A Happy Birthday

I am often surprised (although I am not sure why it is so surprising) at how many good people surround me. Many times I feel as though I am not deserving of such good family and friends. Yesterday was a good example of how wonderful they are, even when I don't deserve it.

October 29, 2009 - I wake up feeling ill and with swollen and painful eyes. I realize that I left my contacts in (for the second night in a row). I have a headache and dread the coming day of staring at a computer and wonder how I am going to drive to work with my eyes like this. I call and leave a message for my boss saying that I will come in later. A few hours later I get a call saying that it's super busy at work and they need me to come in so I throw on some clothes and speed to work. It is like most days at work - speaking on the phone all day long has its advantages and disadvantages, like any job. Mistakes are made, people get angry, I do my homework, etc. FinallyI head over to my cousin's because we are going out to eat with Grandma S. for my birthday. When lo and behold, the best birthday surprise happened!

That's right, my mom and Madison had driven all the way up here just to see me for my birthday! I was so excited to see them. We all went out to Old Spaghetti Factory and ate chocolate satin creme pie and spumoni ice cream after our delicious pasta meals. I got some awesome presents and then we headed to Ikea for some Ikea birthday goodness. That included sitting on armchairs, running around the showroom, helping poor Maddie off the floor after her many unfortunate falls on the slippery floor, and getting some fabulous Swedish chocolate.

Later I headed over to my boyfriend's house to say hello. He wasn't there but was supposed to get there soon so his brother and I carved a cleaned out a pumpkin and ate pumpkin seeds while we waited (one of my favorite snacks, and activities!) While we cleaned and snacked we were talking about ghosts and aliens and other such supernatural things when I suddenly heard music coming from somewhere, like a radio had just switched on. I nearly had a heart attack thinking that some supernatural being had come upon us when his brother said, "It's tradition! Get out there!" I opened the door and there was my boyfriend, three singers, and a guitar, serenading me out in front of the house. It was very cute.

All in all, it was a fantastic birthday. Thanks to everyone for turning a crappy morning into a wonderful afternoon and evening!!

This Week in Photos...part one.

As I was driving to work this morning I was thinking about what things I could post on my blog. I decided that I'm going to take a page from one of my favorite magazines and do a Week in Photos. However, it will probably not be as cool since I am not a professional photographer, I don't have access to the whole world in one week, and they will be pictures of my life instead of current global events. The other problem is that I rarely have access to a computer where I can get my pictures off my camera but I am taking this as a personal challenge. So...we'll see how it goes.

So far I have watched...

1. The Mothman Prophecies (thanks Matthew for that suggestion)
2. BBC's Dracula
3. What Lies Beneath (a modern Hitchkock and scary as all get out)
4. The Rope (thanks Kelly!)
5. Spirited Away
6. Cape Fear (the old one, pretty creepy)
7. Wait Until Dark
8. Mickey's Halloween Treat
9. Mean Girls (a different kind of scary movie)
10. The Haunting (original...much scarier)
11. The Lost Skeleton of Cadavre (a Halloween classic)
12. Dragonfly

I also have but have not watched...
- Vertigo
- Hocus Pocus


Thanks everybody for your wonderful suggestions!

The Luckiest by Ben Folds

I heard this song for the first time from a good friend recently. To hear it, go to the bottom of the page and it's the first song on the playlist.

October!

I know October is already half over but I just have to say that this is my favorite month of the year. I love Fall, I love Halloween, and let's be honest, I love my birthday too. I love pumpkins and I love dressing up in costumes, and I love the cool crisp (not yet too cold) air. I love to eat squash, and apples, and roasted pumpkin seeds, and I love watching Halloween movies. Thus said, I have been trying to compile a list of good Halloween/October/Fall movies to watch. Here it is so far:

1. Hocus Pocus
2. The Labyrinth
3. The Haunting (old one)
4. Arsenic and Old Lace
   
5. What Lies Beneath
6. Spirited Away
7. Coraline
8. Dragonfly
9. The Prestige
10. The Illusionist

I can't think of any more right now but I would love to hear any suggestions! I enjoy more suspense type movies than horror but feel free to leave your favorites!

South Korea!

Sometimes life gives you an opportunity to do something completely out of the ordinary. Such an opportunity came to me and I rashly decided to take it. So, here I am in South Korea for two weeks! I have been taking many pictures but unfortunately I have no means of uploading them, so there will be more to come. However, let me just say that Seoul is in many ways a very unique and completely foreign experience for me. But at the same time, people are pretty much the same wherever you go. I have experienced Korean grapes, the smell of dried squid, the daunting Seoul Metro system, a palace, the world's tallest department store, a few very large Asian markets, and more walking than a vacation at Disneyland. It's been a great trip so far!