Saturday, February 27, 2010

Lip Rings and Kissing

A guy got on the bus the other day, with scraggly hair and over-sized jeans, and I thought nothing of it. Apparently I see that look enough in my flings with public transit that it just doesn't faze me anymore. That was until I saw his lip-ring. He succeeded in a slightly longer gaze from me than I allow my typical fellow passengers. (Let it be known, a longer gaze from me is usually ominous and means I'm even less impressed than usual. A good look from me is the flittering of my eyes to you over and over again, wanting to make eye contact but not wanting to at the same time. Though these definitions are not always 100% accurate).

This young man had gotten on with a similarly scraggly-looking young woman, and the first thought that popped into my head was, "gross, how could you enjoy kissing someone with a lip ring?!" I have no idea if the two were even a couple, but I felt bad for her anyway. I'm not a fan of piercings on guys, or on girls when it's more than the simple ear piercing, so I'm usually turned off by that regardless, but I've decided the lip ring is the biggest offender to me. That and the nipple piercing - there's just something that screams ego to me about that piercing. It's like, "I spent money to have a reason to remove my shirt and show off my amazing pectorals. You wanna look?" that just gags me.

But the lip ring is a heinous crime against relationships. If I was dating someone and he got a lip ring, I'd feel rightful cause in dumping him right then. Not just because I finally realized I'm dating an idiot, but because it shows lack of feeling and thought of me. How dare he think I'd enjoy kissing him at the end of the night when I'd have to deal with a cold piece of metal on my lips. Especially in the winter, how rude! No, I refuse to put up with that. Go ahead, call me picky, call me unsensitive, call me shallow - you'd be wrong. I just refuse to let a piece of steel ruin perfectly good kissing. Not to mention they're just plain ugly.

Sunday, February 21, 2010

Casual Monday

The guys I work for are in San Diego Monday and Tuesday this week, and you know what that means...I get to wear jeans to work, guilt-free! It's the little things that make me happy :). I don't get to say this often, so I jump on any occasion I can - I'm not too annoyed about having to go to work tomorrow. I can think of tons of things I'd rather be doing, sure, but work won't be too bad. It's not as low on my list as usual, which is definitely something to celebrate!

Oh, and the cookies were great on Friday! Success is mine!

Friday, February 19, 2010

Sugar Cookie Takeover

I just made 60+ sugar cookies. Yup, at least five dozens of cookies - mixed, cut, and baked.

That is a lot of cookies. It's for a Relief Society activity tomorrow night, for church, and there are about 5 of us who were going to make a batch of sugar cookies each, cut as hearts to match our theme, "A Heart Like His." We are planning for roughly 60 girls, give or take roughly 60, so 5 girls making a batch each seems about right, right?

I forget that a batch is usually more than just 12 cookies (which would be fine if our estimate gives more than takes). And I said I'd make a double batch, so one of the other girls could focus on preparing the dinner for the activity. My double batch turned into a sort of almost triple batch because I accidentally forgot to shave off two ounces of my 8 oz block of cream cheese (you need 3 oz per batch), so I tried to figure out what 2/3 of a batch would call for. It didn't work out great, but I think I pulled it off, somehow. The batter was definitely overflowing out of the mixer.

My biggest problem with sugar cookies is that when I make them, I don't know if they taste good or not! Homemade sugar cookies lack flavor to me in general (what do they do to make them delicious in stores?!), so I don't know if these are any good! I'm optimistic that my 5 dozens of cookies will work out - if anything, they should be alright smothered in tasty frosting!

Wish me and my 63 cookies luck. Let's hope the activity tomorrow goes a little smoother than my cookie making skills...

Monday, February 15, 2010

Running for Spring

So I went running with a friend tonight - it was the first time we've been running since, oh, probably October/November. It's now February. I hate running when it's cold, so I never go in the winter. Today was around 45 degrees, rainy. I woke up feeling like it would be a good day for running. Maybe it's the Olympics, but I had the urge to feel like an athlete again.

I didn't so much feel like an athlete by the end...more like a girl who's not the young high school cross-country and track runner anymore. But I did feel a lot better than I expected to. It wasn't quite effortless, but it felt really good. Maybe because we walked enough, and running with a friend, swapping gossip, always makes it easier.

But really the best part about it was that I felt Spring must be close, if I was willing to go running already. I'm just living for April. Surviving day-by-day with the hope of warm weather. I just wish it would come faster!

Spring, please come soon!!!

I'm smitten...

...with a Canadian mogul skier. I know, I never believed I'd fall in love with a Canadian, but what can you do? Of course, I also haven't ever met him, but that doesn't stop love, does it? It's amazing what those Olympic interviews and narrations can do to make a person seem so wonderful. His name is Alexandre Bilodeau, first Canadian to win a gold medal on home ground. This is the 3rd Olympics held in Canda, and somehow they have had a complete drought of gold medals in the previous two.

Not only was it fun to see a Canadian, who wasn't really expected to be the one to break the drought, take the country's first gold, but his story was so sweet. I couldn't contain a teenage-like smile from forming every time I watched the playback of his run or heard the story of his older brother being his inspiration. His older brother has cerbral palsy, but has done much more than his doctors imagined. Alex has always looked up to him and drawn inspiration from him, getting himself to train when he didn't want to by thinking about how his brother works so hard just to walk and talk. He dedicated his run to his brother beforehand, so it was even more touching when he won!

Seriously though, I'm totally smitten. I was watching the moguls with my dad, and when the last skier finished and couldn't beat Bilodeau's score, I woke my dad from his nap with my squeaks and giggles. The first thing out of my mouth was, "I have such a crush on him right now!" My dad laughed - he didn't seem to realize I was serious. I think I need to find a new distraction - I crush hard on people I don't know at all, and I don't have time for him to take all my thoughts and attention. Someone please find me an American stat! Preferably one who might be around and therefore more worth my attentions...

At any rate, now that the Canadians have broken their drought, that's one less country to cheer for. USA!

Saturday, February 13, 2010

Olympic Athletes to Watch

As I said before, the Olympics are kind of my Achilles heel. My major every two-year weakness. The Summer Olympics are a little more my thing (I don't really like the cold, so I don't relate quite as well to the Winter Olympic sports...), but I'm a sucker for the Olympics in general. I read every and any article and story I can get my hands on leading up to the Games. And this year, there were some good ones! I was full of trivia last night during the Opening Ceremonies, commenting on different countries and athletes to my friends' likely boredom. Totally worth it. I care about these athletes - the more I know about who's participating in the Olympics, the more I care, the more emotional I get about otherwise generally ignored sports - like curling or the biathlon.

And so, welcome to my first ever list of athletes to watch/care about:
Marjan Kalhor, Alpine Skiing - Iran: Kalhor is not much of a medal threat, but she is worth knowing, at least, because she is the 1st woman to earn a spot on Iran's Winter Olympic team. She came into the Ceremonies last night as Iran's flagbearer, because of the impressive history she's making in her country. To be an Iranian woman competing in the Olympics is a win in itself - no podium stand needed.

Dow Travers, Slalom Skiing - Cayman Islands: Who would believe the Caribbean would bring a few Winter Olympians?? Well, Jamaica and Bermuda both have a skier each, and same with the Cayman Islands. Another Olympian who's unlikely to make the medal stand, Dow is impressive because he's just there to make his small country proud and inspire his people to do the unexpected. I'm also a fan of Travers because he seems kind of unselfish. He hopes to improve his own standings in slalom, and to return the Olympics again, but he's also a huge support for his younger brother, whom he hopes to see do really well in the Olympics one day as well.

Lascelles Brown, Bobsledding - Canada: The Jamaican bobsledding team did not make it to the Olympics this year (sad, but not really surprising), but Brown is Jamaica's closest shot for an actual medal this year. Though he's officially competing on the Canadian team, he is Jamaican-born and would be the 1st Jamaican to win gold if he and his partner win in Vancouver. And he has the ability to do it. He and a different partner took silver last W.O, and he and his current partner have all the skills and talent to go all the way this year. As much as I'd love to see Americans take as many golds as we possibly can, I'd be happy to see certain athletes like Brown make history like this.

Robel Teklemariam, Nordic Skiing - Ethiopa: Yes, I did list an Ethiopian in the Winter Olympics. Instead of running on the streets, Teklemariam will be "running" on the snow, skiing for the 2nd time on the Ethiopian Olympic Team (consisting of Teklemariam and...that's all - he created the Ethiopian ski team). I like Teklemariam for his unique training. When he's at home, his training is roller skiing up and down hills. It's not the best training, but it probably gives him some more minore abilities that other traditional training methods might not provide. I don't know what they are, but I'm going keep thinking that.

United States Olympic Team: This is just a given. Go America! We really have amazing talent, and I'm excited to see what we can do with it this year. With Shaun White, Apollo Ohno, Lindsey Jacobellis, and so many others with talent and determination seeping through their pores, I'm anticipating some great moments for the U.S. in Vancouver.

On a different note, I appreciated how all the countries acted as one in their condolences and tributes to the Georgian Nodar Kumaritashvili, who died on a practice run on the luge before the Opening Ceremonies began. Such a sad way to begin the Olympics. But to see so many of different backgrounds and countries take time to recognize him and his family when they have so many of their own concerns and stresses to think about. I really respect the actions of the other lugers, who met together before the Ceremonies to figure out how to honor him as their fellow athlete. They are wearing black bands on their helmets during their trial runs in memory of an athlete they respected.

While it was a sad way to begin the 2010 Olympic Games, there will be much joy in the next two weeks, and I look forward to feeling it with the athletes as they pour their hearts into their sports on the grandest stage possible! PLAY BALL!

It's Time for the Olympics!!!

I absolutely love the Olympics! I'm a sports junkie in general, but the Olympics are a total weakness of mine. All week, I've been reading articles and watching commercials prepping for the Olympics, and my heart has jumped at every mention. I can't help but smile when I think of it, and every day at work, a whisper of "the Olympics start on Friday" has passed through my lips at some point. I'm just so excited.
Last night the Opening Ceremonies took place in Vancouver, British Columbia, and it was quite impressive. A few friends texted me at different points of the night just before or during the beginning of the ceremony, and my response to their questions of my activities that night was always, "well, I'm watching the highly anticipated (by me) Opening Ceremonies of the Olympic Games" and I left it at that. Eventually, a few friends dropped in and we all watched them together, it was pure joy.
I love the ads that come with the Olympics - the inspiration that sweats from them run chills through me every time one comes on. I especially like the "Go World" campaign, with Morgan Freeman's narration through inspirational moments of past Olympics. Just before the Ceremonies started, one came on where two hockey players were watching a puck drop between them to start the game (in slo-mo, of course), and Morgan Freeman's voice rang, 'At this exact moment, right now, everyone is tied." A squeak involuntarily left my smiling mouth. The world, right then, was all equal. I was rather touched by that idea.
But one of my ultimate favorite parts about the Olympics is that it seems the athletes are (or should be) just playing for one thing - to bring honor to their countries. And to respect and honor the greatness that comes from other countries. I love not having to argue with the person next to me about what "team" I'm rooting for, because we're all on the same side! And the stories of athletes from other countries draw my respect and admiration as well. I can cheer for everyone, at this one time. The underdog is so much more important now than ever before. The inspiring story means more now. The all-or-nothing mentality runs through my veins as much as it does with the athletes. I've loved reading about athletes of the different countries and the unique back stories that come with them into the Olympics. I'm inspired through the hardships and perseverance that these athletes breathe. They make me dream for something more in myself. I will make more of my life than what it is now! And the stories and experiences of my life will perhaps one day be captured in 30-second, slow-motion shots, narrated by Morgan Freeman, to inspire those who will tune in to see.

Thursday, February 4, 2010

Character Revisited

So, I'm still excited about my tv boyfriends. I just love the personalities created in these shows. And I enjoyed looking at some of the things that make me a character. So I've decided the best way for me to get to know me, and to look at who I am in different ways, is to continue looking at what makes me me. I had a church activity a few months ago that talked about recording a life story, whether it's yours, a family member's, a friend's, or a random stranger's. The girl teaching gave us this packet that had a few pages in the back dedicated to questions that can help prompt the stories and record experiences. So I think I'm going to explore some of the questions and watch daily for any weird quirks that I have, and then I will report back. Because I enjoy my USA characters. And I like my tv boyfriends. And I want to be as cool as I think they are. So I will continue to explore my character and see what it is about me that would be fun for USA to make a show about as well! I feel this can accomplish two tasks at once: I'm getting my life story down for posterity (poor guys, I'm sorry you get to have this record of your ancestor...), and I get to prove why I'm cool enough to be with my tv boyfriends.
To start (beyond the little quirks in my initial "character" post), one weird thing about me is that I often have conversations in my head that might come up sometime in the future for real. That sounds weird, and I wish I could explain it to be less weird, but I can't. It really is just kind of weird. I think about potential situations that might come up and I go through the whole argument or the whole conversation in my head. I say what I think the person should say to me, and I answer with eloquent and feeling rebuttals or responses. I generally look really good in what I say and how I say it, and I'm usually quite brave and confident. Of course, these situations rarely play out like I imagine they just might, if they happen at all, and no one ever says exactly what I had them say earlier (and I wouldn't really believe them if they did say my words anyway). I usually end up slubbing my words a lot, and I tend to find my way out of awkward conversations in general, rather than battling through them. I wouldn't say I'm a coward. But I'm definitely braver in my head.
Some of my conversations are rather interesting, and sometimes I get disappointed that my mental situations aren't real, because they were good. But I do allow life to happen as it does, and I find I appreciate some actual conversations more because they didn't get created in my head first, but they were just awesome naturally. Those are always my favorite experiences - ones that seemed like something I might've thought of while riding the bus to work, but in reality, they actually happened...in reality.

GROSS

I'm sorry if I offend, but this one thought has been on my mind for the last two weeks, so I felt the need to get it out - I think smoking is the absolutely grossest habit/addiction ever!!! Yes, I feel so strongly about it that I gave it three exclamation points. It's gross. It's nasty. It makes me want to vomit. I actually started dry-heaving the other day when a man sat in front of me on the bus, reeking of nicotine and rat poison. I think I breathed half as much as I generally do in a twenty minute period, and I spent the next 30 minutes at work smelling my hair, my coat, my clothes, hoping the smell didn't stick to me, and wondering how'd I get the burning stink out of my nose. I think I might've actually died on the bus, but luckily I'm not asthmatic, and somehow my will to survive allowed me to hold my breath longer than usual and survive on shallow breathing at other times.
I don't think I'm brave enough to blast any smokers to their face, but I am not beneath evident eye-rolling and heavy sighs, with slight coughs and obvious nose wrinkling. I just hate smoking so much, and I hate being around it. So, those of you who smoke, please find a way to not come near me. Don't sit near me on the bus (better yet, take a different bus completely - you will kill me one day if you don't kill yourself), don't walk by me on the street. And don't hold a long conversation about how unfair it is that you can't smoke in restaurants and public buildings, because all of your arguments are crap! Yes, I'm talking to you, guy from the bus a couple weeks ago who tried to argue it was unfair to not allow smoking inside, because what if someone came in a sprayed hairspray all around and that was just fine. First of all, that's the worst analogy ever, because I wouldn't like someone spraying their hair in a restaurant either, so I'd outlaw that as well as smoking. And second, your arguments were all fallacious and I had multiple counterpoints for everything you said. Make a better point and then get back on my bus.
That's really all I have to say. In conclusion, this is my first official rant on my blog. I don't have many rants very often, but this felt like a good one to start with. Don't worry, I'm not actually crazy or mad at the world - it just seems like that once every six months when I feel like I am.

I am a Character

Ever since I started college in 2004, I have been a lackluster tv watcher. I didn't have much time for it, and my attention, though easily hooked for 30-60 minutes, often didn't hold on to wait 7 more days for a new story and adventure.
There have been times, though, when I felt it necessary to stay with a show or two, at least through a season. Most of these times came when other friends were already hooked, which made it easier for me to stay involved. But even the most promising shows fell through the cracks after the season finale - me wait months to find out what would happen next?! Please! Sometimes I'd stay excited for a month, and once or twice I've returned for the new season opener...but this was rare, and I usually missed the rest of the season anyway.
Enter USA Network.
This place is bliss. I can't tell you how many tv boyfriends I have right now. Between Psych and White Collar, and adding Chuck on NBC (he's a character in himself - I look forward to seeing you, Chuck, on USA as reruns one day), I am counting roughly 4 1/2 boyfriends (the 1/2 is for Capt. Awesome on Chuck - he's just minor enough that I can't justify a full crush on him). Psych is additionally great because it accounts for 2 of my crushes - Shawn and Gus. The dynamic duo. The ultimate in bromances. The most attractive thing to me is seeing a guy with his best friend, playing off each other and practically talking their own language. The writers of Psych must appreciate that as much as me, because they have created pure greatness between these two. If I could make a perfect man, I'd mold these two guys, combining Gus's ridiculously smart and expansive mind, and Shawn's perfectly gelled coif, and have him pick me up in Gus's echo - I do appreciate a man trying to protect the environment!
White Collar, though - Neal Caffrey, what can I say? I hate that you're always looking for the love of your life, Kate, and you can't hear me telling you I'm right here. Seriously, though, he's the only guy I can think of currently who actually pulls off a turtleneck. And of course, I love his friend Mazzi - sidekicks are kind of my weakness.
Then there's Chuck. My sister, Abby, and I spent a weekend of my visit over Christmas catching up on season 1, to be ready for season 2 which started right after I got home. I'm a total sucker for complete geeks who happen to dress well, and somehow maintain a nice forearm (I mean, really, is he a geek who works out? I don't get the arm muscles he somehow has...didn't realize working on computers toned you so much...). I especially appreciate how awkward he is around girls, or at least how awkward he was. And again, his friendship/work relationship with Agent Casey is one of my favorite things about the show.
They are all just such interesting characters. I love USA's theme, Characters Welcome, for that reason. I feel so invited in. Because I think I'm a character as well. I like to dance around my bathroom while I brush my teeth. I sometimes sing quietly to myself on the street when I think no one's near me. I'm really hilarious, but I'm usually at my funniest when no one's around to hear my jokes. I don't know how to burp. I sometimes sing quietly to myself when I forget I share a cubicle at work. I laugh a lot at myself, all the time, in private and public.
Is that a good enough introduction to me? I sure think a day in the life of me makes a good pilot episode.