Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Top 2010 Picks

My neighbor Scott told me today that any self-respecting blogger should have a top 2010 music list. I don't know that I'm self-respecting as far as music goes, as anyone who knows me knows that I don't have the most sophisticated taste in music (see: obsession with Bon Jovi). I'll confess, I always feel like a bit of a dud when I look at people's 2010 lists and don't recognize any of the names, and it was only 'til about a month ago I even knew who Bruno Mars was. But I WILL give you my top lists not necessarily of what I think is the best music ever to grace the airwaves, but at least the top hits on my personal ipod, along with some other favorites (oh, and most of today's current hits I can thank "Glee" for introducing me too). By the by, these are in no particular order...Equality for all! :)

Judge away!

Top Songs:
1. "Total Eclipse of the Heart"--Glee/U2
2. "Don't Know Nothing"--Maroon 5
3. "Stutter"--Maroon 5
4. "Tiny Light"--Grace Potter and the Nocturnals
5. "One"--Glee/U2
6. "I'm on Fire"--John Mayer
7. "Forget You"--Glee featuring Gwenyth Paltrow/Cee-lo
8. "OMG"--Usher
9. "Hey Soul Sister"-Train
10. "Marry You"--Bruno Mars/Glee

Top Albums:
1. "Hands All Over"--Maroon 5
2. "Kaleidoscope Heart"--Sara Bareilles
3."This is Somewhere"--Grace Potter and the Nocturnals
*I realize itunes has assisted me in the nasty habit of only buying mostly singles now, so I actually haven't purchased full albums in awhile... *sad*

TV:
1. Glee
2. Modern Family
3. Law and Order: SVU
4. 30 Rock
5. Conan

Books:
1. The Omnivore's Dilemma: Michael Pollan
2. Skinny Bitch: Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin
3. Taking the Field: Michael Messner
4. Outliers: Malcolm Gladwell
5. Are You There Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea: Chelsea Handler

Top Hobbies I Discovered:
1. Bike Riding
2. Knitting
3. Painting
4. Eco-Crafting
5. Geo Caching

Top Trips:
1. Seattle (anytime)
2. USC
3. Boston Veg Fest
4. Portland for Christmas
5. Disney Land

Happy New Year!!! Looking forward to a 2011 filled with more favorites!

Thursday, December 23, 2010

Last Christmas I Gave You My Heart...

Why hello there...long time no blog. Frankly I've not had a whole lot happen to me that's been blog worthy, and I'm not sure what that says about me and the life I'm leading, but it can't always be all fun and games I suppose. Upon the request of a dear friend, I decided to send a little Christmas blog your way, and it seems that seeing as it is 3ish days til the big day, a holiday blog seemed appropriate.

Last night my family and I had out annual get together with our neighbors across the street. It is one of my favorite times of the year--I grew up with the kids across the street, and they are literally a second family. Anywho, we went around the table sharing our favorite Christmas/holiday memories, so it got me thinking about my own:

5. 2007--the year I went to visit Rob in Walla Walla right before Christmas. Snow seems to follow me where ever I am at Christmas time, and we got to drive back slowly in Rob's Rav 4 Burt. I did however score a killer dealer on some jeans at the outlet mall we stopped out. I also saw "Twilight" for the first (and only) time (no comment...). Rob and I also made candy trains and watched home movies (see facebook).
4. Although it's not a favorite memory, in the year of 2008 Father Christmas decided to dump about 10 feet of snow on Portland, thus stranding my brother in PDX overnight, and then having to take a hellish taxi ride back through the snowy streets to my brother's house where I watched about seven hours of "Scrubs" and his cat Homer continually attacked me and I wondered if I was going to get eaten alive by the mold in the apartment (I love my brother with all my heart...but his residence was not of the cleanest persuasion). We finally made it home two days later.
3. One year my parents organized this huge scavenger hunt with some family friends. The parents organized all of these clues and the kids had to go all around the city and we finished off with our big final present (I scored my first digital camera). It was super fun and creative!
2. One year my mom stayed home from work (I think I was in 5th grade). We made REAL gingerbread houses and go to the grocery store and pick out any candy we wanted. Mine was pretty legit--M&M roof and all.
1. When I was 11 I wanted a dog SO bad. My parents told us that December 1 they would decide if my brother and I were ready for a dog. On Thanksgiving morning I kindly reminded my mom that December 1 was approaching. She said, "Oh yeah." A few hours later we got an early Christmas present. Inside was Kirby, our beloved labrador retriever puppy--still the cutest one I've ever seen :) (RIP Kirbs!).


Top 3 Best Christmas gifts:
3. When I was SUPER into American Girls I REALLY wanted the bunk beds in the catalog (I had Kirsten and Molly and both needed a place to sleep). The one in the catalog was like $100 (OUTRAGEOUS...specially back in '95)--so my Grandpa MADE a beautiful one and Mom made the sheets and pillows!!! I tucked Molly and Kirsten safely into bed every night.
2. Tickets to see Bon Jovi in Los Angeles!!!
1. Kirby (my puppy in the a-forementioned story)

Goals for future Christmases:
3. Eat a chestnut over an open fire
2. Have Jack Frost nip my nose
1. Get kissed beneath the mistletoe

Merry Christmas to all!!! I hope you make some fantastic memories!!! Christ our Savior is born!!!