One more week (and a month) to go...

This past week has been awesome, in varying levels of awesome-ness. Of course, that means that with the good there was bad. Here is a photo montage of cool stuff and random-ness.

Photo #1: Amanda with a mask. She was using toxic smelling glue and doesn't want her unborn baby to have two heads.

Photo#2: A $3.00 CD in a $5.00 bin. Awesome. I did find a really great CD of Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson on VH1 Storytellers. Only five bucks!
Photo #3: A costume idea that represents Utah for the upcoming Mrs. America pageant.
Hopefully it works out. We talked about her ideas and I sketched this out. It's for an former neighbor of my parents who is heading to the pageant this week. Vote for her here!

Photo #4: My set for Aristophanes' The Birds, for design studies. It's due tomorrow!

Photo#5 Eeep!

Nah, I'm just kidding. It's totally a joke.

Photo #6 Our new computer.
Our old one bit the dust so we gave in and bought a new one. It's so tiny!

And, with that, I'm going to sleep. It's been a long, productive weekend!

Oh! This is for Jenny:

Banana Cupcakes

1 1/2 cups self-rising flour

1 1/4 cup all purpose flour

3/4 cup butter (1 1/2 sticks)

2 cups sugar

3 large eggs at room temperature

2 large very ripe bananas, pureed

1 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

Line muffin tins with cupcake liners (I wound up with about 40 cupcakes finished.)

Combine flours in a small bowl, set aside for later use. Add vanilla to the milk, set aside.

In a large bowl, cream butter until smooth with an electric mixer. Gradually add the sugar and beat until fluffy. Add the eggs, one a time and beat well after each addition. Add banana puree, blend well. Add the dry ingredients in parts, alternating with the milk/vanilla mixture. Beat well but don't over beat. Fill the muffin tins 2/3 full, bake for 15-20 minutes until a cake tester is inserted into the center of the cupcakes comes out clean. Cool the cupcakes in the tins for 15 minutes and then finish cooling on a wire rack before icing.

Hey Jenny, I fixed it! Now the banana cupcakes actually contain banana!

SPRING BREAK!!!

Or, spring break-down could be a more apt description for today. I had an awful paper to write for a theory class and I was having a really rough time getting it together. A few hours and a crying session with James later and I had a first draft sent to my Mom for feedback. It was amazing how much better I felt about everything after that. Honestly. I'll finish and submit it on Monday. Awesome.

I also made a miniature baby grand piano for my set design class.
It still needs paint and details but it's basically there! We're sharing furniture for the class and I volunteered to make the piano. I'm going to make the rest of my furniture just in case I want to include this project in my portfolio. Spooky.

I'm glad that the break has started, I know that we both are in sore need of a break.

Oh! I have a funny story to tell about my cute new sandals:

They were supposed to arrive on Thursday which corresponded with James' field trip to Elko (the engineers have ALL the fun) but when I got home they weren't there. I didn't really think too much of it until my old roommate texted me. Her grandparents left her a message about a box that arrived for me, at their house. I thought about it for a second and realized that the last time I had ordered from 6pm was when I bought my wedding shoes when I was still living at the grandparents house. It was pretty funny. I picked them up the next day and they are WONDERFUL! I'm so excited to wear them because they are so comfortable and cute in a slightly hippie way.

That is all.

Whew

Now that James has an early class I find that I have a lot more free time. I would go back to bed like an normal person but for some reason I can't fall back asleep after I wake up in the morning.

What did I do?

Watched the first five episodes of the first season of 30 Rock.

Whoa.

Netflix is so cool.

I'll update with something more worth-while later.

As I sit in the library...

I'm sitting in the library, on campus, "working" on my thesis. It's really a "Plan B Report" but "thesis" makes sense to people. As I sit, waiting to jump back into writing and editing, I am reminded of a few things:

1. Libraries are cool in numerous ways, including air conditioning and potentially free entertainment. I say potentially because sometimes fees are involved.
2. I had a really strange dream last night involving a seriously overdue library book. Really? Who dreams about that kind of stuff AND feels anxiety about it? Oh, me.
3. I am half way through my grad school career. A year from now I will be hopefully working on my last chapter, getting it ready for a committee review before I defend it. AHHHH! And, James and I will celebrate our first anniversary. Whoa.

Now that I have that out of my system I'm going to get to work on writing about "Always...Patsy Cline."

24 Days to go!

Do you ever feel like this?

Despite appearances, this picture is of six kids who are actually very intelligent and quite cute. It's just a bad photo. I sort of feel like that is how this week has been. I'm not really an awful person, I just seem like it. It's really frustrating when things just don't work out even though you've been trying really hard. It's almost like the more you do the more you fail. That is SUCH a terrible outlook! I can't wait for Thanksgiving break: family and my favorite meal of the year.



Honestly, have you ever seen a worse picture?

Birthdays and Teeth

I recently received a piece of mail addressed to "Aunt Lindsay" from my niece, Avery. It was an invitation to her birthday party. This is the picture my sister, Hilary, chose for the invitation:

Say what you will about head flowers, this one is cute!

Here is another shot that shows off her adorable blonde hair:
I PROMISE, my niece has eyes. I just wound up choosing pictures where her eyes are closed.

Speaking of physical oddities, I noticed something about myself recently. I have rather sizable chompers. I noticed it a few days ago during dress rehearsals for "Sweeney Todd" when I was helping people with hair and make-up. It was really weird and it got me thinking about a picture that was posted on Facebook at a friend's wedding:I look like I'm wearing fake teeth, like those hillbilly teeth if they had had proper dental care! Also, it made me realize how out of shape I really am but that's another story. Why do my teeth look so massive? Is it a physical actuality or just a bad photo? If it is just a bad photo, how do you explain the realization in the dressing room mirrors? It's a mystery!

BUT, it could also just be a culmination of the past two weeks worth of work and lack of sleep. You can blame sleep deprivation on a host of maladies...right?

OVERLOAD

First up, I had artist hands today at school. They haven't been this dirty since, well, I was an art major and we were drawing with charcoal. I don't know I was so messy today with my pencils. I look like I've been high five-ing a chimney sweep.








Secondly, my toothpaste contains mini breath strips. It makes me giggle.

And now, for something that doesn't make me giggle.

Wednesday nights have officially reached a new and horrific low. The geniuses at the CW have decided to showcase models in not one, but TWO shows. You know a show is bad when America's Next Top Model looks pretty good in comparison. It's called "The Beautiful Life: TBL" and it is awful. First off, why add "TBL" to the end? Why not the beginning? Why do it at all? Unfortunately the title is just the beginning of the mayhem. Here's the recap of tonight's episode:

This cycle is made up of "petite" models, all 5'7" and under. How in the world would you make these freakishly short models look taller? HAVE THEM POSE WITH JOCKEYS! Jockeys! Seriously. All mocking aside, the pictures were kind of cool. But, before they could pose with Jockeys, the girls had to meet with the head of Wilhelmina modeling so he could determine their potential. One girl was sent home right then and there. She was the one who reminded me of one of the girls on The Soup but I couldn't find her picture so hopefully these will suffice:

Anyway. It was sort of sad because right before she was eliminated she said something along the lines of "I'm so happy to be here. This is such a great opportunity." Don't speak too soon, it usually doesn't bode well.

During the episode there were several of the girls who were acting, well, just about their age. Sundai and Erin were acting like dumb 18 year olds while Kourtney was acting like a dumb 18 year old despite the fact she is 22. Ouch. I like it when people who are adults, act like adults. Anyway, on with the episode. The girls posed with Jockeys and horses. I was sort of surprised it wasn't a bigger disaster, it is only week two, after all. My favorites Brittany, Kara, Nicole, and Laura all did well. They made up the top spots. Bianca (who is moving off of my favorites list) complained about her hair and looked really awkward in her photo. She was in the bottom two, again. But, once again, she made it to another week on the show. Hopefully being in the bottom two will knock the attitude right out of her (although judging from the previews for next weeks episode, the attitude is intact.)

And next up is "TBL." Oh, it was BAD. I guess that everyone has a space in their heart for a show/movie/music group/whatever that is just so bad it is hardly even in guilty pleasure zone. Well, I don't have enough room in my heart (or time in my schedule) for this show.

Here are my favorite cringe-worthy moments:

1. Zac Posen yelling, "I need a sew-er! I need a sew-er!"

Okay, so I realize that you, Zac Posen, are indeed a successful and real-life fashion designer, but calling a stitcher a "sew-er" is just wrong. What, are you next going to refer to your cutter/draper as a slicer/flinger? I could understand if the designer was untrained like Lauren Conrad but, Zac Posen? Last time I checked he was a legitimate designer who has been working for years. I mean, he studied at Central St. Martins for crying out loud! Do they have a research department? Who do the writers talk to when they are coming up with this garbage? Why didn't Zac Posen say anything? What the heck.

.

2. The run way finale.

I'm no fashion expert, but I've been reading fashion magazines for over a decade now plus I watched enough fashion shows on-line to believe the finale. I seriously doubt that it would allow for a model to just STAND there looking shocked while rose petals rain down. Seriously? Really? Double ugh.
(Special ughs are reserved for the dress and the styling. I would really like to know who is responsible for the clothing and styling for this show. I predict that if Stella McCartney was on the show, the geniuses would dress the models up in fur and send them down the runway in leather shoes. Yeah right like Stella McCartney would get involved with this.)

.

.

3. "Signature" runway walks

Once again, I'm no expert but past experience has shown that walking in a runway show with your arms swinging with wild abandon is NOT a good thing. Neither is stomping so hard that you look like your Jimmy Choos might punch a hole in the runway. Jay Alexander would totally have their heads. Just in case you didn't see the show, arm swinger is on the left and Stompy McStomperson is on the right. I'm not going to lie, they were really fun to imitate as I was telling my roommate about the stupid show. Did I mention the head flings by Stompy? It was almost as bad as McKey's signature pose.

.
.

4. Best. Quote. Ever.

Dude on the right is vacationing in NYC with his family who are from a farm town in Iowa. Farmer Dad is griping about the cost of the meal when he utters the quote of the night:

"We'll be paying off this family vacation for the next three harvests!"

My friend Lacy posted some awesome comments about a preview of this show. You can find it HERE!

Whoa. (I just wish I had a picture of the family and not of two of the model/stars. Nothing says farmer from the midwest like a plaid flannel shirt.)

The Glass Menagerie opens a week from tomorrow. HOLY CRAP!!!!

I Hate Hidden Valley Ranch

Today had all of the potential to be a really great day. It started out well enough, I woke up early and went for a run and found a really cool path by a stream. After a shower and breakfast, I decided to have a Harry Potter movie marathon in preparation for the "Half Blood Prince" on Saturday. Sometime during the movie I decided to start eating some of the chocolate chip cookies I made yesterday. That was probably when it started to go down hill. Combine the cookie overdose with dribbling raspberry Crystal Light down my front and possibly staining my "Live United" tee shirt, and I wasn't feeling (or looking) too hot. I tried to remedy the situation by drinking more water and eating healthier food for the rest of the day. I also changed my shirt before I headed out to Wal-Mart to buy more allergy medicine.

Speaking of which, why is that whenever you go somewhere looking like crap you see someone you know? Some how I have managed to avoid this twice so far this year. The first time I went out with a coat over my pajama shirt (don't worry, I was wearing jeans, my first name is Lindsay but my last name isn't Lohan.) I was sure I would see someone as I tried to pass my pajama top off as a plaid shirt, apparently they were hot this past winter. But, I didn't see anyone. The cashier didn't even give me a weird look. It probably has something to do with the following facts:

1. I live in Logan, land of flannel shirts, jeans, and hiking boots.
2. It's a college town, there are some pretty sloppy dressers.
3. It's Wal-Mart.

Anyway, this time I went out wearing a tee-shirt (not the raspberry splattered shirt from before) with track pants and my graffiti KangaRoos. I didn't see anyone I knew. I was actually a tensey bit disappointed because I haven't been really social today. Oh well.

Back to the day's events...I decided to take advantage of the fact that NBC.com has a ba-jillion full episodes of "30 Rock" on their web side. Little did I know the price I would pay by watching several episodes (including my favorite one, guest starring, Oprah.) Rather than replay all of the commericals, the folks at NBC designate one sponsor per episode and play ONE COMMERICAL OVER AND OVER AGAIN. Unfortunately for me, I chose episodes that were mostly sponsored by Hidden Valley Ranch. That commercial makes me sick. You know the one I mean; it starts out with a carnival scene and everyone is eating vegetables dipped in Ranch dressing and having a great old time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKwT6eVDJ64

Not so.

1. Cauliflower masquerading as popcorn just looks gross. The sick factor is upped by the shot of the girl dispensing ranch over the bucket of cauliflower like a soda jerk would dispense fudge sauce on an ice cream sundae (or a movie theatre attendant would dispense fake butter over a bucket of popcorn...I wanted to choose a less obvious comparison.)
2. The tag line: "It makes vegetables delectable." It's probably the repetition alone but it makes me feel sick.
3. The copious amounts of ranch dressing poured over the salad at the end? Disgusting.
4. Did I mention that I don't think I can eat ranch dressing any more? It's far from my favorite dressing anyway but I think I'm going to abstain for a while

I just needed to get that off my chest.

"I would never swim in a pond! they're infamous for serpents!"

I went to FHE this evening with the understanding that there would be a pond to swim in and a slide for umm, sliding. Generally I share Dr. John Dorian's philosophy although I have more issues with large fish and pond scum than serpents. Anyhow, despite my initial misgivings I decided to bring my swimming suit just in case I changed my mind.

I am SO glad that I did! The slide was made out of old vinyl signs draped over hay bales and all of that was placed on a fairly large hill above a pond. It was so much fun! I only wished that I had my camera out sooner because by the time I got it out of the car and I was in my suit, the sun was already going down. Here are some pictures anyway, sorry about the quality. My awesome roommate Clarissa accidentally made two short films as she was trying to take my picture. I was happy with the mistake.

The pond with the slide and the picnic pavilion:

The brave souls congregating at the top of the hill, awaiting their turns.

Sliding down on a pillow in a garbage bag, effectively slippery and cozy.

The splash down in the pool. I managed to go down the slide several times and NEVER go under nor did I swallow any of the water.
And the videos
Part One:


INTERMISSION

Part Two:

Actually...

I guess the last entry was a little misleading about the cake antics. I have decorated cakes previously, infact, when I was 11 or 12 I started decorating my own cakes. Here is a post from last spring, right after I made marshmallow fondant for the first time. Sorry folks!

Click here to go to the post. Please notice how much my formatting has improved, I struggled there for a while.

Really Ron Howard, really?

I ate at the Bluebird Cafe this weekend, courtesy of my aunt and uncle who were visiting Logan with their two youngest kids. After dinner Kathryn asked if I wanted to go see "Angels and Demons" at the Dollar Theatre. I enthusiastically answered yes because I wanted to see this:

and because I'm a fan of this:
and because I really liked this:
However I didn't really like the movie all that much. It started off sort of unfaithful, the CERN scenes were all smashed into one that wasn't in the book, and then it veered off into "what the what" territory. Okay, I realize that movies and books are usually different but I can usually overlook it. I had a hard time this time around. The ending was totally different and the events leading up to it bore little resemblance to the book. It was almost like the writers of the movie only had one book to share and rather than take turns reading the entire book, they decided to designate one writer to read the book. Rather than relay the story to the whole group they whispered the plot to each other one by one like a game of telephone.


I'm sure that's not how it really happened but it seemed like it. It was sort of enjoyable in the sense that an action movie is enjoyable--things blow up, special effects, CGI...that sort of thing. Apparently they were banned from filming in areas of Italy so duplicate sets were built and there was a whole lot of CGI. If you do see the film, pay special attention to the scene where Robert and Vittoria are walking into the Pantheon, there is some wodgey CGI. With all that said, I want to go to Rome and see all the amazing art for myself. There's only so much you can get from books and movies.

It'll happen some day.

What to do, what to do...

Recently I had a conversation with an acquaintance. During the talking/listening I thought of another intense young lady:

I really wish I had the sound effect that goes along with this because it would have been so apt for the situation.



This makes me wonder, how do you handle a scenario where someone devulges unwelcome personal information? How do you deal with a person who invades your personal space (literally and figuratively) without insulting them? How do you tactfully dodge odd requests and possible favors? I feel like in my almost 26 years of being alive I should be equipped to handle various situations but I am at a loss. I feel as though I could possibly chalk it up to the fact that I consider myself to be an introverted person. I usually don't get up into other people's "biz-nazz" (okay, that's only really funny when spoken and not by me.) Like I was saying, I usually don't butt myself into other's people's business even if I feel like my opinion would be a help to them.
Anyway, any advice?

One other item of news. I made a "Beethoven Day" stencil for You're A Good Man Charlie Brown at the Lyric Theatre. Snoopy wears the shirt during the Beethoven Day number, it's sort of exciting to see my stencil on stage and not just in my closet.

Weekend Randomness

Last summer my sister disappeared into a bathroom with my phone and emerged with these photos:



The nicest bathroom I have ever seen in a fast food establishment. Where might this rather posh lavatory be located? Would you believe the McDONALDS in Yakima, Washington??? The rest of the "restaurant" was strangely nice. There was wood paneling, imitation marble, and a fire place. And I thought Crownburger was the only hamburger joint with a fireplace.

When?

Do you ever feel like something is going to happen? That sort of feeling that makes you want to get up in the morning. Or it makes it sort of difficult to go to sleep at night, like a kid at Christmas. I've felt this way for the past couple of weeks now and I'm not sure why. It's not a feeling of foreboding or doom, it's more akin to the last day of school.
Maybe I'm crazy but I still feel like something great is going to happen.

Things that ARE going to happen in the next month:
Hilary and Avery are going to come for a week long visit.
I am going to my mission reunion.
I'm going to find out my design assignment for this fall at Utah State.

One thing that I hope happens, sooner than later:
A DATE!

That's all. Back to school on Monday.

Our Dog...

My family's dog, Klondike, visited the groomer's today.

The last time this happened Lauren cried. Granted, it was almost six years ago. He looks like a completely different dog.

I fell today on the sidewalk

It was a generally overcast day in Logan today, cold and wet. I was on my way to school when I slid on the icy sidewalk. At first I thought, "Whoa! I totally dodged that--" I didn't get to finish that thought because next thing I knew I was on my back. Rather than spring to my feet, I laid on the ground, assessing the situation. While I was contemplating the wet ground I heard a little voice say, "Are you okay?" It was one of the elementary school kids that was walking to school at the same time I was headed to the university. I told him I was okay and I then I thanked him for asking if I was okay. It was a vaguely embarrassing situation and slightly painful as well. It reminded me of the time I fell on my mission (okay, one of the times I fell.)
Sister Jorgensen and I had been serving together in Medina for a week or two when I fell. The road in front of our apartment was being repaired and as a result there was a good 24" drop off. This was no problem for Jorgensen because she was about 5'10" and had the legs to prove it. I'm 5'3" or so and I also have the legs to prove it although not in the same way. Jorgensen was able to easily step up onto the pre-existing curb due to her long legs. I was not as lucky. I lost my footing and almost face planted into the gravel. As if on cue a driver slammed on his breaks and said, "Jinkies! That looked like it hurt!"
I'm not sure if that is how you spell it but that guy in Medina actually said it.

I just wrote a short play

Unlike many of my post titles this one isn't just an odd combination of words or a song lyric. This one is REAL! While I am proud of myself for finishing the project I have no illusions of becoming a playwright or ever writing another play (unless called upon to write one as an assignment, again.) This experience has reminded me of two other projects that I completed last year that were in an unfamiliar media. I wrote poetry last year. I'm not a poet, I don't claim to be one nor do I profess any expertise in the field. I was just fulfilling an assignment. Ironically the easiest project was probably the first poetry assignment where I was supposed to write two poems in French. How weird is that? I can't speak French, much less compose a poem of some quality. The second poetry assignment was really uncomfortable because

1) I didn't have a foreign language to hide behind


2) I had to write about myself


3) I had to wade through some old memories of some awkward moments.


Okay, who am I kidding? I have awkward moments just about everyday! You would think I would be used to it by now!

Actually, one of my most recent awkward moments involved getting my car jumped. Apparently the radio doesn't automatically shut off if it has been turned on when the car is off (even if the volume is off). Stretch that out for three days and voila! you have a worn out battery. All is well now.

Tessie, pre-accident and pre license plates days. I really love my car.

And on one final random point, does anyone else think there could be such a thing as store induced amnesia? Case in point, I went to Wal-Mart today and I could not remember for the life of me what I was going to buy. It was like the low prices and big box atmosphere had sucked my shopping list from my brain. It was ridiculous! I am SO making a list next month.

Ummm

Have you ever jumped into a big project and then part-way through thought, "Ummm." Keep in mind that the "ummm" is usually accompanied by a blank mind and a deer in the headlights look. I'm sort of there right now. Kind of really in fact.
The good thing is that I have a week until I can REALLY start panicking and there are people to help out. I have about five more wigs to style, one to sew into a hat, two hair pieces to style, and a whole bunch of make up plots to complete. This is so completely different than costume design. On the plus side I will have two hours tomorrow to work on my stuff, which is two more than usual. Oh, and I will have extra time on Tuesday and Thursday. Maybe it's not so bad. I hope.
I'm grateful for the opportunity to expand as a designer, don't get me wrong. It's just a teensy bit more than I had originally thought. I am glad that the only person to blame in that instance is ME! Whoo hoo for being a designer.

On the plus side I have decided what to be for Halloween. I only need to buy one thing (although I'll probably pick up some trim and stuff.) I'll see if anyone can guess who I'm going to be:

You look like...

Apparently I look like my brother, my Mom, my aunt, my sister, Tina Majorino, Julie Christie, and even Angelina Jolie. The first comment was made my a friend of my younger sister. She hadn't met me until this week and she made the comparison when she thought I was out of earshot.

I've been told that I look like my mom for as long as I can remember.

The comparisons to my aunt Emily started around the time she got married and I attended her bridal shower. A girl in my ballet class (this was a LONG time ago) thought she was my older sister when she picked me up from class once.

Just about everyone who knows Hilary and me has called me "Hilary." I wish I was as beautful as Hil!

The Tina Majorino comparisons were mostly in elementary school. Usually people would say something like, "You look like that girl from Waterworld" or "You look like that girl from Andre." I don't really get it much any more.

My friend Mel told me I looked like Julie Christie in college.

The make up artist at Lancome told me I looked like Angelina Jolie in my Weber student ID picture. I thought it was hilarious.


Just for kicks...the results from the internet.

Washington Trip

Rather than post a whole bunch of pictures on my blog, I'm going to post a link to my Facebook photo albums. http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=51732&l=f239c&id=556534065
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=51727&l=84402&id=556534065
We had a great time and Jordan is home. It was nice to have the family all together for a few days. I'm really going to miss Hilary and Josh when they move to Vegas at the end of the week. It has all happened so fast, our house is going to be nearly empty before my parents know it.

Today I had a strange experience as I ate my lunch at Pei Wei in Bountiful. I was sitting with my back to a trio of management people talked about sales and things. I was minding my own business when suddenly I felt a hand clamp on my shoulder and I found myself face to face with the manager. She said, "I'm sorry we're being so loud. We're Americans! We love the Olympics!" I was pretty taken aback and said, "Uh, it's okay. I'm an American too." It was really weird, I didn't do anything out of the ordinary. I was just sitting, minding my own business, and eating my Vietnamese Chicken Salad rolls (I love those, I think I'm addicted.)

Any thoughts?