Suburb girl in the big city

I love big cities -- there's always so much going on. It seems like I always see something of interest. To be honest, I haven't been in a lot of big cities, so I love going to MY big city -- Salt Lake. Over the last few weeks I have found myself in Salt Lake City a lot for various reasons. Here are a couple random things that have left impressions on me.

Hagrid sighting

First let me explain that I love I what I call "fringe people" -- those who live on the fringes of what most consider normal society. Partly it's because I am jealous that they have the courage to buck tradition and live as they choose. Or if it's not by choice, I wonder what it took for them to get there. This ranges from people who have tattoos covering every inch of their body to those who have all of their worldly possessions in a shopping cart.

By taking photos of them, I do not mean to exploit, but to celebrate those who most "normal" people ignore or advert their eyes from on the street.

Recently I saw a dead ringer for Hagrid, from the Harry Potter books. He was crossing State Street by the LDS church buildings. Although I noticed him right away. Those crossing with him didn't even bat an eye.

That brown area in his midsection is not part of his shirt, but due to the fact is his pants are undone and his sun-weathered, street grime covered belly is there for all to see. (Sorry for the spots, but I was taking the photos through my windshield.)

As he got closer to the car, I saw some more details. First his finger nails are really long. I can never get mine that long and I am sure I get more of the recommended daily vitamins for a human. I wondered if they served some sort of a purpose for him, but if he can't be bothered to zip his pants, I am guessing trimming the nails is out of the question.

Next I noticed he seemed to be eating a rice crispy treat. I think most people see others like Hagrid and put him in the "them" category. As in "us and them." Thinking "I would never become one of them."Or "I have nothing in common with them." But most would be surprised by how little separates "us and them." The rice crispy treat is an example of this. Who doesn't love a rice crispy treat or wouldn't love to walk around with their pants comfortably undone, if no one was watching?

That's my street

There is something that people just love about seeing their own name. This would be the reason for all those license plates, pencils and notebooks sold in souvenir shops. *Well I am no different (I probably like it more considering I am a writer).

I recently did an art project for a friend about travel and thought a street sign with her name would be great to for this. I found a web site that locates streets in the United States with whatever name you searched for. If a personalized pencil is cool, a whole street is way cool.

This would explain my frantic U-Turn on 100 South on Friday. That is when I found My Street -- Elizabeth St. (without even using the website). I love that it's right in the middle of downtown Salt Lake. There was even a woman with a dog sitting on the grass nearby, reading something I am sure was very intellectual.

It's a fabulous tree-lined street with Victorian-like houses. It is kind of small, almost like an alley. That doesn't bother me -- what's upsetting is it has a terrible dip in it, which I scraped the undercarriage of the car on. Because I want my street to represent Elizabeth's everywhere well, maybe I will write a letter to the city to see about getting that dip fixed.

*this is NOT a hint to begin buying me things with my name printed or embroidered on them. I don't like it that much.

My artsy fartsy day

For years and years I wanted to go the Utah Arts Festival. But inevitably every year something would come up, or I would forget about it. Last year was different. I finally made an effort to remember and I also had just gotten my Nikon D50. I spent the day taking photos of people and things. It seemed that the day was just bursting with interesting sights and sounds.

(small tangent: In fact I have just hung up one of the photos that I took at last year's festival on my living room wall.)

Because last year was so good, I made a point of going again today. But is seems the shine has worn off. I don't know if it was the heat, or that it seemed that there wasn't as much artsy stuff, or that it was a lot of the same stuff, but I guess as with many things in life, nothing is like your first time.

I like going to these sorts of things because I feel like I get my culture fix -- meet artists and see wacky/beautiful/original ideas. This year I noticed that it seemed so commercial. Besides the fact that I paid $4 for a Dr. Pepper that would cost me .79 at 7-11. Avon even had a big tent set up, when did Avon become art? I found out that a booth cost $600. How is a starving artist supposed to afford that? And not to say that art is not priceless, but the art I liked I could not afford on my budget. So although I did see some cool things, I felt that it had become more corporate to me, and in turn lost some of it's appeal. In fact, I took only a few photos and was feeling very uninspired.

On my way home I stopped by a building, my friend, Erin had told me about. It was to be torn down, and the owner invited artists to do whatever they wanted to it. When she first told me I thought it would just be a mess of graffiti. But the moment I saw it I was in love.

The outside is completely covered with color-- from graffiti art to things that would be at home in a museum. It was beautiful and indescribable (that's why I took a lot of photos). In the few rooms on that I could go in, there was art using manikins, shoes, strings, even the floor was painted. By the different styles you could tell that many people had a contributed. There was so much to see that it was hard to take it all in.

What I really thought was great was that, I sure without a lot of planning, all of art flowed together perfectly. There were no boundaries but nobody overstepped theirs. And of course I got some awesome photos.

I met one of the artists on the way out of the building and he told me that the reason I couldn't go in was because it was slated for demolish soon. He was just as in awe as I was about what can happen to a building when total creativity was let loose on it. It's hard to believe that they are still going to tear it down. (he also told me that contractors hired to tear it down said they feel the same way, and it's going to be hard for them to destroy it.)

I just find it interesting that in my 30 minutes at this building, I felt I had seen more, and more amazing, art than I did at my four hours at the arts festival (no offense meant to those artist at the festival -- there was some incredible stuff.) I have often believed that art is indefinable, but now I do have photographic evidence of what it is to me.

Normally I like asking the questions more than answering them, but every once in a while these quizzes are fun (again it's more fun to read about other people). This is also my way of blogging, even if it is a kind of a cop out.

1. What bill do you hate paying the most? The credit card – because it’s the monster I can’t seem to slay
2. Where was the last place you had a romantic dinner? My couch
3. Do you regret losing your virginity to who you lost it to? No
4. If you could go back and change one thing what would it be?Can’t think of anything because who knows what it would lead to. (Ever read “Sound of Thunder”)
5. Name of your first grade teacher?Miss. Dahl. Saw her years later and she had gotten married and now is Mrs. Guy. Get it – Guys and Dolls.
6. What do you really want to be doing right now?There are so many, but getting on a plane to somewhere exotic would be good. But sitting on the couch in the air conditioning right now is good too.
7. What did you want to be when you were growing up?Also so many – ballerina, veterinarian, lawyer, president, private eye…
8. How many colleges did you attend?One
9. Why did you choose the shirt that you have on right now?It was there and comfy.
10. GAS PRICES?make me sad
11. If you could move anywhere and take someone with you?That’s not really a question. Would it be different if I couldn’t take someone. I would move to the equator, if I could take everyone I like with me.
12. First thought when the alarm went off this morning?I don’t think. I am on autopilot until I get to work.
13. Last thought before going to sleep last night?I don’t know I fell asleep.
14. Favorite style of underwear?Cotton, high cuts
(don't know what happened to 15)
16. What errand/chore do you despise?mopping cause I need new flooring in the kitchen
17. If you didn't have to work, would you volunteer?yes, for literacy and animals.
18. Get up early or sleep in?sleep in
19. What is your favorite cartoon character?I just realized I don’t think I have one.
20. Favorite thing to do at night with a girl?Any girl? I am a girl do I count? This one also confusing.
21. Have you found real love yet?All love is real, so yes
22. When did you first start feeling old?Currently I am not, but I have had moments. Example when someone asked me if they had cell phones when I was in high school.
23. Favorite 80's movie?Breakfast Club
24. Your favorite lunch meat?deli sliced roast beef (I actually left shad’s answer cause it’s mine too)
25. What do you get every time you go into Sam's Club?Amazed at what you can buy in bulk
26. Beach or lake?Lakes have beaches
27. Do you think marriage is an outdated ritual?yes
29. Favorite guilty pleasure?gossip30. Favorite movie you wouldn't want anyone to find out about?Not ashamed of any of my favorites31. What's your drink?Dr. Pepper
32. Cowboys or Indians?Can’t we all just get along
33. Cops or Robbers?same as above
34. Who from high school would you like to run into?Usually avoid that sort of thing – but seeing April would be nice
35. What radio station is your radio tuned to right now?103.5
36. Norm or Cliff?Norm
37. The Cosby Show or The Simpsons?Simpsons
38. Worst relationship mistake that you wish you could take back?life would be boring without mistakes, no taking back
39. Do you like the person who sits directly across from you at work?Nobody sits across from me.
40. What famous person would you like to have dinner with?Drew Carey
43. Have you ever had to use a fire extinguisher for its intended purpose?No
44. Last book you read for real?The Memory Keepers Daughter (for real?what? you can fake reading a book)
45. Do you have a teddy bear?yes
46. Strangest place you have ever brushed your teeth?In the car
47. Somewhere in California you've never been and would like to go? California in general would be good. LA would be cool.
48. Do you go to church?No.
49. At this point in your life would you rather start a new career or a new relationship?NEW CAREER – anyone know of some openings
50. Just how OLD are you?30 (wow that was the first time I’ve had to write that and it didn’t hurt as bad as I thought)

She works hard for the money

Work is a strange thing. At the core of it, the majority of us go to work because we need to eat and stay out of the rain -- whether it's McDonald's or you spent years in medical school.

If it was all about money, it would actually be easier. But I always said I would rather love my job than be rich. (This is apparent from the fact I have been wearing the same boots for 3 years and drive a 12 year old car.) I also never liked the fact that people seemed defined by their job. When first meeting people, the question most likely asked is "what do you do?"

I would really like to make money doing what I like (and what, I think, I am pretty good at). OK I know everybody else does too. If this was possible we would have a world full of trampoline testers, cowboys and restaurant critics, to name a few.

So if it was all about enjoyment or all about money, it would be easier to decide how to spend my days, but since it is a tangled combination of both (also throw in a bit of self worth and sense of purpose), my path is unclear.

Bag of ducklings

Not sure where to start this post -- with my friend, Erin's phone call or my overwhelming craving to hold baby animals.

Living by the park, I get to see ducklings every spring, and I never get sick of it. Erin called me this afternoon telling me that her and Ryan took the kids to the park, and had saved a duckling from being drowned by some adult ducks. While they had saved it from eminent death, now they didn't know what to do with it. I threw on my flip flops, grabbed a net and a canvas bag, and practically ran over there.

When I got there, it turned out that there were more ducklings in peril. There were nine ducklings total without a mother in sight. So Ryan began attempting to catch them with the net.

Although they were so small that they were getting swept up my the current of the small stream, they were wily in the water, and not easy to catch without getting in the water. So we ran up and down the bank as they swam up and down, from one side of the to other. We had the kids go try to scare them to the side we were on, but they were very good at staying right out of reach. I even crawled on my belly, and got three in one scoop.

As we caught the ducklings, we put the them in the bag I brought. Believe it or not, they seemed pretty happy in the bag. After frantically swimming away from crazy people with nets, the ducklings cuddled up with each other and fell asleep.

We knew they were too little to be without a mom, but we weren't sure if what we were doing was right. Was it illegal to take them? Would their mother be back? Would they be fine on there own?

We decided to call the Tracey Aviary, who gave us the number of a bird rehab lady, who not only told us that not only would she take them, but they would die that night if left on their own.

With a renewed sense of purpose and only one very difficult duckling left, Ryan, the mighty hunter, got into the water.

With Ryan a little soggy and a bag full of ducks, we headed back to my house. Owen was nice enough to make a little coral with boxes in the backyard, complete with a dog dish pool. Further proof that ducks liked their bag, when I placed them on the grass, most of them just stayed cuddled up in it.

Then we got to fulfill my baby animal dreams and just played with the tiny, adorable, fluffy ducklings in my sunny backyard for awhile. Although I was having so much fun, I felt something was missing.

Can't explain why I wanted ducks in my bathtub but I did. Although he thinks I am nuts, Owen filled up the tub and we let them swim around for awhile.

The kids kept asking to keep one (and I really wanted to also), but the ducklings had needed to go to those who knew how to raise them. We ended up taking them to the Ogden Nature Center (the duck rehab lady lived an hour away).

We did stop at my friend Nichole's house to spread around the joy that only ducklings can bring. At her house we also filled up her sink and let them swim around -- see, it's not just me.

Everyone at the nature center was very nice, but they kind of laughed when I brought in the bag full of ducks. I explained that they really did like it.

So what started with an almost drowning has a happy ending -- and my canvas bag will mostly likely be referred to as the duck bag from now on.

band name

In responding to another blog, I have inadvertently come up with a pretty good band name:

"Baby Butt Elbows"

I think it would only work for a punk band though