Thursday, May 30, 2013

Harry Potter & The Goonies Taught Me Everything I Know

I'm about to reveal my nerdiness for all of the Internet-folk to gawk at. 
But these are the same Internet-folk who brought us this monstrosity
so I'm not too worried about their judgment.

Plus, I went to UD, so it's not like I was hiding it.  

The Goonies is one of my very favorite movies and reminds me of my childhood. 
Because my childhood was spent seeking out pirate ships in the Pacific Northwest. 
(That's only halfway true.)
And Harry Potter is one of my very favorite book series.

Obviously, I didn't learn everything I know from Harry Potter & The Goonies.
I had to give my parents something to do.
But they both taught me many important lessons, some of which are:

» "Goonies never say die!"




Don't give up. Pick yourself up by your bootstraps. Get back in the saddle. 
All the things our teachers tried to instill in us, 
but the Goonies made SUCH a better impression. 
Fifth grade teacher who cried while reading us Tuck Everlasting? Psh.
Mikey who gives great speeches and goes on adventures? Duh.

I also had the Goonie Oath memorized as a child. 

Nuclear war is still a big concern, guys.


» Be nice to handicapped people.



Hey you guys!  
There are many reasons to do this, not the least being 
that they are God's children the same as you and I. 
Sloth deserved better; they all deserve better.
Also, such behavior could save your life.


» Always be on your best behavior.


Don't do anything you wouldn't want to admit out loud. 
Also, be honest with yourself and others around you.

And maybe don't cause a puking pandemic.

Secondary lesson: People just want to be heard, even if they're telling fairly terrible things.

Tertiary lesson: Sometimes the ice cream just isn't worth it. 

» Friendship & loyalty above all else. 


"Down here it's our time. It's our time down here."

Even if it completely panics your parents/guardians, it's cool to be selfish 
and stick with your friends sometimes
That sort of friendship could help save your small, Pacific Northwest community.
(Or defeat the Dark Lord...)

» "It is our choices that show who we truly are, far more than our abilities."




» "Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, if one remembers to turn on the light."


» "Humans do have a knack of choosing precisely those things that are worst for them." 

I'm a terrible decision-maker. 
I wait until the very last possible second, then panic-choose. 
Aaaaand I inevitably choose poorly.

But even those rare times I don't panic-choose, I still choose poorly.
(Usually because I give in to sense > reason; I'm like a puppy.)
I think most people are like that, even if you don't recognize it, you hypocrites.

And finally, 

» "Yer a wizard, (M)ary."


Honestly, this is the most important lesson I learned in all of my childhood. 
Without it, I would have ended up going to some boring liberal arts university 
and probably be unemployed and pathetic.
So glad that didn't happen.


Honorable Mention:
  • Knowledge of history is important. Especially pirate/wizard history.
  • Piano lessons can save your life.
  • It's really important to have at least one super smart friend. (Data/Hermione)
  • Puberty is an awful thing. (ex: braces, Neville)
  • Watch out for booby traps. (ex: Chester Copperpot, Triwizard Tournament maze)

Sidenote: While prowling the Internets for suitable images & whatnot, I came across this article enumerating the lessons Muslims can learn from Harry Potter. 
Whaaaaaat.
(Read at your own risk. Don't say I didn't warn you...)

If you got to the end and you're still reading, here's a reward:





Monday, May 27, 2013

Wedding Weekend #1: High School Reunion

I just took my multivitamin with a healthy sip of wine. 
So, business as usual. 
I also didn't want to get a wine glass dirty, so I'm drinking out of the bottle. 
I live alone; mind your own business.

I just got back from a WONDERFUL weekend in Houston 
("wonderful" & "Houston" aren't usually seen together in a sentence)
celebrating the marriage of one of my dear high school friends. 
It ended up being a bit of a high school reunion which was SO much fun!
(And I'm not even being sarcastic. I enjoyed running into high school people...)

The wedding was absolutely gorgeous:


Left: There were super cute welcome bags in the hotel rooms with snacks and directions to the church & reception venue. 
(The snacks were devoured before a picture could be taken. #sorryimnotsorry)
Middle: I tried to get a picture of the ceremony, but 1) we sat in the very back, and 2) I'm no professional. Sorry.
Right: Beautiful program that I'll keep forever! 
(But not even joking, I will. I'm a sentimental soul.)


TL: My mom and I wanted a picture to show how GIANT the flower arrangements were. 
TR: The cake was pretty AND delicious. Successful wedding, in my book.
BR: There were flowers everywhere-the room smelled amazing.
BL: And I can't resist taking pictures of shiny, gold things. 

Top: Mom and me at the cocktail hour. Houston humidity was not working with my hair.
Middle: Friends from high school! Malloree & Medley looked gorgeous in their bridesmaid dresses!
Bottom: I was so unbelievably happy to see my favorite teacher from high school!


The band was so much fun and they had a totally badass female saxophonist.



Wedding favors!
Left: I can't say no to a custom koozie.
Right: Chips & salsa for a late night snack! 
You can take the girl out of San Antonio, but you can't take San Antonio out of the girl.

When I got back, this was waiting for me:

And it's not even my birthday!
After watching a few episodes, I considered my options:
1) binge-watch every new episode immediately
2) make the joy last and watch a couple of episodes at a time

I'm now more than halfway through the new episodes, 
so I think the "pacing myself" option is out.
Non je ne regrette rien.


And because Johnny can say it better than I can:
(Johnny is the only person who can get away with covering Tom Petty.)


"No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends." John 15:13

Because barbecues & great sales are awesome, but today was about 
more than that. 

Thursday, May 23, 2013

LSAT + Memorial Day Weekend

T-18 days until LSAT doom. 
No word, yet, on whose doom it will be--mine or the LSAT's.  

I decided (re: was instructed--because at least it would be something to occupy my time) in January to take the LSAT. Wanting to give myself plenty of prep time, I signed up for the June test date (the LSAT is only offered 4 times a year). 
I started studying on my own, and then enrolled in a prep course. 
This is what my days (well, 2-3 days a week for maybe a couple of hours) look like:


I don't know why the building is greenish. Sue me. <--lawyer joke!

The baristas are starting to recognize me. 

I am absolutely ready for this to be over. 
I have "class" 3 times a week, for 3 1/2 hours. 
In addition to the stupid homework.
It is death.

I've been pretty adamant about only taking the test once, so it better go well. 
(I recently spoke to someone who took it three times before she got the score she wanted...
Ain't nobody got time for that.)
My prep course is full of college juniors who are planning on taking the test at least twice.
Which makes me:
1. Resent them for planning ahead and taking this course while still in college.
2. Resent them for having all the time in the world. 

My only solace is that I understand way more than they do (finally, the UD education serves a purpose). 
There's one girl in particular that makes me fear for the future of the legal profession.
Maybe she'll meet some cute, future lawyer and never practice law ever 
(fingers crossed).

However,
I don't have class this Saturday OR this Monday for Memorial Day.
This is exciting for a couple of reasons:

1. My friend, Meredith, is getting married on Saturday!
The last wedding I was at with this girl, 
she challenged me to a margarita-drinking contest 
and I blacked out.
oops.

So I've got some pretty high, hazy expectations.

2. ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT!!!

I don't think I've been this excited for a show since The 10th Kingdom miniseries. 
And that's saying something.
Don't expect contact with me until I finish every episode.


«Random Things»

- While LSAT-ing the other day, I realized that I was doing THE EXACT PROBLEM ELLE WOODS WAS DOING DURING HER STUDY MONTAGE.
Life was simultaneously awesome and still-sucky-because-studying-ugh. 


start at :30


- If you haven't seen the video about Zach Sobiech yet, please watch it and join the rest of us. It's beautiful and depressing and if you don't cry then you have no soul.
Totally worth the 20 minutes and a wonderful representation of a kid living his faith.




-Stumbled upon this gem the other day. 
Monogramming + Gatsby?
So, so good. 
The Avatar Creator isn't too shabby either. 

Also, if you saw Gatsby, but missed the giant bottle of champagne that exploded glitter:



go watch it again.
This picture is fabulous, but doesn't do it justice. 
That giant bottle of champagne/glitter is what I've been searching for 
my entire life.




Friday, May 17, 2013

Things I'm Loving

Was anyone else aware that the stupid/awesome brother from Modern Family is actually a member of MENSA and graduated high school at 13?!
Hat's off to you, kid.

I was going to do a tour of my apartment for this post, 
but then I realized that that would mean cleaning, so
nope.
(Some of you are asking, "But don't you have plenty of time to clean, being unemployed and all?" 
To that I say: Shutupshutupshutup.)

So instead of cleaning, or grocery shopping, or anything else that I should have been doing, 
I watched an episode of Warehouse 13 (no shame in my game) and tried to think of a good blog post. 
My mind was blank. 
I knew I set the bar too high when I posted twice in one week. 
It's cool, though. I would rather post rarely about great things than inundate y'all with my daily activities (because NO ONE'S daily activities are blog-worthy.)

Instead, I will tell you what I'm loving, at this moment:

1. Coyote Drive-In


Coyote Drive-In is this great drive-in movie theatre that just opened about 5 minutes from my apartment. Opening weekend they played classics, but they've started showing all the latest movies as well. There's a bar and concessions (repeat for emphasis: bar), it's pet-friendly, and each screen shows a double-feature for a super low price. 
What's not to love?

2. Running

I have awful knee problems. Too much soccer and ballet when I was younger absolutely destroyed my joints. For years, it was actually too painful to run for any meaningful amount of time, so I had to supplement with other exercises. 
I started running again in January and it definitely wasn't a pleasant experience. I probably will never get real enjoyment out of running, but I do enjoy a challenge. It's been fun to see how much farther I can go each time. My pace is embarrassingly slow (see Homer, above) and it's still pretty painful, but I'm making progress.
My biggest inspiration has been finding out about the runDisney events. Running through Magic Kingdom?? I could die happy.
(Plus, the medal is in the shape of a tiara. GAH.)

3. H-E-B San Antonio blend coffee
Stop what you're doing (or finish reading my blog, whatever), drive to the nearest H-E-B, and get this coffee. This is the coffee we drink at home, and I completely forgot about how good it is until my last weekend at Mom's. 
Sadly, my Central Market doesn't sell it, and there really isn't an H-E-B close to me. 
Mom recently visited and surprised me with a bag of my favorite coffee, but that was just a tease. I have a taste for it and no way of getting it.
BUT have no fear. 
I recently discovered this website that sells the H-E-B coffee! 
Life can go on.

4. Selena Gomez, "Come and Get It"





I'm not even embarrassed. I've listened to it twice already today, and it's only 10:30. 
Super catchy (with a terrible message but it's cool because we've all felt that way) plus I really want to learn the dance from the MTV Movie Awards. 
And I just figured out how to spend the next few hours. 


5. ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT SEASON 4



It's not even out, but I know it's going to be my favorite thing. The promotions have been genius, the trailer is awesome, and the whole cast came back. PLUS A MOVIE.
I may still be unemployed, but life is looking brighter.




Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Currently... + Russian Usher


Listening: Gatsby Gatsby Gatsby! Only a couple of more days until the release and I am amping myself up for it by listening to the soundtrack non-stop. 
(It received some pretty terrible reviews, but I disagree with reviewers about 1,000,000% of the time. Don't question my math; I was a teacher.)
My neighbors may hate me, but I call it "community service". They need the help: the apartment pool turns into a Greek mixer on the weekends and they play a steady rotation of 'Thrift Shop', fun. hits, and that Florida Georgia Line song that was taken over by pop radio. I NEED FOR THEM TO EXPAND THEIR CULTURAL PARAMETERS. 

Drinking: Wine, because sometimes I'm fancy. Except I cut myself on the foil, so I'm also trashy and bloody. Luckily, it's a red wine. 

I've also been doing a lot of this lately:
I was really thirsty, guys. 

I'm only a little embarrassed. 


Wanting: I have a serious problem with lusting over inanimate objects. Mostly shoes, but I don't want to pigeonhole myself. I'm super cheap, though, so I have to really talk myself into buying things. I've been known to salivate over a bag for more than a year before finally making a commitment. Moral of the story: I need either a well-paying job or a well-paying sugar daddy. Applications are being accepted. 

Needing: Duh. 

Feeling: I'm not a very deep person. At the moment, the pain in my finger is consuming me, leaving no room for any other emotion


Aaaaaaaand, I'll just leave this here for your enjoyment:





Sunday, May 5, 2013

The (Illustrated) Past Year of My Life

UD's graduation is coming up fairly quickly. While that doesn't effect me, it definitely puts things into perspective. 
And I could really do without that perspective. 
At this point, clarity is super annoying. I don't need to be comparing May 2012 with May 2013 because that's how alcoholism begins. I understand that my life is not turning out how I thought it would--a cinematic flashback would only rub salt in that wound. 

However, in the spirit of blogginess, I've composed a series of pictures that illustrate my year's journey. It's short, so stop crying about having to read during finals/on your day off. 

«February-May 2012»
An excellent summary of a UD student's never-ending quest. 
This is particularly true of my 2nd semester senior year. I had completed my student teaching and I didn't have a thesis to present. I'd had enough truth & beauty for the time being, and I completely moved on to the booze. 

Congratulations Class of (2012)--we did it!
(My life always relates to Reese Witherspoon--naturally or by design.)
By graduation, I was more than ready to get out. However, my brain refused to process the finality of graduating--I was still viewing it as another break, after which we'd all be back together.
DO NOT MAKE THAT SAME MISTAKE.
Doing so leads to a much more difficult reality check.


«August 2012-January 2013»
Then, I got a job. 
I accepted the position the week of graduation. A bit of a panic move, but no one wants to graduate without knowing their next step. Literally, a month later I realized what a mistake I had made. That is not hindsight speaking--the conversations I had with my future coworkers/boss during that month spurred intense regret. I hated that job before I even started work. 

I felt like Office Space-ing every single day I worked that job (particularly because the copier went on the fritz almost daily). God was obviously working wonders in my life, as evidenced by my lack of violence against machines and humans alike. 


«January 2013-May 2013»



I think those just speak for themselves. 
Also, seeing those grouped together just made me realize that I'm super concerned with my looks. So there's that. 

On a completely different note, this blog is really hard to write while maintaining a sweet, Christian nature. I have to wait a few days before actually posting what I've written, just to give myself time to reread and reassess. 
(This may come as a surprise, but my sarcasm comes off as terribly rude sometimes. Also, I can be just mean.)
Many entries have already been scrapped due to mean-spiritedness. Whatever. 

(I'm experimenting with signatures. "xoxo" was a little too Gossip Girl.)