An Altered View

25 Random: “Everybody’s Doin’ It” (to the tune of the SeaDoo jingle)

Lauren — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 23:12:26 +0000

Since I grew up there, I’m the designated Cary direction-giver among my friends. I can get most anywhere in Cary at least 4 different ways but I get lost in Raleigh at least once a month. At least. I blame it on the fact that the Raleigh streets all change names half a dozen times…and also on the fact that I’m generally bad with directions.
So far I really like my new job.
I wish I were more adventurous when it comes to fashion. I sometimes think I wouldn’t mind someone who’s better at it giving me a total make-over.
A few years ago, I worked doing airbrush tattoos at local events.
Among my greatest fears are that I’m completely uninteresting or completely annoying. I’m not sure which is worse in my mind or whether either are true.
I have a pretty impressive(?) ability to remember the lyrics to tv theme songs. I can, off the top of my head, sing the themes to well-loved classics like 227, The Hogan Family, Small Wonder, and The Gummi Bears. I maintain that the best themes are all from mid-80′s sitcoms. I don’t think I can choose a favorite.
By age 22 I had never been kissed, tasted alcohol or been on a date. Six years later, I’ve at least minimally experienced all three.
Some people are music snobs, some are art snobs, some are grammar snobs. I’m a comedy snob. I judge people based on their tastes in comedy. For example, I find it very difficult to respect anyone who believes MadTV to have ever been funnier than SNL or who can’t appreciate the genius that was Arrested Development, or who prefers Brian Regan to Zach Galifanakis. I don’t pretend that this means I’m particularly funny it just means I think I have better taste than you.
I have no problem with the American right to bear arms but have never even held a gun and don’t really have much desire to do so.
Although I would LOVE to travel more, I’ve never left the country and have never traveled further west than New Orleans, where I was born.
I’m not a good driver when other people are in the car. I get distracted too easily.
I want to be married. Though right now I’d settle for a good date.
I’ve never been much for thinking or fantasizing or planning wedding, marriage, and baby-type things that I imagine other girls dream about.
Although I don’t mind them, I rarely put on actual pajamas for bed. More often than not I just end up just wearing whatever t-shirt I wore during the day.
I’ve been stuck at #15 for about a week now.
I played the flute for 4 years. I stopped playing because near the end of my 8th grade year, I left my flute on the bus one day and was too shy to ask the bus driver if she’d found it. I played this old beat-up one of my dad’s in class for the rest of the year rather than tell my parents what had happened. The next year when it was time to sign up for band again, I told them I didn’t really want to play anymore. They didn’t know until a few years ago, the real reason.
It takes sincere effort for me to make a quick decision and usually I just make myself do it. I’m naturally inclined to hem and haw (and apparently use outdated cliches.
I’ve never been able to break the habit of biting my nails.
I’ve learned that it’s never a bad thing to initiate, and follow-up, and pursue time with friends. I used to think pursuing people for friendship would make me a geek until I realized that not doing it, just made me lonely.
I don’t talk on the phone or text very much at all which is why I use a phone with very few features and no contract.
I love doing crafty things and one of my favorite crafts is something called unit origami where you basically make puzzle pieces out of paper and then put them together to form these larger geometric sculptures. Despite this, I really don’t like traditional origami at all – the kind in which you’re supposed to make little animals or ornaments…yeah, I don’t do that mess.
I don’t really enjoy cooking. Usually it stresses me out too much but I do make great scrambled eggs, grilled cheese sandwiches, and chocolate chip cookies (if I don’t burn them).
Most nights I should probably go to bed earlier than I do.
I think it would be fun to take classes on graphic design, upholstery, acting, creative writing, or rock climbing.
I wear blue jeans almost every day.

Whew. That was tough.

Ira Glass on Good Taste

Lauren — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 21:47:53 +0000

If you have any inkling of a desire to be creative in life, this is good and rare advice:

music videos

Lauren — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 21:40:31 +0000

I think it’s safe to say that those of us who remember a day when there was a legitimate expectation that music would be something you’d find occasionally on MTV, long for a good old fashioned video every now and then. Thanks to youtube, you can now view the videos of yore right on your computer screen in mediocre quality. But. It’s better than nothing.

Anyway, so I find when I look up a music video on youtube it always leads me to at least a dozen other songs/videos I’d forgotten about.
The other day, my 90′s pop progression went as follows:
EMF, Unbelievable -> Filter – Take my Picture -> Duncan Sheik – Barely Breathing -> Natalie Imbruglia – Torn -> Red Hot Chili Peppers – Scar Tissue -> Harvey Danger – Flagpole Sitta -> Eve 6 – Inside Out -> Cake – Short Skirt, Long Jacket -> Baz Luhrmann – Everybody’s Free to Wear Sunscreen -> Fatboy Slim – Praise You

I figured I’d stop there, because it’s hard to top Spike Jonze.

Anyway, I highly encourage getting lost in music video nostalgia for a few minutes. Here are a few other good launching points for your own video progressions:

Fatboy Slim – Weapon of Choice – Christopher Walken, baby!
Peter Gabriel – Sledgehammer – mmm. stop motion.
George Michael – Faith – doht-da-doht-da-doht. da-doht-doht.
New Radicals – You Get What You Give – one hit wonders = best video progressions
Marcy Playground – Sex and Candy- like double cherry pie, like disco superfly
NSYNC – I Drive Myself Crazy – why so literal, boys?
The White Stripes – Fell In Love With A Girl – i still can’t figure out how they did this.
Supergrass – Pumping On Your Stereo – um. it’s muppets with people heads.

In Rotation

Lauren — Thu, 15 May 2008 20:11:02 +0000

Reading:
The Great Divorce
2 Corinthians
Where the Sidewalk Ends

Listening to:
The Official Lost Podcast
The Sound of Music 35th Anniversary Soundtrack
All That You Can’t Leave Behind

Watching:
The ATM Finale – Yay Whitney!
American Idol – Yay it’s a Double David Final!
The Hills – Lo > Audrina
Creature Comforts America Season 1 DVD

Linking:
The 50 Greatest Commercial Parodies of All Time
Prismacolor Shrinky Jewelry
Pundit Kitchen
An Interview With Roald Dahl – Great thoughts on writing. (In the bio section)
Me at Twitter. I’m kind of boring but follow away.

Enjoying:
Exercising. I know. Crazy.
Singleness
Spring weather

Complaining about:
$3.75/gallon. Domestic drilling, pls. k. thx.
Singleness
That Mylie Cyrus song in heavy rotation on local radio stations
Headaches

Anticipating:
New digs
New roomies
Prince Caspian
Indiana Jones

Home Group Question and Answer Session (or more than anyone ever wanted to know about me)

Lauren — Fri, 09 May 2008 14:24:09 +0000

So in an effort to get to know one another a little better my home group has been having question and answer sessions with various members. I was in the hot seat this week and have posted below, most of the questions and my answers. Please excuse typos, grammar, and spelling errors as I wrote these out pretty quickly.

From Will
1.) You find out that in 24 hours you will no longer be on this Earth. What do you do?
24 hours is not long. Does everyone else just have 24 hours as well, or just me? I guess if it’s just me who’s leaving I would spend it with family and friends, laughing and talking and telling them all how much I love them and care about them and what great people they are and what I hope for them in the future. I’d spend it saying goodbyes.

2.) If you could choose any other language to speak other than English what would it be and why?
I’d love to be able to speak Italian or some form of Gaelic mostly because those are the two parts of the I’d most like to visit or even live. Luckily, both places either have English as a primary language or are pretty friendly to English speakers.

3.) A movie about your life is being cast. Who plays you and any other supporting characters? Why?
Well my mom would totally be Bonnie Hunt. My dad…I dunno maybe 80’s era Kenny Rogers. Lisa Kudrow for my middle sister. She has sort of a ditsy edge to her. Jessica Simpson would play my youngest sister.
I think for me, if we’re throwing looks and age out the window, I’ll go with Parker Posey because I love her sense of humor. Maybe Courtney Cox. I always related to her character in Friends. Oh and John Corbett could play my love interest. Mhmm.

4.) If Gibson were human what would he say?
He’d say “Hey! Can we play Frisbee? Are you busy? No? Can we play Frisbee? Can we play Frisbee? Can we play Frisbee? You don’t look busy. Can we play Frisbee? I love Frisbee. Wanna play Frisbee with me?”

5.) What’s your happiest, non-essential memory?
This one is very random but whenever the days start to get really long I think of it.
It was summer time and it was late – about 8:30 p.m. and still quite light outside. I was laying on the grass in our front yard with a neighborhood friend and we where looking up at the streetlight which was just starting to flicker on. We were trying to see how high we could count before our parents called us to come inside. I have no idea how high we got or why we thought that was fun, but I remember feeling extremely excited that I was outside, playing with a friend until almost 9:00 p.m.

From Sharon
01 . are you a morning or night person? have you always been that way?
I’m definitely a night person and have been that way since I was a teenager. When I was little-little I used to get up at the crack of dawn and watch cartoons, but ever since age 12 or so I’ve been more of a night owl. If I had my way, I would get started at about 11:00 a.m. and go to sleep around 1:00 a.m.

02 . tell us about a quirky habit of yours.
Hmm…I fidget with things all of the time. I do things like open and close pens, peel labels off of objects, fold and tear paper.

03 . what’s a typical day like for you?
Work day: Wake up, get shower, iron clothes, get dressed, do hair, do make-up, drive to work and get there just on time. I rarely if ever eat breakfast…I really should though. I know it’s good for you. Once I get to work I typically check emails and answer anything that’s outstanding from the day before. I will usually then start one of the projects that I have on my task list which could be anything from designing a PowerPoint to writing a press release to building a report from our company’s ridiculously horrible database. I’ll work on one thing for a bit and then usually do lunch around 12:30. I sometimes go home. I sometimes visit my parents (and dog). I sometimes just go across the street with a coworker. I rarely eat lunch in the office. I just like being able to leave work for a bit during the day. After lunch I’ll work a little more on projects. At about 3-4 I’ll do an email check and often will work on smaller things for the rest of the day. After work I usually go home and eat dinner or if I’ve been invited, go to my parent’s house once or twice a week. Yay for free home-cooked meals. Depending on the night I’ll either watch TV or read or do some sort of household project or hang out with a friend or two. When I have him, I like to take Gibs on a walk or play Frisbee with him. To be honest, I’m not really a fan of strict routines so I tend to mix it up whenever possible.

04 . what does community mean to you?
Well realizing it’s definitely a big buzz word, especially in the context of the church, I do think it still holds a lot of meaning. I’d say in short that it means sharing your life with other people. I’d argue that we do this by spending time together, being open and honest with one another, and being committed to one another in good and difficult times. So I think if we want real, true, life-changing community we have to be willing to give it all of those things. We have to be willing to offer our time, our vulnerability and we have to be committed to doing so.

05 . what is one item in your house that you should throw out but probably never will?
I’m not a particularly sentimental person when it comes to objects, but I’ll probably always keep the table my dad and I built together a few years ago. It’s wobbly and doesn’t really fit well in most spaces, but I’m proud that I actually finished something like that with my dad.

06 . when was the last time you said or did something stupid or goofy in front of someone you really liked & what was the outcome of it?
I’m always doing something stupid or goofy these days, but I’m fairly choosy about my real-life crushes and have probably had less than half a dozen serious ones, so this situation hasn’t come up too, too much. I do remember one time I was talked into doing this ridiculous Hammer-like running man dance (which basically just involved me flailing around like a spaz) while wearing by hair in multiple ponytails, and having a night-time mouth guard in in front of a friend I kind of liked. He laughed really hard and we stayed friends but nothing particularly romantic ever happened between us. I have no idea if that was the thing that turned him off, but if it was then it wasn’t a big loss because he was kind of a jerk at that point anyways.

07 . who has been most instrumental in shaping who you are today?
There’s not really one person in particular. My family of course. My parents and two sisters. One fairly interesting person that comes to mind is my middle school basketball coach, Susan Jewett. She was there at a time when I was really awkward and didn’t have a lot of friends and she really helped me to come out of my shell. We were not a good team and never won a game in the two years I played, but I always felt appreciated and important and part of something and Ms. Jewett had a lot to do with that. So Ms. Jewett, if you’re out there somewhere still involved in the lives of young people, thanks and keep up the good work. At other times various authors, filmmakers, speakers, friends, and preachers have all had really profound impacts on me and way I live.

08 . what do you struggle with most in your spiritual life & how do you address it?
Spiritual disciplines are really tough for me. As I mentioned before, I’m not really a fan of routine and so I have to be extremely intentional about making time to do things like study my Bible and pray and fast.

09 . what’s your favorite quote from napoleon dynomite?
“Napoleon, don’t be jealous that I’ve been chatting online with babes all day. Besides, we both know that I’m training to be a cage fighter.”

10 . what movie best depicts your life & why?
Well, I spent a lot of my life from my teens to my early 20′s in a fairly reclusive state due to social anxiety and depression and so I tend to really relate to characters that move from loneliness to connection and community. That’s why I love movies like About a Boy, and The Sound of Music, and Uptown Girls, and My Big Fat Greek Wedding, and Garden State. I wouldn’t say any of them are the height of film-making, but I relate to the characters in them pretty strongly.

From Jon
What is your favorite cereal?
Cinnamon Toast Crunch. No. Fruity Pebbles. No. Honey Nut Cheerios. No. Lucky Charms. I love cereal.

If you had to be an animal, what would it be?
So someone is forcing be to be an animal? That’s crazy. If I have to, cats have the life. They just sit around and eat and sleep and poop and usually there’s more than one of them so they have a buddy. If they’re lucky they get to go outside and explore and then come inside and lie in that sunny spot on the floor and be petted by a nice human who will clean up after and feed them.

Would you rather have people think you’re nice or honest?
That’s a tough one. I really value tact and diplomacy. If I had to choose (you’re all about tough choices Jon b.) I’d go with honest but I probably don’t always live my life that way.

Name a band that you haven’t seen, but would like to before you die.
U2

If you were to go on Dancing with the Stars, who would you want your partner to be?
Am I the celebrity or the dance pro? I don’t really know the names of the dance pros but the guys who’s been with Christy Yamaguchi this year seems like a nice fellow.
If I were the dance pro and had to choose any celeb to dance with, I’d go with Matthew Perry ‘cause I have a mad crush on him and I assume he’d keep me laughing.
If I had to choose a celeb that’s already been on the show…um…ooo…Mario Lopez. ‘cause what woman in her 20’s wouldn’t want to do the tango with A.C. Slater?

What is your favorite decade and why?
For nostalgia like when it comes to pop culture I’d have to go with 90’s because that’s sort of when I started paying attention to music and movies and television and the world around me. Just as far as which one I’ve enjoyed the most, I’d have to go with the 80’s because it encompassed the bulk of my childhood. Historically, maybe the 60s – 70’s just because of the art that came out of that period.

From Christine
1. What is your middle name?
Lauren

2. What will be most important to you in a mate?
I have a few basic criteria: 1. Loves the Lord and has evidence of that relationship in his life. 2. Has a really good sense of humor 3. Has an intelligence level that’s similar to or greater than my own. 4. Has an appreciation for culture.

3. What do you like best about the Lord?
I’m constantly humbled by how forgiving He is and how generous He is with me.

4. Who’s someone (famous or not) that you consider to have a great sense of humor?
Honestly, Whitney Chambers cracks me up. If you don’t know her, you totally should.

5. Where would you like to travel that you haven’t?
Italy, Ireland, Scotland, Australia, various US states and cities.

6. Fav place you have traveled?
I’ve been very few places. I love the beach, though.

7. What do you like least about life?
Not having enough money. I hate thinking about, worrying about, and dealing with money.

8. Fav book/movie?
Book: The Chronicles of Narnia or The Space Trilogy. It’s a toss up.
Movie: The Sound of Music, Waiting for Guffman, and Conspiracy Theory

9. Fav meal?
Most anything seafood. I also love my mom’s mashed potatoes.

10. Best birthday?
As a kid I think it was age 5 that I had the slamminest neighborhood b-day party ever, complete with Sesame Street cake.

11. Where did you go to college?
I went to Campbell for 2 years and Middle Tennessee State for the next 2.

Other Questions (that I can remember)
What song has had the most impact on your life?
I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For. At some point I realized how hopeful that song actually is, how it’s not about being lost but about living in a world in which satisfaction isn’t possible because we were made for much more.

What is your favorite gemstone?
Probably opal. I like topaz too.

What are your favorite hamburger toppings?
Sharp cheddar, bacon, ketchup, yellow mustard, and I how could I have forgotten pickles? Lots of pickles.

What’s your favorite adult beverage?
Gin and tonic.

If you could rule any country/empire in history, what would it be?
Some place small, warm, sunny, and laid back. I’m not really the empire-ruling type.

What’s your physical “type” when it comes to guys?
I’m pretty open when it comes to the physical appearance of guys I’m attracted to and I can honestly say that it’s gone all across the spectrum. A nice smile is probably the most important thing. I like facial hair and stubble but can appreciate some clean-shavenness as well. If we’re talking about averages, I’ve been attracted to quite a few “stocky” fellows.

What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done?
Sadly I couldn’t think of a good answer to this question. I feel too old to be doing all of the crazy things I missed doing as a teenager. But you never know. I’m not opposed to random acts of strangeness and with the right company I might be inclined to do something out of the bounds of normal. So I suppose the best answer to this question is, “To be determined.”

Don’t you wish you had seen this in person?

Lauren — Tue, 06 May 2008 02:58:20 +0000

Are there musical moments that you just desperately wish you’d been able to see in person or maybe just artists that you’ve hoped to catch live before either you or they were gone?

I’ve seen Nickel Creek live a few times and they’ve always been incredible, but I would love to have been there to experience this version of I’ll Fly Away, featuring Sean and Sara Watkins, Chris Thile, Bela Fleck, Mark Schatz, Gillian Welch, David Rawlings, Tim O’Brien, and Benmont Tench, performed on the last night of their Farewell (For Now) tour.

and just for fun, check out Nickel Creek’s cover of another beloved American traditional. This one I have seen, and it’s glorious:

truth

Lauren — Fri, 02 May 2008 18:22:37 +0000

P.S. If I haven’t already directed you to nataliedee.com for some randomly wonderful web comic action. Allow me to do so now.

just mixin’ it up a bit

Lauren — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 21:13:51 +0000

…for those of you who happen to visit this blog in its original wordpress glory, instead of within a reader (like how I read your blogs).

psst. if this is your first time reading… I just switched up the wordpress themes and header. wooo.

I think it’s nice and springy.

worth every minute of your time

Lauren — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 21:19:12 +0000

Dr. John Medina gives a talk to Google employees discussing how and why our brains work well or poorly under different circumstances and what we can do with that knowledge. Also, in the last minute or so of his talk, he gives a really brilliant explanation of the scientific mind.

Emily Cash

Lauren — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 14:06:12 +0000

Earlier this year I had the pleasure of catching the work of this incredible local artist, at the tail end of her residency at ArtSpace in downtown Raleigh. There’s an element of chaos and unpredictability in her work in the sense that the more you explore it, the more unexpected elements you’ll find. At the same time, the incredibly intricate nature of her pen and ink drawings really gives the viewer a sense of the artist’s control and purpose. Emily is working on her Masters in Fine Arts at UNC.

From her bio on emilycash.com:

My work deals with obsession; obsession with drawing; mark-making, mechanical devices, food and the body. Obsession is perfection. Often painters, sculptors, printmakers and other artists start off with drawings. Artists use drawings to give them an idea of how to start a project; they are generally a part of the process. Drawing is my entire process. I am obsessed with perfecting the beginning sketch that often, other artists discard.