Random stuff....

Put your iTunes on shuffle. Give me the first 6 songs that pop up.

1. "Beethoven" -Trans-Siberian Orchestra
2. "Glitter In The Air" -Pink
   
3. "Bye Bye Beautiful" -Nightwish
4. "Tighten Up" - The Black Keys
5. "All Around Me" -Flyleaf
6. "Kashmir" -David Garrett

Grab the book nearest to you, turn to page 23, give me line 17.
"everything seemed so achingly profound, imbued with that absurd solemnity that the transience of existence conferred..."

What does your latest text message from someone else say?
I like how this question says "someone else" as if I'd be texting myself, lol. Anyway, my most recent text says: "I don't get why everyone swings so hard on his dick either. He must be hung like a 50 foot tall elephant would be to have that many people hanging off of it through."

When is the last time you played the air guitar?
Pretty much every day. I'm a motherfucking rockstar.

Ever stuck a foreign object up your nose?
Not recently. I'm sure I did when I was a little kid.

What's your religion?
I'm not religious.

If you are outside, what are you most likely doing?
Baking cookies and playing air guitar.

Do you prefer to be behind the camera or in front of it?
Behind it. I love taking pictures far more than being in them. I don't mind being in them, taking them is far more fun, though.

Do you believe in karma?
Indeed I do.

What is your greatest weakness; your greatest strength?
Weakness: I'm impatient. Strength: Depends on the situation.

Do you have a collection of anything?
Shot glasses, hats, hockey cards, graphic novels, Batman stuff, hockey memorabilia, comic books.

Do you prefer talking on the phone or video chatting online?
I prefer talking in person and texting. I don't usually like talking on the phone and I've never done video chatting.

Have you ever asked for a pony?
Nope. Never wanted one.

Can you juggle?
Yes but only 4 items. More than that and I mess up fairly quick.

How often do you drink alcohol?
Regularly. A couple times a week.

What's the most recent bad meal that you had to endure?
I seriously can't think of anything. I like what I cook generally and if I don't, I wouldn't finish eating it. I don't eat out very often and I rarely get the joy of someone else cooking dinner for me.

What were you doing 30 minutes ago?
Jogging.

What color is your hairbrush?
One's purple, one's silver and the mini one I carry with me is black.

What was the last thing you paid for?
Gatorade, bandaids, crayons, cucumbers, a lemon, rubber gloves, hand sanitizer.

Have you ever dropped the soap on your foot in the shower?
Not in years since I use liquid body washes now. When I stilled used bar soap, I'd always get mad and kick the soap after I dropped it, haha.

How old do people say you look?
Usually 19-21.

Whats the sexiest thing about Sarah Palin?
She doesn't really float my boat.

Happy Tuesday!

Send your happy thoughts this way, please & thank you...

The boyfriend has to have a procedure done this morning at nine AM and I'm a bit worried about it. The only people who know what's been going on with him the last few rounds of doctor visits are his immediate family and my immediate family. Nothing conclusive has been pinpointed or figured out so he hasn't wanted to say much about what's been going on because it could turn out to be nothing or it could turn out to be pretty major. He hasn't wanted to make people worry for no reason or just give out a bunch of the same news he's been giving out for years now. So, I'm sorry for being vague but out of respect for his wishes, I just can't say much about anything that's been going on.

Anyone who has known me long enough or read my blog for a couple years knows the boyfriend's young but has a history of having strokes. It's not that we found out the cause and I never blogged about it. It's just that they've continued being boggled about why an otherwise healthy guy in his twenties was having strokes and health issues like he has dealt with. It's a running joke that he's in his mid twenties now and has some of the health problems of a sixty year old. In over five years, they've yet to figure anything out despite dozens upon dozens upon dozens of tests being done. Dude just has to be mysterious in all aspects of life, I suppose, lol. It's insanely frustrating to know that something is obviously wrong and go through tons of testing and still come up with nothing. I can relate to that with my own issues but we won't touch that because we're not talking about me. :p

Anyway, back to the procedure going on this morning. Part of the point of this vague post is for me to be able to ramble about it a little bit because worrying about it so much and not being able to do or even really talk about it has been driving me insane the last few weeks. Also I just want to ask for happy thoughts, good vibes, good juju, prayers if you believe in them or whatever you think works to be sent Shane's way. I'm hoping it's nothing and everything turns out swell but we'll just have to see how it goes today.

Happy Friday :)
Have a good weekend, y'all.

Clearing out some monkey's from the attic 2...

• I've decided I like that title for brain dump type posts. So, thanks to my friends' grandma for giving me the phrase to use. Not that she'll ever see this because she thinks the internet is stupid and a waste of time. As she says, who needs a computer when you have alcohol, good books, 500 TV channels, bingo nights, gardening, a weekly poker night and knitting? Go Granny Go.

• I kept seeing people talking about a show called "Portlandia" and didn't think much of it. Then a few of my friends were talking about how great it is. I was bored one night and saw it on NetFlix and decided to give it a go. I was ready to call it quits after the intro. I pushed on and hoped it would get better. I usually have to finish watching something once I start it, no matter how awful it is. I don't know why, I just do. Portlandia was one of those rare exceptions to that rule. I made it 13 minutes before turning it off and it felt like so much longer than 13 minutes. It was painful to watch it for even that long. I was so annoyed for wasting that time. I could have been reading one of my books, watching a documentary, cleaning the toilet or even watching paint dry.

• I've also realized, if most people rave about how funny something is, I'm likely not going to agree. That's not me trying to be different or anything, that's just how it works out more often than not. Bridesmaids is a prime example of that. I don't know many others who didn't like it but I thought it was fucking terrible. There wasn't one thing I laughed at in that movie. I'm so glad I don't pay to see movies ever because I would have been annoyed wasting the money and time to sit through that.

• Something that drives me crazy at Stars games is the lack of noise people make. I mean, you're not in a fucking library and some yelling and rowdiness is quite encouraged, really. Especially if fans for the other team are trying to start a "Lets Go Red Wings" (or whatever opposing team it is) chant in your team's house. It should really go without saying that if the opposing team's fans get a chant going for their team in your building, you drown them the fuck out by being louder than they are. Show some spirit, damn!

• Speaking of hockey, I'm totally bummed I'm not going to the game tonight. It's Steve Ott bobble head night and I really want an Otter bobble head. So if anyone gets an extra one (looking at you, married couples and other couples that live together, lol) and wants to trade it for a Ribeiro or Morrow bobble head, let me know. ;)

• I have a cut on the bottom of my left foot that's a little under an inch long. I have no freaking idea how it got there. I rarely walk around without shoes on and I think I would remember cutting my foot open and bleeding. I have no idea where it came from or what happened but it's really annoying. I'm used to having bruises I can't explain but cuts? That's just ridiculous.

• I hate when I'm sitting in the living room reading or writing and I look up because I feel like someone's watching me only to see my boyfriend's cat sitting there, just staring at me. It bothers me. I think, even if I weren't seriously allergic to them, I wouldn't be much of a cat person.

• I really, really, really love gummy bears. And fruit snacks. I always have a stash of these things because I love them that much. Gummy bears are awesome. I hate gummy worms, though. Those are just weird. Unless they're the really sour ones, I can deal with those.
  

• I got an invite from a friend back in December to use Pinterest. I just set it up yesterday and really have no clue what I'm doing with it yet because I didn't really look at it once I got it set up, lol. If you're on there and want to follow me, let me know. I want some people to follow. You know, once I start using it. :)
  

• I've been listening to this guy's music a lot here recently. I discovered him months ago thanks to Pandora playing his cover of Led Zeppelin's "Kashmir" on my Apocalyptica station. I decided to look up more of his work. I love the violin, it's such a pretty instrument. Here's David Garrett doing "Master of Puppets" by Metallica:

Happy Tuesday!

Sunday Stealing...

Sunday Stealing
36. Have you watched American Horror Story?
Nope.

37. Baseball hat or toque?
Depends on where I'm going and how the weather is. I love both. And hats in general.

38. Do you shampoo or soap up first in the shower?
I tend to turn the water on first.

39. Wet the toothbrush or brush dry with the toothpaste?
Wet is better.

40. Pen or pencil?
Depends on what I'm doing. Most things, pen. Art, pencil.

41. Have you ever gambled at a casino?
Yup.

42. Have you thrown up on a plane?
Never. That would suck. Imagine if the plane smelled like vomit for an hour or so after you didn't make it to the plane's toilet and threw up all over the aisle or something? The plane would reek and everyone would be death glaring in your general direction.

43. Have you thrown up in a car?
Not that I can remember but I'm sure it's happened. Possibly as a baby or small child.

44. Have you thrown up at work?
Yeah, a couple times but that was years ago.

45. Do you scream on roller coasters?
Out of joy, yes. I'm loud and like to yell when I'm having fun, okay.

46. How many shoes do you have?
I have 4 pairs so 8 shoes.

47. Who was your first roommate?
Ryan. Unless you want to count when 21 and I shared a room as kids, then one of my brothers was my first roommate.

48. What alcoholic beverage did you drink when you got drunk for the first time?
Margaritas I think. Or shots. I don't honestly remember for certain, it was a long time ago.

49. What was your first job?
Working for my dad.

50. What was your first car?
A corvette. It was a really shiny, pretty blue color. Aww, Hot Wheels, I love thee.

51. When did you go to your first funeral?
When I was 19? Maybe 20. I'm not sure. It was my grandfather on my dad's side of the family and I hardly knew him.

52. How old were you when you first moved away from your hometown?
I've moved a lot so I don't think I've ever considered anywhere my "hometown" to be honest.

53. Who was your first grade teacher?
Mrs. Parsons.

54. Where did you go on your first airplane ride?
California.

55. When you snuck out of your house for the first time, who was it with?
The neighbor/friend who lived a few houses down the street. We were so cool, sneaking out of the house to go try the cheap whiskey he sneaked from his dad's private stash. Which is funny because I really never had to sneak out of the house but I did a few times anyway just to see if I'd get caught.

56. Who was your first best friend and are you still friends with them?
Anthony was my first best friend. And no, we're not still friends. The bad thing about moving around and changing schools so much was it was hard to keep in touch with friends as a kid so my friends changed a lot and I just learned not to get too attached to anyone. Which is probably why I still don't let people close to me easily, actually.

57. Where did you live the first time you moved out of your parents’ house?
In a 3 bedroom apartment with my friend Ryan.

58. Who is the first person you call when you have a bad day?
No one. I tend to just deal with it myself. If I really need to talk to someone then usually the boyfriend or Robert, Adam or Tyler.

59. Whose wedding were you in the first time you were a bridesmaid or a groomsmen?
I've never been a bridesmaid in a wedding. Lack of having many female friends does that. When my friend Jesse got married, he wanted me to be a "groomsmen" but his future bride and her parents who were paying for everything were not cool with that so it didn't happen.

60. What is the first thing you do in the morning?
Wake up.

62. First tattoo or piercing?
Ears. Aside from my ears, eyebrow. No tattoos.

63. First celebrity crush?
Christina Ricci, I think. I don't remember for sure but I think that's it. I always tended to crush on more attainable people instead of celebrities.

Happy Sunday!

The Simple Things...

Swiping this from Hubman. I relate to most of them but there are a few I just rolled my eyes at. Of course. Most of these will bring a smile to my face most days. Enjoy.

The Simple Things In Life....

Someone telling me that they appreciate me or something I’ve done. Seriously, seems so small but causes such a warm feeling.

When you forget it’s Friday in the middle of your work day, then as you are about to leave you remember. It’s like a miniature brain orgasm.

Hearing a new song and knowing I’m gonna like it.

Sitting on the grass on a slightly windy, but aggressively sunny day, knowing that I have no obligations whatsoever for the entire day.

Waking up on a day where i don’t have to go anywhere, and finding out that its pouring rain.

If it’s not cloudy, then looking at the stars and feeling both infinitely small and and infinitely worthy.

Waking up in the morning and realizing that I still have more time to sleep and being able to go back to sleep.

Falling asleep to the sound of rain outside my window

Being in a situation where some psuedo-authority figure is yelling/mad at you. Then suddenly you realise as an adult you can just get up and leave with zero consequences.

Smiling at a girl and getting the smile returned.

Coming home from a long day and taking my pants off immediately.

When I was younger I use to love watching the rain drops race down the window. I still do, I guess.

Being at the grocery store and realising that I, as an adult, can buy nothing but ice cream for dinner and no-one can say shit about it.

Napping uninterrupted. Bonus if it’s dark and rainy outside.

The first twenty seconds of a bowl of Fruity Pebbles. I don’t care after that.

A good dog by my side.

I enjoy when someone says to me, “You look good today.” It really is the small things.

Happy Thursday!

Clearing out some monkey's from the attic...

• I hate the phrase "brain dump" for some reason. I'm not really sure what about it I don't like but I'm not a fan. Though, I don't really have a better snappy little phrase for it. Maybe I'll come up with one. Or not. A friend of mine's grandmother always has the oddest little phrases for things. Her phrase for a "brain dump" is "clearing out some monkey's from the attic." I've heard her use it many times but it still makes me laugh every time she says it or I think about it. It's not overly funny honestly. The way she says it is amusing. My friend asked her once what it meant or if she had any reasoning behind saying it. She replied, "Reasoning? Fuck if I know. You want a reason? Alright, I'm old and I say what I want and I think it sounds frogdamn cute. And if you had some monkeys in the attic, my guess is you would want those shit flinging bastards out of there. Thoughts taking up needless space in your mind are like those shit flinging monkeys, they got to go because if you leave 'em there unattended they're just going to stink the place up." That's not a typo, she says "frogdamn" and "frogdammit" quite often. :)
  

• Making a status update literally every 10 to 15 minutes about how much fun you're having at a party is pretty telling on the fun you're not really having. There's a story there but I'm not getting into all the details of it. I'll say someone I know is trying to make an ex jealous by posting 4 or 5 status updates an hour whenever she's out at a bar, event, with friends, at a party, etc talking about how fun it is, how many hot guys are hitting on her, etc. This has been going on for a little over a week now, every damn day. I don't even check Facebook regularly and it's driving me crazy. She asked me about it last night, my opinion on if I thought she looked stupid and obvious, and I answered honestly. Huge blowup ensued and it got ugly. Anyway. :)

• My dad is coming for a visit! He gets in town tonight and is leaving on Tuesday. I'm excited since I haven't seen him since September last year. One of the big reasons he's coming in to town is because my youngest brother is playing a hockey game at the American Airlines Center on Sunday. He's super excited. Hell, I'd be excited, too. He gets to dress in the same locker room as the Dallas Stars, walk their tunnel, set on the same bench they do and play a game on the ice in the building they play in. That's pretty badass. I'm happy dad will be here to see that and I'm excited for my brother, I know he's excited for it. :D

• I have occasional bouts with insomnia. Which I'm going through currently. It sucks. I literally can't sleep until I'm exhausted to the point of not being able to physically stay awake anymore and then I don't sleep for long and it's a restless sleep. I don't take sleep aids because honestly, none of the several I have tried worked for me. On the plus side of that, with nothing to do late at night, I've gotten a ridiculous amount of writing done for a project I'm working on. I was worried about making my deadline at first and now I'm close to done with almost 3 weeks left still.
  

• I like to look for the silver lining in everything. ;) I don't always find one but sometimes I do and that makes sucky things, well, suck less.
  

• I'm excited for the Stars game on Saturday. I got tickets to the game as one of Shane's (the boyfriend has a name!) Christmas presents. I also got him tickets to the Lightning game on the 20th as well as some DVDs. He's so easy to buy for. Hockey tickets are always an acceptable and very much loved gift and I always benefit from that one, too. I got an extra ticket to Saturday's game so he could bring someone else, too. He's bringing a co-worker who likes hockey but I don't think she's ever been to a game before. I'm so glad he picked her because we've hung out before and she's super cool. I always get excited when I meet a new girl I can actually get along with because I don't tend to get along with girls very often. The last game we went to was on New Years Eve (you know, that one where the Stars outplayed the Bruins and won 2-4? ;D) so it feels like it's been forever since the last game I was at. I do realize two weeks isn't forever or even that long at all but it feels like longer than it really is. :p

• One of my biggest pet peeves is not having consideration for others. I don’t think everyone needs to be prim and proper but most people need to get slapped with basic manners so hard that they never forget those basic manners, ever.

• Here recently, I've gotten quite a few messages on Tumblr about gay marriage and why I support it. I have a feeling it's probably the same person but since whomever it is poses their questions under "anonymous" I have no way of knowing. Since my last two responses (here and here), the messages have gone from questions to outright hate mail, basically. I had 12 messages waiting for me in my inbox yesterday when I logged in. I deleted them all because they were rude, hateful and I saw no reason to respond to any of the garbage in there. They weren't questions or even just disagreeing with me, they were just name calling and talking shit. I can accept that people don't agree with my opinions on things. I also accept that as someone who is open about beliefs and rather vocal about the things I support, I'm going to have to deal with trolls like this one. I just think it's stupid. I'm hoping ignoring them will make them move on. That usually works. Until then, I'll just keep deleting all the name calling and anti-gay bullshit they throw my way.

• People that do nice things for others "just because" without ulterior motives or expectations are awesome. People that do nice things for others "just because" only in hopes that they'll get something out of it presently or in the future fucking suck. People that do nice things for others "just because" but throw it in your face later on to try and use as a guilt trip or a manipulation tool really, really fucking suck. If you do that, you're an asshole.
  

• Also? I'm not overly rebellious or defiant for the sake of not being told what to do (though I'm not the biggest fan of people telling me what to do, lol) but when someone tries to guilt trip me into something, it pisses me off and makes me not want to do it that much more. Even if it's something I'm iffy on doing, guilt trip me and that's it, not happening.

Looking at my blog stats recently, on top of comments and emails from you guys, it's ridiculous how many people come here and read the stuff I type out into the blogosphere. Ridiculous in a good way, mind you. Thanks so much for reading and thanks for those that leave comments and/or send emails or respond to stuff via Twitter. Y'all are awesome. ;)

Happy Thursday!

Orgasms & Q-tips...

My friend April started a debate with a friend about how using a q-tip to relieve a really itchy ear was one of the best feelings in the world. Her and her friend were debating whether or not it surpassed an orgasm in terms of things that feel amazing. She ended up texting me for my thoughts on the subject which I happily supplied in heavy favor of orgasms over q-tips relieving an itch. I mean really, there's no contest, lol.

The question wound up on Twitter and no surprise most people went with orgasm over a q-tip relieving one's itchy ear. Honestly though, she's got a point with her q-tip defense. It feels fantastic when you have an itch inside your ear you can't get to and finally alleviate it with a q-tip. It's a wonderful feeling. It doesn't surpass an orgasm though, not even close. It did get me thinking of things that are simple but just feel great and possibly even surpass the awesomeness of a q-tip performing one of it's basic functions. So, I thought about simple joys that make me feel great and decided I'd put them up here. In no particular order..

-A shower after a hard workout, long day at work, sporting event, outdoor activity or anything that leaves you hot, sweaty and feeling rather filthy. Washing away all the grime and feeling clean, soft and warm? Fucking GREAT. That also works for when you're stressed and take a warm shower and feel lazy, warm and super relaxed afterward.

-Being outside in the cold and going inside, where it's nice and warm and then drinking and/or eating something warm. Especially coffee or a warm mug of tea (showing my bias) because both are so delicious. That feeling of heat warming your body from the inside out is awesome.

-Getting swept away in a really fantastic book. I know a lot of people don't enjoy books and reading the way I do but it's an experience for me. I get very involved with the characters, the storyline and pretty much every aspect of the book. It's like being in a different little world and it's one of my favorite feelings, ever.

-When you're in the car and have to pee but you're almost home or wherever you're going to and don't want to stop anywhere so you hold it for what seems like an eternity. When you finally get where you're going, rush in, and get to go, it's such a sweet, wonderful relief.

-Hugs. Especially when you're having a bad day.

None of that is better than the feeling you get from an orgasm but they all definitely top the q-tip for me. I'm sure there are more if I took more time to think about it but I'm really not bored enough to spend even more time distracting myself with the subject. At least for right now, haha. Though if any of you fine people have anything you want to add to my list (comments section yo!), feel free to do so. :)

Happy Tuesday!!!

Sunday Stealing: TNEM Part One

Sunday Stealing: The Never Ending Meme, Part One

1. Song that always makes you sad?
"My December" by Linkin Park.

2. Last thing you bought?
Alcohol and food.

3. Last person you argued with?
The Lawyer but it was a pancakes VS waffles argument. Last serious argument was probably with the Boyfriend.

4. Do you put butter before putting the peanut butter on?
Nope. I've tried it before and didn't feel a need to do it again. I also tried putting a slice of cheese on a peanut butter sandwich because several people I know eat it that way so I figured I'd try it. Also didn't feel a need to do that one again.

5. One of your stuffed animals’ names as a kid?
Petersen. I was in a bad car accident when I was 5 and spent some time recovering in the hospital. I got a stuffed animal from the gift shop that I slept with in the hospital every night and I named him that after a character in a book I loved at the time. I kept that stuffed animal for so long.

6. Did you ever at one time own a Barenaked Ladies CD?
NEVER. I never got into their music.

7. Favorite day of the week?
FriSatSunday. What? ;)

8. Favorite sundae topping?
Chopped up Reese's peanut butter cups. I love peanut butter.

9. Did you take piano lessons?
I didn't. I play but I taught myself.

10. Most frequent song played?
Right now probably something by The Black Keys or Chevelle.

11. T.V. show you secretly enjoy?
I don't "secretly" enjoy anything because I don't get the whole being embarrassed or ashamed of something that brings me joy.

12. Would you rather play basketball or hockey?
I've played both, hockey hands down. Way more fun. :D

13. Date someone older or younger?
Older usually. Though, the Boyfriend is approximately two weeks younger than I am. He's the only younger person (males & females combined) that I've ever been with. Seems to be working out, haha.

14. One place you could travel right now?
Ireland.

15. Do you use umbrellas?
Sometimes, when I remember to grab one. Usually I don't. Luckily I'm not afraid to get a little wet.

16. Do you know all the words to the Canadian national anthem?
I do, actually!

17. Favorite cheese?
Depends on what I'm putting it on or in. I love a lot of different cheese. Gruyere, smoked Gruyere, chipotle Gouda, Pepperjack, sharp cheddar, blahblahIlovecheeseyaddayadda.

18. The Smith’s or The Cure?
I LOVE THE CURE.

19. Do you prefer blondes or brunettes?
No love for redheads? That's rude.

20. Best job you ever had?
The one I'm currently attempting to not suck at. Making money doing something you really enjoy is awesome and rarely feels like actual work.

Happy Sunday!

Stuff to think about....

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“As time goes on, you’ll understand. What lasts, lasts; what doesn’t, doesn’t. Time solves most things. And what time can’t solve, you have to solve yourself” — Haruki Murakami

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“I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.” — Frank Herbert

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“Shallow men believe in luck; strong men believe in cause and effect.” —Ralph Emerson

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“Ships in harbour are safe, but that’s not what ships are built for…” —John Shedd

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Happy Wednesday!

New Year's Resolutions...

I keep seeing posts about everyone's New Year's Resolutions so I thought I'd make a post about mine.

Ashly's 2012 New Year's Resolutions

1. 
   
2. 
   
3. 
   
4. 
   
5. 
   

As you can see, it's a pretty empty list. Entirely due to the fact that I don't make New Year's Resolutions. I never have and never will. The entire notion of it is silly to me. If you know on 12/31 or 01/01 what needs to be changed in your life, chances are you didn't just realize those were changes that needed to be made. I see no need to wait for a specific date to decide I need to do better at XYZ, quit a bad habit, set a goal for something, do this or do that. I'm regularly thinking and evaluating what I do in life and who I am, the way I act, the way I view things, the way I react to things, etc. That doesn't mean I obsess about this stuff all the time because I don't.

Why wait for a new year to change things, set new goals, to make your life and/or yourself a better person? There's no need to wait for a specific time to give thought to self-improvement and/or bettering your overall life.

"I think in terms of the day's resolutions, not the years'." -Henry Moore

Happy Tuesday!