Sick = Update

Hi everyone!

It's funny how being bedridden makes you appreciate having a laptop. I got this insane cold on Christmas night (so, after most of the festivities, thank goodness). I can hardly breathe! I'm one big blob of mucus and gross. It's not fun. And I don't like using sick days at work either. Boo.

But I've been able to do some reading and I'm finally updating my blog! (Which is a convenient way to communicate when your voice has been gone for three days.)

Like I said, I've been doing more reading. I'm not reading quite as fast as I was earlier because life has gotten pretty busy. Mostly because they made me the Relief Society President in the Singles Branch. At first I thought that this was going to be better (one big calling is better than 3 big callings right? - I had been serving in the RS presidency, as well as being FHE mom and on the Activities Committee before) but I was wrong. I love Relief Society, a lot actually. It's probably one of my favorite things about the Church. But being the president is SO much harder than I thought it would be. The branch president has told me a few times that I need to be less hard on myself and that I don't have to take so much on... but then he'll turn around and say things like "you are going to work miracles for the girls in the branch" or "there are a lot of changes that need to take place in the Branch, and the Relief Society is where those are going to have to start." So I don't know how to not stress out about it. 

For those of you who are interested in my dating life - I'm sorry to say that there is so little going on in that department that I have almost forgotten about it. The last time I was asked out on a date was way back in March. So it's been a while. I don't see a lot of hope for the future either. There's a new guy in the branch, and I feel bad for him. He's pretty good looking and every girl from 18 - 32 has decided that they want to marry him. So the poor guy has no idea what he's in for. (The backbiting has already begun among some of the girls... it's pathetic.) And yet a secret part of me hopes that he'll look my way. Sigh... 

As with absolutely everything in my life these days, all I can say is: I guess we'll just wait and see how it turns out. 

Another Book

In case you are wondering, here's what I ended up doing about giving Meghan's book back:

I read the other book she lent me and gave them back at the same time. I really did like the second book (which I will get into in a minute) so it wasn't hard to talk about how much I liked it and kinda brush over the first book completely.

The other book she gave me was Sundays at Tiffany's by James Patterson. I have never actually read any of his other books, but even I can tell you that this one is not his normal fare. He's more thriller/mystery and this was more feel good romance - with a twist. But I really enjoyed it.

I'll give you a brief synopsis without actually ruining it. Basically it's the story of a girl who has an imaginary friend when she's 8. He's pretty much the perfect man: he's a great listener, he tells her she's beautiful, and gives her the support that she's lacking in the parent arena. But, according to Imaginary Friend rules, he has to leave her when she turn 9. Then, 20+ years later, she runs into him.

This story was really intriguing to me. It's based on the idea that these friends actually do exist and are simply invisible to those who aren't supposed to see them. They go around from kid to kid helping them learn about themselves and the world around them. It shows a little of what they do when they are between kids. It was fun to read and not too heavy on the content so I was able to read it in one sitting.

The things I didn't like were minor. The ending felt a little hap hazard. Almost like the author hadn't made up his mind on how it was going to end until the last 4 or 5 pages. But he's a mystery writer, I guess he was just trying to keep the reader on his toes. And of course there was a page or two that I skipped completely because of the content. But you see it coming a mile away, so it's easy to avoid.

Overall, a fun read. And I'm glad that Meghan lent it to me. (It's now being passed around the office. I think Jillian is reading it next.) And not only because I got to use it as a cover for the other book that I never actually got more than about 60 pages into. :)

My next book will be: The Help by Kathryn Stockett

BOOKS

Recently I decided that I wanted to read good books. I’ve always been a reader. It’s in my blood. But I felt like I wasn’t reading anything that was really making me grow or learn. I was reading fluffy fun books that didn’t have much more value than pure entertainment. Don’t get me wrong, there is always a place for that in life, but I want to be a better person after I read.

So I immediately thought of my friend Melissa. She has a degree in English Lit and has read everything. Her blog often consists of book reviews as she constantly reads. I went there first, and decided to read everything that she recommended. I sent her an email and told her that I wanted her to educate me on excellent literature.  She sent me a list of over 100 books that I had to read. I’d already read some, but the list is still significant.

I’d love to use this blog as a way to express my thoughts about some of these books as I read them. Here’s what I’ve read since beginning my quest to “be well read” as Mel would say.

Killer Angels

I have always loved Gettysburg PA. Since moving to the East Coast with my family more than 10 years ago we have been to many of the American History sites. But none has moved me quite as much as that battlefield. There is a spirit of sacrifice and dedication and peace that pervades the area. And since it’s not like most tourist sites (it’s acres of land, not a building or monument) it’s a lot easier to be alone and soak in all in.

Killer Angels by Michael Shaara is a fantastic book. It is the story of the battle of Gettysburg told through multiple voices. I love it because it treats both sides fairly. We were all Americans just trying to do what was right, and Killer Angels depicts that. No one who fought that day was perfect, but it’s wonderful to see how good a lot of them were. It taught me to see them as people instead of stories or history test fodder. I highly recommend it. I couldn’t put it down, even though I knew how it was going to end.

Also, the movie Gettysburg is an adaptation of this book and is likewise quite excellent. (If you have 3 hours to dedicate to it.)

The Hunger Games (Series)

I don’t even know where to start. I guess I’ll start at the beginning.

I first heard of this book in a class at BYU. It was a class about adolescents and we had to read a book written for an adolescent audience and then do a book report about it. There were a lot of people who read The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins and they all really loved it. I was intrigued. So when Mel also recommended it I decided to see what all the hype was about. Plus the third and final book in the series had just come out the day before and I got the boxed set pretty cheap.

The Hunger games – book one

I agreed with everyone. This book was amazing. It was very graphic and potent and had some very vivid visuals (and I’m not a very visual person in general). Again, I couldn’t put it down. There was danger and excitement on every page as well as some good insights into what it means to be human. There was also very little resolution at the end so I didn’t wait more than 20 seconds before I started the 2^nd one.

Catching Fire – book two

This book was also well written and had some of the same elements, but I felt it lacked the originality of the first. It honestly felt like she was trying to do the first book over again. I found myself getting annoyed with some of the characters instead of caring about them. But again, major cliff hanger, so I went right to the 3^rd even though it was about 3 in the morning.

Mockingjay – book three

This book was not great. If I read it by itself I might have had a higher opinion of it, but I couldn’t help comparing it to the other two and feeling disappointed. I felt like the whole feel of the series had changed and I honestly stopped caring by the end. Even less than caring, I was mad and confused and just wanted to throw the book across the room.

When my sister asked me what these books were about I summed it up by saying it was like Twilight meets The Lord of the Flies. That sounds crazy, but I think if you’ve read it you’ll know what I mean.

The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton

This was a major shift in genre from Hunger Games and it took me a few days to really get into the swing of it, but then I was hooked. It’s the story of the wealthy families in New York in 1860. I found it really interesting to think about all of the social class things happening in the US. I have always associated dinner parties and servants and evenings at the theater with England and Austen. When I think of those years in American history I'm usually thinking about the Civil War and about how everyday people lived in the country. I guess I just hadn't ever thought about people who lived like Englishmen in New York. But that that was part of the story. How those older traditions were starting to fall apart, and how the world was changing around them. The question that the characters ask themselves is whether or not this change is good or bad. Brilliant book.

The Red Tent by Anita Diamant

This is the story of Dinah the daughter of Jacob and Leah from the Old Testament. It is obviously fictionalized and filled in since there’s only about 35 verses about her in the Bible. Here’s what I wrote to Mel shortly after finishing it:

So. The Red Tent.

There were things that I really liked about it, and some things that I really didn't like about it. First the likes: I didn't want to put it down. I got really caught up in the story. Also, I found myself wishing for the sisterhood and for the matriarchal line that was so much a part of their lives. Especially at the end when she's dying and she sees all the women who were influential in her life. I really wish that Womanhood was more celebrated in our culture. I liked the whole idea of women telling the stories of the women from generation to generation. I also really liked seeing Leah's side of the story. When I read the old testament account of Jacob, I always felt bad for Rachel. This made me realize that Leah was a real person too, and made me think about how she must have felt about the whole thing. It was shocking but good to remember how freaking young they all were.

What I didn't like was how graphic it was. I know that it was realistic, but I felt uncomfortable with some of the details that were given. I was also troubled by how un-religious it was. I wanted Jacob's wives to support him in his faith, but instead the author seemed to show all faith (whatever God you were worshiping) as important only as a tradition, without any real power. I had to separate the Bible story from it completely in order to enjoy it. Once I thought of them as simply fictional characters it was easier to like them, because I wasn't expecting anything from them.

I had very mixed feelings when it ended. I still do. But I'm still thinking about it, which in and of itself is a good thing. It wasn't forgettable that's for sure. I don't think I'll recommend it to just anyone, but  I am glad that I read it.

The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd

I LOVED this book. There were a lot of themes addressed and there’s no way I can get into all of them, but  I loved Lily because she really learned to forgive and rely on herself and a higher power to make her life better than the situation she was given. And again, like what I enjoyed about Red Tent, I loved the portrayal of sisterhood and the power that women have to build each other up. I’m a strong believer in the fact that women will always need other women in their lives.

Vanishing Acts by Jodi Picoult

This one was not on my list from Melissa. I was talking about how much I love to read with a coworker of mine and she evidently reads a ton too. So I told her I’d lend her The Secret Life of Bees and she gave me this book. Jodi Picoult wrote My Sister’s Keeper which they made a movie of recently, but I’d never seen it or read the book. But Meghan recommended it so I thought I’d give it a try.

Now I have a dilemma. How do you give a book back to a friend and say “oh, I couldn’t get into it. I tried  probably 10 times to read it and I got about 4 chapters in, but couldn’t make it further than that.” Especially after she just loved the book you recommended to her.

Any suggestions? I feel bad starting something else before I give her book back, but I also haven’t really read anything for a while now because I don’t want to read that one. So I need to just move on I guess. But what do I say to Meghan?

I’ll try to keep you updated on my progress through The List. I am also crazy busy with a million other things in my life and I will blog about that later this week. :)

Just a note

I just want to write a brief note telling you all that I promise to Blog this week. I have a bunch of things I want to say, so I've decided to take some time this week and get it all actually out there. You all have permission to yell at me if I don't follow through.

Love,

Me....

Another Confession

I am completely addicted to this Telenovela. I'm ashamed to admit that it started on my mission. I saw bits and pieces of it in Ecuador (it was re-running there) and was always slightly curious. I got home and watched what I could find, but that wasn't much. Well, I'm not exactly sure how I found it again last week, but I started at the beginning and am slowly but surely devouring every episode.

It's just as horrible as the stereotype. You think american soaps are bad... they've got nothing on Telenovelas. But I can't stop! I know they end up together, because it's obvious, but I have to find out how! How is she going to forgive him? Will she ever tell him that Frijolito is his son? What about his fiance and her evil (seriously evil) mother? Will they ruin everyone's lives? Can Francisco get over his wife? Will Dulce and Daniela ever get along? What if Margarita marries Francisco instead of Ignacio?! Will Don Pedro and Angelica ever love each other? And then there's little Frijolito. He's so freaking CUTE!

The one upside is: I'm speaking Spanish by accident again.

I have a lot of other things to say (mostly about books), but I'm still trying to figure out what to say exactly. That's why I haven't written for so long: I'm trying to be profound. ...not that this post shows much of that. :)

What's new?

So I haven't blogged for a while. My bad.

Guess what! I'm finally writing! I actually have a number of things to say, so I guess it's about time I wrote.

First off, I need to mention Michigan. A Couple of weeks ago I drove with my whole family up to Detroit to visit some old family friends. Their oldest daughter, one of my very bestest friends, Jessica Ellison, was going to the temple for the first time and she'd asked me to be there. So we went. It was a wonderful experience. The temple is such a blessing and it was one of the best moments of my life to share that time with someone I love so much.

Next: I got a job! I'll be working in the Annual Renewals department of The Corporation Service Company! "Wait" you say, "didn't you want to go into Social Work?" Well, yes I did, and do, but the ultimate goal for right now is to earn enough money to be able to pay off some debt and afford to move out of my parents' house. Grad School will come later. Until then I figure I'll take whatever job will hire me. Especially because it's a company I'm already really comfortable with, they have a great benefits package, I can carpool to work with my dad, and as I get to know more about my Singles Branch it turns out half of them work there too. (Something to do with the Branch President being the CEO...) I'll be starting on Monday. I'm really really happy to finally be getting a paycheck.

In other news, living at home just got harder. I knew that it was going to be difficult to try to maintain any kind of independence while living here. But I was beginning to make it work. Well, it's a long story, but there is a family from our ward who has run into some very very hard times. They are moving in with us. Which means that there is no longer room in the house for me to have my own room. Victoria is moving into my room... or moving back into her room... however you want to look at it. And as much as I love Tia... it's going to be a trial for us both. But we're already talking it through and I think we'll live. The real trick is getting all of her stuff and all my stuff into the smallest bedroom in the house. Wish us luck.

And I have a confession to make: I actually decided to blog today because I ran across this video. Since I started this blog as an assignment for a class on Media, I still have that in mind. I laughed so hard when I saw this I knew I had to share it. If you haven't seen the commercial that this is a parody of, it's in one of my older posts.



Oh, the number of times I have pushed myself around on those carts... working at the HBLL was the greatest thing ever! And this guy is absolutely hilarious (he's a member of BYU's Standup comedy group HumorU).




I'm also really really excited these days because I'm making plans with some of my old roommates to get together in a couple of months. It gets hard to see each other when you all live in different states, but we are bound and determined to make it work! (PS, I'm seriously down for London 2012, by the way.) We're gonna party it up like it was 2006. Back when no one had gone on missions, or was married, or had children... crazy what can happen in 4 short years isn't it?

Plans

Someone told me once that if you want to make God laugh all you have to do is make a plan. It seems that it's true. I had my own plan for how the next year or so of my life was going to go, but then the Lord stepped in and made some changes.

I'm currently living at home again (yikes!) and trying to find a job. This was part of my original plan, but the timing has changed. And now I'm not sure about what will happen in the nest year or two. It's kinda exciting. And kinda terrifying. (I guess that means I'm excited and scared.) But I have faith that I'll learn something from the whole experience. (As in, I'll know things now, many valuable things, that I hadn't known before.)

In other news: Victoria and I are going to see Into the Woods tonight. Her High School is putting it on. I'm pretty excited (and NOT scared) because Cab always does a really good job with their productions.

Memorial

Today I feel very grateful for the Spirit that good music can bring to an emotional time.

We had a memorial service for my uncle today. He passed away last week and it has been a very difficult time for my family. But my dad was able to fly into town and spend a day or two with us and that was nice. My dad also has a wonderful voice and it was such a blessing to hear him sing. His voice has comforted me since I was born, and today was just the same. He sang This Is The Christ. He was really worried about it before hand because he didn't feel well prepared but it was amazing. I felt the Spirit very strongly.

I am very grateful for my knowledge of the Plan of Salvation. I know that my family can be together forever -- even when we have been separated in this life. I am grateful for the fact that the Lord has a plan for our lives and that we can have faith in that when things get hard. I know that He took my uncle Karl at this time because it will be a turning point in my family. I know that Karl will be working to help heal the rifts that have been causing pain for so many years.

I am grateful for a family full of faithful priesthood holders who are able to bless and testify. Thank you Scott, Brian, Kent, John and Daddy. You are all brilliant examples of what men should be. I am grateful for the most amazing grandparents who have ever lived. They have changed my life forever. I am grateful for parents who have taught me the gospel and how to always see the best and give the benefit of the doubt to everyone. I love you. 

Thanks.

Great Movie

Everyone should go see this movie. It was really good. And totally worth seeing in 3D.

The End.

General Conference

I have watched or listened to every session of conference for as long as I can remember. But even though I've been living in Utah for the last 6 years, I have never actually been to the conference center for a session. But I am SO excited because I finally got tickets! For my last few months in Utah I get to go to conference. Yay!

That's all.

Festival of Colors

Since there was music at this event, I'll say that it counts as media.

This was the first year that I attended this crazy party. I've heard about it for a few years now, because it's kinda the thing to do here in Provo. I had no idea how fun it would be. It was CRAZY!!! And so great! I don't have my own pictures yet (gotta wait for some of my friends to put them up on facebook - another great media tool) but here's a video from today so you can get an idea of what goes on if you've never been.  (Yes, I was there in this video. No, you can't see me.)

Adds

I know, I know... I've totally been on a video kick with my posts lately. But it's usually a video that catches my attention and makes me think about blogging.

This is another add that made me laugh out loud. It is also a comentary on commercials in general. Why do thay do all these totally rediculous things? But we are just so used to it, we don't think about what they are trying to convince us of.



It's a good point.

Que Vida la Mia

This is my favorite song, and I thought I'd share it. Yes, it's in Spanish, but it's just so CUTE! One thing I learned to love on my mission was Latin Pop. No, I didn't listen to it while I was on my mission--well, I tried not to anyway, it's hard to avoid on the streets and in all the busses. But this is a song I discovered shortly after coming home. The group is Reik. (If you know Latin Pop, they also sing Noviembre Sin Ti.)

Enjoy!



Ok, I had a different video before, but it got taken down. This is the actual music video... it's a little strange. But the song is still good.

Little Lamb

I saw this video and it made me giggle. Since Easter is comming up, I figured it would be appropriate to post.




Who keeps a pet lamb? Totally cute, but not a really practical pet, I'm sure.

Guys who sing are sexy

I was watching American Idol last week and I was thinking about the sexual content (for the assignmnet). I really didn't see any actual content... just a few subtle references in the songs.

 

But as I watched I decided that guys who sings are a lot sexier than those who don't. It may just be personal oppinion, but I'd consider some of these guys sexual content. :O)

Greatest Clip EVER!

Everything's Amazing and Nobody's Happy

Some of you may have seen this, because I saw it in a SFL class. But I ran across it again and was again struck by how true it is. I think this is my new favorite clip. (I'd put the video in my post, but the embedding was disabled. Please still watch it!)

Jacob

Did anyone else switch teams after seeing this movie?

Just wondering.

Temple

I will admit that this post was inspired by Nicole's post yesterday.

I am a music person. I'm a firm believer in the fact that music can change the mood in a room faster than pretty much anything. I love dancing and music that makes me want to move is my favorite. But there are moments when I need to be still. I have found that sitting in the chappel while I wait for a temple session is the best place to prepare to be still. The music is quiet and peaceful, and there is just a spirit about the hymns that can't be found with other music.

I'm not married so I usually go to the temple by myself, but there have been a few times when I've gone with other people. I find it really difficult when these people want to talk, or whisper rather, while we wait - even when it's about gospel topics. For me that is the time to pray and begin asking the Lord for the answers that I'm seeking. Sometimes I look at the name that I'm doing the work for and try to imagine what life was like for them (it always says where they are from and when they were born). Or I'll just read the scriptures. I know that the music that is played there is a great help to the spirit that can be felt in the chappel.

Commercials

So, having just posted about liking Zune over iPod... I do have to say that this is amazing. I saw this commercial and I thought about our discussion in class about cell phones and if they are helping or hurting our families. This clearly shows that it helps communication. And the baby is really cute.



And since I'm posting commercials... I really hope you've all seen this. I haven't laughed this hard in a long time.

MP3

So, I don't have an iPod like everyone else in the world.  Nope. Amazing, I know. You may ask: How can I live without this essential tool of media? Well, the answer is simple:

I have a Zune.

What is a Zune? It's an MP3 player that is essentially Microsoft's answer to the iPod. I like it WAY better though. I had an iPod before my mission, but got a Zune when I got home because I wanted to try something different (plus my brother just RAVED about his). Well, my brother was right. There are some pretty sweet features. You can share music with nearby Zunes wirelessly. The format is just better, I think. And the touch pad is a billion times better than the clicky wheel thing.


Here's the thing that sold me though (simple as it may be): the earbuds. Apple's earbuds hurt and always fall out. The earbuds that come with the Zune are AMAZING! I can only compare them to scull candy earbuds, if you know what that is. And get this: They are magnetic so they stick together and don't get tangled!! Brilliant. And it comes with different size ear peices so you can get just the right fit. Yup, WAY better.

I know that there are a lot of loyal iPod people out there, and this is not about Microsoft vs. Apple... though... I am a PC. I'm just letting people know that there are options out there, and what I think of them.

The End.

Cinderella

Do you ever wish you had a fairy godmother?
Yesterday I was watching Cinderella with my... what do you call your cousin's kid? Anyway, she loves this movie and I remembered that I do to. As I watched it I found myself wishing that there was someone who could come and make all my problems go away. My problems are very different from Cinderella's, but I still feel like running out into the garden and crying on a bench under a weeping willow sometimes too.

But then it hit me: her fairy godmother only came to her after she had done absolutely everything in her power to solve the problem on her own. With the help of her friends she had not only done all the crazy housework that her step-family had given her, but she'd managed to have a pretty great dress. She did everything that was expected of her... and it still wasn't enough. And that is when the higher power intervened and the magic happened.

Well, we all have a higher power looking out for us. Who needs a fairy godmother when we have a Savior? Jesus Christ will come and make everything better when we put our trust in him. He expects us to do our part, but when that is not enough, he makes the magic happen. He may not turn a pumpkin into a carriage, but he can show us how to do it. And give us the love that we lack. He sends us friends who help us to do what we need and he sends us peace.

I am really grateful that I have a Savior who can help me when I'm crying and alone. He was once alone in a garden too.

50's sock hop

Last night I went to a Sock Hop that my ward put on. It was really really fun. But I had to stop and think about the difference between the music now and the music in the 50s. Dancing is very different in many ways, but also quite similar. I just thought it was interesting to compare the two. And it was a great dance.

The Seven Silly Eaters

This book is fantastic.

The Seven Silly Eaters is about a family where each kid will only eat one thing. As more and more kids are born the mom starts to go crazy because she can't keep up with all of their demands. It's a great story about family work and everybody doing their part. (I highly recomend it for anyone looking for good childrens' books.)

But the best thing about this book is the work done by the illustrator. The words are fairly simple, but the detail given to the story by the pictures is fantastic. Because of the pictures you know that the dad is very supportive, the kids get along pretty well, and that the mom wishes she could play her cello more. Plus it looks like a real house that they live in. (My sister loves this house so much that she's trying to convince her husband to let her build one just like it someday.)

Has anyone else read this book?

Faerie Tale Theatre

I remember watching these as a kid. I remember that my mom had taped them off TV and I used to watch them all the time. I haven't seen them for about... 17 years? Well, I just found them on DVD and I've been watching them. It's crazy how even though I can't remember anything about the plots (besides the basic fairy tales, of course) I can still remember a lot of the diologue. The nastalgia is overpowering.

The other funny thing is how much more I understand now. Watching as an adult I can catch some of the subtle meanings that I really didn't get as an 8 year old. It's also fun to see some of these actors now that I know who they are.

TiVo

I find that in general I have mixed feelings towards media. It is amazing some of the things that technology has made available to us. But, as wonderful as it is, it's a terrible temptation. I have recentlly begun to use a TiVo on a regular basis. It's great. I don't have to be a slave to the scheduling of the major networks. Now, however, I find that I actually watch a lot more TV than I used to. Before, I'd be making the choice between TV and other things. Now I can do both. Instead of missing episodes, I just watch them later when I'm trying to put off studying.

I guess that's the whole idea with studying media. It isn't good or bad in and of itself. It is what we do with it and our individual choices that make our media use good or bad.

Blogs

Today I was talking to my mom and we decided that she needed to start a blog. It makes me realize just how many people have blogs, because she wanted to call it something pretty obscure... and it was all taken.

I just thought that that was really interesting. Who knew that there were so many people blogging out there?

Confession

I have a terrible addiction: Books. They are really evil. I have a really hard time putting them down. It's a curse I picked up from my mother. She is an avid reader, and all 10 of her children have followed in her footsteps.

I smile when I think about the feuds that would arise when a new Harry Potter book would come out. My Mom would order the book to arrive on the day it was released. The only problem was that then we had exactly one copy of the book and about 7 people who all wanted to be the first to read it. Mom always won because she read the fastest, but after her it was a mad dash. There were usually 3 or 4 bookmarks in it at once. The trick was to hide the book if you had to put it down for some reason, that way no one else could pick it up and get a head of you. Sigh... good times.

Here's my current problem: I have so many text books that I need to be reading that I don't have time to read for pleasure. I thought I had found a remedy of sorts in audiobooks because then I can listen to a book while I do things like drive or do the dishes. But this then introduces a new problem. I still need to finish the chapter... or a couple of them... and I end up putting off the other things I need to do. So I guess it comes down to will power. Can I be stronger than the book?

Mythbusters

This is a fantastic show. It has everything you could possibly ask for: science, fire, urban legends, explosions, humor, mayhem... more explosions.

So yesterday there was a Mythbusters marathon on the discovery channel. I was amazed at how many hours went by without me even realizing it. I told myself that I was working on homework... ha. Right. I got about an hours worth of homework done in the 4+ hours I was sitting there. (I won't tell you how much +...)

So here's what I've learned: (1) your eyes will not come out of their sockets if you sneeze with them open, (2) climbing through air ducts is a really bad way to sneak around, (3) salami actually does works as rocket fuel, (4) you can sail a boat made of duct tape, (5) a sword cannot cut through the barrel of a gun, and (6) I need to do my homework with the TV turned off.

The O'Reilly Factor

So, this show is constantly on when my grandpa is home. My grandpa is not home right now, so I was hoping to get a break. No such luck. My brother-in-law is here and he loves the O'Reilly Factor...

This post is not about politics. I really don't care what he's saying. It's the way he's saying it that drives me up the wall. He claims his show is a "No Spin Zone" but he doesn't let anyone say anything that he doesn't agree with. Ever. He's completely antagonistic and insulting. I don't care where you stand on the political issues. This guy is annoying.

I'm just sayin'...

Grandparents' TV

So this semester I am living with my grandparents. This has changed a lot of things about what my daily routine looks like. It will be interesting to see how my media usage changes.

One thing that I have noticed right away is how much TV I'm watching. I don't just turn on the TV when I get bored. My grandparents have WAY more channels than I'd ever be able to flip though, so I've only watched TV when there is something very specific that I want to watch.

On the other hand, the TV is on a lot more than I am used to because my grandpa spends a couple of hours every day watching Fox News. He'll watch it while grandma and I put dinner on. Then instead of turning it off when we he comes in to eat, he turns it up so that he can hear it from the kitchen. I have noticed a marked difference between those meals and the ones where we can all have some good conversation. But then, if you had a 52" TV that looked like this, you'd want it on all the time too.

The Beginning

So, I've been thinking about starting a blog for a while now. I kinda always felt that my life was not nearly exciting enough to blog about, but I wanted to do it anyway.

Well, my chance has come! I'm taking a class this semester called: Media, Family and Human Development. One of the assignments is to create a blog and start talking about the media that I consume. So, for the next 4 months I'll be talking about media mostly, but I'll keep the blog afterwards and just talk about my life.

And that's the beginning.