She's back...

Jillian Michaels has returned to The Biggest Loser.  The two seasons without her were the least inspiring to date.  Why was this?  The focus wasn't on the life-change, it was on the game and the prize money.  The contestants were greedy and no one whipped them out of that mind-set.  Jillian would never have stood for the game-playing and the whining that went on last season.  I am incredibly excited to witness her return.

Jillian always brings the focus back to the deeper issues surrounding the contestants weight loss; the reasons why the got fat in the first place.  By tackling these issues and helping the contestants overcome their fears, she teaches people that they are worth fighting for and helps them make permanent changes in their lives.  Jillian is an inspiration to myself, some day I hope to change lives just as she does today, starting with my own.

Here is a sneak peak:

Some Funny Before the World Ends

Hahahaha

Christmas Caroling w/ Brittany Snow from Brittany Snow

Love

God's love is the greatest love there is.  Here is what God has to say about love:

Proverbs 10:12 Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses.

1 Peter 4:8 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins

Romans 12:9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.

Leviticus 19:18 Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD. 

John 13:34-35 ESV A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.  By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.

Hebrews 10:24-25 ESV And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another 

1 Corinthians 16:14 ESV Let all that you do be done in love. 

Whether you share my beliefs or not, please try to spread the love in the wake of tremendous evil.  Let's let our love shine brighter. 

A Word of Kindness

Something truly evil happened today.  It was a horrible, awful, terrible, disgusting, heart-wrenching, saddening, enraging thing.  This post isn't going to discuss why it happened or what could have prevented it, because everyone else in the world is busy doing just that for me.  I am so sick and tired of the political debates.  Yes, clearly there needs to be some new legislature, but do we really have to take every opportunity to argue with each other?  I saw some love in the world of social media today, but I also saw a lot of hate.  Everyone seems to feel the need to get their opinion out, make the point that their opinion is right, and tear down anyone and everyone who disagrees with them. Let's practice being kind instead of right for just a moment, please, I am literally begging.

So instead of joining in the debate, I've decided to have my voice heard elsewhere.  This horrible, evil event literally made me break down and cry uncontrollably today, I could really use a hug.  I am one person living thousands of miles away, not personally affected by what happened, and I am in tears.  I can't even begin to fathom how those personally affected are feeling.  They're literally going through hell, that's for sure - they've just experienced pure evil.  

To help combat this I want them to experience a tidal wave of love.  I want to start a campaign of love letters.  I want everyone who reads this to write one letter of support for a victim of this evil act (family members are victims too, almost more-so).  Write what you would want to read if something like this happened to you.  An example might be along the lines of:

Dear Incredibly Strong Person,

I cannot even begin to imagine what you are going through right now.  You've been through something that no one should ever have to experience.  I am truly and deeply sorry.  Although I can't understand what you're feeling, I want you to know that you're not alone.  You are loved.  I am sending all of my thoughts, love, prayers, and support your way.  You are not alone,

Sincerely,

Someone Who Cares

Just write from your heart and nothing you say will be wrong.  I would greatly appreciate if no one would take offense to anything I have written.  My intention is not to make anyone angry.  My intention is to start a campaign of pure love.  Put aside your personal opinions, political or otherwise, and let these people know that there is more good in this world than evil.  A lot of people have lost some (if not all) of their faith in humanity, let's do something to restore it.

Song of the Middle of the Road

Guess what Friends For the Fight Against Finals (FFFAF as you shall henceforth be called), we're halfway done!

Song of Finals

I like Fun.  Hang in there fellow students, the light is at yonder end of the tunnel.

Song of the Day

The theme of today is hopefulness, whatever you're going through, you can and will get through it.

Your Morning Funny

Enjoy

Movies I Need to Watch

Some classic (or almost classic movies) that I should probably see if I want to work in the film industry:

1. The Women
2. Psycho
3. Rear Window
4. In Bruges
5. Snatch
6. The Godfather
7. Gone With the Wind
8. Breakfast at Tiffany's
9. Guess Who's Coming to Dinner
10. Roman Holiday
11. The Shawshank Redemption
12. Schindler's List
13. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
14. Jaws
15. North by Northwest
16. The Graduate
17. Bonnie and Clyde
18. It Happened One Night
19. Duck Soup
20. Network

Some Funny For Your Monday (it's a thing now)

My Christmas Wish List (for family/friends who want to know)

Christmas is less than 3 weeks away (crazy!), so I figured I'd get my wish list in writing.

1. Monetary donations for my 5 month scholastic excursion in the UK
2. Some wardrobe upgrades for the UK
• Boots 
• Knee high, dress boots, brown
• Ankle high, lace up, grey/brown/tan
• Sweaters (all types)
• Nice tops 
• Things that are cozy for winter in England
• Things that are cool for summer in Scotland
• Pieces I can layer
• Trousers/nice pants (can be skinny style)
• Leggings
• Button-down flannel shirt(s)
• Ballet Flats
3. Tazo Chai Tea Latte Concentrate
4. Gift cards are always appreciated
5. Heart Rate Monitor for running (I need a more accurate method for counting calories burned)
6. Good books
7. Good Music
• Band of Horses
• Alabama Shakes
• Florence and the Machine
• Anything you think I might like

That's a great deal more than I actually expect to receive so you have options and I still be surprised!

Song of the Week (and Monday/Tuesday of the week after)

because my school sucks

How to Survive Chick Flicks 101

I'm not talking about how to survive going to see them, I'm talking about how to survive if you ever get stuck living one (you lucky terd).  More realistically, I should probably discuss how to go on with life after watching them knowing that it's probably not going to happen to you (2 words: Ben & Jerry).

Basic anatomy of a Chick Flick:

1. Meet-cute
2. Attraction/repulsion => love/hate relationship
3. Friendship
4. More than Friendship (romance and shenanigans)
5. Secret-keeping
6. Height of closeness/love
7. Secret-outage
8. ANGSTY PART
9. Lowest Point => heart poured out
10. Happy Ending

Let us begin by discussing how to get into a chick flick situation:

1. Be some sort of cook/chef/baker
• Katherine Heigl is always cooking or baking and she attracts romance like a hotdog attracts seagulls
• Annie (Kristin Wiig) of Bridesmaids was a baker
• If you can cook, he knows you'll be able to make him a sandwich
2. Hang out in coffee shops or bars
• Hanging out in such places looking hot makes you look sophisticated and fun
3. Wear designer clothing all the time
• That's what the ladies in the movies do
• Can't afford designer clothing?  That's unfortunate, good luck finding love (<=sarcasm)
4. Be tall and leggy (Well I'm screwed at 5'2")
• Let's list all the tall people:
• Katherine Heigl
• Jennifer Lawrence
• Jessica Alba
• Anne Hathaway
• Jessica Biel
• Jennifer Aniston
• Cameron Diaz
• And the list goes on
• If you insist on being short you must be absolutely travel-size small, for example:
• Mila Kunis
• Kristin Bell
• Anna Kendrick
• Alexa Vega
• Natalie Portman
5. Don't be looking for love (perhaps you should even disdain men because you have recently been scorned by one)
• If you are looking for love, don't expect to end up with your crush (ex. 27 Dresses, Life as We Know It, pretty much any Katherine Heigl movie)
• You always end up with what you weren't looking for
6. Be clever, witty, and a little snarkasstic (snarky, smart ass-y, and sarcastic)
• Be able to role with his punches
• Outwitting him will never scare him off, it's actually very impressive
• Sassy is actually spelled s-e-x-y
7. Be clumsy or have some other adorable little flaw
• Pretty self-explanatory
• Ex. Jessica Alba's clumsiness in Good Luck Chuck
8. Be smart (as in intelligent)
• Emma Stone plays a law student grad/lawyer in Crazy Stupid Love and she got Ryan Gosling
• Mila Kunis is a successful business headhunter in Friends With Benefits
• Katherine Heigl is a successful entrepreneur in Life as We Know It
• Cameron Diaz works on Wallstreet in What Happens in Vegas   
9. Be confident  (or adorably shy if that's your little flaw)
• It's very intriguing
10. Be funny in actions or retorts
• This will increase your entertainment value making him more likely to want to know you
11. Have make-up tattooed to your face so you wake up every day looking like a Victoria's Secret Model (your hair must also be similarly perfect at every moment)
• No woman, in any chick flick ever looks ugly/un-made-up, what is their secret!?
12. Be a runner
• Nothing says sexy like being sweaty and out of breath

Now that we've got you into the situation, let's keep you there:

1. Start out as friends, become best friends
2. Go out for drinks
3. Go out to dinner and a movie (let him impress you with his restaurant connections)
4. Share ice cream
5. Watch sports together
6. Share clever inside jokes with each other
7. Don't be clingy 
8. Be totally ok with who you are and who he is (but still tease each other with stuff)
9. Do "bro stuff" with him - exercise, sports (participation), paintball, video games, etc.
10. Witty banter
11. Fun fun fun

Now comes the angsty part that almost ends your relationship, but ultimately leads to one of you pouring your heart out to the other and your happy ending. 

Want to avoid that? 
Absolutely, under no circumstances, are you to keep any secrets from him.  Be open and honest in everything; he'll surely understand.  If he kept a secret from you, listen to what he has to say with an open mind and try not to be too emotional.  However, if you must put some distance between the two of you be comforted in the knowledge that he'll probably chase you down and pour his heart out to you when you're at your lowest point (so no worries). 

The End.

Note: Don't take any of my suggestions too literally, most of them are dripping with sarcasm.

This Friday is no longer magnificent. . . . . .

Today was a pretty good day for this stressful week.  I got up, fed my horse, went to school, worked out, came home, relaxed a bit, then took my brother to pick up a friend.  On the way to pick up said friend, I managed to hit a curb and blow a tire on my car, a car I had just put gas in. . . . . .holy shirt it's the curse (sorry, my mind just blew).

Every time I fill a car with gas it breaks; I'm cursed, I'll never be able to fill another car.  My first car crapped out for it's final time as I was driving back to school from a gas station after filling it.  The check engine light came on in our other family car right after I filled it.  I literally filled this car at 2:30pm today and thought to myself (jokingly) "that was expensive, it better not break" and it just did.  God does have a sense of humor, haha, very funny, I see what you did there.  I'm gonna go have a mental breakdown now.  fml - feeling majorly low.

Seriously though, this week was exhausting with final papers, pre-final exams, and projects to do.  So I'm already feeling worthless, then I go and wreck a car (tire), I suck so much at life that I can't even drive properly.  I really just want to crawl into a deep dark hole and cry.  You cannot possibly fathom how angry I am with myself at this particular moment in time.   

Song of this Magnificent Friday

This week has been exhausting; I'm glad the school part is over.  Working 7-11:30am tomorrow morning, and singing 7-12pm on Sunday morning, then the dead/hell and finals week mash-up begins.  In honor of this horrid mash-up, here is a good mash-up for your listening pleasure (I know I posted it before, but it was a while ago; you'll live).

Song of December 6th, 2012

Five for Fighting!

Song of this Crappy Day of Writing Papers

Bon Iver everyone, enjoy

Some Funny For Your Morning

Laughter is better than Folgers.




Hopefully your day is just the slightest bit happier now.

Biggest Dilemmas of the Day

To describe how completely boring my life is, here are questions that plague me on a typical day:

1. Should I get out of bed, or just lay here for a little while? - bed is warm, room is freezing
2. What should I wear? - can take over an hour, the cold doesn't help
3. What should I eat today? - I'm surprised the fridge door hasn't worn off
4. Do I feel like putting any effort into my appearance today?
5. Do I want coffee? - it either costs money or effort, do I have enough of those?
6. Skinny jeans or regular jeans - skinny jeans are the only clothing item that can make you feel skinny and fat at the exact same time
7. Should I take my computer to school with me today? - it's a lot of work to pack up
8. Should I take a snack or eat at school?
9. Money or effort?
10. Hair up or down?
11. Get up early and work out, or work out after school? - working out is not an option so at least I don't have to worry about that
12. Am I forgetting anything? - probably
13. Am I ok with that? - I suppose

There is no excitement in my life.

#GoingLimeForLyme

Yes I like the hashtag thing, it's fun, I think I'm going to use it whenever I find a cause or foundation I want to support.  Anywho, for those of you who don't know (which is probably none of you), my sister has Lyme's Disease which is a very debilitating and frustrating tick-born illness.  She recently started a new blog getting the info out on Lyme's and spreading awareness.  If you all could take a moment and at least glance at it, please do, if not, here is a snippet:

Lyme disease is known as “the second Great Imitator” for this very reason. It appears in each person differently and affects them differently as the bacteria progresses in their system. For me, it has attacked my nervous system, including my brain and my heart. Pain is something I have grown accustomed to, but I refuse to let it stop me.

Click here for more info: Going Lime for Lyme 

Educate yourselves please:
Here is a list of symptoms from the Tick-Borne Disease Alliance
•    Fatigue
•    Low grade fevers, "hot flashes" or chills
•    Night sweats
•    Sore throat
•    Swollen glands
•    Stiff neck
•    Migrating arthralgias, stiffness and frank arthritis
•    Myalgia
•    Chest pain and palpitations
•    Abdominal pain, nausea
•    Sleep disturbance
•    Poor concentration and memory loss
•    Irritability and mood swings
•    Depression
•    Back pain
•    Blurred vision and eye pain
•    Jaw pain
•    Testicular/pelvic pain
•    Tinnitus
•    Vertigo
•    Cranial nerve disturbance (facial numbness, pain, tingling, palsy or optic neuritis)
•    Headaches
•    Lightheadedness
•    Dizziness
•    Mysterious migrating symptoms that seem to come and go
•    Cyclical symptoms

Song of the Day

Who remembers this one?  It's not that old so you really should know it.

#LoveIsLouder

I recently stumbled upon this amazing organization that deals with issues that are near and dear to my own heart.  I would like to find a way to support this organization and spread the word around my university (possibly through a concert), but first I'm just going to get the information out there.

Here is a description, taken directly from the website (hope that's ok):

"Love is Louder was started by The Jed Foundation, MTV and Brittany Snow to support anyone feeling mistreated, misunderstood or alone. It’s hundreds of thousands of people just like you who have turned this idea into a movement.  A movement of all types of people who have come together to raise the volume around the message that love and support are louder than any internal or external voice that brings us down.

Individuals, communities, schools and organizations have embraced Love is Louder as a way to address with issues like bullying, negative self-image, discrimination, loneliness and depression.  Even as we work to stop negative words and actions that hurt us, we can strengthen our abilities to cope with hard times, focus on the positive, support the people around us and reach out for help if we need it."

This is a link to Love Is Louder's website, click for more information.

We Accept the Love We Think We Deserve

First off, Perks of Being a Wallflower is a spectacular movie (and a fine book, I'm sure - I'm slightly ashamed that I've never read it, but I'm sure I'll read it eventually), excellent story, filmography, etc.  FAN-tastic!  In case you don't know what it's about, here's the summary from IMdB:

"Based on the novel written by Stephen Chbosky, this is about 15-year-old Charlie (Logan Lerman), an endearing and naive outsider, coping with first love (Emma Watson), the suicide of his best friend, and his own mental illness while struggling to find a group of people with whom he belongs. The introvert freshman is taken under the wings of two seniors, Sam and Patrick, who welcome him to the real world." 

But, I've already reviewed the movie, so let's not do that again; no, this post is going to try to get at the heart of what the film is about: Love and Acceptance.  So I'm going to share my oh-so-very-clever insights about these important aspects of life with anyone who cares to read this, here goes.  (Fair warning: insights are not necessarily answers, they're more like food for thought, hope you're hungry.)


Love is a necessity for life.  Don't believe me?  Think of everyone you love and everyone who loves you, imagine life without any them.  (Sufficiently depressed?  Here's an adorable picture of a puppy to make you feel better.)  Luckily for you, you do have those people (and hopefully God, who LOVES YOU REGARDLESS of who you are and what you do - there is nothing you can ever do to make HIM stop loving you) in your life, feel comforted (not a suggestion).  However, you need to love yourself too.  "We accept the love we think we deserve."  If we don't love ourselves what does that say about the love we think we deserve.  Think about it for a minute "If I don't love myself, clearly I must think myself undeserving of love.  Then why is the love and acceptance of others so incredibly important to me?"  Because we need love to live.  If no one loved us and we didn't love ourselves, then what do we have to live for?  (Look at the puppy!  Better?)  Love is what makes life worth while.

We all know that bullying is bad (and if you don't bam I just told you, now you know, stop it or I'm gonna drop the bow), we should treat others with respect, don't judge lest ye be judged, use "the Golden Rule," etc.  We've all heard these things before (hopefully) and put them into practice in our daily lives (once again hopefully).  We don't call other people names, tell them they're fat, call them worthless or weak, tell them they need to figure they're life out or they'll never be anything, tell them they need to work harder, tell them they're not good enough for something or someone; no, these are things we reserve for ourselves (well, probably not all of us, but a lot of us).  Why do we treat ourselves worse than we treat other people?  Shouldn't we at least give ourselves the same respect that we give to others?  We have to take care of ourselves if we want to care of others (kinda like the whole plane crash scenario where you have to put on your own oxygen mask before you put oxygen masks on your kids)  We are backwards bullies, and it's just as bad as being a normal bully (in this situation the golden rule doesn't work because we're treating ourselves like crap).  We are a million times harder on ourselves than we are on each other.  We put so much stress on perfection in our own lives that we turn into hypocrites when we try to encourage others.  So how do we overcome this major flaw?  I don't know.

Now you might be thinking "well that was a pointless paragraph" (funny, I was just thinking the same thing).  On the contrary though, hopefully it made you think about how you treat yourself.  If not, take a moment and think about who the last person to say something mean about you was (i.e. last person to call you fat, tell you you're not good enough, call you a loser, etc.).  Was it you?  If it wasn't you, let me be the first person to tell you that whoever said those nasty things to you is an @$$hole and very, very wrong.  You were made to fill a purpose that only you can do, you are special, and you are amazing, don't let anyone (even yourself tell you otherwise).

Music Break!!!


Moving right along, let's talk about acceptance.  We are constantly searching for acceptance: college acceptance, social acceptance, job acceptance, acceptance in relationships, peer acceptance, and especially self acceptance.  Speaking from personal experience, self acceptance is the acceptance I both desire the most and am denied the quickest.  We all want to be comfortable in our own skin, but some of us don't know how to love or accept ourselves.  What is self acceptance exactly?  Is it just saying "Hey self, you're pretty cool, I guess I can live with you" I hope not.  According to Wikipedia, self acceptance: affirmation or acceptance of self in spite of weaknesses or deficiencies.  I think this means, not trying to change yourself to fit an ideal you have in your mind, but rather just admitting that this is who you are and deciding to embrace that (not just be ok with it, not just live with it, full on give it a hug).  That is a really hard thing to do, but it's not impossible.

We do in fact accept the love we think we deserve.  If we don't love ourselves it's like having your kidneys fail, you need someone else's to help compensate.  When this happens we set low standards for the kind and quality of love we are willing to accept.  It's a downward spiral and it requires help to reverse.  If you know someone who is going through something like this, I seriously encourage you to let that person know that they are loved and that they can get through whatever trial they're facing.  Honestly the best gift you can give a person struggling with these issues is love (and support, so I guess that's two things).  There is a wonderful foundation called Love is Louder created specifically "to support anyone feeling mistreated, misunderstood or alone" (which is kind of what I just ranted about).  It can help you if you're struggling with love and self-acceptance or you can use it to help others.  I encourage you to check it out.   

So that's my schpeel on that, hopefully you're not bored or scoffing about how poorly written it is (if  you are, you should have just stopped reading when you initially felt those feelings of malcontent).  The end. 

Song of This Fantastically Horrid Monday

Once again, enjoy my musical emotions.

Song of the Day

It's a repeat, but this is the mood I'm in and I express myself through music so open your ears and enjoy.

DOGS!

I really want a dog, it's like being baby-crazy, but for a puppy.  It's the most stressful time of the year (only a week and a half left until finals) so some friends and I went to Petsmart the other night to look at adorable animals and bring our stress levels down a notch.  While there we got to pet PUPPIES (we were literally going up to random strangers and asking if we could pet their dogs, I think we may have interrupted an obedience class): 2 huskies, a cocker spaniel, a chihuahua, a yorkie, and a schnauzer.  It was awesome and, of course, now I want a dog, my life will not be complete until I have one (and it won't be a possibility for at least another year).  Anywho, like a crazy person, I have been taking quizzes about which breeds would be best for me and doing a little research on the ones I like (which is bad because I should be working on finals stuff).

Here are some of my top picks:

• Kuvasz
• Anatolian Shepherd
• Australian Shepherd
• English Setter
• Akita
• Samoyed
• Border Collie
• Dalmation
• Siberian Husky
• Alaskan Malamute
• Belgian Tervuren
• Bernese Mountain Dog
• Shetland Sheepdog
• Boxer
• Springer Spaniel (English or Welsh)
• Finnish Spitz
• German Shepherd

And have now narrowed down the ones that could suit my proposed future lifestyle (which includes apartment living and long jogs) according to Purina:

• Australian Shepherd
• Samoyed
• Dalmation
• Siberian Husky (given lot's of exercise)
• Shetland Sheepdog
• Boxer
• Finnish Spitz
• Springer Spaniel
• German Shepherd

Cost of owning a dog (let's be honest):
Let's use the scenario that I purchase a Siberian Husky (my dream dog)

Purchase price:

1. Adopting a puppy/young dog from Taysia Blue Siberian Husky Rescue: $300-350
2. Buying from an AKC certified breeder in my home state: $300-400

Vet bills:

1. Adoption Organization takes care of the major veterinary needs
2. Initial visit for a puppy: $175-200
3. Initial visit for an adult dog: $60
4. Spaying/neutering: $60-150
5. An average year (non-emergent visits only): about $450

Stuff I'll Need:

1. Bowls: $20 (you need 2)
2. Beds: $20 (puppy) - $60 (adult)
3. Bissel Spot Vac (for cleaning up messes): $129
4. Stain/Odor Remover Spray: $7.50
5. Collar: $15
6. Harness: $17-60
7. Leash: $15-20
8. Toys: $20-50
9. Grooming tools: $25
10. Siberian Huskies for Dummies: $10
11. Pooper Scooper: $15
12. Crate: $70-150

Food: $25/mo = $300/year
Training: $80-200
Total Cost: $1,278.50 - $1,811.50

So once I have that much money saved up, I can get a dog. . . . . .that won't take long at all.

Song of the Day

For my utterly and irreconcilably melancholy mood

Song of the Day

Pretty sure I've never posted this one before. . . . . .

Let's talk Hollywood

I'm gonna start by sincerely thanking Hollywood for screwing me (and many other girls) over in the body image department, I now have no idea what the words "normal" and "healthy" mean for me and my body.  I now have practically no self-esteem and am constantly trying to achieve a crazy ideal that I refuse to believe is unachievable for my body.  So thanks for that. . . . . .although if you look at it in a different light, you could say Hollywood is a good motivator for me to get in better shape, but I digress.

Anywho, civilians such as myself are not the only ones who feel the pressure to be thin from Hollywood, celebs are under a huge amount of pressure to maintain their tiny physiques thanks to the constant scrutiny they endure. I read an article about Jennifer Lawrence on People Magazine's website today in which the Oscar Nominated actress stated:

"I'm never going to starve myself for a part ... I don't want little girls to be like, 'Oh, I want to look like Katniss, so I'm going to skip dinner.' That's something I was really conscious of during training, when you're trying to get your body to look exactly right. I was trying to get my body to look fit and strong – not thin and underfed," the actress, 22, tells December's Elle

I would like to say "thank you Jennifer Lawrence, for being a positive role model for the young ladies of the world."  And now I would like to apologize for sounding like a creepy old fart, I'm not, my cleverness has just run out for the day. . . . .maybe it'll return sometime tomorrow (I hope).  So ladies of the world, the next time you think you need to lose a few pounds and think skipping breakfast is the way to go, remember that Jennifer Lawrence is gorgeous (and Oscar-nominated) without skipping any meals and you can be too (all this is coming off like a cheesy motivator thing so I'm gonna quit even though I'm already behind).

 I feel like I've been harping on this subject way too much lately, sorry guys, I'll try to write something cheery or witty next time.

Oh, here's something funny. . . . . .

Little Feller's Song of the Day....

. . . . .signed Psyioux Houghx

The Next Hangover

A) Skylar Astin is in this movie
B) It looks hilarious
So I will be C-ing it ha ha. . . . . . . . .yeah not really all that clever

Song of the Day

Because it's how I'm feeling today:

Song that's stuck in my head this morning

Catchiest. tune. ever.

Song of the Day

I listened to Taylor Swift's new album this weekend and I'm surprised to say I actually enjoyed it.  This song is stuck in my head, enjoy (it's the dude from Snow Patrol if that redeems it for ya):

Wanna go see a movie?

It's now 2 days after Thanksgiving.  The shopping is dying down a little, we're all hungover from the food, and we all need to get out of the house for a while.  Well, if you're looking to see a movie, here are my reviews of the (many) movies I've been to see lately (I have a little movie-going addiction).

1. Pitch Perfect - we all know that I love this movie, but of all the movies I've been to see lately, it is still my favorite.  It is a wonderful comedy that doesn't take itself too seriously.  It is a movie about music, not a musical for all you musical haters out there.  Quick summary - it's about the experience of a rebellious college freshman/aspiring DJ (not deaf Jew) in the world of collegiate, competitive, a capella.  There's mermaid dancing, horizontal & vertical running, an epic fistfight/brawl, someone gets shot, and of course lot's of fantastic music. 
2. Argo - spies, hostages, fake movies, danger/imminent death, and a little bit of love - what's not to like?  The thrilling tale of how the CIA 5 snuck 5 American Embassy employees out of hostile Iran in the 80's.  The best part of this movie?  It's a true story and it never should have worked - simply amazing.
3. House at the End of the Street - a nice thriller with a decent plot twist to keep you guessing.  The best thing about this movie (for me), it'll keep you on the edge of your seat and you'll still be able to sleep at night.  I really enjoyed this movie, it's a thriller, not a horror, and it's possibly playing in a cheap theater near you. 
4. The Perks of Being a Wallflower - a very well-done movie about the difficulties of high school misfits in the 90's.  It's very insightful and makes you look at your own life and views of the world.  Very good in terms of entertainment and filmography.
5. Taken 2 - it starts a little slowly, but once you get into the action it's a non-stop thrillride. . . . . . . . .up till the embassy scene, then you know Liam Neeson's got it covered and you no longer care.  I, personally, enjoyed the action of the first one more (because there was more of it), and the cleverness of certain characters in the second one.  It's ok, go see it in the cheap theater.
6. Breaking Dawn Part 2 - pretty good movie, definitely the best of all the Twilight Saga.  If you like Twilight, you'll like this movie.  If you're a guy and your girlfriend is going to drag you to it, take heart there's some pretty awesome action at the end.  I definitely enjoyed the major plot-twist too, it through the whole audience through a loop.
7. Skyfall - I don't particularly like Daniel Craig as Bond, but of all his Bond movies, this one was definitely his best (brought back some class).  However, it was missing the romance element and could have used a smidge more action.  All in all, a good movie (excellent filmography).

I could have sworn there was another one that I saw recently. . . . .oh well, if I can't remember it, it probably wasn't that good.  

One movie I can't wait to see is:
Silver Linings Playbook - the book was phenomenal so I'm super excited about the movie (and really annoyed that the theater at home doesn't have it yet).  Great actors and an awesome plot with a little bit of everything for everyone.  If you can't see it, at least read the book.

'Night All!! Hope everyone had a fantastic Thanksgiving, back to school Monday for 2 weeks of hell, then the semester is OVER!!!!!!  :p

Song of this, the first day of THANKSGIVING

This is a WONDERFUL song, add it to my list of encouraging music!

What to Watch While You're Working Out

I don't know about all the rest of the world, but when I work out on a machine or do strength/body-weight training, I like to watch something distracting and motivating so I work harder and longer without realizing it.  Motivation comes in a few types: skinny/gorgeous people , if-I-were-them-I'd-be-running-like-hell, they're-working-out-too, and brain-melt.  Here are some examples:

Skinny/Gorgeous People (I could totally look like them if I work out long enough):

• The Vampire Diaries
• What the Expect When You're Expecting
• Monte Carlo
• Push
• Any Step-up Movie/dance movies in general
• Revenge
• Friends With Benefits

 If-I-were-them-I'd-be-running-like-hell (so let's put in a little more effort):

• The Hunger Games
• Jurassic Park
• Red Eye
• Run Lola Run
• Zombieland
• Lost 
• Alias
• Eagle Eye
• Transformers
• The Next Three Days

They're-working-out-too (and they are heavier than I am or they're absolutely fit):

• Biggest Loser
• Fat Chef
• Major Gymnastics Competitions (they're all on YouTube)

 Brain Melt:

• Keeping Up With The Kardashians
• Dance Moms
• 21 Jump Street
• The Great Food Truck Race
• Glee
• That 70's Show

I have now given you stuff to watch while you're working out, music to motivate your workout, and an actual workout, you can also click here for more workout ideas.  You have no excuse (unless you are sick and need to rest), so get off your computer and go physically exert yourself! If I can do it, you can do it, I believe in you (motivational moment done).

Ok, not quite done, doing anything is better than doing nothing at all, so even if all you do today is go on a walk around the block, at least you went on a walk around the block.  Be proud of that achievement and just do your best.  Your best is all you can ask for.

Now I'm really done.  Happy Thanksgiving Break all!! 
 

Not that anyone cares...

. . . .but I'm in the blogging mood (because I probably won't get to do it over break) so I feel the need to blog whatever thought that pops into my head.  Right now I really need to work out so I thought, hey, workout post.  So here ya are world, my little routine that I try to do every night (it's a pyramid, what!?!?!):



Round 1 (can't think of the word I'm trying to think of):
50 crunches
10 reverse crunches
25 chest flies (don't know if that's how you spell it)
x4 sets

Round 2:
15 inner thigh windshield wiper leg things (stand on one leg, slowly move other leg from all the way out to the side to across your midline, squeezing your inner thigh muscles - adductors - as you go)
15 reverse leg lifts
15 weighted plie squats
x3 sets

Round 3:
50 forward lunges
50 side lunges
50 curtsy lunges
x2 sets

Round 4 (optional):
Hold 1 minute plank between each round
Do as many push-ups as you can (I can do 25, pitiful, I know)
50 backward lunges
3 sets of 3 squats (held for 20 seconds each)

I also try to do at least an hour of cardio at least 5 days a week (I'm aiming for 7 people, I needs ta get my skinny on).  Do these rounds. . . .INTERVALS!!! that's the word I was looking for. . . . .no, not quite, I don't know, whatever, do them without resting, should take you 30-45 minutes, maybe, I don't know, I don't time myself.

Going to workout now!


 

Song of the Day

I know, I've already shared this song but a) it was probably over a year ago, b) this is a GREAT song, c) this song fits my theme for the day, d) this is my blog and I can repost if I want to, ENJOY!

Blessings (because I prolly won't have internet access on Thanksgiving)

We all have moments when life really sucks: illness, relationship troubles, body issues, family issues, financial issues (although apparently people are willing to pay big bucks for midwestern girls - such as myself - to carry their children, I will be looking into this), job issues, what have you.  In spite of all of these things, there is always something to be thankful for, some blessing we have been given.  Your thanks can be something as simple as "Dear God, thank you for creating Chris Evans, nice job on that one, cheers!"  But really it should at least be along the lines of "Dear God, thank you for Your Son, without Him I would be going to hell, but because He sacrificed His perfect, blameless life for me, I get to come chill with You in Heaven, cheers!"

So (there I go with the so again, goodNESS), without further Hallmark card sounding remarks, here is a very abbreviated list of some things I am thankful for:

1. Jesus on the cross - my faith - the gift of eternal life
2. My wonderful relationship with my amazing family
3. My fantastic friends (who are like family)
4. My working, healthy body 
5. My brains, cleverness, and wit (and humility)
6. My horse, the gift of having horses in my life
7. My college education and those who have made it possible
8. The chance to study abroad
9. Technology (and my access to it. . . . . .this includes running water)
10. The nice life I am able to live
11. All my happy memories
12. My abilities (not the superhero kind, unfortunately)
13. The luxury of being able to choose a career path
14. My job - all the opportunities that have been presented to me
15. The hope of and potential for a wonderful future

In making this list I have realized how much stuff I actually have.  I live a very blessed life and I need to spread my blessings with others.  I am going to find time to volunteer this holiday season, and give some of my time and stuff to those who need it.

So I have officially Hallmark Carded it up, and am now done.  I just looked up surrogacy as a potential career and I am not eligible because I have never had a child before, I'm a little bummed, that could have paid for college and study abroad, oh well, back to being thankful for my many blessings.  I encourage you to do the same.  Whenever something is getting you down, physically write a list of all the blessings in your life, it opens your eyes a little.

Some things Jimmy Fallon is thankful for:

Music for Your Mood

So we've covered movies (so I start lot's of sentences with the word so), let's talk about music.  Sometimes you get into a particular mood and you need to validate your feelings with music (or sometimes you just want music to fuel your rage-fire).  I get this way quite often, I actually have a playlist on my computer titled "Anger Management."  Clever idea in the beginning, a list of songs meant to fuel my fire/calm me down (it was a 50/50 deal) when I was in a bad mood; unfortunately, over time, my "Anger Management" list became diluted into "Music Sarah Listens To All the Time/New Music Sarah Wants to Start Listening To All the Time" list.

So for your listening delight (and to feed my list-making addiction) here is a list of Music for Your Mood:

Music for Your Anger Management Needs (particularly for your post-break-up needs):

1. Most anything written by Adele, especially: Someone Like You, Take It All, Someone Like You
2. Anthem Part 2 [Explicit - not for little ears] by blink-182
3. She Wolf  and Titanium- David Guetta ft. Sia
4. The Last Time - the Daylights
5. Don't Owe You a Thing - Gary Clark Jr.
6. Honestly and Whatever - Hot Chelle Rae
7. Bulletproof - La Roux
8. So What - P!nk
9. Gonna Get Over You, Love Song, and Sweet As Whole [Explicit] - Sara Bareilles
10. Dark Horses - Switchfoot

Music for Your "Clarkson Knows" Post Break-up Mood (all by one Miss Kelly Clarkson):

1. Already Gone
2. Walk Away
3. Behind These Hazel Eyes
4. Don't Let Me Stop You
5. How I Feel
6. Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)
7. I Forgive You 
8. Since U Been Gone
9. Mr. Know-It-All
10. The War is Over

Music for When You're Feeling Down and Want to Cry:

1. Cough Syrup - Young the Giant
2. Fix You - Coldplay
3. Ocean Wide -   The Afters
4. Skinny Love - Birdy
5. Poison and Wine - The Civil Wars
6. 100 Years - Five for Fighting
7. Down - Jason Walker
8. Can't Go Back - Rosi Golan
9. Holding on and Letting Go - Ross Copperman
10. Chasing Cars - Snow Patrol
11. Bluebird - Sara Bareilles

Music for when you want to dance out your feelings (like in Grey's Anatomy):

1. Shake it Out - Florence and the Machine
2. Lonely Boy - The Black Keys
3. We Are the Tide - Blind Pilot
4. Dog Days are Over - Florence and the Machine
5. On Top of the World - Imagine Dragons
6. Mountain and the See - Ingrid Michaelson
7. Such a Colorful World - Max & Simon
8. Strip Me - Natasha Bedingfield
9. What You Know - Two Door Cinema Club
10. Change of Seasons - Sweet Thing
11. Some Nights - Fun.

Music for when you're feeling sappy and want to listen to songs about love:

1. Arms - Christina Perri
2. Without You - David Guetta ft. Usher
3. Speakers - Days Difference
4. Never Let Me Go - Florence and the Machine
5. All at Once - The Fray
6. Anything by Gavin Degraw (i.e. Not Over You)
7. Stay - Hurts
8. The Longest Night - Howie Day
9. I Won't Give Up - Jason Mraz
10. A Drop in the Ocean - Ron Pope
11. Drive By - Train

Music that you're a little embarrassed you like, but it always puts a smile on your face:

1. Get Some - Lykke Li
2. Want U Back - Cher Loyd
3. Swagger Jagger - Cher Loyd
4. Call Me Maybe - Carly Rae Jepson
5. Run the World (Girls) - Beyonce
6. Dance Again - J. Lo
7. I Do Not Hook Up - Kelly Clarkson
8. Sexy and I Know It - LMFAO
9. Where Them Girls At - David Guetta ft. Nicki Minaj and Flo Rida
10. Dragostea Din Tei - O-zone

Music (bands to try) for when you're in an adventurous mood:

1. The Civil Wars
2. Band of Horses
3. Imagine Dragons (Radioactive)
4. The Notwist (Consequence)
5. Alex Clare 
6. Lucy Schwartz
7. The Lumineers
8. Sounds Under Radio
9. We Were Promised Jetpacks
10. Mikky Ekko (Who Are You Really?)

Celebratory Music (that you jump around to after you finish a really long paper or receive good news):

1. Feel So Close - Calvin Harris
2. Good Feeling - Flo Rida
3. Tonight Tonight - Hot Chelle Rae
4. Party Rock Anthem - LMFAO
5. Raise Your Glass - P!nk
6. Hava Naguila - DJ Jacob
7. Glad You Came - The Wanted
8. Chasing the Sun - The Wanted
9. Drink to That - Rihanna
10. Don't Stop Believin' - Journey
11. Hello - Martin Solveig ft. Dragonette
12. Hit the Lights - Selena Gomez & the Scene

 The "Period Mix" from No Strings Attached:

1. Even Flow – Pearl Jam
2. Red Red Wine – Bob Marley
3. Sunday Bloody Sunday – U2
4. I've Got the World on a String – Frank Sinatra
5. Keep Bleeding Love – Leona Lewis
6. Tide is High – Blondie
7. Muddy Water – Johnny Rivers
8. Here Comes the Flood – Peter Gabriel
9. Red Rain – Peter Gabriel
10. Waterfalls – TLC
11. Red Red Rose – The Weepies
12. Red Tide- Neko Case
13. Why does it always Rain on Me? – travis
14. I Love You Period – Dan Baird
15. Just a Girl – No doubt
16. Here Comes the Rain Again – eurythmics
17. Everybody Hurts – REM
18. Stormy Pinkness – They might be giants
19. Time to Flow – D-Nice
20. Blood is Thicker than Water – Wyclef Jean

Barney's "Get Psyched Mix" for when you need to get psyched:

1. I Wanna Rock - Twisted Sister
2. You Give Love a Bad Name - Bon Jovi
3. Lick It Up - Kiss
4. Paradise City - Guns N' Roses
5. Dancing with Myself - Billy Idol
6. Rock You Like a Hurricane - The Scorpions
7. Panama - Van Halen
8. Talk Dirty to Me - Poison
9. Thunderstruck - AC/DC
10. Dr. Feelgood - Mötley Crüe
11. Round and Round - Ratt

Music that Motivates You/Makes You Feel Better:

1. Everything's Not Lost - Coldplay
2. The Fighter - Gym Class Heroes ft. Ryan Tedder
3. Desert Song - Hillsong Live
4. It's Time - Imagine Dragons
5. Be OK - Ingrid Michaelson
6. Home - Phillip Phillips
7. Dream - Priscilla Ahn
8. Let The Rain - Sara Bareilles
9. Redemption - The Strange Familiar
10. Still Here - Superchick
11. One More - Superchick
12. Don't You Worry Child - Swedish House Mafia
13. My Body - Young the Giant
14. The Sun Will Rise - Kelly Clarkson

 Music (soundtracks) that has (have) no lyrics for when you're writing a really long paper:

1. Any of the Pirates of the Caribbean Soundtracks (my personal favorite is the third one)
2. Snow White and the Huntsman
3. We Bought a Zoo
4. Doctor Who
5. Gladiator
   

Music that Sarah still hasn't gotten tired of (and probably never will):

1. The Pitch Perfect Soundtrack
2. Titanium - D.G. ft. Sia
3. She Wolf - D.G. ft. Sia
4. Closing Time - Semisonic
5. I'll Be Waiting - Adele
6. Too Close - Alex Clare
7. Under Pressure - Queen (really anything by Queen)
8. Clocks - Coldplay
9. You Found Me - The Fray
10. Breath of Life - Florence and the Machine
11. 24 - Jem
12. Gone Away - Lucy Schwartz
13. Anything and everything Sara Bareilles

This is a fairly abbreviated taste of the music I listen to and I am ALWAYS looking for new music so PLEASE comment with your own favorites if it doesn't waste too much of your time and energy.

It is now sufficiently late, but that's ok, only one class tomorrow then I'm on BREAK!!!  Which means making cookies and taking a nap so woo-hoo for that.  'Night World!

P.S. I am too lazy and tired to add links for all those songs at this particular moment in time, but I will do it eventually. . . . . .probably. . . . . . . .or you can just YouTube it yourself. 

Here, have a laugh before you go to bed. . . . . .or start your day?  It's funny whenever you watch it (and it's only 2 and 1/2 minutes long):

Song of the Day (Attempting to redeem my taste in music)

Not gonna lie, I enjoy listening to Cher Loyd's music, but I also love Queen and Coldplay.  My taste in music is just very diverse and not as picky as yours.

Let's Talk About Addictions

We all have them, no matter how small and innocent they are.  This is a safe space of honesty. 

According to the Bing Dictionary:
Addiction: great interest in a particular thing to which a lot of time is devoted


All of the other reputable internet dictionaries had drugs in their definition of addiction, which I just don't understand, because I think everyone in America (barring the Amish) has a technology addiction.  We all devote a lot of time to some form of technology be it computers, phones, televisions, or all of the above.  This being said, we would all go through withdrawal symptoms if those items were to be taken away from us.  Don't believe me?  Go a day without technology, I dare ya.  I, however, am not afraid to admit I have this addiction, I have many addictions, let's list them (I'm very into lists lately).

Completely Innocent List of Addictions (shameful or not) in no particular order:

1. Craisins
2. My computer
3. My phone
4. Music (not always the respectable kind, good running music is often not good music)
5. This blog
6. Making lists
7. Keeping Up With the Kardashians
8. Working out
9. Honey Nut Chex (they're delicious)
10. My nice, cozy, warm bed & sleep
11. Cozy clothes
12. Boots
13. Other shoes
14. Shopping
15. Books
16. Movies (occasionally I like the sappy ones too, I'm a lady, get over it)
17. YouTube
18. Amazon.com 
19. Horses
20. Words With Friends (I'm a beast, I triple dog dare you to beat me)
21. Pitch Perfect and the "Cups" song

No worries all, the only intervention I might possibly need is for my craisin addiction, I love them and they're not very good for you :( they're makin me fat.  Nothing terribly dangerous and nothing that causes actual chemical brain addictions (that we know of. . . . .I'm onto you craisins).

Magical Thoughts From My Poor Diseased Brain

Things I thought and/or said recently that caused amusement in my brain:

1. The Kardashians are adorable, they're really nice people. . . .oh God help me!
2. Why are Chex so damn delicious?
3. I have an addiction and it's not like my addiction to craisins, that one I can stop at any time.
4. Oh sure computer, Kardashian is a real word, but craisins isn't, check your priorities at the door please.
5. "Swagger Jagger, swagger jagger! You should get some of your own". . . . .crap.
6. Is watching Twilight more or less socially acceptable than watching KUWTK?
7. This is where I'm gonna set my snacks when I'm pregnant. . . . aw crap, I'm not gonna be able to see the TV!
8. I'm gonna take some drugs, go to bed, then take a shower.
9. Ian Somerhalder needs to get off his soapbox.
10. I don't need to finish this movie, I just read the entire book on my phone => running joke for the rest of The Color Purple you kinda had to be there
11. I'm jealous of kangaroos - can't take credit, my sister said that.
12. I think adopting a husky puppy would cure the flu. . . . .and Lyme Disease.
13. I want a pickle, like all the time.
14. I thought you misspelled idk, you actually wrote ick, as in yuck, it took me a while to figure that out.
15. Would you rather babysit: a Kardashian kid, Snooki's kid, or Honey Boo Boo?  These are the questions that haunt me. . . . . .definitely a Kardashian kid, they're such nice people.

Ha! 15, what I nice number to end a list on.  These really aren't that funny, but, in my defense, I never said they were.  Double Ha! Lawyered.  Also, that concoction at the top looks like a little piece of heaven because it involves craisins and Chex!

Song of This Most Loverly Sunday

I never said I had good taste in music. . . .

Fictional Guys Who Are Not So Fictional That I Have Lost All Hope of Finding Someone Like Them

So, let's be completely honest, guys like Noah from The Notebook and Logan from The Lucky One are the unicorns of the man world.  They're the most magical creatures, almost every girl wants one, and they don't exist.  They're fictitious, you won't find one, stop looking.  With this in mind carefully rethink your idea of a depressing movie (Marley and Me's not looking so sad now is it? I'm just kidding, if you don't think that movie's sad good luck with the rest of your life without a soul).  Seriously though, your life is not a movie, those awesome, sensitive, strong, beautiful, caring, protective guys do not exist in real life (I'm talking about the Greek-god-looking ones).  Of course I know the actors are real, but a) most of them are taken, b) most of them are probably nothing like the characters they play in the movies, and c) your chances of ending up with one of them are close to nil.

How incredibly cynical of me to say these things?  Well don't change the channel just yet, there is hope for us sappy girls of the world.  I believe in true love, and I do believe that wonderful men do exist, I'm just not holding out for a Nicolas Sparks creation.  In spite of this, I have not lost all hope in movie men, I really hope that the semi-realistic ones do exist (going along with the unicorn analogy, these men are like great racehorses).

So without further ado, here is my list of "Fictional Guys Who Are Not So Fictional That I Have Lost All Hope of Finding Someone Like Them"

1. Jesse from Pitch Perfect
2. Scott (the other Tucker) from John Tucker Must Die
3. Woodchuck Todd from Easy A
4. Marco from What to Expect When You're Expecting (I realize he probably won't be as hot as Chace Crawford - I have accepted this, and moved on)
5. Adam from 50/50
6. Logan from Veronica Mars
7. Peter from The Amazing Spiderman (I will happily take the guy without the superheroness)
8. Alex Karev from Grey's Anatomy
9. Jess from Gilmore Girls
10. Edward and/or Bruno from From Prada to Nada
11. Jack from What Happens in Vegas
12. Jasper from Elsewhere 

That's everyone I can think of right now, partially because those are all movies/tv shows I watched recently, and partially because I have flu-brain (and brain-cell-loss from watching too much Keeping Up With the Kardashians. . . . I. am. SO. ashamed.).  I may or may not add to this list as I think of other potentially less than fictional gentleman suitors.

Does it bother anyone that the list ends at 12 instead of some more acceptable end-of-list number (i.e. 15, 20, 25)?

So, all this being said, #1 is my dream man - loves movies, has juice boxes, is hilarious, sings like an angel (with looks to boot), wants to work in film. . . .writing MUSIC!! 

P.S. if I'm wrong and the Nicolas-Sparks-Unicorn-Men are real........dibs.

Songs of 11/17 and 11/18

Because I am in misery...(I know, so clever)


In case you haven't gone to see it yet, feel free to take me with you

It's 6pm and I'm Going to Bed, Song of the Day is All Ya Get

Sorry folks....hahaha.....folks......RSwhatevernewtestamentclassnumber

Song of the Day

Seriously made my day:

Last One I Swear (I also swear that I never lie...except for right now)

She's talking about horses, I had to put it up:

Funny Interviews (Ineedtogetoffyoutubeandworkoutnow)

NoIdon'tknowhowtouseaspacebarJessie.

I appreciate these people's senses of humor (they're very similar to my own), enjoy:

Song of the Day

1) This song gets stuck in my head often and easily
2) It kinda describes how I'm feeling today...sort of....ish
3) I figured out the movie it was in (I think) - Just Married starring Ashton Kutcher and Brittany Murphy (LOVE that movie, add it to my list of watch it whenever it's on)

Discouragement Meet Encouragement

I have been so conflicted lately about my future and my dreams.  Often I feel that my dreams are unachievable, but recently I saw this quote (and by recently I mean this morning): "If your dreams don't scare you... they're not big enough."  Then I thought to myself, who the hell says I'm not good enough for what I want to do? So far it's only been me, no one else has told me no.  So why shouldn't I pursue acting (after I get my BA of course)?  Why not at least try?  I've been so down on myself about this dream, it's about time I try a positive outlook.

I am a person who hates living with any sort of regret; if I don't at least try to pursue my dream (a dream I've had since I was a child) imagine what a bitter old woman I'm going to be in the future, I'm gonna be a nightmare!

Of course I realize that this road I want to take is not an easy one, it will be an incredible challenge, I realize that; I know that I'm about to enter a shark tank of extreme competitiveness, guess what, I'm extremely competitive.  I also realize that Hollywood is a land of many temptations, and I am a Christian woman.  My faith is extremely important to me and I would never want to jeopardize it.  This being said, God made me this way.  He gave me my love of film, my sharp wit, my determination, my intelligence, my dreams/goals/aspirations, and my talent.  I recently talked to a very wonderful, wise, and God-fearing woman - my God-mother - about my dirty little crackpot dream.  To my surprise, she supported me completely.  She encouraged me to go out and whole-heartedly give it a try.  When I mentioned moving to LA after I graduate she told me to do it; go there and pray about it, if it's meant to happen God will open doors, if not, He'll open some different ones, I just need to pay attention.  I felt incredibly encouraged after our chat.  On top of that, yesterday, a friend showed me a blog written by a small-town girl who moved to Hollywood to pursue acting.  She too, is a Christian with similar values and goals to myself (oh my goodness, I feel grammar Nazis everywhere cringing as they read this post - I apologize, I just don't care enough to fix it).  She is succeeding in her endeavors, God is opening many doors for her.

I feel that these two encouraging happenings/discoveries are (perhaps) God opening the door just a crack on my dreams becoming a reality.  Thus discouragement has met encouragement and I feel just a smidge better about my oh-so-unsure future (now I just need to break the news to my parents who may disown me).

Here's an entertaining interview with Jennifer Lawrence about how she became an actress- therefore it is pertinent to this post:

FOOD TRUCK ROAD TRIP!

So we all know that I have no concrete plan for the future: I know what I would love to do, I don't think it's all that probable.  However, I'm starting to develop a plan to get me there.

My latest television addiction has been "Great Food Truck Race" (I've watched almost 2 seasons of re-runs this weekend).  I am entranced by the food truck business: it looks like a lot of work, it looks fun, and it looks like something I could do.  It also, clearly, only works in big cities with large amounts of foot traffic.  This being said, it fits in well with my plan of moving to NYC/LA/Atlanta/San Francisco/etc.

New (potential) career plan: food truck owner (obviously I'll need a team...and a real chef)

My food truck shall be called GFF (Gluten Free Food/Friends/Fabulous/whateverfloatsyourboat) and I will serve fantastic gluten (and other allergen) free food...but I also like the idea of making things with cheese so not everything will be all allergen free- everything will be gluten free.

Anywho my awesome food truck will serve all sorts of foods that people with gluten allergies want to eat, but can't because they have gluten:

• Pancakes - not just your average pancake, there will be different flavors
• Gourmet Hamburgers and possibly corn dogs
• Hot-pressed sandwiches (paninis)
• Desserts (there may be pie every once in a while)

One thing I've learned from TGFR is to keep the menu fairly simple, easy to prepare, and tasty....also make something that sets you apart from other street food.

I am now tired of writing this post and not really sure why I started writing it in the first place, here's an adorable penguin:

Thirty Day Challenge in One Day

This video has nothing whatsoever to do with my post today...enjoy!

 

Day One: Top Five Favorite Excuses
  1. My pet rock just died, I need a day to mourn
  2. It's too early
  3. It's too late
  4. It's Monday
  5. My pet unicorn fed it to my goat
(I'll let you in on a secret - I don't actually have a goat)


Day Two: Top Five Favorite Books You’ve Read For School (in no particular order)
  1. The Bad Seed
  2. The Other Boleyn Girl
  3. Animal Farm
  4. Of Mice and Men
  5. A Thousand Splendid Suns

Day Three: Top Five Names You Wish Were Yours
  1. Katherine
  2. Elizabeth
  3. Isobel
  4. Joliette
  5. Bridgette
(so many nickname opportunities that I will never have)

Day Four: Top Five Favorite Things About The Internet
  1. It knows everything
  2. It's fairly speedy
  3. It's composed of pure truth
  4. It has the Twitter Machine and the YouTube Monster
  5. It never wastes my time
(Try and figure out if I'm being sarcastic)

Day Five: Top Five Places You’d Like To Live
  1. Somewhere in Scotland
  2. New York City
  3. Somewhere in Cali - LA, San Francisco, what evs
  4. Somewhere in England
  5. Toledo, Spain

Day Six: Top Five Things That Happened To You This Past Year
  1. I changed my major for better or worse (and added a Spanish minor)
  2. I sang a solo (and rocked it)
  3. I lost 20 lbs. (and still going)
  4. I joined a small group
  5. I learned to sing and play "Cups"

Day Seven: Top Five Favorite Historical Figures
  1. Betty White (just kidding)
  2. Katherine of Aragon
  3. Abraham Lincoln
  4. Julia Child
  5. Penny Chenery

Day Eight: Top Five Biggest Fictional Crushes
  1. Logan Thibault - The Lucky One
  2. Ren MacCormack - Footloose
  3. Damon Salvatore - The Vampire Diaries (at least it's not Edward :p)
  4. Marco - What to Expect When You're Expecting (a. He's a really good guy, b. He can cook, c. He was played by Chace Crawford...so sue me)
  5. Jesse - Pitch Perfect (the boy loves movies and sings like an angel, clearly it's meant to be)
  
Day Nine: Top Five People You’d Like To Kill
  1. Hitler
  2. Hitler
  3. Hitler
  4. Hitler
  5. Done

Day Ten: Top Five Reasons You Feel The Way You Do Right Now
  1. I got up at 6am after going to bed at midnight
  2. I had some coffee
  3. That coffee was a while ago
  4. It's Saturday
  5. I haven't exercised today

Day Eleven: Top Five Languages You Wish You Were Fluent In
  1. Russian
  2. Yiddish
  3. Cantonese
  4. French
  5. Dog (give me the hotdog)

Day Twelve: Top Five Trends/Styles You Abhor
  1. YOLO
  2. Boys wearing skinny jeans
  3. Girls who need a man to be happy
  4. Twihardism
  5. People who can seem to finish their words (ex. Totes v. Totally, Probs v. Probably)
 
Day Thirteen: Top Five Dream Jobs
  1. Oscar-nominated actress
  2. Horse Therapy Clinic (for troubled youth and inmates)
  3. Something in a zoo (that doesn't involve giant poo)
  4. Food Truck Chef
  5. Tour Guide
(bottom 3 are just things that sound fun at the moment)

Day Fourteen: Top Five Things You’d Do If You Had Magical Abilities
  1. Turn into any animal I want - see the world
  2. Move things with my mind - correct stupid driving behaviors
  3. Implant thoughts in people's minds - world peace (or is it world domination? haHaHAHAHAH)
  4. Physical regeneration - hostage negotiator (ya can't hurt me, I'm the perfect hostage), oh and olympic gymnast because I would stop aging once I was at perfect health
  5. Manipulate the time/space continuum - find the doctor

Day Fifteen: Top Five Favorite Beverages
  1. Water - I drink it all the time, I'd die without it
  2. Chai Tea - it's my comfort beverage
  3. Cappuccino/Coffee - the juice of life
  4. Strawberry/Mango Lemonade thing I had that one time
  5. Herbal Tea

Day Sixteen: Top Five Things In Life You’d Like An Explanation For
  1. Mosquitoes and ticks - they serve no purpose
  2. Spiders as pets - that's just wrong
  3. Why did we bale out the banks instead of dispersing that money amongst the American population with the stipulation that they must spend it in the U.S., within a year (now that would have boosted the economy)
  4. Hatred in general (why can't we be friends bro?)
  5. Why hasn't anyone invented 0 calorie chocolate?

Day Seventeen: Top Five Favorite Things To Do Where You Live
  1. Ride horses
  2. Run
  3. Go see movies
  4. Hot Yoga
  5. Burst into song in public places

Day Eighteen: Top Five Favorite Sporting Events
  1. Gymnastics
  2. Rodeos
  3. Football
  4. Other equestrian events
  5. Soccer

Day Nineteen: Top Five Favorite Sandwiches
  1. Anything with meatballs
  2. Turkey, swiss, every available vegetable
  3. Hamburgers
  4. Pizza Wraps
  5. Anything I can cook in a skillet

Day Twenty: Top Five Most Annoying Celebrities
  1. Miley Cyrus
  2. Lindsey Lohan
  3. Ashton Kutcher (sorry bro but you ruined 2 and 1/2 Men)
  4. Kristin Stewart
  5. Politicians - I'm tired of seeing them on my TV, I would like to not see them on my TV for a very long LONG time

Day Twenty-One: Top Five Movies You Quote Constantly (it is really hard to pick just 5)
  1. Spaceballs
  2. Monty Python and the Holy Grail
  3. Easy A
  4. Baby Mama
  5. Pitch Perfect- just lately (mostly from random bursts of song that escape my mouth)
 
Day Twenty-Two: Top Five Sexiest People of Your(ish) Generation
  1. Ryan Reynolds
  2. Skylar Astin - that's a boy
  3. Kenny Wormald
  4. Alex Pettyfer
  5. Tyler Posey

Day Twenty-Three: Top Five Worst Teachers You’ve Ever Had
  1. That sub who made us put our heads down so she could yack on her phone in 4th grade
  2. My organobiochem professor freshman year
  3. Any teacher who never let the class play "Heads Up, 7 Up"
  4. The teacher in 5th grade who used to talk about the SARS pandemic killing us all (that is definitely a good story for children - well done)
  5. The people who greatly influenced my switching majors for the negative

Day Twenty-Four: Top Five Things You Do During “Me-Time”
  1. Go for a run
  2. Ride my horse
  3. Drive with the windows down and the radio blasting, sing loudly
  4. Yoga
  5. Read a book/watch a movie (probably more accurate)

Day Twenty-Five: Top Five Products You Most Desire
  1. Boots
  2. An elliptical
  3. Something to make my hair curly
  4. A car of my own
  5. A jetpack
 

Day Twenty-Six: Top Five Most Useful Inventions
  1. The elliptical
  2. KitchenAid
  3. SlapChop
  4. Indoor plumbing (this really should be #1, but there is no particular order)
  5. ForeverLazy

Day Twenty-Seven: Top Five Most Annoying Things About Yourself
  1. I'm a little shy and socially awkward - you kinda have to make the first move and be confident because I am not - also, my shyness sometimes comes off as bitchiness, I probably do want to talk to you, I'm just not because I don't know what to say (if you think I'm being a bitch, I probably really like you)
  2. My thighs
  3. My short fuse
  4. My tendency towards procrastination
  5. My lonerness

Day Twenty-Eight: Top Five Favorite TV Shows
  1. Alias
  2. ER
  3. Heroes (first 3 seasons ONLY)
  4. Friends/How I Met Your Mother (they're basically the exact same show)
  5. Doctor Who
  6. Vampire Diaries
  7. Las Vegas
  8. Heartland
  9. Lost (first 4 seasons)
and the list goes on...

Day Twenty-Nine: Top Five Biggest Guilty Pleasures
  1. Dance Moms
  2. Revenge
  3. The Twilight books
  4. Cookie Dough
  5. Craisins

Day Thirty: Top Five Favorite Song Lyrics (that you can think of right now because there are definitely more than 5)
  1. "Don't you worry, don't you worry child!  See Heaven's got a plan for you..."
  2. "I wanna darken in the skies, open the floodgates up.  I wanna change my mind, I wanna be enough..."
  3. "Lights will guide you home, and ignite your bones, and I will try to fix you..."
  4. "And so here we go bluebird, back to the sky on your own. Oh, let him go bluebird.  Ready to fly, you and I, here we go. Here we go...."
  5. "It's going down, fade to Blackstreet
The homies got RB, collab' creations
Bump like Acne, no doubt
I put it down, never slouch
As long as my credit can vouch
A dog couldn't catch me ass out
Tell me who can stop when Dre making moves
Attracting honeys like a magnet
Giving em eargasms with my mellow accent
Still moving this flavour
With the homies Blackstreet and Teddy
The original rump shakers..." (because the other 4 were serious)

Movie Review: 96 Minutes

So I watched this movie for no reason other than it looked pretty good and I found it on YouTube.  Let me just say that I am so glad I watched it  It was a really well-done movie (at least I thought so, you may think otherwise for you are not me) about an actual event. 

Plus we've been discussing inchoate crimes/parties to a crime and this movie encompasses all of those things.  I almost wish we could've watched it in class then picked it apart in terms of crimes committed, inchoate crimes, and the different parties involved.  Better yet, this movie should have been our test - watch it and then write a persuasive essay about who should be charged with what crime and why.  I digress.
 
It's based on a true story about a 4 people involved in a car-jacking: 2 college seniors and 2 high school boys.  The actual car-jacking and 96 minutes afterwords are shot in semi-real time.  The movie starts with the car-jacking already in progress, then cuts back and forth between events earlier in the day that lead up to the event.  It's a little confusing, but you become more oriented as the movie progresses (I thought it was clever, but I like thinking movies).

Things I Liked:

• The plot is compelling and kept me on the edge of my seat
• The movie is well-acted
• I like thrillers, this movie met my needs for that category
• This movie made me think, not only about what was going to happen next/what happened earlier that day, but about how the little choices you make throughout your day can change your life - butterfly effect type stuff
• It kept me guessing
• I did NOT know how it was going to end
• It was also interesting to examine from a criminal justice point of view (thinking up all the crimes I could charge the carjackers with)
• It brought light to something that happens every day - carjacking/gang violence

Things I Didn't Like:

• Not gonna lie, I was confused at the beginning
• Shakey camera at times and really close close-ups - but I do understand why they used these techniques

Honestly there wasn't a whole lot that I didn't like - I really enjoyed this movie.

Similarish Movies (in my opinion):

• The Next Three Days
• Twelve (according to IMdB)
• Limitless 

That's my schpeel, it's a good crime thriller if that's something you enjoy watching.  Here is a link to the movie. 

Happy Weekend!