March Issues

Not as big as September. But still big. 

(Vanity Fair wouldn't fit)

(Neither would W but let's be serious that magazine is way too large)

Drawers

I recently found these vintage small file drawers at a local store and decided I HAD to have them. Once it's warm enough outside, I plan to spraypaint them a fun color. The idea I have for them is for DVD storage under the side table I use for my TV in my next apartment. I had DVD towers I got for 25 cents at a garage sale in my last apartment, but they're not cute (and neither are DVDs, really) so this seems a much better solution. They'd fit perfectly on their sides so the titles are visible. 

They also had some metal dairy crates that I wanted - if they're still in the store on my next paycheck, I'm going for it!

Bits & Pieces (Trying This Again)

I have acquired many books in the last year-ish and have not completed any of them.
I've only started a few.
I'm going to work on that.

Sometimes I pick out several polishes that I think look good together. Sometimes I actually DO SOMETHING WITH THEM. Oftentimes not. (Instead I just photograph them? Or possibly paint in my notebook?)

Sometimes, when cutting images I like from magazines, I end up with bits of images from separate pages that make something else. I like it when that happens.

This dog. Is. Ridiculous.

A project of mine. 

More photos. More words.

I like these glass-bottled cold drinks, especially when it’s too hot in my apartment for coffee to be an acceptable choice. I also hoard the empty bottles. Someday they will house flowers, if I ever find a good place to put them.

And for what is apparently a regular segment on this blog: Maggie reviews new snacks.
First up, Hershey’s Air Delight. Conclusion: It’s a thicker, weirder looking regular Hershey’s bar. It tastes exactly the same.
I’ve also tried Wild Strawberry and Cherry Turnover Poptarts. Wild Strawberry is good, although the only “wild” thing is the frosting colors. Cherry Turnover is really boring. I blame the lack of sprinkles.

The first thing I wrote in my new planner. It’s important, okay? Honestly, though, I am very worried that this season won’t be good.

Update from the last blog post with photos: both the John Green books I checked out were awesome. Continuing with more John Green and adding in some Maureen Johnson, I continue my summer of reading YA lit. (Side Note: stupid library, why on earth do you find it necessary to cover the TITLE and one of the authors’ names? gaaah)
After finishing Paper Towns outside of Starbucks, I rode my bike home to find that John Green was doing a live YouTube show talking about his new book, The Fault in our Stars. He’s signing all the copies that are preordered, so naturally I had to do that. It doesn’t have an official cover, it’s not even coming out until next April or May, and yet it’s #1 on Amazon & Barnes and Noble. Amazing. I’m so excited.
It’s hot again today. Venturing to bum around a mall shortly. Maybe I’ll go see a movie. I don’t think I’ve been to the theater since…January? I don’t even know. Maybe I’ve been since then, but I can’t remember. Eh. Whatever. Stay cool.

Earnest

I watched The Importance of Being Earnest tonight. I have to say that I liked it more than the older movie version I’ve seen, mostly due to the fact that they included my favorite line in this version.

Also it had Colin Firth. You really can’t go wrong with Colin Firth.

I don’t think there will ever be a time that I do not enjoy Earnest. It never fails to make me laugh, even though I practically know it by heart.

After I was done watching the movie, I needed a snack…

So naturally, I made tea (Constant Comment) and an English muffin. Which, despite being somewhat freezer-burnt and stale, I ate. Because it was too appropriate.

“And besides, I am particularly fond of muffins.”

-Algernon,

The Importance of Being Earnest

RECENTLY. in pictures.

Thrift store finds – 90s soundtracks, awesome (& comfortable) purple moccasins.

When it got to 102 degrees, I spent the whole day at the Mall of America for air conditioning, food, and something to do. I had to get a crunchwrap – I am kind of obsessed with them.

I took it upon myself to try these new candy bars I hadn’t seen before. Sadly, despite loving both coconut and Twix, the two combined is absolutely disgusting. The Truffle Crisps were really good, though!

I love me some of this. I’ve been eating it with carrots.

After not using Stella (my 1952 Schwinn bike) for about a week, I went out and discovered her lock had been cut! She was right where I left her, though. Except now when I ride her, she makes some pretty questionable noises. Luckily I just had another lock inside so she’s safe again.

After a bit of a break, I’m resuming my efforts to see movies that I’ve been meaning to see. Picked these guys up from the library today.

And, because it’s summer, I’m also working on reading books I’ve been meaning to. Picked up these by John Green at the library today, too. So far this summer I’ve read Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan as well as The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon.

Dialect/Pronunciation Video Tag

I made a video! Crazy, I know. But it looked interesting.

I found the questions originally on this blog: http://www.undeniablestyle.com/

ABCs

Age: 21

Bed Size: Twin.

Chore you hate: Taking trash/recycling outside

Dogs:  Are wonderful.

Essential start of your day: COFFEE.

Favorite Color: Hot pink. Maybe teal?

Gold or silver: Silver.

Height: 5'4".

Instruments I play (or have played): Viola

Job Title: searching...

Kids: Do not want. I'll come visit yours.

Live: Minneapolis

Mom's Name: Emily.

Nickname: I guess Mags and Marge. Only certain people can get away with either.

Overnight hospital stays: Not for me.

Pet Peeve: Groups of oblivious slow walkers on campus.

Quote from a movie: "I know it hurts. But it's life, and it's real. And sometimes it fucking hurts, but it's life, and it's sorta all we have." - Sam, Garden State

Right or left handed: Right.

Siblings: A little brother who happens to be almost a foot taller than me.

Time you wake up: 8:30 M/W/F, 7:30 T/Th, about 9:30 weekends.

Underwear: Should be comfortable but still cute. 

Vegetables you dislike: Raw broccoli, cooked spinach.

What makes you run late: Who knows. I'm always running late.

X-rays you've had done: My teeth, I guess.

Yummy food you make: Peanut butter chocolate chip cookies. And eggs.

Zoo animal: I love to watch the otters.  

Thought this might be fun. Found it on this lovely blog: http://www.anonymouswasawoman.com/2011/04/abcs-of-me.html

Well, I've obviously failed at blogging every day this month, not surprisingly. Ah, well. 

I am very curious about how BUNGE became BUNGF. 

I don't even know what's happening today.

I really thought I blogged today. Clearly not.

I need to be memorizing about 979379324 irregular verbs for French tomorrow.

I have been extremely unaware of my surroundings today. I don't think I heard anything that happened in some of my classes today. I don't know what I was doing instead. I did happen to catch this gem when going to class today:

Honestly, I think the whole day was worth it because I noticed this. Why yes, the contact information actually says "these aren't the droids you're looking for"
I forgot to take one because I was too busy taking a picture of it.

The spell checker does not believe that droid(s) is a word. Not okay.

Okay. Going to bed "early" tonight. I am clearly losing my mind. Hopefully I didn't lose the part that is housing irregular French verbs in two tenses.

Currently listening to: Dirty Dancing (20th Anniversary) soundtrack. <3

Bowls.

Isn't it strange how you can being doing homework and/or perusing the internet
and then suddenly it's 5 in the morning?

I definitely got two hours of sleep last night. As usual I'm about the same amount of tired today as usual.

This blog. I talk too much about my sleeping habits/lack thereof.

Realization: mostly I eat cereal and soup.

I did dishes today. Yep. That's five bowls, one cup, and some spoons.
That's it.
Is that normal?

I really have nothing to say today. I'll stop before I start getting weird/repetitive/too random.

I should read a book. Instead I'm going to watch La Vie en Rose. It's due back to the library tomorrow so obviously it's a legitimate choice.

Currently listening to: Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy soundtracks

I'm hungry.

Today I woke up before 9. So obviously I haven't used that time to my advantage.

I tend to wake up earlier when I go to bed later. I don't understand it. Also my body apparently likes 6 hours of sleep. That's what I get if I go to bed and get up when it tells me to. I just need to do that regularly. I did pretty well freshman year on a 3-9 sleep schedule. This year I'm much more all over the place. Sometimes I go to bed at 1. Sometimes at 4. Although partly because I have to change when I wake up every other day. Hmm.

Getting up a little earlier than usual apparently confused my hunger schedule. I had lunch at 11 because I was hungry. Now I'm hungry for dinner. it is 4:30. Under no circumstances is 4:30 a normal/acceptable time to eat dinner. I even had a snack! Honestly. My body's demands for food and sleep make no sense.

Things I needed to accomplish this weekend:
Write a research paper.
Learn French.
Read at least half of Indian book.
Laundry.
Take out recycling.
Watch La Vie en Rose
Dishes.

Things I have accomplished:
Laundry.
Half the dishes?
Added all recent things to Wall of Stuff.
Cleaned room.
WASTED SO MUCH TIME.

Well, at least I'm keeping up with my blog/photography project.

Currently listening to: Ben Folds

Drying my tshirts

The wall of stuff in its current state.

STOMP and things that are beautiful

This is my blog for the 2nd. It's just after 1AM.

My mom and brother came down this weekend so that we could go to the STOMP performance at the Ordway.
Okay.
IT WAS SO COOL. Seriously.
Also the guy sitting directly in front of me had the most gorgeous hair I have ever seen. It was honestly a bit of a challenge to refrain from just touching it...haha. Really, though, my hair is not even close to being that shiny or wavy or healthy looking. WHAT is his secret?

In less creepy news, it was gorgeous outside today. My mom and brother and I walked approximately 4 1/4 miles today, visiting Northeast and Dinkytown from my apartment. We also walked around downtown St. Paul a bit before the show, but not enough for me to bother calculating what it was. A few blocks to parking and back, really. Point being: I LOVE THIS WEATHER. Obviously that means it'll not be that pleasant again tomorrow, but I'll take what I can get.

The building/house next door had a door labeled ONE. There was no TWO door to be seen.
(At Our Lady of Lourdes church)

Currently listening to: Feist

Blog Every Day in April. I'm giving it a shot.

I really should quit ignoring this blog. I've been updating my beauty-related blog a lot more lately, but I shouldn't totally abandon this one in that process. I'm going to try to do this "blog every day in April" thing. We'll see how that turns out. I intend to include a photo every day, too. In order to get myself back into photography a bit.

There's only a bit over a month left in the semester. I do not understand how this happened. It went by so quickly, but there is still so much that needs to be done. Hopefully I can convince myself to kick it up a notch and get some shit done. We'll see how that goes.

I'm not really a fan of spring. It's messy. It smells fairly unpleasant. It's ugly until things start growing. Right now it's just mud and dirty snow and brown. I hate it. I am happy that it's getting a bit warmer. I've been able to ride my bike to class again, thereby reducing my lateness tendencies drastically. Just a little bit warmer and I'll be out exploring with my camera again. That excites me a lot. There have been a lot of places I got curious about during the winter but didn't want to or couldn't explore it when it was cold and snowy. Hopefully Minneapolis puts out the bikes people can rent soon. If I'm going to be exploring at a distance, I don't think my gear-less Stella is going to cut it. (Stella is my bike if you didn't know).

Until tomorrow.

Rambling

It's been awhile. So I'm mostly just going to dump all my random thoughts here.

Sometimes I wonder if I would be more reliable at blogging if people would actually read my blog. But maybe people are waiting for me to be more reliable first. I'll never know. I have no idea what I am doing with my life other than wasting it away. It's my 21st birthday in a week and a half. I'm pretty disinterested in drinking so I don't care that much. I haven't planned anything. I have low expectations.

I've spent a lot of time/money the last few weeks as I spontaneously got into watching Glee. I'd been avoiding it purposely, mostly since I already waste too much time and partly because I resist things that are recommended to me. I finally gave in, though. I've watched most of the episodes now and bought 3 CDs from the Borders I would occasionally visit. It's closing now, which is too bad, but it resulted in its merchandise being on sale, which I am always a fan of. So I splurged on some CDs.

Then I listened to them all while dying my hair today. I hate the smell of the dye while I'm using it, but I love the way my hair smells after I've rinsed and conditioned it. I love my hair dark. I wish it was just like this on its own, but I'll settle for coloring it every so often. 

I've been renting lots of movies from the library lately. Finally getting around to some that had been on my list to watch for awhile, as well as some random ones I hadn't really been planning on. In case you were wondering, these are what I've watched in the last few weeks:

The Invention of Lying

Angus, Thongs, and Perfect Snogging

The Graduate

Annie Hall

Away We Go

Music and Lyrics

Good Night, and Good Luck

Last Chance Harvey

Mostly mediocre but enjoyable. Did not like Angus, Thongs, and Perfect Snogging. Adorable book series, terrible movie. The rest were good, though. I'm especially glad I finally watched The Graduate straight through. I really do like that one.

I've been meaning to go see The King's Speech in theaters. Hopefully I will actually remember before it's gone from them. I never went to see The Social Network, and now I want to, but there is no way I'll get it from the library any time soon. I mean, I requested the soundtrack to Harry Potter 7 on January 8th and finally got it this past Thursday. And common sense tells me that more people like movies than like soundtracks.

I need to quit watching entire seasons of shows at once and shopping when I am bored of watching seasons of shows. But I really haven't got a social life and I go crazy if I actually do homework/housework/useful tasks all the time. I should be doing them, but I can't bring myself to do anything productive. Something needs to change here but I can't bring myself to do it. Maybe I don't know what to do, maybe part of me doesn't want to. 

I miss high school speech and I miss living in the dorms. I always had people around me to hang out with and be awake with at weird times of the night. I miss social interaction outside of class and my roommate. But it fails most times I try to set up something with people. No one wants to come, or they have to leave early, or they have zero interest in anything I want to do and it's only what they want. I miss having friends around all the time, however real or fake they may have been, I miss them.

Well that should be enough pathetic/random for one blog post. 

Maybe I'll be back, less sporadically and less random.

Maybe.

No promises, though.

Good night, and good luck. Or something.

Definitely, maybe.

My last few days back here before I head back to the cities. I am not spending time with my high school friends. I am not reading any of the many books I brought with me to finish. I am not buying textbooks online. I am watching movies. Some I planned on, others I didn’t. Some with my family, some with my friends, and some by myself.

Watching movies inevitably leads to thinking thoughts. Sometimes simple thoughts, like ‘good grief that was a boring movie’ or ‘WOW Ryan Reynolds is attractive’. My thoughts often are ‘this music is PERFECT’ or ‘I’m pretty sure so-and-so composed this score. It sounds so much like such-and-such movie’.  Occasionally, though, watching movies leads to thinking thoughts about life. My life. Life in general. The lives of others. (Which, incidentally, is an excellent movie.)

I was watching another one of my typical movies. Chick flicks. Ones I have seen before. Ones that end just as you hoped they would. This one caught me off guard. I guess it’s good I waited awhile before seeing it again; it didn’t lose that this time around. You think he’s ended up with the wrong girl. This is stupid. But then the movie comes around and he is with the right girl and everything is right and lovely in happy chick flick land. True love wins. Not any of the maybe loves in between, but the right one. Settling isn’t the answer.

Obviously I am thinking about love. Specifically in my life. I think I maybe was in love once. Head over heels. But then, one day, I realized that I had fallen out of love. That was that. No feelings at all. Just done. Maybe I just loved him because he loved me. And who doesn’t like being loved, right? Or maybe I wasn’t in love at all. I thought I was, though. For just under two years. I developed a crush on a new guy. Definitely not love. Dated a friend of mine. Turned out to be an asshole. Then there was another guy. I never did like him like that. He didn’t like me either. That was mostly just awkward and did nothing but end several friendships. (This is undoubtedly better this way. I suppose I somewhat have him to thank for that, if not a little to late.)

Three months after that guy, I met this other guy. I thought he was cute. But he is also one of the most fascinating people I have ever met. The way he discusses things he is excited about makes me want to be excited about them too, no matter how boring I normally would find them. We could spend hours together and not have to talk, but also not get sick of each other. We shared things with each other. Videos. Songs. Whatever. Somewhere in there, I fell. Hard. Somewhere else in there, we stopped all communication. I tried for awhile. I refused to give up. But when I saw him in person and he did not even look me in the eye...

It’s been five months since then. I cannot for the life of me figure out what I did wrong. Maybe I imagined our friendship. Maybe it was just one of those friendships that’s formed from convenience. I’ll probably never find out. But what I do know is that despite all of this, I cannot get him off my mind. It has been almost two years since I met him. And so I am probably in love with this guy. Definitely, maybe. (Why yes, that was the movie I watched tonight.)

So I have possibly been in love twice. I’ve never gone on a date or anything close. I’ve never been asked out at all. I am twenty years old and have never had an actual relationship. I never slow danced until I was eighteen, and then just with friends. I went by myself to prom. I am continually disappointed and increasingly worried. I had class with a guy who was married. Married. He is my age, and he is married. People my age are MARRIED and I am still single. I don’t know what this means or whether I should be concerned. I don’t know that my ultimate goal is marriage. Basically, I am wondering if I will ever find love for real. Or at least if I will ever start having normal crushes. The kind that last a few weeks NOT a few years. Maybe my ultimate concern is just to be noticed in a different way than my friends can notice me. Maybe that makes no sense. I’ll figure it out eventually. Definitely. Maybe.

The Best Day Ever.

Last Thursday was rainy.
It was rainy when I went to class at 9. It was rainy as I walked by the windows in the tunnel to Murphy Hall at 10. It was rainy when I moved Stella for my next class (Stella is my bike. I always refer to her as Stella, unless to someone who would have no idea as to what I'm referring.) at 12. Pouring, really. I walked Stella from one side of Ford to the opposite side of Murphy. I was outside less than 5 minutes and was already very wet. Not damp, wet. It was rainy as I left that class at 2. More than rainy. Definitely pouring this time.
I tried my best to fold up my seriously impractical but awesome bag I usually bring to class so as not to ruin its contents, bungeed it into Stella's basket, put my shower-cap-turned-bike-seat-cover on, and headed home.
I was pretty much drenched by the time I got to University. While I never really avoid puddles with Stella (those fenders are super handy, let me tell you), at this point I started trying to go through really deep looking puddles.
Dripping wet, I biked down the streets, grinning like a crazy person, listening to Billy Joel on my iPod.
About a block from my apartment, I realized I should not be listening to Billy Joel, but rather the Garden State  soundtrack (I cannot recommend this enough. Excellent, excellent music. Not a score, don't worry) because I felt/looked just like Large, Sam, and Mark when they visit the guy at the abyss thing.

Biking in the rain, letting myself get just totally couldn't-get-more-wet drenched, was one of the most fantastic, liberating things I have done in as long as I can think of. I had to dry off my body after I took my literally dripping wet clothes off, with the exception only of my socks (I have rainboots, duh). I feel like days like that need to happen more often.
Maybe next time, with large machinery and/or an abyss.


If you haven't seen this movie, please do so at your earliest convenience. It's one of my all time favorites. I have it. I'll lend it to you. Or watch it with you, more likely. Just watch it.

Fact: Natalie Portman's character Sam is probably my favorite character from anything ever.

The Shipping News

Fairly recently, I started using last.fm instead of Pandora, mostly because I can listen to what it recommends for me based on everything I listen to already, which is fantastic. It plays me a lot of soundtracks, in addition to other music. I am very excited about this soundtrack thing though. Honestly, movie music is so important. Sometimes after hearing the music I want to see the movie based solely on how the music sounds, the emotions it portrays, and so on. Anyway, I usually turn on my recommended music at last.fm, then bring up other pages and don't pay too much attention to the last.fm page unless I really, really like whatever's playing and want to know more about it. I've caught myself looking at many songs from the movie The Shipping News. I kept thinking that this title was familiar, but for some reason I didn't really feel like I'd seen it.

Today, after looking and again having it be a song from The Shipping News, I decided I should at least check on Amazon to see if I could buy it. Unfortunately, it's around $30 on Amazon and I cannot even find it anywhere else - eBay, the library, B&N, iTunes - which is super disappointing. After seeing the thumbnail of the album, however, I realized that even the cover looked very familiar. Naturally I had to investigate.

It turns out I DID see this movie! I believe my family rented it from our library a few years ago. I remembered certain scenes/images that stood out in my mind from the movie. Certain images, certain characters stood out in my mind. I really don't remember the plot, though. Maybe I should try to see it again?

This movie's soundtrack is definitely added to my list of soundtracks I wish I owned. It's apparently going to be much more of a quest than the others on the list, but will definitely be worth it if I ever do find it. (For under $30!)

Has anyone seen this movie?

Candle Fail

So I have this candle:

It smells DELICIOUS if I smell the actual candle when it isn't lit. Seriously, it smells very much like Starbucks' Pumpkin Spice Lattes. The problem is, when I light it, the room doesn't end up smelling like Pumpkin Spice. It doesn't change the smell at all. It's so disappointing. 

This candle is really, really small. I think it cost $2.99 at Target. 

Anyway, the point is...can anyone recommend a delicious smelling candle that actually smells more than just right in the jar? 

This is not a blog about cutting straws.

The day after the crazy drama explosion happened at work this summer, I had to go back there and continue working. From the moment it blew up and continuing through at least the next few days, I had this incessant pain in my chest. It was strong; it didn't fade when I took deep breaths, when I tried to distract myself in my music, in my job duties. It didn't fade during breaks. It did not fade until after I got home, but even then it still took a little while, it took time to process out of that mode and into relaxed mode. I was so anxious to even be near these awful people who had said and done awful things to the people I'd made friends with. It was as though being around them, I could feel this extreme dislike, this awkwardness, oozing out of them. Wafting towards me. Even when I was drowning out their voices in my music and concentrating on doing my work faster than ever so I wouldn't have to look at their faces. It still hurt in my chest. 

That was the first time I had ever experienced a feeling like that. This extreme anxiety. This knowing that I am around people who I can't stand to be around, and that they clearly can't stand me either. It was terrible. 

Today, I felt that chest pain again. Not as severely, but it's definitely there. I still feel it now, as I'm writing this. It didn't start right away. I think because I didn't go into it worrying, as I did this summer. Then, I knew what I was diving back into. Here, I wasn't so sure. But it was undoubtedly the same feeling. This incessant chest pain accompanied at times by a much faster than normal heart rate. This anxiety. I don't know if this is how I react to any anxiety-causing situation, or only ones where I am aware that I am disliked. So far, that's the only type of anxiety I have ever reacted to. 

I was truly hoping that after I left work I would never have to deal with that feeling again. As I sit here, pressing my hand on my chest in an effort to calm it down, I am hoping I won't. But also wondering if in some weird way I bring these people onto myself. How could it be that I have experiences with similar types of people doing similar things in a relatively short time period? Surely I have done nothing to deserve this? Perhaps it's just my lack of ability to be aggressive- to take charge of a situation, to stand up for myself. Who knows. 

My chest hurts. I am going to sleep.

I am a soundtrack nerd. I am not ashamed.

Recently, I was talking about my soundtrack collection with some people - I don't remember how the conversation got started - but in this situation, as with any other time the topic comes up, it was clear that I was much more interested than anyone else present. I kept thinking of more things I wanted to bring up, but I figured they were all bored already so I let it go. One of the things I kept thinking about was this : what are my favorite soundtracks? Well, since then I've thought about it more, and since it's probably less annoying, I'm just going to blog about it instead of trying to use it as a conversation starter. 


My Favorite Soundtracks (so far) in no particular order


Original Music/Instrumental/Score Type Soundtracks
1. Pan's Labyrinth - Javier Navarrete
2. Goodbye Lenin! - Yann Tiersen
3. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl - Klaus Badelt
4. Sherlock Holmes - Hans Zimmer
5. Jurassic Park - John Williams
6. Star Trek - Michael Giacchino
7. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - Patrick Doyle
8. Up - Michael Giacchino
9. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring - Howard Shore
10. The Dark Knight - Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard


Vocal/Compilation Type Soundtracks
1. Juno
2. (500) Days of Summer
3. Garden State
4. Happy Feet
5. August Rush 
6. Sex and the City (the movie)
7. Away We Go
8. Top Gun
9. Love Actually
10. Almost Famous


Musicals (Including Disney)
1. Chicago 
2. Hercules 
3. Wicked
4. My Fair Lady 
5. Les Choristes
6. Enchanted 
7. The Lion King
8. West Side Story
9. Newsies
10. Pocahontas 


And, just for fun, the soundtracks I wish I had
1. The Holiday - Hans Zimmer
2. Inception - Hans Zimmer
3. The Producers
4. Avenue Q
5. Transformers - Steve Jablonsky
6. Alice in Wonderland - Danny Elfman
7. Little Miss Sunshine - Mychael Danna and DeVotchKa
8. Something's Gotta Give
9. A Chorus Line
10. Sex and the City, Volume 2

Yes, that is really my iTunes after I typed "Soundtrack" into the search bar :)