Nerd is the New Cool.

Remember when I told you about how I love Thursdays? It's not just the case up at school. I usually have Thursdays off, so that's when adventures tend to pop into my life. Last week, that meant Disneyland with the family, followed by the midnight premiere of the new Pirates of the Caribbean movie. Today* it started with grand plans. Mom and I were going to get up early, clean the house, and go out for lunch before it was time to pick up the boys. 

Instead, we watched the season finale of Glee. When the boys got home, we watched lots of Doctor Who. As we geeked out about it, my brother pointed about how nerdy we can get as a family. It's true. We love British TV and correcting each other's grammar. We like Star Trek, for crying out loud!

2007(?)

But little did they know how much farther down the rabbit hole I was about to go. I was almost embarrassed of how nerdy I was about to get at a friend's house. The whole concept was a little daunting and I didn't know if I could keep up, much less enjoy it. I decided I would at least give it a shot and see if it would grow on me.

And grow it did. Like kudzu. I'm excited (maybe even proud) to tell you that I survived my first D&D session. Yes, that's Dungeons & Dragons. It's right up my alley and you can judge me all you want because I think it's fun.

*I know it says Friday. Mind you, it's still Thursday to me because I'm a night owl.

There's Always Money In the Banana Stand.

What? You've never seen Arrested Development? Quick, go watch the first season on hulu. But if there's no time for that, the opening credits will sort of tell you what's going on. It's very funny.

But this is just the background for the real story, which could be more vaguely titled "What I Did This Weekend."

My friend Bryan had his birthday party this weekend, and it was Arrested Development-themed. A lot of people came dressed up, and it was a blast. I brought my camera and quickly became the Party Photographer.

Bianca as Lucille and Hannah as Kitty

Tiffany and Bryan as Lindsey and Tobias

Lauren as Rita

The Cake

   The cutoffs are a reference to the show, I promise.

Everybody.

The family.

My California Adventure

I'm home for the summer! I'm back in my own room! I don't have to buy my own food for a while! Yay!

Okay, hopefully I've got that out of my system enough to tell you a story.

Today my mom asked if I wanted to come to Michael's with her and Jared and Noah. We got in the car, hopped onto the freeway, and instead of getting off on Mountain like we were supposed to, we kept going. "Surprise! We're going to Disneyland!"

I had planned on surprising my brothers with a Disneyland trip sometime in the next few weeks, and I had no idea that they would do it to me!

We spent more time in California Adventure tonight than in Disneyland. It was a beautiful night and we had a blast. I was thinking about it on the way home, and I'd like for this summer to be my own "California Adventure." Every time I leave LA it's harder because I've come to love the area even more. I don't want to miss out on the treasures that I live so close to! So here for public consumption, is my Spring/Summer 2011 To-Do List:

• Visit the Getty Center
• Disneyland with friends!
• Go with friends to Downtown LA and/or Hollywood 
• Attend the LA temple as often as possible
• Go to the beach more than twice like I did last summer
• (All of the above can also be considered a To-Photograph List as well.)
• Get good at piano again (not LA related, necessarily, but still an appropriate to-do)
• Start making money with photography (You can help me out with that, but that's another post for another day.)

Lessons We Learn from Disney Princesses

Lessons based on a conversation with Beth, Noelle, Laura, Summer, and Amanda. Pictures by Annie Leibovitz for Disney.

Pocahontas:

 Listen to your grandma. The right path is not always the easy path. And stop being racist, doggone it!

Belle:

Beauty is on the inside. Read.

Ariel:

Learn from your mistakes.

Snow White:

Kindness is more important than beauty.

Aurora:

Prince Charming can be Prince Charming, no matter what his name. Also, don't be naive.

Jasmine:

Just be yourself. Women are not objects to be won.

Cinderella:

Hard work and kindness will always pay off.

Lists and Letters

Things I Hate, but Have a Morbid Fascination With

1. Jersey Shore

2. Snow

3. Economics 

Dear Cadbury,
     I will be eternally grateful for your having created the Caramello. Keep up the good work.
                         Love, Brooke

Reasons I Think the Federal Government Hates Me.

1. I never got my birth certificate back when I got my passport.

2. The Social Security Office has my birthday wrong.

Dear Summertime,
      I love, miss, and desperately need you.
                              Love, Brooke

Awesome Things I Did This Week

1.  Read de Tocqueville

2. Learned John Lennon's middle name was Winston

3. Made beautiful and delicious cookies.

4. Listened to Adele almost nonstop.

21

I made a post a few weeks ago about how I'd found a song I could listen to over and over again--"Someone Like You" by Adele. Last night,  the album it came from, 21,  was (finally) available in the United States! Okay, I waited until it was midnight on the east coast and immediately downloaded it. Beth and I are in love  in obsessed with it. In fact, we're listening to it now.

Adele has this rich and soulful voice and great control over it. Sometimes there are little squeaks or growls or she'll edge over her break less than gracefully, but Beth made the point that those imperfections in her voice make it even more beautiful. I'm (maybe) starting to get to the age and maturity where I can actually really understand a love song, and hers are complex and sweet and powerful. They get you thinking about what "having it all" means, what it is you want out of a relationship, waiting on a second chance, heartbreak, and (since we're just out of our teens here,) keeping up with rumors.

Overall, this album is my new favorite. I highly recommend it.

Who Has the Coolest Little Sister?

I do.

Okay, Maddie isn't technically my sister. But as I've said before, I will always claim her as such.

Seriously. So cool.

Broken Heart Bark

Last year I made broken heart bark around Valentine's Day. I decided to make it again this year. Part of the recipe (as written) is to break conversation hearts into pieces with a rolling pin. I didn't have a rolling pin last year.

(That's a hammer, in case you can't see it in this oh-so-wonderful cell phone picture)

I ran into a similar problem this year. Then Noelle had a BRILLIANT idea. "Why not throw them off the balcony?" We live on the third story. I my first attempt didn't make much of an impact. So Noelle tried. She  smacked it down, but it still wasn't as effective. So Beth tried. And then she tried again. Most of the little pieces were her handiwork. She also broke the bag in a couple of places. But now the bark is done, and it is delicious. 

Paradise Lost: Shadows and Wings

I'm not a huge fan of techno music.  Or of opera. But Eric Whitacre, one of my favorite composers, mashed them together with the traditional musical theatre tradition to create Paradise Lost: Shadows and Wings.

The story is not based on Milton's Paradise Lost, but is actually about a tribe of angels whose parents hid them away and took their wings as children. An odd concept, true, but so is the music. It's a really beautiful and unexpected fit--like bacon in ice cream, or Bollywood and Jane Austen.

You can hear excerpts of the music by clicking here. I strongly suggest that you do.  I'm slightly addicted to "What If," "Sleep My Child," "Forgotten" and "All Alone."

"How do you fight LOVE?"

A Capella Love Song of the Day #8 Iris by Goo Goo Dolls

Today I'm in an unusually good mood.

Maybe because I found this at the grocery store and I can make my favorite vegetarian tortellini soup like I do every Valentine's Day. 

Or maybe because my morning class is cancelled tomorrow.

Or maybe because I got a phone call from two of my favorite people.

(photo by Jill Rich Photography)

Okay, it's probably all of these, but most of all because of the knowledge I have that Christ lives and that to follow Him is to have a secure hope for the future. 

(The Master's Touch by Greg Olsen)

Dinosaur Salad

The other day I found myself really craving chicken caesar salad, but lacking the time or desire to cook chicken at lunchtime. Then I opened the freezer, saw chicken nuggets, and was inspired. Thus Dinosaur Salad was invented. I forgot about it until I had it again today and realized that some things are just too good to keep to yourself. 

Other than that, my Monday was nothing too special. I did almost biff it and die a few times walking in the snow today though, which gave me the idea for today's a capella love song of the day. 

Day #7 Collide by Howie Day

This is only 25 seconds of the song as performed by Freshman Fifteen. I cannot recommend this arrangement highly enough and I think you should front 99¢ for it on iTunes because you will never regret it. 

"Tap On My Window, Knock On My Door, I Want to Make You Feel Beautiful."

Day #2: She Will Be Loved by Maroon 5

This is the only version I listen to. I'm also slightly biased toward this group because they're from Yale (my sister-brother Chris's alma mater). 

February is Lovely.

I love February. Love is in the air, chocolate is on sale, and winter is just that much brighter because of it. I may be chronically single, but I loved Valentine's Day even in high school. The choir would do singing valentine grams and I'd get out of class for the whole day to just sing about love and friendship and be with my beloved choir family. So in honor of that tradition, I'm posting an a cappella love song every day this month. I'm excited. If you're not, that's okay, because it's not your blog.

Song #1 Can't Help Falling In Love by Elvis Presley

It's the first Valentine Song any UHS Choir member learns. It's sweet and simple and will always make you smile. This arrangement is by The Staff from University of Florida. Maybe not the best recording, but definitely the best version I could find. 

"Someone Like You" by Adele

In the past few years, I've found a movie and a book that I can watch or read over and over again. I've never been that way with music. But that changed today. Listen to this.

I'm Pretty Sure This is What I Did Today.

2008-The only time I intentionally slept on the floor.

I got up early this morning to do homework before class. I do better work first thing in the morning. Then I managed to stay awake through all my classes. I got a few things taken care of in the afternoon before I woke up on the floor. I don't know how long I was out or even what happened, but I'm feeling okay now. It's just frustrating that I don't remember a lot of my afternoon. I hope this doesn't happen again, but I'm going to try not to be home alone for the next little bit.

In other news, I submitted this picture to Jones Soda today. I don't remember actually doing it, but I got an e-mail back from them saying it was a "staff pick" and that they'll send it to the judges. If the judges like it, they'll put it on a real live Jones Soda bottle. That would make me...very happy. Go here to vote on it, if you please!

Chivalry is Alive...and Adorable.

Yesterday I needed groceries. Noelle and I walked to Broulim's together, but she had to take off for class before I had everything I needed (my list was a tad longer than hers). So I was left to carry three bags, two baguettes, and a gallon of milk by myself. The icing on this cake--I forgot my gloves. I felt really silly walking home in the cold. Partway down the street I hear someone clearing their throat. I step to the side and a kid in headphones zooms past me to get to campus. I guess I was walking kind of slow trying not to drop all my food in the dirty snow. My fingers hurt from the cold and the bag with my yogurt and steak sauce was starting to rip. At the top of my street, I ran into a gentleman who offered to help. I was too cold and flustered to say more than "yes. Thank you! What's your name?" I think his name was Tyler, but he saved me from dying and/or having a mental breakdown walking home from Broulim's, and I'm thankful that he did that for me.

So...

This is my fourth set of roommates in four semesters, and so far, it's SO GOOD.  I'm lucky enough to live with the cousins of a former roommate. They're sweet and funny and talented and we've got some great plans and there's a good spirit in our apartment. Huzzah!

Also: I've got announcement on my Rexburg blog.

Christmas Vacation 2010

 We started Christmas off right--by going to Disneyland and getting annual passes! My parents and I surprised Jared & Noah. It was pouring down rain and we left early, but it was still fun and we're looking forward to going again and again and again (in better weather.) We took this picture in the parking structure.

 Christmas Eve brought the annual California Taylor family Christmas Pageant. It's always tough to cast. No one wants to be a wise man. 

They want to be sheep.

 Or the donkey.

Or the hay in the manger.

 The most coveted part, is of course, the innkeeper.

 But we always end up with a Mary and a Joseph. It's a cute tradition.

 We always get jammies for Christmas. Yep. Those are black and white camo print footie pajamas. They're awesome. Mine are way too big. 

 We got an ice cream maker! I'm so looking forward to using it. All the experiments we did before I left were the best I've had in a long time. And I was working at Baskin-Robbins.

It's probably because we're not just relying on the recipes that came with the machine...

The older kids all got iTunes cards in our stockings, so I got Paul Anka's album Rock Swings. It's big hits from the 80s and 90s in a swing style. It includes one of the best covers of Wonderwall I'm going to find. (Thanks for the tip, Rachel!)



Other non-holiday activities of mine included work, spending the night with my good friend Jenny, a rediscovery of my cat allergy, shopping and dinner with my favorite Yalie, and accidentally seeing a rated-R movie. (I was sure it was PG-13 at the time, I promise!)

Dude.

I'm writing this post on an iPod Touch. I love technology.

Things I Learned About Myself in 2010

1. I watch a LOT of television. I like it better than movies.
2. One of my tonsils is bigger than the other.
3. The worst part of working at Baskin-Robbins is that pressed-for-time feeling I get an hour or two before my shift starts.
4. Doesn't matter what color it is before I fix it. I'm a natural redhead. It's a state of mind.
5. I'll never be done shopping for dresses and/or skirts.
6. I need to step up my academic game.
7. I can't handle living alone.
8. I don't really tan anymore.
9. Food and I are complicated.
10. I am fantastically blessed.