Just For Laughs

Lee got a very...interesting e-mail this week. I share it with you, in all it's unedited glory, for entertainment purposes. It was from our former landlord, a person we haven't had reason to communicate with for close to a year now. Knowing that should help you appreciate it all the more. Here it is:

Hi,

Just writing to let you know our trip to Manila Philippines has been a mess. I was having a great time until last night when we got mugged and lost all my cash,credit card cellphone It has been a scary experience, I was hit at the back of my neck with a Gun Anyway..I'm still alive and that's whats important. I'm financially strapped right now and need your help. I need you to loan me the sum of $1,950 I'll refund it to you as soon as i arrive home.Email me back so i can tell you how to get it to me.

Best Regards,
[Name respectfully redacted]

As an astute reader, I hope you noticed a few things. First off, lots of odd typos, spelling errors, and grammatical mistakes. Second, I love that it starts off "just writing you let you know our trip..." as if we had a) known they were on a trip and b) kept up a regular correspondence. Thirdly, I love the oddly specific amount of money. Why not make it an even 2 grand? Fourth, maybe this is nit picking, but if I were going to tell a mugging story, the first part I would mention is the "I was hit at the back of my neck with a Gun Anyway.." That wouldn't be an after thought. That would be the whole story. And finally, why would you be e-mailing about this? What is the first thing you would do if you had been mugged? I would get in touch with some police, then get to a phone and start canceling credit cards just as fast as I could. I would not, for any reason, send a polite e-mail to a distant acquaintance to ask them for money.

Given all this information, as well as a big red warning label from Google, I hope you have come to the same conclusion we did: someone has hacked our old landlords e-mail.

I tell ya, those Nigerian princes are getting crafty! But they'll have to try a little harder to get to $1,950 out of me!

Lee Phillips: Class of 2013!

I'll just skip the introduction and jump right into photos from Graduation!

Here is post-graduate Claire and pre-graduate Lee

Can you spot an Engineer that you know? 

How about now?

Lee and his favorite professor, Dr. Cripps.

Now both of us have graduated!!

Mom and Dad couldn't be more proud!

Now we can forget about homework and grades and enjoy our last summer vacation!

Party like it's 1813!

I had a fun opportunity to perform at the first annual Jane Austen Ball. There was whist, period dancing, costumes, pastries, and a little opera.

I made myself a dress--my sewing teacher would be so proud--out of two different dresses purchased at the D.I. In the past, many of my re-purposing projects have not gone exactly as planned. I am happy to say that this one went as smooth as the artificial velvet out of which it was made.

Take note of my MATCHING little red shoes.

Lee was kind enough to record my aria so now I can share it all with you! He had to get a little creative to get a good shot, so there is an odd camera twitch near the beginning, and there was really poor lighting, but other than that the video turned out pretty well! I added subtitles for those of you who aren't fluent in 200 year old Italian, so I hope you enjoy it!

This is from Rossini's L'Italiana in Algeri, first performed in 1813, the same year Pride and Prejudice was published. It seemed appropriate for the occasion.

Don't just write...VISIT!!

As you may have heard, Lee got offered a job in Tucson, Arizona with Raytheon. We are happy to announce that he has accepted this job, and some time this summer we will be making the big move.

We'll be so sad to leave friends and family here in Utah, but we don't want you to think that a paltry distance of 800(ish) miles gets anyone off the hook. We expect some visitors! Especially in the winter months when we'll be having beautiful warm weather and you'll be clearing the snow off the ice that has long since replaced the glass of your windshield.

I've been trying to figure out all the cool stuff to do in Tucson, so that when we do have visitors we can show them a good time. Here is a small sampling of what I have found:

#1 Arizona Sonora Desert Museum--It's a mostly outdoors, museum, botanical (desert) garden, and zoo all rolled into one. Great for kids! Learn all about Arizona wildlife and geology.

#2 Pima Air and Space Museum--One of the largest collections of aircraft and spacecraft in the world! Devoted to the history of aviation, you'll find military and commercial planes, jets, and gliders.

#3 The Gaslight Theatre--Comedy spoof and melodramas, complete with popcorn and table side service. Enjoy the show and an ice cream sundae, cheer for the hero and boo the villain!

#4 Old Tucson Studios--If you watch a lot of Westerns, you might have seen this place. It has appeared in hundreds of films! It's a movie lot set in the old west (1895-1900 era). You can explore the sets, witness gun fights and saloon shows, learn about film making, and enjoy the old west. Assuming there aren't any films being shot during your visit!

#5 Tucson Children's Museum--An indoor fun-straviganza!!..for kids. If you're crazy enough to visit us in the summer time, know that this place is an air conditioned and fun way to spend the day with your hyperactive youngsters!

#6 Rocks and Ropes--Indoor rock climbing! Another great summer activity for older kids and younger grown-ups.

And I haven't even mentioned the beautiful Spanish Cathedrals, the old Forts and settlements, or any number of fantastic canyons and hiking trails.


If my list of attractions didn't win you over, then how about this: Tucson is only 7 hours from Disneyland, 5 hours from the Grand Canyon, and 1.5 hours from the Mexico border. You go one of these places and we'll meet you there.

Spring Break

Most schools have some form of spring break, usually at Utah State that translates to: "it's still winter here, so we have got to drive as far south as possible so as to get someplace where it is spring" break. This year, we have been pleasantly surprised with spring weather! I have very much enjoyed shedding my heavy coats and donning light jackets and sweaters. We never get to do that so early in the year!

Thank you all for reading a short and incredibly boring blog post. As your reward, here is a flashback to my AMAZING Halloween costume: 

Lego My Art!!

As some of my faithful* readers may know, last week we attended a small but very interesting art exhibit. I will do my best to not sound pretentious and elitist for having a more culturally stimulating President's Day than you, but I will fail. In order to avoid alienating my less sophisticated readers--I am talking here to everyone who didn't go to a contemporary art exhibit this month--I will fill my post with pictures. If you don't understand the artistry of what you see, it's okay. Not everyone is blessed with artistic sensibility.

Also, I should mention that all the art was made out of Legos.

 Now, I know that you are looking at the giant Lego crayons and thinking, "this doesn't look complex or emotional the way art should look." That it just because you are too simple to understand. Let us move on.

Becky and Grace

 A skateboard made of Legos, full of artistic depth and creativity.

Lee and Skateboard

 The artists' self portrait made entirely out of, you guessed it, Legos. Just look at the pain in those tortured artist-eyes.

Katie mirrors portrait.

Sarah plays peek-a-boo with Lego Man.

So while this art might be too complex for children, for the uneducated, for the simple-minded, we found it fascinating. Moreover, it was free of charge.

*Replace "faithful" with the more accurate but less positive terms, "sympathy," or "black-mailed."

Valentines!! and more DIY.

We did a Valentines Day themed improv show with a special musical guest. Here are some shots from our game of musical chairs. Yes. We literally played musical chairs and whoever gets out has to make up a song. My cohorts were kind enough to provide some back up singing when I got out at the end of the game.

I did a lot of crafting this past little while, here is a small sampling. I wanted to show off the flowers Lee got me, also the scarf I made! 

 I also made a huge number of bows and flowers. I think I ought to give these away to some baby girls that I know! I might start taking orders if you know some little ladies who are in need of fancy accessories.