An Analogy...

This week Roo is in California helping his brother move. He is 684.19 miles away.

This picture symbolizes how I feel when Roo is here with me:

And this picture symbolizes how I feel when Roo is 684.19 miles away:

Chase Face...

A while ago we had a conversation that went about like this:
Roo: Maybe we could get another dog.
Annie: No! No, absolutely not! Not in a million billion years. If I get any more wretched dog hair in this house my head will explode! It’s already too crowd
ed in here! It’s impossible. Totally impossible. No! (she throws a nearby plate on the ground to emphasize her point and bolster her argument.)
Roo: (nods) Yeah. So…I guess there is this little corgi dog who was abused and they left him outside for long periods of time and his little ears don’t stand
up because he was abused. I guess he’s really cute and desperate and lonely. And I heard the people who have him now can’t keep him and they might have to send him to the animal shelter where he’ll probably die because no one will want a corgi with allergies and floppy ears.
Annie: (in between sobbing) We’ll take him! Please just let us take him! I don’t care about floppy ears! I love floppy ears…(it went on like this for some time.)
Roo: Good. Cause I told them we would tonight.
So we ended up with Chase—the floppy eared corgi with food allergies and a tiny head. Though our little apartment is more like a zoo than anything else, we love all of our pets!
While Lando can be characterized as stubborn, mischievous,
and demanding, Chase is submissive, sweet, and obedient.
And if you were wondering—No, Chase is not a Star Wars character. His evil original abusive owners named him that. But he is not a puppy anymore, so we didn’t want to upset his unstable world any more by changing his name on him. We’ve just had to come up with a few creative nicknames such as:

CHASE WINDU

(Coined by Jordan)

CHASE OF BASE

and my personal favorite:

CHASE VENTURA: PET

(For those of you who have your concerns, let me reassure you by saying: we plan on having the next addition to our family be of the human variety.)

I Know Truth When I See It...

I first saw this gem on Lizzie's blog and I've rarely laughed harder. And I cannot figure out why...

Picture Tag...

Picture 25

This is the 25th picture in my 25th picture folder. (I was supposed to start with 2nd's but that one was boring...) These are my siblings and cousins on our wedding day...waiting around while we got our pictures taken.

Picture 6

This is the 6th picture in the 6th folder. It is me and Roo with a pregnant man in front of Mann's Chinese Theater in Hollywood. 2003.

Picture 8

This is the 8th picture in the 8th folder. When we lived in the desert in California, we would go on day trips. On this day we drove around the mountain and out of the desert to get here--the Walk of Giants. It was beautiful!

Picture 10

This is the 10th pic of the 10th folder. Here we are in Florence where we got engaged about an hour after this was taken. When I see this picture I think, "I wish I could go back to that day and not feel like a scared little girl...and fix my hair."

Shall I Tell You of Our Rockin' Weekend?

Friday: Believe it or not, Roo and I are cool enough to be in a garage band. We had our first official practice in Ryan’s basement…so I guess technically we are a basement

band. So far we are doing covers of popular songs we like—from Weezer to The Cure to Tom Petty. We have an amazing drummer, two awesome guitarists/singers, and a smokin’ hot bass player. Meanwhile, I play a few notes on the keyboard to maintain my place in the band. We hope to get gigs wherever we can. So if you or anyone you know is looking for a totally sweet live band, you know where I blog…

Saturday: On Friday, we were introduced to a small culinary gem—a little diner called the Left Fork Grill. Our lunch schnitzel was so good on Friday, we went back for more lunch schnitzel on Saturday. While enjoying our yummy, fresh, homemade food, we conversed:
Roo: Who do you think would win—Courtney Love or Gollum?
(this is a game we like to play, pitting comparable people against one another to determine who would win in an all out fight, and who is overall superior. It re

quires much deep thought.)
Annie: hmmmm….
Roo: Let’s ask Jordan. (my brother, an expert at this type of analysis)
Jordan (via text): Love definitely has the advantage of intimidating looks. I think if she uses some of her lyrics from Hole Songs, she is almost unstoppable.

After having recognized the awful power of Courtney Love at the Left Fork Grill, we began a search for the most festive Christmas sweaters we could find. Our plan is to take a family portrait of my entire family with us all wearing the most unbearably gaudy Christmas sweaters possible. I found mine at Ross for $14. It is turquoise with embroidered Santas and lots of sparkles and pom-poms. I knew it had to be mine. DI was a gold mine—there we bought six or seven equally awesome, thick-knit, sparkling sweaters for the rest of the family. Roo spotted his special item across the store—he had to pull it off the display. It is a light denim collared shirt with a giant Christmas tree and Santa appliqué across the chest. Santa’s hat even has a bell sewn on it—this was its biggest selling point for us. The more jingly, as far a Christmas apparel goes, the better. Roo plans to wear the shirt tucked in.
The girl at the check out stand tried to ignore my incessant giggling during the transaction.

That night, my whole family came over to watch the BYU game. We surprised them all with the Christmas sweaters and the Christmas spirit was not to be suppressed the rest of the night…until the game started and BYU totally stunk. No amount of crocheted reindeer could stave off the blunt agony of that game.

“Well,” we all said, “at least we have a concert to go to after this!”
Thankfully, we had Coldplay at the Energy Solutions Arena to rock away our troubles. The whole family—mom, dad, three brothers and their three wives, a wife’s brother, Roo, and me all caravanned over to hear our favorite, long awaited concert event of the year.

In 2003 I saw them at Saltair (which is totally haunted, but I was on the second row so the awesomeness of that outweighed the creepiness of the venue). Then I converted the rest of the family and we all saw them in Vegas is 2006. I am grateful for the tradition we started because this time was completely amazing, fantastic, phenomenal!



And with that the weekend came full circle—it started out rockin’ in the basement and it ended rockin’ in the arena…as all weekends were meant to end.

In Conclusion...

We had an interesting final night in Las Vegas. The first half was spent at In N' Out, where we took one of our fellow students (Sam who is from New Zealand) and over hamburgers, answered about an hour's worth of his questions about Mormons (who are not, in fact, the same as the Amish. Sorry to disappoint, Sam.) From there, we traded Sam for Noel who, by 10 pm, had already had plenty to drink...and we all went up the Strip and back in time 30 years to the Riviera hotel, where the cocktail waitresses qualify for senior discounts and most of the late night patrons were there when the Rat Pack was. There we saw "The Fab Four", a Beatles cover band. Though really quite good, the band was playing to an audience of about 30 people, most of whom were over 60. Needless to say, when Paul told everyone to "twist and shout", he put a lot of hips in danger of dislocating. Roo and I cheered loudly to compensate for the small audience, meanwhile, Noel simply stared at the stage while nursing the second drink he'd had within the hour.

It was the quintessential Las Vegas evening. And as we were leaving the "concert", Noel made a comment which I would say sums up our entire week's experience in Las Vegas: he slurred, "That was pretty much badass."

Indeed it was Noel, indeed it was.

Spy Training...

Today Alisa went rock climbing and I obtained her ID badge so I could sneak into the exhibition hall to use the free internet. I feel extremely dishonest, but wildly exhilarated. Since I want to become a spy anyway, Roo says that this will be a great point for my spy resume--the time I used a fake badge to sneak into the SEG Convention. 

It was either that or attend lectures with titles like: 

Improvements in reservoir modeling of compressional structures.
or
Three-dimensional electromagnetic holographic imaging in offshore petroleum exploration.

Can you blame me for my deceit?

I had better stop writing now, I think the Spaniard across from me suspects something...

Casino Fun

Every day after the convention, we have to make the long trek through the endless stream of human debris back to the Excalibur, which is not unlike Frodo's trek to Mordor--a seemingly never-ending journey into darkness and pure evil.  Anyway, while we're making our way there, we like to play this game: the first person to find someone playing a slot machine who actually looks happy wins.

Neither one of us has ever won.

Las Vegas: Days 1-2.5

We have come to Las Vegas for the SEG (Society of E [engineering, eclectic, energetic?] Geophysicists) Conference. I know, you are thinking, "How fun, you lucky ducks!" Well, let me aggravate your jealousy by telling you how we spent day 1:

We spent the morning shuffling our various pets to various pet-sitters and then drove with Alisa (another Master's student from Roo's program. She likes yoga and talks mostly about rock climbing, and when I met her for the first time that day, she was illegally climbing over a high fence at a closed car shop around 1700 South in Salt Lake where we picked her up.)  

We arrived in Las Vegas around 6 pm and checked into the armpit of Las Vegas where we would be staying: The Excalibur. I couldn't have asked for a more authentic campy, kitschy, white-trash haven! The lobby is dank with cheap cigarette smoke, the carpet dates from the Nixon administration, and there are live strippers on the casino floor. After walking past said stripper a few times (due to the fact that our keys did not work once we reached our room) we decided that this had been the least holy Sabbath in a while. After we heard on the news that there were protesters outside all the temples in California, I hunkered down in bed with the blaring lights of the Excalibur sign outside our window and waited for the world to end. 

Day 2: Since the world did not end, we decided to head to the Round Table Buffet for breakfast and afterwards vowed to never eat at the Round Table Buffet again. Since the conference is in the Mandalay Bay Hotel, we had to walk over a mile (seriously) through casinos and winding stairways and halls to get to the convention center. It is an excellent visual representation of social stratification: We begin with the proletariats of The Excalibur--buxom women in too-tight Minnie Mouse shirts and 3 foot tall margarita cups. From there you ascend into the bourgeoisie of the Luxor where the carpet is only a decade old. Then comes the Mandalay Bay--with its crystal chandeliers and marble floors--where the ruling class wears cuff links and makes reservations for dinner.

While Roo wandered around the convention, I wait outside in the plush chairs and work on my computer. I look thoroughly out of place--a 22 year old girl amid thousands of brilliant professors and businessmen from nearly every oil and resource company on earth. I like sticking out.

We took a break from the convention and drove what felt like two hours to get two miles down the Strip to the mall. I bought a lovely blue silk dress and yellow high heels to wear to our party that night. It was a private dinner with the big-wigs who sponsor Roo's professor. Again, I was definitely out of place, but the lasagna was good. 

While the rest of the group went out drinking, Roo and I stayed and heckled The Hills and the local news before watching the Pink Panther on our laptop while eating Swedish Fish. 

Six Quirks for Amy...

I have six quirks. They are:

1. Sandwiches make me nervous. When I eat one, I prefer to separate each entity (meat, cheese, lettuce etc.) and eat it separately. Sandwich form is far too unpredictable--stuff starts falling out of the bread right as you are about to bite it, plus you never know what you're going to get in each bite. Some people call that variety...I call it chaos. This principle also applies to wraps and hamburgers. You eat a hamburger--I eat a patty, then some lettuce, then a tomato, and finish off with the bun.
2. I almost always save my favorite outfit for Friday.
3. I cannot do a layup or touch my toes by bending over. I'm grouping those together under the quirk-heading: Athletic Prowess hates me.
4. Every number, letter, and shape has its own color in my mind. For example: the letter A is red, circles are blue, and 47 is lime green whenever I think about them.
5. I don't like eating ice cream in a bowl. It has to be in a cup with milk poured over it.
6. I can't count in my head. Whenever I am adding or subtracting, I have to count out-loud and use my fingers.

Get Down Halloween

Don't let the smiles fool you-- jack-o-lantern carving is extremely labor intensive and emotionally draining. That thing on my pumpkin was supposed to look like a gargoyle, but after nearly cutting off his silly tail, I lost the will to try. Roo made a Storm Trooper (it's not the scariest creature from Star Wars, just the easiest to carve...Hey-you try carving a wampa in a pumpkin!) I've never seen anyone so deep in concentration as he was while carving it.  My surgeon doesn't even concentrate that hard! (just kidding, I don't have a surgeon.) Now I am rambling. In conclusion, I think Roo's skill is so amazing it is scary!

 
This is my panhandling gargoyle. (He looks like he's begging for money. And now that I think about it, homelessness and poverty are really scary things, so this jack-o-lantern is not only festive, it is also pricking our consciences with a very poignant social statement. And that's what Halloween is all about...)

Tagged!

I got tagged - or at least I think I did. If there were a category of worst fears on this list, one of mine would be that the person who tagged me actually had a different friend named Annie whose business she wanted to know. I guess I'll tell you anyway...and to heck with other Annie!

Ten years ago I:

• Was listening to Oasis on my discman and doing jigsaw puzzles like they were going out of style...oh wait, they were never in style.


• Never imagined I'd be married in six years.


• made a collage on my closet door of all the places I wanted to visit


• read my favorite book, David Copperfield, for the first time.


• was ready for it to be ten years later.

Five things on today's to-do list:

• Endure until 5 pm.


• Attempt to make vegetable soup


• watch Schindler's List. I've been putting it off far too long.


• vacuum up all the dog hair.


• Read scriptures without losing concentration or consciousness.

Five snacks I enjoy:

• Big Hunk
• Chow Mein Noodles
  
• Granny Wright's homemade French Bread
  
• Fortune Cookies - they are yummy and informative.
  
• Filet Mignon - They should sell it in vending machines for easier snacking.

Five places I have lived:

• Pleasant Grove


• Provo


• Ridgecrest, CA (i.e. just west of Hell)


• Pleasant Grove again


• Taylorsville, UT

Five jobs I have had:

• Pleasant Grove Library - I shelved the books.


• The BYU Creamery...don't remind me.


• Harold B. Lee Library (BYU) - I shelved the books. again.


• Saturn of Orem Service Cashier


• Administrative Assistant for a backpack company

Five pet peeves:

• Phoniness and insincerity in myself and others
  
• cruelty to animals in any form
  
• Politicians (see: Phoniness and insincerity)


• ethnic slurs and dirty jokes


• Not knowing the whole story
  

Five things that bring me joy:

• Going somewhere I've never been before


• quoting movies with the family and laughing really hard


• really good stories and nicely arranged words.


• trees - I just think they are beautiful.


• Believing in God.

Autumn in New York

We spent last week with Roo's brother and family in New York. It was probably one of the best trips we have ever been on!

Spencer & Kristin's House - Fairport NY. Roo and Knox with his wooden dagger.

The Peter Whitmer Farm - Fayette, NY.


A pretty graveyard overlooking Lake Seneca.



Watkins Glen - J.R.R Tolkien, eat your heart out!

We drove 4 hours to Kirtland. I love walking through graveyards, so we found ourselves in yet another here in Kirtland.
The Whitney store where Joseph Smith lived and worked. And where the senior couple missionaries treated us like their own children.


Corbett Glen - a lovely little walk we went on with Knox, Kristin, and Mary after going to the farmer's market.

The Sacred Grove.
Joseph Smith's cabin.

The Palmyra Temple.
The exact spot where we ran into Elder Bednar. He was very nice.

The Grandin Press in downtown Palmyra.

Me on top of a bench on top of the Hill Cumorah.

On the Maid of the Mist - the boat ride below Niagara Falls.

Feeling the love above Niagara Falls.


There was never a more picturesque Autumn! We ate homemade donuts and cider, went to the pumpkin patch, drove on beautiful country roads, and played never-ending rounds of Phase 10. Thanks Spencer & Kristin!

The Phillips' School of Sophistication

Lesson 2: Celebrating Your Heritage

There is really no more effective way of celebrating our western American heritage than by wearing period clothing and selling homemade handicrafts over the weekend. Knowing this, Roo planned a fun and educational weekend outing for us. (He agreed to tell me what it was only on the condition that once I found out, I absolutely had to go.) Who could say no to the Mountain Man Rendezvous and Black Powder Fun Shoot?!

Obviously, the ideal place for a Mountain Man Rendezvous and Black Powder Fun Shoot is Tooele, Utah--there's not much else going on to distract the masses. We know this for a fact because we drove through most of the town trying to find the dang rendezvous. Thankfully, we followed the example of our mountain men ancestors and we did not give up and go home. We followed the pick-up trucks and soon Tee-pees appeared on the horizon.

It is clear that those enjoying themselves the most are the people who came prepared--they are wearing holsters, feathers, and dead animals over their jeans and Lake Powell T-shirts. These are usually the folks selling their wares in the tents set up throughout the park. Unfortunately, Roo left his chaps in the car, and my pantaloons were at the dry cleaners.

It's best to keep your animals away from the Mountain Man Rendezvous. We brought Lando, but he was scared the whole time. He cowered in the corner and panted really hard. Then I figured out why--apparently, real mountain men kill Corgis and turn them into leather man-purses to store their chewing tobacco and buffalo chips. This man is wearing the last Corgi to come to the rendezvous. Poor Lando.



I bought this necklace from a squaw. She told me it was real glass from the 1920's. I suspect she stole it off a dead pioneer and would have offered the scalp at a bargain if I bought one more necklace.

(Okay, the squaw was acutally a 13 year old white girl dressed like an indian. Still, the magic is in the pretense...I'm sure this guy would agree. I had to be careful taking his picture. Rendezvous folk are might wary of modern apparatuses like cameras...and Nikes.

We had a good time at the rendezvous. I'd recommend it to the adventurous. It will leave you with a lifetime's worth of memories...or at least a couple of huge glass bottles of homemade root beer.

Roo Revealed...

Here is an insight into Roo. Make note of the "In Love" section as it seems to be exceptionally accurate.

You Are An ISTP

The Mechanic You are calm and collected, even in the most difficult of situations. A person of action and self-direction, you love being independent. You seem impulsive, surprising, and unpredictable to outsiders. You are good at understanding how all things work, except for people. In love, you tend to be very easy going and flexible. The only thing you can't stand for is someone trying to change you or your life. At work, you can stay completely calm under pressure. You handle stress well. You would make an excellent pilot, forensic pathologist, or athlete. How you see yourself: Logical, flexible, and unconventional When other people don't get you, they see you as: Indecisive, flippant, and disrespectful

What's Your Personality Type?

I'd Be a Great Alternative Medicine Guru...

I love personality tests. Does that make me vain? Perhaps I just crave validation for the way I am, and since I rarely get it from myself, I can at least get it from the internet. Here is the results of my latest test.

You Are An INFJ

The Protector You live your life with integrity, originality, vision, and creativity. Independent and stubborn, you rarely stray from your vision - no matter what it is. You are an excellent listener with almost infinite patience. You have complex feelings, and you take great care to express them. In love, you see relationships as an opportunity to connect and grow. You enjoy relationships when they are improving and changing. You can't stand stagnation. At work, you stay motivated and happy... as long as you are working toward a dream you support. You would make a great photographer, alternative medicine guru, or teacher. How you see yourself: Hardworking, ethical, and helpful When other people don't get you, they see you as: Manipulative, weak, and unstable

What's Your Personality Type?