The lease is up on my apartment in about 2 months. So what does that mean? Well my darling younger sister, who happens to be one of my best friends and who also happens to have never moved out of my parents house (even though she is almost 26 years old and has a 2 1/2 year old daughter), and I are thinking about moving in together. I am sure that red flags are popping up left and right in you head right now and I’m not going to lie, they are in mine too. BUT, there are also a lot of green flags too. Right now I’m just trying to make sure the green outweighs the red.

See I like living alone. I like everything about it. There is nothing I do not like about living alone. Nothing. I hate moving. I have moved 5 times in the past 3 years and it is getting really old. I like where I live…for the most part. Ok, that is a lie. I like the location, I don’t like hearing my neighbors walking above me or that I do not have a washer and dryer or that my kitchen is “golden rod” yellow and my bathtub is the most uncomfortable tub there is. But my hatred for moving makes me want to stay where I am at. But…I am back in school now and saving money on rent would be very nice. I adore my niece and I want the best for her and my sister and it is truly time for them to get out of my parents house and into the real world. So…we are searching. Searching for a place that is afordable, in the right location, and that we both like.

Have I mentioned I hate moving?

My adorable niece and soon to be roommate.

Random

Last night I went to a concert. No, I did not cut class to go either. My Humanities instructor is in Italy and canceled class this week so I was not “technically” being a bad student. In fact, I can use this concert as an assignment for class so really I am a good student after all! We have to attend 4 cultural events and a rock concert can count. Don’t you just love it when things fall right into place?

Shinedown is one of my favorite bands, I mean we are talking top 10 here folks and coming from a music fanatic such as myself, that is pretty huge! All day yesterday I was counting down the time until the show started. When we got there I couldn’t stop smiling the whole time. I mean did you notice that huge toothy smile in the pictures? That is one happy rocker chick! I had never seen Shinedown in concert before, but the opening band, RED, I have seen 2 other times and I really like them as well.

Lucky for me I am a connected girl and know a lot of the people putting on the show so I got a few perks. For instance I got the lead singer of Shinedowns autograph (YAY!). And what did he sign? HIS all access pass (double YAY), so that meant that I gained access to use the real bathrooms behind the stage instead of the stinky port-o-potties. Other perks included a few free drinks and VIP standing area so we could actually see the concert!

The concert was so amazing and half way through Shinedown brought out a special surprise which turned out to be a full orchestra. Now let me back up just a tich and mention this is a FREE concert…with an amazing band who just brought out a full orchestra. How cool is that? It sounded so perfect. Of course I knew just about every song and was rocking out just as hard as I know how to. The one disappointment was that they didn’t play their cover of Lynard Skynards “Simple Man”. So I am just going to put the video up instead.

*SIDE NOTE:
On American Idol last season, David Cook sang the Shinedown version of Simple Man live on stage. I was freaking out when I heard it and I must admit, David Cook totally nailed it!

Concert whore, Out and About

I started school last week. I am taking 2 classes – Humanities and Math. I wanted to take 3 classes but was not able to get into ANY of the required English classes. I tried 17 different classes! On-line classes, early morning classes, night classes, this campus, that campus, showing up in person, all to no avail. So, just 2 classes 2 nights a week 3 hours each.

This is a picture of me laying outside the college on the grass reading my first assignment for Humanities. So far I like college. I like having different and new things to occupy my thoughts. For so long dating and playing have been the center of my attention, so this is a welcome change of pace. Even though at this particular pace it may take me 5 years to get a 2 year degree, at least I am in the game! I feel quite proud of myself actually.

Back to School

I am going to California in 10 days. Look out Sunny Orange County because I am not coming alone! I am bringing with me a crazy beautiful Russian Queen bombshell named Karina who happens to be one of my very best friends! You will know it’s us as we will be easy to spot. Just look for the two 6 ft tall tan women talking with fake British accents and hitting on surfers while running on the beach and taking pictures.

Below is a list of “To Do” and “Not To Do” that Karina the Russian sent me today.

To do:
1. Run on the beach in the morning
2. Soak up the feet in the sand and take a picture of it
3. Shopping
4. Eat Healthy!
5. Experience California night life
6. Flirt with a local surfer/sexy man
7. Have a fake accent …. British…or pretend we r French on one of the nights we go out
8. We’ll have to do something that we’ve never done before… surfing or something in that nature! Create a memory maker!
9. Lay on the beach and Tann and look sexy as we do it!
10. Be smart! Don’t talk to creeps!
11. Take A LOT OF pictures!

Not to do:
1. One night stands
2. Eat like a pig and buy sweets from every corner!
3. Get married.

*Add if you can think of something.

We are only there for 4 days…I hope we can fit it all in! Oh, and I should note that Karina the Russian has also requested that we throw ourselves a going away party before we go. I swear to you there is never a dull moment with her and I absolutely love her for it!

K to the R stories, Random, Vacations

I just got home from the amazing town of WENDOVER! Yeah, not too much that is amazing about itactually, but I still managed to have a great time. It’s like a very miniature Vegas. I was there for a photo shoot of sorts on the Salt Flats along with several other women (no there will be no pictures posted on this blog or any other for that matter). The photographer organized a carpool. The driver of the car I was assigned to, bless her raving little heart, only listens to techno house electronica…(whatever you want to call it) music. As soon as I get in the car the driver asks if I like electronica music and being the polite person I am I say “sure, it’s cool” and it is…in the right circumstances or in small doses. So for the 2 hour drive up, the 20 minute drive to and from the salt flats, and the 2 hour drive back home it was nothing but umpst umpst umpst on the speakers. I am happy to report that I am now safely home in my apartment and Aurora and I are listening to the new STAIND album as loud as possible so that the Gods of rock and roll do not put a curse on me! Oh sweet screaming lyrics, guitar, base, drums…how I missed you!

I’d like to offer a special shout out to my virtual blogger friends who are now becoming my real life friends. You all decent people and I am no worse off for having met you.
Much love to Doni for organizing things and to Sarah, Kel, and Helmey for attending. I look forward to running into all of you again in the very near future!

Out and About

Know how some times you stop and think, hey, my life is pretty damn awesome! I have a lot going for me, my heads on strait, I’m in control of my destiny, I have great friends and family and a whiny cat that loves me. I’m taking on college even though everyone is 5 or 10 years younger than me I am still going to kick butt at school cause I rock! I’m in good shape, I’ve got a modeling gig of sorts this weekend and its sunny and beautiful outside and I’ve got a job that pays the bills and I’m going on vacation to CALI baby in 2 weeks and gosh darn it LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL!!!!? Then out of nowhere you get a text from your x-husband who has been, up until recently, your best friend for the past 10 years saying “Happy late birthday” only 2 weeks late when he has never forgotten before and you made it a point to wish him a happy birthday ON his birthday and then all of the hurt feelings you have been suppressing deep down inside come rushing to the surface and you find yourself crying alone in the bathroom but you are not crying just because he finally remembered, you are crying because he is engaged and living with his soon to be wife and her 3 kids and he killed your old dog, well he gave him to the humane society so you don’t really know, but the point is that you trusted him to take care of that dog and then when he offered to let you say goodbye to your dog you couldn’t even take him up on it so now your dog Winston keeps visiting you in your dreams and more and more emotions start flooding to the surface and you are asking yourself am I going to start my period? Where are all of these emotions coming from? What is my deal here? Then you choke back the tears, clean yourself up and hide in your office so no one sees that your eyes are red.

Ever have one of those days?

Yeah…me too.

Emotions get the best of me, Just me

Oh Billy Madison, I will be singing that song all day now. If you can do it – I can do it too!

I was on the phone a couple of days ago with a vendor who happens to be an old boss and a friend. She asked me what’s new in my life. So I told her I am going back to school. She immediately got all giddy and started rambling on about how proud she was of me and then, laughing, she asked if I had my matching lunch box and thermos. We both started laughing hysterically at the thought of me skipping into class on the first day with my Wonder Woman lunch box. Then we decided that sense this is “grown up” school, the thermos needed a big girl drink and should be filled with vodka. I told this story to Karina the Russian Queen and she said that it had to be a Spiderman lunch box because, well…it’s a long story. Let’s just say that Spiderman is our hero. We like what he is throwing down. Plus seeing Karinas’ son get all excited and act like Spiderman always makes us giggle.

Back to School, Just me, K to the R stories

When I was younger and married and working for a high strung boss, I had a lot of anxiety. I would have panic attacks quite frequently. I went to the doctor and the doctor said “let’s get you medicated like the rest of the state of Utah”. I thought doctors know best so I started popping the little pills he prescribed and became NUMB! Instead of having highs and lows, I now felt…nothing. I decided I didn’t like feeling nothing so I quit taking the little prescribed pills, switched jobs, got a divorce and have been doing just dandy. Oh sure there are still the occasional sleepless nights, but they are few and far between. That is, until last night.

I had just finished a lovely dinner with lovely company who brought an even lovelier bottle of Argentine wine. I went to bed and should have slept soundly, like I normally do, but instead I tossed and turned all night having twisted demonic dreams and waking up with the feeling of a huge heavy weight on my chest. The only logical explanation for this unwelcome interruption into my nights sleep is that I am nervous about starting back to college this week. When I finally got out of bed and stumbled into the shower I thought, “Dammit! This is just the beginning. I love my sleep! I don’t want to part with it! This whole education thing better be worth it!” which of course only added to my anxiety. But you know what? I know it will be worth it. It’s an investment in myself and my future. I guess I just need to learn how to breath and maybe do some meditations or something. But then again, if that doesn’t work, there are no shortage of doctors, pen in hand, ready to prescribe me more of those little mind numbing pills.

Back to School, Just me

I went hiking yesterday up Little Cottonwood Canyon. At the very top of the canyon, past (or maybe inside of) Alta Ski resort, there is the Sunset Peak/Albion Basin loop and it is a killer! I’m talking serious hard labored breathing here. Although I was in the group that made it to the top first, I really felt like keeling over and dying. But the pay off at the top, as always, was worth it!

The group I hike with are all real down to earth cool people who would rather shop at REI than Nordstrom. I fall somewhere in the middle but am still considered the token girly-girl of the group. That said, I am no where near the girly girl that most of my friends are. For example, one of my best friends, Karina (the Russian Queen), decided that for my birthday she would buy me a hat because she knows I like them and I wear them when I hike. Where does my beautiful friend go to buy me a hat? Why BEBE of course! The hat is actually perfect for me. It makes a statement that I am a designer hiker (or something like that)…only problem is, the group I hike with has no idea who BEBE is!

I got home from trekking my stylish self up and down the mountain, sore and exhausted, and decided to whine a little to my sister.

Text conversation:

Me: OMG! My hike was so hard tonight! I am so freaking sore from working out too! I need an ass massage!

Sis: You aren’t suggesting that I do it are you?

Me: LOL! Yes…why else would I text u that?

Sis: Well I’m flattered but…

Me: Dang it! Where’s a man to use when u need one?

Sis: I know right? We need a man on call at all times!

10 minutes later

Me: Speaking of a man on call…I just go a call from Sven (my Swedish love, not his actual name though). He is in Vegas right now

Sis: Well that’s still too far…we both need to work on finding someone within a ten mile radius!

Me: LOL! They exist???

Sis: Um…I don’t know!

Me: It might be an urban legend…but I guess there is no harm in trying?

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how single women think, or at least how they text.

Hiking, Random

At what age do you stop caring what other people think? In Utah, there is no age. At least that is the case with my parents. They love me, they accept me, blah blah blah. It still doesn’t change the fact that they feel they need to put on an act in front of their neighbors and friends.

Last night, after a frustrating experience with a college counselor, I went to pick up my sister Staci, who (bless her heart) still lives with my parents. Our plan was to leave her daughter with the “rents” and go to the gym for an hour or so. I get to my parents and they are in their neighbors backyard for a BBQ/neighborhood get together. I begrudgingly walk back there to find my sister, cursing her under my breath for not answering her phone. I walk back and of course my parents feel the need to introduce and embarrass me at the same time.

Dad to group: “This is my other baby, Summer.”

Group: Fake smiles and nods of acknowledgment.

Mom to group: “Yeah if I could only get this one married off I’d sleep easier.”

Group: Polite chuckles and nods of understanding.

Me: “Thanks mom.” Polite but forced smile to the group. Tassel moms hair and give her the evil eye.

Neighbor lady: “Well if either of you girls are interested in a single attractive 30 year old – let me know.”

Staci and me: Keep the forced smile, giggle, look at each other and quickly excuse ourselves.

In the car after several shudders trying to shake off the experience, Staci proceeds to tell me that I had it easy. Apparently when they were trying to sell her their sales approach was a bit more of a comic routine. With Mom saying she needs to start liking boys as more than friends and Dad saying as long as the guy skis he will due. Staci doesn’t like me writing about her because she is “private”. But that is more about my parents than her…so I’m justifying it…a little.

I guess when it comes down to it, I understand. I am not mad at my parents because I have played that roll and know what it is like for them. When all of their Mormon neighbors are talking about their kids who served a mission, graduated from college, got married in the temple and now have 2.5 kids, it’s easier for them to take the humor approach then to tell them that 2 of their daughters are divorced and one has a child out of wedlock! 3 single daughters and not one of them active in the church! If I was them, I wouldn’t admit to it either. But, it’s OK. I know that when the neighbors aren’t around and they say their nightly prayers, they will say they are thankful for all of their children, even if we have broken out of the Mormon mold.

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