Ipod Shuffle Game

I stole this from somebody else's blog because I quite enjoy these types of games. Kind of like the one where the first song you hear on the radio when you get in the car predicts how the rest of your day will go (which was ruined by "I Gotta Feeling" being on all the time). Obviously the idea here is to put your ipod on shuffle and use the title of each song as the answers to the questions, and then try to interpret them. If you want to play along, leave a comment with one or a few of the questions and your shuffled answers for them as well.


How am I feeling today?
Mamma Mia - ABBA

I don't recall anything that's made me want to say mamma mia today ...

Will I get far in life?
Keep Holding On - Avril Lavigne

Could be good or bad. Avril says I'll "make it through," though, so maybe I'll get far after I overcome some obstacles.

How do my friends see me?
Mr. Brightside - The Killers

I would have to consult my friends to see if they agree with this. Friends? What do you think? Be honest!!

Where will I get Married?
State of Emergency - Papa Roach
Haha I HOPE I don't have to get married in an emergency, like those baptisms that anybody can do if you're about to die.

What is my best friend's theme song?
Untouched - The Veronicas

Well considering I don't know who my best friend is ... I don't know what to do with this one, except to maybe say that one of my close friends needs to be touched? Haha

What is the story of my life?
Treasure - Flyfleaf

Well, the lyrics say, "Refined, I'll become the most dazzling precious treasure." So there ya go. It's a spiritual song though, so it probably means God is going to refine me. 

What was high school like?
Boot Scootin Boogie - Brooks & Dunn

Good memories dancing to this at all the stomps!!

How am I going to get ahead in life?
You Shook Me - Led Zeppelin

Hehe. I'm going to shake people! Oh dear...

What is the best thing about me?
Life in Technicolor - Coldplay

Not sure what that means. My life is full of brightness? 

How is today going to be?
All I Want - Staind

Today is almost over. I got all I wanted. 

What is in store for this weekend?
Is it You? - Cassie

No idea what that could mean... maybe I'll meet somebody! Except the weekend is over, so it must be referring to next. 

What song describes my parents?
Circles - Colbie Caillat

OK now these answers are getting boring. This means nothing.

My grandparents?
Join Together - The Who

There really is nothing to say here either. I guess it's somewhat fitting that I got a song from The Who because they're old and so are my grandparents? Lol

How is my life going?
You Know My Name - Chris Cornell

Well ... I've been meeting a lot of new people lately and they know my name so that's a good sign!

What song will play at my funeral?
You're Gone - Sophie & Tessa

How appropriate. Even though the title itself is just a Duh statement. 

How does the world see me?
Just For - Nickelback

"I want to rip his heart out just for hurting you and I want to break his mind down." So the world is really pissed at me in male form. I didn't do anything! 

Will I have a happy life?
So What - Field Mob & Ciara

My music selection isn't looking too hot right now. Where is all the good stuff? 

What do my friends really think of me?

Shake Your Pom Pom - Missy Elliot

I'm really irritated with the shuffle thing right now. 

Do people secretly lust after me?
Park's Place - Royal Crown Revue

In other words ... yes. Everybody in the world has a crush on me right now, it's no big deal.

How can I make myself happy?
Nanziwe - Insingizi

Great. I can't even interpret this one because it's in a different freaking language!!

What should I do with my life?
Give Me a Sign - Breaking Benjamin

Awesome song. And actually this one makes sense because I don't know what to do with my life, so I really need somebody up there to give me a sign. 

Will I ever have children?
Grace Kelly - MIKA

ITunes is telling me that I will have two children named Grace and Kelly. I'm down with that! I love the name Grace, but I kind of want a boy and a girl. And I don't want to put a boy through the misery of having the name Kelly.

What is some good advice for me?
Lucky - Jason Mraz & Colbie Caillat

So ... I should fall in love with my best friend? See the thing about that is when it doesn't work, you're out of a best friend. 

What is my signature dancing song?
Vampire - Antsy Pants

I have never danced to this song, nor will I in the future. Frankly it annoys me. Shuffle is just not totally on my side tonight ... I should have gotten Shake Your Pom Pom for this one! 

What do I think my current theme song is?
End of the Summer - Theory of a Deadman

I eat my words. This is SO TRUE. I have actually thought about this exact song being my theme song at least 3 times in the last few weeks. 

What does everyone else think my current theme song is?
Belle - ... Belle, duh! From Beauty and the Beast

This is kinda cool because someone once told me I was very similar to Belle. 

What type of men/women do you like?
I Got Trouble - Christina Aguilera

It's true, I like trouble-guys. I can't help it! 

How To: Post a Craigslist Personal Ad

I know what you're thinking: Shannon *Middle Name* *Last Name*, why on earth would you post a personal ad on craigslist? Don't you get enough of talking to strangers from the internet via various experimental, free "dating" websites and alternate versions of chat roulette? The answer to that two-part question is this: I guess I apparently do not get enough of talking to strangers from said sources. The options around the area have dwindled. That, and my friend tried an experimental ad herself and I was jealous of the pen pal-worthy results she got. I am always up for experimentation (not dirty, mind you), so it was a fun thing to try out.

Of course my ad was posted in the Strictly Platonic section, making note that I just want a pen pal to e-mail back and forth, with maaaaaybe the possibility of meeting to hang out. It's not something I haven't tried before, and I'm still alive, so it's not necessarily a bad thing. The website requires that you specify if you're looking for men or women, since that detail is part of the subject line that people see when browsing through ads. I submitted w4m (women for men), but wrote in the description that I would take a female pen pal as well. No creepers. And if I received any responses from people I thought even the slightest bit creepy and shouldn't be corresponding with a 19 year old girl, I didn't reply.

In the ad I pretty much gave a short About Me synopsis like you would on facebook, talking about my hobbies and why I posted the ad (mostly boredom, as is the root of all my suspicious online activities), with a mention of my religious background and moral foundation so people would know I don't mess around with bad seeds, for lack of a better description. To ward off spam robots, I specified that readers should include the work "pickles" somewhere in their e-mail subject line so I would know they were the real deal. My inbox is now full of the word. As for the title of my ad, I strove for something eye-catching -  "I dare you to read and respond!" so that I could attract as many replies as I could. It's been about a week now and I'm still getting a slow but steady stream/trickle of responses, with the last from today marking the 7th reply.

I think I replied to most of the guys who e-mailed me, at least once, unless I just wasn't interested at all. Yeah, I'm a judger. Some have sent pictures because that's the norm these days; it would've been fine if they didn't. However, it does sometimes help to weed out the weirdies. Currently, I am enjoying two continuing conversations via e-mail with safe-looking guys who haven't hinted at anything at all that would make me uncomfortable. They just appear to be bored young adults like myself - one even had a goal of getting a pen pal by the end of this year. I could be too trusting, but I don't think that's a totally unreasonable aspiration for a guy to have. To be safe, I don't give out any personal information, as usual, and even though they now know my first and last name because of my e-mail address, recent internet searches have produced zero results on the actual me, so if you were trying to stalk me you'd really have to do some hardcore research. Like undercover FBI type stuff. So don't even think about it. I'm not the worth the time anyway.

So what do I get out of all this? A fun experience, trying something new. I've always been fascinated with the idea of a pen pal, and I had one for a while who was a teenage girl that easily would've been one of my good friends if we had known each other. She was from one of the Carolinas, I can't remember which, so our lives were completely separate and we could tell each other anything. It's always exciting to check your e-mail and have a new message in your inbox waiting for you from your correspondent. With pen pals originating from craigslist, it's the same thing but I can actually talk to people about things we have in common geologically, such as a favorite restaurant, or other things to do around the area. Plus there's always that slight chance I would go for a blind coffee date and who knows, maybe meet the guy of my dreams. I wonder if anybody's ever found their spouse on craigslist... Now THAT would be a story. While I'm sure it's possible, for now I'm definitely satisfied with just the computer-based communication that supplements my true social life that I'm nurturing, and occasionally fills in the gaps when I'm lonely and have nobody else to talk to.

Petting a Tiger: Check!

I've come to realize that the majority of this blog's history consists of documentation of the fun things I've done this summer. I suppose there's nothing wrong with that except that if this fall semester was anything like last fall, I'm going to run out of things to blog about. I guess that just means I'll have to stretch my brain more to write about what really matters in life, such as the daily whereabouts of Lady Gaga, or all the things you can create with duct tape. (Speaking of which, has she donned an outfit made with such material yet? If not, it's about time).

However, as long as I keep experiencing blog-worthy events, I'll keep blogging about them. Which brings me to the meat of this post, the day that I first got to pet a tiger. I say first because I do intend to try it again sometime  in my life - maybe I'll become a trainer and get to do it everyday! All my life I've had a fascination of tigers and nursed a jealousy of Jasmine on the movie Aladdin who has the most loving tiger Raja as a pet. I recall he/she ? even gave Jasmine a ride on her back when she needed to escape the palace. How cool would that be? I wish I had my own tiger to give me rides places. That'd be the best entrance ever. But anyway, sometime last year I decided to put "pet a tiger" on my bucket list (things to do before I die). I truly expected that to be one of the least realistic goals in my life, but by surprising luck it was the first thing to get done.

Luck that came from my reading the newspaper that morning and finding out about the fair going on that weekend where kids were getting to pet baby Bengal tigers. Thank Ford I wasn't working that day! I immediately contacted Hannah and in a few hours, we were sitting on the grass with yummy BBQ pork skewers in hand at the fair, waiting for the tiger show. I didn't care how much it cost, I decided before I even left home that I was going to pet a tiger! We put our names on the list and I forked up the $25 that allowed the two of us to sit in the cage with the 3 month-olds for 8 minutes. Small price to pay for a once in a lifetime opportunity, right?

So we watched the 15 minute show where they taught us a little about the animals they showed, like the tigers, lemur, and baby kangaroo. Did you know male and female kangaroos are called Jacks and Jills? How cute! After the show we got our 8 minutes in with the two baby tigers and two of the zoo keeper/trainer persons. Admittedly the guys' attitudes were a little awry because they'd been sick of doing the same thing for days on end in the disgusting heat, but they were still helpful in getting the tigers to come over to where we were sitting. We had to be up against the cage so they couldn't attack us from behind, with a blanket covering our bare legs and feet. We weren't allowed to touch their heads because apparently a girl got bit just the day before by pissing one of them off that way. The EMT trailer was right next to the tiger tent but I didn't want to risk it, no matter how tempting it was to feel their furry little heads.

The trainers used chewed up light saber toys and water bottles to coax them over to where we were sitting. I wish I could've cuddled with them more, but obviously that's not the smartest thing to do with a wild animal that has sharp teeth and claws. Combined, Hannah and I took a good amount of pictures of their cute faces, and of our hands on their backs just for proof in case anybody didn't believe us. At the end of the 8 minutes we exited the cage and got stickers on our shirts that said "I Touched a Tiger," that we proudly wore the rest of the day.

A week later my checking account is a little bruised from the amount of money spent that day in the span of 2 hours (not to mention the 250 miles on my car, mostly from helping another friend move that night), but in the long run who knows the next time I'll get an opportunity like that? Plus we get awesome bragging rights, and a fun story to tell friends. Picture time:

Grocery Stores & Lychees

Mother and I just got back from the grocery store. We went into town to buy school supplies (3 notebooks and a new backpack! yay!), which took about 5 minutes, and then decided to make a trip to Harmon's, a place I've never been before. From all the cheesy commercials on TV, I never would've guessed it was such a high quality store, but I was pretty impressed. First of all, their produce section alone was enough for me to bypass the whole processed snack foods aisle - all I wanted to do was get one of everything and try it. We picked up three new-to-me and exciting fruits: dragonfruit, lychees, and a kiwano (horned melon), along with perfectly ripened and sliced mango and a bowl of mixed kiwi and berries and such. They have a whole row dedicated to prepackaged bowls of sliced fruit and vegetables, one that would made Target's 2 feet of peppers and onions jealous.

I tried about 5 different dipping olive oils with bread, of which we purchased the basil flavored one, and went back for 3 pieces of whatever delicious cheese the nice employee was sampling. They had many more brands in the regular aisles than your average grocery store, thus new food items to explore. When we got to the kitchen appliances section, my mom and I were like two kids in a candy store. "What does this do?"  "OH MY GOSH a mini spatula!"  "That is the cutest whisk I've ever seen!" etc. etc. For Christmas I just want a giftcard to spend on cupcake toolery and one of those double sided peanut butter and jelly spreaders.

And did I mention how they have drive-up grocery bag loading? Yeah. You just drive up along the arrows and they load your car with your groceries. Plus the checker-outers were so nice and friendly. I love Harmon's!

So when I got home I was super excited to try my new and exotic fruit, but I didn't eat all of it today, I'm going to spread it out. I had some mangoes and went on an adventure with the lychees, which are small, ping pong-sized fruit with a spiky skin that peels off, and kind of has the structure of an orange on the inside. Except not really. What I mean is that the fruit needed to be pulled off the inner seed in chunks, kind of like a citrus fruit, but without the core. My first thought was the juice had a slightly milky taste, like coconut, but that wore off as I actually ate the lychee (pronounced lee-chee). It was somewhat sweet, and of course yummy. One of the best parts was I didn't need to research how to open the thing, I just began peeling off the skin and then dug in with a knife and pulled it apart with my fingers. I suspect I'm going to have to read a bit more about the other fruits so I don't mutilate them. All in all, trying the lychee was a fun experience, as I always like to try new things, and I would recommend doing so for anybody else who loves fruit as much as me. Here are some pictures of the process.

Dragonfruit, Lychees, and Kiwano

During peelage

Inside

Quick Update: The general consensus from the family is that the lychee is similar to an eyeball, in texture at least, and doesn't taste very good. All I have to say is that they are wrong, and obviously don't have an appreciation for exotic food. 

Another List

Here are some things that I love right now:

• Scott Pilgrim vs. The World
• Zac Efron and the plot of Charlie St. Cloud
• My mom's banana cake, which is also mine but I've stopped making it because for some reason it always sinks in the middle
• Having hour-long conversations with strangers on Omegle
• My new Iphone
• Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
• Having someone to babysit occasionally that pays bank
• Charlie the Unicorn videos
• Leather jackets, or rather, the ownership of them

And some that I hate:

• Mosquito bites
• Flies all over the workplace
• Missing my friends
• Ghetto Halloween stores and costumes
• Stupid feet conditions
• The end of the summer
• Knowing what is to come this semester when I quit my second job and am again stuck with one or two days of work a week
• Mosquito bites!!!

That's just some of the stuff I hate. I can't say everything on my mind like I want to because I'm limiting myself on the ranting on this blog. To make me feel better, if you're reading this, why don't you leave a comment on something that you love or hate right now? 

Random fact: This is my 46th post. There are 46 primes numbers below 200. Cool? Not really. That's not even 12% interesting. How about an excerpt from Psalm 46 of the Bible? These are some pretty solid words to live by. 

" ¹ God is our refuge and strength, 

       an ever-present help in trouble.

 ² Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
       and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, "

The Lion King

For my mother's birthday today we went to see The Lion King on broadway in Salt Lake City! We bought the tickets a long time ago and it was well worth the wait - that show is amaaaazing. If you've ever heard about it or seen pictures/clips, you'll know that it's quite the visual and audial spectacle, what with all the giant "puppets" that made up the animal kingdom, and the incredibly powerful soundtrack. Of course it's the same Lion King we all know from the Disney movie; I could tell they stuck to the same script as much as possible, aside from the added scenes, one-liners, and songs. The story alone is reason enough for me to have seen it, but from the moment the parade of animals began entering the stage through the aisles in song and dance to "Circle of Life," I was officially blown away.

Before they even came on stage, I got chills from the combination of the rising sun backdrop and the belted cry of that African lyric everybody knows but doesn't know how to say (Nants ingonyama bagithi baba), by the character of Rafiki who was most excellently played by a woman. Her voice was so commanding, and I especially liked all the tongue-clicking that was included in the language she sometimes spoke in, almost like something out of Star Wars. The whole cast was amazing, but my favorite character was Mufasa, played by Dionne Randolph. His voice was so utterly masculine and delicious, firm but comforting at the same time, while his composure and manner of walking gave him the utmost regal quality. I adored his loving relationship with Simba, which was surprisingly more evident to me now than it ever was in the movie - maybe because the characters were played by actual people?

But back to the animals - man, those things were crazy!! Zebras, cheetahs, hyenas, giraffes, antelope, wildebeasts, rhinos, and even a huge elephant were all maneuvering around the stage at some point, controlled by the performers whose costumes were constructed so that they became one being, not just an actor with a puppet. A bow of the head or slight twitch of the shoulder would be exactly reflected in the animal part of the costume, so it all blended very consistently. Mufasa and Scar had really cool masks that usually rested on top of their heads, but were attached in such a way that they could be suspended down over the actors' faces to intensify a scene. The audience was baffled by how they were controlled. I think it had something to do with how the two held their shoulders, since it obviously wasn't any type of robotic contraption, but I can't be sure.

I've already mentioned the music was fantastic, however, my favorite song from the movie, Can You Feel the Love Tonight, sounded a little different than usual. Actually I felt the whole reunion of Nala and Simba to be rushed a little, and honestly I wish I could have felt the love a little more. The performance had a few glitches, some technical, maybe one minor mistake on a cast member's part, but overall I was able to forgive them. The choreography did not amaze me, but again, the show had so many other great qualities that canceled out the things I didn't care for so much. Right now I just want to watch the movie for probably the 30th time in my life - that could either be a good thing or a bad thing. Either way, the two are separately enjoyable experiences that could not replace each other, and I'm really glad I got the opportunity to see it on broadway. Now for some pictures! Only the first one is mine, the others I pulled from the internet.

Scored with the Board

I've decided that all my childhood I was participating in the wrong sports. Dancing was great, but I never did any team sports because balls and I never got along too well. Baseball, basketball, football, soccer, volleyball - all kind of nightmarish processes that were forced upon me in P.E. Here comes life after high school and I'm suddenly finding that I'm good at snowboarding, wakeboarding, and longboarding - or at least they all come a lot more natural than anything else I've tried. I just want to jump in the air and say Hallelujah! I can be good at something!!

Longboarding should have, and was almost going to be on my 20s list, but somehow didn't make it. I'd been planning on trying it sometime, but out of the blue at work yesterday Jake asked if Kayla and I wanted to go learn that night. I'm so glad we did! I was absolutely 100% positive I was going to hurt myself and fall off a LOT - hell, I didn't even think I could stand on one without losing my balance, let alone while the board was moving. But somehow, after a few minutes of practicing the most basic things, my fear was replaced by comfort and I felt totally in control. Not once did my body come in contact with the ground! Now, of course I wasn't ready to try any tricks like daredevil Kayla on the first night that in that big empty parking lot, but I felt pretty spiffy cruising around like nobody's business. Knowing how uncoordinated I used to be on things with wheels, it was a HUGE improvement.

So here's a thanks to the awesome Jake (whose birthday is tomorrow!) for being a good teacher and introducing me to something that I enjoy doing. This short recollection may sound cheesy and naive to anybody with even a tiny bit more life experience than me (so, like, everyone), especially considering longboarding is supposedly easier than a lot of other things, but that's not what matters. I had fun and am proud of myself for trying something new that was scary to me at first. I definitely want to have another lesson, and in snowboarding too, when the seasons decide it's time. To sum it up, I think it's safe to say me and boards are pretty much like this: (imagine crossed fingers, indicating good friendship).

iPhone pic: Jake & Kayla, barely noticeable, in the distance

Great Masters of Poetry

Blog Update: Go to my page called List of Lists (at the top) and you'll see that I've added some things at the bottom. My favorite list I've ever made, and to add on to, is the List of Lists That Only Contain Three Things. It's just a joy to think about, for me and my left brain. Have fun with it.


The title of this post might lead one to believe I'm going to talk about poets. However, all I want to do is share with you some of my favorites that I've recently found. One is cute and funny, one is short and sweet and I LOVE IT, and one is just interesting, especially because of the last line that seems a bit out of place. Which somehow makes it better, I think, that it takes you by surprise like that. Anyway, here you go. If you have favorite poems, please share. I love reading poetry, as long as it doesn't take too much work to figure it out.


If I Could Write Words
by Spike Milligan

If I could write words
Like leaves on an autumn forest floor,
What a bonfire my letters would make.

If I could speak words of water,
You would drown when I said
"I love you."




Bear In There

by Shel Silverstein

There's a polar bear

In our Frigidaire—

He likes it 'cause it's cold in there.

With his seat in the meat

And his face in the fish

And his big hairy paws

In the buttery dish,

He's nibbling the noodles,

He's munching the rice,

He's slurping the soda,

He's licking the ice.

And he lets out a roar

If you open the door.

And it gives me a scare

To know he's in there—

That polary bear

In our Fridgitydaire.

Mirror

by Sylvia Plath

I am silver and exact. I have no preconceptions.
Whatever I see, I swallow immediately.
Just as it is, unmisted by love or dislike
I am not cruel, only truthful –
The eye of a little god, four-cornered.
Most of the time I meditate on the opposite wall.
It is pink, with speckles. I have looked at it so long
I think it is a part of my heart. But it flickers.
Faces and darkness separate us over and over.

Now I am a lake. A woman bends over me.
Searching my reaches for what she really is.
Then she turns to those liars, the candles or the moon.
I see her back, and reflect it faithfully
She rewards me with tears and an agitation of hands.
I am important to her. She comes and goes.
Each morning it is her face that replaces the darkness.
In me she has drowned a young girl, and in me an old woman
Rises toward her day after day, like a terrible fish. 

In Review: Modern Rock Singles

Within the last few weeks, 3 new singles have been released by generally well known bands in the modern rock music genre: Linkin Park, Trapt, and Daughtry. I've recently downloaded and listened to each at least three times, and here's what I have to say about them.

"Catalyst" by Linkin Park was released to radio on August 2nd, just six days ago. I generally call myself a fan of old school Linkin Park because I own and have memorized their first album Hybrid Theory and a few singles since then, but none of their other whole albums, because I've heard how much they suck in comparison if you prefer their original style. I knew I wouldn't like them. My evidence is in the fact that their last two hits for the Transformers movies pretty much are the same song with different words. "New Divide" would have been good if it didn't sound exactly like the one we already fell in love with.

Thus, upon first listen of their new single, I was automatically looking for reasons to criticize and break it down. I first thought it was synthesizey and too lengthy, with not much actual "rock" sound to it at all. Then it became evident that there was no set chorus, no memorable melody that stood out - it all just seemed like a bunch of techno beats mixed with that strange whisper-screaming that typically defines LP's infamous vocal style. Since recently becoming enamored with 30 Seconds to Mars' newest album This Is War, I was left with the impression that Linkin Park's "Catalyst" was a failed attempt at mimicking their epicness. I will admit that I was a little harsh at first, and if you listen to the song enough times you'll be able to remember the general tune, however I don't think it's radio material. People like what they can sing along to, me especially (drive by me on the road and my lips will almost always be moving), so in that area it's not for everyone. Though, if you do like that epic quality found on This is War, you might enjoy this song more than most.

"September," by Daughtry just out of the blue hopped up onto itunes' top 10 singles chart, so I had to check it out, even though technically it was released on his 2009 album Leave This Town. I used to be one of those people that thought Chris's songs all sounded the same, but in truth, they really are different after you've heard them more than once. This one has more of a serious tone than others he and his band have created, with obvious meaning behind the lyrics. Already I can recall most of the chorus, which means ... yes! I approve! Sing-along worthy, for sure. What I like about this band is that their songs often start out slow and you think they'll be crooney ballads, but they build in intensity and no longer feel like slow dancing numbers by the end.

Trapt is a band that most people probably don't know unless you're more into this type of music than the average nancy. I feel like with most of my friends it's probably a 30/80 chance of you recognizing their most well known song if I played it. Haha actually I could only count the songs I know on one hand, so I'm definitely not saying I'm an expert. Just grading their music. And my opinion of their new single (released late July) "Sound Off," is that it's typical of its genre, so it lived up to expectations, which were admittedly not too high. As with "September," this one has a memorable chorus, although the words don't stick as easily in the brain. One thing's certain, though, and that is that it will definitely induce some foot-tapping, if not possible head banging, depending on your mood. All in all it did what it was supposed to do, which was combine the correct sounds with a catchy melody that makes you move, and a hint of pent-up angry feelings, and you've got yourself a solid modern rock song.

These next two aren't as fresh on the scene as the songs I've just described, but I must give mad props to Avenged Sevenfold and Bullet For My Valentine for THEIR newest singles, "Nightmare," and "Your Betrayal," respectively. They are just perfection. Quality-wise, they kinda blow those other bands out of the water. There is so much more depth to the actual music, AND they are sing-along-worthy. All while being totally hardcore and badass. I praaaay that they don't get overplayed on the radio, or else my love for them will feign.

And just so I can put in another plug for my new favorite band and say epic one more time in this post, "Vox Populi," off of This is War (30 Seconds) really epic-ly hits the spot. It just makes me wanna fight!! Somebody besides the producers for that silly owl movie should be stealing parts of this album to make a really awesome soundtrack. Because everytime I see the trailer for whatever it's called, I actually almost want to see it because they used the song "Kings and Queens," and it just gets me so pumped. Put it in the context of a plot like the one they're selling, and it works magic. Although I'm still not seeing it because it looks gay. I won't let the song fool me.

Temporarily Running Away from Home

I am coming to you live from the McDonalds in Evanston, Wyoming, close to 12:00 AM on a Wednesday night. Something that is now nonimportant happened at home today that basically made me fly off the handle and I just couldn't be there anymore, so I grabbed my purse and laptop and started driving. I won't talk about what caused me to commit such a random act because it doesn't even matter. It's just one of those things I guess that the emotions were just right for that time and I really needed to just get away and drive. Driving is so calming, especially after leaving the house in a fit of upsettedness, which was more frustration than rage or anger. Maybe a mix of the two. And yeah, I do know upsettedness is not a word but I don't think a word exists that carries the meaning I was going for.

Anyway, here I ended up after a bit of driving to another state while blasting my favorite metal band and singing/screaming along with so much force that I lost the notes and hurt my lungs. I wish I could begin to document all the thought processes that went through my mind on the way. Most of it was planning what I would do when I ended up at my destination, wherever that was going to be. I briefly considered driving all night to Colorado and finding my relatives there, because I was in such a rebellious, determined mindset to go as far as I could away from home. It's not even anything personal with my family, it's just what I needed to do at the time. Similar to the urges I couldn't explain back in high school (and sometimes now) that drove me all over town many days after class, when I explained it by saying that I was searching for myself. Well now I'm not really searching for myself, I really did just need to get away.

So obviously the CO idea was ruled out fast for logical reasons, but other things were running through my mind, too. At one point I was about 90% sure I was going to get a hotel room and spend the night, purchasing a set of cheap clothes and a toothbrush/paste from the Wal Mart in town. After that passed, I knew I wanted to get on my laptop somewhere, and I had Starbucks in mind for a while for possible free wi-fi, but then I remembered it doesn't stay open as late as I normally like. So McDonalds it was. I got cozy in the back seat of my car, clutching pocket knife, flashlight, and cell phone to my chest, appreciating the relative silence that actually turned into a lulling mix of the many revved engines and heavy breaks of semi's and Harley Davidsons. (I forgot that I had parked right by one of the busiest intersections, and right across from probably THEE busiest gas station. Plus, I'm at McDonald's. Where else do teens hang out at night in the summer?) Needless to say I fell asleep pretty fast. Woke up, spent a good amount of time staring at the ceiling of my car and thinking about everything that's anything, and now I'm sitting in a comfy booth in this 'upscale' fast food chain restaurant.

Annnnd that's as far as I've gotten with this story. I don't think I'll spend the night, but if I did I'd probably sleep in my car. It was easy to go unnoticed in the backseat, and I was not uncomfortable with the blanket I used as a pillow that was in the back had been there from previous summer outings. I instinctively felt that I was going to be fine for the time being. Of course, that didn't prevent the strangest scenarios of being kidnapped and possibly raped during the night from entering my mind for a few minutes, but I attribute that to my overactive imagination. With all that happens in the world these days, it's not the first time I've thought about such things occurring to me. You've got to be prepared, you know? I'm mad that I don't know where my pepper spray is, but there are some sharp tools on my pocket knife that I was willing to use if needed. BUT all that is just speculation and I'm definitely not in any position where I have to defend myself. It's pretty tame, here. I'll probably just hang out inside for a bit more and head home when I feel like it.

I don't know exactly why I'm writing about this. So far I've learned that I'm very thankful for these immediate things: my own car, a full tank of gas, money in my wallet, and an OK head on my shoulders. Or at least I believe it is. While thinking about this whole thing, I reminded myself of the Dr. Seuss quote I always saw in my school counselor's office, which just kind of sums up my night: "You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose." And this will conclude my post for the evening.

Just a Plethora of Things

☼ First of all, I want to dedicate this post to my life companion of two years, the white & electric blue Samsung Blackjack smartphone that almost never left my side. You were there for me through all my times of sadness and joy. We had a lot of fun memories together. I'll never forget that roller coaster ride last summer when I neglected to seatbelt you in properly and you came flying out of my pocket during that thrilling corkscrew. You were such a trooper for surviving that horrendous fall, and all the myriad times I dropped you on rough cement surfaces. But no matter how many scratches and bruises you received, I still loved you for your unlimited inbox storage, note taking capability, high quality music player & camera, and overall cuteness. I promise that in no way will I forget your services to me and all the good conversations I had on you when I replace you with the iPhone in a few weeks. Here's to you, good friend.

R.I.P. the Almost Indestructible Blackjack

2008 - 2010

☼ Secondly, I feel the need to tell the world I'm getting slightly addicted to
nail polish. Most recently, in between hours of studying and finishing up schoolwork for summer classes today, of which the progress bar would look like
this: [_________________] (in terms of estimated hours to go, when I started last Wed.), I decided to randomly paint all my nails a different color. I like it, but soon after I did so, I realized this means I can only wear plain colored t-shirts while such mismatched colors adorn my nails, or else it would terribly clash with any planned outfits I attempt. Oh well. I also understand that many people find this idea childish and not appealing at all, but the beauty of it is I don't care. 

☼ Totally different topic: BEING GREEN! 

In my business class, part of our assignment is to watch 10 online videos of our choice (out of 20) of presentations given at MIT by top business leaders and theorists within the past few years. They're an average of an hour long, and then we just have to write up a few paragraphs on them afterwards. I keep finding that some of this stuff is quite interesting to me, such as the talk on how to get the market for alternative fuel vehicles propelled as part of the sustainability revolution. Apparently simulations have shown that more success will come from introduction of such vehicles in more rural areas, as opposed to strictly urban like one might suspect. I wrote that I'm really interested to see how that actually plays out, and I wish I could be one of the first to jump on the bandwagon, however there are factors I know will be limiting that decision, such as my need/desire for long distance car travel. Obviously they can't put fuel stations up everywhere in the first stages of development, and that was one of the reasons phasing out gas-powered vehicles is going to be so hard - there won't be demand for AFV's where they don't already exist, and simultaneously they won't put fuel stations up in certain places until there IS a demand. We'll just be stuck in a loop, like the chicken and egg problem 

(which one came first? although I think that's easier to answer).

I wish I was one of those innovative thinkers that could offer some insight, otherwise saving the planet is going to be really hard without enforcing rules. Or maybe that's it, we just need to implement legislation that dictates what we can and can't drive. Ha. Whatever needs to be done, I just hope someone figures it out soon, because if you pay any attention to statistics, it's no secret that we're quickly sending Earth to the grave. Or at least our existence on it. I sometimes wonder how long it will actually take until the environment changes so much that we actually can't survive. Because it looks as if, at the rate this whole global warming thing is taking off, we just can't physically adapt that fast. It has taken thousands of years for our bodies to become accustomed to our living conditions now. What if human civilization is only around for another few hundred years?? That's really drastically thinking. 

On the other hand, we ARE smarter than we give ourselves credit for, so obviously we can come up with the technology. It's actually available right now, the problem is just getting people to change their ways. Well, if you're at all interested in watching the video that inspired that rant, which actually doesn't take up the whole time it says, I encourage you to watch it here: http://mitworld.mit.edu/video/553. As always, comments on my posts are enjoyed if you have opinions on anything I jabber on about. 

☼ To add to this melting pot of random topics, I will now refer my readers to a game! that I really loved playing the other night when I was uber bored, called I Love Traffic. If you know me at all you'll realize this is funny because I HATE traffic, more than the average person I feel like. This game is fun, though, and slightly addicting. When I finished, I think my total collisions were 93. See if you can do better! I won't be surprised if you do ... 

☼ Also, if you look to your left on the screen you'll see that I put a new widget on the sidebar called "recent additions to the ipod," which I will update when I get hooked on a new cd, (or song or band). Now you can always keep track of how my music tastes are evolving! If you care. And by "you", I know that I'm mostly talking to nobody, because that's about how many people I think read this. So, world, this concludes my lengthy post. Have a nice day!