Open Letters

Dear Forever 21,

I am on my third pair of your sunglasses for this year alone. Let's hope this pair doesn't mysteriously disappear like the others. Otherwise, I will be back. And as usual, I will have a hard time leaving with ONLY the sunglasses. Maybe my subconscious is losing them on purpose...

Dear Cats on Treadmills,

You are hilarious. HI-LA-RI-OUS!

Dear In 'N Out,

I hear you'll be coming to Sugarhouse soon. That's just what I need... But thanks for dinner this evening all the same. You are delicious. Maybe more of a novelty than delicious, but still... You're up there when it comes to fast food fare.

Dear Michael Fassbender,

I think you resemble a young Christopher Plummer. And that's certainly not a bad thing.

Dear July,

You are too hot for words lately. Good thing we will part ways in less than 24 hours. Nothing personal.

Dear Secondhand Chic,

That green chair was absolutely charming and just what I need, but $48?? I will gladly give you $1 for my thimble, but the chair will have to wait.

Dear Box Fan,

I love you so. Thank you for saving me from July. You keep me cool and act as a noise buffer. Even now I sit here on the floor and let you blow cool air in my face. It's a beautiful thing we've got goin'.

Dear Jeremy H. Higginson,

I hope Wells Fargo returned your debit card and that you didn't fret too much at its absence. How it ended up on the sidewalk on 7th east between Downington and Garfield, perhaps we'll never know. Just be more careful in the future. No more throwing around the contents of your wallet will nilly.

Dear Computer,

Thanks for behaving. You gave me quite the scare there with your "crash dump" warnings and your random shutting down. Good thing I've dealt with this kind of thing before...

Dear Sandra Bullock,

I want your hair a la Miss Congeniality. NOW! 

Dear Post,

Are you kidding me with this Mini Cinnamon Churros cereal?!?! It's delicious. 

With all my love and affection...

Would you see a movie called "Captain Russia?"

I felt very patriotic yesterday. I must have. I woke up and got ready for work, putting on a t-shirt that said "Property of America" with an American flag right in the center. You know, the kind your mom buys from Old Navy and makes your entire family wear when you go on a family outing. Despite the fact I am now an adult with (hopefully) some taste, my mom will still buy these shirts. Years of shirts, oh so many shirts. But yesterday I pulled this one on of my own free will, a Yankee Doodle Dandette getting in touch with her pioneer heritage and donning the red, white, and blue with pride. 

Fortunately, work only lasted a couple hours so I found myself with my holiday afternoon wide open. A couple friends wanted to see a movie. Our movie of choice? Why, Captain America: The First Avenger, of course. I felt a little silly walking up to the ticket counter in my American t-shirt as I'm sure the cashier must have thought I was some sort of goob who wore her special patriotic shirt just for the occasion. Having now actually seen the film, I must admit I would proudly regale myself in American attire for each and every subsequent viewing. It was very entertaining and it left me with an intense urge to watch a baseball game or eat Apple Pie or write my name in the air with a sparkler.

The handsome Chris Evans as Captain America

This movie introduces us to yet another of The Avengers - nay, even the First Avenger, Captain America. I don't know much about the original comic book series, but I do know that the film is part of the franchise that began with the first Iron Man movie in 2008 and more recently, Thor. Eventually, all three of these heroes will join forces to fight evil and stave the corruption of the modern world, protecting it from the diabolical powers that be. But that's in 2012... Let's not get ahead of ourselves.

Our hero, unlike his fellow Avengers, has more humble beginnings. He is not a handsome hammer-wielding God/Prince from another dimension (thank you Laura, for clarifying), nor is he an egotistical but brilliant entrepreneur born with a silver spoon in his mouth. Steven Rogers, played by Chris Evans, is less than average. He is small, weak, and hardly what you would call a formidable opponent. Yet what he lacks in stature and physical ability, he makes up for with a compassionate heart and an innate desire to do what's right. He is a good man and sincere in his goodness.

It is this goodness that affords Rogers, a man desperate to stand up to the bullies of the world, the opportunity to participate in a special military experiment designed to potentially create a fleet of super soldiers. Where he was once rejected by every army recruiter he encountered, he is now given the chance to overcome his physical limitations and surpass his fellow soldiers. He is transformed from the scrawny 98 - lb. boy from Brooklyn into a powerful military weapon, a symbol for American strength against the tyranny of Adolf Hitler and the ever-expanding HYDRA, an organization led by Captain America's evil counterpart, the Red Skull... Who is pretty terrifying, by the way, and played very well by a sinister Hugo Weaving.

A lesser man may have exploited such power, but Steven Rogers maintains his sincerity and humility throughout the film. He may not be as hunky as Thor or as charismatic as Tony Stark, but he seems to have more character and that just adds to his appeal. This is the kind of guy you want for your best friend because he never lets selfish ambition dictate his actions. There is a bit of a romance in the movie as well, but it doesn't overwhelm the main plot. We see a connection between Rogers and Peggy Carter, an English woman serving in the American army, from the very beginning (before his big transformation). But the romance simply smolders throughout the film. And I love a good smoldering potential-for-love story.

The film ties in bits and pieces from the other Avengers' stories as well and gives us a glimpse as to how they will cohere for the pending 2012 film. One of the more obvious connections is Howard Stark, Tony Stark's father, played by Dominic Cooper. He has a significant role in the movie, using his talents and resources to assist the US military in their mission and, of course, constantly maintaining that Stark swagger. In fact, it's Stark that gives the Captain his iconic red, white, and blue shield.

There is a great supporting cast of characters as well. I thought Tommy Lee Jones was wonderful as Colonel Phillips. The man can deliver a punchline without ever betraying even the slightest emotion. Spoken by anyone else it might sound painfully cliche, but coming from Mr. Jones it will sound absolutely brilliant every time. And then, of course, we have Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury, the man with all the answers. We just don't know very many of those answers yet. But they're coming... I must also give a shout-out to Richard Armitage who, though he didn't last long in the film, improved those moments he was onscreen with his handsome visage. Though he was sneering most of the time. But what a sneer!

Captain America: The First Avenger was a great movie. It's no Dark Knight, but it offers a lot of action (Ka-POW!) and embodies corny American goodness in its purest form. And it has a great retro quality. If you're ever feeling patriotic, or even if you're not, you should see it. It has the look and feel of a solid super-hero movie, but doesn't take itself too seriously.

Lauren's Grade: B+/A-

*The above blog title is in reference to Russia not showing the film as Captain America: The First Avenger but simply The First Avenger. Yeesh. Thanks, Russia...

A few things I liked about this weekend in spite of myself...

• "Friday, Friday... Getting dressed up on Friday." And being complimented on my outfit.
• Giving my Grandma an impromptu birthday gift and hearing her gush over it. It was a toilet paper stand... She had her bathroom refinished and (for whatever reason) didn't have a TP holder installed. Genius!
• Linda Eder and Brian Stokes Mitchell... okay, really really REALLY liked.
• A Hagermann's sandwich and salad.
• A trip to Hatch Family Chocolate's new location for some Bear Claw ice creamies.
• Sitting on the playground carousel at Lindsay Gardens with some friends, just spinning and chatting and looking at the sky. And undoubtedly disrupting a potentially romantic moment for a young couple sitting on the swings nearby. Oh well!
• Singing a musical number with the siblings in church... and arguing, as siblings are prone to do when thrown together at times. But don't worry, we saved the arguing for our practices.
• Reconnecting with friends.
• Light shopping.
• Painting frames and being crafty at a friend's house while watching Disney Sing-Alongs and Sleeping Beauty.
• Being back in my old ward with people I love and admire who were happy to see me.
• Having spaghetti with italian sausage for dinner.
• Watching a new episode of Drop Dead Diva!

Brooke Elliot as Jane Bingham... such a cute and funny show!

I'll tell you what I did not like about this weekend...

• The waiting. STILL. I need a game plan.
• Knowing that most people will get an extended weekend in honor of Pioneer Day. Not me. Urgh.
• Not having AC in my car. New car time?
• Knowing I have gained a little weight. I know... Just when you thought she couldn't get any bigger, the girl manages to bulk up just a bit more. In my defense - it's summer and it's often too hot to get my rear in gear. That, and I've been combating a lot of stress brought on by some changes that have already happened or that have yet to happen. When stressed I often neglect a more healthy relationship with food and fitness... Not good. But I'm trying to get my walks in and avoid the drive-thru. Sigh...

Always a work in progress, this one.

Movies!

Went to Target tonight for a few art supplies. Wound up leaving with these two movies in tow as well. And when I say "leave with" I mean paid for THEN left with... Afterall, they were only $5.

One of the sweetest and strangest movies you'll ever see. Look at that face!!

My favorite non-Disney animated princess movie... I lied, it's a tie with THUMBELINA. Dmitri wins best male lead, I don't care if he's competing with Disney or not... I lied again, it's a tie with Eric, Flynn, and Robin Hood... Yes, Robin Hood.

I realize I have been blogging lots of pictures and little movie clips lately. But I think they're fun! That's why I've taken a sort of minimalist approach to my blog layout - so I can jazz it up in my posts. Is that pathetique?

I just really love these movies... 

Whisper words of wisdom...

I've adopted more of a Zen-like attitude today. This morning was rough... I slept well, but still woke up feeling uneasy. It had the potential of being one of those days where things don't seem to connect. You may go about your day, business as usual, but despite your very best efforts you just can't quite get outside your own head. Still, I managed to overcome my initial reservations and my day went relatively well. Work was fine, I got to spend some time with the Bird family, and things that were bothering me yesterday didn't really bother me much today. Progress. At least for today. 

Irked

Irk-face!

This post was written under the influence of a bad mood (see frustrated, contentious, mean-spirited, annoyed). Reader discretion is advised... Especially if you're one of those 24/7 hearts, sunshine, and rainbows bloggers... 

Still here? Okay... But you've been warned.

So I'm dealing with someone who is being rather irksome. Therefore, I am irked. But it doesn't take a lot to irk me these days. So if you're wondering if perhaps you've been the source of some of these irks, let's just assume you have. Because there's a pretty good chance, given how very fussy I've been lately...

If you don't answer the phone... "IRK!" If you park like a moron, making my parking experience far more difficult... "IRK!" If you criticize or mock me openly... "IRK!" If you leave a mess for ME to deal with... "IRK!" If you breathe loudly... "IRK!" If you take my stuff... "IRK!" If you are a jerk... You know what rhymes with jerk?... That's right, "IRK!" Do I exaggerate? No. Okay, maybe a little.

In all seriousness, I realize some of these problems have little or nothing to do with THEM (the so-called irkers). No, they were merely caught in the crosshairs of my wrath, innocent bystanders whose actions should not be misconstrued as a personal attack on myself. I am more than likely guilty of engaging in the very behaviors that bother me so, perhaps worse. I can be as obnoxious and inconsiderate as anybody. That's no secret.


It's like I've fashioned myself a giant control panel full of IRK buttons. Yeah... about a thousand IRK buttons with a few scattered MAKES ME HAPPY buttons. You start pushing these buttons at random (beep beep boop), 9 times out of 10 you're gonna push the wrong one. So tread lightly, folks. If you are of a mind to push my buttons this week, I can't be held accountable for whatever acts of bitter retaliation may ensue. And by acts of retaliation, I mean carrying a grudge that will fester and rot until I vehemently blog about it later in a fit of catharsis the likes of which you have never seen!

Like now, for example.


**All in good fun, folks. I tend to hyperbolize my emotions a bit, but it helps. Especially if you're as passive-aggressive as I am. If you're reading this, chances are you're important to me and no amount of irks will change that. Ever. Sorry if I've irked YOU.**

"Let us rejoicify that good news could subdue..."

Welcome to Good News/Bad News! Where the bad comes with the good and the good comes with the bad!

The Good... I am enjoying this Monday afternoon at home.

The Bad... I'm home because I'm sick. Yuck.

The Good... I'm going to see Brian Stokes Mitchell this Friday at the Conference Center! Wink, wink. 

The Bad... I'll be sharing him with an entire audience. 

The Good... I went to a wonderful Sacrament Meeting yesterday and really enjoyed the Spirit I felt there. I even joined a special musical number.

The Bad... It wasn't my ward. Potentially could be, but that's looking less and less likely. Here's hoping...

The Good... my sister and I discovered a new blog that has sooooo much fun stuff to read and look at. 

The Bad... We spent over an hour scrolling through it the other night. Too much of a good thing??

The Good... Sherlock has been renewed for a second season!

The Bad... It will be released in the UK this fall and then it will eventually make its way to Masterpiece Mystery on PBS. Probably in the spring. Bollocks.

Sherlock - very selective about what goes in and out of that
masterfully observant mind of his.

The Good... Nearly finished with The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins. 

The Bad... I don't know how much I like them yet. I mean, everyone's been telling me how great they are, but I fear I may be suffering from the "Enchanted Effect"... You hear how totally awesome something is from everyone you come in contact with that by the time you get around to seeing/reading/listening to it, you've made up your mind that you're going to hate it. Out of spite OR because the subject's been exhausted by everyone. For me, by the time I saw Enchanted I was basically already disenchanted with it. I thought, "C'mon people, the movie's not that good. And if I have to hear about it one more time..." I think this is how a lot of Harry Potter non-readers of the books and non-watchers of the movies feel when they hear people drool and sob over the latest HP happenings. Don't get me wrong, I am one of the droolers. And sobbers, incidentally. Have been for years. 

The Good... While we're back on the subject of Harry Potter, may I just say once again that the last movie was incredible. IN-CRE-DI-BLE. 

The Bad... It's also over. O-VER.

The Good... My hair is finally returning to a less startling shade of brown.

The Bad... Now I'm itching to cut it. Always do in the summer.

The Good... I think I'm feeling a teensy bit better... health-wise. 

The Bad... Now what do I do? 

...Oh yes. Blog stalk.

Mein Großmutter

Donna Elvira Scharffs Hunt

NEW YORK - Baby Grand Piano - Burnt Almond Fudge - Grandmama - Namesake - Bees - Billiards - Pianist/Organist - Schmidts Rolls - Funny - Cheese Souffle - Farmer's Market - Broadway - Beef Rouladen - Painter - Independent - Family Historian - Hugs -  Cancer Survivor - Capitol Building - Perry Mason - Tick Tock Diner - Beautiful - Marie Calender's German Chocolate Pies - Westminster Chimes - Bee Keeper - LDS Business College - Faith - Grasshoppers Shoes - Sizzler - Courageous - Award-Winning Honey - Mother - All in the Family - Ward Librarian - The Avenues - Jeep - "You People!" - Berry Kix - Crown Burger - Owls - Sunday Dinners - Laughter - Classy - Easter Egg Hunts - Matriarch - German - Backer's Cakes - Christmas Day - Traveller - Generous - Home away from Home - Strength - Family 

Happy Birthday, Grandma! I love you always!

"It's no so much the crowd, as the individuals within the crowd." - Bertram Pincus

Sometimes... Yes, sometimes... I feel like this man. Not Ricky Gervais, but the character he plays in the movie Ghostown. A man by the name of Dr. Pincus. A solitary man who just wants to go about his day-to-day business with as little interaction with his surroundings as possible. A man who rarely ventures beyond the safety of the excrutiatingly mundane and familiar. He's not necessarily happy with this particular life, but it's comfortable and he is content. Or rather, he has deluded himself into thinking he is somewhat content. Hey, there are days when it's easier that way.

That's really where the similarity ends. No, I do not see closure-seeking dead people as a result of a botched administration of anesthesia during a colonoscopy where I inexplicably flat-lined. No, I do not practice dentistry. And NO, I am not an English man with an unfortunate haircut and (ironically) bad teeth. But I do, from time to time, feel a sense of comfort in my solitude. There's no one to worry me. There's no one I need to impress or amuse. I don't have to sit and think about stupid stuff like am I wearing-saying-thinking-projecting the "right" thing. It's just me. That sounds selfish, I realize... Okay, so that sounds MAJORLY selfish, but it's just a true and honest thing I wanted to express. I do not feel this way all the time. BUT... I'm feelin' it today.

The Boy Who Lived

10 years of Harry Potter movies... And this last one was so excellent. Where else can you hear an audience laugh, cry, gasp, clap, and cheer right out loud in the space of 2 hours? Don't wait for the dollar theaters... Because by then you will have heard so much about it and how wonderful it is, you'll just spoil it for yourself. 

And if you do go, take me with you! 

Tomorrow...

4:30 pm. Jordan Commons. Harry Potter.

Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!

Good Fortune

A former employer of mine has a philosophy about fortune cookies. He is a collector of fortunes because he thinks of them as messages from a Higher Power... Words of encouragement or advice given to reassure us as we face moments of discouragement in this mortal life. I respect this man's opinion, especially since he was a former Bishop of mine, so I've adopted the same philosophy. I don't think he honestly believes that God writes personal messages on strips of paper and puts them in cookies, but why not think of them as tiny (and tasty!) bits of reassurance, especially as we feel they may apply to us individually?

Think I'm crazy yet?

I mentioned once in a previous post that a fortune actually helped me at a time where I was facing a difficult decision. I kept it for months and months as a reminder... "Do what is right because it is the right thing to do." It was so ridiculously simple, but there's a lot of truth in simplicity. And that truth prompted action.

Also included in this blog post was a list of a few fortunes I have collected more recently - fortunes I held on to because I simply liked what they said. Was I meant to find these fortunes? I don't know, but maybe they're there to fulfill some purpose... 

I recently joined my friend Brie at Panda Express for some free orange chicken... She had a couple of coupons and it was a one night only thing, so we went. We sat down to our little containers of free chicken and, being the impatient person that I am, I opened my fortune cookie before finishing my foodies. What I found inside sounded very familiar:

The strengths in your character will bring you serenity.

The first time I received this fortune I was eating at a Vietnamese restaurant called Mi La Cai. This was about a year ago (my first visit there) and I remember picking up a cookie on the way out of the restaurant because they have this giant bowl of them near the dining room entrance. I got to pick my own cookie?! I was tempted to take more than one (or 10), but I casually picked one out and went on my merry way. Later that evening I opened it up, read it, and couldn't help but feel comforted... Just a little bit. The teensiest bit. 

You might say there have been instances in my life that have led me to question my personal "strength of character." I like to think I would always do the right thing when put in difficult situations (as we all do), but as I cast my mind back I'd often be confronted with instances where I did not do the right thing... Where I may not have even recognized how wrong the not right thing actually was. (Huh?) Instances where I let selfishness take over. Where was my strength in those situations?

That brings us to serenity. Reading this fortune, especially the second time around, I instantly equated serenity with peace - something I've been seeking as of late. There is this tempest of  fear that flares up inside of me from time to time and  its effects on my overall well-being have prompted many prayers for peace, strength, and understanding. 

So amidst this time of questioning and spiritual restlessness, I opened a stupid fortune cookie and saw this message. Not once, but twice. 

It's silly, but still... Wouldn't it be nice? To think it wasn't just a freaky coincidence?


Yes, it would. 

Don't you just?

I know I sure do.


Copied from this blog.

Hot Hot Heat

Ack! Ew! Gross! I've been reading some of my most recent posts and I just have to ask, how obnoxiously self-absorbed am I? I suppose that is the point of having one's own blog... So it can be all about me, me, ME!

Enough... I came here to write. So here we go.

The last couple weeks have been agonizing for me as far as my sleep routine. I've been working longer hours but haven't been getting as much honest-to-goodness rest as I need to sustain me through those long hours. Sure, I flip the "lazy and slovenly" switch as soon as I'm off the clock, but "lazy" doesn't equate to the kind of rest one needs to maintain one's energy and stamina for the day. One needs to make some changes, yes one does. It hasn't helped that my exercise routine has fallen by the way, way, wayside and that I have indulged my inner Munchies Monster at the most inopportune moments, whether subconsciously or no. He's a terrible influence, convincing me that what I need isn't a good night's sleep but another piece of toast with peanut butter and a few more hours on the internet. And why don't you pour yourself a bowl of cereal while you're at it? Or polish off that last cookie? What a sly fellow. And of course, I'm always so eager to oblige.

Another big contributor to my sleeping woes is this typical summer heat and the recent humidity. I thrive in the cold, but hot hot heat is a different story. My bedroom is relatively small and the air doesn't circulate very well since we don't have any sort of cooling system in our apartment. We are in a basement (oh, things could be so much worse!) so things stay somewhat coolish, but for whatever reason my room becomes a sweat lodge. And if I'm too hot, I will thrash around all night long. I can't sleep with so much as a sheet covering me! So maybe I'll drink a big glass of ice water before bed to help me cool down a little... Then I'm up using the bathroom every couple hours. I also tend to have the most ghastly dreams whenever the weather gets too warm and uncomfortable. I would tell you about them, but they're just too weird... 

All of these elements conspire against me so I don't really ever sleep - not deeply, anyway. I just toss and turn... There has been more than one instance during these recent weeks where I've woken up drenched in sweat, my ears ringing and heart pounding. 

Not so easy to get well-rested under these circumstances. And a tired Lauren means a grumpy Lauren. 

That's why yesterday I went to ShopKo where they were having a sale on fans in all shapes and sizes. I was thinking I'd get a small desk-top fan I could turn on for those nights when it's just too blasted hot. You know, and point it directly at my face. Or stick it under the covers of my bed. I'd borrowed a little oscillating fan/space heater from my parents, but it didn't "fan" too well and it made a strange grinding noise - which only added another frightening dimension to my already uneasy dreams. 

I found a few smallish fans, all in a variety of obnoxious hues... Then I spotted it - a large white box fan, 20 x 20". It gave me chills just looking at it. No, really - I thought about how much cool and refreshing air this little beauty would blow through my room and... CHILLS. I had originally entered that store looking for a Vespa and left with a Hummer. The Hummer of all fans. It is, without a doubt, one of the best investments I've made this summer. It cost me only $18, and as I lay in my bed last night I actually shivered and pulled up my covers, falling asleep to its gentle whirr, waking only once to use the potty.

What can I say? I'm a fan.    

A Dream is a Wish...

This woman has my dream job. She is now the latest blog/tumblr to join the ranks of those whom I shamelessly cyber-stalk on a daily basis. Follow, follow, follow...

Her name is Claire Keane and she is a Concept Artist for Disney...(insert outcry of jealousy here.) She lives in Venice, California with her husband and little girl, Matisse. I'm assuming as in Henri Matisse... If so, I am dually impressed. She did a lot of work for Disney's Tangled and her dad is well-respected Disney animator Glen Keane. I think someone even dropped the word 'legendary' in an article I read about him.  How does one get such an amazing gig? I must know! 

The above is just one of many sketches seen on her blog. They're beautiful!

Disney Studios... I want to go to there.