Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Confession Wednesday: THE CONFESSION
I am so ridiculously excited about this news.
First it was the All Star Game. And now this.
Some of you may not know that my favorite contemporary author is John Grisham. I've been a huge fan of his books since I first read THE PELICAN BRIEF in 1993, the summer before my Senior Year of high school. And in quick succession sped through THE FIRM, THE CLIENT, and then back to his first novel, A TIME TO KILL.
I guess you could say A TIME TO KILL is my very favorite, but I love them all. I love the characters. I love the southern settings. And, once upon a time when I was still planning on law school, I really, really wanted to go to Tulane. Why? Because that's where THE PELICAN BRIEF's Darby Shaw was a student. Okay, that's not the only reason, but that was when I first started considering it.
Anyway, I'm a really big fan.
Which is how I saw a Facebook posting a few weeks ago on the Official John Grisham Page. The announcement said they were looking for 18 Partners to help promote his new book, THE CONFESSION, which is set to hit bookstores on October 26. To enter, you just had to answer a few quick questions. Hard questions like, Which is your favorite John Grisham novel?
I waved my hand and said, "What the heck?" and, knowing full well that I wasn't going to be picked, I submitted an entry anyway.
And then I promptly forgot all about it.
Well, y'all are smart enough to know where this is headed, so I'll sum up by saying that I was shocked to learn that I was a finalist. They were narrowing down the selections and needed to know a little bit more. Mostly, how would I go about helping promote the book if I was made a Partner? I almost didn't respond. They were looking for creative marketing people that had unique guerrilla-style tactics. That's not me. But, I wrote back and talked a little about my blog and my reading groups and to make a long story shortish, I was picked.
I'm still not sure how. But I am stoked!
Now, what does this mean?
First off, TWO awesome packages showed up at my house on Monday. Full of books. Every John Grisham book in print. In hardcover. Pretty sweet, eh?
There were also some fun promotional materials and fun facts about the author and stuff like that.
And there will be more.
So, this is what's going to happen. It's pretty fitting that the book is called THE CONFESSION because that just fits right in with Confession Wednesday, right? It's almost like someone planned it that way or something. I DO have readers in Mississippi...
Alright, anyway. Over the next four weeks, there are going to be Confession-related activities in preparation for the book's release. On Confession Wednesday. I'm feeling SO clever right now!
Each time you participate in one of the activities, it's going to earn you entries into a big giveaway I'm having at the end of all of this. A few of you will be lucky enough to win your very own copy of THE CONFESSION.
Now, I'm not normally one to do those giveaways where you have to Tweet and Facebook and blog about the giveaway. Normally. But this is a different situation altogether. The whole point of this giveaway is to spread the word about THE CONFESSION.
So. Here's how this is going to work.
To get things started this week, we're going to have a small giveaway. In the comments below, post a confession. About anything you want. The three juiciest confessions will each win a limited edition copy of the first two chapters of THE CONFESSION. And, just for entering, you'll get a PDF copy emailed to you.
I've read the first two chapters and they are GOOD.
Those three winners will be announced this Friday.
And, every confession or comment on this post gets you an entry into the big giveaway at the end.
Here are some other ways to earn entries:
*"Like" the Official John Grisham Page on Facebook. (2 entries)
*Tweet this post. (1 entry)
*Share this post on Facebook. (1 entry)
*Blog about and link to this post. (1 entry)
But wait! There's more!
Random House sent me a ton of bookmarks to promote the book. I don't think I even have that many books. So, I'm going to enlist your help in distributing some of them. If you're interested just fill out the form at the bottom of this post.
Submit your mailing address and I'll send you a few bookmarks to pass out to family, friends, your book club, the local library. Anyone you want. Get creative. For agreeing to participate, you'll get two entries. If you blog about how you passed them around and who you gave them to, you'll get 8 MORE entries for a total of 10. And if you don't have a blog, you can still get those entries by writing a short guest post that will appear right here on my blog.
So, who's with me? Who's excited? Who's ready for THE CONFESSION??
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
One Bad Decision
The story made national news in April of 2009, so there's a good chance you've heard about it. If one of his victims hadn't been Angels rookie pitcher Nick Adenhart, the collision would have hardly received a mention in any news outlet outside of Orange County.
On the evening of April 8, while 22-year-old Adenhart was on the mound pitching six scoreless innings in Anaheim, 22-year-old Gallo, on probation for a drunk driving conviction, celebrated job prospects with his 21-year-old step-brother Raymond Rivera. Nick and Andrew, who had never met each other, had no way of knowing that in a few short hours their lives would be tragically, irrevocably linked.
What happened to Nick Adenhart, Courtney Stewart, Henry Pearson, and Jon Wilhite is one of the worst kinds of tragedies. I can't imagine how awful it's been for their families, and for Wilhite, who miraculously survived the accident and suffers from long-term injuries.
"Miraculous" isn't even a strong enough word for Wilhite's recovery. He was internally decapitated, and apparently fewer than 5% of people can hold on long enough to make it to the hospital. And the ones that do almost never walk or breathe on their own again. This kid threw out the first pitch at the Angels/Athletics make up game just a few months later.
I've been following this case since the morning of the collision when the freeway exit was closed and it impacted my morning commute. Three hours before I had any idea that someone from my beloved baseball team was involved.
I was angry when I learned that a drunk driver caused the crash. I have no tolerance, patience or sympathy for someone who drinks and then gets behind the wheel. And when it turned out that this guy had a previous DUI, well... It wasn't pretty.
But yesterday, when I heard the jury had reached a verdict and I frantically refreshed three different news feeds and my Twitter account waiting for the announcement, I kept thinking about Andrew Gallo. He's 23 years old and chances are good that he'll spend a substantial portion of the rest of his life in prison. He's 23.
I agree with the prosecutor's decision to charge Gallo with murder rather than vehicular manslaughter. And I agree wholeheartedly with the jury's guilty verdict.
He's 23.
The crash happened when he was 22.
To call what he did a "mistake" is to diminish the gravity of the situation. He made a bad decision.
One that resulted in the deaths of three people.
One that nearly killed a fourth.
One that ruined his own life.
Still just a kid in so many ways, Andrew Gallo took the keys and drove the car that night, not caring that he'd been drinking so long that he was three times over the legal limit. And when he crashed into that car, he tried to run away. To hide. To avoid responsibility.
I think about Lindsey Lohan and Paris Hilton and so many others that get involved in drugs and alcohol and convince themselves that they aren't hurting anyone.
But it only takes one time for that to change.
If you drink, please don't drive. Even if you haven't had enough to be legally intoxicated, your judgment can still be impaired. Just don't risk it. I can't tell you how many nights I've taken the freeway home from wherever I've been and encountered drivers who couldn't stay in their lane, who drove far too slowly or much too fast and I realize there are dozens of times it could have been me in that mangled Mitsubishi. It could have been you or someone you know.
If you're going to drink, don't drive.
If you're going to stay up all night and exhaust yourself to the point you can't see straight, which, in some states is equivalent to legal intoxication, don't drive.
Please, make the decision to be responsible.
I'm sorry that this turned into such a PSA, but I think that what Andrew Gallo did to his own life is, in some ways, nearly as tragic as what he did to the others.
UPDATE: December 22, 2010--Andrew Gallo was sentenced to 51 years to life. He's serving three consecutive 15 to life terms for killing Nick Adenhart, Courtney Stewart and Henry Pearson, plus an additional 6 years for other charges. Even with good behavior, he is not expected to be eligible for parole until the 2050s. While he still has the right to appeal the sentence, it is generally believed that he will not prevail.
Sunday, September 26, 2010
What's Hot and What's Not: The Premiere Week Rundown
The nice thing about premiere week is it gives you the opportunity to see what the new season holds for all your returning favorites and which new shows are going to earn a spot in your DVR.
I caught just about all of the premieres that interested me. A couple of these started a week ahead, and there are a few more that will be joining in over the next month or so. But, I'm letting you in on what I watched and what I thought. And if you want to continue on the TV chat past the comment section, head on over to my community to tell us what's on your DVR.
MONDAY
90210 (CW)--I liked the premiere. This series has come along way since the first season. I'm curious to see how the year is going to play out.
Chuck (NBC)--They were pretty close to not getting a second season. It was pretty surprising when they got a third. And when Chuck was picked up for season 4, I'm pretty sure even the producers fainted from shock. I'm so glad it's back. Since they know they're on borrowed time, they've got nothing to lose, right? And that means a lot of ridiculous fun for viewers.
The Event (NBC)--Eleven minutes into the first episode, I predicted the fast demise of this new series. It's supposed to fill the void left by 24 and LOST. Um, unless they're planning on adding Matthew Fox to the cast next week, they need to just stop comparing themselves to my all-time favorite show. I'm going to keep watching for a few weeks, but I'm not going to let myself fall in love because I'm pretty sure this one's going the way of Flash Forward, Nine, and Jericho without the lasting appeal of Firefly and Pushing Daisies.
Castle (ABC)--It's just so much fun to watch Castle and Beckett pretend not to be into each other. I *almost* hope they never get together because the anticipation and angst is way more entertaining.
Hawaii 5-0 (CBS)--I fell in love with this show within the first five minutes. The original, non-modernized theme song, the biting banter between Alex O'Loughlin and Scott Caan, and did I mention Alex O'Loughlin? What's not to love. Plus, it's set in Hawaii and I'll pretty much watch anything that's set in Hawaii.
TUESDAY
One Tree Hill (CW)--I'm not sure I like where this season is headed. Probably a good thing it's likely the last. I'm not giving up on Tree Hill yet, though.
Glee (Fox)--I think I might be over it. Which makes me more than a little sad. But the music is just too polished, the storylines seem to be thrown together to fit into whatever catalog they've been allowed to use for the week, and I seriously hate Rachel's bangs. For now, Glee is on probation pending further review.
WEDNESDAY
Modern Family (ABC)--There's a reason this show won the Emmy for Best Comedy, and if the new season keeps up with the first episode, it just might have a shot at a repeat.
Law and Order: SVU (NBC)--I don't normally watch the show because of the subject matter, but I wanted to watch the premiere because I'm a huge Joan Cusack fan. It was SO good I even forgot to watch Modern Family and had to watch it online. I'm not adding this to my regular line up, but it was a fantastic season premiere.
THURSDAY
Community (NBC)--Everything's funnier when Betty White is involved. I just wish she was going to be around more this season. Señor Chang's homage to Gollum was a little weird, but there's some definite comedic potential in that craziness. And Joel McHale's cute as always.
The Big Bang Theory (CBS)--Loved Sheldon's first date. Loved that Penny ended up involved in the whole thing and that she tried to force Sheldon and his (not) girlfriend to converse. Did not love the other storyline with Howard and the robot arm. Classic Howard? Yes. Completely lame? Absolutely.
Fringe (Fox)--I really liked it. I'm glad it's back on and I think this is going to be an awesome season. My one complaint? Not nearly enough Joshua Jackson.
The Office (NBC)--It was a pretty good episode, but I think it's for the best that this is Michael Scott's last season. And I have a feeling this is the penultimate season, despite network assurances that the show will live on without the crazy boss man.
Outsourced (NBC)--Meh.
$#*! My Dad Says (CBS)--Some really funny one-liners like, "I'm not gay, Dad, but thanks for telling me I'd suck at it." Or "Son, the house is clean enough. We didn't accidentally kill a hooker." And "If it looks like manure and smells like manure, it's either Wolf Blitzer or manure." In 22 minutes it went from being just okay to pretty funny.
FRIDAY
SUNDAY
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (ABC)--I haven't loved this show for awhile. But it was Sunday and nothing else was on. I like the fact that celebrities want to get involved, but it really feels like it's just an advertisement for ABC shows. Love the new houses. Love the deserving families. Think the show is a little full of itself.
Desperate Housewives (ABC)-- This is my Real Housewives of Wherever. It's goofy, cheesy, and I love it. I'm SO excited that Paul Young is back and I think this child swap storyline is going to be kind of cool. Although, I really think it would have been more interesting if Gabby and her daughter were still fighting all the time. Can you imagine? You and your kid don't ever get along, and then someone comes and tells you that she's not actually yours? Oh well...When I become Empress of the TV Universe...
Brothers and Sisters (ABC)--I was intrigued when it turned out that Robert didn't die in the car accident in the finale last year. I kind of think they wrapped it up too fast, which has always been the one thing about B&S that I've had trouble with. No matter how mad the Walkers are at each other in the beginning, by the end they're happy and smiling and ready to face next week's drama all over again. But it's always so good that I just can't stop watching...
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And, with that, I turn off my TV and go to bed. It was quite a week. And it's going to be quite a season.
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Karen's Blog of the Week: An Unexplored Wilderness!
I hope you all have some fun plans. I'm going to be busy clearing a space on my bookshelves for a very exciting package that's being delivered next week. I can't wait to share the news with all of you. It's really exciting!
Anyway, enough about me. Today's post is all about y'all. And first up, we've got the Blog of the Week: An Unexplored Wilderness!
Renee is a lovely and talented writer who, like many of us, blogs about life in general. She writes about whatever she feels like, and she's dang good at it, whether it's Michael Vick's return to the NFL or hitting her face on the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico or getting dragged out of bed crazy late/early to see Jupiter. And that was all just this week!
So go visit Renee's blog. She's awesome!
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Good gracious. Y'all have written some really good stuff this week and I would have linked up every bit of it if I had that kind of time. But I don't. So here are a few of my very favorites:
Michelle from ~Psalm 104:24~ wrote this post about whether or not to keep God out of our Facebook statuses.
Jade from Now that I'm no longer 25 had this thought-provoking and insightful post about the graffiti in Naples.
Nikol from Nikol's Random Thoughts had a funny story about a gift from her father-in-law to her son.
Lisa from Just Lisa, No Filler told a very sweet and romantic story about something that happened to her once at a bookstore. It's the stuff of movies, people.
Jennee from Cheap Therapy wrote about a really dumb guy and the way certain things bring back floods of memories.
Nathan Bransford shared a great defense of absent and oft-deceased parents in childrens' literature.
Melanie from Write Stuff wrote about 58 cents that changed her entire day.
And finally, Dan from Single Dad Laughing (yes, last week's BotW) blew up the internet with this post about the Disease of "Perfection." It's a must read.
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And the last item of business for today, the Comment of the Week goes to ScoMan for his comment on this week's Face it! Friday post:
Organisation. That's what I need. Every Friday I tell myself "I need to get some boxes from the post office and box up all my old Uni books and magazines".. and every Friday I find another reason not to. This weekend though I'm going to do something that has been on my "to do" list for a long time. Watch the whole series two of the Big Bang Theory on DVD in one day.Well, that's it for this week, friends! Be sure to go and check out some of these awesome bloggers. And say hi so they know you stopped by!
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Face it Friday! Week 39
Hello, everyone! Is it really Friday already? There was a day or two there that I didn't think it would EVER be Friday. This week felt like it was a month long.
For those of you who just found my blog this week, Face it! Friday is a weekly feature that my friend Jennee and I started this year. At the beginning of the year, we set some goals. Fridays are the day we check in, give each other some encouragement, and, of course, commiserate when we have a lack of progress.
This year, I decided to try to the 65 in 365 challenge. My 65 goals are listed on the left sidebar, if you feel so inclined to take a look. Recently, I accepted the fact that some of those goals were just a bit too lofty, so I scratched a few. The ones I've completed are in bold.
Last week, I did a little butt kicking. Too many weeks of going too easy on ourselves was leaving me, Jennee, and too many of you not getting around to finish anything we started. Or said we would start.
My RL friend, Rachel, got upset at me last Friday because I never actually told all of you what I was going to do this week. The truth was, when I wrote my post, I hadn't quite decided. I finally settled on finishing the grand organization project in my bedroom.
I failed.
Well, no. I didn't fail exactly.
I worked on things. I washed every single piece of clothing I own. And I folded it and put it away. You don't know how monumental that is. I'm pretty sure that in the two and a half years I've lived in this house, there has constantly been SOMETHING in my laundry basket. This week? Empty.
So that was a win.
I also got rid of some old mail, started separating and sorting a few pieces that I apparently can't just throw away, and discovered that my current issue isn't a lack of organization, but a lack of space. So, I didn't finish, but this next week I'm planning to box up some things and take them over to storage. I hate the fact that I have a storage unit, but I used to have an entire apartment to myself and now I have a bedroom. There's just not enough room for everything.
So, no. I didn't finish. Unfortunately. But I made a lot of progress.
I also got back to work on my novel. And you know what? I fell in love with it all over again. I was so excited to get reacquainted with the characters I've been ignoring for weeks and I am so excited to finish rewriting their story.
I didn't quite accomplish what I set out to do this week. But I'm not calling it a total loss. I'm getting back into the swing of things. I'm closer to a few goals than I was a week ago.
But I can still use another swift kick.
Any volunteers?
Did you write up a Face it! Friday post you'd like to share? Please link it up on our blog hop!
This blog hop is for Face it! Friday posts, only. Links to giveaways, Friday Follows and plain old spam are great and all, but they're going to be deleted. Thanks for understanding!
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Confession Wednesday: Workout Confessions!
I'm so excited to welcome all of you newcomers to my blog! Thank you so much for following along and I look forward to getting to know you.
For those of you who are new, Confession Wednesday is a weekly meme I started a year or so ago. Every Wednesday, I pick a topic and we all confess. Your confession can match up with the weekly theme or you can make up your own. Grab the button up above and link your posts (if you so choose) down below.
And now, on with the confessing.
Once upon a time, I fancied myself a runner. Every morning for an entire summer, my friend Melinda and I got up early and ran on this great trail around the Ogden Golf Course.
When the fall semester started and homework piled up, those early morning runs were the first thing to go. But, every so often, I'd get this urge to get out and stretch my legs. I really loved that running trail.
One Saturday morning in the spring, my roommate Amy and I headed out together and got about a half mile down the trail when I felt a small boulder under my right foot and I was suddenly sprawled, face first, across the dirt path.
"No, no, no!" I shouted, knowing instantly that I'd sprained my ankle.
When I managed to roll myself over into a seated position, though, it wasn't my ankle that made me gasp. It was the blood pouring out of the open wound on my left knee.
"This is bad," I told Amy, who reached down to help me to my feet.
I wasn't sure which foot to put my weight on. The one with the bloodied knee or the one with the swelling ankle that had already started to turn purple?
The most direct route back to our house meant crossing the golf course. On a sunny Saturday morning.
It's actually kind of a miracle we didn't get hit by any wayward golf balls.
It took awhile to get home. A half mile is surprisingly far when you can barely walk and each step sends pain shooting from your toes to your ear lobes. But we finally made it.
I suffered the rest of the weekend. There was no major damage to my knee below the surface, which was a relief. But my ankle was swollen and changing to shades not found on any normal color chart. I would have been impressed if I hadn't been freaking out.
The following Monday, I hobbled into the health center on campus. I'd never been there, but I'd heard all about Dr. Mc"Quacken". I can't remember his real name, but the doc got the nickname because his answer to EVERYTHING was surgery.
Constant sore throat? Those tonsils are going to need to be removed.
Persistent abdominal pain? The only way to ensure an accurate diagnosis is exploratory surgery.
A splinter that hasn't worked its way out of your thumb? Going to have to cut it out. And possibly remove your thumb.
(Yes. I actually knew three different people that had these real experiences.)
So I wasn't that excited at the prospect of facing Dr. McQuacken.
Luckily, it was a nurse that took one look and ordered me into another room for x-rays. After several minutes of being twisted and prodded and forced to hold still for about a thousand x-rays of the swollen mass at the end of my leg, she ordered me back into the exam room and promised she'd return soon.
And she did. With a pair of crutches. Which I'd already expected, even though I dreaded them.
And then she said the doctor would be in to talk to me.
A few minutes later, I was introduced to Dr. McQuacken. He prodded my foot a little, looked at the x-rays and pronounced that I had, indeed, sprained two ligaments.
I'd also strained my Achilles' tendon.
At least, he was pretty sure I'd strained it. Although he couldn't rule out the possibility that it was actually torn.
And then he said, "If it's not better in three weeks, we're probably going to have to operate."
Three weeks later, I had gotten pretty good at hiding the grimace and the limp. I'm sure he was disappointed that I didn't give him the chance to approach me with a scalpel.
And now it's your turn! Share your confessions in the comments or link up your posts down below.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
My Life in Roommates
(That's also not counting those long 21 months when I transitioned back from Utah to California by living in my mom's office slash guest room.)
Anyway, I've moved a few times over the years and have lived with a LOT of different people. I've had somewhere around 20 roommates with a total of about 58 different personalities.
(More than a few of those personalities have been my own.)
It's been wild.
I thought I'd do the rundown of all the girls (and boy) with whom I've shared an address. Maybe some of this will explain why I am the way I am today. Maybe.
House #1: Ogden, Utah--Six bedrooms, Two bathrooms, Seven girls at a time
(Just so you know, I wasn't roommates with ALL of these girls at the same time. As someone would move out, someone else would move in. And I can't be entirely sure of the right order.)
Amie--Super smart English major. Amie was the one that shoved a battered copy of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone into my hands and told me I HAD to read it. She was right. She was also super cool because she was in the Army Reserves? National Guard? (I can't remember which) band and got to shoot guns and stuff.
Lindsay & Mandy--These awesome and fun girls from a tiny hometown in eastern Utah. I can't remember a time I ever saw one without the other. If you ever have to live with college freshman, I hope they can be as cool as Lindsay & Mandy.
Deborah--Was young and fun. A lot more quiet and reserved than Mandy and Lindsay, but still a really great girl. She actually managed to drag me to ward activities and helped me get to know some new people. She was the youngest in our house, and the first to get married. I DID mention this was Utah, right?
Heather the First--Just a little different. Okay, a LOT different. Really, really nice, but she had some unusual qualities. Like her habit of whispering to herself and telling herself funny stories when no one else was in the room. There were a few times we thought she was on the phone in her bedroom only to discover that she was all alone. It's also possible that she might have been responsible for the unpleasant kitchen situation that I wrote about recently.
Emily the First--She was totally unexpected. Really quiet and kept to herself a lot, but when you got her in the right mood (which wasn't hard) she was hilarious and so much fun. Really smart and talented. I've never had a roommate named Emily that I didn't like. Also, I got to help pick out her engagement ring. It was a surprise for her. I'm pretty stealthy and stuff. Maybe I'll tell you all that story sometime.
Diana--Way too cool. She had a different hairstyle every day and a super cute wardrobe. And she was really fun and her laugh was contagious. I wish I'd appreciated her more when we were roommates. For one thing, I think we could have been really good friends. For another, I didn't know at the time just how bad things could get when you live in a house with that many people.
Maria--Spunky and quirky. One of the nicest, most genuine people I've ever met in my entire life. I'm sad that I lost touch with her after she left for her mission.
Rose Hedges--I normally refrain from using last names, but seriously. I lived with a girl named Rose Hedges. And she was different. Nice, but kind of crazy. VERY boy crazy. She made us laugh a lot, and not even AT her. But, yeah. We probably wouldn't have really been friends. We didn't have much in common.
Heather the Second--When she moved in, we were shocked to find out she was only, like 16 or 17. She was young, but really mature (for the most part) and super smart. I'm pretty sure she is a neurologist or something by now. She was young and I didn't give her much of a chance either. Too bad, because she was pretty cool. But SO young.
Kari--Another super smart youngin. She had a chain for the all the weeks her boyfriend would be gone on his mission. She talked incessantly about their future wedding. I wanted her to date other people while she was waiting, but she was hopelessly devoted. I hope that worked out for her.
Shea--I don't remember much about her except that she existed, had the coolest hair (super short, but with tight, corkscrew curls) and had an amazing singing voice. I'm not even sure her name WAS Shea, but it seems right in my head.
Lisa--We were never meant to be friends. I'm just going to leave it at that. Because I can't say anything nice and, well, you know what Mom always said...
Leah--Was actually really cool and I liked her. I wanted to be friends with her, but she was friends with Lisa before they ever even moved in and, well, that stopped me from getting too close. I don't feel like I missed out there, though. It is what it is.
Sara--Another one where I'm not entirely sure of her name. She was nice but so self-conscious. Planned on being a physical therapist, I think. She got me really into running back in the day. She was also friends with Lisa, which made things awkward, but what can you do?
Season--She lived there for about 8 weeks in the summer and that's all I remember about her.
And then I moved!
House #2: Ogden, Utah--3 Bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 3 Girls at a time
Amy--We gave her a nickname (which we never told her about). The...Klepto Canadian... She had a habit of forgetting that some people don't like it when you help yourself to their closets. Or their CD collections. And she was from Canada. But she was nice and we had a lot of fun times. And she's one of our very few witnesses to the haunting.
Emily the Second--If you don't already know how much I adore Emily then I don't know where you've been. She's one of only two roommates with whom I have kept in constant contact. Emily is one of my very best friends. She is smart and funny and a fiercely loyal friend. We had so many good times and I miss her a lot.
Karen--It was so much fun answering the phone, having the caller ask for "Karen" and taking a minute to realize it was NOT for me. She was a cool girl, but ran in different circles. I remember being annoyed on more than one occasion when I would pull into the driveway and discover that it was PACKED because she'd filled our tiny basement with friends. But it was never for very long and she was always good about washing her dishes. So, it was all good.
The Only Roommate Whose Name I REALLY Can't Remember--I feel so bad. I honestly, for the life of me can't tell you what this girl's name was. It's entirely possible her name was Season and I have the other girl's name wrong. Who knows? (Emily just informed me that her name was Lacy. Oops!) She moved in not long before Emily and I moved out to our own apartments, about a mile from each other. She was nice, but young. So, so young. I was around 25 and she was 18. By that point, I was done living with freshman.
And I moved AGAIN!
House #3: Ogden, Utah--1 bedroom, 1 bath, ONE girl living there!
I miss living by myself. It got lonely sometimes, but it was heaven.
But, all good things must turn into other good things, so I moved again.
House #4: Clearfield, Utah--3 bedrooms, 1 bath, 2 girls
Kelli--She's the other roommate I still talk to fairly regularly. Kelli is another of my besties. She's hilarious. Like, we have some of the absolute craziest stories together, but they don't hold a candle to the antics she's managed when NOT hanging out with me. Hilarious, smart, motivated (most of the time) and she got me addicted to putting M&Ms in my popcorn, which we used to do EVERY Sunday night while watching Desperate Housewives. Oh, Kel...season premier is next Sunday...
And then I moved back to Cali and into my mom's office slash guest room. That was a LONG 22 months until...
House #5: Anaheim, California--3 bedrooms (technically), 2 1/2 baths, 2 girls and 1 boy
David--He's like Chuck in real life. You ask him about any subject and he almost certainly knows at least SOMETHING about it. (Except David Archuleta, apparently.) He's also just about to finish his degree in culinary arts. Yes, he's an amazing chef. No, I don't eat with them every night. (I'm pretty sure my waistline would never forgive me.)
Catherine/Katie/Cathy--Her name depends on who you're talking to. I call her Katie. She's the one who taught me that not everyone understands my sense of humor. But we still manage to laugh. A lot. She's a good friend who cares about strangers just as much as her friends and family. She wants to take care of everyone she sees and frequently says the reason she's not rich is because she'd "give it all away anyway." And I know she means it, too, because when I asked her what one thing she would buy for herself if she could, her answer (after giving it some thought) was the complete TV series of Gidget. I'd be hard pressed to find someone less materialistic than Katie.
So........that's it. I really feel like I'm missing someone, but I sure couldn't say who! And with a list that long, I'm sure you don't mind if I forgot one or two.
Have you had a plethora of roommates? Do you have any favorites? Any horror stories?
Tomorrow's Confession Wednesday Topic:
Workout Confessions!
Monday, September 20, 2010
What Do Old Ladies, Time Travel, Hospitals and Courtrooms Have in Common?
The Top 10 Television Shows of all time.
And since I love making Top 10 lists and I love television, how could I say no to something like that??
Turns out, it was actually easier for me to narrow down the Top 10 Most Influential Women in History than my Top 10 favorite TV shows. What does that say about me?
(Don't answer.)
(Unless your answer is that I'm so knowledgeable in history that the Women post practically wrote itself.)
Uh...yeah...
Anyways, I've narrowed it down. And I bet there's going to be even more dissension and declarations of omission on this one than on my other Top 10s. But, here's goes nothing:
(And yes. I'm fully aware that my choices make it pretty obvious when I grew up...)
10. The Wonder Years
I've always thought the 60s must have been a fascinating time to grow up. I loved this show. And, to this day, it still drives me crazy that Kevin didn't end up with Winnie.
My mom went back to school at night to get an AA while I was in high school. She gave us a loosely enforced 10pm bedtime and Quantum Leap was on at 10. (I don't know why. It's certainly NOT a 10pm show by today's standards.) She didn't get home from class until 10:30. So I'd watch the beginning, turn it off quickly as soon as she pulled into the driveway, and then wander downstairs because I "couldn't sleep." I'd catch the second half when she turned it on. Every single week.
8. The Cosby Show
I wanted to be a Huxtable.
7. Seinfeld
The show about nothing still never gets old. I catch re-runs all the time.
6. Law and Order
I'm talking the original Law and Order. None of that SUV stuff or Criminal Insanity or whatever. And my very favorite seasons were with Jerry Orbach, Chris Noth, Michael Moriarty and Jill Hennessy. It stayed good for a long time, but there was never a better cast. And yes, I'll probably catch the Los Angeles version, but it's still not going to be as good.
5. ER
I was hooked from the first episode. And how can I not love the show that launched that guy from the Facts of Life into superstardom?
4. The Golden Girls
When I watch re-runs now (which is quite often, thanks to the Hallmark Channel!), I wonder what the heck my mom was thinking letting me watch this show at 10 years old. I also think it's hilarious how much I loved it at 10 years old. In fact, my friends did too. And that says something about this show when literally fans of all ages couldn't get enough.
3. Firefly
I'm pretty sure if it had aired for more than 14 episodes, it would have landed higher on my list. But #3 is pretty darn good. I didn't catch onto the Firefly craze until awhile after the show was foolishly cancelled, but it still pisses me off when I watch the DVDs and think about what a golden opportunity Fox missed out on. (And the CW and SyFy...)
2. Friends
I'm about 99% sure I've seen every episode. At least 3 times. And I laugh every single time. I'd start collecting the DVDs, but the show is still on every night. I guess I can wait.
1. LOST
If you're surprised that this is my numero uno show, you obviously haven't been reading my blog very long. Welcome! Yes, I loved the finale. No, I didn't think it was quite sufficient. I still feel like there's a missing episode. But I still love every minute of this show and I look forward to getting season 6 so I can go back and watch from the very beginning.
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And, just because this was my original post for today until I found the blogfest thing:
Premieres I'm super excited about this week!
Monday: Chuck (NBC), The Event (NBC), Hawaii 5-0 (CBS), Castle (ABC)
Tuesday: Glee (Fox)
Wednesday: Undercovers (NBC), Modern Family (ABC)
Thursday: The Big Bang Theory (CBS), Community (NBC), The Office (NBC), Outsourced (NBC), $#*! My Dad Says (CBS), Fringe (Fox)
Sunday: Desperate Housewives (ABC), Brothers and Sisters (ABC)
I know. I watch too much TV. It's a good thing for my DVR because I'm not even going to be home most of the week! Saturday's going to be a good day!
What shows are you looking forward to?
Friday, September 17, 2010
Face it Friday! Week 38: Butt Kicking Edition
I gave myself a pass in preparation for my summer trip.
I gave myself a pass when I came back from my trip.
(Had to recuperate and all that.)
And then I decided to scratch a few things off the list because 65 goals were a great idea in January, but wholly unattainable in the middle of September. So I reevaluated and vowed to try some of them again next year.
But it still didn't help.
I'm barely closer to finishing my 65 in 365 list now than I was in June.
That's just not acceptable.
So, after discovering yesterday that Jennee was in a similar holding pattern (or dead zone, in her words) I decided it's time to kick some butt. Especially since some of you are in the same place. You said so yourselves.
Of course, this post is really mostly for me.
But here's the thing. Those of us that set goals this year did so for a reason. There's something you wanted to do nine months ago. Chances are, you still want to do them.
What are you waiting for?
You're busy. Of course you are. We're ALL busy. We work/raise kids/volunteer in the community/blog. We're busy, busy people. There's never enough time for all the things we NEED to do, let alone the things we WANT to. And when you're spending time in one endeavor, you feel guilty for not spending enough time on another.
But you had plans for this year. Goals and challenges and to-do lists. And you haven't been very diligent.
Why?
Enough with the excuses. Really think about why. What's keeping you from finishing what you started? What's really holding you up? Are your goals too hard? Too lofty? Too undefined? Are you just not making enough time?
Here's what I want us to do this week. Find the scariest/hardest/most challenging goal on your list. Whatever it is, think about why it scares you or what makes it so hard. Talk to yourself about why you've been putting it off. Even if it's one you've already started and have abandoned or dragged your feet on finishing. Pick something hard. But pick something you can finish in a week.
Now make a plan for how you're going to get it done. After all, "a goal without a plan is just a wish." (That was said by some important guy who wrote a book. I wish I could say I made it up.) So we're making a plan.
You got it? You have your goal and you have your plan?
Good. Now go do it.
No more excuses. It's time for action.
This blog hop is for Face It! Friday posts. If you're visiting from some other blog hop, welcome! But please don't link unless you're sharing a post about your goals. And it doesn't have to be a brand new post. If you wrote it three days ago? That's okay, too!
Thursday, September 16, 2010
She Will Cut You With Lazers While Looking Pretty and Fighting an Armada. And Then Write a Book About It.
And Kathi Oram Peterson (I'm totally pretending we're related because she's awesome) had to go and ask me who I thought were the 10 most influential WOMEN in history since only two women made my ultimate list.
And then the theme for today's Back 2 Blogging Challenge from SITS turned out to be Influential Women. I know they probably want me to highlight ONE woman that's been influential to ME, but it sounded like a good time to get around to that other post I've been meaning to write.
Now, I made a preliminary list of 28 amazing women just off the top of my head. And there can only be 10. Because I said so. And history is a really long time. So it was hard to narrow it down, but I did. I know some of you are going to scratch your heads at some of these names and some of the confusing omissions, but I decided to base my list on the 10 women from history whose influence extends beyond their own time and whose impact is still felt today.
So, here goes:
(All the images below were found in the labyrinth of Google Images. That's as specific as I remembered to be.)
Honorable Mentions (because I feel like it):
Anne Frank, Margaret Thatcher, Dian Fossey, Virginia Wolf, Nancy Reagan, Joan of Arc, Mary, Eleanor Roosevelt, Eleanor of Aquitaine, Eva Peron and Rosa Parks.
So it's really hard to find a decent picture of Eve where she's got her boobs covered up. So, even though it's probably heresy or something, I've opted for the much more family friendly version of EVE. Anyway, Eve was a pretty influential woman. She was the first to get a man to do exactly what she wanted him to, and she introduced the world to clothes. So, way to go.
9. Coco Chanel
Eve may have given us clothes, but Coco Chanel made them classy and expensive. She had the Midas Touch in the fashion world and became an icon. She was even the only person from the entire fashion industry that was named to Time Magazine's 100 Most Important People of the Century. Her empire opened doors for women designers everywhere.
8. Madonna
I know, I know. It's Madonna. And she's kind of crazy and has biceps that are sharper than the knives in my chef roommate's knife drawer. But, let's face it. Her music has influenced countless young girls the world over. I mean, where would Britney Spears and Lindsey Lohan be today without the original Material Girl?
7. Jane Austen
I dare you to name a chick flick that doesn't have some hint of a Jane Austen novel in it. Austen's books are, admittedly, tough to read. And they're all basically the same. But she wrote about strong female characters and handsome, proud men. Her tales of romance were fairytale-like and timeless, which may be partly due to the fact that she never married.
6. Benazir Bhutto
The first woman in the Muslim world to be elected leader of a nation. Bhutto was elected Prime Minister of Pakistan in 1988, after years of working to restore Pakistan to democracy. Her popularity was tarnished by unproven corruption charges and she was thrown out of office by the President, only to be elected again a few years later, and thrown out of office again. She dropped out of public life for a while, but reemerged in 2007 to run for the National Assembly. Just a few weeks before the election, Bhutto was assassinated on her way out of a campaign rally. While it's still too soon to know what her lasting legacy will be, there's no question that Bhutto's work was important to the women and the democracy of Pakistan.
5. Oprah Winfrey
She's so influential that the entire beef industry had to sue her over lost profits when she said she'd never eat a hamburger again. Millions of people (yes, mostly women, but men watch her too) have found their a-ha! moments because of her. She's launched the television careers of more than a couple celebrities, and she became the richest self-made woman in America.
(Hey, Oprah, if you happen to read this, I REALLY, DESPERATELY need a new car. Desperately. Kthanksbye.)
4. Susan B. Anthony
I like voting. A lot. And Susan B. Anthony is one of the amazing women that helped us girls get the chance to do just that. The suffrage movement wasn't a quick and easy process, and there were a lot of people involved, but she's the only one that got to be put on money.
3. Marie Curie
Not only was she the first woman to win a Nobel Prize, but she was one of only two people who have ever won for more than one category. Marie and her husband Pierre basically discovered radioactivity. That came in handy later when she helped popularize the use of x-ray machines during World War I.
2. Elizabeth I
Elizabeth was England's third choice to succeed her father, King Henry the 8th. I wonder if this is where they got the saying, "Third time's a charm." Because she definitely got it right. Fighting enemies who wanted to take over her kingdom and fighting a Spanish armada all while wearing dresses like THAT? She was one tough chick. She was so cool in the 16th century that people are still winning awards for playing her today.
1. Mother Theresa
What more can I say about Mother Theresa than I already said in that other post? She didn't influence political movements. She wasn't known as a great orator or a writer of enduring literature. What she did was inspire people to be better. To do more. To reach out and to love one another. And that legacy will last for generations.
So...what do you think? Where'd I go wrong? Where'd I go right? And how different would your list look?
Feel inclined to join in the fun? I'm participating in the SITS Back 2 Blogging Challenge. Click below to jump into the fray!
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
The Word "Titular" Makes Me Giggle
Anyway, I finally accepted that yesterday was Tuesday and today is Wednesday, but to confuse myself even more, I'm forgoing my usual Confession Wednesday post for two reasons: a) I'm still kind of digging this SITS Back 2 Blogging Challenge--
(even though I am stunned at how many SITStas do NOT return visits...Isn't that the point of SITS?)
--and 2) I...couldn't really think of a good topic for this week.
(I've started a discussion in my Blog Frog forum, so if you have any Confession Wednesday topic suggestions, please visit and share!)
Anyway, today's Back 2 Blogging topic is to share a post with a title you're particularly proud of.
Titling my posts is often a challenge. Sometimes, the perfect title will just fall into my head and everything is great. Other times, I'll write the entire post and then have to save it as a draft because I just don't know what to call it.
I think the intention of today's challenge is to just repost something with a great title, but I'm not always such a fan of following the "rules," so I'm going to link a couple of my favorites. If they sound interesting and you don't remember reading them before, check them out and tell me what you think:
William Shakespeare, Henry Ford, and Jesus Walk Into a Social Networking Site
The Man They Called Jayne...Or in this Case Steven Slater
What Do You Mean You're Busy? You're Single!
Now I know some of you have some GREAT posts and even GREATER titles. Maybe you should think about joining in the fun today!
Did I mention you might get to take home Thelma & Louise?
Monday, September 13, 2010
A Look Back to the Beginning
Today's task? assignment? challenge? is to revisit your very first blog post. And here's mine:
August 27, 2007
It is about time I finally got around to doing this. I've wanted to for a while, but I've been very unmotivated until about two hours ago when I was reading Dustin and Emily's blog. This first entry will be sort of short since I'm at work and it's the first week of school and we're still relatively busy.
Anyway, life is good. Last week I had the opportunity to go to Girls' Camp with our Stake. I was happy to find out, upon my arrival, that I was not the only "Cabin Mom" that isn't really a mom, so that was good. It was a fun week full of laughs, adventures, and dumpster diving that I will not soon forget. I should add some pictures...
I never did get around to posting those Girls' Camp pictures. I wonder why. I suppose the fact that I don't remember ever actually SEEING any photos from that week is a good indication that I probably didn't take too many of them.
This first post also cracked me up because it's completely obvious that I NEVER expected anything to come of this blog at all. I was just going to stay in touch with some friends. That was it. But then, over the next couple of months, blogging took on this whole new meaning and became something much different than I ever imagined. I'm so glad Emily got me into it back then because I really love this world now.
If I were to have started my blog then knowing what I know now, it would have been a much different first post. I would have introduced myself and talked about why I'm awesome and maybe established a few goals. Instead, this remains one of the most boring posts I've ever published. Live and learn.
You should totally participate in this week's Back to Blogging challenge. You could even win a brand new Electrolux Washer and Dryer! (And they're pretty, too.) The giveaway is being sponsored by the awesome: Standards of Excellence, Westar Kitchen and Bath, and Florida Builder Appliances.
(I'm not usually a fan of linking to sponsors since I don't have sponsored content on my own blog, but did I mention that this washer and dryer set is really pretty?)
Saturday, September 11, 2010
September 12
I've edited and am reposting something I wrote two years ago. It seems even more appropriate now than when I originally published it.
That Wednesday morning, September 12, was unlike any other Wednesday morning. After hours glued to the television and a restless night of broken sleep, I woke up to a world I no longer understood. I had been relieved to hear the day before that my three possibly-effected relatives (Dad, uncle, and a cousin) were safe and well, but that consolation had done nothing to help me sleep better. Someone had attacked us and on the morning of 9/12, we still weren't entirely sure of who.
I got up and slowly dressed to leave for school. I had a 9am class that I would gladly have missed, except that it was a poli sci course called Political Behavior and I was relatively sure that the entirety of our class discussion would be about the attacks. I needed to talk about it with someone, anyone, but my roommates and I had talked as much as we could and I needed to see new faces. So, I went to class.
Walking up the street (the campus was only 2 blocks away), I was struck by the sight of the American flags that stood on every lawn. As part of an annual boy scout fundraiser in Ogden, UT, scout troops accepted sign ups and donations at the beginning of each year, and would place flags on the lawns of all the donors for certain holidays: 4th of July, Memorial Day, Flag Day, Presidents' Day. For a one-time fee of $25, they would go around town and put up the flags on the morning of the given holiday, and then return to take them down that night.
Sometime during the night of the 11th, though, the local troops had blanketed the city and had asked for nothing in return. It was beautiful and, for the hundredth time in 24 hours, it brought tears to my eyes.
(Remembering that sight nine years later still makes my eyes well up.)
Sometime during the night of the 11th, though, the local troops had blanketed the city and had asked for nothing in return. It was beautiful and, for the hundredth time in 24 hours, it brought tears to my eyes.
(Remembering that sight nine years later still makes my eyes well up.)
I went to my classes, and was more than a little stunned when our Political Behavior professor stopped us after a few minutes to talk about things that were more "class related." I'm sure he, like everyone else, needed something, ANYTHING else to talk about, but I wasn't ready to discuss elections and voter attitudes. I was deeply grateful later when my Public Policy professor refused to talk about anything besides the latest developments out of New York and Washington. I went through the motions a lot that day, because that was all I could do. Nothing made sense anymore and I had to cling to whatever degree of normal I could find.
Through that day, one resonating realization occurred to me: that we were all in this together. That day, no one was blaming the Republicans or the Democrats for what happened. No one was taking polls to find out how Americans felt about the attacks and no one even considered blaming the President. We were all shocked and devastated and united in a way that I had not seen before and have not seen since. In the wake of the tragedy that was a beautiful and uplifting thing, to see Americans united and mourning together, to see Christians and Jews and Muslims gathered together in prayer. Nothing else mattered that day and it was impossible to believe that it ever would again.
I hear certain pundits on cable news channels or on talk radio that talk about a pre- or a post-9/11 mentality. Basically, the point is that you either still believe the world is safe and no one will ever attack us or you walk around knowing that we could be hit again at any time.
Personally, I wish we all had a 9/12 mentality. Because I really liked that fleeting time when people stopped assigning blame and just worked together. When we didn't worry about petty (and not so petty) differences and just loved each other and helped our neighbors.
I don't ever want to relive those dark days after 9/11, but I do wish we could have clung to that solidarity a little longer.
Personally, I wish we all had a 9/12 mentality. Because I really liked that fleeting time when people stopped assigning blame and just worked together. When we didn't worry about petty (and not so petty) differences and just loved each other and helped our neighbors.
I don't ever want to relive those dark days after 9/11, but I do wish we could have clung to that solidarity a little longer.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Face it Friday! Week 37
It was totally amicable. Well, I was the one that initiated it, so it was pretty easy on my part. I still keep getting those e-mails begging me to please come back. I keep ignoring them. What can you do, really?
Besides, I've met someone new. Someone that just suits me better. Someone with common interests that can help me become the woman I want to be. Someone more laid back and less judgmental. Which is really perfect for me, since I hate to be judged, even though I'm very good at it.
Yes, after two years, I've broken up with 24 Hour Fitness and fallen in love with Planet Fitness.
I joined 24 Hour Fitness so I could do ridiculously early workouts with a friend who moved away a few months later. After she moved, I stopped going most of the time. It's just so hard to get up that early, and 24 Hour, at least the one I usually go to, feels like a big ole look-at-me fest full of skinny people that stare at me like I have three heads, all of which way too unattractive to be taking up space on one of their precious ellipticals. It's hard enough to get motivated to work out.
But Planet Fitness? It's pretty much awesome. For one thing, it's TEN DOLLARS a MONTH. That's, like, HALF of the $33 I was paying at that other place...
And there's tons of machines, and there are all kinds (read: shapes) of people and they all just want to work out. I don't feel like anyone's staring at me, except for this one guy we affectionately call The Marine. But he doesn't stare. He mostly laughs. And it's not because we're awkward and out of shape. It's because we're hilarious.
And by "we" I do NOT mean me and my personalities. I mean some of my favorite people: Marly, Rachel, and Shawna. They talked me into signing up and I couldn't be happier.
I can't believe I'm actually saying this, but working out is...FUN. I know!
So, I'm back on track with that whole going-to-the-gym goal. One or two of those related ones should start to fall into place now.
Fifteen weeks left. I've still got some time.
Be sure to head over to Jennee's blog today. She's listed all the books she's read this year and...um...let's just say I spend way too much time NOT reading. She put me to shame.
How are YOUR goals going? I know a lot of you have them, because you've told me so. Don't be afraid to share your progress! It helps!
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