, I shall list my Christmas gifts, so you can all feel relieved that you go so much more stuff. I received Apples to Apples (the best board game ever), a nice coat in the lovely shade of black, some candy, a collectible doll from my grandmother, a nightie (from my mom, so don't get too excited), some random insults (intended and unintended) from my boys, a little plaque that says, "I have flying monkeys and I am not afraid to use them", a ceramic pot with my name spelled correctly, lots of loving from the cats, and I got myself a home for Christmas (after it fell on my sister-hahahaha).

We all know my feelings on cell phones. We all also know by now that I have been known to behave badly with my cell phone. For instance, I answered my cell last night while driving through some Cumberland traffic. I also answered it again as I was getting closer to home. It turned out to be my father who wished to announce that he now has a cell phone. Apparently, my aunt wanted to bring him into the new age of technology.

This turn of events has led me to inadvertently three-way call three people. This is incredibly confusing behavior when you didn't expect to do it. Luckily, the people involved all know that I have more than my fair share of blond moments, so I have been forgiven.