Moving out and waxing sentimental

The old house



And the new

I recently moved into a new place and I as I was cleaning my old house this evening I got to thinking just how many times I've moved and how many people I have had the pleasure to know as roommates. The list is lengthy and I am happy to say that I have enjoyed the vast majority of them. I also find myself taking a trip down memory lane of all the places I have lived. Please join me on my sentimental journey...

I first moved out when I was 19 and I moved in with my sister MaryAnn. It was a pretty good experience overall. Mostly what I remember from those days are the X-Files (Mare if you are reading...have you seen the new movie?). MaryAnn and I took our X-Files viewing very seriously. Maybe too seriously. I'm pretty sure there was an argument with a roommate who tried to interrupt the sacred hour of Mulder and Scully. So funny! Good times...

After my stay at the Elms I moved into the Glenwood apartments with a couple close friends from high school (a quick shout out to Nance and Jules). These were times not to be forgotten. I had one very crazy roommate who moved out because she and I didn't really get along. Looking back on that whole experience I realize I was not the most mature and I feel a little bad because I still laugh a little at the thought of her dancing in front of the TV while the rest of us were trying to watch a show. (I'm beginning to notice a trend about conflicts over television. Hmmm...). I also have very fond memories of a prank war between a group of guys in the complex. Turns out those friends became very significant as it lead to a couple of marriages (a shout out to Matt and Brent). I also think I may have gotten the worst grades during this time. Not surprising really. Living in the "hood" was definitely one of the highlights of all my BYU housing days.

I next moved out with my sister, Diana, to Stadium Terrace for a summer. My brother, Scott, also lived in the complex over the summer. I will always think of a few things when I think of this summer: the Popsicle diet, "I dig scrawny pale guys," sand volleyball, Whose line is it anyway, "It's a possibil," and maybe even Marky Mark and game nights on Sunday. This was a good summer...And living with Diana proved to be a good experience. So good that we kept it going at La Grande!

I probably lived the longest at La Grande and man did I go through the roommates there! I lived with gals with anger issues, drinking issues, cleanliness issues, and one just plain crazy. I also lived with a lot of fantastic individuals and truly made some life long friendships here. As I'm typing and thinking about this time in my life there really are too many good times to enumerate. My most embarrassing moment happened while living here...I served as Relief Society President in this ward...I had one really big crush...enjoyed many a good Karoake night at Jerry's, and so much more! One of my friends from La Grande recently proposed a reunion and now that I am thinking more about it, I am all for it.

After spending several, and I do mean several, years in divey BYU housing I moved on to bigger and better things and moved into a brand new apartment with my two best friends (a shout out to Trine and Sarah). It was fantastic. We felt like grown-ups because we had to actually furnish the place. These were some good but difficult years all at the same time. I entered a weird phase of my life where I was too old for the BYU scene but didn't quite fit in the new ward. But the roommates were fantastic and good times were had. I do remember some really good LOST parties and one really spectacular Harvest Party. We were cool girls...and our humor was way under-appreciated!

I then moved to Fort Collins...This was the first time I have EVER moved somewhere where I knew no one. It has been a growing experience for me and I have loved living with Rachael, Kathleen and Rachael's dog Asha. I have now moved in with Heather and her two kitties. You read it right...two cats. Those who knew me back in Utah realize just how crazy this is. But they are good so far and the hair issue hasn't been out of control.

All in all I have had 32 roommates and I have only forgotten the name of two of them. I also keep in touch with 13 of them. Does that seem like a lot of roommates?

If you're happy and you know it...whistle

I work at a very interesting place with some very interesting people. Let me first say, the team I am a part of and work directly with is made up of amazingly talented and capable individuals. And then there are all the other folks who share the office space. They are a little eccentric to say the least. It's amazing the weirdness that the field of social work attracts. Seriously...

There is one guy who I am pretty sure will go down in history as "the whistler." He walks the halls day in and day out whistling the same tune. At first I thought it was refreshing that someone was so cheerful...now I think it's NOT refreshing. It is bizarre. He is ALWAYS whistling. My adorable office mate said something today about the whistler that is so fitting. To quote her, "What is with the whistling? It's like he is walking around screaming I'M HAPPY! LOOK I'M HAPPY!" like he's trying to convince the world that he's not hiding some secret disdain or darker emotion. This same character has a PhD but told us that he wasn't smart enough to include a simple date on a pretty significant document. The guy can't take accountability for making a mistake...and he called me sweetie...pretty sure that's not okay.

The lack of accountability is a theme among the other team. Not to mention the lack of appropriate boundaries. There was a significant crossing of boundaries recently that ended in my office mate eating some very unfortunate pie. A client of ours was somehow allowed past the front desk with a "gift" for all who have helped him so much. Don't worry if the gift wasn't a feast. Seriously, so much food. Now let me explain that it is pretty unethical to accept gifts from cleints and this was clearly a more unusual, and thus more questionable, offering. It never should have happened. But it did and my co-worker ate some of a chocolate pie. Immediately after partaking she started to feel a little weird. I reminded her that she had just eaten food prepared by an unknown client. Not wise! Not much later it was determined that said client was pretty well high on cocaine and delivered the gift in his altered state. So who knows what was in the pie... The incident is now known as the "cocaine pie incident." And it all comes from the crazy front desk lady who calls everyone "hun" and is way too informal and personal with all the clients she comes in contact with. It is definitely not okay.

And that's not even addressing the craziness of the clients...

To Blog or Not To Blog

So I've been getting a lot of questions lately about my blogging...or more specifically the lack thereof. So I have decided to give it a try. I feel like blogging is primarily for those who are showing off the fruits of their loins and if you don't have fruits you better at least be funny. So I have created this inordinate amount of pressure to make sure that I entertain the masses (who am I kidding, the 2 people that may read this) with my rantings and thoughts.

The other potential concern about blogging is that I lead a very simple life and have very little to say. However, I do like to type. More so than the actual content of things written, I like the sound of the key board.

So I'm going to give blogging a go, knowing full well it is scary, uncharted territory. Brace yourselves...here we go!