I should be their spokesperson. With free admission.

There are new additions to the OKC Zoo! A two-week old giraffe named Sergeant Peppers, as well as a two-month old okapi named Nia. Their pictures are really cute. (And so are the names! Sergeant Peppers? Nia? D'aaaaaaaaw.....! One has to wonder what inspired the Beatles reference.)

Zoo, I was already in withdrawal. This is not helping.

Pictures not mine - they were taken by the Zoo and posted to their Facebook.

Sergeant Peppers & Mom, Ellie

Nia with Mom, Caroli

Finally, I saw Once.

So there's not really a lot to spoil in this movie, but I do give away the ending if you don't want to know. If that's the case, I thought it was a really beautiful, quiet film, the music is gorgeous, but the pace can be sometimes slow so just be aware of that going in. It works well for it, especially in developing their relationship, but yeah... sometimes for the viewer its still slow going. There, now you don't have to read the review I just worked an hour on. ;)




Whaaaaat? You hadn't seen Once yet?

I know, I know.

For those of you who haven't heard of Once, I can assure you that when it came out in 2007 it was HUGE. It was all I heard about. I don't really have a reason for having not seen it until now - it just never happened. But earlier this week I was wandering around our library - to which I have recently reacquainted myself with - and I was surprised to see the title there so I thought Why not? 

Once is a modern-day musical with the songs developing naturally within the storyline (as the two main characters are musicians) and they handle this so well. I can see how people who avoid musicals could fall in love with it since the music intertwines with the plot and characters so perfectly. In fact, the more I go back and think on it and the more I listen to the music afterward (because you will), the lyrics to so many of songs fit all the relationships involved. But not in a way that's generic or bland - the lyrics are just really deft.
Take the lyrics to (certainly) its most popular song "Falling Slowly":

Take this sinking boat & point it home, we've still got time/ raise your hopeful voice, you have a choice/ you've made it known....

This, to me, sums up the entire movie. 

While these lyrics are certainly (and often) attributed to the feelings between the Guy & the Girl - they were written before they met. These lyrics were originally intended for the Guy &, um, Former Girl and they certainly sync with both relationships. It's really beautiful how skillfully (and subtly) the entire movie is handled but how well the lyrics mash up with all three relationships involved. Those lyrics also apply to Girl & Former Guy.
Subtle is a great word here.  Once is a very quiet movie - in tone, in action, in character, in plot etc. With the exception of "Say It To Me Now" (which I loooove) your leads are very quiet characters.

Interesting note: usually whenever stories refuse to give their characters names - especially in movies - it tends to really bother me because it sticks out so much. It always seems obvious, heavy handed, as in 'hey, we're really trying to say something here' and it gets frustrating. Surprisingly here, I didn't even notice until after it was over and I was reading a review that mentioned it. Simply labeled 'Guy' & 'Girl' in this story, it's never over the top, never reaching. It truly manages to come across as a documentary peeking in on these two lives as they happen to intersect at this particular moment in time and it does that dead on.

This movie is just beautiful - not necessarily a lot happens, and it can certainly feel slow - but by the end of it you somehow feel like you just witnessed something precious and tender. Their relationship develops quickly, but doesn't feel forced. (These are fantastic actors for these roles.) The ending really sealed the deal for me, but its probably in how I interpreted it, because you could certainly interpret it in several ways and have evidence to prove your point. For me, this was less about unrequited love and more about healing. I didn't feel like Guy & Girl ended up in loveless relationships, but I guess you never really know that. Partially, I just didn't want them to, but I also feel like the hopeful twinge at the end of the movie implies the idea that they had an incredible week, would forever have an amazing bond, but made their choices elsewise and were still content. I feel like this week was a catharsis for them, finally through each other being able to heal again and move past the hurt and re-evaluate themselves. 
Ultimately, this movie is all about choices. Girl chooses to leave Former Guy. Guy chooses to leave Former Girl. Girl & Guy meet and have to choose how to handle their bond and where it goes from there.

Also, quite frankly, I loved that there were boundaries in this film. There are so many films that explore the sexual nature of relationships, and that's fine, but this one very bluntly said no and that created so much more interest. It also helped to really develop the sweetness & trust between them. It was just really refreshing to actually see them carry that throughout their relationship.
"I'm sorry, I screwed up. I'm lonely, you're gorgeous and I promise it'll never happen again."

Also, I really liked the Broken Hearted Hoover-Fixer Sucker Guy song. :)

Once isn't perfect - again, not a lot really happens. While the songs are gorgeous sometimes they feel a little longer than they should be and that can start to wear on you, especially since there's so little actual action in between. Also, its really hard to understand Girl's Czech, especially at first. Towards the end I started debating if I had actually liked it, but before the credits were rolling I had decided I did. The more I mused on it later the more all of its aspects melded in my mind and its just really well done. I should watch it again because I'd probably love it more knowing more the pace I was getting into.

Just so you know ahead of time, this movie is rated R for really strong language, but that's the only reason. (Also, so that you know in case kiddos are around.)

If you haven't heard "Falling Slowly" you should, so I'm posting it here if you're interested. It did win the Oscar for Best Song, and I'm glad, not only because of how crucial it was to the film but because of gorgeous it is.

A Flowery Post: ArtNow 2012

So last Friday we had a great opportunity at the shop to provide flowers for the City Arts Center's largest fundraiser of their year. It was a lot of fun and we even had a chance to go, so it was an enjoyable evening. (Oh, and they had chocolate covered strawberries from the Melting Pot....) 
Flowers!

I loved my bosses piece for the large table.

We also did about ten cubes for bistro tables that were placed throughout the exhibits. In the end I was really pleased with the way they came out. Initially I was a little anxious with my bosses concept since it was going to be a modern art show and the flowers we were choosing (and style) was not really.... stylized. But they ended up being a perfect fit: relaxed enough to soften the atmosphere and not compete with the other art, but just a touch of something fresh or sleek to make them stand on their own when noticed.

Anyway, since I was so pleased with them and since sometimes you ask what I do at work, here are some of my cubes:

I think this is my favorite. Thank you lily grass for standing so nice & tall! :)

This technique is called nesting. I haven't actually attempted it much - but I see it everywhere - so it was nice to try. I like the look, I'll have to play with it more often.

Heh, yes, same arrangement, just a different shot. I just liked the pic. :)

And okay, since most of you have asked for this picture:

 Also, while I'm already talking flowers and to condense the number of those posts, my boss had this amaaaaaaazing casket piece a few months back. Amaaaaaaazing.

Seriously, the amount of skill that went into this just wows me.

I mean, from that table this thing is almost reaching the floor. If you need a visual for size, it stretched across the top of the entire casket. While full couches (read: casket pieces that span the entire length of the top) aren't necessarily unusual anywhere, they're not really common in our area. Its true a lot of that is due to budget, but its also due to the fact that people open the casket during the service and want to slide the arrangement down to the end. So an opportunity to watch her build one is rare. (I had no work on this one. All her. I just observed and helped move the sucker.)

Anyway, that's what we've been up to. :) Valentine's Day is two and a half weeks away, we just began consulting an a wedding for the summer and we're slowly transitioning over into spring. Huzzah!

The Valentine's Day Vote: For Shawnee-ites

Truthfully, politics and I don't mix much - especially local politics. I have no idea what's going on in my small town most of the time. (Not as true anymore because my boss knows all - otherwise I would have no clue.) And that's true in this case as well. While it has had articles in the paper, I honestly would have had no real idea this was occurring if it hadn't been brought to my attention.

I know, that makes me a lazy citizen.

But despite my personal avoidance of most things in this nature, I'm still a little aghast that the powers-that-be in Shawnee (ha! a rhyme.) seem to be so deadset on this upcoming park and that a lot of people don't really seem to know it's happening at all. (Again, usually I would be one of them.)

And that really, really bothers me in this case since they're trying to raise our local taxes.

So here's the deal from what I understand. (Though I won't pretend to be unbiased in my opinion.)

The ballot will have these items on it and the one I'm particularly interested in is the first one. Taken direct from that website:

"Prop 1: Expo Center/ Family Activity Park:
The purpose of this proposition is to provide revenues for funding capital expenditures for the use and benefit of the City, including improvements at the Heart of Shawnee Exposition Center ($2.5 million) and the design, construction and equipping of a Family Activity Park ($19 million).Funding: $21.5 million (funded by 0.50% increase in sales tax)."


$19 million?! 19 million?!?!
Wait, wait, wait....

First off, you're raising taxes. Considering our town just announced a few months ago that it had a huge budget shortage due to sales tax receipts being low - because people leave Shawnee to go shop in the city - raising taxes does not seem ideal. This would put us up to a 9% sales tax. How exactly does that provide any incentive to stay local? I would tell you exact numbers on OKC tax rates, but currently the Sales Tax Locater appears to be down on the OK Tax Commission website.

Also, what's the cost of sustaining this park? In this video they mention that it will be an expected $340,000 annual operating costs - also paid through the sales tax. In another video they say that they "hope" it will be sustaining. That....doesn't sound promising to me. That concerns me. What if its not? What then?

And am I wrong or wasn't it not that long ago that some of our schools were considering a four day school week to save money? If you're going to raise taxes, aren't there more basic things we could be using this for?

Look, I'm not against building a nice sports facility and I'll admit the conceptual drawings look pretty cool. I'm also all for improving the city. But I still think this is a lot of money. I also know in the past Shawnee has underbid certain things and they've ended up costing a lot more than they initially planned. I realize things like that happen but if that happened in this case - are we potentially looking at a $20 or $21 million park? Are we looking at actually $500,000 in operating costs? Is there anyway that facility could ever sustain itself without completely using taxes? Because at this point it looks like you're raising taxes entirely for this one facility. (Sure, the Expo is on there too, but I feel those renovations will be nothing compared to the cost they're talking here.)

Personally, I just can't do that. I'm completely open to your rebuttals, I will totally listen and am willing to change my mind if you can. Also, I'm frustrated that the vote is on Valentine's for obvious reasons, but I do plan to somehow get myself down to the courthouse if I get off in time. 

For? Against? Had you heard about it? Did you realize it would be that much money? Did I get something wrong? (Please correct me.) What do you think?

My one request: Currently, I prefer my blog not to be mentioned on the wall of Facebook. Anywhere else - private messages over FB, text, whatever else is fine. I don't really expect a blog to be private - nor do I think many people would really be that interested - but FB is just too populated a place and it for some reason it bothers me. Its never been a problem in the past, but I just thought I'd mention it since I asked for response. Thanks! :)

Collection of Late Night Thoughts

Sporadic thoughts late at night.

 Do you know I slept over 11 hours last night? It was glorious.

For some reason, I was so ready to be off work this weekend that when I locked the door at 5 I almost did a victory dance. (I withheld until I was safely at home.) I think it was just a long week. Not a bad week. Just one where you're ready to be anywhere but work by the end of it.

We actually had another wedding last weekend that was a setup. If I would ever remember to edit the pictures I might post some of them here, but alas. I do however have a quick shot of the bridal:

Midnight blues & whites.

Holly asked me the other day if I was enjoying the unseasonably warm winter we've had so far. I LOVE it. In fact, we're supposedly going to get up to 70 on Monday. I'm so excited.
It's not that I'm against cold winters entirely - I really do like the change of seasons. Its just that we've had such bitter winters the past two or three years that I'm soaking up whatever warmth comes our way. I would love to scrape by with a mild winter this year.

Seriously, if you haven't listened to the Megas album yet, you're missing out. And once you listen to the original, go listen to this acoustic version. They're both incredible. These guys are awesome. They're on bandcamp, so you can listen to their albums on those links for free.

Okay, so I know I'm really, really late to the game here, but Newsies is awesome.
Wait....we know you've listened to Newsies before now. Right? Right...??
No worries! I have!
This is my history with Newsies: I had never even heard of it until probably high school when my cousin Jeff couldn't believe I had missed it. I was getting into musicals at that time, so I watched it and thought it was good. Really good. But I never really got into it. I never had the nostalgia factor with it and just never really attached to it. However, I've had my iPod on shuffle a lot more than usual recently and "Carrying the Banner" came on. Oh man! What a knockout! So much punch in one song. I've listened to it so many times in the past few days. I definitely plan on rewatching it.

This Wednesday Jeff & I are going to see the Addams Family musical! Yaaay! It's been awhile since I've seen a show.

Sleepy, sleepy.... Good night everyone.

Phantoms: Side by Side

While browsing through Youtube the other night I found this:




YAY! A side by side comparison of ten classic Phantoms! (My only question is, where is Peter Karrie?)

(Also, I love that someone made this. This is what I used to do with all my clips. Play them back to back and compare. Over and over and over.)
I've since found other sections compared, but I haven't got to break those down yet. Plus, this one is from the title song.

And since I was getting frustrated that I couldn't keep track who was who, here's the breakdown:
1) Michael Crawford :00
2) Colm Wilkson :40
3) Anthony Warlow 1:21
4) Brad Little 1:59
5) Hugh Panaro 2:36
6) Earl Carpenter 3:15
7) Howard McGillian 3:57
8) John Cudia 4:35
9) Ramin Karimloo 5:12
10) John Owen-Jones 5:48

Of course, it's not entirely accurate since its just one clip from each. Nonetheless, whoohoo!

So, a quick summary merely based on this clip, Hugh Panaro really caught me off guard as a favorite. I did check out other clips and his voice didn't seem as strong, but in this clip its really nice.

Of course, Anthony Warlow is always my personal favorite.

I actually had the opportunity to see Earl Carpenter in London and I LOVED him. I don't remember his voice being that quavery, but I really loved his character and his voice was really strong.

I've always found Colm Wilkinson incredibly interesting. While I couldn't stand the Canadian recording for the longest time because I could only hear Valjean's voice, and I'm still not entirely crazy about it now, his voice is so distinct. And that's how the Phantom's voice should be. Very powerful, very distinct. I do really enjoy that.
And I love his handling of "I Gave You My Music." Its just heartbreaking.

I also really like Karimloo (mostly because of this amazing clip) but I keep getting distracted by that electric guitar! I guess it just seems so much more prominent in that one.

Anyone? Anyone else up for listening through them all and giving a review? :)

The LOST Conclusion

Okay, so I'm sure some of you are sick of hearing about LOST, LOST, LOST.... We get it, you finished, that's great, blah blah blah. And I did post my thoughts over on Facebook, but in doing so I learned one of my earlier notes had been somehow destroyed. I do kind of hate to post it again, because really I hate risking spoilers, but truthfully: I'd really like to keep this one! I did save it, but to help ensure I can find it again I'm posting it here as well. Admittedly, more for my future reference than anything else. 

I've had several people ask what I'm going to watch now that I'm done with this one (a half a year later) and the truth is.... I really don't wanna. :) I am planning on watching Firefly again because its been so long since I've watched the whole thing front to finish and I really enjoy that series. But its only one season - and a short one at that - so I'm not that invested time wise. Actually, I don't like to watch a lot of tv and the fact that I made it through six seasons of anything is a lot for me especially in such a short span of time. But I do love Firefly and Brad & I have really wanted to catch up on Community so hopefully that'll happen. But not all at once. Mostly, I'd really like to read the Mistborn series this year and maybe Dune, both for the first time. So we'll see if that happens.

Anyway. LOST.

My short non-spoiler review is this: LOST has a lot of great moments, but the stakes are never completely clear and that's frustrating when you don't know why you're rooting for the characters. But you do root for them, because they're well developed and handled and you will absolutely love some of them. And that will be worth watching most of the show for, especially once you mix in the fun elements of some of the earlier seasons. And there are some episodes that are absolutely phenomenal television. So while I'm certainly not sad or upset I watched it, I also wish some of the most important points were actually made clear and not so vague.


The Longer Spoilerific Review:


I just finished watching LOST for the first time and this post contains pretty much every spoiler. So....if you ever want to watch the show and be surprised by it at all, don't read any of this. Go away. :)



See you in Another Life, Brotha.




I feel like I'm about to rag a lot on LOST and I want to state up front that I actually had a lot of fun with the series. Yes, it had a lot of problems, but it also had a lot of really awesome moments too. In fact, I was really impressed by how they managed to perfectly link up the Sideways world. While its true at times it was a little too forced, for the most part they really handled that incredibly well, especially at the end. I loved that Faraday was the piano player, I loved that Charlie remembered by touching Aaron, etc. They were just a lot of nice moments in that. For a show that was all about its ensemble, that was a great way of allowing all these characters their "moment." That was nice. And I liked that we saw our old favorites too. (Dang it, Charlie, I missed you!)

My biggest problem with LOST is that I never figured out why the island was so incredibly important in the first place. I remember about five episodes from the end it suddenly dawned on me I had no idea why they were going to all this effort. Throughout all the seasons the island is of dire importance - the island brought them there in the first place, the island is calling them back, the island needs a protector etc. etc. And if they don't go back, if they don't protect the island (and eventually, the heart), if they don't keep the Man in Black on the island....then what? The only answer I really remember is that there would be dire global events. What events? The light would go out in the heart of every man. Really? So....by removing this cork...there will be no more good in the world? So if we roll with that, then I want to see what happened to the rest of the world when the cork actually was removed. I want to see what those global events are.

I just never really understood why they couldn't allow the island to be destroyed. Sure, it has great healing properties and all this cool electromagnetic features, but in the end does it really matter? I just wish the stakes had been clearer. When Jack & UnLocke are battling it out in a pretty awesome looking fight on the side of the cliff, I at least want to know what they're fighting for. UnLocke is fighting to get off the island. That's great. Jack is battling for the island. But WHY. They've set it up that the loss of this island will have this monstrous impact on the rest of the world and I just never knew why that would be.
I mean, I only remember the Man in Black specifically stating that once he got off the island he would kill all the family members and friends of those trying to stop him. Don't get me wrong - that's awful - but I don't really remember what other kind of mayhem he was planning on causing. It was all just too vague and so I really didn't care that much whether they saved the island or not. And when that's your big boss battle, that's a problem.(Please tell me if I just missed why the island is so important. I'm still trying to recall back and piece everything together, so if I missed something just let me know and I'll reconsider.)

It's kind of like when they finally stopped pushing the button. Sure, there was a bright light, but....nothing really happened. (Again, please feel free to correct my memory - that was four seasons ago and a lot has happened since then.) Nothing happened because of they enacted the fail-safe? (I had to look that up. I actually couldn't remember.)

I actually really had fun with LOST and I can see why its totally re-watchable. I would like to see if there was any leadup to that last season. It actually reminded me a lot of how I felt initially about the ending of Harry Potter. You go along through all these books and then SUDDENLY dun dun dun.... these Deathly Hallows are incredibly important and you've never heard of them before. So in terms of LOST, SUDDENLY dun dun dun.... The Man in Black. Also, I probably have less of a problem with the ending because I wasn't emotionally wrapped up in the series as it went along. I didn't speculate for years what everything meant, like I did with Harry Potter, so I could totally see how a lot of people could really hate that loose of an ending. The end of HP really disgusted me for a long time because I had invested so much time in it and all it was for was a four page epilogue. (I'm better now.) So I totally get why LOST instantly blew up with so many people. I think I would have been angry too.  

Although it seems to be one of (understandably) touchiest points, it actually doesn't bother me that they're all dead. If its that they all died whenever they died (and not all in the first plane crash) then you still have the island story intact and you don't really lose anything. I can live with that. I don't really feel like you lose anything there.  And it doesn't really bother me that lots of incidental questions didn't get answered. I can live with the mystery of the statue or the lighthouse or the random animals on the island. I can even live with the mystery of whether Lapidus, Kate and all of them actually made it off the island and what happened next. But I would like an answer to the importance of the island and the Magic Box. And the eternity water. (Can just anybody drink that water?) And the Smoke Monster. I would like to know why it affected Man in Black, but not Desmond or Jack. Neither one of them suffered "a fate worse than death" going down there. (Okay, and Eloise. I don't understand really why Eloise's character is important at all except she got them back on the island.) Those seem like important plot points to me. I would like those explained.

Speaking of the final moments, how did Jack get out of the cave at the finale? That really bothers me. I don't get it. How does he suddenly end up outside? I mean, its a great shot with Vincent, but he should be DEAD. (As should have been Juliet in the season 6 premiere. Hydrogen bomb just went off in YOUR FACE. You are INCINERATED.)

I feel like LOST just got too heavyhanded for its own good. I loved those beginning seasons because there were times when they let themselves be tongue in cheek and you could laugh and roll with whatever storyline they were creating because you knew they weren't taking themselves too seriously. I even usually like it when series' tend to get darker as they go, but here I just felt like it lost (ha) a lot of its charm as they went along. I totally get that by season 4 these characters would be totally traumatized and they probably wouldn't have much of a sense of humor left, but I still missed it.

Where I think LOST really shines is in its characters and their development. Not only are there so many characters, but most of them are really well developed which allows everyone to pick different favorites. I think that's one of the reasons it probably became a huge watercooler show - everyone I've talked to has different favorites and they all have valid reasons why. (Except Shannon. Find me someone that has a valid reason for liking Shannon.) My top three were easily Charlie, Sawyer & Faraday. I -adored- those three. I love that Sawyer made it to the end, because he was about the only character making me laugh in that final season (In referencing Jack: "And I thought he had a God complex before." Ha!) And when Saywer jumped out of the chopper at the end of season 4? Gah! Loved him.

By the end you're really rooting for these characters! They're now so strong and so individual you really want them to succeed even if you don't really know what on earth its for. I do love that Hurley became the ultimate protector of the island. I was disappointed when Jack took it at first because, as MiB says, "You were the obvious choice."

I do have to say this: the season 3 finale ("Through the Looking Glass") is absolutely phenomenal. That's worth watching over and over. I was so confused through the entire episode until at the end where its revealed to be a flash forward and I was stunned. Oh my goodness. That episode is absolutely fantastic. And Charlie's death? Beautiful. I'm really glad they gave him a very touching way out. Not Penny's Boat.

So. That's my thoughts on LOST. Now that you don't have to worry about spoiling anything for me, I would love to hear your detailed thoughts sometime, whether that's in person or here. I'm still mulling over a lot of it. I just thought this was the easiest way to get in touch with everyone I've been talking to about it.

Thanks for sitting through it with me! :)

2011 Year-in-Review: Part 2

I hope everyone is home safe & sound from New Year's Eve and that everyone had a blast whatever they may have been doing. Mine was great: Will was actually in town and so we went to the Barons game with Holly & Sam. The Barons lost, but that last period was so fun to watch that I'd really like to make another game sometime where they actually show up the whole game. And obviously the company was fantastic. However, we were in Bricktown and it was not only packed but cold & incredibly windy, so we opted to duck out of the elements and into a nearby IHOP where we ended up ringing in the new year. Which was pretty funny as the wait staff were singing and dancing their way to whatever song was on the radio here & there throughout the restaurant.
Also, we went to Spaghetti Warehouse before the game where I had this tiliapa & shrimp on angel hair pasta and it was delicious. I MISS YOU GARLIC BUTTER & BREAD. I MISS YOU LOTS.

Ahem.
And so without further ado: the last of my 2011 wrapup.

6) Train & Maroon 5
In all seriousness, this was one of the most fun nights of the year for me. Regina had never been to a concert before and so when we were able to get so close (compared to the usual) I was super excited. We were giddy. It was great. While I enjoyed both bands, I would really love for Maroon 5 to come back through especially now that I know some more of their songs.

5) FIF Freak Out
Truth: When I first heard FIF was getting back together I was excited and sort of worried at the same time. Not that I didn't think they could be great again - and I even believed that they would never do it unless they could be - but since they left at the top of their game, well. I just would rather they go out on a high note then try to come back and fall apart. And then they did the smartest thing they could have done: they released a song on their Kickstarter page, an incredible song. And though I nervously hit the play button I was already leaping up and down when the horns first started because as crisp and clean as they were I knew they were really back. Within 45 minutes they had reached their goal of $30,000 and as of now they're almost to $180,000. When they reach their goal date in January they will as to date be the most funded music project in Kickstarter history. This rocks.
 
4) Roadtripping
I went on three solitary roadtrips this year and I've learned that that is awesome. Not that I never want to roadtrip with people again or anything, but I loved getting to just be by myself in the car for hours on end. I need & I crave solitude. Eight hours in a car is just about perfect. Besides, at the end of the roadtrip there was always wonderful people that I was super excited to see. So I'm glad I've discovered that I can do it.

3) The Weight Loss
I really haven't talked about this too much on my blog, mostly because I'm really bad about saying "Hey, I'm doing this!" and then I stop. (In which case, I'm slightly afraid of happening now.) But I am super pleased with this and so I want to risk it. In 2010 - due to all sorts of stress and events - I gained at least if not over 25 pounds. And in the first half of 2011 I lost it and have so far maintained that loss through diet & exercise (and My Fitness Pal which is brilliant and I could never have done it without it.)  Am I at my dream perfect weight? No, but I'm at a very happy weight and that I'm learning is far better. I can still eat sweets and enjoy some of my favorite foods without feeling guilty and I'm slowly learning how to choose (and want to choose) healthier options. I really wanted to go the slow & steady route this time and rewire my brain how to eat and that takes time. I'm just now at the point where my brain recognizes "Hey! You just ate fries with four meals in a row. You should probably stop that. Your body wants something healthier." and that's awesome that its getting there.
Really, in 2012 I hope to at least maintain and continue to slowly shift my focus to make small but important healthier choices. Trim and maintain is more the endgame this time, whereas last year I was just desperate to drop that weight.

2) Christmas
I've already blogged about this Christmas once, but its easily worth mentioning again. This has been the first Christmas I have not had to battle off depression in over ten years. And this has been the first New Years that I have not battled off intense depression in the same amount of time. I'm just at a total loss of words about it. I don't even really know how to respond except this: God is good, He is kind and He is merciful. I fully recognize this is by His hand and I pray I'm wise enough to let it soak into my skin and return it through praise.

1) A Change of Me
Ten points if you can name the musical reference! (Hint: It was added to the show long into its run.)
If you had told me at the end of 2010 that by the end of the coming year I would be wearing makeup I would've probably laughed at you, but only out of fear that you might be right. I was at the verge of becoming more and more accepting of femininity but not quite there. In truth it probably sounds like such a silly thing to agonize over, or even mention, but it really represented a lot for me. So in true introvert fashion I mulled and poked and prodded and pulled my hair out over the issue before I finally settled on an answer. And once I do then its usually settled.
Honestly, I don't even feel entirely comfortable talking about it on here yet - or even out loud much - because its still so fresh and new. I'm still discovering it, still poking around trying to feel out its corners. And don't get me wrong - I don't equate makeup as the defining characteristic of being feminine. But for me its a curious turning point and the physical change to a lot of internal groundbreaking from last year. It's silly, its fun and I find that most intriguing.