This morning I discovered my friend Jason's blog, which is being written while in London. Yes, London. He's doing a study abroad there, and although he's been there a short time so far, his blog is already filled with thrilling misadventures! Oh, not to mention he's already got 13 people following him... Little Shit!
So while he's having the time of his life, exploring a foreign land and studying theater all the while, I'm here at home growing greener and greener with envy. Imagine a slightly weak and pudgy Hulk, and you will get a pretty good picture of what I look like right now. Just a bitter little green chihuahua chewing on his own feces...
And it seems like everyone is going somewhere exciting. Our roommate Mesun is off to Korea in a month or so for a study abroad, leaving Brian and I alone to suffer without her. Our friends Tori, Katie, and Darcy are all three going on Christian mission trips this summer in various parts of the world, I have a friend on his LDS mission in Argentina, and where am I going? That's right. Brian and I are spending a weekend in Colorado for my brother's graduation in May. Yep. Our friends will be in Korea and London having the time of their lives, and we will be in Colorado Springs, Colorado where the deer and the antelope play.
Friday, April 30, 2010
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Steve's Phone Call
Last night I received a phone call from my ex-stepdad (my mom's second husband) Steve. Although he's technically not part of my family any more, I still consider him a very good friend. He was part of my life for a good ten years, and I can't exactly act like he doesn't exist.
Although I did try that at one point. Unfortunately, he was one of the many people that I did shut out after meeting Brian. I ignored his phone calls, and was very vague and elusive with emails and things. He finally found out I was gay through our long-time friends, the Mayhoffers. He was shocked of course, and left me another voicemail saying that he knew and that he still wanted to be on good terms.
I felt relieved and, I'll say it, touched that he still wanted to be a part of my life. I called him back, and we've been on good terms ever since. In fact, he happened to be in Utah a while back and we met up for breakfast at a Denny's near my apartment. It was familiar and strange all at the same time, but I'm glad we had that breakfast. It was also an opportunity for me to meet his new girlfriend, Amy, who has now become his fiancee. They are set to marry June 9th, and my invitation is said to be on its way.
We had a good talk last night. He Facebook stalks me occassionally, so he had some questions about New York for me. He also knew I had interviewed for a second job, so I told him about that. His parents, who were always very involved with us kids, had written me a letter back in February, to which I finally responded in April. They were so happy to hear from me that they called him up and told him about it! I hope I get another letter from them sometime soon.
My mom would rather I not talk to Steve or his family. Her feelings were hurt by them years ago, and might have been part of the reason their marriage dissolved. But in my opinion, their failed marriage isn't any different from the failed marriage of my mom to my actual father. What I mean is, if I can still talk to my father, why can't I still talk to my once stepfather? Both men have been important to me, and I'm glad that I can say both men are incredibly supportive of me to this day.
Thanks for the call, Steve, and I look forward to hearing from you again.
Although I did try that at one point. Unfortunately, he was one of the many people that I did shut out after meeting Brian. I ignored his phone calls, and was very vague and elusive with emails and things. He finally found out I was gay through our long-time friends, the Mayhoffers. He was shocked of course, and left me another voicemail saying that he knew and that he still wanted to be on good terms.
I felt relieved and, I'll say it, touched that he still wanted to be a part of my life. I called him back, and we've been on good terms ever since. In fact, he happened to be in Utah a while back and we met up for breakfast at a Denny's near my apartment. It was familiar and strange all at the same time, but I'm glad we had that breakfast. It was also an opportunity for me to meet his new girlfriend, Amy, who has now become his fiancee. They are set to marry June 9th, and my invitation is said to be on its way.
We had a good talk last night. He Facebook stalks me occassionally, so he had some questions about New York for me. He also knew I had interviewed for a second job, so I told him about that. His parents, who were always very involved with us kids, had written me a letter back in February, to which I finally responded in April. They were so happy to hear from me that they called him up and told him about it! I hope I get another letter from them sometime soon.
My mom would rather I not talk to Steve or his family. Her feelings were hurt by them years ago, and might have been part of the reason their marriage dissolved. But in my opinion, their failed marriage isn't any different from the failed marriage of my mom to my actual father. What I mean is, if I can still talk to my father, why can't I still talk to my once stepfather? Both men have been important to me, and I'm glad that I can say both men are incredibly supportive of me to this day.
Thanks for the call, Steve, and I look forward to hearing from you again.
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Mom's Peanut Butter Cookies
For the record, I love peanut butter. Funnily enough, when Brian's ex-boyfriend broke up with him, he said, "We're just so different. I mean, I love peanut butter and you don't." Brian was a little worried at first when he found out how I obsess over peanut butter, but I assured him I would never end our relationship for something so silly as that. Actually, I'm glad he doesn't like it, because it leaves more peanut butter for me!
So I'd like to share the recipe that we made today. It's the same recipe that my mom has used for as long as I can remember. I've always loved her peanut butter cookies and I hope you do too!
Mom's Peanut Butter Cookies
Ingredients
3/4 cup margarine, melted (we use butter a lot, but the recipe says margarine, you decide)
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter (we tried crunchy once, but it was weird)
1 cup sugar
1 egg
2 cups flour
Sprinkle of salt (that was never in the original recipe, but Brian insists that all cookies need a pinch of salt)
Directions
In a bowl, mix together the first three ingredients.
Then beat in the egg and lastly stir in the flour and a pinch of salt.
Shape dough into balls and place onto lightly greased cookie sheet.
Press with fork in criss-cross design (which apparently began as a way to alert people with peanut allergies, now it just looks pretty).
Bake them in a 350 degree oven for 8-10 minutes (we actually do ours for about 7 minutes, but all ovens vary).
If you like to cook, Brian has a really awesome blog of his own, so check it out: http://keslerskitchen.blogspot.com/
Monday, April 26, 2010
My New Haircut
Hey Everyone!! Just had to show off my haircut! My friend Skyla came over last night (along with her boyfriend Tanner) and gave me a much needed trim. If you're thinking this is still too long, just know that my bangs went into my eyes almost touching my nose. I'd be at work, constantly sweeping my bags over to the side and out of my line of vision. So we cut a little more than an inch off, and voila, you can see my face!
Sunday, April 25, 2010
A Letter of Apology
Dearest Readers,
I realize that I have been negligent with my posts as of late. A friend sent me a text yesterday saying, “I could read your blog all day and quench a literary thirst.” The compliment of course bolstered my ego, but it also made me more aware that my once daily posts have fallen into an every-other-day pattern. I believe my last post was four days ago, and I apologize.
I thought about writing something, but I couldn’t think of anything to say. I have the freedom to write about any random little thought that runs through my head, and yet I still feel like there’s nothing to write. Gosh, if only my life weren’t so dull!
Well… I guess I could talk a little more about our future move to New York City. That’s not dull is it? Brian’s super excited about the change, and we’ve already come up with some plans to get our finances in order for such an adventure. We’re both going to get second jobs, within the next months we hope to get a fourth or maybe fifth roommate to lower our monthly rent, and we plan on selling Brian’s car. With a greater income and less expenses, we hope to have all our debts paid off by November and have $6,000 or more saved up by year’s end. The only downside is that we’ll never have any time to do anything else besides work. Ugh, work. See? I just got dull again. All this talk about budgets and jobs isn’t entertaining… it’s boring!
Let me think. Hmm… Oh! I got it! Brian and I were able to get into a special cliff-hanger preview of Toy Story 3! Awesome, huh? The new Pixar movie doesn’t come out until June 18th, and we’ve already seen the first hour and ten minutes! From what we saw, it’s hilariously funny and highly entertaining. Andy’s off to college, and his old toys end up in a daycare center, which turns out… well, I probably shouldn’t say that. Oh, but there’s also… and then… ugh. I don’t want to spoil it for you guys. Besides, the more I think about what I’ve seen, the more distressed I am about how it will end. How does it end?!? I need to know! I have to suffer through two long months before I find out! Trust me, you’re better off for not having seen it. Seriously. Much better off.
Wow. Now I’m just depressed, and once again my blog post has become boring. I’m sorry my life is so uneventful. I really am. Maybe next time I’ll just make something up.
Your blogger,
Joaquin the Chihuahua
I realize that I have been negligent with my posts as of late. A friend sent me a text yesterday saying, “I could read your blog all day and quench a literary thirst.” The compliment of course bolstered my ego, but it also made me more aware that my once daily posts have fallen into an every-other-day pattern. I believe my last post was four days ago, and I apologize.
I thought about writing something, but I couldn’t think of anything to say. I have the freedom to write about any random little thought that runs through my head, and yet I still feel like there’s nothing to write. Gosh, if only my life weren’t so dull!
Well… I guess I could talk a little more about our future move to New York City. That’s not dull is it? Brian’s super excited about the change, and we’ve already come up with some plans to get our finances in order for such an adventure. We’re both going to get second jobs, within the next months we hope to get a fourth or maybe fifth roommate to lower our monthly rent, and we plan on selling Brian’s car. With a greater income and less expenses, we hope to have all our debts paid off by November and have $6,000 or more saved up by year’s end. The only downside is that we’ll never have any time to do anything else besides work. Ugh, work. See? I just got dull again. All this talk about budgets and jobs isn’t entertaining… it’s boring!
Let me think. Hmm… Oh! I got it! Brian and I were able to get into a special cliff-hanger preview of Toy Story 3! Awesome, huh? The new Pixar movie doesn’t come out until June 18th, and we’ve already seen the first hour and ten minutes! From what we saw, it’s hilariously funny and highly entertaining. Andy’s off to college, and his old toys end up in a daycare center, which turns out… well, I probably shouldn’t say that. Oh, but there’s also… and then… ugh. I don’t want to spoil it for you guys. Besides, the more I think about what I’ve seen, the more distressed I am about how it will end. How does it end?!? I need to know! I have to suffer through two long months before I find out! Trust me, you’re better off for not having seen it. Seriously. Much better off.
Wow. Now I’m just depressed, and once again my blog post has become boring. I’m sorry my life is so uneventful. I really am. Maybe next time I’ll just make something up.
Your blogger,
Joaquin the Chihuahua
Friday, April 23, 2010
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
AMDA
The Date: March 15, 2010
The Time: 7:45 AM
The Location: Marriott Hotel, Salt Lake City
Brian sings "Not While I'm Around" from Sweeney Todd--channeling his deep love for me, of course--to an auditor from The American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA). As the last note comes ringing out of him, there is silence before the woman says, "That...was...amazing. You could really feel your connection to the song."
The two make small talk for a while, and bolstered by her praise, he's more than confident for the interview portion to follow. He sits with another woman, and tells her how much he would love to be in New York and how he wants more than anything to be an actor and go to work doing something that he's passionate about. "Well you are going to love AMDA, it's perfect for you," she says reassuringly.
Brian feels very good about the impression he made, and optimistic that he'll get in. Life is all sunshine and rainbows!
The Date: April 19, 2010
The Time: 4:45 PM
The Location: Brian's car, on his way to work
Over a month and still no word from AMDA. He's unhappy with his job and where his life is headed, and is starting to feel like he's not going to be accepted. Just before getting in his car, he swung by the mail room to see if there's a letter. There is none. "It's okay, honey," I say to him on the phone, "We'll check the mail again tomorrow."
He ends the call and focuses on the road again. A million things rush through his mind, none of them good, until he finds himself punching buttons on his phone again, this time calling the school.
"Hello, this is Brian Kesler. I was just wondering if you'd ever gotten my transcript."
"Kesler, you said? Kesler, Kesler, Yes, it looks like we have everything we need from you..."
"Oh."
"...and it looks like a decision has been made. Let me transfer you to someone who'll know more about that."
"Okay. Oh, hey, my name's Brian Kesler and I was wondering if I'd been accepted or not."
"Good news, Mr. Kesler, you have been accepted. Congratulations. Your acceptance packet has been mailed and it should get to you within the next week. It'll talk more about your scholarship, too."
"Scholarship? I got a scholarship?"
As soon as the call ended he was calling me back. Our roommate Mesun had just gotten home so she was sitting right by me when I got the good news. We were both ecstatic. Brian tried to play it cool, like he wasn't secretly jumping for joy like a giddy schoolgirl. However, I happen to know that Brian climbed onto the roof of the movie theater where he works and sang "A Dream is A Wish Your Heart Makes" at the top of his lungs that night. Life really is all sunshine and rainbows...
The Time: 7:45 AM
The Location: Marriott Hotel, Salt Lake City
Brian sings "Not While I'm Around" from Sweeney Todd--channeling his deep love for me, of course--to an auditor from The American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA). As the last note comes ringing out of him, there is silence before the woman says, "That...was...amazing. You could really feel your connection to the song."
The two make small talk for a while, and bolstered by her praise, he's more than confident for the interview portion to follow. He sits with another woman, and tells her how much he would love to be in New York and how he wants more than anything to be an actor and go to work doing something that he's passionate about. "Well you are going to love AMDA, it's perfect for you," she says reassuringly.
Brian feels very good about the impression he made, and optimistic that he'll get in. Life is all sunshine and rainbows!
The Date: April 19, 2010
The Time: 4:45 PM
The Location: Brian's car, on his way to work
Over a month and still no word from AMDA. He's unhappy with his job and where his life is headed, and is starting to feel like he's not going to be accepted. Just before getting in his car, he swung by the mail room to see if there's a letter. There is none. "It's okay, honey," I say to him on the phone, "We'll check the mail again tomorrow."
He ends the call and focuses on the road again. A million things rush through his mind, none of them good, until he finds himself punching buttons on his phone again, this time calling the school.
"Hello, this is Brian Kesler. I was just wondering if you'd ever gotten my transcript."
"Kesler, you said? Kesler, Kesler, Yes, it looks like we have everything we need from you..."
"Oh."
"...and it looks like a decision has been made. Let me transfer you to someone who'll know more about that."
"Okay. Oh, hey, my name's Brian Kesler and I was wondering if I'd been accepted or not."
"Good news, Mr. Kesler, you have been accepted. Congratulations. Your acceptance packet has been mailed and it should get to you within the next week. It'll talk more about your scholarship, too."
"Scholarship? I got a scholarship?"
As soon as the call ended he was calling me back. Our roommate Mesun had just gotten home so she was sitting right by me when I got the good news. We were both ecstatic. Brian tried to play it cool, like he wasn't secretly jumping for joy like a giddy schoolgirl. However, I happen to know that Brian climbed onto the roof of the movie theater where he works and sang "A Dream is A Wish Your Heart Makes" at the top of his lungs that night. Life really is all sunshine and rainbows...
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Monday, April 19, 2010
Raspberry Beer
Growing up LDS I was taught the Word of Wisdom. For those of you unfamiliar, the Word of Wisdom was a revelation given to the prophet Joseph Smith regarding our health. It counsels us to eat healthy foods and whatnot, but the Church is more concerned with the things it specifically bans: alcohol, tobacco, tea, coffee, and drugs (the last three came from later revelations). About alcohol, the revelation reads, "That inasmuch as any man drinketh wine or strong drink among you, behold it is not good, neither meet in the sight of your Father...and again, strong drinks are not for the belly" (Doctrine and Covenants 89:5,7)
Well, to be completely honest, my feelings on the Word of Wisdom as a true revelation from God have changed quite a bit over the years. I don't believe a beer or two will keep someone out of Heaven. Without feeling the pressure of eternal damnation if a drop of alcohol touches my lips, I have felt much more free to try things I've never tried before. But what I was not counting on, was how horribly disgusting alcohol is!
I know many of you are shocked right now! Yet it's so true! I've had a sip of Brian's Heineken, a sip of some white wine at Gay Pride, some ghastly concoction at a Halloween Party and every single time I've had to wash the taste out of my mouth with water. It's disgusting! I hate the way alcohol smells when lifting the glass to my mouth, I hate the feeling of it down my throat, and I absolutely hate the taste! To me, it is akin to cough medicine. As a kid I would have to swallow water immediately after in hopes to get rid of the horrible taste, which never seemed to work. Nine times out of ten I'd throw up and have to drink more horrible medicine.
Last night our friend Tori came over and brought some Wassatch Beers Raspberry Wheat Beer for us all to try. We were all in a good mood and I thought, "What the heck? I'll try some!" Big mistake. As promising as raspberry seemed, it did nothing to hide the fact that it tasted like beer. I drank maybe two sips of my bottle, before getting a glass of water. Watching everyone else enjoying their beverage made me realize that drinking is just one of those things that I will never understand. Like the allure of sporting events or why anybody would wear Crocs, the love of alcohol is just something that I will never comprehend as long as I live.
But I think I understand Joseph Smith a little bit more. When he said, "behold it is not good" or "not for the belly" he wasn't implying that it was evil. He was simply saying, "Hey, alcohol is quite disgusting and will make your tummy hurt. Seriously guys, it's gross."
He and I will enjoy some Kool-Aid now, or maybe even a Coke.
Well, to be completely honest, my feelings on the Word of Wisdom as a true revelation from God have changed quite a bit over the years. I don't believe a beer or two will keep someone out of Heaven. Without feeling the pressure of eternal damnation if a drop of alcohol touches my lips, I have felt much more free to try things I've never tried before. But what I was not counting on, was how horribly disgusting alcohol is!
I know many of you are shocked right now! Yet it's so true! I've had a sip of Brian's Heineken, a sip of some white wine at Gay Pride, some ghastly concoction at a Halloween Party and every single time I've had to wash the taste out of my mouth with water. It's disgusting! I hate the way alcohol smells when lifting the glass to my mouth, I hate the feeling of it down my throat, and I absolutely hate the taste! To me, it is akin to cough medicine. As a kid I would have to swallow water immediately after in hopes to get rid of the horrible taste, which never seemed to work. Nine times out of ten I'd throw up and have to drink more horrible medicine.
Last night our friend Tori came over and brought some Wassatch Beers Raspberry Wheat Beer for us all to try. We were all in a good mood and I thought, "What the heck? I'll try some!" Big mistake. As promising as raspberry seemed, it did nothing to hide the fact that it tasted like beer. I drank maybe two sips of my bottle, before getting a glass of water. Watching everyone else enjoying their beverage made me realize that drinking is just one of those things that I will never understand. Like the allure of sporting events or why anybody would wear Crocs, the love of alcohol is just something that I will never comprehend as long as I live.
But I think I understand Joseph Smith a little bit more. When he said, "behold it is not good" or "not for the belly" he wasn't implying that it was evil. He was simply saying, "Hey, alcohol is quite disgusting and will make your tummy hurt. Seriously guys, it's gross."
He and I will enjoy some Kool-Aid now, or maybe even a Coke.
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Movie Reviews: Kick the Joneses' Ass
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| The Joneses movie poster, image property of Roadside Attractions. Kick-Ass movie poster, image property of Lionsgate. |
Yes, that’s pretty much all we ever do on our days off. Either we spend a day catching up on movies at Brian’s theater, or we go to see Brian’s family. Wow, I’m just realizing how predictable we’ve become. We really aren’t that different from the married couple in Date Night, are we?
The Joneses AVERAGE
Our first movie The Joneses was about a more exciting married couple with their two teenage children. Their life appeared to be far from boring from their neighbors’ point of view. Who wouldn’t envy them? They lived in a beautiful house with the most cutting edge electronics, drove the newest cars available, and spent their days networking with everybody of importance. But what the neighbors don’t know is that they are a unit of salesmen, working for some company to drive sales. In order to “keep up with the Joneses” everyone on their block is buying the same stuff they’ve got. The movie was interesting in its look at the materialism of America, but I feel it could have delved far more into the subject than it did. The movie was pretty shallow for the most part, focusing mostly on the love growing between the two business partners.
Kick-Ass AWESOME!
A much better movie, in my opinion, was Kick-Ass which turned out to be a very dark comedy in a style quite similar to movies by Quentin Tarantino. Think Inglourious Basterds but switch out the Nazis for mobsters, and the band of American vigilantes for a group of superheroes. The story for Kick-Ass, based on a comic, is well-developed giving each character weight and depth. The main character Dave is your typical, geeky teenage boy with a love of comics and a desire to do something more with his life. He wonders why, out of the throngs of comic book readers, no one has tried to become a superhero? So he becomes Kick-Ass and along the way meets Big Daddy and Hit-Girl, a father-daughter duo who’ve dedicated their lives to destroying a powerful mob ring in their city. The movie has hard-core action with plenty of violence and blood, it has heartfelt drama and believability, and it manages to keep you laughing from beginning to end.
Now, on a side note, I find it interesting that some parents get offended by the posters and standees at the theater because of the word “ass” in the title, to go so far as to call corporate headquarters and ask for their removal. While other parents, don’t think there’s anything wrong with taking a 7-year old to an R-rated movie full of grotesque violence, coarse language, and adult themes. What’s up with that? Poor kid in front of me about peed his pants!
Love movies? Check out my Movie Page!
Friday, April 16, 2010
Fortune Cookie
While at work, I caved in to my growling stomach and hit the food court. Normally McDonald's or Taco Time are the two that beckon me, but not this time. It was Panda Express and their new Honey Walnut Shrimp that called my name. "Jack... Jack... Come devour our more-american-than-chinese cuisine!" So I obeyed and came running. I gave them my order, which was translated into Spanish for the other workers, and soon I was in the back room of my store with a styrofoam box of glorious goodness before me!
Wow. So delicious. Completely worth spending the money that could have been used for gasoline or toothpaste or something much more necessary. I still had a few minutes left of my break, so I thumbed through one of my manager's gossip mags. Looking at the movie stars with all their money and fame and success proved only to make me bitter, so I threw the magazine down in disgust. "I don't know how she can read these trashy magazines all day!"
Then I saw it. My fortune cookie. I had almost forgotten about it. My fingers, greasy with soy sauce, fumbled with the wrapper for a while and then clumsily broke into the cookie. I pulled the two halves apart to reveal the fortune within: YOU WILL OVERCOME DIFFICULT TIMES.
Oh, what words of comfort! My chinese ancestors were sending me a message! I must take my father's place and join the army against the Huns, bringing honor to my family and... wait, that's Mulan. I don't have chinese ancestors. Lame, then that means I don't have a dragon or a cricket either... Whatever. I don't need any of those things, because I will overcome these difficult times! I'm not entirely sure how, I'm not entirely sure when, and I'm not entirely sure how legit this Panda Express fortune is... but I'll take it for what it's worth.
Wow. So delicious. Completely worth spending the money that could have been used for gasoline or toothpaste or something much more necessary. I still had a few minutes left of my break, so I thumbed through one of my manager's gossip mags. Looking at the movie stars with all their money and fame and success proved only to make me bitter, so I threw the magazine down in disgust. "I don't know how she can read these trashy magazines all day!"
Then I saw it. My fortune cookie. I had almost forgotten about it. My fingers, greasy with soy sauce, fumbled with the wrapper for a while and then clumsily broke into the cookie. I pulled the two halves apart to reveal the fortune within: YOU WILL OVERCOME DIFFICULT TIMES.
Oh, what words of comfort! My chinese ancestors were sending me a message! I must take my father's place and join the army against the Huns, bringing honor to my family and... wait, that's Mulan. I don't have chinese ancestors. Lame, then that means I don't have a dragon or a cricket either... Whatever. I don't need any of those things, because I will overcome these difficult times! I'm not entirely sure how, I'm not entirely sure when, and I'm not entirely sure how legit this Panda Express fortune is... but I'll take it for what it's worth.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Thank You
Our local law enforcement was kind enough to remind Brian (through several tickets) that he needed to register his car again, so Monday morning we drove down to Orem where his dad took care of it all. We are very lucky that his dad volunteered to do so, because we definitely didn’t have the $500 it cost to run both the safety and the emissions tests, change the oil, replace a tire, and purchase the new tags.
The whole process took about 5 hours, so most of the day was spent waiting at his family’s house where we listened to lecture after lecture about money. “So why don’t you have any money, Brian?” “Are you getting any more hours, Jack?” “Why don’t you donate plasma?” “Have either of you considered getting a new job with better pay?” “How about a second job?” “Since we’re paying for this, can you at least vacuum the living room…and wash the dishes?”
Don’t people realize that this is what we stress over every day? Yes, we’re poor. We worry about money all the time. But we don’t need people making it worse! If we had the answers to all these questions do you think we’d be in this situation?
Sigh. But all their nagging aside, I’m really grateful for Brian’s parents. Not only have they helped us out both with the car just now and when we needed a deposit for this apartment, but they’ve also sent us home with grocery items almost every time we’ve gone to visit. Our pantry is stocked with all kinds of staples, and I’m very appreciative.
My mom and stepdad have also been a great help lately. My mom paid for my new windshield and a hefty move-out bill from our old apartment, and her husband bought and installed a new car battery for me when they came to visit last month.
We are seriously well taken care of! A coworker sent Brian home with a bag of groceries the other night, and a while ago an old friend and her husband showed up unexpectedly with boxes of food. A friend in our building will leave things outside our door all the time including bed sheets, laundry soap, and a head of cabbage.
So I just wanted to say, “Thanks, everyone, for all your love and generosity!”
The whole process took about 5 hours, so most of the day was spent waiting at his family’s house where we listened to lecture after lecture about money. “So why don’t you have any money, Brian?” “Are you getting any more hours, Jack?” “Why don’t you donate plasma?” “Have either of you considered getting a new job with better pay?” “How about a second job?” “Since we’re paying for this, can you at least vacuum the living room…and wash the dishes?”
Don’t people realize that this is what we stress over every day? Yes, we’re poor. We worry about money all the time. But we don’t need people making it worse! If we had the answers to all these questions do you think we’d be in this situation?
Sigh. But all their nagging aside, I’m really grateful for Brian’s parents. Not only have they helped us out both with the car just now and when we needed a deposit for this apartment, but they’ve also sent us home with grocery items almost every time we’ve gone to visit. Our pantry is stocked with all kinds of staples, and I’m very appreciative.
My mom and stepdad have also been a great help lately. My mom paid for my new windshield and a hefty move-out bill from our old apartment, and her husband bought and installed a new car battery for me when they came to visit last month.
We are seriously well taken care of! A coworker sent Brian home with a bag of groceries the other night, and a while ago an old friend and her husband showed up unexpectedly with boxes of food. A friend in our building will leave things outside our door all the time including bed sheets, laundry soap, and a head of cabbage.
So I just wanted to say, “Thanks, everyone, for all your love and generosity!”
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Monday, April 12, 2010
"BYU! BYU! Where the Girls are Girls and the Boys are Too!"
I recently read a quote from the president of Brigham Young University telling all gay students to "leave the University immediately...We do not want others on this campus to be contaminated by your presence."
Good thing I got out of there when I did, huh?
The funny thing is, there are a lot more gay students at BYU than one would think. Some completely suppress it, some dabble on the side, but all put on their best straight face and march on. Brian and I have a friend who's mother always chants, "BYU! BYU! Where the girls are girls and the boys are too!" She has reason to sing this song. While she attended BYU she dated a guy there for all four years, with every hope of eternal marriage, until he broke up with her because he was gay. In fact, he had been dating a man on the side the entire time. Eventually she found a new man, got married, had children, and enjoyed a happy Mormon life up until her divorce. You see, her husband was gay. Not only was he gay, but he had once dated the same guy that her ex-boyfriend had been seeing all those years ago.
While I was attending BYU, I knew of a very pretty girl in her early twenties who was divorced. When people asked her what happened to her marriage, she usually told them that her husband had a porn addiction. The truth was that her husband was into gay porn. Their marriage didn't even last a year. Looking back, she thought her first clue would have been on her wedding night when he suggested that they check out a nearby outlet mall instead of hitting the sheets.
Stories like these make me all the more grateful in the choice I made to come out. A gay man simply should not marry a woman. Period. It only ends badly! And though this may seem obvious, church leaders are constantly counseling gay men to just get married, promising that those feelings will go away. Brian's bishop told him that. Mine did too. My bishop even went so far as to tell me just to "pretend" to be straight in order to continue in the Church, stay enrolled at the University, and to not upset my family. Luckily, I have a fairly supportive family, and enough sense to know that I can't live my life on a pretense.
So BYU, I have left you, but it's so you don't contaminate ME!
Good thing I got out of there when I did, huh?
The funny thing is, there are a lot more gay students at BYU than one would think. Some completely suppress it, some dabble on the side, but all put on their best straight face and march on. Brian and I have a friend who's mother always chants, "BYU! BYU! Where the girls are girls and the boys are too!" She has reason to sing this song. While she attended BYU she dated a guy there for all four years, with every hope of eternal marriage, until he broke up with her because he was gay. In fact, he had been dating a man on the side the entire time. Eventually she found a new man, got married, had children, and enjoyed a happy Mormon life up until her divorce. You see, her husband was gay. Not only was he gay, but he had once dated the same guy that her ex-boyfriend had been seeing all those years ago.
While I was attending BYU, I knew of a very pretty girl in her early twenties who was divorced. When people asked her what happened to her marriage, she usually told them that her husband had a porn addiction. The truth was that her husband was into gay porn. Their marriage didn't even last a year. Looking back, she thought her first clue would have been on her wedding night when he suggested that they check out a nearby outlet mall instead of hitting the sheets.
Stories like these make me all the more grateful in the choice I made to come out. A gay man simply should not marry a woman. Period. It only ends badly! And though this may seem obvious, church leaders are constantly counseling gay men to just get married, promising that those feelings will go away. Brian's bishop told him that. Mine did too. My bishop even went so far as to tell me just to "pretend" to be straight in order to continue in the Church, stay enrolled at the University, and to not upset my family. Luckily, I have a fairly supportive family, and enough sense to know that I can't live my life on a pretense.
So BYU, I have left you, but it's so you don't contaminate ME!
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Movie Review: 'Date Night'
Yesterday turned out to be a very stressful and depressing day for Brian. My poor Brian. Things have just been rough in general lately. He got a speeding ticket for going too fast out of Park City a week or so back (and almost another ticket the next night for driving too slow during a snow storm, luckily his crying got him a warning only), and just a day or so ago he went out to his car to find a ticket on his windshield because his plates have expired. The tickets and fines only add to our ongoing money crisis, and we've had to pick and choose which bills get paid and which do not. Throw in a growing hate for the jobs we have, and a burning desire to do something else with our lives, and you have a recipe for complete dissatisfaction.
So imagine you're Brian, and all that has been going on, and you come home from work to see yet another ticket on your parked car because of the plates, you find that Park City doesn't allow for online payments (meaning an hour drive to their courthouse), and people have left scathing comments on your movie reviews and doubting your abilities as a writer. Pretty sucky day, huh?
He needed ice cream. He needed to laugh. So we hopped into my car and went down to his theater where we got some ice cream and watched Date Night.
Date Night AWESOME!
The movie stars Steve Carell and Tina Fey as a married couple stuck in a rut. You can see that they are each going through the motions of life, not really getting enjoyment out of anything they do. Their jobs are boring, and their dates have become boring. Until one night, Steve Carell's character decides to shake things up.
As I'm sure everyone knows, they pretend to be some other couple just to get their table, and it becomes a case of mistaken identity as hitmen come to kill them unless they hand over a flash drive that of course neither of them have. A night of car chases, law-breaking, and general ruckus ensues...all to great comic effect. Of course it's unlikely that something like this would ever happen to anyone, but that's why we are here to watch. We want a story! We want entertainment! And we want to laugh!! This movie, was refreshingly funny, and I must give most of the credit to the two stars. Carell and Fey have really mastered the art of comedy with perfect timing, great improvisation, and charm.
Brian and I were laughing the whole time, from start to finish, and I think our little date night did the trick. We came home feeling less stressed about everything and in high spirits. Just like the characters in the movie, I'm confident that we will survive all this mess we are muddling through currently, and we will come out of it as better, stronger people with a strengthened love for each other.
Love movies? Check out my Movie Page!
So imagine you're Brian, and all that has been going on, and you come home from work to see yet another ticket on your parked car because of the plates, you find that Park City doesn't allow for online payments (meaning an hour drive to their courthouse), and people have left scathing comments on your movie reviews and doubting your abilities as a writer. Pretty sucky day, huh?
He needed ice cream. He needed to laugh. So we hopped into my car and went down to his theater where we got some ice cream and watched Date Night.
 |
| Date Night movie poster, image property of 20th Century Fox. |
The movie stars Steve Carell and Tina Fey as a married couple stuck in a rut. You can see that they are each going through the motions of life, not really getting enjoyment out of anything they do. Their jobs are boring, and their dates have become boring. Until one night, Steve Carell's character decides to shake things up.
As I'm sure everyone knows, they pretend to be some other couple just to get their table, and it becomes a case of mistaken identity as hitmen come to kill them unless they hand over a flash drive that of course neither of them have. A night of car chases, law-breaking, and general ruckus ensues...all to great comic effect. Of course it's unlikely that something like this would ever happen to anyone, but that's why we are here to watch. We want a story! We want entertainment! And we want to laugh!! This movie, was refreshingly funny, and I must give most of the credit to the two stars. Carell and Fey have really mastered the art of comedy with perfect timing, great improvisation, and charm.
Brian and I were laughing the whole time, from start to finish, and I think our little date night did the trick. We came home feeling less stressed about everything and in high spirits. Just like the characters in the movie, I'm confident that we will survive all this mess we are muddling through currently, and we will come out of it as better, stronger people with a strengthened love for each other.
Love movies? Check out my Movie Page!
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Renee
When I returned home from Chile in the fall of 2007, it was still the same living situation. Eventually my dad married his third wife and my mom divorced her second husband, and it came to be that my mom moved off to Washington to start anew bringing both Daniel and Renee with her. Living with my dad hadn't been the solution for Renee before. Her grades were still awful, she fought with him constantly, so Washington was going to be another clean slate.
Or so we thought. My mom and sister butted heads more than they ever had in their whole lives. I heard fragmented bits of stories about punching, and pushing, and yelling... praying the whole time that things would get better for my little sis. Hoping that she'd grow out of this and take control of her own life. But when my mom met her third husband and moved to Idaho with him, Renee and Daniel got sent back to Colorado with my dad again.
For a good while it seemed like everyone was happy. Renee was performing well in school, she wasn't so moody, she had a boyfriend, we were all happy for her. But soon I caught wind of silly teenage rebellion stuff... dabbling in a little bit of this, a little bit of that. Soon she was failing again. Acting out.
Just last night I logged in to Facebook to read my mom's status, "So excited for Renee to move to Idaho tomorrow." What? I texted my mother immediately, and got a call back where she explained that a few days ago Renee had called her crying and saying that she hated life in Coloardo, she couldn't go to her school anymore because the kids were so mean to her, and that she just needed to move away. My parents decided she could stick out the school year and then move, up until Renee told my mom "the real reason" she needed to move, and a plane ticket was bought immediately. My sister flies into Idaho today.
I have no idea what the real reason is. My mom wouldn't tell me, and apparently she's the only one who knows. My dad doesn't even know why Renee has to leave. I texted my sister after talking with my mom and said, "I read on Facebook that you're moving. Want to talk about it?" to which she replied "Not really."
My sister's only 16 years old and I worry about her constantly. But what hurts me the most, is that she doesn't talk to me anymore. We used to be so close. I used to feel like I had a connection with Renee that the others in the family didn't have. We used to share secrets. Not anymore. Today there's a secret being kept, and it's being kept from me.
Friday, April 9, 2010
Gray Shoes
Just so you know, I want these shoes.
I've become very limited in the color pallette I wear. A couple summers ago I found myself in only neutral colors like brown, gray, or black. Everything I bought was one of those colors. Oh, and blue. Let's not forget blue. So blue, brown, gray, black, or white I guess. Pretty limited. I liked the way the clothes looked in my closet though. Almost anything could be paired together.
After a while I grew tired of brown, which is unfortunate because I have a lot of brown shirts, a favorite brown hoodie, and even a pair of brown Converse All Stars. I don't wear them hardly ever anymore. Don't really like brown. It just seemed "in" at the time.
So now I'm just left to the blue, black, gray, and white. Work hasn't helped much. I'm only allowed to wear black or white. In fact, today I looked like I was dressed for a funeral. Black shoes, socks, pants, shirt, and sweater. Either a funeral or some sort of gothic convention. It doesn't really matter though, since both would be depressing and so is work.
So here I am, surfing the web mindlessly looking at clothes. I haven't bought clothes in a really long time, since money has been so tight for us lately. I hate being poor. I did splurge around November or so on some new winter coats. I guess I didn't really splurge. Old Navy was doing 50% off all outerwear. I bet you can guess what colors the coats were. Yes, they were both gray.
So please, somebody out there in Cyberland, buy me those shoes. They have crazy stretchy laces and far more grommets than shoes really nead. And they're gray. Did I mention they're gray? I like to wear gray.
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