Happy New Year!

Went camping down at Ocotillo Wells with my church over New years weekend. Had a blast. Rode quads, had campfires, sang around the campfires, had tasty food, and the company was AMAZING.

Rode out there in my truck, one of my friends, Josh, was awesome enough to ride with me, I thoroughly enjoyed the company.

Shortly after we turned onto the 78, he was looking out the window, and saw some odd lights in the sky. We were trying to figure out what they were, and I pulled over so that we could look at them. They turned out to be Chinese wishing lanterns. I didn't know those were even real, I've only ever seen them in Tangled.

We got to the site, and Josh's brother Austin, their dad, and their dad's girlfriend were there already. We set up the tents, and I taught Josh how to play a G progression on the guitar while we hung out around the campfire. It was really laid back, and it was wonderful.

Austin read us a bedtime story: The Hobbit, chapter 3.

The next morning, Josh taught me to ride a quad. I decided it was fun, and I wanted one. Then we all we all went out on a long ride. Austin and Josh rode the quads, I rode in the Jeep because there were only 2 quads. It was still WAY fun though.

When we got back in the evening, The rest of our friends had arrived (Allison, Andrew, Alex, Loni, and Nick). Allison had a Chinese wishing lantern that someone had given her. It was pretty awesome. We had dinner around the campfire, and hung out singing camp songs and sea shanties until midnight-ish. Then we headed over to the BIG communal bonfire in the middle of our little area.

At midnight, they threw a couple of Christmas trees on the bonfire, and we released Allison's lantern. It was amazing.

We all got another bedtime story from Austin. This time, it was The Hobbit again, but chapter 4.

Sunday morning there were a lot more quads available, so we went on another ride. Austin wanted to stay behind and shoot stuff with the BB gun, so I borrowed his quad. I was doing really well with it most of the morning, so I started getting a little cocky. Then a little more... and a little more... and then I rolled the quad. I managed to walk away with just some fun bruising, but I bent up his handlebars and busted his headlight pretty good. I offered to pay for the damage, but they got the handlebars straightened out, and said they probably wouldn't fix the headlight.

I still want a quad.

Reposting my Good Stuff list from Facebook:

I don't even know if I CAN list all the awesomeness I'm feeling right now. Had an amazing weekend up in Ocotillo Wells.

Happy New Year everyone!

1. Camping
2. Friends
3. Smores
4. Quads
5. Chinese wishing lanterns
6. Bonfires
7. Campfire songs
8. Campfire smell
9. Making new friends
10. Improving existing friendships
11. Conversation
12. Bedtime stories
13. Omelets in a bag (they were delicious)
14. AZ's soup/stew
15. Learning experiences
16. Beauty
17. Silliness
18. The new year!

Band Stuff

I completely neglected to write about this, but I got conscripted into a band back in... September? I think it was September anyway.

We do original and traditional(ish) music.

We had an audition for the Renaissance Faire a few weeks ago, and had our first gig just before Christmas. The gig went really well, but we're still waiting to hear back from the Faire.

Yes.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/08/04/prop-8-overturned-gay-mar_n_671018.html?ref=fb&src=sp&comm_ref=false&mid=54

You've got to be kidding me...

Seriously?

Aspartame has been Renamed and is Now Being Marketed as a Natural Sweetener

Thoughts...

Been in kind of an odd, sad-ish mood lately. Not really SAD sad, but ... well, I suppose pensive works I guess. I've been in a pensive mood... yea. I like that.

I've been growing gradually more disappointed with humanity as a whole, and how we treat each other. That kind of came to a head a bit today.

First, I saw this image on Facebook this morning, which made me think about it. It's true, sadly. People care more about their possessions and other nonsense than they do for each other anymore.

That's why there's so many lawsuits, why so many marriages fail, why most of us don't even know our next door neighbors names anymore.

50 years ago, the garbage we see on TV shows like Judge Judy would have been unheard of. If people had anything like that happening with their family or friends, they would be EMBARRASSED of it, they wouldn't want to air it on national television. Not so now I guess.

Later in the afternoon, when I was running errands for my Grandmother before going in to work in the evening, I saw a teenage girl wearing this shirt. (Yes, I went out and Googled it for my blog.)

I started thinking about how our culture cultivates cruelty towards each other rather than love, and it made me sad. Why do we have to idealize mean-ness and cruelty as a society? Wouldn't it be more productive if we valued love and kindness more?

My apologies for the rant, I needed to get that off my chest. It's been bothering me all day, and it has been a VERY long day.

Halloween

Finally know what I'm doing for Halloween.

My church is doing a masquerade. We decided to use Labyrinth as the theme (I am aware, it's been done. we're doing it different) and my friend ORDERED me to go as Sarah.

In the big fancy ballgown.

At least I have the hair.

The fabric and beads for this thing are already creeping up near the $100 mark though, and even WITH the hoop-skirts, I think I will be wearing more tulle than we are using to decorate the hall.

I am SO not just wearing it for Halloween - this is going to have to be a multi-event dress.

And I HAVE to go to Labyrinth of Jareth next year.

HAVE to...

Internets.

Have had no internet at the house for over a month, courtesy of AT&T.

We had nearly no connection.

Complained.

More than three weeks later, they finally sent a tech out to fix it. After that, we didn't have a connection at all.

Complained again.

They said they would have someone out in a week.

A week later, they said that the work order had just been put in that morning, and someone would be here to fix it in two days.

Repeat scenario every two days for a week and a half, and my room mate FINALLY got tired of their crap, and switched.

New internets got hooked up today.

AT&T = fail.