Enya

I have rediscovered Enya. She was big around the time I was in college, roughly 8 years ago. Two months ago, I was waiting for yoga class to start the the instructor asked what kind of music we wanted to use. Not sure where it came from, but I blurted out Enya. It was the best music for yoga ever. So, over Christmas break, I've dug out and have been jamming to my Enya CD someone burned for me back in the day. It looks like she dropped off the face of the earth, but her music was timeless and unique.
Remember her with me.

Media 1

Since school finished, I've been catching up on media.

I watched Paul Walker's newer movie, Brick Mansions. As much as I like him, the movie was kinda meh.

I read the book, the Giver over break last year and liked it. It reminds me of a mix between Hunger Games and Divergent. I wish there was more than just the one book. I thought the movie, was pretty neat too. The actor who plays Jonas, is believable and interesting.

I also saw, When the Game Stands Tall which stars Jim Caviezel and Laura Dern. I really Like Jim Caviezel from the Count of Monte Cristo and the Passion of the Christ. This movie, has a lot of twists and turns. It's about a high school football team with an 150+ game winning streak. They have a coach that works to instill values and the sense of family into his players. He works to balance coaching, his health, and family. It was a pretty long movie, but I'd definitely recommend it.

A funny music video I found:

Performance Audio: Great Customer Service!

As I shared in my last blog, I was referred to Performance Audio to get my automatic car starter fix. There I met and was very impressed with the owner, Kenny. His prices were fair and he communicated professionally; keeping me in the loop about my car (much unlike Audio Junction). Kenny ended up needing my second key to finish the repair, but I had no way to get it to him. He sent someone to pick it up who called to let me know he was on his way and showed up when he said he would. Audio Junction had previously told me that every time I would start my car with the automatic starter they installed, it would make my car alarm go off, so I would have to hit the unlock and lock buttons on the remote. This was annoying to say the least. They said there was no other way. When I verified with Kenny that this was the way it had to be, as I left, he said to bring it back and he would program it to operate properly for FREE. I ended up needing a few parts to make it work and it took a little longer, but now it operates better than before and was a relatively cheap fix. If you have any car audio or tint needs, definitely hit up Kenny at Performance Audio. His business is a great example of customer service and quality work!

The Car Starter Saga Continues

Earlier this year, I chronicled my car starter saga with Audio Junction.

Here are the three previous posts to give you some background: 1) Bad Customer Service Experience, 2) Audio Junction Issues, and 3) Last Chapter of the Car Starter Saga.

I regret to inform you all that the saga still continues.

Towards the start of warmer weather, I noticed the starter wasn't working properly; starting then dying. Over summer, I obviously didn't need it so, I didn't really think about it. Well, here in Kansas, we've already encountered a lot of cold weather and the starter still didn't work. So, I called Audio Junction, now AJRS and was told that they don't do car starter installs anymore and couldn't help me. I would have to pay to have it fixed elsewhere. They recommended I contact Performance Audio (more on them in a future post) to have them look at it. The result: well in the beginning, Audio Junction improperly attached a key needed to make it work and as a result it fell out and got lost. Of course, when I talked to AJRS they didn't mention that it was their fault it fell out in the first place. Now, I had to give up one of my two keys to make it work. When I asked AJRS to replace the key, they "couldn't make the call" because the owner was in Mexico on vacation for two weeks. You may remember from my previous posts that the owner was not professional and never got back to me about a partial refund like he said he would. The employees said it was very likely that he would say no, since it's been almost a year. I think, they should do the right thing and replace the key, but doubt they will. I just want it working and to end with as many keys as I started with. *Sigh!

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New Best First Date Ever

It was this last January and we went to Godfrey's Indoor Shooting Range in Junction City, KS. I'd never been to a shooting range and hadn't shot that much. We shot an AK-47 semiautomatic rifle, a .38 special, and a glock. It was a fun activity I hadn't tried before. I did archery as a kid and am decent at hitting a target. I was most comfortable with the glock. We shot for a really long time then headed back to Manhattan for dinner and a couple of movies. After getting back from the range, I found a shell casing in my scarf. :)

When I think about why the date was the best ever, it was probably because it was well-thought out and not your typical first date. Also, I really liked the guy more than I've liked any of the other guys I'd gone out with.

Recipe #22: Cranberry Apple Cream Cheese Mold

For roughly 15 years, I have been making this mold. My grandma loves and requests this yearly for Thanksgiving.

Here's the recipe:
1-1/2 cups boiling water
1 pkg. (8-serving size) or 2 pkg. (4-serving size each) JELL-O Cranberry Flavor Gelatin
2 cups cold apple juice or cold water
1 medium red apple, cored, quartered and thinly sliced
1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened

I add a whole can of whole cranberry sauce. I also add 1/3 cup of chopped walnuts.

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Mockingjay, Part One

Unlike the prior installments of the Hunger Games franchise, this movie was sad and lacking in endearing moments that I'd come to love about Hunger Games. Peeta was barely in this movie and Katniss moped around the whole time. There was no love, not a lot of action sequences and really nothing to make it interesting. Despite my love of the franchise, I felt this movie was stiff and I struggled to stay awake throughout it. Having read the series, I knew that this wouldn't be an upbeat, feel-good kind of movie, but I was hoping for more than I got. The only somewhat endearing character was Prim. I did like where Katniss sang the Hanging Tree.

Here's hoping Part Two gives us all the ending we need.



Have you seen it? Thoughts?

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10 Reasons ABC Should Save Selfie

1. Eliza-Who doesn't love her flawless hair and makeup? I've enjoyed watching Eliza grow as a person with Henry's help. Despite how crazy she can be, you can't help but like her and her real attempts at change.
2. Henry-You cheer for him to find out that there's more to life than work. He's also kind and wants to see Eliza grow as a person. He's dedicated to work and knows how to be serious; though he struggles to let loose and enjoy life. It's nice to see Eliza try to help him with him embrace life more.
3. Charmonique-She's so funny and real; just like what everyone wants in a friend
4. Charmonique's son, Kevin-I can't express how excited I was to see more from him as the season progressed. He's wise for a kid and real. The episode where Eliza babysat him is my favorite; that kid rocks! The clip:
5. Terrence-Despite how mean his father-in-law/boss is to him, Terrence is always upbeat and treats him with genuine respect and kindness. Not sure many of us could do the same.
6. I was cheering for Eliza and Henry to fall in love. They were the perfect balance for each other.
7. The show made me laugh and brightened up my Tuesdays. What else will I have to look forward too?
8. Eliza's one-liners are the best
9. Henry's new girlfriend, who is like his twin. They're annoyingly similar and I must see more!
10. I found it interesting watching the company that Henry, Eliza, and Charmonique work for. How often does one see a show set in a pharmaceutical company? I got a better feel for what that world would be like.

Catch it while you can on ABC.com.

All-in-all, I will miss this uniquely quirky and fun show with real characters that were relatable.



Any other fans of the show?

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Qdoba vs. Chipotle

I'm in a town that only had a Chipotle, so I never had the opportunity to check out Qdoba before. Just last month a Qdoba opened practically across the street from me. I waited until the crowds died down a little and finally checked it out. Now, I was skeptical of trying the grilled beef because the beef at Chipotle was always fatty, but I was in for a great surprise; so good! I kinda feel like I was cheating on Chipotle, but I have to admit that Qdoba is so much better! Their queso and chips are the things dreams are made of! I normally hate guac, but loved theirs! Their Roasted Chile Corn was mild and so good. Suffice it to say; Qdoba wins and it's right by my apartment, which may be dangerous!
Qdoba Manhattan!

Recipe #21: The Best Brussel Sprouts

My grandma gave me a bunch of brussel sprouts, last week and I wasn't quite sure what to do with them. The only time I'd experimented cooking them before hadn't turned out very well. So, I gave Pinterest a whirl and found this fabulous recipe for The Best Brussel Sprouts. I love the simplicity of the ingredients: brussel sprouts, bread crumbs, garlic salt, olive oil, and pepper. I appreciate recipes that don't require me to go to the store for lots of ingredients and in general, I love simple. Essentially, you just combine the ingredients in a skillet and cook for 10 minutes. They were so good. When co-workers saw me eating them during a working lunch, today they asked about the recipe.

What's your favorite brussel sprout recipe?

Fear of Public Speaking

I've always had a huge fear of public speaking. I dreaded and felt physically ill before every speech in speech class in college. I also dreaded class presentations in college. I'd rehearse and work on them a lot, but fear and anxiety plagued me.

After college, I still had to speak in public within my first job. The scariest speech was a very short one that was part of several other presentations. It was at Fort Riley with the General, top leadership, my boss, my supervisor, and coworkers. There were roughly 75 people there. I'd written up what I needed to say, but was very nervous. So, I knew my material, but my nerves killed my voice and made it sound like I was about to cry which I wasn't. I was happy to have that done!

When I changed jobs, I don't think I realized how much I would be presenting. In the the first two weeks on the job, I talked to roughly 17 classes, ranging in size from 45-400. Yes, 400!!! Most went okay, but I had to take anxiety meds to make it. Even then, I was still very much out of my element. The worst of those 17 presentations was when I was going to talk to a class of 45. I had to cross the street, walk uphill, and climb stairs from the basement to the 2nd floor. I was rushing to make it on time and was nervous. Once I climbed the stairs, I took a minute, took a deep breathe and then entered the class. Immediately, the instructor introduced me and I started talking. Soon, I realized I couldn't breathe. The walk, uphill climb, and stairs had killed me. So, I started taking some pauses and trying to get some breaths in. I kinda tried to joke about the stairs and how they'd killed me, but the class just gave me blank stares. The instructor thankfully jumped in for a few minutes to let me catch my breath and continue.

In my job, I'm still asked to give presentations a lot. While my gut reaction is to say no, I always make myself say yes. I know that I won't become a better speaker if I don't do more of it.

Here's what I've done to try to improve:
-Communicate why the information is important for the audience. Framing it like that, helps the listener know why they should listen and how that info should help them.
--I spend a lot of time prepping for my presentations. I make sure I have enough content and type up my notes sheet.
-I try to have helpful PowerPoint slides for the audience to follow along with
-When appropriate, I bring handouts for the audience to be able to take with them for future reference
-I literally write down everything I plan to say word for word. This helps me get a flow to my speech, so when I'm nervous I won't have to think of the wording, I'll have a flow to it all. I print my notes and highlight or underline key words or phrases. I spend a lot of time reading over my notes sheet. That way, if I forget what's next I can glance at my notes and find my place.
-I also imagine myself speaking calmly to the class. Visualization helps me remain calm.
-I pray and take some deep breaths also

So far, this semester, I've spoken roughly 25 times. I can definitely see the improvement in my speaking, but I still have room to grow.

Here's something I found on Pinterest:

Any speech tips you'd like to share? I'd love to hear them!

Sharing

I love sharing with you all the newest things I love. Hope you enjoy it all too!

Even though Paul Walker isn't in much of it, I will definitely still be seeing the new Fast and the Furious 7. Check out the terrific trailer:

Break Free from Arianna Grande has some lyrics that mean something to me, especially: I only wanna die alive
Never by the hands of a broken heart (from AZLyrics.com). The music video is the most ridiculous music video ever!

Blank Space by Taylor Swift is a pretty cool music video, but don't take my word for it.

I have absolutely fell in love with RaeLynn's voice and new song, God Loves Girls. It's a super cute song and so sweet. I first heard it on iTunes Country Top 50.

What do you think? Love them? Hate them? What are you jamming to?

Praying for My Enemies

A month and a half ago, while at a women's conference, Wonderful Weekend for Women, with my mom I felt impressed on my heart that I should pray for my enemies. Enemies: those people who have hurt or wrongly treated me or my family, etc. I don't have a lot of people I consider enemies, but I know my attitude toward them isn't pleasing to the Lord, but I've had a hard time reconciling the bad they've done. While, I haven't been the best at remembering to pray for them, the Lord has started to work on one of the worst relationships I had. I know the Lord wants me to bring Him all my concerns and I know He'll keep helping me through them. So, sometime He doesn't change the situation, but He changes us. :)

Here are my favorite posts about prayer from Pinterest:

What helps you forgive?

Halloween Costume: Scarecrow

A knew a month and a half ago that I'd be going to a Halloween party. I hadn't dressed up in years. I'm generally not that great at costumes. I'd been trying to figure out that to wear for weeks and got some inspiration from Pinterest. From there, I had to start narrowing them down. I wanted something that would be cheap to put together and easy to pull off. My inspiration:

Decided from this one to put sunflower in my pocket.

I'm pretty horrible at make up, so I was pretty nervous about pulling it off. Here's my progression:

Overall, I'm pretty happy with how it all turned out. I borrowed the shirt from a friend and leaves from my mom's decorating supply, so all I had to buy was a small hay bale (nearly impossible to find long pieces of straw) and black eye liner. I gathered the straw in small bundles secured with a hair tie to put in my pockets and shoes. As a result, the landing area outside my door where I gathered it all looked like I was incubating a small farm animal. :) So, overall my costume was definitely budget-friendly ($1 eye liner and $8 for the hay bale).

I ended up having a lot of fun at the two parties I went to.

Driving Rules

There are some common sense driving rules that people don't understand: the 4 way stop, right of way, and the "thank you" wave.

I live in a college town and am always surprised that people do not understand how a 4 way stop should work. If it's a driver's turn, but a pedestrian is crossing the street in front of them, the driver should be allowed to move as soon as the walker crosses safely. Many times, people just assume that even though the driver has been waiting the longest, they don't get to go. Learn how it works, so you can do it correctly.
Something else that's often confused is right of way.

I'm a big proponent of the "thank you" wave. It's what you do when someone has let you merge into traffic or other driving kindnesses; given you the parking spot, etc. More and more people aren't using it or don't know about it. I think, it's one of the simple common courtesies that should be used. If someone lets me merge in, I wave as I'm merging and wave again once merged to make sure they see that I appreciate their kind gesture. I get really upset when I let people in and there's no "thank you" wave. It feels like they think they're owed the merge or whatever kindness was given. Go the extra mile, give the "thank you" wave. Here's in interesting article I found on the "thank you" wave.

Also, how to drive in a roundabout is so important. I live a tenth of a mile from a roundabout and am often surprised that people don't know how to drive in them. Obviously, you yield to traffic in the circle and when there's a break in traffic you enter. My theory for entering is, "gun it and go;" get in and get moving, no hesitation, etc.

Any thoughts of driving rules?

If you'd like to follow me on Pinterest: Visit Myranda's profile on Pinterest.

New

I unearthed another unknown Paul Walker movie, Hours. He's was the only "big" celeb in the movie. It's about a new dad trying to take care of his preemie baby during Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. It would probably be categorized as a drama. It was sad and had a little suspense. Has anyone else seen it?

I am pretty addicted to ABC's new show, Selfie. It's pretty quirky and fun. It's about a self-absorbed girl who is trying to retool her image. She seeks help from a put-together workaholic. I've got my BFF addicted to it! I bet you'll like it!

Media

I try to keep up on music and movies and this is what I've come up with recently:

I fell in love with the fun song, "Geronimo" by Aussie band, Sheppard after hearing it on this super cute proposal video:
"So, say Geronimo!" Their music video was beyond weird, so I'm not including. :)

As a Hunger Games fan, I will definitely be in theaters opening weekend to see Mockingjay Part One. I watched the trailer recently; this movie feels like it will be more dark and sad. Which makes sense since it will take place after the games when District 12 is destroyed, Peeta is held captive by the Capitol, and District 13 is at war with the Capitol. I think this will be a rough one to watch. If you haven't seen the trailer yet, here it is:
Thoughts on the movie?

I'm also in love with Colbie Caillat's song, Try:

Email Signatures

Email signatures are becoming more commonplace in business and college. They help give the reader a little more information and they look really professional.

Oftentimes, I correspond with someone who asks me to call them, but they haven't left their number and they don't have an email signature. It would make it so much easier if all their information was below their name. All that information in one place is so helpful.

Professional Email Etiquette:
First and last name
Title
Company
Physical office address (optional)
Phone number
Email address
You can also hyperlink in your LinkedIn account

Why should student's have email signatures?
As you're emailing recruiters, they'll be reminded of your leadership roles and can click on your LinkedIn account to see an online version of your resume.

Student Email Signature:
First and last name
Year in school
Major(s) and minor(s)
Leadership role(s) and club/organization name(s)
University
Email address
Phone number (optional)
You can also hyperlink in your LinkedIn account

Do yourself a favor and add one to your email accounts.

Fall

I've never been a big fan of fall until this year. Now, I'm enjoying the:
-cooler temps
-golden sunshine
-boot weather
-walking on crunchy leaves
-leaves changing color
-scarf weather
-warm tea, soup, apple cider
-football


What do you love about fall?

New Commercial

Last summer, I shared with you my first commercial.

Last week, I learned that some of my old footage had been included in a new commercial. Here it is (I show up around .20):

I just saw it on TV for the first time last night; so surreal!

The Art of Running a Meeting

We all the know the difference between a good and bad meeting, but not everyone knows how to make it a good meeting.

Here are my tips for running a meeting:
-Have introductions; don't assume everyone know each other. This helps people become more comfortable.
-Start on time
-Follow an agenda
-If you have an idea and want to see if there's support, send around a paper with your idea. If people are interested have them make a check mark. Let others add their ideas to the sheet as it goes around.
-Stay on topic
-Make good use of time. If you realize you don't have over 25 minutes of stuff to talk about, cancel the meeting and email the information out.
-Be organized
-Don't talk about the small turnout or who should be there but isn't. Focus on who is there.

Networking

Networking really isn't as scary as people think, it's essentially just getting to know someone.

Networking Tips:
-Ask people questions about their job, company, where they're from, etc. People love to talk about themselves.
-I'm a small talker, so sometimes I start off talking about the weather, the last K-State game, something interesting they're wearing, etc. Then as I get more comfortable I can ask more business related questions.
-Smile
-Shake hands
-The key to networking is getting out of your comfort zone and meeting people. You never know how your network can help you; maybe they have information or contacts that will help you out. Or maybe they'll be your new best friend. The possibilities are endless. Maybe you can help them out too.
-Bring business cards
-Afterward, add them to LinkedIn
-Set up a time to meet with them to learn more about them

Any networking questions?

Interviewing Tips

Here's a few tips for interviewing:
-Know where you're going. Research how to get there.
-Arrive early
-Be nice to everyone you meet
-After the interview, send a hand written thank you note to everyone you met with. Reiterate what you all talked about and how specifically you're a good fit for the position.
-Bring extra copies of your resume.
-Also, bring your references.
-A side note on references: You should have 3-5. They can be employers, professors, and anyone who can speak about your work and who knows you personally. I would avoid having a friend serve as a reference. Ask them ahead of time if they'd be willing to serve as a reference. Send them your resume, so they can better speak about your experience. Also, once you've set an interview, send your references a copy of the job description. This way, if they're called they can know specifics on your skills and speak to them.
-Prepare questions to ask your interviewers. This is a chance for you to see if this is a company you'd like to work for. I would prepare a minimum or 3-5 questions.
-Sample questions I've used: 1) What do you like most about working here, 2) What would a typical day be like in this role, 3) What will some of the challenges be for a person in this role, 4) What characteristics are most needed for the person in this role.
-If taken out to eat as part of the interview, order in the low to mid-range of meal prices. If everyone orders an alcoholic beverage, you can have one tops.
-Always be courteous to the waitstaff.

If you have any specific questions, let me know. I've worked in professional development for 7.5 years now and would love to share what I've learned along the way. :)

Career Tips, Part 2

Things to know:
-At a career fair, you have to be bold. If you're not feeling bold, fake it.
-Also, smile; it lightens the mood
-A good, firm handshake is a must. Practice and ask people how it felt to them.
-Wear professional, but comfortable shoes that are easy to walk in. Limping doesn't look confident.
-A pop of color is good, but stick to classic, conservative suits and colors.
-Have a leather or fake leather padfolio to keep your resumes and notes in. It looks classier than a folder.

Career Fairs Tips, Part One

I work in professional development. Sometimes, I assume things are common sense, but they're not.
If you're looking for a job here are some tips:
-Use resume paper. It's a little thicker and nicer, which gives your resume a more professional feel; literally.
-Before going to a career fair, research the companies. Know a stat about them or an award they just received. Most hosts of career fairs will have a list of companies attending.
-Once you get to a career fair, get the map of the booth layout, find a seat and chart what order you'll visit companies in. This saves you some time.
-Have an elevator pitch. Know what you're looking for and be able to articulate that to companies. It should include: your major (if you're still in school), what your job background is or what you're looking for. Also, talk about what skills you bring to the table.
-Email recruiters that you talk with. In my time as a recruiter, less than 1% of people who took my business card would actually write me. When you write, include what you all talked about to help them remember you.
-Don't talk to your dream company as soon as you get there, warm up talking to a few other companies first.
-If you want an interview ask about one. "I hear that you all are offering next day interviews. How would one get an interview?"

Maybe I Watch a Lot of Movies...

Recently, while looking to rent Paul Walker's latest movie, Brick Mansions, I saw one I didn't even know he starred in, Vehicle 19. I rented and watched it with my parents. It was really suspenseful; he's a convict who is traveling to Africa to see his estranged wife. He rents a car at the airport and all the trouble starts. He finds a ringing cell phone and answers it. Soon he realizes the car wasn't meant for him and someone really wants that car. The whole movie is literally him being chased in a car. Soon he finds a kidnapped women in the car. She's been drugged. For awhile, she thinks he's one of the bad guys. She uncovered a corrupt police chief and they're out for her now. Paul's character just wanted the patch things up with his wife. Now he's in a bad situation, trying to get him and the kidnapped lady out alive. It was a really different movie from anything else I've seen him in, but I liked it. He was the only famous actor in the movie. Check it out:

Don't judge me, but before last weekend, I'd never seen the Breakfast Club. Not sure how I've missed it all these years. It's from 1985, with Molly Ringwald, Emilio Estevez, Anthony Michael Hall, Judd Nelson, and Ally Sheedy. They're five teens from very different backgrounds that end up in detention together on a Saturday morning. Though interesting, the movie seems a little far-fetched with all the stuff those five get into. They all end up leaving friends and two couples form; which seems improbable. The 80's feel so far removed from where we're at now. Thoughts on the movie?

I've also been looking forward to seeing Liam Neeson's, newer movie, Non-Stop. My parent's and I have enjoyed his other movies, like Taken and Taken 2. So, the premise of this is that he's an Air Marshall abroad an international flight. It seems he has a drinking problem. He's flying first class and seems generally pretty grumpy. During the flight, he get a text message threatening the life of a passenger if the sender doesn't receive $150 million wired to their account. There's another Air Marshall aboard and soon it seems that the other Marshall is in on the money. The threat is that a passenger will be killed every 30 minutes unless the money is wired. As the 30 minute deadline approaches, Liam's character, Bill gets into a tussle with the dirty Air Marshall and kills him. He gets a text acknowledging that he's killed the guy and another 30 minute count down begins. Bill gets the help of his seatmate played by Julianne Moore and a flight attendant to help him figure out who is texting. He's a little gruff with the people he suspects. Most of the passengers are sleeping. He talks with the pilots about the situation, but they don't want to divert and land the plane. As the next 30 minutes expires, a passenger who gets framed at being the texter dies. As Bill questions him, suddenly he can't breathe. As they trace the account the ransom is to be wired to, they realize it's in Bill's name. He's being framed, but the pilot's and airline think that Bill is the hijacker. Next thing you know, 30 more minutes pass and the pilot dies. Slowly, the passengers turn on Bill as it seems that he is the hijacker and he's harsh with passengers. Somehow, news sources catch what's happening and report that he's the hijacker.Now the passengers watch the news about this and it fuels into the passengers' fears. They beat and try to subdue Bill. I won't give away the movie yet, but you should see it. :)

Fears

Most of my fears revolve around loss of family and dreams.

I want to see more of the world and am scared I never will.

I want to fall in love, but fear I never will again.

I fear I'll get my heart broken again.

I fear I won't get married and have kids

I fear being an awful spouse and mother.

I fear life without my parents and grandma.

I fear being alone.

I fear losing more of my health.

I fear failing.

I fear running into the guy who broke my heart.

I fear public speech.

I fear living an ordinary life.

I'm working to conquer my fears, pray about my fears, and not let them control me. I take comfort in knowing that God has great plans for my life and He will be there through every struggle life may bring. I find a sense of peace in that I never have to handle my fears alone. God walks with me and comforts my heart. So, I give God my fears and let Him hold them.

Franky, Part 1

The reason I love dogs is because of my very first dog, Franky. I grew up as an only child, kind of lonely. I'd always wanted a dog and somehow came up with the name, Franky despite having a relative with that name. :)

Mom researched dogs at the library; this was long before the internet. She decided we needed a golden retriever since they were great family dogs. My dad adamantly did not want a dog, especially in the house. Mom and I went out to the country to look at some puppies. I remember out of the woods came the mama dog and all these gorgeous puppies. We picked up several by the scruff of the neck to see if they had good dispositions. Somehow, we settled on one, paid the money, and put a collar on him. He wasn't old enough to come home with us, so we had to wait a few weeks.

Dad kept saying that dogs don't belong in the house. Before bringing Franky home, we'd hoped that dad would warm up to the idea of a dog, but he didn't. However, when we brought home Franky Golden Konza we were all goners. That dog changed us all so much.

We got Franky when I was roughly 8. I remember, the first night, we penned him up the kitchen since he wasn't housebroken yet and he cried for his mom and siblings. I slept outside the kitchen and talked to him. He was such a cute puppy.

We had such a learning curve with that poor puppy. Mom and I had never had a dog before. We taught him to sit, come, and stay. He loved chewing on things. I talked to him a lot and I really felt like he understood me. He would chase me around the kitchen and nip at my heels. He'd eat any morsel of fallen food with thanks. He'd bark when someone would come to the door. He made friends quickly and loved licking people. We played out in the snow together.

Soon after we got him, mom found what she thought were tumors all over our sweet, new puppy. She ran and got my dad and it turned out to be lots of deer ticks from his hikes with his mom and siblings in the woods.

Franky was responsible for most of the great memories I have of my childhood.
Via Pinterest:

Dance

I've always loved a good dance. Recently, I realized a friend knew nothing of all the great dance songs, so I thought I'd share them with you too.



(Super easy version)



Copperhead Road Dance:

Ones I want to learn: thriller, hustle, and lastly to twerk (though that one won't be done in public). What else should I learn?

Via Pinterest:

Sometimes You Need a Break

Spring semester was hard. I struggled with school, sleep, insurance issues, my rheumatoid arthritis, ending a negative friendship, I got my heart broken, and I gained weight. On top of that, I turned 30. The stress of everything had me feeling ill on a continual basis. I was nauseous every morning for months. I was tired of feeling awful. As soon as the semester ended, I hopped a plane for Ireland. In Ireland, from day 1, I felt amazing. My nausea went away. In Ireland, I felt like a brand-new me. My complexion cleared up and my hair looked amazing. With sights like these and wonderful fresh air; how could I not feel better?




I got home from my trip and after months of not being able to lose any weight; I lost 8 pounds in June! Let me be clear, the weight didn't just fall off. I watched my diet and worked incredibly hard; increasing my time in the gym. I mainly did cardio (zumba, rowing, and the elliptical) and ab class. In July, I traveled to Colorado Springs, CO and Lake of the Ozarks, MO. So, I definitely didn't lose any weight in July. :) In August, I lost 3 pounds. Though my battle with my weight will be a life-long one; I'll continue to work hard and try to stay healthy.

To brighten your day; how can one not smile when watching golden retriever puppies?! Yes, I have puppy fever! Can't have one at my apartment. :(

Recipe #20: Crustless Blueberry-Pear Pie

I had some pears that were quite ripe and used them to make this tasty Pinterest recipe.

This is how mine turned out:

CRUSTLESS GINGER BLUEBERRY-PEAR PIE

Serves 8-12

Ingredients:
2 large pears, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/4-inch slices
1 cup fresh blueberries
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1/3 cup sugar
1-1/2 tsp freshly grated ginger
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp salt
3/4 cup milk
1/3 cup all-purpose flour

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease 9-inch pie plate.
Fan the pears slices out in the pie plate. Top with blueberries.
In a large bowl, whisk together melted butter, sugar, eggs, ginger, vanilla, salt and milk. Sift in the flour and whisk until batter is well combined and very smooth, no lumps.
Pour batter over the top of the pears and blueberries.
Bake for 10 minutes, then turn the oven temperature down to 350 degrees. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until custard is set and the top is a light golden brown.
Allow to cool for at least 20 minutes before serving.
Source: Adapted slightly from Baking Bites.

My revisions to the recipe:
I didn't have ginger, so I used allspice and a dash of cinnamon. The allspice was an nice, unexpected surprise.
I also used frozen blueberries.
I didn't have unsalted butter, so I used regular butter and skipped the salt.
I did not sift my flour.

My friends, parents, and co-workers loved it! It was so easy; I'll definitely make it again!

I Love

I don't care what all the critics say, I love Taylor Swift's new song and music video, "Shake It Off." It makes we want to dance! I just bought it on iTunes.
What's your favorite dance move?

Via Hulu Plus, I just finished the MasterChef Junior series. I love MasterChef, the adult version, but the kid's version was so different and cool. The judges are intense in the adult show, so I enjoy watching their softer sides with the kids. Other than that, it was refreshing how the children cheered each other on, as well as comforted each other. I thought, it was interesting that the children's dishes were as complex and out-of-the box as the adult's dishes. I also learned how to poach an egg from watching the show. :)

I was excited to finally see the movie, Last Vegas. It was funnier than I thought it would be. It had a lot of one-liners; I laughed the whole time. It also had a great cast: Robert De Niro, Morgan, Freeman, Michael Douglas, and Kevin Kline. It featured 4 childhood friends who reunite for one of the guy's bachelor parties. Not shocking, they head to Las Vegas. They happen into all kinds of trouble along the way. It was kind of disappointing that the funniest parts of the movie I'd already seen in previews. What do you think? Are you going to see it?

Into the Storm

Hmmm, well I saw the movie and it wasn't as scary as I thought it would be. Actually, the previews before the movie were scarier than the movie itself. I didn't watch the previews, but instead watched the back of the chair in front of me. :)
Into the Storm didn't have any recognizable actors or actresses in it. It was pretty action-packed, with several intersecting, interesting story lines. It was a bit predictable. As always, they killed off people I didn't want them to. ;)
There were a couple of times, I MAY have yelled instructions to the people in the movie. Something like, "don't do that, stupid" and "run!" That was all. :)

Reading

I love to read and over summer decided to get some reading in before class starts. I've been wanting to read the 5 Love Languages, so I grabbed a copy. The book emphasized that you should learn the love languages of your loved ones. If you know their love languages you can speak to them in their language. So what does that mean? Well, my love language is Words of Affirmation. If someone wants to "speak my language," they could send me a text mentioning what they appreciate about me. That's a general example, but the gist of it is that we normally love people the way we prefer to be loved, but that might not be that person's love language. We feel most loved when loved according to our primary love language. The book gave several examples of ways to love people based on the five love languages. The five languages are: 1) Words of Affirmation, 2) Physical Touch, 3) Quality Time, 4) Gifts, and 5) Acts of Service. The book is well-written by Gary Chapman and I definitely recommend it. Shouldn't we all love each other the way they makes each other feel most loved?

I just realized that Nicholas Sparks wrote a new book that I somehow missed. I read all of Nicholas Sparks books. So, I got the book, At First Sight and read it fast. I can never put his books down. His books are generally all love stories. It follows an engaged couple. The guy moves from NYC to the small, southern town his fiancee lives in. The book kind of feels like a mystery. The fiance, Jeremy struggles with living in a small town, maintaining his writing career, getting married, and expecting a baby with someone he hasn't known long. There are lots of twists and turns in the book; it doesn't necessarily have a happy ending, but I guess that's life. Is your interest piqued? Are you going to read it?

Coffee Table Quest

After moving into my apartment over a year and a half ago, my biggest challenge has been finding the right coffee table. My living room is pretty narrow, so the ever-popular large coffee tables wouldn't work. In addition to looking for a specific sized coffee table, I also wanted one with storage. Lastly, I wanted one that was black, gray, white, or paint-able. Over the course of the last year and a half, I've looked at hundreds of coffee tables, but never found anything close. I checked Craigslist at least weekly. I also stopped by my favorite used furniture store, Rockstar and Rogers Home Fusion, quite frequently. I was beginning to think I'd never find the right table. While shopping with a friend, at Marshall's, I found it! I wasn't positive at first, but over the next week, as I looked at the photos I took, I realized I really liked it and thought it would fit well in my space. It had a small stain, so I got an extra 10% off my purchase. I also signed up for a Marshall's card and got another 10% off. I love a good bargain! It goes really well in my space and I love it!!! Now my living room is nearly complete! Next, I need to hang more artwork on the walls. There's always a project to be found! :)

Nail Polish Remover to Remove Shoe Stains/Scuffs

I was pretty upset that my new workout shoes started looking smudged especially on the toe area. I'd tried cleaning it with soap and water to no avail. Thankfully, I found the following tip on Pinterest, that solved my problem.

pic.twitter.com/rL9elF1eam

— Life Hacks (@LifeHacks) January 31, 2014

Before :
After:

It really helps fade the stains and is a cheap fix. Try it!

Another Way to Display Vacation Photos

Roughly 10 years ago, I bought coasters that could hold photos and have never used them. I've been meaning to put photos in them since I moved to my apartment nearly 2 years ago.

After my Ireland trip, I thought it would be neat to use pictures from my trip to personalize the coasters. It was hard to pick four pictures and even harder to choose how to crop them. I decided on two picture from my Ireland trip and two from my Italy trip (2012).

The top two photos are of Ireland. The top left photo is outside Ross Castle and the top right photo is of the harbor in Dingle. The bottom two pictures were taken in Cinque Terre. I really love how they turned out!

What creative way have you found to display your vacation photos?

Recipe #19: Blueberry Breakfast Grilled Cheese

I'll cut to the chase; these are as wonderful as they sound!

After a rough day, nothing sounded appetizing. Thankfully, I remembered the recipe a co-worker had shared with me for Blueberry Breakfast Grilled Cheese. For once, I actually had all the ingredients.

As always, I tweak recipes based on ingredients I have. I used blueberries covered in greek yogurt from my freezer. I sprinkled sugar on my cream cheese too. I don't have a sandwich press, so I just used a skillet. This was so good!

I was talking about this recipe with a friend while at the grocery store and it must've sounded good to the lady behind us in line, because she asked for details. :) We all started talking about other fruit combinations, like strawberries and/or bananas.

So, I dreamed up a banana and brown sugar mix. I tried it this morning and it was wow! The heat made the banana nice and gooey!

Try it, you know you want to! What other fruit combinations do you think would work well?

Funny Videos

I don't know if you've seen any of the "Hitler downfall" videos, but there are dozens of variations of them and they're hilarious. I know, who ever thought Hitler and hilarious would be in the same sentence?!

Here are my two favorite ones:





Funny, right?!

Scary

I cannot handle scary movies or commercials. Not only do I easily get nightmares, but on occasions, I've been known to let out a blood curling scream, at the theater, during scary previews (Open Water). In my defense, that shark came out of no where!Scary right?!

While watching a movie at home with a friend, a new anti-smoking commercial came on. It was pretty icky with the guy talking about how things have changed now that he has a voice box. Suddenly, he started talking about cleaning his hole and my eyes got big, I freaked out, started screaming, and changed the channel as fast as possible. They need to warn people about those commercials. I don't smoke and now never will! My friend, kept laughing at my reaction. Don't you think it's scary too?!

Into the Storm is a movie my friend wants to see and I think I'll scream the whole movie while curled in the fetal position. Don't you think so too?

Taking a Chance

I got my heart shredded at the beginning of this year, it was the first time I'd ever been in love. After five months, I'm getting over it, but it's tainted my optimism and thoughts on love. It made me scared and it at times made me never want to try again. The pain was beyond words. The thought of being vulnerable again brought fear. So, I hadn't been very open to or even seeking love since then. Maybe that's bad or maybe it's good, but I just needed more time.

Somehow, someone worked their way into my life and made me brave enough to think that I could try again. He was an open book, ready to tell me who he was and share his stories with me. The guy who broke my heart was more of a closed, guarded book. This openness was refreshing. Our times together were filled with laughter and conversation. They were great!

In the end, we didn't work out. There wasn't a huge fight or hurt feelings. Just a conversation about how our lives included vastly different things; priorities I couldn't give up and that he wasn't going to ask me give up. We had talked about deal breakers on our first date and he was kind enough to bring up the difference to ask where we were going to go with it, instead of ignoring it as most people would do. I so appreciate how upfront and honest he was. So, despite our attraction and chemistry, we decided to be friends, since we enjoy each other's company. I think, if he hadn't been this thoughtful, we wouldn't be able to be friends now. To be honest, I've never been friends with someone I've dated or gone on dates with. Previously, one or the other of us has wanted to cut ties and move on. This is new.
Do you agree with this quote?

Have you been able to be friends with people you've dated?

Mindy Kaling

I find Mindy Kaling so funny. I've enjoyed watching her quirky, funny show the Mindy Project. Here's a clip: .

Her awkwardness and dating trials remind me of me. Recently, I finished her first book, "Is everyone hanging out without me (and other concerns)." It was funny, not as funny as it would've been in audio book form with her reading it. Think about it, you know I'm right! I figured I would read it in preparation for her new book, "Why Not Me," a collection of personal essays.

Somehow, I missed her on "The Office."

The world needs more women who can step back and laugh at life.

What shows and comedians make you laugh?

One Year of Blogging

This month marks one year since I started this blog! Never did I think I would have readers in so many countries (38)! I have readers in: Cayman Islands, Belarus, Philippines, Pakistan, Latvia, Australia, Dominican Republic, Argentina, Brazil, Turkey, Russia, China, Serbia, Netherlands, Venezuela, Poland, Ukraine, Germany, Mongolia, France, Israel, Czech Republic, South Korea, Romania, Spain, India, United Kingdom, Malaysia, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Lithuania, Azerbaijan, Canada, South Africa, Cameroon, Slovakia, Hong Kong, Mexico, Singapore,Belgium, and obviously the United States.

Starting out, I wanted to share my funny dating stories and I wasn't sure what else. Thus far, I've published 126 posts! I didn't realize I had that much to say. ;)Since then, I've covered movies, music, life, books, travel destinations, recipes, tips, etc. Thanks for taking this journey with me!

Let me know what topics you're most interested in reading about.

Found this quote on Pinterest.

Lake of the Ozarks

After missing my yearly lake trip last year, I was so excited to finally be back at the lake. Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri is five hours from where I live in Manhattan, Kansas. It's a beautiful resort town. Three and a half hours of the drive is on I-70, which means it's pretty boring except while going through Kansas City.

Eight years ago, this summer I interned at Tan-Tar-A Resort. I was a banquet intern and worked as a hostess at two restaurants on the resort. At the time, I thought I wanted to be a banquet intern. I have a lot of great memories there.

Once at the lake we checked into our hotel, Tan-Tar-A Resort. We like to stay in the Estates which is off the resort and feels more secluded.

Pretty, right? That night, we had dinner at Shorty Pants.They have the best Asian Shrimp Salad there.We always love the food here.

Next, we headed to Woody's, a dive bar to play pool. After that, we went to Topsider, my favorite club ever. They had a really good band there called,Queens Blvd. They play songs from a variety of eras and other bands. They rapped and sang country. They did it all so well. They actually played both nights we went to Topsider and we enjoyed hearing them. We wondered if they have any of their own songs.

Saturday, we went to the Arrowhead deck pool at Tan-Tar-A. I love that pool because it overlooks the lake. Here, I partook of my annual pizza and strawberry daiquiri. :)

After some time at the pool, we jet skied. We love to jet ski so much! The lake was busy, so the water was pretty choppy; it almost made me seasick. I laugh and scream the whole time! I get going fast and scare myself a lot. :)

That night, we went for dinner to Mexicali Blues. They have the best salsa and shrimp tacos!

We did a little shopping at the Osage Beach Premium Outlet. They've got a great selection of stores and a nice layout.

Before we left, we got lunch at City Grille. They make a terrific Ultimate Chicken Sandwich. I LOVE their cole slaw!

It was hard to leave, but I'm already ready to visit again next year!

MasterChef

I absolutely love watching MasterChef! I love to cook and it's wonderful inspiration. There are several cooking shows that I watch, but this is my favorite by far. I think, I like it so much because most of the chefs are home chefs, not people who cook for a living. Their passion and skill level are always so impressive. It makes me want to cook more and get cooking lessons! So far, from this season the recipe I most want to learn to make is panna cotta. I definitely plan to cook more and make more impressive recipes. Here's a clip from today's episode: .

What's your favorite cooking show and why do you like it so much? I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Trailers

Not often do I see a trailer for a movie that I really want to see, but I'm dying to see Unbroken:

Post by Unbroken.

Aren't you dying to see it too?! Not only is it about a Olympian, it's also covers his time as a prisoner of war. Sounds interesting to me!

My best friend wants me to see "Into the Storm" with her, but I think it looks too scary! I can't watch anything remotely scary without screaming.

So, what's the verdict? Do either of these look interesting to you?

Colorado Springs

I spent several days this week in Colorado Springs. I haven't spent much time in Colorado before this.

Garden of the Gods, So pretty and great exercise. :)

Pike's Peak We drove up to the Peak. It was cold, windy, and beautiful. I got some souvenirs at the gift shop at the top. :)

We had lunch in Old Colorado City at Dat's Italian. Very yummy pignoli meatballs! Old Colorado City had some neat shops, wish I'd had the time to explore more.

While there I also got to see How to Train a Dragon 2; it was super cute; check it out:
We met friends for drinks at Great Storm Brewing. Not a beer fan, but the place was fun and the staff were so friendly and helpful.

Kind of wish I'd been able to see the Air Force Academy Chapel, but it was a pretty fast trip.

Has anyone else been to Colorado Springs? Any favorite sights?

Funny Signs in Ireland

I was surprised how many funny signs I saw along the way in Ireland and wanted to share:

Seen in Dingle.

In Kilkenny.

In Dingle

Skelligs Chocolate Factory

In Dingle.



Have you seen any funny signs during your travels?

Movies

During my long flights to and from Ireland, the best thing to do, other than sleep, was to watch free movies.

I'd been wanting to see the Delivery Man and finally did. It stars Vince Vaughn and the chick that plays Robin on How I Met Your Mother, Cobie Smulders. I thought it was really funny, but also touching. Check out the trailer and let me know what you think.


American Hustle was also on my list of movies. I really like Jennifer Lawrence and Amy Adams, so I had to see it. Christian Bale, Jeremy Renner, and Bradley Cooper are in it too. I really didn't like the movie; I felt like I wasted roughly two hours. It would probably be called a drama and it was lame at that. Check out the trailer and see what I mean:

Somehow, I missed seeing The Amazing Spider-Man when it came out in 2012. I really liked the original Spiderman movies with Tobey Maguire, so I wasn't sure what I'd think about the new ones. This one was different, because there was no sign of Mary Jane or best friend, Harry. In this movie, Spiderman's love interest is Gwen Stacy. In the last series, Gwen Stacy was his college classmate and girlfriend of his nemesis. She was also the police chief's daughter. Yes, she was blonde in that one too. This one features Hollywood stars like: Emma Stone, Sally Field, and Martin Sheen. I really liked Sally Field as Aunt Mae. So, yes, I did like it. Here's the trailer:

What new movies have you seen?

Recipe #18: Tequila Lime Chicken

Earlier this month, I finally got to make Tequila Lime Chicken
Ingredients:
1 Whole Lime, Juiced and Zested
2 Cloves Garlic, Peeled or Powder
1 Whole Jalapeno, Sliced-I didn't have jalapeno, so I didn't use this
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Cups Cilantro
1/4 Cups Tequila
2 Tablespoons Honey
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons Orange Juice
2 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
1/4 Cup Cheese, Grated

Combine lime juice, garlic, sliced jalapeno, olive oil, salt, cilantro, and tequila you can blend or put it in the food processor,if you want.

Place chicken in a plastic bag and pour in marinade. Seal bag and marinate for several hours making sure to turn it.

I cut the chicken in strips. Cook in a skillet on medium. Cook until completely done.

The tequila was really strong in the recipe, so I may tweak it and add more citrus and honey next time.

What was the last new recipe you tried? How'd it turn out?

Smart Casual

Recently, I heard the new term, "smart casual." Here's what I've heard it defined it as, "Smart Casual – This is neat yet informal attire. Nice jeans and a polo, button up shirt, or blazer."

Anytime you're wanting to look just a little bit nicer you can wear it. At my work, we are encouraging our students to wear smart casual for their business classes, as there are often recruiters who come speak to classes. Smart casual is a good option for dates also. Here are some examples of smart casual options for men and women that I created on the Polyvore website:

Have you heard of smart casual? What's your favorite smart casual outfit. Where do you wear smart casual?

Fashion in Ireland

While in Ireland last month, I took note of trends women followed. The extremely, messy top knot was really popular. Since Ireland has a chilly, rainy climate I was surprised how many ladies sported tall, leather boots in May. They also rocked cute bootie shoes and now I want a pair. ;)

Most of the guys sported the Mackelmore hairstyle, which I really like. It was all variations of the shaved sides and longer top. I wish more guys here would try it. The guys there seemed to embrace wearing color more than guys in the States.

Have you noticed any interesting fashion trends while traveling abroad?

Ireland: Part 10

From Kilkenny, we headed north to Dublin. Since we were coming home a day earlier than originally planned, we cut some stuff and headed straight to Dublin. I wanted to head to the airport and return the car, but my travel companion wanted to find a hotel, unload, then take the car back. Well, that didn't work. Dublin is huge and busy; hotels were hard to spot on the fly. So, we checked the car back in at the airport and arranged transportation into town and back to the airport the next day. As the bus got us closer to the heart of Dublin the more it started to rain.
This leads to a side note. In Ireland, you will not receive a plastic shopping bag at stores. Everything comes in a paper sack. This doesn't mesh well with all the rain. More on that later.
So, we get to what we think will be the closest stop to where we're hoping to go, grab our luggage, and set out into the rain. We walk awhile, stop for directions and keep going. The rain gets to my shopping bags and we have to combine them. We walked half a mile literally uphill and finally got to a hotel. It was much more than we wanted to spend, but we didn't want to venture out into the rain. It's a hotel chain hotel and not a cozy bed and breakfast that we've come to love. We stayed at Jury Inn Dublin Christchurch. It was a terrific location; so centrally located to everything. Our room was right across the street from the beautiful Christchurch Cathedral. We unloaded and checked out the famed Trinity College Library and Book of Kells. Thankfully, by then the rain had slowed. It was pretty packed in there, so I didn't get the experience I'd hoped, since I'd heard such great things about it. The library was beautiful though. We thought about eating at Hard Rock Cafe, but decided that since we loved Irish food so much we'd have more for our last meal. We stopped at Oliver St. John Gogarty. I got the seafood chowder; so good! They even had live music. At dinner, another table starts talking with us and they mention that Murphy's in Dingle had the "World's Best Ice Cream." We missed it! Soon, they Google and realize that there's a Murphy's here in Dublin. So, we set out to find it and it was wow! The oatmeal flavor was recommended to me; loved the texture. I also tried lemon curd and it was great! We wandered around Dublin and ended the night in the famous Temple Bar District. We loved the band at Quays Bar.
The trip home was eventful. Despite getting to the airport killer early, we nearly missed our flight (we had to go through customs before heading home, which is uncommon and it took forever). It was one of those running to your gate screaming sort of things, but we did make the flight. We got first class seats!!! It was such a great experience!
I have to say that Ireland was my best vacation ever! Such a beautiful country, wonderful people, and the best travel experience; I hated to leave!
What was your best trip? What made it special? Thanks for sharing my journey to Ireland!

Ireland: Part Nine

In Waterford, we were eager to tour the Waterford Crystal factory and get out of town. What a great tour!!! Too bad I couldn't afford anything there.

We researched other small towns along the way that would be our speed and settled on Kilkenny. Finally things were looking up! We found a cheap, little bed and breakfast and headed out to see the town. We stopped at the first food place we saw the Playwright. We weren't seated five minutes before some guy was asking if we'd been to Watergrasshill recently. Turns out we'd stopped for directions at the pub he works at; small world. So we sat with five young Irish guys. Listening to them talk was like watching a TV show in another language; you understand a word here and there, but it's still entertaining. :) Here's what we pieced together; they had a wild night the night before. One guy fell or something and scratched up his face, hands, and side. According to him, he was now ruined. I think he was exaggerating a bit. They all had funny nicknames. I, of course, developed an afternoon crush on the tall, blue-eyed hottie of the bunch. I'm friends now with one of the guys on Twitter. Now, I have friends in Ireland!

When you travel internationally, do you enjoy small towns or big cities better? I enjoy small towns, because they help me feel more immersed in that country's culture. All big cities seem kind of the same to me; they're kind of generic.