Soundtracks

Just a quick update blog. As I've been studying for finals and finishing up last assignments I've found myself making new playlists and listening to lots of music to kind of soften the whirlwind. So as I looked at the music I'd put together I realized how much of it was from movies or TV shows* and thought I 'd share some of my favorites :)

TV show favs: (okay I guess there's only one-but they seriously have some good music)
Gossip Girl (who couldn't include this one)
     Specific favorites: - Three Wishes - The Pierces
                                 - Young Folks - Peter Bjorn and John

Movies:

Tangled
    Specific fav:           -I See the Light - Mandy Moore and Zachary Levi

Cold Mountain
   Okay all of the songs but the ones by the Sacred Harp Singers are especially cool

Twilight Movies (I know, but there's actually good music- and no matter what I still like the books...)
    Specific favorites:   - A Thousand Years - Christina Perri
                                  - Flightless Bird, American Mouth - Iron & Wine
                                  - My Love - Sia
                                  - Clair de Lune -Debussy
                               

The Hunger Games (at first I didn't like any of the songs but then saw this video, and I changed my mind)
   Specific favorites:  
                                 - Safe & Sound - Taylor Swift feat. the Civil Wars (also love them atm)
                                 - Tomorrow Will be Kinder - The Secret Sisters
                                 - Come Away to the Water - Maroon 5
                                 - Eyes Open - Taylor Swift

Also this cd full of piano soundtrack music that my sister Whitney and I always listened to, that I love <3 <3
            "Cinema Performed on Piano"- James Patrick Dunne, Ron Merritt and Dan Troxell
                  Favorites: - Somewhere in Time
                                  - Forrest Gump Suite
                                  - On Golden Pond
                                  - When I Fall in Love
                                  - John Dunbar Theme



Just thought I'd share a little bit of what I've been listening to ! Plus needed a little break :P

* Obviously I know these aren't only  from the movie/show

-Beka
 

Kony, Facebook, and Time

First, yes I am going "jump on the band wagon" and post about Kony 2012.

If you have not seen the viral video you can watch it here, but if you are even somewhat connected to the world, I 'm guessing you've seen it.

I gotta admit I was pretty touched by the video, and think the cause is a good one. So I was pretty shocked when I saw all the negativity it sparked on places like facebook and youtube videos (which had nothing to do with Kony 2012, someone had just started a comment war). I couldn't believe people wouldn't support something like this, though I can see how it's controversial.
People posted links showing how not all the donations went directly to the fund, but instead to things like transportation and compensation. Others posted how "people are JUST NOW caring? This is old news, and I honestly don't care about some crack pot youtube video maker" (real quote).

Now, I believe this is taking it a little far. People claiming that those "jumping on the Kony bandwagon" are dumb, don't even realize they've jumped on one as well. The hater band wagon (yes hater), some people always need to have a negative approach to things, and I'm sorry but that just gets old.
While I believe that money in charities should be going to the cause, I think it's also important to remember if there weren't people who could carry out the aid and be there in the thick of the cause, there wouldn't be one. So without some of the money going towards compensation or travel costs, there could not be a charity at all. If you've ever participated in charity or volunteer work, you would know the crazy amount of work, paperwork, organization, etc. that goes into even small project. Just something to consider.

This brings me to the subject of facebook. I was pretty amazed to see how fast Kony 2012 spread, and it was all due to facebook, to the passing of information in seconds across thousands of miles. Looking at how gloablized our world has become, it's pretty frightening. On that note, I also think people should be careful of how they say things and what they post on this monster of facebook. I have recently read comments and status updates on facebook saying things like "f the civilians they want to send us overseas to deal with something that isnt our problem. just f them." That is absolutely ridiculous. So, just a reminder to people who rage on facebook. Don't. Because it just makes you look bad, period.

Anyways, enough of all that.
I have one day of class, one weekend, and then I will be in Seattle squeezing my nephew and hanging out in the sun eating good food, and having fun!
I cannot wait!!!!

<3

Caution! They're addicting...

Muddy Buddies

Ingredients-

9 Cups Chex (any kind)

1 Cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2 Cup Peanut Butter

1/4 Cup butter or marg.

1 tsp. Vanilla

1 1/2 Cup powdered sugar

Recipe-

1. Microwave chocolate chips, PB, and butter uncovered on high for 1 minute. Then stir. Microwave for 30 more seconds or until smooth. 

2. Stir in vanilla

3. Pour mixture over cereal in a large bowl, stir until evenly coated

4. Pour into a 2-gallon resealable bag.

5. Add powdered sugar and shake well until all are coated. 

6. Spread on wax paper

7. ENJOY!!!

OR

You can be an ultra lazy college student like me and buy it premade in the little bags.

Either way, this is a must must must have! But make sure you make enough, it's addicting ;)

Hooks and Needles

I learned how to knit from my 1-2 grade teacher Cheryl Hilmes. We got to pick two colors of yarn and two colors of clay (I made mine match of course) and made our own wooden needles with clay toppers, then proceeded to make these awesome square hats with tassels on top. Honestly you can't get cooler than that, but I didn't knit again until a couple years ago when I decided to make my boyfriend some mittens out of this lovely gray and white yarn my sister spun. I only ended up making one (and still haven't finished the other one). What a nice girlfriend I am right? Anyways, despite my lack of diligence in starting and finishing projects I recently tried picking up crochet again, which until a couple weeks ago I only knew how to make long long loong chains. I have now made 4 headbands, am on my fifth and am about to try and make my newest nephew a baby blanket. So I don't know what changed but I love love finishing a project, especially one that takes only 2 hours max from start to finish. If you didn't see my last post here's a picture of my "works" so far.

 

I am still a beginner, with only a couple types of stitches down, but soon I hope to make some cute little amigurumi, which if you don't know what those are go here. Can't wait to see where else this takes me!

<3

New Toys

In a few weeks it will be Spring Break and I will be heading over to the West side to see my sister and her family in Seattle and I cannot WAIT because this means not only will I get to see Whitney and Steve, I will get to meet their first baby boy and my newest nephew Riggs William Harness (who you can see more about here http://riggs366.blogspot.com/).
So as I was thinking about all the fun things we were going to be doing and how I couldn't wait, I remembered my camera. While it's not horrible, it is definitely old, chunky, and in need of a replacement. So, I went ahead and (with some advice) got the Canon ELPH 300 HS Powershot point and shoot digital camera. I do not claim to be any great photographer, or even good, but I am so happy to finally have something that can take some good pictures for me!
I thought it would be fun to experiment with it now and learn how to use it fully before going on my little vacay in March. So I took a few pictures of some of the things I love in my room <3
Enjoy!

Skype Time with Riggsy

New notebook (see last post!), m&ms and V8- what better!?

Theodore mean muggin me

WSU!!!!!!! and pink <3

* After some Zumba *

My newest love, will post on this some more later...

Have always loved piggy banks and love notes from my love<3

If you know me well, you know how important this "rag" aka my blankie is to me

Hope you liked the pics, I love love love the camera, so fun AND easy.

<333

Ecosystem Life Notebooks

I'm not usually one to be extreme about recycling and such. Not that I don't think we need to preserve our natural resources and leave a softer footprint on our Earth, I just grew up in a place that did not (and doesn't really still) facilitate recycling as much as other places. But I have got to say this company is amazing.

I went to our campus bookstore to buy a moleskin book for recording my efforts at the gym, which I have been going to almost every day now, and stumbled upon a display of "Ecosystem Life" notebooks. At first I was drawn to them for the bright colors, and then the possibility of a cheaper price.

Well I ended up buying one, and when I began unwrapping it at home I read the front inside cover which says underneath the line where you enter your contact info

"If found, refer to the ID number on the back pocket and go to www.ecosystemlife.com"

I thought "whoa, no way," and sure enough there was a little code in a leaf on the back page. But it gets even better. When I went to register my new little book online there's a page called "ingredients." Once there you can register the same code and find out where, when, with what, and by how many people your book was made! It is so cool to me to be able to see behind the scenes of something as simple as a notebook, and that it took 291 people (purely in the United States!) collectively to produce it.

Just thought I'd share this nifty little moment of my day.

<3