I'm only good at being young.

In case you've been wondering what's up with me lately, I'll tell you. I worked -- a lot -- for the first part of the month. We have a big conference every May and so I spend lots of time with co-workers during this particular month. Which is good, because I generally like them. It's cool to work with smart, creative, independent people, because it's always interesting, hilarious or otherwise entertaining. Word to my co-workers. There are no photos from this particular time. Sorry.

Then I went to Disneyland. Because where else do you spend your 26th birthday when you're only good at being young, as John Mayer says? (And word to my best friend in the whole world for getting me John Mayer tickets for my birthday. I know!) Now, I know 26 is not "old," as all my co-workers are wont to remind me, but it feels like the first step to really, truly being a grown-up.

So, I headed to L.A. to hang out with the ever-enthusiastic Rachel. And she invited the ever-enthusiastic Zach to come chill with us at the most magical place on earth.

Here Zach and I wait in our first line. No; not for a ride, to get my "birthday button" so every "cast member" will wish me "Happy Birthday" all day.



Now. When Zach first met me, I was sitting the backseat of the car, with my seat belt on. He thought I was wearing a shirt that's flipping the birdie. Lest you fear the same from this picture, I'll explain. It's actually a shirt by a company called OmniPeace. I found this shirt at Sears, I believe, and I had to buy it because (in no particular order):

1. I happen to love this color of green.
2. I happen to love Africa.
3. I liked the logo.
4. I like helping the world and OmniPeace is trying to end extreme hunger and poverty in central and south Africa by 2025.
5. Some friends and I are interested in starting a similar company someday -- selling cool clothes and giving a large portion of our profit for humanitarian purposes. (Actually, we started it, but were all too busy with the rest of life to keep it going on a volunteer basis; so it's on hiatus.)

So, if you like any or all of these things, go to Sears and get a shirt. They're WAY less money there than on the website. Sorry, website.

Back to Disneyland. Sorry about the tangent.

Here's Zach chillin' in the shade for a bit while Rache and I hold our place in line for our first ride: the Matterhorn Bobsleds. When I was little, I rode this entire ride with my eyes closed so I was guaranteed to miss the part with the abominable snowman.



Here, Rache and I are happy to be riding the Jungle Cruise for our first time that day. Since I started going when I was younger, they've added a school of piranhas to the mix. Very exciting. (I've seen them only once before this trip, I believe. But I might be wrong -- as Radiohead likes say.) Note the button on my shirt. (It even has my age written on it, but one girl still thought I was turning 17.)



Here, I'm not sure what Zach is doing. I think he was trying to put his head on my shoulder, but I'm so much shorter than him, it was NOT going to happen. I'm trying to look scared/skeptical. Also, I'm trying to look ghostly white, because we had just finished Pirates of the Caribbean, and we were about to go to the Haunted Mansion. I thought it would be fitting.



Here I am chillin' in the First Aid clinic. I think this will become a regular for me on future Disneyland trips. They are wonderfully amicable, it's air conditioned, it has cushion-y seats, and even beds if you need them, and they have good "cold, fresh towels" for you to use to combat heat stroke and gross amusement-park stickiness.




Here are all the rides we rode, because I know you care:

• Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
• Indiana Jones Adventure
• Matterhorn Bobsleds
• Space Mountain
• Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters (I am SO BAD at this.)
• Haunted Mansion
• Pirates of the Caribbean
• Jungle Cruise (Twice; because, why not? The line is never that long.)
• Mr. Toad's Wild Ride (Because Zach had never been and he couldn't conceive of a Disneyland ride that ends, quite literally, in hell.)
• Pinocchio's Daring Journey (So that Zach could see more of the "dark side" of Disneyland.)
• Storybook Land (Just because.)

The following day was Sunday. We went to church and then came home to play some BomberMan on the Wii. Here I am warming up for the competition later in the evening. I was not good at that either. And most the time I'm not good at taking good pictures, so this is me preparing for a bad picture by making a face.

This is where I went around lunch-time on Monday:



These are my strange sunburns. I was directly under the sun, with no sand or other obtrusions. But only the left side of the right side of my body got burned. And with weird splotches at that. Go figure.

I apologize if you are scandalized by the simultaneous amount of red and white and visible skin.




These are some flowers that I got at an awards lunch on Tuesday because my birthday was the closest date. Pretty. (I love the vase.)



This is a bad picture of 65daysofstatic, the opening band for the Cure concert, which I attended a week ago. My incredibly generous and kind brother-in-law gave me a ticket. I liked this band.



This is the show opening for the Cure. I thought it was a good opening visual. I also liked watching all the people that were 15 years older than me. One woman, in particular, danced EXACTLY like Elaine from Seinfeld. Also, the people next to us practically copulated for the whole concert. Cool. And the woman was probably twice my size: both height and width. She was very big.



And this was my sad attempt to photograph the cool background image. I loved the design and colors. But you can't see it. Sorry.



There were 3, yes, 3 encores.

So, internet. That's what I've been up to. Sorry if you felt neglected.

Because I love my little sister.

A-Attached or single: Single
B-Best friend: Marin
C-Cake or pie: Pie
D-Day of choice: Friday, possibly Sunday
E-Essential items: Chapstick, cell phone, a notebook, and a good book
F-Favorite color(s): Red, Green, Black, White
G-Gummy bears or worms: Bears
H-Hometown: Salt Lake City
I-Indulgences: brownies, fries, children's literature, Disney movies
J-January or July: Good question.
K-Kids: Cute?
L-Life is incomplete without: Umm... This question is a bit too cheesy for me to answer (Sorry, Anne!)
M-Marriage date: TBA
N-Number of siblings: 7
O-Oranges or apples: Oranges. I'm allergic to apples, although I used to inhale them when I was little.
P-Phobias or fears: Pretty much any bug, failure
Q-Quote: Right now I'm a fan of this quote by Bill Gates:

"I hope you will judge yourselves not on your professional accomplishments alone, but also on how well you have addressed the world’s deepest inequities … on how well you treated people a world away who have nothing in common with you but their humanity."

R-Ring size: 5 (I think)
S-Season: Oh goodness. I like them all. But if I had to choose... Autumn?
T-Tag friends: If you feel like it, do it.
U-Unknown fact about me: I blush very easily, but I can never come up with a good embarrassing story when I need one. It's always seemed oxymoronic to me.
V-Very favorite stores: H&M, Whimsy, pretty much anywhere you can get a good deal.
W-Worst Habit: Arguing my point too much
X-X-ray or ultrasound: I'm not sure I understand the nature of this question. But, ultrasound?
Y-Your favorite foods: Thai, Chicken Tikka-Masala, Steak, lots of things... so... hard... (brownies and fries go without saying, right?)
Z-Zodiac: Taurus

I have the world's cutest dad.

Cute here is meant as the ultimate term of endearment. Cute in the way that those of you who know my dad will understand. And, even though you love your own dad, I also know that you'll agree with the level of my dad's cuteness.

I know Mother's Day is this weekend, but I owe my dad a huge thanks. Thanks, Dad, for all your help. Especially for things that you do, even when it's inconvenient, just because you know it's important to me.

And, Mom, same to you. I'm one lucky kid. (I know I'm not a "kid" anymore, Mom. :) Thanks for helping me become a good grown-up.)

I'm back! ... From the future!

Do you know how sometimes you go through those phases in life where you don't feel like you know yourself at all? You become someone who responds to the world in foreign ways? Well. I'm back.