Stereoscopic Honeymoon

I found these great stereoscopic cards in an antique shop in Cedar City. Taken by B. W. Kilburn in 1897 in Littleton, New Hampshire, they are part of a set. They are titled, respectively, "Alone! At Last Alone" and "War in Camp".

I am so doing this on my honeymoon (matching chin-to-ankle nightgowns included!) ;)

If I Die, Burn my Underwear

Jane Austen asked her sister to burn her journals and letters upon her death, leaving poor historians to grasp at straws in interpreting and understanding her life, and leaving the way wide open for the makers of Becoming Jane to fictionalize to their hearts' content. Only a few letters survive and so we know almost nothing about this remarkable writer of the early 19th century.

Queen Victoria (1819-1901), who is no doubt currently turning in her grave, may have wished that she had left a similar request for some of her personal items to be burned upon her demise. And I mean very personal items. Today in London a pair of Queen Victoria's bloomers sold for $9000. To further add to the humiliation-- the bloomers were from roughly the 1890s, the later years of the queen's life, when she was no longer in her youth and had put on some weight. Does anyone else want their 50" waist undergarments on an auction block?!

I didn't think so.

Monogrammed and crested, the bloomers were kept by one of her ladies in waiting, and passed down through the generations. Other items up for auction were a chemise that went for $8,000 and a nightgown that fetched $11,000.

(Thanks Julianne for the tip on this story!)

The Treasures of Cedar City

I have been going to the Utah Shakespearean Festival since I was maybe eight years old. My mom would promise me a hotel with a pool and a souvenir from the gift shop in return for accompanying her to the festival. I felt that this was more that a fair trade.

In those early years it would be a stretch to say I appreciated, or even understood what was going on. I still remember sleeping with my head on my mother's lap through Richard III (obviously children can sleep anywhere). I did wake up periodically during intense battles and luckily in time to see Richard's head being carried, impelled on a pike around the stage.

Nevertheless, I learned to love Shakespeare, and a summer without a trip to Cedar City seems off somehow. I love the plays , the stage, the actors. I love listening intently to understand just what The Bard has to to say.

I think the first play I connected with was The Comedy of Errors with its slapstick humor and mistaken identities. I may not have understood the whole plot, but I got the main idea, and I knew it was funny. With this background and after reading Othello in the 8th grade, I was doomed to be a Shakespeare-phile for life.

My mom and I just returned from this year's festival, with no souvenirs and no dips in the hotel pool, but as happy as if we had had those things and more. We saw two amazing plays, Cyrano de Bergerac and The Taming of the Shrew, and, if our wallets and watches would have allowed it, we would gladly have seen more! I think it is no secret that I am in love with Brian Vaughn (read an article about him here). Of course I don't mean that I know him, but he amazes me every time he sets foot on a stage. He is currently playing Cyrano de Bergerac in Cedar City, and his performance is worth every dime you will pay for the ticket (and because it is good theater, I am sorry to report, it will be many, many dimes). And as usual the other actors and actresses are wonderful as well. Hotel pool or not, I hope that if you are in the area you can make it to see some of the amazing (not to mention Tony award winning) theater a small town in Utah brings in.

Flaky Friend Giveaway!

I am so excited!!! I am hosting a giveaway! That means that you, gentle reader, could win a prize, just for reading my blog, and looking at a super cute online shop! You were going to do that anyway, right!?

My amazingly talented friend is now a bona fide toy maker! She creates designs in a sketch pad, buys yummy fabric and then just up and creates all kinds of great plush animals. This girl is a real artiste! Every one is handmade and if you don't see the animal of your dreams, custom orders are welcome! And from now until the end of July shipping is free in the U.S.! You may have seen my links to her store (left), or read about my purchase of Baaab Robertson. I'm crazy for these animals!

Here is where you come in!! (You don't even need your own blog.) To enter the giveaway, just:

1. Go to the Flaky Friends Etsy store and browse though the great collection.

2. Come back here and leave a comment telling which friend is your favorite and why.

3. You need to do this before Saturday, August 2, 11:59pm MST*!

It is that easy! Then you will be entered in a drawing and the winner will receive $25 store credit toward the Flaky Friend of their choice!

Now it gets even better! If you do have a blog and you would like to earn an extra chance in the drawing, just:

1. Write a post linking to this giveaway.

2. Instruct anyone leaving a comment here to mention you by name, and you will get an addition entry for each reader your refer! (They get an entry too, of course).

This is SO much fun! I hope you love Flaky Friends as much as I do! The winner will be announced on August 3rd!

*Sorry, I couldn't resist-- nothing is ever done in Mountain Standard Time!!

Don't Worry Boys, Even Brigham Young was Balding

Today is Pioneer Day. State employees (and those with kind employers) in Utah had today off to celebrate that monumental day in history when the first Saints rolled into the Salt Lake Valley on July 24, 1847. We have rodeos, parades and fireworks in honor of that day when Brigham Young, sick with Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, looked out of the back of the wagon in Emigration Canyon and stated, "It is enough. This is the right place. Drive on."

I had thought to put in a picture of wagon trains, or pioneers. But on second thought, I thought I would share this treasure with you. Brigham's son convinced him to have the back of his head photographed. It is seen here in the form of stereoscopic card, so that you could even view it in 3-D! It is a very unusual photograph, especially when you consider the cost of photography and the relative scarcity of photographers in the early West. I think it is fabulous, and now that I think of it, I don't have a portrait from behind either...

President Brigham Young. c. 1870. C.R. Savage, photographer.

Scream "Emo"!

The Scream (or The Cry) by Edvard Munch, 1893.

The Scr-Emo by Jesse McCormack , 2007

Available as a T-shirt at www.threadless.com

Compassion

“The value of compassion cannot be over-emphasized. Anyone can criticize. It takes a true believer to be compassionate. No greater burden can be borne by an individual than to know no one cares or understands.”
—Arthur H. Stainback; author

I love these daily quotes. Click here if you would like to sign up to have them delivered to your inbox too!

How to Lose a Guy

We all remember the movie How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days starring Kate Hudson and Mathew McConaughey. In a bizarre twist of chick flick events Kate has to do everything "wrong" in a relationship in order to write an article on "how to lose a guy", while McConaughey needs the relationship to last because of a bet. What ensues are many funny scenes, mishaps, a love fern and a finale where true love triumphs with a motorcycle ride into the sunset. ahhhhhh.

But really, 10 Whole Days?! I've got a new one for you:

How To Lose a Guy's Attention in 3 Letters.

Ph.D.

Try, Try Again

"If at first you don't succeed, try, try, again. Then quit. There's no point in being a d--- fool about it."
--W.C. Fields (1880-1946)

Fail by Budi Satria Kwan, 2008.

Available as a T-shirt at www.threadless.com

Picture to Burn?

I was listening to the radio yesterday and heard Taylor Swift's song Picture to Burn. It is one of those peppy songs that I love and hate at the same time. It gets stuck in my head and then I really, really hate it.

The lyrics are downright immature. The premise is that someone has broken up with this girl, and that she "doesn't care" and will put him down as "just another picture to burn." She talks about how she really hated his pickup truck, how she's going to tell his friends he's gay anf then go out with them to get back at him. He was a waste of time and if he comes around daddy will send him on his way. And how he loved himself more than her, blah, blah,blah.

I'm wondering if maybe this guy didn't get out just in time...

Anyway, it made me think about burning pictures of exes. Isn't this a bit passé? With digital imaging how many shots do you really have printed out? I guess in the quest to overcome breakup trauma you could print one and then burn it. And let's be honest-- "you're just another picture file to delete" just doesn't have the same charm or feeling of bitter emotional outcry in it.

I admit that I once burned an ex's photo. (I'm old enough to remember cameras that had film and required printing of every image for good or ill.) I was probably about as mature as the girl in this song at the time. And there was something cathartic about it. Since then I've also benefited from the practice of removing a former lover's number from my phone, or with pesky exes changing the ring tone on my phone so I knew when it was them calling. But, back to the point at hand. I think burning photos is in real danger of becoming a romantic practice of the past-- like pins or "going steady".

But until that time comes for sure, feel free to print out and light up.

Burn, burn, burn baby, burn. You're just another picture to burn.

4th of July Weekend

I had a great 4th of July. Mylie Cyrus ensured that for the first year in a long time my family didn't get tickets to Stadium of Fire, so we headed out to Grandma's house for a small town 4th that was fabulous. As far as holidays go, Grandma's house is the perfect 4th of July location. Not only does the parade route go down her street, the fireworks can be seen from the front yard!

Me and Kiersten. We had a great time collecting candy thrown from the floats and even got a frisbee!

I thought this was cute. I am still a sucker for John Deere. :)

What is this?!!?!??!?!? I agree with the message-- but is this really a theme for a parade float? It was up there with weird things like the Wal-Mart/Sam's Club diesel, and the local taxidermy shop's float I like to refer to as "The Dead Animal Float". You had to be there...

I went with my cousin Kiersten to the little carnival at the park (also within walking distance of Grandma's!). We got sno-cones and went down a big blow up slide. I watched Kiersten dunk a girl in the dunking tank and then win a fish! The fish is named Swimmy, and so far has survived four days and counting. (Pray that Swimmy keeps on swimming, because I am the one guilty of helping her win it, and his life expectancy is a constant topic of conversation for Kiersten.)

The next day we went to visit family in Logan and watch cousins Seth and Maria drive their sweet truck in the Cruise In. Good times. We followed it up with Aggie Bull Tracks Ice Cream at the Aggie Creamery. Yum!

Phoenix: Part II

On our third day in the Phoenix area we made a stop at Scottsdale's Fashion Square in between viewing apartments. If you are a big shopper, this is the place for you. I had to call my sister and taunt her with the question, "I'm standing in one wing of the mall and I can't decide whether to hit Coach, Kate Spade or Jimmy Choo first-- they are all right here together." I didn't actually hit any of them, but it was fun anyway.

We ate some great food at the Kona Grill and then I got some ramekins at Crate & Barrel so I can try my hand at Creme Brulee. I also purchased an ASU sweatshirt so I can start showing my new school spirit. The most wonderful purchase however, was a Chocolixer from the Godiva shop. If you have never had one of these cold chocolate drinks, I advise you to put $5 in your pocket and do whatever it takes to get to a Godiva shop as soon as possible. It is possibly the most divine thing you will ever drink in your life.

The following day we got to see Old Town Scottsdale and eat yummy root beer floats at The Sugar Bowl--a cute 50's style soda shop and diner. I found an apartment I liked in Scottsdale that was really nice-- with a more quiet atmosphere a great pool and fitness center. It was right next to a golf coarse and had direct access to a 25 mile walking trail, as well as a garage and a pricetag that was just above my projected limit. There were two other nice places in Tempe that we saw, but it didn't take long to figure out that they were party places-- and I just don't like to party ASU-style. (Check out the friendly reminders they put up on campus!)

I am looking forward to "hiking" the 'A' when I get down to ASU though-- I just hope I can make it up that big hill!! ;)

My dear mother put up with alot of my distress and pain in this apartment viewing venture. Looking for a place to live, in an area you don't know is painful enough without adding 112 degree heat!

But, lest you fear the trip was in vain, on the last day, before our flight, we went to look at one more complex. I had to think about it over night-- but they had a great deal on a very new and very cute apartment in a new area of town with lots of shopping (more my style of shopping-- Target, Safeway, Costco, etc). And so my application is in, and I'm excited. It will mean a bit more of a commute, but I won't have to try to sleep through drunken undergraduate parties!

Hallelujah.