Who You Gonna Call!?

Hello, readers! I'm sorry for the blogging recess. But I'm back now and excited to share with you a picture of my new best friend...

It's Dan Akroyd! My company sells a vodka that Dan, (we're totally on a first name basis), co-owns and he came to our office a few weeks ago. I got to meet him, take this snazzy picture with him and get his autograph. He's a really cool dude! We're making plans to get together next week for tea. I'm hoping to get his opinions on the most recent Twilight movie!

Yet Another Maryellen Moment...

For those of you who've been following Life's A Musical for some time, you know that I've written a handful of posts about my mother's occasional nonsensical outbursts. Every once in awhile, we'll have a conversation that makes me fear the state of my mind in 30 years. Here's a "fun" little conversation that took place today...

Me: "Hey, Mom. Guess who just got engaged? It's someone we know pretty well."

Mom: "Oh my God, YOU!?"

Me: ".................... Are you for real?"

Mom: "Ok, let me guess.... (Insert name of random boy I dated briefly in high school)"

Me: "..................... Again, are you for real? Out of all the people it could be, you guess (Insert name of random boy I dated briefly in high school)"

Mom: "Oh, I know!..... (Insert name of cousin who isn't currently dating anyone)"

Me: "Mom, come on. Give me a serious guess here."

Mom: "Oh, is it (Insert name of random friend I haven't talked to in about 7 years)?"

Me: "Wow, you are really bad at this game."

Mom: "Is it your brother!?"

Me: "UGH! Mom, NO! It's Antonio & Hannah!"

Congratulations, guys!

Happy 2012!

Did everyone have a fun New Years?... Oh, you didn't? Well, that's no real surprise. New Years may just be the most over-rated Holiday in existence. I think Groundhog's Day might have a better track record of being a fun, joyous holiday. I have not had many successful New Years celebrations. HOWEVER... My New Year's celebrations last night were surprisingly QUITE enjoyable! Here's a run-down of the night's events...

6:00- Went over to Brian's house.
6:10- Began cooking home-made Chinese food with Brian!
6:25- Burnt some garlic, making Brian's house smell like burnt popcorn. Opened several windows.
7:00- Sat down to eat and drink w/ Brian and two of our friends, Gwen & Jeff.
7:45- Scratched off some lottery tickets! Gwen won $2.00.
8:05- Brian demanded we buy MORE lottery tickets, so we drunkenly walked to 7-11.
8:30- Took an AWESOME picture with a polar bear! (See image above)
8:40- Won $10.00 on a lottery ticket!
9:45- Began watching Revenge of the Nerds
10:30- Took a brake from movie to scratch off more lottery tickets! Jeff won $2.00
11:45- Finished Revenge of the Nerds
12:00- Ran a lap around Brian's house banging pots w/ wooden spoons to celebrate 2012!
12:01- Brian ran into a tree stump during the lap & hurt his leg.
12:35- Very drunk Brian started talking about the Soviets.
12:58- Very drunk Brian and I went to bed.

What a great New Years Eve! Happy 2012!

Things I want for Christmas but forgot to ask for!

Hello, Readers! One thing you may not know about me is that I'm spoiled. Like really, I'm SPOILED! Like... "I'm 24 and still hand my parents (and Brian) a Christmas list" spoiled. My list this year was a carefully constructed mix of giftcards, money, computer toys, & a donation to the ASPCA... something I tacked on at the end so I would feel less spoiled.

Shamefully, there are still things I want that I forgot to put on my Christmas list. (I know, right!? What a disaster!)... I am therefore mentioning those items in this post hoping that Santa reads Life's A Musical and might hire another seasonal "elf-ployee" to fulfill this deprived girl's wishes!

Things I want for Christmas but forgot to ask for:

1) Helium Four-Bottle Fuel Belt: Have I mentioned on this blog that I plan to run the Marine Corps Marathon next year? No? WELL... here is my official pronouncement: I plan to run the Marine Corps Marathon next year! This fuel-belt would definitely keep me hydrated during hot summer training months. (It's also pink!)

 

See this belt on Amazon.com! 

2) A subscription to Runner's World Magazine: For the last four or five months, I have sneakily sat in Barnes & Noble reading every issue of this magazine. They have great tips for runners & make me feel so knowledgeable! But I'm scared the B&N employees are catching-on to my scheme. I have a memorable face!

3) A Basket of Dachshund Puppies: Why hello, little puppies! Would you like to cuddle & keep my feet toasty warm and I will love you forever? AWW, you're so cute & awkwardly long and I want to put little hot-dog costumes on you!

Unfortunately for this spoiled little Princess, Brian has already threatened told me he's getting me this for Christmas...

Yes, that is what you think it is. A squid hat. A hat shaped like a squid. I told him I'd buy him a matching one and we could be the "Squid Couple"... Joy.

Happy Shopping!!

Good vs. Bad Etsy Geekery

Since the holiday season is approaching, I think it's time again to do a little run-down of some GOOD vs. BAD geekery featured on one of my favorite websites, Etsy.com ... 

Good Geekery

1) Monet Kindle Cover... Not only is this Kindle cover super stylish, it protects your portable reading device from spilled liquids, sand, and crumbs! Qui!

2) Twilight Charm Bracelet... A replica of the bracelet Jacob made for Bella in Eclipse, this piece is a subtle way to show your Twilight obsession to the world, because only those who've read and loved the books will understand it! (Everyone else will just think you like wolves).

3) Harry Potter Toilet Decal... In the 7th Harry Potter book, Harry & his pals had to flush themselves down porcelain thrones in order to break into the Ministry of Magic. Putting this on your toilet seat at home would not only be hilarious, but an excellent conversation starter!

4) Pracing Pony T-shirt... A reference to an inn visited by our hobbit friends in LOTR, how cute is this t-shirt!? Completely nerdy, of course, yet impressively subtle and stylish.


Bad Geekery:

1) Ugly Mermaid Doll: If you were a 10 year-old girl and got this doll in your stocking, would you scream and fear Santa for the rest of your life? I certainly would! Not only is this freaky mermaid rocking saggy boobs uncovered by sea-shells, she also appears not to have a face.

2) Knitted Twilight Dolls: First of all, these dolls look nothing like the Twilight characters. Second, they don't have mouths, which they need for inhaling food & blood. And third, they are missing hands and feet.

3) "Daddy's lil Hunting Buddy" Onesie... Not only am I against hunting, but I am against baby's hunting. I am also against baby hunting. Baby's holding guns... not cute! Baby's shooting baby animals.... DISTURBING!

4) "Pope Eating Babies" Magnet... I'm sorry, but I must have missed the news story about the Pope eating babies. Sure, the current Pope may be a little scary looking... but baby eating? Good LORD, hide your children!

Note to Readers: The artists on Etsy.com work incredibly hard to craft their products. The above written criticisms are my own snobby opinions and are not meant to put-down any Etsy artists.

THE END!

Happy Tofurky Day!

Happy Thanksgiving, my lovely readers! You can tell it's Thanksgiving in the Leister household as my mother is freaking out, (as she does every year), that she won't be able to finish the cooking, (yet insists on making 10+ dishes).... She's already asked me to make a trip to the grocery store... & liquor store. It's 9:00am.

Anyway... I'd like to share with you my list of what I'm thankful for on this lovely Thanksgiving!

1)  The Gardein Tofurky I bought myself last weekend that will make me feel included at the dinner table today! (It's time to play NAME THAT MOVIE..."Because, I want to fit in")

2) My job. They pay me, they keep me busy & entertained during the day, & they praise me when I do good work! What's not to love!? I'm very grateful. (Do you think I should wear this penguin's shirt to work?)

3) The Elliptical machine located so ideally and wonderfully in our basement. It provides me with the perfect workout so I don't have to bear the freezing weather during cold winter months. Elliptical machine, I solute you!

4) This hot stud... (Hint... It's Brian!)

5) The fact that I don't have to grow & harvest all the food I eat today. And that I don't have to live with malaria & destroy the lives of hundreds of Native Americans.

6) Harry Potter & Twilight. They have enriched my life with magic & fantasy and have indeed helped to spur my creative, genius mind. Such joy, such joy...

Happy Tofurky Day!!

Breaking Dawn (AKA- Twilight 4.1)

Last night I took three of my home-girls to see Breaking Dawn, the fourth film in the oh-so-popular Twilight series. In my opinion, it was the best Twilight film yet! Here's why...

1) Taylor Lautner ripped off his shirt in the first minute of the film. THE-FIRST-MINUTE!

2) Kristen Stewart only looked constipated during the last 5/6 of the film. The first 1/6 was free of her signature "irregular" expressions!

3) Charlie, Bella's father, was hilarious during the beautiful wedding scene. ("Well, it's time to get drunk!")

4) Robert Pattinson's new haircut was FINE as WINE!

5) Kristen Stewart looked like absolute crap during the pregnancy scenes when a half-vampire/half-human was sucking the life out of her. It may be evil of me to say so, but I quite enjoyed watching!

6) In the scene when the wolves were talking to each other, I thought I was watching some weird sci-fi clip of futuristic robot dogs. HILARIOUS!

7) I've decided where I want my next vacation to be... Isle Esme! And Brian will totally let me hop on his back before we jump off a giant waterfall. If Edward can do it, so can Brian!

8) There was a preview before the movie for The Hunger Games. If you haven't read the series, go buy the first book and get on that!

GO TEAM JACOB!.... and I guess TEAM EDWARD too.