Saturday, December 7, 2013

All I Want For Christmas...

Well, it's that time of year again. Many of you are kicked back, sipping egg nog, watching holiday movies, and marveling at the fact that you finished up all your Christmas shopping in August. I am not one of you. For those reading this thinking, "Me neither Courtney," have I got something for you! I've spent countless hours cruising the internet, while I should've been doing work for finals, to bring you a list of the best gifts out there. So grab your credit or debit card, and open a new browser window. You're going to wrap up all those holiday loose ends here and now.



For the animal lover in your life...

Courtesy: Designbuzz.com
What could keep your loved ones' feet more warm and toasty than a set of repurposed rats? To add a bit of holiday festiveness, why not add a small bow to their heads? Bonus: How much fun would the owner(s) of these slippers have when they could creep their toes under occupied bathroom doors?

And what if that animal lover happens to be a young, single lady, you ask? Well, I've got that covered too!
Courtesy: ebaumsworld.com
Nothing looks nicer, especially on a first date or Sunday morning church service, than a French twist accented with the remains of your family pet hamster. "But Courtney, don't you have any ideas for a couple who happens to love animals?" Oh, yes I do. 
Courtesy: myshopify.net
These wall climbing sconces will bring a whole new meaning to, "I love lamp." I would definitely pose these critters into the stances of a lovely, romantic dance. Maybe leave off the shades, so that the bare bulbs illuminate their glory a little more. 

When only something personal will do...

Courtesy: etsy.com
I know from experience that losing a grandparent can be hard. What better way to keep Grandma close to you at all times than transforming her dentures into a pocket mirror! True, they always haunted you as they floated in that clear glass in the bathroom, but now you find them endearing. In a sense, you'll always have their smile. Literally. 

But let's say you buried Gramps with his teeth or the recipient of your personal gift is a child. That's when you go with this: 
Courtesy: etsy.com
A snuggly teddy bear made of belly button lint! What child wouldn't love to cozy up with this lil guy at night and also be comforted by the smell of your tummy cave? 

This year, my best girl friends and I are doing an ornament exchange instead of a gift exchange. I found it is still possible to give ornaments that have that special personal touch. 
Courtesy: etsy.com
To me, the tampon ornament says quite a bit: I can depend on you. You are close to me. You get me through rough times. You've seem some stuff. 


For neighbors or those who have it all...
Courtesy: Urban Outfitters

Courtesy: Refinery
When you miss the smell of the city bus in the hot rain or when you can't eat at Kentucky Fried Chicken every day, you can now light a candle and let your nose take you back. It is the gift that keeps on giving. 
Courtesy: Buzzfeed.com
When better to remember one of the greatest leaders of the American Civil Rights Movement than when you're trying to exfoliate dead, dry skin off your body in the shower? I had a dream that no person of any color would have to deal with awful winter dry skin. Too soon?

Courtesy: nastygal.com
What better way to teach your children about the infamous West Coast/ East Coast rap/hip hop rivalry?! Whether you back Biggie Smalls or Tupac, the whole family can enjoy this coloring book. So, grab your Crayolas and don't forget to make those bullet wounds look realistic!


We can't forget gifts for our pets...

Courtesy: stuffselect.com
Ever caught your pup chewing up your favorite pair of Crocs? Who hasn't?! Reward your little fur baby with his/her very own giant Croc to envelope him/her and keep them warm this winter!

Courtesy: ohgizmo.com
Don't you just hate that you work too far from home to have time to chat with your pets while on your lunch break? Have big decisions you want to consult your cat with while you're at the office? Now, you can! No matter where you are, you can video conference with your pet. Personally, I'm going to wait until they invent the texting equivalent. Phone calls are so annoying. Amirite?!


This list wouldn't be complete without a little bonus! 
Having a holiday party?
Stumped on how to decorate?
Here are my top 2 tips:

Courtesy: tumblr.com
Take your Christmas tree with you wherever you go! Not only does this 'do radiate festiveness, but it also sends the message that your face is the best present under the tree this year. So, get busy with that hair and sing, "Oh Christmas Weave, Oh Christmas Weave" as you do it!

Courtesy: reddit.com
Those felt reindeer antlers and big red nose for your car are played out. We've all seen it. It's tired. Don't bother with a wreath either. That screams, "I don't have much holiday cheer." But pull that buck you shot last year off the wall and put 'er on the grill of your pick up. Add a red clown nose and some battery operated LED lights, and now we're talking! You can wish everyone in traffic and terrified children on sidewalks everywhere a Merry Christmas! Conveniently, you can also let slow drivers know you mean business as it appears you also murdered Rudolph.


I hope this list helps some of you out. If you're wondering what to get me for Christmas, go with a gift card. I've already got most the things on my list here.















Sunday, December 1, 2013

Chance Encounters With Ed Helms & ACDC

So it seems that November was a pretty busy month for me since I didn't find time to post a single blog the whole month. Maybe I can make this one a two-fer.

November has always been my favorite month. As a kid, it was my fave mainly because it was the month of my birthday. I always did love a day where the whole world seemed to revolve around me. It wasn't until I got much older that I realized my birthday was 9 months to the day after Valentine's Day, and millions of other people I would soon meet shared the same birthday. This year, I even got a little cousin-in-law, Shepherd, that I'll forever share the day with. Also making this year's birthday tons better than last year is the fact I didn't have a stroke (celebrate the little things). Last year, that really rained on my parade. Most of all, turning 30 was made the best ever by a visit from Kenna. She flew out to spend a few days with me celebrating my birthday, shopping, and acting like Garfield (with cake instead of lasagna). We stayed at a super chic hotel that made me wish my own place was a little nicer. We had dinner with Micah at a very nice French spot where we thought we saw Ed Helms (We didn't. Kenna asked). After dinner, Micah dropped us off at a little spot under the overpass by the piers in Seattle. Yeah, I realize how that sounds like a set up to a horror movie. Actually, it was quite frightening. We thought we saw a member of ACDC smoking outside the door, but again, our celeb sighting was a bust. We went inside this place to find ourselves in the front row for a peep show put on by some elderly, biker clad patrons. Before we saw just how long his Viagra lasts, we ran outside and hailed a cab vowing never to listen to Yelp again. Luckily, Kenna has a world traveling Jewish friend (I can say that right?) who told us about a fun place more inland and less geriatric or Harley Davidson. We gave the address to the cab driver, Muhammad (so he told us it was his name, but his license said Alkhadijumanahrajih). I calculated on Google maps that the trip was just a short one, but Muhammad seemed to take the scenic route. While illegally overtaking a large truck and running a red light, Muhammad points and yells out of his open window for us to "look at that fat woman running to the bus! She fat! She miss the bus!" while laughing. About this time, my only thoughts were "don't throw up, don't throw up, don't throw up." His kind encounter turned into a conversation with Kenna about goats. Or goatees. We don't really know. It doesn't matter much because just minutes later, as we were nearly killing pedestrians, Muhammad points and yells at a large and muscular bald man in the street yelling "look at him! He thinks he's a ladies' man! He strikes out with many women!" all while laughing. Now, instead of just puke to worry about, I was trying to figure out what to do when the beefed up bald man sprayed Muhammad's blood all over my new outfit. Once we finally arrived at our destination, I left Kenna to settle the tip so I could try to expunge all the BO out of my hair and vomit in the gutter. Once inside, we headed straight to the bathroom to wash our hands and then to the bar to get a drink. By drink, I mean water (but I drank it without a straw so at least I have a little edge going for me). Looking for a spot to sit and chat, Kenna and I stumbled upon a photo booth left over from a mall in the 80s. Naturally, we posed for silly photos and laughed way too loud at the results. This place wasn't a typical hang out. About 1/4 of it was filled with old school arcade games. We found a seat close to the arcade part where we could people watch and chat about whatever came up. What happened to come up was a young guy from Uganda with a mission of wooing Kenna. We spent the rest of our time there playing games and chatting with this group in town for Microsoft something or other and having a genuinely good time. Although, I have to ask. Why is it when we meet someone new, we always ask, "So what do you do?" Really. Is it that important? I want to change this. I don't like being asked what I do since replying with the truth is so awkward (truth: "well I died a few times, faint anytime I'm uncomfortable, and I got this cool pacemaker and one stroke later, I'm disabled. I basically do nothing 24/7). So naturally, I made up an entire identity. For the night, I became an attorney for the state, drawing inspiration from tidbits of Micah's job and stuff I've seen on Dateline. I was almost believing myself after awhile but I do hope nobody takes the legal advice I offered.

So that's pretty much how I turned 30. Like I said, Kenna and I spent the rest of the weekend shopping and being lazy while eating leftover birthday cake or the 12" diameter chocolate donut we got at Pike's Market. Kenna got to sight see all over Seattle which she deemed one of the friendliest places ever. I admit, people in Seattle and Olympia are so much more outgoing and friendly to me when I'm with another girl than they are when Micah is with me. We had a small dinner party where Micah made a cake and killer meatloaf, and he invited Heather, Ben, and Zoey over. It was the perfect celebration. Now I'm ready to keep the party going with Christmas!

Our photobooth strips

Turning lazy time into beauty time