Sweet Tweets

Another reason to stay up late: Twitter.

Yes, I am officially tweeting on Twitter. The best thing about it? I can post updates from my phone just by texting and receive text updates from awesome people, including... you guessed it... The Killers. And yes, it really is Brandon, Dave, Mark, and Ronnie tweeting. So that rocks. 

So, you wanna know what I am up to all the time? Check out my Sweet Tweet box over there on the side and be sure to follow me! 

Happy Tweeting! 

Come Rushing Over Me

I just can't resist putting the lyrics to another song by The Killers as my note. There's just something about their songs that fills my heart to the point that it might burst. I have so much love for this band and their music. Their songs take me to a place I want and need to be and they really do help me get through the best and worst of times. I am so grateful for the infinite power of music. It has inspired me to seek out what is truly good, and that is why I believe The Killers have changed my life.  

I came across a video of The Killers singing "Tidal Wave", a bonus track off of their new album Day and Age. The story behind this video is that during their concert in Boulder, Colorado in January, the mics went out. Instead of causing everything to come to a complete halt, Brandon and Dave performed "Tidal Wave" acoustic. It's beautiful.

It's moments like these that make me love The Killers even more. I really can't wait until September 26 when I get to see them myself. 

Watch video

He’s always trouble with his noncomplacent 
Shotgun eyes, shotgun eyes 
His subtlety, his mystery 
Not like the other guys 

She’s always taken by his reputation 
He’s so bad, he’s so bad 
On Saturday night, they’re running for the shadows 

You say your heart ain’t ever been broken 
You think you know where you’re going 
Tidal wave 
Tidal wave come rushing over me 
You say this life has given you nothing 
You got another thing coming 
Tidal wave 
Tidal wave come rushing over me 

He’ll get a warning sign to keep his distance 
From her old man, from her old man 
Now the story of forbidden love 
Has gotta make a stand 

So in the middle of the early morning 
They’ll slip away, slip away 
And we know they’ll do their best 
Somewhere in the golden west 

Oh yeah, and we’ll watch them drive 
They’re so alive 

You say your heart ain’t ever been broken 
You think you know where you’re going 
Tidal wave 
Tidal wave come rushing over me, 
You say this life has given you nothing 
You got another thing coming 
Tidal wave, 
Tidal wave come rushing over me 
Tidal wave 

These tidal waves are caught off track,
Come tomorrow, cause I can’t go back 
All together, can’t you see 
Tidal wave gonna cover me. 
These tidal waves are caught off track, 
Come tomorrow, cause I can’t go back 
Come together, can’t you see 
Tidal wave gonna cover me. 

Cover me 
I can’t go back 
Can’t you see 

Night Owl

I have discovered recently that I never want to go to bed, but I love to sleep. This is a dilemma. What I hate the most is the mere act of getting ready for bed. It is quite annoying to me that I have to do so much before I can climb into my blissfully beautiful bed (oh, fancy pants). Ever since I got braces it has been a constant battle against the ever-so-important need to floss. It takes three times as long for me to floss than it does a normal person, and once the flossing is over it takes me three times as long to brush my teeth than it does a normal person. I have to count ten times per tooth section with an electric toothbrush... that's top and bottom. It's not like I have to do that, but I have this overwhelming fear of what will happen if I don't. I really want my teeth to look good underneath once all the metal comes off. I don't want it to be like opening a two-year-old casket... it may look decent on the outside, but you really don't want to see what's on the inside. So I floss a lot, and I brush my teeth a lot. I brush at least 7 times a day. And yes, I am sick of it.

Another thing that keeps me up at night is that I love to watch TV downstairs in our family room. Sometimes I fall asleep while watching TV for a wonderful 30 minutes, but then wake up only to discover that I have to go upstairs to bed. By the time I get up there, I feel awake. So then I get on the computer to kill some time and that makes me even more awake. 

Then there's the fear of having to wake up in the morning. It's on Saturday nights when I feel this the most. You know why? Because the next day I have to teach Primary. And they're five-year-olds. It has it's rewards. There's nothing more precious than little children... climbing up the walls, jumping off of the furniture, and telling you to lean in to hear a secret only to have them scream in your ear. That wasn't funny, Rachel. 

Another thing that keeps me up is my recent diagnosis of Pleurisy. My Mac dictionary gives this description of it: inflammation of the pleurae (in the lungs), which impairs their lubricating function and causes pain when breathing. Even more simply put: constant left-sided chest pain. I have had it for at least a month now and I am hoping there is a light at the end of this tunnel. The doc has me on two types of medication: a beta-blocker and an anti-inflammatory, which might account for me being sleepy during the day but wide awake at night when the hoot owls are out. Who-who knows. 

This is Night Owl, signing off. Goodnight, world.

I've Carried It Well

It never fails. Songs by The Killers always fit my life and how I view the world. Whenever I hear "Sweet Talk" I am reminded of the struggles I face in my life, and how during these times I always look outward and heavenward. For those who don't know, the lead singer of The Killers, Brandon Flowers, is LDS. I get the feeling that Brandon wrote this song with a particular person in mind. This song seems like a prayer for guidance.  

Lift me up on my honor

Take me over this spell
Get this weight off my shoulders
I've carried it well
Loose these shackles of pressure
Shake me out of these chains
Lead me not to temptation

Hold my hand harder
Ease my mind
Roll down the smoke screen
And open the sky

Let me fly
Man I need a release from
This troublesome mind
Fix my feet when they’re stumbling
And well you know it hurts sometimes
You know it's gonna bleed sometimes

Dig me out from this thorn tree
Help me bury my shame
Keep my eyes from the fire
They can’t handle the flame
Grace cut out from my brothers
When most of them fell
I've carried it well

Let me fly
Man I need a release from
This troublesome mind
Fix my feet when they’re stumbling
I guess you know it hurts sometimes
You know it's gonna bleed sometimes

Now hold on
I’m not looking for sweet talk
I’m looking for time
Top a tower and sleep walk
Brother, cause it hurts sometimes
You know it's gonna bleed sometimes
Hold on

You know its gonna hurt sometimes
When you call me
Hold on
Hold on
Hold on

I’m gonna climb that symphony home and make it mine
Let his resonance light my way
See, all these pessimistic sufferers tend to drag me down
So I could use it to shelter what good I’ve found.

This song is owned by The Killers. I do not own the rights to this song. I put together the video for listening purposes only. I hope you fall in love with The Killers and discover more of their music for yourself. Listen and be inspired. 

Save Me From My Old Ways

I think the song that best describes my journey from adolescence to this point in my life and the choices I find myself making now would have to be "When You Were Young" by The Killers. It fits me perfectly. I love this song so much. In my mind, it describes how throughout adolescence I searched for the perfect man but would instead find myself getting caught in a hurricane of bad decisions. I could climb the mountains I had created only if I took it slow. Overcoming the past is not a walk in the park. Most of us look for those who we have built up in our minds as the perfect match... we did it when we were young, we are doing it now. I will always be on the lookout for that beautiful boy who will save me from my old ways, not add to them. And a boy can only save you when he inspires you to do so for yourself.

You sit there in your heartache

Waiting on some beautiful boy to 
To save you from your old ways
You play forgiveness
Watch it now
Here he come

He doesn't look a thing like Jesus
But he talks like a gentleman
Like you imagined
When you were young

Can we climb this mountain?
I don’t know
Higher now than ever before 
I know we can make it if we take it slow
Let's take it easy
Easy now
Watch it go

We're burning down the highway skyline
On the back of a hurricane 
That started turning
When you were young
When you were young

And sometimes you close your eyes
And see the place where you used to live
When you were young

They say the devil's water
It ain't so sweet
You don’t have to drink right now
But you can dip your feet
Every once in a little while

You sit there in your heartache
Waiting on some beautiful boy to 
To save you from your old ways
You play forgiveness
Watch it now
Here he come

He doesn't look a thing like Jesus
But he talks like a gentleman
Like you imagined
When you were young
When you were young

I said he doesn't look a thing like Jesus
He doesn't look a thing like Jesus
But more than you'll ever know.

This song is owned by The Killers. I do not own the rights to this song. I put together the video for listening purposes only. I hope you fall in love with The Killers and discover more of their music for yourself. Listen and be inspired.

Hello Kitty

My beautiful cat, Lily, is a British Shorthair. I was curious about her breed, so I looked up some facts about Brits. What I found answered many questions I have formed about Lily over the past few years. I sure wish I knew this earlier! I finally understand my cat.

A perfect white shorthair with no hint of any other color is a relatively rare, and therefore sought-after, animal. The orange-eyed variety, which does not suffer from the problems of deafness associated with the blue-eyed types, is regarded even more highly. Pet quality typically runs $400 to $600, while breeder/show quality costs between $800 and $1,500, sometimes more or less depending upon the breeder, bloodline, location, gender, and color and pattern. Since numbers are limited, most Brits are sold through waiting lists.

Brits tend to be quiet cats, and it’s amusing to hear tiny squeaks instead of hearty meows. They will sometimes engage in conversation with you, especially if it is getting near time to be fed.

Brits enjoy keeping an eye on their favorite people, as long as it can be done from a comfortable lounging position. Brits are affectionate without being clingy and playful without being hyper, and tend to treat the entire family as their clan rather than bond with one special person. They enjoy games and have a quiet sense of humor. But they also need room and time alone to be truly happy. They enjoy a game of chase with a small toy, and some will fetch it back to you for it to be thrown again. They are quite lazy at times and love nothing more than lazing about in the gentle sunshine or completely crashing out in a cool area.

Brits are not lap cats, preferring to curl up near you or sit beside you to be petted and stroked. They are a four-on-the-floor breed: when picked up they stiffen, rigid legs extended to push you away and head turned as if pretending you don’t exist. Kisses are not welcome; keep those lips to yourself if you want your Brit to trust you. Too much of the wrong kind of attention makes Brits anxious and they may vanish into their secret hiding places for awhile. A coaxed British Shorthair will make itself comfortable for a while; a forced British Shorthair will flat out refuse.

Brits do not like to be hugged and/or carried like a baby. They simply do not like to be "controlled". Being a larger heavy cat, they feel very uncomfortable off the ground.

~~~

Now I know more about Lily. It will be hard not to smother her with kisses and cart her around like a baby, but I want to make her happy. Perhaps she will be more affectionate toward me if I show her the kind of affection she likes. 

The Knowledge I Can't Live Without

I love the stars. I get lost looking at them. I long for what's out there and for who's looking down on me.

I love bunny feet.

Movie music is amazing. It inspires me.

I love the smell of a new book.

I love my dog's nose.

When I was little, I couldn't pronounce my Ls. I was Yindsey, and the cereal I loved was Yucky Charms.

It is a fact that cat feet and dog feet smell like popcorn.

My grandma made the greatest candy in the world.

I love the Old West.

My dog hugs me.

The wind rustling through trees and grass is one of the most calming sounds in the world. Another is rain falling softly in the night.

I couldn't live without music. I would die if I lost the ability to hear it, play it, or feel it.

One of the coolest pets I ever owned was a Praying Mantis.

I miss the smell of Hawaii. When I was there I missed the smell of home.

I love a good campfire with good company.

I have always wanted to experience the 1930s-1940s.

Disease scares me.

I can immitate a recorder flute by using my voice.

One visit to Disneyland erases years off a person's life.

I love that my cat is pink and white. I love her tiny pink nose and her soft, pink feet. She is pure and perfect. It is hard to believe that she is even real, because she is so beautiful.

I want to go to Australia. I am fascinated by it. I love that it is not afraid to be different.

I could stare at the ocean forever. I love the sound of it, the smell of it, the feel of the water lapping at my feet, and the feel of the course sand against my skin. I love that it has a story; some great mystery that is just waiting to be solved. I love that it has secrets. I love that if I listen close enough, it just might whisper one to me.

I love to dream.

I long to be loved.

When I was little my big dream was to be a comedienne. I even had a business card.

I was not popular in school. I realize now that none of that matters. I wish I knew that then.

I love the smell after it rains. I go outside and I take it all in, and it renews me.

Sometimes it's healthy to have a good cry.

I am right-brained and right-handed.

I open bottles with my left hand, and never my right.

I prefer dark chocolate to milk chocolate.

I love to hear about my dad's stories of when he was in the Navy on a submarine, and all the places and people he met along the way.

I hate mass quantities of onions, tomatoes, broccoli, cucumbers, spinach, sauerkraut, and cauliflower.

I like to smile often.

My sister is my best friend.

I love listening to my parents tell their story...of how they met and how they fell for one another...at just 17 years old.

I collect stuffed animals, movie stubs, movie posters, clothing tags, bottles, and bottle caps.

The first major haircut I ever had was when I was in the sixth grade.

Seeing horses run lifts my spirits. Seeing them run in slow mode on film makes me tear-up. I love horses, and I would love to own one.

I hate to see animals harmed on movies. It kills me.

I was born in June. I drive a green VW Beetle. If I had a personal license plate, it would read "JUNEBUG." (No one steal that, please!)

The earth is so beautiful and so special. I want to do more to keep it that way. We have a great gift; let's cherish it.

I love anything vintage.

I want to find my own style and start a trend.

A few years ago I auditioned to be a Disney Character at Walt Disney World. I wanted so badly to be a Disney Princess. I didn't make it, but I enjoyed every part of it, and I learned so much. I instead got chosen for an Operational job, but I decided I was needed here...and I am glad I stayed.

I love my dark hair, blue eyes, and pale skin. One of these days, it just might come in handy as my ultimate secret weapon.

One of my favorite accessories is a headband, so it really drives me nuts when I'll be sitting with a guy and he tries to subtly pull it out. Uh, thanks...a lot.

I love Yoo-Hoo!

It would be cool if my wedding colors could be similar to a Lime Rickey...dark purple, silver, and lime.

I love The Killers. I find that their music always fits my life and how I choose to live it. They are wonderful and inspirational. I doubt I could ever live without them.

I recently discovered that I love red bell peppers and now I am hooked for life.

I figured out the official term for the type of music I love: "post-punk revival".

~~*This list is a work in progress.*~~