The Worst Christmas Present Ever

Third grade was my dream year.  I had my wonderful boyfriend who gave me a handmade necklace for Christmas...and lots of candy, I was hula-hooping champion, I got second place in the spelling bee and I had straight As.  It seemed like everything was going my way.  Then Christmas came around.  I knew Santa was finally bringing my the Kiersten American Girl Doll that I was literally dying for and finally Elizabeth, my other doll would have a friend.  Then, the worst happened.  As I crept from my room before dawn I noticed Santa's cookies were half-eaten...Kiersten had arrived!  As I walked further around the corner to peer at the perfect gift my eyes filled with tears and I felt like I would vomit.  On the fireplace was not Kiersten...but this abomination:

I immediately ran into my parents' room in tears of utter disbelief. "Santa haaaaattttteeeeesssss me!" I cried.  My mother, still totally oblivious to the matter said groggily, "Santa loves you, what's wrong?"  As I explained my horrible experience of disappointment and heartbreak to my little world she said "Maybe Santa just wanted you to be practical."  Practical?  Are you kidding me?  I want my freaking $100 doll!

Ok, so maybe I did blow this out of proportion, but how did I know that this would really be the best Christmas present ever?  Later that morning Aunt Becky came over for Christmas brunch and convinced me that this was a good gift.  After all, what do parents know about anything anyway?  The next day we (Aunt Becky, Mom, and myself) went to what I like to call "Heaven on Earth" also known as Joann's.  Here a plethora of patterns and fabrics were opened to my mind as I embraced this new love of a needle.

Fast forward 11 years and I have created countless projects of varying shapes, styles, and sizes.  Halloween costume?  Shoot, I can make a Hershey bar or a Sailor Scout costume.  Dresses can't seem to fit right, not a problem...I will just alter the pattern.  A duffle bag?  Don't make me laugh.  As for saving money at the tailor?  Probably in the millions (ok, maybe hundreds...or tens).  This gift has allowed my creativity to blossom.  From my sewing machine I am able to create new things for myself and others that I am actually proud of; I can even design new varieties of clothing if I so desire.  Here is my latest creation, a comforter/quilt that I made of my high school t-shirts:

Who would have thought that a doll disaster would actually be one of the most rewarding and creative gifts I could receive?  Maybe this year I will get something even cooler...or maybe just some Ugg boots.

Spare Change

Old

Friends, Family, Faith

jaded

experiences and circumstances

"tragedy" and new life

colors and crispness increases

seasons change

snow, if for a while

pencils breaking, hands shaking

end, New.

Life can change abruptly.  When you start the semester everything seems like it will break, and then the leaves begin to change color and it all changes.  I wrote this poem to describe a fall semester.  Things often have a dual meaning, which is reflected above, because in the end change has to happen to make room for new life. It really is amazing how inspirational college can be for poetry, I believe this fits a lot of people, whereas in my previous blog that poem concerned me on a personal level.

Cinematography?

Lately I have been dabbling quite a lot with iMovie.  This experimentation has allowed me to let my creative juices flow even more than before.  It seems the possibilities are almost (iMovie 8...cough, cough) limitless with a flip video camera and good software.  This video is from Spanish class.  It is a trailer about a book we finished reading, Crónica de una Muerte Anunciada (Chronicle of a Death Foretold) by Gabriel Garcia Marquez.  The store has one central moment, the death of Santiago Nasar.  In the novella Marquez immerses himself into the story as another character (think The Great Gatsby) and ultimately is affected by this story of twisted fate.  For this film I did all of the editing and added the music, "Requiem for a Dream," as well as did a bit of filming and less-than professional acting.  It is black and white because the entire story is set in the past as a memory.

The Christmas Spirit

Everyone has their favorite tradition about Christmas that brings forth the spirit of the season.  For some it is the claymation videos, for others it it trimming the tree.  As this seasons begins I am also reflecting back on my favorite traditions.  It really is no secret how obsessed I am with not only Christmas music but the movies as well.  The best part of this is when they combine into a whole new idea.  My favorite joining of a song and a movie is The Christmas Shoes which airs on lifetime.  Here is the trailer:



Though this is not necessarily the high budget How the Grinch Stole Christmas or the classic 
Miracle on 34th Street I believe that it conveys the message of the Christmas season better
than anything else: "Give all you can, receive all you can." Now, this does not always mean
material things, it is also the little things that make it all worthwhile, making your dad a really 
ugly tie but he will wear it because it makes his little girl feel better or a mom cherishing the
pinecone her son painted at preschool.


Too often I think people get caught up in getting in the "Christmas Spirit." But, what I 
like so much about this movie is that the characters show the spirit year round. In my opinion, 
just because it is Christmas does not mean that you should do all you can for someone,
it should be a 24-7 job, and this movie particularly passes on that message. This family, 
although they are suffering strives to help anyone they can and make the world a better
place. In the end, it is a little boy that spreads this message to a crowded department store. 
That is what Christmas is all about, not just the season but the feeling that should go 
year-round.

Gobblepalooza

Black Friday is my favorite holiday.  And yes, it is a holiday.  Every year it is a family tradition that as soon as you finish gorging yourself with turkey and cranberry sauce, you break out the ads and get creative.  That's right, I said it, creative.  From the ads to the methods this holiday is all about being different and thinking outside of the box.  My favorite ad from this year was Old Navy, courtesy of Crispin Porter and Bogusky.

It is no secret that the best ads get the best crowds, but here I think Old Navy had the best sales, $5 performance fleeces?  Hell yeah!  Anyway, this ad was the most creative in my opinion.  Taking the "rock on" symbol and making a turkey was genius.  Though not totally original, I am pretty sure I did that in preschool, it is incredibly clever with the concept.  Also, making the theme like a concert truly represents Black Friday, it is like a rock concert.  Hot, crowded, and drugged (on caffeine, that its).

My personal creativity comes in later with picking the route that nobody else will and the art of actually getting into as many stores as possible before keeling over in exhaustion with the 2 hours of sleep and tryptophan in my system.  Still, I manage to score the bargains and the adrenaline rush, not to mention the jet lag of shopping.

The Thanksgiving Tour

So, it is Thanksgiving Day, and that means that tonight at precisely 7pm we will go around the table amongst our friends and family and say what we are thankful for after traveling great distances and swap travel stories...well this year I have decided to create a song, to the tune of "Love Shack," about my epic journey of traveling, cooking, and shopping this holiday season.

If you see a faded sign by the side of the road that says
15 miles to the... Tul-sa! Tul-sa yeah
I'm headin' down the central highway,
lookin' for the food getaway
Heading for the food getaway, food getaway,

I got me a car, it's as slow as a snail
and we're headin' on up
To the Tulsa
I got me a Honda, it smells a little funky
So hurry up and bring your turnpike money

The Crowe house is a little old place
where we can get together
Tul-sa baby, Tul-sa bay-bee.
Food baby, that's where it's at,
Ooo food baby, that's where it's at

Sign says.. Woo... construction fools,
'cause change rules in soo-oo-ner, land!
Well it's set way back in the middle of a state,
Just a funky lil' town and I gotta get back!

Gravy on the turkey
Gravy on the dressing
Gravy on the 'taters
Gravy on the green beans!

The Crowe house is a little old place
where we can get together
Tul-sa baby, Tul-sa bay-bee.
Food baby, that's where it's at,
Ooo food baby, that's where it's at 

Huggin' and a kissin', dancin' and a lovin',
wearin' lots of clothin'
Cause Dad melted the oven
The whole nest' hungry!
The whole nest hungry when everybody's
Cookin' around and around and around and around!
Everybody's movin', everybody's groovin' baby!
Folks linin' up outside just to get food
Everybody's movin', everybody's groovin' baby
Funky little shack! Funk-y little shack!

Hop in my Honda,
it's as big slow as a snail
and it's about to get sales!
I got me a car, it seats about seven
So c'mon and bring your Friday money.

The Crowe house is a little old place
where we can get together
Crowe house baby! Crowe house bay-bee!
(thanks..giv...ing...)
Cou-pons, that's where it's at!

Bang bang bang on the store baby!
Knock a little louder baby!
Bang bang bang on the store baby!
I can't see you
Bang bang on the store baby
Bang bang on the store
Bang bang on the store baby
Bang bang
You're what?... sold out, busted!

Crowe house baby Crowe house!
Crowe house, baby Crowe house!
Dis-counts, that's where it's at
Crowe house, baby Crowe house! 
Sales baby, that's where it's at
Huggin' and a kissin',
eatin' and a lovin' at the Crowe shack 

Mommie Dearest

Today I was going through my usual Monday routine: wake up late for class, run into class, go to work, go to class, take a nap, go to chapter, homework.  Seems pretty normal, right?  Well, it would be apart from the small hitch I experienced during work.  You see, I work as a nanny for a few Highland Park families.  Which, altogether I would deem a pretty good job, the hours are nice and the pay is great, plus I get to play with adorable children.  On this particular day it was extremely warm so Stuart and I went to the park via stroller.  However, to our dismay the wood chips were wet, so we could not play.  After purusing the fountains around the park we began to venture toward home when the idea struck me, I will take Stuart to SMU to see the fountains, there are a ton there (See RJT, I found a use!)!  After securing Stuart in the stroller, blankie and baa-baa in hand we began our journey into the land of many fountains and bulldozers (or as Stuart says, Bountens and Bulldooerererers). 

While pushing him around campus I experienced a much different sensation than the normal routine.  People weren't making eye contact.  And, when I would wave to my friends they would only whisper hi and then be on their merry way.  After going through the classic checks of lack of social interaction (fly open, body odor, food in teeth) I arrived at the idea that they weren't talking to me because I was pushing a stroller with a toddler in tow.  This was shocking and also made me very angry.  The fact that I was being mistaken for a mom wasn't even the issue, but I did hate the negative stereotype associated with it.

People make the joke from Napoleon Dynamite "Your mom goes to college!" Well, what if your mom really did?  Would her friends come up and talk to her?  Or just shrug her aside to protect their own image?  Hopefully they would interact, but is that really wishful thinking?  This experience taught me a lot about world perception.  There really is a negative stigma associated with young, unmarried moms.  But, the fact is that they are all around and can handle a lot more than balancing their parents checkbook.  These women are role models.  They are strong for their children and provide for their livelihood.  From the moment of checking that pregnancy test life must get so difficult, yet they strive.  Heck, they even go through birth, which is a substanital feat in my book. 

Society needs to learn to respect moms.  Moms work so hard to make lives great for their kid, even if it means doing the woo-woo trick to their socks or comforting their child after a rough breakup.  It really is a tough job, especially for the young ones.  You are forced to grow up as a child grows with you, and carry yourself as a woman of grace and integrity.  For the married ones, I argue that this is easier, people see the diamond ring and they flock.  Whereas the teens, the great unadorned are scorned for their misdoings, even if they are just taking care of some else's child.  I am not saying that parenthood is a task that I am ready to take on, but after today I do really admire those who meet the task with open arms and a burp rag that aren't afraid to push the big blue stroller across the quad, even if it means funny looks, because damnit, Stuart wants to see the fountains.

Scholastic Cycle

Two tones, one touch

sudden silence, sudden screams

            H

          T

        W

      O

   R

G

She waves, he tears

New beginnings.

Whirlwind.

Eyes heavy,

Falling,

     Falling,

         Falling,

sleep.

Another dawn.

Poetry is something that I like to do to let my emotions leave me so I can actually focus.  This poem is something that I recently created about what has happened to me this semester.  It really has been a difficult go around, so lately I do feel inspired.  The poem has a dual structure, it is centered not only on my college experience but the life cycle.  This semester, many of my friends had had children or married, though this isn't something in my future, it is significant to me because it means that life is always changing.  The line "she waves, he tears" also is dual in the idea of leaving for college again and also reflects a significant individual in my life and her passing from cancer.  The repetition of "falling" can have many connotations, for me it means falling behind, falling into routine, and falling into exhaustion.  The structure of the poem is also deliberate.  I like to draw pictures with words, and though this can be difficult to do with type text, I do think that you get the idea of growth and decay.

Express Yourself

Expressing yourself can be done in all sorts of ways.  I think too often people think body language is the main way to read someone, a lot of times it seems to be something visible through facial expressions and tone of voice.  The rest of this idea is better explained by video:

What's wrong with this picture?

Some people just don't know how to respect the ad industry.  PETA constantly seems to make ads that are irresponsible and irksome.  For me, I see this as shallow.  A company seriously can't find any creative talent to illustrate their idea in a positive way? So instead they will be irksome, seriously irksome.  Take this ad for example, what does this even have to do with Vegetarianism?  Cannibalism, maybe, but last time I checked we don't eat people unless we are stranded in the Andes mountains and there is a plethora of dead bodies.  This ad does have a good idea, make a public display to go vegetarian, but a more effective platform would have been to show a calf and say something about veal, not a pregnant, semi-nude woman.

Invisible Children

Did you know that guerilla warfare exists in Uganda and the soldiers are children abducted from their homes?  This is a horrible issue, but sadly it is a reality.  The organization Invisible Children fights actively everyday against this and has an amazing story.  A few kids went to Africa with a video camera and came back with footage that would shock the United States.  Now, 5 years later they are having meetings with President Obama to have a voice for these forgotten kids.
Efforts like these are very important to take a personal interest in, especially as a college student.  So often are we so self-absorbed in getting the perfect grade and a good job when there are kids in Uganda that are desperate for jobs so they can really change something.  I think often the efforts of students are stifled because they can't make a difference, but with this program you really can.  Africa lately seems to be the cause that is on everyone's mind.  Walking around campus you will see TOM's shoes on someone (most likely me) because they help people.  But, as college students we shouldn't just help by buying things in stores, we should be consciously helping.  Displace yourself, make yourself uncomfortable.  That is what they always say, right?  So why not do it for someone else?

Choc-oat-chip cookies

Per my new obsession with baking, I have decided to share a personal recipe of mine, it is an adaptation of the Nestle recipe on the back of the cookie bag, but I have molded it enough to call it "original."  It is weird, from all my cooking lately it seems like it is like chemistry, but I like it.

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp sea salt

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 cup butter

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

2 tablespoons soy milk

1 3/4 cups old-fashioned oats

1 squeeze of honey (about a teaspoon or 2)

1 teaspoon of cinnamon

1 bag chocolate chips (12oz)

Oven to 350 degrees.  Mix the dry ingredients together (except oats and chocolate chips).  Instead of letting the butter sit out on the counter to thaw, microwave it for 30 seconds.  Cream the butter an both sugars.  Add the other wet ingredients to the butter and stir well.  Mix the wet and dry together, if you want to use your fingers go ahead.  Add the oats and chocolate chips and stir well.  Spoon teaspoon-sized amounts of dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake for 8 minutes or until golden brown.  Enjoy!

A map of heaven

Heaven for me is somewhere that is all accepting and fits everyone's needs.  I think it is up and you get there in an elevator like thing, which also leads to hell...because that also does exist.  I took the idea of the "pearly gates" one step forward and had them like angel's wings, because I believe that it is more sacred and welcoming.  There are many random things in heaven and I can be whatever you want it to be, for me I added the cliche "milk and honey."  Also, since I recently read The Shack I also picture that as a part of my heaven.  As for what it feels like, I think of the clouds like marshmallows and a wonderful 75 degrees outside, partly sunny.

Honey, I love you

Honey.  The word has so many connotations.  For some, it is a term of endearment and on the flip side, a term of trouble (Honey....).  For Winnie the Pooh, it means life.  For me, it is a sustainer.  Did you know that eating local honey decreases your allergies to pollen?  It makes sense since you are eating it.  Also, per my new obsession with baking I have taken to adding honey to just about anything and everything I make. For my sugar cookies, it is one of the secrets, for sure.  If you want sweet, gooey cookies, add honey.  Heck, I have even tried it as marinade now, and it was good!  Winnie the Pooh, you had it right, Honey is amazing, whether you are meaning love, eating love, or sharing love...honey is awesome.

Call me Suzie.

This semester something has taken hold of me, something cataclysmic and powerful.  I am talking about the urge to domesticate.  It is really odd, because I resisted this for a very long time, but now I seem to appear as a freaking Suzie Homemaker.  This idea is very strange to me, I must say.  I am used to being a career woman (or maybe just a working girl) who lives off of take-out.  But no, this year after moving off campus I was introduced to something amazingly foreign to me...A kitchen.  Now it seems cooking is all I want to do.  Why?  I have no idea.  I mean, I have never really had the desire to cook, even when I had the perfect resources.  And now, yesterday I was positively giddy when I purchased a bundt pan, a BUNDT PAN!  The pan in which I used to snicker due to its name, and now it is the pinnacle of my culinary experience!  Maybe this domestication is just me growing up, and being more thrifty.  I can make my own sushi, sweedish meatballs and sorbet...what could be next?

Time

What if clocks didn't exist?  I think the world would be a much more relaxed place, our lives would not be dictated by a circular object attached to our wrist or the wall...but by ourselves.  Instead of a meeting at 12, we would meet when we felt like it.  Production may become much slower, or people may do better because they would be less stressed.  That would be nice.  Salvador Dali is one of my favorites, and he seemed to have it right with this painting, plus I like the commentary.

Carpe Diem

You know that kid that always runs to class, all hunched-over and on a mission?  Or that kid that has 5 different calculators?  Yep...the nerd.  And you know what, the seem to be the most happy, carefree people I know if.  And quite frankly, we are all nerds at heart, but the one I am talking about is that obvious guy with the nasal voice and tape on the glasses.  Thinking of this, I was inspired to make this ad...for nerdom.

Granny Panties

When everything seems to be a mess, the last thing you want is to be uncomfortable.  Out come the granny panties.  That's right, granny panties.  That pair you wear as your "lucky underwear," the ones that are not the best looking but will see you through thick and thin (pants too...haha).  Think about it...your dream panties are not going to be those complicated ones from Victoria's Secret with all the ribbons and bows...no (though cute...comfort is not first to mind).  For me, it is the granny panties...those high-waisted, rear covering panties.  Embrace it.

illness

Why is it that I seem to get sick when I want to be the most productive?  Here I am, with the voice of a dying toad, and only one test and a paper this week but I managed to get sick.  Bring on the activity.  Hint to all, you know you are an overachiever when you are sick and you take home busy work.  In this case, big/little work for my sorority.  Finally I am the in the position of "big" aka spend as much money and time spoiling another girl (or two, tee hee) in your sorority.  And what am I doing?  Staying up until 2 in the morning doing endless crafts with red paint...it's bloody brilliant (no pun intended...haha).  Illnesses are supposed to be a time to take a break, to relax.  Me?  I just get more stressed and I want to do more.  Maybe that is why they invented NyQuil...to make us all catatonic instead of a machine while we are ill...

The Look

From the hit 80's rock song "She's Got the Look" to current society, someone always seems to have "the look."  But what is "the look?"  For me, it represents comfort, and feeling good in your own skin.  For some, that may mean makeup and a fancy dress and for others (myself included) sagging sweat pants and an oversized sweatshirt (don't judge me).  However, society seems to have change this idea of "the look" into something completely different and fake.  One of the ads from the Dove self-esteem campaign gets this message across:

Does the media force our perceptions?  Yes.  So why can't I feel comfortable going to class in a ponytail and sweats eating a donut?  No, it seems that what is currently accepted are those God-aweful leggings (some even take it to tights...like babies...shudder) and a carmel macchiato.  The bottom line is that "The look" is worded wrong.  There is no "The look" it is "My look."

Slam Books

It seems like gossip is going further and further, beyond any limits.  To show this idea I made a short film with my middle school sister as the actress demonstrating this phenomenon.  It seems that there is never enough room for your gossip, and now with technology at our side (or against us) it seems to be taking root and literally an epidemic.  Now we can talk all about Julie's bad hair day, before anyone sees her or gets home to write in the burn book, what will be next? It is crude filming (limited resources, what can I say?) but it gets the message across.

Permeation Apple

I just googled apple.  What came up?  Not a red fruit but the symbol.   This is crazy.  25 years ago, I would have gotten nothing.  But, thanks to TBWA/Chiat/Day and the 1984 campaign, Apple has become so widespread that even the tales of Johnny Appleseed can't compete.  Think about it, what if I typed in pooper-scooper?  I highly doubt I would have the same reaction (nor the desire to do so).  Even if I search "rabbit" I get the animal instead of the car.  Someday, I want to invent something that becomes this widespread.  Well, now time to recharge my apple...and maybe have a snack.

Livin' on Tulsa Time

I am an Oklahoma girl, born and raised.  And no, I am not lucky enough to receive affirmative action money from the government due to my Native American heritage, unfortunately.  However...I do love my home.  Right now it is fall break and I am home, and I am glad.  Though I do miss my SMU community, it is nice to get in touch with these unique roots.  I am from Jenks, Oklahoma (pronounced "Jinx" but don't even think about that name working out, we dominate at everything).  Jenks is separated from Tulsa by a river, the Arkansas River in fact (though it mostly looks like sandbars).  Now, my home is no ordinary suburb, it is the "suburbaboonies."  The etymology of this word is very simple: suburb, meaning town near a city and boonies, as in middle of nowhere.  Although I am close to the city, it takes 15 minutes to go anywhere, including the nears Reasor's (Kroger for groceries?  I think not!) due to the traffic and barrenness of the land.  For you see, I do not actually live in Jenks, I live on the border of Jenks, Glenpool, Bixby, and Sapulpa (try and pronounce those, go ahead...haha).  Therefore, to my close North is a Ranch, to the South is a power plant (constant power surges and subsequent outages are necessary, of course), and to the East I have a car wash (delicious sno-cones, mind you) and the West, I have grass...with a small strip center.   These amenities, though not necessary to make up the suburbaboonies, similar quantities of neighborhoods and seemingly-useless businesses will suffice, are what make my home.  And I love it.  How many people can boast they live in the middle of nowhere, not too far from the town and grocery store, and near a city?  My home is special. period.

First the King of Rock...now the king of Pop.

Michael Jackson, a legend in the music industry now seems to have a ghost story following him.  

Next thing you know there will be stories of "sightings" of the late King of Pop. What comes 
to mind now is the odd belief by some that Elvis is still alive. Think about it, the legendary 
death of a music legend in this new generation spurs the same superstitions. Now, who is to
say that this video is a hoax or what have you, but the fact that it is on Larry King Live, 
c'mon people!  Next they will be claiming that the two Kings are hanging out at the ranch, oh 
and they invited Bob Marley too.  

This obsession with idols in society is amazing, it seems that if someone dies we take them to 
the next level. Think about it, Heath Ledger wins best actor for the Joker post mortem, and 
granted, it was a good performance, but was it the best? Michael, you will be remembered, 
but people...does he really have to be a ghost?

Oh the Humanity!

Have you ever noticed how much people seem to hate police?  It seems all they do is make you miserable.  For example, earlier this week I was having a horrible day and on my way to a job interview I was pulled over.  I thought, at the time, that this was a nice cop and he was just letting me know I had a tail light out or something.  No.  Apparently I did not "come to a full and complete stop at that stop sign." Enter the waterworks.  I begged, I pleaded, I actually told the truth and did I get mercy? No.  I got a $187 ticket.  Then, it makes me wonder, when these people go home, how do they feel?  They gave a hysterical, poor college student a ticket without a second glance.  What else are they capable of?  Yes, cops do stop the "bad guys" and go to schools and talk to kids.  But those handing out tickets?  Yes, apparently I did break the law, but honestly $187 to a girl with a was-clean record?  I could never be a cop, knowing that so many people hate me because I made them have a bad day.  Fighting crime is cool and wonderful and everything, but hiding behind stop signs? Don't you have something better to do?  Maybe fight the donut stereotype and go to Salad Alley...

People Change

Have you ever heard the saying "people change?"  Of course you have.  But do people actually seem different?  It is like when you are little, and grow up with the same people all through elementary and middle school look the same, even though you know that you are growing up.  Your perception of yourself always seems to be the same, no matter how old you are.  I know that I looked much different as a child, but I don't feel much different as far as myself is concerned.  Now, separation does allow me to see the changes.  I think I have started to notice this more in college than in the past, because I go for extended periods of time between seeing my friends.  Some faces change, and I remember them from before and then compare them to the present.  However, I still cannot seem to remember what people looked like when we were in say, Kindergarden.  All I see is the last memory of that person or the current perception.  This makes me wonder how people remember me, if I am different of if we all, in essence, think this way.

Selfless Tanner

I think it was a few weeks ago my professor mean to say "sunless tanner" but it came out "selfless."  At the time I just shook this off as a joke, but as I started to think about it, the idea made a ton of sense.  Dictionary.com defines "selfless" as: having little or no concern for oneself, esp. with regard to fame, position, money, etc.; unselfish.  What if someone could just rub something on themself that would allow that individual to just "take a step back" and approach an issue in a completely new and different way.  The y would think of others, and work for the greater good.  In an ideal world, this seems like a great product.  Heck, I would even listen to the infomercial and pay $19.99 plus shipping and handling.

To a Little Bird

Dear LB,
     The future is different then you think it will be.  You haven't seen The Butterfly Effect yet (though it is one of your favorite movies) but the concept is very important.  Every action affects the future, every action determines the course of your life.  Although they are not mistakes, but some situations will shape your future and make you the person that you are going to be.
1. Do not stick blue play-doh up your nose in the third grade...it hurts really bad and you will have blue snot for a week.
2. Do not give Jeanette such a hard time when she babysits you, she is a nice girl.
3. Do not hold such high standards for people, you will only get lonely...though do set good standards for yourself.
4. When you go to interviews, zip your fly.
5. Remember that people love you, someone out there always does, even though it is hard to see,
6. Do not trust boys, but give them a chance.
7. Try eggs with tabasco sauce, they actually taste good that way and people will think your food tastes are a bit more normal.
8. Do not paint your room purple...you will hate it within a year.
9. Push yourself in everything, but just as long as you try your best to not be disappointed.
10. Don't believe lies, but don't call people out on them either, it just makes things difficult.

I hope you grow up to be as strong and driven as I know you are.

Love,
Birdie

New to E!: Babytalk

Babytalk.  The newest show for the widest variety of viewers, coming into your cribs at 5/4 central, just after naptime and before dinnertime.  This new-all star cast features the talents seen in the 90s hit, "Baby Geniuses." No longer will there be simply cute little Michelle Tanner's out there with "You got it Dude!"  We now have Omar..."Si, homie!"LaQuesha "ya, ya supafly hood mama" and my personal favorite, Benson" Yes sir, you know the fact indubitably."  Though, there is one difference from the old T-V show...the families will actually be able to understand the babies, but the babies will still have the needs.  This truly has potential...Babies we can understand...a mother's and babysitter's dream come true.  And of course, there will be superheroes, love story, and a dog...like the typical sitcom.

kleptomania

I like stuff.  All kinds of stuff.  Whether it is blankets, shoes or scarves I love them all.  Alas, I do not get to indulge in these very often, since I am a college student I have no money, after all.  As I sit here writing I look to my left and see the monster lurking in the closet, the monster of stuff.  It would be so great if I though I could get along without it, yet here I am thinking of a way to afford a certain rain jacket.  Wow.  It seems that kleptomania is a syndrome that all people have in some way.  I personally like clothes.  But what I love is food.  It seems like everyday I go to the grocery store is a new experience and looking through a cookbook is the next Land's End.  These things all seem to create a monster within us (it makes the sound of a stomach grumble after seeming those rice krispie treats).  It would be great if we could live without stuff.  Or, only have a certain number of things, like a quota.  Alas though, as an American it seems I have to appease the monster, right now it wants bacon.

Here is a small sample of my cluttered lifestyle:

this was taken over the summer, where my extra stuff literally had to sit in the living room because my bedroom was too small for my junk.  The next picture shows the piles as they interrupt friend time.

Draw your creative process

Have a base, somewhere, a word, an idea, or anything.  Then, consider endless possibilities.

I got this idea from a project that my professor is doing.  He said to draw your creative process, so I did.  Here is an individual explanation of those ideas.

C- It is important to be incredibly flexible, like a snake

R- you need to reach for the sky, but have the basics to get there and your idea will take flight

E- There will be problems, controversy with yourself or your peers, but remember that storms have to end

A- make the basic scaffolding first, you need to have a firm foundation

T- you are putting yourself out there, so it is important to scare away the crows

E- you will need caffeine....lots of caffeine.

What is Art?

Did you ever notice that when you are a first-grader, all of your artwork is considered a masterpiece and fridge-worthy? All of it. When you are four years old, you scribble, and it goes right there, next to the baby-shower invite. But what exactly defines art? Because, for me, at least, I have a hard time believing that scribbles are considered art. Shakespeare muses in his work Romeo and Juliet "what's in a name, that which a rose may smell as sweet." Well, my rose of art apparently smells like my car after all this rain (fabric...wet...not a good mix) whereas Jackson Pollock makes a masterpiece by throwing paint on a wall. Who is to say that art is art? My mom likes my stuff...but I bet if my mom were Georgia O'Keefe that would be a different story, unfortunately. Check out jacksonpollock.org, maybe you can be in the Smithsonian, this took me about 2 minutes.

Intertextuality

Intertextuality. The association of something within something else that makes it necessary to understand. Advertising loves it. Now, there are two types of this "intentional phenomenon." The first, horizontal, means the reference to something else in it's same genre (ex. Jack in the box commercials, all relate). And we have vertical, or the leap into comparing with something else (ex. Apple 1984 campaign). The above ad is also an example of vertical advertising. Here, we have a bit of ironic advertising. A toy store ad alluding to a PG13 movie. Wow. Way to go Toys-R-Us, foster in the early exposure of children to dying people, frozen abyss, and...disaster. Though, this does seem to appeal to the poor parents surrounded by barbie and hot wheels. Still, this does seem to add some confusion why toys are groping each other on a boat. However, this ad does provide a clear message that is understandable, even without the knowledge of intertextuality.

Separation of Church and State

Last Thursday, Constitution Day, the day that was the pinnacle of the "Separation of Church and State" idea is remembered. Ironically, SMU seems to have a different idea. As I leave advertising class, and walk toward the quad for Spanish I came across one of the most peculiar experiences. First, a sound, the low sound of a southern bell...tolling (poor allusion but bear with me). Next, one of my particularly patriotic friends running up to me saying "I just touched the liberty bell!" Nevermind that he was wrong...the bell does not tour, though it was a replica. Still, that did not strike my fancy, no...what drove me positively bonkers was the sights looming next to the bell...two tablets, but not just any tablets...a modern-day likeness of the 10 commandments. I was livid. Why? I am a Christian, so this was no unfamiliar sight, but the fact that it was the bread to the liberty bell sandwich! It reminded me of people in elementary school putting cheetos on their PB & J...just not right. A symbol that represents a government free of the church, but now the church seems to be the wonderbread of the government. For some, this may seem right, but for me...I would prefer to eat my cheetos separately.

The Feminist Drive

Feminism. This word is enough to tickle the nerves of anyone. Men fear them because of their "power" and women fear it because of the social stigma attached to the thought. Do I consider myself a feminist? Hmmm...does that mean that I burn my bra, smoke weed, and protest men in any fashion? No...but I do not submit myself to the power of men either. Yes, I can change a tire, but the oil? No way. Yes, I can fix a broken table but install a door? Forget it. Does this mean that I am incapable? No. It just simply is that I have not learned it yet. I believe that women also place this stigma on men. Men can't cook, they can't clean...yeah right. One of my friends makes the best blackened chicken I have ever tasted and as far a nails? My best pedicure was from a man. All too much does society blend gender roles, when reality...We are only different by one tiny chromosome.

H2O

Water. It is so intriguing. You can look through a water bottle and see a whole new distortion of life. It is like a different world. For example, at the lake you can't always see the fish, you just see brown or green (hopefully it's algae) but you know they are there. At the same time, you can look through a water bottle on the table, and whatever is behind it is distorted. It is almost as if water, something that is supposed to cleanse and purify is what hides things. Oh the irony...

Memory

Today marks the 8th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on the United States.  Although not personally affected, this day still seems to have people mourning.  But, it is also weird to think that my age group is one of the youngest to actually remember the tragedy.  Ask just about anyone and they know where and what they were doing when they heard the news.

For me, I was actually at camp with my school.  It is a tradition of Jenks West Elementary to spend a week with the 6th grade at a camp working on "grade bonding."  We were actually supposed to leave that morning but the administration was not sure what to do with us, send us there or home.  We ended up going, but not being told about the attacks.  The counselor parents knew and the teachers, but we were left in the dark until walking in the door at home on Friday, which was to say the least, "surreally shocking."

Now, it seems like people are more somber this day; it is almost as if a fog descends over the country.  Yes, it was a sad day that changed our lives forever but life does go on.  Being from Oklahoma I had experienced this before with the Murrah Building Bombing and it seems to have the same emotions  surrounding it.  People are in mourning.  This makes me wonder, how long do you really need to mourn, until it is all over? At the Murrah Building Memorial there is a tree called "The Survivor Tree."  It represents the idea that life goes on and continues to grow.  I like to visit this time to time, but the picture above is one of my favorites that I have taken. We need to remember that with 9/11, although it was a sad day, babies were born, people got promotions, engagements happened....all good things.  So now, when thinking of 9/11 I will ponder on the new hope, through the image of the Survivor Tree in Oklahoma City.

How's the weather up there?

Why do bad things happen to good people? This question seems to haunt me daily. It is almost as if there is a raincloud following everyone around, and decides to downpour at the most inopportune times. You got a promotion at work? Great, now you have adult-onset acne. Life almost seems to exist in a balance. Like Newtonian physics says, what goes up must come down. But what if something bad happens for no good reason, like something truly bad. On Saturday morning, 4 people whom I knew from my childhood passed away in a plane crash. What justifies that? Religiously, some would say it was their time to go. But dang, in a plane crash of all things? Is this one of those times that that little raincloud may turn into a tornado, spontaniously? It seems to do this back in Jenks, Oklahoma , for sure. So what can we do with this? Embrace the rain. There is always somewhere else to go, always a new journey to take on, and as long as there is life on Earth there will be weather.

Holidays

I recently read an article in one of my textbooks saying that Santa phenomenon is merely a creation of Coca-Cola. Crap. This was not something that I wanted to read...it was probably up there in the realm of dying puppies. But then, I started to think. What if I made my own holiday? What would I do? Who would be the face of it? Hmmm....what about a day that is centered on the Earth! Oh wait, already done. Pluto Appreciation Day? Nope...someone is already on that I am sure. I know...days that aren't your birthday! We can call them unbirthdays! Oh wait, Lewis Carroll already owns that. As Americans, we have holidays for everything...heck, we even have National Talk Like A Pirate Day. So, now I shall make my own holiday. It shall be known as...Be Yourself Day (title is a work in progress...sorry). And, just like Unbirthdays, it will take place all-day, everyday, except one (Halloween, duh!). The symbol, however you decide you feel like today. Honestly, I feel like a Unicorn today so that will be my symbol. Why do I feel like a Unicorn? Because I feel...different, and most likely this feeling will end and I will be extinct from that ideal. All I do know is that "Today is a gift, that's why it is called the present" and gosh darn it, I feel like having a horn today.

First Impressions

Isn't it interesting how much value we, as Americans...or humans for that matter, place on first impressions. If I was to meet someone on the street and they were dirty, smelly, and had grungy clothes, I would go right out and think they were homeless. When, in reality they could be a businessman who just returned from a desert island and is not familiar with society and how it has changed since he has been gone (Castaway, anyone?). From interviews to meeting new friends to exploring new worlds we seem to always have this inherent drive to leave our mark. Humans land on the moon, we leave a flag. Antarctica, for example, the most barren wasteland on the planet and we have to stake a claim and try to build an outpost just so when someone looks at a map, they can look at the American flag there and see that "we must be a powerful nation, we own a chunk of ice." Honestly, I wish I was brave enough to botch a first impression and know that everything would be okay, but I seriously doubt that has ever happened. So now, sad to say, I must go get ready for school...because you never know when you will meet someone new and I better look good, even though I am going to sit for 4 1/2 hours.