It’s That Time of the Month: So Blessed to be a Hormonal Female

In honour of that monthly joyful gift that is unique of the feminine experience I think I should highlight a list of all the things that make me start crying around this time.  I’m not sure how many other girls can just get hormonal about the same things monthly, but I do.  And they’re silly, comical, and beautiful all at the same time.

1.  Kylie Minogue – Just watched the new lyric video for her Christmas album and once again I realize how blessed I am to be a fan.  Truely it is a gift:
2. Princess Diana.  For a multitude of reasons, but mostly I miss her. 
3. Andy Gibb: We lost him WAY WAY too soon.  I mean I was barely 2 when he died and I miss him.  
4. The song “How Deep is your Love” by the Bee Gees.  Noticing a trend?  Aussies make my hormones go crazy!
5. Ralph Fiennes.  Specifically at the end of the film Onegin.  I’ve never contemplated leaving my fictional husband until watching that film.  I was ready to make a hypothetical desperate choice affter that.
   

   If Ralph Fiennes burst into my house confessing his undying love to me after all this time I would pack my things and leave.  Cannot deal.

I’m 365 Days For Life.

Source: Lutherans For Life | From Shock Waves to Ripples – Planned Parenthood

In honour of the yearly 40 Days for Life I’m posting an excerpt from an article written on the LFL website a mere week after the Center for Medical Progress videos came out.  Unsurprisingly it rippled in the major media outlets only a week after but there is a wapping 10 videos for your grissly viewing pleasure available.  As you can tell I’m solidly for life in every beautiful stage of development.  I’m even for the life of those who would like to snuff it out as difficult as that is.

My blog’s main intent is not to be political, a soap box 24/7, or a means to proselytize my faith, but in light of the recent news about Planned Parenthood I felt I needed to post something more definite.  But please do still call him “Emmett”

[Note: I bolded the part that stood out to me the most in the excerpt below.]

I count myself among those who need an occasional shock to help me rethink and regroup. But what I have learned over the years is that being shocked and reacting to shocking revelations is not enough. Being anti-abortion or anti-Planned Parenthood is not enough. We need to be For Life! But more, we need to be For Life because God is! Even more, we need to be For Life because God is as an ongoing part of what we do as God’s people gathered by His Spirit in local congregations.

Think about it. We have some shocking news. “God became a speck, an embryo in a fallopian tube!” “God was born!” “God lived as a friend of sinners.” “God embraced dirty, smelly sinners!” “God suffered for unlovable and unloving sinners!” “God died!” “God rose again!” “God wins!” “Sin, death, Satan defeated!” “God reigns over all!” [Me] I would like to add to that in regards to the refugee crisis: God was homeless! God was a refugee!  So brazen was our Savior.  Brazen against the norms of what a King should be.

That’s the most positive and powerful shocking For Life news I can think of. As I love to say, it is tailor made for these issues of life and death, pain and suffering, grief and regret. Have you been shocked by the Planned Parenthood news and the ongoing tragedy of abortion? If so, good for you! Have you been shocked by the Good News of God’s great love For Life? If so, even better for you! Is affirming life part of the ongoing ministry of your congregation? If not, maybe now is the time to make that happen. We at LFL are ready to help and equip you to do so. Give us a call. We do not want the shock wave of the Gospel of Life to ever become a ripple.

#CALL HIM EMMETT

Students For Life 

Women Betrayed

Word of Hope

Rachel’s Vineyard

[Edit 9/18/2015] For alternatives to Planned Parenthood Get Your Care

Ross Poldark Makes Stability Oh So Sexy!!!!

As Poldark just finished up it’s first season on Masterpiece Theater (it really should be spelled “theatre”) the man has certifiably found himself amongst the great British romantic heroes: Mr. Darcy, Colonel Brandon, and Edward Fairfax Rochester.  Why???  Because dude is stable and nothing turns me on more than a well dressed man who has a solid code of moral principles who is not afraid to act on them.

He got the scar fighting for the British in the American Revolution. SO SEXY!!!!

Manly chest hair and abs of steel are also an additional benefit to any great romantic hero. I’m so happy they found scenes to makes him shirtless! Thank you baby Jesus!!!!

It also doesn’t hurt actor Aidan Turner graduated from the Gaiety School of Acting in Dublin, Ireland as I did my study abroad there in 2008 and I’m probably a bit partial.

So for all those men out there who think to themselves, “this is chick stuff.”  I say “NO NO Sir!  You are quite mistaken.”  Ross Poldark is a fine example of the tropes that Jane Austen and Charlotte Brontë set forth, that I believe are the universal qualities of a superb male speciman.  I say if you are looking for a lady of worth you had better get caught up on Poldark this instance and take some notes!

For further instruction on what makes a man a romantic hero, I give you an episode of my webisodes series, Classic Literature According to: Elsa.

Today’s German Word: Nacktjoggen

Since I’ve gotten back into studying German through the Goethe Institut over the past year, I’ve fallen more in love with the quirkiness of the language and it’s ridiculousness.  So in honour of my studies and for a bit of Übung für mich (practice for me), I’ve decided to highlight some of the features of the language that I find delightfully silly!

Yesterday I learned a new word thanks to this CNN Article.

Naktjoggen = naked jogging

Yes that’s right jogging naked is a thing Germany.  Unfortunately I wasn’t able to experience it last year when I visited.  Nor did I witness it.  I can say from all the little boy parts and naked boobies I saw flaunted around the Czech Republic, (boobies on a billboard, on a magazine, little boy nudity outside, in the sink at a rest stop, and at one of my kindergartens) I can confirm that Europeans have no problems dropping trough.  Although while the experience of running naked could be rather freeing I can’t imagine this would feel comfortable for any male or female past puberty.

So how would I use this delightful new word in a sentence at a dinner party to impress my friends?

Dialogue/Dialog

Freund: Was hast du Gestern gemacht?

Du: Gestern bin ich Naktjoggen gegangen.  Es war sehr Befreiung. 

Translation/Übersetzung

Friend: What did you do yesterday?

You: Yesterday I went naked jogging.  It was very freeing.

WARNING: to any of you who read this and are fluent in German, I apologize for any errors.  I’m only at a B1.1 right now (intermediate.)

Thoughts About Frozen From a REAL Elsa

First I suffered the ignomnimity of being associated with the movie Fargo all through my first round of Undergraduate experience and now it’s a cartoon movie called Frozen.  Apparently my parents were decades ahead of their time when they gave me the name Elsa, inspired by the BBC adaptation of Flame Trees of Thika, not any Scandinavian adventures, although I’m very Scandinavian.  So let me clear up some misconceptions about Elsa from a real Elsa, not a cartoon one.

1.  I am an only child.  I have no siblings and for the most part I like it that way as I got lots of attention and I was feeling selfish like that as a kid.

In my practicum for my TESOL degree my kids have to question me about my sister “Anna” and by some chance in my ED 205 class I was partnered up with an “Anna,” when my teacher heard this he freaked out, and announced it to the whole class…

2.  I don’t have blonde hair.  I’m a sassy brunette.

Real Elsa.

Fake Elsa, SHE’S A CARTOON! And is not proportional.

3.  Unlike Idina Menzel who provides Elsa the cartoon with her voice I strive to hit more than 75% of my notes when I sing.  I also don’t blare when I sing:

Why is she wearing a pseudo dress/jumper with her bra?

4.  Even in her “human” representation done by artist Jirk Vinse Jonatan Väätäinen, I resemble his depiction of Megara from Hercules more reasonably.

Ice Princess.

Having a Good Time.

5.  While I have grown up on a frozen tundra I don’t posess any magical frozen powers.

I don’t know maybe it’s because I was always told I was the Queen as a tike that I’ve never felt the need to be a Disney Princess.

Lady Gaga’s Most Exciting Turn as Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta

Lady Gaga keeps on surprising us and what excites me most is her latest “stunts” have involved none of the gimmicks that originally made her famous.  Her recent performance at the Oscars was sheer class.  Even in the best sense of the word often pop singers lack the true vocal chops and technique to sing in a classical style and do it justice, being able to rely on years of training without the vocal pyrotechnics that is associated with pop singing.  I was so excited to see her drop the theatrics and provide us with a classical vocal sound in her Sound of Music melody, prooving that good singing and good technique never go out of style.  In my opinion it was her strongest performance to date artisically because Ms. Stefanie is more than just gimmicks.  She’s a full on vocal artist clearly capable of tackling a variety of vocal stylings.  Her duet album with Tony Bennett clearly proved that, but her Oscars performance made sure that if you weren’t clear, she’s no artisic fluke.  There’s no sense in comparing her with Madonna becaus her range stylistically goes past what Madonna has ever attmepted.  I may have been skeptic to begin with about Lady Gaga, but I have no doubts about Stefani Germanotta.  I’m super excited to see her next turn in the upcoming season of American Horror Story and the Italian American babies she’ll make with Taylor Kinney.

Here’s my future predictions for more Lady Gaga/Stefani Germanotta stellarness:

1.  An album of Italian Arias

2.  Her Broadway debut in a Rogers and Hammersteinesque Musical, you name one, minus Seven Brides for Seven for Seven Brothers and I’ll be sold.

3.  A full on rock album or I’d really like her to do an album of disco tunes like straight up out of the 70s sort of disco.

What is Elsa Thankful for this Thanksgiving? Duh!! Actor: Anthony Andrews.

I’m sure you were expecting a long dribbly post about me being thankful for my good health and my doting boyfriend and such but since I’m not particularily healthy right now and I’m super single that will have to wait for another Thanksgiving.

So I’m sure you’re all like WHO is Anthony Andrews?  Well both me and meine Mutti are having a super talent crush/Netflix love affair with his 1980s self.  And when I love my actors I love them.  hard.  My fandom is utterly devoted and complete.  I have to say while I do appreciate the forever fertile loins of Jeremy Irons, I think Mr. Andrews is way better.  I have yet to see a role where he phones it in, unlike Jeremy in the Borges. And because I’m all about making sure actors get their due credit I will now highlight your Netflix Anthony Andrews Thanksgiving marathon.

1.  Brideshead Revisited: I’m talking about the 1980s epic 13 hour production based on Evelyn Waugh’s British novel.  It’s very British, which means people are keeping calm, drowning their feelings, and feeling forlorn over not being old enough to have fought in The Great War.  Warning!  There is a pansy ass 2 hour ordeal that came out a few years ago.  Avoid that.

2.  The Scarlet Pimpernel: A delightful romp.  What Andrews does with his eyeglass piece is amazing!  He’s foppish and fabulous, also co-starring a lovely Jane Seymour and Ian McKellan who is actually believably “horny.”  This was clearly made before LOTR.

3.  Danger UXB: a 13 episode miniseries that JoJo and I are working through.  Andrews is so handsome!  This series is set in WWII London with a military unit trying to defuse German bombs.  Based on the miniseries I think I have about the same training as the beginners did who first started defusing bombs.  Highly explosive!

4.  And for dessert, Ivanhoe: This has Olivia Hussey in the role as the Jewess and Mr. Andrews hair as seen below is so nice and fluffy.  Besides he’s a knight who just came back from the crusades.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

My Etsy Store is Closing: Get in on the Savings!

Get in on them savings HERE!

So JoJo and I have made the decision to close our Etsy store: North Dakota Attic.  Use the coupon code STORECLOSING for 25% off your total purchase.  Our store sells vintage high quality accessories.  This is a great option for an unique Christmas gift.  The coupon code is good until October 20, 2014.

Below are pictures of some of our best items available for you:

Large selection of scarves!

Leather Tooled Purse!

Psychedelic Apron!!!

Men’s top hat.

Bowling themed tie pin!

Another year older… What have I learned?

I had my birthday.  It was very uneventful thanks to my chronic neck pain.  But as I’m another year older, I’m thinking, how much wiser am I?  I have gone being “Abroad” to “a Broad” so let’s see…

1.  For extra added security in the Czech Republic keep the key in the door lock.  The locks are set up in such a way that if the key is in the lock, someone who wants to get in and open the door can’t turn the doorknob.  When your land lady’s ex-boyfriend lets himself into your flat unnanounced at 10:30pm at night this is a handy thing to know.

2.  Ich kann mehr deutsch als im letzten Jahr sprechen, aber ich brauche noch mein Deutsche-Englische Wörterbuch.

3.  Little kids are the best.  Preferably under the age of 7.

4.  German men dress impecably.  Czech men do not.

5.  Despite the bad that occured during my Czech Republic stay, anyone who talks uninformed smack about them will quickly hear something from me.

6.  There are things that I do actually identify with as being an American and I feel proud of.  Namely, peanut butter, North Dakota, 1970s rock, Hall & Oates (Even though Daryl is pursuing his own solo TV egotist projects currently), proper use of the words “hood” and “trunk” when referring to a car, and Coca Cola.

7.  Okay Cupid = Okay Stupid.  Never again.

8.  A passport from the EU is equivalent to a golden ticket.  Getting one as an American is dang near impossible as I already knew, but after this past year I am back to marrying someone who can get me that magical passport.

9.  There is a whole world of disco music that I have yet to be fully exposed to: German Disco.  It plays on the radio during Karneval.

10.  I’m getting suckered into the thought of teaching in Russia, which is a very bad idea right now.   But these post Soviet-era music videos are wooing me. 

11.  BBC America is not full of the Anglo wonderfulness that I fantasized about, too many episodes of Top Gear.  What about Cranford or reruns of East Enders?

12. [EDIT]  Apparently I can’t type.  About to attempt some grammar revisions.