This is How We (I) Do....

So there's this "thing" I do that drives a lot of people nuts: I like to read the ending to movies before I go see them and, to a lesser extent, I do the same thing with books. I don't always do this with books because I do like the feeling of "oooh what's going to happen next?!?" but sometimes I do. 

It's something I've always liked to do, being the kind of person who doesn't pay very much attention to detail. Dave likes to tell the story about how we drove down the road side by side for about a mile before he had to beep the horn for me to realize he was next to me. This was when he drove a big red truck, too. 

Anyway, most of the time, this works in my favor. I'm able to understand what the heck is going on in complicated movies like Inception, or I'm able to pick up on the little details that lead to plot twists or clues that I would normally miss. It helps me enjoy what I'm seeing more. 

There have been a few instances however where I've ruined it for myself. Gone Girl being one of them. I won't give away the plot twist but suffice to say that one day I happened to wikipedia (we can make that a verb now too, like "google it", right?) the plot summary before picking up the book to see what the big hubbub was all about, and then when I read the book I couldn't appreciate the twist. 

The book is set up in the beginning to make you feel one way, you see little things that make you go "ah ha! I know you're the bad guy" and then half way through, you see you're wrong and then you go through the complicated emotions of un-hating the person you hated and hating the person you thought you were rooting for. I didn't get to experience that because I already knew what was coming. It didn't make the book any less of a good read for me, but I missed the experience. Imagine riding a roller coaster but missing the part where you go up a big hill and then stop at the top only to come rushing down again. Sure, the ride was probably still a little fun, but the exhilaration wasn't there. 

Is it going to make me change what I do? Yes and no. I'll probably avoid reading the ending/twists to books, but not the movies. I get more involved in a book, feel more emotional towards what I'm reading, but movies not so much. I'd still rather know how a movie ends before I see it.

How about you? Are you cringing at the thought of me reading the endings to movies and books or are you nodding your head in agreement?

Am I the Only One?

We are all weird and unique in our own little ways, but often I find myself doing something that isn't "normal" and it makes me wonder if I'm the only person who does it. 

Am I the only one who

...likes to listen to the radio on scan?

...thinks orange juice tastes better with crushed ice and drunk through a straw?

...listens to a pop song and imagines being able to dance the coreography? who am i kidding, I don't have the hand/eye coordination to do it. I can't even get this down:

...prefers their ice cream to be microwaved for a few seconds before eating it?

...listens to rock music and pretends to be in a cover band singing the song exaclty how the singer does? I'm looking at you Lizzy Hale....

...doesn't draw designs in their toaster strudel icing, instead squirts it all in the middle and spreads it out?

Come to think of it, am I the only adult that continues to eat toaster strudels?

What are some weird things that you do?

I Feel Witty, oh so Witty!

It's a rare occasion that I'm quick and witty on my feet. Most of the time if someone is playfully making fun of me, I respond with "shut up" because that's all that I can come up with. 

There is one particular moment from my past where I was actually pretty fast on my toes when it came to responding to an embarrassing situation. One of the houses I grew up in with my mom and then-step dad was a quaint little rancher that shared a driveway with a horse farm. The horse farm was located at the front of the driveway, so in the mornings when I would walk to the end of our driveway to wait for the bus, I would have to walk past the horse farm and the house. The people who lived on the farm were kind, sweet people and the husband had this British accent that I loved. 

One morning walking to the bus stop, I began to sing "I Feel Pretty". I'd like to point out at this point in time that I can't sing worth a damn but I do it nonetheless because who doesn't like to sing randomly? Anyway, as I was singing this over and over again on my little trek, the husband with the incredible British accent stepped out of the barn, with a look on his face that confirmed he heard every single off key note I belted out. 

I quickly recovered from this mortifying moment but saying to him, "just scaring the birds away" and walked on. I could hear him laughing as I crossed the street. 

That wasn't the last time he caught me mid-song by the way. The gorgeous dog you see in the picture above is my beloved Zima. Best dog that ever graced this Earth. 

Anyway, I let her outside, while I stayed inside and did dishes. We lived on a little over an acre of land that was surrounded by the horse farm and woods that backed up into a neighborhood. Zima was always really good about staying in our yard most of the time. One time, I couldn't see her so I started walking around the yard singing "Zima" in my most operatic voice possible. My neighbor was in the field next to me watching me make an ass out of myself. 

There was no witty recovery this time, no it was just "Zima get your butt inside" while I ran towards the house wondering if it's possible to avoid a neighbor for the rest of your life. 

Have you ever had a moment in your childhood where you look back now and think about how quick witted you were?

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall, Who is the Random-est of Them All?

All I have to say is forgive me for the absolute randomness of this post. As I wrote below, my brain is fried.

Click here for the Giveaway!

                                      

End of the Week Roundup

1. I saw this sign on Saturday, I don't think there is much more that can be said:

Those who throw dirt, lose ground.

2. Monday I stopped by Chipotle for lunch. I was in the midst of ordering some corn flour tortillas and we (the server and I) got to the point where I picked the meat and I blurted out CHOCOLATE. What the? Chocolate? What the heck is wrong with me? I wasn't even thinking about chocolate, or craving it (confession: I had already had some that day), where did this come from?

I hung my head in shame while the girl looked at me questioningly like I had just broken out of the loony bin. I proceeded to tell her to ignore my absurd request and just give me some chicken, which is what I had wanted all along, contrary to what my mouth said. Regardless, my CHICKEN tortillas were good, while my sanity is still out for questioning. Let's chalk this up under "Nicole-isms". Dave has to deal with them often, much to his amusement, and now you, my dear reader, will as well. Trust me there will be plenty more where that came from, Dave can attest to that.

3. Wednesday was really nice, like 70 degrees and slight breeze nice. I decided to take the opportunity to let Nibbler and Squishee outside, but since I was on my own (Dave was working late), I had to put their harnesses and leashes on them. If not, Squish gets freaked out and then tries to run away and then I have to worry about losing Nibbler as I'm chasing Squish around. So I decided to save myself the heartache and put them in their harnesses. They HATE their harnesses. Squish walks backwards and plops up against everything trying to get it off and Nibbler does a reenactment of swan lake by literally leaping around the house on his hind legs. They freak out until they get outside and then its all "ooooh grass?" and then it doesn't matter if they are in the harness. We enjoyed a few minutes outside and I got this awesome pic:

Squish is on the left, eyeballing Nibs, who I got mid-bite.

I also got this great pic too, which is now my new wallpaper on my phone. I'm not going to tell you how many times a day I push the "on" button to see it....it's shameful.

4. Monday I bought "Laced" by Urban Decay, Tuesday one of my favorite bloggers posted a tutorial that used the eyeshadow. Good timing, right? At first I thought I was going to have to go out and buy another one of the shades, but when I went home I noticed it was already in my Naked 2 palette (which is awesome by the way!!) so I had everything I needed to recreate the look! I love it when things work out like this, when you have something you want to try whether it be a new makeup look or a craft or whatever, and you realize you have all the things you need to do it. Now I just have to get up early enough to actually put makeup on, since I get up twenty minutes before I have to walk out the door most days (I really need to stop doing this) and don't have time for anything less than pulling my hair back and swiping my face with some powder. It's not my best look, but that's what I get for being lazy.

5. I've been obsessed with this song this week. I keep playing it over and over and over, which I do to most songs until I'm sick of them. It's so haunting, I love love love songs like this. It also makes me want to learn to play guitar again (because I've started that three times now, one day, mark my words, I will play guitar--consistently!!!)

Have you ever played a song over and over until you never want to hear another note of it again? What song was it?

Hallelujah, we made it another week!