Snowball & The Backstreet Boys

Meet Snowball. He is a medium sulphur crested Eleanora coackatoo living at a bird rescue facility in Indiana. Now, I could never own a bird because they smell bad and they are too messy, but I WHOLE HEARTEDLY support animal rescue organizations and I love to see them provide a good quality of life for rejected animals. When I have millions (dollars not animals), I intend to donate a great deal to animal rescue organizations. That being said, I just had to post this video. This happy bird has better rhythm than most people, and I haven't seen anyone get this excited about the Backstreet Boys since I graduated high school. Perhaps Snowball is actually a 12 yr. old female bird or a returned missionary bird circa 2001. Snowball also has a soft spot for Huey Lewis. They say when he's REALLY in a good mood, he even sings along! Regardless, this brightened my day. Enjoy!

Oh, and if you like this, you'll also enjoy the performance of Eintstien the parrot (video below).

A Weekend of Firsts and Lasts

Rather than start in chronological order of the weekend's events, I feel compelled to begin in order of importance. I know it's all the buzz right now, but I would feel remiss if I didn't say a few words about beloved "President B. Hinckley" (as my little brother used to call him). While I remember President Benson, (and Hunter, though short lived) President Hinckley has been our prophet for the better part of my life, and I have never felt so much love and loss for a man I don't even know personally. But I think the true mark of a prophet is that while he'll be missed, he isn't mourned by those who know where he is, what he is doing, and that the church will roll right along just as he would want it to. The last time I heard him speak was at our stake conference on October 21st, and I remember being very touched by his message (as usual) but feeling as many have, that his time was nigh. I can't think of a more fitting passing for our prophet than on a Sunday evening of all times, surrounded by his living legacy. Last night after hearing of his passing, I was overcome with gratitude for having been witness to one of the greatest miracles and blessings of our time, the life and leadership of Gordon B. Hinckley. He will be missed!
As for the rest of the weekend's festivities, Layne and I enjoyed having dinner with an old mission companion, Brock Ellis and his wife, on Saturday evening while they were in town from Rock Springs, WY hitting the outlet malls in Park City. After dinner, Layne and I had tickets to the Pink Floyd Laser Spectacular at Kingsbury Hall on campus at the U. Layne is to Pink Floyd Laser show as Kelly is to the Symphony. He's been really looking forward to this, and while I was happy to go experience my first laser show, I wasn't expecting it to be the event of the season. I was however, pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it! Upon entry, we each got 2 pair of experience enhancing glasses. One pair were 3D and the other were the kaleidescope type. The picture below is as seen without the aid of the glasses, so you can imagine what it was like with them on!
The best way I can describe it, is like putting a child in front of a Baby Einsteins video. Ever seen those? They're like an acid trip for kids, and every child I've ever seen has been completely mesmerized by the random display of shapes, sounds, objects and music. This show was like Baby Einsteins for adults. A bunch of grown people wearing stupid glasses, completely entranced, mouths hanging open, uttering occasional cooing sounds, and admittedly I was no exception. The funniest thing was watching the gaggle of blue haired betties on the 3rd row. You expect to see 50-year-old motorcycle guy with a ponytail and hippie clothes at a Pink Floyd laser show, but not an entire row of 75 year old women! The music was loud even for Layne! It was hilarious! Heaven only knows what they thought they had bought tickets for, but they sure seemed to enjoy themselves!

The first half of the show was The Dark Side of The Moon all the way through, and the second half was the best of. I liked the 1st half the best, but it was all pretty neat...and weird. This video clip is during the last song and is also without the benefit of the glasses so you can imagine how it looked with them! I have never had stranger dreams in my life than I did that night!

Yesterday I was sustained as 2nd counselor in YW's and had my first intro into the program here. The girls are very sweet and while the group isn't as big as I expected, I'm excited to be a part of it. They asked me to bear my testimony to all the girls, which is something I've greatly missed doing. I felt compelled to tell them how grateful I was for living prophets and apostles and of my love for President Hinckley and the knowledge of the divinity of his calling and of it's importance in our lives. My hope is that if they don't already, I can help them learn to share those feelings.

Vocaburglary (v): Stealing other people's cool words and using them as your own

The Washington Post's Mensa Invitational asked readers to take any word from the dictionary and change it by adding, subtracting or changing one letter and supply a new definition. People are really clever! The winners are as follows:

1. Cashtration: The act of buying a house which renders the subject financially impotent for an indefinite period of time.

2. Ignoranus: Someone who is both stupid, and an a$%hole.

3. Intaxication: Euphoria at getting a tax refund which lasts until you realize it was your money in the first place.

4. Bozone: The substance surrounding stupid people which prevents bright ideas from penetrating.

5. Foreploy: Any misrepresentation about yourself for the purpose of obtaining sex.

6. Giraffiti: Vandalism, spray-painted very, very high.

7. Sarchasm: The gulf between the author of sarcastic wit, and the person who doesn't get it.

8. Inoculatte: To take coffee intravenously when you're running late.

9. Osteopornosis: A degenerate disease.

10. Reintarnation: Coming back to life as a hillbilly.

11. Karmageddon: It's like when everybody's sending off these really bad vibes right? And then, like, the Earth explodes and it's a major bummer.

12. Decafalon: The grueling event of getting through the day.

13. Glibido: All talk, no action.

14. Arachnoleptic Fit: The frantic dance performed just after you've accidentally walked through a spider web.

15. Beelzebug: Satan in the form of a mosquito, that gets into your bedroom at 3:00 in the morning and cannot be cast out.

16. Caterpallor: The color you turn after finding half a worm in the fruit you're eating.

The Washington Post also posted it's winners from another annual contest in which readers are asked to supply alternate definitions for common words.

1. Coffee: The person upon whom one coughs.

2. Flabbergasted: Appalled by discovering how much weight one has gained.

3. Abdicate: To give up all hope of ever having a flat stomach.

4. Esplanade: To attempt an explanation while drunk.

5. Willy-nilly: Impotent.

6. Negligent: Absentmindedly answering the door while wearing only a nightgown.

7. Lymph: To walk with a lisp.

8. Gargoyle: Olive-flavored mouth wash.

9. Flatulence: The emergency vehicle that picks up someone who has been hit by a steamroller.

10. Balderdash: A rapidly receding hairline.

11. Testicle: A humorous question on an exam.

12. Pokemon: A Rastsfarian proctologist.

13. Oyster: A person who sprinkles his conversation with Yiddishisms.

14. Frisbeetarianism: The belief that after death, the soul flies up onto a roof and gets stuck there.

15. Circumvent: An opening in the front of boxer shorts worn by Jewish men.

Alright, lets have your new words and/or definitions! What would your entry have been?

Here are a couple I just made up.

Menstruation: The effort required for a man to pay attention to anything else while watching television.

Skepilepsy: A medical condition in which a person has serious doubts that they are really having seizures.

Chastreaty: A deal I made with my parents to save myself for marriage.

Uglee Club: A group of homely singers.

Splurgeon: A doctor who will throw in a face lift and breast augmentation with any wart removal.

Fattitude: Having no regrets about being overweight.

Slowdor: A heinous scent that gradually sneaks up on you.

Obliterate: Completely losing the ability to read.

Orchastration: What happens when a teenage boy chooses to play the viola over the saxaphone.

Asteroid: A sore on ones hind quarters

A Tender Mercy: The Walk in Fridge

A refrigerator is something that most of us take for granted... until it stops working. We noticed that the freezer was on the fritz late last week when the ice in the tray started getting a little soggy, but by Sunday night, both freezer and fridge had stopped cooling things completely and by Monday morning we had a royal mess on our hands. Sunday was one of the warmest days we've had in a long time and all the snow on and around our house had melted, but Monday morning I awoke (late, THANKS MLK Jr.!) to 2 feet of new snow, the heaviest city snow of the year so far! I called a GE technician to come repair our fridge, but no one can come until Thursday, so this new snow was a HUGE boon, as our back yard has suddenly become our fridge and freezer. Though "opening the fridge" for some OJ or milk in the morning is quite a chilly exercise, our ice chest has managed to keep our food the perfect temperature (even in 8 degree weather), and as you can see, our frozen goods (many of which are completely buried) are in fine shape. I'm making an effort this year to be more cognizant and appreciative of "the little things" and this was just one of those "tender mercies" to me.

Snowboarding: A Painful Lesson in Persistence & The New Calling

Whenever John visits us, we can always count on trying something new or doing something a little crazy. That's one of the things I love about my big brother. He always wants to live life to the fullest and try new things. So this weekend when he came up for a visit, our new adventure was Snowboarding. As a rule, all the Flaherty kids are skiers by default, and I personally have spent many years (and many dollars) advancing my skills to the point of becoming fairly competent at it. Not being one to be outdone by my siblings however, I jumped on the bandwagon. It certainly helped having a nearly pro snowboarder husband for a coach, nevertheless, it was one of the most fun, yet painful and frustrating experiences I think we've ever had. It was a beautiful but crowded day at Snowbird, and I think from henceforth and forever, my butt will always smart a little at the mention of the word "Gadzooks" (inside joke). As any good snowboarder will tell you, one day's practice isn't nearly enough to really make any headway, but it is certainly a hazing initiation, and a chance to prove one's fearlessness and stamina. Our friend Karen from Brazil joined us on the slopes and hurt her knee about 30 yards from the top on the first run and had to be carried down by ski patrol. My sister Kim smacked her melon about half way through the day, most likely suffering a mild concussion, and I managed to re-aggravate an old knee injury during one of my many "yard sales" throughout the day. Yesterday morning we all awoke in more pain and soreness from head to toe than we'd ever been in. Thank goodness I have a husband to help dress me, otherwise I'm afraid I wouldn't have made it to church with a bra on. Even as I type this my wrists and forearms are screaming "ABORT, ABORT"! I have bruises in places on my body I can't even see, and the act of bending over causes my eyes to well up with tears. I think it's safe to say that my siblings and I have gained a healthy respect for the sport, and nothing brings a family together like trials and suffering. If nothing else, we now have some GREAT stories to tell, which for us is what life is all about!





On a different note, I got a new calling yesterday. Layne and I have been serving as ward missionaries since shortly after we moved into the ward. Brother Watkins of the Bishopric called us both in for a meeting after church. Following some small talk, he said he had a new calling for me, after which he began to cry. Admittedly, my first thought was "uh oh". He was very tender in expressing how strongly and unanimously the call had come to the members of the Bishopric the very week we moved in, but they decided to have me serve as a ward missionary with Layne on a temporary basis until the spot needed filling. He then called me to be 2nd counselor in the YW presidency. He said that the YW president (who I've only met twice) had the same impression upon meeting me that it's where I needed to be. I can honestly say that since leaving the YW's presidency in North Carolina, there has been a big void in my heart where those precious girls were, and I'm very humbled and excited to jump back in after being set apart next week. The Lord truly knows what is best for me!

De-Motivational Posters

Dentists offices, Law Firms, Hospital waiting rooms, you name it, those cheesy motivational posters are there, encouraging us to be better, not to give up, and reach for the stars. If you've never seen their mocking counterparts, the DE-motivational posters, you're missing out. These are a few I hadn't seen before as well as some old favs. WARNING: If you are easily discouraged or otherwise easily offended, PROCEED AT YOUR OWN RISK!

SLCA

My grandpa Flaherty always stressed the importance of immediately putting a child back on a horse after getting bucked off, otherwise that child may never get back on. After my recent near miss with the MoTab, I decided that I needed to heed grandpa's advice, and "get back on the horse" with another audition, this time, for Dr. Brady Allred, conductor of the Salt Lake Choral Artists http://www.saltlakechoralartists.org/. I've been told the SLCA is commonly known around here as the "other" MoTab. Or in other words, a high level choir minus religious or age restrictions. My hope was that it would rebuild some confidence and keep my musicianship skills sharp. I figured if I was going to do it, I wanted to go all the way and audition for the most selective of SLCA groups, the chamber singers. So, after having a month ago arranged for the audition (unbeknownst to anyone but myself), I went in on the 7th and put it on the line once more. I sang a Bach Aria in German and had to sight read, take a theory exam and perform some other mildly challenging vocal exercises. However, after the near hell that was the audition process for the MoTab, I found it to be a refreshing experience. I wasn't nearly as nervous, and the sight reading was a cake walk by comparison. Afterward I was offered a spot in the SLCA Chamber Singers and asked if I could start the next day. I've since attended my first 2 rehearsals and am excited at the opportunity to continue to sing with a very talented group, to perform with the Salt Lake Symphony, and sing in various wonderful venues around the city like the tabernacle. Dr. Allred is an amazing conductor and is very close to, and highly regarded by Craig Jessop and Mack Wilberg. Singing in this ensemble will look very good on my "musical resume" if I decide to give the MoTab another go next season. So here's to facing fears and getting back on the horse. Thanks for the advice Grandpa, I sure miss you.

Say Cheesy!

There was a photographer on one of the runs at Brighton Saturday taking "action" shots that you can order online. I went on the website just for fun to see some of the ones he took. I would never buy them, but I would copy and paste them on my blog complete with the "Star Photo Utah" watermark! Good times.

Suns, Symphony & Skiing

This weekend was very busy, but VERY fun! On the heels of the Suns game Thursday night, we started off the weekend Friday night by going to see the Utah Symphony perform some Rachmaninoff and Shostakovich at the gorgeous Abravanel Hall downtown. I had been anticipating this for a long time. Being a University of Utah employee, I can get normally expensive symphony tickets for the price of going to see a full price movie, and this weekend, among other things, they were performing Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op. 43(one of my favorites) featuring renowned Brazilian pianist Arnoldo Cohen. We got great center section seats and the performance was AMAZING! Especially the Rachmaninoff. Layne was a good sport to let me "dress & drag" him to the show. Actually he really liked it! He has put up very little resistance since we've been married to me injecting a little culture into his life, and has actually become quite the connoiseur!

Saturday we did something we both enjoy, though I must admit Layne is a bit more fanatical about it than I. There are only a few things I'm convinced my husband would sell his soul for, and one of them is snowboarding. The day started at 7:00am when he woke me with a kiss and a "happy boarding day!" That pretty much sums it up actually! It was a gorgeous, mostly sunny day at Brighton ski resort, and we had a blast! The snow was perfect, and aside from a lot of people, it couldn't have been any better. That evening it was back into our nice clothes for a friend's wedding reception in Bountiful, after which we got our "Lost" on. Yes, at the recommendation of a trusted friend, we have finally agreed to try watching Lost, and have so far been pleased. We were worried that it was going to be Survivor meets Days of Our Lives, but it hasn't been that bad. Thanks Chris. It will at least help tide us over until this writer's strike ends.

A Suns fan in the Rough

Yesterday afternoon, Layne called me from work with a fabulous surprise! A co-worker had come in and offered 2 tickets to the Suns/Jazz game to anyone who wanted them. Lanye was on it like a monkey on a cupcake! To say that we were excited is a gross understatement. We took the Trax to the arena and had a great time. The seats were awesome! Our poor Suns didn't stand a chance missing 3 of their starters (Nash, Hill and Marion), but the boys on the floor actually kept it close somehow during the first half. If we had paid for those tickets, we'd have been really upset, but we were able to just go and support and enjoy and cause some Jazz fans to give us dirty looks, which was worth it all. Besides, how often do you get to see Eric Piatkowski play?! Thanks for a fun evening babe! Go Suns!

Mom Jeans

Up until now, I have resisted the temptation to blog-rob from some of my favorite funny people, but alas, I had no choice but to post this because I was laughing so hard I nearly soiled myself. I can't believe I hadn't ever seen this before! My cousin's wife Megan Hastings, in addition to being an AMAZING mom, is one of the most clever, funny and creative people I know! They have two of the most ADORABLE and above all, intelligent little girls you've ever seen. Their blog is one of my favorites to read because of their antics and funny sayings and Megan's amazing photography. Today I read her post about oldest daughter Ryen informing her that she couldn't wear the cute jeans she had on because they are for kids. She proceeded to post this video. Hats off Megan! Enjoy!

UBA Commercial

Several weeks ago, I posted about a commercial I was in for the Utah Bankers Association. Well, it's been completed and will begin airing on major channels the last week in January and throughout February, but you can watch it here. I'm only in this particular 60 second spot for like 2 seconds (about 20 seconds in) so if you don't watch close you will probably miss me altogether, but they also have 2 other 30 second spots they're airing which will show a little more of what I was doing. If you want to watch it bigger you can visit www.uba.org and watch it from their site. Anyway, I think it's a pretty good commercial actually. After all, this is MY Utah too!

More Christmas pics & The Arctic Blast

All this snow has been a new phenomenon for us. It seems to DUMP snow EVERY weekend, but not on week days. It's really strange, and on Saturday, a big storm ruined a trip we had planned to hit the slopes of Brighton ski resort. A little snow is no big deal, but 40 mph winds? C'mon. Instead, we spent the day bunkered down in the house taking down Christmas and cleaning out our file cabinet (be still my heart). I just had to post this picture of Layne shoveling the driveway using the shovel he took great care in picking out earlier this winter from Home Depot. His ensemble is priceless. Basketball shorts, and his Ozark Trails moon boots from the Napoleon Dynamite costume of yesteryear. You'd think with a name like The Arctic Blast, that snow shoveling would be a breeze, but never the less, it's a lot of work. So much for driveway clearing being covered by our HOA fees.

A few more Christmas pictures.

John finally joined the iPod world this year. Yay!

Whats a good fly fisherman without a pontoon float!?

A New Year and a Blast from the Past

I can't believe that it's 2008 already! I had to write the date for the first time today at work, and was astounded by how weird it felt to write it. I feel like our lives have been traveling at warp speed when I think back to where we were and what we were doing at this time last year. 2000 miles away in North Carolina, I was beginning my last year at East Carolina U., Layne was neck deep in the his land development business and moving to Utah was merely a hiss and a by word at the time. So much has happened since then, some bad, mostly good, but its the speed with which it has all transpired that is so mind boggling. Every year that we've been married, Layne has had a slogan. Break free in '03, Score in '04, Come alive in '05, In the mix in '06 ('07 is escaping me) and this year it's Make it great in '08. I certainly hope that will be the case. In spite of the many changes that took place last year, this year could be the biggest life changer of all. Only time will tell, but Layne and I both feel it. So here's to living in the moment, remembering the past and enjoying the ride! Happy New Year!


I've been trying little by little to scan old family photos into my computer so I have a permanent record, and I thought in the spirit of new years that I'd share a little blast from my past. I may start posting one of these old pictures a week just for fun. We'll start with one and see how it goes. I don't remember what the date on this was, but it must be in Denver. I think dad was baiting a chipmunk. It's so fun to see pictures of my dad at the age I am now.