My Life as of Late

I have not been good about writing every time I intend to, and so I have lots of things to share that I just haven't yet. So, before too much time has elapsed, here's a recap of some things you've missed (yes, this is my life in pictures)...

Josh and I went to Denver a few weeks ago to hang out with my parents, and while there, we took the car and camera out for a spin while it was still very warm.

And the next day it looked like this! Gross! 

So we stayed inside and made our own version of Top Shot. My dad created a mini shooting range obstacle course in our basement and we competed with the pellet gun to see who is the Mossrock Top Shot. Let me just say, it wasn't me. 

But I was pretty fierce and blew the smitherines out of this CD in one of the rounds. 

Then we watched the Chargers and Broncos football game on that Sunday. I couldn't talk to Josh during the game, because I was decked-out in my pink Broncos jersey. As you can tell here, we fought about it a lot ;)

But Josh wasn't "mad" long, because the Chargers won (unfortunately).

I love my job. Even though it's quite a drive to get to work, this is my view of the Great Salt Lake as I'm driving
along I-80. It is so beautiful! And it makes the drive so much more pleasant. 

Remember a few weeks ago when I wrote about what my perfect date is and that I love 68 degree days? (If you missed that one, you can read it here.) Well, this is what it looked like the very next day. Boo! But now it's gotten warmer and I have had a few 68 degree days, so I'm okay with winter coming now. I've had my perfect date. 

As the weather gets colder, most people start to get sick and sicker. Well, Josh got sick while he was home on fall break a few weeks ago. I felt so bad and wanted to cheer him up, so this is what he came home to: everything to make him feel better. And he did. But not before he got me sick! At least he gave me the leftovers you see in this picture
so I could start feeling better, but it hasn't happened yet...

A few days ago I went to a local Asian restaurant with a friend and these were the fortunes I got from my cookies, and in this order too! So, I feel something very exciting may be coming my way... Stay tuned so see what it might be!
It may be nothing at all, but I'm hoping that just this once, a fortune cookie can actually predict my future ;)

My Roommate is a Dragon Slayer

Tristan, named after a famed and fearless explorer, was destined for greatness. Even as a little girl, she dreamed of the day when she could take the ranks of her ancestors and go down in history as a great Slayer. Well, for her young and monumental birthday, last week she was deemed worthy of wielding The Great Flaming Sword of Arcadedium. She is now ready to face any dragon. It doesn't matter if the dragon is in the Middle East, Fort Collins, or anywhere else in the world. Tristan can now slay any dragon with ease and coolness. Tristan truly is The Great Slayer.
I am so glad she is my roommate.

The Battle of the States

Two of my best friends are from the northwest. One is from Oregon, and one is from Washington. As long as I have known them (and as long as they have known each other for that matter) they have fought over which state is better. My Oregonian friend even made a list of top 50 reasons Oregon is better than Washington.  I always thought it was just friendly banter, and then I moved to Portland.

This area has interesting cultural undertones. Portland is the biggest metropolis for miles in every direction. If you talk to a Portlander, they will say Vancouver, WA (just across the state line, divided by the Columbia River) is just an overflow of Portland, and if you talk to a Vancouver resident, they will say Portland is an overflow of Vancouver. Clearly there is a dissidence.

The plate on my rental car

And so it was hard for me not to wonder what people thought of me as I drove around town in a rental car with Washington plates all day. Even though it is very common to see WA plates mixed in with OR ones, I am sure there is still judgement and criticism. This is probably what went through the minds of the Oregon drivers around me,  "Crazy Washingtonians, using their proximity to reap the tax-free benefits..." So, not only was I nervous to be driving a rental car (and praying the whole time no one T-boned me), but for the first time I was pulled smack in the middle of the epic battle of the northwest states.

In the past I have kept myself separate from these intense rivalries. So every time my friends would get into a "my state is better than your state" skirmish, I would excitedly shout, "Colorado!!" And they would both look at me with tired expressions that questioned my right to be involved in the fray, and I would shrug and walk away, letting them battle it out. But I knew (and still do) the truth: asking "Is Oregon or Washington is better" is not the true question, because obviously, Colorado is the best.


So, my question to you is, what state do you fight for? Where does your allegiance lie? Washington? Oregon? C: none of the above? Here's your chance to weigh-in and vote for your state!