I just figured out how to upload videos onto my blog. So here are some of the ones that were still left on my phone. Some are old and some are new. But all of them include my nieces and nephews because, let's be honest, they are too cute not to take videos of.
Monday, September 9, 2013
Monday, September 2, 2013
Childhood Reminiscing Session #1: Celia, the Spy
(I have decided to set aside one day a week for writing little vignettes about my childhood. This will allow me to practice my creative writing skills for that best-selling novel I'm going to write someday ;). Plus, when I'm 90 and my memory has gone a little fuzzy, my stories will have already made it out of my clouded mind onto the page for the world to peruse. So here's to killing two birds with one stone! Enjoy Childhood Reminiscing Session #1!)
I was seven years old when Harriet, the Spy came out in 1996. Something about that movie just captured the imagination. Anytime the rare and luxurious opportunity to rent a movie from Blockbuster came up, my choice was always Harriet, the Spy. There's something to be said for spying. It's nothing like a reality show where the participants know they are on camera so they act accordingly. It's more like The Truman Show. The people who were unfortunate enough to fall under my scrutiny were completely unaware that others might be watching them. They were in their element. They were acting as their true selves. I don't think even psychologists get that kind of raw quality when performing their scientific studies. (Probably because it could be considered unethical but that's beside the point...)
My friend Hannah came over to my house one fateful afternoon to play. Still firmly believing that my calling in life was to be a spy, I suggested that we spend the afternoon spying on people. We found some notebooks and pencils to record our observations and then set out into the backyard, anxious to find the perfect spying location. We settled on the far corner of the backyard where the ground sloped down to the fence. We had a perfect view of the sidewalk from our perch and the branches of the nearby redwood tree completely hid us from view. We could see without being seen. Not bad for a couple of amateur spies! We carved "Hannah and Celia's Spy Place" into one of the panels of the back fence and kept our eyes peeled for random passers-by.
Sure enough, a construction truck pulled up right within our line of vision. Two guys, one middle-aged, the other in his 20s, got out and walked around the truck to examine the sidewalk. Apparently that little glance at the sidewalk was exhausting because they then climbed into the back of their truck and pulled out a couple of sodas. After downing half a can of soda in one swig, the middle-aged man let out a rather loud belch. Thus our first spying session ended shortly thereafter as we two seven-year-olds had to duck down behind the fence to hide our uncontrollable fits of giggling. After taking down copious notes about the human behavior we had just had the privilege to witness, we headed back inside, thoroughly pleased with ourselves for completing our first successful round as spies.
Mission Accomplished.
(As a side note, I need to say that I created the above graphic on my own. Because I am not one who is generally known for being incredibly tech-savvy, I just wanted everyone else to rejoice with me in this small victory.)
I was seven years old when Harriet, the Spy came out in 1996. Something about that movie just captured the imagination. Anytime the rare and luxurious opportunity to rent a movie from Blockbuster came up, my choice was always Harriet, the Spy. There's something to be said for spying. It's nothing like a reality show where the participants know they are on camera so they act accordingly. It's more like The Truman Show. The people who were unfortunate enough to fall under my scrutiny were completely unaware that others might be watching them. They were in their element. They were acting as their true selves. I don't think even psychologists get that kind of raw quality when performing their scientific studies. (Probably because it could be considered unethical but that's beside the point...)
My friend Hannah came over to my house one fateful afternoon to play. Still firmly believing that my calling in life was to be a spy, I suggested that we spend the afternoon spying on people. We found some notebooks and pencils to record our observations and then set out into the backyard, anxious to find the perfect spying location. We settled on the far corner of the backyard where the ground sloped down to the fence. We had a perfect view of the sidewalk from our perch and the branches of the nearby redwood tree completely hid us from view. We could see without being seen. Not bad for a couple of amateur spies! We carved "Hannah and Celia's Spy Place" into one of the panels of the back fence and kept our eyes peeled for random passers-by.
Sure enough, a construction truck pulled up right within our line of vision. Two guys, one middle-aged, the other in his 20s, got out and walked around the truck to examine the sidewalk. Apparently that little glance at the sidewalk was exhausting because they then climbed into the back of their truck and pulled out a couple of sodas. After downing half a can of soda in one swig, the middle-aged man let out a rather loud belch. Thus our first spying session ended shortly thereafter as we two seven-year-olds had to duck down behind the fence to hide our uncontrollable fits of giggling. After taking down copious notes about the human behavior we had just had the privilege to witness, we headed back inside, thoroughly pleased with ourselves for completing our first successful round as spies.
(As a side note, I need to say that I created the above graphic on my own. Because I am not one who is generally known for being incredibly tech-savvy, I just wanted everyone else to rejoice with me in this small victory.)
Friday, July 12, 2013
Overused
Anyone who knows me well knows that I am all for quoting movie lines. The one thing that drives me up the wall, though, is when people use phrases that have been quoted so many times they just aren't funny anymore. Monty Python and the Holy Grail has been exhausted. The Princess Bride has been thoroughly worn out. And if I hear the line "I will break my foot off in your John Brown hindparts!" (from Remember the Titans) one more time, I WILL BREAK MY FOOT OFF IN YOUR HINDPARTS! Unless the movie line fits perfectly into your daily conversation, please refrain.
This generation is all about adopting or coining new catchphrases, like "Hot Mess" and "Epic" and "Too Soon," basically words or phrases that make good hashtags on your twitter account (and now, unfortunately, facebook). While these sayings can be fun to employ in the first two months of their inception, they should die out fairly soon afterward. You can only say, "Too soon?" so many times before it starts to get old. If you want to appear trendy through your speech, hop on the bandwagon as soon as it starts rolling and then hop off fast. Or even better, start your own trend.
I love music. I can listen to music for hours on end and be content. But there is a line that is crossed when a song is played too many times. Remember the song Bad Day? Remember how it was on every time you got in the car and turned on the radio? And how even though you kind of liked the song in general you just had to change the station on principle? Remember how This Will Be (An Everlasting Love) was used in just about every chick-flick known to man from While You Were Sleeping to The Parent Trap to A Cinderella Story? Remember how you wanted to throw the remote at the screen for ruining such a good song for you? Remember how the choir kids at your high school took every opportunity possible to sing songs from Wicked (walking down the hallway High School Musical style, at graduation, etc.). Remember how you were kind of biased against the whole idea of Broadway musicals for a while because of it? I sure do.
What overused "items" really annoy you?
This generation is all about adopting or coining new catchphrases, like "Hot Mess" and "Epic" and "Too Soon," basically words or phrases that make good hashtags on your twitter account (and now, unfortunately, facebook). While these sayings can be fun to employ in the first two months of their inception, they should die out fairly soon afterward. You can only say, "Too soon?" so many times before it starts to get old. If you want to appear trendy through your speech, hop on the bandwagon as soon as it starts rolling and then hop off fast. Or even better, start your own trend.
I love music. I can listen to music for hours on end and be content. But there is a line that is crossed when a song is played too many times. Remember the song Bad Day? Remember how it was on every time you got in the car and turned on the radio? And how even though you kind of liked the song in general you just had to change the station on principle? Remember how This Will Be (An Everlasting Love) was used in just about every chick-flick known to man from While You Were Sleeping to The Parent Trap to A Cinderella Story? Remember how you wanted to throw the remote at the screen for ruining such a good song for you? Remember how the choir kids at your high school took every opportunity possible to sing songs from Wicked (walking down the hallway High School Musical style, at graduation, etc.). Remember how you were kind of biased against the whole idea of Broadway musicals for a while because of it? I sure do.
What overused "items" really annoy you?
Thursday, July 4, 2013
God Bless the United States of America
I am proud to be an American. Here are four of many reasons why I love my country!
1) Though we all come from different backgrounds and circumstances, though we all have different personalities, though we all have different callings in life, we are all Americans. Each of us has a voice, a unique perspective to give to the world. As Americans, we celebrate the value of each individual person. Whether you are a soprano, an alto, a tenor, or a bass, your contribution is important and valued. Make sure you add your voice to the harmony!
1) Though we all come from different backgrounds and circumstances, though we all have different personalities, though we all have different callings in life, we are all Americans. Each of us has a voice, a unique perspective to give to the world. As Americans, we celebrate the value of each individual person. Whether you are a soprano, an alto, a tenor, or a bass, your contribution is important and valued. Make sure you add your voice to the harmony!
I Hear America Singing.
I hear America singing, the varied carols I hear,
Those of mechanics, each one singing his as it should be blithe and strong,
The carpenter singing his as he measures his plank or beam,
The mason singing his as he makes ready for work, or leaves off work,
The boatman singing what belongs to him in his boat,
Those of mechanics, each one singing his as it should be blithe and strong,
The carpenter singing his as he measures his plank or beam,
The mason singing his as he makes ready for work, or leaves off work,
The boatman singing what belongs to him in his boat,
the deck-hand singing on the steamboat deck,
The shoemaker singing as he sits on his bench,
The shoemaker singing as he sits on his bench,
the hatter singing as he stands,
The woodcutter's song, the ploughboy's on his way in the morning,
The woodcutter's song, the ploughboy's on his way in the morning,
or at noon intermission or at sundown,
The delicious singing of the mother, or of the young wife at work,
The delicious singing of the mother, or of the young wife at work,
or of the girl sewing or washing,
Each singing what belongs to him or her and to none else,
The day what belongs to the day—at night the party of
Each singing what belongs to him or her and to none else,
The day what belongs to the day—at night the party of
young
fellows, robust, friendly,
Singing with open mouths their strong melodious songs.
Singing with open mouths their strong melodious songs.
- Walt Whitman
2) If you are a student of American History, you have probably heard of Frederick Jackson Turner and his theory that America is what it is today because of the physical presence of a frontier, a geographical line where civilization meets the wild and the unknown. This border's existence made people itch to find out what life was like on the other side, to blaze trails and to discover. Turner argues that that yearning to press pass their limits created a people obsessed with discovery, innovation, and new opportunity. Whether or not you agree with Turner's theory, America definitely has a legacy of trailblazers and pioneers that continues to this day even though the physical frontier has disappeared. We sometimes risk it all to find out what kind of opportunities are out there in uncharted territory. But we have found that sometimes the end result is worth the price. We are a nation of innovators and adventurers, of explorers and pioneers. Keep that legacy going!
3) Not many countries have the variety of breathtaking landscapes that America does. How many countries in the world have beaches, forests, deserts, canyons, mountains, and plains all within their borders? I love America for its beauty.
4) The main reason I love America is because it was built by men and women who put aside differences and personal agendas to create a truly inspired idea for governance, one based on personal freedom but still within the bounds of law and order. I sometimes wonder that if I were born during that time, would I have had the courage to do what they did? Or would I have sat back and resigned myself to dominion from the British? I wonder if I would have thought, as it says, in the Declaration of Independence, "Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed." These men and women, though, put their lives on the line because they believed that America could be so much greater, a nation that allowed its people their God-given rights of "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness," a nation that's based on "the idea that we all have value." For the founders' courage and determination, I will be forever grateful. We truly live in "the land of the free, and the home of the brave."
O say can you see by the dawn's early light,
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming,
Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming?
And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there;
O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave,
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?
On the shore dimly seen through the mists of the deep,
Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam,
In full glory reflected now shines in the stream:
'Tis the star-spangled banner, O! long may it wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming,
Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming?
And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there;
O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave,
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?
On the shore dimly seen through the mists of the deep,
Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam,
In full glory reflected now shines in the stream:
'Tis the star-spangled banner, O! long may it wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.
O thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the war's desolation.
Blest with vict'ry and peace, may the Heav'n rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation!
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust."
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!
Between their loved home and the war's desolation.
Blest with vict'ry and peace, may the Heav'n rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation!
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust."
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!
Happy Independence Day!
Wednesday, July 3, 2013
Learning to Whistle
My sister told me a couple of days ago that my five-year-old niece Mariah was discovering the art of whistling.
For whatever reason, the memory of the first time I whistled is perfectly clear in my mind. I was five years old, sitting in the middle of the floor in my brother's room. We had a lot of extended family over so there was a lot of noise coming from the kitchen. My brother, Kiel, was trying to teach me how to whistle. After several fruitless attempts, Kiel left to rejoin everyone else in the kitchen, but I remained sitting in the middle of the room, trying and trying to blow just the right way to produce the desired effect. After what seemed like hours of trying (really, it was probably only a half-hour at the most), I stopped trying and just sat there, disappointed in myself and thinking that I was born to be an utter failure.
But out of the darkness (well, as dark as things can get for a five year old) came the thought that every single one of my family members could whistle. My Dad was practically known throughout the neighborhood for his whistling capabilities, since he whistled everywhere he went: around the house, in the supermarket, while taking the trash out, etc. My little five-year-old brain put two and two together and came to the conclusion that if my older siblings could do it, so could I. Not five minutes later, I was whistling the beginning notes of Mary Had a Little Lamb.
And that's how I came to be the whistling fiend that I am today. Adults who have yet to whistle a note have asked me how I do it. And I can honestly say that I still, to this day, have no idea how it works. I didn't learn how to whistle. I just discovered that I could. It sounds kind of cliche but it reminds me of the children's story, The Little Engine That Could. At first the task of getting up and over the mountain seemed impossible. But through diligence and perseverance despite seemingly insurmountable odds, the little engine began to believe he could pull that heavy load over that mountain, and so he did.
Sometimes we don't know how things are going to work out. And sometimes it seems like the odds are never in our favor. But even when that insurmountable mountain looms before us, there is a power in believing in ourselves that will give us the strength to overcome.
I once sat in the middle of the floor, miserably thinking that I was not blessed with the ability to whistle. But my determination to conquer outweighed my weakness, and that has made all the difference.
But out of the darkness (well, as dark as things can get for a five year old) came the thought that every single one of my family members could whistle. My Dad was practically known throughout the neighborhood for his whistling capabilities, since he whistled everywhere he went: around the house, in the supermarket, while taking the trash out, etc. My little five-year-old brain put two and two together and came to the conclusion that if my older siblings could do it, so could I. Not five minutes later, I was whistling the beginning notes of Mary Had a Little Lamb.
And that's how I came to be the whistling fiend that I am today. Adults who have yet to whistle a note have asked me how I do it. And I can honestly say that I still, to this day, have no idea how it works. I didn't learn how to whistle. I just discovered that I could. It sounds kind of cliche but it reminds me of the children's story, The Little Engine That Could. At first the task of getting up and over the mountain seemed impossible. But through diligence and perseverance despite seemingly insurmountable odds, the little engine began to believe he could pull that heavy load over that mountain, and so he did.
Sometimes we don't know how things are going to work out. And sometimes it seems like the odds are never in our favor. But even when that insurmountable mountain looms before us, there is a power in believing in ourselves that will give us the strength to overcome.
I once sat in the middle of the floor, miserably thinking that I was not blessed with the ability to whistle. But my determination to conquer outweighed my weakness, and that has made all the difference.
Sunday, June 23, 2013
No More Teachers, No More Books
The last couple of weeks have been kind of glorious. Why? Simple. NO SCHOOL.
Instead of having to go to class or do homework after I get off work (well, let's be honest...most of the time I procrastinate doing my homework and then worry about getting it done the day it's due), I have the time to do WHATEVER I WANT. I can sit and watch several episodes of a TV show on Netflix without that nagging feeling in the back of my mind telling me I should be focusing on more pressing matters. I can stick a DVD in while I sit and crochet a blanket I've been wanting to make for the past 8 months. I can read books for the pleasure of it rather than doing it because it is required. I can invite friends over for craft nights or go out with a group to see a movie.
School starts up again on Tuesday. Am I somewhat distraught that these couple of weeks of bliss are coming to an end? Yes. But I guess I have to look at the bright side. After this quarter, I only have one more quarter to go and then I'll get my paralegal certificate in December! And then I can find some other time-consuming, expensive, and sleep-depriving thing to complain about. :)
Instead of having to go to class or do homework after I get off work (well, let's be honest...most of the time I procrastinate doing my homework and then worry about getting it done the day it's due), I have the time to do WHATEVER I WANT. I can sit and watch several episodes of a TV show on Netflix without that nagging feeling in the back of my mind telling me I should be focusing on more pressing matters. I can stick a DVD in while I sit and crochet a blanket I've been wanting to make for the past 8 months. I can read books for the pleasure of it rather than doing it because it is required. I can invite friends over for craft nights or go out with a group to see a movie.
School starts up again on Tuesday. Am I somewhat distraught that these couple of weeks of bliss are coming to an end? Yes. But I guess I have to look at the bright side. After this quarter, I only have one more quarter to go and then I'll get my paralegal certificate in December! And then I can find some other time-consuming, expensive, and sleep-depriving thing to complain about. :)
Friday, June 7, 2013
Girly Girl
I've never really considered myself to be a girly girl. I'll watch an NBA game before a Cupcake Wars marathon any day. I love to play basketball and volleyball and ultimate frisbee, allowing myself to get extremely sweaty and gross while playing them. I absolutely HATE dramatic reality shows. In my book, if makeup takes more than a leisurely 4 minutes to put on, it means you are putting on too much. I'm not the type of girl that goes chasing after guys (sometimes I wish I was). I like having new clothes but I don't really love to shop. I try not to become obsessed with any one thing because, if I did, I wouldn't have time to accomplish everything I want to do. But over the last few months, I have found that I am perhaps more girly than I previously thought.
I just discovered this year that I LOVE to paint my nails. I don't know why putting a couple of coats of polish on each nail and then sitting back to let them dry, blowing on them occasionally, is so therapeutic but it is. I love the fact that my nails are long enough now that I can drum them on my desk. (The people around me at work might be a little annoyed by that but I like it.)
Jane Austen is one of my favorite authors. Mr. Knightley is the most ideal* man ever created in fiction with perhaps Captain Frederick Wentworth running a close second. I've seen basically every film adaptation based off of her novels that is available to the public. Because of my deep love for Austen's work, I have branched out to other authors of a similar time period and location. Jane Eyre is a classic. North and South is amazing. I just love this stuff!
*ideal does not mean perfect or flawless
I squeal and shriek in fear whenever I see a spider. Here's a picture of the nasty wolf spider that greeted me in my office a couple of days ago. (It's a little blurry. I had to stand back and take it because I wasn't getting anywhere near that thing.)
I worry about way too many things. I think far too much. I lose valuable sleep time because I can't turn my brain off at night. I envy those people that can sleep anywhere, any time, and through their alarms. If only...
I thought I had a variety of genres in my movie collection until someone made the comment, "Wow, you have a lot of chick-flicks." I got a little defensive saying, "Hey, I have Batman Begins and The Bourne Ultimatum and Star Trek and Rudy and Gettysburg!" But then I looked at the titles of my movies again and had to retract my defensive thoughts. So I may have While You Were Sleeping, You've Got Mail, Win a Date With Tad Hamilton, Pride and Prejudice, Jane Eyre, Never Been Kissed, Leap Year, Anne of Green Gables, Emma...but Cinderella Man is still my favorite movie of all time! And that's a movie about a boxer! ;)
I love crafting. My crafting board on Pinterest has dozens of cool ideas pinned to it. I am perfectly content to spend a Saturday scrapbooking or making some new decoration for my apartment (or someone else's).
So yeah...I'm kind of a girly girl. But don't ever let that knowledge deter you from inviting me to a Saturday morning basketball game or an intense game of Ultimate Frisbee or a soccer match (even though I'm kind of horrible at soccer) . I'm always up for that ;)
I just discovered this year that I LOVE to paint my nails. I don't know why putting a couple of coats of polish on each nail and then sitting back to let them dry, blowing on them occasionally, is so therapeutic but it is. I love the fact that my nails are long enough now that I can drum them on my desk. (The people around me at work might be a little annoyed by that but I like it.)
Jane Austen is one of my favorite authors. Mr. Knightley is the most ideal* man ever created in fiction with perhaps Captain Frederick Wentworth running a close second. I've seen basically every film adaptation based off of her novels that is available to the public. Because of my deep love for Austen's work, I have branched out to other authors of a similar time period and location. Jane Eyre is a classic. North and South is amazing. I just love this stuff!
*ideal does not mean perfect or flawless
I squeal and shriek in fear whenever I see a spider. Here's a picture of the nasty wolf spider that greeted me in my office a couple of days ago. (It's a little blurry. I had to stand back and take it because I wasn't getting anywhere near that thing.)
I worry about way too many things. I think far too much. I lose valuable sleep time because I can't turn my brain off at night. I envy those people that can sleep anywhere, any time, and through their alarms. If only...
I thought I had a variety of genres in my movie collection until someone made the comment, "Wow, you have a lot of chick-flicks." I got a little defensive saying, "Hey, I have Batman Begins and The Bourne Ultimatum and Star Trek and Rudy and Gettysburg!" But then I looked at the titles of my movies again and had to retract my defensive thoughts. So I may have While You Were Sleeping, You've Got Mail, Win a Date With Tad Hamilton, Pride and Prejudice, Jane Eyre, Never Been Kissed, Leap Year, Anne of Green Gables, Emma...but Cinderella Man is still my favorite movie of all time! And that's a movie about a boxer! ;)
I love crafting. My crafting board on Pinterest has dozens of cool ideas pinned to it. I am perfectly content to spend a Saturday scrapbooking or making some new decoration for my apartment (or someone else's).
So yeah...I'm kind of a girly girl. But don't ever let that knowledge deter you from inviting me to a Saturday morning basketball game or an intense game of Ultimate Frisbee or a soccer match (even though I'm kind of horrible at soccer) . I'm always up for that ;)
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