A Promise of Adventure

Adventures are coming. I sadly feel like my blog has become adventure-less. I blame it on no longer living in a city that doesn't sleep. And no longer being a short walk or subway ride away from adventure. But before this gets to be too much of a pity party and I dwell too much on how much I miss New York, let me assure you that there are adventures coming. Right around the corner. I can't publicly announce the specifics as yet, since I don't like announcing anything until it's definite and secure, so I'm going to be one of those annoying people who drops hints about something but never actually says it. But I will. Soon.

Catalog in the Mail

Today I got a J. Crew catalog in the mail. Even though I worked there for over a year I somehow managed to not get on the catalog mailing list. I am by no means a fashionista or style maven, and have on more than one occasion shared my dislike for working in the clothing chain, but I was actually excited when I saw it and eagerly flipped through it to see what the latest styles and trends were. It was nice to feel like I was in the loop and knew what my friends would be trying to sell to clients at our store on Fifth Avenue.

And even though I sadly no longer have the employee discount, there were a few things that I thought I should save up for...

Snail Killer

This morning I ended the life of a snail. I'm always so careful about walking on the sidewalk, making sure to sidestep the little snails that cruise along after the sprinklers have gone off. But this morning, in my rush to check if I could see some in the wet dirt by the porch, I heard a crunch sound. It was gone just like that under the bottom of my shoe. I know it seems silly to even care about it, but for some reason I do. Tonight, as I was walking up the sidewalk to the door, I was extra careful of the two snails hanging out. One was posted at the remains of the snail I had crushed earlier in the day. I like to think they were mourning.

Rejection Mail

Remember the days when getting mail was exciting? I remember when I was at Snow College we would wait every day for the mail hoping for a letter from a family member or something equally exciting. I guess now with the internet and e-mail, all our letters are sent electronically and the only things that come in the mail now are bills and credit card offers. Well, you can now get rejection in the mail. I had applied for two jobs awhile ago, and having not ever heard anything from many of the jobs I had applied for, and sometimes getting an automatic e-mail response saying the job had been filled and not with me, I was just assuming that I hadn't got them. But then I got two letters in one day saying that I had not gotten the jobs. It was quite disheartening. If I hadn't received a letter earlier in the week with really good news I might have seriously considered never looking at the mail again. Regardless, I'll still get those pesky credit card offers, and my Entertainment Weekly, which is reason enough for me to get the mail at least on Fridays.

Pioneer Day

In Utah we get to celebrate two Fourths: the Fourth of July and the Twenty-Fourth of July. One we celebrate for gaining independence from Britain with the signing of the Declaration of Independence, and the other we celebrate the pioneers who crossed the plains to escape religious persecution. I'm very thankful for both and am glad that they both get such recognition.

I'm also glad that they both get parades, (I've been working downtown at the Salt Palace the last four days and got to see all the floats getting ready for the parade...)

and firework displays.

AMAZING!!!
The finale was Spectacular and I dare say even better than the ones on the Fourth. Thank you, Pioneers, for enduring hardships, trials, and death across the plains to create this wonderful city and state. And for the fireworks that commemorate your trek.

Sneak Preview (Please leave your cell phones and camera at the door)

This post is dedicatied to Pambelina.

My lovely friend Mary gave me her Free Preview tickets for the new flick, Julie and Julia, because she couldn't go. I of course wanted to see the movie, for several reasons, including the fact that my name was in the title (and I'm quite in love with my name) and I adore Amy Adams and Meryl Streep, and Stanley Tucci if you really must know. So Tuesday night my sister and I made the trek over to Sandy to see a move for free before it had been released. Man, did I feel cool.

I've been to one other Free Screening before. It was in New York for The Incredible Hulk. The movie was pretty forgettable, even with Edward Norton, and the only reason it even registers in my memory is because I sat next to a very attractive man who I talked with a little bit before the movie; our arms brushed against each other during the movie and once it ended I got up and left and regretted the whole way home not talking to him more. Anyway, with it being a special screening they checked everyone's bag to make sure they didn't have cameras or cell phones--no one wants their not-yet-released movie to make its way to the internet before the big screen; look what happened to X-Men Wolverine. I had not brought either though, as the Free Screening Ticket said they would not be allowed and should just be left at home.

Even with this prior knowledge I went into the movie theater with my huge bag carrying my cell phone and my friend's camera. Emily also had her cell phone and camera. The workers at the ticket counter said they would hold them for us in a drawer. One checkpoint completed. Then it was high security, as we were wanded (I had to show what was in my pocket--a bobby pin and an Excedrin, keys in the other) and had our bags checked with a flashlight (I looked ready to leave the country, the inspector joked, as I had my passport and a "religious book"). After passing the second checkpoint we made it into the theater, and after being the last people admitted in for the Free Screening, were unfortunately left with nothing but the front or second row to choose from. Not the best way to see a movie, but when you're seeing it for free it's hard to complain too much.

In spite of all the hoop jumping and bad seating, I really loved the movie. So many movies with female leads are of the Romantic Comedy, Chick Flick mode, and while I am a big fan, it's rather refreshing to see a film with two female leads and neither is put into ridiculous situations to get the guy; neither is a horrible shrew addicted to her job; neither is the put-upon wife who plays second fiddle to her male counterpart; neither involves montages of getting ready for a big date/interview. Again, not that there's anything wrong with that in a movie (I'm a firm fan of the RomCom), but it's great to watch a film with women who are smart and driven and love their husbands and have flaws and are real people. Both take incredible journeys that they choose to make themselves happy, and find happiness based on achieving what they set out to do. And while the males in their lives are there to love and support them (as should be the case in any normal, real relationship, not what Hollywood normally throws at us) they're happiness isn't based on them. I think this is one of the truest depictions of people in the real world.

When we left the theater there was a person outside writing down peoples' reactions. He looked at me and asked, "What did you think of the movie?" I looked at him with a great big smile, put my thumb in the up position, and said, "It was great!"

A Movie Outside

I love summertime for the sheer fact that I get to watch movies outside on the grass downtown. After experiencing it in New York and falling in love with it, I knew it had to be something I continued doing even if I wasn't in New York. There are tons of Movies in the Park all over the valley, but most of them show family films. And while I'm certainly not one to disparage family films, there's something romantic and lovely about watching an old classic in the park.

Thankfully there's the Gallivan Center in downtown Salt Lake, which plays host to many, many free things throughout the summer, and this month was celebrating the auteur filmmaker Alfred Hitchcock. For anyone that was a film major, all of Hitchcock's films are classics and masterpieces. Monday night Phaedra, Emily and I were treated to Vertigo, one that I'd never seen. It stars Jimmy Stewart and Kim Novak (in the blond role) as a retired detective and the friend's wife who is possibly having her body inhabited by a dead lady. Never mind the entire scene where she wakes up in a strangers house and is not at all weirded out by it, or the fact that they fall in love after having spent ten minutes together, or the fact that poor Midge gets the shaft. It's still a great film from the master of suspense. There were moments when I was truly shocked and felt moments of anxiety for the characters, despite the way-over-the-top music that told you what was happening and what you should be feeling.










I loved the feeling I had while sitting there with snacks and my sister and cousin, with the sun going down and city lights coming on, and feeling like I was in New York.