Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Day Forty Five

Some recent highlights from the West Yellowstone life:

  • Visit from mother and grandmother. So relaxing- time in the park and time to catch up.
  • Visit from father and first time fly-fishing. Fabulous and unforgettable.
  • A day off to visit Salt Lake.
  • Birthday celebration for myself and Jake Simmonds. [Cake. Friends. Spakings. Party.]
  • Three incredibly thoughtful birthday packages from people I love and miss.
  • A new/local blog to read from: mantanamountainmen.blogspot.com.
  • One or two days that exceeded 65 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • White Water Rafting with the Wild West Pizza crew. (On a slight tangent, I'll have to mention how much I love EVERYONE that works here. The busser boy, the cooks, the bartenders, the owners. All so wonderful and great friends to me and Melissa. We're already sad to leave).
  • Snow. Yes, it still snows occasionally up here.
  • A new purchase from the North Face. Should I be saving? Yes. Do I also allow rewards after 80 hour weeks? Most certainly.
  • New Jack Johnson and Norah Jones albums. Both good with a couple of tracks that I've set to repeat.
  • Waitressing nightmares. Everystinkingnight. Maybe I'll expand on this one day.
  • Tips. Tips. Tips.
  • The stars. They are beautiful and overwhelming.
  • A night off to sit and watch The Blind Side. What a great story and film.


Marmot.



Bubble.



Look carefully.



More.



"Home, home on the range."



Bear sighting- often times the ultimate Yellowstone goal.



Henry's Fork fly fishing.



Happy Birthday.
Everyone can also notice my favorite part of this picture:
Rachel.



Woot. Woot.



Loved this one. You can clearly see why.



Drew, aka mr.imcamerashy



I have nothing to say about this.



The women of our apartment.



Me and Co-Worker Tracy's pup. Precious.

Saturday, June 19, 2010

Day Fourty Two

Just getting ahead of the game [since I will be churching and working on Sunday].


HAPPY FATHER'S DAY
To the best.
Father.
In.
The world.







Love, Brookie Tomato

Monday, June 14, 2010

Day Thirty Seven

Flag Day


There's something incredibly special about a flag and its symbolism. I vividly remember the changes following 9/11: insane security, less traveling, countless humanitarian efforts, and among other things an overwhelming increase in American flag displays. I remember watching the opening ceremonies for the 2002 Winter Olympics on television and seeing the American flag that flew from Ground Zero carried in. I remember the NYPD officer who sang "God Bless America". His voice was beautiful, rich, and deep- he sang with authority. During our trip to New York City last summer, my mother, sister, and I wandered around the temporary 9/11 "memorial," glancing at flags, letters, and pictures. I would love to see more of the American flag.

After my four months of Asia I came home exhausted, emotional, and completely ready to be with my family. It was Christmas time- December 22. Too many thoughts were running through my head as I landed in the LAX airport. One that stood out more than the others though, was my intensified gratitude for my country. "Ladies and Gentlemen, we have now landed in Los Angeles, California airport and will be admitted into Gate E within the next 15 minutes. At this time pleased remain seated with seat belts securely fastened. Thank you."


[Personal Favorite]

Happy Flag Day.

Sunday, June 6, 2010

Day Twenty Nine

Laundromat Perks
(West Yellowstone):

Multiple machines- I can wash everything at once.

Friendly owners

The scent of fabric softener

Small talk opportunities with the most random people

Free WIFI

Two hours to sit and do nothing


tada

Saturday, June 5, 2010

Day Twenty Eight

If perhaps you needed a great song for running, biking, or any kind of rigorous work out:




Thunderstruck.
[ACDC]

Friday, June 4, 2010

Day Twenty Seven

List of "Fun Things to Do" taken from friend Jimyl's blog.
I enjoyed reading these during another uneventful shift at the front desk.

White- Complete
Black- Still working on it



1. started your own blog

2. slept under the stars
3. played in a band
4. visited hawaii
5. watched a meteor shower
6. given more to charity than you could afford to
7. been to disney
8. climbed a mountain
9. held a praying mantis
10. sung a solo
11. bungee jumped
12. visited paris
13. watched a thunder and lightning storm
14. taught yourself an art from scratch

15. adopted a child
16. had food poisoning
17. walked to the top of the statue of liberty- guess the boat tour doesn't count?
18. grown your own vegetables
19. seen the mona lisa in france
20. slept on an overnight train
21. had a pillow fight
22. hitch hiked
23. taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. built a snow fort
25. held a lamb
26. gone skinny dipping
27. run a marathon
28. ridden in a gondola in venice
29. seen a total eclipse
30. watched a sunrise or sunset
31. hit a home run
32. been on a cruise
33. seen niagara falls in person
34. visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. seen an amish community
36. taught yourself a new language
37. had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. seen the leaning tower of pisa in person
39. gone rock climbing
40. seen michelangelo’s david in person
41. sung karaoke
42. seen old faithful erupt
43. bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. visited africa
45. walked on a beach by moonlight
46. been transported in an ambulance
47. had your portrait painted [characiture]
48. gone deep sea fishing
49. seen the sistine chapel in person
50. been to the top of the eiffel tower in paris
51. gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. kissed in the rain
53. played in the mud
54. gone to a drive-in theater

55. been in a movie
56. visited the great wall of china
57. started a business
58. taken a martial arts class
59. visited russia
60. served at a soup kitchen
61. sold girl scout cookies
62. gone whale watching
63. gotten flowers for no reason
64. donated blood, platelets or plasma

65. been sky diving
66. visited a concentration camp
67. bounced a check
68. flown in a helicopter
69. saved a favorite childhood toy
70. visited the lincoln memorial
71. eaten caviar
72. pieced a quilt

73. stood in times square
74. toured the everglades
75. been fired from a job
76. seen the changing of the guard in london

77. broken a bone
78. been a passenger on a motorcycle
79. seen the grand canyon in person
80. published a book
81. visited the vatican
82. bought a brand new car
83. walked in jerusalem
84. had your picture in the newspaper
85. kissed a stranger at midnight on new year’s eve
86. visited the white house
87. killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. had chickenpox
89. saved someone’s life
90. sat on a jury
91. met someone famous
92. joined a book club
93. gotten a tattoo
94. had a baby
95. seen the alamo in person
96. swam in the great salt lake
97. been involved in a lawsuit
98. owned a cell phone
99. been stung by a bee

Followers