A lot of people don't like their freckles. They try to cover them up. I am not one of those kinds of people. I have an incredible, silly and unexplainable love for my freckles. They're just another part of who I am.

You are Locke. A mystery within a mystery. You're a fountain of backgammon trivia and an expert with knives. You might like pina coladas and definitely like getting caught in the rain. You prefer keeping to yourself mostly, but you'll tell your secrets to the right person. Are you evil? Your accompanying soundtrack sure is sinister.
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MaryAnn had moved to London to live with her boyfriend, only to discover that she hated the city and that he had a nasty streak. One morning at 6 a.m., after a tearful fight with him, she fled the house and was out walking the dank, grey streets, feeling completely miserable. Suddenly a dead bird fell out of the sky and landed at her feet with a plop. "That did it," she says. "It was a sign from the Universe and it was shouting, `Go home!' And I did."

Often synchronicities are simply a lark, a wink from the cosmos. Rebecca, a screenwriter, was researching the life of a mysterious woman, a famous writer's lover who had died tragically at a young age. Driving to Boston to view the writer's archives, Rebecca on a whim stopped off at the sprawling cemetery in the woman's home town, and quickly chanced upon her gravestone. On top of it was sitting a rabbit, its pink nose quivering. At the sight of Rebecca, it started skittering around in circles. In Boston a few hours later, she was reading through the writer's diaries when in the margin of a page, she came upon a few lines of curlicue, schoolgirlish handwriting, which she recognized as being the young woman's. The words? "Thank God for the rabbits and their funny little habits."

I'm waiting to hear back from my interviewers....the only problem is my significant lack of patience. The wait could last up to two weeks. I'm too excited and it's going to show in how I'm functioning the next few days. I'm praying that I get an offer....if I don't I will be very disappointed with myself. I know I shouldn't take it personally but I do...it's just a part of who I am at this point. My successes and failures are a big part of my life....and I shouldn't let them get to me but often I do.

To ease my mind I'm listening to music and trying to do some work tasks that keep me focused and busy.

Today's song: "First Day of My Life," Bright Eyes - I'm Wide Awake it's Morning.

Dixon's on Wazee and 16th near The Tattered Cover is fantastic for lunch. They have great daily blue plate lunch specials. Friday was a Chipotle Shrimp Wrap.....mmmmmm. If you're a book lover you will fall in love with The Tattered Cover, Denver's famous independent bookstore which actually has it's own Wikipedia entry.

This morning I'm in a calm-anxious state if that's possible. I'm fairly relaxed and optimistic but at the same time I've got a bit of fear that I won't get a job offer. All I know is that I did my best. I shared stories, I joked, I laughed, I played. Hopefully I'll be able to work for the Fund for Public Interest Research. They are making such a difference in Denver. They've managed to get light rail extensions in many local areas, they're working for clean and renewable energy sources....equal rights for all "partners" married or not....really a lot of varied issues that are so important for a socially just world. I think I would a good fit.

Today I'll be driving I-70 West through Colorado's Wine Country. I'm planning on taking tons of pictures because I know the color of the trees will be brilliant. I'm sure the wine will be great too.

Wish me luck.

Song of the Day: My Proud Mountains by Townes Van Zandt from Be Here to Love Me. (Sent to me, by Chris, for driving through Colorado.)

My home is Colorado
with their proud mountains tall
where the rivers like gypsys
down her black canyons fall
I'm a long, long way from Denver
with a long way to go
so lend an ear to my singing
cause I'll be back no more
I left as a young man
not full seventeen
with nothin' for company
but the wind and a dream
'bout all the fast ladies
and livin' I'd find
when I left my proud mountains
and rivers behind
So I rolled and a-rambled
like a leaf in the wind
Well, I found my fast ladies
and some hard livin' men
Well, I sometimes went hungry
with my pockets all bare
Lord, I sometimes had good luck
with money to spare
I made me some friends, Lord,
that I won't soon forget
Some are down under
and some are rambling yet
but as for me
I'm headed for home
back to high Colorado
never more for to roam
So friends, when my time comes
as surely it will
you just carry my body
out to some lonesome hill
and lay me down easy
where the cool rivers run
with only my mountains
'tween me and the sun
My home is Colorado

Interview went very well. I'm hoping to get an offer but I don't want to get to hopeful only to be disappointed. I'm just so ready to move.

Feeling tired and I have a long day ahead of me tomorrow...taking the long way home through Colorado's wine country. Should be tasty.

After getting into the car and sitting for a few minutes thinking I decided to take the route through Wyoming. Sure, it's a long nearly flat drive but it was shorter. I'd forgotten how many antelope you can see on the roads. There must of been hundreds in groups ranging in size from five to fifty. Everywhere. I'd also forgotten how cool Medicine Bow Forest can be. I really wanted to pull over and take pictures of the rock art nature had provided the drivers. Large boulder perched precariously on top of each other looking like large blobs of carefully rounded playdough dot the landscape between Laramie and Cheyenne.

Denver was another adventure all together. The "hotel" I had previously booked (Days Inn Central) was nothing that was advertised on the Days Inn website. I told the staff I wouldn't be staying there....they refunded my money and I have now ended up in Aurora (near the Denver aiport) at a much better Days Inn. They have bunny rabbits on the property. The one I saw was actually kind of cute....not at all like Shane's rabbit Buster. This one didn't scare me.

Now comes the waiting. My interview isn't until 2PM and I've been up since 4:30 AM. Too excited to keep sleeping I got out of bed, showered and had a good complimentary breakfast while reading my free copy of USA Today. What am I going to do with myself all day?

Any suggestions?

"Across the globe, this is a week to acknowledge the divine source of our lives. From Ramadan to the Jewish High Holy days to the fall equinox, we pay homage to the profound mystery that runs beneath the surface of our conscious awareness. " - Debbie Ford

After I read this I started to think of what things I could "cast away" that are keeping me stuck. Call them "sins," bad habits or whatever else you might....

I did this last night before I even read the email when I dropped my cell phone into the cup of tea I was drinking....instead of freaking out (for fear that I wouldn't have my cell phone for my road trip)....I just started laughing and fished it out. When it stopped working I used a blow dryer and let it sit overnight. This morning it worked again. Crazy how the universe works with you when you just go with the flow.

Fighting the flow of the universe is certainly one of my worst characteristics that I've desperately been working to change since my grandmother died. Acceptance is one of the easiest ways to move forward instead of constantly fighting against the changes, the future.

Today I will do everything to cast away my fear of going with the flow and just float on downstream with the universe.

I've dealt with lost luggage once...and quite well considering I was exhausted beyond belief and just wanted to go home and sleep. I had spent the night in a chapel at Dulles Airport with a friend because our flight was cancelled due to bad weather and we had no place else to go. The chaplin brought us some soda's and snacks and let us use his vcr/tv combo to watch video's that Melissa had brought with her. We spent most of the night watching Ewan McGregor in all his glory. However, when I got back to Salt Lake...my luggage had been re-routed. I didn't care...I was home and had plenty of clothes in my closet and drawers.

I am probably one of the few people on this earth who live for tangled Christmas tree lights. Now, don't get me wrong...I would rather not have to deal with them but if I have them and they're tangled...it's like figuring out a very complicated puzzle and I will sit patiently with them for quite a while in order to get them back into order. Tangled Christmas tree lights are a game.

Rainy days. It all depends on how many days in a row of rain we get. A few days, I'm good, I'll walk in the rain provided I won't get super-soaked by a wayward gust of wind and water. I love the sound of rain as it beats against the windows and side of the house, the clean smell of rain, the feeling like I could sit and watch lightening flash nearby all day. More than a few days though and I begin to crave sunlight and it's warmth.

How do you handle these three things?

Updated: 9:40 a.m. MT Sept 20, 2006
BEIJING - A drunken Chinese migrant worker jumped into a panda enclosure at the Beijing Zoo, was bitten by the bear and retaliated by chomping down on the animal’s back, state media said Wednesday.

Zhang Xinyan, from the central province of Henan, drank four jugs of beer at a restaurant near the zoo before visiting Gu Gu the panda on Tuesday, the Beijing Morning Post said.

“He felt a sudden urge to touch the panda with his hand,” and jumped into the enclosure, the newspaper said.

The panda, who was asleep, was startled and bit Zhang, 35, on the right leg, it said. Zhang got angry and kicked the panda, who then bit his other leg. A tussle ensued, the paper said.

“I bit the fellow in the back,” Zhang was quoted as saying in the newspaper. “Its skin was quite thick.”

Other tourists yelled for a zookeeper, who got the panda under control by spraying it with water, reports said. Zhang was hospitalized.

Newspaper photographs showed Zhang lying on a hospital bed with blood-soaked bandages and a seam of stitches running down his leg.

‘No one ever said they would bite’
The Beijing Youth Daily quoted Zhang as saying that he had seen pandas on television and “they seemed to get along well with people.”

“No one ever said they would bite people,” Zhang said. “I just wanted to touch it. I was so dizzy from the beer. I don’t remember much.”

Ye Mingxia, a spokeswoman for the Beijing Zoo, confirmed the incident happened but would not give any details. She said Gu Gu was “healthy.”

“We’re not considering punishing him now,” Ye said in a telephone interview. “He’s suffered quite a bit of shock.”

Copyright 2006 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters.

Do you like to use post-it notes?
They make for great practical jokes at work.

Would you rather be attacked by a big bear or a swarm of bees?
Depends on the kind of bear...grizzly? I'll take the bees.

Do you like BBQ sauce on top of your potatoes?
No, but potato chips dipped in BBQ sauce was popular with my high school class. So was Wendy's French Fries dipped in a Frosty.

Do you ever dance even if there’s no music playing?
Yes.

When was the last time you wrote a letter to someone on paper?
A few years ago to Judes...we should start that again.

Can you change the oil on a car?
No.

Ever gotten a speeding ticket?
I've been pulled over for speeding but didn't get a ticket.

Ran out of gas?
Not yet.

Favorite kind of sandwich?
Peanut Butter and Jelly

Best thing to eat for breakfast?
Oatmeal or Pancakes

What is your usual bedtime?
Depends on how tired I am on any given night...usually between 10 and midnight.

Are you stubborn?
Ha! If you only knew.

Ever used a gun?
Yes.

Favorite fruit pie?
Peach

Occupations you wanted to be when you were a kid?
Astronaut, Marine Biologist

Do you believe in ghosts?
Yes.

Ever have a Deja-vu feeling?
A few times.

First concert?
The Monkees.

Nike or Adidas?
Sketchers.

Ever take dance lessons?
I took tap as a kid.

Is there a profession you picture your (future) spouse doing?
As long as they're employed and not doing anything illegal it doesn't matter.

Have you ever cried because you were so happy?
Yes

Do you burn incense?
No. But I do have a candle warmer.

Ever been in love?
Yes.

Tea or coffee?
Depends on what time it is...

Favorite kind of cookie?
Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip

Which are better black or green olives?
Green - need random amusement...give one to a cat.

Best room for a fireplace?
Bedroom

Do you want to get married?
Someday...maybe...if I met the right boy.

Who was your Middle School crush?
Nick Schiffman....he was actually my crush from Kindergarten through Middle School.

Do you want kids?
Maybe...again, someday.

What are your favorite colors?
I'm an equal opportunity lover of colors....well, I take that back except for anything neon.

Do you miss anyone right now?
Yes a few people.

Who do you wanna see right now?
Anyone friendly.

As freaky as the man was you have to admit that good 'ole Ben Franklin was willing to say what was on his mind when he needed to and keep his mouth shut when it was appropriate to the situation. I, on the other hand, sometimes find it very hard to keep my mouth shut. I'll stay quiet to a certain extent but sometimes when the situation just gets to be too much I'll spout off what I'm really feeling. I like to say that I'm the kind of person who usually wears their emotions on their sleeve. Which is true for the most part. I'm usually not afraid to let people know that I'm sad, scared, happy, overjoyed, exuberant...in annoyingly obnoxious good moods. However, I've realized that I'm terrified to let people know when I'm angry. Perhaps that is because "anger leads to the Dark Side." (Have you ever noticed that in most situations a quote from Star Wars fits right in? That's another Blog topic altogether....)

This realization just came to me this morning as I was stirring my coffee and thinking of a co-worker I don't get along with particularly well. I don't like to spend time around her because she makes me uncomfortable in so many ways. I realized I'm angry at her behavior from the last few months. She's had a hellish time and I can appreciate that.....but really, we're trying to be kind to her and all we get is a sour expression and bad attitude. Meow. There is just a point where no matter how much you give....you give 'til it hurts....the withdrawals from the kindness bank bankrupt you. At that point, I get angry and just figure it's time to give up on that endeavor with that specific person.

I guess there are just times when a person really can't accept the kindness and support of others. That's really sad.