Now THIS is lobbying

The big huge "implement the 9/11 Commission recommendations" debate is on the Senate floor this week. Cheye and a couple of other NCSL head lobbying people are on Capitol Hill (I expect in the Senate office buildings) literally going from one office to another opposing a couple of specific amendments. I'm plugged into my headphones tracking the debate on the floor via C-SPAN (which shows a little TV monitor on my computer screen), and talking to Cheye on his cell literally every 30 minutes. At one point, he called and said he'd just come out of an office that is in favor of the amendment, so I had to call our people in that state immediately to get them to call the Senator to oppose it, and then fax them our talking points. It's taken me 10 minutes just to type this paragraph because I had to stop and send a couple of emails here and there about this thing. Lobbying, usually, is not this fast-paced and multi-faceted all at the same time. It's interesting! The speeches are still going (and will all week), but right now, not about something we're so concerned with, so I can take a minute.

My thought about the homepage is pretty basic - our Insanity Inc. logo that we had on all those shirts with the 2 palm trees and 8 rays on the sun, a current picture of everyone, and a list of links sorted by our order in the siblings with family ones like the blog at the top. Nothing complicated. Just something that looks nice and has the links organized so they're easy to figure out.

I'll post about the traditions later - it's been something I've been thinking about since last spring ... remembering what we did as kids, and what I want to either start or continue. I haven't settled on anything solid yet, beyond "decorate for Christmas the day after Thanksgiving" (that's definitely happening - with lots of lights), so I'll get back to you on this one.

Traditions

Before I talk of traditions, Jared is finished with college on December 18, 2004. His graduation is not until Sunday, February 27 at 3PM. Everyone in my family went to community college or technical schools, so this will be the first university graduation I will go to. Hooray!

My family's traditions were generally very low key, possibly with a touch of down home-county. At Christmas, we went to my grandparent's small frame house. Normally 80-100 people would show up and sit on any available floor space. For the down home part, banana pudding, macaroni, and dumplings were always served along with ham and more traditional fixings. Of course, the football game was always on no matter what holiday it was. Presents was generally a free for all at my parent's house Christmas morning. I don't know, my memories of holidays and such are good ones. We never really took vacations, but we went to Six Flags and local attractions a lot. That was fun.

As far as traditions I want in my family, hmm. I guess those form over time and then without knowing it you have a tradition. I'm generally opposed to trick-or-treating, because it is dangerous. Instead, we go to a fall festival with candy, stories, bounce houses, games, ect. That's more fun any way. For Christmas, I love going to the light parade each year. I love parades for 4th of July, New Years, Christmas, Thanksgiving, anytime. I would like to buy a tent and start camping in the spring and fall when the weather is nice. I guess that could be a tradition. Since, Bryan loves sports so much, I see that in the future also. Well, don't want to ramble on forever.
Michelle

The First Page

Good morning everybody (well, good afternoon to Trina and Adam),

I've heard from both Trina and Jared (via Mom) about a homepage for the website other than the blog. Personally, I don't mind having the blog as the hompage with links on the right side to the new features we create. However, this is not MY website, but ours. So, we will need to come to some agreement about how the website should be organized. You can create your own pages in your own folder (e.g. insanityinc.net/emily) and do whatever you want to do there, but the blog and the homepage are community property.

Disagreements on this are a little tricky though, since we are all adults here, but if Mom and Dad are willing, it would be nice to have them act as the final decision makers once all the input has been put in (including their own).

So let the discussion begin! What should the homepage be, what should be on it, who should create it, and when should it be done? (Am I missing any questions?) If we agree that the blog should NOT be the homepage, then I'll switch over to a temporary homepage that will be replaced with whatever we come up with. Also, this doesn't have to be permanent. We can always come up with a new homepage every year or something.

Also, I'm preparing a document on how to access the FTP site (and some basics on HTML and webpages for the newbies among us). This will go out via email in PDF format. If you would prefer Word format, let me know.

Okay, that's all for now. Take care, I love you, read Emily's book, listen to conference, and that's all.

Love, Eric

Update on the Story

Dear family,

The second chapter of The Elfmarked has arrived. BUT before you read that you must read the NEWLY EXTENDED first chapter. Otherwise, the second chapter will not make any sense, because it picks up where the new scene in the first chapter left off.

Emily

P.S. Chapter Three: "Departure" should be coming soon, probably Friday and if not then Monday. I hope you will enjoy it.

Congrats to The Expecting Ones

Congrats to Petey and Polley on their hopeful future arrivals! That's exciting!

Everything is going well here in Provo-land. I have finished the last assignment for my ASLP class. Now I just have to take the final. And then I really have to buckle down and work on my Anatomy class.

Work is going well. I love going to work every day, even with my 40 minute commute. I have borrowed Harry Potter 5 on CD and listen to it on the drive. It makes the drive much more entertaining. (I just have to keep my stereo in my car.) But it's not the commute that I love about work. I really love working with the kids. It's great. I'm almost always in the 4th grade and it is wonderful.

I have a lot of fun playing on the weekends. This past weekend we had an unofficial EFY counselor reunion. It was a blast seeing a lot of people again. And I am always goofing off with my roommates. Amy and I stayed up until 4 a.m. talking on Saturday night (and even though we slept in until 10:20, we still made it to church on time at 11:00!! But I have been trying to catch up on that sleep all week long.

Anyway, there's an update on me. Call me if you want more details (preferably on my apartment phone since I NEVER get calls on that and I still have to pay for it!)

Love,
Tawnia

Emily's book is online!

Hi All!

The first bit of Emily's book is now up on the website, and that makes it the first thing up besides the blog on the family website. I'm very happy about that. So check it out at insanity.net/emily.

And Theresa and Ray are getting married this Sunday... not much more to tell. We got an invitation and RSVP'd. I figured the news was out and about already. Sorry.

And the Angels beat Texas tonight. Yee-haw! (as it were)

Eric

This is a long question.

Sorry I didn't get this posted earlier. Last week was a bit hectic for me. I was sick with a miserable cold and even missed a day of work. I slept all day on Wednesday.

On Saturday we went to Washington for Baby Rachel's funeral. It was the most spiritual funeral I've ever been to. Max's talk on the plan of salvation was simple and profound. He elaborated on the scripture. "Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted." First he explained that we're supposed to mourn and be sad because it is an expression of our love. He then explained how we are comforted through the promises of the atonement. Both Ben and Mary spoke and their messages were also incredible. Ben shared some very spiritual experiences that I'd never heard before. Mary told about dreaming of her little girl, Rachel, when she was pregnant with Maxwell and she told about Rachel's birth and her life. There was so much love there. You really had to be there to experience it.

Afterward we all had lunch at Ben and Mary's and we went over to Sid's to get the tour of his house. It's going up and when it's finished it will be over 7,000 square feet. You'll have to go and see it. If you include the tower it's 5 stories.

Now for the question: Tell about your own family traditions: Christmas, birthdays, graduations, Fourth of July, Halloween, Thanksgiving, hunting, funerals, Memorial Day, Mother's Day, Father's Day, weddings, etc. Since most of you have grown up in the same family, perhaps you can tell about traditions you want to establish in your own homes.

Hello from Emily

Eric, I've sent you the prolouge and first chapter of my story -- well, the first half of the first chapter anyway; I still need to do a little bit more revising. So, please tell the family when it is available.

I started classes today. History is going to be interesting, but I don't know about American lit yet. I still haven't figured out how the whole on-line thing really works, since teachers usually do things a little differently. Clarissa is also taking classes on-line.

Love,
Emily

Theresa's wedding?

This is the first I've heard of it - details?

We're fine too. I also went to the Relief Society broadcast on Saturday, along with doing some stuff for work at home. Yesterday - one of our home teaching families - their 8-year-old son was baptized so we went to that right after church. Our home teachers came over. I slept for a long time. That was nice.

Mom, are we getting another question? The pet one seems to have been answered, even though we haven't heard from Jared and Michelle yet about the guinea pig. What did Brooke name it? I can't remember, but it was funny.

P.S. Eric, Adam still can't post. He's signed on and all, but when he goes to blogger.com, there's nothing there. No option to post to our blog. Now what?

Is everyone okay?

No posting over the weekend hey?

I hope everyone is okay. Laurel and I are well. We had a nice weekend here in sunny CA. I was sick last week, but felt better this weekend. We worked on Laurel's website Saturday (there's nothing up yet, so don't check it) and Laurel went to the RS broadcast. Yesterday I went hometeaching all afternoon, and we went to Rachel's at night. The Angels won Saturday and Sunday, so I'm baseball-happy anyway.

We're looking forward to conference and Theresa's wedding this weekend. Plus this Thursday we're going to the college (CSUF) where a guy who took a solo trek to the North Pole will be speaking.

And that is all from us. Again, we hope everyone is happy and well.

Love, Eric

Emily's Book

Hi Emily!

Check your email, because I wrote you a message about posting your book on the website, but not on the blog. If you want to start sending me chapters (to my allvantage email address) this weekend, that'll be great since I'll be working on Laurel's website this weekend as well as a practice site for school, so I'll be in web development mode tomorrow.

I don't think any of us really knows what it takes to get a book published because none of us have done it. I know it's like a lot of creative activities... there's a lot of people who want to do it, and it's hard to get attention. I don't know about writing, but I know in art it generally helps to have some sort of agent, a representative, to sell your work. Same thing with acting and most other creative endeavors. Beware of scams, but maybe start doing some research on literary agents, maybe those who specialize in Sci-Fi and Fantasy.

Also, I know there are magazines and compilations out there that might be a good bet for getting "discovered". Publishers are running a business and they only want to buy what they can be reasonably assured they can sell. Someone with a proven track record (published somewhere) is a better bet than someone who has never been published. Keep working on those short story contests, big and small... I think they're your best bet.

And don't give up! Keep working on your craft and writing the stuff you would love to read.

Love, Eric

back to Emily

Because it's your story, yes, I will read it. If it were anyone outside our family (I would also read anything by any of our other siblings, like Jared's Star Wars story), I would have to politely decline.

P.S. I just emailed you about this as well.

To Trina

So -- do you want to read my book or not?

avid readers

Yes, I am an avid reader - I'm currently an avid reader of state laws about medical malpractice lawsuits. Fuuuuuuuuun ...

I've said this before, and I'll say it again: the way to get into the writing industry, or any industry or profession for that matter, is TALK TO PEOPLE ALREADY IN IT. In politics and government, it's all about "who you know." I did not get my DC job based on my qualifications. I got my job because of Ramona, and I met Ramona because of Karyn, and I met Karyn because I got off my butt and joined Model UN. My qualifications help me keep my job. They did not help me get my job.

It's the same thing for writing. Your first step should have been, and still should be, to get involved in some of the online message boards in the writing community. Those people will tell you much better than any of us how to write a novel better. From there, I'm sure you can meet people in Portland. You are not going to publish your books by locking yourself in your room chained to that old computer. While we, your fantastic family, are indeed avid readers and probably really good editors as well, we don't know anyone already in the writing community.

For your book in particular, I would just advise you to be ready to accept a lot of criticism because that's exactly what you've asked for, and don't get upset when people tell you what could be better about your story. As for me - quite frankly, fantasy books do not interest me. I enjoy fantasy movies - Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, etc ... But the books are very difficult for me to get through.

And this advice goes to everyone, no matter what job you want (or if you also want to publish a book). You need to meet people in your chosen profession. Skills and talent will take you far, but only so far. You also need connections.

Thank you for your patience in reading my rant. *end soapbox mode*

Concerning elves

Okay, fambly.

I've finished yet another manuscript for a fantasy novel (entitled The Embodiment of Magic, Book One of the Elfmarked Trilogy) which I shall attempt to have published. (If anyone has any ideas how to get into this industry, please feel free to tell me.) I am now looking for people to read it, sort of a test run. Yes, you can review the spelling and the grammar, but any computer can do that. I really need someone to tell me if it makes sense. Does the plot flow smoothly? Did someone's eye color suddenly change in the middle of the story? What did you think about the different characters? Did I use the same phrase seven times on one page?

So, how should we go about doing this? Should I e-mail you the individual chapters, or do you want all 72 pages (single spaced) in one massive e-mail? Should I post it on the blog one page at a time? Should I send you one chapter and refuse to send the next until you tell me how you liked the first?
How many of you will read it and give me feedback?

I know you are all very busy, but I also know that everyone in my family is an avid reader. Really, it's up to you if you want it in one or twenty e-mails. Remember, if you don't respond, I won't send it to you.

Love,
Emily Palmer, Author

Scripture of the week: D&C 88:119

 

missionaries

Just a random sidenote - Neil Tolman gets home from his mission today, and Paco Nava leaves the MTC for Russia today. They're probably both already on planes as I type this. And Tren Nowling got his call to Venezuela. He reports to the MTC on Nov. 3. So I'm still maintaining my "quota" of 2 missionaries. I don't believe I've ever NOT had a missionary to write to since my friend Kevin left on his mission 3 months after I turned 18. Crazy.

Mindy, I should send a package to Paco soon, since his birthday just passed (and I didn't even send him a letter - SHAME on me!) and Christmas is coming. What should I send him that he can't get in Russia? What did you wish you had when you were there? I haven't done very well with writing letters consistently in about the last year (since just before I left Oregon, so Adam can't be blamed for that), but I really need to get back on the ball. Tren and Paco aren't just buddies or friends - they're my Montana family ... who I'm really missing right now, so I'm going to shut up and get to work.

I had different pets in my childhood

I never had a pet of my own but we had several family pets during my growing up years. When I was little I remember my mom’s dog Skipper who had about 20 puppies. We had other dogs, too. When we moved to St Paul Street I don’t know what we did with the dogs but they didn’t go with us, except for Buster. He was part German Shepherd, part Collie, I think, and supposedly part wolf. He was everyone’s best friend at our house. One time, when Sylvia was three or four, our neighbor boy, about the same age, had come over. He was riding his trike and chasing Sylvia around the yard. All of a sudden Buster grabbed him by the seat of his pants and stopped him from moving. He ran home crying, “Buster bit me!” There was not a mark on him because Buster only caught his clothes. Another interesting story was when someone came to our home while we were gone. He’d been there several times and thought he would just come into the house, which was never locked, to wait for us. Buster barked and growled and wouldn’t let him in.. Not too long after that some of Dad’s relatives came while we were at church. When we got home they were inside waiting for us. Dad was shocked that Buster let them in. He either recognized them as family or he knew who to trust and who not. When we moved from St Paul Street, after 8 years, we left Buster behind. Dad figured he was too old and too independent to move with us.
Another dog we got, that we did take with us, was Nina. Speedy had gotten her while he was working in the forest service. She was a Brussels Griffon, a very tiny dog with short light brown hair. He got her when she was a puppy and she was constantly picking at Buster. If he got tired of it he would just walk away. He never hurt her. Speedy left for college the fall after he brought her home so she became our dog. We lived in Arizona when she got pregnant. Our neighbor was very worried that she’d have one or two puppies and it would kill her. But when the time came for her puppies to be born there were 6 tiny puppies. Daddy could hold all of them in one hand at the same time. One died, and four we gave away. We kept one but I can’t remember his name. He was a black and white fur ball, who grew to nearly twice the size of his mama. A few years later, after we had moved to Washington again, Nina got sick and died.
My mom also had Parakeets while I was growing up. The first one I know of was Roscoe. He was a very fun bird. Mom was teaching him to say “pretty baby” when Sylvia angrily corrected her. She said, “That’s not a baby, I’m your baby. That’s a bird!” One time, when my cousin Susannah was visiting she heard a wolf whistle as she walked into the kitchen. She asked which of my brothers had whistled at her and didn’t believe them when they said it was Roscoe; especially because he wouldn’t do it again. We had a game, similar to checkers, called Teko. Whenever anyone tried to play the game Roscoe would fly down and push the pieces onto the floor. He loved to fly free. Once he was on the floor and someone accidentally stepped on his tail and pulled out most of his tail feathers.
My mom had a few other birds over the years, including one named Teko. After I was married Dad gave her a bird. She was trying to figure out what to name it. Dad was always trying to convince us kids to name a son Guy, so Frank suggested Mom name the bird Guy, which she did. Daddy got his Guy and he never bugged us about using that name again.

here kitty kitty

Besides all the other kittens we adopted (for very brief amounts of time), and the rodents we always tried to say, Lucky was always our first real pet. She liked to wag her tail, climb up the door, and spend as much time in the house as she could manage. There was one time when we couldn't find her .. I was reading in my room, and had set up a little display of my stuffed animals .. when suddenly one of them moved! There was Lucky, sleeping in the middle of them all. We later got Mau Mau from the Saunders, and she had her 4 kittens .. all very cute.

As for me, I've had a couple of fish. Stormy was the first (of the SSS group), and was named such because it was raining the day that I got her/him/it?. I got the fish because I had read enough books at the library's Summer Reading Program. I believe that is where Sunny came from too, but Spot was a little bit nicer - angel-tailed or something like that. Last summer I had another fish - which I named Little Buddy. It was originally Amber's beta .. which Nathan had .. and then they broke up .. and he still had it .. so I adopted it. Miraculously he lived, even when he jumped onto the counter when I was changing his bowl. He died though, shortly after I left for Canada.

The only other pet I really had was while I was in Russia. My family got a little french bulldog puppy .. Shayla. She was a handful, a pain to potty-train, whimpered all the time, and loved to chew on people's pant legs and slippered feet. My Russian Mom got tired of it quickly, and gave her away.

I'll try and get Jason to the computer to answer the pet question .. I know he's got several interesting stories about pets he's had in the past, including his pirhana "Angry Over-sized Goldfish."

We've had the first snow of the season yesterday! Nothing stuck, and it only snowed for about 15 minutes, but it was really snow. And then this morning there was frost on the ground. Once the sun comes out though, the weather is beautiful.

all the same pets

Well, see there Emily, you put a new angle on the question. We all had the same pets (if we were home at the time), so everyone can say what they remember about them. I remember that you younger kids got the fish right around the same time I left on my mission, and in my first area, I got a cassette tape of everyone talking. Nathan gave a fine impression of sorrowful wailing as you told me that the fish had gone to the great toilet bowl in the sky. Lucky came along right before I came home from my mission, and we had her all that next summer. The thing I remember most about her is that Dad meant for her to be an outside cat. She wanted to be an inside cat, so she'd get in every chance she got (and Mom was sometimes rather slow in putting her back out). I would always find her sleeping in the laundry bins that used to be above the washer and dryer, usually in the load that had Mom's nice silky garments.

Eric, please get Laurel to post about your pets. I would so love to hear The Adventures of Petey and Polly!

Lucky

The problem with this question is that all of us know what pets we had -- a few stray cats like Bob, and then there was Lucky, and Mau Mau and her kittens: Snake (who was later renamed Spurs), Sparky, Sally, and Butchess.

There were also a few fish we named Sunny and Stormy and Spot. Clarissa named the fish Spot because it was a spotted fan tail, and yes it did have spots. Sunny was yellow and Stormy was silver. But then, these weren't technically my fish.

Lucky was my favorite cat. She would jump up on the windows on the door and meow really loudly if we didn't feed her. And once she got in under the house and came in through the bathroom.

Emily

The last day of summer

Well, sad to say that today is the last day of summer. I just looked at my calendar and it says that Autumn begins tomorrow. Also, for our Jewish readers, Yom Kippur is Saturday. It was a great summer. Trina and Adam got married, Nathan and Amanda got married, Laurel and I celebrated our 7th anniversary and my 30th birthday. Laurel and I went to five baseball games, went to the beach a few times with our friends, and went swimming a lot.

But I am excited for Autumn. Maybe it's because it doesn't really get all that cold here. This morning all the windows were open and the wind was blowing pretty hard. It was just dawn. The sun wasn't up but it was light out. Laurel and I both woke up and got a drink of water and closed all the windows. I could see the trees swaying in the wind and could feel the breeze. It wasn't quite warm and wasn't quite cool. Room temperature. Perfect.

It's a beautiful day today. The last day of summer.

About pets, we have two birds, as many of you know. One bird is Petey and one bird is Polly. Polly has just started laying eggs, and Laurel has been very concerned with making sure she has a nest and is taking care of her eggs. I'll leave it to her to tell you more about her pets. Laurel is a real animal lover and I am... well, I am my father's son.

Take care and have a beautiful day.

Eric

the pet question

All the pets that surfaced in the Palmer house showed up after I was gone. So we never had a pet when I was there. Maybe the outdoor cats - I remember naming kittens. But then we gave them away.

Adam is allergic to cats and dogs - the last month before we were married, he stayed with his friend Cory who has a cat. Adam would stay here at the apartment with me as late as he could, then drug himself up on Benadryl and drive to Cory's before he fell asleep. As soon as he woke up, he would immediately come back to the apartment. And even with all of THAT, he was still sick. Soooooo ... our pet is a stuffed Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland, which sits on the back of our couch with his big grin. He's the perfect pet - we can cuddle him and he doesn't scratch us, or make messes to clean up, or stink, or need to be fed ... Maybe we'll get a fish later - for now, we don't have anywhere to put it.

And back to Christmas - I would like to get an Ensign subscription for anyone who does not have one. This garbage of "I can read it on the computer" is stupid - no one ever does. But when it's a magazine that you can hold in your hands and it sits around in front of your face if you don't put it away, or surfaces unexpectedly when you're cleaning - you're much more inclined to read it. And it's very good - I think it's important to have in your homes. So please let me know of who does not get the Ensign. Also, Jared - do you get the Friend for the kids? Anyone who DOES already get the Ensign, yes, I will think of something else to get for you. No worries.

Love, Trina

Pets

Ummm... well, since my parents never really let us have pets, the only pets I remember are the stray cats we fed (including some little wild kittens even before Lucky) and some goldfish. But these weren't MY pets.

If I were to get a pet, I don't know what I'd get.... because I like a lot of different animals. It wouldn't be any sort of reptile or rodent or bird. (I just don't think I could handle something that could fly around and poop on my head.) It would most likely be a cat or a dog... but I think rabbits are kind of cute... or hedgehogs or turtles or frogs or fish or hamsters or horses... I enjoy going to pet stores and looking at the animals. I even had someone offer me a Petsmart card (it's so you can get all the good deals) but I said I didn't need one.

-Tawnia

I'm a tree, too

Mindy, I didn't think this would be a boring question. I just thought of the idea of posting them, after I had written this one, so I started with the next question. It's interesting that you wrote about a willow tree. Here's what I wrote:

I think I would be a willow tree. I remember one house we lived in when I was a teenager that had a willow tree in the backyard. I loved that tree. I’d never had one in my yard and I always thought they were beautiful. I loved the leaves that came nearly to the ground and formed a private world where you could forget your troubles. I would sit under it and watch the beautiful patterns of the shadows on the grass. Willow trees seem so serene. I guess that’s the way I want to be. Calm and serene even in life’s storms. They may beat me around but I can withstand anything. Yeah, I think I’d be a willow tree.

It looks like lots of you have responded to the last question, so here's another one to work on. Tell about any pets you had as a child. (Or any you've had since then)

The other question . . .

Mom did ask two questions: What kind of tree would you be? AND what were your early romances?

My earliest romance is . . . over.

Jonathon Coultas was in love with me, but I wasn't in love with him. We've been writing e-mails for some time, and we'll probably continue writing, even if we don't date. I had to dump him, not an easy thing to do.

Love,
Emily

...but they never hear me!

I liked Trina's idea of being a Christmas Tree! Very nice. My idea concerning Christmas, is the same as Jared's .. let everyone do what they will. I've already got ideas for what I'm doing .. I've had this figured out since LAST Christmas. I can work on a list for everyone else though, since there are few things that I could use! I wish I could say that I can come down to Oregon for Christmas, but I don't see that happening. NEXT Christmas perhaps, but not this one. Thanks Trina, now you've got me all excited about the holidays .. and it's only September!

...I talk to the stars....

I don't know what kind of tree I would be. I like the Christmas tree idea, but I also like big strong trees like oak or pecan or cherry. Oh, let's face it. I'd probably be a bonsai tree. In keeping with my title, this is called the tree of a thousand stars:

As for the Christmas ideas, I'd say leave each to their own devices. We're all on different budgets, and most of us now have in-laws too which are just as much part of the family.

I guess that's all from me.

116 days until Christmas

I am a Christmas tree, with white lights and ... I haven't decided what kind of ornaments yet. But definitely all white lights. Call me weird, but I have been all excited since January about decorating for Christmas. After Adam proposed and it sunk in that we were getting married, I was absolutely ecstatic that I get to decorate for Christmas. Not that I'm complaining about how Mom decorates and our family traditions like caroling and all, because I'm not. Love it all. But now it's my turn to be creative in my own home, and to carry on traditions, and to start my own.

And on that Christmasie note, I was wondering what everyone wants to do about gifts. The reason I bring this up now is because I'd like to have everything in the mail by December 1st. We have a couple of different options - we can draw names by family (Trina and Adam get Mindy and Jason) OR we draw names individually (I get Laurel and Adam gets Emily). You get the idea from the examples. Mom and Dad can do that and post the list of who has whom. OR everyone can just do their own thing, depending on their finances this year. Personally, I'm planning to get something for Mom and Dad, and for Brooke and Bryan, but beyond that, I'll go with whatever the plan is.

So what does everything think? It's the end of September ... time to build the wish lists and start shopping. Yay!

Love, Trina

... But they never listen to me...

Just continuing on with Mindy's subject... if anyone was wondering.

If I were a tree I would either be a lilac tree, because they are pretty and smell good and lilacs are my favorite flower or if you want to consider them lilac bushes and therefore not a tree... then I would be a Quaking Aspen, because I know what those are and they have them in Utah, though I don't believe they are actually native to Utah and they are cool.

-Tawnia

Concerning Trees

Mindy, I remember playing with the willow branches on our way to school and herding the pretend bugs. We named them. And I remember the clubs -- we seemed to have so much fun making up names for our clubs, rules, and strange initiation ceremonies that I don't think we ever had a third meeting of any of them. We would just come up with a new club the following week.

Anyway, concerning the trees -- I think I would be a filbert tree. Why? Because I am small, Oregon grown, and very nutty! I think the hazelnut is the Oregon state nut. Or is it Dad?

Love,
Emily

I Talk to the Trees ....

Referring back to the last question, I noticed that a LOT of people mentioned drama class and plays and such. I was in two plays in middle school, and was in Drama club my freshman year (a few friends were in it), but nothing more ever came of it. I was also in French club (again, because I had a friend in it), even though I was in German class. But then, I never would have had the chance to eat Escargot!

After reading the new question, my first thought was, a willow tree. I've always thought they were such beautiful trees .. and we always had so much fun playing under the one that used to be at the bottom of the hill (which had to get cut down because it was leaning, obstructing our view, and it would have had to go anyway, because the road was put in). We could stand underneath it, and no one could see us from the park .. and we burried a bird underneath it (not to mention our 3 mice further down in the park). I really missed that tree. And then there's the willow up Market St. right before the railroad tracks. I would always grab at the branches .. and I remember one time when Emily and I were walking (to school?) and I got a long flimsy branch (more like a skinny whip), and pretended that I was herding bugs the whole way. See .. you thought it'd be such a boring question, but it brought back a lot of memories of my childhood. Another memory that doesn't have to do with trees, but was inspired by the question anyway(besides all the animals we tried to save), was playing in the long grass in the park. One summer they just never got around to mowing it or something, and because we were so short, we could make trails and rooms and everything through it, and crawling on our hands and knees, no one could see us. That was probably the easiest fort we ever made. (Okay, I won't even get started on the million clubs and forts that me, Nathan, and the Symolons made.)

Mom's Turn

Welcome aboard Amanda. It's great to learn new things about you. You'll have to show me the rocking chair the next time you invite us over.

After reading Trina's email, I called Nancy, (Adam's mom) to find out how things are going. They now have water but probably won't have power for two to three weeks. She sounded upbeat. Everyone is safe and that's the most important thing. They are under a 24 hour curfew right now, which means everyone needs to just stay home so the emergency crews can clean things up.

Here is my answer to the latest question:
I wasn't very popular and I didn't date much in high school but I did have some fun times. During my teen years we lived in several different places. When I was 13 we moved from Bellingham Washington to Phoenix, Arizona, but because our truck broke down I started the 8th grade in Idaho and then went to Arizona and in the spring we moved back to Washington where I finished the school year at Lynwood Jr. High.
I also attended the 9th grade there. I remember how much fun seminary was. I especially enjoyed the annual seminary cruise that spring. We went on a boat in Puget Sound and visited a couple of the islands. It was interesting going through the locks to get into the sound and seeing the old fort on one of the islands. I really loved being on the boat. Maybe that’s why I want to go on a cruise, someday.
The following summer we moved to Monroe, Washington. There I went to high school, at last. I got a ride every morning from the seminary teacher. It was nice living in a small town where I could walk to the theater, library or store. I remember going to see Pollyana, and I can’t remember any of the other movies.
The next summer we moved once more, this time to the big city of Everett. I enjoyed hanging out with the girls across the street and going roller-skating with them on Saturday nights. Later we moved to another house where I could walk to high school. I was in the drama club and took a drama class. My junior year I worked backstage during “Romanoff and Juliette”. Our drama club put on a play at Christmas and that was the only one I was in. My senior year I worked in the library after school so I couldn’t be in any plays or other after school activities, but I did go to one football game, Homecoming, which we lost miserably and it poured. I enjoyed going to the basketball games. That was a sport that made sense.

I was going to post the next question I drew "Tell about your early romances." But with all the newlyweds maybe we should hold off on that touchy topic. I'll give you the very first one I drew, which is the only one I didn't post. "If you could be a tree, what kind of a tree would you be, and why?"

The day you have all been waiting for...

No joke everyone - I'm finally writing on the blog!

This is Amanda

and this is my first appearance :c)

I'm kind of bummed to write after such a sobering email from Trina about Adam's family and everything that's happening down there. We'll be praying for them and I know you'll keep us updated. Man...makes me grateful that the church is so focused on food storage and disaster preparation. I really hope they'll be ok.

Nathan may have been purposefully trying to irritate me into writing by putting the subject line that he did. I do NOT hate it when he posts on the blog...but we usually do read it all at once, which does take forever...so i do just want to go do something else after...but I don't hate it!!

Perhaps I'll write a looooong post to make up for all of my lost time. Hmmm...well for the moment I just want to update everyone on my accomplishments - I'm now an official Oregon resident with license, new title and plates for my car, and my new social security card is in the mail. Everything is all changed at school, the banks, the post office, and with health insurance. I got new car insurance that includes Nathan and added him to the title of my car (cuz we're selling his since we wont' really need two).

Things are going very well for us - people always ask how married life is, and I must say it is great fun! We hang out, attempt to cook things, play games, watch movies, occasionally go places and see other people, and work a lot...I'm going to school full time and Nathan starts next week.

Next year we're hopefully moving to Corvallis to both go to OSU. I really really really want to get into a Master's program there in College Student Services Administration. I'm not sure what else I'll attempt besides that, but I really hope I get in. If I do, Nathan will transfer to OSU also.

Um...my high school years were very exciting - senior year especially - I was in two plays, I was the Peer Mediation Coordinator at my high school, front page editor of the school paper, and I did a lot of stuff with my LDS friends (at that point, I was a wannabe). My teenage years were eventful, full of many many ups and downs, highs and lows that I'm glad to have gotten through.

I played the piano for six years when I was little - but she never taught me like chords, or how to read music particularly well, or how to put together notes in regular patterns, or how to memorize things...so basically I learned 6 years of specific songs, and memorized pretty much nothing. I can read music and I enjoy playing really simple things...but I would not consider myself talented. I've played the guitar somewhat on my own, and I think I understood more why my teacher didn't teach me chords or how to put together patterns or anything, cuz really all I like to do on the guitar is play the melody notes of songs...though I have memorized quite of few of the melodies of the "Hymns Made Easy" from that green book. I also am rather talented at playing the jaw harp, though I don't actually own one.

One heirloom I have is my great-grandma's rocking chair. She had it since she was a very little girl and it is a fairly little rocking chair. She passed away this year, the night before Trina's wedding actually, when she was 97, so it is quite an old rocking chair. We don't sit in it very much, but I like having it around...it is special to me. From my dad's side of the family, I also have a ring that was my grandma's before she passed away. On it, she had a birthstone for each of her children and grandchildren. She only had two children and four grandchildren so that was a little simpler than it would be in some Palmer families I could name!

There are probly some other questions that I'd like to answer, but I gotta go - like one of my favorite family vacations - but there will be time. Now that I've written once, you'll NEVER get rid of me!! haha...anyways...

Take care everyone!

Love,

Manda

Hurricane Ivan

The latest hurricane to hit Florida - now all sections of the state have been nailed - went through Pensacola, where Adam's mom and sisters are. There is no power anywhere in that part of the state - the power plant itself sustained a lot of damage, so there's not even a SOURCE of power once the lines are back up. The interstate bridge was destroyed, so there's only one road in and out of Pensacola now. There's also no running water in some parts of the city. Nancy has a pole-barn behind the house (basically a 3-sided garage) which was destroyed when a big tree came down on it. Other trees came down, and some are leaning and need to be taken down so they don't land on the house. She's basically barricaded in because the driveway, which is lined with trees and shrubs, is completely blocked.

We've talked to Nancy and all the girls that are living with her, and Adam's sister Clara who lives in the area as well. In spite of the physical damage to everything, they're all fine, and we hope they have enough food storage to get them through the next few weeks.

Life as a Teenager

My teenage life wasn't too bad. Noticing the Trina said that she really felt like it was only high school, and anything after was YSA, I understand for her, since her YSA career lasted a bit longer than mine. Teenager time for me was high school AND college .. and then I was married 3 months after turning 20. I had plenty of friends in high school .. I always had people to eat lunch with (a big group), and I always went to the movies and hung out with Jenna and Ashley. I never did sports, but was big into choir and art. More prominent in memory was my other "after school activities" .. boys! Although most of this was over the internet, I did have a boyfriend (Derek) for just shy of 2 years. I had lots of internet "boyfriends" (Trina and Clarissa probably know the most about them) .. just lots of different guys I talked to online. I even ended up with a guy I talked to online (although we were introduced through friends), so I'm pretty happy with how things turned out. I went to college for a little over a year .. not the happiest time in my life, but I learned a lot anyway. The coolest part of being a teenager though (besides getting engaged, and getting my driver's license the day before my 20th birthday) was my trip to Russia. Four months in central Russia, teaching the cutest bunch of kids .. visiting St. Petersburg .. it was just the coolest thing ever.

Michelle's teenage stuff

Well, I too was married when I was 19. So after high school, I pretty much jumped into married life. I absolutely loved high school. It was great fun. My teenage year were some of the best times of my life. No bills and very little responsibilty-just homework. I was squad leader of the freshman drill team. I did a lot of theater. I performed in over 20 plays. My senior year I was on student counsel. Planning and decorating for homecoming was really fun. I was also vice-president of the non-denominational christian group. That was a great experience. I learned a lot about a number of religions. Speaking of church stuff, I was also seminary president. I also was actively in cultural emphasis, where we learned about other cultures and encouraged tolerance among the student body. And I dated quite a bit. Funny thing is that I was deathly shy in elementry and middle school. I was brutily teased and had maybe 1 friend. I am thankful for my high school experience, it really helped me open up. Well, I need to return a call from my internet answering machine. Bye!

Michelle

teenage life

Mom, my "pff" wasn't about the question itself, it was my response to the question. I know you pull the questions out of a jar.

Upon further reflection, the thing that stands out the most from being a teenager is pep band. That was tons o' fun. I did do a lot of things - the school paper for 4 years (copy editor my junior year, and news editor my senior year), track team manager for 3 years, band for 7 years including being in the orchestra for "Oklahoma" ... my friends were Cherilee and Traci, and a few other not so memorable people (since I don't really remember them). We met in band in 7th grade - Cherilee was my stand partner in the flute section, and Traci played the clarinet. It's so far away ... it's honestly just images. Even though I was still a teenager for a while after high school, I consider high school to be "teenage" life, and everything after that to be YSA life, no matter what my age was at the time.

I did get back in contact with Cherilee and Traci because of the wedding, which is really cool. I hadn't seen them since I was 19 (and we went to a Richard Marx concert for Cherilee's 20th birthday), and they came to the bridal shower and reception.

Amanda hates it when I post on here

The reason that Amanda hates it is because we do not read this for a few weeks so we spend at least an hour reading to get caught up on all of the news. By the time we are done reading, she just wants to make out. But I am like, "Hey. Let me post." But I am weak. That is why I usually only post from Mom and Dad's computer. When we do read, we usually each read every other. As Aman reads, I try to guess who wrote it, and as I read, she tries to guess who wrote it. I think I know my family better than she does. It may be because I have known you guys a little longer than she has. But that is no excuse. She claims that she will try harder. I think that she will succeed. English is such a hard language to have to write in. If I hadn't grown up speaking it and writing it, I probably would not be from around here. Maybe from cananda or something.

Anyways... I like musical instruments. I played the trumpet for a few months, and then switched to the tuba. I have always wanted to play the drums though. I always enjoyed playing around on the computer with the music programs and making obnoxious music. That may be the closest I ever get to playing some of the instruments that I have always wanted to learn.

I like to think that when I was growing up in High School I was a pretty cool kid. I was in lot of band things, and my senior year I was in swimming and track. I was also in one play. So I got to do a lot of different things and meet a lot of different people.

On September 11th 2001 I was working at RB Rubber. The first I heard about the attacks was from a guy named Mark who was coming to work on day shift. He said that he heard from his wife that some planes had crashed. I still was not too sure what was going on. I went over to the Lay's after work, and watched some stuff on the television. I think that I saw one of the two towers fall live, but I am not quite sure if it was showing it again or for the first time. To me it is still unbelievable that four planes were taken over on the same day. Not only that, but they got three of them to crash into buildings. They took both towers done. Think about that. That is unbelievable. They took a chunck out of our nation's department of defense building. Right now I hear the rain beating upon the ground. It is calming and peaceful. It is going to put me to sleep in a few minutes. To me the rain is God's lullaby. It has already put Aman to sleep, and she still needs to take her medicine. So I think I will be the great husband that I am and bring her the pills she must take.

Good night everybody. You guys are the most bunch of weird people that I have had the pleasure of being related to.

Nathan

Welcome to Insanityinc.net!

Hi all!

If you're reading this, you've found the new family website.

Not quite everything from the blog has been transfered over. Most images over 100K were not transfered because my humble internet connection struggles with downloading and uploading such large files. (PLEASE keep your file sizes down! In whatever program you use, go to Image->Size or whatever and make it smaller!) I will transfer them some time but for now I need to get my homework done. I mean, let's get serious here: "Trina, Tawnia, Brooke.jpg" is 872KB! That was the biggest, but there's quite a few that are going to take up a ton of our server space.

But in other news, I think I'm just grouchy because the Angels are trailing the Mariners 3-0 in the 9th inning. (Oh! They just got a run! Now it's 3-1 with one out in the inning... they have a chance...)

Okay, now the awkward part. The website costs $10 per household. Once your check clears, you will get full rights to do whatever you want on the website. You'll be able to create folders, upload pages, whatever you want.

Dang it! The Angels lost. 3-2 with 2 men left on. Grrrr.

Anyway, here's the new site. I've heard a lot of ideas from y'all, so let's get to it!

Love, Eric

Teenagers

Tawnia's teenage life consisted of hanging out with Nikki, Rachel, Kristen, Kristi, and Terra. We would eat lunch together every day in high school (at least my sophomore through senior years.) I did the whole choir thing, went to Germany for a summer, went to BYU's Summer MusicFest, was in a few school and community plays, and was always very involved in Young Women's. And then I got OUT of high school and had an actual social life and a lot more fun because I was a lot more confident about who I was.

Update from Eric

First of all, my teenage years were kind of a mix of good times and not so great times. Probably like anyone else. Like Trina, after high school was much more enjoyable for me. The YSA and college years were great. But being a teenager was not so bad.

>First off, I had a great family. I made movies and played with my brothers and sisters at home.
>I followed the Portland Trailblazers as they made it to the NBA finals in 1990 and 1992.
>I was a Boy Scout and got my Eagle award when I was 16. I enjoyed going to Scout Camp and spending time with my friends like Steve Ramos, Shane Blanchard, Scott Wirfs, and Max Walker.
>I was in the regional dance festival in Portland along with several of the girls and guys in the McMinnville 2nd Ward in 1989 (I think...). Around that time I started going to stake dances, which I really enjoyed.
>My junior and senior years I hung around with Nathan Dille a lot, and our senior year we were on the McMinnville High School swim team together.
>And I was in band, which I mentioned before.
>Earlier in high school I was on the speech team and involved in drama. Good times there. I mainly competed in humorous interp and after dinner speaking, but I never did give one of those speeches after a real dinner.
>And I wrote for the school paper my senior year. It was a good time. I wrote a few poems in addition to articles and editorials. My editor didn't like it when I called myself "Staff Poet". No sense of humor.

And an update on the family website:
It is coming soon. You will know when it happens.

I didn't write the questions.

I got these questions at Enrichment Night and I'm not sure what all of them are. I didn't even choose this new one, Clarissa did. Anyway the point is to trigger your thoughts, and remember Trina, you started college at 17, so you were a teenager. I know what you mean, though, I didn't have much of a teenage social life when I was in high school, but I'll think of something to write about. I can't say that I didn't have a social life as a teenager because I met your daddy when I was still 19. That seems incredible, I was just a baby.

Thanks, Jared, for the research, I don't know when we're going to be able to afford that equipment, and I'm sure it's getting better and the price is coming down. Maybe we'll get a DVD burner when we get our laptop, but that may take a few years.

Love ya,
MOM

I did some looking around at my store to figure out what it would take to turn all those old movies into DVD's. So I guess this message is directed at Mom and Dad. Option one would be to buy one of those combo machines with both a VCR and a DVD burner. Option two, which I recommend, is to get a capture card for the computer (lets you hook up a TV antenna or a VCR to the computer and save video files) and get a DVD burner in the computer. This option will probably come out costing less, and it will give you the chance to edit the films, change what order they're in, add menus, and whatever else you feel like adding. DVDs can hold computer files too, pictures and GEDCOM and whatever. The software really isn't difficult to learn -- even my children's grandparents could learn how to use it. And with as many home videos as you have, it would be tons cheaper than going to one of those companies to do it for you.

National Voter Registration Week

I just spent 2 hours in a rather boring Elections Assistance Commission meeting, but did learn one thing - this week is National Voter Registration Week. So if you haven't done that paperwork yet, then GET ON IT! I've registered to vote here in DC, but haven't gotten my precinct card yet - I've tried calling the Elections office, but they have this habit of not answering their phone. So I'm going to go to their office in person ... they should have just picked up the phone when I tried calling them.

Anyway, so go register to vote, or get your absentee ballot sent to you. Mindy, you should still be able to vote absentee because you're still legally a resident of Oregon. And for kicks, when you answer Mom's question about your teenage social life, tell us also what election you first voted in, and who you voted for President. Or something. The first election I could vote in (because my birthday was too late in 1990) was 1992 - Bush the First vs. Clinton, I voted for Bush, Clinton won.

K - gotta go - another meeting out of the office in about an hour and a half, that goes until about 8 tonight. Have a good one. Oh - and Mom's new question about a teenage social life - pff! WHAT teenage social life? Okay, so that's exaggerating but not by much ... my college and YSA social life was much, much more involved.

Update

I talked to Joy today and everyone in her family is fine. They didn't even lose power at any of their homes. During hurricane Francis they had some flooding in Tampa but not where she lives. She appreciates all our concern.

Love ya,
MOM

WOW

That last question got lots of responses. We laughed so hard when we read Jason's, it was wonderful. This is turning itno a really fun project.
Let's see how you do with this assignment.
Tell about your teenage social life. Tell about your friends, dances, movies, dating, outings,and church functions.

There I wrote, happy now

I wish I could play the acoustic guitar so I don't always have to sing a cappella. (HINT: I need one to learn on. Christmas isn't that far away.) It would be helpful to do my own accompaniment when I enter the Cricket Country Showdown next spring.

My Musical Talents

I concentrated more on singing than musical instruments. I was the only kindergartener in the school talent show; I think I sang "I want to be a mother." And I was in the Children's Chior when I was about ten to when I was twelve. We were in "The King and I." I've also sang in "The Messiah" two years in a row; I missed last year because I was in Florida.

I never learned to play the piano, mostly because everyone else was on it, and I couldn't play it as well, so I didn't like to try it when someone else was around. I do know how to lead music, though. If I could choose an instrument to learn, I would like to try the flute or the violen, but I'd probably have better luck learning to play the kazoo.

Emily

Favorite weapon of musical mayhem

Hey all! I had to chuckle when I remembered my favorite musical instrument. Bearing in mind, I cannot read music much less carry a tune, I must confess to having tried many instruments in the past. I tried acoustic guitar when I was 8...Didn't really move me. Drums when I was 19-20, it was great as stress relief but unless there is a troll thrash speed metal punk band looking for a spastic drummer out there...You get the picture. I attempted the Oboe when I was 23....It was difficult to play as my lips vibrated and I couldn't stop laughing, but I did try for 2 months, little success but I was a happy fellow during that time. I have an old harmonica of my dad's that I try ever now and again....Still trying.
Were I to choose a instrument to learn to play, I would be hard pressed to decide. I have dreams of playing a bamboo flute, hearing the soft haunting notes that shake my soul and the lilting pitch that brings a suspicious moisture to my eyes.

Jason Aimoto

Mindy's Instruments

As everyone knows, I've been able to play the piano for years. I was in the 6th grade when I played Fur Elise in the school talent show .. meaning that was TEN years ago! I can still play that song from memory. I can also sing, and I play the computer too (or does that count?). An instrument I would love to play is the harp. My friend Jenna was taking lessons a while back, and I played on hers a little .. it'd be tough, but unique and very fun. The violin is very pretty too, and if I had the chance I'd like to learn that as well.

Mom and music

When I was a little girl my brothers had music lessons from Mr. Samuelson, a very kind old man, in Bellingham. I always wanted to go to. I remember one time I got to go, not for violin lessons but for voice lessons. I don’t know how old I was but I know that he thought it was very funny when he played a note on the piano and sang it. I tried to sing what he sang rather than what he played and I couldn’t go that low. I was embarrassed when my dad teased me about it. I don’t know why I was never allowed to learn the violin. When I was in the 8th or 9th grade we lived in an area where they started instruments in elementary school. Cheryl got to take violin and I was jealous once again. Finally, my turn came, not to learn the violin but the piano. Our seminary teacher said his wife would give free lessons to whoever would lead the music in class. I volunteered very quickly and got a start in learning to play. As you all know I’m not very good at it but, since one of my top 100 things to do is play ten songs on the piano, I’d better start practicing. I think learning the piano will be plenty for me.

Jared can play the clarinet, and the piano, and the harmonica, and the vocals. I've played the organ too, but I like the piano much better. I have also performed on the maracas and on the drums, though I'd definitely like to expand my percussion skills because I want to put lots of percussion in the musical I'm still working on (it's now almost three years in the works, and a long way to go yet). I'd also like to learn guitar, and I've always liked the violin, or any bowed instrument really. No real plans to learn them though. I've got too many other things to learn above them, like Spanish and Urdu.

I got A's in my senior project and my project management class last term. I have four classes left to finish. Currently I'm in Unix and Career Development, and I've got Humanities left plus one five-hour elective. Probably Windows Networking.

Instruments

I can play two instruments with some proficiency: the piano and my voice.

I've always wanted to learn how to play the violin and the saxyphone.

Lately I've been picking up my roommates guitar and playing around with it... it's pretty fun. If I'd play with it on a regular basis I'd probably learn to play it by the end of April... or whenever we decide to no longer be roommates.

In other news, my life is going fine. I got my first pay check today. Of course, it was only for the first three days of work, but that was cool. I've got a definite 30 hours per week after this, so I'm excited about that... and I should have my schedule set up in the next couple of weeks. I don't get out and do a whole lot during the week because I have been pretty tired by the time I get home. I usually just hang out with my roommates, but that's fun. Sorry, I don't get on the computer a whole lot anymore... but that's life without your own computer.

If you really are dying to hear about my life try calling me... I even sent you my phone number twice.
Love,
Tawnia

Instruments (and in-laws, if you insist)

I just sent another invite off to Adam. Thanks for the nagging Treen.

On my birthday, Amanda said she reads the blog, so she is participating, if silently.

I played the trumpet and french horn in school. I also have toyed around with the saxophone, all those brass instruments (baritone, trombone, tuba, bugle, etc.) and the accordian, piano and guitar. I would like to learn the guitar and the harmonica, so I can play the music from those public service messages the church used to put out. Oh and I sing, and that is my very own instrument.

Have a lovely weekend all!

Eric

in-laws and instruments

Well, we know that Laurel, Jason and Michelle have access to this here blog and have even posted a couple of times. Adam still can't get into it. New invitation for him, Eric? And what about Amanda?

To answer the question for him ... Adam played the trumpet for a year or two in junior high. I don't know that he wants to play any instruments at all - he seems content with playing Dad's favorite instrument: the stereo.

For any in-laws who don't know, I played the flute and piccolo for 7 years through jr. high and high school, and still have my flute and mess around with playing it every couple of years. My favorite thing EVER to play was the piccolo part in "Stars and Stripes Forever." And of course I play the piano and organ, but everyone knows that. What I WISH I could play ... you'll probably all laugh ... I wish I could play the banjo.

Time for a new question

I'm just going to post the question today and I'll answer it tomorrow. That way I won't influence any of your answers. Remember, we want to hear from everyone. I really thought it was great that Michelle answered the question about interesting places she'd visited. We'd like to hear from people who didn't grow up in our family so we can get to know you better, too. So please everyone take a few minutes to answer these questions. Here is the new one. What instrument do you play or wish you could play?

WTC attacks

I don't remember a thing about the Berlin Wall coming down - just that it did. I vaguely remember the day the Soviet Union was officially dissolved. I still have the front page section from the Oregonian about that.

On 9/11/01, I had taken the day off (I was living in Monmouth and working at the capitol) because Ben and Amanda Brewster were getting married at noon. I got up early to attend the endowment session with them, and Cari and Sara were going to go to the temple later for the pictures. When I got out of the shower, they had the TV on. I think that both towers had been hit, and the first one had collapsed. We watched live when the second tower went down. Drew called to make sure we knew about it. I stood there in my towel watching for a while. Somewhere in there, we all got through the shower and dressed. I ended up not going to the endowment session - Cari, Sara and I all drove to the temple together in time for me to go to the sealing. The wedding was rather subdued, of course. I'm just glad they didn't have their reception that day (it was already scheduled for about 10 days later). The rest of the day, Cari and Sara watched the news footage over and over and over and over until I was ready to scream.

Now I'm in DC with federal politics swirling all around, and the 9/11 Commission report was recently released, and McCain and Lieberman announced new legislation just yesterday to implement the Commission's recommendations ... I deal with the backlash of the World Trade Center attacks every single day as part of my job. Also, I just finished reading a pretty major commentary about it. So it's not "in the past" for me. It's still very much a part of the present.

Where I Was

When the Berlin Wall came down, I don't remember much except seeing news images. I remember being more focused on the Tiananmen Square protests earlier that year, so when the Berlin Wall came down I was pretty startled. It seemed very sudden. As I've read other accounts, I've noted that most other people in the west were very startled by this, but the people in East Berlin saw it coming much sooner and were pushing for it. Of course, over the next year, the rest of the Eastern Bloc came apart and finally the Soviet Union was officially dissolved. Then this led to all the wars in the Balkans and Central Asia over the next decade... and the world continues.

On 9/11 I was up early and in the car, driving to San Diego to teach a class. I listened to radio reports of the disaster the whole hour and a half. I heard the report of the second tower collapsing while driving past the 55 interchange on the 5, so that was about five minutes after leaving the house. It was a PowerPoint class that day at Kyocera, the cell phone factory. We made presentations out of the pictures of the disaster that were coming out of New York, Washington D.C., and Pennsylvania. We let out early and I drove home and talked to Laurel about it. That night, with all the air traffic in the country shut down, we were woken by fighter jets doing a flyover. It scared us both half to death.

Concerning heirlooms, memories, and other stuff

Hello, family.

My heirloom is a little cedar trunk I got from Mom when I was twelve. She said she got it when she was twelve. It says, "Bellingham, Washington" on the top. I use it as a jewelry box.

On September 11, I was in bed, and I first heard it from Clarissa when she was shouting about New York being on fire. I don't remember where I was when I learned about the Berlin Wall coming down and I didn't really understand the significance (I was only eight at the time), but I knew it was important. Our encyclopedias became instantly outdated.

And you may be wondering what I have been doing, besides writing fantasy. Well, Jon has been over a lot lately, showing up twenty to thirty minutes early each time -- sometimes before I get dressed. Today we watched "Willow." Next time we might watch "Princess Bride." He hadn't seen either. (I thought everyone's seen "Princess Bride.")

He came over on Friday as well and stayed all day. Nine hours was a bit too long for me. We didn't do much anyway -- canned pears, watched TV, had lunch, went to the park and played cards, sat and talked, or rather I talked while he stared at me. It was starting to make me feel uncomfortable.

And the weekend before that, we went out and saw "Princess Diaries 2." Very funny movie.

He says he'll come again in a couple of weeks; it's the stake service day, and the branch will be going to the cannery.

As to how this will go in the future, he hopes it will get more serious after he finishes JobCorps. And I don't think it will. He gets nervous around Mom and Dad and Clarissa. How would he react with the rest of the family here?

Love,
Emily

Remembering

I can remember learning about East Germany and West Germany. I can vaguely remember seeing the news when the wall came down... but sometimes I'm not sure if I really saw it when it happened or if I've just seen re-runs of the event a lot. I also don't think I realized the significance of what was happening when I saw it... I was only 11 years old at the time.

September 11th -- Yes, I definitely remember that. I was in my bedroom getting ready for work. I had the radio on and was listening to the news, something I normally did. I remember they were talking about a plane crashing into a building, and then as I was listening the second tower was hit. I ran and told my roommate, Kira, and she said she bet it was a terrorist attack. I then had to go to work and pretend like it was a normal day of teaching music. I listened to the radio the entire way to and from work and also on my lunch break, but I don't think the reality of what happened truly hit me until I watched the news that night. My roommates parents just happened to be in town and so we all went to their hotel room and watched the TV. When we finally got home, I remember sitting in the hall. All my roommates had gone to bed and I still had to read my scriptures. I remember praying about what had happened and then I opened up my scriptures and started to read. I can't remember off the top of my head what I was reading, but it was amazing because I read some verses that brought me peace about what had happened that day. It was a testimony to me that Heavenly Father is always watching over us and that the scriptures contain answers for all of our modern day problems.

Anyway, sorry I rambled and I'm sure it doesn't make a whole lot of sense, but oh well.
Love,
Tawnia

September 11th

I was going to BYU-Idaho at the time. It all started early in the morning, when Cheme' got a phone call from her dad. She was standing in the hallway with a towel on, since she just got out of the shower, and I was standing in the doorway of my bedroom. We didn't get a lot of information about the towers, but instead heard that there was some sort of bombing at the Pentagon. Rumors were spread quickly, just in the apartment (since we didn't have a tv at the time), and supposedly lots of college campuses were being targeted too. We were all scared, and had an apartment prayer before I headed off to class. It wasn't until later, during my classes that I heard what really had happened. During all my classes we tried to focus on the lesson, but we had the tendancy to have discussions instead, especially in my Russian class.

Next Question

Before I go on to the next question I wanted to answer some of your questions about heirlooms. First of all, I don't know what I have that you kids would consider as heirlooms and want to keep forever. I had no idea that anyone would want my old jewelry box. I've kept if for sentimental reasons. I got it from Frank for our first anniversary along with a watch. I told him those were two things I'd always wanted and never had. As for the old jewelry in it - most of it is broken but I'm sure it could be fixed. I appreciate your telling us what things you want to have so we can make certain not to get rid of them. Many of the treasures I have were given to me by my children so I guess they should go back to the ones who gave them.

Now for today's question:

Where were you and what were you doing the day President Kennedy was shot and the day the first man landed on the moon? I think this question should be modified to add where were you when the Berlin Wall came down and on 9-11? Especially since you kids weren't born during the first two events.

The day President Kennedy was shot I was in school. It was November 22, 1963 and I was in the 8th grade. I remember the teacher crying and having a hard time telling us what was going on. Then a TV was brought into our room and the rest of the day we watched the news. It was a very sad day for our nation,

When man first stepped onto the moon, on July 20, 1969, Frank and I were at Bob Paton’s sisters home. I don’t even remember her name. We were engaged to be married and neither of us had a TV of our own. It was Sunday evening and we’d gone there with Bob to visit and watch the news.

When I heard that the wall came down on Nov 9, 1989, I remember that I was at home in the kitchen. I was thrilled to hear the news that the people of Germany were free. I turned on the TV to watch as people tore down the wall. It was exciting to hear over the next two years as many of the former Soviet Republics declared their freedom and finally on New Years Eve 1991 the Soviet Union was dissolved.

When the terrorists attacked the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, I was asleep in bed. Clarissa woke me up with the news that the first tower had been hit. She ran in a minute later to tell about the second one. Since I had to go to work that day, I hurried and got ready and then watched the news on TV. It was a very tearful, stressful day because we couldn't really listen to the news except during our breaks and everyone wanted to know what was going on. The most upbeat thing I saw come out of that horrible day was the way everyone rallied to help and the patriotic fervor that caught hold of our nation.

Mindy's treasures

I'm not considering anything that I have right now heirlooms, for the simple fact that they're just mine now .. and haven't been passed down to anyone yet. Once they're passed down, that makes it official. Besides, there are so many things, I'm not sure what my children will want, and what will be more or less significant. I've got scrapbooks, a couple jewelry boxes, my toy box, etc. And the US quarters .. I don't know if they're definately heirloom material, but I would like to at least have one complete set, and since I don't live in the US anymore it's very hard for me to get quarters .. if someone could be saving me some, I'd really appreciate it. I've got everything through Maine.

I only have two letters from grandparents .. one card from Grandma Beers, and one card from Grandma Palmer. Other than that, I believe I have two items, passed down. I think. The first is a bracelet that I got from Mom .. a soild gold ring, except that its clasp was where the diamond slid under a small loop. I'm not sure who it belonged to originally. The other item is a small golden anchor that I can slip onto a chain and wear as a necklace. It's from Grandpa Palmer, or I just found it on Dad's desk, thought it looked cool, and he gave it to me, and then I just made up the fact that it was from his Dad. I'm really not sure .. he could have just found it from work.

The only thing that comes to mind when I want something from Mom and Dad, is Mom's jewelry box .. the one with the music box in it. I remember opening that when I was a kid, and always looking through the old jewelry in it. (The jewelry would probably be back in style today too!). I'd love to have the piano too, but I'm probably the last in line to get that.

Jared's back!

Actually I got back two days ago, but I'm still recovering from that trip. Working 15 to 18 hours a day with only four or five hours of sleep every night can kind of wear you down. Now that I'm back at my store they're still making everyone work a ton of extra hours, so I get to supplement my 55 hours last week and 65 this week with another 55 next week. And through all of this, I'm still going to school full time, and thinking about my children (since I don't actually get to see them too often) and so I'm not blogging much.

I have lots of family heirlooms. My lederhosen, my mission journals, all the music I've written, three or four scrapbooks ...

Ha ha ha, just kidding. I ALSO have a few things I've inherited. I have Grandpa's tie, and that wooden toy airplane from Wisconsin. And I'm balding. Now there's a family heirloom!

I'm also interested in preserving all those old movies. I know Dad already transferred alot of them to video years ago, but I don't see any reason why we couldn't put them all on DVD now. I don't have a DVD player yet, but I'll still want a copy! I'll become modern someday, I promise!

Life has it's ups and downs

First of all there is a trap door above but it's locked on the inside. It's for rescuing people from the top if the building collapses. They aren't sure why the elevator failed. We now have a key to open it from the outside if it quits working again. I was in the elevator just under an hour and, yes, Mindy, everyone cheered when I got out. Everyone is still teasing me - I should have taken a day off to recuperate or I should sue the company for the trauma or retire early on disability. I was in it a lot today, moving desks and chairs upstairs. I'm so BRAVE.

Love,
Daddy

Eric's heirlooms

My favorite heirlooms are the photo albums Dad made for me when I was young. They only go up to about age nine, but they're great.

I have the boxing gloves chew toy Grandpa gave me as a baby hanging in my room, along with one of his tie bars.

I also really enjoy the Family History CD Mom put together. Reading the documents and looking over the family tree is always a very special experience.

I am interested in what happens to all the movies Dad made, and the movies his dad made. I hope we can preserve them somehow. Also, all the photographs. There are quite a few of them. It actually gets me thinking about all my mission photos that are still in a shoebox ten years later.

About Grandpa Palmer's pictures and things... most of them have been kept by Uncle Gary. I don't know how Trina's working out her claim on them, but I'll be interested to see how that goes down. I figure as long as our family treasures are preserved, copied, and shared, we should have no problems. I know there's a church program (or was it BYU? I think it was the church though) that preserves family histories and pictures. We may eventually want to look into something like that for some of the journals, blessings, photographs, and other original documents we have.

In other news, it's Labor Day weekend! Maybe I'll finally get the family website set up this weekend. Wouldn't that be nice?

Take care all!
Eric

Heirlooms

Well, I don't think I have a whole lot of things in the heirloom department. I have a Christmas Tree Pin that I got when Grandma Beers died. I also have some letters that she wrote to me when I was little. (And if we're making requests for what we want, I would like Grandma's doll trunk in the future.)

Other than that, I have a dress that was my Easter dress at age three (which should become an heirloom for my children and grandchildren.) And of course a lot of other random things from my own childhood.

Mom, what things do you want to pass on from your life as "heirlooms" for us? Just curious.

I know one thing that I can do is give away my thimble collection. I knew an older sister who had collected thimbles and before she passed away she gave one to each of her grandchildren and wrote the story of why it was significant to her and why she wanted it to be their's. I thought that was pretty cool.

Anyway, I would also love a copy of Grandma's story... but that's something I think we should all get. I never did get to finish reading that. (And I don't think I ever got one of those family history CDs. I tried taking one and then you took it back from me because it didn't have Dad's stuff on it.)

Love,
Tawnia

3-day weekend - hooray!

Happy Labor Day weekend, where we don't labor!

Dad, exactly how long were you in the elevator anyway?

Mom, were you planning to put ALL of your vacations here on the blog? Cuz you've been on plenty of vacations, especially since 1973. I thought that's why you were writing a BOOK, to put them in THERE. I'm glad that you got the doll trunk instead of Aunt Cheryl, because of all of your siblings, you're the one that actually would take the best care of the papers inside as well as type them up and share them with everyone else. Maybe Uncle Max would do the work to share them ... but definitely no one else. That's kinda sad to think about, but it's the truth.

Family heirlooms - I have Grandma Palmer's pearls. I have no idea why I have them - she hasn't died, and I got them years ago. I think Dad just handed them to me one day before my mission. What I WANT are the Shirley Temple pictures. And I would looooooove Grandpa Palmer's contact book that Uncle Gary has. From Grandma and Grandpa Beers, the only thing I have is my dollhouse that Grandpa built for me. It's a banged up piece of junk now, the colors are horribly garish by today's standards, and it's completely out of proportion for any dolls. But I will never get rid of it. Yes, it is still my intention to fix it up (new paint, and probably make it 3 levels instead of 2) when I have a daughter, and pass it to her. Aaaaaaand ... where is the blessing dress that all 5 of us girls were blessed in? It wasn't used for Brooke, was it? That's all I can think of for now.

I love my Dad!

I'm VERY glad that there was a happy end to that story .. I love my Dad! How long were you in there? Did everyone cheer when you got out? I did!

Not much is going on up here .. the weather is a lot like Oregon's .. cold and rainy. It's been this way for an entire week. I had no idea that Calgary actually ever had weather like this, it had only been for a day at a time, and half of that day was sunny. Apparently this is fall weather, and then winter comes right before Halloween. Strange to admit, but I'm kinda looking forward to all the snow again (but it means I'm going to have to fix my boots!).

Other than all that, I'm spending most of my time playing on the computer, watching TV, scrapbooking and drawing .. and of course working on my goals (posted on the bbcmeltdown website). I know that I've been saying that my immigration paperwork will go in soon, but this time I mean it .. we're hoping to have it in within the next 3 weeks or so. Wish us luck!

Dad's Adventure

Thursday afternoon about 1:30 I was unpacking maps to take upstairs to install in the classrooms of the new school. I loaded ten maps onto a handtruck and rolled them to the elevator and pushed the button. The door opened and I rolled the handtruck in diagonally with the maps blocking the door slightly. I stepped inside, lifted up the end of the maps and the door closed. Then I thought, I need to push the button to go up. I put the ends of the maps down reached over and pushed the button. Nothing happened. I tried several buttons on the panel, open door, 1st floor, 2nd floor. I called the other custodian on my radio and asked, "Bob, would you like to come push the button on the elevator?" After a few minutes I heard him and several others, including the principal and the electrician, trying to open the door. It was getting very warm so I sat down on the floor where it was a little cooler. As time passed I unloaded the maps and stood on the handtruck to check for an exit through the ceiling. There was none. I read everything on the panel pertaining to emergencies, including pushing the fire button but it didn't work. I was able to open the inside door about an inch and discovered that the elevator had settled about 9 inches below floor level. Talking to the electrician through the door I learned that there is a door release for the outside door about 6 inches from the top. I stood on the handtruck and tried to release it with a putty knife, while others were working on the outside. The people who installed the elevator had not left the key to work this release. The electrician, who is the union president, warned me that I was taking an unauthorized break. After 45 minutes I decided to call home in case I was late getting there. The electrician finally made a makeshift tool to get the door open. When I stepped out I saw the electrician and the superintendent and the principal and two firemen. I figure there were about 40 people there, because I counted 20 and that was only about half. The district office staff was there for a tour of the new building. The superintendent shushed me when I told her there wasn't an escape out the top. The principal gave me some water and potato chips and I downed two bottles of water and took a short break before going back to work. I entered the elevator 5 more times to get the maps and carry them upstairs, but I never shut the door. The elevator is shut down until this problem can be solved.

Family Heirlooms

I'm still working on the last question but I'll move on. Should I wait until we get our own site to add more so I'm not using all of Eric's space? I have one more vacation ready to add and I'm only up to 1975. It's going to take some time to get all our eventful trips in here especially since most of the pictures aren't on my computer. It's a fun project though.

I also finished another of my 100 things I want to do. In "The Room" we have a U.S. map and a world map on the walls. I've marked where every temple is located and the ones I've been to.

In other news. I worked the last 3 days, but for some reason, I don't have to work again until Tuesday. That's when the kids start. I've come home very tired the last couple of days. It's always an adjustment.

Trina asked that I post a new question so here it is along with the answer. Are there any family heirlooms in your possession? Tell about them and how you came to acquire them.

I don't have a lot of family heirlooms but one thing I do have is my mother's doll trunk. It's rather beat up but it was something she always treasured. She kept it on a closet shelf and it always had old papers in it. When she was about four-years-old she got the trunk for Christmas. She kept her special treasures in it, like many of the poems she had written or collected and special letters. After I was married and was visiting my mother, I told her that when she was gone I wanted to have her trunk. It didn't really matter about any of the other things, but I really wanted that. She gave it to me then and there. Cheryl wasn't very happy about it. She said that was something she'd always wanted but since I asked first I got the trunk and it's contents. I have transcribed the poems she wrote onto our family history CD and most of the other papers are still in the trunk along with some of my special treasures.

A Job

Well,

I told Mom that I wasn't going to take the TA job and then I had a second job interview at a pre-school. Then I had my little wake up call.... though it was a full-time job (at the preschool) I would only be earning $5.50 an hour. Utah's minimum wage is still $5.15, pitiful, isn't it. So I reconsidered the TA job and decided that it was worth it... and I'll hopefully be getting 30 hours a week and also carpooling with someone which will help save on gas.

Oh, and here's my other dilemna. I am taking two classes through BYU independent study... and I haven't been on to do anything with the classes in about four months. Life has been crazy this summer and I got out of the habit. Anyway, somewhere along the way I lost the number I need to log on to my anat and phys class... Mom, Do you remember a huge box of random things in my bedroom that I left... I was actually going to take the whole box but decided not too. Anyway, somewhere in the bottom of that there should be a 3x5 card that says ASLP and some numbers and then PDBIO and some numbers. It's either there or in my slot by the computer. I also still need lids for those cans I got from you. So is there a package coming my way?

Oh, and your all welcome for getting my address and phone number via e-mail TWICE even though I said I was only sending it once. Pretty funny, I only wish I had done it on purpose. Sorry, this turned out to be more like an e-mail to Mom... but now you can all know what I'm doing.

Love,
Tawnia

Next!

Okay, Mom, what's the next question? You've written tons on your past vacations now (and I hope all this is going into your hard-copy book with the pictures, so we don't have to depend on the blog keeping all this info for us ...). What's the next question for your personal history project?

Eric, don't be disappointed that Clarissa is posting in the sisters blog more regularly than this one. First of all, she was shamed into it. We nagged and threatened her. And also, if you do read a little closer (which you're certainly welcome to do, otherwise we wouldn't have told anyone about it), you will see that the conversation there is rather narrow in scope. It started out as a fitness goals thing, which we refer to as the BBC Meltdown. (Long story.) And from there, it branched out into goals in general - setting them, and reporting back to make ourselves accountable. Not that anyone else should not be setting goals, but well, um, yeah - with all the "you're still a Palmer" hysteria after my wedding, this was a positive response to that. Kudos to Mindy for starting it.

Adam started class yesterday. We have a regular phone now, and I emailed everyone the number. Same ol' at work and church. We STILL have not made it to Fort McHenry. This weekend, maybe?