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

Engaged

Brad and I got engaged on Christmas Eve! Brad drew a comic about it for all to enjoy:

50 Most Loathsome People

The BEAST 50 Most Loathsome People in America, 2007

The best one:

9. You

Charges: You believe in freedom of speech, until someone says something that offends you. You suddenly give a damn about border integrity, because the automated voice system at your pharmacy asked you to press 9 for Spanish. You cling to every scrap of bullshit you can find to support your ludicrous belief system, and reject all empirical evidence to the contrary. You know the difference between patriotism and nationalism -- it's nationalism when foreigners do it. You hate anyone who seems smarter than you. You care more about zygotes than actual people. You love to blame people for their misfortunes, even if it means screwing yourself over. You still think Republicans favor limited government. Your knowledge of politics and government are dwarfed by your concern for Britney Spears' children. You think buying Chinese goods stimulates our economy. You think you're going to get universal health care. You tolerate the phrase "enhanced interrogation techniques." You think the government is actually trying to improve education. You think watching CNN makes you smarter. You think two parties is enough. You can't spell. You think $9 trillion in debt is manageable. You believe in an afterlife for the sole reason that you don't want to die. You think lowering taxes raises revenue. You think the economy's doing well. You're an idiot.

Exhibit A: You couldn't get enough Anna Nicole Smith coverage.

Sentence: A gradual decline into abject poverty as you continue to vote against your own self-interest. Death by an easily treated disorder that your health insurance doesn't cover. You deserve it, chump.

Christmas

This has been the longest week ever! Since school is out, I have had to work a forty hour week instead of my usual twenty. I know I shouldn't complain because most everyone works a forty hour week, but it really sucks. By 3:30 my back aches and I am ready for a nap. I'm not even looking forward to this weekend much, I just want it to be Monday.

I do have to work on Monday, but it shouldn't be too busy. Then Christmas Eve we will spend the night at my Mom's house and have early Christmas morning there, then drive to my Dad's. Then straight from there we are driving to Taos, NM to visit Brad's Mom. We are staying there until the 30th. I am really excited for this trip. I have been in snow after it is packed, but I really don't think I have been in snow while it is falling. I remember in first grade it snowed here in phoenix, but melted right when it touched the ground.

On New Years it will be Brad and I's three year anniversary. I am so happy with him!

Disgusting

http://shakespearessister.blogspot.com/2007/12/jamie-leigh-jones-congressional.html

It disgusts me that the government lets things like this go unpunished.

Climate Change

very smart video. Watch it.

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.