New Babies!

Well, there are two new babies in my life.

My roommate had her baby boy two months early on the morning of November 27. He is doing really well, but will probably be in the hospital for the next month or so while he gains weight. I can't wait for him to come home!

My other closest girlfriend had her second baby boy on Monday (only five days early). This is the first birth I have ever seen, and I thought it was amazing. I cried of course. Her family was home by the next day, and the new big brother is still trying to adjust, but he is doing a great job.

I love both of these families and I can't wait to start my own!

When did we become like Syria?

This makes me angry and sad that this happened to this man.

Fat Rant - Confessions of the Compulsive

Oh this is awesome. This first page of comments are great but seeing some of the previous comments (mean and unintelligent), it seems many people missed the meaning. She is not saying, "We are all fat just because of our genes!" She is saying that overeating cannot be treated like other addictions or compulsions because as humans we can never stop eating or we die. So yes, the girl who pulls out all her hair, or a crack addict, or a cutter could be cured with therapy and just stopping the behavior. But an overeater can never stop eating, so it should be treated differently.
Also, if you have read any of the recent health studies or fat acceptance blogs you will see what we are trying to convince the public of is that being fat is no less healthy than being thin. A new study shows that the best weight is at the BMI of 25 or 26, which according to the bullshit scale (which doesn't account for age by the way) is overweight. So "professionals" were wrong, being at a 18 or 19 BMI is not healthiest for you.
Just because I am fat doesn't mean I am unhappy, or lazy, or an overeater, or unhealthy, and most importantly I deserve just as many rights and respect as thin people.
If you feel you need to lose weight just to fit into society, perhaps you should try changing society instead.

Persons who don't like or respect fat people or treat them like lesser humans, I see them the same way I see racists and homophobics.

The Anticlause

My boyfriend and his friends made this years ago. If you have eight minutes and fifty-one seconds, watch it. Especially because the Holidays are coming, it will really get you in the mood.

Also, my boyfriend did the music. If you can't tell, they didn't add the music during editing, but had Brad standing there behind the camera playing his guitar. So awesomely funny.

If you have another chance, watch Zomburrito also.

P.S. If you don't like swearing, don't watch this. There are a few f*bombs in there.

Burt's Bees Sells Out

Damn it!

Burt's Bees has been bought by Clorox, of all companies. I will no longer be buying any of their products.

:::::UPDATE::::

Although I can't find the original post I read about this, you can see it on the Burt's Bees website here.

Red Paperclip

This ended over a year ago, but I just heard about it now. Check this out.

A guy from Canada used the internet to trade a single red paper clip for a house. It took 16 trades, including a handmade doorknob, a beer keg, a snow mobile, and an evening with Alice Cooper, but he received a house and has been living there for a year.

Amazing!!!!

BRAINS!!!!

If you have seen the video Shoes, this becomes even better than it already is. I wonder if any of these girls are in roller derby because they sure look like it.

Also, if you have never seen Slither, you should totally rent it. It has become one of my favorite horror movies ever.

'True Lies' by Taalam Acey

scary and true.

Roar!

I work pretty close to the zoo. So much so that some mornings you can smell the animals' poop. Today was the first time though that I heard something roaring. It was pretty amazing.

Rental House

Kitchen
Originally uploaded by flyabuv

Well we found a house to rent. We will be moving in on Sept 28 so we can use that weekend to move. I found out today that a coworker lives on the same street, so we already know some neighbors!

Click on the pic to see more photos.

Wow

School school school school school. That is what my life is about right now. Oh, and trying to find a house to rent. It pretty much sucks.

But I wanted to say something. I watched Kujo for the first time last night; and I have to say that, although I did jump, it was pretty much one of the saddest movies I have ever seen. I was almost sobbing at parts. If you are a mother of a young child, I would not suggest watching it. I was kept crying for the dog while it was going crazy because of rabies. So sad.

Jurassic Park Series

If I ever come across Jurassic Park on T.V., say on TNT or AMC, I have to watch it (the same for Independence Day also). I have seen the movie so many times; but I can watch it over and over again. Well I finally bought the three pack DVD that includes Jurassic Park, The Lost World: Jurassic Park, and Jurassic Park III.

We watched Jurassic Park on Sunday and then The Lost World last night. God, The Lost World has some really stupid moments. My favorite being the pterodactyls at the end. Yes, dinosaurs that can fly will never get off the island! See here for some other funny plot holes.

Oh Em Gee

Seriously

Ever since I saw this teaser trailer attached to Transformers, Brad and I have been so excited. Brad loves any monster movie and has probably seen just about every Godzilla franchise movie. I have loved J.J. Abrams from Felicity to Lost.


I hope this movie doesn't let me down.

Major crushes

To me it has never been so much about over all good looks, but my crush must have that certain something. Right now it is a wonderful voice with a British accent and over the age of 45. Here are the men I become giddy over right now:

1. Gary Oldman. Especially in Harry Potter, The Scarlett Letter, and Dracula.


2. Liam Neeson. Is it creepy that I was most attracted to him while watching Schindler's List?


3. Alan Rickman. He plays Professor Snape, um, enough said. I can't find a very good picture of him, it is more the way he is on screen; and his voice. God, it gives me goosebumps!


4. Hugh Laurie. So sarcastic, and he also has a great voice.


What I find interesting is that 1 and 2 were in Batman Begins together; 2 and 3 were in Love Actually together; 1 and 3 were in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban together; and 3 and 4 were in Sense and Sensibility together. No wonder I love all of those movies.

Happy Birthday Candace!

My little sister turned 22 today. Last year I posted pictures of her as a kid on my Flickr. They are still on there if you would like to see them.

In our family, on our birthday's, we go to a restaurant with my Dad, and for dinner with my Mom, she makes any thing you want.

So Saturday night we went dinner at Red Lobster. I know my sister likes it there, but I think she chooses it mostly for me. I love Red Lobster. I worked there for over a year and I still love it.

Then last night we went to dinner at my Mom's house. We went swimming, and my Mom made spaghetti pie and dump cake. Spaghetti pie is spaghetti with about a pound of cheese mixed in and then baked. It is something my Grandma used to make and my sister loves it.

You may know the desert, dump cake, by other names. You dump a can of cherry pie filling and a can of crushed pineapple in to a rectangle pan. Then cover that with a bag of dry yellow cake mix. Then you cut a stick of butter into thin slices and cover the top. Then bake it at 350 degrees for 45 min to an hour, it should be golden and bubbly. It is super sweet, but so easy and delicious.

Thankfully there was so much food last night that both my sister and I were able to take home left overs. I am eating some right now. hmmmmm

That one movie with Sigourney Weaver

Something that I find so funny is when characters on a T.V. show are trying to figure out a movie and one of the characters was in that movie.

Probably because then I can show off my mad movie game skills. The movie game (yes a very original title I know) is like Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon. With a group of people, one person starts by naming a movie; then the next person names a actor in that movie; then the next person names another movie that that person is in and so on. You can't do repeats. If someone doesn't know another actor or movie, they can challenge and that last person to answer must know another actor or movie. If they don't, then they are out; if they do then the person who challenged is out.

I could always play with my movie theater friends because we were all movie dorks. But when I play with my friends now (most of whom are guys) they always name 80s wrestling stars or action movies. Those are my only weakness!

Harry Potter

My friends and I had pre-ordered our books at Barnes and Noble. After waiting until after midnight there and realizing we would have to wait another hour or so because there was over 700 people there, we decided to leave. We drove to Wal-Mart and waited in line behind three people and had our book in about 5 minutes.

There were some teenagers at Barnes and Noble that had naughty shirt on. They said things like, "I gave Harry Potter Parsletongue", "If you be the beater, I'll be the keeper", and "My wand is 13 1/2 inches". They were funny.

I finished the book this morning at 2 am (or last night at 2 am?). I cried and cried and cried. And then cried some more this morning while telling Brad about what happens (he doesn't read the books). I love a lot about the closure, but I feel I needed more information about what happens to certain characters. There are some unexpected deaths and one that has really hit me hard.

SEMI SPOILER

I always believed in Snape. :*(

Hon Machi Sushi

mmmmmm, shushi!

Brad and I wanted to eat sushi last night, but we are also slightly broke trying to save for the move. Solution: Hon Machi. I first went to this place a few times with my friends Billy and Christy and loved it. Sure it does not have the fancy psuedo-Asian decorations like Ra or Kona Grill, but it also doesn't have their prices. Also those places are too loud and snooty. Hon Machi is very laid back, but it is also on a lake so you can see the water from wherever you sit. Those times we went with another couple, it was about $60 total.

But wait it gets better; Mon - Thurs from 5-7 pm, they have Happy Hour prices for drinks and certain rolls. Thankfully they are all my favorite rolls. So last night Brad and I ate way too much, 6 different rolls, which is about 40 - 50 pieces. Our total, not including tip was $25.01.

You should go there

P.S. If you like fabric, there is also a quilting store right next door to browse in afterwards.

Harry Potter

I told my boss that I may not be able to concentrate and may have to go home and take a sleeping pill and sleep until midnight. Otherwise, I may shout Harry Potter related things through out the day.

So. Excited.

Not so secret shame

I am shamelessly stealing this idea from Gurg.

In 9th grade I had a secret. I tried to hide it from everyone except my close friends. I was trying to get in with the "cool" druggie kids (never happened). But I had to admit it when my friends found my "SPICE" ring. I loved the Spice Girls. This trend continued through out my young adult life. Around other people I would talk about the cool bands I like that were alternative and indie, but by myself I would listen to N'Sync and Britney Spears. Not to say I don't like indie music, I love it, I just love unoriginal pop music also. I just love music I can sing along with.

In the summer between junior and senior year, my friend Kerri and I made a dance to Digital Get Down by N'Sync. A choreographed dance. I was 17 years old!

Here are a couple songs that I love to sing along with and I am no longer ashamed to admit it.





Here are two awesome newer songs that I hope will make up for the above ones.

Tiny annoyance

I use the text messaging feature where the phone knows what I'm trying to type. For years I didn't use this because I didn't understand it, and was therefore scared of it. Now I love it but I get really annoyed when I try to type "at" or "we". Let me tell you phone, there is no way I am trying to instead type "bu" or "ye". Those aren't even words! Gah!

Catch and Release

This post is liable to spin out of control with tangents. You have been warned.

We rented the movie, Catch and Release the other night. I did like it, and cried of course (I always do). I don't think I have to tell you that my favorite part was Kevin Smith. I have always had such a huge crush on him, and I always will. He is so smart and funny and cute. But there were two things I didn't like about this movie.

First, the love interest, Timothy Olyphant; I used to be very attracted to him, especially when he was in that one Sex in the City episode. But now he is just creepy looking. His expression never changes, it is always that smirk with teeth that are too white. Is he happy? Annoyed? Horny? I can never tell. Stop smirking! Also, if he was a rich Hollywood director guy, I can tell you right now he would not have that disgusting hair cut. Those kind of things annoy me.

Here comes a spoiler; but this is a romantic comedy so it's not that hard to guess what happens.

Second, I was upset that the dead fiancé cheated on Jennifer Garner's character. The other woman, Juliette Lewis said, "It makes sense that she's perfect because when he was with me he always seemed like a kid on vacation; like he could really be himself." That makes me so so angry. Why would he marry someone that he couldn't be himself around?

I seriously think a lot of guys are like this. They feel that they "should" get married, and so they find a "suitable" wife that they are attracted to and convince themselves that they are in love. They get married, check out emotionally, and have affairs and such.

This is why I definitely believe in sex and co-habitation before marriage. I don't think you can really connect with someone and know if you are in tune with them and their lifestyle unless you live together. Especially if you have one of those guys who like to think that girls don't poop, or fart, and always wear make-up. I really hope you don't have one of those, but they do exist. Or what if his mommy alway did his laundry and cooked for him and he is going to expect you to do the same? You need to know this before getting married.

I read this article about the 12 things you should ask your significant other before marriage. They are things like how we want to raise children, how our faiths will interact, do I like your family, and household expectations (chores and such). Personally, in my relationship, I already know the answers to all of these questions, we have talked about them through out the last two and a half years. I feel that if these things have not already come up and you have to sit down and ask for these answers, then you are not ready to get married.

The Horror of Blimps

So funny


[source]

House

This is the house I want to rent! It is perfect for what we want. What is going to be happening is that Amber and Frank (my best friend and her boyfriend), and me and Brad are all moving in together. Our move date is September first, so I shouldn't be looking for houses yet because they will probably be gone by then, but Amber sent me a link to this one and we love it.

Some people sort of cringe when I tell them I moving in with another couple, even Brad was a little wary of the idea. But I think it will be great. First of all, Amber and I have lived together before and we even shared a room at the time, and it was fine. Second, we will be in a 4 bedroom house with a pool (hopefully), all that room is more than enough for me to have some personal privacy. I just really want to live in a house, with a backyard and no downstairs neighbors. This is the only way we can afford to live in a house and our rent is actually going to go down since it is split between four people.

Also if the backyard is big enough, there may be a wedding there (or two). ;)

It's Baaaack

It seems as though our air conditioner is going out again. We woke up to a 80 degree house. I went to work and Brad stayed home to see if it got better or worse; it got worse. It is now over 85 degrees in there. He went down to the office and they will come check it out; but they made some snide comment about how they spent $1000 on fixing it and it's already not working!? Well maybe you should just buy a new one. I don't know how long air conditionings last, but ours has to be at least 10 years old. It runs all the time, is very loud (can't hear the TV loud), and the house isn't weather proof very well causing it to run even harder. In the summer, our energy bill is about $200 for a 1000 sqft apartment.

It makes me feel bad that I am wasting a lot of energy with all of my old ass appliances.

We'll see how this day progresses.

January 28

The Rules:
Go to Wikipedia and type in your birthday (only the month and day). Find three events, two births, and one holiday that occured on your birthday. Then tag five friends.

Events:
1. 1813 - Pride and Prejudice is first published in the United Kingdom.

2. 1958 - Charles Starkweather and Caril Ann Fugate begin their murder spree with the killings of her parents and infant sister.

3. 1986 - Space Shuttle program: STS-51-L mission (Space Shuttle Challenger disaster) - Space Shuttle Challenger breaks apart 73 seconds after liftoff killing all seven astronauts onboard, including Christa McAuliffe, who was supposed to be the first teacher in space.

Births:
1. 1968 - Sarah McLachlan, Canadian singer and songwriter (I didn't even know this!)
2. 1981 - Elijah Wood, American actor (I loved this as a pre-teen when North came out)

Holiday:
World Leprosy Day

Hot as Hell

Our air conditioner is shot. Thankfully we live in an apartment and don't have to pay for a new one; but it could take a few days. By the time I got home from work yesterday it had to of been 120 degrees inside my apartment. The maintenance guy said he would have a portable a/c unit in our house in an hour. So we took our kitties and went to a friends' house for a while. When we got back he had put the a/c unit in our room. I wasn't thinking he would do this, and now I am embarrassed because there were dirty clothes all over the corner of the room, underwear showing and all. The portable a/c was blowing cold air but it was still 91 degrees in there and the rest of the house was over 100 degrees. So we grabbed the kitties, their food and litter box, water and snacks, some dvds. We put a towel under the door to keep the air in and didn't leave the room for the rest of the night. We wet wash clothes and so it wasn't to uncomfortable. My kitties slept in the bathtub; at one time I wet a sock and laid it on my kitty, she didn't move, she loves water, crazy girl!

By the time I went to bed it was 89 degrees and when I woke up it was 79, not bad.

A Typical Day at the Justice Department

Circa 2005


Link via Defective Yeti

Simulated Life

I played Sims 2 yesterday for like six hours. So now I keep thinking that in real life I should be able to get pregnant after woo hooing once, then get married in about four minutes and have a roof raising party with just two guests before I start showing, then have the baby appear in my arms three days later, then quit my job and hire a nanny sometimes so I can have time to myself. All the while my husband keeps getting promoted everyday because he is awesome.

In real life though, I played the Sims while I stayed home from work, felt sick all day, did nothing productive, let Brad clean around me, cooked dinner, and am no closer to having money for a baby or getting married.

New Shows

I like TV and I'm not ashamed. I hate commercials though, and don't watch a lot of TV that isn't recorded. Since most shows are on hiatus, there is little to watch. So I have added some new shows to my rotation that I am excited about.

My Unique Family on TLC. I haven't watched it yet, but it is set to record. The first one I'm watching is about a woman who has started a Wiccan Church in a town that thinks witches are evil.

Miami Ink on TLC. I just started watching this and I love it. I only have one tattoo now but I want more and this show helps give me ideas.

Cash Cab on Discovery Channel. A great trivia show that takes place in a cab when people get in.

Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip. This one is so so so good and it was gone for months and I was scared that it would never come back. Thankfully they are showing new ones again, but it seems just to finish up the season. Supposedly it is too expensive to make. So they will cancel it and replace it with two more reality shows, great :*( Stupid!

I have started watching the baby shows again: A Baby Story, Bringing Home Baby, House of Babies. I get obsessed for a while and then stop.

I am returning to HGTV again too. There is a new show about green decorating that looks good, Red, Hot and Green. Not such a good title, but I am recording it.

Dance by the Light of the Moon

I work in the same building as this guy Jordan. We used to sit near each other but now I only see him every few weeks. He sends emails to the whole building and I see his last name at least once a week, but every time I see him I go blank. I ask myself, "What is his last name?!" but all that keeps coming to me is, Catalano, and for a second I convince myself that that is totally correct.

Birth Control

I have taken hormonal birth control pills off and on since I was 15. I should have always been on it because if I'm not then I have a period about once every six month. I just started Yasmin again after not being on it for like a year (no periods during that time). I remember how much I hate it. I get really sensitive to smells and threw up in a public restroom the other day, head aches, nauseous, loss of appetite, tender breasts, and aversion to sex. Sucks for me and for Brad. But hey, at least I have periods and cramping to look forward to now! That is what was missing in my life.

Knocked Up Trailer

I have been waiting to see this for months. I adored 40 Year Old Virgin and I am hoping I will love this. I am trying not to get my hopes up though; but I have loved a lot of things Judd Apatow has written like Freaks and Geeks, Undeclared, and I just found out he wrote Heavyweights. Heavyweights was a favorite of mine as a kid. So babies and Judd Apatow, I don't think this movie can go wrong.

I will be seeing this Friday on a double date with my favorite married couple

Waitress Trailer - Keri Russell

You should go see this movie. It was wonderful. It is bittersweet though because the writer/director/co-star Adrienne Shelley was murdered and never got to see her final project :(

All alone

Brad is going to be in New Mexico visiting his mom for the next five days. He left last night. It sucks sleeping alone. I have never lived alone. I don't like it. I get scared. At least I have my kitties for company.

I am looking forward to this alone time though, it is just the night time that is scary. I plan on cleaning the house, reading a lot, enjoying silence, listening to music, and laying out naked on the back porch. Amber is coming over Saturday and Sunday night to hang with me. I plan on making Sangria and Lemon Drops and getting drunk. And egg rolls, there must be egg rolls.

Crazy

The Strangest Disaster of the 20th Century


link via defective yeti

More Reading

I read four books this weekend.

My friend Amber always said I should read Sarah Dessen, but I never have until now. This weekend I read Keeping the Moon and Someone Like You (which was made into the movie How to Deal). They were both pretty good. I actually liked Keeping the Moon better, since I am someone who still has self-esteem issues. Someone Like You was harder to like because since I had seen the movie first kept imagining Mandy Moore as the main character and Peter Gallagher as her Dad.

Next I read Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer. This was a fantastic book! It is the diary of a teenage girl. It starts out with normal high school stuff and then you read that a meteor is scheduled to hit the moon. Everyone watches as it knocks the moon closer to Earth, causing flooding, earthquakes, and volcanoes. She must then survive with her family in their New England home. Thanks to my source, I heard Susan Beth Pfeffer is writing a companion book with the tale of a boy in the New York projects and how he survives the same ordeal.

Finally I read The Road by Cormac McCarthy. So haunting and traumatic. I guess I am used to a Jericho post-apocalyptic world where everyone bands together to help each other survive, but this was the opposite. A father and son are traveling to the coast in a barren wasteland trying to survive and evade capture by bands of people who have turned to cannibalism to survive. But the story is really about the love between the Father and son.

I cried while reading all of these books. Wow, I am such a cry-baby.

It all goes back to AMC

I sometimes like to think about what a different person I would be like if I had decided to go straight to a four-year university after high school. I was completely registered and then decided that I should drop out because I was in love and we were going to move to Minnesota and be together forever. Yeah, that relationship lasted another six months before it fizzled, and I was left wondering what the hell I had done.

I love my life now and the person I have become. I can't even fathom how I would be different if I didn't go through what I have the last six years. I also like to go back and think about how I got here:

My father loves movies. All growing up he got me into great movies like Army of Darkness, Clockwork Orange, and To Kill A Mockingbird. All during middle school, I went to the movies every weekend with my friends.
1998 This love for movies caused me to get my first job at the local AMC Movie Theater, also because it was the only place that hired 15 year olds. I met Kerri and Laura there, who became my close friends.

2001 I met the above Minnesotan at Laura's apartment the summer after high school, which caused me to drop out of college.

2002 I got a job as a hostess at Red Lobster after that, because Kerri worked there.

2003 July. Kerri and I became friends with a server named James. We hung out at his house a lot and I ended up meeting his friend Ashley, who had moved here from Fort Collins. She became a close friend.

2003 October. Ashley and I didn't have jobs, so she suggests we go to the temp agency Manpower. I got the job, she didn't. I was hired on by the company I was temping for and am still there.

2004 October. I hung out at Ashley's house a lot and on Halloween she had a party. A local band named John Denver's Last Flight played. Ashley started going out with the bass player, Matt. I met the guitar player Brad, but thought he was too drunk and too loud.

2004 December. Brad and I had become friends and I had a crush on him.

2004/2005 New Years Eve. Brad and I make out. We have been together since.

School

By December I will finally be done with my two-year Associates Degree from Mesa Community College. It has only taken me six years! So in Spring 2008 I should be starting at ASU.

I have been really struggling to pick a major. There are so many choices and I'm not sure what I would be good at or love doing. But something was recently added as a choice and I think it may be my major: A B.A. in Sustainability. It is actually not even going to be a undergrad major until Fall 2008. I am so excited. Here is some tidbits:

B.A. students will be able to:

• Understand the concepts and methods of environmental economics, sociology, anthropology, environmental politics, ethics, design, and human geography relevant to the sustainability of environmental resources and social institutions.
• Apply these concepts and methods to developing sustainable institutions for water, land, air, and urban management at the local to global level.
• Evaluate the sustainability of environmental institutions, legal frameworks, property rights, and culture.

I am really interested in the environment and helping to change things, but I did not want to go into the science part of it. I think this is perfect.

Kid Nation: CBS Promo

When I heard about this on NPR, I wasn't so sure. But after watching this promo I think this looks great. I can't wait.

Congrats

On Friday my best friend Amber graduated college with a BA in Elementary Education. I am so happy for her and excited to see her shaping young minds. I know she is going to be the best teacher and I don't think there is any job that is more important.

I had so much fun on Friday finally meeting her Grandparents and drinking with her family. I still find it weird drinking with "grown-ups". I feel that I am doing something wrong and that I am going to get in trouble. Maybe by the time I'm 30 I will feel differently.

Vacation

It is not fun being back at work after five days off. Last Tuesday was the last day of the semester. Thankfully I finally finished Eng 101 after about 5 tries. I obviously know how to write, but I am just lazy and always dropped the class. This time, the professor was a very lenient grader. I did not really try at all and sometimes I didn't meet the length requirement but I still got A's on all my essays.

Then on Wednesday through Friday morning I was in Sedona staying in the Forest Houses. I have been going to these since I was little and I even think about getting married there. It was great to relax and read, read, read. Since last Sunday I have read five books and they were all fantastic. I get a lot of good book ideas from bookshelves of doom. On Sunday we went to the library to get books for the Sedona trip and by Monday night I had already read Midnighters #2: Touching Darkness and Poison Study. So I had to go back to the library on Tuesday to get the sequel, Magic Study. So then by Thursday night in Sedona I finished Magic Study, The Society of S, and The Handmaid's Tale.

Now I am reading Oryx and Crake and Peeps. I love that with all this reading I have been watching TV less and my DVR list has a lot of great shows waiting to be watched. I finally watched the two-hour Grey's Anatomy last night.

Blah Blah Blah

I am watching the third season of Arrested Development and their new lawyer is Charles in Charge and his name on the show is Bob Loblaw. So this morning a co-worker was telling a story and said, "Blah, blah, blah." and I said, "Oh, you watch Arrested Development?!" and she had no idea what I was talking about.

Dr's

I switched Doctors because my old one never tried to get to the root of problems and just tried covering the symptoms. So yesterday I had to get four immunization shots; Tetanus, Hep A and B, and Gardasil(HPV). Then I had a pap smear. The thing I don't like about a vaginal exam is that they always sit there and talk to their nurse like nothings going on. Your hand is in my vagina, I want you giving it all of your attention!

Now I have to go give blood so I can have my cholesterol and blood sugar tested. Yay for actually taking care of my body!

Nightmare

I had the most horrible dream ever last week. I won't go into details, but my younger sister got kidnapped by drug dealers and I didn't have my cell phone and realized I didn't know anyone's phone number. Oh, and Anthony Hopkins was there as the owner of a cell phone store. I woke up crying and had to call my sister to make sure she was ok.

I remember growing up, before cell phones, I had to know every phone number by heart. Since getting a cell phone I have lost all of that knowledge. I don't even know my father's address. So I actually went out and bought a address book. It is by Angela Adams and is very pretty. If I know you, expect an email from me asking for your pertinent information.

and don't do drugs! (except weed, does that even count anymore?)

oh, and while I was buying that address book, I also got the best button. Happy Monday!

Thats Pretty Underground

So funny. Thanks to Electrolicious for the link.

the best

Have I ever told you that I am very lazy? If left to my own devices, I would go home everyday and sit in front of the computer or tv all night, barely getting up to eat something. Anytime that I do exercise or go out during the week, I feel much better than if I would have sat at home; but the next time I have the choice to stay home, I never remember that. I have called out of work before, just so I could sleep in.

So my live-in boyfriend, Brad*, bears the brunt of this. I wait until he has gotten up, and then I am suddenly ready for that refill; he makes me wake up in the morning, he does the dishes (i cook); he cleans the cat box (i will gag); he convinces me to go on our semi-nightly walk; he pretty much does anything for me that would require me to get off my ass. I count my lucky stars for this, and I wonder if he will ever get sick of it.

*if you didn't notice the hyper link, this is Brad's comic website. Go visit him.

the devil and daniel johnston

I just watched this last night. Great, great movie. I've never met anyone that intense.

100th post

This is a great time waster.


Create Your Own PaloozaHead - Visit Lollapalooza.com

I look funny! Great link from Amber.

Love and Marriage

Brad and I were at my great-aunt’s house yesterday with some family and I told my great uncle that me and my boyfriend have been together for 2+ years. Then he gave me the look, and I knew the next question was going to be, "So when are you going to get married?" I loathe this question. But I gave him a look and he said, “What?” and so I said, “ I’m waiting for the question.” Everyone laughed and I thought they got it, but then Brad gave me a look. I realized then that they thought I meant, "I am waiting for him to ask me to marry him. Silly boy, he just can't make a commitment!"

So brad and I were talking later and we decided that I should have said, "No, we are not planning on getting married for a long while; we are just going to continue living in sin, and we may even have a child out of wedlock. Oh yeah, and we don't believe in the Christian God!" And then we would back out slowly, run to the car, and never return. It's funny how little my extended family knows me. I don't do much to rectify this, but it's just interesting.

Zomburrito

Brad and his friends made a movie last fall. It is finally on youtube. It is great, you will laugh. I get a shout out in the credits because I made the dummy. Can you tell who Brad is?

Mr Fred Rogers

I haven't really thought about Mr. Rogers since growing up. But it is a given that when I have children I want them to watch his show. I saw this video yesterday:
Mr. Rogers talks to the US Senate via Soulemama
And it made me cry out loud. He talked about how he ended the show each day with, "You've made this day a special day, by just you being you. There's no person in the whole word like you and I like you just the way you are." I think more children need to hear this.

I bought this book for my Dad for his birthday, but never ended up giving it to him. So after watching that video I started reading it. It is filled with little quotes by him and I think everyone should read it. He was such a wonderful man, filled with kindness and love for all of his "neighbors".

Sorry

I have been a bad blogger. Not that I updated it much before but it has been a while. I blame azpunk.com I go on there everyday now and comment on current events and make fun of things. So that doesn't leave much for here. But there is something that I want to keep blogging about. I am slowly changing the way I live. I am becoming greener, I want to leave less of an ecological footprint. I have been researching it and doing little things for a while, but the documentary The Future of Food sent me over the edge. I was crying during that movie, I was so angry for the farmers and because of the corruption in big business that affects all of America. Everyone should see this movie!

This also has to do with losing weight. I have never been able to lose weight on my own, I have no discipline. But since we got together over two years ago both Brad and I have gained at least 30 pounds each. I'm used to fluctuating and have several different sizes of jeans, but Brad doesn't. And since he is cheap, he doesn't want to have to buy new pants. So he has decided to lose weight, not for health reasons but mostly because he doesn't want to buy bigger pants. This is great news for me because he keeps me motivated and disciplined. We are going on walks almost everynight and eating smaller portions.

Since I am trying not to eat GMOs that limits what we can eat also. Try finding bread without corn syrup in it; it is hard! Also, I have not been able to give up my coke/dr. pepper addiction, but at least it is in cans and not plastic bottles.

Thanks also goes to Ballsy Blog for providing great links and ideas on her blog.

Here are some of the things I am doing right now and what I plan to add:
Eating mostly organic, non gmos, and local when available. That means no corn syrup or soy lethicin. (plan to join CSA with local farm soon)
Natural Conditioner (will add shampoo when current runs out)
No bottled water, or plastic bottles at all
Added a trash can for aluminum to recycle
Added a box for paper to recycle
I am weaning myself off magazines. I can go to the library and look at them.
I am researching gardening right now and plan to start a compost and tiny veggie garden on my patio.

I will add more when I think of them.

Fun

You know what I did yesterday after school? Played video games. All day. It was fun. I played both Marvel: Ultimate Alliance and LEGO Star Wars. Isn't that exciting!

Oh wait, I did take a break to watch Star Trek Enterprise. I looked at pictures of T'Pol in real life and I like her better as a Vulcan.

Last weekend I did have lots of fun. My friends' band Parkway Wretch played on Friday at a bar, and then at a house party on Saturday night. I like house parties better than bars. It is easier to talk to people and the beer is cheaper.

We left pretty early though because Brad was drunk and tired. I think I am going to have to start drugging him with stimulants so I can stay out later. I'll admit, in the past it has always been me who has wanted to leave. I didn't want to make friends and I wasn't that in to the local scene. But now that I have convinced Brad that staying at home and watching TV is better, I am changing my tune. I want to talk to new people and go to more shows.

Up this weekend, Parkway is playing at The Vaudeville in Tucson. So road trip!

Blah

God, school is bullshit. I'm sick of it. I started with 4 classes and now have 2. Why am I so lazy!

I have a major case of the blahs. I am sick of work, I am sick of school, I am sick of doing anything. I want to be productive by knitting, sewing, cleaning; but all I do when I get home is watch tv. I never go outside unless it is going to my car. I want to do more activities, but growing up the only things I did were go to the movies, go out to eat, hang out with friends at home. That is all I do now and that is only once or twice a week. What else is there?

Blaaaaaaahhhhhh!

Children of Men

Go see this movie. It is amazing.

Top Ten

These are not in any order, just listed.

Favorite Cds of the last few years

1. When we were small - Rosie Thomas
2. Good News For People Who Love Bad News - Modest Mouse
3. Chutes Too Narrow - The Shins
4. Funeral - Arcade Fire
5. Rockin' the Suburbs - Ben Folds
6. Brandi Carlile - Brandi Carlile
7. Fox Confessor Brings the Flood - Neko Case
8. Let's Get Out of This Country - Camera Obscura
9. The Ditty Bops - The Ditty Bops
10. The Dresden Dolls - The Dresden Dolls

Top Ten from when I was younger that I still love to listen to.
1. Jimmy Eat World - Jimmy Eat World
2. Tidal - Fiona Apple
3. It Means Everything - Save Ferris
4. Sublime - Sublime
5. Jagged Little Pill - Alanis Morissette
6. Post - Bjork
7. The Presidents of the United States of America - The Presidents of the United States of America
8. Little Earthquakes - Tori Amos
9. This Fire - Paula Cole
10. No Need to Argue - The Cranberries

New Years

Happy Anniversary Brad! I cannot believe it has already been two years. The time is flying by and I need to slow down and appreciate it.

Goals:
Continue going to school
Continue to eat more sustainable and organic foods.
Try to grow a tomato plant on my back porch
Continue to create more by knitting and sewing
Learn to embroider
Go camping
Go to the gym at least once a week

Free Time

I hope you can see this and can tell what it is. It is made out of pretzels in 7th grade, during Home Ec. I actually bit all of them into those shapes and then glued them onto this paper. I just had to throw it away because the pretzels were starting to disintegrate.

I told some of my friends about this and how I kept messing up and ate way too many pretzels. It was very thirsty work. My friend said he could picture me furiously biting pretzels saying, “God, I’m so thirsty but I just love Smashing Pumpkins so much!!!!!”

Tidings of Joy

This picture is a little dark but I just had to share it. My cats love my bra, they always hide in it. In this particular picture, I was getting ready for bed and threw my clothes onto my sleeping kitty. Instead of getting up and moving, she just snuggled up. And she is looking directly at the camera. You just can't get much cuter than that.

I hope everyone had a good Holiday. I had a great time with family and good food. Brad got me hand held tape recorder to record my verbal lists and ideas, and Super Mario Bros. for Nintendo DS, which I haven't been able to put down. I got a new tent from my Mom, so now I actually have to go camping instead of just wishing I could. My dad got me a big travel crock-pot which I love. I have already made beans in it. I will definitely use it more, now that Yami has moved in with us.

Yami is Brad's best friend and a great guy. I'm glad we had the room (and needed the extra income) for him. He eats way too much Top Ramen, so I am looking forward to turning him on to fresh ingrediants and cooking for another person. He also has a 16 month old daughter that will visit sometimes and I am looking forward to that.

Holidays

Well my camera is missing at the moment so I can't bring you pictures of my current crafts. By missing I mean, I haven't even looked for it and it is in a pile of stuff on my dining room table.

Here is a cute holiday survey that I found on Knitting Iris:

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? I love both, but Hot Chocolate I can drink anytime I feel cold, but I love me some egg nog during the holidays.

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just set them under the tree? Growing up, wrapped. I think when I start my own traditions, I

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? Well growing up they were always colored. This year my own tree is colored because the lights were free. But I may have to change next year to all white lights. My mom got a new tree this year and all the lights are white and I like that better because you can see the ornaments better.

4. Do you hang mistletoe? No, though it would be fun!

5. When do you put your decorations up? Sometime during the weekend after Thanks

6. What is your favorite holiday dish? Well I can't choose, I adore food. Probably cookies, all kinds. Amber's Molasses cookies.

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child? Well I remember when my sister and I would lay in bed with my Mom and could not go to sleep, we were just too excited to see Santa. So we would close our eyes just to pretend to be asleep, but then we would actually fall asleep.

8 . When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? My parents used the same wrapping paper for

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? Yes. Always.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? Well beggars can't be choosers. This is my first year having my own tree and all I have are hand me down colored lights and no ornaments (my cats like 5 of them before I just took them down). I think next year (if I have more money) I will make some of my own and use white lights.

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? I dream about having a white Christmas, but I don't know if I could handle it. I don't have any memory of being somewhere while it was snowing. I have been in snow, after it is on the ground but never seen it snowing. I live in Phoenix, Arizona.

12. Can you ice skate? Yes, but I have only been twice at a skating rink

13. Do you remember your favorite gift? Not really.

14. What's your favorite thing(s) about the holidays? Sitting in front of the fire, listening to Christmas music, being with my friends and family.

15. What is your favorite holiday dessert? Cookies

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? Decorating the tree with my mom.

17. What tops your tree? A hand me down Angel from my mom (not a keepsake), but I think I will change to a star next year.

18. Which do you prefer, giving or receiving? I like giving. One thing I don't like about the Holidays in my family is that my parents ask me what specifically I want. So then when I get it on Christmas day it is not a surprise. I wish we could all get to know each other better so that they would know me well enough to know what to get me. I like gifts better when there is love and though put into them.

19. What is your favorite Christmas song? Last Christmas-Wham or Baby, It's cold outside or The Christmas Song, or....ok, pretty much all of them.

20. What is your favorite holiday book? I don't think I have one. Just another tradition I will have to start when I have kids.

21. Candy canes yuck or yum? They are yummy but I can only have like one a season, or I get sick of them.

21. What's number one on your Christmas list this year? An Ipod, which I am getting handed down from Amber. A mixer for my kitchen, a Mr. Bento, knitting supplies.

To Come

Look forward this weekend to pictures of some finished crafts and a mind numbingly cute picture of my cat.

Quiet

I really enjoy Christmas time. But it has just not kicked it completely. I kept trying to chase it by watching Christmas movies like, The Grinch, Miracle on 34th Street, and A Charlie Brown Christmas. But nothing was working.

I have been bombarded with TV the last few months. I was have been pulled thin between work and school and when I get home, I would just veg in front of the TV for hours at a time. Thankfully school ended for the winter break this week and I already feel the difference.

We went to the library, I actually got my sewing machine fixed, I have been knitting and I pulled out my lonely quilt that has not been worked on for at least 6 months. I have been doing crafts without the TV on and with the Christmas tree lit. This makes me stop and think about the feeling I want for Christmas, and I am actually starting to feel it.

This weekend will seal the deal because I am going to my Mom's to sit in front of the fire, knit, and think about the spirit of Christmas.

Parenting

I hope to have children someday, but the more I think about it the more scared I become. I have only recently started to be around babies. I never babysat or was around young children. Thanks to SouleMama, I have a jumping off point.
She recommended this book, You are your Child's First Teacher, by Rahima Baldwin Dancy
It is very easy to read and is teaching me a lot. I don't know much about the Waldorf Education philosophy, I think it is more a homeschooling thing, but I'm not sure. This book is just my jumping off point for research, so any ideas would be helpful.

Jive Turkey

Ok, I really am probably the last person to see this:

http://www.gizoogle.com/

Check it out. If you can't think of a website to translate, use mine URL.

So funny

Veggie Eater!

Brittney posted about becoming a vegan and there is a discussion of it over here. I completely support anyone's choice to do that. I am just going to post some of my thoughts and choices.

I have never been a vegetarian. Brad and I have thought of doing it, but it is hard to start something you have never been exposed to and wouldn't even know where to start.

If I were to become a vegan/vegetarian, I would do it specifically because of the mistreatment of animals. I did not know some of the things that Brittney mentioned in her original post and I hope to read that book soon.

Now that I know some of the options that are out there, I don't think I will become a vegan/vegetarian; I will buy local/organic/free range. I do not see a problem with eating meat; I like meat and I feel I even crave it sometimes. I think it is the natural order of things, the "circle of life" if you will. I know that I am the top of the food chain and that when I die, I will feed the earth and other animals. I do not want to contribute to a industry that I do not agree with. That is the same reason I don't like to shop at Wal-Mart.

But you know what, right now I am not eating organic and shopping at Wal-Mart; and the reason is because I am poor. Since Brad and I started going to school again full time we only work part time and the student aid is just not covering it all. I don't even have the two extra dollars to buy free range eggs.

I think this is the situation that a lot of America is in. Even if you show them the truth about farming practices, they cannot change the way they eat because there is not enough money. It is hard enough to eat healthy with no money. I do buy fresh fruits and veggies instead of canned but it is pushing my budget limits. The choice of whether or not to buy free range organic beef instead of normal ground beef does not even enter the equation. I don't have the luxury of choice right now. But I look forward to the day when I can stop feeling guilty every time I eat and stop living paycheck to paycheck.

Young Folks

By Peter Bjorn and John.

Wow, I adore this song. Here is a list
Clapping
Xylophone
harmonies
Whistling
synchronized dancing
Duet (girl and guy)

If a song (or video) has one, or many, of these features, there is a %90 chance I will like it. When it comes to the singing voice of a band I can't really describe what I like.
Bands who's voice I like:
The Knife
Camera Obscura
Peter Bjorn and John
Tilly and the Wall
Bjork
Arcade Fire

I can only think of one band right now that I don't like, only because of the voice: Death Cab for Cutie. I should love them, but I just don't like the lead singer's voice.

If I could give you one piece of advice, check out Camera Obscura. They are amazing!

Weak

So, I have been going to the gym. At least 4 times a week. For joining my gym, I got two personal training sessions. I went to my first one yesterday. Ouch! I guess when I was working out on my own I was not pushing myself hard enough. After he was done with me I could barely life my arms. He pushed my so hard that my face started twitching as I tried to get those weights up just one more time.

There is something that annoys me that I have run into with two different trainers I've talked to there: the meal replacement pushing. I try to eat natural foods as much as possible. I know calories are king, but I still think its better to eat 500 calories worth of strawberries than 300 calories worth of pork rinds. My body knows how to digest natural foods better and I will get more nutrients. The trainer didn't seem to care and just kept telling me to buy meal replacement shakes. Not going to happen.

I don't think I've really lost any weight, but I do feel a shift in the way my fat is proportioned and my confidence is already greater. I am feeling great!

Why you gotta be hatin'?

Reading Dooce.com is what got me into reading blogs, I became obsessed with reading her archives so that I could get up to date. It was amazing to watch her go from a single girl in LA to having a baby with a great guy. I don't think there has been one post I have not liked. Her writing can be hilarious and touching in the same post.

I never knew there was such dooce haters out there. I know from her posts that some unintelligent people have sent more than a few mean emails, but I never knew that there were other bloggers who did.

She is going through something hard and deserves support. If you don't like her, why do you know so much about her life? Have you been secretly reading her blog? When I find a blog I don't enjoy, I stop reading it. And that's it.

P.S. Leave Leta out of it.

UPDATE:
To give background on what I am talking about, see the original Dooce post and then some of the backlash.

Fatty McFatterson

I joined a gym today! I am so happy that I am actually working towards something that I have wanted for years. Anyone can tell that I am overweight, but I don't think it looks like I am extremely obese. Thankfully my fat deposits evenly over my whole body and I look completely symmetrical. I still have an hourglass figure and a smaller weight so I think that detracts from me looking completely fat.

Or I could just be deluding myself and I actually do look totally obese and no one has ever told me.

Ever since high school Amber and I have always been, "next summer we will be in bikinis!" But we never reached that goal. This time I want to strive for smaller goals so that each time I reach it, I feel great. Right now I would be ecstatic to be back in a size 16. My mom, who has lost weight recently, said to reward yourself after each 10 lbs. I will definitely be doing that.

I remember hearing Dr. Drew, from Loveline, comment that the #1 reason people finally decide to lose weight is because they felt disgusted with themselves. I am at that point. I am disgusted by my body and my lack of energy and my low self confidence.

Deep down I am an out going person but I don't show it because I am afraid of being judged because of my body. I want to be confident and strong (literally) and I want my outer beauty to match what I am on the inside.

Yes, I watch TV

I watch too much TV.
Before last season, I didn't really watch too much primetime TV. That was because I worked at night, but now that all my nights are open I can't help but sit my butt on the couch and not move for a couple of hours. Well as most other people know, the new shows start this week and I am very excited.
Mostly for The Office, CSI, Grey's Anatomy and Lost. Those are the main shows I watch. I am also willing to try out the new shows. Last night was The Class and Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip.
The Class was not that good. The best part was Lizzy Caplan, her mean quips brought some much comic relief. But really, that was the only good part. Skip it.
Studio 60 on the other hand was amazingly good. It was created by Alan Sorkin, who also created The West Wing. It has that same West Wing feeling, fast paced and great jokes. The characters are already great and i love Matthew Perry, Bradley Whitford, and Timothy Busfield(hello, thirtysomething!). I am so excited to see where this goes.

Debbie Downer

If this doesn't make you laugh, I'm not sure we should know each other.

Beautiful

Wow, this is great.

Dawn Saves the Trees--with Zach Braff

God, I am being annoying with all the videos. Sarah B's post made me search youtube for The Baby-Sitter's Club and I found this gem. I completely remember this.

Kids Incorporated

Kids Incorporated 1991 Theme Song

This is the Kids Inc. I used to watch. I saw some of the Fergie ones, but mostly my girl was Love Hewitt. But watching this now, who knew that Eric Balfour was on here. You might remember him from Six Feet Under as Claire's crazy boyfriend or the first episode of Buffy as the first friend to get killed and become a vampire.

Oak Ridge Boys Elvira

Now, I only heard this song for the first time like six months ago, and I lurv it. The bass makes me smile every time. I don't know how someone can make their voice go so so low. Also the lead singer looks like the guy from Hall and Oates. Enjoy. Your Welcome.

Dr Bunsen Honeydew

I don't know if I've shared this before, but Brad bears a resemblance to a certain muppet:



Of course some alteration to the "action figure" was requried.

New Apartment

I haven't had time to write about my new apartment, and I still don't have the time right now! But it is all I imagined it would be. It feels huge and has a lot of natural light. Our cat, Merlin, loves it. He is actually my sister's cat and she is going to take him back next week. I might have to cry about that. He is the best cat I have ever had. He loves to cuddle and play and he looks like a lion (with crossed eyes).
So now I am on the look out for a new kitten. I am actually looking for two new kittens. I adore kittens so much, I want to stick their little heads in my mouth!

ANTS

I have lived in my apartment less than a week and I already have ants! I haven't seen bugs for like three years so i was really creeped out by them. When I used to live in Ahwatukee (suburb of Phoenix) our apartment was backed up into a foothill so there were always cockroaches and scorpions around. But since I moved from there I haven't seen any bugs inside.

A few days ago I saw two ants crawling on the wall, killed them and thought, eh? But then two days ago, Brad poured a bowl of cereal and they were covered in ants. Thankfully I was still sleeping and didn't have to witness that. Still, I had not seen any during the day time. Then last night after going to bed, I got up to get a glass of water, turned on the kitchen light and there were like 15 ants crawling on the kitchen wall.

They startedd scattering, I grabbed some spray cleaner and paper towels and proceeded to kill as many as possible. I think they are coming in/living behind the cabinets. Of course the cabinets that I decided to keep our FOOD IN! I had dreams about this last night, it was not fun. My skin is crawling just thinking about this. Thankfully a sprayer guy is coming today to get rid of them.

I don't like killing insects, but for a really crazy reason. I am always scared that their friends are going to stalk me and attack me while I'm sleeping.

This is similar to the fear I had as a child when it came to my dolls and stuffed animals. I always kept them upright, face up, and talked nice to them. I didn't want them to be mad at me and come to life at night and attack me. I still can't sleep with the closet door open. Seriously. Crazy.

Notes

I have been reading this blog for a while. Sarah B. and her roommate started the original Cringe in New York. It is a monthly event where people get together at a bar and read from their old diaries and journals. As I can only imagine from my writing at that time, it must be hilarious. They just did a piece about it on Friday's Nightline, you can see it here.

Seeing as I was supposed to be unpacking yesterday, I of course got sidetracked and started reading notes from high school. I have saved most of the notes I received from friends and boyfriends from like 7th grade on. There are some decorated with swirly vines and flowers and some folded into paper footballs. It is so funny reading them, because I left a lot of stuff out of my journals and it fills in some of the gaps. But what I would love to read is the notes I sent in reply. That would be entertaining.

You know what's kinda sad, kids probably don't even write notes to each other any more, they just text message each other.

Moving Day

I get my new apartment today! I will post new pics as soon as we get the computer hooked up. Have a great weekend!

Dirty Briefs

In high school I worked at Target. One night while working in the men’s department I took a call from a man looking for underwear. He kept asking me things like,

“What kinds do you have? What colors?” I don’t know if I was naive or what but I kept going on,

“Oh, we have boxers, jockeys, briefs, and boxer-briefs. They come in many colors; white, black, maroon.” Then he started breathing weird and asked me about my underwear. I finally caught on and hung up. By that point in my life I was no virgin, but I really didn’t get what was going on until the end of the conversation. I was shocked, but oddly flattered. That sure did help to raise my self-esteem.

Saved by the Bell

Yes, I know all the words.

The Hills

Yes, I watch MTV sometimes. Usually it is just the reality shows about really rich people who think they are cool; like Super Sweet 16, Laguna Beach, and now The Hills.

I was watching The Hills the other day and Brad would not believe me that it was a reality show. The cinemetography is so amazing that it looks like a movie or at least a scripted show.

What I can't believe is that Heidi got that job as an assistant and then couldn't handle it when she had to get her boss a sandwich or stuff envelopes. She thought she would go straight to hanging out with Stars! Btw, who pays these kids rent?

A friend of a friend

I don't really talk bad about people on here, so hopefully this doesn't bite me on my ass.

This weekend, the topic of Dane Cook came up between a friend and me. I said that he was very funny and, seeing as he has over 1 million myspace friends, many other people think so too. So my friend told me that this acquaintance of ours said something to the effect of, “Only jocks like Dane Cook, you can’t be in our scene if you like Dane Cook. He is only funny because he talks loud.” I am definitely paraphrasing here. When I first saw a Dane Cook DVD like 3 years ago, I laughed out loud. His topics related to me, as I’m sure it did with others my age. He talked about things most had experienced as child; communion, not talking to strangers, the Kool-aid guy busting through the wall, and the Speak and Spell that talked like the devil.

By “our scene” he meant the local punk rock scene because Brad and all of his friends are in local bands. Now, I really don’t consider most of the people we know to be punks, ourselves included. That is just the sound of their music and semi-lifestyle. Although I have been known to poke fun at the bro-dude jocks with their pink polo shirts and way too much testosterone, I never believe that they are all like that or that just because someone is dressed a certain way that they only like certain things. It really gets to me when people comment about their own group of friends and what they should and should not like. I think it is bull-shit to generalize like that. It is like saying everyone in our group must wear all-stars or must like The Ramones. It reminded me of when this hipster girl I knew said that she didn’t listen to a band she liked because they had become too famous. That is crap.

I think the definition of being cool is to like what you like, popular or not, and go with it. I always thought of true punks being a group that accepted anyone who didn’t fit the mold. You don’t have to have torn jeans, patches and an anarchist to be a punk. I wasn’t sure of this guy before, and now I definitely don’t appreciate his opinions. Next time he is around, I will have to put on my Spice Girls cd and wait for him to berate me for not being true to the "scene".

Job Hunt

I still don't know where I will be working this semester. I have to go down to working part time because of starting school full time, and my current job doesn't offer it. I have given my notice and my last day here will be August 18th. I work in a call center for a shipping company and have worked here for three years. I have worked here longer than any other place and it is my highest paying job. I am not looking forward to going back to $8-$10 dollars an hour. But it will be nice not have the stress.

I wouldn't mind working at Target, but I burned that bridge back in high school when I quit without telling them. I absolutely loved working at Target. I worked in Soft Lines, which is the clothing side of it. I didn't have to deal with a lot of customers and I did what I love to do all day; organize. I go to Target now and see that the clearance racks look like crap. There is no organization at all, not by size or style. It makes me feel uncomfortable. Who ever I am shopping with at the time has to stop me from straightening things up. I swear it is a sickness. Don't even ask me if I color code my closet.

Realistically, I am hoping to get a job either at Barnes & Noble or the local Public Library. Lets hope my crazy luck with jobs continue. I have had like two interviews in my life. I have always just been in the right place at the right time and jobs just come flying at me.

Movin' on up

We are moving in two weeks and I am very excited. Last year when I moved out of my Mom's I could fit everything in my Ford Ranger. I had a twin bed, a dresser, bedside table, a bookshelf full of books, a couple of boxes of memories, one lamp, and two bags of clothes. Now after living with Brad for a year we have three times that, enough to completely fill a two bedroom apartment.

Right now our apartment is in a great location, but it has no patio, no W&D, and no pets allowed. It is also very dark, since we have to keep the blinds closed to hide our illegal kitty. Since our rent was going to raise to $650 we decided to find something better because it wouldn't be that much more expensive. There didn't seem to be much left in Tempe that wasn't turning in to condos or that actually had a washer/dryer, but we actually found a place. It is a place where we already have friends that live there, and we are actually going to be only a building away from them.

We get 100 more square feet, another bathroom, a washer/dryer, a patio, kitty friendly, more sunshine, and about 200 feet away from a grocery store and a Target. This is all for $100 more a month and only a couple miles from our old place. Since I've seen the layout I have been dreaming of the furniture arrangments. I am looking forward to this fall when all the windows will be open, the sun streaming in, a breeze blowing through the house, me reading on the couch eating grapes and my cats (we hope to get another one) bird watching in the windows.

This will be the first place that Brad and me have lived in without a roommate, even though the roommate has been gone for 10 months. I am excited to start building a home with Brad. I am thankful for hand me down dishes and furniture, but i want to start buying things that are not just good for right now and more good for the long haul.

Happy Birthday Candace!

Candace8
Originally uploaded by flyabuv.

Tomorrow is my sister's 21st birthday. To celebrate (humiliate), I decided to post baby pictures of her on the internet. This will prove how much I lurv her. Have fun Candace, but not too much!

Top Ramen

Today I burnt my thumb while making Top Ramen in the microwave at work. I feel a little stupid since I have been making this since I was 8, but I never use the microwave to make it so I was caught off guard.

I think there are two types of people, the ones who microwave and don't measure the water while making top ramen and the ones that actually follow the directions. I am in the latter camp. Every time I think I can just fill up the pan until it looks right, I get scared.

"What if it is too salty or too watered down?!"

So I get out the measuring cup and put in two cups of water and wait for it to boil and then put the noodles in (half crushed up). Then about two minutes later I take it off the heat and add the seasoning. I think that one reason I get worried about the broth is because I actually like the broth. I think those people are weird who pour it out.

Intead of going through the anxiety, now I just let Brad make it, he uses the stove but doesn't measure out the water or wait for it to boil before putting in the noodles, but it always tastes great. Lately we have even been pouring out some of the broth and adding tomato juice. Try it, it's good!

p.p.s. I can't believe I just posted about Top Ramen

Ryan Gosling & Rachel McAdams - VMA kiss

Have I ever told you how much I love The Notebook? Or that much to Brad's dislike, I can watch it over and over again, and cry every time? I am in love with Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams, their characters in the movie, and the fact that they are together in real life.

Side Note: I cannot believe their kiss was compared to those other shitty ones! I could totally tell that Jennifer Garner was not into the girl on girl thing.

Shape Up!

So, I have a subscription to SHAPE magazine. Don't ask me why, I do nothing other than look through it, think about getting up to exercise, and then turn House Hunters. But this last month's issue had a great idea that I thought I should mention.

I know everyone likes to watch tv or listen to music while exercising, but one SHAPE success story mentioned how she always listened to books on her Ipod. That is something I could get into. Unless it is something I can continously sing too, I lose interest in listening to music while exercising. But concentrating on a book's plot would keep me from looking at the clock every 15 seconds.

So that's it, I need and Ipod and I will be skinny! Amber, we will be able to wear bikinis next summer like we've been promising for 8 years!

Mr. Barnes

When we are at the grocery store and I scan my Safeway Club card, but then Brad pays, they always call him Mr. Barnes. Then we look at each other akwardly because we don't know if we should correct them, because they really don't care. I find it kind of endearing, only because I think it makes Brad feel weird.

I have to do that at my job on the phone, anyone that calls you must get their name and use it in the following sentence. I hate it though because when I call in somewhere and they say, "How can i help you Ms. Barnes" I get very annoyed. You don't know me, stop saying my name!!!!!! So I get uneasy because I have to use people's names while talking to them. I am scared that I will make a mistake and call a woman sir, or vice versa.

btw if you don't know me it might help to tell you that my last name is Barnes, but Brad's is not.

Note to Self

Shannon, why did you go to the mall yesterday? Do you not remember the last time you were there? You started crying because it was raining, and there were so many cars, and you could not find a parking place. Then Brad got frustrated and started getting angry. That is what happens, you see. When girls get frustrated they cry, but boys get angry and spit when they talk.

But yesterday you actually did find a place to park outside of Ross, you went and ate at Sbarro's and it was pretty good. But you only went there because you were going to go see Pirate's of the Carribbean: Dead Man's Chest, which you don't even want to see that much but it is the only thing playing that you are willing to see. There is no way you are going to see Garfield 2: A Tale of Two Kitties, you didn't even see the first one.

So you finished eating and went to buy tickets and they were sold out! So you went to Old Navy and spent money you don't have. The only redeeming thing about the trip is that you got a little exercise. Basically you wasted two hours circumventing all the hood/mall rats.

You are never to go to the mall ever again on a weekend. EVER!!!

The most beautiful games

I used to play these games all the time a few years ago, and I cam across them again at Defective Yeti. They are the prettiest games I have ever seen. You will know what I mean....

http://www.ferryhalim.com/orisinal/

Very Smart, but time consuming

http://www.defectiveyeti.com/archives/000129.html

This is a link showing a link to something amazing. I love kitties!

Teen Witch

Wow. I love this movie.

Pandora's Box

My best friend Amber's boyfriend Marc wants to name his future daughter Pandora, which to me just brings up many, many jokes about her box. But here is a good Pandora:

www.pandora.com

It is a place to creat your own radio station. You tell them what you like and that's what it plays. It is pretty much like Yahoo Launch Radio, but this has really good audio quality and no skipping which is what i always had a problem with on Yahoo. Check it out.

Never gonna grow up

I must admit, I love tween/teen movies and books. Everytime I go to Barnes and Noble you will probably find me in the Juvenile Fiction section. Books like A Great and Terrible Beauty, Gossip Girl, Melanie Martin goes to Spain, anything Lois Lowry, and all the classics.

The latest movie that I rented was Aquamarine. I loved it. It made me cry and laugh. Ok, yes it had a stupid joke about a shell phone, but it was still cute. Emma Roberts is going to be effing gorgeous. I wish I was a mermaid, I always have ever since The little Mermaid.

Don't try to tell me you didn't put your legs together and swim like a mermaid/dolphin when you swam, because I still do sometimes.

Superman

I never really watched the Superman movies when i was a kid. Therefore I never understood why people liked Christopher Reeves, I never thought he was attractive. Then when Brad and I first started dating, we watched Superman (to bond through our geekiness). Finally I understood, Christopher Reeves is soooo charismatic. I felt myself wanting to be Lois Lane.

Well I felt that again last week when i saw Superman Returns. When watching the commercials I did not think that Brandon Routh was that attractive, but during the movie I told Brad that I was in love with this Superman and wanted to have his babies.

Dental Troubles

If you are ever at the dentist getting a deep scraping cleansing, which includes shots of Novocain, and you can see in your peripheral vision a reflection of your mouth in the dentist’s goggles, DO NOT LOOK DIRECTLY AT IT. It really grossed me out to see my mouth violated like that. Afterwards, I really did not want to eat. My mouth was perfectly clean and anything I did from that point on would just mess it up. Thankfully I am really keeping up with my brushing and flossing. I am probably going to lose my insurance soon and I really want to keep all my teeth for as long as possible.