Fordpride

I love Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson as much as the next girl (or maybe more) but this might be over my comfort level of muscles: I mean, yeah I'd still work with it but I also have a little bit of a gag reflex with this. But I am still just so excited for the new Fast movie.  They are really and truly gifts from above. (Another random note: I like the Olympics.  I do.  But knowing I could be there at an event this weekend had I stayed in England makes me a little bit bitter.  I don't regret my decision, I just think I'm an idiot.) (Also, Ryan Lochte might be better looking than I am, but I feel like I can pull off the grill just a little bit mo' betta (on a related note, I would probably do something equally ridiculous if I were good enough for the Olympics)) OK one last thing:  Snoop Dogg is now Snoop Lion.   I watched the preview of the documentary (I'm sorry-'dogg'umentary) of his transformation and eve...

I love a good biopic.   Michael Jackson?  Check. Justin Bieber?  Check Katy Perry?  Check.   I've been trying to get someone to go see the Katy Perry movie with me for weeks now, and for some reason nobody wants to go.  I don't understand why.   So then yesterday I went to see it by myself.  And when I say by myself, it ended up being completely by myself.   I felt a little bit creepster status doing that, but the movie was too good to leave.   I got the biggest kick out of Katy Perry's parents (mostly her dad). Did we know he looked like this? So legit.  

You guys. I'm hanging out at a library again.   The public library.  I like the description my friend used. "It's like going to Walmart at midnight".  I thought once before that I was never going to have to spend hours in the library again.  Because, as much as I really do love the library, right now it only means one thing. Dissertation. I've been trying really hard to dedicate myself to this assignment, as it is pretty important.  I mean, my entire last year and thousands of dollars rest on the outcome of this paper. One thing some of my professors have told me about my writing is that it 'does not sound academic.  I think sometimes I just fade into my normal writing voice when I'm writing my dissertation, and it is really hard not to.  And I'm just a little amazed because hello!  Wouldn't it be nice for academic writing to be more accessible?  Why use a four syllable word nobody knows when a two syllable word that every...

Every year millions of Americans forget to celebrate an important holiday. The French do not forget. I have been making crepes on Bastille Day for the last several years. I love it. This year I made the least amount of crepes ever. Usually I am slaving away in the kitchen but this time I only made one batch! But they were probably also the best ones I've made. Great new recipe, guys. Be excited for next year. You're all invited over. I made my family down and celebrate with me. They didn't mind because hello! Crepes! And nutella! I asked my family to say one French thing they were grateful for. Dad started by saying, "French kissing". Game over.

Brian Wilson last year: Brian Wilson this year: He really knows how to be my dream man.

Before I left the great city of York, I had the chance to go watch the Olympic Torch run through the city. Everyone was super excited about it and downtown was a little bit crazy.  But it was worth it.  We even saw a fight go down, which resulted in an old lady chewing us out for watching the fight and laughing about it.  She was disappointed.  I was more disappointed in her.  For thinking she was better than us.  But I digress. The torch was fun to see and I am a little bit bummed I'm not there for the Olympics.  But I'm not sad about missing those crowds.  Good luck, London!

When I came home for a visit earlier this year, I was sitting in the dining room, much like I am at this exact moment, when I heard something banging. It quickly became quiet yet again, so I didn't think much of it, and continued on in my own little world. And then I heard the banging again. Another few minutes and the banging continued. I was so confused as to where this noise was coming from that I got up and started looking around.   Then I looked up (which inspires most things, right?) and I saw that there was a bird that was flying directly into our highest window. The tree beside our house, where the bird was perched, was not sufficient enough, and so the bird got up to fly. But it would just fly into our window, a mere five feet away, over and over and over again. I sat there watching this for a long time.  The bird would wait a few minutes in between attempts, but it kept flying into our window.  It didn't change its direction. ...

Oh so pretty. I could probably live there.

There are lots of candy bars in the world.   There are, in my opinion, an enormous amount of candy bars in the UK.  So many to choose from!  So many options!  How is one to really decide what is the best? Well, the Ford's took this challenge under their belt (ha!) and decided to figure out what candy bar is the best candy bar.  And believe me when I say the Ford's know their candy bars. One night, after going to Planet Hollywood for dinner (my first time ever eating there!  i was mostly impressed with their table settings as their paper place mat had celebrity high school photos and dwaye 'the rock' johnson made an appearance.  so it was almost like i was eating dinner with him).  It was also, however, the first time I've ever sent food back at a restaurant.  The chicken in my burrito was uncuttable.  I tried to cut it, over and over and over again, and I'm pretty sure it was made out of steel.   Anyways, point is...

I've been back in the USA USA USA for a few days now, and these are my thoughts on home. It's pretty nice.  It's hot, but it's also not raining every day of my life.  And I can respect that.  I don't respect all the fire, though.  Just to be clear. I still need to finish writing my dissertation, so I'm trying to go to the local library as much as possible.  It's easier to focus there and I actually like going, so its a win-win situation.  I needed to get a replacement library card because its been a few years since I'd gone, and the whole time I was there this was running through my head:  Such a classic childhood/adolescent memory.  That show not only taught me to love the library, but it also taught me how to spell AARDVARK and that it was cool to celebrate half birthdays with half of a cake. The librarian also asked me if I was over 18.  BOOYAH.  I am a child. Since I've been home I've also had to remind mys...