I want to reward you with five minutes of uninterrupted eye contact.*

She is here!! My new niece was born on Saturday morning (while I was running in place in my living room...)

Olivia

I have already come up with some nicknames - ONJ being the most popular (ONJ = Olivia Newton John). Then there is Olive Juice (which is a lot longer than Olivia - so it may not stick). And...that's about it, I will come up with more as personality arises.

Kathryn and I went over on Saturday to see the new little one -

Then the grandparents and brothers arrived. The boys were so excited to see their new little sister! (And they are already messing up the names, calling Ava Olivia and vice versa).

And just to embarass Joanna - she kept looking at this sign, trying to figure out what time it was. Hey - she just had a baby (p.s. without an epidural...no thanks).

And I'm sitting here on Capital Hill.*

Yesterday I got into politics.


It turns out that even things as glamorous as Politics have their ugly sides - like getting up at 5:30 in the morning (the thought still makes my stomach turn).

Marissa came and picked me up at 6:00 AM and we started our adventure to Fairfax, VA. We saw Eric Cantor's (correct me if I'm wrong Marissa) little caravan - just proving that they all have to get up way too early.

I learned about Slug Lanes - okay, so I heard about Slug lanes - I still don't really get them. But I am going to investigate them (if I remember). Maybe I'll post about this (maybe I'm the only person who has never heard of this before).

Once we got to Fairfax, we stopped at a McDonald's to get something to eat. The kid at the register asked me what I would like and I said, "Sausage biscuit." Then I realized that there may be a certain way to order these - I haven't really eaten breakfast from a fast food place in so long, so I kept talking, "is that the right way to order it?" and he was like, "huh? do you mean from the dollar menu?" The dollar menu? I don't think McDonald's had a dollar menu the last time I went, but a dollar sounded good so I acquiesced, but not before I felt super stupid for not having the confidence sufficient to order a dollar sausage biscuit.

When we got to the event, Marissa introduced herself with a whole tongue twisted name/title/location kind of thing and then there was me...Just Jess...so I started to introduce myself in new ways, "I'm Jessica with Marissa P.", "I'm Jessica, Marissa's assistant". Then we got to work. Marissa gave me a clipboard, my job for the day would be to get signatures on a petition to put Mitt Romney on the ballot. Which - as it would seem - he is not on the ballot yet, each candidate needs a certain number of signatures to be on the ballot (note to self for when I decide to run as an independent party). Let me just say - getting people to sign a piece of paper is NOT a strong suit of mine. I don't really like talking to strangers but in person beat over the phone so I took the clipboards and went to stand on the sidewalk with the sign wavers.

I had a good time - once I got more comfortable - and I learned a lot. My favorite part by far were the little old ladies who are very involved in politics. They were very opinionated and I couldn't shake the feeling that I was in a crowd akin to a Twilight crowd - except it was old women and politics as opposed to young girls and Edward Cullen...okay - correction, Twilight as a whole. Their talk was the crazed talk of Twilight fans - there excitement to see this man

(Mitt Romney in case you don't know)

was equal to that first moment in the first movie on opening night when Edward Cullen first appeared on the screen (don't act like you don't know what that was like - and don't judge me for knowing what that moment was like....it was peer pressure).

But yes, the main attraction of the event was that Mitt Romney came to Farifax. It was cool, I've never seen anything political (live - I've seen stuff on TV). My desire to not treat people like celebrities kept me from trying to shake his hand, even though this kind stranger gave me tips and offered to be my wing man so I could get in and get the once in a lifetime picture...I just couldn't do it. So - I finally figured out the zoom on my camera and took pictures from a distance instead.

Overall - I had a good time. Once I got comfortable (and once they gave me Romney stickers to hand out) asking people to sign a petition wasn't so difficult. I got to meet a lot of interesting, politically charged people. Because of the clipboards Marissa had given me, everyone thought I was in charge, including some international news crews. I was asked at least 3 times if I was Iris (who I later got to meet - she was in charge). I just began to explain that the clipboards were deceiving, I was not in charge - but I could point out someone who was. It was funny to me that people kept thinking I was in charge - when I am so politically immature that I didn't even know what our Governor looked like until yesterday...oops - I probably shouldn't mention that.

Now I just need to pick up my copy of "Politics for Dummies" so I can start to catch up to the people I met yesterday.

To exotic places like...Milwaukie*

6 Places

I don't know if this is places I have been, have lived, or want to go...so...I'm doing whatever. Again, this is in no particular order - it's mostly on when I found the pictures.

1. Virginia! This is my hometown. I love Virginia!

2. Rexburg, ID
3. Boston!!

4. Utah

5.IHOP

Actually - I just love pancakes.

6. The Temple

I'm a saint

Yesterday I was coming up the stairs at church and there was a toddler beginning to come down the stairs...alone. So I politely told him that we should turn around and walk the other way (back in to the building). He hit his head with his palm like, "Oh yeah, that's right, I should be going the other direction" and turned around. I had to go into the kitchen which is right by the stairwell so I turned to him and was like, "Don't try to trick me and make a break for the stairs while my back is turned."




I dropped off my stuff in the kitchen, came out into the hallway, and sure enough the little tyke was two steps down the stairs. I went to talk him out of it and mentioned how we could go find his mom or something. Then another kid came into view, he was about nine years old and upon seeing the kid he was like, "Oh there you are!"


I help him retrieve his brother and the nine year old says, "Are you a saint?"

This is what flashed into my mind:

This of course left me speechless. But I finally got a hold of myself and asked the kid if he was asking if I went to church there (Because our full name is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day SAINTS). He nodded and I was like, "Yes, I am." I don't know, I felt like I needed to clarify before I answered.

I don't know, maybe I could be Jessica the Patron Saint of Toddlers.

Did you eat paint chips as a kid*

My badge for work is broken. I knew it was coming, I could see the crack and I figured one day it would stop letting me in to the building...today was that day

I went to the main floor to let the Blood Drive people in (yay for blood drives!) and when I tried to enter the lounge on the third floor I couldn't get in. A kind soul was leaving from the other side so he walked over to let me in but then my badge suddenly worked and I got in. We laughed about it and I went to my desk to forget all about it.

Then someone needed a pedometer (don't get me started on the stupid pedramater). They are kept in the super secret HR closet, of which I have to use my badge to enter. I swiped and swiped and swiped but it wouldn't let me enter. So I got the key, got the pedometer and e-mailed Helpdesk to get me a new one (several hours later - I still don't have one).

So - I took my lunch break and ran errands with Pam. We went to Sam's Club, Party City, and Hallmark (not important to the story in the least - but I thought you'd like to know). It was after 3 o'clock when we got back to the office and I still hadn't actually eaten lunch - I was STARVING. I told Pam we needed to use her badge to get in to the building because mine wasn't working, she told me she didn't have her badge - luckily for us there were about 8 of our employees taking a smoke break so we got one of them to let us in. Pam took the elevator but I walked around to the back stairwell so that along the way I could collect the Blood Drive Signs (see - I brought up the blood drive for a reason earlier). I collect all the signs and start huffing it up the stairs. I get up to the third floor, a little warm and out of breath. I grab my badge and swipe it against the card reader only to remember in that moment that my badge no longer works.

You're kidding me!

I thought quickly and remembered that my friend was recently moved to a desk right by the stairwell - so I pulled out my phone and called her (still out of breath - there is no air circulation in these stairwells - I imagine that if no one ever opened a door an individual could suffocate within 24 hours). She let me in - but not before making fun of me - which is expected from friends.

I get to my desk and get ready to dig in to my sandwich because by now it's 3:30, my aneurysm is acting up because of my time in the oxygen deprived stairwell, and my stomach is about to kill and eat me. My boss decides that this is the moment to catch up with me and is standing at my desk talking to me. I was trying my best to be engaged in the conversation but my mind kept picturing my desk drawer - where my sandwich was - and repeating over and over again,;sandwich, sandwich, sandwich.

I finally got to eat...but I still don't have a fully functioning badge, which means the adventure isn't over.

I've been everywhere man*

(Ha-Ha! I should have posted this BEFORE the 7 wants...thought I had...sorry)

No pictures in this post because I don't want to see my fears.

8 FeArS

I think eight is appropriate for "fears" because one of my fears involves 8 legs.

1.

Arachnis Deathicus

i.e. the spider

Even the smallest bite from... "arachnis deathicus"... will instantly paralyze...*

I. Hate. Spiders. They give me the shivers with their legs and their pincers...and their venom and their webs, and their many, many eyes.

2.

Wide open fields - in the dark
You don't know what could be laying in wait for you out in that field (really - cause it's dark). It's part of the reason I could never live in the country.

3.

Not being good enough.

This goes for spiritually. Being the youngest of 6. Rejection from boys, literary agents. Not doing a job right. Giving talks or lessons in church. Etc. I want to be really good at everything - which leads me to have perfectionist tendencies.

4.

The brakes not working.

Coming recurring dream of mine - driving along and the brakes won't work. I can't stop the car and I'm running through red lights, the cops are chasing me, etc.

5.

Large bodies of water

People think it's sharks - but it's so much more than that. It's floating in water with who knows what swimming around with easy access to grab my legs and drag me away. It's not having someplace solid to put your feet. It's drowning. It's vastness. It's the unknown.

6.

Heights

Totally legit (but while I'm afraid but it doesn't stop me rock climbing and getting up high - it just stops me from coming back down).

7.

Dad's Phone Calls - mostly his voicemail messages that say, "Hey Jess, this is Dad, give me a call when you get this." Give me a little more Dad - his messages make me feel I am in trouble or that someone is injured or died. I always expect the worst and then when I call him back he is asking some random question.

8.

Not being in control - not like "in control of the situation" and I don't have to be in charge or get my way. I mean not being able to really function. I hate pain meds because I don't feel in control. A reoccurring dream for me is not being able to stop the car (with the brake OR safety brake). There's also the one where I can't move cause someone is holding me back. No control - a fear.

I want a potty! I want a cookie! I want to stay up! I want, I want, I want, me, me, me, me, mine, mine, mine, mine, now, now, now, now!*

With so much going on I forgot about my 10 day challenge...I figure it was never meant to be ten consecutive days...that would be silly...

SeVeN wAnTs

1. To have ALL of my family close by. Most of them are around town but there are some, I won't name names, who aren't in Virginia.

2. To magically be the recipient of a ton of money that would allow me to pay off all debts and fix up the house (quite a bit; finish the fence, new siding, new roof, and money left over to hire a landscaping company)...I'm allowed to dream big here right?

3. To have the nerve and drive to send in my writing.

4. To be naturally good at piano - instead of sounding like a six year old every time I sit down at the keys.

5. Children as cute as my sister's.

6. 5:00 o'clock....on Friday.

7. More time.

Well the buzz from the bees is that the leopards are in a bit of a spot. And the baboons are going ape over this.*

This weekend I finally got to go to Carter Mountain with "the Fam" (and by Fam I mean the Rowland sect of the family - since no one else came). I love this tradition - even if the drive is much longer than the actual time spent there. The apple cider doughnuts are well worth it (and this year - the gallon of Apple Cider was pretty worth it too). Plus - I get to spend time with the Rowland clan - who wouldn't be happy about that?? So...here are some photos.







Ava cried and cried while waiting in line for the hayride, she wanted to get down and walk around. But once she figured out what was going on she was so giddy - it was great!

Good morning son, I am a bird.*

January - 4

February -3

March - 4

April -5

May - 4

June - 3

July -5

August - 3

September - 1

I know! I know!

Perdido Street Station by China Mieville

This book was a struggle at first. The first - oh 250 pages kind of drag. However, having read one of Mieville's other books (Unlondon) I knew that it would drag a bit - but that everything he writes - no matter how small - comes to play in the completion of the story. Once B.I.L. Ben gave me a deadline to finish the book I buckled down and forced myself to get through it - but then it hit that magical moment when the story just takes off and you can't put it down. It's a heavier book - so light readers beware. Also - B.I.L. Ben made an "edited" copy for me - I don't know what lay beyond the white out - but it very well may be offensive to some.

The story is complicated to explain - but let me try. This scientist, Isaac, is commissioned to help a Guarda (a flying man-bird) to regain his ability to fly. In the course of his research he comes across a grub and out of curiosity keeps it as it grows to be three feet long and wraps itself in it's chrysalis. This grub becomes a moth that sucks our people's dreams and memories - basically their minds. The idea intrigued me, which is why Ben edited a copy for me to read. It's a good read if you put in the effort for 250 pages or so.