Friday, July 30, 2010

Too Old for the Park

My little brother Seth just turned six earlier this month. And he is now too old to go to the park.

Actually, age has nothing to do with it.

Actually, he still loves the park and wants to go.

So what's the problem? Seth is reading. Everything.

And many things at our park ought not be read by anybody.

The benches are marred with colorful and rather permanent paints expressing the attitudes and thoughts of today's teenage culture.

The slides are scarred with bold declarations of rebellion and hatred.

So...

Now that he's finally old enough to go down the fireman's pole...

Now that he isn't scared of using the ladders instead of the stairs...

Now that he doesn't need quite so much supervision in case of a fall...

Now that he doesn't need help - even on the big slides...

My six-year-old brother is too old to go to the park.


Wanna be a Teacher?

  1. You will not marry during the term of your contract.
  2. You are not to keep company with men.
  3. You must be home between the hours of 8p.m. and 6a.m. unless attending a school function.
  4. You may not loiter in downtown ice cream parlors.
  5. You may not travel beyond the city limits without permission of the Chairman of the Board.
  6. You may not ride in a carriage or automobile with any man unless he is your father or brother.
  7. You may not smoke cigarettes.
  8. You may not dress in bright colors.
  9. You may under no circumstances dye your hair.
  10. You must wear at least two petticoats.
  11. Your dresses may not be shorter than two inches above the ankle.
  12. To keep the schoolroom neat and clean you must: sweep the floor at least once daily; scrub the floor at least once a week with hot, soapy water; clean the blackboards at least once a day; start the fire by 7 a.m. so the room will be warm by 8 a.m.
So... obviously this doesn't apply today. But maybe it should, huh? These are the rules for the schoolmarm of a town in Colorado where my best friend happens to live. They are 100 years old. A lot has changed, has it not?!

Thursday, July 29, 2010

Experiences at the Bank

A couple of months ago I opened a bank account. I've often wanted to do it before, but never really thought it would be worth it. Most of the time I only have about five dollars to my name. Do I need a bank to keep five dollars? No. But when it came to purchasing things online, I always wished I could have a bank account. That way I wouldn't have to use my mom's card and then pay her back.
Anyhow. I walked into the bank with a large amount of money. Or what I would think of as a large some of money. Anyone who has an allowance or is employed would scoff at me. Maybe.
Why do I keep interrupting myself? I dunno... But here's the story.

Trish*, the lady who helped me, was very friendly. She seemed a little hyper and maybe a tad clumsy, but I kind of liked her. She talked fast and kept having to go "check with her boss" about stuff, though. What's that all about? I mean, if she has to keep checking with her boss... maybe her boss should just be the one to help me? But what do I know about working at the bank? Umm.... Not much. Every time she went to chat with said boss, my dad and I just got to sit there for awhile. SoooOOOOooo much fun.
Finally we had almost everything figured out. We went to create an online account so that I can keep track of my spending on the internet. I felt a little uncomfortable because she created the account for me. She wanted to know a bunch of information. She was the one who typed in my email address and my new user name. Finally she slid the keyboard over to me and said, "Can you type in your password for me?" So I at least got to create my own password.
Having finished setting up my account, we (Trish and I) went across the bank to the tellers to make my first deposit. The young man who took care of my deposit was Barney*. While we're waiting for him to do everything that he needs to do, Trish is acting like my best friend and as if she's known me since kindergarten... telling Barney my likes and dislikes. (For Pete's sake, she acted like she knew *everything* about me and coulda told him whether or not I'd flossed that day!) And she's telling Barney how cute I am and that I'm not currently dating. I didn't realize how much small talk she'd made earlier until now. She remembered every. little. thing that I had said to her. And she kept elbowing me like I was supposed to laugh, or half-hugging me when she was trying to point out a good quality she had found in me. It was the longest bank deposit I've ever made.
As we left later, Trish said that she'd had fun talking to me, to remember to come again, and that she didn't think my dad approved of her but she thought I was really nice. I walked out and got into the car. My dad said something along the lines of Trish being a nutball and that taking way too long, but I just said that it was her personality and that I kind of liked her. (Buddy-buddy things aside.)
Later, as I looked through the bank information Trish had given me, I shook my head and smiled. Her slightly flighty personality had made it's way into my information via some very interesting spelling, but I had a lot of other things on my mind. So I forgot about my bank account. My grandparents arrived a couple of days later, and before they even left I was off to Arizona!
When I got home from my travels, I decided to look at my bank account. I'd kept careful track of the times I'd used my debit card, but I wanted to be sure that I hadn't missed anything. So... I went to the bank website and tried to log in. Key word: tried. Multiple times. I tried leaving the numbers off of my user name. Maybe Trish had overlooked them. I tried spelling it wrong. A lot of people throw in a 'g' on the end of ramblin. Nothing worked. So I had to go through this whole process to get into my account and change my username so that I could... get into my account. But I finally got in and lo and behold... I'd managed to keep perfect track of my spending down to the last penny! Happy day!
So now I can spend my own money online and not worry about paying anyone back. And I can keep track of my online spending online. =D
So there's some ramblin about my life.

And just for the record: Spelling matters.

*Names changed to protect the guilty.

P.S. Barney's name was going to be Fred... But Fred didn't seem right. And whenever I hear the name Fred, I think of Barney. And since Barney fit better, I called him Barney. Hooray for you if you know what I'm talking about! ;)

I Miss You

I've been a bad blogger lately, haven't I? I've been a bad commenter, too. And a bad tweeter. And a bad emailer. Okay... I've been a bad friend. And wanna know something? I really miss you guys. Like, a LOT. I'm sorry I've been gone so much, but I just haven't really had time for blogging. I'm going to try and make time though. And I'll tweet more. And definitely read ya'll's blogs again and comment. Thanks for your patience!

Saturday, July 17, 2010

Of Amusement Parks and Moving

Item number one: After two months of planning, my friends Bailey, LieAnna, Harmony, and myself were able to go to Elitch Gardens for a day of fun. We were there for almost the entire day! =D I loved the rides and the time with friends... we should totally do it again! I enjoyed all of the rides, though some were **much** better than others. The very beginning of the ride called Boomerang was kinda scary... but the kind of scary that I like! Anyhow... it was great!

Item number two: My family is trying to move. I think I may have mentioned this before, but since I'm not 100% sure that ya'll are aware of what's going on, I thought I'd give a quick line on it. The whole process is pretty much... stressful. My dad has already started a job in X and is living with friends while we're still at home trying to sell our house. So far we've been able to see each other on weekends, but it would be really nice if our house would sell and we could all just move. I have a LOT I could say on this subject, but perhaps I shall save further details for a later post.

Anyhow... that's some of my life right now. What's going on with ya'll?

Thursday, July 15, 2010

Answers

Here are the answers to the quote quiz I had. I think I'm going to have to do this again! And maybe make it easier or something... =D











Quote #1: "You were just denying your inner child." - Charlie to Neil in The Santa Clause


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Quote #2: "I guess this makes you the damsel in distress, huh, handsome?" - Narissa to Robert in Enchanted


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Quote #3: "Is this to be endured? It shall not be!" - Lady Catherine to Elizabeth in Pride and Prejudice


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Quote #4: "No... I'm really very extra sure that I won't." - Hiccup to his father in How to Train Your Dragon


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Quote #5: "I need to ask you a question." - Jack to Lucy in While You Were Sleeping

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Quote #6: "I do understand. I understand you completely." - Mr. Thornton to Margaret in North and South


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Quote #7: "And your brother, is he unintelligent?"
"Well, I think so..." - The White Witch and Edmund in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
Guessed by Haley and Lindsay


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Quote #8: "I was hoping for something a little more original." - Reepicheep to Telmarine in Prince Caspian
Guessed by Lindsay


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Quote #9: "Honey, you never looked better." - Hallie to Annie in The Parent Trap
Guessed by Haley


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Quote #10: "We gotta fix the car. The only thing it does faithfully for us is break down." - Brooke to Grant in Facing the Giants
Guessed by Buttercup, Haley, and Lindsay


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Quote #11: "Hey! Preacher man got himself some new threads!" - Eddie to Russel in Time Changer
Guessed by Haley


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Quote #12: "Just say one word and tell me if you're killed!" Diana to Anne in Anne of Green Gables
Guessed by Buttercup


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Quote #13: "How old are you?"
"Eighteen."
"You wanna live to be nineteen?"
"Yeah."
"Then do what I tell you!" - Coach Pendleton to Walker in Pistol: Birth of a Legend


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Quote #14: "I don't want to die. I've never been kissed. I've waited my whole life to be kissed, and what if I miss it?" - Amy to Laurie in Little Women
Guessed by Haley and Lindsay


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Quote #15: "I shall resist." - Jacques to the tankhood in Finding Nemo

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Youtube Tuesday - The Men of Period Drama

My favorite way to see many of my favorite movies really fast! hehe I haven't seen (and probably will not see) all of the movies represented here, and there are also several missing (Little Dorrit!!!) but here you go!


Monday, July 12, 2010

Name That Movie!

Rules:
1. Pick 15 of your favorite movies and TV shows.
2. Go to
IMDB.com and find a quote from each movie/show.
3. Post them for everyone to guess.

You guys get to be the guessers! No googling or any other form of cheating. If you don't know the answer... Well, you just don't know the answer!

Quote #1: "You were just denying your inner child."

Quote #2: "I guess this makes you the damsel in distress, huh, handsome?"

Quote #3: "Is this to be endured? It shall not be!"

Quote #4: "No... I'm really very extra sure that I won't."

Quote #5: "I need to ask you a question."

Quote #6: "I do understand. I understand you completely."

Quote #7: "And your brother, is he unintelligent?"
"Well, I think so..."

Quote #8: "I was hoping for something a little more original."

Quote #9: "Honey, you never looked better."

Quote #10: "We gotta fix the car. The only thing it does faithfully for us is break down."

Quote #11: "Hey! Preacher man got himself some new threads!"

Quote #12: "Just say one word and tell me if you're killed!"

Quote #13: "How old are you?"
"Eighteen."
"You wanna live to be nineteen?"
"Yeah."
"Then do what I tell you!"

Quote #14: "I don't want to die. I've never been kissed. I've waited my whole life to be kissed, and what if I miss it?"

Quote #15: "I shall resist."

Answers will be posted on.... Friday, I guess! =D

Friday, July 9, 2010

Home

Just thought I'd drop ya'll a quick line to let you know that I'm home. And I have like a bajillion blog subscriptions to go through... so I may just delete them and miss out and start fresh. Nah... I couldn't do that.
Well... I'll have a real post later! Maybe. LOL We'll see what happens.

Emily

P.S. What does LOL mean? It doesn't really have anything to do with laughing any more.

Thursday, July 1, 2010

Confrontations in Literature: Pride and Prejudice

This is one of my favorite scenes of confrontation. In fact, I kinda have it memorized. Or at least I did at one point! Watching the 1995 version of this is some of the best acting ever, too! =D

Lady Catherine very resolutely, and not very politely, declined eating any thing; and then, rising up, said to Elizabeth, "Miss Bennet, there seemed to be a prettyish kind of a little wilderness on one side of your lawn. I should be glad to take a turn in it, if you will favour me with your company."
"Go, my dear," cried her mother, "and shew her ladyship about the different walks. I think she will be pleased with the hermitage."
Elizabeth obeyed, and running into her own room for her parasol, attended her noble guest down stairs. As they passed through the hall, Lady Catherine opened the doors into the dining-parlour and drawing-room, and pronouncing them, after a short survey, to be decent looking rooms, walked on.
Her carriage remained at the door, and Elizabeth saw that her waiting-woman was in it. They proceeded in silence along the gravel walk that led to the copse; Elizabeth was determined to make no effort for conversation with a woman who was now more than usually insolent and disagreeable.
"How could I ever think her like her nephew?" said she, as she looked in her face.
As soon as they entered the copse, Lady Catherine began in the following manner: -"You can be at no loss, Miss Bennet, to understand the reason of my journey hither. Your own heart, your own conscience, must tell you why I come."
Elizabeth looked with unaffected astonishment.
"Indeed, you are mistaken, Madam. I have not been at all able to account for the honour of seeing you here."
"Miss Bennet," replied her ladyship, in an angry tone, "you ought to know, that I am not to be trifled with. But however insincere you may choose to be, you shall not find me so.
My character has ever been celebrated for its sincerity and frankness, and in a cause of such moment as this, I shall certainly not depart from it. A report of a most alarming nature reached me two days ago. I was told that not only your sister was on the point of being most advantageously married, but that you, that Miss Elizabeth Bennet, would, in all likelihood, be soon afterwards united to my nephew, my own nephew, Mr. Darcy. Though I know it must be a scandalous falsehood, though I would not injure him so much as to suppose the truth of it possible, I instantly resolved on setting off for this place, that I might make my sentiments known to you."
"If you believed it impossible to be true," said Elizabeth, colouring with astonishment and disdain, "I wonder you took the trouble of coming so far. What could your ladyship propose by it?"
"At once to insist upon having such a report universally contradicted."
"Your coming to Longbourn, to see me and my family," said Elizabeth coolly, "will be rather a confirmation of it; if, indeed, such a report is in existence."
"If! Do you then pretend to be ignorant of it? Has it not been industriously circulated by yourselves? Do you not know that such a report is spread abroad?"
"I never heard that it was."
"And can you likewise declare, that there is no foundation for it?"
"I do not pretend to possess equal frankness with your ladyship. You may ask questions which I shall not choose to answer."
"This is not to be borne. Miss Bennet, I insist on being satisfied. Has he, has my nephew, made you an offer of marriage?"
"Your ladyship has declared it to be impossible."
"It ought to be so; it must be so, while he retains the use of his reason. But your arts and allurements may, in a moment of infatuation, have made him forget what he owes to himself and to all his family. You may have drawn him in."
"If I have, I shall be the last person to confess it."
"Miss Bennet, do you know who I am? I have not been accustomed to such language as this. I am almost the nearest relation he has in the world, and am entitled to know all his dearest concerns."
"But you are not entitled to know mine; nor will such behaviour as this, ever induce me to be explicit."
"Let me be rightly understood. This match, to which you have the presumption to aspire, can never take place. No, never.
Mr. Darcy is engaged to my daughter. Now what have you to say?"
"Only this; that if he is so, you can have no reason to suppose he will make an offer to me."
Lady Catherine hesitated for a moment, and then replied, "The engagement between them is of a peculiar kind. From their infancy, they have been intended for each other. It was the favourite wish of his mother, as well as of her's. While in their cradles, we planned the union: and now, at the moment when the wishes of both sisters would be accomplished in their marriage, to be prevented by a young woman of inferior birth, of no importance in the world, and wholly unallied to the family! Do you pay no regard to the wishes of his friends? To his tacit engagement with Miss De Bourgh? Are you lost to every feeling of propriety and delicacy? Have you not heard me say that from his earliest hours he was destined for his cousin?"
"Yes, and I had heard it before. But what is that to me? If there is no other objection to my marrying your nephew, I shall certainly not be kept from it by knowing that his mother and aunt wished him to marry Miss De Bourgh. You both did as much as you could in planning the marriage. Its completion depended on others. If Mr. Darcy is neither by honour nor inclination confined to his cousin, why is not he to make another choice?And if I am that choice, why may not I accept him?"
"Because honour, decorum, prudence, nay, interest, forbid it.
Yes, Miss Bennet, interest; for do not expect to be noticed by his family or friends, if you wilfully act against the inclinations of all. You will be censured, slighted, and despised, by every one connected with him. Your alliance will be a disgrace; your name will never even be mentioned by any of us."
"These are heavy misfortunes," replied Elizabeth. "But the wife of Mr. Darcy must have such extraordinary sources of happiness necessarily attached to her situation, that she could, upon the whole, have no cause to repine."
"Obstinate, headstrong girl! I am ashamed of you! Is this your gratitude for my attentions to you last spring? Is nothing due to me on that score? Let us sit down. You are to understand, Miss Bennet, that I came here with the determined resolution of carrying my purpose; nor will I be dissuaded from it. I have not been used to submit to any person's whims.
I have not been in the habit of brooking disappointment."
"That will make your ladyship's situation at present more pitiable; but it will have no effect on me."
"I will not be interrupted. Hear me in silence. My daughter and my nephew are formed for each other. They are descended, on the maternal side, from the same noble line; and, on the father's, from respectable, honourable, and ancient -- though untitled -- families. Their fortune on both sides is splendid. They are destined for each other by the voice of every member of their respective houses; and what is to divide them? The upstart pretensions of a young woman without family, connections, or fortune. Is this to be endured! But it must not, shall not be. If you were sensible of your own good, you would not wish to quit the sphere in which you have been brought up."
"In marrying your nephew, I should not consider myself as quitting that sphere. He is a gentleman; I am a gentleman's daughter; so far we are equal."
"True. You are a gentleman's daughter. But who was your mother? Who are your uncles and aunts? Do not imagine me ignorant of their condition."
"Whatever my connections may be," said Elizabeth, "if your nephew does not object to them, they can be nothing to you."
"Tell me once for all, are you engaged to him?"
Though Elizabeth would not, for the mere purpose of obliging Lady Catherine, have answered this question, she could not but say, after a moment's deliberation, "I am not."
Lady Catherine seemed pleased.
"And will you promise me, never to enter into such an engagement?"
"I will make no promise of the kind."
"Miss Bennet I am shocked and astonished. I expected to find a more reasonable young woman. But do not deceive yourself into a belief that I will ever recede. I shall not go away till you have given me the assurance I require."
"And I certainly never shall give it. I am not to be intimidated into anything so wholly unreasonable. Your ladyship wants Mr. Darcy to marry your daughter; but would my giving you the wished-for promise make their marriage at all more probable? Supposing him to be attached to me, would my refusing to accept his hand make him wish to bestow it on his cousin? Allow me to say, Lady Catherine, that the arguments with which you have supported this extraordinary application have been as frivolous as the application was ill-judged. You have widely mistaken my character, if you think I can be worked on by such persuasions as these. How far your nephew might approve of your interference in his affairs, I cannot tell; but you have certainly no right to concern yourself in mine.
I must beg, therefore, to be importuned no farther on the subject."
"Not so hasty, if you please. I have by no means done. To all the objections I have already urged, I have still another to add. I am no stranger to the particulars of your youngest sister's infamous elopement. I know it all; that the young man's marrying her was a patched-up business, at the expence of your father and uncles. And is such a girl to be my nephew's sister? Is her husband, is the son of his late father's steward, to be his brother? Heaven and earth! -- of what are you thinking? Are the shades of Pemberley to be thus polluted?"
"You can now have nothing farther to say," she resentfully answered. "You have insulted me in every possible method.
I must beg to return to the house."
And she rose as she spoke. Lady Catherine rose also, and they turned back. Her ladyship was highly incensed.
"You have no regard, then, for the honour and credit of my nephew! Unfeeling, selfish girl! Do you not consider that a connection with you must disgrace him in the eyes of everybody?"
"Lady Catherine, I have nothing farther to say. You know my sentiments."
"You are then resolved to have him?"
"I have said no such thing. I am only resolved to act in that manner, which will, in my own opinion, constitute my happiness, without reference to you, or to any person so wholly unconnected with me."
"It is well. You refuse, then, to oblige me. You refuse to obey the claims of duty, honour, and gratitude. You are determined to ruin him in the opinion of all his friends, and make him the contempt of the world."
"Neither duty, nor honour, nor gratitude," replied Elizabeth, "have any possible claim on me, in the present instance. No principle of either would be violated by my marriage with Mr. Darcy. And with regard to the resentment of his family, or the indignation of the world, if the former were excited by his marrying me, it would not give me one moment's concern -- and the world in general would have too much sense to join in the scorn."
"And this is your real opinion! This is your final resolve!
Very well. I shall now know how to act. Do not imagine, Miss Bennet, that your ambition will ever be gratified. I came to try you. I hoped to find you reasonable; but, depend upon it, I will carry my point."
In this manner Lady Catherine talked on, till they were at the door of the carriage, when, turning hastily round, she added, "I take no leave of you, Miss Bennet. I send no compliments to your mother. You deserve no such attention. I am most seriously displeased."
Elizabeth made no answer; and without attempting to persuade her ladyship to return into the house, walked quietly into it herself. She heard the carriage drive away as she proceeded up stairs. Her mother impatiently met her at the door of the dressing-room, to ask why Lady Catherine would not come in again and rest herself.
"She did not choose it," said her daughter, "she would go."
"She is a very fine-looking woman! and her calling here was prodigiously civil! for she only came, I suppose, to tell us the Collinses were well. She is on her road somewhere, I dare say, and so, passing through Meryton, thought she might as well call on you. I suppose she had nothing particular to say to you, Lizzy?"
Elizabeth was forced to give into a little falsehood here; for to acknowledge the substance of their conversation was impossible.

I love it! They are so deliciously angry with one another, but ladies of the time did not shout. So... they used words on each other instead of raising voices. Awesome!

[Pride and Prejudice chapter 56 by Jane Austen]