Sunday Funnies. ::: Complicated Order. :::

Hi guys.

It's 4:08am and I'm trying to get to bed, but the wheels of my mind keep spinning. There are three reasons I'm having a hard time sleeping:

1) I drank a 500mL Coca-cola (hecho en Mexico) about 2 hours ago... Thus, I'm all sugared up.

2) Last night I had nightmares that kept me up for an hour after waking ... Thus, I'm avoiding having bad dreams again.

and 3) I had one of the most remarkable nights at my job... Thus I'm still thinking about everything (good and bad) that happened. I know I will eventually discuss more, and when I do, I'll link it here.

But, it is Sunday Funnies. And amidst all of the reasons for not sleeping, I want to bring you a reason to smile. This evening, one of my families said something about having a "complicated order" while I was wheeling their child down the hallway and I nearly cried laughing. And then we quoted Bon Qui Qui the rest of the way to the patient's room. What? You don't know why that's funny? You don't know Bon Qui Qui? Well, watch this video and you'll be in the know.

Mind you, I don't normally find this video funny enough to cry over. It's funny, but not THAT funny. However, it was a very tense moment with a great family, and it truly made my night. I hope it makes you smile at the very least.

Tuesday Tunes. ::: Get Lucky by Daft Punk. :::

Good morning, and happy Tuesday to you!

How was your weekend, Reader? I had another busy weekend. On Friday, Molly and I spent pretty much the entire day together. We played our guitars (well, she played and I attempted to play the theme song to Top Gun), went through both of our closets to get rid of clothes that are no longer loved, donated those less than loved items, had a food cart lunch where we were given a free bottle of vino (free-no or frino, if you will), and babysat to help fund her amazing trip to Africa. Saturday was a co-worker's bachelorette party. And on Sunday, I nursed the hangover given to me by the previous day's activities. 

Today I'm playing "Get Lucky," by Daft Punk. I think it is another song (along with "Blurred Lines") that will define the summer of 2013. This song is obviously very technology driven, but I do enjoy it. Especially because Daft Punk does it so well. 

I hope you enjoy this music video and this upcoming week!

Sunday Funnies. ::: So Good! :::

"Hey Readers, how you lookin'?" "So Good!"

Please tell me you've seen Teen Girl Squad. Whew! Thank goodness, I was not looking forward to telling you how hilarious it is and being disappointed that you didn't even know them. I discovered Cheerleader, So and So, What's Her Face, and The Ugly One (their nicknames, not mine) while I was in college. A friend reminded of these quick little cartoons the other day and we immediately started quoting Teen Girl Squad episodes from a decade ago. 

Here is the website for Teen Girl Squad: http://www.homestarrunner.com/tgsmenu.html

There are plenty more hilarious videos to find on at Homestar Runner. So, spend some time on the website and find which characters are your favorite. And now you'll know why I say things like "Grood. I mean, good. And great. Great and good." and "Weirded out." 

Have a great weekend!

Reasons We Will Not Attend Our High School Reunion.

::: Please help me welcome my friend Kimberly, who co-wrote this post with me. She has a fabulous blog of her own, check it out! http://life-as-a-pearl.blogspot.com/ My comments are typed in black, and Kimberly's are in this sweet blue color. :::

• I don’t currently live in the city where I attended high school. Nor do I even live in the same state. I have only been home two times in the last year; the first trip was for Thanksgiving and the second was for my Dad’s birthday. This occasion hardly seems worth the airfare, the rental car, and the trip to Cañon City.
• When I polled our class president, vice-president, and treasurer, none of them were even involved in the planning of the event. Nor are any of the three going to the reunion. The entire reunion seemed very off the cuff (we'll get there). I received a facebook message from one of the creators of the event, asking if I wanted an invitation. When my invitation arrived, I noticed this:

"Your" Invited. Umm... Thanks.

• My name was spelled wrong on the invitation… AND the invitation uses the wrong “Your/You’re."
• There is always the obvious: facebook. For that matter, every social media outlet. Oh, you run 17 miles every day? I saw that on facebook. You ate a great meal last Tuesday? I saw that on instagram. (Oh, we’re not even friends on facebook? Then we’ve clearly never even spoken to anyone within a ten mile radius of each other.)
• Activities included bowling (at the one and only bowling alley in my hometown), and a pool party. I don’t know about you, but bowling and swimming are just not activities that would draw me into a reunion. (Pretty damn surprised there wasn’t a “Drive relentlessly up and down Main Street” event on Saturday night.)
• With these kind of thrilling activities, I can only assume those in attendance will not be voting on who is “Most Changed”, “Least Distance Traveled,” or even “Cutest Couple.” But if they had, I can also tell you I would not have been awarded any of these esteemed superlatives. But if there had been any kind of voting system, I would have voted for these people as the “Cutest Family.” (I second that.)

My vote for cutest family. ::: Kimberly, Eric, and Ayana. :::

• Speaking of voting, I vaguely remember voting for things like “Class Colors” and “Class Song” and the members of the Class of 2003 being flabbergasted that we would vote for ANY colors, other than our school colors. I believe someone even put “I bleed black and gold” on their ballot. Based on that, voting in Cañon City seems a little on the foolish side. And I’m not just talking about high school voting. Ricka. Let me interject. Our class song (one of the VERY few things I remember clearly from that time) was Freefallin by Mr. Thomas Petty. A damn fine song, but consider the implications. I mean yes—most of us (me) freefell right into a pit of despair that lasted the better part of the last ten years—but did we have to fortell that inevitability with song? Well, consider this, I’m pretty sure I suggested “Free Fallin’”. What does that say about me?
•  I still haven’t learned the dance from “Romy & Michele’s High School Reunion.” Now THAT is an activity that would attract my attention.
• The people in attendance once saw me dance to songs by esteemed artists, such as Nickelback, 50 Cent, The Calling, Nelly, and Ashanti. No, seriously. At school dances they played “How You Remind Me.” How was I supposed to dance to that song without looking like a buffoon? Maybe another decade and I’ll be able to look my ex-classmates in the eye.
• The people I still connect with from high school didn't all just graduate in 2003- they graduated anywhere between 2001 to 2008.
• Truth be told, I knew a decade ago I would not attend my ten year high school reunion. One of my friends and I used to kid around that the only way we would go to our reunion was if we were dating super hot guys. My dreamboat guy in 2003? Justin Timberlake. My dreamboat guy in 2013? Same. And since Mr. Timberlake and I haven’t started dating yet, I guess I’m not going to attend this year’s reunion.

                          
• Seriously though, many people have told me that the ten-year reunion is mostly just everyone trying to impress everyone else with all of their accomplishments. And while I’ve accomplished a lot (I mentioned I no longer live in the town I grew up in, right?), I definitely don’t need or want to brag about it. (Go ahead. Brag.)

My Turn! My Turn!:

n  When I read Ricka’s invitation (nope, I didn’t get one), I noted that the plan was for us to send money to the planners of the events—sensible right? Except that I didn’t actually know either of the girls (we’ll get there), and they said they would deposit our money into their personal accounts. Um, really? Because no. Just no. (At the very least, make a bank account for the Class of 2003, right? It’s a good enough guise. But, I agree with Kimberly, I’m not making a check out to your personal account. Nor am I giving you my PIN number or my social security number.)

n  Not only am I not familiar with either of the event planners, I learned via the FB page that one of the two girls didn’t even graduate with our class. She also has a Mohawk, according to her pictures. I like silly hair as much as the next person, but I tend not to throw money at it. It’s not a wishing well, for Pete’s sake. (I don’t remember said person in high school, but I certainly remember her and her hair in middle school)

n  I don’t go to Cañon City on a voluntary basis. (Unless I’m there…)

n  Although I’m sure it would have been nice to catch up with a few people, the topic of conversation would invariably turn to my failed marriage (to someone we all graduated with) and my recent engagement to my MIDDLE SCHOOL BOYFRIEND. That story is adorable pretty much everywhere except your high school reunion.

n  The aforementioned ex-husband has wanted to go to that reunion for 10 years. I listed it in our divorce paperwork as reason #7 for the split. After “abuse,” but ahead of “listened to musicals non-stop (see less-than-manly).”

n  And finally, because if I can’t win the “Biggest Waster of the Last 10 Years” award, I don’t want to go. I’m competitive. 

• Though Kimberly and I became friends in high school, our friendship has grown to be so much more. In the end, writing this post together (and all of the hilariousness that ensued) was better than any high school reunion could have been.

::: Me (far left), Kimberly (next to me), and our high school friends.:::
Maybe we'll see you gals in another ten years. Then again, maybe not.

Tuesday Tunes. ::: Shakin'. :::

Good morning, and a happy Tuesday Tunes to you!

How was your weekend? I'm going to gloat, because my weekend was beyond fantastic! My friend Molly and I did two things on my Austin Bucket List on Saturday and then I did another Bucket List activity on Sunday.

On Saturday, Molly and I went to see the Texas Roller Derby. We saw these ladies skate fast, get into brawls with each other, and fall hard. Just like the movie, "Whip It", only real life. Roller derby started right here in Austin and it was only fitting to see the original derby girls.  Molly and I even gave each other roller derby names: Hot Ta-Molly and Rickashae (pronounced ricochet). Pretty creative, right? After that, we went to Alamo Drafthouse for Master Pancake Theatre. Ever been to Master Pancake? They basically play a movie, and three comedians mock it the whole time. The movie they mocked: Jurassic Park. I know what you are thinking, "That sounds amazing!" Well, you aren't wrong. It was incredibly hilarious and my abs were sore from all of the laughing.

On Sunday, my friend Dylan and some of his friends/coworkers went to see "The NeverEnding Story" at the Paramount Theatre. Confession: I have, until Sunday, never seen "The NeverEnding Story." I know, it's a classic, childhood favorite and you are shocked that I (a child of the 80's) haven't seen it. When I told my sister that I saw this movie for the first time, she was astounded as she remembers seeing it in school. In fact, my entire knowledge of this movie was from the song I'm featuring in today's Tuesday Tunes.

The song is "I'm Shakin'" by Rooney* and I'm pretty sure I haven't listened to this song for probably a decade, and yet, I remember the lyrics:

"This was so because I watched all day,

The Neverending story with Atreyu."

Anyway, I hope you all had an amazing weekend!

*Thanks to my college roommate, Amy, for introducing me to Rooney and many other things!

Sunday Funnies. ::: Hump Day. :::

Happy Sunday Funnies, to you, Reader!

Okay. No, it's not Hump Day, but I know that you and your coworkers imitate the camel in this commercial all the time, even when it's not a Wednesday. Wait, that's me.... Anyway, I have one coworker who does the "Mike, Mike, Mike, Mike. What day is it Mike?" part so well, that it's impossible not to laugh.

I hope your weekend is going well! Enjoy!

Tuesday Tunes. ::: Crystal Colorado by Alpha Rev. :::

Hello friends, and welcome to another Tuesday Tunes!

How was your weekend? And what all did you do? I had to work Saturday and Sunday, but I was able to go see a concert on Friday night at Threadgill's. What concert, you ask? Well, none other than the band who I am presenting for this Tuesday Tunes. Alpha Rev!

I'm going to showcase the song "Crystal Colorado." Mostly because I'm on the homesick side of things, and I'm missing my homestate. So here's to the most beautiful state in which I've ever lived.

You may have also head their song, "New Morning." If not, you should check it out as well. (And speaking of checking it out... I did, in fact, check out their CD from the library. Winning, duh.)

Sunday Funnies. ::: Edelweiss Bear. :::

Happy Sunday Funnies to you!

Perhaps this isn't your type of funny, but it certainly made me smile. This is a video of a bear caught attempting to dumpster dive in Colorado Springs at a German restaurant. I find it funny because 1) it's a bear... dumpster diving for bratwurst and 2) I have personally eaten at that restaurant on several occasions. Anyway, here is the video:

And here is an article about the bear from the Denver Post.

(I do realize the seriousness of this video. But I just want to take a moment to smile at a bear being cute and trying to get a good German meal.)

Plan B.

(Warning: This post has very little to do with birth control.)

Last night I was listening to an old podcast of “This American Life” and it gave me a lot to think about.

The episode has the same name as the title of this blog post: Plan B. It starts off with Ira Glass stating that during a talk he was giving, he polled the audience to see how many of them feel like they are still living their Plan A. He says, out of 100 people, only one person (who happened to be the youngest person in the room) was living their Plan A.

Before I ramble on, I want to ask you the same question: Do you feel as if you are living your ideal life/Plan A? Or are you living your backup plan/Plan B?

In truth, it took me a while to realize that my life has Plan Bs in it. When I first started listening to the podcast, I could not think of any backup plans I’ve made. I thought, if only I had been in that audience with Ira Glass, there would have been two people who are living their Plan A. In truth, many of the “big changes” in my life, have been my Plan A. I attended my Plan A university, started my first nursing job at my ideal hospital, and was fortunate to live in two of my favorite cities.

After much thought though, the Plan Bs of my life became more apparent. When I started college, my initial plan was to become an architect and design intricate structures. But, I soon realized Plan A was not going to work because 1) I was not passionate about architecture and 2) I wasn’t good at it. So, I changed my major and went with my next plan. After college, I couldn’t find a good enough job in the city where I wanted to live, so I made the decision to move back home. And while it only lasted for eight months, it definitely was not my Plan A. And my Plan A nursing job? I waited months for it. Months without a significant paycheck coming my way. (Read: I was broke.) As an emergency department nurse, I am confronted by Plan B everyday; I doubt most people who come into the emergency department were planning to spend their day there. So, when I think about it, there are more Plan Bs in my day-to-day life than I was initially willing to admit.

I’m not sure if I’ve stressed this enough in this blog, but I have amazing friends. Friends who share their lives with me. In talking to a couple of my long distance friends recently, I know some of them are not living their Plan A lives at this very moment. For one friend, Plan A and Plan B both had benefits and so she decided which was better for her. And, there are times when she looks back and wonders what life would be like if she had decided differently. Another friend was handed some major life lemons recently. And while Plan A is out of the picture for now, it’s too soon to begin thinking about Plan B (and too soon to start making lemonade out of those lemons).

Truthfully though, instead of dwelling on the less than ideal aspects of life, my friends and I look at the grand aspects of life. It’s not an easy practice. But once you have come to terms with the fact that Plan A just isn’t going to work out, it’s time to look forward to the next plan. Even if we have to call it Plan B. Perhaps the most important realization is that it’s less important to focus on the backup plans you’ve had to make in your life, and start focusing on the things that are going the Plan A way.

I’ll leave you with this quote that I heard for the first time in college and I think it applies to this particular post.

“Hope for the best, prepare for the worst.”