This is what schema is good for...

My friend posted this video  -



- on my Facebook wall, and the whole time I kept thinking...gee, something's familiar about Ariel. Then it came to me...

Oh, Rick Perry. Priceless.

Other thoughts: The Prince Ali guy is pretty attractive. And he must be a math major because I've only ever seen math majors able to draw perfect chalkboard circles like that.

By the way, what's up with that? I haven't seen an actual chalkboard in years!

Also, Gaston is pretty darn talented. That's all.

Mix Tape Monday: Let's Try This Again

It's been a while. I know. The last month or so has been crazy with trying to get everything done for my classes. Fortunately, tomorrow is my last final. I apologize to my small but faithful readership for my lack of posting. Here's another attempt at regular activity.

Last year my friends and I saw My Darkest Days with Three Days Grace in Milwaukee. I wasn't really familiar with My Darkest Days except the one song I'd heard on the radio ("Porn Star Dancing"), but I'd liked Three Days Grace since about 2003 when I randomly bought their album on one of those CD subscription things. (Back when I still bought CD's instead of just digital copies).

Anyways, My Darkest Days opened with "Save Me" and, though not much of a concert goer, I was immediately struck by the feel of the bass hitting my body from the floorboards. I bought their album, but I really only ever listened to "Save Me" and maybe two other songs from the album, I hardly gave the rest of it a chance.

My bad.

I decided to plug "Save Me" into Pandora so I could find more songs like it and it couldn't be found. I typed in the band and the first song it played was one from the album I own but haven't listened to. It's beautiful. Here it is. This is the acoustic version. I love Matt Walst's voice. (His brother, Brad, is the bassist for Three Days Grace. That had to have been a fun tour for them.)



Here's the album version as well. Both versions are great, but I think I like this one a little better.

My Darkest Days - Can't Forget You

Powered by mp3skull.com

"Cant Forget You" by My Darkest Days
When it's said and done, you're the only one (You're
the only one)
And when it's said and done, you're the only one,
you're the only one

Whoever said this pain, would ever go away?
Didn’t know what it meant to, be here without you
Is everything you see, reminding you of me?
Does it hurt when you breathe too? cause it does when I
do, cause it does when I do

Chorus:
When anybody says your name I wanna run away,
I keep remembering I can't forget you
It doesn't matter when I try it happens anyway,
It's been forever and I can't forget you
With every single day, it won't go away
The way I feel about you
And when it's said and done, you're the only one
And I can't regret you, so I can't forget you

When it's said and done, you're the only one (You're
the only one)
And when it's said and done, you're the only one,
you're the only one

I hate to feel this way, my days all feel the same
And yesterday was proof, that tomorrow will too
No matter what they say, can't drink it all away
Cause all that I do, is think about you, is think about
you

Chorus:
When anybody says your name I wanna run away,
I keep remembering I can't forget you
It doesn't matter when I try it happens anyway,
It's been forever and I can't forget you
With every single day, it won't go away
The way I feel about you
And when it's said and done, you're the only one
And I can't regret you, so I can't forget you

Stop haunting my dreams
Please set me free
Stop haunting my dreams
Please set me free
(You're the only one)

Chorus:
When anybody says your name I wanna run away,
I keep remembering I can't forget you
It doesn't matter when I try it happens anyway,
It's been forever and I can't forget you
With every single day, it won't go away
The way I feel about you
And when it's said and done, you're the only one
And I can't regret you
Stop haunting my dreams (It's been forever and I can't
forget you)
Please set me free (It's been forever and I can't
forget you)
Stop haunting my dreams (It's been forever and I can't
forget you)
Please set me free (It's been forever and I can't
forget you)

Frank Turner Friday: Wessex Boy

So, I totally had a tasty Tuesday planned, and then I couldn't find the recipe on my hard drive. I must have deleted it. I promise to get another copy from my grandmother and post it next week.

Today, though, is Frank Turner Friday! So I present to you "Wessex Boy." I just love Frank Turner. And does he remind anyone else of Chris O'Dowd (from IT Crowd and Bridesmaids) or is it just me?



Wessex Boy
Let me tell you all a little story of the things I’ve found,
Hanging out and drinking with my friends in the cathedral grounds,
And later dodging drunks as we dance along Jewry street,
As we wander uptown to the Railway, our friends to meet.

There’s something about coming back to your hometown again,
The place where you grew up and where you found your firmest friends.
And though none of them still live here, and I’ve got nowhere to go,
I’m a Wessex boy, and when I’m here I’m home.

Let me tell you all a little story of the things I’ve lost,
Huddling for warmth on the top step of the Buttercross,
Or sitting on the benches by the bridges at the riverside,
Counting down the hours for the buses cause I missed my ride.

There’s something about coming back to your hometown again,
The place where you grew up and where you found your firmest friends.
And though none of them still live here, and I’ve got nowhere to go,
I’m a Wessex boy, a Wessex boy and when I’m here I’m home.

And one day I will hear this song, anonymous and sweet,
Ringing our from a busker’s guitar on the ancient city streets.
I’ll pause a while and smile before I continue on alone,
And somebody else will sing the words, and I’ll feel like I’m home.

There’s something about hometowns that you never can escape,
The triumphs and the tragedies, the tawdry little fates,
The welling of nostalgia, the feeling kind of strange,
Because despite all of the little changes, the place still feels the same.
But then there’s something about coming back to your hometown again,
The place where you grew up and where you found your firmest friends.
And though none of them still live here, and I’ve got nowhere to go,
I’m a Wessex boy, I’m a Wessex boy, and when I’m here I’m home.

Mix Tape Monday: Cars and Parties

So, I went shopping last Friday. ! I know. Who has time for shopping anymore? Well, I took the day off. And while I was in Anthropologie, not buying anything because I'm a poor grad student and can't afford anything in there, I heard this song by Edith Frost playing. I love it. I don't even know why. I think it's just because it's such an upper. So here's an upper for what's already turning out to be a typical Monday. Oh, and btw, sorry for being MIA last week. I have no idea why I was so lazy...oh wait, yeah I do. Grad school. ::sigh::

	Edith Frost - Cars and Parties .mp3
	Found at bee mp3 search engine

Cars and Parties
Everywhere I go reminds me
Of someplace down in Texas
And every time I close my eyes
I dream of my old home

And oh it’s gettin’ so cold ‘round here
There’s too many cars ‘round here
And though I want to open up my heart
There’s too many parties

Everyone I know reminds me
Of someone down in Texas
And every strip mall on the highway
Reminds me of my home

And oh I’m tired of roamin’ round
There’s too many goin’ down
And though I want to open up my heart
There’s too many parties

Every time I close my eyes
I dream of someone in Texas
And every strip mall along the highway
Reminds me of my home

And oh it’s gettin’ so cold ‘round here
There’s too many cars ‘round here
And though I want to open up my heart
There’s too many parties

And oh it’s always so cold ‘round here
There’s too many cars ‘round here
And though I want to open up my heart
There’s too many parties

There’s too many cars ‘round here…
There’s too many cars ‘round here…
There’s too many cars ‘round here…
And too many parties…
And too many parties…
And too many parties…

Frank Turner Friday: Peggy Sang the Blues (on Jimmy Kimmel)

Hey! Everyone! Listen up! Frank was on Jimmy Kimmel the other night. I  was up in my kitchen doing homework. All of a sudden I heard Frank. I couldn't figure out where it was coming from and then I realized I had left my TV on in my basement. I ran down and there he was on Kimmel! It made me really giddy. So, instead of a the song I originally picked for today, here's a clip from Jimmy Kimmel.

Peggy Sang the Blues:

 

Tasty Tuesday: What Harry Eats

I'm too lazy this week to do anything but copy and paste a recipe from another site (don't worry, I included a link back to the original.) I picked this one because a) it's adorable, b) it's Harry Potter, and c) it's near Halloween.

"Golden Snitchcakes

From http://www.mugglenet.com/misc/rosmertas/goldensnitchcake.shtml

Ingredients:

• 1 box vanilla cake mix (and required ingredients required according to package)
• 2 tubs of buttercream frosting
• 1 package white melting chocolate
• yellow food coloring

Directions for Snitches:

Step 1: Line the bottom of two 12 cup muffin tins with paper liners.

Step 2: Prepare the cake mix according to package directions.

Step 3: Fill the cupcake liners to 2/3 full of batter.

Step 4: Bake according to package directions.



Directions for Wings:

Step 1: Melt the package of white chocolate according to package instructions.

Step 2: Spoon melted chocolate into a small ziplock bag. Using a pair of kitchen scissors, cut an extremely small piece of a bottom corner of the bag.

Step 3: Cover a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Gently squeeze the ziploc bag to pipe the shape of a wing. Use butter knife to smooth the chocolate. Repeat process to create 2 wings per cupcake.

Step 4: Place cookie sheet and parchment paper with wings into the freezer to harden.









Directions to Assemble Golden Snitchcakes:

Step 1: Place 2/3 of frosting in bowl and add some yellow food coloring. Mix together and adjust color as necessary until it becomes the desired shade of gold.

Step 2: When cupcakes are completely cooled, use butter knife to spread the frosting over each cupcake.

Step 3: In a separate mixing bowl, mix remaining uncolored frosting with yellow food coloring until it is a lighter gold color than the cupcake frosting.

Step 4: Spoon this frosting into another small ziploc baggie and cut the corner extremely small.

Step 5: Gently squeeze this bag to pipe swirl pattern onto each cupcake.

Step 6: Take the hardened wings out of the freezer (they should easily peel away from parchment paper). Use a dab of remaining frosting to stick two wings on the side of each cupcake. ENJOY!!!"

Mix Tape Monday: Save a Prayer

In keeping with my creepy music sharefest, you know, since Halloween is so close, here's Duran Duran's "Save a Prayer":



Save a Prayer
You saw me standing by the wall,
Corner of a main street
And the lights are flashing on your window sill
All alone ain't much fun,
So you're looking for the thrill
And you know just what it takes and where to go

Don't save a prayer for me now,
Save it 'til the morning after
No, don't say a prayer for me now,
Save it 'til the morning after

Feel the breeze deep on the inside,
Look you down into the well
If you can, you'll see the world in all his fire
Take a chance
(Like all dreamers can't find another way)
You don't have to dream it all, just live a day

Don't say a prayer for me now,
Save it 'til the morning after
No, don't say a prayer for me now,
Save it 'til the morning after
Save it 'til the morning after,
Save it till the morning after

Pretty looking road,
try to hold the rising floods that fill my skin
Don't ask me why I'll keep my promise,
I'll melt the ice
And you wanted to dance so I asked you to dance
But fear is in your soul
Some people call it a one night stand
But we can call it paradise

Don't say a prayer for me now,
Save it 'til the morning after
No, don't say a prayer for me now,
Save it 'til the morning after
Save it 'til the morning after
Save it 'til the morning after
Save it 'til the morning after
Save it 'til the morning after

Save a prayer 'til the morning after

Penelope Room Project

So, I'm 24 and I live with my parents. But I'm okay with that. Because they have hooked me up with a sweet basement pad. I call it the Woman Cave. In the Woman Cave, I finally have abundant space to display my large collection of books. But, as the basement is newly finished - well, sort of, it was finished almost a year ago - there are still areas that require some finishing touches.

My bedroom, for instance, is quite bare since I had originally put my bookshelves in it and then later decided to move them to the den. All I have on my walls are one piece of painted metal that I picked up at Pottery Barn and calendar featuring historical covers from Rolling Stone.

(I've always wondered, did the band come first or the magazine? I should look that up.)

Anyways, recently I re-watched the movie Penelope (starring Christina Ricci and James McAvoy) and was completely blown away by the production design. The colors are gorgeous and are repeated everywhere throughout the film, making it extremely aesthetically pleasing and unifying the story. My favorite part, I have to say though, was the set design of Penelope's room/nursery. The first thing I noticed was that the color of her walls is similar to the color of my own bedroom walls. Thus, it gave me some great inspiration for decorating my room. My new project is going to be converting my room into something that emulates the same magical and ethereal quality that Penelope's room evokes.

Here are some images I grabbed from the film:

 This green is really similar to the green in my room. I really love the burnt orange cushions here and I'm thinking about finding a bedspread that matches that color.

Her bedroom, which is off the nursery, is a reversal of the dominant colors. Here the bedspread is the same green as the nursery walls and the bedroom walls are kind of a rusty, burnt red. I love the large "windows."

Here is another view of the nursery. I'm going to have to copy the butterflies on the wall, except I will probably go for birds. I also really love the swing and would like to mimic the look possibly with a wall-mounted bookshelf. My room is not large enough for those beautiful metal room dividers, but I might be able to find a smaller wall ornament. The one thing that I really love but am not sure where I could fit any are the ornate terrariums you see all over the nursery.

 I love this tree, but there's no way I have the time or resources to duplicate it. I'm considering creating a wall decal using ConTact paper, but I haven't quite decided if I want to keep the orange. Thoughts?

It's going to be a hefty project, but extremely satisfying, I imagine.

Frank Turner Friday: One Foot Before the Other

Today's Frank Turner song is "One Foot Before the Other." It's a little more rock than his typical folksy stuff.




One Foot Before the Other
On the very day I die
The very last of my desires
Is that you take my broken body
And commit it to the fire

And then when the fire is finished
Scrape the ashes in a tin
Take them down to London’s drinking reservoirs
And throw them in

And then specks infinitesimal of my mortal remains
Will slide down 7 million throats and into 7 million veins
And I will creep through their capillaries to the marrow of their bones
And they will wake to bright new mornings and then wordlessly they’ll know

That I remain
I am remembered
I remain
I am remembered

So these 7 million innocents
They will have me in their blood
And when they die they’ll burn their bodies
Or be buried in the mud
And I will spread through streams and rivers like a virus through a host
From the hamlets to the cities from the rivers to the coast
And from there into the channel across the great Atlantic Ocean
And ever onwards to the new world
Through the waters gentle motions
Until parts of me are part of every land mass every sea
In the rain, up on your crops and in the very air you breath

I remain
I am remembered
I remain
I am remembered
I remain

And all the things I love will be washed away in the rain
I remain

I’m not convinced of the existence of these things that don’t exist
Yeah by Jewish boys with big ideas and scratches on their wrist
By a loving or a vengeful God
Or one who condescends
Who’ll wash his hands down in the mire among the misery of men
Or by ever turning circles hanging timeless in the sky
Like a dream catcher distracting from the fact you’re gonna die

But I place one foot before the other
Confident because
I know that everything we are right now is everything that was
That Watt Tyler, Woody, Guthrie, Dostoevsky and Davy Jones
Are all dissolved into the ether and have crept into my bones
And all the cells in all the lines upon the backs of both my hands
Were once carved into the details of two feet upon the sand

We remain
We are remembered
We remain
We are remembered
We remain

And all the things we love
Will be washed away in the rain
We remain

Tasty Tuesday: Duke Wellingtons

I recently read Great Gatsby for the first time. So, in keeping with a theme, I decided to re-title this recipe as a something 20's related. I hope you enjoy! 
 

Duke Wellingtons (an appetizer):

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 pounds beef tenderloin (or filet mignon), cut into 24 (1-inch) cubes
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 10 ounces mushrooms, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon of white wine
• 1/2 teaspoon of garlic
• 1 small white onion, finely chopped
• 5-10 ounces of spinach (as desired)
• 2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed

Directions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Pat the beef dry with a paper towel and season all sides with salt and pepper. Quickly sear the beef on 2 sides only until deep golden brown, about 4 minutes total; do not overcook. Transfer to a plate to cool.
2. Add the mushrooms and cook until beginning to brown and release liquid, about 5 minutes. Add the onion and garlic and continue cooking until mushroom mixture dries out, is golden brown and onions are soft, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in white wine. Let cool.

3. Preheat to the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
4. On a work surface, roll 1 sheet of puff pastry to a 10 by 14-inch rectangle. Put teaspoon-sized mounds of mushroom mixture on the pastry, evenly spacing them in 4 rows of 3. Top the mushroom mound with a piece of beef, seared side up. If desired, insert spinach between the mushrooms and the beef). With a sharp knife, cut the pastry into even squares around the meat and mushrooms. Working 1 at a time, pull 2 opposite sides of pastry up over each beef piece, then fold the ends over the top to make a packet. Invert and arrange the packets seam side down on the baking sheet and press them lightly to seal the pastry. Repeat with the remaining beef, mushrooms, and pastry.
5. Bake the Wellingtons until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the oven to a serving platter and let cool at least 10 minutes before serving. 

Mix Tape Monday: Shake the Disease

I'm posting this super late! But I know I forewarned you that Mondays and Tuesdays are 15 hour days for me. Anyhoo, for today's Mix Tape Monday, I present to you Depeche Mode's "Shake the Disease." Maybe because it's October, or maybe because I'm just odd, I've really been digging creepy/eerie sounding music. It probably helps that I just finished Dracula and am currently reading The Historian (both creepy in their own right). But, in all honesty, I've always loved creepy music. Thinking back to childhood, I generally loved the creepy-ish villain songs in Disney (and non-Disney) movies.

Some favorites include "In the Dark of the Night" from Anastasia Anastasia - In The Dark Of The Night

Powered by mp3skull.com, "The Plagues" from Prince of Egypt The Prince of Egypt Soundtrack - Track 12 - 'The Plagues'

Powered by mp3skull.com, "Zira's Lullaby" from Lion King 2 Simba's Pride - Zira's Lullaby

Powered by mp3skull.com, and "Hellfire" from The Hunchback of Notre Dame

hunchback of notre dame hellfire songs
Download free music

.

And, returning to the point of this post, here is Depeche Mode's "Shake the Disease":  
Shake the Disease 
I'm not going down on my knees,
Begging you to adore me
Can't you see it's misery
And torture for me
When I'm misunderstood
Try as hard as you can, I've tried as hard as I could
To make you see
How important it is for me

Here is a plea
From my heart to you
Nobody knows me
As well as you do
You know how hard it is for me
To shake the disease
That takes hold of my tongue
In situations like these

Understand me

Some people have to be
Permanently together
Lovers devoted to
Each other forever
Now I've got things to do
And I've said before that I know you have too
When I'm not there
In spirit I'll be there

Here is a plea
From my heart to you
Nobody knows me
As well as you do
You know how hard it is for me
To shake the disease
That takes hold of my tongue
In situations like these

Understand me

Frank Turner Friday: Sailor's Boots

I'm sorry for the delinquency today, it's been a busy one. I chose "Sailor's Boots" for this week's Frank Turner Friday because it reminds me of an Irish ballad. It's lovely. It is the b-side for his song "If I Ever Stray," which is another favorite of mine but is a little too upbeat for my current mood. Maybe I'll post it next week. If there isn't another one that I feeling more inclined towards. According to Frank's website, this song used to be titled "Rod Stewart." As I have only recently discovered Frank, I will only ever know it as "Sailor's Boots."



Sailor's Boots
If I had been born 200 years ago
I would have been a sailor, a-sailing I would go
I'd sail around the capes, across the seven seas and then back home
If I had been born 200 years ago

And I would know the waters and the waters would know me
I would cut across the waves and be as happy as can be
I'd be landless, I'd be loveless, I'd be flight and fancy free
And would know the waters and the waters would know me

And when I think about the place and time were I was born
Well, I wonder if the hands of fate have slipped and placed me wrong
'Cause there are ships I could have sailed and sailor's boots I could've worn
When I think about the place and time were I was born

But the ocean is still out there magnificent and wide
With open arms to hold me, and endless space to hide,
And the only things that hold me back are things I hold inside
The ocean is still out there magnificent and wide

Oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh
A-sailing I should go

For the Bride

One of my best friends is getting married in a little over a month. She just moved out to Boston. For her bridal shower, we had to get a little creative and find gifts with one of the letters from her name (they were assigned). Naturally, I received the letter "Z." I went with a zebra theme (which matched the animal print theme of the Bachelorette Party, so...win) and wrote her a poem instead of getting a card. I thought I'd share it with y'all. Disclaimer: this poem includes inside jokes.

That Grammar Stuff

Truth.

Another WTF Day

So, I'm kind of a mess today.

1. I got shin splints walking from work to class because I lost track of time. I got from one end of campus to the other in just under 10 minutes.

2. You know that scene in Airplane where the guy is like, "I have a drinking problem," and every time he goes to take a drink he splashes it on his face instead?

Well, I think I have a drinking problem. Only, instead of missing my mouth, I am actually able to take a sip, but then I randomly and involuntarily spit it out. I did this with my coffee in the middle of class. If anyone noticed, nobody said anything. I played it cool. Well, as cool as you can play drooling on yourself, anyway.

3. I purchased said coffee from a vending machine. It was supposed to cost $1.10. I put in $2. The change I received was 35 cents and a watch battery...

4. I tripped myself stepping into my pajama bottoms. They are shorts.

Tasty Tuesday: Dracula's Kiss

Halloween is pretty much my favorite holiday. That's not really true. I kind of love all holidays. But Halloween is always loads of fun. And, sadly, I'll be in class this Halloween. So to get into the spirit early, this year I decided to finally finish reading Dracula. If you've been an avid reader, you'll know that I don't particularly love Twilight, but I do love me some vampire tales.

(If you haven't been an avid reader, I suggest you get with the program.)

I videotaped every rerun of Buffy when I was a freshman in high school. I watched True Blood religiously, until it got all weird (second season). I read the Vampire Diaries books and I DVR the show. And I did, in fact, read all of the Twilight novels because, terrible as they are, they suck you in (no pun intended).

(If you're at all interested in hearing my full rantings on Twilight just go here. And here. Oh, and here too. I think you probably get the picture.)


But, I have to say, one of the best vampire novels of all time and one of my personal favorites, is Historian, by Elizabeth Kostova, which is told from the perspective of a young girl that is searching for her missing father. (Without giving anything away, there's some connections to Dracula). The reason that this novel is so great is because it's not just about a vampire, but about the man who became the vampire. And because I'd never read Dracula, I felt like I was owing it to Kostova to read the inspiration for her masterpiece.

So, like I said, I finished Dracula last night. I tried to read it last summer but found some other shiny thing to distract me instead. But I'm glad I gave it another chance, because not only does it help me make better connections with the Historian, but so many other literary and cultural references as well. Not to mention, it is deliciously creepy.

So, in honor of Dracula, I present to you this cocktail recipe that I found at here.

Dracula's Kiss:

Dracula's Kiss is a haunting cocktail for Halloween parties. The drink creates two layers: the bottom is red with grenadine and the top is black with cola. Add spiders to the drink or hang them on the glass for a ghoulish finishing touch. Both Smirnoff and Effen make great black cherry vodkas. (I would stick to Effen, though, because Smirnoff always gives me heartburn).

Ingredients:

• 1 oz black cherry vodka
• 1/2 oz grenadine
• cola
• maraschino cherries for garnish

Preparation:

1. Coat the bottom of a highball glass with grenadine.
2. Add ice and vodka.
3. Fill with cola.
4. Garnish with cherries.

Dear Tea,

I'm sorry I've been spending all my time with coffee. I promise to do better.

Sincerely,
Jo

Mix Tape Monday: Karma Police

This is Karma Police by Radiohead. I really love Radiohead. They pretty much always satisfy my thirst for eerie music.



And people keep buzzing about the Panic cover. Forget Panic. It's alright, but they don't have Thom Yorke. Radiohead = win.

Karma Police
Karma police, arrest this man
He talks in maths
He buzzes like a fridge
He's like a detuned radio

Karma police, arrest this girl
Her Hitler hairdo is
Making me feel ill
And we have crashed her party

This is what you get
This is what you get
This is what you get when you mess with us

Karma police
I've given all I can
It's not enough
I've given all I can
But we're still on the payroll

This is what you get
This is what you get
This is what you get when you mess with us

And for a minute there, I lost myself, I lost myself
Phew, for a minute there, I lost myself, I lost myself

For for a minute there, I lost myself, I lost myself
Phew, for a minute there, I lost myself, I lost myself

Tracking

So, since Blogger is paired with Google, it does this thing where it tracks your visitors. Should I be a little creeped out that some of my traffic is coming from an escort services website in Kiev? I'm just saying...

Sweet Dreams, Monkey

So, I've had this t-shirt in my closet for about six years. It was my favorite t-shirt my freshman year of college. You may have seen it before. It was the Low t-shirt that Kirsten Dunst's character sported with the red beanie in Elizabethtown.

Anyway, my shirt does not even come close to fitting me anymore. But I have not been able to bring myself to throw it away. I'd order a new one, but the website doesn't seem to sell t-shirts anymore (unless I'm blind).

I was thinking about making a t-shirt quilt, but who has the time for that? Definitely not me. But I do have time, I decided, to make a pillow. So I did. And it's pretty ugly. I love it anyway.

I didn't do anything right with this pillow. I didn't just get a pillow mold and use the shirt as a pillowcase, which would have been much more practical. I did, however, sew the shirt together with the wrong color thread (I don't know how to change the thread on my mama's sewing machine). And I probably sewed it in the wrong places. And there was that awkward inward curve where the arms were that, were I to sew in a straight line, would have cut off part of the graphic. So I used the back side of the shirt as an extension and then tried to make the front of the pillow look like an upside down envelope. This all sounds pretty convoluted, right? Well, it is.

Then, in an attempt to make the pillow look a little cuter (failure) I added a few blue buttons. Have a look. Don't be afraid to chuckle, I know it's no masterpiece. My mother would probably be ashamed of seamstressy skills (or lack thereof).

And, of course, since sharing is caring, I'll leave you with my favorite Low song, just so you understand why I couldn't get rid of this shirt. They're awesome. And this song is beautifully creepy.

Low: Monkey

low - monkey songs
Mp3 downloads

Frank Turner Friday: Substitute

Recently, I discovered Frank Turner whilst listening to Pandora. I've yet to hear a song I've disliked. Sure, there are a few I don't like quite as much as others, but you'll get that with any artist. So, in paying homage to his multitude of great music, I will be posting a song or video every Friday until I run out of favorites. After that, who knows?

Substitute

frank turner - substitute songs
MP3 download

The first girl that I fell for was a fair and faithful fighter
She smouldered with a will to save the world
I did my best to help her, yeah I stood shoulder to shoulder
On the front lines with my visionary girl

I wish that she had cared for me
But in the end her ideologies
Occupied the fortress of her heart
I wrote her 15 songs, but still we had to part

And if music was the food of love
Then I'd be a fat romantic slob
Well music, it's my substitute for love

The last girl that I loved she was a low and lusty liar
She set my heart on fire, but made me choke
Her beauty was a sight to see, but she didn't save it all for me
I found other fires by following the smoke

I wish that she had either cared for me or
let be me
But she chased me from mind and from my home
I wrote her 16 songs, but I ended up alone

And if love is really all that we need
Then even all my singing is never gonna save me
Music it's my substitute for love

Well I've had many different girls inside my bed
But only one or two inside my head
These days I cuddle up to my guitar instead
But oh, what I would give, not to stumble but to really fall in love
And I could substitute my singing for the sound of someone sleeping next to me

Tasty Tuesday: Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

I have not tried this recipe yet. But when I lived with my roommate, her mom sent us some similar treats. They were delicious. I can't wait to try this one out. Here's to hoping I get a break from homework sometime soon. Semi-regular sleep would also be good...

Here's the recipe, borrowed from Spork or Foon:

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies adapted from Joy the Baker

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon powdered ginger

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

2 eggs

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup canola or corn oil

1 cup canned pumpkin

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup chocolate chips, or any chip you like

Position a rack in the middle of the oven . Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and butter the paper.

Stir the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices together in a medium bowl and set aside. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the eggs and sugar until smooth and lightened in color, about 1 minute. Stop the mixer and scrape the sides of the bowl as needed during mixing. On low speed, mix the oil, pumpkin, and vanilla until blended. Mix in the flour mixture to incorporate it. Mix in the chips.

Using an ice cream scoop with a 1/4-cup capacity, scoop mounds of the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing the cookies at least 2 1/2-inches apart. You could also simply use a 1/4-cup measuring cup if you don’t have a scoop. Use a thin metal spatula to smooth and flatten the rounds.

Bake the cookies one sheet at a time until the tops feel firm and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out dry, about 16 minutes. Cool them on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then use a wide metal spatula to transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool cimpletely.

Dust the cooled cookies lightly with powdered sugar. The cookies can be stored in a tightly covered container at room temperature for up to 4 days.

Be sure to check out other amazing recipes at Spork or Foon!

Mix Tape Monday: Kickoff

I thought I'd start doing theme days. Monday is actually my 15-hour work day so...we'll see how long this lasts.

Anyway, I work with web, so I listen to Pandora and Musicovery a lot. Today my Pandora station has been playing a ton of The Smiths and Morrissey and the like. So, naturally, I got a snippet of lyric stuck in my head from a song that had not played but happened to reference "The Smiths and Morrissey." It took me a while of random google searching to find it. I was pretty sure it was either the Postal Service or Brand New, but everything I typed into the search engine just resulted in actual Smiths and Morrissey songs. Finally, I found it. It is, indeed, Brand New. The song is called Mix Tape, which is rather fitting for the theme, if I do say so myself. Here's the lyrics, I really like them. You should too.

"Mix Tape"

	Brand New - Mix Tape .mp3
	Found at bee mp3 search engine

I got a twenty-dollar bill that says no one's ever seen you without makeup.
You're always made up.
And I'm sick of your tattoos,
and the way you always criticize the Smiths... and Morrissey.
And I know that you're a sucker for anything acoustic.
But when I say let's keep in touch,
I really mean I wish that you'd grow up.
This is the first song for your mix tape.
It's short just like your temper,
but somewhat golden like the afternoons we used to spend before you got too cool...

I got a twenty-dollar bill that says no one's ever seen you without makeup.
You're always made up.
And I'm sick of your tattoos, and the way you don't appreciate Brand New or me
And I know that you're a sucker for anything acoustic.
But when I say let's keep in touch,
I hope you know I mean I wish that you'd grow up.
This is the first song for your mix tape.
It's short just like your temper,
but somewhat golden like the afternoons we used to spend before you got too cool...

(yeah, but I wish you were my shadow.)

Rolling in the Deep - Chester Bennington style

Worse Things Happen at Sea

And the insanity continues...

In my teaching certification program this semester, I am required to perform 50 clinical hours. The first 25 in a high school and the second 25 in a middle school. I am wrapping up the first half the the clinicals, so a couple weeks ago I decided it was time to make contact with the cooperating teacher for the middle school. I emailed her to let her know my availability and asked her to respond with the days in my availability that would work best for her. After a week, I still hadn't received a response. I emailed the program director and she told me to wait a couple more days and then call the school. Yesterday, I called the school and asked if there was a better way to get in touch with the teacher. She died over the summer. I emailed the program director again to update her and try to find out where to go from here. She basically told me to handle it myself rather than doing her job and finding me a new placement. Apparently she has found a new job and is quitting, so she has no intention of helping me out at all. This so would happen to me.

Excuses

Insanity Abounds: Story of my life.

He'd be all over me.

I don't know what is is about me, but I seem to be a magnet for the crazies. Maybe it's that they can all sense my own inner craziness and feel like they've found some kindred spirit. Whatever the case may be, I'm getting a little tired of it (even if it does supply me with some great blog fodder). Here's just a little taste of the crazy things people say to me:

Exhibit A -
One of the places I work is a local cafe/bakery where I am a cashier/server. One of our regulars is a forty year old mama's boy who has not changed his haircut since the 3rd grade. I don't know how he came to be wealthy, but he eats two meals a day (sometimes three) at our restaurant. And we are not cheap. Sometimes he comes in with his mother, she is a witch with a capital B, and he is no peach either. Anyway, he's a favorite among our staff to make fun of. So when I was nearly hit by a car speeding backwards in the Target parking lot the other day, I was delighted to see it was none other.

Exhibit B -
One of my good friends, we'll call her "Skinny Legs," also works at this cafe/bakery with me. She and I just have a dandy old time together...we make it interesting. So, the other day, while Skinny Legs was stocking cups next to me, a customer came in to pick up a phone in order. Her total was $9.01. She handed me a credit card, but before I could ring it up, she said, "Wait, I think I have a penny."
.....
I asked Skinny Legs to help me split the payment, but she was confused because there was only one customer, so I held out my hand and showed her the penny. She, so rudely, began laughing at me and wouldn't knock it off. So I had to laugh too. But I had to walk away to be discreet and then pull it back together to finish helping the customer, who was obviously drunk. Or just an idiot.

Exhibit C (this is a long one)-

Now accepting applications. Must be a condescending tool.

There's this new store in the mall called Teavana. (I know there are many other branches that have been around forever, but it's new to us, because we're a podunk, poor-excuse-for-a-city). I was having a pretty bad day, was unable to find what I was looking for at every store I went to, and was pretty down. So the flirty, friendly clerk at Teavana, offering me samples as I was walking past, was easily able to convince me to buy something. But not before first asking me about the kinds of tea I like and then condescendingly exclaiming that I'm "not interested in the health benefits of tea at all." He also told me I needed to buy a tin to store the tea in and that it would be cheaper to just fill it up. What he should have sad was that it is a "better deal" to fill it up, not cheaper. Because my total ended up being $36 and change for a lb of Earl Grey.

As soon as I left the store I regretted it, and the more I thought about it the angrier I got. I figured that the tea must have magical properties.

Three days later, I was still fuming. I decided that he took advantage of the fact that I didn't know how their system works. I had also talked to a friend who'd had a similar experience and learned that you do NOT have to buy the tin. But instead of telling me that, or even just simply saying that I needed A tin and not necessarily THEIR tin, he told me I needed to buy one. This was after I asked, "So how does this work?" He failed to mention that they had bags (for FREE) to transport the tea home in. It seemed pretty bizarre to me at the time, but like I said, I was feeling pretty weak.

Warning: There are no magical properties in this tea.

My friend talked me into going back and asking for a refund. I'm not an extremely assertive person, so I'm really proud of myself for following through. I went back and asked to speak to a manager. I explained calmly that I was upset with the clerk who had "helped" me three days earlier and that I felt manipulated. The manager FOUGHT with me for fifteen minutes (and this is awful. You would never hear of a manager fighting with a customer at the cafe that I work at) until I was pretty much yelling at him. Finally, he relented, and only after I threatened to tell all my friends about my awful experience and to trash the store on my blog (oops). He compromised by removing the charge for the tin and returning "half" of the tea, and I got $22 put back on my credit card.

But the best part of the story was when, before returning the tea, he tried to calm me down by soothingly asking me if he could make me a cup of tea, on him, while I waited. I said, "I don't want a cup of tea, I just want to get my money back and get out of here." The rest of the visit went as follows:

Manager - I promise, it won't take any longer.
Me - Fine.
Manager - You like the Earl Grey right? Do you know why Earl Grey is so good for you?
Me - No.
Manager - It has Bergamot in it. Do you know what the benefits of Bergamot are?
Me - No. I just like the taste.
Manager - It's an anti-depressant. It makes people happier.

No Offense, But I Won't Be Catching Any Grenades For You

I can't tell you how glad I am that the Lazy Song has finally pushed Grenade off the radio (for the most part). But, unfortunately, SiriusXM still likes to play it and it comes up two or three times a shift when I am at work. Grenade makes me want to pull my own hair out, and once it's all gone, pull out the hair of whoever is standing closest to me too. And it has nothing to do with the fact that once I hear it, it's stuck in my head for the next two days. (Although that's pretty annoying also).

Let's break it down.
"You take, take, take it all/But you never give"
Hello? Bruno? Red flag right there!!! This is obviously a one-sided relationship, if you can even call it that.

"Gave you all I had/And you tossed it in the trash"
Okay, so, not only does this chick not reciprocate your feelings, she doesn't even respect them. This is not someone worth your time!

"I’d catch a grenade for ya/Throw my hand on a blade for ya/I’d jump in front of a train for ya/You know I'd do anything for ya/I would go through all this pain/Take a bullet straight through my brain/Yes, I would die for ya baby/But you won't do the same"

I'm not going to go any further with the lyrics. It's all right here. This is some pretty serious stuff. Now, I know it's just a song and that these are figures of speech...but they irritate me all the same. The problem is that the 'unrequited love" bug is going around. I believe this is thanks in no small part to Twilight. There's something extremely fashionable right now about obsessive love that is not good for you. Something about clinging to the pain of rejection that somehow makes you deep and soulful and worldly. Remember when being emo was like totally cool?

The thing that worries me is that pre-teens and teenagers and even many adults think this is normal behavior. It's not something I can say I fully understand. Sure, I had a lot of one-sided crushes growing up. Sure, I had my fair share of teenage angst. But it was never something that defined me.

Not until my last relationship. It was not a healthy relationship. Even though my last relationship was not unrequited it was, for lack of a better word, obsessive. At that point in my life, my best friends were far away, I didn't get along with my roommate, and the friends I was closest with nearby were starting to discover different interests and head off in different directions. It was early in the college years where we were all still figuring ourselves out. I was lonely and awkward and shy in a place that was completely foreign to me. So when my ex and I first became friends and quickly learned all of the completely random things that we had in common we became really close really fast. Finally, I wasn't lonely anymore.

Because I was shy, I had a hard time making friends away from him. I used him as a crutch. And he grew increasingly frustrated with my insecurity. But, it wasn't all me. He had his insecurities as well. He would go into weeks of depression and would get mad at me when I tried to talk him through them. He also didn't help my initial cling to him by being the first to say "I love you" not even a month after we had met. He was also the first to bring up the idea that I might be someone he'd like to marry someday. This was all very early into our relationship. We both were attempting a very serious, very adult relationship while we were both just kids. It was doomed to fail.

Reading Twilight was painful - and not just because of the horrible writing - but because it was like revisiting that relationship. And the worst part about it was that, terrible as it was, it was addictive. Obsessive love is addictive, and it's destructive. And, unfortunately, there's no rehab or treatment or pill that can cure it.

Since the end of that relationship, I haven't dated anyone. I've had crushes, but no serious feelings. A big part of it is that I am living at home and don't want to be here forever. I don't want to go looking for a relationship when I can't guarantee that I'll be around long enough to see it through. I also haven't met anyone who has made me think sticking around here would be worth it, or even worth the effort and time a relationship requires which would take away the time and effort I am able to put into finishing my MA. This is not to say that if such a person comes along I won't be happy to do so.

I've had occasional crushes. But they have been fruitless, and I've moved on. So, instead of catching a grenade or jumping in front of train for someone who won't give you what you deserve, I'd recommend adopting the mindsets of these folks:

Gwyneth "Forget You"



Tom Petty "Don't Come Around Here No More"

Green Day "FOD"


Rolling Stones "It's All Over Now (I Used to Love Her)"

It's a Toss Up

Two weeks ago the Bears lost to the Packers at the championship. Tonight, the Packers went on to win the Super Bowl game. I was unsure of who I'd be rooting for since I don't like the Packers on principle (Bears fan) and, though I believe the Steelers are a better team, I am not a big fan of Roethlisberger (for obvious reasons.) However, I found myself cheering on the Steelers throughout the game and was let down when they lost. Not so much because I cared more about them, but because I really thought there was no way they would lose to the Packers.

(I did hear rumors that the Steelers were out partying a lot this week, so maybe that contributes, but they played a good game in the second half).

I was less impressed with the half time show. I'm not a big fan of the Black Eyed Peas and was even less a fan of Fergie's sparkly shoulder pads. Slash's appearance provided some redemption for the show but I can imagine the shame he must have felt to allow Fergie to butcher "Sweet Child of Mine." Usher's appearance was pretty cool, he maybe could have pulled his pants up a little more, but I'm honestly surprised we didn't see the Beiber pop up as well.

Anywho, I had a little Super Bowl party and I just have to say, I love my friends. Good food, good company, and an overall good game (even though I'm now going to have to put up with smug Packer fans until the end of time).

By the way, a coworker of mine had $1500 riding on the Steelers. Sucks to be him right about now, wouldn't ya say?

Black and yellow, black and yellow, black and yellow.

A Poll on Ethics

I'm taking a poll to aid me in an assignment I am doing for my Rhetoric class. Don't worry about the context, don't think too hard about your answer, just give me you initial gut opinion. The theme here is right vs. wrong. Base your answers on ethics not legality. I really appreciate the help. I will explain the point of this poll after I see some results and finish my assignment.

If you know a person is a recovering alcoholic and you put a drink in their hand, would you feel responsible if they drink it?

If you hand a person a shovel, would you feel responsible for the driveway getting cleared of snow?

If you know a kid is being bullied and you put a gun in their hand, would you feel responsible if they shoot someone?

If you supplied a person with illegal drugs, would you feel responsible if they overdosed?

If you lecture about the importance of physical appearance, would you feel responsible if a young girl in the audience develops an eating disorder?

If you give a speech about the importance of charity, would you feel responsible for the many audience members donating large sums of money?

I know that some of these issues are not black and white and that you may want to justify your response. Please choose yes or no first based on initial reaction. After that, if you desire, you can use the comments section to explain or argue your case. However, for the purpose of my assignment, all I am really looking for is the yes or no.

Thanks for your time.

Hello Again, Old Friend

I've been seriously neglecting this place. Mostly because I've been debating myself on whether or not to shut it down. I'm still not really sure, all I can tell you is that it's been far too long and I could really use the creative outlet right now. So here's what's going on in my life:

- My parents finished our basement so I've turned it into my own little apartment space. Yes, this is less cool that actually renting a legit apartment. But I never claimed to be cool. And I can't afford a car right now, let alone an apartment of my very own.

- I got a job at a local bakery/cafe. I 60% like it. I get tips, not as much as I would if I were a waitress, but tips nonetheless.

- I've recently grown accustomed to getting my legs waxed. It hurts like hell the first time but the second and third times aren't bad. I intend to never shave my legs again if I can help it. That's really not as gross as it sounds, I promise.

-I finished a novel. Kind of. I finished a little over 50K words for NaNoWriMo in November. It's still unedited and probably not worth revising, but still, I did it, and I'm proud of myself.

-I've started my third semester of grad school and I am taking my first couple of classes in the teaching certification program. It's a lot more work than last semester but hopefully doable. My MA class, Traditions in Rhetoric, has reading that is so dense I have to reread sentences two or three times to make sure I'm understanding them. But, despite the difficulty, I'm still excited to be learning. And I'm pretty excited to be getting into the classroom.

-I got my nose pierced. I realize that this was kind of a futile action since I'll be taking it out before I start student teaching. But it's something I've wanted to do for the past few years. I've only had it for a few days so it is still is sore and looks like a giant sparkly booger out of the corner of my eye.

-I've set a goal for myself to lose 50 lbs by October. It's a big goal and is going to take a lot of commitment (and a lot less ice cream) but I'm going to try. I think I'm going to post here weekly on my progress to keep myself accountable.

That's all for now. Laters.