do you have any gum?

my boyfriend is so cool.

2012-02-11T17:50:00.005-07:00

Reason I love Josh #294,543:

picture credit goes to Julie!

He flies model airplanes like a boss, and looks so dang attractive while doing so.

I'm a lucky girl.

editor's note: apostrophes

2012-02-04T18:37:00.005-07:00

This editor's note comes to you from the fantastic world of junk mail.

Better yet, wedding junk mail!

At first glance this flyer may look innocent, simply telling fellow Utahns about the many wonders to be found on their "happily ever after" site...

But upon further inspection...

Utahs?

What's Utahs?

Besides grammatically incorrect, that is.

Now, not wanting to jump to any judging conclusions, I hopped online and googled "Utahs Best Vendors" to see if there was some club or group or something that found joy in breaking the rules...

But Google responded with a reprimand:

Conclusion?

Totally judging them right now.

Folks, apostrophes are pretty elementary-- as in they are taught in elementary school. But it seems like TheBrideandGroom.com could use a refresher... sooooooo let's refresh!

Just remember, if you are trying to indicate that the object is possessing something use an apostrophe; if you are trying to indicate that the object is plural don't use one.

For example, if there is a a girl who is throwing a party, then it is "a girl's party." But if there is a party just for a bunch of girls, then it is "a girls party."

And....there you have it!

post comedy show syndrome

2012-01-24T15:24:00.007-07:00

Saturday night Josh took me to a super funny comedy show in SLC, James P. Connolly, and we had a fantastic time. We snacked on nachos and laughed so much!

When the show was over and the comedian had been cheered for and admired, everyone around us began suffering from "Post Comedy Show Syndrome." It was pretty funny.

Hm? What's that? What is PCS Syndrome you ask?

Well, let's look it up!

Post Comedy Show Syndrome /pōst/ˈkämədē/SHō/ˈsinˌdrōm/
Noun

1. When a person or group of people, suddenly believing themselves to be as funny as the comedian they just saw, begin to tell their own lame jokes while mimicking the speaking style and facial expressions of the comedian.
2. When people begin to preform very ridiculous and extreme behaviors, in a comedic routine style, just after a comedy show in order to receive laughs from their peers.

DIY light bulb vase.

2012-01-20T19:23:00.017-07:00

Whelp. Classes started for Josh last week, leaving me with a lot more free time in the evenings while I wait for him to be done with class, homework, and more homework.

You know what that means though?

Lots and lots of projects!

Like this one...

Presenting: DIY light bulb vase!

Now, this is a little bit dangerous, because you are dealing with glass, so only tackle it if you are feeling like livin' on the edge of the craftworld for a bit.

To start, you will need a light bulb, pliers, wire, and anything you want to decorate your vase with.

Start by peeling off the little metal circle on the tip of the base of your light bulb. It should be pretty easy, I started it with my fingers and then used the pliers to get it all the way off.

Now comes the dangerous part. See that black thing at the base? That is called the electrical contact, and is made of glass. Dark and ominous glass.

And you have to break it.

Or you can ask your super awesome, brave, manly and tough boyfriend to do it.

As you can see, Josh broke the glass with a combination of whacking and prying, and it got everywhere.

I suggest safety glasses, and maybe even gloves.

Once you have removed the black glass, there is yet another layer of glass. The glass fuse enclosure should be pretty easy to break, just give it a firm tap and it should come right out.

Now you have the light bulb...without the light part.

I took a little break to clean up right away, just to make sure no glass found its way somewhere it shouldn't be...like in a foot, or a hand, or the other hand or foot.

Besides, a clean space is a happy space, right?

After the cleanup is complete, take your now-not-light-bulb bulb and curve the screw cap in so you don't have any sharp edges.

All that's left now is to decorate it with ribbon, lace, wire, beads, feathers, or whatever else you want, attach some wire to hang it by and then you're good to go!

TADA!

Be sure to secure the wires so that way the vase doesn't find its way to the floor in a million bajillion pieces.

Finally, grab some of your favorite flowers to add a bit of spring to any room--no matter what season it is!

Isn't that just so pretty? I think I may make some more...

magazine butterflies.

2012-01-13T18:56:00.013-07:00

So.

It's Friday the 13th, 2012.

Kind of awesome.

And, while most people are being extra careful to avoid black cats, ladders, mirrors, and any suspicious soups (you really should avoid this one 24/7 to be honest though), I've got something for you to not only not avoid, but something that will brighten up your paranoid day!

...or rather, paranoid evening...

Anyway.

Presenting: DIY magazine butterflies.

These are super cute and super easy, and are sure to bring a smile to your face!

What you will need:

A magazine page, string, scissors, and any beads or jewels or whatever you would like to embellish your butterfly with.

Start out by finding a pretty picture in your magazine that you will turn into the butterfly's wings. Try to find one with an interesting pattern or pretty picture.

Now, cut your soon-to-be-wings paper into a square.

Start accordion-folding the page back and forth, like you were going to make a paper fan.

The tighter you can get the folds the more texture your wings will have.

When you have the paper all folded up, pinch it in the middle.

Secure it with a pretty colored string or ribbon.

Next, fan out the folds as big as you can, and start to shape your wing.

And when you are done....

Tada! A butterfly wing!

Do the same thing to the other side, and you're finished.

Now you have a colorful friend to hang in the window, car, pantry, or anywhere else you can think of.

I tied a bead in the middle of my butterflies, but you can get as crazy and creative as you want!

And there you have it! Super cute huh?

Be sure to post any questions or comments below, and let me know if you try these yourself!

Happy Friday the 13th everyone!

just this morning I wished I had another arm...

2012-01-13T18:20:00.002-07:00

yeah, I know her.

2012-01-11T18:04:00.011-07:00

Good music exposure time everyone!

Today I am sending your way a new artist that hails from my hometown, and is a good friend.

Milla is a budding artist that mixes pop and indie in a way that is, as she describes it, "a fruit smoothie blend of Lenka and Ingrid Michaelson with all the fizz and bubbles of an orange cream soda."

And I couldn't have said it better myself; her song Remedy reminds me of a sunny day filled with everything good and lovely. And birds. Happy birds. On a telephone wire. Chirping as I drive past in a convertible to a picnic with everyone I love.

Be sure to click here to listen to my favorite song of hers, Remedy, and all the rest on her fantastic new album!

dear boy that I love.

2012-01-11T17:29:00.012-07:00

Dear boy with the warm brown eyes,

You put the "oh so" in my life.

As in: Oh so happy, oh so wonderful, oh so fun, oh so silly, oh so sweet, oh so lucky, oh so adventurous, oh so creative, oh so perfect.

And oh so in love.

Sincerely,

Your girl behind the blog

posters.

2012-01-05T20:23:00.002-07:00

words on the tips of your fingers.

2012-01-04T17:11:00.012-07:00

Ok, first off.

HAPPY 2012 EVERYONE!!

I hope each one of you had a fantastic holiday season, filled with parties and loved ones. I know I did. So much, in fact, I had to take three days after to just chill!

But, I loved it.

Josh got me the most fantastic present for Christmas, a Sizzix die cutter! Aww, so sweet of him! And you can bet there will be a bunch of posts to come because of that present.

But, that is for another post...or rather, series of posts.

Today I am sharing with you all a cool tip when it comes to fingernail polish!

Presenting:

The "speak with your hands" nail polish trick!

I would have done step-by-step pictures, but it is hard to take pictures and paint your nails at the same time....so I will just tell you what I did!

What you will need: nail polish and clear coat, newspaper, sponge/paper towel/cotton ball, warm water.

First. Pick your favorite nail polish.

Well, maybe your favorite.

Use a color that is light enough for the letters to show up over the polish. Like a light blue, tan, light pink, white, grey, or so on.

You get the idea.

Paint your nails like normal, and let them dry to 99.99999999%.

Then take a piece of your newspaper and lay it over the nail, pressing the sponge/paper towel/cotton ball that you have dipped in the warm water on top of the paper. Pretty much you are making a sponge-paper-finger sandwich!

Mmmm.

Don't press too hard though! Firmly, but not hard. The ink will slide right off with the warm water and a little pressure. You will do this for each nail, so cut and set apart 10 pieces of paper to use, and then probably a couple more...just in case.

Peel the paper off. It should have left the ink on your nails, and because of that, the letters! Upon further inspection, you will notice that the words are backwards, so you don't really have to worry about what the words are that are on your nails...but still, pick an article that is happy, like about how the local kindergarten sang at a charity, or how a puppy saved a sheep from drowning, or something warm and fuzzy like that. Because, if you decide to use articles about sex offenders and murders, your fingers will have things like "detluassa yllauxes" and "semit enin tohs" across your nails. No one will be able to tell, but still.

Anyway, be sure to not bump the ink resting so beautifully upon your fingers, or else it will smudge.

If you peel one off and are not happy with how the ink is, just carefully rub the ink off with the warm water. You can really only do that once though before it will start smudging the actual polish. Once you have all your nails done, take and put a clear coat over each nail to seal the ink in place.

And there you have it!! Super cute nails! Perfect inspiration as you write that novel, homework assignment, peace treaty, or grocery list.

Let me know if you have any questions, and how you like it if you decide to give it a try!

oh christmas tree, and cookies.

2011-12-20T01:13:00.011-07:00

So, this Christmas season I have been doing a few things to try and get into the holiday spirit. One of those things was making Christmas sugar cookies, and another thing was setting up the Christmas tree!

First. Christmas cookies.

Josh and I went to my mom's and made sugar cookies. Josh is so much more domestic than me, but after a few trays I finally got in the cookie groove and made some stellar stars, stockings, and winter trees. We had the best time, and then took them to his parents' house where we munched on the tasty treats.

Here we are in cookie action:

Second. Jayme, Rob, and I decorated the apartment Christmas tree. It was very festive, and we listened to Mannheim Steamroller while we hung ornaments and garland.

Rob and I documented the festivities:

Merry Christmas season everyone!

kiwi.

2011-12-18T23:41:00.000-07:00

editor's note: hire an editor

2011-12-17T13:42:00.013-07:00

Today's editor's note comes from a site I found while doing research for one of my final projects.

I was writing a paper about beekeeping and, like any good student seeking out legitimate research and sources, I googled "how to be a beekeeper."

One of the first sites to come up was this gem:

Our good friend Blessing Maseko here is touting that he has written one of the best guides to beekeeping ever, and that with his handy-dandy ebook you too can become an expert keeper of the apis mellifera.

Now, upon first glance, you will notice the word "Whilst" starting out the site.

Sounds smart huh?

Well, if you are going to use the fancy version of "while," the rest of what you've written better back that sucker up.

Sadly, there was no backing-up on this site-- except for grammatical surrender.

And that was just the first two sections! The rest of the site was just as wonderfully painful, but you get the idea.

The best part?

It's on sale!

Yes ma'am and sir, you too for the simple price of $47 (a $247 value!) can own the "Beekeeping for Beginners" ebook and take the first step towards bee bliss and honey heaven!

And there is one guarantee you can be sure of, the quality of the book will be as fine as its online introduction!

school is over, and the possibilities are endless.

2011-12-16T10:33:00.005-07:00

an alumni.

2011-12-16T01:11:00.015-07:00

Well folks. It happened. I accomplished something grand today. Something amazing. Life changing. Something I never thought I could do, but then did.

...I cleaned up my desktop!

See?

I'm so proud of myself!

Oh, and I also finished up my college education. Can't forget to mention that.

You know.

Done with college.

No biggie.

. . .

Oh all right all right!

I FREAKING FINISHED MY COLLEGE EDUCATION TODAY!! LAST CLASS/FINAL OF MY LIFE STARTED AND ENDED TONIGHT! I AM NOW AN ALUMNI OF BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY!! SOOOO EXCITED!!

I am chilling in bed a free, educated woman! I can do whatever I like whenever I want! No one is going to tell me what to do now! I can think my own thoughts! No more printing or staples or folders! I answer to no one and no thing!

...that is, until I get a job in a few weeks. Then I will have to retract pretty much all of those statements.

Curse you real life, way to go and pop my party balloon.

Anyway, enough of the joking (but seriously) around. I graduated from college today, a fine lady of 23 with a degree in Advertising, emphasis in Copywriting, and a minor in English!

WHOOOHOOO!!

Pretty snazzy huh? I'm quite happy about it. In case you couldn't tell.

Ooooo! I need to go buy a fancy frame to stick my Certificate of Smartness in when it comes in the mail! E-x-c-i-t-i-n-g!

I should buy some leather-bound books too, and a globe. And maybe a pair of spectacles. And a black turtleneck sweater. And a Franklin day planner.

Oh, FYI. I suddenly developed a British accent when I left my last final. Because that IS what "smart" sounds like. So just a heads-up for next time you talk with me.

And I do Sudoku while reading The New Yorker now too.

But, enough of me being smart. I'm sure you want to know how my last day of college went right? Well let me tell you!

I arose at 8 AM sharp(ish) and began getting ready to pick up my final project and prepare for my presentations. My darling Josh surprise-assisted me and brought me my project, leaving me an extra hour to prepare. I put on a grey dress with black leggings and drove up to campus with The Naked and Famous playing on my iPod, and didn't hit a bit of traffic. Smooth start.

I arrived at my first final and presented my paper on beekeeping while the class ate pizza. We said our goodbyes, and I then proceeded to write, print, and practice my next presentation (it was on developing film). I turned in my final project, presented my paper, and then ate more pizza.

Mmmm pizza.

At the end I said goodbye to my friends in the class as we promised we would all find each other on facebook. Smooth finish.

I then walked to the exit of my establishment of higher learning and stood at the threshold for a moment.

I stood there as a college student....

And then, with one small step, I became a college grad!

Ta-da!

Yay! Just like that. One moment I'm me, and the next I am a different me!

College student:

College graduate:

Acceptable to wear sweatshirt and messy hair in public:

No excuse:

People give free food to:

People ask for donations from:

Expected to live off of no sleep and pizza crusts:

Expected to go to yoga and have a 401K:

Reckless youth:

Responsible adult:

Yup, the world will view me completely different now. And so will I. But that's a good thing, and I am up to the challenge!

I'm excited for this next stage in my life, and for all the things I will accomplish and experience starting next year. I am proud of all I have done and who I have become over the last 4.5 years, but I have a feeling 2012 is going to be the best year yet!

Oh.

And one more thing.

Dearest mother of mine,

Thanks for all you've done, the faith you had in me when I couldn't find it in myself, the endless hours spent on the phone encouraging and consoling and venting with me, the nice notes and loads of laundry, the pride you took in my successes and the compassion you had in my weaknesses. You were with me every step of the way, and I am so grateful for that.

Most of all, thank you for the strength you always gave me. And for believing in me. And for loving me. I couldn't have gotten here without you.

I love you so!

Sincerely,

The (college grad!) girl behind the blog

final finals week.

2011-12-12T16:45:00.011-07:00

Well, it's finals week. The first day of the last week of my college education. I figured that this was a big enough event in my life to document on my blog. Right?! I mean, it's no trip to the beach, but it's still quite exciting!

Also, my mind is melting thanks to endless questions on iambic meter and formal patterns and Italian sonnets and symbols and themes and stupid Edgar Allen Poe and his stories about gouging cats' eyes out.

Yeah. You read that right.

Gotta love getting an English minor.

Anyway, so I thought I would take a moment and post something that has nothing to do with academics.

What would that thing be about you ask?

A really good song, and some pictures from the summer.

For all of you suffering from finals and other stresses... just remember that the heart of life is good :)

aren't these pretty?

2011-12-08T14:58:00.005-07:00

Panasonic RPHTX7 Retro Style Headphones

Yes. Yes they are.

editor's note: homophones

2011-12-08T14:00:00.011-07:00

Hey folks! I'm back with an editor's note I think we all will enjoy...because it is constantly popping up all over our Facebook pages.

I'm talking about homophones.

A homophone is a word that is pronounced the same as another word but differs in meaning. The words may be spelled the same, such as rose (flower) and rose (past tense of "rise"), or differently, such as carat, caret, and carrot, or to, two, and too.

Sometimes improperly used homophones can just add an element of "huh?" to your sentence, like this one:

(Yes, I know. That one is not completely 100% a homophone. But for the sake of this discussion, it is.)

But sometimes it can bring a whole new meaning to what you are trying to say:

Hm. Let's see.

Waist
/wāst/
Noun

1. The part of the human body below the ribs and above the hips. The circumference of this: "her waist is 28 inches".

...I think he meant:

Waste
/wāst/
Verb

1. Use or expend carelessly, extravagantly, or to no purpose.

That is a bit of a difference!

Though, in his comment, both are true. I wouldn't want that ice cream to go to waste or waist either!

Get it? Get it??

...

Anyway, moral of this situation?

When it comes to homophones, yule not bee sari if ewe cheque two know witch won yew wont too right!

we walked around the lights.

2011-11-27T21:23:00.005-07:00

This weekend we went and saw all the lovely Christmas decorations at Temple Square and The Grand America.

It was the best time!

Oh, and sorry I haven't written much lately.

I've been a little distracted :)

dear brown eyed boy.

2011-11-21T17:06:00.008-07:00

Dear boy with the warm brown eyes,

I have to stand on my tiptoes to kiss you. It makes me happy when you fly your model planes inches from my face. We lie on the floor and listen to music. You make me smile all silly. I love to hear your ringtone calling me. We talk for hours. Your jokes are so funny. You are brave. And kind. And adventurous. And perfect.

I am so lucky.

Sincerely,

The girl behind the blog

now, I'm legit.

2011-11-15T12:49:00.011-07:00

Wow, it's been a week since I have posted anything.

But, I AM writing today, and with great news! Today is a day of celebration!

My very first officially legit freelance job's company's website is up!

I wrote a bunch of little notes (189 to be exact, in less than a month) to describe the different products on the website (see the copy below the cups and chocolates), but they also had to be cute and kind enough to be printed and physically sent with each gift.

So, it's pretty fun to see the actual writing I did months ago actually up on an actual website.

...let's just hope there are no copy errors. Eep!

a quote I completely adore.

2011-11-08T17:16:00.004-07:00

--Brian Andreas

oh no.

2011-11-08T15:58:00.006-07:00

So I have a little over a month left of school, filled with homework.

For example: A 2,000 word paper due this Thursday.

...I also joined Pinterest last night.

Baaaaaaaad idea.

happy friday

2011-11-04T16:28:00.002-06:00

Hey everyone!

Here are a couple songs for you on this very chilly, not so sunny Friday.

Plain White T's, I so wish I was at the beach like you.

But I will do what Andy Grammer says and keep my head up.

nyc (warning: picture overload)

2011-11-04T14:25:00.038-06:00

One day JetBlue had super cheap tickets to NYC.

So we bought some, took the redeye out, and went on a grand adventure that included a lot of pizza and crepes.

Rob and I took a million pictures with both our normal cameras and our vignette cameras. And here are some of the ones I took, all mixed together.

We stayed at this super cool hostel called The Bowery House down in Soho. It was really nice and full of chill people from all over the world.

There was some fun street art right outside of our place.

And we found all the Flight of the Conchords places! Rob has all the other pictures besides this one, but here is Dave’s Pawn Shop!

We went up to the Bronx and saw all the cool graffiti up there. When we were up there, someone walked by us and said, “We got tourists in the Bronx!” I guess we kinda stood out….

Probably my favorite picture from the trip right here:

Then we wandered around Central Park.

We then stopped by my old stomping grounds, the Financial District.

Good times. Shoutout to Nekku. I miss you girl.

We finished off the night in Times Square.

Oh! And we went to the MOMA.

I even got to see Starry Night!! I kind of really like it.

Jayme had to leave a day early (sad!), so Rob and I entertained ourselves at the Ripley’s Believe It Or Not! Museum.

And then Rob did some more lunges on a Times Square billboard as we kicked it in TS again.

Our final day, we slept in for a bit. It was nice.

Then we went down to Occupy Wall Street and checked out history-in-the-making.

It was finally time for us to go, so Rob and I hopped on the A Train and headed to the airport….when everything went wrong. Trains were running late, we missed our stop, the AirTrain was broken, we couldn’t find a taxi…and we missed our flight.

They could get us on the next flight, but the next one was 24 hours later! So, we did what any legit travelers would do….slept in the airport.

We went and slept in the international terminal for a while cause they had cushy benches…but then it started to get really crowded there at about 5am, so we went back to our terminal and slept on the floor.

We’re kinda hardcore like that.

After getting ready in the bathroom (the movie The Terminal comes to mind) the next morning, and lots of Dunkin Donuts hot chocolate and bagels, we got on the now working AirTrain and headed back to the city.

We hung out in Union Square, suitcases and all.

We also found the LDS Manhattan temple.

We ate some pizza. Went to the Met. Went a few other places. Ate some peanuts. And some cupcakes.

Then we went back to the airport were we DID catch our flight! It was nice to know we were just 5 hours from sleeping in a nice warm bed.

I’d call it a pretty successful trip.

dear RM

2011-11-03T14:43:00.006-06:00

Dear returned missionary with me in the library,

You are not impressing me with your foreign tongue. I am so happy that you learned another language on your mission and have kept it up, but speaking en español to your buddy as you smile cockily and wink at me is not wooing my heart.

Besides, I speak Spanish.

Yes, I am single and not a freshman and look very busy. You are correct.

And I will stay that way thanks to your cliché attempt to charm me.

But hey. Nice try :)

Sincerely,

The girl behind the blog

editor's note: proofread please

2011-11-01T15:32:00.007-06:00

Our editor's note today comes from Utah's finest news source.

Here. Let's take a look:

Come on Deseret News, the economy is not so bad you can't afford a proofreader.

...hopefully.

new york getaway.

2011-10-29T03:13:00.004-06:00

This last week I explored New York again.

I ate good pizza, spent a lot of time on A trains, and slept in the JFK airport.

Stories and pictures to follow. Stay tuned.

dear annoying student

2011-10-20T17:58:00.009-06:00

Dear male student in my English 316 class,

Stop arguing with the teacher on gender issues when it comes to writing. We don't care about German grammar or your mission experiences or that in your opinion everything generic should be referred to by the masculine gender. We care about English and modern English rules. Because this is an English class.

You do not sound smart or deep; you just sound like an egotistical, male chauvinistic jerk.

Sincerely,

The girl behind the blog

the round brush.

2011-10-19T18:04:00.012-06:00

It's product promotion time here on my blog!

When I got my hair done at the salon a couple weeks ago, the girl used a round brush to dry my hair.

She went on and on about how they are fantastic for straightening hair if you get one big enough.

Well, my hair looked great when she was done, so I went out and bought one for myself yesterday.

The biggest one they had.

Here it is in relation to a normal medium-large hairbrush:

Yah. This thing is massive. Like, it can double as a weapon.

I think my hair turned out pretty nice for just blowdrying it. I would recommend trying it out, but make sure you get a really big brush if you are going to give round-brushing a try.

It gives your hair a softness and volume that straighteners can't easily achieve, doesn't seem to fry as much, and it feels like you are getting a head scratch every time you dry your hair (the best part if you ask me).

So here's a big shout-out to the round brush!

what's your name again?

2011-10-19T17:05:00.005-06:00

Guys. I'm getting old.

How so? Here are a few examples.

I can't stay up as late as I used to. The people working at Subway and American Eagle look 12 to me now. I don't know how to work the remote. My back hurts.

But mostly, I have to use a calendar to remember things.

Yes, the mental steel trap of my youth has been replaced by the mechanical steel trap of my phone. And I was handling the change just fine.

Until today.

Today I awoke and saw this on my calendar:

I have no idea who Nick Claton is. None at all.

I also have no idea why he is in my phone. Am I supposed to call him? Meet him somewhere? Send him something? Save his life?

I tried Facebook stalking, Google searching, class/ward directory hunting, and several other means to help spark my memory and identify this person.

But none of it worrrrrrrrrked (said in my totally whiny and defeated voice).

I am at a complete loss, and because of that I have just reached the next level of old: I now have to make notes for my notes.

Is it just me that this is happening to???

Sigh.

P.S. Nick Claton, if you exist and are reading this, I'm so sorry. Forgive my forgetfulness. And please contact me, because not remembering who you are is driving me crazy.

go ahead, call me a witch.

2011-10-15T10:15:00.009-06:00

Jayme and I went to Witches' Night Out this weekend!

Witch hats and all! We wanted to blend in; hundreds of witches were gathering for the event, and we didn't want to stand out as the only Muggles there.

When we got there the party had already started, and all the witches were dancing.

Well, almost all of them.

Some were holding owls...

And some were flying over the village.

There were rows and rows of pumpkins...

Even a couple warlocks came to the dance party!

They were very friendly.

Who ever knew being a witch could be so much fun??

editor's note: spelling

2011-10-13T22:42:00.011-06:00

This should not happen as often as it does.

You definitely shouldn't spell "definitely" as "definately." That is definitely wrong.

And you definitely don't want people to think you can't spell, or use spellcheck!

Because you can. I have faith.

fall into fall.

2011-10-12T00:13:00.013-06:00

Fall is my favorite time of year.

This glorious season is full of warm colors, blue skies, golden sunlight, nippy weather, layers and cardigans, pumpkins, cuddling, hot drinks, casual walks and rides into the mountains to see the changing leaves.

Now, Fall does three things to me: It makes me romantic/sentimental, sleepy, and domestic.

Yup. Domestic.

I have no idea why, but when fall hits I suddenly have strange desires to bake and craft and decorate and listen to Nat King Cole and stuff like that.

It's weird. I know.

Those of you who have followed my blog for a while will note the trend last fall/winter with my DIY December. So, prepare for the annual up in the craft department here.

I'm starting things off super simple, because all I have made so far is something super simple. But, I think they are a cute twist to a normal sprinkled cookie.

What you will need: Cookies, frosting, and sprinkles of your choice.

Start out by making any cookie you want, I made some spice cookies, and then frost them together like an Oreo, leaving frosting poking around the edges.

Then take the cookie and roll it like a wheel through some sprinkles you have placed in a bowl.

Be sure to do this before the frosting hardens so you have a good stick for the sprinkles.

...and that's it! I think they look super cute, and are a nice alternative to the traditional frosting and sprinkle do.

Plus they are super fun to eat!

Enjoy and stay tuned for more ideas!

latest "awwwww" song

2011-10-10T21:50:00.003-06:00

Oh gosh, I'm such a sucker for cute love songs.

golden spike and spiral jetty

2011-10-09T23:45:00.029-06:00

The day was beautiful, and ripe with adventure.

Christian, Dallas, Dean, Ayumi and I set out from Murray to northern Utah early in the A.M.

First stop on our grand adventure: The Golden Spike National Historic Site.

Now, many of you are thinking, "What in the world is The Golden Spike National Historic Site??"

Well let me tell you!

If you look on the back of the Utah State Quarter, you will see this:

That snazzy engraving represents the joining of the Union and Central Pacific Railroads at Promontory Summit on May 10, 1869.

The finishing of the railroad meant that traveling across the country went from a journey of six months to only a week!

Crazy huh?

When we got there, we honestly weren't expecting much. Maybe a plaque or statue or something surrounded by tumbleweeds. But were we ever surprised. There was a snazzy visitor's center, a documentary showing in the movie room, and a live reenactment of the golden spike ceremony!

Dallas got to be a member of the cast, and was a fine one at that, and we all learned about the history that at one moment captured the attention of the entire nation.

And we got to take pictures with trains!

Yes!

We then hopped back in the car and proceeded to the Spiral Jetty.

The Spiral Jetty was constructed by American sculptor Robert Smithson in 1970. Built entirely of mud, salt crystals, basalt rocks, earth, and water on the northeastern shore of the Great Salt Lake, it spirals out counterclockwise from the shore of the lake and is only visible when the water level falls below an elevation of 4,197.8 feet.

While there, we ran into a rattlesnake!

Eep! Thankfully we all survived the encounter.

The Jetty was partially submerged when we got there, but you could still see the spiral out in the water. It was hued with the red bacteria that lives in the saltwater, fading to magenta and then out into a deep blue that reflected the endless sky of cumulous clouds.

It was really a beautiful work of art, and a great ending to our grand adventure!

this makes me lol

2011-10-06T22:37:00.002-06:00

every time.

like clusters of coral beads.

2011-10-01T20:00:00.008-06:00

So. Jayme and I have a tradition.

We go berry picking between the Saturday sessions of Conference.

And then we stuff our faces with berries for the rest of Conference.

pcf syndrome

2011-10-01T19:19:00.013-06:00

Post-Chick Flick Syndrome (PCF)

Noun/pōst CHik flik ˈsinˌdrōm/

1. The sudden feeling of loneliness a romantic experiences as the credits roll on a super cheesy Chick Flick.

2. An emotional snap back to reality, usually accompanied with the desire to cuddle.

an essay I adore.

2011-09-30T00:56:00.003-06:00

You Should Date An Illiterate Girl

Jan. 19, 2011

By Charles Warnke

Date a girl who doesn’t read. Find her in the weary squalor of a Midwestern bar. Find her in the smoke, drunken sweat, and varicolored light of an upscale nightclub. Wherever you find her, find her smiling. Make sure that it lingers when the people that are talking to her look away. Engage her with unsentimental trivialities. Use pick-up lines and laugh inwardly. Take her outside when the night overstays its welcome. Ignore the palpable weight of fatigue. Kiss her in the rain under the weak glow of a streetlamp because you’ve seen it in film. Remark at its lack of significance. Take her to your apartment. Dispatch with making love. F*** her.

Let the anxious contract you’ve unwittingly written evolve slowly and uncomfortably into a relationship. Find shared interests and common ground like sushi, and folk music. Build an impenetrable bastion upon that ground. Make it sacred. Retreat into it every time the air gets stale, or the evenings get long. Talk about nothing of significance. Do little thinking. Let the months pass unnoticed. Ask her to move in. Let her decorate. Get into fights about inconsequential things like how the f***ing shower curtain needs to be closed so that it doesn’t f****ing collect mold. Let a year pass unnoticed. Begin to notice.

Figure that you should probably get married because you will have wasted a lot of time otherwise. Take her to dinner on the forty-fifth floor at a restaurant far beyond your means. Make sure there is a beautiful view of the city. Sheepishly ask a waiter to bring her a glass of champagne with a modest ring in it. When she notices, propose to her with all of the enthusiasm and sincerity you can muster. Do not be overly concerned if you feel your heart leap through a pane of sheet glass. For that matter, do not be overly concerned if you cannot feel it at all. If there is applause, let it stagnate. If she cries, smile as if you’ve never been happier. If she doesn’t, smile all the same.

Let the years pass unnoticed. Get a career, not a job. Buy a house. Have two striking children. Try to raise them well. Fail, frequently. Lapse into a bored indifference. Lapse into an indifferent sadness. Have a mid-life crisis. Grow old. Wonder at your lack of achievement. Feel sometimes contented, but mostly vacant and ethereal. Feel, during walks, as if you might never return, or as if you might blow away on the wind. Contract a terminal illness. Die, but only after you observe that the girl who didn’t read never made your heart oscillate with any significant passion, that no one will write the story of your lives, and that she will die, too, with only a mild and tempered regret that nothing ever came of her capacity to love.

Do those things, god damnit, because nothing sucks worse than a girl who reads. Do it, I say, because a life in purgatory is better than a life in hell. Do it, because a girl who reads possesses a vocabulary that can describe that amorphous discontent as a life unfulfilled—a vocabulary that parses the innate beauty of the world and makes it an accessible necessity instead of an alien wonder. A girl who reads lays claim to a vocabulary that distinguishes between the specious and soulless rhetoric of someone who cannot love her, and the inarticulate desperation of someone who loves her too much. A vocabulary, god damnit, that makes my vacuous sophistry a cheap trick.

Do it, because a girl who reads understands syntax. Literature has taught her that moments of tenderness come in sporadic but knowable intervals. A girl who reads knows that life is not planar; she knows, and rightly demands, that the ebb comes along with the flow of disappointment. A girl who has read up on her syntax senses the irregular pauses—the hesitation of breath—endemic to a lie. A girl who reads perceives the difference between a parenthetical moment of anger and the entrenched habits of someone whose bitter cynicism will run on, run on well past any point of reason, or purpose, run on far after she has packed a suitcase and said a reluctant goodbye and she has decided that I am an ellipsis and not a period and run on and run on. Syntax that knows the rhythm and cadence of a life well lived.

Date a girl who doesn’t read because the girl who reads knows the importance of plot. She can trace out the demarcations of a prologue and the sharp ridges of a climax. She feels them in her skin. The girl who reads will be patient with an intermission and expedite a denouement. But of all things, the girl who reads knows most the ineluctable significance of an end. She is comfortable with them. She has bid farewell to a thousand heroes with only a twinge of sadness.

Don’t date a girl who reads because girls who read are the storytellers. You with the Joyce, you with the Nabokov, you with the Woolf. You there in the library, on the platform of the metro, you in the corner of the café, you in the window of your room. You, who make my life so god damned difficult. The girl who reads has spun out the account of her life and it is bursting with meaning. She insists that her narratives are rich, her supporting cast colorful, and her typeface bold. You, the girl who reads, make me want to be everything that I am not. But I am weak and I will fail you, because you have dreamed, properly, of someone who is better than I am. You will not accept the life that I told of at the beginning of this piece. You will accept nothing less than passion, and perfection, and a life worthy of being storied. So out with you, girl who reads. Take the next southbound train and take your Hemingway with you. I hate you. I really, really, really hate you.

we went for a hike to the hot springs.

2011-09-26T15:43:00.027-06:00

our washing machine sings of dangers.

2011-09-25T15:07:00.022-06:00

So, my mom bought a new washing machine this week. The interesting thing about it is that when a load is done, it plays this song:

Quite an elaborate song for a washing machine, if you ask me.

The curiosity of what song our washer was actually playing was so strong, I ran another load and waited to record it. After some internet sleuthing, I got to the bottom of the tuneful mystery.

The song it plays is called "Die Forelle," and is a lively German song written in 1817 by Franz Schubert.

I was sort of hoping that the song was the South Korea national anthem (the manufacturer of our machine), but I wasn't so lucky. An old German tune is still a good and interesting result though.

The lyrics talk about a man watching a trout and a fisherman at a creek, and how in order for the fisherman to catch the trout he had to muddy up the water so the trout couldn't see clearly. The trout gets caught, much to the author's dismay, and so he finishes off the final verse with this warning:

At the golden fountain
of youth, you linger so confidently;
But think of the trout,
and if you see danger, flee!
Mostly it is from lack
of cleverness that maidens
miss the angling seducers.
So beware! otherwise you may bleed too late!

...golden fountain of youth?

...angling seducers?

Yes folks, every time I do laundry our washing machine warns my young female soul of the dangers and specious charms of men.

note: do not drink the developer

2011-09-24T13:25:00.015-06:00

Christian and I went on a grand adventure. We went to the Unita National Forrest to take pictures, Old Spaghetti Factory, and then developed film at his place to the soundtracks on his record player.

He taught me about how the developer liquid eats away at the emulsion and silver halide crystals on the film strip and that you have to dispose of the liquid a special way because of the silver in it. He also explained to me a bit more about how film actually works-- like about using dark backgrounds so you can expose your film multiple times without overexposing it and stuff.

He's so smart.

We mixed chemicals into a beaker made in West Germany, handled the film inside of a black snowsuit, agitated the heck outta those negatives, and listened to Flight of the Conchords as we timed out our moves exactly.

The result?

My very first home-developed roll of film!

Sadly only one picture really turned out, and one sorta turned out, and the rest weren't worth posting....but hey, it was so much fun.

1,000 words.

2011-09-18T01:45:00.000-06:00

The Colbert Super PAC

2011-09-12T13:55:00.016-06:00

It is no secret that I adore Stephen Colbert. He is the epitome of a clever man.

Like, his picture would be next to the definition of "clever" in a dictionary written by MacGyver, edited by Aristotle and illustrated by Jerry Seinfeld.

So, when Stephen decided to form a PAC, I jumped on board and signed up for the email list.

Did I have any idea what the PAC was going to be used for? No. But it's ok, because Stephen didn't know either.

Through a series of twists and turns, Colbert was finally able to form a Super PAC, and figure out what to do with it. He asked us to donate for a better tomorrow, tomorrow... and of course I happily obliged.

After my donation, I received an email thanking me, encouraging me to spread the word, and telling me that my money says hi.

AND!

I also got this picture!

...I may or may not have swooned a little...

OH! AND AND!

My name was on the crawler at the bottom of his show!

YES!!!!!!

...I was quite excited.

Plus, I know that my little donation helped with the commercials made for the Ames Straw Poll in Iowa.

*happy sigh*

Guys, America's awesome.

spud bear.

2011-09-12T13:34:00.006-06:00

So yesterday I was doing some unpacking, and I came across something very special.

I've had Spud for as long as I can remember. He's filled with beans, which makes him very floppy, and you can barely see his little black eyes through all the matted fur. He is looking a little worn these days.

But he's adorable.

last day.

2011-09-10T09:49:00.013-06:00

Well, yesterday was my last day at my job.

I'm going to miss everyone so much, it was a hard decision to leave. They are the best bunch of people you could ever hope to work with. Like, whoosh lightening great.

I will miss:

Star Trek, and other nerdiness
Youtube pass-alongs
Going out to lunch
Camera talk with Christian and Ayumi
Photoshoots, presenting, and promos
Brainstorm sessions
Adrienne's jingles
Quotable quotes and catchphrases
Dallas as my desk neighbor
Asian jokes
My desk
Needle jokes
4pm Creamery runs
'Round the room music playing
Fantastic stereotypical work emails like:

"All,

Just a friendly reminder…Refrigerators will be emptied every Friday afternoon. All contents and containers (be they Tupperware, Superman lunchboxes, or heirloom china) will be thrown directly into the garbage dumpster. We have limited space and cannot use the BYUB fridges to keep things in from day to day, or to store all the separate fixings for PB&J sandwiches or burritos on site. Bring your “brown bag” each morning and feel free to place it in the fridge until lunchtime. Again, please remember to clear your leftovers out of the fridge Friday by 4:30 pm.

Have a great weekend!"

Such a classic.

But most of all, I will miss good conversation with good friends.

They made me this card for my last day, and I will treasure it forever.

Creative Services, you will be sorely missed.

But I will still see you guys around... cause we are all kinda awesome like that.

True point.

rainy day.

2011-09-09T16:51:00.004-06:00

Here is great a song for today, because it is raining outside.

a snowbird sunday.

2011-09-04T21:38:00.004-06:00

My mom and I went up to Snowbird today to look at the flowers.

It was just lovely.

when typing gets serious.

2011-09-01T21:17:00.007-06:00

If I'm working on a project, and suddenly start biting my nails off...

...know I mean business.

my grandma's camera.

2011-09-01T15:50:00.017-06:00

So when my mom and sister went to my grandma’s house to visit, they brought me back a very special gift!

My grandma was wanting to get rid of her old Argus C-3, but didn’t know what to do with it…so my mom quickly snatched it up for me.

I love my mom.

It was quite dusty when I first got it, which was no surprise seeing as how it probably hadn’t been used in close to 50 years. I always find it sort of dreamy when I hold something that was made before I was born. It’s like holding a glimpse into a world I will never know; proof of the stories in my history texts.

The leather case was falling apart from age, but other than that, and the dust, everything was just fine. About 20 q-tips later and it was pretty much perfect.

It takes 35mm and has a diaphragm shutter, and after I did a little research I found that “the brick” as it was called was one of the top selling cameras in history. And it works like a champ, even after not being used for decades!

I just love the flash attachment on it, I feel like a press girl from the 1940s…or like I am signaling aliens with a mini transmitter dish.

Really all I was doing was taking a picture of birds… which means that I have indeed started a roll and will put the results up as soon as I get them developed!

I just love the idea that when my grandma was my age she held this very camera in her hands, squinted one eye, and took a snapshot of a moment I can only experience through pictures.

summer storm.

2011-08-28T20:52:00.007-06:00

I'm sitting here on Rob's front steps with my two best friends. The air is humid and thick with the chirps of crickets, and as we watch the incoming storm we argue if lightening can come up from the ground.

I vote it can't.

my bag.

2011-08-28T12:55:00.008-06:00

There are days in a girl's life when she just can't find what she is looking for in her purse, no matter how many times she searches the abyss of her bag.

Seriously, some days you just feel like you have a Mary Poppins bag that is endless... and has eaten your lipstick for lunch.

When a girl reaches that point, she only has one option: dump everything out on the floor.

Today was one of those days, and when I spread everything out on the carpet and located my lipstick, I also discovered I had:

5 bobby pins
powder compact
tweezers
cherry lip gloss
tan hair tie
movie tickets: Larry Crowne and The Help
play ticket: Le Miserables
76 cents
homemade envelope
owl light
all my keys
BYU i.d. card
water bottle
clippy thing for papers
bubble sunglasses
mustard wallet
moleskine notebook
5 gum pack
4 smooshed granola bars
butterfly aspirin box
blow pop earbuds
monoi scented lotion
mylar survival blanket

high fashion.

2011-08-25T17:12:00.004-06:00

need a good song for today?

2011-08-23T09:01:00.002-06:00

Try this one.

static fritz.

2011-08-22T16:32:00.003-06:00

Sometimes when Fritz rolls around on the carpet he gets all staticy.

When the hairs on his ears start to stand on-end, we get nervous that if we touch him he’ll explode.

BYU SLC

2011-08-22T16:31:00.009-06:00

Well, school starts in a week…for everyone else! I don’t start until Wednesday.

“But Danielle! How does that work!? Didn’t you have a class on Monday?”

Yes good people, I did.

But then I decided to spend my last semester at the place I love: The BYU Salt Lake Center.

I spent my last two semesters there, and just adored it. The people are friendly, the building small, the parking easy, it's in SLC, and when you walk down the hallway at the right time of day the sun is just so pretty.

I will even get the chance to stop by and see someone that makes me happy while she is teaching her class. All grownup-like.

So, my first day is now next Wednesday, leaving me a few more days of freedom…

...and a lovely view from my desk when classes do finally start.

the great salt lake.

2011-08-22T16:27:00.006-06:00

When I first moved to Utah, I thought the giant lake was called “The Salt Lake.” So when someone would refer to it as “The Great Salt Lake,” I just figured they thought it was really cool or something.

Then I learned that “The Great Salt Lake” is actually its official title, and was saddened by the realization that the people of Utah weren’t calling it great just because they’re all super proud of their lake.

But then I went there this weekend. And it really was great.

I didn’t take a picture, though I wish I had. The sun was golden and sparkling across the waves with the air cool and salty. The harsh wind swept my hair into my face and in front of my mouth so I could barely eat my toasted sandwich.

I didn’t really mind though... I wasn’t there for the sandwich anyway.

The Mustache Party.

2011-08-14T16:23:00.017-06:00

Rob threw a mustache party this weekend...

...so we all put our best 'staches forward!

Jayme dressed up like Rob with a mexistache and chinstrap.

I came with a 'stache-on-a-stick.

Dana had a milk mustache, and Eric...well...

...nuff said.

The two Robs enjoyed each other's company...

...and Lisa sported a fu manchu!

There were lots of other mustaches at the party, along with a piñata, boulder throwing contest, delicious food, and paper lanterns!

Upon reading the instructions, I learned that paper lanterns are meant to be wishing oh-ed upon....

So that is exactly what we did.

I wishing oh-ed for a pony. A pony with a mustache.

Yay for the mustache party!

nekku lives in logan.

2011-08-14T15:50:00.010-06:00

So Friday my dear friend Nekku sent me a text that said, "Come up to Logan tonight!"

...I happily obliged.

I was so excited to see her I couldn't even hold the camera steady!

We went and bought lots of treats to celebrate.

I was obsessing over this textured pretty blue bottle, and because Nekku studied interior design, she understood.

We bought a ton of junk food, planning on watching a movie at her place...

But then decided to go see a movie instead.

In the morning we went and got delicious crepes for breakfast at this little cafe!

They were so tasty, we got one with turkey and then a sweet one with strawberries.

...Nekku caught me making a mess of myself. She still loved me though.

We then made our way to this little lake, where we enjoyed the sun.

Nekku loves the sun. And sleeping.

She is also not very good at following directions. I specifically said, "Ok, look at me and smile!"

...and this is what she did:

*Sigh* Close enough.

I was sad to leave her, but we promised each other we would get together again soon!

I had a very lovely time in Logan, thanks Nekku!

the paper lanterns.

2011-08-09T00:18:00.029-06:00

So one day Rob ordered some floating paper lanterns from China. When they finally arrived we were so excited to light them off!

He bought yellow and purple ones, and as we lit them they flickered and glowed and crinkled softly and smelled a little toxic and then rose effortlessly into the night sky and were just simply beautiful.

We wanted to see a lantern start to finish, so we tied one to a string and pulled it around like a balloon!

When it got dark, we lit some off into the night air.

They looked just magical drifting away into the hot summer night sky.

"No my friend, darkness is not everywhere, for here and there I find faces illuminated from within; paper lanterns among the dark trees."

- Carole Borges

editor's note: quotes yet again

2011-08-07T13:55:00.015-06:00

Apparently proper quotation mark usage is in a lot more distress than I originally thought. Shout-out to Rob for finding this gem down south. You're the best.

Punctuation rule #3432: Quotes DO NOT double as italics/underline.

Why did quotes even cross their mind in this situation? Whyyyyy?

It's quite tragic.

While incorrect, these quotes DO produce a great deal of suspense and wondering...

Why are they there???

What do they mean???

What is the actual fate of the poor non-coustomer that dares to park in this lot???

I don't know about you, but I am just dying for someone to park there so we can find out what really "will" happen.

2 Nephi 2:25

2011-08-07T12:40:00.008-06:00

May we find joy in the everyday.

because you can't reread a phone call.

2011-08-04T14:18:00.010-06:00

Ok, I have been wanting to make some envelopes out of different papers and materials I have around my room, but haven't made them yet because I need someone to send them to!

So if you would like a letter from me, just shoot me your address and I will mail you one when I have a moment of crafting time.

It may be a note, a picture, a poem, or something else entirely!

The possibilities are endless :)

With love,
The girl behind the blog

piñatas are victims of child abuse

2011-08-02T20:23:00.004-06:00

...and so is this cat:

disneyland is a happy land.

2011-07-28T17:27:00.023-06:00

The second part of Michelle's birthday trip was Disneyland! We had the most wonderful time.

We did lots of fun things, like...

go to the parks...

get fastpasses...

eat churros...

see baby ducks...

learn that Sylvania is a company that sponsors It's a Small World, not a country...

...ok, in my defense, that company's name has "somewhere in Eastern Europe!" written alllll over it.

It's true.

We also watched the parades...

I got to practice being a princess...

we drew the characters like pros...

...and, of course, I took a nap in the happiest place on earth!!

Yay Disneyland!

editor's note: proofreading

2011-07-28T00:55:00.010-06:00

What started out as an innocent one-time post topic has popped up yet again on my blog, and so I am proud to present #4 in the now new ongoing series: editor's note.

This editor's note takes us to the happiest place on earth, where a not-so-happy error has been found on a sign along Main Street!

Let's take a look.

See it?

Noooo Disney! You a have to a proofread a all things a before you a print a them a to avoid a typos!!

Be ye warned. A a a arg.

happy birthday michelle: the beach

2011-07-24T18:30:00.018-06:00

It is my sister's birthday soon, so we are spending a week celebrating!

First part of the trip: Laguna Beach.

We stayed at the Surf and Sand, a lovely resort with an even lovelier view!

We were way up on the 9th floor, and when we looked out this is what we saw. *Happy sigh*

But we spent most of the time on the beach.

Please take note of the guy on the right getting trashed by that wave. People watcher's paradise.

There were hundreds of pelicans flying all around.

We decided to take a stab at the waves...

But they got the best of us!

We did, however, survive.

What a wonderful first part of a excellent vacation! Happy Birthday Michelle :)

With love, me.

I will see the sea yet again, dear diary.

2011-07-21T11:52:00.007-06:00

I'm going to the beach again! But this time it will be warm and wonderful. And I will hear the waves and sigh happily to myself, thinking about how lovely this life really is.

And I will watch all the people as I lay on the beach.

Be jealous.

fritz.

2011-07-21T11:23:00.001-06:00

"The more boys I meet, the more I love my dog."

--Carrie Underwood

super cool stop-motion

2011-07-19T10:18:00.000-06:00

go on Jack Johnson, go on.

2011-07-18T14:32:00.003-06:00

Today is a Jack Johnson kind of day.

Here is one of my favorite songs of his... though almost all of his songs fall into my "favorite" category.

But, this song is a very good song for today.

magic glasses.

2011-07-13T19:36:00.015-06:00

Today at work we found magic glasses.

Yes children, real magic glasses!

...how were they magic you ask?

Well, when you put them on, everything is like a psychedelic drug trip...

...but without the drugs! Amazing.

Here, take a look!

going to the coast

2011-07-07T00:16:00.014-06:00

The sand was freshly wet from the rising surf. It was grainy and cool, with little sea foam bubbles popping one by one. The waves were moving up and down the shore, reflecting the sun like a million floating diamonds.

It was perfect.

The sea has always felt like home. When I tell people how I love the ocean, they look at me and say, “Yah. I can see that. You look like a beach girl.”

And they’re right.

I’m going to the coast to visit some friends today! I’m excited to feel the salty breeze on my skin, and for the curl it puts in my hair.

Oh, and I will find you the perfect seashell. Just wait.

editor's note: quotes

2011-07-05T23:16:00.014-06:00

My last editor's note gave an example of misused quotations... and here, for your enjoyment, is yet another perfect example of where not to put quotes.

(Side note: Sorry I couldn't get a better picture, but I didn't have access further than the outside window)

BYU, why would you do that to yourself? Besides, try saying that out loud while making the " " signal with your hands and NOT sounding skanky.

Go ahead, try it.

real live ninjas! ...maybe...

2011-07-01T14:55:00.000-06:00

baby me

2011-06-28T10:53:00.004-06:00

I re-found this picture of me as a baby...and all I can say is that I wish it was still acceptable and cute for me to eat cake like that.

superheros--the cuddly kind

2011-06-27T14:20:00.003-06:00

This video totally feeds on my childhood-bred belief that if something bad happens to you, someone/something will always come to your rescue and save the day.

once I saw the sea

2011-06-22T23:37:00.010-06:00

"THE CURE FOR ANYTHING IS SALT WATER: SWEAT, TEARS, OR THE SEA."

--Isak Dinesen

My friend has this quote on her blog...and I sorta love it. A lot.

Good Music: Saturday

2011-06-20T14:36:00.003-06:00

Hey! It's good music exposure time everyone!

When I was introduced to this song, I instantly fell in love. Josh Rouse’s sultry style is the perfect mood-setter for a lazy summer twilight filled with romance and sandy beaches.

His song Saturday is a fantastic one, so sit back and enjoy!

proxeeconsulting.com

2011-06-16T12:45:00.018-06:00

How many times have you sat with your friends and talked about dating... swapping good/bad stories, complaining about how difficult it is, and then sucking up the courage to go out and do it again and again and again.

Dating seems to be an ever-fascinating conversation and experience. Two people who don’t know each other very well are placed together on neutral ground and told to be themselves—but impress at the same time.

That is a very daunting task for many, including myself, and I completely understand why people don’t date as much as they would like. It’s hard. You have to put yourself out there. Try to figure out how they are feeling about you, and how you really feel about them. I have heard so many times that people “just don’t want to play the game.”

Well as great as that would be, there is a bit of game that people need to play. So instead of not wanting to play it… how about reading the directions?

If for some reason you can’t seem to find the copy of the dating manual they gave you on your 16th birthday, no worries, we have it.

Jayme (click to check out her post) and I decided to pool together all of the dating knowledge and experience from both our dating lives and the lives of many other girls; offering those hopes, frustrations, and moves to all men in the form of a dating consultancy.

The result?

Proxee Consulting.

Proxee is a dating consultancy that helps prepare you for the actual date through run-throughs, tips, and techniques.

Let me give you an example of a way we could help:

Situation: Blind date. Text conversation.

Boy: (in regards to food) Do you have a preference for Chinese, Italian...I'm not too familiar with (location), you might need to help me out. You game for that?
Girl: Sure, do you like Olive Garden?
Boy: That's a good place. I've set aside $20 for this date. If our dinner would fit within that, that would work.
Girl: Hey, I'm sorry, but I don't think we should go out.
Boy: I don't want to be rude but is there a reason why?
Girl: Just based on our little interaction, I think there is someone better for you to spend your $20 on.
Boy: That might be, but I want to take you out. If you're worried about me spending money on you, we could just grab an ice cream.
Girl: That's not going to work either. Sorry.

Can you see where he went wrong? We can. (Click here to find out what it was!)

If only he had contacted us, we could have helped him understand the extreme importance of planning when it comes to asking for a date... and if he had use our basic checklist, he might have actually made it to one!

There are so many little tricks that make a huge difference, and Proxee's here to help make the world a more dateable place!

Please check out our new dating consultancy site, www.proxeeconsulting.com and get ready fill your pockets with dating tips and techniques!

Much love,

The Proxee girl behind the blog

pre-petrichor

2011-06-13T19:22:00.008-06:00

Just before a summer rain the air becomes heavy, earthy, metallic and quiet.

Apparently this is due to high voltages that occur in thunderstorms, carrying ozone toward the ground by a downdraft in the thundercloud and blowing it out ahead of the storm.

And that ozone just seems to make everything a little bit more romantic.

Points

2011-06-11T22:48:00.026-06:00

So the other day a couple of my coworkers and I were talking about the point system when it comes to girls. As we talked, I realized how valuable it would be for the rest of the male population to be either educated or refreshed on how these points work.

First of all, "points" = happiness with you.

Points are super easy to get, and really great to have... you just have to play your cards right.

Speaking of cards,

So clever!

Right?

...Anyway.

Moving on.

Let’s start with flowers.

Yes, flowers.

While to you guys flowers may seem worthless and like you are giving her a slowly dying $20 bill, they are more effective with girls than you give them credit for…and cheaper than you expect!

How it works: giving a girl flowers equals 1 point. A dozen flowers equal 1 point, and 1 flower equals 1 point. So, you can give a dozen roses once and get 1 point, or you can give a girl 1 rose a dozen times and get 12 points. It is even better when you just surprise her with one, for no reason at all. Any type of flower works.

See which one works better? And which one is cheaper? Exactly.

Another important one is opening the door.

Opening a door for a girl is a super “of course” item, but it is amazing how many times guys slip. Opening doors is 1 point per date/interaction, but is an automatic -1 if you miss a door at any time during that date/interaction. 1 point for opening all the doors, -1 point for missing one of them. So go out of your way, make it your honor, and DO NOT let her get the door if you want to keep that point!

Now, telling a girl she looks nice.

Compliments are a super easy 1-point-per-compliment situation; girls need constant confirmation that you think they are beautiful and that you like spending time with them. Don’t overdo it and seem creepy, but don’t go too long between compliments as these points naturally fade away to nothing. Stay on top of making sure that point line doesn’t hit zero! The same goes for telling her you think she is special…saying it only gives you a point for so long…but that point will get you lots of benefits while it’s there. They all will. It’s true.

So, this is what a date could look like:

Saying you are looking forward to the date and confirming time: +1
Bringing her a flower: +1
Forgetting to say she looks nice: -1
Open the car door: +1
Forgetting to open the restaurant door: -1
Opening the door on the way out: 0 because of previous door miss
Saying she is great and you had a wonderful time: +1
Sending an after-date text reassuring her you enjoyed yourself: +1

Date score = 3

Now, that’s a good score. Anything above 0 is a good date.

It’s pretty simple, just pay attention!

To wrap this post up, little things like notes and flowers and compliments will get you more points than you think. And it can be cheap and easy, so no more excuses!

...and trust me, the more points you have, the happier the both of you will be.

Well, there you go, a little romance tip from the single girl behind the blog.

Please, feel free to comment below with anything you want to add!

just a sunny day song

2011-06-07T15:07:00.005-06:00

Good music exposure time everyone!

Today I present to you Eric Hutchinson.

Hutchinson's music walks a line between rock, folk pop, and power pop. It is the kind of music that makes your soul feel happy, with upbeat lyrics and a plucky demeanor that just makes you smile when you hear it.

In particular, his song "Rock and Roll" has a ska-inflected groove that makes your toes tap…and just so happens to be the song that has been on repeat in my headphones all day today.

So, let me present to you a song that reminds me of a hot summer day, a windows-down drive up to the lake with friends, hair blowing all around and the trunk full of beach towels and sunny-day snacks.

Keep the good music rollin’ folks!

Unicorns Unite!

2011-06-06T14:56:00.010-06:00

It’s Monday.

We have the whole week ahead of us, and for some of you that is a very daunting thought.

Now. I was going to write a lovely blog post about something epic with lots and lots of words…because I feel that as a writer, my blog has been lacking in that department recently.

BUT!

Upon further thinking, I decided that you all don’t need a wordy blog post this sunny Monday while you are sadly trapped inside at work or school...

... you need a ROBOT UNICORN ATTACK game.

So, let me present to you your entertainment for the day/week:

click here to play!

Press Z to jump/double jump, and X to dash.

Enjoy!

super clever.

2011-06-03T20:43:00.001-06:00

Volkswagen, your ads have been great since the beginning. You have my respect.

she'll be happy to hear it.

2011-06-03T20:08:00.005-06:00

One of my single friends had this posted on his wall:

"Dear Future Wife, I think you are perfect."

...and it made me smile.

oh. um. well...

2011-05-21T16:26:00.003-06:00

Well. We are all still here, and people are out mowing their lawns... so... happy not end of the world everyone!!

any last words?

2011-05-21T15:02:00.008-06:00

Well folks, it's one hour until the end of the world. I thought I would take a moment and pay a tribute to mankind and our wonderful earth...with the help of Stephen Colbert:

The Colbert Report

Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c

Sign Off - History of Life on Earth

www.colbertnation.com

Colbert Report Full Episodes

Political Humor & Satire Blog

Video Archive

Thank you for reading my blog, I love you all.

It's been real! :)

open cheezburger dialogue

2011-05-21T11:42:00.005-06:00

even sloths need a little help sometimes.

2011-05-20T18:10:00.006-06:00

ok. no matter how many times I watch this, it is still just as awesome/funny as the first time:

happy friday!!

it's all in the numbers

2011-05-19T12:32:00.006-06:00

Something else cool that happened at work?

So, my blog had been suffering from not being able to plug youtube videos in with the correct dimensions, making every youtube video I placed into my posts to look like this:

See how it just spills off the right side? Sad.

BUT!

Now Ben showed me how to change the dimension numbers of the video manually, so they will look like this:

Now we can all enjoy proportioned youtube videos here on my blog!

OH HAPPY DAY!!! :D

party like a llama

2011-05-19T12:18:00.013-06:00

I made this to be my work identity. I think it is a great visual metaphor for my ability to stay cool under pressure and my epic sense of fashion.

Also, Sean just sent me the cutest fairy ferret picture I've ever seen:

...which also happens to be the only fairy ferret picture I've ever seen.

Still cute.

write like you know it

2011-05-13T12:43:00.007-06:00

Now. Of course there are always exceptions, this IS english we are talking about...but when writing a professional or scholarly paper, please remember these little rules:

1. Avoid Alliteration. Always.

2. Prepositions are not words to end sentences with.

3. Avoid clichés like the plague.

4. Stay away from ampersands & abbreviations, etc.

5. Parenthetical remarks (however relevant) are unnecessary.

6. It is wrong to ever split an infinitive.

7. Contractions aren’t necessary.

8. One should never generalize.

9. Eliminate quotations. As Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “I hate quotations. Tell me what you know.”

10. Don’t be redundant; don’t use more words than necessary; it’s highly superfluous.

11. Be more or less specific.

12. Exaggeration is a billion times worse than understatement.

13. The passive voice is to be avoided.

14. Even if a mixed metaphor sings, it should be derailed.

15. Who needs rhetorical questions?

today we went to the zoo.

2011-05-10T18:15:00.003-06:00

click on the picture if you want to take a closer look, but please do not tap on the glass.

editor's note: quotation marks

2011-05-09T15:07:00.005-06:00

Do not use quotations for things that are not quotes.

The end.

little bits of memories.

2011-05-09T14:26:00.005-06:00

...finally got some old film developed from my Nikkon.

recent life stories told in one sentence.

2011-05-06T23:45:00.013-06:00

Taxidermy animals are easier to obtain than one might think, proven at work this last Wednesday.

Happiness can be found through a sunroof.

When 18,000 crazy Women’s Conference women flood your town, leave work early and cancel your dinner plans to survive.

Simon the beta fish can recognize faces and colors.

Waking up without an alarm clock is better than a million sprinkle animal cookies.

Thirty dollars from a stranger makes me feel grateful and happy, but it also makes me worry I really look that pathetic.

Strawberry smoothies are best when shared with your sister.

Each semester is like an international flight; you get on knowing that it will be miserably long and that you probably won’t sleep 'til it’s over.

Nothing says summer like scandalous sunbathing and videogames.

Giant field sprinklers and the long roads that travel by them remind me to breathe.

Hooking back up with country music is like...well, like a country song.

I never grew out of wanting to make my mother proud.

threaded journals

2011-05-04T00:28:00.017-06:00

Ok, folks.

Remember back in December when I showed you how to make those book journals? Not all that cool.

BUT.

Now I have a really cool DIY journal to make up for those last ones!

Tonight for Enrichment we made homemade journals, and it was so fun!

(all pictures taken with my phone in poor lighting...sorry!)

Now you can make them too!

Yay!

So, what you are going to need:

Paper, needle, cross-stitch thread, pliers for pulling your needle through tight holes, and a pretty cover. Also, anything else you may want to bling up your journal!

Start by hole punching your paper with three holes, in the pattern of the picture below:

Make sure they are big enough holes to be able to get your thread through each hole more than once.

Now, thread your needle. This is how it is going to work.

Start by threading your string out from the middle up through 1A from about the middle of the papers in your journal out. Leave a two-inch “tail” of thread hanging from the bottom of your journal so you can tie it off later. All the rest of your threading will be through all the pages.

Refer to picture above along with these instructions.

up from mid-journal 1A
loop up 1A
down 1B
loop down 1B
up 1A
down 1C
loop down 1C
up 1A
loop round top down 1A

Second set. Same thing as above, but in reverse. The back of your book becomes the front.

down 2A
loop down 2A
up 2C
loop up 2C
down 2A
up 2B
loop up 2B
down 1A

Alternate between these two for as many sets as you want!

Sound confusing? Yah. I was confused as heck when I first heard it, but just check back with that picture to make sure yours looks like that on both sides.

When you have finally looped your last loop, you will want to make one more loop through your (last number)A, and then backtrack through that same hole to where you had originally inserted the string (where your “tail” is chilling) and pull it out there. Tie that end to your tail with three tight knots, and clip if off!

And there you have it!

I used different colors for the front and back of my journal, and there are also different patterns you can use to create all sorts of designs.

Happy journaling!

if you see any suspicious grammar...

2011-05-01T12:31:00.003-06:00