i (Heart) Tunes

So I'm sitting here getting all caught up on blog reading and listening to my iTunes and I just thought it was funny how it goes from Metro Station (kind of upbeat beebop music...you can mock me...i like it) then it goes to Micheal Buble (who I like to call My-kul Bubble...who sounds a lot like Frank Sinatra) to the soundtrack of the TV show Lost. Just a random thought. Just thought I would share that.

Otherwise, I would like to spend a few minutes on Why Kids Pout. I would like to share with you two experiences I observed this week of kids pouting (only two you say? I know, I'm lucky...I don't have kids yet). First was this little girl that came to the bookstore with her family. She wanted everything but nothing was what she wanted and she would not be consoled. When they came up to pay, her mother informed us that she was pregnant and they had had the ultrasound earlier that day. The little girl was upset because she was getting a little brother and she wanted a little brother AND a little sister.
Second was tonight. I was at Blockbuster looking for a movie or 3 and this kid walks by me with his arms crossed and a scowl on his face saying, "They let someone else have all the Jaws movies."

That's about all the excitement I've had this week.

It's That Time Again!

Oh yes, my friends. It's that time of year again where I decide that I am being too lazy and therefore need to make some sort of fitness goal. I never do it for my New Year's Resolution...most of the time I don't even make New Year's Resolutions because they are pointless since I never keep them. Anyways, so yeah, fitness goal. Last year I decided I was going to run a marathon and in case you have been on another planet for the past year, I am here to tell you that I did it. The girl who's number one reason to take marching band in high school was so she didn't have to take P.E. The girl who took a fitness class in college and was running slower at the end of the semester even though she did everything she was supposed to. The girl who is the most uncoordinated person on the face of the earth. The girl who couldn't climb a flight of stairs without gasping (yes, gasping) for air. That girl ran a marathon. And she's gonna do it again.

So tonight was the first night of new training. I haven't run since the marathon. Not really that is. I'd run maybe once or twice a week but I haven't done that for at least two months so I'm not as in shape as I once was. We just ran for 5 minutes at a time (walk 5 minutes, run 5 minutes for 30 minutes) tonight and it was tough. But that's okay, because I'm tough too. And in case you don't know me very well, when I am determined to do something...I'm determined and I'll do it.

As for my partner, last time I somehow convinced my good friend Jill D. to run with me and that girl is more determined than me. That's another story though. This time I somehow convinced Amy O. to run with me. Or maybe she convinced me to run with her. Not sure which happened first. Anyways, this is going to prove to be a very fun and productive training. Can you believe that I've also convinced her that I know what I'm doing? I love this girl!

So anyways, I hope that my ankles and knees behave better this time. I hope that Jill joins us soon. I hope that Amy doesn't hate me by the time we get to the marathon. And I really hope that old guy in his purple spandex shorts is there again because that was just too classic! (I'm sorry, I just can't post that picture on the blog...you can view it on my facebook or just ask and I'll e-mail it to you :)

Have You Ever?

I know it's been a little while since I posted something new, or even interesting, or even funny, but life for me in the summer can get...well old, uninteresting, and boring. I LOVE IT! However, that might mean that my blogs are fewer and farer in betweener. However again, it's also going to be fun seeing what adventures pop up during the summer...hee-hee-hee.

Okay, so for this blog, I thought we could all play a game. It's called Have You Ever. Everyone knows this game...someone tells an of an experience that has happened to them and the people who are present and participating make it known if they have or have not had the same experience in some form or fashion. Personally I really don't like this game...it usually causes embarrassment for me or awkwardness for other unfortunate souls. Fortunately, I am hiding behind a computer screen and therefore will be a little more bold in my have-you-evers. And fortunately for you, you have a choice of whether or not to participate or observe with no one giving you looks like you are a party pooper or an over-sharer. So here goes...and by the way, all of these things really happened to me this past week...yay!

Have you ever looked at a picture and thought shallow, petty, mean thoughts about the person in the photograph only to realize a second later that it is a picture of you 10 years ago?
I went with my mom on Wednesday to pick up about 15 rolls of film that she found when cleaning and as I was looking through pictures taken at Christmas 10 years ago, I thought "Who is that sitting in the corner? She looks like a man. That is an awful sweater. Very unfortunate for her...oh...that's me." Why didn't anyone tell me I looked so awful? How grateful I am to my girlie-girl friends who have instilled in me at least a small amount of fashion sense in the last 10 years!

Have you ever sat next to someone in church and their breath was so foul that you had to look away to breathe while singing a hymn?
Yeah, it was really that bad today in Relief Society. Four verses never seemed so long...

Have you ever woke up in the middle of the night and had to pee so bad you thought you might wet yourself but then were so tired that you fell back asleep?
No, I didn't wet the bed. I'm a pro at holding it...any teacher (or former teacher) is.

Have you ever mourned the absence of a vegetable?
I'd really like to have a word with the person or persons that ruined all my tomatoes...seriously! I'm dying here because you decided to relieve yourself in the fields and not even rinse your hands off! No, I'm not sick, I just really really really really really miss tomatoes.

Have you ever made something and instead of eating it fresh, put it in the fridge because you knew it would be better the next day?
Buitoni ravioli and marinara sauce...Target...soooooo good!!!!

Have you ever had to try to explain to someone that you don't want to go to an activity because you don't want to be a part of their social group?
I have had 3 e-mails, 1 phone call, 2 personal invitations, and 1 paper invitation to this stinkin' prom event...

Have you ever had to wash your hair 3 times to get it clean?
I went to a water park yesterday and while I am very proud that I managed to have fun AND avoid a sunburn, my hair was so incredibly disgusting when I got home last night. Even now, it still doesn't feel clean. *shiver*

And that concludes our festivities for tonight... :)

Yeah, It's Pretty Hot

Hot Springs, Arkansas that is. At least it is during the summer anyways. I know Alison promised everyone that Erica or I would give a play by play, but I won't because you would be bored. Okay, I'll give you a sampling play by play: I took a nap, I watched TV, we played cards, I sat outside and put my feet in the water, I watched TV, we ate, etc... See? Not very exciting, but it was perfect.

For most vacations, I like to plan as much as possible and try to cram in as many sights as I can. You never know when or if you'll ever go back to that place and you don't want to miss out on anything. That is usually my philosophy...not this time though. The point of this vacation was to de-stress after a wonderful and crazy school year. So this time, I didn't clean my apartment before I left, I didn't plan any sights I wanted to see, we went to Wal-Mart more than any other place besides the cabin, and I did whatever I wanted with no internet, e-mail, cell phone reception, blow dryer, make-up, or boys. It was very lovely and at first it was hard to relax, but I got the hang of it pretty soon.

We were also on a mullet/redneck/white trash watch and we didn't have to look far. We saw two mullets, 873 mobile homes, one very redneck house with a collection of beer cans underneath the porch (see previous post for that pic) and a tarp for a third of their roof, 93 garage sales with an assortment of old clothes, garden gnomes, and all sorts of trinkets I didn't get a glimpse of as we drove by, and a few friendly faces in a park we affectionately named Meth Park.

There was just one part that didn't particularly appeal to me...the insects and arachnids. More specifically the arachnids. I have an intense fear of spiders. I mean what creature really needs eight legs? Why can't six, four, or just two suffice? Guck! They creep me out to no end. Anyway, a few of them decided to grace our presence Friday night as we sat on the (thank heavens) screened in porch. These things were so freakin' big, they must be descendants of Aragog. But then Saturday night wasn't much better when we had the porch light on and every gnat and moth and flying thing within a 95 mile radius was attracted to it. I literally couldn't tear my eyes away. I watched in horror as they covered the wall and the screen. I finally just had to go inside because it was mentally unhealthy for me to be seeing that. And then there are the silent unseen insects that burrow down inside your skin and make you the most miserable person on the face of the earth...yes, chiggers. And boy do they love me. I hate them.

But aside from the bugs, I had a blast laughing, eating, napping, eating, talking, eating, reading, eating, playing cards, eating, watching TV, and eating. So thank you Alison, Erica, Aibi, and Amy for coming with on the most unproductive weekend ever...I'd do it again in a heartbeat!

Jitters

I have officially started with the house hunting process. I sent in my application a few minutes ago to the loan officer and I don't know why, but I'm all jittery and nervous now. I've talked about buying a house for over a year now and I'm finally getting it done and I'll be honest...I'm scared to death. What if they look at my finances and laugh, "Are you kidding? You want to buy a house with this? Did you want it with or without wheels?" What if the only thing I can afford wreaks like mold and is infested with roaches? What if a bunch of drug dealers or Satan worshipers move in next door to me? How will I keep Millie away from them? What if the ceiling caves in on me one night while I'm sleeping...or worse when I'm in the shower? I'm just a little nervous about these and a million other things I haven't thought of yet.

It's just that I've never spent so much money or bought anything so expensive or grown up. I just wish that I had someone to talk it over with and make the decision with and experience the whole process with. Where is my eternal companion anyways? Why isn't he here for this? What could be more important than your future wife's first home? When I find him, we are having a discussion about all the scary things I have had to do on my own and what he was doing that was so important that he wasn't there for them. He better not be playing video games. I'm just sayin'.

Anyways, I will promise to all of my readers out there that I hereby solemnly swear to never decorate with fishes and to not house my beer can collection under the front porch.

I Think I Have A Naked Neighbor

Concerning isn't it? And kinda oogie. So my neighbor, let's call him Chris (just because I don't know any Chris' and he sort of looks like a Chris), never closes his blinds. And he never puts on a shirt...the rest I don't know about because he is either standing in his kitchen (so the bottom half of his body is covered by the counter) or standing on his back porch smoking (so the bottom half of his body is covered by his porch fence/wall). Now, let me just tell you so all of my secret admirers won't get jealous that I am looking at another man...the top half isn't all that great...it isn't even good. But he is ALWAYS there! Okay, maybe not always, but at least 90% of the time. And I KNOW he ain't got no girlfriend. The kitchen layout in these apartments has two cabinets that hang over the bar with a shelf in between and a little light over the shelf. He's got a purple bath towel that hangs in front of the light so he can keep the kitchen light on and it won't glare on his big screen TV that takes up the entire living room wall. And he's always at least half naked. Does that spell bachelor or what?

Okay, I'm being a little judgemental. I'll stop because I bet I got judged this week...or maybe it was last week. I'm not sure. See, my apartment is a mess...shocker, I know. But I found this slip that the pest control people leave when they visit your apartment...you know, they always leave it somewhere obvious so you know they were there that day...I found it on the stove. I bet the pest control people looked around and thought, "I don't even know where to put this little slip where she'll find it. Well, I bet she'll use the stove sometime soon...maybe." I have laundry everywhere, mail all over the place, stacks of papers and books, shoes by pretty much every sitting place...they saw it all...whenever it was that they came. That little slip could have been there for a week and I didn't even see it. Concerning isn't it?

I Have Discovered...

...that I like dancing. Now, before you get all excited and want to take me to some dance studio or club so I can show off my *cough* skills, let me clarify what I mean. I don't like to GO dancing, but I like to watch OTHER PEOPLE dance. I realized this tonight as I was standing outside at the Music Hall at Fair Park and they had some cloggers/tap dancers performing. I just really like the way people can show their excitement, love, sadness, joy, etc. through movement. I should have known I had this great love when I discovered the movie Strictly Ballroom (thankyouverymuch Emily...you introduced me to the wonderful and talented Baz Luhrman) and it quickly became one of my favs as well as Billy Elliot, Swing Kids, and Dirty Dancing. I should have known of my great love when I watched Footloose for the 8,738,950,995 time and thought I could recreate the dance scene where Ren dances in the mill all by himself (no, I didn't do it justice, and no I won't ever, ever, ever attempt it again). I should have known when I watched Hairspray for the first time and fought really hard to not get up and "Run and Tell That". Why has it taken me so long to realize this?


And just so you all know, yes, I have danced slow dances by myself in my robe in my apartment on Valentine's Day before. Is that sharing too much? I don't care! I love dancing...even though I don't do it well, watching other people makes me happy, so dance on all you Kevin Bacon lovers! Dance on!