Details of a Wandering Mind

I have a problem. I have a wandering mind.

It's not that I wouldn't like to dwell on things sometimes, but it is very hard for me. I just forget about what I should be doing. And yes, my mom has suggested Ritalin to me several times.

Tonight Christin asked me to go out to her car and get the recycle garbage can out of her car. On the way out she told me to take the garbage to the dumpster as well. The following is my mind dialogue;

"Usually I only take the garbage over when I throw it on top of my car. That is such an energy saver. When did I get that idea? When I bought my Camry of course. I wonder if I would have thought of that if I only had my Cadillac. I wonder if it would scratch it or just make it dirty. I'm so glad I have that car. Sometimes older cars are fun, even if just to beat up on. I should light that car on fire one day, that would be a good memorial to her. Or jump it off a cliff! That would be awesome. I wonder where you could jump a car off. Hollywood people do it somewhere. They clean it up after I bet. I wonder if Google has the answer. Google is so great."

By this time I reached the door. And yes, I definitely had forgotten the entire reason I went out in the first place, which was to get the recycle bin. I drive myself crazy sometimes.

Well-Rounded

Things that make me feel well-rounded; getting a new Ryobi drill from Santa Claus and a new pair of hair cutting shears from Mrs. Claus. And I couldn't be more excited for the two.

Lotion In My Flan

For years Christin has had her Williams-Sonoma Healthy Kitchen cookbooks. Since she bought them she has been dying to try lavender flan. Not that she had ever tasted flan, but she did think it sounded fun.

I decided I would make it for her birthday. So Tuesday I went to the one store that I know of that sells fresh lavender and bought some. I hid it and snuck it to Bullhead City. I made it while keeping Christin out of the kitchen. Then it had to set for EIGHT HOURS! So we had to wait til today. It was pretty good. But very pretty. And Christin liked it (even if my mom didn't nearly as much). And my aunt said it tasted like there was lotion in her flan. But she liked it too.

Every Light In The House Is On

Every year John Vizzard spends the entire month of December in fear. "Why?" you ask yourself. I will tell you. John is terrified of houses burning down all around him. And the Carbiener family does not help with this.

Christin began to put lights on the Christmas tree this year since I was out of town for a few weeks. John was there at the time. Christin managed to put three hundred lights on the tree but only covered about the bottom foot (I am told). She seemed a little distraught and tried again, yielding very similar results. Now normally my sister would have gone and bought more lights as a solution. However John would absolutely not have this. Not entirely because his responsible self would consider it a waste of money to buy new lights, not to mention the extra electricity, but because he is terrified of this tree catching on fire if too many lights are used. So he put on the lights, and yes, they look very nice.

Bridget on the other hand does not worry about such things. What she does hate though is our icicle lights. Every year I climb around the furniture in my living room with my staple gun and hang hundreds of them. And I love it. It makes it feel very Christmasy and for just a moment I forget that it is seventy-five degrees outside.


And every night when I go to bed with those lights plugged in I wonder if I shut off the lamps in the living room because it so stinkin' bright. And it's awesome. I actually think of this song every single night.


So even though John unplugs my Christmas tree every night when he leaves just to have me go right back out and plug it in again, and Bridget thinks we're a little more white trash for having those lights up inside, I love it. I'm grateful for Christmas and especially for our disapproving friends.

Now why was I in Utah? Well Bridget had a little surgery. So I came up to play nurse for a week and a half. So we hung out and even though we didn't build a fort, go to the movies, or go ice skating, I did take this picture of her. And we had a very nice drive to the doctor way too many times in a week. And sewed way too many buttons on blankets. But it was honestly a great week.

Before

After

Burger Supreme deliciousness

A sure fire way to make sure no one wants to break into your locked box

The kittens keeping a very close eye on me while I read the scriptures. Yes, they laid on top of each other exactly like that for a half an hour.

The lake driving through Provo Canyon

And just cause I think she deserves a sexy not surgery picture.

A Day That Will Live in Infamy

A little dramatic you might ask?

In case anybody missed the news, Carrie Underwood will soon be Carrie Underwood Fisher. Yep, she said yes. I know, right? It really is that bad.



I might have not been able to buy a quarter million dollar ring, but I still think she made the wrong choice.

Guess this means I might have to start dating soon.

Half-Done Projects

I have been feeling very creative as of late. I have six or seven things in my mind or that I am currently working on. The problem is they're not done yet. And what kind of lame blog post would have pictures of half-finished projects? So instead you get the post telling you that in a few weeks there will be a lot of awesomeness on here.

Mistborn

Jane talked about her brother being an author for quite some time. Every time I asked what her brother did actually, since he's been doing it since I met Jane. I never really thought much of reading one of his books though. I found one in Barnes and Noble a few months ago and thought how cool it was that I had met this author. But then I took a trip to the library and got one of his books. Maybe just to get on Jane's good side.

I checked out the only book of his that Phoenix had at the time, which was book two of a trilogy. It didn't seem like a big deal, as I didn't actually think I would like it that much. Turns out I was wrong. I read that book in about a week (I had a lot of work in Yuma). I then began the search for the next one. Six hours or so into my search I had visited three libraries and called another before I found a copy (they all said they had it in). I arrived at Scottsdale to have the woman that was holding it tell me that the author downstairs was Brandon Sanderson doing a book signing. Yep. That's him.


As I had been texting Jane all day telling her about the experience, I had to call and tell her "Thank You" for telling me her brother was in Phoenix. And no I didn't go buy a book. And I didn't wait in line cause I felt like a lame fan who hadn't read anything of his until the previous week. So I left.

I think I am going to be going to church with him on Sunday in Provo though. Yep, I'll distract him the whole stinkin' time with questions about his books.

They are awesome though. I read the first one finally. And Kate Beckinsale could probably be Vin (tough little protagonist) if it were made into a movie. Which it should be.

AOL News

AOL has some great news that always pops up when I check my e-mail. Tonight was particularly good. A few things I explored tonight.

The World's Scariest Train Rides (also very beautiful)

Christmas street display at XOXO store in Manhattan has girls living in a pretend room that change clothes for everyone periodically

Unfortunately I have a reason to dislike USC slightly less. Crap.



Awesome Parenting

Best Christmas Jewelry Commercial Ever

The sad thing is that I'm probably the guy that would make that card...
I guess it's cheaper.