Pick Me!

A weblog by Laura Moncur

8/4/2011

I’m Pissed Off at Amy Winehouse

Filed under: General — Laura Moncur @ 11:11 am

I'm Pissed Off at Amy Winehouse

I know it’s not the proper response to the death of someone I didn’t even know personally, but I’m seriously pissed off at Amy Winehouse for dying. No matter how I look at it, I’m mad at her.

Maybe she just overdosed and she was a “victim” to the “tragic” disease of addiction. I know how hard it is to fight an addiction, waking every morning just thinking about the next time I can eat. Giving in to it just makes it worse. I’m pretty pissed off at her if she gave in to it.

Maybe she committed suicide so she could be a member of the 27 Club. If she did, then I’m pretty pissed off at her for not living longer and making more albums.

The only way I can think about the death of Amy Winehouse without being angry at her is to think that she was murdered. If I pretend that her handlers, managers and maybe even her family realized that she wasn’t going to produce any more great music, maybe they helped her along the path to death in an effort to capitalize on her 27 Club status, then I don’t have to be angry at her for dying so young.

Stupid, stupid girl.

8/5/2011

The New TRAX Line in Daybreak

Filed under: Living in Daybreak,Living in Utah — Laura Moncur @ 9:06 am

I am so excited about the new TRAX line that is coming to Daybreak. Mike and I only have one car, and there are times when we need to be in two places at once. Now that the TRAX line is here, I can go almost anywhere in the city without a car.

Here is a video of the new line from the point of view of the driver:

This will also be handy when I have to leave the car at the mechanic’s to get maintenance. I can just take TRAX home and back when they’re done because they are right on the TRAX line.

Every time I feel a little bored with Daybreak, they add something new to the neighborhood to make it better for me. I’m so grateful to be living here.

8/12/2011

Daybreak Lovelies: 11187 Topview Road

Filed under: Living in Daybreak,Living in Utah — Laura Moncur @ 12:34 pm

Sometimes a house is more lovely for how it smells than how it looks. That’s the case with this month’s Daybreak Lovely Home at 11187 Topview Road.

Daybreak Lovelies: 11187 Topview Road

The scent of the flowers flanking the front of this house drew me from across the street. I was walking Nina and we were both particularly tired, but I eagerly went the few extra feet to enjoy the smell of the flowers in the yard.

I also liked the vinyl lettering on the door:

Daybreak Lovelies: 11187 Topview Road

It reads:

Welcome

No Solicitors

The sign is so beautiful that I want to find out where it came from for my own door. Does anyone have any ideas?

8/14/2011

Nina Loves A Walk

Filed under: Nina,Our Pets — Laura Moncur @ 12:45 pm

Nina doesn’t like to play fetch or tug-of-war. She doesn’t chase Elvis around the house or even like to chew on a Kong toy with a treat inside. The only thing she likes to do is take a walk.

This short video of her was taken while walking near the Daybreak Community Center. Almost every day, she likes to bound through the weeds with a smiling joy.

I wished for a dog like Nina and I’m so glad that the two of us can have these quiet happy times every morning.

8/15/2011

Swatch Ad Feels Like It’s 1987

Filed under: My Life in Swatches,Personal History — Laura Moncur @ 10:00 am

I love this advertisement from Swatch.

Swatch Ad 08-2011

It came out of magazine this month, but it looks so much like something from 1987 that I just had to keep it. The colors are so bright and her hair is spiked so high that it made me feel like I was seventeen years old again.

8/16/2011

Daybreak: The Abandoned Shoe Phenomena

Filed under: Living in Daybreak,Living in Utah — Laura Moncur @ 10:00 am

Daybreak: The Abandoned Shoe Phenomena

Walking around Daybreak so often has left me noticing a strange phenomenon. At least once a week, I find a pair of abandoned shoes.

Daybreak: The Abandoned Shoe Phenomena

Once abandoned, they stay there a couple of days until, presumably, they are removed by the lawn care employees.

Daybreak: The Abandoned Shoe Phenomena

When I was a kid, my mom would have made me return to wherever I had lost my shoes and retrieve them that very day, yet these shoes stand unclaimed for two or three days before disappearing. Have shoes lost their value over the years? Are they now disposable?

Abandoned Flip Flops

Just last week, however, I found myself walking Nina in the grassy area of Founders Park. It was so wet that my ballerina slippers were getting soaked, so I took them off, shaking off the droplets of water and letting the cool grass soak between my toes. I set my shoes on the stone seat and let Nina run around the grass for a bit. After a few minutes of looking at the scenery, it was time for us to leave.

I laughed to myself as I realized that I almost left, abandoning my shoes…

Abandoned Slippers

8/17/2011

Love Bites

Filed under: General — Laura Moncur @ 10:00 am

I can’t stop laughing at this animated GIF:

Love Bites

I just keep watching that turtle bite that cat’s butt and coming away with a mouth full of fur. It makes me laugh over and over!

GIF Via: GIF: Interspecies Love Bites! – Lolcats ‘n’ Funny Pictures of Cats – I Can Has Cheezburger?

8/18/2011

Sometimes The Nightmares Come

Filed under: General — Laura Moncur @ 10:00 am

I am posting this video just so that I’ll be able to find it when I need it. This baby kitten is having a nightmare and the mommy cat gives him a hug.

Sometimes the nightmares come for me and seeing this video will make me feel better. So CUTE!

8/19/2011

Daybreak Trail Etiquette

Filed under: Living in Daybreak,Living in Utah — Laura Moncur @ 10:00 am

Oquirrh Lake TrailMy daily walks on the Daybreak trails have found me noticing that others are strangely unaware of simple trail etiquette, so I thought I would make a compilation of the general rules and politenesses of sharing the trails.

Stay on the right and take no more than half the trail

Just like on a road, walk on the right side of the path so that you are not in the way of oncoming traffic and so that others can pass you. If you are pushing a stroller with a friend, it is VERY impolite to walk side by side, taking up the entire trail. If you are walking with a group, taking up more than half the trail is rude as well. If you are bike-riding with friends, you should go single-file so that there is room to get around you.

Pass on the left and announce your presence

You are bound to encounter people who are going slower than you, so a few seconds before it’s time to pass them, announce in a loud voice, “Passing on the left.” That way you won’t surprise them when you come from behind. If you are on a bike or skating, announce yourself earlier and slow down, or, even better, ring your bike bell. If there is more than one person in your group, advise those who are passing how many more people will be passing them soon. i.e. “Passing on the left. There are two others behind me.”

Greet oncoming traffic politely

Look the person in oncoming traffic right in the eye and say, “Good morning (afternoon, or evening).” If the oncoming people are engaged in a conversation and are not polite enough to stop talking to greet you, just look one or the other of them in the eye and nod your head. If the oncoming person is wearing headphones, you can just look at them and mouth the greeting with a smile. The second time you pass an individual, it’s usually polite to say, “Hello, again!” The third time, however, you do not need to greet them again. Just nod politely as you pass.

Watch out for blind turns

There are many turns (especially under the bridges) in which you cannot see ahead of you. Slow down when you approach these turns and announce your presence. If you’re on a bike, ringing a bell before you speed through the turn will warn the people walking that a fast moving traveler is coming. If you are walking, make sure that you only take half the trail, even if your group is big. You cannot see what might be speeding toward your crowd of people, so make sure you don’t get hit.

Watch your kids and pets

The Daybreak trails are not your personal backyard. There are others on the roads, so you must keep your children and pets near you and leashed. There have been so many times when I’ve tried to pass a family on my bike and their toddler has jumped out in front of me. I’ve never hit a child with my bike because I’m notoriously cautious, but relying on others to be cautious around your children or pets is stupidity in action. Additionally, make sure your animals or children are not tormenting the wildlife.

Use the garbage cans and Dogi-Pot stations

Pick up after your kids and pets

If your child throws their milk bottle (cereal, shoes, etc.) on the trail, it is your responsibility to pick it up. The garbage cans are scattered across the trails for a reason. The same goes for your dog excrement. When you pass the Dogi-Pot station, tear off an extra doggie poo bag and tie it to your leash or stuff it in your pocket. There is NO excuse for leaving dog mess on the side of the trails for others to step in. It is your responsibility to have a plan in place to clean up after your children and pets.

Move off the trail when you stop

Whether you need to rest or you’re enjoying the beautiful views Daybreak has to offer, get out of the way. Others are trying to ride, skate, bike, run or walk on the trail and you stopping on it without moving to the side is incredibly rude.

Be Aware of Your Surroundings

If your headphones are so loud that you cannot hear a person when they announce that they are passing you, then TURN THEM DOWN. I understand that music is very helpful when exercising, but you have a responsibility to be aware of what is going on around you. Additionally, it is impolite to act as if you’re the only person on the trail. If your family is too large to watch each child, then you need to enlist help from other adults or take walks in smaller groups. If you are riding your bike and find that the walkers on the trail are slowing you down, it’s time to find a different route that is more suited to your fitness level. Speeding past walkers without even a warning is inconsiderate and dangerous.

I compiled this list of etiquette rules from various lists on the Internet. These are general rules that have been recognized over the years and work well in other communities. I love walking on the Daybreak trails every day and, for the most part, people are friendly and considerate. There are only a few people who seem oblivious to general trail etiquette and a little education can go a long way.

8/20/2011

Wil Wheaton and Big Eclipse Swatch

Filed under: My Life in Swatches,Personal History — Laura Moncur @ 10:00 am

WIL WHEATON must have been a huge Swatch fan back in the Eighties. Here’s what he said about this photo:

Only five watches? I must have left the house in a hurry that day.

Wil Wheaton Big Eclipse

Only one of the watches is a Swatch. It’s the one on the right (his left wrist). It’s called Big Eclipse. I have a perfect one that I posted on Flickr long ago:

Big Eclipse

I also took a different Big Eclipse and made it into a faux Velvet Underground:

Faux Velvet Underground

I love seeing these old Swatches in celebrity photos. It just makes me so happy!

8/23/2011

Soda Row at Daybreak

Filed under: Living in Daybreak,Living in Utah — Laura Moncur @ 9:00 am

Curlers in my hair at Soda RowI am the mayor of Soda Row on FourSquare because Nina and I walk through it EVERY morning. I see it in the early hours when Swirly Girls is the only shop open, offering coffee and pastries to the Old Biddy Committee who sit outside, judging me every morning.

This morning, I had the audacity to wear curlers in my hair as I walked Nina. I watched one of the old ladies point at me and the other two turned to look. I pretended I didn’t know what they were pointing at and looked behind me as if wearing brightly colored curlers in my hair while walking the dog was the most natural thing to do. They embarrassedly turned away from me, and when I got close enough to them to look them in the eye, I cheerfully said, “Good morning.”

Daybreak: The Abandoned Shoe PhenomenaI’ve seen more shoes abandoned at Soda Row, near the splash fountain than at any other spot in Daybreak. The Abandoned Shoe Phenomena is more understandable there because the fountain is a veritable cry to everyone to throw off their flip flops and take a run in the water. In the early mornings, however, the fountain is quiet and dry. There are no children playing in it because they are in school or maybe even still sleeping.

Lamphead Man at Soda RowLate at night, the music from the outdoor speakers seems very loud without the din of traffic and voices to drown it out. It plays easy listening music all night long, despite the fact that Mike and I are the only wanderers through its abandoned walkways. Lamphead Man, the huge metal sculpture in the middle of Soda Row, creaks and squeaks eerily, keeping his eye on us as we walk past him in a desperate attempt to get Nina to go potty so we can finally go to bed.

This video advertising Soda Row features the noisy and happy times during the day when children splash in the water and San Gelato serves up iced confections. Strangely, it’s missing any reference to Tio’s, my favorite restaurant at the shops.

Watching this video is strange to me because I usually experience Soda Row at its most quiet times. The serene peace that I feel when I walk through it every morning and evening is a stark contrast to the fun activity that I see there at other times of the day. There are two personalities to Soda Row: Outgoing Fun and Serene Peace. I urge you to visit it for the Outgoing Fun, but if you truly want to take a breath of fresh air, come in the early morning or late evening and experience the Serene Peace.

8/24/2011

Say Something Nice

Filed under: General — Laura Moncur @ 10:00 am

I love this little video from Improv Everywhere. They set up a podium and a megaphone with a sign reading,

Say Something Nice

This is what happened:

Sometimes I need to be reminded that people are basically nice.

Via: Improv Everywhere’s “Say Something Nice” megaphone – Boing Boing

8/25/2011

Weird Al Goes Digital

Filed under: General — Laura Moncur @ 10:00 am

I absolutely LOVE this video from Weird Al:

I literally LOL’d it!

8/26/2011

I’m A Daybreak Train

Filed under: Living in Daybreak,Living in Utah — Laura Moncur @ 10:00 am

DJ Tim Hood made this awesome video of the first day of the UTA TRAX coming to Daybreak. Very cool!

TRAX from Timothy Hood on Vimeo.

I’ve been using TRAX to get downtown when Mike has the car and it’s quite efficient. Since we are a one-car family, it’s such a blessing to have the train “take me where I’m going and take me home again.”

8/27/2011

Neville Longbottom: The Unsung Hero of Hogwarts

Filed under: Books & Short Stories,Movies,Reviews — Laura Moncur @ 10:00 am

Major Harry Potter Spoiler Alert!

If you haven’t read/watched the Harry Potter series by now, it’s really not my fault if I ruin the ending for you. (Continue Reading…)

8/28/2011

Old Swatch Adverts from The Eighties

Filed under: My Life in Swatches,Personal History — Laura Moncur @ 10:00 am

This advertisement from Swatch from 1987 is pretty impressive.

Rodney Mullen is the skateboard dude at the end of the ad. The music in the background is Jewel by Propaganda.

Here’s one for the Aqua Love Swatches:

Here’s one that features my beloved Sir Swatch right at the end:

Here’s another commercial for the same collection. It’s poor quality, but so was television in The Eighties:

Here is a commercial featuring The Fat Boys for the Limelight Limited Edition Christmas Swatches:

Apparently, The Fat Boys were with Swatch way before my time. Here is a commercial from 1983:

This one features the very popular and elusive X-Rated Swatch:

This commercial from 1989 is beautiful. I don’t think I ever saw it back in the day.

Seeing old ads like these brings such a nostalgia for the Eighties for me. The bright colors, the X-sports, the lipstick-heavy girls and the Swatches all mix in a flux of the past.

I wouldn’t want to go back there, but it feels nice to remember.

8/30/2011

Playing with Toy Cars

Filed under: Personal History — Laura Moncur @ 10:00 am

I absolutely love this forced perspective video by June Bum Park showing hands manipulating cars:

It was so realistic and the hands moving the people and cars reminded me of playing with cars at my grandma’s house. My cousin, Larry, loved the cars and obsessively lined them up in one big, long traffic jam. I always wondered why he would do that when he had the great expanse of carpeting available to him. Of course, I always wondered why he would clap after knocking down the towers we built.

I don’t think I ever understood Larry.

Via: Reality is the ultimate God game – Boing Boing

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