I go down to Speakers Corner

Well people,

its two days away from 2010...11 months until the 2010 mid terms.

Let the political bickering begin.

Consider this blog your up to date source for completely unbiased* political observations and critique.

*as unbiased as a conservative Mormon gets!*

Lori Ann

p.s.- Is it just me, or is it nice for us Republicans to finally have the victim status back? Democrats had a death grip on that thing since the Reagan administration..now it's all ours!!!

Climbing up on Solsbury Hill..

I know what you all want.

And trust me, I would love to give you all a long and detailed account of my Christmas at home..alas, you shall have to wait for my memoirs. (anticipated publish date: 2035)

 Between the semi confrontational trips to Macaroni Grill, the 'no, you shut up' fights with my sister, the magic of my dad's cooking, and the cats inexplicably avoiding me, this Christmas promises to be a great chapter in the memoir!

Anyway, in keeping with the theme of this blog (the theme being 'best blog ever') I have decided against listing my new years resolutions and instead will be listing everything that

I have absolutely no plans to change.

Here we go:

1. Stalking Taylor Lautnor- as a matter of fact, not only do I plan NOT to discontinue this activity, I plan to take it up a notch. He'll be 18 in February so it will be all above board and legal:)

2. Watching "teen mom" on MTV... man, this show keeps getting better and better.

3. Online shopping. My savings account is getting close to double digits..I would never forgive myself if it got to like 10 dollars. There are too many over priced etsy crafts out there that need a home for me to be that selfish with my money:)

4. Wearing my snuggie. My goal for the new year is to find more and more ways to wear it in a variety of settings and situations. By 2011, I should never even have to take it off. Then, once I get the snuggie situation under control, I plan to move on to other 'as seen on TV products'. (I'll probably start with the juice maker..I love/need/despise/envy/covet the juice maker)

Peace out, girl scouts.

Lori Ann

Tonight is the Night

Me, drinking hot chocolate under the tree! 

Tonight is the night. For the last 5 years, I have had the goal of sitting under the Christmas tree, at midnight, drinking hot chocolate and listening to "Oh Holy Night" by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.

Every year I have failed.

But not this year.

This year I am crossing this goal off my list.

Because I need to move on to my next goal of going to a Midnight Mass.

Merry Christmas!!!

(for some reason I am always tempted to write "whores" after celebratory greetings..it's my inner 13 year old!)

p.s.- Jack, James, Elly, and Rat-Rat...don't stay up too late! Santa is coming tonight!!!

*THIS GOAL WAS ACCOMPLISHED!!!..BRING ON THE MIDNIGHT MASS!!*

The weather outside is frightful

I've always thought that if I was snowbound one day, it would be in some romantic lodge with a man who looks like (or is) Matt Damon.

 We would spend our snowbound days watching Harry Potter, drinking hot chocolate, and reading trashy novels by the fire.

This weekend I was snow bound.

The only thing missing from my snowbound fantasy was the hot Matt Damon guy.

 And the romantic lodge.

 And the fire place.

And the trashy novels.

 And the watching of Harry Potter.

 But guess what?

We had hot chocolate. *

*the following are 10 things truly fabulous things I DID get as part of my snowbound weekend!*

1. Witnessing Elly's determination to sled in spite of the reality that here in Reidsville, there are NO hills...

2. Soup and bread lunch with Jack-Jack

3. 13 walmart phone calls from Jack "cell phone virgin" Monroe

4. a "Hinsdale" cheese and crackers platter by J-dog and some truly unique baking by mom..umm, Danielle.

5. Underwear on our head party, with Elly and James, (just a witness, not a participant!)

6. The socialist propaganda that is the "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer" movie

7. Mexican food like I haven't had since the mission!

8. 1 iPod touch (My Christmas present to myself!)

9. One smack in the face by a slinky, courtesy of Elly "the hammer" Monroe

10. A warm, festive, and truly magical early Christmas with my favorite peeps in all the world!

Lori Ann

Nobody knows it

It was my sister's birthday today!!

There is so much I could say about Erin.

 She has literally been there since the beginning.

 I always feel a little bad for girls who grow up without sisters.

 I've heard them say "Oh, this friend is just like a sister to me".

No friend is like a sister.

 And no sister is like Eri.

Erin is the funny one.

 I always tell people that she is the smarter, funnier, snarkier version of me.

Erin does genius impressions of my dad.

 I think she does him better than he does himself:)

Erin has the best insight into people of anyone I have ever met.

There are so many hours upon hours she has listened to me, and she always clarifies things and makes me feel understood.

Erin is also the only person in our family who can dance.
(although Dad makes unfounded claims that he can)

 It's like she got all the rhythm that was supposed to be divided between all six of us.

There is so much I could say about my sister.

She is an example to me, she knows the 'real Lor', and she has always been there for me
 (cliched but true).

I thing there is only one way for this blog tribute to end..with the immortal lyrics of Elton John:)

This one is for you, Eri!

Nobody knows it

When I was down

I was your clown

Nobody knows it

Right from the start

I gave you my heart

Lori Ann

And there are storms we cannot weather

"Confront the dark parts of yourself, and work to banish them with illumination and forgiveness. Your willingness to wrestle with your demons will cause your angels to sing. Use the pain as fuel, as a reminder of your strength.”

August Wilson

I like this quote because it speaks to how I am feeling today.

Today, I feel like there are so many parts of me that I want to change.

I crave the approval of others.

I lie to myself, all the time.

I rarely follow through on the things I say I am going to do.

I consistently chose comfort over happiness.

I think that we so rarely know other people.

 Maybe its because our own psychosis is so overwhelming or our lives are so busy, that, in reality, we don't really WANT to know other people.

It's too exhausting.

I am all too pleased with a nice surface acquaintance.

Almost no one really knows me.

 Not that I am some sort of psycho or anything..much of what I present to the world is me.

Just not all of it.

For example, this very blog post.

 I know tomorrow that I will be regretting it, because I prefer to blog about my love for my nieces or nephews or Taylor Lautnor:)

I hate that people will be reading this, feeling uncomfortable, wondering "yikes, do I leave a supportive comment, or just wait this moody phase out?"

Yet, this blog is much more representative of the real me than any I have written before.

I don't know what I am saying anymore.

Goodnight:)

Lori Ann

The world in solemn stillness lay To hear the angels sing

Ok,

I LOVE Christmas music.

 Well, most Christmas music.

 Before I get into that, I should begin at the beginning..

My parents are music people.

Not band geek, Broadway musical type music people, but more eclectic love of and appreciation for all kinds of music people.

 My dad tends toward classic rock, classical, and alternative.

 My mom is more of an oldies fan.

I grew up listening to Elvis, Santana, Led Zeppelin, Joni Mitchell, Peter Gabriel, Cher, The Beatles, Beethoven, Pink Floyd, and a million others.

Despite this, I have a mostly surface relationship with music.

Whatever is popular at the moment is what I like.

I think it's a source of some shame for my father.

It's different at Christmas. I don't know if it is the nostalgia that accompanies the holiday season, but Christmas is when I feel the musical influence of my parents the most.

Having said that, I will now compile my list of MUST LISTEN TO Christmas favorites, as well as my PUKE, WHY IS THIS CONSIDERED Christmas music list.

MUST LISTEN TO:

Carol of the Bells- MoTab

Oh Holy Night- MoTab (or Celine Dion)

Anything and EVERYTHING by Manheim Steamroller

Anything and EVERYTHING by Transiberian Orchestra

It came upon a midnight clear- MoTab

I'll be Home for Christmas- Bing Crosby

All I want for Christmas is You- Mariah Carey (you know you love it!)

PUKE, WHY IS THIS CONSIDERED Christmas music list:

That shoes for momma to wear to Jesus song

That one about the guy who meets up with his ex at the grocery store

Santa is coming to town- Bruce Springsteen (sorry, Dad!)

Santa Baby- Madonna

Wonderful Christmastime- Paul McCartney

What's on your Christmas playlist??

Lori Ann