President Jimmy Carter Blew Me a Kiss

Picture of the Day for 10/28/2010. Former president Jimmy Carter blew me a kiss today!

Here's how it happened. He was in town to sign copies of his new book, "White House Diary." I didn't even know about the event until a friend of mine from Florida (yes, I'm being cagey, and yes, you all know who that is) who is an autograph collector let me know about it and asked if I would attend and purchase three copies for him. He also shipped seven other Jimmy Carter books from his collection to get signed. I picked up one copy of Carter's book for myself and then my brother-in-law David dropped off a book from his personal library. So, I had a total of 12 books to get signed. I think I was just about the only person in the 1,500+ crowd to bring such a large stack of books because the clerks looked amazed. They even nudged President Carter and exclaimed, "she has 12 books!" I had observed he was pretty business-like and kept his head down while he signed books, but he looked up at that one. We smiled at each other and I said "I'm a big fan" to explain away the 12 books. That's when he blew me a kiss. Very cute! I'm delighted that I can say a president of the United States blew me a kiss!

This book signing was unlike any I've ever attended. It was a carefully orchestrated assembly line. I was near the end of the line which stretched a couple of blocks past the independent bookstore, The King's English, where the signing was being held. (See picture below).

President Carter is a swift signer (case in point- it only took him about 30 seconds to autograph all 12 of my books) so the line moved very quickly. Once you reached the president, you handed the books over to a clerk who then handed them to the president. He signed them and then a clerk handed them back to you and you were whisked to a spot a few feet away from the signing table where you could take one (and only) picture. The clerks pretty much told you when to snap the photo which is why I ended up with the mystery people in my picture. Carter wasn't engaging in conversation with the crowd, but he did know the people behind me in line and greeted them warmly. He even invited them to have a picture taken with him. It turns out these mystery people aren't so mysterious after all. When I showed the photo to my sister Paula and brother-in-law David, they said, "Oh, those are the Marriotts." They live in our neighborhood. I suspect they are affiliated with THE hotel Marriotts in order to merit such a warm reception.

And So It Begins

Picture of the Day for 10/27/2010. This is the second blog entry this week that I'm going to start with the phrase, "and so it begins." And so it begins. Snow. The first of the season.

Yellow Michelle

Picture of the Day for 10/26/2010. I've been playing around with another iPhone camera app I downloaded today. This one is called Hipstamatic and it allows you to use all types of lenses and film in various combinations. I came out quite yellow in this photo. I'm kind of digging how creepy it looks.

Christmas Magazines

Picture of the Day for 10/25/2010. And so it begins- my annual round-up of Christmas magazines. I buy them all. Have I ever once actually completed any of the projects profiled in these magazines? I was about to state an emphatic no, but I just remembered that I came "this close" to finishing a holiday scarf. My track record for completing crafty projects of any kind is rather sketchy. Sadly, the Merrill household is where crafts go to die.

Another Office Breakroom Surprise

Picture of the Day for 10/24/2010. Strange things keep appearing in the office break room. First, it was a creepy rat by the Coke machine and now there's a spooky pumpkin on top of the microwave. The pumpkin seemed especially spooky today since the weather was ominously overcast and I was all alone in the office. I never did find out the culprit behind the creepy rat, but I do know my sports-fanatic boss was responsible for this football-shaped pumpkin.

Steadily Improving Photography

Picture of the Day for 10/23/2010. My attempts at capturing images of the fall leaves are improving.

Today was stunning. The fall colors are at their peak. I've lived in the mountains all my life, but even I was amazed at the vibrant blood-red leaves and the bright golden-yellow foliage that looked like it was being illuminated by 1,000 watt bulbs.

I had pulled over to the side of the road to take a picture of a tree and a man who saw what I was doing stopped his car just so we could exclaim over the scenery.

No Broadway Showtunes for Me

Picture of the Day for 10/22/2010. I've been taking voice lessons for several years. It turns out what I really needed in order to improve my voice was to get the 12 pound mass removed from my abdomen that was preventing me from breathing correctly. It's amazing how the quality of my voice has changed since my surgery in July.

Anyhoo, back to the voice lessons. I could tell my teacher, Bonnie, was getting sick of the two songs I've been working on for most of the year because she informed me during last week's lesson that it was time for new material. We had a tiny skirmish over the types of songs that would be selected. She pulled out a book of Broadway showtunes which made me a little nervous. I used to love showtunes, but the older I get, the more intolerant I am of Broadway shows. The perky songs make me cranky. I knew I was in trouble when Bonnie opened the book to a song from "Mame." Fortunately, I was able to steer her towards a jazz songbook instead. I love jazzy/bluesy torch songs. When I visited the music store, I also snagged a copy of one of my all-time favorite songs- "What'll I Do" by Irving Berlin. It's very melancholy which I love. The more melancholy and tragic the song, the happier I get. Isn't that perverse? It's kind of like how excessive sunshine makes me depressed while dark gloomy weather makes me happy. I suspect in a previous life I was a brooding author who roamed the gloomy moors of England.

Running Into Walls Hurts

Picture of the Day for 10/21/2010. What happens when delicate toes come in swift, unexpected, and rather violent contact with a stone wall?

You learn that it is possible to say the word "shit" about 100 times within the short course of a minute, that's what.

My Interest in Aviation

Picture of the Day for 10/20/2010. It's official. I'm an aviation nut. There are some solid pieces of evidence supporting this claim:

-I now subscribe to Smithsonian's Air & Space magazine. (It's an odd companion to my subscription to Country Living, wouldn't you say?)

-Today I realized I could carry on a detailed and knowledgeable conversation about the F-104 supersonic aircraft. Were you aware that the famed Chuck Yeager crashed one of these planes? If you're interested, let me know and I'll outline the technical reasons behind the crash.

-I've been flirted with by Bob Gilliland, the first pilot of the SR-71 Blackbird. Of course, that's not saying much since he's quite a flirt. Doesn't mean I didn't enjoy it though.

-I am in possession of several autographs from famed test pilots.

-I'm seriously considering joining the Flight Test Historical Association.

-I've attended an air show at Edwards Air Force Base as a VIP. (To be fair, I was in the company of an aviation VIP so I can only claim to be a VIP hanger-on.)

-I've attended more than one banquet honoring famous aviators.

I'm wondering if this interest isn't inherited from my father who used to fly small planes. He wanted to fly during World War ll, but ended up in the Navy instead (long story) for which I'm glad given the short life expectancy of an aviator during the war. My father recently asked if we could go out to the airport. I inquired if he wanted to observe the planes landing/taking off or if he wanted to fly a plane. He gave me a "that was the dumbest question I've ever heard look" and emphatically stated he wanted the "fly the blighters, of course." That made me smile.

Jane Austen's Fight Club

You MUST watch this video!

The Gifts Just Keep Pouring In

Picture of the Day for 10/19/2010. This blog entry is long overdue. Two weeks ago I went to check on my condo for the first time in two months and discovered a package waiting for me by the front door. It turns out that it had been sitting there since mid-August. It's a testament to my neighbors that no one made off with the package during all that time. My friend Aurora had sent me a "get well" gift of two Sprinkles cupcake mixes and the princess cupcake toppers. She couldn't have gotten me anything I liked better! Sadly, I had neglected to inform Aurora of my new address, but fortunately, it all worked out OK. It was actually fun to get an unexpected present a couple of months after my surgery.

Sneaky Rat

Picture of the Day for 10/18/2010. I was grabbing a glass of water in my office's breakroom when I noticed this rat with red beady eyes. My heart skipped a beat until I realized it was a fake and someone had placed it in front of the Coke machine as a practical joke. "Nicely done" is what I say as that's totally something I would do.

Designer Handbag

Picture of the Day for 10/17/2010. This blog entry is dedicated to my friend Suzanne who loves designer handbags. I bought this Michael Kors bag during my recent business trip to Beverly Hills. I was in the market for a new purse, but mostly I made the purchase because I am easily influenced by the media. I've been watching "Project Runway" where Michael Kors is a featured judge. Instead of just enjoying the show and leaving it at that, I've been consumed with a desire to own something from his collection. Whew- now I can mark that off the list.

Mediocre Photography

Picture of the Day for 10/16/2010. Well, I'm moving up in the world. Instead of taking really bad photos (check out my 10/14/2010 blog entry), I've now achieved mediocre status. This is a picture of the fall colors in Emigration Canyon. Pretty blah isn't it? This photo certainly does not capture the grandeur and majesty of the mountains during the fall season. The image below is what I was going for.

Obviously, this photograph was not taken by me. I snagged it off of utahpictures.com. I really need to take a photography class. Anyone want to take a class with me?

Work Friends

Picture of the Day for 10/15/2010. These are my work friends/colleagues Jamil, Jessica, and Ana. We had a lunch meeting in Beverly Hills to kick off a client project that's starting up this month. The business lunch was proceeded by and followed up with shopping at the Century City mall. Needless to say, I LOVE going to California for these meetings. Work should always be this fun.

Bad Photography

Picture of the Day for 10/14/2010. Sheesh. I can't seem to take a successful photo today. I flew in to California this afternoon since I have a business meeting scheduled for tomorrow morning. I ended up at Milk, a Los Angeles bakery/ice cream shop. (Very yummy, by the way.) You certainly couldn't tell that's where I was by the picture I took of the sign out front. If you want to see what the store's logo really looks like, check out this link: http://www.themilkshop.com/

When I got to my hotel, I noticed that I was staying on a floor reserved exclusively for Starwood Preferred Guests. I don't know why this amused me so much, but I felt compelled to document the fact I was a "special" guest. This picture didn't turn out well either. So much for being special...

Clown Retribution

Picture of the Day for 10/13/2010. Remember my blog entry from a week ago titled "I Hate Clowns"? Remember the hysterically funny story I told about how my sister Robynne forced me to get my face painted like a clown when I was a teenager, despite my violent aversion to clowns? You thought it was amusing, right? I'm sure it was very clear that all I was doing was poking gentle fun at the incident. Apparently, Robynne was not amused. In retribution, she purchased these creepy/ugly clown wall plaques for me. I fear she has just gotten started and a lot of creepy/ugly clown merchandise is in my future. Sigh. I'm thinking Robynne has not quite caught the vision that I was the aggrieved party and my blog entry was valid payback. Instead, she has unwisely chosen to escalate hostilities. I say- bring on the the clowns. I'm not afraid. ;-)

Tenacious Balloon

Picture of the Day for 10/12/2010. Some work friends brought over this "Get Well" balloon a couple of months ago. Yes- a couple of months ago. This is the most tenacious balloon I've ever seen. It absolutely refuses to die. (Not that I've tried to do it in. I was about to claim that I'm no balloon killer, but realized that's a dirty lie. Many balloons have met an ugly death at my hands.) Perhaps the balloon is just deeply committed to my well-being and isn't convinced I have thoroughly accepted and internalized the "get well" message. That's OK. It's welcome to stick around as long as it has the will to float in the air.

Opening Credits

Picture of the Day for 10/11/2010. I'm kind of obsessed with the opening title sequence of the new Hawaii Five-0. I watch it over and over. The music is really cool and it just makes me want to run away to Hawaii (although I suspect the fair skin I inherited from my British and Scandinavian ancestors might object).

Oh yeah, the show isn't half bad either.

Margaret Ruth Book Launch/Podcast

Picture of the Day for 10/10/2010. Ooooh, it's 10/10/10. I'm sure the date has all sorts of mystical connotations. Very appropriate for my friend Margaret Ruth's launch party (hosted by Catalyst magazine- www.catalystmagazine.net) for her new book, "Superconscious Relationships." Margaret Ruth hosts a weekly podcast (www.margaretruth.com/podcasts) on her website that explores "love, dreams, palmistry, ghosts, Tarot, relationship, listeners' questions, and many other psychic-metaphysical topics." Since Margaret Ruth knew she was going to be busy signing books and mingling with her friends/fans, she asked me and our friend Kelly to co-host two episodes of the podcast that were recorded today during the party. Kelly and I are pictured here with the producer, Jeremy. During the first episode, Kelly and I provided a little bit of background about ourselves and interviewed Merlin, a local plumber/astrologer (love the dual career). For the second episode, we interviewed Margaret Ruth about her book and then conducted some simple Tarot readings for two of the attendees. It was great fun! I believe the podcasts will be posted to her website within the next week or two.

Another Scenic Drive

Picture of the Day for 10/9/2010. Took my dad for another scenic ride. Today's drive took us through Emigration Canyon, notable for being the route the Mormon pioneers followed when they first arrived in the Salt Lake valley in 1847.

This time of year the sagebrush is blooming with yellow blossoms. The bushes are especially profuse in the mountains. For all my years living in Salt Lake City, this is the first time I've taken notice of them.

Cop Humor

Picture of the Day for 10/8/2010. My friend is an ex-cop who sent me this t-shirt from a cop-owned bakery in Michigan called "Cops & Doughnuts." The bakery sells a variety of t-shirts with sayings that meld cop and pastry humor (i.e., "You have the right to remain glazed"). My shirt says "Don't Glaze Me Bro," a take-off of the now famous plea of a disruptive University of Florida student to the police who were dragging him away from a John Kerry forum in 2007. Faced with imminent tasering, the student begged "Don't tase me, bro." My friend finds this hysterical (both the incident and the t-shirt). That's cop humor for you!

Flowers for My Mother

Picture of the Day for 10/7/2010. Today is my mother's birthday. She'd be 89 years old if she were still alive. It still irritates the snot out of me that she had the temerity to pass away at the ripe old age of 87. Dang mother. Despite the ill will I feel towards the situation, I couldn't bear the thought of letting the day pass without acknowledging her in some way so I bought some flowers and placed them on her grave. It made me feel better.

Haircut Peril

Picture of the Day for 10/6/2010. My niece Lisa (who will be graduating from beauty school soon) is seen here giving her younger brother Robbie (my nephew) a haircut. From all accounts, Lisa is accomplished at her profession, but apparently Robbie's hair gives her a bit of grief. He's been the recipient of at least one very unfortunate haircut, but he's a good sport about it. Tonight's haircut took well over an hour and I heard several "dammit Robbie" utterances from Lisa during the course of the procedure.

I Hate Clowns

Picture of the Day for 10/5/2010. I accidentally left my reading glasses at home so I ran into a drugstore around the corner from my office to buy a cheap pair. Problem was, there really wasn't an inexpensive pair except for the one pictured above with the multi-colored frames. They almost look like clown glasses. I say "almost" because if they definitely looked like clown glasses, I wouldn't wear them. I hate clowns with a passion. I find them neither amusing or cute. I'm still scarred from the time one of my sisters was dating a clown (I don't mean that metaphorically- she was dating an actual clown). I was a teenager at the time and one night she brought her date over, woke me up out of a sound sleep, and insisted that I allow her boyfriend to paint my face with clown make-up. My worst nightmare ever. (Did I mention how much I hate clowns?) Despite my vehement protestations, I ended up with a clown face. Although 30 years have passed, I'm still a little bitter. And who wouldn't be? ;-)

I'm Popular in Brazil on Sundays

Picture of the Day for 10/4/2010. I just discovered the "Stats" page on my blog that reveals all sorts of fascinating information about my readership. It appears my all-time most popular posting to date is "Do They Put Crack in the Macaroni Salad?" I suspect the word "crack" has something to do with that. I feel bad for the readers who were most likely looking for a lurid story and ended up with an extremely tame account of the macaroni salad I frequently buy at a local Hawaiian restaurant. Sorry- I wish I had a better "crack" story to tell, but I don't.

To my immense surprise, there are international readers who occasionally stumble across my blog. I'm rather popular in Brazil on Sundays. Who would have guessed? And I hope the 10 people from the United Kingdom who visited my blog today were at least mildly entertained.

Plum Jam

Picture of the Day for 10/3/2010. I availed myself of plums from my sister's tree to make plum jam today. I have a certain fondness for it since my parents had a plum tree (now sadly deceased) in their backyard and my mother frequently made jam. The picture above is at the stage where the mixture is screaming hot and I'm about to ladle it into the jars. I was trying to capture the beautiful deep red color of the fruit, but the picture doesn't quite do it justice.

The picture below shows the final product- for this batch. I picked enough plums to make about 45 batches (yes, I'm exaggerating, but not by much). I'll have to regroup and make more jam next weekend when I have a good three-hour block of time. By the time I'm done using up all the fruit, I'm sure I'll have plum jam coming out my ears. Let me know if you're interested in a jar. I'll have plenty to share!

Fashion Show

Picture of the Day for 10/2/2010. Had a "girls night out" evening with my friends Suzanne, Jenny, and Margaret. Totally forgot to get a picture of them which I fully intended to do. Dang. Tonight's photo represents Plan B for my "picture of the day."

As a shoe aficionado, Suzanne has a keen interest in my shoe purchases (and really- who doesn't?) so when she dropped me off at my house, she came in to check out the latest new shoes. There were a lot; I believe I purchased six new pairs over the weekend. As you can see from this picture, what started as a new shoe demonstration turned into a lengthy examination of practically every piece of footwear I own. This was a good exercise because I took the opportunity to organize my shoes when I returned them to the closet.

Literal Music Videos

Picture of the Day for 10/1/2010. My nieces just introduced me to literal music videos on YouTube. Love them! (Both my nieces and the videos.) I found the following overview on Wikipedia:

"Literal video versions are usually based on music videos in which the imagery appears illogical, disconnected with the lyrics, and more concerned with impressive visuals than actual meaning. Most of the literal videos have been based on music videos from the 1980s and 1990s. Literal videos generally have new lyrics dubbed over those of the original video, and often include captions for better clarity. Lyrics range from references to the video editing...to questioning the unusual things depicted in the video which are usually, by convention, ignored by the participants (for example the lyrics "What's happening with that monkey?/What is with this gas mask?/This is a strange library." from the literal version of Tears for Fears' "Head Over Heels")."

The 1980s music videos are the best. ("Total Eclipse of the Heart" by Bonnie Tyler is particularly good.) You have to check them out! Just visit YouTube and type "literal music video" in the search field.