Always Making a Late Entrance…

So I return from my little blogging vacation to find out I was nominated for an award! I cannot simply ignore this award I need to thank, http://reflectionsofasinglegirl.wordpress.com/2013/03/22/who-me-well-thank-you/ for nominating me! This is truly an honor and I am so sorry I didn’t notice it sooner! Part of the rules of accepting this award is answering 11 questions that the nominator laid out so without further ado…

 

Award!

 

1.  If you could have one song as the theme song for your life, which song would it be?

I think in the mode I have been in lately my “theme song” would have to be “B*tch” by Meredith Brooks. I know the song is a bit off color but it really highlights my personality. It also shows that it to be with me “you may need to be a stronger man” aka I am not changing for anyone even though I acknowledge my crazy. I just happen to like my crazy

2.  Do you believe that it is better to have loved and lost than to never loved at all?

I really do. I have to say that even when you have lost someone the memories are always there. The memories can bring a smile on a lonely day. Sure, the pain can creep in but imagine never having that amazing feeling of being in love? I dont think you have lived if you havent loved.

3.  What can always bring a smile to your face?

Music. Music is seriously my cure for every mood. It can pump me up when I am already happy, it can be sad with me when I feel like being miserable, it can fire me up when I need to be angry. It is basically the all in one drug.

4.  Words you live by?

Everything happens for a reason. This is so true in so many departments in life. Sometimes we dont know what the reason is at the moment but at some point you will find out and it will be worth the wait.

5.  Biggest fear?

Ending up alone. But I am becoming more and more comfortable with this possibility as I get older. With a family like mine you are never really alone

6.  What is your favorite book?

To date my favorite book is still “Poppy”. It is a little kids book but it brings back to me so many good memories that I can help but love it.

7.  What do you believe are your  three best qualities?

My compassion for others- although in some ways it can be seen as my biggest flaw.

My ambition- I work hard and never give up. This is a quality I really wish more people had but it seems nowadays it is not common.

My sense of humor- I can be down right funny if you find dry sarcastic humor entertaining. I love being the girl that can bring a smile to your face when you would otherwise be upset.

8.  If you could have any super power what would it be?

The power of persuasion. There was a character on Heros that could persuade people to do whatever she wanted by her words. It was more powerful than pure manipulation. Her words had some kind of magic that entranced the victim and made them want to bend to her will. I have been obsessed with that power ever since I saw the show.

9.  If you could marry a movie star would you? Who?

Of course. Johnny Depp. Age is only a number! Dont judge!

10.  What is the most important thing life has taught you.

That it is too short! Too short to worry, to short to work your life away and too short to not appreciate every moment you get because each moment you are given someone is living their last.

11.  What is your funniest childhood story of yourself?

Probably when I swallowed a penny. And when I say funny it is funny to everyone else. I, however, was five years old and just trying to catch pennies in my teeth like my cool older brother.  But jokes on me because it was my birthday and instead of spending the day celebrating I spent the day in the hospital with a tube down my throat trying to suck the penny out of my lungs.

Now I must nominate 11 other bloggers and ask them 11 questions. My nominations are:

1) http://practicallyserious.com/

2) http://www.roamingwithmary.blogspot.com/

3) http://ladyornot.com/

4) http://www.triloquist.net/

5) http://rhymetime24.blogspot.com/

6) http://thechowderhead.com/

7) http://mistyslaws.wordpress.com/

8) http://melsdream.blogspot.com/

9) http://santuonline.wordpress.com/

10) http://longlifecatsanddogs.wordpress.com/

11) http://diannegray.wordpress.com/

And your questions are:

1) Who was your favorite celebrity as a child?

2) What is your greatest accomplishment?

3) If you were invisible, where would you go?

4) What’s the #1 most played song on your iPod?

5) What is one of your favorite quotes?

6) If you could choose to stay a certain age forever, what age would it be?

7) If you were immortal for a day, what would you do?

8) If you could be any fictional character, who would you choose?

9) What would you name the autobiography of your life?

10) What’s the hardest thing you’ve ever done?

11) What is your first memory of being really excited?

Thanks again for this awesome honor! I look forward to reading all the responses!

Relationships in the Media

The media has a way of controlling our outlook on so many things. The media shapes what we wear, what we eat and even who we date. The problem with this is the media has a way of showing the most dysfunctional relationships and making them seem almost normal. For young and impressionable girls (like myself) this can be awfully confusing. There are three relationship types I have noticed really highlighted in the media over the last year or so:

The Giant Age Gap:

Relationships like Hef and any one of his many wives is NOT normal. These girls are with him for one thing and one thing only- money. The marriages are strange and the whole living arrangement is down right disturbing. However, I myself sometimes watch “The Girls Next Door” and think to myself…hmm that wouldn’t be so bad…This is NOT O.K. Girls we need to make a vow that we will put a limit on these insane age gaps. Money cannot cross 50 years…lets have a little respect for ourselves!

The Abuser: It is sad but the media has found a way to make the abusive relationship almost seem “cool”. It is not secret Rihanna and Chris Brown are back together. For those who don’t know, back a few years ago Chris Brown hit Rihanna and the pictures surfaced on the internet. The two took a break but Rihanna is now convinced that he has “really calmed down”. Girls this is NOT o.k! Yet again we need to have more respect for ourselves than this! If a guy EVER lays a hand on you there should be NO second chances. I don’t care who he is! Why does the media show this relationship as a normal relationship?!? Both of them need help. He needs anger management classes and she needs to go to therapy for her self esteem!

The Serial Dater: I need to start this by saying I love T. Swift. She is an absolute sweetheart with absolutely adorable songs. That being said, that bitch needs to calm down in the dating world. She doesn’t hang on to a boy longer than a month before she writes a song about him and moves on to the next one. Whats worse? She invests a lot in the boys she dates even after a short period of time. For example she bought quite the pricey boy next to the Kennedy boy’s house but she is already two boys past him now. This is another example where we as girls need to have more respect for ourselves. It is o.k to be alone! This type of relationship shows us that we always NEED to be in a relationship but this is not the case! What does T. Swift need a man for? She has money, fame and fans- she doesn’t NEED anything else…she NEEDS some self esteem!

What other celeb relationships do you think the media make look normal that really shouldn’t be portrayed as normal?

Taking A Little Time For Me!

During my travels in the blogosphere I noticed a growing trend. Many bloggers are posting lists of things they like about themselves. Even more shocking to me is there are ALOT of things on this list. One of the favorite lists I have seen is over at Misty Laws Blog (<a/>http://mistyslaws.wordpress.com/2013/01/14/i-feel-pretty-oh-so-pretty/<a/&gt;). I decided after reading her list that I wanted to try this as well. However, I wanted to add my own little spin to it.

Not too long ago I went through a dark time. A friend of mine told me that a good idea to get through a dark time is to write down the awesome things you have done in your life. Acknowledge the people you have in your life that had a positive influence on you and embrace the good, bad and ugly parts of your life. I have compiled a top ten list of things that I can recall from my life that make it a little easier to accept the things that are far from making the list:

10) I struggled like hell but I made it through college and came out the other side with a Bachelor’s Degree. Was it worth it? Well THAT is another blog post…

9) I am 24 years old and I manage to live in my own place and own my own car…I am making some progress…

8) I have finally been able to sing in front of others instead of only singing to the steering wheel and shower head…does the audience appreciate this…welll…who asked them?

7) I have developed a cute little following for my blog. I started off with nobody reading my blog and now I can count on a few close blogging friends to read every post

6) I have a solid job in the field I intend to stay in. In this economy this is something to truly cherish.

5) I have a small group of awesome friends that I never had before. For most of my life I was a loner but I have learned to make contacts with those I care about and not push them away- for those who know me THAT is an accomplishment.

4) I have started writing a novel that I am really passionate about. Lack of motivation aside I think if this ever gets completed it will really be a novel I can be proud of.

3) I am the proud Aunt of an adorable nephew whom I love more every day.

2) I am the Mommy of the best dog in the world- no one else opinion is needed on her- I am talking to YOU!

1) I have a little sister who has always and will always look up to me. She is my rock, my best friend, my world. She is the reason I strive every day to be the best that I can be.

Have you made a list like this? Let me know so I can check it out

Happy Bubble Wrap Day!

I have been made aware that today is National Bubble Wrap day! Along with that fun fact I was also informed that the original intent for bubble wrap was to be plastic wallpaper. Well this got me thinking…what other uses of bubble wrap might we be missing out on. I decided to get out my thinking cap and come up with a list of the top five ways we could and should be using bubble wrap in our every day lives:

1) As a way to annoy that annoying co-worker in the adjacent cubicle- one pop at a time…

2) As a fabulous new dress for a night out on the town…

3) As a pillow- just in case your insomnia doesn’t keep you up all night this pillow surely will!

4) As a fabulous new carpet to match the wallpaper- one step up from the creaky floorboard in the house of the cheating spouse…

5) As an alternative to the always boring white veil on your wedding day…

What other ways should we be using bubble wrap in our every day lives that we just don’t do enough?

#Teoing!

There are many internet memes that come and go but there are few that really catch my attention. I share a few laughs with Grumpy Cat and I don’t mind seeing the occasional photo of the ridiculously photogenic guy. However, the internet meme that has caught my attention lately is what they are calling “Teoing”

For those that don’t know the story here is a short summary. Manti Teo of Notre Dame football team allegedly had a girlfriend pass away to lukemia on the same day that his Grandmother died. It was later discovered that Teo’s girlfriend was actually a fake that he had met only online and corresponded with by phone and internet only. The hoax was exposed and the question now is was this a publicity stunt or was he really duped into believing that he was in a full fledged relationship with a imaginary girl.

The hilarity of this hoax has taken the internet by storm and has created the new meme called “Teoing”. The reason I am drawn to this meme is I think this is such a current issue and I feel that maybe by bringing it to light with some humor people will be more aware of the dangers of online dating. When online you never really know who you are talking to, and if you do not take the steps to meet the person in a safe, public setting there is a chance that the person on the other end is not who they say they are. Matters of the heart can be tricky and deception like this can truly leave a person wounded. It is hard to say if Teo was really duped or if he was just trying to make the news but either way this new meme will bring attention to the dangers of internet dating.

Do you have a “Teoing” meme? If so please share in the comments section!

We Should Still Livestrong!

I have been listening to all the radio hype about the Lance Armstrong situation and I really have to say I am torn. Yes, I agree he is a fraud and should never be seriously looked at as a serious athlete again. Regardless of the fact that he was not the only player doping the way he handled it was less than commendable. For years he lied and even ruined people’s careers in order to keep his lie in tact. He was a selfish bully only looking to better himself and his own athletic achievements. In that I can agree with the radio.

However, the other part of Lance Armstrong is what has me torn. Lance Armstrong created an amazing foundation that gave hope to so many cancer survivors, Livestrong. With all the negative energy surrounding this athletic fraud, the foundation is sure to suffer. Jeff Tomczek at the Huffington post wrote, “I fully believe that founding the Livestrong organization was just another masked tool for feeding his ego and hiding his ugliness.” It is quotes like this that have me worried. Livestrong is a foundation that has helped so many people and just because there is an athletic episode going on does not mean this foundation should suffer.

The media needs to find a way to compartmentalize the two entities. Maybe even find a new face for Livestrong that will allow the foundation to thrive. So here is why I have turned to my bloggers. How many of you would still support this foundation knowing the athletic transgressions the founder has been through? If you would no longer support it, what would it take to get you behind the foundation again?

And She Updated Her Relationship Status to Single…

According to the Wall Street Journal, “More than a third of divorce filings last year contained the word Facebook, according to a survey by Divorce Online, a UK-based legal services firm. And over 80 percent of US divorce attorneys say they’ve seen a rise in the number of cases using social networking, according to the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers.”

This statistic is from 2011 and although I searched I could not find the statistic for 2012. However, I am quite confident that this number has not dropped- in fact I am confident the number has increased. Although I could allow this post to be another rant about how privacy is lost in our lives, I have decided against this. Instead I have compiled a list of the top ten ways I believe Facebook could have made it into the Divorce Filings:

10) He tended to his Farm and Mafia on Facebook more than he tended to his own family.

9) When I saw he was a level 50 in Cafe World on Facebook I assumed he was an amazing Chef, I found out he was only a fraud he can’t even cook a poptart!

8) He always tells me he is too busy to answer my calls or read my text messages yet Facebook tells me he is online and available to chat- clearly there is a disconnect.

7) I found out he was cheating on me- he used scrabble word finder when he played Words With Friends with me on Facebook.

6) Every time he told me he was working late , he “checked in” on Facebook at the local bar.

5) He “liked” every picture she posted on Facebook but said “she’s just a friend, oh baby you, you got what I need…” I digress…

4) He spammed my wall on Facebook with political posts yet when asked who Joe Biden is he stared at me blankly.

3) He stopped “poking” me on Facebook, this must mean he found a new poke buddy.

2) He always has zero messages in his Facebook inbox, clearly he is deleting them because he has something to hide, alternatively he has no messages because he has no friends, either way not the man for me.

1) He de-friended me and then blocked me on Facebook, I feel it is safe to say it’s over.

I hope these made you laugh at least a little. If you have some snarky ways Facebook could have made it into a Divorce filing please share in the comments!

 

My Hate Love Relationship with Jodi Foster

So I wake up this morning to articles staring me in the face about Jodi Foster’s “coming out” Golden Globe speech. I need to preface this post by saying that I have spent the better part of my movie watching life despising Jodi Foster. I do not really have a valid reason other than she just didn’t sit right with me. I always felt she thought a little too highly of herself and she really just wasn’t the fantastic actress everyone said she was. When I saw the headlines about her Golden Globe speech I rolled my eyes. I clicked away from the article time and time again today. However, the article kept resurfacing- eventually I had to read it and watch the speech.

Reluctant Reader

I have to say this speech really gave me a new appreciation for Jodi Foster. I want to be clear this was NOT a coming out speech. Honestly, anyone who knows anything about Jodi Foster knows her sexual orientation. This was in no way news- nor was it the focus of her speech. Rather, her speech was about the value of privacy in our lives as well as the lives of people like her who spend their days in the lime light. I really think she said it the best when she said, “If you had been a public figure from the time that you were a toddler, if you’d had to fight for a life that felt real and honest and normal against all odds, then maybe you, too, might value privacy above all else.”

Jodi Foster speaks at Golden Globes

The thing is the media does not understand what it is like to be in the lime light your entire lives. All the press cares about is making another dollar by selling that juicy story. But, celebrities are people as well. Regardless of the fact that they make their living by being public figures they too have a right to privacy. I think the “information age’s” disgusting obsession with knowing everything about celebrities is repulsive. Instead of respecting them as humans we treat them as slaves who are paid to entertain us. No regard is given to their happiness and the trouble it may cause them to air their private lives.

Disgusting!

After listening to that speech I really need to ask that we take a step back from the lives of celebrities. Lets give people like Jodi Foster a little space to breathe. Maybe instead of picking up that tabloid we can read a good novel. Each person that makes an effort to respect their privacy helps out just a little. Maybe one day they will be able to walk out of their house without being attacked by a thousand cameras and microphones treating them like a monkey they can watch doing tricks.

Casting my book!

One thing I have not mentioned on here is the book I am struggling to write. For awhile I had serious motivation to write this book and make some serious progress. However, life got in the way and the book has taken a back seat. Surfing blogs the last couple weeks I noticed that a lot of people had presented lists of their characters and who they would be “cast” as. I thought this might be a good way to get my head back in the book and make some more progress. I only want to introduce a few characters right now but I am hoping this will be a good motivator:

Jess: She is my main character, the book is told through her point of view. She is a journalist covering plenty of local stories. The plot thickens when a murder happens in town and Jess has an invested interest in pursing the murderer. Jess is strong, defiant, confident, manipulative and cold. She is a loner and has very few personal contacts. If I were to cast Jess this is a the girl I would chose:

The eyes could cut through anyone and you can tell this girl knows how to get what she wants.

Jason: This guy is the other main character in the book. This guy is a perfect mental match for Jess. The manipulative games she plays he plays right back. He is slick, smart, manipulative, coy and cunning. He seems like just your average guy on the outside but really he is so much more:

I cannot picture anyone else playing Jason. Sawyer from Lost has the boy next store look but the facial expressions to show that there is so much more going on.

 

Randy: Jess’s only friend. The boy who tries to win Jess’s heart again and again but is really only used as her confidant. The man she turns to when things go wrong. The man who she uses to get leverage in difficult situations. He is soft, impressionable, loving, caring, weak, and doe eyed in love.

Joseph- Gordon Levitt has the innocent face that this character needs. However, I chose him because this actor also has the ability to have a strong side when the situation calls for it. Randy will need to step up for Jess and become more than the innocent doe eyed friend she counts.

 

There are of course many more characters I would love to share but I am not ready to give anything away from the plot. This however has gotten my mind turning about the characters and hopefully will allow some progress.

So, bloggers have any of you cast the characters of your books? Who would you have as your main character and why?

Dunkaroos Have Returned!

In basically every “You know you are a 90′s kid if…” list you find the infamous dunkaroo snack. There is no explaining why these graham crackers dipped in a cake frosting substance captured our 12 year old hearts but they certainly did. If I opened my lunch to find one of these amazing snacks my whole day would be just a little brighter.

Sadly, I have been unable to find these snacks in the last few years. Doing some internet research I find that they are still sold in select stores but they have yet to cross my path. Desperate for a dunkaroo fix to bring me back to my childhood years I went to Pinterest. Low and Behold a recipe awaited me to make this fantastic snack right at home. And whats better? Its only three ingredients!

Find the original post here: http://leemeandthegirls.blogspot.com/2011/09/embracin-camera-and-it-tastes-like-cake.html

This recipe didnt give exact portions for a large batch so it was kind of a trial and error type thing. We started with the three ingredients lined up and ready to go:

All three ingredients!

Then we put them all together in a bowl and mixed them up:

Mixing Stage 1

After we stirred for a bit with a spoon we decided the consistency just wasn’t quite right. The main site gave little direction for this so we decided to try blending the ingredients:

This did the trick! The dip worked out just perfectly! Brought me right back to my days in grade school. The last thing to figure out was what to dip in it. After some debate we settled on Honey Flavored Teddy Grahams

Yum!

And there you have it! A quick and easy snack the whole family will love!

So bloggers is there a snack from your childhood you would like to re-create?