It's Saturday NIGHT!!!

And we're LIVE ... from Ashleigh's living room. 
Tonight's guests: The Walking Dead cast (watching reruns), Shaun Spencer and Burton Guster (Psych episodes), and a local chef will be teaching us how to make a snack (we made apples with peanut butter) 

I had some time on my hands to come up with this as you can see. 
A whole 10 seconds to make all that up. I could TOTALLY do the real SNL and would be hilarious. 
Moving on ... 

I had a great night on Friday. Went to see Les Miserables at the Grand Rapids Civic Theatre and they had amazing talent on the stage. The sets were amazing. There was a rotating stage so the turntable made sets so much easier to see from different angles. And can I totally take a moment to praise the orchestra? 
Even when the mic went out on Fantine and her big number ... the orchestra played low enough so she could belt out those notes and even without a mic on her, she had incredible projection. 

Then today on Saturday ...? 
We went out and did some shopping. I splurged on a pair of socks at a pair of earrings at this new store at Rivertown called Charming Charlie. Then I got to go to Barnes and Noble. Yay me! I love that store. I don't know if you guys were aware of that or not. Then afterward, Ash and I met up with our bestie, Emily at Red Robin for lunch. I love grilled cheese sandwiches. Especially THEIR grilled cheese sandwiches. 
We just had a ton of fun and I enjoyed myself. 

Oh ... and I discovered a new movie that was ... decent. We watched the movie Monsters University on Friday night. Are you guys aware of what the theme of that movie is exactly? 
Now just remember that I'm just picking up on this from a one time sitting. 

The movie actually starts out with a very good message. Work hard. Apply yourself. Be yourself. And you'll get to where you want to go, whether that be a good school, good job, etc... 
That's where the movie's GOOD theme ends. The movie essentially is telling kids ... and this is a SPOILER ... so I will let this pause so you can leave the room or whatever ...




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Pausing for Spoiler ....






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The real theme of Monsters University is this. It's OKAY to mess up in college, get expelled, and have no career prospects. There will be no consequences for your actions and as long as you join any company that you want to work for and start from the ground up ... you WILL get the top job. 
I kinda think that's a bunch of Bullshit (sorry family for language) but what is this world coming to ... telling kids that it's okay if you get EXPELLED because ultimately you'll still get the best jobs. 
Not to stand on a soapbox here, but that's not really what happens very often. Let's say you take 100 people. And those 100 people ALL get expelled for whatever reason from ANY university ... I'm going to wager that about 10 of those 100 actually achieve the theme of this movie and start in the 'mailroom' and work themselves up to 'Scarer' like in the movie. The other 90 are more likely still stuck in their minimum wage position in that 'mailroom'. So what exactly are we telling kids these days? I know that with the job market today, it's EXTREMELY difficult to get the jobs we GO to school FOR ... (I mean, let's face it .. I went to school to be an editor for a big time publishing company and I'm making coffee for a living right now) ... but should we really be telling impressionable children in today's media that a college education is essentially unnecessary? No. I still think that if you go to school, work hard, and apply yourself, you may STILL not get that top job ... but you have the MEANS to move forward that much faster. 
It's not like we're exactly living in a society where it's okay that you didn't go to school anymore. Nowadays, it's very literally like 

Me: "Hello, I'd like to apply for a job"
Employer: "That's wonderful. Here's the application form online. Please list your references and schooling"
Me: "Well, I'm not very qualified for this job"
Employer: "Then have a nice day. Thanks for wasting my time" (cue door slamming in your face) 

It sucks, but that's the way it is.

All right, I'm stepping off my soapbox now. I just ... found myself irritated with Disney at that moment and felt I had to say SOMETHING to that effect.

Whatever. 

All right ... I think that's enough for now. It's been a long day and tomorrow I go to church and then drive home for work at 4pm to close. So come on in if you get a chance and I'll make you the best Vanilla Macchiato you've ever had. Let's face it. I may not have gone to school to be a barista ... but I make amazing coffee. 

Be Open, Be Loving, Be Yourself
Taryn

Complications

I was going to title this 'Complicated' but that sounded WAY too Avril Lavigne to me. And yeah, it's her world and we're just living in it, but I still didn't want to copy her. 

How's it hanging in the cyber world? I've been ... kind of avoiding it like the plague lately. Only able to check in occasionally on my mobile phone. 

Do you have any idea how difficult it is to write a blog on a phone screen? Not easy. So I kinda fell off the face of the earth for a little bit. 
But at least it was fun for the time being. Being off the face of the earth, I mean. Trust me when I tell you that my time WAS being used constructively. I have attempted this thing where I read one book a day. 
It has NOT been easy. There were some days where I just charged through the books I was reading and then there were other days where I had this little thing called Work which slowed me down on some of the thicker books. 

Pesky work. 

But I'm grateful. At least I'm GETTING a few hours now. It's not just me pinching pennies, crying myself to sleep for fear of not being able to work more, and me screaming at the top of my lungs into a pillow because I was so PISSED at not having enough work. 

Oh yeah, my life was making me cranky. 

Still ... what do you expect? God throws us the unexpected, but it's nothing that we can't handle, right? 

So here's what you've missed. 
I've read about ... 12 books since you last heard from me. I know, I'm slipping. What a shame. *laughs*
Here we go...I'll try to remember them all. 

Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead
Frostbite by Richelle Mead
Shadow Kiss by Richelle Mead
Blood Promise by Richelle Mead
Spirit Bound by Richelle Mead 
An Abundance of Katherines by John Green (you might have known this one though)
Bite Me, Your Grace by Brooklyn Anne
Mesmerized by Candace Camp 
Insurgent by Veronica Roth


I'm missing two on that list ... but I can't seem to remember what they are or find my lists anywhere. Oh well. The point is I've been reading. A lot. 
The book I am CURRENTLY reading is Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer. It's basically about what would happen if the moon was pushed a little bit closer to Earth's orbit and it follows this family as they survive the weather changes and other things. What can I say? I like a good dystopian series. 

So that's me... 

I hope I can update again very soon. I have missed this. I really have.

Be Open, Be Loving, Be Yourself
Taryn