Happy Halloween!

Halloween is my favorite holiday! Please don't come at me with arguments of Christmas, because that's like THE holiday, you know? There's Christmas and then there's everything else, including your birthday. This year has been pretty festive so far, though we dd have one major gaff. Our Jack-O-Lantern is terrible, y'all. We tried for Spock and ended up with Mangled Gourd. Oh well. Before we carved it up, we introduced Rory to the pumpkin. She went nuts trying to bite it and drag it off. Who knew?

Mixtape Tuesday

My friends Tyler and Kimmie have a precious blog where they post photos and things that inspire them. Today they posted this video of a performance by Feist. I am awe struck! This is so gorgeous and interesting.Thanks so much guys for cluing me into to this!If you're unfamiliar with

La Blogotheque, they make some truly amazing live recordings. Somehow they always seem so personal and intimate, like they're letting you in on a secret. This one of Beirut is a long time favorite.

As an aside, last night I was hanging laundry, and it seems every time I do so I find another one or two items to donate or throw away. Most of them I have known I need to get rid of for a long time, but they are so sentimental I don't want to, like the dress I wore on my 21st birthday. It's a bit too risque, in the sweetest possible way, for me now.  If anyone's interested in taking some hand me downs, let me know. I could save it for future generations, but I ain't got the closet space!.

The Walking Dead Is Gross

And I hate half the characters, but I am addicted all the same. Jared and I did literally nothing this weekend but laze about and watch our zombie stories and eat. And it was so so good.

Although I did get an insane migraine Sunday morning and was then plagued with dreams of walkers, not so fun.

We are very late to this monster mash, but at least it's festive. In the past week and a half we blew through both seasons of Walking Dead on Netflix and then had to sit through all those excruciating commercials last night, watching our first live ep.

So do you watch The Walking Dead? Do you hate Carl as much as I do (seriously guys, Carl ruins everything amiright?) What about Andrea and Lori? Ugh right? I'm very pro Daryl and Glen, and I guess Rick can stay too.

It also makes my heart sing that this show is set in GA. Another wonderful thing from GA? My future sister-in-law Lacey! Jared's brother Graham got engaged this weekend and wedding fever has already started sweeping the family.

Rainy Day Dreamer

I read this tip for listening to music online in the comment section of a YouTube video. Thank you random stranger!

Choose a great playlist on YouTube, Spotify, Pandora, whatever. Try starting here.Then, open a new tab and go to RainyMood.com.

It's perfect for zoning out working on homework, trying to sleep, hanging out at your desk at work. I've been listening like this all morning.

Good Cheer

Be of good cheer.

That sentiment has been on my mind almost constantly. If we can't revel in the now, if we can't have peace, will we ever find it? Cheer, happiness and gratitude should all be recognized daily.

The past few days I have been pretty useless. My back pain has me going from couch to chair to bed, all with a heating pad in tow. Our apartment is very small and it takes constant vigilance to keep clutter at bay. My dear Bird has been doing all the dishes lately, laying them carefully out on the kitchen table to dry. Clean dishes are a simple pleasure that should be enjoyed, especially when you didn't have to do them ;).

“Wherefore, be of good cheer, and do not fear, for I the Lord am with you, and will stand by you..."

Movies That Unhinge

October is my favorite. Jack-O-Lanterns, costume parties, ghost stories, and under 80 degree weather all makes my heart sing. October also brings Halloween Movies, which are are pretty much the best. I live for Practical Magic, Rocky Horror, Hocus Pocus, Nightmare Before Christmas, not to mention all the classic horror that comes on TV (The Shining is my personal fave). I love the hokey, the scary, the Disney Channel classics...but there is one movie which I refuse to watch every single year. 

Edward Scissorhands. 

I can be kind of a drama queen, this is true. I am a cry baby if I am anything and have always had a healthy relationship with my emotions. But this movie y'all. THIS movie. This movie turns me into a crazed emotional trainwreck, a freak, a weeping willow, a blubbering fool.I was going to post a picture of old eddie but i can't do it, I can't look at his pathetic gray face.

To be honest with you I haven't even watched the entire thing since I was probably 13, but the feeling I get when I think about it, sick to my stomach, skin crawling discomfort, is enough to keep me away forever. This weekend Jared flipped it on and I begged, BEGGED, for him to change the channel. What is it about Edward? Something about loneliness and outcasts? Knowing he was up there all by himself? I don't know but it really gets me. I turn into these kids who were apparently traumatized by The Odd Life Of Timothy Green:

Do you have a movie like this? When I was really young it was E.T. I couldn't finish that movie until I was in my late teens, and it's only because it's one of Jared's favorites so I kind of forced myself to finish it. Now I love it, but it was traumatizing to my 5 year old self. Another movie that does this is Saving Private Ryan and Master and Commander (the young boy who dies reminds me so much of my brother I lose it every time).

So tell me, is Edward Scissortradgedy THAT bad? Should I swallow my teenage fear and re-watch it? Will I love it as much as I now love E.T? Give me strength y'all.

The Weekender: Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious

This weekend was jam packed. Saturday we got up and headed to the beach to watch the air show....for five hours. Rest assured there was a hat on my head and sunscreen galore so I didn't get burned. We had a great time. It was so relaxing to just lay out on the beach and watch the planes go by. When it got too hot we'd stick our feet in the water, but you couldn't have asked for a more beautiful day.

That night Jared and I had to chaperone a dance, so we got to debut this years Halloween costumes! I'm swooning over how they turned out, and we spent less then 20 bucks on the whole caboodle.

I gotta give props to the old bird, when he does something, he does it all the way. He was very meticulous about his soot placement. We stepped in time to Gangnam Style, Jared slow danced with his broom, good times and late night pumpkin Blizzards were had....

And then disaster struck. I'd been having back pains all week, and after dancing around like a maniac in four inch heels I was not in a good way. By the time we got home my back muscles were super tight and I looked more like the Bird Woman then Mary Poppins.

Hobbling around like a goblin, I went to ready the roast for Sunday dinner. It wasn't there. I checked the bag 3-4 times, hunted around my fridge-gone. We were having the missionaries over and I had literally nothing else to fix so there was only one thing to do. WalMart. We went to one, closed (how?!) we went to another and then this happened.

 

Yes my friends if you spotted a Mormon chick with really rosey cheeks riding a rascal in WalMart late late in the evening, it was me.   Suffice to say, by the time we got home I could barely move but the roast was got and we made it home. All in a days work.

It struck me that the two of us could run..

I am ready for the weekend! Jared and I are planning on going to the air show down by the sea. Jared will subsequently go through 2-3 weeks of dreaming of being a pilot, all will be right in the world. ;) Actually the air show was one of me and Jared's first "dates" when he came home from his mission two years ago!

 We were stuck in traffic for about 2.5 hours, and I had never been happier to be stuck with someone.

Awkward and Awesome Thursday

Awkward

• Finding the deal of the year at J.Crew and then purchasing the wrong size. Thank you Jared for being my boy-friday and making up for my rookie mistake. 
• 10 days later and we still have not unpacked our suitcases. 
• My deep desire to have a Halloween party, but the knowledge that there would be probably 3 people who actually showed up. Actually that's our apts max capacity so maybe its a good thing?
• Babies! Everywhere! Except for anywhere I could feasibly get to them and snuggle them. So many friends had babies these past two weeks and none of them can be pressed to my bosom. Sad day :(
• A Brussels Griffon on a swing is a happy thing. However, trying to then take pictures of said B.G. on the swing, with flash, will only enrage the beast and panic him. Sorry Chewy. 
• As an aside, I have more dog friends then people friends, clearly

Awesome

• I really don't want to say pumpkin flavored everything but I'm gonna go ahead and say pumpkin flavored everything. 
• Llama Del Ray 
• All those babies means I get to scour Etsy for vintage baby clothes and not feel like a freak.
• Halloween costumes are nearing completion!
• Hopefully this song doesn't contain any kind of creepy subliminal message because I've listened to it almost constantly the past few days.  
• Less then 80 degrees means I can cook again. Tonight it's Korean short ribs.
• This is my 100th blog post. Amen.

4 Things I've Learned as a College Grad

August marked my first year as a college grad. I decided to make a little list out there for all my peeps getting ready to move on to colleges, or still trying to make it through, worrying about the future, etc. I still have so much to learn, but here are my tips for now.

1. Make internships your top priority. Internships have gotten me absolutely everywhere. They got me the job I have today and the best experience I could ask for. Sure, you'll be required to take an internship to graduate, but why not take an extra one, just for your resume? Many internships these days do pay (all of mine did). Sometimes internships end after a few months and sometimes they are rabbit holes. All of mine has been portals to something waaay better.
2. Don't count on your degree teaching you much. This sounds terrible, and you learn great skills in college: time management, dedication, inter-personal skills, public speaking, etc... but there are SO many things you don't learn. For example, as a communications major and a working PR girl Friday, the  most important and useful classes I took in college were about writing, grammar and editorial skills. I'm sure a nurse or a doctor would have a much different experience with education. Do well in school,try your very best, but don't become disheartened when you loath certain classes. Chances are you'll never have to worry about them again *cough*statistic*cough*
3. Don't stress about graduating in four years. You want to take a year or two to volunteer/ go on a mission/travel the world/ hike the Appalachian trail? Go for it baby. My advice is to stay anxiously engaged (see vs 27). Moving forward and learning doesn't always mean uninterrupted semesters.
4. Make your life happen. Not a lot of people these days get jobs in their field straight out of the gate. Smart, fantastically talented people don't have jobs. You may have to do things you feel are "beneath" you, like doing extended internships, working part time jobs, substitute teaching, whatever pays the bills. But make things happen for yourself. Apply for jobs every day, even if you don't think you'll get them. Create opportunities for yourself. Want to get a job in sportscasting, open a cupcake palace or make movies? Start a blog. Opportunities often sneak in very very quietly and don't announce that they've arrived until they're ready to dash out the door.

Politics

In 2008 I voted for Barack Obama. I felt good about that decision, and to be honest with you I still do. I got a ton of crap for it though. Thanksgiving that year was almost unbearable. I am not a radically political person, either. I am a registered democrat but identify strongly with neither party. I would call myself a hard independent. I will probably vote republican this year, and to be frank I really don't care what you opinion is on the matter. I couldn't say the same if Rick Santorum was in Romney's place. To be honest,probably the only other Republican I would have felt comfortable voting for was John Huntsman, but I won't delve into that wormhole.

All of this said, today I went to read the NYT, which I do most mornings. I really need to invest in a subscription because I am constantly reaching my 10 article limit well before the end of the month. When that happens, a banner ad pops up. This banner ad.

I find it strange that the NYT would pick a creepy crazy eyed picture of Mitt Romney against a backdrop of shady figures, while they place a serene looking Obama against the American flag. I despise the stinking shroud that surrounds both candidates. I think they are both basically good people. I don't think Barack Obama is a bad man, and I don't think Mitt Romney is either.If I had my way, political candidates wouldn't be able to buy ad's on TV or the Internet and radio. Everyone would watch the debates and some in depth fireside chats with each candidate, and get to know them that way. Maybe one day this will happen, but probably not. Until then, I hope everyone keeps there eyes wide open when it comes to the media's political agenda, whether you watch Fox News or listen to NPR. Make your own decision, don't let anyone make it for you.

Back on the Wagon

I'm trying to get back into the swing of posting every day. I am doing so gingerly.

Posting every day keeps me on my toes, keeps my brain juice flowing so that my ideas can get all loose and start to bump and grind, start a real idea party up in my headzone.....um ya.

Anyway, speaking of bumpin and grinding, there is nothing I love more then some sweet sweet music. Jared has been digging up some awfully good tunes lately and I wanted to share with you! So, mixtape Tuesday on a slow Monday. Here ya go.

 

The Wilderness of Manitoba 

Long time no see...

Its been a spotty two weeks on this here blog. I do have good excuses, but I don't really care to share all of them as this blog is meant to be a very leisurely and pleasure inducing activity for me . Things have been kicking into high gear for me in the loveliest ways.

One excuse I will divulge is a long weekend in Salt Lake City! Jared and I went to his mission reunion and LDS General Conference. The trip was one of the funnest we've been on. We were constantly going going going. A session in the temple, running into old friends everywhere we went, and scoring tickets to ALL the sessions of conference, even though we arrived with just Sunday pm. Blessings galore! SLC I loved you and I hope to see you again soon!

 When there was no in-flight movie on our 5 hour trip out to SLC we were suspicious that the plane was a bit old....Confirmation came when we discovered the ashtray in Jared's armrest.

 We stayed with an awesome family Jared knew from his mission. Jensen's, we love you!

Awesome and Awkward Thursday

Awesome

• New baby laptop! Woop! The internets is now the Alexanders oyster!
• Heading out to Utah in a few hours.
• Riding the Rip Rock It at Universal Studios at midnight
• My sweet daredevil mouse Myrtle running so fast on her wheel that he tiny body was FLUNG out to the other side of the cage from centrifugal force.
• Brother number 2, the great JellyRoll Manning, got his mission call to Las Vegas West. 
• Lost 7 lbs! That's whats up!
• Finally logged into my Blood Alliance account and I have 900 points. That free duffle bag is MINE. 
• Essie Mojito Madness.

Awkward

• The large fat bulge on my arm I lived with all day because of the tourniquet wrap from blood donation. Shameful. 
• Halloween Horror Nights. Ask anyone, I am the jumpiest person alive. I think it is a testament of my inner grandma that I harumphed around all evening saying "This ain't even scary!". 
• Fresh new laptop and 0 time to use it. My blogging game has been put to shame lately :(. 
• Completely unprepared for the weather in UT. I am praying that a trench coat and a cardigan will be enough to keep me from freezing.