we're not supposed to be friends...did you know that?

I don't usually write (good) movie reviews...but seeing as a friend of mine who normally only reviews things recently wrote about something personal, I figure I might as well stop talking about myself for once, especially since this one touched me particularly hard (more of a jab than a touch you could say)

I don't usually cry at movies. Unless I am sick (Hotel Rwanda) or having a hormone-induced mood inconsistency, I just don't cry. Even if I want to. I've got Cameron Diaz in The Holiday syndrome.

But, I am back in my room after watching The Boy in the Striped Pajamas and my pillow is significantly soggy (granted I waited until after the movie was well over to begin my bawling).

World War II movies are made all the time and I am not sure if this one is necessarily the best of the best. It is, in my mind, a great example of what a movie should be:

Beautifully made. Sometimes I just want to kiss cinematographers on the face, they are so freaking talented and don't get enough credit. It was a 94 minute film and every image said something powerful.

The music nearly made my heart leap out of my chest, especially at the end. So powerful.

The acting was emotional in a believable way.
The little boy was cute. He was the perfect balance of naive and perceptive that eight year-olds always manage to be.

There was a theme that didn't hit you over the head, but was obviously key to the filmmakers decision to tell the story.
The story itself was simple. Because it didn't have to be complicated.

I don't know if I would tell you to go see it though. Unless you want your heart broken and your eyes moistened.

But that is good for a person every now and then.

and that's not fair!

I am not much into barbecues (I actually spelled the word wrong at first)
I don't love fireworks
and I can do without parades and other such things.

That being said, I love America.
I think you should love wherever you live and also work to make it better.

That being said, I spent all day selling Asian food. I worked from 8am-noon at our booth at the Freedom Festival* where we gave out samples of Bubble Tea and yelled at people to try our Red Curry Pulled Pork Sandwiches ("get your freedom sandwiches!" "God bless America and God bless these sandwiches!" "i have the right to choose, and i choose these sandwiches!
etc.) and then the dinner shift where we ate french toast and lava cake for dinner.

And even though I sat on the pavement watching fireworks (which were invented by the Chinese) it was great to be with friends and family...Which is what any holiday is really about, I think.

So I hope you all properly celebrated the day each year where we remember how we said "Scrooo you England." so many years ago.



*Apparently each forth of July Provo explodes and everyone comes out of hiding and camps out for almost 24 hours to see the parade and there is a fair type deal with food, rides, handicrafts, cooking shows etc.

next big adventure

Wednesday, I went with Elizabeth's family to drop her off at the Missionary Training Center. She will spend 9 weeks there, learning how to teach and learning the language and culture before she departs for Indonesia.

As we dropped her off there was this intense energy that radiated about the enter place. There were families saying bittersweet goodbyes, missionaries wandering around in between classes, or headed to a field in their work-out clothes, old men directing traffic, and an old lady hurrying us along.

And despite the craziness, it was all very organized.

It also really reminded me of the first day of school. Whenever you go to a new school, you never know exactly what to expect. You have some idea, based on what people tell you, but as each of us are individuals, we will all have unique experiences in whatever we do.

We're constantly taking ourselves to new places and new things where we can't know what to expect. Each new place we live, each new class, each new person we meet, will change our lives in some way.

I find that wonderfully exciting.

The world is full of possibilities.

that is, if i don't die of swine flu, in the next couple days.

thanks, Google

I am reading emails and contemplating what exactly I am doing with my life when I glance at the top of the screen and it reads...

Your Life Is Messed Up...

if i was me (which i am)
and i had a young child (which i don't)
who created a ten foot trail (or radius) of mass rice-induced destruction all over the bench/table/floor

i would tip more than 9%


that's all i'm saying.

"she doth cause the sun to rise..."*

even though i understand a bit more where they are coming from these days...
...people in love are still gross.

:p




*people don't cause the sun to rise. it's actually the rotation of the earth around the sun.

il bruco! il bruco!

THE PALIO IS A WEEK FROM TODAY!
(well, the July Palio, because there is one in August too)

Oh, and in case you forgot who won last time...



VIVE IL BRUCO!!!

Okay, sad new, Il Bruco isn't actually running this time around, so maybe I'll cheer for the porcupines.

chick flick

Today had every aspect of a romantic comedy.

1. Awkward moment

I bought significantly tall heels yesterday on clearance because I put them on and my legs looked way good. Well, Elizabeth and I were dressed up and then we went on campus so she could get some pens at the bookstore. I'm standing at a computer in the lab. when she goes, "that guy totally just checked you out, all the way down to your shoes" I start to feel way awkward (I guess I should have been flattered?) Then we go up the stairs and there is...hundreds of teenage boys lined up from the staircase to the bookstore. At least two hundred, no joke. Every boy at camp this week was just there with their counselors trying to herd them into a line. So already feeling awkward, we walk past them muttering, "don't make eye contact, don't make eye contact..."



2. Disappointment
We tried to go to the temple, but it's closed for maintenance until the 6th. Very, very sad.


3. Overcoming disappointment
Guru's was open, so we went there for breakfast instead.


4. Tragedy
Mel and E said goodbye to each other.
Michael Jackson is dead.


5. Quaint Workplace
A regular came in and remembered my name.
Co-worker wants to set me up with his friend.
"So, are you going to break up with your boyfriend?"
"No...?"
"I have a really great friend, he's going to be an architect, that's the hottest profession, I read it somewhere."


6. Spontaneous Celebration
We danced along to Michael Jackson music videos and fondly remembered him.


7. Scandal
We went for a midnight swim even though the pool "closes" at ten.


8. Mishaps
Our couch is more broken.
An umbrella almost flew away at work.
Almost choked to death on an Otter Pop.

9. Good Friends
I am just really lucky to have the friends I have.
Evann bought me a sweet ice cube tray where they are fish shapes
Lys, Kels, and I are now watching Whose Line...
And I love, love, loved spending the morning with E.



10. Hot Boyfriend

have you ever thought about...?

i am kind of madly in love with ingrid michaelson.
i don't really know why...
but her lyrics are powerful in a simple way.

and the repetitiveness is captivating and catchy instead of annoying.

usually picture videos are lame, but this one is quite cool.

forgetting the words to your favourite song

i keep waking up feeling kind of hung-over.

no matter how much/how little sleep i get.

it's no fun.

but that's not important.

becauuuuuse day off+elizabeth=yayyyyyyy!!

oh, and regina came out with a new album.

mine and Katie (co-worker) (and apparently taza) recommend the following video from it: