week 8: Bob's Burgers

    Few adult cartoons have ever impressed me. In fact, there was a time when Adult Swim was just too much for me because every show was either too political or violent for the fun of it. Bob's Burgers is the exception to that. It has the perfect amount of dry humor to either make you laugh or roll your eyes. It's episodes are smart and often mock popular movies like The Goonies or The Shining. The best thing though is probably the intricate and hilarious characters. Bob, the dad, is the person that everyone loves to hate. He has perpetual bad luck, with the occasional small victory and often simultaneously shows love and disappointment in his family. Linda is the dorky, loud, over the top mom that everyone knows. She loves singing and everything showy. Her mama bear personality makes her one of the most lovable characters ever. Tina is the oldest daughter who is only 13. She loves boys, butts, and paranormal romance. Her awkwardness and dry comments are so painfully relatable. Next is Gene. He is the middle child who is loud and obnoxious and constantly making fart noises. Everything you'd expect from a little brother character. Louise is the youngest and easily the most confident and smartest. Her slightly violent and determined nature add just enough of that element of the show. There are other notable mentions such as Crazy Aunt Gale, Talkative Teddy, or Jimmy Pesto. Each episode is totally different and keeps the best kind of comedy going throughout the series. The kids get themselves and their parents into crazy situations. And whether it be saving their failing restaurant, or getting into shenanigans around town, each character has an equal part in the hilarity. If you still haven't experienced this show, please do before Netflix removes it in April.

week 7: A Series of Unfortunate Events

    A Series of Unfortunate Events is a good way to summarize what it is like to drive with me. It isn't that I am a bad driver or have no idea what i'm doing, but bad situations always have a way of finding me while i'm in my car. While these bad situations I mentioned happen pretty regularly there seems to have been a surge of them this past week. If you read my previous post then you know that I was pulled over for the very first time last week. And while that was technically my fault for almost hitting a cop's car, I also attribute it partly to the confusing intersection and my bad luck. Another event that left me shook while driving this past week was when one of Orange County's wild green parrots flung himself into my windshield.(RIP) I did not set out that day to kill a bird, nor did my car, but that is what we did. I cried for about 10 minutes for that dumb bird and though he may have been suicidal, I wish I hadn't contributed my part in his death. I own a very depressed, certainly suicidal turtle (a story for another time) , so this hit close to home. Speaking of hitting things close to home, while driving back from school, someone who was definitely on drugs almost walked right into my car on purpose as I made a right turn. If it hadn't been for my fast reflexes and quick thinking, she could have ended up just like my poor green parrot, or slightly injured collecting insurance money, who knows. As I slowed to make my turn, I made eye contact with this person and thought we had a mutual understanding of what was happening, little did I know, I had been played a fool. Lucky for both of us, I realized that she had some kind of wild idea and I swerved away from her. All of these incidents occurred with someone in my passenger seat, the lesson here being, don't drive with me if you'd prefer to have no bumps in the road along the way. Unfunny pun fully intended.

week 6: being pulled over

This weekend my mom flew into town from Arizona. I went to go pick her up from the airport that night, exhausted from cleaning because I knew she would be nagging me about how messy my room is. I had even vacuumed out my car and put in a brand new air freshener. Once I had picked her up I was showered with relief when her first comment was, "It looks good in here." But, that relief quickly went away when I remembered what a backseat driver she is. Every 10 seconds I heard comments to the tune of, "Slow down." or "Did you even check your blind spot?" To which I always calmly asked her to please stop talking.(She never did.)   The drive from John Wayne Airport to Huntington Beach is a pretty short one, except for when you and your passenger are both tense and nagging each other. We had almost made it home when we got to a big intersection that came over a hill and curved in the middle. It seemed like the lane next to me ended there, so I thought that once across the intersection I would drive straight into the middle lane. That was not the case though and the second we made it across the intersection I saw blue and red flashing lights behind me. I instantly panicked because I had never been pulled over before. My mom started laughing hysterically and I got over to the side. A cute young officer came to my window and asked for my license and registration. I handed him both and my mom of course chimed in. "Hi officer, i'm her mother, i'm sorry she hasn't been driving too long and she's not very good at it." He laughed and admitted he thought he'd be pulling over a drunk driver not a little girl and her mom. Luckily he let me go without a ticket and told me not to almost hit any other officers. I was mortified but glad my mom was there to help me handle it. I doubt i'll ever hear the end of it though.

week 5: Arizona

    California has its ocean views and some really awesome food. New York has the fun busy city life... and some more really awesome food. But one state that is highly overlooked in it's scenery and its food is Arizona. Being from there, I may be a bit biased, but there really is so much that State 48 has to offer. First of all, nothing beats a pretty desert scene with big saguaros and giant mountains. In Sedona, you'll see red rocks dotted with deep green pine trees. Of course, there is also one of the seven wonders of the world, the Grand Canyon. Arizona is even prettier up north in winter, when all the red, taupe, and beige tones are blanketed in fresh white snow. And one of the prettiest things you'll ever see is an Arizona sunset, which for some reason is even deeper and more colorful than anywhere else. The wild dust storms, technically known as haboobs, are really something to watch and are usually followed by beautiful lightning shows. Another thing that makes Arizona so great is all  of the cool universities it offers. NAU is way up north with the pine forests and snow. ASU is in the middle of Tempe, one of the liveliest and coolest cities in the whole state. UofA is located in Tuscon which is mostly desert and one of the prettiest areas in AZ. Tempe, Scottsdale, and Phoenix also have some of the best foods ever from pizza to giant ice cream sundaes. It also surprisingly has some of the best sushi places (some even better than ones in California) This gorgeous state has so many beautiful places and things to see and deserves way more recognition. It is definitely the best state for sunsets, hikes, and some seriously yummy snacks.

week 4: Dogs

    Few things in life have the ability to bring almost anyone pure joy. Not everyone loves mac and cheese with a passion. Some people hate cats and the allergies that come with them. But, something pretty much everyone can agree that the closest thing to an angel on Earth, is dogs. The happiest, furriest, and sweetest creatures known to man. If you're having a bad day, nothing will cheer you up like a cuddle with your favorite pup. If you're having one of those days where you feel like getting outside, the most fun way to do it is to get out and have fun with a dog. Besides being one of the sweetest friends you'll ever have, dogs are also the smartest. Even if you take time to teach your dogs some cool tricks, (which they'll easily pick up on) dogs are smart enough with they're own intuition. Like working dogs. Herding dogs use their instinct to help farmers with livestock and do a great job. Dogs like that even get bored if they aren't working their brains enough. Dogs that are bred to hunt can help their owners out by sniffing out prey or even retrieving small animals they've killed. Police dogs are especially trained to use their instinctive smelling abilities to sniff out drugs or any other type of danger. Some dogs are trained to help out people with disorders like epilepsy, to alert others when their owner is having a seizure. In any job, one characteristic all dogs possess is extreme loyalty to their owners. Dogs will cuddle you all day if you're sick or sad. And they're more than happy to celebrate and play with you on good days too. Dogs can also be the best judge of character and will protect you in any situation. There is absolutely no possible way that anybody could ever hate dogs. They're helpful, happy, and pretty much everybody's best friend.

week 3: Valentine's Day

   For some, February 14th is one of the most fun and romantic days in the whole year. A day to receive chocolate, flowers, and tons of attention from someone they love. For others, it can be the most dreaded day of the year. Surrounded by couples and their pda, and feeling like a giant loner. For those people, the day is spent brooding and avoiding any mention of the word "love". But there is no reason that the day should be spent drowning your sorrows in discount candy. There are plenty of fun ways to celebrate the love all around us, even without a significant other. Lots of ladies now a days are celebrating "Galentine's" which is just a fun night with your gal pals.  Whether making a night of it and hitting the town, or staying in and bonding over pizza, Galentine's could be just what you and your friends need to celebrate your friendship with each other. Or if you're someone who is brooding over a recent break up, then Hooters has just the deal for you. On Valentine's Day, Hooters has just started "Shred Your Ex" day. This is a day where if you bring a picture of your ex to shred, they will give you a free basket of wings, which seems like a pretty decent trade if you ask me. If free wings and shredding an ex's face doesn't sound like an awesome day to you then there is probably not much that wont make you a Valentine's Day Scrooge. And as a last resort, if you have absolutely nobody to share this fabulous day with, take time alone to appreciate all the happy things around you. There is nothing wrong with finding happiness in the happiness of others. In fact, sometimes that is just what we all need. You could even spread a little love yourself by doing some good deeds. Give a little money or food to someone in need, send someone a text just so they know you're thinking of them. You could even give a random stranger a Valentine, you never know who could use a little extra loving. And if you feel the spirit enough, we could all try to keep the love going every day of the year!

week 2: Thrifting

    When you type "mom jeans" in the search bar for Forever 21, you will find a few pairs of ripped up, baggy jeans. They might even have some weird or flashy pieces of embroidery on them if you're lucky. Most people who take the Forever 21 route will end up paying anywhere from $30-$40 for that 80's looking staple. If you type "Tommy Hilfiger" or "Calvin Klein" in the search bar for Urban Outfitters, you'll find $200 denim jackets or $50 sports bras. While this stuff is all quality and is definitely in style, there is a better option that most people refuse to open up to. If you're a sane person who actually likes saving money while looking good, there is nothing wrong with checking out your local Goodwill, or any other thrift shop. What we sometimes fail to realize, is that the clothes of today, in some cases, were the clothes a couple of decades ago. Searching the racks at thrift shops could leave you with some really cool finds. Those brands that could break your bank at an expensive retail store could cost you two or three bucks at a secondhand store. And even if you cant find that ripped pair of jeans you've been wanting, you could always find a nice piece of denim and distress it yourself. If you'd like to let your creativity shine through your wardrobe, then upcycling might just be the hobby for you. Try thrifting for something old, then adding your personal touch to make it seem brand new. Its a fun way to get creative, while saving money. And if you're lucky enough to find a good vintage piece, it'll be totally one of a kind. When people ask where you got that cute, and exclusive ensemble, you can proudly let them know that it was thrifted. Unique, fun clothes at a bargain price is all a shopaholic could ever ask for!