If a dream is a wish your heart makes, what's a nightmare?

I've had two very vivid nightmares this week about the musical that I'm in. The first nightmare was that during one of our rehearsals an alien invasion occurred. We had to try and escape by pretending to be one of them (I know, super original). We joined a wagon train of circus preformers and then got hearded into the woods. I was in a small cabin packed with people. I knew that if we followed their instructions they would leave us alone. The only problem was that one of my guys from work, who refuses to listen to ANY instructions, was there.  I kept trying to get him to stay in the room so the aliens wouldn't blow us to smithereens. It didn't work. I woke up.

The next nightmare was... wednesday night? Yeah. I dreamt that Chelsea was tired of some people showing up for some rehearsals but not all of them, so she said that the entire cast would run the entire show every night. It was miserable. Then more people dropped out, so I had to do a waltz with Brother Haines and then a ballet number with Roshanak. Everyone had great costumes but me. In fact, there was this great balliwood number than Chelsea decided to add in and their costumes were PHENOMENAL! I was so jealous. That is until one of the married cast members brought her children to practice and ravens came down and tried to eat her baby. Super scary, right? I was wigged out.

So, Chelsea. I don't hate the play. I apparently worry that it will attract aliens and scary birds. And please don't make me do a waltz with Brother Haines.

I'm not dead...

Apparently Mom tried to call me like three times since Christmas. It wasn't until Sunday night that I actually saw that I received a call from her. Yeah. My phone hates me. Felipe's phone hates me too... at least I used to think so.  I'm starting to believe that it's all my phone's fault... for example, he won't get half my texts.  Here's a story from Sunday night that illustrates that perfectly:

My toothache was at its worst. I was bawling, almost drowning out the neices' bawling in the room next to mine. Dustin and Tara tried to figure out some remedies, when I text Felipe "Do you have consecrated oil?" I HATE asking for blessings. And Felipe was in a meeting, so I hate texting him while he's busy. I don't know why, I just do. Dustin didn't have any oil, and I knew that in a desperate situation he could give me a blessing without it. But Felipe promptly texted back, "Yes I do." I sent him a text saying that I needed a blessing ASAP because I was in terrible pain and none of the medication I'd downed was helping. Twenty minutes later, I was still waiting for a reply. I start crying for a whole new reason thinking I've somehow offended him by asking for a blessing and I'm so stupid and my prayers should be enough and blah blah blah. Despair. It's amazing how quickly I reach that point when I'm in massive pain. Anyway, the stuff Dustin got me started helping so I text him and say "never mind. It's going to be fine." Fifteen minutes after that I get a call from Felipe. In a cheerful voice he says, "SO who needs the oil?"

"Are you serious?"

"Uhhh, yes...."

"I did."

"You?"

"You didn't get my texts did you..."

"Nope..."


Yeah. I'm starting to think it's my phone that's defective. The moral of the story is, if it's an emergency, even if he's in a meeting, I'm supposed to call him if I need a blessing. He says no matter what. Okay. Lesson learned. Never trust the phone.

Funny story though, Clove oil was the thing that made my excruciating pain go away. I tried major pain killers, including benzocaine (liquid orajel). But onle eugenol (a.k.a clove oil) did anything significant. I'm all for trying natural things. But holy moley, I never expected an oil to help that much that instantly! This does explain, however, why I think that cloves taste like the dentist.

Hahahaha, our dog totes licked my plate of crush cloves. We know because he had this aweful look of horrer on his face as he stuck his tongue out like fifty times. Serves him right for getting on the counter and trying to steal food.

Life is good right now. I'm trying to improve my relationships with those at work. I'm also trying to have more charity. Gosh, for someone who loves to love people, I have a seriously hard time being charitable with those I see on a regular basis. 

AND OH EM GEE!  I'm leaving for Texas in a WEEK!!!  WHO'S EXCITED????  I'M EXCITED!!!!!!!!

Oh, here's another funny story from this week. I've been posting pictures of opal engagement rings (anyone who knows me knows that I don't want a diamond, I want an opal) on pinterest. Mom told Dad. She said he had a small heart attack. She waited a bit before she told him, "Allan. Don't worry.  She's done this a couple times before."

"Mom. You know I've been doing this since my engagement broke off. I told myself I'd never settle for a ring I hate again."

"Oh I know," she said slyly. "But don't tell Dad that..."

No, I'm not engaged. Felipe and I have not talked about marriage. I just don't want to be surprised with a ring that I don't like again. In fact yesterday I told Felipe that if we got engaged not to get me a ring; I wanna help pick that out. Instead, I said "Get me a Portuguese grammar book. That'll show that you REALLY want me around for eternity." He laughed. I looked at him seriously and said, "No. Really. I want to help pick it out. If I have to buy it myself to get the ring I want, so be it. Get me the text book."

Anyway. Lunch is almost over. I'd better be off.

Au revoir!

Magnificent Magnets and Scary Slacklining

"Kacey. This is Joanne. Tom's mom."

Tom's mom? She never calls in...

"Hi, Joanna! What can I do for you?"
"What happened yesterday?"
"What?"
"What happened yesterday? Tim had tears in his eyes, crying until he fell asleep that he didn't get to see you yesterday."
"He did get to see me. I didn't spend all day with him, I have other people that I needed to take care of, but he saw me for quite a bit of time."
"Well why is he so upset?"
"Joanna, I have no idea."
"I don't want him coming home upset."
"I'll do my best to make sure he gets all the time he needs."
"Thank you."
click!

Cassie walks up to me.
"What was that all about?"
"Heaven only knows."

Work.  Since we changed the structure of the program one of my individuals (well all of them actually, but he's the only one that makes such a big fuss about it) has been feeling neglected. I want you all to know that the amount of attention I give him is no less than before. He just gets... seperation anxiety I guess.  I've now worked out a system with him that if he doesn't talk about me and participates in the activity I'll spend some one on one time with him.  It seems to be working.  I wonder if it works with kids... I'll have to test that out someday... Today he asked me to go to lunch with him again. Last week I said no. This week I said, "I don't think my boyfriend would like that very much. You'll have to ask him first." That seemed to shut him down for a bit. We'll see how long it lasts.

Speaking of my boyfriend... I spent some time with him and his family last weekend. His dad makes me smile. We're very similar. Sometimes we'll get talking and Felipe will zone out. And if I'm around when he calls Felipe, he now asks to speak to me. Sunday night he just made my day: He was talking about the photos he put up on facebook and how all his family teased that I was his new girlfriend. He laughed and said "If I was twenty four I would grab you up so fast! No one would have a chance to date you because I would marry you so fast!" I laughed and said "Pass that word along, okay Kleber? Pass that along..."  He laughed and said he would. He makes me laugh.

The other night I went over to Felipe's house and just hung out. I'm tired of being home alone. With no West or Michayla, my life is sad and lonely. So I'll just go over to people's houses and do nothing. Felipe was winding down, so we watched this revealing magician's secrets show. Every time he paused and gave me a chance to guess how they did it. I said "Magnets!" like six times. He always laughed and said, "no, not magnets." After I went home, I guess he saw two tricks that used magnets. He made sure I got to watch them later. I told him we should run away and be magicians.  I think I've got him half convinced to do it...

Friday night was especially lonely. Felipe was at his capeoira class, and I just didn't want to be alone. So I ran over to Chelsea's apartment. We had a nice printing excursion and I diagnosed her with some physical manifestations of her stress. Afterwards she said, "You know, you live so far away, you should just sleep here.  We'll give you some blankets." Liz gave me some pants and I fell asleep while they watched Smallville. I dreamt about zombies I think. Oh, no, I dreamt about Dutch Jews and public pools in the 60's. And Saint Bernards. Yup. That's what couches do to me. But it was fun. I'm glad they let me do that. I might try and do it this Friday again.

Sunday was extraordinary because Felipe actually got to sit next to me during Sacrament Meeting. The other ward was so depleted that we were combined, but they hosted. So he got to sit with the congregation! It was soooo... strange. I didn't hardly know how to sit next to him. I ended up mostly ignoring him (sorry, Babe). Of course, that was before he viciously elbowed me in the back while trying to get a pen from my hand. After that there was no ignoring. There was war. It was twenty minutes past the normal time that the meeting ends, so I thought it was fair enough.

Last night I rushed home to check my phone (cause I left it at home) and asked Felipe if we were hanging out that day. (We're both booked for the rest of the week.) He said yes and "dress warm. Sporty warm." WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? He gets to my place and says, "Hurry! We've got to do this before the sun sets!" "What am I supposed to wear??" "Not that." "No jeans?" "No jeans." "Boots or tennis shoes." "Those-" he said, pointing to my sketchers. "Okay."

What was the big hurry? Felipe was taking me slack lining. He set it all up in the trees next to my apartment. Slack lining... it's like tight rope walking. I looked at him like he was crazy and said, "No way, Felipe." He laughed. My face didn't change as I stated, "I will die."

"It's two feet off the ground. You're not going to die."
"If anyone can manage it, I can. Do not underestimate my powers of bad luck."

It ended up being fine. I didn't die. Felipe showed me some sweet tricks. I almost fell a couple times. Then I had to one up myself when he said it was easier barefoot by stripping off my socks and shoes, crossing the snow, and jumping on the rope. I'm proud of me.

So, life is boring right now. Good. But boring.

Now all I need to do is think of a great name for our new magic show...