"Would You Like To Buy An O, Succulent and Sweet? It'll Cost You Just A Nickel..."

this is how it works: comment on this entry and i will give you a letter. write ten words beginning with that letter in your journal, including an explanation what the word means to you and why, and then pass out letters to those who want to play along.

My dear friend madamemama gave me G.

Gran-Gran: My mother's mother, who is adorable because as a kid she was always my height, she has beautiful short, white hair that I want when I'm that old (but long, of course) and who is slowly gaining an independence from her husband who has been very controlling and slyly manipulative of her and of his children for years. He's now losing his health and she's becoming the dominant one of the relationship because her health is better, and I'm so proud of her. Plus, I want a cool name like Gram or Gran-gran when I'm a grandparent. Or like my Auntie Ann. That's just cool.

grain: A friend of mine and I were talking the other day in church (I think she was giving the lesson) and she said something like, "Well, I don't know about you, but I don't really know what to DO with all that grain even if I did have it in my food storage." And then that reminds me of a commercial I saw another day for a grain grinder that you plug into the wall and thought, "Well, gee, THAT'D be helpful in a crisis situation. With no electricity."

granules: salt and sugar. Dad and I always put the salt between our plates when eating sunday dinner because we're the ones who use it the most.

GREEN: My favorite color is definitely orange because of the idea behind a favorite color. It's not what color you would wear if you had to wear one color for the rest of your life (mine would be either black or blue) and it's not what color do you like looking at best, it's what color represents yourself and your spirit the best. What color you gravitate toward the most when speaking purely of color, not couches or shoes. Green represents the major color in summer and the life force in general. It's what is so surprising about spring; those vibrant colors that pop out because your eyes have missed them so all winter. And no, evergreen doesn't count. When I say, "Hooray! Green!" And feel like I'm going to cry tears of happiness, it's because the vibrancy of life is back, and the warmth is here to stay once again.

grey: Predominantly the color of the wind. The color of healthy clouds bringing warm, summer, New Mexico rain. I miss New Mexico rain. Warm, almost-brown grey is one of Just'In's colors, one of the colors I associate with him. The color of a long-haired, musty old dog who just to be petted but won't bug you incessantly if he's not.

glad: A word I associate with children because it is so simple and general and pure. And it reminds me of a movie line (of which movie title escapes me; noodles to someone who gets it): "And I AM glad. Glad, Glad, Glad!" It's a girl who says it, and she wraps her arms around herself and twists when she says the last three words. Arg. Where's Curt-Curt (my little brother) when I need him?

grow: I was amazed when reciting the ages of my siblings to a co-worker yesterday how quickly time flies and kids grow. Now I know how relatives feel when they tell kids, "My, you've grown so quickly!" We haven't, to us, because we're us. But they left and then came back, so it's like seeing before and after pictures. Interesting how I automatically side with the kids when referring to myself in a group of people. Us and them.

giants: I was walking down the hall to work today when I saw my co-worker Melissa holding hands with a guy while talking and flirting with him. I was walking toward them because they were standing right outside the door of work. It was funny to compare my feelings to what I used to feel in high school. I used to feel infuriated of their PDA; this time I blushed, grinned, tried to look away as to give them some privacy and not to be invasive, but I couldn't help noticing that the guy was really tall. A giant to me because I'm short. I'm glad Just'In is the perfect size for me. I wouldn't know how to be affectionate to a guy who's really tall.

Garner: Wow. My sophmore English teacher is in the pocket dicionary I'm using for my last two ideas. Huh. She is such a bouncy lady. Kinda like Just'In's favorite English teacher in HS, only she tap danced for her students. She gave me my copy of Fahrenheit 451. It has Garner written across the pages when the book is closed, the part of our scriptures we doodled on in Seminary when we were bored or just idly listening. Man. Early morning seminary teachers really do have it rough. Keep kids awake every day for no pay, and they have to be dressed up every morning. And interesting. Sheesh.

goat: Yay, Frank! And the last thought: "Sheep go to heaven, goats go to hell." My mother would cringe if she heard me singing "hell" in a song.