Where have I been?

At home, in bed. Watching a lot of Doctor Who and Torchwood. I really don't know why I don't blog more. Probably because I don't really have much to say sometimes. Oh, I could probably blog a lot about my love for all things Doctor Who, or perhaps politics (although that would depress me); but I think that would bore most people.

I am so happy that I have finally gotten one person to watch Doctor Who, my father. He has watched some of series one on Netflix online and loved them. Yay! If only everyone I told about Doctor who would watch it, then there would be like 25 new loyal viewers. I am pretty upset that there will not be a new season until 2010 and it will be with a new Doctor. I can't even explain the love I have for David Tennant. And although i don't love Torchwood as much, I just love how sexually abiguous everyone is on that show; everyone seems to be bisexual. It's awesome! On US Television same sex kisses are treated oddly, either with scantily clad women, or it somehow feels taboo; but on Torchwood it is treated as completely normal and I really like how it is done.

See are you bored yet?

Things are hopefully progressing on the baby making front. I went to the ob/gyn and got Provera to jump start my period, then Clomid 50mg on cycle days 3-7 to force me to ovulate. Right now I am on CD (cycle day) 9 so I should hopefully ovulate anyday now. The ob/gyn didn't put me on Metformin which was discouraging. Many people who have PCOS, if they get pregnant, will have a miscarriage if their insulin resistance is not taken care of. So instead I am taking a cinnamon supplement everyday, that is supposed to balance my sugar levels. So we should know by my 26th birthday (January 28)whether I am pregnant or not. Please send good thought my way (or pray if that is your thing). Thanks!

A VERY MERRY UNAUTHORIZED CHILDRENS SCIENTOLOGY PAGEANT

I saw this play last night and it was so hilarious. I loved it and I think everyone should see it. Here is the description:
This holiday season, join us as a jubilant cast of children celebrate the controversial Church of Scientology in uplifting pageantry and song. The actual teachings of Scientology are explained and dissected against the candy-colored backdrop of a traditional nativity play. An ensemble cast of grade school children (no, we're not kidding) portraying Tom Cruise, Kirstie Alley, John Travolta, and other less starry Scientologists, tells the story of L. Ron Hubbard's meteoric rise from struggling science fiction writer to supreme leader of a (highly-profitable) New Age religiuos empire. Avant-garde performance art and children's theatre meet in one of the funniest and most bewildering holiday shows - we guarantee - you will ever see.

You can buy tickets at http://straycattheatre.org.

Baby name

I have always liked the name Harper for a girl. If it was my choice our hypothetical daughter would be Harper Mae Dwyer. But Brad just isn't warming up to it for some reason. Great, vetoed already and I'm not even pregnant.

Prop 8 Musical

See more Jack Black videos at Funny or Die

Found via Offbeat Bride

Our Wedding Mix

I don't think I ever shared our wedding mix with you all. It's never too late.

The only song that is missing is Tegan and Sara - When I Get Up. Here is song being performed by them. And one song that is wrong on there is Linus and Lucy. The version on this play list is from the Charlie Brown movie, but the one we had was by The Ergs.

If you don't notice a trend, almost all of these songs are from movies; Juno, Something's Gotta Give, Beetle Juice, Ghostbusters, Dan in Real Life, Dirty Dancing, Life Aquatic, Across the Universe..... This is probably the best mix of my life.

The cd cover art was that drawing that Brad made

Wedding Photos

I got my photos. Take a look at the flickr I love the photos so much. They are amazing! I am reliving the memories already. I am so happy with these

**edited** I have fixed the link to the photos

Road Block

Well it's official, I do have PCOS. I went to the doctor yesterday to get the results of my sonogram. I have many cysts and enlarged ovaries. It is a nice to know I actually have something; but I am feeling a lot of anger towards western medicine and past doctors that I have had. Especially after watching this (parts 1-3). I had the same experience where I went to the gynocologist as a young teenager and the only thing they do is put you on birth control. They never told me I had a hormone imbalance or that I would have trouble getting pregnant in the future. If over 10% of women have PCOS, why are doctors not more forthcoming diagnosing it? I have a lot of the symptoms! It is crazy to think that if I had known about this as a teenager, I may have been able to lose the weight I have been struggling with since I went through puberty. PCOS is related to insulin resistance and that was most likely why I gained weight. Imagine beating yourself up for years about something that you really couldn't have changed. Oh, well I can't change the past only my future.

Since I go to a naturopath I am not on a prescription drug, only a diet and excercise change and herbal supplements. I will try that for three months and if for some reason there is no change, I will probably go to a reproductive endocrinologist at that point. Right now these are the supplements I am on
DB-7 to stabilize blood sugar and glucose metabolism.
PMS Formula - to balance hormones like estrogen
Ova Blend (not sure, but something to do with reproductive system)
Fish oil
Flax seed
Pre-natal vitamin

The two that I am having a problem with are the PMS formula and flax seed because these are not in pill form. I need to find a way to add the flax seed to my foods. I will look for recipes and just start sprinkling it on my oatmeal, cereal, smoothies. The PMS formula is a tincture where I have to drink a couple droppers full. It is so nasty tasting that I don't think I will be able to do it twice a day for months. So nasty.

Please send good thoughts my way (or pray if that is your thing). I would appreciate it.

I did a little dance

So this is what it feels like to be part of the majority! I cried many tears of joy last night.

San Francisco

We got back from A.P.E. last night after midnight. We spent most of the day at the airport. I spent so much time getting to San Fran and leaving San Fran that I actually crocheted two hats in the time spent in the airport.

The trip was amazing. I had a lot of fun. I did hurt my foot as we walked well over 10 miles during the course of the weekend. I swear that is more than I have walked in the last year combined. Here is a google map showing some of the places we went.



View Larger Map

The Election

This is only the second presidential election that I have been able to vote in. In 2000 I was only 17. In 2004, I voted for Kerry. Although I didn't feel to strongly for him, I really hated Bush's politics (still do) and wanted him out. Well ignorance won that day and Bush has taken our country further down a bad path; one where the rest of the world looks down on us, where we torture people, where we don't teach children about how their own bodies work, and where the government has taken more and more of our privacy.

I have always had good intuition about people. I know when I am being conned and lied to and alternately when someone is sincere. This election I am voting for Obama. Not only do I agree with almost all of his stances on the issues, I genuinely like him. when I see him on TV and in pictures I can tell he is actually listening while talking to people, he cares about us, he is one of us. The same goes for Joe Biden. Their eyes show joy, kindness, and empathy. I believe in them completely.

When I look at John McCain and Sarah Palin I see lies, anger, contempt, and condescension towards the American people and even towards each other. They don't believe in our country, they want to use it to gain power for themselves and their agenda. I hope and pray to the universe that more than half of the American people will not fall for their lies.

This last week I have been crying at least once a day about the election. I see pictures of Obama speaking to crowds of tens of thousands and it gives me hope for our country.

I grew up Christian; and although I don't consider myself one anymore, I know a lot about the religion and like to debate it with anyone who is willing. I read an opinion piece this morning where a hate filled Christian stated that you could not be a Christian and vote for Obama, if you vote for Obama you will go to hell. She quoted this scripture:
Barack Obama and many of his followers claim to be Christian. But Isaiah 29:13 says:

Therefore the Lord said: "Inasmuch as these people draw near with their mouths and honor Me with their lips, But have removed their hearts far from Me, And their fear toward Me is taught by the commandment of men" (Isaiah 29:13).

Funny, that is exactly how I feel about John McCain and Sarah Palin. I do not feel that they are good Christians because they seem to be angry and hate-filled all the time, they spread lies about Obama, and they don't want to protect this Earth that God gave us to be stewards of (if your Christian and believe that). If that author doesn't remember, lying is one of the ten commandments as well. You can't condemn one without condemning the others.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Animated Series

Why god why did this series not get made. I would love this and would watch it, and would make Brad watch it.

source: http://theparkbencher.blogspot.com/

I just like how he's always leaning. Against stuff. He leans great.

I spent most of the weekend watching the complete series of My So-Called Life. It was amazing and I cried at every episode (there are only 19 of them). I am so sad that this show wasn't on longer.

Although I of course identify with all the characters I can never remember being so scared to speak my mind the way Angela was. It took pushing from her friends to even make sure Jordan Catalano didn't just use her for making out in the boiler room. What a douche bag he was.

Don't get me wrong, I did let boys walk all over me, no doubt; but I would never have let one pretend he didn't know me in public. (unless i did this. Amber, do you remember anyone?)

something in her eye

something in her eye
Originally uploaded by Matt Callahan

More like openly sobbing.

More Photos

I still haven't gotten the bulk of the photos from the main photographer (she took over 1000 photos!) but here are some more from one of the other friend/photographers.

Home Sweet Home

Brad and I got the keys to our new apartment on Friday (the day before the wedding) and spent our second night as a married couple there (the first night was at a hotel). I love our new apartment; the layout, the locations, the light. On Monday we bought a new couch from Macy's. This is the first couch I have ever bought from a store, previously all my couches have been hand me downs or craigslist purchases. It is also great because we do not have to move either of the old couches from our old house, we will just have the new owners pick them up from there. Here is our new couch:
Unfortunately it will not be delivered for a couple of weeks so we have no living room seating until then. We are also looking for a couple of chairs or ottomans. Ikea here we come. I am excited to actually decorate this place. I have never really hung things up on the walls of my apartments before or gotten any accesories but I really want to this time.

Mrs. D

I am now married. Crazy right. It still seems so surreal. The wedding went great. It all pulled together beautifully. The wind was crazy so a lot of people left early because they couldn't handle it. I cried a lot during and right after the ceremony. There are some of the first pictures online here I will post more as they become available to me.

Uh oh

Weather.com for 85281
Sat Oct 11

Isolated T-Storms

high 90°
low 61°

chance of rain 30%

Obama '08

Two great things I recently read:

1. Barack Obama helped a stranger over 20 years ago. This was reported in a Norwegian newspaper (i believe it is more of a tabloid) so there are still some people wanting more fact checking and of course I don’t believe American media has picked up this story yet (it's probably not controversial enough), but it is a neat story none the less.

2. Dr Ralph Stanley is running a radio ad in Virginia endorsing Obama. You can read more about it and actually hear it here

Hopefully this ad will help to make Virginia a blue state this election!

P.S. My Outlook spell checker does not recognize Obama and wants me to change it to Osama. My spell checker must be Republican.

Hey Sarah Palin

Eight Days Until the Wedding

Update

Things I need to do:
* make play list for CD favor, make over 100 of this CD, find way to package CDs. Have packaging and am in the process of making all of these
* call and reserve a margarita machine. I'm not going to rent this. I am just going to have margarita's made in a punch bowl and people can pour it over ice.
* get the marriage license Done!
* convince wedding parties to dance a certain first dance with Brad and I (Amber had a great idea and I don't want to spoil the surprise)
* figure out who will give speeches and let them know. Still wondering about this. I know Billy and Christy will give speeches, but not sure who else.
* send pictures of site to my wedding coordinator (my aunt) and worry about where tables and chairs will go Done. She convince me to have a program so that adds to the list
* call party rental place today to get PA system and runner. Done!
* Design a program, should be easy. Take it to get printed at kinkos
* Make track listing for the cds. Take to kinkos
* Do my hair like I think I want it, take pictures
* go to Ulta and have them show me how to do my make-up, buy some new make-up
* get everything together that Brad needs to take to the site the day of (plates, cups, etc.)
* pack for the one night we will be staying in a hotel

We decided that on Sunday night, the day after the wedding, we will move our bed to the new apartment and sleep there. That way we start our new marriage in a new place and hopefully will never have roommates again (not that I don't love my current roommates!).

Also I want to mention the griddle we got. I cannot wait to use it. We are not opening any of our presents to use until we move and it is hard. I want to make a grip of pancakes on that thing.

5 Friends Uncensored

great video about voting. Make sure you are registered!!!!!!

Vote No on Proposition 102

I don't believe that the CONSTITUTION should be changed just so the religious right can feel good about discriminating against people who love each other and just want the same rights that we as hetero-sexual couples get. I believe the word marriage should be taken out of our government all together. Any two people who want to get a civil union should be able to get it; hetero, homo, two elderly ladies who never got married and want to share their medical, and monetary lifes. Marriages should be left up to the churches and if they choose not go give one to a same sex couple, that is fine with me, but that should have nothing to do with our government and the rights that we are refusing to give to American citizens. This proposition is not a good idea and will just perpetuate the discrimination that is going on in this country.

Warning: women bodily function talk below

My period is probably the only thing that grosses Brad out. Anytime I talk about it he gets this hilarious look on his face (so of course I try to talk about it as often as possible). I am on a journey to fertility and I thought I would talk about it here. I will probably talk about my past issues with my period in another post (I know it will be hard to wait) but I just wanted to say that I think I have found a breakthrough.

I am self diagnosing myself as having PCOS (poly-cystic ovarian syndrome). I have a prescription to get a ultra-sound to confirm but I am not going to make an appointment until after the wedding so we will have to wait for that. But I have so many of the symptoms. I went off birth control in March, had a few cycles pretty normally, but then I had not had a period since June. In early September I went to the ND (naturopathic doctor) to discuss my blood test results I was told that I have very high glucose levels and that this is probably related to my infertility issues. To combat this I was told to go on a low carb/low sugar diet. I have been tentatively following this diet (not gung-ho about it yet, but I did give up soda, most fruits and fruit juices, and a lot of bread) for about three weeks and lo and behold I just got my period on Friday. That is amazing. As of right now those two things are just correlated, the new diet may not have caused me to have my period; but I am so hopeful that this will help me in so many ways that i am just ecstatic.

I learned so much from this post on mothering.com. Her story is similar to mine and I am just so excited! After the wedding I will be starting a very strict low carb/low sugar diet and see what happens then. Please send good baby thoughts my way.

p.s. for anyone wondering why it seems I can't do anything until after the wedding, well we will be moving right after the wedding and we have absolutely no money until then either. So right now we are only eating things we already have in the house. That is a lot of pasta, rice, potatoes, lentils, beans, macaroni and cheese, and tuna. Some of those things are not so good for my diet.

12 days until the Wedding

Update

Things I need to do:
* make play list for CD favor, make over 100 of this CD, find way to package CDs. I have made the play list, now am working on making the cds.
* call and reserve a margarita machine. To be done today
* figure out what to do about makeup and hair. Have gift card to Ulta, going to go this week.
* buy teeth whitening kits for Brad and I. Amazon.com baby!
* get the marriage license To be done this week
* get my hair cut. Got it cut, not going to color it
* convince wedding parties to dance a certain first dance with Brad and I (Amber had a great idea and I don't want to spoil the surprise)
* stress about the rehearsal because it is not going to be at the actual wedding site, so I guess it will be a pseudo rehearsal. Sent Evites to guests, made reservation for dinner at Buca di Beppo
* figure out who will give speeches and let them know. Still wondering about this. I know Billy and Christy will give speeches, but not sure who else.
* send pictures of site to my wedding coordinator (my aunt) and worry about where tables and chairs will go
* call party rental place today to get PA system and runner.

Dang it

I just found out Sigur Ros will be here on Tuesday and I have no money and it is sold out! I also missed My Morning Jacket and Vampire Weekend this week because of no money.


Also I think I am going to sell my 2001 Ford Ranger next month, so if you are interested, let me know.

**ETA** never mind, I'm not going to sell my car. Why am I so impulsive? I get an idea in my head and I have to do it now, now, now!

Like a bad Disney movie....

so funny.

Wedding Update

Wow, here is an update on my previous list. A lot has been done. I am a lot less stressed now that my Aunt will be the Wedding coordinator for the actual day. She is a kick ass organizer.

Things I need to do:
* buy hosiery (spanx?)
* find a cake topper Found Lego Bride and Groom on ebay
* make play list for CD favor, make over 100 of this CD, find way to package CDs
* find wedding mad libs for favors Just bought Mad Libs In Love on Amazon.com
* buy sharpies and paper for guest book pages
* find/buy shoes with one inch heels I got flip flops and blue converse
* go to the party rental place to look at linens and reserve linens, tables, chairs, and perhaps lighting
* call and reserve a margarita machine
* figure out what to do about makeup and hair (do it myself or find someone to help me)
* go to target and buy strings of garden lights that are hopefully on sale.
* think about what to buy my bridesmaids as gifts we are going to get manicure/pedicures for everyone
* buy the rings I got a gold band, and a tungsten carbide ring for Brad; both on Amazon.com
* think about what ceremony/vows we want to use From the Union by Robert Fulghum
* go to a feed store to look at/buy tubs for drinks my step-mom is in charge of drinks, I think she is just getting blue plastic tubs, but I will not stress about this at all. I have delegated this.
* pressure groomsmen to go and get fitted for their tuxes and get their shoe sizes in order to buy them Chuck Taylors for the wedding the groomsmen have been fitted and their converse shoes are on their way right now. I heard one of the groomsmen was very drunk at the time of his fitting, nice.
* cry because we are not going to have pie like we envisioned, and probably not coffee either. have gotten over it
* buy teeth whitening kits for Brad and I. Still need to do this, will go to Target today.
* exercise every other day or so. Look into Brad joining my gym (yay exercise buddy!). Plan to continue doing this after the wedding as well. yeah, not being done right now. We are too stressed to do that until after we move (where we will have an exercise room
* freak out about my horrible skin. stop picking at face (which goes against what I've always done), wash face every day. Working on this, still have many spots, damn adult acne
* get the marriage license To be done this week
* get my hair cut and colored. Appointment on Thursday for haircut
* convince wedding parties to dance a certain first dance with Brad and I (Amber had a great idea and I don't want to spoil the surprise)
* stress about the rehearsal because it is not going to be at the actual wedding site, so I guess it will be a pseudo rehearsal.
* figure out who will give speeches and let them know.


The wedding shower went very well. No one ended up spending the night or drinking because we are all old party poopers. But I got some great gifts and had fun talking to Laura, Christy, and Amber for a long time after the party was over.

Alias

By this time next month I will be living in a new apartment, under a new name, and married.

This is crazy.

Low Carb

I remember in 2002 I tried the Atkins diet for a few days. Sure I liked eating a lot of meat but I love carbohydrates and sugar. Which really became apparent to me last week when my doctor told me I have high glucose levels (or maybe it was insulin). The normal is between 2 and 25 and mine was at 24. Yikes! There is no way I want diabetes. I don't eat unhealthy really. I make most of my meals and try to eat a balanced diet. But I am eating too many carbs and sugars. Carbs actually turn into sugar and are very bad for people with diabetes and high glucose levels. I was looking around online for a good menu plan and found this one. Which I don't think will work for me because the normal meal they have has about 65 grams of carbs and my doctor wants me to only eat 35 grams at each meal and then 15 for snacks. But that is doable I think. Looking at that menu I can totally see cutting out the toast for breakfast (there is already oatmeal), maybe the crackers or one of the pieces of bread on the sandwich at lunch, and the roll at dinner.

I also found a great menu on the Food Network website. But that one doesn't show the grams of carbs per meal so I am not sure.

Also my doctor recommended taking a teaspoon of ground flaxseed about ten minutes before eating each meal. This really helps regulate your blood sugar, makes you feel fuller so you will eat less, and also has a lot of fiber so you will poop better. We are so poor right now though that I haven't gotten to Whole Foods to get it. But I will go shopping this Sunday and buy it and start on this diet. I have already started cutting out sugar and carbs, but I really want to have a menu planned out an not deviate from it. Wish me luck!

duh

One really important thing I need to start doing is to wear an apron when I cook. It seems silly but I have so many shirts that are ruined with grease stains because i stand so close to the stovetop when I cook and I get oil spattered all over me. I don't even realize it at the time, but then I wash the shirt and wear it again and then notice in the bathroom mirror at work that I have stains on my shirt.

Basically I leave the house without even looking at my outfit in the mirror and I usually look like crap. So these things have been bouncing around in my head and I need to write them down so I don't have to think about it until after the wedding.

Things to do to revitalize my wardrobe:
1. Wear an apron or pajama type clothes while cooking
2. Go through clothes to check for holes, stains, and ill fitting things and get rid of all of those items (this will be a lot of things).
3. Buy lots of new shoes. Try Payless and Famous Footwear clearance. Not just flats, get sandals and boots.
4. Buy more skirts.
5. Buy more blouses. I don't need more t-shirts or tank tops, I need nice blouses. Try kohl's, Lane Bryant clearance, Target clearance.

Notice how I say clearance a lot. I always have trouble spending a lot on clothes, it makes me feel guilty.

Notice number four. I have just recently starting loving skirts. I never wore skirts in the past. I always go for comfort and thought I would hate being in a skirt; but I found I love knee length skirts. I have bought four new skirts in the last few months and I love them. Oooh, I can wear skirts with new boot and perhaps colored tights in the winter. That is acceptable right?

to add to the wedding stress....

Now we have to move next month as well. Our lease should have been up at the end of this month, but we didn't really want to move right before the wedding; as well as our roommate didn't really have a lot of other options. But now she she does have a place to go and so we are going to be out of the house by November 2nd. The issues are that we will be out of town from 31 Oct to 2 Nov so we cannot move then; also we have no money until October 10, the day before the wedding. I believe we will be getting a place the week after the wedding and moving in those last two weeks of October. It is just scary to not have an apartment tied down yet. We have to go in the beginning of October and start applying and everything. So I am hoping that everything works out okay.

I am excited because the apartments we chose are in a great location. There is a workout room on site and within walking distance of a Walgreen's, coffee shop, art store, restaurants, and a Sunflower Market. Plus I like the apartment layouts.

Not tagged

What were you doing 1 second ago?
Answering a call from Dell at work.

What were you doing an hour ago?
Eating a baked potato that was so, so yummy and too big to finish.

What were you doing yesterday?
Working late and going to get Brad sized for a ring.

What were you doing a month ago?
I'm realizing my life is boring. I was doing the same thing I am now. Working and worrying about the wedding.

What were you doing a year ago?
Going to school and moving in to our rental house.

What were you doing five years ago?
Doing illegal drugs, working at Quiznos, and dating a douche who broke up with me by just never answering his phone. nice.

What were you doing ten years ago?
I was a sophomore in high school. Already very close friends with my bestfriend/roommate that I have now. I was just about to start my first job at the local movie theater. I had just lost my virginity that summer to a guy who broke up with me by never calling me again. Wow, I dated some winners!

What do you hope to be doing five years from now?
Maybe living in a different city, or actually knowing what I want to be when I grow up; definitely will have a child or two, either naturally or by adoption.

Knock Knock

knock knock...

who's there?....

September 11th....

September 11th who?....

You said you'd never forget :( .....



thanks to Billy for telling me that fantastic joke (his 32nd birthday was actually on last thursday, how would you like that for your birthday?).

33 days until the wedding

The only things I did this weekend are buy hosiery and an outfit for Brad for the rehearsal dinner. He had no khaki pants and only has like one dress shirt. I accidentally bought a really long shirt for him that was made for tucking in. I think it will still work, but we are not "tucking in" kind of people. Brad didn't even go with me, he totally trusts me to buy clothes he will like, it is awesome.

This weekend was pretty fun. Friday night Brad and I went to First Friday (a monthly art walk) with Brandon and Amy*. We went to an amazing restaurant, MacAlpine's, which is a soda shop/ antique store that has been open since the twenties. They we went to the Phoenix Art Museum (which I had never been to) and heard an awesome band, Colorstore, one of the members was playing a saw with a bow, it sounded amazing (whoa, I just found out they are playing with our friends' band Japanese Monsters at the Yucca Tap Room soon, yay!). Then we walked around to all the galleries and handed out fliers for an upcoming show that Brandon and Brad are playing at. I got a snow cone, we walked a lot, and it was really hot.

Saturday night we went to a house show in the middle of the desert which was a fundraiser for our friend Chris Knight. He is a long-time friend of Brad's and he will be having a kidney transplant done in a few weeks. He is in full kidney failure right now and has dialysis done every other day. This is a young man who is only in his mid-twenties and just got married last year and has a baby on the way. Thankfully and amazingly enough, he is getting his new kidney from his Mother-in-law. I get teary eyed just thinking about her generosity. I am just so happy that we were able to raise over $800 for his growing family this weekend. If anyone would like to donate money just let me know and I can get the info to you. The night was super fun. Especially when our friend Robin got drunk and started hitting on our married friend Christy. Robin is one of our youngest friends at 23 and Christy is only 28. His best pick up line ever, "You are so sexy, no matter how old you are. I want to take you out to Garcia's" Brad laughed until he cried. So funny.

Sunday, Brad was hungover and we didn't leave the house. Amber made Red Velvet cupcakes with cream cheese icing. God were they good! I had never had Red Velvet cake and I really like it. Amber is going to be making all the cupcakes for the wedding. Brad and I also watched a Buffy disc from Netflix (season 3 disc 1). Great weekend.

Two weeks until my shower, five wees until the wedding

* Brandon and Brad make comics together. Brandon makes comics on his own but he also writes stories and then Brad draws the comic. Brandon and Amy are very similar to Brad and I. On their latest comics, their bios each go something like this;
"Brandon lives and works in Phoenix, Az. He lives with his soon to be wife Amy and their two cats Fruits and Vegetables."
"Brad lives and works in Tempe, Az. He lives with his soon to be wife Shannon and their two cats Beans and Rice."

Word.

I love all that is John Stewart


not to mention Stephen Colbert. I had a racy dream about him this week. Of course in my dream he felt really bad for making out with me because he is married.

Stressville

So I had my third stress out yesterday of this wedding planning experience. I was crying and probably really freaking Brad out. I am really starting to stress out. There is so much to do and there is only a month left to do it. I am sad because I am not doing a lot of the stuff I had always envisioned but it is because I am lazy and don't want to have to figure it out, set it up, or even delegate it. I always wanted a wedding that was very different than the norm, but I'm finding that it is really hard to go against the grain when it comes to wedding shit. My mom is even against some of the stuff I wanted. At least I have complete control over the music. I just had to cut down the 13 hours of music I had picked to only about 6 hours. It was hard. And I still need to add some Michael Jackson songs (Christy I need these songs from you!)

I just feel lost in this wedding world. I feel like everyone assumes I know what to do, but I don't. I have only gone to three weddings as an adult and two of them were at the same house and none of them were of really close friends. So I have never been involved in wedding planning before, I have never been a bridesmaid, I have no idea what I am doing or what people expect at a wedding. People keep telling me, "oh, you have to have this or that, people expect it!" That pisses me off. I don't care what people expect, the only thing they should be there for is to see me get married, anything else is extra. I am not having two meat choices, I am not having a garter (creepy), I will not play cliched wedding songs (fuck "we are family"), I will not have a ceremony that brings up God at all (much to the chagrin of my father), I am not having cake, I am having alcohol (much to the chagrin of my father), my Mother is walking me down the aisle, my Father is the officiant (he is a minister). Things I wanted to do differently but am not: I wanted pie, I wanted a photo booth, I wanted a candy bar, I wanted a lego cake topper, I wanted a vintage non-white retro party dress...

Things I need to do:
* buy hosiery (spanx?)
* find a cake topper
* make play list for CD favor, make over 100 of this CD, find way to package CDs
* find wedding mad libs for favors
* buy sharpies and paper for guest book pages
* find/buy shoes with one inch heels
* go to the party rental place to look at linens and reserve linens, tables, chairs, and perhaps lighting
* call and reserve a margarita machine
* figure out what to do about makeup and hair (do it myself or find someone to help me)
* go to target and buy strings of garden lights that are hopefully on sale.
* think about what to buy my bridesmaids as gifts
* buy the rings
* think about what ceremony/vows we want to use
* go to a feed store to look at/buy tubs for drinks
* pressure groomsmen to go and get fitted for their tuxes and get their shoe sizes in order to buy them Chuck Taylors for the wedding
* cry because we are not going to have pie like we envisioned, and probably not coffee either.
* buy teeth whitening kits for Brad and I
* exercise every other day or so. Look into Brad joining my gym (yay exercise buddy!). Plan to continue doing this after the wedding as well.
* freak out about my horrible skin. stop picking at face (which goes against what I've always done), wash face every day.
* get the marriage license
* get my hair cut and colored
* convince wedding parties to dance a certain first dance with Brad and I (Amber had a great idea and I don't want to spoil the surprise)
* stress about the rehearsal because it is not going to be at the actual wedding site, so I guess it will be a pseudo rehearsal.
* figure out who will give speeches and let them know.

Sarah Palin

no, no, no, no, no.... I guess I'm glad McCain picked her because I hope it will hurt his campaign, but if they win; holy shit I do not want them in office. She is an anti choice, anti gay, anti sex education, and pro book banning. I congratulate her on her new baby and her daughter's baby on the way, but I know if I had a baby especially at a younger age, my mom would probably be helping me a lot. Is she going to have time for her growing family if she becomes the vice president? Many say this is sexist, but there is one area where men and women are unequal; we can give birth, we can sustain our children with our breasts, her husband can't do that. Just the fact that she would want to go back to work three days after giving birth makes me not want to vote for her.

Total Darkness

Well I didn't get picked for a jury. I didn't even get picked to go into a courtroom. I just sat there for hours, went and ate at the potluck in my Mom's office (she works in the same building as where the potential jurors congregate), read a book and and three quarters of another one. Oh well, maybe next time.

Thursday night we had a huge storm here in Phoenix. I was at a show at the Trunk Space to see the band Andrew Jackson Jihad. The sky was so full of lightning; seriously there was another strike about every three seconds. I counted and I took a video of it (I will post it if I can figure out how to do so). That lasted for a couple of hours. Then all of a sudden it got really windy really fast and started raining super hard. I was out in it for just a few minutes and was covered in grit and grime. See when it is windy in Phoenix you get lots of dust and then mixed with the rain it is basically mud, all over me. Gross.


So then the power went out; thankfully Andrew Jackson Jihad is an acoustic band because they still played in the complete darkness and everyone sang along. It was an amazing experience. I couldn't even see Brad standing next to me it was so dark; I had to keep reaching out to make sure he was there. I took a video of one of their songs, even though it is really just audio because you can't see anything. I will attempt to post that one too.


On a completely sad tangent; Brad and I were watching Animal Cops Detroit last night and and they mentioned how animals are involved in shootings and murder cases nowadays; and I brought up how my family got my Grandma's dog after my Grandma was shot by her boyfriend and the dog was deaf because she had been very near the gun when it went off. Brad was so surprised because he says he never knew my Grandma was murdered (well she was taken off of life support at a later date, that still counts as murder right?); although I swear I must have told Brad before, he claims I never did. It is weird to know that there could be this huge story that he didn't know about. It is not something that comes up a lot and I was only about 10 when it happened so I do not have a lot of memory of the events surrounding it and I didn't get to go to the funeral because it was in Hawaii. But I have definitely talked about her before and assumed he knew what had happened. It is very crazy.

Jury Duty

I finally have Jury Duty this Thursday. I have always wanted to do this. I still have to call on Wednesday afternoon to make sure I actually have to go in, so wish me luck. I actually squealed when I found out, I really am excited.

To get ready for it, I watched 12 Angry Men. I had never seen it and it was amazing. I love how you don't know any of their names and they don't show any of the trial. The one racist dude kept going on and on about "those people" but I didn't know what people he meant. They show the defendant in the beginning and I think maybe he was Italian or Puerto Rican but I couldn't quite tell. The only reason I would guess Puerto Rican is because of West Side Story and the issue the "Native" New Yorkers had with the immigrants. Most of my historical New York history knowledge is based from movies, sad isn't it?

After 12 Angry Men, I had to put on To Kill A Mockingbird, which is one of my most favorite movies. The name Harper (from the author Harper Lee)is definitely in the top running as the name for a future daughter. I love Gregory Peck in this movie and to a lesser extent Robert Duvall. I always wanted Atticus Finch to be my father. I cry in the courthouse scene every time.

Never Gonna Give You Up

Last night we played Balderdash at our friends house. If you don't know what that is, you make up fake definitions to people, movies, inventions, etc. When we play it, it usually gets very dirty, but last night things took an even more hilarious turn....















Ha ha ha ha ha, we got Rick Rolled while playing a board game! Thanks to Billy for that amazing answer.

Me and my great-grandmother

Me and my great-grandmother
Originally uploaded by flyabuv

I finally added some new pictures to flickr. I will try to add more each month.

This pic is from my Great Grandmother's 88th birthday a couple of months ago. She is a great, strong lady who just lost her husband earlier this year. I think there is a little bit of a resemblance, even though she is half my size!

High School All Over Again

There are some major cliques at my work. Women in their 30s and 40s are way bitchier and Judgy Judgersons than girls in high school. Some of the things they say about each other are brutal! I don't even want to know what they say about me behind my back, and I don't really care.
I sort of transcend the cliques, flitting from one to the other, just like I did in high school. Eating lunch one week with one group and another the next. But that also means I am not that good of friends with any of them because they don't trust me as much. It would be nice to be really close to someone at work; to actually have something in common with someone.....maybe in another five years of working here.

The epitome of Summer

This Saturday was great. Amber and I laid out in our backyard for about 30 minutes. We had the sprinkler on and listened to Abba. The only thing missing were Popsicles.
Half an hour may not seem like a lot, but here in Phoenix, that caused us both to be right on the cusp of being burnt. Thankfully I wasn't burnt, but I do now actually have some tan lines and my legs aren't so white that they seem green/blue due to my veins showing through my skin (no lie).

Then later that night Brad and I went to the third birthday party for our friend Yami's daughter. It was at a park where we grilled meat, had a water gun and balloon fight, and I left the park soaking wet. Unfortunately I was sad because all I could eat was potatoes with salt/pepper/mustard, a burger with no bun, potato chips, and a lot of pickles*. God, I wanted a Dr. Pepper so bad, and also potato salad, mmmmmm, drool....

The one frustrating thing with Yami's party is that it was supposed to start at 4:00 pm, and it did not start until about 7:00 pm. I am one of those people who is usually on time and if I am a few minutes late I start getting really worried and stressed out. Yami is one of those people who doesn't even leave his house until 4:00 pm and then realizes he forgot stuff and has to go back, and "oh yeah, I have to get ice from wal-mart".... super frustrating for me, but I really should have learned by now and not have shown up until 5:30. Live and learn.

*I am doing an elimination diet. If you haven't heard of that, it is a cheaper way to find out if you have any food allergies. For three weeks I have to give up: wheat, gluten, dairy, sugar, soy, corn, nuts, eggs. Then after three weeks I add one item back at a time to see if I react to any of them. I have been doing good; but only because I can still have rice and potatoes. My meals consist of meat, veggies, and rice or potatoes. I have been doing good, but I have been a little lax in the sugar department. I would probably rather die than have to give up sugar.

I have looked to some vegan recipes because they will not have dairy or eggs, but then they always have wheat or soy in them. I made some coconut rice yesterday and it was so so good. I want to cook with coconut milk everyday!

I can't resist synchronized dancing

I saw two movies last weekend that I plan on seeing again. Batman, which was so, so good. Everyone was awesome in it but especially Aaron Eckhart and Heath Ledger.

The other movie was Mamma Mia! God, I freaking love musicals! I want to go again and see it in the middle of the week so no one else is in there and sing along to all the songs. Brad just found out last night that all of the songs are Abba songs and he though that was weird. He just doesn't appreciate the awesomeness that is Abba. Hopefully he'll learn.

How I Met Your Mother

How I Met Your Mother is my new favorite show. I literally LOL at every episode. I have watched almost the whole first season online in the last two days.

Also, I am watching that new show The Secret Life of the American Teenager and loving it. It is by the same people who did 7th Heaven; and I really liked that show when I was younger. The Secret Life of the American Teenager is like 7th Heaven except there is actual teenage sex! Except in both shows most teens who have pre-marital sex either get pregnant or have major emotional issues (can you say Christian Agenda). Maybe they should have some comprehensive sex education at these fictional high schools and these fictional teens wouldn't be getting pregnant! I guess Bush must be the fictional President in their world as well.
EDIT 08/07/08: This show is an effing train wreck! It is a feminists' nightmare, with victim blaming up the wazoo. I can't stop watching though!

Concerts

I don't actually have any cds by Tilly and the Wall but the songs I have heard by them I love (Lost Girls, Beat Control). They are having a concert here this weekend and I am going, yay! I thought they were a semi-famous band, but they are playing at the Modified; which is a tiny art gallery venue.

Thursday night I went to see my friends' band Japanese Monsters at The Ruby Room. Now this bar was pretty cool; there were 1970s style naked lady paintings all over the walls and when we first walked in they were playing the movie Stripes. I couldn't stop staring at all the boobage. It also rained which was great. I love to get soaked in summer rain.

About two weeks ago my fiance Brad had his first accoustic show at a bar Stray Cat. It went great. He is so super funny and self-deprecating between songs; I love it.

Upcoming concerts I plan to attend: My Morning Jacket and Vampire Weekend.

The Soundtrack of My Life

your life were a soundtrack, what would the music be?

here's how it works:
1. open your library (iTunes, winamp, media player, iPod)
2. put it on shuffle
3. press play
4. for every question, type the song that's playing
5. new question-- press the next button
6. don't lie and try to pretend you're cool


opening credits:
"Should've Been A Cowboy" Toby Keith (ha ha!)

waking up:
"Cryin' Jag" Tilt

first day at school:
"88 MPH" Male Pattern Radness

falling in love:
"Good Intentions" Toad the Wet Sprocket

breaking up:
"I Feel it All" Fiest

prom:
"Good Hygiene" Del the Funky Homosapien

life's okay:
"New Slang" The Shins

mental breakdown:
"Celibate Now" Girl in a Coma
(ha, I probably would have a mental breakdown if I were celibate.)

driving:
"Amphetamine St." Toys That Kill

flashback:
"Girl Anachronism" Dresden Dolls

getting back together:
"Wedding Day" Rosie Thomas

wedding:
"Total Eclipse of the Heart" Bonnie Tyler

birth of child:
"Girl You Want" Devo

final battle:
"Girl With One Eye" Florence and the Machine

death scene:
"These Days" Nico

funeral song:
"Ain't No Mountain High Enough" Marvin Gaye
(a few songs later "Dead Man's Party" by Oingo Boingo came up, I definitely want that played at my funeral!)

end credits:
"You Can't Stop the Beat" from Hairspray

Obsessed!

I have recently become obsessed with the forum at www.mothering.com/discussions

I am glad to find like-minded women where I can learn a lot about the kind of parenting style I am interested in.

Book weakness

Some have a weakness for shoes or clothes; I have a weakness for books. I have been watching way less T.V. and have been reading two or three books a week. I just finished The Other Boleyn Girl and it was so, so good. Half way through I had to stop and read up on the actual history of Henry the VIII and the Boleyn sisters because I really had little knowledge about that history. I had a vague rememberence that Anne Boleyn had been queen, but I didn't know that she had been beheaded or that she was the mother of Elizabeth I.

Last week I tried to read Atonement but I did not like the style it was written in. I'm not ashamed to say, I like to read things that are easy to read. When an author uses old english or whatever, I just cannot get into it. I am also not ashamed to say, I have really gotten into vampire romance books. They are so entertaining and so easy to read, that I can get through one a day usually. My future sister in law got me into the Argeneau series by Lynsay Sands and I went to Bookmans looking for a few more. I had to ask someone where they were, because they have horror, romance, and fiction in them. The girl asked me, "Have you checked in the Paranormal Romance section?", I hesitated, "No...." so she walked me over there and I felt like a light had shined down from the heavens to show me my future. I cannot believe they have a whole section devoted to the awesomeness that is paranormal fiction. And don't even get me started on Laurell K. Hamilton books. They are so hot.

The weird thing is, I really don't like regular romance novels, they are to tame for me and not interesting; but add in a vampire or werewolf and I am so there.

MASH

This is great. Psshh, like I would ever forget how to play mash! My friends and I would actually add more categories like jobs you want and city you would live in. I think the guy I would always pick is Mark Paul Gosselaar. I think I would still pick him, he still looks good.

Jealousy

Does it make me a bad person that I was really jealous when I found out one of my favorite bloggers is pregnant again? She already has three children, can't she wait until I have at least one on the way? I realize this is completely irrational and I feel bad about it. Motherhood is always something I have admired in other people and assumed I would be able to do it; but what if I can't?

I can't believe they expect healthy couples to try for 18 months before worrying about not being able to get pregnant. That is fracking forever.

Basically I am just an impatient spoiled brat and expect instant gratification in most other areas of my life; but this is not something I can rush. And really we are waiting until we are married until we are actively trying (maybe for the continued deniability for my father; I swear we sleep in separate beds!), but isn't not protecting the same as trying?

Boston and Shaun

Can't talk... laughing too hard....

Tho Only Good Web Comic

Absolutely Crazy

This time of the year in Phoenix that normal temperature is about 98 degrees. Monday the temperature got up to 113 degrees but yesterday it didn't event get up to 70. That is a huge difference. It doesn't even seem natural.

What does it all mean!

SNL

I still watch Saturday Night Live. It really is not that good. But there is usually one really funny sketch per show. This last Saturday is was this

"That's hilarious, because....it's racist"

oh, and this one from a few weeks ago...

Make it so

If nerds ruled the world.


Link via not martha

Little Brother

I just read this book today. It was terrific and frightening and had so much truth about what is going on right now. My link will take you to the sight where the author is letting people download the book for free. So you can read the whole thing on your computer while you should be working (not that I did that) If you go to the bookstore looking for it, don't forget it is in the YA section; because YA kicks ass and rocks my world.

The Waldo Ultimatum

Awesome. Just awesome.

The Weepies

I have found my new favorite cd, Hideaway from The Weepies. Please check them out.

Baby Mama

I saw this in Sunday. It combines my two favorite things; babies and Tina Fey. I loved it.

I am so happy I finally convinced my friend to watch 30 Rock (she refused because she doesn't like Brian Fellows...er I mean Tracy Morgan) and now she loves it also.

Brad and i still haven't decided where to go on our Honeymoon. I don't have a lot of vacation left for this year; but Brad is going to A.P.E (Alternative Press Expo) in November in San Francisco and I thought we could go there for a four day weekend for our honeymoon and then maybe something longer next year.

I am going back to work full-time in a couple weeks and I am not looking forward to it. I love free time!

This now ends my very random list of going ons.

I love Mr Darcy

I will probably watch this every week for the rest of my life. I had seen the remake and of course the two Bridget Jones's Diary movies (I also love Mark Darcy) but I just bought the BBC Mini Series and watched it in two sittings. Swoon!

I get goosebumps just thinking about Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy.

I just re watched the second Bridget Jones movie and in the extras, Renee Zellweger in character as Bridget Jones interviews the actor Colin Firth. All she keeps asking him about is when he jumped in the pond as Mr. Darcy. Hilarious. Check it out if you have a chance.

oh my maude!

Read this, get really scared, and then join me in not eating genetically modified foods (which I don’t actually think can be done since corn and soy are in just about everything). This disease seems really weird and scary.

http://www.naturalnews.com/023004.html

Family

About a month ago Brad and I got a joint bank account. I love it. It is great. Now we never have to worry about who should pay for what when because it is all coming out of the same place.

Then this weekend, I finally stopped being on my Mom's cell phone family plan (what?! It has just always been that way since I got a cell phone; yes, I know, I am 25) and now Brad and I have a family plan.

Now we are a real family......

Wow

This video is crazy amazing

Family Tree

I tried to do some research on my family tree a while a go and found some. I'm sure if I was willing to scour the internet i could do it all for free but at the expense of my time. So I finally signed up for Ancestry.com only a few days ago and it is blowing my mind. You can look at actual census records. I have done my complete tree up to Great-Great Grandparents within the last few days. I even started doing the family tree for my roommate. I should charge people money and do this for the rest of my life, it is that interesting to me. Here is an example of a census page, you can see my relative, the Kirklands on there.

If you want me to do your Family tree I totally will.

Yay!!

I got my yearly review and got a 0.50 cent raise!!! Woot!

quarterlife (remember not to use capital letters)

I watched that new show quarterlife last night and I just don't think I can buy into it. We all know I love blogs and "alternative" people but that main character, Dylan (wow, what an alternative name!) and her roommate (with glasses, how alternative!) are so damn skinny I can barely watch them. I find them completely unattractive.

Also it annoys me that everyone is pining after each other. If I like someone I overtly flirt with them or do really obvious things like asking them questions about themselves and actually listening (just ask Brad, after I started asking him all these questions about his family he said he knew then that I liked him). I don't just pine away and hope they realize their feelings too and then they will come tell me they love me! Well I used to do that; in jr. high, when I would listen to Dreaming of You by Selena and get butterflies thinking that tomorrow in school the guy I was crushing on would randomly tell me he loved me and my life would change. I guess I'm a little too realistic in that sense, if I don't think a crush is ever going to like me back, I get over it real fast. I don't like to waste my time and feelings on someone who doesn't like me back. (of course celebrity crushes are the exception, I will always love you Alan Rickman)

Then the two main guy characters are already douche bags after one episode. Danny (is that his name?) cheats on his girlfriend and obviously only went to film school to make a commercial success of himself. I don't understand how him and Jed are best friends, they don't seem to have much in common. Of course many girls will think that the sensitive artist Jed is a cute boy who just needs to be loved; but no, he is also a a**hole. He is a pretentious artist who is selfish and can't be observant enough to see that Dylan is in love with him and he has a hissy fit when Danny won't shoot the commercial the way he wants. Blegch.

I don't like any of these characters. I will give it a couple of more episodes to see if it changes

Bad Timing

I just started reading Rock Star Mommy last week. When I start reading a blog, I really get into the archives and can read it for hours. Just last night I had read up to November 2007, only a couple of more months to go; but alas, this morning I tried going to my saved link to keep reading and it didn't work! I tried a couple of times and finally just went to the main url and saw that she had taken everything down and had a final message on there. She is quitting her blog and taking it down! I am actually sad about this. Of course I never met her, but her writing was so funny, heartfelt, witty, biting, and sometimes mean and it was great. I was really looking forward to catching up to present on her blog and commenting.

This is also not good for my obsessive behaviors because I really want to have read all of it. I will now always know that there are three months of her blog that I will never be able to read. Ack!

Sonic Commercial

I love the ones with the husband and wife and I just found out that the woman (actress/comedienne Molly Erdman) has a blog! I haven't really read a lot, but here it is.

This is mostly for Christy because I know she hates it when I tell her she looks like and sounds like her. But I think she is pretty and so funny, so it is actually a complement.

Clumsy

I know I am very late with this realization, but I just heard that Fergie - Clumsy song a few weeks ago and I hate to admit it but I love it (exept for the part where she talks, I hate talking in songs).

It really pains me to admit this because I really hate Fergie. I loved her when I used to watch Kids Incorporated and when she was in Wild Orchid; but even though she made the Black Eyed Peas famous, I think she ruined them. I think she is fugly and has dead meth eyes.

But this song is just so dang pop-y and I can't stop listening to it.

Lay offs

I am feeling tired and stressed. They are doing lay offs at my work and it is really fucked up and scary. It started yesterday completely out of the blue and no one knew who would be next. I sit right next to the room which they were taking each person in to offer them a severance package, so I kept watching friend after friend going in there. I kept waiting for my turn, but it never came. I think they are done.

In reality, I wouldn't have minded if I was one of the ones laid off. Having five weeks of paid time off sounds nice, but I hate getting a new job. I hate interviews; they are so fake. I would hate not having insurance. I hate having to try to immerse my self in the cliques that have already been established. But it would be nice to work with people more my age. I am pretty much the youngest here.

I wonder what stupid bullshit moral booster they are going to try and get us to do now. "Yay! Be happy, we still love you!!" the company will try to tell us, but now we know that we are never safe.

My weekend

Some things I did this weekend:

Friday my friends and I all went to a restaurant/bar for Karaoke (and a belated birthday get together)! I am a newbie to it but I really love doing it. But I really have to have people I know there or else I feel really self conscious. I actually got a little tipsy for the first time in like a year (since my last birthday). Then we went to Denny's and played Cranium Conga and kept waiting for all the drunk people around us to get into fights.

After finding a new blog, Splendid Sustenance via another blog I read I decided to make two of the recipes she was able to copy from Vegan with a Vengeance. So Saturday I made Creamy Tomato Soup and ate it with a grilled cheese sandwich. Then on Sunday I made Hot and Sour Soup and homemade egg rolls. Everything was so so good. I actually ordered the cook book along with another one, Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World, and the non-fiction book, The Omnivore's Dilemma. I can't wait for them to arrive!!!

We are not planning on becoming vegetarian or vegan anytime soon, but I want to learn more styles of cooking than just meat/veggie/starch that I am becoming so bored of. I really want to learn more Thai and Indian recipes.

Sunday night I watched The Sixth Sense and then Waiting to Exhale after Brad went to sleep. I have been staying up way to late lately. When I had to work at 6:30 every morning, I would be asleep by 11:00 pm at the latest, but now that I have school at 8:00 am some days and 9:00 am others, I am staying up until about 2:00 am.

I can always watch Waiting to Exhale. I just love it so much. I think that Loretta Divine is so beautiful; not to mention Angela Bassett and Lela Rochon.

Birthday

My 25th birthday was on Monday, but I stayed home sick Monday and Tuesday so I didn't do much. We rented Once and Paprika. I heard good things about Paprika but it was just to weird for me I guess. I haven't watched Once yet but I have the soundtrack and have been looking forward to watching it forever. Tuesday we went to see Persepolis. That was amazing. We have the books and the movie was probably even better.

While grocery shopping at Whole Foods I got fresh seafood, mussels, shrimp, and scallops. Then last night we went to our friends' house to cook dinner. I made an italian tomato sauce and it was probably the best thing I have ever made ever. I agree with Brad when he says he could probably stop eating read meat if he could have seafood every night.

Brad got me a Ipod shuffle and I love it. I just loaded random songs onto it so listening is a discovery of our music that I haven't heard in a while. Here are some random songs.
Wedding Day - Rosie Thomas
19th Nervous Breakdown - Rolling Stones
Easy Skanking - Bob Marley
Some TOOL song that I don't know the name of (no display remember)
Lets Get Out of This Country - Camera Obscura
Time After Time - Cindi Lauper
A Decemberists song
A Kelly Clarkson song
A George Strait song
An Arcade Fire Song
Maybe Sparrow - Neko Case
A few punk songs of brad that I like but don't know the names of. I think the bands are Scared of Chaka and Pinhead Gunpowder.

When i say I listen to most every types of music, I really mean it.

100 greatest movies

Here is a list of AFI's picks for the 100 top movies of all time. The movies I have not seen are in Bold

1. Citizen Kane (1941)
2. The Godfather (1972)
3. Casablanca (1942)
4. Raging Bull (1980)
5. Singin' In The Rain (1952)
6. Gone With The Wind (1939)
7. Lawrence Of Arabia (1962)
8. Schindler's list (1993)
9. Vertigo (1958)
10. The Wizard Of Oz (1939)
11. City Lights (1931)
12. The Searchers (1956)
13. Star Wars (1977)
14. Psycho (1960)
15. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
16. Sunset Blvd. (1950)
17. The Graduate (1967)
18. The General (1927)
19. On The Waterfront (1954)
20. It's A Wonderful life (1946)
21. Chinatown (1974)
22. Some like It Hot (1959)
23. The Grapes Of Wrath (1940)
24. E.T. The Extra-terrestrial (1982)
25. To Kill A Mockingbird (1962)
26. Mr. Smith Goes To Washington (1939)
27. High Noon (1952)
28. All About Eve (1950)
29. Double Indemnity (1944)
30. Apocalypse Now (1979)
31. The Maltese Falcon (1941)
32. The Godfather Part II (1974)
33. One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest (1975)
34. Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs (1937)
35. Annie Hall (1977)
36. The Bridge On The River Kwai (1957)
37. The Best Years Of Our lives (1946)
38. The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (1948)
39. Dr. Strangelove (1964)
40. The Sound Of Music (1965)
41. King Kong (1933)
42. Bonnie And Clyde (1967)
43. Midnight Cowboy (1969)
44. The Philadelphia Story (1940)
45. Shane (1953)
46. It Happened One Night (1934)
47. A Streetcar Named Desire (1951)
48. Rear Window (1954)
49. Intolerance (1916)
50. The Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring (2001)
51. West Side Story (1961)
52. Taxi Driver (1976)
53. The Deer Hunter (1978)
54. M*a*s*h (1970)
55. North By Northwest (1959)
56. Jaws (1975)
57. Rocky (1976)
58. The Gold Rush (1925)
59. Nashville (1975)
60. Duck Soup (1933)
61. Sullivan's Travels (1941)
62. American Graffiti (1973)
63. Cabaret (1972)
64. Network (1976)
65. The African Queen (1951)
66. Raiders Of The Lost Ark (1981)
67. Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf? (1966)
68. Unforgiven (1992)
69. Tootsie (1982)
70. A Clockwork Orange (1971)
71. Saving Private Ryan (1998)
72. The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
73. Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid (1969)
74. The Silence Of The Lambs (1991)
75. In The Heat Of The Night (1967)
76. Forrest Gump (1994)
77. All The President's Men (1976)
78. Modern Times (1936)
79. The Wild Bunch (1969)
80. The Apartment (1960)
81. Spartacus (1960)
82. Sunrise (1927)
83. Titanic (1997)
84. Easy Rider (1969)
85. A Night At The Opera (1935)
86. Platoon (1986)
87. 12 Angry Men (1957)
88. Bringing Up Baby (1938)
89. The Sixth Sense (1999)
90. Swing Time (1936)
91. Sophie's Choice (1982)
92. Goodfellas (1990)
93. The French Connection (1971)
94. Pulp Fiction (1994)
95. The Last Picture Show (1971)
96. Do The Right Thing (1989)
97. Blade Runner (1982)
98. Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942)
99. Toy Story (1995)
100. Ben-hur (1959)

I can't believe I have seen so few of these. Some have resolved to watch any they have missed by the end of this year. I think I will try not to watch any of them. I used to be so into watching movies all the time (my first job was at a movie theater); but now I only go to the movies like once a month (that is a reduction for me) and on Netflix I usually only watch TV show DVDs now. I like it this way. My latest Netflix obsession is X Files on DVD. Damn that Smoking Man!

via Defective Yeti

The Gym

I went to the gym yesterday for the first time in about a year. Don't even get me started on how I have been paying for it and not going. Hey, I finally went and it only cost me $240! psshha!

There are a couple of things that annoy me about gyms. I will list and explain.

Personal Trainers. I get one session a month, but I only ever used one. They just push too hard and make me never want to come back. I do not want to be a gym rat, I am not exercising to lose weight, I have not exercised much in the past. So going to the gym for the first time in a long time and pushing myself too hard is not what I want. And don't even get me started on the diet supplements they try to sell you.
The way I see it any exercise is better than none. So ten minutes on the elliptical and ten minutes of weight training are good for me right now as a beginner with knee pain. I was in my target heart rate the whole ten minutes so it was all good for me. I am still a little sore today from the little amount of weight training I did. I don't want to feel that my muscles are all torn up (which is actually what you go for when weight training, then they heal even bigger) but that they have actually been used; for something other than changing the channel.

Judgy Judgersons. This is one reason a lot of overweight people don't go to gyms because they always feel judged. I have been trying to get over a lot of my issues about that in all situations in my life (like being afraid to dance in public, big fear of mine). It is so true you should fake confidence until you feel it. I walked in there with my robot pajama pants, instead of tight exercise pants, with my head held high and didn't feel judged at all. The way I see it, when people are judging me, it is their self esteem issue not mine. It is easier to change the way I think than the way they think.

The Story of Stuff

Amazing video.

bye, bye, bye 2007

I got these questions from here, via here

1. What did you do in 2007 that you’d never done before?

Got engaged!
2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

I don't remember if I had resolutions, but see my last entry for this year's resolutions.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

Yes, my two closest friends both gave birth. One on 11/27 and one on 12/10, both were boys
4. Did anyone close to you die?

No one very close to me, but my great aunt did die from cancer, and my second cousin was in a hit and run accident. Although it is sad for those left behind, I never feel sad for those who die; they are now a part of everything.
5. What countries did you visit?

Um, only the one I live in sadly. :( If my reader(s) want to donate $3500 I can go to Europe this year with my Geography professor this summer.
6. What would you like to have in 2008 that you lacked in 2007?

A baby; but that would not be "good" this year. That is tentatively planned for 20010. I am surprised I will actually be getting married before I have a baby, who knew! I would like to have a husband this year.
7. What dates from 2007 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

Well the births of the two new babies I got to meet, and the date I got engaged (Christmas Eve).
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Finishing my classes for the fall semester.
9. What was your biggest failure?

Not being ready to go to ASU this spring
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

Nope. But that could be because I don't do much. There is not a lot of ways to get hurt while laying on the couch.
11. What was the best thing you bought?

Hmm, well now my copy of Offbeat Bride by Ariel Meadow Stallings is turning out to be my best buy. I bought it long before I was engaged, because I love her blog.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

Hmm, I can't think of anything.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

No one I actually know, but Britney Spears mads me sad and appalled. She is rich, she doesn't always need to be driving her own car or leaving the house to get Starbucks everyday. I am sad for her and her family.
14. Where did most of your money go?

Rent.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

My friends having babies. I love living vicariously through other people!
16. What song will always remind you of 2007?

Peter Bjorn and John - Young Folks
Animal Collective - Peacebone
Black Flag - Nervous Breakdown
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - Let the Cool Goddess Rust Away
Cold War Kids - Hang Me Up to Dry
The Knife - Heartbeats
I may have heard some of these in 2006, I just can't remember, the years run together.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
 a) happier or sadder? 
b) thinner or fatter? 
c) richer or poorer?

a) happier
b) same
c) poorer, but I guess it is by choice. I work part time during the school semester.
18. What do you wish you’d done more of?

Traveling and going outside.
19. What do you wish you’d done less of?

Less watching of the TV.
20. How did you spend Christmas?

Christmas Eve and morning were spent with my family, then we drove to Taos, NM to spend the rest of the week with Brad's Mom and Step-Father.
21. Did you fall in love in 2007?

More and more each day. (awwwwww)
22. What was your favorite TV program?

Too many to choose from. The Soup became one of my favorites.
23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?

No, not that I can think of.
24. What was the best book you read?

With by Donald Harington
25. What was your greatest musical discovery?

I am happy that I no longer know what is popular. I never listen to local radio stations (I have Sirius) and people will bring up a song and I never have heard it. I like discovering music I like, not liking music because it is pushed down my throat by Clear Channel.
26. What did you want and get?

Engaged (wow, it is great to use this for all my answers).
27. What did you want and not get?

A new car
28. What was your favorite film of this year?

Superbad or Knocked Up or Dan in Real Life
29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

I turned 24 in 2007 and I had a get together at my apartment. I think that was the one time I actually got drunk this year.
30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

$1000000
31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2007?

Comfortable, jeans, tshirts, a hoodie zip up jacket, and slip on flats.
32. What kept you sane?

My personality, I am not one to stress about anything. I don't let things bother me.
33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

I developed an Alan Rickman major crush this year.
34. What political issue stirred you the most?

Environmental ones, our breaking of the Geneva Convention, and generally just how this administration breaks laws without any consequences.
35. Who did you miss?

It seems although I have grown closer to a couple of people from our group of friends, the rest of the group seems to be growing apart. I have only been around for three years, but they have all been friends for more than ten years, so I am sad that we may be moving in different directions.
36. Who was the best new person you met?

Malia, a girl in my geography class. I actually haven't talked to her since the semester ended, but I plan on continuing the friendship.
37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2007

Don't try to change yourself to fit society, try to change society to fit you.
38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
Joy and Pain, Sunshine and Rain.

Resolutions

In 2008 I will:

Exercise more. Mostly in a fun way (tennis, racquetball, basketball, etc.), but also to the gym. The goal is not to lose weight necessarily, but to build strength and a healthy heart (and perhaps tone my arms since I am getting married this year).

To work more on my crafts (knitting, sewing, crocheting) and to actually sell something I have made for money.

To get married!

To move into a smaller apartment and to downsize our stuff in order to save money. In the last few years we have been moving each time into bigger and nicer places, but I realize that we need to save money in order to buy a new car and someday a house.

To frame all the artwork I have. Frames are expensive!

P.S.
I am working on a Wedding Website for Brad and I. There is not much there yet, but you can check it out at www.mywedding.com/bradandshannon