I am so blessed

Cool River is the culmination of countless hours of pondering the question "what does the guest really want?"

The restaurant was to be called Cool River. The ambiance would be warm yet elegant. It would have a residential feel. It would offer a fine restaurant with steak and seafood with a southwestern twist along with an elegant and elaborate bar with hand crafted billiard tables behind walls of glass. The restaurant and bar would be separated by an extraordinary cigar room adorned with stuffed leather and elegant appointments. A perfect transitional buffer blending the space. It would feature a sound system second to none.

The space would be organized to maximize energy and satisfaction. In short, it would cater to all senses; taste, feel, sight, sound, and smell.

Cool River's success and uniqueness has been quite exhilarating and challenging. It has exceeded all expectations.


I went here on a Friday night for a friends 31st birthday celebration. It was fun for awhile and I only stayed so long because I was talking with my friends mom and sisters. I haven't seen them since High School back in the days. It has been almost 15 years. I have always kept in contact with her but haven't seen her. It was good times to reconnect.

I am so blessed because I belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I don't have anything against anyone who drinks or smokes, but last night while on the dance floor, these drunk guys came onto me and my friends. They kept touching me! It scared me and yes I did scream. I did tell them that I have a bubble and please do not disturb it. All but one understood and that was the one that I was worried about.

Watching my friend, her mom and her two sisters drink whatever was bought for them, downing them, I was glad that I could leave the place not drunk and able to drive home. I have my standards but it is a little sad to see what I did with my friends. Am I going to stop being their friends, No! That is not who I am. They know my standards and who I am. I remember a time where I was in high school and was invited to a sleep over for my friends birthday and they put on a rated R movie. At that time, I didn't want to ruin her party because I didn't watch rated R movies, so I got up and went into the kitchen. Her mom came in and asked me what was wrong and I told them my church and my standards and they were ok with that. To my surprised, they changed the movie to something I could watch.

The night did end great. My sister Sharon, her husband and youngest drove from Atlanta. At first I thought they just wanted to see me but that just wasn't the case. Her best friend is getting married in Trinidad and her wedding shower is actually today.

Wow

So my dad is out of the hospital and that is ALWAYS good news.. I also have a job!! That is wonderful news. I work part time at Bed Bath & Beyond and actually love my job. I have had many retail jobs but I believe in BBB. They train you in everything and you have to be certified! That's the key. They certify you in all areas after a test to make sure you do know what you are trained to do. It is a better way to know that you really know what you are doing.

There is a family that I really love here in Texas that I have known for years. I love this picture of her son Forrest. His photo shoot of Jesus is a WOW in my book.. I can't stop looking at it and you will see why.

Sunday, September 27, 2009 8:21pm

Today was a good day, even though church started way later than I want to go to church. I attend the Colleyville 2nd Ward in Colleyville Texas and I know a few people without even trying. There are a few people that know my younger siblings from the Denton YSA ward. There is one person I know from when I was attending high school. She is one amazing sister! And then there is my SUMO (Harvey). There really isn’t anyone like him in the world. I am entertained by the things people say about him and can’t believe what I am hearing. I heard he was shy and was anti-social. Harvey!! Are we talking about the same guy?

Today was fast and testimony Sunday because the General Conference is this weekend. I am actually looking forward to that! But after church, there was this Break the Fast at Bishop Vanderpool’s place in Colleyville. There were tons of people, some I already had met from Institute and Family Home Evening but the others well, how do I word this, they seemed like they didn’t want to get to know you because you were new. That is the vibe I got when I walked in the room but then you get the ones who are trying to change their way of thinking like that and want to become more social.

For example, there is this one guy, Daniel. He is a super really nice kid even though he did graduate from BYU. We will let that slide for now. We (me and him) were talking about things school, jobs, etc. etc. When we both decided to leave, he walked me to my car, he was saying if he had his way people would come to him if he wanted to know someone. He was telling me that he is this shy guy and he normally doesn’t go up to people and start up a conversation. He said that it would be nice to be generally happy all the time, like me. Thank you was my reply. I would hope that I am generally happy when meeting new people.

Sunday in my new ward is going to be good, I hope.

September 27, 2009 at 1:20am

I just want to start off by saying how much I miss my friends in Logan and John in Salt Lake. I miss hanging out with and having fun with the greatest "family" I had in Utah. I miss the late nights at Tummi Yummi's and the cool people who work there. I will definitely miss the winters; those were my favorite moments the 8 years I lived there. Wintertime with flip flops! I miss the 16 year old high schoolers I worked with in Hyrum and all of the smart remarks. I think I miss the Jewish jokes the most though. (I am a quarter Jewish and they did tell them in humor and not to be offensive).

The last couple of days have been awkward. I am not sure how to explain that but I haven't been sleeping well and with the last couple of events that I have seen or have heard about isn't really helping the situation.

If you don't know. I moved back to Texas to be closer to family. With my dad being sick and in the hospital a few times, I did want to move closer to him, you know just in case something went wrong. It is a 13 hour drive than a what 3-4 day drive to Georgia.

I have been in Texas officially for two full weeks and I have somewhat enjoyed myself, the fact that I run into people I knew before my adventures in Logan Utah and those who know my family. But on Friday night, I wish I didn't see what I had seen. The phrase me and my sister came up with (over the phone) was 'I see dead people'.. I really did, I was driving to go pick up a friend (she lives about 25 min away from me) to go to the movies. On the road I take to get to her home is blocked by cops and fire truck and whatever else was there. The detour route was through a strip mall parking lot and I was going slowly so I didn't hit anyone going to the bar. I looked to the left (where the scence was) and saw a person lying in the road. I didn't know at that time that they were dead! I make my way to where my friend lives and she doesn't feel like going since she just got in an agurement with her mom. Not a big deal, I was going to go by myself. I decided on the way to the theater that I didn't want to be alone when I came out of the movie that I just went to Blockbuster and rented some movies and went home. The same route going home was the road I took to get to my friends. The side of the road was still full of cops and emergency vehicles but there was a white sheet over the body I had seen an hour earlier. I got really nauseous and couldn't wait to get home. I saw the SUV that must have hit this person; the cops were looking at it like they do in the show C.S.I. This road is a major road without being a highway with a speed limit of 45-55 depending on what area you are in. I assume that this person was crossing this road (not at the cross walk) and the person in the vehicle didn't see him in time to slow down and just hit him. I really had a hard time going to bed that night. I finally fell asleep somewhere around 4:30am.

Today when I woke up, thanks to a friend in Utah, I have been thinking about a friend of mine whose dad passed away about a month and a half ago. When I talked to him just after the fall semester started, I told him how sorry I was to hear about his dad. He was cool about it. I was thinking about emailing him and asking him how he can be calm and be ok with it. It reminded me of another person I know that just lost his wife this last summer from cancer. He too was calm and ok with it. But I really want to know how they feel deep inside. This was my thought today (Saturday) until I received a phone call from my mom saying that my dad was in the hospital. He was admitted when he kept on running a fever in the 104s and his legs are swollen and infected. I think it is because of his diabetes and he hasn't really been taking care of himself the best that he could.

When talking to my sister today we were talking about diabetes and I had read that you could lose your limbs from it. She had told me that you could and if that were to happen with dad that he would be more depressed than he already is. I think that my dad needs to see a doctor for his depression, if he hasn't already, and get the help that he needs. That brings up the next thing that is somewhat bothering me.

My friend told me today when she had called to see how I was doing, told me why didn't want to go to the movies with me on Friday night. She had said that she had got in an arguement with her mom about her hanging out with me. Then she told me that she has been thinking about suicide a lot and how she tells her mom how she wished she could die. Even if she was joking, that isn't something you would joke about. She told me that she had told her mom that something is wrong and she needs to see someone to talk to. I really hope her mom is listening to her, I think she needs help.

I am still wide awake with a headache starting to form. It is almost 2am here in Texas and I can't stop thinking about everything that has been happening this weekend. I really do hope that going to church and talking to people will help me through these issues.

Texas

So for all those wondering how I am doing here in Texas, this is for you.

The road trip here was interesting boring! My parents took a different route than I did and I beat them by 6 hours. I was excited about that, just in case I ever want to go back to Logan for a visit. We (my friend Kinsie and I) went up through Colorado and it was pretty. Pretty boring! I did however visit a town called Helper, Utah. It was pretty small but it looked like a great place to live if you didn't mind living in the middle of nowhere!

As soon as we were in the Rockies, it rained a lot! So from Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas it rained! It has rained the whole time except two days here. The two days though the sunsets are so beautiful! I did take pictures but will have to post them later.

I am still trying to find work and hope by this weekend I will be employed. Money is low and I can't afford a tank of gas much longer!

something a little more happier

I am not sure what to write but I do know that I need something happier than the news about the landslide.

I am moving to Texas in three weeks and I am half happy and half sad about the move. I will for sure miss the weather here, especially the winters. The friends that I have made here and my favorite place to get frozen yogurt - Tummi Yummi's. Where am I going to get the best frozen yogurt at once I move away.

Ok so I don't really know what to say. I am out of ideas and it is getting late here on campus at the library. I will definitely have to write my thoughts down on paper first.

What I am thinking

So I think I am finished talking about the sad news of the landslide. I have been thinking about things I would like to do before I leave Logan for Texas. The list changes every time but just so you know and maybe you could help me achieve some of them.

• travel to the surrounding areas in the valley and take pictures. For example, Avon, Paradise, Wellsville, Hyrum, Richmond, etc... I thought it would be kind of funny to take pictures of the welcome to so and so signs.
  
• get new batteries for camera and take pictures of friends.
• I would like to attend the opera but it isn't a big deal
• I would like to go to the Utah Theater on Center Street (it has been closed for renovations for over a year, shouldn't they be done yet?!)
• tube down the canal

That is just a few of the things I would like to do. Maybe one day, I will be smart enough to write something down when I want to do it. I am not sure when that day will be but when I do, I am sure it will be a long list.