10 Day Challenge - Day 10

 
   Day 10! I looked for all sorts of pictures that described me, but it was really difficult. I think I can speak for most people when I say I hate pretty much every picture of myself. After some deliberation, I chose this one:

When my nana saw this picture she told me to take it down because devil worshipers would see it and come after me. Be that as it may, this picture shows my personality and my general opinion of all things in life. I try not to take anything too seriously, for the most part. I like to act goofy and joke around most of the time. When serious things happen, I always make an awkward joke to try and lighten the mood. This comes off as insensitive usually, but I just don't do well with serious things. I don't participate in any type of yucky love stuff, so don't expect me to. I will listen though if people feel like they need to talk. I just like to have fun!

Background on this picture: I was on Bourbon Street and saw this skeleton head (it's not a skull it has eyes)  and loved it because I know I have humongous eyes and he did too. Soulmates! I had to have my picture taken. I try not to make this face in normal life because I see how scary it looks. 

This challenge was really fun and I hope it let some of you into the scary place I call my brain. Please leave now because the challenge is over. Exits are through the ears. Thanks. 

10 Day Challenge - Day 9

Sorry for the temporary vacation! I sat down to write this the other day but couldn't narrow my favorite songs down to two. So here I am, trying again, and we'll see what happens.

1. Bohemian Rhapsody - Queen. If I had to choose a favorite song, this would probably be it. I've been a Queen fan since, oh I don't know, birth probably. My dad had a cassette tape of their greatest hits and my siblings and I used to wear it out. The song is genius, Freddie Mercury is genius, I don't know what else to say.

2. Harder to Breathe - Maroon 5. This song started my obsession! I voted for it religiously on TRL, yeah, think back to those days. I love everything they do. I was Team Adam before The Voice was even thought of, so new fans can fall in line. I love him. I have a few favorites of theirs, but I thought it only right to give a shout out to my first favorite.

10 Day Challenge - Day 8

It's hard to pinpoint my favorite movies, but here are three films I love to watch over and over again:

1. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy. All of them. I was going to just say the Fellowship because of the scenes where Strider (Aragorn) throws his hood back to reveal that beautiful face and Arwen's "If you want him, come and claim him", but everyone knows the best fight scenes are in the other two movies. Legolas sliding down the stairs, Eowyn killing the Witch-King ("I am no man"), and "For Frodo!" are all too great to leave out. I could watch these movies all the time. I know they're long and full of blood and guts, but I love them! If ever good triumphed over evil, it was during these movies. They are emotionally heavy, but nothing gives me more pleasure than seeing Aragorn son of Arathorn regain his throne. (I NEED the trilogy on blu-ray if anyone feels like dropping a Benjamin on my Christmas/Birthday gift.)

2. My Best Friend's Wedding. I still have this movie on VHS and watch it every time it's on television. I know pretty much every line. I even use the lines in everyday life. Sometimes you need to be put into perspective, and George's speech to Julianne about her chase is completely relevant in most situations. It also teaches you to never put things in writing because someone will always find it and read it and ruin everything. The song in the restaurant is pretty legit as well.

3. Juno. I was that girl who went around saying "Whoa dream big!" all the time after I saw it. I'm a little obsessed with it, which stems from watching it like 50 times. I love it. I couldn't pick a better cast. (Jason Bateman and Michael Cera together again!) Ellen Page is hilarious and is now one of my favorite actresses. One of my favorite scenes in the movie is at the very beginning when she buys a pregnancy test from Rainn Wilson and he keeps shaking it like a Polaroid to try and make it change to negative. ("That ain't no Etch-A-Sketch. That's one doodle that can't be undid, homeskillet.") Love it.

Who's up for a movie night?

10 Day Challenge - Day 7

Choosing four books is practically impossible with how much I read. I tried to narrow it down to books that really affected me, so here goes:

1. The Time-Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger. Henry and Claire are such inspirational characters! When I read Claire, I'm just in awe of how patient she is and how she reacts to such a weird situation. Henry deals amazingly well considering he is constantly in danger. Either of them could falter, but they never do. Claire loves him from the moment she meets him, which I've never experienced so it's really crazy how easy I believe it. The writing flows like poetry, too. A far-fetched situation seems so real, and the tragedy is almost beautiful. This book made me want to be a writer.

2. The Twilight Series by Stephenie Meyer. I read all four books in four days. It was insanity. I have never ever fallen in love with a book so fast. I was the biggest anti-Twilight person you could imagine up until the second I decided to try them. I hate scary things and I especially hate vampires. The whole thing just sounds ridiculous, and I wanted to slap the girl who fell in love with a killer. Then my mom read them and became obsessed and I was bored at home on Christmas break and the rest is history. Bella is awkward, sarcastic, pale, has brown eyes and brown hair, loves to read, and a million other things that remind me of myself, so this helped me in reading. Say what you will about the craze, but Stephenie Meyer knows how to write for her audience. I've never seen such amazing details. I've never been such a fanatic about any other book series. I'm still obsessed, years later. I know Edward's a fictional character, but that doesn't stop me from loving him. 

3. The Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling. I was 

against Harry Potter, too, in the beginning. As soon as the first book came out I got it for Christmas and couldn't get past like chapter four. I tried again when the second book came out, but no luck. I read them all in like 6 days before the last movie came out. I did have to push through the first two books though, but it turned out to be worth it! I had seen the movies and read different articles so I knew basically what was going to happen, but I cried like a psychotic baby during Goblet of Fire, Order of the Phoenix, Half-Blood Prince, and Deathly Hallows and I NEVER CRY. Part of it had to do with being so wrapped up in everything Hogwarts and having practically no sleep for a week, but either way, it was great writing. Just thinking about it is getting me emotional, so I'm going to stop now. **

4. Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. This book taught me a lot about myself and changed my perspective. She proved how hard it is to start over from scratch in your life and how scary it is to try new things and new places. She also showed that it was all worth it. Just because I have no idea where I'm going in life doesn't have to be a bad thing. It also made me eat a lot of pizza. 

I have read everything by Nicholas Sparks that I can get my hands on, so his works are all my honorable mentions. 

**Note to my future person: I will partake in Harry Potter marathons that will steal hours from my life. You should go ahead and practice liking it. Also, you must always let me watch Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 alone because it makes me cry hysterically. I need to make that clearer. I (the emotionally challenged, masculine communicator) will be sobbing loudly and grossly for the last thirty minutes of the movie and will still be sobbing during the credits. You're not invited. I've got a rep to protect. 

10 Day Challenge - Day 6

     Narrowing down my favorite foods to five is a crime. 

1. Chocolate. This is one of my favorite things in life. Like seriously. I would pick chocolate over most people. I eat a Hershey bar for breakfast at least once a week. As a child I would literally have to hide it away and eat it in secret because it would always turn me into a crazy maniac. Real talk. It would only take one Hershey kiss for the people around me to be in severe danger. My mother always left strict instructions with the school not to let me eat it because I would end up attacking another child or destroying the classroom. Teachers never paid enough attention so I usually could get to it anyway. Once I threw my Nana's cat across the room. Ask my family, I'm not making this up. Anyway, I always get some sort of chocolate if I'm having dessert and if I get really pissed about something, I'll buy a king size Hershey and eat it in like a minute. One day I will go to the Hershey plant and they will hire me as a tester because I know what I'm talking about. It's God's gift to me, I know it. 

2. Chicken Fingers. As many of these as I have eaten, I should be a chicken finger. I'm that girl that orders chicken fingers at a steakhouse. I can't help it. I love them. My favorites are Zaxby's, DQ, and O'Charley's. Add some ranch and let's make it a party. 

3. Fried Okra. I'm a typical Southern girl and will eat anything fried. When I was little I ate my Nana's homemade fried okra everyday during the summer. My Grandpa hates okra but he still gives me my own row in the garden because I love it so much. Kathy made it for me a lot this summer because I was at home a lot. We never have leftovers. 

4. Mexican food. I could eat Mexican food multiple times a day. I don't know what it is, but I love it. I especially love Los Mexicanos in Oxford, AL because it is so delicious. As a child, we went there twice a week. They know my family by name. I keep trying to talk them into getting a place in Tuscaloosa, but they don't seem interested. 

5. Pizza. I'm always up for pizza. My favorites are Mata's (in Anniston), Hungry Howie's, and Pizza Hut. I make homemade pizza at least once a week. Lately I've been making it on pita bread and it is delicious. I've been playing around with different ingredients the last few months, and I honestly haven't been disappointed. In Queenstown I ate a pizza at Winnie's that had spinach, pumpkin, olives, red capsicums, toasted almonds and feta (see the pic below). I didn't even think I liked pumpkin, but it was excellent. I'm also a sucker for pizza rolls. I swear I eat them three times a week. Sometimes I pair them with a salad to help my case, but I dare you to find a quicker meal that's better than pizza rolls with ranch dressing. 

Thanks, Challenge, now I'm starving. 

10 Day Challenge - Day 4

Seven Wants! First of all, let me say that "want" is a very broad category. I'm going to try not to be a complete loser and tell you my seven material wants for right this second (to leave this desk for a nap would be numero uno). Here is my try at digging deeper:

1. World Peace. I probably could have phrased it better so you didn't laugh out loud right away. I just think people need to get themselves together. The worst kind of attack are those done by people you know/trust against your personal self. If I can manage to be civil to these certain people without blowing their heads off, I think we should be able to do the same thing with those people who don't even know us and are just fighting the idea of America. I come from a military family, so it would be nice to keep my loved ones at home. Maybe I'm selfish and naive, but this is my blog, get over it. 

2. Words written in the sky from God. I'm a firm believer in signs and messages sent from God. There's always that moment when you just know something is right or not right, and God usually has to hit me over the head to signify that moment. I'm also that idiot that tries to make everything into a sign, so it would be nice to be sure. I have no idea where I'll be this time next year and could really use a small push in one direction to understand where I go from here. (Naive again, I know)

3. To fall into a large sum of money. Face first would be a cool story to tell, so that would work. Student loans are the best and worst things ever. They give you the money you "need" to go to school while kicking your credit in the teeth at the same time. So thanks? I think.. 

4. To be published. That might require me actually having the time to write something, so we'll see how that plays out. I'm also hesitant to offend people in print, but sooner or later it's going to happen. If I get sued, I have a lawyer on retainer. 

5. For my family and friends to get what they deserve. This sounds Godfather-ish, but I mean it in a good way. A lot of people I know have been dealt some rough hands but stay upbeat and positive about all of it. They still reach out to help others and are always there to help me. I have friends that could really use that message in the sky as well. For all the adults that try to compliment me, having the world at your fingertips is really scary, so stop saying that. 

6. Our 14th National Championship.

7. To meet John K. Obviously. 

Honorable mentions: to get my degree, to have my stalking finally pay off in some way, to meet Tina Fey, to have all my belongings under one roof, to do something that matters, to live to see equality for all, to meet someone who finds my quirks endearing instead of frightening, to not get arrested when I finally meet John K, to finish A Song of Ice and Fire, to not have to wait anymore for Breaking Dawn, and to go back to New Zealand. 

It was really hard to put this one into writing, because I like to keep my dreams, desires, and emotions in general locked up in a box so no one can touch them. This one probably wasn't as interesting as my other ones, but get over it. Tomorrow's another day. 

10 Day Challenge - Day 3

My fears were super easy to think of! Being neurotic has its advantages.

1. Heights. I can't even deal with heights through a television screen. I go into extreme panic mode. I don't do ladders. Stairs even freak me out. I can't even talk about it right now. 

2. Snakes. I legitimately have nightmares about them. I will never ever touch one. I don't want to be in the same room as one. Call me stupid, but I have seen Jurassic Park! It doesn't matter how "tame" you think animals are! They love surprises. For another example, see Harry Potter.

3. The dark. I just can't deal. Insert panic attack. 

4. Enclosed spaces. This one is minor compared to heights and snakes, but I still get freaked out. I always have this vision of running out of oxygen, for whatever reason. I assume it's due to my asthma. 

5. Killers. I'm using this as a catch-all category to include people who are watching me, people who are going to jump out and scare me, people who wish me bodily harm, and people who will actually kill me. I'm the freak who tries to pinpoint who in the room is most likely to fit into this category. Chances are if we're on a bus or in an auditorium or anywhere there are a lot of people that can follow you home, I have already worked out a plan to get out of there quickly and I have memorized my "suspects". Imagine me in an airport. 

6. Slow Dancing. No I'm not joking. I am perfectly fine making myself look like an idiot attempting to "fast dance" (as Kathy calls it). I can't deal with slowing things down. I have no grace and no idea what it's supposed to look like, and I'm super close to another person, so I go into a panic. I never know what to do with my hands. I'm sure I'll crush my partner's feet. What if I smell bad? See this could go wrong in so many ways!

7. People infringing on my personal space. Ok, this will cause me to for sure panic in public for no reason. If someone comes in for a hug or to tell me something or to do anything that would cause them to get closer to me and I don't see them coming, my brain automatically categorizes them as a Killer. Real talk. I don't do close talkers. I don't do physical contact. I think everyone sharing germs is disgusting. Germs will jump on you anyway, so there's no reason to give them any help. Touching, in general, just makes me uncomfortable. If you do it without me being prepared, I may kick you. 

8. Any type of bad weather. I think everyone knows about April 27. 

I know what you're thinking, and yes, this is all true. 

10 Day Challenge - Day 2

Nine Loves! 

Here are some of my loves, in no particular order. 

1. That moment in the middle of reading a book when I know I'm sucked in. I have never discussed this with anyone, so maybe I'm the only one who has this feeling. Sometimes when I'm reading I have to pause for a second to squeal and let out my excitement. When I was reading The Twilight Saga I had SOOOO many of these moments. I would close the book for a ten second pause just before something big happened to take in the feeling of joy and excitement, then keep reading. (#nerdalert)

2. Disney World. I am 22 years old and still beg my parents to take me to Disney. When I found out they had the new app I begged for like 20 solid minutes before my dad practically yelled at me to shut up. There's just something about the magic that you find when you walk in the park. You can almost reach out and touch it. It's like electricity in the air. I'm one of those freaks that plan out everything we have to do while we're there, and we spend a lot of time running to make sure we make the most of our time. It's not really a vacation, it's an adventure!

3. John Krasinski. You guys already know this. I guess if you need elaboration, just watch his movies and television show. He's my favorite kind of funny. He's attractive. He's tall. He's a snappy dresser. He's an all-around nice guy. What more do you need?

4. Cupcakes. We're in a serious relationship. 

5. Dr. Pepper. It's 23 flavors of delicious. 

6. Kitty Kindle. She meets all my needs and cheers me up when I need it. I also love it that I can use headphones and let her read to me. I do enjoy the male voice better, though, so I guess she has an extraordinarily deep voice. 

7. Everything Alabama. Our football team, our campus, the students, etc. I love it all. My life took a turn for the better on the day I got my scholarship letter for UA. A lot of big changes have happened since then, but I don't regret any of it. I don't know where I'd be if I didn't accept that offer. My friends here have become like family to me, and I don't know what I would do without them. I feel bad that some people don't have the chance to go for their dreams, because mine has turned out better than I imagined. 

8. The Office. I watch at least one episode every day. I almost can't sleep without it. The writing is brilliant, especially in the first few seasons. Every time I watch I'm just amazed that someone thought of the dialogue and storyline. I could never be that creative! I love the actors too. They seem so normal. It's easy to love/hate them because they aren't flat characters. This is difficult to do with such a big cast, but they do it. It's about the best thing NBC's done right since Seinfeld (don't get me started). And of course I get to see John Krasinski. 

9. Bubble baths. I use them as my relaxation and quiet time. It's nice to block the world out sometimes, especially when you feel like it's screaming at you. I can clear my head and just be at peace. 

My readers should be number 10 :) Love you guys!

10 Day Challenge - Day 1

Hello loyal followers! Hello to those who got here through some other means and are now disappointed! I will try to keep you entertained. A few people I follow have been doing the 10 Day Challenge, so I've decided to try it for myself. I can't promise any interesting information, but I'll be honest. The first day is a challenge to me already because I'm notorious for living life as an open book complete with question and answer sessions. We'll see if I can come up with at least a few things some of you didn't know. 

Day 1- Ten Secrets 

1. I'm addicted to caffeine. It would seriously be cheaper for me to have an IV set up with the ridiculous amounts of coffee and Dr. Pepper I consume. I try to be smart about it, but a stressful day throws my control out the window. 

2.Vegetables are my favorite. I could (and usually do) eat a salad everyday. I love them. I think I was a rabbit in another life. Most people think I'm on a diet when they see me eat, but I'm not. I think I could live life as a vegetarian if I wanted to, unless I go back to New Zealand. Then all bets are off.  

3. I always carry a book with me. Kitty Kindle has made this easier for me, so usually I have her AND a book. You never know when you're going to have a spare five minutes to read. I'm the nerd in the back of the classroom reading until class starts. I also listen to Kitty as I walk from class to class. Go ahead, make fun. It's cool.

4. My cell phone and I are mortal enemies. It never does anything I want it to do, and I'm assuming the feeling is mutual. Maybe if I ever had a cell phone that worked I would be friends with it. There's always hope for when I get a new one at the end of the year. I would really like to beat this one with a hammer before it goes back to Verizon. It's currently sitting next to me, judging me for writing this. 

5. If you ever see me wearing high heels, it's because I think I should. Being tall has its advantages, but I hang out with a lot of shorties (no offense Megan :) ). It makes me self conscious to be way taller than everyone else, and I end up slouching without thinking about it. Who looks good slouching? No one. When I'm with my family it's okay, though, because I'm the shorty. I love flats and sandals anyway, so it all works out in the end.

6. I love my job. I may complain a lot about the time I spend there and the drama that comes with the territory, but I really do like it. I've made so many friends sitting at the desk, and I wouldn't trade them for more free time. (I'm even shocked about this secret.)

7. I'm one of the biggest creepers you'll ever meet. Real talk. I stalk everyone on social networking and in real life, and I'm unashamed. Let me follow you on Twitter or friend you on Facebook and I'll start paying way too much attention to your life. It also really upsets me if you take too long to accept my requests to stalk you. You've been warned. (But then again, you're reading my blog so who's the stalker now?)

8. I live life through television. The people onscreen are my best friends. I like some of them better than some of my real life friends. I'm not joking. I learn about life and current events and we laugh and cry together while I sit on my couch at home. 

9. I have social difficulties, to say the least. I don't really know how to behave in social situations. I think this stems from my TV addiction. I tend to speak in TV references, so normal people don't know how to respond. This is completely normal, so I try to keep my mouth shut. I have no game, but I'm trying to learn from the Men of Bryant. Foolproof plan, I know. 

10. My life is a reality show. Like for real. I am convinced that MTV or some other network is filming me. There's no other reason for the things that happen to me. I fully intend on writing it all down so everyone can understand my craziness, but I know no one would believe it was non-fiction. If there are cameras watching me, someone please let me know. I'm like the guy on The Truman Show. I legit have no idea. I'm glad you're all getting to watch my misfortune though. I hope you're laughing.

Well this took forever, but I hope it was interesting to read. If not, I apologize. There are 9 days left in this challenge so just disregard the other 9 if you feel that way. 

I can be crafty?

Hey blogos--

Check out what I did last night! I'm pretty proud of myself since I don't have a crafty or decorative bone in my body. It took me a few hours to complete the picture collages, then another little while to hang it all up. The elephant picture in the middle is my favorite. The pictures over my bed are all from my time in Kiwi-heaven. 

I made these cupcakes too! I took a little help from the store, though. It's a devil's food cake mix with cream cheese filling and buttercream icing. 

     I apologize for the horrible pictures taken by my psychotic cell phone. Maybe I'll have a new camera soon to make these posts worthwhile! If I can get crafty, anyone can. Just saying. 

The Road to 14 begins!

     Alabama Football started this weekend! For those who missed out, we played Kent State in Bryant Denny at 11am on Saturday. 11am is a normal time for most people, but for those who are fortunate enough to have tickets, it's a pain in the rear-end. I was torn between exhaustion and an overwhelming feeling of excitement when I woke up Saturday. It was like Christmas morning!

     I woke up five minutes before my alarm went off at 7:45am. Lara and I complained about the time but got ready and went to her condo to walk to the stadium. We had mimosas and cereal (breakfast of champions) while we watched GameDay and waited on Mary Beth and Lauren A. to come meet up with us. We made it to the stadium just in time to see the Traditions video. The excitement and tension in the stadium was amazing. We all got chill bumps from hearing Bear Bryant's scratchy voice over the loud speaker. We screamed together as our favorite players were announced in the starting lineup. When the players and Coach Nick Saban finally emerged from the locker room, there was no turning back! Football 2011 had begun!

     This game was especially important to all of us because the events we had experienced together on April 27th, a day I'll never forget. Most people have seen on the news how devastating the tornado actually was, but living it was another story. This tragedy banded us all together. It was indeed a miracle that the tornado ventured away from campus and that all of us were still alive to cheer on the Crimson Tide. Football is just another step in our healing process. We all felt the same heaviness and the same hope this past Saturday as we took steps forward in rebuilding our community emotionally.

     I was also touched seeing my friends getting their time in the spotlight! Working at Bryant, I have seen firsthand how hard these players work to be the best. I met a lot of them when they first got to Tuscaloosa and watched them grow into true adults! While the rest of us are free to skip class and work on homework as we please, they have coaches and staff that stay on their case making sure they don't miss anything. They practice in the 100 degree Alabama summer. Let's not forget camp! They are woken up from their slumber at 6:45am with air horns while the rest of the student body sleeps in. They practice and work out and have meetings and are immersed in the world of football until their coaches put them in their rooms at 10:30pm. It's so amazing they are able to stay physically and emotionally energized during all this training! Even though it's hard work, the players still have passion for the game. It's truly inspiring.

     We beat Kent State 48-7! It was a great way to start off the season! I was pretty much useless for the rest of the day, as well as sunburnt, but it was worth it. I'm so glad football is back and ready to see where this season takes us. PSU next week!

**Side note: I think Auburn football is God's way of teaching us about luck. I'm patiently waiting on the other shoe to fall. 

HAPPY 23RD BIRTHDAY MEGAN

     I would like to dedicate this post to Megan!! She's 23 today! I know God made her older so she can venture into old age first and let me know how things are gonna go. She just accepted a job working full time at a CPA firm, which may not be her lifelong goal, but she's giving it her all. She graduated from JSU a few weeks ago, so this has been a big few months for her!

     I don't really know where to begin, but without her I would be paying a God-awful amount of money for therapy. I can always text her novel-long messages about the mean girl that looked at me wrong or the crazy things that happen to me or about being hungry and she always listens. She is one of the nicest people anyone will ever meet. Megan always wants everyone to get along and be happy and she will do whatever she has to to make that happen. Even though I moved away, we are still the best of friends. That takes dedication!

Here are a few of her favorite things:

Boston (which she is teaching me to love)

Legolas

Disney

Pirates

Megan--
Thank you for always being there!
I know God has a lot in store for you and I can't wait to see what unfolds.
Keep going the way you're going and you'll achieve even more than you already have.
I have complete faith in you.
I hope you have the best birthday ever :)