Begin Again

Once again, I shirked my blog writing responsibilities.  This is why throughout my life I have never been able to keep a journal.  For those of you who dabble in human behavior or the artistic science of psychology and know me, you will know that this is because I am an external processer.  In fact, I sometimes do not know the  full extent of my thoughts until I am telling another person.  This of course means that I am chatty.  Not exactly in an Andie McPhee (Get that Dawson’s Creek fans) way of being chatty, but I definitely am a person who enjoys the good conversation. 

So, now I have broken one of the cardinal laws of blog writing, I’ve made this post way to Vanessa centric.  Let’s take it back a bit.  This blog suffers from a lack of identity.  It is not about cooking or fassion.  It is not about travel or athletic training.  It just exists as a mish-mash of thoughts, with a strong beginning, that of guide dog training.  Going back to me for a second, it is a metaphor.  The blog  is struggling to find a voice, as I am trying to figure out where I am going with my life.  I do not mean this in a self-help kind of way, it is just that right now, I am looking for what I want to do next.  I enjoy my job but, is it forever?  I like to write but, am not a writer.  Should I be looking to buy a house?  What do I care about?  These are my current questions. 

As the blog suggests, I am one of those positive people.  My glass is half full, my glasses are rose colored, and I believe in everything working out for the best!  A friend of mine who also appreciates alliteration actually came up with the name for the blog and I loved it from the start.  For anyone who reads this, thanks for sticking with it as I come up with a new perpetually positive path. 

Romance & the Movie Phone

Ladies, do you want to make your guy squirm?  Next Date Night, try suggesting renting a rom com.  Here are a few that should provide you both with a laugh,. 

1.        Fever Pitch (The American One):  Baseball, Falun, a good plot, what more could you ask for?

2.       Hitch:  It is both a romantic comedy and a buddy movie.  Nice!

3.       Forget Paris:  A little basketball, a little buddy bonding, and a sweet and funny story underneath.

4.       Oceans 11:  It is actually a romantic movie hidden  deftly within a cast of bad ass guys, who are pretty by the way. 

5.       Mr. and Mrs. Smith:  Action, Romance, and funny to boot.

6.       Failure to Launch:  A little slap stick, mixed with a strong cast and some funny lines.

7.       Something’s got to Give:  I’m serious.  It is a great plot and uses some manly men.  

Flying The Friendly Terminals

I’m a country kid, living in the city and I like to go new places and experience new things.  I’ve been to 5 countries outside of the US and would love for this list to grow.  Today’s list will focus on my top 7 favorite US airports.  When compiling this list I took into account  the 16 American Airports that I’ve flown in and out of.  And the list primarily centers around how helpful and or personable the staff of each airport was when I flew through each location.  Another thing is that I flew through most of these airports accompanied by my guide dogs and it is important to menchin that people have been great with each of them.

1.        Charlotte:  I only flew through once but, it was a red eye from California and as I walked through the concourse with a US Air staff member, I guess that I looked tired.  He asked me if I’d like to stop at Star Bucks for a cup of coffee.  This was such a nice gesture that I still tell this story five years later.

2.       Detroit:  I have flown through this airport on a number of occasions and each time the staff of both the airport and North West Airlines have been amazing.  One flight attendant actually went off to grab me dinner before ending her day.  I always meant to write North West about how great she was on that flight from Dayton to Detroit.

3.       Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky:  I also flew through this airport a number of times and each time it was even a pleasure to go through security.  The staff was always courteous and helpful. 

4.       San Diego:  This airport was also friendly personable and for some reason, my lab, Randall was always treated like a celebrity by the staff of US Air.  At one time a flight attendant told me that she was sad that we would not be on her flight to Houston.

5.       LaGuardia:  New Yorkers get a bad rap.  This is one of the most fantastic airport’s in the country.  The staff is always busy however they are always willing to go that extra step.  I’ve never had a bad thing to say about them. 

6.       Boston:  I had the best security experience of my flying life at this airport, although I was patted down and my dog was searched, the staff was very well trained, friendly, and thoughtful.  They proved the sentiment that it’s not what you say, it’s how you say it.

7.       Pittsburgh:  I had one bad time with security and am always “randomly” selected to be searched, but apart from this, this is the airport that I’ve used the most and if you fly enough it is inevitable that you will experience some hassle.  Most of the people are great and it is one of the two airports where one of the staff members have hugged me.  I do not know what it is that makes me huggable but, there you go…

The other airports that I have experience with from best to worst are: Erie, Los Vegas, La, Atlanta, Baltimore, O’Hare, JFK, Cleveland, and Dayton.

This is My Confession...

This blog is often my confessional.  Forgive me father, for I have sinned, oh and I’m addicted to teen dramas.  This addiction began when I was a teen and now that I am 30, it continues. 

1.        Gossip Girl:  This look into Upper East side life is a perfect way to spend a Monday evening.  My love for the show only began this winter but now I am hooked and while Serena was my favorite since she was “spotted” in Grand Central, Seasons four and five have been all about Chuck Bass for me, a new love that began when Lilly became his full-fledged adopted mother and Chuck apologized to Jenny at the end of season 2.  This being said, I still have faith in Serena and know that if she can just revitalize her connection with Blair and turn her path away from trying to win the love of guest characters, the balance of the Upper East side will be restored, in all of its wicked and delectable glory. 

2.       Gilmore Girls:  This amazing, fast paced, caffeine laced, celebration of small town living, mixed with glimpses into a world of privilege and extravagance is one of the best hours that you could spend in a week, or even in a day.  It is funny, fun, smart, witty, honest, heart-warming, and simply one of those shows that can both, make you laugh and make you cry.

3.       Dawson’s Creek:  This portrait of the lives of a handful of small town dreamers keeps you coming back for more.  Will Joey win the heart of Dawson, Will Dawson win the heart of Jen?  What about Pacey?  Who will Jack end up with? The speculation is almost too much, almost… 

4.       Greek:  Casey and Kappie… Will they get together? Will they stay together?  This show is funny and dramatic, cute, and clever.  It showcases some great brotherhood and sisterhood but, also plays up lots of stereotypes.  As a Greek, I like the show, on the whole. 

5.       Veronica Mars:  Like others, I would have probably watched this show, had I known of it.  As one of the throngs to find it after it was off the air, I will settle for loving the DVD’s.  Veronica helps her father in his new career as a P.I.  In the mean time she also helps to solve the mystery of the murder of her best friend and in the mean time she clears her father’s name and helps him to win back respect.

6.       Hart of Dixie:  One of my newest interests, this show takes on the telling of some love stories and love triangles in the small town present day south. 

7.       Glee:  This show is perfection in an hour.  You have a villain, a rag tag troop of dreamers, a coach that pushes them to grow, and the best pop music from big band to today!

This is My Confession...

This blog is often my confessional.  Forgive me father, for I have sinned, oh and I’m addicted to teen dramas.  This addiction began when I was a teen and now that I am 30, it continues. 

1.        Gossip Girl:  This look into Upper East side life is a perfect way to spend a Monday evening.  My love for the show only began this winter but now I am hooked and while Serena was my favorite since she was “spotted” in Grand Central, Seasons four and five have been all about Chuck Bass for me, a new love that began when Lilly became his full-fledged adopted mother and Chuck apologized to Jenny at the end of season 2.  This being said, I still have faith in Serena and know that if she can just revitalize her connection with Blair and turn her path away from trying to win the love of guest characters, the balance of the Upper East side will be restored, in all of its wicked and delectable glory. 

2.       Gilmore Girls:  This amazing, fast paced, caffeine laced, celebration of small town living, mixed with glimpses into a world of privilege and extravagance is one of the best hours that you could spend in a week, or even in a day.  It is funny, fun, smart, witty, honest, heart-warming, and simply one of those shows that can both, make you laugh and make you cry.

3.       Dawson’s Creek:  This portrait of the lives of a handful of small town dreamers keeps you coming back for more.  Will Joey win the heart of Dawson, Will Dawson win the heart of Jen?  What about Pacey?  Who will Jack end up with? The speculation is almost too much, almost… 

4.       Greek:  Casey and Kappie… Will they get together? Will they stay together?  This show is funny and dramatic, cute, and clever.  It showcases some great brotherhood and sisterhood but, also plays up lots of stereotypes.  As a Greek, I like the show, on the whole. 

5.       Veronica Mars:  Like others, I would have probably watched this show, had I known of it.  As one of the throngs to find it after it was off the air, I will settle for loving the DVD’s.  Veronica helps her father in his new career as a P.I.  In the mean time she also helps to solve the mystery of the murder of her best friend and in the mean time she clears her father’s name and helps him to win back respect.

6.       Hart of Dixie:  One of my newest interests, this show takes on the telling of some love stories and love triangles in the small town present day south. 

7.       Glee:  This show is perfection in an hour.  You have a villain, a rag tag troop of dreamers, a coach that pushes them to grow, and the best pop music from big band to today!  It’s the soundtrack to life!

Love Me Some Drama

The hour long television Drama has been fascinating T.V. Fans for years.  Do we like the intrigue, the character development, the complex plots or, perhaps all of the above?  These are my top 7. 

1.        The West Wing:  This show is so well done, so well-acted, and really I could spend years writing about its magic!

2.       Lost:  It is so well done that if you begin watching it you can’t stop.  For me, it became like an addiction and like an addiction it took over my life.  However, unlike an addiction, it is a time that I look back on fondly.

3.       The Good Wife:  This show is a continual surprise.  Each week it gets better, stronger, and more interesting.  Beginning with a fairly common cultural event, that of a political wife, standing by her man, over these years it has become so much more.

4.       Boston Legal:  This show started out a little dark, taking over for the Practice but, along the way it got to be known for the issues that it took on and the fine acting of an all-star cast. 

5.       24:  This show had some amazing action mixed with a complex and fascinating plot!

6.       NCIS:  This show gets better each year and I’m pretty sure that you can watch it 24 hours a day on one channel or another.

7.       Mad Men:  The award winning drama continues to thrill audiences.  This fine acted, peek into the life of the 1960s, shares both, popular and critical recognition.  Who knew that life on Madison Avenue was so intriguing?

A post to make up for the lack of one on Friday.

My Name's Vanessa & I Love Pop Music

For a while in college I tried to hide my love of pop music, even mocking my hall mates and sorority sisters love of Brittany Spears and Justin Timberlake.  However, in Grad school I could not stop myself from downloading little gems like Tipsy and the latest from Rihanna.  Then, after moving to Oxford and starting my job at Miami, I was the biggest fan of Gaga and Katie Perry that you would want to meet.  Or, not want to meet, depending on your personal preferences…  Now, at the age of 30, I am completely out of the closet.  I love Pop Music and I don’t care who knows.  Below are 7 pop songs that I could listen to on repeat forever. 

1.        Umbrella

2.       My Love

3.       California Girls

4.       Just Dance

5.       Single Ladies

6.       Cry Me a River

7.       Lady Marmalade

Tell Me Lies, Tell Me Sweet Little Lies

Sometimes the best thing to say is nothing at all and sometimes it is just best to be untruthful.  Here are a few examples.

1.        When your best friend asks you if you like the name that she has picked out for her child. 

2.       When you are already out and someone asks if you like their clothes.

3.       When you are eating/drinking something that has already been per clamed as someone’s favorite…

4.       When you first see a newly painted car/room/house and you do not like the color.

5.       When you truly think that someone’s child is unattractive.

6.       When someone goes to the trouble of making you dinner and you do not like it.

7.       When your friends or family expend a lot of energy doing, buying, or creating something and the end product is not to your liking.

The Words of Life

Putting your philosophy of life into a sentence or fraise appears to be all the rage.  The following are my attempts at boiling my point of view down into a few words.

Life is beauty, beauty is life.

“Pop the bubbly, life is lovely!!” (This was my senior quote in the year book and also comes from one of my favorite Will Smith songs)

Smile, eat, drink, and be merry.

The meaning of life; friends, family, and fun!

Dogs teach us how to live.

There are two kinds of people…  (Those who know me well have heard this from me on a number of ocasions. “those who dance on tables and those who don’t” “those who use maltiple ! and those who use only one !” etc)

Coffee is the life blood of creativity.

Hello Holiday

The best times of the year are different for many of us, some like the tradition and American pride that comes with the fourth of July, while some revel in the drunken debauchery of St. Patrick’s Day.  Still others see their favorite holiday come but, once every four years, on a leap year.  Here is a list of my personal faves!

1.        Christmas:  I know, how cliché, right?  I love it for many reasons, for the friends family and food of course but, also; for the merry spirit that just seems to emanate from every person that you meet, for the feeling that you get when you see how much a friend really appreciates a gift that you have given them, for the cheerful music, for the parties, baked goods, and presents, and of course for the church services, interjected with their own special magic. 

2.        My Birthday:  Not a national holiday, I realize but, my birthday has become very important to me over the years.  it is at the end of August and as a kid I did not like this fact as, my friends always forgot it, I got things like school clothes and school supplies, and on some years I got to share the first day of school with my birthday.  However, when I entered  college this all turned around, my friends always made my birthday into a big event and since the age of 18 I have enjoyed many memorable celebrations!

3.       Thanksgiving:  I never realized how much I enjoyed this family meal until I did not celebrate it with my family one year.  The year away, while fun in its own right, was just not the same. 

4.       The Fourth of July:  Smack dab, in the middle of summer, many fun times have been had this weekend; weddings and visits, trips, and getting my first dog.

5.       Labor Day:  This weekend takes place right near my birthday! 

6.       MLK Day:  A day of national service.  Sign me up.  If only it was in October when the weather was nice. 

7.       Mother’s Day:  I’m not a Mom but, I have one and her birthday and Mother’s Day fall on the same weekend.  Nice time to celebrate!

Top 7

David Letterman has made the top ten list a famed part of our culture.  Welcome to Vanessa’s top 7 lists.  I have a few stocked up, some are funny and some serious.  They are solely my thoughts or opinions on 7 of the best, worst, funniest, or other type of designation, of a category. 

Why 7, you may ask....  To quote Tom Riddle, “isn’t 7 the most magical number?” Although, beyond that, I have always liked the number seven.  It is not to many, not too few.  There are 7 dwarves, 7 deadly sins, 7 rimes with heaven, really I could go on…

So the first list is to name my top 7 Disney villains.  Really, that is what I’ve chosen for my first list.  Why, because it is random and fun and their songs and lines are some of the best in the movies.

1.        Ursula: She is just so amazingly wicked.  She has one of the best songs in the movie and when she transforms herself into a human, her name is Vanessa.  Enough said!

2.       Maleficent: She is simply evil, from her curse on the baby princess, to the fact that she can transform into a dragon.  She is bad ass!

3.       Jafar: He is classy and dapper nasty.  This is a tuff look to put together but, he does it with grace and with a parrot on his shoulder as a sidekick/accessory. He personifies cool.

4.       Shenzi:  Why didn’t I pick Scar, you may ask...  My answer is that he is too evil.  I mean, to kill  his own brother, in cold blood.  I cannot condone that kind of behavior.  I instead turn to one of Scar’s killers and really the hyena’s musical number makes it clear that Shenzi, the hyena voiced by the terrific   Whoopi Goldberg is the brains of the operation. 

5.       Gaston:  He’s “roughly the size of a barge.” 

6.       The cats from Lady and the Tramp: How cool are they?  They are almost as wicked as Ursula and have an amazing musical number.  Plus dogs are always getting blamed for the nasty things that cats do.  Thank you for seeing this, writers of Lady and the Tramp.

7.       The evil queen from Snow White:  She is crafty and resourceful.  Evil but, there are usually reasons for such appalling behavior.

Dear Smokers

Dear smokers-  Why do you hate fresh air?  This is a question that I have posed to my dad, a smoker since the age of 16, every summer when I take a walk with him around my parent’s property.  I feel newly invigorated to ask the question because within the past few months I have returned to city living and on my two block walk from the bus stop to my office building, there is not one time that I was not assaulted with the putrid stench of second hand smoke. 

Locations where this smell tends to congregate include aforementioned bus stops, doorways, outside of buildings and in a more sporadic form, we are forced to inhale it from passersby.  Let’s talk about bus stops first though.  I do not know what it is about waiting for a bus that means you should light up a cancer stick, but that does appear to be the trend.  I am not sure if the percentage of bus riders who smoke is greater than the regular population, or that boredom coupled with standing still in one location outdoors is simply too much of an enticement for the occasional smoker.  Does this place and time just compel you smokers to throw caution to the wind and bum one from a neighbor?  This may be the case but, I often find myself in proximity to a smoke cloud when going to and coming from  the city.  Next, let’s talk about those doorways.  Smoke is no longer welcome in-doors, in less you are a private club that does not sell substantial food, or something of that nature...  The clever smoker has consequently stepped through the front or side door on to the sidewalk and lit up.  It is after all cold or, raining or, hot or, something...  Walking more than five feet away from the door is therefore an unheard  of notion,.  This placement does, however, make it difficult for nonsmokers to breath in the fresh air that stepping out of a door usually provided.  We nonsmokers also can no longer take in that last breath of fresh air when entering into our office buildings.  Finally to the passer by.  I often pass by the hurrying, stressed smoker, or the jovial friendly smoker and in either case, I am equally repulsed by the trail of smoke that they leave in their wake.  They make me think back to conversations with my Dad and to consider my question, of why do you hate fresh air?  Walking in a crisp day through the fall or spring air is one of the most relaxing things that I can think of.  Why would you smokers want to muddy that experience with a cloud of smoke? 

Should we segregate?  Restaurants through the 80s and 90s had smoking sections, but as reported by a plack that we once spotted hanging on the wall of a local eatery, “a smoking section in a restaurant is like a peeing section in a pool.” 

I know that as a nonsmoker, there are some elements of smoking that I will just simply never understand.  I don’t understand the thrill, I don’t understand the allure and I definitely don’t understand the accompanying stench.  When I say that I am not a smoker, I mean, I have never smoked a single cigarette.  Not a puff, not a drag.  This being said, I am a big believer in personal freedom and if sigs are your thing, more power, just try to keep them to yourself.  Your consideration is much appreciated!

Why I Am Not a Tweet Fan

In today’s society, what is the most used form of communication for  many of us?  Well it is the tweet. These 140 character outbursts where you are meant to convey a message, not get to personal, express your wit, and be interesting.  

Now, don’t get me wrong, I enjoy the functions that Twitter provides and have had an account since my friend JS was able to get 100 people to join a Facebook group called, Vanessa Braun Should Get Twitter, but for me this is not the optimal form of communication that others find it to be.  I have a few major issues. 

#one, I cannot force myself to write in fragments. “The deets can be found on the pg w/ u fav grls”

# 2 I find myself to be quite clever and do not appreciate Twitter reporting that I need to extend this wit further to fit into their confines.  I like words and can sometimes be guilty of using to many, however, I am convinced that this is not a deficiency on my part.  Brevity is all well and good, but, do not forget that we could all do well to listen a little more, authentically engage with others and even scroll to the next page.

#3 Finally, I do not have tweets sent to my phone.  Most of my friends with twitter are constantly looking at their phones and reading the latest from sh*t (someone says) or the New York Times and while they sometimes have funny or clever information to share it makes me think of my grad school supervisor.  She would kick  people out of her office if they took a call while she was talking with them and although I have not visited her  office in a while I imagine that in her office today she would ask the Twitter using community to leave her office  if they were constantly tweeting or texting’s 

Thus, in conclusion, you will still see me on twitter from time to time but, it will not be regular, it will not be  boring, and when it does happen, it will, for sure, be amazing!

Wooo I'm Blogging Again

Hello readers, yes, it is true, I took a vacation from sharing my views and or stories with the world wide web.  Never fear, I have returned.  My goal is to send out some positive energy in the form of my thoughts on a weekly basis.  I cannot find it in me to write any more than that but to write any less seems half ass and you know that is no way to live. 

So, what is it that I will write about?  Good question.  I will write about anything that may interest me and as a “connecter” I can tell you lots and lots of things interest me.  Formerly I wrote about the process of guide dog training, so it is unlikely that I will write about that.  It is an election year, I now work in the arts, I live with my sister, I read and love my pop culture, I have some interesting friends, all of these subjects may come up.  2011 was my year of change.  2012 is bound to be just as interesting, just in new and delightful ways.