tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20119674975656622232024-03-13T06:27:06.908-06:00A Quandary UncensoredI am an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. There are two sides of me--I call them Alex and Rachel--but they are both me. They both have ideas and desires that life is teaching me to understand and control. While sometimes they are at odds with one another, I think I'm figuring it out.alex dumashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02116984318148369609noreply@blogger.comBlogger255125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011967497565662223.post-88260624514652737152014-06-08T17:43:00.000-06:002014-06-08T17:45:17.542-06:00my new, non-anonymous blog<span style="font-size: large;">I'm writing about more important stuff now. If you're interested, please come on over to:</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://lieswechoose.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Lies We Choose to Believe</a></span></div>
alex dumashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02116984318148369609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011967497565662223.post-48516503819505689132012-11-15T13:36:00.000-07:002012-11-15T13:36:39.078-07:00Taco Time<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eGKF3FJrDg0/UKVRb7RTulI/AAAAAAAAA3I/9JjVkUUyWoc/s1600/Pat+SNL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eGKF3FJrDg0/UKVRb7RTulI/AAAAAAAAA3I/9JjVkUUyWoc/s1600/Pat+SNL.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I recently changed jobs, so my perimeter of interest has shifted to another part of town, which means when I venture out for a bite to eat, like I did today, I may or may not know where I'm going. I didn't get lost, exactly, but I did go for a nice little drive out in the sunshine, which was not at all unpleasant.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I ended up at Taco Time, which is one of my favorite quick places to eat, and placed my order at the talking speaker around the corner from the drive-up window. I didn't think anything of the voice asking me questions. It sounded like a young tenor voice. I assumed it was a younger guy.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">But when I reached the window the gaydar went off in my ears like a siren. This was either a very effeminate young man or a thin and angular female with short hair, and upon first glance it was hard to tell. All I knew for sure was that it was engaging and attractive, and so I chose the latter. Having made that choice, I could now study her more intently, and I was pleased to see that she may have also been studying me, which is never a bad realization when you like what you're seeing. Although this was a not a look I had ever felt attracted to before, which only goes to show that it isn't "types" that attract us exactly, but souls.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">As she handed me my bag, I almost hoped that she had deposited her number inside, but it would have probably been signed with a name like "Alex," or something, and I'd never be able to tell if it was male or female. :-\ Dang, I should have snapped a pic (because that would have been so subtle), then I could have asked for opinions.</span>alex dumashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02116984318148369609noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011967497565662223.post-61053408391756816642012-10-24T13:45:00.000-06:002012-10-24T13:46:16.451-06:00dark side<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I don’t know who wrote the song “Dark Side” that Kelly Clarkson sings, but those lyrics go hand in hand with my blog.</span><br />
<a href="http://youtu.be/H5ArpRWcGe0" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Kelly Clarkson's Dark Side</span></a><br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/H5ArpRWcGe0" width="560"></iframe><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><br /></span><em><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">There's a place that I know</span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">it's not pretty there and few have ever gone</span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">if I show it to you now, will it make you run away?</span></em><br />
<em><br /><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span></em><em><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Or will you stay?</span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">even if it hurts,</span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">even if I try to push you out</span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">will you return?</span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">and remind me who I really am</span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">please remind me who I really am</span></em><br />
<em><br /><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span></em><em><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Everybody's got a dark side</span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">do you love me?</span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">can you love mine?</span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">nobody's a picture perfect</span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">but we're worth it</span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">you know that we're worth it</span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">will you love me?</span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">even with my dark side?</span></em><br />
<em><br /><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span></em><em><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Like a diamond from black dust</span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">it's hard to know what can become if you give up</span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">so don't give up on me</span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">please remind me who I really am.</span></em><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I know a lot of people must feel this way, but I can really relate with these lyrics. Everybody wants to be accepted for whatever they are, whether that seems good or bad. I echo that sentiment to my family and friends: Please don’t give up on me. Please remind me who I really am.</span>alex dumashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02116984318148369609noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011967497565662223.post-54916741717223819872012-10-16T10:04:00.002-06:002012-10-16T13:47:19.240-06:00I am feminist!<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I really loved <a href="http://mormonscholarstestify.org/1718/valerie-hudson-cassler" target="_blank">this article</a> by LDS scholar Valerie Hudson Cassler. She has a way of explaining her point very clearly and logically. It's a bit long, but so worth getting through.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">My favorite part:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">"...the LDS alone among all Christian religions assert that not only did Eve not sin, but she was rewarded for her courage and wisdom, and God was assuring her that, just as she fulfilled her role in the Great Plan of Happiness, Adam would step up to the plate, and he would perform his role in the Great Plan of Happiness, and that would entitle him to rule with her. This is absolutely revolutionary and astounding doctrine among all the Christianities!"</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I love when someone smart turns on a fresh lightbulb to illuminate a dark corner of doctrine, and gives me something interesting to think about, and to be proud of.</span>alex dumashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02116984318148369609noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011967497565662223.post-45098598824059485932012-07-24T13:27:00.000-06:002012-07-24T13:27:02.488-06:00for the record<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--1CGQQtpfKw/UA72FCbX50I/AAAAAAAAA24/7MoU9_KLCQY/s1600/Logan+Temple.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="251" sda="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--1CGQQtpfKw/UA72FCbX50I/AAAAAAAAA24/7MoU9_KLCQY/s320/Logan+Temple.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">It’s time to renew my temple recommend. I have an appointment with my bishop this Sunday and I’m a tad nervous about it. Not because I’m afraid I won’t “pass” but because this is my first one-on-one with this particular bishop, and bishops are always curious about adult members who have never married. What kinds of questions is he going to ask me?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">My last bishop (who I liked very much, and still do), took the opportunity to ask if I was interested in getting married. I don’t blame him for the question. He was aware of the situation with MJ. I don’t remember if the interview was before or after he knew about our close friendship, but I’m sure people in general are curious. There are probably people in my ward who would like to ask me questions. I don’t date. I don’t bring boyfriends to church. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Just because a person plays the part, attends church, goes to the temple, lives the gospel, doesn’t necessarily mean they are actively pursuing the family that God has in mind. But, for the record, and maybe also to remind myself, I am interested in that eternal-type family. I don’t want to marry anywhere except in a House of the Lord. I’m very sure that the right guy will come along—someone who I will be attracted to, that I can bond with emotionally, who will be my best friend, who I can trust with my innermost thoughts and feelings. And if he doesn’t show up in this life, he better be waiting for me in the next one.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I am no longer interested in actually bearing children. I’m not past the time where I can, but I’m not a youngster anymore, and the thought of being up all night with an infant is just exhausting. But I did very much want to be a mother, so it’s a good thing I got to live with my sister and help raise her children. Heaven knows she’s had plenty and doesn’t mind sharing the responsibility. I’m very grateful I’ve had so many nieces and nephews and friends’ children and primary classes to interact with, because I don’t feel like I’ve missed out. I’m happy being the favorite aunt and the adult that kids like to hang out with.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Of course I’m writing this at a good time, because catch me at another time and Rachel will speak up and tell you that all I want in that moment is a really good snog with a cute girl and consequences be damned. But she won’t tell the bishop that.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span> <br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Thanks to </span><a href="http://photoforyouebaystore.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">http://photoforyouebaystore.blogspot.com/</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> for the beautiful temple image.</span>alex dumashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02116984318148369609noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011967497565662223.post-13677084571636113992012-07-02T20:34:00.001-06:002012-07-02T20:34:45.818-06:00Benji versus Josh<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">If you're a fan of the television show <em>So You Think You Can Dance</em>, you may or may not have heard about or seen <a href="http://youtu.be/_L9gxhReIoc" target="_blank">Benji Schwimmer's Mormon Stories interview</a> a while back. It was recommended to me by a friend, so I watched it. It's lengthy but not at all boring. Not being a fan, I could have skipped all of the trivia about the dance show, but it was interesting to hear his story, and to listen to him explain his motives. I found it fascinating, even if I could not have done what he did. But I understand why he did it, and I think he did the right thing for himself. Listening to him made me want to be a better disciple of Jesus Christ. He did everything right. He studied the scriptures, spent lots of time in prayer, served an honorable mission, had righteous desires to marry a girl and have a family, plus he’s kind and he's honest about his feelings, and in the end, he got his answer. Of course I think my answer is different. But it didn’t make him any less of a good example to me.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">And then, because my Heavenly Father knows me and knows the desires of my heart, it was not at all coincidental that I somehow stumbled across a <a href="http://www.joshweed.com/2012/06/club-unicorn-in-which-i-come-out-of.html?m=1" target="_blank">blog post</a> on Facebook that you've probably seen going around, written by Josh Weed and his wife on their blog The Weed. I loved it. I love this quote:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">“I feel the desire to be more open regarding this part of my identity. I have found that sharing this part of me allows my relationships with others to be more authentic. It has deepened my friendships and enhanced my interactions, and it has also helped me to feel more accepted by others as it allows others the opportunity to choose to accept me for who I really am.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I’m fascinated by this, and yet I don’t know that I can do it. People who know about me are either not currently members of the church, don’t live anywhere near me, or are my family. Is it really necessary to divulge such information to your neighborhood and ward friends?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Another thing that I’ve always wondered about, which Josh's post reminded me of, is if I did marry a man, could I make the physical thing work? I <em>am</em> attracted to some guys. If I married a guy, I would hope that I would be attracted to him physically. Josh gave me some hope when he wrote: “Here is the basic reality that I actually think many people could use a lesson in: sex is about more than just visual attraction and lust and it is about more than just passion and infatuation. I won’t get into the boring details of the research here, but basically when sex is done right, at its deepest level it is about <em>intimacy</em>.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">And I crave intimacy. If I can manage it with a guy, and trust him enough to allow myself to go there, we could be happy. I believe that the atonement helps in situations like these, because this guy is not attracted to women, yet he married a woman and they are happy together. And his blog seems honest and genuine—not like he’s trying to convince his readers that they’re happy, but like he’s trying to share the secrets of being able to be happy. “You can’t fake this kind of happy.” And there are others that have somehow made it work. I think the Lord helps them.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">It totally gives me hope that I don’t have to let go of the gospel to experience love and intimacy in the way the Lord wants me to. I can keep all of those things I want in the most profound depths of my heart: my membership in the church, my privilege of attending the temple, a temple marriage and sealing, but most importantly, <em>happiness and peace</em>, not guilt and justification.</span>alex dumashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02116984318148369609noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011967497565662223.post-63173075554731277192012-06-27T15:36:00.000-06:002012-07-02T20:01:06.248-06:00thoughts<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Last weekend our stake had a relief society meeting where the stake president spoke. I love these meetings. The people-watching is fabulous and it’s an opportunity to connect with old friends from my former ward and also a chance to make new friends. I can’t have too many friends.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">In his talk, Stake President quoted Mosiah 18:9 in the Book of Mormon, where Alma, inviting the people he’s teaching to be baptized, explains a little about the covenant they will make. “Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I have heard and read this scripture many times, but this time it made me consider my own baptismal covenant, that I have made and renewed again and again. It made me ask myself, do I mourn with those that mourn and comfort those that stand in need of comfort? And I have to say, yes—although I am not the most compassionate person I could be, I can offer a kind word to someone who needs it, and never turn away someone who truly needs my help. But then, do I stand as a witness of God <i>all</i> the time? I have to admit that I don’t. It makes me feel a little guilty.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">So I have this new friend in the ward named A—. She’s also a writer, and although she seems much more serious about getting published than I am, she has a husband and four children that dominate her time, so she’s working slowly on her writing project. I admire her persistence in the effort. I guess that I write fiction mostly to entertain myself, because the stuff I write I certainly wouldn’t want to share with my church friends. A— has pressed me a little. She seems curious about my writing. But I have a perfectly clean and heterosexual romance posted on Goodreads for all to see, and despite knowing about it, she hasn’t even read that. So do I take her interest seriously? I have pressed her about her writing too, and she actually emailed me her first two chapters, which were really short, but at least I read it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I’d like to get to know her better. I don’t have a crush. I like her because she’s kind. She shows interest in me. She’s quirky and interesting. And she’s warm and compassionate.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">During the meeting referred to above, as I was listening to the speaker I started to feel sleepy, so I leaned forward, resting my elbows on my knees. A— was sitting next to me and she reached over and began scratching my back. It was totally unexpected, but I can’t even describe how good it felt. I know she didn’t mean anything by it, so I can’t even read anything into it. It just felt so good to be touched in an affectionate way. Sure, I get affection from my nieces and nephews all the time, but I know don’t know—it just felt nice.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">A— is one of those people I could talk to. She may be one of those people I could explain things to—like why I write what I write and why I won’t share it with her.</span>alex dumashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02116984318148369609noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011967497565662223.post-58879598127864654822012-01-13T09:05:00.000-07:002012-01-13T09:05:29.429-07:00Pinterest<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_8lfoxtMbGI/TxBV8XZTzOI/AAAAAAAAA2k/B5O5fArMUnw/s1600/Pinterest_Logo.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="80" kba="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_8lfoxtMbGI/TxBV8XZTzOI/AAAAAAAAA2k/B5O5fArMUnw/s320/Pinterest_Logo.png" width="320" /></span></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Rachel is now on Pinterest, collecting pretty pictures. If you'd like to find her, she's under quandaryuncensored at gmail.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span>alex dumashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02116984318148369609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011967497565662223.post-6914317951661818542012-01-12T20:51:00.000-07:002012-01-12T20:51:23.686-07:00Athleta<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-d__9Nad93_E/Tw-kSI_sa2I/AAAAAAAAA0U/GZm-eP7e6Q8/s1600/athleta1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-d__9Nad93_E/Tw-kSI_sa2I/AAAAAAAAA0U/GZm-eP7e6Q8/s320/athleta1.JPG" width="206" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">O<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">ne of the things I can look forward to on a quarterly basis is the arrival of the <a href="http://www.athleta.com/">Athleta</a> catalog to my mailbox. Athleta is a Gap company and sells women’s activewear, and their catalog features some very nice-looking models with perfectly fit bodies. So when the catalog arrives, the first thing I do is look through it once just to study the models.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span></span> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-K02kdl6nnJE/Tw-oHBL2lcI/AAAAAAAAA10/APoeUoR3jzc/s1600/scan0008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="288" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-K02kdl6nnJE/Tw-oHBL2lcI/AAAAAAAAA10/APoeUoR3jzc/s320/scan0008.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">How does she do that?</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oe13sAgo4uI/Tw-oZ3GcYNI/AAAAAAAAA18/CzkOsfWF0U0/s1600/scan0012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oe13sAgo4uI/Tw-oZ3GcYNI/AAAAAAAAA18/CzkOsfWF0U0/s320/scan0012.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2fCMJ7Y_Hlg/Tw-oiwXTDcI/AAAAAAAAA2E/6muBB05_2iU/s320/01.jpg" width="320" /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wm6qhtmkWs4/Tw-ouI9PlMI/AAAAAAAAA2M/ynjEbXUG2tg/s1600/02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wm6qhtmkWs4/Tw-ouI9PlMI/AAAAAAAAA2M/ynjEbXUG2tg/s320/02.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uPV0Q560SMM/Tw-pAXO76dI/AAAAAAAAA2U/qL4ayzGMPbk/s1600/scan0014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uPV0Q560SMM/Tw-pAXO76dI/AAAAAAAAA2U/qL4ayzGMPbk/s320/scan0014.jpg" width="317" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AuKKnNr00ig/Tw-pKayiVNI/AAAAAAAAA2c/cxM_SSzdDoQ/s1600/scan0016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="206" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AuKKnNr00ig/Tw-pKayiVNI/AAAAAAAAA2c/cxM_SSzdDoQ/s320/scan0016.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">(She's my favorite.)</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Then I look through it again to check out the clothes. I feel just a little guilty, never buying anything, but the clothes are very expensive, and I don’t really consider myself an athlete with any special need for yoga and running clothing. But I sure don’t mind shopping for them.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span><o:p><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span></o:p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> <span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Power to the She!</span></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span>alex dumashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02116984318148369609noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011967497565662223.post-44211068110383380252011-11-08T10:28:00.000-07:002011-11-08T10:28:19.819-07:00current celebrity crush<div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0663469/"><span style="color: orange; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Lana Parrilla</span></a></div><p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qR4NEVjHEbY/TrllEOX0F5I/AAAAAAAAA0M/qBYkC4Sfnf4/s1600/lana.JPG" imageanchor="1"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="384" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qR4NEVjHEbY/TrllEOX0F5I/AAAAAAAAA0M/qBYkC4Sfnf4/s400/lana.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qR4NEVjHEbY/TrllEOX0F5I/AAAAAAAAA0M/qBYkC4Sfnf4/s1600/lana.JPG" imageanchor="1"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span></a><br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qR4NEVjHEbY/TrllEOX0F5I/AAAAAAAAA0M/qBYkC4Sfnf4/s1600/lana.JPG" imageanchor="1"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span></a><br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qR4NEVjHEbY/TrllEOX0F5I/AAAAAAAAA0M/qBYkC4Sfnf4/s1600/lana.JPG" imageanchor="1"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: left;"></div></span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I'm really enjoying ABC's <i>Once Upon a Time</i>. I really didn't think I would, but I have been pleasantly surprised by the quality of the writing. I love when the part of an evil queen is played so well that you really don't like her, but then you learn to appreciate her as time goes on and you learn more about her. Lana Parrilla makes me ache for that awful, evil queen. I find myself on the edge wondering what next week's episode will bring. Please don't kill this show, ABC. Not yet.</span>alex dumashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02116984318148369609noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011967497565662223.post-80056355584982172462011-10-18T19:44:00.001-06:002011-11-14T06:38:36.736-07:00crossroads<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UYyRggvwBUM/Tp4q5uFwEMI/AAAAAAAAA0A/egoXKzFiYfo/s1600/Crossroads1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UYyRggvwBUM/Tp4q5uFwEMI/AAAAAAAAA0A/egoXKzFiYfo/s320/Crossroads1.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; display: inline !important; float: none; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 13px/normal arial, sans-serif; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">(C) by<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><a href="http://www.martin-liebermann.de/" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #1155cc; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 13px/normal arial, sans-serif; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" target="_blank">http://www.martin-liebermann.<wbr></wbr>de</a><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Sometimes you just feel a special connection to a person. You may not know why at first, but it’s there and it’s undeniable. I think the Lord has His purposes in giving us those feelings, or maybe they come from some other connection formed in the life before this one. I have always been pretty sensitive to such feelings. The Lord knows this about me and so does the adversary. I think what the adversary does is misdirect those feelings and confuse me into believing they are feelings of attraction, because mostly I feel these kinds of connections to women in my life. So, because I feel drawn to a certain individual, instead of trying to see it as the Lord would see it, I think, <i>I’m attracted to her. I need to pursue this friendship and get to know her better</i> - not because of some plan that the Lord has in mind, but because I want a girlfriend. And I doubt that that was what He had in mind at all.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I guess I’m just not in sync with the Lord’s will, and I haven’t had much desire to be. I’ve just wanted to do my own thing, and it’s really not getting me anywhere. So maybe it’s time to do something different.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Let’s take, for example, Dolores, who I met at church on Sunday. I sat behind her and her husband in Sunday school. I noticed her because a) she was pretty, and b) she was unfamiliar - two valid reasons for noticing someone. I kept looking at her. I could see her in profile, mostly, and I liked the way she looked. I wondered who she was - if they were visiting or new to our ward. I wondered, if they had just moved in, would I get a chance to know her? Would I like her? Would she like me? Subconsciously, now that I recall the thoughts, I wanted very much for us to know and like each other. For some reason I really wanted that, even though I’d never met her before.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">So then relief society started and she was introduced to the class, and I discovered that she is my neighbor. They just moved into the house behind us, which has been vacant for a while. She’s pregnant and due in the next couple of weeks. I spoke to her after the meeting and introduced myself. I wanted her to know that I was her neighbor, and that I am friendly and helpful and am interested in being her friend. She seemed friendly too.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Now I have to wonder, what is the reason for the special connection I felt? Why did I feel drawn toward her? What kind of interaction does Heavenly Father have planned for us? Did she feel the same thing I felt? What does Heavenly Father want me to do with these feelings?</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">At this point, my natural tendency is to decide how to channel these feelings. I can either brush them away as coincidental and insignificant, treat her as I would treat any one of my other neighbors, and never think of the draw again. Or I could go to the other extreme and think about her, obsess about her, fantasize and try and be her special and exclusive friend and bond with her emotionally.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Or, for once, I could try being sensitive to the promptings of the Spirit and ask Heavenly Father what He has planned for us. I don’t think those initial feelings are insignificant. I think they mean something. This time, I’d like to find out what they mean. There could be a really meaningful friendship in my future.<br />
</span>alex dumashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02116984318148369609noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011967497565662223.post-14085501397520289402011-09-19T10:07:00.000-06:002011-09-19T10:07:19.220-06:00current celebrity crush<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Did you have a favorite soap opera when you were in high school? One that you watched when your mother wasn't looking and discussed with your friends in excited whispers and hushed tones? Mine was <i>Days of Our Lives</i>. Bo and Hope, Kayla and Steve, Marlena and Roman, Pete and Melissa, Jack and Jennifer. It might have been the foundation of my love for dramatic storylines and the multitudes of characters that distracted me from real life. It seems I still need distractions from real life. I recently discovered a melodramatic and entertaining storyline from <i>All My Children</i> featuring "BAM" (as the internets call them) or Bianca and Maggie. Their chemistry is real, even if the writing and acting of the other characters falls short. Again, thank the internets for YouTube.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">My favorite is Elizabeth Hendrickson, who played Maggie.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_ls8QmJQhBY/TndfKmym2mI/AAAAAAAAAzw/-tZLQ9tGdm4/s1600/lizzie.jpg" imageanchor="1"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_ls8QmJQhBY/TndfKmym2mI/AAAAAAAAAzw/-tZLQ9tGdm4/s320/lizzie.jpg" width="214" /></span></a></div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_ls8QmJQhBY/TndfKmym2mI/AAAAAAAAAzw/-tZLQ9tGdm4/s1600/lizzie.jpg" imageanchor="1"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: left;"> </div></span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Why, you ask? She's 5'1", a little wisp of a woman, but look at those eyes. And Eden Riegel (Bianca) claims she has very soft lips too, which I do not doubt.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-si9TPHi8S-w/TndoZoo5icI/AAAAAAAAAz8/C697aWKRVhY/s1600/25941.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="211" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-si9TPHi8S-w/TndoZoo5icI/AAAAAAAAAz8/C697aWKRVhY/s320/25941.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><br />
</span>alex dumashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02116984318148369609noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011967497565662223.post-84768567031977623812011-08-12T14:12:00.001-06:002011-08-16T12:34:16.837-06:00Alex Awards - Girl Guitarists<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The time has come to recognize all of the fine-looking lady guitarists out there. And these girls all have stunning talent too.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Dido Armstrong, AKA </span><a href="http://www.didomusic.com/gb/home/"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Dido</span></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JtJ53nAieOw/TkWGWlnZ1gI/AAAAAAAAAzk/Z_6gAi0kidc/s1600/dido.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JtJ53nAieOw/TkWGWlnZ1gI/AAAAAAAAAzk/Z_6gAi0kidc/s320/dido.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><a href="http://www.sarabmusic.com/us/home"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Sara Bareilles</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> (more often considered a pianist, but she plays guitar too)</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Evg86yVHYLw/TkV6i11iHEI/AAAAAAAAAyI/WlFHsnkVL0A/s1600/sarab.png" imageanchor="1"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Evg86yVHYLw/TkV6i11iHEI/AAAAAAAAAyI/WlFHsnkVL0A/s320/sarab.png" width="214" /></span></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Evg86yVHYLw/TkV6i11iHEI/AAAAAAAAAyI/WlFHsnkVL0A/s1600/sarab.png" imageanchor="1"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span></a></div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Evg86yVHYLw/TkV6i11iHEI/AAAAAAAAAyI/WlFHsnkVL0A/s1600/sarab.png" imageanchor="1"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.butterflyboucher.com/"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Butterfly Boucher</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">. She plays BASS guitar. How cool is that?</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vScpyPdgwU4/TkV7NVJ0-XI/AAAAAAAAAyQ/EZtqTO7bo7E/s1600/butterfly.jpg" imageanchor="1"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vScpyPdgwU4/TkV7NVJ0-XI/AAAAAAAAAyQ/EZtqTO7bo7E/s320/butterfly.jpg" width="314" /></span></a></div><br />
<a href="http://www.michellebranch.com/"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Michelle Branch</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">. The picture on her web site is much better, actually.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HAI9OPgcSqk/TkV7fW30rkI/AAAAAAAAAyY/A3OpVePuWS4/s1600/michelle-branch.jpg" imageanchor="1"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HAI9OPgcSqk/TkV7fW30rkI/AAAAAAAAAyY/A3OpVePuWS4/s320/michelle-branch.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><br />
<a href="http://www.jonathabrooke.com/"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Jonatha Brooke</span></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-t-sQFpBq4Ng/TkV8IIebaVI/AAAAAAAAAyg/xXTYlUJSOYI/s1600/jonatha.jpg" imageanchor="1"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-t-sQFpBq4Ng/TkV8IIebaVI/AAAAAAAAAyg/xXTYlUJSOYI/s320/jonatha.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><br />
<a href="http://www.colbiecaillat.com/"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Colbie Caillat</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">. Super hot. And I love that voice.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ejapEQWS0QY/TkV8eXSZ72I/AAAAAAAAAyo/WYkW9zKj8KA/s1600/colbie1.JPG" imageanchor="1"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="206" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ejapEQWS0QY/TkV8eXSZ72I/AAAAAAAAAyo/WYkW9zKj8KA/s320/colbie1.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><br />
<a href="http://www.thebangles.com/_index.php"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Susanna Hoffs</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">. Oh yes, I had to include her.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zhVxSyIn4xU/TkV83pdlCWI/AAAAAAAAAyw/YHT6vydYuC0/s1600/susanna%2Bhoffs.JPG" imageanchor="1"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="307" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zhVxSyIn4xU/TkV83pdlCWI/AAAAAAAAAyw/YHT6vydYuC0/s320/susanna%2Bhoffs.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><br />
<a href="http://www.lisaloeb.com/"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Lisa Loeb</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">. Where did she go? I loved those groovy glasses. Are we surprised that she has her own line of eyewear?</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MbeBN2jlHak/TkV9ZjdhgCI/AAAAAAAAAy4/MKqXrqHv0w8/s1600/lisa-loeb.jpg" imageanchor="1"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MbeBN2jlHak/TkV9ZjdhgCI/AAAAAAAAAy4/MKqXrqHv0w8/s320/lisa-loeb.jpg" width="214" /></span></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MbeBN2jlHak/TkV9ZjdhgCI/AAAAAAAAAy4/MKqXrqHv0w8/s1600/lisa-loeb.jpg" imageanchor="1"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span></a></div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MbeBN2jlHak/TkV9ZjdhgCI/AAAAAAAAAy4/MKqXrqHv0w8/s1600/lisa-loeb.jpg" imageanchor="1"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.sarahmclachlan.com/"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Sarah McLachlan</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">. The woman just looks (and sings) better with a guitar in her hands.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Wd6OJDOP56g/TkV-P53U-gI/AAAAAAAAAzA/x-PGpxuJvNQ/s1600/sarah%2Bmclachlan.jpg" imageanchor="1"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Wd6OJDOP56g/TkV-P53U-gI/AAAAAAAAAzA/x-PGpxuJvNQ/s320/sarah%2Bmclachlan.jpg" width="240" /></span></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Wd6OJDOP56g/TkV-P53U-gI/AAAAAAAAAzA/x-PGpxuJvNQ/s1600/sarah%2Bmclachlan.jpg" imageanchor="1"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span></a></div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Wd6OJDOP56g/TkV-P53U-gI/AAAAAAAAAzA/x-PGpxuJvNQ/s1600/sarah%2Bmclachlan.jpg" imageanchor="1"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.alanismorissette.com/"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Alanis Morissette</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">. Making an appearance on the blog again. Because she's awesome. Her talent, in my opinion, is not so much in playing the guitar but in songwriting.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RNOzZIeRoRM/TkV_F3ZXJUI/AAAAAAAAAzI/3tkIKwy5LJ8/s1600/alanis2.jpg" imageanchor="1"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RNOzZIeRoRM/TkV_F3ZXJUI/AAAAAAAAAzI/3tkIKwy5LJ8/s320/alanis2.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><br />
<a href="http://www.doloresoriordan.com/"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Dolores O'Riordan</span></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pvpg2svqu5k/TkV_-n38e3I/AAAAAAAAAzQ/L-_V3zdhPoM/s1600/dolores.jpg" imageanchor="1"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pvpg2svqu5k/TkV_-n38e3I/AAAAAAAAAzQ/L-_V3zdhPoM/s320/dolores.jpg" width="240" /></span></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pvpg2svqu5k/TkV_-n38e3I/AAAAAAAAAzQ/L-_V3zdhPoM/s1600/dolores.jpg" imageanchor="1"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span></a></div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pvpg2svqu5k/TkV_-n38e3I/AAAAAAAAAzQ/L-_V3zdhPoM/s1600/dolores.jpg" imageanchor="1"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.suzannevega.com/"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Suzanne Vega</span></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NUpl02qnpyM/TkWEkX6OLFI/AAAAAAAAAzg/rrmFHS7iQZM/s1600/suzanne.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="261" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NUpl02qnpyM/TkWEkX6OLFI/AAAAAAAAAzg/rrmFHS7iQZM/s320/suzanne.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Can't believe I forgot </span><a href="http://www.shawncolvin.com/"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Shawn Colvin</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">. She's like my favoritest.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eMPeRkZoGs8/Tkq3mhCeeAI/AAAAAAAAAzo/Gsna8V9mei0/s1600/shawn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eMPeRkZoGs8/Tkq3mhCeeAI/AAAAAAAAAzo/Gsna8V9mei0/s320/shawn.jpg" width="212" /></a></div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eMPeRkZoGs8/Tkq3mhCeeAI/AAAAAAAAAzo/Gsna8V9mei0/s1600/shawn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><div style="text-align: left;"> </div></a>alex dumashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02116984318148369609noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011967497565662223.post-91837942503266438332011-07-19T13:03:00.000-06:002011-07-19T13:03:51.047-06:00flat<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-32iehl0bNG4/TiXU6u3OiII/AAAAAAAAAxs/JLExAO3Ila8/s1600/icecream.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-32iehl0bNG4/TiXU6u3OiII/AAAAAAAAAxs/JLExAO3Ila8/s320/icecream.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Last night I had ice cream with Colbie. It was awkward like meeting your favorite missionary companion is after the mission is awkward. During your time together, in the mission or at the temple, you have a purpose in common. You both want to serve in a chosen way, and you have fun together in that service. But when the service is over and you don’t have that in common anymore, something feels like it’s missing and you wonder what else you have in common, and in Colbie’s case, there’s not much.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Conversation between us last night was tentative and halted. I think she came, like I did, with a genuine desire to interact with me again, but after a few minutes, may have wished to be elsewhere. It was a long hour. And she’s not really a hugger either. Her hugs were awkward and stiff. I felt bad for her. I know she’s a genuinely nice person, and she’s more of a pleaser than I am. I don’t think I’ll subject her to that again. If we hang out again it will have to be with other people. I think I’m over my Colbie phase.</span></span>alex dumashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02116984318148369609noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011967497565662223.post-18680687025141658852011-07-19T12:57:00.000-06:002011-07-19T12:57:47.971-06:00questions I wish I could ask<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yonUIq484MY/TiXTQov5ZyI/AAAAAAAAAxo/hDVAmE7FpMA/s1600/letter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="243" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yonUIq484MY/TiXTQov5ZyI/AAAAAAAAAxo/hDVAmE7FpMA/s320/letter.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Dear MJ,</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Do you ever linger over memories of me? Do you ever consider what it would be like to be close to me again? Do you think it's possible?</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">When you look back (which I believe you rarely do) did you love me?</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">No response necessary for now.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Your old pal,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Alex</span>alex dumashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02116984318148369609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011967497565662223.post-29477645741816023652011-07-18T09:36:00.001-06:002011-07-18T09:37:47.353-06:00addendum to Alex's hot list<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">How could I have forgotten Susanna Hoffs? Then again, maybe I'll just make a separate list of women and their guitars. Because how sexy is a woman playing guitar?</span><br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Hwfgev1ILiE" width="425"></iframe><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">And she has a very sexy guitar.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">What the Bangles used to look like:</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YVtXW2igKTk/TiRRT5jUQEI/AAAAAAAAAxY/Ad4DLuIrq1w/s1600/banglesold.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="283" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YVtXW2igKTk/TiRRT5jUQEI/AAAAAAAAAxY/Ad4DLuIrq1w/s320/banglesold.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YVtXW2igKTk/TiRRT5jUQEI/AAAAAAAAAxY/Ad4DLuIrq1w/s1600/banglesold.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YVtXW2igKTk/TiRRT5jUQEI/AAAAAAAAAxY/Ad4DLuIrq1w/s1600/banglesold.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YVtXW2igKTk/TiRRT5jUQEI/AAAAAAAAAxY/Ad4DLuIrq1w/s1600/banglesold.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><div style="text-align: left;"></div></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">And what they look like now:</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VjGjxTyIC3o/TiRRgKUXPWI/AAAAAAAAAxc/eyhZ8-XNUDE/s1600/bangles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="197" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VjGjxTyIC3o/TiRRgKUXPWI/AAAAAAAAAxc/eyhZ8-XNUDE/s320/bangles.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kAyc6Em00vs/TiRRvMz1L_I/AAAAAAAAAxg/FeYa2768ecY/s1600/bangles1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="284" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kAyc6Em00vs/TiRRvMz1L_I/AAAAAAAAAxg/FeYa2768ecY/s320/bangles1.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-R4fihrgmKQY/TiRR0MALJHI/AAAAAAAAAxk/PujOpeUwOCw/s1600/Bangles2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="221" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-R4fihrgmKQY/TiRR0MALJHI/AAAAAAAAAxk/PujOpeUwOCw/s320/Bangles2.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span>alex dumashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02116984318148369609noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011967497565662223.post-5585870218172868182011-06-28T11:15:00.000-06:002011-06-28T11:15:17.455-06:00current celebrity crush<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-c7vRWP7lA3s/TgoJVTtktuI/AAAAAAAAAxQ/Mk01_zryCFI/s1600/Stana-Katic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-c7vRWP7lA3s/TgoJVTtktuI/AAAAAAAAAxQ/Mk01_zryCFI/s1600/Stana-Katic.jpg" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Stana Katic. If you're not watching <em>Castle,</em> you should be. I can't even tell you how magnificent it is to watch this face in high definition on a 60" screen (thanks for the setup, BIL).</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Rz8vSBZUDms/TgoLvOwwuEI/AAAAAAAAAxU/TcjCJfBkIG0/s1600/StanaKatic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Rz8vSBZUDms/TgoLvOwwuEI/AAAAAAAAAxU/TcjCJfBkIG0/s400/StanaKatic.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div>alex dumashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02116984318148369609noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011967497565662223.post-19930133539962931022011-06-20T14:49:00.000-06:002011-06-20T14:49:56.316-06:00Father's Day<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZDgBJMa4oOo/Tf-xFAsXG6I/AAAAAAAAAxM/IFQup9f97tE/s1600/Father-and-child-holding-hands.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZDgBJMa4oOo/Tf-xFAsXG6I/AAAAAAAAAxM/IFQup9f97tE/s320/Father-and-child-holding-hands.jpg" width="263" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I'm usually not too into celebrating father's day. But on Sunday I did send my dad an email wishing him a happy one. That's more than I've ever done in the past. I found the following in some exercises a counselor once had me do. I don't know how helpful it was, other than to get all of those feelings out in the open.</span></div><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">To my father: How I wish things could have been different for me as a child.</span><br />
<ul><li><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I wish I could have been born to two parents who loved the Lord and were devoted to His church and to each other.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would have liked to have a dad who was supportive of my beliefs, who could steer and strengthen my testimony through his faith.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I needed someone to encourage me to make right decisions, to be a valiant young woman, to choose good friends and good situations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I needed someone who was honest and clean and worthy of the priesthood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I needed a good example.</span></div></li>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I wish I would have had no reason to be mistrustful of men.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I watch my nieces with their father and I think I would have liked someone to run to when he came home from work, someone whose lap and embrace I could turn to, someone I could confide in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It would have been nice to kiss a father’s cheek without feeling awkward and uncomfortable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wish I could have said the words “I love you, dad.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I felt the void.</span></div></li>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I missed having a guy in the house, whose presence I knew wasn’t temporary, who told stupid jokes and laughed and tickled me and scolded me when I was wrong.</span></div></li>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">My family needed financial security.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So many times we wondered if we were going to be able to go to the grocery store that week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So many times we could only have one helping of food and one glass of milk at dinner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We needed a dad who brought home a consistent paycheck, and one sufficient enough so that my mom didn’t have to work.</span></div></li>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I would have liked full-blooded brothers, who treated me like a sister, not an icon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wish they could have served missions, because they were taught and encouraged and because their father set an example for them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wish I would have not been embarrassed by my family, but proud to be related to them.</span></div></li>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I wish I had a dad to teach me to dance, and play sports, and fix things, someone to encourage me to develop my talents and feel confident in myself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I needed someone to be proud of who I was, someone who was my friend.</span></div></li>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">And now, now I wish I had someone to go to when I needed advice or a small loan, someone to show me how to buy a car or a house and teach me how to be an adult.</span></div></li>
</ul>alex dumashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02116984318148369609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011967497565662223.post-49502413786777395382011-06-10T11:23:00.001-06:002011-06-10T11:24:51.331-06:00regarding my latest crush<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-quCjBIJp8Kc/TfJTBcjGCWI/AAAAAAAAAxI/wx9SqdYrjJA/s1600/weekend.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="201" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-quCjBIJp8Kc/TfJTBcjGCWI/AAAAAAAAAxI/wx9SqdYrjJA/s320/weekend.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Let's call her Nina. Following is part of an email message I recently received from her after mentioning I had driven south for the weekend:</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">“I'm so jealous! I would have loved to get away for the weekend! Do you have any fun plans for the summer?”</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">This is not how I answered, but how Rachel <em>wishes</em> she could answer for me:</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">“Nina, there’s no need to be jealous. I’ll take you away for the weekend anytime. Just tell me when you want to go and we’ll make a plan. Do I have any fun plans for the summer? Girl, I have nothing but fun plans for the summer, and anytime you want to join me would make it even more fun. In fact, I’m looking forward to spending some time with you.”</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Ah, wouldn't it be entertaining? And if you were Nina, how might you respond?</span>alex dumashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02116984318148369609noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011967497565662223.post-70611080583263434132011-06-07T20:37:00.000-06:002011-06-07T20:37:15.908-06:00love<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZVZ-UVCxtdU/Te7gGgeuPNI/AAAAAAAAAxE/IDZj92jP4Uw/s1600/pepe_le_pew.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZVZ-UVCxtdU/Te7gGgeuPNI/AAAAAAAAAxE/IDZj92jP4Uw/s320/pepe_le_pew.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The other evening, I drove up to a wedding reception with one of my temple-worker friends. It was a somewhat lengthy drive, and we had time to talk, which was nice. On the way home, she suddenly asked me this random question: “Have you ever been in love?”<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<div class="journal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I hesitated, thinking of MJ and other females I had believed I was “in love” with. I answered, “I think so.” It seemed like a safe answer. But she wasn’t finished asking questions. She probably thought I was being coy, but I was truly debating with myself about how to answer. Do I describe my girlfriends as if they were boyfriends, or do I just claim not to have had any? I have done that in other similar circumstances—told my stories and just changed the gender of the characters. But for some reason, I couldn’t fabricate this time. In the end, I dithered around her questions so much that she finally concluded I didn’t want to talk about it. I certainly wasn’t going to tell her the truth; that the majority of my love interests have been girls. Not because I was afraid of her judgment, now that I think about it, but because I wasn’t ready to fall in her estimation. To my temple-worker friends especially, I want to be who they believe I am. Not that I appear flawless to these people, but I set a certain standard for myself, and that’s how I want to appear to others. Perhaps if I knew this girl much, much better, I wouldn’t mind telling her the truth, because really I am not afraid of losing a friend over such a declaration. But I don’t see any reason to throw such information out for the masses to chew on. Seems pointless.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<div class="journal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">So the question remains: have I been in love, really? I have been twitter-pated, enamored, fascinated, captivated, infatuated, attracted… but are all these really the same thing? Maybe so.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<div class="journal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Certainly I have <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">loved</i>. I have wanted the best for someone, in an unselfish way. I have had the desire to put someone else’s wants before my own. I have been willing to sacrifice and compromise for someone else’s benefit. I have felt great pain at the loss of someone from my life. That’s the great thing about us codependents; we love with great intensity. I have to agree with Alfred, Lord Tennyson:<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<div class="journal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I hold it true, whate'er befall;</span></div><div class="journal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I feel it, when I sorrow most;</span></div><div class="journal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">'Tis better to have loved and lost</span></div><div class="journal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Than never to have loved at all.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span>alex dumashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02116984318148369609noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011967497565662223.post-66793092023274703592011-05-24T12:00:00.001-06:002011-05-24T12:00:01.419-06:00crushing<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LlNLb22CdAw/TdrTrbtiD9I/AAAAAAAAAxA/_oeQA6_xBpo/s1600/crush.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LlNLb22CdAw/TdrTrbtiD9I/AAAAAAAAAxA/_oeQA6_xBpo/s1600/crush.png" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I'm crushing. I am having difficulty concentrating because my thoughts keep floating back to her. A girl from the temple shift (again). She started working a while back, and I gave her a tour that day, with the other sisters who were just starting. She's adorable. I want to be her Facebook friend but I'm hesitant because I don't know her that well. A group of us are having lunch on Saturday and I invited her to come. I hope she does.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I like this feeling. I have missed it.</span>alex dumashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02116984318148369609noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011967497565662223.post-52560456280893858822011-05-23T15:21:00.000-06:002011-05-23T15:21:49.366-06:00Alex's Hot 40<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">In honor of </span><a href="http://www.afterellen.com/2011-hot-100-results?page=0%2C0"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">AfterEllen.com's Hot 100</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">, I hereby offer my own version, because although mostly I agree with AfterEllen, they left some out, and I don't even know some of those people. And because I don't want to take the time to order them by hotness, here they are in alphabetical order:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Alanis Morissette</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CHxdxBpkfY4/TdqoXsCKdoI/AAAAAAAAAro/iSOE8mY9hl4/s1600/Alanis-Morissette.jpg" imageanchor="1"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="237" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CHxdxBpkfY4/TdqoXsCKdoI/AAAAAAAAAro/iSOE8mY9hl4/s320/Alanis-Morissette.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Amanda Crew</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8EvSF1Nn8M0/TdqpP5xy0HI/AAAAAAAAAr4/McedjTv9JNo/s1600/crew.jpg" imageanchor="1"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="307" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8EvSF1Nn8M0/TdqpP5xy0HI/AAAAAAAAAr4/McedjTv9JNo/s320/crew.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Amanda Seyfried</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-T8qFeWnmYWY/Tdqq9U2MGCI/AAAAAAAAAsQ/QixCP2xpSwc/s1600/seyfried.jpg" imageanchor="1"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-T8qFeWnmYWY/Tdqq9U2MGCI/AAAAAAAAAsQ/QixCP2xpSwc/s320/seyfried.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Amy Adams</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pdTWr-_3ER8/TdqqjBKWmPI/AAAAAAAAAsI/zzkcfe3ufFE/s1600/amy_adams1.jpg" imageanchor="1"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pdTWr-_3ER8/TdqqjBKWmPI/AAAAAAAAAsI/zzkcfe3ufFE/s320/amy_adams1.jpg" width="239" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Ashley Judd</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ite9jcfPQug/TdqrmVhIZCI/AAAAAAAAAsY/_3MBVF1RB2Y/s1600/ashley-judd-04.jpg" imageanchor="1"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ite9jcfPQug/TdqrmVhIZCI/AAAAAAAAAsY/_3MBVF1RB2Y/s320/ashley-judd-04.jpg" width="258" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Bryce Dallas Howard</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-thAI7_ksCVU/TdqtPOdbxTI/AAAAAAAAAsg/_PB-aSXSlzU/s1600/howard.jpg" imageanchor="1"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-thAI7_ksCVU/TdqtPOdbxTI/AAAAAAAAAsg/_PB-aSXSlzU/s320/howard.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Butterfly Boucher</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-m9ALlxjFsmg/TdquOAlpIGI/AAAAAAAAAso/6mY3x6KN-AM/s1600/butterfly.jpg" imageanchor="1"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="255" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-m9ALlxjFsmg/TdquOAlpIGI/AAAAAAAAAso/6mY3x6KN-AM/s320/butterfly.jpg" width="230" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Charlize Theron</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8SEzBrXh9YQ/TdqufDE922I/AAAAAAAAAsw/PLQZGzgyZ4Y/s1600/charlize-theron-1.jpg" imageanchor="1"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8SEzBrXh9YQ/TdqufDE922I/AAAAAAAAAsw/PLQZGzgyZ4Y/s320/charlize-theron-1.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Claire Forlani</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_7gjfqE4pJU/TdqvcqZhc9I/AAAAAAAAAs4/J1gLOqL1lbQ/s1600/forlani.jpg" imageanchor="1"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_7gjfqE4pJU/TdqvcqZhc9I/AAAAAAAAAs4/J1gLOqL1lbQ/s320/forlani.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Diane Kruger</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gVrQ0rU58Vc/TdqwWAzatfI/AAAAAAAAAtA/bBV6tGbyNAI/s1600/diane_kruger_3.jpg" imageanchor="1"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="214" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gVrQ0rU58Vc/TdqwWAzatfI/AAAAAAAAAtA/bBV6tGbyNAI/s320/diane_kruger_3.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Emily Blunt</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2dG4Rb2cIAQ/TdqxbkIHbwI/AAAAAAAAAtI/ObWYBIhtVyY/s1600/blunt.jpg" imageanchor="1"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2dG4Rb2cIAQ/TdqxbkIHbwI/AAAAAAAAAtI/ObWYBIhtVyY/s320/blunt.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Famke Janssen</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZqW6uw5DgbU/Tdqx1aklPLI/AAAAAAAAAtQ/3VCz-vis0j4/s1600/janssen.jpg" imageanchor="1"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZqW6uw5DgbU/Tdqx1aklPLI/AAAAAAAAAtQ/3VCz-vis0j4/s320/janssen.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Gemma Arterton</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-r_l1r4pd2sQ/TdqybcGLyaI/AAAAAAAAAtY/qiXU6_xorKs/s1600/gemma-arterton.jpg" imageanchor="1"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-r_l1r4pd2sQ/TdqybcGLyaI/AAAAAAAAAtY/qiXU6_xorKs/s320/gemma-arterton.jpg" width="209" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Hilary Duff</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mZ-3ebpqcyc/TdqzR9Nw8eI/AAAAAAAAAtg/-UQ3Vkvfutc/s1600/hillary_duff.jpg" imageanchor="1"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="299" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mZ-3ebpqcyc/TdqzR9Nw8eI/AAAAAAAAAtg/-UQ3Vkvfutc/s320/hillary_duff.jpg" width="304" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Jennifer Connelly</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ck2eHHo2nhM/Tdq0B5LhdjI/AAAAAAAAAto/pnVi0V2ksQY/s1600/Jennifer%252520Connelly.jpg" imageanchor="1"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="209" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ck2eHHo2nhM/Tdq0B5LhdjI/AAAAAAAAAto/pnVi0V2ksQY/s320/Jennifer%252520Connelly.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Jordana Brewster</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tvmDzuBK6Nk/Tdq0X14m9eI/AAAAAAAAAtw/PKMnrOA-XJc/s1600/Jordana-Brewster.jpg" imageanchor="1"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="211" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tvmDzuBK6Nk/Tdq0X14m9eI/AAAAAAAAAtw/PKMnrOA-XJc/s320/Jordana-Brewster.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Julianne Moore</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6dbTyT-4AV0/Tdq1I1_iPjI/AAAAAAAAAuA/abw3sle3cDg/s1600/julianne-moore.jpg" imageanchor="1"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6dbTyT-4AV0/Tdq1I1_iPjI/AAAAAAAAAuA/abw3sle3cDg/s320/julianne-moore.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Kate Beckinsale</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EFYtlcQQsfM/Tdq1bvxC6kI/AAAAAAAAAuI/hAgjnOAk9mc/s1600/Kate-Beckinsale.jpg" imageanchor="1"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="302" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EFYtlcQQsfM/Tdq1bvxC6kI/AAAAAAAAAuI/hAgjnOAk9mc/s320/Kate-Beckinsale.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Kelli Williams</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CILZs__Hh6g/Tdq4iG_o5sI/AAAAAAAAAuQ/GqLkuCc1yL4/s1600/Williams.jpg" imageanchor="1"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CILZs__Hh6g/Tdq4iG_o5sI/AAAAAAAAAuQ/GqLkuCc1yL4/s320/Williams.jpg" width="235" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Kristen Bell</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NEN8yk_BJGQ/Tdq6DLDiBPI/AAAAAAAAAuY/hABX1jJvC3I/s1600/kristen_bell.jpg" imageanchor="1"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="311" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NEN8yk_BJGQ/Tdq6DLDiBPI/AAAAAAAAAuY/hABX1jJvC3I/s320/kristen_bell.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Kristen Stewart</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KtOHcXVEIzw/Tdq6aTnz23I/AAAAAAAAAug/FstO7IBFWz4/s1600/kstewart.jpg" imageanchor="1"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KtOHcXVEIzw/Tdq6aTnz23I/AAAAAAAAAug/FstO7IBFWz4/s320/kstewart.jpg" width="235" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Kristin Kreuk</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Lea Michele</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-f7F7IE8d1KA/Tdq7TiIlj3I/AAAAAAAAAuw/hD095JlDevA/s1600/lea.png" imageanchor="1"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-f7F7IE8d1KA/Tdq7TiIlj3I/AAAAAAAAAuw/hD095JlDevA/s320/lea.png" width="214" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Lena Headey</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Leslie Mann</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HzMU8C-wW8Q/Tdq8SkxfCVI/AAAAAAAAAvA/Tz2AY0K8pRo/s1600/leslieMann.jpg" imageanchor="1"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HzMU8C-wW8Q/Tdq8SkxfCVI/AAAAAAAAAvA/Tz2AY0K8pRo/s320/leslieMann.jpg" width="242" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Marian Aguilera</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Marisa Tomei</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Mary-Louise Parker</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Megan Fox</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qBmea-yIt2Y/Tdq-CyQ71II/AAAAAAAAAvg/ufYyCSJOimY/s1600/megan_fox.jpg" imageanchor="1"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qBmea-yIt2Y/Tdq-CyQ71II/AAAAAAAAAvg/ufYyCSJOimY/s320/megan_fox.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Monica Bellucci</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Natalie Portman</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Neve Campbell</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Paula Patton</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Rachel McAdams</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Rhona Mitra</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eWzZ-cjMbuM/TdrA8vfxtEI/AAAAAAAAAwQ/EKugffXIoqc/s1600/Rhona-Mitra-4.jpg" imageanchor="1"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eWzZ-cjMbuM/TdrA8vfxtEI/AAAAAAAAAwQ/EKugffXIoqc/s320/Rhona-Mitra-4.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Robin Wright</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Stana Katic</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HG2mDuKBmnM/TdrCviS0CVI/AAAAAAAAAwg/h-h1rcfrvoY/s1600/Stana_Katic.jpg" imageanchor="1"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HG2mDuKBmnM/TdrCviS0CVI/AAAAAAAAAwg/h-h1rcfrvoY/s320/Stana_Katic.jpg" width="249" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Tea Leoni</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XaJdLspa3X4/TdrDR2P9PfI/AAAAAAAAAwo/omGKfgbwqGE/s1600/tea_leoni.jpg" imageanchor="1"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XaJdLspa3X4/TdrDR2P9PfI/AAAAAAAAAwo/omGKfgbwqGE/s320/tea_leoni.jpg" width="274" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Tiffany Dupont</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EwmDW5HP_80/TdrO55FJ5UI/AAAAAAAAAww/-Kjo80_vbIA/s1600/dupont.jpg" imageanchor="1"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="251" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EwmDW5HP_80/TdrO55FJ5UI/AAAAAAAAAww/-Kjo80_vbIA/s320/dupont.jpg" width="201" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Wendy Crewson</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2QqLhZY2Ef8/TdrPMM8j53I/AAAAAAAAAw4/eXKcXi6hQMc/s1600/wendy-crewson-2.jpg" imageanchor="1"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2QqLhZY2Ef8/TdrPMM8j53I/AAAAAAAAAw4/eXKcXi6hQMc/s320/wendy-crewson-2.jpg" width="238" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Oh, and I also enjoyed looking at the boy candy over on </span><a href="http://www.afterelton.com/2011-hot-100-results?page=0,22"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">AfterElton.com</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">.</span>alex dumashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02116984318148369609noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011967497565662223.post-72054409759168828702011-04-29T10:52:00.000-06:002011-04-29T10:52:09.906-06:00royal Beckhams<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I could not find one picture of Victoria smiling during this wedding, although David looks hot and like he's having a grand time. What's up, Victoria? You are the QUEEN...of fashion.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jMWhhRr1Uk0/TbrsRGNLXmI/AAAAAAAAArk/1Lddu3ZW_bM/s1600/beckhams.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jMWhhRr1Uk0/TbrsRGNLXmI/AAAAAAAAArk/1Lddu3ZW_bM/s320/beckhams.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">P.S. Love the hair piece.</span>alex dumashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02116984318148369609noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011967497565662223.post-31108422094452535412011-04-04T14:41:00.000-06:002011-04-04T14:41:43.247-06:00things I love<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Being a writer myself, I can appreciate good writing. I wanted to spend a blog post on one of my newest discoveries in playwriting: </span><a href="http://melissaleilanilarson.com/"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Melissa Leilani Larson</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HuaReTA9f6k/TZoqE2yqoSI/AAAAAAAAArY/XloWbch764s/s1600/lhs-poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" r6="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HuaReTA9f6k/TZoqE2yqoSI/AAAAAAAAArY/XloWbch764s/s320/lhs-poster.jpg" width="320" /></span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">A few months ago I discovered (with the help of Happy Organist) a play she wrote called </span><a href="http://theredbrickstore.com/red-brick-store/little-happy-secrets/"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Little Happy Secrets</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">. You can listen to it </span><a href="http://web.me.com/mel_leilani/Melissa_Leilani_Larson/Podcast/Entries/2009/1/26_Little_Happy_Secrets.html"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">here</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;"> (if you have iTunes or QuickTime player). I related to the story. I'm sure many of us can.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">And then I recently saw her stage adaptation of Jane Austen's <i>Persuasion</i> and was truly floored by it. I may have even formed a bit of a crush on the actor who played Anne. She was so fun to watch.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mmIODPYteN8/TZoqipVkM9I/AAAAAAAAArg/EPSJQQSdvAs/s1600/persuasion.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" r6="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mmIODPYteN8/TZoqipVkM9I/AAAAAAAAArg/EPSJQQSdvAs/s1600/persuasion.JPG" /></span></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iM84VB5g5jE/TZoqb4ZoXxI/AAAAAAAAArc/6nmpIC8_C9w/s1600/anna.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iM84VB5g5jE/TZoqb4ZoXxI/AAAAAAAAArc/6nmpIC8_C9w/s320/anna.JPG" width="285" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Congratulations, Mel. You made it to my blog.</span></div></div>alex dumashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02116984318148369609noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011967497565662223.post-76166226400901825982011-03-18T10:34:00.000-06:002011-03-18T10:34:14.021-06:00why it's hard to be good<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-JpmtJF8bOTo/TYOIHZWi3rI/AAAAAAAAArU/fQ0n110j70k/s1600/bored.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="246" r6="true" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-JpmtJF8bOTo/TYOIHZWi3rI/AAAAAAAAArU/fQ0n110j70k/s320/bored.gif" width="320" /></span></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">When I was young I remember complaining to my mother of being bored, and asking her what I could do to occupy myself. She always had ideas—things I could clean or organize, pictures I could draw, letters I could write, books I could read—but coming from her, these ideas always sounded tedious and as undesirable as my bored state. It took my coming up with my own idea, my own way out of the monotony of idleness, to cheer me up and make me happily occupied. I notice this same pattern with other children I observe. The best ideas are their own ideas.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">I think the same sort of thing happens as adults with our heavenly Parent. We’ve been taught about the best ways to spend our time. We know what we need to be doing, and yet why does it seem so unappealing sometimes? Maybe some of it has to do with humility.</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">President Benson said, “Pride is essentially competitive in nature. We pit our will against God’s. When we direct our pride toward God, it is in the spirit of ‘my will and not thine be done.’ …Our will in competition to God’s will allows desires, appetites, and passions to go unbridled.”</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">When I say to myself or to others, “I just want to know what I’m supposed to be doing with my life. If God would tell me, I would know what to do, and I would do it. And it would make me happy.” Even though in my heart I believe this, why don’t I do it? Why don’t I ask Him? And why don’t I then listen to the answers that would come?</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Fear? And pride?</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">I know that if I ask, like asking my mother for a youthful occupation, He will have answers and ideas. And even though He will allow me to choose, I know that I will feel compelled to follow that counsel. If it comes directly from God, through the Spirit, it’s revelation to me, right? And revelation is not exactly a suggestion. It’s more like a commandment. Therefore, not heeding and obeying a commandment is essentially being rebellious and disobedient, and there are consequences for such behavior. I’ve lived long enough to know that. Maybe those consequences won't come in the form of punishment, but rather in the withholding of blessings. So isn’t ignorance more comfortable? If I don’t ask, I won’t know, I can’t disobey, and I won’t even miss the blessings I’m not getting. Right?</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">I know. It’s not that simple. Especially if, because of my divine nature, there are blessings I’m woefully aware that I’m missing out on. Those little tugs and pulls from my spirit aren’t about to go away. And there’s no satisfying them without proper obedience, or in other words, aligning my will with my Father’s.</span>alex dumashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02116984318148369609noreply@blogger.com4