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.