Monday, November 30, 2009

Holiday movies!

My favorite holiday movie has always been Prancer. A little girl helping out an injured reindeer so he can fly on christmas...come on thats good stuff! Makes me cry like a baby every single time. Then of course there is A Christmas Story, I love this movie! Every time I see it I think of sitting in the living room with my grandpa laughing while my mom and grandma comment on the movie's stupidity! :) Whats not to love about a pink bunny costume as pj's, a sexy leg lamp, and the line "you'll shoot your eye out, kid!"


Most of the new holiday movies fall a little short of the classics in my mind. But, to get in the spirit, we watched a few recently. My mom loaned us 4 christmases and it was really cute. That may have been more due to the adorable relationship between teeny tiny Reese Witherspoon and the giant Vince Vaughn though than the actual holiday aspect of it! Last night though I watched a Hallmark movie (don't judge!) that was adorable. It is definitely going in my group of holiday favorites! It was called A Dog Named Christmas and was about a developmentally delayed 20 year old who fostered a dog over the holidays and.....well I won't ruin it, check your local listings! It was really good and of course, I cried multiple times (those damn Hallmark movies!) The shelters here in Seattle are doing the same thing and I thought it was a good idea. Now after watching the movie, we are definitely going to look into it. We just have to be strong enough to bring the dog back after christmas, Domino is already too much! I think shelters across the US are doing the same thing, everyone should check into it and watch the movie!

So, I know I am missing quite a few, what are your favorite holiday movies?!

On a side holiday note, Rachel got me tickets to the Nutcracker by the PNB for our anniversiary! I have been wanting to go ever since I moved here 4 years ago. I am super excited!! :)

Saturday, November 21, 2009

Ahh, Brandi!



Free Brandi concert at Easy Street Records.....awesome! I love that she is so adorably humble, she commented that she was surprised so many people showed up...to her free in store performance! There were hundreds of people crammed in between all the cd racks, it was about 900 degrees in there and we were too short to see anything without standing on tiptoes. But, oh so worth it! She is one of the few people that can pull off a good Cash song, in my mind...and of course is cute as a button while doing it! ;)

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Happy Whateveryouwanaka!!!

I love the Gap commercial! The first time that I saw it I thought of the coexist stickers that always make me smile. I didn't see any reason for controversy....Then I went to find a link to the video so I could write this blog. I realized that there is a big controversy and even a boycott! Apparently using the term "whateveryouwanaka" while singing and dancing in a joyful manner is disrespectful! Who knew?!

I just feel so strongly that everyone deserves the right to their own beliefs. I hate hearing religious teachings that say they are the only possibility. (I will fight the urge to step up on my soap box again by just providing the link to the last time!) Why can't everyone just believe in what they feel comfortable believing in and celebrate accordingly?! I think that singing "Happy Whateveryouwanaka" is a perfect way to get that point across!!

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

I have an idea...

Because I really want to join a book club but don't have the time! What do you think? :)
http://readingistherapeutic.blogspot.com/

Monday, November 16, 2009

We try to do a nice thing for a dog...and people mess it up!!

Rachel got home from work on Saturday and we were excited to have a somewhat lazy day. We headed to the library so I could print a bunch of stuff off that I needed for a presentation and were planning on taking Domino to the park for a good long run afterwards. Then home to fulfill the laziness part of the plan. Well, the best laid plans....

On our way to the library we saw a dog on the side of the (very busy, might I add) road. So, I turn around at the next light and we pull over on a side street near him. He is super sweet and comes right up to us, which is when we notice that he has severe corneal ulcers and cataracts in one eye. This means that he is not only running along the side of a busy road, he is also half blind! We check the tags, no name and number, just a rabies and dog license (both expired by a few years). So, I call the vet. This is where the fun begins...

The guy at the clinic gives us the owner's number. No answer. So, we call the vet back and ask if we can leave him there until the owner is reached. He says no because they are about to close. We (irritatidly) ask what he thinks we should do with (his client's) dog. And his reply was "you could call the shelter, but they will probably just tell you to keep him until you can find the owner" This is a large Bernese Mountain dog who is not neutered and looks and smells like he hasn't had a bath in his entire existence. Honestly, the stinky-ness and size would not have detered me, but the fact that he was not neutered kept me from wanting him around Domino. (Neuter your pets people!!!!!)

So, we decided to tie him up in our yard and hope the owners called soon. Bad idea, he turned out to be a barker and whiner. Our neighbors would have been on us in an instant. In this time, the vet called back and gave us the owner's address (a little odd, yes). So, we drive by to see if maybe the people are home. Well, we try to, this home does not exist. We could find the houses that should have been on either side of the address, but not the right one. We stopped in at a few and everyone said that they had never seen the dog before.

Finally we decide to just go to the shelter. This ended up being the worst part of the whole experience. I followed the posted rules and went in without Bruno (I forgot to mention, the vet told us "her" name was Bruno...he was definitely and unaltered male!). I stood in line for over 30 minutes. During this time I got a year's worth of annoying people watching in! An incredibly annoying girl interrupted the 1 woman at the desk about 5 times, because she "just needs this little thing" or "oh can I have that form" or "I just have a simple question!" Another lady budged in line because she "just had to pick up a ferret...Im a foster volunteer" good for you, Im just trying to drop off this dog in my car!! Then the ferret lady went off on an entire story about how she saved some ferrets from a drug house...I was about to scream!! The lady in front of me in line asked about a million questions about the cat she was adopting, every response was "well we recommend (so and so) but thats a great question for your vet!" take the hint lady. Finally it was my turn, I told my story and the lady said "oh, just go get the dog and I need your drivers license" I turned around and saw the line of about 12 people and almost cried at the idea of being behind all of them when I got back. I think she saw the desperation because she said "you will just drop him off when you get back"....ahh, relief!


So long story short; we spent 3 hours of our much needed "lazy day" dealing with ineffective people (shelter workers excluded; they are doing the best they can on a very limited budget) all so we could save Bruno. Was it worth it? Of course! He was a sweetheart and loved the extensive car ride. Plus, I would have had a far worse day if I had to see him dead on the side of the road. This is yet another reason why I like animals more than most people!

Friday, November 13, 2009

Being a Barbie does not get you through life!

I have held off blogging about this ignorant bigot for quite a while, but I can't hold back anymore! As if her close minded views on homosexuality are not enough! I am so sick of hearing her talk. Everything that comes out of her mouth is so fraught with entitlement and...well ignorance! I just want to scream at her that her boring typical blonde plastic looks do not equate with perfection or universal adoration. Does she really think she is more popular or powerful than Larry King who has been around forever?
She eminates this idea that she is 100% right and everyone agrees with her and she should get whatever she wants in life! She is so incredibly close minded and vapid to me! Get a personality and formulate your own beliefs! There is nothing less attractive or more sad to me than a typical society derived "attractive" person who relies on their looks to get them through life. You are not entitled Carrie!!



In this next video she acts like she just stopped a terrorist bomber or something! She also acts like this Miss USA conflict was the hardest thing she has ever gone through, what a privelegded sheltered little life she has led. This is my favorite quote though, "Im disgusted at the way some people can be so intolerant" Come on Carrie, lets try some insight!!

By the way, the group she is speaking to here is the "family research council" and they fight for "preference in public policies for heterosexual marriage and the traditional family." Very likely the same people who posted signs all around my neighborhood that stated "Protect children; reject Ref 71" like we are some sort of child devouring aliens or something! Well guess what, those signs didn't work and neither will your new spokesperson "Carrie the Bigotrous Barbie"!!

Thursday, November 12, 2009

Purple :)

As I have posted before, I love the Stranger horoscopes even though I am not generally a horoscope kind of person. Well mine for this week is perfect!

Pisces
According to Leonardo da Vinci, you could magnify the power of your prayers or meditations tenfold by bathing in purple light. Back in his time, this was easiest to accomplish by standing near a church's stained glass window that was tinted purple. These days you can get the same effect with the help of a purple lightbulb. Alternately, you could simply close your eyes and visualize yourself surrounded by a shimmering purple glow. I recommend this practice for you in the coming days. It's an excellent time to do anything and everything to intensify your spiritual power. PS Experts in color theory say that purple nurtures the development of the imagination, which would be of great value to you as you tone and frim your devotional impulses.

"Visualize yourslf surrounded by a shimmering purple glow?" I do that every day! :)

(for those of you who don't know me well, I am a purple freak...absolutely obsessed!)

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Apparently a conversation starter!

I have these sleeves, technically they are gloves I guess. I love them! They are my favorite item of clothing. Well, aside from some of my heels but school has succeeded at completely taking away my life, so I never get to wear heels anymore! Anyways, I love these sleeves. I have noticed an interesting phenomenon though. Every time I wear them I get a comment from an older man. Not a sexual or attraction sort of comment, just something about my sleeves. Its usually a comment such as "those are interesting" "arent your elbows cold" "did you make those, they are so unique?!" Generally a conversation is started through this comment which is actually kind of nice.
I started to notice this trend on the first day this fall that I wore them. A man on the train who was probably in his upper 50s commented on them and it started a conversation about regional weather trends and some tv show I had never heard of. Then, a man on the bus who was probably late 50s asked me if I made them which started a conversation about his volunteer work making shirts for veterans (Happy Veteran's Day by the way!). Then again on my way home a man in his 60s or 70s told me his wife would love them! I just thinks its really interesting that my gloves draw the admiration of older men who likely would not be wearing them. I have no thoughts on an explanation for this, I do fully enjoy the conversations though :)

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Rain rain go away!

Im really sick of the drizzle! Its dark and chilly and constantly wet. Why cant it just rain hard and be done with?! Id be fine if it rained every single day as long as it did it in one good downpour. I miss thunderstroms and real rain....I hate this stupid drizzle!



Ok I am done pouting. On a positive note; I love my new rain boots and here is a picture of a dog with an umbrella. Only in Seattle...

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Stolen post

I saw this on Lisa's yarns and thought it was a fun one, so here it goes...

1. What animal should cease to exist? (Not including bugs. That’s too obvious.)
-Pomeranians! Just kidding, I love all animals and think nothing should be excluded...but I seriously do not like these yippy little puff balls!

2. What was your favorite thing about the beach?
-Absolutely everything! I love when it is basically deserted though and you can just listen to the waves. Plus, I love sandpipers; those little birds that chase the tide searching for bugs and stuff, they are adorable :)

3. If scientists found a way to allow dogs to talk, do you think we should implement it? Or should we just keep them quiet?
-I am torn on this one. It would make animal abuse harder for the jerks that do it if they had to listen to the cries for help. But, there is something so amazing about the silence of a pet. I'm going to go with no, because I don't think we should impose our scientific discoveries on nature...but I do think more people should listen to the silent pleas of animals.

4. How do you order your Starbucks?
- Grande pumpkin spice (normally sugar free vanilla) light room americano.

5. What’s worse? People who don’t know the difference between your and you’re OR people who  smack their food?
-PEOPLE WHO SMACK THEIR FOOD!! hands down, this is my biggest pet peeve! Close your damn mouth people! This goes for gum chompers too, have some decency!

6. What CD can you listen to over and over?
- Right now it's Brandi Carlile's "Give Up the Ghost", but basically anything by her!

7. What was the most surprising thing about college?
- The experiences outside of the classroom. Its true that it is the time to figure out who you are. This is undergrad that I am referring to. The most surprising thing about grad school is that I am still alive and partially sane!

8. What’s the best deal you ever got? (Biggest sale item.)
- I love this question because I just got the best deal ever. I was at Fred Meyer shopping for boring necessary stuff and remembered that I needed a new bra. This wasn't fun bra shopping, it was boring "I really need one" bra shopping. So I found on on the sale rack that was purple, which added a little excitement. I went to check the price after the sale on the self scanner thing. It read "foundation, 3 cents" which I assumed was a mistake with the scanner. We went through the self checkout aisle and it rang up that way there too!! So, I paid quickly and left with my 3 cent bra!! Awesome :)

9. Who is your role model? Why?
- This is a seriously tough question. I am convinced that I don't really know of my role model. This isn't because I don't appreciate the people that I know or that I know of, I am surrounded by amazing people. This is simply because I believe that the people out there who deserve "role model" status are the silent fighters. The woman making minimum wage at 3 jobs to support her children, the people who are overworked and underpaid at homeless shelters and foster care centers, the drug addicts who turn their lives around only to encounter struggles and judgment, the person who gives up their seat on the bus to an elderly passenger or their last dollar to a homeless veteran......all without praise or notoriety. These people are my role models!

10. What movie would you like to see that is in theaters right now? Why?
- Where the Wild Things Are. It looks beautiful and it is nostalgic for my generation.

Those are my answers, comment with answers to the questions that you like or repost if you so please :)

Monday, November 2, 2009

Inspiration (and a bit of weekend review..)

So, Friday was the longest day I have had in quite some time! I had a midterm due in my 9-12 class..then I had a learning disability/ADHD assessment to finish up in my practicum, from 12-4...then off to work from 5-1am. No rest for the wicked! Well I was dreading this all week. It was a pretty crappy week also, I had another midterm due on Wednesday...too much.


Turns out though, Friday was pretty great and not nearly as exhausting as I anticipated. This was partially due to the fact that the vet clinic that I do relief work at is an emergency clinic, which means it is rarely boring. I walked in to find an owl that had been brought in by a good samaritan after it was found potentially hurt. How awesome is he?! I named him Professor Hoot, pretty clever if I do say so myself :) Watching him was one of those experiences that make you think about how much more amazing nature is than all this technology crap that us humans are so proud of.

I try my best to slow down my life and attend to all the amazing things that are so often overlooked in this world. In our society, we look at technology, city skylines, and man made stuff and think to ourselves, "Wow we rock, look what we can do!" But, I happen to think that a tree that withstands the tests of time to live hundreds and hundreds of years is significantly more amazing than anything man has made. Sometimes it takes something as simple as a hurt owl to remind me of that...thanks Professor Hoot!

Here are some of my favorite examples of the wonders of nature...


I watched a very large group of birds flying around the waterfront from a window at my school the other day. It is amazing to see a group so large move as a single unit as they play around the buildings on the waterfront. I read somewhere that flying groups of birds, except when in a V, do not have one single leader. They work as a group to direct the formation. That is absolutely amazing! When do humans accomplish such a feat?!


What could possibly be more amazing than northern lights?! There is very little in this world that is more peaceful, or that connects you more to nature than the experience of laying on your back in the country somewhere and watching the night sky filled with stars and nature's own light show!















I will admit, I used to be freaked out by spiders! Something happened though that made me start to realize the complexities of a web. They are absolutely beautiful in their precision and functionality. You have to have respect for something that can make something so amazing...how dare we swat away their meticulous hard work?!












My own personal favorite, the thunderstorm! I am originally from North Dakota and we have some amazing thunderstorms. There is no better experience than driving out in the country during a thunderstorm and allowing the force of nature to overwhelm you. Its a beautiful mixture of excitement, awe, and fear that leaves you feeling like a very small part of a fantastic piece of nature.


What has nature done lately to inspire you?!