I have been hunkered down in my room lately, alternating between watching awesome TV shows and reading books. Oh, and playing Nintendo DS. I just finished season one of Arrested Development (excellent), and I'm now on season one of How I Met Your Mother (freaking hilarious).

Ah, so this is why I don't drink much hot chocolate ... it coats my tongue and gives me a headache.

I hope something awesome happens soon. My life is really, really blah lately. I don't get to meet Johnny Depp like Krista does, none of the presidential candidates, I'm sure, will campaign near me, there are no cute boys to have crushes on. *sigh* BO-RING.

So yesterday? This total douchebag van driver peeled out in the alley as I was walking past on the sidewalk, and the van tires threw this big wave of snow at me. Stupid idiot van driver.

If I was cooler, I'd send out these cards for Valentine's Day. But I'm not.

"For you it's goodbye, for me it's to cry, for whom the bell tolls."

Heath Ledger, 1979-2008



God, I loved him. I really did.

When my uncle, Brad, moved to California in 2002, I had one request: "If you ever meet Heath Ledger, tell him I love him!"

It wasn't long after he made his move that, as he and a friend drove through LA, Brad spotted a sign adverising an autograph signing with Heath. He made his friend turn around, and Brad stood in line for 45 minutes to get an autographed photo for me. It's matted and framed and has hung on my bedroom wall for more than 5 years now. This is a replica of the one I have:

Last Friday, my co-worker Ray and I were talking about how excited we were about the upcoming Batman movie, Dark Knight. I told him that my favorite thing about Heath is that, no matter what role he takes on, he just becomes that character. You never watch and think, "That's Heath Ledger playing that guy." He's just the character. That's really rare, I think. Tom Cruise is Tom Cruise no matter what role he plays. Same with Mel Gibson, Jim Carrey, Bruce Willis, any leading male actor you can think of.

I wondered how many times I've personally blogged about him. His name popped up four times on this blog. I checked my first blog, and I stopped counting after the seventh post that featured him.

If I, a person who has never actually met the man, have been touched that much by his life and death, I can't imagine the heartbreak his family and close friends must be suffering.

Well, hello, men in my dreams.

So, lately I've been having some star-studded dreams, starring studs.

First up was the delicious, yet dearly departed, Brad Renfro. I don't remember much, but I had just watched Ghost World in memorium, so that's probably why he made his appearance.

Next was a first-time dream Romeo, Mr. Ryan Hansen, whose starred in such awesome TV shows as Veronica Mars and ... uh ... Frankly, that's the only thing I know him from. I'm not normally a blond fan, but in my dream I made a smart-ass comment to someone, and Ryan nodded approvingly. When I woke up, I was like, "Meow, Dick Casablancas. Meow."



Then last night my sexy standby John Mayer made another appearance. We were both at Shopko, and he leaned up against a shelving unit and gave me a pick-up line. Something about how I should come over to his shopping cart sometime. It was hilarious.



Ah, boys.

Brad Renfro, dead at 25

My sister and I looooooved Brad Renfro.

He was a great actor, starting with his 1996 role in The Client. Who doesn't remember that movie? And after that, one of my favorite sappy movies, The Cure. Major tear-jerker.

Speaking of tear-jerkers, the dark but amazing Sleepers had plenty of air-time at my house. God, that movie was fantastic, despite its horrifying subject.

And there's plenty of movies that he's been in that I haven't even gotten around to yet, and some I should reconsider (Ghost World). I think I'll have a Renfro weekend in memorium.

I know a semi-celebrity!

One of my co-workers, the graphically gifted Ray Kaselau, recently had his original artwork selected for the cover of a cookbook to benefit a Barack Obama fund-raiser. Congrats to Ray. Here's a picture of the cookbook.

Interested parties can check out the Web site here and download the cookbook for the reasonable suggested donation of $10.

As for me, until the nation says otherwise, Go, Hillary!

Birthday dreams and soapbox wishes

I gave Amanda her presents yesterday: Bath & Body Works miscellanea, a huge case of makeup, and a private performance of "Slow Ride" and "Hit Me With Your Best Shot." Shut it. I'm a beginner.

Then I gave her a makeover with her new makeup. And if I had remembered my USB cord, I could've posted a pic. Ah, well. She looked cute.

We had dinner at Culver's, where I avoided looking at the boy who had taken over my proofreading job after I quit at my former newspaper. (Also, I saw an ad for a proofreader at that same newspaper yesterday. So either he left or Sharon did, but I just saw her over Christmas and she didn't mention anything. Hmm... Mystery.) I ordered a cheddar burger, which was ginormous and undercooked. Grosssssss. Amanda had a tasty chicken salad sandwich. Stupid cheddar burger.

Of course, once we got to the theater, the movie we'd wanted to see, Enchanted, wasn't playing. Instead, we saw I Am Legend, and it was excellent! It was sad and suspenseful and scary. Once the credits were rolling, I showed my sister the napkin that I'd wrung into a tight roll during all the creepy parts. In turn, she opened her hand to show me the wadded up napkin she'd balled up during the scary parts, too! ha! We're such dorks. (Sidenote: Meow, Will Smith. Meow.)

We went shopping afterward, and I purchased Singstar. So when I'm finished with work today, Amanda's going to come over so we can do some lame karaoke of '80s songs. It'll be awesome!

Here are some unawesome things I've noticed lately that have annoyed me greatly:

~ People's disgusting body noises and odors. Just because I work in a public setting doesn't mean that I should have to be subjected to people's unwashed bodies. Yesterday at the library, this disgusting old man who is always there looking up chicks on Match.com, farted FIVE times. Loud, long, juicy ones that were inescapable and highly noticeable. Never apologized, never even acknowledged that it happened. Finally, my boss had to go over and ask him if he needed to use the bathroom. This is just inexcusable. Who the hell does things like this?? I'm still just so appalled and repulsed.

~ Swearing in public. Blah, blah, blah, freedom of speech, whatever. Have people forgotten how to carry on basic conversation without dropping the F-bomb? When did this happen, that people think it's no big deal to use obscenities and sex talk in front of children, the elderly, and just generally in a public setting? I don't understand. I mean, sure I swear, but I have an awareness of whose company I'm keeping. For the love of Pete, people! Let children maintain their innocence as long as possible! You bastards.

~ Maybe this is just a little petty, but this also ticks me off: since Kmart's One Hour Photo closed down, our local Wal-Mart's One Hour Photo price jumped from $6.99 for double prints to $9.99. That is outrageous, and this girl will not submit to strong-arming.

~ And finally, I'm so sick to death of the sense of entitlement that people seem to have these days. They think that whatever they want, they can have, regardless of any rules or policies that are in effect. And the lying!! Ugh. The lying to get what they want or to achieve what they want. "Why do I have a late fee? I dropped those movies off last night in the book drop. I'm not paying that fine." Uh, yes, you are. I watched you drop them in this morning after we'd already opened for the day, so you were a day late. (Plus, the neon pink sticker on the front of the movie clearly states "Do not put in book drop." You should be charged extra for not complying with that rule.) Don't freaking lie to me. I don't get it. Why is there so much lying? No wonder people have trust issues; no one can tell the truth.

"This is not a food baby, all right? I've taken like three pregnancy tests, and I am for shizz up the spout."

So, guess who got Guitar Hero III as a belated birthday present from her uncle? That's right, kids. ME. And I rock a mean "Slow Ride" by Foghat.

Last weekend on a semi-spur of the moment, I made a trip up to Superior to visit my favorite Kristen. We took in the movie Juno, which was MF awesome. I can't stop thinking about that movie. So good. Saturday night we went gambling with Kate and Kelly. It actually took longer to drive to the casino than for how long we were in the casino, but it was fun. I broke even playing the penny slots, Kelly I think doubled her fortune thanks to a Kenny Rogers machine, and Kate and Kristen apparently didn't know when to fold 'em. So we went back to Kristen's to play CatchPhrase and Boggle. Oh, and I bought these fortune telling cards at a toy shop in Duluth, so we messed around with our inner-gypsies, too. That sounded really bad, didn't it?

I also took a couple pictures of Kristen falling off the bed and knocking over a table, but she won't let me post them.

I also purchased my very own pink Nintendo DS Lite. Thank you, Target! For games, I went old school with Super Mario Bros. and Donkey Kong. Have been playing it nonstop since then.

A former professor of mine from college also recently contacted me about a book of his that is being re-released and expanded, and since he only uses a typewriter, he wants me to type it up on a computer and save it on a disk for him. First of all, he was my favorite prof of all time, so I consider it an honor that he still requested me for help. Second, hello, extra income! And hello, amazingly correct psychic! (Did I ever mention that I had a psychic reading last summer? No? Hmm. I'll have to blog about that someday.)

I'm now rewatching Season 3 of Veronica Mars, but I'm taking my time because I'm so sad that it's the end. Damn you, CW!!

Tomorrow is my sister's 24th birthday. We're gonna go see Enchanted since 27 Dresses isn't out yet.

Third annual book list

For the third consecutive year, I will be posting a list of all the books I have read over the past year. I managed to pack my highest number yet into 2007. Here's some help to understanding the list:
~Any title that's in blue print is a book that I highly recommend.
~Titles in green print will be books that were in audio format.
~Asterisks (*) mark books that are part of a series.
~Titles that are in bold have been reviewed on New Dork Times, my book blog.

Also, last year I invited readers to suggest a book for me to read. I had great intentions, but unfortunately, I didn't get to each one. Someday, maybe. For now, check out my book list. I hope you find some that will interest you!

1) Bridget Jones's Diary, by Helen Fielding
2) Dead to the World, by Charlaine Harris*
3) Dead as a Doornail, by Charlaine Harris*
4) Definitely Dead, by Charlaine Harris*
5) The Long Chalkboard and Other Stories, by Jenny Allen
6) Secret Society Girl: An Ivy League Novel, by Diana Peterfreund
7) Stardust of Yesterday, by Lynn Kurland
8) Sickened, by Julie Gregory
9) Running With the Demon, by Terry Brooks
10) Sleeping With the Fishes, by Mary Janice Davidson
11) May Day, by Jess Lourey
12) Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, by J.K. Rowling*
13) Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, by J.K. Rowling*
14) Fangland, by John Marks
15) Love Overboard, by Janet Evanovich
16) Bloodsucking Fiends, by Christopher Moore*
17) I wrote down the date I finished it, 3/23/07, but forgot the title & author.
18) Five Men Who Broke My Heart, by Susan Shapiro
19) Autobiography of Red, by Anne Carson
20) You Suck, by Christopher Moore*
21) Burning Bright, by Tracy Chevalier
22) Dead and Dating, by Kimberly Raye*
23) The Stolen Child, by Keith Donahue
24) Dead and Dateless, by Kimberly Raye*
25) Something Borrowed, by Emily Giffin
26) Something Blue, by Emily Giffin
27) Baby Proof, by Emily Giffin
28) Fairest, by Gail Carson Levine
29) Heart-Shaped Box, by Joe Hill
30) Skinny Dip, by Carl Hiaasen
31) Undead and Unwed, by Mary Janice Davidson*
32) Undead and Unemployed, by Mary Janice Davidson*
33) All Together Dead, by Charlaine Harris*
34) Undead and Unappreciated, by Mary Janice Davidson*
35) Undead and Unreturnabale, by Mary Janice Davidson*
36) Undead and Unpopular, by Mary Janice Davidson*
37) The Society of S, by Susan Hubbard
38) The Nature of Monsters, by Clare Clark
39) Remembering Sarah, by Chris Mooney
40) Abby Cooper, Psychic Eye, by Victoria Laurie*
41) Walking on Ice, by Susan Hubbard
42) As I Lay Dying, by William Faulkner
43) Lost and Found, by Carolyn Parkhurst
44) Body Surfing, by Anita Shreve
45) Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, by J.K. Rowling
46) Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, by J.K. Rowling (Not a typo. I actually read it again immediately after finishing the first time.)
47) Austenland, by Shannon Hale
48) Such a Pretty Girl, by Laura Wiess
49) Better Read Than Dead, by Victoria Laurie*
49) Undead and Uneasy, by Mary Janice Davidson*
50) Eclipse, by Stephenie Meyer*
51) Bridge to Terabithia, by Katherine Paterson
52) A Vision of Murder, by Victoria Laurie*
53) Killer Insight, by Victoria Laurie*
54) Labyrinth, by Kate Mosse
55) In the Woods, by Tana French
56) What's a Ghoul to do?, by Victoria Laurie
57) Harry Potter and the Sorceror's Stone, by J.K. Rowling*
58) Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, by J.K. Rowling*
59) Red Leaves, by Thomas Cook
60) Crime Seen, by Victoria Laurie*
61) Ask Again Later, by Jill A. Davis
62) An Ice Cold Grave, by Charlaine Harris*
63) Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, by J.K. Rowling*
64) The Every Boy, by Dana Adam Shapiro
65) Ghost, by Alan Lightman
66) The Royal Treatment, by Mary Janice Davidson
67) Under the Rose, by Diana Peterfreund
68) Morrigan's Cross, by Nora Roberts*
69) Dance of the Gods, by Nora Roberts*
70) Valley of Silence, by Nora Roberts*
71) The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, by Kate DiCamillo
72) Stardust, by Neil Gaiman
73) The Year of Endless Sorrows, by Adam Rapp
74) The City of Ember, by Jeanne DuPrau
75) The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox, by Maggie O'Farrell