MISC.

So I just arrived home after American Idol with the fam and a ridiculously long conversation with Joshua (remind me to tell you about our newly articulated view on abortion and child support). And I thought, what the heck! It's Friday! Let's do it early/late/early!

Spring fever has struck me! The idea of backyard dinners and campouts, mint and red-orange polish (my only summer nail colors ever), and strappy sandals has enticed me into a warm state of mind. I'm spending my weekend seeing Late Night Catechism, it's a special Easter show and I'm stoked (she's hilarious).

(photo from design mom)

A refreshing Middle East story.

Come warm weather. Come friends. We will do this.

Even though we aren't going to the moon anymore, there are still places to explore right here!

This looks beautiful and funny and heartbreaking.

I love the melody of this paragraph," But there is nothing trivial, or comical, or poignantly romantic about loneliness. What has emerged is the notion that loneliness is an aversive signal whose purpose is to motivate us to reconnect. But over time if it is not addressed, loneliness can contribute to generalized morbidity and mortality." It's an important topic.

So funny! So true! And from a Cascadian. It's stuck in my head (a good thing).

Bedroom update.

It's not done yet but it's getting there. The hardest adjustment is not sleeping with my back to the wall since I sleep on my side. The idea that someone can be behind me in my sleep no matter how I am lying freaks me out a little bit. Not that I live in a war zone... I sound a neurotic. I'll take some pictures when it's all done.

It's a party!

If anything could make me love the Oscars it would be an after party with a photobooth.

MORE!

Where has this movie been my whole life?!

Joshua showed me this today, and I am thrilled.

Singing Middle Eastern conflict.

Oh baby baby.

KTHANKSHUNGERGAMES-

I may or may not being seeing it again tonight... it's $5 Tuesday! Come on!

I thought they stayed true to the soul of the book (especially for being a PG-13 movie).

The IMAX will be hard to beat though, especially with a group like this one.

Mountain time.

Went to the foothills Saturday. Cooked over a fire, walked on a train trestle.

MISC.

It's Hunger Games weekend, so this is Hunger Games weekend edition!

Shirt is made, book is reread, I'm ready!

I love nerdy crafts!

I'm making this for our theme party tonight, wish me luck! I'm debating going to dress up as Finnick (think ropes and nets).

So far I'm digging the soundtrack.

Even famous people love it!

Unrelated, but cool and easy.

Making battle gear-

A couple of us got together tonight to make Hunger Games shirts (this whole thing is becoming ridiculous but I can't stop)!! Talented Andrea free drew a bow and arrow and I spray painted my whole hand black trying to get my shirt perfect. One of us is obviously artistic (her name rhymes with Smhandrea).

In all seriousness I like kids books for one major reason right now: it's something to talk to kids about (remember talking to young girls)! It's a way to discuss the brutality of war (and the mentality of survival) or the voyeurism of our society now without losing them. I see the eyes glass over when Syria is mentioned, but I never see that with anyone who's read the book! And I'd much rather read Hunger Games or the Ember books then keep up with Secret Life.

All in all I love the way it turned out though, gritty seems appropriate for the movie.

Beautiful.

I've been falling asleep to their perfect harmonies and then I stumbled upon a complete show. Good luck. I love C'est la Mort and From This Valley best but it's like picking a favorite child. Probably nothing like that actually...

Laughter is good medicine.

I think I should laugh more.

Do you have days where you just feel sad? Not for anything particular but just a down day? I like laughing. I feel better after I laugh, and I laugh with people I like. So why the heck don't I do it more?!? So I'm listening to comedy on Pandora, watching clips on the Tosh.0 blog (rock paper balls is my current favorite) and trying to find someone who lives near me that owns Easy A. I'd say that's a good start. It's one of those weeks where I have no reason to not be happy but I find myself being restless and frustrated and frowning. It's hard to frown while laughing! Mission accomplished.

Sunday I saw 21 Jump Street with friends, and I laughed so hard the entire time. Jonah Hill's delivery is exactly what I love.

Old movies on the big screen

$2 on Tuesdays... today was a most excellent showing!

And then we went to Ikea. A great day.

Holidays deserve double.

I think this is one of my favorite movie scenes ever.

Heather introduced me to this movie my first year of college and started a tradition and friendship I'm lucky to have!

HAPPY ST PATRICK'S DAY-

My favorite holiday (excepting my birthday)! How did watching Young Guns become a St. Patty's Day tradition? Beats me. Is it a most important holiday tradition? Oh yes. Am I the luckiest ever that Bon Jovi did a song for YG2? Silly question.

Enjoy your Bailey's milkshakes, watch Emilio, and don't forget to wear green!

MISC.

It's a busy weekend- our friend Spencer is coming to visit, we're going to see John Carter at the IMAX, and the Walking Dead finale is on!! I'm most excited for Spencer and most nervous for Walking Dead. I hope your weekend is full with as much laughter as mine will be!

Intriguing lists by famous people (have I mentioned that I love lists? I thought so...).

Letter writers unite!!

I wish I wore more jewelry.

This song is beautiful and sad.

Oh yes.

Have you seen this video yet? Take me there please!

An article on traveling alone. And another.

I've been watching Firefly with my mom (it's her first time). It's so fun! This never fails to make me laugh.

Beware-

The ides have come but they are not gone.

spot on.

The Sartorialist has been spot on the last few weeks with men don't you think? I love navy, I think it's a flattering color on everyone and gives the umph that black does without being... black. I'm so intrigued by men's fashion, probably because I'll never be flat chested enough to pull it off in an androgynous way!

Navy and khaki!! Yes yes always! And a post on coats with purses (so applicable as there is snow still on the ground this morning).

Boy bands

I was not a part of the last boy band craze (although I love Justin Timberlake as a separate entity) and I won't ever be probably but I have to admit this song is catchy!

Listening to music-

I love my ihome. LOVE it. I'm not one of those people who are into music- my ipod hosts NPR, The Moth, and maybe 20 artists. But it's so handy! And it zips up and travels anywhere (the last trip we took was to the beach).

If I didn't have it I think I'd have fallen for these cardboard fold flat speakers though, aren't they so sweet and cubed?

Mt. Rainier adventure.

I went snowshoeing in grade 7. Understandably I remember nothing. So last Tuesday I borrowed my dad's shoes and my moms pants and we headed up the mountain for a walk in the snow! The only wildlife we saw was a deer on the side of the freeway on the way home but it was still communing with nature and I loved it. Just me, mom, and my John Cena backpack.

(Aren't these icicles cool?!)

MISC

Happy Friday!

My parents are off to celebrate their 9th wedding anniversary at the beach and I am left here to guard the guard dog. Last night some friends and I talked about what we did to celebrate our anniversaries- most didn't spend it together! Joshua and I weeded the yard of an older couple from church. They let us eat fresh strawberries from their garden and sit and look at the sound. It was actually pretty romantic, something about helping other people and the bright sunshine and kisses.

(video via design mom)

Shivers. Going to the IMAX the Sunday it comes out!! I'm using these to talk with the kids I read the book with.

I've gotten rid of nearly all of my tshirts but one of these two might convince me to make some room in my closet!

This eats me up! I love it.

I'm in!

I'm not trivializing murder but I think there should be more meaningful discussion and less emotional decision making. And no more comparisons to Hitler. Why action in Uganda and not Syria? Why Syria and not the sex trade? You know what kills kids in Africa? Pneumonia, malaria, AIDS.

Almost convinced-

To join pinterest just based on this photo I saw on there recently.

I can't look away!

Ch-ch-ch-changes!

Do you ever wake up and decide to change?

I had an extra hour this morning and I've been ready to rid the blog of black for a while so I went for it! I have a hefty to-do list for the day and making this one small change has energized me to power through it! MaybeI'll add an extra mile to my workout...

On Monday Joshua and I toured an aircraft carrier (the one the Somali pirates were on)! I've lived next to the ship yard my whole life but I've never been up that close to a carrier before- they are so so giant. When you stand next to it and look up it is almost too much to take in. And with all that space the beds are triple bunk beds with six inches of space underneath for storage! What an experience.

25 is the new age apparently.

Wow, I completely forgot about Portland extravaganza weekends (there were two).

First, Joshua celebrated 25!! The weekend was full: a surprise Blazer game, dinner at Kennedy School, a sweet house down the road from church, and girl giggles. And second, lovely Heather celebrated 25 at Scrap. I made a pencil pouch which houses my crochet needles. It's pretty impressive actually, especially for me (photos tomorrow I think).

Birthdays are my 100% favorite. Celebrations are the best.

MISC

Went on a new hike this week, down a hill through the trees to an old homestead right on the beach. It was lovely and chilly. Spent the week with my mom- we planned our Malibu road trip a little more and tied a quilt and spent time together. It was nice. Here are all the other things I want to tell you:

(snapped in the old orchard)

I love a good postcard (actually I have a whole collection of them, sent to me and ready to send), via erin jane.

Scotch makes great nail polish, a coral and grey are in my dream future. So does Butter London (I used an entire bottle of Rosie Lee this summer).

I'm dreaming of a black wedge boot for Disneyland and summer!

Speaking of Disneyland have you heard of the fastpass? I'm impressed! They did not have that last time I was there!

Hadestown anyone? I heard a rave review on NPR. I like this song from an earlier album.

I'm considering some labels for my blankets...

I love old people SO MUCH.

Dingo dog.

Overshare alert!!

I love my dog.

Even with his stinky farts.

And he loved the snowstorm (you're lucky, this is about 1/10 of the pictures I took).