Until Now

I have to look at this poster all day at work.

Up until today, I didn't give it a second thought. Now it makes me sad.

Vanilla Twilight

Right now I am sitting outside on the front porch being dined upon by ravenous mosquitoes as the moths flock to the light of my laptop screen. The neighbor kids are lighting fireworks down the street and the popping sounds echo off the mountains and interrupt my train of thought.

The other day I dropped my laptop and it landed on the power cord, right where it plugs in to the back. It broke off a crucial piece. Now I have to order a $20 piece of plastic that is the size of my pinky fingernail, and somehow manage to install it without breaking anything else.

Me + the Apple Store + my iPod = FAIL. Me + Google + my iPod = FIXED.

Jelli.net is awesome. Also, Last.fm, ftw.

I managed to get through the day only having told one person the fuck off and get a life. It’s okay, it was on the Internet. It’s still early, though.

This root beer float is delicious.

New playlist: Passion Pit, Modest Mouse, Owl City, The Shins.

There is a nest of five tiny baby birds inside the hanging flower basket outside my front door. They squeak and chirp so helplessly. I feel really sad for them for some reason.

I finished my clinical hours at the hospital. Tomorrow morning I find out when I can take my state boards. When I learn the date of those tests, I will know precisely when I can leave this damn place for good and escape to a city that knows my name…. the city where I want to be.

For now, I just sit and listen. To this:

Shady Wireless In The Projects

I am parked outside the Seattle Housing Autority Project near the waterfront. And, No, I will not be connecting to Darrell's Manhole.

Eight x Six

8 Things I like a whole lot:

Pie. I was going to say just pumpkin pie, but then I decided not to discriminate.
Sleeping In. Or perhaps just sleeping in general. I've had the chance to sleep in the last 3 days because I didn't have to work at all. I like it even better when the weather is crappy.
Traveling. I love getting on a plane and going to explore a new place. I especially like going alone... it's amazing. I also really enjoy going to places that aren't new... to see friends and family.
Rain. Yeah, I love the rain. I only like the snow for a little while, and then I'm sick of it.
Candles. Right now I am enjoying the relaxing fragrance of AVEDA's 'Shampure" candle.... it's the best smell in the universe.
Good song lyrics. "Words make you think a thought. Music makes you feel a feeling. A song makes you feel a thought." --E.Y. Harburg
Laughing. I particularly love laughing until I can't breathe, especially at stupid things that only a few people understand.
The Beach. It's where I wish I was now, and where I won't be for a while. I love the sand between my toes, and the sun on my face. Cliche, I know.

8 Phrases I Say Often:

"She is trag." As in, 'tragic'. Most likely when referring to someone with unfortunate style, or poor hygiene.
"Suriously?" Pronounced like the name of TomKat's offspring.
"Yo." The usual way I answer the phone when my dad is calling.
"Is he/she kidding me?" A multi-purpose saying, most likely spoken when someone is wearing/doing/saying/acting/looking like anything I object to.
"I'm not going to answer that." Why answer the phone when you don't feel like it?
"What the fungool?" I like to swear in Italian.
"I don't have enough money." 'Nuff said.
"Are you on the phone?" I don't like interrupting people when they are on the phone... it's a pet peeve of mine, so I don't do it to other people if I can help it.

8 Things I want to do before I die:

Have a fairy-tale romance. Who doesn't want to live in a chick-flick... even for a moment?
Have a baby or two. My goal is to produce the first legitimate grandchildren in my family.
Go to Paris. Did you read the part about traveling?
Own the home of my dreams. Hellooooo, House Beautiful magazine!
Go skydiving. Always wanted to do this.
Make more money than I know what to do with. So I can build that dream home... and maybe I'll give some away.
Become the healthiest I can be. And look damn good while doing so.
Stay connected to my best of friends. Yeah, they are amazing.

8 Things I've learned from my past:

It's called a breakup because it's broken. Seriously... read the book if you don't believe me.
Even the most normal-seeming people can turn out to be crazies. It took me more than once to realize this.
Happiness is a journey, not a destination. So true, that I have this on my bedroom wall.
When the horse bucks you off, you have to get back in the saddle right away, or you'll never ride again. Literally, and figuratively.
Your roommates will never become your best friends. No matter how much you like each other at the time.
Once a cheater, always a cheater. You can take the boy out of the trash, but you can't take the trash out of the boy.
Worrying does not empty tomorrow of its troubles, it empties today of its strength.You just have to let it go.
Sometimes the best therapy is a pint of Ben and Jerry's and a good friend. I've used this one more than once, for sure.

8 Places I'd love to visit

Paris, France. The Eiffel Tower, The Louvre, Shopping, Cafes.... what could be better?
Oahu, Hawaii. I'll go when Leah is home :)
Seattle, Washington. Herrrro, seester!
London, England. Hellooooo European exploration!
Glenwood Springs, Colorado. Hot Springs in the Winter are the BEST!
San Diego, California. I need the ocean!
New York, New York. I want to live in a Gossip Girl fantasy.
Boston, Massachusetts. I will see a Red Sox game next season.

8 Things I Currently Need or Want:

To lose weight. I just want to be healthy again, and stop fluctuating so much. I see pictures of myself sometimes and wonder what I've become.

More money. I don't think I need to explain this one, do I?

My own place again. Living with your parents when you're 24 isn't all it's cracked up to be.

A car. I've been without for ten months now, and it sucks.

A better wardrobe. I really suck at buying clothes. I tend to get stuck in a rut and continually buy the same three things I don't need: sweats, underwear, and shoes.

A camera that can take decent pictures at live concerts. I love the camera I have right now-- I bought it for myself for my birthday last year-- but last weekend I realized that it has never taken a good shot at a concert. Maybe it's my fault, but I don't think so.. My very first digital was a 3.1 mega pixel Sony brick, and it took AWESOME pics at concerts.

To not live in Utah. Yeah, not my favorite place.

A best friend who works in the Airline industry. So I can have hookups on plane fare. I could do so many more fun things if I didn't have to worry about paying for airfare.

Third Eye Blind in Denver

Yesterday I happened to score some really great seats for the Third Eye Blind concert in Denver, for an awesome price I couldn’t pass up. Of course I would see them at almost any price, but these tickets were definitely a steal. I don’t have all of my pictures downloaded yet, so I’ll attach a couple and put the rest up later.

Think I’m just going to post the review of the show that I wrote for the band’s website, so if it’s worded a little funny, or you don’t know who these people are, that’s why. Stephan is the lead singer, Brad is drums, Tony is guitar, and Abe is the brand-new bassist who was brought in a couple weeks ago. Here’s the review:

Best show I've ever been to, hands down! The song choices were perfect, and the set was great! I was able to score some close orchestra tickets, and the theater staff let me stand at the stage for the whole show. I was all the way stage left, and had a great view of Brad and Abe. Abe sounded great on bass, and I really like him in the band. I really liked how they had the “Ursa” couch, and how they pulled it up to do a set of songs—it made it seem like the show was a little more

intimate. At one point during “Don’t Believe a Word”, Stephan made eye contact, so I motioned him over from where he was standing at the microphone, and he walked directly over to me and stepped up on a speaker to grab my hand, and of course I loved it. The encore was the BEST, and the acapella rendition of Bonfire at the end with the crowd clapping was amazing. I like that song a lot, and I think it works really well with the crowd. Of course they did their show staple, “Slow Motion” and also “God of Wine” in the encore as well, which were both great songs.

About halfway through the show, the members of the opening band, Low Vs. Diamond came out and stood with the crowd for a while. During “Jumper” I turned to them and told them they did a great job. They seemed to really be enjoying themselves, and a couple of them even sang along a bit.

After the show, I waited for the guys, and was able to chat with two of the permanent stage managers that tour with them. (I’m not sure if the title is “stage manager” or not, but that’s kind of what they were doing, so that’s what I’m calling them) The stage manager was cool and answered a couple of questions about the tour, and the band, which was really nice of him. I thanked him for talking to us, and he said something like, "No problem, you guys are cool, unlike that lady over there..." and he pointed to an obnoxiously drunk girl who had been throwing herself around and bothering the guys all night.

I talked to a couple of Abe's friend's, and then Abe came out and signed a couple autographs. I asked him if he was planning on joining the band, and he told me he would like to if it works out. He also said, "Tonight was the first night they let me do some vocals. Did you hear me singing?" Oh, and he said he wants to grow his beard out really long, like a pirate. (His words, not mine.)

Brad came out next and took a picture with us. He was smiling, and seemed pretty happy. He said he would go get a pen and he would sign some autographs. I asked him if Shelby signs autographs too, and he said “That would be funny. I’ll have to get her a stamp or something.” After he went and got Shelby he came back and signed my Red Star shirt and ticket stub, so that was awesome. There was an after party in the theater that the guys were going to, but they said they'd be back out. When he came back, he hung out and talked with fans for quite a while and answered a bunch of questions. He told me what his current favorite song to play live is, and answered more silly questions like that. He is super down-to-earth and just stood there and chatted away with us. Shelby was with him, and she had her own all-access pass on her collar, which was adorable. Brad took some more pictures with us, and signed some more autographs. (SIDENOTE: Brad has been my favorite band member from the moment I met him at Red Rocks in 2002 when he came out and talked with the fans. I love that he does this.)

When Tony came out, he was still wearing his sunglasses, and he shook some hands and went straight to the bus and then back into the theater. When he came out a while later, he signed autographs, and when a fan asked for a guitar pick, Tony walked over to the stuff that was being loaded into the truck, and got a pick for the fan, and signed it. He signed my Red Star shirt and ticket stub and took some pictures with us. He escaped to the bus fairly quickly, and didn’t hang out as long as the other guys did. Still cool, though.

After all the other guys came and went, and came back and got on the bus, we were still waiting for Stephan to make an appearance. Most of the people waiting outside had left by then, and just as we were contemplating giving up, Stephan came out. He was super cool, and as usual, his assistant told everyone to line up, and he would go down the line to take pictures and sign for us. He did, and just as we were set to take a picture, the camera died. The assistant said, “Battery dead” and handed it back to us as Stephan said, “Story of my life.” I asked Stephan, “Will you sign my limited edition Red Star shirt?” He said, “Of course I will.” I told him I was rocking out in the front row, and he said, “I know! I couldn’t forget that shirt.” That part made me happy. My brother said to Stephan that it was his first 3EB show, and Stephan asked him what he thought. After Stephan moved on to another group of fans, I asked someone if they could take a picture on their iPhone and send it to me. I asked the assistant and she said it was okay if we got in the end of the line. We got another attempt at a picture, but the assistant took a really crappy, blurry one and then said, “That’s it.” I told Stephan I really liked the new stuff, and he smiled really big and said, “Thank you so very much. Goodnight.” That was also freaking awesome. Then he got on the bus, and it was over.

All in all, it was an AMAZING experience. I wouldn’t trade it for anything. I am suffering from rock show withdrawals, though. I am sitting here listening to every 3EB song I have in iTunes and I keep just wanting to skip to the next one because it doesn't sound quite right. They were meant to be played live. Also, I just found out that some friends of mine were able to get passes to the afterparty, and all they did was ask. That’s a bummer.

Yesses And Nos

I know I haven't posted in a long time, so thats exactly what I'm doing. I don't feel like posting anything real, though, so here's one of those dumb survey things from FaceBook.

1. You can ONLY answer Yes or No.

2. You are NOT ALLOWED to explain ANYTHING unless someone messages or comments you and asks. -- and believe me, the temptation to explain some of these will be overwhelming nothing is exactly as it seems.

Now, here's what you're supposed to do. . . Copy and paste this into your notes, delete my answers, type in your answers and tag as many of your friends as you'd like to.

Kissed any one of your Facebook friends? Yes

Been arrested? No

Kissed someone you didn't like? Yes

Slept in until 5 PM? Yes

Fallen asleep at work/school? Yes

Held a snake? Yes

Ran a red light? Yes

Been suspended from school? No

Experienced love at first sight? No

Totaled your car in an accident? Yes

Been fired from a job? Yes

Fired somebody? No

Sang karaoke? Yes

Pointed a gun at someone? No

Done something you told yourself you wouldn't? Yes

Laughed until something you were drinking came out your nose? Yes

Caught a snowflake on your tongue? Yes

Kissed in the rain? Yes

Had a close brush with death (your own)? No

Seen someone die? Yes

Played spin-the-bottle? Yes

Sang in the shower? Yes

Smoked a cigar? Yes

Sat on a rooftop? Yes

Taken pictures of yourself? Yes

Smuggled something into another country? No

Been pushed into a pool with all your clothes? No

Broken a bone? Yes

Skipped school? Yes

Eaten a bug? Yes

Sleepwalked? Yes

Walked a moonlit beach? Yes

Rode a motorcycle? Yes

Dumped someone? No

Forgotten your anniversary? No

Lied to avoid a ticket? No

Ridden on a helicopter? No

Shaved your head? No

Blacked out from drinking? No

Played a prank on someone? Yes

Hit a home run? No

Felt like killing someone? Yes

Cross-dressed? No

Been falling-down drunk? Yes

Made your girlfriend/boyfriend cry? Yes

Eaten snake? No

Marched/Protested? Yes

Had Mexican jumping beans for pets? No

Puked on amusement ride? No

Seriously & intentionally boycotted something? Yes

Been in a band? No

Knitted? Yes

Been on TV? Yes

Shot a gun? Yes

Skinny-dipped? Yes

Been in a fist fight? No

Eaten a whole habenero pepper? No

Ridden a surfboard? No

Drank straight from a liquor bottle? Yes

Had surgery? Yes

Streaked? Yes

Taken by ambulance to hospital? No

Passed out when not drinking? Yes

Peed on a bush? Yes

Donated Blood? Yes

Grabbed electric fence? Yes

Eaten alligator meat? No

Eaten cheesecake? Yes

Eaten your kids/siblings Halloween candy? Yes

Killed an animal when not hunting? Yes

Peed your pants in public? Yes

Snuck into a movie without paying? Yes

Written graffiti? No

Still love someone you shouldn't? Yes

Think about the future? Yes

Been in handcuffs? Yes

Believe in love? Yes

Sleep on a certain side of the bed? Yes

It All Evens Out

"I have a feeling it all evens out, you know. At the very end of your life you're going to sit down at the table and you're gonna shuffle out the good and the bad, and it's all gonna make perfect sense to you when you figure out that in the accounting books it all comes out completely even. But then you're gonna ask, 'What was it all for?' and they're gonna say, 'Well, you did it, didn't you?'"

-John Mayer

It's That Time Again...

It’s that time again… moving time.  Tine to un-decorate.  Time to pack.  Time to thin out all of my junk.  There’s nothing like a move to help you get rid of things.

 

I started the process two weeks ago, packing small boxes of things, and sending them on their way.  Now it’s down to the wire, and I have to get all the rest of this junk packed and ready to go for tomorrow.  You’d think I have it pretty much done by now… but I don’t.  Not even close.  It doesn’t help that I could win trophies for my procrastinating skills, if there were such trophies.  (See, I’m doing it again, by going off on a tangent about procrastinating…typical.) 

 

Here’s my problem—I collect things.  Not really any certain thing in particular, just things.  So, I have a lot of things to sort through and thin out.  I guess in a way I’m kind of lucky that I move so much, or I would have waaay more things in my collection of things, due to never having to thin it out.  I sifted through my clothes, and got rid of about a third of what I had.  Sounds great, right?  No.  I still have too much stuff.  For example, I bought one of those vacuum-pack space-saving bags so I could put my down comforter in it and compress the hell out of it, and hopefully it would take up less space.  The particular bag came with a free smaller ‘travel’ bag in the package with it.  I decided to put my underwear in it.  Well, let’s just say that now my underwear now only take up one-fifth of the volume in my giant suitcase, instead of one-half.  The bag does its job marvelously, but my stuff is still too much.  You may be wondering why I can’t just get rid of more stuff, and the answer is quite simple, really… because I NEED eighteen pairs of pajama pants, damn it!  I NEED THEM!

I had some sort of analogy about an elephant in a petting zoo that I was going to use here, but I’m deliriously tired, and can’t remember it, so you’ll just have to make up your own, and hope it’s a funny as mine was going to be.

Travel Time

I know I said in my last post that I would update about my trip as soon as I got home.  I also am aware that I didn’t do that.  I don’t really feel like explaining why I didn’t do that (mostly because that explanation would probably go something like this: “I was too lazy”).

 

So, here it is.  I went to Seattle.  Then to Portland.  Then back to Seattle.  Then to Portland again.  Then back to Seattle again.  Then I came home to Denver.  All in eight days.  I went to visit my seester. 

While nothing super eventful happened, I still got to explore a new city, and I really love to explore urban areas.

 

I won a slap bet against my brother-in-law.   In case you were wondering, this place is not called The Butterfly Pavilion.

 

Yes, I went to the Space Needle, but I my camera battery was long dead so I didn’t take any pictures.  It was lame, though, because a “private party” was being held there that evening, and they pretty much kicked us out early so they could set up for the party.  They weren’t very good at keeping the party a secret, though, but I don’t know how you could hide a 300 pound ice sculpture in the shape of the new Seattle Sounders logo.

 

I went got to spend some quality time in my favorite book store. 

Of course I went to Pike Place Market.  I really liked it there, and went back a second time so I could get some pictures. 

It rained a lot, but I like rain.  I ate some stellar Thai food, delicious Cuban food, and a crappy chicken salad sandwich.  I got blisters on my feet, I took lots of buses, rode a monorail, and a light rail.  I slept on a couch, the coldest air mattress on the planet, and a bed.  I went to a concert for a local Seattle band, which I ended up liking a lot. 

 

It was a pretty good trip.

Sneak Peek

This week I am spending some time traveling. I'll post when I return next week, but for now, here's a sneak peek at some places I've been:

I Am A Superhero

www.toothpastefordinner.com

Open-Ended Questions

Hi, my name is:
Emily

Never in my life have I been:
arrested. I've been transported in the back of a police car, but I wasn't technically arrested.

The one person who can drive me nuts is:
the same person who gives me everything, makes me laugh the hardest, and teaches me the most.

“High school:
is like a spork: it's a crappy spoon and a crappy fork, so in the end it's just plain useless.” (John Mayer)

When I’m nervous:
I chew the cuticles on my thumbs. When I run out of thumb cuticle, I move on to my fingers. It's gross, really.

The last song I listened to was:
“Second Born” by Third Eye Blind

If I were to get married right now my best man/maid of honor:
would wear a dress that doesn't suck.

My hair is:
dirty.

When I was 5:
my favorite outfit was a pair of white overall shorts with a bright colored fruit pattern on them, an orange shirt, and pink socks.

Last Christmas:
I ate all the potato salad.

I should be:
in bed, but I'm sitting on the floor. Now my butt is numb.

When I look down I see:
a buffalo.

The happiest recent event was:
booking a plane ticket to get out of here for a week.

If I were a character on ‘Friends’ I’d be:
Ms. Chanandler Bong.

By this time next year:
I'll be a year older than I am now.

My current gripe is:
I'm only tired when I shouldn't be sleeping.

I have a hard time understanding:
why I have to call Jack Malone every time I talk to a semi-promising guy.

There’s this girl I know that:
will always feel a little bit guilty that she was such a whore her sophomore year in college, and now has to live with that mistake for the rest of her life while trying to convince herself that she made the right decision.

You know I like you when:
I make fun of you, or your dog, or your job, or your clothes, or your grammar.

If I won an award, the first person I would tell would be:
my seester.

Take my advice:
and DO NOT ever put your keys on top of the toilet tank.

The thing I want to buy:
tickets to a concert that hasn't been announced yet.

If you visited the place I was born:
you would be surprised to know that people in that city actually shave their legs, eat junk food, and wear shoes other than Birkenstocks or Crocs (sometimes).

I plan to visit:
my seester soon.

If you spent the night at my house:
we could share a bed, but only if you promise not to stink up the room like the last houseguest did ;)

I’d stop my wedding if:
Chuck Bass stood up and objected right before "or forever hold your peace."

The world could do without:
Utah. Seriously, I wouldn't even miss it.

Most recent thing I’ve bought myself:
some crappy stuff I'm planning on taking back to Sephora.

Most recent thing someone else made me:
a drawing of a deformed ballerina-- "I didn't even trace it, that's how good of a drawer I am."

Out of my friends, My favorite blonde is:
Leah Jean was pretty awesome as a blonde, but she's a hotter brunette. I'm going to have to go with Holly.

My favorite red head is:
6'6"

My favorite black hair is:
the one that is not in my salad.

My middle name is:
three letters long and boring.

In the morning I:
either sleep, or wish I was asleep.

Once, at a bar:
I saw Efram Zimbalist III, and an Aryan.

Last night I was:
doing the same thing I'm doing tonight.

There’s this guy I know who:
functions as a commercial paint sprayer.

If I was an animal I’d be:
a buffalo.

A better name for me would be:
Associate Professor Madame Captain Emily Cooley, PhD, CPA, MD, NASTAT, CPhys, IIA, Esq

Tomorrow I am:
simultaneously judging and playing in a magnetic darts tournament.

Tonight I am:
eating Girl Scout cookies for dinner.

My birthday is:
depending on how you count it-
either 45 days, 1091 hours, 65510 minutes, or 3930651 seconds from now.

Spiders On Drugs

Pause the music above before playing, as the narration on this clip is amazing.

My Weekend

You're Really Asking For It


nataliedee.com

More Questions ... and Some Answers

1. The phone rings. Who do you want it to be?
Since RT got fired for his poor communication skillz, I'll go with Nate Archibald.

2. When shopping at the grocery store, Do you return your cart?
If I feel like someone is watching....otherwise, I either ditch it on the curb, or if I'm feeling daring, hurl it into the side of a Winnebago full of sleeping carnies.

3. In a social setting, Are you more of a talker or a listener?
It really depends on a lot of different factors. Usually if I know the people, I'm a talker, and if I don't, I'll listen.

4. Do you take compliments well?
I used to have a hard time with this, but I've made it a point to do better, and I think I do.

5. Do you play Sudoku?
If I am bored. I used to have a super Sudoku program on my phone, but now I have a more cumbersome one, so I don't play it anymore.

6. If abandoned alone in the wilderness, would you survive?
Of course! Two words: Girl Scouts.

7. Do you like to ride horses?
Love it. The summer after I turned 14 I went to a horse camp... Girl Scouts again.

8. Did you ever go to camp as a kid?
Besides the horse camp? Yes. When I was nine I was at day camp and fell off a log and cracked my head on a cast-iron grill... damn Girl Scouts.

9. What was your favorite game as a kid?
I didn't really play games much. I liked playing outside. My babysitter had Sega, and I kicked ass at Sonic The Hedgehog.

10. If a sexy person was pursuing you, But you knew he/she was married, what would you do?
I'm supposed to say "No" to this, but I'm gonna have to agree with Nicole, and say, "Is he a doctor?" :)

12. Could you date someone with different religious beliefs than
you?
Yeah.

13. Do you like to pursue or be pursued?
Be pursued... what girl doesn't?

14. Use Three words to describe yourself?
Funny, Pink, Buffalo

15. Do any songs make you cry?
Three songs. Not telling.

16. Are you continuing your education?
I did, and then I stopped, and maybe I will again someday.

17. Do you know how to shoot a gun?
Not a handgun.

18. If your house was on fire, what would be the first thing you grabbed?
I don't really have any material possessions in this house worth risking my life for.

19. How often do you read books?
I wish it were more often.

20. Do you think more about the past, present or future?
Mostly the present, but a lot about the future.

21. What is your favorite childrens' book?
Harold And The Purple Crayon, Where The Wild Things Are, Quick As A Cricket

22. What color are your eyes?
Dark blue

23. How tall are you?
5'6"

24. Where is your dream house located?
I'm not sure yet.

27. Have you ever taken pictures in a photo booth?
Yes.

28. When was the last time you were at Olive Garden?
A year and a half-ish ago.

30. Where was the furthest place you traveled today?
Broadway and Alameda.

32. Do you like mustard?
All different kids.

33. Do you prefer to sleep or eat?
Sleep... always.

34. Do you look like your mom or dad?
I look like my sister.

35. How long does it take you to shower?
Too long.

36. Can you do a split?
Right split only.

37. What movie do you want to see?
"He's Just Not That Into You"

39. What did you do for New Year’s Eve?
Watched something crappy and boring on TV.

40. Do you think The Grudge was scary?
Ha ha ha ha.... not really. Matt scared me, but the movie didn't

42. Do you have your own cellphone?
Since December of 2001... it was the softest piece of plastic I ever laid eyes on.

44. Were you ever a cheerleader or on a dance team?
Not a team, but I danced.

45. Whats the last letter of your middle name?
N. No E... NO E!!!

47. How many hours of sleep do you get a night?
I usually sleep during the day, so not many.

48. Do you like Care Bears?
Sure. I sort of inherited a Care Bears sleeping bag when I was little... pretty neat.

49. What do you buy at the movies?
I try to make other people buy it for me... Diet Coke and some popcorn. If I'm going all out, a box of Junior Mints.

50. Do you know how to play Poker?
"I wanna hold em' like they do in Texas Plays
Fold em' let em' hit me raise it baby stay with me (I love it)
Luck and intuition play the cards with Spades to start
And after he's been hooked I'll play the one that's on his heart"

51. Do you wear your seatbelt?
Always

52. What do you wear to sleep?
Sleep pants, and a cotton t-shirt. I tried night shirts, but I don't like feeling my legs while I'm trying to sleep.

53. Anything big ever happen in your hometown?
Jon Benet.

54. How many meals do you eat in a day?
I'm not a regular eater... sometimes none, sometimes three or four.

55. Is your tongue pierced?
Gross.

56. Do you always read MySpace bulletins?
Myspace is the whore of the Internet.

58. Do you like funny or serious people better?
Funny people... unless the serious people are funny because they are so serious, but then I guess that makes them funny people.

59. Ever been to Los Angeles?
Yep... more than a few times.

60. Did you eat a cookie today?
I wish.

61. Do you use cuss words in other languages?
What the fongool?!?!

62. Do you steal or pay for your music downloads?
I like to utilize loopholes in the system.

63. Do you hate chocolate?Obviously, only a hater would phrase the question this way. I like chocolate. (And so does Raz)

64. What do you and your parents fight about the most?
I have been trying not to fight with my mom lately, and this has resulted in long periods of non-communication. My dad is fun to fight with, though. Today he told me I am mysterious, and I told him to get used to it. Yeah, he's fun to fight with.

65. Are you a gullible person?
Not usually. I'm more of a cynic.

66. Do you need a boyfriend/girlfriend to be happy?
No, but it's nice.

67. If you could have any job (assuming you have the skills) what would it be?
Fashion consultant to the stars.

68. Are you easy to get along with?
When I'm not being difficult.

69. What is your favorite time of day?
Whisper time.

Kiss My Pineapple

nataliedee.com

Twenty Five Things You May (Or May Not) Already Know About Me

1. I did not attend Kindergarten. Instead, I went to a Montessori school, where I learned how to peel carrots, stack chairs, do tangram puzzles, and read at a 5th grade level.

2. I will clean up poop, change a colostomy or catheter bag, hold a peed-on diaper, wipe boogers, spit-up, or drool, but absolutely, under no circumstances will I can I handle vomit... not even on TV.

3. In the 9th grade, I threw a gallon jug of milk up in the air and watched it bust open on my mother's dining room carpet. I let the dog in to clean it up, and never said a word when my mom asked why we were already out of milk.

4. I have never been on a date with someone who wasn't already my boyfriend.

5. When I was 12, my dad and I were at Foley's (now Macy's), where he decided to quietly go around the whole store and expose one breast of each of the female mannequins. It made me laugh so hard I completely peed my pants.

6. I tried biscotti for the first time ever this week.... yum!

7. I have a massive TV crush on Ryan Buell from Paranormal State. I think it's the ghosts that make him sexy.

8. There are three songs on this planet that are guaranteed to make me cry from the moment I hear the first chord.

9. My rotten ex-boyfriend got me into the band that is now my all-time favorite on the planet, but unlike him, I find them impossible to replace.

10. I am challenged when it comes to being aware of my surroundings. Joanna says I am a cat with it's whiskers cut off because I am constantly running into things and tripping over my own feet.

11. I learned to drive while barefoot, and I still don't like wearing shoes in the car.

12. I have never laughed more with anyone than I do with Joanna Shirk.

13. Yesterday I wished out loud that a child I know had progeria, so that he could just be old already.

14. I am absolutely fascinated with shipwrecks. I also like abandoned hotels, and old sanitariums.

15. I don't ever remember believing in Santa Claus.

16. The older I get, the less I trust my mother.

17. When I was 14, my brother and I were throwing rocks at cars and one guy got out and chased us with a gun. To this day, I have never been so scared.

18. I absolutely believe in feng shui, the law of attraction, psychics, astrology, ghosts and demons.

19. I can't stand James Lipton, or the stupid music on the show, but I think I love watching "Inside the Actor's Studio"

20. I know of one person who is really afraid of me, and I every time I run into them, I can see it in their eyes.

21. I don't think anyone could even imagine the dirty things I would do to Ed Westwick if I got my hands on him.

22. My 21st birthday was the best birthday of my life, and I wasn't even drunk.

23. I have to wear pants when I sleep-- I can't stand nightgowns.

24. My favorite movie of all time is "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory", but only the original one with Gene Wilder.

25. I love peas.

I Love This Face!

Addie
January 22, 2009
























This pretty baby is ONE YEAR OLD!

My Favorite Seester!!!

UPDATE: I had this post all ready to publish on the correct day, but something happened with blogger, and it didn't go through when I set it to. It's okay, though, because in my family we celebrate birthdays a whole week before and after they happen.

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Today is my favorite sister's favorite day-- her birthday! Sara and I really didn't get along when I was younger because I always wanted to be just like her, and she didn't like that. When I was three, I broke her new dollhouse. When I was thirteen, I stole her portable CD player (and anything else she left behind when she went to college). I'm pretty sure I annoyed the living hell out of her. One day something changed, because now we are closer than ever, and I am her biggest fan. Thank you for not killing me all of those years. Thanks for staying up with me on my loneliest nights and talking to me for hours on the phone while we watched QVC until three in the morning. I am so glad I have someone else who thinks it is fun to drive around Springfield, Missouri in a cherry red Mustang while wearing chote bandanas and listening to Jesse McCartney. Wanna chug a warm can of beer and ride a Ferris wheel with me?

Photo by Adria Dismuke

2009

I'm not usually one for New Year's resolutions, but this is my plan for 2009:

Seester and I are having our own mini version of The Biggest Loser, with a punishment I cannot disclose to be doled out if we do not meet our personal goals. It's a doozy of a punishment, so I'll be spending a lot of time making sure I meet those goals. Good thing my gym is overflowing with hotties and smells like flowers.

The Day

gapingvoid.com

Bedtime Story

toothpastefordinner.com