finding joy in the small things

This past week-being Thanksgiving- was a breath of fresh air that I greatly needed in order to survive the next couple of weeks before school started. I was a little put out that I was left in my house alone from Tuesday night till now and not flown home to the family (I haven't been home for Thanksgiving since I was in high school and this was the first year it might have happened), but I combined forces with 4 friends and we conquered our own Thanksgiving feast. It was magnificent! Turkey, stuffing, corn, green bean casserole, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, salad, home made rolls, 2 home made pumpkin pies, delicious drinks, and I'm sure I'm missing something else. Basically, it was epic. We had movies playing in the background--most notably the extended version of the Fellowship of the Ring, we played games, we had a good time.

More than just Thanksgiving though was the relaxing time that I got to spend with friends and with a cleaning sponge in my house to make it shine as it hasn't for quite some time. I got to go to a football game against our rivals, and we had great seats, AND we won.. AND I got to meet up with a friend who was driving through the area back to his college for the rest of the semester.

These things were fun, and I'm glad that I got to meet and hang out with a variety of individuals.

But I did somethings that I loved more than all these things combined: I painted while watching a movie, and even better? I played with PLAY DOUGH! YES! My slow regression back to my childhood is finally happening!

Oh yes--Christmas lights now adorn our downstairs. This is also a huge bonus. Should we buy a mini Christmas tree?

I think YES.

Hope that your holidays were and will be a party as well! And oh yes, please please please send me any leftover play dough and finger paints that you might have around. They will be VERY much appreciated!!!

Happy Everything!

and now, for something completely different!

My life is average. I have absolutely no problem with that. Mostly because I have found this amazing website to back me up in my harry potter loving, dinosaur and old people appreciating ways. The irony of this website is that most of the posts, while deemed average by the users, are anything but! Does that make my life under average? Do I really care? Nope! I just love that there are other people like me that appreciate the small things in life and I only wish that I was as cool as some of the kids, teachers, and old people that are on this site. I guess that I can give you a couple of examples:

Today, I was late for school, so I had to sign in at the office. The sign in sheet asked
us our reason for being late. I saw that the girl before me wrote GIANT
SQUID in big letters. It made my day. MLIA.

Today, I was preparing a closing argument for Mock Trial. We had to prosecute or
defend a ficitonal character-- I will be prosecuting Tom Riddle for
manslaughter and child abduction. MLIA.

Today I wore a shirt to work that said "I wish my boyfriend was a Super Hero". About two hours later, a guy came in wearing what I can only assume was a Child's Wolverine costume and asked me out. I'm pretty sure I'll marry him. MLIA.

Today, I was walking out of class and texting at the same time. Some guy told me "Watch out while texting. You might run into my arms." Without looking up, I did and accidentally hugged him. Well played, soulmate. MLIA.

Today, my substitute teacher for english class was taking attendance. He said "Granger?" and looked around the room. Everyone looked confused. Then he said, "Oh, wait I forgot she switched to potions this period, my bad, nevermind." This sub was 70 years old and I love him. MLIA.

Today, I set up a voice password on my laptop. Now I can only get on it when I say "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good" and log off when I say "Mischief managed". MLIA

Today I attended my first french class. I was really nervous untill I saw pictures of Mr. T, Chuck Norris, and Dumbledore taped to the wall. I am no longer nervous, as our class room is protected on every level possible. MLIA.

Today, a new kid from England with glasses came onto our speech class, the teacher asked him to share something unique about him to the class. He pulled up his bangs to reveal a lighting bolt scar and claimed that he fell on a rock. Yeah right, Harry Potter. MLIA

Today, my TA was talking about racism in film history and to illustrate the point, he played the episode of "Albi the Racist Dragon." I learned that being racist against New Zelanders and badly burned Albanian boys is just poor form. MLIA.--This is my true life story

Today, I was looking through my Grandmother's iPod. I found out that her top 3 songs are, My Humps, Because I Got High, and The Transformers theme song. I don't know what to say. MLIA

Today I beat my previous record for number of consecutive days spent alive. I'm going for a new personal best tomorrow. MLIA
This one especially is one that I plan to live by...

Basically, if you want your life to change for the better, stop reading downer things, and start reading THIS! Hope that you have a fantastically average day for your fantastically average life!

www.mylifeisaverage.com

run away with me?

Let me catch my breath.

This is really hard.
If I start to look like I'm sweating, well, it's because I am.
I'm not good with words, but that's nothing new.
Still I have to try to explain what I want to do, with you. With you.
Run away with me.
Let me be your ride out of town, let me be the place that you hide, we could make our lives on the go, run away with me. Sam you're ready, let's go.. Anywhere. Get the car packed an throw me the key--run away with me.
Sam, I know it's fast, but I'm in love with you. Sam it's crazy, but Sam, I'm crazier for you...
Sam, you're ready, let's go, anywhere
Say the word, and I'm already there.
Run away with me.

I found this song. Needless to say, I love it. It's official. The romantic inside of me has been found and is captured in these lines. If you care to read mushy sentiments, please, by all means, read on.
I don't want perfection, I really don't. I'm not perfect, and I won't ever be perfect, so how could I expect that from someone else? There are some things that I do know though. There are some things that I think should be mutual in every interaction between anyone I care about and vice versa: Believe in me. I don't have problems believing in others because I know that anyone can achieve anything they set their minds to, I just sometimes forget it for myself. Mean what you say. I love in this song how he will go anywhere for her at a drop of a hat. My first instinct when I hear that is that it will somehow fall through. Great ideas come from all over from all people, but it is rare that people follow through with big plans. If you say something to me, mean it, act on it, and I will follow and do the same for you. Be there for me. There are a few people in this world that I will drop everything in my life for if they needed me. And, as strong and as independent as I claim to be, I sometimes will need the same from you (even if it will take me ages to admit it). Be thoughtful. This is one of the most defining characteristics that I admire. I love thinking of things to do for others, and small gestures of thoughtfulness are what make me smile. Be you. I know that everyone is a little different around different people, but just be you. I love listening to and watching people talk about what they really love, no matter what it is (except perhaps Biology. I mean, I have to draw the line somewhere.. haha, but really....).

Well, that was a lot of information about me... haha<>. But hey, that's it! That is what I think is important to bring to any type of friendship. I feel like I'm asking a lot here, but then again, that's what I will do for you, so why wouldn't I want the same from others? Seems plausible, right? I guess there is only one more question on the table here:

Run away with me? :D

people are just people.

Lately I have been watching and hearing about a lot of famous people and the reactions that they get from the general public. It bothers me a lot when famous people are treated like they are on some level that is 'so much higher than us poor common folk.' Yes, they do live more high profile lives, but in the end, they are just people with normal friends and desires just like us. It is one of my pet peeves when people idolize others (especially when it is just for their looks alone). I think it is perfectly reasonable to admire someone because of their talent, but in no means does that make them a 'better person' than you. The way girls scream for the newest 'hot boy' in a crowd and others cry even at just the thought of speaking to someone is completely absurd to me. Congratulations. Someone is attractive! Good for them! They have good genes! It has nothing to do with anything that they had control over. It is the people who have a talent and actually chase it and work for it that I think deserve some kind of a spotlight, not those just born into it. I guess that would be my version of promoting 'the american dream' or something... I do believe that anyone has the chance to do something that they love as long as they are willing to pay the dues and really work for it, and it is these people to be looked up to. Those with a passion for what they do, for their own life. I hope that one day I will be able to get what I want the most: To be happy with my life and the choices I've made to get wherever I may go.

In the end, people are just people. You love some, hate others, and hope that you'll turn out alright in the end.

seattle rocks my life.

Why Seattle is one of my most favorite places ever:


1. Pike Place Market: So many random nice people, vendors who talk to you about seeing a band called 'Fish' in Missouri, everyone talks to you and helps you out, the flowers, the fish, the honey sticks, the first starbucks ever, deliciousness in general, crumpets! (the list goes on)




2. The Ocean: I never remember how much I miss the ocean until I see it again. Blue skies, blue ocean, the smell, the ferries, the fresh fish that comes from it to eat, dipping my feet in it (freezing cold), random sea plants that one can play with (like kelp!), the sound of it...

3. Nice people: Seattle is known for its nice people.. there is a reason. Everyone looks out for one another, people wave at people they don't know from trains and "Ride the Ducks," you get on a personal basis with the workers at Starbucks and random street vendors even if you only see them once, the hippies who wear next to no clothing and dance with scarves in parks, not to mention my amazing friends who live there.. gotta love the friends and fam


4. There is a huge troll under a bridge. Need I say more?

5. Capital Hill: rainbows everywhere, multicolored houses, gardens in the city, trees everywhere.


6. The color green: It exists! Everywhere! There is a reason that it is called the 'emerald city.' I don't think I could ever get enough of overgrown gardens and trees and soft grass everywhere.

7. Sculpture garden: Modern art with the beautiful background of the ocean and downtown. best. thing. ever.

8. Starbucks: There is one always within a 5 minute radius at least. Best thing ever.


9.Musicals: Rent. With Adam Pascal and Anthony Rapp. With Marley. I wouldn't say that it is my favorite musical (still resides with Les Mis), but that show was one of the best performances of a musical that I have ever seen. Every character had a strong and beautiful voice, the intentions of the characters were all clear, the feeling and the story of the musical was beautifully translated to the audience... there really is "no day but today.." :)

10. The food: Real asian food. Thai, Vietnamese, Chinese.. your Indian.. fresh fish, fresh everything.. plus home made food. Makes me loathe my pasta, tortilla, and tuna filled cupboards at home..



Basically, I miss Seattle. Not even going to try and hide it. The first day I was there, I think I said that about 13446234 times (to be precise). I just can't wait to go and visit again in a couple of months.. hurray!

should i, could i, would i...

I was looking up quotes from Albert Camus, because I have been in a quote looking up mood lately, and one of the ones that caught my eye was this:

"A guilty conscience needs to confess. A work of art is a confession. "-Camus

I most definitely kind of fell in love with it. While alone at home one night, one night being last night, I decided to take advantage and paint something.. a confession of sorts... This is what happened:

It is a mixture of acrylic, finger paints, tape, sharpie, a yellow paint pen, and tin foil. The whole thing only took me about an hour and a half, or a little bit less, but it was great! I guess the confession from this one is kind of obvious... "Should." I know, it's a bit cliche, but I don't really mind. I seem to wait around always thinking about what I 'should' do and what I 'shouldn't.' It is seldom that I take the initiative to do things in my life. I live in my home, and don't venture out much. I have had excuses, and found other things to do with my time, but I always 'should' have and could have been doing something else. After I finished the painting and was looking at it from far away, I noticed that four of the letters stand out more than the others (unintentionally). From far away, the word 'soul' stands out from the others. I guess I subconsciously was saying something there. Do with it as you will.. It means something to me, and maybe it will mean something to you too...

Oh dear. Now I sound all 'artsy' and 'deep.' I don't consider myself an 'artist,' or a 'scholar' by any means... just to make that clear... I just enjoy seeing things that make me think, and I like talking about them. Life would be so boring if everything was merely taken at face value, even if it was made for just that reason alone. But that is the beautiful thing about life isn't it? An artist can make something for one specific reason, and the viewer can take it and see what they want or need to see even if it is not the same, and both are correct. 'Molding the world to your own view' should be a job title, because I want it! Then again, everyone does it anyways.. especially those randomly pesky modern artists (some which are brilliant, and others, simply still striving for it.. haha).

After all of this rambling, I thought it would be poignant to quote Camus yet again. Mr "Existentialism" said the following:

"Abstract Art: A product of the untalented, sold by the unprincipled to the utterly bewildered."

This one made me laugh. If life is a struggle and art is its confession, how else would one display it but in abstract measures?

Oh life and people. So contradictory. So utterly hilarious. Thanks for that. :)

in a perfect world, a miracle would happen...

That would be the main line of the song I have chosen for my papers. As some of you (the ambiguous few who read my blog) might know, when I have a bit of writing to do, which oh dear, do I right now, I listen to one song over and over again (so far at 38 times repeated) because I need the music, but if it changes then I go all ADD and don't focus. Oh wait, I do that anyway, but at least I have a little bit of consistency going for me.

I have been quite busy and also quite not busy for the past couple of months. Today however, the address for my blog rings true as I once again perfect my art of procrastination when huge deadlines dangle in the very foreseeable future.

Most recently, I have been contemplating art and the different forms that I'm a huge fan of. I went to our school's Museum of Art and I thoroughly enjoyed it. There were a lot of the big prints of the I Spy pictures. I could have been entranced in one place for hours, but sadly I had to leave. I most definitely want some huge pictures like that for my kid's room(s). That way, they will never have to leave their room! Depending on the day I could tell them that they have to find things that are either present in the picture or things that are not, depending on how long I want them to sit and stare quietly at the picture. It's kind of like torture, but it's happy!! (wow. I'll make a great mom. hurrah) There were also a lot of modern art things. My favorite included an huge balloon animal sculpture and the various ways that he used garbage bags. Creative and cool looking (which is the only way that I like modern art).
I also recently saw the movie UP, which I loved. Whoever said kid's movies are just for kids? LIES!

More things, I am directing my final project for my directing class, and it is all about how our imagination grows up with us, and it doesn't just belong in our childhood. Basically, I am now realizing that everything in my life has something to do with imagination and how creative one can be. Hopefully as I age my imagination will only get better and not worse.

Wow. That sure was one long random rant of facts that somehow related. Point Sam!

Hope you have imaginative days!