My first published photo

Remember I said I am trying to get my photos published one day. Well here is my first published photo.

Voila!!! Yes everyone... I am officially published. No money changed hands but is that what its about...Heck NO!!! Its about the love of the photos!!!

So with each picture I publish I promise to share it with you you lucky people.

Now getting published here is probably not hard to do....due to the sheer lack of people my chances skyrocket. One day my grandfather asked me "would you rather be the head of a mouse or the tail of a lion?" In other words would you rather be the big man on campus on something insignificant or would you rather be at the very bottom of something great. Well in most cases I have felt being the tail of the lion was much better. However , in this case I will happily sport around at the head of a mouse....too many people...too many lost or overlooked chances. A person has to start somewhere and I'm starting here!!

I am mindful that my chances of "making it" are better here because I am surrounded by those that care.

"Developing a kind heart does not involve any of the sentimental religiosity normally associated with it. It is for everyone, irrespective of race, religion or political affiliation. It is for anybody who considers themself a member of the human family."

-His Holiness the Dalai Lama

oops

So sorry guys. This has been a very busy week. On Facebook I have run into so many friends I haven't seen since I was a teenager so I've been cahtting it up with these people.
Well Ihave two new blogs in mind but I have to scan pictures then write. It will take a wee bit of time so I will tackle it tomoorw. Today I am getting beautified. I am getting a new do!! I am terrified but what the hell...you only live once supposedly. Tomorrow I will have time inbetween teaching my mother how to navigate Facebook. She gets so frustrated so hopefully I can get her to relax and just enjoy the adventure of navigating a web site you are clueless about. We've all been there...right? Oh.... I just thought of another blog. I may have to write about an old boyfriend I just ran into online. He was quite possibly the strangest individual out there but I will let you be the judge. In the meantime you WILL crack up because you won't be able to believe this is a true story...his name was Derek Kendall. Honestly this has been such a strange week.
So toodles for now and look for me and more fascinating stories in the days to come. I have so many.......

Lazy Sunday

I had a wonderful Sunday that I spent mostly online. I also was monitoring March Madness and my brackets. Every year my father, mother, husband and friends all take part in the "bracketology" of the NCAA Championship. I was last until yesterday when I rose to second place right behind my Dad. I picked UCONN to go all the way. Dare I hope they will make it??
My friend Trudy is on Facebook and she got me started on all these games that we play and chat at the same time. I was great!! I also made a Gizmoz. If you have no idea what that is check out my Facebook page and you will see. It is absolutely hilarious and so much fun. David and I were rolling!! I now have to make one of my parents and one of Jessie of course.
Speaking of Jessie....well we are frantically trying to get her ready for school in a week. I have had to fax GEDs and student loan applications etc....She is BEYOND nervous and now on top of all of this its snowing in SLC....has been for a few days.....and Tyler and her got his son who is 7. First time Jessie and the boy met and its not good. She is a person that has decided children are not for her. And now she has to be a parent (the irony has not escaped David) and she is PISSED!!!! The kid has a real attitude thing with Jess and he will be there 3 weeks while she is beginning school for the first time. I love all the texts I get from her. She has had me in stitches all weekend.

So if there are people who are out there and are not on Facebook...welll....change that. Get on it. I run into more and more friends everyday!! I have gotten in touch with people that I didn't think wanted to talk to me again...but so much time has passed and we all miss each other. It reminds me not to take a single friendship for granted. I miss all the people I love that I have seen in YEARS!! Also lets all wish Beth the best Mexico vacation ever. If anyone has earned it its Beth.

"Your enlightenment rests on your own shoulders".
-His Holiness the Dalai Lama

The Peace Tree

Sorry I have been out of touch for a couple of days. I have been very busy. I got my My Space account set up then I had to do a Facebook account and I've been busy bumping into old friends online. It actually has been so much fun. Its wonderful knowing people have thought of you like you have thought of them. I wasn't forgotten. Its funny....I thought of myself as such a geek. Hardly noticeable, flying below the radar, etc... and come to find out I wasn't invisible. It has been a big help at this time in my life. I don't know why talking to people that I grew up is so healing but these people are my age and yet when I talk to them its as if we are timeless.....age doesn't matter. We all look good, those wonderful faces I have thought of with just a few more character lines that hints at their life story. The unexpected happened though. I ran into old friends from my years in Greece but I reconnected with alot of people I have missed dearly in Virginia. I am in this little tiny town in the middle of NO WHERE and yet I feel less isolated than I have in years. How isolated you ask?? Isolated!!!! The nearest Walmart is and hour and a half away. So we drive to Cortez, Co once every few weeks to do big shopping trips. To get there you drive or fly then drive along ways. From Virginia I would fly to Denver, CO. then get on one of those little puddle hopper to fly to either Durango, Co. or Farmington, NM. Now both flights have to fly (rather low) over the Rockies. No matter what the whole world is doing there is always turbulence. White knuckle turbulence. Good times!! Usually we see some kind of important looking fluid streaming from one wing or the other but so far we have always gotten there. But are you there? Really? No...from Farmington, NM its is two and a half hours to home through Rez country or if we land in Durange its almost three hours home but Durango is beautiful and the drive home is gorgeous.

You see...I literally live 30 mins. from Four Corners so you start thinking NM, AZ and CO are just part of your home territory but laws vary so it makes it interesting.

Okay so for The Peace Tree. We have a website:

http://peacetreecafe.com/

We are a three store chain. The first was built in Moab by my friend Karen Whipple. Here I am with her right now. Would you look at these italics....? I mustive pushed a button and darn if I can get thit to stop. I assure you I have invested some considerable time trying to get things back to normal but I digress......

Okay so the Moab store 10 years ago. Seven years she built her second store in Monticello and last May she opened her store in Blanding. You have to understand....this is ranch and cattle country...meat and potatos. And lets not forget there are mostly Mormons around here. Suck things like coffee and other such nonsense is not really accepted. Her juice cafe is an expresso bar.

But she has kicked butt!! All her food is organic, fresh carrot juice with wheatgrass and ginger....mmmmm....sounds good...yes...we have tofu, hummus, blue corn chips, organic fruit smoothies, the most delicious hot chocolate from the Aztecs in Mexico made with chilis!!

Karen takes on the downtrodden, societies outcasts and always gives everyopne second, third chances. Shes been there done that so you won't find any judgement coming from her.

This is my sweetie Morgan. She is absolutely precious and a sweet heart and the hardest working girl I know. She just finished her GED and in October she is off to college to become a Vet Tech. I am so proud of her and I know she will be perfect for that job.

And here is my precious Kenzie. A pistol and reminds me of Jessie so much but I just love her.

She was actually one of my students then she moved to England for 2 and a half years. She just moved back a few months ago.

Here is Morgan making one of her famous wraps or paninis

This is me and Ruby. Ruby is our juicer and shes a monster, tempermental and we all love her.

And her are a few pictures of Dawnan another girl that I work with and some other fun pics.

Dawnan

The gruesome twosome, smokin sisters, Kenzi and Morgan

"If you contribute to other people's happiness you will find the true meaning of life. The key point is to have a genuine sense of universal responsibility".

-His Holiness the Dalai Lama

I survived

I'm back. I saw my doctor today and got squared away so right now I am relaxing, listening to music and I just "pimped up" my My Space page. If you haven't seen it please look at it and let me know what you think. I started my blog because my friend Beth started it and I loved her blog so much I had to do it and so that answers why I am here. Then I thought my best friend Trudy back in Virginia was on My Space and my friend Morgan (whom I work with) got me started on My Space. So I was so proud and I am learning so much. So I emailed my friend Trudy and she informed me she is on Facebook so I guess I have to start a Facebook page. I have discovered I really like doing this. I can explore my creative side and I am making it just like I want it so its like a secret clubhouse just for me.
So I talked to my father in California and I got so bummed after talking to him. I miss him and my brother so much. I've gotten into that a bit more on my other blog. So as soon as I get my car fixed (brakes are shot again......I'm rough on brakes) I will drive to Santa Rosa and spend a few days there. I really feel like I need to do this.
So again if you haven't seen my My Space page please go and check it out and let me know what you think. I guess I will research Facebook now. Why not? I feel like I am staying in touch with the people I love and I guess its kind of nice that people can learn about me. I sort of fly under the radar. I'm fairly secretive about all aspects of my life so this is a way to espress myself while I write and writing is what I love to do. I just need to get my scattered thoughts together so I can actually form a thought that makes sense.

www.myspace.com/elliotspapersun

Love to all and I will leave these words from the Dalai Lama

"Peaceful living is about trusting those on whom we depend and caring for those who depend on us"
-His Holiness the Dalai Lama

new My Space url

Here is my new url instead of the number

http://www.myspace.com/elliotspapersun

The Dalai Lama

I can't believe but in my excitement of the storm chasing etc. I have forgotten to leave you with wirds of wisdom from the Dalai Lama and I don'y know about you but I hate starting a day unless I have read something he said so here are two quotes:

"To minimize hatred is internal disarmament"

"Compassion, forgiveness, these are real, ultimate sources of power for peace and success in life".

-His Holiness the Dalai Lama

My friend Beth does something really cool in her blog and she write what she is thankful for that day. I like that but I think for now I will list what I am mindful of each day.

I am mindful: of the muscians who give me such great music.
I am mindful: that my mother needs me everyday but she may not ask.
I am mindful: that my body hurts so I need to take care of myself until I get my refills.
I am mindful: my friend Morgan is counting on me being at work for her shift so she can be a blonde again.
I am mindful: my husband loves me more than anything on this earth and he would do anything to make me happy.