media: the internet

i love the internet.

i love the new things that are happening on it.

people can share their talents on the internet and i get to be inspired by them.

one thing i lack is creativity (it may be because my mom doesn't draw and hates to sew...so do you think i learned? but really, i don't blame her. I'm definitely her kid).

it all began with One Charming Party.  Do you follow them? Nicole has shot most of their parties.  I fell in love with their ideas for kids' parties and decided... yeah, i can be that super mom. As long as they tell me EVERYTHING to do, I can put it together!  Right?  

(you might have seen this image because it's all over Pinterest. 

This is one of OCP's ideas and Nicole shot)

Now there's Pinterest and so much more. I'm crazy over my family friend's (and now my cousin!) blog. Megan (Kimball) Lewis posts about her fantastic ideas that she somehow comes up with for her girls' parties (search for her Kung Fu Panda party.. my favorite. The dessert sushi is amazing!) and cute creative DIY stuff she does around the house. I am in awe at how people come up with these things!

Anyway, Real Simple has 5 great Hollywood party ideas that Nicole shot (find them here).  Looking at all these images gets me excited for when I have time to plan a fun party for my kids (maybe I should get some of those first).  

(Real Simple's photo by Nicole)

So I guess it's time for me to get 

creative

(you have no idea how hard that is for me. hey, i can try right?)

the blind side

I remember walking out of the movie theater and thinking 

"I never knew what my favorite movie was until now..."

Last week, I watched my favorite movie, The Blindside, because it was an assignment for my highest level division course in my major: SFL 490 - Advanced Issues in Human Development (love this class) with one of my favorite professors, Larry J. Nelson.

Right now we're discussing the various positive and negative influences each person has from birth on that affect their agency and choices...and therefore affect their life.

Some are born with a lot of things going for them and some just aren't.

While watching this movie, my heart goes from feeling so low and sad for Michael Oher (and other kids born in similar situations) to so unbelievably happy it wants to jump out of my chest.

It is truly amazing to watch the transformation of an individuals' life when they are finally given those positive influences that change their life.  I think of what Michael's life would have been like had there not been all of those positive interventions.. my heart breaks for those kids.

I admire Leigh Anne immensely for what she did for Michael. 

I want to be her. 

(ah! Sandra Bullock is my favorite actress:)

She reminds me of my mom. Always serving and always caring.  A strong woman who does what is right.  Emotionally, she's a rock.  But that doesn't mean she isn't a softie inside.  She saves face and breaks down alone.  She's strong willed and (usually) gets her way.  But her way is always the right way (I still believe she's never made a mistake).

This movie is an amazing one.  One that I will continue to watch for years and years.  The funny thing is I can't say that about that many movies.  It's only every once in a while that one of these tear jerkers and change your life kind of shows come out.  This one really resonated with me.  It's amazing how much a movie can affect you. I just wish they were all like The Blindside (it can only influence you for the better :)

What is your favorite movie and why?

Nicole's studio 5 segments

In case you missed Nicole on Studio 5, you can watch her segments here and here

The irony about her going live and in front of a camera is that it's so opposite of what she IS.
She hates being in front of a camera (the reason she's behind it), yet she is SO natural in front of the camera, don't you think?! I'm amazed at how comfortable she is.

proud sister.
sorry. you'll hear things like this from me a lot.

Happy Valentine's Day!

This week I'm all about Nicole, apparently...

You've got to watch this time lapse she did the other day for her blog (read more about it here).

There are 200+ shots that make up this video.

Can you imagine moving all of those little candies that many times to get one shot?!

I don't have that kind of patience. That's why she's so good at her job.

Nicole's friend from work, Josh Aker, wrote this song and will be releasing it in Nicole's store next week... I'm gonna buy it, are you?

He's AMAZING!

What are you doing for Valentine's Day?

I (somehow) got work off so I am stoked.

...but still don't have a gift for Jeff yet (help!)

nicole on studio 5 at 11:00!

watch my sister nicole on studio 5 (channel 5) again tomorrow (thursday feb. 9) at 11:00am!

i'm a proud sister... can you tell?

and you might just see someone else you recognize..

sisterhood

So we have a paper due in my media class this week on books.  This is going to get really pathetic... are you ready? All I had to do was think of my favorite book now and my favorite book when I was an adolescent and write a 1-2 page paper on them.

Ok... hmmm what is my favorite book now....?
Couldn't think of one.

And what about as an adolescent.....
well the only one I really ever read was

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants

So there we go --  I'll run with that.
But what about my favorite book now...?
I was stumped. It may or may not have taken me 30 minutes to figure something out.
If you can't do a silly assignment just because you haven't read a darn book....

NEWS FLASH.


you need to read.

It's sad that I use the "I only have time for books that are assigned to me" excuse too often.
But, if you're talking to me this week when I'm so overwhelmed I could scream-
yes. that's all i have time for. someday.... someday, i'll be a good reader. I hope that day is soon. I know I am missing out on a lot. I mean, I look at my Dad who is a genius -- then I look at his library and know why. Of course he knows everything about everything. The man reads at least 2 hours a day!

Onto what I am supposed to be blogging about....

Once I got writing about why I loved the Sisterhood books so much, I remembered how (truly) great they were. Or maybe it's been so long and I was young. But I think I want to read them again just to see. Oh and I remember loving the movie! Could Blake Lively have been more perfect for the part of Bridget?!

Here's what I wrote about why I loved the book:
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants was my favorite because I had some really close friends at the time that I had been friends with since birth.  I loved feeling the sense of sisterhood as I read it.  It may be because I have four sisters and I feel we have a strong sisterhood as well.  Also, since it was the first book I read that had some “romance” in it, I was very intrigued as a junior high school student.  I loved reading about the first kisses and feeling twitter pated about new loves.  The book probably did not impact my life significantly, but I did love the determination I feel after having read it to keep my friendships lasting forever.


So true.
You know who you are.
We'll be friends forever.

I LOVE MY FRIENDS because I have the BEST friends a girl could ask for. 
They are so loyal.
love love love you all!

Oh, what a night!

I found media defined by dictionary.com as "the means of communication....that reach or influence people widely."

So I've been wondering, are plays/musicals media?

I think they are - they reach people widely in New York City, but probably not as "widely" every where else.  So based on this definition, I'm not so sure.

But when I think of my experience with plays and musicals - they have definitely influenced me.  One musical, in particular, influenced me more than I could have imagined.

My sister, Natalie, is an actress/dancer/singer.  She's lived in NYC for the last 11 years, graduated from NYU, done 3 Broadway shows, and tons of off-broadway stuff.  The last 6 months she's been in Las Vegas playing the role of Mary Delgado (Frankie Valli's wife) in Jersey Boys.  My family had all seen Jersey Boys on Broadway years ago, but I hadn't had the opportunity yet. So, when we took a trip down to see Natalie in Vegas, it was my first time seeing the show.

OH, WHAT A NIGHT!!!!

I was blown away.

(my favorite scene from the show-

 the 4 guys turn around and face the back of the stage- 

as if their concert is there and you're in the background watching)

I've never been to such an upbeat, fun show in my life. I tell everyone that if they could see one Broadway show, this should be it.

The whole show is like a concert. It's the story of Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons so you get to hear their songs throughout the show. By the end of the show, everyone is up, out of their seats and dancing with the cast. I would think this would be the most rewarding curtain call for an actor night after night.

 Nat as Mary

My most favorite thing is that Jeff loved the show as much, if not more, than I did! He gets so into the music and lines - he quotes them all the time and we sing the songs constantly. Jeff and I loved the show so much, we went back two months later to see it again. And it was even better the second time.  I am in awe that a musical had this much of an effect on me. For the last month I've been listening to the Jersey Boys cd Nat gave Jeff for Christmas.  Every day the same songs, over and over. I listen to it before work to put me in a good mood and it works! I sing the songs in my head the whole time I am at work and it makes the night so much better. It's amazing how much media influences us and how we can choose to let it make our lives better or worse.

(Natalie is the second to bottom row-

 third one in from the left)

I'm sad Nat's run in Jersey Boys is over, but I will always remember her incredibly believable performance as Mary. She gave the role humor. The audience only laughed on her lines. She was authentic and real. As I listen to the voice of the woman who originated Mary on the cd, I laugh at how much better Nat was! I'll miss hearing her nail those lines, but I can't wait to see what she nails next. On to the next show! Who knows, maybe I'll fall in love with it too... 

Natalie

the entrance to the theatre

leaving the theatre

my eyes adored you, Jersey Boys!

watch a video to get the feel of Jersey Boys here

star wars and volkswagen

funny that we just talked about the #1 ad from last year in class and tonight i just saw this new one.

Guess they knew that other ad worked so they stuck with the theme.

Love this one!

view last years ad here: http://youtu.be/R55e-uHQna0

Jimmy Fallon makes a pretty woman!

The one thing I did for myself today was chill on the couch from 11-12 pm after a 7 hour shift at work (my feet were killing me!!).

All I wanted to do was sit and be entertained (while eating a huge bowl of honey nut cheerios).

So a little Late Night with Jimmy Fallon is not something I usually watch (although I think he's hysterical- i just don't watch much tv),

but tonight Jeff and I were very glad we tuned in because this video was hysterical (or maybe we're just really tired).

Either way, I think Jimmy Fallon is really pretty.

Click here to watch:

Real Housewives of Late Night in Indianapolis

But, seriously.... can you believe people actually watch this reality tv CRAP?!!! I'm guilty of it every now and then but honestly,

WE ARE STUPID IDIOTS FOR 
WATCHING THIS SCRIPTED JUNK.

What does reality tv have that sucks people in?
Why are people so into it?
Why do people care about others' lives?
Can't we be content with our own?
Enough of that.....
do you like Jimmy as a woman?

Btw, like the Allstate ads with President Palmer, I totally love the Capital One commercials just because it's Jimmy Fallon. Love him.