A Peek at Karen's World: December 2008

Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Post Number 20!

Greetings from the Beehive State!

After being forced to work on Christmas Eve, I decided to take a vacation. I convinced Philip to take a couple of days off work so that we could spend New Years in Utah visiting some of my old friends and some of his family.

So we're here, staying with his sister, Sarah, and having a blast! Yesterday morning we drove up, taking a long and beautiful detour through Zion's National Park. It was snowy, but gorgeous and I can't wait to go through all the pictures on my brand new camera that Philip bought me for Christmas.

Today we met Kelli at The Pie Pizzeria at the University of Utah and then Megan (Philip's neice) took us up toward Ensign Peak to get an awesome view of the smog and haze of the Salt Lake Valley.

Anyway, things are going great. We're enjoying the trip so far. This is my 20th post for the month, and while I might get a chance to post tomorrow, it's not looking too likely since we're cruising up to my old stompin' grounds in Ogden before trekking to the snowy tundra of Idaho Falls to see Dustin and Emily. I can't wait to see them. It's going to be so great to spend New Years Eve with them.

As long as we make it.

I keep hearing talk about snow or something.

And as you all remember, I HATE the snow.

So, here's hoping we don't end up in a snow bank somewhere along the frozen corridor of I-15. It's been a good year and I have high hopes for 2009. But we'll talk about that later.

Have a Happy New Year, everyone!

Thursday, December 25, 2008

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Here's a clip from one of my all-time favorite movies. I don't feel bad about giving away the ending since if you haven't seen It's a Wonderful Life by now, there must be something wrong with you!

Why I Love Christmas

I love the feeling that comes with the holiday, where everyone is a little nicer to each other (as long as you don't take their parking space at the mall), people pass around spontaneous treats and gifts, and smile a bit more and are just, generally, more fun to be around.

I love the decorated houses with their bright lights and Santa Clauses and manger scenes.

I love the music (for the most part) that we sing in church, that gets played on the radio, that we sing at each other's houses.

I love the Christmas trees and the wreaths and the way my mom's house always looks like the North Pole on speed.

It's Christmas Eve and I (and 5 of my closest coworkers) are stuck here at work. Some evil genius decided we should be here in case any students happened to wander in desperately needing to check out a book or use a computer. There have been exactly 5 non-employees here this entire week. Three of them were the children of employees that are here with me.

I minded this morning. In fact, I was downright grouchy this morning as I drove to work, thinking about how stupid it is that I have to be here on Christmas Eve when the rest of the world is out cooking and shopping and spending time doing things that actually matter.

But I got over it. I got some things done that I'd been putting off, I got to take some time to hang out and talk with some of the cool people that I work with. We had our own Christmas Eve lunch today at Famous Dave's and just made the most of it.

And when it's done, I get to go to my mom's house, wrap a dozen or so gifts, and do all the cooking and baking and visiting and movie watching that I didn't get to do while I was here. At work. On Christmas Eve.

And that's why I love Christmas.

I'll be with limited internet access over the next two weeks, so don't feel too lonely and miss me too much while I'm gone. I'll be back in January, full force and ready to start the New Year off right.

Merry Christmas!

Your Questions Answered!

After wading through emails and comments, here are my answers to some of your most pressing questions. I hope you have as much fun reading them as I had answering them, and thank you for your participation!

What are your top five favorite movies of all time?

1. Star Wars
2. It's a Wonderful Life
3. Lord of the Rings
4. When Harry Met Sally
5. Top Gun

Who are your favorite actor and actress of all time?

All-time favorite actor is Tom Cruise. When I was 9, my dad took me and my brother to the air show at Pt. Magu and then to see Top Gun. It was love at first site.

All-time favorite actress is Julia Roberts. I just really like her. She seems to have her head on straight, she's beautiful, and she seems like she would be fun to hang out with. Not like all those other actresses out there that would make me feel the need to turn anorexic or something.

When are we going to the movies next???

Any time the week after New Years!

What athletic uniform do you consider "most sexy" on a guy? (for example, football, soccer, baseball, etc.)

Water polo. No, wait, that's just because of the muscles... Hmmm...I think I'm going to go with football. My mom's cousin Nancy used to watch football "for the butts" and I have to say that it's true. There aren't too many butts that look bad in those football uniforms.

What is your secret desired profession? For example, if you could be an astronaut or actress, would you?

I would love to be an actress on Broadway. You get the instant gratification of performing before an audience, plus you keep a lot of anonymity because no one outside of New York can name more than two or three Broadway stars. At least, not until they cross over to film or TV.

How much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?

700 pounds

What is your most embarassing moment?

I have two, actually.

The first involved me, a swim suit, a beach, a very large wave, and a couple of teenage boys. I'm sure you can guess where that one ends up... Get your minds out of the gutter! (Only one popped out...)

The other was when I was in Job's Daughters and I was the California rep to Ontario, Canada. I spent a week visiting the Job's Daughters up there and, one night, attended one of their meetings. There were close to a hundred people at the event. As part of the formal opening for the meeting, the National flag is brought in and the National Anthem is sung. Because I was visiting from a foreign country, they also presented the American flag. We Americans, of course, have a Pledge of Allegiance. And I was the only American in the room, so I had to say it all by myself. I stood there, hand proudly over my heart, and began, "I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America." And then I forgot what came next! I panicked until a woman sitting near me leaned over and whispered, "And to the Republic..." How embarassing! Forgetting the pledge was bad enough, but then to have to be prompted by a Canadian! Mortifying!

What are your views on the Bag Tax?

Hey, while we're at it, let's tax breathing! I mean, everyone breathes, right?

What is one of your guilty pleasures?

I LOVE Spongebob Squarepants. I know it's childish and silly, but it cracks me up like you wouldn't believe. I mean, come on. He lives in a pineapple. Under the sea. Hilarious!

What is something you wish you had done differently in high school?

I wish I'd gone to more stuff. I mean, yeah, I could say I should have studied more and gotten better grades, but all the fun memories people talk about are from Friday night Football games and school dances and stuff like that. I wish I'd done more of that.

Who do you wish you were more like and why?

I'd like to be more like the 40-year-old version of myself. I see how far I've come in the last ten years or so, and I can only get better, right? So if I could just know now what I'm going to know then, I'd be amazing!

What is one thing you would change about the world?

I'd change the laws of phsyics so that it could only snow on the mountains and grass, and never on the sidewalks or streets. I'd also make it so that chocolate was a health food that didn't make you gain weight.

Football Weekend

They went and did it again! My little brother's football team, the St. Bonaventure Seraphs, have won back-to-back State Championships.

The game was on Saturday afternoon at the Home Depot Center in Carson, and it was a beautiful day for football, let me tell you. The team looked great, they were ready. Somehow my bro ended up playing both offense and defense, but he did great both ways. Actually, when he was playing defense, he actually made a tackle that got his name announced over the loudspeakers, and garnered a replay on the Jumbotron. Pretty cool.

Anyway, I don't have a whole lot to say. The game was fun and the Seraphs were in the lead the entire time. I felt kind of bad for the kids at Cardinal Newman. They didn't score a single touchdown. Their six points came from field goals. It was a long drive back to the bay area for those guys.

I took some pretty good pictures, but I'm out of time today, so I'll post a slideshow tomorrow.

Congratulations also to the San Diego Chargers who, miraculously, made it into the playoffs after a decisive win yesterday.

Also, tomorrow I'll be answering your questions, so be sure to get them in, if you haven't already!

Here They Are: The Ten Worst Christmas Songs EVER

After compiling my list of Top Ten Favorite Christmas Songs, Emily asked if I was going to do the Ten Worst. Well, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to trash some of the cheesy/horrible/downright ridiculous Christmas songs that have made our ears bleed over the years.

When I sat down to create my list, though, I was surprised to realize how many songs I hate. I could easily do a Top 50 list of the Worst Songs Ever. But I'm sticking with 10 because, well, I just don't feel like writing about that many bad songs.

I'm not linking to them because that takes a lot of time and, well, you already are probably very familiar with them anyway. And honestly, if you don't know some of these songs, I'm sparing you by not providing links. Trust me.

So here goes:

10. "The Christmas Shoes," by NewSong
It's this sweet, sappy song that a lot of people love. But it's depressing and sad. And why is some random little kid talking to a complete stranger in a store about the shoes he wants to buy for his dying mother? Why isn't he at home next to his dying mother? Does she really need new shoes? Please. The best gift he could give her is time. What, exactly, is the message here?

9. "Wonderful Christmastime," by Paul McCartney
The chorus/catchphrase/title is cheesy. The music is bad and annoying. Where's John Lennon to help him out? Oh, that's right. Writing a Christmas song that also didn't make my Ten Best list. (But at least that is not one of my Worst.)

8. "Baby, It's Cold Outside," by Tom Jones w/ Cerys From Catatonia
Ugh. I just hate this song.

7. "Love on Layaway," by Gloria Estefan
What can I say? I mean, isn't layaway something you set aside until you can afford? Why are you putting your love on layaway? When are you ever going to be able to afford it? And if you save it up, you're doing something wrong...

6. "Santa, Can You Hear Me?" by Britney Spears
Besides the fact that it's, um, Britney, have you actually listened to this song? Bad, bad, bad, and horrible. Just trust me on this.

5. "Thistlehair the Christmas Bear," by Alabama
Thistlehair? The Christmas Bear? Just because it rhymes doesn't make it good. I generally like these guys and they have some pretty good lyrics in a lot of their music. But this is a definite miss.

4. "Blue Christmas," by Elvis Prestley
OoOoOoOoOo. As if Elvis's past-his-prime-but-desperately-trying-to-cling-to-his-talented-pre-drug-glory-days performance isn't bad enough, he makes it even worse with one of the worst collections of backup singers ever to grace an album.

3. "Dear Mr. Jesus," by Sharon Batts
This is one of the most depressing songs ever recorded in the history of the world. And it has nothing to do with Christmas. Just because it's a letter to Jesus does not make it a Christmas song. It's a song about the horrors of child abuse. I don't intend to make light of that because, well, I know how horrible it is. But this is not a Christmas song and a couple of LA-based radio stations should consider this a cease and desist letter.

2. "Feliz Navidad," by Jose Feliciano
This song is annoying and repetitive. This song is annoying and repetitive. This song is annoying and repetitive and I don't like it.

1. "Do They Know It's Christmas?" by Band Aid
I don't think they care that it's Christmas. They're just hungry. Feed them. Why do there have to be strings attached? Why does it matter if it is Christmastime or the Summer Solstice? Get them some food, dammit!

The End of Things

I've been thinking a lot about the end of things. And new beginnings. I guess this is normal at the end of the year as a new year is rapidly approaching.

The semester officially ended yesterday and I couldn't be happier to see it finally finish. It's been a long 18 weeks. I didn't even take a class and I breathed a sigh of relief yesterday when finals were finally over. Every time a semester ends, I think back to those rapturous days when I was in college and one tiny week would be the culmination of everything I had learned and worked toward over the previous 4 and 1/2 months.

Although the time goes faster as I get older (and I can only imagine how fast it will go when I'm 80!), this has been a long year. A good year, to be sure, but very long. A lot of changes have come my way, mostly for the better.

But we'll talk about that later. Like, maybe after Christmas.

But I've been thinking about the end of things. I know I tend to get bogged down by that a lot. I try to hurry and finish things at the last minute, often barely making--or barely missing--important deadlines.

(Have I mentioned my tiny problem with procrastination? No? Well, I was getting around to it...)

What I love about the end of things, like projects, or events, or periods of time, is that it gives you the chance to look back at how far you've come, what you've accomplished, and what you've learned along the way. It is also an opportunity to renew your focus and energy on where you want to go, goals you would like to accomplish, and things you would still like to learn.

Sometimes it does mean having to say farewell to people. Sometimes they are people that we won't see again. Every semester I have to say good bye to students that won't be back or people from church that are moving away or television shows that are being cancelled. It's not always easy. Once in awhile there are even tears.

But the end of things is almost always the beginning of something else.

Just something to think about as the year is coming to a close.

My Christmas List

I LOVE presents. I'm not going to pretend I don't love getting them, because I do. Of course.

When I was a kid, I used to hear "It's better to give than to receive" constantly, and I always thought it was crazy. How can giving people stuff be better than getting stuff? That's madness!

But now I'm older and (marginally) more mature and every year as Christmas approaches, I get really excited about the gifts. And now, yes, I am always more excited about giving than receiving. I count down the days (7!!) until I get to give out presents to all of my friends and family.

This year, times are a little lean, of course, even with gas prices being the lowest I've seen them in years. So, because of that, my budget for gift-giving is a little off of normal. But here is what I would give if I had all the money in the world:

The Roommates

We all love our townhouse. It's a great place, all nice and bright and stuff. But they are going to start a family at some point in the not-too-distant future and they're going to need a little more space. Maybe something like this:

Bro and Sis-in-Law

My brother is graduating from law school this summer and he'll be making, like, a bajillion dollars, so I thought I'd get them something money can't (legally) buy:

Mom

She's had an annual pass for years. And it's definitely her happiest place on Earth. If money was no option, I'd just buy her the whole park. As long as I could get free admission for life!:

Candace

Three kids and a business? There a tons of things they could use. But I'd just give them this:

Kelli

I want Kelli to have a boy. A cute boy. A nice boy. A boy like Jim Halpert:

Emily & Dustin

I know they've already travelled some and now they're going to have a little girl, which will keep them home a lot. But I'm thinking if I gave them a trip around the world, maybe they'd let me babysit??

Michele

Any part she wants. For life. On Broadway.

Philip

There are a lot of things he wants. And I'd love to give him everything. But I think he'll just have to settle for this:

So just remember, as you're all finishing (starting?) your holiday shopping this year that...it's the thought that counts, right??

Merry Christmas, everyone! Love you all!

Winter in Sunny So Cal

I have a really long commute to work. And I have to leave early. In fact, the sun isn't even up yet when I leave, but is mostly up by the time I get to campus.

This morning, when I got off the freeway, this was my view:

There's something kind of beautiful in seeing a palm tree surrounded by snow covered mountains. Even though the snow will be gone in a day or two (I hope!).

But I generally hate the snow because once or twice, this has been me:

I lived in Utah for six years, you see. Six winters. And I spent one winter in Canada before that. And let me tell you, the Canadians absolutely love to drive on snow and ice. They must, since in an entire winter I only saw a snow plow once and that was when it snowed 48 inches in 6 hours.

But I digress. The important issue is that I hate winter. I hate snow.

Okay, okay. I really hate driving in the snow. And shovelling it out of the driveway. And scraping ice off my windshield. And slipping. I really hate slipping. Which I do a lot. If you'll recall, I'm sort of accident prone.

I like California winters when we get the occasional rainstorm and sometimes the overnight lows drop down into the 40s. So imagine my irritation when I learned that, not only did it snow down to the 3000 ft level yesterday, but it might drop to the 1000 ft level tomorrow. The campus I work at is around the 2600 foot level. Which means it will snow tomorrow. And it will stick.

But I'll probably be one of the few around here that actually has a snow brush and ice scraper in their trunk. I just never could bear to toss it when I left Utah. You never know when something like that will come in handy as a weapon against rampaging raccoons or something. So I'll end up bruised, most likely, from falling down the stairs outside of the library, but at least I'll be able to see out the window.

Which brings me back to Utah. Philip and I are going up there. In the winter. More specifically, in two weeks. I'm a little nervous about it because we will be driving. In the winter. I'm very excited to see my friends and my old stompin' grounds and all that jazz. But I'm not excited to be driving in the winter.

And then there is the matter of wardrobe. Philip always wears shorts. Except to church. (Thankfully.) I told him he might want to consider pants, but he insisted he'll be fine.

****

Sunday

ME: Um, it's 23 degrees in Ogden today. That's the high.

PHILIP: I'll be fine. I don't get cold that easily.

ME: It's TWENTY-THREE DEGREES. You might want to consider taking a couple of pairs of pants.

PHILIP: No, really. I used to go to the snow in shorts all the time and I was never cold.

ME: California snow is different from Utah snow...

****

Last night

PHILIP: So I was talking to my boss today and he said I could get away with just some pants and be fine.

****

I guess if he's not going to listen to me, I'm glad he'll be listening to somebody. Because walking through Temple Square in Salt Lake hand-in-hand with Frosty the Snowman just isn't quite what I had in mind.

Questions

Since this is my blog and it's all about me, I tend to write whatever I feel like writing. I don't have to apologize for my opinions or thoughts on this page (usually) and I like it that way. And most of you that are reading this blog (all 4 or 5 or whatever) know me pretty well.

But I thought it might be fun to play a little game.

We've all seen those ubiquitous email surveys from time to time (or in some cases, day to day) asking all sorts of things, from what time you get up in the morning to whether you prefer chocolate or vanilla. And sometimes, when I'm bored, I actually fill those out.

But I thought it might be more fun to ask you, my loyal readers, what you would like to know about me. This is a chance to ask me anything you want. Yes. Anything. From my favorite breakfast cereal to whether I believe in life on other planets.

I'll give you all about a week. So post your comments below or email me at apeekatkarensworld (at) gmail (dot) com. And if you want your name withheld when I post answers next week, just be sure to let me know!

Can't wait to hear from you!

Another Top Ten List: Top Ten Favorite Christmas Songs

I think I've established that I love Christmas. One of the things I really love about Christmas is that it's the one time of the year that it's perfectly acceptable to listen to (and sing loudly) cheesy songs about animals and chubby old men in big red suits. And about Jesus.

Other times of the year, people look at you like you're crazy.

(Unless you are in the proximity of children. Which I usually am not.)

(Actually, it's better if you are actually with the children, rather than just in their proximity. Otherwise it's creepy.)

So, without further ado, here is my Top Ten List of Favorite Christmas Songs:

10. "The Christmas Song," Alvin and the Chipmunks

Come on, it's a classic. Who doesn't love those furry little singing rodents? And hey, I never got a hula hoop either!

9. "All I Want For Christmas Is You," Mariah Carey

Silly and kind of cheesy, but this is one of those catchy tunes that I really enjoy. (Although, I would never think it was adorable for a group of four year olds to sing this at a Christmas concert.)

8. "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree," Brenda Lee

I used to just enjoy the song. And then Home Alone came along and now I always have visions of Michael Jordan posters riding on toy trains and Kevin McAllister dancing with manequins to protect his house from would-be robbers.

7. "Silver Bells," Anne Murray

I know, I know. Anne Murray. But she is one of my mom's favorites, and so this rendition just has a very sentimental attachment for me. There are many great versions of this song, but this will always be a special one in my house.

6. "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day," Sarah McLachlan

This is a beautiful song, beautiful arrangement. And Sarah McLachlan's voice just really makes it even better. I may not love her anymore, but I do love her music.

5. "White Christmas," Bing Crosby

Another classic that reminds me of growing up and watching that old film, White Christmas, with my mom as a kid. My favorite song from the movie was always "Sisters" but this is one of my favorite Christmas songs.

4. "O Come All Ye Faithful," Celine Dion

Yes, okay? I like Celine Dion? Do you have a problem with that? Oh, you do? Well, tough. This is a beautiful song and whether you like her or hate her, she has a beautiful voice.

3. "O Come O Come Emmanuel," Enya

I just like it. And Enya is amazing.

2. "Sleep Well Little Children/What a Wonderful World," Kristin Chenoweth

This is a brand new song that I only discovered about two weeks ago with the release of Kristin Chenoweth's brand new Christmas Album. It's a medley of "Sleep Well Little Children" and the classic "What a Wonderful World." This arrangement is just beautiful and sweet and just makes me look forward to future Christmases with my own future children.

1. "O Holy Night," Josh Groban

It's my very favorite Christmas song. And there are many recordings of it by many different artists and many of them are great. But this one by Josh Groban is, by far, my very favorite. Enjoy! (And yes, I still maintain that he looks like a hobbit!)

Letters

Dear ABC,

I still haven't forgiven you for cancelling Pushing Daisies.

Season 5 of LOST better be AMAZING.

You owe me.

Sincerely,
Disgruntled

****

Dear California State Legislature,

I noticed that you have been threatening to lay off or reduce salaries for some of us lowly state workers. Do you plan to lead by example? If not, could you please tell me where I can apply for a job that will allow me to run a company into bankruptcy, produce absolutely nothing, and then give myself a raise?

Thanks so much,
A voter who would like to stay employed

****

Dear Stephenie Meyer,

Face it. Your books suck. Take some writing lessons before you unleash your next 'masterpiece' on the unsuspecting masses.

I mean, how many times can one person "hiss"? And could your next hero maybe have a few fewer psychological and anger management issues? I mean, I know the guy is a vampire and all, but he's got some serious control problems.

Regards,
Someone who thinks Bella should have chosen Mike Newton

****

Dear Francisco "K-Rod" Rodriguez,

We'll miss you in Anaheim. I wish I could say I'm sorry to see you go, but the fact is that you really let us down in the 2008 ALDS. I know, I know. It wasn't just your fault that you lost the 9th straight post-season game to the Red Sox, but still. You came through for us all season long. Sixty-two saves in a 100 win season and you pitched two home runs in the ninth inning of Game 2?? Please.

Good luck in New York.

I hear the fans there are really polite.

Cordially,
A life-long Angels' fan that just wants to see another World Series win

****

Dear Utah,

I have missed you so much! I know, I know, I didn't appreciate you much when I was there, but I really have missed you these two and a half years. In fact, I am coming to visit you in just a couple of weeks and I can't wait!

I just have one request for you. Can you please not snow while I'm there? If you'll remember, I'm very accident prone and would really like to spend my vacation NOT in traction. You can snow any time before December 29. In fact, I would love it if you did. I'd love to make snow angels and kick Philip's butt in a snowball fight. But please don't snow the week of New Years. I'd really appreciate it.

Thanks ever so much!
A true California Girl

****

Dear President Bush,

Thanks for the memories!

Best of luck in the future.

Sincerely.

Cookie Time!

We have all these traditions in my family.

Christmas is my mom's very favorite holiday, and that rubbed off on me, I'm glad to say. I love everything about it. The songs, the shopping (yes, even when that means fighting for parking and standing in endless lines), Santa Claus, and, of course, Christmas cookies.

My mom and I have these traditions about Christmas cookies. Namely that we usually make the same five or six things: Old-fashioned Butter Cookies, Potato Chip Cookies (don't knock 'em til you try 'em!), M&M Cookies, Candy Cane Cookies, and at least two types of fudge. It just doesn't feel like Christmas until I can sit down on a cold-ish night with a handful of cookies and a glass of store-bought, non-alcoholic egg nog.

Philip never got to make Christmas cookies growing up. At least, not the fun ones you decorate. And the last couple of years my mom has started cheating and using the (gasp!) Pilsbury cut and bake cookies from a tube! So I decided, No way! I'm baking this year and Philip's gonna help me. Whether he likes it or not.

So Saturday we went to the store and bought almost $80 worth of ingredients, borrowed recipes, cookie cutters and a rolling pin from my mom and we were all set. Of course, something happened. We were overcome with laziness on Saturday (possibly due to the fact that we both have full-time jobs or something) and didn't get down to the actual baking until some point that evening. Because of that, we ended up doing the butter cookies in two parts, baking on Saturday night

and decorating on Sunday. We also threw in some M&M cookies that looked more like lumpy pancakes (but tasted awesome). Didn't get around to the potato chip or candy cane. Maybe next week...

Getting started:

Practically a pro from the start:

We think this bear is sad cuz he knows he going to be eaten...This looks like a crime scene photo from some Tim Burton movie:

The end result:

Anywho, it was a lot of fun. I can't actually remember the last time I had so much fun mixing powdered sugar with water and food color and slinging it onto a bunch of pale cookies. But it was a good time. And now Philip understands why this little tradition only happens once a year...

My New Love

For two years I have had this phone:

And I hate this phone. While it looks cool and has some great features, it is a treasure-trove of issues. I mean, this is the third LG Chocolate I had.

(Yes, the second was stolen and that's not the manufacturers fault, but still. Three.)

The first didn't like cold weather. It would be grumpy in the mornings and the touch-sensors didn't like to cooperate unless I warmed them up first. Kind of annoying when you are trying to shut off the alarm clock. I lived with it for about a year, until one day the microphone went out and the only way I could carry on conversations was through the bluetooth. Then I got the White Screen of Death, lost all of my contacts, and finally took it back to the store. They replaced it, no questions asked, because Verizon knows this phone sucks.

The second worked better. The touch sensors were more responsive. But I noticed a lot of dropped calls. Then it disappeared and I got it replaced with a phone that dropped calls even more often. And in two years I never grew to love the phone. I always hated it more and more. A month or two ago when I wandered into a Verizon store to look at new phones, I told the sales guy, "I HATE this phone," and he said, "We are not legally allowed to discuss the Chocolate."

'Nuff said.

I've been noticing more and more problems with my phone lately.

(Well, really Philip has been noticing more and more problems with my phone lately.)

So I decided enough was enough. I was finally going to exercise my Verizon-given right to upgrade at a discount.

(I do like the "New Every Two" concept.)

But which phone should I get? I didn't really like any of the offerings on the website. I am sick of phones that flip and slide and glide and all that. I just want a phone that lets me press a button and talk on it.

(And preferably one that won't shatter when I drop it, as I am sure to do. Frequently.)

Philip convinced me to get this one:

It's the LG Dare, LG's version of the I-Phone. It's a touch screen with lots of cool features (most of which I will never use).

And it works. For now, anyway. I just got it last night, but I've been playing with it as much as possible just to see if I can find reasons to hate it before my 30 days are up.

So far, so good.

My favorite feature is the Writing Pad for text messages. It's slower than texting, but it's kind of fun. I can write on my phone.

I love technology.

Visitors

I don't usually talk about church or religious things here. Sort of that whole "casting your pearls before swine" thing.

(No, no, I'm not saying any of you are swine!)

(Just that the internet can be a little swine-like at times.)

(Really!)

But something interesting happened at church yesterday and I sort of felt like blogging about it since it has to do with big current events.

Yesterday was the first Sunday of the month, and, as my roommates like to refer to it, "Open Mic Night." Essentially, anyone in the congregation can get up and talk about a spiritual experience or something along those lines. It's usually an interesting, uplifting meeting, and you just never know when someone is going to say something crazy to make it all the more...uh...fun.

Earlier in the week, my roommate Katie talked to our ward's Yes on 8 rep, who said there were rumors that No on 8 protestors planned to show up to different wards around Orange County/Southern California to disrupt services. While this would be an incredibly hateful thing to do, I couldn't help but hope (just a little!) that maybe someone would show up at our ward. You know, shake things up a bit.

(But I knew it was a bad idea. Really, I barely entertained the notion.)

Katie and I got to the first meeting (which, in our backwards ward, is Relief Society) and I noticed immediately that there were men from the Elder's Quorum sitting on each side of the room, near the doors. The menfolk never come to our meeting. They have their own meetings, so Katie and I realized that they must be taking this "threat" somewhat seriously.

After Relief Society, I met Philip for Sunday School. He said that some of the men were patrolling the hallways and watching for suspicious people. He also said that our aforementioned Yes rep had a super-secret direct number to the police so that we could avoid calling 911 if something happened.

But, again, we all knew perfectly well that nothing was going to happen. I'm not that lucky.

(Er, I mean, there are a lot of wards. What are the chances?)

So then we went to Sacrament meeting. Katie and I wanted to sit in the back so we could get the full view in case anything happened. We were part way through the meeting already, the sacrament had already been passed and the Bishop was talking. It was right before he was about to invite people up to speak. The door opened and two men sauntered in, one appropriately dressed, and the other wearing dockers, an undershirt, and a smirk that definitely looked like he was up to no good. They sat behind us, off just a little bit to the right, which was nice because it made it easy for me to keep a subtle eye on them. The guy in the undershirt just looked creepy.

(Really creepy. Like the cat that just swallowed the canary. Only creepier. And less dressed.)

Most of the members in the ward noticed the guys and most were checking on them from time to time, waiting for them to make a move. There were men standing guard at both doors, just in case.

In the end, nothing happened. Did they chicken out? Maybe. Were they just checking things out for future reference? Possible. Were they just a couple of guys visiting and totally genuine? Not likely. But at least they were respectful and didn't disrupt our services.

I just can't believe that we've come to this. This is America in the 21st century. We're supposed to be able to believe and worship and think what we want. And instead, we're suspicious of anyone who looks a little different that comes wandering through our doors. I mean, our own buildings say "Visitors Welcome" and we mean it. But it's really sad that we are at a point where we have to question the motives of those visitors just for the sake of exercising our rights.

(And that guy really looked creepy.)

Amazing Gifts

This morning I was driving to work (as I do every weekday morning), listening to the radio and just hoping that traffic would keep moving. My station of choice on most mornings is MY FM because Valentine is a lot less annoying on this station than he was on Star.

(Still a little neurotic, but not nearly as annoying.)

Anyway, this morning I was listening and Valentine was interviewing this doctor. I thought it was a little weird at first because he usually doesn't do interviews during the 6 o'clock hour, what with all the horoscopes and celebrity gossip and whatnot that they've already packed in between the music.

But this morning, he was interviewing a fertility doctor. Normally, I don't really listen to any of this stuff because there are no children in my foreseeable future, so why would I care? Well, it turned out that Valentine knows this doctor well because he helped Valentine and wife, who are now the (VERY) proud parents of an eight-month old baby boy. It also turns out that the clinic, Huntington Reproductive Center, is celebrating their twenty-year anniversary. The doctor was on the air to announce that, for their anniversary, they are giving 20 couples each a free cycle of IVF.

Wow.

I got chills when he said that.

(Again, it's not because it has anything to do with me. Obviously.)

I just couldn't help but be struck by the amazing gift that this doctor and his clinic are offering to twenty couples who have tried everything they can to have a child. Having seen some of my very close friends face infertility (most of which had happy endings, by the way), I can say that this is an incredibly generous offer.

And right before the holidays too.

There's just something that gets me when I see things like this. It reminds me that there are good people in the world that just want to make someone happy.

People can be incredibly generous when they are given the chance.

A Holiday Music Video

I know, I'm sick. I'm twisted. But I have always enjoyed this song. I'm posting it for those of you that get a little overwhelmed at the holidays just so you'll remember, things could always be worse. I'm also posting it for those of you that are just a little sick and twisted like me.

(You know who you are...)

Oh, and, Viewer Discretion is Advised. This is animated, but it's kind of violent.

(And hilarious.)

(But violent.)

I Love Trailers

I know this has been around for a week or two, but I only saw the new Star Trek trailer last night.

(I haven't been keeping up on my tv lately. Sue me.)

(No, wait. Don't sue me because I don't have any money. I mean, unless you really have nothing better to do. And in that case, that's just sad.)

Anyway, the new Star Trek trailer (from JJ Abrams, aka The Man Who Can Do No Wrong) just looks awesome. It's too bad the movie got pushed all the way back to May because I'm ready for it now! But it's something to look forward to next summer (as if Harry Potter wasn't enough...)

It's the End of the Year: Let the Top Ten Lists Begin!

You all know by now how much I love movies. You might have also heard about how much I love Christmas. So I thought I'd take a minute to list Karen's Top 10 Favorite Christmas Movies.

Enjoy!

Number 10: Gremlins

Not your typical Christmas story, but it is about a Christmas gift gone awry. Plus Gizmo is just adorable!

9. The Nightmare Before Christmas

Is it a Christmas movie? Is it for Halloween? No one knows and that's what makes it so great! It's the one Christmas movie you can get away with watching before Thanksgiving.

8. A Charlie Brown Christmas

So many great moments. I've loved this since I was a kid. And it really makes you appreciate all those poor little trees that no one else wants.

7. White Christmas

I love the music, I love the singing. And I love the Christmas miracle in the end. It's great when people come together to give someone a little hope around the holidays, and that's ultimately what this movie is about.

6. Home Alone

Come on. What kid hasn't dreamed of being all alone with no rules? I know I sure did! But I doubt I would have had nearly as much fun as Kevin. And those burglars trying to get into the house? I'd be hiding in a closet until they went away!

5. Dr. Suess's The Grinch

It always amazes me when filmmakers are able to turn a story book into a real-life film and still have it look like the book. Ron Howard really achieved and no one could have brought The Grinch to life like Jim Carrey.

4. Miracle on 34th Street

Natalie Wood when she was young and cute. And precocious. This movie (definitely the original. I pretty much hate unncecessary remakes.) is sweet without being saccharine and reminds you that miracles happen. Plus there are just some funny moments that never get old.

3. National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation

Do I really need to say why I love this one? It was back when Chevy Chase had a sense of humor. Or, at least one the rest of the world understood.

2. A Christmas Story

The perfect Christmas movie. I never had a Christmas quite like this one, but it still always reminds me of how things were with my family growing up. (And yes, I once had Christmas dinner with my family at a Mexican takeout restaurant in the mall at Caeser's Palace. No Fah-rah-rah, but I do remember mariachi...)

1. It's a Wonderful Life

Actually one of my favorite movies of all time, holiday or no. So many stories are based on this one. It's sweet and, at times, funny, but mostly just a really great film that reminds that no matter how bad things get, everyone matters.

Because Winning is So Much Fun

I did it. I succeeded. For the fourth year in a row, I wrote an incredibly bad 50K word novel in thirty days.

And, man, that feels good!

Even though my latest NaNo achievement is not, by any stretch of the imagination, good.

But who cares, right? I finished, and that's what matters. I finished last night at Philip's house, validating my word count with only two hours to spare. There were times I thought I wouldn't finish. There were times I didn't really care if I finished. But I pressed on, urged on by Philip and his hand massages and his offers of dinner and stuff. He is the best cheerleader ever.

Anyway, it felt so good to accomplish that goal, that I've decided to set myself a new one. I'm going to do something I have never done before. I'm going to attempt 20 blog posts in one month!

(I know, you're all amazed and salivating with anticipation.)

I chose 20 because it is a nice, round number, and because it gives me ten days to play around with in case I can't get to a computer on weekends or when I start the highly anticipated winter break.

So, here it is. December 1st and post number 1! Just help a girl out and post some comments once in awhile so that I know I'm not the only one reading this thing. Thanks!

What I Just Watched at the Theater

Dark Shadows--This movie was just plain delightful for me. Funny and campy and I think I've finally found a vampire to love.
The Avengers--Good movie. Lots of fun. Some of the fight sequences felt like they dragged a bit, but the characters came together perfectly and Joss Whedon's dialogue is perfect. Saw it in 3D and it was worth the extra 3 bucks.
The Cabin in the Woods--This takes that creepy-cabin-by-the-lake story and gives it a big, weird twist. It was a fun movie to watch, but not my favorite project from the Whedon-verse. Again, great dialogue, though. Plus, Chris Hemsworth. I mean, hello.

What I Just Finished Reading

The Drawing of the Three by Stephen King--I just am having a really hard time getting into the Dark Tower series. I know people love them, but I'm not so sure they're for me.
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson--It took awhile to get into this, but once I did I could NOT put it down. Great mystery. Fascinating characters. A great story overall!
The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin--A pretty simple and straightforward memoir, but a really nice look at happiness, what it is, and how to have more of it in everyday life. I really liked this book and read it just when I needed to.
Twitterpated by Melanie Jacobson--A fun story with great characters, witty dialogue, and situations that are believable without being mundane. It's a perfect choice if you want to kick back with a happy story that will surely make you smile.