FW: I haven't written in a while I know

I haven't written in a while I know it weakly sucks. But life gets in the way. This post is about a cheaper way to travel: by train. Being on a train for 18 hours is not as bad as it sounds. The seats are pretty large and comfy. They are clean and it gently rocks you to sleep as it speeds across the glimmering tracks. There's a dining cart and an observation cart with large windows so you can take in the glorious sites of you venture. A round trip ticket from sacramento to salt lake is about $130. Not bad at all. If you travel with someone, its a great way to get in some quality time. Or, if you are an outgoing person, you bannedu someone new.

The (Incredible) Invention of Hugo Cabret

I just finished reading this book called The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick. This is an amazing young adult book that I guess you can classify it as a graphic novel. Brian Selznick tells his story through the use of words, amazing pencil drawings and photographs. It is a very quick read too, but it is VERY satisfying. Hugo Cabret is a boy whose father dies in a fire after telling Hugo about an automaton he found in the attic of the museum in which he works. Hugo's uncle takes him in and forces him to learn about clocks and to fix those train station. His Uncle goes missing and he is basically left to fend for himself, continuing to fix the clocks and stealing just to survive. He slowly befriends a girl who is the goddaughter of the man who runs a toy shop in ght station in which Hugo steals items from. He slowly finds pieces of a puzzle that reveals his connection with the girl and her goddparents. Its a great book and you should most DEFINATELY read it. These are some of the drawings from the book.


This is very entertaining for children and is a good idea for some family time together. It cna be read in one day, don't let the length fool you (over 500 pages). Its a great way to spend quality family time together, it doesn't cost lots of money, and you spend time with the people you love.

Melodical Exposure

Welcome to a new edition of Music Mondays. Well, it used to be called Music Mondays, and it used to come out on Mondays, but now I have decided to change the title and the day it comes out. I still don't have a specific day yet of when I want to post some music I want to share, but we'll see what happens.

Now, for this edition of Melodical Exposure, I thought I would put up Fall Out Boy. I was in the shower this morning and this song came on my phone. It is so catchy, you just can't help but dance when you hear it. The intro melody (before the wind instruments kick in) reminds me of Scissor Sisters' first album. Anyways, This band is really talented. Their guitar riffs are great, their tunes can be haunting and lovely at the same time. Their music just doesn't let you sit still too long without getting up and dancing and singing. Its kind of like dance rock, only it doesn't have that fixed beat in the background: there's variance. Plus the titles of their songs are a mouth full! Makes for some added fascination.

Just a little trivia: The band is named after "Fallout Boy," the sidekick for Radioactive Man, a comic book character from "The Simpsons". Cool :)

Enjoy the tunes!

You Better Shop Around

I have always wanted to get a mannequin, but they are NOT cheap. I have been keeping my eye out for these, to see it the prices were ever affordable, but they never have been. Ah, but bliss hath ventured my way. As a department store was closing here in my town, I noticed these two girls walking around, trying to carry a mannequin, but it was a full bodied one (not full body as in "plus size" but full body as in she had the torso, arms to about right below her elbows, and legs to just below her knees. And no, they did not grab a "plus size" mannequin, they grabbed the skinny-never-eats mannequin). I excitedly asked where they got it and they pointed me in the direction. It was sad looking, like a bunch of not wanted, half figured people in a back corner, some were white, others brown, some eggshell, a few men. Some of the girls even had their breasts smooshed in. It was a weird sight for sure. But, I searched and searched. My mom helped me pick her out. I chose to go with a full figured, or what is known as "plus size" mannequin. I think she looks WAY more feminine than those other sticks. I am not just saying that because I want to "be the change I wish to see in the world" (Gandhi), but I truly believe she looks more feminine. Anyways, I have not named her yet, but I am thinking of a really classic, old fashioned, cannot-mistake-her-for-an-unclassy-lady name. Maybe Clementine, or Virgina. I don't know yet.

Well, the waiting definitely payed off. Instead of paying upwards of a few 100 dollars for her, it was the second to the last day and I got her for a steal! Only $25! Good things come to those who shop around.

Great Movie

I am a SUCKER for those romantic comedies, or girl power movies, or what is otherwise branded as "chick flicks". They are just so enjoyable to me. I know things like that never happen, but I think that's why I like them so, they are a break from reality. They are like dreams that you can enjoy for an hour and a half, and when you get up, you can still remember them! But, they do have one side effect: they make you hurt. They end up giving you a false hope, that fairytales do come true and there is a prince charming and blah blah blah. There are VERY few of us who will end up with thier true love, and they are very blessed for that. All us others have to settle, or don't even try to find it cuz girl, it ain't gonna happen!

But! There are other good things that come out of it, like the fashion! I'm not a huge fashion guru by ANY means, and I don't go around shopping for names or only wear things because whats-his-face designed it. All I know is, if I like it and it don't cost me an arm an a leg to buy it, I'm grabbin it! I just bought Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 and watched it probably a 3rd time. I LOVE that movie. I don't know why, but its entertaining to me. The girl I take fashion advice from it Amber Tamblyn's hippy-punk/chic character Tibby Rollins. This girl can DRESS! (or at least the costume desingers know what they are doing). I just LOVE her style. And, the thing of it is, her style can be mimiced for pretty cheap. Similar clothing items can be found in thirft stores and other second hand stores for a fraction of the cost of any other style in movies. I spend HOURS searching online, looking for her wardwrobe just so I can get some ideas and pictures. I ended up on a website called Premier Props. This webiste has countless movie memorabilia for sale. Yes the prices are ridiculus, but you can get some great ideas for your own closet.

You should check it out. The fashion is great. PLUS! They have REALLY great man-candy :).
Enjoy!!

First edition of Music Mondays!!!

I thought it would be a great thing to share some music with ya'll weekly. Music is inspirational. You can listen to a song and you can be filled with all sorts of emotions. You can even listen to a song and feel emotions you have no idea why you are feeling them. Music is awesome. Without it, life would be quite monotone :). Anyways, this is what I would like to share with you today, one of my favorite bands, The Kooks!

The Little Stone

This is a little story I wrote back in April. I like to get a little fancy when I write whats on my mind. I have to hunt for the perfect word because using the right word can make or break your story and correctly express your feelings.

A little stone, porous, irregular and uneven. It sits in the dark, surrounded by silence and forlornness. Floating right up there, in the recesses, up in that corner. Do you see it? Do you feel it yet? Its presence is unbeknownst, for without consciously seeking it out, it would flutter from existence.

Suddenly, a great heavy mass surrounds the stone, threatening all its force upon it. There is little darkness left between the stone and the great mass. Drudgingly, this eminent peril engulfs the remaining nothingness that once held that stone so delicately. The stone’s lowly and meager life is at stake. There is nowhere for the little stone to go, it cannot escape this ostensible
destiny that is deliberately eating up the freedom it held just moments ago. The mass draws near, dawdling...

Darkness. The little stone is hurled into darkness! No more naïveté. No more bliss. No more sauntering. No more……….nothing. The great mass has won! Yet another lowly life, swiftly and
selfishly taken. Ah, but do not fear, for patterns can be broken. But is it true? Can this little stone defeat this hungry giant? Can it change what has happened oh so many countless times before?

The great mass presses its strength in on the little stone. It pulsates inward, surrounding the little stone with all the force it can muster. Over and over again it squeezes the lowly life force,
breaking its will, its felicity, our confidence. ....

Then, heat. Radiating heat from the center of the great mass. It starts out warm, a pleasant, comforting sensation, one that calms and relaxes those in its presence. It sluggishly increases its power to a temperature that begins to become uncomfortable for its occupants. Then, a blinding light. Nothing is visible. Nothing is heard. Just….feelings. Again, feelings! A blanket of light covers that place, that recess, up in that corner. Nothingness. But this time, a good nothingness. The silence returns. The forlornness accompanies. But this time, oh this time, something has changed. Is this, appreciation? Yes. Regard. Esteem and respect. Yes. But for what? For whom? For the great mass? Maybe. No, not maybe, yes. Definitely yes. With time it becomes a yes. Not its existence, nor its actions, nor its hunger for the little stone. No no no, not for any of those reasons. But because of what it caused the stone to become. For through all this toil and trouble and expenditure, this enfeebled stone emerged.

It emerged smooth and polished. Restored to an even better state. It is not hard in that it has no feelings. It is strong, ready to face another day, ready to face the next great mass that is sure to
come its way. Yes, it is inevitable. Yes, it will come again, maybe even soon. But the little stone will prevail. It will become smoother, stronger, and better. It will not become perfect, for if it did, well why would I waste time telling you this story? That’s now how things work out. That’s not reality. But it will become all the wiser. It will live on and retell this story to others who need
to hear it, when they need to hear it

Don’t believe me? Why don’t you ask?

Go on.