Weekly Favorites #19

1) The Moth is an acclaimed not-for-profit organization dedicated to the art and craft of storytelling.
Since its launch in 1997, The Moth has presented thousands of stories, told live and without notes, to standing-room-only crowds worldwide.

Moth shows are renowned for the great range of human experience they showcase. Each show starts with a theme, and the storytellers explore it, often in unexpected ways. Since each story is true and every voice authentic, the shows dance between documentary and theater, creating a unique, intimate, and often enlightening experience for the audience. The organization produces a podcast. There is a new episode up every week in iTunes or you can visit the website.

2)Love Hunter Hayes. Love this song. This video is cute and all I have to say is I will be your somebody Hunter.

Get More: 

Everybody's Got Somebody but Me (Featuring Jason Mraz), Hunter Hayes, Hunter Hayes Videos

3) I am loving Nashville on ABC. The music and talent is always great including Lennon and Maisy.


This Shadow Performance Group on Britain's Got Talent

Deal Breaker

Last weekend I went out on a blind date. This guy I went out with seemed like a decent normal guy. He was nice, articulate, he likes to read. Then during dinner, I find out that he doesn't like pumpkin pie. What! Who doesn't like pumpkin pie? That is so not normal!
That might be a deal breaker.

I am not very demanding when it comes to dates or choosing friends to spend with but these are the things that will help guys earn points with me.

First, be respectful. Don't talk about yourself the whole night and open doors for me. It's very much appreciated.

Hygiene. Shower everyday but don't overdo it on the cologne. Don't belch and do other gross things.

Be positive. Give a sincere compliment, and don't complain about everything going on in your life. Negativity is a turn off.

Eat Sugar. I don't think I could ever hang out with somebody who doesn't eat cookies and ice cream.

Be Goofy. I think its cute when guys can bust out a song and have fun singing at the top of their lungs. Even when they're not the best singer.

Read. I respect somebody who always has a book they are working through. That usually means they have a decent vocabulary.

Country music. Guys have to enjoy country music and be okay with me talking about how much I love Hunter Hayes.
On a similar note, the guy I date should be willing to go see a Michael Buble concert if I ask him.

What are your deal breakers?

Favorites of the Week #18

Boy Meets World. This is my all time favorite show. While I am still nervous about the upcoming spin-off I am still very excited about it. That excitement grew after I saw that the show was featured in Entertainment Weekly’s Reunion Special coming out this week!

Here's another reunion video from Entertainment Weekly

Kelly Clarkson is releasing a Christmas album. The festive album will include both original songs as well as popular covers, such as "White Christmas" and "Baby, It's Cold Outside." "Wrapped In Red" will be released on Oct. 29. She released one of the originals this week. Underneath the Tree.

Pretzel M&Ms-So good!

The movie Captain Phillips. The true story of Captain Richard Phillips and the 2009 hijacking by Somali pirates of the US-flagged MV Maersk Alabama, the first American cargo ship to be hijacked in two hundred years. The end scene in this movie was so great, and I think Tom Hanks might be considered for an Oscar. 

                                                                                                                                                    This Made Me Chuckle.

On Being Stupid.

The word stupid has several, slightly different meanings

1. Slow to learn or understand;

2. Tending to make poor decisions or careless

I wouldn’t call myself a stupid person but because I live in a fairly safe neighborhood I am a naturally trusting person. I always lock my car wherever I park, but I don’t mind walking at night by myself or, say going to a movie theatre alone. After one particularly frightening experience at the movies, this is something I am trying to be better about.

This was in spring of 2011. I had just graduated from BYU (Brigham Young University), and I was not taking classes at the time. It was during finals week and my roommates were busy preparing for tests. I had gone to the track to jog after work. When I got home from working out I decided since my roommates were at the library studying I decided I would go see a movie. I had wanted to see Source Code. I went in my work out clothes, all gross and disgusting.  After I arrived at the theatre and bought my ticket I realized I had arrived a little bit early and my movie was not seating people for another 10 minutes.  Because I had no other choice, I hung out in the lobby watching previews. While I was waiting, this guy who is a probably 6 years older than I am starts making small talk and chatting me up. I could tell he was at least a little interested. This might sound conceited but you have to understand that this never happens to me, so I felt uncomfortable in the first place. Secondly, this guy was not very attractive and the conversation grew awkward. This was probably because I really wanted to be left alone.

So then this guy, asks me what movie I am seeing and if I am waiting for any of my friends. This is when lying comes in handy. I was thrown off guard so I just answered honestly. I told him I was waiting to see Source Code and that I wasn’t waiting for anybody. Stupid moment, and not one of my finest. I should have known better. Then he tells me that he was seeing the same movie and wanted to know if we could sit together. Geeze. I know he was lying because when I said that would be fine, he excused himself and went and bought his movie ticket. How weird is that. It was like he was hunting for someone to sit with before he decided what movie to watch. Maybe I am reading too much into that? I don’t know, but he was just hanging out in the lobby.

Then we sit by each other and he keeps trying to make awkward small talk during the previews. And I love watching previews. He kept asking me if he was making uncomfortable, which got old very fast. He asked me that at least 5 times. I guess maybe I sit awkwardly in the theatre chairs. I don’t know. Then, near the beginning of the movie, he leans over and tells me that I smell good. Creeper! Who does that? I asked him what I smelled like because I literally had just come from the gym. In reality I probably smelled sweaty and gross.

During the movie I actually felt this guy’s pinky touch my hand like he was trying to hold my hand. I’m trying not to accuse but it was all so strange.

Also during the movie, he actually left to go to the bathroom and I felt so off, and maybe a little worried for my own well being, that I almost considered moving seats so he couldn't find me. But I didn't. 

So, after the movie I didn't want the guy following me to my car so I told him it was nice to meet him, and I bolted out of the theater before he could get out of his seat. 

Puppy Love

If you ask my friends and family I love dogs.  If I was going to get a pet, I would definitely buy a dog.  Dogs are usually friendly, they are so excited to see you and play with you, and they make great exercise partners.  Plus, When I finally get my own dog it will probably be my best friend.

I have discovered my two new favorite breeds of dog. They are mixed breeds but are my favorite because they are so darn cute. Just Look at those faces!!

First, the puggle (a mix between a beagle and a pug)

Pomsky (mix between a Pomeranian and a husky). 

Weekly Picks #17

This healthy Sweet Green Smoothie

6 oz. fat-free plain Greek yogurt

1-2 cups baby spinach

1 very ripe pear (peeled and cored)

15 grapes

2 Tbsp avocado.

1 Tbsp lime juice

I am LDS and last weekend we had a worldwide general conference. 

Our prophet and other church leaders spoke to members all across the world. You can read or watch the messages at this website.

The Glee tribute to Cory Monteith. Good bye Finn. I cried big time but at least I know I’m not a robot.

Luscious Liquid Lipstick by E.L.F

This is not only a bargain at $1. It’s not really lipstick but lip gloss. It has great coverage, makes your lips soft, and comes in fun colors.

I have always loved this song  Hey Juliet by LMNT. I just recently learned LMNT is pronounced element.  Who knew?

Book Club-Where'd You Go, Bernadette

Bernadette Fox is notorious. To her Microsoft-guru husband, she's a fearlessly opinionated partner; to fellow private-school mothers in Seattle, she's a disgrace; to design mavens, she's a revolutionary architect, and to 15-year-old Bee, she is a best friend and, simply, Mom.

Then Bernadette disappears. It began when Bee aced her report card and claimed her promised reward: a family trip to Antarctica. But Bernadette's intensifying allergy to Seattle--and people in general--has made her so agoraphobic that a virtual assistant in India now runs her most basic errands. A trip to the end of the earth is problematic.

While the book is not perfect, as a whole it is very engaging.  I really enjoyed it. There is funny dialogue, meaningful moments, and incidents that can only be described as awesome but absurd. Kindergarten program anybody?  The characters all have qualities that border on crazy but that you can completely relate to. With all of the mothers in the neighborhood you start to think, I totally know somebody like that.

The majority of the book is a compilation of letters, emails, and E.R. bills, F.B.I documents.  A small part of it is narrated by Bee (can I just say again that I love how Bee’s greatest aspiration is to go to Antarctica). This type of writing would normally  have me worried but I realized it has a lot of strengths. The format allows for a lot of character development. You get to hear the innermost thoughts of these characters, how they feel about each other, and how they interact with one another. And, Maria Semple is a talented writer. She is very adept at giving each individual character a distinct voice. (Just for your Gee Whiz file, she used to be a t.v. writer. She wrote for a little show you might have heard of-Arrested Development). I really enjoy when you hear a character, and you don’t have to rely as much on physical descriptions to bring them to life.

Burnadette might have issues to deal with but she is very funny and my favorite character in the whole book.

“Americans are pushy, obnoxious, neurotic, crass - anything and everything - the full catastrophe as our friend Zorba might say. Canadians are none of that. The way you might fear a cow sitting down in the middle of the street during rush hour, that's how I fear Canadians. To Canadians, everyone is equal. Joni Mitchell is interchangeable with a secretary at open-mic night. Frank Gehry is no greater than a hack pumping out McMansions on AutoCAD. John Candy is no funnier than Uncle Lou when he gets a couple of beers in him. No wonder the only Canadians anyone's ever heard of are the ones who have gotten the hell out. Anyone with talent who stayed would be flattened under an avalanche of equality. The thing Canadians don't understand is that some people are extraordinary and should be treated as such.” 

This book is a quick, easy read. And it’s full words of wisdom. Go pick it up and read. Let me know what you think.

You’re bored. And I’m going to let you in on a little secret about life. You think it’s boring now? Well, it only gets more boring. The sooner you learn it’s ON YOU to make life interesting, the better off you’ll be.”