Unapology

But before I get to that, I do apologize for not updating since the Olympics.

Remember those "Thoughtful Thursdays" posts I did awhile back? Well, even though it's technically Friday, I'm back-dating this so it says "Thursday."

I was talking with some friends this evening. And sometime after eating homemade bread and homemade cheese, but before my really embarrassing "tired laugh," (some of you know the one) we had an interesting discussion about how easy it is to judge others and how awful it feels to be judged.

And while I'm often entirely guilty of this, I'm sad that we sometimes feel like we have to conform to others' views of what we should say, wear, enjoy, love, listen to, read, eat, and so forth. But, I also feel like I'm getting better shedding the guilt. I remember learning early on in elementary school what the word "unique" meant. I still think it's a pretty cool word. But even as a grownup, it's hard to remember that it's a pretty cool thing to be.

You see, I THRIVE on variety, as I think a lot of us do. I find beauty in a lot of different things. I love spending time with creative people who teach me about their way of viewing the world, thus broadening my own view.

As it happens, I unapologetically love a lot of things. I love beautiful prose. Pride and Prejudice is my favorite novel. I also enjoyed Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. I love Romantic poetry. I really enjoy reading Dan Brown novels. I've spent a lot of time reading Harry Potter. I used to sneak read Babysitter's Club books after "Lights Out." I had a deal with my dad that for every Earnest Hemingway novel I read, he'd buy me a Roswell High novel.

I think it's okay that I like Gilmore Girls, Lost, Roswell, and Firefly. I also thoroughly enjoy Disney Channel and Nickelodeon programming--even though I don't have kids to watch it with. I think most of the shows are funny and smart, and I never have to worry about inappropriate content.

I love listening to Nickel Creek. Periodically you might find me at an intersection singing along to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir at the top of my lungs. I've seen *NSYNC, Sara Watkins, Iron & Wine, Counting Crows, Jimmy Eat World, Snow Patrol, Paramore, Panic at the Disco, Dashboard Confessional and others live. This summer alone, I plan on seeing She & Him, Punch Brothers, Jonas Brothers, and Hanson live.

I really love good food. I love cooking with whole, fresh ingredients, and I love new and interesting flavor combinations. Sushi is delicious. I both despise chain restaurants and love Wendy's.

I find George Clooney and Zac Efron very attractive.

I own clothes from both Anthropologie and Walmart.

I dream of being a mother, and I still dream of being a movie star.

I equally enjoy talking and listening, teaching and learning, laughing and crying. Especially during those rare and beautiful moments when all of these happen at once.

After all that, I'm not sure I'm laying down what I hoped you would pick up. I think what I want to say is that it's okay (and totally possible) to be hipster and teeny-bopper (Just don't tell the hipsters. And don't even try telling the teeny-boppers. They're too busy shrilling.) It's okay to be passionate about something, even if no one else is or even if everyone else is.

We should never feel the need to apologize for what we love, who we are, or the things we believe. The best thing about life is that we don't all have to like the same things in order to have good conversations with, or respect for, one another.

A/N: Edit and Republish Count: 3.

O Canada

I'm watching the Opening Ceremony (apparently it's just one ceremony) and I'm kind of loving it. Yes, the China Spectacular was amazing, there's no doubt about it, but I love how Canada is just...rocking being Canadian.

I kind of wish Bob Costas and Matt Lauer would quit talking about how the goal for the show is to be intimate and personal. Whatevs. Just let Canada be unapologetically Canadian.

Anyway, so far I think everything has been beautiful. If anything, it's helped me appreciate the Canadian treasures we enjoy here in the U.S.

• Nelly Fertado
• Bryan Adams
• Donald Southerland (just watch the second to last scene in Pride and Prejudice, and pretty much anything else he's been in).
• Sarah McLachlan
• Joni Mitchell

Mostly, I just love the Olympics. I love the excitement, and I love looking at the athletes' faces, especially the ones who are just in awe of being there. Also, I think the Georgian team was so brave for marching.

Anyway, here's to you Canada. Thanks for keeping our northern borders warm.

Best Album of 2009

Here's a top 3. If you couldn't tell already, I have a hard time committing to just one thing.
#3 The Essential Neil Diamond, Neil Diamond.

Recommended by: It's Rachel and Jeremy's go-to house cleaning soundtrack. Sometimes it's clutch in a stressful "I'm going to fall asleep looking for missing commas after introductory phrases" situation.

#2 Sara Watkins, Sara Watkins

Recommended by: Mallory. A great summer CD. Second most listened to of 2009. Worth hearing: "Long, Hot, Summer Days," "All This Time."

#1 Glee: The Music, Vol. 1

Recommended by: I saw this show for the first time when it aired after American Idol, and then I proceeded to bully all of my friends into watching it.

It's had its highs and lows, but the best thing about Glee is its soundtrack (though Mallory will tell you it's a tie between the soundtrack and Matthew Morrison). I dare you not to grin while listening to any of the songs, but most of all "Somebody to Love," "Keep Holding On," and "Don't Stop Believin'."

Best Night Out of 2009

May 15.

Sara Watkins show at the State Room.

A birthday present from Mallory.

Best night of the year.

Get Sara's CD here. (She signed mine when I met her. Also, we're pretty much BFF's on twitter.)

Gratitude

Thanksgiving will be over in just under an hour, and I'm about ready to go to bed.

I've wanted to do a Thoughtful Thursday post for quite some time, but usually by the time Wednesday is over, I'm too tired to think of anything. But today, I didn't have a lot going on. I slept in, cooked some food, made a pie, and spent time with family. Tomorrow will be more of the same, sans the food prep.

I find that I have plenty of reasons to be grateful, most of which might be considered "little things." For example, I'm grateful I caught the last few minutes of An Affair to Remember just now. I'm grateful my cranberry sauce turned out. I'm grateful for my gold shoes and some new rings I bought.

Then there are bigger things: I have job I absolutely love. In fact, most days I can't believe I'm finally getting paid to read and design books. I love my house. It's fresh and clean and warm. I'm grateful that I got to live for a whole year in the Avenues. I'm also in love with my car. Sometimes it's strange to think that I even have a car.

I have a family I adore. Seriously. They make me laugh until I can't breathe, and most importantly, they make me feel safe. I have great friends. They add the best spice to life. Honestly, to know me is to know that 95 percent of my anecdotes start with something like this:

• "One time, my cousin and I . . ."
• "Little Brother said the funniest thing . . ."
• "I was talking with my sister the other day, and . . ."
• "Can I just tell you why my parents are the coolest?" (This question is rhetorical.)
• "Last time at book club . . . "
• "My nephews and nieces are cuter than yours because . . ." (I usually only imply that last one. People would get offended if I just came out and said such a thing. It doesn't it make it less true, though.)

Most of all, I'm grateful to know what life's all about. I'm glad to know that even though right at this moment I may not enjoy everything I hope for, sooner or later I will. And trust me, I have quite enough to be getting on with.

And yes, I know I ended that sentence with a preposition. It's okay: I'm off the clock.

Christmas with the Gilmores

Anyone who nows me knows how I love Gilmore Girls. Well, imagine my delight when I heard that this year's Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas concert would feature none other than Grandpa Gilmore himself, Edward Hermann.

Next, imagine my dismay when I forgot to register for the free ticket lottery. I didn't give up hope though, because I knew that if I wished for it hard enough, Santa Claus would give what I wanted for Christmas.

On Friday, one of my coworkers emailed to let me know she had two tickets AND reserved parking for the concert that night. It was a Christmas miracle!

As always, the choir was in rare form, and I was beyond excited when Richard Gilmore came out to do a dramatic reading of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, and the touching circumstances that surrounded his penning of the classic carol "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day." Not only was Edward Hermann brilliant, but I have tender feelings toward this particular carol as it is one of my father's favorites. I wish you could have been there. Phenomenal.

And then, I thought all my Christmas dreams came true as Mr. Hermann read the Nativity found in Luke Chapter 2. Then the choir ended the concert with their signature "Angels From Their Realms of Glory," complete with beautiful ballet dancers who had costumes that looked like angel wings. Glorious.

Maren:

Me:

Maren & Me:


Me frustrated that we couldn't find our way in the parking lot. Extra ironic because we had just watched that episode of Seinfeld. The urge to start yelling "Krrraaaaaaammmeeeerrrr" was almost more than we could take.


I was starting to get upset because we sat in the car for literally an hour before we even started moving. I just wanted some snacks!

I want this on a T-Shirt:

Yes, on Saturday night, I had the opportunity, nay, the pleasure of being at the last stop of the Celebrating 50 Years of the Osmonds Tour. I will admit, I don't know much about the Osmond Clan, except for the the parents and one of the brothers lived in my grandparents' ward in Ephraim, Utah. And I knew about the Donny and Marie show. And that Donny's voice is silky smooth like butter when he sings "Let's Get Down to Business" from Mulan. And that Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is one of my favorite musicals. Also, it comes in really hand when the Genesis 39 lesson crops up every four years. Seriously, I can answer every question in that lesson with a lyric from Dreamcoat. It's great.

Back to the concert. It was cheesy and gloriously sappy, and tender. I really liked it. The best part though, was hanging out with life-long Osmond fans. The Conference Center was full of them, and they were rocking out.

And let's be honest, I'm always down for listening to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and the Orchestra at Temple Square. Especially when they play my favorites, like "Shenandoah," "Let's Go Down to the River to Pray," and "Come, Come, Ye Saints (the Mack Willberg version)" It was a truly memorable night.

And here's a hint for what's coming next:

Common sense, please.

Every semester, two days before finals, hoards of really entitled students come waltzing in to my work place to look at the midterms they've taken. It's a friendly service their professor offers them so they can see how they can improve before they take the final. So I think it's funny when a) they wait until now to look at the tests, when they've been available for weeks and weeks, and then b) get really riled up when we (my coworker and I) don't drop everything we're doing to help them, because whatever we're doing (like updating this blog) must be insignificant in the shadow of their final.

My favorite though, is when they get riled enough to badmouth the professor, who happens to be my boss. And they do so loud enough to where I can hear every word. Sure, I've been frustrated with professors, and I've done my share of badmouthing. But I have common sense enough to not do so when their employees are sitting in the next room and happen to be reveling in the idea of telling said professor every world they overheard and then giggling sadistically while they watch my grade plummet. Because right now, I think that would be a great thing to do.