Le Concert

 It's today! It's today! :) You know the part in Stuart Little with adorable little Jonathon Whatshisname? He is running around yelling about how today is the day he gets a little brother. He is just so incredibly excited. That is how I feel. Except, I am geeking out over a concert, he is thinking he is getting a baby brother (spoilers, its a mouse).

 

 Today all my buddies and I are going to see The Postal Service! We bought tickets to this concert back in March, so I've been prepping for this for awhile! If you don't know their music...check it out. It will be worth your while!!

 I think there are 5 of us going, and we are trying to pile into one car. I am not driving, so that means that all of my effort for the day needs to be put into securing "shotgun". I tried texting "shotgun" this morning, but that was quickly shot down. The rules clearly state that all parties must be present and the vehicle must be in sight. I don't know what I was thinking.

  Also, it is supposed to rain tonight. I could NOT be more excited. Its going to be like 80 degrees with summer showers. I LOVE summer showers, more than almost anything! :) Super, duper pumped am I!

 Oh!! P.S.!! It is my dearest Cousin Mary's birthday today. She is the absolute coolest, and deserves the happiest of  birthdays!! :)

Les Mis Is A Big Deal, We Get It.

 The first time I ever heard about Les Mis was in 7th grade. My teacher was going on about how great a book it was. I remembered thinking "I should totally read that", but I guess 7th grade crap got in the way. I then kind of forgot all about Les Mis until I was probably in 9th grade, and I watched the movie (not the movie-musical, mind ya!). It was awesome. If you haven't seen it, watch it. After that, I forgot all about it again until the movie-musical came out last year. I went and saw it, and thought that would be the end of it. Nope! A friend of mine is performing in a stage production of Les Mis this summer. I went and saw that, also amazing. I think I enjoyed the stage production better than the movie production. I think. It is tough to decide. I guess Les Mis will keep cropping up because, let's admit it, Les Mis is a big, ol' deal.

 Prior to seeing the musical a couple months ago, I didn't know much about it. I knew that it was a Broadway performance. I had heard the whole Susan Boyle thing, when she sang the big Fantine song and wow'd all of Britain. I think Glee might have done a version of the really dramatic Eponine song. But, its not like I was a big lover of the music to begin with. After having watched it, yes I love it. Yes, it is a big ol' deal. But, I think I still love the story more than the music.

 My super analytic sister pointed out once that the line in the music that best sums up the story is "to love another person is to see the face of God". Well done, Sloan. You are dead on!! The whole damn play is about love and how different people experience and express the love they feel.

 Jean Valjean, obviously has selfless love. He was only imprisoned because he was stealing to feed his family. He ends up raising some chick's kid, just because it was his fault she got fired from her job (which, let's face it, did ultimately result in her death. So, he definitely owed her something.)

Javert seems like a total jerk, but really he is just super devoted to his job. He loves France, and has so much respect for the position he keeps, serving his country. When he realizes that Valjean is a super great guy and probably doesn't deserve life in prison, he can't even deal with the idea of not doing his job, so he kills himself. Kind of a misunderstood love, but it was definitely there.

 Faninte just loves the crap out of her baby girl. She works herself to death trying to provide for her. That is obviously just really great, good-old-fashioned love.

 The whole Eponine-Marius-Cosette triangle is crazy full of love. Eponine expresses unrequited love. She'd do anything for Marius, even if it means helping him get some other chick (which she does, ultimately resulting in HER death. Spoilers. Everyone dies, guys.) Cosette and Marius annoy the crap out of me. They are so caught up in their little infatuations, that they sort of block everything/everyone else out. I guess that is nice in its own way. They have a fairy tale-ish, hopeful love. Not really practical when the freaking French Revolution is happening, but I guess someone forgot to tell them that. They are the only ones who survive the whole thing, so I guess they had something going for them.

 Anyway, it is just a really great story. Being a big lover of love, this story just really did it for me. You should read the book. Do it. Do it, now.

Multi-tasking Like a Boss

 Ok, so I tend to get distracted by things. I have really great plans to keep myself busy after work...but then Television happens. I end up watching reruns of a show I've seen a dozen times. So, working out, reading, my nails, other stuff, gets forgotten. So...I've decided to start multitasking...like a boss. 

 I've moved my treadmill in front of the television. (And that's just true...my treadmill is RIGHT in front of my tv). This way I can work out AND watch Seinfeld....like a boss. I also am trying to get smarter. Mainly algebraically. So, I am doing algebra...while watching Seinfeld...like a boss. 

 That's the view from my spot. (Yes, I have a spot. Like Sheldon, I love it dearly and no one may sit there). As you can see... Mathematics? Check! Cardio? Check! Prime time NBC show from the 90s? Check! 

 During one episode I work out, then during the next I do math. The only problem is going to be when I run out of Seinfeld. Well, I will cross that bridge when I come to it. Yes, I really will! :)

Nostalgia Is Super Weird

 So, last week my baby sister spent her graduation vacation back in our hometown in Kansas. I have been back there a couple times recently. Every time I've been back I did different stuff/saw different people. But, one thing I've never done is go see my old high school. I don't know why I haven't done this, but whatever.

 Anyways...back on track. Sloan was in St. Marys and she went to see our old school. She took a bunch of pictures and put them up on Facebook. Seeing them was, for some reason, super emotional. I teared up just looking at those dumb, old doors I walked through every day. But, honestly, how weird is that? I don't want to be back there. High school had its shining moments, but there is not a single part of me that wants that back. Not even slightly.

Stupid, old, gorgeous doors!! 

So, why in the world do I get all weepy and suddenly want to go all John Mayer on those hallways? (That is a reference to his song "No Such Thing". If you don't know that song...shame on you. Go listen. Go...go listen.)

 

  I have no idea. Nostalgia is weird. Super, super weird. Here's to not being in high school anymore. (Oh, also...that reminds me. That new Avril Lavigne song? What is with that? "Here's to never growing up"? That sounds miserable!! I can't wait to no longer be a poor, dumb kid. But, I guess if you are Avril Lavigne and have a butt load of money...growing up isn't a huge deal.)

 Whatever...that was a super tangent....just a big, ol' tangent. 

Dreamly

 I don't know a whole lot about dream. I think they are pretty darned interesting, though! I remember analyzing all my friends' dreams growing up, trying to figure out what they meant. Usually my friends had dreams like "I dreamed that I showed up for class naked" or "I was falling for hours and finally landed in a bed of fire ants" Those seem pretty straight forward. I guess. "You need to study better for the test, because subconsciously you know you are unprepared" and "Don't jump off cliffs directly over fire ant beds". Simple enough!

 Mine are ALWAYS nonsense. They always feature real people from my life putting me in bizarre situations that could never possibly occur in real life. For instance, last night:

 My dream started off that I was back in high school. The school I went to was a big ol' Catholic campus. Buildings were all spread out all over the place. Which made it a prime place for hide and seek. Which was fortunate because, in this dream, the main focus of my school was rigorous games of hide and seek. They were so dedicated to hide and seek, that if you were found too quickly, you could be kicked out of school! They weren't messing around. Well, my trusty buddy Liz and I were determined to win (or really just not lose) so we did the logical thing and got in my car and drove away. They can't find your hiding space if you aren't even on campus!

 Also, Liz and I were very concerned for the well-being of the kids on campus. We were worried the game was getting too rough for them. So, we snuck them away to play at a park. Somehow we found a bus, which she drove, and loaded all these kids up. I was going to follow in my car (which was the same car Count Olaf drove in "A Series of Unfortunate Events"). But, who should be waiting for me in my car? That guy who sometimes kidnaps me and takes me to his weirdo house out in the country! (this was one of those weird dream memories, somehow in my dream I had a memory of this happening before...very Inception-y)

 Anyway, apparently this had happened to me before. This guy would come kidnap me and if I could find my way out of his house he would let me go. So, we are driving, driving, driving until finally we come to a house where it looks like a giant yard sale is going on. Just crap everywhere. So much junk! Turns out, that is just how his house looks, no yard sale. Well, I am stuck inside this house for a good long while, until "ding-dong", the doorbell rings! Of course, it is my friend Celia and her baby. They are selling lemonade door-to-door in order to raise funds for Gabriel's (the baby) baptism. I am pretty sure those are free, but dream me apparently knows no logic. Well, answering the door was just the solution I needed to get out of this house. So, I bought a glass of Celia's lemonade and strolled out the front door. Why I needed to wait for someone to ring the door, I do not know.

 And, that is how Celia and Gabriel saved my life with a glass of lemonade. Great story, right?

:)

Transitions

 So, about 2 months ago, I had a major breakdown. I was all upset that I was never going to save any money. So, I would never be able to pay for next semester. So, I would never be able to finish my degree. So, I would never be able to get a good job. So, I would never be able to save money. (Damn, money seems to be the common stress factor here) My freak out ended in my laying Disney-Princess-Style on my mom's bed sobbing my eyes out.

 Silly, ol' me!! I got so stressed over things that have, now, worked themselves out. I have two great jobs. I am on track to be able to have Fall 2013 payed for. And now, after reviewing my finances, I can afford to spend Christmas seeing my dear cousins in Germany!

 It seems like every one else in my life is also in the middle of some kind of transition; graduation, new jobs, moving, new baby. It is really tough to make transitional decisions. "Ahh!! What if I make the wrong choice and I end up screwed forever?!!" (I feel like I ask myself this at least once day) But, really all you can do is keep plugging away at everyday. Eventually everything will seem super clear and every decision will be the easiest!

 Just spend every day being the best possible version of yourself. Then, before you know it, you have gotten through the rough parts and it will be on to smooth sailing!!

 Here's to smooth sailing!! :)

New Job et Other Random Updates

 Back in Virginia, and back to normal life. Sort of.

 Whilst in vacation I got hired working in the finance department of a local Catholic College. Not the most exciting job in the world, but it pays really well, and the experience is crazy helpful! I started yesterday. It took all morning to get my desk set up and all the files and programs I needed. So, today is essentially the first day I spend doing my job all day. Anywhoozles, I am enjoying it.

                My little Hobbit Hole

 In other news, I watched Mean Girls yesterday. As should you.

 

 Also, the new season of Arrested Development is happening. So far....eh. But, I am willing to keep watching. It is such a great show, it can afford to have a few shaky episodes.

 Sloany will be back from her trip to the beach, and TJ's flight comes in tonight around 3pm or some such nonsense. The Seelbach Family will be all together again! Finally! Looking forward to it.

 Hmmmmm....anything else worth mentioning? Probably. Or not.

 Whatever. You stay classy, San Fransisco. :)