Top 5: 2012 Highlights

Started a New Job

I was hired into my first real job in mid-January of last year (2012).

It was a huge stepping stone into my new, urban life.

My job means a great deal for me. It combines helping people and daily impact through feedback. My coworkers are upbeat and friendly. I look forward to going into work.

Went to Irish Fest/CONvergance/State Fair/Aquatennial Fireworks/San Francisco

New job means money for trips and paid vacation time!

Jared and I flew out to San Francisco and visited my favorite Auntie Leigh this fall. We went to Irish Fest in Milwaukee in August. I went to CONvergence in early summer. We ate our way across the fairgrounds at the Minnesota State Fair. We walked downtown and saw a great fireworks show for the Aquatennial.

What's wonderful about all these things is that they went off great and I have no complaints. (Or at least my complaints are super minor - I can complain about anything.)

New Baby! (not mine)

My cousin had a baby! He's adorable. I saw him twice this fall/winter and he was too cute to be true. I'm claiming him as my honorary nephew. I'm looking forward to watching him grow up.

Bought a Condo

Jared and I bought a beautiful condo at a great price. We're still working on moving in. I will be posting pictures once our couch is delivered. (Oh yea, we bought a new couch too!)

It's a pretty huge deal for us. Amie and Matt (Jared's brother) gave us moving boxes. It was magical - like they appeared out of no where just at the right time.

Home for the Holidays

Last year I worked the weekend of Christmas and the weekend after Thanksgiving. We didn't get to go to Wisconsin for the holidays.

This year I had my weekends off switched due to a clerical error! Awesome.

We went to Thanksgiving over a two day stretch. It was terrible and great. Seeing family and friends (Jared's friends) was great. Traveling ~11 hours in two days was not great.

Christmas was the best. We had a four day weekend. We went to Jared's grandparents that Saturday. I met a slew of cousins, aunts, uncles, and of course his grandparents. I saw Brittany on Sunday. Monday we went to Jared's family's Christmas dinner. Tuesday we went to my family's Christmas party at Aunt Sue's house. We were so busy! I loved it.

We got the best Christmas gifts too! (Not that I'm materialistic.) They were so thoughtful! Amie and Matt gave us a woodcut ornament that said "Jared, Holley and Gizmo's first home" and a cool - hard to describe without hand motions - wall art piece. Jared's parents gave us a fire extinguisher and a garbage disposal! Perfect. We also received a really great painting (like house painting, not oil... painting?) set. We'll be cracking that out this summer.


I may have left out some great things that also happened. This year has been fantastic for us. :D

Top 5: Actors Tainted By One Character

Have you ever been introduced to someone who totally blew their introduction? That initial meeting then tainted all future meetings, because you thought of them as "the creepy guy," "the dumb guy," or "that one asshole." The first time I took note of these actors, the first time I really saw them... has ruined every future movie for me that they were in. This is NOT a list of one note actors (Keanu Reeves, Michael Cera, Robert Duval). This is a list of flexible actors, totally capable of playing a variety of characters... who I can only see one way. And really, it's their fault for being so convincing.

Patrick Wilson is a fantastic actor. He did a wonderful job in Watchmen, Phantom of the Opera, and  The A-Team. He takes on each role with ease and a million dollar smile. Unfortunately, whatever sexiness he tried to portray in Little Children (or in the newly released Young Adult) ... will be lost on me. Because every time I look at his kind-eyes and fresh-face... all I see is a child-hungry pedophile, Jeff Kohlver from Hard Candy.

Now with 33% more creepy.

Zeljko Ivanek played potentially the most likable character in Damages. He was likable because he was flawed and suffering... and there for relatable. Although he played a highly educated, southern lawyer... I'd find myself staring at his finger tips. I was looking to see if he had fingernails, because to me he will forever be JJ the inbred, child-marrying, fundamentalist Mormon from Big Love. Ivanek is a wonderful, believable actor whose characters tend to blur the line between good-guy and bad-guy without seeming forced or unnatural.

He also has no fingernails.

James Callis has guest-starred on several Science Fiction shows I adore. He did a stint on Eureka as Dr. Trevor Grant. He played Gabriel McDow on the short-lived FlashForward. He graced the romcom genre as Tom in Bridget Jones Diary. What's amazing is that he never seems to grow older. Perhaps because he's actually a sleeper cylon that has been on this planet from the dawn of human time. Perhaps because he is ... Dr Gaius Baltar from Battlestar Galactica.

Every show James Callis is in is actually a documentary
of the life of Gaius Baltar.

Laurence Fishburne is the "new" Gibbs on CSI: Las Vegas. He's played compelling characters in Akeelah and the Bee, Searching for Bobby Fischer and Mystic River. He's won an Emmy. He's written screenplays. He's a qualified, well-known actor. I've seen him in a number of movies, including the serious and ultimately frightening Apocalypse Now. However... when I refer to him in movies, I do not call him "Laurence Fishburne." I call him by his true name - Morpheus.

How can you out run a character who exists outside of the matrix?
You can't .

Jake Busey plays crazy characters who all seem like time-bombs about to go off. He actually was in a movie titled Time Bomb! I haven't seen time bomb, but I can guess he's a crazy, spontaneous character. I have seen him in The Killing Jar, Enemy of the State, Starship Troopers and Contact. All good movies with definite high points. But, as I was watching these movies (including Starship Troopers, where he played kind of a dope)... every ounce of me was waiting for him to carve a number into somebody's forehead with a box cutter. For me Busey will always be Johnny Charles Bartlett from The Frighteners. Specifically, he will always be the Bartlett in corporeal form and not like... a crazy house ghost waiting to eat me.

I only see him that way in nightmares.

Top 5: Birthday Wishlist 2011

Unlike previous Top 5s, this one is in order of most wanted to less wanted. Keep in mind out of the billions of things I could ask for, this is my Top 5 so all these things are very much wanted.


Meaningful, Bill Paying Employment

In 2005, I received a phone call on my birthday offering me a job at Build-a-Bear. In 2010, I received a phone call the day before my birthday offering me a job at Swiss Colony. This year, I would like to receive a phone call on or near my birthday offering me a job. I'd like a job where I can work with kids, possibly kids and art.

I would be more than happy to be a secretary, given that I can wear cardigans and not blazers. I will accept anything that isn't retail, that will allow me to feed myself. Please.

Reliable Collapsible Transportation

I've been doing a lot of research on bicycles, because I now live in the nation's #1 biking city. Also, if I walk downtown one more time to window shop for hours, then my feet might need to be amputated. Stumps will not work well with my current wardrobe.
I decided on folding bikes for 5 reasons:

1. Folding bike seats and handlebars are more adjustable to height than "regular" bikes. Which means I can ride an adult sized bike instead of a kiddie one. 

1. This means there are no hard to understand frame sizes and tube heights. 

1. Folding bikes collapse into a more manageable size. Carrying the collapsed bike upstairs would be far easier than to lug a bike frame upstairs that is as long as I am tall. 

1. As a bonus, the small, collapsed frame would be easier to store in our small apartment.

1. If I choose to purchase a bicycle online, I can purchase a bicycle directly from the supplier and shipping costs are nominal.

I've done my research and have looked into three companies that supply collapsible bicycles. I have also considered affordability and will now list both the high-end and low-end folding bicycles I like best.
Citizen Bike supplies affordable folding bicycles. Their website is flashy and includes testimonials from happy customers. However, I have not found any online reviews on the bicycles outside of the company's website. This makes me very wary of purchasing a bicycle from Citizen Bike. Pictured below is the Barcelona ($399) and the Miami ($199) models.

Dahon is a trusted brand in folding bicycles. It seems that with a well known name, also comes a higher ticket price. I would very much like to own either bicycle below. If money wasn't such a concern, then I would without question purchase a Ciao! D5 ($899.95) or Boardwalk D7 ($658.00) pictured respectively. 

What I am considering buying for myself if I get a paying job in the near future is a Worksman Cycle folding bike. The simplicity of the company strikes me as a better choice than Citizen Bike and a more affordable choice than Dahon. The prices vary by number of gears. Although I would prefer a 3 Speed ($329.00), a single speed is more affordable ($269.00). Either would look like this, only electric blue. Red paint is an additional $15.00, and if I'm paying extra for paint I'm going with Safety Yellow for the win.

Very Irish Weekend

I love Irish Fest. I want to go on a night Gaelic Storm is playing and to stay the whole day from morning to midnight. I would like $100.00 in spending money. I would also like to eat noodles for lunch before we get going to Milwaukee. 

Loyal, Dwarfed Dog

I would like a medium sized, cylinder shaped dog with short, stubby legs. I would like either a Basset Hound or Pembroke Welsh Corgi.

More Effective Means of Time Travel

My digital camera right now was purchased in 2007. It works just fine, and there is no "real" reason to replace it. However, I hate it. It's one of the worst purchases I've made so far. It takes too long to focus, so the pictures never turn out right. And, the portrait setting is a joke; the flash is way too bright. Needless to say, I rarely use my camera.

I would like a Canon PowerShot that is ultra-compact.

Top 5: Why I Don't Tweet

I don't own a smartphone.

Jared and I are on a small budget and can't justify spending $30.00 a month each on a data plan. I tend to purchase "old lady" phones more commonly known as "the cheapest ones." I did splurge on my last phone, because I liked the keyboard more and it had a flash.

Generally, I justify not owning a smartphone by the age old adage, "I just want a phone that is a phone," but really I'm just 24/7 broke.

I feel that owning a smartphone is crucial to being able to update Twitter regularly enough to benefit from use.  

I don't like people knowing what I'm doing.

I am not the type to be connected at the hip to my phone. Actually, I don't usually know where my phone is --- probably on a table somewhere. I don't like the idea of people being able to contact me whenever they feel like it. It makes me feel like my time isn't mine, but public property. This same attitude extends to my daily happenings. What I eat for lunch is nobody's business but mine. And, I'm not going to bother my friends with that knowledge either. Because, who cares what kind of soup I'm eating. (I'm not eating soup, by the way.) 

None of my friends use Twitter.

For real. I don't know who has Twitter and who updates regularly. I'm willing to bet not as many as are on Facebook.

I've reached my "enough" point with social media. 

Right now, I'm on Facebook. I read Jezebel, Mary Jane, Geekosystem, and Newser. I get a lot more information from the news blogs and enjoyment from the commenters than I would reading random statements on Twitter. And, the good news is that Jezebel covers any funny celebrity tweets I miss. Anymore keeping up with social media and I might evolve into a barnacle.  

I am not cool enough to use Twitter. 

Top 5: Best and Worst Purchases

Top 5 Best Purchases:
Netbook $399.00

I am deeply, unflinchingly in love with netbooks. Not only was the idea of a truly portable computer amazing, but the realization of the idea was phenomenal. My netbook has connected me to family and friends, entertained me for months on end, and provided light to the dark room in which I sit tonight --- it has also inspired me. It has taught me about living small and editing what you hold onto in your life. I don't need the glitz and speed of a 17" laptop/desktop. Everything I need can fit into 3 lbs and a 10.5 inch frame.

Crockpot $4.00

My Crockpot was bought at a Goodwill. It's cord had been snipped; it looked brand new. It's most likely from the 1970s or 1980s. I saw one just like it at an art fair once. It was being used to keep brats warm. I asked the chef how long he had his Crockpot for, and he told me it was a wedding gift to his wife of 25 years. I use my Crockpot at least every other week and sometimes twice a week. I cook up chili, jambalaya, corned beef, beef stew... all sort of meals. She's not the fanciest of cooking vessels, but she is sturdy and true. (Man, I have watched far too much Firefly this week.)

Teapot $29.00 - Free

I have killed many teapots. I burnt through my copper teapot that had no whistle when I forgot that I was making tea. I panicked, took the teapot off the stove and put it in the sink. The spout fell off; it was horrible. From then on I only used teapots with whistles. My white teapot that I got at Goodwill now lives with Ciera, because I traded up to a teapot with cowspots that my Gram gave me. The valves were getting loose on that one, so Jared bought me one from Menard's on Black Friday. One afternoon, I went to make tea and noticed the telling white dust of calcium in the bottom of the teapot. I confronted Jared about this, and he admitted to accidentally leaving the teapot on to boil while empty. Generally this is fine if caught early enough. However, this was a $3.00 teapot (and not a second hand $3.00 teapot). The valve that made the teapot whistle was warped and rendered the teapot unusable. I was miffed. I resorted to retail therapy (which is cheaper than Type-A anger management). I bought an OXO white teapot for just under $30.00. I am very pleased with this teapot. If anything, the whistle in too loud, the lid is too tight and the teapot reaches boiling point too quickly. (I use the time it takes to boil water to clean the kitchen.) The price is justifiable on a cost per use basis; I make tea once a day. Drinking tea also saves me money (as opposed to soda). And, drinking tea is better for my health. (Although, Jared will claim I am too thirsty all the time.)

MP3 Player ($199.00 - $40.00)

I spent the majority of my high school graduation money on a 30 GB iPod Classic. I used that for 3 years until it only produced sound in one earbud. I'm planning on hooking it up to my radio in Minneapolis, which only has one speaker. Everything else still works, and it still has terrific battery life. I bought a Sansa Fuze 4 GB and put a mini SD card that held 12 GB in that. I used that for one year before that became touch and go. Then I replaced that with a 8GB Sansa Fuze. I like the Sansa Fuze, it's cheap, good sounding, and can hold all the music I have. (I edit down my music like I do everything else.) When I was in college, I listened to my iPod constantly. I would dance to Girl Talk or Big & Rich and render oil paintings. I would hum Belle and Sebastian and draw nudes. Music kept me from going crazy. It stills my brain. I'm planning on buying an iPod for myself once I get a job in the city. Much like the iPod of my high school graduation this will be a "congratulations, you're an adult" gift. (I'll hold out until September and get the latest. From the looks of things... I'm thinking nano.)

Insoles $340.00

Wow, that's a lot of cash. But, I use my insoles every standing moment of the day (or at least I really should). My doctor says that my feet are so flat that I should never go barefoot. Outside of that slightly restraining thought, my insoles have made my back stop aching, my knees stop swelling and ankles stop pinching. It's amazing what feet can do.

Top 5 Worst Purchases
Prom Heels $49.99

I wore heels for ten minutes at prom. I wore them to prom, took them off and then put them back on to leave. My dress was ten dollars less than those shoes. I really wish I just bought some fancy flats instead. I was limping from those things for weeks. Pulled my bones out of place. It taught me that I can never wear heels, and that's a life lesson to live by. Whatever that means. Secondly, I held onto these shoes far too long. I just now got rid of them last May. That's four years of rented closet space wasted.

Rollerblades ~$100.00 and my immortal soul

I don't know if I can take credit for this one. I mentioned once once to John that I was interested in learning to Rollerblade. The guy goes out and spends somewhere around $100.00 on Rollerblades for me. Maybe he should have taken me to a podiatrist with that money instead. For those of us just joining me on this blog, Holley has bad feet and puts weight on the wrong sides of her feet. It's physically impossible for me to use in line skates. The best part, years later when I wanted a bike he told me that I never use those Rollerblades he bought me. If only he knew I had a clubbed foot... oh wait he did.

Turkey Roasting Pan $9.00

Everyday I look on top of my refrigerator at the embodiment of my self-loathing (or addiction, whatever makes this more dramatic). I own a huge turkey roasting pan. It was mostly Jared's idea, but I went along with it. I hate turkey, and that pan is too large for standard lasagna noodles. I hate this pan so much.

Jones New York Pink Cardigan $16.00

I am an avid sale shopper. I have rules for shopping, but sometimes I break my own rules and end up regretting purchases. I used to own a Jones New York Cardigan that was hot pink with black floral print. The design itself was awesome, and I had been eying it up for months. But, by the time it was finally at an affordable price, it was only available in large. I wear a small, sometimes x-small, in Jones New York. I bought it anyways. I looked at it in my closet for over a year. I put it on consignment last month. I was happy just to have it out of my house! Every time I looked at it I felt guilty for owning it and never wearing it.

Mini-skirts and Short-shorts $... more than I want to think about

I don't know why I keep forgetting that I have jumbo thighs. Every two or three years, I put on my skinny-goggles and buy something way too short. I get it home, try the item on, think "this will be great for summer!" and then spend four months avoiding wearing it. Right now I only have one pair of shorts that I own and feel guilty about. I keep them, because if I don't move, they look great! If I walk five steps, they're migrating north and fast. The price of these short shorts/skirts goes beyond the monetary cost, they make me feel bad about me. They also cause me to feel guilty about owning something I never wear. Added up and short shorts/skirts are the Top Top Worst Purchases I've made in my young life.

Top 5: Bad Things That Have Made Me Better

Acne

Acne has by far made me a better person. Because, looking back, I was easy on the eyes in middle school/high school even if I was a little chubby. With my lack of moral standards, I really could have been slutting it up a very popular girl. Acne made me feel ugly and unwanted. It made me feel like I was dirty and diseased, like I couldn't be friends with pretty people. It made me feel less than. When I decided that I was a monster... I wasn't going to go down without a fight. Other than a substantial investment in Neutrogena, I invested in me. I got smart; I got witty. I made my own humor. I tapped into my genetic ability to charm people. I learned the art of self-deprecation. When I grew older and the acne didn't go away, I learned that I wasn't a monster. I found peace in me. I accept my own flaws and the flaws of others. I don't need a perfect body or a perfect complexion. Acne made me hate myself at an early age, and that time has passed. I'm grateful for the strength that trial has left me with.

Poverty

One of my few childhood memories is splitting a pizza with my mother for lunch while at work with her in a bikini shop in Panama City. When you're five years-old you don't realize that this is the only thing you'll be eating that day, or that your mother is only going to eat your scraps that day. My mom did whatever she could to hide that we had no money. It wasn't until I moved to Madison that I realized we weren't middle-class. (Part of me thinks everyone likes to believe they are middle-class.) We really weren't. I grew up in a trailer; there weren't family vacations; having money for lunch at school was a big deal. My mother always was worried about money. Because of this, I don't think I'm better than anybody. I'm white trash incognito which is fine, but I don't forget where I've come from. I know how to get by on nothing. I know how to budget. I don't need that big, fancy thing with all the latest gadgets. I value quality craftsmanship and ignore trends. I don't turn my nose up at charity or secondhand anything. Growing up poor has taught me that pride has nothing to do with money, and you don't let your big, turned-up nose get in the way of what you really need.

Authoritarian-Neglectful parenting

Oh noble reader, if you've met me and talked to me, I'm sure I've said something that has made you uncomfortable about my parents. If so, feel free to skip to the end of the paragraph, because old news is old. To explain my parents' parenting style as quickly as possible I will give a small example that represents the whole. My step-dad loved, loved to tell me and anyone he met that he never said "no" to me. He'd say it implying that I was spoiled and a brat or he'd change the emphasis to mean I had a fantastic, indulgent childhood. But, really, I was trained at a very young age not to ask for anything. If I asked for money and was given money, this act would be seen as a favor to be paid back. This act would be held over my head for years, years. I remember my step-dad yelling at me my senior year of high school and bringing up that he drove me to school for a year in middle school (because I was beat up on the bus) like that was some great act of kindness. Looking back, I should have hid my bruises better. But, the silver-lining to this dark cloud, is that I learned self-reliance. I learned how to do things for myself. I learned how to take care of myself when the adults were to drunk to notice me. I taught myself how to cook. I found my own transportation. I was my own boss. I learned that I liked depending on me, because I am my own constant. (Downside is that I still don't like asking for help.) I also learned how to fight dirty in an argument. To me an argument is not about right or wrong; it is about ending the argument as quickly as possible.

Dysthymia

Did you guys know that I'm depressed? What, no? Holley? But, she's so cheery! Well, I am. I always am. I've been seeing shrinks on and off for 13 years ever since I told my mom that in my free time I like to think of all the ways I could die right then and there. And, that my favorite was the idea of the ceiling fan falling on me and chopping me into tiny bits. I learned pretty quickly that people don't like hearing about all your dark fantasies, no matter how gory. So yes, if you've ever felt that I'm a fake and am putting on a happy face for the world to see... you just might be right. Because, I have made the choice to be a happy, positive person. I struggle to focus on the great things that are happening to me everyday and to ignore the shit that I wade through on the way to a sunny demeanor. I've honed my abilities to remain steady, stable and happy. I'm getting really good at it. Because I'm depressed -- slightly -- all of the time, I'm happy. I have accepted the fact that I have to try for it. That's just something I have to live with, and I'm happy about it.

"Home"-lessness

I have never had a time where I did not have shelter to sleep in. However, I have never felt like I have had a home of my own. Growing up, the house I lived in was a prison and a terror to return to. I would do what I could to delay going home and be out as much as possible. Being my boyfriend in high school had one big catch: you had to have a car, because I hated my being at my house. Since I left home in 2006 to go to college, I have lived in a dorm, a junky old house on Market, an apartment on Main, a junky old party house on Southwest, a nice house on Main, an apartment on Main, and a house on Furnace. I move a lot. I lack roots. Because of this, I don't have a lot of stuff (I hate stuff.), and I never get homesick. I have no place that I long to be or fond memories of a place for that matter. I like that I'm not attached to any where, because it negates any kind of nationalism, state pride or hometown spirit. Keeps all sorts of pride from fogging up my decisions.

Top 5: Television Shows

This is a list of all the television shows (pulled from Wikipedia) I have seen every episode of. I will bold and increase to font size of the titles of the top five and give a brief description. I do want to add that I really like all of these shows, or I wouldn't have bothered watching them.

30 Rock (October 11, 2006–present), sitcom
Amazing Stories (1985–1987), science fiction
Arrested Development (2003–2006), sitcom

Fantastic series about an oddball family. Overall best part of the show was the "Next time on Arrested Development" preview that would never actually happen. Top moments include a niece/uncle and nephew/aunt singing Afternoon Delight, anything uttered by Will Arnett and the invention of the never-nude.

Battlestar Galactica (2004–2009), sci-fi/ drama
The Big Bang Theory (2007–present), sitcom
Big Love (2006–present), drama
Bones (2005–present), crime drama/ police procedural
Boston Legal (2004–2008), legal dramedy
Breaking Bad (2008–present), drama
Californication (2007–present), comedy/ drama
Chase (September 20, 2010–present), crime drama
Chuck (2007–present), action/ comedy
Clone High (2002–2003), animated
Community (2009-present), comedy
Daria (1997–2002), animated comedy
Dead Like Me (2003–2004), sci-fi/comedy-drama
Dexter (2006–present), psychological thriller/police procedural
Doctor Who (2005-present), sci-fi

BBC series based on an inter-dimensional time traveler and his travelling companions. This is best to begin viewing at the beginning. Favorite episodes include "The Empty Child," "The Girl in the Fireplace," and "Human Nature."

Eli Stone (2008–2009), musical dramedy
Eureka (2006–present), sci-fi
FlashForward (2009–2010), drama/sci-fi
Flavor of Love Girls: Charm School (2007), reality
The Flight of the Conchords (2007–2009), comedy

HBO comedy featuring two New Zealand performers living in New York. Excellent original songs. I frequently sing these songs aloud in mixed company when appropriate.

The Gates (2010), drama/ mystery/ supernatural
Glee (2009–present), musical comedy
The Good Guys (2010), comedy/drama
Happy Town (2010) mystery/ drama
Hell's Kitchen (2006–present), reality
Hot in Cleveland (2010–present), sitcom
House (2004–present), medical drama
How I Met Your Mother (2005–present), sitcom
Human Target (2010) (2010–present), drama
Hung (2009–present), comedy/ drama
I Love New York (2007–2008), reality
Invader Zim (2001–2006), animated comedy
Kid Nation (2007), reality
Lie to Me (2009–present), crime drama

Character driven series based on the idea of viewing micro-expressions and body language in order to determine truthfulness. I just love short, feisty British men telling people off. This years season finale was great.

Life (2007–2009), crime drama
Life on Mars (UK, 2006–2001), fantasy/ crime drama
The Listener (2009-present), crime drama
Lost (2004–2010), thriller/ sci-fi/ mystery

I know, I know, this is an expected show highlight. But, I really loved this drama. I feel the characters were built around being portrayed as bad ass. I do, however, choose to ignore the series finale which really ruined the show for me.

Mental (2009), medical drama
Mercy (2009–2010), medical drama
Modern Family (September 23, 2009–present), sitcom
NCIS (2003–present), police procedural
No Ordinary Family (September 28, 2010–present), science fiction
Nurse Jackie (2009–present), medical dramedy
The Office (US, 2005–present), comedy
Project Runway (2004-present), reality
Pushing Daisies (2007–2009), fantasy/ comedy
Reaper (2007–2009), supernatural/ comedy/ drama
Scrubs (2001–2010), comedy/ drama
Six Feet Under (2001–2005), drama
South Park (1997–present), animated sitcom
Torchwood (UK 2006-present), sci-fi
Ugly Betty (2006–2010), dramedy
United States of Tara (2009), comedy/drama
V (2009–present), science fiction

This show is not included in the top five. I just wanted to say, "Holy Crap, could you possibly kill some more main characters in the season finale?" V, you just closed so many doors on the Fifth Column I spent the majority of my time at the end of the episode saying "Really?!"

Weeds (2005–present), comedy-drama
White Collar (2009–present), crime drama

Top 5: Bruce Willis Movies

I am a huge Bruce Willis fan. I've seen every movie he has been in with the exception of the latest two movies, Red and The Expendables. (I'm trying to keep the illusion that he's still a young whippersnapper. It's similar to not reading the end of a book so that your favorite character can live forever.)

Side Note: I feel a barely recognizable Halloween costume in the making when I look at this poster. All I'll need is a black hat, sunglasses and a few Da Vincis.


Top Five Bruce Willis Movies
Hudson Hawk

Bruce Willis plays the title role Hudson Hawk, a just out of prison cat burglar. He keeps time by singing excellent tunes. This movie also makes little to no sense, which I approve of.

Die Hard

Willis is John McClane, action hero. He saves the day and kills bad guys in an office building. Yippe Kay ay.

Bandits

Now as Joe Blake, Willis plays another just out of prison burglar (this time bank robber.) He teams up with Billy Bob Thorton and they rob banks and share a red headed woman.

Fifth Element

Bruce is Korben Dallas, a taxi driver/ex-special forces major. He delivers a super sexy red head and some stones to a temple with a priest and a radio personality. This movie has excellent dialog, a futuristic setting, and weird alien gore galore.

The Last Boyscout

To mix things up, Willis plays Joe Hallenbeck, private detective/former secret service agent. He takes down a drug ring, avenges the death of a stripper (Halle Berry) and dances a jig atop a football field. His on screen daughter has a dirty mouth and a strange relationship with a hand puppet. This movie also has excellent dialog and one liners. The chemistry between Willis and Wayans is tangible.

For the record there are only two Bruce Willis movies I dislike: Pulp Fiction and Unbreakable.

Top 5: Glee Edition

Top 5 Songs That Glee Did Better

"Gives You Hell" - The All-American Rejects
"Marry You" - Bruno Mars
"Take a Bow" - Rihanna
"Young Girl" - Gary Puckett & The Union Gap
"Gold Digger" - Kanye West

Top 5 Glee Songs That Make Me Die Inside

"Gold Digger" - Kanye West
"I Could Have Danced All Night" - My Fair Lady
"Vogue" - Madonna
"Bohemian Rhapsody" - Queen
"...Baby One More Time" - Britney Spears

My favorite Glee performance is "It's a Man's Man's Man's World," but James Brown cannot be beat. And, "Teenage Dream" made me tear up, for reals. The whole Rocky Horror episode was awful.

"Gold Digger" is on both lists, because although I like how Glee sounds in this song, the amount of censoring necessary to make it TV appropriate kills me.

Top 5: 2010 Events

Vacation at the Cabin

From the first year I was born until the summer I turned thirteen, my father and I would travel to Slidell, LA and visit Haphazard, our family's summer cabin. Here I made happy childhood memories and felt like I had a family. Those two weeks every year were the few extended periods of my young life where I didn't feel controlled or subservient. When we stopped going, my summers dragged into falls which really helped to blur my grade school years into a long streak of suck.

But, that's not what I want to talk about. I want to talk about the two weeks this summer I spent at Jared's parent's cabin. Not only did I get some much needed time in the sun, I was reminded of those sun-filled days in Louisiana. Something about a mixture of nostalgia, family and vitamin-D has made this experience possibly the best I've had in Wisconsin. It also gave me some insight into Jared's family dynamic. Which is excellent, because until then I really didn't know what I was getting myself into. Spending a week at the cabin with his family told me a lot more than a few hours over a turkey/ham in a formal dining room ever could.

I also spent a week out at the cabin with Brandon and Ciera. Spending that much time close quarters with another couple makes you appreciate your spouse in a whole new way.

Brittany's Tattoo

This is going to sound ridiculous, but watching Brittany get a tattoo is going to be something I never live down.

It went something like this: Brittany's tattoo is outlined, then Brit turns a little green. Tim (Tattoo Guy) runs for ice, water and glucose tablets. I watch Brit turn green, I watch Tim get the supplies... then I get light headed and clammy. Tim has to make a second trip.

Not a big deal right? That is the worst vasovagal response I've ever had. I think Brittany's paling face and my sudden lightheaded-ness will always come to mind when I think about tattoos... or Brittany... or glucose tablets.

Laceye's Bachelorette Party

Because of a free weekend, a need to get out of Platteville and friend who needed accompaniment, I was fortunate enough to meet Laceye and Theresa. These two are a cousin duo that bring out the best in each other. They are adventurous, mischievous, energetic and influential.

Laceye's bachelorette party. was a two day event: Shopping and dinner one day, on the town that night and breakfast the morning after. Ciera stayed to shop and dine, but had to work in the morning. I was invited to stay, and Laceye offered to drive me home in the morning. I had no where to be and saw this as an opportunity to let loose for once. We spent a good time dolling ourselves up. Theresa did my hair and Laceye did my makeup. I do understand that I am female and have had female friends, but no one has encouraged me to dress like an woman before. I felt self-assured and sexy. Laceye even had me in a mini-skort, which meant I didn't feel scared to sit the way I normally do... which is my main issue with above the knee skirts.

The night aside, that experience with those girls inspired me to buy a hair straightener, gel and hairspray. I even want to grow my hair out past my shoulders, which hasn't reached that point in a near decade. This may seem superficial, but when they gave a complement, I believed it. Besides height and curly hair, sincerity runs in that family.

College Graduation

Last year was my fourth year at UW-Platteville. I want to open by saying that I didn't have senioritis. I did my homework and showed up for as many classes as usual. However, at this point I no longer valued my education. I wanted out of Platteville. I wanted my piece of paper and my freedom. I felt like my education was not adding to my ability to increase my income. I also felt annoyed and superior to a lot of the freshmen I was taking classes with.

Now that that is on record, I also want to say "College Graduation" is included on this list out of obligation. I felt obligated to go to college. Now, I feel obligated to include graduation on this list of memories.
However, graduation wasn't that awesome. I walked across a stage. I took my diploma holder. I walked away. I understood that statistically speaking, a four year degree should make me happier.

The four years of college were worth it though. I learned a lot about myself and gained independence. That's priceless.

Moving in with Jared

My relationship with Jared is a large part of my life. I'm ready to have my own family of two with Jared, and living together is solidifying "us." Plus, with our work schedules we would never see each other if we didn't live together. We cook meals together, clean together, go grocery shopping and are learning to communicate better with one another. We're a work in progress, but growing together means always being in progress.

Honorable Mentions:
Summerfest, Irishfest, Ann Arbor Trip, Chicago Vacation