Alyssa Laine

Va-Va-Voom

2012-10-23T23:43:00.000-05:00

Back in what was probably early May, my boyfriend Oscar and I were talking about music. He told me about Bassnectar and asked me if I liked him, and I had never heard of him. I listened to some of his stuff, and absolutely loved it immediately. Oscar told me about a concert that was in Morrison, Colorado at the Red Rocks Amphitheater. The venue was incredible, and I was all for going. Once I knew for sure that I didn't have to work, we bought tickets. We didn't do any planning until after we had our tickets, which was kind of crazy, but we had such a fun time and it all worked anyways.

This will mostly be a post full of sweet pictures I took during the trip. Enjoy!

If you ever buy tickets throught TicketMaster online, always choose the will call option. They will hold hard copy tickets for you at the event center, and you don't have to use the crappy print out page. All you need is your ID and the card you purchased the ticket(s) with.

These. Are. Amazing. Everyone needs a healthy dose of junk food when they are on the road. This might be my go to food.

The view for the whole ride for me. My amazing boyfriend was extra amazing (like he is everyday) and let me sleep in as long as possible the morning we left. I went to a rodeo the night before and didn't get to his house until about 12:30 am or 1. We didn't go to bed until around 3 or later, and he woke up early to make sandwiches. He also drove the whole way there while I took two naps, even though he got less sleep then I did. I'm pretty lucky :)

There were random TeePees here for some reason. It's pretty cool to see how much things change from state to state.

I love this guy :) He is so good to me.

This was taken through some goggle things. I'm not sure what they're called.

Morrison, Colorado. Gorgeous.

The drive into Red Rocks amphitheater.

Another shot of beautiful Colorado

Yep, we're weirdos.

One of the friends we made out there. She was from Tennessee and absolutely adorable!

Rebekah and Houston. They are moving up to the Midwest and will only be a couple hours from me, and one hour from my boyfriend! Super exciting!

My better half <3

Group picture with the lovely Colorado behind us.

I love this picture, but it kind of looks like we are in front of a fake background.

A shot of the amphitheater.

The stage and some of the beginning crowd!

Lorin from Bassnectar

My glow sticks before they got taken away by security. Sad day. I spent a whole whopping 97 cents on a bag.

This dinosaur was part of a dinosaur museum out in Nebraska somewhere. Pretty funny to see!

Drinking wine while at Olive Garden, even though we hadn't showered and were exhausted.

This was how long our trip was, from start to finish and all the in betweens.

This is a lot, but it was worth every mile we drove.

Lights on the canyon that we were in.

They let bags of balloons out mulitple times during the show. It looked awesome, especially with the lights.

Dream Job

2012-01-06T15:04:00.000-06:00

Back in October, I believe, I got a job at a local pottery studio in my town. For those who don't know much about me, I live in a very small town in Iowa. A pottery studio is very unique for us. Another thing about me is I'm an art junky, but that's for a later post. Needless to say, this is my dream job as a college student. I get to make pottery, pour molds, pick out bisque pieces, use the slab roller, paint samples, and basically design whatever I want. Not to mention I get to use power tools on almost a daily basis. Pretty awesome. Another thing that I love about my job is the creative outlet it gives me. Not only am I painting and coming up with pieces to show off to customers, I am keeping my creative juices flowing, which allows me to think of more things for my other art and crafts that I do.

The studio is a small business, run by one woman. She is one of the greatest people I have come to know, and great people like her are hard to come by these days. I'm also lucky enough to have her as my boss. It's just the two of us there at the moment, and I enjoy every minute of it. There are some days when I'm off on my own holding down the fort, but I am so grateful to her for giving me the opportunity to work there.

We are working on a lot of projects right now, and one of the big things we are starting is glass fusion. I get to cut class and help create sample pieces for that as well. I used to look at things in stores that were fused, and I always wondered how they did it, but now I can say I know the process. We also do silver clay jewelry. Once the silver clay fires in the kiln, it is 99.9% pure silver, which is amazing, not to mention the process that is mind-blowing!

This is a sample piece that I "had" to paint for customers to get a good idea of what it would look like. I actually rolled the flat ornaments out with the slab roller, and then I cut them out. I decided to do this candy cane two-sided so when it spins while hanging up, it's all decorated.

This is my friend Lindsey, who came in to paint a picture frame for her mom for Christmas. It turned out really nicely, and we got to visit while I painted samples.

Sometimes I feel like Angry Birds are taking over the world...So what did my boss and I do? We made clay angry birds. These are made by hand, and we had a kids' class for them.

This is my reindeer sample that I painted. I absolutely love him. I also painted a penguin, but I'm not sure where the picture is. My boss told me that once a sample is painted, someone will paint that piece the same way for themselves. I didn't realize she meant the exact same way, but lo and behold, several kids painted a reindeer just like him.

When pieces aren't fired, the paint is very dull. This is the finished product of one of the first pictures. I was very pleased with it :) Love the shine.

My mom came into visit me one day at work, and as usual, she had her camera at the ready. I was wedging clay to get ready to roll out. Let me tell you, that gives you a good upper body workout!

The biggest sample that I've gotten to paint...I was so excited when my boss told me I would be painting this big sushi platter, somehow incorporating her new square stencil. This is my workspace.

Set my timer, because everyone should have a picture of themselves doing what they love.

Not sure why these are sideways still...Can't get them rotated for some darn reason.

The finished front before it was fired.

I decided the back needed a little something to make it cute. Polka dots did the trick!

Finished! Some of the dots aren't dark enough, and I believe it needs to be re-fired because of some issues with the paint balling up. Darnit!

The Creativity is Flowing.

2012-01-04T23:23:00.000-06:00

For years, I've been wanting an earring hanger where I can display all of my earrings without having to take up too much space. Every single earring thing I've found has either been huge, waaay too expensive, or ridiculously tacky or gaudy. I decided to make my own. I think I did pretty darn well! The first one is the one that is hanging on my bathroom wall, and the rest are made for customers who requested their own custom made ones. They are all pretty similar, as the customers didn't want anything different besides the color. :) Pretty soon I am going to start making all sorts of unique ones, and when that time comes, I will do another post! I'm hoping to make a website with my sister and mother for us to sell some of our creations and artwork on, so these will eventually be on the market! If interested, leave a comment! Hope you enjoy them!

Photo Shoot

2011-05-16T22:40:00.001-05:00

I have the best little models ever :) This is my niece Alaina Katherine. She is six months old and the most precious thing ever. I have so many photo ideas for her, so this is just the beginning! The pictures of Alaina in the bonnet are not from the shoot, but I thought they were too cute to leave out.

Finally

2011-05-12T11:07:00.000-05:00

It has been quite a while since I posted last, so I figured I would let everyone know what I have been up to. I am done with classes for the semester, and I will be starting back up in the fall. I am also helping coach my little sisters' softball team and my little brother's baseball team when they need the help. I quit my job as a server. I couldn't stand it anymore. I have been at the place since it opened--five years. The people haven't gotten any better, and there is only one person who has a position of authority that I respect. Most of the people there cannot tell their heads from where the sun don't shine, so I had enough. I'm in the process of looking for another job. I'm waiting on an answer from one place, and I really hope I get the job. I'm also trying to get motivated to write. I love to write, but at the moment I'm stuck with the direction I want to go with my novels. I might just have to find a new method.

I'm also working at my parent's store. They are opening an optical here in town, and it's been a lot of fun getting everything to come together. I can't wait until it's actually opened and we get some traffic going. Even though I don't have an actual job, I'm still keeping so busy that I feel like I don't have any time for anything.

I also just got hooked up with an insulin pump. I LOVE IT!! It's so convenient and so much easier. I don't know why I ever thought they were bad news. Probably just denial I guess haha....But the pump is a life saver. If you are a type 1 diabetic reading this, I would recommend looking into a pump. It's saved me so much time already, and I've only had it for three full days.

I've been trying to do a lot of photography, and things have been really nice there. We had a bat laying on our driveway with a broken wing, so I got quite a few good pictures of it. My mom and I also spotted a snapper on the gravel road just by our house. We've also had gold finches, bluejays, and orioles out at our feeder. Spring and summer are so awesome for photo ops. I'll post some pictures at the end of this post. Hope everyone is doing well!!

Had to get my pupils dilated for my last eye exam. They check for nerve damage since I'm diabetic..Luckily, everything looked good!

My 6 month old niece, Alaina Katherine. She is such a little bundle of joy!

My new insulin pump!! I LOVE it :)

These pretty blossoms were all over Omaha, Nebraska when we went to Nebraska Furniture Mart. Best place ever.

Just a dragonfly. I love them.

The nasty, but really cool, bat that was on our driveway.

The snapper that was right down the road by our house.

TH1RTEEN R3ASONS WHY

2011-05-02T23:47:00.001-05:00

TH1RTEEN R3ASONS WHY by Jay Asher

Spoiler Alert!

This book is haunting. Hanna Baker committed suicide, and thirteen reasons led her to do it. All thirteen reasons and interconnected, and Clay Jensen is one of the reasons. Clay has practically been in love with Hanna ever since she first came to his school, so he has no idea what he could have done to affect Hanna so much. Hanna left a box of cassette tapes explaining why she did what she did. The tapes get passed around, and we find out the thirteen reasons are thirteen people. The story is told by both Clay and Hanna's tapes. We get to see the reactions of Clay and feel his pain.

When I first started reading this book, I was immediately hooked. There is something so horrifying yet appealing about reading about suicide. When I started the book, I loved it, but I also thought Hanna was crazy. How could someone kill themselves over someone not saying goodbye, someone using you, or someone starting a rumor about you? I thought "Wow, she doesn't have it that bad. People go through that stuff everyday. Heck, I've been through almost all of what she's been through.". I don't think that anymore.

But her decision wasn't just based off of these things that had happened to her. It was a lot of other stuff that resulted from each happening. I still cannot fathom actually following through with ending my own life, and I'm sure many other people cannot either. I've had fleeting thoughts about it when things got really tough, and I'm also guilty of thinking things would be easier for people, but I would never follow through. But I also empathize with Hanna and anyone else who has been pushed to that choice. I'm not sure how a person gets so far where all they think about is ending their life. This is such a sad prospect to me. You would think that there would at least be one person to make all the difference and reach out to them.

I am a person who is very very understanding of others. I do not judge, I try not to judge unless given multiple reasons to, and I always see the good in people. Despite all of this, this book made me want to be a much better person than I am now. I want to be that one person who can make a difference in a person's life. If that difference determine's a person's choice in ending their own life, I want to be the thing to keep them grounded and provide them with a little happiness. A smile can make someone's day, and some people lack that simple act of kindness in their lives. Even if you can't understand how someone can not stand to keep living, at least try to understand the reasons that would push them there. Try to be a better person. Reach out to everyone you can, and touch their minds, their hearts, and bring them happiness. Even if just a little. A little might make all the difference in the world.

Water for Elephants

2011-04-29T22:01:00.000-05:00

Glorious. I. Loved. This. Book. I've been debating on reading Water for Elephants for quite some time now, but every time I picked it up, I thought, "Ehh...I'm not so sure this is going to be for me." A friend told me it was the most amazing book ever, and all the other books I knew she liked, I liked. I figured I was safe. I'm one of those people who buys books if I plan on reading them. I love the look of books on my shelf, and I swell with excitement when I see my collection growing.

I bought this book, and boy am I glad. I finished reading it three nights ago, and I was left craving. The plot is so well thought out and unique. All the information had some type of truth to it, and I think that is one thing that made it so great. Sara Gruen definitely did her homework on this book, and it paid off.

The book starts off fantastic. It's enthralling right away, and I couldn't stop turning the pages, because I needed to know what would happen next. The main character, Jacob, started off as an old man. He is ninety-three or ninety. Which one, he cannot remember for certain. I fell in love with his character, not when he was described as a younger, attractive man, but when he was ninety-three or ninety. He had me laughing on the floor at times, and other moments my heart would be breaking from the pain he went through and his honesty. I giggled like a little kid, uncontrollably at times (even when people were shooting me funny looks), and I cried like a baby at the same time. The emotion in the book was so tangible and strong, that I felt so much of the sadness, happiness, fear, hope, and despair at times.

This book is now a major motion picture, starring Robert Pattinson and Reese Witherspoon. I will definitely go see the movie once it comes to town, but I don't think it can compare to the book, like most movies based on books cannot. I would recommend this book to ages 16+. There are several graphic parts with sex in them, and any younger would not be appropriate. I guess I can't really be the judge of what parents want their children reading, so parents of young children might want to read it first. Despite that, it's a wonderful, moving book, and you'll find yourself wanting to go to the circus as soon as possible!

Harry Potter Heaven

2011-04-28T12:17:00.001-05:00

This. Is. Bliss. Hands down, one of the best places in the Universe. And by universe, I mean the whole universe and not just Universal Studios. This is Hogwarts, in case you are wondering.

Back in January, my family and I went on our vacation to Clearwater Beach, Florida. We stayed at a beach house right on the beach, and while it was too cold to swim or even be in suits, we still had a lot of fun. The highlight of the trip for me was Universal Studios: Islands of Adventure and the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Disneyworld was also AMAZING, but that will be a later blog with pictures included.

I knew the Harry Potter park would be beyond amazing, but I had not expected it to be quite so breathtaking. The castle itself is magical. There was Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade rolled into one, with a little bit of Borgin and Burkes. They had Ollivander's, Honeydukes, Zonko's, The Three Broomsticks, The Hog's Head pub, and more. I felt like a kid again, and I wasn't the only 20 year old to feel this way. There were adults everywhere dressed up in Harry Potter get-up, and I felt like it was about time I saw how many other people share the same obsession as me.

The rides were incredible. The Forbidden Journey was my favorite, and that one takes you through the castle, and then you get thrown around (even though most of the time you're not moving) following a screen. The screen is moving, and you are taken on an adventure with Harry. We waited in the longest line I have ever seen for anything. It moved quite fast for how long it was, and we only waited for about 45 minutes. The wait was definitely worth it.

Durmstrang and Beauxbaton students put on a show outside of the castle. Their outfits were perfect, and they all looked like they just stepped out of the movie.

I ended up getting the coolest tee-shirt, hoodie, and hat. I wanted the matching gloves so badly, but they were expensive, and I thought I wouldn't have enough money for the rest of my trip. I also got Dumbledore's wand. It's so pretty! My little brother got a wand, and he got Hedwig. She is a stuffed animal puppet and has a handle in her so you can turn her head. She makes noises and sounds JUST like Hedwig from the movies. Three of my sisters all got wands as well.

Zonko's was just as awesome. They had extendable ears that actually worked! They had a pair out so you could test them out to see if you wanted to buy them. I really wanted a pair, but I figured they could wait. Everything you would imagine Fred and George having was there.

Butterbeer carts were set up in the streets in giant barrels, and the butterbeer being served came out of a tap like regular beer would. You could get it chilled or frozen. I thought this was different. I had always expected butterbeer to be warm, but it still was delicious. I didn't get around to trying the pumpkin juice, but that's because it was crazy expensive (probably because it was in such a cute bottle), and I don't like pumpkin very much.

The Three Broomsticks was attached to the Hog's Head, and it was so fun. Kind of spooky...There were shadows on the walls and music playing, and it just gave it such a cool feel.

I could go on and on about this park, but I won't. That would be an infinite post, and I don't have time, and I don't really want carpal tunnel. I'll post some pictures for a visual.

The Hogwart's Express and the entrance of the Harry Potter park :)

Zonko's

Real wizard's chess!

Pumpkin juice!

Bertie Botts and regular jellybeans.

The Three Broomsticks...so cool.

Barrels full of delicious butterbeer :)

Thought this was a funny sign!

My dad and little sister Madison

Hogwarts :)

The mirror of Erised

House Points

Dumbledore's office

Sorting Hat...it actually talks.

Awesome view of the castle.

Cute little butterbeer stand workers.

MMM....

Durmstrang and Beauxbaton students

Buckbeak :)

Madison, my fellow Slytherins and me.

Hogwarts all lit up

Chocolate frogs

Bertie Botts!!

The Hogwarts express...one last time. I didn't want to leave!!

Looking for Frames or Sunglasses?

2011-04-26T23:01:00.000-05:00

For anyone who is looking for eyeglasses or sunglasses, I have the perfect deal for you! 50% off of single-vision lenses with the purchase of frames--eyeglasses or sunglasses. Follow the link to FramesRx, and check out the site. There are authentic designer frames that are below retail value, including RayBan, Prada, Ralph Lauren, D&G, Ferragamo, and many more. http://www.framesrx.com/

If you plan on ordering, ask for Craig, and let him know that Alyssa referred you. This way you will get the lenses at the 50% off price. Also, come follow me on twitter http://twitter.com/#!/ehlyssalaine and become a follower of FramesRx http://twitter.com/#!/FramesRx

If you do order, post a picture of yourself on here or on twitter in your new frames once you get them!

Photoshoot

2011-04-24T14:50:00.000-05:00

My 13 year old sister, Madison, has been playing a lot of guitar lately, and she wanted me to do a photo shoot with her. She's been playing for several years and singing as well, and I'm trying to make a business out of my photography. Here are some of the pictures we ended up with. I was really pleased with almost all of them, and she was gorgeous as always. Such a natural.

Puppies for Sale!

2011-04-20T22:39:00.001-05:00

I have some Yorkshire puppies for sale!! Haha the funny thing is, these are about the size of little Yorkie puppies. My little sister, Madison, has been dying to get a Yorkie, but my parents keep saying no. I decided to get her not only one, but a whole litter! Now she doesn't know what to do with all of them. Maybe she is cured of her obsession for little dogs! These were so fun to make, but they were also very very time consuming. I decided to make them in all sorts of colors. Hope you like them! Once again got the idea from the Hello Cupcake book!

The little girls!

The whole litter!

Me and my masterpiece.

Magic IS Real

2011-04-18T22:37:00.000-05:00

This January I went to Florida on my family vacation. We ended up going to Disneyworld Magic Kingdom. I've been there two other times, so I have experienced everything at least once there. It still didn't change how amazing it is. I was once again blown away by all the details of the park. The characters walking around were so fun, the shows were spectacular, the rides were exciting, and most of the food was delicious. All the little shops were so much fun, and I wanted to buy everything in each of them. The best part of the park for me this time was the electrical parade and the fireworks show. The electrical parade was HUGE and so incredible. I don't have very many pictures from it in this post, but I have over 200 on my computer. The fireworks display is probably the most amazing thing I have ever seen in my whole life. They last for about 20 minutes, and Jimminy Cricket narrates the show. Tinkerbell flies down from the top of the castle on a ripcord at the very beginning, and she is decked out in her fairy outfit that is lit up. The fireworks have so many different colors and shapes, and it is the most breathtaking thing ever. If you have not been to Disneyworld you should definitely go at least once. And make sure you bring your camera. Disneyworld makes the world of magic real.

Funcake Cupcake

2011-04-15T22:32:00.000-05:00

This is the cupcake cake I made for my little sister, Dylan, for her 8th birthday party. I made it back in October. Her birthday is October 15th, so she had a Halloween party. This was the cake she wanted, and it was my first cupcake cake like this. It was super easy and fun to make, and it's cute, so that's a plus! Once again, I got this idea from the Hello Cupcake books. The collar around his neck is a caramel square that I softened and then rolled out. The "straw" is shredded wheat, the patches are fruit roll ups, and the hems on his shirt and pants are twisted pull 'n peel twizzlers.

Dylan and her friends and sister for her 8th birthday party. Dylan is in the green. She was a fairy, but they had face painting, so she's all decked out... Riley is my other little sister in the braids with red ribbons. She was Dorothy from Wizard of Oz. There were about 20 kids at the party.

New Hunger Games Poll

2011-04-13T15:57:00.000-05:00

According to my last poll, most people who voted are disappointed in the casting so far. Let's just hope for the best, and be optimistic with how things will turn out! I'm still psyched for the movie and cannot wait!

I have a new poll going. If you could be one of the tributes listed for day in the arena, who would you be and why? Go ahead and vote for your choice, and comment on this post saying who you would like to trade places with for a day and explain why.

Happy Hunger Games, and may the odds be ever in your favor!

Attention All Hunger Games Fans

2011-04-12T23:47:00.002-05:00

I’ve been reading everywhere that people are so pissed off about the casting that they are not going to go see the movie. GOOD! If you are going to let the casting ruin the series and the movies for you, then you’re not much of a fan. I will admit that the cast so far is not what I would have picked, and certainly not my dream cast, but I’m not letting that change a thing. I respect all the picks so far, since they are all good actors/actresses. I feel like they will do a great job developing and growing with each movie. Since I have read the books, I will always picture what the characters look like to me when I re-read the series, and not the actors from the movie. I’m sure the producers will do a great job turning the books into a motion picture, and even if it’s not what readers and crazed fans (me being one of them) expect, at least they have the books to turn back to. Even if it is a terrible film and doesn’t do the books justice, I will still most likely love it, just because it is The Hunger Games. People need to grow up, relax, and just enjoy the fact that Suzanne Collins has written such an extraordinary story that has impacted so many people. If you’re not happy about the movie, at least be happy for the success of Suzanne. She’s earned it and deserves it.

Reiman Gardens

2011-04-10T17:35:00.001-05:00

Yesterday I got the pleasure of visiting Reiman Gardens right by the Jack Trice Stadium and ISU. My little sister had a competition at one of the middle schools there, and her group got to go to the gardens while they waited for the awards. I tagged along with my mom, and it was so much fun. I've been to butterfly houses before, the best being at the Minnesota State Fair, but this was still really nice to see after a long winter. If you are ever in Iowa, or Ames, this is a place to visit.

This plant doesn't look that cool, but it was so big it was unbelievable.

Too Cute to Eat

2011-04-07T22:53:00.001-05:00

This is the cupcake cake I made for my little brother, Brady, for his 10th birthday party a few weeks ago. The frosting got a little warm, and his scales kind of melted into each other, but he's still cute, regardless. I used chocolate and yellow cake mixes for the cupcakes, and I filled them with homemade chocolate ganache. The teeth are made out of marshmallows, as well as the eyes. The nostrils are peanut m&m's, his claws are banana runts, and his scales are chocolate graham crackers. You can use pretty much anything you have if you improvise. He was really easy to make, and he was a hit with the boys. I didn't want to eat him!

These are the cupcake books from where I got the idea. I have both of the books, and they are filled with great ideas for birthday, holiday, and just fun cupcake ideas.

Clearwater Beach, Florida

2011-04-07T18:27:00.001-05:00

In January, my family and I went to Clearwater Beach in Florida. It was pretty cold when we went, so we didn't do much swimming, but it was still beautiful there and so much fun! The beach house we stayed in was fantastic. It was right on the beach, and we were lucky enough to wake up to dolphins jumping out of the water several different days. There were so many great shops and restaurants to go to. You pretty much need at least 2 weeks to go there.

Out on the beach, enjoying the sun...

Little sister Dyaln playing in the sand. She also made my name out of sand mounds.

One of the many seagulls. He was friendly.

John's Pass...This was a great place to shop and eat. There were many great surf shops, and great sight seeing.

One of the workers from Global Candle Gallery...He was super awesome and friendly. We had our whole family packed into the little shop, and he didn't seem to mind my crazy siblings.

They used balls of wax, and dipped them into hot colored wax, and layered color upon color. Then they used carving tools and twisted the hot wax into shapes, or just carved pieces out.

This is the awesome candle that I bought from him. It was so hard to decide, and I'm planning to get more, but I haven't gotten around to it yet. The design doesn't melt, but the middle part does. It hollows itself out, and you can replace it with a short votive candle.

Here is the link for the candle website if anyone is interested. They have a HUGE selection.

http://globalcandlegallery.com/

This is what the candle looks like when it's lit. The inside layers glow.

My family, minus my dad and my older sister Taylor, at one of the great restaurants we went to. The duck there was amazing. I want to say it was called something like the Beachside Cafe. Not sure though...

Having fun playing pool at our house =)

Riley sleeping on the couch. She had a long day.

Speckles. He was my favorite bird for the trip.

This was the coldest day of the trip... It was misting out and windy, but we wanted to be outside regardless. These are all the different types of plants and shells we found that washed up on the shore.

My momma and me at Crave on our way back from Universal. We got ahi tuna for appetizers, and the place was decorated so gorgeously. All the food was great, but I wasn't blown away by my lobster macaroni.

Ahi tuna with pickled ginger....So good...Makes my mouth water!

Sunset at Pier 60. This was taken right down the road from where we were staying. It was such a great view. All the palm trees were so different from one another.

Another shot of the sunset.

The sun was pretty much down at this point. Everything was so colorful. We were lucky to get such nice photo ops.

Sushi at Kiku. They had the best onion soup EVER! Their sushi was really good, but I didn't care for the

Tempura shrimp, zucchini, and I can't remember what else.

Deliciousness. Didn't like the rolls that have the avocado in them. Can't remember what they were.

Godzilla rolls...Those were my favorite. We make them are home now. My dad has become quite the Su-chef.

Caladesi Island. We took a boat there, and it was beautiful, but not quite the right time to see tha manatees and turtles. They had gorgeous, whole conch shells all over the beach.

Hot Debate on Peeta and Gale Casting Choices for The Hunger Games

2011-04-06T14:06:00.001-05:00

There is a hot debate going on with the casting choices for the anticipated Hunger Games movie. For those who aren't familiar with The Hunger Games, Suzanne Collins is the author of the trilogy that they are now making into a major motion picture.

I feel like these two actors are not the best for the part. They are great actors, but for me, and for many other fans, they do not fit the part at all. Peeta is being played by Josh Hutcherson, pictured left, and Gale is being played by Liam Hemsworth, on the right. Peeta is supposed to be a younger boy, with soft, boyish features. To me, Hutcherson's face is way too angular for the part. Gale is described as dark-skinned. Dark eyes, dark hair, and dark skin. To me, he should look a little more like a Native American. I feel like even though they auditioned for the part well, there are still other people better suited for these roles. Hopefully they make a huge effort to make them look the part, but I do still feel like they will act well. Most Hunger Games fans all around are disappointed with the casting choices, but we will have to wait to see how it all unfolds. May the odds be ever in your favor.

Official Press Release from Lionsgate®

THE HUNGER GAMES SNARES ITS PEETA AND GALE

Pivotal Roles In The Lionsgate® Film Based On Suzanne Collins’ Runaway Bestselling Novel Go To Talented Young Actors Josh Hutcherson And Liam Hemsworth

LOS ANGELES, CA, April 4, 2011- Lionsgate® and the filmmakers of THE HUNGER GAMES are pleased to announce that actor Josh Hutcherson (THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHT) has been cast in the role of Peeta Mellark, with Liam Hemsworth (THE LAST SONG) joining the film in the role of Gale Hawthorne in the much anticipated film adaptation of Suzanne Collins’ worldwide smash hit novel. Both actors will star opposite Jennifer Lawrence, who it was recently announced will play heroine Katniss Everdeen.

About The Characters

Peeta accompanies heroine Katniss Everdeen into the 74th annual Hunger Games as the male tribute chosen from their native District 12, the most remote and marginalized district of all the subjugated districts of Panem. At the outset of the Games, Peeta publicly confesses his longtime feelings for Katniss, setting up one of the most fascinating fictional rapports of all time with his supposed arena rival.

Though Katniss and Gale have never had a romantic relationship, they share a transcendent bond, often of few words. When Katniss volunteers to participate in the 74th Annual Hunger Games in her younger sister’s stead, they both presume that bond will carry her far through the horrors she will face in the arena, and they each silently hope they’ll be reunited in safety on the other side of the ordeal.

About The Film

THE HUNGER GAMES will be directed by Gary Ross, and produced by Nina Jacobson’s Color Force in tandem with producer Jon Kilik. Collins’ best-selling novel, which has over 3 million copies in print in the United States alone, is the first in a trilogy of science fiction/action novels which have developed a global following.

“The Hunger Games” chronicles a dystopic Capitol which requires its twelve subjugated districts to pay tribute in the form of a teenage boy and girl, forced to participate in the annual “Hunger Games,” a fight-to-the-death live televised event. Katniss Everdeen’s little sister is chosen in the lottery to participate and Katniss volunteers to take her place. Although persevering through hardship is commonplace for Katniss, she must start making choices that weigh survival against humanity and life against love in order to win the games and return home. The Hunger Games novel has been on the New York Times best seller list for over 100 consecutive weeks. Foreign rights for the book, published by Scholastic have been sold in 41 countries.

Lionsgate will release “The Hunger Games” on March 23, 2012.

Josh Hutcherson as Peeta. Not sure who to give credit for this photo, but it was all over google, and I have included the link for the source. He looks better as Peeta here, but still, I'm not sold.

Link for this picture was found at hungergamesphils.tumblr.com

Stupidest Reasons EVER for Not Being Able to Work

2011-04-04T23:56:00.000-05:00

I work as a server at a restaurant at our local hotel and waterpark resort. I've been working there ever since it first opened, and I have seen it all. I have hear the funniest excuses for not being able to work, but in the past year, I found someone who takes the cake. I won't give out her name, and I really like the girl, but gosh are some of her reasons for not coming into work hilarious. This girl is an animal lover. She isn't a vegetarian, surprisingly, but she cries every time an animal shelter commercial comes on. Literally sobs.

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE animals. I just don't cry over abandoned animals, abused animals, or diseased animals. It is sad that people treat their pets this way, but is it worth sobbing over when you don't even get sad about the commercials with the dying and starving children in them? Still, this girl is very emotional about animals. I saw her trying to coax a cat out from under a dumpster when leaving work one day. She was one determined little thing, I'll give her that.

1. The first time I ever asked her if she could cover a shift for me, this was the reply.
"I can't, I'm sorry. I promised my dog that I would take him shopping. Sorry!"

Okay, really? You "promised" your dog?? What would happen if you broke that promise? Would your dog big you in the face? Would your dog decide never to trust you again? I don't think so. Shopping? I take myself shopping, or my friends or family. Not my dog. I've seen cute animal outfits, but do they even make dressing rooms for dogs?? Hopefully your dog enjoyed the cute bunny slippers you got him. Maybe he can pretend they're real and entertain himself for hours on end.

2. Second time I asked her if she could cover my shift. Although, I don't know why I even bothered...I knew I would get a reply like this...
"I can't, I'm sorry. Petsmart just reopened, and I am taking my dog shopping."

You're kidding...You're taking your dog shopping...Again. This dog is more spoiled than Paris Hilton.

3. One of the times she called into work....I wasn't there to hear what she said, but she told the manager that she couldn't come into work because she was feeding the squirrels.

Awww! Those poor helpless little squirrels! I didn't know they needed help gathering acorns! It must be nice having someone fetch your food for you and taking care of you! The only squirrel I've ever tried to feed was a dying baby squirrel that was injured and abandoned by its mom. I only had it for 2 hours until a friend decided he wanted to keep it so it could call him daddy!

4. The other time she recently called into work was because she was taking care of a squirrel on a balcony. The squirrel tried to jump off, and she jumped after it to save it. She ended up fracturing both of her ankles. I kid you not. This is for real...or at least she says.

Squirrels climb HUGE trees. They are CLIMBERS. They can jump very far distances, and they are very agile. I don't think the squirrel would have hurt itself at all. It was probably just trying to get away from your nutty self. Well, I take that back...If you were nutty it would be trying to eat you. So just be happy it jumped and didn't start devouring your pretty face. But hey! Be glad. No more work for you for a few weeks cuz of fractured ankles. No you don't have to call in with outrageous excuses. More fun for you, less fun for us. We love you at Regatta, and we will miss your crazy ass excuses.

My Trip to Fantasy Land

2011-04-04T14:39:00.002-05:00

This. Is. Bliss. Hands down, one of the best places in the Universe. And by universe, I mean the whole universe and not just Universal Studios. This is Hogwarts, in case you are wondering.

Back in January, my family and I went on our vacation to Clearwater Beach, Florida. We stayed at a beach house right on the beach, and while it was too cold to swim or even be in suits, we still had a lot of fun. The highlight of the trip for me was Universal Studios: Islands of Adventure and the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Disneyworld was also AMAZING, but that will be a later blog with pictures included.

I knew the Harry Potter park would be beyond amazing, but I had not expected it to be quite so breathtaking. The castle itself is magical. There was Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade rolled into one, with a little bit of Borgin and Burkes. They had Ollivander's, Honeydukes, Zonko's, The Three Broomsticks, The Hog's Head pub, and more. I felt like a kid again, and I wasn't the only 20 year old to feel this way. There were adults everywhere dressed up in Harry Potter get-up, and I felt like it was about time I saw how many other people share the same obsession as me.

The rides were incredible. The Forbidden Journey was my favorite, and that one takes you through the castle, and then you get thrown around (even though most of the time you're not moving) following a screen. The screen is moving, and you are taken on an adventure with Harry. We waited in the longest line I have ever seen for anything. It moved quite fast for how long it was, and we only waited for about 45 minutes. The wait was definitely worth it.

Durmstrang and Beauxbaton students put on a show outside of the castle. Their outfits were perfect, and they all looked like they just stepped out of the movie.

I ended up getting the coolest tee-shirt, hoodie, and hat. I wanted the matching gloves so badly, but they were expensive, and I thought I wouldn't have enough money for the rest of my trip. I also got Dumbledore's wand. It's so pretty! My little brother got a wand, and he got Hedwig. She is a stuffed animal puppet and has a handle in her so you can turn her head. She makes noises and sounds JUST like Hedwig from the movies. Three of my sisters all got wands as well.

Every little detail for this place was thought of, and I didn't feel like anything was really missing. You got a tour of the castle when waiting in line for The Forbidden Journey ride. Honeydukes was awesome, with so many candy choices. The Bertie Botts beans were in packages just like in the movie, and they even had the disgusting flavors. I thought it was pretty cool how they could make each flavor to actually taste like dirt, vomit, bogeys, and earwax. Absolutely disgusting, but still appealing just because they are Bertie Botts. They had chocolate frogs, sugar quills, taffy, cotton candy, and pretty much everything you could think of.

Zonko's was just as awesome. They had extendable ears that actually worked! They had a pair out so you could test them out to see if you wanted to buy them. I really wanted a pair, but I figured they could wait. Everything you would imagine Fred and George having was there.

Butterbeer carts were set up in the streets in giant barrels, and the butterbeer being served came out of a tap like regular beer would. You could get it chilled or frozen. I thought this was different. I had always expected butterbeer to be warm, but it still was delicious. I didn't get around to trying the pumpkin juice, but that's because it was crazy expensive (probably because it was in such a cute bottle), and I don't like pumpkin very much.

The Three Broomsticks was attached to the Hog's Head, and it was so fun. Kind of spooky...There were shadows on the walls and music playing, and it just gave it such a cool feel.

I could go on and on about this park, but I won't. That would be an infinite post, and I don't have time, and I don't really want carpal tunnel. I'll post some pictures for a visual.

The Hogwart's Express and the entrance of the Harry Potter park :)

Zonko's

Real wizard's chess!

Pumpkin juice!

Bertie Botts and regular jellybeans.

The Three Broomsticks...so cool.

Barrels full of delicious butterbeer :)

Thought this was a funny sign!

My dad and little sister Madison

Hogwarts :)

The mirror of Erised

House Points

Dumbledore's office

Sorting Hat...it actually talks.

Awesome view of the castle.

Cute little butterbeer stand workers.

MMM....

Durmstrang and Beauxbaton students

Buckbeak :)

Madison, my fellow Slytherins and me.

Hogwarts all lit up

Chocolate frogs

Bertie Botts!!

The Hogwarts express...one last time. I didn't want to live!!

A Teacher's Brilliant Facebook Status

2011-04-03T17:28:00.000-05:00

So I was surfing my facebook newsfeed, and I came across the most intelligent thing I've ever read. Hands down. A student TEACHER's facebook status said " 'Reading is fundamental' can also be translated to 'Reading is for assholes.' " I understand that reading isn't everybody's thing. But coming from someone who is presently student teaching at a school?? This is absolutely frightening. The way people teach nowadays has gotten worse and worse with time, but if this is what our future generations are looking at, I will homeschool my children when that time comes around.

Reading IS fundamental. Where would anyone be without knowing how to read? Everyone would be illiterate morons. I think as a future teacher, reading is something that is mandatory. If reading is for assholes, don't be a teacher and preach your stupid logic to young, bright minds. If you were a best-selling author and were making millions for people READING your material, you probably wouldn't be complaining or calling your readers "assholes". You will never be that successful, just because your attitude is completely screwed up and you're blinded by your stupidity, so I guess I don't have to worry about that one.

I probably am blogging about this because honestly, I am slightly offended by that quote, even though I shouldn't be at all. If reading were for assholes, everyone in the world that can read ANYTHING would be an asshole. So, basically, we're all assholes in this world. Oh well...I'm not going to quit reading ever. I'm going to be one HUGE asshole with a hell of an imagination and a never-ending knowledge of basically everything.

Beware of Your Manager. They May Be Doing More Than Supervising...

2011-04-03T02:38:00.000-05:00

Just when I thought things couldn't get any weirder...I find out my best friend is being stalked by her manager of her job she has had for about three days. He added her on facebook, and she accepted cuz she thought it was cool...He's her manager, right? Right. I'm friends with my managers one facebook.

He started posting on her wall just nicely at first, and now he is completely psychotic. His profile picture screams creeper to me. That may sound very mean, but I wouldn't have thought that if he was being perfectly non-creepy. He is giving her the third degree. If she doesn't reply back to him in less than a minute, he sends another reply or "???". What the hell kind of a freak is this? Then he starts telling her that he really likes her, and Asian women (which is what she is) are really the most beautiful women in the world.

Then her boyfriend's friend comments and says that her boyfriend thinks the same thing. And so the creeper wants to know if she really has a boyfriend. She tells him yes. He gets pissed cuz she didn't tell him right away. She said he didn't ask. He said she didn't make it obvious. He sounds like a pedophile to me. He keeps telling her that they need to talk privately so her boyfriend and his friends can't spy on them.

This is supposed to be her MANAGER!! WTF?! Now he is trying to get her to text him, but she won't. He's pissed off cuz she said she's busy, and that's why she's not responding. Instead of backing off like a normal person would do, he asks her what she's doing. She tells him she is talking to her best friend (me), and then decides to ask where I am!! She didn't get a chance to reply before he said "Is she close?"

I am seriously scared for her to go back to work. I told her she can't go into an office alone with him, let him walk her to her car, and she can't walk to herself without someone she trusts. This is just creepy. I took screenshots of what he wrote on her facebook wall, just in case. If she ends up missing, I have a lead and proof that this guy is completely wacked.

Top 10 Stupidest Reasons I've Heard of for Guys Getting Mad at Their Girlfriends

2011-04-02T23:22:00.000-05:00

This was just too tempting for me. I had to compile a list of these absolutely ridiculous fights guys pick that I've heard of (a couple I have actually experienced). Men will never cease to amaze me, or rather, piss me off with their stupidity. These are in no particular order.

1. Your boyfriend gets mad at you for skyping with your best friend that you haven't seen in 3 years.

The only thing I can think of to counter this is "wtf?!" It's not like your girlfriend is cheating on you with her best friend or skype sexing. And hello?! It's been THREE years since she's seen her best friend. Would you rather she be skyping her ex-boyfriend? Nope...didn't think so.

2. Your boyfriend gets mad at you for watching one of his favorite television shows without him.

It's sweet that you wanted to watch it together, but if you have busy schedules and don't live together, things aren't always going to work out how you want. Especially when neither one of you owns the season of that tv show. I know Dexter is pretty amazing, but why the hell start a fight over it? It's not like you were forced to not watch it.

3. Your boyfriend gets pissed off at you if you won't send him a picture whenever he wants one.

A picture here and there is one thing. Demanding a picture every day is a whole different level of crazy. Getting mad over not getting a picture is even worse. No means no. Enough said.

4. Your boyfriend gets crazy jealous and psycho if anybody compliments you.

Call me crazy, but shouldn't that make your boyfriend swell with pride? If some girl went up to my boyfriend and said, "hey I think your sexy", I would slap a big ole genuine smile on my face. I'd be more than happy that someone thinks that. When another guy tells the girlfriend she's beautiful or anything complimentary, the boyfriend automatically thinks that they are going to shag. Why can't guys just be happy that they are the ones with the girl. If she didn't want to be with you, she wouldn't be. If she ran off every single time someone complimented her, she would be long gone.

5. Your boyfriend gets mad if you hang out with your girlfriends, but at the same time he's mad, he's out getting drunk at a bar and hanging with his ex-girlfriends.

This is almost too stupid for words. How hypocritical. You're out with your ex-girlfriends, and you're mad that your girlfriend is hanging with a bunch of girls?! How messed up is that? Even if you weren't hanging with your ex-girlfriends, you're still out getting drunk at the bar. Totally not cool. Double standards will not fly in lasting relationships.

6. Your boyfriend gets mad whenever he finds out you have been tweeting.

Okay...does everyone understand what twitter is? "Tweeting" is nothing dirty. Don't worry, fellas, when you find out your girlfriend is obsessed with twitter, it's nothing more than a twisted relationship with social networking and technology.

7. Your boyfriend gets mad at you for not getting him the right birthday present.

Isn't it the thought that counts?? That's what I was always taught. An iPod touch is NOT a reasonable gift when you are a broke 20 year old. If you wanna throw a temper tantrum like a 3 year old, go right ahead. Didn't your momma always teach you that crying won't get you what you want?

8. Your boyfriend gets mad and throws a fit because your facebook profile picture doesn't include him in it.

Profile picture. Not anniversary picture. Everyone gets to decide what picture they want as their default. Just because you're not in our display picture, doesn't mean we don't want people to know we're together. It shows we're in a relationship, so I think that's a dead giveaway we're together, genius.

9. Your boyfriend gets mad at you for knowing what's in a Screwdriver, just because he doesn't know.

What kind of a dumbass fight is this?? A Screwdriver is orange juice and vodka. Not orange juice and tequila. That would be a Tequila Sunrise minus the grenadine.

10. Your boyfriend gets mad at you for not sitting next to him everywhere you go.

Boyfriend and girlfriend. Not conjoined twins. Not a two-headed monster. People have lives outside of their significant other, so if they're around friends as well, why not share the love? It's only fair!

"Love does not begin and end the way we seem to think it does. Love is a battle, love is a war; love is a growing up." — James Baldwin

2011-04-02T15:46:00.000-05:00

Here is something that I stole from my dear friend, Aveeda. I'm not sure where she got it, but I can't take any credit for writing it, although I wish I could.

Love is a funny thing. You expect it to be a world of roses and laughs and perfect moments that you find only in movies. You expect him to say the right thing and always know exactly how you feel or exactly how to react to it. You expect him to calm you down when you're yelling or to chase you when you run away. You expect so much that you feel entirely and utterly defeated when something doesn't exactly match up with all your plans. But that's the thing. Love isn't a plan. It doesn't have a certain beginning and it certainly has no end or visible finish line to those deeply in it.

Love happens; it is so incredibly messy. People around you can't comprehend why you do the things you do, or why you fight so hard for something that seems to cause you so much pain, because, simply, they can't see. They can't see the invisible ring of insanity that surrounds you when you're in love. It's inconvenient and painful and devastating at times, but we can't live without it. What you don't learn is how hard love is. How much work it takes. How much of ourselves we have to put into it. How it isn't worth it until we are complete and utter idiots about it.

Love isn't him calming you down when you well. It's him yelling, just as loud, just as hard, right back at you, right in your face to wake you up and to keep you grounded. It isn't him bringing you roses everyday or cute things that make your relationship appear more presentable. It's after a long fight, that drains the life and bones right out of both of you, and yet him showing up at your door the next morning anyway. It's not him saying all the right things or knowing exactly how to handle you. So no, it's not him caressing your hair and telling you everything is going to be alright. It's him standing there, admitting he's just as scared as you are. You have to remember that with love, you're not the only one involved. You've unknowingly put your life, your heart, into the palms of another person's hands and said, here, do what you will. Mash it into mince meat. Or forget I ever handed it to you. As long as you have it.

It makes us crazy. It makes reality invisible, and it erases all the lines that we shouldn't cross. Because love isn't about fencing ourselves in, feeling safe, feeling sure about the future. It's about scaring the shit out of every nerve in our body but pushing forward anyway. Because all the fighting, and all the tears and uncertainty is worth it. And it's a hell of a lot better than being 100% happy without someone to show us that there is a world of difference between feeling "happy" and feeling whole.