Perdiddle!

Last night, Stuart and I were driving home from the movies. . okay, we were actually driving home from ice cream after the movies, when all of a sudden, passing us was a car with only one headlight.  Without any hesitation, as if some instinct in me was controlling my arm, I punched Stuart as hard as I could and yelled "PERDIDDLE!"  

Poor Stuart, and his non-savvy, California-ways, was totally clueless as to why his fiancee whom he had just made happy moments before with ice cream was punching him (in all fairness, and Stuart will attest to this, I really did not punch him all that hard because I was laughing so much.  Still, the very act was confusing.). 

After I regained my composure (No I didn't), I was utterly clueless as to why Stuart had never heard of this delightful game.  My sister and I spent years giving each bruises playing this game and when I became a teenager, it was no less fun beating up my nearest and dearest friends with one hand on the wheel.

Then I thought, "maybe it's a Utah thing."  I was sure that Katie would know what it was, but when I asked her, she had never felt the joy of yelling "Perdiddle" and smacking her friends either (well, she smacked her friends, she didn't have a cool word to yell with it).  Weird, weird.

Am I the last cool person on earth (insert joke at my expense here)? 

I Heart Brownies

I don't know how anyone could not like brownies.  They are chewy,  soft, and they are full of chocolate.  What's not to like?  Today I brought brownies to work for an after-work baby shower.  This pan of brownies has been sitting here next to me all day taunting.  "Cambria!  Cambria!  Don't you want a brownie, Cambria?!!"  As if I am not already going to look like a freak for having two brownies missing from the pan.  Now, there might be a third.

Next to ice cream, there is no dessert I would rather have.  It could be the most exquisite delicacy from France or somewhere exotic and I would always take the brownies.  Call me a Utah girl.  Call me hoakie, but brownies are where it's at.

When I was in college I would make a pan during finals week and enjoy chew chocolately-filled hours writing papers.  No one was allowed to eat them except for me.  Not my ex-boyfriend, not my ex-roommates.  I am pretty sure I would not have shared them with my own mother (Love ya, Mom!)

I LOVE BROWNIES!. . I just realized that writing about brownies is only making me crave this pan next to me more.  I'll have to make another pan tomorrow (Love ya, Stuart.  You know I am so bad for out diet).

These brownies are making me nuts.  Ew.  That is one thing I do not LOVE, nuts in brownies.  I hope you agree, readers.  Seeing brownies with nuts is like seeing a pair of fabulous shoes on sale and then being told there are no more 8 1/2 left.

Who writes a whole blog entry about brownies?  Better yet, who reads a whole blog entry about brownies?

Reading Is The New Black

So yesterday, one of my favorite new authors had her new book come out.  Jen Lancaster is so funny she literally makes me laugh out loud when reading her delightful books.  Her first book was so awesome in fact, that I was trying to device a way in which I could buy the rights and write it into a screenplay.  It's that funny.  

So her new book came out yesterday (I have all my favorite modern authors' book releases penciled into my calendar.  Yes, I am that awesome.).  I want nothing more than to get out of work with my adorable teenagers and dash to the bookstore.  Only problem is that I have many obstacles in my way.  My night class (stupid Tuesdays), going to the gym, grocery shopping, and making brownies for a baby shower I am attending today (don't worry that the pan mysteriously has two brownies missing.  I'm as surprised as you).  So, with all these conflicts, I think that maybe i can still get in maybe two hours of reading before my 10 p.m. bedtime (11 p.m.).

However, when I get to the lovely Barnes n' Noble in Provo (don't ask. . .my class in is happy valley), there is no "Such a Pretty Fat" in sight.  In fact, the only book I can seem to see is Stephenie Meyer's new book.  Now I love Bella and Edward as much as the next gal, but seriously?!  Upon asking the nice, but helplessly dumb salesclerk to find my book (PRONTO!) can can't find it.  Not in the back..still not in the back.  "I'm sorry.  Do you want me to order it for you?"  yeah right.  

So, after I skip out of my class early, I drive to yet another two bookstore and it is nothing but The Host" as far as the eye can see.  Who does Stephenie Meyer think she is, anyway?  

Finally, an intelligent soul finds it (I swear, sometimes, I imagine myself in another world being a friendly book clerk.  But then I would probably turn out like the snobby record store clerks in "High Fidelity.").

Major Disaster avoided.. . .oh yeah.  I totally bought the Stephenie Meyer book too.

Books are my crack.

The Test Is In The Directions

Today, I have to administer I very boring and very "important" state-standardized test to my students.  This goes on pretty much all week and it sucks the life out of me while I sit in careful silent checking my email and sucks the soul out of my students who must succumb to rows, dictatorial teacher-authority, and awful silence (all in the midst of spring, otherwise known in the teenager world, as goof-off season).

But, while I do have a certain empathy for my students, I still must wonder at the competency of some of their listening skills.  When the directions of a test state "Do not open your test booklet until I have told you to do so," you would think that this would be simple enough, right?  You would think that a fifteen-year-old could handle this, yes?  But NO!  Not so.  Many of them just can't help themselves.  They must open the booklet.  It is like some sort of  magnetic force inside them is prompting them "Open the book!"  

So. . .I, of course, get to stop.  Look at the student.  Watch the wheels turning inside their heads. "Why is the teacher staring at me?"  Pause.  "Why is the teacher staring at me?"  More pause.  Teacher, "Please DO NOT OPEN YOUR BOOKLET UNTIL I Have instructed you to do so!"  Oh.  Student is embarrassment.  Teacher. .really, is embarrassed enough for everyone.  Jeez. 

 Simple instruction.  50% failure from students.  Perhaps I should grade them on whether or not they are able to accomplish listening-skills during my instructions. . but, then I would probably be sending too many to summer school.

Sigh.  20 more school days.

One Year and A Day

So, my fiancee and I have dating for one year yesterday.  He is wonderful. Utterly the best man I've ever met.  He took me to sushi yesterday (we met at a sushi restaurant) and we had an awesome weekend together hanging out, eating, and watching Twin Peaks.

Ladies, don't settle until you find one like this one.  Stuart was totally worth the wait and trials.  He is my best buddy, my confidant, one makes me laugh, smile, and so so happy.

Baby, I love you!

Getting To Know You

What is it about these chain emails that people get so addicted to? I am sure that I have received no less than 30 different types of "Get to know you" emails in which people pass along vital information about themselves, such as "diamonds or pearls" to their friends, who probably already know the answer anyway. "Well, thank God that I just learned that Timmy likes posies instead of tulips. I was highly misinformed and would have brought the wrong birthday bouquet for sure."
I kind of get the feeling sometimes that people often do not even read other's answers, it's simply a way for people to beat their own "score" if you will. "Last time, I was funny, but let's see if I can shock 'em too." It is sort of like those people who are in a conversation simply so they can hear themselves talk at some point and feel like they really zinged someone.
By now you will have noticed that I have now two "get to know you" entries that were sent to me. Just couldn't help myself. I had to fill them out. These posts are like email crack for people. I could be doing something totally important at work or lecturing students and as soon as I see one of these bad-boys I have to stop everything and think of my most embarrassing moment or what season really describes me.. .
Ridiculous, right?
But of course, you will probably see another "get to know me" blog. Maybe next time it will reveal what animal I would be in a former life or something.

Now you know my CBCs (Thanks Katie!)

Get it?! CBCs. . not ABCs, cause my name is Cambria.. . .he he he.

A- Attached or single: attached
B- Best Friend: Katie an Erica. . .and Stuart.
C- Cake or Pie: Cake. Pie has pie crust, therefore, it is yucky.
D- Day of the Week: Saturday! It's the day of rest, the other six days are devoted to the worst four-letter word ever-WORK.
E- Essential item(s): i-Pod, Books, my water bottle, and Engagement Ring.
F- Favorite Color: Green, although, after reading Katie's blog, I am sort of getting partial to shiny.
G- Gummi Bears or worms: Worms. . .and red ones only.
H- Hometown: Murray, UT
I- Indulgences: Nails, Pedicures, Froo-froo coffee drinks, and Endless i-Tune purchases.
J- January or July: July, snow sucks!
K- Kids: Sawyer and one day maybe a couple more.
L- Life is incomplete without: Stuart, Sawyer, family, friends, music, stories, laughter, and summer.
M- Marriage date: August 1st, 2008
N- Number of siblings: 1 sister, 1 brother, 1 brother-in-law
O- Oranges or apples: Apples everyday, but oranges are good too. . fruit though, not the juice!
P- Phobias or Fears: Heights
Q- Quotes: "Life is too important to be taken seriously."
R- Reason(s) to smile: Summer, Saturdays, Sawyer being happy, home-cooked food, sushi, traveling, warm beds, socks
S- Season: SUMMER, followed by fall, followed by spring.. ..winter can suck it.
T- Tag seven: Do seven people even read this blog?
U- Unknown fact about me: TBA
V- Vegetarian or meat lover: Just white meat and fish please. I would much rather have veggies.
W- Worst habit: Chewing my FAKE nails.
X- X-rays or ultrasounds: I don't think I've ever had an ultrasound.
Y- Your favorite food: sushi.
Z- Zodiac: Gemini