random thursday musings

Okay, so I have about fifty thousand things on my mind right now. I just have to get a few of them off my chest...


My biggest pet peeve watching So You Think You Can Dance is when the individuals don't pick music that matches their dance. If you're leaping across the stage, flipping your limbs around and making quick, angular motions, WHY don't you pick a fast paced, upbeat song? It makes no sense to pick harp music and then act like you're dancing to 'Hey Mickey!' I'm just saying. And yes, I did dance for a long time and we never had such disjunction in our combinations.


Next, I got a new iPad cover today. It's a sleeve with a zipper at the top. I wanted something like to travel with, but when it came today? No padding. NONE. The regular price on this thing is $48. I'm telling you right now, if I had paid full price, not the $4.99 I did pay, I would have sent it back. As it stands, I am going to have to make a sleeve out of something to slip on the inside to add some protection. I wish they made indestructible bubble wrap...


I decided to take Liam on an impromptu trip to Sonic for a chocolate shake. He was so pleased when I handed it to him. However, he got too excited on the way home and dumped it in his lap. I had chocolate shake all. over. the backseat of my car. When he finally went down for a nap, I had to pull the car seat out, I had to Magic Eraser my car... It was a disaster area. Then, before nap time, I sat the little man on the potty and he leaned all the way back before going. So that was another mess to clean up. If I can manage to get out of this week without another bodily fluid clean up, I'll be happy.

I am watching TrollHunter again this evening. I watched it last night. It's a Norwegian film and I will review it in my Cinephile Saturday feature, but I want to say now... I would be back in Norway tomorrow if you gave me a ticket. And this movie, its scenery, makes me miss it even more. Favorite. Country. Ever. Also, I might have busted out my favorite picture book to reread some of the troll legends.

I miss troll traps.
And saft.
And smil.
And mozelle.
And walking streets.
And tunnels.
And rosemaling.
And everything.

I get to have lunch with someone pretty soon that I didn't think I'd get to see until October. I am so, so excited. There is nothing like finding a true kindred spirit, and someone whose conversation, be it meaningful or materialistic, you so thoroughly enjoy. I wish we were neighbors on a pretty regular basis.

My nails are awesome right now. I have Brisbane Bronze by OPI on my toes, the big toe has an accent of turquoise Martha Stewart glitter. My fingers have Essie's Beach Bum Blu, and the ring fingers have an accent of tourmaline MS glitter. I think I prefer the accent nail to be on my first finger. I am loving this glitter application process. It's a lot of fun, and I don't get a lot of strange looks. It's more... mature (?) looking than the standard full on glitter over nail polish look. Which I also love, by the way.

Zach opened a bottle of my favorite wine this evening, but our corkscrew broke IN the bottle. I was thinking it was going to be a problem. This is hands down, the yummiest wine I've ever had. And I'm not going to tell you where to buy it, because they get it in limited quantities and rarely, so I'd rather not have a bajillion new people to compete with for it. So, needless to say, it would have been an EPIC FAIL if we couldn't have gotten in.




I think that's plenty for tonight. PINNABLE ME is back tomorrow, be ready to play along!!

we've been chillin'

I have come to realize that without my motivation to blog every day, I lapse really badly.

I shouldn't go as long as I have done without posting, and am trying to work out ways to stimulate myself into posting more often than I do. But that's another topic for another post on another day.

Currently, I must tell you, that we've been holed up in our house, refusing to even budge outdoors unless it's absolutely necessary. The cold front that pushed into Houston last weekend left behind frigid temperatures, damp, cold wind and general dreariness. It's something I'm really very accustomed to, and I'm quite good at dealing with it myself, but I'm not a fan of bringing Liam out into it. Truthfully, part of my issue with bundling baby up is that I think it is a complete waste of money to purchase heavy coats for him when he might -- MIGHT -- wear it a dozen times before he's outgrown it. I therefore resort to layering, and up until a few days ago, Liam's closet was running thin on good things to layer. But, we did venture out a few times, and I must say, Liam did very well with his hat and mittens. I also think being at home has helped both of us escape he nasty winter colds that are going around.

Honestly, the cold also makes me lonely for Norway. I find myself missing the overly sweet packaged pancakes we used to buy at the grocery store, the smell of the butcher shop we'd walk to on weekends, the big 'c' shaped door handles on the main doors at ISS, the smell of the track after it'd snowed, the dampness under the tree line that bordered the playground... ah. Forgive me a single tear of despondency that I have not seen my second home in 15 years. So when the weather is cold and damp, and reminds me so much of Norway, it's kind of a bummer to me that when I walk out my front door, I'm still in Texas. Fanciful, I know.

Moroseness aside, the cool weather has kept me being productive at home. I've taken down, organized and packed away all the Christmas decorations (I don't LIKE taking them down). I've reorganized all the decor we usually have out. I've tackled stacks of laundry- and put them away. I've reorganized parts of my closet. I've been reading (again). I've been writing some, but not compositions, more technical. I've tried to put my thoughts on Gruen's Water for Elephants onto paper (proverbially) but I'm coming up with difficulties because I want to tackle every single aspect of the novel and I just don't have the capacity to do it in a blog post. Surely, I could write the most epic of epic blog posts all about every single question that was raised, theme that I explored, writing device I enjoyed... but I think I'd be the only one who would read it and I do believe I'd make some of you like the book a whole lot less. AND I don't want to say anything about the novel because the Blush & Bashful Book Club is reading it next month. Don't want to ruin anything. Only, I will say this:

I'm no mathematician, but when Marlena says she married August at 17, and had learned a lot about dealing with him in their 4 year marriage... HOW does that a Reese Witherspoon make?

By my calculations, she is no where NEAR her 30's. Um, she's barely 20.

Hollywood, you crazy kids, making things way creepier than they need to be. 

Okay, horrible casting aside (yes, I know, she's cute and funny and blah blah blah but NOT what I saw when I read the story), I've started King Solomon's Mines and am thoroughly enjoying it. I'm trying not to chew through it as quickly as I've done with the other 4 books I've read this month so that I don't get burned out. I've still got a stack of novels on my Kindle to read this year including, but not limited to:

• The War of the Worlds
• The Island of Doctor Moreau
• Cranford
• Jane Eyre
• The Phantom of the Opera
• Les Liaisons dangereuses
• The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood
• Around the World in 80 Days
• The Mists of Avalon
• The Strain
• Dead Witch Walking
• Lady Chatterley's Lover
• The Magicians and Mrs. Quent
• Doctor Who: The Many Hands
• Doctor Who: The Clockwise Man

But that is not for today! In fact, I have already told Zach I plan on watching the red carpet on E! tonight, then the Golden Globes and he gets to deal. He won't mind, really. We both are huge fans of Ricky Gervais. I'm rooting hard for Emma Stone (even though I know everyone's already told me that Anne Hathaway will win- BOO!) and Romola Garai. Oh, and duh, of course Johnny Depp. Can't wait. I'm not a sucker for much on TV, but I'm a BIG sucker for awards shows! Just hoping NEXT year, they'll get their business together and nominate Nathan Fillion & Castle (Browncoats, mobilize!). Just sayin'.

Have a warm & cozy Sunday night!

Image credits: {snow@night, stavanger}