Babies

Today our friend Katrina came over to our apartment with her two daughters (one is two and the other not quite three months). It always makes me just a little depressed that I don't get to interact with babies as often as I would like to. Unfortunately, I'd love to interact with babies pretty much 24/7, which is why vacations to CO are pretty much the best: I just steal my niece or nephew for the entire day (or, at least, until my sister insists that I give 'em back) and I'm happy. Yeah, I'll edit this post later to make it longer. . .

Changes

Does anyone else find it terribly ironic that I hate change in life but can't stand to leave things the same? (Like my blog, for instance?)

"I Adore Broke Musicians"

I don't know why, but I think it's funny that my brain figures that if I wear a skirt or dress pants it's okay to wear a screen T-shirt from, say, Hot Topic, and count that as semi-professional enough for work.

"I don't know. Light gwobes."

Sometimes my boss and I get into little arguments. Nothing bad or important but I'm amazed at how long these "discussions" will last. And they have nothing to do with anything. I love it. :D

"We could have made it on green glass"

All right. Last night I was able to see BYU perform "Thoroughly Modern Millie" which is one of my favorite shows out there. Here are the typical "we went to a show but we can't take pictures of the show so we'll be weird in our own photos" pictures:

Check out that cheekbone, kids. Money. I should be a model. ;)

This is us, ridiculously happy before the show began. We're awesome. Also, Janae, I like your hoodie!

Anyway, I absolutely adore this show. First of all, it takes place in the Roarin' 20s. Secondly, because the music and dancing in it is amazing. Also, I just really like the point that it makes. It teaches that you should love people for who they are rather than what others want you to think is right.

Also, guys who dance while dressed in black with sparkling white suspenders and fedoras *are* hot. Thanks for the heads up, macaroony. ;)

"I do not think it means what you think it means"

Why on earth am I still awake when I'm completely exhausted?

Even more importantly, why am I taking the time to blog when it is so obviously keeping me from my bed?

the Beatles

I am truly my mother's daughter. I have now spent the last hour or so listening to only Beatles music. To be honest, it's pretty much been the same 5 songs over and over (thank heavens for YouTube.com!) If you're curious, the ones that have captured my attention today are:

Michelle
Girl
If I Fell
And I Love Her
Norwegian Wood
As My Guitar Gently Weeps
You've Got to Hide Your Love Away
I'm Happy Just to Dance With You

And, as always, I can't say why, exactly, I love each of these songs. Some of them just have beautiful melodies or instrumental bits; others, the words speak to me. Some days I just really like relaxing, old music. Today is definitely one of those days. :D

Wisdom "from" Jane Austen

Two quotes from the new adaptation of Pride & Prejudice (they both happen in the same conversation in the opening dance).

"I wonder who first discovered the power of poetry in driving away love?"

and

"So what do you recommend, to encourage affection?"
"Dancing."

The first reminds me of a story: this one time, there was a guy that was interested in both me and my roommate. Anyway, to make a long story short, one morning, we woke up to a poem on our doorstep and, well, to make another long story short, it. . .wasn't. . .that. . .good. Which kind of made us like him less.

The second is true enough. I think I've blogged enough about music and dancing to not have to elaborate too much on this quote.

Mmm, I do love Jane Austen. Especially when there are at least six film adaptations and several copies of the books at hand. And now, I'm going to watch some more of good ol' P&P.

Little tufts of. . .

Snow.

I'm always torn when it starts to snow. Every time it does, I think of how absolutely beautiful it is. I love that snowflakes (especially at night) look like stars melting from the sky. Then my mind crashes back to reality when I realize that my car just doesn't drive in snow. At all. If I try, I skid. And then I have to remember that, although I want to enjoy the snow while looking out my sliding glass door (conveniently decorated with paper snowflakes) with a cup of steaming hot chocolate in hand, the thought that I have to travel to work and church sort of kill the moment.

But at least I got a couple days of rain before I had to start worrying about little things like that. :D

Happy, happy, happy

I just got back from an evening of dancing and being with people I love and adore (and, hey, I figured out it's called Salsa Chocolate, so there you go).

The only thing making this *not* perfection is the fact that I have to be at a visiting teaching meeting in 6 1/2 hours.

Third time's the charm. . .

What I actually wanted to post today:

I've been in BYU Housing too long. Today, while we cleaned the office (in this particular instance, the bathroom) a male coworker walked in to get some more cleaner and my stomach lurched because I thought I'd broken the Honor Code.

"What's in a name?"

If you haven't read my time blog, go there first. This is in response to why I like proper names infinitely more than nicknames or pet names.

I've posted my side of the story but here's the longer version: I like people using my name instead of nicknames or pet names, mostly because my family is big on using proper names because it shows how close/trusted you are. I mean, even in literature and some other cultures, people are wary to let their real names be known because it means you're lending a certain power to them, to be that intimate. So. . .in using my name, it means I trust you enough to let you/want you to use my real name. Hence, real names = close friends = I like it. (This is probably also the same reason I dislike people mispronouncing my name, especially if they know me--it implies you don't care enough about me to call me by my preferred name.)

Holy. Hannah.

http://www.mugglenet.com/app/news/full_story/2123

And then, I died. Happily. * squee! *

This one time. . .

You can ask my sister--I'm a ridiculously hopeless romantic/old-school kind of person. I've always wondered what it would be like if I had been raised in the 1880s, 1920s or 1950s because, other than the fact that I'm an extremely independant lady, I think I would've fit into those eras fairly well. (Well, the first mainly for the dresses that they wore and, yes, I know that's not a legitimate reason to want to switch decades but this is a blog post, okay?)

I can't really describe it, but I've always loved how things kind of worked out "back then." I mean, I was watching a music video (yeah, yeah, you thought this blog would be completely music-reference-free? Don't you know me?) for "Dark Blue" by Jack's Mannequin and the basis of it is a dance competition--very 50s. In fact, the girls are all wearing skirts that resemble those of the poodle-variety (oh, if y'all had only known me in the eighth grade) with pony tails all done up with ribbons in their hair. I can't dance, but I love to go dancing and that was such a happy decade--everyone being relaxed (relieved that the war was over) and new (good) music was just emerging and changes in life and attitude were happening and folks just wanted to celebrate life and be happy.

Which is probably the reason I like the 20s. If you ignore all the crime (well, there's always crime and bad things, remember how I'm focusing on the good?) and the blatant nonobservance of Prohibition, the 20s were also pretty darn rad. I mean, flappers were all about dancing and enjoying themselves, women were coming into their own, families were doing pretty all right. . .I mean, if the decade weren't so darn peppy, how did it get the nickname "Roarin'"? :D

And then I'm reminded of gorgeous ballgowns and box dinners and carriages and dance cards and I swoon just a little. I mean, any girl who was ever a girl thought about living in a time where all women were demure and the guys were actual *gentlemen*. And they'd call each other Mr. and Ms. and I seriously still get a little weak in the knees when a guy I like actually calls me by my proper name. There's just something very. . .exhilarating about the whole thing.

The end.

Coldplay makes my heart happy!

*happy sigh*

Music is my life

Remember that time that I totally blog too much? And it's usually about music? My friend, Jason, walked into Rock Band with this shirt on:


To quote Merry, in the theatrical version of Lord of the Rings: the Fellowship of the Ring, "I'm getting one!"

Music makes the world go 'round. . .

All right, even though I am fully aware that I'm a ridiculous lover of music (especially as evidenced on my blog) I just can't help it. When something makes me this happy, this frequently, I have to share with everyone because y'all deserve to be happy, too.

My roommates and I constantly amaze me. Not with our English skills (although there's plenty of *that* to be had) but just with our awesome creativity. And by creativity I totally mean the accepting of the fact that we're weird and random and we're okay with displaying that. For example, last night, we once again remembered that we owed Whitney a serenade (she had purchased our "service" at the canned food drive). We sat around, with a guitar, busted out the spoons again, added a bag of rice, nixed the harmonica, and came up with this:




I am definitely proud of us. (Also, the very beginning got cut off. No big.) I mean, who else can rhyme "lime," "nine," and "thyme" with "poetess divine"? Or completely redeem the phrase "nymphian queen"?

*100th post!*

Wow, um, I didn't think I'd *ever* get to 100 posts since I'm not the kind of person to actually keep up with a record or anything.

And how am I celebrating, you may ask? By baking cupcakes and eating ice cream. Okay, so that's not really what either of those foods are for, but, hey, now I have an excuse to eat them earlier than originally planned, right? Right?

Fine. I won't. But only because I cracked two eggs one-handed today. :D

Tragedy!

I can no longer avoid bar chords.

*weeps openly*

Texting

I just checked how many texts I have used this "month" (I still have a week left on my billing cycle) and I'm at 1300.

*embarrassed*

Yeah. . .

Orange you gonna. . .?

I've been reviewing what I've eaten this week and come to the realization that I eat a lot of yellowish/orangish/tan colored food.

Chicken Ramen
Mac & Cheese
Cheesy Rice Pilaf
Lemon Chicken stuff
Orange juice
Apple juice
Omelet
Cheese sandwich
Toast with butter

I think I need to go grocery shopping and make sure I hit more of the color spectrum. . .

"Oh you kids, I love you, too"

I have no idea what a puppet Snape has to do with Spanish, but it was the only title I could think of for this post.

I really, really, really need to practice my Spanish. Because it's failing hardcore. :D

Random Aside

I just went through my tags and I blog more about music than I do my friends.

I think something is wrong with me. :D

**edit** All right, so I don't actually think something is wrong with me which makes it even more likely that something is.

"Gotta Dance!"

Not that I had the energy last night, but two of my roommates went to a social dance lab and I'm very, very jealous that they went without me. There is something about dancing that is nearly as cool as music. Being able to hear a good beat and twirl or headbang (which is a very "loose" sense of the term, I suppose) or actually move your body around. . .I don't know. I'm not good with words (hence trying to keep up this blog--it's like writing exercises!)

For example, about a month ago I went salsa dancing. I was able to interact with folks that I normally wouldn't have spent time with I also saw different aspects of my friends' personalities. I was able to be ridiculously. . .open. Unrestricted. (Is that even the word I'm looking for? Ugh, fail.) Something along those lines, at least. But it just felt good to be in a room moving to the music, being a little silly, having a lot of fun and. . .just. . .

I guess if you really want to know what I mean, you have to go dancing with me, lol.

I'll take "totally exhausted" for $500, please

Totally random: for the last couple of weeks my body has been one confused little thing. I've been ridiculously happy (with bursts of energy) but also had no appetite and odd sleeping patterns.

All this came to a head last night. Tryn and I were in our room, doing some scripture study/lesson discussion/life-catching-up. I was laying on my tummy and had propped my head up with my arms. While Tryn was talking (oh, I'm so sorry, Tryn!) the words started to blur and I could feel myself not remembering anything and my eyelids getting heavy. She, of course, asked if I was still awake. I, in an old habit picked up by years of teenage obstinance, said of course not and tried to recount what she had been sharing. The next thing I knew, my arms were knocked out from under my head and my head fell on my pillow. I think Tryn was laughing at me but I only remember waking up this morning, completely drained of energy and wondering (hoping) I hadn't embarrassed myself that much. :)

Two songs. . .

Two songs that have gotten me through the weekend:

"Say" by John Mayer
"Out of My League" by Stephen Speaks

And I won't go into too much detail (because there isn't much to go into) but, remember how I said that I have favorite parts of favorite songs? Well, I adore the instrumentation in both of these pieces. I hope you like 'em, too.

Oh what a night!

Just so everyone knows, I wrote a totally awesome blog earlier today. The formatting went all sorts of wiggy, though, and I still can't post it without the reader needing to elicit the use of a microscope.

Also, after six days of priming (getting (then rejecting) clamps, some over-zealous gorilla glue, a random, fallen bridge, and new strings) my guitar is finally available for use! Huzzah! (And. . .my fingers hurt. Yay steel strings.)

iDía de los Reyes!

I know this post is a little late, but I had to get pictures to go with it!

In several countries, folks celebrate the day the kings came to visit the Chrsitchild. I've always known it to take place on January 6th (which, if you're curious, is the day Lima, Perú was founded which is why it's called the King's City). That means you're supposed to leave out hay, straw and oats in your shoe for the camel, horse and elephant that the kings ride so they can be fed during their long journey. Here is the "we're broke college students in America" take on that:



You have no idea how much I laughed. On the other hand, here's the "I'm a broke college-aged student trying to be a rich king and leave treats as a thank you for feeding the animals" shot:



Also, I may or may not have a thing about organizing. That's all I'm saying. :D

Hugging!

(That title is meant to heard in a Ron Weasley from Potter Puppet Pals sort of voice.)

I was once told that, in order to feel adequately loved and appreciated, the average person needs 5 - 8 hugs, DAILY. Sunday was just about the luckiest day for me--I got so many hugs from friends that had come back from their Christmas vacations and also from the folks that I'd been able to hang out since my own return. It filled my soul with joy to know that I have so many wonderful, loving people in my life and that they are willing to show their affection in such a special way. Even last night, when my friend/visiting teacher came out of the building and ran toward me and we almost crushed each other into the snow piles that surrounded us because we were hugging so hard--those kinds of hugs are totally worth it and memorable. Happy day!

Jam Session!

I thought about making this an actual journal entry but then figured it'd be more humorous to post on here (that, and if I had tried to write in an actual journal I'd remember how slow I write and give up on the entry after writing "this one time, something really cool happened.")

So, this one time, something really cool happened. I got home and my roommates were in the living room with one guitar. I think it's Emily's secret mission in life to teach anyone she lives with how to play basic chords on the guitar (all right, all right, some of them aren't exactly basic--A sus anyone?) Anyway, we all start half singing along to whatever is being played while the guitar changes hands at least three times. Then, miracle of miracles, I end up with it and bust out my favorite four-chord song, Viva La Vida. Everyone chimes in, a water bottle is used as a percussion instrument and harmony rounds out the performance.

Then, in another moment of musical genius, Emily takes the guitar and starts pounding out some folksy chords (a few of which were reminiscent of "Froggy Went A'Courtin'"), spoons were brought out and some knee slappin' kicked in. We may have even sung about ourselves in the verses. :D

I love my roommates and mourn the fact that someone didn't grab a camera.

Rock Band - it never ends!

As any reader of this blog should know, I played Rock Band last night (neither rain, nor sleet, nor snow. . .) And, along the same lines as previous posts, I have a special place in my heart for the music that is, erm, performed. I especially love it when I'm in the car with a fellow Rock-er and a "Rock Band" song comes on the radio because then we just go into auto pilot and sing along at the top of our lungs. I also count it as a good day if I hear more than three "Rock Band" songs on the radio on my daily commute. This morning's was "Are You Gonna Be My Girl?" by Jet which (happily enough) reminds me of several things, including a video I took last summer (available on Facebook, if you're my friend).

Anyway, enough of that. I need to get back to work. But I may sneak onto YouTube to listen to more awesome music. . .

Harry Potter, Harry Potter, ooh!

So, this one time, I started re-reading "What Will Happen in Book 7?" by the mugglenet.com staff. It brings my heart joy to know exactly what goes on in the series but to be able to remember all the crazy theories that me and my friends had and all the intense discussions we'd get into and all sorts of other stuff. I love good book series and I *definitely* love Harry Potter. :D

Ode to music, without the ode

Music is definitely one of the greatest delights of my soul. A good song can completely turn my day around. I usually wake up with some song in my head and my radio mind continues broadcasting one song or another for the rest of the day. I love having not only favorite songs but favorite parts of songs (like pretty much the entire violin line in Coldplay's "Viva La Vida," but especially when they kick in for the second verse ("It was a wicked and wild wind")). I would like to think that I have a fairly diverse taste in music (I don't stick with just *one* genre although I may not be super well versed in random, obscure bands from each era/genre--that's why I have roommates and my dad) and I'm grateful that my friends like a lot of the same music (it makes car rides a lot easier!)Ode I mean, why do you think I like Rock Band so much?

My sore left arm!

I apologize to those of you who aren't part of 29 Knuts to a Sickle--that title won't make too much sense to you.

As if I didn't already have four giant (and one tiny!) bruises on my left arm, I had to go and burn myself. It's like I really wanted to start my Friday morning the right way.

Happy New Year!

This ought to make some folks happy: I got a New Year's kiss.