Since I found out this year that I am allergic to real Christmas trees, and since I love to read, my parents surprised me by making me a Christmas tree made out of books!
The top four books actually came off my Amazon wish list! Best gift ever! Though I also appreciated the Kindle. Kind of ironic, right? Thanks Mom and Dad!
Today is a sad day. I dread this day every year. It's the end of Movember, or No Shave November, the time of the year when more boys than usually have facial hair. I really dig it.
I LOVE THIS LOOK.
Anyways, I think you all looked really great this year. I just regret not telling you all when I had the chance...
I'm a NaNoWriMo winner! I wrote a 50,000 (mine turned out to be 50,105 words) word novel in one month.
I'm pretty excited that I finished with one day to spare! It was a really fun experience and I definitely plan on doing it again next year.
I think it's funny when people ask me if they can read my novel. Do you really want to read a novel that was written in one month? It's basically illegible, but it was a really good experience for me as an aspiring writer. This month made me realize that my best ideas come to me when I'm not worrying about grammar or editing. I'm most creative with my writing when I'm not thinking about anyone but myself reading it.
So now I'm off to edit my novel...just after I order my winner's t-shirt.
Also, I hate to admit this, but I just cannot come up with a title for my novel. Which do you think I should choose? I know, it's kind of hard when you don't really know what it's about, but here are the choices...
a. The Platonic Verses
b. A Coupla White Chicks Sitting Around Talking
c. American Studies
I'm actually working today until 2:00 pm. After work I'm heading straight to the suburbs for some family fun. Some people may think it's strange that I chose to work when I didn't have to, but I'd much rather be here than in the kitchen. I'm not a good cook, and I am really grossed out by the word gizzard.
Even though I'm not a cook. These are a few reasons why I love Thanksgiving:
It makes me feel special because I'm a Mayflower descendant. Can you see the family resemblance?
He was the barrel maker for the Mayflower. Without him, there would be no beer. Awesome!
I can wear moccasins all day and not feel like a bum, but just feel festive and in theme!
This Norman Rockwell Disney spoof that has been in my kitchen for years finally doesn't seem random:
When my sisters and I were little, we all chose character that represented us. I got stuck with Dopey.
I can give thanks for all the amazing people and wonderful things in my life without sounding really cheesy.
My friends and I were the only ones who showed up to this bar crawl in costumes. It was great!
My novel for NaNoWriMo is now 17,135 words (about 56 pages) long! I need to get to 50,000 words by the end of the month, so those of you who can do math know that I'm a little behind... But there ain't no way I'm quitting! The experience so far has been a lot more fun than I thought it would be. I thought I would have to put my social life on hold and have to Tivo all the Real Housewives episodes all month. But I'm happy to report that I haven't missed out on good TV, bar trivia, or any other opportunities to drink beer. I think it only helps my novel writing.
Not going to lie, I thought it would be really cool to be all like, "Oh sorry, I can't go out tonight. I have to work on my novel." Hopefully since I'm so behind I'll have an opportunity to throw out that line later on this month. I'm actually behind because last weekend I was in Washington D.C. for the Notre Dame vs. Maryland game.
I didn't get to see too much of my nation's Capital, but my Mom had already dragged me to every tourist site in D.C. when I was younger so I didn't mind. People probably think that as an American Studies major, I would go gaga over this stuff. I do think a lot of it is interesting, but as the results of this political quiz I just took say, I probably consider myself "to be a citizen of Earth first rather than a citizen of [my] country."
Kind of sounds like a no brainer to me. We are the world. Next stop Dublin 2012 for the Navy game!
So this may sound crazy but next month I am attempting writing my first novel. I signed up for National Novel Writing Month, aka NaNoWriMo. It's a contest where participants aim to write an entire novel, minimum of 50,000 words, in one month. The point is to write as much as you can in one month without stressing about editing and wondering if what you are writing is any good. Water For Elephants actually started as a NaNoWriMo novel.
I figure if people can run 26.2 miles in one day, I can write about 175 pages in one month. I'm aiming for 7 pages a day since I will have to take off a weekend for my trip to D.C. I love writing fiction and I think this is a good year for me to try this out! So what am I going to write about? What genre will I choose? Here are a few ideas I've got cooking....what do you think? Idea #1 Title: Betrayal and Tides Genre: Romance
Summary: Lonely widow Sydney Simmons escapes a town full of endless rumors and gossip and flees to the English castle where her estranged father, a retired high profile CEO of a major pharmaceuticals firm, resides. While reconnecting with her father, she meets her father's bodyguard Vince Bennet, who is not only distrustful of Sydney handling her father's estate, but is also gorgeous. When Sydney's past catches up with her and she is accused of her own husband's murder, who's body will Vince guard?
Idea #2 Title: Galahad of the 22nd Century Genre: Science Fiction
Summary: Galahad is a typical 25 year old man living in Sandusky, Ohio at the turn of the 22nd century. As a resident of the largest city on Earth, the center of civilization, he is given the opportunity to participate in the most important vote the world have ever seen. The earth's natural resources are gone. Global warming has spun out of control, the world experiences 24 hours of daylight. The oceans are polluted, anyone who takes a swim or surf ends up with scales. Still, Galahad cannot decide: should marijuana be legalized?
Idea #3 Title: Spermicide Genre: Thriller
Summary: Jack Olson is devastated when he finds out that the man he grew up calling Dad is not his biological father. It is discovered that during his mother's in vitro fertilization, a mad scientist switched Jack's father's sperm with his own. Jack is angry, and he is not alone. Jack and his 2,000 half siblings, all victims of the mad scientist's sick game, plot to murder their father. But do all of Jack's siblings really want their daddy gone?
Idea #4 Title: Mage of the Dark Ember Genre: Fantasy
Summary: Zaden is the son of a poor carpenter of the village of Valin in the Kingdom of Mabyn. When the dark witch Macadrian defies Mabynian ancient law and opens a portal to Land of the Mystics, the consequences leave Zaden an orphan, but he is also left with his father's family secret of being the sole survivors of a race of a magical-mystical hybrid humanoids. Only Zaden has the power to close the portal, but he has the help of warrior Han Qadan, his dragon Saba, conjuror Kadri, and most importantly, his father's memory. The only question is, on what side of the portal does Zaden want to remain?
Idea #5 Title: Whodunnit? Genre: Mystery
Summary: Whodunnit?
Okay, I'm not at all serious about any of these ideas. But I am very serious about trying to write an entire novel in one month! I do have somewhat of an idea of what it's going to be about, and you will all find out what that is when it's published someday!
Even though I won't ever be writing these books, they're still my ideas and I better not see anyone steal these exciting plots!
Last weekend I got to see a ton a college friends at the Notre Dame vs. USC game. This was a HUGE game since USC is a big rival and it was a night game, which is something ND never has. Tailgating was great despite horrible AT&T reception, but the game was not so hot. I hate to admit, but I think I might have put some bad luck on the Irish side. I was seen sporting this pin for most of the day:
I wore this pin because my Mom left it for me on my car dashboard. I saw it as I was leaving Chicago at 7:30 am Saturday morning. She got it back in the day and I find it really confusing. Who is this rooting for? It's USC colors (well I guess the gold could be for both of them) and there is a Trojan head but there's also a shamrock. Confusing. I took it off eventually because I got weird looks. Why does my Mom have this?
I think schools were less mean spirited to each other in the past. Now it's easy to tell what school someone is supporting. Here are some of my favorite anti-Notre Dame and anti-USC pics that are not one bit confusing. I like being nice to other fans, and I love talking to them, but I also love this stuff and I definitely want to come up with something of my own one day and become a campus sensation...again.
Truth.
Lame.
Ladies, ladies, ladies. I applaud the effort but this is a false statement. If this were true, my favorite shows: Teen Mom, I Didn't Know I Was Pregnant, Teen Mom 2, and 19 Kids and Counting would never exist. I also can't help but mention that most of us wouldn't be around if this were true.
More about my trip to the University of Mississippi, also known as Ole Miss, also known as the Harvard of the South! Saturday was all about the Ole Miss/Bamba game!
I'm no rookie when it comes to tailgating. I am was, however, a newbie to The Grove.
The Grove is great because 1) You can wear cute dresses. 2) It's all about the drinking and eating, the actual game is secondary. A ton of tents had TVs set up because you can tailgate during the game (ND technically kicks you out after kickoff). 3) Best people watching EVER! You see everything from southern belles in Lily and pearls to girls who look like they are on their way to a Club Fever. It was just my kind of football Saturday.
My only complaint was that beer is prohibited in The Grove. However, you can have wine or liquor. It's crazy that you can walk around with a bottle of Jack but can't walk around with a can of Bud Light. Of course, people still do it, because it's so much fun being a rebel (pun intended)!
I haven't updated in so long! I just really haven't had much to say. Living with my parents for two months made me boring and reclusive. Also, I read a ton of books. But now I am back in the city and back to my old ways of wasting time and telling people about it. So let's do this.
This past weekend I was in Mississippi visiting a friend who goes to Ole Miss. It was my first time in the South (apparently Florida isn't the South?). Wow! It's a different world. I felt like I stood out like a pale, sore, short thumb. Usually I stick out because of my platinum blonde hair. Not here. Everyone was blonde! Shouldn't I love this? No. I didn't feel special. But I stuck out because I couldn't say mam without giggling, couldn't sing one lyric of any country song I heard, and wore flip flops past September (It's cowboy boot season!).
What I absolutely loved about my southern experience was the food, the weather, the kindness of strangers, and the non-hectic atmosphere. Of course I can't forget my trip to Graceland Too.
When my friend first picked me up from Memphis I asked her if Graceland was something to see. She said it was $60 a ticket so that ended my curiosity. Then she told me about Graceland Too, which was only $5. We drove 45 minutes to go walk around this guy's house who hoards Elvis paraphernalia. So worth it. We went at like 11:00 pm. I was worried it would be closed, but then I was told that Paul Mcleod, the man behind Graceland too, never sleeps. I read that he drinks 24 cans of coke a day. We actually stopped at a gas station of the way there to get a bottle for him.
I was warned that Paul Mcleod said really inappropriate things and that I would leave the house smelling. Both were true. Don't worry Mom, we had boys with us. I couldn't really understand anything Paul Mcleod was saying during the tour but at one point I started screaming because he was reaching into a bag and for some reason (basically every northerners stereotype of southerners) I thought he was going to pull out a gun or a dead animal. It was actually a microphone and he sang to me.
Paul is open about the fact that when given and ultimatum from his wife asking him to choose between his shrine to Elvis or her, he chose his shrine to Elvis.
Me on an electric chair (aka a chair with a colander and Christmas lights attached to it, aka Jail House Rock).
What's funny is that I actually heard about this place in a book I read in college. I had the best major!
It's located in a normal residential neighborhood. Would you want to be his neighbor?
So get this. Kraft Foods (Oscar Meyer Weiners) and Sara Lee (Ball Park Franks) have been in a legal brawl over who is Top Dog of the industry. A trial began this August in Chicago (I love this town) federal court, but Sara Lee filed suit back in 2009. Kraft countersued, and both companies claimed that the other exaggerated being America's best.
On Thursday, the companies announced that they settled outside of court, but the terms of the agreement are not disclosed (major bummer).
So who wins the dogfight in my heart? I hate to say it (because I grew up just a few miles from Kraft headquarters) but Ball Park Franks are my pick. Now, if all lawsuits were like this, I'd still be on my way to being legally blonde.
In other hot dog news, my Mom told me that today, September 10, is National Hot Dog Day. I have no idea if there's any truth to this because I see a lot online that says that National Hot Dog Day is July 23. Maybe I dreamt her telling me this? More likely, she told me that it was Hot Dog Day so that I'd choose to eat hot dogs over brats today (unfortunately its either one or the other for me... I really need to work on that). She's just looking out for my health!
Whether it's National Hot Dog Day or not, I'd thought I'd celebrate. Here's my salute to hotdogs: the good, the bad, and the interesting:
The Good:
The Chicago Dog:
Poppy seed bun, white onions, pickle relish (neon green, kind of scary at first but you get used to it), yellow mustard, pickle, tomato, sport peppers, celery salt
Hot Dog Toaster:
I definitely need one of these for my new apartment.
Perry Como's #1 Hit in 1956 "Hot Diggity (Dog Ziggity Boom)":
Not sure if this song is about hot dogs, but there are few times I eat a dog without this singing this song in my head. Thanks, Mom.
The Bad:
Lunchable All Star Hot Dogs:
I now really appreciate that my Mom would never buy these for me.
Hot Dog Eating Contests:
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!
Baby Hot Dog Costume:
I can't decide if this is a good thing or not.
The Interesting:
$80 Hot Dog:
Most expensive hot dog, made by the Brockton Rox baseball team.
McHot Dog:
Ray Kroc, who was CEO of McDonald's, apparently prohibited the company from selling hot dogs because he said they were "unhygienic." For years I've been haunted by this crazy memory of seeing hot dogs sold at a McDonald's in Springfield, IL on a family vacation the summer after first grade. I researched it, and found out that in 1995 McDonald's introduced hot dogs in some Midwestern franchises. I'm so happy that I did not hallucinate hot dogs at a McDonald's. That would just be weird. Oh and Tokyo had the "McHot Dog."
Just realized that I lied again (this time not on purpose).
It looks like Rick Bayless, wasn't the first Bravo celebrity I met after all. I was going through my facebook profile pics and found this gem:
I guess I met Christian Siriano winner of the fourth season of Project Runway my junior year of college when he came to do a talk at school. I love how I chose the day I met a Project Runway winnerto not take the time to put on makeup, or even brush my hair. Oh yeah, and that shirt is from Target, and it's definitely not a GO designer.
But let me tell you the day I meet this guy (Daniel Vosovic, finalist Season 2) I will be ready and looking really good:
I was devastated when Daniel casually mentioned at the end of his season that he didn't like girls (romantically), and would therefore never want to date me. It really wasn't obvious to me.
Just realized that he makes a cameo in the video of my favorite rap cover, Anya Marina's "Whatever You Like." I just LOVE when white girls cover rap songs (I'm dead serious). Sorry Mom, this video is a bit racy:
Okay, so I lied. The big thing that happened to my family last week was not meeting Rick Bayless, (though that was awesome) but was celebrating my oldest sister's wedding!
Her wedding was seriously, the most fun I've had in my entire life. I know, that sounds insane, I mean I went to college, I went to Notre Dame! I once spent 72 hours straight in costume! But this event really took the [wedding] cake.
My overall happiness at events where I don't know everyone in the room is based solely on the amount of people who tell me I look like Reese Witherspoon.
What do you guys think??
I actually don't really see the resemblance myself, but welcome it whenever someone tells me I look like her! I had plenty of people I hadn't met before the wedding say that I looked like Reese. Now, my first instinct was to tell them that I usually don't look like this (when I got into the make-up chair, I told the girl I was going for an "unnatural look"). But I decided that they didn't need to know that!
It sure beats what my friends used to say I looked like in high school:
Okay, so I lied again (not about my friends saying I looked like Dobby the house elf that's completely true, kind of an inside joke I guess). This weekend wasn't the most fun I ever had because people said I looked like Reese Witherspoon. This weekend was the best because it combined my two favorite pastimes: dancing and seeing the people I love ridiculously happy!
