Carbon Copy

It's Been About a Year...

since I moved back from Indiana. Guess it's time to move again. This time, I'm packing up for the Big Easy. Three weeks from today I'll be driving across Texas and stopping in New Orleans. I got accepted as a fellow in the TeachNOLA program, which is similar to Teach for America but concentrated in New Orleans as it recovers from Hurricane Katrina. I spent a good chunk of my last visit there in April interviewing for the position. I got accepted about three weeks ago on condition that I pass the Praxis II exams. Early Friday morning, I called and paid my $30 (I hate ETS) and got the good news that I passed.

I'll be frank - I'm a little terrified. I know this will be a challenge, but I'm excited to put my knowledge and skills to the test. At least it'll make for new adventures. And I can't wait to live by my sis again, even though it's hard to leave so many loved ones behind.

Memorial Day 2008...

was cold and rainy. We attempted to escape the rain by taking a drive up to Park City. It didn't help. It rained there, too. Claire was starting to feel a little car sick so we stepped outside at the overlook of Echo Reservoir. It was so cold and rainy and windy that we barely lasted long enough for these pictures.

Afterwards, we stopped by the store for all indoor barbecue fixings. I made a London broil, sausage links and corn on the cob. We also cut up a watermelon and topped it off with pie. Claire helped me cook.

Although it felt more like Labor Day, it was still a successful holiday.

Characters for a Story

I'm transcribing several notebooks I found of writing I did when I was in Junior High. Apparently, my love for the words petulant and nonchalant run at least 15 years deep. Tonight, I came across this "outline of principle characters."

Kathryn Hill
a. Looks: dark hair, hazel eyes, crimson lips, rosy cheeks, tall and slender
b. Personality: solitary, wistful, sometimes melancholy
c. Activities: takes long walks alone, studies, writes and plays violin

Marianne Hill
a. Looks: blonde, violet eyes, creamy skin, crimson lips
b. Personality: social, frivolous, outgoing
c. Activities: always going somewhere, parties or any social gathering

Christian Moore
a. Looks: dark brown, unruly hair, light blue eyes and sweetheart lips, tall and dark-skinned
b. Personality: grave, meditative, solitary
c. Activities: walks alone, paints, reads, teaches

I can only imagine the plot for these characters involved some melancholy long walks and complicated love triangles. I'm sure petulant looks and miscommunications based on apparently nonchalant responses ran rampant. But don't worry. I can guarantee everything was wrapped up with an understanding and a kiss. That's how all my stories used to end. Too bad it's not that easy in real life.

Give Me A Happy Ending

I loved The Pirate Move when I was little. Mostly because of this ending scene. I wanted Kristy McNichol's puffy white dress (and all her off-the-shoulder ones in the rest of the movie) so badly. I just watched it with my niece (and brothers) and it's still as good as ever, but this is still the best scene.

For Serious

I know I watch a lot of crap TV (ANTM, The Bachelor - I just love them so!), but So You Think You Can Dance is one reality TV show I'm not ashamed to say I follow. There are some seriously amazing dancers on there. I'm so glad it started last night to fill the void of summer TV.

Rainy May Days

Rainy drive to work this morning, and I was feeling pensive. I listened to Playing Dead by Breathe Owl Breathe twice. I wanted to keep on driving.

Blossoms

{Blossoms right outside the garage. What a wonderful thing to drive up to every day.}

Birthday Tribute to My BFF

Today is the birthday of my best friend. (Incidentally, it's also my half birthday. She loves it when I remind people of that.) When I was helping my mom move a month or two ago, I found a box of old photos spanning the nearly 17 years of our friendship. That's right - 17 years! Of course we weren't always bff's. We were just neighborhood friends at first, but then we went through junior high together. It's an awkward age.

For all of us.

As we got into high school and eventually passed our driving tests, the whole world was ours. At least, the Salt Lake Valley. We used to go downtown and take photos around Temple Square and feel very urban chic.

Ok, so we were anything but urban chic, but Kylie was always up for adventures.

She invited me on a family trip to Kolob Canyon once, and we went horseback riding.

And she made Pioneer Trek endurable.

But the best was just hanging out in the backyard or in our bedrooms listening to music and laughing.

Some things have changed. We've grown up a lot. Kylie has a beautiful family of her own, but we're still best friends. And always will be. Happy birthday! (And don't hate me for posting such lovely pictures of your youth.)

p.s. Sorry about the poor image quality. My scanner is on the fritz, so I had to take pictures of the pictures with my digital camera.

The Minor League

Last Saturday I went to the Bees game with some friends. We sat on the grass, which was a new place for me. My favorite thing about going to Bees games are just watching the day darken and the lights come on. The sky was particularly lovely on Saturday, even if all the warmth left when the sun went down.

CDs for Sale!

I'm really tired of lugging my CDs across the country and feel the need to simplify my life. As a result, I'm offering up my CDs for sale. You can see the collection for sale by downloading this Word document*. They cost a mere $3.50 each. If shipping is involved, we'll figure out the cost based on the quantity.

Remember as you're perusing the list that I bought some of these a long, long time ago. Email with inquiries or orders at katieelainearmstrong [at] gmail.

Thanks!

*Updated as of the evening of 5/15

Library Rooftop

Last Wednesday, I made good on promise to go back to the library. This time the roof was open. It only makes sense that it would be closed on my first visit when it was a beautiful sunny day and open on a rainy day. The rain just made everything seem greener. I love the peaks of the Wasatch Mountains, but I also really love the foothills.

I've always loved the City County Building, too. Growing up, I thought it was a castle. The only time I remember ever going inside, though, was for a traveling Anne Frank exhibit many years ago. I should revisit the building sometime and see what's inside. Probably a lot of people in suits.

I also went inside and looked at art books for a while. I can't believe how many amazing paintings I missed at the Louvre. Guess I'll have to go back.

You Want Me to Make You a Mixed Tape?

I'm totally behind the times. Pretty much everyone already has a mix up on muxtape, and Kylie's been telling me about it for a while. I finally started listening to it yesterday and was so excited about finding some new music that last night I stayed up way past my bedtime coming up with my own mix. There's nothing terribly new and exciting on there. Just some songs I've been listening to a lot lately.

People in Order

A friend told me about this. I rather like it. And it has the bonus of reminding me how much there is to look forward to in life still.

p.s. I totally found this on K8's blog.

Finally Spring!

The freakish snowstorm(s) last week notwithstanding, I really do think it's finally spring. At least, it looks like spring. There are blossoms everywhere and all the tulips I saw them preparing to plant last October had come to fruition. After church last week, it was a sunny 70-degrees, so I spent some time downtown. I started off at the capitol to check out the cherry trees they planted in January.

This is the Little White Chapel up by the capitol. I think it's so pretty.

And some of the views from capitol hill.

{I love that spiral staircase!}

{I'm pretty sure I have taken that exact photo before, except without blossoms.}

From the capitol, I walked down to Temple Square.

I was disappointed to find that my favorite little nook behind the Lion House was being renovated or painted or something that required scaffolding, but it still had some lovely daffodils.

So I ventured around the front. I've always loved the Lion House and the Beehive House. They're so pretty and have such beautiful landscaping. And if you go on a tour (which I haven't been on for a long time) at the end of it, you get some hard candy. Mmm...

And then Temple Square proper:

I was starting to get faint with hunger and feeling ready for some of my mom's delicious cooking, so I took 1st Avenue towards her home. And yes, these are more pictures taken whilst driving. I couldn't help myself.

I returned to Temple Square on Tuesday to visit the temple. When I went back outside, it was evening and it smelled like lilacs.

I walked back to the parking lot under the Conference Center feeling perfectly content with the spring, the city, the nighttime.

Photos from Last Week

On Wednesday last week I spent the evening at my mom's. Claire was there, and since it was so fine we went out and took some pictures.

Earlier that day, Claire had found one of my mom's lace valances and immediately saw it for what it really was, a bride's veil. As soon as my mom left the room, she found the scissors and cut it to the appropriate length. I took some other pictures of her wearing the veil and smiling, but I liked this one best. Was there ever a more disheartened bride?

On Friday, I stopped by kristin's house to check out the new addition. Asher is only 3 weeks old and absolutely adorable.

Here he is (in a way) with his cousin, Basil, who happens to be exactly one year and one month older than Asher, which is the same difference between my favorite cousin and me. I hope they have as much fun growing up together.

And with his mom in the background:

More pictures from the weekend to come.