"Agh. I forgot."

This is I think the most common phrase I utter. And you wanna know what's really sad?? It's completely true. I have zero memory. Ever. I forget EVERYTHING.

"Hey did you bring *insert any given item here* like I asked you??" as spoken by friends, family, coworkers, etc.

'Oh dang it!! I forgot!'

"Did you go through your finances like I wanted you to?" usually said by Mom

'Aaagh, sorry. I totally spaced it."

"Were you able to do that for me?"

'Oh, no, sorry. I totally ran out of time/forgot.'

And the list goes on and on....

Though I stalk her blog and am so excited for her new baby, still consistently forget to call Brooke to say congrats.

I also forget to call back almost everyone that calls me in a timely fashion. This includes some of my voice students. Not good policy.

I always forget to write missionaries. This is one of the ones that frustrates me the most. Almost all of my guy friends that went on missions I didn't write at all, maybe one letter. I think I wrote one of my best guy friends 8 or 9 times and I thought I was awesome.
One of my best friends, Liz, just got home from her mission....I wrote her maybe 6 or 7 times....half of those being in the last month and a half she was out....better late than never, right??? The other sad thing is she got home from her mission almost 2 weeks ago and I didn't know....why?? Because I always forgot to read the letters her mom would forward me because I would forget to check my yahoo account I rarely get into. I've been wanting to call her since she's been back. Honestly I've been burning both ends of the candle...but I also keep forgetting to find out her number....I'm an awful friend.
My little brother has been out on his mission since July....and I have written him ONCE. Make that twice...but I never sent the second one because it wouldn't make it to him before he left the MTC.....I stink.

Do you see how this is a problem??? I'm ruining relationships and probably people's lives!!! No wonder I've never been given a calling that would have me be responsible for people throughout the week or why my family gets weary asking me to do anything. Maybe that's why I'm perpetually single too:)

Other things I've forgotten, recently or not:

Send jewelry back with Chad after Laura's wedding for Jocey and Lucy.
Bring black fabric for Melanie.
Bring a dress to wear to church when I was home (thank you April for the use of your closet)
Nail polish remover for Laura's girl party.
Mail package for Sarah (that was actually a combo of not having time and forgetting going back and forth)
In general I forget directions to places. Ask my friend Amanda. I think I called her every single time I was going to her house except once.

I forgot to 1) Call Dale on his birthday. I actually called but just because I wanted to say hi...so mostly I forgot it was his birthday. 2)Forgot to mail him his birthday card 3) forgot to bring the birthday card with me when I went to Utah 4) Still haven't mailed the card...why??? Because I keep forgetting. He, however, remembered that I forgot to get stephen's hot cocoa when I was in Utah and mailed it to me....because he is a good friend...and I stink.

There are a million other things I have recently and not so recently forgotten...but I can't remember them right now.

People not mentioned before I keep forgetting to call:
Kara
Michelle
Jenny
Amanda
Taryn
Angie
Amy
Danelle
Alexis
Jennica
Erin
Cheri
Marc
David
Dave
Dr. Coles (multiple years of forgetting)
Ms. Rappe (also multiple years of forgetting)
Grandma Bushman
Grandpa and Grandma Lunt
various aunts and uncles
cousins (especially Ashley and Becca whom have physically called me and I didn't return phone calls).....

and many many more, just to name a few. Don't be offended if you're not on this list...it could just go forever.

There are hundreds of cards I probably should have mailed, hundreds of texts I should have sent and hundreds of notes I should have written....but I keep forgetting.

So don't take it personally anyone if I don't call you, write you, fulfill responsibilities towards you etc.

I truly and honestly never mean to not do something....
I just.....
forget......

Sooooo....about that concert

A lot of you probably know....but the concert got postponed:(

I was JUST walking onto the airplane when I got a call from Dale asking if I had talked to Catherine in the last few minutes....which I hadn't. The conversation went about like this....

Dale" ummmm.....I just went on smith ticks to see about getting a ticket.....and it said your concert is postponed till February 19th....

Me "......what?!?"
Dale "yeah"
Me "Are you serious?"
Dale "yes"
Me "Are you joking? You're joking. Are you serious? You're joking. That's really not a funny joke if you're joking"
Dale "No I'm not joking I'm totally serious! They posted it just a little while ago. I haven't gotten a hold of Cat yet so I don't know if she knows...."
Me".........uhhhhh......"
Dale "Yeah"
Me ".......welp.......guess I'm takin a weekend trip to Utah then!"

And basically that was it. Not sure if I will be able to make it back out to see billy joel and elton john which makes me sad. Doubt I can raise those funds. I'm going to make a tip jar to put in front of my clients to let them know if they tip me they are sending me to see the concert. I think it's a noble cause. Maybe McDonald's will back me up too:)

Either way I was happy to go to Utah. I was able to see a lot of friends and see Laura and Jay. She and I were goofy so I bet it made Jay even more excited to be stuck with our family FOREVER hehe.

I stayed with my old roommate Michelle whom I actually didn't get to hang out with that much which was sad. I was all over the place. I owe you Shellroni!! My other roommate Kara was at home in Washington which was sad too. She's great! Love both of them!

I still don't have a digital camera so again this will be a boring post, but here is a rundown of what went down:

Friday:
Went to campus, bought some stuff at the bookstore, had lunch with Laura and Jay, ran into a couple peeps hadn't seen in a while, ran into an ex-boyfriend whom is still a girl, went to singers rehearsal (choir I was in for a while) which was awesome, saw my friend PJ who always makes me happy, picked Cat up from airport, went to dinner at pirate island (I got a hat) went to icecream because I'm a heffer and talked with friends for the rest of the night....
**deep breath**
Saturday: Went with dale to see dave's soccer game which they won, visited brady, taryn and new baby Olivia whom I hadn't seen yet, went to BYU football game GO COUGS!!! Went to Red Robin where Dale spit strawberry lemonade at my new white shirt which I might have deserved because I spit ice at him because I'm immature, visited Taryn and Brady again so I could give Taryn a haircut which made me happy went back and talked with friends for a long time.....so when SUNDAY rolled around I was dog tired at church but I loved seeing my old ward.......
and then I went home.

It was a really short trip which was sad, but really good to see everyone. I'm sad I didn't get to see Amanda or Alexis and I'm sure some others but hopefully I can see you guys when I'm out for Laura's reception in January.

Well that's the update!!! I'll try to do something about pictures so these posts aren't so boring. If anyone feels like putting together a fund for billy joel and elton john concert....let me know :)

I'M ALIVE!!!

Hello, all!!

So my friend Erin reminded me that many of you I haven't talked to in a while....like 5 months.....sorry!!! I'm alive! And I love and miss you all!!

Here's a briefer of what's going on:

I live in the northwest suburbs of Chicago in Schaumburg. It's really really flat out here.....all sense of direction I ever had has hit the fan. Oh well!!! I think I'm better than I was when I was in high school at least. I live with my sister, Sarah and her family. They're really good sports to have me around. I'm busy with school and work and being crazy so I'm sure it's stressful. I think her kids resented me at first but hopefully it's getting better haha.

I just finished my 3rd month of cosmetology school...only 7 more to go!!! I really hope they go by fast. I haven't particularly enjoyed it but I've done really well...so at least I don't stink at it! I'm also teaching about 12 private voice students which takes up quite a bit of time. Most of them are through a music academy in the area. It's nice because they find the students for me, but not as nice because I make about half as much as I would if I found the students on my own. I have a week off from school this week though so hopefully I can do some networking and get more in my private studio.

My church branch out here is.....well....small. There are on average about 15-18 active young single adults, sometimes more sometimes less. It's definitely a learning experience. Lot's of opportunity to serve!! The branch members are really good kids and are really strong which is great.

Chicago is awesome. I would love to actually live in the city someday. I've only visited a few times but I really enjoy it. I like just walking around and looking at stuff and it's perfect for that! I've met some other people from the Chicago wards that I've hung out with a couple times in the city which has been fun. They know their way around which is pretty nice.

Sooooo...I really miss Utah....whoever thought I would say that?!:) My heart hurts for the mountains and being outside and all my friends...but I'm coming to visit in a few weeks to see the BILLY JOEL AND ELTON JOHN concert!!!! Yay for radio stations:) So I'll get to see a lot of you out there which will make me so dang happy.

Well that's the briefer. I'll get some pictures up here soon and some more specific stories....but for now just want to let you all know I'm here and I love and miss you all wherever you are!

Change in plans

So I'm no longer moving at the end of August...I'm moving at the beginning....gulp...

I'm leaving August 7th to drive out to the good 'ol mid-west. For those of you in UT, we'll probably be doing a going-away par-tay the 31st of July....so pencil me in because I want to see everyone! I'm already getting pretty sad:(

Also if anyone is looking for some good finds I'm doing a big moving sale this saturday, the 18th, on my front lawn (68 N 700 E). I've got tons of appliances, matching dishes, bookshelves, art pieces, all kinds of good stuff that I can't fit in my little car...so come on out and look through everything!

So I'm dating someone....I think.....

I'm pretty sure I have a boyfriend.....

I don't know his name......

age......

or really anything else about him.....

But I'm pretty sure we're dating......we just HAVE to be......it's a FOR CUTE story....
I'll tell you ALL about it.....

It all started when I was flying back from Seattle this past weekend....
I was feeling pretty jazzed about the fact that even though I was "B" boarding group (all you southwest flyers will feel me on that one) I was able to get an exit row seat. That means leg room galore.

Then I met him....well I guess we didn't really meet....but I can tell he wants to date me.

How, you ask???

Well it started like this....

First he was REALLY THOUGHTFUL and wanted to share the arm rest, but then I think wanted to sit even closer so he just put his arm completely over it so it hovered above my leg.....so precious.

THEN he leaned over to the left, past his seat and over into mine, so that way his shoulder was in front of mine and I had to lean back really far into my seat or lean all the way forward...but I know he was just trying to put on the moves.

THEN he had his leg go UNDERNEATH the arm rest so that way it was on my seat.....I know he was just trying to be close.

THEN he had his elbow WAY over into my seat while he was reading his magazine. He must have been trying to smell my sweet perfume because he kept his magazine really far to the side so every time he turned a page I had to lean back to miss his elbow....so romantic.

THEN when the lady handed us our thin crisp crackers he took mine, and then looked at me to see if I actually wanted it....turns out I did, so he gave it to me.....such a gentleman.

He was so smitten with me that he managed to be touching me the entire 1 hour and 40 minute plane ride. Can a girl get so lucky???


I REALLY knew it was love though, when he ATE MY COMPLIMENTARY PEANUTS when I was turned around......

See????

we MUST be dating!!!

We're even sharing FOOD!!!!!!!!

It's just SOOOOOOOOOOO magical.

True we never actually talked, and he is probably in his mid 40s, but I just know we're meant to be together....I KNOW it......

otherwise how could one explain such forward, romantic behavior????




...........



Now to reality.

I. almost. killed. him.

my thought processes were these:

'well, he is Indian by heritage...maybe in India they all stand really, REALLY close so he doesn't have any space boundaries??? Or maybe they have the type of culture that puts men really far above women so he's just acting normally and doesn't realize it's rude??'......

he talks to the flight attendant....definitely from America.

'well, well, well maybe there is something really wrong with his arm so her has to keep it really bent and sticking out all weird in people's faces?'

......then begins his yawning, stretching and brief arm folding phase.....yeah....the arm is fine

'hmmmmm....well MAYBE I'm on the VH1 show called boiling point where someone is set up by their friends and a REALLY annoying person does something for a certain amount of time and if you don't DESTROY them then you win $100 dollars!......'

..........

nope...no $100 dollars

'ok. that's it. I'll just fidget really bad so he's just shaking right along with me and maybe he'll go back to his space'....

....he held strong, EVEN when I was pumping my leg so hard I was practically sweating....

'dirty looks??'

....nope. Doesn't even phase him....

'stealing the arm rest when he leans forward?'

.....nope he just puts his on the empty space and gradually moves back until I' m forced to retreat again....


'rolling and flicking a booger on him?'

...yes I was getting desperate....no I didn't actually do it.....

'well maybe I'll just lean forward on my tray and try to take a nap'

....I put my head on my arms and I open my eyes and low and behold....there's my boyfriends hand. RIGHT. THERE. about 2 inches from my chest.....but that was probably my fault....I shouldn't have leaned forward if he's planning on being halfway in my seat.....


So BASICALLY I was going crazy. I don't know if I've ever been so annoyed with someone I've never actually talked too.....that's about it.

Also he took his SWEET time getting off the plane.....AWESOME.

Moving Date

Sorry I didn't post a date! I'll be moving middle to end of August...somewhere in there. So I'll still be in Utah for a few more months.

Oh yeah....I'm moving

So I briefly mentioned it in my last post....but this may be news for some......

I'm moving. Yay.
Though very sad. I have so many good friends in UT and turns out I'm not as good at making new ones as I used to be. I'm sure it will be fine though.

I'll be living with my oldest sister, Sarah, and her babies....I love babies!!!

Also I may go to cosmetology school if I can swallow my pride. It's something I've always liked and been good at, and I can make more money doing that as a side job then being a receptionist. Shocking. The issue is hair school girls didn't portray the finest of the Provo social scene while I was here....but I have very normal, attractive, and functional cousins who did it so I'm hoping I'll meet their equivalent if I go....because if it's me and the 18 yr olds I may struggle....being an old maid and all:)

Anyway I want to see everyone in Utah before I go! So freshman year ladies, we better have a party...or just eat some dessert somewhere...I'm good for whatever! :)

Split ends and recreation

So I don't know if it's a bad diet or just dry Utah....but my hair gets gnarly split ends.


GNARLY.

It actually drives me crazy. Especially because I really didn't get them before.

But not only that, it tends to manifest my O.C.D. tendancies....

How you ask? Let me tell you about my in between patients recreation at work.....

It involves













and my hair......for HOURS......


That's right. I go through the ends of my hair and one by one I snip off the split ends....
the only problem is they're growing faster then I can cut them...it's like trying to garden weeds.

I've decided I can't take it anymore. So I'm getting my hair cut next week....and probably going to cut at least 3 inches off to try to make it better....the second saddest part about that (the first being the fact that I love my long hair and don't want it to get any shorter) is that it may not get all the split ends.....I've got problems.


On the bright side, I'm moving to Chicago in August....and I think the humidity might do wonders for my split ends....just not for any other part of me!

Old guys love me....

So two days ago I had an older gentleman call my office to set up an appointment for a root canal. He was super nice and in a lot of pain and so was just really hoping to get in soon.
Well, as some of you may know, I have an awesome phone voice, which I utilized in this phone call, as i do in every phone call. Also I was nice to the guy (which I always am), but especially because he was such a sweet heart.

Anyway, long story short, someone canceled for an appointment the next day, so I told him I would just squeeze him into our schedule....well he thought I was WONDERFUL. Went on and on about how nice and accommodating I was. Really so cute.

WELL, he came into the office for his appointment yesterday...and he came up to the desk and asked if I was Deanna, to which I responded in the affirmative....

And he gave me a rose!!!!

HAHAHA it was amazing. I was a little shocked and started laughing and I told him no patient has ever given me flowers before. And he just went on and on about how grateful he was that I was so nice to him on the phone and for getting him in so soon. I heard him telling my boss during his root canal how great I was too.

I'm thinking this guy must be a great husband.

Also this makes the second elderly gentleman who thought I was pretty awesome at my work :)

Festival of Colors

So I may not have a digital camera...but other people do!!! Here are a bunch of pictures that I took from the color festival thrown at the Holi Christna temple (no idea if I spelled that right and I'm too lazy to google it). Basically thousands of people are at the temple and they burn an effigy (sp?) and then people throw colored chalk....EVERYWHERE...it was pretty fun, but I got a couple hand fulls of chalk to the mouth which didn't taste awesome. My boogers ( I know, ewe) were purple for like a week.....enjoy!! :)

I went with my buddy Dale, if you're wondering who the guy is. We're the only hard core friends that wanted to be pelted with colored chalk. We went and bought goggles before hand to protect our eyes because we're brilliant. That top one is the before shot...the after shots follow....

Pay it forward....

I'm sorry I still haven't gotten the gifts to my Pay it Forward winners!!! So soon, I promise!!!

Posting

So I think I feel like if I don't have pictures I can't post anything...however I don't have a digital camera...so if I only post when I have pictures...I'll never post anything!!

So here is some updates....

First and foremost....I won MORE concert tickets!!!!!!!!
This time to ELTON JOHN and BILLY JOEL......seriously I'm so dang excited. Catherine (my college roommate for the last 6 years) is a brilliant singer/songwriter and almost a year ago we talked about how amazing it would be to go to this concert and see some of the best at work. Well the cheesy light-rock station I listen to at work was giving them away, so I had to write a fabulously cheesy email about how they're our musical idols blah blah blah but we're too poor to afford tickets blah blah blah (which is totally true...the cheap tickets are still almost $100)...anyway, after 4 emails they called me on my work phone and told me I won!!! And they commented that I had a very lovely phone voice....you BET I do.....

So basically..... I. LOVE. RADIO STATIONS.


In other news....not tons has happened.
Voice lessons are starting to look up...I got destroyed by the end of my college career...probably singing a lot of opera that was too big for me and having teachers that didn't believe me when I said my voice hurt....not all of them...just the ones in the beginning.

ANYWAY

I'm now working with a teacher who is amazing and has a lot of unconventional teaching techniques....which is EXACTLY what I needed. It's been about 6 months and things are finally starting to improve. She has sung everywhere, including the MET and several other amazing houses and still has an active performing career...it's nice to know you're working with someone who not only teaches it but has done it.

ALSO....
I think I would rather be a broadway singer then an opera singer...which probably doesn't come as a huge shock to some. I've got to dust off the old, and I mean OLD, dancing shoes though...apparently you have to be good at that in musical theater :)

Welp...that's about it!!! I'll try to be better about posting...thanks for the encouragement, Erin:)

Pay It Forward

The first 3 people to leave a comment on this post will receive a hand made gift from me during this year.

When and what it will be is a surprise.

There's a small catch...You knew there would be didn't you? Post this on your blog then come back and leave a comment, telling me you're in.

Fun, huh? Remember, only the first 3 comments receive the gift. Let's see who looks at my blog!

I may not have your home address, so please tell me your e-mail so I can GET your home address! :)

This should be fun!

Sweet Pork Heaven

All right, folks.
So I love Costa Vida's sweet pork, but I hate paying obscene amounts of money for it. So yesterday I decided I would look up knock off recipes on line and try a few out.... SUCCESS!! And the best part is the easier recipe tasted the awesomest. woot WOOT!



So if any of you are looking to try one out, here is what you need:

3-4 lbs pork shoulder butt
1 Cup Favorite salsa (I'm a wimp so I got the extra mild, but you can go as high as medium; I would recommend blending it so it isn't super chunky; I used pace which worked really well with taste)
1 1/2-2 Cups brown sugar (I went closer to two)

Put everything in the crock pot and slow cook it for all day (I didn't have as much time so I cooked it on high for probably 3 hours and then put it on low for another two)

Shred it and enjoy!
I used their nacho idea and used a foil pie pan. I put in white corn tortilla chips, put black beans on (heated up), put the pork on that then a cheese blend. Put it in the oven on broil for a minute until the cheese is melting. Then I put sour cream and home-made guacamole on top. You can also make a pico de gallo for it, but I'm not a huge tomato fan.

Anyway, there it is...and it is TASTY!

I'm going to figure out the dressing and the rice for the salad next...I'll keep you "posted"....
Get it? Posted?? Like blog posting??? HAHAHAHA :)

N.K.O.T.B.

Thought I would show the two pictures I have from the concert...basically they just show the excitement in our souls....That's mine and Laura's buddy Dale...our masculine support for the evening.

A POST!

I know...I know...you're all so pumped that I posted something!! :)
Sorry I'm not a very good blogger. I'm hoping to secure a digital camera so I feel like posting because lets face it...posting with out pictures is BORING...well...most of the time.

N
E
WAY...

So this is more me thinking out loud, and I have no idea how to go about bringing it up, so I'll just bring it up.

I want to start a charity called Foot Rubs and Hugs. I got the idea when I was watching a french film the other night called the butterfly and the diving bell or something like that (again...in french...also it was edited...I suspect the un-edited version is not appropriate for ANY age group).
There is a man who is completely paralyzed from a stroke, and in one scene it shows them rubbing his hands and feet so the joints don't calcify. Laura just got back from Ecuador and she said they had to do that for some of the disabled children they looked after as well. So basically, it comes down to that I want to organize a group of people that if called can go and give foot rubs or hand rubs or just talk to people who are sick or elderly or whatever. Not sure how I'm going to make it all happen...but thought it was a good idea...

Anybody else have suggestions to go along with that or a way to make it happen??