lightning could strike

the first time i saw Meet Joe Black, it was on a whim. my roommate owned an edited version (none of that Rated R business for me) and i absentmindedly stuck it in one day while multi-tasking on some school project or other. i'm not always one for slow movies (exception = dances with wolves), and i often utilize such films as background entertainment.

but 30 min. into this treasure found me with my project neglected, staring mesmerized at the television screen. if you haven't seen it, this movie is magic. not magic in the gives-you-goosebumps-Narnia or makes-you-outright-cry-first-10-minutes-of-Up matter. it's just ... simple.

magic. simple. childlike. enchanting.

because you know what? sometimes peanut butter is all it takes to be happy. and sometimes fireworks make me cry a little, too. i think those are the pieces of life that matter most.

if you haven't seen this film ... you must, must watch.

spoiler alert, here's a crappy Youtube version of one of my favorite parts. never has love been so perfectly defined.

p.s.

do not miss the cafe scene. mostly the part where they admit their feelings and walk away, with the best song from the soundtrack playing. simply enchanting.

speaking of that best song. it puts me in a trance. have a listen:

when it hasn't been your day, your week, your month, or even your year

[myoosik: #117, "friend like you" by joshua radin.]

i've been thinking lately about how incredibly lucky i am to have so many best friends. (note: this post does not include a) best guy friends, or b) family members. although i promise you all count.)

but this one's for my girls. (cue cheesy Martina McBride track)

but really. THESE are my besties. and i owe more to them than i can say. (and more than will ever, ever, ever fit in a blog post.)

thanks for being the reason for all the adventures, and the reason i've survived, thrived, jived (just go with it) and continue to do so. you are my voices of reason, my faces of happiness, and the people i would run across the airport to tackle into the luggage carousel, given the chance.

so, in no particular order other than how blogger chooses to upload them ...

my abbers. even though you're in Holland & won't see this for 1.5 years (or ever, maybe) ... for being the best e-mail buddy and pen-pal ever ... for bonding with me in the PR office and countless times since ... for your courage to live in new places and try new things ... for loving as deeply and caring as much as i do (possibly more) about always helping and serving other people ... and for always thinking so deeply about everything.

my torchy. for so many adventures in the CC ... for falling in love with frisbee with me ... for staying up late to journal together ... for understanding that shoe/chair squeaks really ARE funny ... and for just being such a sane individual in such a small town.

my larsy parsy. for letting me nickname you ... for bonding over crazy bread/queer eye/mattress olympics/a zillion billion other things ... for running away to california with me ... for somehow being the other half i never knew i was missing until we ended up in the same room ... seriously, for really being the reason i even came out of provo in one piece.

my mahoorah. for seeing me through my awkward phase ... for continually impressing me with your strength ... for the way you love other people so much it makes you wiggle ... for the way you're just always there when i need you ... and for the way i ALWAYS feel better about life after we talk on the phone.

my dawnee ray. for being the reason i survived sophomore honors English (remember how we fell asleep on the 2nd day of class?) ... for always being ready with a smile ... for doing nothing in English class but drawing stars (and/or sheep) on things with me ... for the way you're so good it just makes you sparkle ... and for always, always encouraging me.

my ali-babwa. for tying your sweatshirt to mine in 3rd grade ... for towel modeling ... for about a zillion sleepovers ... and for, really, being my oldest friend.

my reebs. for gilmore girls ... for being the reason my first year back in AZ didn't eat me alive ... for your bravery ... for the magical hot tub and Scottsdale Hateway ... and for always ALWAYS understanding what i'm feeling/thinking/craving because you're thinking/feeling/craving the same thing.

my mindi. for being attached to my hip thru jr high and high school ... for laughing with me like maybe no one else before or since has accomplished ... for michelle branch roadtrips and vivian and peanut butter m&m's and "where the crap is randy?" ... for making and then eating certain cookies when certain boys let us down ... for becky "the icebox" o'shea and the oneders.

my meggles. for making our current life phase a party every day ... for the hundreds of miles we have (and will) run together ... for countless therapeutic conversations ... for being brave enough for the onesies ... for always understanding and never judging the need to eat another cookie or watch another hour of Alias.

my k rob. for being, seriously, my voice of reason amid everything ... for letting me call you pretty much every day ... sometimes twice ... for your optimism ... for the way our lives are always doing the same things at the same time ... therefore knowing you'll ALWAYS understand exactly what i'm feeling.

my kt lew. for somehow being a bestie even though we never lived in the same place, ever ... for the way you're always so, so kind to me ... for the way we could probably talk for hours about nothing important and everything important all at once ... for understanding my simple, flannel-shirt dreams ... for ALWAYS being up for an adventure or at least adventurous dreaming.

my katie lee. for being a part of pretty much every best memory i've had in the last few years ... for never being too cool for school ... for the way life always delights you ... for pretending to be a grown-up with me .... for understanding the obscure movie and TV references that no one else ever does ... and therefore, for helping me withstand my eskimos.

my k sparks. for the bunk bed ... for unintelligible late-night conversations ... for your faith and encouragement ... for letting me cry when i just can't help it ... for thinking all the right things are funny ... for being an amazing listener ... and for just showing up in my life one day at a demolition derby.

my beef. for still going by "beef" ... for being the reason i haven't kicked my cubicle walls down ... for knowing you'd be there in a second to join me if i did it anyway ... for understanding everything that's good about life, from Cedar City to P-town and all the angst in between ... for the way i could probably stand on a chair somewhere and just yell and yell, and you wouldn't ask questions, you'd just start yelling too and then hop in our getaway car to cali ... and of course, for Dr. Leo Marvin.

my chantallion. for being one of the most beautiful people i know, inside and out ... for how much i adore laughing with you ... for the way your advice/opinion means the world to me ... for constantly inspiring me with your courage.

my ashley. for that picture below, whatever the heck we were doing ... for always being the person i want to sit next to at all parties/gatherings/etc because i love giggling with you ... for always giving sound advice about life ... for your inspiring faith & dedication.

my caralinia. for making it really difficult to choose just one picture for this blog, because we have about 100 priceless treasures to choose from ... for knowing exactly what i'm feeling/thinking with nothing more than a grunt or body flail ... for often being the first person i call when my heart gets broken ... for never being afraid of life or sea monsters or making jokes about bodily functions.

like i said, i am one seriously lucky girl.

marry me, vaughn

(did i say that out loud?)

[myoozik: #185, "static waves" by andrew belle.]

anyway. i know i'm a few years behind the times, but ... when you don't have TV and someone lets you borrow a box set, being hip and up-to-date is somewhat irrelevant.

hence, what's been occupying my down time lately:

warning: tread carefully with approaching this addiction if you get emotionally attached to characters or relationships. seasons 2 and 3 will kick you in the face. not that i speak from experience. sigh.

here we go a-satcheling

[musica: #191, "rollerblades" by eliza doolittle. everything about it is delightful.]

it might be all this running (that's totally illogical), but i must not know my own strength lately.

case in point...

within 2 ominous weeks in november, i ripped the handles off each of the following:

a. suitcase

b. laptop case

c. grown-up purse

i'll skip posting a pic of my biceps, just to spare you the plague of jealousy that would ensue.

the point is, my high-school and college purse collection primarily includes turquoise and corduroy and that one fabulous sequined thing ... not exactly suitable for this grown-up facade i'm still working on.

so thanks to a more-than-generous coupon ... and thanks to some christmas moneys from my lovely parentals ... this little treasure is going to show up in my mailbox any day now, courtesy of DownEast Outfitters.

see you soon, new friend!

p.s.

i next aim to own a gray/silver number. preferably with a large bow. turns out i love oversized bows as much as i do gargantuous buttons. (i really thought gargantuous was a word, but there's that conflabbit red squiggle. maybe i'm misspelling it. i just threw in conflabbit for good measure.)

and to all a good night

[musica: #153, "have yourself a merry little christmas" by mr. sinatra. because let's prolong the season just this much longer.]

despite the evidence of the following photos, my entire family was present for christmas celebrations. these just happened to be taken while the other ones were runned off w/ their in-laws and/or sick chilluns.

but consider this a representative sample. a very merry christmas it was...

p.s.

that last picture is my favorite. ever. it captured my papa making me laugh. which is my favorite. ever.

i do believe in christmas, i do, i do

k so you've got coldplay + christmas + peter pan aura ... and you've got a winning combo.

(thanks nichole for sharing. we will be neighbors someday.)

ah, christmas magic! i simply heart you.
as do i heart this enchanting video.



p.s.
must own that piano.

p.p.s.
don't miss the apparently-now-legal-in-arizona-and-makes-me-miss-summer surprise at the end.

snug as a bug

(recommended music: #179, Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas by Coldplay. yep, Coldplay Christmas music. get on that.)

the following picture may or may not have been taken at my church Christmas party.

these pajamas may or may not be making future appearances during the holiday (or perhaps non-holiday) season.

i may or may not have any shame.

p.s.

both my little sisters may or may not have purchased ensembles to match mine. stay tuned for photos around the family Christmas tree ...

just start livin'

i think toby keith maybe wrote this song about MY life priorities.

it's good to be reminded.

also i think all happiness includes having a sprawling front porch. just a hunch.

rogue textersation

what happens when i text larzy on a saturday afternoon

(guest appearance by miss kelsey)

she: what in the...i have no idea where those crazy smiley faces came from...my phone is posessed.

i: umm...i didn't get any crazy smiley faces.

she: weirdy...the message popped up after i sent it, and there were like 7 emoticons with sunglasses and funky expressions. i was a bit bewildered.

i: ahaha let's blame kelsey

she: kelsey and rogue unicorns

i: kelsey = rogue unicorns

she: rogue unicorns = love of hot dogs, banjo hips, and puppies?

i: i think we just solved the space-time continuum

she: CUE UNIVERSE IMPLOSION

i: i hope this means pluto gets to be a planet again

she: we may have to bribe the Deciding if Something is Actually a Planet Committee with fruit snacks for that one...but i think Pluto's got a fighting chance.

i: Snack Packs for Interplanetary Acceptance! SPIA. Pronounced Caspian. There's a few silent/invisible letters in there.

my only question: banjo hips??

hello, memory lane

is it totally nerdy that this video totally gave me chills? love it. ever so much.

so pause my playlist and feast your eyes & ears:

How the World Googled in 2010

(blogger decided not to let me embed the video. so just visit the link. but come back to my blog.)

effective family communication

[recommended music: anything christmas. there are a few selections at the bottom of el playlist. just run with it.]

location: the chamber of secrets (and by that i mean ... my room.)

what i see: my violin (yes my violin. a definite post for another day)

i don't have anything really excellent to say. mostly just a random picture i found on my phone that i wanted to share ...

because it really exemplifies a lot about me and the beloved gaggle of people i call family.

left the following note for mi papa at his office whilst dropping off some money for my baby sister:

translation if it's too fuzzy to read:

Papanwa, You are hiding from me. here's Laura's filthy money. I'm taking the cat & moving to Mexico. Katie

yeah, i got a degree in this whole family relations thing.

obvious, isn't it?

p.s.

it's not just me. my mama wrote "i'm thankful for family" on the chalkboard in her kitchen on thanksgiving. within minutes, someone had added the word "conflict" at the bottom ... which later got changed to "conflictions." (this actually happens anytime anyone writes anything on the chalkboard. it gets lovingly edited.)

we're a funny bunch. i'm thankful for our "conflictions" too, whatever those are.