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I kind of go through phases with my nails. I have the bad habit of biting them, and if I wear nail polish I can't bite them because it A) Tastes bad and B) The thought of biting my nails while wearing polish is inexplicably creepy to me. You'd think I would use this to my advantage and wear nail polish all the time so that I could overcome this terrible habit. But I guess I'd rather just bite my nails than have them look nice.
Anyway, I was reading a magazine awhile back (unfortunately I can't remember which magazine or exactly when I was reading it), which featured the new trend of matte nails (matte is a dull finish, rather than the glossy finish that polishes have). I thought it looked especially striking with dark colors like black and navy. Unfortunately I either didn't save this magazine or didn't mark my page, because after that one time reading it, I couldn't find it again, and therefore didn't know what polish to get to make my nails matte.
But then my good friend Leesha (okay, she's not my friend, just this girl I follow on YouTube who does makeup tutorials - super awesome) did a review of Essie's "Matte About You" topcoat, which can be applied to any polish to give it a matte finish! Can you imagine how excited I was? I was less excited when I learned that it retails for around 10 to 12 bucks, but I found it on Amazon for half the price (yessss!)
After I came home from my haircut yesterday, I was pleased to find that it had arrived in the mail, and I immediately tried it out. I took a photo to compare - This is Sinful Colors' Black On Black polish topped with the Matte About You topcoat on my ring and pinkie finger, while my index and middle finger (the top two fingers in the photo) have just the Sinful polish, sans-topcoat:
Mom didn't understand why I liked the matte nails. She likes the glossy finish better. I can see that - I have nothing against glossy, but I think it's a lot of fun to do something interesting and different. Plus I'm kinda arty and like different colors and finishes, especially stuff you don't see a lot. Here's a photo with the rest of my nails done (sorry, it's kinda blurry):
I really think it's a cool effect. I can't wait to try it with other colors. I also ordered an 88-color eyeshadow palette, which are also matte. :) Still waiting for that to get here, but I can't wait to try it out, too!
Currently Reading: Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang by Chelsea Handler (I'm on page 118)
Days Till Disney World: 37!
Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay**SPOILERS**
I’ll admit this review is a bit tainted because of the fact that I am a huge fan of Dexter the TV series, so I not only had very high expectations for the book going in, but I also knew how it was going to end. :( And I was also constantly comparing what I’ve seen on the screen to what I was reading in the book. I feel like the Showtime series is a must-own, totally-worth-the-34-dollars piece of art that I am proud to display in my DVD collection. The book is something that I am more than willing to sell for 25 cents at my next garage sale. Unfortunate, but true. I will have to give Jeff Lindsay credit, because the character of Dexter is a truly unique one (I love antiheroes – Dexter is a serial killer who only kills “bad guys,” making him irresistibly likable), and you can most definitely tell that the creators of the show preserved as much of him as they could when they translated the novel to script. And it is wonderful that Lindsay wrote this book, because, obviously, if he hadn’t there would be no fantastic Showtime series.
I think the character development is definitely something the TV show does better, but they also have more time to do it. Thirteen one-hour episodes provide more time to explore characters than a 340-page book does. Showtime made LaGuerta not only lieutenant, but also made her a more sympathetic character, someone you definitely didn’t want to see die at the end of the first season (as happened in the book). Angel Battista is one of my favorite characters on the show, and he is definitely more prominent. Vince Masouka, Sergeant Doakes, hell, even the antagonist (The Ice Truck Killer, as he’s known in the series, the Tamiami Slasher, as he’s known in the novel) got more development and held more prominent roles in the series than they did in the novel.
The plot felt more fleshed-out (no pun intended) on TV than it did in the novel. The Ice Truck Killer, who the police were chasing throughout the duration of the first season, ended up dating Dexter’s sister Deborah, and therefore was hiding in plain sight, just like Dexter. This also added an interesting, on-the-edge-of-your-seat twist to the season, which I felt added a lot.
One of the interesting things you get in the book that you do not get in the show, though, is more of Dexter’s “Dark Passenger” – the “force” inside him that makes him want to commit murder. There is even an interesting plot twist that they did not explore in the series, which was the idea that Dexter is in fact the one committing the Ice Truck Killer’s (Tamiami Slasher’s) supposed murders. As the murders begin to show more and more similarities to his own killing style, he begins to suspect that his Dark Passenger is taking over while he sleeps and going out and killing prostitutes. I thought this was an intriguing device that would have been cool had it been explored in the TV show.
Some scenes from the show are taken pretty much verbatim from the book, but overall I felt it was a loose interpretation, drawing more inspiration from the character of Dexter than from the actual plot of Lindsay’s novel. Since I was expecting more, I felt "Darkly Dreaming Dexter" was merely “okay” – but had I read the book first rather than watch the TV show, I might have been a little more taken with its originality. (2 1/2 out of 4 stars)
Currently Reading: Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang by Chelsea Handler (I'm on page 83)
Days Till Disney World: 38!
Originally I had been unable to conjure up a witty title for this week's Dancing With the Stars elimination. But I was watching Good Morning America this morning and they had used this little headline. As the title would suggest, Jake was eliminated last night. Again, I'm not that surprised. I mean, given the option between The Pussycat Doll, the Olympic Gold Medalist, and the Bachelor, who do you think would be most likely to win the competition? Yeah, that's what I thought.
Unfortunately it was Jake and my girl Niecy who were in the bottom two, and I hate to admit that that didn't surprise me, either. As much as I love Niecy, I really feel she is getting further in this competition because of her personalty more than her dancing technique. But who really cares? I think that's half the battle, right there. You gotta have some finesse, and I think Niecy always looks like she's having a fun time, which helps you to have a fun time watching her. I think that's a lot of the reason why Kate went home. All she did was cry.
This was the first week where I think I really felt impressed with everyone who performed, and I thoroughly enjoyed all seven dances. I liked the swing dance marathon, too (which of course Nicole and Derek won), although I feel like they're just coming up with different excuses to award extra points. And create extra tension... what was with Evan and Anna being in the bottom three? They totally did not deserve to be there.
And this is a terrible confession, but... I've only voted once. I just never get to it in time. So I guess I shouldn't really be complaining about who's ending up where, when I'm not even doing my part as a viewer and American citizen to make sure those who deserve to stay stay. That will be my resolution for next week: Vote!
P.S. - This whole Sandra Bullock/Jesse James situation is really upsetting me. But more about that later.
Currently Reading: Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang by Chelsea Handler (I'm on page 37)
Days Till Disney World: 39!
I'm not much of a sports watcher. I'm sorry, but I would just rather watch the cake show than football. But last night our die-hard Hawks fan, Nicole, invited everyone to Buffalo Wild Wings to watch the Blackhawks vs. the Predators. I guess I forgot how much fun watching sports can be, especially when you're watching your home team, competing in the playoffs.
It reminded me of when the Bulls were playing their repeat the three-peat and had Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman - it was the only time I ever have been (and maybe ever will be) so invested and interested in basketball (or any sport). At the risk of sounding cheesy, it really was an amazing time, being able to see Michael Jordan play, and watching our home team win their sixth victory in a row - it made everything more exciting. But I think the best part was watching it with Mom and my brother AJ - the fact that it was something we could all do together and enjoy it together was really incredible. We got all of our Bulls memorabilia out and left it set up in the living room for the entire duration of the playoffs.
I got the same kind of feeling watching the Hawks play last night. I'm sure it helped watching it in a sports bar, with all my friends. It definitely created an energy. And the fact that they won - that was just icing on the cake.
Oh and then there was this lovely little exchange:
Me: "I think Katie wants to have sex with me."*
Everyone: "HAHAHAHA!"
Katie: "Excuse me! I have a boyfriend."
Me: "So? That doesn't mean you don't wanna get all up on this!!" [Motions to all of me]
Nicole: "Disney World is going to be interesting, with you guys sharing beds."
Katie: "I don't care who I sleep with, I just care where I sleep."
Bravo, ladies.
Currently Reading: Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay (I'm on page 288)
Days Till Disney World: 40!
*I only said this because Katie was playing footsie with me under the table, multiple times throughout the evening. The first time she did it I laughed so hard I slammed my hand down on the table and broke the glass ring I was wearing.
I will admit that I am a Pixar snob. I just think they possess something that other animation studios who have jumped on the computer animation bandwagon cannot touch. But that's not to say others have not gotten close. Case in point: Dreamworks' How To Train Your Dragon. I saw this movie for the second time on Friday, and I think it's Dreamworks' best. I think Kung Fu Panda and Bee Movie were pretty high up there, but this surpasses them both, in my opinion. Perhaps this is because it reminds me of one of my favorite animated films, The Iron Giant (which is actually better than Dragon - directed by Brad Bird, who also directed Pixar's The Incredibles and Ratatouille. The Iron Giant is done in stunning 2-D animation, but the giant himself is entirely computer-generated, and blended seamlessly into his hand-drawn environment. It's quite incredible.). Both films are about a young boy who discovers a potentially dangerous creature and ends up befriending him. Their friendship is forced to be kept under wraps, because the "grown-ups" would only see the dragon/giant as a monster and would therefore want to destroy it immediately.
Some incredible voice talent combined with beautiful animation and a moving musical score all make for a truly magical moviegoing experience. Jay Baruchel (Tropic Thunder, She's Out of My League), Gerard Butler (The Bounty Hunter, The Ugly Truth), and America Ferrera (TV's Ugly Betty, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants) all contribute to the very talented voice cast, which really helps make the movie something special.
And of course, you throw something like dragons into the mix and you're pretty much guaranteed for something fun. Dragon's dragons (haha) are unique yet familiar - they take traditional-looking dragons and expand on them to make them lovable. For example, Toothless (he's in the photo above) has a lot of cat-like qualities that make him very-pet like and cute. You can't help but want a dragon for your very own!
I believe next for Dreamworks is Shrek Forever After, which is the fourth (and I believe final) installment in the Shrek series. Unfortunately I feel they're kind of running this franchise into the ground, but I will probably still see this movie since I have a four-year-old brother who likes Shrek. Personally, I can't wait for Toy Story 3. :)
Currently Reading: Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay (I'm on page 268)
Days Till Disney World: 41!
Two weekends ago, I saw The Sixth Sense for the first time. I know, I know, how is that even possible? Basically, I am not one for scary movies. As any of my friends will tell you, we all went to see Paranormal Activity on Halloween and I didn't get over it for, like, 3 months. Seriously. It doesn't bother me too badly during the day, but it's more at night where, like, I can't have a foot outside the covers because that's when the demon will grab onto it and drag me down the hall. (Don't ask me why I even saw this movie in the first place. I have no idea why.) So all things considered, I'd say it's not too bad that it took me only eleven years to see The Sixth Sense.
It's unfortunate that I knew the twist ending. The movie came out when I was in junior high, so it was kind of impossible to avoid hearing about it. And you know how some twelve-year-olds are. If you tell them you haven't seen the movie and specifically ask them to not tell you how it ends, they're going to tell you, anyway. In fact, saying that might give them more reason to give away the ending. So as I was watching it, I couldn't help but think how cool it would be if I were watching this without knowing how it ended. Oh, well. I still liked it.
Overall, I thought the "scariness" was over-hyped. Or maybe it was just over-hyped in my mind. After all, eleven years is a long time to build up the fear. I was expecting it to be really, really scary, and don't get me wrong, I did get creeped out, but I found it to be more of a drama than a horror film. And I felt really sad in a lot of parts, particularly due to Toni Colette's heartbreaking performance as Cole's mom. But it's not without its scary parts. I think there are fewer things more chilling and sad than a young boy who is haunted and tormented by spirits. That's just creepy. And needless to say, Haley Joel Osment is scarily convincing in his performance.
Interestingly enough, I have seen Unbreakable and Signs, M. Night Shyamalan's two directorial follow-ups to The Sixth Sense. Unbreakable wasn't really a horror film, but I really liked it, and Signs is a horror/thriller, so I'm surprised that I was able to watch it in the first place. Last weekend I re-watched Signs, and I felt that it was a lot scarier than The Sixth Sense. I'm not sure why. I just felt a lot more on-edge while watching it, even though I've already seen it countless times before! Weird.
Unfortunately, I think Night set the bar high for himself, because lately his movies haven't been received too well. I didn't see The Village, but I heard less-than-thrilling things about it. Lady in the Water was terrible. I'm sorry, but I thought it was really stupid. I didn't see The Happening, either, but I also heard bad things about that one. I heard Mark Wahlberg brought it down. Oh, well. Maybe he'll redeem himself soon. Here's hoping!
Currently Reading: Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay (I'm on page 163)
Days Till Disney World: 44!
Let me start out by asking: Didn't Glee used to be on Wednesday nights? I thought for sure it was, and last week the premiere was just on Tuesday because it was the premiere, and they wanted to put it after American Idol. You know, special night, special time? But I guess it is in fact on Tuesday nights.
I usually do not watch TV during its regularly scheduled time slot. I'm usually babysitting Will and all (3 of) my shows are on when he goes to bed. So I usually watch them the following morning, because he's at school. I do this with Dancing With the Stars, South Park, and, now that it's returned, Glee. (Except for last week. Last week I did watch the premiere when it aired at the very obscure time of 8:25.) So, thinking the new Glee was on last night, I waited until this morning to watch it. But I guess I could've watched it yesterday morning, in retrospect.
Anyway, it doesn't really matter - what does matter is that I loved the episode! It was "The Power of Madonna" - the all-Madonna episode, which I thought was a neat concept (and they performed "Vogue" and "Like a Prayer," which are two of my favorite Madonna songs). I hate to admit that last week I felt the premiere left something to be desired - I didn't think it was that great. I enjoyed it, to be sure, but I felt like something fell flat, for some reason. It was great catching up with the characters and seeing what was going on, but... I don't know. Basically, the bottom line is that I liked this week's episode a lot more.
It was funny and focused on a wider range of characters, rather than just the Finn-Rachel storyline. Don't get me wrong, I love Finn and Rachel, but Kurt is my favorite character and I'm glad there was more of him. I also really like Tina and Artie, and was happy to see their relationship get some more direction. There were some great musical arrangements, as well, and the "Vogue" video spoof was great (I've been waiting for Jane Lynch to sing ever since the show started!). My favorite part, though, was the "Like A Virgin" sequence. The way it was shot and edited... I thought it was brilliant. And I really like Jesse St. James, even though it's obvious that Rachel and Finn belong together. I mostly think it's funny to see the male version of Rachel in Jesse.
I think "The Power of Madonna" is the type of episode that makes it hard to wait a whole week for more Glee!
P.S. - Evan Lysacek is on Ellen today! Woo!
Currently Reading: Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay (I'm on page 127)
Days Till Disney World: 45!
Well, so long, Kate. Not to say that I was surprised - hell, I don't think Kate was even surprised. After an embarrassingly bad foxtrot Monday night, I figured this had to be her time. I can't remember which judge said it, but one of them said something along the lines of how she sort of redeemed herself last week and seemed to make some improvements, and then reverted back to her old (bad) ways this week. You'd think she would have tried harder to make an effort to stick around, considering last week she was in the bottom three. Plus, this week, it was she and Pamela Anderson in the bottom two, and I figured there was no way Pamela was going to be going home.
But still, I kind of have to give Kate some credit for lasting as long as she did, and even competing, period. Carrie Ann had mentioned that Kate was different from all the other competitors, since she wasn't a performer or an athlete - she was a true beginner. And yet, at the risk of embarrassing herself (which she obviously did), she decided to challenge herself and give it a try, anyway. Some people will say that, instead, she should stay in Pennsylvania and stick to just taking care of her kids, but whatever. She can do that now that she's been eliminated.
I'm obviously still thinking Evan for the win. He and Anna did the rhumba Monday night, which was what most of the couples danced last week. The dance itself is a lot of small steps, and maybe it was just seeing one rhumba after another, but last week I found myself kind of bored overall with the performances. But I was actually really entertained with Evan and Anna's! Niecy did great this week, I thought, and I loved her costume! Unfortunately, I have a feeling that she will be going soon, if not next. :(
Nicole is disgustingly good. I say "disgustingly" because I feel she has a really good chance of winning, too, but I want it to be Evan. :) Nicole and Derek were one point away from a perfect score this week, but let's face it, they deserved it. It's going to be close.
Currently Reading: Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay (I'm on page 91)
Days Till Disney World: 46!
I think there is little more frustrating than malfunctioning Internet. Yesterday, all of a sudden, it just stopped working. Which I didn't really understand, because I was getting a full signal on my AirPort. The pages simply weren't loading, or they would take forever to load and then eventually say: "This page cannot be displayed", or one of the many other dreaded messages you don't want your browser to show you. How am I supposed to keep up my goal of a daily blog entry if my Internet is being stupid?? I felt like I had tried every solution I could think of, which made it even harder to realize that it STILL wasn't working. Isn't that terrible? That so much of our entertainment revolves around an Internet connection? It's kind of disgusting.
Luckily there was one resource I hadn't tapped into: My dad. I called him today and we obviously got the problem solved - he said it sounded like the wireless router wasn't connected to the modem, or something along those lines. I found out from Mom that our wireless router is in the family room closet, which is also where my four-year-old brother, Will, keeps a bunch of his toys. He calls it his "office." So what had happened was the plug had come loose from the outlet on the wall, and the solution ended up being as simple as plugging it back in. That kind of makes me want to scream.
Anyway, so I definitely would have made a post yesterday, had this been figured out sooner. I even had my post ready to go, because I finished reading Nineteen Minutes this weekend, and I wrote my review and got it all ready to go. So here it is, alas, a day late:
Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult
I’ll admit that I do tend to judge books by their covers, and perhaps this is why I’ve never read a Jodi Picoult novel. The cover art of nearly all of her books convey a sensitive, after school special-y feeling, which I think tend to turn some people (like me) off. But... I ended up being pleasantly surprised as I read Nineteen Minutes. Besides writing about a timely and rather controversial topic, she really holds nothing back, making the story somewhat gritty and highly charged with emotion. Her character development in this novel is extraordinary, and is, what I think, sold me on the book. I will admit that I wasn’t too interested in reading this book when I learned it was centered around a school shooting. It just simply does not peak my interest. But I was quickly sucked in – and realized just what an amazing storyteller Picoult is. Her method, in this book, is to use chapters to cut back and forth in time – from the day of the “incident” (the shooting) to different points in the shooter’s life, from when he was a baby up to the morning of the violent act. She reminds you that, while this boy may now be seen as a monster, he started out just like any other child. Picoult gives some amazing insight into what it is like to be the victim of bullying, and the effect it can have on a child. This makes the shooter something of an antihero – I found myself feeling sympathy toward him and even understanding his actions, even if I don’t condone what he did. The book provides a beautiful and fascinating social commentary about high school, exploring popularity and self-worth. Picoult unearths some horrific truths on just how painful being a high schooler can be for some. And yet, she leaves her readers with a hopeful message in the author Q & A: “If I could say one thing to the legions of teens out there who wake up every morning and wish they didn’t have to go to school, it would be this – and I’m saying it as both a mom and a writer: Stay the course. You will find someone like you; you will fit in one day. And know that even the cool kids, the popular kids, worry that someone will find out their secret: that they worry about fitting in, just like you do." (3 1/2 out of 4 stars)
Currently Reading: Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay (I'm on page 38)
Days Till Disney World: 47!
I am not an avid Starbucks visitor. I go maybe once a month, if that. But every time I go, I see the "Double Chocolaty Chip Frappuccino Blended Creme" on the menu, and I think, "Man, I should get that." But for some reason, I never have. Which is surprising, because I am a chocolate FIEND. And the best part? It's coffee-free. :)
So I guess that's the main reason I hardly go to Starbucks - I don't drink coffee! Anyway, the point is that I went to Starbucks last night with some dear friends and decided to finally try it. It was blissful. Like chocolate milk, only better. No, like a chocolate milkshake, only better. It had little bits of chocolate chips in it, which was amazing, and with whipped cream on top? I mean really, is there anything better than whipped cream? Chocolate, maybe. But not much else. Anyway, as I'm sitting there, sipping this liquid gold, I think to myself: Why would anyone taint this with the taste of coffee? Chocolate, and this particular chocolate drink, is so delicious and sweet. Coffee, and particularly espresso, is bitter and leaves a nasty aftertaste. It boggles my mind.
I know a lot of it has to do with personal preference and caffeine addiction. I am not one for caffeine, especially because I find it doesn't do much for me and I know I'm already practically addicted to sugar - I don't need something else to be addicted to. Besides, at least sugar tastes good. If you're going to be addicted to something, wouldn't you want it to taste good? It's most likely an acquired taste. And I'm sure not everybody is like me and prefers sweet above all else. But that doesn't mean I'm not baffled.
P.S. - I went online to find a picture of the drink for this entry, and stumbled upon the nutrition facts. No wonder it's so delicious - a tall, 12-oz Double Chocolaty Chip Frappuccino has 380 calories and 45 grams of sugar! I can feel myself getting diabetes...
P.S.S. - Ugh. I woke up with a headache this morning. Is it from the sugar or a menstrual migraine? Are those even real?
Currently Reading: Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult (I'm on page 260)
Days Till Disney World: 53!
I drove past my junior high school last night, and it made me realize that, in the fall, it will have been ten years since I started high school (I don't know why passing my junior high made me realize this, but whatever). It's bizarre how it was something so central to your life, and now it's just something you did ten years ago. I mean, in that time, I've gotten three new siblings, earned a college degree, lived in FOUR different houses, and visited Italy. It's amazing how much you change in the first 20 years of your life - physically, emotionally, and mentally.
I always think it's amazing that I ended up pursuing design. When I was a kid, I never thought I'd do something involving art - my dad and my younger brother AJ were always the artists in the family, and they are amazing illustrators. Since my drawing skills are pretty sub-par, I never thought much about becoming an "artist." I always thought I'd be a teacher, or a ballet dancer, or something like that. And there's always that moment when all the girls in your grade (for me, it was 5th) want to be marine biologists. I don't remember ever being on that bandwagon, so if I was it must've been for, like, a day. I've also wanted to be a DJ on the radio, a film director, and an animator (which I still think would be cool). Some part of me has always wanted to be a writer, and I'd still love to write a book. I just don't think that could be my entire career.
So I guess I've always wanted to do something creative, I just never knew for sure what it would be. As I later discovered, you don't have to be an amazing illustrator to have a great sense of design. Above is my new-and-improved design for my personal website (www.dcmsite.com), which showcases my portfolio. It's still in the works, so if you go to my website now, you'll see my old logo (which I created a year ago - so not very old at all) and boring layout.
I'm not really sure what the bottom line with all this is, or what was the point of this post. Oh, well. Enjoy looking at my new website mock-up! :)
Currently Reading: Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult (I'm on page 214.)
I have a new guilty, guilty pleasure in Dancing With the Stars. I've kind of rooted for certain "stars" in the past (Shawn Johnson, Emmitt Smith), but this is the first time I feel compelled to follow the show religiously. I feel like a lot of it has to do with Evan Lysacek, who of course won the gold medal for men's figure skating at the Winter Olympics this year. He's also from my hometown, so I'd really like him to win. I tend to like people not only for their dancing ability, but also their personality (as was the case with Emmitt Smith - I was so happy when he beat stupid Mario Lopez), so I like Niecy Nash a lot, too. I think she's surprisingly good.
Last night, we saw Aiden Turner (All My Children star) go home, and I was surprised. I thought for sure Kate Gosselin would be going home, given her embarrassingly bad performance last week, and her low scores this week. Plus, it seems like she isn't very popular with the general public (was she ever?), but I guess it was the viewers' votes, ultimately, that saved her. I honestly neither hate nor love Kate, but her dancing definitely does leave something to be desired. In a way, though, I'm glad that she's staying because I'm interested to see if she improves. In the end, I'm not sure Aiden deserved to go home, but I'm actually kind of happy he did because he and Niecy were the bottom two, and as I said, I really like her.
Also: Is it really necessary to stretch this show over two nights? I'm thinking no. I don't even watch the results show, I just tune in at the end to hear who gets eliminated. Or I check the internet, which posts the winners almost immediately after they're announced. I'm looking forward to seeing what happens next week, as much as I hate to admit it. :)
Currently Reading: Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult (I'm on page 171)
I am excited to announce I am going to be in my first WEDDING! One of my best friends, Sarah, is getting married next summer and I get to stand up. I am very excited because I love her a lot and it means a lot to me that she asked me. It is also great because it gives me an excuse to get in shape, and I feel like I have plenty of time to do it. Let's just hope I don't ALWAYS think that way, because I'd hate to procrastinate and then run out of time. Oh! I also get to design the invitations! So excited!!
She already showed me her dress, and I had to laugh because it's so similar to one I had seen and liked, and thought that it would be my wedding dress for whenever (if ever) I got married:
Wow, I've never seen them side-by-side before, but they really are essentially the same thing! Sarah's favorite color is purple, so naturally she chose it for her dress. I really like the dresses with color, and red is one of my favorites. I am totally not upset that Sarah has the same idea, because I have another one. :) Besides, it just shows how much we think alike... and are alike.
My other (potential) wedding dress that I really like is inspired by Tiana's wedding dress in The Princess and the Frog. In the movie, she has two, which I think are really beautifully crafted for her dolls:
I love, love LOVE that green!! Anyway, I'd want something like what she has on in the second picture, since it's less overtly princess-y and has a cool 1920s-inspired vibe to it (I love the gloves!). And it would have a little bit of sparkle in the green, which I love because I love sparkly things. :) AND it would be inspired by Disney, which I love, too!
My Current Read: Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult (and loving it!)
I've decided to go ahead and give this blogging thing a try. I mostly wanted someplace I could post my artwork, book reviews, and anything else that might occur to me. I'm not sure who'd be interested in reading all this, but oh well.
Ann
e of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
This was one of my favorites as a child – I had an extremely abridged version of it that included some of the most memorable moments from the book, and it was worn out, I read it so much. I was surprised to learn the original version was much longer (400+ pages!), and I almost feel it’s really longer than it needs to be. It tends to drag in some places, and I took a break from reading it to read my "Buffy" book (see previous review!*). Having said that, I think Anne is one of the greatest, most charming characters ever created in literature. Her spirit and spunk are irresistible. Within the first few pages of the book, she has a slew of memorable lines. I don’t know if it has to do with the language of the time period, but I found it amazing. Her profundity for an eleven (or twelve?) year-old is fantastic, yet believable. She muses, “People laugh at me because I use big words. But if you have big ideas you have to use big words to express them, haven’t you?”(22). Montgomery’s book is almost like a collection of short stories, all about the same character, and it’s wonderful because you’re able to watch this character grow as the stories progress. "Green Gables" has lots of great, memorable moments and a fabulous main character. While a tad long, I enjoyed it. (Three out of four stars)
*You can't, this is my first review on this blog!
Mom didn't understand why I liked the matte nails. She likes the glossy finish better. I can see that - I have nothing against glossy, but I think it's a lot of fun to do something interesting and different. Plus I'm kinda arty and like different colors and finishes, especially stuff you don't see a lot. Here's a photo with the rest of my nails done (sorry, it's kinda blurry):
I really think it's a cool effect. I can't wait to try it with other colors. I also ordered an 88-color eyeshadow palette, which are also matte. :) Still waiting for that to get here, but I can't wait to try it out, too!
