Facebook Hiatus

I'm taking an official facebook hiatus. I'm going for a week, but we'll see if I can go longer. No facebook activity whatsoever.

Wish me luck. I need a break from social networking!

CHRISTMAS CARDS - Fail.

I had a whole big plan back at Thanksgiving to have a friend of mine come over and take a few pictures of me and the pups and then I'd get all my Christmas cards ready and sent by 15th.

....That didn't happen.

Instead I chose to do it last night on iPhoto and do "a year in review" and used pictures I've taken throughout the year and write a little "here's what I did this year" letter.

To be perfectly honest, I don't like it. It's fine, I mean, sure. But...I'm disappointed in myself for not planning ahead enough to get it done.

So uh...if you want my stinky card, send me your address and I'll send you one.

But I doubt this post has made you want to receive it anyway!

Love you all, faithful readers! (if you exist...hello? is anyone out there?!?)

Full Time Job

It's official. I'm an adult.

Not only do I turn (gag...) 25 next week, but this week I started my first official full-time job with a desk and a salary and health insurance and a 401K and all that stuff.

Yeah.

Whoa.

I'm still a little weirded out by it.

I have responsibilities and tasks to accomplish. And when I leave, I keep thinking about work. And I keep my phone near me in case I get an email that I need to respond to... It's SO weird.

But at the same time, it's quite nice. I am needed. I have things that I must do in order for the business to run smoothly. I have people ask ME questions and need MY help. Granted, I don't know anything about the stuff they're doing...but I can still help with office stuff.

So yeah. Oh, and I'm renting a car to drive home for the holidays...and this is the first time I won't pay extra for being underage.

Anyway, seeing that I have responsibilities and tasks and stuff, I should probably stop blogging and get down to it.

Happy Friday,

Your Working Girl

A Life In The Theatre

Tonight I saw "A Life in the Theatre".

It was so wonderful. I'm speechless. I have no words to type for you.

Except WOW. And, if by chance, you have an opportunity to see it before it closes, you REALLY really really REEEEEEEEEEALLY should.

Patrick Stewart and TR Knight were both phenomenal.

My mouth literally hurts from smiling and laughing.

Ok, now that I'm done gushing, let me tell you why this is such a great piece.

The title describes it exactly. As a "theater person", I have either had these moments or seen these moments happen. I have known these people. I have felt those feelings. It was just...so truthful and so heart-warming.

It was inspiring. It reminded me of what I loved about actors and the life we all share. Now all I want to do is go put on a show.

So...someone cast me. Now. :)

And go see "A Life in the Theatre".

That is all. Peace.

A Baking Bonanza!

Though I've had an incredibly busy autumn, I seem to have had a lot of opportunities for baking! Or...making some kind of dessert. So I thought I'd share my work with the world!

Most recent first:

A few weeks ago I was really in the mood for pie. And I wanted to try out these super cute pie-cutters that I got at work (Williams Sonoma). So I made a cherry pie and used the "fall leaf" pie cutter to do the top crust...here's how it turned out....

This is a before shot. Next time I will try to be a little less messy about the placement. I was rushing to finish putting it together before a rehearsal. But I'm still pretty pleased with it!

Before that, I baked some delicious pumpkin bread! And I used my new loaf pan from Williams Sonoma (ok, I went a little nutty shopping there in October...). Isn't it cool?!?! And this bread is DELICIOUS.

And another day, I was asked to make Muddy Buddies (Puppy Chow). So I did! I thought this was a cool photo. :)

The recipe made a lot....

I am a big believer that cookies can bring up morale. That's why I always try to bring them to long rehearsals...or when I was in school, to test days and things like that. So, for our first weekend rehearsal of LLO, I made cookies! Most are halloween themed, but at the top you can see some that are LLO themed.

Another artsy baking shot....

I've also got plans to do a pumpkin pie and more pumpkin bread for Thanksgiving. Perhaps I'll post more photos then! :)

Anywho....that's all the baking I've been up to!

...Can you tell I don't have much to write about right now?

But, in maybe a week or so, I will have a semi-exciting announcement to make! :) Not exciting for any of you, really...but exciting for me...in a boring sort of way.

Yeah, that gets you interested, right?

Ok, not so much.

I'm gonna go to Starbucks! Peace.

Couldn't Resist Posting Again

We got reviewed again.

And my hair was mentioned. Again.

"Within two hours The Lesbian Love Octagon had transformed me from a jaded pop culture critic to a screaming tween at a Justin Bieber concert. (In fact, there was even a cast member with Bieber hair.)"

And here is the link to the review:

Lesbian Best Week Ever

Yeah, apparently this whole Bieber Fever is really catching on. And I am the girl version of it.

Love,

The Biebs

MY SHOW!

My show got an AWESOME review! Read it! Read it!

Theatre Is Easy: Lesbian Love Octagon

They even mention me! Not by name...but I'm still pretty stoked about it:

"The show has every imaginable lesbian stereotype from diesel dyke to femme to Justin Bieber lookalike, but the roles are written with such heart that each one is a real person instead of just a caricature."

The Justin Bieber lookalike? Yeah, that's ME!

I thought it was pretty funny. :)

HAIR LOSS

Today I took off about 8 inches of hair. Yes, Ladies and Gents. Lauren is one of those "short-haired" girls now!

Brandy did an amazing job. I thought there'd be a point, either at the salon or after I got home, when I would cry...and...I didn't! Because I LOVED IT! Correction: I Love It.

It's scary. I am nervous for people's reactions. But...yeah...I am pretty stinkin' happy with it! Woo woo woo my short hair woo!

So dear readers, here it is. Me with short hair:

So then I came home and showered and this was my hair after the shower! A little less styled. I have so many ways I can play with it! Woo woo! And I bought lots of headbands. To "girlie" it up!

And one fun photo. Just for kicks! ;)

So...any short haired girl reading this, comment something cool I can try with my new 'do! And to any of you longer haired folk...compliments are always welcome. ;)

Peace!

Dear World,

Could you make the hours between 12am-7am last a little longer? I find that they feel shorter and go by faster every night. I'm quite busy with the 2 jobs and rehearsals right now and would like just a bit more sleep.

Best Regards,

L.S.

It's in the air.

I love the smell of earth.

Don't misunderstand me. I don't mean just the smell of dirt, though that's nice too. And I don't mean just...earth as in the world in general, cause frankly- here in NYC- sometimes the world is pretty stinky.

I mean, the smell of the seasons. The smell of the wind. The smell of ocean. The smell of snow. I love them all.

And today, for the first time this year, I smelled autumn. It put the biggest smile on my face. I had just gotten off the subway and was walking home and a gust of wind came and I smelled it. Changing leaves. The chill in the air. The change.

And then, another gust. And I smelled the cold wind. Though sometimes I don't enjoy the wind itself, I always love the smell of it. The cool frostiness of it. It reminds me of skiing and riding the chairlift at Hidden Valley while growing up. And whenever I smell that, I know that soon I'll also smell fireplaces. I love those smells together.

It's those little things that just remind me how grateful I am to be here. To notice them. To celebrate another year gone by.

And, completely off subject: At work today, John Lithgow came in and I helped him pick out a jelly roll pan. He was very sweet. And I couldn't stop thinking of all the shows he's done. Awesome.

The Shoes I Love (aka You HAVE to buy these!)

It all started this spring, when I saw a commercial for a shoe company with a great idea. For every pair of shoes they sold, they donated a pair to children in need in underprivileged areas of the world.

I was so moved.

That this company was inspired to help make the world a better place. To help children. And now, it's fashionable. It's a trend. You see someone wearing these shoes and you think to yourself "that person helped a child in need...and they look cool doing it".

For me, at first, it was "this is a great cause! and i need new flats...good NYC walking shoes". So, I bought my first pair. The Classic Women's Canvas Shoe in Ash:

Those little shoes were my obsession this summer. As a formerly flip-flop obsessed woman in summertime, my flip-flops took a backseat to these babies. They are comfortable, easy, and totally adorable. And I just wanted MORE. Cause I mean, yeah, gray goes with a lot, but not with eeeeverything.

So one day, my sister facebooks me to tell me that TOMS is having a sale. $5 off every order. And I think to myself "$5 off?! that's totally a good reason to buy a new pair!" So I did.

Except...

I couldn't decide which pair I wanted.

So instead...

I just...

Well-

I bought 3 pairs.

So, Classic Canvas in Navy, Powdered Wool Cordones in Indigo (the ones with laces), Siebe Perforated Nylon Classic in Black...Welcome to my TOMS shoes family.

Now I have a pair for nearly every occasion! I wear them to work, I wear them to play, I wear them to do other stuff, I wear them ALL DAY! (ok, I had to make it rhyme at that point.)

So, my suggestion to you all is:

Go to www.toms.com and buy yourself a pair of wonderful (and adorable) shoes that will make you feel great- not only because you LOOK great- but because they support a really great cause.

And boys, don't feel left out! They have mens shoes too! And youth, and babies! EVEN SHOES FOR WEDDINGS!

They're the best. Seriously. I've never felt better about spending money on shoes.

So, really, go check them out.

www.toms.com

Peace my friends.

Benefit (...Or "Me with Pink Hair")

So last night was the Lesbian Love Octagon Benefit. It was at the Stonewall Inn, which is a famous gay bar here in NYC (because it was the place of the Stonewall Riots in 1969, which is said to be the start of the Gay/Lesbian liberation movement). It was a night of frivolity, full of all sorts of things that I had never seen before. Lesbian Burlesque, Go-Go Dancers, me in a pink wig...it was an educational evening, to say the least!

So, presenting for the first time EVER in the whole UNIVERSE...

LAUREN WITH PINK HAIR

We did a 50/50 raffle and I had to sell tickets. Unfortunately, I did not sell that entire strand around my neck...I only sold like 8. But someone else took them and sold them for me!

Some of the cast sang the song "Drink To Being Single" from the show, which was also the name of the party! So we raised a glass to being single and sang all about it!

This is Ti, Sue, Me and Kat, who is belting it out while I am sipping my water. I am so hardcore. (PS: Like my tights?! I wish I got to wear this outfit for the actual show.)

Aww, see, here we're kind of sad about being single...but then we get happy again at the end and rock it out!

We had a great turnout for the party and it was a whole lot of fun! It made me really excited to start rehearsals and get this show up and running! Woo woo pink wigs! Woo woo striped tights!! Woo woo party party!!

Ok, the end.

Peace.

Where did September go?!

Holy smokes. How is it already the end of September? Before we know it, it'll be the holiday season. (Oh boy! I can't wait! That's my favorite time of the year!)

This year has gone very quickly. Anyone else feel that way? I mean, shoot, I had stuff I meant to do this year and totally haven't even thought about yet! Golly.

Come October, I start rehearsals for my little show up here in the city. I'm excited, but I know the next month is going to be insanely busy. It's a little intimidating.

Tonight we're throwing a fundraiser for the show. I'm going to be singing at it, woo woo woo! And I'll be wearing a bright pink wig! Pictures to come, of course. :)

Anyway, just thought I'd check in with the blogosphere and let y'all know I'm still alive and well!

I'll write more soon...specifically, I want to tell y'all about my favorite shoes in the entire world. Sounds boring? Whatever, you don't even KNOW! Get ready.

Autumn

Well folks, only 9 days until the first day of autumn. In the spirit of this time of year, I decided my blog needed a bit of a makeover. It's like buying new school supplies...so I picked a "school books and changing leaves" type of decor.

Enjoy!

A General Update

OK! So...

Got a new job. In fact, I got two. I will be doing the whole "retail" thing at Williams Sonoma. (Woo woo! Love that place!) And I also will be working for a pretty nifty up and coming tech company as their administrative (do-all-the-stuff-they-don't-wanna-do) assistant. So, YAY MONEY! But...boo no life cause I'm working all the time. But that's the price you pay when your health insurance on COBRA is just $100 less than your rent. Cool.

Not.

ALSO...I have gotten in to this new type of yoga. It's called anti-gravity yoga. And it's just about the coolest thing I've ever done in my life. Check out this photo:

Yeah. That's basically what you do. You try out poses and inversions in this hammock and it's supposed to put less pressure on your body, especially your spine. Plus being upside down recharges your circulatory system and all this good stuff. Basically, I come out feeling like I'm 5'4"! Which is impressive since I'm not even 5'2". It feels so good to feel the space in between the discs in your spine and your shoulders and neck get stretched so well. Plus, the teacher puts in some strength training and crunches and all this snazzy stuff!

I also tried the restorative anti-gravity class, which is when they lower the hammocks closer to the ground and you do a lot more stretching and "resting" positions. Like so:

I wish these pictures were of me, alas, I had to find some online. Perhaps if I remember to bring a camera sometime, I'll post some of my favorite poses! :)

But I have to say my all-time favorite part of class is in savasana (corpse pose...sounds yucky but it's so relaxing) when we get to snuggle up inside the hammock like we're in a little cocoon and just meditate and let our bodies sort of re-set after our class. It's like being in a womb or something...warm and cozy and safe. I LOVE IT.

So...anyone who wants to come with...this will be a regular thing for me from now on. I adore it.

Nothing else is really new. Rehearsals for LLO start in October and I'm pumped for that! Gotta love singing and dancing and all that jazz.

Until next time!

Peace.

Back in the City

So.

I'm back here in NY after my world travels...and I need a job. I'm temping all over the place, basically just filling in for friends at their jobs...and now I need to find something else. FAST.

Suggestions welcome.

Tomorrow I'm going to ballet for the first time in a few months. I can't wait. I love ballet. I may not be the best dancer, but holy cow it feels good to just let go and move. I embrace the pink tights and little slippers and just plie til my heart's content. I can't wait. It makes me happy.

Sidenote: Starbucks Mocha Light Frappucino...my favorite drink ever.

OMG

People are soooooo mean!

Seriously, folks, who has time to be that rude on the internet? To a stranger? I was just venting about a man who seriously crossed the line in his job...I didn't murder kittens. Don't call me a little snot when you have no idea what MY life has been like. Maybe I deserve some sympathy too!

Yeesh. The story was supposed to be FUNNY, not cause hate mail.

AND FOR THE RECORD: I did not contact ANY of the media first...they all stalked me and found me and literally PAID me for interviews or offered to come to my HOME so I would do it. And so yeah, I TOOK THE MONEY! I'm a broke 24 year old, for pete's sake! If you pay me to tell you what I saw, I'm gonna do it.

So, if that makes me a little snot, so be it! But my wallet is a little fatter because of it. And I'm totally ok with that.

Have a nice day random people reading my blog!

And to my loyal friends and readers, I love you guys!

Update

Thanks everyone for the comments! I'll take some time to really read through them as soon as I can!

By the way, just so you all know, I have had experience in customer service in my life, so I do feel I understand what he went through...at least to an extent. I have been a waitress, hostess, retail sales associate and snowboard instructor. I assure you I have dealt with all kinds of people with all kind of complaints. Though, it's true, nobody has ever dropped a piece of luggage on my head.

Side note: I was interviewed yesterday by Inside Edition after they read this very blog you are reading now. Watch me on CBS tonight!

Jetblue Flight 1502 (Why I Keep Laughing to Myself Today)

So, yesterday I flew back from Pittsburgh to NYC and I happened to be on the flight heard 'round the world.

Everything seemed fine as I got on the airplane, but when I got to my seat, this flight attendant (Steven Slater) was standing in the exit row and his head had this cut on it that was bleeding. A man who was seated in the row asked him what happened and he replied "you wouldn't believe the day I had...".

While doing his little safety talk he was totally bored and tired. Then later he came around with sodas and was offering them to everyone. When he got to me, he said "Soda?" and I said "Water?" And he literally just stared at me. Then turned and walked away and continued to pass his sodas. About 5 minutes later, he walks up with water, glares at me (I am not exaggerating - he was an a**hole) and sets a water down on my tray table and walks away, ignoring the girl next to me who tries to ask for one too. So, my point being, the guy was a JERK and he is NOT some hero for "stickin' it to the man" as many blogs are saying.

Then we pull up to the gate, and one guy stands up and starts getting his bag out of the overhead bin. Steven walks up to him and starts talking to him. I was too far away to hear what was said between them, but what others told me was that he came up to tell the man to sit down because the seatbelt sign was on and we were just shy of the gate. Then the bag accidentally hit Steven in the head as the man continued to pull it out. Steven asked for an apology and the man said it was an accident. Steven then DEMANDED an apology and the man said "f*ck you".

So...then when the seatbelt sign goes off and the door opens, we are all standing and I'm waiting to walk down the aisle to the door and the PA system comes on and we hear the following:

"To the mother f*cker who said 'f*ck you' to me, f*ck you too." Then he goes on about how he has been doing this job for 28 years (which is impossible cause the man is not even 40 yet...but I'm not the only one who heard him say that...) and he's already going to quit and it's not worth it anymore and yadda yadda angry man stuff. He then starts to kick stuff out of the way and open the emergency door on the other side of the plane (up by the cockpit). The pilots come out and start trying to stop him, the other flight attendant is trying to stop him and he pushes them out of the way and falls over into his and the other flight attendant's bags. The whole time he's yelling things like "you know what?! I don't even care! Watch this! It doesn't matter at this point!" This is when I was able to get off the plane. But, I was not going to miss the rest of this altercation so I stood on the jetbridge right off the plane and watched as he pulled the cord for the emergency slide, grabbed his bag and was like "Screw this, I'm out of here!", jumped out of the plane, slid down the blow-up slide and walked away.

I walked out with some other passengers into the terminal and a pilot for the next flight asked me "Did someone blow up one of the emergency slides?" and I said "Yeah, your pilot did it" and he was like "What?" So an older couple and I told the pilot and other flight attendants what happened and they all looked SHOCKED. One even was like "I've got to see this!" and ran to the window to watch.

At this point I was just in a fit of giggles and sadly, I did not stick around to see what happened next, but apparently nobody caught him until later in the day anyway.

Nobody was in any danger and as far as I'm concerned, I still LOVE Jetblue and will continue to fly with them. I planned on writing them a letter to explain what happened, but since it got all this publicity, I don't feel the need. PLUS (and this is how great that airline is) I already received an email with an apology and a credit for $100. I got it this morning. Less than 24 hours later. They are awesome.

But like I said, this guy is not a hero. He's a jerk. And an idiot. I mean, c'mon, I know you're mad...but you work in the customer service industry, you're bound to run into rude people and you have to be able to deal with it. I think maybe that last guy was just the straw that broke the camel's back.

And I'm SO glad I was there to witness it. It was priceless. :)

Joni.

Joni Mitchell makes me happy. And sad. But a good sad. Cause it's an inspirational sad.

Gotta love her.

Happiness

I love it when people surprise me. And I don't mean like jumping out from behind the couch surprise. I mean...I love when people show the good they have inside. I have such wonderful friends and family who are so supportive and loving. And today has been a day where I have seen that from multiple people in my life.

So thank you friends. You are the reason I still have faith in mankind. Cause a lot of times, mankind sorta stinks. But you guys don't. You smell great.

Love

Me

Hey There Blog Fans!

Hi Folks. So I made a new email address through gmail and I decided to switch my blog onto that account. If you read my blog, and you have a blog and it's "invite only", um...I can't see it anymore! And that's sad. So you should either call me, text me, facebook me or... I don't know comment me... and tell me to tell you my new email address...so I can keep reading.

K? Fab. Thanks!

To End on a Good Note:

123 Days Until

HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS- PART I

I can't freaking wait!!! And so in honor of said movie, I give you this.

You know you've read Harry Potter too much when...

1. Continually ask people if they want a Lemon Drop.

2. Throw blankets over yourself and insist you're invisble.

3. Tell your hats that you don't want to be put it Slytherin.

4. Wince and grab your forehead every time you think you're near "You-Know-Who".

5. Ask snakes if they can hear you.

6. Instruct your chess pieces where to move.

7. Paint walnuts yellow, toss them in the air, and say you're the youngest seeker in a century.

8. choke on said Walnut, and say that you've caught the Snitch.

9. Act genuinely surprised when you get presents for Christmas.

10. Tap random bricks with an umbrella and insist you're trying to get into Diagon Alley.

11. Wave random sticks around, and when nothing happens, tell yourself that it just isn't the right one.

12. Tell your siblings that Hagrid will give them a pig tail.

13. Call people Muggles.

14. Tell random people that you know how to calm fluffy...

15. ...and refuse to explain.

16. Say "sunshine daisies, butter mellow, turn this stupid fat rat yellow," at every mouse you see.

17. Expect to see your heart's desire in a mirror.

18. Feel around in your pocket for any stones while staring in said mirror.

19. Remind your arch-enemy that there hasn't been a witch or wizard who hasn't gone bad in Slytherin.

20. Ask people to address their letters to you to the "cupboard under the stairs," or "the old house on the rock."

21. Search every bag of jellybeans for a bogey flavored one. Tell all those who say otherwise that George swore he once found one.

P.S. (Thing I'm Not Excited About)

Just because I'm divorced, I'm still a good person. And an awesome and caring friend. Quit judging me. So there.

(yeaaaaah...you know who you are...)

Things I'm Currently Excited About:

Yoga

Puppies After the Groomer

Boston in 3 Days!

Mocha Light Frappuccinos

Diet Pepsi

Mail in my Mailbox (real mail, not email...psh)

Austin in less than 2 weeks

Pittsburgh in less than 3 weeks

The Beach in 1 month

Singing

Taking Pictures

A Haircut

Church

Clean Laundry

Packing a suitcase

Cafe Lalo

Writing

Netflix Instant Movies on Wii

Pancakes

The Possibility of Possibilities

Dear World,

Please let New York City cool down. Two days with temperatures over 100 degrees is just obnoxious. Plus the whole "air quality alert" thing is just scary. And it's giving me excuses not to work out. And we know I don't need to make excuses for that...the sweat from the heat is not the same as the sweat from a jog.

Thanks,

Lauren Wood

P.S. If you could do something about the tan-line from my flip flops, that'd be great too.

Dear World,

Why does everyone have 4th of July plans but me? And also, why does it really matter to me? I feel as though the holiday doesn't count for me unless I have something "4th of July"ish to do.

Boo.

Sincerely,

Lauren

Can't. Wait.

I want the new iPhone. I want it in WHITE. So I have to wait. Cause it's not out yet.

I am practically shivering with antici-

.......pation.

The Concert of a Lifetime

For real. It. Was. Amazing.

Carole King and James Taylor...

I left feeling so inspired.

And that's all I have to say about it at the moment.

Dear World,

Do men really think that if they compliment my breasts as I walk by them on the street that I'll be flattered?

Do they think I'll stop and thank them and it will be a great conversation starter?

And for that matter, do other men think that I will want to date them if they whisper dirty things at me when I am walking by them on the street?

Do they think I'll turn around and be like "you think my butt is delicious?? that's so romantic! please take me out on a date RIGHT NOW"?

Please inform these strange men that this is not the case.

Thanks,

L.W.

Dear World,

Hire Me.

Thanks,

Lauren Wood

I burnt my pancakes.

I burnt my pancakes. Not enough to throw them out, but enough that they tasted kinda ...well, burnt.

I plan to make them again tomorrow morning (I have the pancake mix where you use eggs, milk, blah blah blah so I have to make the smallest serving...which is 10-12 pancakes, and I can't eat 10-12 pancakes...so then I get to have pancakes for like 3 days.) so hopefully I will not burn them tomorrow. I will most definitely TRY not to.

Tomorrow I am going to TARGET. I'm super excited. I love TARGET. I need to go buy one thing...but I know that I will walk out with an enormous bag of things. I need to give myself a limit. A literal dollar limit. I just don't know what it should be. I think $40. Cause the thing I'm buying should be like 15 at the most. And that gives me some wiggle room for any other exciting things I find. :) Cause one always finds exciting things at TARGET.

Also, I've decided that I will rearrange basically all of the furniture in my bedroom tomorrow to make way for my window AC. Cause it's getting to be that time...so far I've been able to function without it, but I think it's about that time. And at the moment, my bed is blocking the window, so I wouldn't be able to press any of the buttons. Soooooo gotta move it! And if I move that, then I have to move other stuff...so it'll be an exciting day! TARGET and moving stuff around. WOOO WOOOOOO!

And also, I have to practice my music for the benefit I'm singing in on Thursday. Cause...I don't know stuff. And I need to!

Aaaaand that's all. Peace!

Tulips

I love tulips. There are so happy. :)

Ocularist

Do you even know what that IS?!

I bet you don't. It's not an optometrist or an ophthalmologist. It's not even a doctor actually...though it kind of sounds like one.

I like the dictionary definition:

oc·u·lar·ist (ŏk'yə-lər-ĭst)
n. A person who is skilled in the design, fabrication, and fitting ofartificial eyes and in the making of prostheses associated with theappearance or function of the eyes

Interesting, no?

That's what I'm doing today...getting a new prosthesis made. I really hate this part of my life and wish I had two functioning eyes. But alas, I don't.

This is always a scary process because (if you are someone who has had a prosthesis) you know it's never going to look perfect...perfect would be a regular EYE. But you want it to look as great as possible. And I get so nervous that I won't like it or it will be more noticeable or...I don't know...just won't look at all natural.

But all that aside (cause I can't think about that right now or I'll get even MORE worked up about it), I do find it interesting that if you don't have an ocular prosthesis or know someone who has one well enough that you've talked about it with them, people have NO idea that this occupation even exists or HOW these things are made. I know I had no idea until I unfortunately had to have one.

So I leave you with that interesting definition. And maybe if I'm feeling good about it later, I'll tell you all about the incredibly long, tedious process.

Alright, off I go! Wish me luck.

Peace.

Cookies & Cream

I totally regret living my entire childhood thinking chocolate was the only acceptable ice cream flavor. Cookies & cream is so flipping delicious.

Yum Yum The End.

I love Slam Poetry.

Does that makes me a lesbian?

Bust.

Ok, so obviously the bad photo idea was a bust. So now I need to figure out what else I can talk about on this dang thing...

Did I ever tell you the "That's What She Said" story that was so incredibly inappropriate? I mean, personally, I think all "that's what she said" stories are inappropriate...but this one was...actually inappropriate. Not just funny inappropriate.

Ok, so. I'm at the 34th street subway station waiting for the NQRW to go up to 42nd St to meet a friend. A nice-looking, smiling gentleman approaches and asks, "Excuse me, do you know which train I should take to get to the Apple Store on 5th Avenue?". To which I reply, "I think you can get on any train on that side (I pointed to the local side), but let me check real quick". So, I pull up my subway map app on my iPhone and as I am looking I say, "I've gotten off there before, but I just want to make sure"...

...and he immediately replies "That's what she said".

And I just paused...and threw up a little in my mouth...and told the guy "Yeah, any train on that track will take you to the 57th street station" and he said "Great! Thank you!" and went on his merry way.

REALLY?!!?! REALLY?!?!!?!?!?!?!! It took me a second to even figure out WHAT he could've said that about...I mean, gross dude. AND YOU ARE A TOTAL STRANGER. You'd say that to a total stranger?!

I guess it's ok to drop a "that's what she said" between friends...but to a perfect stranger after you ask them for directions??? Honestly. Yuck.

I was just in shock. And now I just find it funny...and weird. Oh, random people on the subway...

Anyway...now that I've shared that, I've run out of things to say.

So...

Peace.

I am so dense.

I just had an epiphany about something incredibly obvious. While in the shower. Because...it's about the shower.

Y'know how when guys get all ..."worked up"... in that...waaaaay, people always say something about taking a cold shower?

Well, I just realized why. Cause I always wondered to myself...why does it have to be a cold shower? What if you don't like cold showers? Why can't they go take a hot shower?

I just assumed it was like...y'know...to get refreshed and y'know...get your mind off of it...

But uh, yeah...I just figured it out.

Better late than never, I guess.

DUH, Lauren...DUH.

Peace.

Bad Photos: Take Two

Ok, this post has a theme...these are all from my CISV Seminar Camp in Gothenburg, Sweden. This was the summer after I graduated high school...I obviously had not matured enough yet...

Who doesn't love a good game of Chubby Bunnies? Well, the Americans had to teach everyone else how to play...I don't recall how excited they were about it...but I was obviously overjoyed to be playing.

Whoever took this...thanks for catching me mid-word and looking slightly possessed...And I'm so glad I threw that halter top away that same summer. Ugh.

At the train station...could I make it any more obvious that I am the stereotypical loud American? ...in a cowboy hat, no less... Yikes.

I hope I've grown up since then...I think I have...I think...maybe...

Peace.

Purely for your entertainment...

THE FIRST EDITION OF BAD PHOTOS OF LAUREN:

Well, I'm a little bored right now, so I decided what would be more fun than posting awful pictures of myself on my blog? Normally, I would do just the opposite. I like people to think I'm pretty. :) But...this is probably more enjoyable for people out there reading this. So...sit back and enjoy the awkwardness!

I thought this was a good way to keep my hair from getting wet when it was raining.

CISV. We did a little project where you had to take away a body part...some people got eyes, ears, legs...I got arms. And then we had to have lunch...hence the licking.

I think I was trying to be funny... But I just look awkward. And bad. Awkward and bad.

Well, that's all for now, but come back for more! I'll be searching for awful photos of me until then! Shouldn't be too hard... I tend to get a little weird in front of cameras.

Peace!

Austin! And general updates on life.

Well, I just got back on Monday from another awesome trip to Austin to see the family! Got there on Thursday and my sister, Sarah, had gotten tickets to this show called "Ladies of the 80's" at the Alamo Draft House. They played some really awesome music videos that were all female artists from the 80's. We rocked out to some quality tunes.

Elisa, Me, Sarah's friend Vanessa, and Sarah at the show

Dad and I at dinner at "Angel's". It had an awesome band and I had the NAUGHTIEST cheeseburger...so delish. Bacon and Guacamole. Heavenly.

For Sarah's birthday, we went ZIP-LINING! It was quite fun. We would ride these ziplines from tree to tree out in hill country. You go SO fast...super fun.

Sarah took this right after I landed...and I subconsciously beveled. Awesome.

(PS: that guide made fun of me the entire freaking time. 2 hours of teasing. Grr.)

Shaun, Sarah and I after we zipped our final line!

So, that was another first for me. PLUS...OMG...Shaun (my step brother) took me out on his MOTORCYCLE. I was SO frightened. But it was sooooooo cool! Motorcycles are one thing I was convinced I would never do. It can be so dangerous that I just told myself it was a life experience I didn't need. But now I'm very glad I did it. I'm not saying I'm going to become a biker chick, but I've changed my point of view on the whole motorcycle thing.

I'm totally psyched to go back next month for Elisa's and Dad's birthday. Who knows what exciting stuff I'll get into this time!

Otherwise...not too much is new. Took the doggies for walkies today. Oh, and I've decided I want to start running. Cause I really suck at it. And I think it'd be fun to be able to do it. Since I've really never been able to. But I have to find a buddy to help me...cause I know I won't have the strength to do it all on my own. But I am feeling inspired and I totally want to give it a try. I'll keep you updated on whether or not I actually follow through with this.

PS: Anyone remember the cartoon "Daria" on mtv? I got some episodes on Netflix for fun and it brought back so many memories. And I still totally have a crush on Jane's brother...I know he's a cartoon, but he's just so cool.

And now that I've admitted my attraction to a drawing, I'll bring this post to an end.

Peace.