Bowling for Soup, Hey!

Bowling for Soup is one of the best bands in the world, and I'm most certainly not exaggerating. This is the second concert of theirs that I've been too, and I think I would have to say that this one was more fun than I remember the first one being. One of the best parts of my BFS experience took place long before the band even took the stage. Don't believe me here's the proof.




This picture was taken at about 4:30 outside of Jason's Deli. My friend and I were getting something to eat before we headed over to the venue to wait in line. As we're walking in there were two guys walking out. One I had never seen before in my life, and the other was Eric, the bassist and a singer in the band. He's the one on the right with the Leftovers shirt on. As I pass them I turn to my friend and say, "I think that was one of the guys in the band?"

She of course agrees with me. That's when I turn back around to get another look, and that's when I see the third person. It's Jaret Reddick, the lead singer. Without trying to alienate the other band members because they all rock hard, but I have to be honest and say that Jaret is my favorite. Obviously he's the other guy in the photo, with the killer red sunglasses. Lets move on from that tangent and back to the story. After seeing Jaret leaving with them I once again turn to my friend, this time saying, "That's the lead singer! I have to go meet them! I'll be right back." I then raced out the door after them trying to catch up before they dissappeared around the corner.

"Excuse me, are you guys from Bowling for Soup?" I ask this even though I have no doubt in my mind that it's true. I also probably had a horribly goofy grin on my face. That probably somewhat looked like a 13 year old girl about to meet her favorite pop boy band. But I didn't care.

They turn around and are really nice as they say hi to me. Then Jaret sees my shirt (which if you can't completely see it says Bowling for Soup/ Fat Guys to the Rescue. All the proceeds for the shirt is going to help Haiti.) and says, "Cool, you have one of those shirts. That's only like the second one I've seen. Are you coming to the show tonight?"

"Hell yeah," I respond in the affirmative. Then I quickly ask, before they can get away, "Can I get a picture with you guys?" That's how I got the picture, and what totally made my night before the night had even begun.

Now we'd gotten to In The Venue about 15 minutes before the doors were supposed to open, but something had happened earlier in the day. The band had ended up getting there late and we had to stand out in cold, as the sun set, for an extra half hour. I look at it as a positive. Why you might ask? If they had gotten there on time they wouldn't have been leaving the restaurant as I was getting there, and I wouldn't have been able to get a picture with them. I guess everything does happen for a reason.

We finally get in, and there's three bands playing before BFS. I wonder up close to the stage during like the second band, because there's still a lot of room. Of course that's only until the last band plays and they start setting up for Bowling for Soup. Everyone started getting as close as the could to the stage, and all of a sudden people are all crowding in around me. Which wasn't so bad. I was still at the front, right at the stage.

The concert itself was amazing. They played quite a few old songs as well as a few off their new album. They started the night off with one of their older songs, 'Bitch Song'. Things would start to get crazy from here on in, and mostly that had to do with they were easily distractible. Then they'd continue on hilarious tangents.

Here are a few of the funnier moments of the night:

-Some guy in the crowd, and this was only after the first song, yells out, "I want to here Belgium, now!" He draws out the last word, and the band cracks up. Jaret responds, "It's a little too early in the set for Belgium, but we're going to play it just because you said 'nooow'" He imitated exactly how the guy had said it too.

-During this song they stopped in the middle. I don't remember why they stopped, but this guy in the audience asked them to do this imitation of Shaggy that he does. It was awesome because it sounded just like him, it was almost creepy. These are the two that were doing the impression, the same ones I met. Jaret was the one who actually did the Shaggy voice though.





-Jaret was constantly doing crazy things with his guitar pick. Throwing it in the air and catching it in his mouth, and then spitting it out and re-catching it. Which always ended with him, and the rest of the band, throwing it out to the audience. Now to the funny part of the story. After it happen Jaret told the entire audience. Nobody would have known if he hadn't. He was near the front of the stage and went to stick his pick to his forehead. Apparently he would get so sweaty that it would stay there. Well this time it didn't, and it fell right down the cleavage of the girl standing in front of him. I guess she'll have a nice little souvenir.

-They were playing their song 1985, and one of the lines is "She was gonna shake her ass on the hood of White Snakes car." Now just image their lead guitarist, Chris, turning his back to the audience and shaking his ass during this line and a bit afterward. Here let me show you a picture:




-Early in the night Jaret had told everyone in the place to put their hands up in the air and if there was anyone who didn't then they had herpes. This all by itself wouldn't have been that funny, but you have to add it to another part of the night. He's talking about the other bands and he gets to one called Madison Lights. He points over to them. "Remember when I said if you didn't have your hands up you had herpes? Well those guys over there," again he pointed and his voice got a bit higher and he drawled it out, "herpes." He said it a couple times, and everyone thought it was hilarious, even them. You might have had to of been there to get it.

-Now for what I thought was the funniest moment of the night, also said by Jaret. He was talking about Madison Lights again. He was telling about how when he had first seen them coming over to talk to them that he thought they were (these are his words) "street toughs" coming to kick their asses. As he's talking about this he starts snapping his fingers like the Jets and the Sharks from West Side Story. Chris said he wasn't afraid of a group of guys coming towards him snapping his fingers. Jaret disagreed completely. This is what he had to say on the matter, "I would be. If like 15 guys were coming at me and all of them snapping their fingers like that I would think they were either going to kick my ass, or butt rape me."




At both concerts of theirs that I've been too I've gotten things directly from band members. This latest one was a guitar pick. Just like the yellow one Jaret is using in the photo above. As both Jaret and Eric are throwing their picks back and forth to each other Jaret decides to throw his at Eric's head. It sticks right to the middle of his forehead. Eric tries to do the same thing and it falls uselessly to the stage floor. Eric comes back over to his mike stand, directly in front of me, and takes Jaret's pic from his forehead. He sees me wanting to take it so he drops it in front of me and into my pocket it goes.

At the first concert of theirs I went to all throughout the show Jaret was throwing out these yellow and black wrist bands with 'Bowling for Soup' on them. After playing their last song, 1985, and still having a handful of wrist bands decides to start tossing them out. If any of you know me you'll know that I am 5 foot even and I was shorter then everyone around me. Even though I was right at the stage I still was not able to catch one. Oh the woes of being short. Jaret sees me doing everything I can to get one but still coming up short. (I know, now that I've written it it looks stupid to me too, but I can't take it out. It must stay.) He then leans down, reaches towards me, and hands me the very last one. Would you be surprised if I said I was wearing it at the second concert? I didn't think so.

That's my BFS story and I'm sticking to it. If you've never heard of their music then you need to go right now and do it, because they one of the best.

TNT
Words by Ali

A Poem

So, I'm taking this Intro to Creative Writing class, and we've been doing some work with poems. So, I thought I would share with you the one I just turned in for class. I actually started it a year and a half ago while I was in the beautiful country of Greece. Recently, for class, I revised a little and add some too it. Here it is, enjoy and I hope you like it. Don't forget to let me know what you all think.

TNT,
Words by Ali



About a Boy

I fall into oblivion
Wondering in a daze
I look to see you standing there
A smile on your face

You hold you hand out to me
And I find it hard to breath
I want to be in your arms
And never slip away

I find myself falling
Falling faster
Faster for you

I never felt so scared inside
Yet elated all at the same time
I want to hear you call my name
And tell me everything is alright

I only want to see you face
Just once outside my dreams
I always seem to find you there
But never when I wake
When I open my eyes your smile and touch slowly fade away

I find myself falling
Falling faster
Faster for you

Do you ever think of me?
Or wish I was there to hold?
I so long to feel your touch
And know you'll never leave

Your voice I hear while I sleep
Soft and gentle to my ears
The the sounds of morning come
So shrill wake me from my dream

No matter what I say or do I seem to be falling
Falling faster in love with you

Happy New Years!

I hope each and everyone of you had an amazing New Years Eve. Mine was actually rather boring and is nothing to really talk about, or that anyone would want to hear about. Also I have no fun or crazy New Years Eve tales to regale you with, unfortunately. Instead I'm going to post part of a story I'm sort of working on that was at a New Years Eve party. So, enjoy and please don't confuse this with something that actually happened to me. It's all fiction, and all from my crazy and sometimes frightening mind.

TNT,
Words by Ali


New Years Eve Sucked

I don’t even know where to begin. New Years was 2 days ago but I’ve been to depressed to even think about it until now. I was going to go to this kick ass party that my brothers band was playing at. Dad had already said it was fine if I went to the party, back at Christmas. (Which by the way I got an awesome new I-pod. Also a $100 gift card to Barnes & Nobel, cool or what.)

But anyway, my father had said I could go, and then mother found out more about the party. My mother found out it was more of an adult party.

Which means there probably wouldn’t have been any other teenagers there. All peoples in their 20’s and 30’s. That meant there would be alcohol and lots and lots of drinking it. Also, (in only my mothers head) that meant there would be drugs.

Since Patch was going to be playing music he wouldn’t be able to keep an eye on me, with all the drinking and drugging going on. (The woman’s a little crazy.) I was officially not allowed to go to the New Years Party with Patch.

So, your probably thinking I sat home alone and watched the ball drop on TV. Nope, not me. Although, I wish I had. It would’ve been a much better night.

Posie (seeing as how she lives only a few houses down) came over that afternoon. I told her how my mom was now refusing to let me go to the party with Patch.

“What do you plan on doing then?” she asked as she flopped down on my bed, and picked up the seventeen magazine on the floor.

“I don’t know. Stay home and watch the ball drop on TV.”

“To hell you are,” Posie didn’t even look up from her magazine.

“Good article, Posie?”

She glared up at me, “Yeah it is. I swear there’s nothing that Hilary Duff can’t do.”

“Yeah ok,” I’ve noticed that Posie idol worships Hilary Duff. But I don’t get it.

“Alright,” she pulled herself away from Hilary, “I’ve had enough of this anti-social bullshit of yours. We’re all going to Lily Harper’s New Years Eve Bash. Anyone whose anyone is going to be there. Since you now can’t go with Patch to his party your going with me and the girls to Lily’s party.”

All I could do was stare at her. Probably with my mouth half open. “Don’t look at me like that Talbot Mercer. You are coming with me to that party.”

“I’d rather not,” I insisted.

“I don’t care if you don’t want to go, Tal. You’re going and I’m not taking NO for an answer,” Posie would make a great dictator. Cause I heard myself saying I’d go.

Posie pushed up form the bed and smiled. “Now that I’ve gotten a yes out of you let’s rummage through your closet and see if I can find you something decent to wear tonight.”



Let’s fast forward to the party. I got a ride to the party with Posie and her boyfriend, Carter. Can you already see a problem forming?

No matter if you don’t, let’s move on. By the time we got there it was around 9:30 and 10:00. There was already plenty of drinking going on, and I wouldn’t have been surprised to see drugs floating around. (If only my mother knew.)

Half the party was already drunk by the time we gat there. Including Katy and Dasha’s dates. They sure know how to pick them. Posie and Cater went off to find some of his friends. But before she disappeared she told me, “Just relax, Tal. Let yourself have a good time.”

I tried to do what she said. I really did try to enjoy myself. I wondered into the living room when I saw this completely gorgeous guy coming towards me. I had absolutely no idea who this guy was, but I didn’t care cause he was coming to talk to me.

“Hey sweetheart welcome to the party. You look like you could use something to drink,” and he held out the plastic cup he had in hand.

I could smell the beer coming from the cup. So, I pushed it back to him, “No thanx, I’m good.”

“What’s a New Years party if your not drinking? Try it you’ll like it,” he was very charming.

But there was no way he was pressuring me into drinking, “Really I’m not much of a drinker.”

“Well then tonight’s the perfect night to do it,” when he smiled at me I nearly melted into a big pile of pushover.

“But really though, beer makes me sick,” of course I was lying shamelessly. I’ve yet to drink anything.

“I could find you something else to drink?” he really wasn’t going to quit.

“Maybe later.”

“That’s cool. I’m Jonah, and you are?”

“Tal.”

“That’s a beautiful name for a beautiful girl.”

Of course I couldn’t help giggling like a complete idiot. I’d say Jonah was probably 18 or 19 and hot older guys didn’t talk to me. It was amazing. Jonah and I found a couch in the corner and started talking. He seemed nice and funny, and as I said before absolutely charming.

Eventually he went off to get himself another drink. I took a look at my phone and it was already after 11. When I saw Jonah making his way back over I noticed he didn’t have just 1 drink but 2.

He sat back down and handed me the drink. “I got you something I think you might like.”

“Thanx,” now I felt awkward. So, I pretended to take a drink then set it on the coffee table.

“So,” Jonah began setting his drink down as well, “how would you like to be my first kiss of the new year?”

I was to say the least a little shocked he said that. “I only just met you a couple of hours ago.”

He laughed a little at that. He moved closer and put his hand on my thigh. “That’s half the fun, sweetheart.”

“Uh, well I don’t know,” I wasn’t all too comfortable with were this was going.

He moved the one hand up my leg and then put the other one on my neck. “If your scared to kiss me at midnight we can practice now first.”

I didn’t get the chance to reply to that, not that I knew what to say. Before I could even think of something he was there, kissing me. The kiss itself wasn’t’ bad. In actuality it was amazing. It was when his hands started wondering.

It was when he started groping me in places that really made me uncomfortable. I pushed him away and told him to stop. Although, at first he just kept kissing me. I shoved him off me again, harder this time. “I said stop.”

“What’s the problem, baby?” Jonah asked.

“First of all I’m not your baby. Second, there is no problem,” I pushed myself off the couch and out of his grasp, “because I’m leaving.”

I didn’t look back as I ran from the room. I no longer wanted to stay at the party. I went in search of Posie, and found her just outside the kitchen with Katy and Dasha.

“I want to go home, now,” I told her.

“Calm down, Tal,” Posie said sweetly, “We’re not leaving.”

“Besides,” Katy said batting her eyes, “I saw you getting cozy with some hottie a minute ago.”

“That pervert’s the problem. I want to go home.”

“There’s nothing I can do Tal,” she replied sympathetically, “I don’t have a license. Besides I can promise you Carter’s not going to leave the party early to drive you home.”

“Fine, I’ll figure something else out. See you girls in school on Monday.”

I ended up calling Patch and he came and got me for the party. Midnight came while on our drive home. We listened to the ball drop on the radio.

“Sorry I ruined your New Years Patch. I didn’t mean for you to have a lousy New Years right along with me.”

“I didn’t have a lousy New Years. No I wasn’t at some big party. But I couldn’t think of a better way to have spent it then with the world’s greatest little sister.” Then as he stopped at a red light he leaned over and kissed me on the cheek.

I’m so thankful to my brother for helping to make my night not a complete disaster. The incident left me so depressed the last couple of days I’ve barely been able to get out of bed.



My New Years Resolution: I’m swearing off boys. I’m better off without them. (Unless of course the right one comes along.)

Nine Fine Irishmen

Hey all hows it been going? For today I thought I would share a story with you. I'm fairly certain I've told you all before that I love to write stories and things like that. Well I wrote a memoir for my English class about a year or so ago and I thought I would share it with you. It's about one fun night in Vegas on my 21st Birthday. Be sure to let me know what you think of the story and my writing.

TNT
Words by Ali

Nine Fine Irishmen


A birthday is something you should always remember. Not forget it three or four years down the road. My last birthday was certainly one I’ll never forget. Not just because it was my twenty-first and I spent it in Las Vegas, or because we saw the most amazing performance of Phantom at the Opera at the Venetian hotel.

Although, those moments were pretty unforgettable on their own. It was the Friday night at our hotel, New York New York, that I’ll remember most of all. Earlier that day as we went through the casino I had seen an Irish pub, Nine Fine Irishmen.

When we got back to the hotel after dinner my mom and I decided to check out the pub. There was a short line to get in at the door, so we waited. When we finally got up to the door the guy looked at me and asked, “Can I see your I.D.?”

I already had it out so I just handed it over to him. He looked at my licenses then at me. He looked at it again then giving it back he said as he stamped my hand, “Well happy birthday.”

“Thanks,” I replied as I put my licenses back in my wallet and moved into the pub.

The place was packed, almost from wall to wall people. After it seemed like I’d just gone through a maze we made it to the bar. Of course I had no idea what to order. My mom suggested that I get a Tequila Sunrise, so I did.

My mom ordered her drink as well as mine. As the lady behind the bar was pouring her white wine she kept looking over at me. She slid the wine to my mom and as she was getting the things to make my drink she turned to my mom. Tilting her head towards me she asked, “She already got her I.D. checked right?”

My mom laughed, “Yeah, she’s twenty-one today.”

The bartender poured the tequila into the shot glass, dumped it into the glass and she just kept on pouring the tequila. At least ¾ of the glass was filled already. There ended up being hardly any orange juice in it at all.

As my mom was paying for the drinks I noticed a band getting ready to play on a stage at the back of the bar. Don’t ask me what the name of the band was, because I already forget. There were four of them and they were Irish. I could tell they were for two reasons: 1.) the name of the band. I don’t remember what it was but I do remember that it was something Irish. 2.) They had Irish accents. Those are kind of hard to miss.

I took a sip of my drink and the second I did it was like I took a bite out of a lemon. Only ten times worse. My mom laughed at me, but I could tell she felt bad. She took the glass from me and drank some of it so she could get more orange juice put in it.

“Oh, wow, that’s strong,” she said as she drank some of it down.

As the band started playing the two of us made our way up to the stage. When we got there everyone was having a great time dancing and drinking. Six guys in particular. They were partying harder then everyone else there. Later my mom would find out that they were Marines and were shipping out the very next day.

The band began playing their next song and that’s when I first noticed her, a little Asian lady. She was about four feet tall, maybe a bit taller, and looked like she was in her 50’s. She was wearing a short teal skirt and the exact same colored jacket. She was also wearing black fishnet stockings and black knee high boots that laced up the sides. To top it off she had green glitter all around her eyes. She was dressed for Saint Patrick’s Day and it was December.

The outfit wasn’t the only thing that caught everyone’s attention. During every song she was dancing, but not just dancing. The whole time she was dancing an Irish jig. She was certainly a highlight to what was already turning out to be an unforgettable birthday, and it was only the first night.

The band kept on playing and after every song it seemed as if one of the Marines was buying the band a round of drinks. The band seemed fine with the drinks at first. That is until they got to the fourth or fifth round. All the boys in the band were starting to look a little nervous.

They finished the song and the lead singer looked wide eyed down at the drinks. He sighed and said to the crowd, “Well I think you need to slow down on these drinks. We’ve only just started our first set. We’ll already be drunk by the time we start our second.”

That didn’t slow anyone down though. They still bought them down though. They still bought them drinks, and every time the lead singer saw the drinks set in front of them on the stage he’d roll his eyes.

I continued to enjoy the authentic Irish rock band as my mom went to get herself another drink. More then five minutes went by and she wasn’t back yet. It turned out that she was talking to the wife of the Marine who was in charge of the group. That’s how we found out that they were Marines. It’s also how thy found out that it was my twenty first birthday.

First one of them decided he wanted to dance with me. Another one decided he needed to buy me a drink. After the drink I still hadn’t finished though nothing sounded that appealing.

When we left the bar the night was far from over. Although, I think the story of playing blackjack with four men who’d been playing, and drinking, since ten in the morning is a story for another day.

Why Am I Always Mr. Fix it? Or is it Miss Fix it?

I've always been good with my hands. Does that sound dirty? What I mean is I've always been good at fixing things or putting things together. Around 90% of the time we buy furniture that needs to be assembled I get to do it.

I've built three of the four desks in our house. Countless nightstands, or end table. As well as too many chairs to even count. Not too long ago I went downstairs and there was an end table, lying upside down, with a leg missing. The first thing out of my mothers mouth was, "Can you fix that?"

That's not the only thing. As of recently my mother has gone on a cleaning trip and just bought herself a new vacuum cleaner. The instructions to this thing were so simple a four year old could have put it together. But my mom wouldn't just build it. She came to me and said, "Could you put together this vacuum?"

As I'm doing it I look over at her and say, "You do know you could have done this yourself?"

Do you know what she said back? THIS, "I know, but you do it so much better."

Really! Why am I just expected to fix, and assemble, things because I'm good at it? I don't have a problem doing it. I'm not just complaining to complain. I just wish it was more of a choice then an expectation.

What is it you're expected to do?

TNT,
Words by Ali

New and Unique Names

Here's something you might not know about me. I'm a writer. I don't mean that I am a writer just because I have a blog, but because I write fictional stories. I'm not anyone you've ever heard of, obviously. I'm still trying to finish and get my novel published. To be a published author is what I want to do with my life.

What I would like from you out there in the blog verse, is help with character names. It always seems hard to think of new names that I haven't already used before. If you know any names that are different, unique, maybe even a little weird, or you just plain like it. Leave me a comment with the name. It can be a first name or last name, either works.

If you give me a name that I like and use in one of my books, and it gets published, I will put your name in the acknowledgments. Of course it has to be new to me, if I already have it on my list of names then it doesn't count. So, leave the name, as well as what you want to be remembered by. Good luck to all of you.

TNT,
Words by Ali

A Review: I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell

I know I've been gone awhile, but now I'm back. I've just been busy with school and not being able to think of anything to say. Or just because I keep forgetting, me the ever forgetful. Now that I'm back I hope it doesn't take me another month to post again.

When I found out that I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell was going to be playing in Utah, even if it was just in one theater, I knew I had to go see it. I figured I would see it then write something about the movie on here. I saw the movie on Friday, and before I had the chance to do anything else I found out that Tucker Max, the genius behind the book and movie, was coming to Salt Lake City.

Now I had a different plan. I would go see the screening of the movie, and go meet Tucker Max and then I would write about. Of course I didn't particularly want to go by myself, but I would have if I had to. So, I told my brother about it, and then he told one of his friends, who really wanted to go as well. Luckily, my brothers friend Jason went early to get the tickets. He got our tickets by 1:30 and the show sold out around 2:00.

When we got into the theater there was free movie stuff on the back of the seats. This included; a small bag with the movie title, a beer class title on it, a pen and beer opener key chain, a bumper sticker, and a strong band with WWTD? on it. That of course stood for What Would Tucker Do?

Now, I wasn't expecting free stuff so that just made it a whole lot better. Since I had already seen the movie, I was really looking forward to the Q & A with Tucker after the movie. How about my opinion of the movie before we move on? First, I have to admit that the book was much funnier than the movie, but I'm a book snob and I'll be hard pressed to find a movie better than a book.

If you think of the movie as completely separate from the book, it is hilarious. Honestly, I think one of the reasons it's so funny is that it's based on Tucker's life. The book is basically a bunch of different stories about when Tucker was getting drunk, acting like a complete asshole, and trying to score with women. The movie takes some of the funnier stores, and puts them together to a plot.

The movie, just like the book, is; disgusting, degrading, offensive, amoral, and is completely wrong on so many levels. None the less it is one of the funniest things I have ever seen in my life. Of course this movie isn't for everyone. If you get easily disgusted or offended, or think someone who appears to be nothing more than a sexist asshole then you probably wouldn't enjoy this movie. But for everyone else who can tell when a joke is only meant as a joke, and like this type of humor, will love this movie. Knowing me I'll probably see it again.

After the movie was over Tucker came back into the theater, for as I said the Q & A. It gave the people in the audience a chance to ask questions about the movie, or just questions for Tucker. Now I won't repeat some of the things that people said or certainly not what Tucker said, because I try not to use vulgar language on my blog. Yet, some people would say things and you can't help but wonder if they really expected for Tucker not to make fun of them. Some of the funniest things I heard that night were not from the movie, but from Tucker Max's own mouth. I swear the crowd was laughing hard after the movie, then during.

For anyone who knows anything about Tucker Max you would know that if you give him a reason he will make fun of you. There was one guy who before his question decided to announce that he was LDS, and went to BYU, I think he may have just said it to get made fun of because that's the only logical reason. Some people think that you don't have to actually do anything for this guy to be a jerk to you, but as of last night I can tell you that's not true. I think he's a hell of a lot nicer then people imagine he is. If you asked a logical, reasonable question, that he hasn't already answered, then he doesn't make fun of you.

My brother, Ricci, was one of those people. Now his friend, Jason, got made fun of. I can't honestly say I remember what his question was, but it was enough for him to get verbally abused. I wanted to see Jason get taken down, and I did, it made my night. Don't look at me like that, I am not being mean. Before the movie Jason was talking about how he wanted to come up with some crazy question to see what Tucker would say. So, literally he was asking for it, and he even thought it was funny. There was one thing that Tucker said that I couldn't help but completely agree with. One person asked him what he thought about Utah. Tucker responded, "There's too many Mormons." At this I couldn't help but think yes there is, and personally it drives me crazy.

Afterward he hung out a bit to sign some autographs, and take pictures. Of course we had to stay. This was one of the main reasons we even went. I got him to sign my copy of his book, and my brother had him sign his beer glass. At the bottom I'll post the pictures that we had taken, so enjoy.

TNT,
Words by Ali

Am I Still Into the 'Teen' Scene?

Now when I say 'teen scene' I mean like the Disney Channel or Nickelodeon shows. Not those shows on networks like the CW that are supposedly 'teen' shows, but are really for a more mature crowd. For example Supernatural or Gossip Girl, which of course I love both. More so with Gossip Girl, the show centers around teenagers and is for teen, just older teens.

What I mean is the younger teen shows. Such as Hannah Montana, Wizards of Waverly Place, ICarly, or some of the other ones they still show in re-runs. I can honestly say that I'm a fan of Miley Cyrus, Selena Gomez, Demi Lovato, and yes I'll even admit that I like the Jonas Brothers.

Does this mean that at 22, almost 23, I'm still stuck in my adolescents? Or does it mean I'm slightly crazy? But if you really think about it we're all somewhat crazy, in our own eccentric ways. Whether I'm crazy or not doesn't change that I enjoy watching these shows.

Although, there aren't as many good ones these days, as there used to be. The teen shows on the Disney Channel and Teen Nick have gone down hill. Ever since Drake and Josh, Unfabulous, or even Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide, the ideas for new shows are either the same, over done, or just not good.

Despite all of this there still are some good ones left, and I certainly watch them. If you're like me and still watch these types of shows, the ones I've mentioned are worth watching. As well as Sonny With a Chance starring Demi Lovato and the new Jonas Brothers show Jonas.

The One Thing I Hate About Book Stores

I love books. The one thing I enjoy doing the most is reading. Honestly I probably have a couple thousand books lining the walls in my room. Loving to read that much and you can imagine how I enjoy looking for books, at the book store.

Now what you're probably thinking is, what then could she possibly hate about the book stores? Well, that's simple. The thing that I hate is when they decided they need to rearrange the entire store.

It seems just when you know exactly where every section is they move it. Then you have to re-learn where each section you read is at. Not only that, but it also only seems to be the sections you look in. If you read Science Fiction it'll have been moved. Mystery, of course that one too. But if you don't read about computers that will have remained where it always was.

Personally, I think that if they have a system working for them why move it. All it does is cause heartache and strife for those who know the store even better then they do. I know I'm being overly dramatic, but where's the fun in it if I can't.

TNT,
Words by Ali

Thoughts on the Seattle Mission Trip

The first thing I have to say is that this trip was the best thing I could have done for me. I have grown so much in just the last five days that it's hard for even me to believe that I did. I've done things on this trip that I never thought I would feel comfortable doing. I've gotten to know people that I really didn't talk to all that much, and I can even say I've made a few new friends.

Even the 16 hour drive up to Seattle was more fun then I would have thought possible. That mostly had to do with the people I was sharing a van with. Ask yourself this question: How much fun do you think you can have painting a house and doing yard work? I had a blast. There were about 26 of us all working at this one house and working with these people was more exciting then you could imagine. It didn't even feel like we were working. We were laughing, playing around, and joking with each other about everything that we were doing.

That was on Friday. On Saturday we did something that I have honestly been dreading since I first found out that we were going to be doing it. It's a little something we called Prayer on the Porch. We paired up in groups of two or three and walked around the neighborhoods. Knocking on doors and asking people if there was anything we could pray for them for.

I went out on this excursion with two guys, Matt and Steele. We would switch off on who would knock on the door and talk. Me, I put off knocking until the last possible second. I was thankful that the first door I knocked on no one was home, except for the non-stop barking of the dog. I think I was so nervous that first time that I don't think I would have even been able to speak. By the time the second house came around to me, I wasn't as nervous and was able to get some words out.

This time I spent knocking on doors and talking to complete strangers was really stretching for me, and you don't realize how amazing it was. Not only did I step out of my comfort zone and do it, but I was certainly enjoying myself by the end of the day. The only down side about the area we were in was all the spiders. They were everywhere, no joke. There were spider webs at every door step, and there was even one large spider right above the doorbell to the door I was supposed to be knocking on.

One little story before I move on. It was the second house that I was to knock at, and there was this long walkway up to the door. It was probably about 15 feet. I get to the door, get ready to knock and turn to see the both of them way at the end of the walkway. Now since the first house was a no show I could see this as my first house, and I was so super nervous. So, when I saw them standing way back there, I didn't even really think about it I just said, "Seriously, you're going to stand way back there." Of course they then moved a little closer, but they thought this was the funniest thing I could have said. Then, after heading back for lunch, proceeded to tell everyone about what I had said, making everyone else laugh in the process. It was an amazing day. Despite how scared I was at the thought of doing it, I'm glad I did.

I have to say the best part of the trip for me, or I should say enlightening, was the very last night we were there. After the church service a large group of us took a ferry ride from Edmonds to Kingston and back. I sat outside and the top of the stairs, looking down at the front of the boat and the deep black of the water at night. As I sat there watching the people I had come with play around, having fun in the chilling wind, I realized that for me this was what it was about. Not the goofing off, but the relationships that had been formed.

You see these are relationships that without this mission trip I don't think I ever would have made. I honestly think that I would have seen them week after week, but they would have been nothing more then acquaintances. I spent time making friends with people that before this trip I probably hadn't said more then a sentence or two to them at one given time. It's different now. God had me go on this trip so that I could build friendships with other believers, I guess this was the only way for me to do it. That wasn't the only reason of course. We were also there to help and encourage the congregation of the Expedition Church, and I feel we did that.

Yet as I sat by myself watching everyone below me, I knew that this only happened because of God. Right there I prayed, as I looked out into the beautiful night. I thanked God for everything I had, everything He had done, everything He was going to do, and that He would help to me to see what He wants of me next. It was the perfect ending to the trip, and I still thank God that I was able to go and be a part of it.

TNT,
Words by Ali