Sink Me!

"They seek him here,
They seek him there.
Those Frenchies seek him everywhere.
Is he in heaven?
Or is he in... hell? *gasp*
That damned, elusive pimpernel."

Hold the phones. All the plans have just changed. It's official: I am going to marry the Scarlet Pimpernel.

It's a slightly embarrassing fact that I've had a pseudo-secretive love for historical romance novels for years. Yes, they're cliche, and yes, they're unrealistic, and yes, they're everything else you've ever heard about them... And yes, I love 'em for it. >.<() Whaddya know? Turns out I'm a sappy romantic girl after all...

Sir Percy: "The only power that I can see at present, mademoiselle, is the power of your beauty."
Marguerite: "Well, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, Sir Percy."
Sir Percy: "This beholder is enchanted."

SQUEEEEEEEEE! XD

I watched the Scarlet Pimpernel for the first time today, and it carried me away to a world where men are noble and hold themselves to codes of honor and dignity. Women don't have to play tough and aren't pleasantly surprised when a man treats her with the good manners one shows a lady because chivalry is already expected. It's a world wherein people aren't afraid to make their romantic intentions toward each other known and they act upon their emotions, rather than hiding them out of fear of another's rejection. It's the kind of world where men like Sir Percy Blakeney, Bart. are allowed to exist.

Marguerite: "I don't know whether you're mad, or..."
Sir Percy: "Desperately in love? 'Tis all the same. Tell me, if you can, that you do not feel it, too."

There's a line in the movie where Marguerite describes the sort of man she wanted - "...the sort of man a woman can look up to. That she could turn to in trouble." At a glance, it seems so often that these romances set in older times portray women as needy and incapable of handling their own lives without the assistance of the dashing rogue that suddenly enters their world. They're dependent on the men around them in a totally patriarchal society. It's a veritable plethora of fuel for the feminists of the world.
For me, the idea of a woman relying on a man isn't about lacking self-sufficiency or independence at all. It's about having someone you have enough faith in to trust to be both capable and caring enough to look after your best interests. There's absolutely nothing wrong with turning to someone else for guidance and support when you're certain that they love you too much to have any priorities above your happiness and well-being. That's why I want so badly to find a man who absolutely adores me. I'm a pretty passionate person, and I throw myself whole-heartedly into my relationships - and not just the romantic ones. I give everything I have to the people I'm close to. And I've burned myself out my fair share of times because I've given more of myself to those I care about than I've received in turn. Therefore, it's crucial to me to find someone who can adore me and share as much of himself with me as I'll give to him. That's someone I would trust explicitly to take care of me. Not because I need it. But because I want to place that trust in him and can.

Sir Percy: "What has poor Armand done to be condemned to matrimony?"

There's so much more I'd love to go on about - from Sir Percy's quick wit to his smug grin to his dashing heroics. But alas, it's 6 am, I've been freezing outside in the rain for hours because I can't get an internet connection inside my apartment, and my computer's battery is about to give up the ghost. So this is where the circumstances dictate that I bring this half-baked drivel to a close.


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Quote - "You must tell me all about yourself, in every detail, but oh, so slowly, so very slowly, so that it takes a very, very long time," Sir Percy Blakeney, Bart.
Music - "Dreams to Dream," Linda Rondstadt
Mood - In love with love

Joyeux Anniversaire!

I am so ridiculously happy! I've just had the most amazing birthday I can ever remember. And I can't stress that enough. Of course, most years, my birthday just kind of passes like any other day of the year. I have cake with my immediate family, but there's not much more to it than that. ...But not this year!

I went to class this morning expecting to make up a test I'd missed (due to adding the class late). We did our mile-and-a-half run, then I asked the coach if I had to take the test on my birthday - just to be cute. And he said no. There's another girl in the class who needs to take it, so I can just take it next week when she does. Score!

On my way home, I stopped by DI to look for a dress I'd seen last week and decided against, then regretted afterward. And I found it! The world was so nice to me yesterday. ...Even though it was cold and rainy and I got a brain freeze driving home on Zoey. ^___^()

So I came home, found a fun candy bar card and balloons taped to the door by the roomies, took a hot shower, and dolled myself up because I had a new skirt I wanted to wear, and by-dangit, I'm allowed to feel beautiful on my birthday! And I did.
I called home and was greeted with the darling sound of Keira singing Happy Birthday to me, and I laughed myself silly while I listened to Mom trying to wrestle the shaving cream from her in the background. XD

Even though I promised myself I wouldn't prepare any food all day (because I've done nothing -but- cook all week), I put another layer of glaze on the donuts, touched up my cake, and then it was time for the party.
This is the part where I just have to state how wonderful my friends are. THEY'RE AMAZING!
We held the party in MAN205, and the boys made it so stinking awesome. We had streamers and sugar and presents! The sugar I'd expected because I made most of it. The presents I didn't really expect. After all, my friends are poor starving college students too. Autumn gave me enough flour and sugar to feed my boys for... well... a while. Haha. Hyrum and Steve got me a spiffy tapestry, a Captain Planet t-shirt, and best of all, the Best of Bowie! XD I kind of awkward-hug-attacked them over it. Heheh... ^.^()

Also, I've never heard the Happy Birthday song sung the way it was - nor will I ever hear that exact sound again. We had a room full of RM's, and they all sang in their own mission tongues at once. I couldn't stop laughing through it. Then I blew out every one of my twenty polka-dotted candles in one puff, and no I will not tell you what I wished for. In fact, I almost -didn't- make a wish. Hope I didn't think of it too late. For some reason, I almost always forget that part every year...
I was uber-pleased with the way my cake turned out. I'm right proud of it, I am. I'm excited for MomMom's cake to arrive too. I have the most amazing grandma. I don't know anyone else lucky enough to get a grandma who will ship them a birthday cake from 2,000 miles away.

So after the consumption of massive amounts of sugar, the die-hards accompanied me to Classic Skating for the most outstanding part of the night. Nevermind the scuzzy little preteens that were all over the floor, it was amazing. Hyrum kept requesting our favorite 80's rock numbers, and we air banded it up to songs those little skeezes were too young and uncultered to know or appreciate. Haha! XD We played tag around the rink, belted it out with Bon Jovi, Journey, and Billy Idol, danced it up with ourselves, and showed off our mad sk8R skillz. Hyrum and Steve made sure I had at least one guy to hold hands with during each of the slow songs, Korrie kept me giggling all night, we had a good laugh over Andrew getting hit on by a high schooler, and of course, the other guys were a blast. I didn't fall once (thought not for lack of trying on mine and Steve's part), and I have no blisters on my feet - pretty incredible, I must say. We topped the night off with a rousing chorus of God Bless the USA, then drove home to the soothing sound of Bowie at his best.

It was the perfect climax to a perfect day. I'm so grateful for the friends that made my birthday such a wonderful day for me. Extra cudos to Hyrum for prodding me into making the party plans (which I wouldn't have done without the encouragement) - then being patient as I changed my mind about them over and over, and to Steve for keeping me company through large chunks of the baking preparations I've been involved with all week. They spoil me, and I absolutely adore them for it.

I'm so lucky and so blessed. AND I'M TWENTY!!!!!!! XD


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Quote - "The happiest moments my heart knows are those in which it is pouring forth its affections to a few esteemed characters," Thomas Jefferson
Music - "The Final Countdown," Europe
Mood - Jubilant

The Peppermint Twist

I've been very domestic today. I made dinner for myself and the men of Man-205, which consisted of my first non-cheating lasagna and garlic bread. The general consensus is that it turned out splendidly, and I was most happy.
After we ate, I got to work on a recipe I've been craving for some time: Great-Grandma Evelyn's fried, glazed donuts. In the end, I walked away with only one mention-worthy grease burn and had a table covered with glazy, donuty, gooey goodness that my friends seemed to be enjoying whole-heartedly.

This is something that makes my heart very happy. I enjoy cooking because it makes me feel productive. I enjoy sharing food with people because it feels like worth-while service. I enjoy succeeding in my efforts to make -good- food because it makes me feel like part of a legacy.
I come from a family of food-oriented people.

My Great-Grandma Evelyn died when I was 2, so I don't remember anything about her. But I've grown up with references to her skills in the kitchen (and skills with pet skunks, but that's another story). Her recipes were one of the most coveted things left when she passed away, and my mom was lucky enough to get them.

My mom's mother is well-known all over our county and the surrounding areas for her cakes. She bakes and sells them from her home to just about everyone. I don't think I've ever known her kitchen without cake projects in progress on the table and colored icings beckoning my fingers.

My dad's mother has always been a homemaker who specializes in making every meal a feast. It's down-home country cooking at it's absolute stick-to-your-ribs finest.

My Uncle Dwayne runs his own professional catering service called Puttin' On the Ritz. I've been catering for most of my life.

When I was a kid, my mom owned and operated a small restaurant/ice cream parlor called the Peppermint Twist. It was a cute little place, painted red and white all over. The food was amazing. It was generally considered the best place to eat for miles and miles around. (And that's saying something, especially if you've had one of Eugene's sandwiches - which I'm assuming most of you haven't... Anyway - they're legendary.)

They're all food people. It makes me want to be a food person. Someone knows what they're doing, who can make food that really impresses other people. I'm not there yet, but I'm working on it. And I'm content (as long as my friends are willing to let me fatten them up) to keep on working on it.

I've had a lot of dreams I'd love to see fulfilled someday - operating my own library, a house with my own murals painted on the walls, belting it out on Broadway, publishing my own stories... A lot of things that would leave my own personal stamp for others to see and appreciate.

One dream I've loved entertaining is that someday I could resurrect the Peppermint Twist. I'd change it up a bit to suit my own style - I like the idea of running a bakery/ice cream parlor better than a real restaurant. It'd be my own, but in a lot of ways, it would also be a tribute to the people I came from. I could bake and decorate cakes like my grandma's, make Evelyn's donut and potato rolls recipes, mom's dessert creations from the original Peppermint Twist, and so many others.
I could design the whole shop with my own artistic touches. I can see a corner with soft couches where people can just chill out with a book, and my own little blonde-headed kids marching in after school, dumping their backpacks in a booth, and snatching a cone with their favorite flavor of ice cream (exactly like I used to do every day in my mom's shop).

I've had a lot of fun with this dream. It became especially fun when I shared it with my friend Calli a while back, and she expanded it to include a little dreaming and scheming of her own. It's exactly the sort of place she'd love to come and sit for hours, writing her would-be best-selling novels. She and I have also entertained the idea of running a book shop, so we decided that once her stories became famous, we should make this a two-part business: I'll run the production of sugary treats, and she'll sell the books.

Anyway - there's a lot more I'd like to say, but it's way too late for me to justify still being awake. That's all for now, folks.


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Quote - "Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large numbers," Anonymous
Music - "November Rain," Guns N' Roses
Mood - Useful

Rawr

You wanna know what annoys me? It annoys me when my space is intruded. By this I do not mean that I'm bothered by walking into my bedroom and finding a roommate's friend chillaxing on my bed. Nor do I mean that I do not enjoy hugs.
What I mean is - it bothers the snot out of me when I'm occupying a room (such as the living room), listening to music, and someone else walks in, parks themself on the couch, and turns on the TV. Without so much as a "Do you mind if I watch TV?" or "Would you mind turning your music down/off?" They just waltz in and flip it on, apparently expecting that I'll just go along with it and turn my music off out of consideration for them... and I do. >.< Grr...

And you know what absolutely infuriates me? Snow that falls from the sky hours before my beautiful, perfect, wonderful month of May begins. *gnashes teeth* There will be justice... Hateful, bloody, vengeful justice that causes the fires of heckydarn to tremble and makes the men responsible weep like simpering, bed wetting little girls.
And how, you may ask, can I be sure it's men who are responsible? Simple. Utah is OBVIOUSLY female because she's constantly going through these PMS-esque weather moodswings. And as we know, all women's problems can be traced back to men. So there.


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Quote - "I propose we leave math to the machines and go play outside," Calvin (C&H)
Music - "Real World," Matchbox 20
Mood - Trying