"...come sit beside me, in your way..."

This morning I watched the sunrise.

I spent last night, Sunday night, by myself---awake. By the time I decided to go to bed, it was quite light outside, so I decided to sit and wait for the sun to rise.

I've always preferred watching sunsets over sunrises. Anyone who knows me knows that I am definitely not a morning person---so I have not had many opportunities to watch sunrises in the summer. I've always heard that they're beautiful. There is a slight problem here in Provo, though. You see, in the east, there are some mountains, and these mountains are very close. Thus, by the time one sees the sun itself, the sky is already completely lit. I would prefer to watch a sunrise from a distance in order to also see the light refract. Nonetheless, I enjoyed myself this morning.

I expected a dramatic display of beauty, but was met with calm instead. The overwhelming peace I felt while I watched the clouds drift silently eastward was quite unexpected. I watched each cloud turn from yellow to peach to bright pink as it neared the mountains. The world was quiet and amazingly, I was filled with patience. Patience is something I have longed for these past few days. I felt as if it were granted to me this morning. The sunrise was captivating, but not because it was spectacular.

The sunrise was captivating because I didn't want the stillness to end.

Yay for juvenille litertature: books with lots of pictures!(even if they are drawings instead of photographs)

I'm in the library. Doing research. During summer.

What has the world come to when in the month of July I am sitting at a computer scanning pictures of Medieval castles and checking out books?

I'll tell you what it has come to:

THEATRE DESIGN, BABY!

It's actually a good thing that I'm getting started now. First of all, designing is a three-credit class, so the more I do now, the less I have to do when I have other classes. Most importantly, however, I have something to do. I've been hanging around doing nothing (except reading 1984 which is great, but I can only read for so many hours at a time) and sleeping. Now, I'm actively doing something that will be of use. Soon, I'll go back to work too. Being not-busy is only nice for a small amount of time---especially when you're busy being not-busy by yourself.

So, if anyone has some great pictures of the interiors of Norman castles built around the 12th century or so, (better yet---pictures of the kitchen of said castle) pass 'em on to me.

jenniferthescenic at gmail dot com

low - ri - der"Let's ride."

I started this post last Sunday soon after I got back from Portland:

Okay, awesome weekend. Wow. The food (like, wow---Roxy, Voodoo Doughnuts, Montage, Chinese I actually liked...could it get better?), the walking, Reed and Pacific, the concert, the photos, the discussions, the getting lost... Pretty fan-freaking-tastic.

I spent Friday-day with Jess and Friday-night with both Jess and britta, but for reasons I'm too lazy to explain, I wound up by myself in downtown Portland on an unfamiliar street trying to get to britta's. It took me an hour-and-a-half to navigate the downtown, find the streets that were hiding from me, and make it out to Bosch Park Lane. But, driving around by myself in the city was just plain awesome.

I realized that weekend that I absolutely LOVE driving. I also loved jetting around downtown Portland and seeing things. I just---there is so much power and control in an automobile...go anywhere at any time with anyone. Adrenaline. I love it.

Yeah, and this, is definitely related to my uncanny love of the movie Gone in 60 Seconds. It's not really a Hollywood classic or particularly great filmmaking (although the cinematography is pretty beautiful). It got two thumbs down for goodness' sake, but I'm hooked. See? Contrary to popular belief, I do not live and die by Ebert and Roeper. I watched it yesterday, here at my brother's in Vegas. That movie is so sexy. Wow. Hot cars . . . and don't laugh that I absolutely love Nicolas Cage.

I can't say enough about the sexiness of fast cars.

Pee-Chees exist

I have discovered that I am not actually insane. I am from the West Coast . . . we do things differently. That does not necessarily equal insanity.

All my life, I have used phrases like "grade school" or "pee-chee folder". A certain young lady informed me that when doing so, I was speaking gibberish. She gave me a quizzical look or shook her head each time I used either of these phrases.

Well, the "grade school" thing I haven't quite figured out---still not sure why my inclination is to say that instead of "elementary school" (which, is perfectly acceptable) but I have discovered that "pee-chee folders" do indeed, exist.

I was walking around in a store in Astoria called Deals Only with my dear friend britta, and as we approached a box of folders, I asked her what she would call them. She replied, "Um, folders?" I asked for another name, and she said, "Pee-Chees". I then exclaimed, "Ah ha! I'm not crazy! Other people call them that too!" . . . at which point she informed me that "Pee-Chee" is actually a brand of folder, and not just a "west coast thing". We then discussed the fact that the Urban uses them as folders for their menus. I love the Urban.

Ah ha . . .

My bad, for sure. Yes, Pee-Chee is indeed a brand name. (Here's a larger but less aesthetic picture...) Please forgive me for projecting the name of a brand onto a general product. Americans do it all the time . . . Ziploc, Saran Wrap, Xerox, Sharpie . . .

I shall continue to refer to them as "Pee-Chees". I like the name better . . . and I like seeing the quizzical look.

Today = Astoria Day

Today was fantastic. Today I realized how much I've missed britta and Jessi.

I forgot how much I love bumming around Astoria . . . how much I love, love being at the Urban (especially when Ryan's playing) . . . how much I love singing along in the car . . . how much I love having someone ask for a straw for me . . . how much I love sitting near the water . . . how much I love being asked religious questions . . . how much I love being teased about the pros and cons of dessert . . .

Today we bought tickets to see U2 in December. Wow. Yeah, WOW. And for the record, Rattle and Hum is even better the second time through---and especially nice when watching it with crazed U2 fans.

And, "So Long Astoria" is soooo much better when listened to in Astoria.