So I Want to Marry a Musician

Observation #23: Everyone needs to know the Kooks in order to live a complete life.

kooks [kooks]
noun Slang .

1. a beautiful English indie rock band formed in Brighten, East Sussex, in 2001. They were created by the quirky and adorable lead singer, Luke Pritchard.

2. an eccentric, strange, or foolish person.

So I was privileged to see these great characters in concert about a month ago, and oh was it great! I have no words for the joy I experienced as I looked up at Luke's bobbing curls singing to me. The greatest thing about this concert is that not many people know of the Kooks (or just love them like I do) so the concert wasn't too crowded. It was almost like Luke and I were the only 2 in the room...

If any of you haven't guessed I am totally turned on have a soft spot for musicians. 

Anyways, if you do not know the Kooks, know them now.

I Have Found the Cure

Observation #22: Charlie Chaplin is the solution against white hair

When I tell people I am in the Interior design program, I am instantly pictured picking out fabric samples and paint swatches all day. Please get this picture out of your mind right now for it is both degrading to the ID program and false. I am constantly doing project, after drafting plans, after project. Lately, these projects have made me a little testy as my roommates will attest.
The bright spot in all of this is that after all the yoga and noodle crafts, I have finally found my perfect therapy; Charlie Chaplin.

How brilliant he is.

This post is not done.
watch this and then you can move on with your lives:

Fooled ya.

You can't move on now can you?

Conference uplifts in more ways than spiritually

Observation #21: My life is better than yours

Guys, or girls probably, I met my soul mate.

Oh and remember how I said I would include Europe in my next post? Well I don't feel like writing out every detail since I've already done that in my journal and put up every picture on The Book. Instead I want to explain why Europe is better than America.
In summary: the people, the economy, the environment, the style, and the people.
I loved the people. Complete strangers were content to sit and talk to us for hours without a care in the world. Why are Americans in such a hurry to get about their mundane lives? We need to take some tips from the Europeans and stop to enjoy our tea. Or milkshakes in our case maybe. We don't have to change EVERYTHING about America...

On to my soul mate.
If you do not know me you may think I am a creep by this story. But if you do know me then you KNOW I am a creep and will be expecting a creepy story. This is a warning for those of you who don't know me: I'm kinda a creep
Anyways, Matthew; He is the guitarist slash backup singer of this band:

You need to go FB stalk this band because they are amazing and Matt is adorable.
I met him sitting in the stand-by line for conference. We talked for 2 hours, and oh were they educational. Before those 2 hours I never knew that every quality I wanted in a man could be in one person.
  And now we are dating
I just wanted to write that because it felt good. But it is a lie. He lives in Vancouver, Canada. But his band is doing a concert in April.
Stay tooned till then...

Why do we need to hear those words, "I'm proud of you?"

Observation #20: The human race can't be satisfied without the permission of the world.

I have this issue of not being satisfied with who I am. I think everyone has that problem in some way or another but we each struggle with it in a different way. I have a problem comparing myself with others. If it seems like they are doing it a little better then me, I try their way. But the thing is, it never works out for me and I return to my way.
That is my over-personal, round-about way of explaining why I haven't blogged recently. I just haven't enjoyed it recently like I used to. And I don't enjoy it because I haven't been doing it the way I want. I started this blog because of my love of the art of expression through writing. But I looked at other peoples' blogs who had several more followers than me and thought that if I added pictures instead of my rambling and over-personal bits here and there, then maybe I would have more followers.
Why do I need followers?
Why do we all need followers?
Can we be satisfied without the approval of the world?

The end of rambles,
-Stoker

P.S. Europe will have a part of the blog soon

My Life is a Goofy Movie

Observation #19: I have lived a sheltered life


visited 14 states (28%)
Create your own visited map of The United States


Yes. This happened.
And the whole way through, this song was stuck in my head knowing we would be arriving in LA.
And let me tell ya, each state is a whole different world. I have always thought that everyone needs to travel out of the country to have an open mind and appreciation of others, but one could merely travel this country to be aware.
Here are a few examples of what we came upon:

 
The buildings of Chicago

 
 Wisconsin Cheese

Iowa's very own and very proud Corn Palace

South Dakota's prairie dog parks

Big Heads!

And the best rhubarb pie in the whole country! Trust me, I would know

Steven Dunn is so funn, he'll be my hunn. We won't need a gunn, because I'll wear a bunn, but I won't be a nunn. Yes I am dunn

Observation #18: We are so afraid of rejection that we are willing to succumb to lies as an alternative

Whispers collect there, the bad news
from our subconscious,
tears that have dripped down
the inside of faces,
apologies that have gotten lost
in all of our throats.

So much has been held in,
so much has seeped through
the soles of our shoes,
that half our lives are beneath the sidewalk
We sense the deep riot
that is always going on.

In spring there are small explosions.
Signs. This is why
the sidewalk must be repaved.
We hire someone to do it for us,
our tight bodies watching from the windows

-Steven Dunn

I hate it when English teachers would give you a poem just to tell you what it "really means" after you made, what you thought, a deep connection to it. So I will not shatter your dreams like the 9th grade pieces of my own, but you can make your own connection to this poem. And please do because it is my new favorite. And like my afternoon snack of nutella and pretzels, I have a hard time sharing my favorites (sorry roommate). So take advantage of it dang it!

Get me a time machine quick!

Observation # 17: Vintage always wins

This has been my motto for a long time when it comes to fashion, but I have realized that it applies to every aspect of life.
Today's views are so wrong. If Lady Gaga came out in our parents age she would be shunned, no chased down with pitch forks for being of the devil! Or maybe that's just what I want to do... Anyways, I was thinking about this the other day while I was watching my favorite movie from the 50s:

Some Like it Hot

If you haven't seen it, watch it. Now.

Okay now that we are all on the same page, I have a question maybe you could answer for me:

What were they doing to make their society so much better than ours?

Really. 

The humor. The class. The style. The morals.

They had it right.

I've recently realized that this idea of beauty being a size 2 is a modern idea. Take my girl Marilyn:

I mean look at that Bod!

She was the sexiest thing during her day. And guess what

 She's actually got some meat! How refreshing!

Why can't it be 1959...

The Best 19th Birthday I'll Ever Have!

Observation #16: I don't need my mom to have a successful birthday! Mazeltov to me!

So I'm turning 19. Now what? Well I'll tell you! This is what you do:

You hang on BYUI-center basketball hoops (Believe it or not I have a picture like it but my belly showage made it inappropriate)(I guess 19 is the year you gain the hops that black people have always had)

The next thing you do is fly a kite (preferably in Idaho since it provides the best kite-flying potential)

Then you find a carousel in a random park and beg Angela Graves to to pay for you to ride the pony

You then make your roommates dress up all hott so we can take pictures at Walmart like we are Asians or something (when really only a third of us are)

Lastly (((yes I am doing parentheses again(I'm 19 get over it))This one is crucial so take notes) you need to get in your footy pajamas and put 4 candles on a half eaten cake so you can blow them out RIGHT before 12:00 of the A.M.

P.S. No you are not crazy (well I don't actually know the kind of people my blog attracts so maybe you are, but I may be able to save you some money on a psychologist if you keep reading beyond these ridiculously long parentheses) that IS Angela Graves in the top picture. Unfortunately she didn't move to Rexburg, but she did visit me for a day, and made my 19th Birthday the BEST 19th Birthday I'll ever have!

I Understand

Observation #15: I have been so miss informed before I came to Rexburg.

This is everything I've learned up here at BYUI-do summed up with one brilliant YouTube video

Bow Down

Observation #14: I am Queen Procrastinator!

So I have attempted to create a post several times but my creative juices have been sucked dry by this Rexburg wasteland. But it warmed up to 60 today so my creative spirit has thawed a little. I have a long overdo room explanation. When I got my foot surgery and got super bored I got a little creative and I told you guys I would share some of that with ya. Typically, I got distracted so here it is now:

So the couch has been lonely in our basement since I could remember how much it clashed, so I took it to my room where it has made friends with my vintage suitcase ($25 from Decades) and old pillow.

Above it: I just found rope and hung some of my art work and other randoms from around the room on it with clothes pins.

This old trunk was the perfect find (Goodwill $15) for my much needed record player stand

I got this lamp on the same Goodwill trip ($10) but I still haven't found the right shade

Also if you can see, I mod podged news paper all over my night stand and bookshelf (not pictured here) and I am quite pleased

I made these from this tutorial and hung them from that same rope

P.S. The rumors are true. 

no not those rumors...

I mean I AM back at BYUI and loving it! Don't let this long-overdo post make you think I don't have a life. I always just get more done when I have more things to procrastinate. Its a very off-balance cycle, my life.

My Attempt at Popularity

Observation # 13: Everyone is doing the toons thing. I wanna be cool too.

This is Jens Lekman. Nothing gets better than him. He is cheesy, Swedish, and romantic. Get to know him.
If you can't appreciate him, I understand. I think I just love him because of my GrizzlyBear and Belle&Sebastian phase. He is a mix of both with some cheese on top. If you don't know who they are...
P.S. The top video just stops, so don't be alarmed when your bustin out your groove and the halt throws it off

Check it:

My Mind Would Like to Say "Ello!"

Observation #12: The voice in my head is a British accent

The other day at work was super busy so I was constantly working and didn't talk at all. Many of you may not know (or many of you may know which would be more embarrassing) that I am constantly talking, singing, making lists or stories in my head to keep myself entertained. Well, after my silent day, when I got home and started to speak, it came out in a British accent! In a very poor British accent I may add. Ever since then I have paid attention to the voice in my head since really it has always been this abstract thing that I never really paid tribute to. That is how I discovered that it is a very elegant British accent that is rather higher and smoother than my actual voice. I haven't decided if I am harboring an unconscious desire to be a sophisticated British woman or if my spirit really is British and I was just born into the wrong country. Food for thought. Or in my case, tea and biscuits for thought.

Cheerio!

Practically Mrs. Grenier

Observation #11: My virtual wedding is better than yours

2 posts in 3 days... I need a life.

Work has been especially boring this last week since everyone up here in the glorious world of office land has caught Spring Break Fever, resulting in laziness, resulting in not having anything for me to do. So all day I scour (I know I have had my FB on pirate language way too long when I start throwing words like scour and matey in a normal conversation) the internet for hot boys and crafty blogs. I have found that blog stalking is very addictive. In fact, yesterday I got so consumed in this blog that I completely forgot about the 5 things I was supposed to scan. Good thing my Dads the boss...

Anyways, I have realized that most crafty blogs are about weddings so my previous nonchalant attitude toward my one-day-wedding has completely changed. I now have every last detail decided:

Husband: Adrian Grenier

Ring

Cake

A picture like this

Dress

Flowers

 

<><>

<>Invitation

<>

A reception with this

Ok I have now completely lost momentum. Over and out

I Have Red Lips. Hear Them ROAR

Observation #10: Monogrammed underwear is the best! Except when it has the wrong name on it...

I hope you didn't get too excited about my observation since I don't really have a good story about wearing someone else's underwear. Although that does sound like something pathetic enough to have a scene in my life. I am only referring to my blog's name change. I have decided to make some changes because I feel like mine is especially borrring. Yes, it is so borrring it deserves 3 r's. But everyone seems to comment on the fact that I always wear red lipstick even though I didn't think it was that uncommon. In fact, little brother made it known to me the other day that someone asked him if his sister was the girl that wore the red lipstick. I'm not sure if I should be flattered that the oh-so-important Mountain View population noticed me, or insulted that no one actually knew my name... I still haven't decided. But my contemplation on the matter did result in an idea to take on the "redlips" thing as a cutsie identity. So that is the reason for my name change!

!!!If anyone (and I'm guessing all of you do since all of your blogs are so classy) know how to personalize the fonts/heading/colors please let me know since the whole blue/gold and times new roman thing is really cramping my style!!!

Save Money, Die awkwardly, Walmart.

Observation #9: My awkwarditis is still raging

This picture of Brad and I is one of my normal moments

For those of you who know me or have read previous posts you know about my High School awkwardness. Well I can't say "High School awkwardness" since I am still awkward, but there is something about the same insecure people seeing me in my insecurity that just really compliments my already awkwardness. Well, body and soul were reunited again as this HS awkwardness came back with seeing my HS crush.

I have actually crushed on boy since he moved into my ward in 5th grade, but not until sophomore year did I realize how truly perfect we would be together. Unfortunately, boy didn't have this same revelation... That was the start of our unbalanced relationship.

I haven't seen boy since I left for BYUI and I had completely forgotten him and our should-be-relationship until I ran into him at Walmart. Now if this were a Nicholas Sparks book we would realize what we had been missing all these years, run away together, and then I would be diagnosed with some incurrable disease. But since I wasn't aware that my Nicholas Sparks moment would be that day, I decided not to get ready before I left for my Walmart adventure. As I walked into Walmart I saw boy walking my way and I wished that my hair would blow back in slow motion and we'd make sexy eye-contact. Now although the wind was definitley blowing, my hair was too greasy to move and I made sure we didn't make eye contact but he obviously didn't notice my "piss off" expression because he walked right up to me and started talking about his mission coming up or something like that... it was all drowned out by the sound of my self esteem flushing down the toilet. After a few minutes of this, mom finally shows up and we go our separate ways. As soon as we got our cart and walked the other way, I turned to my mom and told her how mad I was that she allowed me to look like that in public. But her supermom sensitivity just said "you didn't want him to see you like that." We then discussed how I have crushed on him since forever and now he'll be going on a mission and remembering me like that. I then felt someone looking at me so I glanced behind and saw boy 7 feet away. I guess he wasn't leaving. He now has a red-faced, greasy-haired image of me in his mind to remind him why he never dated me while he serves his two years in California.

Walmart has finally failed me.

No I did not forget to post my thrift finds but I am at work so that post will be for another time

The Tales of a Gimp

Observation #8: 2 feet are better than 1

I HAVE THE MAJOR BONES FOR CEDRIC DIGGERY!
So I never know how to start a blog post. I always start with "so..." or "the other day" or something rubbish and completely unattention-getting. My High School English teachers would be so disappointed. That is why I started with the first interesting and attention-getting statement that popped into my mind and put it in caps. Its how I got through all those High School essays.
Anyways, to my observation. Thursday I got foot surgery. Many have asked why and I have given them answers like "my foot is just messed up" or "I just really needed it" and hoped that that would be good enough. I was embarrassed by the real reason, but since I feel like I am so close to the few of you who care about the happenings in my life, I will tell you a secret... I have  bunions. No they are not a bread-like substance or a coil of hair at the back of your head. They are bones on this inside of your feet that stick out and make your toes grow the wrong way. You have probably seen them on your grandma. I have had them since the beginning of time and I used to think my feet were just prettier than everyone else's, like they had curves or something. But then the influence of the world got to me and I realized that my feet were messed up and then I realized that they are why I cannot wear heals for more than 5 minutes without wanting to murder someone. Anyways, my left foot is bunion free but my life is social-less since I cannot move. You all probably know that I am not usually Ms. Social Butterfly, but recently I have actually met people in Mesa who aren't Mesa People! (they include boys). Yes, there are boys in Mesa who actually want to hang out with me and don't think I am completely weird! So to fill up my time that was usually spent playing just dance, attempting football or the other random stuff we have been doing lately, I have picked up YouTubing and room-crafting. This is my all time favorite YouTube video that I have watched 20+ times since Thursday:

I have also discovered that chalk looks really cool on my walls and isn't permanent so I won't have a spaz attack when I don't like it in a week. 

This is just in my bedroom and bathroom but it could be cool if you got really creative with it.

Tune in next week to discover my odd findings at Goodwill and my basement and how I've used them to decorate my room.

Observation #7: Its a New Year!

As you can see, college has made me more observant. The year is actually 14 days and 13 hours old. By now everyone is sick of blog posts about their goals for the year and the inspiring year they had.Well, for the 3 people who read my blog, I will just lay out my goals real clear so you can move on with your important lives. I'll even center them and make them bold print so the people who just glance at my blog but don't really care to read this big paragraph will be amazed that I am actually planning ahead. Although I can't really count this as a great step towards being a planner since it is tradition. Its like me feeling generous for giving someone a present at Christmas. I really am just making my odds of people reading this worse the more I explain since I am merely making this paragragh longer and more intimidating. So I'll just get to it. Here they are. My wonderful 2011 goals. In all their glory:

1. Become a Planner

2. Become a more consistent blogger

(and less consistent blog-stalker)

3. Decide upon a major and stick with it

4. No Facebook for 3 months

5. Actually do my job instead of blogging

6. Work on my art

(the long stretches of borringness that

my job offers has provided me time for this)

Just See:

I have been practicing my valentines.

Yes I did use work recourses to scan this in while I was supposed to be scanning bank statements, that is why it looks so unproportional, or I'm just technologically retarded. Moral of the story is that this break from school has made me into a slacker and I am going to buckle down these next three months and kick my butt into shape. Yes kicking my own butt! Watch it happen live on this blog only!