Explanations for My Recent Falling Off of the Blogosphere

1. Valerie & Zach's beautiful wedding last night (2.5 hours away from me)
2. working three jobs (now down to one for the next two days, then none)
3. attempting to share my "free time" between loved ones that I must say farewell to
4. my going away party Saturday night
5. a Top Secret evening with a few of my favorite people
6. too little sleep, hence laziness & crankiness
7. packing/cleaning/organizing in anticipation of my departure for the UK on Thursday
8. anxiety (not the blogging kind, though) about my passport/visa and how they are not in my possession... and a related feeling of impending doom about said passport/visa and my upcoming flight to London
9. lack of creative feelings because of a combination of numbers 1 through 8
10. inability to accept the changes occurring and about to occur in my life

I hope this post made up for my recent lack of blognicity.

People We Can All Do Without

Today I read a list by Melanie of You Are My Fave. The list is actually on The Voyage of V, as she was a guest blogger today. I think it is fantastic, so check it out here.

I'd like to add a few to the list of people we can all do without:
* people who take up the entire sidewalk even though you are coming toward them
* people who explain jokes, etc. that you understood well enough on your own
* people who repeat themselves
* people whose parents call into the college bookstore for them (at age eighteen!) two weeks early to make sure all of their books are available NEW and request said books to be placed on hold so their son/daughter won't have to get books that may have a note or highlight here and there
* those people's parents
*people who walk up to the Textbook Information desk requesting info about a book, without the name or author of the book, or name of the class, or basically anything helpful at all
* people who stop in the middle of the road without putting on their turn signal and get upset with you for not reading their mind and stopping to let them turn

Okay, I think this is going a bit far, so I'm going to end it here. I hope you enjoyed, and go read Melanie's post!

Summer Loves

I've put up a new list on [scattered thoughts by breenuh] called "Summer Faves."

Jump on over and check it out! I promise to put a new list up on here soon :.)

Reasons I Would Run

I would run if I were/was:

1. being mugged.
2. late to class/work/a meeting.
3. close to missing the bus.
4. really, really hungry and about to miss a homecooked meal.
5. being chased by an apparition.

I would not run to work out. Many people enjoy running, but I am not one of those people. I wish I was, because I feel like they enjoy it so much, but it hurts my hip. And it's boring. I'd rather work out on the elliptical trainer, boxercise, kick box, zumba, dance, or do pilates. Or, to be honest, sit on the couch ;.)

My Top Nine Favorite Alcoholic Beverages

[again, in no particular order]

1. Zinfandel (or any other nice red wine)
2. Long Beach Iced Tea from California Pizza Kitchen
3. Seven & Seven (whiskey & ginger ale)
4. cider (preferably Magner's)
5. hefeweizen (Paulaners is a good one) with lemon
6. Corona with lime (or lemon)
7. margarita on the rocks with salt
8. fruity margarita from Chevy's or El Torito
9. Sangria

My Top Seven TV Shows & When to Watch Them

1. Will & Grace (Watch while home sick--it will cheer you up.)
2. Veronica Mars (Watch with a friend, several episodes at a time. If fro-yo is involved, even better.)
3. House (Watch late at night, especially if you can't sleep.)
4. Prison Break (Have a marathon on a rainy weekend. You can't watch just one.)
5. Gilmore Girls (Watch when you're not feeling sociable.)
6. The Office [US version] (Watch with a group of friends or when you feel like procrastinating.)
7. Firefly (Watch any time, but watch the episodes sparingly and savor them because there's only one season plus a movie.)

Books on my "To Read" List

1. The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier
2. Me & Emma by Elizabeth Flock
3. Devil in the Details: Scenes from an Obsessive Girlhood by Jennifer Traig
4. Hollywood Station by Joseph Wambaugh
5. The Nine Tailors by Dorothy L. Sayers
6. Watchmen by Alan Moore & Dave Gibbons
7. Watchmen and Philosophy: A Rorschach Test edited by Mark D. White
8. The Murder of Bindy Mackenzie by Jaclyn Moriarty
9. What Would Audrey Do? by Pamela Keogh
10. Plato and a Platypus Walk into a Bar... by Thomas Cathcart & Daniel Klein
11. Atonement by Ian McEwan

If only I could finish Brisingr by Christopher Paolin so I can make a dent in this list by the end of the summer. I have less than 50 pages to go, so hopefully I'll finish it tonight!

How to Annoy Me When Eating

[in no particular order]

1. Slurp.
2. Inhale deeply while you take a bite of your food or a sip of your beverage/soup, as if you can help your food into your mouth by breathing it in.
3. Make smacking noises as you chew, preferably with your mouth open.
4. Smack your lips after each bite, or when you finish your meal.
5. Move your food around your mouth with lots of liquid so we can hear it moving around.
6. Groan about the food's goodness.
7. Breathe through your mouth while you chew. [You are exempt if you have a head cold.]
8. Chomp down really hard so I can hear your teeth clash together.

As a general rule, make any and all noises possible.

[Eating is a personal action, people. Keep it to yourself. I don't want to hear about it. Thanks.]

Things to do every day

[Inspired by today's post on the blog Walking Around]

1. Listen closely to a new song or an old favorite.
2. Talk to a family member.
3. Go on a walk/run/bike ride.
4. Appreciate the weather, even if it's not your favorite kind.
5. Do absolutely nothing for at least ten minutes. ["Never underestimate the value of Doing Nothing, of just going along, listening to all the things you can't hear, and not bothering." -Winnie the Pooh]
6. Eat a meal with someone you love.
7. Dance.

Five Weird Yet Delicious Food Combinations

1. Fruit and cheese. [Any fruit and any cheese. Some favorites: grapes and light mozzarella, green pears and sharp cheddar, apples and cream cheese.]
2. Chicken and apple sauce. [Add rice, and you have a tasty and well-balanced meal.]
3. Celery and cream cheese. [If you're craving sweets, put honey or raisins on top!]
4. Grilled cheese (or macaroni & cheese) and ketchup.
5. Green grapes and hummus.

Try them out! They may sound strange, but they taste excellent. I am currently eating a version of #1. Yum!

Seven Reasons to Blog

1. to use as a creative outlet
2. to store (& share) your knowledge & ideas
3. to store photos/links of things you want to buy later (or what you would buy if you won the lottery)
4. to network
5. to brag
6. to learn about yourself
7. to keep a log of your life/travels/lessons/pregnancy/business ventures/etc.

Welcome to the first post of my new blog! It will consist only of lists--lists about anything and everything. Feel free to add to my lists as well! :.)

Also, check out Scattered Thoughts, my messier and much more random blog!