Academy Awards Party 2008...er...2007?

Last night was the 80th Annual Academy Awards (which took place in 2008 but award movies that were released in 2007...I think the academy would refer to it as the 2007 Academy Awards, but I think it's safer to just stick with "80th Annual..."), and we had a great party!! If you didn't know about it, sorry. If you did know about it and didn't come, you missed OUT!! Go ahead, feel bad!...I'll wait. All of you people who said "Nah...I don't really care about the Oscars" or "It sounds interesting but I think we'll pass" or other similar responses, you need to talk to those who attended...it was FUN...I'm not gonna throw a lame party...I mean c'mon...it's me!

There were oscar quizzes, ballots so you could vote for the nominees, yum-tastic hamburgers cooked on the grill, and even cookie salad!! ...yeah....you'll have to ask Thad about the cookie salad.

Much like "No Country For Old Men", our roommate Michael was the big winner last night, winning two fabulous prizes; one for taking 1st in one of the oscar quizzes AND one for tying for 1st in the oscar ballots. Other winners included Thad, Jared, & Jennae.

After last night's experience I think next year there'll hopefully be a bit more enthusiasm for my Oscar Party (at least from those in attendance this year), and I guess we'll have to make a special, full ballot (instead of just selections from the "major" categories) for Thad. Here's a big thanks to Michael, Jennie, Thad, Laurie, Jennae, Ben, & Amanda who all had a good time and helped make the party a success! Oh and, again, if you did miss out, make arrangements to swing by and eat some of Thad's Cookie Salad...please.

Betty the Harddrive (2003-2008)

After several years of faithful service, Betty the Hard Drive passed away Thursday night due to complications from Alzheimer's disease. Just a child by human years, Betty recent celebrated her 5th birthday. Betty stuck by her master's side through 8 apartments and 24 roommates. She loved to run, to memorize things and, towards the end of her life, to skip. Last November, Betty became very ill with the onsaught of alzheimer's and we thought we may lose her, however, with the prayers of friends and family, and the help of I.T. consultant S'ven Haderlie, she was able to stay with us these past four months.

Despite her undying loyalty to her master, Jared Garlick, it is believed that Betty was an evil Harddrive, and is more than likely now burning in hell.

Betty the Harddrive is survived by her Motherboard, Betty the Motherboard.

"Watch the Sun Come Up"

Last night after an exciting episode of "Lost", a bit of stimulating conversation, and a rousing game of "Signs", what were left of the Lost Party People (the LPPs) hung out in the front room of the ButterKnife Estates and unwrapped lots of Valentine's Day candies to see what was written on the inside of the wrappers, which were sortof like Valentine's Day fortune cookie messages. Both the first and third that I opened read "Watch the Sun Come Up", to which I exclaimed each time, "No!!" ...I mean seriously, do you REALIZE how early the sun comes up?!? If I have to leave the house at 7:45am (which I do on Fridays), I make it a point to never get up before 7:30!

Well this morning I found myself just about to enter Old Main at about 8:10 heading to my 8:30 class when I glanced at the mountains to the East and noticed that the sun was just about to come up over them. "Who am I to argue with a piece of candy?", I thought, and I stepped off the sidewalk to face the arrival of the sun. It was actually quite a relaxing thing to just stand there for 13 minutes watching and waiting. As it turns out, although the sun "officially" rose this morning at 7:24am, the sun didn't peek over the mountains until 8:23am...I know, 'cuz I was there. Standing there, I became very aware of all of the other people who were bustling to and from classes, as I had just been moments before; I hadn't really noticed them when I was among them...funny how that is.

It had been a LONG time since I'd actually witnessed the sun coming up, and I'd forgotten what it looks like at that moment the sun first appears. The edge of the mountains grew brighter and brighter, and I began to wonder if the appearance of the sun may be a let down and that it would almost unnoticably slide into view with how bright it was becoming along the cusp of the mountains. Maybe I would be standing there, watching, and suddenly think, "Oh wait a minute, it's already up!"

A few professors from my department passed me, discussing how it's a shame how so many professors in the C.S. department only want to teach the graduate level classes. I continued to watch. It was SO bright now. "Is this bad for my eyes?", I wondered, "Is it up yet?" I looks around on the ground...no shadows. I checked the blue part of the sky...no clouds. Nope, definately not up yet. I continued to watch.

A car pulled up and girl got out with an armful of books. She thanked the driver, slammed the passenger side door, and headed up to Old Main. I wondered if she wondered what I was doing, just standing there in the cold. As I had walked up Old Main Hill I'd thought about how cold it was, but now that I could just stand there with my hands in my pockets, it didn't seem so bad.

The edge of the mountain exploded. Golden light shot out in four directions where the mountain had been brightest. This definately was noticable. What started out as a tiny point source of golden light was rapidly increasing in size...it was fascinating how long it took the sun to peek over the mountains, and yet once it caught a glimpse of what was on this side, it wanted to fully clear the obstructing pile of rocks as quickly as possible. A gust of air came from the east as I looked around to make sure there were shadows now...there were. "Excellent," I thought,"what a well spent few minutes."

I climbed back onto the sidewalk, turned, and went to class.

WARNING!! VERY, VERY SAD PICTURE AHEAD!!

So my poor, poor niece Addison developed RSV last weekend which then turned into pneumonia AND bronchitus!! To try to soften the blow of the dangerously sad picture below of her in the hospital last weekend, I've included 2 pictures of when she was in Utah (and healthy) over Christmas.

Awww, what a cute Santa-Baby!!!



Boxes are WAY funner than toys, anyday!!


Sad, sad Addison in the hospital last week right after having her oxygen hooked-up, having her first nebulizer treatment, and undergoing SEVERAL unsuccessful attempts at giving her an i.v....they tried in each of her arms AND in her foot to find a good vein to use, but all they succeeded in doing was torturing the poor kid. =(


What a poor, poor baby! It makes me wanna cry!

She's doing much better now, though.
Here's proof:

She's still not back to 100%, but she's home and feeling much, much better.