Hey girl...

You know my new favorite thing? This thing:



I don't know who came up with these, but I love them. Ryan Gosling is beautiful. Remember when he was on Remember the Titans? haha remember... K sorry. He was so adorable though.
Also this one:



You know another new favorite thing of mine? These things:





It's good to know there are other people out there who have the same appreciation for deep pictures and meaningful, emotional words that I do. And by that I mean zero. Zero appreciation. I have all kinds of respect for these altered versions though.

So I don't know if you were curious about the things that are currently making me laugh, but these are it. Also I want to watch Lars and the Real Girl. Also my finger nails are cool colored right now. I don't even know what colors. Tealish? Maybe sort of aquamariney? They are two different colors. If that helps.

Do I talk about my parents too much? Don't care.

So yesterday I called my parents because I didn't call them on Sunday. My thought process was that even though I try to call them every Sunday, they live in Utah now, so I don't have to call them anymore. But then on Monday I was sad that I hadn't talked to my parents so I picked up the dang phone and called them. I can talk to my mama and pops if I want to, ok? Get off my back about it. I told them I didn't have school or work on Tuesday because the universe is simultaneously loving and hating me right now. Then my mom was all, "well if you don't have anything tomorrow, why don't you want to hang out with us?" And I was like "Shoot, girl. Who said I didn't want to hang out with you? Let's partyyyyyy." Those were probably not my exact words.

Moms and pops picked me up from my apartment and took me to browse new phones at the Verizon store, which I'm super hyped about. Then we went to lunch at Magleby's Fresh. Highlight of that trip: I learned that when you spill your mom's water all down the front of your jeans, your parents mainly just laugh at you. But also you mainly just laugh at you because it's pretty laughable. And cold.

Next stop: Bowling in the wilk. We walked around the bookstore first and Mama thought it would be fun to tour EVERY building at BYU. Which is a little weird, because, you know, she went to BYU and has kids that went there and has pretty much been in every building. I mean, she used to take naps in the ROTC bathroom. You can't really get more familiar than that. But then we bowled, and dad didn't have his own ball or shoes and it was pretty much disastrous for everybody.

But that top score is mine. Deal with it, parents. Also I gave everyone their bowling names. Me: The Sprinkler (as always) Pops: The Colonel (what else?) Mama: Melby Tuesday (of course). Oma didn't play the second game and I didn't take a picture of it because it was basically just my father rocking my face all over the bowling alley. He crushed me into the dirt. That's how pops rolls.

After that I talked my dad into buying me an ice cream cone. I felt like I was 6 again. It was magical. Mint brownie perfection.

Here's the thing: having my dearest life givers in Utah is pretty great. They're gonna be living here and I realized that means I can just go bother them. Be like, "what up, pops! want me to kick your butt in some racquetball?" any time I want! Unless they live real far away. Then I guess not. Unless I move in with them. Then I guess so. I guess we'll just never know, will we?

Despite my lovely day, my night killed it all. The love of my life, Bruce, also known as my 2004 Ford Focus, decided he hated me tonight, and just quit. Despite the efforts of me, Kendra, James, and Scott (really just Scott's presence), we could not get that key turned. Of course, Gary Keck (Superman) strolls up to it and gets that dang thing started. He just doesn't take no for an answer. Just another reason why he's the best most magical man I know. But now I have to get my car figured out and fixed and whatnot and blah blah blah grumpy grumpy ugh. This post took a sour turn. Let me try to redeem myself.

My friends are awesome! My life is wonderful! My parents are rock stars! I love everything!

Cady Groves, Hot Chelle Rae, oh boy oh boy!

This conversation took place on Monday:

Kendra: Listen to this new song by Cady Groves. (She then proceeds to tell me her whole life story)
             She's gonna be in Salt Lake on Wednesday! I would love to be able to go.
Me: What?! Why aren't you going?
Kendra: I don't have a car.
Me: Well let's go.
-- The look on her face at that moment was priceless. As though it isn't even possible that I could recommend such a thing.
Kendra: Erica! You don't understand. I love her! That would make my whole life.
Me: I think I do understand, Keng. Which is why let's go.
Kendra: Erica!
Me: Keng!

I don't necessarily have all the wording exactly right, and I definitely cut down the amount of times Keng looked at me with that disbelieving expression and said "Erica!" It was pretty hilarious. Needless to say, tickets were purchased, plans were made, and on Wednesday Katherine, Keng, and I were headed up to Salt Lake to rock out faces off to some Cady Groves. Oh and Hot Chelle Rae! Surprise, they were the headliners.

We hit up a bit of Salt Lake first though. It was beautiful and magical and everything I dreamed it would be. Here is our lovely little party wagon (did I just call us a party wagon?)



I know, I know. I am rocking those turquoise skinny jeans. Don't hate.

I know approximately two Hot Chelle Rae songs, but they are awesome songs. I know approximately zero about the band too, but that's ok. I learned some stuff. For example:

1. The lead singer is Ryan Follese. He likes to wear bandannas. I know he likes to wear them because he was wearing one at the concert. It looked fresh.
2. The main guitar guy is Nash Overstreet. If you watch Glee, like I used to before I realized how very much I hated it, you might know of Sam. Nash Overstreet is his brother. Also, I like him more. He has pierced ears, which is weird.
3. They have all been friends and/or related for a long time. Probably the related ones have been related longer than the friend ones have been friends. I can not confirm or deny that though.
4. They have a lot of incredibly obnoxious fans that I want to punch in the face, but it's difficult because I'm too busy trying to get them to stop touching me.
5. People are jerks.


Ain't they precious?

I don't know much about Cady Groves either, but I learned some things about her too:

1. She's super funny and suuuuuper tiny. She had a little booster stand on stage. It was cute.
2. She buys a hat every day.
3. She totally handled it well when people were asking her who she was and being awful.
4. People are jerks.

I really, really want to be able to express via the internet the expectations vs. reality of dancing at a concert. Basically you're there and you're rocking out and you feel like "oh yeah this is awesome I feel great wait why do I have my hands up like a T-Rex right now am I bouncing up and down in one tiny space oh no I look like a fool!"

So anyway, the whole experience was super great. Cady Groves talked to Keng directly, which basically made her life and I totally made eye contact with Nash, no bigs.

AAAAANNNNNNDDDD here's the part of the post where I spit out random other events in my life:

Yesterday my friend told me that I am Liz Lemon. This both was incredibly flattering and made me feel ridiculous amounts of pressure to be funny all the time and declared right then and there my retirement from comedy. Also I'm hoping the Liz Lemon thing was more of like a Tina Fey thing, cause let's face it, Liz Lemon is kind of a total disaster.

My parents are officially in Utah. I am sooooo pumped. Sell them a house, please.

I got beautiful flowers and delicious chocolates on Valentine's Day from a secret someone and it made my whole day/year/life. So thanks. You know who you are.

If you were wondering how many ounces of Dr. Pepper I have had today, it's 48. Did I have to add 32 and 16 on a calculator to get that answer? Of course I did.

My hair is pretty short, but it makes a pretty great mustache.
 Deal with it.

Like totally

So in my favorite class today (Linguistics and the Media, not to be confused with my other favorite class, Psycholinguistics) we read a study about how in the nineties, teenagers used to use all in the quotative sense, as in "I was all, 'oh no you didn't,'" but now we all use like. The ensuing discussion in class was so comically frustrating that I kind of never want to talk again. Because when you're talking about the word like, every single time that word is uttered, you flinch. And then you realize, or at least I realize, that I say it a lot. A lot. And I've been trying really hard not to, but it's really difficult. The discussion today also reminded me of this:

You're right, Mos Def. I do like this cat a lot.

We also talked about slang phrases in the nineties that aren't really used anymore, and I'm thinking that some of them really need to be incorporated back into my speech. Mainly "all that and a bag of chips." Because really, how else am I supposed to explain how cool that guy is? He's so cool that you need to add a snack food just to describe it! So get ready to hear that if you spend any time with me. It's gonna be so gnarly.

Other things going on with me:

1. I went snowmobiling for the first time ever, and here's what I learned: I love snowmobiling. It's awesome. It's all that and a bag of chips. Salt and vinegar chips. Because we all know they're the best.

2. My nephew, Joel, turns two on Saturday. That's so awesome. How did it even happen? Crazy pants.

3. This week is dang busy, but it's only because I have a lot of social events going on. So basically, thanks, friends, for wanting to hang out with me. I super appreciate it.

4. I'm a little too concerned about zombies right now. But it's making me really prepared for the future. The dark, dreadful, post-apocalyptic future.

5. I'm babysitting my nephews tonight and we're gonna paaaartaaay. Probably by watching The Lion King. Don't hate.

6. Lately I have been having some beautiful talks with some beautiful people. And I've decided/discovered some beautiful things. First, don't make decisions based on how other people feel about them. Second, work harder on liking myself before I try to make others like me. Third, junk food and I have an unhealthy relationship. I'm working on it.

7. I always make fun of my mom and her list making fanatacism (fanatacism is probably not a word, but I think you get it). But, clearly I need to worry about the beam sticking out of my eye first. Lists are awesome.

8. My parents are in Mexico swimming with sting rays and having an awesome time and not only am I jealous, but I MISS THEM. I keep pulling out my phone to text my mom and then I remember I can't. Sad face. And she told me I could email her, but I'm sorry, mama, I don't remember things that long.

So there you go. I explained Cockney English to someone today. That was cool.