This is What my Heart Looks Like:

Today’s picture is actually 25 in one, should you choose to follow the link provided below. You really should, you know. It’s hilarious and awesome. There are 24 more where this came from. . .

25 Pictures Taken at Exactly the Right Moment

I’m Famous Today…No Big Deal

I may or may not have made these charts. Hint: I did.

I Love Charts

I Love Charts

Stuff I Want Wednesday

Killing two birds with one stone today, by using up a long-overdue Plinky prompt: Create a super-pet by combining any three animals.

An elephant.

A hedgehog.

And a parrot.

What do you get?

An elehedgerot. A tiny elephant with colorful spines and wings, that can talk, fly, and curl up into a ball. Weird and geeky, no?

Monday Meme

What’s geekier than an Internet meme quiz? Not much. Here’s one:

ARE YOU…

 1. A cuddler? Absolutely not. I like my personal space. Maybe I just haven’t found the right person to cuddle with yet.

2. A morning person? Much more than I used to be, although I still really enjoy being more of a night owl.

3. A perfectionist? Yes, most of the time.

4. An only child? No. I have a brother.

5. Catholic? No.

6. In your pajamas? Not currently.

7. Currently suffering from a broken heart? Not at the moment.

8. OK with styling other people’s hair? If by that you mean I have the desire to do it, not usually, unless it’s someone I know. If you mean do I have the skills, sadly, no.

9. Left handed? Yes, and very proud to be!

10. Addicted to Facebook? I’m ashamed to admit it, but probably so. I need to break that habit.

11. Shy around the opposite gender? Yes. I’m usually shy around anyone I don’t know, although I’m getting better about it as I get older.

 DO YOU…

 12. Bite your nails? No.

13. Get paranoid at times? Yes, I think everyone does at some time or another.

14. Currently regret something you have said? I do regret things I’ve said in the past, although nothing very recent.

15. Curse frequently when you get mad? It usually just comes out as one good, dirty word, then it’s over.

16. Enjoy country music? Hate it.

17. Enjoy jazz music? Usually when I’m studying or want to listen to something mellow without words.

18. Enjoy talking on the phone? If it’s with friends or family, I like it. If I have to call someone for work-related reasons, I don’t like that much. I feel like a bumbling idiot on the phone with people I don’t know.

19. Enjoy smoothies? Yes, who doesn’t enjoy smoothies? Especially now, in the hot summer.

20. Have a lot to learn? Everyone has a lot to learn.

21. Have a pet? Yes, I have a turtle.

22. Have a tendency to fall for the “wrong” person? If by wrong you mean “completely oblivious to my existence,” then yes. I haven’t been in abusive or bad relationships, though.

23. Have all your grandparents? No, just one.

24. Have at least one sibling? Yes, just one.

25. Have been told that you are smart? Yes, but I definitely don’t always feel that way!

26. Have a broken bone? No. I’ve only ever broken my toe once, a long time ago.

27. Have caller ID on your phone? Yes, I think almost everyone does now. That’s pretty standard, isn’t it?

 HAVE YOU…

 28. Changed a diaper? Yes, but not in a really, really long time. I was probably babysitting.

29. Changed a lot over the past year? I think I’ve gotten more confident about public speaking and starting conversations with strangers. I used to be very shy and get nervous about making presentations, but now I can do it like it’s nothing.

30. Had friends who have never seen your natural hair color? No, I used to just highlight my hair, but I haven’t done that in a long time. I like my natural color. I can’t imagine coloring it so often that you forget what color it used to be.

31. Had surgery? Yes, I’ve had my wisdom teeth removed.

32. Killed another person? No. And even if I had, I don’t think the internet is a wise place to go blabbing about it.

33. Had your hair cut within the last week? No.

34. Had the cops called on you? Well, sort of. It involves campus safety (so hardly “cops”) and some harmless pranking, but that’s a story for another time.

 THE LAST PERSON WHO…

35. Slept in your bed beside you? I cannot remember the last time anyone else slept in my bed. Maybe back in college when I had friends home for a weekend.

36. Saw you cry? My mom, I think. That’s been a while. I don’t usually cry, and then especially not in front of other people.

37. Went to the movies with you? Amanda.

38. You went to the mall with? Amanda, again.

39. You went out to a restaurant dinner with? My mom.

40. You talked on the phone with? Someone who called our house asking for my mom.

41. Made you laugh? A video I watched recently online.

 WOULD YOU RATHER…

 42. Pierce your nose or tongue? Nose, definitely. Although I don’t think my parents would like that at all.

43. Be serious or be funny? Funny. I’ve spent too much of my life being too serious.

44. Drink whole or skim milk? Maybe skim, although it tastes like water. Whole milk tastes like butter. Can I mix them together to make 2%?

45. McDonald’s or Wendy’s? Wendy’s, because they have frostys.

46. Punk or goth? Punk, I guess, but only if Anthony Bourdain was there, too.

 ARE YOU…

 47. Simple or complicated? Complicated, definitely.

48. Gay? Nope.

49. Hardcore? I don’t think this is a complete question.

 DO YOU PREFER… 

 50. Flowers or candy? Flowers.

51. Gray or black? Gray.

52. Color or black and white photos? It depends on the subject of the photos. Mostly I like black and white, but color is also nice.

53. Lust or love? Love, although lust is fun sometimes.

54.Sunriseor sunset? Sunset.

55. M&Ms or Skittles? Skittles.

56. Staying up late or waking up early? Staying up late, unless I have a lot of things to do the next day. Then I like to get up early and get everything finished.

57. Sun or moon? Moon. Full Moon.

58. Winter or fall? Fall, definitely. Winter is too cold, and besides, fall is just too pretty, with the gorgeous leaves and that slight crispness to the air.

59. Left or right? Left. We leftys have to stick together.

60. Having 10 acquaintances or having 2 best friends? 2 best friends.

61. Sun or rain? Sun.

62. Vanilla ice cream or chocolate ice cream? Chocolate. Ice cream isn’t worth eating without it.

63. Vodka or Jack? I’m sorry, I don’t understand this question. What is this “prefer” you speak of?

 ABOUT YOU…

 64. What time is it now? 4:50

65. Name? Laura the Lazy Llama

66. Nicknames: See above.

67. Where are you? At home, in our downstairs office.

68. What is your birthdate? October 27. The best day ever. There’s a Facebook group.

69. What do you want? Enough money to pay for grad school!

70. Where do you want to live?Paris.

71. How many kids do you want? 3 or 4.

72. What would you want to name a girl? Anna Sophia, Alice, Amelia. I promise I like names that don’t start with A.

73. What would you want to name a boy? Paul, Bennett, Henry.

74. Do you want to get married? Yes, someday.

75. Nervous habits: Biting the inside of my lip.

76. Are you double jointed? No.

77. Can you roll your tongue? Yes.

78. Can you raise one eyebrow? Yes, but only on one side.

79. Can you cross your eyes? Yes.

80. Do you make your bed daily? No.

81. Which shoe goes on first? Whichever one I grab. I don’t usually notice that.

82. How much money do you usually carry with you? None, it’s all about plastic.

83. What jewelry do you wear? Usually a ring and earrings. Not even that, lately.

84. Do you twirl your spaghetti or cut it? Twirl, the real way, with a spoon, which real Italians taught me to do.

85. Favorite ice cream? Half Baked. Or Late Night Snack. It’s a tough call.

 IN THE LAST MONTH, HAVE YOU…

 86. Had a boyfriend/girlfriend? No.

87. Bought something you didn’t need? Yes.

88. Sang in front of people? No.

89. Been kissed? No.

90. Been hugged? No.

91. Felt stupid? Yes.

92. Missed someone? Yes.

93. Gotten drunk? No.

94. Gotten high? No, not ever.

95. Danced crazy? No. Probably something to do with my answer to 93.

96. Cried? No.

Ten Things Tuesday – June 7

There have been quite a few picture posts lately; I guess I’m just in a visual mood. Here’s another one to add to the pile. Ten things I love right now:

1. Castle. This show is so fun – clever, witty, dramatic – the perfect balance. The cast has great chemistry, which makes it really fun to watch. It’s more of a light-hearted look at all those generic TV crime dramas. Warning: you might just see some more Castle-related posts soon…

2. Summer Reading. Hello, my name is Laura, and I’m a book-a-holic. I’m starting to get worried about which books I’ll take with me when I move, and which ones will have to stay behind. Books are like friends, and I can’t bear to give them up.

3. House-sitting. It gives me the feeling of independence that comes with having your own place without all the responsibility of it. It’s like a week of vacation from home. And you get paid.

4. Mumford and Sons. I lost their CD in the Great Computer Crash and just recently got a copy from a friend. Oh, how I have missed them.

5. Honeymoon. No, I didn’t get married. It’s the summer brew from Blue Moon. Hints of honey and clover make it delicious and craveable all year ’round.

6. Free Fallin’. John Mayer’s cover of this song is probably the best version out there.

7. Summer dresses. Nothing is better for stifling heat.

8.Concerts. Unfortunately, due to food poisoning, this got cancelled. My heart is breaking just a little bit over that.

9. Ridiculously awesome snacks. My inner 90′s child had a major mouth-gasm when I saw this variety pack of fruit snacks. Also, please note the ingredients in that ice cream.

 

10. IOGraphica. Want to see the pattern my house has made across my computer screen all morning? Check it out!

Stuff I Want Wednesday

My friend Amanda got a puppy on Monday. I’m super-jealous. I want one for myself. This is my mom, holding Bear, who is just about the cutest thing ever.

Chills

Well, I get to say it again. You’d never know it was late spring, almost summer around here. It’s cold again. Not by winter standards, of course, but definitely much colder than it has been recently. We had a really bad storm the other night, and yesterday it was so cold. I would know, because I’ve spent the last two days at conservation camp, standing out in the middle of the woods with a hissing cockroach and a bunch of 4th graders. Tuesday’s weather was really pretty – warm and sunny. It was enough to give me a bit of a sunburn. Yesterday couldn’t have been more different. It was rainy and freezing – I left my jacket on the entire time, and I was worried about the cockroach getting too cold. It even started hailing a little at one point. The two days couldn’t have been more different – from warm, sunny early summer to rainy, cold late fall. I hope I don’t have to repeat that anytime soon.

As outreaches go, the programs were pretty good, despite the weather. It’s always tough to keep the attention of 4th graders by the end of the day, even while holding a huge exotic bug. I did this same one last year (you remember the Enviroscape fiasco, right?), so I was used to the format and the other presenters. Of all the conservation camps there are around here, this one is probably the most challenging as far as the audience of kids. I’m just glad to have it overwith though, because that means one less thing I have to do. It’s a crazy couple of weeks, and I don’t know how I’m ever going to get anything done.

It was even still cold again today. Seriously, I don’t know what’s up with this weather. You think winter’s over, and then suddenly it’s the first week of May and you’re back in a fleece coat sitting by a fire to keep warm. I guess it’s lucky that I didn’t take the flannel sheets off my bed yet…

Ten Things Tuesday – April 26

Today is a sad post day. You’ve been warned, so if you don’t want to keep reading, I don’t blame you. I do think that writing about it can be a cathartic process, so that’s what I’m doing: I’m letting out all the bottled-up emotion I haven’t been able to express the past few days. Ten reasons I am sad today:

1. I am most sad today for the baby chick that has been living at my house for the past day and a half. My mom hatched chicken eggs in her classroom last week, one of which needed some help getting out of its shell. You’re not really supposed to do this, but he was still alive one day after pipping, and we just had to try to rescue him. He was very weak and looked almost deformed, so we weren’t hopeful that he’d make it. I can’t stand to see a living creature suffering, though, but I had no idea what to do. We kept him warm and gave him food and water, though I don’t know how much of it he was able to eat. I did try to give him water in a dropper last night. My mom woke me up this morning to tell me that he’d died sometime during the night. It’s not a surprise, but it’s still very sad. For two days, he was my little buddy. It is a bitter reminder of the cycle of life, in this season of birth and renewal.

2. I am sad that I don’t have a closer relationship with my brother. I know, guys are a lot more guarded and less social than girls, but sometimes it really hurts to feel cast aside by him. Especially when I want to help, and he’s unwilling to accept it. Sometimes I’m not even sure if he loves me; my mom insists that he does, despite his ability to show it. I see the great, close relationships my friends have with their siblings – granted, they’re nearly all sisters – and I envy that. Living at home these past two years, without my brother and with very little contact with him, makes me feel like an only child. Maybe one day we’ll have that good relationship that I want, but for now, he’s like a stranger to me.

3. I am sad that people are so rude and entitled that they feel the need to cause trouble and pick a fight with others who mean them no harm. If you come home to find that the guest of a neighbor is parked in “your” spot, despite not having assigned parking, don’t park directly behind them for hours, waiting for them to come ask you to move their car in the event of starting a fight. It’s quite tacky and frankly just makes you look awful. Don’t just assume that people are out to get you, and entice them into a confrontation.

4. I am sad that I have made no recent effort to get to the gym or eat the way I should. I know better, I have done better. I have just become complacent and comfortable, and now I feel awful.

5. I am sad that I haven’t taken more risks in my life.

6. I am sad that I cannot find a good balance between working and having a social life. I don’t feel like I’ve tried really hard, either. I fear that this inability to put in enough time for friends, family, and “me” time will translate into grad school and my future career. I can see myself becoming one of those people who live to work, instead of working to live. Don’t get me wrong, I do enjoy my current job and am looking forward to my future career as an art therapist. I just worry that I’ll never find that balance of a work life and a life outside it.

7. I am sad that I have let my hobbies and interests fall by the wayside. When was the last time I painted anything? Probably at Governor’s School two summers ago. When was the last time I sat down to knit, or make jewelry? Ages ago, to the point where I’m not sure I even remember how to knit. When was the last time I did anything outside or outdoorsy, which I’ve realized lately I dearly miss? Can’t remember. I have done nothing, nothing, for two years except sit around and watch TV, work, or go to the gym. Sure, there’s been the occasional road trip and things like that, but it’s been such a long time that I feel I have become a boring hermit.

8. I am sad that I am not a more affectionate person. Most of the time I’m guarded and don’t like my personal space invaded. I’m surprisingly very private about my life and my emotions with my close friends and family. It’s hard to keep all that to myself sometimes, but I do it anyway because it’s easier than being vulnerable. I know that if I was more open in general, I wouldn’t feel so lonely.

9. I am sad that I don’t make great efforts to stay in touch with my college friends. I say this all the time, but nothing ever changes.

10. I am sad that I cannot go into the next two very busy, very stressful weeks with a better attitude. It’s a lot of logistical planning and preparation with very little time to complete it. It’s a little overwhelming, to tell you the truth. I’m only one person – there’s only so much I can do – and I don’t know how I got myself into this crazy schedule. It stresses me out just to look at my schedule, nevermind actually doing any of it.

Hipster Animals

Hipster Animals is brilliant. Thank you, Huffington Post, for distracting me from being productive once again.

Stuff I Want Wednesday

This isn’t so much a Stuff I Want Wednesday as a Stuff  I Need Wednesday. How much do I need Llama Font? A lot. I mean really, look at my name. I am the lazy llama, after all. If you can’t say it in llama, you probably shouldn’t be saying it at all.