Retail therapy is good for the soul

The trial period phenomenon

2010-07-26T20:59:00.000-07:00

Have you ever noticed how many things in life require a settling or trial period? Haircuts, houses, new acquaintances, etc? There comes a point where you have to develop a vision of yourself with regard to these new variables and think: "Is this me?"

This blog background is one such element. My old background was cruelly snatched away without warning and I was left with no other option but to adopt another, and while that might seem an easy task it is in fact quite trying. Selecting a blog background is the same as choosing an outfit for a job interview. The package has to be attractive enough to encourage the opening of said package to see what is inside. That outside packaging has to be a representation of all you are so that when that first impression is made it is the best it can possibly be. Pretty heavy stuff I know.

So here is test blog background #1, I expect I will be trying on other backgrounds in the near future in keeping with my pursuit of self understanding through aesthetics so if you you have any such opinion you would be willing to share please do so, I appreciate outside opinions.

Forgive me Father for I have sinned...

2010-06-05T14:55:00.000-07:00

Today I gave in to temptation and bought shoes.

I knew that I shouldn't do it, but it was like an out of body experience and I just couldn't help myself.

I am so ashamed because the worst part is that I don't feel sorry, not at all.

I LOVED IT!

Wanna see?

I knew you would!

I got these...

and these...

these ones too...

and I had to have these ones!

Oh, I am so happy! Now comes the hard part – I have to wait for them to be delivered.

I can be strong...I hope! Just so you know; I know that I have a problem but if this is wrong then I don't want to be right. How's that for repentant and contrite?

*I just rhymed!*

Family togetherness

2010-05-11T17:53:00.000-07:00

I was home in California last week for my sister Phyllis's wedding (No, my parents are not really that cruel, her real name is Emily, but born of the love her siblings have for her was the name Phyllis...but that is a story for another day) which necessitated a lot of family togetherness both with our immediate and extended family and the family of the groom. Now I love my family, truly I do, but not long after we had converged upon the family home I had a bit of an "Ah-Ha" moment. My father was regaling us with entertaining and brilliantly enhanced family stories and it came to me: family stories are like a push-up bra.

Every woman knows that a bra is a bra, but as with just about everything these days you can get the basic model, or one with assorted bells and whistles. The push-up bra, for example, takes what is already there - I don't think I really need to elaborate on what I mean by that - and adds to it so it is more substantial and is shown off to its best advantage.

Family stories are exactly like that. While the essence of the original foundation is there the time passed, and the teller are factors that add to and enhance the original story until the finished product resembles the original tale in essence only.

No you might be wondering where I am going with this...and I am sad to say that I am not really sure, I just wanted to share my epiphany with you.

Kisses!

To schlep, or not to schlep: that is the question

2010-03-07T10:09:00.000-08:00

Schlep
Function: verb
Inflected forms: schlepped, schlepping
Meaning: to proceed or move especially slowly, tediously, awkwardly, or carelessly.

Laundry is one of life's great jokes, or perhaps "joke" is to happy a word. We use the expression "do the laundry" like the action of doing it means something, like we wont have to do it again because it has already been done. Not so. The most cruel thing about laundry is that once it is washed, dried, pressed, folded, and hung, it invariably finds its way back to the "to be washed" pile and you have to start the whole process all over again!

The only bright light in this whole ordeal is that my present domicile boasts a room in the apartment in which to do laundry. Such a blessing! Before I moved out on my own I never really took time to appreciate what a luxury it was to be able to do this heinous chore from within the privacy, and warmth of your own home. Well I can assuredly tell you now that being able to do your laundry without having to schlep it to the laundry mat is a miracle. No more parading bags, baskets, duffels, and bins full of dirty laundry for all to see, and better yet no more dashing with the newly clean and dry garments through the rain and snow to get them back home.

So here I stand, decision firmly made: I choose not to schlep. I have seen the promised land and I am never going back to schlepping. If it must be that I am called upon to preform this thankless and never ending task so as to abide by my own hygienic standards, to say nothing of those of society at large, I hereby resolve to never schlep again.

As God is my witness, as God is my witness its not going to lick me. I'm going to live through this and when it's all over, I'll never have to schlep again. No, nor any of my folk. If I have to lie, steal, cheat or kill. As God is my witness, I'll never have to schlep laundry again.
(Insert swelling Gone with the Wind theme here)

My favorite things

2010-02-23T16:28:00.000-08:00

I have been doing some work from home these last couple days and while I work I like to watch movies, more listen to than watch, but I like to have something on in the backgroud to keep it from being too quiet. Now since I tend to do this work from the bottom of a pile of warm, fuzzy blankets on my couch on on my bed I prefer to watch/listen to long-ish movies so that I don't have to climb out of my nest too often. Today's movie choice was the classic The Sound of Music and listening to Julie Andrews sing about strudel and silk dresses made me think about the things in life that make me happy, and I was overcome with the desire to share my crazy little list.

I love the sound of thunder. There is something powerful, yet soothing about that booming noise that rattles the windows.

I love Nutella - bless the person who decided to combine chocolate and hazelnuts.

I love shopping bags. Shocker I know! I just love the feeling of walking out of a store with something new in my bag, and watching people eye my pretty bag wondering what is in there.

I love prezel bites. If you have not had the pleasure you must seek them out and try them imediately, they are salty, buttery pillows of happiness that are only improved upon when they are dipped in mustard.

I love Great Danes. I want like 3, they are so big and cute. I squeal like a little girl whenever I see one on TV and have to fight down the urge to run out and find one to bring home.

I love the way the tops of baby's heads smell, so sweet!

I love bubble baths. There is something so indulgent about soaking in steaming hot water and feeling all your muscles relax.

I love pedicures, I could paint my own toe nails but it is the whole experience that keeps me coming back. The foot massage, the soaking, all of it.

I love a cold pillowcase when I am going to sleep. I want the rest of the bed to be warm but I like the pillow to start of cold. I am a freak, I know.

I love show tunes, it is so cliche but they make me happy and I love that I know the score of at least 50 musicales by heart.

I love the smell of coffee brewing, there is nothing that wakes you up like the smell of coffee.

I love Diet Pepsi, no revalation I know.

I love hammocks and sometimes contemplate replacing my matress with one.

I love Peeps, but only the yellow chicks - I am a purist that way.

I love creepy pieces of classical music like Toccata and Fuge in D Minor and the Symphonie Fantastique, they send the coolest chills down my back.

I love to snuggle.

I love a good crying movie, something that really turns on the water works. After a good cry I feel cleansed.

Last but definitely not least I love shoes - I just get so excited by a great pair of shoes. Maybe if I could really explain what it is that I love so much I could control it but all I have to say is that if this is wrong, I don't want to be right.

Feliz Navidad!

2009-12-21T19:17:00.000-08:00

Only two more days and I am on my way to a beautiful California Christmas!

Sans snow.

But before I get on that jet plane, hopefully on time, I wanted to take a minute to say Merry Christmas to you all. May this Christmas season bring happiness and warmth to your heart, and may that light stay with you into next year.

I wish you many new shoes, delicious food, happy family, and massive luck at the New Year's day sales. ;)

Kisses and a very Merry Christmas!

Education is like Veal.

2009-12-16T12:16:00.001-08:00

On this day, December 16th 2009, I have at long last completed my college education.

It has taken me more years, gallons of Diet Pepsi, tears, tranquilizers and breakdowns than I care to count (or openly admit to), but it is finally over.

I was filled with a deserved sense of celebration, which I expressed by buying new boots...

(Aren't they beautiful?! It is okay to be jealous.)

...And as I walked out of my last class this morning and felt the icy wind of freedom swirl around my earlobes, I was overcome with a feeling of accomplishment and pride. This thing that I have worked toward for for so long is finally done.

The birdies flew, the sun shone, and for about 15 minutes all was well and happy.

Suddenly the happy feeling was gone; and in that moment of panic the universe came into razor sharp focus.

I have been turned out of the chute.

I have been driven down this chute that is the education system like a little veal for years, I could only see what they let me see, could only worry about things that pertained directly to getting down the chute. (Please forgive the cow metaphor, I was inspired by something my younger sister Phyllis said many years ago that helped make everything a little clearer) Well I have now reached the end of the chute and am being turned out into the wide pasture that is the world. The problem is: what do I do now?

So here is today's question: where do we go when we reach the place where the asphalt ends?

Great Expectations

2009-10-14T17:54:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I wonder if I expect too much.

I mean if I am sitting at home at night, especially on a weekend, I am most likely consumed with frustration because I'm not out doing something fun and exciting. I honestly have no cause to be bothered by that, I mean I have a ton of movies - I mean a TON - all of which I love...why don't I watch one of those? I have a stack of books that I want to read at least ten miles high, I should start reading one.

Alas, I am still not satisfied. I saw this video on Facebook and thought to myself:

"Self: he is so right! You have so much, and yet it is never enough. You need to get back to the simple pleasures in life."

So I was meditating on this tonight while watching my friends son, and some quality Finding Nemo, and I look over and he has removed the cushioned top off one of our storage ottomans and he is sitting inside it, laughing. Just laughing his head off, standing up, sitting down, standing up again, sitting down again. It was SO CUTE!

And I felt ashamed. If he could be so pleased with something so simple, do I really need so much to be happy too?

The answer is no.

Now I am not going to sell my belongings, give away my purses and shoes, and make my home in a hollow tree in the woods - that would be nuts...what, it is cold outside!

But I am going to be better.

I don't want chivalry to die, I just want it to be more observant

2009-10-10T20:21:00.000-07:00

I may have mentioned in a past post that automotive issues and maintenance are not really my thing...but if you missed that let me say it now: I consider cars to be a necessary evil in this world.

Now my car has suffered a safety breach in the under the hood region, that is to say something is broken, which has resulted in the coolant leaking out of my car when I am not looking. I have every intention of having this actually fixed but for now I have been able to manage the problem by topping off my coolant when the light goes on telling me it is too low.

So Thursday night I left work and headed to the grocery store and on my way there my coolant light came on. After expelling a disgusted sigh I made a mental note to refill the coolant after I had done my shopping so that the engine had some time to cool off before I started poking around under the hood. Well I did my shopping and in the blinding setting sunlight I popped the hood of my poor little car and warily approached the cap of the coolant tank.

Here I think it is important to note that on the cap of the coolant tank it says that contents are EXTREMELY HOT and UNDER EXTREME PRESSURE.

So I twisted the cap ever so slightly to the left and listened until the sounds of escaping pressure subsided, I then removed the cap completely. Ugh! If you have ever smelled hot coolant (I am aware of how silly that sounds) you know that the odor rising to my delicate nose was not pleasant by any stretch of the imagination. I then opened the coolant bottle-jug-thing and started pouring it into the tank.

While in the midst of this delicate procedure, I suddenly notice this random guy walking up to me and he says:

"You should have your engine on while you do that."

Um, there are very few things that I know how to do on my own with regard to car care, but I think this is one I can handle as it seems to have more to do with common sense than actual automotive knowledge - it is probably a bad idea to have the engine on when I am pouring liquid into this tank where said liquid is made hot in the process of doing its job when the engine is on.

So I look at him and in the politest tone possible I say:

"Oh no it's okay, I am just topping off my coolant."

He says again:

"Ya, you need to have your engine on for that. Why don't you go turn it on."

I am all for chivalry. If you see me stuck on the side of the road with a flat tire or an actually non-working car please feel free to stop and lend a hand, but at this point I was like; thanks for the offer to help, but I've got this.

I suppose he finally got it that I was not going to start my car, so he just gave me this look and walked away. I then finished adding coolant to my car, got in, and drove away - the entire time mentally shaking my head not really sure why he seemed so bugged when it was me who was being annoyed.

Was that the right reaction? I am just not sure, the entire episode kind of confused me to be honest.

So that is my story, and if you are in the mood to hear another tale of a man offering a woman help when she really didn't need it you should read this, and know that I wish my story telling skills were just as entertaining.

Another stop on the road to self discovery

2009-10-07T23:26:00.000-07:00

WARNING:
This post may bother, worry, disgust, or horrify some readers. Adult supervision is advised.

When people ask what my favorite movie is, it kind of upsets me because I am completely unable to provide an answer. How could I possibly pick a favorite movie, I would no sooner be able to pick a favorite shoe in the Nordstrom shoe department.

Now this may be a round about way of saying it but if I had to, as in life or death decision/declare or get pushed into the volcano, pick a favorite movie of all time...I think it would have to be...

Ok, these two:

Funny Girl, and The Way We Were

So it isn't ONE favorite.

My blog, my rules.

Deal with it.

These movies have one major thing in common. Do you know what it is? I'll tell you:

BARBARA STREISAND

(Warning: proceed with caution)

I love Barbara! I do. I really do! Now I know that there are many out there who are unable to appreciate the wonder that is Barbara. Who cannot fully appreciate her trademark nails and eye makeup, and the way her voice makes the world just a little bit brighter, but I don't care. I love her.

And today I made an amazing discovery: Barbara and I have the SAME BIRTHDAY! I always felt that Barbara and I were linked somehow, now I know why. Just one more reason to love her.

So what is your favorite movie? I am always interested in expanding my movie repertoire and I would love to know what other people love watching over and over again, until the DVD is exhausted and racked with seizures that make watching it any longer impossible.

Share on dear friends, share on.

And then there were two...

2009-09-12T00:22:00.000-07:00

The blessed cupcake book has a fraternal twin!

THE COOKIE BOOK!

I'm so happy.

Now although I am generally of the school that scoffs and sniffs at people rushing, pushing, thrusting and shoving Christmas into full focus before Thanksgiving...I have to say:

I can hardly wait for Christmas so I can make the AWESOME holiday cookies in this book!

In case you are wondering, I know I have a problem.

I can just feel my sister shaking her head at me from across town.

It's okay, I know it's just jealousy.

Inspiration for a new project

2009-09-06T17:02:00.000-07:00

Guess what, guess what, guess what!

I got a new cookbook last night, but not just any new cookbook: Martha Stewart's cupcake book.

Isn't it beautiful?

Now I know that there are some out there that do not approve of Martha, but I love her. All you have to do is look past her obsessive compulsive nature, and deplorable wardrobe, and what you will find is a marvelously creative woman with a talent for making beautiful and delicious things.

Anyway, my love of Martha led me to the realization that I needed her cupcake book in order to be happy. This book holds 116 cupcake recipes, some filled and some frosted, some glazed and some dipped, and I intend to try them all.

Now while this idea may sound vaguely familiar, especially if you have been to a movie theater in the last few months, I assure you all that I am not stealing the idea from dear Julie - I will merely share with you my failures and successes as I work my way through this entire cookbook. I also have grand and glorious plans to purchase a new battery for my camera so that I can even provide some pictures for you.

That's it. I just wanted to share my great happiness in my new cookbook with you, and warn you ahead of time that at least one more "new cookbook" celebration post is in this blogs future.

But that is all I will say for now.

The Bubblewrap Chronicles

2009-08-01T18:00:00.000-07:00

First of all I feel it necessary to admit, declare, confirm, proclaim, note, and divulge, that I HATE moving! Hate. Did you hear me? I said HATE!

You may remember the previous gripe on the subject of house hunting and moving, but now I can safely say that I had no idea what I was talking about! My past moving experience has been fairly limited, my first moving adventure was when I was 4. We moved to the house I completed my childhood in, and although I am sure it was very traumatic - the level of stress I suffered was relatively minimal...given the fact that I was 4...and that it wasn't across the plains...in a covered wagon.

The next move was from said childhood home to Utah. While most definitely traumatic, the whole boxes, clothing, housing thang was really the least of it. I am generally a stiff-upper-lip-kind-of-girl, but leaving the nest proved emotionally strong enough to crack even my steel facade. From there I did switch apartments in the complex I live in, but that wasn't a real move.

But this, this is insane. I have been working all day, and all I have succeeded in doing is making piles of shtuff that need to be transported across town! So here is my thought, I am thinking that I could adopt the Bedouin lifestyle and only own that which can fit on my camel's saddle. Huh, huh? What do you think? I mean that does mean that I would have to abandon the retail world, except for the occasional bazaar we pass, and that I would probably never have an occasion to wear my favorite cow-skin pumps again...but it could be fun.................ok even thinking about it is freaking me out!

Fine! Back to packing. UGH!

Cupcake Love

2009-07-11T18:52:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago I went on a magical journey to a beautiful and happy place. In this happy place I ate (okay devoured) some AMAZING cupcakes.

I had read about The Sweet Tooth Fairy bakery here in Provo from one of the many food blogs I like to read. I decided to check out their website and not long after that I resolved to visit it, and soon.

Finally the day arrived. My brother in-law was off fishing with his dad, so my sister and I staged a very important and scientific taste test of six of The Sweet Tooth Fairy's cupcakes.

Let me introduce you to the gang (clockwise from the top left): Double Fudge, Toasted Coconut, Lemon, Peanut Butter, Black & White, Red Velvet.

The Double Fudge cupcake had a delightfully dark chocolate cake with a dark and dangerous fudge frosting, all topped off with a Maraschino Cherry. I love Maraschino Cherries, don't know if I have ever mentioned it before, my sister thinks I am sick.

Toasted Coconut I think was my favorite, all of you "Chocolate is KING" people out there settle down - I am not jumping ship. Although I do love me so me chocolate anything, the Toasted Coconut cupcake was so complex and thrilling that it has to be given top billing. The cake was white cake, but it was dense like a yellow cake, then the frosting had the delightful flavor of coconut and almond all topped with the nutty toasted coconut that added color and texture to the whole experience.

The Lemon was out of this world! So often when I eat or bake "lemon" things it seems like the flavor just isn't all there. That wonderful sensation when you eat something so lemony that it makes you pucker, in a good way, many times seems like it is missing. Not in this little beauty! The cake is dense and filled with lemon zest, as is the frosting. The frosting is covered lightly in sugar and is topped by a quarter of a lemon to add to the lemon motif. Refreshing and rich at the same time, I think this one was my sister's favorite.

Originally we had saved the Peanut Butter one for Tyler, he love anything PB, but since he was not equal to the task of dispatching the entire cupcake on his own Lisa and I were there to lend a helping hand, we are oh so self sacrificing that way. The cake was dark chocolate with a peanut better frosting and topped with chopped up Reeses cups.

The Black & White was a brilliant contrast, hence the name, the cake was the same dark chocolate as the Double Fudge, but it was topped with the almond/coconut frosting that topped the Toasted Coconut cupcake. So simple, yet so impressive.

Last but not least the Red Velvet. Here I must add that I don't quite get the draw of Red Velvet cake, I mean all it is is chocolate cake colored red after all, nevertheless people are always going on about it. This cake was very moist and was barely able to support itself when weighed down by the heaving Cream Cheese frosting, but the chocolate/cream cheese combo always gets me, and I could not think ill of the little blushing cupcake.

All in all a very educational and low fat adventure but if you are looking for a little treat, check out the Sweet Tooth Fairy Bakery in Provo, your taste buds will thank you.

P.S. I found this shirt that I think I need-

I kinda love it, what do you think?

WARNING: Deep thoughts ahead - proceed at your own risk!

2009-07-06T22:38:00.000-07:00

As I sat in my room a few minutes ago, I had an epiphany. Don't be distracted by the big word, it just seem appropriate as I am attempting to wax philosophical.

When I need to escape I have a few pet methods of applying mental Novocain:

1. Shopping, especially for shoes. "When I feel bad I like to treat myself. Clothes never look any good... food just makes me fatter... shoes always fit."
2. Baking. Baking requires concentration so one does not accidentally mix up the salt and sugar, or worse - forgets to add the chocolate. Everything should involve chocolate at some point, even if it means that I am popping chocolate chips while mixing up the rare non-chocolate dessert.
3. Eating - this requires no thought at all...which might by why it is so dangerous.
4. Reading - I truly relish the freedom an engrossing book gives you. If you allow yourself to be sucked it, and you are really lucky, you could avoid surfacing for hours.
5. This one is very potent. Sometimes when I am really in the "depths of despair", I do something so heinous - so monstrous - so wicked...

come closer and I will tell you....

closer...

closer...

I watch... The Thorn Birds.

All 8 hours. The pain, loss, sacrifice, tragedy and suffering.

So now, as I itemize all of these methods of mental anesthesia, I am struck by the realization that all my methods of escape are slightly self destructive. Should I be concerned? Nah! Scarlett had it right - I won't think about that now...I'll think about it tomorrow.

4th of July, and my sometimes insensitive sense of humor

2009-07-04T15:45:00.000-07:00

First off Happy 4th of July!

I hope you all had a wonderful day filled with fun, family, friends, good food, and fireworks! I really love this holiday, and not just for the fact that it makes me yearn for Old Navy, American Eagle Outfitters, Gap, and Martha Stewart's patriotic creativity.

I am seriously so blessed to live in this country! (I put that part in just for you Val.) But, truly I am. Saturday morning I attended the Provo City parade, and although I do not personally relish the parade itself per se, I love to see the way that so many people are brought together to celebrate the freedoms we all enjoy. I also love to watch my little cousins sitting on the curb, three little boys sitting in a row clapping, laughing, and scrambling for the candy that gets thrown from the passing floats and cars. Seriously so adorable!

Well after the parade we adjourned to my cousin Ashley's house for a little BBQ with the fam and friends. Now the way family gatherings involving food play out in our family is that everyone gets assignments or signs up to bring part of the meal. Today I volunteered to bring dessert - confession I like to bring dessert if I can because it is the course I can most relate to, so I kind of hog it...sorry. Anyway, I told Ash I would bring dessert and then set to the task of coming up with the perfect patriotic dessert to bring.

Lucky for me, not so much for my waistline, my loverly friend Shem offered the idea of making one of her family's favorite desserts. It is genius! You make pie crust, for me that involves buying the Pillsbury pre made crust and unrolling it, bake it on a cookie sheet until cooked, it takes about 7-9 minutes in a 425 oven. Before baking the crust I scored it randomly with a paring knife to make it easier to break up, as well as pricking it with a fork all over to prevent bubbles and sprinkled it with granulated sugar.

Once the crust is baked and slightly cooled break it up into bite sized, or a little bigger, pieces. Now you will prepare your fruit. Today, in keeping with the holiday, I used sliced strawberries and whole blueberries that I tossed with sugar and a little lemon zest - but you could seriously do this with any fruit. Put a good portion of broken crust in a bowl and top with many spoon fulls of fruit.

Now, to truly complete the dish, you pour heavy cream over it all. Not whipped cream, the heavy cream before it is whipped up. Then you dig in! The berries are sweet and tart and the crust soaks up the cream to make a slightly mooshy blob of happiness. Following my short affair with this dessert , I decided that I would heretofore call this "Oklahoma Style Short-Cake". When I announced this decision Ashley looked at me with an expressions that can only be described as slightly appalled. Somehow when I said "Oklahoma Style Short-Cake" she heard "Local Homeless Style Short-Cake". Now for reasons that escape explanation this was instantly hilarious, maybe it was having to get up so early to be at the parade at 9, maybe it was the sun we had been liberally exposed to, but whatever it was we laughed long and hard about it. We are freaks like that.

So what, you may ask, is the point of all this? I will tell you; make Oklahoma Style/Local Homeless Style Short-Cake today, you will love it! Then while you are devouring this delightful dish contemplate this great country we all live in.

Twinkie Theory

2009-06-30T22:18:00.000-07:00

Twinkies are delicious!

They are soft, and sweet, moist, and tasty. You tear open that crinkly plastic wrapper and your senses are assailed by the tempting aroma of this grocery isle treasure. You divest the Twinkie of its plastic prison, and admire its beauty. The rich yellow color, the convenient shape that makes shoveling them into your mouth so effortless.

Now is the moment you have waited for in such anticipation - the first bite. Delicately you sink your teeth into the supple sponge cake and taste, for the first time, the fluffy cream filling.

Oh, the bliss! The blinding moments of utter contentment!

I like Twinkies, I don't know if you got that.

Alas, for all their tasty perfection man, or woman in this case, can not live on Twinkies alone.

Now before I go on I feel it important to note that I cannot claim full credit for the following theory. It came to me, as if in a dream...okay more like the reality of family dinner. During said event the conversation turned to movies, one of my favorite subjects, and my Uncle Chad's use of Twinkie imagery inspired me. Thank you Chad!

Anyway, back to the task at hand.

There are times when we all get sick of the cold cereal/PBJ sandwich/cold pizza/cracker and cheese - meals held standing at the counter, and long for a good home cooked meal. Something wholesome and filling that you walk away from full and enriched. These are the times when your gas tank has been filled and you are given the power to dig deep and do great things and feel the drive to think and make the world a better place that it is.

Are you lost yet? I have a point I promise!

Well just as there are times when we crave substance, sometimes we just want a Twinkie. It has no nutritional value, in fact it may be of negative nutritional value, it does not fill you up, and you don't often light upon brilliant realizations during the consumption of a Twinkie. But sometimes...sometimes a Twinkie is just what you need - the opportunity to escape and enjoy a few precious moments away from the meat and potatoes world.

This is Twinkie Theory. It can be applied to just about anything, but I found it most applicable to movies and books. My mother, sisters and I had a little girls only day this past week, and we went to see The Proposal. It was a Twinkie. It was adorable! Light, funny,romantic, made me cry - shocker I know. I knew walking into the theatre and taking my reclining seat, exactly what I was going to see play out on the screen for the next 2-ish hours. But that is exactly what I wanted, and it delivered.

Being an English major I hear so many of my class mates and teachers rant about all the "good" literature and movies there are out there to be consumed, and how they cannot bear to hear of people who would waste the precious time we have on this planet by dallying with less-than-Earth-moving-drivel! To them I say that I am sorry. Don't get me wrong, I still love my Fillet Mignon and roasted summer vegetables with a dark chocolate torte for dessert, but sometimes you just need a Twinkie.

So, my wish for each of you is that you go forth today in search of a Twinkie to brighten up your life. It need not be an actual Twinkie, but you know what I mean.

Blog Stalking: A 21st Century Pastime

2009-06-09T23:49:00.000-07:00

Hello.

My name is Allyson Kuykendall...and I stalk food blogs, written by people I don't even know, in my spare time.

(Unison: "Hi Allyson")

When faced with a spare minute or 60, one of my favorite things to do is to skip lightly from blog to blog in search for new recipes to feed my culinary obsession. It's so much fun to see what ideas other people have, what recipes they have tried, how they liked them-or didn't like them, which cookbooks they are reading, and what new cookware is available.

But do you know what really bugs me about these blogs that I love so very, very much?

I will tell you.

It drives me totally, completely, wholly, and all consumingly (don't worry, I know that I totally just made the word up) insane when people talk about something they made and neglect to share the recipe! It's just mean, that is what it is.

So here and now I vow, to anyone who cares at all, to always share my recipes with anyone who is in the least bit interested.

Whew! You know, Kyra Sedgwick is right! Confession is good for the soul.

Spa day, is a special day!

2009-05-18T22:32:00.000-07:00

Last week my little sister Phyllis turned 21. So in honor of such an auspicious occasion my other sister Lisa and I treated her to a relaxing spa day. I love going to the spa, I always come out so relaxed and at one with the world. It is so nice to be pampered and taken care of, and there is nothing like that delicious tiredness that comes from doing nothing but relaxing.

Well, since my fancy financial planning classes tell me that going to the spa every week is not a smart use of mah muney - I have been trying to come up with what you could call (roll eyes up and then right to left), DIY spa treatments. Here goes...

*Sauna Treatment*

Now since sitting in the sauna is basically sitting in a really, really, dry, hot space - this is one of the easier treatments to replicate. All you need to do is park your car somewhere in the direct sun (I suggest the Kalahari desert) and let it sit there and preheat for about 6 hours. Once the car has reached the approximate internal temperature of 160F, you are all set!

As quickly as possible open the door and hop in so the heat doesn't have a chance to escape. You will probably be a little...uncomfortable at first, but just relax and embrace the heat, allow it to work its magic and focus on sweating out all your toxins. Voila! A near authentic spa treatment that didn't cost a dime.

Well that's all I've got for now but stay tuned, there's more on the way.

Allyson in Financial Land...

2009-05-08T01:01:00.000-07:00

So I am, somewhat reluctantly, enrolled in this financial planning class that was being offered at work, and today was the first of our four meetings to be held over the next four weeks. During said class our instructor, I will call him "K", kept asking questions like: "Where are you?", "Where are you going?", "How will you get there?"; and as I sat there in that room I was overcome by a feeling of empathetic sisterhood with Lewis Carroll's Alice. Too many questions to which I had no...yup no answers.

Anyway, while sitting in this class, taking copious notes, K stated that "comfort spending" is a big No, No.

(Insert sound of pins dropping, crickets chirping, bull frogs, whatever!)

WHAT!

I was shocked. All that I though I knew about the world suddenly changed in an instant. The rotation of the Earth slowed slightly. No comfort spending?! But that is one of my favorite things, one of the only things that can soothe the wounded and cranky beast in my psyche!

Now I really wish I could have seen the look on my face, actually come to think of it I am probably better off not having seen the carnage, but my sister obviously saw it (by the way my sister and her husband are taking the class as well) and she ever so gently reached a hand over to cover my clammy, ice cold one, and gave it a squeeze. She said that it was going to be okay, I don't believe her.

So here is the real point of all this psychotic rambling: Is it possible to be happy without compulsive pleasure spending? I just don't know, but I will consult with the White Rabbit, the Cheshire Cat, the Mad Hatter (especially him, I hear he made a line of fabulous hats for the Kentucky Derby one year), Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum, and get back to you.

My new favorite thing.

2009-05-04T22:51:00.000-07:00

I have found a new favorite thing to add to my collection of favorite things. Among these many treasures, some of my ultimate favorites are: new fabulous shoes (shocker I know), red nail-polish, Target, Williams-Sonoma, getting my hair cut, dark chocolate, TiVo, cute aprons, cookbooks, Marscapone gelato, and Diet Pepsi - but today I add another prize to this list.

Ladies and gentlemen, I beg to put before you my new favorite thing.

Soft and salty, warm and chewy - I am pleased to introduce to you the Pretzel Bite! If you not had the occasion to become acquainted with these little darlings, please do so as soon as possible. Now you might say: "Well Allyson, its just a pretzel cut up into bits." and I would answer: "True, but there is something magical about these tiny, buttery, salty, puffy little devils that cannot completely be explained."

Check these out at your nearest pretzel stand, you will be glad you did.

Don't forget the mustard!

"This time, like all times, is a very good one, if we but know what to do with it." -Ralph Waldo Emerson

2009-04-24T17:07:00.000-07:00

Word!

Well it happened again.

Try as I might to prevent such atrocity the days, weeks, and years keep passing and then, every now and again, my odometer trips up a number, and I'm not going to lie to you; today's number has thrown me for a bit of a loop.

25...

I don't feel shame or embarrassment in revealing the troubling number - I don't think I have attained that level quite yet - it is more a feeling of: soooo...ummmm...well...ya...

Do you know what I mean? Probably not because I am not making sense - I just have this overwhelming feeling of "ok, what now?"

Well the realization that I am now one more year older has thrown me into exactly 3.5 minutes of serious reflection about birthdays in general (I intended to go a full 5 minutes but all of the sudden I was distracted by a loud humming and burning smell emanating from my brain, so I thought it best to stop while I was ahead) and this is the conclusion I have come to:

Wait for it...

I have no conclusion.

But the presents are nice! Meet my new baby!

My mother understands me in a deep cosmic way. Isn't it pretty? Well for those of you who are currently shaking your heads and thinking: "Wow, that girl's got problems." - don't worry, I am so aware of it. ;)

I am the Jedi Master of procrastination.

2009-04-04T02:19:00.000-07:00

I am not even kidding, this is truth - fact even.

But before I go any further I must pay homage to my brilliant sensei.

He taught me well. (P.s. I chose the younger, Ewan McGregor version - I don't think I really need to explain why.)

So here it is the last week of classes; I have papers and projects up the wazoo and what did I do this weekend? I will tell you: NOTHING!

Okay, that isn't exactly true - I had a plan, and I did do a lot...just not things that I really needed to do. This weekend I: went grocery shopping, did laundry, did my nails (fingers and toes), cleaned out my email inbox, cleaned off my computer desktop, cleaned my bathroom, cleaned the kitchen - and then promptly dirtied it again, cooked Sunday dinner...the list goes on.

I told you I had skills.

It's okay to be jealous.

I love to laugh!

2009-03-31T21:29:00.000-07:00

"If we couldn't laugh we would all go insane"
-Robert Frost

There is nothing like laughing so hard that you lose control of yourself. It usually starts small but as what you are laughing at, and the effect it is having on you really sink in, it just gets funnier and funnier and before you know it you are gasping for breath and have tears running from your eyes.

I love laughing like that. The only problem is that I have kind of an evil laugh.

Whats worse is that when the evil laugh comes out...I tend to kink of, sorta throw my head back. I don't mean to...it just happens.

My brother says that I cackle like a witch.

I don't do the evil laugh on purpose, sometimes it just slips out...like it did tonight. Now my roommates both think I am having a psychotic break.

I blame my father, he has a serious mad scientist laugh.

I got it from him, I am sure of it.

I wonder if I could hack living out of my car...

2009-03-23T23:25:00.000-07:00

Ah, never mind, there is no way I could fit all my stuff in my car. I would have to be living out of a Semi to make that work.

I hate looking for housing!

Seriously.

The only reason I have stayed in the "palace" I have been living in for the past two years is because it is just easier to stay put than suffer thought the whole moving process.

But it is more than JUST the moving. First it is the hunting and gathering of information. Then comes the price comparing and the roommate situation, only to be topped off with the endless phone calls to check availability and then at long last the contract signing. Then you get to pack up all your Earthly belongings (of which I have quite a few - what? I like my stuff okay?!) and move them from former home to new dwelling.

What am I talking about? That sounds like LOADS OF FUN!

I don't know, maybe I could make the whole car thing work...

Beannacht Lá Fhéile Pádraig!

2009-03-17T01:45:00.000-07:00

For those of you who are a little rusty on your Gaelic I just wished you a Happy St. Patrick's Day!

I love St. Patrick's Day! I cannot tell you why, but ask my parents, sibling or friends and they will tell you that I am obsessed with all things Irish, especially St. Patrick's Day, and March 17th just gives me the chance to go all out.

On this day, every year you can find me cooking corned beef and cabbage, complete with boiled potatoes and Irish soda bread, rocking out to some Irish tunes, and watching some of my favorite St. Patty's Day movies. So, since I am unable to make St. Patrick's Day dinner for all of you I thought I would suggest some St. Patrick's Day movie musts instead:

Darby O'Gill and The Little People (Total St. Patty's must! Ignore the lame special effects, this one is a real treasure! Also note how young and adorable Sean Connery is.)

The Quiet Man (An all time favorite year round, I love Maureen O'Hara and The Duke - they make such a great pair!)

Far and Away (Oh the days before Tom really lost it...)

And, last but not least...

Brigadoon (Okay, so it isn't exactly Irish but with the kilts, broughs, and bagpipes there is a definitive Celtic feel. And no Elyse, it is not "exactly like The Village"!)

So cuddle up with some Corned Beef and cabbage, pop in a fun St. Patrick's Day flick and have a very Happy St. Patrick's Day!

"I can't think about that right now. If I do, I'll go crazy. I'll think about that tomorrow." - Scarlett O'Hara

2009-03-10T20:52:00.000-07:00

Gee sister, you just said a mouthful!

Confession: I am a terrible procrastinator. I have even been known to utter Scarlett's immortal words in moments of extreme resignation.

Here it is, 10pm on a Tuesday night, I have so much to get done tonight I will probably end up either not going to bed (NoDoz is my friend) or only getting a very few hours of sleep, and while that reality presses down upon me here I sit, writing a blog post.

I think I have a problem.

But now that I have said what I want to say I am going to immediately get back to work, not linger online reading other blogs or maybe checking in on Facebook, I am going to get right back to work.

Then again...if EVERYTHING doesn't get done tonight..."tomorrow is another day."

I want to be a cowgirl!

2009-03-09T02:13:00.001-07:00

Warning: Random late Sunday night thoughts to follow.

Have you ever wanted to try doing something radically different from that which you are currently doing? I mean, you liked what you were doing but thought to yourself: "Self, what would it be like if you did ___ or ___ ?

I recently stumbled upon a new and fun blog and while checking out all the interesting things I found there, I started to think. It's okay to be shocked and worried by this, the proper authorities have been notified and future activities are being closely monitored.

It all starts with the fact that I am a city girl. I was raised in a seriously suburban neighborhood, within a pretty modern city, located in relatively progressive, mostly left wing and often eyebrow raising state. I like freeways, the beach, shopping (obviously), unique foods, the swift city pace, museums, movies, bookstores, and lots of different kinds of people. Now while none of these things are bad, reading about The Pioneer Woman's life on her ranch in the middle of nowhere Oklahoma made me think about what it would be like to live that kind of life...and I think I could do it, or at least it would be fun to try it.

But I mustn't get ahead of myself, such a change will require a little bit of preparation.

To do list:

Find some fabulous, but functional, boots
Hat, definitely, def-definitely need a hat
Get a few more horseback riding lessons in...
Find a ranch that is looking for a girl who is willing to exchange her homemaking/cooking skills for some experience living and working on a ranch.

Yup, better go check Google, and the want ads...

The healing power of ice cream

2009-02-27T02:30:00.000-08:00

It is a simple fact that some days require the healing power of ice cream...today was one of those days.

So I took myself off to one of the houses of retail worship in search of a cure for a lousy day, and fell prey to one of my new obsessions.

Fleur De Sel Caramel Ice Cream

I know, at first glance salted caramel ice cream may seem like an iffy choice, but once you try it...there is no going back. I would even go so far as to say that this ice cream could- quite possibly- have magical powers. Scoff if you must, but I believe!

Try it. Your taste buds will thank you!

A shopaholic on the subject of Valentine's Day

2009-02-04T19:21:00.000-08:00

As soon as Valentine's day products go out in stores we have all been given a not so subtle reminder that we need to start thinking about the Valentine's Day gift, or gifts, we need to find. Some of these gifts are for sweethearts, some for beloved little ones, and some are for our friends and loved ones that may not have sweethearts of their very own.

Now this lady is great about serving up fabulous gift ideas, but today I have a gift suggestion of my very own...

Do you have single friends?

Do you worry that they are lonely, especially during this Valentine's season?

Are you a single person, who feels unsettled when you go to sleep at night all alone in your home?

Well if any, or all, of these statements apply to you then I have the perfect solution to all your problems!

Wait for it.........

The "Hug Me Pillow"!

Ooooh!

Ahhhh!

The Hug Me pillow is made of 100% polyester, dry clean only, and the microfiber shirt is incredibly soft and conveniently machine washable. :)

Best of all, in addition to being the perfect snuggling companion, the Hug Me pillow provides comfort as well as piece of mind. (Muffled giggling)

So this Valentine's day when you are trying to decide on the perfect gift for your poor single friends, consider the Hug Me pillow - and give them the gift of hugs and snuggles long after February 14th has passed.

And Happy Valentine's day to you all!

Kisses!

Note: The Hug Me pillow can be found on overstock.com (if you need a laugh check out the product reviews)

Are you ready for some football?

2009-02-01T23:46:00.000-08:00

I love the Super Bowl!

Not because I harbor a passionate love of the game, have a deeply personal investment in the teams playing, or want to channel the power and greatness of my favorite team players by wearing my "game day" jersey. Oh no, I love the Super Bowl party.

Last year my roommates and I decided to have a little get together for the Super Bowl and it was so much fun that I had an epiphany, I thought to myself: "Self, this must be why the Super Bowl is so popular!" We invite our friends over, eat lots of yummy (fat and calorie free of course) food, and scream at the magic box with the moving pictures on it - what's not to like?

So, this year, following my new tradition, we had a Super Bowl party. My roommates, sisters, brother in-law, and friends came over and we dined on popular Super Bowl foods: walking taco dip (also known as seven layer dip), bacon wrapped Lil' Smokies in barbecue/grape jelly sauce, veggies and ranch dip, and baked potatoes with all kinds of toppings ranging from chili to steamed veggies. Then for dessert...a giant chocolate rice krispie treat in the shape of a football!

Now, I ask you: does that say Super Bowl or what?

So, as I cleaned up the mess and washed the mountain of dishes that were a by-product of said fabulous party, I heaved a little sigh of understanding. The Super Bowl isn't about the game or the players, the jersey's or the crowds, the touchdowns or the calls - what the Super Bowl is really about is the fun you have while you completely ignore the game!

Okay, I can explain...

2009-01-11T21:37:00.000-08:00

Finding fun stuff to entertain myself with on Sunday is always a little interesting, so today when I heard that there was a CES fireside tonight where President Monson was going to be speaking, I thought to myself: "Self, going to listen to the Prophet speak would be a good way to spend a Sunday afternoon." So the fireside started at 6pm so we went over at 4pm so as to have the best possible chance of a non-nosebleed seats. Well, when approaching the Marriot Center we saw a crowd of people heading in, so we just went on in with them. While walking around to the side we wanted to sit on we beheld through the windows a HUGE line of people and we realized that the group of people we came in with was the choir and that we weren't really supposed to be in there yet.

At this point the four of us were faced with the age old quandary - do we go back outside...into the cold...to the wait, or do we stay inside...in the warm building and hide out in the bathroom for a half an hour until everyone else comes in. Ya, we chose warmth. Well as soon as we heard the din of voices in coming from the entrance at 4:30pm we exited the ladies room and made a mad dash for the closest seats we could get. We ended up in the third row of the stadium seats.

This is a pretty small picture but this was our view - we were less than 100 ft. away from the podium.

(From left to right) Alyse, Me, Jessica and Elyse

Me and Elyse - so tender! We had time to kill since we were an hour and a half early.

The fireside was really great, and our adventure to get into it was just a bonus. All in all a pretty great Sunday that we topped off with pancakes, yummy!

Hide and go...WHAT?!

2009-01-08T00:46:00.000-08:00

So I couldn't sleep, and as I lay in bed trying to go to sleep I remembered something that I wanted to post about. Well, no time like the present, this one is for you Ash.

Last week my parents, my sister Phyllis (her real name is Emily but we all call her Phyllis...it's a long story) and my brother Eric were in town because they were here dropping Phyllis, our little BYU student, off at school. Along with my immediate family, and the other members of the family who are here full time, one of my uncles and his family were here so Grama decided that we would all have dinner together, all 28 of us. Whoa, family togetherness!

We had a lot of fun making dinner, finding places to sit and eat our dinner, mocking the people who made the dinner funky, and then cleaning up dinner. Afterward a bunch of the cousins went downstairs to play cards. Now here I must explain that our family on my mom's side is split up in an interesting way: my mom is the oldest of six children, three girls then a space and then three boys. So given that my mom and my aunts are a little older than my uncles they all got married and had kids long before my uncles got married and started families of their own. So the result is half of the cousins being in the 18-30 range and the other half being in the 3-15 range. FUN!

ANYWAY, we decided to play "Spoons" and my silly, silly brother in-law decided it would be fun for the first person to take a spoon to then throw the rest across the room and watch the resulting melee as the other players grappled for their own spoon. Well in a moment of hyperactive chaos I dubbed our new game "hide and go spoon". Well the minute it was out of my mouth I clapped my hand over my mouth and looked to see if anyone else had noticed. After a moment of stunned silence, the five of us over the age of 15 looked at each other and just died laughing. Me and my mouth! The five younger ones thought we had all gone totally mental but I will say this - I will never be able to think of playing "Spoons" the same way ever again!

A Blessed New Arrival!

2009-01-07T16:52:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year to you all!

I hope your holidays were safe, happy and above all totally fabulous.

Well I have some news...over the Christmas holiday my little family was blessed with a few new additions...

I have wanted a Food Processor for soooooo long! Yay!

A Jessica Simpson purse - the picture really does not do it justice! It is brown faux crocodile with gold buckles and zippers. Ooh so pretty!

And, in case you didn't notice, the pies de resistance...

Pretty, pretty snake shoes! And on sale too. Oh, I am so happy!

Needless to say -this material girl is very happy but sadly, due to the cataclysmic amount of snow we have had of late, the pretty snake shoes may have to wait for drier weather conditions. Have I mentioned that I am not the biggest fan of snow?

All in all Christmas and New Years were quite loverly. My parents were driving my younger sister Phyllis out here for school, so that visit continued even when I was back in Utah. And then, to add to the family I already have here, my uncle Todd and his family were here for a visit from Washington so I got to see cousins I haven't seen in a long time. So fun!

So as we start into this new year may we all remember to try a little harder, love a little more, and to treat ourselves from time to time with a new purse of some new shoes - or whatever you like to treat yourself with if shoes and purses aren't your thing. (CRAZY!)

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas...

2008-12-20T12:15:00.000-08:00

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!

2008-12-16T17:36:00.000-08:00

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

2008-12-09T21:59:00.000-08:00

(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...

2008-11-30T20:21:00.000-08:00

"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!

2008-11-28T00:21:00.000-08:00

"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!

2008-11-26T10:26:00.000-08:00

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!

2008-11-22T17:54:00.000-08:00

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.

2008-11-12T22:55:00.000-08:00

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

2008-10-31T18:29:00.000-07:00

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...

2008-10-26T21:18:00.000-07:00

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!

2008-10-17T16:41:00.000-07:00

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?

2008-10-09T17:56:00.000-07:00

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

2008-10-05T00:28:00.000-07:00

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...

2008-09-29T20:32:00.001-07:00

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!

2008-09-24T00:29:00.001-07:00

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

2008-09-18T19:40:00.000-07:00

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!

2008-09-17T22:53:00.001-07:00

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.

2008-09-10T23:55:00.000-07:00

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!

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.

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.

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

2008-09-04T15:06:00.000-07:00

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

2008-09-03T15:40:00.000-07:00

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!"

2008-08-29T22:10:00.000-07:00

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

2008-08-27T12:15:00.001-07:00

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)

"An Unfinished Life" - Robert Redford and Morgan Freeman, need I say more?
"Much Ado About Nothing" - One of my personal faves and Emma Thompson and Kenneth Branagh are so great!
"Steel Magnolias" - Classic
"The Italian Job" - Good action and very funny
"Iron Man" - A recent addition but I just love it so much!
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.
"Idiana Jones" - All of them. I am honestly not the giggest fan of "Temple of Doom" but it should be seen at least once.
"50 First Dates" - So funny!
"Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" - Such a great team in Redford and Newman
"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

2008-08-12T00:23:00.000-07:00

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...

2008-08-07T22:36:00.000-07:00

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

2008-08-03T20:25:00.000-07:00

"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

2008-07-18T16:57:00.000-07:00

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!