Outfit

I apologize for the uber lame title for this post. Honestly, I tried to come up with something witty. Failure.

Anyway, I felt like putting together an outfit just for fun and wanted to share it with you guys.

1.Blonde Ambition Dress-www.modcloth.com-$49.99
2.Take the Reigns Jacket-www.modcloth.com-$64.99
3.Electra Heels-www.modcloth.com-$47.99'
4.Delicate initial necklace-www.urbanoutfitters.com-$18
5.The Scarlet O' Handbag-www.modcloth.com-$59.99
6.Love Lila by round designs earrings-www.urbanoutfitters.com-$14.99
7.BDG ribbed slouchy beanie-www.ubranoutfitters.com-$28

Negativity, Electrical Storms, Psychological Studies,and Changing the World

The over abundance of negativity has been on my mind lately. I am generally a positive, glass half-full, silver-lining person and it's become clear to me lately that I might be one of the few people like that left! I think negativity has become such a normal thing that we don't even realize when someone says something negative. This incredibly annoying girl that I cannot escape was the one to first spark this idea in my mind. Every word out of her mouth is something rude or negative. Her inability to be impressed or interested in anything is just annoying and just brings you down. She's a downer. She says just plain rude, mean-spirited things to me that make me wonder what happened to her in her childhood that caused her to be this way.
You're probably wondering why it is that I'm telling you this, no? It's because I want every person who reads this to be more aware of the negativity around them and what they emit. Be aware of how it affects the people around you and how it affects your overall mood. Silver lining is the way to go. You'll never be disappointed. Disappointment is a bad feeling and I like to do everything I can to avoid it. Shouldn't everyone? People are always wondering why we Americans use so many anti-depressants-here's your answer.

On to happier topics, I wanted to share my favorite music video with everyone. It was only about a week ago that I finally watched the whole video, though I've known the song for a while. It's a beautiful, breathtaking video from U2 for the song "Electrical Storm". For those of you wondering, the man is Larry Mullen Jr., the drummer for U2, and the girl is Samantha Morton, a British actress. No, they aren't a couple and they never were, but they have a great chemistry that makes this video magical. Oh, and did I mention that Larry is incredibly hot and that Samantha Morton is my new girl crush? If that's not enough motive to go watch it, I don't know what is.Enjoy!

So, in case you haven't noticed, I've become fascinated with human nature. Just for fun, I decided to start a little mini-study of people's minds(without them knowing). I've been asking questions in my facebook status' and checking out people's replies. Here's an example:

If you could be transported anywhere in time, where would you go?

The first response was:
"to a world where war, and stupidity didnt exist."

The second was:
"to the middle of the bloodiest conflict ever"

Can you tell which one was a girl and which was a guy?
Anyway, I've only been doing this for like, two days, so I haven't made any big conclusions yet. But if I remember, I will try to post some sort of result within the next week.

Last, but definitely not least, changing the world. Easier said than done. In the words of the Notorious B.I.G.,"Before we can change the world, we have to change ourselves."
I can't describe how inspiring the U2 concert was. This may sounds silly, but it changed my life. Bono is my idol and seeing what he's been doing his whole career to benefit people in 3rd world countries is just astonishing and incredibly inspiring. I've decided to try to immerse myself in charity like he's done. I'm going to go with my family's church to feed the homeless every saturday starting a couple weeks(because I have plans that cannot be changed for the next two weeks) and I'm hoping on doing some more charity work. I have so much time on my hands on the weekend that I use for virtually nothing. Why not help someone?
I'm not sure how these changes in character are supposed to occur. Are they fast, like mine? Or do they take time? Regardless, I hope to change at least one person's life for the better. I also hope to inspire others to do the same.

P.S. It's weird how many semi-naked girls show up when you type in "charity" on google images. I love that Bono and Ali Hewson show up, though :)

Well, guys, thanks for listening!

Movie Review: The Nanny Diaries(2007)

I expected something completely different than what I was expecting for this movie. What I was expecting is what the trailer made it come off as-a light-hearted, warm, chick flick about the comical horrors of nannyhood. The reality is a depressing movie about what goes on behind the plastic-surgeoned smiles of the rich and famous and how their spawn suffer.
Check out the trailer here:


Annie Braddock, played by Scarlett Johansson, is trying to figure out who she is and where she's going. She takes up what she believes is just a temporary job as a nanny for one the uptown, snot-nosed wealthy families. She forms a special bond with Grayer, the child she nannies, and in turn, finds her true self and her values.

This movie was not light-hearted, but it did have a few funny parts(most of them-correction-ALL of them-are in the trailer). The rest of the movie dealt with affairs, divorce, child neglect, and losing people you love.

In the end, I would not recommend this movie. While the ending was cute and happy, the rest of the movie was dark and depressing. I wouldnt' have finished it had it not been for the need to see the happy ending that I knew was coming.
Don't watch it.

The Greatest Experience in The World(U2 360), Stressful Week, and Sleepy Confusion

Hola, ustedes!
It's been a very long, frustrating, and stressful week and I couldn't be more glad it's Friday. I'm currently listening to "Friday I'm In Love" by The Cure; it's my Friday theme song and is 100% sure to lift my spirits. Along with that, my November issue of Glamour just arrived a couple hours ago. Just finished looking through it. That magazine is a self-esteem booster and I always learn something knew and useful! One of the few magazines I actually read(I'm more of a picture person!)

So last Saturday was the greatest night of my life. After waiting in traffic for about half an hour before giving up and walking for a mile, I was at the U2 and Muse concert! Unfortunately, I missed all but 2 songs of Muse's set(I got to hear "Supermassive Blackhole", but not see it, but I did get to see "Starlight"-my favorite of all their songs-and "Undisclosed Desires", a new song that's pretty good!) After waiting for about 45 minutes after Muse's set was over, U2 took the stage, brining the energy to an insane high. And guess where I was sitting? 3rd row. And I know what you're thinking,Oh my god, that's crazy!, but there was a big gap between the seats and the stage(it was in a football stadium) for general admission. However, I was still close enough to be...well, close. I can't describe in words what this concert was like. Astonishing, incredible, unbelieveable, and in the words of Bono, magnificent. I've never felt so inspired! I'm now more obsessed with them then I've ever been. I'm ordering two posters, I bought the tote bag at the concert, my background on my iPod is an ancient picture of them, and they're basically all I listen to. It's so cool how after seeing a song performed live, once I listen to it on my iPod, I listen to it from this whole new perspective.
Nothing in the world is more wonderful than Bono and his passion.

This week has been very stressful. I'm not sure what happened this year, but I've suddenly completely thrown my entire self into my schoolwork-all work and no play has made Alanna a dull girl. However, I have the best grades I've ever had. Trying to balance out your life is complicated. I don't want to miss out on the wonders and joys of being young, but I also don't want to screw up my entire life by not doing my best right now. See my dilema?

Yesterday was an interesting story. My alarm goes off at 5:30 A.M. I rolled over in bed in the morning and looked at the clock, still, for the most part, asleep. It read 5:45 A.M. Oh shit, I thought, I must have slept through my alarm. That's not good... I had enough time to get ready because I wake up earlier than I need to so I can try to wake myself up before school. Anyway, I got on my makeup, my layered outfit, washed my face, and the whole she-bang. I had, what I assumed, was about 15 minutes left. I check the clock. It read 3:00 A.M. I did a double take. WHAT?! I checked the other clocks in the house-it was, in fact, 3:00 A.M. In my sleep daze, I had mistaken the "2" on my clock for a "5". Grr. So I changed back into my pajamas, took off the load of jewelry off, and climbed back into bed for the next 2 and a half hours.
What a crappy way to start the day.

Hopefully your week has been better than mine! I also hope your weekend is pleasent and relaxing-or busy, in a good way, of course.

Happy weekend!

What I'm Looking Forward to For Fall/Winter

It's starting to get chillier outside! I'm very excited. There are so many things I'm looking forward to for the cold weather months. Check it:

1. Scarves-I love scarfs. They're practical, cozy, and cute!
2. Fall/Winter Scents-Especially at Bath & Body Works. The Christmas tree candle is amazing :O
3. Eggnog-Need I explain this one?
4. Shea Butter Infused Socks-Saw these last week and finally bought them today. They're from Bath & Body Works(one of my favorite stores) and they are the softest things I've ever felt. Like heaven. Go buy some for yourself:http://www.bathandbodyworks.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3432211
5. Halloween-I've always loved Halloween! An excuse to eat wayyy too much candy, look either hideous or like a slut, and scare people! Who could ask for anything more?
6. Cozy sweaters-Who doesn't like to bundle up in a soft, warm sweater on a cold winter day?
7. Reading-I always find myself reading way more during the cold seasons because I like to be cliche. I light candles and put on some Christmas tunes, then curl up under the covers and read a book. Hell, I've been pretending it's cold and doing that when it's still warm!
8. Candy canes- <3
9. Sitting By the Fireplace-Cliche, I know.
10. Christmas-There's no better holiday! I'm going to start early this year, even if I get dirty looks for it :P
11. Hot Cocoa-Might make some later...
12. Christmas Specials-Rudolph, Charlie Brown, Santa Claus is Coming to Town, How the Grinch Stole Christmas(the original-none of that modern crap), all the classics. Can't go a Christmas without 'em.
13. PIE!-Hot apple pie, fresh out of the oven-magic.
14. Thanksgiving-Probably my second favorite holiday! I love spending time with my family and eating entirely too much of my favorite foods!
15. SNOW!!!-We'd better get some this year. Even just a little dusty. Anything.

So, what are you looking forward to?

Time For a Real Post

Oh wow. I've been such a slacker. I keep telling myself, I'm going to post something today, however I've been busy and lazy(occasionally at the same time-not a great combination). In my defense, I started a post the other day, saved it as a draft to get back to, and completely lost my train of thought and inspiration. The past two days of my life were completely consumed by a project I was frantically trying to get done. But I'm finally completely free today, so it's time to sit down and tell you about everything that's been going on in my life.

The Fray Concert. Possibly the best night of my life(so far-but the U2 concert is coming up quickly!) I meant to post a couple weeks ago, when I was still riding on the Fray high(which lasts up to 3 days). I can't possibly put this experience into words, but I'm going to give it my best shot.
My dad, SunnyD, and I went to the concert. They opened with "She Is"(if my memory serves me right) and closed with the most spine-chillingly wonderful song in the entire freaking world, "Happiness". I was hungry and didn't feel good at all, but I totally didn't notice at all. Their live music could double as an anesthetic.
And I just got terribly distracted and spent 15 minutes googling Isaac Slade's(lead singer) wife, trying to figure out whether or not she's good enough for him(FYI-she's not). He should be mine.
Anyway, concert was amazing. End of story.

Other than that, I don't think anything big has been going on. I always get bored in class and start thinking of a million things I could blog about. Of course, when I have inspiration, I have no computer. When I have a computer, I have no inspiration. FML.
So right now I'm listening to:

1. "I Wanna Have Your Babies"-Natasha Bedingfield-This song's just awesome. And it makes me think of Isaac Slade :P
2. "Your Easy Lovin' Ain't Pleasin' Nothin'"-Mayer Hawthorne-if you haven't heard Mayer Hawthorne yet, check him out. His old-timey sound is very nice :D
3. "Cantaloop (Flip Fantasia)-US3-This song always makes me laugh!
   
4. "Under Control" by Parachute-good song

Get ready for your mind to blown. I went to Borders with the greatest people in the world on saturday. I bought 3 books (one hardcover and two floppy ones) and a cell phone charm. I calculated the original prices-the total was $41. I spent $4. Try to process that, bitches.

Due to extreme tiredness yesterday, I missed the season premiere of "The Big Bang Theory"-I recorded it, however, and watched it today. One word: AWESOME. Two words: Hilarious and AWESOME. Watch it. On a related note, I finally got around to watching last week's premiere of the new season of "The Office" today. It can share the words I used to describe Big Bang. If you haven't watched either of these shows-DO IT.

I think this is the last thing of my current "In Need of Blogging" list. I've been bored lately and I came across this guy on YouTube that the YouTube-savvy have known about for a while, named Phillip DeFranco. He does a 3-4 minute show where he talks about things in the news, politics, and interesting topics. And I'm pretty sure he makes a new video every day. You heard me. Now that's dedication. Check out his channel here:
http://www.youtube.com/user/sxephil?blend=2&ob=4

In the words of The Fray, that's enough for now. Hope everyone has a great week! I make no promises, but I will try to post sometime soon.

P.S. I forgot to watch the premiere of "Glee". And the encore the next day. And the next episode. GRRR.

Back to School, Tissue Paper Pom-Poms, the Damaging Effects of Humidity, and a Small Review of the Worst Movie EVER MADE

It's been a while since I've made a relatively interesting post, so I'm gonna give it a go!

The picture at the top doesn't relate to most of the post, but it's just funny!

School started up on Tuesday *cue the groan and eye roll* I don't really like any of my classes very much, with the exception of Spanish. My teachers are nothing special. There's no one I'm excited about. However, I have one teacher I'm not sure how I feel about. And I totally don't mean that kind of,Do I think his butt is cute or not? No. It's like the do I think he's actually a good teacher and someone I could even get along with? The first few days I thought he was really obnoxious. His type of humor is the one which involves embarrassing people. Luckily, he didn't do anything to me(that's what I get for being quiet and blending in with the wall). I was afraid because he seemed like the kind of person who was constantly joking(and thinks they're the funniest person alive) and could never be serious, but it died down after a couple more days. I think he's straight, but I've heard his gay voice way too much.
Anyway, I really like my Spanish class. I think it's because I'm so used to almost everything I do in all my other classes is, for the most part, review of everything I already know. "Applying your skills" as they like to call it. However, with Spanish, everything I'm learning is brand spankin new.

I was bored and was feeling quite crafty after making an origami bouquet of flowers for my grandma's birthday(I'll post pics later) and so I decided to go to Martha Stewart's website for some inspiration. Usually, I don't try out any of her crafts(or recipes) because they're much too labor intensive. I want my crafts to be fun and relaxing, not frustrating, time consuming, and money-eating. However, I found directions for these really cool tissue paper pom-poms that hang from the ceiling. I've seen them before and thought they'd be really hard to make, but I checked out the directions, and they look really easy! They also look really cool. I'm definitely going to try it out like, ASAP and I will get back to you with the results. Here's the link-check it out:
http://www.marthastewart.com/how-to/tissue-paper-pom-poms-how-to?&pgType=intro&rsc=howTo_tab_intro#menu_container

I'm so sick of the stupid humidity! I saw Shela's post and decided to go off on a mini rant about my hatred for humidity. It makes my makeup melt of my face before the day's even halfway over! Even when I don't wear much-just eyeliner and mascara-I have little black puddles in the creases under my eyes! And don't get me started on my hair. It can look perfect and straight and then the second I step out the door, it's a big ball of wavy frizz. How on earth am I supposed to look good? GRRR.

Last and least, I watched "The Clique", the movie based on the book series by Lisi Harrison. I liked the book series, although it really wasn't the greatest. I was excited a few years ago when I heard they'd be making a movie. Then I found out it was a straight-to-DVD movie. Killjoy. So I came across it on the Lifetime Movie Channel and decided, what the hell, how about I watch it. It was TERRIBLE. But I couldn't look away. It was so uneventful that I wasn't even sure when it ended. It was the worst movie I've ever seen, I think. NEVER watch it-even out of curiousity. EVER.

TTYL, darlings!
//*Alanna*\\

TV Review: Ruby & the Rockits

Trying out a new review format-I've hated how every single one of my reviews sounds/looks.

Summary: Ruby has been living with her grandparents her whole life. When they become too old to take care of her, she hunts down her father, David, half of the 80's rock duo, The Rockits. David, however, lives a rockstar life and is not ready to take care of his daughter. His brother Patrick, the other half of The Rockits, has his own family and takes Ruby in.
My rating: 7/10
Why: I went in expecting this would be another crappy abc family show, but I was pleasantly surprised! The main reason I decided to try it out was because Alexa Vega stars in it. She was in Spy Kids ages ago and was one of my favorite childhood actors.
I watched the first episode and was hooked. After the first one, I watched every single one(there are only five). Now I'm excited for the next episode(it airs Tuesday).
I'd compare this show to The Bill Engvall Show. It's funny, lighthearded, and it has the same playful family humor.
I would definitely recommend watching at least one episode. Hope you all like it as much as I do!

TV Review: Glee

I meant to write this review a long time ago, but I completely slacked and then forgot. I'm sorry.

Unfortunately, you'll have to put up with my own crappy summary because I cannot seem to find one anywhere. Well, here goes nothing!

Will Schuester is a high school teacher who decides to take over Glee club in hopes of bringing it back and giving it a better reputation. Initially, he only gets a few kids to sign up-including Rachel Berry, a girl with nothing on her mind besides becoming famous. Will tries his hardest to get students excited about Glee club, but fails miserably. Meanwhile, he falls for Emma Pillsbury, the school's adorable new nutritionist. One problem: he's married.

I know I left a million key points out-you just have to watch it.
I LOVED the pilot episode Glee!! It was the perfect mix of drama, comedy, and music. The characters were full of personality and well developed.
On a scale of 1-10, I'd give it an 8-a must watch!
The pilot comes on Fox again on September 2nd and the season premiere comes out September 9th. Hope you all tune in!

Must....Resist...Song....

I hate Miley Cyrus for many reasons, but I'm totally diggin this song after hearing it on Teen Choice and the Wal-mart commercials(and the clothes are cute, too! AHHH!!!)
Check it out and be prepared to hate yourself for it:

Hey, It's Ok!

I bet you're getting tired of my non-stop movie reviews and lack of actual posts, soI wanted to share my favorite part of Glamour magazine with all you girls out there.
It's probably easier if I skip the explaining and just show you the examples from the last three issues.

Hey, it's Ok!
...to learn a party trick. You many not meet Mr.Right with your cherry-stem tying ability, but it can't hurt, right?
...to offer to pay but secretly hope he foots the bill.
...to give and overeager new luv-ah two words of advice:"Ladies first."
...to say: "Oh my God. You're the foe(?) in plaid that old psychic once told me I'd marry!" (If you believe in that stuff, you're gonna need a man who can deal.)
...to do a ring check the minute you meet a cute guy.
...to push your aviators up onto your head and consider it a hairstyle (I do this one all the time)
...to talk about the weather when all else fails. It's universal: Everyone cares.
...to say no to Frisbee golf, windsurfing or anything that will take you away from your towel, trashy novel, and frosty beverage. Lying on the beach is an activity!
...to press 0 to speak to a live human every singly time.
...to act all "candid" when someone pulls out a camera.
...to have more pairs of shoes under your desk than in your closet.
...to make him spend a ton winning you a stuffer bear.
...to think the fireworks were a wee bit excessive. Ooh, ahh, how many small countries could that have fed?
...to count housecleaning as a workout. Scrub and squat, sweep and sweat, dust and dance-done and done!
...to feign indifference but really pay super-close attention to the "emergency exit" spiel when you fly.
...to weigh more than your boyfriend does. After all, he doesn't have boobs and hips!
...to be kind of afraid of whatever's in the kiddie pool(lol!)
...to ask for bacon on your veggie burger.
...to not repair your heels until they sound like tap shoes when you walk.
...to want to be a Real Housewife of Wherever for just one twinset, Tory flats, margaritas-at-brunch day.

Hopefully you enjoyed those as much as I did!

I found some more here:
http://www.glamour.com/magazine/2008/11/hey-its-ok

Review: Hitch

I'm probably the last person to ever see this movie, but there's gotta be someone else out there, right? Whoever you are, this review is for you.

Summary from IMDB:
In New York, Alex Hitchen(Will Smith) is a kind of sentimental advisor, teaching each client how to date the woman of his dream. His present case is helping the clumsy Albert(Kevin James) to date the wealthy and powerful Allegra Cole(Amber Valletta). Meanwhile, Hitch has a crush on the gossip columnist Sara, who was assigned to write about Allegra. When the best girlfriend of Sara(Eva Mendes) has a love disillusion with a man that Sara thinks that is a client of Hitch, she plots a revenge against Hitch and the misunderstanding leads the two couples to a conflictive situation.

This movie was the perfect mix of funny, dramatic, and romantic. Eva Mendes and Will Smith had great chemistry and their characters had one of those relationships that you're cheering for, hoping they can pull through.

It wasn't the best movie I've ever seen, but I did enjoy it and it's definitely something I would recommend everyone watch at some point.

P.S. I forgot this, but I don't think I really need to say it-WILL SMITH WAS HOT!

Duh.

This movie was nothing like I expected. Well, parts of it were-but as a whole, this was not what I was expecting. I was thinking it would be one of those nothing-but-funny movies like "Knocked Up" and "Napoleon Dynamite", but it was actually really sad!

Here's IMDB's summary:Henry Roth lives in a Hawaiian paradise with the company of endless women with no strings attached. This is until he meets Lucy Whitmore. Both Henry and Lucy enjoy the company of each other and feels the start of a serious relationship occurring. Approaching Lucy the next day, Henry is confused when Lucy fails to recognise him. This is the moment Henry discovers that Lucy actually suffers from short term memory loss and can't remember each individual day. Henry won't let this stop him and is prepared to make her fall in love with him all over again, each and every day.

While 50% of the movie was hilarious, the other half was just plain sad. Genuinely sad-not the kind of,"This movie sucks so bad, it's sad." And kind of exhausting. You watch as Henry strives to make Lucy fall for him every single day. You watch her break down in tears as she realizes all the things that have happened to her that she cannot remember. It's sweet, but depressing.

I think I need pros and cons list:

Pros

• There were a lot of really funny parts
• It was sweet in a heartwrenching-type of way
• Drew Barrymore and Adam Sandler had great chemistry
• Adam Sandler was pretty adorable
• Happy ending :)
  

Cons

• Sad
• Kind of frustrating
• Exhausting

I would recommend it to those who love a good heartwrenching story. I however, don't like sad stories. But I'm just weird.

My final verdict-it was a good movie. I don't regret watching it. It's not my type, though.

Review: Julie and Julia

Since I'm trying extra hard to become a movie-watching person, I've seen a lot of movies lately and I'm falling far behind on my reviews. I apologize if I post a huge batch all at once-when I get in a blogging mood, I like to go with it.

SunnyD and I saw Julie and Julia just a few hours ago. It's based on the book by Julie Powell, who Amy Adams portrays in the movie.

I'm stealing IMDB's summary because, as you all know, I majorly suck at summarizing things(I love detail!)
Julia Child (Meryl Streep) and Julie Powell (Amy Adams) are featured in writer-director Nora Ephron's adaptation of two bestselling memoirs: Powell's Julie & Julia and My Life in France, by Julia Child with Alex Prud'homme. Based on two true stories, Julie & Julia intertwines the lives of two women who, though separated by time and space, are both at loose ends...until they discover that with the right combination of passion, fearlessness and butter, anything is possible.

I guess I was kind of expecting this movie to be...what's the word? Fluffy? Alright? Plotless? I was pleasantly surprised because this movie was not only cheerful and adorable, it actually had a plot! It definitely was far from edge-of-your-seat-what-is-going-to-happen-next, but it was enough to make it interesting.

I'll give you a little synopsis of my own because IMDB's was a bit too fluffy, with no actual content-Julie Powell is tired of her job and wants something to distract her and keep her busy, so she takes up cooking. She plans to go through Julia Child's entire recipe book-complete with 524 recipes from France-in 365 days.
Looking back at the past, Julia Child is going through similar things. She also takes up cooking and begins to write/publish her own cookbook while in France with her husband.

I'd definitely recommend this movie. It's not a chick flick, it's good for all ages(13 and up of course, seeing as it's PG-13). There were young people and elderly people seeing it and everyone seemed to be enjoying it.

I'm trying to use different words because I'm sure you're all sick of "charming", "cute" and "adorable". My word to describe this movie? Charismatic.

Now I feel the urge to cook....

I love the movie's tagline:
Passion. Ambition. Butter. Do You Have What It Takes?


P.S. You know how at the end of movies, people usually clap? Well for some reason, Little Miss Queen of Weird(aka The Darling SunnyD) despises it. Back me up people-isn't it perfectly normal/good to clap at the end of a good movie? And can someone please try to explain to me why this irritates her so much?

Movie Review: Romeo and Juliet(1968)

I meant to do this review AGES ago-I watched it in April-and if the movie wasn't so great, I wouldn't be doing this right now!
I watched this in English class and thoroughly enjoyed it! It stays true to the story, the cast is great, and for being made so long ago, they did a really great job.
The actor that plays Romeo, Leonard Whiting, is...(can't think of a creative way to say this) INSANELY GORGEOUS! He looks EXACTLY like Zac Efron(not so much in pictures, but in the movie, you'll see it). Every girl in my English class all went,"Oh.My.God." at the same time when he first came on.
There were many other sexy dudes, too . ;)
Olivia Hussey makes a perfect Juliet and she's absolutely beautiful!

I'd definitely recommend this. The guys didn't seem to enjoy it, but the girls definitely did.
WATCH IT!!!



P.S. Trying to make my reviews shorter so I have to write less and you don't have to read as much. Tell me your thoughts in the comments. Shorter or longer reviews?

Antoher Fill-Out Thing Stolen From Shela

Sorry I'm posting so much, but that's how I like to do things-sit down and post everything on my mind, then wait a couple weeks to do it again.

1. Where are you and what are you doing right this moment? At the desk in my room, typing this(what else would I be doing?)
   
2. Are you listening to anything? My new obsession,"She Holds a Key" by Gavin Degraw(sorry this is bold, i can't fix it)
3. What are 5 things that you can grab from where you're sitting? No cheating! My iTouch, speakers, origami bunnies, water bottle, toe separators(painted my nails earlier)
4. Do you have any celebrity crushes right now? Kinda diggin Chris Cornell at the moment. He reminds me of Sirius Black, which I like ;)
5. Would you ever get Botox? Nah. Too creepy looking.
6. What do you look for in a guy/girl? Hugh Jackman qualities. The man is absolutely and utterly perfect.
   
7. What draws your eye out when you meet someone? What they're wearing.
   
8. Do you like cologne? Love it. Apparently it's okay for girls to wear it once in a while. Not brave enough to do that, but I love the smell of some colognes.
   
9. What's your favorite scent? The smell of Taye Diggs in the scratch-and-sniff part of the 2007 People's Sexiest Man Alive issue. That was really specific. But it stands out in my mind. I think it was sandalwood and something else...I'll dig it up later and post it.
   
10. Do you have a usual regimen for your skin or do you like to try everything out? It changes a lot, but I love using my pumice stone on my legs, arms, and feet, and then I put on two different types of acne treatment(i'm officially zit free as of like, 6 months ago-it feels good)
    
11. What is a little known fact about you? Hm....probably that I play with dolls. What a weirdo.
    
12. Would you do Katy Perry? Haha, she's adorable, but no. I'm too straight for her.
    
13. Are you lesbian or bisexual? Aside from the attraction to Meagen Fox(seriously, can you blame me? Dayummm) and occasionally other people, no. I only like celebrities that way sometimes, never regular people.
    
14. What do you think about Carrie Prejean? I don't care about the whole gay thing, but I just find her annoying as a person. I'm glad she was ditched :)
15. What's your shoe size? 6.5-8 Yeah, I know, wide range, right? Depends on the brand most of the time.
    
16. Who's your dream bachelor? Hard question. Not so into to RPattz anymore-he's become too famous. My dream guy is Isaac Slade(lead singer of The Fray),but he's taken, and Bono, he's taken, but Gavin Degraw might be single(don't want to look it up because I might be disappointed). Dr.Cox from Scrubs would be perfect for me, but he's not real :(
    
17. What's an extravagance that's a must in your makeup bag? Extravagance? Don't have any extravagences in my makeup bag.
    
18. Beers or martinis? Don't drink.
    
19. What's a trend that you want to try out this season? Dying to get one of those cute headbands with the peacock feathers on the side.They're adorable! That's my goal for this week:get a feather headband.
    
20. Are you falling in love with someone? Yes. But mostly famous-ish people. Gavin Degraw especially...
    
21. How do you feel about push-ups bras? Don't own one-I'd look like a major hooker. They get enough attention as it is.
    
22. What are your plans for the next year? Don't need to think about next year. living in the present
    
23. Put your Ipod on shuffle, play a song and pause at 0:23. What are the lyrics?
    
24. "i Don't know which side i'm on"
    
25. What's your favorite shade of nail polish? Rimmel Underground 340 Addictive
    
26. Who is your favorite book or author? Dunno
    

My Beach Playlist

I got back from my week-and-a-half trip to the beach on Wednesday and I thought I'd share my beach playlist while I still feel beach-y.

1. Ben Harper and the Innocent Crimials-"Steal My Kisses" This song never fails to make me feel good. Ben Harper has a soothing, smooth voice. This song is a great upbeat song to listen to on the beach!

2. The Black Ghosts-"Full Moon" It's probably best known for the being on the Twilight soundtrack. This song is just awesome. Another feel-good song!

3. Bob Marley and the Wailers-"Is This Love" Anything Bob Marley is perfect for most situations, especially the beach. Need I explain?

4. Chris Brown-"Dreamer" I'm not a huge Chris Brown fan, but I love this song. It came out during the Olympics. Good song to work out to, also.

5. Coldplay-"Strawberry Swing" Oh my god, this is totally my summer anthem! It reminds me of my childhood for some reason.

6. The Cure-"Just Like Heaven" Okay, this is just one of the best songs ever made. If you haven't heard it, you are very unfortunate and I will save you the time and embarrassment and give you the link:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5StFADI9NM Just listen and enjoy. DO IT! Oh, and don't watch the video. The lead singer is hideous and he might ruin it for you.

7. Foo Fighters-"Learn To Fly" You've probably heard this before. It's the best Foo Fighters song, in my opinion. No words to describe how happy this song makes me feel.

8. Israel Kamakawiwo'ole(Commonly Known as Bruddah Iz)-"Somewhere Over The Rainbow" This is the super famous cover that you hear in the romance movies and on TV. It's like magic. You'd think it's magic would wear off after a while, but every time I listen to this song, I feel it. It's touching.

9. Bruddah Iz-"Ka Huila Wai" This song is sung completely in Hawaiin(?) and it's just fun! Definitely the soundtrack to my beach vacation and my favorite pick for beach listening!

10. Jack Johnson-"If I Had Eyes" This one's kind of obvious because Jack Johnson is stereotypical beach music(but not in a bad way!)

11. Jason Mraz-"I'm Your's" Another predictible one we've all heard, but a good one.

12. Switchfoot-"Awakening" Switchfoot is another beach-perfect band. They're meant for sunny days :)

13. U2-"Mysterious Ways" You knew I'd have to add in some U2, right? This is one of my favorites. Enjoy ;)

Hope you enjoyed this playlist!

Movie Review: Bewitched

I came across this movie last night while babysitting. I had a few hours while the kids were asleep, so I watched the whole thing(of course, their parents came home 10 minutes before it ended, so I rushed home-they're across the street from my house-and recorded the rest).
Here's a brief plot summary: Isabel Bigelow(Nicole Kidman) is a witch(the friendly kind!) who's trying her hardest to give up magic and become a normal person(her father does the exact opposite). Jack Wyatt(Will Ferrell),a D-list actor, is trying to build up a better reputation for himself after much failure in the box office. He decides to do a remake of the 1964 TV show,"Bewitched", and cast a nobody as Samantha(the main character) so that no one can steal his spotlight. He meets Isabel on the street and offers her the part. Unaware of his plans, she agrees.
As the story goes on, they begin to fall in and out of love as Isabel tries to change him. You have to watch to find out what happens ;)

I found this movie to be absolutely charming(no pun intended). Nicole Kidman was adorable, Will Ferrel was self-absorbed and hilarious, and the supporting actors were great, too.
This is a feel-good movie that left me flouncing around the house at midnight, high off of happiness and wishing I could cast spells(I sound a bit insane, don't I?)

I'd definitely recommend this to anyone looking for something to lift their spirits and make them laugh!

I guess if I had to say something bad about this movie, I'd say it was a bit predictible. However, most movies/books are and this movie is still very enjoyable! A must watch!!

Obsessions

When I was a little kid, I was so utterly obsessed with the Backstreet Boys. I used to write "BSB" on everything I owned. I looked up the video for "I Want It That Way"(haha, awesome song-no joke) at like, 2:00 AM at SunnyD's house and since then, I've been a crazy person. Kevin Richardson(the best Backstreet Boy-why the hell did he have to leave? I MISS HIM!!! He was the only one I'm sure was straight) is my ipod and computer background, I've been playing "The Call"(this came out after my obsession was over-now I cannot stop listening to it) on the guitar/piano over and over and over again, and guess who I'm listening to right now? I've been watching the videos and pausing on Kevin's face so I can get a screenshot. Seriously, I need him. BADLY!!!

Check out "The Call"-it's about a guy cheating on a girl, but for some reason I think of it as sweet the way he says it...someone listen to it and see if you can hear that.


I can't embed the actual video-here's the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6GRKRDicTU
And if you love Kevin like I do, he comes in at 3:06 and he's the main focus until the end of the video.
Damn, I'm obsessed. Can you tell?!

I blame my next obsession(in a loving way) on SunnyD.

Christian.Bale.

After seeing Newsies, I've grown to love him and his i-heart-thef-bomb self. But check out the what he looks like after dropping weight for a new movie:
http://www.tmz.com/2009/07/14/christian-bale-skinny-photo/

And if you recall his dramatic 63-lb. weight lost for The Machinist a while back;
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_CId289lYIdc/SgQF2RwgQMI/AAAAAAAAC6g/xh1XVKfhYYI/s400/Christian+Bale+in+The+Machinist.jpg

I miss this:
http://www.insidesocal.com/outinhollywood/,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,bale14.jpg

Oh well. Once he's finished with this movie, he'll probably gain it all back.

I'm sure you've probably seen David After Dentist(if you haven't, here's the link:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txqiwrbYGrs) and you've probably heard the infamous Christian Bale rant(LOVE THIS MAN!) Have you seen the mash-up? Funniest thing ever!!! It will crack you up. Check it out:
Christian Bale Takes David to the Dentist;


Last, but not least, I NEED TO SEE HARRY POTTERERRRRRRRR!!!! REALLY.REALLY.REALLY. BAD.

It's All in the Lips

I just realized that the two guys I'm obsessed with at the moment(Christian Bale and Kevin Richardson) and my former obsession(John Stamos) all have the same lips.
The lack of upper lip couldn't be sexier, no?
Not to mention they're all brunettes(not a fan of blondes, sorry). Wow, I think I have a type now...

Click the pic to the see the beauty up close ;) Do it. Now. Click. Now. You won't regret it.

NEWSIES!!!!

This movie was fantastic.

It stars Christian Bale as a one of the "Newsies"(boys who sell newspapers) in New York, 1930's-ish.
Christian Bale was 18 when this was made, I think. And he was fucking gorgeous. His character was also incredibly sexy-a young man with no family, no roof over his head, nothing going for him but his looks and personality, who's forced to be completely independent. Seriously, tell me one thing that could possibly be sexier. Really, I dare you.

The songs were catchy, the acting was pretty good, and the storyline was decent.
I will warn you that this movie is extremely hard to find unless you have Netflix. My lovely bestie, SunnyD looked everywhere for it before she found it at Best Buy. It's only $7 there. I'm probably going to buy it because I enjoyed it so much!

Anyway, this movie is a must see! It's directed by Kenny Ortega(director of High School Musical) but he did a much better job. I'm not sure why this wasn't very popular because I think it's great!

New Perspective

It's interesting how one little thing can completely change your perspective of someone.
After Michael Jackson died, I wasn't sure exactly how I felt. We lost the King of Pop, a true legend in music. But we'd also lost a molester and a drug abuser. I was torn between emotions.
Then the one moment that changed everything I ever felt about him.
When Paris, his daughter, got up in front of hundreds of people at her father's memorial and said, through tears, how much her father meant to her. My heart broke. I cried twice that day(I've turned into this totally weird emotional person-I absolutely hate it) It was so brave of her to get up onstage-completely unplanned!-and speak to the world. I have immense amounts of respect for this child.
If this doesn't touch you, you are a cold-hearted bastard.


These pictures also gave M.J. a different light. He was smiling and playing with his kids.
http://www.tmz.com/2009/06/28/michael-jackson-photos-rare-family/

This is also sweet:
http://www.people.com/people/package/article/0,,20287787_20290360,00.html

Debbie Rowe said she didn't want kids, she had them for Michael, because she knew he wanted them and he'd make a great father.

The more I hear, the more I miss him. He made some mistakes, but he was a wonderful man.
And every time I see a picture of him from when he was black, I smile because he was just too damn cute.

R.I.P. Jacko

P.S. I can't seem to embed this picture, but check it out, it's my favorite:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kerrarr-chup/3701836933/

4th of July, Fireworks, and Diets(Oh My!)

Hello!

I meant to post on the 4th, but I was too lazy :P So Happy Belated 4th of July!
I went to see some fireworks in this big, open field nearby with the fam. Got some REALLY cool pics. The rest of them are on here:http://www.flickr.com/photos/dustytomatoes/

So the main thing going on right now in my boring life is my new diet. The annual beach trip is on the 23rd and I've been desperate to actually look good in a bathing suit(let alone anything else) for a long while. I decided to actually work for it. There's an app for iPhones and iTouches called "Lose It!". You enter in your weight loss goal, your height, age, etc. and it comes up with the number of calories you're allowed to eat in order to reach your goal! Unfortunately for all you that are iPhone/iTouch-less, it's only available for those devices. However, I'm sure you can find something similar online.
I've mixed that with Wii Fit and the results are kind of amazing. It's been 4 days and I've lost 3 pounds. I can already see the difference it's made! I had no idea it would be so simple-all I have to do is step on and off the wii board rhymically for 20 minutes, then twirl and imaginary hoola hoop(which makes you look like an idiot, but works wonders on your stomach) for 10 and I've already lost a pound! It helps if it's hot-I've probably lost a lot in sweat.
Anyway, wish me luck-I'm aiming towards 122 by the 23rd(but i might try to go for less than that if it continues to be this easy!)

Hope you all have a wonderful week!

Review: He's Just Not That Into You

Ok, the best word I can think of to describe this movie actually isn't a word-it's a sound.
Eh.
This movie was ok. I didn't really like it, but I didn't dislike it. I liked certain elements of it.

Again, I'm stealing a summary because I suck at writing my own:
The plot chronicles the romantic misadventures of nine individuals in their twenties and thirties. Set in Baltimore, the common thread of the story is that one person in each relationship is more enamored of the other person than vice versa. At the core of these multiple stories is Gigi (Ginnifer Goodwin), a young woman who repeatedly misinterprets the signs that men give her about their level of interest in her.

Here's what I liked:

• The fact that all the people seemed to form a web of interconnecting relationships.
  
• Justin Long was cute and his character was too
• I really can't think of anything else. You'd think I'd hate this movie, but I don't.

Here's what I didn't like:

• Scarlett Johanssen's boobs-I mean c'mon, they were WAY too big. No offense to her. They just kind of annoyed me.
• The fact that the girls were SO obsessed with guys calling them. Get.a.life.
• Bradley Cooper's character was a total dickhead.
  
• The whole movie kind of tired you out. It seemed like the same thing was happening over and over again so you felt as exhausted as the characters did.
• It left me feeling kind of empty until the concluding clips in the credits.

Overall, I would not recommend it. But lots of people liked it. It's one of those thing that you either love or hate.
Hopefully this was helpful.

Review:My Most Excellent Year: A Novel of Love, Mary Poppins, and Fenway Park by Steve Kluger

So I honestly thought that I had already reviewed this.

I didn't.

But now I will because this book deserves to be gushed about!

Because I suck at summaries, I'm just gonna give you this one that I found on amazon.
In his first novel for young readers, Kluger revisits themes in his adult titles: baseball, romantic sparring, and social activism. Boston teens T. C. and Augie are such close friends that their families acknowledge them as brothers. Alejandra has recently arrived from Washington, D.C., where her father served as a Mexican ambassador to the U.S. Written in multiple voices and nontraditional formats, including instant messages and school assignments, Kluger’s crowded, exuberant novel follows the three high-school freshman through an earth-shaking year in which musical-theater-obsessed Augie realizes that he is gay, Alejandra reveals her theatrical talents to disapproving parents, and T. C. tries to make a deaf child’s greatest wish come true. At the center are heart-pulling romances (even a few among adults) and a broadening sense of what family means. A few plot twists will require readers to suspend belief, and the voices tend to sound alike. Still, the appealing characters are bright, passionate, and fully engaged in their lives, and many readers will lose themselves in this original, high-spirited story.

It was like this book was written for me: I love the Red Sox, therefore I love Fenway Park, Mary Poppins is one of my favorite movies, and I love those cliche gay guys that are obsessed with musicals and the like.
The characters are absolutely charming, as is the whole book. It captures exactly how crazy someone you have a crush on can make you. It tells the story of true friendship and young love(and I sound TOTALLY CHEESY! But the book isn't)
Trust me, you gotta read this one(not sure if guys would like it...) I thank SunnyD a billion-and-one times for recommending this one. It makes me realize how well she knows me :P

Anyway, I'm sick of using all the same words I always use to describe things(i.e. awesome, amazing, etc.) so I went on thesaurus.com and found some words that I think describe this book perfectly.

absorbing, alluring, amiable, appealing, attractive, charismatic, choice, cute, dainty, delectable, delicate, delightful, desirable, elegant, engaging, engrossing, entrancing, eye-catching, fascinating, fetching, glamorous,

Oh-and fabulous.

Hope you all will take my advice and check this book out!