Gretch-a-sketch (old)

The three winners of the Office giveaway are allthewine, CDP, and j*amy.
Email me at lady.luck.05(@)gmail.com with your address by Sunday. Congrats!

And now...a meme! This one comes tagged from Stephanie Perkins. I've just recently started reading this blog and she's so hilarious and insightful. Plus, she's a librarian and a writer, so naturally we're friends.

1. What are your nicknames?
I've answered this before. But since you asked so nicely... Gretch-a-sketch, Gretch, Gretcher, Gretchie, Fetchin' Gretchen, GretchieGAL, Gretchizzle, and Hen.

2. What was the first movie you bought in VHS or DVD?
My mom probably bought The Lion King for me, but it's the first one I can consciously remember waiting for. I was eight and I knew the exact release date. Some things never change.

3. What is your favorite scent?
If I had access to Amorententia, I'd smell laundry soap, brownies, and rain on the desert dirt.

4. What one place have you visited that you can't forget and want to go back to?
Either Chicago or Seattle. Probably Chi-town. Chicago bloggers, I love your city. I just needed you to know, once.

5. Do you trust easily?
Why are you asking me all of these questions?
(In all seriousness, I don't trust easily, but once I do, it's unwavering.)

6. Do you generally think before you act, or act before you think?
I'm a thinker. I try not to be sometimes, but I can't help it.

7. Is there anything that has made you unhappy these days?
Oh jeez. You don't really want me to unload right now. Uncertainty sums it up pretty well.

8. Do you have a good body image?
I'm female. Enough said. ("It's as if the Dove commercials never happened!")

9. What is your favorite fruit?
Fresh peaches, strawberries, clementine oranges, and Asian pears.

10. What websites do you visit daily?
It's ridiculous how many. But I couldn't live without twitter.

11. What have you been seriously addicted to lately?
Window shopping for boots online, buying STUFF, and banana peppers.

12. What kind of person do you think the person who tagged you is?
She appreciates the Hot British Man, which I think is enough to vouch for the character of a person. Stephanie's the kind of person I meet on the internet and think, "Wow, we'd so be friends in real life."

13. What's the last song that got stuck in your head?
OneRepublic's "Apologize" (Getitoutgetitoutgetitout)

14. What's your favorite item of clothing?
Pac-Man pajama pants represent!

15. Do you think Rice Krispies are yummy?
Oh man, that sounds good right now. Yes. Yes, I do.

16. What would you do if you saw $100 lying on the ground?
Turn it in. I'm a good girl, I am! (But for fun, let's just say I didn't have to turn it in. I've got this ever-growing bookmarked list of "Things I Want" and it would go towards a magical pair of boots.)

17. What items could you not go without during the day?
I get the shakes when I don't have access to the internet.

18. What should you be doing right now?
So, so many other things than this. At this exact moment, I should be cleaning the bathroom, which is the bane of my existence. We have guests tonight, so I can't procrastinate either. Boo!

*obligatory tagging*
I'd like to see this from Melissa, Melina, Carla, Q, Alishka, and Ashley.

Happy first weekend of Rocktober! (And thanks to Maxie for introducing me to the term "Rocktober.")

The title is blatantly ripped from Mindy Kaling's shopping blog of the same name. But given that she hasn't updated it in about five months, I don't feel too bad about taking it. Sidebar to Mindy: "Darling, I know you're busy with the show starting back up, but surely you must have bought something during the summer!" And she'd be all, "I'll totes get on writing a new post. And don't call me Shirley!" Then we'd watch Airplane! and she'd help me break into the writing business and we'd buy lots of fabulous shoes together.

But I digress.

One of the perks about having a steady job and no school is that I no longer feel guilty about buying beautiful things. I do try to be sensible and most of it is going into savings, but I don't see any reason why I can't have a little fun.


Headbands, Forever 21, $1.50 They're very delicate and shiny. A bunch of you wondered if I bought the hat from last week and I didn't! I most definitely regret it and I plan on buying it next time I go downtown.


Scarf, Charlotte Russe, $9.99 I love the buttery-yellow shade. I wore it to a movie night last week and a friend told me I looked very indie. Success!


Button-down shirt, Penguin, $10 I bought it at this weird discount shop for way cheap. I also would like to eat the buttons on the sleeve because they look like Smartys.


Laptop Bag, Golla, Free Okay, I didn't technically buy this since we got it when we switched over to high-speed. Still, it fits my laptop perfectly and the cheery pattern makes me happy. (You know you're a geek when...)


From left to right:
Dunder Mifflin Thermal, NBC.com, $6.99 The original retail price is $28, but I managed to get it on sale. It almost makes me want the cold weather to be here so I can wear it. (The key word there is almost.)
Fairy Graphic Tee, Old Navy, $5 Old Navy was having this kick-awesome sale on labor day. I own far too many graphic tees, but this one has a v-neck which somehow made it justifiable. On the shoulder, there's a small flower graphic that brings it all together.
Argyle Polo, Old Navy, $10 Every once in a while I have to indulge my preppy side. I've been craving argyle (is that weird?) and could not resist it in polo-form.


Flats, I have no idea who made them, $4 These were a serendipitous department store find. Fun fact: Dorothy's shoes are silver in the Wizard of Oz books, but they got changed to red in the movie to show off the new color technology.

WANT: A cardinal pea coat, pink cashmere cardigan, and a 16GB iPod Nano in purple
(sigh! Those may have to wait.)

My cousin Samantha tagged me for the 8 things meme. It's pretty low-key, but this is all I can manage for an early Monday morning.

1. I played Rock Band for the first time on Saturday. I now get what all the fuss is about.

2. The other day, I hit 1,000 tweets on my twitter page.

3. I'm an amazing editor/proofreader if I'm evaluating someone else's work. When it comes to my own stuff, though, I'm utterly hopeless.

4. I'm getting restless without new tv. Two weeks...

5. I may be a music snob, but I'm the kind of music snob that really truly loves listening to the radio.

6. I keep my tickets from everything--movie passes, TRAX stubs, and plays. I have saved every single fortune I get from fortune cookies.

7. Speaking of fortune cookies, I think they taste delicious. I also eat the entire fortune cookie before reading the fortune, because I believe that's the only way it will come true. ("I'm not superstitious, but I'm...I am a little stitious.")

8. Fall Semester at my alma mater starts today. It's the first September in over sixteen years where I haven't gone to school, and while this makes me mostly overjoyed, it also makes me more sad than I anticipated.

1. The temporary job I mentioned is now full-time. I had a hunch it might turn into something more, but didn't want to jinx it. It's pretty basic but pays well, so things even out. Plus, the people are great.

2. Two Saturdays ago I had the privilege of attending the release party for Rapunzel's Revenge. RR is a graphic novel co-written by Shannon and her bizarre-but-awesome husband Dean. Nathan Hale (no relation) illustrated the Westernized fairy tale. There were about nine other Utah authors in attendance and I got autographs from all of them. I also maybe wore my hair in braided pigtails so I could look like the book's version of Rapunzel. (Nerd. I'm what could be described as a Shannon Hale-groupie.) They did a reader's theater and it was a rip-roarin' good time. I've met Shannon on a number of occasions before, so I truly think she's the tops. Here's the two of us at a signing last October.

Also: proof I really did use to be blond. (Semi-related: I'm itching for another major hair switch.)

3. If someone asked me who my favorite female singer-songwriter was, I would answer Neko Case without even pausing for breath. Therefore, I was shaking with excitement all Thursday at the chance to see her in Salt Lake FOR FREE. ( For the past summer, there's been a weekly, high-profile concert downtown to no cost to the attendees. Go SLC!)

She's everything I imagined and then some. The crowd was noisy, but buzzing with life. It was everything an outdoor concert should be, which is warm and smoky and yeasty. It was also fun to go and see the amazing collection of interesting Utahns, because I forgot sometimes that Utah can be fascinating. Neko Case, in all her flaming-hair glory, played a ton of stuff from Fox Confessor Brings The Flood (my favorite album) and also debuted some great new songs. Her true country heart shines through in her soulful, honeyed voice. Just listen to the crowd favorite "Hold On, Hold On" and you'll see what I mean.



(She also sings with another one of my favorite bands, The New Pornographers. It sounds dirty, but they're super talented and really not filthy. I recommend the album Twin Cinema.)

In addition to the concert, the BFF and I also got in some good food and shopping downtown. Fun times, yo.

...Than They Probably Are In Real Life

Angel's Grove
Bonanza
Christmas City
Devil's Slide
Dragon (Trogdor!!1!)
Eggnog (It's now a goal of mine to visit here and Christmas City on the same day.)
Emerald Isle
Gooseberry
Koosharem (Say it out loud. Do it. Isn't that great?)
Lark
Little Bonanza
Mexican Hat (Dance)
Moonlight
Oasis (I hear this place is going to be bigger than the Beatles!)
Paradise
Pickleville (Hee!)
Rainbow
Shivwits (See: Koosharem)
Thermo
Unicorn Towne (I may be making this one up, but the rest are totally real.)
Wheatgrass

And just to put things in perspective, here are some Utah locations that very aptly describe what they're like in real life (or so I imagine).

Bone Valley
Coal City
Coyote
Desert Mound
Dry Fork
Fish Springs
Little Water
Mound City
Old Limber Pine
Pigeon
Standardville

Standardville? For real? Way to really promote yourselves, guys. When I name a city, it's going to be called Awesomeville.

1. The Sports Page--It's the one time I actually fight for it.

2. The Beijing Water Cube--So simply designed yet visually impressive, especially when it's lit up.

3. Michael Phelps' Shoulder Blades--That arm twist thing he does makes me weak at the knees. Also, I'm dying to know what's on his playlist.

4. The Star-Spangled Banner--When it starts to play and the flag raises up and the Olympian sings along...just wow.

5. Shawn and Nastia--Really, I love watching the frenemy dynamic of the girl's gymnast team.

6. The Commercials--For the first week, at least. By the second week, I'm all "Another ad for Home Depot? COME ON!" But I'm never going to get sick of the United Airline ads with Gershwin music.

7. Highlights On The Olympiads--Kirsty Coventry is so my new girl crush.

8. Ryan Lochte's Hair--Love.

9. Past Olympic Memories--I've been thinking back to the 2002 Olympics in SLC. It was a great distraction from an otherwise lousy time in my life. I was lucky enough to be there when the USA Women's Bobsled Team brought home gold.

10. Watching People Watch The Olympics--For two reasons...
a) All of a sudden, everyone in the room is an expert on whatever sport's on the tube. "Oh, she should not have done that last half-twist at the end. What was she thinking?"
b) I'm a pretty passive sports-watcher, but during the Olympics I get seriously into it, as does my family. We're talking edge-of-the-couch, yelling-at-the-tv fans: "PICK UP THE PACE, SONI!" Even when I'm just by myself, I still throw pillows at the tv.

Michael reminded me the other day that I had yet to pick a winner for his awesome, really cool, beyond-belief-amazing guest giveaway. Yeah, I think that sums it up pretty well. The deal was that I would get to pick the person who left me the nicest compliment. In return, those people get a compliment from me! And then we will all hold hands and sing Elton John.

To Michael: Thanks for doing this--it was really cool. You're crazy talented with web design and you crack me up with your tweets.

To Elisabeth: If I had to cite the people that influenced me to start a blog, you'd be very high on the list. I love how you're so knowledgeable about so many things.

To Brooke: Dude, you've got some pretty mad mixtape skillz yourself. I know I've said this before, but we would so be friends in real life.

To Golfwidow: Chuck Norris guest blogs for Golfwidow.

To Jenn: You're a fantastic blogger. It's the perfect mix of personal anecdotes and cool web stuff all tied together with your quirky humor.

To Edge: I think you're going to be a very famous author someday.

To Chilly: My dear Chilly, I heart you! You're a great photographer and the best internet friend a girl could ask for.

To Srah: Incredibly witty--you know how to tell a good story. Also, you sent me a ton of Dr. Horrible flair on Facebook, which rocked.

To Dr. Bolte: Like you said, you're a rebel! I am sure of the fact that you're a remarkable inspiration to many people.

If I could, I'd give you all something, but the prize goes to Edge. Yay! Your compliment was sweet and sincere. You're going have a blast at college--hopefully some new music and other fun stuff will help with the transition. Shoot me an email or facebook message with your address and I'll pass it along.

Alright, who's up for a little Someone Saved My Life Tonight?

What time is it? It's vacation recap time! Much, much later than I intended, but I have three very good excuses reasons.
1. How I Met Your Mother
2. The Time-Traveler's Wife
3. The Olympics/Michael Phelps

July 23: We flew out of SLC and got into Cleveland in the early afternoon. I'm not scared of flying, per se, but it still kind of gives me the wiggins if I think about it too much. I started reading Marian Keyes' Watermelon and listened to the in-flight radio. It played the Watson Twins, which basically made my morning. We paid a ridiculous amount of money to get into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and I learned that I should always carry my school ID card, even if you're done with school. Real-life lesson #1! Anyhow, the Hall of Fame rocked (pun!). When it comes to music, I'm an old soul, so I enjoyed every minute of it. I did miss out on seeing Chubby Checker live, because I thought he was dead and it was an impersonator. Guess not!

July 24: We drove from Cleveland to Kirtland, Ohio. Our trip was heavy on the LDS church history sites, which was pretty cool. We did the Newel K. Whitney Store and a bunch of other old homes. Lunch was super late, and I get really cranky when I don't eat on time. It was my first and hopefully last time to eat at Red Lobster. We also went to the Kirtland Temple, which is owned by the Community of Christ. Fascinating, but it had a completely different spirit than the other sites. I got sick from something I ate and spent the car ride to New York writhing in pain. That's a tad melodramatic, but it still wasn't fun. I watched Lars and the Real Girl at the hotel--it's a great movie in many respects.

July 25: Niagra Falls! I'd been to the falls before (around age eight) and I remember being thoroughly unimpressed. It's just a bunch of water, right? Wrong! The Maid of the Mist was by far the highlight. It was gorgeous and powerful. We hit the Cave of the Winds (not actually a cave--disappointing!) but before you go, they give you sandals so your shoes don't get wet. That's my kind of tourist attraction--one that provides you with free footwear. Lunch was at this fantastic little restaurant in a hotel, where I learned that I still don't like normal onions, but I LOVE pearl onions and french onion soup. Mmmm. Oh, funny story! My dad wrote my blog address in the visitor book. I wonder if anyone actually noticed it and decided to check it out. The IMAX movie was a complete joke, but I still left thinking that Niagra Falls is amazing.

July 26: Palmyra, New York is another big church history site. We saw where the original Book of Mormon was printed. Since I'm a nerd and love learning about book-making, I had a blast. We met up with some family friends and did some work at the local temple. We also went to the Hill Cumorah and ate at Mark's Pizzeria. (That one's for you, Chilly!) I wanted to go see a movie, but the sole movie theater within miles was only showing The Dark Knight, which my mom refused to watch. Instead, I think we just hung out at the hotel.

July 27: All I remember was that we went to church and the Erie Canal. Oh, we also spent some time in Palmyra at the Joseph Smith homes and the Sacred Grove. Amazingly spiritual and perfect for a Sunday. Another memorable thing was the spectacularly awful ribs that I ate for dinner. (I think it's pretty apparent that I associate travel with food.)

July 28: The morning was spent in Fayette, New York at the Peter Whitmer home. The sister missionaries that showed us around were so good. This was probably one of the highlights of my trip. Not many people get to visit sites where they know their ancestors set foot. We spent some time by the Finger Lakes and went to Ithaca, home of Cornell University and alma mater of Andy Bernard. It is the Ivy League University that he attended, after all. Tip #1: The Cornell dairy makes an excellent french vanilla ice cream cone. Tip #2: There's this restaurant called the Rogue's Inn that was by far the best meal I had during the vacation. It had chicken and olives and pepperoni in a light cream sauce with Rigatoni noodles. Sooooo good.

July 29: There was really no set plan for the day, which usually is how I like my vacations. This doesn't apply if you're in Buffalo, New York. What a downer city! We did take a boat tour, which I spent reading Atonement. I finally got to visit a Dunkin Donuts, which they don't have in Utah. Dear Utah, please remedy that a.s.a.p. Kthx.

July 30: The last day is usually sad, but I was glad to be coming home. We made a short pit stop at the original house where A Christmas Story was filmed. It wasn't open to the public that day, so we just got pictures. There was much quoting of the best Christmas movie ever. My favorite picture is one of the Lil' Bro looking in the mailbox for his Little Orphan Annie Decoder Ring. ("Be sure to drink your Ovaltine. A crummy commercial? Son of a...!") The flight back was uneventful, expect for the fact that I was watching The Holiday and our portable dvd player ran out of batteries about ten minutes before it would have been over. Granted, I've seen that movie more times than is healthy, but still! Then, it was back to the land of mountains and deserts.

Overall, it was a great experience. It was a wonderful strengthening of my faith and beliefs. Plus, I have missed the east coast like crazy ever since we moved from Virginia. There's just something about the trees and rain and people that I adore. I don't know what it is, but you guys are doing something right.

Picture preview! Me rocking and rolling at the Hall of Fame:

1. You notice the episode of Wishbone you watched was written by Mo Rocca. Which is just plain cool.

2. You figure it's an easier way to lose a few pounds than exercise.

3. The whole "being waited on hand and foot" thing is nice. Run to Redbox and pick up a movie? You got it! More saltines? Right away, ma'am!

Blerg. Even then, it's still not worth puking your brains out. Obviously, the other stuff I had planned will have to wait. Also, I would for reals buy Wishbone on DVD. I love that show.

I'm baaaack! What'd I miss?

You'll get the annotated vacay recap on Monday, because today I'm going to Lagoon (Utah's sucky amusement park, but it should still be fun) and tomorrow is Nancy Pearl Wannabe's Choose Your Own Blogventure! It's going to be EPIC. And I mean that in the truest sense of the word.

Can we give a massive round of applause to my guest bloggers? I love those guys like today's fat kids love Oreo Cakesters.

Speaking of guest posts, go say nice things about me on Michael's post and win some great stuff, like a Starbucks gift card, his sister's homemade bath stuff, and music. I'm a sucker for compliments and just to up the ante, if you leave me a comment, I'll write a post saying nice things about all of you! It's an idea made of win-win-WIN.

I'm hoping to debut my tumblr blog and review blog both next week. Get psyched.

I need a new tv show to obsess over. I've narrowed it down to Buffy or Lost. Which should I pick first?

Because my parents live in the 1990's, our home computer has dial-up. It's so annoying...every time I sign in, I want to cut the internet like a taun-taun. We're talking about getting high-speed, but it might be a couple weeks. Hence, commenting and twittering may be sparse. This is killing me softly and slowly.

Still, it's good to be back. I missed you guys.

You have until 5 PM MST to get your vote in for my Tumblr Blog and to win sweet earrings. I'll announce the winner early tomorrow morning.

In other news...
1. I have my degree now. Yay! Graduation was amazing. The speakers were good and we drank of Mormon wine in celebration. (Mormon wine=Martinelli's Sparking Cider) Thanks for all your well-wishes.
2. My car broke down on the way home. It's currently at a Tunex in Ogden Keep your fingers crossed that we can fix it!
3. I have a dentist appointment this morning. Blerg!
4. I haven't been able to see either The Dark Knight or Mamma Mia yet.
5. The fact I have no homework anymore is incredible.
6. I'm dyeing my hair again tonight to be more reddish. I've always wanted to do that, but I'd be lying if I said Penny/Felicia Day didn't have an impact on that choice.
7. I took the most amazing nap yesterday. Take that, three years of sleep debt!
8. The Morning Benders' new album Talking Through Tin Cans is lots of fun. Speaking of, I'm thinking about starting a blog just for my reviews. I really like reviewing stuff and now I have the time to do so. It's not set in stone, but I thought I'd throw the idea out there.
9. I have so much stuff to unpack. Part of me just wants to get rid of it all and start anew.
10. I can't think of a #10, but the list felt incomplete without it.

I caught myself thinking the other day, "Man! I can't wait to finish up school so I can finally have time for a Tumblr Blog!" Sad, but true. Here's where you guys and gals come in--I'm undecided on a name. I believe in rocking the vote, so I'm going to employ the tried-and-true "pick your favorite" method. Also! I'll pick a random entrant to win a pair of gorgeous typewriter key earrings. (Details below.)

Here are my current choices for a title.

1. Ink In My Veins--I've had this quote from C. Astrid Weber rolling around in my head for a long time. "The coroner will find ink in my veins and blood on my typewriter keys." I love the imagery and it seems appropriate for the giveaway.

2. Tantalize--Simple, but also evocative. If I had my own perfume, I'd want it to be named this.

3. All Things Bright--It's a good allusion to Cecil Alexander. I also like that your brain just automatically fills in the "and Beautiful" without the words actually being there.

4. Set To Stun OR Set To Stunning--It has both a sci-fi and fashion flair. I'm so there. (Unintentional rhyme.)

5. An Everywhere of Silver--After my favorite Emily Dickinson poem.

6. Ampersand Girl--Elisabeth said it would make a good superhero name. I have to agree and thinks it suits me.

7. ???--Suggest your own!

I want a Tumblr Blog to post things like pictures, quotes, music, stuff I wish I could buy, and cool articles. It fills the space between twitter and blogging. In other words, I get more than 140 characters but I don't have to worry about cluttering my blog with stuff that's ultimately unrelated to my life. I'd like it to be classy, edgy, and maybe a tad bit haphazard at times. It also means I can focus on writing better content for my real blog. I'm excited to see what you guys think.

The Rulez
1. Leave your favorite title in the comments.
2. Anyone can enter. Yes, anyone. Anywhere in this whole wide world.
3. If you don't have a blog that will allow me to get in contact with you, please leave a valid email address.
4. I'll pick the winner using random.org.
5. The post will close to new comments at 5 P.M. MST a week from today. (July 28, 2008)
6. The winner will be responsible for providing me with a shipping address within three days of being notified or a new winner will be drawn.
7. The winner will be the proud owner of these fantastic Vintage Typewriter Key Earrings. (In white or black and with the letter or number of your choice.)


The people at QA Create make hand-made jewelry that's cunning and lovely. They offer free shipping in the United States, which is incredibly nice.
If you don't happen to win then you can still get 10% off your purchase using "Gretchen" as your coupon code. (How excited am I to have a coupon code in my honor? Pretty freakin' excited, that's what.)

Go!

I don't know how well this will work as a meme, but I'm curious to see how it goes.

Summer Senses Meme

List the things you love about summer for each of the five senses and tag five people at the end. Simple!

Taste: Charred burgers with American cheese, gnawing on a grape popsicle stick long after the popsicle is gone, ripe summer fruit (watermelon, peaches, strawberries, grapes), chewing on the ice from a cherry limeade, hot dogs covered in ketchup and relish, potato salad with olives, pistachio ice cream in sugar cones

Touch: Warm grass, air-conditioned movie theaters, sand so hot it burns your feet, evening breezes, catching a Frisbee between your fingers, grasping ribs slick with barbecue sauce, t-shirts softer than down, flipping the pages of a brand-new chick lit book

Sight: Cherry-stained lips, lime green toenails, corn-on-the-cob dripping with butter, fireflies sparking on and off, parade floats, antique roses, tan lines from flip-flops

Smell: A fired-up grill, chlorine, sulfur from fireworks, lilacs, rain on dirt, the tang of salty ocean water, fresh hay, movie popcorn

Auditory: Neighbor kids playing at the park, the Beach Boys, thunder outside your window, over-played radio hits like Pocketful of Sunshine, sandals on pavement, the whirr of the homemade ice cream machine, the Grease soundtrack

I tag: Edge, Elisabeth, Srah, Dr. Bolte, Q, Chilly, Jamie, Jenn, Cuileann, EP, Erin, Heather, Megan, and Megan.

(Okay, so I cheated there and tagged a random butt-load of you. I figured it couldn't hurt in getting it off the ground. If I didn't tag you and you're struck by some summer adoration, I'd also be delighted to see what you love about summer.)

(50 cool points to me for referencing Belle & Sebastian in the title. Also, sorry for the font size issues. Blogger won't let me fix it and needs 15 minutes in time-out. At least Twitter will be there to keep it company.)

The Big Read 100

1) Look at the list and bold those you have read.

2) Italicize those you intend to read.

1. Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen (Confession: The only Austen I've ever read. I want to read the others, I just...haven't.)
2. The Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkien (I'm kind of a LOTR geek.)
3. Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte (Liked it, didn't love it.)
4. The Harry Potter Series - JK Rowling (On a fanatical level. Seriously.)
5. To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee (In my top five.)
6. The Bible (I got an award in Seminary for reading ALL of the standard works.)
7. Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte
8. Nineteen Eighty Four - George Orwell
9. His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman (I read these and I still have my faith! Wow!)
10. Great Expectations - Charles Dickens
11. Little Women - Louisa M Alcott (This is my forever Number One book.)
12. Tess of the D’Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy
13. Catch 22 - Joseph Heller
14. Complete Works of Shakespeare (The entire works? No way. But I have read a fair amount, so I'm counting it.)
15. Rebecca - Daphne Du Maurier
16. The Hobbit - JRR Tolkien (Fun fact: Gandalf and I both have INTJ personalities.)
17. Birdsong - Sebastian Faulks
18. Catcher in the Rye - JD Salinger (I wanted to move to NY desperately after reading this.)
19. The Time Traveller’s Wife - Audrey Niffenegger
20. Middlemarch - George Eliot
21. Gone With The Wind - Margaret Mitchell
22. The Great Gatsby - F Scott Fitzgerald (I don't feel strongly about this book one way or the other.)
23. Bleak House - Charles Dickens
24. War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy
25. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams (DON'T PANIC.)
26. Brideshead Revisited - Evelyn Waugh
27. Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoyevsky
28. Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck
29. Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll (This book is psycho.)
30. The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame
31. Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy
32. David Copperfield - Charles Dickens
33. Chronicles of Narnia - CS Lewis (Not all, but most.)
34. Emma - Jane Austen (Actually, Jane Austen had an INTJ personality as well. Cool, no?)
35. Persuasion - Jane Austen
36. The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe - CS Lewis (I will always have an age-inappropriate crush on Peter.)
37. The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini
38. Captain Corelli’s Mandolin - Louis De Bernieres (All I know about this is that it looked like a really crappy Nicolas Cage movie.)
39. Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden
40. Winnie the Pooh - AA Milne (Adorable!)
41. Animal Farm - George Orwell (This is just a cool book.)
42. The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown (It's poorly written and sensationalized, but it's still a fun read.)
43. One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
44. A Prayer for Owen Meaney - John Irving
45. The Woman in White - Wilkie Collins
46. Anne of Green Gables - LM Montgomery (Oh, Gil!)
47. Far From The Madding Crowd - Thomas Hardy
48. The Handmaid’s Tale - Margaret Atwood
49. Lord of the Flies - William Golding (I was the ONLY girl in my 12th grade English class to like this book.)
50. Atonement - Ian McEwan (This is actually first on my list of things to read after I graduate.)
51. Life of Pi - Yann Martel (I need to re-read this.)
52. Dune - Frank Herbert (I tried reading a few of the sequels, but they just didn't work for me.)
53. Cold Comfort Farm - Stella Gibbons
54. Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen
55. A Suitable Boy - Vikram Seth
56. The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon
57. A Tale Of Two Cities - Charles Dickens (Ugh.)
58. Brave New World - Aldous Huxley
59. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time - Mark Haddon (Awesome, awesome book.)
60. Love In The Time Of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
61. Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck (Danged depressing, that's what.)
62. Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov Nabokov (I'm currently working on Reading Lolita in Tehran.)
63. The Secret History - Donna Tartt
64. The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold
65. Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas (Edmund is a totally hot book character. He should have been on my list.)
66. On The Road - Jack Kerouac
67. Jude the Obscure - Thomas Hardy
68. Bridget Jones’ Diary - Helen Fielding
69. Midnight’s Children - Salman Rushdie
70. Moby Dick - Herman Melville
71. Oliver Twist - Charles Dickens (I was going to mark this as a to-read, but I really don't like Dickens. Not gonna bother.)
72. Dracula - Bram Stoker
73. The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett (Great book, good movie, not that crazy about the musical.)
74. Notes From A Small Island - Bill Bryson
75. Ulysses - James Joyce
76. The Bell Jar - Sylvia Plath
77. Swallows and Amazons - Arthur Ransome
78. Germinal - Emile Zola
79. Vanity Fair - William Makepeace Thackeray
80. Possession - AS Byatt
81. A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens (Maybe the only Dickens I can tolerate.)
82. Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell
83. The Color Purple - Alice Walker
84. The Remains of the Day - Kazuo Ishiguro
85. Madame Bovary - Gustave Flaubert
86. A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry
87. Charlotte’s Web - EB White (I'm currently working on a list of my favorite kid's books. This is on there.)
88. The Five People You Meet In Heaven - Mitch Albom (Eh. Frankly, I thought it was a tad trite.)
89. Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
90. The Faraway Tree Collection - Enid Blyton
91. Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad (If you want to almost ruin reading for high school kids, make them read this.)
92. The Little Prince - Antoine De Saint-Exupery (Love it.)
93. The Wasp Factory - Iain Banks
94. Watership Down - Richard Adams (Because women love that sensitive nautical.)
95. A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole
96. A Town Like Alice - Nevil Shute
97. The Three Musketeers - Alexandre Dumas
98. Hamlet - William Shakespeare
99. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl (Roald Dahl is mostly responsible for my weird sense of humor.)
100. Les Miserables - Victor Hugo

(What, no Huck Finn? I'm sure there are many others left out, but that's the first that came to mind.)

Read count: 31--which is decent, but I can do better. (I guess the average adult has only read 6 or something, so in that regard I'm doing great.)

To be read: 28--I've got my work cut out for me. The prospect of so many books to read makes me happy and tingly.

In roughly two weeks, I move away from my teeny college town. I'm not terribly saddened by this fact, but there are a few things I'll miss, such as the quaint homes, the cheap theater, and the crime report.

1. Unlocked door at Maurice's--No biggie, but did the police really need to be called in on this? I mean really?

2. Theft (wooden pallets from Albertsons)--"Hey guys! I know where we can get wood for our bonfire! Oh yeah, I had a roommate who did this all the time!" I am 100% positive this is what happened.

3. Complaint of elderly woman harassing subject with homemade jelly--Maybe it's best not to know.

Edge tagged me for the Seven Songs meme. Since I'm all about getting good music noticed, this is right up my alley.

List seven songs you are into right now. No matter what the genre, whether they have words, or even if they’re not any good, but they must be songs you’re really enjoying now, shaping your summer. Post these instructions in your blog along with your 7 songs. Then tag 7 other people to see what they’re listening to. (...or not. If you want to play, be my guest.)

1. Strawberry Swing; Coldplay
Really, this whole album is insanely good. And I realize listing this makes me even whiter, according to Christian Lander.

2. It's Oh So Quiet; Björk
This chick is certifiably psycho, but I'm crazy about her.

3. Hummingbird; Wilco
This song speaks so many things to me about summer. It's probably my summer anthem.

4. Sugar Magnolia, Grateful Dead
Gah, I'm such a hippie sometimes.

5. You Don't Make It Easy Babe; Josh Ritter
"I'm trying hard to love you/But you don't make it easy, babe." Swoon!

6. Superstar; Tegan and Sara
Angry girl rock at its absolute finest.

7. Start Wearing Purple; Gogal Bordello
Totally bizarre. I love it.

Bonus: If I Never See Your Face Again; Maroon 5 featuring Rihanna
Pop perfection! This song is to summer music as snow cones are to summer carnivals.

Heard anything good lately?

A few things that have made life worth living in the past week...

Eric D. Snider blogged about a new site called Seriously, So Blessed! I have never seen something that so effectively and snarkily parodies the "Mormon Princess" culture. There's a "Breaking Dawn" countdown in the side bar and multiple exclamation points. The clique mind-set is expressed by the fact that it's written by Tiffany/Amber/Megan/Nicole who is married to Jordan/Jason/Wes/Taylor.

I have a date to the zoo tonight. This is exciting because a) I haven't been on a date in a good long while and b) I have this love of the zoo that exceeds that of your average 21-year-old. And probably your average 8-year-old, which is saying something. I don't know the guy very well, but I'm planning on having a blast.

Pandora, step aside! A friend directed me to ruckus.com. It's a free music download service for college students. I don't know if it works for alumni, but you do need access to an .edu email account.
Cons: It requires its own player and the site is inundated with ads. You can't burn the music and they won't play on iPods. Not all music is available that you might want. (Really, ruckus? No Dog Problems?)
Pros: It's extremely quick to get set-up and oh yeah, 100% FREE. The selection is actually quite wide-spread. Since Wednesday, I have downloaded something like 75 albums. (That is a completely accurate number.) There may have been tears of joy shed when I finally was able to download Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends.

I worked out plans for going home for Independence Day. I have a history of really crappy Fourth of Julys, but I think this year will be perfect.

3 weeks until graduation! I've been receiving emails with all the nitty gritty details. I'm so ready to be done.

I just watched the Girlfriends and Boyfriends episode of Freaks and Geeks. I'd seen the Nick/Lindsey basement scene lots of times before (you know which one), but to see it completely in context? Beyond belief good. I haven't fallen this hard for a show in a long time.

This easily qualifies for the Best. Meme. EVER. Be sure to check out the answers from srah, Jennie!, and Heather Anne.

You are in a mall when the zombies attack. You have:

1. One weapon.
2. One song blasting on the speakers.
3. One famous person to fight alongside you.

Weapon can be real or fictional; you may assume endless ammo if applicable. Person can be real or fictional.

1. A lightsaber, hot pink--Just like Princess Leia's. That's not in the movies, but it is in the books. coughShutup!cough

2. Killer Queen, Queen--Dynamite with a laser beam, baby.

3. Veronica Mars, hands down. Those zombies are TOAST.

Also, the title comes from the most amazing song about zombies. Jonathan Coulton is at least nine different levels of awesome.

So...anyone else make cheese this weekend? Just me, then? Okay.
I whipped up a batch of paneer, which in the past I'd always confused with the Panera Bread Cafe. I've heard good things about both and they're both food related, so it's understandable.
Coconut & Lime gave a recipe a couple weeks ago and I was intruiged. It didn't seem too hard. The ingredients are basically whole milk and lemon. Simple, right? It did require an adventure through the aisles of Albertson's, which I like to call The Epic Quest for Cheese Cloth.

Here are my thoughts:

1. Once milk heats up, it froths up very fast. There was some spillage onto the super hot burner and now we have this burn mark that we can't get off of our stove. Oops.
2. It's because of this that I don't think it got quite as hot as it needed to be. I still added the lemon juice anyhow and let it curdle, which is a pretty cool process to watch.
3. The draining took longer than I thought and was quite messy.
4. The yield was much less than I anticipated--that was a bummer. I only got about 1/2 to 3/4 of a cup, when the recipe said I'd get 1 1/2 to 2 cups.
5. The texture is similar to mascarpone and it tastes a bit like unsalted ricotta.
6. So far, I've tried it with rice and cinnamon and vanilla--that was tasty. Even better was Sunday dinner. We made sausage marinara sauce and mixed a bit of the paneer in with that. Yum. Next time I make it, I want to try Saag Paneer.


Fun fact: I bought the plate with three other vintage poster style dessert plates on Saturday at the dollar store of all places. Better yet, they were only sixty-six cents because the store's going out of business. They're enough to keep me satisfied and smiling until I can afford these.

P.S. I went this whole post without making a "That's so cheesy!" joke. You should be proud.

-I faithfully downloaded Firefox 3, but I'm reluctant to switch over, since Internet Explorer is the browser I know. Plus, I'll have to redo my enormous amount of bookmarks and folders. Is it really worth it? What add-ons do I need?

-Threadless must have changed the shirts they print on, because the medium I'm wearing right now is noticeably wider and longer than the other mediums I own. I also have a couple of the old smalls and those are a tad snug. So next time do I buy the new small size, in hopes that'll fit me better? Not knowing the exact sizes and outrageous shipping prices are the only downsides to online shopping.

-I really, really, really like T.S. Eliot's "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock."

-I'd like new music and a bigger iPod. Not necessarily in that order.

-I spent yesterday afternoon re-reading River Secrets. That was good for my soul.

-This helped me realize I need to remove myself my computer more often. (And yet...here I am.)

-Otter pops are at their best when they're still a mite slushy. Also, if you freeze otter pops vertically, then your scissors won't get sticky because there's a small amount of air at the top. That's probably the most useful thing I've ever said on this blog.

-I have to teach two classes next Monday (Behavioral Neurobiology and Intro to Psych), since the professor will be out. I'm flattered he asked me, but also deathly afraid of screwing up. Intro to Psych has 106 kids in the class. Eek!

-I'm pretty bummed out there's no new Harry Potter book coming out this summer. I mean, I know we get the HBP movie (Part Uno) (srah corrected me--it's DH that's in two parts) this fall, but I've always associated reading Harry Potter with the most sweltering parts of summer.

-I'm going to make paneer this weekend. Hopefully I'll remember to take pictures before eating it all.

-4 weeks until graduation!

-Some friends and I do a GRE Prep class every Thursday night. There's already a high level of nerdiness, given that it's strictly student-run and we make analogy jokes and stuff. Somehow, I have been branded as the geeky one. I'm not sure how I feel about this, but mostly proud.

-I've been debating about this post I wrote a while back. It's not really controversial, it's just a big step for me to actually put it out there. Maybe next week? We'll see.

-I've been playing around with new blog ideas. Wordpress vs. blogger? Do I dare to make the switch?