And Where Has Summer Gone?

'And The Boys'
-Angus & Julia Stone

Summer has been busy.  I've been around.  Sadly won't have my annual August trip to Tahoe.  Sample of of my summer thus far, in no particular order...

Much more to come including a few more CA trips this summer for work and housing and several events.  Hope your summers are going swanky!

'You Can't Keep Me'
-Amy LaVere


-Gawdun

How To Serve A Black Swan

'Come On, Come Out'
-A Fine Frenzy

Many of you, well maybe just a few close in proximity know my current obsession.  We call it the 'Black Swan.'  In the past month I have seen it every weekend.  Ok that is a lie I managed to not see it this weekend but I did see it one and a half times last weekend.

I'm sure many of you are shaking your heads in agony of my love for this rated "R" flick.  You may shake all you want but then again take a look at your lives and tell me it's perfect in what you watch.  I don't think so...  Besides I don't care what you say it was amazing! :-)

Let's get it off the top right away.  Yes there was this awkward girl with girl scene that probably could have been edited down or possibly not even put in the movie at all.  Either way it was in it and shocking, well from what I saw as my hands were covering my eyes.  My friends all thought this was a hoot to witness me doing so.

Acting was beyond amazing.  If you think about it there are actors and actresses who almost never seem to do a new and growing role to their resume.  Natalie is not that girl.  She has grown and continues to grow in each and every role she has done and this one was the top of the top so far.  Just watching the transformation of shy insecure 'White Swan' to controversial, explicit 'Black Swan' was the stuff you want to see in movies.  Don't get me wrong I love a good mindless movie but that seems to be all that have and are coming out anymore so this was a tall drink of water!  Then Winona Ryder's supporting role was brilliant and shows us once again why we love her as an actress.

Music was superb!  It is amazing to listen to the music and be able to envision the entire story line play out in your mind.  When a soundtrack can do that you know it was well scored!

Costumes and locations made my eyes water.  I was so impressed with the entire thing that I was receiving idea after idea for future photo shoot times!

My only complaint and caution is as follows:  I forgot how gnarly and nasty ballerina dancer feet are.  I wanted to vomit several times in the film just from the site of the feet.  SO if you have issues with feet don't eat a full meal before the movie.

OVERALL:

I guess you can say I loved it minus the feet part.  I loved it so much that I actually want to see a ballet this year. On one of the viewings I did one friend told me that he would go as well so now I have a trip to New York to plan I guess, poor me :-)


'My'
-Lykke Li


-Gawdun

Bows of Holly

'Christmas Lights'
-Coldplay

I have been gone from the blog world for a minute.  I know, I know "The Horror!"  I could tell you that I have been busy which is yes very true as I have had family photo shoots and also a wedding shoot in Vegas, along with bartending and table waiting but that would be a lie if I used just "being busy."  I have had no desire to sit down and blog simply put.  I have been a blog party crapper.  Maybe it has to do with the fact I am running 3 blogs (or attempting) with one being ARG IMAG Photography, the business blog.  Whatever reason may be I have taken a blog hiatus but am back now.

I've begun compiling the listing of all the music mentioned at the start and finish of blog posts from this year.  That playlist will be available to view come January 1, 2011. (1/1/11)

St. George this week has flooded.  Not as bad I guess damage wise as the 2005 flood.  HOWEVER I have just one irritation with the hype around it.  Some of you may have seen this remark as my Facebook status but I must explain.  I HATE when people make reference to floods as a "common occurrence."  Unless you have factual evidence I don't want to hear the phrase, "oh this is a 100 (90, 75 etc) year flood.  Simply put I don't think weather truly has a pattern like the human race does.  I think the simplicity of my brother backing the toilet up has more of a pattern and can be called one than flooding does.  I had someone this week tell me that the flood of 2005 (which I didn't live here then) was a 100 year flood and the one of this week was a 90 year flood.  I won't lie, I laughed in their face and called them out.  Not nice but had to be done.  -The end of my flood rant-

December has been a busy Sin City Roller Girls month.  Nicole is also back from her master program in N.C. so we have attended most of the events.  I did the Twitter feed once again for the team during their bout this month.  We also attended yet another roller disco event they hosted.  They moved it from the Rain nightclub at the Palms to The Joint at Hard Rock.  Not as fun I will admit but it was a good time.  I opted to not skate it up and took some sweet photos.  I will be posting them tonight along with my photo's from the H&M opening at the Forum Shop.  That opening blew my mind!


'Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas'
-Aimee Mann


-Gawdun

Admission is Free with Purchase

'Dance Anthem of the 80's'

-Regina Spektor

This has been a week of serious thought! Several times I wanted to take the advice of a certain Gaga and "just dance." Heck I still might tonight :)

I'll start with the worst part, that was today.

My ward was officially dissolved :( It was our last Sunday. Dang Bishop Hurst even got me to have "eye leakage" problems. Former members were there amongst all us current un-married members. Wonderful talks but the end of an era. September makes 2 years since I returned home from my mission and I moved to St. George. A town where I have struggled and learned more about myself on a personal and friend level. If it wasn't for that ward I might have left this town in 2009 instead of later this year. I remember the first time they had me speak, which today talking to the Bishop on the side he too remembers. He said I had that funky color in my hair and my energy told him "activities" would be the place for me (this was January 2009). I finally went to my first FHE in March which is were I met the most amazing group of friends. June I was called into the activities committee as a co-chair where I have been until today when the ward was dissolved. I appreciate the places I have been taken in this position. I could go on much longer on this ward but I won't. I have a separate post that once I mellow out will be written on the whole singles change here in St. George.

I can say that in the meeting where we learned our new ward assignments I did not see one person from my now dissolved ward stand up. I am back in the place of learning about new people and making new friends. And let's be honest that is not a problem with me but I would like to just keep what I have. My cell phone book is already to full and it can't hold that many more numbers. :)

Saturday was a full day ranging from a meeting at the restaurant after only having 4 hours of sleep from a crazy first day back at work. Then fixed my brothers broken bike tires. (I hate fixing trick bikes!) We set up our wards final formal dinner, which was also my last event to hold with my committee. I thought I would be happy about it but I am now saddened that I will not do such things unless I am asked again. I freakn love party planning and throwing them!

Friday was hell at work towards the end but I made out like a bandit in tips. I love my regular customers but to the man who left .27 cents just know that I remember faces very well and will make your life interesting if you return, tell that girl who was with you the same thing, I know where she works and can make that hell too. :) (yup that is the waiter speaking.)

Thursday was my return home from a week of Reno

Monday-Wednesday became known to me as the time of changes inside. I learned more about who and what I really am.

Over all this past week I have done a lot of inner searching at to what I wanted. I booked a return flight to Reno, Nevada for October 19th-30th. I will begin my hunt for work and housing now but when I get there I will hopefully solidify the stepping stones. Reno I took advantage of growing up and am ever grateful for it's welcoming arms to allow me back despite my old hates of it. Funny what growing up does to a person.

I made some new friends this week that will hopefully become a great support in the coming months and hopefully year as I make transitions. The friends I currently have I am so grateful for all you have done AND will do. Thanks for supporting me, even if you live 380, 1,000+, or 2 miles away.

And I can't forget my family, who even though they may not read this blog, I still appreciate them more than ever.

(This picture is almost 2 years old and we all look more zingy than in this photo)

This will always be THAT week.

'Everywhere I Go'

-Lissie

-Gawdun

"Boxes, Don't Crowd Me!"

I have given myself till the end of this year to have made my complete decision on my place of residency, and what will happen with the photography business I am trying to run. (Don't worry I'm not stopping the photo industry, so all my clients that read this blog can now take a deep breath as I will still continue to update your family photo's for you)

With this grand decision to relocate finally it has come to my attention that I need to once again go through all my boxes in the closet and under my bed to throw out stuff I WILL NOT NEED. Doing so I have condensed my mission boxes into one like it should have been when I first got home. While going through that box I was reminded of many great times. Some of which I recorded onto video. So for the next few posts I will share with you some of my beloved mission short videos some of which included people who have become great friends and family since then!

Sunday August 1st I will reveal the first video that involves one of my favorite "sleep screaming" sister missionaries. (Don't worry names will be changed to protect the insane.

-Gawdun

Much To Go About

'Gimme Sympathy'

-Metric

Until I post some of the most random stories from my vacation last week enjoy the photo's I took backcourt (backstage) and on court for the Fabulous Sin City Roller Girls final game of the season!

ARG IMAG Photography

(you have to click the link above)

'New Divide'

-Linkin Park

-Gawdun

You Know the Ball Pit at Mc Donalds?

Yup that is the true statement of all things around me! I'm not complaining at all, I tend to attract commotion and chaos. However I don't rely upon it. (Ann you can't say anything about that :-P)

I have a lot going on as mentioned in my past posting. I still haven't heard back if I am to photograph next weekends Sin City Roller Girl bout, but I am still hopeful that all is still set for that. Yeah if I forgot to mention that I was asked to photograph the upcoming bout for the Sin City Roller Girls as one of the normal photographers will be gone that weekend.

Work over at the Ruby has still been laying on the stories of joy and frustrations. I also have a supply of many notes left for me on receipts by customers. All of them are great! I do have one bad one and it makes me laugh. I save all them, good and bad. They all make me laugh anymore. I fully understand that I wont be stuck there longer than needs be, as long as I don't stall and drag my feet. When things get real rough there I go back and think about this amazing little old couple that comes in only when I am working there. They actually ask for my schedule for the next week so they can come when I am there and sit in my section. I just love them. The husband wears the classic flannel shirts with occasional cardigan while the wife wears these outrageously large sun hats that hide her awesomely huge glasses. Seriously they are rocking trendy and should be featured on the Sartorialist blog.

Things with ARG IMAG Photography have been good. I sometimes feel like a marketing hooker.

I sure don'e feel like a hooker though when I get done so that is the plus side and people aren't afraid that I will give them a disease. Although I sometimes wonder if my prices and the same as a real hookers prices. I'll make sure to ask next time I see one in real life though.

I sure hope everyone saw the Betty White SNL episode last week. It was seriously the funniest thing I have seen in a longggg time. All I have to say is "muffins" and, "...and the tiny people wont be orange. They'll be freaky hispanic & chinese dudes!"

And finally the new Betta fish is doing much better than the first one. If I never mentioned it my Betta that I had the name contest for died after a few weeks. It turned out from all my research that he wasn't sick. He was just depressed. Yeah, depressed, that is what I said. With the depression they starve themselves. My new guy eats like a hog. Plus he does tricks for me! (Seriously I did not mean for this posting to have so many hooker references).

I guess that is a sign I must go for now.

(oh and for those that ask my mother, two brothers and sister are doing well)

-Gawdun

Icy Hot

'Oops (Oh My)'

-Tweet feat. Missy Elliot

I have noticed that this year is so far not the year for great music. I hope this changes other wise you are going to see a lot of past jams (see above selection) on this blog for the '2010 Jamm'n with Gawdun' playlist. Also on a side note I think this is my rap year. I have already down loaded plenty of rap songs. BUT ANYWAYS...

(I have A LOT to catch you up on)

February 6th was my mothers birthday so my brother and I made reservations to take mom out and eat ribs at Ruby Tuesday. (I had a coupon and in celebration of my mom we used it as she loves a deal of money spending.) Mother informed us that in all her years of life she has never had someone make reservations for her so she loved it even more. We all ate sooo much that I wanted to unbutton my pants and lean back but it was a public area so I saved the town of St George form my unbuttoned-ness. Mom also needed new pots and pans so Lucas and I purchased a new set for her which as of today the 18th of February she finally un-boxed and used :-) After dinner mom wanted to go see the movie 'Dear John.' Even though I was much against the personal viewing of this movie I buckled down and went with mother and brother.

I HAD THE MOST EXCITING THING HAPPEN DURING THE MOVIE!!!!

So there we are about 20 minutes into the movie and this girl directly in front of me get's on her phone to text for the 3rd time. Let say this, yes I didn't really want to see the movie in the first place but I, Andrew Gawdun movie viewer, paid big bucks for myself, brother and mother to see this movie so you best not interrupt that! So there we are in the dark crowded theater. I leaned forward and ever so politely said, and I quote..."Hey why don't you put your cell phone away so we can watch the movie?" She turned around and glared at me but I sat there and gave her my stink eye. Needless to say she turned back around. However maybe 5 minutes later she turns back around, I was ready for it. She says... "Did you tell me to put my phone away?" I looked at her with the eyes of passion for my cause and said... "Yes." The only thing she could end with was, "why don't you go to F*&%^% Hell?!" Then she tossed her self back in her seat and began to use sign language with her friend, all of which was probably hate'n on me and not digg'n on me (click that link you'll love it!). I only wish I had stuck with my sign language learning because I would have understood her. However later on as I retold this story to a friend they told me I should have just leaned forward and said... "THAT IS NOT VERY NICE" Bwahaha. Anyways another 20 minutes goes by and she get's up and leaves the theater but not without stopping to talk with someone she knew on the back of the bottom row. LAME.

Now as for the movie itself. (SPOILER ALERT********!!!!) YOU GIRLS DO PLAY GAMES and see I have yet another fact of evidence to prove it. Not just personal experience of mine but other people's thinking and creating. (MORE SPOILER*****!!!!!!!) Why not just call the guy and end it or write him an email?

-Gawdun

'Waterfalls'

-TLC

They May Speak Korean But Do They Skate?

'Resbalosas'
-Susana Baca
(yeah I know it's been a minute since I posted with music)

Whelp my full, busy, crazy life is up and slowing down now! I cannot begin to tell you all how excited I am. Over the last month and a great deal of this month most of my time has been set to FHE/Activities in my ward as myself and another girl are the chairs of this combined committee. Every year our ward has this extremely fancy and big deal dinner for Christmas. I guess it has been a tradition since they started the ward 4 years ago. Well mixed with that and work, photo shoots, the ward charity auction, and the lack of sleeping I have been getting I have been swamped.

The dinner was Friday evening so on Thursday myself and the rest of the committee set up the whole thing. And then maybe after they all left my committee chair friend and our other friend stayed behind and busted out this old root beer that we found in our activity/FHE closet.


The paper cups just added to the ghetto-ness of the whole situation that involved this Root Beer. It tasted fine although not one of us three could do our "shot" without making the other one laugh so we had to al go to different areas and not be at the same table. The only cautionary tale to this story is that perhaps you should have chapstick on hand as my lips were already dry and the root beer just made them burn like CRAZY! It was worth it.

Friday night the dinner went off smashingly. We had a simple program that the relief society put together (I was real nervous about how that would turn out). I set up a staging area to do photos of anyone who wanted one done. It was very high school prom scenario but A LOT of fun. Possibly the dinner started at 7 and Rachel and myself didn't get all the minor details done until 6:25 where we then raced to our homes and showered in order to return at 6:45. We also broke a few church building rules so we could finish the dinner. Rachel and I may or may not have done the prep, cooked and backed the desert and green beans in the church kitchen. Desert was a dainty little concoction by famed "30 minute" cook Rachel Ray. We created one of her Apple Crisps that "her sister who knows how to bake" (that is what the instructions read). It turned out real swanky. My mother and brother were one of the many people we roped into dishing up the food in the kitchen so that all us could enjoy the night. It even managed to start minor snowing while we were cleaning things up.

Saturday was a whole rink of fun. Granted I still had to work in the AM but that night was the blast of fun I needed. We headed down to Vegas, Nicole, Jet and I. (others were supposed to attend but then some backed out because it was real rainy BOO). We went down so that Nicole could assist on her first Roller Derby game. She didn't get to play (new girls can't till the next season and if they get drafted per se) but she did "stats" for the teams. Jet and I sat front row on the visiting teams side. If you follow me on Twitter or Facebook you know that I pretty much "tweeted" the whole game. It was fun central.






There is Nicole with her clipboard




Right before the derby bout whilst Nicole helped set up Jet and I discovered and stalked this wig shop next door through the window as they were closed. I'll tell you what when you put your face real close to the window to see farther in and you forget there is a head right in front of you it's kinda freaky! We managed to track down 1 guy wig and tons of ladies wigs. We managed to have a hoot with the store, even if we were right out side and not inside. However I found a few wigs I would like to purchase and use in photo shoots! Then we went to the Korean market that was in the shopping plaza where the skate rink was. Jet was in heaven and I just loved it. She may have thought I wasn't excited about it but then oh man was I ever! I love asian markets. Heck if I were asian I would open a market too!





After the Derby bouts we headed down to Freemont Street to the Henassey (sp) bar where we dined on greasy food and watch crazy people get drunk and dance. BUT I will say the band for playing Irish sure covered some awesome songs and did great at it.

To end I will show you some of the random shots of the night.




We had no clue if this guy was wearing anything under the getup, but then again we didn't want to find out.

There were a few times a roller girl almost ended up crashing in me! It was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G as a certain Seaman kid said while I was on my mission in Tifton.

'All I Want For Christmas Is You'
-The 88

-Gawdun

1 Hand in My Pocket and the Other 1 is Holding a Lime

'Van Halen'

-Frou Frou

Tonight I went out with some friends to catch dinner and a movie, cause let's be honest that is all you look forward to in St. George.  Anyways we headed out to Chili's and got our food.  I wont lie, they really suck with their so called fresh lemonades (I'm spoiled with Ruby Tuesday lemonades), but then again this is not the topic to discuss. 

Our food was delivered to us.  This is where the horrible happened.  No I ma not talking about the awkward tomato that showed up, but what followed.  So the food runner brings the first item and then the 2nd.  Sh had no clue what the items were so I mean it could have belonged to a whole other table but whatever.  Next they arrived back with my food and she HAD NO CLUE other than it had grilled chicken.  I had to remind her of the name.  Here is the best part...I asked for some extra limes and the gal said "sure."  Off she goes and reappears with 2 lime slices in her hand.  IN HER HAND!  There was no plate or small cup holding them, they were straight up in her hand.  Lime flesh to human flesh!  You know at first I thought deep down that maybe this girl wanted me to spit the invisible gum in her hand so she could give me the limes.  But nope there they were!  Everyone at the table were just as shocked as I was, I had no idea what to do so I accepted and put them on the table and caught a different guy and asked for some new limes brought out on a plate.  

Seriously the bread winner of nasty goes to that girl tonight.   For all I know she could have the wild virus that makes a person into a nasty little critter like this...

-Gawdun