A Board of Smorgas

Sometimes you think you'll write a whole blog post about something only to realize that just a sentence or two will cover it.  Hence the origins of this post.  Some might call this a "brain dump" but "board of smorgas" has, well, some kind of ring to it.

--I was going to do a whole 2012 year in review post, but really all I have to say is that one of my favorite things to come out of 2012 was Keane's Strangeland.  I love it so!  It inspires me.  Thanks, 2012.  (And Keane)

--The last couple of years I've come to realize that if I want Christmas to be awesome and festive, I must make it so.  My Mama won't just show up with all the fixins for Christmas magic, as was her job when I was a tot.  Holidays are what you make of them!  And this year I have to say, we did pretty great.  Here's a quick rundown of our festivities: we saw a hand bell concert at the library (free!) and The Nutcracker (not free, and which nearly killed me with discomfort and heartburn...still good though...), made paper snowflakes, made gingerbread, had hot chocolate, watched the Christmas devotional, walked in the snow, ate some snow, went to the TSO Christmas concert, saw the lights at Temple Square, saw the MoTab Christmas concert (Alfie!  Live!) went shopping at the mall (I like going for pure festiveness) and, you know, had Christmas.  Of course it goes without saying that we also ate a LOT of food and saw lots of family as well.  Okay, this probably could have been its own blog post. 

--I've been rewatching all the appendices on the extended LOTR DVDs.  While I know movies are not *important* in the way that, say, brain surgery or child rearing are, what I do have to conclude here is that making a movie on that scale is HARD.  Wear your fingerprints off hard. 

--I miss running.  I've started dreaming about it and it feels so great while I'm dreaming.  At least I still have Pilates and my little bike apparatus.  I'll see you again, running shoes!  In like...6 months...maybe... 

It's so nice to get all these things off my mind at last!  So now you can REALLY stayed tuned for the ~*~*~*giveaway*~*~*~ and, oh yes, for the scoop on this whole BABY thing.  That might involve some word vomiting, which is only suitable considering the amount of actual vomiting that has taken place. 

Awesome Things, or, In Which I Ramble About Stuff

Have you ever been sitting in a public place and suddenly heard a sound like a tiny Godzilla cry?  That happened to me, just this very minute.  I'm going to take it as a sign that this blog post will be as epic as a gigantic reptile creature bent on massive destruction.

I like making lists.  I also like other stuff.  Sometimes these likes come together and I write a blog post dedicated solely to things I am currently liking a lot.  That's what this post is!  It has no other purpose.  

(Did anyone else read that last line with Aragorn's voice?  "It has no other master.")

Here's stuff I like lately:

The Amazing Spider-man!  I feel I should declare my love for it publicly, since people keep not believing me when I say it's my favorite movie of 2012 and I want to watch it everyday and I want to put Andrew Garfield in my pocket.  I (completely unexpectedly) loved it!  It's true.  It's true, I swear!

Strangeland!  I want to put this in my pocket next to Andrew Garfield.  He can keep pressing play for me.

Veronica Mars!  We just finished watching it recently (Drewbles had never seen) and every time I rewatch it I love it all over again.  And hey, Veronica would probably actually fit in my pocket too.  Two words: huevos rancheros.

Sherlock!  Need more be said?  I am eagerly anticipating the arrival of season 2 uponst my doorstep.

(We watched the second Sherlock Holmes movie the other day...I spent most of it killing Mephisto in Diablo II.  Need more be said?)

Summer!  I know summer has its sweaty inconveniences, but overall I think it has a lot of fun things to offer and this has been a great summer so far, full of fun and new things.  That said, I am very glad we have air conditioning--and a hearty supply of otter pops to keep Drewbles going.

Last and by no means least, is this beautiful thing:

Look at it big!  Giggle and flail over the anticipation!  Then put something awesome in your pocket. 

Keen

We saw Keane last night!  Here is how it happened: Drewbles heard someone mention the upcoming show on the radio.  He mentions this to me.  I say "Let's go!" in a squeaky sigh.  Drewbles investigates tickets.  Drewbles scores tickets for $10 each.  Huzzah!  So off we went.

We decided to be extra adventurous and take the Trax up to Salt Lake.  It was more uneventful than adventurous but mostly it was successful.  We arrived, staked out our bit of grass and got a dinner of concession food (pizza and nachos--both winners).

 

 
First Kiev played.  Look at them, playing music and stuff.

 

  
Then after a while Keane came out to play!  Let me say now that I fully admit to not being any kind of dedicated music person.  I don't spend much (=any) time finding new music peeps and I don't really care about seeing people in concert.  It's just not really a big thing for me.  But that said, I did get rather giggly when they came out, maybe because I love Strangeland SO much.  

Anyway, hello, Keane!  Let's be BFF.  

Here's a bunch of pictures:

(Did I mention that there were two very tall people in front of us?  Luckily they sat down for a lot of it.)

I liked their show so much that I even shelled out for the overpriced t-shirt.  Doesn't that say it all?  I confess I was a little nervous--you never know how someone's going to be live--but I was not disappointed.  (Phew.)  You know who else wasn't disappointed?  The mom in her khaki capris and cardigan who was REALLY excited to be there.  Also the dancing guy in the football jersey and black pleated skirt.  In other words, a good time was had by all the different types of people in attendance.   

As a bonus, now Drewbles is their biggest fan ever and they are his most favorite people in the world.  Well, that might be an exaggeration, but he has been won over.  Win win! 

Now, what's that mysterious ticking noise?  It's the countdown until August when we'll go see Harry and the Potters AND Potter Puppet Pals.  Ohhhhhh yeahhhhhhh!