"Stop worrying. Hollywood won’t turn your daughter into a nymphomaniac or get her hooked on drugs... I will." -Bill Maher

Hello Hollywood! So, I am going to California next week. I know, I didn't know either. I just found out about two hours ago. A couple of my girl friends had a trip to LA planned to go see Wicked and one of the girls bailed. Since they had an extra ticket and an empty spot in the hotel I just couldn't pass up the invitation. So, I booked my flight on Friday night and I am flying out on Tuesday morning ... I am CRAZY! But I am so excited. I am always up for a spontaneous trip and especially to warm and toasty southern California. It will be a quick trip but worth it. We plan to go to Sixflags Magic Mountain, the play, and do alot of shopping. We are actually staying in Hollywood. Holla to Robyn and Krickett! See you in LA!
I feel like my summer has already begun. I feel so spoiled. Number One: I have a job that I can totally go on a last minute vacation and Two: Ben and I just went down to Seaside Oregon last weekend for a getaway. By the way, that trip was so nice. It was cold and stormy but Ben and I got to be together and finally relax. We ate way too much and walked the beach and the shops. It was a Nielsen-style vacation--completely planned around what to eat next. I loved it.
I will post photos of my trip later. Woo Hoo. And don't worry about Ben, I will have Tuna Casserole in the fridge so he doesn't starve. I figure I have to go away every once in a while so he keeps appreciating all I do.

“Minimum Wage HeeYaw dodododo…” –They Might Be Giants

So, apparently, Mormons work for their food and pay for it. I was working the assembly line to earn our canned taco meat last week and the hard work brought back memories of the Sprout Farm.

Oh, the Sprout Farm. I only worked there a couple of months my first summer in Washington, but it was unforgettable. (it was the only job I was fired from, but that is another story)

That summer I signed up to work at Labor Ready—a skuzzy, temp service for hard labor jobs. It is a “work today, get paid today” kind of place so, you can imagine the caliber of people signing up. Usually, big burly men are for hire there to work construction or move things like refrigerators, which happened to be the running joke…Can you imagine petite little Mel showing up at your door to move your fridge? Yeah right!

But Labor Ready found me my fair share of crazy odd jobs. I worked as an eviction mover one day; at a car wrecking yard cleaning up engine parts; and at the infamous Sprout Farm packaging sprouts of all kinds with other assembly line women. They hired me the first day I went there on Labor Ready assignment. That same summer I got a job as a personal assistant for an Asian Furniture store in the mall that I was pretty sure was smuggling drugs or at least cheating on their taxes. Finally, I finished the season out as a bank teller before moving back to Utah.

So this reminiscent day at the cannery reminded me of all my many odd jobs that got me through school and the summer breaks.

I worked at an impound car lot as a secretary; at a customer service booth at an adult science fair (weird I know but it was a research show for real scientists set up like a huge science fair); and at a banquet serving alligator jumbo and other southern cuisine.

I worked also as a housecleaner for a lady whose son had a crush on me; as a baker; as a DI sales associate; and as a deli girl at Macey’s, who was always stuck cleaning the chicken fryer.

Macey’s Food and Drug got me through my high school and some of my college days as well as two telemarketing places both inbound and outbound; and then of course my favorite place of work the University Journal that wasn’t like work at all.

Man, I miss having a summer break but I don’t miss working for minimum wage. By the way, I can’t stand the smell of sprouts now and I gag every time they end up on my sandwich or salad.

But remember next time you go to the store that some college kid probably packaged those veggies in an assembly line somewhere and be grateful it wasn't you.

“Life is what happens when your busy making other plans.” --John Lennon.

It starts when you are born. Life just moves us all through time and phases dictated by age. With each "right of passage" there is usually a title with things you are supposed to have accomplished in that level in life. Society and culture sets the criteria. A 16-year old is supposed to be in high school, driving and dating. The patterns start when he enters the world and the steps are set for the American kid through kindergarten until high school and college graduation.

Then real life starts. There are no more set levels or hoops to jump through. The decisions of what to do in life or where to go next is not predetermined anymore.

Here I am. Recently, age 25. Waiting… Realizing this is it. This is my adventure. I am completely in control of my life and my future. There is no title or door with my name on it. There is no rule book determining what a 25-year old ought to be doing or how she should be dressing. How many kids she should have or what she should be doing next.

I don’t know where I thought I would be. The decisions I made, the small seemingly meaningless decisions, have brought me here. Whether I knew it or not, my everyday choices were shaping my path in life. And my life is simple and sweet. I don’t live a grand life but I can’t say it isn’t what I wanted. I don’t think we can ever even dream up the details. But I am making goals. I am setting my own next level and it isn’t scary anymore.

I am thrilled I have so much freedom before me. Every choice is mine. And I choose to live in my moment right now and stop worrying about what’s next and why I’m not there yet. I still plan and think about tomorrow but I enjoy my today a little bit more.

A year ago this Saturday we got little Sadie, my yellow lab. Ben got her for me for my birthday and I was so excited. I don't know how he is going to top that one. I wanted a dog so bad and I love her to death. She is a fetch-aholic and swims every chance she can get. She usually disappears to the lake next door or gets the other dogs in the neighborhood in trouble. She is probably MIA as we speak. Ben says he hates her but we all know the truth.

I thought I would wait until I had a couple kids to show off before I entered this world of web logging but here I am. I blame it on my friend Jill. I wanted to post a comment on her page and it forced me to have a login name. One more thing to distract me from productive internet surfing. I needed a new hobby anyway.