Day 1 of Life Without Preservatives

Dear World/Blog/Journal/Followers:

It's been less than 24 hours since I have let a trans fat pass through my lips. Wait... I take that back. I went 14 hours without eating anything containing preservatives. However, after a minor mouth incident involving grapefruit and water, I had to eat something that would get the gross grapefruit aftertaste out of my mouth. And what is available at my workplace? Chex Mix Bars. I partook of the forbidden fruit at approximately 4:23 p.m. MST. And now I have a rumbly in my tumbly as my body tries to process the artificially made chemicals found in partially hydrogenated soybean oil.

In conclusion, I will stick to my fruit and veggie and homemade bread and sushi way of life from this hour forward.

xoxo - tracie girl

Am I Doomed to Endless Misery and Woe? (At least for 4 months)

It's only been a week since E left. And already I am BORED out of my FREAKING MIND.

I work from 10-1 and 2-8 every day except Wednesdays when I have the afternoon off. I come home exhausted at night. One job I enjoy-- the other is mindless work I do to pay the bills. My 2 p.m. resolve to hit the gym after work dramatically dwindles to little more than a fleeting thought by 8:00 p.m that sounds hilarious to my now crazed mind. Answering phone calls for 6 hours can do that do a person.

Even the thought of dragging myself to the grocery store sounds worse than the eternal doom of Sisyphus.

Where did all my energy go? Why can't I get up at 6 every morning and go for a 3 mile run? Why can't I cook dinner every night without tiring myself out at merely the thought?

All I want to do when I come home is sit on my bed, have the Lakers/ESPN/House on in the background, and Skype with E, which is slightly better than just a phone call.

Ugh. Any suggestions for getting some semblance of an invidious life?? Can I just move to Texas now??

Swine Flu, Lakers, and Top 3 Un-alive U.S. President's I'd Like to Meet

What is this swine flu? I'm scared! Sort of. I mean, It's just the flu, right? What's the big deal? I haven't read too much about it, 'cuz it's never gonna happen to me. Except E is going to Houston and I am moving to Houston at the end of the summer, and that is where the first person died in the US from Swine Flu!! Maybe we should rethink our location....

I LOVE THE LAKERS! THE LAKERS ARE GOING TO WIN IT ALL!! I HEART KOBE ('s basketball playing skills)!!! (But not like I love you, E). I want a Lakers hat to go with my Kobe jersey and Lakers Reusable Bag.

TOP 3 Un-alive PRESIDENTS I'D LIKE TO MEET:

1. James K. Polk
2. Franklin D. Roosevelt
3. Dwight D. Eisenhower

Reasons why to come later...

The Other Guy in My Life...

This is Eric. He is my fiance who is leaving me in less than 2 weeks to move to Houston to get a job (He graduates Thursday, yay!!!).
What does this mean? Tracie is dateless for the summer... OR IS SHE????

This is William Brian Nolte. The one single guy Eric says I am allowed to be alone with this summer. Eric says he won't even mind if I take his pants off-- (OKAY, people, we're talking poopy diapers here!) Woot Woot. I hope he pays when we go to the movies... or at least refrains from spitting up on me...

Which one is cuter? Which one is cuter? I don't know, I don't know, but I have 4 months to make up my mind!

The Susan Boyle-Wonder

When I first saw the video clip of Susan Boyle, my heart went out to her-- she's 47, unemployed, and has never been kissed. She lives in a small village in Scotland, in the same house she grew up in. And since the death of both her parents, her only house companion is her cat, Pebbles.

Before she started singing, there was an air of superiority from the judges and audience--there was no way this woman had any talent at all--it appeared to be another William Hung media set-up.

She started singing on Britain's Got Talent (my most favorite song from my most favorite musical), I could not believe the voice I was hearing. I watched a modern day fairytale unfold in front of my eyes. I wasn't the only one who was floored---Simon Cowell was too. (See the video here and take a peek at the look on Simon's face and laugh, cry, be amazed, wowed, at her performance.) All 3 judges gave her an enthusiastic "Yes" to go to the next round.

What makes Susan an internet and media phenomenon? There are many people out there who can sing and who can sing well-- thus, Susan Boyle must contain something extra that speaks to the hearts of millions around the world. Susan is special because she's the commoner's heroine. The middle class of Britain cheer for the woman who is one of them-- and finally finding the spotlight at age 47.

Hear her sing on a charity CD released over 10 years ago:



It just makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.


And don't worry--she's already gotten plenty of offers for her first kiss--most notably from Talent judge Piers Morgan.

Susan- I'm cheering for you in Utah, and I hope you achieve everything you more than deserve!!

F.I.N.A.L.S.

I don't have a clean, Mormonified acronym for "Finals", and I'm not gonna use the one I know. Needless to say, finals are finally upon us here at BYU and we get to laugh in the faces of our out-of-state peers who still have two months-ish left of school, who were laughing at us just last week during their Spring Break vacays.

This is my LAST full semester (FINALLY!!!) and I cannot be happier. I can't WAIT to get out of Provo. It has brought me the best times and the worst times in my life.

I will not write another Ode to Finals Week. I don't think these lasts tests I take warrant such a loving and thoughtful and time-consuming action from myself.

Yay for me! I graduate as soon as I finish my internship! With the Orem Owlz!

But I just keep thinking...

What will I do without my security blanket of school and PELL grants... how am I going to SURVIVE?? Eeekk!!!!

I think I'm just gonna go hide in my bedroom and watch reruns of Desperate Housewives while eating my Banana Cake with cream cheese frosting...

Don't Worry 'Bout Me, I Got It Covered...

Let's face it, ladies, there are just certain times of the month when one would kill for a brownie (Skinny Brittany) or one might have a hankering for any kind of cake that includes cream cheese frosting (who, me???)...

Yes, guilty as charged. I guess I shouldn't make it quite so obvious by hugging the Booty Filler/Fat Lump Creator.

I shouldn't love it so much, but there's really nothing I can do, and when the hormones are a'raging, I must be a'eatin', or all H-E Double Hockey Sticks breaks loose.

But really, after a grapes and banana Saturday night, I was ready. And thank-you, Easter, and really, any holiday, that allows for the extra sumptousness and trans fatty-ness in my increasingly bland and organic only life.

And I believe tomorrow is Easter Monday (there IS such a holiday!), so I, of course, must celebrate the holiday by eating my homemade banana cake with cream cheese frosting.

Oh crap... what am I going to be like when I'm PREGNANT?? Poor Eric... poor, poor Eric. Start praying for his sanity and safety now.

I'm Dreaming of...

Homemade carrot cake with cream cheese frosting, homemade brownies with homemade frosting, Texas sheet cake, Kentucky Butter Pound Cake, banana cake with cream cheese frosting, heck, even a DING-DONG.

Such are the dreams of those who can no longer keep a size 2 while eating whatever they want (my glory years of high school). Trust me on this one... my booty can balloon an inch with each bite of homemade brownies. Stop growing. Stop it.

And now, I'm off to the gym after a snack of grapes and a banana. *Sigh*

Mascara Ads: This is something I've been thinking about for a while...

I enjoy make up. Really, I do. I have been an avid MAC user since I was twelve, and recently converted over to BareMinerals as well.

But now I must expose them for their LIES:

THESE EYELASHES ARE FAKE.

I am utterly annoyed by every and all mascara ads. Not ONE of these models are wearing their own lashes--- ALL. FAKE. Every time a mascara ad comes on (especially the CoverGirl one with Drew Barrymore) I must change the channel to avoid throwing my TV out my window screaming "LIARS!!!!!" I get so peeved that these advertisers think we will actually believe their client's product has magically transformed the beautiful model's eyelashes into lush, gorgeous works of art.

Just give me an oldie but goodie and I'll be happy:

And, in the end, would we really buy their product if the eyelashes were short and clumpy? No. But let's be honest in our advertising...

Let's Discuss How I Waste My Spare Time: DWTS, American Idol, etc.

DWTS: Holly and Steve gone? !!!STEVE IS GONE!!! I'm not mad at America anymore. Kinda sad Holly is gone, I got somewhat attached to her because I used to watch The Girls Next Door when I lived at Belmont and I liked her on that show. Stereotypical that I watched trashy TV while living at Belmont?? Yes.

American Idol: Megan gone? Ok. She had a unique voice, but that girl could not hold a note on key if it killed her. Whiny voice too. But normal speaking voice...?? I don't get it. Weird. And, I like Anoop, but that could just be because he reminds me of the guy that stars in Slumdog Millionaire, plus I like anything Bollywood: SYTYCD? Bollywood night, Belly Dancing, Yoga, etc.


It's no secret:I fancy crime shows. I savor Law and Order, any one, but SVU is my favorite, followed closely by Criminal Intent. And I relish Criminal Minds and Monk and Psych and now: Castle, which has an interesting twist on the usual crime show mold (Detective works with best-selling crime fiction author with sexual tension between the two while they work on cases together). I know that really, they are all the same, but let me indulge in some good, profligate television in peace! (And really, I'll watch anything on USA: reruns of House, Law and Order, Monk, Psych, Burn Notice...)


And last, but not least, I would like to comment on the fact that I did nothing last Friday except watch the entire first season of Samantha Who? online, and I. LOVE. IT. Christina Applegate has been a fav. of mine since Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead.


Sheesh...and I wonder why I have !!9!! papers to write this weekend...