I'm dreaming of a white Christmas...

Ok, who am I trying to kid - I could happily survive if Christmas is not white; which is why I am spending it green in California where it is currently 49 degrees and sunny!



Last night I went with my mother and some friends to see a showing of Irving Berlin's "White Christmas" on a big screen at the beautiful California Theatre in downtown San Jose.

(The First Street lobby entrance of the California Theatre)

The movie showing before ours was "A Christmas Story", which I hate, but between movies a Wurlitzer organ is raised on a lift out of the orchestra pit and this amazing guy played a bunch of fun Christmas songs for us all to listen to between movies. When the movie started the lift is lowered and the floor slides forward to cover the hole - it was so cool!

When the movie started the lights go down, the curtain parts and they show these great old movies just like they were seen when they first came out - on the big screen! In all honesty I have seen White Christmas at least seventeen million times but it was so much different seeing it on a big screen! There are so many things that I never really noticed watching it on a smaller screen; like that Rosemary Clooney completely reapplies her makeup before going to bed, or that there is writing on the cake for General Waverly at the end of the movie, great stuff like that!

So, in honor of my eye opening experience I would like to recommend to you all some great old movies that you should watch if you are looking for something different to watch.

All about Eve

Philadelphia Story

An affair to remember

In the Good Old Summertime

Now Voyager

To Catch a Thief

Breakfast at Tiffany's

Gigi

Operation Petticoat

Merry Christmas everyone, whatever color it is!

I want to go to Australia!

So I took some time this weekend, away from the studying and the baking, and did something just for me.

I went to the movies, and I saw Australia.

Crikey, it was Amazing!

I will be honest; one of my primary reasons for wanting to see this movie was that it required me to stare at beautiful Hugh Jackman for two and a half hours, but the movie itself was so great! And it goes without saying that Hugh was very pretty.

Now if you have not already seen it, you should know that the style is a little different, but don't throw in the towel and hate it ten minutes in - keep with it. You will be glad you did. The characters are colorful and rich, and the story is fabulously mulit-faceted with the perfect blend of comedy, drama, tragedy and triumph.

My advice: see it. Take tissues. I say TISSUES, plural. Even if you are not an Olympic crier like I am, you will need them.

See ya down under mate!

"So I ask to God why I am here. I say, "Why God?" but there is no answer. So I stop crying. It takes eleven years!" - Sabrina

(To be sung to the tune of "Must be Santa")

When do we cease to sleep at night?

Finals cease to let us sleep at night.

When do we start to quake with fright?

Finals make us start to quake with fright?

No sleep at night, quake with fright...

Must be finals,

Must be finals,

Must be finals, finals time!

Tired...so tired. Finals season has come to town, and so I have undergone a sort of metamorphosis. My diet now mainly consists of fast food, Pop Tarts, and most importantly Diet Pepsi. Only nine more days to go...and it will be all over...which is exactly what I am afraid of.

Oh well, I should get back to work...um...ya...

The power of shoes...

"Give a girl the right shoes, and she can conquer the world."

— Marilyn Monroe

I present to you a book of great wisdom. A wise man knows that the best form thanks can take is that of inspiration and knowledge, and so this little treasure was gifted to me by a wise man who truly understands the peace that comes to ones sole when these golden words are studied.

Welcome Christmas!

"Welcome, Christmas, bring your cheer. Cheer to all Whos far and near. Christmas Day is in our grasp so long as we have hands to clasp. Christmas Day will always be just as long as we have we. Welcome Christmas while we stand, heart to heart and hand in hand. "
-How the Grinch Stole Christmas

Well here it is Thanksgiving night. The turkey and pies have been dispatched with ease, and with a full tummy and sleepy eyes I turn my attention to Christmas. Now I have posted a lot in the last little while so I will try to keep this short.

I love Christmas...almost as much as I love shoes, and Thanksgiving leftovers, and big expensive purses, and...OK, I think you get the picture. Anyway, I love Christmas and I am so glad that I can finally express that love and excitement without fear of public mockery. SO, tomorrow I am going to decorate my apartment and bring the Christmas music, that I have secretly been listening to in my car for the past two weeks, out into the open, and commit myself to the holiday spirit. Now since Christmas does usually involve at least a little bit of retail preparation, I have added some nice "Christmas Shopping Music" for your listening pleasure. ENJOY!

Let us all give thanks!

I love Thanksgiving so much! I love it because it is about so much more than the picturesque table, set with a mouthwatering meal, beautiful pies, friends, family and gratitude! Do you know what Thanksgiving is really about? I will tell you.

Thanksgiving is really about...











THE LEFTOVERS!

Oh, I love Thanksgiving leftovers! It is my sincere belief that we only put up with the meal pomp and circumstance so as to get the leftover goodies! There is nothing like a turkey sandwich complete with all the trimmings!

Matters of the tummy aside, I have so many things to be grateful for this Thanksgiving but lucky for all of you I will refrain from composing the list for you to read. Let me just wish everyone a very, very Happy Thanksgiving! May the day be filled with happiness and togetherness and may it be a great start to this wonderful holiday season! Loves to all!

Here's to simple pleasures!

So today my roommates and I took in the newest kiddie flick: Bolt.

Now while it was somewhat embarrassing to walk into a theater filled with children and their parental escorts - sans children, and not acting as a parental escort, we calmly took our seats and prepared to giggle our way through two hours of Disney genius.

Giggle we did.

More that giggle, we laughed...a lot!

Such a cute movie! And as I sat there, feeling my acute embarrassment and the pressing urge to assure the parents sitting around me that the children I brought to the "Kids" movie would be in shortly, I decided that sometimes it is good to do something simple and goofy just for the fun and simple enjoyment to be found.

Now, to make up for my carefree escape to the world of children, I guess I should do some grown up stuff like...um...ya, never mind - grown up stuff is not nearly as fun.

Big purses: fashionable, functional, and potentially life saving.

I am one of those women who a) cannot go anywhere without her purse, b) has to have everything she could ever need in that purse (including a book, naturally), and c) therefore needs a rather large-ish (and beautiful) purse in which to keep said necessities.

Honestly, I have tried to carry around one of those teeny-weeny little purses and I just find them infuriating. Not only can I never get everything I need in it, but when trying to find, and or extract an item from the teeny-weeny little thing I, invariably, end up unpacking the whole stinking purse!

Because I am so attached to my fashionable, functional, large-ish, beautiful purses my sister, whom I love to teensy-weensy bits, mocks me constantly. Well, today she was the one who told me about an article she read about a woman whose large, necessity filled purse literally SAVED HER LIFE!

So...what have we learned? Well first off, ones handbag preforms a very serious service. If properly chosen, and stuffed, a handbag can make a fashion statement, carry all your stuff from point A to point B, C, D, E...etc., and possibly one day even save your life. Take that big purse haters!

I hope you have all enjoyed the art. Just a few of my favorites: Dolce & Gabbana, Donna Karan, Chloe, Burberry, and the pies de resistance...Versace!

Proposition 8

This blog, as many of you know, is for the most part a fairly lighthearted online journal where I chronicle the funny, annoying and fabulous things I come across in my life. That being said I would beg your indulgence this evening as I stray from the norm to discuss, in all solemnity, something that is very important to me.

For those of you who don't know I am a native Californian, so the recent political uproar concerning Proposition 8 has been of great personal interest to me. Now I am not really the soap box type but I wanted to take the opportunity to encourage people to take the time to research Prop 8 and find out exactly what Proposition 8 means to our world. Whether you are a California citizen or not this is an issue that will have widespread effect if it does not pass. So, even though many people, much smarter and more eloquent than myself, have already written and spoken about this at great length, I would like to take a moment to put my little say out there.

Proposition 8 is not just a "mean spirited" and petty ploy by the heterosexual community to keep the homosexual community down. For those who would argue that passing Prop 8 is unconstitutional I would like to say that the granting of rights that deny the rights of others is wrong and if Prop 8 does not pass the religious rights and rights to free speech of everyone will be infringed. I would also point out that for a community that continually states that it is asking for tolerance, many extremely intolerant acts have been committed against people that have opposing views.

Voting yes on Prop 8 does not deny homosexual couples the rights available to heterosexual couples; it merely seeks to preserve the sanctity of marriage by declaring that "only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California." It is not a hate crime against homosexual couples, it is simply an effort to keep a sacred institution just that: sacred. Now while there is much more I could say, and wish I could say well, I would just like to finish by inviting everyone to follow this link and watch the presentation, it is a very interesting and intelligent video discussing what Prop 8 really means. http://blip.tv/play/nhDU8RGJxDU

Hello! My name is...

Ok, here's my beef...

So being a single, LDS, adult living in the heart of Provo Utah comes with a pretty definite list of do's and don'ts.

• Do attend as many ward socials as possible.



• Don't publicize the fact that insanity is prevalent in your family.



• Do attend institute - everyone knows that is where you will meet your EC (for those of you who like me had no idea what this stands for it stands for Eternal Companion - ya, weird!)



• Don't forget your visiting/home teaching - it goes on your permanent record and makes you a bad marriageable prospect.



• Do meet as many people as possible - just like in the work world networking is the key to getting matched up and married.
  

Now while this is a very brief and incomplete version of the list hopefully you get the point but of all the things on the list the last one is one I have the greatest issue with. No matter who you meet, where or when you meet the first questions they ask are: What's your name? Where are you from? What are you doing here? It is usually the worst at the beginning of the semester, but not matter what time of year it is these are questions the average single, LDS, adult will be asked so many times we can't even keep track! No one wants to know things like: what is your favorite flavor of ice cream, what your favorite movie is, who your favorite artist is, what your favorite season is, or if you consider beautiful shoes one of God's great gifts to mankind - and I find that information so much more informative!

So, I propose that we do away with the mundane first conversation with its "first meeting questions" and just wear those heinous little tags that say "Hello! My name is" all the time and fill in all the required information. In the end I think we will all be happy to just move beyond those and get on with our lives.

I love sappy, crying movies!

I love Robert Redford. I just need to start this post by stating this very important fact. The other night I was watching one of my favorite Redford films: "Out of Africa", and as I was starting the movie my roommate walked in and mentioned that she had never see the film so I then insisted that she sit and enjoy it with me. As the credits began I asked her how she liked it and she turned tear drenched eyes to me and expressed her displeasure at my making her watch such a sad movie.

So, in the spirit of revenge, last night the same roommate made me watch "The Horse Whisperer" with her and another roommate of ours. Wow, I am a major cry baby - especially in movies - and this one just sent me over the edge! I have classified "The Horse Whisperer" as an 18 Kleenex film, (graded on the number of Kleenex's that valiantly gave their lives to staunch the flood of tears) and even though I had a rather unpleasant headache from the sobbing there is nothing like the sense of completion that I feel after such a sob fest. So all in all a wonderful night: sob fest, chocolate, drenched Kleenex pile and of course the most important part: Robert Redford!

What is with the sports jerseys?

So I have a question: what is it with men, and wearing sports jerseys?

Working on a sales floor predominantly filled with men, and there are many days when the majority of them can be found supporting their favorite teams by wearing jerseys. Now I get wearing a T-shirt with your team's name, or even a slogan, but what is with the wearing of the actual jersey with a players name and number? Do they think that by wearing the garb of their heroes that they too might channel their greatness and ability? Is it the slippery and quick drying nylon fabric they are made of? Is it the search for a feeling of belonging to something? What is it?!

In an attempt to get answers to these burning questions I called the oracle of boy knowledge: my brother. His first response to my very serious inquiry was: "You're stupid" but following further prodding he tried to put it into terms I would understand, he asked why girls wear boots - to which I replied: "Duh, because they are cute!" Apparently boys don't just wear jerseys for the heck of it, oh no, you wear it because it is cool and you only wear the jersey if you are watching or playing the game.

Whatever, I still don't' get it - but then again maybe this is one of those mysteries that is never meant to be solved.

Trouble in retail paradise

Why is it that whenever a store is mobbed with crowds of hungry, tired, cranky, busy people there is only ever one check stand open? As I stood in such a line last night at the grocery store, I clung desperately to my last thread of patience. While the twenty of us, with loaded carts, waited most patiently in line at the one check stand I beheld the most maddening sight of all; four other lanes being dutifully cleaned by store employees. Now, while the keeping of a clean lane is something to admire one might assume that assisting customers might come first - but then again what do I know. AHHHH!

Sadly this experience has forced me to recognize that not all retail therapy qualifies as the good kind of therapy (ie. massages, pedicures, chocolate), sometimes it is more like those therapy sessions where a foam bat is required - live and learn I suppose.

My favorite part of fall is...

As many of you know I am originally from northern California, a place that for most part is without major seasons, so when I moved to Utah the noticeable change in season was a new experience for me. There is however one season that always came though with brilliant clarity, and one of my favorites; fall.

Fall isn't a season that comes on gradually like spring and summer with their subtle warming and blooming, fall seems to happen overnight. One day it is summer, warm and mellow with the smell of sunshine in the air, and then you go to bed one summer night and the next morning there is a distinct chill to the air and the change has been made - summer is gone and fall is here.

Now although it is sad (almost painful) to bid farewell to the sunny, carefree days of summer, fall brings with it it's own brand of delight. As I turn off my air conditioner and pull out my sweaters my mind turns from thoughts of Coppertone and barbecues to those of spices, holidays and, best of all, fall shopping! One of my first fall purchases was a new pan from one of my favorite, and most dangerous, stores; Williams Sonoma. It is an acorn cakelet pan, and it is adorable! It makes little mini muffin sized acorn cakes and you can serve them that way or you can make frosting and stick them together to make a 3D acorn cake.

My roommates think I am totally nuts, no pun intended, because the first time I made them I was so overcome at how cute they were I could not stop squealing with delight. As usual they just rolled their eyes and communicated with eye rolls and loaded stares that I was totally and completely crazy - oh well I love my acorn pan.

Bake ware isn't it though, oh no! Fall is the time of year when stores start putting out all sorts of delightful things that can only be found during this fall/holiday time. Now since I possess and greater than normal love of the retail world this is the lens through which I automatically view the world. There are however thousands of things that we can enjoy about fall that don't cost a cent (these are the things my father things my father would prefer I pursue) and there are everywhere around us. So, roll down your windows and breath in the crisp autumn air, take a moment to notice the beautiful red and orange colors blooming on a tree that was so recently monochromatic, bake a pumpkin pie or maybe even...do some early Christmas shopping. ;) Whatever it is enjoy fall before it is gone.

Now very last, I want to share with you the recipe for one of my favorite fall treats: Pumpkin Dessert Bars.

Pumpkin Dessert

1 pkg. yellow cake mix (save 1 cup for topping)
1 egg
½ cup butter, melted

Mix and pat into 9 x 13 greased pan.

15 oz. can pumpkin
A pinch each of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves
2 eggs
2 ½ tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/2 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup milk

Mix and pour over bottom layer.

Topping:
1 cup cake mix
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 cup sugar
1/8 cup butter, melted

Mix and sprinkle on top. Bake 45 to 60 minutes at 350.

Best Buy scares me!

This semester, thankfully my second to last, I am taking a class that focuses on John Milton and his most famous work Paradise Lost. So, in an effort to make the reading of said work less arduous, my professor suggested that we make copies of an audio version to make the reading a little easier to tackle and since epic poetry is really meant to be read aloud.

So off to Best Buy I go, to get my blank CD's, and as I stepped in I am reminded afresh why I don't really like Best Buy; the people that work there scare me. Honestly as if I am not confused and panicked enough being surrounded by all manner of technological things that I have not idea about, but they have to follow me around like I'm Winona Ryder. They pounce on you the minute you walk in the door, follow you around and then practically search you as you leave!

Now I am all for good customer service but for heavens sake, if I wanted a shopping partner I would probably have picked someone I liked, not to mention someone I actually knew.

"And really bad eggs." Drink up me 'earties. Yo ho. " - Captain Jack Sparrow

Yo ho maties! A happy "talk like a pirate day" to you all!

Now sing with me, I know you know how.

"We're rascals, scoundrels villains, and knaves
Drink up me hearties, yo ho
We're devils and black sheep - really bad eggs
Drink up me hearties yo ho
Yo Ho, Yo Ho, a pirate's life for me"

Celebrate the day right by feeling your sea legs and doing something very piraty - such as roping a couple of sea turtles, using rope made of human hair...from you back - this might be more difficult for some than others, feel free to do something else equally as piraty.

Take what ye can!

Give nothin' back!

I love my TiVo!

Each year there is a special event that accompanies the changing of the leaves and the cooling of the evening temperatures - an event that I look forward to all summer: the beginning of new seasons for all my favorite TV shows! YIPPEE!

Now it is dangerously easy to get swept up in the joy and excitement of seeing what happens next to all the lovable characters that you left a few months earlier in cliff hanger season finales, but the seasoned TV lover understands that serious thought and planning is required. Luckily for me, since "serious thought and planning" are not really my shtick, I have made a delightful new friend called TiVo, oh how I love little TiVo! Best of all; all I have to do is, to borrow from one of my favorite infomercials, "set it, and forget it!" I tell little TiVo what to record and then hours, or days, later I can watch my shows sans annoying commercials and with the power to pause and rewind...oh ya, I am in love with my TiVo!

An ode to the candy that I love so very, very much.

Now, knowing my penchant for delicious shoes one might assume that I wish to discuss a pair (or several pair, let us be honest) of Candies shoes. Alas this is just not so; I wish to pay homage to the the various sweets and confections that help make life just a little bit easier to chew.

First and foremost: Chocolate, "How do I love thee? Let me count the ways." Dark or milk (preferably dark), filled or hollow, fruit or nut, chew or cream - Of course I will eat it in a house, and yes I will eat it with a mouse...I think you get the picture.

The fruity category would include: Swedish Fish - only the red ones though. I just love these, so sweet and chewy and I must admit; there is a sick sort of pleasure in chomping their little heads off. I also adore Skittles, but not the regular ones - the sour ones! Man those are great, capable of deadening your tongue within five minutes if you are diligent. Does it get better than that I ask you?

Cinnamon candy has to be its own category, and in it are Hot Tamales (no justification necessary) and chocolate covered cinnamon bears. There is something about the smooth flavor of the chocolate and the warmth of the cinnamon bear that when combined make a truly entrancing treat.

There are also the sweets that are reserved for special times of the year - drat!

1. Cadbury cream eggs, you know the ones with the delicious butter cream centers. I wait all year for Easter candy to come out and then it is open season for all those little huevos.



2. Peeps - even though they make them year round I think it is a little wrong to eat a Peep in the shape of anything but a chick.



3. Candy canes, especially the ones that are chocolate mint flavored. Cute and tasty, can that be beat - I don't think so.

And last those odd ducks that I love even though they are weird: Chick-O-Sticks, Charleston Chews, Ring Pops (now that is just wishful thinking), Runts, and...stale Red Vines - the staler the better.

I love candy!

Tagged

I have been tagged so, here goes nothing:

20 Years Ago. . .
1. I was a bit younger than I am now
2. I had just gained a second sister
3. I had just moved to a new house
4. My main designer wear came from Osh Kosh Bgosh

10 Years Ago...
1. I loving the "middle school experience" - not
2. I was wearing a hideous school uniform that included the colors black, white, forest green-no room for accessories or fabulous shoes
3. I was going to my first dance
4. I was wondering if I was ever going to get beyond the age of 14

5 Years Ago...
1. I was into my first year in college
2. I really needed a car
3. I had been working at Cakeworks for 4 years
4. I was wondering what it was that I was supposed to be doing

3 Years Ago...
1. I could legally drink - yippee!
2. I had started a new job working for a loan broker
3. I worried about which college to attend
4. My sister Lisa and I became a lot closer

1 Year Ago...
1. Lisa announced that she was selling out and joining the ranks of the married
2. I was starting yet another semester of college - how many is that now?
3. I was meeting new friends
4. I was really looking forward to Christmas

So far this year I...
1. Have really honed my shopping skills
2. Have acquired some new and fabulous baking supplies
3. Got a little closer to being done with school
4. Had my golden birthday - turned 24 on the 24th

Yesterday I...
1. Finished watching the fourth season of "Desperate Housewives"
2. Worked from the comfort of my couch
3. Went out for Chinese with my sister and brother in-law
4. Finished reading Stardust then started a new book: The Splendor of Silence

Today I...
1. Tried to go to church - got crowded out of regional conference
2. Did a lot of walking
3. Took a nap
4. Ate leftover Chinese - yummy!

Tomorrow I will...
1. Go to class
2. Go to work
3. Do homework
4. Bake pecan bars

In the next year I will....
1. Graduate with my BA
2. See and do something new and exciting
3. Move out of "student" housing - hopefully
4. Turn 25 - not really excited for that.

I tag Lisa, Phyllis, and Elyse.

Cars: a necessary evil

Being a single woman with very, very basic car knowledge and understanding I consider my vehicle a necessary evil. Now while the car is working and doing all the things it is supposed to do I am fine, but when things start to act funny, look funny or, my all time favorite, sound funny I am thrown into a state of pure panic.

So being that I have not the skills with which to diagnose and fix the various sicknesses that my car develops, I take my little car to the car hospital. The only problem is that there are all different kind of car doctors - so how am I supposed to know which doctor to take my car to?

The thing that is so frustrating about this entire situation is that when I take my car to one of these car specialists and then they ask me questions about what it is that is wrong with said car, I have little or no answer for them and then I am made to feel like a dolt. This, in my opinion, is wrong. I am not the car specialist so when they ask me what is wrong with the car and I say something like: "Well, it is making a funny noise like this (insert scary noise) when I do this." then they should take it for what it is and not make me feel like a dork for not being the car specialist.

AHHHHH! I hate car stuff!

"Yummy, yummy, yummy I've got love in my tummy!"

If there is anything that bugs me, an there are a lot of things that bug me, it is people who cook and refuse to share their recipes. I love to cook, bake mostly, and have many times had the experience of asking a fellow cook for a recipe and then being told that they "don't share their recipes" - it drives me nuts! I am a firm believer in the sharing of fun and fabulous things so the hoarding of culinary knowledge is just beyond me.

Anyway, at work they do a weekly update that is pretty much just a newsletter that goes out every Friday but in the weekly update there is a section for "Recipe of the week" and this past week one of my lovely co-workers posted a recipe I had recently shared and I thought that I would like to share my beloved recipes with my blogging friends as well so this weeks recipe is: Triple Chocolate Bliss Cake (picture above).

You will need:

1 pkg. (2 layer size) chocolate cake mix (I use Devil's Food)

1 cup sour cream

1 pkg. (4 serving size) chocolate instant pudding

4 eggs

1/2 cup oil

1/2 cup water

1 container (3 cups) thawed Cool Whip

1 pkg. (8 squares) semi-sweet chocolate chopped

1 1/2 cups raspberries

Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease 12 cup fluted tube pan. Beat all ingredients except whipped topping, chocolate and raspberries in a large bowl with an electronic mixer on low speed until moistened. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes scraping the bowl occasionally. Pour into prepared pan.

Bake 50 minutes to 1 hour or until a wooden toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Loosen the cake from the sides of the pan with a knife and gently remove the cake. Cool cake completely on a wire rack. Place on a serving plate.

Microwave the whipped topping and chocolate in a microwaveable bowl on high for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes or until chocolate is completely melted and mixture is well blended, stirring after each minute. Drizzle over the cake. Spoon raspberries into the center of the cake. Store leftover cake in the refrigerator.

I think it is yummy, hope you all like it!

Movies 101

I love movies. I have many and watch them over and over and even get to a point, whith my favorites of course, where I can recite the lines along with the actors. I LOVE MOVIES! So this has inspired me to share with you some of the movies that I consider essentials.

(These are listed in no particular order)

1. "An Unfinished Life" - Robert Redford and Morgan Freeman, need I say more?
2. "Much Ado About Nothing" - One of my personal faves and Emma Thompson and Kenneth Branagh are so great!
3. "Steel Magnolias" - Classic
4. "The Italian Job" - Good action and very funny
5. "Iron Man" - A recent addition but I just love it so much!
6. The Jack Ryan movies: "The Hunt for Red October", "Patriot Games", and "Clear and Present Danger" - I love Sean Connery in "The Hunt for Red October" but I really do prefer Harrison Ford in the last two to Alec Baldwin who plays Jack in the first.
7. "Idiana Jones" - All of them. I am honestly not the giggest fan of "Temple of Doom" but it should be seen at least once.
8. "50 First Dates" - So funny!
9. "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" - Such a great team in Redford and Newman
10. "The Way We Were" - I am a total sucker for a hopless love affair

To finish off the list for today here are my favorite John Wayne flicks:

• "The Quiet Man"
• "McLintock"
• "Hatari!"
• "Donovan's Reef"
• "North to Alaska"

ENJOY, the are all fabulous!

A dreamy summer's night

This week my parents and brother and sister are in town and, since we only get together about every six months these days, having them in town has encouraged us to take advantage of some of the wonderfully entertaining things happening in and around Provo. Tonight we went up to the beautiful Sundance Resort and enjoyed an evening of theatre beneath the stars. Showing currently in their outdoor theatre is a delightful production of Shakespeare's "A Midsummer's Night Dream". There is something altogether magical about the theatre period, but pull the roof off and put the stage on a mountain surrounded by nature and you have got yourself a real treat. As I sat in the audience watching the Oberon and Puck manipulate the lives of fellow fairies and mortals alike, I found myself unable to keep from smiling it was such a delight to watch.

Contrary to popular belief, or maybe just my father's, I do occasionally do more than shop - shocking, I know! I am a Senior at UVU (Utah Valley University - doesn't it just sound expensive) and an English major so literature is most definitely a huge part of my life, but I will confess to a special fondness for William Shakespeare's plays. There is something about his plays that just draws you in, I am not sure how to explain it. Now although there are times when nothing hits the spot better than a good and torturous tragedy, I am drawn more to the comedies. "Much Ado about Nothing" is my favorite but "A Midsummer's Night Dream" is a very close second so tonight was a real delight. Before the feature presentation even started we were entertained by an improv group called "Thrillionaires", and they were a perfect appetizer to the comedic feast to come.

So here is my plug; "A Midsummer's Night Dream" is running through 8/23 on Monday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights up at the Sundance summer theatre and if you are looking for something fun to do you should check it out - you will not be sorry. Then if a night at home seems a better choice I would recommend that you check out the film version of "Much Ado About Nothing" with the talented Emma Thompson and hysterical Kenneth Branagh - it is a scream!

I am not a perfectionist...

I am not a control freak. I just want to get that out in the open. I just like things...the way I like them, and perfect, and there is nothing wrong with that. Is there? I just don't know.

So here is where it all started...a long, long time ago...okay, okay I will write my own stuff. So while wrestling with the life or death decision of whether three different kinds of dessert would be enough for the upcoming family dinner, or if there should be four, my fair sister suggested - ever so slightly - that I might be somewhat of an overachieving perfectionist. To this unfounded accusation I responded - very patiently and maturely - that I most certainly was not! Her response to my well justified outburst was no more than a look that clearly said "...um okay crazy, whatever you say."

Frustrated and a little miffed by this accusation I sought out the best method of calming myself - I went shopping. Now it was only to the grocery store but really shopping is shopping and groceries can be exciting, especially if they are used to make yummy things. I was very good though, mostly because I bought five pairs of shoes in the last two weeks, but just absorbing the retail aura did wonders for my little soul.

SO this is my conclusion, I might - I said might - be a bit of a perfectionist, but it is only because I want the people I do things for to know how much I care for them by doing my best. That does not make me crazy, I don't think. So I guess, to prove that I can contain myself, I will only make three different kinds of dessert instead of four...or maybe I will still make four.

Happy Endings

"Happiness is the meaning and the purpose of life, the whole aim and end of human existence"
— Aristotle

There are people in this world who read stories and watch movies with open endings and relish the opportunity, when it is done, to speculate what their new friends do beyond the last scene. They prefer to create their own endings rather than be told...I am not one of those people.

Perhaps it can be explained with my slightly OCD personality, but I crave nice, neat, explained and complete, and preferably happy endings. Stories that are finished off by trimming the loose threads and the tying on of a lovely bow to finish it all off. It is with these thoughts that I find myself wrapped in a comfy blanket, surrounded by damp and thoroughly abused mascara stained tissues, several empty cans of Diet Pepsi and a half empty bag of Snickers minis. I have just finished Stephenie Meyer's last installment in her Twilight series: Breaking Dawn (warning: if you are not a Twilight fan or if you have not yet finished reading it, you might want to stop here) and I must say that if it had to end, I am thrilled with the way the series ended - happy. The guy got the girl, good triumphed over evil, families were forever united and everyone got what they really needed to be happy.

Now even though the type of happy endings we find in our favorite books and movies are not as common in our world, it is my belief that we have to continue to look for our own happy endings. It's like the Dali Lama said: "Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions." So this is my long winded and slightly random conclusion; happiness is not easy and a lot of times it seems impossible but if we push through and do everything that we can we will be rewarded, maybe not in the way we expected or wanted, but rewarded just the same. I am willing to work for it, because oh how I love a happy ending!

You may call me Ms. Marcos

As I start my blog I thought it would be appropriate to start by writing something in the way of an explanation of my blog name. Well here comes the long explanation…okay it is not long at all; I love shopping, for just about anything, but shoes are my true loves! My heroes in the world of fashionable and fabulous footwear include Imelda Marcos, Stacy London, Kelly Rippa and Carrie Bradshaw – women who can look beyond the price (and at times the discomfort) of these bipedal wonders and see works of art that you just happen to wear on your feet. Amazing, I know!

For months my sister has been telling me that I need to start watching Desperate Housewives. She watches it and insists that it is a great show and that since she is addicted I should become an addict as well so that we can live in our addiction together and then someday, when the show ends, talk about going to rehab together. At first I was hesitant, I already have my shows that I watch; I am a devoted Grey’s Anatomy fan, I also enjoy House, and The Office, and I just don’t know if there is room in my life for another show. Well, we rented the first season and I settled in to see what the hype was all about…I was wholly addicted after the first episode. So now I am spending me evenings catching up on the last three seasons so that when season four comes out in September I can devour that in time to be ready for the beginning of the fifth season in October, in case it is not obvious I have this down to a science.

So that’s me in a nutshell, unrepentant shopaholic and shoe addict with a penchant for TV series that take over my life. Oh ya!