All I Want For Christmas

Ohh the holidays, such a wonderful time of year. Time for putting up the Christmas tree and celebrating togetherness and family, love and be grateful. But wait a second, what are you getting everyone for Christmas this year? Some toys, a new car maybe, or maybe new clothes for your kids.

This Christmas for my family is gunna be extra tight. Mom's paycheck is now divided up over 12 months instead of 9 months by the school district, and dad doesn't usually get paid on time. Of course I do have a job, which means I get to buy presents with my own money, no assistance from the parents like when I was younger. On top of all of this, our economy isn't the greatest. Most people won't be going out and spending extravagant amounts of money this year, or at least that's my prediction.

The whole money issue adds some stress to getting gifts for one another but it shouldn't be too bad, I hope. Nobody seems to have much of a list this year anyways. Every year I write up a list with stars next to the presents I prefer (I hate faking happiness on Christmas for gifts I don't like at all), the prices, and what store to find them in.

I think this year I'm gunna stick to asking for things that I NEED. I don't really see anything amazing out there that I want so bad that I'd put a financial burden on someone for. I have a camera, I have a laptop, my car runs fine right now. So maybe it's time for everyone to stop buying a shitload of crap nobody wants and think of things that people NEED. Or better yet, use.

You can't always get what you want, so the song goes. But its Christmas and if you don't get your child that train set they've been screaming about for a month you'll go deaf and grandpa will turn his hearing-aid off. Ok, so get them the train set, but get them other things also that aren't a waste. Kids don't NEED a million toys.

"But my little Suzy has to have the latest and greatest toys!"...uhh have you ever seen a kid play with a mound of toys? There's one or two favorites and the rest just sit and collect dust. My boyfriend's younger brother has two or three train sets and I havent seen him play with them for the past three months, I'd be donating them to the Goodwill by now.

But hey, he's not my kid. My kids will probably have fewer toys, I hate spoiled little kids. And sadly they're really common here in Orange County. I got to watch a kid about three or four years old, scream and cry over not getting the pack of gum he picked up at Blockbuster where I work. Jesus Christ people! Teach your kids what no means or you'll regret it down the road when they decide that you're not worth listening to when you tell them "no, you can't go...."

So I'm going to aim to get each person on my shopping list one thing that they need, and if I don't know what they need then I'll get something that they will use alot. Because why buy a bunch of stuff that's just going to sit there? That's the stuff your friends and family end up return.

Don't get me wrong, happy kids on Christmas is the best. But there's a big difference between a happy child and a spoiled one. Christmas is a time for being with your family, love, and for some the birth of Jesus. There's even Kwanzaa (I don't know, nor have I ever met someone who celebrates this holiday) and Hanukkah. Each of these is about love, not buying presents---unless you're falling for the materialistic crock that our consumer society advertises during the holiday season. Keep it simple, its the thought that counts. Not the price-tag.

[the picture at the top was found via StumbleUpon, its not my work but I love it so all credit to the artist]

Movie Reviews - 11/25

Bruno 3/5
Ok, first off---before watching this movie or even considering renting/buying it please ask yourself a few questions:

1) Am I ok with homosexual jokes?
2) Am I ok with dildos? Yes dildos.
3) AM i ok with male frontal nudity?

If you answered no to ANY of those questions, this movie is not for you so avoid it. I only tell you to consider these things before viewing such a movie. I'm not going to tell you that Sasha Baron Cohen sucks or anything, he's actually quite brilliant (aha I sound English). But I didn't enjoy this movie like I did when I saw Borat. Both seem to be shock-humor, but hey there's all kinds of comedies. That's all I gotta say about it really, without giving away what happens. Personally I don't like alot of nudity in movies (and yea that means I think porn is disgusting too) so I was disinterested and kinda grossed out.

IMDb - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0889583/

Marley & Me 4.2/5
I love my dog and this movie made me cry....like the most I've ever cried in a movie. Evan had to go get me tissues because I'd cried all my make-up off. Anyone that's ever had a dog, even a naughty pet that makes huge messes and breaks things, will love this movie. It basically the story of a couple that get married and decide to get a puppy. They name the new puppy, Marley. And it turns out this puppy is "the world's worst dog". There's alot of laughs but it also gets really emotional once the dog gets older. I had to go hug my doggie afterwards. Definitely a good movie.

IMDb - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0822832/

New Moon 3.6/5
Alright, I admitt I didn't go to the theater to see the newest Twilight Saga movie, honestly I do'nt like spending +$10 on a movie that may suck. So I went the safe route and watched it online with my friend Cheryl. I was glad to see that it stayed close to the book, there was only one part where they changed a little piece of the story. But that part was pretty insignificant. Continuing, do you like Taylor Lautner with his shirt off in the rain? No way, everyone does haha. Oh and yeaa there's a scene with a shirtless Edward (Robert Pattinson) as well for the foaming-at-the-mouth R-Pattz fans.
It wasn't a bad movie, in fact it was ALOT better than the original Twilight movie--which was one of the worst movies I've seen in my life. The actors all did a decent job, though there were a few slo-mo shots of the guys that I found really lame. The director is new to the series, apparently the previous director was crap---good move guys. This isn't anything Oscar-worthy but I'd recommend the movie---but whether its worth +$10 to see in theaters is up to you!

IMDb - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1259571/

Obsessed 3.5/5
If you're in the mood for something a little creepy, this is your movie. If you love chick fights, this is your movie. The story goes that a new temp (Ali Larter) starts working at this man's office where she quickly becomes a sexual stalker. Unbeknownst to his wife (Beyonce), the temp keeps showing up again and again to further mess with her husband. "Crazbitch" would be the perfect term for the temp, seriously she's off her rocker n needs to be in a mental hospital. The fight scene between Ali Larter and Beyonce was awesome. So if you wanna watch a movie and yell at the screen for an hour and a half "Breathe bitch!", pick up Obsessed.

IMDb - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1198138/

Wow, really?

"Nobody wants a defect for a son or a daughter....I guess that's how gays are these days"

Umm is this the 70's?! No, the whole "mental illness" = gay is no longer an issue. It's been ruled out. Don't ever compare the handicapped to homosexuality. You might as well start comparing yourself to someone in a wheel-chair now. I'm offended. No, people with special needs are on a whole different level. Comparing them is just wrong. Sexuality is more choice-oriented than being born with a serious handicap.

UC Tuition Increase

I thought that this video/PSA* was perfect to sum up the current problem in our educational system. College is becoming unaffordable, not that it was "affordable" before--but more so than ever before.



I worry that my brother and everyone else his age (he graduates from high school this year) are not going to be able to get into, or let alone PAY for a college education. I don't know what he's wanting to major in or what his intended-career path is, but college needs to be an option.

I'm still in community college, and I worry that I won't even be able to transfer half the time because of Spring semesters being closed to everyone. If I miss out on one class then I have to wait an entire year longer to re-apply to the CSU system.

I won't be going to a UC school, but I feel bad that everyone in the UC system is now getting wallet-raped with tuition. Next year it will cost my friend at UCI: $10,000 for the year. I mean, sure that's great compared to going somewhere like Chapman (private university) where it's $30-45,000 per year. But if nobody can afford to go to college then nobody will. Or the community college system will be flooded even more than it is now. My school had a 30% enrollment rise this year. Hmm I wonder why everyone suddenly is going to community college? It's a great deal for your money. But overall, our education system is screwed up, can somebody please fix it already? Jebus!

Protests @ UC Davis - http://www.news10.net/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=70635&provider=top
Protests @ UCLA - http://www.dailynews.com/news/ci_13817925
$10k Per Year - http://blogs.laweekly.com/ladaily/community/uc-tuition-hits-the-roof-10k-a/

*video done by UC students, FilmEd alumni from Foothill Ranch

Movie Review - 11/17

Adventureland 2.3/5
I'm no Kristen Stewert junkie-fan but I had to rent this one to see if her acting ability was any different from Twilight. Of course I was disappointed and yes, she acts the exact same. THe only difference between her character "Emm" and Bella from Twilight is that Bella is a virgin in love with a vampire, while "Emm" smokes a shit ton of pot and gets to be Ryan Renoylds make-out partner. Overall, the movie was ok but it seemed long and I was uninterested halfway through. "Do you have weed?" is probably asked 20 times throughout the movie and this is how all the characters meet and socialize if they aren't already at a bar or house party. By the looks of this movie, being a grad student in the upper East Coast is like hell on a stick.

IMDb: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1091722/

The Brothers Bloom 3.9/5
So here we have Mark Ruffalo and Adrien Brody as two brothers, con men all their lives. Brody's character, "Bloom" wants out of the con business because he wants an "unwritten life". His brother convinces him to do one last con via a rich heiress from New Jersey, Penelope (Rachel Weisz). All of the characters are great, good story, and all together a good movie. It wasn't widely publicized like most movies these days but The Brothers Bloom deserves to be watched by anyone who likes a twisting con. Oh and if you would like to see someone repeatedly crash their Lamborgini into walls.

IMDb: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0844286/

Monsters VS Aliens 2.5/5
The movie was great if you're looking for something fun ot watch with your 4 - 6 year old sibling or cousin, but its not nearly as enjoyable for adults. Many pixar-animated movies aim for a wider audience but Monsters VS Aliens keeps it simple and innocent for the kids in our life. No awkward sexual double-meanings or one liners, no scary images or fighting that could give a young child nightmares. Originally this movie was 3D while in theaters, if you can manage to get some 3D glasses it would make he movie alot better in my opinion. it lost my interest about three fourths of the way through because I found myself asking what the story line was, but hey its for kids. There doesn't need to be much more than "monsters" joking around and saving the planet from aliens.

IMDb: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0892782/

The Ugly Truth 3.7/5
Typical romantic-comedy story-line, predictable but veyr enjoyable. Katherine Heigl and Gerard Butler are great together, and both very good-looking. So you can watch this with your boyfriend/girlfriend/friends---but not with your parents. Sitting by your parents while Heigl accidently wears vibrating panties to a meeting would be super awkward. THe movie as a whole is alot of fun, there's some great innuendoes in there. some of them are pretty dirty but it adds to the "ugly truth" that Butler's character tries to prove. Its almost like Battle of the Sexes but everyone wins in the end.

IMDb: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1142988/

UP 4.7/5
You'll laugh then you'll cry in this Pixar classic about an old man trying to escape getting taken to a retirement home and fulfill the dream of his wife. I loved this movie, such an emotional movie. I have to say that if your child is still a toddler and may be scared of dogs---don't watch it til they get older. There's just a few parts where the guard dogs chase Mr. Fredrickson and 'the small mailman" as the dogs call him. The two comedic relief characters are the best. Doug the golden retriever was a spitting image of my dog (though she's female), plus "Kevin" the giant exotic bird from South America was hilarious throughout.

IMDb: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1049413/

No Home For the Heart

"To us, family means putting your arms around each other and being there" ~Barbara Bush

I don't understand. I just don't, and I probably never will. Parenting is supposed to be the hardest job in the world, but still. Being a parent means that you have to take care of your children. This doesn't end at a certain age or cut-off point. And then there's pushing a teenager out of the nest, but this.....this set me off. Once they come out that birth canal, they are here forever. YOUR responsibility, forever.

It's come to my attention that one of my oldest friends has been told to vacate the house and head out to grandma's or some other relative's house, anywhere but "home". This came about via email, not in person--makes it alot worse in my opinion....at least when you're fired from a company they tell you in person. But no, let's just send an email and hopefully shit doesn't hit the fan. Greaaat. Pardon my French, but what the fuck is wrong with people these days? It's your kid, your family. Family should be at the top of your list in the relationship department. But for some it's like they think family members can be wished away because they seem inconvenient or bothersome. This is ridiculous. If I had a kid with a few problems I wouldn't kick them out, they should be with their family and parents where they can be supported....which brings me to quite a big point.

If your family doesn't support you, then it probably doesn't seem like home. Home is where the heart is, and the heart needs love and support. So where will her heart be? Far away from what was once called "home"? Far away from the friends that care about her? I guess so.

A few of us have talked about kidnapping her to see her before she goes. Nobody is ok with the whole situation. Honestly I'd like to punch a wall, but Kevin did that last year and broke his hand SO I will not be doing that tonight.

Upset. Stupid people. "Life isn't fair"---this is a false statement. Life tends to be fair, but this is only when a full effort is given into all you do. Including parenting, this is a part of life where giving up is not ok. It is not an option or you have simply failed. And for that I feel sorry for you, I pity you. Because I know that this isn't right and know you have given up.

"Blood's thicker than water, and when one's in trouble
Best to seek out a relative's open arms."
~Author Unknown

Bucket List

I'm sure I'll add more to this list later, but that's what I can think of right now. How about you? What do you wanna do before you kick the bucket?

1) Go to Europe
2) Wine-tasting in a vineyard
3) See a glacier in person
4) Learn to ride a motorcycle
5) Walk on the Great Wall of China
6) See the pyramids in Egypt
7) Buy a house
8) Watch the aurora borialis
9) Float around in an antigravity chamber
10) Graduate college
11) Swim with dolphins
12) Drive across the USA
13) Ride on an elephant
14) Steal my neighbor's gnomes
15) Be in the audience of The Price Is Right

Party Theme: Idea Post #1

I want to have a Tom Cruise Risky Business party. Where everyone is required to come dressed in the white shirt and underwear.

Girls and guys do it for Halloween all the time, but I want a non-Halloween dress up party like this. For some reason I think it would be hilarious. Oh and there would be lots of dancing, not just standing around talking like normal. So, in excense--a Tom Cruise Risky Business dance party.

Thoughts, @beawarriorqueen?

Halloween 2009

This Halloween was a success, but it didn't come without some complications as usual. I was invited to 3 different parties.

1. Tommy was throwing a Halloween party in Silverado canyon.
2. Ashley was hosting a party at her house with her husband and other swim coaches.
3. Phil and his girlfriend were hosting a party at his apartment.

Which one to go to? Well the first one that came to my knowledge was Tommy's canyon party. So I assumed that hey we'll all go. Cheryl and Reenie, along with the rest of the In N Out of Foothill Ranch crew was going. Breanna and Anthony were going too, and I havent seen either of them since July. I wanted to see my friends! But Evan comes over to make dinner the next day and tells me that we're going to Ashley's party on the 31st.

"So we'll go to both?", I said. Evan replied, "I'm staying at Coach's house the whole time, I can't leave. But you can go to the canyon party too if you want, but I want you to stay here with me." Oh really? Is this like one of those trick situations or mind tricks that bitch girlfriends always say to their partners? It sounded like it but I know its not like that. I chuckled a bit about it though. I hate having to disappoint anyone by telling them "no, sorry I won't be at the party". And there was no way to go to Phil's party since I was invited very last minute in comparison to the previous 2 invites. So we ended up staying at Ashley's on the night of the 31st. There wasn't any point in risking going to the canyon party since there's check points all over the roads and Reenie's ex boyfriend might show up at the canyon party. No extra drama this Halloween, please.
So why do I say this year was a success? 3 things:

1. I got to dance with my boyfriend and Cheryl to the music I picked to play at the party.
2. No NorCal cop cars everywhere.
3. No crying on a curb, being comforted by Ben.

Mostly the last 2 things made it better. The party was pretty low key and laid-back. Last year in Sonoma, CA was fun but ended abruptly. This year in Irvine (surprisingly there were no cops) there was drinks, dancing, hookah and friends. I got to spend time with the Yotters and the "Hoffs" (they aren't actually married but we still call them that), Cheryl and I got to dance like crazy people. Waca waca shots. The boys enjoyed some beer pong and poker, while a few of us girls talked in the hookah lounge/tent. Even Ian got to dance hahaha! Pacman ghosts at the door, and pirates who show up after the party ends.

Here's some pictures from the night....

Flag fooball, the Germans, Dr. Acula & his Nurse, Ian in a freaky mask, Baseball "Player", and Wilma Flinstone

Mandie and Jess brought some friends from Concordia

Shea and Brenna came as "Mr. & Mrs. Smith"

Joe the pirate stopped by at 2am

My BayBay<3

The next holiday that requires major scheduling is Thanksgiving. Last year me and Evan went to 2 Thanksgiving-family gatherings, the year before we went to 3 then felt like we were in a turkey coma. With his divorced parents it's like having 2 families to go see just for him and then my regular/non-divorced family just has 1 Thanksgiving to attend. Hopefully we can avoid getting stuck with a Mira Mesa/San Diego drive to a Costa Mesa/Fountain Valley drive again! Time will tell.