The Universe Is Laughing

Our lives built on tin cans and string

2012-01-17T21:14:00.000-08:00

Day 27: A song you wish you could play
Anthology by Thrice

There's just something sexy about Dustin Kensrue's voice. I'd give anything to be able to play the lead guitar part in this song. Seriously, if you want your ears to bleed with pleasure, go watch this video.

Love and Rockets,
Rodney

My, my, my how the time does fly...

2012-01-02T20:36:00.000-08:00

Howdy friends! It's been a while hasn't it? I've been busy (that's a lie, I just don't want to sound like a loser). I hope everyone had a fantastic Christmas and New Years, I know I did! For the first time since elementary I didn't have a single thing going on New Years Eve, so I stayed home and read Pride and Prejudice for the umpteenth time and was in bed by 10. It was cozy! I have just realized I use exclamation marks far too often! When I haven't blogged in so long I just don't know how to start back up... this is awkward isn't it?

Day 26: A song that you can play on an instrument

Guitar: Lovers Without Love by Joshua James

Drums: Keasby Nights by Streetlight Manifesto

Ukulele: Come Sail Away by STYX

Harmonica: The King by Piebald (just barely)

Mandolin: Awake My Soul by Mumford and Sons

Well, that's that.

Love and Rockets,

Rodney

p.s. Guess where I'm going in May...

Jealous much?

You can't change your world single handedly...

2011-11-21T20:41:00.001-08:00

Day 25 - A song that makes you laugh
Life In One Day - Howard Jones

This one is an oldie and a goodie. Let me tell you why...

The whole song is stressing that you should not try to live your life in one day. Don't speed through the day just filling it with corporate nonsense. The first line of the song is "The old man said to me, said don't take life so seriously."
I'm not going to lie, this is hard for me. I feel the pressure of all my challenges and responsibilities pushing down on my shoulders. Especially lately. I feel so inadequate. Anything I do is overshadowed by somebody else. I feel like I'm slowly becoming a memory. A thought of something that once was. And in a sense that's true. I used to be fun and light and could make people laugh. Now it takes all my concentration just to get through a single conversation. Just today in a work meeting when I was called upon to explain the purpose of the meeting, my manager said "Kristen talks?!" Yes, I used to have a personality. You couldn't get me to shut up. Now I push people away. I'm cold. I don't want to be bothered.
But I have come to the realization lately that this has to change. I have to go back to being fun and goofy and spontaneous.
So what have I done? I've made some big decisions. I'm going to change my life. I'm going to do things I've been saying I'll do for a long time.
In high school I had two spectacular friends. We would sit and discuss our lives on golf courses, on roof tops, even on a trampoline. Once when I was freaking out they got out a white board and plotted out my life for me. They pushed me to be better. And I was. Because they cared enough to tell me the truth. They saw my potential and told me how to reach it.
I've lost sight of that... sorry ladies...
So this is my plea: Can we PLEASE have a get together? Just the three of us? Where we sit around and just make each other feel like we did back in those days? Because honestly, you're the only two I really can expose all my secrets to.
But that's why this song makes me laugh. I think of those days. Putting starbursts on rooftops, throwing up oatmeal at the golf course, and you guys making fun of me for the way I jump on trampolines. You taught me not to live my life in one day. You told me that the future would take care of itself somehow. So riddle me this ladies... are we still friends enough to do so?

Love and Rockets,
Rodney

p.s. I'm serious, let's get together.

For now we'll say goodbye...

2011-11-10T20:51:00.001-08:00

Life happens.

It comes regardless of our situation. It is unexpected. It is harsh. It is cruel.

But it is also intricate. We cannot comprehend how the little decisions we make will effect our eternity.

This statement has hit far too close to home this week.

Tuesday night I had just gotten home and was about to take the handful of medicine needed for me to have a restful sleep. As I put my hand up to my mouth I had the urgency to stop. I didn't know why, but I started working on another project. Around midnight I received a phone call. I heard the caller say "he's home". Those two words were horrifically misunderstood.

She went on to explain how one of my dear friends, Elder Trevor Strong,

had passed away that evening.

He was supposed to be home. He was supposed to be adjusting to the "non-missionary" life style. Instead he was no longer occupying his mortal body. He had passed on to a greater mission. A mission we will not understand until it is our time to follow in his footsteps.

It is impossible to share my thoughts on the subject without being overcome with emotion.

How could such a great person be taken? How could his family be given such hope; hope of a life yet to be lived?

Hope of warm welcome home embraces. Embraces which will now be cold and hollow shared from passing strangers as their son, their brother, lies motionless next to them.

I cannot express how grateful I am to have known Trevor.

He was our self proclaimed comic relief.

When we would play night games and fickle drama would arise, he was the one to bring us back to the purpose of why we were there, which was to ultimately enjoy one another's company.

When we would have game night he was the one doing the awful impression of a kangaroo.

He was the one who was near tears the night I fell flat on my face

while he was chasing me around the car.

He was the one who invited me to dance in the street at the stroke of midnight on new years eve.

He's the one who decided "Club T.A.S.S.K. House"

sounds leagues better than "Club A.S.S.K. House"

He's the one who made all the girls feel like the most important, most beautiful girl, on the face of the earth.

He could have lived a life. He could have had a family of his own.

He could have gone to school. He could have had a career.

But The Lord, in all his glory and wisdom, knew better.

He knew Trevor was far too valuable a spirit to lose to the frivolous trials of this world.

He knows what Trevor is capable of doing, of becoming.

He is destined for greatness. Greatness we will not be able to witness until the veil is lifted and we are able to join our friend again.

The warm embraces will come.

The hope is still here.

A life will still be lived.

A family will still be raised.

A man has been exalted.

I can't do justice to the person Trevor was. He is now one of Christ's most treasured angels, assigned to administer on the other side. His work will be felt both here and there. He has left a mark on all the people he has come in contact with. A mark that will at first seem impossible to overcome. But a mark that will forever be treasured in the hearts of all who knew him.

My thoughts and prayers go out to his family, especially his twin brother Scott.

I pray the many memories we all have of him will bring us strength and comfort.

I love you Trevor.

"Here and there,

Now and then,

God makes a giant out of men."

Love and Rockets,

Kristen Holman

If I ever leave this world alive...

2011-11-03T21:24:00.000-07:00

Day 24 - A song you want to play at your funeral

If I Ever Leave This World Alive - Flogging Molly

There's not much to say about this without sounding depressed, which I guess is why it's taken me so long to post it. I don't like thinking about death. Who does? I have a friend who kind of freaks out when it's brought up. We were once watching a movie where a lady passes away and she was so overcome that she had to leave the room. It gave us all a good laugh when she left exclaiming "I can't breathe!" (we sound horrifically rude but I swear, if you were there you would have laughed as well). But in all honesty I have no place to laugh. I hate thinking about it, I hate writing about it. Which is why I'm going to stop writing about it. But hey, what's a blog post without some great lyrics?!

If I ever leave this world alive

I'll thank ya for the things you did in my life.

If I ever leave this world alive

I'll come back down and sit beside your feet tonight.

Wherever I am you'll always be

More than just a memory.

If I ever leave this world alive.

If I ever leave this world alive

I'll take on all the sadness that I left behind

If I ever leave this world alive

The madness that you feel will soon subside.

So in a word don't shed a tear,

I'll be here when it all gets weird,

If I ever leave this world alive.

So when in doubt just call my name,

just before you go insane.

If I ever leave this world alive.

Hey, I may never leave this world alive

But if I ever leave this world alive

She says "I'm okay, I'm all right

Though you have gone from my life"

You said that it would,

Now everything should be alright.

Love and Rockets,

Rodney

p.s. I'm a sucker for Irish punk rock.

If I could write out my own dream...

2011-10-19T20:43:00.000-07:00

Day 23 - A song you want to play at your wedding

Sweet Dream - Greg Laswell

I know this is stupid but you all have to promise me you will not use this song on your wedding day, otherwise I can't use it. Principle my friends, principle...

So this song is short. Only 1:08. But it's the best 68 seconds to ever fill my ears. It ends and I literally feel pain because I want so badly for it to keep going. I'll put the lyrics here just because it's that great.

If I could write out my own dream

For the next time that I sleep

You'd be the first one that I see

And I the last one that you dream

And the dream would go on and on

While we sway against all things thrown our way

And the morning would be so cruel

When it came with sunshine and warmth to blame

For announcing the end of my sweet dream

I watched an interview where he said that he gets lots of people telling him to write more and he's tried but nothing is good enough for this song. I believe it. This song is perfect. The perfect dream. Where even the most wonderful things, like sunshine and warmth, are still not as beautiful as the love he has for this person.

Yeah, this song is perfect. Go listen to it and please don't steal it!

Love and Rockets,

Rodney

p.s. I have a pretty wicked awesome best friend.

L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N

2011-10-04T21:54:00.000-07:00

Sorry it's been so long. I've been a bit, uhhh, busy? Oh who am I kidding, I have just been lacking inspiration! Now don't start thinking "Oh, this post is going to be inspired so it must be good!" WRONG. I'm still flat out of ideas so I'm just going to go with it.

Day 22 - A song you listen to when you're happy
L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N - Noah and The Whale

This is an anthem for anyone, so anything I'm about to say will not be new.

My friends, life goes on. No matter how crappy, how discouraging, it goes on. I've had a saying since I was about 15, "There is no alternative." As in, when people would look at me right after I had my back surgery and complication after complication would arise, they would always ask how I stayed happy, how I kept going. My answer, "There is no alternative". Sure I could give up. I could lay in bed and curse the day I decided to go through with the surgery, but why? Where would that get me? So I started studying the scriptures and found a reason to keep going. But things just kept coming. It kept getting more and more discouraging. But I kept going, even when I got so low I considered stopping, I kept going. And why? Because L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N.

These days I'm faced with different trials. Sure my health is still poor and I struggle to even get out of bed in the mornings but I've fallen prey to another enemy entirely.

Jealousy.

Why you ask? Well you see, I know some people (they will know who they are as they read this, sorry if it makes you uncomfortable but you probably already know I'm jealous), and these people are pretty cool. They thrive in one area where I seem to constantly crash and burn. The dating life. That's right. My last date was before my birthday 6 months ago. And the date I had before that? Well it was definitely more than a year and I only went on that date because the girl who was supposed to go bailed and then the other two back ups where unavailable. But the girls I'm talking about here are talking to guys all the time. I'm with one of them almost 24/7 and I have to watch as guy after guy practically throw themselves at her feet to go on a date, to get just a few hours of her undivided attention. And what are guys doing with me? Giving me a pat on the back and treating me like just another one of the guys.

If you go here, you will read about blind spots. Yeah, I know that letting guys treat me as a friend is one of my blind spots. But how can I help it when sub consciously I'm thinking he's just going to end up liking one of my friends anyways? It's how it's always been. Yeah, I've gotten bitter about it, as you have read in a previous post. But at the end of the day and I'm laying in bed thinking about whether I did my best or not, I know that even if I didn't do my best and I pissed and moaned through the whole day, L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N. I have a chance to try harder tomorrow. And when that moment of realization comes and I'm practically euphoric with the idea of a second chance, I think of this song.

So please, let your life go on. Don't stop and go crazy over a stupid little trial, whether you failed a test, missed a chance with a guy, had another birthday and feel old, or broke a leg and had to stop doing what you love, LIFE GOES ON!!! You'll have another chance tomorrow. Carpe the freakin' diem.

Love and Rockets,

Rodney

It was a long long time ago...

2011-09-12T22:24:00.000-07:00

Day 21 - A song you listen to when you're sad
Jack and Sally - The Phopho Bandits
(Go to the link now or you may as well just stop reading my blog all together!)

Who are the Phopho bandits you ask?

That's right! That is my brother Preston and I!!

I know you're just dying to know the story behind the band. So let me take you on a journey to The Land of Lost Pockets...

One day when Preston was a wee lad of 16 (maybe 17, the details are a bit hazy) he purchased his first, and only, Fender Strat electric guitar. From the moment he sat down and played is first C chord the power of the guitar surged though his finger tips until they were bleeding (hopefully not literally). He was soon shredding out gnarly solos and wicked riffs.

This was all happening around the same time-ish that I acquired my first drum set. From the moment I sat on my drum stool it was, well, less than magical. It took years of practice for me to really be able to play along with some of my favorite artists.

One day we were able to move all of our instruments into a room in the basement. This upset some of our siblings. Why? Because that's when pure awesome was born!

Preston had a few songs he had written that he wanted me to play the drums to.

Our first "gig" was a talent show for my Achievement days. The 11 year old girls went wild for us. It was like they knew they had just witnessed something spectacular. Something they would never forget. Something that would be more memorable than the day they get married. Ok, maybe it was more like a disaster. But I felt like I was on top of the world!

Puff the Magic Dragon was the first song we recorded live, it was a HUGE hit (with us, no one else really knew about it). So we got to work putting simple bass riffs together with children's fairy tales (Froggie, Gilbatron 2000). We have since matured past that and our latest work, even though it's two years old, is Smells Like Heart. An album we compiled for Valentines Day of cheesy love songs.

We've also added quite a few instruments since our early days of just the guitar and the drums. Of course there's the bass, some ukuleles, the harmonica, the piano, and yes, even a cowbell!

We haven't been able to write music together lately because well, Preston started seeing this girl and now she's having his baby.

But one day we'll sit back down in our music room and have a good ol' jam session.

Love and Rockets,

Rodney

p.s. I should have mentioned the song, it's a good one... uhhh, Preston wrote it. Probably about his favorite movie Charly or something like that. He can explain it.

p.p.s. I know you are dying to know what Phopho stands for,

it's People Helping Other People Help Others.

p.p.p.s. Preston really deserves all the credit for the band, he writes and sings and plays the instruments in about 97% of the songs.

Your boldness stands alone among the wreck

2011-09-05T17:58:00.000-07:00

Day 20 - A song you listen to when you're angry
Little Lion Man - Mumford and Sons

I don't actually get angry very often. I don't have an uncontrollable temper, I can stop myself before I do get angry. Honestly I haven't been angry in a super long time. So when I had to think of a song I listen to when I'm angry, I couldn't think of one. Instead I thought to myself "Self, what song sounds angry?" And this one was the first one to come to mind. It's so full of self loathing and hatred. I LOVE it. When I have a song in my library that is full of swear words I will usually delete it. But for some reason when he swears in this song I like it. I know, it's horrific!! But he says it with such passion! I'm pathetic, I can't justify my love for this song. So that's it, I'm a sinner.

Love and Rockets,
Rodney

p.s. a HUGE congrats to my brother Preston and his wife Lindsey, they're havin' a baby!! I'm incredibly excited for you guys!!

We're only here to find the love that lingers after...

2011-08-30T15:43:00.000-07:00

Day 19 -A song from your favorite album

Coeur D'Alene - The Head and the Heart

I fell in love with these guys a little while ago after itunes recommended them after I bought an Avett Brothers cd. Since then I've been listening non stop! The cd as a whole is amazing, I can sit and listen to the whole thing from start to finish without getting tired of a single song. After I find a band I love I look them up on youtube to see if they're any good live. When I looked these guys up I found this video. HOLY CHEESE BATMAN! They blew my mind. How does a band sound this great live?! Needless to say, I HAVE to marry an indie folk guy! I couldn't date a guy if he told me he didn't like this stuff. Yeah, I'm serious... I once dated a guy who pretty much only listened to Disney music. Shoot me in the face! Luckily I know a pretty wicked awesome kid who will let me talk music with him. He even uses words like coolio and gnarly. He doesn't know it but I pretty much adore him. And this is what my life has become, I judge a guy by the music he likes. I think I'm obsessed...

Love and Rockets,

Rodney

p.s. 43 days until I'm back here...

Doing this...

2011-08-26T07:11:00.000-07:00

Day 18 - A song that you wish you heard on the radio

....

If you read my blog you would have read that I hate the radio. I won't get into that again! So instead of requesting a band I adore on the radio just to have them ruined, I'll name drop like crazy here and rest assured that you won't become obsessed and end up having them played on the radio. Bands need recognition, and I realize it's dumb of me to not want to hear them on the radio but want them to get recognition. So NAME DROP!

Check out:

Alexi Murdoch

Andrew Bird

Ben Gibbard (The lead singer from Death Cab For Cutie, also married to Zoey Deschanel. Check out their awesome duet here)

Greg Laswell

The Guggenheim Grotto

The Head and the Heart

Jeff Buckley

Jon Foreman (The lead singer from Switchfoot)

Joshua James

Katie Herzig

Kyle Andrews

Laura Marling

Libbie Linton

The Mollies

Needtobreathe

Nellie McKay

Noah & The Whale

Patrick Park

Phopho Bandits (how could I resist?!)

Ray LaMontagne

Slow Club

The Weepies

I can almost guarantee that if you like one of these bands you will like all of them! So go ahead, I dare you to look up at least 2 of them and see if you can stop after that!

Love and Rockets,

Rodney

p.s. I had my wisdom teeth taken out yesterday, crazy high Kristen on video? Stay tuned!!

Shake That.

2011-08-10T18:07:00.000-07:00

Day 17 - A song you hear often on the radio

Party Rock Anthem - LMFAO

I love this song.

When I wasn't able to listen to my ipod in the car I thought I was going to die.

And I just about did.

No I'm not being dramatic.

"Get over it".

I know that's what you're all thinking.

I hate the radio.

I hate the songs on the radio.

If I hear a song I like I start disliking that song.

It has be be a great song,

one that really makes me feel the music,

in order for me to keep enjoying it after I've heard it on the radio.

There's not much to say about this particular song.

Except I'm going to learn how to dance to it,

just like this.

Go watch it,

go dance it,

go shake that!

Love and Rockets,

Rodney

By all means, take the front seat...

2011-07-27T22:05:00.000-07:00

I don't know how to feel.

I can't be mad.

By all means, I have absolutely no reason to be mad.

It's not like they did this to hurt me.

They probably have no clue just how hard I'm taking this.

I can only sit here in shock.

The unthinkable has happened.

I thought things were going to turn out differently.

I thought I'd walk away with a smile.

Instead I sat there holding back the tears that were inevitable,

Laughing to cover the ones that escaped.

Here I sit.

In the backseat.

Don't worry, I've grown quite accustomed to all this space.

But when one calls shotgun and another jumps in,

especially when it's such a nice car,

one can only be a little deflated to sit alone in the back seat.

I know the seats well.

I've sat here before.

I know the motions to go through.

So why is it so hard this time?

Why was it suddenly next to impossible to breathe?

Why do I let this keep happening?

Why does it hurt so bad to think about?

Why can't I go through the motions this time?

I'm too scared to even glance at the seat now.

Why covet what I'll never have?

The best seat I'll get will be on a motorcycle.

No passenger.

The space will be suffocating.

Here I sit,

In the back seat,

Watching the passenger in shotgun have such a lovely time.

Deep breaths,

this could be a long ride.

This is turning out to be a Bad Romance...

2011-07-26T21:16:00.000-07:00

Day 16 - A song that you used to love but now you hate

Bad Romance - Lady Gaga

I used to like this song, now I don't. It's that simple really. It brings back bad memories... awful memories. The biggest mistake I've probably ever made.

That's all I'm going to say.

Love and Rockets,

Rodney

p.s. I love driving in huge rain storms, there's simply nothing better!!

Alas I cannot swim...

2011-07-17T22:00:00.000-07:00

Day 15 - A song that describes you

Alas I Cannot Swim - Laura Marling

I've been dreading this blog post because I know I'll finally have to open up and admit things I don't really want to admit. So here goes nothing...

This song is almost verbatim my life.

"There's a house across the river but alas I cannot swim,

And a garden of such beauty that the flowers seem to grin.

There's a house across the river but alas I can not swim,

I'll live my life regretting that I never jumped in."

I went on a nice little trip tonight up to Silver Lake with 4 of the most amazing girls I know. We joked around, did some planking, walked in mud, and had some great discussions. As we got going we were talking about our "Blind sides" and when they started to say mine I could feel myself falling into that same old rut.

I'm not going to tell you what my blind sides are but suffice it to say, I'm too scared to do anything. I let so many things hold me back from living my life. Well really just one thing that trickles down into a lot of little things.

Without going into too much detail, I'll just say that I'm sick. This sickness can bring a variety of troubles into my life. It could disable me. It causes me immense pain. It even causes me to refrain from spending too much time in the sun. But the scariest thing you ask? It could very well take my life.

I remember as a kid watching my aunt go through the same thing. And I remember the phone call with the awful news of her passing.

I think this is what haunts me the most. As I look forward in life and try to plan things I can't. I want to limit the amount of people my family will have to call when my fate befalls me. So when it comes to relationships, whether they be romantic or purely platonic I can't help but withhold for fear of what I will put the other through.

I see the life I could live. I see the house across the river with the flowers that grin. I see the life across the river that was meant for me, instead I choose to live my life in constant misery. I see all these things but it's not the life that has unfolded before me. Instead I must stay on my side of the river and watch my friends and family on the other side of the river. I hold back from the hours of fun. Hold back from the memories. Hold back from life.

I was saying tonight how hard it is to keep going. To keep a cheery attitude when everything I hold dear is slipping through my fingers. Why should I please those who will never be pleased, when I can't give them the life they deserve to be living?

I just want to jump in and go across the river to the life I should be living on the other side. I can see it, the life I would have had this sickness never manifested itself. How I yearn for it!! I can't hep myself when I find myself on the path to the river only to get to the shore to remember I cannot swim. I must let the other person go. I can't hold them back from the life they should be living.

I look at the ways it's held me back. I missed more than 1/2 of my high school experience. The hardest part is that I was friends with the SBO's so of course whenever we get together 87% of the conversation is about high school. I have no input. My life consists of memories of my bedroom ceiling. I know the lines, I know the pattern of that ceiling. I learned how to shut myself down before I really go to thinking about the situation I'm in.

So this song is my wish. I wish I could go smell the flowers, fall for the guy with the short black curly hair, take the dive. I wish I could overcome my fears and just leap. But alas I cannot swim.

Love and Rockets,

Rodney

p.s. I literally cannot swim. Swimming lessons anyone?

Come Go With Me

2011-06-28T20:12:00.000-07:00

Day 14 - A song that no one would expect you to love

Come Go With Me - The Del-Vikings

I'm a big fan 50's Doo-Wop music. My mom used to put on the American Graffiti soundtrack and we'd listen to it while doing chores. You can't help but listen to the whole soundtrack. It's contagious. Things were just better back then... or at least I would think so. I was born 40 years too late. So this is my plea, Let's bring the 50's back all over the world. Let's all start wearing leather jackets, rock ducktails, drive motorcycles and cool cars, and just start partying to some classic music.

Love and Rockets,

Rodney

p.s. You may have noticed that all the things I said were for men. This is because women weren't allowed to do anything but plan dinner parties. Watch this video for an explanation.

p.p.s. I leave for California in T-minus 3 days 3 hours and 15 minutes!!!

Oh Accordion, how I love thee...

2011-06-20T16:17:00.000-07:00

Day 13 - A song that is a guilty pleasure

Stereo Love - Edward Maya & Vika Jigulina

So I was bowling one night with some friends. It was fun.

But then they turned down the lights and turned up the music.

Several things happened all at once.

Lord Farquaad was mad he didn't get a strike.

Whitney was trying on her new shoes that I just re-laced.

The guy I was with was attempting to talk to me.

And I stopped breathing.

I heard this catchy accordion riff playing over the speakers.

Since then I have been addicted.

Literally.

I listen to this song all the time.

But I try to keep it a secret cause I'm supposed to be that girl who likes cool under ground music.

I will even change the song if someone comes into my room and I'm listening to it.

But I don't care anymore.

You see I'm going to buy an accordion sometime soon and when I do this will be one of the first things I learn to play. Followed by the Mario songs.

How can you not love it. Seriously!!!

Love and Rockets,

Rodney

p.s. watch the extremely weird music video here.

You probably shouldn't give all your secrets away...

2011-06-14T21:26:00.000-07:00

Day 12 - A song from a band you hate

Secrets - One Republic

Yeah I'm not going to lie, I detest One Republic.

They've only had one good song and it's the new one that's catchy.

I don't even know the title, ha.

These guys remind me of a certain person.

They are his favorite band.

It was like a sign that says "Hey, maybe you shouldn't like me"

He's got lots of those signs.

Yet I found myself thinking "Hey, maybe I should like you".

Yeah... maybe I should never have thought that.

Sorry One Republic, he ruined you for me.

Love and Rockets,

Rodney

p.s. Click on this link - http://i.imgur.com/0Bn8y.gif

You Cannibal Queen...

2011-06-03T12:05:00.000-07:00

I have realized I've made a ginormous fool of myself. I need to make up for it. So here goes.

Rewind to May 21st, 2011. This is a glorious day. The day the rapture was to occur. But the big man upstairs knew that this day was far too important to end things on. You see, this was the day that dear sweet Whitney King came into the world 21 years ago. If you don't know Whitney you may as well just die. You haven't lived life if your life doesn't include Whitney.

Let me tell you a bit about Whitney. She is currently my best friend. We do pretty much everything together.

We drive to work, we drive from work, we work. That's about it.

Oh and we tie-dye together. It's precious.

My mom even babysits her niece. NEAT-O!

Sometimes we sing together. "Tell it to the volcano, from what I know your going down the hole!".

We go bowling sometimes and she ALWAYS puts her hand on her butt when she throws the ball. And she is even better bowling with her left hand. She always gets a better score.

One time she dated Lord Farquad, BIG mistake! But now she's semi-sorta-kinda dating my arch nemesis. He is the Newman to my Jerry. That sounds bad but it's not! Go watch Seinfeld!

Sometimes we plan trips. Disneyland, St. George, camping, Bear Lake, and the likes thereof.

One time we watched Ghost Adventures all night and got the pee scared out of us. Literally in Whitney's case...

We are going to become great at tennis this summer. All thanks to our friend Stacia.

We also plan on working out every saturday morning. He're we come Jillian!

We like to throw chalk at each other.

At work we are called the old married couple because all we do is argue. But don't worry, we are neither married or a couple!

We go to concerts. "I'd let him do anything he wants to me"

She and our friend Jen are going to sing Joshua Radin at my wedding while playing the bongo drums.

She wears homemade nylon shorts.

All the guys love her. Especially now that she looks like me.

She is addicted to Grey's Anatomy.

She probably likes long walks on the beach.

She owns a sexy car.

If you run her over in your car it would probably just feel like a speed bump.

And last but not least, she gets really excited when she's on a motorcycle.

So that's her. If you don't know her I feel bad for you. So get to know her, hit her up!

801-884-8063

Warning: That's not her real number so don't even try!!

And that's that.

Love and Rockets,

Rodney

p.s. Exactly 1 month from today we'll be headed to California!!!

Who Knows, Who Cares?

2011-06-02T20:54:00.000-07:00

Day 11 - A song from your favorite band

(this is my favorite band at this moment)

Who Knows, Who Cares - Local Natives

You guys probably never watch the videos that I put on here but I highly recommend you watch the Alexi Murdoch video and this video. I had heard of these guys a while back and liked one or two of their songs, didn't think anything special. But then I went to the Arcade Fire concert. These guys opened for them and they blew me away. The percussion is absolutely stunning. They would get all of the members pounding away on a snare and the whole room exploded. It was like my heaven. So I came home from the concert, bought the entire cd and fell in love. But it was a shallow love. I decided I needed to find out more so I searched for them on youtube. Youtube never fails! I found the above video and truly fell in love. I have so much respect for these musicians. Just please watch the video and fall in love. The intro is a bit arduous but the video is SOOO worth it! I love these takeaway shows. When you have some time to kill just look at some of the videos from the takeaway shows, SO AMAZING!

So in closing, who knows and who cares?

love and rockets,

Rodney

p.s. the itch is growing stronger for an accordian....

p.p.s. watch this video if you're a Simon and Garfunkel fan

Watch the sky breaking on the promise that we made...

2011-05-31T18:21:00.000-07:00

Yeah I'm bad at this... so if you're keeping up, which I know none of you are, I skipped day 08. So I've decided I'm going to combine day 08 and day 10.

Day 08 - A song you know all the words to

Part I: Broken Bride - Ludo

I'm not going to write anything about because well, I don't want to. Suffice it to say, it's probably my favorite Ludo song.

Day 10 - A song that makes me fall asleep

All My Days - Alexi Murdoch

Ok, if you don't know Alexi Murdoch SHAME ON YOU! He's one of the best artists to ever grace the face of the earth. If I could promote one under rated artist it would be him. Please please please please go listen to him, I swear you will like him. He will leave you speechless. So take 5 minutes from you terribly busy day and go watch this video.

Love and Rockets,

Rodney

2011-05-26T22:10:00.001-07:00

So I don't know why but lately I haven't been able to sign in to my blog so it's been a while. But really, I just didn't have the desire to blog. Yeah it's all just nonsense anyways, but I need nonsense motivation my friends! This is weird but I find the best time for me to open up is at night just before I fall asleep. It's probably because of the medicine I take every night before bed that makes me loopy. But any who, it's one of those times so why not blog?!

Day 09 - A song that you can dance to

You Got What I Need - Joshua Radin

Anyone who knows me knows I can't dance. AT ALL. I'm completely uncoordinated. So this one has been on my mind for a while. I can't dance to any song so why not put a song I wish I could dance to? And by wish I mean I wish I could dance to this song at my wedding. It's probably the most romantic song I know; probably because I saw him perform it live just a few months ago. But believe me once you see Joshua Radin live you will never ever forget it. He's down right SEXY! I especially remember one part of the concert I turned to my friend and exclaimed "I'd let him do anything he wants to me"... yeah that was a bit much! But seriously he's amazing. And if there's any sort of dancing at my wedding this will be the song I have my first dance to. Yeah I know I'm stupid and cliche for planning a wedding before I even have a guy but what girl doesn't?! Besides, it's not like I'm serious about any of it!

Love and Rockets,

Rodney

p.s. So You Think You Can Dance started tonight... Oh how I wish I thought I could dance!!

p.p.s. I also just noticed I skipped day 8............ maybe tomorrow? ha

A dinner table, and two bored sisters...

2011-05-11T20:28:00.000-07:00

Day 07 - A song that reminds you of a certain event

I Will Always Love You - Whitney Houston

So at my house the dinner table is like a gathering place. We have family over every Sunday for dinner and most the night is spent around the table. I'd bet that about 84% of that time is spent laughing so hard we cry, especially Preston and I. On the rare occasion though, Kyra and I are in just the right mood to go crazy. Today was one of those days. We started out on our couches talking and watching youtube videos. We started doing this thing where Kyra sings and I lip sync to it. It was driving my mom nuts. I would mouth whatever was coming out of Kyra's mouth, even her laugh which was my favorite part. But then we went to eat dinner and she started singing I will always love you by Whitney Houston. We decided to record it and she dared me to put it on here... so yeah, this is humiliating but I never back down from a dare. So here is the song that will always remind me of this very night...

Love and Rockets,

Rodney

p.s. This weekend will be epic!! Are you ready?

A city with a legend...

2011-05-05T21:13:00.000-07:00

Day 06 - A song that reminds you of somewhere

El Paso City - Marty Robins

Name a camping trip, any camping trip I've ever been on and I guarantee this guy has played at some point. This is the man of my past. I can associate him with about 87% of my childhood. I also recognize him as the #1 Cowboy. But the exact place this song reminds me of is a lovely little place called Coyote Gulch.

Epic right?! Yeah, I LOVE this place to death! You can

either back pack it and take 3 days or do a day hike and get out 1/2 way through.

I've done both and they both have some amazing memories, and pictures.

Let me share some with you eh?

This is me with my bananadana brothers.

Me, Michelle and my sister Julie. Best road trip girls ever!

FROG!

Raptor raptor, doin what I can...

A little lunch break yoga.

We think we're hard core, cause well, we are...

Frisbee!!

At the top of Coyote Gulch soaking it all up (quite possibly my favorite picture ever!)

This is at the end of the day hike, you start as soon as you wake up and walk until you're beyond ready to sleep. This is tied for my favorite picture ever...

So my friends, I miss this. I would give anything to go back there this summer but things are just too crazy. It's the only place that has literally taken my breath away. I have lots more pictures but pictures can never do this place justice. It's like The Format says "Pictures only prove we can't convince". I don't want to convince you guys it's amazing, I want to take you there and have you experience yourself. Maybe one day all 7 of us who look at this blog can all go? I'm getting delirious and rambling now and I bet you're still reading because what else are you going to do? Go look at some lame video on youtube? Just admit it, me rambling is better than most things on youtube. Except for maybe this video, it made me laugh for about 10 minutes today at work. Tears were coming out of my face. I'm going to end this now.

Love and Rockets,

Rodney

p.s. It is officially smells like summer all the time. My nostrils are in heaven...

Hope dangles on a string...

2011-05-02T15:50:00.000-07:00

Day 05 - A song that reminds you of someone

Vindicated - Dashboard Confessional

This song doesn't remind me of one person. It reminds me of two, Laura and Stacia. Every time the three of us are in the same car this song will be on, I would bet my life on it. We would blast it to the point where you can't hear anything else and scream, literally scream, at the top of our lungs. My favorite memory of this? We were going to a movie or something, I can't remember the details. But Laura and Stacia decided it would be funny if I sat in the back seat in between the "boyfriend" and the creep. As we are driving down the street this song just happens to come on. I've never screamed so loud in my life. I don't think anyone has been more annoyed with me. Those boys have hated me since. But Laura, Stacia, and I got a pretty good laugh out of it.

So this is my plea to the two of you, road trip?!

Love and Rockets,

Rodney

My sister, My hero

2011-04-29T07:19:00.000-07:00

Day - 04 - A song that makes you sad

Baby Mine - Amy Gileadi

This song reminds me of my nephew Logan. I was fortunate enough to be able to see him in the hospital the week before he passed. He was so adorable. I have no way to express just how much he has changed my life and the life of my family. I have the world of respect for my sister Rachel. I'll never forget sitting in the hospital room having to watch my sister and her husband say their final goodbye's to their baby. Or watching Rachel with quiet dignity as they closed the casket. Or my sweet brothers as they carried his little casket across the cemetery. Rachel is truly my idol. I don't even want to know what life would be like without her. She has always kept up her spirits. I love being able to go over to her house and just sit and talk for hours, or play games with Clint while Rachel works. This is a couple I adore and when it comes time for me to have a family of my own I just pray we are 1/100th as cute as their family!! I can't really say much on this subject cause all I do is bawl my eyes out just thinking about him, so I thought I'd attach his obituary. I love you little Logan.

Our sweet, little miracle came to earth May 26, 2008 with his two brothers, Brayden James and Conner Clinton Emery. Your time here was very short before you left your little mortal body and returned to the loving arms of Heavenly Father June 16, 2008. In the three weeks you were here with us you brought many smiles to our lives. You taught us how to love more than we ever knew our hearts could love. You will always have a special place in our hearts. You will be greatly missed by your sweet parents, Cinton Ronald and Rachel Anne Emery, and your brothers, Brayden and Conner. The family would like to express a special thanks to the doctors and nurses at Primary Children's Medical Center and Intermountain Medical Center for their loving care.

"Sleep well, little Logan, our little hero, until we can hold you in our arms again."

Love and Rockets,

Rodney

There's good, and then there's igloo good...

2011-04-28T09:35:00.000-07:00

Day 03 - A song that makes you happy

Go Getter Greg - Ludo

So this one was tough! I had to think of a song that makes me happy. I thought of pretty much every song I've ever sang at the top of my lungs with my friends, danced to in the back seat on a long road trip with my brother, or did a music video to in front of a small web cam at Whitney's. So after much deliberation and even more video watching on youtube I decided the song that makes me happiest is this. I mean, there's good, and then there's igloo good! Enjoy friends!

Love and Rockets,

Rodney

p.s. I had Canteen on here until a certain friend told me she hates me.

Sometimes, you want to miss things...

2011-04-27T08:01:00.000-07:00

Day 02 - Your least favorite song

I Don't Want to Miss a Thing by Aerosmith

This is not a good song for me. Let me take you down memory lane for a bit...

It was the middle of February 2010. I was living in St. George (Mistake #2, I'll get to mistake #1 in a second). I was kinda dating this boy, let's call him Chad (Mistake #1 my friends). Chad was coming home from California for a week and decided he wanted to stop in St. George for a visit. So Friday night rolled around and I was sitting on my couch waiting for Chad to get there. He was 2 hours late. I kept getting texts from him all day about how he couldn't wait to get there, he had a surprise for me. Yeah, I was nervous out of my mind! I'd dumped him before but never in person (I'm a flake). He had told me early to plan on going to dinner cause we've never had a real date. So finally Chad gets there and we go for a walk. A walk to his truck that is. We get in and we're sitting there making small talk. About an hour of talking he decides he is hungry so we head to the local Walmart. We walk around for a while and he decides to get Lean Pockets for dinner. Yeah. I didn't eat that day. So we go back to my apartment and he makes his Lean Pockets and then we go back out to his truck to talk for a bit. He puts on some music. I start to ask him questions about what he expects out of this and I start letting him down. He gets all frustrated saying he didn't want this to happen until the next day. I say it's better it happened that night. At this point he's acting like he's all upset. He changes the song. This is where things get weird. He turns on this song. The song I remember my sister hating, the song she made me hate. He gets weird and finally says "well do you want to see it?".

Let me back up here. For Christmas he gave me a gorgeous blue diamond necklace. When I got it he said it came with a counter part....

So when he says those 7 words my stomach drops. I know exactly what "It" is. I say "well do I have a choice?" He says no and reaches behind the seat. He pulls out a plastic sack (this kid's got tact!). He digs in the bag and finally pulls out the ugliest rose I've ever seen. He says "you can have it on one condition... I keep the box." ..... "ok?". And he gives me the ring. All the while Steven Tyler is screaming the lyrics to possibly one of the creepiest songs (he has it on repeat). He goes over some bull crap of how he loves me and no matter where life takes us he'll always love me and yadda yadda yadda. He makes me put it on. It's disgusting. It's too big for my finger but he makes me keep it on while he's there. Finally I say goodnight and go inside. I find his phone in our kitchen. Big mistake Bud! He had texts to another girl about how he's single again and looking so hook him up with someone hot when he gets back. Yeah, they were a week old. In the morning I say my final good bye. I think I made it clear I didn't want to see him again, I hope his face still stings. And that's my almost engagement story.

So long Douche bag Chad.

Smile when you feel the sunlight.

2011-04-26T08:53:00.000-07:00

Let's face it friends, I'm not a blogger! I don't know how, and I don't know what to put on here! I always see my friends blogs and think "Oh they're fun, they have a blog, they must have a life" and then I think "Oh I'm no fun, I have a blog that does nothing, I must not have a life". And I'm correct in my thinking! So as I was unable to sleep last night I was on Facebook and one of the coolest girls I've ever known is doing this 30 day song challenge and I want to be cool like that but I don't want to do it on Facebook cause the Facebook world needs to think I'm cool and only on there to do my stupid status updates. So long story short I'm going to do the 30 day song challenge on here! I figure it's a good way to get me on my blog and a good way to keep me entertained! So without further adieu, I give to you Day 1 of the 30 day song challenge.

Day 01- Your favorite song.

Mine is Snails by The Format

(go to that link and tell me you don't love this song!!)

I swear the first thing someone will ask me when they find out I'm a freak for music is "Who's your favorite band?" Well that's just stupid! With well over 8,000 songs, 573 artists, and 21.1 days of listening, that's a big question! So Asking me to pinpoint my favorite song should be more difficult right? Wrong. I have this song and no matter how many times I listen to it, it never gets old. I listen to it and I get that same giddy feeling I had when I first listened to it. I've dissected it, I've gone over every little word, the way he pronounces every line, the way the guitar will hold in all the right places building up the suspense for the next chorus. I KNOW this song. I know what it means to me and why it's my favorite. So go smile and feel the sunlight!!

Love and Rockets,

Rodney

I think I'm in love...

2010-11-02T21:34:00.000-07:00

I love music!!! Most people who know me don't know how big I am into music. I play about six instruments. It's my passion. I love anything music, playing it, listening to it, creating it and last but not least, making music just flow. I can sit for hours on end manipulating a play list so each song just absolutely flows into the next. My passion for music has grown so much over the past couple of years. As I find my life spiraling out of control, I try to take control of anything. You see with my health I have no idea what my life holds, everything can change in a second. But one thing that's always constant is my music. I can take absolute control over it all. Music is the life blood of this world. It is the underlying beat to which we all walk. It's more than sounds, it's a way of life. It influences who we are, who we will become. It is the only force in the universe that can change your mood by simply hitting a note on a piano, strumming a chord on a guitar or singing the perfect lyric. Music lives in me. I fall asleep to music, I wake to music. It's constantly there through out my day. I love it. Nothing gets to me quite like music.

Well....

Love and Rockets,

Rodney

Kristen the Great Impressionist? I think it has a ring to it...

2010-11-02T10:53:00.001-07:00

So this is my very first post and as you can tell I'm not even close to having my blog all set up to my liking. But I just thought I would post and let you all know that I do some very spectacular impressions! I can do Blue's Clues, a wicked elephant, Sarah Palin (no, this one's not the same as the wicked elephant), according to some people I look like Tina Fey, and the entire movie "Drop Dead Gorgeous". But my best and personal favorite is Amanda Bynes in "She's the Man".
Now it's come to my attention that someone in particular, let's call her S. Ellis... No, no let's call her Stacia E., well she shared on her blog that she doesn't believe I do this particular impression very well. So to you Stacia, I will continue doing this impression for all who ask me to do so. And believe me, lot's of people will be asking! I finish this post with a simple phrase... IN YOUR FACE STACIA E!!!!!

Love and Rockets,

Rodney