UGAnnie's Blog

Things Kids Say #1

2011-11-30T15:50:00.005-05:00

Things Kids Say:

Ms Annie: I brought in ice cream for a special treat! Guess what kind it is? It's vanilla with a chocolate swirl.

R [whispers]: A chocolate squirrel?!?

We have a class bear (Bailey) that the kids get turns taking home for a week and then writing in a journal and pasting in some pictures. The bear was handed off to the latest friend: "I can't wait to go home and put panties on him!" It was clear she had been plotting this for a long time.

Annie: My tummy hurts.

R: My mommy has a baby in her tummy.

Annie: I do not.

R: Well you should get one in there.

Annie: No thanks.

We talked about Insects yesterday (can you tell it was "I" week?) and we played a guessing game where I gave them clue so they could figure out what bug it was. "It has eight legs. And eight eyes. It is black. It is fuzzy and icky. It has a web." That's how many clues I had to give for spider. Then I let a student take a crack at giving me clues after several example rounds. "Cr. Crr. Crrrr. Crrrrrrr." Uhhh... cricket? "YOU GOT IT!"

"I love the Fresh Beat Band! [quietly to self] And bacon."

There is definitely one moment a day where I am doubled over in laughter from something that a kid says. That's all I have for now. Hopefully more later. :)

"You've got a friend in me"

2011-11-20T20:33:00.004-05:00

I just read an article on Hellogiggles about how the author thought she could be best friends with Emma Watson. This prompted a conversation with my sister of the same topic. These are my top five answers:

Five Celebrities I Think I Could Be Best Friends With:

1. Emma Stone

2. Emma Watson.

3. Kate Middleton

4. Rachel McAdams

5. Taylor Swift

Who are yours?

"Hard to control when it begins"

2011-07-22T15:22:00.003-04:00

Okay, okay. I'm trying to get back into this. I know. You've heard it before. It's like an abusive relationship. I keep lying to you and you keep coming back for more. I'm sorry. I'm trying. And I'm really boring these days.

So I am going to try to do a "write a certain type of post on certain days of the week" thing. So since today is Friday.... let's do a Friday Favorites!

1. Favorite Song: Young Blood by The Naked and Famous

Their album (Passive Me, Aggressive You) is $5 this month on Amazon. They have a Passion Pit sound to them. Check them out.

2. Favorite Site: HelloGiggles Why didn't I think of this? Can I be a part of it? I love it.

3. Favorite Article (that had me in tears): Friday Night Lights: Greatest Moments Only read this if you've finished the series. And if you haven't seen this show, drop everything and go watch it. NOW. I've been meaning to do a blog post professing my love for the show for a while now. During Snowpocalypse 2011 I was holed up in the house for a week and watched all four seasons. I CRIED IN EVERY SINGLE EPISODE. This is hands down my favorite show of all time. Because I blitzed through it, I almost want to go back through and blog about each episode but I don't know if I can be that dedicated. But... I'm thinking about it.

4. Favorite Person to Follow on Twitter: Humblebrag

5. Favorite Blog: Hyperbole and a Half Start with The Party in the sidebar and then read Spiders: They are Scary. I was laughing so hard I couldn't even keep my eyes open to keep reading. LOVE.

There! I did it! A blog post! That wasn't so hard.

"You keep on knocking/ But you can't come in"

2011-06-06T21:09:00.003-04:00

A few weeks ago I babysat for E, the three year old boy I've been babysitting for about a year and half. Since it was so nice outside, we decided to go play in the background. As we walked out the door I thought to myself, I should take my phone with my outside. But they have bad reception so I opted against it. This, my friend, is called ironic foreshadowing. So we played outside for about thirty-five minutes, and ninty-nine bug bites later, I decided to call it a day and take him inside. E goes to open the door and tells me it is locked. I pray that he is just weak so I go and try myself. Definitely locked. And my phone is inside the house. I am also anal about the doors being locked so the front door and door leading in from the garage (provided we can get it open) are both locked as well, thanks to my doing. Score. So I flashforward, imaging us sitting on his front stoop shivering, waiting for his parents to get home at 10:00 in the pitch black (since the porch light wasn't turned on, natch).

But Super Babysitter Annie doesn’t sit and cry. I started making a plan. Since I had no phone, I really had no option but to go and knock on the neighbor’s door. Oh but if only it were that easy. The gate leading out of their backyard, yeah locked with a steel padlock that needs a combination. A combination that neither E or I know. So I hauled my hiney over the picket fence and then lugged the little boy over after me. Once we made it to the other side, he said we could just go in the garage. I get excited thinking all we have to do is pull it up. Hopes rise. Then I saw the keypad next to the garage. Hopes crash. E claims all you need to do is press Enter. I say a prayer and do so. Nothing. I even tried 1234 hoping they hadn’t changed the temporary one. No such luck. So we go over to the neighbor’s house next door. Of course it would have been too easy for them to actually be home. Plan B.

So we run across the street to another person’s house. Did I mention E was already in his pajamas and it was only 7:15? So we knock on a man’s door and he answers and we ask to use his phone. He was nice but things were a little... off in this house. I also had to navigate around two huge dog crates to get to the phone so the house did not smell pleasant. E was pinching his nose and not saying a word. Usually E does not stop talking so clearly he understood the strangeness of the situation. My mom was with E’s mom so I frantically dialed her number. My mom is also notorious for not answering calls from phone numbers she doesn’t know. So I dialed three times in rapid succession to no avail. I then took a deep breath and asked E if he knew his mom’s phone number. “Yes! I do!” My heart soars with hope. What is it? “9....1....1”. Foiled again. And like I said, things were a little off in this house, so we didn’t stick around. And I resigned to sitting on their stoop until his parents got home, whenever that may be.

So we sit and wait for a few minutes (not even in the backyard since there is no way to get back over the locked gate) on the driveway, but I can’t take it (read: had to go the bathroom) so we go to the neighbors on the other side of their house. E is already waiting, nose plugged because he is certain all neighbor’s houses must smell like the first, as we wait to see if they can be our rescuers. A man opened the door and his dog is absolutely freaking out. E has decided to cover his ears now instead of his nose. I explain our predicament and he lets me come in to use their phone. They did appear to know E and so they start talking to him and letting him play with their universal remote as I frantically dial my mom’s number approximately 14 times in the kitchen. I finally have to pause and ask to wait until she calls me back. So we sit (actually I stood awkwardly. I think I thought if I sat, I was admitting defeat) and talked while we waited for my mom to call back. This happened for about twenty minutes while E tries to sell me out saying I was the one who locked the door (it was neither of us. I have no idea how it happened).

Then I had the fear that the dad would get home and see no one was there (and worry we had been raptured... or kidnapped) so I told them we were just going to go back and hang out on their front steps until he got home. So we thanked them (profusely) and then left. We went and sat on the stoop for about two minutes before E announced he wanted to go inside. No can do, buddy. He continued to repeat this (as I tried to explain to him we didn’t just go on an adventure, we really couldn’t go inside) for fifteen minutes. Then the nice neighbor came out and told me my mom had called, I was transferred to E’s mom and got the combo for the keypad and we made it inside. Woo hoo! By this time about 45 minutes had passed and it was time for E to go to bed. So we went upstairs, brushed teeth and read a story. After some prompting from me, E’s prayers were as follows: “Thank you God for Annie. Annie’s mom. [whispered] What is your mom’s name? [normal voice] Joanne. And please don’t let us get locked out of the house ever again. Amen.” Amen!

Best part of the story? I came back downstairs after telling E goodnight and had just sat down on the couch when I heard the garage door go up. That’s right. E’s dad got home less than ten minutes after we finally made it inside. Seriously?! And as I walked out to my car, I saw the man from House #1 who called out, "I see you made it inside!" I did a victorious fist pump as I walked off into the sunset.

The story might be better told verbally but it was honestly a comedy of errors even though I was NOT laughing at the time. And considering I don't do well in times of stress, I handled this one well if I say so myself. I only almost cried twice. Almost! I’m growing up! And here’s to good people still existing in this world. Even if all my Dexter-watching sort of had me convinced I was going to get killed and never heard from again. But I lived to tell the tale. And lesson learned: Keep phone attached to hand at all times.

"There's a fire starting in my heart/ Reaching a fever pitch and it's bringing me out the dark"

2011-05-14T14:40:00.006-04:00

Let's do a Television Recap Wrap Up. Yes, I know, why do it now when almost all shows are ending for the season? Because, friend, that way I can ease myself into the task. I do one, get a three month break, and then can start for real in the fall. It makes sense to me so let's run with it.

1. The Amazing Race-- Basically the order of who I wanted to win ended up being the opposite. I connected with Kisha and Jen the least. And props to the editors for not focusing on them since the beginning despite the fact they ended up winning (cough Survivor cough). I was pulling for a Zev/Justin win since they (read: Justin) dominated this season. When they got the heave-ho, somehow Mallory grew on me and I was pulling for them. Sucks that the cab driver really can make or break this race. And I'm happy the Globetrotters placed in the top three. So really, ho-hum season that had potential to be awesome. Just sucks when a team that didn't win first place any other leg ends up winning.

2. Make it or Break it. I'm a little over Emily's antics but I realize the pregnancy was written in since Chelsea Hobbs is/was pregnant in real life. Glad Sasha and Kaley are back at the Rock. Lauren is still obnoxious. Payson is hit or miss for me. I just wish these girls would actually change and develop as opposed to being consistently sucky-ish. And Summer needs to dump Steve and get over this "I need to be there for Lauren" business. Still love the show though.

3. Gossip Girl. Just when I was ready to give up, GG kicks it into gear. I still miss the contained drama of high school and could do without the parental issues. But with the addition of Crazy Cousin Charlie and the subtraction of Vanessa and Jenny, it's now on track. And loved Uncle Jack coming back. I have such a love/hate relationship with him (and every other character that actor plays). Looking forward to next week!

4. Glee. I liked this episode. Really the songs are what really determines it for me. And Jesse St James's return! I seriously hope Jonathan Groff pulls a Darren Criss and becomes a regular cast member. I LOVE him and Lea/Rachel together. I'm over Kurt and Santana's drama and wish there could be some more consistency in the writing so that plot lines ran smoothly and actually had resolution. But what can you do? I'm also embarrassed that I actually was enjoying the "Friday" song before I realized what it was. But hey they remixed it and it was almost unrecognizable. Almost. The shame.

5. Raising Hope. I think this show had potential to be in the vein of Arrested Development with the way all the little things add up in the episodes. Unfortunately, the past few episodes have been so-so. Here's to hoping next week's is better. It's still pretty funny though. And that baby is so cute.

6. Survivor. So freaking pumped about the finale tomorrow. I'm pulling for a Rob win. If another worthless, practically invisible Natalie wins because of a bitter jury, I'm going to be irked. I'd also be okay with a Grant/Mike win. I don't understand Phillip's logic of "playing crazy". It's one thing to be crazy and another to be annoying. He still annoyed his tribe on purpose even if it was just pretend. Like I tell my kids on the playground: Even if you're pretending, you still have to be nice. I'm hoping Rob ekes out the win (he's been playing for ten years trying to win. It took us ten years to find Bin Laden. I HAVE HOPE!) because he deserves it. I didn't understand why he didn't take Grant to the side after Ashley won and tell him, "Look man. Mike is dominating on Redemption Island. Since she can't go, one of us needs to and take this guy out or he is going to win it all. I can't do it. That stair immunity challenge really took it out of me. I know you can do it. You'll win, you'll get to come back, and we'll be in the final three." Maybe he didn't want to keep making promises he can't keep but that would have been flawless. If I wouldn't be miserable with no sleep, no shelter, and no food, I'd totally go on the show. But since I wouldn't get those things, I would quit three days (read: hours) in. GO ROB! Prediction for final three: Natalie, Phillip, and Rob.

7. American Idol. I can't believe James is out. I thought he had it in the bag. Sure he screeched but at least he was entertaining. I do think he started to slip these past two weeks. Lauren is still SO immature (evidence: when she was in the bottom two last week) and honestly not that great of a singer whether it is because of nerves or not (they praised her voice for cracking)! And Scotty McCreepy. I loathe thee. I know this means he is going to win but I LOATHE him and his flute playing-microphone. And how he totally pandered his vote to the southern, patriotic people. He was seven when 9/11 happened. If he was on Nashville Star, sure, win. But not American Idol. He also barely sings but rather sing/speaks. OVER HIM. The lesser of three evils is Hayley. While she has a horrible attitude (granted she is 19), she has the best voice and has actually grown as an artist while Scotty and Lauren have NOT even in the slightest. So go Hayley? I guess? My interest dropped when Casey got eliminated (for the second time). It still hurts.

8. Modern Family. This episode had some LOL moments but overall a weak episode. Season One was a lot stronger but the show is still very funny. I still laugh about the episode from a few weeks ago where Luke befriends the old neighbor: "We have oxygen in our house but we don't need to use tanks". *takes deep breathe before going inside* to paraphrase. I still chuckle.

9. The Office. It is struggling without Michael, that's for sure. I liked the antics of Dwight being manager but seriously, let's pick a boss and go with it. Glad Will Ferrell isn't permanent, wasn't feeling that.

10. The Vampire Diaries. Mock all you want, I honestly think it is one of the BEST shows on TV right now. It is SO addicting and consistently good. There are never s0-so episodes. While the final left me confused/ unsure of how I feel about several characters' fates, I still LOVE IT. I struggle with shipping Delena but I might come around just since Ian Somerhaulder is so darn attractive. Sad that Stefan has gone to the dark side. I actually screamed when Jeremy got shot. And I'm glad Bonnie loves/saved him. Totally shipping Caroline/Tyler. Matt can go. Totally want Ric to be Elena and Jeremy's new guardian. I was actually sad at the trifecta of deaths last week: Jenna, John, and Jules (apparently it was bad news bears if your name starts with a J) even though those were all characters I was only s0-so about all season. Glad Jeremy escaped the curse... or did he? I can't believe I have to wait all summer to find out. This show better get picked up for a third season.

Yeah... I watch a lot of tv. But it's really like one show a night... okay maybe two. That's how I feel. And you? You feel free to leave comments about how YOU feel! :)

"These words... from my heart flow/ I love you"

2011-04-23T11:28:00.006-04:00

And since I'm already here....

In celebration of Easter I made the decision to teach my kids a string of six bible verses. My nieces learned it at their school when they were five. My kids are three or four. They remember bible verses from October. I thought, Let's give it a try. The first day was rough. They struggled with the world "Sabbath" and they didn't understand that "dawn" didn't mean the name of one of the girl's moms. And then I started handing out SweetTarts and Hershey's Kisses anytime the kids got a line right and the ball started rolling.

We learned the verse in two weeks. That means some of the kids learned it in FOUR days (the other kids in six... still impressive!). I was so proud. But that didn't mean we didn't have some stumbling blocks along the way. The last line in the verse is "He has risen!". Instead of risen, one kid said ribbons, another prison, and presents got mentioned a couple of times. It references Mary Magdalene and my assistant had a baby girl named Mary Ellen a few months ago. We talk about her a lot and all the kids think she's really cute. And apparently they always have her on the mind because one girl said "Mary Ellen and the other Mary Ellen went to look at the tomb". And if there was ever a tricky word, we would break it down syllable by syllable and say it over and over until it wasn't scary. This lead to us chanting/screaming "cru-ci-fied" for about twenty seconds until I realized how it must have sounded to passerbys in the hall and we moved on.

We really pounded this into the kids' heads. On Thursday, the last day of school before Easter, I was telling them about the "Angel Rolled Back the Stone" craft we were going to make later that day. And I asked them what the angel said to the women and they ALL automatically replied, "Do not be afraid. For I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, He has risen!" I said, "Wow. I kind of turned you guys into robots". And one little boy laughed and said, "No! If we were robots we would sound like this: "Do. Not. Be. A-Fraid" as he did the actual robot. It was AWESOME. And then we were done going over it for the morning so I started to tell them what I had planned for the day. I said "First we are going to have snack. Then you need to go potty before music. After...," and several of the kids jumped in and started with "After the sabbath." Like I said, robots.

But I am SO proud of them for learning SIX verses all together (Matthew 28: 1-6). They are little rockstars. I would totally post the video I spliced together of all nine kids saying it but I don't want to get fired for privacy issues. And if you want more kids stories (and I want a paycheck) let's not and say we did.

Happy Easter!

"Cause I just found someone special and that's really something special/ Nice to meet you anyway"

2011-04-23T11:21:00.005-04:00

I got a new laptop! I am SO excited (I'm talking I danced as I waited for the FedEx lady to walk up to my door). And you can be a little excited too since maybe this will mean I will write more on here. I know. I abandon all the time. I keep telling you I'm going to come back and then I leave again. It's an abusive cycle. I'm sorry. And I really am trying to get better.

But seriously I had my iBook G4 since I was a senior in high school (the summer of 2004). I did get Mac a new hard drive circa 2008 and that solved the slowness/memory issues for about a year. And while it was hard to say goodbye, it was time. I couldn't even watch YouTube videos because the processor was SO slow. And now I can do all sorts of things! Like make movies and actually burn them (Mac lacked a DVD burner... so two-thousand-and-late). But productivity may go out the window cause I now have PhotoBooth and we all know how much fun that can be.

So now I have new inspiration/motivation to write on here and edit the book some more. I still have been working on the book but man, having a job really cuts into my free time. So I know I always say it but stayed tuned!

"Maybe I'm amazed at the way you're with me all the time"

2011-03-15T23:16:00.006-04:00

True Story:

Me: Who.... *Girl #1 raises hand* You don't even know the question yet. *Girl #1 lowers hand* Who *Girl #1 raises hand again. I give up* Who can tell me one of the old bible verses we learned a long time ago?

Girl #1: Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid. Deuteronomy 31:6 [give her props. We learned this back in October]

Me: Nice. So I guess you did know the question before I even asked it. Good job!

Girl #2: Booyah.

It was so perfectly timed. Said so deadpanned yet with feeling. It was amazing. And yes shameful* since I have uttered this term in my classroom (five times at the most... okay six) but it's cause I watched a lot of Community in a short period of time.

Another little girl told me she liked my shoes (grey new balances) and asked if they were new. I told her they were approximately seven years old (but apparently are still in good shape) and she said "Wow. Wait. So are you seven years old too?" I wish.

* Whoops. I also then begged her not to repeat it at home or say it to her parents.

"Who are you?/ Who who who who"

2011-03-13T21:10:00.004-04:00

A few months ago, my mom got an iPhone and she jumped on my plan so we could do the family plan and save some money. Apparently now when she calls from her phone, my name shows on caller ID since it is in my name. That's your background information.

I was sitting at home playing on my iPhone when the house phone started to ring. We have a phone where it will say the name on the caller ID out loud after two rings. So it started saying (in it's weird automated, accented voice) Call from Petrella Ansley. I looked down at my phone, still words with friends on the screen. I'm not making a call. But I keep hearing my name. HOW IS THIS HAPPENING?!

Mystery solved when my mom called my phone and we realized that my name shows up when she calls. Still, I was a little scared. It was like that Urban Legend where the killer is calling from inside the house. And it's like the killer was ME!

This could also be because I am currently knee deep in watching The Walking Dead. I'm a little paranoid. Zombies! Run!

"I just want somebody/ Need somebody/ Love somebody/ Need somebody/ Want someone/ Need someone/ I need someone to love, darling"

2011-03-12T15:48:00.011-05:00

I'm going to try something new on the blog: As opposed to doing lengthy recaps of shows I'm watching, I'm going to do short thoughts about each show at the end of the week (either on Friday or Saturday). Cause I'm sure you want to know what I think!

Amazing Race: The Redheads are unbelievable. If the car crash situation had been reversed, she would have been absolute witch. If some foreigner hit her car and couldn't communicate with her and just kept trying to shove money in her face, she would probably tried to have him arrested for being an illegal immigrant. I can totally see the guy being interviewed with subtitles: "She keeps saying this F-word over and over. Is that the English word for police?" And while I liked Mike and Mel, you knew they weren't going to make it much longer. I loved the Cowboys the first time around but they are sloppy this season. I'm pulling for Zev and Justin and the Globetrotters. The rest are just ehhhh.

Pretty Little Liars: I think the finale is in two weeks. Ahh. I still obsessed even though this show is completely not following the books AT ALL. Loving the Spencer and Toby matchup and praying it isn't because Toby has ulterior motives. Also loved the Hanna/Caleb pairing and hope that comes back. I don't understand why the writers want me to root for the Aria/Ezra teacher/student affair. It's icky. And same goes for the Paige/Emily deal when Paige tried to drown (read: KILL!) Emily like three episodes ago. I honestly have no idea who "A" is but think that it still might be the same as in the book. Won't ruin that for any of you.

Glee: I am clearly in the minority (from what I've read) but I did not like this episode. I just don't buy the Santana thing. She went from being a skank to being in love with her best friend? I... just... don't know. I've heard rumblings that she is sleeping with some bigwig on the show and that is why her scenes and storyline are getting amped up and I am starting to think that might be true (come on. She went from a glorified backup dancer to one of the principal characters and singers. Something ain't right). She is getting more solos than Rachel at this point (and say what you will about Lea Michele but the girl can belt it out). Poor Tina and Mercedes. They got passed over and never even had a chance. But I did ADORE Blaine singing Neon Trees' "Animal" and for the love of all that is good, Darren Criss does NOT need to be autotuned. So stop. Okaythanksbye.

Survivor: Best. Episode. EVER. Russell finally faced the music and he is OUT of there! Second person to go of the season! Ah! That duel was nerve wracking and awesome. I almost felt bad when the little hobbit started to cry. Almost. And Rob finding the idol was awesome, I'm just a little worried he is drifting a little to far to the shady side. And while Rob doesn't really need the money, I'm pulling for him to win it all since he was cheated by a bitter jury (see: Lex and Tom) in the first All Stars season. But other than Rob, I'm liking Grant (his right-hand man which surely means he will be the first throat Rob slits) and Mike and Steven on the purple tribe. I like Sarita too or whatever her name is for the girls. And Phillip is surpassing Coach in the crazy factor. The season has made up for the snoozefest that was last season (Sorry Fabio) is three episodes. Score.

American Idol: I've already shared my thoughts on the performance episode. Still LOVING Casey (like I might be listening to his single as I type this. And I might sing it at the top of my lungs in my car...when the windows are down... and not care who can hear me). And I was on the money with Ashton's elimination. And 2/3 for bottom three ain't bad. Go me! I think Karen is out next week.

And I think that is all. A lot of shows were repeats this week: Gossip Girl, Modern Family, The Office, and The Vampire Diaries. And no I'm not embarrassed at the amount of tv I watch.

"I get by with a little help from my friends"

2011-03-10T18:19:00.007-05:00

Okay, I'm trying to get back into this. I know, like you haven't heard that one before. But I'm trying, okay?

So I got sucked into American Idol. Honestly, I was a(n avid) viewer until college and I missed the Taylor Hicks and Jordin Sparks wins. But then I got a little sucked back in towards the end of the David vs David season and then Kris Allen captured my heart (and Adam Lambert earned my hatred. I already sees this season's finale being a Casey vs James showdown a la Kris vs Adam). Last season was BORING and with Simon's exit, I honestly thought the show wouldn't make it past this season.

But now several episodes in, dare I say, I like it more than previous seasons? I'm actually really liking Steven Tyler and JLo. Who would've thunk? I can't decide if the whole JLo is a diva thing is true because she seems SO nice. Maybe it is all for show but hey, I like it. And Steven won me over with how he treated Chris Medina's girlfriend during the audition round. I sobbed. I mean SOBBED (I was embarrassed). It was so touching. And it forever made my Rewind Moments List (more on that in a later post).

So now we are down to the Top 13. Here is my take on each in reflection of last night:

1. Lauren. What a snoozefest. Considering that is such a high energy song (or at least it was when I rocked out to it in front of my mirror with my hairbrush in the fourth grade), both she and the audience seemed bored the entire time. And I swear when Steven criticized her, she made this look like, Okay, audience you can start booing now...now? How about now? And she was shocked everyone wasn't immediately jumping to her defense. I like her but she failed last night.

2. Casey. I. LOVE. HIM. He is my favorite. He has such a great personality and I like how he sings. Sure he may be overindulgent but at least he is having fun up there and has the charisma to back it up. He was AMAZING last night. And bonus points because he is totally the lovechild of my friends Alec and Drew.

3. Ashthon. I think she is going home tonight unless she is the Vote for the Worst choice. She bombed and I haven't really liked her all along. And add that to the fact, I feel like anyone could sneak up on her because there is no way she would see them coming with that hair encompassing her like a cloud.

4. Paul. LOVE. HIM. His dancing needs work and let's hope he never has seizures on stage because no one will know to help him. And how no one has pointed out how he is the spitting image of Bradley Cooper, I don't understand. But he is the one that I can already hear on the radio. And I like how he is always happy and having a good time. I like him (Sidenote: How does JLo not know who Ryan Adams is? Fail)

5. Pia. She is definitely my favorite girl. Her song last week (I'll Stand by You) was amazing and the girl can belt it out and hold a note but what else can she sing besides ballads? Nonetheless, I definitely want to see more from her.

6. James. I...actually... it pains me to say (write?) this...like him. Even if I have PTSD flashbacks of Adam Lambert every time he squeals (seriously. I could NOT stand him. I voted for Kris Allen an embarrassing number of times just to stop Adam from winning). But I can't help but feel he is going to become a huge douchebag with all the fame going to his head. But the boy can sing/scream. Now if he would just lose the earring and haircut, I think I'd like him more. And thank goodness he got rid of the rooster/peacock tail. Improvement!

7. Haley. Snoozefest. I don't understand 95% of the words she sings. I loved "Blue" by LeAnne Rimes (even if my dad said it sounded like she sat on a thumbtack) and I have no idea what she was saying. She is in the middle for me but if you made me pick hate or love, I hate.

8. Jacob. I like him. Aside from the fact that I cannot figure out if he is gay or not, I like his jovial attitude. And he can sing. I'd like to see him do something other than the gospel/ choir deal but he can stick around a few more rounds.

9. Thia. I didn't care for the second half of "Smile" and barely tolerated the first. I know the producers are shoving a teenage winner down our throats this year but I predict bottom three for this one unless she goes to a mega(megia. pun!)-high school and all her friends are voting for her.

10. Stefano. I thought he did alright. He seems like a nice guy and does well when he gets in his groove but sometimes he has a hard time getting there. Considering America didn't vote for him the first time and he was a wild card, it will be interesting to see where he falls tonight.

11. Karen. I think she is adorable. However, I do not think she can sing. I knew she was going to sing Selena and that's great she has an idol, I just wanted to see something else (like A Bidi Bidi Bom Bom haha just kidding) from her. She might be going home tonight.

12. Scotty. UGH. I can't stand this kid. Besides the fact that I think he has spray on hair (admit it; something funky happened between Vegas and Hollywood. It looks like John Travolta's) I am SO OVER his schtick. I think he is going to be successful in the country world but he's another one I think is getting a big head. He also needs to get over his crooked stance singing. UGH. He just bothers me. I also think he reminds me of a guy I hated at UGA but I actually can't figure out who it is. But I see the skeeze oozing out of him. Now I'm sure he will make it to the top five. And for the love, lose the visor!

13. Naima. I will give the girl credit for dancing. She had some moves and it was entertaining. Sure she missed some notes but let's face it, so does Rihanna when she's not being autotuned (burn). But I hope she sticks around a little bit longer. And that she changes her lopsided hairstyle.

My prediction:

Bottom Three: Karen. Ashthon, and Naima/Thia

Going home: Ashthon

My top three: Casey, Paul, and James.

Pick to win it all: Casey!

ETA: I just downloaded Casey, Paul, and James's singles. Between this and Glee, I might as well just directly deposit my paycheck into iTunes.

"Sometimes it hits like a car crash/ And it's too late to reverse"

2011-03-09T16:54:00.003-05:00

Sometimes I really stress out about the things I have to teach my kids every month. For example, teaching them how to call 911 was one of the more stressful days. I was convinced every parents was going to tell me the next day that the police came to their house because Sally and Bobby were practicing calling 911 cause Ms Annie taught them how. Luckily, that didn't happen. But how exactly do you explain to a kid why they might need to call 911? Well sweetie, you might have to call 911 if mommy or daddy is ever unconscious. I don't want to scar these kids for life. Luckily my mom helped me come up with the example of if their mom/dad fell off a ladder and couldn't get to the phone cause they hurt their leg.

And it's funny cause I try to avoid the overall topic of death because I don't want to have nine hysterical children but one of their favorite games to play is pretending someone is dead.

The thing that I worry about is teaching them stuff as a precaution that they shouldn't be worried about in the first place. Don't play with matches. They don't even know what matches are. My worry is when I explain the wooden stick that lights up that they are going to go home and seek them out and then try to make that happen cause it sounds cool. I also didn't want to explain about poison prevention so I just told them to stay out from under the sink in the kitchen and bathroom. All encompassing.

Little did I know the one lesson I was going to hammer home a little too hard was about brushing our teeth and eating healthy foods. We covered all the basics, foods that are good for you, how you should sing Happy Birthday to yourself as you brush , etc. I made the mistake of mentioning that fruit snacks aren't really good for your teeth because even though it does have the word "fruit" in it, they stick to your teeth and might make you get little holes in them (cavities). Well when lunchtime rolled around approximately 4 of my 9 children had horror-stricken faces when they opened their Spiderman and Tinkerbelle lunch boxes and saw they had * gasp * fruit snacks. Oh no! cried one child as he held it away from himself like a dead mouse. So then I had to explain it is okay to have them as a special treat every once in while. Pretty sure he packed them up and took them home unwilling to run the risk. Whoops.

Also a fun story: One of the little girls came out of the bathroom and told me there was pee on the floor. I expected a little trickle on the seat or floor because these kids freak out if one of them forgets to flush. Well I walked into the Yellow River. Literally. It was EVERYWHERE. I asked the ones that I remembered going recently. Then my eyes fell on the Guilty One. He wouldn't explain what happened so I took him out in the hallway under the promise that "I won't get mad".

Me: So what happened? (Never provide them with the potential excuse in your question such as were you sick, was it an accident)

Him: I wanted to see if I could go pee in the dark.

Needless to say I was not happy especially after the 40 paper towels it took to clean it up and the healthy dosing of cleaner the bathroom got. Oh my glorious job and life. Seriously any day I avoid the three Ps: puke, poop, and pee, I am a happy camper.

"You just gotta ignite the light/ And let it shine"

2011-02-04T15:27:00.006-05:00

I gave up Facebook a few weeks ago cause I didn't do much on it. And it was kind of getting to the point where it could be renamed "DisappointmentBook" because of the never ending changes, privacy concerns, and just seeing stuff I could go without seeing (ignorance is bliss, after all). So when Facebook was forcing this new profile design onto me, I thought, hey, all I really do is check the newsfeed on my phone a few times a day and that's all. Why not deactivate my account and see if there is THAT much of a difference in my life. A month later, I'm still going strong. Twitter is now my social media of choice. I don't understand why more people don't use it. And it is so true how the people who denounce it are the ones who make the most status updates on FB. Don't hate.

Anyway, since I've cut FB out of my life, I have more time to read more of both the novel and blog variety. I have a few go-to-blogs but am always in search of more so if you have any you'd like to pass along, please do in the comments.

The top three I have frequented in the past few weeks are:

1. Enjoying the Small Things. If you're a first time visitor, click the tab that says "Start Here if You're New" and have some tissues nearby as you read Nella's birth Story. Don't skip ahead and look at the pictures, it will ruin the overall effect of the story. And Kelle's pictures are amazing and while sometimes her language is a little too flourished for me, I still like to read what she has to say about her family.

2. Tyler Stanton of TrippandTyler fame. I gotta admit, I always thought Tyler was the Bob to Tripp's Larry; the more serious (/less funny) of the two. And oh how I was wrong. After reading both their blogs, I am now borderline obsessed with Tyler's. He is hilarious. I follow him on Twitter (and he requested to follow me yesterday! Sure, he has a "you follow me, I follow you" policy but I'll take it) and I just ordered his book on Amazon.

3. Bryan Allain. I stumbled across him because of Tyler's name dropping and I'm glad I did. Some of his rants from his early blogging days are so funny because they are SO true. Check him out.

Okay, I've shared some of my favorites, now please share some of yours so I'm not bored at work (when the kids are taking their nap if anyone from work reads this :) ).

"And you told us to decide what we want today/ But I don't know"

2011-01-21T15:28:00.003-05:00

Happy New Year! Okay, so I am a little late on that but hey, at least it is still January. I was going to write a post about how I suck at New Year's Resolutions. I think since I was eight years old it has been to stop biting my nails. This year, I lasted about a day. But then I watched a particularly intense episode of Dexter and all hope was lost. Then it was to write a blog post every day for a year. Then before I knew it, it was January 2nd. Fail. Maybe I can try again in February. And my other usual one is the cliched eat better/work out more. Then Snowpocalypse 2011 hit the DAY I was going to start so that meant I couldn't go outside and we only had nonperishables in the house so what can you do?

I worked on the book some today. Still editing. I know. It's a long, tedious process. As I've said, I work at a Preschool. And apparently I like trendy names because the two main characters I have in my book are the names of kids in my class. But that's okay, they are cute kids, I don't feel like I have to change them. But the name of the girl everyone hates in the book is unfortunately the name of one of my girls too. Oh no. At first I thought I would just power through it but now I really feel bad. So the hunt is on for a new name. It's hard picking a name you like but for a "bad" character. I've already said how I have strong connotations to names. Angelina-- Jolie (Did you know that was the 86th most popular name in 2010? Seriously?) Amelia--- Earhart. Mariah-- Carey. And those are just celebrity ones. Throw in the names of kids at work, friends of my nieces, cousins, and it gets tricky. And I can't pick a name I hate because I am still going to be using it. I care way too much about trivial stuff. But it's not trivial in the scheme of things. Or at least that is what I am going to tell myself. So the search continues. I'll let you know what I decide.... maybe.

"Up on the rooftop/ Reindeer pause/ Out jumps good old Santa Claus"

2010-12-14T14:42:00.007-05:00

I may have done something awful to my kids today. But I may also be absolutely brilliant.

Between the freezing weather and their specials (spanish, science, music) being cancelled, the kids and I are spending A LOT of time in our room. I understand that Christmas is coming and they are getting a little stir crazy and being in a 16x16 foot room is finally taking its toll. That being said they have been OUT OF CONTROL these past few days. I hit a desperate moment earlier today. And the following ensued:

One of the other teachers walked by the door carrying some jingle bells for a craft. All of my kids backs were turned so they didn't SEE who was the cause of the jingling. And I may have gasped and said "I just saw Santa peek into our room!" All of the kids may have gotten whiplash as they turned to see if he was still there. But unfortunately he wasn't. But then I took it a step further and said I saw him write down on a list the kids who were being nice and listening and sitting criss-cross applesauce and being good. He also wrote down the kids who were being naughty and flopping around on the floor and talking while the teacher was talking and not being on their best behavior. They could hear still the jingling down the hall. I definitely saw some doubt on the kids' faces but there was a glimmer of "What if she is telling the truth and he saw me being naughty?" Let's just say they were all sitting criss-cross applesauce from that point forward.

Brilliant or cruel? I'll let you decide. Then if you vote cruel, I will gladly let you come into my room and take the reins for a few hours and we'll see what tricks you have up your sleeve.

My only regret is not coming up with this in November. Have my assistant jingle some bells outside the door a couple times a week when things were getting rough. I'm a genius.

"I did it/ do you think I've gone too far/ I did it/ Guilty as charged"

2010-12-10T16:31:00.003-05:00

I did it! I did it! Thirty days of blogging! DONE! I may have quit ballet, gymnastics, the violin, that one art class I took, majoring in advertising, and trying to run long (really any) distances but I did this!!! Didn't think I could but I did. This gives me new hope and confidence that I can post more often on here even when I'm exhausted from being surrounded by kids all day. So I'll try to post more regularly. Maybe twice a week. A tiny little thought in the back of my mind says try to do it every day for a year but I don't think I have enough to say. I know, hard to believe. But I promise to try to write more often. Thanks for being along for the ride. It was fun slash stress inducing when I realized my bedtime was drawing near and I hadn't written anything that day. Still. Fun times.

P I'm an idiot. It was a month on the 8th. Oh well. Two bonus posts on top for good luck. Or one step closer to the year long goal?! Nahhhh, just don't think I can. But we'll see.

"Baby you gotta know that I'm just out here/ ... I'm taking these chances"

2010-12-09T22:17:00.000-05:00

I hate to say it, but the quality of The Office has declined in recent seasons. I don't know if they are just running out of ideas or steam or what but it just has not been the same. I've read people blame the union of Jim and Pam but I don't agree. I LOVED when they finally got together. But it's like the writers no longer knew what to do with them so they just made them unlikeable. Pam... I mean whatever. She was an idiot with the whole not choosing Jim for years thing. I could take her or leave her. But Jim! Jim! I love him. And sometimes I just cringe for what they are making John Krasinski do on the show. Who knows? His movie career is increasing so maybe he wants off. But most certainly Steve Carell does. Especially in tonight's episode (Classy Christmas) I noticed how much older he looks; so drained like he is over this whole deal and can't wait to get out the door.

I'm not saying I am giving up the show. I saw glimpses of the old goodness in tonight's episode. I just want Jim and Pam to likable again. And Andy to be hilarious (talk about an evolution! I hated that guy and now he might be my ultimate favorite). And why are they trying to make everyone hate Oscar all of the sudden? Just find your old stride, Office writers, please. Don't have a good thing go to waste.

PS If you didn't hear the Lil Wayne/Office theme song mash-up that was circulating a few months ago on the internet, you are missing out. Gold-den.

"Why do you do this to me/... Every time I wind up back at your door"

2010-12-08T23:11:00.002-05:00

Sometimes I'm awkward. I don't deny it. Sometimes I don't know what to say. Or I say the wrong thing and beat myself up over it for hours afterwards. Or I feel the need to clarify myself which really just involves saying the same thing again and again until I am sure the person understands me.

But there are other ways to be awkward in life than saying stupid stuff. Like holding the door open. Don't you hate it when you pull open a door and you notice someone is behind you but they are just far enough away that you stand there dumbly like a doorman or doorstop until they get there and realize you didn't really need to stand there. Yesterday I had this happen with one of the moms (that I love) at work. She was just far enough away that I felt obligated to hold it open so it didn't smack in her face but then she had to rush cause she felt bad that I was holding it open and all of this freezing cold air was getting inside. We acknowledged that the situation was awkward. Which really just made it more awkward. Good thing she's awesome.

And this seems to happen all too frequently at work and Starbucks. Maybe that's cause those are the main two places I go. And other places like Target have automatic doors. But we all know I am awkward with those too. Sigh.

So yes. Sometimes I'm awkward. Like in this post.

And yes, my boss did have me as her secret santa. She got me a super cute purse that I may or may not have just stared at for five minutes cause I love it. Hint: I did.

"I will never stop until you're mine/ ... Don't you understand/ I'll never stop"

2010-12-07T21:27:00.005-05:00

I thought of a good topic to blog about today on the drive home from work. Now I cannot remember. Curses.

This is my 100th post of 2010. Woop woop!

I baby-sat for my three nieces and nephew tonight. I changed the almost-two year old's diaper and was not expecting a poopy. So I exclaimed "AJ, what is that?!" and she simply said "Poop." hahahaha. I laughed so hard. Then she also said humidifier. She is only 21 months people! And my 4 month old nephew was a little grumpy so I was holding him and trying to get him to calm down. I started narrating his thoughts to my 8 and 7 year old nieces and they thought I was hilarious. MG told me I was so funny. Yes. The kids at work think I'm funny too. Clearly I appeal to those under 4 feet tall.

Tomorrow is my work Christmas party. I'm such a fancy adult. Going to work Christmas parties, bringing appetizers, and my secret Santa will be revealed. Even though I am about 99% sure, it's my boss. I don't know why I feel pressure because of this. It's not like I have to give her an awesome gift or I will be fired. I just have to have a good reaction. Fingers crossed.

And that's all. What a random post. But I am NOT giving up now. Go me!

PS That's two N Sync lyrics in recent days. Such a shame since the Backstreet Boys were always superior. Gotta get them in there. But what is with me and the early 2000s pop. Mandy Moore and N Sync. What is wrong with me?

"I come back to December all the time"

2010-12-06T22:02:00.004-05:00

I always check the weather on my phone when I wake up in the morning so I know how to dress for the day. Much to my dismay, it said it "feels like fifteen degrees" when I woke up this morning. That should be illegal. Sidenote: I totally used to think that it was "windshield" and not "wind chill"; as in they used a thermometer on a windshield to see how cold the glass was. I'd like to say this was in elementary school but it went far beyond that. I'm dumb!

Anyway, you just always want what you can't have. I remember earlier this summer sitting on the playground in the blazing sun, trying to find the one square foot of shade and sweating while doing absolutely nothing, praying for it to cool off. Now it definitely has cooled off and I want nothing more than for it to be warmer. I'm sick of my eyes watering from the cold and my lips being chapped and having to wear four layers to work (winter coat, wool sweater, long sleeved shirt, and tank top) only to still be freezing. Unfortunately they still haven't turned the heat on at work so I am freezing inside too. I can just never win. But it makes me appreciate spring and fall that much more (you know, all two weeks that we get during the year in Georgia).

But now maybe it finally snow tomorrow and answer my kids' prayers/guesses every morning when we decorate Sam the Weather Panda. Funny enough, they always predicted it would snow "tomorrow" in September and October. But these days, where snow is actually a possibility, they just keep guessing cloudy. But one of the kids did say it was "blustery" the other day. Impressive.

"Would you be so into me/ If I wasn't a celebrity?"

2010-12-05T21:20:00.006-05:00

I've read People magazine pretty much since I could read. Okay, most of the time I just looked at the pictures. But we've had a subscription forever and I always remember looking forward to the best dressed issue and the most beautiful people issue. But I have to say, I won't be sad if my mom doesn't renew the subscription this year.

It's funny how the magazine does flashbacks to 25 years ago and you see how cover stories were about stories that captured the nation like Baby Jessica or the Oklahoma City Bombing. They mattered. Extraordinary stories about ordinary people. Then it slowly evolved into being about the A-listers: Brad, George, Meg, Julia, etc. Then somewhere along the way it started to seep into the gossipy magazines genre. If I see the Kardashians, Kate Gosselin, The Real Housewives, Heidi Montag, Paris Hilton, pop stars like Britney and Jessica and Christina, or some other reality tv "star" on the cover, I am going to scream (along with the 14 weight-loss issues a year. I DON'T CARE). Stay on In Touch or Life&Style covers, buckos. But seriously? When did it credentials go down? I know it is still the magazine willing to shell out big bucks for the top stories and it seems like it is still the most "trustworthy" in its genre but my goodness, I am so over it. It takes me 10 minutes to flip through the entire issue because I just don't care.

I know, I know, why bother complaining about it when you can just ignore it but it just makes me wonder what forced the change? Is it just the internet and how everyone has a Facebook fan page and Twitter and blog so their writers can just pull from those sites for their stories. Although whoever wrote the cover story about Kate Gosselin fourteen stories ago right after the divorce was announced deserves a raise because it almost, almost, made me feel sorry for her. Almost.

But seriously, People doesn't have to go all deep and gritty on me. Just maybe toss some A-listers on the cover instead of D-listers, please.

"Who me?/ Yes, you/ Couldn't be/ Then who?"

2010-12-04T20:52:00.005-05:00

When I was little, I LOVED the WeeSing videos. Sillyville, WeeSing Together, The Best Christmas Ever, and Old King Cole's Party (we actually lost that one or gave it away on accident; I'm still mad about it) and of course Grandpa's Magical Toys. My sister found a dvd of Grandpa's Magical Toys at a garage sale and got it for me for old times sake. Luckily I threw it in my bag one morning before work since it was raining and it was a saving grace when the kids didn't get to go out on the playground.

My mom warned me that she had put on one of the VHSs for my nieces a long time ago and they weren't interested. Let's face it, these movies were made in the late 80s/early 90s; the special effects are not up to par with this Pixar and DreamWorks generation. But I remember I how much I loved them and wanted to at least try it (and at the very least not have to watch The Letter Factory for the billionth time). They sing old school songs and nursery rhymes in this particular one and my kids LOVED it (well not one little girl who was freaked out by the clown Punchinello but she came around). They sing "Who Stole the Cookies from the Cookie Jar" and at the end the cookie jar talks in this deep, rumbly voice and says "No one stole the cookies from the cookie jar. You ate them all yesterday". This has been the number one quoted line. And now every day, at the end of the day, we sing the song. They are obsessed. The Pre-K kids were in my room and they wanted to learn the song. The kids in the other class wanted to learn the song. Basically I am now a hot commodity because they all want to learn in and since none of these kids are exposed to anything beyond Dora, Hannah Montana, Spiderman, and Toy Story (I actually pitched Grandpa's Magical Toys as a "like Toy Story but with real people!" This may have been what caused the little girl to freak out. And also all the kids to ask if Buzz and Woody were in it), they thought I was the sole person with insider knowledge.

I'm just saying, if you have a three or four year old, give WeeSing a chance. My siblings still block it out because apparently I made my mom play WeeSing in Sillyville every morning. Hey, Sillywhim was the shizz.

"A world that's fun of happiness that I have never known"

2010-12-03T17:31:00.004-05:00

So... close... must.. keep... going.....

When I first started this blog, I decided to do song lyrics for every post. Most of the time they are related to the content, others it is just the song I have stuck in my head. I kind of always have a song stuck in my head. The one most frequently is "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" even though I only know like three lines. I use it on my family when I am sad and change the words to "Do cry". Now, imagine my glee (pun) when it was used on the most recent episode of Glee! Now I can learn all the words!

The same thing happened when the song "On My Own" from Les Mis was stuck in my head thanks again to Lea Michele. That one was stuck in head ALL day for, not exaggerating, three days.

Oh Broadway shows. Legally Blonde and Wicked also do this to me. As does Glee. Sigh.

"Ayo/ I'm tired of using technology"

2010-12-02T21:25:00.003-05:00

I'm typing this on my brother-in- law's iPad. I can already say the full keyboard isn't that easy and contractions are about to get eliminated from this post. But still... I will probably be fighting the urge to purchase in a few months.

I am sort of a hypocrite. I will denounce something only to own it a few months later. When the iPhone first came out, I was so sick of the commercials ALL THE TIME. But sure enough, I got one three months after it came out.

I thought the same thing about UGG boots only to get a pair from my sister's friend when I was freezing and desperate for warmth. While I still think UGG boots are not attractive, they are comfortable. In the words of michael Ian black: it's like sticking your foot into a sheep's butt.

Also skinny jeans; why would anyone want that? Aren't jeans supposed to be comfy not constricting. Then I got a pair of boots I wanted to tuck my jeans into (another fad I initially scoffed at) and the bootcut just wasn't cutting it. Hence my purchasing of two pairs that I now long and perhaps wore with ballet flats today when I originally resolved to only wear them with the boots. Oops.

I'm sure there are million other examples but those are the three off the top of my head.

Okay the typing got bit easier. So we might be adding the ipad to the list.. Christmas is coming up. Wink wink.

"I am so ashamed of all these unopened doors/ I am so ashamed of what I have become"

2010-12-01T20:14:00.004-05:00

I'll admit it: I scare pretty easily. Not just in the like "I don't do haunted houses or watch horror movies" way but the if I turn around and my co-worker is standing there, waiting to ask a question, I give a little start. I can't help it. I'm skittish.

My sister's family is staying with us until their house is ready. They also brought along their dog, Remy. Remy has added a whole new element of startling to my day. His little paws are so quiet. And I turned around and he's just there. I open my door in the morning to leave for work, it's practically pitch black and what do I see? A little furry brown and white face staring at me. Just now I walked out of a room and he was sitting on the couch. Every time I yelp and jump a little. Remy is a rather scaredy-cat himself so I am sure I am scaring him as well. I can't help it. I'm not used to it. He's just there. All the time. But I do love him since I haven't seen him for 2.5 years! Welcome home Rem-Rem!

"When you smile/ The whole world stops and stares for a while"

2010-11-30T20:18:00.010-05:00

I'm blogging while babysitting. That's how determined I am to meet this thirty day goal especially since I am SO close to the end. Thanks sister MR for letting me use your laptop. And don't worry all the kids are in bed! I'm not slacking on the job.

Just a few work stories from the past few weeks:

There is a little girl in the other three's class who I had this summer so I still see her in the hallways. Her mom is several months pregnant so one afternoon I was talking to R and asked if they had picked any names for the baby. When she said no, I started suggesting some names like Flower and Rock, that sort of thing. Then I pretended to get really excited and said she should name the baby Annie! She could tell I was kidding and laughed and told me I was funny (score).

A few days later, she ran up to me in the morning and said "Ms Annie, guess what?! We're going to name the baby Annie". My heart soared with pride, my eyes filled with tears, my mouth dropped open in shock. I choke out, "Really?" barely above a whisper. Only to be told by a three year old, "No. I was just kidding" who then ran away laughing at how she had truly duped me. In my defense, she also tricked her two own teachers with the same joke.

So a few mornings later, her mom was dropping her off and I told the mom how good her daughter got me. And then the mom told me that the little girl had named her Build-a-Bear she had gotten that weekend Annie! Awwwwwww. That means more to me than the baby. :)

And the other cute story: I work all day and stay while the kids take their naps. The afternoon kids are a mixture of 3s and Pre-K. The day before Halloween weekend, the lady I work with and I were joking around with the kids telling them what candy to bring us on Monday after they went trick or treating. Low and behold, one of the 4s brought my co-worker all of his tootsie rolls cause they are her favorite on Monday. He asked me to remind him what my favorite was and that he would bring them to me tomorrow. Now my hopes had already been let down once so they weren't too high. They then deflated in the morning when I saw him walking towards my classroom apparently empty-handed*. Almost all hope was lost until he gave me a big smile and withdrew a plastic bag of several Reese's Peanut Butter Cups because he knew "buttercups" were my favorite. Well you can pretty much assume I almost started to cry right then and there. So sweet.

*It has nothing to do with taking candy from a baby/little kid. I just want to know that they like me, really like me. Even when he gave me the candy, I tried to convince him to take them back because they are delicious but he wouldn't have it. Awwww.

See, that's why you have kids (said in the voice of Phoebe Bouffay-- the episode where Ross's son goes to school with Sting's son. BAM.). Or at least teach them.

And every time I step up in the building/ Everybody's hands go up/ And they stay there!"

2010-11-29T18:41:00.005-05:00

Not gonna lie, it's getting a little tough to blog for 30 days. Amazing since I thought "oooh that would make a good blog post" about fifty times when I wasn't writing on here consistently but now that I am... nothing. So this was almost going to be a post about how I have nothing to write about. But then in a flash of genius, I realized that it's Monday!! So that means *drum roll* Music Monday! I present to you five songs I can't get enough of:

1. White Blank Page -Mumford & Sons. The whole album is pretty fantastic. Aside from their single Little Lion Man, this is also my favorite. Oh the emotion, the anger, the rage. And therefore my love.

2. All I Do Is Win -DJ Khaled. While unfortunately this was not UGA's theme song this season (actually it is probably more Auburn's since Newton has "money on [his] mind/ [he] can't ever get enough" HEY-OH!), I still can't get enough. If a rap song is ever stuck in my head, it's a good chance it is this one.

3. Innocent -Taylor Swift. I love this song. It's just so purdy. And it's T-Swifty. Nothing more needs to be said.

4. Just the Way You Are -Glee Cast version. Like I could have a MM without the cast of Glee. Pfft. But I looooove this one. It was so adorable in the episode. Oh Furt.

5. Deck the Rooftop -Glee Cast. Okay I lied, I had them on here twice. But I'm not in as much of a music buying frenzy as I usually am. This is a mashup of Deck the Halls and Up on the Rooftop. Not gonna lie-- the first few listens I thought they were singing "Deck the hallsies up on the rooftop" but far too longer for me to admit I realized it was "Deck the halls/ He's up on the rooftop". Still, it's a toe-tapper.

"So you are now watching the Shaytard vlog/ Just sit back, relax, follow along/ To the things Shay says/ To the things he does/ With his cool family"

2010-11-28T19:39:00.006-05:00

Another big factor as to why I didn't blog as much in past months was because I became obsessed video logs aka vlogs. Like people on YouTube who have recorded every day of their lives for the past year or even two years! I know, why would I care what ordinary people do on a day-to-day basis? But it's strangely fascinating. Even if at times even I acknowledge that I can't believe I am watching someone mow their lawn or take their dog on walk. But these people have huge followings on YouTube (well more likely, they had a sketch channel of some sort and then started an additional vlogging channel)! And these are my three favorites. I would say they are in order but I can't because I love all of them for different reasons. Here they are:

1. The Shaytards. No, not tard as in retard but as in unitard/leotard. I don't know why they picked the name, all I know is Shaytard (the dad), Mommytard, Sontard, Princesstard, Babytard, and Rocktard along with Malachitard (their dog) make up the most adorable family. I wish I was related to them. They make me want to travel to Idaho. They've been vlogging EVERY day for the past two years! The audience was there when they announced they were pregnant all the way to the delivery of Rocktard (not the actual, just afterwards). It's like I know them. The true moment I realized I was obsessed was when Mommytard bought two dresses for Princesstard and Babytard and held up each one say who it was for. I immediately thought Oh Babytard is going to like the one for Princesstard way more. And a split second later, the dad said the same thing! And sure enough, Babytard liked the other dress more! I felt so proud of myself. As well as a little worried. My family makes fun of me for liking them so much. But they would too if they just gave them a chance! And I've noticed my mom and sister AE slowing down whenever they are walking past the computer and cute Rocktard is on.

2. CTFxC. Charles and Alli are engaged (their proposal video won the Mashable for Best Video last year and beat A Very Potter Musical) and living in Tallahassee. Alli is a senior at FSU and Charles in a full time Youtuber. They also have two dogs Zoey and Marley. While they are a little heavy on the dog footage, they are still strangely fascinating. I have somewhat of a love/hate relationship with Alli. Sometimes she awesome and sometimes I just want her to shut up. But Charles is awesome. He's the guy every guy wants to be and every girl wants to date. Not speaking for myself of course. Just judging by the comments. Anyyyyway, they are pretty awesome and I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of my CTFxC is for Haters hoodie in the mail. I've already got the shirt. Gotta complete the set.

3. Toby Turner. HIGH-LARIOUS. His Laziest vlogs series never fails to make me crack up. It's just him walking around, talking to his audience (audience? what are you doing in an x-ray machine at the airport?) about his day and upcoming things, and he is just so funny. Possibly the funniest of the three I've chosen. But they are all awesome. And you should dundundundunduna subscribe!

PS I just realized I wrote this post whilst wearing my YouTube shirt. Maybe that's where the inspiration came from....

Glory, glory to ol Georgia!

2010-11-27T18:35:00.002-05:00

And to heck with Georgia Tech! Goooo Dawgs! Sic 'em! Woof woof!

Please let us win so we are bowl eligible. Please let us win so we are bowl eligible. Please let us win so we are bowl eligible. Please let us win so we are bowl eligible.

Okay. All done! Goooooooo dawgs!

"Just got paid/ Friday night"

2010-11-26T17:25:00.003-05:00

For the first time, I took part in a little Black Friday shopping today. I wasn't one of the crazy people awake at midnight or three a.m. Just around lunchtime I headed over to Target, Old Navy, Borders, and Wal-Mart. I know, Wal-Mart. The armpit of the earth. But supposedly they had some good deals. Only got one thing there. Target was the big winner in my book. Tons of deals, no lines. Unlike Borders and Old navy where the line was weaving through the stores. Luckily my coupon for Borders lasts until Sunday so I will be good. So I got several people checked off my list. Hooray!

I also checked out Amazon and got a super good deal. I'm getting a Flip Cam for Christmas from my mom! Yay! And I saved quite a bit thanks to the special deal. I am so excited! I like making home movies so now that may increase.

"One night and one more time/ Thanks for the memories"

2010-11-25T15:28:00.005-05:00

I'll admit, Thanksgiving has never been one of the holidays I get into a frenzy about. I know it's one of the big three (along with Easter and Christmas) but it's not one I get all excited about. Probably because I starve myself all day then eat three bites and am super full and sort of want to die. Hopefully that won't happen this year.

This year I am thankful for my family, my friends, my job and the people and kids at work, and the fact that my sister's family who's been in Seattle for the past 2.5 years are moving back to Atlanta as we speak! So hooray for my whole family being back in the southeast! So I am very thankful for that.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

"You don't understand, you're a legend, man!/ ...You're Harry freakin Potter"

2010-11-24T17:25:00.003-05:00

I saw the new Harry Potter movie today. I thought it was pretty good. Especially when you consider that I did not really enjoy the 6th movie and it was by the same director. But I really liked it. I thought it was exciting and it never really lagged in any parts. I really enjoyed Emma Watson in this one considering she sometimes overacts especially in eyebrow expressions. Rupert did a good job as well as Daniel. Yay for the trio still getting the job done in their seventh movie together.

I admit I teared up at the end even though I saw it coming thanks to a particular topic trending on Twitter for the last few days. Still, it was so sad.

Unfortunately I had a very animated (and high schooler filled) audience so I missed some of the dialogue thanks to their excessive laughter (seriously "goblin piss" is not that funny). And some of the teenage girls down the row kept whispering but hey, that's the risk you run.

I'm glad they are breaking it up into two because I hated how they cut SO much stuff out of the fourth film because that book (Goblet of Fire) was my favorite. So I'm glad they are sparing no expense for this one. All I know is I am excited to see the final film. It's gonna be epic.

"Together we will fly tonight/ And leave all the rest behind/ I'll wait for you"

2010-11-23T21:35:00.004-05:00

As of 4:45 today, I am on Thanksgiving Break from work. Sweet. But I did realize how much I do enjoy my job because I am genuinely going to miss those kiddos for five days. Not like I won't enjoy the vacay but it will just be weird not to hear "Ms Annie..." 78 times a day. But I did get lots of hugs from the kids, some of the parents, and my coworkers today and it made me a little misty-eyed. But you know me so that shouldn't be that surprising by this point.

It's always been a tradition in my family that we start listening to Christmas music during Thanksgiving dinner. Normally I'm not that excited about it. I mean I expect it but I don't necessarily look forward to it. But this year since I am itching to get into the holiday spirit, I am very much looking forward to it! Especially since Glee released a Christmas album and I have been making myself wait until Thanksgiving to buy it. But my will power is starting to dissipate. All I know is I can't wait to finally listen to it as well as The Charlie Brown Christmas cd. And yeah, yeah I might have a little David Archuleta from last year. What? He has the voice of an angel!

Happy Thanksgiving Break to everyone else lucky enough to be done with work and school for the rest of the week!

PS. Seriously can't believe I've stuck with this for 16 days. Oooooh we're halfway there. Oooooh! Living on a prayer.

"I'm craving for you/ I'm missing you like candy"

2010-11-22T20:24:00.005-05:00

Oh. What's this? Just a regular old Reese's Peanut Butter Cup? Nothing special, right?

How about you zoom in on that lower right corner? That's right. 1 pound of peanut butter and chocolately deliciousness.

BAM. It's the size of my freaking palm! I saw it at Target and I just couldn't resist. Don't worry, it was a one time thing but I just had to say I've had it. So when you see it at the store next to the Yard O' Licorice and huge Toblerone bar and you think Who would ever buy that? You will know I did. And I never regretted it.

That's a lie. I did when I read the calories on the back. Tiny servings are key, people!

PS. That's two Mandy Moore songs in the past few days. What's wrong with me?

"Hey, hey, HEY!"

2010-11-21T18:21:00.004-05:00

Modern Family is the new Arrested Development. I know, I know. That's a strong statement considering AR is in my top 3 tv shows of all time (along with LOST and Friends). I don't know why I didn't get into Modern Family when it started last year (my guess is it conflicted with another show) but I've seen an episode or two this season and thought it was decently funny. Then it took away all the Emmys from Glee so I knew it had to be good. Then it was on sale at Target for 20 and I had to bite. Well I may have watched the entire first season in a very small time frame (hey, they are only 22 minutes long) and I may or may not be obsessed Hint: I am.

It. Is. So. Funny. I crack up multiple times an episode. And I LOVE how all the little things add up by the end of the episode (something AR had down to a science). It's a toss up between Cam and Manny for my favorite character. Cam might possible have the edge. But I really love the whole ensemble and each actor plays their role really well. My only hang-up is Luke because sometimes he's awful at acting but that's the risk you run with child actors (not Manny of course). Speaking of Luke, did you know in real life that kid has been a member of Mensa since he was four?! I know, who would have thought?

But really, it's GOLDEN. And now I must catch up on this season a la Hulu.

"Callin like a collector/ Sorry I cannot answer... And you're not gonna reach my telephone"

2010-11-20T17:33:00.005-05:00

Sometimes I realize I am way too dependent on technology... especially my iPhone or just cell phones in general. I especially realize this when I need to tell one of my nieces something and my first thought is "Oh I'll just text them". Yeah, 8 year olds don't have cell phones. But that doesn't mean I don't have this thought once a week: Oh, I should ask SD if I can borrow her American Girl books when I talk to my class about indians next week. Oh it's a 8:30, she's probably asleep. Well I can just text. Wait, she doesn't have a cell phone. Oh well. I can just email her..... Nope. Can't do that either. Ugh. Why can't she just be fifteen already?!

Just kidding, I don't want her to be fifteen. But I do wish she was easier to get in touch with.

"Interjections .../ They're generally set apart from a sentence/ By an exclamation point/ Or a comma when the feeling's not as strong"

2010-11-19T14:13:00.004-05:00

Commas. Oh how you are my nemesis.

I feel like I use WAY too many. Sometimes they are all I see on a page when I am editing. A comma here, a comma there, a comma everywhere.

And awesome MS Word makes it so that when you do a quote, it will autocorrect the comma into a period because it thinks it is the end of a sentence as opposed to something being spoken. So point being, I'm inserting a lot more commas into this thing.

I need to poke around MS Word and figure out how to stop the autocorrect cause it will surely drive me insane.

Book update (I KNOW!): I've physically edited the second half of the book. The pages all marked with sharpie and yellow highlighter. Now I'm going back and making all the changes on the word document. It's taking forever but I did make a lot of mistakes so it's okay. I want this thing to be perfect. So all in all, about 25% done with the editing process. That sort of makes me want to cry. But instead I'll just keep highlighting, deleting, and typing so I bump up to 26% by the end of this Starbucks session.

"It's all that I want and it's all that I need/ At Hogwarts, Hogwarts/ I think I'm going back"

2010-11-18T19:46:00.004-05:00

Ummmm so who is freaking excited for part one of the last Harry Potter movies to come out?! Me, me, me, ME!!!!!

Oh how that book series affected so many lives and it is far superior to Twilight. I'll admit the last HP movie was a little lacking but this last one looks pretty epic. My brother JP and I have seen the last few movies together so he, my sister-in-law KP, and I are planning on seeing it over Thanksgiving break. Woo!

Although I gotta say, after watching A Very Potter Musical and Sequel, DanRad just doesn't do it for me anymore. Or Rup. Or Emma. It's all about Darren, Joey, and Bonnie. And it will be really hard to see Darco played by a boy and Snape not wearing eyeliner and not have them break into song every few minutes. I know the majority of you have no idea what I am talking about but man on man, AVPM and AVPS are totally awesome.

"Cause you're everywhere to me/ And when I close my eyes it's you I see"

2010-11-17T22:06:00.004-05:00

Woah. Almost forgot to do a post today. I literally just had to crawl out of my warm bed to get up and write this. That's how committed I am. And yeah, I was in bed at 10:09, what about it? You know why? Cause kids are exhausting. And they are even more exhausting as you slowly start to realize that children are everywhere.

Seriously. All day at work. My billion nieces and nephew. But those are obvious ones. It's when you're standing in line at Panera and the little boy with his mom in front of you is smiling at you. Or the little girl in her mom's cart at Target who is closer to eye level staring you down in the checkout line. Or the little kid at Yogli Mogli pitching a fit because he wants to seat at the one spot at a table that is sans-chair. His older siblings just tell him to sit in the spot that does have a chair but noooo the little boy has to sit in that exact spot or his world will come crashing down. So you push the extra chair at your table over to the empty spot to remedy the situation. He's happy. I'm happy. Everyone's happy.

Yes, I've also become quite the problem-solver and this job is erasing the lazy right out of me.... for the most part.

And sometimes I forgot I am not at work and start to correct kids I don't know. Whoops. Like at my sister's halloween neighborhood party where I saw a kid chuck a broom at another kid's face and I yelled out, "HEY! How about you don't do that again, sweetie?" in my you're-about-to-get-it voice. Oopsies.

Okay! Off to bed where I am sure I will either dream about an post-apocalyptic world where I am somehow still in charge of my kids and have to keep them alive or dream there are children in my room and I apparently told the parents they could sleep over.

"I wanna be a billionaire so freaking bad/ Buy all of the things I never had"

2010-11-16T23:02:00.004-05:00

So I fully admit I'm a little obsessed with Borders these days. I mean, they send me a coupon every week! And now that the holidays are rapidly approaching, they are popping up even more frequently in my inbox. So I print it out and skip on over to Borders to get a brand new shiny book. The only problem is... uhh... sometimes there isn't a particular book that I want. Isn't part of the fun of bookstores browsing? I also fully admit I spend my time in the Young Adult section so it's just interesting what actually makes you pick up a book.

1. The Title: The Mockingbirds, The Summer I Turned Pretty, One Night that Changes Everything, Twenty Boy Summer. These are all titles that prompted me to pick them up, scan the back, become intrigued and later purchase them. But another factor along with the title is...

2. The Cover. I know, I know. Don't judge a book by it's cover but its hard not to. Eye catching ones obviously live up to their purpose, it makes you want to see what it could be about. This is one that prompted me to pick up it cause of the fun cover:

Cute title, pretty cover, not a great book. It was written either in verse or a really long text message alternating between two girls' points of view. Not awful but not exactly a page-turner either. Now this one....

Simple yet intriguing cover. Granted I feel like this one has a bit more clout with the name John Green and the awards and whatnot. I really loved this one. It was one of those boys where I sort of wanted to sob the entire time I read it but I wasn't really sure why. Firefly Lane and The Guernsey Potato Peel Pie Society have also had this effect on me.

And last but not least...

3. The Author. I went in with the intention of buying another book by Lauren Barnholdt because I liked her style and thought she was funny. Then I found two books I've been wanting on the Buy One, Get One 50% Off table (I think my true issue is that in my head I think of it as buy one/get one free. Must correct that) and then I was perusing the shelves on my way towards the checkout when I a name caught my eye: Risa Green. Notes from the Underbelly is quite possibly the funniest book I've ever read. I was laughing so hard that I was physically weak and could not hold up the book. Hilarious. And there she was in the YA section with a new book: The Secret Society of the Pink Crystal Ball! I barely glanced at the blurb before grabbing it and all but running to the cashier. I'm in the middle of that one, let you know how it goes.

See? I go in with good intentions. A coupon for 33% off any one item but then I see books by authors I like, or with pretty covers, or an interesting title and I'm done for.

"Cause two can keep a secret if one of them is dead"

2010-11-15T18:48:00.003-05:00

I’m going to try my hand at book reviews. But I sort of hate book reviews so let’s call these book opinions:

You already know I prefer YA fiction, so let’s start off with the Pretty Little Liars series by Sara Shepard. I once professed my love for a particular ABC Family show, but when I started seeing promos for the new series I scoffed. Seriously? Some girls killed their friend? Aren’t there like fifty teenage horror movies about this? How can this be a series? But then they threw in the song "Secrets" by One Republic and my opinion was swayed from “awful” to “perhaps promising”. Then I watched the pilot and... well... I sorta, kinda liked it. And then I watched every episode that aired after that. Well when the “summer season” ended with a killer cliffhanger, I was really torn. Do I read the books and potentially ruin the series? Or do I wait in agony for however long until the show returns (January!) as well as how many seasons it could possibly last? Obviously I opted for the former.

And lucky for me, good old Borders was capitalizing on the success of the show and offering Buy One, Get One 50% off. So I maybe purchased four at once. Which I realize was a risk in the event I didn’t like the first book, but oh it was worth it (and later, I kicked myself for not buying all eight since I got the last four at full price).

Synopsis thanks to Wikipedia: The series follows the lives of four girls -Aria, Emily, Hanna, and Spencer-whose clique falls apart after the disappearance of their leader, Alison. One year later, they begin receiving various messages from someone using the name "A" who threatens to expose their secrets — including long-hidden ones they thought only Alison knew.

Pros:

-Shepard is amazing at cliffhangers. Even if you thought that particular book was only so-so, the ending (or perhaps lack of) would force you pick up the next one because you just had to know what happens next.

-I thought she did a good job at fleshing out each girl and making her distinct and unique. Sure some of them fell into stereotypical roles but isn’t that expected in high school?

- She also succeeded at making each girl likable. Even though I thought Emily was insufferable throughout the series since she was so wishy-washy at least she usually had good (if not slightly moronic) intentions. But I was Team Aria, Spencer, and Hanna at different points during the series.

Cons:

-I found it hilarious that these girls all chain-smoked in the first four books but she clearly started getting more popular and some parents groups were on her case about it. So evidently the girls apparently all got the patch or some gum cause the frequent mentions disappeared by the fourth or fifth book.

-These girls are all rich. I get it. You don’t have to tell me every designer they are wearing or carrying. She would even tell you who made the coffee table, sofa, even a lamp. Boring.

-Every single outfit a girl wore in the last two books was a “sheath”. Seriously, just say dress!

-It sucked that characters that were HUGE in the first two books (Wren and Mr. Fitts particularly) just disappeared into thin air after the second or third book. I’m guessing she didn’t realize she was going to be able to crank 8 books out of this idea but really, why include them at all? I thought maybe they’d pop up in the last book but nope. She totally Waaaaaaaaaalt-ed them (that’s LOST speak for you noobs).

All in all: B+ for the series. The last book sort of sucked just because the conclusion was something that seemed invented/convenient as opposed to something that actually made sense or had been hinted at all along. However; was it addicting? Yes. Did I stay up til 4 am when I had work the next day to finish a book? Yes. Did I choose to read as opposed to watch TV or YouTube? Yes. And these are great indicators of a good book. And at the very least, watch the show on ABC Family!

"You were all by yourself/ Staring up at a dark grey sky/ ... The moment I saw you cry"

2010-11-14T21:31:00.004-05:00

"Sometimes I just get tears in my eyes when people cry in movies." -My seven year old niece MG. Me too, MG, me too. She said this extremely teary-eyed (/apologetic) during Ramona and Beezus. Not going lie--I had only been watching for the last thirty minutes of the movie and I was quite choked up myself.

I'm like MG. If anyone cries in any situation, I get rather choked up. I don't know when I became this way that I tear up during a freaking Johnson & Johnson commercial (They are pledging to their unborn/newborn babies!! It's precious!), but it can get rather embarrassing in public situations like movie theaters.

The movies that without a doubt can make me tear up are:

-The Blind Side. During the scene where Micheal Oher was collecting half-eaten bags of popcorn in the gym, my sister turned to me and said "This is the saddest movie I have ever seen" and we were only like 35 minutes in.

-Remember the Titans. Four words: Left side, strong side. SOB.

-We are Marshall. This wins the award for making me break down in the first ten minutes. Congrats for the additional twenty sobs. And it was Matthew Freaking Mcconaughey! Matthew Fox, sure, but Mcconaughey. I'm such a wuss.

Hmm... I'm seeing a pattern here. Football brings out the tears. Ironic since it's such a manly sport.

But in non-sport related movies:

-Up. Another one where I lost it ten minutes in thanks to the marriage sequence. I also blame this on Michael Giacchino's score. He's also the reason why I cried during more episodes of LOST than I care to admit (75).

- A Walk to Remember and The Notebook. But Nicholas Sparks can make me sob merely through his words so movies derived from his novels shouldn't come as a surprise.

- Titanic. The original tear jerker. Well I'll surely never let go, Jack.

- Marley and Me. Holy crap. You knew the movie wasn't going to (spoiler alert) end well. I mean you saw it coming from a mile away and I still broke down every single time Marley got sick and when the inevitable happened. I also read the book after seeing the movie and cried like a baby too. Really anytime Jennifer Aniston cries. I don't know what it is about her, but I feel for her.

Oh and apparently we can add Ramona and Beezus to the list. Well the last thirty minutes at least.

"I said it's great to be a Georgia Bulldog"

2010-11-13T20:48:00.005-05:00

I'm not a fairweathered fan. I'm sticking by my team through thick and thin. Sure we haven't had a great season(s) but we're improving. I'm seeing great things in Murray and AJ Green still has my heart. I have high hopes for the rest for the rest of this season (you know, the last game) and next year. I think Richt is sticking around.

At the end of the day, we put up a good fight against a team that is undefeated and this is arguably our worst season in recent memory. AJ Green was excellent, Chapas made some good catches, always love Durham, and Murray is getting more confidence and better with each game.

Go dawgs!!!! Sic em!

Plus it will eventually be a win when Auburn has to forfeit all their wins thanks to Newton and his daddy. I didn't think I could hate a player more than Tebow but then Newton came into my life. And good to see that he had a few extra hundreds laying around to pay off the refs. Because that one touchdown certainly did not count.

"I'm only fooling myself/ ... But maybe when you smile/ It means you'd stay a while"

2010-11-12T16:32:00.004-05:00

You would think being the youngest of five that I would have a tough skin about being teased because I had four siblings to harass me growing up. It's actually quite the opposite-- I can't handle it and hate it when I'm teased/left out of the joke/ whatever. So it's very hard for me to laugh at myself. But I'm getting better at it! Example:

A few weeks ago I was walking into Target behind a woman and couple of teenagers were a ways behind me. I was walking just closely enough behind the woman that the automatic door sensor apparently didn't pick up on my presence (or I'm just that thin. Kidding! I wish). So as I'm walking in, the doors start to close even though hey, I'm walking here. And I think, well they are going to reopen right? As I have this thought, the doors continue to shut and I actually had to pull my head back as not to get my nose pinched in the doors. Awesome. Like I said, there were these teenagers behind me but I had to take a few steps back to activate the sensor. It was rather embarrassing but I just said with a feigned hurt voice "It rejected me." a la Stuart from MadTV. They laughed. I laughed. I grew up a tiny bit. Yeah for improvement!

Almost missed today! 5/5 bloggities. :)

"And I won't forget the men who died/ Who gave that right to me"

2010-11-11T23:10:00.005-05:00

Happy Veteran's Day! It seems only appropriate that today I profess my love for the masterpiece that is Band of Brothers. Everyone in my family has ragged on me for not watching this miniseries before. But back when it was actually on tv oh ten years ago, we had to record it on a VHS (old school!) for my brother and I happened to see the one part where a guy is run over by a tank. And I was DONE. Traumatized. Never watching it. Ever.

I don't know what made me come around a few months ago but something did and I watched it and I LOVED it. Not just LOVED it but loved loved loved loved LOVED it. It is SO good. The interviews with the real life older men made me cry every single time. I want meet Dick Winters! But sadly he is no longer accepting fan mail. Sigh. But he is amazing as is every other member of Easy Company and any other man or woman who has donated their services to our country and defended our freedom. Thank you!

Now Hanks and Spielberg teamed up again to document WW2 from the other side of the world for The Pacific. Of course we would cancel our HBO subscription mere weeks before it aired. And just the other day I thought, "Man I wonder when that is going to come out on DVD?" because I'm still so early 2000s where I think it takes almost a year for stuff to pop up on dvd/video (do they even make VHSs anymore? seriously?). But what did I happen to see at Borders when I was shopping the other day (hey neighbor JPT :) )? The Pacific now on dvd? Did I have to resist the urge to buy it right then and there? Yes. Did I risk being late to work to run over to Target to see if it was on sale during the first week of release? Yes, yes I did. Did I miss the first week of release by a day and surely miss out on a sweet deal? Yes, yes I did.

But when I bought my own copy of Band of Brothers a few months ago, I also got Part One of the Pacific as a fun bonus/incentive. Perhaps I shall watch it and judge if I should buy it all. That sounds like a plan. But knowing me, I am going to love it. But I'm okay with that.

"It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas"

2010-11-10T18:53:00.003-05:00

You know how some people hate the Christmas decorations are popping up already? I'm not one of those people. Before Halloween, tacky, but right now, I'm okay with it!

I went shopping at one of those fancy outdoor malls today and they had busted out the decorations. Huge red, shiny ornaments, wreaths everything... love it! My family used to live in Tucker and you knew it was Christmas time when they put the tinsel/light combination decorations in the shape of candles, wreaths, and snowflakes on the telephone poles. And I saw one in a shopping center on my way home from work the other day! Ah, nostalgia.

I think college kind of kills Christmas for you. Because the few weeks before Christmas you are hunched over textbooks, downing coffee, and either taking exam after exam or playing the horrible waiting game until your one. You can't do much with your friends cause you all have exams on different days and obviously you're away from your family. And then even when finals and papers are all done, you are absolutely spent. And then you have to find time in the few days before the actual holiday to shop for your million relatives (if you're like me). Plus these days, you only get like 2 weeks off when I swear my siblings were home for two MONTHS when I was in elementary school. Maybe it was switching from quarters to semesters but still. Of course it would change when I finally get to college. So, yeah, college kind of killed Christmas for me.

And Christmas kind of sucked last year even though I was done with college. Which meant I was unemployed and broke and had no way of buying presents for my family. I felt awful not being able to so I feel like I never really got into the Christmas spirit. But I've got a job this year and I am getting so excited (plus all my family will be here since my sister and her family are moving back to Atlanta after being in Seattle for the last two years! YAY!) but I feel like I need to hold off until at least after Christmas.

And maybe since I already did my lesson plans for December and I know how we are going to have a Jelly Bean Day and decorate christmas cookies and make milk carton gingerbread houses I am already in that state of mind. All I know is, I can't wait to break out the Charlie Brown Christmas cd to listen to while the kids have free time. Woo hoo!

Sort of a random post but I'm a little tired and still wanted to stick to my goal. 3/3!

"We'll be young forever/ You make me feel like I'm living a teenage dream"

2010-11-09T22:18:00.005-05:00

Oh ye of little faith. You thought I couldn't do it huh? But I'm back, baby!

Like I said, the reason I am not writing as much is because I am literally exhausted at any given point during the day. But I really am enjoying my job. I complain about issues with the kids but I am trying to remember that they are three years old and not little teenagers. Because in between wiping booties, cleaning off boogers, smelling little kid toots ALL day, and telling the kids to stop running/ spitting/ screaming, etc, there are some pretty cute moments that make it worth it.

My job is at a church so the kids have a bible verse to learn every month. And let me tell you, these kids have it down by the second or third day of going over it. Last month's was, "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid. Deuteronomy 31:6" and some of my kids use it in everyday life. One of the moms told me that there was a scarily decorated house on Halloween and her husband wanted to take at least their older son trick or treating there. One of my threes said she wanted to go too but the mom told her she would be too scared. And the girl busted out, "But mom! Remember! Be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid. Deuteronomy 31:6." Real world application people! And yes, she did go to the house but apparently it was really scary and she and the older brother high tailed it out of there. Still, A for effort.

Oh same little girl, different story: Her one year old sister was fussing one morning and she apparently said, "Don't worry mom, I got this. Bring it down, sis. Bring it down" *along with downward hand motions*. At least I'm not screaming at them to shut up, right?

One day I was trying to teach my kids something, probably opposites or rhyming, I don't remember. But whatever it was, they were doing a good job at understanding it. So sometimes I am delirious and enthusiastic and make a BIG deal of them getting stuff right. So I jokingly told them we should just march right next door and put them in the Pre-K cause they are clearly too smart for my little threes class. One little boy said "No! We don't want to! We want to be in your class!" It was very sweet. They also told me today, most of them still want to be in my class when they are twenty-five years old. Awww.

Another little girl constantly tells me that I'm "still her best friend". Even when she told me the very first time, it was "still", but I'll take it.

And last but not least: the other day, a little girl yelled out from her position on the potty, "Ms Annie!" I was literally reaching for the "wipies" as I asked her "What?" and got a very unexpected response: "I just love you so much" she called back. The girl I work with looked at me and said, "Those are the moments that you'll remember forever." And I will. Especially since I wrote it down in this post. :)

Two bonus potty quotes:

Me: Guys, you've really GOT to stop with the spitting. I can't take it anymore.

K (without missing a beat): And the tooting.

One kid's, ahem poopy, is frequently a shade of a unique color.

Me (muttering to myself as I wipe them): What in the world could you possibly have eaten?

Little kid (very matter of fact): Pickles.

"Please don't be in love with someone else/ Please don't have somebody waiting on you"

2010-11-08T22:03:00.004-05:00

The book I finished reading today had a kid in it who talked about blogging a lot. This reminded me of my little blog that has pretty much been all but abandoned these last few months. I'm sorry but honestly I am exhausted 24/7. However I am going to try harder to get back into writing on here. I want to make a big gesture and say a post a day for 30 days but I don't know if I can commit that much. But it's my over-the-top-goal. Plus, I am getting back into editing the book so maybe that will help me want to write on here as well.

So as a baby step back into the blogging world, in the final few hours of this Monday, I present a Music Monday! Woo! Woo! Five songs currently on repeat on my iPod:

1. I Was Wrong -Sleeperstar. I'm a music supervisor's dream. I fall for songs all the time cause they are used on these teen shows and they just fit the moment SO perfectly that I become obsessed and practically trip over my feet running to the computer to download it. This was used on the latest episode of The Vampire Diaries. Say what you will, but that show is awesome. And this scene. Sigh. Ian Somerhalder deserves an Emmy. The single tear. The emotional swell in the music. Sigh. I love him. And, you know, the show too. But really him. He may have finally swayed me to Team Damon. I know, I was shocked too.

2. Enchanted -Taylor Swift. I was extremely excited for Taylor's third album and this is the standout favorite in my approximately 100 listens thus far. But I also love Haunted, Better Than Revenge, and Innocent. Pretty much 9-12 on the album are golden.

3. Dancing On My Own -Robyn. Yeaaaahhh.... it might have been used on Gossip Girl. Whoops. I'm a sucker for the CW apparently.

4. The Ballad of You and I -Melee. This was either a Single of the Week on iTunes, a Starbucks pick, or a Discovery Download on the iPhone. Either way, I got it for free and I am LOVING it. It's a band I might be willing to take a risk on and download the entire album. But I freaking love this song this much that it bodes well for the rest of the songs.

5. I am preemptively saying "Teenage Dream" by Glee feat. Darren Criss on tomorrow's episode. I don't listen to them before the episode airs cause that's like reading the ending of the book first. You gotta save the best for last. But based on last week's preview, it's gonna be totally awesome. Speaking of totally awesome, Darren Criss was the star of A Very Potter Musical and Sequel on Youtube. I already professed my love once but the kid kind of blows Daniel Radcliffe out of the water. I luff him. He is amazing and I may have shrieked when I learned via Twitter that he was going to be on Glee. And while I fought liking Teenage Dream by Katy Perry for a long time, I eventually had to give in. And I am rather obsessed but Darren's version might take the cake. We shall see.

Okay, that wasn't so hard. See you tomorrow.... hopefully! :)

"Street lights/ Big dreams all looking pretty"

2010-09-27T22:29:00.004-04:00

Tonight, I went through my box of artwork and assignments (spanning Kindergarten through high school) to find a craft that I am going to use with my kids tomorrow. That's right I'm old school. But as I was sorting through the various worksheets and artwork, I stumbled across dozens of stories I wrote in elementary school. I do not recall writing this many but evidently I did. I don't remember if they were always the assignment or if it was a free time choice but either way I wrote a lot. I totally could have been one of those kids who knew what they wanted to be when they grew up since infancy if I had been paying attention. Drats.

Anyway, I will now share some of these tales with you, dear reader.

We shall start with "Tornado- A True Story" written in the third grade. My most polished of the three pieces and dare I say, the most dramatic. Spelling and grammar as is as much as it pains me to do so....

A storm was starting up outside. The wind howled, thunder booned, and lightning flashed. Four people were home at the Petrella household. Annie and JP were watching Twister, LA was doing her homework, and Mrs. Petrella was walking Molly. Mrs. Petrella noticed a dark cloud over the golf course. She quickly put Molly away and ran into the house and started to watch the weather outside. Then the wind started to blow harder. Then she yelled "Everybody get in the bathroom!" Then once everybody was in the bathroom the electricity went out. Then pounding sounds hit the side of the house. Then hail started. Then after about 5 minutes the tornado stopped. Everybody went outside and they met Mr. Petrella. Trees fell over on electric cords and branches were everywhere. A tree had fallen in the driveway. Then JP called his friend to cut the tree with a chainsaw. John's friend did get rid of the tree blocking the driveway but the two that fell on the electric cord are still there. The Petrella family hopes another tornado will not come. THE END.

As it says in the title, true story. F1 on the golf course that was built next to our old house. Let's just say I have never watched Twister since this happened. Considering it was a gorgeous day and the actual storm brewing coincided with the one in the movie. NEVER AGAIN. Also, I see I suffered from my "can't-think-of-the-obvious-word" even at the tender age of ten since I couldn't some with "power lines" and instead used "electric cords". Potato, po-ta-to.

Now I present to you: The 2 Birds. Written by Annie in the 4th grade.

One day, two birds were flying looking for worms to eat. The two birds were Robin and Jay. When they landed on the ground they both started to peck for worms. Then they each found the same worm and thats how Robin and Jay met.

(next page)

Robin and Jay fell in love Then they decided to get marry. They went to Preacher Pecker. I now pronce you husband and wife.

(next page)

Then one day when they were flying. Robin was talking to Jay and wasn't paying attenion to where she was going. She hit a branch and broke a wing. She fell to the ground, and couldn't get up. Then the old nasty cat came and saw Robin. "Help" cried Robin. Jay flew down and got Robin before the cat could get her.

(next page)

Then they flew off to................................................................................ Holand. THE END.

Clearly I had to refer to a map for the geography at the end. I mean there is love, suspense, quotes, and conjunctions. I was developing some serious skills. It should also be noted I "dedicated" the story to the children's author who had recently visited our school (Nina Laden), my family, and my REAL (underlined twice) friends". Perhaps I was mad at someone at the time?

And last but not least, the story that had me receive the "Young Writer Award" in the second grade: The Magic Pencil.

Once apon a time, in the year 1995. There were three girls named Annie, Krystina, and Abby. They were best friends. They loved to play together. One day they went for a walk in the forest. Then Abby felt something hit her foot. It was a pencil. While Annie and Krystina look at a nest up in a tree. Abby stuck it in her fannie pack. Then they contined thair walk. The next day at school, Abby took the pencil with her. Last night she fon out it was magic. So doing work was not hard. She just said "do my work now". And it did. Then Annie and Krystina fond out. So the next day was the big math test. So Abby use her magic pencil. And their math test was ten pages long. But Abby took her magic pencil out of her desk. And she fineshed in 5 minuetes. And the next day the day they found out their test scores. Annie and Krystina both got a A+. But Abby got a F-. So Abby had to take the test agin. But she took it with a reglur pencil. And she got a A+ too. And she throut away the magic pencil. And Annie, Krystina, and Abby are still friend to this very day. THE END.

I mean, I taught a moral (cheating is wrong and will get you no where in life) and my main character had a "fannie pack". Winner! Not too shabby for second grade.

Seriously, I just got a particular kick out of these three stories and thought I would share.

"We don't do it now we'll never make it/ ... Break me out"

2010-09-07T20:17:00.004-04:00

Miss me? Sorry, I know I'm awful at updating this here blog. But I'm going to try to get better! Really!

A few weeks ago I made a trip to Borders to get some books that I have given up hope finding at McKay's simply because they are too recent (Hunger Games series) or too obscure (Sisters Red). The cashier asked if I wanted to open a Borders Rewards card. Since I was plunking down quite a bit of money on my purchases, I figured why not? What harm could be done?

Turns out a lot. To my bank account. Did you know they e-mail you a coupon every week? Cause THEY DO! It's usually 33% off any one item which I don't know why they didn't choose 30 or 35 but I'll take it! And you can get special deals (like 50% off Mockingjay the week it was released)! I regret not opening one sooner. At the rate I'm going, I may single handedly save Borders from filing for bankruptcy. I'm really doing a service for the country. You're welcome.

The other day I was standing in line waiting to buy three new books and the cashier asked the lady he was checking out in front of me if she wanted to open a rewards card. She said no and I actually sing-songed (sing-sang?) under my breath, "Big mistake".

And I know.... why buy books? Why not check one out from the library? Or a garage sale or a used bookstore? The way I look at it is if MY book is every published, I want people to be excited and buy it from an actual store. Heck, I would be depressed if I saw it in the bargain bin but at least it would be in a store which is a huge leap beyond my laptop. Plus I wouldn't see a dime of profit from used bookstores or garage sales. Its an industry I want to be a part of some day (hopefully sooner rather than later) so I need to literally pay my dues.

Plus I chalk up the stack of books in my room to research. Maybe I can write it off as a tax deduction....

"Turn a new page, tear the old one out/ And I'll try to see things your way"

2010-07-20T14:55:00.005-04:00

Hey, I clocked in just under the "I-Haven't-Written-in-a-Month" deadline. Go me! If I was a student in my class, I'd get a sticker for doing the right thing.

There hasn't been a book update in a while... so shall I? I shall. I'm in the process of editing (again) right now. While my mom read it, she was lovely and highlighted some errors (some on my part, some on Microsoft Words. Especially when it comes to autocorrecting a comma into a period in a quote). I've been reading backwards to catch mistakes as well as polish it. Remember how I was having serious issues coming up with simple words while writing SO? Like that one time I couldn't remember the word monologue and it took me five minutes and I almost had to ask a Starbucks worker? Yeah, since my brain took a nice long book break, I am coming up with better synonyms this time around. And I didn't even have to right click. :)

And to validate the past year of my life, I've been telling pretty much any and everyone about the book. People at work, Starbucks employees who assume I am still in school, friends of friends. People's reactions are always funny to me. Like when I finished writing the rough draft of SO, I got lots of congratulations from my friends and family. And not to sound ungrateful but I didn't think I deserved them. I think it's because I always knew deep down (even during moments of doubt i.e. chapters nine and fourteen) that I could write a book. And I did, plain and simple. It's the getting published that is going to be a major feat for me. Or just getting an agent and the possibility of getting published becoming more realistic.

But it's not impressive to me because that's the way my brain works. I write. I read. I can do those things. That's how I'm wired. That's normal to me so shouldn't everyone be able to do it?

But the more and more I tell people, the more I realize it is sort of uncommon. Only one woman said she had an idea for book so she wasn't as impressed (but she's asked me about the progress every now and then since). But everyone else who is impressed immediately follows it with, "I could never do that. My brain doesn't work that way". And maybe these are people who can solve any math problem, know all the elements on the Periodic Table, can get 102 points on a word in Words with Friends (Darn you AE!), or know all the team names in the NFL. My brain doesn't work that way (especially math and science) so I'm seriously impressed when your brain does. We're all different. And unique. And special. Oh geez, I'm seriously turning in a Preschool Teacher.

It also might be my age that throws people. But really, there is no "You must be THIS tall to write a book" sign posted outside of publishing houses. Why wait?

"Hate is a strong word/ But I really, really, really don't like you"

2010-06-21T21:59:00.004-04:00

Four "celebrities" I wish I could lock up in a box and never hear/read anything about them ever again.

4. Speidi. Totally not buying this "divorce" business. Lame attempt at publicity I say. Who walks out of a courtroom with legal documents in plain sight? Fame whores, that's who.

3. Lindsay Lohan. She's in rehab, she's out, she's in rehab, she's dating a girl, they broke up, she has a SCRAM bracelet, it went off, no it didn't, I DON'T CARE. She had what, like, one good movie? And that can mostly be accredited to Tina Fey's script or Rachel McAdams and Amanda Seyfried's acting. Let's see who has the better resume at this point? Hint: Not Lindsay.

2. Miley Cyrus. Seriously. You've 17. Stop acting like a complete skank. Is she even "acting" anymore or is it just for real? I'm think it's the latter. And her parents should be ashamed instead of checking their bank account.

1. Kate Gosselin. Hope all the millions she is making now will go towards her kids' therapy bills later on in life. You know, provided she doesn't blow it all on boob jobs, fake tans, hair extensions, and mani/pedis.

Feel free to create your own list in the comments section!

"I get knocked down but I get up again/ You never gonna keep me down"

2010-06-11T15:07:00.004-04:00

Work is going really well! My class is getting heaps of praise from my boss and their parents (like a parent took a picture of the note I wrote to one of my kids and put it on Twitter. Twice. No big deal)! Except yesterday morning when I told them this and gave them all a sticker, they apparently thought that meant they didn't have to behave anymore. Don't worry I got them back on track.

I had a hilarious thing happen yesterday. Honestly it's not even that funny when I tell it verbally so I'm sure all hilarity will be lost in writing. But since I don't record anything in journal-form anymore and I want to remember this it will just have to do:

We were on the playground and apparently a spider's babies hatched everywhere over the weekend because the kids have been finding them nonstop. And they feel the need to tell me and the other teacher every single time by pointing, staring, and yelling. So there was a web on the fence and after the thirtieth time a child told me about it, I tried to distract J and T by asking them to run over and show me how they can climb the little rock wall and wave to me from the top. The two boys took off in a dead sprint and of course they collided at the bottom of the wall in attempts to be the first one there. Little J was face down on the ground not moving (but he has a tendency to do this especially when he is upset and doesn't want the other kids to notice) so I called to him and asked if he was okay. I got no response and little C sitting next me said in a completely flat and serious tone, "He's dead." I know it doesn't sound that funny but I couldn't even move I was trying so hard not to burst into laughter. I could totally see the tone she used being said in a Pixar movie (kind of like this). And yes I did eventually compose myself, get up and check on J and he was completely fine and at the top of the wall in no time.

But I even watched a movie last night where a male character died in a pretty dramatic way and I just thought "He's dead" in C's little voice and I started cracking up. Oh kids, they're so funny and cute.

"Can we pretend that airplanes in night sky are like shooting stars/ I could really use a wish right now"

2010-06-07T19:19:00.007-04:00

So I sort of abandoned this blog for a while there. Whoops. But I have a good excuse I swear! I got a job! As of right now it's just for the summer but hey, it's something! About a month ago, I pretty much got to the point where I had NO idea what I was going to try for next due to a lot of rejection and doors shutting. And then my boss from the summer job I had during college friend-ed me on Facebook. I thought Hmmmm... maybe I could ask her if they have any openings left for this summer so I took a chance and asked and she did! Hooray! So I am now the lead teacher of the three year olds class in a Weekday child care program (I essentially got promoted after not working there for three years. Boom). I'll include a few stories about work here and there but the employer and kids' names are staying anonymous. I'm not getting fired!

Today was a good day at work. I thought it was going to start off rough since several of the kids were extra clingy to their parents when being dropped off this morning (must of had a case of the Mondays). Little J especially had a hard time. So about an hour later during circle time, I had two books resting beside me. J excitedly said "I've never read those books before!" Then I said "Great, so they will be brand new and you won't know what's going to happen!" And J exclaimed "I'm so happy". Given his mood earlier in the day I asked him why and he said "Well I've never see these books before" and then he pointed at our Referee's Rules chart (Keep your hands to yourself, obey the first time, and so forth) and our sticker chart where once the kids get eight stickers for sharing, cleaning up, obeying, etc. they get to go to the dun dun dun daaaaa Totally Terrific Treasure Chest and said "And I've never seen these signs before". I don't know why he was so excited about the charts but I'll take it cause they are super cute (thanks mom for decorating them!). And the cherry on top, he said "And I love you" to me. Completely unprompted! Awwww. I wanted to give him twenty stickers but I fought the urge. I don't want to buy the kids' love (even though I clearly don't have to. Zing!).

Towards the end of the day I was reading a book about tadpoles and frogs to two of the kids. The little girl was saying how she had something at her house (maybe a pond or a lake, not sure) and she asked if I wanted to come over and see it. Now, maybe you don't know three year olds but this is one of the highest compliments you can be paid. If they ask you to come over to see them, babysit, or for dinner, you've hit the jackpot. Winner!

I've also gotten a drawing from one of the girls. Her mom also told me when little H was absent two weeks ago (stomach bug. super!) she said she knew that "Miss Annie was going to miss me so much today". And I did, I really did. Plus it worked out that all the girls were out that day so I was left with five boys. That was an interesting dynamic (read: Please God, don't ever let me be the mother of boy quintuplets).

Sometimes you have to come up with little games while you are waiting in line to go somewhere. My class is a big fan of "Simon Says Sitting Down" and "Raise Your Hand If...". I asked them to raise their hand if they were wearing sneakers. All of them were but all save one raised their hand. I asked little T why he didn't raise his hand since he was wearing in fact wearing sneakers. Little T replied, "These aren't sneakers. They're Pumas." Granted he was right but man it starts young doesn't it?

Oh and if you ever want to be entertained, ask a group of three year olds what they did this past weekend. Answers will vary from "I went to the zoo where there were 10 dinosaurs as big as houses!" to "I crashed my mom and dad's cars" (pretty sure both of these were dreams, but I'm not 100% sure).

"One quick look as each of em leaves you ... They take bows and you're batting zero"

2010-05-28T13:37:00.004-04:00

This is the second part of my Survivor Recap. First part is here:

Final TC in the TH: Jury time! I love it. Sandra says she's stuck around even though her alliance was decimated. She points out how she tried to get the Heroes to vote out Russell but they never got on board (coughCandicecough). Russell says his game didn't involve luck. Really? So rooting around under random trees in the jungle isn't luck? I see how he could argue it is strategy but please. It was luck. This guy is delusional. Poverty points out she was a threat from day one and she's still here. She calls Russell her pet and says she played a great game. I bet Russell's tongue is bleeding from biting down on it. I wonder if they had to edit out him trying to interrupt. Wouldn't surprise me.

Jury questioning highlights:

-Colby calls Russell out on the no-luck comment. +1 Colby. Poverty points out how she played the two idols for other people at the risk of getting voting out herself. Point to Poverty.

-Coach calls Russell a little man in stature and word. Zing! He says Poverty was a warrior in challenges. He asks no questions. Sit down fool.

-Amanda asks Sandra why her strategy was better. She basically points out how dumb the Heroes were to never vote out Russell when she was willing to jump ship. Pwned.

-Twiggy is voting for Sandra. That's all.

- JT says he made his bed and he's going to lie in it and thinks Russell should do the same. Russell just listens to the "lie" part and keeps yapping about how good of a game he played.

-Danielle says Russ sucks at jury management and no one respects him so he's not going to get any votes. Boom.

-Jerri wants to know why she wasn't taken to the end. Russell says she was too well liked and was going to win. Poverty and Sandra interrupt and say he knew he was going to get Jerri's vote so that's why. And there goes his one potential vote.

- Candice says Russ went too far with the lying. She metaphorically calls Poverty a battered woman. Inapprop.

-Rupert. He's got on his condescending and judgmental voice so this will be good. He says Russell shouldn't be proud of how he played the game. He apologizes to Sandra for not going along with her plan. Poverty finally points out that she had no one to align with but Russell so people need to lay off on the fact she worked with him.

Hmmm... no tears. No snake/rat speech. No charity questions. What an absurd final TC. If I was on Survivor, here is what I would say at Final TC if I was in the final 2/3. Since everyone on that jury is a bitter Betty and Bobby, you should point out that you HAD to vote them out because they were a threat, because they were going to win if they made it to the end. That it doesn't mean you are a better person than them, it just means you played a slightly better strategic game and that's cause their gameplay was forcing you to do that. You gotta stroke their massive egos and say if you could change anything, you wish that feelings wouldn't have gotten hurt or anything taken personally but you understand cause you might feel the same way. Never say "it's just a game" because that sends people into a tizzy.

We see the following votes:

Poverty: Jerri, Danielle, and Coach (where an eagle screech accompanies his statement that "King Arthur's journey has ended". Seriously editors, submit this for your Emmy reel. I'm dying laughing).

Sandra: Candice, Courtney, and Rupert (Sandra was right about how she'll still get his vote).

No amazing trek back the USA by Jeff. Drats. Time to read the votes! We see all of the ones we already saw and then two more for Sandra! She looks so purdy! The first two-time winner: Sandra Diaz-Twine!

I just didn't want Russell to win. I wish Poverty would have since she played a way better strategic and physical game but most juries can't see past their hurt egos. Again, I maintain as I have since last season that Russell is always kept around because everyone knows they can wipe the floor with him at the end. So Russell missed his chance to eliminate his biggest threat numerous times (Sandra) and Sandra's plan repeatedly being foiled by the Heroes ending up rewarding her with the million. Irony!

Reunion show highlights:

- Russell says there is a flaw in the game: America should be able to vote. I believe that show is called "I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here". Dear God, please no. Don't let that be Russell's next move.

- Russell has LAMINATED the note from JT and is talking about he made a winner look like the dumbest player ever. JT reaches from behind and tries to throw it in the fire accompanied with a "No!" and flailing by Russell. LEGEND. DARY.

- Jeff says Russell was a delusional, arrogant, mouthy idiot every single day. Gee I wonder who called that last season? Oh yeah ME.

- We get a shot of Sandra's hubby. Thanks for serving our country!

- Russell: Poverty should have won.

Jeff: Again Russell that's a different game. That's called Russell Decides Who Wins Survivor.

I gotta say I don't care for Jeff but he is on fire tonight.

- Russell says he doesn't care about the jury. He keeps saying he only played the game once and doesn't answer Jeff's very direct question. Sandra pipes in (even though her mic is turned off) and says "He doesn't understand".

- Boston Rob points out that Russell plays to make it to the end but he doesn't play to win since he burns too many bridges and insults too many people so he's not gonna get votes.

- "But given the opportunity I will gladly go back and kick your ass all over the island." -Boston Rob. WIN WIN WIN WIN WIN. The only way it would have been better would been if he said "Just as many times as you" when Russell asked how many times he has won. He refuses to shake his hand probably because Russell is the smoke monster.

- JT wins the Dumbest Move ever award.

- Coach kinda humps Colby on national television. Awkward.

- Stephenie is lame and plugs her restaurant on tv when she gets asked her one question. Lame. Jeff rolls his eyes. Awesome.

- "Just one question, not a lot of time .....because you will tell a story," Jeff to Coach. Did Jeff take some awesome pills before this reunion? He is killing it.

- We see Rob and Amber's cute baby, Lucia Rose. Awwwwww. According to Cirie's twitter they are pregs again but I haven't seen that info anywhere else (she also said Colby and Danielle are hooking up).

- Russell wins Sprint Player of the Game probably because he made his four children text vote after vote like a mini sweatshop since honestly fifteen people clap when he wins. And Rupert was his competitor? What about Rob? Poverty? Heck, even Sassy Courtney? America, you disappoint me (but not when it comes to American Idol... Lee FTW!).

- "Russell, damn you" -Danielle. Yup, that sums up this season.

- The Survivor compilation image was the dumbest thing I've ever seen.

I totally called the next season taking place in Nicaragua. Well that or Antarctica. But then they wouldn't have ladies in bikinis and shirtless dudes so can't do that. At least I was right. While I always love the All Star seasons, I'm excited to have some fresh blood and no preformed alliances running the game. Bring it on Burnett!

"All that work and what did it get me?/ Why did I do it?"

2010-05-28T10:41:00.008-04:00

Soooo the Survivor finale was almost two weeks ago but I haven't had time to do a three hour recap. If you like the show, you watched and know what happened so I am going to just hit the highlights instead of scene by scene. Plus, even though I've made a very conscious effort to cut these things down in length, I'm still getting complaints (you know who you are) so here's the abbreved version. Enjoy!

This episode is titled "Anything Could Happen". It might as well be labeled as "Anything Could Happen.... Besides Russell Winning". Jeff recaps, you know the drill: Heroes. Villains. Boston Rob. Immunity. Idols. Russell's a douchebag. People make the dumbest moves ever (coughJTcough). Sandra and Poverty are the only two who deserve it at this point. Let's see what happens.

After Rupert's ousting, Russell says Sandra played an idol that was totally worthless. Poverty calls him out as says "You did it too!" Twice. +1 Pov-ster. Russell says that Sandra lied to him about having the HII. Sandra smacks him down saying he never told her about his idols until after he played them. Touche Sandra. But really, it's Russell so logic is pointless with him. He accuses Poverty of lying to him and she calls him a toddler. I think that's being generous. We get the obligatory misleading info where maybe Colby won't be going home but we all know he is. I like the Colpster but really WHAT a disappointment this season. Credits.

Treemail. Clue about the challenge in China with actual china (racist). Russell wants to be in the top 3 with Jerri and Sandra since neither "played the game" and "the jury would almost have to vote for me". I think they would vote for Hitler to win before you.

Challenge: Balancing and stacking dishes with one hand. Shockingly, Sandra is out before Colby for once with nine dishes. Anytime Jeff notes how many there are, you know someone is about to fail. Jerri is out with 14. Then Russell with 16. Who knew stacking dishes could be so suspenseful? Poverty is a challenge beast and wins again. She is really making me start to like her.

Colby says "Hey, I know I'm going, let's just enjoy the day". The we get an awkward interview where there's twenty seconds of silence while he tries not cry and says he isn't giving up and has one last attempt. Colby tries to reason with Russell (already a poor choice) about getting rid of Sandra so he, Jerri, and Russell can all try to beat Poverty and eliminate her the next round (yeah cause you've really dominated challenges this season). Russell says he is considering it and that's just so we don't know who is going home 29 minutes into the episode.

TC in the TH: Colby is out surprising exactly no one. I miss BA Colby. I look forward to seeing you in Schick commercials and a small role in thrillers starring Rachel McAdams.

Talk about needing to get Poverty out. Russell says the jury thinks she's some big strategic player but she's not (false) and Jerri says P was just tucked under his wing the whole time (kettle? Meet pot. Minus the fact this is NOT true).

Treemail where they go on the stupid journey to see all of the "fallen comrades". Boring and I don't have to say anything for ten minutes. Well besides RIP Boston Rob. Sad emoticon.

Challenge: Navigating a maze blindfolded while collecting four necklaces. First one to the immunity necklace, wins. WHAT?! No endurance challenge? Boohockey! It's a glorified version of Marco Polo (which I would excuse if this took place in China but it doesn't so fail). Poverty is banging into stuff. Sandra is following P's voice. Poverty and Russell get their last necklace at the same time and he is shoving her and pushing her all over the place. Classy. Also probably trying to cop a feel. It's a suspenseful ending as Jerri, Poverty, and Russell are all inches away from the immunity necklace. Russell gets up on his tippy toes and manages to reach the necklace. Russell wins but let's face it he wasn't going anywhere since they all know he is the ticket to the million. Jerri is all excited thinking she is guaranteed a spot in the final three. Russ makes Jeff put on the necklace. Douche.

Russ tells Sandra she is in a real good spot. She knows it's because she already won the million and no one will vote for her again. "That's alright, I'll take the 100,000." For real. But then she says Russell doesn't think she will get a single vote "But I don't know about thaaaaaat." I love her. Russell wants Jerri gone cause she is a guaranteed vote on the jury. Yeah, I'm sure people always vote for the person that burned/blindsided them. Has he ever watched this show before?

TC in the TH: Ping ponging between Jerri, Poverty, Jerri, Poverty. Poverty says she has been protecting Russell the entire time. His face is one of anger, frustration, surprise, and disbelief. She tries to dislodge her foot from her mouth and say they've been protecting each other. I immediately worry this is going to be another Danielle-like ousting. Aaaaaand Jerri's out. Let's face it, she needed to go. She could maybe beat the other girls since she has never won and a freaking palm tree could beat Russell at this point. So see ya later Jer!

Day 39! Breakfast feast, natch. Russell interviews that he brought people he could beat this time around since "it didn't work last time". I honestly think this was filmed on a green screen because it sort of looks funny AND I checked out the dates and the finale of Samoa wasn't until a good three months until after HvV finished filming. Don't say I didn't do my research (coughWikipediacough). Maybe he is basing this on the Samoan jury reaction but I don't think he knew the votes during the filming of HvV. He did after all launch RussellGotScrewed.com practically seconds after the Samoa finale premiered. I'm just saying.

At Russell's prompting, Poverty says that if she had ended up on the jury that she would have voted for Sandra. Russell says his game was better than Poverty's. False. Sandra says she is going to burn his hat and goes and throws the fedora in the fire. Awesome. Give her the million now. Such sweet justice for him burning Jaison's socks (twice) on his first season. Sandra says Russell has a big bald spot he doesn't want anyone to know about "but we've been out here 39 days. I've seen it a whole lot of times." +100 Sandra. Give this woman a tv show! You'd almost feel a little sorry for him if he wasn't such an arrogant jerk.

Poverty burns down the shelter and like always I think this is very environmentally unsafe. Sandra says she never hid behind an immunity idol. Touche. (Sidenote: Watching this again after knowing the outcome, there are a LOT of Sandra interviews. Should have been this coming).

Final TC and Reunion in the next post to split it up a little! I'm wordy! Trust me, this is WAAAAAY shorter than it could have been.

"Kiss and tell/ Loose lips sink ships"

2010-05-15T16:54:00.005-04:00

Previously on * slight pause * Survivor: Sandra found the HII. Candice and Danielle both made dumb moves and got voted out in a special double elimination episode.

Night 33: Rupert is being a typical d-bag saying how each day his chances of winning this game get better and better. You're doing a great job there, Copernicus: that’s usually how it works when you make it closer and closer to the end of the game. Poverty knows they need to get rid of the remaining Heroes because they have a lot of friends on the jury so she still needs to be nice to Russell.

Whoever edited in the sound effects during Russell’s interview deserves a raise: “When Danielle said ‘We’re closer than you really think, Russell’, the switch went off in my head and I think * light bulb clicking noise * Oh really * cocks head to the side along with a tapping noise * Did she just say that to me?” Classic. Russell sees Poverty on edge and realizes he just eliminated her main alliance and now she has to rely on him. Or her amazing gameplay thus far. Same diff.

Credits, aw man, guess this one isn’t as shocking.

Treemail: A box with a Spring Palm Pre in it. Product placement, yay! They show off the features and Poverty plays right into it to hoping get some free phones in the future and says how cool the phone is. They go to the video app and there are messages from family members! It’s so sweet that when everyone yells, Sandra shushes them so Colby is able to hear the message from his brother. We see messages from Colby’s brother, Poverty’s dad, Russell’s wife, Sandra’s uncle, Jerri’s sister, and Rupert’s wife and know they are going to participate in the next reward challenge. Awkward quote from Rupert: “I can’t wait to get out there and maybe touch my wife.” I think “hug” would have been the less creepy, appropriate, sweet verb to use in this case.

Reward Challenge: Jeff brings in the family members one by one and it’s adorable to see the reunions minus the fact that you know the survivors are rubbing their stank all over their family members. Poverty’s dad seems refreshingly normal. Russell’s wife is rather pretty. Good genes must run in the Donaldson family. Rupert is macking all over his wife but my one thought is how badly his breath must smell. They’ve been married for 12 years so I’m sure the wife has experienced worse (come on, he already looked disheveled on day one). Whew, Sandra loses it when she sees her uncle. She explains how important he is to her and how he was sitting by her mom’s side until her last minute alive. Whew it’s emotional but really I cry when anyone cries so maybe it’s just me.

The survivors are going to throw bucketfuls of water about five feet to their family members who will be trying to catch and dump it into another bucket. First to fill their bucket and raise their flag, wins reward to some place that has blowholes and food and they get to record their memories on the Palm Pre.

Lots of chaos/action this challenge: Colby is yelling at his brother for doing everything wrong. Sandra is yelling in Spanish. Jerri and her sister are doing well. Russell’s wife is spitting in the bucket thinking that tablespoon is really going to help. Rupert's wife is squeezing the water out of her shirt and Jeff announces her crafty game plan. Sometimes I think Jeff shouldn’t be able to announce such things because others follow suit. It’s pretty much between Jerri, Russell, and Rupert. And Jerri wins!

She gets to pick two pairs to go along on the reward and selects Poverty and Sandra. I think if I were in Jerri’s spot I would pick the people who almost won as to not ruffle any feathers. It’s a very diplomatic approach. Well that or I’d tell them to pick a number between 1-100 and the two closest go. Rupert and his wife are making out before saying goodbye and I am sufficiently grossed out. The boys head back to camp.

At the Blowholes, the girls toss some coconuts in these gapping holes and they skyrocket into the air from the huge waves. Everyone ohs and awes like six year olds at a fireworks show. They snap some pictures on their Palm Pre (do I get money for advertising the name in this blog post? Probably not so... iPhone FTW!!!) Poverty says taking pictures was one of the best parts of the reward. Yes because I would want to capture and remember what I look like after not bathing for 30-some days. But they are already going to be on TV so why not?

Sandra talks about her favorite uncle and I immediately worry that we are getting too much backstory on Sandra. I misunderstood and thought she said her mom passed away a week ago and I freak out because they totally told Jenna Morasca and she got to leave but then I am informed it’s been a year and a week. It’s still sad though. It makes me like Sandra more. +10 Sandra.

The girls start talking strategy and Jerri is pooping her pants about Russell most likely being mad for not taking him on the reward. Jerri, there is no way you are making it to the finale three unless you win immunity so moot point. The girls assure her that they have her back (for now). Back at camp, the boys are complaining about Jerri’s “stupid” move. I wouldn’t want to spend the afternoon with those jerks anyway so I don’t blame her for taking the girls. Russell says he has saved Jerri’s ass before but if memory serves me correctly, Poverty saved her by giving her immunity when she was about to go home so maybe Jerri was just returning the favor. Punk. He calls Poverty and Jerri “ungrateful little bitches” showing off his chauvinistic attitude. Notice he always teams up with girls. This is probably because he thinks no one would be dumb enough to vote for a lowly girl over a burly man. He doesn’t know his strategy didn’t work in Samoa and I think he is about to get pwned again. (Sidenote: They should have Samoa Girl Scout cookies be a reward. People go crazy for those in everyday life. When you haven’t eaten for over a month they would go absolutely bonkers. Make it happen, producers!)

Russell, Rupert, and Colby make an agreement to go the final three. I hope the boys aren’t dumb enough to fall for this. -1 to each of the boys. But Rupert FINALLY points out (what I have been saying for the past two seasons... boo yah) that if he can take the best villain to the final three, he is guaranteed the million. True dat. If by "best villain" you mean WORST human ever. +10 to Rupe for finally voicing it.

The girls get back to camp and Rupert is the only one awake so they head to bed. Rupert sees this as the perfect time to saw, chop wood, and break some logs. Brilliant idea. “I have never in my life seen anybody that inconsiderate. I don’t know if it’s incredible cockiness or just complete stupidity. I’m leaning more towards stupidity, quite frankly.” Zing! +10 to Jerri and probably the only time I will ever like you.

Immunity Challenge: Holding your hands up, palms down (another tie in to the Sprint phone?) holding up two poles against an overhead board. If a pole drops you’re out. Last one, wins immunity. Colby is out after 15 seconds. -15 to the Colpster. I wanted to hope that Colby was sucking on purpose so he wasn’t perceived as a physical threat since he dominated the challenges in his original season but I think we can confidently say that is not the case. Sandra follows soon after and then Russell. As Jeff is pointing out that Jerri’s are still dead center, hers inexplicably drops mid-sentence. A compliment from Jeff is bad luck I tell you. Poverty and Rupert have poles resting on the edge of the board, hanging on by a thread. Rupert’s falls and Poverty wins another endurance challenge! Apparently I am really rooting for Poverty at this point because I was sick at the thought of her losing during that challenge. +5 Poverty. And I've started to type out Parvati initially because I'm gaining more and more respect. She really does deserve the million. But she doesn't deserve to miss out on having her silly name be mispronounced.

Russell says since Poverty won immunity, he is going to have to vote for Rupert. Sandra tells Rupert she wants Russell out. Sandra spells it out AGAIN saying everyone wants to take Russell to the end because he is so bad that everyone will vote against him and that’s why he is still here. THANK YOU. Validation. Guess the editors couldn’t keep it out by this point. Because Rupert is an idiot, he runs and tells Russell. -10 Rupert. Russell of course freaks out and confronts Sandra: “Are you with me or against me”. “I’m against you Russell”. Well at least no one can accuse her of lying during the final TC. +10 Sandra. Russell and Sandra say they are both comfortable and not worried about votes. Sandra says “Loose lips sink ships” to Rupert and he doesn’t get that it’s his ship that is about to sink. Poverty asks “Who invited Boston Rob (RIP) back” since Russell ripped off his line. Russell throws out maybe voting for Sandra because this is how he plays the game: guns for anyone who suspects him. Sandra says that today is the last day she can use the idol but she might not use it because she is very confident that she is not going home. Oh Sandra! NO! You’re one of the few who I still want to win.

TC in the TH: Sandra says Rupert tried to stir up some trouble between her and Russell so another villain could go home. Poverty does an awesome imitation of Sandra when she said she’s against Russell. Poverty says again that a Hero cannot be in the final three because they have a lot of friends on the jury. Rupert says you either need to be the top Hero (which he is not) or the top Villain in the final three and own it to win the million. Poverty whips her neck in Russell’s direction at the mention of top villain. Rupert asks Poverty if she’s the top villain and she says “Nope. I’m a hero on the inside”. Time to vote! Sandra: “I’ll write your name again and if I’m up in the final three, you’ll still give me your vote”. I’m guessing Rupert voted for Sandra during the Pearl Islands. Rupert votes for Sandra. Danielle retches as Russell walks up to vote. I would too Danielle, I would too. Time to tally!

Jeff: If anyone has the HII---

Sandra pops up like a Jack in the box, hands on hips: Should I let you finish? EPIC.

She said she had mixed feelings about this TC so she is going to play it because she’d hate to go home with the idol in her bra (cough JAMES cough). Russell and Poverty both confirm they had NO idea she had it. “She’s bad” says Russell. Really? Cause I think she’s AWESOME. I mean sure you risk showing that you were hiding something from the tribe but I think that’s how an HII should be played. Very few should know about it but we know Russell “I can’t keep my one-tooth-too-few mouth shut” Hantz doesn’t abide by that philosophy. Two votes for Sandra. Three for Rupert and the tye-dyed one is gone. He gives a menacing look as his torch is snuffed to Russell. (Someone make a montage of that for all these seasons! There has to be a million of em). But I mean really, fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. See ya Rupert! In his exit interview he says “Maybe I wasn’t destined to win Survivor.... But I’m still pretty tough. But I don’t need to win Survivor to know that.” Good so I better not see you on the next All-Star season. I wanted to root for ya but then you failed to oust Russell so I’m all done! Seriously, why we were all obsessed with him during his original season? I don’t remember why.

Let me break this down: Sandra and Poverty are going to stay tight since they are past winners and no one wants to give the money to the same person twice. They NEED Russell because he is despicable and has pissed all pretty much every single person on the jury (seriously, he doesn’t have a crazy Shambo on his side this time) and they know he is their ticket to the million. They know a Hero will beat them and even Jerri could maybe since she has never won before. My guess for final three: Russell, Poverty, and Sandra and I think Poverty will win. But really as long as it's not Russell, I'm be fine. Finale tomorrow!!!! Yeah! Can't wait to see Russell cry AGAIN. It's gonna be epic!

"When I chirp shawty chirp back/... What you know about that"

2010-05-15T15:07:00.005-04:00

An itsy bitsy brush with fame. Well fame in my book anyway:

Even though LOST is almost over this is one of my favorite blogs to read for answers. e knows her stuff and it explains it so well. I stumbled across it towards the middle of season five and have eagerly awaited her recaps after every episode ever since. You should also read her story about meeting Terry O'Quinn. Lucky! So e is awesome because she has met the cast, has a huge following on her blog (and other websites she contributes to) and she is writing a book that is going to be published later this year. An all around winner in my book.

Anyway, one question that e has always fixated on is who is was shooting at Sawyer, Juliet & Co when they were in the outrigger in season 5 and traveling through time. I found an interview after the episode "Across the Sea" where Darlton address this very question. I sent the interview along to e in the event that she is the type to read podcasts, interviews, and whatnot. I didn't expect a reply because like I said, her deadline is looming and she is focused on other things that spelling out everything for us fellow obsessed Losties.

Well she wrote back! She thanked me but said she does avoid that kind of stuff because of possible spoilers but she'll read it after the finale (even though she will know the answer by then). I know she's only a celebrity in my world but hey, I'll take what I can get!

Oh and right as I finished this post the "Life and Death" song came on my iTunes which is set on shuffle. Exciting! Michael Giacchino is a genius!

"She's so lucky/ She's a star"

2010-05-15T15:03:00.002-04:00

I was editing the other day at Starbucks (I know. I finally found the strength to read through it again. And holy crap, there are SO many mistakes I missed. This is why you don't try to condense editing into two days people!) and a lady bug landed right on top of the pile of papers I was marking to within an inch of its life with a yellow highlighter. I think this is going to mean good things: 1) Ladybugs are lucky. 2) They are red and black. The setting is UGA!!! 3) The ladybug really refused to leave the pages as I tried to brush it away after my initial fascination. Maybe this means I will be scrappy when trying to get this thing published. Let's hope so!

"I want to thank you/ Thank you for being a friend"

2010-05-12T23:15:00.003-04:00

I had a conversation earlier today with my friend TW. He works for a marketing company in Atlanta. We were talking about LOST and then he asked about the book (he is actually the 2nd or 3rd person I told about it in a moment of weakness when he berated me as to what I had planned for my life). Here is a snippet from the tail end of the conversation:

Me: So what's gonna be the cool new thing everyone has to have since you're ahead of the curve?

TW: Annie's book. Or so the data says...

Me: hahahaha. You just earned a million cool points for saying that. And that's why you got a big story line in the book. :)

See people? Big things can happen when you show some support. Well granted he had already shown support and got a big story line and now he is just adding to his awesomeness. Yay for TW!

"And it's taken me this long/ But baby I've figured you out"

2010-05-12T16:29:00.004-04:00

We are hurdling towards the SERIES finale of LOST. Ahhhh... what will I do with myself when it ends? How will I waste hours sifting through message boards and comments for one theory that has a glimmer of being right (only to be dashed an episode or two later)? What will I talk about with my friends for hours on end? I don't even want to think about it.

But what I am thinking about is how is it going to end. Just so in the event that my far fetched guess is right, I am writing it here so I can accept all the glory. This is my non-definite ending theory. (Meaning if it isn't going to end with one side ultimately winning-- if good doesn't prevail):

Let's recall the conversation between Jacob and the MIB (are we ever going to learn his name!?!) during season 5 where Jacob says "It only ends once, everything else is just progress". I think that Jack is going to become the new Jacob and it is going to end after X number of years with Jack bringing a new batch of people to the island... perhaps by plane crash or a wayward boat, whatever. But maybe it will end with a new person opening their eye a la Jack in the pilot and it's going to start all over. And everything that we have seen, these past six seasons, has been progress. I'm not saying I like my theory, I just had the inspiration after last week's episode.

So that will mean Jack is the new Jacob and FLocke will remain as the MIB. I threw out this theory to my fellow LOST-obsessed friend TW and he said he thought maybe Sawyer would be the new MIB. I think this can also be a solid theory because Sawyer has always been the one so desperate to get home and he and Jack have always been against each other. Admit it, it makes a little bit of sense.

So that's what I think. Anyone else care to share their theories? Only 3.5 hours left. All I know is I'm not emotionally prepared for this.

"The dog days are done/ Can't you hear the horses/ Cause here they come"

2010-05-10T20:55:00.005-04:00

How about a Square One update (or rather a short one since there isn't a whole lot to talk about)? Sister AE finished it! I think she actually finished the same day I complained on here about her taking a long time. And the verdict is, well read the following conversation:

AE: I really liked it.

Me: Yay! * tiny pause * But LA said she loved it.

AE: Same thing.

Me: Oh so when you talk to our nieces you tell them you "really like" them?

AE: Annie....

Me: Okay, okay.

So yay! The toughest sister down. AE reads A LOT. So I knew she'd been the hardest/most critical in terms of knowing what was going to happen since I dropped hints along the way towards the big reveal(s). Some of them she picked up on but I chalk that up to her reading a lot and knowing me pretty well. But luckily the biggest end-surprise she totally didn't see coming!!!! VICTORY!

But that might be short-lived because now it's been handed off to my mom. Every time I think the anxiety can't get any worse, it does. But after my mom reads it, I think that will be the end of my worries. Well until the first friend (TBD) reads it, then my worries will be over.

I have been taking a little break from SO. One friend is very encouraging and always asks for updates. When he asked the other day, I realized Crap, I haven't done anything in a good while since I've been waiting on LA and then AE to read it. So I opened it up to do a little editing and read three sentences and had to stop. I'm still rather sick of myself. But I think I am going to try to do each chapter backwards to catch the grammatical errors so that I am actually reading it instead of anticipating what is coming next.

Next step after editing it will be writing a query in hopes of getting an agent to pimp out my book to editors. I'm pretty nervous about writing the query. It's the blurb, the summary, the elevator pitch that explains your novel and you as an author. Yeah, no pressure. And we all know how much I hate giving away key plot points so this is going to be a toughy. Maybe I'll make sure do a solid round of editing first. And carefully read every single word. Twice, maybe even three times.

"You'll be sorry when you figure out/ I was always everything that you needed/ Sooner or later, you're gonna wish you had me"

2010-05-10T15:23:00.004-04:00

Previously on * slight pause * Survivor: A long montage of the "moves" Russell has made. Could the little hobbit possibly be exiting this week?! One can only hope. He did waste that immunity idol last week cause he sucks at the social aspect of the game. Oh yeah and Candice was an idiot, turned on her own tribe and Amanda was voted out.

Let me just say: I got excited when I found out this was going to be a double elimination. Then I saw on another board someone's comment that it would probably just be Colby and Rupert therefore eliminating the last of the Heroes. I entered this episode with low expectations.

Night 30: Jerri is immediately suspicious of Candice since "once a flopper, always a flopper" and wants her gone since they don't need her anymore (can someone please count HOW many times this happened in the entire series of Survivor. They use you and then throw you out next time. It has to be in the dozens by now) Colby and Rupert start filling out a page about Candice in their Burn Book. Pathetic, self-centered, weak. There are no other Heroes" Rupert laments. Okay, no need to be that dramatic.

No credits. Yessss. Let's get our game faces on.

Rupert says Russell is "worse than Johnny Fairplay" and confronts him, particularly about how Russell swore on his kids' lives. Russell plays the "it's just a game" card. Russell slams Rupert and calls him "the good guy, the second coming of Christ" and while I do think Rupert should be knocked down a few pegs (he's never won, the fans just like him for whatever reason) Russell is throwing out whatever because he can't believe someone is actually standing up to him. "You're a dumbass,” he says to Rupert (let's keep that in mind for later). All in all, +5 to Rupert.

Immunity challenge: Endurance challenge. Stand on a perch, hold your arm up that is chained to a bucket for as long as possible or a bucket of colored water/paint will come crashing down and you're out. Food items will be temptations for people to drop out. Poverty has won this challenge before and lasted six (?!?!) hours. Couldn't this come after a shower reward challenge so we don't have to see all of the girls' overgrown armpits? Gross.

After literally ONE minute, Sandra and Russell want out and don't care what the mystery food item is (cookies and milk. Win). Colby drops out for doughnuts and iced coffee. Seriously?! You're on your way the door; wait 24 more hours to eat. -5 Colby. Candice earns like half a cool point as Colby's neon green water comes crashing down and says "Ninja turtle style". She is whispering with Danielle during the challenge "Will Poverty hang on? Someone needs to beat Rupert" Oh how quickly we assimilated ourselves into the V tribe.

35 minutes pass and Jeff brings out PB&J, chips, and candy and Danielle, Jerri, and Candice are out. I'd be pissed if I were the one on my tribe everyone hung their hopes on and I had to suffer and go home with an empty stomach. Their buckets come crashing down and Danielle exposes herself and that’s par for the course. "Your pants just came off," Jerri announces like the idiot she is. And then there were two.

After an hour and ten minutes, Rupert slips off the perch and Poverty wins. I do think that a lot of challenges have favored the girls solely because they include balancing. There is a reason they don't have the balance beam as a men's sport in gymnastics. They suck at it. I’m calling shenanigans on a producer being in love with Poverty and wanting to see her make it to the end so she can be his Sugar Mama.

Jeff reads a rhyming clue to the entire group for the next HII. They get back to camp and everyone scrambles off in search of the idol. Somehow Sandra (?!?) is the one to find it instead of Russell. She knows she can't read it in front of everyone so she stashes it at another spot. +50 Sandra

Rupert is somewhat brilliant and puts a rock in his pocket to make it look like he is stashing the idol. Guess who falls for it hook, line, and sinker? Russell "You're a dumbass" Hantz. Ahhh.... irony is sweet.

The Vs decide to split the vote between Rupert and Colby in the event Rupert plays the "idol". Jerri is weary of Candice and wants to vote for her instead of Colby. The girls are discussing this behind a structure. A structure, which conceals not only you but also the person on the other side. Colby overhears their plan and he and Rupert are going to throw up a Hail Mary and vote for Candice so she can be out 5-3 and have a little revenge for voting Amanda out. Hey, that sounds like an idea someone else had! (Hint: Me!)

TC in the TH: Rupert and Colby gang up on Candice about turning on them. Candice's logic is faulty because the Heroes did have the numbers with Sandra so she sucks. Russell keeps saying "partnahs". When did this become Blazing Saddles? Time to read the votes. Rupert stays in his seat and everyone is a little puzzled. Jeff reads the first vote and COMMERCIAL. Oh this means it's going to be good.

Three votes for Rupert and then.... Candice! YES! This is going to work!! Five votes later she is out and another castaway falls victim to the consequences of being a flip flopper. Love it! Russell is pissed they didn’t split the votes between Colby and Rupert and is freaking out trying to predict outcomes, and decides he needs to take control of this game.

Immunity challenge already?!? Love it! Obstacle course involving table mazes, climbing walls, and a puzzle with only a certain number of people moving on to the next round. It comes down to the sliding puzzle with Russell, Rupert, and Poverty. Russell pulls out the win. Boooooo.

Poverty says they are voting for Rupert tonight and goes on and on about how the Vs are going to weed out the Heroes and they are running the show and there won’t be a single Hero left.

Since Russell has immunity around his neck and is safe from the vote, he decides to stir up some trouble: He is going to tell Poverty that Danielle is gunning for her and vice versa. If this guy didn’t have immunity he never would have made such a huge move so let’s not give him too much credit for strategizing. I’m all for eliminating the threat but seriously people, WAIT until the rest of the other tribe is gone. See: Tocantins and Samoa where tribes came in vastly outnumbered and ended up in the finals.

Russell runs and tells Poverty that Danielle wants her out. Poverty’s WTF face along with “Why does she want to do that?” isn’t one of shock or betrayal; it’s her BS meter ringing off the charts. She says she is going to talk to Danielle and Russell goes in to panic mode saying she will be the next one out of this game and threatening her. Russell does not do well when his back is against a wall. Poverty went up a couple of notches for seeing through his crap and not backing down. +10 Poverty. I still don’t like her but I’m rooting for her out everyone that is left (RIP Boston Rob).

Poverty and Danielle talk and rightly assume Russell is worried that if they end up in the final three, the girls will take each other and he’ll be on the outs (guess no one told them this is going to be a final 3 situation). I never noticed how pronounced of an accent Danielle has. Boston maybe? All I know is I want her to stop talking. Russell thinks that this will make Poverty scared of him and she’ll follow his every order from here on out if Danielle gets voted out. I didn’t watch her previous seasons but didn’t Russell? Cause she doesn’t strike me as the type to be “scurred” of anyone in this game.

Russell tells Jerri to vote for Danielle (along with Colby and Rupert) and when she asks him to elaborate when he says she will be next if she doesn’t (which makes NO sense), he just says, “I can’t”. I repeat: Russell has no strategy beyond going after anyone who is slightly against him. He is only keeping Poverty (the bigger threat) since she has already won the game and figures people won’t vote for her again.

TC in the TH: Danielle says the Vs are making decisions together. Jerri says the opposite. Danielle and Poverty reveal that they were pitted against each other and Russell is at the root of it. Russell tries to flip it on Danielle and she calls him a liar. They are arguing and talking over each other and Danielle starts to cry. She says she is exhausted and it is getting to be too much for her and everyone on the jury scoffs and I believe JT mutters, “Boo hoo”. Yeah, not a smart way to campaign for votes. All of them wish they were exhausted and still in the game. Russell tries to play victim and Twiggy is Eliza-ing it up over on the side with her reactions because they all know anything that comes out of his mouth is Grade A crap. And then Danielle pulls her last round of ammunition out of her bag and says, “I’m closer to Poverty than you think” and promptly shoots herself in the foot. Poverty practically does a face palm. I mean everyone knows you’re working together but no need to throw out that kind of statement, honey. This isn’t the time to brag about sitting at the cool kids lunch table. You’re playing for a million dollars! Danielle tries to slap a band-aid over her bullet hole and says, “We’re all fine!” while they are clearly anything but. Russell mouths to Jerri to vote for Danielle. Time to vote.

Russell spells his vote "Danellie". Well I think we now know who voted for “Luara” last season. I wonder if he does it on purpose just to spite them or if he is dyslexic. Jerri votes and says her vote is “sealing [her] fate”. I’m intrigued. Jeff reads the votes and 3 votes for Rupert and then 4 votes for Danielle and she’s out of there. “That’s messed up” says Poverty and I actually agree. Way to oust yourself from your alliance.

Next week: Russell is trying to team up with the Heroes and I pray Rupert actually spews his holier-than-thou crap so that this doesn’t happen. The finale is on Sunday!!!!! HECK YES! Team Anyone But Russell (or Jerri who has done nothing)!

And I know I’ve said it before but go and watch Ponderosa!!! JT, Coach, and Courtney have started a band called The Dragons and they have a music video. Go!

P.S. Couldn't find pics online anywhere. Sorry!

"Hold your tongue and walk away/ Say it's been a heavenly day"

2010-05-09T21:53:00.004-04:00

Here are a couple of short family stories that I found funny:

My mom and I went to visit my brother's family in B'ham for a few days. My newly six year old niece ME was telling us some of the Kindergarten gossip. She told us about a little boy in her class and how he was so "annoying" and "silly" and just went on and on about this kid. After a moment, my mom said, "You know ME, it sounds like you like this boy" to which she replied with an embarrassed smile, "I do" followed by a giggle. Man, it starts young doesn't it?

My niece MG went on a field trip to see a ballet a few days ago. She told me how her class got to meet a girl and boy ballerina (/ballerino?) after the show. I asked if they were still in their costumes when she talked to them and she said no. But then she dropped her voice to a whisper and said "And the boy ballerina, guess what? He had a ponytail. hehehe" Guess other boys in her class aren't following the hair styles of Ryder Robinson and Presley Crawford.

It's a pretty well-known fact that when you spend the night at Gran's house, you have pizza for dinner. Special place equals special treat, I guess. Around three o'clock the doorbell rang and it was an AT&T guy but niece CJ (4) asked "Gran, did you order pizza?" It was seriously like Pavlov's dogs. Well minus the slobber.

And I was talking to niece SD who is turning eight in a few months (even though I've placed numerous calls to the Birthday Police asking for her just to turn seven again. They do exist) about how my birthday was on mother's day this year and SD said "Well that's great! You get to honor your mother and she gets to honor you". Well that's an optimistic attitude.

And today at church, I marched all four girls to go to bathroom because when one has to go, they all have to go (and the peppermints in a basket on the counter are probably enticing as well). As they filed in, a girl (who look a little younger than myself) asked me "Are they all yours?" Guess 23 isn't treating me too well already. Super.

"I don't know what this world's about/ But this will be our year"

2010-05-07T11:14:00.005-04:00

When I was little I used to be obsessed with my birthday or more importantly my birthday party. And I mean obsessed. Like my mom had to make a rule that I wasn't allowed to talk about my birthday until after my brother's birthday on April 13th because I'd debate whether I wanted Pink Power Ranger party or one of those cakes with the Barbie stuck in it (never got one) starting in January. I just love birthdays (not even just my own. I get excited for other people too)! I was a master unwrapper at the young age of two. No one could tear their way to a Sesame Street VHS (how's that for old school?) or Big Bird tricycle faster than this girl. In the hour leading up to my actual party, I would sit outside and just wait for the first guest to arrive. I loved that part. I know, I'm a dork. But I'm okay with that.

In elementary school, my birthday rocked. Sometimes it fell on field day, that awesome day where your entire class wears the same shirt with a mascot that matches the letter of your teacher's last name (Moore's m&m's, Waller's Wildcats), you don't have class, and you spend the day competing in balloon tosses, potato sack races, and tug of war for much-coveted First Place ribbons. Sometimes my birthday party would also fall on field day and all the girls would load up into my mom's minivan for the party after watching the annual 5th grade vs sixth softball game to head to my house for cake, ice cream, and presents. Ahhhh the memories.

But my birthday took on, shall we say different memories in high school (frankly, I don't remember my birthday in middle school minus the really cool older girl who actually turned out to be quite the witch signing the poster on my locker): My beloved birthday started to fall in the middle of AP finals. Senior year I had to take the AP Biology exam (AWFUL) on my birthday and my mom wouldn't even let me check out of school after it. I did have my first surprise party that year the following day thanks to my friends so that made up for it. But still, not the actual day that was spent in the library trying to write about osmosis and cell division and bacteria.

Then there was college, oh lovely college. Freshmen year was the WORST. The night before, I stayed up studying in my freezing cold dorm room alone for my geology final. I woke up and felt terrible so I ran to the bathroom. As I was walking out, I fainted (ew). Like completely wiped out. I thought "Oh good I made it to my dorm. The floor is so cold. Wait, how did I get here?" and then I opened my eyes and say the grimy tile floor and I got out of there. Then I had to muster up the strength to go and take my 200 question geology final. Then I had about an hour to move out of my dorm before the check-out time. Luckily I had done most of the work the day before, but the few trips I had left were not fun. I then drove home to Atlanta sick as a dog and didn't even get to go out to dinner with my friends and family. Worst. Birthday. Ever.

Sophomore and Junior year I had finals right before my birthday but was spared a final on the actual day. So I would have my party on the actual day. Unfortunately a lot of my friends would already be studying abroad or doing their summer plans so those parties were lacking a tad in attendance but ultimately good.

Senior year I realized my birthday was going to fall on graduation. You know, a time where people have their parents and family in town and will have lots of plans and activities. Awesome. This was when I was hanging out with my awesome group of friends every weekend and I really wanted to celebrate with them especially before we all went our separate ways for the summer and in some cases, life. So I got smart and had it a few weeks earlier in April to ensure more people could make it. But yep, birthday was on graduation last year (not the best gift ever) and I woke up early, sat in the blazing sun, heard some cliched inspirational speeches and wore an itchy gown and goofy hat. My family had come up the day before since that's when the smaller English department ceremony was so I had no family plans while all my other friends did. But we all got to hang out that night and it was a good, good night.

This year my birthday (May 9th) is getting trumped by mother's day (as it did last when I was a junior in high school). I mean my mom is awesome so of course let's celebrate but come on, really? My birthday is already on a Sunday which is statistically the worst day of the week to have a birthday. But luckily this won't happen for another six years. :)

Okay, okay: We are also waiting to celebrate my and my brother-in-law BR's birthdays in a few weeks when my sister's family is visiting from Seattle. But it doesn't sound as dramatic when I include that part.

"I got my swim trunks/ And my flippy floppys"

2010-05-02T17:43:00.006-04:00

Previously on Survivor: Merge. JT proved that Stephen was the brains behind their dominance and he never should have won the million. Russell continued his one-sided love affair with Poverty and gave her ANOTHER idol. And Poverty pulled one of the best strategic moves in this entire show and almost made me start spelling her name correctly out of respect. Oh yeah, JT got voted out. Shocker.

Night 27: Rupert says he tried to tell the Heroes about Russell. Candice is kissing the villains’ butts, saying it was a great move. Russell is pissed Poverty didn’t tell him about the second idol. She “lied” to him apparently. Poverty defends herself with her high pitch voice that she must think guys find attractive but it doesn’t make Russell any less angry. Poverty says it is because he thinks he’s the godfather of this game and I’m shocked she didn’t call herself the godmother.

Amanda and Rupert strategize and Rupe says he is going to work on Sandra and try to get her on board with them. The Heroes know she is pretty much their last hope. Ooooh they don’t even show the intro/credits. That means they needed that extra 45 seconds. I’m excited.

Day 28. Stock footage of those darn whales again. Candice is stroking Russell’s ego about a move he had nothing to do with (-5 Candice). Russ starts working on her to jump ship. When someone from the other tribe is saying there is a strong possibility you could wind up in at least third place, I think that’s when you should call shenanigans.

If you switch to be with us, I promise I will tell you how LOST ends. I'm the king of Survivor. Don't you know I'm omisent... omniscent... all-knowing?!?

Reward challenge: Glorified version of shuffleboard: Three teams, two turns each, and closest to the X wins. This was boring to watch so I will not bore you with words. After the first round, Rupert is closest. When Sandra’s doesn’t get close to the X, Probst gets catty and says, “That’s a wasted shot right there.” Thanks for the input Jeffrey. On the/his last shot, Colby wins reward for himself, Amanda, and Danielle. A trip to Robert Louis Stevenson’s (wrote Treasure Island) home which is now a museum, a showing of the film and a good night’s sleep in a real bed.

Hey, I stepped up for once! YAY!

The trio is chillin on the bed, watching the movie but Amanda is scanning the room for the clue. Danielle and Colby are chomping on popcorn and Danielle finds it in the bowl and drops it on the floor under her spot on the bed. Amanda gets suspicious and heads over to Danielle’s side.

Oh nothing. Just your last chance at million bucks.

She finds the clue and a catfight ensues. LOL. Danielle is calling Amanda “psychotic” and they wrestle for the clue. They argue who has rights to the clue and Colby is asked for his opinion. “I didn’t even see what happened, I was watching Treasure Island.” LOL. Colby, stupidly, tells Amanda to give it back to Danielle. -10 Colby. And Amanda even more stupidly, ends up giving it back to her. -20 Amanda. These Heroes, you really make it hard for me to root for you when you are continually STUPID.

Gimme it, you psychopath!

The three head back to camp and it doesn’t take long for the catfight story to come up. Danielle exaggerates that she “wrestled Amanda down to the ground”. I didn’t see that happen. Danielle and Russell take off to search for the clue. And of course, Russell finds it and stashes it and Danielle has no clue (even though she had the clue). This is Russell’s petty attempt at revenge. Wouldn’t Danielle have gotten suspicious when he just stopped searching all of the sudden even if it was so "the heroes won't get suspicious"? Nah, that’s giving her too much credit.

Russell tells Candice he has the HII. She says she wants to see it so they head off into the jungle. Russell says again that this is their key to the final three. I’d like to know who the third person is. Poverty? Danielle? They hug, there is talk of trust, and blah blah blah. Candice, I wanted to root for you. I wanted to like you. But you are now dead to me unless this is an elaborate rouse to rid us of Russell.

Sandra is breaking down what happened on her tribe (RIP Boston Rob) to Colby. The two assume Danielle has the HII so they should go after Russell or Poverty tonight. Cut to Sandra and Russell chat chitting and I’m actually shocked at how poorly Sandra seems to be lying to Russell. He tells her they have six votes. “Wait hold up, you’re doing math wrong,” says Sandra. LOL. He then says a Hero is with them and Sandra suspects Candice or Amanda.

Immunity Challenge: Build a house of cards using 150 wooden tiles ten feet tall, and the first one done wins. Another challenge where I don’t have to write a lot. YAY. Right as Jeff comments on Colby’s stack, it all comes crashing down. That pretty much sums up Colby as a whole. Just when you want to root for him (winning the shuffleboard game), he sucks and collapses (not helping Amanda get the clue). It’s pretty much neck and neck between Jerri and Russell.

I bet they had to put in the stool for everyone so they couldn't be sued for discrimination.

Russell runs out of cards in his hands 10 feet up and that pretty much costs him the win because Jerri finishes first. She freaks out about winning since it is her first in three seasons and I don’t think she should be bragging about that. It’s kind of like advertising how much you suck at challenges and shouldn’t be perceived as a threat. Man, Immunity challenge over at 35 minutes. There is either going to be some scrambling or an EPIC TC. I’m giddy!

Surprise! I'm mediocre!

Sandra gives us the best quote of this episode: “I’m voting for Russell because I have been waiting to take him down for thirty days- thirty days too long. It’s time for revenge. This is for Courtney, Boston Rob, Tyson, and even Coach who I don’t care about but I’ll stick him in there too.” +100 for Sandra.

Jerri says she is “swimming in yay” since she won her first immunity. -5 Jerri. Russell tells Candice to vote for “Boston Rob in a girl’s body”: Amanda. Candice is so boring. I wish she wasn’t the focus of this episode. Her plan is going for “the plan that is most solid”. The Heroes & Sandra talk about the plan to vote for Russell.

Russell asks Candice who are they planning to vote for and she mumbles “I don’t know” which might as well be code for “You but I don’t want to say it to your face.” Russell isn’t an idiot and says “Me?” Candice also admits that Sandra’s on board with the heroes.

Russell stalks down the beach to Sandra (all five foot one of him) while Candice chases him like a little kid trying to beat the sibling to their parent to explain why they shouldn’t be the one in trouble and that they didn’t do anything wrong. Sandra does another not so great job at lying to Russell saying that Amanda is going home. Later, Sandra says they are back to square one (book title! so she gets +100 points from me!) because of Candice. They think Russell will now “get the idol” (since they don’t know he has it and Candice isn’t fessing up. #1 indicator of the way she is gonna vote) so they plan for Poverty. Colby says, “If this thing doesn’t work it’s Candice’s fault” which makes me laugh. But if it doesn’t work it doesn’t really matter whose fault it is because you’ll be next Colpster.

Sandra is practically begging Candice to go along with the Heroes’ plan and makes a good point that if they're already talking like this then they are done. If you flip, no one is going to trust you. If you don’t flip and Sandra is lying, you’re out the door next anyway. What do you gain by flipping Candice?! A few extra days? Come on! I swear, if I were on the heroes and my one chance to get out Russell or Poverty fell through because of my own tribemate, I would vote them out myself at the next TC since my chances would be over anyway.

Sandra is all kinds of awesome this episode and tells Russell and Danielle to go away while she is trying to talk to Candice and surprisingly they oblige. Candice tells Sandra she wants Amanda out (must be personal).

Seriously, Candice! How are you this dumb?!

TC in the TH: Lots of talk about jumping ship. Sandra clearly does her best lying at TC. She acknowledges that she is on the outside of her own group. Russell then tries to explain that they might keep her around since she isn’t a threat in challenges and she’d be easy to beat in the final vote since she’s already won. Again it becomes an episode of Dr. Phil and Sandra says she doesn’t feel wanted and that makes her frustrated. Russell then goes on to list the important characteristics of his alliance and leaves out Sandra. She calls him out and he says she is “just there”. Look at the little man’s poor attempts at jury votes (his lack of social game and inability to keep his mouth shut are his true kryptonite). Colby and Rupert again state their assumptions out loud that Danielle has the idol. When will you two learn?

Time to vote. If looks could kill, JT would have just murdered Russell three times over. Russell even has to brag in his little voting confessional that he found the idol, not Danielle. Someone has a Napoleon complex. We see votes for Amanda and Poverty. Time to tally. Andddddddd, Russell stands up and plays the idol. Another reason he sucks: He cannot read people! This is the second time he has done this and received NO votes. Seriously, the dude finds HIIs (with clues this time around) and bullies people. That’s it. He’s AWFUL.

Two votes for Amanda. Poverty panics when she sees two votes for herself. “Damn it” says Russell when he see he was not the target of the heroes. Yup, you suck. I’m REALLY going to enjoy watching him cry when he makes it to second place again (merely a guess, no spoilers here). And with 5 votes, Amanda is out and gets her torch snuffed for the first time in three seasons. “Okay Jeff I know you’ve been waiting for ever to do this.” Haha +5 for being funny when you’re out Amanda.

Oh look, it's my third chance to suck at the finale TC sailing off into the sunset.

Russell catches Poverty’s eye and says, “I had to. I’m never that nervous” and that’s a lie since this is the second time this has happened. And Poverty says, “You wasted one” and rolls her eyes. Don’t worry Poverty, the producers have basically heaped the game onto Russell so they will be tossing it back in tomorrow and I’m sure you, he or Danielle will find it. Maybe Jerri if the producers don’t want to blatantly show favoritism/ manipulation. But I will still give you +5 for giving Russell sass.

At this point, I want anybody but Russell to win. Mainly Poverty and Sandra though since they are showing signs of intelligence. And interesting that they are the last remaining winners in the game. Because they actually think to outwit, outplay, and outlast. Not outluck, outtalk, or outbrag like SOME people who shall remain nameless.

Next week: The Villains start to crumble: Russell threatens Poverty, Poverty bullies Jerri, and Annie is excited.

"Cause these things will change/ Can you feel it now/ These walls they put up to hold us back will fall down"

2010-04-29T15:28:00.007-04:00

This is what Square One looked like when I first started "writing it" seven years ago:

Clearly I had high hopes at fifteen (but I also have a grandiose sense of humor). Oh the changes SO has gone through. First of all, I don't even think it had a title. Actually it may have but it was really lame and it gives away a plot point so we will just forget about that.

I originally wanted to write in journal format to mimic one of my favorite books at the time. Not the case with SO as it is now; it's a good old first-person narrative. And it's funny cause I came up with the idea at the end of the ninth grade. And that version of the story (seriously all three pages I wrote of it) took place at the beginning of the summer after the girl's freshmen year. See, I write what I know.

The names also changed. The girl's name was originally Allyson. But since one of my nieces currently has a name that is similar, that got the axe. The main guy was going to be named Andy because I've always loved that name for a boy but I switched it up in SO because it has more significance now. But I still like the name so it got passed on to my bro-in-law BR's character.

But the HUGE difference is this: I've always known two events were going to occur- Event A and event B. Event B was going to be caused by A. And originally I was going to have Event A happen in like the second chapter. But after thinking it through (for eight years) and changing the direction of the story (and growing up and experiencing new things), Event A is now in like chapter 14 or 15. So while I think I created a lot of background and foundation, it really was important so you got to know the characters and understood where the main girl character is coming and feeling. So while I've said I have known this idea since I was 15, it has definitely shape-shifted and transformed into the little story it is now. And with one happy reader and half of another one (AE sure is taking her sweet time. Sure, she has a job but COME ON! I'm dying here!), I think it was a good move.

Oh but I've always apparently had the "name characters after friends" tactic. One of my good friends at the beginning of high school was named Amanda. The name of the best friend in this version: Amanda. I'm so creative and don't show favoritism at all. At least some things don't change.

"You can ask yourself: 'Hey, what have I done?'/ You’re just a fly – the little guys, they kill for fun"

2010-04-27T15:00:00.005-04:00

Sometimes you forget just how not cool people can be. Like trying to take advantage of the already desperate people looking for a job. Some examples:

1. I got an email from a company claiming I was being considered for a position I had applied for and they needed to do a background check on me and needed my credit report. Whaaa? I called the one company I thought it could be for (since the name was absent in the email) and they said that it wasn't them and they wouldn't ask for such information unless I had already been interviewed. I got another email today claiming it was their third attempt to contact me (technically only the second) and did a little research and it appears to be a scam for identity theft. Awesome.

2. I have gotten numerous phone calls about continuing my education. One night I got several calls about ten minutes apart only to answer and have no one be on the line. Then when the number called again the next morning, I answered very angrily expecting more dead air only to be met by the voice of a young girl asking if I was looking to further my education. I spat out that I don't know how they got my number, I don't want to since I already have my bachelor's degree and I wanted my name taken off of the list. She said okay and that she would do that. Then my conscience kicked in for scolding an innocent, clueless girl. I started to apologize, only to have her hang up on me. Awesome.

3. I got called in for an interview where the name of the company sounded like one I had applied to. I drove the 35 minutes to the office only to realize, uhhh not the one I applied for. I talked to the woman for about two minutes (basically said five adjectives I wanted out of my career and that I have never been arrested) and she offered for me to come in for a training session the next morning. "I'm sorry but I'm really confused. What exactly would I be training for?" She replied: "You'd be training for a career opportunity." And that's when I got out of there since I had never applied for the job (they found my resume online) and to be honest, I still have NO idea what the company does. So that was an afternoon wasted. Awesome.

And the best part is when you get a rejection letter from a company that has typos and poor grammar. Maybe you could use my services after all. Hmph.

"When you call my name/ It's like a little prayer/ I'm down on my knees/ I want to take you there"

2010-04-26T16:01:00.006-04:00

Happy Music Monday! How about a few of the current favorites? Okay!

1. Give Me Strength -Snow Patrol.

2. Gives You Hell -Cast of Glee

3. Cosmic Love -Florence + the Machine

4. Everything Comes With a Price -The Ruse

5. Like a Prayer -Cast of Glee (feat. Jonathan Groff) Seriously, this is my most favorite. Like right now, if I could only listen to one song for the rest of my life this would be it.

Basically, Glee can do no wrong. I'm not even a huge Madonna fan and that episode was EPIC. I seriously love it and listen to the songs all the time. LOVE LOVE LOVE.

Oh and the entire soundtrack to the Broadway musical Spring Awakening: Featuring the lovely Lea Michele from Glee and her new singing beau Jonathan Groff. Seriously I LOVE these two together. Its adorable that they are best friends in real life. I want to be friends with them too! Please?

"Few times I've been around that track/ So it's not just gonna happen like that/ Cause I ain't no Hollaback Girl"

2010-04-25T21:24:00.011-04:00

Previously on * slight pause * Survivor: Everyone is anticipating a merge. Poverty found a HII and didn’t tell Russell. JT executed the DUMBEST move ever and gave Russell his HII. Villains went to TC and Twiggy was voted out.

Day 25: Rupert and Amanda find a locked box with a note saying company will be arriving soon with the key. Over at the V camp, they find a key and map to the Heroes' camp. Russell and his ladies decide to lie and say he used JT's HII that was intended for Poverty to save himself while Poverty used one as well. Russell talks some trash (to the camera natch, not to the girls who are actually running this show) and says he’s going to have the Heroes eating of his hands. -1 Russell.

Poverty expands her king and queen metaphor (getting old; -1 Poverty) and calls Danielle her “lady in waiting”. Wonder what Danielle thought when she saw that. The Villains arrive at the Heroes camp and JT freaks out because Poverty is leading the pack and he can’t see Russell. But he manages to see the tiny, stubby legs and is relieved. He assumes Poverty played an idol and says she has to go next.

Hugs and giggles all around by the two tribes. The box reveals some food and new black buffs. Everyone freaks about the food (mainly Jerri, again) and they feast (probably like Kings and Queens if you asked Poverty). New tribe names are thrown out: The Hillains, Yin Yang, and All Villains. “We’re all Villains,” says Jerri. “Really?” says Colby the Golden Boy in disbelief. Then we get some mumbo-jumbo from Rupe about how they are all winners, all-stars, blah blah blah. This isn’t your little boys and girls club, we don’t need your inspiration.

Cut to Jerri saying she built a covered wagon last year and then Amanda saying someone had a worm under their skin that you could see moving. Most random dialogue EVER. Poverty looks forlorn and says everyone wants her gone and it’s getting to her.

Russell lies to JT and Rupert and says he and Poverty both stood up and used their HIIs at the exact same time. Russell swears on his kids he is on board with the Heroes. JT says, “I told you so. He’s solid man. He’s a good old country boy” to Rupert. JT says giving Russ the HII could blow up in his face and Russ could be the leader of the girls. “Do I believe it? Not a chance in the world”. I would give JT a shovel but he doesn’t need any help digging his own grave. Although, he is right in believing it since Russell is in fact NOT the leader and Poverty really is running the show.

Sandra confides in Rupert and says Russell and Poverty are in control. She keeps it quick so people don’t get suspicious. This conversation makes Rupert wake up and smell the rat. +5 Rupert. GO RUPERT, GO! Vote out the hobbit! Redeem yourself and validate your huge ego by actually making a smart move for once. PLEASE!

The Heroes' last chance. I know, I'm shocked too.

Some talk about how the Villains are eating the Heroes’ carefully rationed bananas. All of the Heroes think this s#!t is bananas, b-a-n-a-n-a-s, while Poverty and Danielle act like they are surveying the produce section.

How many more can I take before Rupert's brain explodes?

Amanda, Candice, JT, and Rupert discuss Russell and Rupert says the smartest thing he’s ever said in this game and possibly his life: [Russell’s] on the villain side for a reason. THANK YOU. +10 Rupert. JT is all condescending about how Rupert needs someone else to think up strategy. -5 JT. He must be hitting his kidneys by now with how deeply he is inserting his foot in his mouth.

Poverty and Amanda go off and talk and exchange some deets about their tribes. Poverty tells Amanda she has a HII. Amanda says she likes Poverty but if she makes it to the end of this game, she is going to win again. Foreshadowing?

Immunity challenge: Holding on to a pole (with indents for hand and footrests) and whoever lasts the longest wins. About .5 seconds in, Colby and Sandra drop out Seriously Colby? Why do you test my love and support? -1 Colby. But I do think they are giving the women an edge with these challenges since Russell and Rupert drop out next. Then Amanda, JT, and Jerri. Candice wishes the girls luck and starts to step down. Jeff stops her and asks why she is giving up when she is favored to win based on past challenges. Candice says the others look like they could last a while. -1 Candice. So she’s out and that leaves Poverty and Danielle.

Poverty and Danielle immediately start talking.

P: You want me to win?

D: I’ll win cause youhavetheidol she mumbles. I hope she said it too loudly allowing everyone to overhear but alas no such luck.

Plus, I mean really, what other time am I going to win?

Poverty steps down and Danielle wins immunity. There’s a sentence I never thought I’d type. Danielle exposes herself on the way down. Yep, that’s more like normal. Rupert is suspicious of Poverty just stepping down when she is “in danger of going home”. The big man now sets his sights on the little man.

Day 27 at Yin Yang and we get the billionth shot of those two whales in the ocean. Seriously producers, get some new stock footage. The Heroes decide to tell Russell they are voting for Poverty to test his allegiance and then they will really vote for Sandra or Jerri and still get rid of a villain.

This might be a stupid strategy but if I thought someone had a HII, I would trail them the entire day leading up to TC. Then you’d see if they had it OR you’d prevent them from getting it and therefore know they won’t be playing it that night. Come on, you have five people, take shifts and guarantee knowledge!

Russell scampers off to get his HII (ahem, could have been avoided) and is giving it to Poverty. Someone’s in luff. Poverty brags about her “two little green men”. She says she never understood why everyone thought she was the most dangerous player in the game until right now.

In lieu of the diamond ring I'll give ya when we get home

Amanda complains to Poverty about being on different tribes. Amanda tells Poverty she better play her idol tonight “just in case”. Poverty says she knows Amanda is lying and they aren’t voting for her, they just want her to play the idol.

TC in the TH (tree house): Rupert complains about the Villains eating all the bananas. Danielle (who I no longer think has common sense) gets into a debate about bananas and it’s just stupid. -1 Dani. Russell says, “Nothing is going to change. There are two separate tribes. The game is on. Let’s forget about green bananas and yellow bananas.” and I actually agree with the troll for once. + .00001 Russell.

Everyone agrees this vote is huge and will determine who is in the majority. JT says no one talked to him today so he assumes the Vs are writing his name down. Somehow this turns into an episode of Dr. Phil where everyone says they are feeling ignored. Poverty says she feels like a leper on this tribe and Jeff says “But is that just because you’re used to getting attention all the time in life?” Zing! +1 for Probst. Talk about how HII are huge in this game. JT says he doesn’t have one. Yeah, cause you gave it away like an imbesullan (+5 to anyone who knows that joke). Time to vote.

We see 3 votes for JT and 2 for Jerri. Noteworthy (in hindsight): Candice says she is voting for her because Jerri is least likely to receive the Idol. Time to tally the votes.

Poverty stops Jeff and then gives Sandra an idol. The Heroes are smirking since they voted for Jerri. And then.... Poverty gives Jerri an idol! WHAT!?!?

I'll trade you my HII for your jury vote.

And the crap hits the fan as the Heroes realize they are in troubs. “I knew we shouldn’t have trusted that ____” says Rupert. Have fun filling in your own noun: Troll, MF, hobbit, satan, Stumpy McStumperson. So five votes for Jerri are null and void. Three votes later, JT is out. You just got played, son.

Echoing millions of Americans when we first heard your stupid plan.

The Heroes look like they just found out their dog died on the day they got fired and their spouse left them for a younger, hotter but extremely stupid version of themselves. Russell, because he is delusional and thinks he is running this game, tells Poverty “You’ve got some explaining to do.”

Doesn't she know, she's in my dumbass girl alliance?

We all know I have beauty but I've also got the brains!

JT got voted out with his own idol and officially goes down in Survivor history as the DUMBEST move EVER.

sniff This never would have happened if Stephen were here sniff

Next week: Sandra promises to vote out Russell since she has been gunning for him since day one. I hope this is true but I’ve seen this promo thirty times and he still sticks around. One can only hope.

This episode has turned all of my thinking on its head. I’m rooting for Rupert? He is showing signs of intelligence and strategy? I now think Poverty’s somewhat brilliant. I mean really, the two people who should have been voted out were sitting ducks (Poverty and Russell), received NO votes. Poverty could have just secured two jury votes if she makes it to the end from Sandra and Jerri. I’ll say this, I don’t like Poverty but she really is brilliant. She did it to have the numbers when they very well could have been voting for her. I think it’s because Amanda said “just in case” that Poverty knew they weren’t voting for her. I’m not saying I want her to win but if she does, she deserves it at this point. We still have six eliminations to go though so we will see how this all plays out. All I know is I’m excited.

"You say yes/ I say no/ You say stop/ I say go"

2010-04-20T14:48:00.005-04:00

Ah the pitfalls of job hunting. There is a pretty awesome journalism site where all the job postings are by word of mouth. I found out about it thanks to my friend NE, so thanks NE. I've found a couple good ones but more often than not, I stumble across one where I think I can do this! I would be great at that! And then I keep reading and there is always a catch.

Exhibit A: Women's magazine needing an editorial assistant? In Atlanta!? Perfect for someone looking to break into the world of publishing? THAT'S ME! Oh it's for women who are not of my race so that'd probably be a strike against me.

Exhibit B: Blogger for Women's site. Okay! (Even though I still call myself a girl. Asked an Old Navy employee if they had any of the boyfriend sweaters left for girls. She said: Women or girls? I replied: I meant women. Doh!) And you can be in any location since it's done remotely? Awesome. A divorce blogger: Nooooo. A menopause blogger... definitely no. A debt blogger: Sorta maybe kinda. Must be 35-50. Yeah, no.

And a ton of the jobs are in NY. Oh if I only I had the guts to move there. But, nope.

UGH. And why do people ask you questions why you clearly have earbuds in? And then don't wait for you to pause your music and instead ask you over and over until you respond. Then I feel bad but seriously!

"I'll be fine once I get/ I'll be good ... I'm on the pursuit of happiness"

2010-04-19T22:35:00.005-04:00

Son of a biscuit.

Since SO was pretty much etched in my mind for years, I've been brainstorming for the next one. Too soon? Maybe. But I do want to make a career out of this so I got to have more than one idea. So I have a pretty basic one. A plot summary, if you will. But it's hard to write 50,000 words about a 30 word idea. And I've been thinking about the characters and trying to create them and whatnot. A bunch of artsy-fartsy stuff. So I've really started to finalize the characters. I am getting more of the plot in my mind. Writing out spurts of dialogue to work in as I go. Everything I did with SO, minus the huge family (never again) and the setting. Things were going good

..... until.

I started reading a new book last night. Like I said, I don't read the backs of books cause inevitably something is given away and I want to avoid that. I got this book at McKay's and its by an author where I LOVE one of her other novels so I thought I'd give this one a try. So I'm reading and this is my thought process: Hey, this is kind of like what I came up * keeps reading * Oh no, this is pretty close to what I thought of * keeps reading * This is REALLY close. But as long as this certain thing doesn't happen, I'll be good. * keeps reading * Oh crap.

Now, just a big idea is sort of the same. But mine is already different. Just the act that leads to it is also the same. Ugh. But I mean there are a bazillion books out about human teenage girls falling in love with vampires and they are doing okay right?

And now I'm torn. Do I keep reading? Do I stop? The book is good. I do know how I want mine to end so it's not like I am getting ideas. Oh this stinks. What to do, what to do?

"This town is my home/ It's deep in my soul"

2010-04-18T21:55:00.008-04:00

Oh! I happened to notice that this is my 100th post. Exciting. Well, kinda. Anywho...

I know you've all been waiting with bated breath for the answer to clue #3 from this post about a key element in SO. My mom (one of my most faithful readers. Thanks!) came sort of close with her guess about UGA football. So the answer is da da da daaaaaaa: Attending UGA is another major component in the book! At least I think that's why I made it two spaces instead of one (UGA) or three (University of Georgia). Either way, UGA all the way.

Oh, did I just lose some potential readers? Florida fans? Tech fans? Well don't worry I don't bash your schools coughtoomuchcough. Like I've said all along, my book is for the young adult crowd. Did I want to write a book about being in high school? No. Nor do teens want to read about having a job, paying bills and worrying about making rent so I opted for college. 1) I have experience. Four years worth actually. 2) When I was younger I felt like I read a lot of books about middle and high schoolers. Heck, the BSC eternally stayed in junior high. Gearing up for college, sure, and even law school but never really college. That doesn't mean they don't exist but I never stumbled across them (probably because it is something you're not supposed to write about knowing my luck). But the summer before I left for college, I re-read the books I had where the character was going through the same thing (with sweaty palms causing the book to slip out of my hands. I was scared, some may even say terrified of going to college). This way, I would know what to expect and all the awesomeness of college*. So rather than make up a fictional college (Georgia University) in Smathens, I thought why not just fully commit? So I did, I really did.

So UGA and Athens are a major player in the book. Restaurants, bars, and landmarks all make it into the book, or at least my favorite ones do. Do you think I lack all creativity? That might be a safe bet but this is the way I look at it: If I read a book that takes place in New York or New Orleans and the author names a restaurant, a bakery, or even a street, it might really exist. How should I know? I've don't live there; I don't know every nook and cranny of the city. It's just a little homage to the the greatest college town in the world (or the tenth according to away.com).

Plus, I write what I know. This should be obvious by now.

* If anyone has seen the "I Love College" music video by Asher Roth, a song that discusses $1 slices of pizza, skipping class, and beer pong, you know that a billion 14 year olds have commented is this what college is lyke?!?i cant wait 2 go!!!!! So really, I might have stumbled onto something brilliant.

"How stupid can I be/ A simpleton could see/ That you're no good for me"

2010-04-16T13:03:00.011-04:00

Survivor Recap! It's almost time for the merge and I waited to weed out all the people I didn't know since I didn't watch several seasons when I was at UGA (couldn't take the verbal abuse). Now we are down to be a pretty well-known group. This season has been pretty awesome (the Cirie blindside had me jumping on the couch with excitement) but then Boston Rob (my #1 pick to win it all) got voted off and my level of enthusiasm dropped. Anyway, I will give you a quick run down of my take on each remaining Survivor:

1. Amanda- Always looks like she about to cry and/or sneeze. She displays some reasoning skills but can also be really dumb (like keeping James around with his bum knee and voting out Tom). The jury's out on this one.

2. Candice- No idea who she is. She's athletic and seems to have some good ideas. Sort of wishy-washy. I guess I like her. Well best out of the girls anyway.

3. Colby- Ah the Colpster. My first Survivor crush. He was robbed his season, got ousted by Lex way too early during All-Stars, and has escaped the chopping block several times this season. I'm liking that the spark is back in him so Colby FTW! I luff him.

4. Courtney- aka Twiggy. Needs to eat a sandwich. Actually like a million of them. If I was on her tribe and she ever complained about being hungry, I would punch her. She came into the game already like a twig so I doubt she eats substantially in real life. She is sassy though and has some good commentary. So I like her a smidge. Even if I do worry she is going to break in two at any given moment.

5. Danielle- Who? Is she six years old with that ruffle on her bikini bottom? She did stand up to Russell last week (even though she ended up going against her own argument). She's under the radar so she'll probably end up in the final three.

6. Jerri- Hated her since her first season (probably cause I was insanely in love with Colby and she flirted with him). She's been pretty stupid this season with her alliance choices. I just can't stand her and her weird teeth/ gums.I can't pinpoint exactly what but something is funky.

7. JT- Used to be one of the most deserving winners in my opinion. However, I think his buddy Stephen may have been the true mastermind because JT has lacked finesse this season. Flip-flopping votes, going to look for the HII without telling anyone, and now his little "strategic" move last night. My love is fading fast (plus he supposedly slept with Sugar. According to her twitter. I doubt it but still. Rude. -10 JT). But at least this cements Ethan as the most deserving winner ever in my book (plus he beat cancer. Ethan is awesome)!

8. Parvati- aka Poverty. I know she went to UGA so I should like her but I don't. I get it, she flirts and guys fall for it. I don't like her but if she stabs Russell in the back and blindsides him, I will love her forever. Or at least tolerate her.

9. Rupert- Completely over this guy. WAY too big of an ego. I wasn't even crazy about him on his season and by his third rotation, I just cringe any time he talks. He has proven to be pretty worthless and he's lucky he got into a dominating alliance. If he wins fan favorite again, I will throw something.

10. Russell- Ah the little hobbit on crack. I'd maybe like him if he would SHUT UP about how awesome he is. If you have to constantly remind us maybe that means you aren't that great. Plus I think anytime we've seen major strategizing going on, it's been Danielle and Poverty back and forth and Russ just sitting there. He sticks to his "vote out anyone who suspected me" plan. But he ousted Boston Rob so he's dead to me.

11. Sandra- I didn't think she deserved to win her season. She is sassy and has some good one liners but all in all, I just don't really care.

Okay, so that's how I feel. Now for the recap! Previously on * slight pause * Survivor: The Heroes are on a winning streak after sucking for so long. JT found the HII and got caught by Amanda and Candice. The Heroes assume there is a Villain female alliance and Russell is milking it. Coach got blindsided with all the girls voting for him except Jerri. And Russell wrote his name on his vote for Twiggy probably to ensure Coach's vote on the jury if he makes it to the final three. Dear God, I hope not. Wait, actually I do because then we can watch him cry again when he comes in second place then offers the winner $10,000 for the title of sole survivor and still get shut down.

Night 21: Jerri had no idea Coach was getting voted out. Danielle assures her she's not next even though she was completely left out of the loop. Russ says he is still gunning for Twiggy and Sandra.

Day 22: Tree mail. The clue is about the reward challenge we saw in Tocantins where Coach got injured, injured bad: Holding themselves up between two walls using their forearms and really small footholds. If they outlast the other tribe's member, they get a point and the first to three wins. They have to rank from strongest to weakest to determine the pairings. Russell decides to sit out since he is heaviest. On the Heroes, Rup claims he is strongest one out there and I think he is insane since his little broken toe is holding him back. Didn't he compete like 6 years ago on his first season? You're not in the same shape buddy.

Reward challenge: JT and Rupert announce AGAIN there must be a female alliance since Coach is gone. I'm not saying that's not a fair assumption but don't verbalize it. You know what they say when you assume... The reward is a huge feast courtesy of Outback Steakhouse. I love blatant product placement because it has the opposite effect on me. I will not be going there anytime soon out of spite. Who wants Chili's?!

The pairings from strongest to weakest are:

1. Danielle and Candice 2. Twiggy and Amanda 3. Poverty and JT (JT won his season) 4. Jerri and the Colpster (J says hi to Colby and I love how you see the annoyance on his face) 5. Sandra and Rupert (Competed together on Pearl Islands; he tells her he loves her and she rolls her eyes. +1 Sandra)

Once the challenge gets underway, Jeff points out this is the 100th day Amanda has played Survivor. That's insane. That's 100 days of not eating, sleeping properly, or bathing. I wonder if she will live for 100 days less than she would have if she had not competed cause that has to take a toll on you. I know it wasn't all at once but still.

JT mouths to Russell on the sidelines"hang in there" and Russell eats it up. He bows his head with hands clasped in gratitude. I don't like Russell and don't think he's that great of a strategic player but when an opportunity is smacking him in the face, he grabs it and really commits.

After 30 minutes, we see the boys starting to struggle. Colby is out first. Sadface. Sandra looks fine saying she popped out two babies and "didn't even get a [sic] aspirin". Rup on the other hand has beads of sweat dripping out of his gross beard. Rup is down. Two points for the villains. Amanda starts to struggle. She's against Twiggy who weighs 73 pounds so I think we all know how this is going to end. The music swells and... Amanda's out. Villains win reward. Jerri is crying, she's so happy to get food (maybe she's a former chubby kid. She always freaks out about the food). Poverty's laugh always sounds like she is crying or at the very least extremely nasally. -1 Poverty.

At the reward, Poverty marvels over having a napkin and what should be folded up inside the very item she is drawing attention to? A clue to the HII? Yup. She is smart, stuffs it in her shorts and doesn't say a word. I'm shocked the producers didn't tell Russell to sit there. But I guess since Poverty is in an alliance with him, she'll do.

Poverty and Danielle go off and Poverty shows D the clue. They read it and stuff it in D's top to take back to camp (there's ample room to hide it. Didn't Danielle come in second place her season? We know what she used her money for). Poverty says she wants Danielle to feel like she trusts her the most so that pretty much ensures these two will be making it to the finals. Poverty says Russ is on a need to know basis. I almost hope he does find out she has it and didn't tell him because he will cut her so fast. But at the same time Poverty is my only hope to oust Russell so I'm conflicted.

Back at the Heroes camp, JT reveals his super awesome plan: If they win the next immunity challenge, he will give the HII to Russell so he can save himself and vote out Poverty (-50 for JT). That way, Russ can flip to the Heroes-side post merge. Amanda voices that they don't know what is going on over there and Russell could be in with the girls. +1 for Amanda.

Day 23. Poverty and Danielle sneak off and find the HII. The editors try to make it look like Russ is stalking towards them but he was probably just hurrying to go potty (we know he spews a lot of crap. Zing!). Poverty says Russ isn't the king but rather she's the queen. I realize I am seeing Poverty when she has been out in the jungle without hygiene products for 20some days but I don't see the appeal at all.

Day 24. JT is writing his note to Russell about what to do with the HII. JT, you're an idiot. Why can't this wait until they actually merge and see who is on the outs. Rupert tells him to add in the note "This is your chance to not be a villain". If you heard coming into this season, without seeing Russell's gameplay, that he is one of the top five villains ever, why would you think he would stop now? Plus, Russ can't keep his mouth shut so everyone probably knows he ended up in the final three.

You know you love me. xoxo -JT

Immunity challenge: Each member must string a bag containing a puzzle piece along a rope through an obstacle course in the water. Once all five pieces are on the platform on shore, they will put together the pieces to build a totem pole. First one done, wins immunity. The Heroes have a lead pretty much the whole time thanks to Rupert and JT's strong start. Colby and Russell are the last ones out in the water so Colby gets Russell's attention. Nooooooo Colby! Not you too! -1 Colby. UGH! Colby fills Russell in on the plan and tells him to go to JT after the challenge is done cause he has something for him. Colby hops in the water for his turn and Russell is smirking. UGH. It starts to rain because God is crying and can't believe He created such stupid people. The Heroes win immunity (cue Jeff's signature arm raise, two fingers up, slightly bent elbows gesture).

"I'm an idiot."

And then like a scene from Ocean's Eleven, JT hides the HII and slips it to Russell during a congratulatory hug. Do the two tribes always do this post-challenges? I've never seen hugs, only bitter comments and taunting. I smell a rat.

Operation COMPLETELY STUPID

Neither Russ nor myself can believe his luck. "Now I don't even have to find idols, people just give them to me. You don't give the enemy the idol. Especially when his name is Russel Hantz." I mean I hate him but he has a good point. Why would they do this? WHY? Oh and Russell, people were giving you idols last season: the producers. Hey-oh!

I'm NEVER gonna shut up about this one.

Russell shows Poverty the note and she reads it all dramatically and they have some giggles. JT has very nice cursive handwriting. You wouldn't think he was the cursive type. This is all I can focus on because I hate Russell and Poverty.

Russell shows Jerri and Danielle his BFF necklace from JT. They all laugh because it is completely ludicrous. The four debate who to keep between Sandra and Twiggy. Poverty gives it some thought and argues keeping Twiggy. I will say this: I don't like Danielle but she does raise good points about how either is likely to flip since they are on the outs. Maybe Danielle just points out the obvious but a lot of these players lack that capability.

TC: The first member of the jury, Coach, waltzes in with some phoenix feathers and a kimono. I love how delusional he is. I think he is going to continue to make himself look like crap so he can trick his three friends back at home into thinking that he makes it to the end if he still looks disheveled. There's an argument between Sandra and Danielle and they blatantly acknowledge the two alliances. Danielle looks like she hasn't washed the area around her mouth for five weeks. Maybe it's just a shadow but it's bad. I take back anything I said about Danielle having common sense. That now goes to Sandra. +5 for her. Poverty says she is running the show in a joking-but-actually-really-serious way. Thank you to the editors who pan over to Jerri when Russ says he only trusts Danielle and Poverty. Yup, you're stupid for abandoning Boston Rob. -10 for Jerri.

Twiggy is awesome and schools Jerri. Twiggy says she stuck with Boston Rob instead of abandoning him like Jerri and Coach did. Jerri says she was never in Boston Rob's alliance and Twiggy points out Jerri voted for Poverty at one point but is now in an alliance with her. "You flipped in time to save your butt so awesome for you. I guess I didn't flip quick enough." Oh Twiggy, I'm starting to like your sass. +11 for the Twig since that number looks like her bird legs.

Time to vote. We see no votes. Jeff reads one for Jerri and the rest are Twiggy. Twiggy is out and the second jury member. Sadface. Sandra even voted for Twiggy. Don't know why but I would like to. Coach is looking like a douche trying to appear all zen-like in a Buddha pose. I bet Twiggy and Coach are going to have a supermegaawesome time at Ponderosa.

I can't wait to eat a piece of lettuce. I'll be so full.

Next time: MEGRE! It's tied five to five. Russ swears he is on board with the Heroes. But Sandra may sell out him out. Come on! Say you can take me to the end. No one will vote for me, I've already won once! COME ON SANDRA!

"Truth be told I miss you"

2010-04-15T00:16:00.003-04:00

What happens when your year old niece, NP, gets ahold of the keyboard while her mom is talking to her sister on video gchat (much better than iChat in my opinion):

LA: .2222-*99*696999-9

3.000.665

041111123..............................3.20320+

625*998585-+74-+=74=-+/88/5=8=

2501

5100118

.0201

0..............

878

.3.........

101.544111.022222220

We will be talking and then you hear the gchat beep but then realize it is the very person you are video chatting with. I don't know why I find this hilarious but I do. Her dad does work for a prominent internet company, maybe computers are in little NP's future as well.

"And you'll think you've gone as far/ As you will ever get"

2010-04-13T14:30:00.005-04:00

OH! I figured out a way to up my "perfect crime" theory. Refresher: I always worry about leaving my laptop unattended in places in Panera or Starbucks. So sometimes I either rush really fast or I ask a respectable-looking person to watch it for me. But I always worry that the "respectable person" is the one who is going to steal it. Seriously, perfect crime. Or so I thought...

If you were going to be deceitful and a bad person who steals other people's laptops, here is a way to gain a little more trust than just looking respectable and friendly: Wear scrubs. I mean, who doesn't trust a doctor? A doctor who is on their lunch break eating a sandwich with those gentle, healing hands as they possibly fret over trying to come up with a way to save Susie while they sip on a sweet tea.

The only reason I came up with this idea is because I just asked a doctor to watch my stuff. But obvs, he didn't steal it since I am typing this up on my laptop. Cause he is a real doctor and is making the big bucks and doesn't need to steal my five year old laptop for a quick buck.

"Oops I did it again"

2010-04-13T13:43:00.005-04:00

Here is today's Helpful Hint from Annie about job searching:

ALWAYS proofread your cover letter. Especially when you use incorrect grammar after you've stated, quite clearly, that you rock when it comes to grammar. And always read it over once more especially when you toot your own horn about paying great attention to detail when that little error clearly slipped on by your eagle eyes.

Whoops. Probably won't be hearing from them.

PS The error wasn't that huge. Just used "a" when it should have been "an". But still... I weep.

"I don't know why/ But with you I'd dance in a storm in my best dress/ Fearless"

2010-04-11T19:23:00.008-04:00

Some of my favs from my little black and white polka dotted notebook (polka dot really is a strange word/phrase):

"Don't you understand that everything I do, I do it for you. Anything that might be special in me is you." -Finn Bell, Great Expectations

"You get through it, you just never get over it." -Plain Truth by Jodi Picoult

"[How] the follies of the people closest to you can be used as a kind of currency to buy your own allure." -Best Friends by Martha Moody pg 276

"I've become a real believer in not defining every single thing. Seems like every time you think you've figured it out what something is, it just becomes something else." -Felicity

"Nobody knows who they really are anyway. Most people are just trudging along- waiting for something to happen. True character doesn't even come out until people are tested- put in extreme situations... and most people spend their lives trying to avoid those kinds of situations." -Forget About It by Caprice Crane pg 313

"The thing about addiction is it never ends. Well because eventually whatever it is that was getting us high stops feeling good and starts to hurt us. Still they say you don't kick the habit until you hit rock bottom, but how do you know when you're there? Because no matter how badly a thing is hurting us, sometimes letting it go hurts even worse." -Grey's Anatomy

And now I'm walking in the park/ All of the birds, the dance below me/ Maybe when things turn green again/ It will be good to say you know me -John Mayer, "In Repair"

"You can't fail if you don't give up." -The Last Kiss

"Will you fly me away/ Take me away with you my love"

2010-04-11T19:02:00.005-04:00

We have a winner (Oh no, not about the "guess the hint" mini guessing game. I'll explain that one in a different post)!

I finished The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society (Mary Ann Shaffer, Annie Barrows) and I really, really liked it. It's the first book that has made it to the bookshelf instead of the floor in my sister's room for the next trip to McKay's. Hooray! I highly recommend. It was interesting even if it has a slightly slow start. And there are a billion characters introduced or at least referenced, but really who am I to complain? I was actually sad when it was over because I just wanted to know more. Hooray! Hopefully Jackson's book is coming soon and I will start another new one tonight. Maybe this will be a new good reads streak!

Summary (courtesy of Goodreads.com): January 1946: London is emerging from the shadow of the Second World War, and writer Juliet Ashton is looking for her next book subject. Who could imagine that she would find it in a letter from a man she's never met, a native of the island of Guernsey, who has come across her name written inside a book by Charles Lamb.... As Juliet and her new correspondent exchange letters, Juliet is drawn into the world of this man and his friends--and what a wonderfully eccentric world it is.

"Hey soul sister/ I don't want to miss/ A single thing you do"

2010-04-08T23:25:00.004-04:00

Now I know I've advertised Jackson Pearce on here a couple of times: The author from UGA who is two years older than me, went to hear her speak a few months ago, yaddy yaddy yadda. I just ordered her first book As You Wish today and am eagerly awaiting its arrival! Her second novel is coming out this summer. YAY!

Well she is pretty awesome and doing these monthly contests in anticipation of the release of Sisters Red and giving away prizes. The contest is usually something like subscribe to her on Youtube (done), join her Facebook fan page (yup), follow her on Twitter (check) but this month it is different. All you have to do is blog about Sisters Red. So, here it is! Literally.

Is that not a freaking gorgeous cover?! If I saw that on the shelf, without knowing anything about Jackson or even the content, I would pick it up. But we all know you shouldn't judge a book by its (really freaking awesome) cover so here is the blurb, courtesy of Amazon:

Scarlet March lives to hunt the Fenris--the werewolves that took her eye when she was defending her sister Rosie from a brutal attack. Armed with a razor-sharp hatchet and blood-red cloak, Scarlett is an expert at luring and slaying the wolves. She's determined to protect other young girls from a grisly death, and her raging heart will not rest until every single wolf is dead.

Rosie March once felt her bond with her sister was unbreakable. Owing Scarlett her life, Rosie hunts ferociously alongside her. But even as more girls' bodies pile up in the city and the Fenris seem to be gaining power, Rosie dreams of a life beyond the wolves. She finds herself drawn to Silas, a young woodsman who is deadly with an ax and Scarlett's only friend--but does loving him mean betraying her sister and all that they've worked for?

Yup, sounds pretty good. I am eagerly awaiting this one. But until then, I'll just keep checking out her blog. And Youtube. And Twitter. :)

"Let's lay these bones to rest/ Build it all over and start again ... We're nearly home"

2010-04-08T19:34:00.006-04:00

I killed several trees today. I apologize to the environment. Sorry!

After making the font smaller, downsizing to single-spaced, and eliminating any unnecessary gaps, Square One is now 124 pages (down from 360). I printed it out so my sisters and mom can read the book without having to stare at a computer screen for hours. I'm used to it and don't even notice, but LA mentioned it so I thought I would make it easy on the rest.

I also learned that an ink cartridge only lasts for about 110 pages. Unless it is possible they just get tired and rebel by using less ink. Either way, I'm down a cartridge.

Well this stack of papers was put into a folder and handed off to sister AE this afternoon. I thought I was worried about sis LA reading it but the fears are somewhat tripled with AE. We talked books on the 1.5 hour drive to McKay's the other day. We are both rather critical. She could feel this way about SO. Plus she might also rip on my grammar. Or just the content in general. Or maybe about the fact that she doesn't like the name of her character. But heyyyy, maybe if she is nice I will let her change her name! Incentive AE, incentive.

And since I'm pressed for time since Thursday is an awesome tv night (Why'd they have to vote off Boston Rob?! Thank God Anthony is back on Project Runway. What happened to The Office?), I'll leave you with a little game. In the above picture is a clue as to another topic in the book. Remember this list of the five major played that influenced the book:

1. My family.

2. My friends.

3. _____ _____.

4. ___ ____ ______.

5. __ _____.

Well there's a hint to #3 in that above picture. Take some guesses (if you have already read the book or been told key elements, you cannot guess. Unless no one else does. Then feel free to be a winner by sort of cheating)! Good luck! Answer will be revealed, well the next time I get around to writing in this thing.

And now we wait...

"No there ain't no rest for the wicked/ Until we close our eyes for good"

2010-04-07T23:42:00.008-04:00

"Perhaps there is some secret sort of homing instinct in book that brings them to their perfect readers. How delightful if that were true." -The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

I haven't read a good book in a really long time. And this makes me sad. I mean, I really liked The Blind Side a lot. I teared up several times (much like I did during the movie) but I skipped over a lot of the technical football/history stuff cause I don't understand it and frankly, didn't really care. I already wrote how I felt about Picoult's latest. I read Water for Elephants which I feel like got really talked up both by the reviews and some of my friends but I just wasn't crazy about it. LC's "book" (I'm sorry, I just really doubt she wrote it all by herself) was entertaining and of course it leaves off with a cliffhanger so you're eager for the next one even if this one was only so-so (kind of like previews for the next episode of The Hills). But really, I just want to read a really great book. Maybe one that makes me cry, just a little bit. Maybe the last great book I read was Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah but that was a loooong time ago. But that book was excellent.

I did start reading The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society two nights ago and after a slightly slow start, I definitely like it and am excited to read more. So that's good. But I liked The Help too and the ending just didn't clinch it for me. I know, I'm a tough critic. This is just setting me up for terrible reviews in the future if anything of mine ever gets published. But maybe TGL&PPPS will end the dry spell.

And even if it doesn't, my sister goes to this HUGE used bookstore in Chattanooga every now and then and always brings back some goodies. I used to send requests for books and she'd bring some back or let me borrow some of hers. And I got to tagalong a few weeks before Christmas and got several books. And she and I went on Monday and I got a rather large supply this time around. But really, she and I treat it like a glorified library because you always tote back a box of stuff you are trading in for credit. My first trip to McKay's was super successful. I got at least three books that I had been wanting for several months and she never found them (or they just weren't in stock). But this time around, I went in with a list of book, organized alphabetically and by genre so I could maximize the time I was there. I think I found two on my list of 20+ books. So then I just started throwing in anything that looked interesting and ended up accumulating quite the pile. My sister made me whittle it down a couple of books but I walked away with this:

Hopefully a really, really, really good book is hiding in there. Fingers crossed. Oh yeah, you can also see what kind of book I go for: the toss in your bag to read at the pool kind.

"And I never dreamed that I'd spend my days/ Staring at some tube emitting cathode rays/ I need my TV"

2010-03-29T20:33:00.005-04:00

Where there's a will, there's a way.

I babysit for an adorable two year old boy (even if he does tell me I am "too big" to sit on his full size big boy bed to read him a story) most Tuesday nights. Only problem: Lost comes on at the same time or at the very least I miss the first twenty minutes and we all know when it comes to Lost that is like missing 45 minutes of crucial information in a normal television show. I know, I know what you're thinking: It's the 21st century, get TiVo. Au contraire: We have a TiVo but unfortunately it is one of the first editions or whatever so it only records one show at a time. An additional problem is that it's technically my sister AE's so she gets to call the shots about what it records. So she picks American Idol. Yeah cause there is a show you have to pay attention to every minute and has a fan base with thousands of sites and blogs dedicated to it to dissect each detail as it is premiering live. But she wins so that means I wait to watch it online several hours/days later (I know wah wah, rich person problems. But I'm addicted to this show okay!? I need to know!) I will not stand for it.

So to remedy this problem as AI continues to be two hours each week with only about 30 minutes of actual performances and 90 minutes of filler and commercials, I spent an hour today trying to figure out how to record on a VCR (sans any type of manual). I know, I'm so old school. I didn't have any luck with one television, the other is connected to the Tivo, one lacks a VHS player, so that left one final option. And I somehow figured out that a cable was missing, managed to track it down and connect the cable box and the VCR and ta da! I am going to be able to watch LOST and American Idol tomorrow. I am so proud of myself. I mean I can be technically savvy in some situations but situations where common sense prevails or when there is a handy step-by-step manual with illustrations and toll-free help lines if I get really confused. So it's a miracle I tell you! Orrrr it was my destiny to figure it all out (Team Man of Faith)!

"Oh oh I want some more/ Oh oh what are you waiting for"

2010-03-26T14:49:00.010-04:00

Oh heeeeeey Panera. I almost forgot what you looked like on the inside. Yep, since SO is done, it's back to trying to find a job. I've gotten to the point where I am just sending a resume to any company where I feel like I am "somewhat" qualified. I mean I have no experience, I have no skills, gotta do what you gotta do. And also, let's do an Observations/Thoughts since it's been awhile! Here we go (Fun fact: I always say this in Natalie Portman's southern drawl from Where the Heart Is. Bonus points if you know from which scene)!

-The best part was a job posting yesterday where you had to call a number and listen to a five minutes message from the president which basically said "I'm awesome and started this company when I was 18 and now I'm even more awesome. I believe you get what you put out so if you're not awesome, don't work here cause we only accept awesomeness." Frankly, the guy sounded like a d-bag but if I worked with him and he liked me, I'd probably like him. Yep, I'm shallow and wishy-washy with my opinions. So I spent all this time crafting a cover letter and hitting the points he mentioned in the message about his expected criteria. And so I finally hit send and I immediately get a message back. Oookay. "Due to the large volume of interest in this position, we are conducting group interviews Wednesday MARCH 24th" aka: the day BEFORE I sent the email. Awesome. You'd think Mr. Awesome would have thought to change the message or something. Oh well, he sounded like a d-bag anyway.

-So I searched for copy editor just now and "What?! A copy editor is needed in Atlanta. ONLY FIVE MILES FROM MY HOUSE?! I can totally do this. It for an outdoor magazine. I mean, I can try to fake that. I mean I ran on the IM fields occasionally in college. I sit outside and watch my nieces play. Sometimes. * continues reading * Oh I must be an expert in fishing and hunting. Yep, can't fake that. Moving on."

-And then, there was a position for a proofreader. My thought process: "Oh I totally correct people's grammar all the time (at least in my head). This was made for me! * continues reading* Must have a great understanding of html coding, and other technical talk that I can't even remember and repeat for the sake of this blog post." Soooo... no.

-All this "upload your resume and we will grab information and inset it into the application" technology doesn't work. I'd rather it be blank since I just have to go back through and correct everything.

-I have also really discovered I use Twitter to complain. I went to the post office earlier today: Someone in line did not smell good. As I was assessing the people in line, the untidiest looking man who I believe to be the culprit made eye contact and looked me up and down. Ew.

-Then I went shopping and got locked in the dressing room. And apparently the door locks/ gets stuck a lot because the employees were like "Oh it locked. AGAIN. Guess you are sleeping in the store tonight. hahahaha" They didn't tell me they were doing anything to remedy the situation and I was pulling on the door so hard the frame was popping out of the ground. Finally I got let out. I also complained about this incident on twitter.

-Since the weather has been nicer, I am inclined to drive with my window down. There has been construction all along the road lining my neighborhood since I would say June if not before. And these construction workers apparently feel obligated to live up to the stereotype of whistling, cat-calling, etc at young girls driving by with their windows open. I do NOT enjoy this. And therefore, complained about it on Twitter.

-Panera is crawling with high school students and it's only 2:30. Must have been a half day. Oh to be so young and naive. And think you are way cooler than you are. But hey, I used to be one of those so what can you do? But now I'm an unemployed college grad so I AM cooler than you.

-Chocolate chip bagel was DELICIOUS.

-I HATE these salary questions. I am a recent college graduate. I only worked summer jobs before so I feel stupid typing in "well I only made this much an hour". Then it's like how much do you expect to make? Dude, I don't care! I just need to support myself. But I don't want to sound greedy but then I don't want to lowball it. Annoying. So I just pick the lowest option and hope I sound humble and that I won't be taken advantage of.

-I enjoy so much when these sites give a progress bar. This current one does not. Boo.

-I do not enjoy when these sites send you a million emails when you submit a resume, submit a cover letter, submit your application. Just compile it all into one so my poor little inbox doesn't almost explode.

-This will mean nothing to any of you besides former roommate AW (and I don't even think she reads this). AW is sometimes confused and sometimes cheers for Florida basketball (when Georgia isn't playing) cause she used to be a FL fan before she reformed her ways and saw the light. So there was this guy, I wanna say his name was John, who made fun of her cheering for FL, we saw this guy ALL the time so we started calling him Florida Fan, even to his face (hence why I am unsure of his actual name) even though he did not cheer for Florida. So this was years ago but we would still see him every now and then in the last months of college. So then I thought I saw him at the Starbucks I frequent once I moved to Atlanta. Several times. If nothing else, it's his look-a-like. And now I'm at Panera and not even the one really close to the Starbucks and he's here! I wonder if he recognizes me. That was a lot of background for a very worthless story.

-Ultimate coincidence: he is sitting with a man wearing a Florida Gators hat and shirt. So you know, I automatically don't like him.

-But (possibly fake) Florida Fan brings me to this thought: I always just want to ask the professional people sitting around me if they are hiring anyone. I mean that's how Heidi got her job at Bolthouse; she met him in a bar (there's a little Hills trivia for you). I'm look respectable and job searching in Panera on a Friday afternoon. I'm a good person! Hire me! It could happen!

-Why does this $300/day for being an extra pop up in EVERY SINGLE job search. And not just once but like fifteen times. I don't want to do that. Why isn't this on a talent/ modeling/ acting site? Although they do film The Vampire Diaries in Atlanta.... maybe it's for them! Maybe I should look into this. Oh Ian Somerhalder. I just googled his name to make sure I spelled it right (I'm all about the quality) and I think it's so funny how "Ian Somerhalder girlfriend" is the second most popular search as it always is with all these boys. Because tons of celebs date and marry girls who googled them on the internet. If only....

-OneRepublic's sophomore album "Waking Up" is FANTASTIC. Oh UnoRepublic. I love you. Never go away.

-I also am listening to several songs from American Idol (that's right. I watch it. I'm not (that) embarrassed) thanks to a handy video2mp3 converting site. My favorites you ask? Casey James and Lee Dewyze. I can get on board with Siobhan and Crystal and Big Mike. I have the most Casey songs but I always enjoy Lee. There's my opinion. I know you were dying to know.

-Some of these requirements are ridiculous. "Must have 10 years previous experience" "Must be able to lift 20 pounds".... to be an administrative assistant? Seriously? No wonder this job posting is still around.

-Oh yeah, months later and I STILL can't log into Monster. I finally made a new account using my UGAmail address.

- It was dumb of me to put my "Job Search" tab RIGHT next to my "LOST" tab. I always start to click the LOST and have to move over. Even subconsciously, I just want to read what other people said about the Richard episode and all the little things that I missed. So tempting. Must. Fight. Urge.

-The couple next to me are talking very animatedly-- lots of waving arms and hunching over to emphasize a point and gesturing. It's very distracting.

-The man got up and he is wearing very bright blue pants. Prompting me to look at how bright his pants are. And it may have looked like I was checking out his booty. But seriously, they were freakishly neon.

-I truly love the iTunes Free Single of the Week. It's how I found out about Owl City's Fireflies, Lady Antebellum's Love Don't Live Here Anymore, and Asher Roth's I Love College. Unfortunately they have been sucking lately. Then they gave us a good one with Neon Trees' Animal and now it's back to sucking. Too bad. Here's to crossing fingers for next Tuesday!

-I have seen several girls with purple purses today. So brilliant. Goes with so many colors. I am jealous.

-I really love epic music. Like songs that are used in the trailers for movies like Lord of the Rings and, hate to say it, New Moon. And The Lovely Bones trailer had some epic music I was able to track down thanks to sites dedicated to figuring stuff like this out. I am currently listening to it and I sort of want to go partake in battle or beat someone up or something. Well not really but sorta.

-The worker keeps cleaning the tables around me, but my table was empty when I got here and it is very sticky. Maybe it was before his shift started.

-A job posting I think I could do is taking FOREVER to load. Oh what to do, what to do?

-Oh no. After refreshing and reloading the page is blank. Figures.

Alright, I'm cold. It's four and I tried. Time to call it quits.

"All my dreams are built around your face/ And this place/ All the times of staring at the sun/ You're the one"

2010-03-21T18:49:00.008-04:00

Years ago, I used an index card as a bookmark and I would write down the page numbers where quotes that jumped out and caught my attention. Making me say "That's SO true" and reread it. Well, I leant a book to my sister AE which was housing the bookmark and she threw it away (thanks a lot). So I started keeping little scraps of paper with these quotes on them so I could remember them (and use them on my Facebook favorite quotes section). But that got to be a messy and I was starting to find good quotes in songs, movies, even Starbucks cups so I got a little journal from Target one day and started writing them down. I highly suggest this if you too are someone who likes the little golden nuggets of wisdom, or just the plain, sometimes heart-wrenching, truth. Here are a couple I've jotted down over the years:

"I've learned that things change, people change, and it doesn't mean you forget the past or try to cover it up... it simply means you move on and treasure the memories. Letting go doesn't mean giving up... it means accepting that some things weren't meant to be." -Unknown

"At the end of the day, when it all comes down to it, all we really want is to be close to somebody. So this thing where we all keep our distance and pretend not to care about each other, it's usually a load of crap. So we pick and choose who we want to remain close to, and once we've chosen those people, we tend to stick close by. No matter how much we hurt them. The people that are still with you, at the end of the day, those are the ones worth keeping. And sure sometimes close can be too close. But sometimes that invasion of personal space can be exactly what you need." -Grey's Anatomy

"What you feel only matters to you. It's what you do to the people you say you love, that's what matters. It's the only thing that counts." -The Last Kiss

"No it won't all go the way it should/ But I know the heart of life is good." -John Mayer

"But there are some things that, no matter how much we worry about them, we just have to face them, and most of the time they turn out not to be nearly as bad as we thought they would be. And sometimes they turn out to be wonderful." -The Accidental Mother

"It's the sense of touch. In any real city, you walk you know? You brush past people, people bump into you. In LA, nobody touches you. We're always behind this metal and glass. I think we miss that touch so much, that we just crash into each other, just so we can feel something." -Crash

"Sometimes you just have to say exactly what you feel. In certain situations, you can't worry about how people react. You just have to be as honest as you can and let what happens afterward happen." -Love Walked In

"I wanted my stars clean and steady and spelling out a happy ending straight across the sky." -Love Walked In

"Picked all my weeds/ But kept the flowers" -Kelly Clarkson

"What was my worst first date? Uh, it was a couple of years ago, it was a lunch date actually. It was right down the street and we had just met and we really hit it off. It was kind of nice . And, um, and then as it turned out, it wasn't even a date because she was in love with someone else." -Jim Halpert

"The most important thing in your life is your family. There are days you love them and others you don't. But, in the end, they're the people you always come home to. Sometimes it's the family you're born into and sometimes it's the one you make for yourself." -Sex & the City

"It's time for you to prove/ Within your ruby shoes/ You deserve a smile with no regret/ Look at you/ Kicking off your shoes/ Dancing for the world to see" -Erin McCarley

"She just didn't know what she wanted to do with the rest of her life. She believed there had to be something special out there for her, a path that was hers alone and held happiness at its end, but where was the start of it?" -Firefly Lane

So yeah, I tend to like the sappy, lovesick quotes. Whoops. And it makes me sad cause I haven't found a good new book quote in FOREVER (seriously like since before Christmas). Here's to hoping I do sometime soon (and heyyyyy maybe if the book ever gets published, someone will write one of mine in theirs! OH! New ultimate goal!)

"And sometimes you close your eyes/ And see the place where you used to live/ When you were young"

2010-03-18T16:16:00.006-04:00

Today I did something I've never done before: I got my very own library card! Yep and I'm 22. And an aspiring author. Buuuuut, I just always used my mom's card when I was little (and trust me, we caravanned it over to the library once a week and I would beg my mom for more books each time) and then I guess when I had money, I just purchased my own books as opposed to borrowing them.

The main reason I got one is because I no long have money to spend frivolously and I still really want to read Jackson's book As You Wish. However the library won't let you search the catalog unless you have a card so I gave in. I went to the library today and searched through the YA section for Jackson's book (it wasn't there. super bummed) and a couple others. But as I was searching the stacks, I saw SO many titles that I loved when I was younger. It was so nostalgic. Chocolate Fever, Walk Two Moons, Manic Magee, The Phantom Tollbooth, the Amber Brown (Is Not a Crayon) series, The Witch of Blackbird Pond, Ella Enchanted, and SO many others. Could I tell you the plot of ANY of these? Nope. But my memory was jogged when I saw the familiar titles and fonts and book covers. Sure they were nestled between the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series, the Princess Diaries books, Harry Potter, and Twilight but at least they are still hanging around.

Oh and the series that I absolutely LOVED were the Wayside School books. The kids at my school were also OBSESSED. Like you knew which kid had checked them out, so you would follow them to the library on the day they had to return it so you could harass the librarian once they dropped it in the box so you could be the next owner. Well that or we would all race to the section where they were (a top shelf towards the back of the library. STILL can picture it) if no one in our class had been the lucky recipient. That's how obsessed we were. But it's funny cause no one else I've talked to remembers these books. Come on people! The school that was supposed to be 30 classrooms on one floor but instead it is 30 floors with one classroom on each (minus the 19th floor... it doesn't exist), with the teacher that turned students into apples by wiggling her tongue and ears, the friendly gym teacher named Louis, the three Erics, the girl with the cutest missing front teeth but they are actually there, the girl with the long braid that the boy grabs onto when he falls out of the window, the boy who always gets in trouble for the smallest things and has to ride home with the kindergarteners, and so many other stories. I actually found two of the books at a used bookstore and snatched those up. I can't wait for niece SD to want to read them since I'm sure she will LOVE them.

Oh childhood, how I miss those simpler times. Sigh.

"Talk is cheap/ Give me a word you can keep/ Cause I'm halfway gone and I'm on my way"

2010-03-17T14:22:00.008-04:00

Jodi, Jodi, Jodi. *slowly shakes head from side to side* What happened? You used to be so good. And the last three books you've cranked out have been... well... disappointing. And that's me being generous with my adjectives (and very much aware of the fact you've sold about a bazillion more books that I have and probably ever will). I just finished reading House Rules, the latest from Picoult, late last night. It was one of those Stay-Up-Until-Five AM- Cause- I- Have- To- Know books but not in the usual Picoult sense. It was more so, let me finish this thing because I figured out "the twist" about 20 pages after the action started and was praying it wasn't going to be so simple and frankly, obvious.

Here's the plot summary for House Rules courtesy of GoodReads and honestly if you plan on reading the book, I wouldn't read the summary. You have to trudge through about 100 pages for the action to start since it is given away in blurb. If the blurb was a little more discrete or heck even more misleading, this could have been A LOT better. We know Picoult's gameplan: Current controversial issue, different POVs of family members and how they view each other and and consequently interact, a trial and then a big fat twist usual in the last fifteen pages if not fifteen sentences of the book. Anyway, here is the blurb: "HOUSE RULES is about Jacob Hunt, a teenage boy with Asperger’s Syndrome. He’s hopeless at reading social cues or expressing himself well to others, and like many kids with AS, Jacob has a special focus on one subject – in his case, forensic analysis. He’s always showing up at crime scenes, thanks to the police scanner he keeps in his room, and telling the cops what they need to do…and he’s usually right. But then one day his tutor is found dead, and the police come to question him. All of the hallmark behaviors of Asperger’s – not looking someone in the eye, stimulatory tics and twitches, inappropriate affect – can look a heck of a lot like guilt to law enforcement personnel -- and suddenly, Jacob finds himself accused of murder. HOUSE RULES looks at what it means to be different in our society, how autism affects a family, and how our legal system works well for people who communicate a certain way – but lousy for those who don’t."

You can't deny that she does extensive research about legal proceedings and this novel's hot topic Asperger's Syndrome (AS). But at the same time, she doesn't need to share every single note she took on the subject with her reader. It almost gets to the point that she beats you over the head with it. I GET IT. Jacob doesn't understand idioms. He physically can't make eye contact. He is only looking out for himself but not out of selfishness but rather that's the way his brain works. I GET IT. And usually the trial is my favorite part but this one just did not do it for me. Maybe it's because the lawyer, Oliver, is such a newbie and I don't see how he got such experts to testify on a supposedly "uncharted topic of AS" (please, Nicky Sparks beat ya to that one, Jodi), I don't know. All I know is that part fell flat for me.

At least Picoult broke from her usual mold of creating a mother you just hate and dread where you get to the chapters from her POV. Emma wasn't too terrible. You didn't hate her like you did the mother in Handle with Care or The Pact. She wasn't great but at least you pretty much understood where she was coming from. I didn't understand why she included the POV of the police detective since he pretty much drops off the map for the second half of the book. Theo's POV was the most interesting and compelling in my opinion and wish she would have included more from him.

I think my main compliant with this book is you just saw the big twist coming from a mile away, well actually make that 400 pages away. I thought, surely this isn't the usual Picoult "Smack you in the gut and turn you on your head" twist but, it was. Sigh. And then she doesn't even give you a resolved ending. She drops the supposed "bomb" on you in the last five or ten pages and then... nothing. So... what happened? I sure don't know and I'm not even sure Picoult does herself hence her overly ambiguous ending. It's not even ambiguous in the "You can decide what happened way" it just... ends.

Oh and I know this is nit-picking but seriously it's Jodi freaking Picoult. Maybe she is such a hot commodity that they are just cranking out a book a year and doing it as fast as they can so they can cash in on her. But seriously that is why copy editors exist, to catch the mistakes of the author who is simultaneously researching, writing, and editing and therefore very much distracted. On one page she says Jacob can't stand long, flowing hair so he keeps his "military short". But several other times the mom talks about his hair falling in his eyes and smoothing his hair away from his face. Gee, that's not contradicting. And then another time she talks about a grandmother making something for her grandson but later she says the mother made that very item for her son instead. Come on! It's a major plot point hence my discreteness, you can't have that kind of sloppy writing and editing.

The book was interesting, sure, but unfortunately this time around, it wasn't a page turner because I just had to know what was going to happen next but rather I was just hoping Jodi was going to prove me wrong and throw me a curve ball. Maybe she just set the bar WAY too high for herself with works like My Sister's Keeper and The Pact but she has really got to do something to keep all of her faithful readers around for the next one.

Now I understand why Jodi does what she does. I complain about her being predictable and I don't know if it is just because I know to look for clues and how she has written in her previous 15+ novels. I mean every author drops the reader some bread crumbs along the way so they feel like they have your trust and they are partaking as opposed to merely being an observer. But you don't have to give me exhibit A and B and C and so on, all the way to Z all the while repeating A and B and C throughout the novel. Give me a little of A and then maybe a little N and then maybe X, almost to the end but not quite. I guess there is one particular point in Square One that I overly explain. Just because the character can't connect the dots on their own but that doesn't mean your intelligent reader doesn't. In fact that is number one on the list of changes for SO: I gotta take out some examples so it doesn't seem like I'm hitting you over the head with it. Sure, I want you to realize it and have an "a-ha!" moment but maybe once I actually reveal it to you as opposed to when it actually happens in the narrative. Does that make sense? Sure hope so.

Now I'm not giving up on Jodi just yet and I still admire a lot about her writing style and she definitely knows who she is as an author. But if I figure out the twist in the first 100 pages of the next one (yet again, I did this with Change of Heart as well. But that was seriously in the first 10 pages), I just might not be dancing with excitement about her new releases anymore. Come on Jodi! Prove me wrong! You can do it (said in Bella's Karolyi's voice)!

"We were the kings and queens of promise/ We were the victims of ourselves"

2010-03-15T22:54:00.003-04:00

Music Monday? Ooooookay!

1. Kings and Queens -30 Seconds to Mars. I'm a little obsessed with watching trailers on youtube. It's just so fun. So there was some 3-d, based on a kids book, animated movie called Legend of the Guardians. And the best part of this preview was the song. But I do LOVE it!

2. You'll Think of Me -Keith Urban. Since my sister's music dominates our desktop, I've gotten into country music quite a bit recently. And this one was actually sung on AI by Casey James (I got sucked in okay? And he is attractive and probably the one I am pulling for at this point). Luckily my sister had this one, saving me a dollar-twenty-nine, thanks to iTunes homesharing. Best invention ever!

3. Breakeven (Falling to Pieces) -The Script. I'm pretty sure I stumbled across them when they were a free single of the week. Well that or the song was on The Hills. Or maybe both. Anyway, I'm liking this Irish band!

4. Start a New Day (Never Look Back) -Zach Berkman. Yeah, yeah, maybe he was featured on a couple episodes of MIOBI but his songs always caught my attention and sent me scrambling for the iTunes store.

5. Edge of Desire -John Mayer. I finally came around on Battle Studies and this song gets a lot of the credit. Well this one and Heartbreak Warfare. And Half of my Heart with Taylor Swift. And Assassin. Those are the favorites!

"Some say we're a couple of crazy kids"

2010-03-14T23:21:00.008-04:00

A few quotes from the Birmingham nieces who are staying with us for a few days over their spring break.

Niece CJ is four. She recently had her birthday (seriously, like a week ago) and someone said she was four and she got upset and said "No, I'm four and half!" We confirmed that she is indeed four and she almost started to cry because she thought she was four point five. And sometime yesterday she whined that she was "almost five" and I laughed and said "Good try kid. You got about ten months for that to be true."

Anyway, I was watching CJ put together a puzzle one morning. She is pretty fast at it actually. Well she was wearing a cute skirt and heart shirt and I complimented her outfit and she said, and I quote, "Well look how much cuter I am when I stand up" and she hopped off her chair and did a twirl on tiptoes for me to get the full effect.

We stopped by Chickfila on the way back from Bham for lunch. My mom asked ME (age five, almost six) and CJ what they wanted to drink. ME said lemonade and CJ said chocolate milk. The resulting conversation ensued:

ME: And if they don't have lemonade, I can just have water.

*short pause*

CJ: And if they don't have chocolate milk, I'll have lemonade.

Don't know why I found that one so funny, but I did.

Oh and it's always reassuring to awake to a tiny voice yelling from the balcony near your bedroom door: "Gran! ME thinks she is going to throw up." *some conversation with Gran about where ME is, what she is doing* Gran says she will be there in just one minute and CJ's tiny little voice squeaks out, "Gran, please hurry!" with such urgency. Again, I don't know why it makes me crack up but the fact a little four year old was saying "please" and "hurry" it just so cute. She's such a little big kid. Oh and ME was fine. We think there was a little too much excitement from being at Gran's for a few days. But I kept my distance. AJ took me out earlier this year, I'm not falling for it again.

"You drive me crazy... /thinking of you keeps me up all night"

2010-03-14T12:26:00.005-04:00

Does anyone else have this problem? One post back from December gets SO many spam comments. I talked about some t.v. shows and books and had a couple of links to some commercials on youtube but my goodness, I have gotten at least 10 completely random spam comments on that one post alone. It's so annoying! And so I get the email notifying me, read the random junk, and put it aside until I remember to get on here and delete. It's just crazy! It's getting to the point that I am going to delete that post or change the title or get rid of the links so maybe this will stop. Anyone else have this problem?

ETA: Sorry to all you frequent comment-ers (ie those I am tied to in familial sense) but you're going to have to fill in a word for verification to prevent spam. I just can't take it anymore. Thanks for being understanding!

"Part of you will live in me/ Way down deep inside my heart... /Please remember me"

2010-03-09T23:47:00.012-05:00

Everyone (hopefully) has had a few influential teachers in their lifetime. Some say a certain college professor, others a teacher from high school. While I did have a few professors in college that I admired and my AP English teacher will always have a special place in my heart (and his surname was borrowed for the book), the most influential teacher in my life was my third grade teacher, Miss K.

I was in her very first class and by now she's witnessed us graduate from high school AND college. I can remember being so sad when I graduated from elementary school because it was such a close-knit, adorable little school and even in the 10 years since I left, it has managed to stay almost the exact same (with the except of the gym in place of the blacktop where I had PE and more trailers). And maybe I'm strange because I still go back to visit. I went to Family Fun Night when I was in middle school, once I got my license and a car of my own I would stop by and visit every few months after school. Even in college, I went back to visit at least twice (I never went back to my middle school and stopped by my high school once during my fall break freshmen year). It's a little sad because all of my teachers are gone with the exception of a few, but Miss K luckily has remained (not just so I can easily stop by and see her but for the dozens of other kids that have gotten the privilege of having her as a teacher).

I moved away from my hometown two years ago (managing to stop by one afternoon randomly, catch Miss K as she was getting into her car to leave for the day and chat in the parking lot the week before my family left) but met with my friend RY on Monday since he was home for a few days for spring break. I told him I would come back so we wouldn't have to navigate a new city or try to find a halfway point. And then the bright idea dawned on me: If RY and I finish up by 2:30, I could pop on over and say hey to Miss K. So I emailed her and it all worked out. We got to have a lovely two hours of catching up. It's so funny cause I almost treat it like a therapy session. I remember one time in high school telling her about how my best friend and I were in a fight and then this visit, I talked about some boy problems. Miss K truly is the best. Haha and it probably is a little strange to talk about boys with a girl she can probably still sees as an eight year old clad in overalls and oversized glasses and used to think boys had cooties (Not really, I was never one of those. Fun fact: My first crush was in Kindergarten on a boy named Matthew).

But the true reason I wanted to go back and talk to Miss K was because she is one of the driving force behind me trying to write this book and get it published. At the end of each school year, there was an award ceremony where the much coveted subject awards were handed out. Miss K presented the Language Arts award and said she would be first in line at the book signing of the recipient one day. And I was the winner! We actually talked about this when I went to see her on Monday. She said I said "Really?" with a dubious look as she handed me the certificate. I also won the Spelling award that year ("Cause if you're gonna write, ya gotta know how to spell, right?" she explained). Clearly I didn't see any potential in my third grade self when I was still reading the Babysitter Club books and writing stories about Tommy Oliver and Kimberly Hart getting married after defeating Lord Zedd and Rita (Power Rangers for those who don't know. And yes I really did write a story on MS Word when we first got a computer. I didn't understand what "Save Changes?" meant so I said "no" and it was deleted. Too bad cause that was one epic tale that the world will never know). But apparently she saw something in me and that little speech has shaped what I hope to be the rest of my life/career. At the very least, it's had a huge impact on my life for the past eight months. It's amazing that my third grade teacher has had this much of an impact on my life. But she is an amazing, wonderful person so it's not too hard to believe. :)

She and I walked down the seemingly-slightly-smaller halls to see if one of my old teachers was still in her classroom (she wasn't) and Miss K stopped to see if another teacher and I had overlapped in our years (we hadn't). And Miss K explained the Language Arts award and her speech and how I really had written a book (not yet published was immediately explained by me) to the lady and I think it really hit me then how much this woman, who claims she had no idea what she was doing since it was her first year teaching, has essentially molded a good bit of my life. So thank you so much Miss K! I hope (and know) that you will continue to influence so many other students in the years to come.

Haha Miss K also shared with me the April's Fool Day prank she played on our class. She apparently wrote us a note saying she had to switch grades and was going to start teaching the fourth grade that very day and we were going to have a substitute. She had this note waiting for us on our desks when we got to school that morning along with the scary substitute Miss Wilham sitting at her desk. She told the sub to come get her twenty or thirty minutes later to let the joke set in and really seem real. Apparently our class only lasted about five or ten minutes. One girl broke out in hives, another was sobbing on the floor, I was crying, the boys were angry and pouting in the corner, and everyone was absolutely freaking out. But then our beloved Miss K came back and informed us it was all a joke making us laugh through our tears. And then we decided to take the notes home to our parents and play the same prank on them. I didn't remember this when she first brought it up (I thought she told us they lost our ITBS scores and we had to retake the test) but once she told the story, it came back to me. I think I probably blocked it out because I was so traumatized but once she mentioned the scary substitute teacher and the fact that a girl was sobbing on the ground, it all came back to me. And thank goodness it was just a joke or everything would be completely different for me right now. And the character named Dr. Kelly in the book would be someone completely different and probably not as cool and awesome.

"I just got lost/ ... Every door I ever tried was locked"

2010-03-03T18:16:00.004-05:00

This is one of my new favorite LOST blogs. Except don't go to it if you want any information.

I'm a dork and I read about LOST for a couple hours each week (seriously, if I had put the effort into school that I do reading about LOST, I would have graduated with a 4.0. But Hemingway and Faulkner are no Cuse and Lindelof). I found out about this one through twitter (Cartlon Cuse's twitter actually....yep, I'm a dork): The Final Season of LOST Seen by Someone Who Has Never Seen An Episode of LOST

Holy crap. This blog cracks me up. The most ironic part is the guy is watching this season having never seen an episode and... we faithful viewers know about as much as he does. Sure we know that 108 is the sum of the numbers that Hurley heard from the crazy guy in the mental institution and he used those to win the lottery and then had bad luck and then his plane crashed and he saw the numbers on the hatch when he went back in time to 1977 and that was the same hatch that Desmond was in and he had to enter those very numbers in every *gasp* 108 minutes for two years before the hatch blew up and the sky turned purple and Desmond started seeing flashes of the future and he became a VIP (seriously, where is Desmond this season!?!?). But at the end of the day, especially with these flash sideways and this whole Jacob and Man-in-Black war that had taken over the plot, we all really have no idea what is going on. So if you want some laughs, maybe check it out. And you get golden nuggets like this, an insight from last week's episode "Lighthouse" (spoiler alert, obviously):

Back on the trail, Hurley asks Jack why he came back to the island. Huh? Jack wants to know why he did. Hurley says because Jacob told him to. Jack says he was broken and thought the island could fix him. The correct answer is that you got back to land, realized you had to work, pay taxes, deal with pollution, deal with people telling you about pollution, and had to spend a fortune to spend a week on an island almost identical to the one you were on. I’m completely clueless on how they got off, back on, and why they want to get back off again, but whatever.

Bwhahaha. LOVE IT.

And as for my thoughts on LOST this season (because I know you care what I think): I'm liking the flashsideways and how all of these characters are connected even after not being on the island together. That's sweet. But the on-island stuff... I am so confused. And I just don't see how the writers/producers are going to wrap this up nicely in the 10-12 hours remaining until the SERIES FINALE (I weep). I've accepted I'm not going to get all the little answers but just some universal answers beyond "Why are they on the island" will be nice. I just want a decent conclusion but I am beginning to fear I have set my expectations too high. But as long as it doesn't end with an autistic kid and a snowglobe or Don't Stop Believing being cut off by a black screen, I think I'll be good (and no, I did not watch St. Elsewhere or The Sopranos. Thank God cause I probably would have been irate).

"Don't be afraid/ Just get on the train/ Take it right off the tracks/ And never look back"

2010-03-03T01:54:00.005-05:00

The results are in (yes my sister read over 150 pages in a day)! We were actually gChatting as she read the last 50 pages. It was pretty interesting commentary but since LA predicts and gives away major plot points and the ending, that conversation will stay a secret. Here is her reaction after finishing the epilogue:

LA: YAY! YAY! YAY!

THAT'S A GREAT ENDING

me: thanks!

LA: OH, i love it

i'm sad it's over

GREAT JOB LITTLE SIS

me: aw thanks. whew. i am glad you liked it. i was so nervous

LA: i didn't like it, i LOVED it

me: awwwwww

LA: it's so great! oh, i am kinda sad that it's done. write the next one

me: im working on it

So first hurdle, cleared. Now it's time to debate if I should make some changes before sending it off to other family members or send it as is. Or maybe just take a little breaky-break. I might be voting for the latter cause I'm a little sick of this thing. But that's supposed to happen. :)

Oh and special thanks to LA for being the first reader. Especially because we knew we could have potentially been testing our sisterhood if she ended up hating it. But that didn't happen, yay! Thank you, thank you, thank you LA!!! I was hoping she'd do a guest blogging spot on her thoughts but she's if-y about it (as well as busy with little NP's first birthday coming up this weekend). Maybe if you all prompt her? * wink wink nudge nudge *

"Wanna learn from the things that you put me through/ This one's for you"

2010-03-02T18:05:00.004-05:00

Hooray!!!!

LA: Oh, man, I'm flying through it now. I'm on page 218

me: haha yay. well i hope that means its good

LA: and I'm MAKING myself stop because I HAVE to do laundry. it's awesome

me: YAY! thanks

LA: seriously, you HAVE to pursue getting this published. HAVE TO HAVE TO HAVE TO

me: awwwwwww. you're nice. i like you

LA: well, i am nice, this is true. but even if i weren't, i'd tell you to go for it

Now some of you might just think, "Come on, it's her sister, of course she is going to say nice things about it" but my sister and I went into this agreeing that she was going to be honest with me even if she had not-nice-things to say because why would I want to make a fool of myself trying to get into the publishing world?

And I would also like to thank all the friends who have been extremely supportive. To the ones who say "You wrote a book! That's something less than .25 of the population can say they did" (NV) to "Cheers to your budding writing career" (TW) to "I'd really love to read your manuscript" (NE) , it really does mean a lot. Good thing I found a way to squeeze some characteristics/ quotes/ names of all of you in there. :)

"Make a scene/ Make a scream/ Like you're losing your mind/ And you'll always be next in line"

2010-03-01T17:15:00.007-05:00

So while my sister is busy reading and telling me her thoughts (all good so far! And it's so funny cause I know this book backwards and forwards but no one else knows anything about it. And I know that's obvious but it's so nice to have someone to talk about it with now!) I've started working on my second idea. Too soon? Maybe. But I think it was my brother JP who asked if I had an idea for another book. And I realized... well... yes I do but it's definitely not as fleshed out as Square One was. So I've started working on it. Plus, I've heard about people who have gotten their second book published before their first and so maybe that could happen with this one!

I honestly don't even know how I came up with the idea. I just remember I was reading before going to bed one night and an idea popped into my head. So I scrambled to jot it down in a note on my iPhone and now I'm working on an outline. Well actually, I'm not even there yet. I'm trying to come up with characters first. Cause the characters in Square One were just givens: My family was my family. This girl is based on this person. This guy is a combination for this guy and that guy. In this new one.... I don't know who they are. Yet.

And it's funny cause I make little charts and profiles for each character to keep their facts and characteristics straight so I had a side-by-side list running down a page in my Idea Book about these two male characters. And it almost looked like I was making a pros/cons list about two guys. And this twenty-something year old guy saw me writing while he was waiting for his drink at Starbucks, I could tell he was standing over me and reading it. You can think I was imagining it but I pointedly starting flipping the cover open and shut as if I was fidgeting while thinking and I noticed it broke the guy's trance. Not cool, dude. Not cool. Just funny because he probably told his friend "That girl is in there making a list about which of two dudes to choose and is listing all their traits like that episode of Friends!" but that is not the case at all.

I'm excited about this idea though. It's definitely different from Square One. It is even sort of an homage to LOST Season 6 in ways (even though I came up with the idea before S6 started). There's a big stinking clue to all you LOST fans aka very cool people. And it's funny because with SO, the chunk of writing that I built everything around was the prologue. With this new one, it's actually a scene that will probably be towards the end. It's like I have these puzzle pieces of scenes that I am trying to fit together into one big picture. Just strange how the creative process works, cause I have no idea and I'm experiencing it (sort of... don't wanna brag).