Spiteful

I can't post pictures on my blog while I'm at work. But I'm okay with that. Ever since I concluded that I don't need a picture in order to create a successful blog post, I have been writing more at work. I learned in college that 3 am is my peak time for creative writing, anyway.

On my way to the hospital this evening, I heard a song on the country station. Did you know that I often listen to country music now? Last month, when my friend Jessica visited me, we had a long drive to Mount Rainier and back for our snowshoeing adventure. Wanting to be a good host, I deferred to her radio station of choice which was country. And now I like it. It turns out, it isn't that hard to be a country fan. After about a week, I had familiarized myself with the most commonly played songs and now I can sing along.

Well, tonight I heard a song that I hadn't heard in a really long time. "Earl Had to Die." I want to say that it is by the Dixie Chicks but I wouldn't bet my lunch on it. It is kind of a terrible song, actually. A girl gets abused by her husband and then she and her friend plot his death. If someone had told me this story as a news headline, I would probably shake my head and mutter, "Oh, that's tragic." But when they sing it, it is catchy and (dare I say it?) almost charming. And I like it, in spite of myself.

It is the equivalent of Cheetos. These are perhaps the most unnatural, processed snacks on the face of the earth. Now arguably, Twinkies might be more extreme, but those have never been a temptation for me. Cheetos, however, I really enjoy. Like in a, "If you could only have one food on a deserted island?" kind of way. It's really a shame. I have been trying to let Seattle's organic-trendy culture rub off on me. To be one of those people who shudders at the thought of letting white flour or refined sugar even touch their week supply of PCC produce. I get it. There is essentially no nutritional value from a bag of Cheetos. But I like it. In spite of myself.

Perhaps this brings me to the point of this blog. By nature, I would call myself a timid person. Actually that sounds pretty wimpy. I don't want to call myself that. Demure? Nope, don't like that one either. Reserved. That's it. A respectable trait. Although you would never hear someone say, "Oh, I had such a fun time with my friend last night. She is so reserved!" But this week, I want to do some things that are bold. Brave things. You know the kind of things that give you butterflies in your stomach just thinking about them. If all goes well with these things, maybe I'll blog about them next week and be a little less vague. For now, I'll just say, braver than killing a bug but less brave than jumping out of an airplane. These are things that I have been thinking about doing for quite a while. And I really want to do them.

In spite of myself.

From the trail...

While I was running today, my iPod died right in the middle of "I Will Survive". I guess it didn't have all its love to give. Also, I spent a disproportionate amount of time trying to find a close parking spot at the lake before my six mile run.

Irony noted, universe.

OctoBlogging

I just noticed that Kelli tagged me over a month ago for this blogging-game. Sorry, buddy!

This actually works out quite nicely. I keep thinking to myself, "I really should post something on my blog" because, as you may have noticed, it has been a while. There is a reason for that. The most obvious thing to post would be in regards to changes that I am thinking of making in my life. However, I haven't quite decided what those changes will be and I really should decide before I write about them. So until I resolve my quarter-life crisis (too early for mid-life), I will propel myself to the top of fellow-bloggers' sidebars by answering some introspective questions.

8 Things I'm passionate about

1. Obviously not maintaining my blog. Although blog stalking would probably qualify

2. The gospel of Jesus Christ, especially temple work

3. My amazing family
4. Encouraging my male peers to shave off their facial hair
5. Telling my patients not to take more than 4 grams of Tylenol per day. We are about to start a liver transplant program and this is the leading cause of acute liver failure. Lay off the percocet, people!
6. Using "good" and "well" correctly
7. Making really good Italian Cream Sodas
8. Organ Donation

8 Words/phrases I use most often
1. Hey, buddy!

2. That's true.
3. Peace out.
4. I don't know what to do with my life.
5. 11 East, this is Kristen. How can I help you?
6. Get 'er done.
7. What's shakin'?

8. Okey-dokey.

8 Things I want to do before I die
1. Have my picture in a conference edition of the Ensign.
2. Kayak from Alaska to Seattle.
3. Grow a family.
4. Get a black eye, maybe by getting punched in the face. Please don't punch me the next time you see me.
5. Get a tan.
6. Live on an avocado farm. Or own one.
7. Get Lasik eye surgery.
8. Be involved in humanitarian aide on every continent.

8 Places I want to visit
1. Portland, Oregon. This is about 4 hours by car from where I live now. I don't know why I haven't gone yet.
2. Alaskan cruise. Again, quite doable considering where I live.
3. China. I have loved every person from China that I have ever met so I imagine this to be a country full people with whom I would get along quite nicely.
4. Stockholm, Sweden. Preferably sometime in the next 18 months so I can see my parents the awesome senior missionary couple.
5. Devil's Pool, Victoria Falls, Africa.
6. The Celestial Kingdom. Except I would replace "visit" with "live".
7. The Appalachian Trail. Except I would replace "visit" with "hike it."
8. Glacier National Park, Montana.

8 Favorite restaurants
1. Cafe Rio. I could move back to Utah just to be close to a Cafe Rio.
2. The Saffron Grill- an Indian restaurant one block from my house that I haven't been to in a year.
3. Cheesecake Factory. About 10 miles from my house that I have been to 3 times in the last 2 months.
4. My mom's kitchen. When I was little and had to sit at the kid's table, my mom would call it "The Restaurant" to make us feel special, so I think this is an appropriate categorization.
5. When my roommate cooks. I am now using the term "restaurant" even more loosely.
6. Any sushi restaurant where the little plates come around on a conveyor belt.
7. A Döner stand in Germany, preferably run by a large Turkish man.
8. The Crab Pot. Bibs, hammers, and cups of melted butter. Heaven.

8 Shows I watch
1. Lost. I am determined to make it through to the end of this show.
2. Project Runway. For a long time I thought this was a reality show about aviation so I never watched it.
3. Glee. Welcome back!
4. The Mary Tyler Moore Show. I find that I can really relate to her.
5. The Dick Van Dyke Show.
6. Parks and Recreation.
7. The Office. Mostly out of habit.
8. Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution- this is my current favorite show. It is quite awesome.