February 26, 2012

Day 96

The Happy: Tough Guy Friends
I'm...a pansy.  
I'm sleeping over at my friend's house tonight with her baby, and I felt really cold air blowing so I checked to see what was up.  One of the supposedly locked doors was wide open. I so don't do open doors at 11:15 PM.  I decided to just bite the bullet and beg Daniel to come do a criminal house check because he's a freaking gorilla.
Love this boy.  Girls, DATE HIM.  He's totally hot and such a dime - do yourself a flava.  I asked what he did today (while we were checking the basement storage rooms).  Oh, nothing, just 8 hours of volunteer work.  Blair called me to keep her awake on her evening commute back to SLC, as she often does.  "Did he really search the house for you?  Blessed goodness, he is so southern."  Word.

Love Happy Girl

February 25, 2012

Day 95

The Happy: Friday - I have waited for you a whole week.
Kate went to Vegas today to see Celine Dion.  Celine got sick and cancelled the show.  Kate's in mourning.  Her brother Joe phrased it perfectly: "Celine Dion.  I think you were 5 when she was big.  Pretty sure she hasn't had a hit single since My Heart Will Go On, circa 1996.  If you're lucky, mom will be in the Neil Diamond concert next door."

Her Celine problem's even worse than her Runaway Bride problem.
"Jules, let's watch it!'
"Let's not."
"Please?  It's been a week."
"I'm leaving the house.  Bye."

Love, Happy Girl

February 23, 2012

Day 94

The Happy: Katerz
 
(left to right): Kate, Em, Me.
Without giving details, yesterday Kate did something for me that revealed a great deal to the depth of her character and intuition.  She's the only person I know who can tell by a sheer sense of feeling that I need help right then, and she never wastes a second to act upon that prompting.
I am so lucky to live with somebody that close to me.
I basically have a mom.  Who is 24.

Love, Happy Girl

February 22, 2012

Day 93

The Happy: Wendy's Frosty Key Chain

Highlight of my day - using my Wendy's free frosty key chain for the first time.  Ran into my friend Parker at the library. We studied, we got hungry, we went to Wendy's.  Bought myself a niiiice "spicy chicken sammich no mayo extra ketchup, free junior frosty cuzza my key chain."  Por supuesto,  they forgot the ketchup.  Luckily Parker and I have a mutual understanding of ketchup value, so he braved an illegal U-turn and got it for me.  Good man.
  And then we sat getting our fatty on while I made him tell me all the people he remembered from Maryland before he moved to Kentucky (we went to the same middle school).  But mostly I just talked about myself.  Tolerant friend.  He was very courteous about the fact that I was word vomiting.

Love, Happy Girl

Yusss my make up didn't come off while sleeping!  Freebie day.  Ladies, you know the feeling.

February 21, 2012

Day 92

The Happy: Fam and a Five hour at Four-Fourty-Seven
I'm up, people, at near 5 in the ay-em.
Well shoot fire.
Paper madness.  Finishing one, starting the other.  Same class.  Both due tomorrow (meaning today).
About to make a run to Smith's for a second 5-hour-energy drink.  I set my alarm for 2 in the morning so I could get an hour of shut eye, and when it went off I had no clue what was going on.  All I knew was "I'm going to die.  Whatever it is, I'm dying, right now.  No being dramatic here, this is for real.  This is what death feels like."  And then I realized it was just my wake up call to finish these blanking papers.
Went to the kitchen, stumbled through my overflowing cabinet to find my *special bottle* and stared it in the eye - "Ain't no way you're workin, fool. ain't no way...no way, no way."  I almost spilled the energy juice because my body was quaking so.  I waited 10 seconds, utterly disappointed that I was still exhausted..."waste of money," she thought.
5 minutes later: Rollerblading?! All over it.

Ha.  But there are papers to do my dear, darling self.
Right.

Anyhoo, before I go I just wanted to say that I am so grateful for my family and proud to be a part of their blood.  I was thinking most specifically about my cousin Tyler and his wife Marlee, who I seem to write about bi-monthly; I think about them often. It's just because they have such great love. I. love. Love.  And they're also my only cousins that have ever seen me cry my eyes out over a broken heart and curse women that steal my men, so I keep them close.
This is what I was thinking: "Tyler is so great.  He's just cool.  He even makes being a vegetarian look cool.  And Marlee is pretty.  She glows.  She does life the right way and is made from a bit of every good thing in the world.  I love her even more than I love Taylor Swift." (Poster in the background)
The only time I've ever been annoyed with Tyler was when he broke up with Marlee.
"Um, well...that was stupid."
Luckily they got married, and are perfect now.

PAPER.  DO IT.

Love, Happy Girl

February 19, 2012

Day 91

The Happy: I just feel really good

I want to learn to play Danny's Song, Blackbird, and (of course) Jolene.
I love my dad's guitar.
Everything is pretty and snowy this morning.  Also, I changed my hair part to the other side, as you probably can't really see in today's Happy Book picture.

Guess vat!!!  I got invited last night to go to Thailand, Singapore, and maybe Cambodia in May, no big deal.
umm YES PLEASE.  please oh please oh please happen.
We shall see soon.  But I can't stop thinking about noodles in peanut sauce.  And little tiny people with beautiful skin speaking languages I don't understand.

I'm gonna go make breakfast and peach tea.  Inspired by the Cougareat's overpriced but delicious L&T bar, I'm making a BBQ Ranch chicken tortilla wrap.  
I'm just tired of eggs.
 But if you do like eggs, the best trick I ever learned was from a man named Thomas.  I was making him breakfast one morning and in the process of completing what I thought were perfectly salt'n'peppered over easy eggs, he shook his head in disapproval of my domesticity and sprinkled, of all things, oregano on them.
Owned.  They were fab fab.
Thomas was 9.  I was babysitting.
Same guy that taught me how to microwave bacon.

Love, Happy Girl

February 18, 2012

Day 90

The Happy: Caleb Blood's Record Label

Hey guys!  So I want to talk to you about Caleb Blood.  He is a musician in the Provo area whose music I am a diehard fan of.  I heard him play (guitar) and sing for the first time last Spring, and I tell you I sat down right on the floor in the middle of a busy room and just drooled.  It was at an event called C2G that my friends kind of made me go to just to get me out of the house and on my feet again - at the time I was dealing with a really tough break up and with missing my dad.  I know this sounds so sappy, but seriously his music had such a large influence on my determining to get out of my rut, smile more, and start surrounding myself with beautiful things that I loved.  I promise there's no romantic interest here - in fact I think he's got a girlfriend...but his music is so special to me and I really want him to be able to produce his album!  He has been working so hard to raise money for producing his album, and only has 11 days left to meet a deadline.  If you could please, PLEASE donate 1 dollar, it would mean the world to me because I really want to be able to have some of his music on an album.  Please please please just donate one dollar.  Birthday present to me!  Like honestly he didn't ask me to do this or anything, it just really would be so great if you could do that and make me incredibly happy!




If you want to hear some of what he sounds like, go to 1:12 on the video above.
You all are amazing to me.  I love you.

Love, Happy Girl

February 17, 2012

Day 89

The Happy: Stopmotion Videos



I just love 'em.
Who wants to make one with me this Spring?

Love, Happy Girl

February 16, 2012

Day 88

The Happy: Brie En Croute
This was one of the easiest things I've ever made.
Defrost puff pastry, put brie round in center, top with nuts, brown sugar, cinnamon, melted butter, wrap it up, brush some egg on top, bake at 375 for 20 minutes.
Not the recipe I used, but Court Pratt made it one year for Thanksgiving and it was nonsense how good it was.

Love, Happy Girl

Day 87

The Happy: Memes
Do I ever do this?
All the time.

Love, Happy Girl

February 15, 2012

Day 86

The Happy: Valetine's Day Surprise

This was me the morning of February 14th.  In essence, I had accepted the fact that this year I would not have a Valentine, and W would have to do.  He's pouting also, if you look closely.

And then a boy left these at my doorstep.
I'm not going to say who gave them to me because...I don't know, it meant so much to me.  It will feel less special if I say.  But I will tell you, it was the last person I was expecting to receive even a 'Happy Valentine's Day" text, no less a dozen roses, from.
I know this particular individual for always having an element of surprise.  Always.
He doesn't like holidays, and won't even celebrate his own birthday unless I or one of his sisters makes him.
I have no idea what I did to deserve a gesture so overwhelming as making clear that despite all, I'm still worth caring a lot about.  Yeah, this one got to me.
For heaven's sake, I wear pigtails and not-cute indie crap (I couldn't pull off the cute stuff if I tried, anyway) to school because I don't want to date anybody and this look satisfies my intention of being slightly guy-repellent when on campus.  How in the world do you give a girl with that mindset THE BEST Valentine's Day ever?  There's only one person I know who can do that.

Love, Happy Girl

February 14, 2012

February 12, 2012

Day 84

The Happy: My good, good friends
Bee.  Today was her homecoming talk, and she did a great job, my eyes were waterfalls because I'm still so overwhelmed what with having her back.  She means so much to me!
It's amazing to have you home pretty princess.
Which reminds me, I want to express my highest adoration for Jason Dickey.  He is the only friend I have ever had that will tell me he thinks I'm a pretty girl, just because.  I was sitting, talking with him today and out of nowheresville he goes "Juliet, you are so pretty" and then moved on to the next topic.  WHO DOES THAT?  This makes me sound vain I'd bet, but please don't think that.  My motives are pure, I promise.  I just want people to know that it really means a lot to hear an extremely kind compliment from their friends.  It's the fact of the person being just a friend that adds immense meaning to their words, because they don't have to say that.  Significant others, they do.  But not friends. So girls, do it for your guy pals, and guys, the same to your girls.
I am constantly amazed at what good people my friends are, and even more so at the fact that many of them, such as Jason, I've known since I was 11, thereby enjoying over 10 years of their goodness.

A very lucky me.

Love, Happy Girl

February 11, 2012

Day 83

The Happy: Puppy Naps
Spent all afternoon with my old roommate Rae.  She got a little boxer puppy and named it Lennox Lewis after the boxer.  He's a stinkin cute little muffin.

Love, Happy Girl

Day 82

The Happy: Bee's back
Dreamgirl in the middle.
Let me tell you about Blythe Beecroft aka Bee.  I met her at church when I came to mack on a guy at the ripe age of 13, because I was under the false impression that that was okay.  She was probably wearing pearls.  This wasn't the beginning of our friendship, it was just where we met.  Over time, between camp, mutual friends, church functions, etc., I came to know her as the girl that everyone loved - sweet to the bone is what she was.  We had a nice time together and always laughed, but I think the day I realized this girl would hold true to the title of Best Friend
for my life remaining was when she told me, matter-of-factly, "I (speaking of herself) have nice legs."
Those who know her well are laughing.  Right now.
I don't know if I could ever top that for most-out-of-character-thing-to-say.  Maybe if I was like "What?? I don't like mirrors..." I'd get close.  She would drop this line on me every once in a while, and then laugh ashamedly, because she felt like she was getting away with something big.  Vanity and Bee don't even begin to cross each other.  That's why this was such a daring and epic move on her part.
This is going to be a long post.
I was wondering if I should divulge the fact that we hold hands during movies...it just demonstrates how grossly comfortable I am with her.  
Soothing.  That's the word.  I find her soothing.
Furthermore, I find her classy.  Growing up, I was always obsessed with boys, and I mean she knew what a boy was, but she wasn't boy-crazy, though they adored her.  This I liked, because it helped me simmer down.  Something about her manner always made it clear to me that whatever it was we were doing, she was doing it better.  Better, because she knew the limits, and that made her cool to me.

  Truthfully, I think I was alright, but I wouldn't have wanted to be my own friend in high school, and I didn't really know why she'd want to be mine.  Still though, I never once felt looked down upon by her.  Just soo loved, so so so loved.  My favorite memories of her include walks through the cute streets of Kentlands in our ribbons, pink polos and lacrosse shorts, getting Saturday crepes, one particular treacherous trek to Chipotle in a snow storm with winds that could knock trees over, the little walkway by the side of her house that led to Midtown, our tradition of jumping in the disgusting lake whose floor we were terrified to touch, sleeping over on school nights to have her mom's french toast, and loving Jane Austin.  
It was just so much fun being her friend.

That explains why I bawled my eyes out in front of a crowd last night at Kate Magleby's party.  It was the first time I'd seen Blythe in about two years (she's been gone serving a mission for our church).  I can't even explain what it was like to turn around and see her standing there like it was no big deal.

I'm so sappy, but Blythe is the best of the best of the best.  I'm glad I wrote this, even if it took an hour, because I always want to remember how much I love that girl.  Maybe Blair's awake now, she slept over.

Love, Happy Girl

February 9, 2012

Day 81

The Happy: My mom's take on Dubstep music

Sometimes I'm embarrassed that I like it.  
I'm not a raver, I'm not in support of removing my clothes in public, I can't stand flashing lights, I think it is the WoW of music, I find it unsettling, unbeautiful, and in complete clash with french and country music (my favorites), and if I'd heard it as a little girl, I would have run away screaming.
Add that to the fact that my uncle, Sam Cardon, is one of the most talented music composers in Utah/America/Ever, and I'm pretty much ashamed to the point of self-disowning for my liking this crap.
But like it, I do.  Brother does as well.

So my mom sent me this email in response.

Subject line: ACT definitions my loser kids should study

Dubstep (n): The only form of music where credit can be taken for stealing another artist's musical accomplishments and mashing them together with random noise/boosted bass. This is not a remix of the original song, it is the slow, painful murder of it via facerolling on a keyboard while using FruityLoops or another similar, poorly fitted editing software. Generally enjoyed by people on rave drugs or with poor knowledge of the musical world.  A form of electronic music characterized by heavy baselines. Played at parties where everyone is too high and/or drunk to realize how terrible the music is.
"Womp womp womp womp womp womp womp womp womp womp womp womp womp" -Heard from a dubstep party.

Well, all my love.
Happy Girl

February 8, 2012

Day 80

The Happy: DIY tutorial inspired by Anthro's magpie chandelier




Love, Happy Girl

I saw Teeny at the gym today!  I love that girl.

February 7, 2012

Day 79

The Happy: Jeans/Tee day

I might have cramps, but I'm still having a good day.  Just feeling really subdued.  I talked to my mom on the phone for a while, twice, which I love.  I just love her.
I also cooked 10 pounds of sirloin.  T.E.N.
I'm craving oatmeal and bananas with brown sugar, as well as camping, as well as a foot rub, as well as a cat.
I rejoined Gold's Gym this morning. I like going around 8 AM best, then no one's there.  Not a fan of crowds.  My butt's not perky enough to be among them.  Soon enough though, soon enough, incline speed walking does the trick every time.  But I'll still probably just go during the low peaks.

AND ARE WE SO EXCITED FOR MY BIRTHDAY??
It's in 4 weeks.  I know no one else is really that excited.  It's fine.

If you're a girl, watch Downtown Abbey!  Essentially, it is Pride and Prejudice, but in episode form.

Also another thing that made me crack a big smile today was Amber Fillerup's post featuring Bachelor Ben's uncanny resemblance to Francine Frensky from Arthur.

Love, Happy Girl

February 6, 2012

Day 78

The Happy: Wacking my sewing skills back into shape
So for Valentines Day (the one I'm not celebrating this year) (at least not with any significant other) I want to make a box-pleated or gathered full skirt, preferably with taffeta so it poofs out a lot, and so I can practice dealing rationally with annoying things, like taffeta.  That area's screaming for improvement.  I've become the type of person who googles coping mechanisms.  I had to do it the other day actually - I'm not much for the second floor of the library, and I can't walk on it anymore without becoming disgruntled, but I dared test myself last week rather than take the elevator.
I ended up investing 20 minutes in useless online tips for "how to make it go away when you're pissed."
I don't want to hear breathe or drink some water or you're on a beach.
I want something solid, like "mix the juice of two lemons with half a cup of whatever and then do 4 push ups while singing a Christmas carol."
Like something legit.

...sorry

Skirt.
  Ideally, it will be black and white stripes with a pink waistband and an exposed gold zipper.  
I just don't know if I'll actually get around to doing it, but hopefully.

Love, Happy Girl

Day 77

The Happy: Catalog Craze
I love art, fashion, and photographs encompassing both - that's why I joined the catalog mailing list for 15 different stores Sunday evening.  Neiman Marcus requires a fee for theirs.  Why am I not surprised?
I didn't actually get that one...

Love, Happy Girl

February 4, 2012

Day 76

The Happy: Self-Saturday

My nick-name for any Saturday that I dedicate entirely to myself.
On the agenda today:
1. Catch up on homework
2. Drink a gallon of herbal tea
3. Eat Valentines Day eggs for breakfast with more herbal tea
4. Finish my laundry that hasn't been done in two months, zero exaggeration (I have a lot of underwear...and I buy more to avoid doing laundry)
5. Sell my shiz at Trendy Xchange and read Hunger Games while waiting
6. Recreate my favorite Jcrew and Madewell outfits with some thrift store shopping (by the way, I just looked online, and I always forget not to look in the upper-right hand corner because it makes me go "rawr," but I just don't like how proud they are of themselves for their "generosity" in maintaining a "flat-rate shipping of just $8.95!"  No.  Not nice.  The gas it takes my car to drive to your Park City or SLC store doesn't even cost that much.)
7. Buy Ranch
8. Write a hand-written letter to my wonderful grandparents

*Best thing ever (my mom's idea): Decaffeinated Green Tea with fresh slices of
ginger root and some sugar/splenda. Gotta let it sit and soak for a few hours, do it at night so you can just heat it up in the morning, and make a ton of it!  It'll last you a few days.  Unless you're a camel like me and practically have humps on your back that store water.

Love, HG

Day 75

The Happy: I'm one of those people
Just started Friday evening.
One word, and one made up word:
Katniss. Ba-dass.
I would say this: I want to recreate all the food she has at the Capitol, like blue grapes and cheese.
I'm going to have a Hunger Games party before the movie comes out.  Everyone has to bring food from the Capitol.  And dress up like Katniss.

Love, Happy Girl

February 3, 2012

Day 74

The Happy: Tea

 My babies.

This morning I woke up and spent almost an hour watching "shiz [blanks] say" videos.
I can't wait to go home and watch them with my mom.
Turns out I'm road-tripping home to MD after Winter semester!!  If anyone wants to ride, let me know, I'd love to have you with me!  Know that country music will be played, and I'm stopping at any place that was either featured on Diners, Drive Ins and Dives, or has good doughnuts.  If you can jive with that, and be willing to pay half gas (still cheaper than a plane ticket), you are totally welcome to come!  It's gonna be really fun and my mom's making a whole itinerary for me.

Love, Happy Girl

*I'm updating this two days later, but we have some added members to our family.  Earl Grey Decaf and STASH Mango Passionfruit.

February 2, 2012

Day 73

The Happy: Valentine Eggs and Vogue

I promise you, it was not as easy as it looks.

And I want this month's issue so badly.  Taylor Swift is my celebrity idol.

I'm drinking 1.5 to 2 gallons of water a day.  So far, I've had 5 different mugs of tea.  Ha...maybe that'll be tomorrow's picture.  Brace yourself.  My tea collection is large.

Love, Happy Girl

February 1, 2012

Day 72

The Happy: Hair Shine
I'm poor, and tonight I was pissy because my hair looked dull, so I googled home remedies for shinier hair and found out that if you mix 1/2 a cup of apple cider vinegar with 4 cups of water and let your hair soak in it for a good while (at least 15 minutes, they say), then rinse it out, your hair looks exactly the same.  But we can just pretend it looks better because I sat like that for half an hour.  My hair's a tiny bit softer though (sure it is...), and the vinegar removed a lot of residue from my products (that part's actually true).  I know this, because there was this disgusting white film sitting at the top of the canister after I soaked my hair in it.

Eggs don't really work either, but if you think you're the exception to the rule (and I always do no matter what the rule is), just don't wash it out with hot water.  I had scrambled eggs in my hair for 2 days.

To end the night, I enjoyed one of my guilty pleasures.  You so don't need to know this about me, but I hate wearing clothes.  So tonight, I put them in their natural habitat (my bedroom floor. just kidding, they're in the dresser) (fine, they're on my floor), wrapped myself in my was-going-to-be-cousin-Zack's-Christmas-blanket-that-I-made-for-him-but-am-now-keeping, and sat on our pleather couch.  The best part was the knock on our door - Mormon Missionaries.  I straight up had a conversation with two 19-year-old missionaries, naked.  Wrapped up, but naked.  That would happen to me.

Love, Happy Girl

*Other guilty pleasure, and this one's wack: showering in the dark.  But usually I have Touchy Feely (iPod) on a Moulin Rouge or John Mayer shuffle, so she glows a little for me.  Someday my future hubby will join me in my lights-off-showers.  Grossssssss.  Sorry mom...

Day 71

The Happy: Easygoing Professors
 Props to Dr. B for not embarrassing me even further than I'd already done to myself upon dropping a major "ugh SH*T" in my lab yesterday (And only 20 minutes after I'd stared open-mouthed at my dear friend, Mindy Gill, who has never sworn in her life.  I don't know how people do it.)
Blythe is home!

Love, Happy Girl