Concerning Hobbits

For those of you who don't know, the Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug came out on DVD/Blu-ray. And if you don't have it, go get it.  Really, pick it up now.  Smaug is perfect!

Anyways, while I was watching the movie (literally) right after I got it, and I couldn't help but think, "As much as I'd like to be an elf, a dragon, or other fantastic creature, I'm probably a hobbit."

I'm not 3 feet tall (the average height of a hobbit) not by a long shot. 

I am a giant, even compared to other adults.  This fact would only be further magnified if I stood next to a hobbit.  

And I don't have huge hairy feet. Just no.

Despite the height requirement and the hairy feet, I think of all the different creatures and people in Middle Earth, I'm probably a hobbit.

The number one thing that hobbits like is greenery.  This includes taking care of plants. 

I must have inherited this gift.  My violets keep growing and sprouting little baby violets.

But look at the Shire.  Who wouldn't want to live there?

I will let all of you know. This is my idea of the perfect place to live.

For those of you who have read The Hobbit, you'll remember the first paragraph of the book.  As a side note, this is a wonderful beginning to a book.  When I first read the book, I was immediately transported to another world.

You'll remember from The Hobbit that hobbit-holes equate to comfort. Look inside Bag End.  That looks like a place you can sit on your porch (or even better under the party tree) or sit by a fire curled up with a book.

Isn't that what we all aspire to in our own homes (whether it's an actual house, apartment, condo, etc.)?

Anyways, let's get back on track.  

Also, hobbits love food.  Done.  Another favorite.  Who wouldn't want to eat 7 meals a day??

I will have all of you know, I LOVE food.  A lot. 

I'm like that hobbit at the beginning of Fellowship who instead of paying attention to his lady hobbit, far more concerned about eating a cupcake.

I have probably done this before.

Except when I'm really hungry this is what it looks like.

Here I probably resemble Gollum more than a hobbit.

What do you think?

Back to hobbit stuff.

Back to hobbits.

Tolkien also mentions that hobbits are shy now, and they have little to do with "Big Folk" (translation people).

I am not shy.  However, I am (to quote Lord of the Rings) quite content to ignore and be ignored by the world of the Big Folk.

Thank you to Peter Jackson and everyone involved in The Hobbit movies and The Lord of the Rings for bringing my favorite books to life!

In Celebration of Pikachu!

Just a note for all you who don't know... I love Pokemon.  I still watch the cartoons, and I'm so excited that Veronica Taylor is coming to C2E2!

As part of my getting ready for C2E2, I'm going to try to do a series of nerdy posts.  

Also, I'm accepting guest posts and subject suggestions from our readers for the C2E2 series!  

Please, post your ideas below or on my Facebook page!

For the first topic in my series, today I'm going to talk about my favorite Pokemon, Pikachu.

Yes. Pikachu.

You all had better be prepared for 

lots 

and

lots 

and 

lots 

of Pikachu pictures.

For all of you who have no idea who Pikachu is, I will briefly recap.  Pikachu is the main character's (Ash) companion.  He's the cute yellow one that does all the electric type moves.

Done.

To start, we first meet Pikachu as a very stubborn, independent, and sometimes he's kind of a jerk.  However Pikachu and Ash didn't start out exactly as the best of friends.  We see Pikachu ignoring Ash at every opportunity.  

Best example...

In the first episode, we see a lot of Pikachu laughter.  It begins as a giggle.

And eventually turns into full body, uncontrollable laughter.

Fact.  I laugh the exact same way.

Also, both Pikachu and I LOVE food.  Also, I think we may have the same favorites.

Just an fyi, Pikachu loves ketchup.  There is an entire episode dedicated to this.  I will have you know that ketchup is the best condiment ever made.

Ever.

Also he has the greatest facial expressions when he runs out of food.

When there is no more ketchup...

Please note, Pikachu's loss of ketchup is more important than the drama in the background.

When there is no more of Brock's food...

Yes, we have all made that face.

Best of all is that even though Pikachu is super awesome

He is always up for hugs!

Thanks all for reading!  To wrap up this post, below is the first Pokemon short I saw.  Enjoy!!

5K Season Begins

Hello readers!

I hope you all will like my new Facebook Page and pass the introversion to your friends!

Now that that brief advertisement, time to get to the good stuff.

I'd like to a moment to evaluate the start of 5K season.

Today was the first time I ran my 5K alone.  Not literally because there were tons of people, but I mean that none of my friends had signed up with me.  It was almost the same as all the others. I ran, my friends and I don't really stay for the post-run festivities, neither did I.  It wasn't that much different.

Let me state that I am not the greatest of runners.  I'm sure I look completely ridiculous with my uncoordinated nature. 

I run down the street like Eddy.

This is me running a 5K. 

I don't think I can reach the level of an Olympic athlete.  And seeing the crazy fast runners still intimidate me.  

Imagine Eddy running against this.

There's not real competition there.  Fact is Eddy is going to get demolished.

But then I see all the small children and other non-athletic people, and I realize I can do this too.  If a 12 year old can sprint past me no problem, I can finish this race.

Also, if the zombies ever rise or dinosaurs pop out of Lake Michigan, I can at least kind of run. The goal would be to at least out run everyone else.

With eyes closed and arms out to push all the other people out of the way.

Generally speaking the beginning of each race is pretty great then from 2-3 there's what seems like an eternity of running.  

But at the end you're like the YouTube penguin that gets tickled.

He's so happy!

So with all that in mind, I encourage you get out there and run! It doesn't matter if you run like Eddy, only can walk, or run 20 miles.  The point is to get out there and do something.  

Then you'll be like the happy penguin too.

TED Talks - Introverts

Hello again Internet!

I have crawled out of the hobbit hole I call my apartment, and I am back by popular demand to write more about stuff!  

And popular demand, I mean my 2 friends, who I'm pretty sure are the only people who read this.

I would like to take the time to reaffirm my being an introvert.  Thank you.

While I may not have expected summer camp to be a time of reading, I did want to have time away from everyone else.  Frankly, being 10 years old in a cabin with 12 other 10 year old girls was exhausting.  

I did not and may never have the stamina to handle that many people all day, everyday for two weeks.

They would want to gab.

And I would either politely engage or reply with short answers.  More likely than not, it was short, blunt, and socially unacceptable responses.

Most of the girls did not want to talk to me.

This did not make summer camp the greatest of experiences.  It's not that I intentionally said these things to be harsh or socially awkward.

Even though I was left alone at camp, except to talk to the one friend who actually came with me to camp, I was content being by myself.

This contentedness continued to grow as I was ostracized by my peers all through grade school to high school.  Fortunately, my teachers understood this and let me be to work on my own, which I was more than happy to do.

I understand Darcy. 

For a while, I called myself shy.  

Let's break this apart.  Shy is defined as "being reserved or having or showing nervousness or timidity in the company of other people."

People don't make me nervous.  The social obligations they bring make me nervous.

How much conversation can you get out of the weather?

Clearly, my conversation skills are lacking

But once I get into a little band of nerd friends, I'm not timid.

And then we are super best friends.

To sum it all up:

Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Neighbors

Normally, I don't have any issues with my neighbors.  In fact, I've never had any really terrible neighbors.  But I do have a bunch of pet peeves, and for some reason no matter where I live, there's always one neighbor who manages to do one of my pet peeves. So here is a list of things that make you a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad neighbor.

1. Music

Don't take this the wrong way.  I love music, but I don't like hearing YOUR music in my apartment.  When I can feel my door or floor vibrating, because you wanted to appreciate the bass or whatever it is you're doing, something is wrong.

Not just a little bit wrong, a lot a bit wrong. 

I appreciate you're love for your music.  But I don't appreciate you loving your music in my apartment.  And when I can hear your electronic/techno music over Say Yes to the Dress.  When that happens, my rage face starts to come out.

It begins with the "Are you kidding me??" face.  And not the laughing, are you kidding face.  

This is the serious "Are you kidding?" face

This is the prelude the "ROAR!!!" face.

 

2. Arguing

 

I'd like to help you if you have any problems, but that only counts if I know you.  Personally, I don't care about the fact that you're mad that your boyfriend missed your date to watch Toddlers and Tiaras.  Fact is he probably hates that show as much as I do.  Instead he'd rather be watching the South Park episode with Honey Boo Boo.

 

Because clearly, this is more entertaining than this

 

No offense to TLC or Toddlers and Tiaras, but it's not my thing.

 

I don't want to hear you screaming at him over the phone.  Why?? Because your personal life shouldn't enter the 4 walls that are my apartment unless I offer to fix them or let them enter.

 

All this leads to the progression of the rage face.

 

 3. Stomping

 

Really, I'm pretty sure you're not part of Stomp!  Odds are that your life is not this:

 

 

As cool as this is, I don't want to hear you literally stomping arou

 

nd your apartment.  Maybe you should wear some slippers!  Really.  You can get them at Target.

 

I'LL EVEN GIVE YOU MY SLIPPERS!!

 

Ladies, this includes you stumbling into your hard wood floored apartment at 3AM in your 6" heels.

 

First question, how do you walk in those??? Really?  I'd fall over and die!  So major cookies to you for being able to wear them, but please please please please!!!! take off your shoes before stumbling around your apartment for an hour at 3AM after you get back from the bar.

 

This type of thing leads to the sleepy rage face.

 

 

 

So far that's all I can think of.  I'm sure there are more annoying things I could think of, but these are the major ones.

What have I learned from all this?

Go to sleep with headphones! Then I can't hear you, and I can only hear what I want to hear.