Water Sports and other sorts

Got to say, never really been     t h a t    into water sports. No, I mean, I bought the rubber sheets and everything but getting wet just kind of pisses me off. Can't relate? Here, maybe this chart will help:
Evidence in suport of all your base belonging to me
So yah, making that graphic organizer is twenty minutes I can't get back. Everybody wins. But seriously folks, I just tried wake-boarding for the first time last Sunday. Well, and water skiing too, but that was my second attempt. Have you ever water skied? Way harder than wake-boarding in some ways. The most difficult thing was the full frontal wedgy I was so scared everyone in the boat could see.
If you digested the mixtape I made, you may have discerned that  in my youth I led a most nautical life. But most of that is crap. I'm more of a Spongebob than the Gorton's Fisherman, you can trust me on that..
All of my older siblings by contrast have been commercial fishing for at least a summer and one or two of them still fish professionally. And then there is me,  who's only sailed a handful of times and never been dangerously out of sight of the coast. I think most people look at the ocean and don't even realize it doesn't give a damn if it kills you. You have to respect its majesty and understand just how tenuous is our comprehension and control. It can still be beautiful while being dangerous. Many of the best nouns are.
To me, wake-boarding is just like skateboarding but instead of smashing your face on pavement when you fall you get water up your nose. I'm not going to lie, I rather prefer the trade off.
I'm told I did a 180 before I faceplanted so I felt sort of cool. I'm kind of addicted to trying again.
Like this picture of me water skiing? I call it, 'Dear god, I hope they can't see my vag.'
Yeah, it was on a river as you can tell, some place up near Euro Disney. Sebastien loved it.
Check out this badass photo of him:









It was ridiculously adorable watching him grin like a crazed child or a dog with his head victoriously out the window every time we took a tight turn in the boat. I wasn't a big, big fan of going as fast as we can. Never am. In fact, a few times I said, "Oh my death, oh my death"--which is what I say, in an unconscious way, when I'm fairly certain I'm about to die.

Other ongoings in my life include:
My second section of my French classes. The first teacher was really cheery and funny. I super enjoyed her methodology and was very sorry to see it end. I think I really dig into language classes because people are so impressed that they even understand when a joke is being attempted that they are more inclined to laugh--this of course brings the humor threshold way down to my level, as illustrated above.
 I think I'm getting better too, Frenchically speaking, since nowadays when I try to find a synonym to stir up a post up for youz, the first word my brain usually goes to is the orignal word's equivalent in French. Which isn't altogether helpful, but is probably normal, all things considered. (Plus ou moins.)

My bike is also sort of a big deal. I've recently discovered two important things about riding around in Paris. One, I don't get scared when I'm lost, unlike on foot. And two, the bike lanes that exist on one way streets going against the normal flow of traffic are awesome. I have a better time when I seek them out. Ok and three, people who ride scooters don't place much value on their personal safety. Or mine. Or yours. Fais Gaffe.
Even though it's a bit foolish to share the road with their likes it's way better than the  air-conditioner-less metro.
Mais oui, you read that correctly--
Part of me is like,  'Wow, the French are so practical--why waste energy when the windows being open will cool down the car as we move!!!" And then some frickin delay comes along and I'm like, 'Stupid ill-planned city, we're going to bake to death and everyone who ever smelled bad in their life is standing around me!' Tourists, don't act like this doesn't apply to you.

On Friday I went to a 'silent disco" where everyone wears headphones and chooses between three or four Dj's. It was only 12 euros to partake and a drink was included in the price of the headset so I'll probably do it again.
It was only about a 30 min walk back home after last metro and it was super funny to take the headset off now and then because it was kind of like being in a room of deaf people who were just screaming at random. No offense to deaf people--random people, that knock was at you.

I finally started reading 1984. I was embarresed to admit it at first but each time I have in a group there is always at least one person who hasn't read it yet. It's interesting that we can have such a cultrual touchstone that gets referred to and insinuated upon in ways that are fully comprehendable without having read it yet. I like it, but it's a little depressing. There's just something about dystopia that gets me down, you know?

No matter what, the summer is off to a great start. Bike rides, picnics, water sports, table tennis, spray paint and BBQz just to name a few. Sebastien's birthday is next month and I finally have an income to spoil him with! We still haven't picked where we'll go on vacation this year but we have it narrowed down to--well, we haven't narrowed it down much at all, frankly. But we'll see. I'm holding out for Portugal, Southern-Spain/Morocco, Istambul or Saint Petersburg.

 I'm feeling good, gang. The road ahead gleams as though gilded with sunshine. I can see it, and it stirs me, but I don't want to look too longingly because I've lived long enough to wonder with measured caution, will it tarnish as I walk?
The answer, I suppose, more often than not is yes...but up ahead, just up there, almost beyond what I can see--the road goes ever on in gold.



And so it goes.

The Shattered Chandelier

Thanks to all who have been so supportive of The Shattered Chandelier!
I've been working hard on getting everything set up and trying to get my ideas all in one place.

The Shattered Chandelier will have a booth in the Provo Farmer's Market this summer and possibly a few days in the Bountiful Farmer's Market.
[Not too sure about Bountiful yet!]

If you haven't already, go and "LIKE" The Shattered Chandelier's facebook page to see new products, gift ideas and promotions!
There are only two items on there currently but I will add new items often!
You can find The Shattered Chandelier at:

FACEBOOK:

THE OFFICIAL BLOG:

THE NEW ETSY SHOP:

MY EMAIL:

Feel free to email me any questions or place an order through email.
Orders can be placed through facebook, the blog or the Etsy shop as well!

Make sure to go follow the blog to get updates there as well-
All of the Provo Farmer's Market dates will be posted on the blog!

THE PROVO FARMER'S MARKET HAS IT'S OPENING DAY IS THIS SATURDAY! JUNE 2ND- COME AND SUPPORT!

Can't wait to post new items!!
Keep in touch!!
XOXO
 

Utah Bride Blog Link!

TODAY is the Utah Bride Blog feature for Kelli's FLOWER FRIDAY!
Happy Friday- the perfect start to the LONG MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND!
!
Here's the link to the pictures on the Utah Bride Blog!


XOXO

Two Easy Pieces

Every once in awhile, there comes a film that you are willing to change your profile picture for. Well, you--I mean--not me. That's not my style. But my cover photo, totally up for grabs.

 On Tuesday night, I was feeling nostalgic and brooding and thusly in the mood for a Wes Anderson film. I started a download and I googled him to see what he's been up to of late. My efforts, minimal though they were, were rewarded with play times for a movie set in New England, in the year 1965!
Didn't even watch the trailer, I saw the cast list and trusted in his competence. I love the characters he paints, his theater-like sets and the way he  explores a color palet.
His shot composition and sense of depth of field would make Citizen Cain eat his shorts.
His mastery of the long shot and continuous shot have a tangible sense of cinematic history while still creating a world and a style all his own.
Wes doesn't play at subtlety. He keeps to a time period so well that he can actually make a joke out of purposely adding anachronisms.  His worlds are so well established, you can see a commercial and know he made it, the same way you recognize a Tim Burton Set. He wants you to notice who he's recast film after film, he's like Tarantino in this way--but all the characters seem to speak like him, so he's Woody Allen in that way.
The film stock he used for this feature was classic, and the greens and golds he emphasized are going to make you want for a New England Indian Summer--even if you've  never had the pleasure!

"I love you but you have no idea what you're talking about."
I resonate with that moment and many others.
I won't tell you anything else you can't get from the trailer, but if you know Wes Anderson films the protagonists are motivated, intelligent, orderly and serious. Tis the rules, and this dish offers no exception. The female lead made me think too much of Margaret as the young Tenenbaum, and Norton's character seemed written for Schwartzman, yet there was no disputing my satisfaction.
I cried just enough, and laughed just loud enough to overlook the more campy aspects of a film centered around, well, camp.

But it's not the only good film I've seen lately
If you've been talking with my landlady or my shitty upstairs nay-bors, you may have discerned that we've had a few parties recently. And I dare say, we've done a fair bit of singing without you.

As evidenced by these blury photos.
After one such soiree, a few of us who still had limbs and tenable headaches, walked to my second favorite little art theater to watch a Saturday afternoon showing of Howl.
Firstly, I want to say how impressed I was by James Franco's portrayal of Ginsberg. I've listend to more recordings of Allen's voice than is probably normal and was quite captivated by Franco's understanding of the way Ginsberg's rhythm played into how he spoke and breathed.  Oh, and if I've never put this Tom Waits-Allen Ginsberg mashup on a mix for you, I'm sorry.

The other really cool aspect of the film is the way they tie in the trial that Howl endured as being lurid and of no literary value, the personsal biography of Allen in bits and pieces, and a full length, graphically rendered retelling of Howl. I think it's an essential element for any high school English classroom, even if I was a little put off by how they realized the animation. In truth I will email my formal high school English teacher about it, even if the blue yellow tones are over done and the line quality was often reminiscent of microsoft office clipart. I'm sure it would have been way to expensive to shoot live action, atanyrate and I hardly fault them for trying.
I really liked how in many scences they filmed Franco in black and white, to keep us in Ginsberg's time and place. But the color scenes make his character real and approachable for me as well. I think an interesting balance was struck between the two.

During the trial scenes with Lawrence Ferlinghetti, renowned publisher, editor and author of a Coney Island of the Mind, I kept thinking how absurd it was that a poem could actually be put to trial for  being unconstitutional in the United States of America. I realized belatedly that my feelings on the matter of literary value and censorship are (without my knowing) directly linked to this verdict and verdicts of its kind. Of course it's normal that you may not understand everything written in a poem, of course the poet may use metaphors outside the breadth of your experience--that's the freedom-in-the-speech talking. That's the perspective of the words walking right across your eyes and into you mind. Leave the book burning to the Fascists!

If you have a chance to see either of these films I would recommend them with all five stars and both fists. Each film has finer and weaker points and I'd be open to discussing them critically in the comments section with those who have viewed them also. I come to the end of this post thinking that the shape of things is all in how you choose look at them, and the love left spinning around in our world is only as just a little bit bigger than each of us can imagine. But it ain't all smiles and walks in the park, I mean, after all, sometimes endings just end.

Bonus Coverage

Here are a few more images from this year's tournament.

You can see updated pictures in our golf photos & pool party sections of the site.  Or you can check out our more comprehensive online photo gallery.

 
 Michael Vick, Amanda Blumenherst & Jaws


 Blumenherst Ceremonial Tee Shot

 
Vick Samples Peanut Chews with Bob Zender of Goldenberg's

Al Caepanazano Just 1/2" Away From Winning the 
Lease to a Hyundai Equus, Instead He Gets a
Miller Lite Golf Bag from Jaws for Closest to the Pin

Utah Bride Blog!

If ya'll know what the Utah Bride Blog is, here in Utah it's kind of a big deal in the wedding industry.

Last fall I attended Women in Weddings with Kelli Dunkley from Blooms and Blossoms and met so many awesome women in the industry.
 It was then we decided we were BOTH going to work hard to try to get our upcoming weddings featured with the UBB.

Kelli's wedding was gorgeous and without a doubt got featured.
Hours of gluing pearls to candle votives, lace to napkins and putting together many flower arrangements with beautiful hanging crystals paid off.

We spent SO MUCH TIME with my wedding seeing as almost everything was DIY. Kelli and I "Hunted and Gathered" for months to find the perfect twigs to glue to candle votives. Months, hours, and millions of glue sticks later, my vision of twig candle votives came together exactly. how. I. wanted. it.

I am SO excited to say we found out last week that..
 THE WEDDING WILL BE FEATURED THIS FRIDAY for "Flower Friday"
They will be featuring Kelli and the AWESOME flowers she did for my wedding.
She sat down to write a small article on which flowers she used and why.
This Blog post is a HUGE special thanks to Kelli with Blooms and Blossoms for helping me out and working so hard to try to get my wedding featured.
I've tried so hard not to post any wedding pictures on facebook to get them featured on the UBB. Thank you SO MUCH Kelli for all of your hard work to make this happen. Your hours and hours of re-sizing pictures paid off quickly and certainly made me one happy Bride!

I'm so excited to have my wedding featured on Kelli's FLOWER FRIDAY!

Check back on Friday and I'll post the link to the feature!
WOO HOO!


Victory!

Afternoon Champions,  15 under par (55)
(l-r) Ritrievi, Kouchenour, Maddox, Michlewright, BJ & Jaws

After a late start because of the weather and some wet conditions, the Ron Jaworski Celebrity Golf Challenge concludes with two teams tied at 15 under par.

After matching cards, the team with no true celebrity defeats team Brian Propp on the tiebreaker.

The day ends with Jaws' son BJ and his team of Ken Kochenour, John Maddox, Rory Ritrievi and Scott Michlewright taking home the title.

The 28th annual RJCGC is in the books as the tournament has helped raise nearly $4 million for the Jaws Youth Playbook. The mission of the foundation is to help improve the overall health and wellness of at-risk youth in the Greater Philadelphia Region.

From all of us at the RJCGC, thank you for your continued support.  Please check back for videos and more photos over the next few days.

Thanks!

Many Faces of Jaws

Fox 29's Tom Sredenschek Interviews the Host

Firing Up the Troops

Lining Up a Birdie Putt

LPGA - Learn Pro Golfing (by) Amanda

Nike Golf Clinic
presented by Hyundai Equus

Welcoming Committee

The Ron Jaworski Celebrity Golf Tournament took advantage of the LPGA calendar and got pro Amanda Blumenherst to drop by the course for a clinic.

This is the young pro's third year on tour after winning the 2008 U.S. Women's Amateur Championship and three player of the year awards while attending Duke University.

Blumenherst offered tips on how to fade and draw the ball with her mid-irons, as she talked about "hooding," or closing the club face for a draw.  And as she blasted 260 yard drives down the center of the driving range Blumenherst said she listens to her caddy "most of the time," consider he's Amanda's dad.

The schedule had the pro women playing in Gladstone, NJ for the Sybase Match Play last week and at the end of the month they'll be in Galloway, NJ for the ShopRite LPGA Classic.

The East Coast schedule had Blumenherst in the neighborhood and available to offer some tips and socialize with the fans.

 Blumenherst Breaking Down the Basics

 Showing How to Hood the Club

Pro Day at ACCC

Vick, Blumenherst & Jaws

Before Michael Vick teed off at the Atlantic City Country Club he mingled with LPGA player Amanda Blumenherst as both were on hand to support the Jaws Youth Playbook.

While the quarterback was scrambling on the course, the pro was offering tips at a driving range clinic.

Jaws was on hand for the introductions and both were in awe as Blumenherst hit a ceremonial tee shot right down the middle to kick off the afternoon session.  Play is about 40 minutes behind schedule because of the weather.

Vick Reacts to His Opening Tee Shot

 Vick Group (l-r) David Ellsworth, 
Ken Cornew, Vick, Joe Nigro & Mark Huston,

First Round in the Books

Former NBA All Star John Starks'Group 
Finishes on the 18th Hole

It took awhile, but the morning golf is finally over.

The early downpour chased some golfers from the course and caused a bit of controversy as the winning team has not one, but two celebrities.  Beasley Reece joined the Joe Pisarcik group and the CBS-3 sports anchor says he was orphaned.

"My team left and I tried pleading to their manhood," says Reece, who's new team turned in the winning score of 56.  The group's 14 under par was equaled by celebrity Mike Quick's team, but
when cards were matched, the Pisarcik/Beasley group won the tiebreaker.

Morning Champions, 14 Under Par (56)
Jimmy Perides, Beasley Reece & Joe Pisarcik

Eagles Have Landed

Jaws & Vick

Eagles quarterback Michael Vick and three of his teammates are at the Ron Jaworski Celebrity Golf Challenge and here to support the cause. He's joined by safety Nate Allen, kicker Alex Henery & punter Chas Henry.

Vick says he's starting to get addicted to the game and blames Jaws after playing some of the Ron Jaworski Signature Courses.  We'll see if scrambles in golf as well as he scrambles out of the pocket.

(l-r) Eagles Henery & Henry Chat with Fellow NFL Players 
Garrison Sanborn (Bills) and Free Agent Jon Stupar

Jaws Sighting

Closing Drive Celebrity-Am
presented by JPC Group 

Host Ron Jaworski Arrives 
at the Atlantic City Country Club

Greens of a Different Texture

Viking Cooking School
presented by Harrah's

Chef Amanda

While golfers try to stay dry, the women who took part in the Viking Cooking School are glad to be inside.  The hands on teaching kitchen features tips and tricks to make cooking not only easier, but fun.

If you're interested in taking a class, by yourself or with friends, you can get more information from Harrah's.

Bon Appétit!

Keli Falco (center) Learning How to Slice & Dice

 Barbara Vannett & Linda McCarty


Dodging Rain Drops

Former Eagles Pro Bowl Lineman &
S. Jersey Congressman Jon Runyan

Voice of "Inside the NFL" Scott Graham

Downpour!

 Drenching Shower

Just minutes after the groups left the clubhouse the skies opened up and drenched the golfers.

Former Eagles great Mike Quick, who appeared to be running late, made a veteran decision. "I was here, I figured let everybody else get wet."

Eagles reporter Dave Spadaro wasn't as lucky as he took Harold Carmichael's spot on the course and is getting soaked.

ACCC Staff Run for Cover
(l-r) Domenic Raddi, Bill Masland & Peter Ansah

Atlantic City Country Club Historic Bell

Ready for the Rain

Kick-Off Celebrity-Am
presented by Harrah's
 
Joe Pisarcik (left) Says Good Morning to Bill McCay

Keith Piawka & Jim Dawson Check the Radar

NFL Free Agent Jon Stupar & His Group
(l-r) Bill Cummings, Don Zajick, Karen Zajick & Rob Sowers

Honoring Betty Gilbert, longtime RJCGC volunteer & friend

Johnnie & Rocky

Johnnie Walker Lounge 
with Rocky Patel Cigars

Andy Lucarelli & Jon Runyan Enjoying the After Party

Sharefa Shepherd & Sylvana Acolia Trying 
Some Johnnie Walker Whisky

Harrah's Roof Top

Lou Tilley & Jaws

Thomas Giurastawte & John Oakes Get a Light
 from Mark Weissenberger of Rocky Patel

Payton Taylor (left) Performs

Pool Party Pix

An early look at some of the sites of the Pairings Party from The Pool at Harrah's.

John Lynch and Jaws Working the Mics

(l-r) Celebs Hugh Green, Mike Quick,
Harold Carmichael & Lem Burnham

Guests Using BidPal at the Silent Auction

Rich & Hy Goldberg of Safian & Rudolph 
Pose with Diamond Winner Mike Chalenski &Jaws

Harrah's Pool After Dark