I'm not insightful enough to be a movie critic.

Maybe I could be a food critic. These muffins taste bad. Or an art critic. That painting is bad.
~ Andy Bernard, The Office

I’d like to think I’m a bit more insightful than Andy Bernard. However, just in case I’m not, I won’t call what I’m about to present “criticism.” Besides, “criticism” just sounds so negative, doesn’t it?

No, what I’m offering you today is just a review smorgasbord. Or a review montage. Okay, so it’s just a review of three random things. Ready?

First – the movie. Smitty and I watched Becoming Jane on Friday. As I noted on Facebook, it made me glad to be born in 1978, not 1778. Without getting all spoilery on you, the movie is about Jane Austen and her romance with a poor but charming lawyer before becoming a published author. From what I’ve read, the movie is very loosely based on what may possibly be a true story. I took it for fiction and enjoyed it.

And reminded me that I am likely the only person alive who has not watched Pride and Prejudice. Or read it. How embarrassing.

Second – the book. Several months ago, I started hearing about this Christian vampire book. While I wasn’t interested in reading about vampires (sorry, Twilight fans), I was intrigued by the book’s back story. I learned that the author, John Olson, wrote his first novel only to be told by his future agent, “I wouldn’t touch that with a sixty foot pole.”

Thankfully for Olson and his readers, the Christian fiction market has changed since then. Shade was published last year, and I read it in January. If you like paranormal stuff – think Frank Peretti or Ted Dekker – you’ll like this one. Olson created a believable main character with authentic character quirks, and a creepy situation for her to face. I’m not sure the end was tied up as neatly as I prefer, but maybe that’s the point: life, especially when dealing with the paranormal, has loose ends and unanswered questions.

I recommend this book, as well as reading about the book’s own story here and here.

Third – the TV show. Ed was the first TV show that Mark and I got hooked on together. So it has special meaning for us. So much so that we call Tom Cavanaugh “Ed,” no matter what his character is named in any new show.

When we saw that our beloved “Ed” was starring in a new show on TNT, along with another funny guy who I still call by his TV name, Will (Eric McCormack for those of you who like to call people by their real names), we knew we had to watch it. Even better, it’s about advertising.

Trust Me aired its first episode last Monday; we watched it over the weekend. I laughed a lot, but mainly because I recognized the environment and the situations the characters found themselves in, thanks to my time in an ad agency. I think the show has potential, and I’m going to watch it again. Ed and Will are both talented, quick-witted and fast-talking actors – and I like that sort of thing. One warning, though: apparently, the FCC allows pretty, um, colorful language at 9 p.m. on a Monday night. Even that, though, was a realistic portrayal of the world the characters live and work in.

There you have it. A review for you, no matter what your preferred medium. Unless you prefer radio, and then I’ve got nothing.

Do you think you have what it takes to be a movie critic? Do you think it would be fun to be a food critic? Did you know four-letter words are allowed on cable after 9?

I carried a watermelon?

"Great movie quotes become part of our cultural vocabulary.”

Jean Picker Firstenberg, Director and CEO

American Film Institute

It occurred to me this morning that I sometimes have entire conversations using only movie quotes. I’m not sure what this says about me. Or maybe I am. Either way, today’s your lucky day, punk, because I’m about to share my favorite quotes with you.

Now you all know how much I love a good list. Or even a bad list. I’m not picky. But you know what’s even better than a plain ol’ list? An outline. Mmm-hm. And since movie quotes fall into several categories, an outline is pretty much a necessity here.

Calm down, I’m getting to the quotes. Don’t be all “Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a” about my rationale for typing this in an outline! Surely you can indulge me just this once. (And don’t call me Shirley!)

Oh, good grief – somebody stop me!

Movie quotes to use at work

• Excuse me. I believe you have my stapler. (Office Space)
• I could set the building on fire. (Office Space)
• Doctor, doctor. Doctor, doctor. (Spies Like Us)
• Et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. (The King and I)
• I gotta pee. (Forrest Gump)

Movie quotes to use with your spouse

• Ummm…yeah…I’m gonna need you to come in on Saturday. (Office Space)
• For-EV-errrr. (The Sandlot)
• Just you wait, Henry Higgins! (My Fair Lady)
• Do, or do not. There is no try. (The Empire Strikes Back)
• Me and Jenny’s like peas and carrots. (Forrest Gump) – Okay, so maybe this is just us. But Mark loves to say this in his annoying Forrest Gump voice and says, “Me and Photoqueen’s like peas and carrots.”

Movie quotes to use with your kids/pets/students/anyone you like to boss around

• If you’re gonna hurl, hurl in this. (Wayne’s World)
• You can do it! (Waterboy)
• I’ll be back. (The Terminator)
• There’s no crying in baseball! (A League of Their Own)
• Wha’ happen? (A Mighty Wind)
• Bueller…? Bueller…? Anyone? (Ferris Bueller’s Day Off)

Movie quotes to use at church

• May the force be with you. (Star Wars)
• Nobody puts baby [Jesus] in the corner. (Dirty Dancing)
• You talkin’ to me? (Taxi Driver)
• Show me the money! (Jerry Maguire)
• You can’t handle the truth! (A Few Good Men)

Movie quotes to use when eating

• Get in my belly! (Austin Powers)
• Gimme some of your tots. (Napoleon Dynamite)
• When you are a man, sometimes you wear stretchy pants in your room. It's for fun. (Nacho Libre)
• Pate? (A Far Off Place)

Movie quotes to use whenever you feel like it/when you want to confuse people/when the mood strikes you

• Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die! (The Princess Bride)
• Toe pick! (The Cutting Edge)
• Could you milk me? (Meet the Parents)
• We thought you was a toad! (O Brother, Where Art Thou?)
• K-Mart sucks. (Rain Man)
• Beavers and ducks! (Bandits)

And pretty much my all-time favorite movie quote of all

• I don't know how to put this but I'm kind of a big deal. (Anchorman)

In summary, movie quotes and moves have, indeed, become part of my vocabulary. That’s really the only explanation for the voice I use to say, “Lucky,” or the way I pronounce “jazz flute” with a “y.” It’s why I often fight the desire to raise my foot up and do the crane or to place my pinky by my mouth whenever someone says “one million dollars.” And it’s why I head bang like crazy every time I hear Bohemian Rhapsody in the car.

What movie quotes or moves are part of your vocabulary?

Theater movies are expensive. Rental movies are cheap.

When you compare $18 (for two) to $1, it’s a pretty easy choice. And that’s why, when I sat down to make my list of “favorite movies of 2008,” I ended up with a list of “favorite movies of 2007 and 2008.”

And then I realized, as I searched my blog for my recent movies reviews, that if you wanted to hear about the movies I watched this last year, you could do the same thing.

So I’ll keep it brief. The best movies I saw in 2008 were Definitely, Maybe, 21, Juno, Mamma Mia, Dan in Real Life, Waitress and Hairspray. And I won’t lie. I also quite enjoyed Made of Honor, 27 Dresses, Fool’s Gold, Enchanted, Ratatouille and What Happens in Vegas.

Now, on to a more interesting list (I hope): the movies of 2008 that I haven’t seen, but want to. And again, this is more a list of movies from the past couple of years, since I typically wait until they’re out on video. In no particular order, I’d like to see…

• Rachel Getting Married
• Burn After Reading
• Wall-E
• The Dark Knight
• Iron Man
• Hancock
• Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2
• This Christmas
• Nothing Like the Holidays
• Michael Clayton
• Eagle Eye (we’re renting this over the weekend)

What were your favorite movies of the last year? What movies would you still like to see?

What’s the big deal about a BB gun, anyway?

I may as well start with the bad news. I have never watched A Christmas Story or It’s a Wonderful Life. I don’t know what’s wrong with me, and please don’t think less of me.

I’m not sure how I’ve escaped these classics in my 30 long years, but it’s true. I have. Feel free to discuss that amongst yourselves.

While you wonder how I’ve managed to live such a deprived life, I’m going to make a list of movies that are not necessarily Christmas-themed movies, but do include a Christmas scene. I feel like it’s such a movie cliché to have a holiday scene, but I’m actually not thinking of many on my own. Specifically, I feel like I’ve seen a lot of movies about Christmas in New York, but I’m not really coming up with much. So, can you help? Here’s what I have so far:

• The Family Man
• While You Were Sleeping
• The Holiday
• Bridget Jones’ Diary
• Serendipity
• Smart People
• The Family Stone

And while I’m at it, just for good measure (and to assure that yes, I have seen some Christmas movies), here are my favorite traditional Christmas movies:

• How the Grinch Stole Christmas (animated, not Jim Carrey, for crying out loud)
• The Santa Clause
• Holiday Inn
• National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation
• Elf
• Miracle on 34th Street
• A Charlie Brown Christmas
• A Claymation Christmas Celebration
• Frosty the Snowman
• Home for the Holidays (actually about Thanksgiving, but still one of my favorites)

Okay, now, help me out with that non-Christmas Christmas movie list! (Please?)

Because I'm a giver.

If I’m doing the math correctly (and this is a big "if"), today is the first day of the twelve days of Christmas. In honor of this momentous occasion, I will not sing the song’s verses out of order. Although, I don’t really plan on singing them in order, either. Nope. Instead, I’m going to give you 12 webby, bloggy gifts.

Don’t get excited. I don’t mean the kind of extravagant giveaways that the real bloggers have. Just some links to a few fun sites you might not know about.

Because I’m like that. Unh-huh, I’m a giver.

1. You can call me Al, and yeah, I think I’ll call you Betty. Paul Simon and Chevy Chase star in my favorite music video of all time, found here for your viewing pleasure.
2. Looking for a way to organize your home? Or maybe just an amateur website with psychedelic colors and a cartoon spokesperson? Look no further than FlyLady.
3. Just how bad was that dessert at the Cheesecake Factory? You can find the dirt – and the number of points you consumed – at Dotti’s Weight Loss Zone. (Don’t be alarmed by all the purple and the ads. Ignore them both and scroll down to find tons of good info.)
4. Now for a cute site that also helps you with our upcoming New Year’s resolutions (well, at least that’s what I’m wishing for on January 1): Hungry Girl. Lots of recipes, healthy products and fun facts here.
5. Enough diet talk! Let’s get down to the important stuff. Like TV. Miss your favorite episode of The Office? Don’t worry – you can get the play-by-play at Television Without Pity. Sure, you can always watch the missed eps online. But does Hulu come with snarky commentary? I think not.
6. We’ve established that several of you (See how that makes it sound like I have so many readers? Ha!) are word nerds like myself. So I feel safe telling this group that I’m also a big fan of fonts. Anyone else? Take this quiz and see just how big a fan you really are.
7. If you’re looking for information about a certain movie, don’t just trust my reviews. Check out Christianity Today’s movie review section for a Christian perspective on today’s most popular films.
8. Need a chuckle? This site posts pics of crummy church signs. Pretty funny stuff, I say.
9. My fellow fans of a capella, as well as those of you strangely obsessed with fantasy movies, will get a kick out of this. Those of you – Mel, I’m talking to you – who are one but not both may or may not get said kick. [Thanks to Mandy Conforth for posting this on her blog.]
10. What would the 12 Days of Christmas be without a couple lookalikes? First, there’s Jewel and Yvonne Strahovski (from the TV show, Chuck). Next, I think Sela Ward and Melora Hardin (from The Office) look not necessarily like twins, but definitely like sisters.
11. A big ad agency came up with a list of 10 new words to describe some of the crazy behaviors in today’s tech-obsessed society.
12. And last but not least (or perhaps), for all my readers in the market for a man or a laugh (or both), your search is over. I give you Real Men of Jesus.

So, tell me, other than this list of wonder, what's the best Christmas gift you've ever gotten?

Tell me more, tell me more.

Whew! Was November the longest month ever or what? No? It was just me? Well, I’m glad I shared many of the things I’m thankful for with you. It was a good exercise in gratitude, plus it gave me an excuse to tell some of my stories and show you some of my pictures. But if I ever needed more evidence that despite my penchant for brilliant ideas, I’ll never make millions because I lack follow-through, well, this was it. But I followed through. I persevered. And now I’m finished.

(Not done. My mom always told me, “Dogs are done; people are finished.” Is that true? Anyone else heard that one?)

Now, I can write about anything I want! I can go days without posting! I can learn more about you all instead of boring you with my stories!

So, on that note, I’d like to know TEN new things about each of you. Post it in the comments or on your own blog or both – I can’t wait to learn about you guys! And to make it fair (and because I love me a good list), here are ten things about me:

1. I sort my M&Ms by color.
2. I have a blonde streak in my brown hair – a birthmark, not a salon accident.
3. I sang at a country opry once in high school. I did not wear sequins or boots.
4. I hate whistling. And the flute. And really, I’m not too fond of sopranos. (Sorry, sopranos.)
5. The first TV show I was addicted to was, “Life Goes On.”
6. I don't like the taste of coffee or alcohol. I can't even stand coffee-flavored ice cream. (However, a good malt beverage or fruity "girl drink" can be tolerated.)
7. I am terrified of trains. The phobia began when the terrible machines played a starring role in my childhood recurring nightmare. The graphic train safety video and presentation in 4th grade didn't help either.
8. I am constantly applying chapstick and/or chewing gum. It's because I'm (sadly) a mouth breather, thanks to year-round allergies.
9. I love magazines. And here's how I read them: first, I read the last page. Then I start on page one and devour it front to back. No skipping around. No aimlessly flipping through. Front. To. Back.
10. I hate cherry-flavored food (Starburst, Skittles, pie). But my favorite drink is Cherry Coke. I have no explanation.

Okay, now it’s your turn!

List of the Week: Book Series

You all know I love to read, right? This here is a picture of my stack of library books…my unread and overdue library books. Look, I’ve been busy lately, planning a first birthday party, going out of town, pondering the meaning of my life, folding laundry. All that, plus trying to find the source of a weird smell in my house, hasn’t left much time for reading. Plus, I’m reading a book for review that was due last Wednesday.

Since my typical reaction to a long list of to-dos is procrastination and because all this talk of books makes me think of, well, books, I thought I’d talk a bit about the kind of books I like today. Specifically, the series of books I read and the characters I love. Because talking about reading is somewhat similar to actually reading all the books on my list. Right.

By the way, I blame/credit Dog Snob for inspiring me to write about this. She mentioned reading series of books on her site, and I realized how much I do this, too. Her reasoning was that just as she loves losing herself in a story, it’s even more satisfying to lose herself in a series, where you get to know a character or group of characters so much better.

I agree with that reasoning. But I can’t deny that part of my series love stems from my (self-diagnosed) OCD. I think it falls under the compulsive part – just wanting to devour, I mean, read, every book in a series solely to have done it. Again, it’s the quantity over quality thing, the unreasonable desire to acquire or accomplish everything in a single category.

In this case, my obsession/compulsion started when I was a child, trying to read every single Nancy Drew book and later realizing that starting with H is for Homicide would not satisfy, not until I’d read every inch of back story in Sue Grafton’s A through G books. The most recent manifestation of my disease is the stack of Iris Johansen books I checked out from the library when I realized I hadn’t read all the books in the Eve Duncan series. Now, let me point out right here that I wasn’t sure I’d left some books unread. I knew that I may have actually read them all. But just in case, I checked them ALL out, just to make sure.

Thankfully, I did come to my senses at least briefly. I returned all the books – unread and read – to the library, realizing I’d never get to all of them, accepting that reading the new novels as they are published would be just fine, acknowledging that I understood the character well enough without reading every single book in which she’s featured.

But since my need for gathering everything that falls into one category must be met, here is my list of book series I’ve read and/or am reading. It's way too long, so here's my question for you first: Do you read any book series? If you don’t, who is your favorite fictional character?

And now, my list:

• Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys
• Trixie Belden
• Bobbsey Twins
• Sweet Valley Twins and Sweet Valley High
• Babysitters Club
• Sue Grafton’s alphabet series
• Chronicles of Narnia
• Dan Mahoney's Brian McKenna series
• Jill Elizabeth Nelson's to catch a thief series
• Susan May Warren's Mission: Russia, Heartquest, Josey, Team Hope and Noble Legacy series
• Little House on the Prairie
• Lisa Scottoline's Rosato & Associates series
• James Patterson's women's murder club series
• Kasey Michael's Maggie series
• Robert Ludlum's Bourne and Covert One series
• Karen Kingsbury's Baxter series
• Jonathan Kellerman's Alex Delaware series
• Faye Kellerman's Decker/Lazarus series
• Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series
• Iris Johansen's Eve Duncan series
• The Yada Yada Prayer Group series
• Dee Henderson's O'Malley series
• Janet Evanovich's Plum series
• Catherine Coulter's FBI thriller series
• Mindy Starns Clark's Tulip and Million Dollar series
• Don Brown's Navy Justice series
• Terri Blackstock's Cape Refuge series
• David Baldacci's Camel Club series

Coming to you...LIVE...from Florida!

I've spent the last three days in Tampa at a golf and tennis resort. I'm here for the Agricultural Media Summit, representing my company at a trade show and hobnobbing with reporters who write about things like cows and fertilizer and tractors and everything farm. So tonight, before I pack and go to bed so I can get up for my very early flight, I'd like to tell you the best and worst things about my trip to Florida.


Best:

• I ate the biggest pork chop I've ever seen tonight, not to mention the chocolate cake I had to split it with my co-worker - after all, I'm making myself weigh in tomorrow when I get home!
• The staff at this resort has provided the most outstanding service I have ever received in any capacity. I guess I don't normally pay enough to be treated this well? (That's a slightly sarcastic comment - who, me? - because I believe customer service is sorely lacking in the world.) All kidding aside, the people who work here have been amazing, offering above average service with a kind smile. The bellman who told us about the umbrellas in our closets, the shipping guy who searched, found and delivered extra boxes for us to use for our extra supplies (from the trade show), the waitress who explained Tampa traffic patterns when we asked about getting to the airport on time, the gift shop lady who gave me band-aids out of her desk when I was going to buy them - these are just a few people who were just fantastic in providing service to me, a lowly conference attender at their swanky resort.
• I met some fun people, like my new friend, Lucy, who's coming to Kansas City next week to try out for American Idol. She even sang her audition songs for us, and she's really good!
• I learned that rum punch is quite tasty (unless it's heavier on the rum than the punch and then it's not nearly as fun - for me, at least).

Worst:

• Florida is ridiculously humid. I mean, there should be another word for how humid it is here. I've been calling it oppressively humid, but that might be a bit much. But just saying "freaking humid" doesn't cut it. It's so humid - and hot, of course, but in July that's a given - that I actually said more than once that I'd rather take all of my clothes off than stand another minute of the oppressive and stifling heat and humidity. For the record, I did NOT take off all my clothes. Although I did take two showers yesterday. It's bad. I've been to Florida in July before - I distinctly remember sweating more than I've ever sweated before. At least then I didn't have to look professional. I couldn't even pretend to look cool - what 17 year old girl visiting Disney World with her parents can?
• I brought new shoes. New shoes that cut my feet to pieces. New shoes that immediately rubbed blisters on several different parts of my feet.
• Because this is a resort and not a hotel, our room, the main building, the trade show building and the restaurants were all in different buildings...meaning I had to walk through the wall of humidity on my sad, sad feet constantly.

OH! I forgot another BEST thing - my bed! Normally, there's at least three, if not four, of us in the bed at home. (Our cats truly believe they are people and deserve the biggest bed in the house - they'll make room for us if we promise to be real nice.) I got a whole bed, an unbelievably comfortable mattress and duvet, plus four smushy pillows all to myself!

And now for another BEST thing. I'm going to pack all my stuff, go to bed, and before I know it I'll be back home, seeing my baby, enjoying normal humidity....and missing the palm trees, bellhop and cleaning service!

The One That Made Me Cry (List of the Week, v4)

I don't think I'm a completely unstable person. My husband might tell you differently, but since I'm the one writing...Anyway. I'm really not a basketcase. I am, however, a crybaby. So when I realized how long it had been since I gave you a list of the week, I thought I'd tell you about some of the things that make me cry.

Plus, I tried and tried to put together a 4th of July post, and it just didn't happen. The last thing on my list is where I started - and where I ended. I just couldn't get past my emotions for that post. So okay, maybe I am a tad bit over the edge. But really, doesn't anyone else cry at any of these things? (Or maybe even something else? Like Hallmark commercials or something?)

Good worship music - This usually happens at church or in my car. I'm so affected by music that God speaks to me so clearly with it. It can be convicting, overwhelming or encouraging - no matter, it can make me cry.

TV series finales - I have a slight addiction to finales. I don't know what it is that makes me tune in every time, but I do. Even if I don't normally watch a show, if I hear that the final show is coming up, I'll watch it! I started watching Friends when it was announced they were doing the last season. (Turns out it was not, in fact, the last season, but I watched from then until the end the next year. And I'm pretty sure I've seen every episode since, thanks to reruns.) It doesn't even have to be a series finale. I watched Michael J. Fox's last episode of "Spin City". I hadn't watched the show in a few years, but I watched that episode. And bawled like a baby.

Weddings - I'm sitting here watching a wedding show on TLC and got teared up. And as I stood at the front of the sanctuary for my brother's wedding and watched my strong and beautiful sister-in-law walk down the aisle by herself, I kid you not, I had a hiccup sob. I couldn't keep it in! So it doesn't matter if it's my friend's second wedding that I wrote about earlier or two strangers I've never met or even two fictional characters, if it's a sweet or poignant or wonderful wedding, I will cry.

Abused, sick or neglected animals, children or old people - There is a commercial on TV right now; I think it's for the ASPCA. It shows dog after cat after cat after dog - all of them somehow managing to look sadly into the camera - all to a mournful Sarah McLaughlin song. And it is the longest commercial ev-er. I have to change the channel every time it comes on. I just cannot handle it. Something else I can't handle? The grandma scenes in Happy Gilmore. I know - that is not a sad movie. But seeing that little grandmother get treated so badly - even if it's by a ridiculous Ben Stiller character - just hurts my heart. Not because I think it's real, but because I'm sure things like that happen in real life! And don't even get me started about sick kids. After working for a health charity, I know too many stories to take any child's situation lightly.

My daughter - I've cried over her first laugh, looking at her face when she sleeps, thinking about how many things could go wrong in her life, thanking God for all the things that have already gone right, and in desperation when I couldn't stop her from crying. And I have a feeling there will be many more tears over my little sweet pea!

Inspiring sports movies - I'm not an athlete. As a matter of fact, I don't really enjoy sports much at all. And I will admit that I've cried due to failing at sports in the past. That should really make me hate sports. But the cliched scene of the underdog managing a victory in the last few seconds of the game - well, it gets me every time. You know the stories I'm talking about: Radio, We Are Marshall, Glory Road, Remember the Titans, Hoosiers, A League of Their Own, Field of Dreams, The Sandlot, even Friday Night Lights. Like I said, I don't really like sports. But I seem to love their movies. (And this video? Bring on the Kleenex!)

Is There Life Out There - Reba McEntire's video for this song makes me cry every time I see it. She plays a wife and mother who goes back to school to get her college degree. And that's exactly what my mom did 20 years ago. Each time Reba says, "I learned more from the stain than I did the paper," I break down, thinking of how hard my mom worked, all the sacrifices our family made, and how proud of her I am.

Our military and the war - My grandad was in the Army, so I was raised with a deep respect for our country, our flag and our military. With everything that's gone on in our nation the past seven years, that feeling has only grown. No matter what you believe about our leaders and their strategies and choices, the men and women who risk and sometimes sacrifice their lives for us are heroes. Plain and simple. And that's why I cry when I hear patriotic country songs (this one caused a breakdown in my car), read military-themed books (sobbing on my couch), watch TV shows about the Army (sniffling every Monday night), or look through Mad Dog's Iraq scrapbook. I almost can't stand how sad it makes me. On the other hand, it makes me so proud and thankful. "Thank you" doesn't seem adequate, but I still have to say it. To those who serve our country, thank you.

By the way...onions don't actually make me cry. (But they're about the only thing that doesn't!)

Update: I wrote this post and scheduled it for today before I heard some bad news. A couple I know from college lost their baby yesterday. The wife was 9 months pregnant and had not experienced any problems. But her water broke and she didn't deliver soon enough.

I can only imagine how excrutiating this situation must be for them, and honestly, I'm sure anything I can imagine is still nothing compared to their pain. I'm praying for them, of course. They are believers, so I pray that will carry them through this time. I don't understand why these things happen. Things like this - as well as my questions following them - also make me cry.

List of the Week, v2

What do you want to be when you grow up?

(Who am I - Brenda Starr or Dale Messick ?)

Today I'm neither girl reporter nor famous artist. But I've wanted to be both. See, I've wanted to be a lot of things. I actually spend a lot of time trying to figure out what I'm supposed to be, supposed to do. I think there's something BIG out there with my name on it. But I don't know what it is. Or how to figure it out. Someday (when I grow up), I might figure out which one of my ideas is right for me. Someday I'll figure out what exactly God made me to do. Until then, I'll just keep adding to my list...

• Teacher (What teacher's pet doesn't want to be a teacher? Of course, I'm still a bit jealous of those summers off!)
• Lawyer (I have to admit, this one still comes and goes occasionally.)
• Cartoon artist (I went through this phase in middle school. I thought I was the next big cartoonist. It may have had something to do with the TV show, "Caroline in the City.")
• Animal rights activist (My seventh grade civics teacher showed us a video about cock fighting. I was appalled and briefly determined to do something about it.)
• Novelist
• Journalist (I went to college with this idea. I was very close to going to a large university specifically for this major, but ended up going to a smaller school. Good thing, since I changed my major after first semester when I learned that being a reporter isn't exactly like being Brenda Starr or Lois Lane!)
• Rock star (Right, like you don't have this dream!)
• Music teacher
• Photographer
• Psychologist (This was my next bright idea in college - spent a couple semesters thinking I would be a counselor. Not a bad idea, but it wasn't the right one, either.)
• Small business owner/entrepreneur
• Event planner (This is where my career began. It was a good place, but not the ultimate place for me.)
• Fundraiser
• College professor (Turns out it only took two hostile golfers in my Speech 101 class to change my mind about changing young lives this way.)
• PR specialist (Okay, so nobody really dreams of being a "specialist," but it's my title for now.)
• Book editor
• Book publicist
• Party planner, photographer and scrapbooker (surely there's a market for this?!)
• Writer (Some days, I really think I have a book in me. What kind of book, you ask? I don't know yet...but I'll let you know when I do!)

I've thought for more than a year (way more than that if you go back to when I originally thought of it in college) that I should be a Christian book editor. It's possible that this is "it," what I've been looking for. What I'm made to do. For the record, I don't know how to get into this career, since I'm fairly entrenched in another career path. But I do know that if this is God's plan for me, we'll figure it out somehow!

What kind of job dreams do YOU have? What will YOU be when you grow up?

List of the Week, v1

I've decided that I need a list of the week. However, I should caution you at this point not to set your watches by my lists. I have in the past - twice, actually - attempted to send a "Tip of the Week" to my co-workers, and both times it ended up being more like a "Tip of the Every Once in a While When the Mood Strikes Me."

That being said, this week's list is ever-growing and ever-evolving...and begins with Everwood. Without further ado (I am big on ado, aren't I?), here it is:

TV Shows I Plan to Watch on DVD

(a.k.a., shows I missed the first time around or don't have time to watch now)

• Everwood
• West Wing
• Friday Night Lights
• Brothers & Sisters
• Wonderfalls
• Veronica Mars, season one
• So You Think You Can Dance, season one
  (Do they put reality shows on DVD?)
• Arrested Development

Now, in order to watch these shows, I will have to actually purchase the DVDs (not likely, as I only own two TV shows on DVD - The Office, season one, which was a gift; and Home Improvement, which was free and I took it for my husband) or break down and get a membership to Netflix, which I've been avoiding especially since discovering Redbox.

You know, now that I think about it, this is a pretty lofty goal. Because it's not like watching these shows in their entirety will be a short thing. No, it's going to take time. And dedication. I probably better put it on my summer projects list. (Yes, the same place my "read some classics" goal has been for years...)

So - what about you all? What's on your list?

Things I Secretly Love

(I tried to think of a clever title for this post, but came up empty. I blame it on lack of sleep - thank you, PhotoBaby - and having just finished my taxes. Blech.)

So, I started thinking today about all the silly things I love. Things that most people don't appreciate. Things that I'm a little embarrassed to admit I love. And then I thought, 'Hey, Photoqueen (that's what I go by back home is Photoqueen...name that song reference), you shouldn't be ashamed of what you love. Well, maybe you should. But blog it anyway!'

So here it is. My list of things I secretly - or embarrassingly (is that even a word?) - love, in no particular order.

• Plastic cups
• Free t-shirts
• Wife Swap, the TV show
• Tostitos cheese dip (I fully blame T-Rex for this one.)
• My husband's shot glass collection (No, we don't drink shots. We just collect them as souvenirs for some reason.)
• Recipes that I look up, copy down, and never, ever use
• Reading blogs - often written by people I don't know (I'm not nosy, just extremely interested in people. And their lives. In detail.)
• Cheesy chick flicks/romantic comedies (Never Been Kissed, I'm talking to you. How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days, this is for you.)
• ALSO - teeny-bopper movies (She's the Man, Clueless, Drive Me Crazy) and dance movies (Save the Last Dance, Step Up)
• Romance novels (I'd like to tell you all about the classic I'm reading right now...or even the political thriller...but...it's a romance novel.)
• Air Supply (I blame my mother for this addiction. And sadly enough, I have already tried to pass it on to PhotoBaby. For about a month, I fed her and rocked her to sleep to the beautiful soft rock sounds of All Out of Love and Making Love Out of Nothing At All.)
• Looking up celebrities who look alike on imdb.com.
• Taking personality tests to learn how cool I am. (Okay, I said it. I love those tests because I get so excited when the results sound like me - as if I'm so cool that someone has written about my personality - as if I'm the only person with this personality. Hm.)
• Smelling library books (I don't know what it is. But I love the way they smell. And for the record, that's all books, not just the fluffy romances.)

Well, that's it for now. As you can see, I'm not very cool. I also have started to like Taylor Swift. For those of you unaware, she's a teeny-bopper country singer who plays a sparkly guitar. Yeah. A sparkly guitar. And I like her, okay?

"Nothing is really real unless it happens on television."

No, I don't really agree with this quote. But as I designed my blog and considered answering all the questions in the "My Profile" section, I was bummed that there's not a spot for my favorite TV shows. A spot for movies? Yes. Books, yes. TV, no.

Now, don't get me wrong. I love movies, and reading is my favorite thing to do. But TV? Well, sometimes it's what gets me from Monday to Friday. Sometimes, and I'm only admitting this to you, it's what tells me what day it is. (What's today? Oh yeah, it's Office-Day, I mean, Thursday.) So, in order to share this part of my life with you that should not be so important...but really is...here are my favorite TV shows.

New shows:
Chuck
NCIS (no, it's not new, but I just discovered it last summer)

Not-new shows:
The Office
Grey's Anatomy
Bones
So You Think You Can Dance

Cable shows:
Monk
Psych
My Boys
What Not to Wear

Old, canceled shows:
Gilmore Girls
Veronica Mars
Ed
Friends
JAG
Felicity

So, that's it. That's what I had to say today. I wrote a page about multitasking, several paragraphs about irony and friendship, and this is what I came up with. TV.

What are YOUR favorite TV shows?