I just realized that compared to 2010, 2011 wasn't a very exciting year. There were some serious happenings in 2010... But there were still a few in 2011.
So here it is... (This list may added upon as I remember other things worth noting.)
I sent my brother on his mission.
I wrote.... A lot. See blog.
I helped a friend with her wedding.
I celebrated said wedding with some of my favorite people in all the world.
I moved out of my apartment.
I moved back in with the family.
I dyed my hair.
I lost weight.
I gained it all back. With interest.
I was given a calling that terrifies me and forces me out of my comfort zone. But I do love it.
I'm not the biggest fan of some of her music, but I do love her voice and it's perfect for this song. And she's just cute. And he's just... perfect. Apparently.
(Temporarily gets distracted by Joseph Gordon Levitt's dimples...)
So the question remains... What are you doing New Year's Eve?
In lieu of gifts this year, Santa brought the Waters family a cruise to the Bahamas! I can taste the sea air now... My parents basically told us we could get stuff (stuff we didn't really want or need) for Christmas or we could take a trip. We set sail out of Fort Lauderdale, Florida at the end of January - which means there will be a longish airplane ride involved. And I hate flying...
I love to travel... I do. But I just wish it didn't involve flight. Especially long coast-to-coast flights or travelling overseas flights. The temporary discomfort (or mind-numbing hysteria) I feel when I fly usually pales in comparison to how much I enjoy myself once we've reached our destination and my feet are back on solid ground. That's why, despite my anxieties, I can still drag myself onto a plane. For this vacation, I will try not to focus on how high or how fast our plane is travelling, how many potentially fatal little bumps we hit along the way, the likelihood of our getting caught in the middle of a storm, the number of times the fasten seat belt (because we are going to die) light comes on, or thinking "What in the hell is that humming noise!? Was the plane making that noise before!? AHHHHHH!!" Instead I will entertain visions of walking along sandy beaches, swimming in crystal waters (with the Dolphins? Oh, I certainly hope so!), lounging beneath towering palm trees, and absorbing as much warm sunshine as possible. I will. I will...
A few other Christmas items worth noting...
I got to speak to my brother who is currently on his mission in Missouri. He's doing really well and sounds soooo happy! That's a Christmas made right there... Only one more Christmas out in the mission field and then he's home! When you think of it that way, it doesn't sound long at all. So we choose to think of it that way...
My mom got me big ol' boxes of Crayola crayons and colored pencils to go with 2 new coloring books. No, I am not 6 years old. The books are made for adults and the pictures are really super ornate. I think I will bring them with me to church next week. Along with a baggie of Cheerios.
Katie got meMichael Jackson: The Experiencefor our Kinect. Mind blown! It has a dance feature for just dancing (duh) and a performance feature if you want to sing AND dance. AHHH! I need to throw a party. And soon. Party pending.
Alisa got me Coldplay'sParachutesandViva la Vidasongbooks for piano and guitar. Which means I will spend many a melancholy day sitting at the piano and plunking away at Coldplay tunes. That may sound super depressing to most of you, but I thrive on this sort of thing. “Sad is happy for deep people.”
My cousin Stephanie and her family gifted our family a blue-ray player with Wi-Fi compatibility. Now we can stream Netflix! Know what's on Netflix?
"Knock, knock."
"Who's there?"
"Doctor."
"Doctor Who?"
"Ooo-eee-oooo!" (theme song to Doctor Who)
So yeah… Netflix. We may be in big trouble.
For our cousin gift exchange on the Waters side, my cute east coast cousin Olivia got me a beautiful silk Indian scarf. It's a stunner. I’ve already worn it.
A good friend gave me a Captain America insulated lunch tote and cool bobblehead. Thanks to her, I think I’ll start packing my lunches again! Yay! Because of the lunch tote, not the bobblehead.
Last week I got together with my girlfriends for a lunch date. Kassidy is in town for a couple weeks and despite our busy schedules most of us (we missed you Brie and Jen!) were able to go. We went to CPK (our favorite) and had our annual sock exchange. It's now annual because we've done it two years in a row.
On Christmas Eve Katie and I stayed up til about 3 AM making Gingerbread Houses. We watched some Horatio Hornblower to wile away the time. 3 hours later...
My Waters cousins had a White Elephant party yesterday with just us girls and our Grandma. We had a cousin in from California and another cousin in from New York so we decided to have a party of our very own. I really wanted a set of black and brown Dachsund salt and pepper shakers so I could gift them to a friend who has black and brown Dachsund puppies of her own. I ended up with a furry purse... Oh well. Such is life when participating in a White Elephant gift exchange.
And lastly, but not leastly, the Holiday weekend was capped off with a mini Star Wars marathon. We watched A New Hope and Return of the Jedi. (Though I really wanted to watch The Empire Strikes Back...) I wasn't in the cheeriest of moods (probably because my Christmas vacation was ending), but there was still fun to be had. And Star Wars is never a bad idea.
Anyway, that was my Christmas. Nothing too fancy or thrilling. Just wanted to relive a little bit of it here. If you're reading this, I hope you had a Happy Christmas!
"This looks like fun, this looks like fun! Oh, could it be I got my wish?"
We've all been dying at work these last few days. The Christmas clock is tick-tick-ticking away and we all have so much we still need to do. However, none of it is really work-related... I sit at my desk and think of items not purchased, treats not made, mix-tapes not compiled, friends not visited, and gifts not wrapped. Tonight I am playing Christmas Elf, trying to get as much done as I can before the AM. Why? Because I know as soon as I'm back on that clock and behind that desk the hours will drag. And before the day is over I will consider a slow and painful death via electric stapler at least once. It's the same feeling a child encounters while waiting for recess. "I don't wanna do these multiplication tables, I wanna go outside and climb something or throw something or swing from something!" It's not that work itself has been killing me, it's all the stuff sitting unfinished at home that's killing me! Piles of it. Mountains of it. So much left to do!
That's it... I'm abandoning my to-do list. No more shopping or cooking or wrapping. Everyone gets a hug for Christmas. Hugs are cheap. Hugs don't require a lot of preliminary preparation or thought. A hug is just what everyone wants for Christmas.
And if there's mistletoe, you might just get a smooch too!
(This is going to be a potentially long-winded blog post. If you get bored, feel free to watch this video of panda bears falling down a slide instead. Or simply jump to the last two paragraphs.)
I don’t relish going to the mall
– especially during this time of year. There are usually too many people, too
many things I want to buy, and too little money with which to buy the things. I
also really despise going into clothing stores where I know I’ll only be able
to look at their accessories and footwear. This has more to do with the range
of sizes they carry than a dollar amount on a price tag. It also eliminates more than half of the
shops that sell women’s apparel. I don’t necessarily want them to sell their
clothing in my size because I realize the majority of their pieces would not
look good on a woman of my… um… particular frame in the first place. When
someone sees an article of clothing they know they’ll never be able to squeeze
into and says, “I wish they had it in my size,” what they actually mean is “I
wish I had me in that size.” I don’t
want these stores to accommodate me or my body type because y’know, it’s not really
their job. I just wish I could accommodate myself a little better. I envy any
girl who can walk into an Ann Taylor or J. Crew and know without a doubt that she’ll
find something that fits. So I guess it’ll be more scarves, shoes, earrings,
and necklaces for me... Thank you very much.
Moving on…
Another irk I have with the mall is
their lighting. I will leave my house thinking I look pretty cute because hey -
I’m going to the mall, after all! (Tosses hair) But as soon as I catch my
reflection in a mirror I realize my look might be better suited for a backwoods
Walmart or a women’s community dodgeball league. Mall lighting makes you look
aged, haggard and straight-up not cute. And there are mirrors absolutely EVERYWHERE. Lots
of mirrors and lots of terrible overhead lighting. Why? So that as soon as you see a
size 2 mannequin in a cute outfit or glance at a touched-up poster of a gorgeous
model at the cosmetic counter you have no choice but to pass your own poorly
illuminated reflection and realize how hideous you truly are and how much you
need the mall and all it has to offer to make you look presentable. It’s inevitable… In that
house of mirrors your once cute outfit suddenly looks drab, your hair falls
flat and hangs in strings around your face, you’re in serious need of a little make-up
reapplication (or a complete facial overhaul), and “Oh my… Did I gain 20 pounds between the Orange Julius and Claire’s!?”
You are surrounded by so many new and shiny and wonderful things that your
outsides really suffer by comparison... Oh so many horrible mirrors.
But back to my main objective in writing this post. Mall kiosks… Usually
while I’m hoofing it between shops I will pull out my cell phone and pretend to
be engrossed in a conversation with someone on the other end. (This can be lots
of fun, actually… Just make sure your phone is on silent first so it doesn’t
start ringing while you have it right against your ear. Awkward. And loud.) You may appear to be chatting it up with a girlfriend, but
in actuality you are participating in an entirely one-sided exchange - a lie perpetuated by someone who does not want
to be accosted by wig-sellers, purse peddlers, cell phone providers, and those
sunglasses people. I know they’re just doing a job, but when you’re a pushover
like me, your best strategy is complete avoidance. And they rarely get in your face if you're on your cell phone.
I’m usually so careful, but
whilst shopping at Fashion Place Mall recently I foolishly let my guard down
for 3 seconds. 3 seconds! That’s all it took. I had just exited the ladies’ room and was
heading out of the Food Court when a voice said, “Would you like some lotion?”
The answer is always, ALWAYS “No,” but I had just washed and sanitized my hands
and they were kinda dry and cracked and sooo… I said, “Sure! Thanks.” Turkish
guy with the beautiful eyes (What can I say? I was feeling vulnerable after
looking in so many mirrors…) squirts a dollop of Dead Sea lotion in my hand and
the next thing I know I’m lured over to the kiosk… Then before I know it, he’s buffing my nails…
Then he’s coating them in cuticle oil (This guy is good!)… Then he’s asking me about my face… Then
I’m telling him about my skin regiment… Then he starts talking about giving me
a “great deal” on some “amazing products,” all the while rubbing his magic
lotion into my arm… $120 later I walk away with some mineral cream for my face
and 3 hand lotion/nail grooming kits… I did have the presence of mind to ask
about their return policy, so perhaps all is not lost. Sigh, what a sucker I am.
Saturday night I went to bed feeling all sorts of stress and unease. I had our ward Christmas program to direct the next day and my mind was a jumble of key signatures, tempos, dynamics, and rhythms. As I lay in bed, trying to wind down from the day and fall asleep, a thought occurred to me: WALK. Tomorrow before Church, before choir rehearsal, before anything, I was going to go on a walk. It's been a while since I'd laced up and ventured into the outdoors - what better way to start a stress-inducing day? Sunday morning I woke up and sure enough, I felt all sorts of anxious tension in my neck and shoulders. I hadn't slept well, but I jumped out of bed and bundled up anyway. Why lay there staring at my ceiling in a panic when I could find solace outside in the (not so) fresh air? My mom saw me emerge from the basement in my winter garb and before I could utter a word, she said, "A walk - what a great way for you to relieve some of that stress." Or something like that. Very perceptive, my dear Mother.
So finally I made my way outside. I turned on the iPod and scrolled through my music until I settled on my Film Score playlist. I considered listening to some MoTab Christmas stuff, but promptly decided I needed some distraction from the Holiday Season. As terrible as that sounds, it was making me a little crazy.
Though the air was somewhat disgusting (and has been for the past couple weeks), the light outside was eerily beautiful... In a hazy, dreamy way. And there was no one to be seen. I started walking (and walking) and the further I went, the better I felt. I loosened up and just let myself be. Which is no small feat! I even knocked on the sky a bit and listened to the sound. (That's a Zen proverb about meditation, but I had never heard it until I saw TRON: Legacy. Yes, I'm quoting TRON: Legacy while referencing prayer...)And you know what that sky sounded like? It sounded like someone saying, "Guess what? You'll be fine."
Later at church I was able to concentrate on what was important and not get so caught up in the minutiae. I had almost let all that stress ruin the day. And while it had little to do with me, the meeting was wonderful. The choir was wonderful. The speakers were wonderful. And I really was fine. Hurray for fine!
That evening I was able to fit in another walk when I went caroling with some friends. We covered quite a bit of territory, too. "Over streets we go, laughing all the way - HA HA HA!" That was us.
The long and the short of it is that I am not a Humbug and walks are great and caroling while walking is even better!
I'm ready for snow... Blankets of snow. Quilts of snow. Great, downy duvets of snow! I'm about ready to knock out the wall in the back of my closet in an attempt to find a snowy Narnia. If it's going to be this cold, we might as well have some lovely snow...
The above is a direct quote from a discussion I had with a friend recently. I made this statement in reference to my own obsessive thinking... Which you will read more about below.
Ka-pow! Here is another melodramatic pic, this time with the new specs. And yes, that is a Captain America t-shirt. Turns out my eyes have indeed gotten a bit worse over the years, but not too much. On a scale from 1 to 10, 1 being Mr. Magoo and 10 being Superman (he has x-ray vision, right?) I would say I’m about a 5 or 6. The doc told me I would be a good candidate for contacts at some point, but I told him we’d start with the glasses and see if I felt contacts were necessary. I just don’t know if the glasses are going to be an all-the-time thing or simply a special circumstances thing. For now, my mom thinks they’re just what my face was missing… Uh, thanks? I looked at square-ish frames, large frames, dainty frames, oval-ish frames, but finally settled on this pair of butterfly frames. I liked them as soon as I saw them (especially since they were 50% off - three cheers for holiday sales!), THEN I wasn’t sure if I liked them, but I think I’m back to liking them again. When I catch my reflection in the mirror, I startle myself and wonder “Who is that? They are ridiculously good-looking.” Ha. Not really. But it will take some getting used to having this new extension of my face where for so long there was nothing there.
The birthday was a success - I got everything on my wish-list! Well, minus a ticket to London, a joyride in the TARDIS, a new car, Josh Groban, an iTunes gift card, a discussion with 18 year old Lauren, a metabolism, a physical manifestation of my Pinterest account, invisibility, a Panda, fearlessness, the ability to fly, and… a partridge in a pear tree. So that leaves us with… Neil Patrick Harris (He was in a dream of mine the other night so I decided that counts. Don’t worry, it wasn’t that kind of dream… Or was it?... Ha, just kidding!... Or am I?... Okay, enough...) and the flowers, of which I received not one but two beautiful bouquets. No complaints here! They were so beautiful I forgot all about the rest of my list. My other gifts were equally wonderful, not a dud in the bunch. It’s a good thing I have people in my life who can read me so well, especially since my interests tend to be so very random. And especially since I’m not very helpful on the tell-me-what-you-want-for-your-birthday front. So here’s to 26! I think…
So you know how when you're in a relationship or you really like someone, everything reminds you of that person, sometimes to the point of distraction? You just can't help it. Anything you listen to, read, or watch is about that particular person. So what do you do? You lay awake at night thinking about them, you absentmindedly write their name whenever you happen to be holding a writing utensil, you count the minutes until you can see them again. Been there, done that. These are all perfectly normal behaviors when one is smitten (or shmitten). What may not be so normal is feeling all of these emotions for a TV show. (Exasperated sigh) Yes, it's true. My apologies if you thought I was talking about a real person...
As you may have already guessed based on previous posts on this same topic, the show is Doctor Who. Feel free to stop reading here... Really, you have my permission... I both love and hate this stupid show. I love it for all of its wonderful, whimsical, humorous, and entertaining elements, but I hate it for its more tragic elements. I don't like any loose ends in a story, whatever that story may be. I like resolution. I can handle plot twists and conflict, but only as long as it ultimately leads to closure - everything wrapped up in a quaint little package that I can tuck safely away. With this show, you don't get a lot of closure. It may be fictional (well, obviously), but you find yourself getting attached to certain characters. You get caught up in their relationships with other characters... But the storyline of this particular show is such that there never can be any real closure, any real happy ending. I ran into the same issues with Lost, but that's another blog post for another day. If I ever have the strength.
Before I completely stop making sense (that was about 10 sentences ago, Lauren) let me just say that it's been over a week and a half since I've watched an episode. I needed to take a little break. The last episode I watched depressed me to the point that I was near-comatose for hours following. Comatose might be a bit much, so we'll call it a funk instead. This funk was so bad that the next day at work when a song popped up on Pandora and reminded me of the show, I had to take a moment to feel a little sad over the Doctor's latest tragedy, all the while thinking, "Oh girlfriend, you need help." Admittedly, I may be projecting my emotions onto this show a little. I don't think something you watch on television can cause that much distress on it's own, but it can certainly be used as an outlet.
So I guess what I'm saying is... I am in a committed relationship with a TV show. And apparently it's complicated. Good grief...
Those of you who have been on my case about this will be happy to know that I have an appointment at the optometrist this afternoon. We'll see how blind I really am...
How vogue...
The above is a picture of me (obviously taken when I had nothing better to do than pose for really melodramatic pictures on my cell phone) from about 3 years ago. This pair of glasses is sitting in pieces somewhere unbeknownst to myself, but since they're in pieces they wouldn't exactly do me a lot of good anyway. My eyesight isn't abysmally bad, but I think it has gotten a bit worse over the years. At the very least I should be wearing glasses while driving - for my own sanity (it's hard to navigate when you can't read street signs) and for the safety of others on the road. Especially at nighttime. And especially since it says right on my driver's licence that I need corrective lenses. Whoops.
At this point I'm just hoping I can make due with needing to wear glasses on occasion and not all the time. Or contacts. But don't worry, I will return with an update.
I have a friend who recently celebrated her 26th and blogged about her birthday wishlist. My own birthday has crept up on me this year and I think it's because the last couple years I have spent my birthday away from home. In 2009 I was in Disneyland (best birthday ever) and in 2010 I was in New York (next best birthday ever) - not too shabby by birthday celebration standards. So this year seems a little anticlimactic. That and I'm going to be 26. I am going to be closer to 30 than I am to 20... WHIMPER. My own dear grandmother was kind enough to tell me that her 30th birthday was the worst of her entire life. So I still have that to look forward to... I think each birthday just gets worser and worser from here on out. No more fun milestone birthdays, just the ones that make you feel old. I know I'm not old, but still...
People have asked me what I want to do for my birthday or what gifts I might like and I honestly have no idea. Nada! I told one friend the things I want most don't seem to be within the realm of possibility.
And so, I give you...
Lauren's Birthday Wishlist of
Impossible Things...
A one way ticket to London. As alluded to in previous posts, I would really, really (REALLY) like to go back. And if I happen to meet and marry the Mormon equivalent of James McAvoy while I'm there, SO... BE... IT...
An excursion aboard the TARDIS.
A new car. Diego is wonderful, but I want something a little newer, a little sleeker... In a dark, beautiful gray or a midnight blue.
A private concert given by Josh Groban, co-starring yours truly. Nothing big, just a few ballads... With a full orchestra. Actually, I wonder what Ramin Karimloo is up to on December 9th...
A world where Neil Patrick Harris is straight. Not that it would make much difference.
A $1,000,000 iTunes gift card.
A big ol' beautiful bouquet of flowers. Not impossible, but not probable.
The chance to talk to my 18 year old self and give her some advice. This is where the TARDIS would be useful.
A metabolism.
Everything I have pinned on Pinterest. That actually might cover most of what I have listed here...
The App of Invisibility. Hasn't Apple developed this technology yet?
A pet Panda.
Fearlessness.
The ability to fly. That's why I need fearlessness first.
So there's my modest little list. Remember, if you can't make arrangements in time for my birthday, there's always Christmas.
Now that it is finally December, I just wish I could throw on the breaks and enjoy it a little. But the calendar is already filling up and I'm afraid the Holidays will be gone all too soon. Busy can be good, but it can also be... busy. We haven't even decked the halls yet! All in good time...
I love Christmastime at my house. I love to sit in the homey glow of our Christmas tree in the evenings and listen to John Denver's Rocky Mountain Christmas. I don't like to brag (not really), but the Waters family can trim one gorgeous-looking tree.
Not this one.
Here are some sure signs it's getting close to Christmas at the Waters residence...
...I will sit at my piano and sing Christmas hymns and carols at the top of my voice. "The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear." And so I do. A lot.
...My mom will start asking if anyone's seen her colorized copy of The Bishop's Wife. Now, this is very important because my mom likes to wrap our gifts whilst watching this movie. It's her favorite. And for some reason the colorized version is far superior to the black and white. So the sooner she finds it, the sooner we start seeing beautifully wrapped gifts under the tree.
...My dad will shimmy (hahaha) up the ladder to start adding lights to the exterior of our home. He's no Clark Griswold, but at least he gives the house some needed twinkle. Way to twinkle, Dad!
...Strange noises can be heard during the night. Strange noises that could only mean one of our cats has clawed her way up the center of the Christmas tree to find some fun baubles to bat around and knock to the floor. I think our kitties are under the impression that the Christmas tree is not for the people, but for them. Silly people. They brought this tree in the house! We love the people!
...Similarly, you will usually find one of them nestled under the tree amongst the presents taking a nap. Adorable! If they're not up the tree, they're under it. The Christmas lights radiate heat and where warm, sunny spots on the floor are hard to come by in the winter months, a lighted tree will do quite nicely.
...I will compulsively start watching and re-watching The Muppets Christmas Carol, Elf, White Christmas, and Meet Me in St. Louis in rapid succession. I may even watch It's A Wonderful Life a few times, but not as often as the others. Jimmy Stewart is really, really intense in that movie and it gives me anxiety. Then again, seemingly harmless things give me anxiety... like scouring pads.
...We start lighting fires. In the fireplace.
...Everyday we put another tiny Christmas ornament in our Coca-Cola box advent calendar that my mom made... forever ago. I can't remember a single Christmas without it.
...The house always smells goooooood. Not that it smells bad the other 11 months out of the year. It just doesn't smell quite as "goooooood."
...All manner of candies and baked goods from the neighbors start piling up. Until I make them disappear. And then...
...I start to wonder how my clothing ever became so tight.
...It's finally cold enough that I can sleep comfortably under all my covers. Sheet, blanket, AND comforter. Pillows must always stay cold, though.
...I will be tempted (at least once) to throw myself into a snowdrift with reckless abandon. Most of the time I will try to avoid the snow at all costs - it's cold and wet and I don't want to be cold and wet. But other times I will just want to jump in it, dig it, throw it, roll in it, assemble snowmen and snow angels out of it, sled down it, face-plant in it, eat it... SNOW. ...My bank account starts to dwindle just a bit more than any other time of the year. I figure as long as that money's going towards making Christmas nice for others and not just for myself, then I have no worries. But I will treat myself to a few fun things!
...I'll start feeling better... just a little bit better. About lots of things. I think my heart always grows three sizes during the Holidays. And then rapidly shrinks back down by the time February rolls around... aka "The Armpit of Winter."
So slow down, Christmas. I want enough time to enjoy all the things!
(And yes, I changed the text from red and green back to black because it clashed violently with my blog design... Oh well.)
Say thank you. Even if it's really not necessary. Better to say "thank you" than later wonder if you should have said it - a simple "thanks" can go a long way. It's just one of the many life lessons I learned from a certain Miss Belnap way, way, WAY back in the day. That, and never wear platform sandals with gym socks and jogging suits. (Makes mental note to write future blog post about Lessons Learned from Vicki Belnap.)
Cringe with disgust at the following words... Moist... Supple... & Secretion... My dad is always thinking of clever ways to throw these into the everyday vernacular for my benefit. Shudder-recoil-wretch-shudder.
Sleep on my side or on my stomach. NON-negotiable. Whenever I watch a movie or TV show where they have to strap a patient into bed in a hospital it gives me a near anxiety attack. Complete and utter torture... Laying flat on your back with no way to reposition yourself, your body completely restrained?? I want to thrash uncontrollably just thinking about it.
On a related note... I always choose the cold side of the pillow. Warmness on my face is suffocating.
I sometimes...
Dream... distantly... ?
Gasp with delight whenever I see one of my kitties. It scares my mom.
Assume the worst. About myself and others. Pesky pessimism.
Don't shower everyday. It might be every other day, but only as conditions will allow. Just doing my part to conserve water? Though there are days when we all could probably use a couple showers. Take your hygiene seriously, folks.
Read 2 or 3 books at a time. Especially if one of those books is written by Tolstoy. I get distracted way too easily.
Listen to country music. And sometimes... I like it. But not very often. 95% of the time I end up wandering back to my alternative rock presets where I am more at home.
Avoid reading newlyweds' blogs. This is only a sometimes. Not because it makes me sad as a single person, but because SOME newly married people can be obnoxious, bless their hearts. I'm sorry you recently wedded readers out there, but it's true. Even some of my married friends have conceded this fact. As a hopeless romantic, I am thrilled at your happiness. But just because you've been married for a month does not mean you now have the wisdom of the ages. The rest of us poor dopes understand - your spouse is incredible and you don't know what you did to deserve him/her. Ack! First of all, I hate it when people say that! For someone who is working on her "deservability," the fact that you make it sound like they fell out of the sky is really quite discouraging... No false modesty, please. I will return to read more about your lives together, but maybe not until you've come down from that cloud just a teensy bit. I realize all of that sounds really terrible and mean-spirited... I may take it back... But I won't! Because it's true! (Pauses and makes mental note to look back on this blog post when she is someday married and an obnoxious newlywed. Pauses again and considers removing entire blog post altogether... Nah. Took too long to write it!)
Think the happiest I've ever been was living in London for 6 weeks during the summer of '08. I get homesick for it, if that's even possible. Life wasn't perfect there, but it was more exciting and beautiful and interesting. I've been reminiscing too much lately...
I never...
Start a journal entry by writing "Dear Journal..." I'll usually write entries to people, fictional or otherwise - characters in a movie/book, historical figures, celebrities, musicians, etc. It never affects what or how I write, I just do it for my own amusement. I have entries written to Paul McCartney, Elizabeth Bennett, Eleanor Roosevelt, James McAvoy, Miss Piggy, Horatio Hornblower, Julie Andrews, Michael Caine, Jack Skellington, The Doctor, Josh Groban, Emily Bronte, Ron Weasely... the list goes on and on. It's a pretty random selection, though I do think I'm inspired by what I might have read/listened to/watched during the course of my day. I do try to use a name only once. And no, they never write back.
Enjoy watching myself on film. Have the decency to get that camera out of my face!
Watch regular television... anymore. If there's anything I want to see I'll catch it online. This can be far worse than watching the telly though, due to the accessibility of oh-so-many shows. (Eyes glaze over at the thought.) Good thing I'm only tackling one at the moment. I think I maxed out at 4 or 5 episodes of Doctor Who just the other evening. I won't tell you what time I went to bed, but know this... I could have stayed up for another 4 or 5 episodes if my poor exhausted self hadn't started begging for mercy. Don't worry, I've cut back to only one episode every few days. It's just a good thing I don't have Netflix. Or is it... ?
Tire of the Muppets. Never.
. . .
And now I'm off to bed. To find the coldest side of the coldest pillow and sleep on my stomach!
