Perspective or Lack thereof

Awhile ago I read a high school friend's blog about her experience in high school. It was a complete wake up call for me. To sum it up, she stated, "I guess, for people who are wondering, I went through everyday of high school feeling awkward, out of place and mocked".  

As I was reading this I was overcome with a complete shock; I couldn't believe she felt awkward, she was the coolest person I knew in high school.

She mentioned how her sophomore year people threw shoes at her and called her all sorts of names. I met this girl when I was a freshman and she was a sophomore and while we were not close I considered if not a friend at least an ally. She was my hero.

As much as this girl was dislike by others; I was always widely impressed with her. She seemed like the confident, sassy friend everybody wants. And as the awkward, Mormon high school girl, I felt naive and silly every day. She would save me, sometimes from myself and sometimes from others. Most of these things she probably doesn't even remember but I truly and honestly respected her and wish I had had the courage to tell her exactly how she assisted me during a transition period in my life.

Freshman year, when she first stepped in and saved me.  Every day we would wait for the bell to ring by listening (or not) to the announcements. During the 2nd week of school, a boy in our mutual french class asked about my bra size. Most girls would have brushed him off with a "Gross" or a roll of the eyes but I was mortified and found myself blushing and stammering something like, "Shut it." She turned around and told him she was a C and asked him if he was same. The boy never bothered me again.

Sophomore year, while practicing for a play (I never said I was cool) I was feeling jealous about being rejected because I was too tall and not good enough. I made the comment, "I wish I was more like that girl" (the girl who was better, prettier, shorter and not surprisingly meaner). And she said, "You will go way further in life than her."

Junior year, she was in the same Homecoming dance group as me and even though my date kept trying to convince me I didn't need a shawl (I need one for modesty) She stated that I looked really nice and the shawl was beautiful.

She is and always will be someone I respect and admire for her honesty, courage and ability to remain totally confident in herself. Something I have greatly tried to emulate.

I challenge all of you to find someone in your past who helped you and remind them of why they are awesome.

Day 3: Midnight counts right?

Day 3: First Love

Man, these posts are difficult to come up with while moving, but here goes!

Long before I met Homestar, I was in love with one thing and that was puppies. I found myself loving puppies almost more than life itself. I would dream about dogs and how I was going to have 10 when I was older and be a writer and have awesome hair like my Aunt Cami. 

This dream of mine never diminished and even when I see cute puppies now I squeal. Luckily, my begging and pleading paid off in the form of my cute puppy: Cookie. 

Like any proud mama, I take a bajillion pictures of this cute pup but unfortunately I have packed my camera so I don't have any to show you suffice it to say: she's the smartest, cutest pup around. 

I don't know how many times I begged to get a dog. Basically ever since I got married I have been pleading with Homestar to let me get a dog. Conversations would go as follows: 

Me: So Christmas is coming up....how about a dog? 

Homestar: No, we don't have room for a dog.

Me: So....Martin Luther King Day is coming up....how about a dog?

Homestar: No, we don't have time for a dog.

Me: So....National Doughnut Day is coming up....how about a dog?

Homestar: No. 

I need to thank my sister-in-law Jana for providing me the opportunity to get Cookie. She had a co-worker who was trying to find a good home for this cutie pie and Jana knew how much I desperately wanted a dog so she sent me a text and I told her I would ask Homestar. 

I texted him a picture of Cookie (then nameless cute pup) and then asked him if we could at least look at her. He agreed (which completely blew my mind) and then we went and saw her.

I was in love from the moment I held her cute little body in my arms. She was so soft and so cuddly and basically everything good and nice in the world. 

Homestar took a few licks on his hand and then he was as hooked as me. It was a good thing because if we had left without a puppy that night I would have cried. She's a cute one but she is so much bigger than the pictures I am posting (I stole these from facebook). 

She such a cute little baby and has completely destroyed the toy she has in the picture with her. Anyway, she's ours forever and always.

Day 2: Multiple Personalities or just plain old Crazy?

Day 2: Nicknames

Homestar is a fairly level headed guy, the kind of guy who likes dangerous stuff but only in safe ways. He's the one you would like belaying you as you rock climb:

(This picture is just to show you what kind of awesome belayer he is)

A nickname he received in high school was "Skit" because of the commonness of his first name and his last name. This is based off our last name and is something only his high school buddies call him today. "Skit" is more like this: 

A giggling teenage boy. Note the dyed tips of his hair (Skit did that) and the hunched laugh suggesting his laughter is inappropriate (It generally is). That is what my husband becomes when he is called Skit. Skit is not my husband, though I did receive numerous gifts to "Skit and Skit's Wife". 

I feel like nicknames call upon a personality we had/have when we are called by that name. I have about a billion nicknames and depending on the name is who I am. Let's just take a small sample:

1. Any variation of "Babe" (ie Baberrific, Babeasaurus Rex, Babraham Lincoln, Babecakes, etc): Homestar's wife and most amazing companion. I'm sweet and cool and totally down for huge party.

2. Emily/Em: I'm the Emily you know and love! Crazy. Loud. Awesome.

3. Emily (pronounced M-Lay): Sassy High Schooler with attitude. 

4. Emmy: 5 years old. (Only my aunts and uncles call me this)

5. Bretsen's Sister: Annoying younger sister.

So yeah, I really like nicknames. In fact the only time I call Homestar by his first name is when I am upset and want to make a point. Nicknames jazz up a situation and really give an idea to others how serious you are. 

Challenge: Get a new nickname and love it!

Day One: Do I really have to find a camera?

Introduce, recent picture of yourself, 15 interesting facts


The problem with finding a recent picture of yourself is that I would need to take recent photos of myself to have some. I searched facebook and came up with some doozies and the most recent photo is this one:

 

In case you were wondering,  there were more people in this photo but I cropped them out so you could figure out which one is me. Also (and more importantly) I don't have their permission to re-post their photographs on my blog and I would hate for them to be uncomfortable (or sue me).

15 Less Well Known Facts About Me (MLE)

1. I became a vegetarian for a week as a protest to my parents for forcing me to help cook chicken. (No, I'm serious. This really happened.)

2. My first concert ever was The Click Five.

3. When I am reading, an earthquake could happen and I wouldn't notice. This is something that makes people not happy with me.

4. I like Marshmallow Mateys because the ratio of marshmallows to mateys is much better than Lucky Charms.

5. The picture I had on my desk at work of Homestar was 10 years old, and I couldn't find a better one I liked besides that one.

6. I have all of the siblings, you know an older brother, an older sister, a younger brother and a younger sister. So yes, I can relate and I wouldn't change it for the world.

7. I try not to think too far in the future, it scares to think where I'll be and what I'll be doing. Even if I would like it, I like the here and now.

8. I am proud to say I know all the names of my 40+ cousins (both sides and cousin-in-laws), my family is close and I'm extremely grateful of that.

9. I am working on being better at playing the piano but I still can't sightread worth a hill of beans. 

10. I love chapstick, but I'm picky about the variety. It has to be Burt's Bees original (peppermint) not the honey and pomegranate ones. I started liking this chapstick when I was in band in high school.

11. When I was in first grade, my teacher said very quiet and kind of non-social (shy). This was shocking to my parents because I was very loud at home. After that I don't think my parents were ever told that again.

12. My most embarrassing moment is when I yelled at a deaf woman because I forgot she was deaf. This was also the Girls Camp where I made the infamous "Face" that will haunt me forever.

13. I love listening to people dedicate songs to their loves on the radio. I wish there was another person like Delilah so I could listen to that.

14. I'm neither a democrat or a republican, I'm an economist. 

15. One movie I can watch over and over again is "She's the Man". I don't know why but I love that movie.



Well hopefully you enjoyed that insight into the crazy. Tomorrow's all about nicknames!!!

Challenge Accepted.

I have decided something great and wonderful today. I am going to blog more often and I figured there was no better way to do it than with a challenge. For 30 days, I will complete one of these posts to bring to you a new side of me which you have not seen and also because many people might have forgotten that I still blog infrequently as it is. 

Here are the challenges:

Day 1: Introduce, recent picture of yourself, 15 interesting facts.
Day 2: Nicknames.
Day 3: Your first love.
Day 4: Your parents.
Day 5: What song inspires you.
Day 6: Pet peeves.
Day 7: What makes you happy.
Day 8: A place you’ve traveled to and where else you want to travel.
Day 9: A favorite picture of your best friend.
Day 10: Something you’re afraid of.
Day 11: A quote you love.
Day 12: Something you don’t leave the house without.
Day 13: Goals.
Day 14: A picture of you last year – how have you changed?
Day 15: Death row meal.
Day 16: Your opinion about your body and how comfortable you are with it.
Day 17: Put your iPod on shuffle, first 10 songs.
Day 18: Something you miss.
Day 19: Things you want to say to an ex.
Day 20: Something you wonder “What if…?” about.
Day 21: Something you’re proud of.
Day 22: What do you want your future to be like?
Day 23: Favorite Movies and TV Show.
Day 24: Something you’ve learned.
Day 25: Something you are looking forward to.
Day 26: Your Dream Wedding.
Day 27: Photo of your city .
Day 28: What stresses you out?
Day 29: Who is you hero?
Day 30: A picture of yourself this day and 5 good things that happened since you started the challenge.

Hairy Up and Let's Grow!

Homestar and I disagree. A lot. On pretty much every tiny issue that is extremely insignificant.

Oh sure we agree and stuff like money, children and how we want our lives to turn out in 30 years but what we should make for dinner, not so much.

Our disagreements are over extremely stupid stuff like whether he will put the roll of toilet paper on the roll after he's used up the last thing and whether I have to put my ice feet on his legs in the bed.

These things are insignificant in the future scheme of things but for some reason we both feel we have to cling to our stubborn selves in order to protect our pride.

But this last month, I scored a victory for Team Wife.

Homestar has a beard. 

This is a big victory too because Homestar has fought me for each and every scruffy hair.

I tried hiding his razors. He bought more.

I tried telling him he didn't need to. He said he had job interviews.

I told him it would keep his face warm. He said he was too hot.

I told him I loved it. He said he didn't.

So discouraged I said fine and walked away. Fast-forward two weeks and I started to notice the beginnings of a beard.

So how did I convince him? Truth be told I'm not entirely sure I did. The thing with Homestar is if he didn't want to do it, he wouldn't so maybe he is a really big fan of the hair.

I am clear in my critique. I am a GIANT fan.

This is something that separates me from basically every other woman I know. I am extremely fond of the facial hair but the beards are the best (full ones not wimpy soul patches or pencil thin mustaches).

Here is an example of a good beard.

This stately man is greatly improved with his "icing" beard.

As is my hubs.

I'm so happy!

Lessons from Brat Fest

I have being feeling just a little down and out of sorts because I got my wisdom teeth out last week but unfortunately got a nerve exposed so that every time I eat it feels like death.

[Sidebar: This diet has been the most effective. I plan to market it as "The Nervy Diet: Don't eat; it will hurt too much"]

And Homestar is out of town which means that I am myself at home. This means that every noise, or silence is taken as sounds/silences of murders coming into my house. 

I was doing my usual activities after work of eating dinner, and watching the news [read: hulu tv show premiers], when I happened to spot this lovely picture:

This is me and Homestar on Labor Day at a BBQ entitled: Utah's Largest Brat Fest. [Notice my lovely Wisconsin Brat Fest T-shirt].  

You might wonder why I have that thing around my face. It is because after removing my wisdom teeth it hurt after I ate so I would put two ice packs in that wrap and strap it to my head. 

[Sidebar: Best invention ever. It had a little velcro strap so I didn't have to hold anything! How awesome is that?]

I equally love and hate this picture. I basically hate all the parts with me (I look with I wrapped toilet paper around my head) but the reason I'm showing you this picture is this:

Yeah that's my love. And what is he doing when his wife looks like a cross between a Top Gun and loony bin resident?

He's pulling her closer to him.

As if she looks lovely and the fact that he did this for photographic evidence makes my heart melt. I like that part of the picture so much I changed this to my facebook profile picture. I like being reminded of love every time I look at it. 

I have always been a big believer in love. True love. The big heart swelling romantic love because it does exist out there and it definitely exists in my life. It doesn't just mean gifts, it means gestures and the one Homestar demonstrated above is a huge one to me. 

I had some guys I dated who were embarrassed to be seen with me. True, I can be a bit....different (psycho) so I understand some hesitation but the true friends/family will laugh and take a picture. 

I have found a man who for love puts up with his wife's silliness and sometimes downright dramatic behavior. He sees the best in me and even wants to be there when I'm not my best (at least not looking my best).

I have been especially loving towards him because of how well he took care of me after my wisdom teeth incident. 

I have never had surgery of any kind and so this was my first experience with anesthesia. 

I thought I would be sleepy afterwards, instead I was just overly confident. 

I distinctly remember telling him to take me back to work after I "wash the blood off my teeth."

Homestar had to pull out his best dad voice and say, "Lie down on the bed now."

And so I meekly got into bed until his back was turned then tried again to get up. 

True love means you take care of them when they are sick and love them when they are crazy. Homestar passes on both accounts.