Routine Change-Up: Day 20

Extreme Dork-Over: Stefanie Edition

Ok, I don’t really know why I am going to write about this today, I have to say I am a little bit embarassed about the extremeness of my dorkyness.  Nonetheless, there’s no reason to deny it so here goes.  It is officially confirmed that I am a freakin D-O-R-K!  I dorked out about three things today and I’m beginning to worry for my sanity…

Incident #1: I have been geekin out about Vampire Diaries ALL day.  I literally woke up and an image of the vampire Stephan (aka Pretty Boy) popped in my head.  I got SUPER excited and have been in a good mood all day.  I of course watched the episode tonight and was geekin out for the entire hour.  Pretty Boy is still pretty, and now there are all kinds of ghosts and hybrid vampire-werewolves running around.  I can totally catch you up if you haven’t been watching…  I am 25 years old.  This is a little sad…

Incident #2: I totally had a jam session dance party in my car on the way home from school.  I haven’t switched out the CD’s in my car in a couple of weeks and have been sort of stuck on listening the Black Keys a lot.  I decided I wasn’t in a Black Keys kind of mood so I scoped out the rest of the CD’s and I forgot  had my Hip-Hop/Rap mix CD.  I cranked it up and was JAMMING OUT to Sir-Mix-A-Lot, Montell Jordon, House of Pain, and Missy Elliot.  I know that other drivers saw me.  I know that I looked rediculous.  But I didnt’ care.  It was kinda fun.

Incident #3: This is what REALLY made me wonder if I’m in trouble.  During Vampire Diaries they showed a trailer for Breaking Dawn Part 1 that I haven’t seen before.  My parents were in the room and I totally shooshed them, watched the trailer, and did a little clappy dance when it was over because I realized that Breaking Dawn is coming out in a month.  I repeat: I shooshed my parents and did a dance for the Breaking Dawn trailer…That movie is going to be so bad! … So AWESOMELY BAD!  I’m definately going to see it, but I’m thinking I’ll have to go after it’s been out for a while or go on a weekday or something so I can avoid the 14-year-old girls for whom the movie is actually intended…Who am I??

So there you have it.  Today was a dorky day.  Vampires, 90s rap music, and more vampires.  I’m seriously beginning to wonder about myself…Happy Thusday!

Soundtrack of My Emotions

I took a class in undergrad called “Society and the Individual” and we covered something that has for some reason stuck with me.  One day in class we read a couple of articles about the idea of “emotion management.”  They basically said that some people use music to manage their moods.  People often listen to happy songs when they’re happy, sad songs when they’re sad.  On the flip side, if someone is really angry, they might listen to a happy song to get them out of that mood.  Or they’ll listen to a really hardcore rock song to get the anger out of their system so that they can continue on with their day.  So I recently realized that I totally do this, and the process of writing, rewriting, and editing my thesis, having frustrating meetings with my advisor, and getting stressed has made me do it double time.  Here is the playlist of my emotion management songs this semester.  Here are some of the songs and artists I listen to when I’m feeling certain things.

• Foo-Fighters: Stacked Actors–>When I’m pissed, angry, and need time to freak out.  I usually blast it with the volume way up and by the time the song’s over, I feel a lot better.
• Anything from the Pride and Prejudice Soundtrack –> When I’m trying to calm down and be productive. Or when I’m trying not to freak out.
• Anything by Rival Sons (My new favorite band) –> When I’m in a really good mood, finishing up for the day, looking forward to some non-productive time, like right now
• Anything by NSync –>When I’m in a funky funk and trying to make myself feel better
• Anything by the Black Keys (another one of my new faves) –> Usually in the car, on my way home after a long day
• A Fine Frenzy: Almost Lover –> When I’m feeling sentimental
• Neil Diamond: Sweet Caroline –> When I’m feeling a little silly and want a good giggle

So there you have it.  Doesn’t it sound fancy to say that you participate in the process of emotion management on a daily basis  Happy Friday!

Harriet the Hula-Hooping Hippo’s Colorado Adventure

It’s been a while, and I could probably talk about any number of things in this entry.  To shake things up, I have decided to tell you about my hippo.  I received an awesomely cheezy hula-hooping hippo clock during high school from a friend (kateohkatie).  It is freakin annoying to actually use for its intented purpose of waking you up, but it makes me giggle.  This stupid hippo clock has been sitting in my room collecting dust for literally YEARS and I finally decided that I either need to make use of it or get rid of it.  At the beginning of August I went on a mission trip to Colorado Springs with a group of young adults from my church.  I haven’t ever been to CO, so I thought it would be fun to take my hippo along and snap a few vacation pics.  We drove from KC to Colby, KS (the Oasis of the Plains), which took about 6 hrs, and then went the rest of the way to Colorado Springs.  Here’s Hippo on the road.

We stayed at a local United Methodist church in Colorado Springs.    

Not the best digs. We had to sleep on air mattresses in their fellowship hall, but it was free lodging so I can’t complain too much.

We spent a day working on a Habitat for Humanity house in Colorado Springs.

We also spent a morning at a Ronald McDonald house where families can stay when their kids have serious medical problems.

But don’t worry, we had some time for sight seeing too.  We made a trip to Pike’s Peak.  Saw the mountains and a random stuffed long horn sheep at the gift shop.

I made a point to bring Hippo with me most of the time, but she didn’t make it everywhere.  In addition to working with Habitat, we also spent a day at a Salvation Army homeless shelter doing yard work and clearing off their front porch area.  And then we went to a Rescue Mission and helped them sort clothing donations to put in their store that benefits families in need in Colorado Springs.  As far as fun stuff, not only did we go to Pikes Peak, we also went to the Olympic training center, the Air Force training academy, and Garden of the Gods.  It was seriously an awesome time.  Not only did I get to go to a new place, spend some time around the mountains, and do some good work, I also got to hang out with young adults from my church who I haven’t really spent a lot of time with before.  It was nice to hang out with new people around my age, which is something that I haven’t done a lot lately.

So there you have it.  Hippo and I had a great time in Colorado Springs.  This begs the question: Should my hula-hooping hippo make another trip?  If so, where?  Thoughts??

Random Ruminations

It’s friday, which means that I’m at school and I don’t want to be productive.  Here I sit, in the office, blogging instead of doing anything important.  I have been having some random thoughts and realizations over the last few days.  Naturally I thought I’d share them with you.

• I am getting too old for a twin sized bed, but I don’t know how to sleep when I have a lot of extra room. My parents are on a trip with out church choir to Scotland and Ireland.  While they are gone, of course my brother and I have to hold down the fort.  In order to not completely freak the dogs out, I am sleeping in my parents bedroom until they get back.  I normally sleep in a twin sized bed, my parents have a queen.  I have been thinking for a long time that it’d be nice to have a big girl bed with extra room to spread out, but if the last couple of nights are any indication, I don’t know what do with the extra space.  Last night I slept sideways in the bed.  The night before I twisted and turned around so much that it took me like 7 minutes to get out of bed because I was all sorts of tangled in the sheets.  I can’t afford a big girl bed anytime soon so it appears we’re at an impasse…
• I am considering a random photo project that involves my pink hippo alarm clock and random outings. I have this random little hippo alarm clock that makes me giggle.  When it goes off, the hippo hula hoops to music and counts.  It’s annoying as hell to actually use as an alarm clock, but freaking hillarious!  I never use it for it’s intended purposes, it’s just been sitting on my self for years now.  I think it would be funny to take this hippo clock around and take pictures with it, kind of like the roaming gnome thing.  Here’s a picture of the hippo on a road trip.  Here’s a picture of the hippo at a baseball game.  Here’s a picture of the hippo at the office.  Maybe I’ll make that my random project before school starts…
• I cannot be productive two days in a row. I have been plugging and chugging on my thesis for a while now, but my productivity comes in spurts.  I got a lot done on Tuesday.  Did shit on Wednesday.  I worked on a powerpoint for most of the day yesterday.  Today I don’t want to do anything.  It makes sense to me to have like two weeks of productive inclinations, get the stupid thing done, and move on.  But that’s not how it works for me.  So I guess I’ll just have to be productive when the motivation comes along and hope it all happens before December so I can graduate…
• I think I’m dehydrated. I know I’m going to sound like an 80-year-old woman, but this heat has really been messing with me.  I have been so hot and uncomfortable lately.  Yesterday I walked from my office to the new student union on campus (which i think is about 6 blocks-ish) and I thought I was going to DIE!  I was sweating, my muscles started to hurt.  Then I got home and was in a bad mood for a couple of hours.  Part of the problem is that I don’t think I’ve been drinking enough water.  So far this morning I’ve already finished off a whole bottle of water, I’m going to fill it up and try to get another one down the hatch before I head home.  We’ll see if I feel better this afternoon and whether or not my theory is correct.
• I am habitually nervous, antsy, overthinking, freaking out, stressed out about something.  If I were completely content, I don’t think I’d know what to do. Today I am feeling pretty normal.  I don’t think I like it.  I am a habitual worrier, hence the tagline on my blog: Trying to avoid crisis during my quarter life crisis.  I’m not always stressed out about important stuff either, I worry about stupid stuff too.  Yes I need to finish my thesis, no I don’t have a job lined up for after I finish my thesis, I have less than $100 in the bank until the end of the month, these are all big issues that I think a lot of people worry about.  I on the other hand also freak out about things like whether or not to take a shower.  The running dialogue in my head every evening is pretty predictable.  “should I take a shower now or in the morning?  I would probably sleep better if I showered now, but then I’d have to spend more time on my hair in the morning.  If I shower in the morning I would feel fresher for the day, and my hair would look better, but then I’d have to get up early so that I won’t be late to school…”  This usually goes on for like half an hour, and then I say fuck it and just take a shower.  Today is wierd though because I am not really stressin.  I have shit to do, but I’m not worried about it.  A friend and I had a funny realization.  He called and wanted to know if I could hang out.  I said yes, but I warned him that I was in kind of a wierd mood.  He said, “you know, I kind of expect that from you.  You’re always in a wierd mood, I don’t think I’d know what to do if you called me and told me you were actually feeling normal for a change.’  I laughed, but it’s totally true.  I am always freaking out about something.  Today though, I don’t think I am.  I am feeling kind of normal and that worries me.  I have begun to freak out about the fact that I’m not freaking out.  How lame is that?  Is there something wrong with me?  I didn’t think I was such a drama queen, but do I subconsciously look for reasons to be stressed out because on some sick level I kind of enjoy it?  What the hell?

Anyway, so there you have it.  Stream of consciousness according to Stefanie.  I’m feeling normal despite the fact that my sleep habits have been disrupted by a big bed.  I’m drinking water and and trying to think of random things to do with a hippo.  Any questions?  Happy Friday!

 

Movie Madness

Lately I have been watching a TON of movies.  It has become my new pre-bedtime routine.  I shower, get ready for bed, watch the weather, and plug in a movie around 10:30.  Not only have I been watching the oldies but goodies that I have at home, but I have been scoping out netfilx and have seen some really good ones (and some hokey ones, and some kind of wierd ones).  I kind of like it.  I feel smarter or something because I have seen all of these new movies.  In the last two weeks, I have watched (in no particular order):

• Transformers: Dark of the Moon (in theaters)
• Chaos Theory (Super good movie with Ryan Reynolds. It’s good because Ryan Reynolds was not super annoying)
• According to Greta
• Twilight
• Horsemen (this one is the wierd one.  It’s not for the queezy)
• Jarhead
• Star Trek (2009)
• When in Rome
• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (it was on TV this weekend)
• Remember Me
• Independence Day

Why am I all of a sudden so interested in watching movies?  It’s a nice way to unwind and relax before bed, but seriously, I haven’t been this obsessed with watching movies ever, and now all of a sudden I am watching a different movie every night… What the hell is that about?  Maybe it’s kind of a treat since I am making some headway on my thesis.  I don’t feel guilty about staying up til 12:30 or 1:00 because I know that I am actually accomplishing stuff during the day.  Or maybe it’s all related to my theory that I am trying to use movies and pop culture things to get out of my own head and stop stressing out about all of the crap that has me stressed out.  I don’t know.  I’m not going to question it though.  For now, I’ll continue using netflix until I come up with a good reason not to.  Have I gone mad or is this just another one of my phases?  Only time will tell…

Random List of Things

I’m feeling much better after my freak out last weekend.  Still have a lot to work on (both academically and personally), but this bitch is totally doable, so I might as well start doing her.  Or something…ew.  Moving on!  I’m in kind of a random mood on a Friday afternoon, so I thought I’d make another random list of things, or list of random thing if you prefer.

10 Random-ass albums on my ipod (in no particular order)

1. Tom Jones: Best of Tom Jones
2. Niel Diamond: Hot August Night 2
3. 80′s Funk Classics (compelation)
4. Eric Hurst: Ben Franklin Must be Proud
5. Eagle Eye Cherry: Desireless
6. London Starlight Orchestra: Back to the Future (a compelation of SciFi theme songs including Back to the Future, Close Encounters of the 3rd Kind, Star Wars, Star Trek, Battlestar Gallactica, E.T. and more.  It was a random find at Hastings and it makes me smile).
7. Bette Midler: Bette Midler Sings the Rosemary Clooney Songbook 
8. Shawn Colvin: A few Small Repairs
9. Stan Kenton: Live at the 1951 Hollywood Palladium
10. Mitch Hedberg: Do you Believe in Gosh (comedy album)

10 random-ass songs on my ipod that make me giggle a little (in no particular order)

1. The Jitterbug (as performed by Harry Connick Jr. on his album Songs I Heard)
2. Kitty (Prestidents of theUnited States of America)
3. The Houseplant Song (Audio Adrenaline)
4. Never is Enough (Barenaked Ladies)
5. Breakfast (Newsboys)
6. Spiderman (as performed by Michael Buble)
7. Mamma Said Knock You Out (LL Cool J)
8. Grillz (Nelly) 
9. Da’ Butt (E.U.)
10. What’s Up? (4 Non Blondes)

10 random-ass singles that I paid money to put on my ipod (in no particular order)

1. Back Here (BBMak)
2. Gotta Tell You (Samantha Mumba)
3. Candy (Mandy Moore)
4. U can’t Touch This (MC Hammer)
5. I’m Every Woman (Whitney Houston)
6. This is How Do it (Montel Jordan)
7. Gonna Make you Sweat (everybody dance now)  (C+C Music Factory)
8. You Give me Something (James Morrison)
9. Jump Around (House of Pain)
10. Whatta Man (Salt-n-Peppa and En Vogue)

So there you have it.  My random taste in music continues.  I am still working on accumulating Vh1′s 100 greatest of the 90′s.  I’m up to like 60/100 of the songs, I think I’m doing pretty well.  haha.  Happy Friday!

 

 

Vampire Puppy!? WTF!?

Ok, I’m going off the deep end again and having wierd dreams… I wrote a couple of months ago about my crazy slasher dream, and last night I had an even wierder dream, if that’s even possible.  In my dream one of my friends and I decided to go to a supposedly haunted house to see if we would have any paranormal experiences or something.  We were walking through the house and I was all about it.  I wanted to go to every room, I wanted to walk down every hallway.  My friend on the other hand was kind of freaking out about it and didn’t want to go anywhere.  This is a little off from reality because generally I am the one who gets nervous or starts freaking out about stuff.  I’m kind of a wuss.  Here’s where it gets…strange…  My friend had the ability to walk through walls like Ellen Page in X-men 3.  At one point he was half in the hallway and half in the wall and didn’t want to move because he heard a noise or something.  He kind of turned transparent and his leg was sticking out and the rest of him was inside the wall.  Wierd!  Then there was this long, dark  hallway with no windows and no doors except to a bathroom at the very end of the hall.  I opened the bathroom door and there sat what I can only describe as a vampire puppy.  It was a little dog-looking thing that kind of reminded me of Lord Nibbler from the Comedy Central cartoon Futurama.  Little tiny black dog looking animal with big eyes and big white fangs.  This vampire puppy, and I don’t know how I know this, lived in the bathroom and liked to attack people as they were getting in and out of the shower.  Freakin WIERD, right??  What the hell does this one mean?

Random List of Things

I feel like I should make a post, but I’m not exactly sure what to post so I thought I’d do another random list of things. Or List of random things if you prefer.

Random rules I abide by in my everyday life (in no particular order)

• I never start the car before everyone is in and seated
•  My closet door has to be closed before I go to bed
• I Always ALWAYS brush and floss before bed
• I use a knife for peanut butter and a spoon for jam/jelly. Seriously, it just works better.
• Certain foods should not touch. I’ll go back through the buffet 17 times to get everything I want before I let my food touch.
• I eat my sandwich from the outside in. Start with the crusts and eat the middle last.
• I don’t use the AC in my car because I’m convinced it makes my engine work too hard. I have a sunroof to compensate.
• I never turn down a hug
• I never turn down desert
• I never use salt when baking. Most cookie recipes call for a tsp of salt and I can always taste it when I put it in
• I don’t resist the urge to fidget. I might look wierd kicking my feet all around or boppin my head, but when I resist the fidget, I go uber crazy later.
• I smile often and at everybody. I have this wierd need to acknowledge everybody I see. Even when I’m driving.  It’s wierd.

Random enough for you?  Happy Tuesday!…  Man I’m strange!

Life is a Bitch, but She’s Totally Doable

Ok this is a little bit random, but it’s been in my head so I thought I’d write about it.  As most of you should know by now, I have been in MAJOR crisis mode.  I am trying to figure out what I want to do with my life and have been having lots of trouble staying motivated.  I recently had a thesis topic epiphany (which means I now have a direction, which means that I am one step closer to finishing my degree and getting the hell out of here).  Anyway, lately I have been obsessed with the band Foxy Shazam.  They earn major brownie points for name alone.  I’ve had their CD for a couple of weeks and have just started to really pay attention to the lyrics.  They have a song called Bye Bye Symphony that has one of the best one-liners I’ve ever heard:

Life is a bitch, but she’s totally doable.

Love it!  That’s totally where I’m at right now.  This thesis has almost been the death of me several times, I have been (and still am) far behind.  I need to bust my ass to get it done by December and the lack of motivation I have had is almost crippling.  Life is a bitch.  But after my meeting with my advisor yesterday, I’m feeling a lot better.  Because I know what I’m doing, I have a clear direction, I’m gaining confidence that I can get it done.  This is very exciting! 

So there you have it.  This quarter life crisis has SUCKED, but I know I’ll get through it somehow.  This bitch is totally doable

Random Lists of Things

Here is a random list of things that make me smile (in no particular order):

• Billy Ray Cyrus and John Tesh.  Can’t explain this one, but all you have to do is say their names and I giggle a little. Same goes for Tom Jones and Neil Diamond. They’re just funny dudes.
• Any NSync song
• fresh sheets on the bed
• Random 90′s songs that you forgot were songs but when you hear them for the first time in ten years you still know all the words
• having snippy conversations with people.  Fake fights that aren’t really fights but that can get a rise out of the other person (I’m thinking of my sophomore roommate on this one. We “fought” about everything).
• Vampires and other silly obsessions with things that are targeted toward 14-yr-old girls (uh, duh, I”m thinking about Twilight and about Vampire Diaries here. I may be 24, but I’m totally geekin out over vampires lately and I think it’s funny that I think it’s so funny)

 

Here is a list of random things that creep me out/wierd me out/give me the willies and other things that I don’t like (in no particular order)

• whispering
• wet peanut butter
• being shut into a room when I am not the one shutting the door, and really the idea of getting locked into a room in general. I’m super paranoid about locking doors.
• children with pronounced accents (English or twangy southern accents mostly)
• anything to do with choking or suffication
• starting a car before all of the passengers are in

 

List of random personal observations I’ve made about myself

• I will never willingly wear brown and green together because I am self concious that I will look like a tree
• The first thing I notice when I meet someone is their mouth and what they do with their lips when they speak
• I am paranoid about oral hygene, and no matter how tired I am or h0w late I go to bed, I will always, always brush my teeth before I go to sleep
• As previously mentioned, choking freaks me out, so I am very careful to chew my food thoroughly which means that I am always the last one to finish eating when I’m out with people
• I am OBSESSED with apple scented candles. I seriously have a problem
• I consume WAY more sugar and caffine on a daily basis than any normal human being should be legally permitted to.

That was fun. Was that random enough for you?