(looking for my engagement story? It's over here now!)

I've been sick a lot lately, including this weekend, where I've given in to the conclusion that I keep getting sick because I'm overworking and overstressing... work. In defiance of work I spent the weekend just hanging out with Alice and didn't even open my laptop or check email for two days! That is unheard of. But it was good to help me recover physically, as well as... inside. It's all best expressed by these lyrics from Cloud Cult's latest album:

I've had enough of hiding underneath my covers
I'm done with all that poop that brings me down
down
down
Don't bring me down
down
down

I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired
I'll laugh my whole way through the hurricanes and fire
That's why you don't wanna bring me down
That's why you don't wanna bring me down

That's right! I have been having fun though, I went to the Sasquatch Music Festival for all three days and it was fantastic, and saw Crystal Castles a couple weeks ago in Seattle which was loud and great (although they kind of snuck off the stage when nobody was looking, which was kind of lame).

I also uncovered three conspiracies at Sasquatch. First, there are a lot of non-Canadians trying to give Canadians a bad name (as obnoxious jerks and unbelievably awkward, which are qualities I've never noticed in Canadians but frequently see in Americans, HMMM!!!).

Next, the beer conspiracy. They charge so much for beer ($11 and $12, come on) that only the rich and elite can afford it. It keeps people from getting too crazy at the show and keeps them getting crazy in the campground after the show instead, where you can drink the $5/case cheap swill you picked up on the drive over. Brilliant, and an abomination.

Lastly, Vitamin Water. This year we enjoyed free Vitamin Water and Vitamin Energy stuff for the first two days. They just handed them out! Free! It was great. Excellent marketing. I probably drank a few gallons' worth. But then, on day three... no more free Vitamin Water. My friend Sara said it best when she said "I'm experiencing a vitamin B deficiency"... exactly. They hop you up on vitamins the first two days so by day three you need to buy some. And it is available for sale. For a mere $5/bottle ($6 for the energy ones). Despicable.

Here's a little something I picked up at Alpacapalooza this year!



As an interesting side note, I ran into my math teacher from high school at Alpacapalooza this year... now he's an alpaca rancher in Walla Walla!