Saturday, September 8, 2012
The Fall Five 2012
It's that time again! So, what is it that I am looking forward to the most this fall? I'll make this simple.
1. Return of my health. I have been feeling weird for almost 2 months now and I'm looking forward to getting this anxiety under control with the help of a new doctor...as soon as I find one, that is.
2. The Perks of Being a Wallflower- this movie is based on the best-selling novel by Stephen Chbosky and is set to be released on September 20! Not so far away. This is one of those books that I didn't love when I read it, but that I liked a whole lot more a few weeks afterwords, once I had a chance to think over everything that happened. I'm anxious to see if I like the movie. It stars Logan Lerman (Percy from Percy Jackson) and Emma Watson (who plays Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter franchise)
3. Participating in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. This October 27 I will be walking with some friends in the race to raise money to find a cure for breast cancer and fund screenings for women to prevent the disease. It is something I will be doing to remember my mother, Jane, who died of the disease May 26, 2011. Not only is October Breast Cancer Awareness month, it also was my mom's birth month. If you have the desire to help me, I have a goal of raising $250.00 and so far I have raised $25.00 (which was donated by myself). http://centralwesternok.info-komen.org/site/TR/Events?px=13298508&pg=personal&fr_id=2566&s_subsrc=bfgetwordout&s_src=boundlessfundraising
4. Radiate Meetings! The girls from my church and I started a girls/womens group (kind of a Sorority) and we are still trying to figure out what all we want to do this fall. Some of the leaders are meeting tomorrow to try and figure a few things out and hopefully I will have more news to share with you all soon!
5. Reading! Reading! Reading! I am hoping to get a whole lot of books for my birthday next week so I can hibernate and go into reading mode. I haven't read a book in so long I seriously think my mind is going. :)
What do you know...not every single thing is entertainment industry related. Go figure! I guess its been awhile since that happened!! Probably the first time ever!
Thursday, February 23, 2012
A fun little game.
I want to play the movie quote game. Here's how we do it. Each quote has a number in front of it. In the comments, guess what the movie is, as well as the name of the character who said it! Alrighty! Here we go!
1. “Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.”
2. “I’m not a smart man, but I know what love is."
3. “I’ve been looking out of a window for eighteen years, dreaming about what I might feel like when those lights rise in the sky. What if it’s not everything I dreamed it would be? And what if it is? What do I do then?”
4. “The best things happen while you’re dancing. Things you cannot do at home come naturally on the floor. For dancing soon becomes romancing when you hold a girl in your arms that you’ve never held before. Even guys with two left feet come out alright if the girl is sweet if by chance their cheeks should meet while dancing. Proving that the best things happen while you dance.”
5. “Young man, sometimes the right path is not the easiest one.”
6. “Are you crazy? A man in a really nice camper wants to put our song on the radio. Gimme a pen I’m signin’! You’re signin’! We’re all signin’!"
7. “I-I realize this comes at a very inopportune time, but I really have this gigantic favor to ask you. Choose me. M-Marry me. Let me make you happy. Oh, that sounds like three favors, doesn’t it.”
8. “No matter what anyone else says, you’ll always be a prince to me.”
9. “If I had but an hour of love, if that be all is given me. An hour of love upon this earth, I would give my love to thee."
10. “That fire you’ve ignited, good, bad, and undecided, burns when I stand beside it. Your light is ultraviolet. Visions so insane, they travel unraveling through my brain. Cold when I am denied it, your light is ultraviolet.”
11. “You know that place between sleep and awake? That place where you still remember dreaming? That’s where I’ll always love you…that’s where I’ll be waiting.”
12. “What is it you want, Mary? What do you want? You want the moon? Just say the word and I’ll throw a lasso around it and pull it down. Hey. That’s a pretty good idea. I’ll give you the moon, Mary.”
13. “You start pretending to have fun, you might even have a little by accident.”
14. “If I may say…far better than any dream girl is one of flesh and blood. One warm, and caring, and right before your eyes.”
15. “Do not pity the dead, Harry, Pity the living and above all, those who live without love.”
16. “I want adventure in the great, wide somewhere. I want it more than I can tell. And for once it might be grand to have someone understand I want so much more than they have planned.”
17. “The world isn’t split into good people and Death Eaters. We’ve all got both light and dark inside us. What matters is the part we choose to act on. That’s who we really are.”
18. “When you’re young everything feels like the end of the world, but it’s not. It’s just the beginning. You might have to meet a few more jerks, but one day you’re gonna meet a boy who treats you the way you deserve to be treated: Like the sun rises and sets with you.”
19. “Dark and difficult times lie ahead. Soon we must all face the choice between what is right and what is easy.”
20. “It is not our abilities that show what we truly are. It is our choices.”
21. "Well, love you get over in two months, big love you get over in two months, big love you get over in two years, and great love, well great love…changes your life. So which one is it?”
22. “It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live.”
23. “Childhood is what you spend the rest of your life trying to overcome. That’s what momma always says. She says that beginnings are scary, endings are usually sad, but it’s the middle that counts the most. Try to remember that when you find yourself at a new beginning. Just give hope a chance to float up. And it will…”
24. “They say if you dream something more than once, it’s sure to come true.”
25. “Oh, that clock! Old killjoy. I hear you. ‘Come on, get up,” up you say, ‘Time to start another day.’ Even he orders me around. Well, there’s one thing. They can’t order me to stop dreaming.”
26. “The flower that blooms in adversity is the most rare and beautiful of all.”
1. “Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.”
2. “I’m not a smart man, but I know what love is."
3. “I’ve been looking out of a window for eighteen years, dreaming about what I might feel like when those lights rise in the sky. What if it’s not everything I dreamed it would be? And what if it is? What do I do then?”
4. “The best things happen while you’re dancing. Things you cannot do at home come naturally on the floor. For dancing soon becomes romancing when you hold a girl in your arms that you’ve never held before. Even guys with two left feet come out alright if the girl is sweet if by chance their cheeks should meet while dancing. Proving that the best things happen while you dance.”
5. “Young man, sometimes the right path is not the easiest one.”
6. “Are you crazy? A man in a really nice camper wants to put our song on the radio. Gimme a pen I’m signin’! You’re signin’! We’re all signin’!"
7. “I-I realize this comes at a very inopportune time, but I really have this gigantic favor to ask you. Choose me. M-Marry me. Let me make you happy. Oh, that sounds like three favors, doesn’t it.”
8. “No matter what anyone else says, you’ll always be a prince to me.”
9. “If I had but an hour of love, if that be all is given me. An hour of love upon this earth, I would give my love to thee."
10. “That fire you’ve ignited, good, bad, and undecided, burns when I stand beside it. Your light is ultraviolet. Visions so insane, they travel unraveling through my brain. Cold when I am denied it, your light is ultraviolet.”
11. “You know that place between sleep and awake? That place where you still remember dreaming? That’s where I’ll always love you…that’s where I’ll be waiting.”
12. “What is it you want, Mary? What do you want? You want the moon? Just say the word and I’ll throw a lasso around it and pull it down. Hey. That’s a pretty good idea. I’ll give you the moon, Mary.”
13. “You start pretending to have fun, you might even have a little by accident.”
14. “If I may say…far better than any dream girl is one of flesh and blood. One warm, and caring, and right before your eyes.”
15. “Do not pity the dead, Harry, Pity the living and above all, those who live without love.”
16. “I want adventure in the great, wide somewhere. I want it more than I can tell. And for once it might be grand to have someone understand I want so much more than they have planned.”
17. “The world isn’t split into good people and Death Eaters. We’ve all got both light and dark inside us. What matters is the part we choose to act on. That’s who we really are.”
18. “When you’re young everything feels like the end of the world, but it’s not. It’s just the beginning. You might have to meet a few more jerks, but one day you’re gonna meet a boy who treats you the way you deserve to be treated: Like the sun rises and sets with you.”
19. “Dark and difficult times lie ahead. Soon we must all face the choice between what is right and what is easy.”
20. “It is not our abilities that show what we truly are. It is our choices.”
21. "Well, love you get over in two months, big love you get over in two months, big love you get over in two years, and great love, well great love…changes your life. So which one is it?”
22. “It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live.”
23. “Childhood is what you spend the rest of your life trying to overcome. That’s what momma always says. She says that beginnings are scary, endings are usually sad, but it’s the middle that counts the most. Try to remember that when you find yourself at a new beginning. Just give hope a chance to float up. And it will…”
24. “They say if you dream something more than once, it’s sure to come true.”
25. “Oh, that clock! Old killjoy. I hear you. ‘Come on, get up,” up you say, ‘Time to start another day.’ Even he orders me around. Well, there’s one thing. They can’t order me to stop dreaming.”
26. “The flower that blooms in adversity is the most rare and beautiful of all.”
Monday, January 9, 2012
The Headmaster & Fearless Fourteen
I read a short biography this week about Frank L. Boyden. He was the headmaster at Deerfield Academy in Deerfield, Massachusetts. I have been obsessed with private schools for awhile now and Deerfield is one of the schools I have always felt a very strange attachment to. After reading the book I see what it was that drew me to it in the first place.
Frank Boyden was, by no means, a perfect headmaster. Several times throught the book John McPhee (author) stated that Boyden was a fantastic politican: able to pass the blame when the fault fell on his shoulders in the name of keeping the peace and always able to raise the funds necessary to make things fit his desires for the school perfectly, even if it meant through deciet. However, he also had a few desireable qualities. He cared a great deal for both the students and faculty of the school. He gave everything he had to constantly improve on the school, making it a better place for students to come learn. He was a mentor to virtually everyone he came in contact with, including colleagues, other headmasters, high ranking politicians, he even counted presidents as personal friends. He just had a way about him that made people listen. Made people respect him and want to please him. Because of this he was very effective as a leader.
One of the things they book also says about Frank Boyden is that he was an interloper, an outsider who inserted himself into the Deerfield community from the outside. Even though he was an outsider from the beginning, he always made a point to see that the school and community were working together harmoniously. It reminds me so much of my alma mater, Bethany Public Schools, and the emphasis on community interaction that is encouraged there. It is one of the things I love most about Bethany. It doesn't just feel like another day in the classroom, but rather it feels like you are doing something worthwhile.
The book was a bit difficult to read. Though only 109 pages, it used phrases like "a skein of magnanimous despots." I had to use a dictionary on more than one occasion. It was hard for me to focus and took me awhile to get into the book. I wouldn't encourage everyone to read it, not because it wasn't good, but because I think it is subject matter you really have to be interested in to get the full benefit. If you are interested in becoming a better, more effective leader go ahead. Read on my friends, read on.
Fearless Fourteen is another book I read this week. Well, let me clarify, I kind of read this week. I read most of it a couple of years ago and completely forgot, so I picked up where I left off and finished it from there. You really can't go wrong with a Stephanie Plum novel by Janet Evanovich. For those of you who haven't read these books, Stephanie Plum is a bountry hunter from New Jersey who sometimes...needs a little help. She's got a hot-headed Italian cop for a boyfriend and sometimes a little something extra from a colleague Bounty Hunter by the name of Carlos Manoso, aka Ranger. She and ho-turned-filing clerk friend, Lula are always getting into trouble but almost always get their guy. :) One for the Money is the first book in the series and the movie (Starring Katherine Heigl) hits theaters on January 27. Check it out. This is a book series I recommend. It is hilarious!
Frank Boyden was, by no means, a perfect headmaster. Several times throught the book John McPhee (author) stated that Boyden was a fantastic politican: able to pass the blame when the fault fell on his shoulders in the name of keeping the peace and always able to raise the funds necessary to make things fit his desires for the school perfectly, even if it meant through deciet. However, he also had a few desireable qualities. He cared a great deal for both the students and faculty of the school. He gave everything he had to constantly improve on the school, making it a better place for students to come learn. He was a mentor to virtually everyone he came in contact with, including colleagues, other headmasters, high ranking politicians, he even counted presidents as personal friends. He just had a way about him that made people listen. Made people respect him and want to please him. Because of this he was very effective as a leader.
One of the things they book also says about Frank Boyden is that he was an interloper, an outsider who inserted himself into the Deerfield community from the outside. Even though he was an outsider from the beginning, he always made a point to see that the school and community were working together harmoniously. It reminds me so much of my alma mater, Bethany Public Schools, and the emphasis on community interaction that is encouraged there. It is one of the things I love most about Bethany. It doesn't just feel like another day in the classroom, but rather it feels like you are doing something worthwhile.
The book was a bit difficult to read. Though only 109 pages, it used phrases like "a skein of magnanimous despots." I had to use a dictionary on more than one occasion. It was hard for me to focus and took me awhile to get into the book. I wouldn't encourage everyone to read it, not because it wasn't good, but because I think it is subject matter you really have to be interested in to get the full benefit. If you are interested in becoming a better, more effective leader go ahead. Read on my friends, read on.
Fearless Fourteen is another book I read this week. Well, let me clarify, I kind of read this week. I read most of it a couple of years ago and completely forgot, so I picked up where I left off and finished it from there. You really can't go wrong with a Stephanie Plum novel by Janet Evanovich. For those of you who haven't read these books, Stephanie Plum is a bountry hunter from New Jersey who sometimes...needs a little help. She's got a hot-headed Italian cop for a boyfriend and sometimes a little something extra from a colleague Bounty Hunter by the name of Carlos Manoso, aka Ranger. She and ho-turned-filing clerk friend, Lula are always getting into trouble but almost always get their guy. :) One for the Money is the first book in the series and the movie (Starring Katherine Heigl) hits theaters on January 27. Check it out. This is a book series I recommend. It is hilarious!
Thursday, January 5, 2012
The Secret Life of Prince Charming
This book wasn't what I was expecting at all but I ended up falling in love with it. Some books I love because they take me away (Stephenie Meyer's Twilight), some books I love because they are possible, but highly improbable (Kate Brian's Private). Then there are books that I love because I was able to learn from. JK Rowling's Harry Potter Series, Jay Asher's 13 Reasons Why, and now Deb Caletti's The Secret Life of Prince Charming.
The back of the book summary reads:
Quinn is surrounded by women who have had their hearts brokem. She tries to be an optimist, but when she is abruptly and unceremoniously dumped, she starts to think maybe there really are no good guys out there.
It doesn't help that Quinn's father is back in her life. She's always tried to see the best in him, despite his selfish and eccentric tendencies. But when Quinn discovers he has stolen more than just the hearts of the many women in his life, she joins forces with the half sister she's never met and the little sister she'll do anything to protect, and sets out to right her father's wrongs. In doing so, Quinn begins to uncover what she's really looking for: the truth.
I read this and thought so this girl finds out she has a half sister and they go on some quest to find out more about their dad. Which is what kind of happens, but it is so much more than that. There are so many good quotes from the book that I wrote down. Quotes that have influenced how I imagine true and real love is, it has changed how I think about family. It has altered how I look at just about every relationship I have. Because of this I've spent the last couple of days thinking about New Years and resolutions, relationships, and how in the past I've burned others and been burned in return. I've severed ties with people I shouldn't have based on the limited knowledge I had at the time. I was blinded by emotions and I've come to the conclusion that my one resolution this year is to be better. Be a better person for my own sake. Do what I feel is right, instead of what I feel is expected of me.
I will leave you with just a few of my favorite quotes from the book.
"It's not a matter of being stupid. You can be smart and not know. And you can know and not care." -pg. 39 by Mary Louise
"He was one of those guys you feel like you have to try hard to be equal to--- as in shape as he is, as intelligent, as whatever. The kind you're slightly uneasy around because you know that deep down, he feels you don't measure up." -pg. 59 Francis Lee
"We have to be careful to not create a person in our imagination." pg. 68 Joelle
"It starts so young, and I'm angry about that. The garbage we're taught. About love, about what's 'romantic.' Look at so many of the so-called romantic figures in books and movies. Do we ever stop and thing how many of them would cause serious and drastic unhappiness after The End." pg. 128 Elizabeth
"Love isn't drama. Real love is there, not something out of reach." pg 173 Joelle
"So: Love is ease, love is comfort, love is support and respect. Love is not punishing or controlling. Love lets you grow and breathe. Love's passion is only good passion---swirling-leaves-on-a-fall-day passion, a-sky-full-of-magnificent-stars passion---not angst and anxiety. Love is not hurt or harm. Love is never unsafe. Love is sleeping like puzzle pieces. It's your own garden you protect; its a field of wildflowers you move about in both freely and together." pg. 176 Joelle
"Love is a decision that should be made for the right reasons and kept for the right reasons." pg 220 Brie
"An umbrella is an umbrella, except when the man you love stood under it during a hailstorm when he asked you to marry him." pg 231 Olivia
"Insecurity is not a good enough excuse for bad behavior." pg 285 Abigail
"The truest thing about truth was that it needed to be seen no matter what it was and no matter how it came to you." pg 287 Quinn
"A squirt of perfume is a shot of manufactured confidence, which is probably why it's so expensive and the bottles so fancy." pg 299 Quinn
"Family was even bigger a word that I imagined before, wide and without limitations, if you allowed it, defying easy definition. You had family that was supposed to be family and wasn't, family that wasn't family but was, halves becoming whole, wholes splitting in two." pg. 303 Quinn (something I have thought a great deal about since my mom got sick.)
"I'm not the most, the best, the fastest, the greatest, but I am enough." pg. 321 Quinn
"And real love---it's less shiny than solid and simple." pg. 322 Quinn
Sunday, January 1, 2012
A New Tradition.
Last year I did a little bit of research on what foods "bring good luck" and what they stand for and the history and all that and I planned a full New Years meal for my family. Obviously, we didn't have our greatest year yet so this year I decided to do something completely different. Something I hope to make a tradition for years to come. This year I lit 8 candles each representing different things: for friendship, for family, for happiness, for health, for love, for passion, for wisdom, and for wealth.
The first one for friendship- old and new ones to come.
The second for family- may we never stay mum.
The third one for happiness- a promise this new year will fill.
The fourth one for health- may we not become ill.
The fifth is for love-and a hope for tomorrow.
The sixth one for passion- without it we will know sorrow.
The seventh for wisdom- the most elusive of all.
and the eighth one for wealth- may God continue to bless us all.
and they after I lit the candles, I said a prayer for the year to come.
I hope everyone has a great New Years Day and may 2012 be the best year so far!
The first one for friendship- old and new ones to come.
The second for family- may we never stay mum.
The third one for happiness- a promise this new year will fill.
The fourth one for health- may we not become ill.
The fifth is for love-and a hope for tomorrow.
The sixth one for passion- without it we will know sorrow.
The seventh for wisdom- the most elusive of all.
and the eighth one for wealth- may God continue to bless us all.
and they after I lit the candles, I said a prayer for the year to come.
I hope everyone has a great New Years Day and may 2012 be the best year so far!
Thursday, September 1, 2011
It is that time of year again! Birth Month!!!
Birth Month is a term I learned from my best friend, Ashley. It is when you celebrate your birthday all month instead of just the one day (or even just a weekend) So. In honor of my birthmonth celebration I am posing my annual wishlist. Yes. I realize there are a lot of things I have on my list. Yes I realize I will not get them all. Yes I am still going to post it all!
This year it is super simple! You can order anything and everything online if you wish (you can also buy stuff in stores if you prefer though) I have 3 wishlists. 1 on Amazon, 1 at Bed, Bath, and Beyond, and 1 at Target. You can access them by going to their individual websites and searching wishlists/gift registries with my name, or directly from these links.
AMAZON:
http://www.amazon.com/Mattie-Gordon/wishlist/YMEQFS8DJ3S7/ref=cm_wl_search_1
BED, BATH, AND BEYOND:
http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/regGiftRegistry.asp?wrn=%2D1891376389&
TARGET:
http://www.target.com/ot/list/nFG4OSShDfpxMfMn85n7_Q
Please note I would gladly also accept iTunes gift cards and cold, hard caSh!
Birth Month is a term I learned from my best friend, Ashley. It is when you celebrate your birthday all month instead of just the one day (or even just a weekend) So. In honor of my birthmonth celebration I am posing my annual wishlist. Yes. I realize there are a lot of things I have on my list. Yes I realize I will not get them all. Yes I am still going to post it all!
This year it is super simple! You can order anything and everything online if you wish (you can also buy stuff in stores if you prefer though) I have 3 wishlists. 1 on Amazon, 1 at Bed, Bath, and Beyond, and 1 at Target. You can access them by going to their individual websites and searching wishlists/gift registries with my name, or directly from these links.
AMAZON:
http://www.amazon.com/Mattie-Gordon/wishlist/YMEQFS8DJ3S7/ref=cm_wl_search_1
BED, BATH, AND BEYOND:
http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/regGiftRegistry.asp?wrn=%2D1891376389&
TARGET:
http://www.target.com/ot/list/nFG4OSShDfpxMfMn85n7_Q
Please note I would gladly also accept iTunes gift cards and cold, hard caSh!
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Fall Five
I'm not exactly sure why, but I've been putting off writing this blog post. But now I'm home alone and i've been sick for 2 days so I've watched everything I care to watch on Netflix and now I'm starting a Vampire Diaries Season 1 marathon to prepare for my Season 2 DVD's that SHOULD be arriving sometime in the next week. :)
Why am I dreading sharing my list of things I'm excited for in the next few months? I'm not sure. Maybe because for the first time since I started making this list a few years ago I don't have a single book release on the list. Maybe it is because I don't really have much of anything exciting going on in the next few months. But here I will share with you what I have.
1. Typical joys of fall....sales on new school supplies and clothes, the excitement that fills the air just before kickoff of the new high school, college, or pro football season, and the return of good television.
2. BREADBAKING CLASS with my Aunt Jeanie! September 14 I am going to this breadbaking class at Francis Tuttle and I am so excited because if you know me, you know there is no food I love as much as I love bread. I could eat it all day everyday if people would let me...I will actually get up in the middle of the night and have a slice of bread for a midnight snack....I did it last night. Lol!
3. My birthday is September 16. The birthday itself isn't necessarily on the list, but a few months ago my dad got me an early present: 2 tickets to the Taylor Swift concert in Tulsa on September 21. Ashley and I are going to be heading up Wednesday (9/21) and checking into our hotel before heading to the concert.
4. This one only needs 1 word: ABDUCTION. (however for those of you who don't know what that means I will provide a video response at http://www.abductionthefilm.com/ )
5. And finally, Breaking Dawn part 1. It is interesting. As Harry Potter neared its end I was sad the series was ending, but with the Twilight series I am ready for them to be done. Maybe because they weren't part of my life very long. I'm excited for the November 18th part 1 release...and look for part 2 on NEXT YEAR'S Fall Five list because it doesn't premier until November 16, 2012!
And there you have it. The top 5 things going on with me this Fall! Now, that wasn't quite as bad as I was expecting.
Why am I dreading sharing my list of things I'm excited for in the next few months? I'm not sure. Maybe because for the first time since I started making this list a few years ago I don't have a single book release on the list. Maybe it is because I don't really have much of anything exciting going on in the next few months. But here I will share with you what I have.
1. Typical joys of fall....sales on new school supplies and clothes, the excitement that fills the air just before kickoff of the new high school, college, or pro football season, and the return of good television.
2. BREADBAKING CLASS with my Aunt Jeanie! September 14 I am going to this breadbaking class at Francis Tuttle and I am so excited because if you know me, you know there is no food I love as much as I love bread. I could eat it all day everyday if people would let me...I will actually get up in the middle of the night and have a slice of bread for a midnight snack....I did it last night. Lol!
3. My birthday is September 16. The birthday itself isn't necessarily on the list, but a few months ago my dad got me an early present: 2 tickets to the Taylor Swift concert in Tulsa on September 21. Ashley and I are going to be heading up Wednesday (9/21) and checking into our hotel before heading to the concert.
4. This one only needs 1 word: ABDUCTION. (however for those of you who don't know what that means I will provide a video response at http://www.abductionthefilm.com/ )
5. And finally, Breaking Dawn part 1. It is interesting. As Harry Potter neared its end I was sad the series was ending, but with the Twilight series I am ready for them to be done. Maybe because they weren't part of my life very long. I'm excited for the November 18th part 1 release...and look for part 2 on NEXT YEAR'S Fall Five list because it doesn't premier until November 16, 2012!
And there you have it. The top 5 things going on with me this Fall! Now, that wasn't quite as bad as I was expecting.
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