Catching Fire

I saw Catching Fire today... and my mind is blown. It's all I can think about so you probably don't want to know my opinions, but I have to get this out there.

First of all: If you haven't seen it yet GO SEE IT BEFORE YOU READ ON! 

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Watched it yet?

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Good! Let's get right to it then!

To start I just have to say that the second book was my favorite so walking into the movie I was nervous that they totally botched it.... no. no they didn't. 

I like making things into lists, SO here is my list of reasons why I loved it (in no particular order. I just had to organize my thoughts in some way so this post wasn't a crazy jumble of words!)

1. Finnick Odair. Just yes. He is one of my favorite literary characters! He was my favorite character to get to know in the books. His whole back story and personality is amazing. Plus he's super attractive. Now I know a lot of people were worried about Sam Claflin playing Finnick, but WHY? He is a babe! And he played Finnick perfectly! His reaction to hearing Annie's voice (heart = melted), his entire attitude toward Katniss (cocky on the outside but he really cares), and just everything about his performance was amazing. I don't think I really need to go on... just look at the picture!

2. The Joanna was absolutely perfect!! Seriously! (and for those who were wondering "where have I seen her before?!" She was Lydia is the newest Pride and Prejudice with Keirra Knightley)

3. Jennifer Lawrence is amazing. She did even better in Catching Fire than in the first movie. How she was able to show two different kinds of love, fear, hope, and other complex emotions in one film is beyond me! Just a spectacular performance. And she is also just a funny girl. I love watching her interviews!

4. I love how they didn't focus on the "love triangle." I hate when people get so caught up in it.

5. With number 4 being said, I am going to give my opinion though. Peeta is kinda the perfect man. He can handle himself in the arena, and he can also understand feelings and actually help the situation. Gale just makes Katniss angry at the world and then she does stupid things!

6. To follow up with the whole "Peeta and Gale thing" I'm just going to say that Josh Hutcherson is a babe and they made his hair SO much better in this one! Yay!

7. The costumes and Effie. Just yes. Both were so fantastic. And let's not forget Ceaser!!

8. The arena was amazing. Especially when it collapsed! Wow, even better than what I imagined!

9. They left out the part where she meets the people going to district 13. GOOD! It really served no purpose except to get the idea rolling.

I am sure there is much more to come but that's all for today! Feel free to comment about your thoughts!

Barber, Scriabin, and Holst

Here is a musical update for y'all!

I am currently learning the Barber Violin Concerto 1st Movement and I adore it! Such an amazing piece of music! Listen to it:

In symphony we performing (tonight!) Scriabin's prometheus and Holst's Hymn of Jesus. I started out disliking both of them but now I am in love with them and I'm sad that tonight is the end. Just so you know: Scriabin wrote a light show for it and to the extent of our knowledge, we are the first to follow exactly what Scriabin wrote! So yeah, it's amazing. We also have a 100+ person orchestra. Yeah, it's as big as you think!

The first part of this video is explaining the piece and I suggest listening to all of it!

The Holst put simply is: cool. If you have time listen to it! I can't find a good video to post because they are all broken up into parts. But I highly suggest listening to it!

To top things off we have an amazing guest conductor Dr. Laura Jackson. She is an amazing person and a fantastic conductor!

That's my musical update!

Birthday!

So I love birthdays... Like a lot! And even google knows when it's my birthday!! Google win!!!

Anyway back to me (cause it's my birthday, I can do that!)

I don't care who's birthday it is, I just love it! It's like your own personal holiday and you can be as vain as you want without question! I love it even more when it's mine! Especially when everyone you know, now goes to different colleges and you never see them and so you use your birthday as an excuse to make them come back! (I had to reserve a few people weeks in advance because they are so popular... does that make me desperate?... Maybe, but they were my friends first!)

So, I planned a party for Saturday. A fondue party. aka best party ever! We had a cheese fondue, meat fondue, chocolate fondue, man it was awesome (thanks mommy!!! You're the best!!).

See where my crazy comes from?!

It was so much fun to see everyone! Even Cara surprised me by coming from Idaho (I'm going to pretend she came just for me... cause that's how I roll.)

Since it was a fondue party there wasn't a cake (because dipping cake in chocolate is SO much better!) But my amazing sister (who drove down from Farmington. LOVE HER!) put a candle in a piece of cake. Way to be creative!

We then proceeded to play Apples to Apples for 2 hours... let's just say we were loopy and EVERYTHING was way funnier than it should have been. I honestly don't remember everything... but I do recall going through every red card.... And usually I can only stand Apples to Apples for about 10 minutes so how I survived 2 hours is beyond me! I think it's because I just liked being surrounded by my friends again (cheesy? cliche? maybe... I don't care! It's true!)

So that was Saturday.

Sunday (my actual birthday) was family time and my mom made my favorite dinner ever... Penne Rustica! AND she made me two chocolate pies (again... Thanks mommy!!!) Needless to say I was so full, I was sick... seriously my stomach has shrunk during my time at college. Every time I go home I am constantly stuffed! Add my birthday and my favorite foods to the mix... yeah... I thought I would need a wheel chair or in the very least, someone to roll me from place to place (ha!).

Anyway! Since I share a birthday with my cousin Karli my mom made me a chocolate pie (my favorite) and made her a pumpkin cheesecake (her favorite) and we blew out the candles together!

 Also, I don't take normal pictures... especially when my brother is in-charge of the camera and takes 20 at a time... haha!

 Just posing with the pie... it's for fun

 Birthday Girls!!

Can I blow out all 4 candles?!

Don't worry folks... I did it!!

I then hastily left so I could make it back to Logan with a whole choloate pie and leftovers for lunch (because my mom really loves me!)

Anyway that was my birthday!!

Happy Birthday ME!!

Updates and Thoughts

So it's been a while! I plan on posting a long blog later so this is just going to be sweet and simple and mostly pictures (because those are the best).

Here are some things I have learned recently:

1) Eating 3/4 of a large pizza at 11pm on a school night isn't a great idea... just trust me on that one!

2) When you think to yourself, "please let there be an empty table for me to eat at so I don't have to talk to people. All I want to do is watch Netflix!" it usually means there won't be an empty table and you're going to have to search for someone who looks nice to sit next too. Usually I go for the people reading a book cause they might not notice me... WRONG! So, I met a nice guy named Josh and here's the real shocker... I actually had fun!!! Weird...

3) I am terrible at pool. Like, I'm getting worse. To prove my point here is a picture:

Yes I was solids... and yes those were the only solids on the table

4) Everything at the grocery store is getting smaller. Which is sad.

5) I have the most amazing best friend ever and her name is Maddie Brown!

6) Have registration open at a specific time means that the server crashes about 20 times before you actually are able to sign up for any classes. Anger...

7) Getting ready for bed is too much work. Like really. Which is the true reason I never get to bed on time. Yes I'm too lazy to go to bed... go figure!

8) I LOVE THE VIOLIN!! You have no idea. Gretel (my violin and partner in crime) is the only one who can really calm me down when I have a bad day

9) I absolutely love lessons and coachings! They make me so happy! I don't know what I will do or look forward too when I'm done with school... scary!! I just love learning!!!

10) I love walking in the snow!!

Pretty huh?!

So yeah, those are just some things that I have learned and have done recently! Here are some picture updates cause I like those!

Logan has pretty sunsets!!!

I told Steve to hold my violin... this is what I came back too.

I love these girls! Yay for friends!! 

P.S. My birthday is the 17th (like in 2 days). I love birthdays!

Engaged!

Don't freak out! I'm no where close to being engaged or even going on a date!

Here's the story.

My roommate (Liz, who we've decided will be the first one married) leaves to go on "a drive" with Cole (from 101). So we, like all good roommates, tease with "return with honer. Don't makeout too long!" Well... she texts us and says to gather in the living room for an exciting announcement... ok Liz! She comes in and says "WE'RE ENGAGED!" 

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We all went back and forth between these faces.... for like 5 minutes

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We all sat there like... is this real? I don't think it is... wait well maybe... if it is real we are being very rude so we'll say something...

And they freaking played us! They had the whole story planned out with a ring and if anyone were getting a quick engagement it would be Liz. If I ever tried that everyone would laugh in my face because everyone knows I have commitment issues (it's true). 

Anyway, now we are sad that they aren't actually engaged... Their fault!

I also feel like an idiot.

Super gullible too. 

Off To Neverland!!

So this Halloween I had every intention of pretending it didn't exist. For three perfectly sound reasons.

Reason #1: Who ever heard of a Thursday holiday?! (Thanksgiving doesn't count cause you get out of school.)  How am I suppose to celebrate with my 2 hours of free time I get on Thursdays. Yeah, you couldn't think of anything either.

Reason #2: I am probably the least crafty person ever so thinking of a creative costume would just frustrate me. (and usually does frustrate me which is why I haven't dressed up since Sophomore year in high school)

Reason #3: WHY DO PEOPLE LIKE SCARING THEMSELVES?! I personally like to sleep at night...

Sound reasons right?! ... Keni and McKenna didn't think so. Their solutions?

Solution #1: Yes, it's a Thursday but you can go out to dinner (They solidified this by mentioning that I wouldn't have to do dishes and I already had a meal plan paid for) and then watch a "scary" movie. Alright fine... 

Solution #2: They already had a theme and costumes ready. Keni was going to be Hook, McKenna was going to be Tiger Lily, and they told me to be Smee. The best part though was these costumes were Disneybound outfits (Google disneybound and you'll see what I mean). 

Solution #3: Get over it. Thanks guys...

Sooo Wednesday Keni and I set out to find some costume items that we needed. Which included a red beanie, a hook, and hipster glasses. But, that wasn't the exciting part. The excited part was what we actually found.... Sun-Staches "The original Mustache Sunglasses" Oh yes, they are as exciting as they seem.

May I Present:

The Sun-Staches

For my hipster side:

My French side:

So I don't feel lonely eating at the MarketPlace

So I've decided they are my new best friend and I will treat them like flat Stanley. 

Anyway! Back to Halloween! So I wore my outfit, which looks more hipster than Smee, all day and got SO many compliments on how cute I looked. So I guess I'm meant to be a hipster now. But I also came to the conclusion that it takes a lot of work to be hipster. So basically I'm to lazy to be a hipster... sad day. 

Since we actually wanted people to see our costumes together we went to the MarketPlace. But that's not even the best part! Me and Keni (Hook and Smee) tied McKenna (Tiger Lily) up with twine (we are not very prepared pirates) and marched her to dinner. Yup, we're awesome!

Can we PLEASE tie you up?!

She wasn't pleased...

Trying to escape...

Keni dropped her spoon. We all laughed.

She stole my hat!!

"Do it again! I was taking a selfie!!"

So naturally we fought again...

Stuffed!

Mustache

The whole gang!

Awesome!!

Well, that was Halloween!

A couple of side notes from the past week:

I had my first Symphony concert! So fun :)

Aren't they just so cute?!

Next, The band-aid box for the month is... Monster University!

And I also like the fall leaves! Logan is sooo pretty! Actually people laugh as I walk by cause I chase them in the wind... I think I'm 5...

This is outside our dorm

Also, I'm home to the weekend and Steve and I took use of the post Halloween clearance candy for the drive! (I used my charm and persuasive powers.)

Also, I'm in a short film... watch if you wish

(refer to the end of this post for further explanation)

Sorry that was so long... but a lot happens in college!