TWILIGHT CONCERT SERIES...its not about vampires

This is where I will be every Thursday night July through August...you should be there too...

http://www.slcgov.com/Arts/twilight/lineup.htm

"How do you like them apples!?"

Well actually, I LOVE me some of them apples! It's true. I loves apples...but only Fuji, Pink Lady and Gala (although they are sometimes hit and miss). But I could eat an apple everyday. In fact...I do eat an apple almost everyday. And sometimes with a little side of a mini red babybel cheese...love those too. Seriously..a crisp apple, that isn't too sweet...perfect snack! One of my favorite snacks...and since I have cut most sugar out of my weekday diet, it is a serious fix to any sugar craving that may come along. Yes indeed, I. LOVE. APPLES.

Plus..how does the saying go..."An apple a day keeps the doctor away."...well I have not been to the doctor in a while...so they must be working.

No I don't really enjoy candy apples, or caramel apples from the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory...I do however love apple pie...with a side of vanilla ice cream (which I also love) delightful treat! Oh and my mom makes some create apple crisp and apple cobbler...I think her apple dumplings are good too, but my only memory of those involve my dad slicing his hand while cutting the apples and having to get stitches...but I'm sure hers are great nonetheless (everything she makes is great...well ALMOST everything...you know what I'm talking about mom).

Well that's it...I just wanted to give a quick shout out to my dear sweet treat the apple.

some quick thoughts about random things

First of all...the greatest candy bar wrapper in the world is the wrapper for the Hershey's Milk Chocolate bar. Seriously...it doesn't get any better than this....It's so simple and pure and looks like what I imagine perfection to resemble. It isn't that I love Hershey's chocolate, or even chocolate in general. I do enjoy chocolate, but it isn't my favorite thing at all...but this wrapper...I'm taking it home to frame it. I love it! So simple.



Second...last night I saw Miss Saigon put on by the Pioneer Theatre Company. It was really great. Kim was wonderful, and Ellen was the best Ellen I have ever seen...and I am not just saying that because I enjoy reading her blog every now and again, she really was that great. "Her or Me"...oh wait...I mean "Now That I've Seen Her" (WHY...why did they change the lyrics) is one of my favorite songs in the show and it was amazing...the emotion with which she sang was so powerful, you could feel it! In fact she was so great, I am tempted to fly to FL to see the debut of Wonderland...not too mention it sounds like a great show. The Engineer was probably the best Engineer I have seen as well (I have seen the show three times now)...in fact I think Jonathan Pryce would be the only person to top last night's Engineer. There were some of the cast members that weren't my favorite, but overall it was a great performance and I was once again reminded of 1) why I love live theatre, especially musicals and 2) why I LOVE Miss Saigon...so beautiful, so gut wrenching...LOVE IT! (Oh and Chris was NOT AT ALL unattractive).


As I was sitting at my desk today I glanced over at my board that holds my desk decor...family photos, pictures of places I'd rather be besides work, you know...just stuff to help me get through the day. I noticed one thing in particular today...this-This is a picture (greeting card) of Luke Skywalker...as many of you may know. My friend Ashely gave it to me as a going away card when I moved from Las Vegas to Salt Lake. On the inside of the card are some very kind words from Ash. Such a wonderful card. I kept it because the words inside mean a lot to me, and because I love Star Wars, I really do. I will admit that Han Solo is my favorite...who doesn't love Harrison Ford, but Luke has such a great emotional journey throughout the trilogy that it is difficult not to love the guy. Plus, he was SUCH a part of my childhood.
There is a quote, as you can see in the picture, that Ashely included in the card as well...a Star Wars quote of course: "Mind what you have learned...Save you it can." What a great note to give someone...wonderful advice. Advice that I keep with me always. It hangs right below the picture of Luke. It was some of the best advice anyone has ever shared with me. I've said this before but Ashely really has been one of the greatest friends I've ever had. Thanks again my friend. You rock the casbah.

Shoes

I have always worn Converse All Stars...aka Chuck Taylors. I wore them in elementary school, junior high, high school, college and beyond to this very day as I sit typing this in my gray Converse All Star low tops. I LOVE THESE SHOES! I have never loved a brand of shoe the way I love Chuck Taylors...I have had low tops, and high tops...bright turquoise blue high tops, multi color low tops, the classic black high top, gray low tops (today's choice) and a handful of others. (I think the only other brand of shoe that I have come close to loving as much as Converse All Stars are Simple). Converse have always been there...have always been my favorite and I have always stuck by them...except for once...

I was in junior high, seventh grade I think. I have never been one to want whatever was "cool" at that moment...I have always been a t-shirt and jeans kind of girl...never one to grasp at the hot new trend...until seventh grade and L.A. Gear. Some of you may be too young, (or too old) to know what L.A. Gear shoes are. They are high tops...sometimes with double laces that are multi florescent colors; they also made The Pump high top (just as Dave White), as well as a style that lit up when you walked. But I just wanted the classic pair, with double laces and of course...the most important part of the shoe...the L.A. Gear California license plate key chain that came attached to every pair. In all honesty it was really that cheap, plastic key chain that I wanted...not so much the shoe...but I begged and pleaded and did finally get a pair of those shoes and that coveted key chain. I don't know how many times I wore them, I don't even remember what they looked like (for sure not the picture) and I couldn't tell you what my favorite outfit was to wear with those shoes. They were quickly forgotten and cast off into "The Land of Passing Fads".

But not my Chucks...I love wearing any pair of low tops with shorts or jeans or even dress pants. I loved wearing my turquoise low tops with my bright pink shorts and a white t-shirt (it was the late 80's...or early 90's...give me a break). I can wear my black high tops with jeans or even a nice pair of gray or black dress pants. They are comfortable, they breath, I don't have to wear socks if I don't want to, and after a week of walking around Boston in them my feet didn't hurt. I have always had Chucks and I probably always will.

And so it is with our life...constantly bombarded by passing fads, chances at momentary relief from our struggles and frustrations...but we can't give up what we really want, for what we want right now. Because what we really want will always be there for us to lean on, to cry on, to vent to, to bring us peace of mind, and joy. So when decision making time comes...ask yourself..."Is this plastic key chain really worth turning my back on my Chucks?"

WE NEED YOUR HELP!

HELLO DISTINGUISHED FRIENDS, FAMILY AND COLLEAGUES.

I come to you with a request for your donations and support for a great cause. The flier below should explain everything. If you have questions please email me at brooke.russell@gmail.com or leave a comment on the post.

If you are willing and able PLEASE support the cause. ANY and ALL donations will be greatly appreciated! If you would like to donate money that works as well, just shoot me an email. I will be happy to collect your donations, or my two esteemed friends who are heading up this philanthropic venture will drop by on the 18th. So, leave a comment on this post or email me to let me now what works best. Thank you again!

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