Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Thanksgiving and All It's Trimmings


This is the one time of year I will be sentimental, so soak it up to last for the next 365 days! I really do love Thanksgiving and for the past 5 years I have had to work and have not been able to spend it with my family, and while my parents will be in Colorado, I will be able to spend it with my sister and some extended family and I am very excited. So in the spirit of giving all thanks here is a small list of things that I am truly grateful for this year.
1. My family...they give me so much support and strength.

2. My friends...they keep me laughing and keep me grounded.

3. My sister....(I know she's techniqually family AND friend, but I'm so incredibly thankful that she is in my life)

4. Books....weird maybe...but they bring such happiness to my life...so on that note...being able to read as well!

5. My job....I have a great job and a stable job.

6. My health....something I think many of us take for granted.

7. Football! (And the Colts beating the Patriots and being 10-0 so far)

8. The snow....though I haven't seen any yet....ahh the little things.

9. My education...I'm grateful I have the opportunity and drive.

10. Music...especially lately The Beatles...so much emotion...so much poetry....so much art.

And so, as we eat too much turkey and too much pie and watch and hopefully play a little football, may we always be reminded of the blessings that daily grace our lives.
Happy Thanksgiving!

Monday, November 9, 2009

Catching some Zzzzz's.....


Is exactly what I am NOT doing. About 6 weeks ago I started working nights. I was quite apprehensive because if you know me at all you know I am absolutely NOT a night person. I get up at 5am every day and go to bed at 10, it's how I've always been, I believe it's how I will always be. So it was no surprise to me when I began to work nights that my already disastrous sleeping habits took a turn for the worse. To my surprise staying awake all night was not the difficult part of the equation, it was the sleeping at 7am part that threw me for a loop, and now the sleeping during normal hours is proving to be problematic as well. If you can do simple math you just calculated that there isn't another option....yes....I have apparently (please excuse the "Twilight" reference) become a vampire and do not need to sleep, at least that is what I am currently experiencing. On average I'm getting about 3-4 hours of sleep in any given 24 hour period, sometimes in 48. I am struggling to sleep during the day, my mind and body just will not let me, and now I'm finding it difficult to sleep during the night because that same body and mind now believe they are supposed to be awake during those hours. So what's a girl to do? I have no ideas on how to improve the sleep, I have however found several things to do at 3am when NOT sleeping.
  1. Read....classic
  2. Watch the A&E version of Pride and Prejudice
  3. Watch the extended versions of Lord of the Rings
  4. Go to Wal-mart
  5. Update my Facebook status....every hour....
  6. Personal Skip-It challenge
  7. Catch up on episodes of HOUSE and NCIS that I missed that week
  8. Resist the temptation to text those who are normal and actually sleeping
  9. Beat brick-breaker on my Blackberry
  10. Plan my wardrobe for the next 7 days

Friday, August 28, 2009

From the Kitchen....


If this is too "Julie and Julia" for you, that is not the intention and I can assure it will not be a regular occurrence! I have, however, decided it would be quite the beneficial skill if I could actually cook. Believe me, I can not cook. Seriously, ask my sister. So, in the name of trying new things, I shall attempt to cook. Tonight I attempted a recipe I found in a 30-minute meals book. It was "Chicken Basalmic and Orange Rice Pilaf with a vegetable medley." I chose this one because it appeared to be somewhat simple while including a few things I stay very far away from...spices...they scare the hell out of me! Well, it was an enjoyable experience, and while it was not up to Rachel Ray and Bobby Flay standards, it was edible! But what I'd really like to share are a couple of cooking tips that you will not find in any cookbook.
  1. Do not wear any clothing you were actually planning on wearing after you have finished cooking this meal.
  2. Attempting to cook for one, will inevitably yield at least 4 nights of leftovers.
  3. 30-minute meals take 1 hour, at least.
  4. DO NOT under any circumstances add that last pinch of garlic you think you need, trust me, you don't need it!
  5. Multi-tasking will not allow me to cook multiple dishes at once, but will allow me to keep a kitchen spotless while cooking one single dish.
  6. I still don't know how in the hell you mince garlic.
And thus, words of wisdom from the Kitchen of Chef Tristyn!

Tristyn M. Staley, RN

Yes children, it is OFFICIAL, I am an RN...Real Nurse...or is that Registered Nurse? Not much of a difference really! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!! Okay, now that that is out of my system! I passed boards and officially have a license to save your butts (I wanted to say something else but this is a family show kids)! I start Tuesday with some orientations/classes at Utah Valley Regional Medical Center in Provo and then will go through 2, 2 week rotations in different areas before beginning my job as an RN on the Medical/Oncology floor.

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

I Wanna Be A Rockstar!




I love music. There is nothing like turning on your iPod, or the radio, or Pandora, and just listening to good music for hours upon hours. There is something very.....soulful, about it. Almost like reading a book, it can take to a place completely apart from where you presently are. This is one of my favorite things about music. This summer I've taken the time to attend some concerts and immerse myself in on the things that I love most. Most recently it was some serious Rock! I love rock concerts. The energy is always exploding, people jumping around and screaming, and just generally having a good time! Last Wednesday, my sister and my dear cousins and I attended "Wednesdays Rock" at the Gallivan Center in Salt Lake City. Drop Dead Julio and 12 Stones were the invited guests. I'm familiar with the music of 12 Stones and definitely enjoy it. I've never heard of Drop Dead Julio. We had an awesome time! You know it's been a good concert when you enter without knowing a single, or very few, of the bands material, and leave having had a "Rockstar" experience. When the band can make you jump and scream and have an amazing time when you don't even know their stuff, you know it's been a good night! (Apart from Johnny Polo, who incidentally appears at every concert, everywhere!)

Sunday, August 2, 2009


HOLA! I have officially returned from the land of the lost......Yes my friends, I am done with school!!!!! Not forever, but I can officially become a Registered Nurse. It feels quite surreal thus far. As most of you know, it's been a long road for me, filled with several years of difficult events and school performances that I would love nothing more than to forget all together, but as with most life experiences, you learn and grow greatly from them. I do have a great feeling of accomplishment and am excited to embark on this new chapter in my life. I am almost at a loss as to what to do with myself and this new found immense amount of free time. I have given it a great deal of thought though and have come up with this....



  1. READ....I have tried to continue to do my favorite thing in the whole world throughout school, but it definitely takes a back seat.... a few on the list thus far are.... "Great Expectations," "Twelfth Night, or What You Will," "The Time Traveler's Wife," The Counte of Monte Cristo," and "Les Miserables" all of which are some of my favorites that I have already read but want to revist....obviously followed by or accompanied by many many others!

  2. Music....Listen to, explore, and experience much more than I have been able to!

  3. Watch Football on Sunday! (And go to church of course) because I will no longer have to work every Sunday, only every third! Hola Peyton!

  4. Learn to cook....relatively speaking of course. And when I say learn, I really mean it! My cooking skills are almost non-existent and should definitely be refined

  5. CLEAN! I love to clean (yes I am a freak like that) and a few areas of my life have taken a back seat so I am going to thoroughly clean...My room....My Jeep...and My apartment!

  6. Spend more time with my family and friends. The social scene has not been my friend these past oh, say 5 years! I intend on spending much more time with my parents, my sister, and my friends!

  7. Travel....I love to travel! Two on top of the list are Portland/Seattle-to have fun and see my brother/sister-in-law/adorable nieces and New York City with my amazing friend Emily-because we are that awesome!

  8. Spend more time outdoors....I'm pretty sure I have not seen the sun in approximately 5 years. My translucent skin can attest to that! I love being outdoors and am eager to spend more time there instead of my dark, dungeony apartment!

  9. Workout...I actually love to workout and have had minimal time to do so...until now!

  10. Sleep....I am quite certain that I am sleep deprived and will definitely be enjoying being able to get enough!

And there you go! And of course now that I have more time I will be keeping you updated on my awesome life! Untill then! Peace out!



Sunday, May 24, 2009

Happiness is a State of Mind

I stole this idea from a friends blog, but I loved the concept and thought that I needed to be reminded about those things in my life that bring me true happiness. And as I was contemplating my list the rather obvious thought struck me that it truly is the small things in life that make us truly happy and make everything else worthwhile.

Trisyn's Top 10 List of things that make her TRULY happy....

1. Getting up at dawn while camping and watching my dad and grandpa build a fire together.
2. Seeing my nieces and nephew smile.
3. Reading a book from cover to cover in one day.
4. The adrenaline rush I feel when watching my favorite sports.
5. Laughing uncontrollably with my little sister and then discovering we have no idea what we started laughing about in the first place.
6. Getting up early and talking to my mom because we're the only ones awake.
7. Seeing my grandparents hold hands.
8. The smell of a brand new book, especially if it's leather bound.
9. Listening to music while I'm in the shower.
10. The smell of the rain and the way the sky looks during a storm.

Here I Am

It's been awhile so I thought I'd let you all know how things were going because I know you were worried! I began my last semester of nursing school, and so far it's been a ride. It's going to be an intense and busy semester, but I'm looking forward to finishing and being done! I have cut back on a day at work because once I started the semester I kind of had a few panic attacks and realized I needed to take some time and let myself breathe. I have done a couple of my psychiatric clinicals which was not quite as terrible and I had imagined them to be. If you know me at all you know what a rational and logically thinking person that I am. And as I'm sure most can conclude, those with mental disorders and psychosis do not think rationally. Trying to reason with them is almost impossible, and that is something I struggle with. So while I am not thrilled with my psych rotation, I think it will be good for me. I've played basketball, pool, and cards and painted with these patients and it has been just fine! I have also completed my first shift in the ER and that was also not quite as scary as I made it out to be. Part of this I think was in large part due to the fact that it was an EXTREMELY slow day so I was able to take my time and learn alot. I realized I'm much more comfortable with my skills and abilities than I thought I'd be. So yes, this semester is going to be quite a bit of hell, but it won't last forever. And although I'm going to be extremely busy, I have made it a point to plan some very fun, shall we say.....diversions! Next week I am going to the Taking Back Sunday concert with my amazing sister and hilarious cousins. I am going to watch a match of my favorite sport, SOCCER, once again with my amazing sister. And last but hopefully not least, I will be seeing in concert one of the greatest musical talents of all time, George Strait. So here's to making it through the next two months and passing the NCLEX and maintaining my sanity!

Sunday, April 12, 2009

A Little Bit of....Contemplation


This post may have a little bit more introspective quality to it than some of my other posts. As all of you well know, I'm nearing the end of nursing school (at least this part of it!). This week we were given our "preceptor" assignments. This essentially means that for a certain amount of time during the semester I will be "working" in one specific area of nursing. I am going to be in the ER at Alta View Hospital in Sandy, Utah. This is the area of nursing that makes my heart flutter just a little! I LOVE the acute side of nursing. I love the feel, the flow, and the pace of the ER. So as you can imagine, I'm quite ecstatic about this upcoming adventure! I'm also terrified beyond words, and that's saying a lot for me, most of you know I'm not usually short on words! You go through nursing school gaining a MASSIVE amount of knowledge and continually trying to convince yourself that when the time comes you will be able to pull that particular piece of knowledge you need out of your head and apply it to the vulnerable sick person lying in front of you, always being reminded in the back of your head that this person expects you to know what you're doing and know the answer to any question they can come up with. I don't know about you, but to me that is incredibly intimidating! And while I know that the basics of nursing and the fundamental knowledge I have will not fail me if I use it right, I cannot help but feel quite inadequate. And while I also know that it takes nurses YEARS to gain most of their knowledge and expertise, and with that confidence, I cannot help but feel just a little frightened for what lies ahead of me. Just writing this post is causing my heart rate to increase because of the stimulation of my sympathetic nervous system and the release of a little bit of adrenaline! But despite these fears and feelings of inadequacy, I am extremely excited and know that what I have chosen to do is what I was meant to do. I love nursing with every drop of blood that runs through my arteries and veins and cannot really imagine doing anything else.

Thursday, April 9, 2009

Pottery....The Greeks Invented Pottery!

I am by no means an artsy person. I probably should be seeing as how I'm Greek, but alas, that gene hopped right over me! However, this does not stop me from making an honest attempt at it! So my amazing friend Becca and I have decided that we are going to start doing new and fun and amazing things. So as the first act in our new found zest for life, we decided to go to "Color Me Mine" in the Riverwoods in Provo and paint some pottery. It was fantastic. Two hours of channeling our inner "Van Goghs", listening to music, and laughing-can't get much better than that! I would highly recommend it to anyone contemplating broadening their creative horizons.


Thursday, April 2, 2009

The End of an Era


Tonight a small chapter of my life will write its' final words. Tonight is the final episode of ER. I have been watching ER since it first aired in 1994. Yes, you read that right, this show has been a part of my life for 15 years. I was 10 going on 11 years old when I started watching with my daddy, and here I am, 25 and saying goodbye to Country General. If someone were to ask me why I became a nurse, I would wittingly reply, "Dr. Ross and Dr. Carter." While each individual character has had a special place in my heart and can evoke any number of memories, it is these two doctors that will always bring a smile to my face. Dr. Ross with his bad-boy antics will always make my heart skip a beat and Dr. Carter with his innocence and slightly geeky smile will always bring butterflies to my stomach. The adrenaline rush I feel while watching the drama in the ER unfold is nothing short of watching a highly intense soccer match. And so, I cannot help but feel a deep sadness wash over me as I prepare to say goodbye to what has become a small part of who I am. Farewell Country General, may your Epi and crash cart filled drama continue for years to come!

Saturday, March 28, 2009

SHAKIN', NOT STIRRED.....


If you know me you know of the deep admiration I have for a certain British MI-6 agent. To use two of my new favorite adjectives, he is both brilliant and magnificent! Yes, I am aware that he is a fictional character, but that is what makes it so much fun! He encompasses everything a super secret agent/superhero should be! He's strong, intelligent, mysterious and sexy. And there's something inside of him that has been broken. Therefore you can imagine the excitement I was experiencing on Tuesday when the newest installment of James Bond 007, "Quantum of Solace" was released on DVD. I know there are some out there that were not very fond of this newest Bond film, but I thoroughly loved it. Daniel Craig has in just two films, become my favorite Bond. He has not only brought everything that Sean Connery built Bond to be, but has added a new depth of mystery and personal agony I have not seen other than briefly with Timothy Dalton. He is able to portray the character of Bond as I picture him when I read Ian Fleming's stories. He is absolutely magnificent! And so, I will leave you with five of my favorite Bond films. I love them all, but these are five I tend to watch over and over.
  1. Casino Royale
  2. License to Kill
  3. Dr. No
  4. Live and Let Die
  5. Quantum of Solace

Monday, March 9, 2009

IT'S GONNA BE AWESOME BABY....WITH A CAPITAL "A"


Yes kids that's right, it's time to dust off those #2 pencils and get them sharpened because March Madness has officially begun! With Selection Sunday less than a week away most of the NCAA schools will face off in their respective conferences in what has fittingly been dubbed "Championship Week." With a season that has seen multiple teams clinch the #1 ranking and then lose it just as quickly, almost as if they were walking through a revolving door, it is anybody's guess who will bounce (no pun intended!) out on top. The next four weeks promise to be nothing short of magnificent. And so, as Championship Week, and a great deal of March Madness, looms ahead of us I have been contemplating why it is I love the game of basketball so much. Is it the perfect mathematical arc of the three-pointer. Is it that instantaneous adrenaline rush you experience while standing in an arena amongst thousands of screaming fans just as the lights go out and a spotlight illuminates center court? Maybe it's that perfect swishing sound the ball makes as it travels through the net, hitting nothing else on its way through? Or is that exhilaration you feel for days following your favorite team's triumph over its arch enemy? Could it be that jaw-dropping wonderment felt when watching a 6'8" center elevate 3 feet over two defenders to slam a ball through a hoop standing 10 feet high? And maybe it is simply that feeling of personal greatness as, no matter how terrible a basketball player you may be, you sink that one perfect shot. For me it is obviously every single one of these reasons and so many more that make the game so great! With that, I am wishing you a very wonderful and surprising March!

Thursday, February 26, 2009

S-I-S-T-E-R

My mother used to tell me that someday my sister would not annoy me so much and that we'd be fantastic friends and that I would even possibly miss her. My sister and I used to fight like, well.....SISTERS! I used to get so angry with her for stealing my clothes or my hair supplies. I would get insanely upset when she broke or lost something of mine that I considered to be priceless. And while she actually continues to do these things, somehow they aren't so annoying and frustrating. As most of us are probably painfully aware, mom usually tends to be right. Well in this case she was spot on. I love my sister with all my heart. She is my best friend and I could not imagine a world without her. Although we talk about every day, we do not get to see each other that often. And so you can imagine my excitement when we were finally able to get together yesterday and "play." It had been about a month since we had seen each other, so it was long over due. When my sister and I are together we tend to be a little....shall we say, animated! We laugh so much it's inevitable that one, or both, of us pees just a little! This little visit was much needed by myself. I've had a rough couple of weeks and really needed a long day of laughing. And while my little sister tends to be a little impetuous, irrational, immature, and the most stubborn person I have ever met, I love her and love everything about her. And so, I have compiled a list of the top 10 things I love about my little sister! For those of you who know her, I hope you love her as much as I do!
  1. I love her insatiable excitement for life.
  2. I love her seemingly unending amount of energy.
  3. Although I hate it, I love the fact that she continually wants to hug me!
  4. I love her deep love of the wide world of sports.
  5. I love her very extroverted personality.
  6. I love her booty!
  7. Although her taste is often questionable, I love that she loves movies and music as much as I do.
  8. I love that she is willing to try just about anything.
  9. I love how focused she is about her career goals.
  10. And I LOVE that she LOVES ME!!!

Monday, February 16, 2009

Playlist of the Week....

This weeks' playlist is based off of "Breath" by Breaking Benjamin for no reason other than than I LOVE THIS SONG! So enjoy!
  1. "Breath" by Breaking Benjamin
  2. "Just Like You" by Three Days Grace
  3. "Tears Don't Fall" by Bullet For My Valentine
  4. "So Far Away" by Staind
  5. "Faint" by Linkin Park
  6. "When I'm Gone" by 3 Doors Down
  7. "Drive" by Incubus
  8. "Whatever It Takes" by Lifehouse
  9. "With Me" by Sum 41
  10. "Crawling In The Dark" by Hoobastank
  11. "Sooner or Later" by Breaking Benjamin
  12. "Calling You" by Blue October
  13. "Breaking The Habit" by Linkin Park
  14. "Time Is Running Out" by Muse
  15. "Step Up" by Drowning Pool
  16. "The Hell Song" by Sum 41
  17. "Unknown Soldier" by Breaking Benjamin
  18. "First Time" by Lifehouse
  19. "All That I've Got" by The Used
  20. "Pardon Me" by Incubus
  21. "Hands Down" by Dashboard Confessional
  22. "Someday" by Nickelback
  23. "Crawling" by Linkin Park
  24. "Whispers In The Dark" by Skillet
  25. "Wait" by Earshot
Rock On Kids!!!!!

Monday, February 9, 2009

OdeTo The Shoe Gods


If there were anything "girly" about me, it is the intense love affair that I have with shoes. I LOVE them. Some would call it an obsessive love really. We're talking Carrie Bradshaw obsessive. Not many people are aware of this obsession, I keep it hidden very well. But just between you and me, I often go to Nordstroms or any place that sells shoes and just walk around and try on shoes. You would never know however that I harbor this intense obsession, because as strong as the love I have for shoes is, the rational and practical side that dominates my psyche is slightly stronger. I am such a rational person that when I see the price of a pair of shoes that I have fallen in love with, I remind myself over and over again what a ridiculous thing it is to spend that kind of money on something so impractical. In my line of work and the day to day bustle of my life, I have to wear practical, comfortable shoes like tennis shoes. You simply cannot work a 12 hour shift running around taking care of patients in a pair of brilliantly blue Manolo Blahniks. So unfortunately, I very rarely purchase a pair of shoes I truly love simply because I cannot bare to look at a lonely, beautiful pair of shoes in my closet that does not get it's fair share of time on my feet. Today was not one of those days. While I did express a certain amount of personal restraint, I also caved to an impetuous feeling, something I very very rarely do. But this was love at first sight, and love at first sight simply cannot be ignored. The second I laid eyes on this pair of shoes, I knew I had to have them! A pair of chocolate colored high wedge BCBGirls size 9 just waiting for me to slip my slender foot right into them. It was definitely magic! So today I purchased just a little bit of heaven and brought them home and wore them around my apartment for as long as my cold toes could handle it! I believe every girl should know this feeling, and if you haven't bought a pair in awhile, go!

Saturday, February 7, 2009

IF I WERE A GREEK TRAGEDY....


I would be Euridice.

The other night I went to the "Opera" with my friend Becca and we saw Orfeo and Euridice. This is one of my favorite Greek myths. For those of you who are unfamiliar with this myth, Orfeo, or as he sometimes referred, Orpheus, was the son of Apollo and the Muse Calliope. Apollo presented Orfeo with a lyre when he was young and he played constantly and with so much heart that it wasn't long before he reached perfection and there was not a God or human or creature who could withstand the charm of his music. Orfeo fell deeply in love with Euridice, a forest nymph and they were married. Shortly after the marriage, Euridice was wandering through the forest with her fellow nymphs and was bitten by a snake and died. Orfeo was overcome with immense grief and he played and sang out this grief to all that would listen. He was so overpowered by his despair that he made the decision to descend to the underworld and bring Euridice back with him. He descended through crowds of ghosts and presented himself at the gates to the underworld before Hades and Persephone. Accompanying the words with his lyre he sang "I come to seek my wife, whose opening years the poisonous viper's fang has brought to an untimely end. Love, Eros, has led me here, Love, a god all powerful with us who dwell on the earth, and, if old traditions say true, not less so here. I implore you by these abodes full of terror, these realms of silence and uncreated things, unite again the tread of Euridice's life. We all are destined to you, and sooner or later must pass to your domain. She too, when she shall have filled her term of life, will rightly be yours. But till then grant her to me, I beseech you. If you deny me I cannot return alone; you shall triumph in teh death of us both." As he sang, the very guests of the underworld were brought to tears. It is said that for the first time the cheeks of the Furies were wet with tears. Persephone could not resist and even Hades himself gave way. They brought Euridice forth. Orfeo was permitted to leave with Euridice on one condition, that he not turn and look at her till they should reach the upper air. In this fashion they made their way through dark and steep passages, he leading, she following, in complete silence. They had nearly reached the outlet into the upper world, when Orfeo, in a moment of forgetfulness, to assure himself that she was still following, cast a glance behing him. She was instantly taken away. Stretching out their arms to embrace each other, they grasped only the air. Dying now for a second time, she yet cannot reproach her husband, for how can she blame his impatience to behold her? "Farewell," she said, "a last farewell," and was hurried away. Orfeo tried to follow, but was denied. He stayed in the underworld for seven days in great despair. The Thracian maidens tried to no avail to entice him. They became so enraged at him that they tore him limb from limb, and threw his head and his lyre into the river Hebrus, down which they floated, murmuring sad music, to which the shores responded a plaintive symphony. The Muses gathered up the fragments of his body and buried them at Libertha, where the nightingale is said to sing over his grave more sweetly than in any other part of Greece. His Lyre was placed among the stars. It is known as the constellation Lyra His shade passed a second time to Tartarus, where he sought out his Euridice and embraced her with eager arms. They roam the happy fields together now, sometimes he leading, sometimes she; and Orfeo gazes as much as he will up on her, no longer incurring a penalty for a thoughtless glance.

Although I consider myself to be somewhat of a unique "Greek Tragedy," this just seems like a "Trisyn-esque" story in itself. I would find the perfect guy and then die shortly after we were married. One who was so deeply enamored with me that he would brave the very depths of the underworld to bring me back to him, only for him to cave at the last minute and cause me to die a second death! However, I can't ignore that they were re-united in death. There's a little hope for you. But I do love this one and wanted to share it with you!

Monday, February 2, 2009

"STRAIT MONDAYS"

If you know me you know my love for George Strait runs deep and spans a couple of decades(the couple I've been alive!). He gave me many of my "firsts" when it comes to music. The first concert I ever went to was George Strait and the first CD I ever owned was George Strait. My favorite song is a George Strait song. He holds a special place in my heart. In preparation for seeing him in July, at the beginning of the year I initiated what I like to call "Strait Mondays." For about 4 Mondays now I have listened to nothing but George Strait and I love every minute of it. And so, for this week's playlist I have compiled a list of some of my favorite George songs, although they are all amazing! For those of you who do not like country music, I respect that, but I urge you to not pass to harsh a judgment until you've listened, and I mean really listened, to some classic George. There is a reason why he has more #1 hits than any other recording artist in history, that includes Elvis and The Beatles.
  1. "Baby's Gotten Good At Goodbye"
  2. "I Cross My Heart"
  3. "Baby Blue"
  4. "Blue Clear Sky"
  5. "Nobody In His Right Mind Would've Left Her"
  6. "Wrapped"
  7. "She Let Herself Go"
  8. "A Better Rain"
  9. "It Just Comes Natural"
  10. "If It's Gonna Rain"
  11. "Run"
  12. "Carrying Your Love With Me"
  13. "I Can Still Make Cheyenne"
  14. "Carried Away"
  15. "How 'Bout Them Cowgirls"
  16. "Famous Last Words Of A Fool"
  17. "Ocean Front Property"
  18. "Desperately"
  19. "Give Me More Time"
  20. "Chill Of An Early Fall"
  21. "The Man In Love With You"
  22. "You Look So Good In Love"
  23. "King Of Broken Hearts"
  24. "I Ain't Her Cowboy Anymore"
  25. "A Heart Like Hers"
Now this is just barely scratching the surface, there's so much more wonderfulness out there! Enjoy!

Saturday, January 31, 2009

THE TIME HAS COME....

TO CHOOSE A SIDE



SUPER BOWL XLIII


As many of you well know, I am a HUGE Indianapolis Colts fan. I love them, and I love Peyton Manning. If I were to ever find a man that mirrored him in any way, I would marry him on the spot. And so, as you can imagine, I was devistated when they lost to the San Diego Chargers in the first round of the playoffs. I have since reconciled with myself and have thoroughly enjoyed being an impartial spectator of the playoffs. However, now that we are on the eve of the Super Bowl, I feel it is time for me to pick a team to back. It has been a struggle. Do I cheer for the underdogs who have made such an impressive showing here in the postseason? With their seemingly growing momentum and, in my opinion, the better quaterback and offense, do I root for the Cardinals? Or do I go with experience and a defense that has dominated throughout the season and back the Steelers? Well, one side of the ball influenced my decision more than the other. In a scene from a favorite movie of mine, the USC women's basketball coach urges her team to "get lower" while doing defensive drills telling them that "Offense sells tickets, defense wins games." And, I fully believe that if Peyton Manning had had the Steelers defensive line, the Colts could have dominated the league once again. And so, in all their defensive glory, I have decided to back the Steelers in the upcoming superbowl. I do so hope for an exciting and worthwhile game however and fully intend on enjoying every minute of this wonderful 2008-2009 NFL season finale!

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

CLASH OF THE ACC TITANS






VS.






Tonight in Winston-Salem, North Carolina two of college basketball's powerhouses will meet in what is sure to produce intense feelings of euphoria. The Wake Forest Demon Deacons vs. the Duke Blue Devils! Now I have been a Duke basketball fan since approximately my high school days. Whether it's Coach K and his amazing ability to take a team and mold them into an outstanding squad that they would otherwise not have been or the fact that they remain year after year a college basketball force to be reckoned with I cannot say, all I know is I love to watch them play. For the past two years I have become a fan of Wake Forest, due in large part to the, shall we say, enthusiastic friendship my sister has with #23 James Johnson, who played high school ball in Wyoming, and you cannot help but root for the hometown hero. They have been quite impressive this year, rising from a preseason ranking of #24 to the coveted spot of #1, a further climb than any other team has yet to accomplish. And so, as these two teams collide, I find myself torn. Who do I cheer for? Well I have decided to remain impartial. I shall leave this one up to the Gods and pray that an amazing game ensues. May the best underworld being win, may it be a Demon Deacon or a Blue Devil!

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

500 Days Until.....


FIFA WORLD CUP 2010!


That is right ladies and gentlemen, World Cup South Africa is only 500 days away. Can you believe it? I'm pretty much over the moon about it. I've been waiting for this since EURO 2008 ended! Starting Friday June 11, 2010 we will behold the greatest althetic competition known to man! Thanks to a little coaxing by a good friend of mine back when I was a freshman in high school I got into Soccer(Football) and have never looked back. It stands as my favorite sport and I fully plan on attending a World Cup sometime during my lifetime. The excitement of it is unreal and the adrenaline rush unparralleled. So here for your enjoyment as well as mine, are a few of my favorite teams and the awesome players to go along with them.


Germany and Lukas Podolski





Portugal and Cristiano Renaldo



Spain and Fernando Torres





USA and Landon Donovan





I hope you're as excited as I am!

Monday, January 26, 2009

As my first(well sort of) post ever, I've decided to do something on one of my favorite things, music. One of the new features of iTunes is the "Genius" feature. And yes, I will admit it, it is freakin' awesome! I'm one of those people, which I think many are, that is usually listening to music that epitomizes the mood I am in at that moment in time. And if you're like me, you have an amazing library of millions of songs, and yes, it's a little annoying to skip through those millions of songs to find the next one that suits you perfectly in that moment. Well guess what?!?! Genius does it for you. Oh yes, I'm serious. So this morning, after a very trying week, I woke up not ready for a new one to begin. This last week I have been a little sad, depressed, and even a little hopeless. I pulled up my iTunes and going against my newly initiated "Strait Mondays" searched for a song to listen to. I began with "4 Minutes(feat. Justing Timberlake & Timbaland)" by Madonna. The main reason I chose this song was because it was energetic and had a good beat to get me going. Well I let my scroller ease on over to the Genius button and it created this playlist. Ironically enough, it wasn't necessarily what I was going for, but it was perfect. What I pulled from this playlist is a message of hope and pushing forward. Even the slow, "sad" songs have a message of picking yourself up and continuing with force. Very "un-Tristyn-like" I know, but hey, I was happy! So without further adu, here is this weeks' playlist, hope you all enjoy!
  1. "4 Minutes(feat. Justing Timberlake & Timbaland)" by Madonna
  2. "All You Need Is Love" by The Beatles
  3. "Blackbird" by The Beatles
  4. "I Don't Wanna Be In Love(Dance Floor Anthem" by Good Charlotte
  5. "God Only Knows" by The Beach Boys
  6. "Dreaming With A Broken Heart" by John Mayer
  7. "I'm Yours" by Jason Mraz
  8. "Hands Open" by Snow Patrol
  9. "Yesterday" by The Beatles
  10. "Bleeding Love" by Leona Lewis
  11. "Stop and Stare" by OneRepublic
  12. "Realize" by Colbie Caillat
  13. "Into the Night(feat. Chad Kroeger)" by Santana
  14. "Almost Lover" by A Fine Frenzy
  15. "On Call" by Kings of Leon
  16. "I Want To Hold Your Hand" by The Beach Boys
  17. "Megalomaniac" by Incubus
  18. "Screaming Infidelities" by Dashboard Confessional
  19. "December" by Collective Soul
  20. "Viva la Vida" by Coldplay
  21. "Warkick Avenue" by Duffy
  22. "Let It Be" by The Beatles
  23. "Open Your Eyes" by Snow Patrol
  24. "Stockholm Syndrome" by Muse
  25. "Beat It(feat. John Mayer) by Fall Out Boy

DISCLAIMER:

Sorry to all you amazing bloggers out there, but I still stand by my notion that blogging is just a little bit nuts! That extremely hypocritical thing said, I hope you enjoy the crazy and unconvential thoughts that will surredly escape the complex system that is my brain and subconscious. I decided to start this as a way to free my mind in a healthy way!