summer in the city

So I just spent the last three and a half hours of my life sitting on a couch reading a book, all the while thinking "I feel like there's something real important I'm supposed to do tonight..." Not being able to pinpoint it, I decided I would blog. I finally got pictures from Easter and my more recent excursion to Nowhere, Oregon, but I don't feel like blogging about those right now. Instead I wanted to share my favorite things so far this summer. So here we go:

                                                                    Dr. Pepper Slurpees

 

Who knew such a wonder existed?? Gone are the days of being stuck choosing between cherry or blue raspberry (blech)! 

X-Men: First Class

This movie was eight shades of pure delighted wonder. I loved everything about it, especially Magneto! He's (pardon me) Magnificent! And who doesn't love some frumpy James McAvoy and evil Kevin Bacon? I heart it! Funny, intense, touching, action packed, and full of smokin hot actors. Definitely a win.

My New Favorite Summer Song

So the first time I heard this (Courtesy of Camille Richey and her flawless taste in music) I didn't know what to make of it, but upon further listenings it has skyrocketed to one of my all-time favorites. It's just some teenage boys and their awesome band and I can listen to it over and over again. Plus the video reminds of what summer was like when I...okay summer has never been like this for me. Nonetheless, it is the epitome of an idyllic summer and makes me love this time of year.

Speaking of Summer...

It is currently 90 degrees outside and 89 degrees in my house. The super cool maintenance guy is here fixing our swamp cooler, but the long hot days and even hotter insides of my house can only be described properly in the words of my good childhood friend Ned Ryerson: 

That's right people, it's a doozy. 

Moving on with my monologue, my love affair with all things Google has only increased this summer. Not only is my ward run 95% by collaborative Google Docs, but I feel like the more I use Google Chrome the more I feel like I'm in the future because it just seems to know exactly what I want and need at all times. And then the deathblow. Last night my roommate introduced me to iGoogle. I was gone. Ever since I converted to Chrome I thought...if only Google had a homepage feature like msn...Little did I know, it does! And not only that, it's woooonderfuuuul. Which brings me to my latest obsession that iGoogle was kind enough to place on my homepage:

Flood It 

So. Addicting. Try it sometime!

(P.S. I decided to take short blogging break and play and won twice in a row. While this makes me feel good about myself, it does take the shine off the game a little being able to win that easily. So try it at your own risk.)

So let's get down to the heart of what I've been doing this summer...

reading

Were you ever one of those kids that was relentlessly put into summer reading programs each year--the purpose of which being to pound out as many books as possible--and actually enjoyed it year after year? Because I sure was. And now because of this I consider "summer" and "reading" to be nearly synonymous, and co-dependent at the very least. It's actually pretty bad, to the point that I try to forsake my responsibilities in order to read, because I get in that summer reading mode and don't want to stop. It also doesn't help that the lives of these books characters are significantly more exciting than my own, but that's beside the point. So I have officially thrown back 11 books so far this summer in addition to working 30-40 hours a week, being relief society president, and staying semi-faithful to some tv shows.

I know what you're thinking but it hasn't always been easy. After I read the fourth installment of the previously mentioned Mortal Instruments series (it was so-so) I took on the gargantuan project of getting caught up on the Young Wizard series by Dian Duane from my youth. This was a hefty job because the 10th book had (finally) come out after a 5 year break. Who do you think remembered what happened in the first 9 books? I'm not sure but it wasn't me. But after waiting (remotely, in a very distant back part of my mind) so long for the next book of a series I had started when I was 14 I felt like I owed it to myself to continue. So, I re-read 9 books to get to the lauded 10th. I was actually amazed at how much I didn't remember. I knew the main characters and some vague plot points (someone dies in this one but I don't know who or why, she kisses someone in this one but I don't remember how it comes about, etc.) but that was it. So it was kinda fun in that I wasn't bored with details I already knew, but on the flip side I don't think any story should be read 10 books straight. By halfway through book 8 I was tired of the world almost ending, and tired of their magic and setting and culture and relationships. But with the goal in sight I knew I couldn't quit. It's hard with these books because I feel like the first half is a whole bunch of slow unnecessary info and plot and then the second half is all action and all the irrelevant info suddenly is applicable. So once you make it to the second half you're sucked in. Anyways. I was sharing this lament with some of my roommates as we hid from the heat in the basement and shared my joy as I neared the end of book 9. It went a little something like this:

Tara: We need to watch Bachelorette.

Emily: I'm almost done with this book, I only have like 50 pages left! (They are all about 400-600 pages)

Tara: Exaggerated comment about not wanting to wait for me and disapproval at my choice to read rather than watch the show.

Emily: It's my last previously read one before I get to the new one!

Kelley: (Previously had been smiling at our good natured banter, now her face drops in a mixture of shock and horror) You've read these before? YOU JUST READ 9 BOOKS YOU'VE ALREADY READ BEFORE?? (disgust ringing scornfully in her tone)

Yep, and that's how I've felt at times, but today I finished it! I FINISHED THE SERIES! Well, at least through book 10, I hear the next 3 are in the works. It took me two months but I did it! And the 10th one was actually really cute in that after years and years of waiting the two young wizards (boy and girl) finally figure out that they like each other and it makes my sentimental heart melt. But they are somewhere in the age of 13-15 so it will take another 10 books before anything too juicy happens there. It also had some really cool story lines in it which I enjoyed. The question looms, however, of...what now? I feel like I should read a less young adult book next and give my brain something to do, but I doubt that will happen. My problem is that I get so hooked on books I have read and loved that I just want to re-read them (obviously) rather than venture into anything new. Any suggestions? Oh and remember how I fancied myself someone who would like Water for Elephants? Well, I still haven't read it but I watched the movie and it was really really good. RobPats gave a good performance for him, but I was so blown away by the character of August the Sociopath (my pet name for him) and the actor who portrayed him. He could go from making you feel like he was your best friend to being afraid he was going to kill you in a second. True skill right there, and an arresting performance. 

So I'm very grateful for this blog because I've hit that point where I feel like my hair simply isn't growing anymore and will be this awkward length forever. But looking through previous posts I see that i have in fact made some progress. I won't put any pictures on right now due to the 3 1/2 hours I sat reading and sweating today in my greenhouse of a home, but soon. 

To wrap this up the 4th of July weekend is coming up and I'm very excited!! Not only do I hear a henna tattoo calling my name and I get a bittersweet day off of work (sweet that I don't work but bitter that I don't get paid) but I get to babysit on Friday! this isn't normally the ideal way to spend a Friday night, but when it's my nephews it is! My brother and sister-in-law are going on an overnight getaway for their anniversary so I get to play with three of my favorite guys in the whole world, AND do it by myself overnight (a first for me). Take a look at what I get to look forward to:

I can't wait!