Desperation

According to philosophers, desperation is a powerful inspirer. It is on the same level as genius, brings about drastic change and eventually resignation.

Basically, you get desperate for something - and you are almost willing to accept anything.

Some people might call it compromising. Some might say that you are giving up. Whatever it is, if you are desperate enough for something, you are likely to rationalize ideals and promises and whatever it is that you think is keeping you from what you really want.

I have not got so desperate as to actually invoke any of this. But I've thought about it. And thinking about it is the first step - right? And that's what scares me.

I guess the only way I can explain this is through hypothetical examples.

1. Desperation for graduation - So maybe you thought you would grow up to be a doctor. Doctors are considered to be successful. If you are a med student, you are usually looked at with respect and awe. There is a lot of work that needs to be put into becoming a doctor. But then you take a biology class - and it scares the pants off you. Doctor idea - out. You are desperate to graduate, the idea of being in school for 8-10 years is scary. So you choose a new major. For example, geography. Geography is a good major. It is also one of the shorter majors. You don't have to apply to a program. Done. Never mind that you don't know what you are going to do with said major.
   
2. Desperation for a job - You've done your time in crappy jobs. Serving, small companies that favor nepotism, being a grocery checker! So you'd rather find a job that you enjoy, has nice co-workers, pays well...and it wouldn't hurt to have a few benefits and even a flexible schedule so you can travel when you want. But jobs like this just don't happen. (You usually have to know someone!) And so you go through the last few months living off of...say, a loan. The loan money is going to run out eventually. And then what? You need a job. Suddenly, you are looking at serving jobs. Never mind that you will have a B.S. in Global Studies - you apply to work as a receptionist for $7.50 an hour. If you get really desperate, soon you will start looking at the call-center jobs and salivate.
   
3. Desperation for a baby - look, you've heard about biological clocks ticking. But that applies to 35 year old women, right? Wrong. You've been visiting the family wards and you see the pregnant bellies in the store and pass the playgrounds now that summer is upon us. There are strollers everywhere. And not to mention your friends who are growing at rates that you didn't realize was humanly possible. You've always wanted to be a mom. You've always wanted to have a big family. Now you're X years old, and you feel the pressure. Who's the last serious relationship you've had? Who was the last guy that actually thought you were worth asking out? Oh, it's So-and-So. Never mind that you are NOT attracted to him at all. He's not even funny. Or ambitious. You don't agree on anything, actually. And he kind of smells. But you think, "I bet if I hadn't blown him off, I could be dating him now!" Or worse, "I wonder if I started to act interested in him, if he'd take the bait?" You're thinking that maybe he isn't really that bad. And how awful could it really be to kiss the guy? (Ignore that bit of bile that just came up on the last thought.) You're desperate.
4. Desperate to stay young - I had to put this one in here just because I live in Utah where 50-year old women are wearing clothes out of the Juniors' department and going through all sorts of routines in order to look like their 14-year old daughters. It applies to those of us still in our 20s, who are still trying to mooch off of parents, or are merely playing house instead of acting like responsible adults. Aging is a privilege. We're lucky to be alive. We're lucky to be getting life experiences as we age. If you live right, you only get smarter as you go. Those that are holding on to every shred of their youth - it's ridiculous. Now, for those who have already died because they think they are old, even when they have plenty of good years left - that's just desperation to die. It is equally pathetic.
   

This is unacceptable. But I'm convinced that desperation is what has gotten a lot of people where they are right now. Married to weirdos. Working dead-end jobs. Useless degrees. Etc.

Like I said, I haven't experienced this. These are all hypothetical situations. But could you see yourself making compromises out of desperation? Don't do it. It's not worth it!

Death to the Classics

When my brother and sister have a book report it is hard-pressing to actually get them to read the book before doing the report. At Brad's age (16) I had read all the Sweet Valley High books, along with hundreds of pages on WWII and the holocaust. I read every book ever assigned to me in high school (not counting text books) except the ones I found morally offensive. Those were replaced by something else.

Today, my friend (and much grander master-reader than I) sent me this article.

As a result, many 19th-century texts, such as Dickens' "Great Expectations," are disappearing completely from classrooms, deemed "too long, too hard" for attention-deficient teenagers of the 21st century. "Teachers are giving up," Jago says.
-Melissa Slager

The article says that teachers have gotten so desperate for their kids to read, that they are allowing them to read that has anything with a front, cover and inside pages. Not caring whether or not the book is considered a classic or is just pathetic writing in general. I say, that's a good start - but they need more.

Reading breeds better readers (imagine that). So for anyone who gives me the excuse that they are poor readers - it is frustrating. Because the only way they will ever remedy that, is by actually reading.

California Magic

California is a magical place. And for the following reasons:

Magic hours: it does not matter how late you arrived the night before (see 12am) and the fact that you played in the hot tub for hours afterwards - in California you can still wake up at 7am and function enough to talk on the phone. It doesn't matter that we left at 3pm on Sunday and still managed to make it back to Provo alive, albeit at 4am.

Magic weather: The weather in California is always beautiful! Even though we went to the beach when it was pretty overcast, it was still so pretty! The ocean breeze felt amazing. Rancho Cucamonga was perfect all hours of the day. And Irvine was perfect for the wedding. Because the weather is perfect, the vegetation is near perfect. Plenty of greens. Lots of blooming fruit trees. It's exciting.

Magic house: Levi's family opened their home to Colin, Aub and me and the house was magical. Not only did it have the color-changing lights in the pool and hot tub, but it also was equipped with magical beds that made you fall asleep immediatley and deeply. More than that, this house had a magical table where we'd walk in the kitchen and breakfast would be spread out. We'd pick up some, and then after being gone for a few hours, we'd come home to see that dinner had been replaced for lunh or dinner! Amazing!

Magic slang: I can't tell you how much fun we had with "U-beeyotches" and exactly who would never approve.

Magic friends: I really love everyone who was at the wedding. Colin and Levi and I drove down from Provo and managed to spend the majority of some 60 hours together and not get annoyed with each other. In fact, one could say that we had a marvelous time! Add Aubrey to the mix, and I can tell you that we were laughing so hard most of the day. Even the 10 hour drives did not seem very long (except maybe to Levi, who was driving the whole time). Going on a trip with your friends is often a deal breaker - and honestly, I think we only got to know each other better. I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

We left Friday after my homework was done, drove for 9 hours or so - stopping in St. George for some IN&OUT and again in Las Vegas for gas. We got to Rancho Cucamonga at around 12am and hit the hot tub. The water was perfect. The atmosphere fun. Levi managed to scare the crap out of me, as I did not have means of seeing and he was murking around the water and trying to grab my legs. We talked a lot...and then went to bed around 3am. When we woke up on Saturday, we had to go take Becca's temple recommend to her and then we went and picked Aubrey up at the airport. I swear - I love her! She is one of the funniest people I have ever met. After which we went to the beach so that I could enjoy the ocean. It was overcast, and therefore not as crowded, and windy. But it was still really pretty. We didn't meet the wedding party over at the Newport temple, rather we went to eat fish tacos at a really delicious restaurant.

The fun came with the fact that we were all in our beachwear, and we needed to change into our clothes for the reception. Our feet were sandy, our hair wind-tossed and our faces greasy from the sunscreen. We tried to sneak into the Hyatt, but it was a no go. So we tried the Courtyard - and there was not an accessible bathroom. Finally, the Residence Inn gave us a public restroom where we could rinse our feet and change out clothes. Unfortunately, there was not much that could be done with the wind-tossed hair and oily skin.

Kira's reception was absolutely beautiful. She looked stunning, and very happy. Irvine Civic Park was a beautiful place for a reception and I think everything turned out really well. Even if Becca did hate her dress.

After the wedding, there was an attempt at Salsa dancing which ended rather lamely. We had to seperate and so Levi, Colin, Aub and I headed back to the hot tub and remained there until 3am. Again. This late hour made it impossible to make it to the Irvine ward where James Zelnick is serving his mission. The ward was an hour away and started at 10am. We opted for the Huntington Beach ward instead - only, it was equally far away. We dropped Aubrey off with Becca and sadly, had to say our good-byes.

The trip home was long, but bearable. We had church music for half of the trip and good conversation. When we got stuck in Vegas due to the fact that they closed the highway, I was sure Levi and Colin were losing their minds. We did get to "explore" the northern part of Sin City. I must say...it's not really a place to go sight-seeing. The tent city that we passed was filled with homeless people and all the houses had bars on their windows and doors. I don't blame them one bit.

Overall - such a fun trip! I'm so happy for Reuben and Kira and the life that they are beginning together.

meus decorus matris

I've been thinking about my mother all day today. Of course, I'm sure that it is not a wholly original idea - after all, my mom had already been told four times before I even called that she is the best mother in the world. Novel idea or not - it's hard not to think of your mum, when she has had such a huge impact on your life.

From the moment we are conceived, we become little parasites that feed off our moms. Did you know that if a mother doesn't get enough calcium, a fetus will start to take from the mother's bones? The unequal balance of give and take from mother to child doesn't stop there. It continues for the rest of our lives. Mothers give counsel, wisdom, unconditional love. They offer advice, support and and guidance. Mothers are there to wipe tears, give hugs and vigilantly defend their children.

My mom is no different. In fact, I argue that she is the very best. She has been my very best friend for many, many years.

Top 5 Reasons I love meus matris:

1. My mom is one of the most obedient and non-rebellious spirits I have ever met. She was born and raised in the Church, and has never questioned anything. She is upstanding in the Church, has always held a current temple recommend and has done her best to teach me to do the same. I'm not as good as she is. I like to question things. I like to understand why. She doesn't need to know why. She just does.
   
2. My mom indulges me. Every time I call, every email I send she will (at least pretend to) be interested in what I have to say. She read Twilight on my insistence. She will make an hour long conversation last, just so I can hear her voice and pretend that I am home for a little while.
3. My mom loves her children unconditionally. Unconditionally. Infinitely unconditionally. I don't know how else to describe it - but I know that no matter what I do she will continue to love and serve. I know that she prays and cries for us as her kids when we are retarded. But she never stops loving us.
   
4. I know that my mom offers her whole heart to us and serves us in whatever way she can. She will sit and do homework with us, even if she doesn't understand or want to do the assignment. But she will sit there, just so we can have the extra "brain power." Anything that is within her capabilities, she will do it. She has been a great example of how to treat a husband. And how to respect and honor your own parents. She knows what it means to be a good spouse and daughter. Because of her, I strive to do the same.
   
5. I just love her so much. And whenever I think about how much I love her - I love her even more. I am so proud to be her daughter. To have been raised by her. To be loved by her. To look like her. To have been taught by her. What an amazing woman! My heart is so full, so grateful to be her daughter.
   

Thank you Mom. Thank you for everything. I love you more than words can say.

Yours forever,
Shelli

The Lanyard

The Lanyard - Billy Collins

The other day I was ricocheting slowly
off the blue walls of this room,
moving as if underwater from typewriter to piano,
from bookshelf to an envelope lying on the floor,
when I found myself in the L section of the dictionary

No cookie nibbled by a French novelist
could send one into the past more suddenly -
a past where I sat at a workbench at a camp
by a deep Adirondack lake
learning how to braid long thin plastic strips
into a lanyard, a gift for my mother

I had never once seen anyone use a lanyard
or wear one, if that's what you did with them,
but that did not keep me from crossing
strand over strand again and again
until I had made a boxy
red and white lanyard for my mother.

She gave me life and milk from her breasts,
and I gave her a lanyard.
She nursed me in many a sikc room,
lifted spoons of medicine to my lips,
laid cold face-cloths on my forehead,
and then led me out into the airy light

and taught me to walk and swim,
and I, in turn, presented her with a lanyard.
Her are thousands of meals, she said,
and here is clothing and a good education.
And here is your lanyard, I replied,
which I made with a little help from a counselor.

Here is a breathing body and a beating heart,
strong legs, bones and teeth,
and two clear eyes to read the world, she whispered,
and here, I said, is the lanyard I made at camp.
And here, I wish to say to her now,
is a smaller gift - not the worn truth

that you can never repay your mother,
but the rueful admission that when she took
the two-tone lanyard from my hand,
I was as sure as a [girl] could be
that this useless, worthless thing I wove
out of boredom would be enough to make us even.

Authors

I'm one of those people that like once I've ordered something from a restaurant and love it - I hardly ever stray from that one thing. I love yellow curry. I am sure that Thai offers other delicious dishes, but I can't give up my yellow curry! YUM!

The same principle applies to authors. Whenever I find an author that I like, I can't help but go and check out every book that that author has written. This, of course, includes the authors that have written series and sequels. This year, nearly all my authors are releasing new books! I'm so excited. In fact, I used my points from doing surveys on harrispollonline.com to order a couple of them!! (Nothing better than FREE books!)

Anyway...

Stephenie Meyer hasn't written anything new since Breaking Dawn. And I haven't heard any news that she is going to release anything else in the near future. Though she has mentioned something along the lines of mermaids. I'd almost like to see a sequel to The Host. Look, I realize that she is not a brilliant author. But her story ideas are original, interesting and highly entertaining. I love her characterization. Breaking Dawn was admittedly disappointing. But one bad book is not going to sway me from being a fan. I'm loyal.

Eva Ibbotson is hard to find in the U.S. She has written over 20 titles, but not all are available to us Americans. The few that I have found, however, are all on my bookshelf. She specializes in historical fiction that takes place in Europe (mostly) and lots of detail. Normally I have a hard time with paragraphs of detail, but Ibbotson does such a captivating job that I rarely get annoyed. More, she is either completely brilliant, or incredibly talented with research. Her books explore all sorts of careers (zoology, botany, music, etc) and the way she describes the flora and fauna of Brazil would make it seem like she was there in the 1920s. It's rather incredible. I just recently ordered her new book A Reluctant Heiress. I'm very excited.

Diana Gabaldon's books are the longest I've been able to read in quite some time. I haven't gotten into her John Gray series, because frankly, I'm not interested in reading about a gay British officer from the 18th century. However, the Outlander series is AMAZING. I love Jamie Fraser and Claire Beauchamp Randall Fraser. Again, the research that had to go into Gabaldon's work is incredible. Further, Outlander does not just skimp around basic details and facts. Rather, they go into incredible detail of what dentistry or even just personal hygiene would have been like during the Revolutionary War. With books over 800 pages long, you can't help but fall in love with the characters. The story line is fantastic - even if there is a bit of black magic and time travel. And the love stories real. There isn't a lot of fluff, but real fights and general putting up with each other. I can't wait until An Echo in a Bone is released in August. I'm stoked.

Marcia Lynn McClure was first introduced to me by my aunt who warned me of her fluffy, almost corny writing. I read Dusty Britches in a night. Finished Shackles of Honor next; and continued to read and collect until I owned every one of her published books and e-books. The last few releases I've bought on the day of their release. To say that I'm obsessed, well, it might not cover it. MLM and I had a little bit of a tiff after her last book that was released. While not my favorite, it is hard to kill my interest in her "clean romance" novels. It is hard to find romance novels that leave out the raunchy love scenes, but don't focus on God and forgiveness and stuff like that. (Not that I disapprove of God - quite the contrary. However, I don't always want to read this puffed-up Christian novels that quote Bible verses and stuff like such as.) Anyway, the point is - I'm a sucker for the type-cast gorgeous, manly men with morals and chivalry. Most of MLM's heroes make me giggle and I can't help but love that. I recently pre-ordered her newest book A Crimson Frost. And despite the horrible taste her last book left in my mouth - I'm very happy with this soon-to-be purchase. I'm weak.

Julia Quinn created a world in regency London that I haven't gotten sick of yet. I love her Bridgerton series. I have read everything that she has put out on the shelf. (Except some of her e-books, which are not as good as her regular books.) I love the bantering between the characters. I love their personalities. I love how funny these books are, and how English they are. I love that she mentions some of the characters from other books in newer ones, and makes references to things that happen - but not in a way that would confuse you if you hadn't read the other books. She releases a new book in June. I'm thrilled.

Deanne Gist is sort of the author that I already said I didn't like with regards to the romance and the pushy-Christian philosophies. But Gist does a good job of mellowing out her characters. They mention God, forgiveness and the like. They quote Bible verses and worry about "saving" the hero or heroine. But not like others that I've read. Besides that, she's sort of funny. And if not funny, interesting. I love the history and, again, the research she puts throughout the books. Usually her books focus on areas where brides are scarce. I really enjoyed her To Measure a Lady. I like that these are truly clean books. She is also releasing a new book, A Bride in the Bargain, this summer. I'm already planning for it.

J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series was something I tried to avoid. I actually wanted nothing to do with it. I could not understand the obsession with the boy wizard. But last summer, I gave in. I read them all, books 1-7 within a couple of months. I was surprised by the amount of emotion invoked upon my person. How much I hated Delores Umbridge and how much I adored Neville Longbottom. Rowling's story is amazing in itself. I haven't read the books that she has produced since Deathly Hollows. And I don't know that I will - unless I reread the series again, and don't actually want to leave the Harry Potter world. It is incredible the wizard world that she created! And though the movies have little to do with her as an author, I have to say that I saw the trailer for the Half-Blood Prince in the theater last night and: I'm so excited! (I was going to post a picture here too...but I clicked on a pic and it scared the poo out of me when it looked like it was downloading worms, viruses and trojans. Nice. I have given up on a picture for this particular author.)

Of course, there should be some others listed on here too, classics like Jane Austen, Charlotte Bronte, Charles Dickens, Louisa May Alcott, etc. I'll have to admit, I have not read all of their works - even if I do like the books that I have actually read.

Cinco de Mayo

While Cinco de Mayo has limited significance nationwide in Mexico, the date is observed in the United States as a celebration of Mexican heritage and pride. A common misconception in the United States is that Cinco de Mayo is Mexico's Independence Day, which actually is September 16 (dieciséis de septiembre in Spanish),the most important national patriotic holiday in Mexico. -Wikipedia

More importantly, Cinco de Mayo gave Becca and me an excuse to throw a little party in the house that we just moved into. We cooked and cleaned and slaved away and ended up with a rather good group of friends at the house. The house has never looked so good...even if we did hide a lot of stuff in order for it to look that way.

The best part of the party (besides the company) was the food! It was so delicious. Becca and Nicole (our resident Mexican) tried to make sure everything was fresh and authentic. The quesadillas, guacamole, pico de gallo, tres leches... everything was so delicious. We had a pinata. We had maracas. We had music. And we had Nacho Libre. Supposedly, this is a funny movie.

Over all, a grand success. The only problem - no leftovers.

Counter

I put a counter on the bottom of my page. The only problem is, I don't know if the 40 new visits have all been me, or someone else.

Ah well, it doesn't matter. Readers, stalk on. Or stay updated. I like that you do. I was sad to see that I missed my one year anniversary in the blogging world. Not that it is such a great thing that it needs to be commemorated; however, I will say that I have fun doing it. I go back and read my posts sometimes, and I think I'm funny. Even if you don't.

Just a little update - for those of you that don't know. I'm finishing up my final semester at BYU: taking two classes that I have been putting off for quite some time. Or, actually, I've been putting off GIS. I've attempted stats several times. If I make it through alive, then I'll be done. It's an exciting and terrifying thought.

I moved in with my friend Becca and her mom. I have a bedroom that may or may not be bigger than my parent's bedroom back home. Even though, it still looks as though it is Becca's walk-in closet. My room has been clean for a full 24 hours. Everything is put away. My bed was even made. And if I put off the laundry for a few more days, it will remain that way.

As far as the new ward goes...well, let's just say that it wasn't too successful today. We looked up what ward we fell into by way of boundaries and found that our ward started at 9:30 a.m. This is not different from the Omni ward; regardless, we found ourselves with little time to get ready and be able to show up on time. Since first impressions are everything, we opted out of the 203rd mystery ward, and tried the Arlington's 223rd (I'm making that number up, but I think it's close) ward that met at 11:30 a.m. We had our picture taken and filled out an information sheet and even participated with our insightful comments ("Fast offerings," Becca says. My comment was a little longer - and more profound...). But we will probably not be back. Besides the fact that it is NOT our actual ward, Becca and I are inherently judgmental people. There were maybe three attractive guys in the ward and they were all flocked around the Forever XXI sales models. Sigh, I think the real problem is that Becca and I have gotten used to a certain sort of celebrity within our ward at the Omni. We have a few people that actually appreciate our attendance and shower us with love and hugs and praise.... We realize that we can't expect that same sort of treatment in a new ward... but that doesn't stop us from wanting to get it anyway.

After looking at our schedules for the summer and seeing that we will both be missing quite a bit of regular church (meaning, not attending our own ward) we have decided that it might be best to stick with the Omni, and worry about making new friends in our new ward...later. Maybe August-ish.

That is, if I am still in Utah.

No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency Review

The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith

My review

rating: 3 of 5 stars



View all my reviews.

A Short Walk Through the Hindu Kush Review

A Short Walk in the Hindu Kush by Eric Newby

My review

rating: 3 of 5 stars



View all my reviews.

Japanland Review

Japanland: A Year in Search of Wa by Karin Muller

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars



View all my reviews.

In A Sunburned Country Review

In a Sunburned Country by Bill Bryson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars



View all my reviews

A Year in Provence Review

A Year in Provence by Peter Mayle

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars



View all my reviews.

Shellology

FOODOLOGY:
What is your salad dressing of choice?....Ranch or Poppy seed - but it depends on the salad.
What is your favorite sit down restaurant?.....Anything Thai
What is your favorite fast food restaurant?.... Taco Bell or Wendy's
What food could you eat every day for two weeks and not get sick of?.... Yellow Curry
What are your pizza toppings of choice?.... Pineapple

TECHNOLOGY*
How many televisions are in your house?.... 5, I think
What color cell phone do you have?...Red

BIOLOGY*
Are you right-handed or left-handed?.... South paw
Have you ever had anything removed from your body?....wisdom teeth
What is the last heavy item you lifted?....Becca's dresser - sort of...or my TV
Have you ever been knocked unconscious?....no, but I have been knocked so hard that I saw spots for a while

BULLCRAPOLOGY*
If it were possible, would you want to know the day you were going to die?....yes
If you could change your name, what would you change it to?.....I have no idea, but I would change it
Would you drink an entire bottle of hot sauce for $1000? .....NO! I watched a fellow-server drink a souffle cup for $10 and thought she was retarded. She spent the rest of the night throwing it back up.

DUMBOLOGY*
How many pairs of flip-flops do you own?....2
Last time you had a run-in with the cops?....The last time wasn't the most exciting... we just got pulled over for speeding and he made us late to the gig at the pub
Last person you talked to?.....Roberta
Last person you hugged? .....Becca

FAVORITOLOGY*
Season?.....Fall
Holiday?.... Thanksgiving
Day of the week?.....Depends on the week... Friday or Saturday or Sunday
Month?....October or November, but they all have their perks

CURRENTOLOGY*
Missing someone?.....KELSIE! And the rest of my family. It would have been nice to be able to go to Simon's wedding.
Mood?......Lazy
What are you listening to?....Nothing, actually. Or maybe Ray LaMontagne play through my head and of course, the sound of me typing
Watching?.....Just finished Weekend at Bernie's
Worrying about? .....nothing

KRISTENOLOGY*
First place you went this morning?.....The bathroom
What's the last movie you saw?.....Weekend at Bernie's at home, 17 Again in the theater
Do you smile often? .....Of course I do

MEOLOGY*
Do you always answer your phone?.....no
It’s four in the morning and you get a text message, who is it?...My dad, wishing me a good morning (it'd be 6am his time) or.... I don't know. It wouldn't matter, though, I wouldn't hear it if I was sleeping
If you could change your eye color what would it be? ....BROWN!!!!!! I love BROWN eyes!
What flavor do you add to your drink at Sonic?.....nada
Do you own a digital camera? ....yes, a little chunky box
Have you ever had a pet fish? Sure, Bubbles and A&B
What's on your wish list for your birthday?....a passport, a bike... furniture
Can you do pushups? ....sure
Can you do a chin up?....no, never could
Does the future make you more nervous or excited? ....excited
Do you have any saved texts?.....yes
Ever been in a car wreck? .....no
Do you have an accent? .....sure - not a fun one though
What is the last song to make you cry? Hm... Letters from Home
When was the last time you cried?.....Ooooh, I got a little misty when I had to leave Ohio...and Kelsie
Plans tonight? ...nada, It's already so late!
Have you ever felt like you hit rock bottom? ......yes
3 things you bought yesterday?....McDonald's
Have you ever been given roses? ....no
Current hate right now? .....Need you ask? STATS!
Met someone who changed your life? .....Definitely
How did you bring in the new year? .....at a family stake "dance" with my sister Mackenzie
Would you go back in time if you were given the chance?.....yes - but not so much for me, but to explore the past. I'd go way WAY back in time! AWESOME!
Have you ever dated someone longer than a year?....no
Does anyone love you? .....yes, I imagine there are a few out there
Would you be a pirate? ....no, but I'd be a pirate wench
What songs do you sing in the shower? ...whatever I'm listening to on my phone or CD player
Ever had someone sing to you? .....yes - the drunk table at IHOP was pretty special
Do you like to cuddle? ....yes
Have you held hands with anyone today? ....negative
Who was the last person you took a picture of? ....KELSIE!!!
What kind of music did you listen to in elementary school?....Smashmouth, Robin, Hanson, Chumba Wumba... I don't know. The great music of the 90s!
Are most of the friends in your life new or old?.....Newer
Do you like pulpy orange juice? .....YES!
What is something your friends make fun of you for?....Reading romance novels
Have you ever ridden on an camel? no
When is the last time you ate peanut butter and jelly? .....tonight, for dinner
What were you doing 12 AM last night? ....Going to Wendy's with Colin and Lauren then hanging out at Engagement Pond
What was the first thing you thought of when you woke up? .....What time is it, really? (I couldn't see a clock...because there wasn't one to see!)

NBA musings

I was going to get all deep and do a bit of research, but man! I'm tired.

So instead, I'll just say:

1. The Bulls vs. Celtics game tonight was awesome!
2. There are some really ugly people in the NBA (see: Gasol, Vujacic, Morrison, Scola...etc) In fact, there are so many that I wanted to make a top 25 list. But really, I don't watch enough games to know where to find them all - just that they are there.
3. The oppostie of the above point is that there is also a lot of attractive guys in the NBA. (i.e. Przybilla, Milshap, Calderon, Kleiza, etc.)
4. It would be way more entertaining if the NBA was played shirts vs. skins, instead of always being restricted by jerseys.
5. The above point is not true about the WNBA. Though, I guess the rest of the list would be applicable to the women's league.