This is one of my favorite songs. Basically, I really wish someone would sing it to me. From the right person, these words would be so comforting.
"I wouldn't dream of goin' nowhere"
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Rain
Right now it's raining where I am. You probably don't realize what a big deal that is, but we've been dry almost all summer. Wildfires have devoured more than a thousand homes in Texas this summer—tragic. Some fires have been close enough that I could see smoke clouds.
It's been a tough summer in Texas, but the rain has made a theatrical entrance this evening! And I love it. I've always enjoyed thunderstorms. Lightning fascinates me. Thunder awes me. Huge buckets of raindrops leave our lawn looking like a floodplain. I like to go on our back porch in my shorts and t-shirt, sit on the handmade Adirondack chairs, and watch the rain—how it gains momentum, then lightens up, then gets harder, sometimes almost imperceptibly, and other times very perceptibly. The temperature is just right. There is lightning in the distance (wait for it . . .) and then thunder—loud thunder. It's beautiful, like nature's fireworks. Sometimes it's hard to believe that all that water was just hovering in the air before it came down. How is that even possible?
I took this photo. I really like it, but what do you think?
It's been a tough summer in Texas, but the rain has made a theatrical entrance this evening! And I love it. I've always enjoyed thunderstorms. Lightning fascinates me. Thunder awes me. Huge buckets of raindrops leave our lawn looking like a floodplain. I like to go on our back porch in my shorts and t-shirt, sit on the handmade Adirondack chairs, and watch the rain—how it gains momentum, then lightens up, then gets harder, sometimes almost imperceptibly, and other times very perceptibly. The temperature is just right. There is lightning in the distance (wait for it . . .) and then thunder—loud thunder. It's beautiful, like nature's fireworks. Sometimes it's hard to believe that all that water was just hovering in the air before it came down. How is that even possible?
I took this photo. I really like it, but what do you think?
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Anderson Cooper Giggling
A friend showed this to me a few days ago. This is a fantastic video if you need a laugh.
Monday, September 12, 2011
Water Lilies
Well, I just moved into a new house, and it happens to be right next to a small pond. It's filled with water lilies, frogs, and lily pads. I've also seen butterflies and dragonflies galore over there. Cardinals and blue jays also abound, as do small green lizards. I even once saw a small snake. It's fun to just sit over there and enjoy the beauty. But I really love those water lilies, so I wanted to share them with you. (FYI, I found out that they close up at night. Also, after you cut them, they don't really open wide again.)
All of them were deep purple except this one. For some reason, it's fuchsia.
These frogs made weird sounds when they would jump.
Here's that snake I was telling you about.
And these are my favorite photos.
You should click on this next one; it's cool to look at up close.
Monday, August 29, 2011
Real Simple Story
I subscribed to Real Simple magazine a few months ago. I love this magazine! It includes great fashion ideas, random facts, tips, stories, and recipes. (Not to mention great photos and illustrations.) In the latest issue, I found this story, which I think has a great point. Laughter goes a long way!
The First Time My Daughter Played a Practical Joke on Me
In retrospect, I should have seen it coming. After all, I was the runner-up for Most Mischievous in my senior-class poll. To feel right in the world as an adolescent, I needed to rebel—and I did so by tying a soccer player's boxers to his car antenna, safety-pinning people's sleeves together during assembly, and making up elaborate scavenger hunts that required stealth and trickery. So I ought to have expected to get punked by my five-year-old daughter. But I didn't. An embarrassing rookie mistake.
In the kitchen one day, while my back was turned, Phoebe put a glob of mayonnaise in my glass of milk. When I drank it, the mayo hit my tongue like something horribly curdled. I rushed to the sink, spitting and gagging. When I gathered myself, I turned to Phoebe. "I put mayo in your milk!" she exclaimed, wide-eyed, obviously afraid she was about to get in trouble.
I just looked at her. "Wait—you did this because you thought it would be funny?"
She nodded.
"That's my girl!" I said, laughing. Phoebe seemed delighted.
How could I be angry? A prankster who procreates is going to get what's coming to her. In my case, I've gotten my comeuppance repeatedly: Phoebe, now 16, has three younger siblings who are known to dollop lotion on light switches and tape up faucets that later spray you in the face.
So often our culture expects us to show our love for one another through exchanging greeting cards and stuffed bears holding Mylar balloons. But as Phoebe and my other children remind me constantly, a prank—and the hysterical laughter that it inspires—can bond a family just as much. A beautifully wrapped box of fake dog poop sometimes says "I love you" in the most memorable way. And as it shows up again and again—on the bath mat, the Persian rug, the front stoop (um, thanks, Phoebe!)—it proves that funny is a gift that keeps on giving.
Julianna Baggott
The First Time My Daughter Played a Practical Joke on Me
In retrospect, I should have seen it coming. After all, I was the runner-up for Most Mischievous in my senior-class poll. To feel right in the world as an adolescent, I needed to rebel—and I did so by tying a soccer player's boxers to his car antenna, safety-pinning people's sleeves together during assembly, and making up elaborate scavenger hunts that required stealth and trickery. So I ought to have expected to get punked by my five-year-old daughter. But I didn't. An embarrassing rookie mistake.
In the kitchen one day, while my back was turned, Phoebe put a glob of mayonnaise in my glass of milk. When I drank it, the mayo hit my tongue like something horribly curdled. I rushed to the sink, spitting and gagging. When I gathered myself, I turned to Phoebe. "I put mayo in your milk!" she exclaimed, wide-eyed, obviously afraid she was about to get in trouble.
I just looked at her. "Wait—you did this because you thought it would be funny?"
She nodded.
"That's my girl!" I said, laughing. Phoebe seemed delighted.
How could I be angry? A prankster who procreates is going to get what's coming to her. In my case, I've gotten my comeuppance repeatedly: Phoebe, now 16, has three younger siblings who are known to dollop lotion on light switches and tape up faucets that later spray you in the face.
So often our culture expects us to show our love for one another through exchanging greeting cards and stuffed bears holding Mylar balloons. But as Phoebe and my other children remind me constantly, a prank—and the hysterical laughter that it inspires—can bond a family just as much. A beautifully wrapped box of fake dog poop sometimes says "I love you" in the most memorable way. And as it shows up again and again—on the bath mat, the Persian rug, the front stoop (um, thanks, Phoebe!)—it proves that funny is a gift that keeps on giving.
Julianna Baggott
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Leona Lewis | Happy
This is my new favorite music video. I don't want to ruin it by talking about it. Just watch.
Saturday, August 20, 2011
An Affair to Remember
I was a weird kid, and I loved old movies, especially ones with Cary Grant. This one happens to be my favorite. Why? Because of the emotion it stirs in me. There is one part of the movie where an old woman, the male lead's grandmother, plays the piano. It's not that intricate of a tune, but it's truly beautiful. The characters and their devotion to each other is also enchanting. It's witty and charming in a way only movies from around 1957 can be. And the end is so good! If you ever have two hours to spare, you don't mind old movies, and you like chick flicks, watch this pioneering chick flick. They just don't make 'em like they used to.
And to quote the movie:
"No more tears."
"That's what beauty does to me."
And to quote the movie:
"No more tears."
"That's what beauty does to me."
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Andy Grammer | Keep Your Head Up
I like to think of this as my theme song right about now. Yeah, some things aren't going so well, but you know what? Happiness is a journey, not a destination. You can still be happy during hard times.
Enjoy it! It's a pretty fun song. :-)
Enjoy it! It's a pretty fun song. :-)
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Tennis
I've been playing since I was 13.
Lob. Volley. Let. Serve. Deuce. Fault. Add. Forehand. Backhand. Slice. Racquet. Baseline. Game. Set. Match. Love.
Lob. Volley. Let. Serve. Deuce. Fault. Add. Forehand. Backhand. Slice. Racquet. Baseline. Game. Set. Match. Love.
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Sara Bareilles | King of Anything
Don't be surprised if, little by little, her entire last album appears on this blog. The whole thing is amazing. "King of Anything" started playing on the radio a while ago, but I only started fully appreciating it recently. It's so sassy, and you know I love that. My favorite part of this song? "You sound so innocent, all full of good intent. You swear you know best, but you expect me to jump up on board with you and ride off into your delusional sunset."
Mmmm yes. This has happened to me too. I feel ya, Sara. And to all the girls out there, don't ever let a guy try to tell you what's best for you. Only you can know that. :-)
Ah, such a good song!
Mmmm yes. This has happened to me too. I feel ya, Sara. And to all the girls out there, don't ever let a guy try to tell you what's best for you. Only you can know that. :-)
Ah, such a good song!
Friday, July 22, 2011
Owl City | Fireflies
Um...hello! I can't believe I've had this blog for this long and NOT posted this song. Seriously, it's in my top five all-time favorites. Sheesh. This song just makes me feel good about life. Sometimes I marvel at how a song can do that, but this one really does!
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Barking Cat?
This video totally made my day. The cat is barking! Then it realizes a human is watching and switches back to meowing. It's so funny.
Oh crap! A human!
Oh crap! A human!
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Ultimate Frisbee
Lately, ultimate frisbee has become one of my favorite things. I never liked it much before because I played with people that were too competitive that were interested in winning, not in making sure everyone had a good time. (Plus, I wasn't very good.) The group I play with now though plays a lot more as a team, and it is really fun. I've actually gotten a lot better too, and it's the one time of the week where I really get to exercise. I just run like there's no tomorrow, and I actually enjoy doing it, even in 100 degree weather! Crazy, I know, but it's SO fun.
So here's to ultimate frisbee, my new favorite game!
So here's to ultimate frisbee, my new favorite game!
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Tyler Roses
There is a local woman who takes her van to the Brookshire's parking lot in "The Rose Capital of the Nation" every day. The Van says "Tyler Roses, Dozen - $2.50." Dang, that's inexpensive! I pass by that lady nearly every day, and I'd heard a lot about the roses around here, so I finally stopped by. I got some coral-colored roses. They didn't look superb, but for that price I didn't care. I just love flowers. So I brought them home and we cut all the leaves and thorns off. They looked nice enough all trimmed and put together, but the next day and the day after that, they were simply spectacular. They bloomed bigger than I'd ever seen a store-bought rose do, and I fell in love. These were for real! And locally grown. How awesome!
If I had a job, I think I'd feel justified in buying myself a dozen every week.
If I had a job, I think I'd feel justified in buying myself a dozen every week.
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Dirk, What a Stud
So I know I mentioned him in the last post, but he's fantastic. Today I read this little letter in the Dallas Morning News.
Nowitzki is more than just a great basketball player. He's also a gentleman.
Some years ago, my wife and I went to Theatre Three for a production in that intimate downstairs theater. We were seated on the second row from the stage. Dirk came in and sat down directly in front of me. I didn't know how I would be able to see the play. But when it began, Dirk leanded forward, put his elbows on his thighs, so as to make a smaller profile, and remained that way throughout the evening. I saw everything.
It was a very thoughtful gesture, one I expect he's repeated many times in public places. What a gentleman!
This is such a refreshing piece of information. I'm glad that he chooses to be different from all the self-centered, limelight-loving, cocky players that often play professional sports.
Nowitzki is more than just a great basketball player. He's also a gentleman.
Some years ago, my wife and I went to Theatre Three for a production in that intimate downstairs theater. We were seated on the second row from the stage. Dirk came in and sat down directly in front of me. I didn't know how I would be able to see the play. But when it began, Dirk leanded forward, put his elbows on his thighs, so as to make a smaller profile, and remained that way throughout the evening. I saw everything.
It was a very thoughtful gesture, one I expect he's repeated many times in public places. What a gentleman!
This is such a refreshing piece of information. I'm glad that he chooses to be different from all the self-centered, limelight-loving, cocky players that often play professional sports.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Dallas Mavericks
So...I was out of town when this happened (bummer), but it HAPPENED and it was greatness.
I'm happy for you, Dirk. You totally deserve this.
And you two, that's what you get for mocking the best player on the best team in the NBA!
What's that you say? Oh, that's right, we are the finals champions.
Couldn't have done it without this little guy.
Or this old guy. ;-)
Yay Dallas Mavericks! Congratulations!
I'm happy for you, Dirk. You totally deserve this.
And you two, that's what you get for mocking the best player on the best team in the NBA!
What's that you say? Oh, that's right, we are the finals champions.
Couldn't have done it without this little guy.
Or this old guy. ;-)
Yay Dallas Mavericks! Congratulations!
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Monday, June 6, 2011
Sara Evans | A Little Bit Stronger
This is a pretty new song that really struck me. My favorite part is "I know my heart will never be the same, but I'm tellin' myself I'll be okay...even on my weakest days...."
It's really true. At some points, life gets really hard, and sometimes you're going to feel like you simply can't do it anymore, but you just have to get up and live your life. Sometimes you have to ignore the pain until it slowly dulls and eventually leaves you. That doesn't mean you'll forget, but you'll be so much stronger if you just keep going. Perhaps your heart will never be the same, but after an experience like that, you know you can make it through anything—that you are stronger than the circumstances of your life, and that knowledge is priceless.
It's really true. At some points, life gets really hard, and sometimes you're going to feel like you simply can't do it anymore, but you just have to get up and live your life. Sometimes you have to ignore the pain until it slowly dulls and eventually leaves you. That doesn't mean you'll forget, but you'll be so much stronger if you just keep going. Perhaps your heart will never be the same, but after an experience like that, you know you can make it through anything—that you are stronger than the circumstances of your life, and that knowledge is priceless.
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Blueberry Banana Cake
If you're like me and don't really like blueberries, and only mildly like bananas, the title of this blog post just ain't that appealing. But slap your grandma! This is by far the best cake I've ever had in my life. Seriously.
My old roommate and a friend made this for me for my birthday last year, and I decided to make it for my mom's this year. Brief description: a delicious dense cake that includes fresh bananas and blueberries topped with cream cheese frosting.
Cue picture from the website to make you want it.
Anyway, here are the...
Directions
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons rum (optional)
1 1/2 cups mashed bananas (from about 3 bananas)
3 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 lemon, juiced and zested
1 1/2 cups milk
2 cups blueberries, washed and picked over
For the cream cheese icing:
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 (8 ounce) package light cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon rum (optional)
3 cups confectioners' sugar
Pinch salt
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a 9x13-inch pan with parchment paper, with enough paper that paper hangs over the two long sides. Grease lightly with baking spray or butter.
In the bowl of a stand mixer (or in a large bowl with a handheld mixer) cream the butter with the sugars. Blend in the eggs one at a time, and whip until creamy. Add the vanilla and rum, if using, as well as the bananas. Mix until creamy.
Add the flour, baking soda and salt. Stir the mixture roughly, but do not combine completely. In a large measuring cup, mix the lemon juice with the milk. (Reserve the lemon zest for the icing.) With the mixer running, slowly pour the milk into the bowl with the rest of the ingredients. Mix until smooth. Fold in the blueberries. Spread the batter in the prepared pan.
Bake the cake for 75 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean. (Start checking after 60 minutes.) When the cake is firm and a tester comes out clean, remove the cake from the oven. Run a knife between the cake and the short edges of the pan to help release the cake. Lift up on the parchment paper to remove the whole cake from the pan, and place the cake, parchment and all, on a cooling rack. Place the rack in the freezer for 30 minutes. Remove from freezer and let the cake cool completely before icing.
For the icing: In a large bowl, whip the butter and cream cheese together until very smooth, with no lumps remaining. Beat in 1 teaspoon vanilla and 1 tablespoon rum, if using. Add the confectioners sugar, reserved lemon zest, and salt and beat on low speed until combined, then on high until frosting is smooth. Spread on cooled cake. Garnish with blueberries and sliced almonds.
End directions.
The recipe is from this website. It makes a lot of cake, but hey, that's okay, because if you keep it in the fridge it stays fresh for a long time.
And here are a couple of pictures of how mine turned out!
It's delicious, I tell you!
My old roommate and a friend made this for me for my birthday last year, and I decided to make it for my mom's this year. Brief description: a delicious dense cake that includes fresh bananas and blueberries topped with cream cheese frosting.
Cue picture from the website to make you want it.
Anyway, here are the...
Directions
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons rum (optional)
1 1/2 cups mashed bananas (from about 3 bananas)
3 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 lemon, juiced and zested
1 1/2 cups milk
2 cups blueberries, washed and picked over
For the cream cheese icing:
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 (8 ounce) package light cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon rum (optional)
3 cups confectioners' sugar
Pinch salt
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a 9x13-inch pan with parchment paper, with enough paper that paper hangs over the two long sides. Grease lightly with baking spray or butter.
In the bowl of a stand mixer (or in a large bowl with a handheld mixer) cream the butter with the sugars. Blend in the eggs one at a time, and whip until creamy. Add the vanilla and rum, if using, as well as the bananas. Mix until creamy.
Add the flour, baking soda and salt. Stir the mixture roughly, but do not combine completely. In a large measuring cup, mix the lemon juice with the milk. (Reserve the lemon zest for the icing.) With the mixer running, slowly pour the milk into the bowl with the rest of the ingredients. Mix until smooth. Fold in the blueberries. Spread the batter in the prepared pan.
Bake the cake for 75 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean. (Start checking after 60 minutes.) When the cake is firm and a tester comes out clean, remove the cake from the oven. Run a knife between the cake and the short edges of the pan to help release the cake. Lift up on the parchment paper to remove the whole cake from the pan, and place the cake, parchment and all, on a cooling rack. Place the rack in the freezer for 30 minutes. Remove from freezer and let the cake cool completely before icing.
For the icing: In a large bowl, whip the butter and cream cheese together until very smooth, with no lumps remaining. Beat in 1 teaspoon vanilla and 1 tablespoon rum, if using. Add the confectioners sugar, reserved lemon zest, and salt and beat on low speed until combined, then on high until frosting is smooth. Spread on cooled cake. Garnish with blueberries and sliced almonds.
End directions.
The recipe is from this website. It makes a lot of cake, but hey, that's okay, because if you keep it in the fridge it stays fresh for a long time.
And here are a couple of pictures of how mine turned out!
It's delicious, I tell you!
Monday, May 30, 2011
Taio Cruz, Ludacris | Break Your Heart
There are some songs that when I'm driving along and they come on the radio, I freak out with excitement and turn it up super loud. I really do. Admittedly, there are a lot of songs that fall under this category, and this is probably the top one. Yeah it came out a while ago, but I'm still in love with this song, and I have it memorized, yes, including Ludacris's part. This isn't the official music video. I don't wanna be a bad example by postin' that. But here you go.
(P.S. I dedicate this post to Amy Takabori and Erin Anderson, the only two that might love this song as much as I do.)
(P.S. I dedicate this post to Amy Takabori and Erin Anderson, the only two that might love this song as much as I do.)
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Tulip Trees
Every spring on BYU campus, these trees, which normally sort of fade into the background as just another tree, suddenly come to life with the most stunning large purple blossoms.
I had never seen a tree like that before I moved to Provo. Apparently it's a type of Magnolia tree often referred to as a tulip tree. These are amazing! Here are some photos I took of this beautiful creation.
I had never seen a tree like that before I moved to Provo. Apparently it's a type of Magnolia tree often referred to as a tulip tree. These are amazing! Here are some photos I took of this beautiful creation.
Friday, May 20, 2011
Jimmy Fallon & Stephen Colbert
In honor of it being FRIDAY...
I love the kind of humor these guys have with each other. You may have seen the second of these videos, but you probably haven't seen the first one. It kind of explains the second. Also, if you don't know "Friday" by Rebecca Black (Have you been living in a cave?), you MUST go to Youtube and watch that first so that these two videos make sense. Click here for that.
I love the kind of humor these guys have with each other. You may have seen the second of these videos, but you probably haven't seen the first one. It kind of explains the second. Also, if you don't know "Friday" by Rebecca Black (Have you been living in a cave?), you MUST go to Youtube and watch that first so that these two videos make sense. Click here for that.
Friday, May 13, 2011
Bruno Mars | Just the Way You Are
This song is so fun and it totally makes any day better. Luh-luh-LOVE this song!
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Simon Tofield | Simon's Cat
I found this today. I love cats, and these little animations are really cute and funny, exploring everyday happenings of a cat.
To see more of these, visit http://www.youtube.com/user/simonscat?blend=1&ob=5#p/u/0/AYdDRTRaWr8.
To see more of these, visit http://www.youtube.com/user/simonscat?blend=1&ob=5#p/u/0/AYdDRTRaWr8.
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Allie Moss | Melancholy Astronautic Man
I came across this song a while ago. I just think it's really cute, happy, and fun. If you like this, you might also like "Corner" by Allie Moss. That's the first song of hers that I heard.
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Heather Lorraine Photography, Round 2
These are some of my friend's photos that I love. I hope you like them too!
Aren't they marvelous?
Aren't they marvelous?
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Taylor Swift | You Belong With Me
I realize this song came out a few years ago, but it's still one of my favorite songs and music videos ever!
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Early Sexualization
On a more serious note, I read this article today since a couple friends posted it on facebook, and though it's not the happiest of subjects, it's truth. This guy is brutally honest (how refreshing!!!), and is choosing to stand for something. I agree with him all the way too. Read on!
Grand Rapids, Michigan (CNN) -- I saw someone at the airport the other day who really caught my eye.
Her beautiful, long blond hair was braided back a la Bo Derek in the movie "10" (or for the younger set, Christina Aguilera during her "Xtina" phase). Her lips were pink and shiny from the gloss, and her earrings dangled playfully from her lobes.
You can tell she had been vacationing somewhere warm, because you could see her deep tan around her midriff thanks to the halter top and the tight sweatpants that rested just a little low on her waist. The icing on the cake? The word "Juicy" was written on her backside.
Yeah, that 8-year-old girl was something to see alright. ... I hope her parents are proud. Their daughter was the sexiest girl in the terminal, and she's not even in middle school yet.
Abercrombie & Fitch came under fire this spring for introducing the "Ashley," a push-up bra for girls who normally are too young to have anything to push up. Originally it was marketed for girls as young as 7, but after public outcry, it raised its intended audience to the wise old age of 12. I wonder how do people initiate a conversation in the office about the undeveloped chest of elementary school girls without someone nearby thinking they're pedophiles?
What kind of PowerPoint presentation was shown to the Abercrombie executives that persuaded them to green light such a product?
That there was a demand to make little girls hot?
How young is too young to be sexy?
I mean, that is the purpose of a push-up bra, right? To enhance sex appeal by lifting up, pushing together and basically showcasing the wearer's breasts. Now, thanks to AF Kids, girls don't have to wait until high school to feel self-conscious about their, uhm, girls. They can start almost as soon as they're potty trained. Maybe this fall the retailer should consider keeping a plastic surgeon on site for free consultations.
We've been here with Abercrombie before -- if you recall, about 10 years ago they sold thongs for 10-year-olds -- but they're hardly alone in pitching inappropriate clothing to young girls. Four years ago the popular "Bratz" franchise introduced padded bras called "bralettes" for girls as young as six. That was also around the time the good folks at Wal-Mart rolled out a pair of pink panties in its junior department with the phrase "Who Needs Credit Cards" printed on the front.
I guess I've been out-of-the-loop and didn't realize there's been an ongoing stampede of 10-year-old girls driving to the mall with their tiny fists full of cash demanding sexier apparel.
What's that you say? Ten-year-olds can't drive? They don't have money, either? Well, how else are they getting ahold of these push-up bras and whore-friendly panties?
Their parents?
Noooo, couldn't be.
What adult who wants a daughter to grow up with high self-esteem would even consider purchasing such items? What parent is looking at their sweet, little girl thinking, "She would be perfect if she just had a little bit more up top."
And then I remember the little girl at the airport. And the girls we've all seen at the mall. And the kiddie beauty pageants.
And then I realize as creepy as it is to think a store like Abercrombie is offering something like the "Ashley", the fact remains that sex only sells because people are buying it. No successful retailer would consider introducing an item like a padded bikini top for kindergarteners if they didn't think people would buy it.
If they didn't think parents would buy it, which begs the question: What in the hell is wrong with us?
It's easy to blast companies for introducing the sexy wear, but our ire really should be directed at the parents who think low rise jeans for a second grader is cute. They are the ones who are spending the money to fuel this budding trend. They are the ones who are suppose to decide what's appropriate for their young children to wear, not executives looking to brew up controversy or turn a profit.
I get it, Rihanna's really popular. But that's a pretty weak reason for someone to dress their little girl like her.
I don't care how popular Lil' Wayne is, my son knows I would break both of his legs long before I would allow him to walk out of the house with his pants falling off his butt. Such a stance doesn't always makes me popular -- and the house does get tense from time to time -- but I'm his father, not his friend.
Friends bow to peer pressure. Parents say, "No, and that's the end of it."
The way I see it, my son can go to therapy later if my strict rules have scarred him. But I have peace knowing he'll be able to afford therapy as an adult because I didn't allow him to wear or do whatever he wanted as a kid.
Maybe I'm a Tiger Dad.
Maybe I should mind my own business.
Or maybe I'm just a concerned parent worried about little girls like the one I saw at the airport.
In 2007, the American Psychological Association's Task Force on the Sexualization of Girls issued a report linking early sexualization with three of the most common mental-health problems of girls and women: eating disorders, low self-esteem and depression. There's nothing inherently wrong with parents wanting to appease their daughters by buying them the latest fashions. But is getting cool points today worth the harm dressing little girls like prostitutes could cause tomorrow?
A line needs to be drawn, but not by Abercrombie. Not by Britney Spears. And not by these little girls who don't know better and desperately need their parents to be parents and not 40-year-old BFFs.
The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of LZ Granderson.
Grand Rapids, Michigan (CNN) -- I saw someone at the airport the other day who really caught my eye.
Her beautiful, long blond hair was braided back a la Bo Derek in the movie "10" (or for the younger set, Christina Aguilera during her "Xtina" phase). Her lips were pink and shiny from the gloss, and her earrings dangled playfully from her lobes.
You can tell she had been vacationing somewhere warm, because you could see her deep tan around her midriff thanks to the halter top and the tight sweatpants that rested just a little low on her waist. The icing on the cake? The word "Juicy" was written on her backside.
Yeah, that 8-year-old girl was something to see alright. ... I hope her parents are proud. Their daughter was the sexiest girl in the terminal, and she's not even in middle school yet.
Abercrombie & Fitch came under fire this spring for introducing the "Ashley," a push-up bra for girls who normally are too young to have anything to push up. Originally it was marketed for girls as young as 7, but after public outcry, it raised its intended audience to the wise old age of 12. I wonder how do people initiate a conversation in the office about the undeveloped chest of elementary school girls without someone nearby thinking they're pedophiles?
What kind of PowerPoint presentation was shown to the Abercrombie executives that persuaded them to green light such a product?
That there was a demand to make little girls hot?
How young is too young to be sexy?
I mean, that is the purpose of a push-up bra, right? To enhance sex appeal by lifting up, pushing together and basically showcasing the wearer's breasts. Now, thanks to AF Kids, girls don't have to wait until high school to feel self-conscious about their, uhm, girls. They can start almost as soon as they're potty trained. Maybe this fall the retailer should consider keeping a plastic surgeon on site for free consultations.
We've been here with Abercrombie before -- if you recall, about 10 years ago they sold thongs for 10-year-olds -- but they're hardly alone in pitching inappropriate clothing to young girls. Four years ago the popular "Bratz" franchise introduced padded bras called "bralettes" for girls as young as six. That was also around the time the good folks at Wal-Mart rolled out a pair of pink panties in its junior department with the phrase "Who Needs Credit Cards" printed on the front.
I guess I've been out-of-the-loop and didn't realize there's been an ongoing stampede of 10-year-old girls driving to the mall with their tiny fists full of cash demanding sexier apparel.
What's that you say? Ten-year-olds can't drive? They don't have money, either? Well, how else are they getting ahold of these push-up bras and whore-friendly panties?
Their parents?
Noooo, couldn't be.
What adult who wants a daughter to grow up with high self-esteem would even consider purchasing such items? What parent is looking at their sweet, little girl thinking, "She would be perfect if she just had a little bit more up top."
And then I remember the little girl at the airport. And the girls we've all seen at the mall. And the kiddie beauty pageants.
And then I realize as creepy as it is to think a store like Abercrombie is offering something like the "Ashley", the fact remains that sex only sells because people are buying it. No successful retailer would consider introducing an item like a padded bikini top for kindergarteners if they didn't think people would buy it.
If they didn't think parents would buy it, which begs the question: What in the hell is wrong with us?
It's easy to blast companies for introducing the sexy wear, but our ire really should be directed at the parents who think low rise jeans for a second grader is cute. They are the ones who are spending the money to fuel this budding trend. They are the ones who are suppose to decide what's appropriate for their young children to wear, not executives looking to brew up controversy or turn a profit.
I get it, Rihanna's really popular. But that's a pretty weak reason for someone to dress their little girl like her.
I don't care how popular Lil' Wayne is, my son knows I would break both of his legs long before I would allow him to walk out of the house with his pants falling off his butt. Such a stance doesn't always makes me popular -- and the house does get tense from time to time -- but I'm his father, not his friend.
Friends bow to peer pressure. Parents say, "No, and that's the end of it."
The way I see it, my son can go to therapy later if my strict rules have scarred him. But I have peace knowing he'll be able to afford therapy as an adult because I didn't allow him to wear or do whatever he wanted as a kid.
Maybe I'm a Tiger Dad.
Maybe I should mind my own business.
Or maybe I'm just a concerned parent worried about little girls like the one I saw at the airport.
In 2007, the American Psychological Association's Task Force on the Sexualization of Girls issued a report linking early sexualization with three of the most common mental-health problems of girls and women: eating disorders, low self-esteem and depression. There's nothing inherently wrong with parents wanting to appease their daughters by buying them the latest fashions. But is getting cool points today worth the harm dressing little girls like prostitutes could cause tomorrow?
A line needs to be drawn, but not by Abercrombie. Not by Britney Spears. And not by these little girls who don't know better and desperately need their parents to be parents and not 40-year-old BFFs.
The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of LZ Granderson.
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Nimoy Sunset Pie
So, a good friend had a show and tell with my roommate and I the other day. She showed us this wicked awesome website. Basically, it's just a website full of photos that all include Leonard Nimoy (the original Spock), a sunset, and pie. Here's a sample:
Like what you see? Visit nimoysunsetpie.com. You'll be laughing your head off. :-)
Like what you see? Visit nimoysunsetpie.com. You'll be laughing your head off. :-)
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Ryan Woodward | Thought of You
Someone posted this on facebook today, and well, I guess I kind of fell in love. Take a look.
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Taylor Swift | Back To December
This song is amazing. Music video is alright, but I really just like to focus on the lyrics.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Analogies
Tonight I watched a rather disheartening BYU basketball game. My roommate, in an effort to assuage my pain, read these amazing analogies to me during the breaks. These are the worst/best analogies from high school students submitted by their teachers. I don't usually laugh this hard.
- Her eyes were like two brown circles with big black dots in the center.
- He was as tall as a 6′3″ tree.
- Her face was a perfect oval, like a circle that had its two sides gently compressed by a Thigh Master.
- From the attic came an unearthly howl. The whole scene had an eerie, surreal quality, like when you’re on vacation in another city and Jeopardy comes on at 7:00 p.m. instead of 7:30.
- John and Mary had never met. They were like two hummingbirds who had also never met.
- She had a deep, throaty, genuine laugh, like that sound a dog makes just before it throws up.
- The ballerina rose gracefully en pointe and extended one slender leg behind her, like a dog at a fire hydrant.
- He was as lame as a duck. Not the metaphorical lame duck, either, but a real duck that was actually lame. Maybe from stepping on a land mine or something.
- Her vocabulary was as bad as, like, whatever.
- She grew on him like she was a colony of E. coli and he was room-temperature Canadian beef.
- The revelation that his marriage of 30 years had disintegrated because of his wife’s infidelity came as a rude shock, like a surcharge at a formerly surcharge-free ATM.
- The lamp just sat there, like an inanimate object.
- McBride fell 12 stories, hitting the pavement like a Hefty bag filled with vegetable soup.
- His thoughts tumbled in his head, making and breaking alliances like underpants in a dryer without Cling Free.
- He spoke with the wisdom that can only come from experience, like a guy who went blind because he looked at asolar eclipse without one of those boxes with a pinhole in it and now goes around the country speaking at high schools about the dangers of looking at a solar eclipse without one of those boxes with a pinhole in it.
- Long separated by cruel fate, the star-crossed lovers raced across the grassy field toward each other like two freight trains, one having left Cleveland at 6:36 p.m. traveling at 55 mph, the other from Topeka at 4:19 p.m. at a speed of 35 mph.
- Shots rang out, as shots are wont to do.
- The little boat gently drifted across the pond exactly the way a bowling ball wouldn’t.
- Her hair glistened in the rain like a nose hair after a sneeze.
- The hailstones leaped from the pavement, just like maggots when you fry them in hot grease.
- They lived in a typical suburban neighborhood with picket fences that resembled Nancy Kerrigan’s teeth.
- He fell for her like his heart was a mob informant and she was the East River.
- Even in his last years, Grand pappy had a mind like a steel trap, only one that had been left out so long, it hadrusted shut.
- He felt like he was being hunted down like a dog, in a place that hunts dogs, I suppose.
- She was as easy as the TV Guide crossword.
- She walked into my office like a centipede with 98 missing legs.
- The plan was simple, like my brother-in-law Phil. But unlike Phil, this plan just might work.
- The young fighter had a hungry look, the kind you get from not eating for a while.
- It hurt the way your tongue hurts after you accidentally staple it to the wall.
- It was an American tradition, like fathers chasing kids around with power tools.
- He was deeply in love. When she spoke, he thought he heard bells, as if she were a garbage truck backing up.
- The politician was gone but unnoticed, like the period after the Dr. on a Dr Pepper can.
- Her eyes were like limpid pools, only they had forgotten to put in any pH cleanser.
- Her date was pleasant enough, but she knew that if her life was a movie this guy would be buried in the credits as something like “Second Tall Man.”
- The thunder was ominous-sounding, much like the sound of a thin sheet of metal being shaken backstage during the storm scene in a play.
- The red brick wall was the color of a brick-red Crayola crayon.
- She caught your eye like one of those pointy hook latches that used to dangle from screen doors and would fly up whenever you banged the door open again.
- Her pants fit her like a glove, well, maybe more like a mitten, actually.
- Fishing is like waiting for something that does not happen very often.
- They were as good friends as the people on “Friends.”
- Oooo, he smells bad, she thought, as bad as Calvin Klein’s Obsession would smell if it were called Enema and was made from spoiled Spamburgers instead of natural floral fragrances.
- The knife was as sharp as the tone used by Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Tex.) in her first several points of parliamentary procedure made to Rep. Henry Hyde (R-Ill.) in the House Judiciary Committee hearings on the impeachment of President William Jefferson Clinton.
- He was as bald as one of the Three Stooges, either Curly or Larry, you know, the one who goes woo woo woo.
- The sardines were packed as tight as the coach section of a 747.
- Her eyes were shining like two marbles that someone dropped in mucus and then held up to catch the light.
- The baseball player stepped out of the box and spit like a fountain statue of a Greek god that scratches itself a lot and spits brown, rusty tobacco water and refuses to sign autographs for all the little Greek kids unless they pay him lots of drachmas.
- I felt a nameless dread. Well, there probably is a long German name for it, like Geschpooklichkeit or something, but I don’t speak German. Anyway, it’s a dread that nobody knows the name for, like those little square plastic gizmos that close your bread bags. I don’t know the name for those either.
- She was as unhappy as when someone puts your cake out in the rain, and all the sweet green icing flows down and then you lose the recipe, and on top of that you can’t sing worth a damn.
- Her artistic sense was exquisitely refined, like someone who can tell butter from I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter.
- It came down the stairs looking very much like something no one had ever seen before.
- Bob was as perplexed as a hacker who means to access T:flw.quid55328.com\aaakk/ch@ung but gets T:\flw.quidaaakk/ch@ung by mistake.
- You know how in “Rocky” he prepares for the fight by punching sides of raw beef? Well, yesterday it was as cold as that meat locker he was in.
- The dandelion swayed in the gentle breeze like an oscillating electric fan set on medium.
- Her lips were red and full, like tubes of blood drawn by an inattentive phlebotomist.
- The sunset displayed rich, spectacular hues like a .jpeg file at 10 percent cyan, 10 percent magenta, 60 percent yellow and 10 percent black.
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Hey, Soul Sister
Every time this song comes on, my heart is lifted, and my steps become lighter. I really don't know if there's anything that lifts my spirits more. I was listening to this song at work today, and needless to say, it made editing CHEM 61 a lot more enjoyable. Then something crazy happened. When it was over, the Glee version of this song came on! Of the over 260 songs set on random, the same song played twice in a row. Therefore, I have decided to share both. Enjoy this amazing song!
Saturday, January 29, 2011
A Victim Treats His Mugger Right
Published: March 28, 2008
Julio Diaz has a daily routine. Every night, the 31-year-old social worker ends his hour-long subway commute to the Bronx one stop early, just so he can eat at his favorite diner.
But one night last month, as Diaz stepped off the No. 6 train and onto a nearly empty platform, his evening took an unexpected turn.
He was walking toward the stairs when a teenage boy approached and pulled out a knife.
"He wants my money, so I just gave him my wallet and told him, 'Here you go,'" Diaz says.
As the teen began to walk away, Diaz told him, "Hey, wait a minute. You forgot something. If you're going to be robbing people for the rest of the night, you might as well take my coat to keep you warm."
The would-be robber looked at his would-be victim, "like what's going on here?" Diaz says. "He asked me, 'Why are you doing this?'"
Diaz replied: "If you're willing to risk your freedom for a few dollars, then I guess you must really need the money. I mean, all I wanted to do was get dinner and if you really want to join me ... hey, you're more than welcome.
"You know, I just felt maybe he really needs help," Diaz says.
Diaz says he and the teen went into the diner and sat in a booth.
"The manager comes by, the dishwashers come by, the waiters come by to say hi," Diaz says. "The kid was like, 'You know everybody here. Do you own this place?'"
"No, I just eat here a lot," Diaz says he told the teen. "He says, 'But you're even nice to the dishwasher.'"
Diaz replied, "Well, haven't you been taught you should be nice to everybody?"
"Yea, but I didn't think people actually behaved that way," the teen said.
Diaz asked him what he wanted out of life. "He just had almost a sad face," Diaz says.
The teen couldn't answer Diaz — or he didn't want to.
When the bill arrived, Diaz told the teen, "Look, I guess you're going to have to pay for this bill 'cause you have my money and I can't pay for this. So if you give me my wallet back, I'll gladly treat you."
The teen "didn't even think about it" and returned the wallet, Diaz says. "I gave him $20 ... I figure maybe it'll help him. I don't know."
Diaz says he asked for something in return — the teen's knife — "and he gave it to me."
Afterward, when Diaz told his mother what happened, she said, "You're the type of kid that if someone asked you for the time, you gave them your watch."
"I figure, you know, if you treat people right, you can only hope that they treat you right. It's as simple as it gets in this complicated world."
Produced for Morning Edition by Michael Garofalo. [Copyright 2011 National Public Radio]
I want to be like Julio Diaz. I want to change people's lives by simple unexpecting actions. I want to be a better person and see the good in everyone around me. Perhaps this is just a good story to most people, but this is one of the most inspiring stories I've ever heard.
Julio Diaz has a daily routine. Every night, the 31-year-old social worker ends his hour-long subway commute to the Bronx one stop early, just so he can eat at his favorite diner.
But one night last month, as Diaz stepped off the No. 6 train and onto a nearly empty platform, his evening took an unexpected turn.
He was walking toward the stairs when a teenage boy approached and pulled out a knife.
"He wants my money, so I just gave him my wallet and told him, 'Here you go,'" Diaz says.
As the teen began to walk away, Diaz told him, "Hey, wait a minute. You forgot something. If you're going to be robbing people for the rest of the night, you might as well take my coat to keep you warm."
The would-be robber looked at his would-be victim, "like what's going on here?" Diaz says. "He asked me, 'Why are you doing this?'"
Diaz replied: "If you're willing to risk your freedom for a few dollars, then I guess you must really need the money. I mean, all I wanted to do was get dinner and if you really want to join me ... hey, you're more than welcome.
"You know, I just felt maybe he really needs help," Diaz says.
Diaz says he and the teen went into the diner and sat in a booth.
"The manager comes by, the dishwashers come by, the waiters come by to say hi," Diaz says. "The kid was like, 'You know everybody here. Do you own this place?'"
"No, I just eat here a lot," Diaz says he told the teen. "He says, 'But you're even nice to the dishwasher.'"
Diaz replied, "Well, haven't you been taught you should be nice to everybody?"
"Yea, but I didn't think people actually behaved that way," the teen said.
Diaz asked him what he wanted out of life. "He just had almost a sad face," Diaz says.
The teen couldn't answer Diaz — or he didn't want to.
When the bill arrived, Diaz told the teen, "Look, I guess you're going to have to pay for this bill 'cause you have my money and I can't pay for this. So if you give me my wallet back, I'll gladly treat you."
The teen "didn't even think about it" and returned the wallet, Diaz says. "I gave him $20 ... I figure maybe it'll help him. I don't know."
Diaz says he asked for something in return — the teen's knife — "and he gave it to me."
Afterward, when Diaz told his mother what happened, she said, "You're the type of kid that if someone asked you for the time, you gave them your watch."
"I figure, you know, if you treat people right, you can only hope that they treat you right. It's as simple as it gets in this complicated world."
Produced for Morning Edition by Michael Garofalo. [Copyright 2011 National Public Radio]
I want to be like Julio Diaz. I want to change people's lives by simple unexpecting actions. I want to be a better person and see the good in everyone around me. Perhaps this is just a good story to most people, but this is one of the most inspiring stories I've ever heard.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Monday, January 3, 2011
Kid History
My roommate showed these videos to me the other day, and I was laughing out loud! Kids are hilarious. So, basically, I guess the story behind these is that some parents took a video of their kids telling a story, and then they made a video to go along with it. It's pretty great!
Episode 1:
Episode 2:
Episode 1:
Episode 2:
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)