"It's alphabetical." "What from W to boobs?"

Okay so first off, just gonna throw this out there.

Never leave two little boys alone in a room with a remote and a TV they don't know how to navigate.

They will attempt to buy things that make my brother and I go "oh my god!" and run toward the TV.

We had football on in both rooms and I guess they wanted to watch wrestling instead so they attempted to change the channel and ended up at "Are you sure you want to purchase Boobalicious for $10.95?"

I don't think I've seen my brother move that fast in a long time.

So that pretty much sums up my day: Mass Hysteria.

Set my alarm for 9 but slept in until 10:30.

I was gonna be all good and like get up early and watch the parade and all that but by the time my alarm went off - I went to bed around 2 cause of New Years - I was like screw that so I went back to sleep.

But I did get up in time to watch the Husker game.

And HOLY CRAP that was also madness. Domination, I was so proud, especially that last quarter for defense. Though the endzone to endzone touchdown was pretty cool too.



Actually our favorite part of that touchdown was the guy in the raincoat at the very end.

Yeah. Stare dumbly. That's right.

Anyway, the family - boyfriend included - showed up around halftime. We watched a bit more of the game, ate lunch, and then opened our presents (while having the game on in the background).

I officially passed the passing out baton on to Squirt this year so I got to sit sidelines and get presents instead of handing them out.

Glad to be done.

It's not bad it's just you have 6 kids running at you constantly looking for presents or wanting to take presents to people and there's a system, you have to have piles so that everyone gets one at the same time instead of like 5 for one person and then on to other people, you know?

Anyway, she did good and I enjoyed sitting and being able to watch the game.

Especially cause we were winning.

Got some cool stuff too. Red 2, Burn Notice final season, some books, clothes, cash, a robot vacuum, AND THAT DAMN DANCING BABY.

I know!! I just got rid of that thing, she totally fooled me.

Now I have it for another year!

And it came in the best box too, it was one of those prank boxes that advertises it as something totally weird and then you open it and it's something totally different. Anyway, this box was for a coffee showerhead so that you could take a shower and drink coffee at the same time.

BTW you did read that right, a robot vacuum.

I'm stoked, just have to figure out how to work it. Carter's gonna hate it. Will probably squash it while I'm not around.

After the presents we jammed out for a while watching football, playing pitch and spoons, stole remotes back from tiny children, ate prime rib for supper and all that.

It was fun.

Especially the part when my brother started freaking out about the boyfriend and I getting married in Vegas.

Which was my fault, cause we were joking about it and then he got all paranoid.

See, when they're all in Vegas and we say we want to get married they're all for it. But now that they wouldn't be there with us it's totally different.

And his mother did finally give in to our destination wedding ideas.

Which I want in writing.

Not that we're having one.

But it's nice to have the option.

What else did we joke about? Oh trivia night is coming up.

We're thinking this year's theme should be Snow White and the 7 Dwarfs.

With my brother-in-law as Snow White - cause he's tall - and the rest of us as the dwarfs.

It's down to that or Ninja Turtles.

Cause wouldn't that be awesome too?

Today was awesome though.

Carrying everything up the stairs to my apartment was not so fun, but it's done now so it's worth it.

Well, the stuff I brought back with me that is. There's still that giant coffee maker at the farmhouse from Christmas along with some various other things that hopefully Mom will bring up at some point when she comes to visit Grams.

So I'm calling today a success, even though it was filled with much hysteria I am not back to relaxing with my big fat cat.

Tomorrow is back at work so I will soon crash but before that here's some of my favorite music from 2013 plus the song of the day.


Christmas Can Can - Straight No Chaser


that's right, you knew i had to post it at some point.


Alright, here are a couple of my favorites from 2013.

Counting Stars - OneRepublic


Royals - Lorde


more to come this week.

hope you all are rocking the new year away.

Speaking of New Years, did you do anything fun? The boyfriend and I went out to dinner then had a lazy night in watching movies and then musicians we'd never heard of but are apparently popular enough to make national TV.

But I don't listen to the radio so perhaps they are that popular.

Any new resolutions?

Mine for this year are to eat healthier, exercise more and start flossing more than just the month before I go to see the dentist.

I know, boring, but maybe as the year goes on I'll add more.

Legit pre-midnight post, holy crap tag in use.

Crazy Horse, kinda like Mad Cow.

Oh where to start...

Yesterday was New Year's Eve. Slept in a bit, ate lunch with Mom and Dad and then Mom said that I should test out my new vacuum - just to make sure it works - by cleaning her carpets.

See how that works?

After that headed to pick up the boyfriend and then on to Oldest Sister's place for crab legs and entertainment.

Squirt's boyfriend was there and made it through the night unscathed so that says something about his character.

Made it through endless rounds of Apples to Apples and the combination of all of our snarkiness.

Quote of the day:
-"Crazy Horse. Kinda like Mad Cow." - Second Sister

We played for at least an hour, maybe two. I dominated. Had a lot of practice over the last few days though when they wanted to play tonight I was all Appled out so I watched the game with the boyfriend instead.

Anyway, the crablegs were awesome, Apples to Apples was awesome as were the musical stylings of Karmin and Neon Trees.

Notice how I left out Bieber.

Still have yet to catch the fever.

Don't hold your breath I don't think it'll come on anytime soon.

Stayed there passed midnight, the boyfriend claims he didn't fall asleep but I think otherwise as I had to wake him up as the ball dropped.

Today was totally different. Got to the farm around 11:15. Since the game was at noon we had to work around it but it seemed to work out okay. Got Mom Scandal season one and an immersion blender, amongst other things. Gave Dad a box full of mail with his and name but my address on it. King of Useless Knowledge his usual coffee, Oldest Sister whole collection of James Bond on blu ray. Brother got Black Ops video game, Favorite Sister-in-Law the Karmin CD, Second Sister some books and a fancy martini glass. Got Bubby a robot and a time capsule, Squirt got socks, Yoda slippers, a journal, chapstick and a Buckle giftcard. Younger ones I got a lot of toys, stuffed animals, dolls, legos, Skylander stuff, and all that.

Some kids got more than others but with them it's all about quantity over quality. And I'm not sure they noticed cause they didn't really say anything, but I still feel like I should have gotten more for a couple of the girls.

I've noticed when you know exactly what they want that's what you get them, however if you're not sure about someone you get them a lot hoping they'l like at least a few that you got.

But I still feel so bad, you know?

Okay, just need to move on.

Cause this is just making it worse.

I got some good stuff. Luggage, pillows, clothes, snacks, games, purple spoon cause Second Sister likes to get me purple stuff, amongst other things.

Watched the Husker game in the middle of the presents hysteria. I knew we wouldn't win but at least we kept up with them for a while.

Had to wear my Burkhead jersey since it was his last game.

Ate lunch, watched more football, ate some more, that's about it.

Now Carter and I are back at the apartment though my voice is almost completely gone. Tomorrow should be fun since I'm training a volunteer in the morning at work.

Carter was not pleased to come back to the apartment. He sat by the door for a while once we got back and stared at me as if to say, "take me back. you will do it and you will do it. now." The car ride back was ridiculous. Every other second he was yelling. He really likes the farm. Even if he spent most of his time there in the basement.

But he loves the basement cause he can climb in the ceiling cause there's a hole. No idea what he does up there, just as long as he doesn't come down with a dead rodent I think we're okay.

Alright, I really should crash. Had an awesome time with the family and the boyfriend.

Tomorrow is a big day.

Like big big day as it will be our first anniversary.

But tomorrow will be like his Monday since he had to go into work and he's been on normal people hours through his vacation so I told him I wouldn't be offended if he chose to sleep instead.

I'm gonna sleep right now, but first.

Okay, now I am officially out of christmas music.

The Christmas Can-Can - Straight No Chaser


tune in this week for some of my favorites from 2012.

you'd better change it back or we will both be sorry.

So I finally checked my grades today.

All A's for the semester so I'm at a 3.96 which isn't bad for grad school.

It'd be a 4.0 if it weren't for that A- man.

Killing me, Smalls!

So, two days to make up for.

Here we go.

Saturday, December 29th

Slept in, huzzah.

Ate lunch with the parentals. Turkey roast, potatoes and broccoli.

Apparently they're so easy even I could make them.

Not that I did, or have, but could.

At one point.

Attempt to make one.

Without burning down my apartment.

Watched some Castle with Mom and then headed off to see P squared for our early New Year's celebration.

See, every year we do our annual New Year's party thing in which we play games, watch all the music stuff - why are they still calling it "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve" if he's dead? Not that I want it to change to anything with Ryan Seacrest in the title, but still? - drink sparkling cider and stay up far too late.

This year we covered most of those, though no running around the house like we used to. Though at midnight we did all yell "Happy New Year!" Amidst an intense game of Apples to Apples. Which you know already if you're on Facebook as I posted like 6 pictures of, "what the hell should i pick out of these options?"

As there were only 3 of us playing we laid down 2 red cards each every turn so there were more to choose from. And we worked our way through all of the red cards like we did last Thanksgiving but since we had like triple the players then this took much longer.

But we had fun.

I ended up coming from behind, winning with 67 green cards.

Wicked awesome. For a while I was getting my butt kicked cause I kept drawing people and countries.

And they make for lame nouns.

Then I got some good ones all in a row and came back to win it.

So that was fun. But you can tell we're getting old cause our old method of throwing a big ass amount of pillows and blankets on the floor and sleeping on the pile watching movies has now become all sleeping in legitimate beds or couches in separate rooms.

But I watched World's Dumbest for like 2 minutes before I was out like a late.

And we did watch a movie earlier in the night - Live Free or Die Hard which the younger of the squared hadn't seen.

Or any of them which makes me want to cry inside cause they're classics.

Well, the first one at least.

The only thing I remember about other two were Samuel L. Jackson, something about a school and then almost hitting a clown in a parking lot or park or something.

Though I think those are all in the same one.

Oh well, I own them. I'll go back and watch them again sometime when I'm bored.

Stoked for number 5 coming out next year.

So that was Friday. No, Saturday, cause today's Sunday.

This whole no work thing is messing with my mind.

Sunday, December 30th 

Okay so today was totally different. Woke up on the couch around 9:45. Set my alarm and everything though it was more like 9:50 by the time I got up and about 15 minutes after that before I left her apartment. Headed to see the boyfriend so we could drive up with his dad to see his sister on her birthday but he was sick.

Cold, chills, cough and all that.

Which I think Queen of the Known Universe has now as well so it must be going around.

Anyway, he stayed home to nap and all that so the boyfriend and I drove up by ourselves. Taking the scenic route as always so he could look at trains. Had his camera there just in case though he didn't stop like after the Xmas party.

Which is fine, though reminds me a bit of how my father is always making my mother go places to take pictures of trains.

We went out for dinner and then went to her place to open presents. Her boyfriend got her bop-it so the boys were playing it. The boyfriend had the high score when we left but Dion's probably already beaten it.

As we were leaving his mom noticed that I have a headlight out so we took backroads to his place to avoid the cops cause of our record with fix it tickets but then the light came back on randomly.

But then went out.

And then came back on again so I was okay to drive.

Which is weird though, right? Cause usually when it goes out it stays out?

Anyway, I need to get that checked out and my oil changed. Oh well, got time.

After we got to his place we watched some movie with Halle Berry, Bruce Willis and the dude that plays Phoebe's brother on Friends. I never learned his name but he's always amusing.

Lots of Bruce Willis this weekend.

I slept through a lot of it so Scale of Awesome would only be for half the movie but the parts I did see were a bit creepy. Not what I was expecting.

Alright, tomorrow is a big day. No plans set in stone, think we're gonna wing it.

May go to my sister's or go get dinner or see a movie or whatever. It's interesting to have no plans but I've never been in a serious relationship on New Year's.

So I don't know was normal people do on New Year's cause I'm used to music TV, movies and running around the house spraying sparking cider everywhere.

I should sleep, it's late. The stoplights were blinking again when I left. Gotta love small towns.


irony since we listened to it on the way there and then had only one on the way back.

though every time i hear it i think about fiction writing and my unfinished story. it could be awesome but i'm stuck.

“Well they say she died easy of a broken heart disease, as I listen through the cemetery trees.” – One Headlight, The Wallflowers

A week ago you were healthy. A week ago you were happy. A week ago we were together. Now you’re dead… and it’s my fault.

for more go here: this is a week of my favorite things day five

wrote it back with my awesome writing group in the college. back in the days when i actually had time for that stuff.


aw, 80's music.

out!

"Why are there stuffed animals in the bathtub?"

Weirder questions have been asked during our family gatherings.

And, today, that was on the low scale on a weird-phrase-o-meter.

See, Second Sister just realized that she has a talk to text function on her cellphone, like mine. So we had a lot of fun saying stuff and seeing what it translated as then sending it back and forth while playing pinochle.

There were a lot of good ones.

"My brother is a lubener"
turned into
"My brother is a big blue banner."

"I bought a troll, I bought a troll for you."
became
"I'm bothered troll I'm not a trophy for you."

"How do you like the spatula?"
translated as
"How do you like hell?"

to which I replied
"It's purple and pretty."
but it thought I said
"Parboiling."

What the crap is parboiling?

We had to google that one.

"Ariel pajamas" became "I am the gym"
"Luke-a-Boogie the San Francisco Treat" became "Love you do g San Francisco tea"
"Brave the cream cheese, brave the cream cheese" became "Brava cream cheese brain cream cheese."

Though my favorite was when Second Sister said, "My husband is a stud."and the phone thought she said, "My husband is a big fat ass in here."to be fair, there were people talking in the background for that one.

and my new phrase wasn't even technology-related. Second Sister passed the table and said, "oh peanutbutter balls" like negative, like a put down or something. i like it. i'm going to say it randomly.

Okay, so I had this Xmas list going, that I kept forgetting to post. Since today was our Christmas I'll give it to you now.

Things I want from Santa

1. Endless supply of Diet Dr. Pepper - target did have a supply of 24 packs, i was SHOCKED! hope they keep that up
2. A litter box that cleans itself - keep dreaming
3. Leverage DVD's - GOT THEM! currently watching Elliot kick some butt.
4. A wireless printer/scanner - Woohoo! Gold!
5. Thor on DVD - sister-in-law rocked that one
6. Fun t-shirts - got a few, stoked, but probably shouldn't wear these ones to work, even with a shirt over the top.

and now I can move directly onto the

New Years Resolution List

1. Be more health-conscious - doesn't everyone say that? like workout more? eat healthier? it's cliche, but in a good way. and it needs to start now.
2. Write more - this actually i can do, since i'm deep into the whole apartment story thing mentioned here: My Life in Closed Captions: Troll the ancient yuletide, Carol!
3. Continue getting my degree - see, right now it's cake just taking one class but in the fall i'm gonna get wooped taking three at once plus working 40 hours.

and that's all I got. keeping it short. if there's less of them then there's less chance i'll give up on them.

and that's another thing, if you totally fail on like the first day, does that mean you have to keep it up for the rest of the year?

As for New Years Eve, hung out with one half of P Squared. We hit up a comedy show - "I have the IQ of a cheese sandwich!" "Dropped the whom-bomb on me" - it was fantastic, possibly a new tradition, then played some SSX Tricky and fell asleep watching Hot in Cleveland. cause who doesn't love Betty White?

Music Rec: Aaannd you thought we were done! HA!

one last entry in the Christmas Music that Doesn't Suck category

"Another Christmas Song" Stephen Colbert

i like it, really this is like the second original christmas song i've run into. everything else is just a remake of something from the past.

Sleeping in, prime rib, Apples to Apples, presents, pinochle, family, frivolity = Awesome Christmas.

OUT!

"public to whom i'm so proud to have pandered, please save my family and make this a standard"

Happy , Happy New Year!

Every time I heard the words 'happy new year' I could hear Captain Raydor's voice in my head and then Tao's follow-up, "I really hate her! Did I say that out loud?" Gotta love the Closer. I'm beginning to really like Mary McDonnell. Excellent addition to the cast, even if it is only a recurring guest spot.

And Wow, 1-1-11, that's new.

Today was our family xmas, so right now I'm exhausted and it's only 9:55. Sad day. Two nights of staying up late will do that to a girl I guess. First, two nights ago, I got to watch us get our butts wooped by Washington. That was just pitiful and sucks because now I gotta put up with my coworker who said we were gonna lose. There was no motivation from us at all. It's like our whole team is depressed or something. Bo needs to turn that around.
Then, last night was filled with playstation - aka SSX Tricky, Simpson's Road Rage and Dance Dance Revolution - drinking lots of sparkling cider even though we're both of age, flipping between Carson and Ryan and their crews (um, did Dick Clark look really at retiring age to anyone else or is that just me? and c'mon MTV step it up! Jersey Shore? Seriously?!) and falling asleep watching Boy Meets World. Same thing every year, but the Boy Meets World is new. We usually watch Pirates or Jason Bourne. Also, we didn't run around the house at midnight, sad day. Usually we bring a bottle of sparkling cider with us, shake it and then pop the cork spraying it everywhere in the process of awesomeness. (I say that word a lot, Awesomeness. I've noticed that my aunt has started saying it as well. It's catchy. Say it with me: Awesomeness.) Anyway, we took this year off of running as it was freaking freezing out there. And we're old. We figured that out while playing DDR and almost dying out after the first round. But it was fun. Same thing every year. Nothing really planned - it was funny. She texted and was like "you have plans for new years" and I was like "yeah with you!" and that was as far as the planning process went. We go with the flow.
And what was up with the countdown acts this year? I really need to listen to the radio more or something because the only people I recognized were MCR and Avril (hooray for a comeback from her btw).
Interesting fact about CK #-whatever-we're-up-to: I don't listen to the radio. I listen to my ipod. Constantly. And have a hookup for my car so it plays through the speakers.
So, because of this interesting fact, I had to text my best friend - "okay, i'm lame. who is that?" But she didn't know either so that was helpful.
Good times.

Today was awesome but exhausting as well. Big dinner with the family, excellent food as always, then opening presents which always turns into some kind of a disaster area with all the wrapping paper everywhere. Our family splurges. After the disaster area was cleared we played - you guessed it - some Apples to Apples which is fastly becoming a family favorite. This time, Sarah and Mark got hosed, ha! And Cindy and Teina dominated. We didn't play it for four hours, but it was around 2. Times flies. And again with the good one-liners: "Okay, who put 'labor unions' as irresistable?" "Steakspeare" "Toasters? Someone got tired of looking at that one in their hand. I got discarded." "Hmmm, amputations or Sunday drivers for horrifying?"
After that was pitch - 2 tables so the losers walked a whole 2 feet to the other one. No real walk of shame like at my aunt's when you had to go all the way downstairs. Cindy and I partnered up and did pretty well. I shot the moon with a AKQJ2 and drew the 3. Awesome.
Then more good food, meanwhile kids running all over the place. But they're between the ages of 1 and 6, what else are they supposed to be doing? While Mandy and Joe hung with the adults. Some crazy grandma gave two 4-year-old-boys fake shotguns that make noise when you pull the trigger. I'm sure their parents are loving that right about now. Don't look at me. I didn't pick them out. Geez mom. And my oldest sister got them fake chainsaws. It's hilarious. One year, like years ago, my second sister Sarah gave our only nephew at the time a drum set. He loved it, his parents didn't. Ever since, it's like they've been trying to one up each other for loudness just for payback. It's become kind of a running joke.

So, I guess it's time for the official list. The dreaded one. Which I've cut down to hopefully things that might actually last for longer than this week.
1. Write more, read more, eat less.
The first two are healthy and entertaining and will keep me out of trouble. The third is basically just going to become no food after 10PM. And more eating healthy during the day instead of being lazy and picking up Arby's just because it's on my way home. The drivethru guy knows me. It's funny and pathetic all in one. We always end with , "see you around."
Which leads me to number
2. Learn how to cook. At some point this year. Doesn't have to be right away. Just more than mac-and-cheese and microwave meals. I'm putting it off because I like my apartment and don't want to watch as it goes up in flames. Read Sketch and Edit Make Grilled Cheese if you get a chance. Based on a true story.

3. I'm not putting exercise more. Because I know it won't happen. I'm on my feet all day, and I'm not going to wake up early or have any energy by the end of the day to go to the rec center. What I am putting is keeping my mind open to taking self-defense classes this summer with my favorite patron.
4. Is to work on time management. Grad school starts on the 15th. I already have homework for it I haven't started. That all starts Monday. Ordering the textbook, visiting all the websites, finding out what I need to have done by the first class. My aunt is awesome because she teaches on that campus so she's going to show me where I'm going and where to park. Gotta love family connections.

Those are all I'm ready to fully put in writing. I'm sure more will develop throughout the month.

In other news, Congrats go out to the TCU Hornfrogs! Woohoo! I routed for them in baseball in Omaha so I felt I should again today. We got to watch parts of the games between family stuff.
Also, I'm thinking Oregon as the champion over Auburn. I've always liked them. Maybe that's because we never play them but still...

Music Rec: Two musical groups I'm commending just for the heck of it are Ashlyne Huff - check out her single "Heart of Gold" and Theory of a Dead Man's "Since You've Been Gone". Both very good emotional-from-the-heart songs, one more upbeat than the other.

It's a decent video since there is actual music and dancing, that's new for MTV nowadays, sadly.


Now that's depressing.

Neither video is spectacular but you get the point. The music is good, and underrated. So I'm recommending it. Spread the word.

Hope your New Years was merry and bright. Or wait, was that Christmas? Whatever. Hope you all had fun and made it home safely.


"Since you've been gone, I need to hear youuuuuuuu SAAAAAAAAAYYYYYY......"

Things that make you go hmmm....

Thing 1 - (yes I'm going Dr. Seuss on you)
Come out to car for lunch break and find mysterious envelope on windshield. A little creepy. Upon opening text possible person of origin and get it confirmed. Not a stalker. Yay for small victories.

Thing 2 - Almost got shmeered *smeared? **shmeared?? ***schmeared??? on route back to work. Truck pulled out in front of me, I slammed on my breaks (yay for new tires on a new car) as did the car immediately behind me. Both thankfully on time. Incident shook me up but Jarvis and I are okay. Yes I've settled on a name. He's Jarvis and he's still shiny. Sort of.

Thing 3 - Cousin whom I haven't seen in ages - like, literally ages cause she's freaky smart and goes to Yale - shows up mysteriously at library with my aunt! Total awesomeness! We talked school, roller derby - of course - family, future plans, dance dance revolution and the like. Was nice to see her again. Now flashing back to family roadtrips to Florida and California... writing songs about bears and listening to Shania Twain's "That don't impress me much" on repeat. I love both sides of my family but on that side I actually have cousins my own age so that's kind of nice. We do family reunions and weddings are a big deal and all that. It's fun.

Thing 4 - I'm debating New Year's Resolutions. I'm down to a few that are doable. I feel like I should make an official list. And like plan for that list. Because every year I say I'm going to do something and never even attempt to do it. I'm sure that's true for many people but I think now is the time I should change things in my life aka health and routine stuff.

Thing 5 - Missouri is playing Iowa. Since I'm technically going to grad school through the Univerisity of Missouri I feel obligated to cheer for them. Not that I'm a big fan of Iowa anyway. I will probably fall asleep by halftime anyway. Maybe I should add in a social life change to that resolution list as well.

Anybody out there have any good resolutions?
Out for the night.