Megan's Stats (for today)

Just for fun:

WHAT'S YOURS?
Age: 36
Relationship status: single
Biggest fear: being unloved and discarded (also spiders)
Dream job: wife and mother
Dream car: Jeep Grand Cherokee
Dream house: Green Gables (with modern conveniences, of course)

FAVORITE*:
Artist: I was going to say James C. Christensen, but it's really my mom
Movie: The Holiday
Song: I could no sooner choose a favorite star in the heavens
TV series: Parks and Recreation (moment of silence for its perfect ending)
Animal: giraffe
Book: The Belgariad series
Color: All the blues

THIS OR THAT?
Twitter or Facebook: Facebook
Snapchat or Instagram: Instagram
Pandor or YouTube: YouTube
Coke or Pepsi: Diet Coke
Tea or Coffee: herbal tea
Tacos or Pizza: tacos (by a slim margin)
Winter or summer: winter

WOULD YOU EVER?
Get married: Yep
Have kids: Yep
Swim with sharks: Nope
Daredevil stunts: HECK nope!
Jump out of a helicopter: Only if there is no other way to exit the vehicle AND I have a parachute AND I've been trained on how to jump out of a helicopter. (So, NOPE)

Today's selfie

How about you?


*Some of the answers in the FAVORITE section change depending on the day and my mood

Liebster Award Nominations

My sweet friend over at One Crazy Girl's Kitchen nominated my blog for a Liebster Award*! I don't know that there is an actual award; it kinda sounds like a gimmick to get our friends to branch out and try new blogs... and I'm totally on board with that ;D

The Fun Rules:

• The nominee must link back to the blogger who nominated them.
• The nominee must state 11 facts about themselves, and then answer the 11 questions provided for them by the person who nominated them.
• The nominee must then nominate bloggers with less than 200 followers, who they think deserve the recognition, and pose 11 new questions for them to answer.

Random facts about me:

1. I am very wary of the chicken in t.v. dinners, unless it's breaded or fried. Otherwise, it always looks like there's fat or sinew or something on it and it's so gross!! I'll eat it, but I have to gag it down.
2. I found Keebler alternatives for Samoas and Thin Mints that I can buy year-round, but I still buy Girl Scout cookies. They're for a good cause and they're cheaper. The knock-offs are pretty good in a pinch, though!
3. The next foreign country I want to visit is Italy, or maybe Croatia. Definitely someplace Mediterranean.
4. I'm only about 100 pages into Mansfield Park, but I identify more with Fanny Price than I care to admit.
5. My Spring allergies have already started to bug me.
6. My first community play was a musical version of The Wind in the Willows. I have had a fondness for the story ever since!
7. I have plenty of Easter candy at my house, but I was still tempted to stop for a cupcake today.
8. I have all my Barbie stuff in storage in case I have any daughters who want to play with them.
9. I own exactly one item of yellow clothing, and one of orange (not including pajamas). Obviously I don't think either is my color.
10. As a teenager, I wished I looked like Catherine Zeta-Jones.
11. Eureka just isn't the same since I went out with the a guy who, in hindsight, reminds me of Sheriff Carter.

Answers to One Crazy Girl's Kitchen's questions:

1. What is your favorite color and why?   This is hard, because I bounce between blue and purple. Right now I'll go with blue, because no matter the shade I always feel pretty when I wear it.
2. Who is your greatest inspiration?   It's cliche, but my inspiration is my mom. She can do almost anything with her hands, is nonjudgmental, kind, thoughtful, service-oriented, and always trying to better herself. I wish I were more like her.
3. What is the strangest thing you've ever eaten?   Rattlesnake. My dad caught one at Lake Powell and roasted it up for us. As I recall, it tasted like chicken ;)
4. What is one talent you wish you had?   I wish that I could stand up for myself during confrontations.
5. What is your favorite movie?   I've blogged about how difficult this question is for me, but I think at the moment it's The Holiday. 
6. What is your favorite vacation memory?   To no one's surprise, it involves Disneyland. I remember the first time I went on Star Tours -- the year it opened. When the little Wall-E robot asked if it was my first ride, I replied "Yes," and then I was amazed when he said it was his too! I've had a soft spot for that ride ever since. That place will always be magical for me!
7. What is one food you refuse to eat?   I won't eat seafood, especially lobsters, crab, crayfish. Nothing that eats sea-feces is going in my belly. Nope!
8. How long have you lived in your current home?   Just a little over four and-a-half years.
9. If you could live anywhere, where would it be?   I've always wanted to live in London, or nearby!
10. What is your biggest pet peeve?   Cell phones in movie theaters. I have no tolerance whatsoever.
11. What is one thing you couldn't live without for a day?   My mind is drawing a blank. The first thing that came to mind was access to a toilet. I'd accept a port-a-potty if that's what's available. Sorry if that's TMI.

Nominees (in alphabetical order):

All About Evey

Expressionism

Guy Smiley's Guts

Life Would Be Boring

Questions for nominees:

1. What was your favorite toy as a child?
2. What do you do when you are sad?
3. What did you want to be when you grew up?
4. Beavers or ducks?
5. What was the last book you read, and what did you think of it?
6. Which sports do you follow, if any?
7. What is your favorite food to pig out on?
8. If you could have a conversation with absolutely anyone -- living or dead -- who would it be?
9. What is one talent you wish you had?
10. Where is the most exotic place you've ever been? (The definition of "exotic" is up to you!)
11. Why did you start blogging?

*A quick google search turned up the following blog post about the Liebster Award's origins. I love this idea!

Instagram tag

Want to know a secret? I love "tag" posts. My first reaction is to feel a little stressed when I get "tagged" in something, but, really, I love being asked to participate, I love having an excuse to post, and although I struggle to find new and different things to talk about in some annoyingly similar tags, I love finding new -- preferably totally random -- things to share that otherwise might not occur to me.

So, when Em tagged me on Instagram, asking me to share 5 things about me, I thought, "Oh no! What am I going to say... and how can I keep it to just 5 things? And what photo will I post it with?"

I'm pretty happy with the result. It's never going to be perfect (especially on Instagram, where I can't be as verbose as I'd like), but why should it be?

clockwise from top left: some journals I considered buying, a gorilla
at the Rainforest Cafe, a perfect dress I LOVED but couldn't find
in my size, and an outtake photo from my birthday trip to the zoo

5 things you may not know about me:

• I've kept a journal since I was 8. I have filled 36 so far and have 3 waiting to get started. It's up to Ingenuwitty to burn them all when I die.
• I could live on pie, soup, and salsa for the rest of my life.
• I'm still in love with Heath Ledger -- and I always will be!
• I still know all the lyrics to the Jem and the Holograms theme... and a couple of their other songs, too.
• The first high school football game I ever attended was during my mission. Sorry Colts! I still love you!

I always tag other people to participate too, just in case. Some do and some choose not to, and that's okay. I just like seeing what other people come up with. I love learning new things about my friends!

If I tagged you, would you play along?

The Ride of the Rohirrim

I saw this tag on two friends' blogs this morning. It's been awhile since I've done a "tag" post, and we all know I like seeing what happens when I put my iPod on shuffle, so I thought, "What the hey?"

1. Put your iTunes, Windows Media Player, etc. on shuffle.
2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer.
3. Write down the song name and (if applicable) the movie it came from, no matter how silly it sounds.
4. If you read this blog, then consider yourself tagged. Have fun, and I’d love to read your answers if you do it, so please leave a comment so I can go to your blog!

Here goes...
(Note: I had to skip at least 40 tracks from the Harry Potter book series. Maybe I need to move them to a different part of my iPod.
Note 2: This took forever, because I listened to every song all the way through. I forgot about some of these gems!)

If someone says "Are you okay?" you say... Isengard Unleashed (The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers)
This will get those nosey folks off my back!

What would best describe your personality? Work This Out (High School Musical 2)
Heaven knows I tend to be positive!

How would you describe yourself? Walkin' Back to Georgia by Jim Croce
I have this album on my iPod 'cause I updated my mom's iPod and she wanted this one. I hadn't listened to this song before. It was sweet.

What do you like in a guy/girl? Joseph's Dreams (Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat)
This made me smile. Strong leader, dreamer, faithful, confident (not arrogant), hard worker, family man? Sure, why not?

How do you feel today? Don't Write Me Off Just Yet (Music and Lyrics)
Conflicted and hopeful and inspired and vulnerable. Appropriate shuffle!

What is your life's purpose? I Heard it Through the Grapevine by Creedence Clearwater Revival
Oh gosh, I hope not.

What's Your Motto? I'm an Indian Too (Annie Get Your Gun)
Now you know ;-)

What do your friends think of you? Mercy's Arms by Marla Bulleigh
I love this beautiful song. Seems a little arrogant to imagine my friends think this about me, but I hope at least that I don't make things more difficult for them.

What do your parents think of you? Once Upon a December (Anastasia)
Guess we are always children in the eyes of our parents. In my case, a child who still thinks she's a princess.

What do you think about very often? This is the Night by the cast of Glee (Lady and the Tramp cover)
Um, I'll pretend this isn't true. But it is. (This tag and my shuffle luck is starting to freak me out. Thank goodness the next question is silly.)

What is 2 + 2? We'll Meet Tomorrow (Titanic the Musical)
I like it. Implies that the answer is a given. Or maybe I just need more time to think about it...

What do you think of your best friend? Company (Stephen Sondheim's Company)
Yes! "Deep talks, long walks. Telephone calls. Thoughts shared. Souls bared. Private names. Photos up on the walls. With love... That's what it's really about!" Perfect!

What do you think of the person you like? Patterns by Simon and Garfunkel
Another song on my mom's list that I had never listened to. "The pattern never alters until the rat dies... In darkness I must dwell." That's bleak. I should think better of the guy I like.

What is your life story? Somebody to Love by Anne Hathaway (Ella Enchanted)
No comment :P Except for: Anne rocks this song.

What do you want to be when you grow up? Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy by the Andrews Sisters
Yay! This is my favorite so far. I just want to play, play, play forever!! 

What do you think when you see the person you like? Dead Puppies by Ogden Edsl
Whaaaaa--? I will now! Just kidding. THIS is my favorite! 

What will you do at your wedding? Hello, I Love You by the Glee Cast
I hope my husband will already know my name by the wedding. He WILL be the guy to make me sigh!

What will they play at your funeral? O My Father guitar solo by Michael Dowdle
Oddly appropriate, but a little depressing. 

What is your hobby/interest? Don't You Remember? by Adele
Yeah, guys. It's not like I've made my favorite hobby a secret (click the link for one of my favorite YouTube videos)!

What is your biggest fear? Now or Never (High School Musical 3)
Gah! Stop being accurate, shuffle button!

What is your biggest secret? It Takes Diff'rent Strokes (Theme from Diff'rent Strokes)
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Guess the secret's out now!

What do you want right now? Any Dream Will Do (Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat)
Yeah, up for pretty much anything at the moment.

What do you think of your friends? Gaston (Disney's Beauty and the Beast)
I certainly do think very highly of you all!

What's the worst thing that could happen? Mix Tape (Avenue Q)
This makes me think of this. I shan't editorialize further.

What is the one thing you regret? Brimstone and Treacle (Mary Poppins the Musical)
*Shrug*

What makes you laugh? Wait (Grey's Anatomy musical episode)
No, this song makes me cry.

What makes you cry? The Medallion Calls (The Pirates of the Carribean)
No, this makes me laugh. It's the music that's playing when we meet Captain Jack for the first time (when he's sailing into harbor on the sinking ship).

Will you ever get married? I've Just Seen a Face (Across the Universe)
Prognoses looks good!

What scares you the most? What Makes You Different by the Backstreet Boys
Interesting. 

Does anyone like you? Holding Out for a Hero by Bonnie Tyler (Footloose)
Inconclusive. Or maybe this means that someone does, but I either don't notice or am not interested. Poor hypothetical guy...

If you could go back in time, what would you change? The Love of My Life (Brigadoon)  
Haha! It sure wasn't the guy I wasted the most time on!

What will you name this post? The Ride of the Rohirrim (The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King)
Ah! Full circle. That's nice :-D

Past and future Tag

I haven't done a Tag post in about two years, and I think it's time I do! Watch out for you name below...

20 years ago......
1: In 6th grade and I ate lunch with the boys, who were impressed I could drink a whole carton of milk without having to take a breath.
2:  Got the top score in Math Olympiads, even beating out future High School Valedictorian Mihir Bhayani. Boo-yah!
3: My family toured the sites along the east coat.

10 years ago......
1: Finished my mission in Arizona; 10 years ago this month I was serving with Sister Crook in Prescott Valley, AZ.
2: Continued my education at BYU.
3: Was an extra on an episode of Touched by an Angel. Valerie Bertinelli is a total doll!

5 years ago.......
1: Working at a customer service/telephone job I hated with people I loved.
2: Living in a one-bedroom apartment, the first time I'd ever lived alone.
3: Saw Wicked on Broadway from the front row.

3 years ago......
1: Living with my parents while saving for a home of my own.
2: Performed two dream roles -- Amy in Little Women and Kim in Bye Bye Birdie.
3: Met one of my core groups of friends (hooray for my Birdie chicks!).

1 year ago.......
1: Working at a temp job that I loved.
2: Performing in Kiss Me Kate and rehearsing for The Secret Garden.
3: Took my first cruise to the Western Caribbean.

This year so far......
1: Auditioned for two plays -- The Scarlet Pimpernel and Urinetown.
2: Been to Disneyland.
3: Fell in like with Zumba.

Yesterday......
1: Worked.
2: Had dinner at the Cheesecake Factory with my visiting teachers and their other teachee.
3: Checked out Peter and the Sword of Mercy from the library -- finally!

Today.........
1: Had a pedicure with a few Kiss Me Kate ladies.
2: Found out my darling Marilynn is pregnant.
3: Successfully answered all of Kyra's FrameMaker questions.

Tomorrow........
1: Call my hairdresser for an appointment.
2: See a movie -- maybe The Adjustment Bureau.
3: Start rehearsing for my next audition.

In the Next Year.......
1: Go to NYC.
2: Play another of my dream roles onstage.
3: Get washer and dryer hookups installed!

I tag Larissa, Zanny, and Elisha! Please humor me, ladies!

25 Random Things About Me

I've been tagged! Thanks Carly! I needed an excuse to blog.

1. If given more than 1 crisp, newish dollar bill at a time, I smell them. New money smells good!
2. I like crunchy stuff in my food, such as banana bread with walnuts, chinese chicken salad with water chesnuts, or a subway sandwich with raw green peppers.
3. I was only able to stand straightening my hair for 18 consecutive days.
4. I have been to Disneyland twice in the last three years, and both times it was during the holidays.
5. I originally got contacts because I wanted to be able to see people on the other side of the stage. And because I wanted to feel pretty when I got married. This is now moot, since I had LASIK last year.
6. When taking tests in the testing center at BYU, I sat in the music room as much as possible.
7. I bought brown, flat boots last month -- it was the first footwear purchase I've made in a year. They were half off and soo cute!
8. I used to draw princesses a lot, usually in the inside covers of my coloring books.
9. If I'm really bummed, I lay down on the floor.
10. One of my favorite lines from the t.v. show Friends is "Remember when your mom used to drop you off with a jar of jam and a spoon?" Hee hee! Gets me every time!
11. When I was 13, I thought it would be cool to have three ear piercings, so I could wear a fork, a spoon, and a knife earring.
12. I didn't buy a BYU sweatshirt until three years after I'd graduated.
13. The second best pick-up line I ever heard was when Michelle and I were walking down the street. A guy driving past shouted "Hey, are you LDS?" Michelle shouted back "Yes!" and the guy said, "Me too! Get in the car!" We didn't, but I thought it was hilarious.
14. I have never broken a bone in my body... or anyone elses.
15. I own two copies of the Strunk and White's "The Elements of Style." One is a paperback I bought for an editing class, and the other is a hardbound version with gorgeous illustrations I bought at Anthropologie.
16. I had my CTR ring for almost exactly 10 years before I lost it. That's my personal best!
17. I am lousy at eye make-up. I pretty much have to have someone teach me to do it for every show I'm in.
18. I firmly believe that any food can be improved by either garlic or chocolate (probably not both, though).
19. I still make wishes on the first evening star.
20. I have a habit of immediately locking the car door when I get in. This stems from my living downtown and being afraid that random people would open the door and get in at traffic lights...
21. I considered buying one of those big metal pencil sharpeners we had in elementary school for my apartment.
22. I don't like sleeping with socks on.
23. In 7th grade, a girl in my gym class decided she hated me -- I don't know why. One day she and her big, mean friends threatened to beat me up. I told her I didn't want to fight her, but to go ahead and punch me. She mocked me, but didn't hit me. After that we were friends. Go figure!
24. I like cinnamon-flavored gum, but not cinnamon bears.
25. For some reason, I sometimes have difficulty cutting meat. I've been known to catapult it across the room accidently...

I now tag Stephanie Maag, Mandee Lue, Laren, and Sarah Rogers. Have fun!

One Word

rULeS: aNsWeR tHe quEstIonS wItH OnE wOrD oNLy!!

Where is your cell phone? purse
Where is your significant other? preparing
Your hair color? honey
Your favorite thing? music
Your dream last night? forgettable
Your life dream/goal? family
The room you're in? cubicle
Your hobby? performing
Your fear? meaningless
Where do you want to be in 6 years? playing
Where were you last night? home
What you're not? bored
One of your wish list items? organized
Where you grew up? theatre
The last thing you did? work
What you are wearing? sweater
Your TV? companion
Your pet? nonexistent
Your computer? necessary
Your mood? nonchalant
Missing someone? often
Something you're NOT wearing? shoes
Favorite store? book
Your summer? delightful
Love someone? absolutely
Your fave color? jewels
When is the last time you laughed? Christmas
When is the last time you cried? today
Your significant other's hair: erm...
Your life in one word: surprising

Now it's your turn!

Book Tag

Rules:

* Grab the book nearest you. Right now.
* Turn to page 56.
* Find the fifth sentence.
* Post that sentence along with these instructions.
* Don't dig for your favorite book, use the CLOSEST

Here's mine:

"With a moan, she gripped the glass-cut doorknob and turned it."
- from Stephen King's It*

Tag, you're it! (no pun intended)

*This was the first book I noticed while walking past the bookshelves at work. Why do we have 50+ fiction novels just hanging around at a place where we should be working? Your guess is as good as mine. I may need to borrow this one, though; I've never read anything by Stephen King, and I was intrigued by the few paragraphs I read.

On second thought...no. No I don't need to read this. I live alone and my bedroom's right next to the bathroom. That's just asking for trouble.

Seven Things that I Love

Kate tagged me over a week ago to list 7 things that I love. Sorry it took so long, my friend! I may be a little lazy, but I usually get around to these things.

1. Sunday evening at my mom's house. I really, really look forward to Sunday evenings. I love hanging out with the family, watching the previous week's DWTS with Lindsey, helping prepare dinner if I arrive early enough, watching Gunner's parents try to get him to eat in spite of all the fun stuff to play with at Grammy's house, eating a home-cooked and delicious meal AND dessert, watching Desperate Housewives and chatting with Mom. Sunday evenings are warm, comfortable, and peaceful. I don't know what I'd do without them.

2. People to play with. As much as I enjoy living alone, I am thrilled that I have so many friends I can call up to hang out or just talk to. My friends are all so different from each other, and all have talents and strengths I admire. It's fun to play with them!

3. British accents. So, I'm kind of obsessed with the British, and I think it starts with the various accents. I love speaking with a British accent myself and hearing others speak in a British accent. There are so many dialects! I love that British accents usually means we're all dressed up in period clothing, or watching some hilarious comedy, or swooning over romantic Austen-esque figures. Most of my movie-star crushes are British. British accents are just so dashing!

4. A body that works. I love that I have this healthy body that allows me to run, and dance, and work, and sleep, and eat. Thus far, I haven't been plagued with any type of chronic illness, and I feel very blessed. I can do so many things that I want to do, and any limitations are my own doing. I'm sure could be a much better dancer if I just worked at it.

5. Butterfingers. My new candy obsession is the Butterfinger. It's crunchy, it's peanut-buttery, it's wonderful. I have two more snack size from the bag I bought for trick-or-treaters (I didn't get any treaters, so I had to eat them myself). Maybe when they're gone I can quit cold-turkey? If not, I'll have to start buying full-sized ones...

6. I can work and support myself. Growing up, I really wanted to avoid working for a living. However, I am proud to know that I can do this. I don't have to rely on someone else to take care of me. I like my job; it covers my cost of living and allows me to grow and continue to learn. How lucky I am that I live now and not during Jane Austen's time when an unmarried woman didn't necessarily have that option.

7. Stories. Movies, television, live theatre, music, books, scrapbooks, memories, conversation -- I love a good story in any form. I love getting to know people through their stories. I love getting to know myself as I dissect my reactions and emotions about a story. I love performing and sharing stories with others. I remember people's names so much easier when I know a story about them too. It really is the quickest and best way to form friendships.

Coffee Break

I love this:

1. Put Your iTunes, Windows Media Player, etc. on shuffle
2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer
3. You must write that song name, no matter how silly it sounds
4. Include the Artist Name
5. Put any comments in parentheses
6. If you're reading it, I tag you to do it

How would you describe yourself?
"Isengard Unleashed"
London Philharmonic Orchestra
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

How do you feel today?
"Three Young Ladies Drinking Whiskey Before Breakfast"
Irish Pub Songs
(Dude. That's hilarious.)

What is your life’s purpose?
"Magical Mystery Tour"
The Beatles
(Ha ha! Am I succeeding?)

What is your motto?
"Great Balls of Fire"
Jerry Lewis

What do you think about very often?
"I Could Have Danced All Night"
Marni Nixon
My Fair Lady
(I LOVE staying up late!)

What is your life story?
"Mr. Cladwell"
Urinetown, the Musical
(So, what we've learned is, I'm too trusting, and a little slow on the uptake?)

What do you want to be when you grow up?
"Oh, How Lovely Was the Morning"
Arr. and performed by Michael Dowdle
50 Favorite Hymns

What will you dance to at your wedding?
"Jet Song"
Russ Tamblin
West Side Story
(I do like the idea of dancing Fosse-esque at my wedding...)

What will they play at your funeral?
"Just That Kinda Day"
The New Main Street Singers
Mighty Wind soundtrack
(I guess I don't want people to be too bummed... or maybe this is how my philosophy on life was viewed? At any rate, I wish I were this carefree!)

What is your hobby/interest?
"I Could Have Gone to Nashville"
Nunsense
(:^D)

If you could do anything right now, what would it be?
"When Somebody Loves You"
Toy Story

What do you want most of all?
"You've Got to Be Carefully Taught"
Jason Danieley
South Pacific - in Concert

What is your greatest fear?
"A Candle in the Window"
Linda Eder
The Civil War

What is your darkest secret?
"Joseph's Dreams"
Andrew Lloyd Webber
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

What is your favorite thing in the world?
"Take Me as I Am"
Jekyll & Hyde

If you could have one wish, what would you wish for?
"When the Foeman Bares His Steel"
Tony Azito, Linda Ronstadt
The Pirates of Penzance

What is your theme song?
"Cirith Ungol"
Howard Shore
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

The next time you hear this song (aside from now, that is), you must dance.
"The Crime of the Century"
Lynette Perry
Songs from Ragtime
(Whee!)

What will you post this as?
"Coffee Break"
Jeff Blumenkrantz & Victoria Clark
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
(And everyone who sees the post title goes into collective apoplexy. Sorry!)

The Letter W

The other day, Rachael posted her 10 favorite things starting with the letter P. When I asked to participate, she assigned me the letter W. Boy, did I have fun spitballing wacky, wild, wonderful words beginning with "W" on my whiteboard! I love to spitball!

Here are my favorites:

1. Winter. I adore scarves and sweaters, Christmas, Christmas Carols, New Year's Eve, holiday movies, the hum of a furnace, warm blankets, a fire in the fireplace, hot chocolate, and full moons on snowy nights.

2. Women. I grew up with men for the most part, and though my mom did a great job of making sure I was a girly-girl, I was still in for major culture shock when I moved in with 5 female roommates my freshman year of college. Since then, they have become my preferred companions. I've said it before: I feel incredibly blessed to be surrounded by talented, gorgeous, thoughtful, fun, kind, geniune women. You all make me so much better than I am. Thank you for being part of my life!

3. Writing. It's the most effective form of therapy I've ever had! Only through writing am I really able to work out my feelings and come to manageable conclusions to otherwise overwhelming problems. I've discovered that I use several different styles: conversational and free in my blog and letters; formal and precise at work; earnest and sincere in my journal. It's wonderful to have that outlet, and have the freedom to just delete or burn things I don't want anyone to see!

4. Water. Yummy to drink, fun to play in, exhilarating to sail upon, relaxing to sit beside on a warm, sandy beach. I'm afraid of drowning in the ocean, but you can't have everything.

5. Wildlife. I love the zoo and the park and hearing the birds and seeing the animals there. They don't worry about the complicated things in life. They just eat and sleep and play... they are so peaceful. I wish I were like that!

6. Wizards. Albus Dumbledore, Gandalph the Grey, Yoda, Merlin, Belgarath the Sorcerer -- there are so many iconic wizards in literature and mythology. They each guide an inexperienced apprentice through perilous times. I am a fan of fantasy fiction because the hero views the elderly wizard as a valued counselor, and the wizard's magic is an accepted and necessary part of the victory. I am blessed to have access to the widsom of a modern day man with spiritual power: President Thomas S. Monson, prophet of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I am so thankful for his humility, his sincere gratitude and council, and his obvious love for his family and for the people in his stories. I heard him speak in person last month, and not only did I feel the spirit more strongly than I had allowed myself to in a long time, but his talk was exactly what I needed to hear that day. I know that he is a prophet of God, and I am thankful that I choose to be active in this church. My life is better for it.

7. Wit. Have I mentioned yet that I love to laugh? There are so many things that make me laugh, and the best of all is clever people using inside jokes or movie quotes, brilliant timing, unexpected and appropriate facial expressions.

8. WRETCHEL!! (you all had to see that coming) I wish we got to see each other more often. I need to start making up excuses. Meanwhile, the stories you post make me even more excited to be a mom (could your kids BE any cuter?), your piano skills make me wish I'd tried harder, and your kindness is something I aspire to. Thank you for being you!

9. Washington D.C. Not so much the politics associated with the nation's capital, but I enjoy learning about the history and visiting the sites. I first visited when I was 14 and fell in love with the place. My brother Aaron lives there now and I'm sooo jealous, but I probably wouldn't take advantage of living there as much as he does. His blog posts are the best! I'm so glad he's happy there.

10. Words. Hello English Major! I love, love, love words! I love using fancy words like elucidate (teach) and punicious (red). I love puns, alliteration, and complimentary words like "deliciously evil". I love silly british words like wonky and knickers (heck, anything in a british accent). I love saying normally fancy words in a hick accent, such as pe-CAN and car-ri-BE-an. Words are AWESOME!

Other favorites starting with W: Star Trek's Worf, the musical Wicked, Walt Disney World, movies While You Were Sleeping and White Christmas.

Thanks again, Rach! I liked this tag! Anyone else who wants to try, leave a comment on Rach's blog... or leave one on mine and I'll assign you a letter if you like!

Hope you all had a happy Wednesday! (Hey! That starts with "W" too!! I promise that's a coincidence.)

Eight Greats

Eight T.V. shows I love to watch:
1- Pushing Daisies
2- The Big Bang Theory
3- Dancing with the Stars
4- Lost
5- Heroes
6- The Office
7- Grey's Anatomy
8- Star Trek: Deep Space 9

Eight Favorite Places to Eat:
1- Cafe Rio
2- Romano's Macaroni Grill
3- Cold Stone Creamery
4- Kneaders Bakery
5- The Cheesecake Factory
6- Wendys
7- Subway
8- The Melting Pot

Eight Things that happened yesterday:
1- My alarm clock didn't go off
2- Cloris Leachman wasn't voted off DWTS
3- I finished a bag of peanut butter M&Ms
4- I threw away an old tube of mascara
5- I cooked pork loin and made a tomato, basil, and mozarella salad
6- My doc team members and I found out we spend too much time together
7- I went all the way to South Town mall to return something I bought, tried on everything else in the store, found something I love... then realized it was the item I had meant to return. So, I took it back home. I'll never get that hour back!
8- The people in the condo below me talked until past midnight

Eight Things I look forward to:
1- Buying my own washer and dryer
2- A good night's sleep
3- My next trip to Disneyland
4- A great conversation with a friend
5- Hugging my nephew
6- To Wong Foo night
7- Jekyll and Hyde tomorrow night
8- January 16th

Eight Things I love about Fall:
1- My birthday
2- Crunching leaves
3- Unpacking my scarves and sweaters
4- Wearing the vintage leather jacket my mother wore in college
5- General Conference
6- Pie Night
7- New episodes of most of my favorite television shows
8- Halloween costumes and candy

Eight Things on my wish list:
1- Travel to Italy and England and somewhere tropical
2- A raise
3- New comfy brown shoes
4- Lessons in cherry pie-making
5- A food processor
6- A calling that gets me involved with my new ward
7- Time to read where I don't have to worry about anything else
8- A family of my own

Eight people I tag:
Rachael, Stephanie M, Candice, Jenna, Wendi, Emily J, Emily H, and Sarah R

Casting My Life Tag

Using characters (not *actors) from TV/Film or Literature, cast the important/prominent people in your life, including yourself.

(*This is hard! I generally think in terms of the actors themselves, which is a bit of a different challenge...)

Dad: Matt Drayton from Guess Who's Coming to Dinner
Mom: Maggie Malone Seaver from Growing Pains
Adam: Tom Paris from Star Trek: Voyager
Lindsey: Monica Gellar Bing from Friends
Gunner: Young Simba from The Lion King
Aaron: Linus Caldwell from Oceans Eleven
Peter: Steven Hiller from Independence Day
David: Sheldon Cooper from The Big Bang Theory

Gram: Caro Bennett from The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood
Uncle Martin: George Banks from Father of the Bride
Bryce: Emmett from Legally Blonde
Emily J: Lindsey Meeks from Fever Pitch
Spencer: Algernon Moncreiff from The Importance of Being Earnest

Michelle B: Jadzia Dax from Star Trek: Deep Space 9
Laura: Sabrina Fairchild from Sabrina
Marilyn: Miranda Hobbs from Sex and the City
Kate: Polgara from The Belgariad
Laren: Yvaine from Stardust
Steph J: Karen Walker from Will and Grace
Candice: Claree from Steel Magnolias
Emily A: Phoebe from Friends
Michele S: Miss Scarlet from Clue
Wendi: Reba Hart from Reba
Suzy: Elise from First Wives Club
Golnar: Becky from Sleepless in Seattle

me: Jane Porter from Disney's Tarzan

Quirky is the new Black

Thanks, Amy, for the tag! I like reveling in my own quirkiness once in awhile. It reminds me why I'm so special and loved (or, on the flipside, reminds me to be grateful for being loved in spite of my weirdness).

I'm supposed to list 6 quirky things about myself.
Link back to the person who tagged me.
List the rules on my blog.
Tag 6 "unsuspecting" bloggers to complete, see the end of the post.

1. I often get car sick during short trips, but not for longer ones. We used to take a lot of vacations as a family where we'd drive long distances (Billings, Montana; Spokane, Washington; Disneyland) and I could sit in the very back of the Suburban and read and not have any problems. But driving to Holladay to pick up my grandma before heading over to my cousin's house -- I get ill. It's not as bad if I'm in the front seat, and I have no problems if I'm driving. If a trip is less than, say, an hour I get horrible headaches. I haven't ever thrown up, though. At least, not in a car. I did throw up on a plane once, but that's another story.

2. I eat M&M's in a color-themed pattern. Let's imagine that I pour out a bunch of M&M's onto my desk. The M&M's spill out in a random pattern: for example, 3 red ones, 2 blue ones, 3 orange ones, 1 yellow, 1 green, and 2 brown. I don't like to have more than one of each color at one time, so if there are duplicates, I eat them first, leaving 1 red, 1 blue, 1 orange, 1 yellow, 1 green, and 1 brown. Then I eat the brown one 'cause it's ugly. Usually I eat the red and green ones next. That leaves the blue, orange, and yellow M&M's sitting on my desk -- my current favorite M&M color scheme. I debate whether to eat the yellow or orange one next -- they both look so good with blue! The blue is always last. I have no delusions about the blue one tasting differently than any of the others. It's just a pretty color.

3. People tend to find it really weird that a girl like me, who absolutely loves Pride and Prejudice, enjoyed Alien v. Predator. I even went by myself because none of the guys I invited wanted to go. The action sequence between the alien and the predator was awesome! (By the way, I have never seen any of the other Alien or Predator movies. Alien v. Predator was the only one in either franchise rated PG-13.)

4. I am a fan of Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus's songs, but I don't feel the need to see her perform live. The songs are happy and carefree and positive, but when I saw her sing "See You Again" on American Idol Gives Back last year, she just looked angry. I prefer imagining that she's happy-go-lucky when singing the happy songs.

5. For some reason, I remember obscure actors. First time I saw Flight of the Conchords, I looked at the actor playing Bret and thought, "Where have I seen him before?" I looked him up on imdb.com. Yep. He was a featured extra in The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. He only had one line and I still recognized him without the long, flowing hair.

6. I cannot sleep unless all doors in the room I'm sleeping in are closed. This includes doors that lead to the hallway, closet, bathroom, et cetera. In college I trained my roommates to close the doors (one admits it is a habit she's maintained to this day). I don't know if this compulsion has to do with a fear of unknown beings entering my room, or knowing there's probably a mess on the otherside, or what, but the open doors drive me nuts. Maybe it has to do with the fact that I wake up just about any time someone opens the door to my room. That way, if someone comes to attack me, at least I'm awake and can prepare...

I tag Wendi, Erica, Kate, Emily B, Jenna (I am aware that's only 5 people). If you choose to take up the challenge, hope you have as much fun as I did!

Picture Book Tag

I wasn't tagged, but I saw this awhile back on a few blogs and thought it was cool:

Do a Google image search and pick an image from the first page. Then post the image in response to the statement above.

Age I'll be on my next birthday


A place I'd like to visit


The city I live in


My favorite place


One of my favorite things to do


One of my favorite foods


My favorite flower


My favorite color


Name of a former pet


A nickname


Major in college


My first job


My hope for 2008

Megan Megan Bo Began!

1. YOUR REAL NAME:
Megan
2. YOUR GANGSTA NAME: (first 3 letters of real name plus izzle)
Megizzle
3. YOUR DETECTIVE NAME: (favorite color and favorite animal)
Purple Giraffe
4. YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME:(your middle name and street you live on/or neighborhood if it's a number)
Elizabeth Moss
5. YOUR STAR WARS NAME: (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 letters of your first name)
Smyme
6. YOUR SUPERHERO/CRIMINAL NAME: (Your 2nd favorite color, and favorite drink)
Blue Chocolate
7. YOUR IRAQI NAME: (2nd letter of your first name, 3rd letter of your last name, 1st letter of your last name, 2nd letter of your moms maiden name, 3rd letter of your dads name, 1st letter of a siblings first name, and last letter of your moms first name) ~Eysreah
8. YOUR WITNESS PROTECTION NAME: (parents middle names)
Grace Kemp
9. YOUR GOTH NAME: (black, and the name of one of your pets)
Black Calvin

Memories of Me

Here are the directions:
1. As a comment on my blog, leave one memory that you and I had together. It doesn't matter if you knew me a little or a lot, anything you remember!
2. Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. It's actually pretty funny to see the responses. If you leave a memory about me, I'll assume you're playing the game and I'll come to your blog and leave one about you. If you don't want to play on your blog, or if you don't have a blog, I'll leave my memory of you in my blog's comments.

Tag! I'm "It"

Five goals:
1. Buy a condo or townhouse. My parents have been wonderful and very unselfish to let me live at home these last two years, but it's time to be a grown up again and find a place of my own. I could move in with other roommates, or just get an apartment of my own, but I'd really prefer not to have to pay rent anymore.

2. Start up yoga again and do it consistently least four times a week. The weight that took 6 months to lose and I've been maintaining for 12 months is starting to creep back.

3. Do not miss the Utah Shakespearean Festival again this year! I'm skipping my birthday trip in favor of buying a house this year, which means I have the vacation days. I want to spend a couple of days and see everything!

4. Clean out and organize my stack of mail. It's waaaay overdue.

5. Eat at the Melting Pot. I've wanted to try that restaurant for forever, but since it's so expensive I've been waiting for a special occasion (or someone to invite me). Forget that! I just want to go!

Places I've lived:

1. Bountiful, UT

2. Holliday/Cottonwood, UT

3. Provo, UT

4. Winslow, AZ (mission)

5. Williams, AZ (mission)

6. Grand Canyon (South Rim), AZ (mission)

7. Prescott Valley, AZ (mission)

8. North Phoenix, AZ (mission)

9. Salt Lake City, UT

10. Midvale, UT

11. Murray, UT

Now it's time for me to pick 4 people to tag:

Lindsey, Kate, Karl, and Aaron

My First "Tag"!

Yay! My first tag! Have you ever noticed how the first time you do anything is always the most scary and exciting? (Well, maybe the second time is scarier in some circumstances, 'cause then you kind of know what to expect.) I'm just saying, I'm kinda stoked, but I may not be so much in the future.

Meanwhile, it's nice to have an extra excuse to blog... not that I'm asking that y'all tag me every chance you get or anything.

Need to list: 3 joys, 3 fears, 3 goals, 3 current obsessions/collections, 3 random surprising facts about yourself. Tag 5 people at the end of your post by leaving their names. Let them know they are tagged by leaving a comment on their blog!

3 Joys
1. Music. I love to sing more than anything else in the world. It's my favorite part about church and theatre, and the only thing I like about driving. Music can express how I feel so much better than words ever could.
2. Strong women. I am surrounded by them at home, church, work, and the theatre, and I am always amazed when women I admire think I'm something special, too.
3. Painting my toenails. It makes me feel so pretty!

3 Fears
1. Marrying the wrong guy for the right reasons
2. That my hair will go straight when I have my kids (lousy hormones)
3. Finding spiders and/or cockroaches in my bedroom - aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

3 obsessions/ collections
1. "LOST". This television show is so confusing and yet addicting. I really enjoy that this show makes me think, and that there are so many characters to love! Just when I think I have something figured out, or I get comfortable - WHAM! They throw in some new idea out of nowhere. Brilliant! I own the first three seasons, and one of my goals this summer is to rewatch all of them.
2. "Dancing with the Stars". Sure, this last season was kind of boring, but gorgeous men who dance, and gorgeous women in frou-frou costumes are awesome! I have so many songs on my iPod now that I first heard on this show; I like music that makes me want to get up and dance. I took ballroom in 5th grade and am now kinda sad that I stopped, and that I was too afraid of the "social" aspect of social dance to take it at BYU.
(Incidently, I had a dream once that merged both "LOST" and "Dancing with the Stars". Kate and Edyta were great friends.)
3. The Harry Potter books and movies. I spent the bulk of my free time for three years hanging out online with people I met on harrypotter.com, and even wrote over 300 pages of my own fanfiction story (I never finished). Last year before the final book came out, my friend Mira threw a Harry Potter party which is pretty much the coolest thing I'd ever been to. I dressed up as Hermione and had a ball.

3 Goals
1. Buy my own condo or townhouse this year.
2. Get so proficient in yoga I can touch my toes without bending my knees.
3. Someday travel to Italy, Russia, Croatia, Greece, Ireland, and Scotland... not necessarily all on the same trip or in that order.

3 random/surprising facts about myself
1. Although I don't usually choose to play sports, I am actually a decent baseball player, and I like to watch baseball games. I was also pretty good at playing defense in basketball when we still played Young Women's churchball.
2. I was a painfully shy little girl. My first audition was for a part in the third grade Christmas program, and instead of asking for volunteers my teacher picked a bunch of girls to go into the hall and read lines. I was last and very relieved I wouldn't have to read in front of anybody but my beloved teacher. Just as I started, another teacher walked past with her entire class. I got the part. The rest is history.
3. If I had to give up either bread and chocolate, I would give up chocolate. This is not to say I don't like chocolate - I'm a huge fan. I just love bread and pasta more. I tried the South Beach diet once and failed miserably.

I am supposed to tag 5 people, but since this is all about 3's, I will follow Wendi's example and just tag 3 people.
1. Erica Michaelis (if that isn't your last name, Shutterbug, I'm going to be really embarrassed...)
2. Sarah Murray
3. Stephanie Maag