Day 2: My Man Godfrey

Day two's activity was watching a great old romantic comedy!

           1936’s My Man Godfrey is about a whacky socialite who picks up a “forgotten man,” aka hobo, for a rich people scavenger hunt. Irene takes a liking to the hobo and decides to hire him as the family’s new butler. It reminds me of The Happiest Millionaire because it’s about a crazy rich family who can’t keep a butler because of their antics. Godfrey, the gobo butler helps whip Irene’s family into shape, and I’m sure you could guess by the cover, Irene and Godfrey marry. PS. Godfrey may not be as much of a hobo as he appears to be…

My Man Godfrey is a great movie and a real moral and spirit booster! I strongly recommend it!

Apparently you can see it in color, I watched it black and white.

As for what I love about myself, today it's my ears. They're little. They're normal looking. They don't stick out. They hold earrings well and don't sag. Additionally they don't get infected from earrings; they're real little troopers. I LOVE MY EARS.

Day 1: Ode to Laura

So for today's Valentine celebration I decided to write a love poem to myself, and to be more efficient my poem will address something I love about myself- thus fulfilling my blog quest as well.

ODE TO LAURA

I don’t know how to pronounce your name

Lara

Lauwra

Lora

I However you say it, it doesn’t matter


You’ll always be you, making a clatter

Lover of cat paraphernalia

Lover of bumble bees

Lover of water and camping…but not so much of peas

You have curly hair and blue eyes to die for


Your abbreviated name rhymes with whore

Lovely neck dimple

Lovely little toes

Lovely big nose

No matter what happens, in this life or the next


About one thing, you will never be perplexed

Latch on to the truth

Lay hold of your dreams

Love every minute on these, life’s streams

Uggh, I always feel so corny when I write poems! Haha, hope you liked it! Can I just emphasize that I actually like my neck dimple- I do. It’s only there when I flex my neck and it creeps Becky out, but I like it. And that my friends, is day one of loving myself. I HEART MY NECK DIMPLE. Haha!

The 14 Days of Valentines

So my friend Shelley made this group on Facebook that celebrates Valentines. This si the group description:
"A 14 day celebration of all things lovely and a countdown to the holiday d'amour! Everyday we are to complete some romantically exciting task. If you are single or have always been indifferent or perhaps even bitterly loathed V- Day, that is ok. You can take this as an opportunity to fall madly in love with yourself.

These are our ideas so far:
-French picnics (fancy bread, cheese, grapes, dark chocolate, champagne/ sparkling cider, fabulous locale)
-skinny dipping
-making frilly valentines
- baking sweets and delivering them anonymously (secret admirers) -watching "Dear John"
- streaking
-uno or yahtzee on Dixie rock or the town make out spot of your choice
-taking yourself to dinner and a movie (this is not as scary as it sounds)
-line dancing
-dancing in general
-streaking
-speed dating
-going on an actual date
-zumba
-chick-flicks and facials
-early morning yoga
-karaoke
-luxurious bubble baths by candle light
-buying chocolate and flowers for somebody (yourself, mom, or best friend will work)
-Learn French pick up lines
-reading trashy paperback romance novels

Anyway, just post your suggestions and make it happen! Obviously these don't have to go in any specific order or be with the same people but maybe doing some of them together might be fun.
Spread the word!"

Here are some of my ideas to add to the list:
I motion to add dancing alone, in public or private, to the list. I once saw a guy robot dancing hardcore on a street corner- I bet he loved himelf.
I also motion to add listening to Marvin Gaye and carving your name, surrounded by a heart, on a tree (or maybe just draw it somewhere if you don't want to hurt a tree.
Also making a collage about yourself.
Also putting glow in the dark stars on your ceiling.
Also buying frilly undies- even if no one else sees them.

Additionaly I have decided to blog each day about something I love about me. That's right, you get to read about how awesome I am for 14 days. And it can't just be things like, "I love my cat sock collection," even though I do love it- I am not a cat sock. So, get ready- HERE WE GO!

Life is crazy, but I think we all know I prefer humans to dolphins. FACT: I hate dolphins.

       I feel so congested with conflicting emotions that I don't know how to release them! It's like they are bloating in my chest and I'm about to pop! I'm stressed out about a lot of things, and yet I can see the many things I have to be grateful for.
       I have to go to small claims court because someone thinks they can solve their problems by taking money from me. The only problem is- they've got nothing and really they're going to hurt themselves having to pay court fees. I've had nightmares about this since I received the summons at the beginning of December! Nightmares about an old friend! Nightmares during Thanksgiving and Christmas! My father almost died and I was having nightmares about some midget-dramatic person! I'm trying to take four masters classes and get a job, and all I can think about is thursday Thursday THURSDAY! It's all so ridiculous and I wish I could shout to the world what injustice has been laid upon me...but I can't. I've prayed through this process since the beginning of November and I can't go to their level. I have to be strong and be the best I can be.
        I'm having the worst time getting back into a healthy academic schedule. Since my first week of classes was so thrown off I've not been doing so well with the studying...I've tried to study and all I end up doing is re-watching Excess Baggage, Roswell episodes, online TV; reading Island of the Blue Dolphins and now Shabanu- anything to escape my reality, even if I'm escaping to an abandoned island (actually that sounds fantastic) or a barren desert with enraged male camels attacking me. I stay up until two, wake up around 10...the only thing I succeeding at is eating healthy and making an amazing Dolly Parton cake.

       I have so much to be grateful for. I moved into a great new house. I love my roommates (one of which plays the mandolin and guitar and I love to hear her practice, and it also renews my desire to get a banjo!) and landlord. I’m actually not hating the snow and cold. I can walk to class. I like my classes and teachers. My new singles ward is lovely and full of lovely people. I have an art desk! I bought Star Wars Valentines. SEE! I have so much to be grateful for!!!
         Random thought trail: I mentioned that I’ve just read Island of the Blue Dolphins. It’s funny because I dream of that solitude. An island where no one can sue me. An island where the animals, storms, ocean, survival and beauty are my only companions. Here’s the funny part, I dream of that peaceful solitude without PEOPLE, and yet one of my biggest stresses is solitude. I’m alone most of the time. I miss my friends in S. Utah, Virginia, Delaware and everywhere else. I miss being packed into a room with three crazy girls. So which do I want? The island with no companions? Or the desert with nasty older men forcing me to wed and bed (Shabanu)? Haha.
         I feel like this has been too negative. The reality beyond my own self pitying is that I have a loving family. I’m in a great education program. I love the snow. I love my roommates, house, landlord, glow in the dark ceiling stars and life. I love my friends near and far. I will survive court and it will give me experience and knowledge. I will pass my classes and get into a good homework schedule. I will get a lovely job working with kids who are autistic, special education or general ED. I get to walk to class! I have a hiking class waiting for me in March. I have Star Wars valentines. One of my best friends lives only 1 ½ hours away! I’m getting a new niece in April. I HAVE SO MUCH TO BE GRATEFUL FOR!

 

Classic cars and classic guys.

       So I was driving through campus and this guy pulled in front on me. His car was AMAZing. It was some sort of classic with an awful paint job- HOT HOT HOT.

       And from the back he looked good too. I was like, “nice- a guy who isn’t driving a normal modern sedan or a beefy truck. A guy who gets that retro is hot.”

       But as we all know… things that are too good to be true hardly ever are true. He puffed a cloud of smoke out of his window and tapped his cigarette out the window.

        Okay I guess I should give a heads up about this blog- I’m talking about dreams here. Unrealistic ideals. Remember in Practical Magic when Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman’s child-characters make a spell for the perfect man- so perfect that it could never happen? It’s like that in a way.



      Considering that this is a public blog I will most certainly NOT be listing all of my impossible dream guy attributes…but here are two things I wish for.

       I wish for a man who is a faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. It’s not that I dislike people who are not of my faith, it’s just that to really be connected with someone I would want them to share something that is a part of everything I am. Late nights when I’m lying awake pondering the eternities, I want my husband to be a part of my pondering. I don’t want to mocked, criticized or made fun of for something that makes up my being. My faith is so important to me; shouldn’t it also be important to him? If I loved raising parakeets and that was my life, would I marry a man who completely hated parakeets? No.

          I wish for a man who looks classic. Like the guy in the classic car, I find a classic sense of style over all (including clothes, cars, and hair etc.) is EXTREMELY attractive. I wear dresses and skirts all the time, is it too much to ask for a guy who dresses like Frank Sinatra or James Dean every once in a while. I own plenty of casual clothing, and it’s often that I go through 90’s grunge phases, but I dress like an adult with personality most of the time. Personality, I guess that’s the key. My dream man wouldn’t wear a polo t shirt he got at Hollister with a pair of cargo khaki shorts every day. He would wear a slick and retro suit, a plaid shirt, a Jerry Lee Lewis t-shirt, or something he picked up from a thrift store. He might dress like Joseph-Gordon Levitt in 500 Days of Summer or Christina Bale in Newsies.

          

            
The dilemma: Notice something in common with James Dean, Frank Sinatra, Marlon Brando and Bob Dylan? They all smoke. They all drink. Not exactly Peter priesthoods. So here’s the point: WHERE ARE ALL OF THE RETRO, CLASSIC, GREASER, non-American Eagle polo shirt wearing, SINGLE LDS MEN? Are they on the east coast? Am I missing something? I can’t seem to find them. Any tips? Do I have to hang out at coffee shops? But I hate the smell of coffee and half of those guys are smoking and drinking! That is the dilemma. There appear to be no retro clad, LDS gents looking for my love. I feel like Jimmy Dean’s nemesis, about to drive off a cliff and explode. Haha, just kidding.


See now, you think I’m a snob. I’ve liked all sorts of guys. Tall, short, fat, skinny, brown hair, red hair, blonde hair, black hair, tan, pale, polo shirts, t-shirts…I’m not too picky, but hey, a girl can dream, can’t she?

 
I can dream of a Benecio DEL Toro in Excess Baggage, driving a classic car and wearing James Dean jackets with big hair combed back and falling in his face…minus being a car thief.

Good things I have been eating lately.

So basically I just ate this sandwich that was so tasty I felt the need, nay, the obligation to blog about all the tasty things I've been eating lately.

Dinner tonight consisted of hummus- which was nasty! It was my first time making hummus from scratch and I added too much coriander. Yuckasaurus.

Now that the yucky part is over- on to the YUMMY!

I had the best garlic bread ever.

First ingredient: Granny's Delight Sprout Wheat bread! Love it! And it's good for you too!

Next ingredient: grape seed oil. Olive oil or whatever oil you like will work just fine- I just happen to love grape seed oil and it's super good for you!

Next: Fresh crushed garlic

Finally sprinkle on some lavender and pepper!

http://www.terraverdefarms.com/products.html#SpicesRubs

VOILA! Perfect garlic bread!!!

Okay now I'm just going to mention some other things I've been eating that I love!

Lemonaise is basically organic mayonnaise made with lemons...I don't know but it tasted really good on the tomato, cucumber, olive, mustard, lettuce and sandwich oil sandwich I had! It was heavenly!

The jar on the right is tahini. This tahini is slightly shady. I bought it at a Thai store in Layton and when I got home I realized it wasn't sealed or anything and it leaked a little bit...I ate some anyway and it seemed fine...Oh by the way, tahini is sesame seed paste.

Annie's organic Bunny Grahams (chocolate) are delightful! I feel like a kid when I eat them, but I feel like a very healthy sort of whole grain kid so it's okay.

I'm often in class during dinner time throughout the week so I bring snacks. Luna bars are divine. Gotta love those Quaker granola bars-even though they aren't so healthy...and I also like to snack on sesame whole wheat treats and flaxseed treats.

This one is new to me and I haven't even tried it yet! Amy's Vegetable Lasagna. It looks good and I have high hopes!

I LOVE LOVE LOVE Amy's organic Palak Paneer. It's great when I don't want to cook every once in a while! I love palak paneer in general and knowing that it's organic makes me feel better!

Last but not least- the cake cupboard! I'm making a cake for the Dolly Parton Cake contest and so I bought all sorts of fun supplies soon! No worries, I'm getting a job asap! Making cakes is fun and I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE Dolly Parton!

Feeling Good, Feeling Alive!

Squeakers with Sulley and Minnie in Becky's bed- he gets around...

So life has been crazy! A little over a week ago (Saturday, January 2) I drove 5 hours from St. George to Ogden, Utah for the spring semester at Weber. The following morning (Sunday) I woke up in my new apartment, and after getting dressed and going to church at the wrong time I called my mom. Bad news. My mother woke up to find my father unconscious on the floor in his man-cave. Now, as strange as it may seem to all of you, I wasn't too concerned at this point...you see, my dad has a lot of health problems and he frequents the hospital. In fact, some of his doctors call him the energizer bunny because when it seems like his battery is done, he re-energizes and poufs back!



So I just told my mom to keep me updated...then more bad news. My dad pretty much went into a coma and it didn't seem like he was going to "re-energize." After a few hours of things seeming to get worse I couldn't take waiting around in Ogden, and with the suggestions of my mother I drove back 5 hours to southern Utah (the day before classes started!).


When I got to St. George my father was still in a comatose state and remained so for the most part until the next day. We were all very scared and worried, praying for the best, but fearing what seemed eminent...


Drum roll, the energizer bunny energized once again (that would have been awful if I had drum rolled my father's death...fear not, I'm not that twisted)!

My family on Christmas Eve, including the new addition Squeakers McGee (pure bred shi tzu)

Though my father has made a great recovery so far, from what turned out to be bi-lateral pneumonia (no one knows why he passed out, or why he stayed passed out), I wasn't served the luck he was. Monday morning I woke up with a ridiculous cold and due to my head-cold-fuzzy-brain, I was stranded in St. George and missed my first week of spring semester classes in Ogden! No good.


When Friday rolled in and I finally felt good enough to safely drive back to Ogden, I figured it was the weekend, and I mind as well stay in St. Geezy to hang out with friends and go to my buddy Crystal Turners mission farewell on Sunday. (That was a crap sentence, but I'm too tired to fix it...)


Friday night was fun, I went bowling with Rouchelle, Casey and some of their friends.


Saturday night was even more fun. I learned how to play poker with Alex, Rouchelley and some of their Madonna-boob-swimming pool friends! We played with candy, which made me very hyper, and I did pretty well! Poker anyone?


On Sunday I dragged myself out of bed to go to Crystal's 9 am farewell and I couldn't find the church! I drove around for an hour looking for it! I went into one chapel and thought it was the right one- I sat down for about 15 minutes and took the sacrament before I realized it was the wrong chapel. Then I tried another- wrong again...after an hour I figured I missed most of it anyway and gave up :(

After a brief visit with my dad in the hospital and a goodbye to some family I headed back to Ogden. The drive was lovely (I LOVE long drives alone)! Oh wait...the drive was lovely, but I got my first ever speeding ticket!!! Ah! $90!!!! However, I still feel happy and did so after I got my ticket. I figure I deserved it...I was going 89 in a 75 zone and i ALWAYS speed. I mean, I'm almost 24 years old and I've never gotten a ticket! Later that night, thanks to my buddy Dan, I got my comfy bed delivered and all was well.

I have high hopes for this semester. I have a good feeling. I love my room. My roommates seem wicked sweet so far and my apartment/house is super! I live super close to campus and did I mention that my room is painted blue! So far my classes seem like they're going to be amazing and I even get to write a children's book! Love it! Things are good!

KNOCK ON WOOD.

Art corner

Movies

Sleeping corner

Clothes corner

Vanity corner

"They were the best of times, they were the worst of times" -Charles Dickens

Here are two dolls that I started last summer I think...I finally finshed them! It's Howl and Sophie from Howl's Moving Castle. Howl's got a green and blue heart and his bird coat is removable. Both sophie and Howl have rings like in the movie, Howl's is blue and Sophie's red. Sophie has silver stitching in her hair so it resembles starlight.

Here are some rings that I bought all of the supplies for last summer and just now made...haha! After I test the strength of the glue I will out some on Etsy. Any requests?