Fall Daze

The air is becoming crisp. It is lovely. It has such a distinct difference between the freezing temperatures of winter and so it makes for an ideal transition. Besides, who doesn't love the sound of crinkling leaves that carpet the sidewalks and the prospect of candlelit pumpkins flickering at doorsteps?

I am becoming adjusted to my life without my grandma. It's entirely different,yet still very much the same. I miss her greatly, but luckily I have many bits and bobs of her around me; I have the quilt we made together on my bed and other small mementos in my room that keep her near. I can say that I am truly grateful for the heartache of my previous summer because it prepared me to fully love my grandmother with every fiber I have and also gave me the perspective to know how to deal with the emptiness that has followed.

Oh dear, I didn't quite mean to make this such a weighty post after my extended break, but I think it was just weighing on me more than I realized...

In a more positive direction, I have been exploring many new jobs and activities to fill my time. I am tutoring some of the students at the college and have applied at a few local places to add some hours. But, the most exciting of all is my attempts at making connections with people in the writing community. It is so daunting that I do not even know where to begin, but I believe these conversations will be fruitful. I am looking for something which will replenish me and writing seems to be the most fulfilling.

Cheers,
Mattie Jo

It's night o'clock. Let's go to bed...

Thank goodness I was interested in crafting up a few more wreaths because this movie, How Do You Know, isn't all that great. I love Paul Rudd (I mean look at that adorable grin!), but he's just not cutting it here. So I have been consuming this movie time by wrapping straw form wreaths with ribbon. It's so enjoyable and I love knowing that the people I am giving them to will have a lovely reminder of special I think they are because of the value they bring to my life :)

This one is black and yellow with a few buttons and a bit of tulle on the right. I love the mix of flora, polka dot, and stripes for interest!

This one is a classic black and white combo with a cute yellow bow (it actually looks like a tape measure) and a few black buttons. So lovely!

Have an enjoyable Thursday evening and wake up to your Friday with a spectacular outlook on the weekend ahead of you, dolly!

Accept what you can't change and change what you can't accept

Well, well, well dolly it has certainly been a long time since my last post. Many things have happened. I've been slaving over papers--gah thank goodness that 25 page fucker is out of the way and so are the 5 and 10 page ones also due this week. Imagine my pretty that Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday you have multiple pages of your brilliant thoughts and writing due to turn in. It's been driving me crazy! So now I have this abundance of creative energy that is no longer being re-channeled into research writing.

Also, Grandma Bev is back home after a three week stay in the hospital back in January. I have been staying with her ever since. Its a bit of an emotional roller coaster as each day is filled with finding the positive, but I feel blessed to be able to spend time with her. She taught me how to sew <3

Speaking of fabric, I bought a kindle as my graduation-with-cum-laude gift (I graduate in 17 days!!!! with a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature with a minor in Environmental Studies). So I bought some fabric to make a cover/case to hold my wonderful treat (I'll post pictures in a bit). Also, I picked up some ribbon, a straw wreath form and tulle circles to make a spring-summer wreath. Take a look!

Bunnies are of the family Leporidae

Does anyone ever consider that there may not be enough cute,fluffy bunnies in the world? (How adorable are these bunnies?!)

I know, I know there is a carrying capacity for the number of bunnies which can inhabit a particular biome while at the same time meeting all physical and nutritional needs.Besides, with the increase of bunnies there would also be an increase in predators; the prey-predator relationship follows one another closely.

Either way though, who wouldn't want a large population of bunnies to happily hop along meadows? Don't identify yourself; I would only have a pouty face as a response (Interestingly enough the succession to a meadow goes something like this: from pond to marsh, to meadow as the area fills with more sediment and vegetation). I suppose though the increase in such adorableness could potentially lead to something disastrous as well. Could you imagine the public uproar from the overwhelming power of such sweet,fluffy faces? (I know I could possibly overdose on such an experience)

Gah I am sitting her at Off the Leaf to get my internet connection and not only am I sitting next to a guy also named Mattie (awkward), but he keeps throwing his phone into the sink while his friend drums on the table. Could this get any more ridiculously annoying? Oh god now he's chair-dancing. Could I throw my lip-burning tea in his face to make it stop? (From out of the corner of my eye it doesn't look like the scars from geyser-hot liquid would be too detrimental).

Well there was no definite reason for this blog post other than I have finally gotten my replacement laptop after my previous one (along with my iPod, books, and purse sans wallet and important identification) was stolen from my car after a trip (a lovely, lovely skiing trip) to Missoula. So that's a little something to celebrate!

Enjoy your weekend, lovely!  

 

These are NOT cute bunnies, but would probably be the most likely result of too many bunnies populating the world with their cuteness. 

The pancakes were lovely by the way

Hello dolly. It has certainly been a while since I have last posted anything. (Don't worry my leg has sufficiently healed since my last fall) Now that my finals are out of the way though I feel like I have a bit of breathing room. Plus the excitement of Christmas has passed so I am no longer rushing about trying to find gifts, wrap gifts, and creatively tag gifts for my wonderful family and friends.

Finals went well. Nothing too out of the ordinary there--essays, essays,essays. As a special treat after a Shakespeare final Laura, Abi, and myself went to brunch at Stellas. We then found a rather phallic Santa figurine (which we, of course, had to position for a set up complete with spilled creamer). The pancakes were lovely be the way.

Then that Sunday the Lit Girls gathered for drinks and festivities. We dressed up and all looked stunning! I heart them all so very much!
 
Then, then on Christmas Eve-eve I gathered with Caitlin, Beth and Jessica for an awesome manicure, lunch and gift exchange. It was delightful (and Beth has the most beautiful red hair!) Soon we are planning a crafternoon. I can't wait! Oh they are so presh!

I have also been dying to dye my hair. I tried a week or so back, but ended up purchasing my own hair color. (Talk about feeling lame when I realized the mistake). Finally I have the dark brown I have been dreaming of for a few weeks now! I'm thoroughly (in my misspelling of the word I came up with thug holy. I think I'll use that in the future) enjoying the color change :) (Oh plus I bought the yellow dress I'm wearing for the super steal of $7, but it was an ugly yellow. So I, with the magic of Rit, made it even more sunshiny than before!)

I hope you had the merriest of holidays and that Santa treated you well!
I'm going to start some embroidering now.(I'm so excited to try it out finally)
Love, Mattie

Dance Party and Cut Knee

Last night a group of my darling friends and I went to the dance party at the Metra Pavilion. It was so much fun!

First we met up at Caitlin and Steve's place for a bit of a pre-party including dinner, choosing outfits and styling hair. (It was like a slumber party, but much more fun...if that's even possible!). Once we were all dolled up and ready for action we piled into the cars and made our way to the dance floor. There was no stopping us girls as we kept moving through all of the songs. (My legs were killing me from wearing heels, but it was soo worth it!). Plus my adorable friend Christa showed up too and made dancing even more delightful!

Finally after a bit of excitement and a crushed pair of glasses later, we made our way home. I was more than ready to jump in my car so as to sleep in my own bed, but as I was walking across the ice I slipped and for a second time cut my knee plus scraped my entire leg and ankle. Needless to say, as I was sitting on the ice, I didn't want to drive and only wanted the bleeding to stop so I stayed the night at Caitlin's (she has the most incredibly soft pillow-top mattress. It was like sleeping on heaven).

Beth, myself, Caitlin, and Kali

Just look at my wonderful shoes!

The latest in hair trends

heart <3

Now that the late afternoon has rolled around, I must kick it into gear to finish my papers and studying. Can you believe that finals are next week!? I'll be done by Wednesday morning and am more than ready for a holiday break. I'm hoping it will be filled with lots of joy!

Movie-smovie

I recently had to do a movie review for my capstone course. We saw Morning Glory. I think you'll catch on quickly to how I feel about this film. Enjoy! 

Morning Glory Chokes Out the Talent

Morning Glory follows convention so well, it is as though we have already seen the movie. Remember screenwriter Aline Brosh McKenna’s previous work The Devil Wears Prada: an all too eager girl trying to fight her way to the top by proving her worth in a field which she seems ill fit for to begin with. Enter Rachel McAdams with her underdog gumption and go-getter spunk, which becomes too thick throughout the movie, as she tries to pull together the misfit crew of a dying morning news program. As she quickly makes changes to the program she must contend with the bold personalities of Ford and Keaton; these co-hosts butt heads battling over whether or not to present hard news or “fluff”.

     This social comedy remarks on the workaholic mentality of society as it affects family dynamics. McAdams and Ford are parallel characters asking the question which is worth more: relationships or a career?  Ford is the gruff, professional broadcaster who has worked so hard to reach the top with hard news stories that the only place left for him to go is down with frittatas. McAdams is an emerging producer who is dedicating her entire life to entertaining and informing the public that she leaves little room for her own life. Through each other the pair realizes that there is more to life than a career.

     In this respect, the movie is worth the viewing. Gather around with your overpriced popcorn and soda “deal” and wait for the wholesome, good-feelings to emerge as the fluff fills the screen. Convention rules the plot structure, which is forgivable, but to leave the characters with so little depth and fill them with annoying qualities (i.e. Ford’s forced Dark Knight voice and McAdams’ over the top Pollyanna enthusiasm) make it difficult to even enjoy the cliché turn at the end.

     Luckily, the film is injected with strong characters playing in the supporting cast. Take a look at the field newscaster played by Matt Malloy and Lenny played by Joseph J. Vargus for genuine characters that bring humor to the film. Also the set decoration is key to the authentic feeling of the movie as well; small, cramped, and crowded with props and papers shoved into corners lends believability to the hectic and disheveled life of the Daybreak family. 

     It is not that the genre is bad, but the execution could have been better, especially with such a strong cast. Overall it fails in creating suspended disbelief by forcing the audience to relate to un-relatable characters while providing mediocre entertainment. So, if you have nine dollars and an hour and a half to spare bundle up and find a seat. Do not worry it will not be crowed.

Marshmallow Legumes

Just before drifting off to sleep the other night I had an interesting conversation (also known as intercourse as per the thirteenth century usage) about circus peanuts.

I have always found marshmallows and marshmallow-like treats to be wonderful-- I think its due to the  spongy, airy quality of spun sugar. (This is a similar reason for my enjoyment of cotton candy). I'll freely admit that I enjoy circus peanuts on an occasional basis. I know it's odd to like a treat that is orange, shaped like a peanut, vaguely tastes like banana, and only slightly shares the marshmallow's consistency. (huh, I'm beginning now to wonder myself why I like them).

These treats were first produced in the 1930s and ever since can be found on the bottom shelves of most every store. (I'm sure many  of them have never left the shelf since 1930, but how could they ever go bad anyway?!)

But back to the topic at hand....
I was laughing so much from the slight confusion which ensued from my curiosity. Follow along:

M: How do you feel about circus peanuts?
B: I feel like they are totally overrated.
M: Overrated? If anything they are underrated!
B: I like 5 guys peanuts. That's a burger place by the way.
B: Guess you must have had some amazing experiences with circus nuts
M: I was talking about the marshmallow treat, not the actual legume

Oh it just makes me smile! :)