Bodies

Come one, come all to the greatest show on Earth! The exhibit ends January 11. I'd recommend buying tickets on line and instead of just showing up. From what I've heard this could save you about a half hour in waiting for your turn to enter the exhibit. We got to go right when it opened, thanks to my job that got us free tickets.

We had seen the Body's exhibit in Vegas and I did prefer that one. It wasn't focused on any particular organ group and because of that I feel it was more informative and beautiful due to the many specimens that showed the capillaries and small vein systems. We are cotton candy. When we went to see that show, it was a bit difficult at first because I found myself thinking really hard about the people we were looking at. Wondering about their lives, how they may have died and what their loved ones must think. I realized that I wasn't going to make it without crying if I didn't stop. It wasn't so hard this time.

It seems so personal to see a body naked of skin but really without the skin (or forensics training) the body can only tell me so much. Without the skin I couldn't really tell how old the person was. They all look young, like 20 somethings. And to get to the muscle all the fat must be removed. So, all the bodies looked very fit and toned. You can't really tell race either. At the Body's exhibit the bodies are mostly from China and from the eyes you can kind of tell. But for all we know the person could have been obese and 80 and black. But you can be the judge of that. For info go to: http://theleonardo.org/bodyworlds/index.php

Liberty

Lets just pretend that this is how great it looks out side. Just close your eyes, breath deeply and relax. Imagine that all the snow is gone. That the treacherous ice has melted and that when the sun shines it actually warms you up. Maybe Santa will bring me some warmth for Christmas. Oh wait, the boyfriend already did that in the form of a new precious kitten. Thanks, Honey. She's purr-fect.

Apple

What a random thing to find on an early morning walk. I think I was on my way to the famers market when I came across this fine apple. Oh well, more food for the birds.

Enemies

"Wall Street is dying. The police state will protect a failed system from the people....SO KNOW YOUR ENEMY! THEY DO!!! Class war coup d'etat."

Maybe they have met crazy-gun-toting-Chris.

Seeds

Do you ever wonder, if people really eat the sunflower seeds that they grow? Or are the birds the only gatherers of this harvest? But if you do harvest your seeds you can leave them on the flower to dry. The flower may have to be wrapped with cheesecloth to prevent the birds from eating the seeds. Then, after you remove them from the flower....

To roast sunflower seeds:
1) Place a single layer of raw kernels in a shallow pan. Roast in a 300 degree F oven for 30 to 40 minutes or until brown and crisp. Stir occasionally.
2) Remove from the oven. One teaspoon of melted margarine may be added, if preferred, for each cup of seeds, stirring to evenly coat.
3) Place the seeds on absorbent paper. Salt to taste. Store in tightly covered container.


For salted in the shell seeds:
1) Cover seeds with salted water in the amount of 2 quarts of water to ¼ to ½ cup salt. Bring to a boil and simmer for 2 hours. Seeds can also be soaked overnight instead of boiled.
2) Drain and dry on absorbent paper.
3) Proceed as for roasted kernels mentioned earlier.

Dusk

I think I'm in love with sunset. But seeing as sunrise is so early in the morning, it never even had a chance.

Unrest

Years back there was crazy-gun-toting-Chris, who use to hang out at the same coffee shop that I'd always go to. He was anywhere from 45 to 65 years old. Life had been hard on him or like one of my co-workers would say "he was ridden hard and put away wet". He was nuts. He believed that the government was going to use military force to make us all slaves and that we must be prepared. This is were all the guns came in. I never went to his home but a few friends who did said he had an arsenal under his bed. He was ok as long as you didn't bring up the government. If you did you'd have to listed to his ever escalating conspiracy theory rants. Well, I must have impressed him because one day he proclaimed , "You know, if the shit ever hits the fan, I'll make sure to have a can of beans for you up in the hills". Well, thanks Chris. Because if the shit ever did hit the fan a crazy gun nut is just the person you want on your side.

Opera

This actually happened a long time ago. In September but there it is now. It was a really cold night but warmed by how cute the kids were.
And by the fact that I could not stop laughing at this lady's ass. Who the hell would think to buy these? It's like her ass is going to fly away. "Honey, does this make my butt look fat?"
AHHHH, it's looking right at me!! RUN!

Walker

Did you know that the Walker center sign will tell you what the weather is? The lights mean:
Solid blue - clear sky
Blinking blue - cloudy sky
Solid red - rain
Blinking red - snow
Or I could just look out my window.

Random

I was bored on a walk one day. Check it out.

Fall

I guess there is one perk to the fall weather. Arn't these pictures gorgeous.

National rally, part 2

Ok, I promise that these are the last of the rally pictures. The speaker above is an openly gay former Marine. He spoke at one point about a man behind the gates of the LDS church saying to him, that he did not have a right to carry the American flag because he was protesting. To the person who harassed him about that, I say "FUCK YOU!". This man did what I am to chicken to do, he fought in our military. And even though I don't agree with where our military has been sent. I respect the people who volunteer to be there.
Then there was this speaker, who told us the story of chicken little. And how when gay marriage was legalized in Norway, Holland, Belgium, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Canada, Spain and South Africa, "the sky did not fall, chicken little". And how the sky will not fall, if same sex marriage is passed everywhere else.
Ah, the most composed 17 year old ever. Well, maybe not ever but definitely more composed than I ever would have been at 17 years old. He told us the story of his family and his 2 moms. He reiterated the idea that what we need is more love.
Lastly, they pulled out the clergy. The spiritual leaders who are not worried that same sex marriage will bring on the hell and brimstone. Unlike the guy below, who's sign, I think, might be saying that we are going to hell. He is using a line from revelation saying that your name needs to be on the book of life or else you'll be thrown into the lake of fire. And a line from David, in the old testament, were he had a dream of monsters and a court were everyone will be judged. Why is it that when christians want to condemn something they use revelations or the old testament, but never the actual teachings of Jesus, the guy that they all believe is the way to heaven?

Rally, part 4

So, the picture above was of a group of mormon singers trying to sing the crowd into repenting their evil ways, I guess. But they were very overwhelmed by the crowd chanting, "What do we want? Equality, When do we want it? Now".
And here are the precious children that we care so much about. They were chanting "Man and Woman" over and over, in front of the church office building. And yeah, what other church even has an office building? Well, the mormons do.
I have been told that there is a law saying that no other building can be higher than the office building. Like the Wellsfargo building is suppose to have more floors but because it is on land lower than the land that the office building is on, it is technically lower. I don't know if the law really exists but I wouldn't be surprised if it did. (I don't know what happened to the font or how to change it. Weird).

Rally, part 3

And the pictures go on.

National rally, part 1

This was so much fun. I was amazed at the amount of people that came out. I would guess somewhere around 3,000. It was a very uplifting way to spend a Saturday morning. I kept hearing the same thing. "I can't believe that it passed". No one really thought that Prop 8 would pass in California. In Utah sure, no one even blinked when it passed, but in California?
So, here we are now. Walking around hoping that people wake up and realize that change is coming. And from the other side I hear "But what about the children?" Holy shit, for all the talk about children you'd think that people actually cared about them. The children card is pulled out all the time.
If we really cared about children we would have a better education system. If we really cared about children we would want for there to be more couples available to adopt. Even same sex couples. If we really cared about the children we would teach them that they are loved for exactly what they are. Be that gay or straight or bi. One of the speakers said it just right. There just needs to be more love. Love for ourselves and love for all others. Not just some others but ALL others.

Rally, part 2

I have no idea what the sign that says "Do mormons follow their own scripture? D&C 34:9" is suppose to tell me.
This is the line the sign refers to: "But before that great day shall come, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon be turned into blood; and the stars shall refuse their shining, and some shall fall, and great destructions await the wicked." I guess they're point is that what the mormons are doing is wicked and will bring on "distructions".

But according to the offician mormon D&C website the sections is about "The faithful become the sons of God through the atonement; Preaching of the gospel prepares the way for the Second Coming; Prophecy comes by the power of the Holy Ghost. " This just says to be faithful and if your not, your not a son of god. Well, what does this have to do with the gay rights movement?Stange sign.Maybe this guy could help me understand.

Sky

Keep your head up and good things will come.

Hike

I'm loving the Bonneville Shoreline Trail. On one side you have city and on the other nature. It is a really mellow hike even for the un-athletic like me. It's an easy way to get out of the city with out getting so far out that a rescue party will need to be gathered.

Now that the weather has turned for the worse, I probably won't go again until spring. Maybe by then I'll even have actual hiking shoes and not get lost. We kind of wandered off the trail and ended up by the U and in a really nice neigborhood. Maybe a map would have been good. For info on the route go to http://www.bonnevilleshorelinetrail.org/