what the west nile virus?

Over the 24th weekend my family and I went camping at Lyman Lake in the Uintas. (Not Smith and Morehouse, as I was mislead to believe.) While we had fun four-wheeling our little hearts out, there were a basquillion mosquitos in, about, and around our campsite. As in, plagues of Egypt status. I deftly eluded them the first night and day, but on the second day they feasted on my flesh like it was the nectar of the gods.

I have over ten bites on my left ankle alone.

SO YEAH NOW NO ONE'S SURPRISED that I've developed symptoms of West Nile Virus. Yes, I am referring to the very virus I once dismissed as being a ruse.

For the past couple days I've been waking up with very bad headaches and have been extremely tired, sick to my stomach, and just not feeling well. Pretty sure I'm not pregnant so it had to be something else. The possibility of west nile clicked for me this morning when I found yet another bite on my elbow meat and I decided to do a little research. (I love research.)

Symptoms of West Nile Virus

Symptoms include fever, headache, tiredness, and body aches, occasionally with a skin rash (on the trunk of the body) and swollen lymph glands.

And I'm over here reading this just like

Le crap. I have all of these minus the rash.
Aaaand that's pretty much the end of the story. I so brilliantly didn't take any medicine this morning so now I'm sitting at work calculating whether I can afford to take the rest of the day off to take this party on home and fetal-position it in my bed. (I can't.)

I should be fine though, since I'm not a youngin' or an old'n, nor is it contagious (because that last part is what you were all really wondering about, right? Rite.) And that's why you always bathe in bug spray. Lesson learned.

i don't always write serious blogs, but when i do, you're not required to read them.

I'm at a loss in this situation called life. Just when you think you have things figured out, reality smacks you in the face and reminds you who's in control. (I shake my fist at you, Shatner.)

For the past couple of months I've been trying to figure out a way to move out of state. My reasons for doing so mostly involved me wanting to experience something new, e.g. dating scene. (Well-researched fact: Most single LDS men in Utah are crazy with a capital BORING served with a steaming side of self-absorption.)I had my eye on Raleigh, North Carolina, there for awhile and had even started researching housing options. But lo and behold, our wonderful Indian-giver (totally not PC, so sue me) government put a nasty little caveat in the housing credit that said if my house ceases to be my permanent residence within three years of closing, I would have to pay the $8,000 back. No moving, not even renting it out. Say whaaattt?

Major bummer. There was much sobbing. So now I'm not even back to square one; I'm at about negative square-age. So here's to another year and a half in Murray. I'm going to make the best of it. Crazy men and all.

internet-found geekery.

Art history + Star Wars = I would honestly frame this and put it in my house:

And I'm not sure who's asking, but the answer is yes:

K bye!

lunch with dad: a true story.

Dad: Do you want this strawberry?

Me: Nah, I'm good.

Dad: They're good for you.
[pause]
Tony Robbins says so.

Me: . . .

top ten tuesday: books to read.

So I'm still working on that "more intense" top ten list; it's taking longer than I thought it would. Aaaaand I might have been not exactly working on it too much. But that's ok since I still have a list for ya'll today. Here are the top ten books that I want to read right now.

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I Want to Read

1. Inside Delta Force: The Story of America’s Elite Counterterrorist Unit, Eric Haney
2. The Winter of Our Discontent, John Steinbeck
3. The Fabric of the Cosmos, Brian Greene
4. Angle of Repose, Wallace Stegner
5. The Fist of God, Frederick Forsyth
6. Caravan, Dorothy Gilman
7. The Map of Time, Felix J. Palma
8. The Blind Assassin, Margaret Atwood
9. Parrot and Olivier in America, Peter Carey
10. A Pair of Blue Eyes, Thomas Hardy

There you have it. Even though it's summer, this overcast, humid weather makes me want to commence hibernation and read all of these in a week. But I gotta like, ya know, do things with my life.

why hermione granger really matters.

In a world of weak vampire lovers, and as a fan of Hermione's character, I appreciated this article. Even if it is from Huffington Post. :P We need more Hermione-like characters in fiction. Otherwise, I don't feel comfortable raising daughters with certain writers on the publisher's payroll.

Amen and amen.

relaxing playlist.

As part of Cara's graduation present (a post-grad relaxation kit), I made her a playlist of chillout songs. I just rediscovered this and after listening to a few songs I'm all, awwww yeah relaxing playlist yeah. Here it is in its entirety, in case you're interested in checking some of the songs out:

relaaaax: post-grad 2011

1. "Prescilla" Bat for Lashes
2. "When the Devil's Loose" A.A. Bondy
3. "Vision One" Royksopp
4. "All That We Need" Ardentjohn
5. "Playground Love" Air
6. "Cat Piano" Seabear
7. "Song for a Sleeping Girl" Devics
8. "Lay Me Down" The Boxer Rebellion
9. "Smokescreen" Tigers That Talked
10. "Chanson triste" Carla Bruni
11. "Warning Sign" Coldplay
12. "Southwest of Orion" Dark Dark Horse
13. "June Hymn" The Decemberists
14. "Tangerine" Led Zeppelin
15. "Prelude 2" Dustin O'Halloran
16. "Magic Hour" Fruit Bats
17. "Secret Meeting" The National

since i know you're all concernicus.

top ten tuesday: nein.

The official announcement is this: No top ten today, in preparation for a more intense one for next week.

In other words, the author is battling a migraine and some crazy emotions. And possibly a cave troll.

polyvore: pastels + neon.

My current color obsession.

pastels + neon by lambskin featuring j crew bathing suits