Thanks for the GIVING

I don't ever remember being this excited for Thanksgiving before...EVER! I seriously can not wait to chow down. Corn and crescent ROLLS and turkey and mashed potatoes and GRAVY. Eileen Noble does Thanksgiving right people. I mean she goes allll out and I can.not.WAIT.

I think another pretty exciting facet is that 2 pretty cool dudes are coming home. I'm just excited to see some really awesome people who I've been missing you feel?

I think I'll take this time to be cheesy-McGee and say some things I'm thankful for::::

1- My family. I've said it before and I'll say it again: I think I just might have the best family on the earth and I love being a N.O.B.L.E
2- My friends. I run with a pretty neat crowd. I really dig those kids.
3- My school/education. I'm doing a paper on human trafficking and we all need to start appreciating our educations more because lord knows we could be weaving rugs in Indonesia instead
4- My country. I've never even been out of the country, but doing this research paper is definitely putting things into perspective.
5- My dog. Pretty much all dogs. Dogs are the BEST
6- Delicious fooodd which I plan to eat way tooo much of
7- For my faith
8- For MUSIC
9- For the FAFSA
10- For being a girl. I enjoy being a girl!
11- For life, love and laughter


Feeling the LOVE? I know I am!!! Happy Thanksgiving everyone! :)

well F my L...

I will be going to sleep tonight feeling a tad unsuccessful and intimidated. Argggguugh.

I saw New Moon this weekend... twice. Once with Michaella and once with my sisters. It was a little much the 2nd time around but oh so delicious non-the-less. I don't really want to delve into a movie discussion but rather talk about something that now is bothering me...I got thinking about it after watching New Moon:
ACTING
In my opinion, Taylor Lautner and Rob Pattinson and Kristen Stewart all are NOT the most amazing actors. They're really not. They get the job done but its not like they're going to go on and be recognized for their phenomenal acting skills. I think that's how it is for most movies and TV shows etc. Especially in the teen genre. So I was just thinking about my life and future career and my MAJOR...which consequently is theatre/acting. And I just kind of thought well shit. How is this all going to work out?!
There are so many kids who I've met who tell me that they are theatre majors and I am kind of surprised...I don't want to be a total jerk right now but there are some people who think that they are going to make their living acting and I just feel like somebody should SHAKE them and say "NO. That is not the path for you!" And then I think,

"Am I one of those kids???"

I've been told I'm talented and should pursue my gifts and should go to New York etc etc etc and in the moment it's like "Yea! I should! You're right! This is what I want!" and then you realize: This was my high school musical. A high school with like 200 kids. 60 of which I graduated with....In Minnesota. And these people are my friend's parents. And total strangers who may or may not have anything to compare me too.
{I have a friend who told me he once got a personal note from Joe Dowling (Director at the Guthrie) raving about his skills and his future career etc and I'm like, now THAT is a reputable source! Something to base your insights on! Talk about a confidence BOOSTER.}

Do you know what I mean? Like the people who audition on American Idol who honest to god believe that they are talented because they love singing and have been told that they're good...Just to be slammed into the cold hard pavement of REALITY.
*Now I'm guessing it sounds like I'm having a little Catherine pity party and holding open the door for compliments and reassurance, but I assure you, that is NOT what I'm looking for. I think I'm having a quarter-life crisis. More like mid-quarter life crisis.
talk about D-RAMA

After googling "acting" (yes, it has gone that far), I found an interview with Joan Rivers and she said something to the effect of "if you are 'thinking' about whether or not you should get into this business, Don't. This isn't a choice, its a calling. "

But JOAN! How do you know?!? Where is the GUIDANCE?? Is this like the whole "you just KNOW when you're in love" crap????

Well then F My L folks because for me, it doesn't seem that easy...

i <3 surprises and TV really IS trash

so I actually kind of hate them...I mean I love them, but I also don't like to NOT be able to make the decision. Yeah last post I did say I can't handle decisions....I'm confusing myself...what can I say? I'm complex! (gag)

THE POINT IS. I don't think I'm alone here when I say I love finding things that just make life better. For example::
-Finding a couple bucks in an old purse or wallet that allows you to buy a pop from the vending machine :)
-Drinking half of said pop and then saving it
-Eating a crap load of m&ms and thinking "MAN if only I had some pop" going to the fridge to get some milk just to discover BAM! The other half of the pop!!!

ok it was a lot more exciting for me at the time....

Lately I've been watching some more T.V than I usually do and I really am shocked sometimes by advertisements and basically anything and everything on T.V. In my freshman writing course this semester we had to read about advertising targeted towards children. Especially this method called "synergy." Basically its when a bunch of companies team up (like Disney and McDonald's) to boost everyone's earning power. I saw a PRIME example of this the other day. Its probably the weirdest thing to observe
My favorite line:: "Who needs boring clothes??" Look at how sad the kids are!!!





--Now for a more "adult" look at shocking advertising.
so for kids, they prey on how desperate they are to fit in, and for adults; they just use sex. No big deal


AND!
The Hills makes me want to throw up. One of the girls on it is married and she wants to have a baby but her husband doesn't want to...so she plans on going off her birth control without telling him and the SURPRISING him with news of a pregnancy...because she thinks that in that situation, he would become really excited about having kids.....great example of a BAD surprise. Stupid idiot. Like who are these people? And why are they allowed to influence the youth of America?

*Michaella and I high-fived in a public place after talking about New Moon today.....it was really a turning point in realizing just how obsessed we were...2 days what?

No-Shave-November

AHOY!!

Study Break=New blog post!

ah hell, who am I kidding? its more like study-prevention...

Anypoo. Its taken me a while to put up a new post! Frankly, I've had nothing of interest to say. I've been very boring lately! What was I going to talk about? How I stayed in on Saturday night to study Anthro and watch a Hallmark Original Movie? No....but I did stay in, the movie was called The Flower Girl (it was very Hallmark and I totally loved it...it had Kieren Hutchinson in it, who is a total babe and was also on One Tree Hill as Karen's boyfriend for a while....). I think I'm digging myself into a bigger hole here. The point is there has been nothing exciting happening!!!

But I do have loads to say :)

Michaella and I went to see Clytemnestra last Thursday night at Northrop- it was done by the Martha Graham Dance Company and was SUPERB. I really haven't seen a dance performance like that in a while...maybe in forever! I had read a lot about Clytemnestra over the years and so it was amazing to see it live. We had amazing seats and had a wonderful time followed by Mesa Pizza where we were then hit on by an intoxicated 30 year old man who pronounced "Rarig" "Rah-Rig." Check out a little taste of Grahams genius HERE











Lately I've just been chillin you know, studying-- tomorrow I have my SECOND Anthro midterm and I'm nervous, but not as nervous as I was for the first one. Remember when I said I wouldn't procrastinate as badly as I did last time? Well I think I did better this time because I started studying on Saturday instead of the night before! BRAVO! But it wasn't very good studying considering I had a movie playing, but that's not the point!!
--Speaking of movies::: NEW MOON comes out in exactly TWO DAYS. Michaella and I are seeing it Thursday night at MIDNIGHT! It is what has kept us going these past 2 horrible weeks... I don't think I could get any more excited!! don't hate.

This month is No-Shave-November which should really be called Sexy-Man-Month because lord knows how I love the scruff! Being a theatre major means interacting with a host of "alternative" dressing guys. Or as I like to look at it as guys who care about how they look, and put themselves together in an oh-so-attractive way. SO pair that with the added scruff effect and MYLANTA. Guys who are normally cute enough to begin with become TWICE as attractive. I LOVE NSN!
{I should note however, that there are many guys who just look scary because some dudes just have the knack of growing a flippin beard faster than others...so sometimes NSN translates into "Ohmygod you look like a homeless person"}

Oh hellooo scruffy

Ok my last order of business to discuss is a little more interactive (goody!) so here's the thing: I can't make my own decisions...its a bad habit yadayadayada but seriously I like when people help me out and give my opinions and stuff, so I have to choose a song to sing and I've narrowed it down to these couple (if you have any other awesome suggestions I would love them!)
Now, if you all (whoever you are, I only know of like 5 people who read this, one of which is my mom-but you know) could just either comment on this, or comment on Facebook which one you like best for me (if you know music/my voice) or that you like period I would love love love it!!! Thanks folks!
Here are the songs, through YouTube. :) :)

Everything's Coming Up Roses- Gypsy

I'm A Star - Scott Alan King
(the song starts at 1.00)

Maybe This Time - Cabaret
(I would not be doing the little yell at the end....)

Stars and the Moon - Songs for a New World

And this one I'm just obsessed with, but its a trio, I just want to share it lol
The I Love You Song - The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee


Over and Out

Body beautiful that's me (WORD)

Today in my theatre class we were talking about the role gender has played throughout the history of the theatre. We looked at clips from "Shakespeare in Love" and "To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar" (that title I just simply do not understand....I hear its a fabulous movie, and now I've gotta see it!!) Included in the discussion was the topic of drag queens and kings and thats when we saw the clip from Wong Foo. The opening of the movie has this song and I've gotta say.... I am LOVIN it! Its by Salt n Pepa and the message of the song is truly fabulous, I'm all about building that self-confidence no matter who you are, and listen to this a few times and you will discover that YOU (truly) are body beautiful!! :) :)

You can listen to it HERE on YouTube
Crank this UPPPP

Aw yeah, don't hate me cuz I'm beautiful
[And where is the body?]
Move over mutha cuz I'm going faster than you can drive
The body's beautiful, baby
That's right, I just can't help it (yeah)
It's not my fault, I was born this way (I was born this way)

CHORUS
Get with the B-E-A-U-T-Y
Beauty, the body is beautiful (Body beautiful)
Get with the B-E-A-U-T-Y
Beauty, the body is beautiful (I am body beautiful)

I'm up and coming, I am a child
I'm legendary, hey, I'm free and wild
I am the ocean, and I rule the world (the whole world)
I'm sensual, I am body beautiful (the body's beautiful)
My cha-cha pumps (hump-a-dooty), I've got them on (in a winnin' ticket)
And I work the runway (left-right-left-right-left), baby, all night long
I am the one (the only one), there is no other
I am mother, I am body beautiful

CHORUS

Lights, camera, action!
Satisfaction guaranteed, that's what I need
I celebrate the body and enjoy good health
And I gets down with my bad self
It's all good from the front to the back
Two snaps and a clap for a body like that
It's a good damn thing I don't care what you say
Somebody beautiful (I am body beautiful), hey, that's me

I am grand (grand diva), I am the queen (Queen Bee)
A masquerade (who am I?), I'm fantasy (you're a fantasy)
I am the house (the whole mansion) of elegance
Featuring, I am body beautiful (body beautiful)

CHORUS

Don't hate me cuz I'm beautiful
Everybody's beautiful in their own special way (yes)
Carry yourself like a queen and you will attract a king
Beauty comes from within (yes)
Whatever the mind can conceive and believe
You will achieve (got to believe)
Do you believe (yes) that you are body beautiful?
Yes! Yes! Oooo, yes!

There ain't enough words to express how I feel
I'm body beautiful, true, that's for real
Am who I am and that's all I can be
Open up your mind so your eyes can see

Body beautiful, baby (Work that body)
Body beautiful, baby (Work it, work it)
Body beautiful, baby (Work that body)
Body beautiful that's me (word)

Then I'm-a tell ya like this, and I'm-a tell ya this way
My body's beautiful, that's all I'm sayin'
Bodies come in all different shapes and sizes
You're beautiful, too, just realize this
Can't you see the beauty in me?
Open up your heart and set your mind free
Everybody's beautiful in their own way
Express yourself every day
And when you got joy on the inside it shows on the out
Be confident and you're beautiful without a doubt
You're absolutely gorgeous, don't ya know?
So you got the body beautiful glow

Body beautiful, baby (Work that body)
Body beautiful, baby (Work it, work it)
Body beautiful, baby (Work that body)
Body beautiful (I am body beautiful) that's me (word)

CHORUS

Darque Tan and shameless promotions

I just have to put it out there:::

If you work in customer service, retail, or anything that requires answering phones: you are there to assist the customer. "how late are you open today?" should be a pretty easy question to handle..
even if you work at Darque Tan (spelled with a "que")

Also, when you were trained in at your job I'm sure you were given some guide lines as to the way you should act while working...so if someone has a question or needs a fitting room or pretty much anything, you should help them out because it's your JOB.

The following places have the worst customer service EVER:::
-Victoria's Secret
-American Eagle
-American Apparel
***and a new addition: Darque Tan!!
These stores consistently (as in every time I shop there) beyond suck when it comes to customer service. It has gotten to the point where it is almost embarrassing....I'm sure there is more, but I'm blanking. I just get so irritated with stupid people.

Now thinking about all these horrible employees gets me thinking about how great my own job is-- I miss it :( I work at the most fabulous store in the cities, and while it's true we have a good time and we chat and laugh etc we are bomb when it comes to helping customers! If you want to turn your shopping day into an event, hit up The Fun Sisters! There are locations in Minneapolis, Stillwater, Nisswa, St. Paul and Pequot Lakes! They are all amazing locations with friendly, helpful and fun staff that don't totally suck. We sell purses, jewelry, scarves, hats, shoes, makeup, and tons of of accessories that you really need to have...

Here is the website... If you live in MN and have never been, shame on you. And if you are new to MN you simply have to check out this boutique :) :) We have limited hours so be sure to schedule in the next "open" days!

http://thefunsisters.com/

I LOVE FS!

Gangsta Gang-Gang-Sta

I'm pretty much alone in the cafeteria right now and the cooks are constantly singing (that song will now be caught in my head for the rest of the day). Or they chat candidly in hmong....which is so annoying because A) I would really love to know what they're talking about because it always sounds so juicy by they way they laugh about it, and B) I cant help thinking they're talking about me....probs not though, I'm not that interesting.

Today has been so beautiful! This is the weather that I know and love and what makes Autumn my fave season...walking across the Mississippi today was majestic folks. Listening to "Dreams" by the Cranberries made my commute truly red-letter.

Last night instead of doing my homework I did more research on weddings. Only this time I saught out the best wedding planners in the Twin Cities. Now maybe it was the fact that I was procrastinating, or the fact that it was 1am, but I then proceeded to email two of those companies and ask about internship opportunities.
whhhhaaaaaattttt?
yeah.
I know I'm a theatre major and that is what I want to do and all but I seriously have also always wanted to be a wedding planner...or an event planner but weddings would be prime. Now, one of those companies has already emailed me back and said that she does everything on her own and only works with vendors if she needs assistance, which I understand- small business, bad economy. I don't even think my dad would take on an intern....But I don't even necessarily want to be a paid intern, I just want an insiders look! So now I'm waiting on the other one. I really want to try this job on for size! If none of them want me I have one other one I'm looking at, and if that doesnt work out, then I want to get a job at Monique Lhuillier in Edina----So coool.

My friend Michaella and I have the same brain. My friend Liz and I share the same mind as well...but today, the connection between Michaella and I manifested itself once again. I was surfing the net par usual and immediately decided that I needed to go out and get the new issues of Bazaar and Vanity Fair....

Judge away... Judge away
Of course I looked through all of the "bonus footage" on the VF website and saved all of the pictures of Mr. Pattinson to my computer....I will now proceed to make them into a rotating screen-savor that changes the photo of Rob every minute or so...












The point is that after I gawked at all of these photos, I went on my FB just to discover that Michaella had messaged me all of the links to check it out....We are one in the same regarding this topic.
BUT it is important to note that we are not the "typical" Twilight fans. We are more reserved and less in-your-face: we don't scream every time someone mentions Rob Pattinson, KStew (yeah I just used the abbreviated form) or anything SAGA related....no, we just sequel silently and then talk non-stop about it later in the privacy of our own homes.

You can not deny the fox-factor this dude has got going for him....don't deny it!!!!

~~~

I'm washing ALL my towels and sheets right now....boring, hot (I hate being too hot, and I am almost CONSTANTLY too hot...something I've inherited from Jim no doubt), and LOUD. I really should be writing down all FOUR of the anthro lectures I missed. but I'm not. oops.
"Thanks for the play-by-play Cath!"

Riddle me THIS

Whilst doing my Intro to Theatre homework....i read THIS:

“Hollywood’s emphasis on courtship and romantic love is a function
of the movies’ place within American—and indeed world—culture as a commercial
enterprise. . . . it constitutes a significant cultural practice, the conventions of which
are related to the way we live.”25 While the principals in a musical may begin as rivals
(Sarah Brown and Sky Masterson in Guys and Dolls) or as enemies (Eliza Doolittle and
Henry Higgins in My Fair Lady) or as annoyances to each other (Maria and the Captain
in The Sound of Music) or, at best, in mutual misunderstanding (Nellie and Emile in
South Pacific), their differences of background or temperament signal that they will
eventually form a couple. Indeed, the ideological project of musical theatre in the United
States in the mid-twentieth century was to use the heterosexual couple’s journey from
enemies to lovers to stand in for the unification of problematic differences in American
culture....Stacy Wolf

How true is that??? I love chick flicks or romantic comedies (whatever you wanna call them) but they totally set you up for failure and disappointment. I went through a period of time where I decided that I wouldn't watch anymore chick flicks because I deemed them "unhealthy" for my psyche. That didn't last long... But seriously, those movies and musicals are unbelievably successful because they prey on FEMALE emotions. And we like it.

GAFAW

This is embarrassing to say BUT: I just spent waaaaay too much time looking at wedding stuff....Vera Wang and Monique Lhuillier in particular. They have the most amazing websites, and dresses. I'm obsessed with all things wedding. Now you know, and now you can check them out too! You're welcome.

http://www.verawangonweddings.com/

http://www.moniquelhuillier.com/

Maybe I should be a wedding planner? HMMM?