3- A picture of the cast of my favorite show

Narrowing this down to one is way too difficult to even attempt, since there are so many, so I decided to go with the favorite of the shows I've watched recently (and that was still tough). And the place of honor goes to: Spartacus: Blood and Sand!

This show is ridiculously bloody, has poor CG effects, can pass for soft-core porn, and has the gladiators in codpieces (which weren't invented until the 16th century) but I LOVE it! It's currently on Netflix instant play, so check it out! Sadly, the actor who plays Spartacus was diagnosed with lymphoma and is currently undergoing treatment, so who knows when a second season will air. I am praying for his triumph over the disease, regardless of whether he continues acting or not and I ask that all of you who read this do the same. There is a prequel airing right now, but we haven't started watching it... yet.

2-A picture of someone I've known the longest

Val in Belize (I stole it from her FB page). We're a beer-drinking family.

There are a lot of people who could be shown here, but I chose to go with my eldest seester since she knew me when I was in our mama's belly. Val has always been an inspiration and a rockin' sister and I always enjoy hanging out with her (except for when she has the plague, like now. Sorry seester, there's been enough of the stomach flu in this house to last me a lifetime.) How many people can say that their sister is a world-travelling, brewery-hopping, marathoning CPA? She is awesome and has always been a source of support and comfort. I don't know what I would do without her.

30-Day Challenge

Yes, I'm a thief, but you all knew that. I saw this on another blog and I loved the idea. So I stole it.

Day 1: Share a photo of you and a list of ten facts about yourself:

I love this picture of the Monster and myself.

Ten things about me:

1. I love to read. (Guilty pleasure- historical fiction/romance)

2. I gave myself the "nickname" Von Burglarstein (and no one actually calls me this).

3. I like anime and manga, though I haven't seen or read much in a couple of years now.

4. I love to paint. I haven't since the monster was born, but I'm hoping to pick it up again once he's a little older and I have the time to dedicate to it.

5. I can't bake to save my life, but I love to cook. I enjoy scouring the internets for recipes to try out and then tasting my new creation (since I never stick to recipes.) I love that Monster is eating table foods now, so he gets to taste a lot of what I cook (though he doesn't like half of it).

6. I love history (Western Europe,) and I should, since that's what I'm getting my degree in. I'm minoring in, and planning on continuing my studies in medieval studies, but I also like 17th and 18th century England and France.

7. I want to teach at some point, but I love being a SHAM. This is the hardest, most enjoyable, and most rewarding job out there and I don't know if I could give this up. At least before the Monster goes off to school.

8. I am technically Mormon, but left the church for reasons I can't really remember now.

9. I'm 76% certain that I was male in a past life.

10. I'm a coffee snob. I love coffee, but I'm very picky about how it should be prepared. There are cafes here in town I refuse to go to because they failed to meet my standards.

*Love-Love*

Approximately 1,733 years ago a guy named Valentine*was beheaded in Rome. In his prison he allegedly wrote a note to a girl and signed it "From Your Valentine." Somehow or another this note passing became what we now know as Valentines-Day.

Well Japan does things a little different. Feb 14th is a time for girls to "confess" to the boys that they like by presenting them with chocolates (usually homemade) and a note expressing their feelings. If the boy feels the same way, he reciprocates a month later (3/14) on what is called "White Day" where, as its name suggests, he gives her something white. So why did I tell you this charming little tale? Because this is how Nick and I celebrate V-Day.

So I had a dozen chocolate-dipped strawberries made into roses and a some balloons sent to his work, I'm going to buy him some Nike Free Runs (once we find a place that has some in stock... apparently they're popular), I "made" him dinner (I ordered take out) and made him watch Gnomeo and Juliet (it was awesome.)

I love Valentines-Day, and I absolutely love celebrating the way we do. Even though I don't get anything on V-Day I look forward to it for months. I LOVE having a day where I get to spoil the ones I love.

I am really looking forward to White Day. Not for gifts-- though that's exciting too (the white thing could be anything- flowers, diamonds, or a ribbon- so long as it's white, which adds a fun element of surprise)-- but for a second day that is completely dedicated to love.

*According to history.com, there were 3 possible St. Valentines who were martyred around 2/14. You'd think that the Church would have better records when it comes to those they canonized, but hey, who am I to judge? Oh yeah... I'm me.

Addicted

I've been addicted to a lot of things in my life-- crazy socks, hot fries, coffee, watches, Joss Whedon, coffee, historical fictions, cigarettes, tweezing, nail polish, more coffee, etc.-- but never has it been this bad or this hard to quit.

I'm addicted to soda.

Not just any soda, Dr. Pepper.

It's gotten so bad that I would rather stop and get a 32oz DP than a cup of coffee. It's way cheaper than Starbucks, especially since they're only a dollar at McDonald's (my evil enabler), but worse on my waistline (100 more calories than my old friend, the grande vanilla latte.) And that's if I limit myself to just one. I've always loved soda, but I never had more than 3 in a week and I had no problem going weeks without, but those days are over. I have at least one every day.

Today I hit rock bottom. I told Nick he could buy a pack of cigarettes (for himself) if he brought back soda number 3.5 for me (which he happily did.) He decided to quit smoking again this weekend and I ruined it. So not only am I dooming myself to an early death from diabetes, I'm asking for my husband to get lung cancer.

I will kick this habit like I kicked most of the rest (who could ever give up coffee, cheesy novels, Swatch, or Buffy?) and I must do it now. The monster deserves parents with will power.