A Modern Mary Poppins

Everyone has anxiety around the holidays. Especially Thanksgiving. I am no exception. This week my cousin and her boyfriend flew in along with my grandparents, Coco and Grandad. And its been an exhausting week. First Coco and I have had our usual fights, Julia bailed on a movie that I had been REALLY excited to see, my mum is stressing out over every little thing and on top of all that...I have a ton of homework this week. So yeah, I've been tired, anxious and I just want to stay in my room and binge watch Grey's Anatomy.

But in an effort to help my mom relax I suggested we go to Barnes and Noble (which is my happy place so it would help me too) So Grandad, mum, Mitta and I piled into the car and off we went! Upon arriving mum recognized an old friend of her's named Leeta, who is a bonafide Mary Poppins.

First she bought us all coffee and scones even though Mitta and I insisted that we could pay for ourselves. She then asked me questions about my siblings and what I want to do with my life and was just so generous and supportive of everything (something I don't really get from my family.)

Oh and she is Irish, but she grew up in England. So she was the most elegant british accent. And she carries an umbrella.
Okay that part isn't true, but she really is exactly like Mary Poppins. Its like she knew I was having a bad day and knew exactly what I needed to cheer me up: tea and scones.

She's magical, I'm telling you....
Kat

Weird things that everyone does

We all do it. We may not admit it, but we all do weird things and then are surprised to find out that everyone does them.

1. Practicing what you are going to say. This also means having arguments and conversations that you know you would never have. Also practicing in the mirror conversations that you think will happen. Like if you wear a new t-shirt, you might guess what your friends will think and come up with responses ahead of time. This is especially used when you think you have to use the *sass*
   
2. Laughing at what you posted. You know when you have a stroke of brilliance and post something witty and funny? And then you look back and laugh at your cleverness. Guess what? We all do that.
   
3. Checking behind the shower curtain for monsters/burglars. Just a quick peek to make sure no one is hiding back there with a wrench or a lead pipe to smash you over the head with while you try to overcome him to save your family but ultimately lose and are left  beaten and bloodied on the ground while he makes his escape and you die on the ground of the bathroom to be discovered later by your grieving family who then dedicates a memorial to you for your heroic actions trying to save the family.
   
   As you may have been able to tell...
   I have put a lot of thought into this.
4. Accidental eye contact. It happens to the best of us. You just need to pretend it didn't happen and completely ignore the person with whom you shared that unfortunate moment. Its the only way to go, trust me. Just ignore and keep going.
   
5. Testing to make sure you don't have the force. Over and over again. Don't even try to fight this one.

Kat

Five Minute Word Challenge: Fears

I refuse to do my ooey gooey fears. We all have them, those fears that are like, "I'm afraid my friends will hate me or I'm afraid that my loved ones will die." We all have them. I have them, even though I'm Cristina Yang in teenage form. But I refuse to share them. So I'm going to do my non ooey gooey fears.

1. Sharks We've been over this. I hate sharks. They are terrifying. End of story.
2. Drowning For some reason the thought of suffocating under water makes me shake.
3. Heights I hate heights. Most people do. Its not weird. Its just that I think that if I fall.... I'd be a human pancake. With blood as syrup. Is that weird to think? Yeah it is.... I'm a sociopath....
4. Sharks Did you know that sharks don't sleep? That means they are always awake. Waiting for you, hungry.....
5. Getting Lost In general I'm actually fine with getting lost. I've gotten lost many times and had so much fun. But getting lost where I have no idea where I am and have no way of contacting someone....not so fun.
6. The Dark its a natural instinct. To be scared of the dark. All humans have this built into them, its keeps us safe. But that fact doesn't help me when I'm walking down a dark hallway and I hear noises and all I can think is, "Hannibal Lector is going to eat me. Or a demon/spirit from Supernatural is going to maim or kill me."
7. Burglars We all think we hear burglars at night. Don't deny it. But when you stay up later than the rest of your family, and you hear the noise very close by, the fear becomes even more real.
8. Sharks did you know that there is a phobia of sharks? its called Selachophobia. I have Selachophobia.
9. Cliffs Tall pointy things. 
10. Sharks Did I mention the sharks?

Kat

Naming a Teddy Bear Part TWO

After much deliberation, I have decided on....

DARCY.

Because he is awesome and I would totally date him.
End of story.
Kat

How to get your very elegant and coordinated mother to choke on coffee

Today after Latin Class, my mother, my sister and I were all sitting around the table finishing homework and chatting. Somehow the subject of arranged marriages came up. And Mita (my sister. Her real name is Mary, but everyone who is consistently mentioned on this blog has a nickname. And her's is Mita. Pronounced M-ee-ta.) Anyway, Mita said that she wouldn't mind being put into an arranged marriage with Benedict Cumberbatch, Jensen Ackles, Thomas Brodie Sangster etc.... (She listed a whole lot of guys. I don't have time to write them all down.)
After she was done listing, I said that the only actors I wouldn't mind being put into an arranged marriage with was Matt Smith and Colin O'Donoghue. My mom (familiar with Matt Smith after all my fangirl attacks)  asked who Colin O'Donoghue was.

Big mistake.

Mita and I launched into a monologue about the amazing-ness of Colin O'Donoghue. And then I remembered a crucial detail. He's Catholic.
I mentioned this to my mom and she immediately began to be more interested. So Mita and I looked up picture to show her on the iPad.
The first one we should her was...

My mom was impressed with this. So we looked up a few more.

And then we wanted to show her the Hook era Colin, so we found a pretty awesome picture of him rocking the guyliner.

Upon seeing this picture, my elegant, lovely, coordinated mother who is happily married CHOKED ON HER COFFEE.

Now this might not be very funny for you, but for us it was HILARIOUS.

My. Mother. Choked. On. Her. Coffee. Over. Colin O'Donoghue.

And thats about it,

Kat.

Naming a Teddy Bear.

There is a teddy bear that I have had for YEARS. And as a kid I never named it. Recently I found this teddy bear again and I thought to myself, "Hey, he needs a name!" So today I'm going to brainstorm names for him.

First, about this teddy bear....

He is a dude teddy bear.

He was made in London.

He has pale golden fur.

He is very soft and cushy.

The way I'm going to do this is there are three rounds of names with a different theme. Each round will produce one or two winners to compete in the final round of naming. Each final name is accompanied by the pros and cons.

And let the naming comense!

And may the odds be ever in your favor.

First round of names....

FANDOMS

Shawn Spencer

Sherlock 

Watson

George O'Malley

Loki

Killian

Second round

TRADITIONAL

David

Matt

Jesse

Charles

Edmund

William

Third round

RANDOM

Danny

Denny

Benedict Cumberbear

Scotty

Flynn

After much  deliberation the final results are....

Fandoms

George O'Malley

PROS- George O'Malley is an sweet and cuddly character from Grey's Anatomy. He is literally a teddy bear in human form (who can also perform surgeries...) He's also Irish so...EXTRA POINTS FOR BEING IRISH (Anything Irish gets extra points in my book. If you're Irish, I'll marry you.)
CONS- While I love George, its a little weird having a teddy bear named after him. Especially a teddy bear that I sleep with.

Traditional

Edmund

PROS-My favorite character from the Chronicles of Narnia. I had a crush on Edmund when I was younger. I like the dark side of him. I like the bad boys. (Actually I don't. I think always go for the safe guy, even if there is less passion. This especially came out tonight when I watched Princess Diaries 2 with my siblings. MIA SHOULD HAVE STAYED WITH ANDREW. He was nice and charming and adorable and sweet and just so damn awesome!! And while Nicholas was played by Chris Pine (extra points for Chris Pine) he was a bad boy!! ALWAYS GO FOR THE GOOD GUY. And I'm talking to you, Meredith!! FINN IS AMAZING AND LOVED ANIMALS, AND DEREK FORGOT TO MENTION THAT HE WAS MARRIED. THE CHOICE IS EASY. Anyway I'm off topic....)

CONS- As stated above, I don't go for bad boys.

Darcy

PROS- Because he is the best literary character EVER. He is witty and clever, handsome and kind, reserved and shy, smart and compassionate, romantic and perfect. Seriously, Augustus Waters has (or more accurately... "had") nothing on him.
CONS-I can't think of a con. What about you? Yeah you. Do you know a con? Yes? Well whatever it is stupid because he is FITZWILLIAM FREAKIN' DARCY. And yes, that is he's full name. It is never disclosed in the book for obvious reasons.

Random

Danny
PROS- I had an imaginary friend named Danny. And I also really love the name Danny...
CONS- The name Danny kinda already belongs to my imaginary friend, so it would be weird naming a teddy bear it too. Plus, Imaginary-Friend Danny might be offended.... 

Benedict Cumberbear

PROS-DO YOU REALLY NEED AN EXPLANATION FOR THIS.

CONS-He doesn't look like a Benedict... 

After talking this over with Whaleton and Mita, I have come to a conclusion. 

The name I'm naming my teddy bear will be....

ANNOUNCED TOMORROW.

I need to sleep on it, and I need sleep in general so...

Night.

Kat.

My music library episode TWO

Annnnnnnnnnnnnnnd I'm back with the boredom and the idea to shuffle my music library and write down the first things that come to mind!! This time I'm only going to do a few songs though. Because....reasons. Mostly laziness....

1. Simple As This by Jake Bugg
   It reminds me if the Fault in Our Stars, specifically the trailer. It also reminds me of the guy, Jake Bugg, who sings this. (I'm not even going to make a snide remark on the last name Bugg, that is how much I like this song.)
   
    
   

   This guy has always struck me as weird because the he looks 15, sounds 40, and is 20. He also looks like someone I know. Like seriously, the resemblance is astonishing. I wouldn't be surprised if it turns out he has been living a double life all this time. 
2. I've Heard It Both Ways (reprise) Psych Musical- This reminds me of when a friend of mine messaged me asking if I had seen the Psych Musical and I had been completely oblivious to it and so Whaleton and I did some sneakiness to get it on Amazon. It was quite a brilliant piece of spy-ness/sneakiness. I'm really quite very proud of it, although I shouldn't be. *sigh* Sharkie's right about me... I need a conscience...
3. Wonderland by Taylor Swift- This reminds me of walking home from a friends' house in the morning when its cold out, I'm all snug in my big Baylor sweatshirt, breathing in the clear, crisp morning air and seeing an owl. Yes. An owl. In the morning. Quite a big one too.... Also this song reminds me of just being in my room. All alone.
4. One Night Town by Ingrid Michaelson- This reminds me of this blog actually. When I first started it, I used to go to Barnes and Noble and write posts and sip chai tea. I often listened to Ingrid Michaelson. All so it reminds me of Neville Longbottom. Mostly because Mat Kearney is featured on this track and he reminds me of Neville.
5. Lucky by Jason Mraz- This song is about two best friends who fall in love. It always reminds me of my parents and my dad teaching me to dance. It also reminds me of spring and the ocean. I used to listen to this song on repeat for HOURS when I was younger. I still do sometimes. I really love this song. Its just makes me happy. Everytime I hear it, I start smiling and my heart skips a beat. There's not a great reason why it does that to me, it just does.
   

So there is that. The strange thing about doing this, is that every song has such a unique meaning to me. And sometimes there is no reason for the song to remind me of something, but it just does.

Kat

Five Minute Word Challenge: Newport RI

So Newport is a seaside city located in the tiny state of Rhode Island. It has an area of 11 miles and population of 24,027. Its also the setting for Whaleton's and my most exciting adventures. Okay, that title actually belongs to Boston, but still Newport is awesome!

The first thing that strikes you about Newport is that it is SO natical. Seriously, Rhode Island really milks the whole next-to-the-sea thing, but Newport is the very essence of sailor-esque stores, restaurants and museums. One of the things that Whaleton and I do every year is go to a little restaurant called the Newport Creamery. Its always packed to the roof and every year Whaleton and I have gone, we have always gotten the same table and the same food. Don't laugh! Its tradition. There is also a tennis museum across the street along with very fancy (and expensive) shops.

The streets in Newport are rather small, but still great for walk. Including walking to and from the great mansions of Newport. That's right. MANSIONS. Since Newport was a huge deal back in the day, there are lots of beautiful house built by wealthy people that reside on the coast. My personal favorite is the Rose Cliff. Fun Fact: the first Great Gatsby movie was filmed there. This year Whaleton and I went to the Marble House and I have to say: it was spectacular. Rooms full of beautiful furniture and paintings, long staircases and heavy drapes, the Marble House was truly a house for the rich. It has fifty rooms and over 36 servants are needed to keep it running. The story behind it is rather interesting. The original owner built the house for his wife and they only spent a couple weeks out of the year there. Later when they got divorced later, the wife (a huge women's right advocate) kept it because it was given to her for her 39th birthday, but used it as a sort of extra closet for her clothes. Later she sold it to the  Preservation Society of Newport County.

So yeah, Newport is a beautiful and enchanting place full of great food, rich houses and sailor stuff.

 

Why the Doctor SHOULDN'T be a woman.

I came across this video today.

And I have to admit, it makes some good points. It would be interesting to see the Doctor as a woman and it would give a sense of equality to the genders. Shaking Doctor Who up like that would be cool and thought provoking. The feminist part of me rejoices in equal gender roles and a chance for the show to cater to the mainly female fan base. But there are equally good reason why the Doctor should stay a man.

1. The Doctor is, at heart, a man. The twelve reincarnations of the Doctor have all been male and all the reincarnations have similarities. Yes, each Doctor is different, but each is part of his past and a part of him. He is, at his, core a man.
2. He thinks like a man. While this is part of the whole the Doctor-is-a-man-at-heart, it deserves its own number because of the significance is has. All the Doctor's decisions are made like a male. Its how he operates. If you throw a woman into that, I highly doubt that it would be the same person.
3. Can you honestly imagine the Doctor as a man? I can. Its would be hilarious at first, as she found her way around her new body (wow, that felt weird to type...) and she learned to think and act like a woman. But over time, it would be weird and annoying.
4. Moffat can not write a good female character. Listen, I love/hate Moffat. But he can not write a good female! Examples:
   Amy Pond-Overall pretty awesome, but there are plenty of discrepancies in her character and her relationship with the Doctor is weird.... She has a husband, but she wants to kiss the Doctor at her own wedding. Who does that?! Also Rory is like her babysitter, he has to make sure she doesn't do something stupid.
    River Song- She started out as amazing and badass and I love her, but by the end of her storyline, it was mostly her marriage to the Doctor which made her special. Seriously, spin off with just River Song kicking people's butts=AMAZINGNESS.
   Clara Oswin Oswald- Although she is the best female Moffat has created, in my humble opinion, the reason she is so great isn't Moffat per se. Its Jenna Louise Coleman. The character Clara is half baked and confusing. Nowhere fully formed. But JLC manages to bring definitely personality to her. Something that the other actresses haven't done, they mostly follow along with Moffat's script and the character is unreliable and changeable. Clara is the same. Sassy, takes-crap-from-no-one, compassionate, and sometimes sensitive. Overall though, her character is rather lacking. And this is from someone who LOVES Clara! Whouffle forever!

So my verdict is, while it would be awesome, the Doctor should not be a woman.

Although a spin off show would be completely  acceptable....

Kat

My First Boyfriend

So I've been watching a lot of Good Mythical Morning recently (I tend to binge watch YouTube when I'm sick) and I watched a few where they were talking about their first girlfriends in middle school. And this reminded me of the story of my first boyfriend.

Before I begin you have to understand that my social circle as a kid (and now too) consisted mostly of homeschooler families, and we met every Friday or Saturday at the Park. To normal kids, the Park was a place to hang out and have fun. To us, it was the center of any drama that ever happened.

So the characters that are crucial to this story are as follows:

Me- A naive eight or nine year old. Apparently good girlfriend material in the eyes of young pre-puberty boys....
Lauren-My best friend at that time. Kinda pushy, but really sweet and really looked out for me.
Adam- A kid I had know for a while. Nice but kinda loud.

So one late summer's day, Lauren's family had a party out on their barge on Lake Waco. It was a fun affair, lots of swimming, yelling, laughing. Half way through the party, I was approached by Adam. We talked for a while, arguing who could jump off the roof of the barge and make the bigger splash (Newsflash: it was me.) And all of a sudden he asked me to be his girlfriend. Now I don't remember the exact reason I said yes. Maybe I didn't know what the word "girlfriend" really meant (thats the one I like to go with) or maybe I didn't hear him correctly, but either way I had no idea what I was getting myself into. Immediately after asking me to be his girlfriend and me saying yes, he ran to his dad and proceeded to boast about his new girlfriend.... Yep, thats right. HIS DAD.
*facepalm*
Anyway, our relationship consisted of us being at the Park and him being annoying and putting his arm around me and telling everyone that I was his girlfriend and me just being fed up with him, but also being too shy to "break up" with him. So this went on until November, when on Lauren's birthday, she noticed how miserable I was and told me that for her birthday she wanted me to break up with him.
So I did.
And I messed it up/nailed it big time.
I went up to him in front of all of his friends, said that because it was Lauren's birthday, I was breaking up with him.
He just stared at me while his friends "OOOOOOHHH"-ed.
Then he said that he didn't want to break up and that he honestly liked me.
HOW DO YOU REACT IN THAT SITUATION?
Well if you are me, you say, "too bad, this is what I want", turn around, FLIP YOUR HAIR and walk away.
Now I don't mean to brag, but that was some awesome bad assy-ness on my part.
And that was the end of that.
I doubt he even remembers it now.
But I do.
Oh do I ever...

Kat
P.S. I should mention that I found out later that the reason he wanted a girlfriend so bad that he settled for me was that his brother had just gotten his first girlfriend.

Five Minute Word Challenge: Sweaters and Daylight Savings

So today we (Whaleton and I) are doing not one, but TWO Five Minute Word Challenges!!

SWEATERS

I love sweaters. Sweaters are awesome. I've been practically living in a sweater for the past three weeks. No joke. I spent like $15 on a big Baylor sweatshirt that has a hood and one of those handsy pocket-y thingys. I wear it ALL THE TIME. Its just so cozy in there. Its like my own little nest, or castle. My dad jokes that when I pull on the hood I look like a monk and thats how I feel. Isolated (in a good way), peaceful, and in tune with the world.
I also have not so great sweaters. For example, a few weeks ago my mom and I were at Target and I was searching through the clearance section, when I found a weird teal sweater with a little fawn on the front. Its was cute in a totally weird, grandma-y way. So I showed it to my mom, joking about how weird it was. AND SHE LOVED IT. Seriously. She loved it so much and thought it was so cute that she shelled out $12 for it. I do wear it (ITS A SWEATER. SWEATERS ARE AWESOME) and I admit that it does grow on you, but seriously Mom. IT HAS BAMBI ON THE FRONT. And its a weird huge-headed and huge eyed fawn. Its kinda creepy. But it is teal, which is one of my favorite colors, so there is that....
Another one of my favorite sweaters is a more like a jumper. And it looks EXACTLY like something John Watson would wear. So I wear that a lot....
So to summarize..... SWEATERS ARE AWESOME.

This sweater is like me as a person. I would totally wear this. My mom, on the other hand, would probably not appreciate the humor...

Daylight Savings

I have mixed feelings about Daylight Savings. I've grown up with it, so I know how it works and its does make sense in some weird way. But what I hate is the few days that come after the beginning or end of Daylight Savings. When you lose an hour, it sucks. It just does. ITS AN HOUR OF SLEEP. LOST FOREVER. Until you get it back again in the middle of Autumn. Which, I mean, FREE MAGICAL HOUR OF SLEEP (actually not so free. All magic comes with a price), but at the same time, the next day you have to stay up "later" even though its the same time you usually go to bed. Understand me? Probably not....

Its like this.

I stay up every night until 11:30-12:00.

When Daylight Savings ends, I think "Yay! Extra hour of sleep! And now its easier to get up in the morning." We all know that eventually the hour will sorta melt back into our lives and we won't notice the difference. but to get there we need to stick to our normal schedule. But because I am one hour off in my bodily alarm clock, staying up and waking up later totally messes me up.

I stay up to 12 like normal, but the next morning I'm really tired because my body think that I stayed up until 1am. 

You could say, "Why don't you just go to bed earlier, Kat? Why didn't you of that you stupid person?" 

Okay you probably wouldn't say that, but point still stands. Why not go to bed earlier? Because it throws me off. I go to bed earlier, I lose homework and fun time. I sleep longer, it makes me more cranky and eventually I should just get used to it right? Yeah well that takes forever to get to.

So yeah, that probably didn't make a whole lot of sense, (bear with me, I'm sleep deprived because of the above reasons.) But I hope you now understand why I'm not a fan of Daylight Savings.

Oh and I end up missing appointments because I'm too lazy to turn back the clocks. So that could be the root of my dislike of Daylight Savings.

Although this is definitely an upside to Daylight Savings

Peace out peeps,

Kat

Random Thoughts about Autumn

If you call it "Autumn" you either are a poet, a hipster, or when you were five you watched the Winnie the Pooh where Christopher goes missing and Pooh refers to Fall as Autumn the entire movie prompting you to ask your grandmother what "autumn" was and her telling you that its the same of Fall and you being confused for a good week before you just moved on. (Guess which one I am.)

So the official flavor of Autumn is pumpkin. (I think I can safely say that without incurring the wrath of people on the internet.) So we get this from the surplus of pumpkins that are harvested around Autumn. But beets are also harvested around Autumn and I don't see any beet lattes. Now you could argue that pumpkins taste better than beets and so that is why they are blended into a frappuccino with whipped cream on top and and an incorrect name on the cup. "BUT...." I would argue back, "Pumpkins don't taste better than beets without tons of sugar and spices. Have you ever tasted a pumpkin straight from the source? Because that stuff is not what I expected in my pumpkin flavored skim-milk latte. So ergo, if pumpkins can be magically transformed into yummy-ness with sugar and spices, why not beets?" Just a thought. I believe in vegetable equality.

Autumn is by far the most "hipster-y" season. Lets recap.

Hipsters Love                                                  Autumn provides

Scarves                                                             Cold weather to wear scarves

Boots                                                                Cold weather and puddles to splash in

Starbucks                                                        New flavors and reasons to buy hot coffee

Vintage Clothing and layering                    New "old" fashions and the weather to layer
Fresh produce                                                Autumn Harvest
Vaguely known music                                  New albums and music festivals
Pictures on Instagram                                 Perfect backgrounds/places to take photos

SEE WHAT I MEAN?!
 On a slightly unrelated note, Hipsters are a lot like old people.

Autumn is a perfect time to get artistic and creative juices flowing. There's something about the brightly colored leaves cascading to the ground in flurries of gold, red and brown that makes everyone a poet.     ^See what I mean?

Anyway, thats all I have for today.
Despite my mockings of Autumn, it is definitely my favorite season. I love the rain and tea and even the pumpkin everything.

Peace out peeps,
Kat