Jaxie Fantastic

Sometimes

2011-05-07T23:48:00.000-05:00

Sometimes I think about blogging, and I miss it terribly. Most of the time, however, I am running around like a chicken with my head cut off trying to make a name for myself. I'm not going to apologize for not updating, and I'm not going to pressure myself into returning to regular blogging because I don't know if it'll happen and I'd rather not set myself up for failure. For now, we'll just see what comes out of my head tonight.

As you all know, I started working for the company I'm currently with last June. I haven't shared much about it with you since then, but I have to tell you that I love my work. I love my team and my boss and my company about 94% of the time, which I think makes me one of the damn lucky ones. I literally smile knowing I get to see these people every day (well, Monday-Friday). I've been told that my boss has never "clicked" with anyone the way she clicks with me. It's the craziest thing I've ever experienced, and I thank my lucky stars every single day that she chose me, even though on paper there were better applicants. She has developed into more than just a boss to me. She's my mentor and someone I will probably be close with for the rest of my life, no matter where my career takes me.

The company is going through a little bit of an organizational/leadership change at the moment, and I think it could possibly mean really big things for me in the near future. A lot of things have changed AROUND me, including the status of one of the people I'm closest with in the company. I can't share too much here because this is confidential, but I just needed to say... this could be a big deal, y'all.

The other day at a work happy hour, someone commented that the recent changes to the people around me could mean really great things for me too. I said that I knew there was that possibility, but we'd have to wait and see. Another woman we work with glared at me and said, "You know you have to write your OWN book too." I was kind of offended because it was almost like she was saying that I would be handed things because of the people I know, not because I've worked my ass off to prove my worth and potential.
I do understand that part of climbing the corporate ladder is "not what you know, it's who you know," but I also feel that you have to be able to back that up in order to be truly successful, and I feel that I have the skills and abilities to back up any praise I receive. I wouldn't want an opportunity to be given to me without having the confidence in myself that I'd worked hard and deserved it.

So what do you think?

Have you ever been accused of riding the coat tails of the people you're close to at work?

Go Ninjas Go!

2010-11-15T19:43:00.001-06:00

My fantasy football team is 10-0... This is a big deal to me, folks. I also found out today that the minor league football team I volunteer for (the Minnesota Dragons) will be playing its home games at the Metrodome next season. I know the Metrodome sucks, but it's still pretty bad ass to be playing your games on a pro field. I'll get to walk around on the field and everything, which (once again) is a big deal to me, folks!

Also, I can think of no better way to get back into blogging than to share a fun music meme with you. Yes I know this is cheating because I'm not actually doing much writing. I'm working on it, just go with me on this one.

Enjoy!

Put your iTunes, Windows Media Player, etc. on shuffle. For each question, press the next button to get your answer. YOU MUST WRITE DOWN THAT SONG NAME NO MATTER HOW SILLY IT SOUNDS. Tag your friends. Everyone tagged should do the same thing. Have Fun!

IF SOMEONE SAYS 'ARE YOU OKAY' YOU SAY?
Incubus - "Stellar"

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOURSELF?
Rascal Flatts - "I'm Movin' On"

WHAT DO YOU LIKE IN A GUY/GIRL?
Story Side B - "In the Light"

HOW DO YOU FEEL?
Anonymous - "On Top of the World"

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE'S PURPOSE?
Hugh Grant & Haley Bennett - "Way Back Into Love" (from Music & Lyrics)

WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS THINK OF YOU?
John Butler Trio - "Hello"

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT VERY OFTEN?
Keith Urban - "Making Memories of Us"

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR BEST FRIEND?
The Decemberists - "We Both Go Down Together"

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE STORY?
Lifehouse - "Hanging By a Moment"

WHAT DO/DID YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW/GREW UP?
Mayday Parade - "Champagne's for Celebrating (I'll Have a Martini)"

WHAT WILL/DID YOU DANCE TO AT YOUR WEDDING?
Brad Paisley - "The Best Thing I Had Goin'"

WHAT WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR FUNERAL?
Josh Gracin - "No One to Share the Blame"

WHAT IS YOUR PASSION IN LIFE?
Everly Brothers - "Dream"

WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST FEAR?
All Time Low - "Damned If I Do Ya (Damned If I Don't)"

WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST SECRET?
Brian White - "That's Another Song"

WHAT DO YOU WANT RIGHT NOW?
Great Big Sea - "Consequence Free"

WHAT WILL YOU TITLE THIS NOTE AS?
The Click Five - "Addicted to Me"

A quick update from the trenches!

2010-08-13T09:37:00.000-05:00

Hey people! This is a fly by cuz I'm at work and am still new enough that I don't want to get caught blogging on the job blog (whew...), but I wanted to share a lovely new piece of news with you!

(Those of you who follow me on Facebook or regularly chat with me already know this...)

I'M OFFICIALLY MOVING ON OCTOBER 1ST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

...This is big news people, a little enthusiasm is warranted.

That's better.

This will be round three on the "freedom from the parentals" front for Jaxie.

Round One - Moving away to college (Result - Moving back home after graduation. Fail.)
Round Two - Moving away closer to job (Result - Getting laid off and moving back home once my lease was up. FAIL.)
Round Three - Moving away closer to NEW JOB (Result - TBD... Hopefully epic success and happiness!)

We shall find out!

Are you a dweller?

2010-07-21T20:42:00.000-05:00

Living with my parents for the past 2 months (free rent FTW?) has really given me some insight into how they operate as adults. When I first moved home after college, I was so bitter about losing my freedom and being thrust into the real world that I didn't really take the time to notice those around me. Now, however, I see them for who they really are, and oh. my. GOD.

They are DWELLERS.

What I mean by that is that they look at the worst possible scenario, and they will dwell on it for DAYS... They will worry about the weather and not make plans because it might rain. If something bad happens, they will tell EVERYONE about it, including people who have no ties to or interest in the situation. They'll read the newspaper or watch the news at night and then repeat ALL of the stories about shootings, accidents, war torn countries, scandals, court proceedings for crooked politicians, etc. They never once repeat the GOOD stories (not that there are very many anyway).

My stepmom hates the fact that I don't read the newspaper or watch the news. I get all my major news coverage from the internet. She hates it because she feels like I take the "ignorance is bliss" approach. I really don't. I just don't feel like I need to spend my life dwelling on the terrible things going on in the world. Can I DO anything about the majority of those terrible things? No. So why should I spend my valuable time on Earth worrying and dwelling on the fact that some guy I've never met and had nothing to do with my life (or that of anyone I know) committed a crime?

Why not focus on the things in life that BRIGHTEN your day rather than darkening it?

So what about you? Are you a dweller?

Ask Jax... or Tag, You're It

2010-07-19T21:50:00.000-05:00

I was recently tagged by my girl Kat from Mascara and Microchips on this lovely list of questions. So sit back, dear reader, and learn a little bit about me!

1) What is your personal style like? I've always said that I really have no style. During the time when most girls were learning about style and hair and make-up and all that, I was more focused on sports and school. I'm not a big make-up wearer, have no clue in the world what to do with my hair, and am most comfortable in jeans, hoodies, and tennis shoes. I also love wearing football and baseball jerseys and don't care how unladylike it is.

2) How did you meet your best friend? My best friend and I met in college... We became roommates due to some extenuating circumstances with some of our other "friends" and became best friends while we were roommates.

3) Describe your family. My family is a bit of a clusterfuck (love that word, by the way). I've got a dad and a stepmom that I live with and actually spend a significant amount of time with. I've got my real mom who lives in Tacoma, WA. I've got 2 older sisters, one of which I'm closer to than the other. They are both married with 2 kids each, so I've got my niece Cassie (almost 7 years old) and my nephews Ben (5), Gavin (almost 2), and Jake (6 months).

4) What's been the best day of your life so far? The best day of my life so far was probably the day I graduated from college. It's been the biggest accomplishment of my life so far, so I'd say that's it... I hope there are many better ones left to come. :)

5) What are you afraid of? Failure. Never falling in love. The Vikings moving to LA (lol). Never having a career that I truly enjoy. Falling through ice on a frozen lake. Failure.

6) Cocktail of choice? I don't really drink much in general. When I do it's usually simple things like rum and coke or some kind of vodka/fruit juice. I also don't drink very fast, so if I'm drinking to get drunk I usually end up doing shots in order to keep up with the people I'm drinking with!

7) Favorite movie and why? My favorite movies change so often that it's hard to say what an absolute favorite would be. A couple that consistently make the top ten would be Remember the Titans, October Sky, and Rudy. I tend to really enjoy inspirational, based-on-a-true-story, type movies... and these are good examples of that.

8) If your life had a soundtrack, what are 5 songs that would be on it and when would they play? I'm going to have to come back to this at some point... I tried to sit down and figure it out and the task was just too daunting. I'm making the executive decision to come back to this one later.

9) Favorite book? My favorite book series is, without a doubt, the Harry Potter series. I can't choose just one.

10) Favorite TV show? My favorite TV shows are Grey's Anatomy, Deadliest Catch, and the Real World/Road Rules Challenge shows, and anything on the NFL Network.

11) Quotes you live by? There are way too many... Feel free to comment and ask if you really do want to know.

12) If you could have a dinner party with any 5 people, dead or alive, who would they be? My grandma Jean, Taylor Swift, someone who could get me a job working for a football team, Drew Brees, Jackie Robinson.

13) Pet peeves? Indecision (which is kind of ironic because I can be indecisive at times), people who say, "I'll see what's going on..." when you try to make plans with them, people who make noise just to make noise (when they're old enough to know better... most little kids are exempt from this pet peeve, for example).

14) Have any pets? I have a 10 year old dog who is really more of a family dog, except when he needs food or to go out, in which case my dad tells him to, "Go find Jackie" rather than getting off his ass and walking the 10 feet into the laundry room to give the dog a scoop full of food. Annoying.

15) If you could change any one thing about yourself, what would it be? I try not to have any regrets or wish I could change things I can't, but if I could change one thing about myself I would make it so I never had hypothyroidism. It is the reason I am only 4'10" when I should've probably been about 5'4" and is one of the primary reasons I have such difficulty with losing weight. It isn't the ONLY reason, but if I'd never had it it might have made my life ever so slightly easier.

So there you have it... a little glimpse into the world of Jaxie. Hope you enjoyed it!!!

Tag: Aimee, Chelsea, anyone who feels like taking the time to fill it out!

I Want YOU to VOTE FOR LILU!!!

2010-07-17T11:25:00.001-05:00

Hey hey hey my lovely bloggeroo reader type peoples!

I've neglected you horribly, but apologies will have to wait cuz I've got some BIG STUFF going on!

UNO: I started a new job. I'm 3 weeks into it, still learning, but was a total ROCK STAR on Friday and am feeling damn good about myself this weekend!

DOS: I am the new volunteer Communications Director for the South Metro Dragons minor league football team, which is so bad ass I can hardly stand it. I'm loving gaining the experience, building the resume, and being a part of the team! GO DRAGONS!!!

TRES: My friend LiLu is up for MTV's first ever TWITTER JOCKEY! If you haven't seen me tweeting the crap out of it over on Twitter (@jaxiefantastic), then check it out and FOLLOW HER (@LivitLuvit). She's less than 200 followers away from 4000 and we need to kick some ass here people. No one is better for this job than LiLu, so let's kick it up a notch and help her win her dream job!!!!!! So follow LiLu on Twitter and then get on over to FACEBOOK as soon as humanly possible and VOTE VOTE VOTE!

Starting my new job!

2010-06-27T21:11:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow I start my new job!!! Wish me luck!!!

101 Things - The 25% Update

2010-06-20T20:40:00.001-05:00

At the beginning of the year I posted about trying out the 101 Things in 1001 Days Challenge. It was hell on wheels coming up with a list of 101 things, but I did it, and I've been steadily making progress on the list, though I've been a total slacker on writing posts about the different tasks I've completed.

I'm now 170 days into this project, and, surprisingly enough, I have completed 25% of the items on my list. I know, look how bad ass I am, right? RIGHT? Unfortunately, that stat is a bit misleading, as most of the things on the list that have been completed have been relatively easy, such as "attend a Twins game at Target Field", "get a library card", and "play mini golf" (which I did today with my dad). He doesn't read this, but HAPPY FATHER'S DAY DAD!

One of the more notable things, however, is the recently completed, "Find a Job"! Very, VERY exciting news here in these parts! I'll be starting my new position on June 28th and am really looking forward to getting back to having a little more of that thing we call income and the ability to actually go out and do stuff, rather than sitting at home on my ass like a slug because I can't afford to DO ANYTHING. Very much looking forward to that, indeed.

I have to say that I don't feel like this project is helping me fulfill any kind of lifelong goals or anything yet, simply because I haven't taken on some of the more trying tasks or completed any of the more difficult challenges. I haven't gone on any of the trips I'd like to go on or even started planning them, mainly due to the fact that I was unemployed until very recently and haven't had the funds to plan trips. I'm hoping to get a houseboat trip AND a white water rafting trip in the works for next year (this summer is too short notice with the new job just starting and everything).

I'm looking forward to tackling some more of these tasks, preferably completing another 25% in the next 170 days. That gives me until around Christmas and would leave me with still almost 2 years to work on the remaining 50% of the list, which I'm assuming will be the more difficult time or money intensive tasks. I don't know how realistic that is, considering the level of tasks still available to me to complete before Christmas, but wish me luck!

I'M EMPLOYED!

2010-06-18T17:08:00.000-05:00

After 9 months of brutal job hunting, interviews, and rejection, I am now officially employed.

*Cue the confetti!!!*

I will be starting my brand new job on Monday, June 28th.

I'm so excited, I truly, honestly don't even know what to do with myself right now. I feel like the weight of the world has been lifted off my shoulders. I feel like I can finally breathe.

Finally.

Twins Game (5.30.2010) - Target Field!!!

2010-06-02T12:08:00.007-05:00

Holy. Crap. Y'all.

Yes, this calls for a y'all even though I'm from Minnesota. Deal with it.

Outdoor baseball is officially BACK in Minnesota, and the Twins' new ballpark, Target Field, is B-E-A-UTIFUL.

Observe.

World Championship banners outside the stadium.

You said it, Kirby!

My stepmom and me in front of the giant bronze glove statue.

The press boxes welcome you to Target Field!

Minnie and Paul out in center field (this logo lights up at night!)

Kent Hrbek's bar at Target Field... Small, but bad ass!


The retired numbers out in left field (left to right) - Jackie Robinson, Kirby Puckett, Kent Hrbek, Tony Oliva, Rod Carew, Harmon Killebrew


Night time view of Minnie and Paul logo

The Twins won the game (vs. the Texas Rangers) 6-3. It had a pretty scary ending though, with the final out coming on a fly ball caught by our center fielder Denard Span just before he collided with 2nd baseman Orlando Hudson. Both players ended up walking off the field, but Hudson has been out of the line-up since with a bruised/strained wrist. We hope to have him back soon!!!

GO TWINS!!!

Memorial Day

2010-05-29T10:39:00.001-05:00

I was trying to think of how best to write about Memorial Day... and I was having a tough time with it. I lost another friend to this war in September, and another friend recently left on his third deployment. I'm about as excited about that as I would be about being mauled by a bear.

Moving on.

Instead of rambling on and on, I'm going to direct you to Rachel, who (I'm SO excited and happy to announce) recently had her homecoming with her hero, Matt. I think she said it better than I could have.

Enjoy your holiday weekend everyone, but like Rachel said, remember why you have it.

Love List - Volume I

2010-05-24T15:27:00.000-05:00

There are quite a few bloggers out there who do weekly Love Lists, and I'm about to jump on the bandwagon. I don't think I'm going to make it a standard for a certain day, just sometime each week for now, until I manage to get myself back on some kind of blogging schedule. So behold, Jaxie's Love List - Volume I.

Babies Laughing
Random Plans Made at the Last Minute
Road Trips
The Smell of a Thunderstorm
Unexpected Sweet Text Messages

What's on your love list today?

Hasta la Vista Baby

2010-05-23T11:39:00.000-05:00

No, I am not quitting blogging... Not quite yet. I feel like I still have some things to say, I just don't always make it back here to say it. I find that I think of things I'd like to write about at the very moment when I'm not at the computer (shock and horror!), usually either driving or doing something where I don't have time to jot a quick note down. I then sit down later to actually write about said idea and can't effing remember what it was. Life is hard.

Anyway, this post is brought to you by the awesome Amy over at Just a Titch, via her lovely and talented friend Sarah Von over at Yes and Yes! (who I admit I have not read but will be soon, promise!). Today we're going to be saying good bye to some simple things we find uncomfortable and/or annoying. Not necessarily the most serious of things, but the little things that generally suck the joy out of life.

So, I, Jaxie, am formally agreeing to bid adeiu to:

At least half of the people on my GChat and AIM buddy lists. So I'm addicted to instant messaging. Whatevs. However, I've got people on there that I haven't talked to since I got home from Australia, almost 4 years ago (holycrapI'mold), and I've even got a sub-category on AIM (nerd alert!) for high school friends that I haven't talked to since, well, high school. I don't know why I've never deleted these people. I think it has something to do with holding onto the "memories", but really, it's time to go through and clean things up a bit.
Apologizing for my love of cheesy pop music and reality television. I am stealing this one from Amy because I want to. Awesome reason, I know. So I love Taylor Swift and Real World/Road Rules Challenge. Sue me. Y'know what? I went to Taylor's concert two weeks ago and it was pretty much the best time EVER, and I won't apologize for that. I also love plenty of bands/artists you've probably never heard of and I really enjoy watching the Discovery and History channels. There's no reason to define someone by the music they listen to and TV they watch.
Arguing with my father. My dad will never ever admit he is wrong about anything, and yet I still find it necessary to argue with him. I don't know why I do it. It upsets me more than it upsets him. So I'm just not going to do it anymore. This may be easier said than done, my friends, but I'm going to try.
Wine, and apologizing for not liking it. I've been criticized over and over for not liking wine. "This one's so fruity, it doesn't even taste like wine." Uh, yes it does, and I don't like it. Also, you're not a wine connoisseur, so quit acting like one. PLUS, how can you say you like wine when the only one you do actually like is the one that "doesn't even taste like wine"? Riddle me THAT. No, I'm not bitter at all. Why do you ask?
Swimming. I've never liked swimming. Not when I took swimming lessons. Not when we were forced to swim in junior high school (talk about your public humiliation, btw). The only place swimming is acceptable is at my best friend's cabin in the lake where no one will see me except her and her family, and we don't so much swim as we do lay in the raft or play catch with a splash ball. Done and done.

What annoyances do you want to say good bye to?

The Grey's Anatomy Finale (Season Six)

2010-05-21T23:40:00.000-05:00

If you don't watch or care about Grey's Anatomy, you don't need to read this post... Really. You don't.

Almost everyone I know watched it. Almost everyone I know is discussing it. So here's what I have to say about the season finale of Grey's Anatomy!

~Basically what they did was pick off the Mercy West residents whose storylines weren't developing. That may be a callus way of saying it, but it's true. Other people got shot, but the only ones who died were characters that haven't been central to any storyline. I do wonder if they'll ever tell us how many deaths/injuries occurred.

~I also knew who the shooter was immediately. It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure it out, to be honest. The actor who portrayed him did an amazing job with the emotions required, but I still find it very unbelievable that the SWAT team shot him once and just let him continue on.

~When I saw Alex drag himself to the elevator I knew someone would find him and save him. I figured Lexie would be involved but never guessed Sloane. I also assumed Alex wouldn't die because of all the work the writers put into his character this season. They're not going to develop a deeper story with someone for an entire season and then kill him off. It's a waste of their time, which means a waste of money.

~The fact that Derek never knew about the McBaby makes me sad. Like Dawn said, Mer will never tell him and he'll find out from someone else, which will create drama next season. I hope it's not TOO big a deal because I like Meredith and Derek when they're happy. I may be the only one.

~I love Arizona and Callie's characters in general, and I'm so so so glad that they are staying together. I agree that you should never have to "talk someone into" having kids, but I love their relationship so much. I think Arizona had a bit of an eye opener when the shooter came in the room she was working in because she kept repeating, "There are only children here." and she was shielding the child with her body. I don't know what will happen with that relationship, and I may stand alone on the issue, but I'm glad they're continuing to give it a chance.

~I sobbed for Dr. Bailey, first when I thought she was going to get shot (I literally yelled out, "NO NO NO!") and then when she had to hold Percy's head while he died after fighting so hard to keep him alive. I actually did like Percy. I thought he had some comedic value in the show and he was never afraid to give Cristina crap, which I liked... but he just never developed anything deeper.

~Cristina has always been one of my favorite characters and I LOVE how she continues to develop. I LOVED the fact that she was the one to save Derek and how she handled Meredith in that situation. I'm also very proud of the way the writers handled the Cristina/Owen relationship here. It was resolved in a way that was very them. There was no big break up scene and no big reunion scene, it just happened in the moment ("Woman I love"... "Save my guy"), and I liked that.

~Avery is my favorite Mercy West-er and I'm glad he made it through. He was a friggin' ROCK STAR in that OR when he unplugged Derek so the shooter would think he was dead. He's brilliant and awesome and I LOVE him.

~The Chief is BACK!!!!!!!!!!!! I knew he'd be back. I'm figuring he'll take over as interim Chief while Derek is recovering, and then there will be a transition that will have him continue on with the job again. Derek needs to get back in the OR and the Chief needs to run his hospital. So so so glad to have him back.

Attack of the Horrible Cold

2010-05-11T17:40:00.000-05:00

Holy. Shit.

I would like to beat my sinuses into submission, but that would mean punching myself in the face, and I think that would be counterproductive.

Just thought I'd share.

"Claim to Fame"

2010-05-04T05:49:00.005-05:00

What are you good at?

What are you known for?

What's your "thing"?

In short...

What is your "claim to fame"?

I've struggled with this for a long time. I've always had super talented, driven, and/or passionate friends. The thing with their talents is that they are tangible. They can make or do something that you can see the result of. My best friend is one of the best photographers I know, and it's not just that she's talented, she is truly passionate about the art of photography. My closest friend from high school is a nurse and is one of the best all-around people I've ever had the privilege to know. I've had several friends who can do and fix just about anything computer related. Another one of my friends is a film maker. She has been for basically all her life. She went to a small liberal arts college geared toward the artsy people like her, and is now living the dream out in Hollywood, working on the Sony lot.

I don't really feel like I have a specific "thing" that I'm good at. My "claim to fame" is that I can find just about anything on Google. It's true. Ask my sister. She's not biased at all.

So what are you good at? What is your passion?

I'm still looking for mine.

Where I've REALLY Been... aka I'm Back Bitches!

2010-05-03T00:01:00.000-05:00

Nope... Still can't pull that title off. Whatevs.

Anyway, I know you don't believe that I've been off jet-setting with aliens for the past two months, so here's the real deal.

In the past 2 months I have:

Resigned myself to the fact that I couldn't afford living on my own anymore while unemployed and decided to move back in with my dad and stepmom (possibly two of the most critical and overbearing people on the planet).
Budgeted the SHIT out of my life in order to afford movers and a mobile storage unit (avoiding storing most of my stuff at my dad and stepmom's was a key goal).
Arranged for all of my furniture and most of my belongings in general to be stored by PackRat. (These guys are amazing, by the way, so if you ever need to store stuff for a while during home renovations or if you're moving, be sure to check them out.)
Hyper-extended my knee playing with my nephew. This resulted in a lot of pain, mostly because I didn't have the time to rest and ice it like I should have due to the next few things on the list.
Packed up most of my apartment entirely on my own... My freedom and independence going along with it.
Cleaned and thrown out five trash bags worth of crap I never should have kept in the first place but have been sentimental about for years.
Donated eight giant trash bags of cloths, blankets, pillows, etc. to various charities.
Hired movers in order to avoid bugging friends and family to help me move. (These guys were also rock stars. Look them up in your area for any of your moving needs, seriously.)
Cleaned my apartment to an effing SPARKLY SHINE in order to get my deposit back to help pay for the storage/movers.
Moved back in with my dad and stepmom. I am now on Day 2 and have already gotten in an argument with my dad. Awesome.

So yeah... It's been a little hectic, a little sad, and a LOT emotional in the world of Jaxie these past couple months. Even if I have to be stuck in the guest room at my parents' house, I'm glad to be back in my little comfy corner of the interwebs. I hope I haven't lost too many of you during my unplanned blogging hiatus. Thanks for sticking around!

Jaxie Vs. Alien: The Directors Cut

2010-05-01T10:39:00.006-05:00

Where's Jaxie?

Yeah, I've been wondering that myself. Oh, I'm sorry. We haven't been properly introduced. I'm Storm. Katrina Storm. I blog over at Mascara & Microchips. I'm also a close friend of Jaxie's. So I'm sure you can imagine my distress at her lack of blogification in the last two months.

I decided the only thing that I could do would be to go check on the poor girl and make sure she hadn't finally become so depressed with the Minnie-soda Twins that she was hanging from her shower curtain rod. So I packed up my ricer and made tracks for the land of 10,000 lakes.

Imagine my surprise when I arrive at her hipster pad and found it deserted! I checked EVERYwhere. The closet, the bathroom, under the bed, behind the bed next to the wall in that place where socks and sheets and pillows always disappear too, because... you know, she's so tiny. Alas, to no avail, Jaxie Fantastic had fantastically disappeared.

Of course I was depressed! This is my home girl we're talking about. My biggest and oldest fan! Without her, who would comment on my mundane bitch blogs?! Who would stroke my ego?

Thankfully, I was not left wondering long, because just as I was ready to call to the police, my phone rang. Of course, Jaxie would call me collect from GJ 1214b! My phone bill is going to be ridiculous this month. That chick owes me some money when she gets home. Oh! I'm sorry... where were we? Oh yeah

Jaxie was abducted by aliens.

Yes, you read that correctly. And no, I'm not talking about Jose and Juan, I'm talking about Aliens like hug-your-face-explode-your-chest-phone-home-invade-every-major-city-on-July-fourth-MIB type aliens

Don't worry, y'all! She is FINE. No probing, no face hugging, not even so much as an overly-firm-handshake. These aliens are def on the up-and-up. She told me about all the cool shit she's seen and places she's been. I'm so jealous. Nothing cool like alien abduction ever happens to me, except that one time when those Germen guys stole my car and locked me in the trunk. She promised to bring me back a hover craft next week.

So have no fear, you will have you have your Jaxie back soon enough. And when you see her, remind that hussy she owes me for that collect call, eh?

At least someone's having fun. :-(

Where in the World Wednesday: Wednesday Nights in Oz

2010-03-03T00:05:00.019-06:00

Welcome to another edition of Where in the World Wednesday, brought to you by Classy in Philadelphia!

We're going back to Australia this week, to a couple of our favorite pubs in Wollongong!

On Wednesday nights our dorm, International House, sponsored a bus that would drop the students off at Glasshouse and then pick everyone up at Cooney's. It was up to you to get to Cooney's by the time the bus was there to pick you up. It was only about a 10 minute walk from Glasshouse, so you stayed sober enough to get there or you took a cab back to I-House, lol. I will proudly say that I never once had to take a cab.

Enjoy!


Taking pics of signs FTW!

Emily (from Colorado) with one of the famous Glasshouse mugs, which I'm sure ended up being stolen at the end of the night. I still have one of these in my cupboard! Shhh...


Kelsey (from Colorado) and Justin (from Massachusetts), pre-shot at Glasshouse!

Me and Drew (one of my favorite Aussies) at Cooney's!


Me and the boys... I have no idea who the guy on the left is, but the others are Brandon (from Illinois), Simon (Aussie!), and Jeff (from North Carolina)! *Edit: Obvi at Glasshouse because of the mugs.

Where are YOU this Wednesday? :)

Tuesday Tunes - Brad Paisley

2010-03-02T17:47:00.000-06:00

What can I say about Brad Paisley? I mean, besides the fact that he's a hot, guitar playing, country crooner with a life most people only dream about.

Yeah, there's that.

Anyway, I saw Brad play at CountryFest 2009, and he was incredible. His guitar skills are amazing and he really interacts with the crowd well. I love country music because the artists really seem to love building a relationship with their crowds, even if it is just for the night. A lot of Brad Paisley's music ties into real life, and not just the love stories. He sings a lot of songs about the three F's of country music... Family, Friendship, and Fishing.

So without further ado, here are some of my faves from Brad Paisley!

1) Mud on the Tires
2) Time Well Wasted
3) Two People Fell in Love
4) Start a Band (with Keith Urban)
5) He Didn't Have To Be
6) Then
7) Alcohol
8) She's Everything
9) I'm Gonna Miss Her (The Fishing Song)
10) We Danced

Ask Jax - Anatomy of a Tsunami

2010-02-28T14:31:00.000-06:00

Nothing like learning something new on a Sunday afternoon, right?

Right.

I was a geography minor in college and took quite a few classes on natural disasters. I'm also a bit of a weather/climate nerd, and if I hadn't been so afraid of all the math and science classes, I would've gone to college for meteorology. Anyway, I apologize to those of you who know this already, but I feel the need to enlighten those who don't. Mostly because it's driving me crazy, but also because I think it's something people should know.

This is a lesson on how a tsunami works.

Most people know that tsunami are created by underwater earthquakes. However, the common misconception is that a tsunami can be seen racing toward the shore from far away. This is NOT TRUE. A tsunami is not a giant wave that is created immediately and is visible racing across the open ocean. When it is out in the middle where the water is deep, it most likely looks just like any normal wave. The wavelength created by the earthquake underwater has space to go DOWN when the water is deep. As it gets closer to the shore (where the water becomes more shallow), THAT is when the water has no choice but to go up, creating the huge wave that people think of when they hear the word tsunami.

If you'd like to see a simulation of the creation and progress of a tsunami, go here.

Where in the World Wednesday: Grandma's Marathon, Duluth, MN

2010-02-24T00:01:00.001-06:00

Here we are again, arriving at another edition of Where in the World Wednesday. This week we're staying in Minnesota, for a glimpse at what goes on BEHIND THE SCENES at Grandma's Marathon in Duluth, MN! The summer after college graduation my best friend and I volunteered at mile marker 13 (about halfway through the race). We had to be there at the crack of dawn, so as you'll see, we got a little loopy as the day went on!

As always, WitWW is brought to you by Classy in Philadelphia!


The view of Lake Superior from mile marker 13!

Our fearless leader, rocking the rake guitar.

Lots and LOTS of cups!

The bestie in all her fantastical big-sunglass-wearing glory!

Yours truly!

Tuesday Tunes - The Back to Normal Edition

2010-02-23T00:01:00.001-06:00

As promised, we're back to normal here on Tuesday Tunes! The epic list was fun, but I'm glad to be able to share some random stuff with you this week.

Music is a passion of mine, even though I have no musical talent whatsoever. I believe that music can speak for you when your own words fail, which happens quite often for me, actually.

Maybe that's why I like lyrics so much...

Let's rock!

1) Call and Answer by Barenaked Ladies
2) Baby I'm Leaving You by Journey
3) Set Me Free by Pat McGee Band
4) Granite by Dispatch
5) Come On by Green River Ordinance
6) Give It Up by Homegrown
7) Sans Sucre by The Honeydogs
8) Suspicious Minds by Gavin Rossdale
9) All That I Am by The Afters
10) Rid of Me by Fold

But I'd have had to miss the dance...

2010-02-18T13:54:00.000-06:00

Dear Kaitlyn,

I can't believe it's been four years since you last smiled your sweet baby girl smile. Four years, and you are still with us every single day. I can see you running and jumping with your big brothers. I can hear you laughing after playing one of your many tricks. I can still smell the way your hair smelled, and sometimes, when the wind blows just right, I can feel you here with me.

I wish every day that you had been able to stay with us, but I know how strong you were. I know you tried so hard, baby girl, to stay here with your mommy and daddy and everyone else who loved you. You made such a difference in everyone you touched, everyone who has heard your story, and everyone who continues to fight every day so that your courage and strength lives on.

It's like our song says... I could have missed the pain, but I'd have had to miss the dance. I cherish the time I was able to spend with you. You taught me more than anyone about the power of love and laughter. I hope you're dancing in the clouds today, baby girl. I hope you're running and jumping and playing like you couldn't when you were here with us. One day we'll all see you again, and we'll need you to show us how to dance... Of course you know how much we all need the help.

We love you, Miss Kaitlyn Marie, and we always will,

Auntie Jackie


Kaitlyn Marie Born:4/29/05 Joined the Angels: 2/18/06

Where in the World Wednesday: Kangaroo Valley, Australia

2010-02-17T00:02:00.063-06:00

Hello and welcome to another edition of Where in the World Wednesday, brought to you by Classy in Philadelphia!

During my time in Australia I had the opportunity to participate in a volunteer weekend at the Chakola Wildlife Refuge in Kangaroo Valley. We basically chopped down foreign species of trees and hauled stuff up and down an extremely steep hill while carrying sharp tools (axes, hedge clippers, etc.) for three days straight. It was absolutely exhausting and I hated just about every minute, but I also learned a lot about myself and about the area. It gave me a chance to see Australia as Australians do and not just as a tourist. In the end I learned the value of working to protect the fragile environment in the Kangaroo Valley, and I think doing something more than attending the university and shopping in the tourist traps really helped me to feel like I belonged there.

Welcome to Chakola!

Troy enjoying the view!

Our tiny little cabin... There were four of us staying in there!

I always took pics of the signs so I could remember where we were!

Part of our job site... I never said the scenery wasn't awesome!

This is as much of a pic of me as you're gonna get... Gotta love the work boots!

Tuesday Tunes - Epic List - Volume IV

2010-02-16T00:01:00.000-06:00

We made it! Welcome to Volume IV of my Epic List of 101 Favorite Songs! Thanks for going on this journey of music along with me. It was a long road, but there is finally a light at the end of the tunnel. Next week we'll return to our regularly scheduled 10 randomly shuffled songs per week. I know you're excited for THAT.

(Remember to go here, here, and here to see songs 1-75 from this my epic list!)

I'd also like to share an accomplishment with you all on this lovely Tuesday. In completing this list I have crossed two more things off my 101 Things to Do in 1001 Days list. I have made a list of 101 favorite songs and have also posted Tuesday Tunes for a month with no breaks. Woo hoo! There are plenty of things on the list that will take quite a bit more effort, but I'm proud to be making progress!

Let's ROCK!

76) Where Angels Fear to Tread by Bryan Adams
77) From This Moment by Shania Twain
78) Reflections by Christina Aguilera
79) It's America by Rodney Atkins
80) Take It Easy by the Eagles
81) Invisible by Taylor Swift
82) Consequence Free by Great Big Sea
83) I Wonder by Kellie Pickler (This song truly hits me to the core.)
84) Just Dance by Lady GaGa (It's so CATCHY!)
85) Ain't No Mountain High Enough by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell
86) Bitch by Meredith Brooks
87) Everything by Michael Buble
88) Stand by Rascal Flatts
89) Jesse's Girl by Rick Springfield
90) Watching You by Rodney Atkins
91) Truly Madly Deeply by Savage Garden
92) Zach's Song from School of Rock
93) That Don't Impress Me Much by Shania Twain
94) Bridge Over Troubled Water by Simon and Garfunkel
95) Welcome to My Life by Simple Plan
96) Good Morning Beautiful by Steve Holy
97) The Best Day by Taylor Swift
98) My Girl by The Temptations
99) Ten Rounds with Jose Cuervo by Tracy Byrd
100) Be Like That by 3 Doors Down
101) Brown Eyed Girl by Van Morrison

I'd also like to take a moment to send a big shout out to the new followers here at Jaxie Fantastic! Welcome!!! I hope to keep you happy (or at least liquored up) enough to stick around, and I'll be sure to check out your blogs soon if I haven't already!

Love.

2010-02-14T03:37:00.001-06:00

There are so many kinds of love, and I suppose this is as good a day as any to talk about it.

I've never been IN love. I've never even been close. I'm sure it's amazing, and I can't wait to find that person. This year has already become a year of engagement announcements for my friends, and I'm so happy for them I could bust. I won't say I'm not jealous, because I am, but I'm also really excited to be a part of their wedding preparations in the coming year.

I've been truly inspired by the love the blogosphere has shown for Brandy and her H.A.D. through the Love Harder fund. It's incredible to me that so many people have come together to make a difference the way we have. It makes me so proud, and I love that I am fortunate enough to be a part of it all.

People talk about "unconditional love", the kind of love that most parents have for their kids... the kind of love that means you can crash the car, fail all your classes, or break a priceless family heirloom, and they will still love you. One of my older sisters has said that you can never know true unconditional love until you have a child of your own. While I can't fully understand this because I don't have a child of my own, I do disagree with her.

These are my nephews, Ben and Jake...

...and I would walk through fire for them.

I would willingly walk through fire while simultaneously drinking poison and being shot at if it meant that nothing could harm those boys. I think that's love, no?

I don't think you can put limitations on love. I think love is one of the few things in this world that is boundless.

That's what's so great about it.

So sure, tell someone you love them today, it is Valentine's Day after all... But don't forget to tell them tomorrow too. When you love someone they deserve to hear it every day, not just when Hallmark says so.

Top Ten Animated Movies

2010-02-11T00:05:00.001-06:00

I've always loved animated movies. I think an incredible amount of skill goes into the creation of the characters, environments, and the casting of the voices. These people have to create a personality using only their voices, and I think that takes an amazing amount of talent. They don't get the benefit of body language and facial expressions. They have to work their magic with an animated character on a screen! I mean, what would Aladdin have been without Robin Williams' voice as the Genie? Would Finding Nemo have been as great without Ellen DeGeneres as Dory? I think not.

So without further adieu, I give you, my top ten favorite animated movies!

My Top Ten Favorite Animated Movies

10. 101 Dalmations- Those of you who know me knew this would be on the list. I mean, 101 puppies? How could it not be? There's action, there's love, there's a little puppy in the snow saying his toes are froze. What more could you possibly want? Oh, you say you need more? Well then I have two words for you, twilight bark. Only the coolest communication system since smoke signals... or email.

9. Toy Story- Go on and tell me I'm a fool. Tell me that animation has improved SO MUCH since this movie was made. So what? Toy Story was the first animated movie that was completely computer-generated! Without Toy Story, we wouldn't HAVE many of our favorite animated movies, some of which you will see later on this list. Show some respect, for the love of cocoa puffs.

8. Oliver and Company- In case you haven't seen it: Homeless kitty gets adopted into a gang of misfit dogs by the street wise Dodger. Kitty ends up in the home of a young girl named Jenny, who names him Oliver. Kidnapping, ransom, tears and triumph... Now, overall, this movie could be a personal choice, but it definitely rocked some killer songs, a la Why Should I Worry? by the ever impressive Billy Joel. All in all, it earns a spot on my list.

7. The Little Mermaid- Ok, so this one may have had more appeal to the young girls of the late '80s and early '90s than the boys. Thankfully I was one of those girls. This movie had it all. A kick ass heroine in Ariel the mermaid, a hottie love interest in Prince Eric (definitely top 3 hottest Disney princes, don't argue with me here), and the side characters (Flounder! Scuttle! SEBASTIAN!) that make a good movie great. Add a truly scary villain and a seriously awesome soundtrack and you've got the #7 movie on my list.

6. The Lion King- Again, I have to mention the music. Tim Rice and Elton John, in all his glory, wrote some amazing music for this movie. Can You Feel the Love Tonight? Who COULDN'T? What made this movie though, in my opinion, was the appearance of Timon and Pumba. Their hilarious antics, undying friendship, and "hakuna matata" mentality bring a bit of carefree fun to an otherwise dark part of Simba's life... and I have to admit, I still cry when Mufasa dies. Every. Single. Time.

5. The Emperor's New Groove- "Llama faaaaaaace!!!" Ok, I'll be the first to say that I can't stand David Spade. I think he's a whiny annoying waste of space who hasn't been in a worthwhile movie (or TV show for that matter) since Tommy Boy. That being said, he was an absolutely brilliant choice for the vocal stylings of Kuzco, the whiny annoying Emperor turned llama in this hilarious movie. Excellent story, better script, and amazing casting... Two very enthusiastic thumbs up.

4. Lilo and Stitch- Another personal favorite, and that's fine by me. I've seen this movie so many times that I've almost figured out what in the world Stitch is actually saying. Well, maybe not quite, but this movie definitely holds a special place in my heart. It has the right mix of comedy, drama, and tear-jerking... and the animation brings out as much of the beauty of Hawaii as is possible in an animated film. Lilo and Stitch is an extremely well done and incredible story of love and the true meaning of "ohana".

3. Cars- A truly heart warming tale of an arrogant, selfish racecar learning about life and friendship from a group of misfit cars in the little run down town of Radiator Springs. Although I am not a fan of Larry the Cable Guy's stand up comedy, he truly MADE this movie with his spectacular voiceover for the character of Mater... "like Ta-Mater, 'cept without the TA!" I loved this movie from beginning to end.

2. Houston, we have a tie... Yes, that's right. I couldn't decide. Sue me.

Robin Hood- Definitely my favorite "old school" Disney movie of all time. The story of Robin Hood has been told over and over again in many different ways, but none so endearing as Disney's version. It got somewhat lost in the shuffle of great movies released by Disney in the '70s but it makes my list, no questions asked! Robin Hood and Little John, along with Maid Marian, Lady Cluck, and a slough of side characters, make this movie a ton of fun even almost 35 years after its original release.

Finding Nemo- Pixar’s finest hour. Fantastic animation, amazing story, incredible characters... I laughed, I cried, I laughed some more. Dory (Ellen DeGeneres), a forgetful but friendly fish, is one of the most endearing characters in a long time. And if, "Just keep swimming..." doesn't make you smile and realize that you can get through whatever you're going through, you need to back up and take a look at your life. As if all that wasn't enough... need I remind you that this glorious film is set in none other than AUSTRALIA?! Thank you. That is all.

1. The Incredibles- Brilliant. Completely, undeniably brilliant. The colors, the story, the characters, the script... It all came together to form what I truly believe is the most amazing animated movie I have ever seen. I loved the roles that each member of the Parr family played and that each of them helped each other out throughout the movie. In the simple, yet extraordinarily true words of the little kid on the tricycle... "THAT WAS TOTALLY WICKED!"

Honorable Mention
These are just a few more movies that I thought needed to be mentioned, even though they didn't make my final list.

Shrek
Beauty and the Beast
Lady and the Tramp
Ice Age
Aladdin
Hercules
Monsters, Inc.

Where in the World Wednesday: Sydney, Australia

2010-02-10T00:01:00.002-06:00

Welcome to another edition of Classy in Philadelphia's Where in the World Wednesday!!! I took a break last week, but click here for my previous adventures.

In honor of the four year anniversary of my arrival in Australia, I'd like to share some more pics from Down Under with you this week!

One of my favorite places in Australia was, of course, Sydney. It was a tourist trap waiting to happen, but that didn't stop us from going back multiple times (we were, after all, glorified tourists for most of our time in Oz).

Welcome to Sydney!!!

Rest in Peace - Captain Phil Harris

2010-02-09T23:26:00.005-06:00

I've been watching the Deadliest Catch since it started in 2005. I own the first three seasons on DVD and have watched them over and over again. When you watch a show for that long, you begin to develop your own kind of relationship with the characters. I've always liked watching the "behind the scenes" coverage because you get to see the stuff they don't show everyone else. You get to really know the people involved. I always loved the Northwestern and Cornelia Marie crews more than the others.

Today the world lost a great man, Captain Phil Harris of the Cornelia Marie.

Rest in Peace

Captain Phil Harris

You will be missed.

Tuesday Tunes - Epic List - Volume III

2010-02-09T00:01:00.003-06:00

Welcome to Volume III of my Epic List of 101 favorite songs! (Click here for Volume I and here for Volume II!)

As I'm sure you can imagine, this list has been incredibly difficult to compile. I have over 6000 songs on my iPod and have had a really hard time narrowing it down to just 101 favorites. A lot of the artists end up being repeats because I'm truly addicted to them at the moment. Once again, most of these have been selected because the lyrics either have meaning to me or are exceptionally touching. There are others that simply hold good memories for me.

If you'd like to know the story behind any of the selections, just let me know and I'll post it!

51) I'll Be There For You by Bon Jovi
52) Heart Heart Heartbreak by Boys Like Girls (This is my ringtone on my phone!)
53) Inside Out by Bryan Adams
54) Take My Hand by The Cab
55) Get Out of This Town by Carrie Underwood
56) If You Ever Leave Me by CatchPenny
57) What Was I Thinkin' by Dierks Bentley
58) Friends in Low Places by Garth Brooks
59) Because of You by 98 Degrees
60) Clearest Indication by Great Big Sea
61) Best Days of Your Life by Kellie Pickler
62) She Thinks My Tractor's Sexy by Kenny Chesney (My Powderpuff Football team's name was the Sexy Tractors... We ran onto the field and warmed up to this song, lol!)
63) Need You Now by Lady Antebellum
64) Stay Beautiful by The Last Goodnight
65) I Hope You Dance by LeeAnn Womack
66) Proud to Be an American by Lee Greenwood (I know this is cheesy, but this song makes me tear up every time I hear it. I remember listening to it over and over after 9/11.)
67) You and Me by Lifehouse
68) Amazed by Lonestar (This song STILL reminds me of junior high dances, lol.)
69) Broken Record by Long Since Forgotten
70) Do I by Luke Bryan
71) If All Else Fails by Matchbook Romance
72) This I Promise You by N*Sync (Don't judge me!)
73) Dear Mr. President by Pink
74) Keg on My Coffin by the Push Stars (I totally want this played at my funeral.)
75) Fearless by Taylor Swift (I LOVE this song!)

Stay tuned next week for the final installment of this EPIC LIST!!!

Four Years Ago Today...

2010-02-07T23:48:00.006-06:00

I arrived in Australia. After almost 24 hours of flying (5 from Minneapolis to LA and then 17 from LA to Brisbane, Australia), I began one of the most life changing experiences I will ever have. For the first time ever, I left everything and everyone I'd ever known. I set off on an adventure.

An adventure to discover new places...

An adventure to discover new people...

But most of all, an adventure to discover myself...

Wollongong, Australia - February 7th - June 17th, 2006

Always in My Heart

What would YOUR album cover look like?

2010-02-06T23:10:00.000-06:00

Back in high school and college, my friends and I would always yell out "BAND NAME!" when we thought a phrase or weird series of words sounded like they would make a good band name. At one point we had a notebook full of band names, but unfortunately we had no musical skills whatsoever, so none of those band names ever became real bands. Anyway, I found this album cover meme over at Blank Stares and Blank Pages the other day and thought it might be fun to give it a try!

Before we get into the awesomeness, I am officially tagging LiLu, Maxie, and Stacie to make their own album covers! Feel free to make one, even if you weren't tagged!

Here’s the gist:

Name: “FAKE BAND, FAKE ALBUM”

Here’s my Fake Band, Fake Album (and the rules for making your own)

1. Go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Random – The first article title on the page is the name of your band.

2. Click http://www.quotationspage.com/random.php3 – The last four words of the very last quote is the title of your album.

3. Visit http://www.flickr.com/explore/interesting/7days/ – The third picture, no matter what it is, will be your album cover.

4. Use your graphics program of choice to craft a cover, and post the result
5. If you wish, tag a few bloggers to take part in their own band creation!

…and there you have it.

Here are a couple of the bands I've created over the weekend... I'm not so good at the album cover design, but I'd love to see what some of you come up with!!!

Band Name: Family Business
Album Name: All the Right Order
Type of Music: I get the impression that this is a punk/rock band that chose the name Family Business as a kind of ironic way of "sticking it to the man", so to speak.

Band Name: Tragic Wand
Album Name: The Desire to Create
Type of Music: I see this band as a kind of electronic funk type of musical feel, perhaps all instrumental... or a cheesy fantasy type band that goes nowhere.

What would YOUR album cover look like? If you do this, link back in the comments so I can visit your blog and see your album covers!

Tuesday Tunes - Epic List - Volume II

2010-02-02T15:15:00.002-06:00

Welcome to Volume II of my epic 101 Favorite Songs list. (Click Here for Volume I!)

Let's get right to it!

26) I Don't Want to Miss a Thing by Aerosmith
27) Damned If I Do Ya (Damned If I Don't) by All Time Low
28) I Want It That Way by the Backstreet Boys (for nostalgic value, don't judge me dammit)
29) Livin' on a Prayer by Bon Jovi
30) Five Minutes to Midnight by Boys Like Girls
31) Time Well Wasted by Brad Paisley
32) Cloud Number Nine by Bryan Adams
33) Everything I Do (I Do It For You) by Bryan Adams
34) So Small by Carrie Underwood
35) All These Questions by CatchPenny
36) The Devil Went Down to Georgia by the Charlie Daniels Band
37) Stealing Cinderella by Chuck Wicks
38) Fallin' For You by Colbie Caillat
39) Sunlight by Crystal Keene (a friend of mine from Australia)
40) Life After You by Daughtry
41) Strawberry Wine by Deanna Carter
42) Sideways by Dierks Bentley
43) A Whole New World from Disney's Aladdin
44) Wide Open Spaces by the Dixie Chicks
45) I'll Be by Edwin McCain
46) Burning Love by Elvis Presley
47) Unanswered Prayers by Garth Brooks
48) Tough Little Boys by Gary Allan
49) Love Remains the Same by Gavin Rossdale
50) Collide by Howie Day

As you may have noticed, I decided to list this week's songs in alphabetical order. This has nothing to do with anything except that it was a pain in the ass to scroll through and figure out which songs I'd listed last time.

What are some of YOUR favorite songs? Are any of them from this list?

TwinsFest 2010

2010-01-28T17:02:00.000-06:00

This Minnesota sports fan took most of the past four days to recover from the devastating heartbreak of the Minnesota Vikings' loss to the Saints in the NFC Championship on Sunday.

Now, however, I am moving on, turning over a new leaf, and am SUPER PSYCHED for the weekend and the madness that will be TWINSFEST 2010!!!

Twins fans are preparing for their first year at their brand new outdoor stadium, Target Field. TwinsFest will continue to be held at the Metrodome (aka Mall of America Field). It'd be kind of impossible to hold the event at Target Field, since it's January in Minnesota.

Anyway, I'm very excited to see what it's all about, as I haven't been to TwinsFest since I was like eight. I want to see the improved model of Target Field, listen to the Q & A sessions, and of course meet Joe Mauer and get his autograph. I'm also hoping the Twins get their stuff together and sign Mauer to a new contract IMMEDIATELY. It'd be awesome if they'd announce the new contract AT TwinsFest!

Catch ya on the flipside!

Where in the World Wednesday: The Cabin (Northern Minnesota)

2010-01-27T00:01:00.001-06:00

It's time again for Where in the World Wednesday, brought to you by Classy in Philadelphia! I'm taking a break from sharing Australia pics with you this Wednesday to share another one of my favorite places in the world.

In Minnesota it is common for people to have a cabin or a lake home, most often somewhere in Northern Minnesota. Going "Up North" is often the answer to the all too often asked, "What're you doing this weekend?" I was born and raised here, and even though it's a huge part of Minnesotan culture, my family never had a cabin... So even though it is common, it was never a part of my life...

Until I met my best friend.

Donna's family has a cabin about an hour due north of Duluth, MN. It is, as I said, one of my favorite places in the world. I love spending the day on (or in) the lake, taking rides on the golf cart, and having bonfires every night. The cabin is a magical place where you can see every single star in the sky. The air is crisp and you can hear the loons' cry. It's the kind of place that sticks with you. It gets into your spirit and your soul and is the kind of place that has the power to make life better.

Welcome to the cabin!

Also, do you know how much the Internet ROCKS?! Have you read brandy's story? Head over to loveharder.org to get more information and to the Love Harder Shop to buy your t-shirts, hoodies, coffee mugs, and more! All proceeds go to the MMRF!

Live Hard. Love Harder.

Tuesday Tunes - Epic List - Volume I

2010-01-26T00:01:00.001-06:00

Remember last week when I said that this week's Tuesday Tunes would be the most epic ever? No? Well let me remind you.

As a part of my 101 Things to Do in 1001 Days Challenge, I decided to make a list of 101 of my favorite songs. I was then going to post them all here in one epic Tuesday Tunes week. However, I have decided to break this up into 4 weeks of 25 songs each (26 on the last week), in order to better focus on the MUSIC, rather than the LIST.

It's no secret that I love lyrics, so most of these have been selected because the lyrics either have meaning to me or are exceptionally touching. There are others, like Hit Me With Your Best Shot by Pat Benatar, that simply hold good memories for me. If you'd like to know the story behind any of the selections, just let me know and I'll post it!

Shall we get started? I thought you'd never ask. (These are in no particular order! ENJOY!)

1) Two is Better Than One by Boys Like Girls (featuring Taylor Swift)
2) Iris by the Goo Goo Dolls
3) It's 5 O'Clock Somewhere by Alan Jackson
4) Good Riddance (Time of Your Life) by Green Day
5) Joy to the World by Three Dog Night
6) Tell Me Tomorrow by CatchPenny
7) Build Me Up Buttercup by The Foundations
8) Love Story by Taylor Swift
9) Don't Stop Believing by Journey
10) Bless the Broken Road by Rascal Flatts
11) Wonderwall by Oasis
12) 1 2 3 4 by Plain White T's
13) Hit Me With Your Best Shot by Pat Benatar
14) Crash and Burn by Savage Garden
15) Keeper of the Stars by Tracy Byrd
16) Closing Time by Semisonic
17) Runaway by Love and Theft
18) Mud on the Tires by Brad Paisley
19) The Impossible by Joe Nichols
20) Outside My Window by Sarah Buxton
21) Welcome to Wherever You Are by Bon Jovi
22) Sing Me Sweet by Matt Nathanson
23) Cailin by Unwritten Law
24) It Happens by Sugarland
25) Ocean City Summers by Lyden Nee

Stay tuned for next week's continuation of this epic list!

Heartbreak

2010-01-25T16:24:00.005-06:00

I need to take a minute to mourn, here on JaxieFantastic, for my fallen Minnesota Vikings.

A moment of silence please.

*****

It's not often that I put my whole heart into things. I know that's kind of depressing, but it's true. I've always been afraid of being burned... afraid of failure... afraid to have my heart broken.

And yet, every single year, I put my entire heart and soul into the Minnesota Vikings. Every year I clear my schedule for five months worth of Sundays (and sometimes Monday nights) in order to watch my Vikings play the game I love even more than most guys I know. Football.

The Vikings are known for breaking the hearts of their fans. They have been to four Super Bowls, and have never won one. All of those Super Bowl trips took place before I was born. The Vikings' history is marred with awful trades, terrible coaching, and heart breaking losses... and I still love them. I still watch every week. I still proudly wear my purple and gold. I still put my faith in the arm of the quarterback, the legs of the runningback, and the tackling of the defense. I still pour my heart into this team, knowing that it will more than likely be shattered at the end of the season.

This year was no exception.

Even after an exceptionally sloppy NFC Championship game that included three fumbles and an interception, the Vikings were in position to kick a game winning field goal in the closing seconds of the 4th quarter. The coaches called timeout to discuss their strategy and then sent 12 players back on to the field when only 11 are allowed. This caused a penalty that moved the Vikings out of field goal range. On the next play Brett Favre threw his second interception instead of simply running the ball and then stepping out of bounds. The game went into overtime, and the Vikings never touched the ball again. The New Orleans Saints won the coin toss and kicked a game winning field goal from 40 yards out.

And I, once again, am heartbroken.

What Inspires You to Love Harder?

2010-01-23T20:26:00.006-06:00

Originally posted by Your ill-Fitting Overcoat
at http://love-harder.blogspot.com/

Be Part of Something Epic

With over 3000 views on YouTube, LiLu's video has inspired nearly $3,000 in donations to the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation. We want YOU to be part of our next project!

For our next video, LoveHarder.org asks:

What Inspires You to Love Harder?

Whether it's your dog, your grandma, or Season 17 of The Real World, we want to know what you love that inspires you to step up to the plate, step out of your comfort zone, and make a difference.

How You Can Help

LIGHTS. Try to record in a quiet, well-lit place, using the best camera you have (webcam, digital camera, etc.).

CAMERA. Record a video of yourself completing the following statement: "_________ inspires me to love harder!"

ACTION. Email us your video by Tuesday, January 26 at 5pm EST. If the file's too big for email, you can send larger files for free through YouSendIt.

Love Harder... My Thoughts

2010-01-21T17:16:00.006-06:00

Yesterday, an amazing thing happened to the Internet and to what I call the "blogosphere". We banded together, bloggers, tweeters, Facebookers, to show support for one blogger and her boyfriend. We put our collective thoughts, prayers, mojo, karma, whatever you want to call it, toward a single cause... and it was one of the most incredible things I've ever been a part of.

In one day, Love Harder raised over $2000 for Multiple Myeloma, doubling the original fundraising goal. I feel so blessed to have been a part of this experience, to have felt the love that radiated out from the hundreds of people out there who helped this cause spread like wildfire. It started with a few, and it became all of us.

Thank you to Laurie for spearheading this campaign, to LiLu for putting together the amazing video, and to absolutely EVERYONE involved with its creation. I don't think my life will ever be the same after witnessing the kind of love that happened yesterday and continues to spread throughout us all.

Live Hard. Love Harder.

Love Harder!!!

2010-01-20T17:48:00.007-06:00

Hey everyone! Read this, tweet this, blog this, and pass it on however you can!

Love Harder.

by LiLu on January 20, 2010

The quandry: We feel terrible. Just horrible. And oh so helpless… if only there was something we could DO for them.

The answer: Ummmm. Did you forget that WE ARE THE INTERNET?!?!!??! And also, Yes We Can!!!

The result: Brandy and your Hot Awesome Dude… this one’s for you. Love, The Internet.

A very, VERY special thanks to everyone who helped [LiLu] make this possible: Maxie, Ben, Tia, Alexa, Kyla Roma, Sizzle, Rachel, Jessica, Rachael, Katie, EP, Courtney, Tipp, Nicole, Jamie Varon, Laurie, L G, Ashley Marie, Wishcake, Matt, Doniree, Chelsea, Lisa, that short chick, Princess Pointful, Derek, Jess, Marie, Jamie, Jenn, Ashley, Erin, Jessica, Renee, Allie, Grace, Rachel, Restaurant Refugee, Titania, Brad, Jolee, DC Princess, Patrick, and Deutlich.

***If for some reason I forgot you, let [LiLu] know and she will fix immediately. She was up way past her bedtime working on this and she is a little LOCO IN THE CABEZA right now…***

Please feel free to repost this video, the information below, or all of the above! We. Are. The Internet!!!!!!!!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(A special thanks to Laurie for creating this fund and coming up with the following language!)

Our Plea:

Our friend Brandy is a brilliant writer, a wonderful teacher, and a generous friend. And she is in love with a man who has just been diagnosed with multiple myeloma.

We are raising money for the Multiple Myeloma Research Fund in his name. For the price of a cinnamon dolce latte, half-caf, hold the whip, you can be part of an effort to cure a disease that affects approximately 750,000 people worldwide.

http://www.loveharder.org

Every dollar brings us a dollar closer to a cure. And every donation brings a sliver of hope to a girl who needs all the hope she can get.

Love Harder,

LiLu

What You Can Do:

Give. Be part of a worldwide effort to cure a disease that affects approximately 750,000 people worldwide. Every dollar helps.

Pass it on. Forward this story to five people. Share this blog post. Become our fan on Facebook.

Love harder. Life is short, love is unbending, and no one knows what could happen next. Tell someone you love them today.

DONATE: http://www.loveharder.org
CONTACT: theloveharderfund@gmail.com
FACEBOOK: http://facebook.loveharder.org
MORE INFO: http://www.themmrf.org

Where in the World Wednesday: Nan Tien Temple

2010-01-20T00:01:00.001-06:00

Welcome back for another edition of Where in the World Wednesday, brought to you by Classy in Philadelphia!

The Nan Tien Temple is the second largest Buddhist temple in the southern hemisphere. It is located just outside of Wollongong, Australia, where I spent my 6 months studying abroad (as you know).

As part of our orientation, the International House where I lived took us on a day trip to this amazing temple. It was one of the most incredible places I've ever been. They took us into areas where photos were not allowed, but luckily for you that rule wasn't for everywhere!

Welcome to the Nan Tien Temple!

Our group heading up the stairs.

Gorgeous lanterns that lined the stairs.
We got there just after the Chinese New Year,
so the temple was even more decorated than normal.

One of the gorgeous statues outside the temple.
People tossed coins in the pool for luck (even though you're not supposed to).

Everyone loved the little Buddha statues. They were so cute!!!

Of course, the required photo of ME!
This is the entrance, and they had incense burning in this stone lantern.
It gave me the worst headache ever but was still so amazing!
(Pardon the nasty hair, it was like 100 degrees and HUMID that day.)
Awesome.

The Return of Tuesday Tunes

2010-01-19T00:01:00.003-06:00

Music is a big part of my life. I've never been a musician, and my musical talent can basically be summed up with playing my nephew's toy kazoo... badly...

But music touches my soul. There are rarely moments when I do not have music playing, at least in the background. I love lyrics, and I often find that music can speak for me even when I can't find the words to speak for myself. It's sometimes difficult to say what we think or feel, but music can do it for us. It can express the difficult thoughts or put into words those emotions we thought no one else could understand.

I took a break from sharing music with my readers because I felt that no one cared... I guess I felt like I was insulting music because it wasn't being received by others the way I receive it. I felt like others didn't understand the importance and the meaning behind posting music for me. I thought about it for a long time, and I finally came to the conclusion that I should post it anyway. I should do it for myself, not for others, and I should share music because it can't be important to others if they don't even know about it, right?

That's what I thought.

So I bring you the return of Tuesday Tunes, hopefully the first of many more to come.

1) Circles by Hidden in Plain View
2) Throw Me a Line by Casino
3) Diaries by The Higher
4) This Will Be My Year by Semisonic
5) I Dare You by Shinedown
6) Misery Loves Company by The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus
7) Different Names For the Same Thing by Death Cab For Cutie
8) Railway by Dispatch
9) On a Day Like Today by Bryan Adams
10) Your Secrets Keep You Sick by Fold

I'm also currently working on one of my goals for my 101 Challenge, which involves making a list of 101 of my favorite songs. Once I complete this list (I'm about 2/3 of the way through it), I'll be sharing it as one of the most epic Tuesday Tunes posts ever. I know you're excited.

Where in the World Wednesday: Wollongong, Australia

2010-01-13T11:59:00.012-06:00

I'm having some serious internet issues this week people and therefore am hanging out at Panera for the day trying to get through my email, Google Reader, and Facebook notifications. It's a problem, especially since I'm a self-proclaimed internet addict.

Anyway, I'm just here to continue the awesomeness that is Where in the World Wednesday (brought to you by Classy in Philadelphia).

Wollongong is the city I lived in during my study abroad trip in Australia. It was (and is to this day) one of my favorite places in the world. It's about an hour and a half south of Sydney by train, and is often called Australia's "best kept secret". It has all the beaches and city life of Sydney without the tourists. :)

So without further ado, I bring you, WOLLONGONG!

This is International House, where I lived for 6 months. Pretty much the best dorm situation ever created. My room was on the right, on the 2nd floor, about 4 windows back. Awe-some.

This is North Wollongong Harbor. I loved the sailboats, so I have tons of pics of them!

North Gong Pub! We spent many a Tuesday & Thursday here thanks to Toss, a game played with dice that had H's and T's on them. You toss the dice and 2 H's you pay full price, 1 H & 1 T is 50% off, & 2 T's got you a free drink!

Kelsey and me at Toss! We gave her endless amounts of grief for the fact that she matched her drink that day.

The Return of Friday Funnies

2010-01-08T00:34:00.004-06:00

Welcome back to Friday Funnies!!! This one made me chuckle, so I had to share it with you!

I love my GPS. It is quite possibly my favorite Christmas gift, and it was the gift I bought for myself on Black Friday. There's something to be said for buying yourself a gift. I'm just sayin'. I'm still figuring out all the awesome features (Favorites and Find Nearby are two of the best!), but I've already gotten plenty of use out of it. I'm REALLY glad I sprung for the one with the traffic updates. It's pretty much amazing to be able to hit the "Avoid" button and have it talk me through a way around an accident while not wasting gas because I got lost in the ghetto of St. Paul (yes, there is such a thing). Two very enthusiastic thumbs up, fine holiday fun. Awe-some.

Where in the World Wednesday: Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, Australia

2010-01-06T00:12:00.000-06:00

As promised, more Australia pics! During my first week in Australia my orientation group went snorkeling/scuba diving in two locations on the Great Barrier Reef. I was actually prohibited from scuba diving because I had the worst sinus infection known to man and a double ear infection, both of which had been diagnosed 6 hours before I got on the 22 hour flight to Australia. (Ever try flying with a sinus infection? Don't.)

I took pictures of the view on the way out to the reef from Cairns, I went snorkeling in one location, and then I fell asleep in one of the hammocks on the boat and got a wicked sunburn. Day = Complete. The underwater pics were taken by my friend Emily, who is bad ass and awesome and can be seen in last week's edition of Where in the World Wednesday.

As always, thank you to Classy in Philadelphia for this awesome idea!

Jake is Here!!!

2010-01-05T20:34:00.007-06:00

I love you so much already, little guy!
I'm SO looking forward to getting to know you!!!

Jake William - January 5th, 2010

Just a Little Thing Called Love

2010-01-04T23:12:00.000-06:00

Hey everyone, I was behind on reading my blogs, so I'm once again a bit late on posting this. Brandy, who writes one of my favorite blogs, needs us. Please read the post below and send out as many good thoughts, prayers, and vibes as you can for H.A.D. (Hot Awesome Dude).

Thank you.

My name is brandy. And I have a blog. And a plea.

I use my blog to showcase the crazy I meet everyday, share the stories of the kids I teach and document my love for tequila, dairy products and the abdominal muscles of Ryan Reynolds. Rarely do I talk about personal issues on my blog- as personal as the dude that I adore (who I actually met through my blog- single ladies, let that be a very good reason to blog, the possibility of meeting someone as wonderful as my man), but I need your help. And it involves my dude.

He’s a guy who made math comics for my class, so they would love learning about addition. He’s the kinda guy who sends my friends gift cards when they are having hard times, who remembers every story I ever told him, who was the first person I celebrated with when I got a teaching job. He’s the guy who sent flowers to me at school- dozens of my favourite pink roses just because he loves me. He’s a guy who has spent a year patiently explaining (and re-explaining) everything there is to know about football during the important games when silence is preferred. He’s made me word puzzles and comics and stayed up late playing Scrabble with me (even though I beat him almost every time). He’s listened to me cry about school and family and jobs. He is everything I never knew I needed and everything I always knew I wanted.

The holidays have hit us hard. He’s recently been told he may have something called multiple myeloma- an incurable cancer, that gives a person an average of five years of continued life. Though this news has came as a shock, he continues to be exactly who has always been- spending his time worrying about me, rather than worrying about himself. He’s the most selfless individual I know- (he stayed late on Christmas Eve to work, so his co-workers could leave early) and a post like this would never be something that he would promote or encourage but when I’m overwhelmed and feeling helpless, the blogging community has always given me tremendous support and comfort, two things I desperately need at this time.

As I write this, the future is uncertain and we aren’t sure what’s happening. He’ll need to see an oncologist soon, to verify what’s going on in his body. My hope is that everyone who reads this think positive thoughts and if you are a person who prays, could you add him to your list? (You can refer to him as ‘brandy’s hot awesome dude’). If you don’t pray, please keep him in your heart.This cancer is only a possibility and I believe that the prayers and positive thoughts of people can make sure it never becomes a reality.

I want to give a big thank you to the blog owner who scraped their original blog plans and graciously put this up. My goal is to get as many people as possible to see and read this post. If you are reading this and want to help, copy and paste my plea into your blog or send a link through twitter, so more people can keep him in their thoughts. I would be so very grateful (even more grateful than I am to my friend who first showed me the picture of Ryan Reynolds on the cover of Entertainment Weekly. If you haven’t seen it, google it. You. Are. Welcome).

I realize this all sounds dramatic, a Lifetime movie in the making- but this is life. Right now. And I’m throwing away any hint of ego and am humbly asking for you to pray or think kind thoughts. If you are able to pass this on, thank you and if you know anything regarding MM- please email me (my email is on my blog). This isn’t a call for sympathy or a plea for pity. It’s just one girl hoping you can think positive thoughts for the person she adores. If my current heartache provides you with anything, let it be with the reminder that life is short, love is unbending and no one knows what could happen next. Maybe it is silly, but I really do believe that positive thoughts can make a huge difference. Thank you for reading this and if you haven’t already? Please tell someone you love them today.

I did.

101 Things To Do in 1001 Days

2010-01-03T00:44:00.019-06:00

The Challenge:
Complete 101 preset tasks in a period of 1001 days (approximately 2.75 years).

The Criteria:
Tasks must be specific (ie. no ambiguity in the wording) with a result that is either measurable or clearly defined. Tasks must also be realistic and stretching (ie. represent some amount of work on your part).

Why 1001 Days?
Many people have created lists in the past - frequently simple challenges such as New Year's resolutions or a 'Bucket List'. The key to beating procrastination is to set a deadline that is realistic. 1001 Days (about 2.75 years) is a better period of time than a year, because it allows you several seasons to complete the tasks, which is better for organising and timing some tasks such as overseas trips, study semesters, or outdoor activities.

You can find my list here, as well as on this post below. I'm keeping a tab at the top of my blog so you can check my progress any time you like! I'll also do an update post every month or so, so keep visiting to see how much I'm getting done (and yell at me if I'm being lazy)... Wish me luck!

In Progress
~~Completed~~

001. Give a really great gift.
002. Make a complete meal for my parents/family.
003. Go on a pub crawl.
004. ~~Go to a movie by myself.~~
005. Build a snowman.
006. Go sledding.
007. Go to Las Vegas.
008. Make a new friend.
009. ~~See Taylor Swift in concert. (BEST SHOW EVER!!!)~~
010. Lose 10 pounds.
011. Host a board game night.
012. ~~Meet Justin Morneau.~~
013. Drink only water/tea/milk for a month.
014. ~~Make a playlist of 101 of my favorite songs~~
015. Build a blanket fort.
016. Lose 20 pounds.
017. Visit Garnet in Alaska.
018. Go to a drive-in movie.
019. ~~Watch all 7 seasons of Gilmore Girls in a row.~~
020. Go to a Vikings game.
021. ~~Go to a Twins game at Target Field. (Tickets bought for 5/30!)~~
022. Own all 10 seasons of Friends.
023. Get back on a broomball team.
024. Go go karting.
025. Go to the Grand Canyon.
026. Lose 30 pounds.
027. Read 100 new books. (10/100)
028. Design a logo for my fantasy football league.
029. ~~Own a hammock.~~
030. Meet Stacie (from mascaraandmicrochips.com) in person.
031. Go to the midnight showing of a big movie.
032. Own all seasons of NCIS.
033. ~~Beat my dad at cribbage.~~
034. ~~Own an authentic Minnesota Vikings jersey.~~
035. Lose 40 pounds.
036. Meet Joe Mauer.
037. Have a relationship that lasts more than 6 months.
038. Write a Christmas letter.
039. ~~Read the entire Twilight series.~~
040. Live in a townhome instead of an apartment.
041. Have an old school slumber party.
042. ~~Win a Texas Hold 'Em tournament.~~
043. Take a walk in the rain/snow.
044. Write letters to 5 friends and actually mail them. (1/5)
045. ~~Win a fantasy football championship.~~
046. ~~Get a job.~~ WOO HOO!!!!!
047. Watch 5 classic movies that I have not seen. (2/5)
048. Lose 50 pounds.
049. ~~Play in the snow just because.~~
050. Chase a tornado.
051. ~~Win another fantasy football championship.~~
052. Take my niece and nephew to the Children's Museum.
053. Go to the Science Museum.
054. Make a list of 100 Things That Make Me Happy.
055. Go on a scavenger hunt.
056. Ride in a hot air balloon.
057. Go to Disney World.
058. Volunteer for an organization I'm truly passionate about.
059. Go white water rafting.
060. Lose 60 pounds.
061. Go to the gym 3 times/week for a month (make going to the gym part of routine).
062. ~~Become a pen pal for a soldier.~~
063. Send a message in a bottle.
064. Put change in someone's expired parking meter.
065. Host a Super Bowl party.
066. Go back and really see New York City.
067. Take a photo worthy of enlarging and hanging in my place as artwork.
068. Take a road trip through at least 5 states.
069. Make a video of my road trip.
070. Start my slideshow business.
071. Get a professional massage.
072. Go on a houseboat trip.
073. Watch all of Steven Spielberg's movies.
074. Build a tree or club house for my nephews.
075. ~~Design my own jersey.~~
076. Rent a limo for a night just because.
077. See Boys Like Girls in concert.
078. Go to a comedy club.
079. Finish a 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle.
080. Watch every movie I own.
081. See Carrie Underwood in concert. (Tickets bought for 8/31!)
082. ~~Get a library card.~~
083. ~~Send or bring flowers to someone.~~
084. Find out my blood type.
085. Lose 70 pounds.
086. ~~Play mini golf.~~
087. Buy a home theater system.
088. Ride the rollercoasters at Cedar Point in Ohio.
089. Go to Donna's cabin at least 5 times. (2/5)
090. Find 5 poems/songs that inspire me and write about them in my blog.
091. ~~Post Tuesday Tunes every week for at least a month.~~
092. Go to the Harry Potter theme park.
093. ~~Go to TwinsFest.~~
094. Lose 80 pounds.
095. ~~Own a cell phone that has Internet capabilities.~~
096. Buy a coffee table that I actually like.
097. Sleep under the stars.
098. Send a secret to PostSecret.
099. Join match.com (and take it seriously).
100. Complete this list.
101. Write a blog commemorating the completion of this list.

Where in the World Wednesday: Great Ocean Road, Victoria, Australia

2009-12-30T11:09:00.016-06:00

I have just discovered, in my perusing of blogs that others recommend to me, that Classy in Philadelphia has a weekly feature called Where in the World Wednesday. That's the coolest idea EVER (especially for this blog, since I can rarely bring myself to participate in LiLu's TMI Thursdays. No offense LiLu, though I'm sure none was taken). I'm sure I'll be taking part in this weekly feature for a long time to come!

So without further ado, I would like to share with you.

The Great Ocean Road in Victoria, AUSTRALIA!

This pic is kind of washed out, but it's one of my favorites from our Great Ocean Road trip. This is the entry arch to the Great Ocean Road. My friends and I are all sitting/standing on the pillar on the left side.

Reminders to the tourists who don't know how to drive on the left side of the road!

Me at Bell's Beach (where surfing was made popular). The stone says, "Respect the Ocean, Spirit of Surfing." LOVE.

This is just one of the approximately 57 pictures I took of the Twelve Apostles.

The prettiest archway ever. It is all sandstone, carved into this formation by the wind and the sea.

Me and two of my besties from my study abroad trip (I'm in the center). This picture actually won awards in all three of our university's study abroad photo contests!

I know I'll be sharing more Australia pics with you because there are SO MANY!, but for now that is the Great Ocean Road outside of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

Thanks for thinking this up, Classy in Philadelphia, and stay tuned for more Where in the World Wednesdays!!!

2009 Fantasy Football League Champion

2009-12-30T00:02:00.004-06:00

I recently won 1st place in one fantasy football league and 2nd in two others. The championship I won was worth $265, and one of the 2nd place wins was worth $60, plus I won $25 for having the best record in that league.

A couple weeks ago I went and played blackjack with my dad and won $150. I also received $50 from my mom for Christmas and a $50 Amazon gift card from my aunt. A grand total of $600 in one weekend, and THIS is what I'm getting with part of it!

AWESOME.

This is the first fantasy football championship I've ever won, and it's pretty sweet. I love the feeling of WINNING!!! I've decided that I'm going to make myself a t-shirt for my 2009 championship, lol. I feel the need to show off!

Speaking of winning... Don't forget to head over to 20sb and vote for the Bootlegger Awards!

New Year's Resolutions, Blogger Style

2009-12-29T14:47:00.006-06:00

I hate New Year's Resolutions. I think it's ridiculous to choose to change your life just because a couple numbers are changing at the end of a date.

However, this year I've got a couple "New Year's BLOGGER Resolutions", so I thought I'd share them with you. Bullet style.

Comment on the blogs I read. I read tons of blogs in my Google Reader, but haven't been making the time to actually go and leave comments. This is a horrible habit and must be corrected.
Search out more blogs... Interact more on 20sb... Become a member of the community rather than a quiet observer.
Write more. I've found that I tend to write things late at night in a notebook while I'm in bed, and those nuggets of awesomeness never make it here. This is either because I dub them "not good enough" (as if there are really standards here) or because I'm just too lazy to type them out. Enough of that. WRITE MORE!
Use more pictures. Self-explanatory.
Get back to posting Tuesday Tunes. It may not amuse anyone else, but I used to like having a weekly feature and somehow fell out of the habit (kind of like a busty nun).

Also, to those of you who may read my blog but live under a rock (and yet somehow have Internet access, kudos to you) and have not heard of the 20sb Bootlegger Awards, please click that link to head over to 20sb and vote for the best bloggers in different catergories! Some of my faves were nominated this year, and I'd love for them to win!

Good luck LiLu, Maxie, Doniree, Ben, and ChelseaTalksSmack!!!

The Best of 2009 Challenge - Social Media Moment

2009-12-27T01:08:00.008-06:00

Want to join the Best of 2009 Challenge? Hop on the bandwagon!

Today's writing prompt is best Social Media Moment of 2009. Did you meet someone you used to only know from her blog? Did you discover Twitter?

I wish I invented Twitter. I mean geezus. It's like the easiest concept in the world, and whoever DID invent it is now a multi-millionaire. Money may not be able to buy happiness but damned if all that cash doesn't cushion the fall.

I finally gave in. I signed up for Twitter in 2009. I was a little late on the bandwagon, and I still don't use it as obsessively as some people I know, but it's fun. I mean, what did we do before we knew what everyone was doing everyminuteofthedayOMG!!! I'm still not a fan of the people who let us all know that they just took a crap, but it's a good way to keep up with friends, and I follow a lot of bloggers. I'm also one of the freaks that follows celebrities, and I won't lie, it's kind of fun to see what they're up to. Twitter also offers me the opportunity to get up-to-the-minute news on my favorite sports teams, as well as fantasy football updates... and you all know how I love my sports.

I guess what I can say is that I'm glad I gave in and added Twitter to my long list of Internet addictions. Here's to many more years of 140 character status updates, news reports, and funny Twitpics!

Open Letter to the Wind in Alaska

2009-12-21T12:52:00.003-06:00

Dear Wind in Alaska:

Please stop blowing. I need Garnet to come home so we can have a super fantastic road trip good time. I have promised to be there with bells on to pick her up at the airport, and she has promised to be hilarious after being up all night.

Don't screw this up.

Sincerely,
Jackie

The Best of 2009 Challenge - Place

2009-12-11T17:20:00.003-06:00

Want to join the Best of 2009 Challenge? Hop on the bandwagon!

Today's writing prompt is best Place of 2009. A coffee shop? A pub? A retreat center? A cubicle? A nook?

My Best Place of 2009 was definitely my very own apartment. In November 2008 I finally moved out of my parents' house (hopefully for good, but let's not get ahead of ourselves). I then ran head first into the holiday season and didn't have a whole lot of time to really settle in until after New Years. 2009 was my first year of complete independence.

Let's be real folks, college is just a teaser of independence, a taste or a smidgen, if you will.

For the first time, I was supporting myself completely. Sure, the bills sucked, but the FREEDOM was so so SO worth it. I could have cereal for breakfast, lunch, and dinner if I want to. I go out when and where I want to. My mess was mine to clean up when I want to. If I want to shower at 2 am, that's my prerogative. No one gives me crap about the time I spend on the computer, the volume of my music, or the TV shows/movies I choose to watch.

Blissful freedom. Now THAT is my Best Place of 2009.

The Best of 2009 Challenge - Album

2009-12-10T14:39:00.001-06:00

Want to join the Best of 2009 Challenge? Hop on the bandwagon!

Today's writing prompt is best Album of 2009. What’s rocking your world?

This one was really no contest for me.

Taylor Swift's album, Fearless, took the world by storm in 2009. Taylor won multiple major awards for her sophomore album, including Entertainer of the Year at the Country Music Awards and Artist of the Year at the American Music Awards. The success of her Fearless Tour in 2009 caused her to extend the tour into 2010. That means that I get to go in May 2010 (after failing to get tickets to her October 2009 show). I could not possibly be more excited! There were quite a few people who thought she was too young to accomplish so much, but I was just excited that one of my favorite entertainers was fulfilling all her dreams.

My favorites from the album include Hey Stephen (written for Love and Theft singer Stephen Barker Liles) and Fearless. Singles like Love Story, You Belong With Me, and Fifteen are catchy and just make me want to sing along. I can't help but belt out, "It's a love story, baby just saaaaaay yes!" Just can't help it.

I've been rocking out to Fearless since it was released in November 2008, but I felt that it deserved my Best of 2009 Challenge Award.

I mean it's won everything else. Why the Hell not?

Happy Birthday to Me!

2009-12-10T00:01:00.002-06:00

I love birthdays... I truly do. I'll do most anything short of jumping off a cliff or wearing Zubaz to make someone's birthday spectacular.

Today is my 25th birthday.

*throws confetti*

Who's buying the first round? :)

The Best of 2009 Challenge - Challenge

2009-12-09T10:53:00.003-06:00

Want to join the Best of 2009 Challenge? Hop on the bandwagon!

Today's writing prompt is best Challenge of 2009. Something that really made you grow this year. That made you go to your edge and then some. What made it the best challenge of the year for you?

This was a challenging year overall for me. In February my company (well ex-company) went through a huge lay off. I was a part of the half of the company that got let go, and it was devastating. I knew it wasn't like being fired; I wasn't being laid off because of something I did. It was hard to have someone see me as expendable, however.
Two days later they called me to come back to work. I was the only one they called back. Apparently I wasn't expendable at the time. I then lived in fear that there would be another round of lay offs because I knew if there was I would be first on the list.
That fear came true on 9/11, as I got laid off again, along with just five other people. I knew it was coming eventually, so this one wasn't quite as heartbreaking as the first. Again, I knew it wasn't because of something I did. It was just because the company was in a continuing downward spiral. So I, along with 10% of the population of Minnesota, joined the unemployment pool.

From this challenge, I learned to value my own worth, and I learned that others do too. I learned how to handle living on an extremely tight budget. I learned to face adversity and face my fears head on. I learned that a PB&J sandwich can be breakfast, lunch, or dinner. I learned that leftovers can sustain you for a week if you plan right. I learned that the best things in life really are free. I learned that making Christmas presents is an extremely rewarding experience and that sometimes those gifts are better than the ones you buy. I learned that asking for help is not a sign of weakness but a sign of strength. Most of all, I learned that I will be ok... and that is the best lesson of all.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Exclusive Sneak Peek

2009-12-06T19:14:00.002-06:00

OMGOMGOMGOMGOMG!

*end geekdom*

the Best of 2009 Challenge - Night Out

2009-12-05T02:45:00.001-06:00

Want to join the Best of 2009 Challenge? Hop on the bandwagon!

Today's writing prompt is best Night Out of 2009. Did you have a night out with friends or a loved one that rocked your world? Who was there? What was the highlight of the night?

I don't go out very often. It's safe to say that I'm more of a "home body" than a "partier". So it's only fitting that my Best Night Out of 2009 was Valentine's Day, when I was my sister's "girls night in" date. My brother-in-law took my nephew to a hockey game, and my sister and I stayed in and watched chick flicks (The Devil Wears Prada and 27 Dresses) and ate food that was bad for us. It was fantastic, and once again the best part about it was the fact that I got to spend time with my sister.

The Best of 2009 Challenge - Book

2009-12-04T01:32:00.001-06:00

Want to join the Best of 2009 Challenge? Hop on the bandwagon!

Today's writing prompt is best Book of 2009. What book – fiction or non – touched you? Where were you when you read it?

Tuesdays With Morrie by Mitch Albom wasn't written in 2009, but I re-read it periodically for its lessons and wisdom. This year I read it twice. If you haven't made time for this book yet, please do, because it will change your life.

The Best of 2009 Challenge - Article

2009-12-03T05:14:00.004-06:00

Want to join the Best of 2009 Challenge? Hop on the bandwagon!

Today's writing prompt is best Article of 2009. What’s an article that you read that blew you away?

I'm not sure it "blew me away", but I'm pretty sure any football loving Minnesotan was affected by the Favre-madness of 2009. On August 19th, Brett Favre signed a two year contract with the Minnesota Vikings, thereby becoming the missing link to the Vikings' success. I've said for years that the only thing the Vikings were missing was a quarterback, and that Tavaris Jackson and Sage Rosenfels were not the answer we needed. This is proven by the fact that the Vikings are now 10-1 this year and a serious contender for the Super Bowl, with Brett Favre at quarterback.

Also, a more recent worry for me is the possibility that my beloved Vikings will be moving to Los Angeles after 2011. I sincerely hope that this doesn't happen. Screw you LA.

The Best of 2009 Challenge - Restaurant Moment

2009-12-02T00:01:00.001-06:00

Want to join the Best of 2009 Challenge? Hop on the bandwagon!

Today's writing prompt is best Restaurant Moment of 2009. Share the best restaurant experience you had this year. Who was there? What made it amazing? What taste stands out in your mind?

My sister is one of my favorite people in the world. She is brilliant, caring, trustworthy, strong, and absolutely one of the best people I know. She actually listens to me, values my opinions, and cares about what I have to say. A few weeks ago I went out to breakfast with her. There was nothing really special about this particular breakfast, it was Denny's after all. I had egg whites, hash browns, toast, and bacon. God knows I love breakfast food, but that's not what made this my Restaurant Moment of 2009.

What was special about this breakfast was that it was an hour of uninterrupted conversation with my sister. This is rare to have, considering that she has a 4 1/2 year old son. Don't get me wrong, my nephew is also one of my favorite people in the world, but he is very distracting. He demands all of the attention in a room, which is usually just fine with me, but every once in a while it feels amazing to have someone focus on you completely, especially when it's someone you value so much.

So I guess that is my Restaurant Moment of 2009... One hour of uninterrupted time with one of my favorite people in the world... and that's just fine with me.

The Best of 2009 Blog Challenge

2009-12-01T12:45:00.008-06:00

I'm taking the 20-Something-Bloggers "Best of 2009" Challenge brought to you by Gwen Bell! I normally don't conform to blogging challenges that require me to post more than once a week (because I even fail at that most of the time), but this one interests me.

Share your best moments of 2009 over the course of December. Don’t get hung up on details or length – if there’s an aspect of the question that doesn’t resonate, change it to meet your needs. Note: It will be helpful to keep a separate document open/piece of paper nearby to write down the loose ends you’ll come across as you reflect. If you’re looking for new inspirational blogs, want to resolve to write daily and are up for a challenge to round out your year, join us.

Click the link above to see the writing prompts for each day in December. The goal is to post every day, 31 days, 31 prompts for writing. I'm not promising that I'll keep up, but I'm now shooting for my 30 best moments of 2009! (This counts as my post for December 1st because the prompt for 12/1 was Best Trip, and I didn't go on any trips this year. Life is hard.)
Wish me luck!

Twilight - My Thoughts

2009-11-30T12:42:00.011-06:00

I understand the obsession with Twilight. I really do. I'm obsessed with Harry Potter (the books/movies, not Daniel Radcliffe specifically) in much the same way that the masses are currently obsessed with Twilight. I've read Twilight and New Moon, and while I do think they are good stories, I don't think Stephanie Meyer holds a candle to J.K. Rowling's writing ability, and the Twilight series is nowhere near the caliber of books that the Harry Potter series is. (Also, Robert Pattinson was Cedric Diggory long before he was Edward Cullen.) That, however, is not my point.

My point is, holy mother trucking Hell. What IS IT about Edward that has the women of the world freaking out? What makes him so almighty fantastic? Please, tell me, because otherwise I'm going to kill a screaming teenage girl. He is not that good looking. Seriously. He's not.

Robert Pattinson (Twilight Saga)

Let's be real here.

Better looking guys than Edward Cullen (aka Robert Pattinson, for those not living in the delusional world that Edward really exists):

Matt Ryan (Quarterback of the Atlanta Falcons)

Jared Padalecki (Supernatural, Gilmore Girls)

Dierks Bentley (Country Artist)

That's just to name a FEW of the guys I personally think are better looking than Robert Pattinson... and actually, let's not forget his co-star...

Taylor Lautner (Twilight Jailbat)

Taylor Lautner is exponentially better looking that Robert Pattinson, even if he is jailbait. Also, his character, Jacob Black, is much less of a putz than Edward is (at least in the first two books, I haven't read Eclipse or Breaking Dawn yet). Edward annoys me with his whole, "It's my job to protect you." / "This is the last time you'll ever see me." / Bella giving up her entire existence because Edward leaves bullshit. Jacob just busts his ass to make sure Bella doesn't kill herself. Also, Edward is a cold, hard as rock blood sucking dude, and Jacob is a warm, cuddly wolf bear thingy that just eats huge amounts of regular food.

I think I'm on Team Jacob, even though I didn't know it 'til now. Shit.

P.S. For those interested in finding an interesting blog to read, head over to the new home of Ashley from This? Is Not the Life I Ordered!

I'm Thankful...

2009-11-26T00:01:00.000-06:00

It's Thanksgiving again, and while I'm sure half the blogosphere is writing a similar post today, I just wanted to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving from my corner of the interwebs.

This is a time for us to give thanks for all the good things in our lives, so I'm going to do just that.

I'm thankful for...
soft pillows. warm blankets. turkey. Harry Potter. mashed potatoes and gravy. birthdays. puppies. toilet paper. sunny days. snow. driving. kittens. country music. Grey's Anatomy. being done Christmas shopping. a handmade gift that is sure to make my sister cry when I give it to her. books. Facebook. friends. football. the Minnesota Vikings. Joe Mauer winning the AL MVP award. lyrics. getting to spend Black Friday with my sister even though I won't be shopping at all. Australia. movies. laptops. the ability to watch TV shows online. cell phones. traditions. people who build me up. people who provide a soft place to fall...

...and most of all, LOVE in all its forms.

Have a great Thanksgiving everyone!

The Birthday/Christmas Mash-Up

2009-11-23T05:36:00.001-06:00

My birthday is now 17 days away and I am being accosted with birthday/Christmas list requests. You see, my birthday (December 10th, for those unwilling to do the math) always gets lumped in with Christmas because of their proximity to each other, and people expect a list on or before Thanksgiving. For some reason this year "before" is preferred. Not only do they expect a list, but they expect a list long enough to give them "options" for both my birthday AND Christmas. Most of the time I'd be fine with this, but this year it annoys me for some reason.

It may be because I have an extremely limited Christmas shopping budget this year (Unemployment FTW), so I can't really get into the whole gift giving spirit. Normally the giving part is what excites me the most. Since I can't do as much of that as I'd like, I'm having a problem with requesting gifts from other people.

It may also be that I have no idea in the WORLD what to put on my list. This is not usually a problem. Crap.

Whether the Weather

2009-11-21T11:27:00.004-06:00

I find it very strange that we are slowly creeping in on December and it is bright, sunny, and dare I say warm outside. True, it may be only 45 degrees, but damned if that's not good weather for Minnesota at the end of November. Geezus.

It snowed in October. I'm so confused.

P.S. My friend Garnet is teaching in Alaska, and it's totally -12 degrees there right now with a blizzard watch. I'll take my 45 and RUN thankyouverymuch!

Win a Laptop (For You AND For Alexa!)

2009-11-18T09:51:00.003-06:00

I'm not nearly cool enough to have a giveaway of my own, so I'm directing you to the lovely and talented Alexa over at Cleveland's A Plum! She is one of my favorite bloggers, AND she's giving away an HP laptop! She also needs our help to win one of her own!

Alexa needs this laptop for one very important reason. She is a blogger (and a very popular one at that) that does not own a computer.

I KNOW.

So click this link and go over to Cleveland's a Plum to help a girl out!

The Almost Blog

2009-11-06T04:00:00.002-06:00

Disclaimer: This post may or may not have been written while under the influence of extreme amounts of caffeine and being awake for 20 hours.*

Tonight I downed 3 cans of Diet Mountain Dew and then almost blogged about real life.

I know, right?

I wrote a long drawn out post that described my relationships with various people in my life and involved some not-so-happy details about certain people and times that I was going to share with my readers.

Then I thought better of it.

You see, I never really made it a point to keep this blog anonymous, but there are also very few people I know in "real life" who read it. This is mostly due to the fact that they a) don't have time to read blogs, or b) don't really care in the first place. I don't know that I would be willing to air the dirty laundry even if this was completely anonymous, but there you have it.

Moving on.

I've come to realize I'm not a very confrontational person. I mean, if I encounter someone who is being a complete ass clown, confrontation may be necessary... I'm not a complete wuss, but when it comes to the people I see or talk to on a daily basis, I'm more of a "keep the peace" kind of person. I tend to stuff my feelings down, bury them until I don't feel them anymore... and then I become a volcano that bubbles up every now and then. I rarely erupt, but always have that underlying threat of suppressed anger, resentment, and loneliness.

I love analogies.

*It's funny the things you figure out at 4:00 am when you're high on Diet Mountain Dew and sunflower seeds. Yes, I'm aware that doesn't make sense.

$1 Movie Theater + Harry Potter = Yes Please

2009-11-05T02:39:00.007-06:00

A couple weeks ago I discovered that there was a theater about 15 minutes from my apartment that has $1 movies on Tuesday nights and $2 all the other nights. These aren't new releases... They're about 6 months old or so, but still. $1-2 for a night of entertainment? Sign me the eff UP.

Anyway.

I went and saw Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince (HP6) for the 3rd time. (Don't judge me.) I love all the Harry Potter books and the movies, but I try to keep them separate in my mind because if you start comparing them it'll drive you crazy... However, the 6th movie really did drive me insane.

Seeing it for the third time reminded me of a list I made (back when I saw it for the 2nd time) of things from the book that they changed/left out of the movie. Of course, they've taken liberties with all of the past Harry Potter movies, but for some reason this one struck a specific cord with me. Now, I know there's no way they could have included everything from a 700 page book, but some of these things would have been SO SIMPLE to do correctly, and yet they took a whole different line with the plot instead of staying true to the book.

Behold, the list. Enjoy.

1) The Beginning - The beginning of the book and the movie are so completely different it is astounding. In the movie there is no mention of the British Prime Minister or the new Minister of Magic, aside from the newspaper headline in Harry's Daily Prophet. This is a HUGE part of the book because the new Minister of Magic comes into play later on as well (see #2 on this list). The book also has Dumbledore picking Harry up at the Dursley's house, not in a train station. I'm sure they did this just to avoid using the Dursley characters and sets in this movie, but it just irked me that they changed something as basic as the BEGINNING!

2) Rufus Scrimgour - The new Minister of Magic is never seen in the movie! Not once! Holy crap! This is disappointing because you don't get to see Harry's maturity as he stands up to the Ministry and says that he is "Dumbledore's man through and through," which I think is an important detail. It annoys me, particularly, that this recurring theme in the book was left out of the movie.

3) Memories - Dumbledore shows Harry at least two or three more memories in the book than he does in the movie. Again, I know there's only so much time in a movie, but every one of those memories ends up being essential to figuring out the puzzle that IS Voldemort. Harry will need all of that information in the 7th movie in order to destroy the horcruxes. People who haven't read the books won't have a clue how Harry knows half of the things he knows when we get to the 7th movie.

4) Harry's Obsession with Malfoy - They do an OK job with this, but they don't go into it quite as intensely as I would have liked. Harry is seriously obsessed with figuring out what Malfoy is up to for most of the book. They don't show him trying to get into the Room of Requirement even once, which I found disappointing.

5) House Elves - Kind of going along with #4, the house elves are once again completely skipped. Dobby and Kreacher are a big part of how Harry is able to keep tabs on Malfoy. I would've been able to forgive them for not having Harry as focused on Malfoy if they would have included the house elves doing the monitoring for him, but they didn't. As a side note, Harry being able to give Kreacher orders is what proves that he is the rightful heir to Sirius' estate.

6) Quidditch! - It's only shown twice in the movie... Ron's try out and the championship game where Ron finally succeeds. They combined scenes here between a couple of the quidditch games in order to incorporate details, but for someone that has read the book multiple times it just seems like they short changed it, big time. They also made up a cheesy way for Harry and Ginny to kiss while hiding Harry's Potions book in the Room of Requirement instead of doing it the right way... In the book, Harry isn't able to play in the championship quidditch game because of detention, but Gryffindor wins anyway (and also wins the Quidditch Cup) and he kisses Ginny in the excitement of the celebration. That wouldn't have been that complicated to leave the right way.

7) The Final Battle - The final battle in the movie was pathetic. Pathetic. They only show Harry in the final battle with Snape. They don't show how he gives the remaining Felix Felices (luck potion he won at the beginning of the book/movie) to his friends so they are able to assist the Order of the Phoenix in battling the Death Eaters. There are tons of Death Eaters in the castle that night and a lot of people are fighting them while Harry is up in the Astronomy tower with Dumbledore and then chasing Snape through the grounds. They don't show anyone fighting except for Harry. I thought it was a huge discredit to the rest of the characters and the story that this scene wasn't done correctly.

8) Dumbledore's Funeral - It was skipped entirely. Most likely for money reasons as it would've been a huge production to get enough extras to do a huge scene like that, but Dumbledore deserved that much. I thought that scene in the book, even as sad as it was, was beautiful.

As a change of pace... Here are a few things I DID like about the movie!

1) When they chose to do a scene from the book, they did it very accurately. Many of the scenes are done exactly as I would have done them had I been involved. Even the dialogue is kept in a lot of situations, which I found impressive.

2) The "Slug Club" is very similar to how it was explained in the book, and Professor Slughorn himself matched the picture I had in my head almost exactly.

3) Harry gets the memory from Slughorn the same way in the movie that he does in the book (though how he meets up with Slughorn on the way to Hagrid's is slightly different. It's a bit of an unimportant difference.

4) The relationship between Ron and Lavender is very well done. Rupert Grint is a GREAT actor, and I also liked the development in the relationships between Ron, Hermione, Harry, and Ginny.

5) The way Harry and Dumbledore get the horcrux in the cave is VERY well done and exactly the way I saw it happening when I read the book. Amazing special effects in this scene of the movie.

Anyway, that's it from me for now. Mock me if you will! (Not you though Stacie, you're not allowed.)

Taylor Swift Pranked on the Ellen Degeneres Show = BEST THING EVER

2009-10-30T21:37:00.005-05:00

I've watched this three times in a row now and can't stop laughing...
I thought it'd be best if I shared it with the masses.

Enjoy.

WOO HOO!!!

2009-10-27T12:50:00.004-05:00

I'm going to see Taylor Swift, Kellie Pickler, and Gloriana in May!!!

I was so disappointed when I didn't get tickets to their show here earlier this month, and when I heard they were extending the Fearless Tour into 2010 I was so happy to have another shot at it. Then today the presale started, I had the code, and I GOT TICKETS!!!

PLUS! They're playing at the Xcel Energy Center which is exponentially better than the Target Center (where they played their first show). SCORE!!!!!!

I'm so. flippin'. EXCITED!

Vote for Doniree!

2009-10-13T17:44:00.002-05:00

Doniree really deserves this gig! Go check out her blog and vote for her!

Good Mood Gig from SAM-e

The First Snow

2009-10-12T13:43:00.003-05:00

I was always one of those kids who looked forward to the first snow. Most Minnesotans love Autumn for the colors of the changing leaves and the ability to wear sweaters again. For me, once school started and Summer was officially over, I started yearning for the first snow. I like to think I welcomed it while it was cursed by the rest of the world. There was nothing more exciting to me than watching the fluffy white stuff fall out of the sky and coat the world in a powdery blanket.

It is snowing in Minnesota today... Just when I needed it most.

To Be a Fan...

2009-10-07T15:10:00.008-05:00

Being a true sports fan is exhausting... Truly.

To be a fan is to have undying pride in your team, in good games and bad, week and and week out. It's never giving up, just like they never give up... It is believing in your heart of hearts that your team has a chance, that your team will pull through.

To be a fan is an act of complete faith in a thing you have no control over... a game that can be decided by one fantastic play or one bad bounce.

To be a fan is to stand in a stadium with 50,000 other fans, all wearing the same colors, screaming your ever loving brains out for your team.

To be a fan is the constant act of putting your heart outside your body. It's the act of watching it be bashed around, crushed, and stomped on over and over again by the agony of defeat... Only to be completely renewed by the thrill of a single victory.

To be a fan is the pure elation that comes from your team succeeding.

Congratulations to my Minnesota Twins...
The 2009 American League Central Division Champions!

Bring on the Yankees!

Prayers and Opportunities

2009-10-01T19:20:00.004-05:00

The other day a friend of mine posted a question on a message board that we both post on, and it got me thinking. Her question was...

"God, do you hear every prayer?"

Now, I'll be the first to admit, I don't know anything about religion or the Bible. I didn't grow up going to church and I have no clue what most of it means... but I do have my own thoughts and opinions, and I think they matter just as much as anyone else's. For one, I don't believe that God is responsible for everything that happens to us. I don't think God decides who runs a red light or who sleeps 'til noon. Earthquakes happen because tectonic plates shift, not because God is having a dance party. I think God may provide opportunities, but we act on our own free will.

So as far as God hearing every prayer... Sure, I think He does. But it's like Garth Brooks says...

Some of God's greatest gifts are unanswered prayers.

Blast from the Past

2009-09-25T12:34:00.004-05:00

It always throws me off, just slightly, when I suddenly hear from someone I haven't heard from in a long time, aka a year or more. I haven't been the greatest at keeping touch with high school friends. To be honest, there weren't very many that I wanted to keep contact with. (Is that sad? I dunno...). So when someone specifically searches out how to get in touch with me, it makes me wonder...

What made them think of me?

Thoughts to get back into the swing of things...

2009-09-24T01:21:00.004-05:00

I haven't written in almost two weeks... I sit down to write, and the blinking cursor of death mocks me until I decide it's not worth the effort and play another game of Zuma or Yahoo! Gin.

Sadly, I'm not kidding.

Anyway, since I was laid off on 9/11 (talk about kicking someone when they're down, by the way), I've had some time to look back on my first post-college work experience, put on the big girl pants and get on with life. I've realized that not only was I unhappy working where I was, but it was a toxic environment for me. I literally could not sleep through the night most nights. I got a deep feeling of dread every Sunday evening knowing that the weekend was over. I am so much happier not having to go there every day, and that includes the stress of being unemployed.

I've been proactive with my job search, gotten letters of recommendation from my ex-co-workers, and taken care of the insurance and unemployment issues I needed to. I'm proud of myself for knowing what needed to be done, focusing on it, and getting it done. I'm ready for this next step, and I'm looking forward to everything in between!

The Real World Really IS Over-Rated

2009-09-11T15:45:00.000-05:00

I got laid off again... How was your day?

Three Years Ago...

2009-09-08T21:27:00.006-05:00

Three years ago I was entering my final year of college... I was looking forward to my last year of freedom and accomplishing what I'd been working toward for basically my entire life up to that point.

I was looking forward to no more homework and joining the real world.

Can I just say one thing?

The real world is effing over-rated.

Rest in Peace, Todd

2009-09-03T23:12:00.007-05:00

The world lost a great man today... and I've lost another friend to this war.

Rest in Peace, Todd. You'll be missed by so many.

Tuesday Tunes - The Sarah Buxton Edition

2009-09-01T22:49:00.005-05:00

I hope you've all heard of her, but if you haven't, this is a special day for you!

Definitely a new addition to my country "faves" list.

That list currently consists of:

Outside My Window by Sarah Buxton (see above)
Hey Stephen and The Best Day by Taylor Swift (ok, anything by Taylor)
Water, Mud on the Tires, and Time Well Wasted by Brad Paisley
and every single song on the new Love and Theft album. LOVE THEM!!!

Tuesday Tunes - The You-Snooze-You-Lose Edition

2009-08-25T22:27:00.000-05:00

Most people I communicate with on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis are aware of my obsession with Taylor Swift. I think she's pretty much the coolest celebrity ever, and I don't care who knows it. Anywho, two weeks ago tickets for her October 11th show in Minneapolis sold out in like 2.2 seconds. It was borderline ridiculous. I was online AND on the phone at 10:00 am when the tickets went on sale, and I still didn't get them. It was devastating.

Then I started looking on scalper websites, just to see what was going on there. Uh, yeah. They're selling the tickets for 3 times what the original cost. At least. I immediately got sad, thinking I couldn't afford that and wouldn't be able to see Taylor.

Then I went and played blackjack, using the $60 that was meant for the Taylor tickets, and guess what happened? I turned that $60 into $400. Pretty sweet, yeah? I then went back to the scalper site and noticed that some really decent tickets were now within my price range. I hesitated in order to ask my friend if she was still willing to go if I paid the difference for her ticket, and this morning when I went to order them, they were gone. Heartbreaking. I am now on the lookout again. Let that be a lesson to all of you... You snooze, you really do lose.

Let's rock.

1) Whole Lot of Leaving Going On by Bon Jovi
2) Heaven Is by Def Leppard
3) Better Than Me by Hinder
4) Get You In by Better Than Ezra
5) Room Service by Bryan Adams
6) Everything by Michael Buble
7) Colors by The Rocket Summer
8) Cowboys Like Us by George Strait
9) Somebody's Gonna Miss Us by The Starting Line
10) Forever and Always by Taylor Swift

I've Got the Perfect Place in Mind...

2009-08-24T22:52:00.005-05:00

I'm back, I'm sore, and I had the best time ever.

The cabin rocks. (See below for evidence.)

Yes, that really is me making a fool of myself and loving every minute of it!

Hey, Who Wants to be Sawed In Half?!

2009-08-22T00:01:00.011-05:00

Hey everyone!
I'm currently doing one of the following:
1) Laying in a hammock
2) Riding in a boat (or a golf cart)
3) Sitting by a bonfire
I know you're jealous. Try not to hate me too much because I looooove you!

While I'm off neglecting my blogging duties (and having a blast and a half doing it), Stacie from Mascara and Microchips is here to entertain all of you! Enjoy!

Don't fret, dear readers, I'll be back on Wednesday. I know you were worried.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hello there, Folks. I’ve never guest-blogged before, so this kind of exciting for me. Jaxie said I’m supposed to entertain you, so I shall do my best.

If you’ve never read my blog before, one of the things I do on occasion are Twippets (though, I normally tweet them), which are basically short humorous chunks of conversation taken out of context. Here are a few from this week:

Me: I’m just looking for a guy who’s attractive, smart, funny, and supportive.
Richie: I don’t think you’ll find that around here.
Me: I don’t think I’ll find that anywhere outside of Stephenie Meyer’s head.
-On finding the perfect guy

“The only place a muffin top belongs, is on a muffin!” - on proper attire to wear out in the real world, where people can see you.

“I have a co-dependant cat. I really prefer dogs, but I have a feeling if I told my cat that, we’d spend another year in pet therapy.” -On closeness.

“Did it sounds like I fucking said “Comfort Inn” when I answered my fucking phone?” -On wrong numbers.

“It’s Friday night at 8:30, I’m on my couch, watching Steel Magnolias and writing Twilight fan fiction. It’s official. I need to get laid.” -On social lives

I hope Jaxie’s having fun while I’m wracking my brain trying to think of some Carney Tricks to amuse you with. Do I have any volunteers eager to be sawed in half?

I didn’t think so.

Speaking of pain and torture... I have to tell you guys, though, whomever it was that invented dating, is a freaking sadist. Why, oh why, is it so difficult to meet people? It seems like the more connected we are to the world, the less personal interaction we have with people, and then if you actually take the initiative -ok, hold on a second, my iTunes just started playing The Jonas Brothers, and now I have to figure out 1) How I knew it was the Jonas Brothers? and 2) How it got on my iTunes? - to actually talk to someone, make first contact, they regard you as if you’re some kind of a freak. Or maybe that’s just me, because, let’s face it. I am some kind of freak. I digress, though, it’s so hard to meet people to begin with, thrown in my geekish tendencies and the fact that I work nights, and you may as well just lock me in a tower and ask some fool to climb my hair. You would think the easiest solution would be Internet Dating. Oh. My. God. You want to talk about a carnival side show? …But that’s another blog, for another day…
I wouldn’t feel so bad about the whole thing if I wasn’t the last unmarried, unbabied girl in my family, but that title causes me undue pressure at family gatherings, which I invariably show up to with no date. On the rare occasion I have wrangled one of my poor, hapless, but well-meaning male friends into going to thwart the pity filled stares of my relatives, the poor boy becomes the victim of Spanish Inquisition as relatives assail him with questions, and toss around phrases like “engagement ring” and “having babies.” and “When, when, when?”
To worsen matters, I was rejected by E-harmony. Twice(I’m nothing if not thorough)! That itself is not so bad, but my cousin, Kirby, who was formerly my ally in this war against marriage, went off and joined E-harmony behind my back and met her husband (they were married earlier this year) on there. Traitor. I consider myself no more of a reject than Kirby, and think that my personality and sense of style is far superior to hers on many levels. She doesn’t own any navy blue peep toed polka dotted pumps, does she? No? Ha! Now that Kirby has deserted me, I alone stand against the Matrimonial Harpies. Them, I can ignore. Or distract with baked goods.
Its my heart I can’t ignore. I want to know what it’s like to wake up next to a person who likes me enough to entertain the possibility of “forever” with me. There are those who say it’s not all that, but I’ve sure those people are either a) crazy or b) sleeping with the wrong people.
I’m sure there are plenty of other girls in the boat with me, or similar boats, who, as they approach their quarter life, wonder if they’ll find the guy who makes the angels sing and the flowers blossom before their very eyes. I’d settle for a guy who could remember my birthday and the fact that I don’t like onions on my cheeseburgers.

All right folks, that’s it for me tonight, have a great weekend, and thanks for reading!

The Pen Pal Project

2009-08-20T14:05:00.005-05:00

Hey all! Katie at Katie Dot Com has started the Pen Pal Project! Props to her because I personally think this is the most brilliant idea since Tiger Week (eff you Animal Planet, that was Maxie and Jenn's idea dammit). I'll definitely be participating, so go sign up and maybe you'll be my pen pal! You know you want to be, don't even pretend.

The Pen Pal Project is a way for bloggers to get to know each other. We'll be paired up with another blogger and will write letters or make a notebook and send it back and forth or really whatever we want... and I mean really, who doesn't like getting mail?! I very rarely get mail, unless it's a bill or a wedding invitation, both of which do their parts in making me feel inadequate.

Not anymore though! Now I'll be sending and receiving REAL letters! Y'know like we did before email, Facebook, and Twitter were invented. Holy crap! Hopefully whoever is paired with me won't mind my ever-changing handwriting. My sister tells me I could be a serial killer because my writing changes so often. (Note: I would never be a serial killer, and my sister is a little bit nuts.)

Anyhoodle, everyone head over to Katie Dot Com and sign up for the Pen Pal Project! Do it! Now! It'll be FUN!

P to the S... I'm peacing outta here for the weekend, so you won't hear from me again until Tuesday! Don't fret though, Stacie from Mascara and Microchips and The Stacie Hays Show (see my sidebar) will be hanging out over here on Saturday. Check her out!

Hasta party people!

"NOW we go to the Superbowl!"

2009-08-18T16:07:00.003-05:00

The above is an exact quote from the President of my company regarding the Minnesota Vikings' recent aquisition of Brett Favre. That's right, Mr. Favre will be wearing purple this upcoming football season.

Now, I've got some mixed feelings about this decision by my team. As a true Vikings fan from the moment I was born (one of my first outfits was a tiny Vikings uniform), my gut reaction was, "UGH! A CHEESEHEAD*?!?!"

However, once I stopped and thought about it for more than five seconds, I realized that this may not be a bad move. I mean, really, the Vikings are getting a Hall of Fame quarterback. That's something they haven't had in... a long damn time. I'm too lazy to check how long. That's how long it's been. If Favre can stay healthy I think this will be an interesting year for the Vikings. He's sure as Hell better than Tavaris Jackson and Sage Rosenfels.

Granted, Favre is pushing 40 years old, but he doesn't need to be mobile in the Vikings offense. We've got a strong offensive line to protect him and the best runningback in the league as a check down option. He also doesn't have to be a gunslinger because of that "best runningback in the league". Adrian Peterson will take a lot of pressure off Favre. The fact that defenses will have to respect Favre's ability means they can't stack the line to defend against the run. That will open the defense up for Peterson to do his thing. The Vikings are a running team first, and I think that will suit Favre just fine at this point in his career.

I mean really, what more can you ask for? Plus, remember the first half of last season with the New York Jets? Everyone says Favre tanked it last season, but remember what happend before he got hurt? He threw SIX touchdown passes in a game vs. the Arizona Cardinals. The eventual NFC Champions. That's no joke there folks. Let the good times roll!

P.S. Yes, we are skipping Tuesday Tunes this week due to the fact that I had to write about Brett Favre becoming a Viking. It wasn't even an option. If you'd like to share your tunes with me email me at applejaxie22 (at) gmail (dot) com and you can take over Tuesday Tunes next week!

P.P.S. Love and Theft has their debut album coming out on Tuesday 8/25. Go buy it! They're AWESOME!

*Cheesehead: def. A Green Bay Packer, or a Green Bay Packer fan

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner!

2009-08-17T22:51:00.004-05:00

I love to play cards and I'm really good at blackjack. I don't know if I just naturally figured out the odds or what it is, but I love to play. When I go, I always bring my ID and a set amount of cash, whether it's $50 or whatever... just depends on what I can afford to lose at the time. I'll go play blackjack instead of going out to the bar and blowing $50 on getting wasted like a lot of 20-somethings do. That's just not my scene. I don't bring my debit card, credit card, or anything else with me. I have never spent money that was supposed to go to bills on gambling. I usually only go later in the month after my bills are actually paid off.

If I lose my initial $50, I leave. I take it with a grain of salt simply because I know I didn't risk more than I could. If I'm winning, as soon as I double my money I stick the original $50 back in my pocket and play with the casino's money. If I double it again, I put some of those winnings in my pocket and continue playing with the casino's money. Once the money goes back into my pocket, it doesn't come out again. That is how I do it when I go. I play for fun and keep putting the "small" victories in my pocket so I don't play them back. I almost ALWAYS come out with a profit because I don't go for the "big win". In the past 2 months I have only lost my $50 starting money once, and I have won at least $100 all the other times I've gone. Twice I've won over $400, still only starting with $50.

Lately I've had a little more disposable income thanks to babysitting and people paying me back what they owed me and such, so in July/August I went a couple times more than I normally do (2-3 times each month as opposed to 1-2). Now my parents and one of my friends think I have a gambling problem. I tried to explain the above to them, about how I never risk more than I can afford and how I take the small victories so I don't lose, but they don't get it.

Last night I went and won $400 on a $50 investment. If I'd lost the $50 I would've gone home. I could afford the $50 loss if I'd lost it and I had a blast just playing cards and interacting with the people. I don't feel the need to go back RIGHT NOW just because I won last time I went, though I did have fun and I know I will go play again eventually.

I don't think that's a problem.

Do you gamble?
What limits do you put on yourself?
What is the most you've ever won?
What do YOU think constitutes a gambling problem?

Guest Blogger Time!

2009-08-13T23:00:00.004-05:00

Attention bloggeroos... I'm going to be out of commission (aka at the cabin!) from August 20th-25th and need some people to babysit my corner of the interwebs for a few days! Anyone interested? Leave a comment or contact me through one of the many ways listed over to the right!

I know most people don't blog over the weekend, but my friend Stacie has kindly agreed to write a little something on Saturday! She is the author of Mascara and Microchips. She's very sarcastic, intelligent, and the inventor of Twippets. Check her blog out!

So for the rest of you, that leaves Thursday, Friday, Monday, and Tuesday! If you've got something to say, a TMI Thursday story to tell, or you'd like to take over Tuesday Tunes for me for the week, let me know!

Tuesday Tunes - The Tigers Are Better Than Sharks Edition

2009-08-11T21:57:00.009-05:00

Get ready everyone... It's the first annual TIGER WEEK!!!

Last week was Shark Week on the Discovery Channel.

<--- See that guy? He basically says, "Fuck sharks." He is awesome.

Check out Maxie and Jenn's blogs for more info on Tiger Week, tiger hands, and how to win some kick ass prizes. They are the brilliant people behind Tiger Week, so go check them out!

I am far too tired to write more than that right now. Let's rock.

1) Season by The Academy Is
2) Fire by Bruce Springsteen
3) Gone So Young by Amber Pacific (GREAT song)
4) This One is For You by The Wedding
5) It Was Summer (Baby Steps) by October Fall
6) Good Friends by Rodney Branigan
7) Cupid by Jack Johnson
8) Here's To You by Rascal Flatts
9) Company Sin by John Butler Trio
10) California Bound by Carolina Liar

A lot of great bands in this week's Tuesday Tunes... If you haven't heard of Amber Pacific, The Wedding, October Fall, or Carolina Liar, check them out ASAP. I'm too lazy to find links for you right now.

Stay tuned for more from TIGER WEEK!!!

Movies that make me...

2009-08-06T20:05:00.005-05:00

Alright kids, here are the rules:
Don't take too long to think about it. Fifteen movies you've seen that will always stick with you. First fifteen you can recall in no more than fifteen minutes. Tag five friends and post the link to your post in the comments because I want to see what movies you choose.

I hope you participate, even if you didn't get tagged!

_______________________________________

1. Miracle: Makes me wish I'd witnessed the miracle on ice and been able to truly appreciate what that moment meant to our country.

2. Harry Potter (any of them): Makes me want to live in the wizarding world... Going to Hogsmeade, learning how to turn rats into tea cups, and playing Quidditch.

3. Erin Brockovich: Makes me want to make a difference.

4. A Walk to Remember: Makes me want to find the guy who will do anything to make my dreams come true...

5. The Breakfast Club: Makes me want to go back to high school and pay more attention.

6. 21: Makes me want to go out and play blackjack, lol.

7. Divine Secrets of the Ya Ya Sisterhood: Makes me wish I had a strong group of girl friends like the Ya-Yas.

8. My Big Fat Greek Wedding: Makes me wish I had a big, loud, fun family.

9. A League of Their Own: Makes me wish I was 20 years old at that time so I could've played in the All American Girls Baseball League.

10. Swiss Family Robinson: Makes me want to build a treehouse.

11. Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist: Makes me wish there was a band around here that played mystery concerts that people had to search all over to find.

12. Stepmom: Makes me cry like a baby every single time I watch it.

13. Pirates of the Caribbean: Makes me want to be a bad ass girl pirate like Elizabeth Swann and hang out with Captains Jack Sparrow and Will Turner.

14. The Italian Job: Makes me want to pull off a heist.

15. Twister: Makes me want to be a storm chaser!

I have no words...

2009-08-05T21:59:00.000-05:00

just a link.

God help us all.

Tuesday Tunes - The New Lyric in the Lyric Lounge Edition

2009-08-04T06:23:00.001-05:00

My friend Emily introduced me to The Push Stars while we were in Australia, and it was love at first listen. They have a very calming sound but at the same time they are great to sing along to. Their lyrics are great, which brings me to my point... There's a new lyric over in the Lyric Lounge today, so go check it out. The song is called Keg on My Coffin by The Push Stars. Listen to it HERE. I want it played at my funeral.

With that pleasant thought in mind, let's rock.

1) Lines by Pete Murray
2) Company Calls by Death Cab For Cutie
3) Dream On by Aerosmith
4) Pollyanne by Meredith Brooks
5) Keg on My Coffin by The Push Stars
6) Runaway by Love and Theft
7) Something More by Sugarland
8) Brown Eyed Girl by Van Morrison
9) Rescue Me by Aretha Franklin
10) You Belong With Me by Taylor Swift

P.S. I'm now an official member of the Love and Theft promo team. I got like a billion and a half of these little postcard sized fliers from the UPS guy today. The box weighed friggin' ten pounds. This is why.

P.P.S. Taylor Swift tickets for her Twin Cities show with Kellie Pickler and Gloriana go on sale in t-minus 11 days and counting. Anyone who wants to go with me needs to let me know BEFORE MIDNIGHT on 8/14 because I'm buying tickets on 8/15. All the contact info is over in the sidebar!

Drifting...

2009-08-03T22:07:00.003-05:00

Thanks to Facebook, I recently discovered the blog that one of my friends from junior high writes. She is a very talented writer and always has been... I have always loved reading her thoughts and opinions on things. We started our junior high newspaper together and basically ran the thing with little help from anyone else, and to tell you the truth I think the perfectionist in both of us liked it that way.

She was one of those people who so fully understood me back then that I could not even imagine not being friends with her. She made me feel like I was ok for liking to read and write... That I was not a complete nerd for liking Shakespeare (although she liked him much more than I did). She introduced me to the magical world of Harry Potter, which I will always be eternally grateful for. She listened to me when I needed it and made me laugh when no one else could. I still have the kaleidescope she made for me in 9th grade. It is beautifully painted with a night time scene over the water... a reminder, I suppose, of the time we sat on the dock and she pointed out constellations to me. It is one of my favorite things... and I never told her that (until now, of course, because she will eventually read this).

Somewhere between differing schedules and wildly stupid highschool clique feuds, we drifted apart. We went to the same college but really only saw each other in passing. She went to England for a year and I went to Australia for a semester and we just... drifted.

My question, more to myself than anyone else, is why does that happen? Why did I let it? I guess my point is that we should not allow that one good friend to get lost in the shuffle... Who knows, they may just change your life.

Fear - It's What's For Dinner

2009-08-02T23:29:00.003-05:00

My boss is afraid of spiders. We're not talking just-gets-the-heebie-jeebies kind of afraid either. She saw a fairly good sized spider on the wall at work on Friday and simultaneously cried and almost had a heart attack. Literally. She saw a picture of a spider on the computer screen once and wanted to throw up. No joke.

Friday's spider encounter got me thinking about fears. I mean I'm not exactly a big FAN of spiders, but I'm not so afraid of them that I can't function either. We can co-exist relatively peacefully as long as one isn't actually ON me. I understand that there are people out there with extremely crippling fears, fears that sometimes don't even let them leave the house (which I think is sad). There are thousands of fears out there... Some people are afraid of snakes or germs. Some are afraid of heights or the dark or even commitment.

I'd have to say my biggest fear is failure. I think this is a fairly common fear, perhaps on multiple different levels. No one wants to fail. No one sets out to do something and thinks, "Gee, wouldn't it be awesome to crash and burn like a bad Hollywood special effect?" No, of course not. However, my fear of failure is exceptional. My fear of failure is such that it has caused me to never try anything I wasn't fairly certain I could succeed at. Yeah, you read that right.

When I was in high school I wanted nothing more than to be a meteorologist. I had seen Twister when I was 11 and had become fanatical about being a storm chaser. At age 17, I decided a meteorologist was much more "realistic" (whatever that means to a sheltered 17 year old). Then I saw the science and math classes required to get a degree in meteorology. I'd never been as strong in math and science as I was in other subjects, and I went into the communication program at my university instead. I went for safety... I went for something I knew would be easy for me, and I glided through college just as I had glided through 12 years of school before that. I was afraid, and there isn't a day in this world that I don't wonder what would've happened if I would've went after it, gone for what I'd truly felt a passion for.

What do you fear?

Who should I read?

2009-07-30T11:07:00.002-05:00

You pick! I need some more blogs to read and I'm asking YOU! Who do you think is hilarious or thought provoking or both? Let me know!

Happy Weekend All!

2009-07-24T16:51:00.001-05:00

This is the best thing I've seen in a LONG time... So enjoy, and happy weekend everyone!

Happy Birthday Laura!

2009-07-22T19:05:00.002-05:00

I'm a firm believer in the fact that everyone you meet has an impact on your life. It doesn't have to be a big impact, maybe someone held the door for you and it made you smile for a split second. That person had an impact on your day. I like to think that we can all make a difference to each other. It helps me in my quest to find my place in this world.

Every once in a while you meet someone who changes your life in a profound way. Someone who changes the way you see things. Someone who listens and understands the way you feel even if it's completely irrational. Someone who can make you a better person simply by being your friend.

Today is the day someone very special to me was born. My friend Laura is one of those people who will make time to listen, even when she is completely overwhelmed with her own stuff and her own life. She shares in the joys and is there for the tears. She gives advice but doesn't push too hard to have it followed. She values my thoughts and opinions just as I value hers. She lets me know when she thinks I'm doing well and gently informs me when she thinks I can do better. I've learned from her and she's learned from me, and I think that's exactly the way a friendship should be.

Happy birthday Laura!

Tuesday Tunes - The More For Your Money Edition

2009-07-14T21:52:00.002-05:00

Ok, so the title doesn't really make much sense, cuz I certainly don't get paid for this shit, but this will be more for your reading pleasure, I guess. Since I was a slacker last week, I'm going to give you twenty songs this week. You'll thank me later (or not, whatevs).

Let's rock.

1) Made for TV by Last Winter
2) By My Side by 3 Doors Down
3) City Never Sleeps by Cartel
4) What You Want by The Starting Line
5) Anything Like Me by Brad Paisley
6) Rocks Off by Def Leppard
7) Everything I Once Had by The Honorary Title
8) Consequence by Incubus
9) Adrenaline by Gavin Rossdale
10) Chicken Fried by Zac Brown Band
11) Back Home by Yellowcard
12) Take Me Away by Plain White T's
13) Superman by Sandi Thom
14) Heads Carolina, Tails California by JoDee Messina
15) High and Dry by Radiohead
16) One on One by Jimmy Wayne
17) Miss Delaney by Jack's Mannequin
18) Last Child by Aerosmith
19) What I've Done by Until June
20) Consequence Free by Great Big Sea

Also, check out the Lyric Lounge over in the sidebar. I'm going to try to change the song every week or so. Right now it's Runaway by a band called Love and Theft. They're awesome! Listen to Runaway here!

The lyrics from Consequence Free by Great Big Sea sum up how I feel about life right now (except I'm not Catholic, just fyi)... Enjoy.

Wouldn't it be great, if no one ever got offended
And wouldn't it be great to say what's really on your mind
I have always said, "All the rules are made for bending"
And if I let my hair down, would that be such a crime?

Chorus:
I wanna be consequence free
I wanna be where nothing needs to matter
I wanna be consequence free
just sing na na na na na ne na na na

I could really use, to lose my Catholic conscience
'Cause I'm getting sick of feeling guilty all the time
I won't abuse it, yeah I've got the best intentions
For a little bit of anarchy but not the hurtin' kind

[Chorus]

I couldn't sleep at all last night cause I had so much on my mind
I'd like to leave it all behind, but you know it's not that easy

[Chorus]

Wouldn't it be great, if the band just never ended
We could stay out late and we would never hear last call
We wouldn't need to worry about approval or permission, we could
Slip off the edge and never worry about the fall

[Chorus]