Now THAT'S a Crazy Lady

If you are a guy, you are lucky.

I know that this is very personal, but at the same time, it isn't because we are all adults and I think it is important to learn to laugh things off.  If you are a girl, you already know.  If you are a guy, be glad you aren't and listen to what I am saying.

I have not been on birth control pills for years because they give me migraines and make me snippy and emotional.  However, I recently decided to try the pill again.  Bad idea.  When I say bad idea, I mean that it was one of the worst ideas ever.  I am very in tune with my body and I know when something feels off.  I knew within the first couple of days that I felt different and that I didn't like it, but I thought I was just getting used to them.  YEAH, getting used to being a bitch!  Let me skip to the end and tell you that I didn't even finish two whole weeks of pills.  I quit taking them last Friday. In the last couple of weeks, I have gotten three or four migraines, I have cried uncontrollably, I have snapped at people for absolutely no reason, and I have wanted to choke someone out in Zumba for stepping on my foot.  I was at McDonald's ordering a Happy Meal for Carson and I was irritated that I had to tell her he wanted milk twice.  Can you imagine the nerve of someone asking you a simple question more than once?  HOW DARE THEY?  Ugh.  Thankfully I didn't say anything horrendous to her, but just feeling irritated about something like that was not cool and that was pretty much it for me and the pill.  It is not like me to feel irritated to that level....at all. 

A lot of girls feels irritated to some degree, naturally, even if she isn't on birth control, but I really don't experience that very often.  Luckily.  The only thing that happens to me when I am not on the pill is that I cry on one day each month and I never know why.  I always remember sometime in the afternoon, and I move on and ignore what it was I was crying about because it was just hormones, it wasn't real.  I never feel like screaming at someone because they asked me how many ketchup packets I want, when I already told them.

Hormones are powerful.  Let's put it this way......I have a friend who is always logical, always kind of "the man" in most situations.  If I am being illogical, she snaps me into reality with her practicality.  She is very logical most of the time.  But I still get calls from her that are pretty much just hormonal rages and rants.  She too is capable of hating her husband's face and wants to cry while eating chocolate and watching "Father of the Bride".

Hormones.  They're evil, I tell you!

What are hormones?

Noun A regulatory substance produced in an organism and transported in tissue fluids such as blood or sap to stimulate specific cells or... A synthetic substance with a similar effect. Yeah.  Whatever that means.  Here is my definition: Noun A natural disaster within a female's body.  On the inside, one feels out of control.  These inside occurrences show up on the outside through the "need" to eat chocolate, by calling herself fat, crying about things anything, and snapping at those who love her.  Secretly, one can feel a hormonal imbalance and knows she is wrong while she is crying and screaming, but it doesn't change the fact that she hates your face momentarily. Hormones can make the sweetest voice aggravating, and any words that come out of any mouth indeed "stupid".

My daughter is 11 and she has hormones rushing through her body right now.  She's been driving me nuts for the last year or so.  She's been very difficult and I keep explaining that hormones are no excuse to misbehave.  I will say this....Poor thing.  I am kind of happy that I experienced this for a couple of weeks because I had forgotten how it feels.  It's horrible.  It is as if an alien has taken over your body.  Maybe that's also what happened to Britney Spears......

No more pills for me.  And if I have snapped at you lately, I am truly sorry.  And this is where I casually insert this picture.....

The best apology ever

Top 10-My Art Picks

I have a pretty bland palate when it comes to art, at least I think I do.  I like art just because I like it.  There really isn't a lot to why I like something or I don't, but then again, maybe that's how you should be when it comes to art....open without prejudice.  However, I like the same genres and often find myself bored in the same kinds of galleries in museums, so I am not sure I am truly open.  I also tend to like the art that everyone else seems to like...I am boring, like I said.  Also, I still like what I liked when I was a little girl. 


I may be boring when it comes to art, but I still have a Top 10.  Here it goes.....

I love anything by Degas, but I would say that this is my favorite ballerina
picture because of the pink.  Dancers in Pink, Degas

This is my favorite series of Monet paintings because of the color.
I don't like the lily pads and hay stacks as much because they are
such a small scope.  He isn't detailed at all and lily pads are small and
detailed, so it doesn't make much sense to me to paint something small and focused.
I think I like when he paints something from afar because it makes
the most sense to me. 

I had this print hanging in my room when I was a little girl.
I think it's my favorite Renoir because I liked it back then.  I love Renoir, but
I can't really get away from this one because I am nostalgic about it.
The Dancer, Pierre-Auguste Renoir

I love Greek art.  Specifically though, I love the Hellenistic period.  I remember falling in love with it because it was the first time that the Greeks looked sad and showed emotion.  They were so powerful for such a long time and their art was so proud and strong, but when they started struggling, you could start to see it in their art.  I remember thinking that although it was sad, it was whimsical and it really left an impression on me.  I have posted some different examples below.  (By the way, I love the Greeks.  I love everything about them.  They truly are superior.  It is true that everyone who isn't Greek wishes they were.  At least I do. Ha ha.) 

Dying Gaul

Aphrodite of Milos

Laocoon and his sons

Anything by Toulouse-Lautrec.....I have coasters, posters, books....
It is quite obvious that I love Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec

This next one was the first exposure I had to "different" art.  I used to dig into two things as a child without my mom knowing....her VHS movies and her book collection.  There was one big book that I always pulled out, but I never told my mom that I looked at it.  Why?  The woman in this book was totally nude and I was a little girl.  I was absolutely mesmerized by this book.  It was called "Veruschka".  These artists painted this woman's body to blend in with nature and buildings.  I loved looking at it.  Yeah, it was creepy and it made me feel weird, but I was so curious at the same time.   Here is some of the book:

This is the cover. 

Imagine if that jumped out at you.

Crazy, right???

Imagine yourself as a child.  I mean, isn't this so interesting?

I really like Marc Chagall.  I love his window paintings, and I just like the color and dreamlike state of his paintings. He always puts goats in his paintings.  I don't know what that's all about, but it's funny to me.

Here is some detail.....

Always a goat and a violin....

Ok, so I am a little rusty; it has been a long time since I took Art History, BUT I remember loving the Madonna and Child paintings from the Baroque period.  Things changed after Constantine converted to Christianity and the flood of art depicting Jesus and his mother is actually quite overwhelming.  I love this though because for years, they weren't allowed to paint it.  I really don't go to Catholic service anymore. I find it ironic that the Catholic church builds these expensive cathedrals to worship Jesus, who was poor, but I am sorry....they are just beautiful.  These paintings from the Barogue period, especially the gilded ones, are very beautiful and I love them. 

Here is another gilded painting....I love it.  It's another famous one, of course.

The Kiss, Danae, Klimt

Last but not least, this is my favorite statue in Central Park.  So cool. 

Alice in Wonderland, Central Park, NYC

Safe Haven




Ok, so I saw Nicholas Sparks' new movie and I have to admit, it was good.....and I cried. 

I don't want to give anything away, so I am really hesitant to write about it, but I can say that it's worth seeing....well, if you are a girl, or a guy trying to make your girl happy.  The couple is so cute; you can't help but love the story.  I was also really surprised with how it ended....for once.

I was thinking about Nicholas Sparks and any author who has been successful using a certain formula, for instance, John Grisham.  I don't think that authors who find this kind of commercial success can make everyone happy.  Well, maybe no one can make everyone happy and this whole point is stupid.  But anyway, what I mean about these authors is that if they are successful, the editors want them to keep doing the same thing, they have that "if it isn't broken, don't fix it" mentality.  But if they don't switch it up, they bore some people, like me, and they have to hear "it's always the same thing!"  If they change it though, someone will be pissed off because it's different.  I feel sort of bad now for knocking his stuff.

On that note, I think that Sparks found a happy medium with this one.  It isn't the same old tired story, but it's still really sweet and romantic with a twist.

I wonder what it's like to be married to Nicholas Sparks.  I have often thought about that because it blows me away that he writes this stuff and he isn't gay.  When I watch certain scenes, I can't help but think to myself "how did a guy think of that?"  Really.  Sometimes I feel like the only people who really understand girls are other girls and gay men.  I wonder if it would be nice to be married to Nicholas Sparks, or if a guy like that would smother me and I would want to jab my eyes out because he was too romantic and mushy.  Side note....I have also thought about what it would be like to be married to Stephen King and I am pretty sure I would be terrified, sweating and sleeping with a knife under my pillow. 

I am posting the trailer, yet again, since I am really afraid to say anything about it. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mj6i_Z1Srsw

Quick Trip

I went to Kentucky yesterday to pick Lindsey up.  My aunt and uncle live outside of Lexington, so I met my mom and Greg there; they drove down from Milwaukee.  I don't even know if it makes any sense to anyone else; I realize that it's confusing.  Basically, we met in the middle.  Anyway, I took Carson with me and we got to hang out until I had to leave today.  I have the most adorable first cousins.  Juliette is 9, Jude is 7, I think, (and yes, we sing "Hey Jude" to him), and Josie just turned a year old last weekend.  My Aunt Krystal is the coolest.  I say this because she is awesome, but also, she is a year younger than me.  We sort of all laugh about it and get confused because my kids are older than my first cousins.  My uncle was married for a long time and had three kids, got divorced and remarried and had three more kids.  They're an awesome little family.

Jude is supposed to be in first grade, but he is so smart, they bumped him up to second grade.  Let me put it this way...I witnessed him pick up one of my uncle's college textbooks, I think it was an anatomy book or something, and he read it to me.  He's like Doogie Howser. 

I drove all day, went to Zumba, went to the grocery store, came home, took a shower, and now I am sitting here listening to a puppy movie that Carson is watching.  I have a full day tomorrow.....

Goodnight!

Street Art

One of my friends posted this on his Facebook and I have been meaning to share it. 

As I scrolled through the pictures, I couldn't help but smile.  I love the idea of artists finding a canvas anywhere.  Art makes people so happy, which is why I'm sad when I hear that programs are cut from schools.  These programs help children discover and refine their creativity, and it is so necessary for them to have access to. 


http://www.streetartutopia.com/


To my friend, thank you for posting it!

The Moments I Heard There Were Two

People have asked me many times how I felt when I heard I was having twins, and I have repeated the story over and over.  I haven't written about it though, so I am today. 

Carson was on his hands and knees yesterday and Dylan was using him as a stepstool to get up on something.  I remember Logan and Lindsey doing things like this...they helped each other get candy off the top of the fridge, helped each other out of their cribs, etc.  These are normal occurrences for me, especially since I have had a set of twins in my life since I was 2 years old, (my brother and sister).  I stop sometimes and think "WOW.  This is really and truly different than having one baby at a time."  Bedtime.  Let's see.  I don't even like talking about my evenings.  What I will say is that my friend, Katie, watched Logan and Lindsey when they were 2 when I went out of town for three days and she had to stuff a towel at the bottom of the door to block the light from coming through the crack because they kept getting up and would not go to sleep.  HA.  You get creative and do what works. 

The First Time I Found Out

I had just turned 20 and was in college when I found out I was pregnant.  I must have been in total denial because I was a month late before I even bought a pregnancy test.  When I found out, I couldn't speak, I was so shocked.  I still thought like a teenager (because I was one like a month before) and had the attitude that any girl OTHER THAN ME was the one who could get pregnant.  Who knew all you have to do is sneeze on me?  Anyway, I was about three months along and I went to visit my grandma.  My uncle, who is an OBGYN, was testing out an ultrasound machine.  He called me and said "Come on in tomorrow morning and we'll do an ultrasound."  I went in with my cousin and my aunt.  I was on the table and the guy selling my uncle the machine started moving the wand across my stomach.  I see something come up on the screen, although I have no idea what I am looking at.  The guy says "Excuse me."  He leaves.  I looked at my aunt and cousin and I started worrying that there was something wrong.  The guy came back in with my uncle.  They were saying a bunch of stuff that I didn't comprehend.  Then I heard "Oh yeah!  There they are!"  They pointed at the screen.  I said "THEY????"  My uncle said "Oh yeah!  You're having twins, Britt!"  Everyone in the room was excited and I was crying hysterically.  I couldn't talk, I just cried.  And the fact that everyone else was happy and cheering and I was crying made me cry even more because I felt guilty.  I felt like the worst mother ever, and they weren't even born yet.  It was overwhelming, and I understand now that that's all it was.  I mean, just imagine.  You're 20, you've never worked, you've never really lived on your own (for real), and you didn't think you could afford one baby.....now you're having two. 

My aunt and cousin took me to Subway and I finally calmed down.  We got back to my grandma's house and she said "How was the ultrasound?"  I said "It was ok."  My grandma said "Well at least it isn't twins!"  I immediately burst into tears again and ran to the guest room.  My cousin and aunt explained why I had an outburst, so my grandma came in and apologized.  She felt really bad.

I just needed a moment to grasp the situation.  I bucked up, got it together, and of course, fell in love with them before they were even born.  Anyone who had anything negative to say to me, (and trust me, there were people telling me I was stupid and that I couldn't do it) I told to bite me.  One lady told me I would fail out of school too when I went back.  Logan and Lindsey were a year old.  I worked full time and got a 4.0 the first semester.  I made sure that my mom told the lady I had made the Dean's List and that she knew one simple fact about me.....anyone who tells me I CAN'T do something does me a gigantic favor because I don't like to hear that I can't do something. 


The SECOND Time I Found Out

Ok, so about 7 years later, I got pregnant again.  I knew I was pregnant.  I mean, I knew THE DAY I got pregnant.  I said "I am going to get pregnant, like today.  Ooops.  Miscalculation."  About a week later, we all went to the beach and overnight, my boobs were huge and I was spitting up popsicle.  I looked at my mother-in-law and whispered "Do my boobs look huge?"  She shook her head yes and started giggling and told me I was probably pregnant.  I got home, took a test, and yep.  I was pregnant.  I wasn't even late yet.

A few weeks later I went to the doctor.  I asked her if she could give me an ultrasound.  She said "Well, you're only a few weeks along, so we won't be able to see anything."  I told her that I would really feel better if she at least tried, so she agreed.  The weird thing is that I didn't know why I wanted one.  I just wanted one.  I wasn't even thinking "twins" again.  

So she hooks me up and I look at the screen and IMMEDIATELY say "Is that what I think it is?"  I saw two circles, side by side.  She replied "Girl, can you NOT have ONE BABY?"  I said "Apparently not" and I began to cry.  Later, when she left the room and I was getting dressed, I heard her telling the nurses that I was having twins again.  I heard her say "Yeah, I think she's excited.  It's just a lot to grasp.  Again."  I heard her giggle. 

The first time I found out, I was young and scared of the unknown.  The second time, I knew how hard the pregnancy was and I knew how hard it was to raise two at a time.  I had also worked really hard for my degree and was excited to be working in my field.  I knew that my plans were going to change, yet again. 

I remember getting into the car and crying all the way down HWY 92.  I was thinking "How does this happen twice to one person?  What's wrong with my body?" 

I walked in, crying, and Don's parents thought something was wrong.  I showed them a picture and Libbie said "What's wrong?"  I said "There are two!  Again!"  She was completely relieved and excited and hugged me.  I said "I'm going to be huge, and you know how hard it is!  I have to have another c-section, they are hard!  TWINS ARE HARD!"  All of my thoughts and worries were running together and I wasn't making any sense, I am sure. 

I called Don and said that I had the ultrasound.  He said "What's wrong?"  I told him we were having twins....again.  He said "I think that's so cool!  I'm so happy!"

I never cried again.  I was excited from that moment forward.

My kids were the best things that ever happened to me.  I don't know why God built me to be a mom because I think I fail a lot, but I have been blessed beyond what I can comprehend.  I have had a lot of support from my family and Don and his family, and I am aware that this has helped me tremendously.  I probably would have had a nervous breakdown by now if it weren't for the people in my life. I am so grateful to God.  God gave me a lot of gifts, and I thank him every day that mine came in two's.  Twice.

Baby Rylan

I have posted Flashback Friday below, but I also wanted to make sure I posted the link to Robby and Britney's story on Fox News.  They're such a cute little family, so make sure you take a look. 

http://www.myfoxatlanta.com/story/21303161/surgery-allows-boy-to-hear-for-first-time

Flashback Friday-She's Having a Baby

Ahhh, I love Friday because I get to talk about old movies, songs and memories!  

Anything at all that John Hughes created is easily one of my favorites, if you didn't already know, and they all remind me of my childhood.  I was so sad when he died, and at such a young age. 

She's Having a Baby is a great movie.  The story goes like this:

The first scene is Alec Baldwin and Kevin Bacon sitting and talking in a car outside of a chapel.  Bacon is getting married, and Baldwin plays the evil best friend who is secretly in love with Bacon's girl.  He is so jealous of their relationship, he can't even see straight.  The two are talking about bailing on the wedding, but Bacon ultimately goes in and pulls it together.  The bride is calm and collected, and the very creative groom imagines the worst as he says his vows.  So the couple moves, buys a house, he rides the train to work every day to a job that he never saw himself taking....he starts to feel smothered and as if the world is caving in on him.  He feels trapped in Suburbia and wonders how he got where he did.  This whole time, his wife is patient, loving, and seems to know that her husband is not at the same comfortable spot in his life as she is.  She still loves him.  He starts to have fantasies about a girl he meets and even has the opportunity to cheat with her, but he doesn't.  Something holds him back, but he isn't sure what.  He finds out that he's going to be a dad, he flips out even more internally, but rolls with it externally. 

So basically, the story is this.....Bacon has no idea how much he is loved, and he takes everything he has for granted while fantasizing about another life.  He knows he loves his wife, but he doesn't even realize how much.

His wife starts having contractions and he takes her to the hospital.  She has complications.  They have to knock the wife out, kick the husband out of the room, and as he panics and screams, they send him to the waiting room.  The nurse comes to him later and says that the baby is breech, stuck in the birth canal, and that they have to operate.  He sits in the waiting room, crying and thinking about his wife, and all of a sudden, he seems to get it. 

This clip is kind of crappy because it cuts off the end, but just so you know, she lives and the baby is a healthy little boy.  The song is This Woman's Work, by Kate Bush.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TyeZy_UPYKM


Kevin Bacon's character says this at the end:

"And in the end, I realized that I took more than I gave, I was trusted more than I trusted, and I was loved more than I loved. And what I was looking for was not to be found but to be made."

This is a really good remake of the 80's tune...it's Maxwell. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JAR1ePMZ0vs

Have a great weekend!

Notes from "The Intuitionist"

First of all, IF you live in Atlanta, please watch Fox 5 News tonight at 10:00.  If you recall, about a year ago, I was in a race to help raise money for baby Rylan.  Britney and Robby are very good friends and wonderful parents with a beautiful baby, who was born with hearing impairment.  He had surgery a few weeks ago and tonight's segment is about him.  He's adorable.  Please watch.  If you miss it, it will also be online.  I will post the link at a later date. 

So on a stupid and less important note......

I was flipping through that book I said I loathe, The Intuitionist, and these are the notes that I took:

Page 37:

I hate this book so far.

Finally something interesting.

Is this an allegory for religion?  What's with the elevator crap?

Page 38:

Definitely about science and religion.

Page 39:

This is confusing.  It jumped.

Page 42:

Finally, a clue.  (Circled the name Adam)

Page 45

Stop speaking in fragments!!!!!!!

Page 47:

Again, suspense, that will NEVER GO ANYWHERE!

Page 50 and 51:

This book sucks, I am so bored!  Why am I reading this?  I am totally pushed out, I hate you, book!

Page 56:

Why doesn't he ever show anything happening?  He just talks.

Page 71:

In what kind of world would the mob gain from elevators?  I am confused because it's stupid. 

Page 81 and 82:

I am bored.  Why didn't he say this earlier?  I hate his prose.  I hate this book.


From page 83-255 I didn't say one more word, I just underlined things and drew question marks. 

So does anyone want to read it?  Ha ha.

Top 10 Worst Books on My Shelf

1. How to Avoid Work-I don't know where this came from, but I have an idea.  I had a box of books sent to me from storage or something and I am 100% sure that it belonged to an ex-boyfriend.  Had I known that this book existed, I wouldn't have wasted so much time with him.  I mean, really?  Someone wrote that?  It looks like it was published in 1942.   

2. A Writer's Reference-I always referred to this book for MLA and looking at it makes me feel somewhat nauseated.  I hate this book and I have two copies for some reason.

3. HTML, Introducing Concepts and Techniques-How about who gives a crap?  I hate HTML and I hated my lame website I had to build in college using it.  My website consisted of like 4 pages and 3 pictures and maybe a few sentences.  It took hours and hours.  I hate code.

4. The Intuitionist, by Colson Whitehead-I had to read this in a Contemporary Fiction class and I LOATHED this book.  My activities while reading it included everything but drinking heavily.  I bitched and moaned about it and it took me forever to get through.  I hate this book with such conviction that if I ever ran into Colson Whitehead, I would probably slap him across the face.  It's supposed to be a "racial allegory" but all I remember is the color grey, metal and elevators.  It's horrible.  I was even more upset to find that I was one of the only ones who disliked it. I showed up to class expecting some support, but no!  I usually liked everything we had to read and I had to hear some bitching, but then we are forced to read this hunk of crap and no one agreed?  Ugh.  I hate this book.  HATE it.

5. The Easy Way to Stop Smoking-This also is a stupid book that I somehow inherited.  I mean, if you're going to be serious enough to quit smoking, why are you going to take the time to read a 500 page book on how to do it?  Just quit. I should ship my ex's two books back to him along with a dollar and a pack of cigs. 

6. Wicked-I think it's great that this book became a Broadway sensation, because it was way too bizarre to actually read.  I appreciate the creativity, but I just could not get through it and I tried several times.  It was very strange, and I usually appreciate the whimsical. 

7. Every Jane Austen book on my shelf-I know that girls usually love Jane Austen and I am not saying that her books are "the worst" in the sense that you probably think I am saying it.  She's good, however, I have read almost everything she's ever written and it took me a while to realize that I am just not a fan.  I kept giving her a chance, and I just never fell in love with her.  I think that had I lived a couple hundred years ago, I would've appreciated her more because her stories were cutting edge back then, but they aren't today.  She lived in a cookie cutter time where ladies behaved and men did whatever they wanted, class was all that mattered and the main character was a mouthy and opinionated "outcast" in many ways.  A man comes along and falls in love with her for all of her "bad" qualities, the end.  I mean, that's great, but I get bored.  I appreciate and honor them, but I just don't read her anymore. 

8. The Nanny Diaries, Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus-I had just gotten through the worst semester of my life when I picked this up in line at Kroger.  I was taking 18 credit hours and two of my classes were English classes (for my minor).  In each of those classes, I had to read 9 novels.  I read 18 novels in four months and had  four other classes PLUS a lab.  I got A's in the English classes, but B's in the others, which was not great for me.  At the end of the semester, I had lost about 10 pounds, I was white as a ghost, and I was brain dead. I wanted something mindless to read, and that it was that indeed.  It was the worst book ever.  The movie was good, but the book was terribly boring. 

9. Chronicle of a Death Foretold, Gabriel Garcia Marquez-Nothing this man writes is terrible.  He is Colombian and brilliant and anything that he spews from his fingertips, editors eat up.  The only reason that he is on my list is because this book cackles at me.  Its existence taunts me as I walk by.  He is sitting there on my shelf, dusty, and mocking my attention span and lack of intelligence, or ability to get on his level.  Marquez wrote "Love in the Time of Cholera" and I am the only one in my family that has successfully gotten through it.....but it took about 17 attempts.  I'm not sure if it's his use of detail, or the fact that it's been translated, but I sometimes find myself lost asking "Wait, how did this happen?  I am lost, and I was paying attention."  All of a sudden, I realize that I don't know who or what he is talking about, and that never happens to me.  He laughs at me.  "Ha ha ha!  I have done it again....Brittany is a huge retard! Ha Ha Ha!"  Or should I say Ruhtard like The dude in The Hangover said?  I think it's more PC.

10. Dr. Zhivago, Boris Pasternak-This is a great book.  It just makes my list because in general, I have an issue with Russian literature.  I don't know Russia's history enough to fully understand the impact of the story.  Plus, as an American, I have always thought that Communists were bad, so it was strange reading a novel about Communists overthrowing the Tsar and being the good guys.  I had to Google a lot of Russian words and history and it took a long time for me to finish because I had to stop every once in a while and make sure that I understood the history.  I haven't finished anything by Tolstoy, which I feel is just a sin, but that's why.  I am aware of the commitment it takes to read anything Russian.  I wish I could take a Russian Literature class. 

On that note, I get a lot of hits on a daily basis from Russia....so if you are Russian and reading, I've got nothin'  but love for ya!  Maybe you could teach me something, since I have such a hard time. 

Have a great Wednesday, all! 

Is There a Spark Left in Sparks?

I commented on Brea's Facebook post about the new Nicholas Sparks movie, Safe Haven.  I said "I won't be seeing it; who died this time?"  She called me and said "Brittany, you HAVE to promise me you'll see this.  I know that they're all predictable, but this one is so good!"  I promised her I would go because she said that they cried.  I will go if I cry!  The truth is, I haven't cried during a Nicholas Sparks movie in like 10 years!  I stopped being interested in Nicholas Sparks after I read The Notebook, which really and truly is, a great love story.  My great-grandpa died exactly a month after my great-grandma died and there was nothing wrong with him.  He died of a broken heart.  That's true love, when you say "Nah, I'm done without my wife.  Peace out."  Wow. 

I have continued to watch the movies JUST to see WHICH person dies, and before I see it, I kind of laugh about it.  It's kind of a game to me to figure out who is going to die.  I have written a little summary for you, so if you ever want to see these, don't read this because I'm spoiling it for you.  I even say who dies. 

Message in a Bottle-This is about a cynical lady who finds a love note in a bottle on the beach, becomes a stalker and hunts the man down because she is curious and pathetic.  The widower (is this a word?)who wrote the note falls in love with her even though he has no idea that she just hunted him down like sex-on-a-stick.  One of my favorite Sarah McLachlan songs is in it, "I Love You".  I have conveniently placed the link to this glorious song below.  You're welcome.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YVkOnL1oFPU
Who Dies? The guy.  I didn't cry.

A Walk to Remember-Ok, I love this movie.  I was probably 21 when I saw it and no one had noticed a pattern in Sparks' books yet.  I remember that I leaned over to my mom and whispered "I'll bet she has leukemia or something and she's going to die just like in Love Story" and my mom said "NO!  You think?"  This is a great story.  Bad boy meets angelic girl, he changes for her, he marries her, he takes her viginity, she dies and he loves her forever.
Who Dies? I just said, the girl. I cried. 

The Notebook-Whoever doesn't like this movie is a heartless bastard.  It's the best.  Everyone wants what Allie and Noah have.  It's one of the best love stories of all time.  And I love that they fight and drive each other nuts and still make it work.  They're the cutest.
Who Dies? They both do at the same time, warm and old in their beds.  Like I said, the best.  I cry almost every time I watch this movie.

Nights in Rodanthe-I really remember being bored while watching this movie and all I could think about is how Richard Gere and Diane Lane were really good in Unfaithful together.
Who Dies? I am pretty sure that the guy dies in a hurricane or something. I didn't cry.

Dear John-Channing Tatum is in this, and it's the first time I really noticed him.  He was beautiful.  Nicholas Sparks decides to trick us here. 
Who Dies? The stupid husband that the girl marries while Channing Tatum is in Iraq. (Beotch.) I didn't cry. 

The Lucky One-This was the worst one yet.  Stupid, boring, and I think Zac Efron is so ugly. 
Who Dies? The girl's controlling ex-husband who tries to ruin her life throughout the movie.  NO one was crying when this guy died.

The Last Song-I don't remember this one much.  I think I watched it with Lindsey.
Who Dies? I think the dad died, but I can't remember.  You can tell I was all torn up about it.

Safe Haven-OK, Brea, if you are reading this, I will see it. 

Here is the trailer for all of you interested.  Ok, so it looks kinda good.  And the guy is really cute.  I will write tomorrow, minus the spoiler......

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejQEdUwv0ew

Your Heart and Your Head

I love this picture because it's so true. 

Logic is comfortable.  Logic grounds you.  Having reasons and explanations helps you sleep at night and it is what keeps you from making the same mistakes again.  Logic is passionless, it is emotionless, and it keeps you from acting crazy, because craziness is not logical. 

Your heart has no reasoning.  I would be willing to say that your heart has the ability to make you feel uncomfortable and this is because there is no logic behind why you feel the way you do.  You feel flighty and somewhat crazy when you love.  What's worse is that there is no telling the heart "Don't do that again" because it doesn't listen.  Emotions make us crazy because there is no sense in it. 

There is a reason that every girl on the face of the planet loves Mr. Big.  We should all hate Big, but we've probably all had one and we understood where Carrie was coming from.  Carrie never, ever listened to logic and she always listened to her heart.  That man made her crazy for years, and she allowed the pain and suffering because she simply couldn't help it.  And she was a smart girl!
Who knows why you grow attached to some and not others.  Why do you fall in love with people who are in all reality not good for you, or who sometimes don't want you back?  Who wants to love a person who doesn't seem to care?  Why do you do things when you are in love that you normally wouldn't do?  And how can you be sure not to make the same mistakes again, if you are never deciding who you love and you didn't really decide the first time?  It doesn't feel like much of a decision.  Why do people click or don't click?  Why is it that logical qualities in a person don't matter when it really gets down to it?  Why when you are done, you're done for good?  I have so many questions to ask God when I die.

I know one thing for sure, and that is that in the end, the heart trumps.  The brain almost never wins.  When you are in love, you can't get out and when you aren't in love anymore, there's no getting it back. It can't be explained logically, and forever, I have wondered why the two have to clash like they do. 

What happens when you have to make your brain take over and go against your heart?  Does that even work?  People say that love is a decision.  Really?  I have yet to see that.  We all know what happens to your heart when you ignore your brain....sometimes you get hurt.  But what happens if you ignore your heart and listen to your brain?

16 Hours

Lindsey has winter break next week and she wanted to stay with her Nonna in Milwaukee, so I drove to Indiana yesterday to drop her off.  I drove to Indiana, which is 7 hours away, AND I DROVE BACK.  I was in the car from 6:00 in the morning until 10:00 last night.  I had to stop a few times, so it took 16 hours to get there and back.  I feel it today.

I brought a friend, Ashleigh, just in case I needed help driving, but I was a trooper and drove the entire time.  Ok, it's really not because I am a trooper, I just think it's easier having something to do in the car, like drive.  I had a lot of coffee and listened to a lot of really great music. 

Here are a few pictures:


Ash and the strawberry



Collage that Ash made



We saw this on the side of the road in Indiana
and it was the only thing that stood out, so we
stopped for a picture.  How many times do you
get a chance to have a picture made with a gigantic
strawberry?  No one has one!

My Sirius radio wasn't working, so the technician tried sending a
signal to me and told me to pull over and restart the car.
 I pulled over at "Quality Inn" with a ghetto sign that was the
exact opposite of quality, and this statue was here. Lindsey liked it.

I mentioned that my Sirius radio wasn't working, so when I stopped at Walmart to get Lindsey a book, I picked up a CD.  On it was "Hold On" by Alabama Shakers.  I listened to the song a couple of times, but I hadn't realized that the song was saying "Someone from up above must be yellin' 'Come On Brittany'".  I was like "Did that just say Brittany?"  Sure enough, the lead singer is Brittany Howard and this song is about God telling her to hold on and be strong.  It's a good song. 

I have heard Petey Pablo sing about "Monique, Felicia, and Tara", Stevie Nicks sing about "Rhiannon" and Eric Clapton sing about "Layla" but I have never heard my name in a song, except Britney Spears saying "It's Britney, Bitch" and I just don't walk around saying that and getting all excited about it. 

Anyway, here is the link to the song and here are the words.  It's a really good song!  I am pretty sure that Alabama Shakes got a Grammy for Best New Artist, but I should check on that.  Rolling Stone named "Hold On" one of the best 50 songs of 2012.  I'll post a link to that as well. 

You Tube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPrza6iiCWU

Rolling Stone:
http://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/50-best-songs-of-2012-20121205/alabama-shakes-hold-on-19691231

Bless my heart,
Bless my soul,
Didn't think I'd make it to twenty-two years old.
There must be someone up above saying
Come on Brittany,
You got to come on up,
You got to hold on.
Yeah you got to hold on.

So, bless my heart and bless yours too,
I don't know where I'm gonna go,
Don't what what I'm gonna do.
Must be somebody up above saying come on Brittany,
You got to come on up!
You got to hold on.
Yeah you got to hold on.

Yeah, you got to wait,
Yeah, you got to wait,
But I don't wanna wait,
I don't wanna wait.

So, bless my heart,
Bless my mind,
I got so much to do,
I ain't got much time
So, must be someone up above
Saying come on girl,
You got to get back up.
You got to hold on.
Yeah you got to hold on.

Yeah, you got to wait,
I don't wanna wait.
Well I don't wanna wait,
No I don't wanna wait.

You got to hold on
You got to hold on
You've gotta hold on
You gotta hold on

Valentine's Day

I mentioned this last year, but I think that Valentine's Day is stupid.  It's always packed in the restaurants and it is the most forced holiday of the year.  Men are forced to get women flowers and chocolate because they have to and women only want flowers and chocolate because if they don't, they'll feel like they are with an unappreciative bastard. Let me emphasize.... I know that this isn't what all girls think, but it's my own personal feeling on the subject.  Don't get me wrong....even though I think flowers are kind of a waste of money, I like them because they're pretty and I like chocolates because I never buy them for myself.  I have always appreciated them.  However, take me out on a random Tuesday because you think I look pretty or simply because you missed me that day and want to spend time together.  I don't like Valentine's Day because it feels like you're only doing something because if you don't, it says that there is something wrong with your relationship.  I think that anniversaries are important, but even then, I don't like the forced feeling of having to do something. 

I think I just prefer the random acts of appreciation, love, and affection as opposed to a day on a calendar.  I really don't like thinking "Crap.  It's Valentine's day.  What am I going to do and how long do I have to sit outside of this restaurant before I feel like screaming at him because my blood sugar has plummeted and I want to gnaw my arm off" and knowing that he feels the same way. 

I am taking my two little sweeties to get a cupcake at my friend's cupcake shop today.  That will make me happy. 

To all of you who are good at Valentine's Day and really enjoy the date night, more power to you.  I didn't say that you have to agree with me. 

Lent

I am giving up sugar for Lent. 

I am a very healthy person typically, but I have a weakness for candy that ends up ripping my taste buds off.  I know it sounds terrible and masochistic, and it is.  I am a glutton when it comes to Sour Patch Kids.  They're delicious.  I can't resist them.

Have you ever seen a map of your tongue?  Very interesting.   If you don't know, now ya know.....

The Mating Dance

Carson and I watched some of BBC's Planet Earth today and I started laughing at the Birds of Paradise. 

It's amazing how close human behavior is to that of animals.  I think that humans do this to each other.  You're either the bird doing the scary dance, or the bird running for dear life. 

http://youtu.be/7dx2CUMtZ-0

CRAZY BIRD: "Love me!  Love me!  I know you want to love me!" 
OTHER BIRD: "Leave me alone!  You're scaring me!"

MIA

Well hello hello! I am sorry to have disappeared for a couple of weeks; it's probably been about 3, huh?

Honestly, I've had a lot going on. There are a lot of things that have had my attention and that I am trying to take care of.

You know that feeling when you get off those horrible tea cups at Disney World? You feel like the world around you is spinning, right? Even the ground, which usually feels solid, is of no comfort when you are that dizzy. That's how I feel right now. I am trying to latch onto something and stop the spinning. 

I will write more tomorrow, but I didn't want Matti T to get to his desk another Monday and have nothing to read. Hey, Matt! 

Have a good day! Ooooh! And did The Black Keys really get a Grammy for "Lonely Boy"? I hope so! Or did I dream that? I don't know. I'm not awake yet.

Have a great day!