Creepy!

hahaha- Youtube hates me.  Really, I look up guided meditations and I see a video for "Best of Josh Hutcherson." It sure knows how to distract me! It didn't help that the guided meditation was completely boring.  I guess I am so used to Renee's meditations of imagery.  She takes you to a place and helps you feel calm and centered in that spot.  She also seems to say exactly what you need to hear at the moment.  For example: "Breath in love, breath out jealousy.  Breath in hope, breath out fear.  Feel the soft strength of the rock beneath you and how centered you are on it.  You are looking up at the night sky and you see a shooting star.  There are many of them now and they start to fall on you.  Bringing light and happiness to you as they embrace you.  Take in that light and breath it out into the world, sharing your light with the world."  It is hard to go from something like that to: "Breath in fully, breath out fully."  The sound of the waves was really working for the guy leading the meditation.  He also sounded like he was trying way to hard.  There was something forced in his voice. Renee's meditations just seem to flow straight from her mind and are genuine; not rehearsed.   A few other yoga related things:  so excited that a studio is giving free demos of aerial yoga soon and I am anxious to start making my Samatahiti video once I get all the components.  Once I get the video together, it shall be on here!

I figured I should follow up my post about peeling.  IF I HAD KNOWN THIS BEFORE, I think I'd be a much happier person at this point in my life.  I feel like one giant itch.  Between peeling scabs and peeling sunburn, all I do is scratch.   Here are some useful sunburn remedies that are all natural.  I will say, I did rub two aloe "leaves" on my legs and it helped a bit.  I wish I'd known the vinegar one though!  The linked article has natural remedies for other summer time complaints (bug bites, tick prevention, etc.).

1. Vinegar – Surprisingly this came out as the number one remedy for burning, itching sunburn. Use either white or apple cider vinegar they both seem to work equally well, spray it on or apply it with a cotton ball and let dry. It takes away the itching and burning and helps your burn not to peel quite as much.
2. Aloe – No sunburn list would be complete without Aloe on the list. Long known for its healing properties this is the remedy that most of us are familiar with. Simply apply aloe juice, gel, or direct from the plant and leave it.
3. Tea or tea bags – Tea will reduce the burning as well has help your burn fade a bit faster than it otherwise would.While many people suggest applying tea bags directly to the burn if you have a large burn this could be a bit difficult. You can brew your tea let it cool and use a rag to apply the tea directly to your skin. Use this remedy two to three times daily till the pain stops and the redness fades. Especially good on severe burns.
4. Ice – Removes the burn and pulls the heat out of your skin, ice will also help to reduce any swelling that might occur from severe burns. Best if combined with other remedies. You can use ice cubes, ice packs or put a wet towel in the freezer and let it freeze.
5. Mustard – while this might sound a bit gross, and truthfully it is the first time I had heard of it many people swear by it. Smear the burn area with mustard and let it dry. Remove by washing it off, it takes away the sting and will prevent blistering from occurring.

*Note: I am becoming slightly concerned with how crazy intelligent our technology is getting.  Really, my desktop just asked me: "See What Bing Knows About Stephenie?"  Creepy.  I think technology is getting smarter and people are growing dumber.  This was honestly in a health pamphlet that was sent to the office.  Really?  Pregnancy is a fact of life.  NO WAY!  I didn't know that!  I can't believe we populated a whole planet to almost over population without pregnancy being a fact of life.  I get what the writer was going for, but it makes me want to die reading redundant statements of just pure idiocy.  My internet can tell me exactly what I want to find without even asking for it; however, there are human beings that the phrase "Pregnancy is a fact of life" is enlightening.  No, it really isn't.  And with the modern woman and growing concerns of over population, more and more couples are choosing to keep pregnancy from being a fact of their lives.  My neighbor and I were joking about babies being a game changer.  I met a guy with a "Game Over" shirt with a married couple on the front.  I thought, heck, add a pregnancy belly to that image and it would be accurate.  That is at least the way I feel at this moment. 

Second spooky thing of the day.  Guys who hit on you in front of their wives.  I thought, silly me, when I quit working at a hardware store, I'd have to stop fielding weird requests.  I got asked today if I wanted to be a sugar mama - with the guys wife sitting right next to him.  I've had marriage proposals and requests to spank with a paint stick, but this is just a new level of creepy.  I know the man was completely kidding, but I wonder how that makes his wife feel.  To hear him ask another woman to take care of him.  How rude?  And to put me in a situation dealing with that -  I don't need to be brought into any other relationship. 

PS: After I wrote last night's blog, my neighbor really did stop by and ask for a cup of sugar.  It had me chuckling for a time since I had only put it in my title as a joke.  Life is funny sometimes.

Can I borrow a cup of sugar? Maybe a piece of cake?

Tonight, I noticed my neighbor posted something about a delicious chocolate recipe she was trying.  I jokingly commented: "Can I come over when it is done?!? That sounds yummy. Now I wish I hadn't eaten my body weight in Thin Mints a minute ago!"  She did invite me over.  I got cake and chocolate red wine and a great conversation.  It is so nice to actually sit down and chat with a neighbor.  She is one of the two people I know in the building.  Both of us love to bake and are really into healthy food and baking (with all natural ingredients and attempting to not pollute ourselves with all the fake, chemical additives in many processed foods).  It was a fun time.  Now I am super tired and in need of a few good hours of sleep.  I don't know if I can even stay up to read a few pages of my book.  Who am I kidding, of course I can read a few pages!

Daughter of Fortune

I am like 3/4 of the way done with our book club book.  I am really enjoying this book.  When I picked up the book, I had no idea that it had been translated from Spanish to English.  I find the story line very interesting.  It jumps around quite a bit, but I really like the way that the story seems to all tie together.  The book is Daughter of Fortune by Isabel Allende.  Eliza is the adopted daughter of a family of British colonists in Chile; Rose, Jeremy, and John Sommers.  She is raised with all the privilege of the wealthy, European elite located in Chile.  She also benefits from being connected to the locals of Chile through her caretaker, Mama Fresia.  Eliza has a  special gift of scent.  She can detect the scents of ingredients in recipes, making her a great chef and baker.  She can also identify people and locations by their scent.  Eliza falls in love with a poor Chilean man who get struck with Gold Fever and she is desperate to follow him to the California gold mines.  A Chinese healer helps her to California and Eliza's journey into the wild and free land of California begins.  As stated, I am really enjoying the story.  I am a little worried that I won't have it finished by book club; however, by all indications, I may be the only one at book club that has gotten close to the end.  Well, off to hit the pages a little more before sleep.

Expecting Friends

I had a pretty amazing weekend!  I for sure can't complain.  Baking on Friday slipped by really quickly and then Grandma and Grandpa B were here!  We had my birthday dinner and ate rather soupy ice cream cake.  I won't complain, it was good no matter what!  Then, I got all dressed up as a bitten surfer and went to see The Brother's Quinn play a show.  My two friends and I were the only people dressed up, besides the band, for the longest time.  Some other people dressed up finally came in a little later on - it helped us feel a little less like fools.  Then Saturday was spent with the family in the car. First, grandma, mom, and I went to Vinnies and found lots of good things.  I got a ton of books.  When I got to the register, I was happy to find that books were half off!  SWEET DEAL!  We then roamed from place to place picking up grandparents, having lunch, going to my brother's place, having nice, warm potatoe soup for dinner, and then movies with my sister and friend.  We got What to Expect When You're Expecting.  Then we watched part of Warrior before calling it a night.  Today, after church, I had to say goodbye to Grandma and Grandpa B.  I wish they didn't have to leave.  I will see them this weekend again, but it doesn't mean that I felt I got enough time with them this weekend.  My friend and I then spent the afternoon shopping (I bought way too many beachy scented candles at Bath and Body Works - I have Oceanside burning beside me right now), spray painting furniture, carving pumpkins, drinking wine, and watching Friends with Kids.

What to Expect When You're Expecting is a hilarious movie.  I still can't see myself having a child, however, this movie was just spectacular though.  The movie follows several couples that all overlap somehow, who find themselves "expecting."   One couple is adopting, one is pregnant after years of trying and finally deciding to stop trying, one was an accidental pregnancy, one was a happy surprise, and one was just easy in every way.  All of the couples face many different challenges while learning to accept, grow, and change with all the developments that occur while developing a baby: the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.  The "Dudes"Group scenes are my favorite part of that movie. 



Friends with Kids is another hilarious movie covering how having kids can be complicating.  This movie follows two friends that see their friends having children and seemingly falling apart.  They, unwed and not seeing anyone, decide that they should just get the "having the kid" part of a relationship out of the way.  This way, when they meet "the one," the romance isn't killed by having a kid.  They still have the joy of having a child, but they don't have all the other complications.  They end up having a son together and all of their friends are astounded that they somehow make everything work so well.  Both begin to see other people; however, complications begin to pop up and they must decide what is best for their son. 

*Just a side note: since when has it become socially acceptable to put porn in movies.  The Kids are All Right and Friends with Kids both had scenes with porn fully being shown on the screen.  Really?  Is this necessary?  Gay porn, threesome porn, watching porn while attempting sex...I really didn't sign up for seeing that when I got a romantic comedy/drama.  What is happening to the movie industry? Calm the sex down a bit.  It isn't really necessary to have it all hanging out there.  Doris Day and Rock Hudson didn't have to go at it on the screen for me to know that they had a strong sexual attraction/relationship/sexual appetite.  I got it all from innuendo.  Have some class and wit Hollywood!  Either that, or every one in Hollywood today lacks an imagination. Personally, I think both movies would have been a whole lot better with the porn or excessive sex scenes toned down or completely removed. 

Goodnight Sweet Heart, Well It's Time to Go

I am extremely exhausted after this week.  I have to get up and work at the bakery tomorrow.  However, I am extremely excited that my grandparents are going to be visiting.  I'll have to clean up my apartment a wee bit more before they arrive, but I'm sure excited. 

Relationships wise, I think I may have a Puerto Rican sweet heart.  He has written something to me every single day since I've been gone from Puerto Rico.  He's a super sweet guy, but I don't know if I see this going anywhere.  Not to mention, I'd have to get over my height-est objections to small men.  Puerto Rican guys aren't all that tall, occasionally there's a guy that goes taller than 5'6".  This guy is pint sized compared to me.  Maybe it is a good thing nothing is going to happen besides an exchange of weather reports.  It's nice to get weather updates from Puerto Rico though.  I can just imagine the sun on my face.  Javi's painting of Dome's Beach helps too. 
Health:  I need to get back to working out on a regular basis.  I went to bed early last night and I could hardly drag my butt out of bed for work this morning.  I did get in some Sun Series and 8 Minute Abs yesterday before going to work.
Career:  Ha. I feel like there is something more out there for me.  I just can't find it or put my finger on it.  I wish I could do something that let's me shine through, not something that I feel I trudge through until the weekend arrives.

Mine, Mine, MINE

I am beginning to disgust myself.  Honestly, I was finding flakes of my skin around the office.  Someone could track me by the trail of skin I am dropping.  I think I'm going to have to wear tight pants under my work trousers because I'm sick of going around and cleaning my flesh up off the floor.

Now that I've covered that gruesomeness, on to Criminal Minds!  They gave Reid a GIRLFRIEND and she said "I love you."  I'm crying on the inside.  He is so meant to be MINE!  My precious, skinny, issue-filled, nerd - Mine, Mine, MINE! I'm really interested in finding out what the heck is wrong with her.  If you remember, I suggested they get him a librarian girlfriend, not a chick with issues.  *Upset* - that boy deserves to be happy and issue free.  I know that doesn't make the best tv, but please, he needs no additional issues!

 

Also, I just need to put this out there.  People of WI, put the guns down!  WTF?  Three shootings in like two months?!?  Not to mention, two of them were within days of each other.  Not only that, but I'm pretty sure that there is a serial killer operating in WI again.  I need to move.  Rifle hunting season is starting soon - ugh.  Let's get through that with no disasters, please!  In all seriousness, my heart goes out to the family, friends, and loved ones of those that have been victims in all of the shootings. 

Peel

I am beginning to understand why snakes are so cranky.  Well, besides being blamed, alongside women, for the expulsion from Paradise, shedding your skin with no hands has to suck.  My legs are peeling and all I want to do is scratch.  This is especially pleasant since it is my upper thighs and backs of my knees that are flaking away to nothing.  I feel like on giant itch between all of my insect bites, peeling scabs and sunburn!  I honestly thought I rubbed a hole in my flesh while on the stair climber tonight; thus, I am currently sitting on an ice pack.    It felt really nice to rub my legs down with some exfoliating cream.  The itching stopped for a brief moment in time.  I haven't had this problem in forever.  I NEVER burn, mostly because I avoid the sun like the plague and always wear long pants.  I think I look pretty good pasty; however, I think I could live with a permanent tan for Puerto Rican sun.  You should have seen my younger siblings freak out when they saw my skin peeling off in bits. Their black skin has never peeled and this is the first time one of their white family members have burned so much that they turned red and peeled.  There is a first time for everything!

Broche de Oro

I feel I have spent too long at a desk today.  Ugh - I wish didn't have to come back to Wisconsin.  This cold, rainy weather makes me want to crawl back into my bed and dream of Puerto Rico.  New mission in life: Live part of the year in Scotland and part in Puerto Rico.  I was told/warned that I was going to love it so much I wouldn't want to leave.  If I had a place to stay, I think I would have really been tempted to stay. Not the first time I've done something completely crazy.

Really, who wants to leave this?!?

I had so much fun paddle boarding and surfing and snorkeling and doing yoga and not starring at a computer screen all day.  Not to mention I found Puerto Rican equivalents to Max from DWTS and Zach Effron.  The sun was amazing, I had adorable puppies to keep me company, and some pretty awesome new experiences.  I surfed on my birthday!  I told my teacher, Robert Ferrer, who is the best by the way, "I never expected to do this, ever, in my life.  I saw it in a movie when I was little and thought it would be really fun and now I'm here, doing it!" I also danced with completely strange men.  I had one guy tell me to move my ass.  I was slightly offended, but not too much. He quit dancing with me because I pretty much decided not to move anymore after that comment. A) I can move my butt and damn well B) I shake it when I want to, not when some dude is telling me to "move it" C) I had just gotten in that morning at 2:30 and it was late at night when I really wanted my bed instead of a dance partner.  Jose, the next guy I danced with didn't seem to mind.  I did hit him with my hat brim, accidentally.  Hahaha, I had to turn my hat around backwards to keep dancing without incident.   I can't help it, I find grinding just awkward.  What is even the past tense of that: He ground on me/he grinded on me/he was grinding on me.  Ok, the last one sounds the best.  Turns out, everyone actually from town thinks that this guy and his friend Ryan are really undercover cops.  That would probably explain why Jose first introduced himself as Josh.  Lord only knows.   I got up and rode several waves all the way!  Woot.  I also got burnt to a crispity crisp.  Good thing we had done the mountain biking the day before because all that chafing would have killed me!  I was already dying - I'm more of a ride bike for errands around town, not a ride bike far distances for fun.  15 miles is more than I ever want to do again.  Ok, I may try it again.  Just with less heat, more water, and a little more build up to that great of a distance.  My chain also popped off on the corner where the iguana lives.  If I had known that giant thing was near by, I'd have run with the bike away.  I have to say I am proud for doing things I never would have before - I totally "yolo-ed" a few times.  That rope swing was scarier than looking down and seeing a jellyfish between my legs.  Yes, that one did sting me.  Thank God it was just a tiny brush against my knee.  It could have been worse!

Surfer Eye-Candy

I did watch a movie while in Puerto Rico!  It was called Broche de Oro (Wave of Gold).  It was a really cute movie.  I teared up at a few places.  I even understood parts of it.  I definitely didn't get all of it, but I did get a good chunk of it.  The movie is about a young boy/man who breaks his grandfather and his grandfather's two friends out of their strict Catholic retirement home for a day.  It accidentally turns into a 2 day excursion when the tires on their car get slashed.  Bonds are made stronger between generations and love is discovered in all sorts of places!  A very entertaining way to spend a night in Puerto Rico.  The surfer eye-candy wasn't all that bad either.  It is a feel good comedy of sorts.  I very much enjoyed the movie. 

 

Heave a Sigh and Cast a Vote

I have a lot to say; however, I am so tired.  I don't know if it will come out all correctly. Another thing that is becoming tiring - campaign EVERY THING!  Everyone wants in on the action and some of the things that come out are just scary.

Now I know there are people like this on both sides of the political spectrum; however, this is the video that I stumbled upon. This is truly scary.  Please, if you don't have better reasons than "canidatial" looks to vote, DON'T!  I am very interested to see her video on how Obama is taking away her right to be a Catholic.  I'd say before the election, take her advice: "educate yourself" and then go vote.  Don't just really on your twitter feed and campaign commercials.  Truly look at the issues and vote for what you believe is best.

Shelved

I think my desk might be in shock!  I cleared off the growing pile of papers and found actual desktop beneath.  Who knew?  I'm getting everything clean and prepped before my trip since Grandma and Grandpa B are coming down to visit the weekend after I get back.  I'm so EXCITED for them to visit.  It'll be the first time they have seen my new place and I've lived here for nearly a year and a half.  All the prep I can do ahead of time will be greatly needed, since I know it'll look like a bomb went off once I get back.  Isn't it crazy how fast your spotless house can go from clean to a disaster area?!?

I got all house-warmy the other day and I decided to do a project in my front hall.  I got a $15 shelf from Menards and a wall hook for about $3.  My sister and I installed the shelf together while our pizza was baking.  We of course couldn't find our stud finder, but I did find studs in an odd place far from where I wanted to place the shelf.  I had to use the anchors they included, little did I know when I was borrowing my dads tools that I'd need a set of drill bits too! I had to run back to the house and get a set of bits.  Once we had all the tools, it only took us a few minutes to get it up on the wall.  My sister mainly read directions and checked on the pizza.  I finally got around to hanging the Monet replica I bought at l'Orangerie (one of my favorite places).  The frame and the picture together cost no more than $15.  For around $30 I have front hall set up that works well.  I'm constantly losing my keys.  This is mostly because I have a penchant for throwing my keys onto my bed and then losing them in all the covers.  Now, I am perfectly organized and I can avoid spending several panicked minutes in the morning searching for keys.

Busy Busy Prep Time

I haven't really read anything recently.  I've been busy doing projects and getting ready for my trip.  All of my audiobooks have been put off for Mumford and Sons as well.  The most reading I have done is my Lucky and the visiting guide to Puerto Rico.  It has all these interesting facts that I should study up on before I fly out this Friday. There are some really interesting foods I want to try. 

Five Years and A Set of Mittens

Ugh, sometimes there aren't enough hours in the day.  It's super cold too.  Why did it have to go from the 70s to the 50s in one day?  I like gradual temperature shift.  It always seems so much harder to get out of bed in the morning when it is cold.

I helped my friend move into her new place yesterday.  After we finished watching her unpack her massive amounts of clothes, we watched The Five Year Engagement.  I really like Jason Segel and Emily Blunt and they were great together in this movie.  The couple, Violet and Tom, get engaged after a year and are beginning to plan their wedding.  Tom is a big chef in San Francisco and Violet is a grad student.  In the middle of their plans, she gets accepted at a university in Michigan. Tom gives up his very good job to follow her to Michigan.  There, he finds a crap job in a deli and some really weird friends.  A lot of strain is put on their relationship and the wedding date keeps getting pushed back.

I think what interested me most about the movie was Midwest perceptions.  Deer hunting doesn't happen right after New Years and you can't just wear your sweater.  You need blaze orange on to go out and kill Bambi.  Those deer they shot were the most ridiculous looking things I have ever seen.  And the way he put the deer IN his car. Wow.  The seasons were all really weird as well.  They changed very quickly and sometimes there was snow, then it was gone, then it was back - and it wasn't showing time change.  Case in point, before New Years party, snow, at said party, no snow, walking home after party, snow.  It's just mind boggling.  Tom grows the weirdest mutton chop lookin things on his face - I haven't seen too many people with crazy facial hair in this area.  I can't really speak for Michigan since I haven't really been there.  We are also apparently in a battle to decide who really has the mitten state. 

Drive

I watched Drive last night - thus, no blog.  Ryan Gosling, can you get any better?!?  I do have to say, my favorite character of his has to be his rather minor character role in Remember the Titans.  His part in that movie is priceless.  He's so funny.  I like Lars too.  That character is amazing.  Sometimes, I wish I could pull the same thing with my family.  Too bad there only seem to be female dolls.  Maybe I should suggest that to a company.  I whole untapped market.  (ewe, that just got dirty in my head).  There is a reason, beyond his good looks, that makes Ryan Gosling Movie Marathons fun.  I don't think I can ever watch Half Nelson again, but most of his other movies are really good!  I was a little freaked out last night when he staked a man with a curtain rod and also stomped a guy to death (like, no skull left stomped him to death).  I think I really liked how the music and the slow motion of the scenes blended so well to give you this other worldly feel.  It was very interesting the way his character would just smile at the girl, Irene.  It made it seem more real - those awkward moments where you don't quite know what to say, but you don't want to leave, so you just smile stupidly. 



Anyways, I got told by my boss today that if I fall on my face while attempting to surf in Puerto Rico during a Pro Surfing competition, I can be rescued and fall madly in love.  I was like, do you not want me to come back from Puerto Rico?   I could probably start studying yoga under Renee and work at her resort.  I'd be all over that.  I don't know if I'd go well with a surfer dude though.  Hmm, Prince William surfs and I've loved him since I was 12, so maybe I do like surfer dudes.  And I could be his "little surfer girl."  (ugh, I think I just gagged).  I can't believe next Saturday I am going to be in Puerto Rico doing so many amazing things.  I can't wait!!  I'm excited. 

Walk New Ground

Oh my, it seems the internet just doesn't want to cooperate! 
I'll make this short. 

Work - long.
Yoga - ouch/sweat (literally, everyone was pouring sweat).
Dinner - ugh, my tummy and head hurt.
DWTS - Oh Max.
Cleaning - necessary evil.
Now - REALLY tired.

That isn't all that true.  I actually really like to clean.  I really like cleaning carpets :D  I also ate something that had already given me a stomach ache the first time I tried it.  Most exciting about today were the two amazon packages I had waiting outside my door.  That smile on the box really does make your day.  Now I just have to wait for England, Their England.  YES!  I got my Ahnu shoes today and I really love them.  They feel amazing on my feet.  They are way better than the sketchers that I purchased with the thought that they'd be a comfy walking/slip on and go shoe.  These shoes deliver - I am so happy that I saw them in the Yoga Journal.  What really impressed me about the shoe was the "catch phrase" that was written on the box: "Walk New Ground."  I like it.   I think if should be my motto/mantra.  If there is something that I really want to do with my life, it is to never stop exploring and "walking new ground."  This world is so amazing and I want to meet as many people and see as many things and do all the things it is feasibly possible for me to do.

So go out there and walk new ground.

Not My Fault

So I am just going to preface this with an: It's not my fault!!

Really, it isn't!  I share my internet with my neighbor and the thingy that projects the signal got loosened from the cable (yes, be in awe at the incredible use of my geeky and oh so technically accurate vocab). I asked her about it the other night - and now, we are back in the game.  So here is what I have written and stored up for you since the internet blackout. So since this is going to be long, I hope I can at least entertain you for a bit.

Wednesday:
Oh yes - I just watched the newest episode of Criminal Minds.  I am also really excited to watch Elementary tomorrow.  I love Johnny Lee Miller.  I think I might even stay up and watch him on Dave Letterman tonight. You know what I really, really love?  I LOVE Dr. Reid's hair.  It changes every season!   Long, short, sort of emo - back and forth. Matthew Gray Gubler is just adorable!  I also love Penelope.  She just makes my day.

I have a little bit of a beef with our medical industry.  Even alternative medicine falls into the same pitfalls as "regular" doctors.  My boss went to a seminar on sports nutrition this last weekend.  It was put on by a vitamin company.  Let's just say, it was more of a long commercial for their products, not actual  nutrition.  As I pointed out to him on Monday, "Shouldn't a nutrition class teach you something about what you should and shouldn't eat for your best athletic performances, not what pills you should pop."  What is our world coming to?  Is our future really just going to be pill popping for all of our nutritional needs?  Personally, I like food.  I'm pretty sure there are other foodies (ones that like healthy, yummy foods) out there that wish more people would learn about food nutrition and not just which combo of pills will get you where you want to go.  It kind of blurs the line between what pills are acceptable to take and not (steroids/growth hormones).

Tonight I got into a lively discussion about all of my world travels because someone asked if I had ever been to England when they saw me wearing my new England shirt.  I miss travel, I miss all the wonderful things living in a different place can bring.  I feel a bit stagnant where I am now.  While I am contemplating what it is I want to do with my life, I do know that I want it to be something I can do from anywhere in the world.  So I can take French lessons and explore museums and quais or hike "a freakin' mountain" (Old Man of Storr) or do something that makes me grow and expands my mind.  I miss it all so much.  The sucky thing is, that lifestyle isn't really conducive for family.  I miss my family so much when I am away.  I'll need to come up with a plan that makes sure they can come with me wherever I go - my entourage. My sister is looking forward to my 25th birthday about as much as I am.  Last night she let slip that she was going to be all alone when I turn 25.  My other friend who was there said, "she's still the same distance away from you in age as she was last year.  Nothing has changed that way."  And my sister responded with, "Yeah, but she'll turn 25 and then leave, and I'll be all alone again."  Great!

Well, my internet seems to be down again.  I seem to breath wrong and it disconnects.  Then it connects for about as long as it takes me to double click...and the it's gone.  Hopefully I'll get this up sometime tonight. *See, I didn't lie*

Thursday:
Today, I got relationship advice from a 10 year old.  After asking my age and my relationship status (both as boyfriend and husband), I was informed that I needed someone.  Both my coworker and I said that I didn't need anyone to make me any better.  I said I was pretty awesome and I like my own company well enough.  That response was met with: "Well, you need to find someone awesome to be awesome with."  I guess that is now my goal: find someone to be awesome with.  Got it,  I'll just pick that person out of a catalogue (thanks Paris) or the next person to walk in the door (hey, it worked for Stephanie in Grease 2!).
I'm a little worried about myself physically for my week in Puerto Rico.  I'm worried about biking and all that yoga, not to mention the paddle boarding and surfing.  I've gotten out of working out every day and right now, I'm more worried about getting rid of this cold in time.  Ick, I feel more like crawling into my bed than onto a yoga mat or the dance floor.

Sunday:
I watched the WEIRDEST movie with my sister after the homecoming game (surprise, our team lost).  The movie was called Damsels in Distress.  The movie is funny and off beat, but not really leaving you wanting to watch it again.  The weird cropping of the movie gave the story a bit of a jerky feel.  It seemed to not have any continuity.  The fashion was very interesting.  I liked a lot of the dresses; however, the neckerchiefs creeped me out.  I like scarves and those little kerchiefs look like a valley girl fashion imitation of an old west bandit.  Just bad.  Anyways, back to the movie.  There are a set of girls that find a new girl in the halls of their campus.  They take her in and she joins their band of weirdness.  They run the suicide prevention center - tap dancing is their favorite form of therapy.  Violet, the main character goes from being the head of the suicide prevention group to needing their help when she heads into a "tail spin."  Coming out of her tail spin by smelling this wonderful soap, she finds comfort in the wackiness of her peers and is further driven to start a dance craze.  It is her biggest goal in life to start a dance craze.  Love, dancing, and good smells are all things that bring depressed people away from the ledge.  I do have to say, I could be one of Violet's band of weirdos.  She has a friend who went to England and came back claiming to be British - she adopted a British accent that she refuses to drop.  If I could pull off a Scottish accent as well as I can a British and Irish one, I'd be ALL over it.  I'd say the movie is definitely worth a watch.  Maybe two if you need a second viewing after spending the first time through scratching your head.


Tonight:
I have a new appreciation for Wuthering Heights.  I never, EVER, liked the book.  I do understand it a little better than I did before.  Thanks Masterpiece Theater and Thomas Hardy.   I see why it is such a classic - it was practically the 50 Shades of Grey of it's time.  Umm, cheating, secret meetings, pining for someone you can't have, greed, pride, drunken debauchery - what more could shake up a rather stiff society.  Especially from a parson's daughter.  Weren't they supposed to not know what any of that was?   I think Thomas Hardy did a really good job of making Heathcliff a great anti-hero.  Holy crap is he good.  At times I hated him, others I wanted to hug him.  Sometimes I just wanted to smack him and say: "both of you just get over your big egos and love each other.  I don't know, maybe telling each other the truth for once might help not make you so miserable."  This rendition of the book was very well done; however, it didn't make me want to read the book again.  Sorry, that book is just too much crap to bother reading again. 

I also finished The Coral Thief today. Daniel Conner, a young medical student has been given some important specimens and a letter of recommendation from his professor.  This takes him from Edinburgh to the thriving intellectual hub of post-Napoleonic Paris.  On the way to Paris, Daniel meets a charming, intelligent, intriguing, and very mysterious woman with a child.  He feels comfortable with her and is persuaded to try and get a few moments of rest on the mail coach.  When he wakes, he finds that his specimens (a piece of coral and a mammoth bone) along with his letter of introduction have been taken by this dark lady.  Upon arrival in Paris, he begins a journey far different from the one he had originally planned.  He goes to the police in Paris to report his stolen goods and pleads illness to explain his absence to the great scientist he is supposed to be assisting in the Jardin des Plantes.  Little did he know that the chance meeting with that woman and her small child in the mail coach would change his life so profoundly.  Daniel finds himself drawn into the lives of the woman and the child; he must help them in their attempt to be free.

I was so excited to read this book based on the description.  Not so excited by the actual book.  Like a movie trailer, all of the interesting parts were in the description.  It had so much potential: love, crime, mystery, Paris, and young men from Edinburgh.  The book just fell flat.  Daniel Conner talked about himself in third person from time to time, which sort of makes since because he's talking about the "Daniel Conner" that was before this great life changing event.  I knew from the description that there would be something between the thief and Daniel, so that wasn't all that surprising.  I'm also a little concerned because he seemed to be aroused by almost any and everything.  Is that really what goes on in a man's mind? I'll just say, don't bother with this predictable and boring book.