Reese Loves Geese

David Hughes posted pictures of his dog with this bird.
I bought one for my dad's dog, Reese.
She loved it...
She played with it, shook it around and then lay down next to it for a nap...

A Better Top Ten List

TOP TEN THINGS THAT, IF PROVEN TO BE CANCER-CAUSING, WILL KILL ME:

10. Aquafina
9. Chipotle Black Beans
8. Turkey Bacon
7. Cheese Tortellini
6. Coca-Cola
5. Nestle Quik
4. Mocha Frappuccinos
3. Kraft Macaroni and Cheese
2. Eggo Waffles
1. Almonds (raw, unsalted)

Looking at this list, it would seem as though I eat crap all the time...
I do, a lot...or at least I did...I'm trying to be more responsible.

Taking Up Taffy's Challenge

Taffy said we have to post a Top Ten list...

Since I have had five glasses of chocolate milk in two days, here's my list:

TOP TEN THINGS I LIKE TO EAT WITH CHOCOLATE MILK:

10. Pancakes
9. Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwiches
8. Oreos
7. Teddy Grahams
6. Apples and peanut butter
5. Waffles
4. Vanilla ice cream
3. Strawberry Fig Newtons
2. Graham crackers
1. More Chocolate Milk

I Drink Too Much

I've been cleaning up my house.
There are three trash bags full of recyclables...one in the garage, one in the laundry area, one in the kitchen...

Then I found a few more...so here's my kitchen counter:



I think I drink too much water...at least someone convinced me to recycle...

Spider-Senses

There was a giant (quarter-sized) spider running in my living room...
I don't know where the heck it came from!

I threw a giant magazine on it...and it was still...then it got up and kept running toward me!

So, then I dropped a huge special edition Vanity Fair on it...and it was still again.

Then, I wrapped it up in some plastic from the Vogue magazine...taped the plastic up and threw it away.

I was too afraid to just throw it away un-taped...I thought it was going to come back to life and crawl up my arm when I went to throw some trash away...

Don't Judge Me

I might have developed a little crush on this guy...
He's funny, plays the guitar, sings...and apparently has great credit.

My Last Three Days

MAGAZINES:
1 Us Weekly
1 Vogue (1 left)
1 Lucky
1 Marie Claire
1 In Style
1 Harper's Bazaar
1 Life and Style
1 Fashion Rocks
1 FAO Schwartz catalog
2 People Style Watch
2 Vanity Fair (2 left)
11 Entertainment Weekly (6 left)
12 People (6 left)
(1 Elle & 1 Room Service Home catalog left)

TV SHOWS:
2 Friends
2 Will and Grace
3 Grey's Anatomy
5 I Love Lucy
8 Brady Bunch (1 left)
10 Project Runway (season 1--1 left)
(3 Planet Earth left)

BOOKS ORDERED ONLINE:
Other People's Love Letters: 150 Letters You Were Never Meant to See - Bill Shapiro
The Abstinence Teacher - Tom Perrotta
The Elements of Style Illustrated - William Strunk Jr.
This Is Your Brain on Music: The Science of a Human Obsession - Daniel J. Levitin
How to Make Friends and Oppress People: Classic Travel Advice for the Gentleman Adventurer - Vic Darkwood
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao - Junot Diaz
One Hundred and Forty Five Stories in a Small Box: Hard to Admit and Harder to Escape, How the Water Feels to the Fishes, and Minor Robberies - Dave Eggers
Maynard and Jennica - Rudolph Delson

OTHER ITEMS ORDERED ONLINE:
Harry Potter Hogwarts Castle
Sunglasses
Scarf
iPod Block Dock

To avoid looking unproductive: I've also gone to the grocery store, done laundry, dishes, vacuumed, taken out three loads of trash, driven to LA (to go to Amoeba Records), to San Clemente (to see my friend play), read a book, went to see 27 Dresses (really cute)...

It Hit Me Like a Lightning Bolt

I was cleaning my house just now...putting groceries away, taking out the trash, putting in loads of laundry...

I started singing...without thinking...then realized what I was singing:

The Great Adventure by Steven Curtis Chapman

Why? I don't know. Maybe because of how sweet the music video is...

Say Goodbye (to taste buds) a Little Longer, Make it Last a Little Longer

I really don't love cinnamon gum...
I've been chewing it this week because I was out of my typical flavor...and there really is no better way to get fresh breath quickly. But I hate it.

What I've realized is that it makes my tongue swell up...
And as my tongue swells, it gets really tingly...and then it starts to hurt really bad.
With every bite it hurts more...and even after I spit it out it hurts for at least ten more minutes.

New Year's Eve, Anyone?

I know this makes me SO nerdy, but I'll bet I can convince a few friends to help me build this on New Year's Eve...

Christmas 2012

I would really like my kids to have this...
I would love to have geographically genius kids!

If you want to buy this for them, you can purchase it here...

Scarlett Johansson? More Like Marilyn Manson

Ryan is a Canadian actor best known for dating Alanis Morissette for years, just in case you didn't know. And just before his 31st birthday, Scarlett had her wisdom teeth removed. She took one of the teeth, dipped it in gold, and strung it on a necklace for him as a birthday gift. Fact.

I read this in People Magazine...but found it online here.

Creepy, right?

The Christmas-iest of Christmas Songs

Is "Carol of the Bells"...in my opinion...

How can you not feel in the Christmas spirit when you hear
"Hark how the bells, sweet silver bells, all seem to say throw cares away..."

Ch-ch-changes

LAST CHRISTMAS:

• I lived with my dad.
• I had blond hair.
• I spent Christmas Eve at the Jensen's.
• I was being called "Aunt Allison"...thinking I would become a staple of this family's Christmas traditions.
• I would spend Christmas morning there, before heading to lunch with my dad.
• I was going to spend New Year's in Seattle.

THIS CHRISTMAS:

• I live in my own place.
• I have black hair.
• I spent Christmas Eve with both sides of my family.
• I am not on the verge of being added to anyone's family traditions.
• I will spend Christmas morning by myself and then head to my Bum & Papa's (Christmas with my dad is not until next week)
• I will spend New Year's in Orange County.

POTENTIAL NEXT CHRISTMAS:

• I will live in Kenya.
• I will have grown-out, half-black, half-blond hair (I'm sure that will be lovely)
• I will spend Christmas by myself (or with whomever I live with)
• I will (potentially) develop my own traditions.
• I will spend Christmas morning giving Kenyan Christmas gifts...watching Christmas movies on a laptop!
• I will also spend New Year's in Kitale, Kenya.

2007 Questions

I did this last year, so I thought...why not?

1) What did you do in 2007 that you'd never done before? Spent the night at Montage; moved out; saw the Spice Girls, The Police, Mute Math, Muse; Programmed the Youth Summit

2) Did you keep your New Year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I made one this year. Read HERE for more details. I think I made some steps in the right direction...I think my resolution will be the same this year.

3) Did anyone close to you give birth? Sue, Matt's sister...maybe some others?

4) Did anyone close to you die? Yep, my Great-Grandpa John

5) What countries did you visit? Kenya, Holland, Czech Republic, Austria, Hungary, Mexico

6) What would you like to have in 2008 that you lacked in 2007? A smaller dress size, a grasp on the Swahili language

7) What date(s) from 2007 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? A few memories: Indy, Kenya, Chi Alpha...a few others...December 1st.

8) What was your biggest achievement of the year? Moving out

9) Did you suffer illness or injury? Nope.


10) What was the best thing you bought? My very first Christmas tree

11) Whose behavior merited celebration? I don't really know

12) Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? I'm not sure I know that one either

13) Where did most of your money go? Rent, utilities, groceries, Starbucks

14) What did you get really, really, really excited about? Kenya, Montage

15) What song will always remind you of 2007? "Jenny From the Block"


16) Compared to this time last year, are you: Wiser? Yes...I think I learned a ton this summer Healthier? Slightly... Richer? Not really.

17) What do you wish you'd done more of? Exercise...cook...save

18) What do you wish you'd done less of? Cry...

19) How did you spend Christmas? I will be spending it with my families.


20) Did you fall in love in 2007? Yes, I did.

21) What was your favorite TV program? Heroes, Grey's Anatomy, Gossip Girl, Smallville, The Office, LOST

22) Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year? I don't think I hate anyone

23) What was the best book you read? Harry Potter 7

24) What was your greatest musical discovery? Grey's Anatomy music


25) What did you want and get? A tattoo


26) What did you want and not get? A chicken-shaped timer


27) What was your favorite film of this year? Lars and the Real Girl, Across the Universe, Juno


28) What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? On my birthday, I turned 25 and had dinner with my friend Amanda

29) Which celebrity/public figure did you like the most? Milo Ventimiglia


30) How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2007? Inexpensive


31) What kept you sane? Katie Edwards


32) Who did you miss? My Kenya and London friends


33) Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2007. I can't always trust my first opinion of someone...and I shouldn't pass that opinion on to someone else.

34) What did you gain this year? A few pounds, some best friends


35) What did you lose this year? A few pounds, a boyfriend


36) Who was the best new person you met? Person I met in 2007? Zack Barker


37) Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
Heal my heart and make it clean
Open up my eyes to the things unseen
Show me how to love like You have loved me
Break my heart for what breaks Yours
Everything I am for Your kingdom's cause

Scotty's Christmas Classics

I love this video...

My Day at the Movies

I spent the day (9-5) at the movies...I love going to the movies...and I really don't mind going by myself...No one to have to apologize for when the movies I choose are awful...
I had a really fun day alone and will probably go again sometime.

The morning began with Alvin and the Chipmunks...
I was the only one in the theater...which was embarrassing on multiple levels:

• I was alone in a theater
• I was watching Alvin and the Chipmunks
• I was there for the 9:10am showing (on a Saturday)
• I laughed out loud right as the cleaning crew came in (thinking they could "clean up" early since no one was in the theater)

All in all, it was cute (for kids)...I will not be purchasing this movie.

I went and bought a soda and a ticket for Sweeney Todd...
This theater was pretty packed...and the dumb people behind me talked at full volume every 10 minutes for the first half-hour.

Here's what you should know if you plan to see this movie:

• It's about a murdering barber
• It's a musical
• It's really dark and gory

If you are aware of all of this...and expecting it...you might actually enjoy it...
I thought it was really well done...creepy and bloody...but the cinematography is so great.
I will probably buy this movie.

After this, I bought a Juice It Up and a ticket for Walk Hard.
I love John C. Reilly, so I was hoping for the best. Sorry, John...
It was super dirty, and not at all funny...the people in the theater laughed a few times, I laughed once (at the very, very end) and since I laughed at something that wasn't dirty, I was the only one who laughed at that moment.
Not worth your time (even as a rental)

I ran outside, caught my mom and went in to see Juno (two days in a row).
I love this movie. I laughed and cried. I've re-laughed at lines just thinking about them...
I'm not the only one with this opinion: Bethany, Jaime, Cathi, My mom.
I can't wait to own this movie...

The "One Semester of Spanish" Love Song

Two videos in a row, I know...
This is really funny...Jaime I think you will really like this...



I found this on Chase's Blog.
GREAT find, Chase!

Planet Earth

I caught a Planet Earth marathon and set my Tivo to record all day...
This is the episode I'm watching right now.

Skip past the boring crocodile part to about 3 minutes in...then watch the rest.

The most interesting part is the sunflower starfish (at about 4:30)...although the great white attack at the end is pretty unbelievable too!

Season Pass "Planet Earth"...you won't be sorry!

Brushing My Teeth

I really like to wander around while I brush my teeth.
I hate to stand over the sink and wait for the minute to be up.

When I lived with my dad, I would go and make my bed every morning while brushing my teeth...

Now, I sit and check my email, myspace and other people's blogs while I brush my teeth.

Maybe that's strange, but I really prefer it.

My Night At Home

Buying:
"All That I Want"--The Weepies
"Stars"--The Weepies
The Reminder (Album)--Feist
"Love Like This"--Natasha Bedingfield
Audio Day Dream (Album)--Blake Lewis
"Maybe This Christmas"--Ron Sexsmith

Wrapping:
2 Gifts for my mom (still waiting for my brother's to be delivered)

Watching:
Home Alone 2
Last night's Gossip Girl
I Love Lucy

Reading:
"The Mysterious Edge of the Heroic World" by E.L. Koningsburg

George Bailey, I'll Love You 'Til the Day I Die

I just finished watching "It's a Wonderful Life" with a few friends. It was the first time for two of them...which made it even more fun.

I love that movie every time I watch it...tonight it was like introducing an old friend to my new friends. I wanted these people to love this movie like I love it...for its quirks, its moments of over-sentimentality...

Though Bethany fell asleep toward the end (it was 1am), I think she enjoyed it...
And Zack's been waiting to watch it--this made six years he'd been promised a first-time viewing...so I'm hoping it was worth the wait.

Josh, Jeff and I made it through the whole thing...though we've each seen it more than a dozen times...Jason has seen it so many times we had to convince him to stay awake and watch it...

"No Man is a Failure Who Has Friends"

Book 'Em Danno

I stopped at the bookstore on my way home from work...I needed to pick up a gift for a friend.

I was too proud to search for the author, so I decided to wander up and down the aisles of the kids section hoping to spot the title on the binding.

I listened as kids spoke with each other:

"Should I get James and the Giant Peach or Charlie and the Chocolate Factory?"

"Look at how cool this one is"

And as they spoke to their parents:

"Mom! Can I get two books? I'll pay for this one with my allowance."

"Look! Cool! This is the one I wanted"

And as one little girl (who was maybe seven) helped another mom find a book for her daughter:

"If she's in the highest reading group in her class, you should buy her this book...but if she's not, she might want this...Do they have reading groups in her class?"

I wanted to stay and listen, but I had already stood there for 15 minutes and thought I would look creepy staying longer. But I did discover that I will need to develop some severe strength before becoming a parent because if my kid wants to read, I will buy as many books as he wants.

iHeart iTunes

iJust bought a bunch of iTunes.
Here's what iBought:


The Night Sky: Keane

Little Voice (Album): Sara Bareilles

Enchanted Soundtrack

The Way I Feel Inside: The Zombies

Anyone Else But You: The Moldy Peaches

Falling In Love At a Coffee Shop: Landon Pigg

Say: John Mayer

Stitched Up: Herbie Hancock & John Mayer


iAm waiting until iGet a gift card so iCan buy:
The Reminder (album): Feist
Audio Day Dream (album): Blake Lewis

You can judge me all you want...iDon't care.

I Have Really Good Luck

About a week ago, I turned on Sabrina the Teenage Witch just in time to catch a special performance by Aaron Carter. What luck!


Saturday, I turned on an old episode of Saved by the Bell at the exact moment of Jessie's caffeine withdraw..."I'm so Excited, I'm so excited...I'm so, so, scared!"


Then, this morning, I turned on my usual TBS morning viewing of Saved By the Bell and caught the most memorable moment in the show's history...


Don't thank me, thank the brilliant Hollywood writers.

Really? Is This Who I Am?

I just logged on to Amazon.com and these were the recommended items in my cart.



Who am I? How did I get on this list?
Yikes.

John Mayer Has a TV Show

Well, he did...for one episode.

In this one episode, they have a panel of girls sitting at a table.
John begins to play "Daughters", asking each one to raise her hand and say "tears" when she feel like she is going to cry. It really is very funny.

So, I laugh at this...thinking how dumb these girls are to cry during this song.

Then, I get in my car tonight and listen to John Mayer...

I refrain from tears during "Daughters", but totally well-up during THREE other songs.

Oh, and it's not like this is a one-time ordeal...these songs get me every time.
Do you think he also wrote that stupid JC Penny commercial that brings me to tears EVERYTIME?

WHEEL:
"And airports, see it all the time/ Where someone's last goodbye
Blends in with someone's sigh/ Cause someone's coming home
In hand, a single rose/ That's the way this wheel keeps working now"

COMFORTABLE:
"I loved you/ grey sweat pants/ No make up/ So perfect
Our love was comfortable and so broken in
She’s perfect/ So flawless/ I’m not impressed/ I want you back"

STOP THIS TRAIN:
"So scared of getting older/ I'm only good at being young
So I play the numbers game/ To find a way to say that life has just begun/

Had a talk with my old man/ Said "help me understand"/ He said "turn sixty-eight
You renegotiate"/ "Don't stop this train/ Don't for a minute change the place you're in/ And don't think I couldn't ever understand/ I tried my hand/
John, honestly we'll never stop this train"

The Question Man Has All of the Answers

Every once-in-a-while I like to play "the Question Game".
It works like this: One person asks a question--any question--and everyone in the circle answers. Then, the next person asks a question and everyone answer...this continues until everyone has asked a question.

I think it's a pretty fun way to pass a long car ride or even to get to know a new group of friends.

My old favorite question:
"If you could invite 3 celebrities to your birthday party (couples count as one guest), who would you invite?"

My new favorite question:
"If you could invite an elderly celebrity on a picnic, who would you invite and what would you bring for food?"

So, who would you invite? What would you bring to eat?

Friend Crush #2

You can read about Friend Crush #1 HERE.

I have a big fat friend crush on Dominik.
I think he's funny...I also think he is really talented.

I Google-image-searched his name and this picture came up...

Play-Doh

I spent the evening with a 2-year-old boy named Luke.

Luke was a complete gentleman; we watched a movie, had dinner and even played a little baseball.

But my favorite part of the night was our time spent with Play-Doh. I was making a few shapes (snakes, snowmen--you know, the really difficult stuff). At one point, he made a pancake. So I picked it up and, in a series of chomping noises, followed by a YUM!, I pretended to eat the pancake.

His response? "Sometimes I eat Play-Doh"...and put a tic-tac-sized piece in his mouth...

I laughed, he laughed...he spit it out and added it to the "mountain of papers" he was constructing.

He didn't eat anymore after that, but I did catch him licking the paper mountain a few times.

Fellas, take notes...Luke knows how to treat a lady to a memorable Friday night.

Father Daughter Date Night

I had a great night with my dad...
He came to see the place (which he had not yet seen fully-furnished and decorated)...he kept saying he loved the art (a Police poster, an Abbey Road sign and a giant Flatiron building photo)

I had made him a CD of 80's cover songs that they have played on Grey's Anatomy (and one from Smallville), so we listened to that on the way to dinner.

We waited for a table by walking around Borders...I bought LOST season 3 and he bought a bunch of car magazines...

We had dinner, then walked to get ice cream...

When he dropped me off I lent him LOST season 1 and "Love is a Mix Tape"...I think he will love both.

It was such a great night. I really am excited for the next time!

I Can't Wait

Unbelievable.

I Heart Reali-TV

I know...I sound like a loser...but please, hear me out.

I don't love the ridiculous "fall in love" reality shows. I did not watch one episode of "Rock of Love" or "Tila Tequila"...I was forced (almost literally) in to watching the finale of this season's "The Bachelor"...and I have never really loved Real World, Road Rules or Big Brother (except for the British Big Brother--remember that Josh Peters?)

But, each week I get really excited for:

The Amazing Race...
I love the travel, I love to see new places...and add to my list of places I want to go...I would LOVE to be on this show, but I think I'd have to learn to run first.

The Biggest Loser...
I have cried at the last three episodes of this show...I love that each person is choosing to change their life. And that they are so happy about it. Last night, as each person climbed on the scale and burst in to tears over their weight loss, I couldn't help but cry alongside of them. I love that they will have such better lives because of this show.

Project Runway...
I'm totally new to this show. I watched a marathon of a previous season just before this season started...and now I love it. I love that they have to create a look from scratch...The creativity, the colors, the drama, the inevitable tears from Ricky...oh so good.


**We watched the season premiere of CROWNED tonight...it may be added to my list of shows simply because of how over-the-top and ridiculous it was**

I Ate a Bunch of Crap Today, But Had a Lot of Fun

Kevin and Wendy--We're Friends

Kevin and Wendy have been promising me "special birthday presents" since my 24th birthday (so, a little over a year)...They finally brought them to me, yesterday.

I think they were TOTALLY worth the wait, but you can decide for yourself...
Wendy hand-painted these three specifically because they are my three favorite places in the world...Kevin was proud to say that he helped by painting the stripes on the zebras.





Thanks, you guys! I LOVE them so much!

Monday Night Framing

Finally! My walls have frames on them...it looks like I really live here!

I Have a House

Tonight I'm having my mom, my aunt and my Grandma over for dinner...
I'm making tortellini...

I love having a place to have people over!

Day 200: Update #2

As my 500th post, I made a list of goals that I would like to reach by 500 days from that day. Here's the link...day 500 happens to be October 2, 2008.

Here's the link for update #1: Day 100 of 500.

Friday (December 7th) was day 200. So, here is an update:

* Read at least 23 books.
So far, I have read 7 (at this rate, I could make it to 23)

* Write something (a short story, some poetry, a song, a YM resource)...SORT OF CHECK
I wrote an article for the SYM Newsletter...

* Weigh 135.
Nope

* Speak near-fluent Swahili.
I can sing a few songs, count to ten, say hello and welcome...but that's all

* Travel to at least 10 countries I have not been to before.
Only 3 new countries so far (this may be the only unattained goal in 500 days)

* Be financially independent...CHECK
Well, in theory, I am...mom, you don't get to comment on this!

* Have serious Kenya-living plans...CHECK
I'm moving in July...for 6 months. I'll return in January.
When we go in a few weeks, I'll be making connections over there and establishing some firm plans...

* Be en route to a Master's degree.
Not even close

* Record...CHECK
I was part of Fuel (a night of worship) on November 26th. The CD will be released sometime in January...the DVD in the summer!

* Laugh a lot. Loudly and a lot...CHECK
Of course...

Day 300: Update #3 will be Tuesday, March 18, 2008...

Things That Make You Look Like An Idiot at a Concert

For the first in this series, please see: Things That Make You Look Like An Idiot At A Party

Last night, my mom and I went to John Mayer's 1st Annual Holiday Charity Revue.
It was a great show...to read more about it, visit my mom's post. I came up with this list last night and was very excited to post it.

Things That Make You Look Like An Idiot at a Concert:

1. Buying a shirt of the band and putting it on right away.

2. Taking a picture of yourself with the empty, pre-show lighted, stage behind you.

3. Playing the air guitar during the show.

4. Playing the mouth drums (loudly) during the show.

5. Trying to jump out of your chair and land exactly with the end of the song...EVERY TIME.

6. Sitting so close to your girlfriend (and kissing her so often) that I almost turn to warn you that you are closing in on 4 pints of saliva and running the risk of contracting HIV/AIDS.

7. Constantly trying to guess which song will be next.

8. Fist-pumping when you correctly guess the next song.

9. Spurting out unimportant facts about the band in-between sets.

10. Shouting out variations of "I Love you!" or "Marry Me" or even titles of other songs.

Lucky for me, we sat next to the guy that embodied all things idiotic...a tip of the hat to you sir, for inspiring this post.

My Life Has Been Spiced Up

Tonight Ryanne, Alanna and I went to see the Spice Girls in concert. No, you're not reading a diary entry from 1996...

They opened with "Spice Up Your Life" and Ryanne and I both got teary-eyed.
We were laughing at ourselves, we know how lame it sounds, but there was something so "childhood dream" about seeing them come out and dance on stage.

They sang "The Lady is a Vamp", which is my very favorite Spice Girls song...

Alanna still remembered the dance to "Stop!" (Ry and I were a little rusty)...

They sang all of their hits, and clearly did not have enough to fill an entire show because each girl sang a solo (of a cover--or their own solo hit), and there were a few dance interludes from a group of "spice boys".

The show was worth every penny. So were the T-Shirts.
We'll take some photos in our souvenirs and I'll post them tomorrow...

Sappy, Party of One

So, on Bethany's suggestion, I'm watching October Road. I'm about to begin the season 1 finale...

Part of this last episode was about an old man who just lost his wife of 56 years. He was so sad...I, of course, started to cry.

But it made me think. How can someone not want to look for their perfect match, knowing that they will be together for 56 years (well give or take)?

How can you not want someone who just gets you?
Who knows you so well it's almost as if they can read your mind.
Who makes you laugh more than anyone else.
Who likes you at your worst.
Who loves you at your best.
Whose passion sparks your passion.
For whom no apologies, no explanations are necessary.

Why settle for less than that?

I know this is reading a little too much in to a TV show (and an under-the-radar show, no less), but as tears stream down my face, as I listened to this old man talk about how much he loved his wife--for 56 years seeing the world side-by-side--this is what was on my mind.

Friend Crush

I have a huge friend crush on David Hughes.

In case you're not sure what a friend crush is: Experiencing a strong desire to become friends with a person you don't know very well. Often times, people experiencing friend crushes will exhibit nervousness, giddiness, idolatry, admiration, and clumsiness similar to those emotions experienced when being around a regular crush.

I want to hang out with David all the time...but with photos like these, who wouldn't want to?





I was going to blog about this the other night, but I was nervous that it would be super awkward...then when I told David about my crush, he beat me to it and called me out...

Movies I Really Want to See

Enchanted
Juno
Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium
Alvin & the Chipmunks
P.S. I Love You
Walk Hard
Sweeney Todd
The Killing of John Lennon
27 Dresses
Be Kind, Rewind
Strange Wilderness
Vantage Point

That's a lot of movies...but the last few won't be in theaters until March...

My Favorite Christmas Song

So, I made what I think is a great Christmas CD...I put all of my favorites on it.

My favorite traditional Christmas song: "What Child is This?" sung by Lyndsey Lloyd Wallace

My favorite "I'm the only one who likes it" Christmas song: "Last Christmas" by Wham!

My favorite Christmas-season, not actual Christmas song: "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?" sung by Harry Connick, Jr

My "Favorite Breaks My Heart Every Time" Song: "Welcome to Our World" also sung by Lyndsey Lloyd Wallace

My Favorite "Shake It In The Car" Song: "All I Want For Christmas Is You" by Mariah Carey

HIV/AIDS Youth Summit

I promised I would blog about the day...I was too exhausted until now.
So, here's how it went down: If you just want to read the behind-the-scenes notes, skip to the italicized words.

My morning began at 5:45 when Zack and I moved all of the program pieces from the office to the Worship Center, and then had band rehearsal until 8:15. That's when the madness started. With Jenna Bush coming to speak, there were secret service men everywhere. I was introduced to the head agent and given a pin to signify that I had been cleared (I had to give my social security number) and could be on the same stage as Jenna.

Once that was figured out, the program was ready to begin. 9am, the countdown ended (it fired itself 3 minutes early) and the intro video began. The event was simulcast to 35 states, so in addition to the almost 900 we had in the live audience, there were hundreds more across America. Our hosts, Doug Fields and Josh Griffin gave my number out on stage, so people were texting from all over the country with their attendance at the event. (With the pastor's green room in "lock down" for Jenna Bush, Fields and Griff had to sit side-stage with me...that was so much fun--laughing and joking with the two of those guys really made the slight-chaos laughable)

The program was filled with speakers:

• Rick and Kay Warren (who shared about how their hearts came to be broken for those infected and affected by HIV and AIDS),
• John Thomas (he runs the world's largest government-funded ministry for HIV/AIDS from his church in South Africa and spoke on the importance of abstinence...he used phrases and terms that were a little shocking, but was definitely speaking the truth),
• Francis Chan (whom I was so honored to meet, I can't believe the heart this man has...they lost his daughter on Friday and he was still there to speak on Saturday saying "God has me here for a purpose"...and he was probably the highlight for most students), then (Francis was supposed to follow Jenna, but her plane was late arriving...we flip-flopped the schedule, which turned out to be better any way...but we had no idea when she would arrive, so we were ready with a few schedule options...she walked in less then 5 minutes before Francis walked off stage and she was introduced--the timing couldn't have been more perfect...but wow that was a stressful half-hour.)
  
• Jenna Bush (she read an excerpt from her book Ana's Story and really drove home the importance of educating yourself and others on this pandemic). (I really wish I could have told her how much I liked her skirt and boots--she was darling)
  
• Shaun Blakeney (the High School pastor of Saddleback) spoke on David and Goliath. How it took a teenager to rid the world of the giant that was taunting his world. Then he challenged the students to be like David; to work to be the teenager to rid the world of this giant: HIV/AIDS.
  

He then gave them five "next step" options:

• initiate (a relationship with Christ),
• educate (yourself and others--we provided a list of websites, books and videos),
• participate (here & now, there & then--we gave a list of local and global missions trips),
• donate (your money, resources, time),
• pray (for infected and affected: for their education, health, spiritual development, governments, etc.--we provided a card with a child's picture, on the back was a list of ways to pray)

At each table was a piece of fabric, to staple gun to a fence as a public commitment to one of these next steps. Next to the fabric was a rubber bracelet. This bracelet is meant to be a reminder of the personal commitment made to one of these steps.

Somewhere in the mix was the band. We played "World on Fire" by Sarah McLauchlan, "Cannons" and "True Love" by Phil Wickham, "Tears of the Saints" by Leeland and "Butterflies and Hurricanes" by Muse. (This last song was the most difficult and the one we were all the most excited to play--Dominik played the piano solo perfectly...)

I was an amazing day...I am so glad I was able to be a part of it...I am really proud of the way it came together and was executed. Our team worked really hard to pull it off and I think we did it really well...

Mom Question

I had a few friends over tonight and I made grilled cheese and tomato soup.
I stopped at Target to purchase cheese, and then had a two hour meeting.
So, I wasn't sure how that would work out...

I stopped a lady (who looked like a mom) and said, "Can I ask you a mom question?" She said, "Sure" (nervous at what my question might be)

I said, "How long can I leave this cheese in the car and still have it be okay?"

She said, "Well, not too long...like you want to leave it over-night?"

"No, 2 hours"

"Oh, that's fine"

"Okay, thanks for your help"

I really appreciate helpful strangers.
I wish I knew more about the rules of food preservation.

S-A-T-U-R-D-A-Y Night!

LAST SATURDAY at 10:30pm:
I was leaving church, I had just had a great dinner and a lot of laughter with my friend Wendy...and I went home to read and sleep!

THIS SATURDAY at 10:30pm:
I was just leaving church after dinner at Chipotle. After spending 32 of the last 48 hours on the church campus, I'm ready to crawl in to my bed and read a book for about 3 minutes before I fall asleep!

NEXT SATURDAY at 10:30pm:
I will be at a John Mayer concert with my mom...
Hooray!

AIDS, AIDS, AIDS

Tomorrow (or today, I guess) is World AIDS Day.
A team of us have been working for months to pull-off a Youth Summit to inform and activate students on the pandemic of HIV/AIDS. It begins tomorrow morning at 9am. We have a handful of speakers (including Francis Chan and Jenna Bush), a load of videos that are really great, and an unbelievable band that will play 4 cover songs over the course of the day.

I'm really excited about it...There will be about 600 people in the live audience and over 2000 people via simulcast.

I'm hoping all of our videos will be online by the end of the weekend...but I'll post about it after the marathon of a day tomorrow.

AIDS DAY CHALLENGE:
Learn one new thing about HIV/AIDS.
And then tell a friend.

Here are a few facts I have learned recently:
* Every 14 seconds a child is orphaned by AIDS.
* Someone dies from AIDS every 8 seconds (relatively every time you take a breath)--that adds up to over 9,000 people a day
* If you have HIV and you marry someone with HIV, it doesn't make you okay to have sex--you can be re-infected with a different strand of HIV
* There are so many different strands of HIV that doctors can not keep up--some strands are completely immune to the antiretroviral medication
* A little more than one-tenth of the world’s population lives in sub-Saharan Africa, however, almost 64% of all people living with HIV live in this area. Two million of them are children younger than 15 years old.