Top Ten Summer Reads 2008

Summer is approaching and I am personally excited to hit the beach with a good book.  I have put together a list of some good books, some I have read, others I am dying to read. 

10. A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

9. The Prophet by Kahil Gibran

8. Mr. Darcy’s Diary by Amanda Grange

7. Someone Like You by Sarah Dessen

6. Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld

5. Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer

4. Click written collaboratively by ten authors

3. Skinny by Ibi Kaslik

2. The Beat Goes On by Adele Minchin

1. Next Summer (or any of the Summer Boys series) by Hailey Abbott

 

Top Ten Dorm Room Must Have Items

Ever since I got my first college acceptance letter back in December, my mom has been counting down the days to go shopping for my dorm room.  It is kind of sad that she is more excited than myself.  She has even been looking through catalogs like PB Teen and Crate & Barrel.  So in order to keep up with my mom’s ever growing excitement, I have put together a list of items that will brighten anyone’s dorm room and give it a personal homey touch.

10. Wall Decor-ranging from a full length mirror to artwork, wall decorations fill up empty space and can make any room feel more like a home and less like a prison cell.

9. Filing space-think of all the papers you have written in the four years of high school, get used to it. No more easy homework assignments.  Plus, insurance papers, tax information, applications, and letters from home are going to be kept in a known place.

8. Bulletin/White board-essential for notes, photos, schedules, assignments, and can help you get organized, show off mementos, and serve as a message center.

7. Handled laundry and shower totes-these items are made to organize and carry just about anything. The floor, despite what many people including myself may think, is not one big shelf.  And with a roommate, you might want to pick up your dirty socks.  Use the shower tote if your room doesn’t have a bathroom, to carry all your bathroom supplies. Just grab it and go.

6. Large body pillows-these babies are great for sleeping. If you have a top bunk or a lofted bed, they can keep you from falling off, if you tend to toss and turn like myself.  They can also turn your bed into a makeshift couch and are great for extra floor seating.

5. Closet accessories-not everyone has Hannah Montana’s closet that rotates and is color coded by event.  For those of us who don’t even have a walk-in-closet, closet accessories are made for us.  They solve all of your storage issues.  Go crazy. Many furnishing stores have a huge variety, so you can have a unique, organized closet.

4. A comfy place to sit-whether you prefer a desk chair, a spinning chair, a love-seat, a futon, or a pile of pillows, it is important to have a comfy place to sit to study, chill and chat on the phone with your friends.

3. Good lighting-this is an essential. Have a focused light on your desk and a stand up light to really amp the rooms ambiance.

2. A feather-bed mattress topper-Fluffy, comfy, feels like you’re sleeping on a cloud. They are available in either feathers or fiberfill.

1. A big rug-even with a carpeted floor, a nice rug will personalize your space and soften the look and feel of any area.  It also makes chilling more fun.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

  Indiana Jones 4

Ever since I saw Raiders of the Lost Ark almost ten years ago, I became obsessed with the Indiana Jones film series.  I spent my weekends watching Raiders of the Lost Ark, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.  Now that I look back on it, I am not ashamed to call myself a dork for sitting hours in front of a television, worshiping the fine attributes of Harrison Ford and his thespian skills.  Now at 64, Ford remains one of my favorite actors of all time. 

Since the 1989 release of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Steven Spielberg, George Lucas and Harrison Ford, have been working their asses off to agree on the next film’s plot.  Finally they found an agreement and filming began on June 18, 2007.  Filming locations includes: New Mexico; New Haven, CT; Hawaii; Fresno, CA; and of course sound stages in Los Angeles.

Producer Frank Marshall confirmed some details of the movie’s plot.  The film is set in 1957.  That makes it nineteen years since we last saw Indy in the Last Crusade.  Indiana Jones now lives a “normal” life teaching, but is quick to be thrown back into the fiery pit of his true destiny; adventures and making women of all ages weak in the knees.  Jones must race against agents of the Soviet Union for the crystal skull.  Marshall explained a little about the crystal skull,  ”The theory is they are shaped by higher powers,  alien powers, came from another world, or an ancient Mayan civilization had the powers.”

The cast is superbly selected and each member fits their character perfectly.

Dr. Henry “Indiana” Jones Jr.- Harrison Ford

Mutt Williams- Shia LaBeouf

Irina Spalko(vicious Soviet agent)- Cate Blanchett

and reprising the role of Marion Ravenwood (one of many of Jones’ women “friends”) – Karen Allen

There are many other members of the cast, but I feel only the four previously mentioned are the most important.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is set to release May 22.

Below is a link that will open a new window. Click it to view the movie trailer.

 http://youtube.com/watch?v=Mpm-6H2psFA&feature=related

Inner Thoughts of a High School Senior

It has come to my attention that I spend most of my free time on facebook.  I do not spend that time talking to friends or uploading photos.  Nay, I spend this time on the bumper sticker application.  This glorious application is set up for anyone  to surf and find bumper stickers to slap on their own or their friends’ profiles.  Some are funny, some are quotations, some are obnoxious, but over all they are addicting.  For example, the picture below is one of my favorite bumper stickers.  If you have not seen the movie She’s The Man, then shame on you.  Amanda Bynes is a comedic genius.  She dresses as a boy so that she can play soccer, but falls for the captain of the team and ends up his roommate.

This captures only a small part of my obsession with the facebook bumper sticker application. I spend hours relentlessly searching for new bumper stickers to slap on my profile and on my friends’ profiles.  Sometimes there are bumper stickers that express inside jokes between me and my friends.  I find myself unable to stop adding stickers. If i find one for a friend, I MUST find like seven more.  I have a problem. 

Despite my growing addiction, I would be lost without this application. I would be spending the rest of my time on youtube watching Don Hertzfeldt’s collection of rejected cartoons. For example…

 youtube=http://youtube.com/watch?v=zIOF1zoaHJI&feature=related

 The Internet is a powerful thing.  If you are to take anything from this post, I hope it is a desire to explore bumper stickers or surf youtube for pointless but hilarious videos.  However my greatest hope is that you will not end up like me, wasting all my free periods hacking onto facebook and surfing youtube, instead of actually doing my work.

 

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