More Niagara & Palmyra Photos

Flex just took such great photos that I need to share more with the world. Enjoy!

Niagara & Palmyra

The Family Fall Foliage Tour was a great time. It started out with some great tunes while driving across New Jersey. My excellent car dancing while driving induced a passing passenger to snap my picture with his camera phone. To whomever has my picture on their camera phone...I was dancing to the stellar tunes of Chocolate by Snow Patrol.

Our tour started at Niagara Falls where we were able to soak up some mist and majestic water falling over big tall cliffs. The newly nicknamed Flex (a.k.a. my youngest brother) took some stellar shots of the falls during the day and night. I think the highlight of the trip was the Maid of the Mist. We strapped on the attractive blue poncho and boarded the boat to chug deep into the mists of the Falls.



After our half day of Niagara fun including the worst Outback Steakhouse dinner ever; we jumped into the Saturn voiture to head to the lovely town of Pittsford, NY. Luckily the bad Outback meal was completely erased with a wonderful sojourn to the Cheesecake Factory. The 45 minutes wait was SO worth it. The next morning we woke up early to travel the quick 30 minutes to Palmyra. We first stopped at the Hill Cumorah Visitors Center where we hiked to the top on the most beautiful fall day ever. Our next stop was the Smith Family Farm and the Sacred Grove. I think the Sacred Grove has to be the most glorious and tranquil place. Leaves were changing and the breeze was blowing. It was amazing. After the lunch stop at Subway we had the best and quickest tour of the Grandin Building where the Book of Mormon was first published. So appreciate the lovely senior sister from Glendale, Arizona. Quick tours always end up being the most informative and the best!

Last but not least was driving to Schnectady for some fun in the Residence Inn where apparently every person there enjoys a nice dinner at the local chain restaurant. Thankfully the last night of our tour ended with a wonderful trek to Target. Hooray for Target!

Other fantastic highlights were singing Carpenters hits with my Joani, deciding which grotesque fast food joint to patronize at the local rest stop, swapping music with the brother and sister, as well as the laughter, chatting and overall bonding between all of us kiddies with our mommy.

Hairapy

This past weekend I spent up in Connecticut with Claire. It was a much needed repreive of my NY life before the family descends upon me. Another motivation for visiting Claire was she was the one with the sharp hair cutting scissors. My luscious mane had become damaged and faded from my habitual cleaning and curling. So the weekend was two-fold: 1st, enjoy some quality time with Claire talking, eating and watching The Rock and 2nd, take back control of the tresses.

I'm happy to say that both missions were successfully completed. The hairapy was great especially when it included Outback Steakhouse, home back cookies, Target shopping and a trip to one of the largest supermarkets I have ever seen. It was also nice to drive around the gorgeous lands of Connecticut in a nice car with tunes blaring while viewing the beginnings of the fall foliage season. I hope to repeat the hairapy session with Claire in at least 6-8 weeks. :)

I'm a Planner

One charateristic that is very obvious in my repertoire is that I am a planner. I love all the details of putting together a trip, event, meal or just about anything else. So right now is total planner season because my Joani, Punkin & Moocher are all coming from the west this week. We are renting a vehicle to drive up to Niagara Falls (the Canadian side) and stop in Palmyra. It's these types of excursions that get me giddy with excitement to plan our route, hotels, activities, etc. Needless to say, my planner gene has kicked into overdrive.

I've made no secret about my Hawaiian vacation for the big birthday next year. Right now I only have 263 days or 37 1/2 weeks to put together the itinerary for this sojourn in the islands. Hopefully I'll be able to plan everything within that time frame. Please forward any ideas for activities while in Oahu for my consideration. :)

The Other Provo

Holy cow...there's another Provo! I think if people ask me about Provo I'm going to automatically assume they mean this one. How much do I love the fact that they have a disclaimer at the top saying "not Provo Utah". Love it!

Mets Curse Continues...

...The 3rd Annual Baseball FHE Night came and went. This year we had 3,500 members and friends of the Church attend a Mets v. Nationals game. It was a gorgeous evening and the missionary choir as well as Highbench performed very well during the pre-game activities. It was a very enjoyable time; however my presence led to the downfall of the Mets victory.

I have yet to witness a win by a New York team. That is five years of defeats whenever I am in attendance. The worst came on Sunday, September 30th. The Mets were in a do or die situation with the Phillies. I went to the game instead of Church (sorry Mom) and low and behold the team fell apart in the top of the first inning. The Pinky curse continues. I feel like I should write a nice note to the Mets organization swearing to never attend crucial games for the rest of my life. A nice game in the middle of May would be perfect. No pressure if the curse continues.

It was a good time on Sunday with Bowler, Beemer and Dancing Queen. We got some free food, free tickets and Dancing Queen even won something in the Mets memoribilia raffle.

The Man, the Myth, the Legend

My brother Big Lug celebrated a birthday yesterday. Happy Birthday brother! I promise to get the BYU victory over New Mexico recorded on a DVD and sent to you ASAP. I'm lucky to be your sister and I love you very much. Enjoy this next year of your life.

Here are a few of my favorite Big Lug shots from the past few years:

Ticket Buying Mode

I'm back to buying tickets to things. I thought the purchasing had ceased with the US Open but apparently there are more things to do and see in New York. The great ticket buying party has included the following events:

So You Think You Can Dance tour - Saturday, Sept. 29th
Jimmy Eat World - Friday, November 9th
Pygmalion - Friday, November 16th

I'm so excited to attend all of these but probably Jimmy Eat World is top priority.

Five Years in the NYC

My five year New York anniversary has come and gone with little fanfare and excitement. I went to work, coordinated the Mormon Night at Shea Stadium a little more and did dishes. A New Yorker's life can't get more exciting.

Right now I'm sitting in my living room wearing lounge pants, Mickey t-shirt and watching Top Chef on Bravo TV. The thing is that my life here in the city isn't vastly different from what it would be if I was living in Long Beach, California or Mesa, Arizona. My current living situation is just a bit more expensive than those other locales.

My choice to move to New York was one of the easiest decisons I have made in my life. It has shaped who I am and given me the chance to realize some of my goals and dreams. Could I get any more cheesy?

Happy Anniversary to me!

A Day Away...

...from my FIVE year anniversary of moving to this amazing city. It is hard to believe that five years have come and gone. Luckily I have many, many, many things to show for it. That's the beauty of New York, the fact that I can literally chart the events, milestones, and character insights I have seen, heard, experienced, or realized because of my interaction with this city's culture, people, events and food. I can promise you that it wouldn't be the same had I elected to stay in Southern California or heaven forbid, Utah.

Tomorrow I will share some of my highlights as a transplant New Yorker. Oh the anticipation!

Subway Mathematics

Today on my 6 train journey to work I found myself wondering just how much money over the five years I've been a New York resident has gone to the good ole boys at the MTA. So when I got to work I opened my trusty Excel spreadsheet to try and figure out the final amount I have spent for less than stellar transportation on the buses and trains. The grand total for a service that isn't tangible or long-term was over $6,000. Now broken down that's about $1,200 a year to go from the 96th Street Station to the 51st Street station at least twice a day during the week. Yikes!

To make myself feel better I decided to figure out how much I would be spending if I purchased my dream car, Volkswagon Passat. Needless to say, with my luxury standard of living, the purchase of a car, gas, insurance and upkeep would far outweigh the amount of money I spend annually on the subway and bus system of NYC.

If only the subway and bus would drop me at my door, allow me to sing along out loud to music, and put my bags in the trunk then I would have the best of both worlds.

Jimmy Eat World New CD

Most of my friends know that I am a big music fan. You will find pretty much all genres of music in my iTunes library - yes even some country thanks to Texan. I get most excited when some of my favorite artists bring new tunes to the musical masses. One of my top five favorite bands is back with a vengence. Not only are they are a great band but also have the same hometown roots of Mesa, Arizona as I do.

Jimmy Eat World is bringing the musical joy back to my life with a new CD entitled Chase This Light (available for pre-order on iTunes now) on Tuesday, October 16th! Everyone get ready for some great, melodic, hard rock 'n roll. Mark your calendars to buy, download, share or borrow the new tunes of the boys of Mesa, Arizona.

A Month Later...

...and not much has happened. Here are the highlights:

• Sabra won So You Think You Can Dance (well deserved)


• Nicole came and went for the last summer in NYC


• I was paid twice


• Philadelphia Phillies swept the New York Mets


• Stupid movies like SuperBad & Halloween ruled the box office


• Miss Julia celebrated her 4th birthday


• Saw the first vermin in my apartment


• BYU football started with the commanding victory over Arizona


• Joani and Moocher moved in with Grandpappy


• Painted a wall in my apartment and redecorated the entertainment unit

The best part of the past month was definitely seeing my good buddy V-Baller get hitched to Mr. Magician in the Los Angeles Temple on August 11th. It was a beautiful day and a wonderful event to fly across the country to attend. Luckily Netter and I had some time to enjoy a convertible drive down the P.C.H., some shopping at Fashion Island, lunch at the Cheesecake Factory and of course a wonderful sojourn with Mickey and Minnie at the D-Land.

I was also lucky enough to spend some time with the fabulous Es! The magnificent B-Unit, Deeds, Squishy & Chomps took me for fantastic Mexican food and we ended our afternoon at the beach with the fantastic, wonderful, scrumptious Pizookie from BJ's.



All in all the last month has been quiet yet busy. Just the way the month of August should be. Now I look forward to the fall with great excitement and joy. Bring on Niagara Falls, SYTYCD tour, Thanksgiving & New York Fun Day with Doc & Netter!



Here are some pictures to capture the August monthly moments:

The Trek...a non-Pioneer variety

Waking up to roaring thunder, flaring lightning, and deafening rain drops on my air conditioner was not my idea of a good way to start the morning. I haven't seen or heard a storm like this morning since traveling on the Indian reservation from Arizona to Utah. Luckily this time I was tucked in my bed rather than driving through the storm.

The problem with storms in New York City is they effectively shut down the transportation system. I wasn't shocked to see the hundreds upon hundreds of people milling around the bus stops or trying in vain to hail a cab. In my mind I thought 5th Avenue would be a better place to find space on a bus. Boy was I wrong. Hundreds of people were there too.

There was only one mode of transportation left to me...walk. From my apartment to my work is about 2 1/2 miles. I like to walk home from work when it is nice weather outside. Today is a day that I would never choose to walk either to or from work. Unfortunately that was my final alternative.

Luckily for me I ran into a friend at about the half way point. We walked together which made the trek seem less hot, humid, annoying and painful. I reached my lovely out in the open desk at about 10am this morning. All because of stupid weather and the MTA's inability to provide emergency bus service when their subways stall.

A Birthday Tragedy

Friday night was about my main man Matt. Myself and 8 friends enjoyed the Bourne Ultimatum for my 29th birthday party. It was a great movie! Everyone go see it!

Tragically when I got home I realized that my constant companion, my joyful electronic, my mood generator known as the video iPod was gone! I searched my entire purse but alas no iPod. I loved my time with Matt Damon but I don't think losing my iPod was worth the two hours we spent together.

Farewell video iPod. I will truly miss you and won't have constant love from Matt Damon to make me feel better. :(

Destination Birthday

Next year is a big age year...so instead of throwing a destination wedding I have opted to throw a destination birthday party.

I will be here for my 2008 destination birthday. Are you green with envy?


Nothing better than waking up and seeing this view out your window.

SYTYCD Prediction - Top 8

Last night's show proved that your partner can make all the difference in determining a good or mediocre performance. Here is my review of the performances:

Couple 1 - Danny & Sara
I liked their Argentine Tango because Danny didn't dance like a robot and Sara came out with guns blazing. The fan stuck down Sara's boot during the dance could not have been comfortable. I love that they both went for it.
There hip hop routine was "ok". I think that Shane Sparks could have given a little more meatier movement but alas, the dancers have to dance what the choreographers give them. Thankfully Danny's little beret hat felt off mid-way because it was looking very ridiculous.

Couple 2 - Dominic & Lauren
After the second Krumping routine of the season I must say I still don't know why that style is different from hip hop. The dance performed last night seemed more like a hip hop than a krump.
I thought the dance was beautiful and they were very connected. Talk about trying to get some chemistry. The kiss at the end of their rhumba made me feel a little awkward. It screamed of desperation to garner votes and made me feel a little like..."how the crap did that fit into the dance." Probably wasn't in the original choreography version.

Couple 3 - Neil & Lacey
The show was trying to be all creative with their "latin jazz" category instead of straight up "jazz" or "Latin." That made me a little nervous because you have to master to styles of dance in one routine. I think they did well but the music was a poor, poor choice.
By far the best dance of the night was Mia Michael's ode to her father. At first I wasn't sure if I really felt the emotion but than I watched again and it became extremely touching. Neil & Lacey did a fantastic job connecting with each other and the music fit perfectly with the story.

Couple 4 - Pasha & Sabra
Their Broadway number was pure energy and fun. I felt like I was back at the theater watching the two leads of a musical strutting their stuff. However, I keep waiting for a Broadway number from the reigning musical Wicked to find it's way onto the show. I guess I'll keep waiting.
For some reason their quick step made me yawn. I totally noticed how Sabra almost fell out of her arabesque. They seemed like brother and sister running across the floor in left over Michael Jackson clothes. Beyond my opinion I know they are both going to be around until next week.

PREDICTION - I think that we will say farewell to Lauren and Dominic this week. I enjoyed watching you both and say thank you for the Wade Robson jazz and Mandy Moore contemporary routines with your previous partners. Well done!

Happy Birthday to Me

Happy Birthday to me on July 31st! I'm obsessed with my birthdays primarily because it is the one day where I can garner all the attention. I'm even okay with the fact that I share my July 31st birthday with my Aunt Janet and nephew Jimmy. It is fun to buy a card for family members that I know are blowing out candles the same day I am.

This year's celebration was somewhat low-key on Tuesday. As in years past, I made cupcakes to share with the co-workers. Jersey Girl and I had some good eats for lunch and she even bought me a birthday cookie. That night I got home and made some homemade manicotti for dinner before Netter, NicolEEE and Steph came over to read cheesy Teeny Bopper magazines provided by Netter. They sang to me and allowed me to blow out some candles on left over cupcakes. It was a good time.

The highlight was probably realizing that I have to will power to wait about 6 hours after receiving a gift before opening it. I couldn't have done that last year. Thanks to my Joani for allowing me to develop this new talent. "You light up my life."

My Main Man Matt

It's no secret that I love me some Matt Damon. My birthday celebration this year will be with friends at the opening of Matt's new movie The Bourne Ultimatum. I can't pinpoint why I adore Matt. It could be that he is good looking, smart, funny and good friends with demi-Gods George Clooney & Brad Pitt. Whatever the cause for my affection, I know that this love will last a lifetime. Which is why it does my heart good that my main man Matt received his richly deserved star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Whenever I make it out to LA I will have to go on pilgrimage to his star to feel that much closer to him.

Am I A Lioness?

I don't normally spend any time reading my horoscope or putting any credence in astrology; but I found a characteristic summary of my Zodiac sign, Leo. I put the question to friends and family...am I a true lioness?

Really Steamed

Gratefully, I wasn't in New York for 9/11. Yesterday I got a very slight idea of what that must have been like when a steam pipe exploded about a block from Grand Central.

My office is located about 7 blocks north of the explosion. I didn't hear anything or even know what was going on until I left work around 6:00pm. I got to Park Avenue and people were running...that isn't a rare sight but this time the people were wearing business suits and the women were in heels. I turned to look towards Grand Central and all I saw was smoke and steam. It was a crazy sight. I walked over to Lexington and 50th and saw what I thought was Grand Central on fire. There was so much smoke and steam pouring out of that area that it completely blocked your view down Lexington.

The first thing I wanted to do was let my Joani know that I was okay. She gets somewhat anxious when things happen in New York. All the networks were busy on my T-Mobile phone so I walked further uptown and finally got through to Joani who was vacationing in Arizona. I assured her I was fine and heading home by foot. After we finished chatting I had an overwhelming feeling of tears about to pour out. I think it was the stress of the moment and the knowledge that if another horrendous act by people filled with hate that it would be incredibly difficult to get back to my Joani. Luckily I pulled myself together and called Shopping Queen for information on what had happened. She was able to tell me about the steam pipe/transformer explosion which made me feel much better. Yoga master also checked in to make sure I was able to get home. My commute ended about an hour after it began with me happy to be in my A/C'd apartment.

I snagged some pictures from the NY Times website. These pictures obviously pale in comparison to actually seeing the smoke and steam billowing out of the ground.

Summer Obsession

Normally with the summer warmth comes a strong desire to be outdoors as much as possible. Unfortunately my summer obsession with So You Think You Can Dance is counteracting that desire. This show is the newest in a long line of television obsessions. The obsession has veered from Alias to Gilmore Girls and now to SYTYCD. When the show is on I refuse to answer the phone even though I have pausing capabilities and will make sure to eat dinner prior to the start because pulling my eyes away from the beautiful HD picture on "Ed" could cause me to miss that slight dance movement that evokes great emotion.

To my friends and family that have experienced my previous television additions with me...I apologize if I ignore your emails and phone calls on Wednesday and Thursday nights. Believe me, I still love you but I love watching Lacey, Kameron, Sabra, Dominic, Lauren, Neil, Sara & Pasha strut their stuff more. (For the record I want to get rid of Danny, Anya, Hok & Jamie.)

A little something new...

...As you have noticed the blog has been changed. I'm interested in reactions. What do you think of the new style? Keep it or lose it? Please share your thoughts.

Waldorf Flag Today

The Waldorf flag hasn't changed for the last 4 days because they have torn apart the front entrance sidewalk. The flag flying is one that everyone in my life should recognize and revere. Here it is:

Flag for Today

The flag flying on June 27th:










I have actually been to this country. It was fantastic!

Weekly Shoutout

Congrats to Anonymous (aka Superbowler) for correctly guessing the German flag on the first installment of "Name that country's flag". Good luck tonight in the league. I know you'll kick some bowling booty. :)

Jeremy vs. the Yankees

My cousin-in-law, Jeremy Guthrie, is a fantastic person and a talented pitcher with the Baltimore Orioles. He is pitching at Camden Yards tonight against the evil and annoying New York Yankees. Please send happy thoughts to Baltimore that Jeremy destroys the Yankees confidence even more with his stellar pitching performance.

Came across this story about Jeremy and the impact of his mission to Spain had on his life and career.

Today's Flag

Here's the Waldorf flag for June 26th:

Waldorf Flag: 6.25

Each morning I walk by the Waldorf Astoria where a different flag is flying next to the red, white and blue of the United States flag. It is a fun little contest with myself to guess the country of the flag flying every day. Because I find enjoyment in trying to identify a country's flag on a daily basis...I thought I would spread the joy along to my friends and family. Every day I will post the Waldorf flag and the first person to correctly guess the country the flag represents will get a "shout out" from me.

June 25th:

The Summer Season

I love summertime. It's warm, my birthday, bosses take vacations, bright, and packed full of activities. New York truly allows its residents and tourists in the "know" to enjoy summertime festivities for little to no cost. There are constant performances, sporting events, and outdoor restaurants to enjoy.

This summer is filling up nicely. Friends are coming to visit or stay for a month. A wedding is being planned. Concert and US Open tickets have been purchased. Farmer's tan has begun. Beach weekend has been booked. And dinners have been scheduled.

If only summer could exist without humidity and last for six months of the year rather than just three. At least I can have Will Smith's "Summertime" blaring on my iPod to ease the pain.

Family Time

My family was together last week for the first time in about 6 years. All the siblings, in-laws, grandchildren and parents were together to support the Moocher in her high school graduation. Congrats Moochie Woochie!

It was so fun to be around my family and enjoy the ambiance and beauty of the mountains. We made sure to pack the time together FULL of numerous activities. Many meals were eaten, games played, and stories retold.

Family is by far the most important thing in my life. It is often difficult to be so far away from mine, but luckily I am able to afford to see them on a fairly regular basis. Watching my brothers' kids grow up has been a joy and blessing. I even like being designated as the "rich" aunt. It is fun to spoil them rotten with toys and clothes. That's what an auntie does who has no kids of her own.

I'm partial, but I believe that my family is a bunch of good looking people. :)

New York Perk

Normally film crews shutting down parts of my daily routes annoy me...but today was different. I saw the very dashing and debonair (those two adjectives must always go together) Patrick Dempsey filming Made of Honor in front of Saks on 49th and Fifth Avenue. It can definitely be a perk to see famous people either working or relaxing in the city. It is even better when they are good looking men; case in point...Mr. Patrick Dempsey.

Love me some Lifehouse

I'm a huge music fan. As most know my top bands all seem to have the same type of sound. Amazing musicians like Long-View, Jimmy Eat World, Snow Patrol, Keane, etc. Lucky for me new albums are dropping this year by a couple of favorites. The first up is Lifehouse's "Who We Are" on June 19th. Love the first single called The First Time. Everyone must check it out!

In support of their album, Lifehouse has teamed up with another fav rock group, The Goo Goo Dolls to tour this summer. Myself and Claire have already forked over the $60 each to attend their show in Jones Beach in July. I'm beyond excited to see my boyfriends play great musical stylings especially with the setting sun over the ocean as a backdrop.

As I was reviewing the Lifehouse website, I found that the boys from California covered a song by another huge favorite, Keane. Check this out. Scroll down until you see "Yahoo Cover Art: Somewhere Only We Know." It is amazing to hear the song with guitars instead of keyboards. Enjoy!

Waldorf Riff-Raff

I thought working across the street from the Waldorf-Astoria hotel would be cool. I was wrong. It is completely and utterly annoying plus I get no foreseeable benefits from our close proximity.

The last two days have showcased how un-classy the Waldorf neighborhood has become. On my daily commute I walk along the north side of the hotel. For the last three days there have been about 15-20 men loitering under the newly placed scaffolding. I walked the same route everyday that takes me in the thick of these loitering fools. My earbud iPod headphones are in my ears to block out the noises or comments made by the men, but I can't close my eyes. Basically I pretend they aren't there as I walk by; but out of the corner of my eye I can see their facial expressions and eyes. Apparently these men have nothing better to do than irritate people walking by them, drink coffee and smoke.


I'm hoping that the Waldorf cleans up this riff-raff so that I can resume my normal commute to work instead of taking a detour to avoid feeling exposed and annoyed by the behavior of these men.

Power of the Red Patent Pumps

On my sojourn through the city last Saturday I stumbled upon a store for Enzo Angiolini shoes at 55th and Madison. It was there that I found my most recent shoe purchase. The powerful Red Patent Leather Pumps. Men get to enjoy the power that comes from the red "power tie"; well now it's my turn to feel power and sophistication poring through me because my feet are encased in the red patent pumps. Thankfully my "power pumps" are comfortable and have a low enough heel to make walking down the streets of New York enjoyable.

Half Court Tennis

Everyone knows I love to play tennis. I already am commandeering my family to play massive amounts with me when I go visit at the end of the month. So it was with excitement and a sense of awe that I read about two fantastic players doing something I had never seen before in the tennis world.

Roger Federer and Raphael Nadal played an exhibition match on a tennis court that had 1/2 grass and 1/2 clay.
The court was made in Palma del Mallorca and cost $1.63 million to produce. Now there are a lot better things I think $1.63 million could be spent on; but, then again I was thrilled about this match between the best grass player in the world versus the best clay player in the world. In the end it was the clay wizard Nadal who beat the grass fiend Federer. I'm sure both of these fantastic players were ecstatic to try their skills on a court that would force them to change their shoes at regular intervals. Congrats to Nadal for beating Federer once again. He needs to teach his tricks to Andy Roddick so a return to American Male dominance can come back into the professional tennis world.

If only I had the cash to fly to the small island off of Spain to witness the "Battle of the Surfaces" in the flesh. Alas, I will just have to wait a few more months before I spend as much time as possible at the US Open 2007 in Flushing, Queens.

Thank you Ben & Jerry's

Today is a special day. Today is a day anticipated for quite some time. Today the moment of bliss occured. Today...I bought a pint of Stephen Colbert's Americone Dream ice cream by Ben & Jerry's. The wait for this decadent smooth & creamy concoction is finally over. Well, it's almost over...

I vowed to share the goodness of Americone Dream with my long suffering ice cream deprived friend Claire. She earned the right to enjoy the sound of the pint top lid being released and the first gaze upon the caramel swirly goodness of vanilla ice cream with chocolate covered waffle bits. Lucky for me, I only have to wait until next weekend to end the salivatory glands overdrive. We are going to enjoy a day of beauty capped off with our silver spoons dipping into the cardboard container of ice cream.

Thank you Rockefeller Center Ben & Jerry's for having one last pint available for me to purchase for a steal of a price at $5.50. Obviously, my call to arms to bring this flavor to the Eastern States was heeded by the higher ups at Ben & Jerry's. However, my purchase today doesn't let my brother Coyote off the hook from purchasing multiple pints from Albertson's for my triumphant return to the home of my Joani.