Wanna put the world away for a minute, pretend I don't live in it...

Sometimes life is just a hot mess, you know? It feels like there are just not enough hours in the day. Or maybe I'm just not making them count where it really matters. My mind is constantly a blur of ideas, to do lists and trying to categorize where it needs to go, but I just don't know how successful I am at it. Actually, I don't think I'm very successful at all.

I wake up worn out and exhausted, which just progresses with each lecture and assignment as the day goes on. There are so many things to plan for, to make sure I get it all in on time and to mainly just to pass the class overall. Really, all I end up doing is procrastinating with everything, thinking the paper will magically write itself or people will come up to me so that I can use them as sources. That sort of thing.

But, on top of that, I'm a 22-year-old girl, who still has bigger hopes and dreams than just staying in a classroom all day. I still have my insecurities and worries for the future, and I have (or would like to have) a social life, but it's hard to balance on top of everything else. How do you find time for everything?

I shouldn't be complaining, though, because I know so many people my age, who work and go to school, or some who are a little older and have to take care of their families at the same time, while working. I don't work, but I do work on some other things that might sound a little frivolous to some, but I make YouTube videos, I work on blogs, I write stories that maybe someday I will publish, and I write for the entertainment site, PopWrapped. It's stuff that is important to me, and stuff that I like putting my time into.

On another note, sometimes, by comparing my journey to others, I limit myself. I often wonder whether I have what it takes to continue as a journalism major, because I don't know if I'll ever be as good of a writer as some of the other students or the types of articles on the blogs I read on blogs. I just have to keep believing has a special plan for me that only I can do. Comparing myself to others; their status or style last quarter did absolutely nothing for my self-esteem. So, over Christmas break, I really tried to get the root of that problem. And it is something I've learned to let go a little more.

I've been questioning a few things about the path I want to keep going on. I often wonder whether I should have majored in creative writing, whether I could have done much with a degree in that. It's just that, as much as I do love meeting new people and hearing their stories, I wonder whether I have the guts to really ask those TOUGH questions. I'll say it right now-I don't like asking tough questions and I don't like making people uncomfortable. I like listening. If people want to tell me things, then great...But, most of the time, I probably won't push for anymore.

I like writing about little moments, dreams, opportunities, love, etc. Basing it on real people and real incidents that observe. I'm a wallflower and I'm constantly looking at what's going on around me, at school, at church, in the media, with my friends or on vacation. I'm inspired by so many ideas/people to write. But, I'm finding that strictly writing about real people, sometimes people I know, is a lot harder than I thought it would be.

Let's just say, returning to school after Christmas break is one of the hardest things to do. I just feel really drained and finding motivation to do anything is awful. I keep waiting for this light bulb to go off where I'll be more determined than ever, but it's taking awhile. I want to feel better and more energized, but really I just want to stay under my covers all day and watch Netflix. *sigh* What I need is to start doing is : Quiet time with God again, bike ride, stay on top of my schedule for school and to just feel super pumped about attacking my to do list and finishing projects long before "the night before" they're due. And also keeping my room clean and organizing my closet. You do not want to see those right now. But, that is a whole other story.

Basically, I'm just trying to make it through one day at a time. If I look at the big picture, like I did last quarter, I'll feel way too overwhelmed, and it's just not worth it. Just gotta take things slowly and remember what I'm working towards. Can't lose sight of the dream.

*Sigh*

That's all for now,
Shelby

Grammy Red Carpet Experience

Sunday, the red carpet was rolled out and the limos arrived, dropping off some of the biggest names in music today, and even from yesteryear.

As a little girl, I always dreamed of going to the Grammy's. Given, my daydream was usually around me attending as an artist, but sometimes the dream ends and new ones come along. Which is the case here. I am a journalism major now, wanting to be an entertainment reporter (sorry if I'm starting to sound like a broken record, I guess I'm just keeping that dream alive and trying to motivate myself), and being able to see the excitement of the reporters and how they handle the chaos of the carpet is where I need to be.

Anywho, every year the Grammy's come around, and I either forget to sign up or just forget how the whole process works, but always think, "Man, what I wouldn't give to be there right now." This year, I saw Mastercard was doing a special contest through Twitter with "#pricelesssuprises" and tickets to the Grammy's red carpet were one of those prizes. I decided to tweet them saying how I would love to go, and I WON!!!!! Ah!

My dress!! 

Because I've been busy with school, it didn't really start truly sinking in until later Saturday night. After hanging out with my gramps for the day, we went looking for Grammy outfits. I just couldn't believe that I was walking around looking for something to wear to the Grammy's red carpet…LIKE, WHAT?!  I found a black cotton tank dress with a Stevie Nicks inspired flowery shawl to go over it. I felt very rocker in it. I had some stuff to finish up Saturday night, then hung up my outfit for the next day, set my alarm and watched a little Parks and Rec, then White Collar and fell asleep.

Not too sure what I was doing here! 

I woke up Sunday morning, with butterflies in my stomach and jitters, wondering what was going to happen for the day. I was excited, but didn't really have any expectations. After all, Shakespeare said that is the root of all heartache, and it's just easier to not go there, and see what happens. I put on my makeup, got dressed, talked with my dad for a few minutes (who wasn't able to come) and then, my mom and I were off. We stopped at Jack-in-the-Box for breakfast, since we wouldn't be able to eat for the rest of the day basically and made our way into L.A.

Our fancy parking pass ;)

I had made a Grammy playlist for the car trip, which helped wake us up a little, seeing as we woke up at 6:30 in the morning. I know, that's probably not that early, but I'm hardly ever up before 10 a.m, unless I have classes. I made sure I had plenty of my favorite past and present nominees and winners, like Justin Timberlake, Carole King, Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood, Beyonce and more on the list. Gosh, I just love music so much.

We made really good timing to downtown Los Angeles, and found the parking lot we were directed to in no time. We checked in and walked across the street to use the restroom and grab some mints and gum, then we waited for about 30 or so minutes, before lining up with a few others who came after us. We started talking with another mom and daughter, who had done a lot of other tapings and award shows, so it was cool getting to swap stories. Then, we were notified we would have to leave our purses in the car, because they were too big. Luckily, I had a small clutch I had shoved in my bag the night before, so I was able to carry a few items. Then, we jumped right back in line.

Awkward selfie!!!!! YOLO!

A few minutes later, a few people who worked with MasterCard, escorted us across the street where the beginning of the red carpet was. There was the entrance in all its glory with all of the media booths, like E!, Entertainment Tonight and Access Hollywood, all set up and ready to go. I had waited for so long to see that (minus the time we wandered around aimlessly, only to find out we weren't supposed to be over near the red carpet tent). Instead of instantly taking a picture, I decided to take another moment just to enjoy the view and what the night would hold. I'm very big on moments and remembering the feelings that they bring us, and that's one I wanted to remember. I remembered all of the years I'd been watching with my family, and how music has been one of the biggest aspects of my life since I was young, and here I was at the Superbowl of it all. They walked us past the stars' entrance, the trailers and tents that the media was using outside and finally up to our entrance. The anticipation was killing me. They checked our bags, then by a couple groups at a time, they walked us into the giant white tent, where the official Grammy backdrop was set up in the middle of the carpet, the paparazzi were already setting up in their station, and the last minute preparations were being made. We all climbed up, very carefully, onto the bleachers and took our seat, which had a SWAG (or as Michael Scott said, "Stuff we all get") bag on top, containing a Grammy cup, snacks and a few other MasterCard items.

On the way to the carpet! EEK!

There was a lot of sitting around and waiting, due to the fact that it was only noon and the red carpet didn't officially start until 3:00. We were sitting on bleachers, so it was a little uncomfortable after awhile,  being in such close quarters and on hard bleachers, but it was worth it. We snacked a bit, they did some trivia about the Grammy's and my mom won one of the CD's, which was awesome, because I had been wanting it, but didn't really have the money to spend for it on iTunes. We chatted with the people around us, which was fun, and some of the lesser known artists that had already won in the pre-telecast started rolling in pretty consistently. We were also getting our practice of cheering and shouting for them, as much as we would if Beyonce was in the room (well, maybe not that much).

Finally, the moment we had all been waiting for had arrived. The celebrities were starting to show up! There were a whole lot of bands that all started to look alike. I know a lot of music, but I don't necessarily always know what they look like (my bad). And of course, the later it got, the bigger the names on the carpet were as well. Some of the celebrities were nice enough to come over for the Make-A-Wish kids and their families, who were sitting in the first couple rows. It was so sweet getting to see them experience such a special moment. We technically weren't supposed to be taking pictures, but everyone was. I mean, c'mon….

• Jesse McCartney 
• Quentin Tarrantino 
• Bob Saget
• Natalie Grant
• Stevin Curtis Chapman
• Fantasia
• Vampire Weekend
• Capitol Cities
• Colbie Caillat
• Gavin DeGraw
• Hunter Hayes
• Paris Hilton (it seriously seems like they took more pictures of her than anyone else who was actually nominated. What the what??!)
• Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert
• Madonna 
• Pink
• Ed Sheeran
• Katy Perry 
• Robin Thicke
• John Legend
• TAYLOR SWIFT!
• Steven Tyler
• Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka
• Smokey Robinson
• Madonna
• Keith Urban
• Jared Leto
• Anna Faris
• LL Cool J
• Kathy Griffin
• Giuliana Rancic
• Ringo Starr
• Zendaya
• Many more (but, I can't remember everyone…:O)

TAYLOR! 

Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka!

I was super disappointed that Justin Timberlake didn't show, because he's one of my favorites and was one on my list of people to see, but it was still an absolute blast, being in the same room as some of the writers/artists of my favorite songs and seeing so many wonderfully talented people. It just goes to show you how powerful music really is in everyone's lives. We all have our favorites, but we can all connect in the same way.

They ushered us out really soon after the last celebrity had walked out of the carpet area, so we all went outside and that was the end of our adventure. We took pictures in front of the sign we had missed earlier, then said goodbye to our friend, who had been visiting from Nashville and walked across the street back to our car.

I was in such a daze with everything. A million things were going through my mind as we left, wondering what it's like to be a celebrity having to deal with the constant pressures of fans and reporters shouting your name almost 24/7, what it would be like to interview on the red carpet, and realizing that as soon as I got home, I would have to write a paper for my feature writing class and the next day was going to be extremely long. We had planned to go home right after the awards ended, but it was still early, so we went to Paty's for dinner. Luckily, we got right in and sat down. Although, after sitting for hours, I was ready to pull a Chris Traegar and run a marathon, to stretch my legs. It's weird how sitting is way more draining than standing, like we've done for Idol and other tapings, etc. down there!

I ordered an iced tea and a tuna melt, which was so good after not having eaten since early in the morning. It was a combination of feeling like I was going to pass out from not eating and so much excitement. We ate, talked about the event and came home after that, listening to the Grammy CD and Taylor Swift on the way home!

Oh, and we saw Carnie Wilson at Paty's, eating dinner with her family. I had glanced at her when we walked to our booth, but got a good look at her when I was coming back from the restroom. She smiled at me, which was really sweet, and then I told my mom to glance, which she did not…So, on our way out of the restaurant, she glanced back and smiled at her and I awkwardly waved. So much for playing it cool right? HAHA! I kind of wish I would've gotten a picture with her, because she seemed so cool.

We got home fairly early, so we started telling my dad all about our adventure, then watched the red carpet coverage and started watching the awards, which we didn't officially finish until Tuesday morning. There were no pictures or shots of us on the carpet, as far as what I've seen so far, but maybe they'll make it to the worldwide web eventually.

It's so surreal looking back on all of the pictures and interviews, knowing that we were just a few feet away from most of the action, and in some ways, it doesn't feel like we were there at all. It's an experience I will never forget, and I am so thankful to MasterCard for putting all of it together and making dreams come true. And who knows? Maybe I'll go back again someday….

That's all for now,
Shelby :)

Who's attending the Grammy's red carpet tomorrow??

I am!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AHHHHHH!

Also, I think from now on, all of my moods will be depicted in gifs from Ben Wyatt/Adam Scott of Parks & Rec, because he's tied as my favorite, along with Leslie Knope/Amy Poehler.

That is all.

Actually, that isn't all at all. I can't stop watching this gif. I always think something will change with them, but they never do, because it is a scene frozen in time, playing the same thing over and over again.

Alright, now I really have to go to bed, because I have to get up incredibly early tomorrow morning. GAH!!!!!! At least it's for something really stinking awesome.

But, oh, how I am dreading Monday morning. It makes me want to cringe already.

And cry. A lot.

Okay. Goodnight everybody. My time here is done.

~Shelby :)

Now that the winter quarter of school is in full swing, I have fallen into more of a groove and have a normal routine that I'm pretty happy with. If you know me, you know I have to have it all planned out.

A day for me starts around 7:45. Then again at 8. Then again at 8:15. 8:15 a.m is my final "go time." The other times are just my alarm clock reminding me that, yes, I do have school and responsibilities. And that as much as I would love to, I cannot sleep my life away, and just watch Netflix all day. I also want to punch it each time it goes off.

I groan, then push my cat out of the way, turn on my heater and make my way to the bathroom. I brush my teeth, take a few minutes to wake up and adjust to the light, then put on my makeup. I'm very simple when it comes to getting ready, so it doesn't take me long at all. Just a primer, foundation, blush, powder, eyeliner, eyeshadow and mascara. Okay, it sounds like a lot, but I just dab here and there. I'm no makeup wizard. Then, I straighten or curl my hair, depending on the time I have.

Usually, I still have a little extra time before I go to school. So, I'll get on my phone and respond to texts and tweets if there are any and finish getting my things together. I used to be so on top of having everything set to go the night before, but now I just go with the flow. I'm also not a huge breakfast eater, so I just grab a healthy breakfast bar or something quick that I can eat on the go.

My first class is at 10 a.m, which isn't that early...Actually, it's not early at all. But, I'm not used to getting up before 11 most of the time. I normally leave the house around 9:30, but I can sometimes leave later, because traffic doesn't seem to be as bad around the school as it was around the campus last quarter. I don't have a car at the moment, and I don't feel comfortable with driving my parents' SUV, so my mom drops me off and picks me up.

My first class is feature writing, which is probably my favorite, even though there is a lot of work and it's starting to get a bit more challenging. Features are my very favorite thing about magazine and newspaper writing. This class is giving me a chance to learn a lot about the style and technique, as well as letting my creative juices flow a little more for AP style writing. There are a lot of fun and exciting assignments, and is really giving us a chance to stretch outside of our comfort zones. I'm a little intimidated at times and still getting used to the interviewing process, but I'm getting there. Rome wasn't built in a day, you know?

After that class, I have a break for about an hour. I bring my lunch from home, typically a salad, but when I get tired of those, I'll switch to something else. Every once in awhile, I'll still meet up with friends because we have the same breaks, but due to schedules and our busy lives, that doesn't always happen. I don't mind eating alone, though. What a jump from Jr. hi that is. I've always been a wallflower, so I like just observing everyone around me. It inspires me. I used to watch Netflix or catch up on reading for my classes, but I just haven't taken to that this time around. I'm certainly keeping it in mind, though.

My next class is news production. I usually try to get there a few minutes early, since the class tends to pack out and I like to get settled in before everyone else comes in. It really is like an actual newspaper. Last quarter, I was a staff writer and we were turning in a story every week. Sometimes, you have really close deadlines and you have to talk to people within a certain amount of time. You learn to be flexible. This time, I'm an assistant editor for the features section, and wow...It's a lot. There are stories to be assigned, which means you always have to be in the know of what's going on around town or on campus, there are edits to be made, meetings on Fridays to discuss everything, pitch sessions, layout/design on Mondays and we have to write a few stories ourselves. This was our first full week of production, so it was definitely overwhelming trying to learn the system and get used to how they do it all, but I think I'll get used to it the more I do it. Things can be a little crazy on Monday with edits being made from the writers and assigning stories, while starting layout (at least this week anyway), but it was good. And it's cool to see the finished product come out on Wednesday, as people walk around campus reading it. It's giving me experience for the real world, and right now, that's what I need most.

Most of the time, I have about an hour to kill before my next class, but it depends on if there's a lot to discuss and take care of in the paper. If I have time, I'll get an iced tea from the coffee shop on campus and I'll eat a snack I brought from home in the little garden/quad area. There's a pond, several trees and it's very nice and cool. It's one of my favorite places to go. Last week, I read some blogs on my ipad and responded back to a few texts. The usual.

At 3:00, my next class starts and it's two hours long. It's about Mass Media and Society, so we talk about how the media affects us and all that jazz. We basically just write notes down from a powerpoint, while our professor talks for two hours straight. He's a super nice guy, but that class goes on forever. Yesterday, I was having a rough day and feeling SO tired, so I was reading blogs and checking tweets most of the time, while also being a good girl and taking notes. But, I was seriously about to fall asleep. On the plus side, it's a pretty easy class. If you do the work and do what he asks, you're going to do just fine.

That class ends at 5:05, and I have a few minutes to wake up and get ready for the next class, which starts at 5:15. Luckily, it's in the same building, so I just have to walk down the hall. It's my Theories in Communication class, and I'm actually really enjoying it so far. Half of the students from the Intro to Mass Comm. that I took last quarter are in this class, so it's like a little family of us. We all sit in one section basically, and talking to them seriously makes my day. We laugh at one another and it just really lightens the mood. We usually just take notes and have a little discussion here and there or we have to view a film. It's interesting, and surprisingly, it goes very quickly.

After that class ends at 7:20, my day is officially over and I get to go home. I usually just take a few minutes to let everything from the day soak in, or I'll vent to my mom about what happened in a class or how I wish something would have gone differently. Those are some of my favorite moments. I'm raw and real, and you never know what's going to happen...HAHA! JK (kind of), but I usually do come up with some great and witty lines. After I've calmed down and relaxed or had a few minutes to just sit and be, I'll take a quick shower and get all cozy in a sweatshirt and yoga pants. Yesterday was so exhausting and draining, I was just D-O-N-E by the time I got home. When I got out of the shower, I flopped down on the couch all cozy to watch American Idol.

Usually, when my dad gets home, we'll eat dinner...But, if it's going to be really late before he gets home from work, my mom and I will eat before. Then, we'll spend the rest of the evening watching TV, like American Idol, Parenthood, Parks and Rec, etc. It just depends on what day it is and what's on. Sometimes I'll try to get some homework done, but it's very rare when that happens. I usually just blog or read blogs, chat with friends, work on stories...Whatever.

I never go to bed before 11. It's usually closer to 1 a.m, because I watch the news and The Tonight Show, then head back to my room. I wash my face and brush my teeth, turn on a few episodes of Parks and Rec, then I am out for the night.

Tuesdays and Thursdays, I don't have classes, which is nice. I'm usually just home all day, in my pi's, working on assignments or watching marathons of my favorite shows. Fridays, I only have my feature writing class, which isn't too bad, but I dread Fridays a lot more than I thought it would. After having that little break on Thursday, it doesn't exactly motivate me to go back for just one class. But, I go and it's fine. I have lunch with my mom after that, then have to go back to school a meeting, discussing newspaper stuff and planning for the next issue.

It's not a bad schedule, it's just making sure that I'm keeping up with it all. I'm sure I'll have my moments where I just want to breakdown, but so far so good. I only have 7 weeks of this quarter to go after tomorrow, so WOO…It'll be over before I know it.

Roll out the red carpet…Award season is here!

One of my very favorite times of the year is award season, and it's fitting that it comes after my first, which is Christmas. I love the interviews, the celebrity glamour, the gowns, the lights, and depending on who's hosting, the monologues and jokes.

Being a journalism major, I'm fascinated with the red carpet. I love hearing the stories that the celebrities have to tell, whether it's about being nominated or a crazy thing that happened to them while they were getting ready. I love all of the behind the scenes magic that goes into what seems to be a picture perfect kind of night. Also, I really only watch E! for the carpets, so the people I mention are from their network (i.e. Giuliana, Ryan, Kelly, etc) most. However, I also just love a really good show, celebrating some of the most talented in the business and giving credit where credit is due.

Some of my favorite moments so far:

Let's start with People's Choice (hosted by Kat Dennings and Beth Behrs): 

*I loved that the monologue included Brad Paisley, and him giving Beth Behrs his hat! Too cute.
*Beth Behrs singing Before He Cheats. Yeah, that was pretty awesome.
*Nina Dobrev and Ian Somerhalder's really awkward speech...It was kinda cute, but mainly just weird, but I liked that they kind of addressed what everyone else was probably thinking.
*Justin Timberlake winning favorite album! AH! (but, that was an obvious one)
*Sandra Bullock winning favorite movie actress! Sandra is the best! My favorite actress, for sure.

I don't think these are as exciting as they used to be, and I never cared for the fact that the celebs know who wins before they announce it, so you can always tell who wins just by who shows up on the carpet. Oh well! It's all for the fun of it and the fans getting the last word, like Taylor Swift.

Let's talk fashion (not really much to say about the carpet, because I wasn't able to watch the live stream of it): 

This is another fun award show, where people can get by wearing just about anything, and most of them do tend to be a bit more bold in their choices. There's usually a lot of pattern and a mix of floor length/cocktail dresses! So, these are my favorites: Lucy Hale, Ian Somerhalder, Kat and Beth, Justin Timberlake and Sandra Bullock!

(Courtesy of: Ontheredcarpet.com)

(courtesy of: Redbookmag.com)

Golden Globes (hosted by Tina Fey and Amy Poehler):
MY FAVORITE! I love the fact that TV and movies are brought together for one night only, so you never know what can happen. 

I liked Tina's dress/hair better for the opening monologue. 

*Tina Fey and Amy Poehler hosting the Golden Globes, obviously. That wins all of the awards right there. They are my favorite hosts (tied with Carrie and Brad for country shows). I mean, who wouldn't include that as a highlight? They're both incredibly talented and hilarious on their own, but together they are seriously UNSTOPPABLE. I would love to see them do a variety show someday! Maybe they could do a joined show with Carrie and Brad, because I would also like to see them do one. They should all just really talk to me about the plans I have, because it could be epic ;). 

~That joke about George Clooney talking to someone his own age and Sandra Bullock laughing hysterically. 

~The fact that Monica Potter was nominated!!!!!

~Amy Poehler winning for TV actress in a comedy series! AH!!! I seriously cried tears of happiness as I read the announcement at dinner. She has never won before…Like, what?!
~Seeing who was rubbing elbows with who or was seated together at the tables. 

Now, let's talk fashion/the carpet

~Jennifer Lawrence and Taylor Swift having a conversation 

~Seeing Adam Scott in the background while Giuliana was getting ready for another interview. But, I am deeply saddened by the fact that they didn't talk to him.

~So. MANY. GORGEOUS DRESSES.
~Way to go Ryan for making things awkward again (saying he had never met Margot Robbie from The Wolf on Wall Street, and quickly having to cover up! haha).
~Amy and Tina (just because).

Fashion wise, there was a lot of color going on. Some were mixed and matched with colors that don't normally go together, and others were just very bold with the shades of colors they chose. Some were very traditional and classy, while others were a little unconventional, but I really do think everyone pulled it off. So many beautiful people in one place on the same night, so it's hard to choose just one.

SAG Awards: 

*Honestly, because they were on a Saturday, it kind of threw things off for me and I went to the movies, so I wasn't actually home to watch. Having said that, I still have yet to watch the actual award show (though I know who won everything), but I have to say the carpet was extremely entertaining. The interviews were fantastic and Giuliana was really having fun with it. It seems like everyone else was too. Maybe the celebs are just really warmed up to all of the red carpet buzz and are ready to say whatever comes up. The SAG Awards are honestly not my favorite either, because it's usually most of the stuff that I haven't watched.

~Giuliana pointing out that Oprah had glasses in her hand…HAHAHA!

~Julia Roberts' little incident with the barricade almost crashing down on her-CRAZY! Although, her pant suit was a very interesting choice of wardrobe. 

~Matthew McConaughey not having any idea that he would be nominated! He seemed very humble about that.
~Sandra Bullock and Giuliana talking about the George Clooney joke from the Golden Globes and Sandra denying that she laughed! Haha!

And of course, there are a lot of other awards, like the Critics Choice, etc. But, I didn't get a chance to watch those either. Man, I am really slacking this year.

As for what's next…That would be the Grammy's, this Sunday! AND I WILL BE THERE. Well, at least for the red carpet anyway and it is a dream. come. true. As a little girl, who always thought she would be a singer, that was one of the visions I had for myself. And while I might not be attending as a celebrity, it will still be such a fun experience to have from the other side. Because the more I think about it, I'm starting to doubt that I could have handled the whole fame and stardom thing.

Anywho, I can't wait to see all the dresses and everyone in person! Crossing my fingers to meet a few artists, as well.

• Carole King
• Justin Timberlake
• Katy Perry
• Keith Urban
• Taylor Swift (again)
• Beyonce

Those are just a few I hope to see or meet. We shall see how it all goes down in just two full days now! AHHHHHHHHHHH!

That's all for now,

Shelby 

Saving Mr. Banks Review

I had been looking forward to this movie as soon as I heard Tom Hanks and Emma Thompson were seen filming a few shots at Disneyland, and I was also extremely bummed that I was not there to just happen to see it. I mean, for someone as successful as Walt Disney, I thought it was kind of astonishing that we had never seen him depicted in film to begin with.

I started counting down the days before it was released, and was hoping to see it on Christmas, but of course things happen, and timing was an issue. So, this past weekend, my family and some friends of ours finally saw it. And after my little encounter with Tom Hanks and Colin Farrell, I couldn't wait to see them shine on the big screen.

Everyone had been saying what an incredible movie it was and how you should be sure to bring kleenex, but I wasn't sure what exactly to expect and why I would be crying. And still wasn't totally sure of what to expect from the movie's theme as a whole, I just expected it to be good, because the Disney franchise goes "all out" for everything they do. Well, it was all of that and more. As cliche as it sounds, it really was heartwarming in every way possible, with letting go and forgiveness intertwined in the bigger picture.

Alright, so moving on to the movie itself.

*Emma Thompson for all of the awards as P.L. Travers. Wow! She took on the voice and the mannerisms, and truly embodied this character. She's very harsh and a bit rough around the edges, but there's also this softness and tenderness to her, she just has to warm up to people...Well, kind of.

*Tom Hanks might not have exactly looked just like Walt Disney, but he truly did capture the heart of  WHO Walt Disney was, as I've seen some bloggers and reviewers say. He had the same warmness and tone of voice.

*Colin Farrell looks very good in this movie, for one thing. It's also so precious to see him as a dad, because he isn't usually in movies like this. And for another, he has such a depth as a working father, while struggling with some demons of his own, and the backstory that ties it all together.

*The transitions work SO nicely, as they hop from P.L. Travers' childhood to her present day. Somehow, it all just flows together, like it's one in the same. Many movies can tend to be choppy, jumping around from frame to frame, but this one had no problem. It's all very coherent.

Even though it's more of a tale of how Mary Poppins came to be, you see a lot of what Disney was going for when he went after the rights to her book and just how much the characters meant to the author, but also why. She certainly does have a fascinating story. I love all of the symbolism and the foreshadowing, but due to so many details and backstory, there's not a whole lot to say other than just GO SEE IT. It's not your typical Disney movie, but it absolutely has the touch of the mouse and all of the magic in between.

This is also one movie I can't wait to watch again when it comes out on DVD.

That's all for now,
Shelby

"It feels like a perfect night for breakfast at midnight--22 ooh-ooh!"

This is me feeling "22" :)

Taylor tweeted about the "13th!" (our special day)

It's a weird thing to have a birthday on a Monday. I just don't like Mondays ever, and who does?! Even if I'm out of school, there are usually errands to run or something else that I don't like to do that takes place on Monday. And after a bit of a busy weekend, I was wiped out and not looking forward to a full day of classes. But, ya gotta do what ya gotta do, right? This is definitely what being an adult feels like, and I don't even know the half of it yet.

*My feature writing class went great. We had a lecture and took some notes, the usual. 

*I decided to head to the paper at lunch a little early to make a few edits for the assignments that had been turned in the day before, since I hadn't been able to make it. It also gave me a chance to not feel like I had to rush through my lunch. It gave me a chance to talk with our editor a bit more, and the professor that is in charge. It was a good time.

Jerry from Parks and Rec! SO AWESOME!

*The newspaper was SO FUN! I've been sitting with the editors, now that I'm an assistant editor myself, and it really makes me feel like part of the team. Because, hey, I am now! That's where the real action and behind the scenes scoop is and it's a blast. We were laughing the entire time and making fun of one another, telling strange stories (actually, I was just listening to them most of the time), and waiting, while the staff writers had lectures on the style of writing and techniques of AP. I was also on Twitter, when I saw that I had a tweet back from Jim O'Heir (Jerry on Parks and Rec), which kind of made my day. And then my friend and I were chatting back and forth on Facebook in the middle of class, making up a whole bunch of nonsense after she wished me a happy birthday. Good times, good times. My editor/partner-in-crime and I then met with our features writing team and helped them come up with story ideas, and then everyone was free to go. We all hung out for a little while longer, and then I went outside to hang out for about an hour in the quad area to have a snack and wait for my next class to start. It was a little chilly, but I was taking advantage of the fact that I wasn't stuck in a stuffy classroom and could enjoy the fresh air.

*Mass media was pretty much the same as always, or the last week I should say. Our professor lectured and we wrote notes. It felt like it was going to last forever, but it was all good. I made it out alive, and that's what matters.

*Theories in communication was my last class of the day at 5:15! Hallelujah! I love it because I get to talk to some of my friends and we just laugh and get a little hyper, which helps things go a lot quicker. Also, my friend Brittany got me a pink and black scarf! Totally wasn't expecting that and it's super cute. So sweet of her that she even thought of me. The class period consisted of us listening to an audio clip and writing a bunch of notes, and by the time I left class, I was starving.

The evening was very weird and out of the norm, but it was kind of nice doing something different. It honestly just didn't really feel like my birthday. But, I was also very surprised to see balloons and presents waiting for me when I came home. That definitely made it feel like it was my birthday. To unwind from the day, I snacked on some of my leftovers from Lucille's, then watched a special on E! about the Golden Globes and took a shower. I didn't do ANY homework, and I didn't feel guilty about that in the slightest. I mean, c'mon...You don't have to be an adult all at once! HA!

It wouldn't be a special occasion without a Taylor Swift bag or card ;)

When my dad came home, I opened my presents, which was an Apple TV box, tickets/meet-and-greet for a seminar Kirk Cameron is doing at my grandpa's church next month and a charger for my iphone that I'll be able to take on-the-go! I was SO excited. I finished getting ready and blow drying my hair, then one of my best friends, Liz, picked me up for "breakfast at midnight," like I'd been planning for the past month or so. We had a

Liz, me and Marissa…(My arm looks SO weird).

bit of an adventure with going to Denny's, which is just down the street from where both of us live, because there was a ton of construction going on. We weren't even totally sure that we could make it down the street, seeing as there was a tractor ahead of us and looked like he wasn't going to budge. We were freaking out for a good five minutes, and tried to think of what else we could do, when I saw a guy running behind us, thinking he was trying to stop us. But, it turns out he wasn't. So, we kept going. Turning into the parking lot of Denny's was also quite an adventure, too. We kind of missed it and had to take a detour around, HAHA! But, we made it in one piece, and that's what matters.

My other best friend, Marissa, met up with us a few minutes later, as we all looked over the menus trying to decide what we wanted. I had an omelette, Liz had a Grand Slam, and Marissa had hush puppy bites. Liz talked to us about her sorority and her crazy schedule this quarter with work, school, extra activities and her classes, Marissa told us a little more about her job and people at work, and then there was me…Mainly just taking it all in, and talking about school, and everything that I encounter on a daily basis. The usual. We ate, we talked a lot, and finally close 2 a.m, we left…Since Liz had to be up at 5 a.m. and all, we thought it was probably best to take off. Liz and I had another interesting story of pulling out of the parking lot and we were laughing at this rock that she thought looked like a dog or bear? (I can't remember) and I thought it looked like a sheep. Nope, it was just a rock and we were laughing so hard. And then we saw a shooting star! Pretty exciting stuff, folks. I honestly don't remember what I wished for, but I feel like I have it all already.

I'm never out that late, especially during the school week, so it was fun to just get out there and do something out of the norm. I feel like that's a lot of what this year will be. Not just staying so used to everything I've always done, but doing it all a little differently. Being 22 is just going to be fun. I don't want to take everything so seriously. It's time to loosen up a little and to smile a little more. So, that's my plan.

I came home, got into my pj's and turned on some TV. After all, I am still a homebody at heart, and I was incredibly excited about being able to do that. And it was a good thing I had Tuesday off! haha.

That's all for now,
Shelby