I Don't Want to Have a Blog

Busy Bookworm Challenge Update

2010-07-13T09:00:00.005-04:00

I figured it might be time for an update on the Busy Bookworm Challenge that I decided to participate in. Before we get to that I'd like to mention a few things I've learned since starting:

-I'm not good at writing reviews. I can talk about a book til the cows come home! Writing those thoughts out sometimes proves harder than I imagined. I think this is in part due to the fact that I am not an annotator. I've never seen the point in taking notes while reading a book. When I'm reading, I want to read. I'm starting to see the merit in jotting downs thoughts or feelings as you read though. When I go to write a review, I often wish I could remember more concrete examples of what I'm trying to express.

-I'M NOT GOOD A WRITING REVIEWS. :) Seriously though! I typically write the review as if the person reading it has already read the book/seen the movie. I never know how much to give away of the plot. I don't really want to re-write the entire plot out for someone. I only hope that my descriptions will be enough for somebody else!

Without further ado, my updated list!

As you may have noticed from my original post, the list stopped at 13. Which means of the 4 books that have been crossed off only one is from the original list! Eek! Well at least I'm reading right? Besides, some of these books haven't been released yet or have just come out so nanny nanny! :)

1. Lover Mine by J.R. Ward

2. The Darkest Passion by Gena Showalter

3. The Darkest Lie by Gena Showalter

4. Blaze of Memory by Nalini Singh

5. Bonds of Justice by Nalini Singh

6. Demon Forged by Meljean Brook

7. Demon Blood by Meljean Brook

8. Go Ask Alice

9. The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak

10. Demon From the Dark by Kresley Cole

11. Lady Isabella's Scandalous Marriage by Jennifer Ashley

12. Glass by Ellen Hopkins

13. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

14.The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

15. My Life In France by Julia Child

16. One Dance with a Duke by Tessa Dare

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The Darkest Passion by Gena Showalter

2010-07-13T09:00:00.004-04:00

For weeks, the immortal warrior Aeron has sensed an invisible female presence. An angel--demon-assassin--has been sent to kill him. Or has she? Olivia claims she fell from the heavens, giving up immortality because she couldn't bear to harm him. But trusting--and falling for--Olivia will endanger them all. So how has this "mortal" with the huge blue eyes already unleashed Aeron's darkest passion?

Now, with an enemy hot on his trail and his faithful demon companion determined to remove Olivia from his life, Aeron is trapped between duty and consuming desire. Worse still, a new executioner has been sent to do the job Olivia wouldn't....(from Goodreads)

With each new Lords of the Underworld book I find myself feeling more and more....confused. Which ends up being a good thing! The first three books in the series had me hook, line and sinker. I really enjoyed Ashlyn and Maddox in The Darkest Night. We were introduced to each of the Lords and their basic backstory and I COULD NOT wait to read more! The Darkest Kiss is probably my favorite and I equally enjoyed The Darkest Pleasure. This is the point where the confusion started to settle in. The Darkest Whisper was the next in the series and it featured Sabin who was not one of the original six Lords first featured in The Darkest Night and I didn't feel a strong connection to his character. I enjoyed the story but actually put it down for months before finishing it. When I did eventually pick it up again, I came in right on all the action and was immediately drawn back into this world and was on the edge of my seat waiting to find out what happened next!

For me The Darkest Passion was the same way. Even though Aeron was one of the original six warriors we came to know, I never felt like we really got to see HIM. He was consumed by bloodlust for much the first books. Olivia who is his angel heroine is introduced in a previous book but we really only get glimpses of her presence. When The Darkest Passion starts we are just thrown right into their story and I felt like I was missing something. We don't get to see Olivia in heaven at all. We don't see her struggle with choosing to fall to be with Aeron. I felt that I'd missed out on important character building, BUT Gena Showalter has a handle on this series and she knows what she needs to do to bring the story together. I was charmed by both Aeron and Olivia. Olivia's actions sometimes seemed so out of place that I had to laugh out loud and realize I was underestimating her character (punching Legion in the face is one such thing that comes to mind). Much like with The Darkest Whisper, the climax of the story happens at the very end of the book. Hence the confusion! I had NO clue how Showalter was going to fix the mess that she had gotten us into with so little time left to do it. I was quite literally sitting up in bed going, "WHAT IS HAPPENING?!" and then BOOM! It's solved. I will say that it felt like the problems were tied up a little too nicely but I was just so happy to have a cohesive ending that I didn't mind that at all!

There were numerous other threads started in this book to set up future stories and battles. I'm still waiting on tenterhooks for Paris's story and am now also pretty excited to see what happens with Strider. All in all a great addition to the series that keeps the story moving forward.

Etsy seller - StudioCherie Part 2!

2010-07-12T09:00:00.000-04:00

I previously mentioned my obsession with this bag for sale on Etsy from StudioCherie. Well handy dandy Google Alerts did it's job and let her know that I'd mentioned her Etsy shop on my little blog here. She commented! That comment spurred me on to a purchase because she said the fabric I loved so much was almost gone! I decided to break down and invest in some handmade goodness :)

Since most everything is made to order by hand, it took a couple weeks for my bag to arrive. I finally got it on Tuesday of last week and I am VERY pleased! My first reaction was---"It's gigantic!" Seriously!

Here it is in it's box all wrapped up!

This bag is truly a fantastic travel bag. I could easily fit a weekend's worth of clothing in it! Depending on how you packed, it would also work well for longer trips. There are no hard or stiff (bwhaha) edges so it could be molded or made to fit in smaller spaces. There are two pockets on the outside. One has a zip top and is large enough to fit extra little items like chargers or jewelry pouches.

The best part is what drew me to it. The fabric! It's vibrant and interesting and I love the straps! It's certainly a unique travel companion and I can't WAIT to use it :)

It is SO much larger in person. These pictures do NO justice!

Sorry for all the crappy camera phone pictures but it's all I've got to work with right now! There is a MUCH better picture at her Etsy shop.

Cherie has been so nice throughout the whole process and very kindly agreed to answer some questions! It's amazing what Etsy Conversations can accomplish :)

When/Why did you learn to sew?

Growing up, I sat at my mothers feet as she sewed for herself. I can still remember my favorite garments and wishing I was big enough to wear them too. I used to take the scraps and make clothes for my Barbie. In 6th grade I made a small quilt, and in 7th grade I started sewing my own clothes.

When you get the idea for a new product, can you just sew it on the first try or does it take a few go rounds?

I probably have a dozen unfinished things rolling around my studio that did not come together the first time. They sit waiting to be reworked. A lot of things come together great the first time, but then I have to remake them in such a way that someone else can do it too, simplifying and changing the order of the steps usually.

Your shop is quite prolific! Do you also sell your items anywhere besides Etsy?

I get requests to sell wholesale, but I turn them down. I just don't have time to fill orders like that. Etsy is the only place to buy my sewn items.

Are you the only one who 'works' in your shop? Do you sew each piece yourself?

I do have a gal who quilts the duffle fabrics for me now. She does a better job of it than I ever did.

Where do you source your materials? Are they mostly vintage fabrics?

There are a couple of local fabric boutiques that I frequent. I have to say they know me at JoAnn's pretty well too. I don't use vintage fabrics much. What you see in my shop are all current designers. It is overwhelming sometimes to think about the variety of fabric being produced right now.

What made you decide to start selling PDFs of your designs? Do you ever worry about other people selling your designs as their own?

I never wanted to be a manufacturer so I spent some time looking into having my designs made elsewhere. What I found was a business model that involved inventory, sales reps, trade shows, and a whole lot of paperwork and follow up that made my mind swim. I could get investment capital and hire those things out, but then I would be a boss and have a boss, neither of which appeal to me. I really just want to stay creative and license my ideas to other people. The PDF patterns make my ideas a concrete product that can be licensed. When someone buys a pattern from me, it comes with a cottage licensing agreement, so as long as they are making it themselves and mentioning me in their marketing materials, we are good. I am open to manufacturers for commercial licensing deals as well. Simplicity approached me to license my patterns for their catalog, so that is happening next. My patterns are copyrighted, so I don't worry about them being stolen.

Her shop really does run the gamut from travel bags, clutches, patterns, eyeglass cases...everything! Go on and stop by! Now....where to travel with my bag first?

Summer Movies

2010-07-11T17:32:00.006-04:00

Just a quick little movie weekend update!

Went and saw Eclipse today! I hadn't decided if I actually wanted to go or not. I saw Twilight at the midnight showing but held off on New Moon since the Twilight theatre viewing experience was so awful. Too many crying, laughing at inappropriate times, chatty girls! I ended up Netflixing New Moon and it was just as bad as Twilight. I am a sucker though and liked it just the same.

At our AMC Theatres they have $6 (used to be $5!) showings before noon on weekends. My friend Mimi (she loves that nickname ;)) and I braced ourselves for abs and overacting! I must say that I was pleasantly surprised! Someone finally told Pattinson to take it down about 5 notches and Kristin Stewart seemed to have a little more personality this go round. Speaking of abs...one thing I don't get is how Lautner is SO ripped and all the other werewolves look kinda puny. If it was me, I'd be hitting the gym everyday trying to keep up with Abs McGee!

One thing I really enjoyed was the backstories for Jasper and Rosalie. One aspect of the books that was always my favorite was the interaction of the Cullen family and getting to find out more about them. That seemed to be missing from the first two movies but played a much larger role in Eclipse.

The scenery was amazing but that is something that has stayed consistent throughout all the movies. All in all I'm glad I went to see it on the big screen. I'm also glad I only paid $6! I think I'll stick to the same formula for Breaking Dawn. I wish they'd keep the same director. Bill Condon will be directing both parts of Breaking Dawn. He directed Dreamgirls and a couple other smaller, well received movies so it should be interesting to see what he does. Maybe when Bella is having her daughter ripped from her womb someone will break into "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going".

Pants and I also saw Toy Story 3 a couple weeks ago. He was not excited to see it at all, (he doesn't like that Pixar does sequels and wishes they would just keep making new material), but I was very happy with it! Almost all the same faces are back and the plot felt fresh. It made sense in the timeline of the story. I will say that it didn't always strike me as a movie best for small children. I'm sure a lot of the material would go over their heads but the scene at the end at the dump...whoa! I won't give too much away but they were all so resigned to their fate and it was just.....heavy. The final scenes with Andy and Bonnie had me in tears! I swear Pixar is like Tears Crack for me. They ALWAYS get me. I literally can't watch Up without crying for the first 20 minutes. I've tried. Four times. Not possible.

As far as summer movies go the only things that we are looking forward to are Inception and Scott Pilgrim Vs. the World.

I seriously love this poster!

Sometimes I with there was a movie version of book club. It would be movie club and everyone would get together to watch a movie and then talk about it. I think it's a good idea! Plus you'd only be committing two hours, maybe three, of your time instead of the amount of time it takes you to read the book PLUS the two hours where you get together to talk about it. Movie Club! Who's with me!?

Win some sweet loot!

2010-07-09T09:00:00.007-04:00

These people are even celebrating!

People!

Everyone who reads my blog reads Becky's blog Love Everyday Life. If you don't---for shame! Get started! She is a MUCH better blogger then I am AND she'd got a year of blogging under her belt. To celebrate this momentous occasion she has assembled an impressive amount of handmade items for one of us lucky people to win! (Shouldn't we be getting her something though? ;)) Oh and if by chance you are my reader solely (delight! as Becky would say) then make sure and mention that you found out about her giveaway right here on my little blog! I will love you forever!

I'll even give you a link to get there <-----you're welcome!

I hope I win because that Brookish mug is calling my name like whoa.

Happy Friday! :)

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Netflix Challenge #7 - Say Yes to the Dress Season 4

2010-07-09T09:00:00.004-04:00

My seventh pick for my Netflix Challenge is admittedly, a guilty pleasure. I had no intention of making Say Yes to the Dress-Season 4 my next challenge but once the holiday weekend was over and I'd watched the whole season on instant, I figured why not?!

When I started this challenge I created some vague boundaries and rules in my head. One of these rules was that I couldn't just watch one disc or one episode of a tv show. If I was going to use it as a pick, it would need to be the whole season. Mission accomplished! (Another rule is that it can't be anything that I've seen before and so far I've stuck to that one too!) There are 18 episodes in season 4 but they are only 21 minutes each so the time flies as you are watching bride after bride find her dress. Or in many cases, NOT find her dress.

When it comes to reality tv, I turn up my nose a little bit. In my day I've watched a season of Survivor here, a season of American Idol there, but it's not something I really enjoy. The premise of most reality tv ridiculous and sad. The few exceptions are shows like Project Runway or Top Chef where having a legitimate ability is what lands you on national television. The drama and hissy fits are not the focus of the show...for the most part. ;) While Say Yes to the Dress doesn't feature talented chefs and there are no weekly challenges, I feel that it's pure in what it does offer. Women shopping for their wedding dress. That's it! Some are nice brides and some of awful bridezillas. Some are sample sizes and others fight to find a decent plus size dress for their big day. You have supportive families who cry when the dress is discovered but also family members who criticize and name-call. It's fascinating!

In case anyone isn't hip to my TLC guilty pleasure, Say Yes to the Dress is a show that goes behind the scenes of wedding dress shopping in a large NYC shop called Kleinfeld's. Each episode features 3 brides,usually two who are looking for their dress and one who is having a fitting. There are all manner of divas and snafus and it's just ridiculous! Pants HATES it! If I'm flipping through and see it on, I immediately stop and keep it on that channel even if I've already seen that episode! When I saw that Netflix had season 4 on instant I might've screamed out loud a little bit. Maybe. Yes, I did. :)

I am aware this post and choice is frivolous but come one! I'm at about the half-way point and I needed something fun and quick to keep me going! :) I don't expect everyone to want to queue this one up but I still recommend it if you're looking for fun, fluffy stories about what can be the happiest day in people's lives.

One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six

Yes.

2010-07-08T11:00:00.004-04:00

"I am not bound to win, but I am bound to be true. I am not bound to succeed, but I am bound to live up to what light I have."

-Abraham Lincoln

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Puppy butts!

2010-07-07T12:00:00.000-04:00

I'm having a blah kinda week. I've been working the same temp job for over 3 months and I really loved being here. A position became available during my time here and I was excited that I might have a chance to stay on permanently! For various reasons I won't drag out here, I got the impression they weren't considering me for the job. I still applied because I knew I'd regret it if I didn't at least try. My thinking was I'd at least get a pity interview.

Wrong.

I got the requisite form email saying thanks but no thanks! An email! Not even someone who I WORK WITH everyday could say..."Hey Megan, thanks for applying!"

This added onto the fact that I thought I'd be staying until the end of summer but was randomly told that no, the 9th is now my last day, is making me grouchy.

A place I used to enjoy coming has been awkward and unpleasant for the past week and a half.

PLUS, Pants is going out of town tomorrow for a week! :(

This is my long way of telling everyone that I think we need some puppy butts. If you are having a grouchy Wednesday like me, then I hope this lifts your spirits like it did mine!

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Lonely Chair

2010-07-07T09:00:00.003-04:00

If you are a fan of Becky's blog, then you will know that on July 4th I spent part of my day wandering around my old elementary school playground being sweaty and playing with a fancy camera! I hadn't been back to that playground for quite a few years and was baffled by how different it looked. Not just the feeling of being bigger but everything was just...out of place. Equipment was missing and trailers had been turned and I felt a little lost.

Not as lost as this chair though! Randomly stuck behind some bushes and shrubbery was this little fella. Out of place and unloved and random!

I like to think it's where the naughty kids have to sit at recess.

One Dance with a Duke- Tessa Dare

2010-07-06T09:00:00.003-04:00

From Goodreads:

"A handsome and reclusive horse breeder, Spencer Dumarque, the fourth Duke of Morland, is a member of the exclusive Stud Club, an organization so select it has only ten members — yet membership is attainable to anyone with luck. And Spencer has plenty of it, along with an obsession with a prize horse, a dark secret, and, now, a reputation as the dashing “Duke of Midnight.” Each evening he selects one lady for a breathtaking midnight waltz. But none of the women catch his interest, and nobody ever bests the duke — until Lady Amelia d’Orsay tries her luck.

In a moment of desperation, the unconventional beauty claims the duke’s dance and unwittingly steals his heart. When Amelia demands that Spencer forgive her scapegrace brother’s debts, she never imagines that her game of wits and words will lead to breathless passion and a steamy proposal. Still, Spencer is a man of mystery, perhaps connected to the shocking murder of the Stud Club’s founder. Will Amelia lose her heart in this reckless wager or win everlasting love?"

I don't know how eloquent of a review I can write for this book. At multiple points during my reading I was yelling out loud with displeasure! It's hard for me to put into words what drove me up the wall exactly. Well...there are two words: Amelia d'Orsay. UH! The heroine in this story deserved a good smack as far as I'm concerned!

Now with that off my chest I can hopefully give a more clear-headed review. Everything starts off well enough. I love the 'spinster becoming the Duchess' type stories. I actually liked Amelia quite a bit for most of the story. She was clear-headed and knew herself. She wasn't a great beauty by Society standards. She knew her strong points and wanted to be of use. I felt the story stayed true to it's time period in the sense that what Amelia was good at was being a wife. She loved caring for others and being in charge of a household. She was well-read and intelligent and didn't want to change herself just to suit a man.

As for the hero, I LOVED Spencer Dumarque aka The Duke of Midnight. He was in no way perfect but really what good romance hero is? We love them because they AREN'T perfect. In his defense, Spencer also had a firm grasp on himself and his faults and also his admirable qualities. He never tried to be something he wasn't and he quite often made an effort to change when he realized he was in the wrong. Which actually made him perfect...sigh! :)

The interplay between Amelia and Spencer was a good thing indeed! Neither one shied away from the other or held back. They were honest and up front and all the sexy time scenes were scorching! It took me back to some of my favorite romances of old where I would get butterflies in my stomach from a conversation between the two! Not the sex mind you, just the words the hero and heroine would SAY to each other. Getting inside their heads and seeing how desperate they were for each other. This book has that in spades!

Now that we've covered what I liked, I'd like to address what had me yelling out loud. Amelia is described as a nurturer and giver. Her joy comes from her family and taking care of others. She has a brother, Jack, who quite frankly I don't think added ANYTHING to the story. His character fell flat for me and just felt like someone there to stir up trouble between Spemelia. He is a wastrel and pathetic and I didn't care one way or the other what happened to him. Throughout the book Amelia goes on and on and ON about helping her brother find his way and "if only Spencer would help him!" but it's NOT Spencer's job to help Jack. Jack made his bed and it's HIS problem to try and figure out how to sleep in the mess! Amelia frequently gets upset with Spencer and claims he is making her choose between her family and him. As far as I could see...not the case in the slightest! Spencer could see how Jack was taking advantage of Amelia and wanted to save her heartbreak! He never said she had to give up her family, (she had 2 other brothers) he merely wanted to know that HE came first in her love. Instead she kept picking her brother who, not once was given a redeemable quality.

The clearheaded part of me said, "Megan, this is a book! Deal!" With that I tried to decipher how irrational I was being. If I was Amelia and it was my brother and my life, what would I do? If I had a husband who wasn't always the most forthcoming with information and tenderness, how would I interpret it? The answer was: not too much differently. Family has a way of getting under your skin like no one else. From a young age she had to become mother to her younger siblings and for reasons discussed at the end of the book, she feels guilt and that she owes them much. As the reader I was allowed inside Spencer's head and saw how much she mattered to him but she had a slower journey to that discovery. I still felt that for as much as she was supposed to be a nurturer, she sorely neglected how her siding with her family might affect her husband. The man who is her new family! When all was said and done, I liked Amelia better by the last page but she still wasn't a heroine I could completely sympathize with.

I wish I could give half stars. As of right now I want to give One Dance with a Duke 3 and half stars but I decided to go with 4. The writing was excellent! Spencer was a magnificent hero and I enjoyed most of the side storylines. I think that my problems wouldn't effect everyone reading the book. It would be very easy for anyone else to find no fault with this book. I definitely recommend it if you are a fan of historical romance and I'll certainly be seeking out the rest of this trilogy.

Netflix Challenge #6-Herb and Dorothy

2010-07-05T09:00:00.003-04:00

a fascinating true story about a girl and her herbs. <-----Pant's summary :)

As with last week's pick, I let Netflix do the choosing! Herb & Dorothy was recommended as something I might like based on my interest in...well I don't really know anymore! I tend to go on sprees adding things to my instant queue and don't always remember the path I took to get there.

From Netflix:

"Chronicling the story of unlikely art collectors Herb Vogel and Dorothy Vogel, filmmaker Megumi Sasaki demonstrates that it's not necessary to be wealthy in order to build a significant collection in this fascinating documentary. A postal clerk and a librarian, the Vogels share a passion for art, which they pursued over decades, becoming two of the most important collectors of minimalist and conceptual art with more than 4,000 pieces."

To be honest, much of this documentary went over my head. I am not an art aficionado and know basically nothing about minimal or conceptual art. Of the countless artists mentioned and interviewed in this piece, I was familiar with two or three of them. I had never heard the names Herb Vogel or Dorothy Vogel before. Regardless of that, I still found their story immensely watchable.

The Vogels were not beautiful people, or rich people. They live(d?) their lives in a small, one bedroom New York apartment. Into that apartment they stuffed what amounted to almost 5,000 works of art! Not all at one time, of course. When they decided to donate their collection to the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. they were able to clean out and start again!

A few things that stood out to me:

-I loved their choice to GIVE their collection to the National Gallery. They could easily have sold their art for millions of dollars but made a vow in the beginning to never sell one piece. They had a strong desire to keep the collection together as they felt it was meant to be. Herb worked for the Postal Service his whole life and Dorothy was a librarian. They loved the idea of being able to continue their government/service jobs by giving their collection back to the people. The National Gallery, as all museums and national art galleries in D.C., has no admission and they wanted the people to have access to art easily and cheaply.

-I couldn't help but think of the show Hoarders as they showed footage of the Vogels apartment. Boxes, crates and loose art are stacked from floor to ceiling and entirely covers the walls. The idea of collecting being an addiction is touched upon and I feel like the Vogels are prime examples. Their entire life was devoted to the act of collecting art...and having cats. :)

-There is a little extra scene at the end showing Dorothy buying her first computer. I love it. LOVE IT.

One thing I will say about this Netflix Challenge is that I'm keeping my mind open to any and all choices before me. Knowing that I have to fit nine more movies in before August 31st has got me a little panicky. I'm not allowing myself to be choosy and I think it's working out pretty well! I've now watched at least 2, if not 3 or 4 movies I might not otherwise have taken the time to see. I certainly feel like a more well-rounded individual!

If you're interested in the art world or eccentric pop culture figures, I would recommend giving Herb & Dorothy a spin.

Challenge, One, Two, Three, Four, Five

Happy Birthday America!

2010-07-04T09:00:00.003-04:00

Happy 4th!

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Friday! Friday! Friday!

2010-07-02T09:00:00.001-04:00

Thank goodness it's Friday indeed!

Lots of ups and downs for me this week, (mostly professionally) and I'm looking forward to some time off. Although for me it will just be a regular two day weekend seeing as how I work at the Bookstore on Saturday!

I really enjoyed Amber's post yesterday about Canada Day. I considered doing something similar about the 4th of July but don't feel like I have the mental brain power for it! I will say that I've had the words to You're A Grand Old Flag stuck in my head all week and am kinda proud I still remember all the words! Well...to the chorus at least!

Anybody have fun plans for July 4th? Looking forward to the long weekend?

July

2010-07-01T09:00:00.000-04:00

As I was walking to my car this morning, it dawned on me that today is July 1st.

!!!!

Six months of this year are already gone! Flown right past in a blink. At first I was discouraged thinking that this year has been a waste. I've accomplished nothing and wah, wah, wah. The temp job ending is still getting to me obviously :) After about a minute of self-pity, I realized it wasn't as pathetic as I thought.

Do I have a full time, permanent job? No.

Am I now back living at home with my mother? Yes.

Are both of those things pathetic? Kinda....yes.

Even with my life being in a time of setbacks, I feel like I've accomplished a few good things in the first half of the year. Most of them are small like getting my car registration paid for the next two years and buying a year's supply of contacts. In the overall scheme of life those things don't matter. In the day to day that I'm currently battling, they are huge! Two less things I have to think and worry about.

I've also managed to get my life more organized thanks to my new obsession with Huggable Hangers. My closet now only contains clothes that fit me and I wear! I've made at least 2 trips to the Salvation Army and plan on more!

Besides the car registration, I've also had my car inspected and had some work done to it.

I've read 5 books! This actually makes me sad because there was a time where I'd read 5 books in 2 months not 6. I'm making more time to read though so I think this number will start to go up!

Also, I started this blog! It's about a month old now and still going strong! I've pretty much capped out at 11 followers but I'll take them and give them as good a time as possible!

All in all pretty boring stuff but one thing I've learned is that life is about the little stuff. If you can accomplish something that makes your day go smoother then it's a wonderful thing!

Here's to the next six months!

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Odds and Ends

2010-06-30T12:00:00.001-04:00

Some random thoughts I've had in my head:

-I love making .41 in change. One of each coin :)

-I never knew what those 13.1/26.2 stickers on cars were about but now I do! Thanks all you bloggers who run marathons and half-marathons!

-I've been very moody the past few days. I don't know exactly where the anger is coming from but the smallest things are setting me off. I'm getting pretty good at

apologizing to Pants for being grouchy.

-I found out on Tuesday that the temp job I've had for the past 3 months, and I thought was going through the end of the summer, is actually ending on July 9th. This hasn't helped my anger and has thrown a little depression into the mix.

-I've been having weird dreams. One night my dreams were starring Kris Kristofferson. Yes, he is the man who starred in A Star Is Born with Babs. This dream also had Lavar Burton and a crazy elevator. Last night my dream had Eric from True Blood. Or maybe it was Alexandar Skarsgard. Not sure...I wasn't being bitten on the neck or anywhere else for that matter so I don't think he was a vampire.

-I recently found DailySquee.com and signed up for their newsletter. Expect tiny cute baby animals more often. Maybe I will make it a thing! Anyway---excited, get it!

-I want to try macarons! Anyone know a good place near D.C. to eat them?

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Traffic

2010-06-30T09:00:00.000-04:00

Traffic.

I could go ON and ON and ON and ON and ON and I think you get the point. Living in the suburbs of a large, metro city, I've dealt with traffic my whole life. It takes 20 minutes minimum to get anywhere. Depending on the time of day a trip that would normally take 20 minutes will take and hour and a half. It is life as I know it. Most days I deal just fine.

When I first had the idea for this post it was supposed to be about how traffic is the time I get my best ideas! How an awful, stressful time can give birth to such creativity! Blah blah blah! Well this morning I had to deal with Douchebag in black truck and Obnoxious Bitch in Mustang. I hate traffic! It makes me sweat (no air conditioning). Every radio station is awful. People are rude, inconsiderate jerks! It takes me an hour to get home. Hate!

I'm done.

I really do get an immense amount of ideas during those interminable drives. Too bad I can't do anything about them since texting is illegal. Blergh!

Now back to your regularly scheduled blog.

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For all that is holy!

2010-06-29T15:00:00.000-04:00

When I saw this I literally gasped out loud:

HAHAHAHA I love it!

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War Wounds

2010-06-29T09:00:00.001-04:00

Last week I flaked out a little bit. I wrote my big, LONG, post about needles and giving blood and then never followed through with how it went! Bad Megan!

Honestly, I was so worn out that I took a few days off blogging. Luckily I had a couple scheduled posts (LOVE those) to get me through the weekend and I'm back to feeling like my old self again! However it is that she normally feels :)

All in all the blood donating was not a bad experience! I made sure to drink 3-4 bottles of water and eat breakfast AND lunch before I went down. The only problem here was that I was scheduled to go down at 1:30 and thought I'd have more time for my lunch to digest. Turns out I was needed to cover the front desk during that time! Would've been nice if someone had told me that but such is life.

I gave the phlebotomist full warning that I had bad veins. He kinda laughed it off and said he'd make sure I didn't get stuck with one of the trainees. Reeeeeal funny Dude (we'll call him Dude) but I'm serious here! If you've ever given blood you know about the chairs they make you sit in. They are really tall versions of those cheapo lawn chairs. The ones that can clickety clack up or down at either end depending on how you want to sit? Well I climb up into one and I swear I thought it was about to collapse! Luckily I didn't have a needle in my arm! I felt such vindication as Dude starts trying to find a vein and sees the error of his ways in mocking me. I was squeezing away on that stress ball they make you use to get your blood pumping, (I guess that's what it's for) and he couldn't find a vein in EITHER arm. Dude was pretty convinced I was dead. Mwhahahaha! At this point he called in the big guns. Dude #2 was able to find a vein in my arm fairly quickly. I guess my veins go in different directions then most veins? Finding a vein created a new problem since it was in my RIGHT arm and I was set up in a chair for my LEFT arm. Now I had to wait for the only right arm chair! Blergh!

There's not too much else to say about the process. Dude didn't want to stick me because he was nervous he'd miss and he had one of the other techs do it. She got the needle in in one try but did have to fiddle with it a little. I won't lie and say it was all sunshine and roses because it was extremely uncomfortable. I learned a trick when I got my tattoos...just pretend it's not happening and it makes me less awful. I kept talking to Dude and not looking as the tech fiddled with the needle. I grabbed handfuls of the blanket they gave me to keep warm. It worked. For the most part. Once the needle was in the pressure lessened and I just tried to lay back and relax. Smooth sailing commenced! Dude had to tighten the tourniquet a few times to up the flow but that was it. Overall it was a long but not entirely painful experience.

My pink arm wrap after I was all done.

Lest you think I gave blood like a champ I will tell you of my wimpyness after! A few important facts:

-I had a migraine the day before and woke up with a headache

-I'd been having varying degrees of headaches for a week

-I thought maybe it was allergies so the morning of the the donation I took 2 ibuprofen and 1 generic brand Benedryl (I knew aspirin was a no no since it thins your blood)

-I'd had a hard time sleeping all week and was already tired

By the time I got to work my head still hurt a bit and I was tired.

By the time I gave blood my head was fine but I was still very tired.

Two hours after I gave blood I almost fell asleep on the toilet and thought I might throw up at my desk!

I left work an hour early, went home and fell asleep for two hours. I woke up and ate, went back to sleep at my usual time and proceeded to sleep another 10 hours. Did I mention I took the next day off work? I figured when I woke up after my initial two hour nap and Mom commented on how bad I looked and I still felt exhausted that maybe calling in would be a good idea.

I'm happy to report that 12 hours of sleep was all I needed!

What did I get out of donating you ask?

My 'vampire bite'. This is only the beginning of the bruise!

-I found out I'm AB+! (This is exciting, trust me! I've wanted to know my blood type forever!) Turns out that with type AB blood I can receive ANY blood type! Type O is a universal donor but Type AB is a universal recipient! Also my blood can only be used for other Type AB people unlike A or B which can used on a wider variety of blood types.

-I got a sweet bruise that just kept getting bigger and bigger! I think it turned about 6 different colors and still hasn't gone away entirely. A co-worker referred to it as my war wound! People often make disgusted faces when they see it but Pants and I like it :)

-I know that I helped someone, somewhere.

I would love to give blood on a regular basis. I just feel like I might not get so lucky next time when it comes to a tech that can find a vein easily and fairly painlessly. It's something I've wanted to do for a long time and I'm proud that I sucked it up and did it. Everyone should do it at least once in your life.

Netflix Challenge #5 - TiMER

2010-06-28T09:00:00.002-04:00

My latest pick for my Netflix Challenge is TiMER. It was a complete unknown to me when it popped up in the suggestions as I was browsing the latest Instant choices. It had a fairly high rating and sounded like an interesting premise. I was in the mood for something a littler lighter and romantic and thought it might fill the bill. I'm extremely glad I decided to watch it!

Here's a little description from Netflix:

In this comedic fantasy, science has facilitated the search for a soul mate via biotechnological implants that count down to the moment one is supposed to meet his or her match. But Oona (Emma Caulfield) is worried: She's nearly 30, and her TiMER isn't ticking yet. Will her dream guy get snatched up by someone else?"

Completely related to nothing I really like the name Oona now :)

The movie takes place in a time that in most every aspect is current day except for the introduction of the TiMER sometime in the last 10 or 20 years. The TiMER tells you to the instant when you'll meet your soul mate or One. My initial reaction is absolute delight. It delved into very true aspects of relationship that everyone deals with and how society portrays this NEED to know who our One is and when they'll show up. There is so much pressure on single women (and men) to wait for The One and that you only get one and how do you know them and on and on and ON! It reminded of Sex and the City episode where they talk about this exact issue at the diner. Do you only get one? What happens if had your one and it doesn't work out? Is that it for you?

The story doesn't follow only Oona but her whole family. Her mom and stepfather, her stepsister Steph and their half brother Jesse. Each of these characters has different experiences with the TiMER. Steph for example isn't supposed to meet her One until she's 43! This brings up the issue of what do you do until your One shows up? Is it cheating if you have another relationship? Oona faces this when she embarks on a relationship with Mikey. I don't want to give too much away but I just loved how everything worked out at the end. The reality is that even if someone isn't your One, those relationships and loves shape you. They scar you and it can be a beautiful thing.

It's currently available on Instant and I highly recommend it.

My Life in France-Julia Child

2010-06-26T14:48:00.002-04:00

Here's a little description from Goodreads:

"In her own words, here is the story of Julia Child's years in France, where she fell in love with French food and found her "true calling." Filled with the black-and-white photographs that her husband Paul loved to take when he was not battling bureaucrats, as well as family snapshots, this memoir is laced with stories about the French character, particularly in the world of food, and the way of life that Julia embraced so whole-heartedly. Above all, she reveals the kind of spirit and determination, the sheer love of cooking, and the drive to share that with her fellow Americans that made her the extraordinary success she became."

This book was an eye-opener for me. I'll admit that I knew little to nothing about Julia Child when I started. Well...as much as you learn from watching Julie and Julia, which I had just done. I have vague memories of watching her on tv as a kid. She always seemed a little oblivious to me but I certainly wasn't of an age to care too much about how to bake bread or casseroles. I know regret that I don't have the chance to watch those episodes again!

This book covers the period of time that Julia and her husband Paul Child spent in France during the late forties and into the fifties and sixties. It's always a delight to me to find out about a person you never though much of and discover how interesting they can be! I thoroughly enjoyed reading about her lust of life and her desire to never take the easy path. She enjoyed the unvarnished version of Paris and hated the big, glossy hotels and houses. She and Paul travelled all over and found such delight in a picnic on the side of the road. I found myself questioning whether I would ever be able to live the same sort of life. With that must zest and endless appetite! I love the fact that she didn't find her true calling until much later in her life. I felt that there is hope for anyone as long as you keep your eyes open to the possibilities around you.

The relationship between Paul and Julia was one of the best parts of the book. They really worked as a team and supported each others passions. All in all this was an extremely pleasant and informative look into the life of someone I previously knew nothing about but I'm glad I finally do. I only wish there were more!

Netflix Challenge #4- The Remains of the Day

2010-06-25T09:00:00.002-04:00

"A butler who sacrificed body and soul to service in the years post World War II realizes too late how misguided his loyalty has been." ( from imdb.com)

My fourth pick for my Netflix Challenge is another one available on instant. The Remains of the Day came out in theatres in 1993 and is based on the novel of the same name by Kazuo Ishiguro. It was nominated for a number of Oscars including Best Director, Best Picture and Best Actor/Actress for Anthony Hopkins and Emma Thompson. I've seen bits and pieces of this movie over the years but never enough to fully understand the plot. I decided now would be a good time to finally see it all the way through!

I'll start by saying the movie is gorgeous! I'd recommend it for the visual aspect alone. The scenes of the English countryside are breathtaking and the interior shots of Darlington Manor are a sight to behold. Especially for an American like me not used to houses of that size and stature.

So much of the story is about restraint and coming to terms with your place in your little corner of the world. The main character played by Hopkins, is Stevens. He's been the butler at Darlington Manor for seemingly his whole adult life and it has completely shaped him and his worldview. He is so wrapped up in his duties and dignity that he doesn't see a lot of what's going on in front of him. Correction: he sees it but basically looks beyond it or pretends he doesn't understand. It was frustrating for me as a viewer because I genuinely thought he would change his ways at many points throughout the movie but he just kept soldiering on. The epitome of the stiff upper lip English people are always accused of having.

Many sites list this movie as a romance but to me isn't a romance in the strictest sense of the word. There is not a happy ending necessarily. I go back to the word restraint here because THAT is what you see. Hopkins and Thompson embody that word so well. The heat in the looks he gives her character of Miss Kenton! The way he stares at her whenever he gets the chance! Unfortunately I kept imagining Hannibal Lector but that was totally my brain and nothing at all in the movie. :)

The Remains of the Day was an extremely well made, well acted, and beautiful movie. I'd recommend it to anyone who enjoys period pieces, movies set in England or is just a fan of that Merchant/Ivory style of movie. (They did in fact make this one :))

On a side note: I was interested in the author of the book the movie was made from. His name is Kazuo Ishiguro and his two most well known books,(The Remains of the Day and Never Let Me Go) are both set in England. After perusing his Wikipedia page I learned his family moved to England when he was 6 so that explains the settings. There was one line on the page that I felt described this movie very well.

"Ishiguro's novels often end without any sense of resolution. The issues his characters confront are buried in the past and remain unresolved. Thus Ishiguro ends many of his novels on a note of melancholic resignation. His characters accept their past and who they have become, typically discovering that this realization brings comfort and an ending to mental anguish."

I'm curious to read Never Let Me Go. I've had it on my bookshelves for awhile. I'd heard many good things and when I heard it was being made into a movie, I decided to pick it up. I think I might pick up The Remains of the Day as well.

Challenge 1 Challenge 2 Challenge 3

Guest Post

2010-06-24T09:00:00.002-04:00

Today I am guest posting over at Becky's blog Love Everyday Life!

I volunteered to guest post AGES and AGES ago but she didn't need my blog until today! I started the post before I officially began my blog. It was a way for me to talk out whether or not I wanted to even go down this road.

I think my choice was obvious ;)

I hope you enjoy it!

Moms

2010-06-21T16:26:00.003-04:00

My mom just responded to something I told her by saying, "Well that is magically delicious!"

Moms--good for so many things, especially one-liners ;)

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Blood Drive

2010-06-21T09:00:00.015-04:00

You know how we're all supposed to be good people? Try and do things for our fellow man and help others in need. Well I volunteered for something but I'm not so sure it's gonna be pretty.

You see, I volunteered...to give blood. Cue the mwhahahahahahas!

Seriously. I'm not excited about this. It saves lives blah, blah, blah! It's just that needles and I have a history and it's not pretty.

Like most people my age, I've had my wisdom teeth out. I think three if not ALL of the teeth were impacted which basically means they were growing in sideways. The dentist or oral surgeon or whatever said that he HIGHLY recommended I have anaesthesia. They were going to have to drill my teeth into bits to more easily remove them and according to that guy, I wouldn't want to be awake for it. I'd have to agree. So there I am, sitting in the operating chair, minding my own business, just waiting to get a needle and drip hooked to me.

I tell the nurse, "I have bad veins. Whenever I've had to give a blood sample, they can't get the veins to come up." She assures me that that won't be a problem.

"He's a professional! He always gets the vein."

He's slapping and flicking and hitting my arms. Nothing.

Prick one. Prick two. Prick three! I only wish I was talking about guys here!

"Let's switch to your other arm."

Prick four! Pricks five and six!

"I didn't want to have to do this but I'm going to try and use the vein in your wrist or hand. They are much harder to get to but nothing else is working."

At this point I'm crying or holding back tears. Mom had been called into the room to hold my hand. I'm not afraid of needles or blood but I'd been sitting in this chair for a good 30 minutes to an hour while some guy hits my arms and stabs me with a needle. Repeatedly. I'm starting to bruise. I just wanted those damn teeth out!

As you might've guessed the wrist/hand vein didn't work either. At this point I got some hilarious, (at least to me) news. He's gonna write me a prescription for a Valium. Just one. I'm to take it an hour before my new, rescheduled appointment. Apparently it helps plump up your blood vessels. I'm to wear socks and shoes. (I was in flip-flops. The easier to take off when I was drugged up and trying to go to sleep afterwards.) Warm clothes. I'll be the first appointment. They'll turn the heat up in the operating room. Whatever they can to get those blood veins plumped up!

I come back a week or so later. Valium swallowed down and sweatpants on. Prick one...it goes in! It hurts though, it's very uncomfortable. Actually, it really hurts.

"Ok we'll try again!"

Prick two in the other arm. Success! Thank Jesus because I was seriously about to start crying again!

The story pretty much ends there. I had my teeth out, slept for hours on end intermittently being woken up by my mother to take my pain pills. (I had Vicodin that time! I have a story about that too ;).)

My long and winding and winded point is: my veins hate needles. And I'm giving blood tomorrow afternoon.

I just keep telling myself: It saves lives It saves lives It saves lives AND you'll be able to finally find out your blood type!

Wish me luck!

Netflix Challenge #3- Mystery Team

2010-06-21T09:00:00.009-04:00

I'm on a roll with my Netflix Challenge! As you may have noticed, I've been posting my recaps/reviews on every Monday and Friday but in reality I watched these first three movies all in the same day! It was an extravaganza!

Choice #3 was Mystery Team and to be honest, Pants picked this one. I can't even TELL you how many months ago he showed me the trailer for this movie on YouTube. We weren't living together yet so it was AT LEAST a year ago. The movie was produced/written/acted by the members of the Derrick Comedy group. It didn't get a very wide release at all but got a lot of indie/underground attention. As soon as Netflix had it available it went to the top spot of the queue! I myself am not familiar with Derrick Comedy but I still recognized a lot of actors who currently are part of much of NBC's Thursday night line-up.

The story revolves around 3 best friends who are....naive to say the least. Jason, Charlie, and Duncan created a Scooby-Doo type Mystery Team when they were kids and came to some acclaim in their neighborhood for their skills. Only problem...their 18 now and are still looking for missing bikes. A real mystery falls into their laps by way of a double murder. The victims youngest daughter asks the Mystery Team to find out who killed her parents. Hilarity ensues!

What basically happens from here on out pokes fun at all the kid detective movies/tv shows. Only raunchy. They read an article in the newspaper that basically solves the crime if you have half a brain cell but lucky for us, they might not. The three guys go all over town using 'disguises' to get into a strip club, lumber yard, and to get in good with a 'hobo'. The disguises were probably my favorite part of the movie because of the sheer ridiculousness of each one. The hobo scene made me snort. Duncan has a book about the history of hobos that was easily 50 years out of date. Their hobo is actually a homeless drug addict but the Team seems blissfully unaware of this.

By the end of the movie it comes out that everyone but Jason is ready to grow up and move on. They know they aren't taken seriously and have made plans for college. They manage to solve their last mystery although I think everyone comes out a little worse for wear.

I'd recommend this movie because while it doesn't break any new ground, it recycles old jokes in a fresh way with some new faces. There's a lot of funny people in this movie and I expect to be seeing a lot more from all of them. Also hearing Donald Glover scream like a girl is hilarious.

It's the little things

2010-06-18T14:00:00.000-04:00

I'm sitting at work in front of my new computer monitor.

"So what?", you may ask. Well not 20 minutes ago I was sitting in front of a behemoth. A monitor so large I felt like I was in 5th grade again. I'd gotten accustomed to it and didn't expect an upgrade. I am just a temp after all and the monitor worked fine. One of the IT guys was upgrading a co-workers computer and walked by and literally said, "Whoa! You need a flat screen!"

So now I have a flat screen. It's glorious! Technology! Win! I feel like I have a second desk, there is so much room now! The screen is bigger too. I find this hilarious since my previous monitor itself was a good foot long but the actual screen was puny. Amazing what a little change can do :) Especially when it's unexpected!

Here's another hydrangea for your weekend! Hopefully I'll have some more of my Netflix Challenge to share with you!

Netflix Challenge #2- Julie and Julia

2010-06-18T09:00:00.002-04:00

The second choice in my Netflix challenge was the Julie and Julia based on the book by the same name. When this movie came out I had no overwhelming desire to see it in theatres and even poked fun at Pants because he did! He watched it illegally online somewhere and loved it and I poked fun AGAIN. Now I'll have to eat my words!

The movie follows the lives of both Julia Child and Julie Powell. It's supposedly based on the book 'Julie and Julia' by Powell but I know that for much of the Child scenes they used Julia Child's book 'My Life in France' as a reference. For the most part I enjoyed both sides of the story but Meryl Streep as Child is so memorable. Stanley Tucci as her husband Paul tips the story in their favor. It didn't feel like two actors portraying a couple in love. Tucci and Streep had a wonderful chemistry and came across so comfortably in the characters skin.

One thing I liked about the Julie side of the story was the conversations between she and her husband about her blog. She questions whether anyone actually reads numerous times. When she gets her first comment she is overjoyed only to find out it's from her mother so "it doesn't count". I empathize with that SO much! One thing that especially hit home for me was when she was trying to explain to her mother why she kept doing it. She tells her it's good to have short term goals and that it basically sets a regimen for her, something she has to do everyday. It helps keep her on the path forward. This pretty much sums up why I started blogging. I wanted to see if I could do it. If I'd be any good or anyone would care. Since I started only about a month ago, projects have been accomplished, books have been finished, movies watched...all things I meant to do but haven't found the time for. As her husband accuses in the movie, blogging is a very personal almost vain/selfish thing to do but I think it can also help make you a better person. I hope that ramble made sense!

I highly recommend Julie and Julia. It's not often you get a movie that features two strong female leads and is centered around their story. The acting is terrific and it made me laugh and cry and want to learn to cook!

Oh! I had 'My Life in France' on the bookshelf so I'll be starting that next I think :)

I LOVE hydrangeas.

2010-06-17T09:00:00.017-04:00

I want a yard full of them.

Photo, Photo, Photo, Photo, Wedding photo is mine---the green bits are hydrangea :)

Hollywood Love

2010-06-16T14:30:00.000-04:00

This really has nothing to do with anything but I saw this picture on Jezebel and it made me smile. :) The actors are Michael Emerson (Ben Linus from Lost) and Carrie Preston (Arlene on True Blood). I remember randomly finding out they were married a little bit ago and find it absolutely charming. They play such loud/obnoxious/deviant characters on TV and they play them so well, that's it jarring to think of them as real people.

And can you imagine Arlene and Ben Linus married to each other!? Married for 11 years to boot! Love it!

Is it worth it?

2010-06-16T09:00:00.000-04:00

Part of the reason I started this blog was because I had been reading other blogs and was so amazed by them and they got all the idea juices flowing in my brain with what I would do I if had my own.

Everything is always better in your head.

In reality I feel like I'm failing on the blog front! I keep finding new blogs and they are so fantastic. Well written with a cohesive style and point of view. Did I mention well written. I always had illusions of grandeur when it came to writing. In my head, (there I go with that pesky head again) I sounded intelligent and had plots and characters and stories! On paper I was long-winded, blabbering on and on with no definitive point. Very discouraging. Writing got lumped into being crafty for me. (see a story about that here.) It was something that I wanted to be good at but wasn't. So why would I decide to start doing something where I have to write everyday?

Maybe I would feel more confident if I had a sort of schtick. I watched Julie and Julia over the weekend, (post coming Friday) and it's really got me thinking. I don't have a purpose with my blog.

I'm not cooking my way through The Art of French Cooking.

I'm not running a marathon.

I'm not renovating my house.

I'm not pregnant.

I'm not planning a wedding.

In short, I'm not doing anything exciting! It's just me. Is that enough for people? I don't plan on quitting, not just yet. It's like Becky and her running. I don't hate blogging. I just need to work myself up to feeling like I'm doing a good job. Whenever you start anything new it's like that, right? You have to start somewhere and if nothing else I'm becoming a more focused person.

Someday I'll have a house to redo.

And be pregnant.

Then have a baby.

Not so sure about the marathon and the wedding.

When all those things happen I'll have the perfect platform to share my experiences with the world!

Whether it cares or not!

Plans

2010-06-15T10:00:00.000-04:00

This is so beautiful

Today is Tuesday. I wish is was Thursday. Then I'd have my paycheck and could mark some things off my list. For instance:

-buy more Huggable Hangers

-buy a rake

-buy a shovel

-buy some spraypaint that's formulated for plastic (this goes with the rake/shovel, you'll hear more about this later)

-pay my phone bill :x

-get my car inspected!

-get my oil changed

I'm pretty sure the list could go on but those are the most pressing things. All kind of boring but still...they are on a list! A list people! Which means they must get crossed off! I can't do that until I get paid SO...I wish it was Thursday.

Anyone have a suggestion of the best place to buy a rake/shovel? I know Home Depot, Lowe's, etc but is one place cheaper then another? Also, a good brand or make you prefer? It doesn't need to be fancy but I've never bought any outdoor equipment before! It will be an adventure in lawncare! :)

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Netflix Challenge #1- The September Issue

2010-06-14T10:00:00.000-04:00

Fascinating.

That's the first word that comes to mind after finishing The September Issue. This is a documentary about the creation of the September 2007 issue of Vogue magazine. It's an in-depth look at what goes into creating the magazine and the people behind the curtain. It's currently available instantly on Netflix and I highly recommend queuing that sucker up!

I have so many thoughts and I don't know where to start! I think Grace Coddington is my hero now. I was familiar with the fashion director before this but didn't honestly know much about her. She has such spirit! She truly loves what she does and says herself that she wouldn't still be doing it if she didn't. I can't imagine putting so much of yourself and your time and creativity into a photo spread just to have someone come and slash half of it away. What you found beautiful, they find "toothy" or "too dark" or say it doesn't fit in with the story of the spread. Direct quotes from Anna Wintour there. The two woman have a relationship that can only be shared by people that have worked together in a very tough industry for decades. They seem to share this antagonism toward the other but then go on to call the other a genius or a visionary. I didn't realize Coddington had been a model herself and worked at British Vogue for 20 years before coming to American Vogue. She and Wintour even started on the same day! I would love to be a fly on the wall in those offices.

Anna Wintour herself is character that is hard to define. I realize she is a real person but I think she, like most famous people, put on an act in public. Seeing her interact with her daughter or talk about her father/family was very telling. It was obvious how much she loves her daughter. I also detected a tear in her eye when she was talking about her siblings and how they were 'amused' by what she did for a living. Her daughter even went so far as to say she respects her mother but finds the fashion industry laughable and the people in it ridiculous. I'm paraphrasing there but she certainly wasn't singing it's praises. I can't imagine how that affects Wintour. During the day she has people cowering in fear of her, kowtowing to her every idea and whim, claiming she is the most influential woman in America! Only to have her family basically laughing at it.

I recently watched the documentary about Valentino called The Last Emperor and I highly recommend both movies. They show a side of the fashion industry that is not widely publicized. I honestly feel anyone would enjoy these movies, not just Vogue subscribers. Having a love of fashion only enhances the experience.

Fascinating.

The Graveyard Book, Neil Gaiman

2010-06-14T09:00:00.000-04:00

I've been trying with VERY little success, (none in fact) to be a part of a bookclub. For various reasons, many being that I have to work, I have YET to attend a meeting. The latest selection is The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman and I'm happy to report I JUST finished it! Now, if I can just attend the meeting...

It's always interesting to me when I read a children's book or young adult title. I find myself having to reconcile the fact that it's a story meant for young people when I myself no longer fit into that category. A quote at the end of the book helps to put into words this feeling:

" You're always you, and that don't change, and you're always changing, and there's nothing you can do about it" ( page 325)

Neil Gaiman has a vast backlist of books that I have not gotten around to yet. There are a few in my pile, (Sandman, Good Omens, Coraline) and I have no doubt that I'll enjoy them as much as this one. I read Stardust a few years ago and had the same reaction when it was done. I didn't feel immediately in love with the story but found it very satisfying. His books seem to be filled with other worldliness and magic and when your main book of choice tends to have a half-naked couple clutching on the cover, it takes some brain rearranging to appreciate a story that does not focus on romantic love.

The Graveyard Book follows Nobody Owens through his young life starting with the gruesome death of his family, his adoption by a new ghostly family and eventually into his young adulthood when he must finally go out onto his own. One complaint that I had while reading was the lack of sufficient backstory or explanation. I realize that with this being a children's book, Gaiman might not have felt the need to delve so deeply into the why-fors. Having a little more explanation as to why his entire family had to be killed as opposed to just him would've been nice. Finding out more about the Jacks of all Trades was something I was hoping for too. Maybe Gaiman could write an adult title that delves into the society a little more. These were my only real complaints with the tale. I felt there was so much potential that went untapped. It certainly didn't make the story less though. You are equipped with all the important information you need to understand what's going on and why.

My favorite parts of the story were when Bod was with his family in the graveyard. He had such a vast array of people to interact with and teach him. I loved how his schooling consisted of learning how to Fade and Dreamwalk and HE had to be the one to ask to go to real school with books and papers and libraries.

It was sad how at the end it felt as if Bod was going out into the world with no one. He'd in essence lost any and all families he'd ever had. He didn't see it that way though. He learned so much and was ready to just go out and experience life, clean slate and completely on his own terms. Once the story ended I found myself imagining what his world would be like. Where would he go? Who would he meet? Would he see Silas again? Would he eventually be buried in his graveyard and be reunited with his family there? (Seriously Neil Gaiman, write Bod's story as an adult!) In my mind he lived a full, exciting life only enhanced by the way he was brought into the world.

Odds and Ends

2010-06-11T10:11:00.004-04:00

I've decided to make the Odds and Ends post a recurring one. It will be my chance to cover any little tidbits that need some screen time!

-New layout! Blogger got fancy overnight it seems :) I'm working with a friend to make the blog a little more personalized but I like having the option to spruce it up a bit before then! I hope the layout works. I like the 3 column set-up but feel that now the middle is a little too scrunched :/ Any opinions? I'm sure I'll keep fiddling with it!

-I've recently found quite a few crafty sites and they've inspired me! I don't know what I'll work on next but here are the links so you can check them out for yourself! Once I make a choice, I'll be sure to post all the gory details.

-Dollar Store Crafts

-P.S. I Made This

-Can I just say how ready I am for the weekend? The sad thing is, I don't even look forward to it since I work 6 days a week. (One day at the bookstore and 5 at my temp job.) This weekend I have Sunday off so I'm looking forward to just staying home and not spending any money!

-I am desperate for a good source of pictures! Beautiful, fun, quirky, any and all kinds. I want to make each post a little more interesting and have the darnedest time finding anything good when I do a Google search! You'd think typing in, "child looking at night sky" would get you something good but NO! Any resources would be greatly appreciated and I'll make sure and add photo credits!

This is what I got with 'child looking at night sky'. Not awful just kind science musuemy. Bleh.

Photo credit

Forgetfulness

2010-06-10T11:11:00.005-04:00

I had this whole post started in my head about traffic and time to think, blah blah blah. I was working on it when I realized my direct deposit wasn't showing up.

Cut to me realizing I never submitted my time sheet last week!

You see, I've been working with a temp agency in the hopes of finding a permanent job. They've placed me at a longish term position. It is lasting for 12 weeks and I love it here! I'm required to submit my time sheet electronically every week for the previous weeks work and then I get paid the following Thursday.

The worst part is...I've done this before! I even wrote myself a note to remind me NOT to forget!

Last Friday I had to cover at the front desk so I wasn't at my computer to SEEEE my note. It's nice having consistency and work week in and week out but I HATE having to remember the time sheet! You plan on that money, you count on it being there. You tell people you can help them. Not to mention bills! I'm all out of whack now.

I'm trying to see the silver lining. Next Friday I'll get TWO paychecks! Now I just need to make it through to NEXT Friday.

Oh and don't worry your pretty little heads...that traffic post is still happening!

Part Two: The Sequel

2010-06-09T09:00:00.000-04:00

If you thought Part One: The Beginning was super duper awesome, then just wait for this! I've finally caught up and I'm about to impart my TV watching wisdom to you. You're welcome.

Castle- Castle, Castle, Castle. I want to love this show more, I really do. Love Nathan Fillion! Firefly anyone? He's got the charming/funny mixture of a Cary Grant and who wouldn't love that? As for this show though, to me it's the poor man's Bones. Cop and Someone of a profession who would never work with a cop, solve mysteries together, have sexual chemistry, never act on it, have a back-up group who helps solve the murders. Don't get me wrong...LOVE Bones (see next review) but I don't need to watch it twice in one week. I also feel like Castle is missing something. There just isn't that spark. Castle's relationship with his daughter/mother is cute and endearing but there isn't much else I care about. I honestly don't care if Beckett and Castle get together. I think it would be MUCH more interesting to have them find love elsewhere but still keep that partner vibe. To be honest I feel asleep watching the finale! I really don't know if I'll pick it up again in the fall. I feel bad though because of the Nathan Fillion love. I just wish he could be on a show I could really get behind.

Bones- Oh Bones. I love this show. Really I do. It's just...sometimes...meh. It drives me crazy! When it's on fire, all the characters are interesting and you care for them and want for them and are amazed by them. Then sometimes the writers just drop the ball. This season felt like that SO much! It was almost there SO often. All season long it just felt like they were trying to make up for past transgressions (Hodgins and Angela) or keep the cash cow apart so they could keep milking it (Bones and Booth). It was frustrating! But I love it. The finale felt so meh to me but I think it opens up a lot of potential for next season. I think they'll come back and a year will have passed. This will allow for some Lost/Veronica Mars like flashbacks to show what everyone was up to. I think Angela will have a baby! Bones will want Booth but he'll have found someone new. Poor Cam...everyone just up and left her. Which, I'm sorry, but everyone just leaving at once would NOT happen in real life workplace. I'm can suspend belief with the best of them but, really? No. As long as Sweets is there I'll be happy :)

Glee-Last night was the season finale of Glee! This show makes me so happy. I just sit with a stupid grin on my face for 60 minutes. Well, more like 45 once you subtract out commercials. Even when I'm thinking, "They are not seriously doing that, are they?!", I STILL love it. I also don't understand the stigma of the Glee Club. I was in choir from 6th grade to 12th and NEVER, not once EVER got made fun of for it. Granted our football team was awful and my high school eventually became the target school for the arts...but still! I thought last night was a lovely summary of the whole season. We got to see Quinn have to her baby and actually give it up for adoption. I have to admit I was convinced she would end up keeping it. I think it's smart to have her totally on her own now. It's not like baby Beth will be far away either. I'm sure Shelby (!!! loved that twist!!!) will be more then happy to let Quinn be a part of her life if Quinn chooses. People, I've loved Journey looooong time! The New Directions performance made my heart happy. Queen was a tough act to beat though. I thought it was a bit of a cheat because Jesse did all the singing! It was mostly just dance. Seemed a little unfair to me. I kinda love Jesse St. James (or more accurately Jonathan Groff) so I hope he will be back next season. I'm thinking he comes back as the Glee director for Vocal Adrenaline!! He was a senior this year, right? I loved it and I love the weird sexual tension between Shue/Sue. Can't wait for next season!!

Brothers and Sisters- I will fully admit that after the writers strike I never picked this show back up. At one point this past fall, (when I was out of work) I got bored and starting catching up. Unfortunately I still have 4 (5?) episodes on my Hulu queue so no review. Maybe once I actually watch them I'll do a little post. Stay tuned.

Modern Family- This show like many if not all sitcoms doesn't really leave you with a cliff-hanger ending but it doesn't need one either. I was hesitant of the show when it first started. I'm an Arrested Development fan and there have been a few shows since it ended that felt like they were trying to recreate that wacky, family environment and it just never worked. Upon actually watching Modern Family though it's clear that was not their goal. Yes, it features a wacky family but it's got SO much heart as well. I literally laugh out loud every week, (same as 30 Rock) and I love seeing how they interact. I honestly feel like that is my family. We yell and fight and don't like each other sometimes but when it comes down to it, all we have is love. And if you can't laugh at/with your family there is something wrong!

Chuck- Don't tell Pants but I when it comes to Chuck- I Want to go to There. I thought I had outgrown all those Tiger Beat crushes but I have SO got one on Zachery Levi/Chuck Bartowski. They are one in the same for me. This for me is another one of those shows with a lot of heart AND humor. And killer music montages. I wasn't sure I'd really be able to get with Chuck being able to flash legitimate skills but it worked. I was so happy that Ellie FINALLY found out about Chuck's life too! I think that now everyone who SHOULD know about Chuck DOES know. It seems like each season they aren't sure whether there will be a next season of the show and the final episodes reflect that. There is always a little tying together of loose ends so that if that was the end of the show, we as the viewer could be happy. This season definitely ended with us left guessing as to what will happen next! While Chuck isn't a show I obsessively watch each week, I love playing catch-up with it because I forget how much I really do like it.

Mulberry for Target

2010-06-08T13:53:00.007-04:00

Can I just preface this post with how excited I am?!!!!

Just read this. I can't WAIT for the collaboration between Mulberry and Target to hit the stores! In case you aren't familiar, Mulberry is a British fashion and leather goods company. I'm mostly aware of their leather goods and was hoping that the collection would be a mixture of bags/briefcases and the like. From the picture accompanying the article....it's going to be clothes. Which is still exciting I guess. My problem is that the Target designer collaborations are usually available in juniors sizing and I am most definitely NOT a juniors size anymore.

I'm holding out hope for a version of this bag:

Alexa Bag

I'll just keep my eyes peeled for pictures closer to the release date and have fingers crossed!

Sleep

2010-06-08T09:33:00.003-04:00

I need my 8 hours every night. Seriously. I pity any child that I have because they will just have to learn that crying will not entice me out of my bed. I will be a horrible mother.

Last night my sleep was interrupted for what feels like the 5th night in a row. Between being too hot because of the temperature or hearing Pants re-watch Lost, it seems like something is always keeping me up! Hearing the tv is better then having a nightmare where you are trapped in a pitch black room with no doors.

Yes, that was my dream. AND it's the 3rd time I've had a dream like that. I woke up last night pounding on the bedroom door in a cold sweat. Pants opened the door and was completely confused by my explanation of having a dream where I was trying to order a banner with points online but they were all sold out so then I was locked in a dark room! He was confused because it MAKES NO SENSE.

The first time I had a similar dream I woke up on the bedroom floor after having yanked over my shoe rack. I was throwing shoes around because in my dream they were rocks and I was digging myself out of the dark room. ?!?!

Does anybody else have crazy dreams like this? Dreams where you physically get out of your bed and enact what you're dreaming. I feel like they are ripe for psycho-analysis but I have no desire to find out what they mean. The dreams are bad enough!

DIY - Bathroom shelf

2010-06-07T10:55:00.011-04:00

A little back story for you. My mother is crafty...or at least she was while I was growing up. And she was one of those crafty types that would've made money off of it if things like Etsy had existed. She is also someone who has control issues with how things need to be done.

For example: We were stenciling flowers onto my bedroom wall and this basically devolved into Mom not liking the practice flowers I did so she stenciled all the flowers herself. That way she knew it was done right, you see! I developed a bit of a complex about things like this. That may sound a little bitter but it's quite funny to me now and I find myself doing those sort of things too. Especially when it comes to making the bed! Pants tries to help out but he doesn't even bother with the bed since he knows I'll just take it all apart and do it myself anyway. I offer up this story to showcase the fact that I am NOT a crafty person. As a kid it was hard for me to care when everything Mom did was so much better. I can't sew or paint very well and don't usually attempt crafty projects.

Well all that changed this weekend! I bought myself a can of glossy white spray paint and got down to business! As previously mentioned, I had a little shelf in my bathroom that was dated and I thought would be an easy update.

Here is where our journey begins:

According to my Mom it's from Home Interiors and was purchased somewhere in the 90's. The bronzed metal finish wasn't the most awful thing I'd ever seen but it most certainly subscribed to a certain design aesthetic that I don't follow.

I started out by ripping some pages out of an old magazine laying around the house. Why yes, yes that IS the issue of US Weekly featuring Sandra Bullock's marital woes. I'm sure she wouldnt've minded me ripping out the pages and spraypainting them ;)

I pretty much just followed the directions on the can. It said to wait a minute between coats but I don't think I was that patient. It supposedly came with some nozzle that could be turned this way and that depending on what you were spraying but I just left it the way it came. From what I could tell, there was pretty good coverage with just a once over but I wanted it to be very white and very glossy so I sprayed it a few times.

Only issue was that everytime I thought I was done and attempted to pick it up to move inside, I would see a new spot that hadn't been hit! With all the scroll-y bits I figured this would happen once but not 3 times! Eventually I just held it by a section that was dry to the touch and went to town on all the parts I couldn't hit before.

Here is the finished product:

Overall I don't know that it made a HUUUUGE difference but it certainly didn't hurt anything. I've already got a couple more projects lined up too! Stay tuned!

Odds and Ends

2010-06-07T10:04:00.004-04:00

We'll start out the week with a little update from the weekend, yes? Here goes!

-I set some goals for myself last week and I'm happy to report I accomplished all of them! Stay tuned for a post about my foray into DIY!

-I dropped off 2 trash bags of clothes and a box full of other knickknacks at the Salvation Army before the weekend even started! I also bought some more Huggable Hangers and made Pants clean out his clothes trunk a little...which means we now have two MORE trash bags for the thrift! Ugh, but good :)

-While I wasn't able to get ALL the bags of books out of the house and to the UBS, I managed to haul two of those blue IKEA bags full of books! I think I will take another trip some night this week.

-I also installed SnowLeopard on my computer and am happy to report that everything went off without a hitch! My Magic Mouse now has all the bells and whistles and my computer is as up to date as it can be. Here's hoping it can hold on a few more years for me. We've had a good run so far!

I was very proud of myself for setting goals and then being able to cross each one off the list. In some cases the 'big picture' doesn't need to be quite so BIG. Sometimes cleaning out your closet should be enough.

Also a little update on the second part of my finales post. I finished Castle, Chuck, and Modern Family so all that leaves is the season finale of Glee tomorrow night and I can post! Remember those excited pants I mentioned? They better be washed and ready!

As you can see I had QUITE a full weekend! I even vacuumed and did laundry! Anyone else have such a full weekend?

Update

2010-06-04T09:22:00.007-04:00

Just a little update before the start of the weekend! I've already accomplished one of my projects for the week!

-On Wednesday night I took a load to the local Salvation Army store!

-This might be a cheat but Pants took part of the load of books in for trade last night. My plan is to take as much as I can tonight and see if another trip will be needed or not.

-Also I invested in the Mac Box Set in an attempt to update my current OS from Tiger to Snow Leopard. I'll try installing it tonight and see how things go! Hopefully my Magic Mouse will be all that I hope and more!

That means one and a half things can be crossed off the list! Hooray!

I plan on doing my DIY project on Sunday. My friend B is stopping by so that I can lend her the Sookie Stackhouse books by Charlaine Harris that the TV show True Blood is based on. I highly, highly recommend both! The show is MUCH more graphic and takes the story to a different level. I'd say to only watch if you think you have the stomach for it. It's HBO in every sense of the channel.

Also, I bought this ring last night at Forever21...$5.80! I love it! It's almost as big as my finger :)

It's much sparklier in person :)

Etsy seller - StudioCherie

2010-06-03T12:00:00.002-04:00

I love Etsy.

I know that I'm not alone in this love because every girl I know and blog I read sings the praises of the crafty site. (At least it feels that way!) Even if they are singing the praises of the ridiculous stuff too....Regretsy.com. For as much as I love it, I often forget about checking it which is why I receive their daily newsletter. Etsy staffers showcase the cream of the crop of what's available using a theme such as Nautical or Wedding. Each piece showcased falls under that category in some way. One day the theme must've been travel because this duffle* bag was featured:

I was instantly smitten. I LOVE it. I think it's the fabric or the mixture of fabrics. I am a huge fan of mixing prints and patterns. Throwing two things together that might not ordinarily look all that hot and you end up with something quirky and totally unique. I keep trying to justify buying it. Using the old bargaining chip of, "I'll clean out my current bags and then replace them with this!" I've almost convinced myself. I've been trying to live by the rule: if you can't stop thinking about it 2 weeks later, then you should get it. Well it's almost been 2 weeks! Also, everything I want on Etsy seems to immediately sell out and this is still for sale....maybe the universe is trying to tell me something!

For all you crafty people out there, you can also purchase the pattern to make a bag of your own! I think that's pretty exciting...now if only I knew how to sew!

*What exactly is the correct spelling of duffle? When I spellchecked it said 'duffel', so I fired up the handy Dictionary.com and typed in 'duffle' which brought me to the entry for 'duffel'. The definition matched what I thought I was spelling. BUT all the links that show up to match what you searched had duffle. For instance, "Buy your L.L. Bean duffle bag here" and such. So which is it? Duffle or Duffel?!

Perception

2010-06-03T09:00:00.000-04:00

Remember when you were a kid and everything seemed enormous? That maple tree went all the way to the sky! The backseat of your parent's car was like a bed! Those hills were as tall as mountains and the size XL shirt was bigger then you could EVER imagine wearing.

Over the weekend I bought some new underwear. Yes, yes TMI! These underwear were the next size up because the last ones just weren't cutting the mustard. I brought them home and took them out of the package and I thought, "No WAY is my behind that gigantic! These will never fit."

Oh butt (<---see what I did there?!) they did! I've really got that much junk in my trunk.

Hills are surmountable.

When I lay in the backseat of the car my legs get all bent up.

The XL underwear aren't so enormous anymore.

Being a grown-up isn't nearly as awe-inspiring as being a kid.

Making It Lovely contest

2010-06-02T14:28:00.003-04:00

I recently started following the design/life blog Making It Lovely. I have SUCH a girl crush on this woman and her house. She has a LIBRARY people...I lust for it. She has been doing a bedroom spruce up courtesy of American Express (lucky duck) and it's coming to and end BUT there is a contest! If you leave a comment on her blog you could win a $100 Crate and Barrel gift card.

How excite!

I hope I win :)

Photo is of her library

Netflix Challenge

2010-06-02T12:30:00.000-04:00

On an almost daily basis I check in with many of the Sugar sites. I'm obsessed! Fancy giveaways, (I'll have to post about my winnings!) coverage that spans fashion, media and more, and each mini-site is updated constantly throughout the day.

Well Buzzsugar has just started a fun challenge! The Netflix Challenge is your call to movie watching arms! Their approach is to pick one actor, director, etc and watch their entire repertoire. You've got until the end of summer so this is an easily achievable task. I'm going to take this Challenge but change up the terms to suit me. Take that Buzzsugar!

Pants and I have had Netflix for over a year now and have amassed QUITE the queue. Both instant and DVD (207 DVD and 154 instant). It's quite daunting when I stop and think about it. I've decided my Challenge will be to watch at least 15 selections from either instant or regular DVD. I'll give myself until August 31st to complete. September is no longer Summer to me no matter what the temperature is.

As I watch a selection I will post a review of the movie/tv show. Between catching up on the Hulu queue, the Busy Bookworm Challenge and now this Netflix Challenge, I should have quite the busy Summer! Wish me luck!

Projects

2010-06-02T09:00:00.001-04:00

To keep the motivation from my closet going, I decided to set forth some projects for myself this week!

1) Clear out the bags of books cluttering up our living space.

2) Try out some DIY. I've got a little shelf in our bathroom that has literally been in the house as long as I can remember (and I've lived in this house off and on since 2nd grade!). It needs a little love and I bought a can of glossy, white spray paint this weekend that's calling out to it! I'll take before and afters :) I might just start spray painting everything! Mwhahaha!

3) Take a load to the thrift store. I've already got a pile of stuff I want to donate, it just needs to make it out of the house and into the car.

I'm gonna stop my list there. Much more could be added but I'm hoping to actually accomplish everything by the end of the week!

3 Followers!

2010-06-01T15:20:00.003-04:00

The days of no followers are long gone!

3 whole followers!

1, 2, 3!

They are all pity follows but I'll take what I can get!

When I get to 15 followers I will have a contest to re-name my blog!

*Today's message is brought to you by the number 15 and letter F.

Photo Credit: Scrapetv.com

Part One: The Beginning

2010-06-01T12:12:00.000-04:00

One thing you should know about me--I'm a TV lover. Pants might scoff at me saying that but it's true! All he hears is me complaining because I've got 25 shows saved in my Hulu queue and no time to watch them. It's just work that gets in the way of my TV watching ;)

I thought I'd do a run down of the Spring finales for all my favorite shows. I'm a little behind with some but I just started blogging people! I gotta get myself caught up! :) For point of reference I'm writing these as if you've watched the shows too and we're on the same page. If this is all gibberish to you...Netflix these suckers and get caught up!

I think this is gonna be a two-parter so get your excited pants on!

Grey's Anatomy- HO. LY. SHIT. I was going to try to not be as foul-mouthed on the blog as I am in real life but seriously! I know many people feel that Grey's has lost it's shine but I still enjoy it every week. It makes me cry more then any other show I watch or have ever watched. Even if the season is lackluster they ALWAYS pull it out for the finale and this year was no different. I loved that the shooter wasn't some random person, we had a relationship of sorts with this character. It was terrifying watching him cold-heartedly killing so many people. The worst for me was Bailey and Percy. Knowing that they could've saved his life if those elevators worked! So sad! And Meredith sobbing in the OR, I'm so happy they've finally got her character matured and grown up. I'm looking forward to seeing where they go from here.

30 Rock- Hilarious as usual. Not going to recap too much but loved Wesley Snipes and wished Michael Sheen would stick around, loved Matt Damon. This is another show I've heard people say has lost it's touch but I don't think so. I snort laughter everytime I watch it!

Office- Kinda meh...exciting thinking that Holly might be back! Watching her and Michael was kinda like watching the dorkiest, sweetest train wreck ever.

Vampire Diaries- This show is fantastic. For serious. Started out CHEESY with the fog and the crow and the diary reading narration, but it matured into a consistently exciting hour of television. I can't even tell you how many times I screamed out loud while watching it this past season and the finale was no different. Love Boone! I was sad for him with the little twist at the end :/ I would highly recommend catching up on this show over the summer if you haven't watched it yet. It becomes less about the vampires and more about the relationships all the time.

Fringe- Confession: I have a couple crush on Joshua Jackson and Diane Kruger. I think they are adorable! Back to my thoughts :) I think this might've been my favorite finale. Grey's was a close second but the mix of sci-fi and family won the top spot. I didn't start out watching Fringe when it initially aired. I only started season 1 because I'd caught up on everything on Hulu and was bored. It was the only show that still had the majority of the season available. The pilot put me to sleep. 3 times. Coming in mid-way through the season I realized I'd been missing something good! I'm now a huge fan. I love Walter Bishop with my whole heart. The finale was a superb end to this season. We finally got to see the the alternate universe in it's entirety and I thought it was just so different from anything else on TV. Walternate is EBIL and I think Other Olivia might be too! Pacey made it back where he is supposed to be but I knew something was up with Olivia as soon as Bell woke up from the explosion. Oh I can't WAIT to see what happens!

Lost- I'm not going to go into any detail or speculation because SO many people have done it better then me. My favorite is this recap. I'll just say that I loved it. I went into it with an open mind and I cried almost the whole time. As time passed I came to appreciate it more and am very happy with the end to the show. Vincent at the end just about broke my heart!

Alright campers! That's it for Part One! I still have to catch up on quite a few more shows in my queue but hopefully Part Two: The Sequel will be ready by the end of this week!

Mouse

2010-05-31T12:00:00.000-04:00

Just a little tidbit of information for all my Mac lovers out there. Make sure before you upgrade to fancy schmancy Magic Mouse that you have the most current OS.

My little ole Tiger just can't handle all that the Magic can do. Now I am faced with the dilemma of upgrading to Snow Leopard. Anyone know the best way to go from Tiger to Snow Leopard without losing all my info or crashing my computer? Any tricks or is it as simple as insert Snow Leopard disc and boot that sucker up!

Look how pretty though! I love it even though it doesn't really do anything but point and click.

Photo credit: Apple.com

Closet

2010-05-31T09:00:00.001-04:00

I've moved 3 times in 2 years. Moving 3 times in 2 years changes your perspective a little bit. That stand fan you found at the YMCA thrift store for $5 was really great until faced with a stuffed to gills U-Haul. It makes the process and idea of letting go a little easier to swallow.

My last moved occured in October of last year. Pants and I moved all our earthly belongings into my Mom's basement and it was a tight fit there for awhile. Little by little I've adjusted.

And shifted.

And tossed.

And donated.

Still I find myself surrounded! It's like a nightmare where you never know where the next shoe might come from! Sometimes literally in my case! Remind to tell you about THAT dream sometime.

All this moving and changing and shifting has finally come to fruition though. In closet form no less! In an effort to downsize and streamline I've been changing out my old, mismatched, plastic hangers for the Joy Mangano Huggable Hangers. I laughed at them when I would see her on HSN. Yeah RIGHT! Yeah right indeed! That lady ain't joking! I still need 60 more hangers to finish the job but the difference is already substantial. (The weeding out of old, ill fitting clothes doesn't hurt either ;). )

Today's message is brought to by the letters L, H, and the number 60.

Let go

Huggable Hangers

Only 60 more til glory

Busy Bookworm Challenge

2010-05-29T17:21:00.008-04:00

In the spirit of getting myself out of my reading slump, I've decided to join the Busy Bookworm Challenge. I knew that Becky had started this challenge last year and when it started over for 2010 she was on board. I've decided to make it a little bit easy on myself and most of the books on my list are ones I was already planning on ready anyway but sssshhh, I won't tell if you won't! I think my favorite genre of books will be obvious by my choices but I'll try to throw in a few 'classics' to change it up.

1. Lover Mine by J.R. Ward - currently reading Lover Avenged and find these books to be like candy.

2. The Darkest Passion by Gena Showalter - Book 5 in the Lords of the Underworld series. Have really enjoyed the first 4 and am excited to see where Showalter will take us next!

3. The Darkest Lie by Gena Showalter - see above...this is book 6

4. Blaze of Memory by Nalini Singh - LOVE her Psy-Changeling series.

5. Bonds of Justice by Nalini Singh - see #4

6. Demon Forged by Meljean Brook - part of her Guardians series. A great series if you like paranormal romance but are a little sick of vampires and shifters.

7. Demon Blood by Meljean Brook - see #6

8. Go Ask Alice - Becky recommended this YEARS ago and I find myself drawn to teen fiction, or in this case non-fiction, a lot lately.

9. The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak - this one is a little bit of a cheat. I'm actually a little more then half-way through due to starting it for a book club I wasn't able to attend. I need to just finish this sucker!

10. Demon From the Dark by Kresley Cole - her latest in the Immortals After Dark series which I LOVE. She is still one of the few auto-buy authors I have.

11. Lady Isabella's Scandalous Marriage by Jennifer Ashley - I've only read one other book by Ashley which was the the first in this series. I highly recommend The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie if you are a fan of historical romance but want one that's a little bit different. The hero has Asperger's Syndrome at a time when it didn't really exist.

12. Glass by Ellen Hopkins

13. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

14.The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

15. My Life In France by Julia Child

16. One Dance with a Duke by Tessa Dare

If it's not blatantly obvious at this point, I am a fan of the romance. Love it. Been reading it since I snuck my Grammy's Sandra Brown novel and stayed up til 3 a.m. reading it when I was 13. That's a story for another time though!

As I finish these I'll cross through them and add any others I might finish along the way. Wish me luck!

Improvisation

2010-05-29T16:39:00.006-04:00

My best, most dear friend Becky informed me that since this here blog is so new I needed to do a introduction of sorts. Talking about who I am and such. I'm hoping that over time that will come through in the subjects I choose to talk about but I've got a little story that I think gives a snapshot of what my life is right now.

Earlier this afternoon I went up to the kitchen in my Mom's house to make some tea. (Teavana's Weight to Go.) I found her making deviled eggs and immediately regretted my timing. As usually happens when we are in the same room for more then 2 minutes, we started chatting and the next thing I know she asking me to make the vanilla pudding in the box on the counter. Now since she's letting Pants and I, (you'll be hearing about him a lot I'm sure) stay here rent free, I try to do the little she asks of me. Pudding was the least I could do. She was getting ready to go to my brother's townhouse for a cookout and the pudding was part of her master plan.

"How does this sound? I cut the top off the shortcake, make a tunnel for the pudding, put the top back on and cover it in berries?" She says.

I was NOT convinced of the soundness of this plan. Visions of soggy shortcake filled my head but I was game if she was! The top of the cake was also not convinced of the soundness of this plan and promptly fell apart as soon as she started cutting. The pudding tunnel was on Team Cake Top and didn't co-operate either. We ended up with a plate full of shortcake chunks.

"Make a trifle!" I say.

"What's a trifle?" she says.

Trifle

Down went the shortcake. Then the pudding with cut-up strawberries mixed in. Then blueberries. More shortcake. Cool Whip topping with more strawberries and blueberries. We ended up with this:

According to Mom it's "Very Happy Birthday America! Like those flag cakes from Family Circle only ours is better. It's very modernist...like Andy Warhol!"

Improvising. When the master plan doesn't work out, what can you do with what you've got. That is my day to day right now. Taking it as it comes, using what I've got to try and make a happy life.

Maybe along the way I end up with an Andy Warhol flag cake...life could certainly be worse :)

Practice

2010-05-29T13:36:00.001-04:00

Practice makes perfect. I am practicing my blog!

Typing more stuff!This post was supposed to be a test BUT...HELLO Big Gulp Doggie!

Enjoy!

No Followers

2010-05-20T16:44:00.001-04:00

I don't have any followers! It's kind of sad and on the flip side exhilarating! I feel that I can say anything and it won't matter because no one is reading this.

What a boring blog.

Test

2010-05-19T16:39:00.001-04:00

Just a test to see how this looks and if I'm doing it right!