I'm an Adult Now... and Adults Have Blogs

Since it's Sunday

2012-02-12T12:45:00.000-08:00

I have been thinking a lot about something I learned as a freshman at BYU. It's a quote from Brigham Young, and I love it.

If you feel evil, keep it to yourselves until you overcome that evil principle. This is what I call resisting the devil, and he flees from me.... When you are influenced by the Spirit of holiness and purity, let your light shine; but if you are tried and tempted and buffeted by Satan, keep your thoughts to yourselves- keep your mouths closed; for speaking produces fruit, either of a good or evil character...

You frequently hear brethren and sisters say that they feel so tried and tempted, and have so many cares, and are so buffeted, that they must give vent to their feelings; and they yield to temptation, and deal our their unpleasant sensations to their families and neighbors. Make up your minds thoroughly, once and for all, that if we have trials, the Lord has suffered them to be brought upon us, and he will give us grace to bear them....

But if we have light or intelligence- that which will do good, we will impart it.... Let that be the determination of individual, for spirit begets spirit-likeness; feelings beget their likeness... If then we give vent to all our bad feelings disagreeable sensations, how quickly we beget the same in others, and load each other down with our troubles, and become sunk in darkness and despair!...

In all your social communications... let all the dark, discontented, murmuring, unhappy, miserable feelings- all the evil fruit of the mind, fall from the tree in silence and unnoticed; and so let it perish, without taking it up to present to your neighbors. But when you have joy and happiness, light and intelligence, truth and virtue, offer that fruit abundantly to your neighbors, and it will do them good, and so strengthen the hands of your fellow beings.

Journal of Discourses, 5:351-352

I swear I don't do blog posts like this very often, but I just felt like I wanted to share this.

Don't Worry, I'm a Professional

2012-01-24T23:34:00.000-08:00

Procrastination.

A terribly original topic for a college student to blog about, I know.

But seriously, no one can procrastinate like I can.

The new semester started on January 4th. It is January 25th. I have not done any homework. None. For those of you who know me well, you know that it was a rough beginning to a semester (very, very rough... embarrassingly rough) and I really just could not force myself to think about school. Avoiding homework has been fine until now, because there were no due dates, but tomorrow 3 weeks of papers are due, 3 weeks are readings are to be summarized, 3 weeks of documentaries are to be analyzed, and 16 chapters of the Iliad are to be read. Oops.

I'm sure my mother is having a panic attack right now just reading this, and it is taking everything in her NOT to pick up the phone and ask me how I'm going to get all of this done (please mom, put the phone down, forget you read this post, and watch some Law and Order). You see, I am a professional. It will be done, and it will be done well. I will also go to the gym, get 8 hours of sleep, and clean my room (maybe I'm kidding myself with the clean room). Somehow when these things pile up something turns on inside of me and I can do super human things.

Wouldn't it be great if I could be super human when there weren't a million things due in one day? Too bad I'm regularly too busy napping and watching late night talk shows...

Picture to make this post look more interesting, and pop art style to distract anyone from noticing that this picture is 100% pointless.

Birbigliography

2012-01-23T19:43:00.000-08:00

I love Mike Birbiglia. He is probably the comedian I quote more than any other, and I love him. Great writer, great character.

Well, thank heaven for my amazing parents who got us TICKETS to go see him. Everyone had been having a pretty bad day (a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day to be more specific).
We had terrible seats, right behind some people who obviously smoked way too much, and right in front of a girl who felt the need to laugh obnoxiously to impress her boyfriend. It may have been one of the best nights of my life.

After the show, I wanted to meet him. No one else did, but since I had the worst day everyone had to do what I wanted (muahahaha) Except my mom... who stood off to the side.

While waiting to meet him I planed all sorts of great things I could say to him. "Hey! I'm HUGE fan, I can quote almost all your bits" or maybe "You know, I'm an aspiring comedian... kind of" or just "Oh gosh, I don't know what I'm supposed to say, but I just really want you to like me." It did not go according to plan... We accidentally filmed him, which is against the rules... who knew? So we got scolded. I couldn't think of anything clever to say. But, again, it was amazing. I mean, he was so nice, and I stinking met Mike Birgbiglia!!!!

Thank goodness we look cute in this picture...

This keeps my track record of making an awkward situation out of any meeting with a celebrity. YES!

Not a Photographer

2012-01-07T12:21:00.000-08:00

To my dear readers: This post may lead you to think that I consider myself a photographer. I am not a photographer. I like cameras, and I like taking pictures, but a photographer is an artist, and believe me, no art is taking place here.

Back in October when I went to Jo's for my birthday I was introduced to her amazing camera. Meet the Instax Mini 7s (available at the Photojojo Online Store).

So, I ordered it myself after Christmas, but my dear mama ended up buying it for me (sweet, sweet woman).

It arrived in the mail and we've been in love ever since.

I know it seems like a big step back, but there is something so satisfying about physically holding your photo only moments after you took it. There is something exciting about not seeing that digital display to tell you exactly what the picture is going to look like!

Blogging before make up: The most attractive decision I've made today

My dad keeps making fun of me. The other day I shouted "Oh wait! I want to get a picture" to which he replied "With the camera that takes bad pictures?" The man is missing the point. They are not bad. The quality is no where near what I can get with my T2i, but it has a certain look. I see people putting little "instragram" filters (filters? I don't really know what they are actually using) on their iphones to make their pictures look all old like, but for me? I don't believe in anything but the real deal. Maybe someday I will even dare to look into a film SLR... oh, now THAT would be fun.

Speaking of SLRs (though this one is digital), my childhood neighbor was in need of someone to take her engagement pictures... Well, I had taken my sister's (which you can see here), so I told her I would do it if she was desperate enough to use me. 6 hours later, we drove up the canyon for our 30 minute photo shoot. This is a little of what we got:

We got up there by about 4, which is why there is always a little lens flare, and a little over-exposure around her fiance's head. Don't Judge me.

The Marriage of Brooke and Zane

2011-12-28T15:14:00.000-08:00

I love my mom, dad, sister, and, for the first time in my life I get to say this, my BROTHER-in-law.
Brooke and Zaners got married today, and I decided that it would be a good idea to write blog post ASAP (it was only a few hours ago...)

These are just from my phone, and even in these tiny pictures you can tell that this girl looked incredible. I mean, Brooke has always been beautiful, but I can't tell you how incredibly stunning she looked today in the freezing, winter cold.

At the luncheon we all gave little speeches. You could tell who was there for Zane because they were quirky and told jokes. You could tell who was there for Brooke because we all cried. Cried like little babies. Including me. I have no idea what I said, I was such a mess. I don't know if it came out the way I wanted it, so I'm going to write what I meant to say right here.

Brooke. You are my best friend. Even though we fight all the time, there is no one I'd rather fight with. You have always, always been there for me. When I didn't have anyone to eat lunch with in high school you would eat with me, when I didn't have anything to do on a Friday night you would hang out with me, and when I felt sad or scared you comforted me. There is no one who can make me laugh harder, or have more fun than you can. You are amazing, and you deserve someone who is perfect, and I'm so glad you found him. Zane you were made for my little sister. I have never seen her as happy as she has been these last few months with you. I remember sitting on Brooke's bed talking after your second date, and I think, even back then, that we knew that you two were going to be together forever. Please take good care of her, she means everything to our family. We are so excited to welcome you into our family. You are both so lucky to have found each other.

I don't love getting all mushy gushy, but I just love my sister so much and I'm so happy for her!!!!!!

A Nightstand

2011-12-27T12:35:00.000-08:00

You can tell a whole lot about a girl by what sits on her nightstand.

My mom is going to be livid I posted a picture of what I mess I can be for the whole world to see...

1. Chronicles of Narnia - I love reading. (SO glad I chose to start my readings with this one. All 7 books are in this big beautiful one, and I'm reading about one a day. I love fairy tales, and I love adventure novels. I don't know how anyone could ever choose Harry Potter over this... but we'll discuss my feelings about Harry Potter in a future post.)

2. My camera - I love having and taking pictures (I would like to add a note to my father who refused to believe I actually wanted one of these for years. He thought I didn't need it. I asked for it every Christmas for 3 years before I finally saved up enough money to buy it, with help from Mom. I think the same thing will happen with this bike I'm begging for.)

3. Tinkerbell Figurine - I love Disney and dreaming (I actually don't love Tinkerbell herself... Back when I was little she was nothing but a sassy little mean thing. I guess nowadays she is a tomboy or something... what is that about?)

4. My retainer - I'm a loser...

5. Ihome with Ipod - I love music and listen to it 24/7 (It's all about Adele right now ya'll.... oh, and a song called "Home is wherever I'm with you." It's my kind of romantic.)

6. Picture of friends jumping in a field along the Italian Alps - I love friends, Italy, and jumping

7. Book by Deiter F. Uchtdorf - I'm a Mormon! (It's called "Your Happily Ever After" and it's a Christmas present from my mom. She's in the stake young women's presidency, and fell in love with this book through that. I think all young women should read it. It's fabulous)

I'm kind of a big deal

2011-12-25T23:31:00.000-08:00

Perfect. Today was perfect (minus the fact that I ate enough to keep me going for the next year... but that's another post for another day). I spent time with my amazing family, and got more than I could ever ask for. I'm amazed at how much my family gave to me, especially during stressful wedding days. I'm grateful for every little thing. Seriously.

I don't like to play favorites, but for the sake of a post I simply had to choose my favorite presents this year. So here is your Christmas 2011 Top 3 Presents

#3 Baby Accordion

Each year in the Hirschi family we get one present from one cousin. This year I got an accordion. Oh my gosh, I love it. After about five minutes (or two hours) with it I had taught myself how to play "Mary Had a Little Lamb" and I felt like a musical genius. If you know me, then you know I have a fascination with obscure talents, and the accordion shall be my newest. (On a side note, just last week J told me the best Christmas presents are the ones you didn't even know you wanted. I had no idea what he was talking about until this lovely gift.)

#2 A humidifier

I am a grandma. I love sleeping with a humidifier. Love. But look how sleek and sexy this new fangled humidifier is. Look at it's curvy shape, it mood setting night light, and if ever a genie lived in a humidifier it would be this one. But seriously, look at me. Bri Borup: making humidifiers and accordions sexy again. (again?)

#1 Leather-bound Books

And now I hope you all understand why I titled my post what I did... if not, turn to your good friend google. I realize that these are totally a fad right now. Everyone wants to be Belle and have a big library, and fall in love, and feel oh so vintage and romantic (those thoughts all connect somehow). But these are real. I will read all of them, probably multiple times. Thank goodness I got these to fill the hole the end of arrested development left in my life. I think I shall start with Chronicles of Narnia.

SO. EXCITED.

In other news, I think it's time that all of my friends came back to P-town because I am missing all of you.

Christmas without my best friend

2011-12-24T23:47:00.000-08:00

Knitting and watching Arrested Development. That is me right now. Actually, it is me this entire break. Thank you Netflix for putting Arrested Development online, and darn you television for only producing 3 seasons of it. That's right, I've watched all three seasons in a little over a week. During all of that, I've been knitting (something I picked up the other day). While my knitted square looks tiny, let me tell you right now that is has taken over 8 hours to make. It was supposed to be a scarf, but I fear it will never progress that far. My dreams of being a cool knitting grandma are over.

Tonight is Christmas Eve. Every year, my family goes out with family friends to dinner and a movie. A super chill evening, just the way I like it. Well, last year my best friend Jo married Ryan and they became the world's coolest couple. Sadly for me, this union meant that Jo would no longer be attending our Christmas Eve festivities. This year her brother Jesse went on a mission. We are so proud of him! This means that, for two years, he will also skip out on our festivities. Then my sister became engaged to a wonderful boy (I originally wrote man... but my sister is younger than me, so she can't be marrying a man, and guy just felt so casual. Boy felt like the term that would be used in the rom-com about their love.) which we are all very excited about, but it also means that Brookie spent Christmas Eve with his family. Bri, Jo, ~~Brooke~~, and ~~Jesse~~. I am the only one left from our Christmas Eve crew.

2008 (?) This is rough. I know Brooke is going to be real excited that I've reposted it for everyone to appreciate once more.

No one tells you what it's like to have a sister get married, not for real. I knew about the stress, and the craziness, and the planning, and the excitement, but I didn't realize that I was kind of losing my best friend. Who I am supposed to sit in the corner with at Borup family parties and laugh at all the little crazy things we do? Who do I talk to when I'm not sure if my outfit is cute enough for a first date? Where do I get new music for my ipod? Who is going to curl/braid her hair? Who do I share my secrets with? I've realized that I'm kind of losing my best friend*. It's made for a very bittersweet Christmas Eve.

*These are my selfish thoughts, and usually I don't think like that. I love Zane. I love that Brooke found someone who is patient, kind, and loving enough for her. I love that staying home from Utah State was a good thing. I love that in May my mom and I were bugging her to find out what this new boy was saying in FB chat, and now she is actually marrying him. I love that Brooke is marrying the boy who will make her more happy than she's ever been.

The Biebs

2011-12-03T13:54:00.000-08:00

On the way to pick up a friend from the airport, my friend J and I heard Michael Buble's version of "Santa Baby." We decided it had to be the most awkward thing Michael could have done, keepin' it classy by calling Santa "dude," asking for a Christmas tree decorated with stuff from Mercedes, and with lines like "Think of all the Hotties that I haven't kissed." The hotties? I'm sorry Mr. Buble, but I think you've gotten yourself confused with a cast member from Jersey Shore. Beside that, even with the changed lyrics, it still sounds like Michael is flirting with Santa...

I decided to share my opinion about the song on Facebook, when a friend suggested the uncomfortable nature of this song is on par with Justin Bieber and Mariah Carey's music video for All I Want for Christmas is You, so of course I had to google it.

He was right. Mariah's flirtatious, scantily clad, cougar glances at Justin could make anyone cringe. I laughed when it was finished. "Oh, haha, that was such a terrible music video. Mariah is creepy. And Justin, he looks so stupid with pierced ears.... and his stupid, giant, adorable eyes... and his.... okay, I think I need to watch it again."

I watched it 3 times.

Then I decided to google Justin Bieber... soon enough I was designing our wedding on Pinterest and posting heartfelt love notes to him in the comment section of the video. "BeLIebEr forevsssss <3333 All you haterz don't know anything about Justin"

ok, that last paragraph was a lie, but I admit the temptation was there. I tried to get my sister to watch the video, but she refused. Not because she's anti-bieber, but because she realizes how easy it is to become obsessed with the boy, and she is through with that phase in her life. She then informed me that my own mother had to make a rule for herself that she wasn't allowed to google him. WHY JUSTIN?!?! Why do we love you so?

Tina Fey said it best "I don't know if I want to marry him, or put him in a stroller and push him around the mall?"

Well... that was fast

2011-11-08T14:25:00.000-08:00

So... remember how I just went to my first improv class thing? Well, last Saturday I performed in my first improv show. Talk about moving fast.

I wasn't planning on doing the show, but then the president of the club told me that I really should... so I did. I was terrified. I had butterflies ALL day. I had never done the games before, and I just wanted to do well.

I told my family they couldn't come. So, of course, they did.

And of course my best friend Becca came, too (she was invited. She's in the club with me, so I was okay with it) She is the SWEETEST and brought me a flower. It was embarrassing. I hope she doesn't do it again.

It was fantastic. I loved it.

A scene from improv club...

2011-10-13T22:37:00.000-07:00

I tried my hand at improv tonight. That stuff is hard, Drew Carey made it look so easy (my entire knowledge of improv is based on old episodes of Whose Line is it Anyway. Great Stuff)

Seriously everyone. I consider myself a confident, outgoing, sometimes humorous person. I thought that I would have no problem with improv. I was wrong.

Let me set the scene:

I walk into the room (5 minutes late. I'm already embarrassed) and there are twenty kids going in a sort of circle saying the first word that comes into their head. Easy enough. I have a whole lot of words in my head all the time. I join in. Suddenly, the only words that come into my head are "Banana," "Mike," and "Boob." The only word I let out of my mouth was banana. Over and over again.

Next the group was split in half. I was in a room with about 12 people. Everyone was super nice to me, and told me I was awesome, but I think that's only because they need more people in the club.

They made me get up on stage and do a scene. Somehow I ended up as a sheriff who liked planting marigolds. Fail. After that, we played games. I managed to fail at those too.

Now here's the kicker; I LOVED it. I will probably go again next week. What can I say, I have an addiction to embarrassing myself. There's no adrenaline rush like humiliating yourself in front of a group of your peers.

I'm sure I'll be amazing in like two weeks, probably way better than these guys (I'm kidding. My highest aspiration at this point is to be as good as the ladies they pulled from the audience.)

On a serious note...

2011-10-11T22:26:00.000-07:00

Serious moment here.

My sister is getting married, and she was kind enough to let me take her engagement pictures, and if you want you can see those here. (I do not pretend to be a photographer, nor will there ever come a day when I will charge people to have me take their pictures)

Anyway, for some reason this wedding really made me think "Shoot! I have got to lose weight." I just imagined myself standing next to all her little size zero friends and looking like some sort of monster! About a year ago, I lost about 30 lbs, making me as small as I have been since my elementary school years. Since then, I've felt pretty great about the way I look, but this "getting thin for the wedding" pressure has actually started to get to me down.

Then I stumbled across this quote just a moment ago:

"You are imperfect, permanently and inevitably flawed. And you are beautiful."

It was written by Amy Bloom as part of an article about "Healthy is the New Skinny." You can see a review of the article, and the iconic picture with it here.

Anyway, the point of all this blabber is to say that every once in a while, no matter how amazing we actually are, we get down on ourselves for the things that we don't have any control over. My goal is to embrace my flaws, and work hard to improve aspects of myself that I have control over.

There's a marriage in Agrabah

2011-10-05T21:15:00.000-07:00

So, if you haven't heard all the buzz, I will announce it again here: Brooke is getting married.

My sister is getting married!

My little sister is getting married...

Crap.

Isn't it law that the older sister must be married first? I mean, I know Elizabeth wouldn't have gotten married until Jane did (Pride and Prejudice reference up in here, what what). Well, I wouldn't want her to delay her day of eternal bliss, but maybe if I could find me a husband before her marriage then I could take that burden of guilt off of her. (Note: I am now writing this blog trying to do the accent of Annie Oakley. Oh you can't get a man with a gun...). Thus far in my life I have failed to find that other half, so here are my qualifications for any of you who have rich, handsome, eligible young men interested in saving me from a life of spinster-hood

1. I can make food - Cold cereal, burnt popcorn, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and those are only the more advanced meals on my food preparing resume.

2. I can sew - And by "I can sew" I mean "I have a Grandma who sews things for me but lets me pretend like I made them" Just check my skirt out from my Halloween costume (look on FB). That's right, I totally bought the fabric and watched my grandma sew it.

3. I can build things - Once my dad let me build my shelf all by myself. Nevermind that the shelves were upside down, leaving the unpainted side up, the shelf could totally hold like 10 books

4. I am graceful - and I regularly get in fights with stairs and floors. No, I never trip, I just attack sketchy looking floors. I'm looking out for my friends always.

5. I can do laundry - Not only can I clean those clothes, but I make sure that they shrink a little just because they are much more adorable that way. And do you have problems matching all the colors in your wardrobe? Not when I do the laundry, a little bit of bleach makes all your clothes a matching shade of ivory mold.

6. I'm good with kids - Primarily because I am one. I'm proud to say that I hang out with my 10 year old cousin more than any people my age.

7. I smile all the time - even when i'm completely alone, or watching a sad movie, or walking alone on campus. I'm sure people wonder what I am thinking to make me smile like that. So let me share, "Potato potato potato po-tato potato potato pota-to potato potato potato..." (It's a real song. Google the potato song. you will understand)

8. I'm the definition of all things girly - Most things I mean. Not makeup, or giggling, or dressing well. Rather, I cry for no reason, I want chocolate always, and I need someone to constantly tell me I'm pretty.

SO, there you have it! Let all those lonely millionaires out there know about me! We got three months to dun find me a husband

These things that I've done

2011-09-28T18:25:00.000-07:00

So, I was bored of the 30 day challenge, because they were all so cute-sey and sweet and, well, that's just not the direction I'd like this blog to take. So, I chose one last one to wrap it up. Here it is:

5 Things I've Done in the Past Week That I'm Proud of

1. I went to a party-deal all by myself where I knew no one. I consider it brave.

2. I made a circle skirt with my grandma (for my Halloween costume. I love October).

3. I didn't take a nap for the last two days. I'm tired, but I've gotten more done.

4. I've worked over 25 hours with my TA job in the past two weeks (I normally only work about 15-20 every two weeks)

5. I wore heels to school and they didn't make me cry in agony.

So... they're really boots, but still. I had to take it at this weird angle because I'm in the middle of the library and I didn't want anyone seeing be taking more pictures of myself, though I'm sure they're used to it by now.

Guess what? I'm going to Disneyland this weekend.... I know. No one cares.

So, a blonde, a brunette, and a redhead...

2011-09-27T16:21:00.000-07:00

Guys. This is the most important blog post you may ever read. You may want to take a picture to remember this important experience. I am in a terrible dilemma, the type that most people will never ever have to deal with. This last year I have gone through a lot of hair colors, and I've loved all of them, but I'm tired of changing and I want something to keep, so, this is where you come in (don't ask me what my natural hair color is. That is not the point).

We've got Blonde (ignore my stupid face, just look at the hair)

Red (maybe not THIS red, but something like it)

Brunette (and my hair does NOT always wave to perfectly)

Your help and concern is appreciated

I'm a Bat who thinks he's a... I'm a man who thinks he.... I'm Batman!

2011-09-22T18:36:00.000-07:00

I love Batman

I felt it'd been too long since I photoshopped myself into a picture of a male icon...

Thus far in my Film studies classes I have written two research papers on the man, and I'm about to start on my third. If ever the chance to talk about superheroes comes up when you're around me you should stop the conversation right there, because I will go crazy. Here is why Batman is the best:
- He doesn't have any superpowers, so he seems more realistic
- He is a man of mystery
- He's confident and good looking both as Bruce Wayne and as Batman
- He has real life struggles that audiences can relate to
- Batman films have been more successful over a longer period of time than any other superhero
- He is timeless and can adapt to any decade (unlike Superman, who is totally stuck in the 50's at the latest. I mean most superheroes have ties to some sort of newspaper business, except Batman. Because he's the best)

Seriously, Batman movies will ALWAYS be here. Always. He really is THE American superhero.

On the other hand, Anne Hathaway is the worst choice EVER for Cat woman (two words? I don't know) Bring back a Michelle Pfeiffer, or an Eartha Kitt. I really don't need to see Ms. Princess Diaries awkwardly strutting her stuff in a leather suit.

Any other Hathaway not-lovers? (there be no hatin on this blog, only not-lovin) Will you see the next movie EVEN though she is in it? It's still up in the air for me

Paris Holds the Key to Your Heart...

2011-09-21T15:30:00.000-07:00

This is my favorite picture of me. Ever. My dad took it of me on the Eiffel Tower. I loved Paris. Love. I mean, I loved Italy just as much, but I was there for three months, and next I want to live in Paris (or London)

So, if anyone wants to fund this next adventure just... lemme know. I wouldn't fight you. You could come with me if you wanted. We'd wear barets, eat escargo, and hang out at the louvre.

I'm so vain... I probably think this post is about me

2011-09-20T22:46:00.000-07:00

Nonsensical title = check!

I'm not really vain. I don't think I'm anything extraordinarily special as far as looks go. Not too pretty, not too ugly, just sitting nicely in the middle. People tend to think I'm vain because I have the bad habit of looking at myself. On Skype, I spend half of the conversation looking at my little picture in the corner, sometimes during class, when I'm not taking notes on my computer I look at my reflection on the computer, I have over 1300 tagged pictures of me on Facebook, and back in Disney World I can't walk onstage without looking at myself in the mirror right behind the ropes at least three times.

My friends make fun of me for it. I know it's a completely ridiculous habit, so I've joined in the teasing as well. If you haven't caught on, you can look at previous posts where I talk about my "ridiculous good looks." It's all a joke. And it's funny. Don't take me too seriously. (On the other hand, the posts about me being hilarious are not jokes. Obviously )

The point is that looking at myself is a bad habit. I need to stop. I am not obsessed with myself, and I'm especially not obsessed with my looks, so I should STOP acting like it.

What if one day my soul mate walks past me at the same moment I'm walking past some reflective surface. That will be a story to explain to people in heaven when they ask why I never got married... "You see, God did send him my way a couple of times, but I was next to those one-way windows that look like mirrors on the outside. So, you see, it's totally understandable that I completely missed him."

I googled "girl looking in mirror" to try and find something to represent this blog... Well, mostly it was very sad girls*/girls putting on makeup/girls being naked-ish. This was the most relevant picture I could find.

*On a serious note, how sad is it that most the pictures of girls looking in mirrors were sad? We should be able to see that our imperfections are what make us beautiful, and we should be happy to see those. NO MORE SAD GIRLS IN MIRRORS

Yittle Me

2011-09-19T12:20:00.000-07:00

When I was little little I was adorable. Seriously. I'll be livid if my kids aren't as cute as I was when I was little. I mean, just look at this girl!

I haven't changed all that much. Still a rock star, still eat food off the ground, still don't wear pants, and still love me some Disneyland

Unfortunately, these adorable years couldn't last forever. I turned 5 and everything changed. I shot up about 6 feet, my teeth decided to go all red-neck on me, and my cheeks constantly looked swollen. To add to my awkwardness, I decided I needed to be friends with the smallest girls in my school. It really showcased giant-hood

Look at me looming above everyone around me. You know, no one ever made fun of me. I think it's because they were afraid I would step on them, then it would all be over...

Luckily, sometime after I turned 16 the awkwardness started to fade. I like to think those years of resembling Andre the Giant built character and made me the person I am today! (daily quota of being grateful for trials = fulfilled)

Why do adults have blogs?

2011-09-18T16:12:00.000-07:00

I get a lot of grief about my blog title. I don't think a lot of people get it. The story goes like this:

When I graduated from high school, my dad told me that I should get a blog. I was moving out, and the family wanted to know what I was up to in my college life. So, I reasoned that I was now an adult, and as such, I needed a blog.

Unfortunately, combining all those words without spaces in between left me with a URL that looked more like Adult Shave Blogs... Which has led to a lot of sketchy people checking out my blog. I've chosen to keep my strange URL. I figure that our quirks are what make us special.

Oh, and here are the 30 days of blogging...

day 1 – recent picture of you and 15 interesting facts about yourself
day 2- the meaning behind your blog name
day 3- a picture of you as a child
day 4- a habit that you wish you didn’t have
day 5- a picture of somewhere you’ve been
day 6- favorite super hero and why
day 7- a picture of someone/something that has had the biggest impact on you
day 8- short term goals for this month and why
day 9- something you’re proud of in the past few days
day 10- songs you listen to when you are happy, sad, bored, hyped, mad
day 11- write a bucket list of things you want to do before you die
day 12- write a poem to someone you love
day 13- your 5 favorite books and why
day 14- a picture of you and your family
day 15- put your ipod on shuffle: first 10 songs that play
day 16- a picture of yourself
day 17- someone you would want to switch lives with for one day and why
day 18- plans/dreams/goals you have
day 19- write about a sweet memory from your past
day 20- write a letter to someone
day 21-a picture of something that makes you happy
day 22- what makes you different from everyone else
day 23- something you crave a lot
day 24- post your favorite quote or verse of scripture and why
day 25- what I would find in your bag
day 26- list 10 things that you are thankful for
day 27- my day job verses my passion
day 28- cruise a thesaurus and pick out 10 words you like the sound of
day 29 – favorite tv shows and why you like them
day 30 – movies you can watch again and again.

I've never been in love before

2011-09-17T17:23:00.000-07:00

Some of you may not know this, but once upon a time, I was truly, madly, and deeply in love

His name was Heath Ledger.

If you knew me between the ages of 12-17 then you knew that I was obsessed with him. Seriously, I was a creep. I had a folder full of pictures of him on my computer, I cut out pictures of him from magazines, and if ever I had to come up with a fake name I was BriAnne Ledger.

I "met" him when I was about 12. I was at a summer camp, and my friend had a poster for A Knights Tale. She didn't want it anymore, so it was passed on to me. It was Love at first sight.

He will rock you, just look at that furrowed brow.

I was actually convinced that I would meet him one day. With my ridiculous good looks combined with my witty sense of humor he wouldn't be able to resist me. He was only 10 years older than me, that wasn't too big of a difference, right? I mean it would have been fiiiine for a 15 year old to date a 25 year old, it's just numbers.

Oh Heath, you will always be my first love.

Made for each other

A Bandwagon? Count me in!!!

2011-09-16T17:03:00.000-07:00

So, when school is in sesh I have less interesting stories to tell (sesh = cool young people lingo. I'm so hip) which means I'm joining the ever so annoying 30 day challenge thing. What what! So today, I will introduce myself with pictures and words. as if you don't already know everything....

Now some words...

Weird

Ambitious

Dreamer

Sleeeeeeeeep

Funny

Caring

LOUD

Family

Disney

Film

LDS

Travel

Adventure

Loner

Hopeless Romantic

Feel free to argue and add whatever you'd like :)

Studying at School

2011-09-13T10:43:00.000-07:00

I like to say that I have so much to do, but it's only because I'm a terrible procrastinator. I have classes only two days a week, and homework is usually only due on the first day of classes... so... alright, I put stuff off forever.

Last night, I forced myself to do my homework by going to the library. I never ever study in the library.It seems like such an awful place. So quiet, full of stressed out college students. but I had to do it to force myself to finish everything I needed to do. Now, I've heard rumors about studying in the library: boys will come up to you and ask for your number, you'll sit by annoying people at your table, there are ghosts, etc. I didn't deal with any of those problems. (Obviously, I normally have to fight boys off as they are ask for my number. It happens at least 20 times a day. A girl can only go on so many dates a weekend... Kidding. Not true at all. Not even a little tiny bit... Wait. How did I end up on this self-depricating tangent. Let's continue) I liked the library more than I thought I would because you get this GIANT able to spread all your crap out on. It was the best

Also, if you spread your stuff out like this, no one will come sit with you. It's like you have your own private office!

I finished almost everything... except for one paper... which I am supposed to be doing now... Instead I'm taking pictures of myself on my laptop and writing about a night in the library.

Do you think anyone in this room thinks that writing around a picture of myself is an assignment?

comprehensive weekend post w/out a clever title...

2011-09-10T23:13:00.000-07:00

I went to Super 8 on Friday night. It was amazing. I loved it. After the movie I ran into some old friends from freshman year. The conversation went like this:

"Oh my gosh Bri! I haven't seen you in like 3 years!" - Friend 1

"Yeah! Oh my gosh! It's so good to see you!"- Friend 2

"Yeah, wow, how are you guys!" - Me

"I'm great! Oh, this is my date, michelle" - Friend 1

"This is my friend Allie" - Friend 2

"Cool. Nice to meet you guys. This is my Dad." - Me

That's right ya'll, I spend my friday nights at the dollar movie with my dad. It is the definition of awesome. But really, we had a blast.

(on a side note, the "dollar" theater costs 2 dollars... Wataheck. but the "dollars theater" just doesn't have the same ring)

Then, tonight, I went to a friends house to watch the BYU football game. That's right. I watched football... for about 5 minutes. Someone tried to explain to me how it worked, bless your heart Jonny, but still can't stand it.

Then, my best friend Bec and I went to the park. Once there, we were asked by a large group of 15 year boys if we wanted to play tag. Obviously, we said yes. It may have been the most fun I've had all week.

Little Orphaned Books

2011-09-01T21:41:00.000-07:00

Today is a sad day.

Borders is going out of business.

Digital music replaced the CD. That's fine.
DVDs replaced VHS. That is also fine.
TiVO replaced live television. Fine, fine fine
But online shopping replacing going to the bookstore? Blasphemy!

Going to the bookstore is an all day experience, full of the smell of coffee, the sound of indie musicians, the crisp feeling of opening a book no one has ever opened before.

You can't look at a picture and a summary to know if you'll like the book, because the story isn't the only thing to consider. You have to hold it, and feel it. Is it too wide? Too Heavy? Is it slippery? Are the pages to thin? Does it have a loose flap book cover? If it does, then what does it look like underneath? You need to read a few sections, because you're going to be spending the next few weeks with these characters, they might become a lot like family. I have three copies of Alice in Wonderland and every copy has it's own personality, none of which I would have felt if I didn't go to a store.

If you don't like reading, that's fine. you can sit down in a bookstore and people watch for hours on end. Sit in the self help section for a while, move to the foreign language section, sci-fi, romance, or biography areas. Everyone will have a different story. They are characters in and of themselves.

Obviously, I love bookstores, especially this particular Borders. I remember going there as a kid and grabbing a big pile of books and having to chose just one of those to bring home with me. Tonight, the shelves were littered with little reject books here and there...( and a large stack of Sarah Palin's autobiography... even at 70% off no one wanted to take that one to a home...) I know I sound dramatic, but everyone walking around that store tonight was mourning with me.

I pledge to read the printed word, and to continue visiting our bookstores.

Zombie Attack

2011-08-28T11:20:00.000-07:00

My dad and I watched "Living Dead." Well, maybe that's not what it was called, maybe it was some other combination of words implying that something dead is no longer that way. If you know me at all, then you know I'm afraid of everything: bugs, bubble baths, my basement, under my bed, etc. But, no matter how scary they make Zombies seem I am convinced there is no need to be afraid of them.

Reasons:
1. They are dumber than rocks.
2. They are slower than rocks as well
3. It's unrealistic to think that we couldn't stop the zombie epidemic before it happened to 100 people
4. Unlike vampires, they are easy to kill

Yes, they want to eat you, but so do bears, and we manage to keep them away most of the time. (Okay, I know bears don't really want to eat you... but I couldn't think of a better animal). If the movies about zombies hold any truth, then I will be one of the only people left alive. So, to save any of you who thinking hiding in a dead end hallway will be a good idea, let me give you a how-to list of surviving a zombie epidemic

Step 1: The first time you realize someone has turned into a zombie, do not let them scratch or bite you. It'd be a good idea if you just killed them. No need to feel guilty about this, because the person already died anyway. Lucky for you, you just killed the only zombie, and now no one else is going to become one. Consider yourself a hero.

Step 2: If you neglect to stop the problem at the base and a couple hundred zombies are created, get each zombie into a prison cell, or even easier, a room with a lock. Then leave them there. I don't think they are smart enough to unpick a lock, or even use their opposable thumb to turn the door knob

Step 3: If, in fact, you are one of the last people in the entire world, then you have two options. First, hopefully one airplane pilot has survived, and together, you will fly to an uninhabited island. If that won't work, build a fort in the middle of nowhere made out of cement or metal.

Congratulations, you are still alive.

Of course, even after yelling all this at the TV, when the show was over I was still afraid of zombies for the rest of the night. Then, I took a pictures of lightning. And I felt cool about it.

Fact: Lightning kills more people each year than zombies

I talk Fashion

2011-08-26T23:27:00.000-07:00

As of late, I have felt the urge to start dressing for success...ing (the phrase really felt like it should rhyme). Well, every powerful looking woman wears a pair of kick-butt heels. So, I've put away my ever beloved Toms (Note from the hipster in me: I totally wore Toms before everyone else) and I've been on the hunt for heels.

It's a disaster.

First off, I can barely stay balanced in a pair of tennis shoes. Put a 3 inch chopstick under that shoe? There is no way I'm walking without support. It's embarrassing.

So, I went shopping today with my little tis, who is quite the fashionista, hoping she could guide me. Instead, she informed me that there are a few tragic trends going on right now.

First off: THE CLOG

No. Absolutely not. Unless you plan on heading up to the alps soon to go a yodel-lodel-ing, then these CANNOT be cute!

who doesn't want their feet to look bigger?

Second: Flares

Until the world becomes really good at roller-disco, there is no need for this unflattering little beauties. Now they would look great if we all looked like this:

are those clogs peeking under at me?

But, the majority of people don't have legs that are mistaken telephone poles. So, this is what the rest of us look like:

In those pants are a fold out chair, laptop computer, and the population of Mexico city.

Which brings me to the fashions I wish were coming back in... or coming in for the first time

Tattoo Choker Necklaces

Like having a bad tattoo... only more itchy.

The Rachel

I really feel like I missed out on this trend, and I'd like it to come back while I've still got hair

Giant Sweatshirts

Like this, only in an XXXXXL Large. I''m convinced if I keep wearing them like I do the world is bound to catch on

In other news, I'm bored out of my mind.

She's so Lucky

2011-08-23T18:18:00.000-07:00

Obviously, it's hard coming from working in the happiest place on earth to slaving away at BYU, so coming home was not something I was looking forward to. A couple lucky moments have kept me sane.

First, on the full flight from Orlando to Denver there was only ONE open seat on the entire plane. Well, guess who that seat was next to... ME! It made for an incredibly wonderful plane nap.

Now, I inherited my adventurous side from my father. Since he was the one booking my ticket home, when he saw that there was one plane that landed directly in Provo he booked it immediately. The airline was a mess, and the layover was terrible, but the worst part had to be the other passengers.

Don't get me wrong, they were all INCREDIBLY kind, and they smelled clean enough. The only thing is, everyone was married. I'm not lying. And out of the large crowd of newly weds, there had to be at least 5 couples my age with a baby (or babies). I'm sure that they made the right decision, and I'm sure that they are so very in love, but Disney World is full of the most flamboyant, crazy, loving, single people I've ever met. I could just feel the pressure to get married building up sitting in a crowd of 20-something year old parents, and I already started to miss my home away from home.

Here is where I get lucky. I had a feeling I would be sitting next to a new mommy, or even worse, her crying baby. But I ended up sitting next to a familiar face. To describe how I know this girl, I have to insert a mini story. When I was a freshman my roommates and I made a silly little video and put it on Facebook. It got surprisingly popular, and I had at least 4 complete strangers add me as a friend on FB because they thought I was funny. Well, the girl I sat next to ended up being one of those people. That's right, I spent my flight sitting next to someone who already thought I was funny. Needless to say, it was the perfect time to spout off a few of my favorite jungle jokes, all of which she laughed at. Not to sound sentimental, but this little blessing made my transition home much easier, and taught me that no matter how hard it is for me to find people in Provo who think I'm great, they do exist.

Side Note: Seriously, I don't dislike people who have children. For real. And I love Children. It was just the change in the people around me that made me upset, not the people themselves. The mountains made me sad too, and I'm obsessed with those things. Ok. Just had to explain that to made sure no one had hurt feelings.

Then I drove home in my new car. No big deal.

Inserting picture to make this post look less wordy...

Seriously, I don't know why I let myself feel low so often, I have to be the luckiest person I know.

I love to Travel

2011-07-05T20:34:00.000-07:00

So, if you and I are friends on Facebook, then you know I just went on a roadtrip of epic proportions. I started out in buffalo, where my friend Ryan picked me up and we went to Niagra Falls (sorry for a lack of photos from the first day) after that, we went to a little amusement park in Pennsylvania. Next stop: Hershey, where we went to Chocolate world and got our faces on a bottle of Chocolate Syrup, Followed by riding some of the great coasters ever in Hershey Park

Next stop: Washington DC. Now, we only had two hours to spend here, so we parked our car at a meter, rented bikes, and saw the capital, the white house, lincoln memorial, and everything else that that area entails.

The rest of the trip was a lot of driving, followed by stops in Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama. until four days of adventure later we finally arrived in Orlando, where we spent the night playing Disney Scene It all night with a group of old friends.

Working at the Jungle Cruise is still the greatest thing EVER! I was so nervous I would forget all my jokes, but as soon as I was back in that familiar Khaki, it was like I had never left. I already love all the new skips, and I'm having the most amazing time... and I've had zero time to text any of you back home, but things should be slowing down in a little bit here.

Shrek is a creep

2011-06-25T13:04:00.000-07:00

This last week I traveled all over Southern California. Adventures include taking the wrong exit, and having to pay $15 in toll road expenses, hanging out with a rocket scientist, trying slot machines, finding the Hollywood sign, watching the taping of a new television show (where we may or may not have met the producer, who also produced Will and Grace and Spin City.... ok we didn't meet him, we only stood close to him. BUT we did meet the script supervisor of The Golden Girls). I won't bore you with details. I will just tell a story.

We had a lovely little hotel on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood. Caitlyn, Aubrey and I were all talking about how much nicer the hotel was than we thought it'd be. Then Aubrey shouted "AH! A man is watching us out the window!"
I looked over to see this

I think he was trying to get us to come to his new musical extravaganza, but it felt more like he was offering us candy to get in his van with blocked windows.... I dunno, maybe that was just me. I'm pretty sure he got closer to our room throughout the night.

In other news, I'm packing to go back and work in Disney World. Excited!

Nail Salon

2011-06-13T13:47:00.000-07:00

My mom and my sister have told me that I should wear more make up. Apparently, I look like I put no effort into my look. So Saturday, I gave in and put some eye shadow on. I loved it. I was really feeling good about looking put together, and I thought, "What makes a girl look more put together than painted nails?" So, me and the sis pulled out all our nail polish and set up in the kitchen. She painted her nails a lovely pink. I decided I would go with metallic. I put it on, and it looked like tin foil, so I thought it would look better with black underneath. So I took off all the metallic, painted my fingernails black, and put metallic over the black. 40 minutes later, I looked incredible.

Isn't it pretty how I painted the skin around my fingernails black? You may be wondering how you can get shapely nails like mine. Just bite them whenever you're nervous, and avoid moisturizers and you will look like me in no time! I'm sure you're also wondering how to get that nice red facial complexion, but that is for another day and another post. (note: If you don't know me, you should be informed that this post is dripping with sarcasm)

My Best Friends

2011-06-12T13:43:00.000-07:00

I'm a little bit of a hermit. I don't like to go out much, and there's nothing I hate more than calling people. So, when this weekend came I was pretty sure I'd spend most of it with my best friend... Netflix. Luckily, my mom forced me out of the house to go to dinner with her family. I'm obsessed with them.

My uncle has 4 (soon to be 5) kids, and they are the most beautiful, darling girls in the entire whole world. Seriously. They are so darling that I'm already ashamed of how ugly my own baby will be compared to them. It's that serious. Anyway, I've probably hung out with his two oldest girls this year more than I've hung out with any of my friends. After the little family dinner, I decided to go over to my uncle's house. The two oldest girls, K who is 11 and H who is 9, and I proceeded to play games, have contests, and ride a 4 wheeler. At ten their mom finally made them go to bed. As I was driving home I realized this was the most fun I'd had in a really long time. So, it's official, while I've been alive 21 years I am actually only 10.

Saturday, one of my favorite cousins, Nick, invited me and my other cousin Jess to go to the Desert Star for a show. We picked up Jess from her mom's work... which is the hospital. She works in these bad boys

Sweet. Tammy, you are the coolest.

Now Jess. She is 15. She ran a triathlon that morning. She won 1st place in her division, and 7th overall (Beating people much older than her, and a number of men.) She is a beast. Of course, you'd never know that when you talk to her because she has to be the kindest teenager who has ever lived. Her lucky parents.

Jess right up against the stage at the show. (I know you may think so, but this picture is NOT the work of a professional photographer. You will surprised to learn that it was only me and my cell phone. Feel free to be impressed.)

The point of this post is to say that all the people in my family are my best friends. I'm so close with my mom, I love hanging out with my dad more than anyone in the world (he is a fellow 10 year old), I have tons of fun with my sister, I see my mom's amazing family every Sunday, and lots of my Dad's family every Friday. I'm so tempted to talk about everyone in my family right now, but this post is already too long, so I'm going to wrap it up.

In other news, my dog just farted and she's totally pretending it wasn't her. I know it was you girl, stop looking at the door like it was someone outside.

I can't believe I just mentioned farting on my blog...

Once a Week

2011-05-28T15:37:00.000-07:00

Once a week I drive up to the BYU Salt Lake Center for an accounting class. (Little plug for the Salt Lake Center: Classes really are better because they're smaller... and you will learn more. It's the best)
The drive is a little annoying, but I find ways to pass the time. Usually it involves singing to the radio, but every once in a while I get lucky and get behind a mini-van watching a movie. This week they were watching High School Musical. Being the cool person that I am, I knew what was happening without any sound. It was the best drive home ever.
On another note, if you drove a mini-van from SLC on South I-15 this Thursday and a little green car was tailgating you I must apologize.

Yet Another Trip

2011-05-27T10:51:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I went to Disneyland with some friends. I know. Shocker. First, I'll tell a story, then you'll have to let me explain why I go to Disneyland all the time.

There is a show in California Adventure called World of Color. Basically it's the fountain show at the Bellagio on some serious Disney Steroids. I absolutely love it. When we went this time, I wanted to have a good spot to see the show, so we saw a big open space right at the very front. The fact that is was labeled wet zone didn't deter us.

"How wet will we get?" My friend Kelsie asked me
"Psh, I'm sure it will just be like a light mist. Nothing Serious at all" I assured her.

The show started. Just as awesome as I had remembered it. then the REALLY high fountains went off

"WOOOOW" Everyone shouted.

Then the wind started to blow.

Those fountains came falling right on the wet zone. Gallons of water were dumped on us. At the same time, we couldn't turn away from the montage of Disney movies playing across the lake. So, each time a giant fountain shot up we all cooed "oooh aaaaah" then as it came down, we screamed and ran away. It was my favorite part of the trip.

Best water ride in Disneyland? Front row to the World of Color show.

Now, let's talk about why I go to Disneyland so often.

I love to travel. I love to drive. I love to make time to have fun. I love to spend quality time with people who are dear to me. And, since I work seasonally in Walt Disney World, I get passes to Disneyland.

I love helping people take a break from school, drive all night, and pretend to be a kid again in Disneyland. It's really cool that I can get myself and three other people in to the park, and I want to share that with as many people as I can. Lots of people can't ever go because it costs too much, and I have the chance to let them go. I'm like the stinking Fairy Godmother, right? (Glass slippers not included)

Hawaii

2011-05-25T17:57:00.000-07:00

So, I'm so lucky that I get to travel so much. One of my most recent trips was to Hawaii. I was the videographer at my best friend Cheri's wedding. Seriously everyone, they are cutest couple in the entire world (Sorry for all my other couple friends...)

I will post their reception video soon, I need to make a couple changes before I do.

But FIRST, I would like to tell a story totally unrelated to the marriage.

After Cheri and Tylor came out of the temple we were getting ready to go when two missionaries drove by. Who should be in the front seat but Elder Jake! (okay, I don't want to use his last name.) He was a friend from my high school! It was crazy and exciting. We took a picture. With my cell phone. It's the best

How weird to run into an old friend in Hawaii...

Hello Lionel

2011-04-17T20:24:00.000-07:00

My sister is so good at blogging, and i'm jealous. She is, as of late, my idol. Love you tis.
(If you haven't read her blog it's "I'm Pretty Sure I Can't Do This" The title started as a joke when I forced her to start blogging, but now it probably looks like a sarcastic commentary on the challenges that come with leaving home... Brooke, you ended up looking so clever)

And with that, I bring you to a new section on my blog "Things I saw."

One of our shooting days took place at velour (I'd like to give them a shout out, as they were wonderful to work with). I arrived about a half hour early, which meant I had some time to wander around the street a bit. That's when I stumbled upon this little beauty.

My immediate response to this question? "Yes Mr Richie."

It made my day. If the little strips had actually been a number to call you bet I would've called them just to say.... "Hello" Ideally, we would then proceed into an impromptu musical duet

And there you have it folks, a thing I saw.

You're welcome.

End of the Semester

2011-04-15T11:34:00.000-07:00

Second reading day! I have not had free time in so long!

Let's do a picture review

Brown hair....

Conference weekend at the cabin with the family besties

Sweet lighting on set. Bellpond has taken over my life. I found this lovely location. It was freezing. No heating.

Our director... I just think this picture is great.

Look, our actor acting.

Well, now I'm watching Modern Family and 30 Rock before I go to a review. I love free time.

I want to be a producer!

2011-03-30T17:36:00.000-07:00

So, on Monday we shot the very first film type thing that I've produced. It was a scene from the film Charade done for an advanced acting class.

I started out not really knowing what I was doing or what to expect. I mean, really, what does a producer do? There isn't really a good job description anywhere, so it's a lot of guess work.
The wonderful Skyler Brunner directed it, and we had two of my favorite actors Leslie and Ben perform.

My INCREDIBLE friend Lauren saved the day, and came in last minute to do make up... Seriously, this girl is incredibile

Colten (1st AD) and Spencer (what was he? Gaffer? I can't remember what it's called, but he did lights)

Ben reading about acting in film while he waits to act in our film... perfect

Brandon was SO helpful for the time he was able to be onset. The room was so small we didn't have enough room for a big crew, so he covered every position as it came up. He he is doing sound.

Then I had to fill in... I avoid doing technical things because I'm terrified I'll mess it up somehow, but I think I did good. Yes, I was posing for this picture. I just wanted to look legit

Luckily, the beautiful Rhonda came in and saved me from doing sound for too long

Skyler directing the actors. Notice the painting on the back wall. We had to add that, and it fell down every 20 seconds. Amazing art, but SUCH a pain :)

Leslie... making a face and still gorgeous

It takes three to make a good dolly shot. Woot

I had so much fun that the next day I agreed to produce a short. Here we go!

I looked out the window and what did I see...

2011-03-25T10:55:00.000-07:00

"If you don't like the weather, wait five minutes..." It's the truest quote about Utah that I've ever heard, and never was it more true than this morning.
I had an early class, and I finished around 8. The sun was shining, and I didn't even have to wear a jacket. When I got back to my apartment I went right back to bed. After a two hour nap I decided I should go for a nice run outside. So I got all ready to go, and just before I was about to leave I looked out the window to see SNOW, and lots of it. I literally had to check my phone to make sure I hadn't slept into the next day. But no, it had only been two hours. Needless to say, the run will be moved indoors (oh man... I just realized I have to brush the snow off my car.. NOOOOOO)

This is Me this morning. You're probably thinking, "but Bri is not a hippie," it only goes to show the power of the sun can cause you to go vegan and stop showering. Spring is that great

Me now....

I know that Utah does this all the time, but it doesn't stop me from complaining to the world every time it does, ok?

My sister tagged me FOREVER ago...

2011-03-19T10:56:00.000-07:00

So, Blogging is hard, right? Just kidding, it really can't be that hard to talk about myself for 5 minutes, but I've felt like I didn' have anything to say.

Luckily, after catching up on a month of NOT reading blogs, I discovered my sister had tagged me in a post, and I shall continue it

The rules of blog tagging are:
1. You must share 15 interesting facts about yourself
2. You must tag 5 other people

Sounds like fun right?

Here we go.

1. I am really really good at saving money.
2. I wish my wardrobe consisted entirely of fun dresses
3. I hate wearing pants.
4. I love popsicles
5. I love when I have to make a long drive in the morning because I get to listen to morning talk radio.
6. I'm really terribly at keeping in touch, but I really love all my friends from all my life
7. The feeling of stepping on snow is the same as nails on a chalk board...
8. I'm pretty sure I'm in Disneyland just as much as my own home.... yeah, it's my home away from home
9. I hate to be alone. It would be great if I could be around people all the time.
10. I love tattoos
11. If I could have any super power, it would be to change form (shapeshifter? I think that's the real name)
12. I despise texting. You should almost always call me
13. I'm challenged by the idea of finding 15 facts about me
14. Sometimes I feel like I need to change my major to science so I could find a clean energy solution... but I'm not really going to do that
15. I don't really like sleeping, but I feel my best when I get like 9 or 10 hours a day... it's wrong... so wrong

Now the 5 people I tag, If they ever read this, are:

1. Becca Madsen (get a blog girl)
2. Jessica Kennedy
3. Jill Morrison
4. Ben Borup
5. Eli Bauer

Tangled

2011-01-21T15:00:00.000-08:00

Whoops... wasn't I supposed to write everyday? It's okay, here I am
Today I am working on a shoot about hair with a mind of it's own.
Insert picture here-

Ta-DA!!! Well... You can't really tell, but stuff is happening in the picture.

It's been a crazy shoot so far, with hair eating a sandwich and such.

I am working on a TON of stuff lately. It's kind of out of control. It will be cool to live to see summer, but I won't be surprised if I don't make it.

A note to my friends and family:

Hey guys,

I am alive and well. Sorry you haven't heard from me since Christmas. Don't be offended that I haven't had time to text/call/visit. I love you all vury vury much

love

Bri

I've got to run and apply for scholarships, write an analysis, read about film history, write a summary of that reading, watch Grapes of Wrath, email the guy who knows how to write resumes, apply for internships, look up an article on how to be a good sound mixer on set, work on locations, figure out how to go about this fundraising thing, work on my TA job, and pay attention to my job on this set.... Ciao!

Island of Misfit Toys

2011-01-09T19:12:00.000-08:00

First off, I apologize for my little hiatus there, it was an incredibly busy break, but not to worry, I am back.

As you all know, my favorite place on earth is Disneyworld, with all of my skippers, and I was fortunate enough to go back and visit over the break. Here are a few pictures and breakdowns

Me with my beloved castle... No story, sorry

Poor E had a kidney infection, so he couldn't go out, so instead we beat Mario Kart Wii together. For some reason his wii was mildly overweight... Needless to say, it is inaccurate

"NOTE: You are not a stand up comedian" is a real line in the operational guidelines of the Jungle Cruise. Agree to disagree OG, agree to disagree

A large part of my time in florida was spent at Wendy's at late hours of the night. I ordered a kids meal. As you can tell by my AWESOME toy, it was possibly the best decision I ever made

Now this is the most politically correct women's bathroom symbol I have ever seen. I was grateful. Now I would like to say to all old school symbols that the sign of a woman is not she is wearing a triangle dress, but that she has hips and keeps her legs together.

Now some highlights:

-Having my midnight fireworks interrupted by some woman who got punched. Really? who would punch someone in Disneyland. There is NO magic in that. Don't worry, the nice security officer took care of her, and I hope we brought the magic back

-Waking up to Ry saying such kind things such as "Good morning Jerk, you look terrible." Thank you Ry, thank you

-Singing Harmonies with Court. She goes harmony, I go melody, and together we are magical.

-Sharing a bed and making a new friend :)

-Getting called Ariel an average of 7 times a day

-Making Mike Birbiglia jokes as often as possible (If you don't know him, you should watch THIS)

But the very best part of all? Pretending I didn't have a real life to return to... Ah, well.

Okay, now that we're all up to date, we can have some just for fun posts again. WOOOOOT

post dentist smile

2010-12-21T22:55:00.000-08:00

After a visit to the dentist, I discovered I had a... cavity *insert evil music here*(Curse you holiday sweets)

So, today, I had to get a filling (bad) but I got laughing gas (good). I'd like to thank laughing gas for getting me through the horrible process of a filling.

Also, I'd like to thank that shot for numbing half my face for the entire day. Don't worry, I took a picture

Check out that winning smile.

On the plus side, with all my muscles numb half my face looked ten years younger (forget Botox). If you did the math, half of my face looked like an 11 year old me. Believe it.

Just so everyone knows, my bffae (best friend forever and ever) was married!!!

Looking possessed is the hot new thing this of 2011, didn't you know?

As this semester ends...

2010-12-15T11:54:00.000-08:00

I have been pretending that the break has already started.... which it has NOT.... which means I'm going to suffer tomorrow when everything is due for finals.

For me, finals week consists of an absurd number of hours of sleep, watching all those movies I haven't had time to this semester (watched Casablanca for the first time yesterday), making cinnamon rolls, going to the gym, facebooking, etc. The one thing it is lacking is studying. I tried to study this morning, and somehow I ended up here.

In other news, yesterday I had a mad craving for gumbo after my friend told me he was at the Blue Bayou in Disneyland. After a mad search, my father discovered that Zupas has a gumbo. So, we had a little family dinner there. The gumbo was disappointing, but the company was great. :)

P.S. I think Utah took my letter seriously, because there is a nice layer of sparkling snow outside. We're all good now Utah, we're all good.

Christmas Program

2010-12-12T14:14:00.000-08:00

As you should know, I love singing probably more than anything else in this world (sorry family). So, I was pretty excited for the Christmas Program today, where my ward choir performed two numbers, and I performed a duet. Somehow, nothing went as planned.

First off, yesterday, I had planned on being home around 7 and texting everyone and telling them to be there for practice at 9:30, but I didn't get back until 8. (Don't worry, someone else sent the text)

Then last night, we change the song we're singing for our duet, and the new song is fantastic, and we totally kicked butt. I was a little nervous about not having a lot of time to practice, but I'd live.

This morning, I slept in a little, which means we didn't get extra time to practice.
Then, I burned the cinnamon rolls I had made for choir.
Then, our sweet sweet pianist slept through her alarm, because she was working on one of the other million things she has to do. So we didn't get as much time to practice with her.
Then, we as the meeting was starting I realized I FORGOT THE MUSIC for the choir, sO I ran back and got it. (the choir sounded great, bless your hearts guys)
Then, while J and I were singing out duet I skipped a line, and got really confused on where we were. He so kindly pointed to the right place, but I was so frazzled I never really composed myself again.

But it was fun. I'm glad it happened. and I felt cuteI just tried to post a picture of my outfit that I ... Not only did I wear blue and black, but I tied it all together with a matching brown belt that didn't match my shoes. Clint and Stacy would be livid.

I wrote too much with out a picture to rest your tired eyes... my bad

I have a skinny uncle

2010-12-10T13:53:00.000-08:00

So, my uncle ran a 5k a little while ago, and he is looking fit and stuff and it motivated me to run a 5k. I decided I shall run it in February.

Now, I could ~~run~~ speed walk a 5k easily, but my goal is to have the speed of a normal 20 year old human, not that of a three legged poodle.

So, I woke up at the crack of dawn this morning (noon) and got over to the the gym to get some running in. It was terrible. As a reward for my motivation to get in running shape, my head phones severely shocked my right ear every five minutes or so. I screamed every time, which made everyone look at me as I shuffled at a measly 4.8 miles an hour. It was a little embarrassing. But damn you headphones, you will NOT keep me down!

Brian, my dear uncle, you better watch your back, because I'm TOTALLY gonna outrun you.

Me = 4, uncle = 485

If I don't make a gingerbread house REALLY soon...

2010-12-09T15:08:00.000-08:00

So, if you can recall, I missed out on all fun Halloween activities including pumpkin carving, and haunted houses. I had planned on redeeming my love of the holidays through Christmas. So far this is a bust.

(FYI. I just tried to spell love "lofe" and for about one minute I couldn't figure out why the red underline was there... yeah, I really excelled in 3rd grade)

I'd like to have a moment and talk to Utah alone

Dear Utah

Best Snow on Earth? That's your catch phrase? Then where the heck is my winter wonderland? I haven't even pulled out my winter coat. I only had a light jacket on today, and there were a few moments where I was too hot. Anyhow, Utah, if you don't shape up real soon, I'm moving somewhere that actually sticks to it's state motto, like Michigan "If you seek a pleasant peninsula, look about you" How true, since Michigan is truly a pennisula (On another note, really Michigan? that's your motto? I mean New Hampshire is "Live free or die")

Get on it Utah. It's time I put my corncob pipe, buttons, and coals to good use.

Sincerely,

Bri

Actually, while I was googling state mottos I came across Utah's real motto which is "Industry." Really? That's not a motto, that's a word.

AND on another note, a dear friend introduced me to a website that will now take up all my free time www.dearblankpleaseblank.com for example:

Dear Diets,
Hahahahahaha!
Sincerely, The Holidays.

Oh What a Night

2010-12-04T18:40:00.000-08:00

Finals are some crazy stuff... I cannot believe how busy this weekend was! Or... is, I guess it's not over

Last night we had a high school girl friend sleepover for Jo's bridal shower.... I had hoped I'd never say this, but it really made me miss high school. We ate pizza and candy, gossiped, and talked about boys (well... they mostly talked about their husbands, and I talked about Jake Gyllenhaal). Seriously, I forgot how hilarious those girls are, I will never make new friends like that.

Isn't this obnoxious? I googled "besties" because I felt it was necessary to add a picture. Then I saw this, and I hated it. So I wanted to show all of you.

Today EVERYONE in the Media Arts program decided to film their final projects... It was pure chaos. I started out as craft services, followed by work flow (ish), then designated driver, then into an actor (I played a homeless person wearing a corduroy dress next to a fire in a garbage can. Needless to say, it was a dream come true.) While on set for the first film of the day, I snapped a lil picture.

If that isn't legit, I don't know what it. PS. our little actor there is in 127 hours. his face appears on screen for five seconds. Guys, I've reached the big time.

I don't think I can do this

2010-11-30T16:19:00.000-08:00

I'm baaaaack.

I love vacation. I love california. I love disneyland.

Disneyland was a blast. I got my dad and cousin to really get into finding the little hidden things on all the rides, specifically Indiana Jones (We rode it 7 times. Best ride ever). I worked my family too hard. What can I say? I never get tired of riding rides, or watching parades. My sister says I am really good at finding my inner child, but I'm pretty sure it'd be more accurate to say I can never find my inner adult.

Pluto is dressed up like a reindeer? That is Fantastic

I hate homework. I hate freezing. I hate stress.

So, now I am back and I have too much to do. All I really want to do is read a good book and play in the snow. I have four papers to write, 4 films to edit, and 5 movies to watch... Oops. Maybe I shouldn't have put this off. AND to top it all off, I lost my cellphone in Disneyland so I can't even text my friends to help me procrastinate this even more... I've checked all my emails, checked facebook, updated my blog... darn, I'm out of things to do to put off the inevitable.

If you haven't heard from me in a week, assume I'm dead. This next week might kill me.

I'm going to DISNEYLAND!!!

2010-11-26T04:50:00.001-08:00

Thanksgiving was full of food and naps, just like everyone else's I'm sure.

Also, I made my sister dye her hair brown. Peer pressure is awesome. She wrote about it here

It's 5:50 in the morning and I'm on my way to the happiest place on earth, wooooot.

This so called "Blizzard"

2010-11-23T21:53:00.000-08:00

BYU was shut down, airplanes were delayed, kids stayed in Provo, massive texts were sent out saying, "The winter Weather Service is warning of a winter storm today that 'will surpass anything that we've seen, probably for the last several years.'" OMG, we are going to die....

Nope.... Hardly any snow here in P-town. the roofs outside look a little frosted, but I mean, with that text message straight from a Lord of the Rings novel, I was sure mother nature was going to let all hell break loose (Or, to go with L of the R reference, that Sauron was going to let all Mordor break loose.)

Now for an awesome quote from Facebook, from a friend who shall not be named because I totally don't have her permission.

This so called "Blizzard" is really just a social experiment planned by Obama and the Gays to get back at Utah for not voting on behalf of either of them.

But, because there was going to be a storm, I made myself an incredibly warm and comfortable hat (Turban?) to sit and watch How to Train your Dragon.

*My picture will not upload? What? Blogger? why are you doing this? After all we've been through, how could you do this to me?*

Ok, so there will be no picture tonight. But I do have a new wish for Santa. Dear Santa: Forget Nsync, I want a Dragon.

Miracle on 280 W street

2010-11-20T19:41:00.000-08:00

I know that picture is completely creepy, and isn't impressive at all. But just LOOK! It's me and Santa. I was satisfied. And I don't want to hear any of that jumping that gun on Christmas stuff. It is time for that Yuletide joy.

So, if you didn't know, I'm the director of the choir in my ward (a calling also known as ward choir director). Well, tomorrow, we start practicing music for the CHRISTMAS program, and I just got so darn excited, I decided I would make them gingerbread men. So I did... or at least I tried. They taste like flour.

Me with my Creations.

I discovered picnik today. So I made a collage, and gave myself a mustache.

I tried to save my creations from their fault of being tasteless, so I was going to decorate them oh-so-darling... unfortunately, we only had neon colored food dye. So, the ones that look like men belong on "Slime Time" (anyone else watch that?) Then I just got lazy, and made a lot of these

i'm going to say I was inspired by Pollock... but I wasn't. I actually had to google who he was...

20 Followers? I could cry

2010-11-16T21:44:00.000-08:00

YES!!! Finally, my number of followers has broken out of the teens and into the TWENTIES!!! To celebrate, I turned up some Nsync "Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays." (I love me some Gary Coleman in a pimp elf costume). Let us take a look at all the kind things Nsync does in this music video; sending an autographed picture to Santa, having a dance party with homeless people, having a dance party with kids, having a dance party with attractive women, making bleached hair and ski goggles awesome fashion statements, and reminding everyone that all holidays are better with a boy band. In fact, this has inspired me to write an email to Santa (I'm sure he has a macbook pro by now)

Dear Santa,
Let Nsync bring me my presents this year. I'm still convinced I'm meant to marry Justin Timberlake. Please and thank you.
Love,
Bri

I'm seriously getting ready for Christmas. Tonight, I helped on a fellow student's film because my cousin was in it. It was real. If you didn't know, I have a famous cousin, who is in everyone's movies because she's the cutest ten year old alive. It was a twenty minute drive to get to the location, and I made her listen to me sing Christmas songs both there and back. She's pretty lucky, I do a mean rendition of Mariah Carey's "All I want for Christmas"

Let's not forget thanksgiving, the holiday that holds us over from Halloween to Christmas. Since I'm in the mood to write emails, I shall now write one to something I am thankful for:

Dear Harris Fine Arts Center
Thank you for being the best building to have all my classes in. I love walking past the practice rooms and hearing pianos, harps, and singers all going at once. I love watching the stage combat kids practice in the hall. I love looking at the partially clothed figure drawings on the fourth floor. I love hearing acting majors muttering their lines as they try to memorize them. Without you, HFAC, I wouldn't feel so darn artsy. Happy Thanksgiving
Love
Bri

"Goin' Steady"

2010-11-14T11:55:00.000-08:00

So, I filmed my final for TMA 185 yesterday. It was exhausting, but fantastic.
Lucky for me, I have family around and I forced them to do everything for me. My lovely Grandma Borup made TWO circle skirts for it, my sister and her boyfriend and her friend acted for me, and my dad helped out with sound.

It was a huge struggle. I am technology challenged, so when we were getting ready to film, my dad and I spent 20 minutes trying to turn the boom mic on. we failed, and so we filmed with the built in mic (Not good). Turns out, all you have to do to turn the mic on is flip the switch.... really complicated, I know.

No, this wasn't taken in the fifties. It was taken yesterday. awesome, no?

Thank you family for letting me yell at you like the great, condescending director I am. (That's a joke, I'm so kind.)

I was meant to be famous

2010-11-10T18:28:00.000-08:00

As a child I was convinced I was the next big star. I remember trying to convince my mom to get me an agent. I also remember writing plays and forcing the neighborhood kids to perform them. I would do anything to sing in front of people, and no other kids were allowed to be performers like me. Remember the little pepsi commercial girl, with the black curly hair? (Also played Hellen Keller, and someone in Bicentennial Man) I despised her.

Honestly, I still remember changing the channel whenever those darn commercials came on. I may have imagined punching her if we ever met just because she was famous, and I was not.

I was not as cute as her. I didn't have dimples, I was giant, and a little tone deaf. Thank goodness my mom didn't get me an agent, or else I would have only gotten the part of Chunk on "The Goonies." (Don't ask me to do the truffle shuffle)

Today I stumbled across a younger me on youtube... You're welcome

(Pardon the profanity. Who knew 12 year olds even knew the f word)

don't tell me you didn't laugh a little...

I want to be Ellen

2010-11-08T19:01:00.000-08:00

Specifically, Ellen Degeneres. Seriously. The woman is hilarious. Ok, I want to be her minus the whole lesbian deal... Having people come to my show and scare them would be a dream come true for me. Really
(I love this)
Unfortunately for me, I don't think I can pull the hair off.

Thoughts?

P.S. The fans have been begging for more, so I'm blogging more.

Feeding Werewolves

2010-11-07T20:48:00.000-08:00

So, I was craft services for a capstone film about werewolves. Awesome, riiiiight?

Now, you may ask, what is craft services? It is only the MOST important job on a set. I was in charge of feeding people. When I agreed to do it I thought it'd be real easy. Little did I know that werewolves go into make-up at 6:00 in the morning and they need their bagels, then directors and producers work until midnight and they need their pizza.

Before this experience I would see in the credits of movies "Caterer" and I thought "who cares..." but now, I must insist that next time you see "Caterer" on the credits of your favorite movie you stop for a minute and say a prayer blessing that person with love and lots of money. They deserve it. If you don't feel inclined to say that for every credited caterer, then I'm okay if you only say that prayer for me... really... go ahead.

Poor sleepy werewolf...

In all seriousness, my mother (Mother Theresa) did most of the work, but I still want all the credit, okay?

That was the Worst Halloween Ever

2010-11-02T11:56:00.000-07:00

If you know me at all, then you know that I am OBSESSED with Halloween. It is, by far, the best holiday.
Now, no one else I know really likes Halloween, so I'm have to force people to celebrate with me. This year, I was going to make everyone go to a haunted corn maze, go to Lagoon's Fightmares, carve pumpkins, have an Alfred Hitchcock movie marathon, bob for apples, dress up and do everything Halloween cliche you can think of.
Instead, I got the flu.
I have very little memory of this last weekend, but I know it was filled with Fresca, Disney Channel Original movies, and my bed. On a positive note, I got to watch all four Halloweentown movies. Jealous?

If you didn't know, Halloweentown is possibly the worst movie ever made. A beautiful collision of tacky effects, and terrible acting. I love it.

At least I had Mickey's Halloween Party with Jojo

One Year Ago...

2010-10-12T12:22:00.000-07:00

One year ago today, I was living in Utopia... For those of you who aren't aware, that is, of course, my sweet Siena. I woke up every morning in the beautiful Tuscan countryside. I went to school in a city that's hardly changed since medieval times. I got delicious gelato. I napped in the Piazza Del Campo. I came home to a delicious three course Italian dinner made by the most amazing Nonna in the world!

Now, I'm here studying, eating a microwave meal, in my apartment all alone... I can't help but think that it's 9:30 in Italia right now, and I would've just finished dinner and watching Pachi, and would probably be upstairs talking with Cheri, Lizzy, and Alyssa, with no worries to speak of.

Notice my pictures on the back wall... That is a collage of Italy pictures in the middle. I'm obsessed.

I mean, my life is AWESOME. No complaining here... I'm just a little homesick.

If only I was British

2010-09-21T20:08:00.001-07:00

So, when teacher's told you there was no such thing as a stupid question... they were lying. I promise you, there are stupid questions. Which brings us to today's topic.
I have one class where there is a lovely girl, but she always asks questions, and for the most part I would call them stupid. Lucky for her, she's british, so no ones cares. In fact, I don't think it'd be a complete lie to say sometimes we are a little excited to hear her talk....
If only I had an accept then all the many obnoxious things I do would be less obnoxious and more endearing.
Here's a shout out to everyone's favorite British siblings

Would it be cute if he actually said "Charlie" instead of "Chawlie?" No. it would be obnoxious

Why do I do this to myself

2010-09-16T16:54:00.000-07:00

If you know me, then you know I am an eternal dreamer and planner.
Well, now that I'm in a major I've been spending every waking moment making not only 5 year plans, but 10 to 20 year plans. It's been consuming me. All I can think about is film, and tomorrow, and movies, and AHHHHHHHHHHHH, it's NOT good for me.
Last night, Becca and her brother jake were playing DDR, and invited me to come play. I could not, because, of course, I was busy looking at jobs availability at every major motion picture studio in the world and figuring out what I had to do to get one of those jobs... I am missing out on my youth by chasing my dreams... Am I still in my youth? I am, right?

So, I've been trying to go off Facebook for a month... but all I've really done is put myself as offline in chat so no one knows I am there.... Don't worry, I'm actually still checking it almost daily :) I'm a loser.

In other news, I am going to my favorite place on earth with my best friends on earth in just TWO weeks!!!
That's right, Jo, Eli, and I are going to DISNEYLAND!!!! I love Disney. I totally get those people who do the college program and never go back to college, because it is so much fun being a part of the company.
There will, however, be no pictures from me... my camera refuses to open.

Props to my sister's blog. I'm lovin it. She is hilarious. I hope she knows I enjoy every post.

Remember the goal I set to lose 20 pounds by new years? I only have 20 more to go... I'm getting on that now

In other news, I went to the State Fair and tried a deep fried peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

The last picture my sweet little gold camera ever took... I love stray kittens

Ok, this was ALLL over the place. I'm going to try and post once a week from now on... and be more funny. This was not funny. I am funny though. I swear.

A Scene in the Lady's Room

2010-09-03T14:18:00.000-07:00

So, today, in the restroom I hear someone talking... but there is only me and on other girl in there, and I know she's not talking to me...
Don't worry, she was on her cellphone
Really? Bathroom cell phone calling? Could one of those two things have waited? Maybe that is normal... what do I know.

Back in School

2010-09-02T14:37:00.000-07:00

So, I'm in the Media Arts major, and I'm taking a few classes. Let's just say... I feel pretty intimidated. Wednesday, we went over how to use the video cameras. Our T.A. went around checking us all off making sure we could do everything. I though I had it down, but for some reason the screen on my camera was black... I could NOT figure out why.

Don't worry, the lens was on.

That basically sums up how good I am film thus far. It's going to be a looooong journey to get where I need to be.

Home sweet home

2010-08-19T11:41:00.000-07:00

After what is possibly the best summer of my life I am home. I will miss Disneyworld, but I am So happy to have a car!

This picture sums up the feelings I have for the Magic Kingdom

My last days were fantastic, and filled with good ol' Disney magic, especially when I spent three days crashing at my friends apartment and spent unreasonable hours watching Nickelodeon and Disney channel. But, it's good to be home with my family and... and my DOG! Oh, I proably missed her the most!

I finally got to see Jo! I missed the little nugget, she got to come see the Lion King with us

Let's talk about the Lion King. It was FANTASTIC!!! except when Mufasa was supposed to die... they had a technical difficulty and just shut the curtain, when it opened there he was... just laying there... dead... Talk about anticlimactic... not that I really wanted to watch him die, that's a terrible thing to want.
And the lady sitting next to Brooke was out of her mind...

Happy Fourth!!!

2010-07-06T07:32:00.000-07:00

There was no better way to spend my fourth of July than going to lunch with some British friends at an Italian Restaurant, then not watching any fireworks... seriously

Yes, fourth of July weekend made me terribly homesick, but now that its gone I'm going back to loving it here!

So, I've picked up running again (some of you may call it speedwalking, but for me it is running). My mile is about 13 minutes :) so, hopefully in a month or so I can improve my speed enough that I"ll actually be competition for my grandma... probably not though. I would like to say running slow is in my genes, but my Grandpa was a track coach at BYU, and an Olympic track coach for a number of years. For some reason this speed gene did not get passed onto my mother. She has the same problem with people confusing her run for a speedwalk.

As usual, I'm trying to lose weight. Those of you who have been watching know I've lost over thirty pounds since last September. Sadly, I've hit a serious Plateau. This plateau is the reason for my running. So, i decided, as a motivating factor, I am going to make my weight loss goal public. Short term = lose 5 lbs by August. Long term = Lose 25 lbs by Christmas
Seriously, I'm normally not the kind of person to make my personal battles public, but I think this will add the little extra pressure I need to reach my goals.

Nothing

2010-07-01T09:24:00.000-07:00

My family just left from a truly magical week here with me in good old D-world, and now it is back to work.

Now, for a my friend Brent I would like to say that it is hot as heck here. Sometimes it feels so hot I get claustrophobic because I'm sure I must stuck in a tiny humid space. But so far I have survived.

My computer passed away a few days ago. It had been living on the charger life-line ever since the battery died, and it just couldn't make it any longer. tragic. The worst part is possibly that now my mornings consist of staring out the window, and eating oatmeal. Without my computer I have become a worm.

I have been having psycho dreams lately.... Basically everyone I know is in them, and they are scary, and crazy, and it's terribly realistic so I wake up really upset each morning at everyone I know. I try to comfort myself with oatmeal, but I end up falling asleep again, and have even freakier nap-sleep dreams...

There is no theme to this post... So, I would like to leave you all with a message much discussed yesterday at the Jungle. Just because it's legal to breast feed in public doesn't mean you should whip it out in a crowd of strangers during a ride through the jungle.

As of Late

2010-06-16T06:30:00.000-07:00

Everyday I think "I will blog today." Everyday I sleep instead.

I can't tell you how crazy life is here. I am having so much with the people I am working with, they are incredible. I've made some amazing skipper friends.

I wish I had an awesome story, but everyday is the same. I work in the Magic Kingdom, and when I'm on my days off I go hang out at work... There is nowhere else to go!

Yesterday, I ate breakfast with Sleeping Beauty, rode Splash Mountain, went to Minnie's house, had a dance party with Goofy, Pluto, Stitch, and the Chipmunks, and rode the Jungle Cruise 5 times. That sums my life up.

I thought of one story. Yesterday, while we were taking some amazing pictures, I was laughin pretty hard. Suddenly a little boy pops up from nowhere, shouts, "YOU"RE PURPLE" and disappears. I would like to think he is a color elf letting people everywhere know what color they are. Thank you little boy for letting me know I get purple when I laugh.

Me and Goofy seeing who could get lower at the dance party

A Picture of a Bus Ride Home

2010-05-23T10:04:00.000-07:00

Each night, after closing at the Magic Kingdom, all of the college program kids go to the bus stop to wait for our bus. This is a moment we all dread. There are over one hundred people each night trying to cram onto one bus, that probably already has forty people on it.

Let me paint a picture for you.

After we get off the bus taking us from work to the bus stop, we all crowd in the corner where we can best see all traffic passing. We have to wait behind a painted yellow line so we don't get in the way of other buses. Herded together, we stand in this large clump for around twenty minutes, sweating with anticipation. Each of us is wondering who will get on that bus, and who will have to delay their bedtime regime yet another 20 minutes until the next overcrowded bus comes. When we see those headlights in the distance that look like our bus, we shove to the front of the yellow line, getting ready for the kill. The Disney security guard yells, trying to control us, but there is nothing she can do, the stampede is already getting ready. Once the bus has come to a complete stop someone usually shouts "GO" and we charge towards the bus, pushing, elbowing, or biting anyone who gets in our way. Then, before we get on, there is one bus driver who chooses to be the climax of the battle, telling us oh-so-dramatically just how many people he can fit on his bus. (Once upon a time, people complained and his bus and he had to drive a different one, and you can bet his lecture that night lasted until the next bus came.) Finally, once he lets us in, we shove in, three to a seat, meeting strangers in the confined space. There we stay, for 45 minutes while we wait to go home. Finally, when we get home, we shuffle off to our apartments, and get ready to do it all again the next night.

I've yet to capture the stampede on camera, because you can bet I am at the front of it, but last night I filmed the speech.

Vista Way Monsters

2010-05-20T10:22:00.000-07:00

So, everyday seems to blend into the other, and I seem to repeat a lot of the same stuff, but I shall be giving you a few samples of my life.

I was told by one of the people on my boat that I sound like Sarah Palin. I don't know... but I'm pretty sure that's not the biggest compliment I've ever received. So, I'm playing it off like she meant Tina Fey, because people actually like Tina Fey.

I helped a lady onto a boat as she was nursing her baby... Thought that was a little strange.

Every morning around 7:00 a.m. is sounds like the Jets and the Sharks are outside my window having a rumble, but no, it's just the garbage truck, throwing the ginormous can around and making sure everyone is up... I shall record what's happening next time I am coherent enough to remember to grab my camera that early.

Everyone is really great. I eat lots of oatmeal everyday. I went to Robin Hood last night and I now demand that all of you GO AND SEE IT. I loved it.

Also, there are this duck/rooster things running around at my apartment complex and I have no idea what they are, so I made a video so the world would know what I'm looking at.

42 square miles

2010-05-07T20:04:00.000-07:00

That's right people, Disney World is 42 square miles... that's huge.
We get into parks free as cast members, so almost everyday I go to some park and spend 1 or 2 hours there, then go home. I really appreciate it a lot more.
Let me give you a summary of my day off today. Slept in until 10, decided to go the Blizzard Beach water park (the "ski" lift, and little machiney thingies that bring the tubes up to the top solve every problem I've had with seven peaks). After I was good and red, we decided to hop on over to Hollywood studios, where we rode four rides, and decided it was time for magic kingdom. There, we took a picture with Pluto, waited in the 10 minute line for Splash mountain, and watched the cheesy-yet-magical "Wishes" firework show.
Fantastic

If they mess your order up, apparently you get a second scoop of ice cream for FREE

Welcome to the Jungle

2010-05-02T18:22:00.000-07:00

Hello one and allllllll. Disneyworld is great, I am lovin every second of it!

I am a skipper on the world famous Jungle Cruise!!! So, I get to drive a boat and tell tacky jokes. Not suprisingly, I'm shining in my work

My AWESOME costume, I hope to get a picture on the boat, but this is just at the apartments

Alright Fam Bam, and 2 other random people who follow my life, be strong, embrace the magic

Happiest place on earth thus far

2010-04-27T18:27:00.000-07:00

I've been here in Florida for a full 48 hours now, and I'm pretty sure I could live here forever with the weather and the green, but I'm bracing myself for the humid and heat of the late summer. death.

So, I discovered the only rule mormons have a hard time following of the disney look: hair. When it says it should be natural looking, they mean all natural, so, for the first time in years I am returning to my darker roots.

This is me, blonde (eating a sandwich, which I'm sure was delicious)

This is me as a stunning brunette (and I'm really working the pale look, too)

Mind you, the lighting in here makes this an unattractive picture no matter what.

Right now, outside my window, I can hear music playing. There is a bloc party tonight, which obviously I will force myself to go to to avoid living this summer as a pale hermit. This party is loud, right outside my window, and goes until one. I have to catch a bus at 6:30. I think it's Disney's version of hazing.

I love my apartment, I love my roommates, I love all the meetings. I'm working in Adventureland! and I think my roommate is a princess.

I'm 20? well what the heck

2010-03-24T18:49:00.000-07:00

I remember making a list of things I wanted to do before I turned 20. None of which I did. So, I decided to make a list of things to do before I turn 21

1. Lose my phone.
2. Go to Disneyworld 60 days in one summer
3. Continue to sleep 11 hours a day... perhaps bump it up to 12?
4. Eat my weight (which is still decreasing, thank you) in ritz bitz cheese things [something about eating highly processed cheese feels so good]
5. Read failblog.org continuously for 4 hours [4 hours well spent]
6. Let everyone around me know I could do what they're doing better than they are. Because I could.
7. Watch Law and Order SVU everyday
8. Stay single...
9. Buy a tomagatchi and raise it until the tenth generation.
10. Emanate Captain Kirk and Indiana Jones in everything I do.

Wish me luck. I've set myself up with some pretty lofty goals.

sleeping

2010-03-15T22:13:00.000-07:00

I am a singer. I am an achiever. I am a dreamer. But, above all,

I am a sleeper.

It is a serious problem, I realize most college kids sleep through their classes, but I assume that's usually because they only got four hours of sleep the night before because of parties, homework, dates, facebook, etc. This is not the situation with me.

Yesterday was daylight savings, the worst day of the year for me. I went to bed at what was 12:00, but I guess actually 1:00. I woke up at 10:00. (9 hours of sleep) I ate breakfast, did my weekly weigh-in on the wii fit (didn't gain or lose...) sat down to read, and fell asleep. I slept from 12:30 - 3:00, making my count for the day 11 hours and 30 minutes.

That's regular. I sleep 11 hours a day.

I sleep through about 50% of my classes. My need for exessive sleep has led to a number of embarrasing moments, specifically moments involving loud snorting during lectures (Not an acutal snore... more like all the sudden my mouth kind of opens and my body can't decide whether it's breathing through my mouth or nose, and in, what I can only assume is some sort of unnatural alerting system, makes a loud pig noise letting everyone around me know the situation)... Which wouldn't be so bad if one of the two hundred kids who heard it laughed, instead they ALL look around awkwardly and kind of pretend it didn't happen, but I know from that moment on when they see me, I will be that girl who snorted in class.I get a lot of dates this way.

For those of you who are jumping to conclusions, I'll have you know I am never stressed, I sleep on a regular schedule, I eat healthy, and exercise regularly (I've lost 25 lbs since summer HOOTY WHOOOO!)

Huzzah

2010-03-10T22:05:00.000-08:00

No real focus tonight... just thought we'd do a quick update

Application for Media Arts = FINISHED!!!

Which means, I can now spend less time on enriching my life with films, and more time and facebook and failblog.org (thank you both so much for keeping me form accomplishing all I should)

My summer plans = Disney World.

So, if you would like to see me act ridiculously joyful, and wear an obviously unflattering costume PLEASE fly to florida to say hello

At this moment I am actually putting all my pictures from Italy on my computer...

Weird, I came home three months ago, and this is the first time I've really thought to do this. This also means that I probably won't be sleeping tonight because of the butterflies I get remembering my life in italy, and completly foils my plans to wake up early enough to curl my hair (maybe to impress my cute TA?).

So, when you see me tomorrow in the same pants I've worn for the past three days, my hair unbrushed, and headphones blaring, you can know when you go home you FINALLY have the chance to look at all 2500 of my pictures in Italy

If, of course, my hair is curled you may just have to wait one more day...

I realize the only people who will actually look at the pictures are those who were tagged in them, and even then it's just to make sure they are sute enough to leave the tag,

I missed February and I am sorry for that

2010-03-01T19:09:00.000-08:00

I can't believe I missed an entire month of blogging... which mostly shows how little happens in my life.
I would like to take a moment to talk about one of my recently discovered weaknesses; Blood drives

The first time I walked past a blood drive was my freshman year. I had never actually seen one, so I just walked over...
and donated some blood.
Same thing happened today. I was going from English to History when I passed a blood drive. So, I missed history. The girl who poked my finger did it really hard, and I'm pretty sure it hurt about 10x as much as the actual arm part did... I'm struggling even now to type this without the use of my right ring finger :(

In other news, everyone is in love. 5 boys from my summer ward who were NOT dating anyone last summer are now engaged,people from high school are engaged or having babies. Them along with everyone else I have ever know. I, on the other hand, have not spoken to a member of the other gender since my creepy friends in Italy (who knew I'd miss being told "I love American girls" by a stranger on a bus?). And, since I'm trying the whole lose weight thing, I can't have any romantic evenings with Ben and Jerry anytime soon. Thank heaven for my new love affair with blueberries.

MEDIA ARTS UPDATE: Two weeks from today my final application is due. I am dying. This is the hardest thing I have possibly ever done, especially with an injured ring finger.

Something I never thought I'd say

2010-01-31T12:09:00.001-08:00

Today, in relief society our bishop was assigned to teach us a lesson on chastity. I enjoyed it.

Thank you bishop for keepin it real.

10 most significant.

2010-01-28T22:29:00.000-08:00

I am taking this moment to blog because I am done with my homework by 11:00.

It is a moment to celebrate, as this has not happened once since the first day of school. I of course still have 3 hours of reading and studying to do, but those are much easier to procrastinate.

ON that note of procrastinating, I have been needing to do some work on my applicattion to the Media Arts program.

I am nervous to inform the world that I am applying because that just means if I don't make it there is that awkward moment where I have to tell you... So, for the sake of a less awkward moment, let's never mention this application process, unless of course you see a new post called I am going to be famous... then you can congratulate me.

Part of this assignment is to make a list of the 10 most significant things to you... which basically is the most terrifying idea to me because I am going to be judged on the media that makes me who I am, but here is my list.

10 Most Significant

1. On your porch - The Format

Whenever life is too hard and I just need to cry I get in my car, drive up the canyon, play this song and cry. Something about it is so beautiful and sad, and encouraging.

2. Freeteris.org

I’m reluctant to list this as significant, but it formed the nerdiest parts of me. I spent more hours playing on this website in high school than I should have. Now I fall asleep to falling blocks.

3. Beauty and the Beast

The first movie I remember seeing in theaters. My little heart had never hurt as much as when I thought the beast had died.

4. It's all coming back - Celine Dion

It’s the only song I’ve sung with my mom. No matter how different our tastes in music are now, I can always rely on Celine to bring me and my mom closer.

5. Treasure Island - Robert Louis Stevenson

My spirit of adventure began by reading this book. I still fantasize about finding a treasure map and saving my ship from a crew full of pirates.

6. Norte-Dame de Paris - Victor Hugo

Hugo knows how to write a great tragedy. This book made me miserable for days after I had finished. I’m still waiting for a film to properly display Phoebus as the horrible hypocrite he is.

7. Orbitz.com

I long to see the world. I spend a lot of time on orbitz.com figuring out how much it would cost to buy a ticket to Haiti to help out, or to fly to Paris for New Years Eve. Of course, I never buy anything, but I can imagine

8. Pans Labrynth

What a beautifully tragic glimpse into the pains of civil war, and the ways children create to escape it. This film has my very favorite score of all time. It probably gave me the first anti-war feelings I had ever had, and a at the same time a strong sense of patriotism.

9. Musicals

The musical created me. The stage of life that I still consider myself in, the one after recovering from awful awkward years, started when I was in Annie Get Your Gun in 9th grade. I love the sincerity and openess of a musical.

10. A long way gone - Ishmael Beah

What a beautiful glimpse into the life a young boy caught in civil war that is still raging in Africa. This is what I want my movies to do, give people the chance to understand a life different than their own. I want to change the headlines into stories about individuals who don't have life as easy as we do.

11. A Thousand Splendid Suns - Khaled Hosseini

My first glimpse into the repression Afghan women suffer under the Taliban. I consider myself a mild feminist, and the treatment of the women in this story horrified me. It is also heartbreaking to learn about the constant state of fear some people are under.

okay, I realize there are 11. So that is where YOU come in. Choose the one you think is the lest relevant... but really, they are all sooo important to me.

Happy New Year!!!

2010-01-12T14:52:00.000-08:00

I guess this is a little late... but HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! Isn't it fantastic to in the year 2010?

So, latest news: All hopes of being social this semester have been killed by my aspiration to have a 4.0 and keep a job.

Let me tell you about my New Years Eve experience in Salt Lake City....

I was with my bestie, Jo, and a bunch of her friends from Utah State. We had a grand old time. We were dancing the night away at about 11:55 when the guy turned off the music... and mumbled into the microphone. His inaudible ramblings lasted for about 5 minutes. Segments that I understood sounded something like "All right, now we're all just breathing together." "well, my watch says 11:57" and "Thanks so much for breathing with us tonight"
Then the fireworks started... we looked at our watches (and by watches I obviously mean cell phones... because no one actually has watches these days) and it was 12:03. We didn't count down. Instead, we breathed together. Fantastic.

Luckily, to save our whoa, we saw a giant balloon holding a basket. We had received someone's new years resolution... which was not to liter, but still... the basket was cool

White Elephant

2009-12-30T14:59:00.000-08:00

My favorite Christmas tradition= White Elephant

Every one loves to watch someone else open a present that is almost worthless, but funny.

You may think you have played white elephant, but you are mistaken unless you have played it with my family. White Elephant and G-ma and G-pa B's is the stuff of legends. Best gift this year included...

~~signed~~ Autographed glam picture of my cousin Nick
New moon stand up with the faces replaced with Josh, Brandon, and Skyler
Candy box actually full of beans
A scary bald dummy head that has been going around for few years

Sadly the giant panties that were a white elephant tradition have disappeared.

For some reason, every year I go thinking "I will not get the stupid present. I will get one with money! or a cute shirt! or something fantastic" I can't figure out why I think this because it has never been true. This year especially

This would be my reaction as my Aunt apologized to me for what I was about to get...

What did I end up getting?

Wisdom Teeth

I did not keep them. Hopefully it is not a gift that will join the tradition ranks of the black panties or the shaved head.

Venice and Ashley Simpsons Ex-Boyfriend

2009-12-18T09:08:00.000-08:00

My last week in Italy we went to Venice, but the best story of that was on the train ride there.
We were just getting comfortable in our seats, ready to go to the most romantic city in the world. I was putting my luggage up in the bin when I made eye contact with a stranger in the car. I knew that I knew who he was, but I could not remember where we had met. He ended up moving to another car, but as he walked by the second time it hit me.

"He was the guy who dated Ashley Simpson! The guy with the blonde spikey hair!!!"

Yes, pop culture fans, it was Ryan Cabrerra.

After a few minutes of freaking out (why was I freaking out? Because apparently I get start struck by a guy I only know because he dated a singer I really dislike about 10 years ago...) Three of us decided to go on a hunt for him. We found him and the convo went a little somethign like this. (I am not the one talking)

"Are you Ryan Cabrerra?" -us
"I am" -Ryan
"We're American" -us
"I figured" -Ry guy (a nickname I gave him.... cuz we're friends)
"We were listening to your music on our Ipod" (Yeah... I don't think that
was true)
"That's awesome" -Pumpkin Ry (another nickname... it happens when you're as
close as we are)
"Can we have a picture with you?" -us
"Yeah sure" -Ry-nocerous*Friend Takes Picture*
"Ryan, you look like a douche" -Ryan Krispies Friend
"It happens" - Ry-pod

Just another name to add to my impressive list a really famous celebrities

-Bryce Avary (Rocket Summer)

-Everyone but the girl in Paramore

-Justin Guarini (American Idol Runner up like 10 years ago)

-Henry Ian Cusack (Desmond on Lost)

-Thayne Jasperson, Chelsey Hightower, Mollee Gray, Alison Holker (SYTYCD)

*Ryan Cabrerra

I am sure everyone here knows who every person on this list is....

Thankgiving Dinner

2009-11-20T06:44:00.000-08:00

I guess it was technically lunch... but we just finished!!! oh man, it was the strangest thing ever.

I was in charge of rolls, adn those of you who know me well know that I shouldn't cook.

I remember when I was a senior in high school, a new family moved in to my ward. I was on some "Mormons do good" high, so I was planning on making them cookies. My mom said I couldn't. She told me I should just go to the store and buy some if I wanted to give them cookies.

You know you can't cook when your mom doesn't let you make cookies for the new neighbors.

Aladdin lived in the Colosseum

2009-11-06T02:47:00.001-08:00

Aladdin, originally uploaded by briborup.

Did you ever watch Aladdin? Then you know the part where he is with Jasmine and he rolls the apple over his arms. It obviously took place right here.

PS. Some one said this to me yesterday... just joking, I read it in an Italian song.
"Il monda era vuoto prima tu. Mio luce, mio cor"

Guys in the street

2009-10-27T02:51:00.001-07:00

Everyday on my one hour truck from my tuscan country home into the city I see the same people... I'd like to share a few highlights that are the highlights of them all.

First, I wake up to the beaming vision of ouy nonna, walking around in pajamas, and uttering stuff in italian we never understand.

At the best stop, we wait with the same lady everyday. We don't know her name, but she always says buongiorno and wears a pink jacket.

Then there is the bus driver... who sometimes doesn't stop for us... rude.

Two girl get on the bus from new york who are also doing a study abroad.

One the way to school, we see the man chalk drawing in the street. The first time, we were impressed to see him. But, as time has gone on, we realized that he has no drawings of his own, merely he copies famous art works... and goes through a cycle of three of them

Then there is the man who paints himself gold... and stands there. He earns money for some reason that I can't figure out. He moves... and stands next to a movie camera made of cardboard... He really contributes a lot to society

At school we are greeted by our italian teacher Andrea. He is a skinny man who smells like smoke and scratches his head a lot. Italian is hard.

Then there is Aaron, our program director. He usually pretty easy to spot. just look for khaki pants and a pastel shirt and there he is. We love him and his gorgeous children.

Our day wouldn't be complete without the guy on the bus on the way home. No matter where he sits, or what we talk about he will stare at us for the entire thirty minutes home.

Ricchi... or something like that

2009-09-21T02:02:00.000-07:00

So, I have always really really loved dogs…. And because of this love I was pretty sure that I could control them with my mind.

Meet Richi, it is my host mom’s dog. He looks really adorable and little and timid. When we first got there Nonna said that we were never supposed to touch the dog because it bites. So, what do I do? As soon as I’m outside again I try to use my mind powers to calm Richi. At first it work, and I pet him once. Then I reached out again and he bit me… no flesh was torn, and no serious injuries occurred, but all the same it was quite startling.

I plan on trying my dog whispering skills again as soon as possible

Laughing in the Colosseum

2009-09-18T05:31:00.000-07:00

I love the Ancient Romans. I really, really do. So, of course my favorite part of Rome was the Colosseum. Just imagine this HUGE stadium back in the day. Thousands of people from all around the world probably came to see the sports that took place here, and of course they weren’t football.

We learned about all kinds of sports that were played, mostly involved death. They had animals fighting animals, people fighting animals, people fighting people. I guess it is even thought that they would fill part of it up with water and have naval type battles!

Now, of course, I would have been a gladiator. I imagine I would have won every battle... So what else could I do in the Colosseum but laugh at all of my triumphs.

Indiana Jones

2009-09-03T21:43:00.000-07:00

Before I start, I should not be blogging now.... I have 6 hours before I need to leave to the airport, and I find it very important to update my Ipod... and I need to sleep... This is the kind of dedication I am giving...

So, today I was thinking about who I would like to be when I grew. Ya know, a type of hero for me. No quite captures the essence of who I want to be like Indiana Jones. I figure we already have our similarities already; He's an adventurer, I'm a future adventurer. He is good looking, I don't scare children when I look at them. He wears a hat, I would if my head wasn't so large (thanks dad). Basically, I am already Indiana Jones.
And, with that lovely intro I give you....

BRIndiana Jones

I know it looks real, but I actualy did it by myself in paint, as I have not the luxury of photo shop.
Now, the differences.... There aren't really any, but for compare and contrast sake, I will search for some.
One, maybe he couldn't call his mom at every opportunity, but if he lived in an aparment full of young adult women I do believe he would.
Two, maybe he isn't scared of trees at night. BUT if he had heard the story of stumpy from my neighbors dad when he was only five I'm sure he'd think twice before he walked under an oak tree at night.
Three, he might not need his dog to go with him to the basement.... no excuses there.
Four, he is a he, I is a she.
Five, nothing else... that is it

Packing...

2009-09-02T23:02:00.000-07:00

Me and Mickey... I was supposed to kiss his cheek... but I couldn't do that to my home girl Minnie

The beach is no place for a camera... so I didn't get to many picture

I just got back from Hawaii yesterday, and I had just gotten back from Disneyland before that (which, on the way back, I got a ticket... livid) and now I have so much to do before I leave AGAIN early early friday morning...
it's amazing how many things there are to think about. Demanding seems to be the way my head thinks about it; I need socks, I need copies of my passport, I need to be comfy on the plane, I need a jacket, I need shampoo, I need a dictionary, I need to apply for spring, I need I need I need. I have found myself being very hostile to... me. The relationship isn't making for a strong mental state before I leave for big bad Roma, Italia.

ARRIVIDERCI AMERICA!!!!