Losers, Jazz (not the same!), and Online Games

Here's what's up: The Losers is a good movie, you should go see it. Better than silly Kickass, for sure. I didn't know what it even was until today and then I saw it with my family and it was great. 4/5 stars at least. No review, sorry, but here is a link where you can learn more about it - http://www.comingsoon.net/films.php?id=50350

I plan on trying to watch the Jazz game tonight. I've only been keeping up with the scores to see how long we're lasting, but I feel like I should really show some support now. A friend who I'm almost sure will never read this blog is going to get a tattoo of the Jazz logo if they ever win a championship. So all the more reason to cheer and offer up some hoorah's, even if the team can't hear me from my family room. He'll kick himself when he's 70 and his arms have lost their muscle and it's all saggy and gross.

I got my hair trimmed today :) Who doesn't love having their split ends chopped away and getting to start anew? It feels so soft. AND I learned that half the damage is from the stupid hair dye!! I think from now on I'm gonna see if I can stand my real color growing in.

Since a few of you commented and proved that I have a few readers, I decided to share a secret -

my Top 5 Internet Games for Passing Time and Mild Boredom

**Snake, #1 of all-time

http://www.mindjolt.com/games/snake

**Typer Shark, recommended by someone very smart

http://www.shockwave.com/gamelanding/typershark.jsp

**Set, an interesting and sometimes challenging card game

http://www.setgame.com/set/index.html

**The World's Hardest Game

http://www.addictinggames.com/theworldshardestgame.html

ok I couldn't think of a 5th game. I'd like to hear what you guys play, though.

If anyone can beat my Snake score of 1800 I will buy you something really awesome. Like the most expensive sundae in the best ice cream store around. Because no-one can top that, I assure you.

Random Stuff

I've decided that nobody reads my blog. Therefore, for this post, I'm not gonna try to provide anything useful to readers like a movie review or a cookie recipe or even the list of my favorite online games to play in case you get bored. If you want that info, you must leave a comment on one of my posts.

Today I cooked banana bread with my little brother and we messed up TWICE in a major way both times. Note to self: read instructions thoroughly and be specific when telling little bro to put sugar "in there." But it's all good because it turned out delicious as ever.

I recently purchased an ear-ring off ebay to replace the baby stud in my newest piercing. I feel so much more badass now. It was hard to put in because it was so tiny (I got the smallest size available, I'm pretty sure), but it's exactly what I wanted so I'm happy.

Other noteworthy news of late: Zac Efron is the newest guest to check into the 'Hotel de Sousa. He currently resides in our kitchen in 2D form, standing ever so life-like, dressed in his West High basketball garb and the standard cheesy grin. I must say he definitely got better looking as the years went on - this version of Zac appears to be a traveler from the past (no tricked-out DeLorean parked in our garage, however). Maybe he can observe that nothing has changed in his life, should he decide to go back and undo those last few films of the series and do something wiser with his life (even though I secretly am a fan of the third installment). Anyway, plans to hang out and take pics tomorrow are in the works :)

I don't know what else to write, now. Be back in the near future. Peace!

Informal Kickass Review

*Warning: This is not a good review. I don’t feel like putting a lot of effort into polishing it, so I’m just going to jot down a few of my impressions of the movie. Not like anybody reads this, anyway.

So I went to see Kickass the other night with some friends. It was pretty funny, if you’re with the right company, but it’s definitely not something most adults will appreciate. For starters, the movie jumps right into the perils of puberty, with the 17/18 year old narrator monologue-ing about masturbation and how he’s so easily turned on, all he needs is to find a website with pictures of naked aborigines to get him going. Funny for some, gross for others.

The plot of this movie was somewhat scattered, I thought. Going into the theater I was expecting it to be about 3 kid superheroes that make up a justice team of some sorts, but it wasn’t really the case. Each character is going through his/her own dilemmas and situations, and they just happen to be related. Heck, they’re not all even good guys.

I have to say, Nicholas Cage was one of my favorite characters, playing Big Daddy to his little Hit Girl. Their first appearance showed Nic shooting his ‘baby girl’ outside while she wore a bullet-proof-vest, to prepare her for the shock of it in case it ever happened in the future. Their relationship is pretty comical. Hit Girl herself was extremely badass, as she stole some scenes with her impressive skills, including the impossible reloading of her two guns while rushing through the air without actually touching them … I don’t know how to explain that better, but similar things happen in other action movies. You can’t help but love these guys for making fun of the industry, in a way.

Anyway,the action WAS good, and I was pleased with the ending. Every character had something to offer to the movie, and the narration was always comical. But if I learned anything, it was how you should NOT try to be a superhero, because you WILL get mugged and you WILL get beaten up to the point where paramedics have to take you to the ER, and you must tell everyone they threw your clothes away because they were so bloody, but everyone still thinks you were found naked and had been raped.

In the end, it was a good piece of entertainment, but only for that certain age group/mindset that won’t be too uncomfortable for the gross humor. Thankfully I'm party of that category, or I wouldn't be able to give it 3 ½ stars out of 5.

*By the way, guys, a cheap trick I've found is that at those new movie theaters where you can buy your tickets on kiosks with a credit card, you can usually purchase a kid's ticket for a few bucks cheaper and get in without them checking to see if it matches your age. Just saying. If you aren't bothered by the guilt of cheating/stealing/lying/whateveryouwannacallit.

Peanut Butter Cookies

I love to bake, and I'm always looking for new recipes. I rarely make the same cookies more than twice, even if they're delicious, because I just enjoy trying new things.

You always see these decked-out recipes that are all modernized and such, but the simplest and best recipes are the ones that have been around a while. Sometimes the most successful recipes I've tried come from my moms's old Better Homes and Gardens cookbook (copyright 1981), like this one. I made these today in bite-size, medium size, and then a few with chocolate chips in them (mmmm). They're pretty easy and don't require any crazy ingredients, so give them a try if you like to bake easy stuff!

Peanut Butter Cookies

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flou

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup butter or margarine

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Oven 375°

Stir together flour, soda, and salt. In a mixer bowl beat butter for 30 seconds. Add peanut butter and sugars; beat till fluffy. Add egg and vanilla; beat well. Add dry ingredients to beaten mixture; beat till well combined. Shape dough into 1-inch balls; roll in granulated sugar, if desired. Place 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet; crisscross with the lines of a fork. Bake in a 375° oven about 10 minutes. Cool about 1 minute before removing to a wire rack.

Also: They're pretty good dipped in melted chocolate, if too plain by themselves for your liking.

:)

Summer Is ...

Survey from Myspace

I love surveys and I'm really not feeling like studying for my calc final so here goes. It's really long, so sorry about that.

Can you fill this out without lying? Yes

What's the last thing you put in your mouth? A piece of 5 gum

Have you ever kissed anyone named Matthew? no

Where was your default picture taken? on my webcam

Last person you rode in a car with under the age of 20? ummmm um um um this should not be a hard question! probably actually some bible study kids a few weeks ago

Can you play guitar hero? ohhhhhh yes

Last time you walked further than a block? i walk a lot on campus everyday, does that count?

Name someone that made you laugh today? i looked at some funny failbook entries that gave me a good laugh

How late did you stay up last night and why? like 12:30 cuz I was actually doing resumes and applying for jobs and looking for them online like crazy

If you could move somewhere else, would you? State-wise, not really. I am still on good terms with Utah. And my house is pretty badass, too. I'll be ready for an apartment in a few years though.

Ever been kissed under fireworks? no

Do you believe ex's can be friends? it depends on the situation. it's worked for me once because it didn't get too serious first, but it was still really hard. and then there are times it does not work, for sure.

Do you like calling or texting better? it depends on who i'm talking to, honestly. and my mood at the time. generally texting, though.

How do you feel about Diet Dr Pepper? I don't even like regular dr. pepper

When was the last time you cried really hard? it's been long enough that I don't remember :)

What was the last thing someone bought for you? a bag of m&m's at work

Who was the last person you took a picture of? me and friends at the second chance prom

Was yesterday better than today? no, today was the first day of summer for me. it was so awesome! perfect weather, wore shorts and a tank top.

Can you live a day without TV? easy peasy lemon squeezy

Do you think relationships are ever really worth it? umm yeah? relationships are the best

When was the last time you were extremely disappointed? i don't have a good answer to this question

Are you a bad influence? funny i get this question because my mom just told me i was, towards my cousin, because whenever i'm talking to him i should be doing my homework.

Night out or night in? in, unless i haven't been out of the house in a while

Are you more of an individual or an outgoing person? lol i don't see how those are comparable... every survey has a few duds. but um ... i would classify myself as not outgoing. introverted. whatever.

What items could you not go without during the day? i could go without food, i'm sure. i'm trying to think of the basics ... ooh, clothes. i need to be clothed everyday. and i can't stand not brushing my teeth.

Would you share a drink with a stranger? ehh no

Who was the last person you visited in the hospital? my grandma, probably, but that was 2-ish years ago

Do you think its right for straight guys to get their tongue pierced? it's not a case of right and wrong. it's a case of i-don't-really-care.

How do you feel about your life right now? i have many blessings to be thankful for

How many times have you been pulled over by the police? none

Do you hate anyone? no. except for adam lambert haha. cuz he is just the biggest douche on the planet.

Do you talk dirty to people? no ... ?

If we were to look in your inbox, what would we find? work schedules, notifications from ebay and amazon, a shitload of spam, and the occasional e-mail from my penpal

Will you have a valentine this year? how am i supposed to know? one can only hope. except feb. passed so i'm talking about next year.

Last person you talked to on the phone? my supervisor, and before that my good friend katie

Can you easily tell if someones fake? depends on the definition of fake ... i judge people easily and think they're airheads but get proved wrong

How's your heart? it's working pretty well, apparently

Say you were given a drug test right now, Would you pass? yeah

Has anyone ever called you perfect before? yes :( and he didn't know what he was talking about because it turned out he was wrong

What song is stuck in your head? well, i'm currently listening to a song called Without You by Breaking Benjamin so I guess that

Someone knocks on your window at 2 am, who do you want it to be? a really cute boy i like

Wanna have kids before you’re 30?: if so, it wouldn't be too early before then. like maybe 28, 29.

Name something you have to do tomorrow?: take my psychology final

Can you whistle?: somewhat

Do you sleep on your side, stomach, or back? back

What gets in your way of your sleeping? having too many things on my mind, being too cold or hot, not being able to get comfortable, etc.

Are your eyes the same color as your mom's or dad's? they're closer to my mom's, but still not the same

Do you think too much or too little?: i overanalyze things a lot

Do you smile a lot?: no ... ? i guess it depends on who i'm with

Who was your last missed call on your cell phone? some unknown number i didn't feel like answering

Whens the next time you will see the person you like?: the next saturday i am scheduled to work ...

What was the last book you read?: Deaf Again, which i wrote about for my last blog post. before that i finished The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks.

Do you hate the last guy you had a conversation with?: no? i don't have conversations with guys that i hate, duh

Is there something you always wear? i really like this white sweater i got that i have a feeling i'm going to wear a lot. other than that ... mascara, or sunglasses. and earrings.

What were you doing 30 minutes ago?: DOING THIS STUPID SURVEY!! ohmygod it's so long

Honestly, who was the last person to tell you that they love you? katie!

Did you have an exciting last weekend? i worked both days. not really.

Do you like yourself?: for the most part

Have you ever dyed your hair?: yes, but not drastically

What's something that can always make you feel better?: my friends telling me they love me and i matter to them

Will this weekend be a good one?: it should be, cuz school will be out and i'll get to go see a movie or do something fun

What do you want right now? to ace my last two finals, but that's not gonna happen

Have you ever worn the opposite sex's clothing?: i have a couple shirts that are for guys, so yeah. like one of my favorite shirts ever, actually.

Have you ever worked in a food place? yeah ... the employee kitchen at Lagoon

What would you name your future daughter?: I like the names Ava, Devon, Chloe, Spencer, and Grace. but my tastes change a lot.

The last thing you heard?: Dear Agony by Breaking Benjamin (good song)

"Deaf Again" + B-day Wish List

For my second semester of American Sign Language, one of our projects was to read a book called Deaf Again and write a report on it. It was the easiest report I’ve ever had to do, since we pretty much just had to answer the who’s, what’s, where’s, when’s, and why’s, plus how it made us FEEL and such. Anyway, the point I wanted to make is that it’s a good book and I would like to recommend it to anyone who is interested in learning about deaf culture a little bit, or the struggles people go through to fit into the deaf and/or hearing community.

Essentially it’s an autobiography that moves very quickly and doesn’t take very long to read at all. You get to read about this guy (Mark Drolsbaugh) grow up in a state of confusion about what kind of schools he should be going to, how to deal with his family that doesn’t know sign language, etc. But on top of learning about the deaf people stuff, I felt like he actually touched on a lot of other important life lessons that we could all learn from. Nothing really deep, but just a few points that I found probably contributed greatly to his lifetime savings bank of wisdom. It sounds like he is living his life right.

So I’m not gonna go into too much detail, but here is a link to the book on Amazon if you care to learn more (also, if you get bored, you can read it in like a day or two): http://www.amazon.com/Deaf-Again-4th-Mark-Drolsbaugh/dp/0965746062/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1271650095&sr=8-1

But if you want to read it, borrow it from me instead of paying that much money for it.

OK and since I’m excited that my birthday is coming up (Golden Spike Day, everybody!), I thought I’d compile a version of my birthday wish list. Just mainly cuz I feel like it, and so my parents can have something to refer to when they are shopping for me J

Music
- Breaking Benjamin: Phobia
- Sufjan Stevens: Illinois
- Owl City
- New Moon Soundtrack
- 30 Seconds to Mars’s new cd
- John Mayer’s new cd
- maybe some Shinedown
- Rise Against: The Sufferer and the Witness
- new Muse cd

Books
- Best Friends Forever by Jennifer Weiner
- Crank by Ellen Hopkins
- Brave New World
- The Girl’s Guide to Hunting and Fishing by Melissa Bank
- Love Letters of Great Men by John C. Kirkland
- The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
- Heart on My Sleeve by Ellen Wittlinger
- Let It Snow by John Green, Lauren Myracle, & Maureen Johnson
- The Bad Girl’s Guide to the Open Road by Cameron Tuttle

That was a really lame list. I hope I don’t just get books and cd’s. Besides that, $$$ is always nice, and so would be a GOOD bottle of black nail polish. I can’t really think of anything else at this moment. I always love new clothes but it’s best I buy those on my own. OH and I’m sure I would also have fun with Guitar Hero 5.

Note: If anyone could help me get a job for my birthday, that would be awesome.

Religious Explorations

Today I had an interesting experience at school that has pretty much just left me confused and wondering. I happened to stumble upon a group of preachers on campus who were, I guess, trying to convert people to whatever it was they were preaching. I noticed the most common word on the table of free books that I stood by for half an hour was the word Christianity, but that could mean a number of things. Having to jump into the middle of already-started conversations, I did my best to ascertain the facts. Pretty much, the only thing I learned for sure was that this group of people apparently preaches mostly on the campus of USU, and is highly affiliated with Oasis Books in Logan. It looked like they were entirely preaching out the New Testament. Being the naïve and sheltered person that I am, I’m not very familiar with other religions so maybe they have a name and I’m just too stupid to know. But I DO know they were very anti-LDS, which was causing a lot of debate in the area.

When I first walked by, a man standing on a chair was yelling at a crowd of people saying “You’re going to hell! You are all wicked people, and I am telling you this because I love you!” In the five minutes I listened to THAT I didn’t get what the heck he was saying it for, so instead I listened to the guy at the book table talk to some students. I couldn’t really grasp the main point of what either of them were trying to say, except for the table guy kept talking about how we are never going to be perfect beings and without sin, so we should just give up on trying and abandon the commandments. He said they exist in order to show us of this evilness inside of us, so that we realize that we cannot save ourselves by works, but we must turn towards God, which is a pretty vague statement by itself.

The guy seemed to be saying that Mormons are especially bad at this – doing the works and following the rules because they think it will save them and get them to Heaven. If you’re reading this and you know me, you know that I’m Catholic, and I personally agree that this bit of the Mormon religion is quite malarkey (thought other people are the exact same way). Following rules is not going to get us to Heaven, however, for table guy to say that we don’t have to worry about correcting our sins because what we do doesn’t save us is pretty dumb. I get that we’re imperfect and we’ll never be able to stop sinning, but shouldn’t we at least put forth effort and reduce the number of harmful things we do to other people? As in, Thou Shall Not Kill?? I feel like this guy was saying we can do whatever we want in life because Christ died for our sins, therefore we’re in the clear.

They’ve got all these info cards and booklets about different stuff – I picked one up called The Impossibility of Agnosticism, because in answering someone’s question about if people go to Hell because they don’t KNOW about God, table guy said nobody doesn’t know about God so that’s not an excuse. This made me mad, so then another person was like, “What about infants who die before they can learn or comprehend anything?” And I was like yeah! (in my head), and then table guy proceeded to half-avoid the question and half-answer it with something that made no sense. So anyway, I read a little bit of the booklet at home just now and it ALSO made no sense. Thus, I am confused about the whole experience and I just don’t know what these people want from us … except to acknowledge we are sinners and can never be perfect, but after that I’m lost. So what, we’re all going to hell? By the time I left they still hadn’t told anybody what to do about it. I seriously considered the possibility that it was just one big psychology experiment to see how they could get a rise out of college kids, because they certainly managed to.

Examples of their radical advertising (there's stuff on the back, of course):

Intro to ...

Dear Internet and Anyone Whose Eyes Fall Upon My Blog,

I've always wanted to start a blog. A best friend and I kept one together for a year or two and it was pretty fun but I'm branching out on my own now, ready to explore in more depth my creativity, or my complaints, or just my neverending obsession with lists. I don't think anybody will read this but for safety's sake I'll keep it modest. It'll probably just be more like a journal, an extension of facebook statuses for those who care to read (and for me, just because I feel like putting it out there instead of in a notebook).

I'm calling myself the List Girl because I know I'm bound to publish many from my work-in-progress collection. I've had a Bucket List since I saw the movie and had to create one for a school project, so since that one has probably the most seniority (and importance?), and I need something interesting on my first post, Here it is, so far:

Things to do Before I Die

Go to a Corn Maze (accomplished Oct. 2009)

Ride a Hot Air Balloon
Learn to Drive Stick
Visit New York (Dec. 2009)
Visit Italy
Attend 15 concerts I enjoy (1/3 of the way there!)
Fly a Plane Solo
Pick up a Hitchiker
Obtain Motorcycle License and become a Badass who rides motorcycles

Fall in Love/Marry my Prince Charming
Raise a Family

Make a Difference in a Stranger's Life
Learn to Play the Drums

Pet a Tiger

Commit a Reckless act of Vandalism
Learn the entire Thriller Dance

Eat an Oyster

Learn and Memorize How to Tie a Tie

Visit Seattle
Visit all 50 states

Of course, this list is ever-evolving, and if anybody thinks they can help out with any of these ambitions, let me know!