new artwork

wow, I didn't realize it had been so long since I posted something! sorry about that. I will get on it, I promise. but, until then, check out my new blog header. it's cute, right? my sister designed it for me. she's a great graphic designer and would love to design something for you too. her website is Amber Golden Design, and she also designed the header for Christopher Ortiz at Stuff Journalists Like. hit her up if you or someone you know needs some design work done.

unwritten

I took one of those lame quizzes on facebook the other day. it was called "what is the theme song of your life?" my result was Unwritten by Natasha Beddingfield. I was surprised... I know, I know. it was a facebook quiz, not scripture. but it struck me like lightning and got me thinking. a lot.

for years I have been puttering along thinking that all my goals had been met. everything was already accomplished and had been since I was 24. when I was in high school my goal was to graduate and go to college. but, mostly just to get the hell out of dodge. so, I went to college. my goal there was to find the perfect major and graduate. when I discovered the answer to that was political science, my goals became larger. I wanted to get an internship in DC, stay there and eventually work on a presidential campaign. I figured that would take me quite a while.

but, lo and behold, the first job I got when my internship was over was working on the Gephardt for President campaign in Iowa. I couldn't believe it. was it really that easy?? getting the job - yes. but, doing it - no. they were probably the hardest 7 months of my life.

when that was over, I went back to DC and got a job at The Hotline working for Chuck Todd. it was my dream job and I was in the most amazing city ever. life couldn't have been better.

then things got bad for my family and it became apparent that I would have to move back to Utah. I left feeling very accomplished, but beaten at the same time. I had no idea what I was going to do. Chuck and everyone else at Atlantic Media put me on leave and wanted me to come back. I agreed to try, but knew that it would be impossible. ...now what?

since then I haven't really had any big goals. I've just been getting by on little accomplishments. at least that's how it has felt. that's why when I saw that my life's theme song was Unwritten my first thought was, "no, that novel ended several years ago."

a few minutes later though I had an epiphany. I'm only 28 years old! my life is not over, it is still a blank canvass. there is so much more I can do. so much left to learn and experience. what a revelation! I hope I can hold on to it. this could definitely make things better for me. how could I have not seen this before? seriously? duh, christa!

all time top 5 power songs

When I work out, when I'm going through a break-up, when I'm having a down day, when I'm on the road and really tired, when I've had a fight, or when I'm headed to an interview or other life-altering situations, I need me some power music. And I need it loud. Really loud so I can sing at the top of my lungs. These are the top five power songs I listen to in those moments.

1. No Man's Woman. Sinead O'Connor
2. Talk To Me Now. Ani DiFranco
3. Soldier. Ingrid Michaelson
4. Leave. The Swell Season
5. Scream. Michael Jackson

Yes, those are the best. But, there are several others that just missed the list. They are all on my new power song playlist.

Right Through You. Alanis Morissette
Respect. P!nk
Not Ready To Make Nice. Dixie Chicks
Stronger. Kanye West
Mercy. Duffy
Lose Yourself. Eminem
Holla Back Girl. Gwen Stefanie
Closer To Fine. Indigo Girls
Give Me One Reason. Tracy Chapman
Don't Stop Believin'. Journey
Gel. Collective Soul
F***k You. Lily Alan
Since You've Been Gone. Kelly Clarkson
Stupid Girl. P!nk
Headstrong. Trapt

recent craftiness

I played around with the oreo balls that my sister is so famous for and made chocolate peanut butter balls. they were amazing!!! like I have said before, chocolate and peanut butter are a match made in heaven, this recipe confirms that for any of you that doubted me. I'm no photographer, but they look delicious, right? It's way easy to make too! here's the recipe:

1 package Nutter Butters
1 box cream cheese
1/2 c peanut butter

mix all together in a food processor until smooth. roll into balls and dip in melted almond bark. let cool on wax paper and enjoy!

I also made this for Amber. I can't remember why but, the colors are her favorite. they are clothes pin magnets for her fridge.

and last but not least, here are the last two cards I have done for card club. very simple, but I like them. sorry the last one is so dark!

july playlist - rolling with the punches

July was an interesting month. lots of pondering about what to do with my life. this is the playlist that was playing in the background during all of that deep thought.

1. Today. Joshua Radin
2. Lovers Without Love. Joshua James
3. Beautiful World. Colin Hay
4. Duet. Rachel Yamagata
5. On Your Porch. The Format
6. The Fear You Won't Fall. Joshua Radin
7. Just To Be Me. Josh Kelley
8. Hey Love. Chris O'Brien
9. Break Down Here. Julie Roberts
10. Colby's Song. Joshua James
11. Overkill. Colin Hay
12. Think of You. A Fine Frenzy
13. There Is No Arizona. Jamie O'Neal
14. If It Kills Me. Jason Mraz
15. This Is For. Ingrid Michaelson
16. Blackbird. Evan Rachel Wood
17. Rock Your Soul. Elisa
18. Mad. Ne-Yo

my two cents

I can't hold it in any longer. I have to be heard. most of you that know me know how passionate I am about health care reform. and when I'm this passionate, I can't hold it in. so... here are my two cents.

my parents both worked while I was growing up. they both still do. but I never had insurance until I got my first full time job on the Gephardt for President campaign in 2003. going to the doctor was a very rare occurrence. even when my sister had Pneumonia she wasn't taken to see a doctor until she looked and felt like she actually might die. they just couldn't afford it even though they worked harder than most Americans and paid just as much in taxes. there is nothing right about that.

when I was 19 my dad has his first heart attack. because we lived hours from the nearest hospital he had to be life flighted to Grand Junction, CO, had surgery and stayed for a week. over the next seven years he had four more heart attacks with the same result. life flights, surgery, extended stays in hospitals. with no insurance the bills added up to over half a million dollars. my dad lost his house, his truck, his job, and ended up having to go bankrupt - twice. all of this because of a health issue.

right now, my sister and her husband don't work. they are living on unemployment and food stamps. they get free doctor visits, dentist visits, and eye doctor visits. my other sister and her husband both work full time and have no health care. they pay taxes and get nothing while my other sister pays no taxes and gets everything.

these are just my own personal examples of what is wrong with our country's health care system. there are a million other reasons. check out this amazing article titled The Brutal Truth About America's Healthcare. it's been 97 years since the health care debate began in congress, and it's absolutely ridiculous that it still hasn't been fixed. the fact that anyone out there likes the status quo and sees no reason to improve the system just completely boggles my mind. they have to be sitting on a very pretty policy of their own. probably military health care. the best in the country. and oh yeah, who runs that? that's right - the government does! we know the government can do it, and do it well, and there are no reasons besides selfishness and ignorance to be against Obama's plan. your precious private health care will still be available to you, and the competition will still be alive between companies. the difference is that all those people out there struggling to make ends meet who need medication and care will finally be able to get it. their load will be lightened, their pain will be eased, their lives will be saved, and all with tax money they are already giving to their government. they deserve it. they work for it and sacrifice in their own way for our country every day.

Obama will not approve a plan that raises our taxes, and the quality of our system will not be effected. the plan is an improvement. plain and simple. so, please, read all the facts and think it through with an open mind before you go storm trooping against Obama and his plan. right now our helath care system is 37th in the world. yes, it's that bad. yes, millions of our citizens cross the borders to get more affordable health care. it isn't working here. our people are suffering. this country deserves better and has the capacity to do better for it's people.

crave cake?

I love Ace of Cakes! I'm obsessed. I record every episode on my DVR and sometimes even take notes while I watch. working with Duff and the gang at Charm City Cakes would be the ultimate dream job for me. and since I'm a caterer, I decided I should have sweet cake skills. so, I took a class from Jaxon here at Viking Cooking School. it was fabulous! Jaxon was a great teacher, and we had a ton of fun and learned some mad skills. I was scared, but I fell in love with fondant. I want to make fondant cakes every day! here are some pics from that day.



I thought we did pretty well for our first time. and now I'm getting a lot of requests from friends to make cakes for them. Amber and I did our first one yesterday. it was a 2nd birthday party for an adorable little girl. we made her a hungry caterpillar. what do you think?


if anyone needs a cake, hit me up! I love to do it, and am charging for ingredients only while improve my skills.

today's breakfast

I had one of my favorite breakfasts today - raspberry yogurt cornmeal pancakes. I just have to share the recipe with everyone. why keep something this yummy all to myself??

raspberry yogurt cornmeal pancakes
1 box jiffy cornbread mix
1 cup raspberry yogurt (or whatever flavor you prefer)
2 eggs
1/4 c vegetable oil

when you cook these, the heat should be medium low. they take a little longer too cook, burn easily, and don't really rise. I eat them with butter and maple syrup and it's delicious! let me know if any of you try them.

these are my favorite things

I just got back from spending a week with my sister, her husband, and two adorable kidlets in Seattle. I had an amazing time, and it was heartbreaking to leave. I love my little sister, Stacy, to death and it was a lot of fun getting to know her husband better. they had their new baby boy, Trajan Darys, 5 days before I arrived. he is precious! I was on cloud nine the whole time I was there with two adorable, loving and cuddly kids. my niece, Nynaeve, is the cutest, smartest and sweetest little girl ever born! here are some of the things I love about her:

* how SMART and so very very entertaining she is. check out a few of the videos I took of her (I apologize in advance for the poor lighting):








* how much she loves President Obama! every time she saw me pull out my laptop she would run over yelling, "Christa! can I see President Obama? I want to see him." and when I would pull up a picture of him she would say, "it's President Obama! he loves me! I love him too!" And I would say, "that's right, Nynaeve! President Obama does love you!" how adorable is that??? kids are a great judge of character, right?

* how cuddly and loving she is. I couldn't get enough of her hugs and kisses, and she loves giving them too.



* how well she plays with others. we took her to the slide at the apartment one day, and she made friends quickly with a girl there. she was jumping and happy and running up to the girl (who never spoke, by the way) saying, "come on little girl! let's slide!" And when the girl would take her sweet time climbing up the steps she would say, "what are you doing??" like she was really confused and perturbed. So adorable.

* how much she loves her baby brother. she is constantly hugging and kissing him and running up to him saying, "hi Trajan Darys! I love you my brother!" and she will do anything to help out with him. she is already a great big sister.


* how she says my name. CHWISSA! so cute!

* her big cheesy "happy face". she pulls it every time we try to take a picture. and ten I would have to say, "no, the cute face!" haha!


*her comments during movies. during the most exciting parts she would always look at me with her big wide eyes and say, "wow, Christa! what's happening? what's happening to them?"

* her poses. it's like she knows how cute she can be and wants to show it off.


I love my new nephew too. his name is Trajan Darys. he is so cute! he has adorable smiles, cute girly screams, big hands and feet, big blue eyes and he is a great cuddler too. I couldn't get enough of him. even though he insisted on peeing on me every time I gave him a bath or changed his diaper. boys will be boys, right? here are some good pics of him:





I had an amazing time there. I would have been happy as can be just hanging out in the house all day, but stacy and wayne made sure I got to go up in the mountains and see how much prettier it is there than it is here. another one of their "move to seattle schemes" I'm sure. but, really, look how beautiful it is there!






thanks, McIntosh family for a great week! I miss you guys. can't wait to visit again. wouldn't you want to visit every weekend? look at this adorable family.

The Tortilla Curtain

it took me about 3 months to read this book. I just couldn't get into it. the characters didn't appeal to me or make me feel connected at all. there was nothing in the story line that got me hooked. I could easily read a chapter and be ready to put it away and go right to sleep. the one thing I did enjoy about this book was the insight it gave you to the life of illegal immigrants.

I did finish it though. go me! I always put books away when I am bored and never touch them again. but, I followed through with my commitment. I finished The Tortilla Curtain. and because I did, I can for sure tell you not to read it. just don't. thanks.

my latest obsession

I have always loved TV. ever since I learned how to pull off a timed recording on my VCR I have been obsessed. then came boxed sets of seasons. I have Felicity, Will & Grace, Friends, Lost, and Grey's Anatomy. during college breaks these DVDs were my sanctuary. when I first moved to DC and was scared to death, Marti and I watched Felicity and it comforted me. it was my security blanket during such an unfamiliar time. that hasn't changed. for the past few months I have been in uncharted territory. no job and no for sure plan. it's strange and unsettling. that's where abc.com, Netflix and Comcast On Demand come in. I watched all four seasons of Lost at abc.com, three seasons of Weeds sent to my mailbox from Netflix, and what did Comcast On Demand bring into my life?

Dexter! if you haven't watched it, you must. I can't stop watching. at first I was just intrigued. curious. but now I'm full-on in love! so in love that I have dreams that Dexter is my neighbor and I have a crush on him, but he doesn't have human feelings which you know if you watch the show. I love all the characters. Angel, Rita, Masuka, Dexter, Miguel, and Deb. Deb is played by Jennifer Carpenter who also played Emily Rose. it freaked me out for a while, but now I love her too. they are all fast becoming my favorite imaginary friends. they are on showtime. you must watch.

june playlist - no goodbyes

have I declared my love for music lately? I LOVE MUSIC. couldn't live without it. number one on my list for being wrecked on a deserted island? my iPod. hands down. these past few months have been lonely, with all the goodbyes and everything. so, this playlist has fast become my BFF. it got me through. I'm out of the woods and looking toward a once again bright future. maybe it can be there for you too.

no goodbyes
1. Dreamer. Kari Kimmel
2. Half Acre. Hem
3. Lovely Tonight. Joshua Radin
4. Rise Up. Diane Birch
5. Since You've Been Around. Rosie Thomas
6. Turn To Stone. Ingrid Michaelson
7. Somebody Loved. The Weepies
8. Such Great Heights. Iron & Wine
9. Leaving You. Corey Crowder
10. The Part Where You Let Go. Hem
11. All Love. Ingrid Michaelson
12. Where The Road Meets the Sun. Katie Herzig & Matthew Perryman Jones
13. Avalanche. Marie Digby
14. Yellow Rose. Christopher Jak
15. It Don't Matter to the Sun. Rosie Thomas
16. Someone Else's Life. Joshua Radin
17. Magic. Colbie Caillat
18. I Feel It All. Feist
19. A Case of You. Joni Mitchell
20. I Gotta Feelin. The Black Eyes Peas

all time top 5 Michael Jackson songs

I have always loved, and still do love, Michael Jackson. Honestly, is there anyone else that can compare when it comes to talent? Is there anyone else that made a bigger impact in the world? I don't think so! When I look back over my childhood, all the way through high school, Michael Jackson is the soundtrack. I had cassette tapes and listened to them until they wore out. I used our VCR to record his videos so that me and my friends could watch them over and over until we had every move memorized. Nothing would put me in a better mood than a little bit of MJ.

I'm still in shock that he is dead. It's tragic. He had so much more to give. I was really looking forward to his big come back. I've been obsessed with watching the tribute shows, new developments, and documentaries. I can't wait to see the memorial, but I've decided to do my own little tribute on my blog. Here is my all time top 5 list of Michael Jackson songs:

5. Beat It - I probably sang and danced to this song more as a kid than any other song. Played it in the empty garage with my little red tape player while I danced in circles in my roller skates.

4. Remember the Time - This is my favorite video ever. My little brother is obsessed with Egypt and this video had to have been where it all started. I never realized how many cameos there are in it until a few days ago when I saw it again.

3. Scream - I was on the drill team in high school. We did a dance to this song, and it was my favorite dance ever. Everyone else loved it too, and we took first in the state competition. I love the video too. I remember it being a huge deal that Janet grabbed her breasts. That was way before she let one loose at the super bowl.

2. Black or White - I lived in a tiny town in southern Utah. Race wasn't a part of my life. We were all white. This song and the video, and just Michael Jackson in general, opened my eyes to the world and put me on the path to become the person I am today. I truly believe that his influence, his actions, his music, and his words brought the world together for the first time regardless of race. And he was humble about it, but he deserves all the credit in the world.

1. The Way You Make Me Feel - This song makes me happy. It ends up in a lot of my mixes. I never get tired of it. I'm sure I will listen to it, and every other Michael Jackson song forever and ever.

Michael Jackson more than deserved his title as the King of Pop and I doubt there will ever be anyone that can come close to it. RIP Michael!

online dating horror story #1

as some of you may know, this actually happened a couple months ago, but I couldn't bring myself to write about it until now. although I've been doing the online dating thing for years, I still feel pretty self conscious about it and hesitate to admit it. so, here we go... hi. I'm Christa and I meet guys online. there, I said it.

I have met quite a few great guys this way - just enough to keep me from deleting my profile. but, usually the ones that aren't meant to be, are REALLY not meant to be. take this one for example:

John (not his real name) and I had been talking on the phone and texting for weeks before we actually met. he seemed like a great guy. very intelligent, funny, good looking, motivated, well-read, cultured. all the things I look for. I wasn't worried about anything on my way to the coffee shop that night. in fact, the only thing I could think about was whether I would have a job a week later.

he was late. I sat at the high boy for about 10 minutes, and then he called to say he was in line ordering a drink and would be right there. he didn't offer to buy me one, which never really dawned on me until just now... anyway, he came and sat down and we had great conversation, we laughed, and found we had more in common than we thought. I learned that he had only been divorced for a few months, was raised Catholic but converted to Judaism a couple years ago, and was a self-proclaimed wine expert. then, out of nowhere, he starts asking me about Star Wars. I have never seen the movies, nor do I want to. he is appalled and vows to watch all of them with me. I let him know it isn't necessary, I will continue to be ok having never seen them. he still insists.

I try to change the subject, and he brings up Lord Of The Rings. I have seen them and I enjoyed them. he says, "my ex-wife could speak elvish. it was a huge turn on." I was in shock. what? elvish isn't a real language. how nerdy is that? he continued, "I used to know it pretty well myself. I even have a tattoo." "wow," I say, "what is it of?" he points to his arm and says, "it's a band around my bicep. it has the inscription that is on the ring." I'm pretty sure my face gave everything away at this point. what kind of universe had we just entered? where was the guy I had been talking to the past few weeks? he nervously said, "I don't usually reveal that until the 3rd date at least." I can see why.

I changed the subject again. started talking about skiing. he loves it. I hate it. wanted to make that clear to him right then. and he begins talking about all the strange vacations he has been on and wants to take. he spent a week on a Navy ship in California pretending to be a sailor, and now he wants to go live at the Mars station in southern Utah. "WHAT?" I say. my dad works for them. nobody knows about that place. it's in the middle of nowhere and it's a weird NASA training spot. he can't believe I know about it and that my dad worked there and he says he likes me even more now. all I can do is picture him in a space suit walking around in the desert and converting his urine into drinking water for two weeks. ...not attractive to me. not. at. all.

as we were walking out to our cars he said he couldn't wait to see me again, and that he thinks I'm beautiful, and all that jazz. I smiled and waved. I couldn't wait for it to end! what the......? the next day as I was cleaning out the art room at work I received a text from him that read, "did you have an enjoyable enough time fort night?" I didn't even know how to answer that. what does that mean? who was this guy?? needless to say, I haven't seen this guy again. am I wrong to write him off? I don't think so!

here's to online dating and the great stories it brings into my life. let's all pray I'm not single for much longer, ok?