Classic, Fair, Snowy White

It seems a little sad in life when you realize the "light" makeup you just bought seems to be a little darker than where your skin is at! I can't believe I have fallen from the "Classic Ivory" to "Fair" (and those are the nice ones description of my paler than pale skin). It would probably help if the sun that I like to bask in didn't also give me headaches. On my walk today, after about 15-20 minutes in the beautiful sun and my head started to twinge...I have a feeling it was because I forgot my sunglasses. Anyway - let's get on to the juicy stuff.

Relationships: Well, I suppose that if I actually got out of the house it might help me in my search for love. The two men I love most in my life right now are McGee and Dr. Spencer Reid. Dr. Reid with the potential for a mental disorder (I think he's at risk for schizophrenia)seems more interesting and someone I'd be comfortable around than most of the guys I have met in my life. I think his social awkwardness is about on par with mine and I am weak in the knees for super intelligent guys. I don't know if this means that I am pathetic or if the area of my location just has me secluded from the really interesting guys....hmmm. I also just love McGee's geektasticness - I think I may have just invented that word, but it works for me! He's so sweet and lovable and intelligent - very good qualities ... not to mention he looks...well, both McGee and Dr. Reid look smokin' hot in suits! :D

Health: I can definitely say that I have been a whole lot more successful in this situation this week. I was a little...ok, a lot, disappointed when I got one my Wii Fit Character after my post-pregnancy sister had borrowed it - IT GROANED and complained that I had gained 21.6 pounds. This sad fact means...I really need to get down to a healthy weight! I started keeping my food journal - it lasted about two days - so I'll have to get back to keeping that. I have been working out a lot more than I have been in the last weeks. It might sound geeky, but the "Sweat" option of Just Dance 2 is actually really fun and a GREAT calorie burner. The weather has been nicer and I've been heading out for walks in the warm sunshine. I also started up with 8 Minute Abs and 8 Minute Stretch and then another day I did 8 Minute Abs and 8 Minute Buns. My abs and legs have been hurting so much lately! It hurts sitting up in bed and it hurts attempting to walk up the stairs; right now it might suck, but in the long run I know it's going to pay off.


Career: This week I have at least applied to 7 more jobs! I've also been looking into careers choices that might get me to my dreams. I'm thinking about writing a culture section (visit local places of interest and write them up) and present it to the local paper as something optional to print (if they think it is up to par). I think if I really like that kind of work I might think about doing a Masters in Journalism. All just dreams and wispy thoughts floating about in my head currently, but we will see in time where this winding road of life will take me!

Exhausted

I am currently exhausted! I have spent the last several days trying to compose a reasonable cover letter. I am not one of those people who enjoys talking about myself and all of my achievements - I tend to link this to my shy demeanor and my mother's knack for always answering people's questions of how I am and what I am up to...even if I am sitting right there. I don't really mind, it takes all the pressure off of me about painfully filling in someone on all my achievements...plus, I always tend to sound a whole lot better when she describes what I've been up to. Cover letters are so tedious and more of a test on your BS skills. I am good at BSing my way through most things (hello English papers) but I am not good about BSing about myself. To be truthful, I can do the job; I am a capable, intelligent, and responsible woman;

however, my dreams = having a travel/food tv show, maybe come up with my own perfume, write a best seller, potentially continue writing children's books, buy a farm in the Scottish Highlands - turn said farm into a B&B with cute little crofts, own a pub, have a music festival on my farm, breed dogs and potentially horses...(of course my farm will have sheepies, cuz I love them so much!)...etc, etc, etc. I just want to do it all - maybe be an assless version of Kim Kardashian (ok, just a multitasking powerhouse like her). I just want a job until I can figure out how to get my feet on the path towards those dreams.

"Just Whistle While You Work"

Let's Bring Back author Lesley M. M. Blume ponders why whistling has gone out of style. I highly agree with her!
My grandpa sits around and whistles and I find it oddly comforting. There are all those creepy instances of whistling - walking down a dark alley/sidewalk (this is Wisconsin...not too many allies) and you can hear someone whistling but you just can't see them and this only leads to heart pounding fear! However, whistling can be quite pleasant, especially in songs or if you are doing a solitary task. It's sad - but I sometimes find myself whistling "while I work" ... and a lot of singing of Snow White songs.I already mentioned on Sunday's post about how much I loved Bing Crosby's whistle, but now there is another man in my life with a whistle to make my knees weak! Marcus Mumford can WHISTLE! Marcus is 1/4 of one of my favorite bands, Mumford and Sons. It is kind of sad that he hasn't (as of yet) whistled in any of his own bands songs; however, I first got a glimpse of this whistle in The Water alongside Johnny Flynn (another dreamy Renaissance man). My friend honestly thought I had lost it when I told her how gorgeous I thought his whistling was...needless to say, I still think it is a sexy quality! Plus, whistling is just plain FUN. You can be as creative as you want while whistling or just whistle any old tune you know. And if you can't whistle, just try try again! I know it sounds stupid, but it seriously works. You can practice getting your mouth into a shape that allows for a tune producing blast - the mirror trick really helps with any talent mouth related - you can ask my grandma about how many times my bubble gum got stuck to her mirror while I was trying to master that skill as a child :D So next time you are alone and want to give this jolly blast from the past a chance - just purse those lips and let your inner composer out!

Blazing Fire

I read Fire by Kristin Cashore. This is the companion novel to Graceling. I really liked both of these books and I spent most of Saturday reading Fire between painting and running errands! It was just really hard to put the book down.


This book follows Fire, a young woman, through a journey of love, overcoming her past, accepting herself, and discovering that one's family does not dictate one's life. Fire has a special power that allows her to read other peoples' thoughts and even plant thought inside their heads. This power is related to her life as a "monster." The monsters of Fire's world are extremely beautiful - stunningly beautiful and elaborately colored. Fire has her name because her hair is a stunning array of reds, oranges, pinks, and golds. The beauty dumbfounds people and will either make them extremely hostile or, to put it nicely, extremely crude. Her father had this power and misused his gifts - she struggles with her father's past, her past and what this power means to her. It really is a journey of self-growth and discovery. It is a rather long book, but you won't want to put it down!

I highly highly highly recommend this book as a good read! If you just want to check it out before purchasing or running all the way to the library (God forbid) - then you can browse some of the pages on Amazon.com with their "Look Inside" option. You can also check out Kristin Cashore's blog and website here.

Bing!

So it isn't so snowy and it isn't so Christmas timey, but I've been desperate to watch White Christmas since I heard the English class next door to my French class in Versailles watching Holiday Inn. I finally got my hands on the library copy of White Christmas and I am super excited to be watching it!

This is one of the best films from my childhood. I absolutely LOVE Bing. This movie is the reason I totally fell in love with Bing Crosby. I love his voice and I love his whistling! I absolutely love guys who can whistle because I fell in love with Bing's whistling...it's sexy! :D Not only do I love Bing, but I love Rosemary Clooney and their two counterparts! The showmanship in this film is just beyond spectacular! I don't think their is anything like this anymore...at all! No live shows or stage shoes that give you comedy, dancing, singing, and bigger than life sets that are beyond stunning. I think the use of all this talent to help out someone else struggling in really amazing. Today, lots of celebrities are happy with throwing money at a cause or donating some of their time to make commercials, but not doing something completely selfless like these people did for their General. A mix of a love story, a story of true kindness and generosity, and Christmas time just makes this movie beyond spectacular!

I also, always imagined me and my sister like the two sisters in this movie. The "Sisters" song is one of my favorite parts of this entire film! I especially love it when Bing and Danny Kaye sing the song so that the girls can skip out on getting arrested!

Freaky Friday Switch Up

So - since I kind of confused Thursday for Friday yesterday...I'm thinking I'll just do Thursday's blog today. :D I actually thought for a good portion of today that I had just actually forgotten to blog despite my memories of bringing up the page and typing. I thought I had skipped because I couldn't remember discussing my 3 areas of growth and change. I checked this evening, prepared to make a blog for today and tomorrow...until I realized that I had blogged (I had not forgotten - I'd just mixed up the days of Flitty Friday and Thirsty Thursday).

Relationships: So, my mom has been teaching me a lot of cooking lately (aka: I have dinner duty); she jokingly calls this my training to be a better wife. Now faced with the idea of marriage, kids, cooking, and cleaning for another human being/beings - I think I might pull a bell jar moment; however, I am not sure of this because if I met a decent guy I might just change that belief/feeling. I might just accommodate the house wife scenario into my life in response to experience and new information (I've been reading a psychology book lately :D). I still have made no forward progress in this area; unless you consider my "marriage training" forward movement.

Health: I am happy to say I have made forward progress in this area. While I did not start up with my food journal again, I did begin to get about 2 miles of jogging and walking in a day. I think I might get back to my 8 Minute Core videos (Buns, Arms, Abs, Thighs, Stretch). I love this DVD and it's pretty cheap on Amazon.com I still need to cut back more calories, but I am an emotional/stress eater and not having a job is beginning to annoy me.


Career: Well, I have found about 30 jobs to apply to in the Madison and Milwaukee area...I just have to write a cover letter to send with all the applications. I hate cover letters! They are the worst things in the world! Not because I can't write, but because I hate writing about myself and selling myself. I think in the speech classes they make you take in college they should teach you how to do an elevator speech with confidence. I just feel smarmy and wrong trying to write myself up as "the perfect candidate for the job."

Best in Film

So I was really intrigued by the ABC and People's list of Best in Film. I am a movie junkie and am always excited about good movies to watch. Many of these movies I have watched, but some I'm not sure if I ever really want to see. Of course, the list made me happy by having Gone With the Wind topping categories of Best Kiss, Best Memorable Quote, and Best Film! Scarlett came in 3rd for Best Character. I love both the movie and the novel - so I am super happy that it won all these categories.


I know some people may think that this movie is extremely racist; however, I can't fault a movie for showing some one's feelings about an era as well as many historical accuracies. Yes, Prissy talks like an idiot, but most slaves didn't have a good enough education to speak with perfect grammar. Many people have problems with the part where Scarlett slaps Prissy - I don't care what color anyone in that situation is; if my sister told me she was capable of delivering a baby and then the time came and she had no idea what to do...I'd jack slap my own sister!
I also see the movie as the hardship the people of the South felt when their way of life was completely changed. This just didn't change life for the men, but for the women that were mostly kept out of the business affairs of life. All of the sudden they have to deal with starvation, reconstruction, etc. all by themselves. I think Scarlett is an incredibly strong character that did what she had to do to keep those she loved (esp. her and Ashley) alive - she was the one that had to make the hard decisions, because they were forced upon her and it was survive or just starve and go under.

The winners of categories that I still have yet to see are: Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and Airplane (however, I do quote the line: "Of course I'm serious! And quit calling me Shirley" ... much to my mother's chagrin). I think I might start a Sunday Cinema blog - so I might work my way through the categories and review the Top 5 movies of each categories as ranked by ABC and People.

Mathmatically Taylor

So today was a very sad day. I don't care for White Diamonds, but I do love Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and I am deeply saddened to hear that Elizabeth Taylor died today. In honor of her memory - go out and watch an Elizabeth Taylor movie! She's all drama and beauty - so worth an afternoon or evening with an Elizabeth movie...plus, your local library is guaranteed to have at least one Taylor movie (that makes it FREE!).
So I browsed her IMDb and found a few movies that look interesting:
Obviously, I'd start with Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, The Blue Bird, There's One Born Every Minute, Giant (hello Rock Hudson!), and since I just left Paris...I'd suggest The Last Time I Saw Paris.

I also saw something incredibly weird today. It has to do with Pi - and no, I didn't spell that wrong, I mean Pi. That would be that little weird symbol (π)that probably annoyed some of you during high school math. According to dictionary.com Pi is "used as the symbol for the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter." For most of us, we remember Pi as 3.14, but Pi is a really long number - in the wikipedia article it says "π is an irrational number, which means that its value cannot be expressed exactly as a fraction m/n, where m and n are integers. Consequently, its decimal representation never ends or repeats." Here is just a line of Pi: 3.141592653589793238462643383279502884197169399375105820974944592307816406286 ! Yeah, that would just be a line. You can check out the first 100,000 Digits of Pi here. Now I did not bother to learn Pi much farther past 3.14 and finding the π button on my calculator; however, there was an ambitious nerdy guy in my class that actually attempted to learn it to the first 100 digits. Now Pi has been around since Ancient Greece and all of the sudden here come some politicians with some legislation to make Pi just 3. Now why do these politicians want to bother with mathematics that have been around for millennia - could it be because Pi is WRONG? or maybe we need to adapt to a changing world? No - these politicians want to change Pi because we are rated 25th (in the WORLD) at mathematics based on results of 15 year olds. Instead of attempting to put more money and funding into schools to help boost the actual LEARNING of math, no, our politicians want to cheat and actually CHANGE math to make it easier for children. My state has recently cut 8 percent public school aid amounting to about $834 million; this makes me extremely sad and depressed. Cutting school funding and CHANGING math is not going to make us more intellectually competitive in the world. And besides - legislation in the states will do nothing to world mathematics; this legislation would only cripple future mathematicians in world markets. Dear GOD, I hope this legislation doesn't go through; otherwise, I think I could probably get a better education in communist USSR. Really, this is a WTF moment for the USA!

And here comes the punch line - the story is fake! Pi is safe for now, but I don't know if I'd put it past some politicians to try and get this through all just to make us "look" smarter than we really are. With all the crippling legislation that is seriously damaging the United States education system - I wouldn't put it passed the government to try and change it! When will the United States realize that they can't cut school funding and still expect the United States to be intellectually competitive on a global scale!? We are supposed to be a global powerhouse and we expect to keep that position while skimping on education - I think we need to wake up and overhaul the education system! And I think most importantly, teachers shouldn't have to be wasting time raising your children (teaching them about hygiene - having to brush their teeth - and disciplinary problems). If the teachers could focus on math instead of the things that should be taken care of in the home, we could be higher ranked than 25th in world mathematics.

It's cold, cream

So while I was over in France, my unbelievably awesome friends sent me a cool book for my birthday. I found the book while browsing ModCloth.com. I love that store, but am currently to poor to do anything but hit the like button a lot! Anyways, I really wanted this book called Let's Bring Back by Lesley M. M. Blume - A) I'm a history nerd and love old timey things and B) I'm eccentric to the point of actually trying some of these. I'm not rich enough to be the eccentric with exotic pets, but I'm eccentric enough to try historical things in a modern time.

On of the products from this book that I decided to try was cold cream. I'd never really heard of it before or really new what to do with it when I got it. Despite my lack of knowledge of this product, it has quickly become on of my favorite products. I was one of those girls who'd rather just sleep in her makeup than waste the time to take it off. I especially hated the greasy, icky crap I had to smear on my eyes to get my waterproof mascara off and it not always coming off - besides I always felt like I was ripping the skin off my eyelids and then my skin would feel greasy no matter how much washing afterwards (not good when you already have greasy skin). I am so happy to take my makeup off when I know I have a jar of cold cream in my medicine cabinet! This stuff works like a DREAM! (I can add pictures later of how it can take massive amounts of makeup off without all that much effort or 16 different products. I am currently using the Ponds Cold Cream; however, I heard that there are even better cold creams out there that are more efficient at cleansing while also being CHEAPER - that is ALWAYS good!



If you take a look at Cold Cream on Wikipedia you get to see a product that has been around for a LONG TIME! This product has stood the test of time... 2 millennia to be exact! That means people in Jesus's time were smearing this stuff on their faces. And I can imagine this stuff was REALLY popular in Egypt where they had add that fancy eyeliner...they weren't having an EMO moment - nope, they were trying to protect their eyes from the desert sun. All that black eyeliner must have been heinous to try and get off, and this would probably seem like miracle cream to the people who worshiped the dung beetle.

Now I can't where that much eyeliner, but this is extremely helpful for getting off mascara without being harsh on the skin around your eyes. The cream leaves enough moisture on the skin to be used just by itself before bed. I use on of the Go 360 Clean products in the morning (this exfoliates and can be a little harsh for using all the time)and then turn to the cold cream at night for a makeup removing, skin smoothing, moisturizing power house! I think this was definitely a great find from the Let's Bring Back book.

Montmorency, The Phantom of Fire

Ok, so no such book exists, but that is the mash up of books I've read/have started reading.

I finished Montmorency: Revenge by Eleanor Updale and I have to say that it was a really good book. It had a good message of forgiveness. Forgiving yourself and forgiving others was the main focus of this novel. Robert had to forgive himself of mistakes he had made in his medical practice and the other characters had to let go of their vendetta against the three people they held responsible for the murder of their uncle and best friend. There was a bit of a cliff hanger at the end and I desperately searched the shelf at the library to see if there was a sequel. I found no look at the book shelf or online. It appears that the book series has left off with Montmorency in a tight situation!

I also finished The Phantom of the Opera Gaston Leroux and after finishing this novel, I definitely have to say that the movie is above and beyond the better. The novel was written as if it was the result of a historian's research into the mystery of the Opera and its ghost. Raul was just a pathetic character - after standing in a room for a long time, he suddenly begins to think that the room has turned into a forest because some lights have come on and mirrors in the room begin to reflect the image of the tree indefinitely. He starts running into the walls until the Persian guy with him gets pissed and tells him to sit down. Really, I'm beginning to think that the Phantom would be a better partner - at least he's intelligent and dynamic; sure, he's crazy and a murderer, but he is more manly and intelligent than Raul's little finger...plus, doesn't everyone have a soft spot for bad boys? I was a little sad that the Phantom wasn't quite what they make him to be in the movie; he's more evil. I also have more insight into his deformity - in the book it appears that his nose is only missing and this has apparently been missing since his childhood. After reading about prostitution in London, I got some details on the VD getting passed around, as well as the treatments for VD at this period in time; interestingly enough, the lose of a nose (it just dissolved, like Michael Jackson) was a common result from VD and the treatment for it. I'm not surprised the a deformity like this became grisly and repulsive - perfect for an unlovable villain.

The new book that I have started is called Fire by Kristin Cashore. It is a companion novel to Graceling. I really liked the first novel, and this one seems to be turning out pretty well. I was a little let down that none of the characters I really liked from the first novel seem to be in this novel. I'm really kind of interested in the "monsters" and how these monsters are incredibly alluring by their beautiful coloring and ability to dazzle their prey with their beauty. I am currently unsure if all "monsters" have the power to manipulate/read other people's thoughts, or if it is just the main character, Fire. I like that her name is based of her fire red hair - I like a leading red head...maybe why I love Ariel so much! I so wish I had red hair.

Maybe next week I can get Fire finished and a little bit more of my book on vice in London finished. Hahaha, maybe I can have the book on prostitution in London finished by the royal wedding :D

Flitty Cinderella Story

O.M.G. I have to say that the whole Will and Kate wedding thing is getting to me. I'm a little sensitive about the subject, since Kate is marrying the man I've wanted to marry since I was like 13. The Will and Kate book, the Will and Kate memorabilia, and now a Will and Kate MOVIE! I'm about to puke - ugh! I'm so sick of this crap - the wedding is on, now it's off, Kate is pregnant, Will's cheating already! Even though I hate her for taking my dream man, I really hope that they last. I understand how it can be extremely difficult for a relationship to handle the strains of royal pressures and duties. I wish them the best of luck in their relationship....I still despise her. And holy crap! Did you see how much that mesh dress she wore sold for?!? $125,871! Well, who wouldn't pay for the dress that launched the royal relationship, especially if people are willing to pay exorbitant prices on plates, cups, tea towels...tea anything, really.

You can check out a fuller story on the dress here.



Some how I don't think the Kate and Wills movie is going to be nearly as Oscar worthy as The King's Speech. PS: Colin Firth, you are the man! :D I think the time elapse and the mystery of the real story adds to the intrigue of the story. I think the spill of the relationship secrets in the form of a movie would best be received towards the ends of their lives...not now in all the hype of the wedding.

Happy St. Paddy's

So I'll go over my three areas of self help as I'm sure many are out chugging green beer...and I'm at home watching The Princess Diaries for about the billionth time.

Relationships: Ha! If you consider having a married man starring at your breasts as an advancement in the relationship department. Actually, I think I might have taken a step back from square one? Is it possible to be a relationship goose egg or even a negative? I think the missonary in a Mongolian hut sounds a little better right about now.

Health: Well, not much. I can definetly do better in this department. I think I'll work on an exercise program to go along with bringing back the food journal I started while I was in France. These journals really do help. It might seem overly meticulous, but it does help keep you accountable for the amount of food (not only calories) that you are ingesting. I'm really excited that the weather is starting to warm up so I can bust out my bike and ride around town.

Career: Well, I've got some books and a notebook to start helping me get my ideas organized, research some of the topics I want to cover in my story, and I have turned in an application. Does any one else think it is weird that a company would ask you about your earliest and happiest childhood memory. I think my earliest memory is actually of me attending my great grandfather's funeral and slipping in the new black dress shoes that I got for Christmas and the funeral. I'm sure that would win the company over on the best and earliest memory from my childhood. They also asked about what kind of people annoy me? Well....how can you answer that one?!? There is a job that I am really interested in; however, it would relocate me to California and I would yet again be forced to leave my family.




Do I leave my family and the cutest little nephew and little siblings in the world, or do I go be a part of a company that I believe is really making a difference in the world?

PS: That cake was so delicious!!!!

Say What...boys?!?

So "Say What" Wednesday is the day I get to talk about what ever I want to talk about.

Right now I have boys on my mind. I honestly think I need to get out of Wisconsin to find a decent man. My brother and his fiancee were telling me that I should go on Match.com to get a date. So last night I searched through the guys who were "similar" to me on Match.com. It was depressing to see the people that are in my area.

Not to mention that the other day while I was in Wal-Mart doing some shopping when I guy with his wife and child clearly watched me the whole time I was in the aisle...practically drooling. I know that Wal-Mart isn't the classiest of places, but really. When I was in high school and working at the library I would have father's openly stare at my chest while I was checking out Sesame Street books to his child. I guess the thing is, I really just do not have a single clue as to what is up with men. I get physical attraction and stuff, but really, that kind of behavior in front of your child and/or your wife.

So my two friends and I created a list of Dos and Don'ts of Dating in Wisconsin (we were pretty young and mostly inexperienced in anything other than being treated like crap by guys). So I'll give you a look into what our 19 year old minds came up with as Dos and Don'ts of Dating.

DON'TS

1. No D&D addicts incapable of socializing

2. No Pokemon, Magic, and other cult calling game addicts

3. No game addicts period!

4. No more than 5 yrs. younger (in acted once we turn 23-no cradle robbing) and no more than 10 yrs. older

5. All guys MUST be single

6. No one who has volunteered to be electrocuted

7. No small town cops

8. No guys from Jefferson and Watertown

9. No philosophy majors

10. No guys who can't/don't read

11. No guy that rearranges himself in public

12. No guy you can smell more than 2.5' away

13. No guys you meet online

14. No guys purposely single

15. No guys with bad hygiene

16. No guys from work or guys that you meet while working

17. No guys that say "come with me to my country and have my babies"

18. No guys who hit on you while you are working

19. No guys who look at you chest more than 5x during the process of a minute long conversation

20. No guys from LMHS

21. No guys still living with their parents unless a REALLY REALLY GOOD reason (e.g. still in school, cultural reasons, or parents need assistance)

22. No guys who like drama

23. No guys who like chick-flicks

24. No stalkers

25. No Facebook or MySpace stalkers

26. No guy who reminds you of a family member

27. No guy with long, unkempt hair (e.g. icky comb over mullet or any other combination of these words)

28. No guys who randomly stop talking to you for weeks/months at a time

29. No guy who has committed a sexual felony

30. No guy caught lying

31. No guys who disrespect their mothers but who aren't also momma's boys

32. No guys who tan or take longer than you to get ready

33. No guy who can't take sarcasm or laugh at themself

34. No guy who compares you or confuses you with another girl

35. No friends of brothers

36. No back hair and/or man boobs (esp. not ones bigger than yours)

37. No guys with meaningless tattoos (e.g. Packer helmet and turtle)

38. No super druggies/alcoholics

39. No guys whose sexuality you question

40. No guys with super creepy sex fetishes or who take them too far

41. No Emo/ unnaturally depressed guys

42. No guy who refuses to use protection

43. No guys with kids

44. No guys who yell at minimum wage clerks

45. No guys who over compensate

46. No guys into NASCAR or extreme hunters



DOS

1. Flowers or chocolate (candy bars, etc.) at least once a week-can alternate between the two. A bonus if he figures out you fav. and brings it to you

2. Guys who can cook

3. Guys who're independent ($ BABY)

4. Guys who think you're cute with no makeup and bad breath

5. Guys who don't automatically take sexual innuendos as cue for sex

6. Guys willing to watch/do something other than watch sports

7. Guys who order for you

8. Chivalrous

9. Guys with innovative date ideas

10. Guys who like to read

11. Guys who can take silence

12. Guys willing to ask for help

13. Guys who can keep a conversation going

14. Guys who'll make the first move

15. Must have completed high school and have goals

16. Guys who are indifferent or like your family

17. A guy who understands your need for beauty sleep

18. Guys that give good massages and that can crack your back

19. A guy who understands personal space issues

20. Guys with similar levels of PDA

21. A guy who can look good in both a Chip'n'Dale uniform and a suit

22. A guy with similar sleep schedules

23. A guy whose knowledge compliments yours

24. Guys with appealing body structure (nice ass, abs, and shoulders)

25. Guys with accents

26. Flexible is a plus :)

27. Ability to dance well (esp. salsa dancing)

28. Guys in uniforms a plus

I want to believe that there is a good man out there, but I'm really starting to doubt if I will ever get lucky enough to meet one.

BEWARE THE IDES OF MARCH

Ok, today wasn't all that scary!

So Tuesday is testy Tuesday and I'll tell you it has no correlation to PMS, mood swings, or being a “moody” girl. Frankly, I think men suffer from IMS more periodically than women experience PMS… Anyways, testy Tuesday is going to be me trying new things.

This Tuesday I decided to make an ice cream cake for my dad’s birthday. My mom came up with the idea of the cake – I executed the plan. My dad really enjoys butter pecan ice cream, so this of course is the focus of his cake. It take two 1.75 quart boxes of butter pecan ice cream, 1 small jar of caramel sauce, a bag of Heath chips, and a bag of lady fingers. To start I set the ice cream out to let it get soft. While I was letting the ice cream soften I cut enough lady fingers in half to line the edge of the spring form pan and the rest I stuck them in a bag and took my frustrations out on (I smashed it with a rolling pin). I then placed the crumbs in the bottom of the pan and lined the edge with the lady fingers. After the crust was set up, I placed on of the tubes of ice cream into a big bowl. Some of it will be mushy and the rest used a little old school action. If you were a child like me and my siblings, you probably had boring vanilla when you wanted chocolate ice cream. Inventive us – we created a way to create chocolate with some chocolate sauce and elbow grease – aka: you get a spoon and swirl the ice cream around really fast. This will soften the ice cream enough for it to be plopped into the pan. It takes a gentle touch at this point because the crushed lady fingers on the bottom will want to move around. I placed the ice cream on top and push down and out towards the edge with a spatula. After that was leveled out I pour some of the caramel sauce on top and a couple handfuls of Heath chips. After that I took about 1/4 to a 1/3 of the second tub of ice cream and placed that on top of the caramel and Heath chips. After the ice cream layer came another drizzle of caramel and handfuls of Heath chips before placing it into the freezer to harden up before it gets served!



I am anxious to taste this cake since my dad’s birthday isn’t until the 17th and my siblings ate up all the leftover butter pecan ice cream before I could get a taste! I’ll let you know how it tastes and I hope you get the chance to try this cake as well. This is so simple and yet looks so amazing (and like you put a lot of time into it!).

I'll add more pics soon...hopefully of this cake being enjoyed!

Lit. Lundi

So any one who knows me knows of my love for literature and media (tv, movies...you name it). Now days, I do consider things like television and magazines and youtube videos to be the literature of our day. Music is literature as well - if you consider how much literature comes to us because of minstrels, I think I'd have a good argument for entertainment of certain periods being equated with the term "literature."

I have two books I am working through. My mom got me addicted to using the libraries web database of ebooks and audio books. This site was a life saver for me while I was in France. The library at the school I was going to did have some English literature (I read Far From the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy and loved it - highly recommend it). I have been listening to The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux and I must say that Raul is WAY more whiny than I thought he was in the movie. I, personally, love the movie (I mean, come on, Gerry is so amazing) and I still do not understand why Christine did not pick the Phantom. Reading/listening to this book makes all the characters seem so petty and stupid - the movie actually seems to have more depth than the novel. I think if you take the whiny-ness of the characters in the movie and times it by a million - you get these characters. I'm not quite finished with it, but I'm hoping that the next 3 hours of listening go by quickly!

The other book I am currently reading (hard copy checked out from the library - great place!) is Montmorency's Revenge by Eleanor Updale. I love the Victorian Era and Queen Victoria - so revenge, murder mystery, crime novels in this time period fascinate me. There are three other books before this one. I have read all the other ones before and was astounded while browsing the library shelves to see that there was a fourth novel. I kind of lost track of this series as I got caught up in the hubub of a degree in History and English and working. I came across the name Montmorency while I was recently abroad in France, and it made the story all come rushing back to me. It is probably why my eyes, on the first visit back to my home town library, instantly lead me to Montmorency. I am about half way through with the book and it isn't disappointing. So far the main characters are helping to foil a plot against the royals and seeking revenge... I'll have to fill you in on more later!

Another fav. "literature" of mine is Pretty Little Liars. I didn't originally get into this show. I saw the ads and was repulsed; however, upon catching an all day marathon last summer - I was hooked! I'm not so sure why I am so wrapped up into this show, but it seems to me that even though these kids are dealing with the murder of a best friend, dating a teacher, coming out of the closet, and losing their virginity - this is one of the sanest teen shows I have seen lately. You can watch Teen Mom, The Secret Life of the American Teenager, and Gossip Girl and scratch your head going "WHAT THE HECK IS HAPPENING TO THE YOUTH OF TODAY?!?" I'm not a saint and I'm not the crazy rebel...I may be the black sheep but I am tame by most standards. These kids are getting knocked up, trying to get married (without even being able to DRIVE), and just all out going crazy. I like the mystery, drama, relationships, and friendship of Pretty Little Liars. I feel so bad for Hanna right now and I cannot believe who was waiting in the hall outside of Ezra's apartment! I guess I'll just have to wait until next week!

Tsunami of Charlie

So Fleeting Friday is based on celebrity news. Right now every one in the world is talking about Charlie Sheen. It is a little sad to me that the tsunami in Japan and the protesting in Wisconsin has been esclipsed by things like Charlie Sheen going nuts and Linsday Lohan, well, being herself. These trainwrecks of individuals have seemed to esclipse real news! Personally, while I can laugh at Charlie Sheen and LiLo, I also deeply pity them. I laughed at Charlie Sheen's co-star of 2 and a Half Men talking about his troll-ness, but at the same time I think what these stars need is pity, understanding, and love. They seem just so lost and lonely - and 72 jail sentences of 3 days that don't get served and 3 bricks of cocaine later...they still have the same problem they started out with: a lack of stability. While my heart and prayers go out to the people of Japan, they also go out to train wrecks of people suffering through the same issues that Lilo and Charlie are going through.

The Beginning of Thirsty Thursday

Hello everyone! My name is Stephenie and I want to let you know that I am thirsty! It is fitting for something like "thirsty Thursday"; however, I am not thirsty for alcohol - I am thirsty for change! I should probably let you know what the Concept of Thirsty Thursday is before I go spewing - Thirsty Thursday will cover the things about my life that I want to change and that I will be taking action to change. Thursday's blog will be holding me accountable for attempting to make those changes rather than curling into a ball and pulling the covers up over my head.
So let me tell you a little about me:
In my family I have 2 high achieving parents, 2 beautiful and talented sisters, and 3 sporty/intelligent/got-it-all brothers and then there's me. Yes me - the black sheep of the family! I have successful, married or soon to be married older siblings and prodigy adopted children from Ethiopia to compete with. I'm not complaining, I LOVE my family so much! I'd jack slap any one who tried to hurt them (in any way). I just happen to be the sore thumb that sticks out.
Relationship wise - I have been on one, count them, ONE date! And I had to ask the guy to ask me out in an email that I faked that my best friend sent out from my own account! Needless to say - I think you should just let things take their own natural order. My mom is pro-find-Stephenie-a-husband. She keeps suggesting men I should marry; her recent being a missonary to Russia: "Well sweetie, I know how much you like international travel and he's such a sweetheart." I think there's the problem that I think his brother is way hotter than he is - that tiny detail just might get in the way in the future (>.<) I'm like Drew Barrymore's character in Never Been Kissed - I'm just waiting for that perfect guy to plant one on me. I'm sick of being lonely and I don't think my parents Medieval or Victorian notion of arranged marriage is going to work at escaping the burden of a daughter - I feel I should grow roots like Emily Dickinson and pine away in my room contemplating dates with death! Hell, Death sounds like some serious action in the romance department to me - that is how bad it is!
Health wise - If you don't know where this is going with the whole black sheep thing and health, I'll fill you in: I'm fat! Yup - my trim siblings and especially sporty younger siblings have bodies of the gods (no joke - my little brother has abs...and more than a 6 pack). I'm not huge by the average American woman - I am the average American woman! I have the coordination of an inebriated elephant; thus, I was the nerdy type with my nose in a book instead of out on a field chasing a ball. I became heavier after dealing with a bout of depression and I've managed before to lose a lot of weight and then gain it back over a 6 year period. My trip to health is not just about losing weight, but learning not to turn to food for comfort and learning how to be kind to my body so it lasts for many years to come. My friends call me super-geriatric since my knees sometimes give out or I get stuck on the floor. I need to get healthy so I can be around, chasing my nephew around until he's the one too tired to play anymore.
Here is the big one...
Career wise - I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life when my parents sent me packing off to college. Hell, I don't even remember applying to college...I think my mom did that for me. I had been looking into taking a year off and doing humanitarian aid work and traveling. That got shut down, but unlike my siblings, my parents didn't strongly point me in the direction of a Business degree. They knew that that type of degree and lifestyle was just not for me. I chose my two favorite things in the world: History and English. Now that I am in the real world - I am uncaulified for every profession there is out there, even the ones that say "high school or equivalent." It seems like no one wants to take a chance on any one and spend a little time training. I am a fully competent person and if you give me a chance I will give my all to succeed in whatever position I get. It doesn't help that my dream job is a writer with a farm in the Scottish Highlands that also has a whisky distillery on the property (I love the smell of whiskey!). I'm not quite there yet - I have some ideas to start with, but I have to commit and stop hiding from myself - I CAN do this and even if I fail, I can try, try again!