Do Pretentious People Know They Are Pretentious?

I have met a lot of pretentious people in my life--and I apologize if I've ever given off the pretentious vibe --and I wonder if they realize they are pretentious. I met a boy in college who thought he was the pooh, but he wasn't. He was unkempt with greasy hair and grungy clothes, and he liked to give his opinion when it wasn't warranted.

One time I was talking to one of the teachers (an adjunct who had a Master's and was accepted to a graduate program) about fairy tales, and I guess you can say he had first hand experience with fairy tales because he used to live in Germany, the land of fairy tales--Grimms Brothers, Neuschwanstein--and the pretentious undergrad rudely butted into our conversation and inisted that the adjunct was talking about a fable. A very different sort of story (although, they are both included in the folk tale category) and a very specific type of storytelling. Yes, fairy tales have morals like fables, but they are implicit not explicit like fables, and besides, since when has Cinderella ever been a dog? They kind of went back-and-forth for a while (really, it was ridiculous and the pretentious fool should have just shut up when he had the chance). After the room was cleared, the smug pretentious jerk looked up fables on-line and found out he was wrong, but never owned up to it like a pretentious fatherless child would do. I only know that he looked it up because after he left the room I looked up the history of the computer that he used and he googled fables. I felt pretty good after that.

That was then this is now, and I ran into another pretentious person the other day, and she was offering me unwarranted advice. I am older than her, have had cooler experiences than her, and I know what I am doing. Anyways, I did look up her suggestion, and maybe she was right, but that doesn't  mean I have to listen to her . . . because she is pretentious.

It's Been a Long Time: My Go to Topic

Well, yes, I know it's been a long time. The last time I posted something was sometime in the summer, and my background has been a beach for many months. "Stuff" has happened, and I've either been too lazy to write about it, or annoyed with my computer's dysfunction (it seems to have grown a brain of its own). You probably hate recaps, so I'm not going to do that . . .

Recently, I saw the first installment of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, and it was really really good. (I tell everyone that.) It also ended in a good spot, where there was a climactic scene, and a good stopping point so the second part can just . . . . go. (I also tell everyone that.)

It's almost the end of an era -- a decade of reading and re-reading, watching and re-watching Harry Potter. I don't confess to be a Harry Potter expert, but I will say I know quite a bit, enough to win trivia games. Harry Potter is the only series that I have been so dedicated to, next I would say is The Chronicles of Narnia, then The Twilight Saga (I only re-watch with friends never really because I love it and think it's so amazing). When I was a kid though, I really loved The Baby-Sitter's Club.

What I Like About Summer

Well it's summer. My favorite season. I love hot weather, the smell of sunblock, and wearing flip-flops all the time. My feet are no longer bound by socks and close toed shoes (except at work), they feel so trapped, and it's such a pain to put on socks, tie shoes, or buckle straps. It saves so much prep time.

Another thing I love about summer are the movies. Out are the depressing epically long films, and in are the funny ADD friendly films that are mind numbing, perfect for forgetting all the calculus and Shakespeare that we really don't need to know--unless you're an engineer or college professor.

But most of all barbecues. Being outside. OFF. and Lots of free time.

Pretend that . . .

Pretend that you are on a Jungle trek and everything is going according to plan. Your guide has kept you safe thus far from Jaguars, human eating pythons, mosquitoes, piranhas, and even a Venus fly-trap. As you delve deeper into the jungle the branches and foliage get thicker, you can't see your way, and the dirt is getting softer, but it's not quick sand--your guide knows better than to lead you into that. So, you both pull out the machetes and wade through it all. After a long time your machete gets dull, and tired (it too needs a rest), and so you need to stop to sharpen it, but you don't have a whetstone, and there is no way to sharpen the one tool that you thought would help you in the jungle. So what do you do? . . .

It's time to get out of the jungle and on a plane (yes in the middle of a jungle) and head to the beach, to sit-back sip on Mai Tais and turn a radiant golden brown! (Who wants a burnt grilled cheese sandwich?) Time to go back to the place that made you happy and calm and feel good about life. The place where you can plan your next great adventure, maybe next time your adventure can be a "Spycation" like they did on the last episode of Castle, but without the deadly outcome.

Tuesdays With iTunes

Every Tuesday iTunes has new free music, videos, and even t.v. shows (I figured out that when I go on around 9 or 10 pm PST Monday night the new stuff is posted), and if I'm lucky a free audio book (just an excerpt), but they never seem to have movies . . . . Well this week the music video was "Halfway Gone" by Lifehouse. It seemed pretty good and so I went ahead and got it. Well, lately my new favorite song is "Hey Soul Sister" by Train, and as a friendly suggestion by the "genius'" at iTunes I previewed the video. I love it. In the short 30 seconds I felt the video captured the essence of the song, and for $1.99 I will probably purchase it so I can have it forever, and not when it expires on youtube, and of course the quality will be better! But here it is for your viewing pleasure, and mine too--until I buy the video). It's like "deep fried chicken!"

Getting Caught Up: Family and Football

I've been thinking that it has been a long time since I last blogged, and while a lot of things have happened, at the end of the day I am just too tired to write about it. Today, though, has been a pretty good day to get caught up--since I am not working at either one of my jobs.

Super Bowll 44 was AWESOME! That was an amazing comeback for the Saints. And it's not Karhma, they obviously wanted it more than the Colts. When my team isn't in the Super Bowl I root for the underdog. This year I claimed 2 teams, the Vikings and the Ravens--because purple is my second favorite color (could you imagine a football team wearing pink?), and if you've been a loyal follower of my blog since January of 2008 you know the other reason.

This week should be an exciting week. I'm watching the Hubble kids, and The Lightning Thief
comes out.

2010 Here I Come!

Sadly, 2009 is coming to an end, and that means it is time for me to reflect on this year and all the cool things that have happened. It seems that '09 started off with a bang and then kinda whimpered out, like a really bad fireworks show without an explosive finale. Maybe it was the Obama "change" America was high on, and when there wasn't much of a change everyone felt jaded. Twenty-ten is going to be a good year, I can feel it!

Working backwards here is what happened this year:
My niece Chloe was born
Saw "The Blind Side" 2x
Job searched in California and found 2--Banana Republic & Boys and Girls Club
Was on the news because of my job search
Made the move from Utah to California (all good things must come to an end)
Kelly Clarkson!
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince finally came out
More job searching and interviews in Utah

. . . and that's pretty much it. Lots of time with my family and friends, watching my nieces and nephews grow (one of them is 16 already!), and all the little things in between.

Wow 2009 was a jam packed year!