The Connecticut Challenge.

I'm giving myself a challenge!

So I'll be back home in the good ol' Connecticut for about a month and a half, with no plans, no job and much, much free time. This is exciting. For a lounge monkey like me, I like to lay around with nothing in particular to do. However, when the nothingness goes on too long, I tend to go into a depression. I think that a month and a half is a good amount of nothing. So I have given myself a challenge to fill up some time. I think it's a good opportunity to work on improving myself. I have three areas of improvement that I will be working on: physical, mental and spiritual. I will put this challenge on my blog so I will feel like I have a little bit of accountability. But really, I don't think anyone reads it, so it'll just be all in my head. But hey, I'm a big sucker for the placebo effect, so let's get going!

I'm setting goals to:

-Go running 4 times a week. I hate running. But I know how good it is for you. I need to get myself in shape, as my endurance right now is about zero.

-Be able to run at least 3 miles at a time. I know for some of you serious joggers, 3 miles is easy-peasy. But right now, for me, one mile is almost too much. So that'll be something to work on.

-Do ab work/crunches/pilates type things 5 times a week. My crazy intense modern dance teacher from fall semester instilled in me this borderline masochistic love of doing ab exercises until I'm about to die. But I need to get back into the habit.

-Eat HEALTHY. London habits, go away.

-Finish the Book of Mormon. And really read it. I've read it once a year since I was eleven, but I need to really read it. With pen in hand. With my heart and mind open.

-Read at least one religious book.

-Read the Brothers Karamazov. I need to be better read.

I guess this is kind of ambitious. I don't know, is it? I'm not a very ambitious or driven person. And that's why I need things like this. I also need to cut down on my internet time. Gosh dangit the computer is such a lovely time sucker.

P.S. To those 9 followers of mine, thank you. I don't even know if you're still following, but thanks anyway!

P.P.S. Like the new background? Autumn. Always.

I want.

Here are some things that I want.

(in no specific order)

-To learn to play the ukulele

-To like exercising

-My hair to grow out of this ridiculously and stubbornly awkward stage it's in right now. Pleasepleaseplease grow. I'm begging you.

-To be a nomad and travel around the world and waitress in tiny cafes and pubs.

-To visit all the small towns and villages in Ireland and the UK...and be a waitress in their tiny cafes and pubs.

-To find a couple of bathing suits that I am satisfied with and feel comfortable with myself in. (impossible)

-To have Cyd Charisse's legs.

-For Connecticut not to be so stinking humid.

-To be in a show. Right. Now.

-To see my niece.

-To see all the people that I love who are far away from me right now.

-To know how to use the "who" and "whom" rule correctly.

-To read and read and read books.

-To listen to Ingrid Michaelson for the rest of my life.

-To go to another Ingrid Michaelson concert.

-To have the food (let's face it, treats) I loved in London with me in America. Oh chocolate digestives, minstrels, fruit gums and galaxy bars...you are gone from me.

-To find some good new music. For free.

-To be able to wear my contacts again without my eyeballs freaking out.

-To have the patience to learn to sew better.

-To be a dancer.

-To sing.

-To see into my future.

I'm a blogging failure.

I'm officially the worst. But here are some other blogs (of the other two lovely people pictured above) to look at to follow my activities here in London until I get my butt in gear and post some pictees and storees.

http://richieandthequeen.blogspot.com/

http://cheersandie.blogspot.com/

Sorry that I'm the worst.

Much of my reluctance comes from the fact that my hair is in the most awkward state it's EVER been in. Ever. Also horrendously coinciding with the most pictures being taken of me ever in my life ever. Wonderful.

Here are some pictures to tide you over! (Like you care...)

Me and a GIANT fetus in a simulated Womb Room at the Natural History museum. Sick.

Enjoying my first ever official English fish and chips (I was very specific about where it came from. It had to be a hole in the wall, purely fish and chips place.) Also, check out the "healthiest meal for all the family" on the bag...I'm so sure.

Being a groundling at the globe!

Frolicking at Kew Gardens!

Me and Andie in front of the London Eye!

Me and Richie and Andie (The other blog owners! Seriously, check them out) at the Globe!

London-y things!

I've been frolicking. Walking. All day long. I love it so much.

Yesterday I walked from about 12:30 to about 9 at night.

I am footsore, and bodysore, but my heart and soul are happy.

pictures are soon to come!

Hellooo London.

Here I am. London, England.

I'm loopy as can be.

I've basically been up since Tuesday morning. I could not sleep on the plane. I can never sleep on planes. So I watched The Young Victoria, New Moon and Whip It for those seven hours instead.

Now, I'm paying for it. I feel like my body is rolling in circles, and is on an elevator going up and down.

But I'm here in London!

I've bought London groceries, I've breathed London fumes, I've ridden in a London cab. I've gazed upon the amazing street my flat is on!

Our flat is right across the street from beautiful Hyde Park. I can't wait to explore. But maybe I'll wait until the room stops spinning. Might be a good idea. I should shower. But that would take effort. I should unpack. That would also take effort. Basically, my fingers are the only things that feel like moving right now.

I still don't really feel like I've left America, though. It's kind of funny. Maybe it'll take a day or two to set in.

My flat is on the 5th floor. Atop a set of stairs. My, won't my bum be looking nice at the end of six weeks?

It really is beautiful here. I can't wait to get settled in and in a schedule, and start exploring and wandering and playing! Woohoo! I'm here!

Love to you all.

The Little Redhaired (Ginger) Girl

So What?

Well, so what if I want to watch this movie every day of my life?

So what if it makes me want to be married to someone who is the butter to my bread and the breath to my life, and cook for them, and that's it?

I hope my future husband is as patient with me as Movie Julie Powell's husband was with her. He put up with a lot, my husband will have to, too.

So what if it specifically makes me want to be married to Stanley Tucci, who I already loved immensely, anyways?

Seriously, who couldn't love that man?

And these two women? I couldn't love them more.

They are two of my absolute favorite actresses.

Meryl Streep is absolutely incredible in this role. Because of Julia Child's cartoonish persona that has been so often parodied in comedy sketches and radio shows (Prarie Home Companion, anyone?) the performance, by anyone else could have turned into caricature. It wasn't. It was maybe the most endearing performance ever. It was honest, lovely, full of joy and just so so good. She baffles me with her talent.

Also, people have been telling me all year long, for a while about once a day that I was exactly like Amy Adams in this movie. Now it's probably because I have short red hair, but I still think it's flattering. I adore her. Also my hair in its starting-to-grow-out stages is marvelously awkward, and starting to look like her gross short hair wig from the movie, all long in the back and weird.

But, hey, if Amy can still be cute, so can I, dangit!

Anyways, I just wanted to share one of the things that is making me happy right now. Oh gosh. It's on netflix instant watch. And I watch it instantly. All the time. Happyhappyhappy.

Remember this?

I may or may not be speaking specifically to one R. Anderson, but also to all girls specifically my age when I say:

Remember this?

(Watch all the way to the end, or skip a little. I swear it's worth it)

There is just so much about this video that links me directly back to my pre-teendom.

-The big orange toggle pants and baseball shirts (so hip),-

the industry-cooked-up-pop-group (can't you see some big fatcat producer, chomping on a stogie, saying:

"We gotta get in on this boy band thing, but get this: Let's make em real boys!)

-the dance moves including the swinging of arms and wild, mildly ghetto gesturing.

And really 12 year old boy? Really?

"You are the one and only, and I'm the lost and lonely."

I'm so sure.

This made me laugh so hard.

The shirt blowing back off of the tank top? The checking out of girls?

The bleached hair? The pure pre-pubescence of these boys?

Does anyone remember that their primary exposure was on the INFOMERCIAL that advertised their CD?

aaaaahahahaha. Best ever.

Also...I may or may not know all the words.

What?!

Who said that?

P.S. LOOK! Followers! People read this drivel? Also, pretend not to notice that I'm accidentally following my own blog, and don't know how to unfollow it.