September 20

Outside my window . . . there is a moth trying to get in.

I am thinking . . . that Neil Patrick Harris is doing an awesome job.

I am thankful for . . . adorable nieces.

From the kitchen . . . I just made some Crystal Light. Does that count for anything? I did combine one Raspberry Ice with one Pink Lemonade for a little something special.

I am wearing . . . jeans and a t-shirt, but I'm about to put on some nightie night clothes.

I am going . . . to go to bed soon, but I took a major nap today, so I probably won't be falling asleep any time soon.

I am reading . . . still working on "Rituals of the Season."

I am hoping . . . that the Emmy's end soon. I'm always afraid I'll miss something if I don't watch. As if anything exciting won't be replayed and discussed ad nauseum over the next week.

I am hearing . . . Glenn Close give an acceptance speech. I was fast forwarding, but then I caught up, which is always a sad moment.

Around the house . . . a massive amount of dog hair has just been vacuumed up. It's amazing how much these dogs shed.

One of my favorite things . . . Australian accents.

A picture . . . I was an exceedingly attractive child whose mother dressed me in exceedingly attractive clothing.

September 19

Outside my window . . . it's a whole lot cooler than it is inside. The air really needs to be kicking on pretty quick here. (Speaking of which, Melissa, if you read this, you should be aware that when you called and asked me what the weather was like up here and I told you it's cold, I had been watching a t.v. show online in which it was like the worst winter ever and all of the nuclear bombs had knocked out the electricity and people were freezing to death, and so that's what I was thinking about when in reality, it was probably like 90 degrees that day. Sorry about that. I was really, really into my show!)

I am thinking . . . that I shouldn't be happy about my niece falling and bonking her head. It's just that it made her all snuggly and lovey for like an hour, so . . . yeah. She fell over and I reaped the benefits.

I am thankful for . . . adorable nieces.

From the kitchen . . . the girls and I made chocolate chip cookies tonight.

I am wearing . . . jeans and a t-shirt, but I'm about to put on some nightie night clothes.

I am going . . . to go to bed soon. I'm tired.

I am reading . . . I'm rereading "Rituals of the Season" by Margaret Maron, who is one of my favorite authors. I love her Deborah Knott series, especially since it takes place in North Carolina, which I adore.

I am hoping . . . that the house cools off. I feel like I'm having hot flashes or something.

I am hearing . . . I'm listening to the "Rent" soundtrack again. I can't get enough of it.

Around the house . . . we finally finished putting together the trundle bed, which the girls refer to as the magic bed.

One of my favorite things . . . my bed. There's nothing better than getting into bed at night and laying there for a second, just absorbing the comfyness.

A picture . . . I know I've put this picture on here before, but I love it. It makes me laugh every time I see it. The look on my face perfectly summarizes my feelings about not only day camp, but also about camping and being in the dirt in general. Anyone who went to Girl's Camp with me can attest to this.

September 17

Outside my window . . . it's dark and a little windy. I love the sound of the wind in the trees.

I am thinking . . . the nieces will be here tomorrow! The nieces will be here tomorrow!

I am thankful for . . . movie night with Ashlee! I love that we sit and talk for probably more time than we actually take to watch the movie.

From the kitchen . . . I made spaghetti and Simple Ceasar Salad from The Pioneer Woman's website. The salad wasn't as great as I would have hoped. I think it has potential though. I'll have to tweak some things. My sister-in-law makes awesome Ceasar Salad, so maybe the problem was just that I was comparing it to hers.

I am wearing . . . cords and a tee, but I would really like to be wearing jammies.

I am going . . . to be really pissed if the CBS website doesn't post the second season of Jericho without the audio commentary. I just discovered this show (it only has like a season and a half) and I watched the entire first season in the last two days. When I went to watch the second season, I discovered that all the episodes have the audio commentary. And it isn't a normal commentary where you can still hear the show, just not as loud; with this one you get absolutely no sound while the commentary is going on. So I've just invested all this time in this awesome show, but now I can't finish it because I'm only getting half of the story. I'm a little bit upset about this.

I am reading . . . I just finished rereading "Remember Me?" by Sophie Kinsella. I love Sophie Kinsella books. She wrote the Shopaholic series. I think she and Marian Keyes are probably my favorite chick lit writers. Ooh, and Jennifer Weiner too.

I am hoping . . . that I am able to get everything done tomorrow that I need to get done so that I can spend the entire weekend harassing/manipulating my nieces into snuggling with me. Speaking of which (the snuggling, not the harassing), aren't sleepy children the best!?! Not when they're ornery tired, but when they're snuggly sleepy and they just put their head on your shoulder and lay there.

I am hearing . . . nothing. Wow, that's kinda weird. Very rarely am I on the computer without iTunes going.

Around the house . . . the bed is still not put together.

One of my favorite things . . . The Office. The rumor Michael spread about Kevin was great. I'm still chuckling.

A picture . . . Halloween 1983.

Love it!

Bread Soup with Cilantro, Garlic and Egg

3 T. finely minced garlic, plus 1 whole clove garlic
1 tsp. kosher or sea salt
1 c. chopped fresh cilantro
3/4 c. extra virgin olive oil
6 thick slices of coarse country bread
6 eggs
5-6 c. chicken stock
some water

In a mortar, combine the minced garlic, salt and half of the cilantro and mash to a coarse paste. Add 1/4 cup of the olive oil, 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing until well blended. Spoon into 6 warmed soup bowls and keep warm. (I did more of this than the recipe called for because it just didn't look like much. I also don't have a mortar and pestle, so I just used a spoon and a bowl and I dumped in half the oil at a time. This probably wouldn't have happened with a mortar, but I ended up with quite a few chunks of garlic that added a nice bite to the soup, but have also left my tongue burning. I also didn't bother with keeping it warm since I was going to be pouring the hot stock over it.)

In a large frying pan over medium heat, warm about 1/4 cup of the remaining oil. Add half of the bread slices without crowding and saute, turning, until golden, 5-6 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Repeat with the remianing bread and oil. While the bread is still hot, rub both sides with the whole garlic clove, then cut into cubes. Distribute the cubes evenly among the bowls and toss with the garlic mixture. (We all had seconds and I found that it was best to put the bread cubes in at the very last minute so that they were still semi crunchy when you ate it.)

In a large saute pan, pour water to a depth of 1 1/2 inches. Bring the liquid to just under a boil. One at a time, break the eggs and carefully slip into the water. Cook until the whites are barely firm and the yolks are just glazed, 3-5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer them to a bowl of cold water. In a saucepan, bring the stock to a boil and then ladle most of it over the bread mixture in the bowls. Using the slotted spoon, place an egg on top of the bread mixture in each bowl. Gently ladle on the remaining hot stock. Sprinkle with the remaining cilantro and serve at once. (I didn't bother with the whole cold water thing. Instead, I just put them right into the soup bowl and poured the stock over them.)

Recipe from the Williams-Sonoma cookbook, "Savoring Soups & Salads." The last recipe for the spinach and kale soup was also based on a recipe in this book.

September 15

Outside my window . . . is a lovely sunset.

I am thinking . . . it's a good thing I'm not going to be seeing anyone this evening because I just ate a ton of garlic. My tongue is actually burning.

I am thankful for . . . the fact that Gossip Girl didn't disappoint me yesterday.

From the kitchen . . . I made soup again. Recipe to follow.

I am wearing . . . back to the jeans and t-shirt. I also just noticed that my jeans have stains on them that obviously did not come out when I washed them. I hate it when you don't notice the stain is still there and then you stick whatever it is in the dryer and set it in even worse than before. Grrrrr. And of course the stain is right on the front of my thigh, so it's completely obvious.

I am going . . . to be needing some kind of treat pretty quick here.

I am reading . . . I finished "Kabul Beauty School" by Deborah Rodriguez today. I read it obsessively all day today. It was really good and it made me want to go work with women in Afghanistan. I would definitely recommend it.

I am hoping . . . that my dad brings something yummy home from the grocery store. He has been sent to go get treats to send to Mark and I made it very clear that he needed to bring something home for me as well.

I am hearing . . . "Fire on the Mountain" by Rob Thomas.

Around the house . . . Have I mentioned that I love the new dryer?

One of my favorite things . . . soup on a rainy(ish) day.

A picture . . . me and Ashlee, my Hallmark Hall of Fame partner in crime.

cheap makeup finds

I've tried tons of mascaras from Dior to that new vibrating mascara (a very odd sensation, BTW) to the tried and true Great Lash mascara. I have to say, though, that I'm really liking this NYC Thickening Mascara and bonus! it's less than two bucks. I think I got it at Target for like $1.79. So if you're looking for a new mascara or, if you're poor like me, I highly recommend this stuff. It goes on clump free, doesn't flake, and pretty much just all around rocks.



I also really like this e.l.f. Plumping Lip Glaze. The color I have isn't sold anymore, which really sucks because it's the perfect nude shade. It doesn't come with a ton of product, and it's kind of hard to get out (maybe that's just me), but the one dollar price tag more than makes up for that. I got mine at KMart, but this brand is also sold at Big Lots.

I have several of their other products that I'm still testing out. They have another lip goop that's a knock-off of my favorite Stila lip gloss, but I don't like it as much. I'll discuss it later when I talk about cheap products that didn't work so well.

September 14, the Gossip Girl Edition

Outside my window . . . it is nice and cool. I love thunderstormy evenings.

I am thinking . . . only 14 minutes until Gossip Girl!

I am thankful for . . . Gossip Girl and more specifically, Chuck B(ad)ass.

From the kitchen . . . my dad made fresh salsa yesterday, so that's what I had for dinner tonight. Delicious.

I am wearing . . . check this out, it's not jeans! Brown cords and a green v-neck hoodie thing.

I am going . . . to hyperventilate if Gossip Girl doesn't start soon.

I am reading . . . "Kabul Beauty School" but I don't remember who it's by and it's in the other room and I don't feel the need to go check.

I am hoping . . . that Gossip Girl is everything I am hoping for and more. Oh, how I've missed C, N, S and B. (But not so much D as he is semi irritating.)

I am hearing . . . the dog barking.

Around the house . . . I just emptied the dishwasher. That's about it.

One of my favorite things . . . Chuck Bass. That was yesterday's favorite thing. I really should come up with another one, but what the heck, let's go crazy. It is Gossip Girl Premier Night, after all!

A picture . . . yup, you guessed it . . . Chuck Bass!!!

Spinach and Kale Soup

Soup
3 or 4 potatoes, peeled and diced
1 onion, diced
some garlic (two-ish heaping spoonfuls of the already chopped kind)
4ish cans of chicken broth
a bunch of kale, rip the leaf part off and get rid of the stems*
a little less than a bag of spinach*
salt and pepper
cumin
sour cream for topping

potato croutons
3-4 potatoes, peeled and in small dices
olive oil
cumin
salt and pepper

croutons
a bunch of good bread, cut into chunks
1/4 to 1/3 cup olive oil
4 or 5 garlic cloves
salt and pepper
whatever seasonings you want

To make the soup, combine the potatoes, onion and garlic in the stock. Simmer until potatoes are soft. Add the spinach and kale, stir until it's all incorporated. It seems like a ton, but it cooks down a lot. Let it cook a couple minutes, then puree in batches. Put it back in the pan. Season to taste with the cumin and salt and pepper.

For the potato croutons, toss the potatoes into some hot olive oil in a frying pan. Season with lots of cumin and some salt and pepper. Cook until the potatoes are done-crispy on the outside, soft on the inside. It takes about 15 minutes.

For the bread croutons, toss the olive oil and garlic into a food processor, or something of the sort. I used a Magic Bullet. Blend it for a while until it's well, for lack of a better word, blended. Pour it over the bread cubes and mix it all together. Let it sit for a little while so the bread absorbs the oil. Season with salt and pepper and whatever seasonings you want. I used Greek seasoning, but you can use whatever floats your boat. I just use Greek seasoning on pretty much everything because it is delicious. Throw it all into a big frying pan. I think I added some more olive oil to the pan. I like juicy croutons. Cook it until the bread magically turns into croutons. Make sure you turn it a lot so it doesn't burn, which it tends to do if you aren't careful.

Serve up the soup and top it with sour cream, potato croutons and bread croutons. This probably made like 6-8 servings.

*You can pretty much use whatever kind of greens you want.

September 13

Outside my window . . . I'm hearing thunder. Hopefully we'll get a good Fall storm. I love it when it rains.

I am thinking . . . I have to remember to turn in my add/drop card tomorrow seeing as how it's the last day to do so.

I am thankful for . . . GOSSIP GIRL SEASON PREMIER TOMORROW!!!

From the kitchen . . . I made soup again for dinner. We're a soup family. We could live on the stuff. I made a spinach and kale soup that was delicious. Recipe to follow.

I am wearing . . . nightie-night clothes.

I am going . . . to go to bed early tonight. I am determined.

I am reading . . . I think I've officially given up on "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies." I'll have to start something new tonight.

I am hoping . . . that my new co-worker is cool. I have my first lab meeting of the semester tomorrow. All of my previous co-workers have abandoned me (mostly by graduating), so I'm going to have to train some people.

I am hearing . . . the "Rent" soundtrack. This is definitely my favorite musical of all time. I saw it when I was 16 or 17 and have been obsessed with it ever since.

Around the house . . . the Ikea bed is like half finished. We've lost a little steam.

One of my favorite things . . . Chuck Bass.

A picture . . . two of my favorite people. And that nasty Vanessa girl.

September 12

Outside my window . . . it looks kinda bare. We only had one tree taken out of the back yard, but it left a huge gap.

I am thinking . . . that I'm stuffed and I really want to watch a Hallmark Hall of Fame movie tonight.

I am thankful for . . . Diet Coke.

From the kitchen . . . tonight for dinner I made a delicious pasta (spaghetti, fresh basil, grape tomatoes, zucchini and garlic, tossed with olive oil and red wine vinegar) and pan-seared scallops.

I am wearing . . . paint splattered sweats and a t-shirt.

I am going . . . to go get some cinnamon bears after I'm done with this. Dinner isn't complete without some kind of treat.

I am reading . . . "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies" still and I also still can't decide whether or not I like it. I'm leaning towards no. I don't know if I'll finish it.

I am hoping . . . that the headache I feel coming on doesn't turn into a migraine.

I am hearing . . . "Oh Darling" by The Beatles.

Around the house . . . we finished painting the bedroom, now we just need to put together the bed and go buy some bedding and curtains.

One of my favorite things . . . cooking. I've been doing a lot more of it lately than usual and I am loving every minute of it.

A picture . . . My parents. I think it's right after they got married, just before they left for their honeymoon.

September 11

Outside my window . . . is the sound of a chainsaw. We've got a guy cutting down a sick tree in our backyard.

I am thinking . . . I should really attempt to be productive. Hahaha! That'll happen!

I am thankful for . . . America. And candy corn.

From the kitchen . . . holy shiz, my soup from yesterday was amazing. You must make this. It's a definite keeper.

I am wearing . . . jeans and a t-shirt. I should probably just take this question out, since this is all I ever really wear.

I am going . . . nowhere. Not metaphorically in life or anything; I'm just staying home this evening.

I am reading . . . "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies" still. I can't decide whether or not I like it.

I am hoping . . . that it will cool off soon.

I am hearing . . . "Praan" by Garry Schyman.

Around the house . . . I'm really enjoying the new washing machine. I just want to wash everything, even if it's already clean.

One of my favorite things . . . good music.

A picture . . . Me and a monkey, Gibraltar, 1987. Unfortunately he couldn't come home with us.

September 10

Outside my window . . . it is abnormally quiet. Massive amounts of birds live in my backyard because my dad is obsessive about feeding them. It's kind of creepy when I can't hear them. It's almost too quiet.

I am thinking . . . that I need to go study.

I am thankful for . . . my family.

From the kitchen . . . I'm making Zucchini Soup with Lemon Cumin Shrimp and Cilantro Creme for dinner tonight. Hopefully it'll be as tasty as it sounds. I'll let you know.

I am wearing . . . jeans and a t-shirt.

I am going . . . to Harmons to pick up some cilantro and a lemon.

I am reading . . . I Just finished reading "Catching Fire" by Suzanne Collins. It's the second book in the Hunger Games series. We got it last night and I was up almost all night reading it. If you haven't read these books, you should check them out. They're Young Adult, so they're quick reads. Now that I'm done with that one, it'll be back to "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies."

I am hoping . . . that my soup turns out o.k. It's a cold soup and I'm not too sure about that.

I am hearing . . . "Season of Love" by Shiny Toy Guns.

Around the house . . . RC Willey delivered our new coffee and end tables today, along with a new Bosch washer. I'm so excited about the washer! The other one was on its way out.

One of my favorite things . . . gum.

A picture . . . Academy Awards Party 2005 part 2. Chris and Melissa.

and because I'm feeling generous, you get two. Here's Betsy at Emily's wedding. They're sisters and we've been friends for years. Love ya, Bets! You look so sexy!!!

while I'm thinking about it . . .

If any of you want me to include you in the forward list for Mark's missionary emails, please let me know. Thanks!

Olay Definity Pore Redefining Scrub

The other day my mom kindly commented that I needed some pore minimizer. I, of course, responded with "Yeah, well you need a wrinkle reducer." I did some research, checked out what Sephora had, but couldn't settle on anything that I felt good about spending a lot of (my mom's) money on. Then my mom gave me this stuff. I love it. I noticed a difference after a couple days of using it. And it's 10ish dollars (even cheaper on sale!), compared to the 40 dollar stuff I was debating purchasing. If you have pore issues, I would highly recommend that you get yourself some of this.


Also, since I'm so poor and can only manipulate my mom into buying me so many things, I'm trying to find cheap substitutes for my normal products. I've already found a 2 dollar mascara that I like just as much as the 30 or even 12 dollar stuff, so be watching for that.

9/9/09

Outside my window . . . a bird is being obnoxious.

I am thinking . . . that I'm hungry.

I am thankful for . . . the return of So You Think You Can Dance tonight!!! Hip hip!

From the kitchen . . . For dinner last night I made quiche (with zucchini, broccoli and kale) and kale chips (season and bake the leaves until crispy). We all felt very healthy.

I am wearing . . . my pj's.

I am creating . . . I don't like this one. I'm not creative, so I'm never creating anything.

I am going . . . to school and a meeting with my boss. Which means I'm working, which means money!

I am reading . . . "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies"

I am hoping . . . that there's some quiche left for me to eat.

I am hearing . . . "Fire on the Mountain" by Rob Thomas.

Around the house . . . we were supposed to finish painting yesterday, but that didn't happen. I think we're all kinda over the whole painting thing. Unfortunately this comes in the middle of a room.

One of my favorite things . . . down comforters. It was chilly this morning (yay!) so I got to snuggle up.

A picture . . . Me, Melissa and Ginny. Academy Awards Party 2005. I don't know why my face is so shiny. Love the matching hanger!

Can't stop laughing at these

I need an intervention of some sort

I really need to stop watching Little House on the Prairie and all those Love Comes Softly Hallmark Hall of Fame movies. I keep getting this absurd desire to move to the country, become a homesteader, and shun society. Please send help.

Come on get Higher

Here's the song I mentioned in my last post.

September 8

So I saw this on another blog and I'm stealing it. The goal is to do this daily, but we'll see how long that lasts!

Outside my window . . . it's hot. I thought it was supposed to be cooler today. No?

I am thinking . . . about terrorists.

I am thankful for . . . good friends.

From the kitchen . . . I just ate the best omelet ever. I put gouda in it and made a sandwich with toasted sunflower bread. Tasty!

I am wearing . . . jeans that have magically become much looser since I wore them two days ago. Something else to be thankful for!!!

I am creating . . . um . . . very little. A blog entry, I guess.

I am going . . . to run pee real quick, before i float away.

I am reading . . . "How to Run a Traditional Jewish Household" by Blu Greenberg. It's for my Religion in the Home class and it's really cool.

I am hoping . . . that it will cool off quickly. I hate sleeping with only a sheet. It's not as cosy.

I am hearing . . . Sugarland singing "Come On Get Higher". It's a live cover of that Matt Nathanson song and I'm completely obsessed with this version. I'll have to see if I can find it on youtube so that I can share the joy.

Around the house . . . We're working on painting a downstairs bedroom and putting together a cute new bed from Ikea.

One of my favorite things . . . dogs. Especially when they're snuggly.

A picture . . . This is my older brother and me when we lived in Spain. We're pretending to be the bull and matador at the bullfighting ring in Seville.

Season of Love by Shiny Toy Guns

I'm loving this song. And not just because it was on the season finale of Gossip Girl when Chuck Bass (I can't just say Chuck, it must be Chuck Bass) finally tells Blair he loves her. Sigh. Love it.

some good news

There is still justice in this world.

disgusting

This is the sickest thing I have ever seen. Click at your own risk. Thanks, Traci, for relieving me of my appetite for forever more!

one of those moments

So there's this class that I've been putting off taking and I could never figure out why because it's a stupid, introductory, 100-level class that's required for my major. It should be easy and probably pretty fun, but in the past I would enroll in it, but then drop it because I just didn't want to take it for some reason. Well at this point, there's no escaping it. I'm a Senior, I'll be done soon, I have to take it. I had it yesterday morning and I walked into the class, sat down amongst all the wee freshmen, and commenced to mentally roll my eyes, questioning the necessity of the class. And then the professor came in and she was all blond and skinny and tan and perfectly dressed, and at that point the mental eye rolling went into overdrive and I just shook my head and slouched down in my seat, wondering how I was going to endure the semester. But then she started to talk. She told us how she's 34 and had just gotten married two months before, and she talked about how almost all of her siblings got married before she did, and how she had kind of gone from occupation to occupation, etc., etc. And that's when I realized that the reason I hadn't taken this class before now was because I needed to take it with her, and I needed to hear what she had to say. I love it when you can look back and see how things worked out exactly the way they were supposed to. It wouldn't have been nearly as meaningful of a class if it had been taught by someone who hasn't been through the same things that I'm going through: being single while the culture around you promotes getting married ASAP and most of your friends got married years ago, at 19/20; not really knowing what you want to do with your life, but trying to pick yourself up and move on even though things haven't really turned out the way you thought they would. I love that when she talks about the wait being worth it, I'm not thinking "um . . . your life appears to have gone exactly as planned, so please cease speaking to me." So now I'm actually kinda excited about this class that I've been putting off and dreading for so long. Seriously, I love moments like this!

Haven Kimmel

One of my favorite non-fiction writers is Haven Kimmel. She's written several novels, but it's her two memoirs that are friggin' awesome. If you haven't read them, I would highly suggest that you do so. I'm currently rereading She Got Up Off the Couch and Other Heroic Acts from Mooreland, Indiana. (BTW, does anyone know how to underline in Blogger? It always bugs me when I can't underline a title. Yes, I am that anal.) Here's a little quote from the book that made me laugh. This is Haven talking about her sister:

• "Melinda was pretty without meaning to be and without trying. She just couldn't help it. Her hair was blue-black and her eyes were gray-green with long black lashes and she had the sweetest smile in the world. Never mind that she was made of pure Satan . . . " (Pg. 50)

I love it. Go get these two books. You won't regret it, I promise.

apologies, but not really

I've really been a slacker blogger lately. A slogger, if you will. I feel like I'm rebelling a little bit because things happen and I'll think that I should blog about it, but then I don't want to because I don't want to feel obligated to do so. But at the same time, I like to blog. So yeah. I'll try to be better, but only so long as it doesn't irritate me.

Heaven, I'm in Heaven!

Mark just brought me this breakfast sandwich from Ernie's Sports Deli. It's delicious. And it has 3 different kinds of meat on it. Plus fake cheese and a fried egg.

And now I want to vomit.

And then maybe eat another one because it was that good.

some pics

Mark's missionary farewell was a week ago and while everyone was in town (and in between bursts of rain), we took some family pictures.

time's a-wastin'

I have found that the best way to procrastinate and waste time when you should be writing a paper and studying for a final is to watch movies on YouTube. Each part is about ten minutes long, so you watch a segment, do a little studying, then watch another segment. Yesterday I watched Confessions of a Shopaholic, which I actually liked. I've only heard bad things about the movie, and I have a special fondness for the books (you know I like a series when I count down for the next book and immediately run out and buy it, even though it's in hardcover), so I figured I would probably hate the movie. Maybe I liked it because my expectations were super low. Anyway, besides that movie, I have also developed an obsession with the Hallmark movies. I know, they're super cheesy, but that's o.k. If you have a chance, I would highly recommend watching The Magic of Ordinary Days. It's my favorite. Love Comes Softly is good too, and there's actually a whole series of those movies. But seriously, watch The Magic of Ordinary Days. It will make you want to be a better person. When I'm looking for a whole movie on YouTube, I search for the title and part 1. They also have lots of great 80's movies on there. I may never buy another DVD.

my new favorite thing

I love this thing. I would marry it if I could. It's Tarte's Eye Couture Day-to-Night Eye Palette. It has ten eyeshadows that are unbelievably pigmented. It may not surprise you to learn that I own a plethora of eyeshadows, and I can definitively say that these have the best color I've ever seen. Because they're highly pigmented, a little goes a long way (thus justifying the price). My only complaint is that they're all shimmers-no mattes. The palette also includes a double ended eyeliner (bronze and charcoal-both of which look awesome) that stays on like nothing else I've ever tried. It also includes a double ended brush that somehow works magic. It blends like it's nobody's business.
Tarte has a couple other palettes like this one that I'm going to need to possess.

Since we're discussing movies . . .

This comes out on DVD tomorrow.


And just because I care . . .


And my cousin, Wendy, does not like the Zefron. He's not manly enough for her. But really, would you rather have this . . .


or this . . .

I simply must put the movie Zardoz on my to-see list!

(500) Days of Summer

Went and saw this with the fam this afternoon. Wow. Loved it. Will probably be buying it. And downloading (completely legally, of course!) the soundtrack.

Slumdog Millionaire

I know. I'm a little behind the times here, but I just watched this last night for the first time and LOVED it! I've been putting off watching it because excrement, poverty and mutilated children make me uncomfortable. The poopies actually were funny. The poverty was not, but I survived. I had to leave the room for the eyeball scene. If you haven't seen this yet, you really should watch it. And for those of you who have higher standards than myself, my mommy says that it is perfectly acceptable to watch an R-rated movie if it has redeeming social value. And honestly, I was more touched and uplifted from watching this than I was at church yesterday (which probably says more about me than church), so there you go.

P.S. I went to bed singing Jai Ho, woke up still singing it, and have had it in my head all day. Love it!

Staph Update

I am pleased to announced that after only a couple of days of being on massive amounts of antibiotics, my festering, leaking wounds (now isn't that a great visual!) are much better. I was supposed to go back to the health center today to get them checked and get the test results from the swab they took, but um . . . the wireless wasn't working on my laptop all day, so I had to rush home to check my email and Reader. Admit it, you would have done the same thing. I'll just go tomorrow. But anyway, this picture sucks 'cause I took it with my phone. They look much better-no more festering, and no more swelling. Just a little redness and scabs. That, I can handle.

truly disgusting

I got a little nauseous looking at these up close. But hey, at least they weren't oozing puss when these pictures were taken!

The first one is of the not so bad lesion. The next two are of the big, nasty one. You can't see it very well, but the second one has kind of star shaped dark red/purple-y streaks spreading out of it.

nastiness

So a week ago I discovered a couple of bug bites on my legs and didn't think much about it until they started getting all red and swollen and full of puss. Sick. I thought they had just gotten infected somehow, so I slapped some Neosporin on them and went on my merry way while occasionally wondering if maybe the bug had laid babies under my skin and they were growing. Well finally this morning I called the nurse at the health center and she told me to come in and have them checked out, which I did, wondering the whole way down there if they would slice my wounds open and spider babies would come pouring out. Fortunately, that was not the case, but unfortunately it turns out that my bug bites have turned into lesions. Nasty, infected lesions caused by MRSA, which is a kind of staph infection. Apparently this infection, which is really contagious, has been spreading on campus. Oh yeah, and it's some kind of superbug that doesn't respond to normal antibiotics. Good thing BYU is warning students about this, huh! Oh that's right, they aren't. But anyway, they gave me a shot of antibiotics, a bunch of antibiotic pills and antibiotic cream. Hopefully this will work. I have to check back with them on Monday. So yeah, that's the story of my nasty, puss-filled, weeping lesions. Oh, and in case you were wondering, I absolutely did take pictures just so I could post them on my blog. They'll be up later today. I know you can't wait.

John Hughes Montage

Sadness. Some clips from some of my favorite movies of all time set to one of my favorite songs of all time. I'm feeling the need for a John Hughes 80's movie marathon. Anyone interested? Bueller? Bueller?

Now I'll never be President!

I just discovered my long lost Kenyan birth certificate. Check here to see if you have one too. Sorry it's cut off. I don't know how to fix it.

update

I haven't posted for forever because well, I just didn't want to. And I still don't really want to. Has anyone else found that while there are tons of things to blog about, sometimes it's just way too much effort to actually do it? I will do a real blog post soon though, I promise. Summer term is winding down so I have papers to write and projects to finish, which should mean that I don't have time, but in reality means that I will want to waste time and procrastinate, so hopefully I'll be posting in the next little bit. Some things to look forward to:

• I was in Vegas this last week and got some of the most awesome products ever at Sephora. Really. I'm obsessed.
  
• I've been in massive amounts of pain off and on for the last week.
• I've got strong opinions to voice about this new fat people dating show.
• So You Think You Can Dance finale this week! Sadness. But so exciting!
  
• My thoughts on my new singles ward.
  

And thank you, Sister McKinlay, for the chocolate last week. It was quite possibly the best chocolate I have ever eaten and trust me, I've eaten a lot of chocolate! Plus, it totally hit the spot!

Do you think the library has this?

I'm not sure whether to laugh or avert my eyes at this very not politically correct book.

I can't wait!

Have you seen the trailer for the new Alice in Wonderland? It looks awesome!

wow

This is far and away the most awkward thing I have ever seen in my life. Check out these Harry Potter interviews.

Loving this song

The Hush Sound - New Music - More Music Videos

Gorgeousness

I've been trying to look a little less scummy lately, but since I'm beautificationally challenged, I've had to watch videos on YouTube to show me how to do my hair and make-up. I know, I'm lame, but I don't have a big sister to show me how to do this crap. The best I could ever manage was in sixth grade when I would wear a ponytail and slap a giant bow on it. And when I say giant, I'm talking like half the size of my head. I remember my BFF at the time, Brittinee, also had an affinity for large hairbows and she actually had a bow that was made of some kind of mesh and it had little multi-colored balls inside that shook around when you moved. I was beyond jealous. Those were the days. But anyway, back to the videos. I found a great channel on YouTube called PurseBuzz. There's also a website. Here are some of my favorite videos:

• How to thread your eyebrows. This is addictive. I love it.
• How to do milkmaid braids, part 1 and part 2. I haven't quite mastered this enough to wear it out in public yet, but it's pretty cool looking.
• Cute waves.
• Purple eyeshadow. Not scary like it sounds-I wear purple eyeshadow all the time because it goes really well with my green eyes.

Those are just a few of the many, many videos on this channel. I also subscribe to the blog Bellasugar, which is where I found this cute hairstyle. I did this yesterday and got tons of compliments. Well, o.k., not really, but it did make me feel extra confident. :)

Marriage Protest

Oh. My. Gosh.

I just saw this on someone else's blog and LOVED IT! You must watch.

Tastiness

Have you checked out the Pioneer Woman's new Tasty Kitchen site? I'm slightly obsessed with it.

Hallelujah!

I just learned that I have officially been released from my Primary calling!!!! I mean I figured I would be released when I refused to go anymore and told them I was going to start going to a singles ward (solely for the reason of getting out of this calling, in case you were wondering), but to hear that it's now official is a fabulous feeling. Does it make me a bad person that I just up and quit? I tried to tell the appropriate people (well, person) that I didn't want to do it anymore and I needed to be released, but after like two months nothing had happened, so I took matters into my own hands. Sometimes you have to put your foot down and stand up for your mental health and let's be honest, the well-being of the children. So yeah, today's been a really good day!





I do actually feel slightly guilty. People talk about Catholic guilt, but I'm pretty sure Mormon guilt gives them a run for their money. I will not succumb to the guilt, though. I'm going to enjoy this moment and my freedom. I feel like Mel Gibson in Braveheart. You can make me work with children and you can make me feel slightly guilty, but you'll never take . . . MY FREEDOM! I've never actually seen this movie, but I'm sure it somehow relates.

Oh Edward, I mean Cedric

ABC Family has been running the Harry Potter movies all weekend and we're finally up to The Goblet of Fire, or as I prefer to call it, The One With Robert Pattinson. I haven't seen this one since Twilight came out and now I'm finding that Edward, I mean Robert, is kind of distracting. I keep searching him out in different scenes and I swear I saw him sparkle a minute ago. I think I might need to just turn it off now.

Robert Pattinson. He's so hot right now.

playlist

I just posted a new playlist of all the music I've been listening to lately. As always, it's pretty random, ranging from sweet 80's soundtrack songs to country to lots of Britney Spears to new age to one random classical song to celtic awesomeness. Oh yeah, and it's possible there may be some New Kids on the Block songs. And maybe a song from High School Musical 3. I know.

You know that feeling you get

when you've had one line of a song stuck in your head for a week, but you can't for the life of you figure out what freakin' song it is, and every single day you go through your iTunes trying to find the song, but you can't, and then you google the lyric for like the fifth time and you FINALLY find the song you think it is, only to find that somehow you've deleted that song from your iTunes (which would explain why you could never find it), so you have to go to YouTube to find the video to confirm that this is, in fact, said song, and you discover that it really, truly is the song you've been thinking and dreaming of for the PAST SEVEN DAYS? Yeah, that's like the best feeling ever.

In case you were wondering, the song was "Blue Eyes" by the Cary Brothers.

super saver

I just wanted to let you guys know that my cousin, Wendy, has a great new blog about coupons, saving money, free stuff, etc. And she posts all the time, so there's always something new to check out. Anyway, go take a look . . . I'm saving now, are you?

blah

I'm sitting here watching the recap of the Michael Jackson memorial. It's all just very sad. It's hard to hear about all the different drugs he was taking because I can completely relate. Obviously I never took anywhere near as much as he did, but I understand wanting to escape. I understand being willing to do whatever it takes to be able to fall asleep at night so that your brain will just stop running overtime. I understand the craziness that comes with the disease of addiction; the absolute obsession and preoccupation with getting your next fix. It's still crazy to me how after years of being clean, if something happens that I'm not sure how to deal with, the thought of using still goes through my mind. It doesn't happen all the time, and it may only be for a split second, but it's still there. It's like a dark cloud that just permanently hangs over your head. It doesn't always affect you, but it's always there, just waiting to swoop in. Of course there are things you can do to keep it at bay, but in the back of your mind you know the insanity will come back in a split second if you aren't careful. And what really, really sucks is that it will never go away. Ever. And every time another person dies of an overdose, whether it be a celebrity or a regular person, I think about how that could be me. I think about how at one point during my using I actually wrote a note and left it by my bed listing what I had taken and how much of it I had taken, so that if I was found unconscious (or worse), the EMT's would know better how to help me. Of course it didn't occur to me to just not use. The need to escape was too strong. I knew I could be killing myself, but I did it anyway. That's the definition of an addict-knowing the consequences, but doing it anyway because in that moment, when you're in full blown addiction, you just plain don't have a choice. So yeah, I can relate.

P.S. Don't worry, I'm not all depressed or anything, I promise! I'm grateful to be alive and sober, and this is just a good reminder to be careful with my thoughts and actions.

P.P.S. I apologize for any spelling or grammatical errors in this post. I don't want to reread it all, but I'm so completely anal about spelling and grammar that I can't let it go without acknowledging that there may be mistakes. That's what happens when your parents are both teachers.

stinkin' thinkin'

For one of my classes, we're reading the book "Bonds That Make Us Free" by C. Terry Warner. It's basically a self-help book and why we're reading it for this class, I have no idea. Other than that, it's pretty good. There was one particular part in a reading we did last week that I liked. It says (and I'm taking parts from a couple different pages here):

• We've all known a teenage beauty who's convinced she is hideous. . . . The beauty would never have suspected herself hideous if she had not made her appearance a major issue by wishing to be gorgeous. . . . these people would never have imagined the possibility of their monstrousness if they had never tried to prove themselves impressive. . . . as self-betrayers we project an image of a deserving, worthwhile person, and then we struggle constantly to produce evidence that we're measuring up to that image. . . . We have little conception of how worthwhile we are because we are working so hard to prove how worthwhile we are!

I guess I just liked this because it talks about how through our own messed up expectations, we set ourselves up to be disappointed in ourselves. I'm trying to work really hard on not having ludicrous expectations for myself and just accepting myself as I am. So yeah, that's about it.

scandalicious!

I have a new obsession with blind celebrity gossip. Not blind as in they can't see, but blind as in they give you the story without saying who it is and you have to figure out who they're talking about. For example, see if you can guess these celebrities . . .

• This A+ list Academy Award winner/nominee actress spent some time two weeks ago at a Veteran's hospital. She did so quietly and without publicity. She spent time with every patient she could and when she left, she gave them all gift bags which included a $1000 gift certificate to Best Buy.
• While shooting on the set of their latest movie, these two stars have a completely different way of interacting with their fans. Well, I should say one interacts with fans, and one pretends she cannot see or hear them. Our B+ list movie actor usually plays the fun guy and it seems that when he is filming it is the exact same way. He spends most of the time in between takes speaking with fans, taking pictures and talking the entire time. Our A+ list actress on the other hand spends her time in between takes as far away from the fans as possible and has absolutely nothing to do with them. She is very good at pretending not to hear them or see them.
• This Academy Award nominated/winner A+ list actor doesn't get much publicity for all of the good he does, and so I thought I would share one of the things about him which he did for no reason other than being a great guy. While shooting a film our actor was introduced to a young girl. The girl had wanted to meet our actor for a very long time. Because she was dying of leukemia, her parents had asked Make-A-Wish to make it happen. For whatever reason they had not. Well, someone on the set heard about this little girl and asked our actor if it would be ok for her to meet him. He said sure, and the girl came. At the time she visited him she had a few weeks to live. When he asked about her medical treatment he was told there really wasn't any money. Our actor paid for all her medical bills and three years later she is still alive and still in touch with our actor.
• This intense B list movie and sometime television actor takes parenting very seriously. He knows the reputation of bars and clubs in Hollywood to serve underage celebrities. So, to make sure his B list actress daughter doesn't drink he calls ahead to wherever she is going and makes sure they know they will be in for a world of hurt if they serve her booze.

Can you guess who the celebrities are?

1. Angelina Jolie, 2. Paul Rudd and Reese Witherspoon, 3. Johnny Depp, 4. Eric and Emma Roberts.

These were just some of the tame ones. Crazy Days and Nights has other more scandalous blinds as well.

the righteousness rat race

Today in New Testament we discussed the clean/unclean aspects of the miracles Jesus performed and some of the stories that are told in Matthew. We talked about how the Law of Moses compartmentalized everything into being either clean or unclean and if you touched something that was unclean (lepers, dead people, things having to do with death, bodily fluids, etc.), that impurity was then transferred to you and you would have to then purify yourself. But despite all this, Jesus went out of his way to touch unclean people and spend time with those who were seen as unclean or sinners.

So then, if Jesus focused his time and efforts on the "sinners" and unclean, what does it really mean to be Christlike? Do we get too caught up in being righteous and following the letter of the law that we forget to love and embrace the people who could most use it? I think too often we reach out to people because it's what we're supposed to do, not because we actually care. There were many times as a teenager that I felt like I was the Young Women's service project but there were also times when certain people reached out to me and made a difference, all because I felt like they genuinely cared about me; I wasn't just a good deed to cross off their to do list. Religion shouldn't be a rat race to see who is the most righteous. We shouldn't avoid people who are "unclean" for fear they'll rub off on us.

I see things like this a lot with addicts. We tend to do bad things and we'll be the first to admit that, but I can pretty much guarantee you that if you try to spend time with us, we're not going to hold you down and inject heroin into your veins or make you smoke a crack pipe. The thing that most helps me when I'm dealing with someone who has issues is to realize that events in their lives helped make them that way. No one just decides one day to start doing drugs or randomly sleep around or go steal a car. Chances are they've spent a good part of their lives feeling like they weren't good enough in some way (not to mention, of course, serious issues like abuse, addicted parents, etc.). So why on earth would you treat someone like a project or look down on them when all they want is to be loved? Love is a many splendored thing. Love lifts us up where we belong. All you need is love! (Sorry, Moulin Rouge was just on t.v.)

Don't worry that I'm completely horrible at this. I think my motives for doing things are suspect a good bit of the time and I'm sure that comes across in my actions. So I guess my question would be is this a case where you fake it til you make it, despite the fact that people can see right through you? Or should you not do certain things because because they're fake? I know that feeling like I was being treated like a service project did a whole lot more harm than good, but would I rather have just been ignored? There's got to be a balance in there somewhere, right? If you can figure out where that balance lies, please let me know!

Grrr

You know those days (or, in this case, like an hour) where everything just flat out irritates the crap out of you? Yeah, that's where I'm at right now. I really need to work on not letting things get to me because as soon as I let a couple things get to me, everything else just snowballs. Blah. Anyway, that's all.

Matthew

O.k., this one is super, super long and I don't blame you if you choose to skip over it, but it's also got some super, super interesting stuff in it. It's super meaty. I hope you take time to read it.*

Who knew the Bible had so much debate to it? It's old; you would think the debate would be over and done with. Not so much. And I like it. Apparently there is something called the Synoptic Problem. The problem basically is this: the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke) have a lot in common. In some places they say the exact same thing, word for word. So did they all just magically come up with the exact same things to say in the exact same way? Or did they copy from each other? Biblical scholars (which obviously does not include me) say that Mark was written in the 60's and Matthew and Luke were written in the 80's, which would lead you to believe that Matthew and Luke copied parts of Mark. But then there are also parts of Matthew and Luke that are the same and that aren't found in Mark. Historians have theorized that these things come from another source, which they call "Q". Q stands for "quelle" which is the German word for source. This document (if, of course, it existed) no longer exists today, but is a collection of the sayings of Jesus. Some say it may have actually been the Gospel of Thomas. So . . . if you're following me here, my point is that Matthew and Luke both have parts that are word for word from Mark, parts they have in common that may have come from document Q, and parts that are unique to that particular book.

So, that being said, what makes the book of Matthew unique? Why did the author choose to include those things? To understand these things, you have to know a little bit about what was going on in the Holy Land during the time Matthew was written. The big issue during that time had to do with the Gentiles. The early members of the Christian church were (obviously) Jewish, and there was a big debate about whether anyone who wasn't Jewish would be allowed to become a Christian. Some believed that they had to convert to Judaism first before they could become a Christian. They couldn't quite decide whether they were still Jewish or something completely new. So then Paul comes along, has a vision, and proposes that everyone should be allowed to join the Christian church. Much debate ensues.

So then who was Matthew written for? Non-Christian Jews? Or other Christian Jews who were having a hard time accepting Gentiles into the church? Well, in the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus is portrayed as more Jewish than in any of the other gospels, yet at the same time, the "heroes" of most of Matthew's stories are Gentiles. Interesting combination.

I should also add that Matthew is formatted a bit differently than the other Gospels. I had never thought of this before, but obviously when it was written, it wasn't nicely divided into chapters like it is now. Originally, Matthew had an introduction and five books (much like the five books of Moses in the Old Testament), followed by a climax/passion. Each book starts with a narrative about Jesus, then has Jesus giving a sermon, and then ends with the phrase "and Jesus ended these sayings." Book 5 ends with "and Jesus ended all these sayings." So pretty much if you're going to read Matthew, you shouldn't read it in modern chapters, but by the original books.

So let's start with the introduction, which comprises Chapters 1-2. The introduction chapters are purely Matthew-there's no Mark or Q in them.

• Verse 1. Matthew included three theological statements in this one sentence. First, Jesus' name isn't Jesus Christ. Christ isn't a last name, it's a title. The Greek word "Christ" is equal to the Hebrew word "Messiah." So, he's saying that Jesus is the Messiah. Second, When he says "son of David" Matthew is telling us that there is a NEW Kingdom of God, and that Jesus is the Davidic King. Third, Matthew says "son of Abraham". Part of the Abrahamic promise is that ALL nations (meaning Gentiles) will be blessed.
  
• Verses 2-16. The long, boring genealogy that we all tend to skip over. Admit it, you do it too! However, in this genealogy, it's interesting that three women are mentioned. Thamar (v. 3), Ruth (v. 5), wife of Urias-Bathsheba (v. 6). It is also interesting that all three of these women were Gentiles, and they also had some scandalousness going on. Much like . . . Mary, who apparently was much gossiped about back in the day. I guess the whole pregnant before married thing was quite scandalicious.
  
• Verse 16. So we get to the end of the genealogy and discover that this is the genealogy of Joseph. But wait! Joseph wasn't actually Jesus' father, so what's up with that? I've heard a lot of people say that it's just proving that Joseph would have been the King of Judea had Judea been free and Joseph and Mary were cousins, blah, blah, blah. Yes, it's true that Joseph may have been of the royal lineage, but so were a lot of other people. Joseph could have been King, not would have been King. So then what's the dealio? Why are we given a genealogy that isn't Jesus'? Well, let's move on to...
• Verse 21. This verse says that Joseph will name the child. Turns out that in antiquity, naming the child was part of the adoption process. So now that Joseph has named and adopted Jesus, the genealogy becomes his. It's also interesting to note that Old Testament Kings were adopted metaphorically by God. Matthew flips it around and the literal Son of God is adopted by Joseph, of the Davidic line. Also, the name Jesus is Greek for Joshua, so in his actual lifetime, Jesus would have been called Joshua, which means salvation.
  

O.k., this is way too long. I'll write up some more tomorrowish. Hope you found it interesting and it made you think a little.

*Please remember that everything I'm saying is from notes I've taken in my New Testament class. You may agree or disagree with what I say, but I'm just reporting what I've learned and found interesting.

The Gibson Girl

In my clothing class we've been talking about fashion during the different decades of the 1900's. Here's the Gibson Girl look. I'm sure you've all seen it before, but it's still fun to look at.

The first Gibson Girl was a cartoon drawn by Charles Dana Gibson. The look was generally an embroidered blouse worn with a skirt and it was supposed to look sporty and portray women as more emancipated than before. 'Cause you know, nothing says emancipated like a super tight corset!


They wore a special s-curve corset to get the wasp waist (normal width in the ribs, teeny tiny waist).

Another version of the Gibson Girl look was a tie or cravat worn with a brooch. Think Anne of Avonlea. And since we're thinking Anne of Avonlea, let's also take a moment to think Gilbert Blythe.

Sigh.

Herod the Great

Remember him? Had all the babies in Bethlehem killed? That was like the least of his cruelness. It is perhaps fitting, then, that Josephus said this about his last days:

"But now Herod's distemper greatly increased upon him after a severe manner, and this by God's judgment upon him for his sins: for a fire glowed in him slowly, which did not so much appear to the touch outwardly as it augmented his pains inwardly; for it brought upon him a vehement appetite to eating, which he could not avoid to supply with one sort of food or other. His entrails were also exulcerated, and the chief violence of his pain lay on his colon; an aqueous and transparent liquor also settled itself about his feet, and a like matter afflicted him at the bottom of his belly. Nay, farther, his privy member was putrified, and produced worms; and when he sat upriht he had a difficulty of breathing, which was very loathesome, on account of the stench of his breath, and the quickness of its returns; he had also convulsions in all parts of his body . . . "

Man, there's nothing like putrid breath and worms in your um . . . privy member. Beyond nasty!

So . . .

I haven't had much to blog about lately since all I've really been doing is going to class and studying. The term only started a week ago, but it's already out of control. Anyway, my point is, I'm going to start posting a little bit of what we're talking about in class. We're talking about some really interesting stuff and really, who doesn't want to be a student and take classes, but not have to do assignments or take exams? So this is my gift to you-you get to learn along with me, but don't have to do any of the extra crap. So exciting. If, for some odd reason, you don't like this idea, 1.) blame my friend Traci, because she encouraged me to do this and 2.) I don't care because it's my blog. And maybe this way you'll actually get posts from me on a regular basis. Remember the good ole days when I actually had things to talk about (or, more often, I didn't have things to talk about, but wrote anyway) and you would get a couple posts a day? Maybe we'll get back to that point. Or is the thought of several posts a day from me frightening? Sometimes it's not a good thing when I have a lot to say!