Weekly Spotlight, Friday Follow

Hey everyone!  

It's Friday, so it's time to post my weekly spotlight! 

This week it is...

Leftovers From Illumination

This girl is clever, and I've enjoyed getting to know her over the last little while.  She writes about Fashion and always posts some really interesting stuff.  Sometimes she finds really really weird fashion or pictures, but I always seem to like them.  It's really cool! 

So check her out, she's awesome!  (She's gorgeous too!)

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The 20 Most Beautiful Female Celebrities

#20 Amy Adams

I just love Amy, she's so adorable.  Recently I watched her in Leap Year and Julie & Julia, and while they were both very different characters, she's charming and sweet in both.  I think she's adorable.

#19 Emily Blunt

I first liked her in The Devil Wears Prada as the bitchy assistant, and then I started respecting her as an actress even more when I saw her in Sunshine Cleaning co-staring with Amy Adams (#19) and playing an entirely different role.  I think she's gorgeous, and elegant in almost every way.

#18 Katy Perry

I used to listen to her CD over and over (except for skipping the "I Kissed A Girl" song, because it got old fast!) and love her look.  She usually has this  punky 50's look that really works for her.

#17 Lena Headey

Oh yes, Lena Headey who I first recognized as beautiful in 300 staring alongside Gerard Butler.  They were awfully gorgeous together, but I have to say when she costarred along side Piper Perabo (#15) in Imagine Me & You, they made an even more gorgeous couple!

#16 Piper Perabo

Also starring in Imagine Me & You (one of my fave movies) alongside Lena Headey (#16) she is most known for Coyote Ugly, which was a fun movie too!  She also played a young lesbian struggling with love in Lost and Delirious.  I just think she has a different look and is totally gorgeous!

#15 Felicia Day

Many of you may recognize her as Penny from Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, but she also has her own web show called The Guild.  Not to mention the super-hot (and super-geeky) music video she did called "Do You Want To Date My Avatar?"  She's geeky-hot, and she has an awesome personality to back it up.

#14 Amy Lee

I have loved Evanescence since they first came out years ago, and I remember being a teenager and my techie (drama club) friends blaring it in the theatre while we sang along on stage.  Her music is hauntingly beautiful, and so is she!

#13 Mila Jovovich

The bad-ass zombie killer herself.  She's so gorgeous, and she's totally hardcore in the Resident Evil movies.  You know me, I love a good Zombie-flick, so this heroin totally has earned herself a spot in the top 20.  Not to mention the first time we all noticed her in The Fifth Element.

#12 Sara Ramirez

Yes, this totally comes from my little guilty pleasure Grey's Anatomy.  She's the curvy and bold Dr. Callie Torres, who first gets cheated on by her husband and then becomes a lesbian.  I really like her, because she's more voluptuous and I like seeing someone who's not stick-thin in Hollywood.

#11 Alyssa Milano

Who doesn't think Alyssa Milano is attractive?  I don't think I've met anyone.  She's quirky and cute, and has been in a ton of things!  Most notably Charmed, where she played Pheobe, one of the witches.  Personally, I remember loving her as a little girl in The Canterville Ghost.

#10 Kate Hudson

Possibly the only really blonde one on my list.  I tend to prefer brunettes or red heads, but I just love Kate Hudson.  She seems to have a presence that lights up the room! My favorite film with her is How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days.

#9 Alyson Hannigan

Buffy anyone?  Ok yes, Buffy is another one of those shows I've loved since I was a little kid, and Willow was my favorite!  She was so totally dorky, yet so totally hot at the same time!  What geek girl wouldn't idolize her?  You know, except for when Willow went all evil and stuff...

#8 Liv Tyler

This girl is gorgeous, and I actually drew this shot once in high school, I'll have to post it on here sometime. From Armageddon to The Lord of the Rings, she's gorgeous and classy!

#7 Audrey Tautou

Amélie is easily one of my favorite movies, and this gorgeous french girl is an amazing actress!  She's also starred as Sophie in The Da Vinci Code.  She's beautiful and extremely talented, plus just fun to watch in any role she plays.

#6 Alanis Morissette

This woman is GOD.  No really, remember Dogma?  Her music is amazing, and I connect with just about all of it, and she's beautiful in mind, spirit, and body.  I love her so much in fact, this blog is named after one of her songs!

#5 Jennifer Connelly

I have been crazy about Jennifer Connelly ever since I first fell in love with the film Labyrinth, which is still one of my favorite films to date.  More recently, I enjoyed watching her in He's Just Not That into You.  My only thing about her beauty:  I really wish she'd pluck her eyebrows a bit more...

#4 Kate Beckinsale

I don't think there are many people who don't have Kate Beckinsale in their top 5, and so she's ended up at spot 4 for me.  She's fabulous in just about anything she's in, and who didn't love her in Underworld as a super-hot vampire?  On the flip side, she was a vampire-hunter in Van Helsing and as a young romantic in Serendipity.

#3 Mary-Louise Parker

I love love love this woman in Weeds, but I happen to love love love that show!  In my opinion, she's the ultimate MILF and looks absolutely fantastic all the time.  I hardly recognized her as the mom figure in Saved! or The Spiderwick Chronicles.

#2 Eliza Dushku

Oh my god, this woman is smokin' hot!  I first became captivated with her as Faith on Buffy The Vampire Slayer, and followed her career along through Angel, Tru Calling, Wrong Turn, and many others until most recently drooling over her in Dollhouse.     I also follow her on Twitter!

So who's left to be my number 1?

♥

♥

♥

Why Zooey Deschanel of course!
Zooey is the epitome of beauty to me.

She's cute and funny, and quirky, and a great actress!
Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, Yes Man, 500 Days of Summer...

Oh how I love her.

Who do you think the most beautiful female celebrities are?

Those Goons; Depression and Loneliness

As most of you know, I'm currently reading Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert.  It was my Book Love Club book I received from Kim.

I wanted to share an excerpt from it that I thought was well written.

She's talking about how after ten days in Itally the depression and the loneliness track her down, and I thought it was an excellent depiction  (that unfortunately hits close to home now and again) of how it feels.

They come upon me all silent and menacing like Pinkerton Detectives and they flank me--Depression on my left, Loneliness on my right.  They don'tneed to show me their badges.  I know these guys very well.  We've been playing a cat-and-mouse game for years now.  Though I admit that I am surprised to meet them in this elegant Italian garden at dusk  This is no place they belong.

I say to them; "How did you find me here? Who told you I had come to Rome?"

Depression, always the wise guy, says "What--you're not happy to see us?"

Go away I tell him.

Loneliness, the more sensitive cop, says "I'm sorry, ma'am.  But I might have to tail you the whole time you're traveling.  It's my assignment."

"I'd really rather you didn't," I tell him, and he shrugs almost apologetically, but only moves closer.

Then they frisk me.  They empty my pockets of any joy I had been carrying there.  Depression even confiscates my identity; but he always does that.  Then Loneliness starts interrogating me, which I dread because it always goes on for hours. 

Skipping a bit here in the middle...

I walk back home, hoping to shake them, but they keep following me, these two goons.  Depression has a firm hand on my shoulder and Loneliness harangues me with his interrogation.  I don't even bother eating dinner; I don't want them watching me.  I don't want to let them up the stairs into my apartment, either, but I know Depression, and he's got a billy club, so there's no stopping him from coming in if he decides he wants to.

"It's not fair for you to come here," I tell Depression.  "I paid you off already.  I served my time back in New York."

But he just gives me that dark smile, settles into my favorite chair, puts his feet on my table and lights a cigar, filling the place with his awful smoke.  Loneliness watches and sighs, then climbs into my bed and pulls the covers over himself, fully dressed, shoes and all.  He's going to make me sleep with him again tonight, I just know it.

This is how most of the book is written, and I couldn't have described these two feelings with more emotion and more accuracy than she did.  Something about it hit home for me.  

I am really enjoying this book so far, I'll let you know what I think at the end.

So far, I recommend it.

Shutter Love Tuesday: Water

© Me!

This is my entry for Trendy Treehouse's weekly Shutter Love Tuesday Contest.

This week's theme is Water.

Go visit and join in the fun!

Hippie At Heart

Sometimes I think I was born in the wrong era.

Melissa over at Expanding Leaves is amazing, and she's also a tea expert so I asked her where I could find some Green Tea Matcha to make Greet Tea Lattes at home.  The Green Tea Lattes from Starbucks are my absolutely favorite drink, so to save on budget I decided I'd like to try and make them at home.

So I finally made it to Whole Foods to pick up this stuff!

I don't think it's the right thing, but it tastes pretty close when I brew it, add some milk, sugar and ice.  Yum! Next time I'll try just the powder-this time I didn't because it's so pricey.

Anyways, when I was at Whole Foods I watched all the health conscious people, and the granola women with their dreadlocks and hemp clothing.  Part of me wishes I could be like them. 

Call it the gypsy blood in me (I'll have to write about that sometime) but every time I pass one of these, I yearn so very badly to sell all my worldly possessions, buy one, and make my way across the continent; going wherever the wind blows.

I want to go and protest something that really matters to me.  (I do this sometimes, usually for equal rights.) I want to stand in a crowd of angry civilians who are showing their disapproval with love and songs.  Gathered in a circle on the capitol steps singing.

I want to go to burning man.  I want to run through fields in my underwear, and dance around the maypole skyclad without worrying about what I look like, or what people will think of me.  I want to be that uninhibited.   I secretly wish I could live in a commune of such people.

I'm a free spirit, caught in a modern world.

I try to live pretty green (there is still a LOT that I should be doing) and I try to approach everyone with love; even though that is very hard sometimes.

I wish I were a Hippie.

For now, I'll just be a Hippie at heart...

Sunday Citar: Loneliness

 

© Me!

Learn your way around the loneliness. Make a map of it. Sit with it, for once in your life. Welcome to the human experience. But never again use another person's body or emotions as a scratching post for your own unfulfilled yearnings. 

From Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert

iPod Game

Ipod Game
Rules of the game:
1) Put your ipod on shuffle.
2) Write down the FIRST song that comes on to each other questions.
DONT switch the song if you don't like it.. That's the fun of the game.

*How am I feeling today? On The Tequila - Alanis Morisette (I could use some)
*How do my friends see me? I Don't Wait Well - Eric Himan (SO TRUE)
*What is my best friend's theme song? Knees of My Bees - Alanis Morissette
*What is the story of my life? Acquired Taste - Eric Himan (Haha!)*What is the best thing about me? Push - Matchbox Twenty (I do push...)
*What is today going to be like? The Only One - Evanescence
*What is in store for this week? There For You - Flyleaf
*What song describes my mom? My Life Would Suck Without You - Glee Version
*What song describes my dad? You're Guardian Angel - Red Jumpsuit Apparatus
*To describe my grandparents? Hymn for Those Left Behind - Shannon Moore
*How is my life going? Coming Home - Garou
*What song will they play at my funeral? Utopia - Alanis Morissette (That Could Work)
*How does the world see me? She Will Be Loved - Maroon 5
*Will I have a happy life? One Love - Essam (I hope so!)
*What do my friends really think of me? Breath - Flyleaf (Josh does tell me to breath!)
*How can I make myself happy? Foolish Games - Jewel (that doesn't sound right...)
*What should I do with my life? You Make Me Smile - Blue October
*What is some good advice for me? Not the Doctor - Alanis Morissette (Soooo true)
*How will I be remembered? Girl Like Me - Lori McKenna
*What is my signature dancing song? Soil, Soil - Tegan & Sara
*What is my current theme song? Glitter in the Air - Pink
*What does everyone else think my current theme song is? Baby Got Back - Richard Cheese version (LMAO - Well... I do.)

LIFE STORY:
*Opening Credits: Please Don't Leave Me - Pink
*Waking Up: Fidelity - Regina Spektor (wake up cheerful)
*First Day At School: Waking Up In Vegas - Katy Perry
*Falling In Love: Sick Cycle Carousel - Lifehouse (Wow, Fitting.)
*Fight Song: Las Resort - Papa Roach (Hahaha!  Fits!)
*Breaking Up: My Hero - Foo Fighters (Good breakup.)
*Prom: Same Mistake - James Blunt
*Life's OK: Misundaztood - Pink
*Mental Breakdown: Don't Wait Up - Colin Hay
*Driving: Fast Car - Eric Himan Version (Fitting...)
*Flashback: Mad World - Gary Jules (YIKES! That was Donnie Darko's flashback.  Creepy.)
*Getting Back Together: Run 2 U - Jewel (That could fit.)
*Wedding: Papa Don't Preach - Glee Version (Apparently I'm preggers. Haha!)
*Birth of Child: Taking Chances - Dive - 3Reasonz
*Final Battle: Sleep Alone - Bat For Lashes
*Death Scene: I'll Meet You There - Owl City (Wow!)
*Funeral Song: Here's To The Night - Eve 6 (Super fitting)
*End Credits: Let It Go - Tim Mcgraw

*What song describes my mood right now? Soul - Matchbox Twenty
*What song do I listen to when Im depressed? Rev 22:20 - Puscifer (true!)
*Happy? Speak Slow - Tegan & Sara
*Scared? Fully Alive - Flyleaf
*Bored? Boring - Pink (hahaha, wow.)

And Kristina Dies At The End

This week I am spotlighting:

And Kristina Dies At The End

Ok, so Kri has only been blogging for about three days, but I had to spotlight her to get the word out.  This girl is seriously one of my very best friends and she's so new to the world of blogging that I wanted to get her involved with more of you.  That way she'll stick with it!

Also, you know those honorary kiddos I'm always bragging about?

Yup, these two belong to her, and I couldn't love them more!

I assure you, this isn't going to be just another mom blog, (FTR-I love me some mom blogs) though there will be lots of those posts, but this one is going to stand out!  If you couldn't already tell from her blog title, she's not like any other housewife out there!  She has a love of all things gruesome; most especially serial killers and psychology.  Check out her last post, she's talking about Dr. Henry Howard Holmes.

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Happy Hour Friday

It's Friday, and as most of you know it's the day I usually play Dear So and So and write letters... However I'm absolutely certain all of my letters would be scathing, and I just can't do that to you beautiful people right now.  Honestly, I can't do that to myself... Cathartic or not, I need to attempt to see the positive right now instead of writing rants about how much I hate (and I do hate it) my job situation right now.

You can be pretty sure there would be letters to both my old and my new job.  The new one, because I am still not enjoying it in the slightest.  Each day of training towards something I know I don't want to do is just torture.

My old job, because they officially rejected me for the position I worked so very hard to gain for two seasons.  Good attendance, experience, and super-high ratings obviously didn't help me and I'm a bit upset.  I'm trying not to be, because they told me there is still hope for the positions opening in may, but I can't help but feeling a little down  about it all...

So in an effort to think of positive things that make me smile, I'm only bringing you Happy Hour Friday today.  Positivity people, positivity.  (I'm trying to stay positive-can you tell?)

I am happy that I have a roof over my head and food on my plate.

I am happy that I have a job (no matter how much I hate it) in such an economy.

I am happy I finally got the new Sookie Stackhouse book.
(I just have to finish my book club book first!)

I am happy I have friends I love, who love me.

I'm happy Kristina started blogging! 
(Go check her out, really-she's awesome!)

I am happy for the rain.

I am happy it's finally spring!

I am happy that I only have two days left until I have a day off.

I'm happy that I get to go have lunch with Heather, Josie and Billie Jo next week.

I am happy for this kid and getting to play with him!

Now if that face doesn't make you smile, I don't know what will.

Happy Friday all, I wish it were my friday, but I still ♥ you all.

Mad Birthday Cake Decorating Skills

So this year I decided to make my own cake.

This would be the first time doing cake from scratch, and the first time attempting to decorate it using both buttercream frosting and fondant. I'll admit, it wasn't without trouble.  

First, it was supposed to be a two tier cake, but the top failed before it even made it out of the pan.

Then, I didn't have enough red food coloring to do red velvet cake.

So I quickly switched to a one tier chocolate cake.

 

 
The basis for this was the Marshmallow Fondant recipe I found on a blog, and I wanted to try it very much! 


Marshmallow Fondant Recipe
(via thepolhamusfamily.com)

I'm not usually a fan of fondant, however this recipe struck me as a little different as it's made with mostly marshmallows.  In fact, it tastes so much better than any fondant I've ever had!  It was so very good!  I will admit, working with fondant is a bitch, as it tends to stick to everything and have a hard time spreading, but it was worth it.  My cake turned out so beautifully!

I even added some food coloring, made polka-dots and stuck them on using a little water on a paint brush.  It was adorable!

Chocolate Cake Recipe

(Via allrecipes.com)

This recipe was great because it wasn't too sweet, and it was thick and moist.  I loved it!

Buttercream Icing Recipe

(Via Wilton.com)

So easy to make.  I just frosted the cake with the buttercream, stuck it in the freezer for a while, and then put the fondant over the top!  It was so rich and yummy!

What do you think of the my first attempt at cake decorating?

Button & Header

Hey lovelies!

Did you see the new header?

(((If not, look above!)))

I made it myself, including the cartoon me. :)

Also, if you'll look to your left, I have a button now!

Please take the button and show me off! 

You know, if you like reading this here blog...
 
Grab the code just under it to the left.

Love you all dearly! 

♥

All I Can Do Is Stay Positive

I had already set myself up to hate this job.  It's less money than I was making before, and when I was laid off from the previous job I was really sad because I really wanted to stay.  I kept waiting to hear something,-and I'm still waiting-but this job is helping me bide my time and at least have a little income until I hear from them. 

This job will have 8 weeks of training.  8. Weeks. Of. Training. 

That's more than any other job I've ever had.

Plus the desks are shared so you can't have your own cubicle or computer.  There doesn't seem to be anything personal about it... You're just one of hundreds shuffling around in the building...

I miss the familiarity of my old job.  My cubicle with all my little sticky notes posted, my computer with my personalized background, and all the coworkers that made the day worth it every time I went to work.  I'm still keeping my fingers crossed that they call me back.  I really want to go back.

However, in the meantime (and in case they don't call) I really need to rally myself around this situation.  If I stay here, I'll have benefits in a few months, and an opportunity for advancement.  There are so many opportunities to become a trainer or a supervisor.  I could own this job if I put my all into it.

So that is what I'm going to do until the old job calls me.  Firstly, because I am an awesome employee who will give my all in any position I'm put in, and secondly because I need stay positive and make good things happen for myself.