<?xml version='1.0' encoding='UTF-8'?><?xml-stylesheet href="http://www.blogger.com/styles/atom.css" type="text/css"?><feed xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom' xmlns:openSearch='http://a9.com/-/spec/opensearchrss/1.0/' xmlns:georss='http://www.georss.org/georss' xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6763896003841482371</id><updated>2011-07-07T17:20:57.563-07:00</updated><category term='singles'/><category term='rhubard pie'/><category term='birthdays'/><category term='scared'/><category term='old age'/><category term='scorpion'/><category term='bands'/><category term='Everybody Else'/><category term='morning'/><category term='music'/><category term='dating'/><category term='relationships'/><category term='benchmarks'/><category term='mother'/><category term='MySpace'/><category term='love'/><category term='toilet'/><category term='life'/><title type='text'>Mahana's Many Mundane Mumblings</title><subtitle type='html'>People never cease to amaze me.</subtitle><link rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#feed' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://shaunamahana.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/6763896003841482371/posts/default?max-results=100'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://shaunamahana.blogspot.com/'/><link rel='hub' href='http://pubsubhubbub.appspot.com/'/><author><name>ShaunaMahana</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/01290186735381474744</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='24' src='http://a80.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/01528/97/01/1528331079_l.jpg'/></author><generator version='7.00' uri='http://www.blogger.com'>Blogger</generator><openSearch:totalResults>13</openSearch:totalResults><openSearch:startIndex>1</openSearch:startIndex><openSearch:itemsPerPage>100</openSearch:itemsPerPage><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6763896003841482371.post-7459654052039707782</id><published>2011-06-16T18:02:00.003-07:00</published><updated>2011-06-16T18:04:01.350-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Win a trip to Paris</title><content type='html'>I think this is definitely worth breaking my personal blogs 2+ years of silence. I love this blog. Plain and simple. She has the cutest ideas and I love all the colors she works with. But best part, she's living in Paris right now and giving away a trip there!!!  Give it a look-see.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href="page%20http://ohhappyday.com/2011/06/goes-to-paris%20on%20your"&gt;http://ohhappyday.com/2011/06/goes-to-paris&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Hope y'alls is well.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Cheers!&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6763896003841482371-7459654052039707782?l=shaunamahana.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://shaunamahana.blogspot.com/feeds/7459654052039707782/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=6763896003841482371&amp;postID=7459654052039707782' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/6763896003841482371/posts/default/7459654052039707782'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/6763896003841482371/posts/default/7459654052039707782'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://shaunamahana.blogspot.com/2011/06/win-trip-to-paris.html' title='Win a trip to Paris'/><author><name>ShaunaMahana</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/01290186735381474744</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='24' src='http://a80.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/01528/97/01/1528331079_l.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6763896003841482371.post-7473568991700119931</id><published>2009-03-02T20:28:00.003-07:00</published><updated>2009-03-02T20:58:54.495-07:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='birthdays'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='old age'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='life'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='benchmarks'/><title type='text'>Letters From The Past</title><content type='html'>My latest fascination has been with personalized stationary.  I don't have any, but I've been pining to get some.  Funny thing is I hardly write letters by hand.  Actually, I never do.  I did, however, while cleaning the other come across some letters I had written but never sent.  I wrote these about 4 years ago.  One of them was interesting to I'm going to relay the contents of it to you:&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Dated:  May 1st, 2005&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;"Dear _____,&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Happy May Day!!!  What's May Day you ask?  Well, I'm not even sure exactly what it's all about but I had a neighbor years ago who loved to celebrate anything; Kwanzaa, Administrative Assistants Day.  You name is and she found a way to celebrate it.  So for May Day, she would give us popcorn balls in little bags with road signs on the bag.  Good times.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I also had a birthday last month.  I'm now an oh-so-fabulous 22 years old.  But 22 isn't really one of what I call the "landmark" birthdays.  For example, 1.  Being 1 year old is a huge thing.  It means you've survived &lt;span style="font-style: italic;"&gt;most&lt;/span&gt; of the perils that can befall infants.  8 is big because it's the Age of Accountability.  From that point on, anything you say or do can and WILL be used against you in the courts of Heaven.  12 is big for boys.  They can become a "Geek"-on (Deacon) and receive the &lt;span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0"&gt;Aaronic&lt;/span&gt; priesthood.  The next landmark birthday is 16.  This is special for several reasons.  Obvious ones are you can get a drivers license and you're supposedly old enough to date.  The IRS likes 16 because that's when you have to start &lt;span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1"&gt;shellin&lt;/span&gt;' out money for taxes.  At 18 you become legal and go to college (some people, like you, start earlier).  Then the grand 21.  People outside of the church celebrate it just a bit more because at this point, they don't have to show fake &lt;span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2"&gt;ID's&lt;/span&gt; anymore.  Then 25.  If you live to 75, the you're a &lt;span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3"&gt;third&lt;/span&gt; of the way through this life at 25.  30 is next.  You're supposed to be all grown up by 30.  All the succeeding birthday "landmarks" fall every decade after 30 (if you make it to them, it's a big deal).  That's just that way I think it goes.  Oh, I almost forgot; 19 is big for boys as it is the mission age.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The weather here is PERFECT!  Right now it's about 74 degrees outside.  Just lovely.  Obviously, this isn't going to last much longer though.  I try to savor the last of these cool days by keeping the windows open at home or in the car."&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;That's the whole letter.  What are your thoughts about "landmark" birthdays?&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6763896003841482371-7473568991700119931?l=shaunamahana.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://shaunamahana.blogspot.com/feeds/7473568991700119931/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=6763896003841482371&amp;postID=7473568991700119931' title='3 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/6763896003841482371/posts/default/7473568991700119931'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/6763896003841482371/posts/default/7473568991700119931'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://shaunamahana.blogspot.com/2009/03/my-latest-fascination-has-been-with.html' title='Letters From The Past'/><author><name>ShaunaMahana</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/01290186735381474744</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='24' src='http://a80.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/01528/97/01/1528331079_l.jpg'/></author><thr:total>3</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6763896003841482371.post-5567187365846160698</id><published>2008-12-11T11:49:00.006-07:00</published><updated>2008-12-11T12:09:05.522-07:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='scared'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='toilet'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='scorpion'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='mother'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='morning'/><title type='text'>Why you shouldn't mess with Shauna in the morning.</title><content type='html'>I was RUDELY awakened this morning (I usually don't get up before 9:30). My poor mother came rushing into my room and threw open the door at about 7:40AM:&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;"Shauna! Get up, I need you to keep an eye on something while I drop Stacey off at school. Put your contacts in!"&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;"WHAT IS GOING ON MOM??!!" I say somewhat annoyed, somewhat worried.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;"There's a scorpion that I need you to keep an eye on. Dad can't come home yet to kill it."&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;"OK, ok. Where is it?"&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;"On the ceiling in my bathroom." So we have a peeping Tom on our hands eh?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;"Fine, I'll be there in a min." I proceeded to put on some thick heeled, close-toe shoes, put my contacts in and groggily go into her bathroom. The ceiling is vaulted in there, at least 12 feet high. At the corner of one wall and ceiling and above the sink area, there it is, my nemesis of the morning. It's only 3 inches long, but it's the reason I'm up so early...&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:130%;"&gt;THE SCORPION MUST DIE!&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Courtney is up also, so I enlist her help. I send her to get some thick leather working gloves from the garage whilst I grab the telescoping window washing rod from the laundry room. I also make a quick run into my room where I grab one of my biggest and widest school textbooks, "Broadway" (so fitting). I run back and the scorpion has moved about a foot to the left from where it was before. I can't risk it going too far to the left otherwise it will land on the ledge above the doorway to the toilet room and I'll have to climb up there to get at it. Ain't no way I'm gonna let that happen.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I devise my plan. I must knock it down with the rod onto the sink counter a couple of feet to the right of where it is currently, then slam the book on it. It must have psychic powers because as soon as it started thinking the plan, it suddenly started to move in the opposite direction of where I need it to go. "STOP you son of a...." Courtney walked into the room so I didn't finish what I was going to say, which of course was 'biscuit'. As a safety precaution, I put the stiff leather gloves on my hands in the possibility that A) the scorpion jumps either onto the rod, B) it falls down on the carpet, or C) if it jumps at me, hopefully I can swat it with my super-fast Jedi reflexes (ha) before it can sting me. "Courtney, I may need you to throw the book onto it once I knock it down. I don't know how fast it will be. You have to literally slam it down like you would a pog. Got it?" She nods her head.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;My heart starts racing as I build up courage (and adrenaline). I pause and tell Courtney 'I'm saying a little prayer in my heart." to which she chimes in the song "I say a little prayer for you!" Thanks Courtney, real sacreligous and way to kill the moment. I take a deep breath and....Oh crap, it's on the move again! Didn't your momma tell you to hold still during prayer! I shout out "Die you scorpion scum!" and take a swipe at it. Crap again, it fell on the ledge, no! But wait, it's back on the wall again, racing over above the sink. I got you now! I take swipe number two......... It hits the surface of the bathroom counter top. Courtney spryly tosses the book onto the monster. I pause for a moment, breathing quickly, focusing on nothing but the book. Did she get it all the way? Is it going to crawl out??&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I take two tentative steps toward the book. I don't see it trying to sneak out. For good measure though I make my gloved hand into a fist and pummel the book three times. 'Ain't no one ever gonna come back from that sucka'!' I yell in my head. It HAS to be dead now. Not 2 seconds after that I start giggling. Y'know, like the 'I super high on adrenaline right now and had a close encounter with something sinister' giggle. I sound crazy. Courtney sort of starts to join in.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;My mother timidly calls out "A-a-are you g-girls ok?? D-Did it move y-y-y-yet?". Unaware of my supreme hatred towards anything/anyone who gets me up early and frightens my mother, she has no idea that we have killed the beast.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;"Mom it's ok, we killed it."&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;"WHAT??!! Y-y-you killed it? Are y-you ok?? Did you really d-d-do that??"&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;"Yeah mom, every thing's fine now. The scorpion is dead."&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;HUGE SIGH AND EXHALATION OF BREATH. Poor mom, she was so scared! "Oh, my goodness. Oh my goodness. (tears start to well up) I hate scorpions and your father is at an appointment right now and wouldn't have been able to come home right away and (at this point I almost couldn't hear what she was saying she was crying so hard) I was so scared. I HATE scorpions" I put my arms around her. Oh mom, I didn't know you were that afraid!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;"It's ok, Courtney and I will clean it up."&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;"Ew, ew ew ew ew ew, where is it?"&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;"Well uh, whatever's left of it is underneath that book."&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;"Ew ew ew ewwwww. Here, use this fly swatter, or paper towel." She hands me both then runs over and opens up the toilet lid and then runs back to the entrance of the bathroom.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I cautiously pry the book from the counter and try to peek underneath it before possibly releasing the creature if it isn't already toast. Ha, yeah, that thing never had a prayer. It's flatter than a pancake and any liquid contained in it's body it ALL over my book. Great. 'I hate you, scorpion. See what happens when you mess with Shauna Smith early in the morning? It earns you a ride on the porcelain express. Later sucker!!' I think to myself as I put the paper towel containing it's remains in the toilet bowl and flush it to eternal sewerness.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:180%;"&gt;THA' END&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6763896003841482371-5567187365846160698?l=shaunamahana.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://shaunamahana.blogspot.com/feeds/5567187365846160698/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=6763896003841482371&amp;postID=5567187365846160698' title='11 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/6763896003841482371/posts/default/5567187365846160698'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/6763896003841482371/posts/default/5567187365846160698'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://shaunamahana.blogspot.com/2008/12/why-you-shouldnt-mess-with-shauna-in.html' title='Why you shouldn&apos;t mess with Shauna in the morning.'/><author><name>ShaunaMahana</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/01290186735381474744</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='24' src='http://a80.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/01528/97/01/1528331079_l.jpg'/></author><thr:total>11</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6763896003841482371.post-7540371026230777990</id><published>2008-11-10T16:49:00.002-07:00</published><updated>2008-11-10T17:05:21.382-07:00</updated><title type='text'>An Omen of Things to Come</title><content type='html'>Here's the basic low-down on why I've been a no-show around town lately.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;-  Went on a semi-annual camping/shooting trip with some of mis amigos to our regular spot just outside of Payson. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;- I started and finished all required courses for becoming a licensed real estate agent in just 5 weeks.  most people get it done in 8 weeks.  I've been a little busy.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;-  I took a weekend trip up to Provo to visit some friends and old acquaintances up there.  Wasn't as cold as I was expecting it to be.  However, my 3rd nephew, Carson Daniel Green, was born just hours before my flight was supposed to take off.  I got to see him as he was given his first bath.  So cute!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;-  After I finished real estate school, I went on a much needed vacation...to Mexico...on a cruise...for 7 days.  Yes, that's right, a whole lotti-freakin'-da week!  It was amazing.  I will post pictures and all of the details I can remember (it was like being in Shangri-la, some of the details are a little fuzzy) in my next post.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;-  Now I have to start studying all the real estate materials again to complete the school and state exam.  Pray for me that I will pass on the first try.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;-  I am in a new ward, High Groves, making it the 6th singles ward I have been in since I turned 19.  3 have been just in the past year.  Interesting thing is, I've never moved once since I started going to a singles ward.  That's Mesa for you!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;- I got a new calling in my new ward.  I'm now on the FHE committee.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;That's basically the basics (as far as I can remember) of what I've been up to.  Like I said, my next post will be rather lenghty as it will be an exclusive of my maiden cruise voyage to Mexico.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I hope all of you are doing well and happy.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6763896003841482371-7540371026230777990?l=shaunamahana.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://shaunamahana.blogspot.com/feeds/7540371026230777990/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=6763896003841482371&amp;postID=7540371026230777990' title='3 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/6763896003841482371/posts/default/7540371026230777990'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/6763896003841482371/posts/default/7540371026230777990'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://shaunamahana.blogspot.com/2008/11/omen-of-things-to-come.html' title='An Omen of Things to Come'/><author><name>ShaunaMahana</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/01290186735381474744</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='24' src='http://a80.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/01528/97/01/1528331079_l.jpg'/></author><thr:total>3</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6763896003841482371.post-1787823644998640535</id><published>2008-08-18T00:51:00.005-07:00</published><updated>2008-08-18T01:03:31.902-07:00</updated><title type='text'></title><content type='html'>Back in my geekier days (when I was actually proud of it) I used to subscribe to a daily email of Good Clean Jokes.  There's nothing inherently wrong with that except for the fact that I would actually TELL people the joke of the day for that particular day.  Sometimes when I tell jokes, it's not always a pretty sight.  I used to be &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;really&lt;/span&gt; bad and would start laughing before I even got to the punch line.  They're not kidding when they say timing is everything.  I spent many an awkward moment looking around the group for even a pity laugh.  Way to go Shauna-O.  Being as it may, I have however saved a few choice emails from back-in-the-day and will share one with you because it should apply to a wide variety of my readers (since I have a plethora of them).&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;These are all actual statements that have been spotted on t-shirts, signs and various other places:&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;pre face="georgia"&gt;"Real Men Don't Waste Their Hormones Growing Hair"&lt;br /&gt;(seen on bald man)&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&lt;pre style="font-family: georgia;"&gt;"Upon the Advice of My Attorney,&lt;br /&gt;My Shirt Bears No Message at This Time"&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&lt;pre style="font-family: georgia;"&gt;"That's It! I'm Calling Grandma!"&lt;br /&gt;(seen on an 8 year old)&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&lt;pre style="font-family: georgia;"&gt;"Wrinkled Was Not One of the Things I&lt;br /&gt;Wanted to Be When I Grew Up"&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&lt;pre style="font-family: georgia;"&gt;"My Husband and I Married for Better or Worse&lt;/pre&gt;&lt;pre style="font-family: georgia;"&gt;He Couldn't Do Better and I Couldn't Do Worse"&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&lt;pre style="font-family: georgia;"&gt;"My Dog Can Lick Anyone"&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&lt;pre style="font-family: georgia;"&gt;"I Have a Degree in Liberal Arts -&lt;/pre&gt;&lt;pre style="font-family: georgia;"&gt;Do You Want Fries With That?"&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&lt;pre style="font-family: georgia;"&gt;"Party - My Crib - &lt;st1:time minute="0" hour="2"&gt;Two A.M.&lt;/st1:time&gt;"&lt;br /&gt;(On a baby-size shirt)&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&lt;pre style="font-family: georgia;"&gt;"STUPIDITY IS NOT A HANDICAP.&lt;br /&gt;Park elsewhere!"&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&lt;pre style="font-family: georgia;"&gt;"The trouble with life is there's no background music."&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&lt;pre style="font-family: georgia;"&gt;"Suicidal Blond Kills Twin Sister By Mistake!"&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&lt;pre style="font-family: georgia;"&gt;"Two rights do not make a wrong.  They make an airplane."&lt;br /&gt;(if someone gets this one, please clue me in)&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&lt;pre style="font-family: georgia;"&gt;"My wild oats have turned to shredded wheat"&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&lt;pre style="font-family: georgia;"&gt;"Automobile - A mechanical device that runs up hills&lt;br /&gt;and down people."&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&lt;pre style="font-family: georgia;"&gt;"MOP AND GLOW - Floor wax used by &lt;st1:place&gt;Three Mile Island&lt;/st1:place&gt;&lt;br /&gt;cleanup team."&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&lt;pre style="font-family: georgia;"&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:georgia;"&gt;"Filthy-Stinking-Rich ...Well, Two Out of Three Ain't  Bad"&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:georgia;"&gt;"A hangover is the wrath of grapes"&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:georgia;"&gt;I hope maybe even just one of those was palatable for&lt;br /&gt;you fine readers.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:georgia;"&gt;Cheers!&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6763896003841482371-1787823644998640535?l=shaunamahana.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://shaunamahana.blogspot.com/feeds/1787823644998640535/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=6763896003841482371&amp;postID=1787823644998640535' title='2 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/6763896003841482371/posts/default/1787823644998640535'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/6763896003841482371/posts/default/1787823644998640535'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://shaunamahana.blogspot.com/2008/08/back-in-my-geekier-days-when-i-was.html' title=''/><author><name>ShaunaMahana</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/01290186735381474744</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='24' src='http://a80.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/01528/97/01/1528331079_l.jpg'/></author><thr:total>2</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6763896003841482371.post-7815927444483666371</id><published>2008-07-13T01:45:00.005-07:00</published><updated>2008-11-13T00:48:55.718-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Kuumbo has come to town!</title><content type='html'>As you probably noticed, I changed my blog look just a lot bit over the past week.  I think this one is definitely spunkier and sassy, yet cool and calming.  This is not at all a metaphor of me.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;It has been months since I've posted anything on here and seeing as it's nigh 2 in the AM, I will make this quick and give you the rough draft of the first portion of my story.  Let me warn you that although this may be a story about a giraffe, and stories about animals are generally categorized as children's books, this, however, is probably not a good book for kids, at least sweet innocent ones anyways.  This is probably the kind of story that I would have loved when I was younger.  It reminds me of the twists in Roald Dahl books ("Esio Trot" was one of my faves).&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Without further ado, I give you the first tid bit of the story of Kuumbo, The Spotless Giraffe:&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:130%;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:trebuchet ms,sans-serif;"&gt;One day, on the grassy flat lands of Africa, a giraffe was born.  As you may very well know, this is not an uncommon event in nature.  Babies are born every day.  What makes this newborn giraffe so special that I would deign write about him?  Nothing.  That's right, absolutely nothing.  Nothing as in the little fella had no spots.  Never before had anything like this happened in the whole history of all giraffe-dom.  Not&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:130%;"&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:trebuchet ms,sans-serif;"&gt; even in the time when the trend among them was to get themselves so caked in mud, none of them could tell their mother from their cousin (they did this because they thought it was an entertaining thing to do, much like going to a masquerade ball.  Giraffes love playing games with each other.  This, however, caused some serious problems whenever their herd leader tried to give orders to the rest of the group.  They all thought it was someone else pretending to be the leader so nothing&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:130%;"&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:trebuchet ms,sans-serif;"&gt; ever got done.  Needless to say, this fad only lasted a few years).  The fact of the matter was this: a giraffe without spots is no giraffe at all.  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:trebuchet ms,sans-serif;"&gt;There's two things that giraffes pride themselves on most in the world.  First is their long necks, then their spots.  This little baby's parents both had beautiful long necks and wonderful spots shaped like stars.  When his parents realized that Kuumbo, which means "blank canvas", had not spots, his mother went into hysterics while is father&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:130%;"&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:trebuchet ms,sans-serif;"&gt; hung his head in shame.  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:trebuchet ms,sans-serif;"&gt;"What do we do?!?!  What do we do?!" Jiihare screamed.  "I don't know, I just don't know." Blaa muttered while shaking his head.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:trebuchet ms,sans-serif;"&gt;A few minutes passed in the same shameful manner, neither coming up with anything more intelligible to say.  Finally, Blaa turned to Jiihare and he said, "The herd will be expecting a very beautiful calf.  We CANNOT show them this....Kuumbo."  He said&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:130%;"&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:trebuchet ms,sans-serif;"&gt; with disgust.  "We will just leave him, return to the herd and tell them it didn't work out."&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:trebuchet ms,sans-serif;"&gt;Jiihare's breathing started to become more regular and her heart slowed down to a calmer beat.  She regained a little bit more composure as this suggestion of Blaa's echoed in her mind.  Finally she said, "Alright, excellent idea."&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:130%;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:trebuchet ms,sans-serif;"&gt;I will tell you something now which may come as a shock (or possibly not after what you just read); giraffes are not the most loving parents in the animal kingdom.  Like koala bears, they look cute, but their not as nice as they appear.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Ok, there's the tragic beginning to this sad tale.  Please please please please, constructive criticisms are greatly welcomed and desired.  I still haven't figured out where I want the story to go at this juncture.  I hope that you liked it just the tiniest bit though.  Um, so yeah.  And here is also the first picture of Kuumbo I made for this story.&lt;a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_OdnMsDNZ27o/SHnFP_p-CVI/AAAAAAAAABc/ALJsEmugpcQ/s1600-h/Kuumbo+Adobe+shot.bmp"&gt;&lt;img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_OdnMsDNZ27o/SHnFP_p-CVI/AAAAAAAAABc/ALJsEmugpcQ/s320/Kuumbo+Adobe+shot.bmp" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5222422121488976210" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Oh and to give an update on myself (this is for you Big10) I graduated!  Yay!  That's right folks, you're eyes aren't deceiving you.  I finished my last every (or so my bank account hopes) class at ASU last week and now I'm official.  I guess it's on to growing up eh?  Meh, maybe a few months down the road.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6763896003841482371-7815927444483666371?l=shaunamahana.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://shaunamahana.blogspot.com/feeds/7815927444483666371/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=6763896003841482371&amp;postID=7815927444483666371' title='8 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/6763896003841482371/posts/default/7815927444483666371'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/6763896003841482371/posts/default/7815927444483666371'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://shaunamahana.blogspot.com/2008/07/as-you-probably-noticed-i-changed-my.html' title='Kuumbo has come to town!'/><author><name>ShaunaMahana</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/01290186735381474744</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='24' src='http://a80.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/01528/97/01/1528331079_l.jpg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media='http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/' url='http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_OdnMsDNZ27o/SHnFP_p-CVI/AAAAAAAAABc/ALJsEmugpcQ/s72-c/Kuumbo+Adobe+shot.bmp' height='72' width='72'/><thr:total>8</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6763896003841482371.post-8791971403116739592</id><published>2008-03-27T11:43:00.005-07:00</published><updated>2008-03-27T12:55:34.069-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Werx part 2</title><content type='html'>So FINALLY I put the pen to the paper to map out the adventure of my new little friend, Kuumbo the giraffe. I was sitting at a very unusual clarinet performance last night and felt inspired by the music. I normally wouldn't admit that the sounds the performer was making would be music, it sounded more like he just barely learned to play it that day (I guess that's how it's supposed to sound. Apparently he's been perfecting that technique for the past decade. Go figure!). Anywho, it sounded like the perfect "noise" to accompany the setting that my stories will be taking place in. I'm so excited to get this going! I'm still trying to enlist my sisters help in layering the image I've drawn, but I promise, he's going to be adorable.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;In the mean time, I do have something else to offer for your ocular pleasure. Again, it is the product of having to sit through another concert at school. (Just so you know, I don't waste all my time and money going to concerts I don't really pay attention to. It's a requirement for my degree. I have to attend 12 "approved" concerts throughout the semester. Most of them are classical performances by guest artists, but some of them are more "modern" in taste and therefore less easy to fall asleep to.) This concert was part of a Bass festival at ASU and it was "jazz night". I have one observation that I will offer about Jazz Musicians: They have no sense of time. I don't mean that they don't have rhythm (they have that in barrels and heaps). Just that they get so caught up in the music they forget that people, like myself, have short attention spans and that after playing a passage after so many times, if you don't have a great idea next, just end the $%@^ song! Sheesh. These songs only take up 1 page of music but these people drag it out to the equivalent of 47 pages. I'm not against jazz music, don't get me wrong at all. It's just there comes a point in the song when all they're doing is just beating a dead horse.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;OK, now I'm really going to get started on the goods for today. While being subjected to this, I realized some things about different genre's of music. I'm going to compare/contrast, classical, jazz, and rock audiences. I got a kick out if it. I hope you do too.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:130%;"&gt;Classical&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;-Audiences&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;-Smell good, shower daily&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;-Do not clap until entire song, including all movements, are finished&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;- Musicians&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;- Wear all black&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;- Best all around tone and intonation&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;-Both&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;- Hold completely still during entire show, even while clapping&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:130%;"&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:130%;"&gt;Jazz&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;-Audiences&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;-smell REALLY good, superb taste in cologne&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;-Clap or yell after every solo and at end of song&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;-Musicians&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;- Wear all black&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;- Best at sight reading and improvisation&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;-Both&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;- Bob their heads like they have a twitch, tap their toes&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:130%;"&gt;Rock&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;-Audiences&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;-Don't remember when they last showered. What's cologne?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;- Yell along with singer during entire song&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;-Musicians&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;- Wear all black&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;- Don't care about tone or intonation, just play&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;-Both&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;- Look like they're having an epileptic seizure, that's why there's Paramedics at all of the shows&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;The End&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;I'm sure there's other observations that I could make based on my concert attendance experiences, but I thought these were pretty funny and almost entirely true too!&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6763896003841482371-8791971403116739592?l=shaunamahana.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://shaunamahana.blogspot.com/feeds/8791971403116739592/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=6763896003841482371&amp;postID=8791971403116739592' title='6 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/6763896003841482371/posts/default/8791971403116739592'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/6763896003841482371/posts/default/8791971403116739592'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://shaunamahana.blogspot.com/2008/03/werx-part-2.html' title='Werx part 2'/><author><name>ShaunaMahana</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/01290186735381474744</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='24' src='http://a80.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/01528/97/01/1528331079_l.jpg'/></author><thr:total>6</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6763896003841482371.post-5592688570788708936</id><published>2008-01-20T19:50:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2008-01-20T19:54:36.724-07:00</updated><title type='text'>In the 'werx'</title><content type='html'>I've been thinking about what kinds of other epic posts I can put up here.  My friend and I were sitting in church last week and she, being a sufferer of ADD, could not sit still, so I told her to draw a giraffe.  From that I gave it a name, a story and that's what my next post after this one is going to be about.  Don't think I've forgotten, it's just taking me a while to draw the character and stylize it correctly.  Tonight I plan on doing some color rendering on it and you all will soon be able to enjoy the fruits of my labors.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I hope you all are well with school and that you're not having to run around like a chicken with it's legs cut off yet.  Yes, I did mean to type legs instead of head.  I think it's a much better descriptor of what stress does.  ;-)&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6763896003841482371-5592688570788708936?l=shaunamahana.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://shaunamahana.blogspot.com/feeds/5592688570788708936/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=6763896003841482371&amp;postID=5592688570788708936' title='2 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/6763896003841482371/posts/default/5592688570788708936'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/6763896003841482371/posts/default/5592688570788708936'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://shaunamahana.blogspot.com/2008/01/in-werx.html' title='In the &apos;werx&apos;'/><author><name>ShaunaMahana</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/01290186735381474744</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='24' src='http://a80.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/01528/97/01/1528331079_l.jpg'/></author><thr:total>2</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6763896003841482371.post-4779062101037993910</id><published>2008-01-03T00:00:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2008-11-13T00:48:56.384-07:00</updated><title type='text'>The usual new years update</title><content type='html'>&lt;div&gt;Yes, like all those people who send out "what's gone on in our family for the past year and you wouldn't really know this unless you have actually talked to or seen us in the past year" letters that often are included in Christmas cards, I too will give all of you, who I am sure have been sitting on pins and needles waiting for my next post, an update about myself. My friend, Mindy P., did something similar to this and I'm going to copy her idea.  Some of this will be true, most of it won't, and some things I wish were true but haven't happened yet.  So, in the spirit of those letters we love so much, I will also write one as if it were coming from my "family": &lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div&gt; &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"&gt;Hello Friends and Family!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"&gt;We hope you had a fantastic holiday and hope that this&lt;br /&gt;letter finds you in good health and spirits! Things around here have been so busy that we were a little remiss in getting these letters out in time for Christmas, but we still figured you'd like to start your year reading about how we're doing. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"&gt;My husband, James, just finished law school at ASU. We're so proud of this accomplishment. Unfortunately, there's not a lot of time for him to take a break from school though since he will be taking the bar exam next month.  He has been working for the District Attorney and will be promoted after we find the results from the bar exam in a few months. We know he will do a great job on the test! He is also serving as executive secretary in our ward and enjoys his opportunity to serve. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"&gt;In October, I helped to start up a charity organization called "The Cinderella Project" where we collect donations of formal gowns to give to underprivileged young women so they can attend high school dances.  It has been a roller coaster but once we get further along in it, I know we'll be able to help out more girls in the area.  Like James, I too will be graduating from ASU in May with a bachelors in interdisciplinary studies in business and music.  This degree has been a long time coming and my last semester I will spend interning for LuckyMan Productions, a.k.a. The Marquee Theatre in Tempe.  This was my ideal intern site and can't wait to get started there. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"&gt;Little Jaxon is not so little anymore, he turned 4 this year and is turning out to be a great help to his momma.  He just loves to take care of his younger brother and makes sure that there's never a dull moment in the house.  Jaxon would like you to know that "Trains are my favorite thing in the whole world."  What a goofball (like his dad)!  Jaxon also was a very good boy this year so Santa gave him a skateboard for Christmas.  Not a day has gone by since that he hasn't begged and pleaded to go outside and play on it.  His daddy keeps the video camera ready and films our "future Tony Hawk" in action.  Boys will be boys. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"&gt;Conrad is 2 now and certainly makes sure we remember that.  He loves to play with our dog, Pilot, and the two of them are sometimes inseparable.  He also loves to help mommy fold clothes and vacum the house.  Like his mommy, he is a very musical little boy and is almost always singing a song of his own. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"&gt;This space will be filled in next year for our next little one who is due in June.  We don't know if it will be a boy or a girl, but the older brothers are very excited for its arrival, as are we. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"&gt;We hope that things are going well for all of you. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"&gt;God bless! &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"&gt;Love,&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"&gt;James, Shauna, Jaxon, Conrad and (insert baby's name here) Marsden&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_OdnMsDNZ27o/R33-gSsIejI/AAAAAAAAAAM/sa01o19HZfk/s1600-h/july4boys_250x141.jpg"&gt;&lt;img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_OdnMsDNZ27o/R33-gSsIejI/AAAAAAAAAAM/sa01o19HZfk/s320/july4boys_250x141.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5151553379507927602" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;The boys on the 4th of July.  They love America!&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_OdnMsDNZ27o/R33-1isIekI/AAAAAAAAAAU/tuOULMIYKJU/s1600-h/James+and+me.jpg"&gt;&lt;img style="cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_OdnMsDNZ27o/R33-1isIekI/AAAAAAAAAAU/tuOULMIYKJU/s320/James+and+me.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5151553744580147778" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt; &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;Shauna and James at a Halloween "Hairspray" party.  Isn't he dashing!&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div&gt;Now back to reality, but I must admit, wow! That was a lot of fun to write!  Man, I'm going to have to remember that when some of these things actually start coming true.  Really though, I hope all of you are well, drop me a line, or a comment, or a dime, anytime.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div&gt; &lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div&gt;Cheers!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;p&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;p&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6763896003841482371-4779062101037993910?l=shaunamahana.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://shaunamahana.blogspot.com/feeds/4779062101037993910/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=6763896003841482371&amp;postID=4779062101037993910' title='9 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/6763896003841482371/posts/default/4779062101037993910'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/6763896003841482371/posts/default/4779062101037993910'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://shaunamahana.blogspot.com/2008/01/usual-new-years-update.html' title='The usual new years update'/><author><name>ShaunaMahana</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/01290186735381474744</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='24' src='http://a80.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/01528/97/01/1528331079_l.jpg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media='http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/' url='http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_OdnMsDNZ27o/R33-gSsIejI/AAAAAAAAAAM/sa01o19HZfk/s72-c/july4boys_250x141.jpg' height='72' width='72'/><thr:total>9</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6763896003841482371.post-2504571897168108334</id><published>2007-04-30T22:52:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2007-04-30T23:24:24.889-07:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='MySpace'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Everybody Else'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='music'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='bands'/><title type='text'>Everybody Else</title><content type='html'>Hey fellow rockers!  So I took my younger sisters to their first real rock concert tonight.  It was epic in many ways.  But mostly because of the band we went to see.   They're called Everybody Else, and I gotta be honest, they're not like all those rinky dink run-of-the-mill bands that are overflowing on MySpace.  They have a rock sound that I can only think of describing like so:  a poppy sort of rock with the chilled air of a surfer but groovin' enough to dance to and not care about what anyone thinks about you at the time because you totally get lost while lis&lt;a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://a239.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/20/l_3c7ba9ea72437b77590f1347e42b5f06.jpg"&gt;&lt;img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 255px; height: 255px;" src="http://a239.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/20/l_3c7ba9ea72437b77590f1347e42b5f06.jpg" alt="" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;tening to the singers smooth voice and the perfectly complimenting harmony vocals while at the same time having a solid bass and jiving drum beats.  Did that do justice?  I think not.  But I loved it so much, I think I'm going to go on a mini-road trip to see them again tomorrow night in Tucson, not kidding.  So check them out, I promise you won't be disappointed.  Everyone that I've introduced Everybody Else to (a little confusing?  take a breath) has loved them almost instantaneously, and you will too!   &lt;a href="http://www.myspace.com/everybodyelse"&gt;http://www.myspace.com/everybodyelse&lt;/a&gt;   "In Memoriam" and "Born To Do" are my faves.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6763896003841482371-2504571897168108334?l=shaunamahana.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://shaunamahana.blogspot.com/feeds/2504571897168108334/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=6763896003841482371&amp;postID=2504571897168108334' title='1 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/6763896003841482371/posts/default/2504571897168108334'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/6763896003841482371/posts/default/2504571897168108334'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://shaunamahana.blogspot.com/2007/04/everybody-else.html' title='Everybody Else'/><author><name>ShaunaMahana</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/01290186735381474744</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='24' src='http://a80.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/01528/97/01/1528331079_l.jpg'/></author><thr:total>1</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6763896003841482371.post-8255450294666787221</id><published>2007-04-29T00:11:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2007-04-30T23:25:13.395-07:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='singles'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='dating'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='rhubard pie'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='relationships'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='love'/><title type='text'>Heartbreak Hotel Part Uno</title><content type='html'>&lt;a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.myplasticheart.com/Merchant2/graphics/00000001/brknhrtrobot_blue.jpg"&gt;&lt;img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 241px; height: 241px;" src="http://www.myplasticheart.com/Merchant2/graphics/00000001/brknhrtrobot_blue.jpg" alt="" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;(Yes, this is another post from my MySpace, and it's the prequal to the blog just below, lucky you!)&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I know that isn't an original phrase, "Heartbreak Hotel",  But it's a great backdrop to start from.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I was helping out a friend a while ago by being the shoulder she leaned on.  Listening to her doubts, dissapointments, and sorrows caused mine to surface as well.  Her and I talked about pains of the heart.  I don't mean like a heart attack or anything physical like that.  But have you ever been ... so lonely, so ... afraid that you'll never find anyone to be with?  When you come to the realization that all your relationships, or lack thereof (like mine...maybe), leading up to this point have been for nothing.  And that you'll spend the rest of your life in the fear of growing old by yourself, living by yourself, and dying by yourself.  It's at this point that your heart not only hurts metaphorically, but it really starts to hurt physically.  Then you get this pit in your stomach, kind of like the sensation you get when you're on a roller coaster and you start to go down the first big hill, almost a free fall, but not the pleasant rush of adreneline.  It's the realization that all of your doubts, fears, and nightmares may just come true.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;That's just a brief description of the way my friend and I were feeling.  What brought us to that point, you ask?  Excellent question, I like to call it "the epidemic of a million little heartbreaks".  It starts when you meet someone, it could be at a party, school, through another friend, etc.  (Despite what people may say, first impressions do count.)  The impression you get from this person is that they are pretty special.  So you start to develop a tiny little interest in them.  Yeah, they're kinda cute, they seem funny, and intelligent, and you would really like to get to know them better.  So you talk to them for 20 min. or more, but at the end of the conversation no numbers were exchanged, no "hey we should hang out"'s even though several times during the convo you drop hints of "I could show you how to improve your bowling curve" or " I'd like to learn how to do (enter whatever it is they were just saying they were really good at)".  What?!?!  You tried your darndest to be charming, appealing, and downright alluring and they don't want to get to know you further?!  Yeah, that's a little hearbreak right there.  There's many ways they can happen.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Why do they happen to me and why am I so bothered by it?  Well, I guess it boils down to a few things  One is, I know who I am, I think I'm pretty cool, why doesn't anyone else.  Another is that although I'm no Rebecca Romjin, Nicole Kidman, or Selma Hayek in terms of physique, I know I'm not hideous looking, I actually think I'm kinda cute, especially my eyes (not to be too vain). Another can be blamed on girls who have come before me and played games with a guys head so much that they can't tell up from down and then they don't even want to let you near them for fear of being played with again.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Anyways, enough of that.  I hate feeling this way.  I hate writing about feeling this way because I'm getting a little twinge of depression.  Ergo, to sum it all up, this song, by John Mayer puts into words a fairly accurate account of my thoughts and feelings.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;b&gt;Love Song For No One&lt;/b&gt;&lt;b&gt; by John Mayer&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Staying home alone on a Friday&lt;br /&gt;Flat on the floor looking back&lt;br /&gt;On old love&lt;br /&gt;Or lack thereof&lt;br /&gt;After all the crushes are faded&lt;br /&gt;And all my wishful thinking was wrong&lt;br /&gt;I'm jaded&lt;br /&gt;I hate it&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I'm tired of being alone&lt;br /&gt;So hurry up and get here&lt;br /&gt;So tired of being alone&lt;br /&gt;So hurry up and get here&lt;br /&gt;Get here&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Searching all my days just to find you&lt;br /&gt;I'm not sure who I'm looking for&lt;br /&gt;I'll know it&lt;br /&gt;When I see you&lt;br /&gt;Until then, I'll hide in my bedroom&lt;br /&gt;Staying up all night just to write&lt;br /&gt;A love song for no one&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I'm tired of being alone&lt;br /&gt;So hurry up and get here&lt;br /&gt;So tired of being alone&lt;br /&gt;So hurry up and get here&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I could have met you in a sandbox&lt;br /&gt;I could have passed you on the sidewalk&lt;br /&gt;Could I have missed my chance&lt;br /&gt;And watched you walk away?&lt;br /&gt;Oh no way&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I could have met you in a sandbox&lt;br /&gt;I could have passed you on the sidewalk&lt;br /&gt;Could I have missed my chance&lt;br /&gt;And watched you walk away?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I'm tired of being alone&lt;br /&gt;So hurry up and get here&lt;br /&gt;I'm so tired of being alone&lt;br /&gt;So hurry up and get here&lt;br /&gt;You'll be so good&lt;br /&gt;You'll be so good for me&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6763896003841482371-8255450294666787221?l=shaunamahana.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://shaunamahana.blogspot.com/feeds/8255450294666787221/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=6763896003841482371&amp;postID=8255450294666787221' title='1 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/6763896003841482371/posts/default/8255450294666787221'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/6763896003841482371/posts/default/8255450294666787221'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://shaunamahana.blogspot.com/2007/04/heartbreak-hotel-part-uno.html' title='Heartbreak Hotel Part Uno'/><author><name>ShaunaMahana</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/01290186735381474744</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='24' src='http://a80.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/01528/97/01/1528331079_l.jpg'/></author><thr:total>1</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6763896003841482371.post-7643313459660718061</id><published>2007-04-25T00:25:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2007-04-25T00:30:57.651-07:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='dating'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='love'/><title type='text'>Heartbreak Hotel Part Deux</title><content type='html'>&lt;a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.monmouth.army.mil/museum/alaska/packmule.jpg"&gt;&lt;img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://www.monmouth.army.mil/museum/alaska/packmule.jpg" alt="" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:100%;"&gt;The past few guys that I've been interested in     (and even the one i'm into right now), wouldn't even give me the time of day.  Not because they didn't think we'd click, they know we did, but because they  felt so "broken" that they didn't even want to give it a chance, give me a chance.  They had too much....baggage....from their past relationship(s) that they totally sealed off their hearts.  But what they didn't even try was to just let go.  They were punishing me for things other girls did to them, which quite frankly just isn't fair to me.  I don't want to be a pack mule and carry around their baggage either if our relationship went farther.  So my word of advice to all of you peeps who are feeling the chains of past relationships holding you back from enjoying what could potentially be something really special, do what Rafiki (ya know, from the Lion King, the crazy baboon medicine 'man') just forget about the past.  Sounds SSSOOOO cliche, I know, I know.  And yes, I know it's hard to let go, but you'll feel SO MUCH BETTER once you do!  I promise!&lt;/span&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6763896003841482371-7643313459660718061?l=shaunamahana.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://shaunamahana.blogspot.com/feeds/7643313459660718061/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=6763896003841482371&amp;postID=7643313459660718061' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/6763896003841482371/posts/default/7643313459660718061'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/6763896003841482371/posts/default/7643313459660718061'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://shaunamahana.blogspot.com/2007/04/heartbreak-hotel-part-deux.html' title='Heartbreak Hotel Part Deux'/><author><name>ShaunaMahana</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/01290186735381474744</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='24' src='http://a80.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/01528/97/01/1528331079_l.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6763896003841482371.post-6350662074013403165</id><published>2007-04-12T01:28:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2007-04-12T01:35:13.166-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Wall Talkin'</title><content type='html'>(This is a repost from my myspace blog...with a few little embelishments)&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;    I thought I was doing so good.  People were calling me all the time, wanting to hang out or inviting me to their parties and whatnot.  For some reason though, now, all the people I don't want to call me, like certain guys I've been avoiding for years, are the only ones who do (well, with a few exceptions).  What, did I annoy everyone else?  I try to keep a safe distance and not slug people too much.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Ok, what I'm really getting at is this:  there are certain "friends of friends" who I thought were part of my first-string friends.  So what do I do, I call them, email them, text them, whatever, just like I would with first-string friends.  They respond in kind and we hang out, ya-da ya-da.  But I musta' miscalculated them because lately I don't hear diddly squat from them.  I'll send them a cool but not overbearing line about how I haven't seen them lately or how I watched a certain movie they told me to, or how I haven't  punched as many people out of spite, or how my mouth hasn't been spewing out "poison darts" like it usually does.  I'm trying to be a better friend all around and a nicer person in general.  I guess it's just not working like I had hoped.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Are all blogs meant to be "venting space"?  Is that their true destiny?  Or their unescapable fate?  How to the blog spaces really feel about how they're being used?&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6763896003841482371-6350662074013403165?l=shaunamahana.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://shaunamahana.blogspot.com/feeds/6350662074013403165/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=6763896003841482371&amp;postID=6350662074013403165' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/6763896003841482371/posts/default/6350662074013403165'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/6763896003841482371/posts/default/6350662074013403165'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://shaunamahana.blogspot.com/2007/04/wall-talkin.html' title='Wall Talkin&apos;'/><author><name>ShaunaMahana</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/01290186735381474744</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='24' src='http://a80.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/01528/97/01/1528331079_l.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry></feed>
