Ways in Which I Am Set

Lately I've been pondering a topic that has probably been on my mind from watching too many movies. Or maybe it's friends who have gotten married. Either way, I have heard some mention of people who are single for some time getting set in their ways. I am single and have been for some time, so I've been thinking about some of the ways in which I am set.

So here is a list. I'm sure it's a partial list:

1. I usually eat in the living room or at the bar. Tables are only for visitors or family, and that's only if it's like a real dinner and not just snacks. I'm sure I can change, but for now, I am set in this way.
2. I do laundry sometime between Friday night and Saturday night. Sometimes the clothes get put away, and sometimes they don't get put away until Monday.
3. I blow dry my hair at my vanity table. I also read scriptures then, so don't bug me. (In fact, it's best to not bug me in the morning.)
4. Speaking of blow drying my hair, I curse my electrical system every time I have to go flip the breaker when I'm doing so. It trips frequently. Grrrrr. It will probably always annoy me to some degree.
5. The toilet seat is never up, unless I am cleaning the bathroom. This will not change.
6. Speaking of toilets, the paper drapes over the roll. OVER.
7. I press snooze. Multiple times.
8. I get up at the last possible minute to get ready, so sometimes if things don't go smoothly (see #4), I'm late.
9. The silverware faces down. It really does. If it doesn't get clean, I can rewash it. I don't want to stab myself when reaching in. If they are facing up, I would definitely stab myself. Blood = gross. Also, are you touching the dinnerware when you get it out of the dishwasher? See #12 below.
10. There must always be cheese of some kind in the fridge.
11. Chips and food in general shall not be left open in the air. Buy the clips. Stale chips are terrible. Does it really hurt to close it up? There are critters all around us, and seriously, don't be so lazy.
12. People should wash their hands. Frequently.
13. The entire bed is my sleeping area. I admit that it will be hard to adjust to having to share one.

Don't worry, there are also ways in which I am not set. The problem is that if someone else is set in these ways, they could possibly be annoyed with me. Ways in which I am not set:

1. So what's the big deal about squeezing the toothpaste from the end? I mean, really? I don't even think about the squeezing, and all of my toothpaste comes out nicely. What are we afraid of here? I guess I must not get it. Maybe I haven't been confronted with an annoying toothpaste-user? I mean, if someone doesn't put the cap on, well, see #11 above. I get that, but I don't get the squeezing thing. Maybe I just do it "right" but don't know it. It isn't even a cognizant choice for me.
2. I guess I really could live with an "under" toilet paper user, but whenever I put the roll on, I would put it in the over position. It is my preference. I guess I'm not so "set" in this.
3. I would be okay with someone else being in charge of the thermostat, unless of course my body started shutting down from the freeze.
4. I don't have to be in charge of the remote, as long as the person isn't a constant flipper, in which case I will accidentally lose the remote.
5. I can drive or I can not drive or I can sometimes drive. It's not a control thing for me.

So... I don't feel like thinking of any more. I guess I'm more set in my ways than I thought. Are you set in your ways? Are there ways in which you were set that you didn't realize until you got married? Do tell.

Please Vote

I am looking to fill a three-part frame with some photos I've taken of trips, and I would like your opinion on which ones I should put in the frame. Keep in mind that I'm no professional, but please do your best to help me. Thanks!

Street in Israel


Hot Air Balloon


Peterhof Palace


Catherine Palace


Machu Picchu


Giza

Many thanks!

Singlehood

Being single, it seems like I have a greater opportunity than my married counterparts to be around people who are sick of being single. Because of that, and because I spent a few minutes the other night looking at this website, I want to document the things that I love about being single, and why I don't think my situation is sad at all, and why I think people should stop talking so much about guys or bemoaning their singlehood:

1. When I wake up in the morning and find myself askew all over the bed, it's okay because I haven't stolen any blankets and haven't creeped over into anyone else's space. I can go to sleep and wake up without regard to anyone in my household's schedule.
2. I can eat whatever I want for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I don't have to hear any complaints if I make something someone else doesn't like, and I don't have to be careful about anyone else's dietary needs or desires.
3. I have my own bathroom. Actually, I have three bathrooms to myself, unless I invite people over.
4. All toothbrushes in the house are mine and have not been used by anybody else.
5. I have the financial freedom to do what I want when I want (I don't have to consult with anyone about how to spend and what to spend).
6. TRAVEL!
7. I get to hang out with my single friends, and they're so cool and fun!
8. No poopy diapers. I know this isn't just a singlehood thing, but children (poopy diapers) and matrimony are positively correlated.
9. I can watch what I want on tv and have control of the remote.
10. The only nerdy and terrible movies on my Netflix queue are ones that I put there.
11. I can be as clean as I want and as slobby as I want at my house.
12. I can go a long while without shaving without anyone really being any the wiser. I should take advantage of this more often.
13. I can squeeze from the middle of the toothpaste tube, and nobody cares.
14. I can make constellations on my bedroom ceiling because I like them, and nobody makes fun of me for it.
15. I can watch all 50 Disney animated movies for a future blog post without driving anyone crazy, except myself.
16. Everything is where I put it.
17. I don't have to worry emotionally about that particular relationship. There are no fights or drama in my household, and I don't have expectations or have to worry about anyone else's expectations of me.
18. I can play the piano late at night.
19. I rarely wake up at night because there's nothing to wake me up.
20. If I want silence, I get it.
21. Plenty of time to contemplate and ponder (I really like this).
22. My stuff is mine. I don't have to share.
23. I always get the last piece of the cherry pie.
24. I can work for long hours without anyone at my house complaining and without feeling like I'm shirking family responsibilities.
25. People don't ask you to do stuff as much at church. They're just glad you're there.
26. Freedom.

So anyway, I'm enjoying life. I'm sure you are, too, in your situation. So, now my question to you is: what do you like about your situation, whether it be a situation of singlehood, parenthood, marriedhood, engagedhood, widowhood, divorcedhood, retiredhood, or childhood? Tell me, and please, feel free to gloat.

Because I'm A Slob Sometimes

You know what should become more popular and socially acceptable? Wearing aprons or bibs when you eat. I mean, I never want to get stuff on my clothes, and just a napkin on the lap somehow does not suffice. Especially when I'm eating angel hair pasta with tomato-based sauce. That's like death to my clothes. Delicious, saucy death.

And also, did you know that I think that aprons are kind of cute? Even the really ugly ones? Truly, I do.

So, what is your secret or not-so-secret pining and hope that you'll happily receive as a present for Christmas this year? Mine is either a blender, a toaster, or a hand mixer. I think there's a good chance I'll get one of those because I hinted around about it to the person in my family who has my name this year. I never thought I'd be so excited about small appliances.

Or is there a secret pining that you have about wanting to give someone something? Most of what I wish I could give is either too expensive or ... well, intangible for me to give. I guess I could just pray for these people to be able to have these gifts.

Does anyone else just feel happy about life lately and especially about Christmas? Anyone? Me! I do! I guess I am very aware of a lot of my blessings this year, and especially relating to other people. I am very fortunate to be associated with tons of cool people, and that's rad. Yes, rad.

Also, please enjoy the Christmas-themed stuff on my sidebar if you are that kind of person.

Sincerely, Cardine

p.s. I am doing the movie post again this year, but it could be late. Please be patient.

The Strangest Dreams

I am a dreamer. I have always been able to imagine stories in my head both when I'm awake and when I am in deep slumber. In the days when I used to have trouble sleeping when I was younger, I would try to lull myself to sleep imagining some ongoing stories with myself as the protagonist. I would think about my next visit to Disneyland or perhaps living in another era. Perhaps I was a pirate or living in the 1800s. Sometimes I used to insert myself into a movie and then the movie plot would change because I was there.

But anyway, I typically will have strange dreams when I'm actually sleeping and not be able to remember them about an hour after I wake up. It's a pity, too, because some of my dreams are sooooo zany and probably pretty hilarious. Or at least I think that they are when I wake up.

For example, I woke up today, and I had had this really intense dream about mayonnaise. Seriously. I can't remember exactly the details, but the center character in the dream was mayonnaise. Why I dreamed about mayonnaise? I'm not sure. I did have some with my tuna for lunch today. I also recently heard or saw a really weird commercial that was about Miracle Whip calling mayonnaise boring or something. I didn't really pay attention to it and a 30 second trip to YouTube yielded no results, so I'm not entirely sure what it entailed. I can't imagine that it would have forced me to dream about mayonnaise's creamy, fatty goodness.

Anyway, what I want to know is:

1 - Do you prefer mayonnaise, Miracle Whip, either, or neither?
2 - Do you dream?
3 - Do you remember your dreams?
4 - What is a really weird dream that you've had?

Phases of Life

So, I don't know about you, but I totally go through phases in my life. It's like where I have a certain fad of hobbies or things that I like to do and spend quite a bit of time doing. In the past these phases have been things like tennis, staying up until all hours of the night, volleyball, lying in bed and watching TV/movies, golf, going to movies, reading, watching TV, eating out, riding a bicycle, hiking, workaholicking, traveling a few hours to a city and coming back in the same day, swimming at the pool, having dinner parties, going on cruises, etc. The weird thing is that I'm not sure what phase I'm in right now. I'm going through a little stint of belly dancing. Golf is kind of a phase for me right now. Playing the bass guitar is a little bit of a phase. But there is no extreme leader here. I think I'm going to figure out what phase I want to have and live it.

Do you go through phases?

What phase do you think I should have?

I mean, it's the summer, and I need this summer to have a title. Like, it should be "2009: The Summer of _______." What should it be?

Love/Hate Relationships

I am so confusing to myself sometimes. It's perplexing. I can totally enjoy something and yet, not really like it that much at the same time. For example:

Camping: It's so fun to go outside and set up a tent and sleep in a sleeping bag and go hiking and get so tired and hungry that you could eat an armpit sandwich and it would taste good. Yet, it totally stinks to sleep in a sleeping bag on the hard ground when it's freezing cold at night or have to use the restroom where it's really more of a hole in the ground with something to sit on, or in some cases, it really is a hole in the ground that you shoveled out yourself.

Going to the Movies: I love the movie theater experience with its large screens and loads of movie theater butter with a little popcorn and the gigantic-sized boxes of Reese's Pieces and sitting by good friends in this dark place and not having to think about anything except for what's going on in said movie. But, I really hate it when there are people who are loud behind me who yell or when they walk in and out of the room frequently or when people are getting out their phones to text or even carry on a conversation. Ugh. And also, I hate it when the movie stinks. Make better movies, movie people!

Mowing the Lawn: So, we have a riding lawn mower at our house now, and I kind of like to put on my grimy clothes with a sweaty hat and my grass-stained shoes and get on the lawn mower and pretend like I'm some kind of country girl riding the tractor around the farm and cutting the fields of grass. But at the same time, I don't like it when it's really hot outside and all I really want to do is shower or go to the beach or sit outside on the deck under the awning licking a popsicle and enjoying a lazy Saturday.

Road Trips: I love to go for drives and watch the landscape go by as I travel to whatever destination. It's so cool to see the changes of landscape that can happen in a matter of a few minutes. The world is amazing and beautiful. And I love it when I have good friends in the car with me and good conversations. Except, sometimes the sitting-in-the-car funk gets too great for my nose, and sometimes I really just want to get out and use my legs instead of sitting solitary in some chair all the time. And sometimes, I would really just rather spend more time at my destination than in the car.

There are more, but I'm done for now. What are some of your love/hates?

Blog Exchange

Yeah, so Warnser and I decided to do a blog exchange and post on each others' blogs. He has posted the one that I wrote. You can read it here. And don't forget to comment. Warnser likes comments. And feedback. And I like them, too.

Actresses That I Generally Cannot Stand

Okay, so here are some of the many actresses that I generally cannot stand to watch act. Now, I'm not saying these people are horrible or that they're not nice or whatever. I'm just saying that their acting or mannerisms just really grate on me. I'm sure that there are some people who have behaviors that annoy you, so I don't want any stones cast at me, unless you can truly say that you have never been bugged by anyone before. But, feel free to agree or disagree in the comments.

Kate Winslet

Okay, so she is definitely not the worst on here because I have seen her in some things where she hasn't annoyed me. But, in general, she does. But when she doesn't annoy me, I tend to really like her. I think I don't like it mostly when she plays a somewhat helpless girl with a pure heart and true intentions. I'm just not buying it. It's like she overdoes it.

Liv Tyler

The Lord of the Rings. Need I say more? How about Armageddon, Empire Records, or Jersey Girl? I don't know if I could have been bugged more by any one character. She acts like she's acting. Big time. I don't even know if she knows how to be normal. Ugh!

Nicole Kidman

I think that it's mostly her facial expressions that really bother me. She bothers me with serious, smug, snotty, seductive, sassy, etc. It just doesn't work. In fact, a lot of times, it creeps me out! Even if she's supposed to be really non-confrontational, I still think she's going to go crazy and kill us all!

Renee Zellweger

I think that Renee is the biggest repeat offender on here. Except for her part in Miss Potter, she has always really bothered me in her roles. Not to say that she hasn't been in some enjoyable films, but I usually wish that her role had been played by someone else. I think the first time I really disliked her was in "Jerry Maguire." Oh, Renee, how you make me think twice about seeing a film.

Angelina Jolie

Again, the facial expressions. Look at this photo. She looks lovely and happy. Quite the nice facial expression. We look like we could be friends here. But no. In the movies, Angelina frequently pulls faces, and I think to myself, "You're acting." It doesn't appear to come naturally for Angelina. She has to try, and maybe she should try harder.

Katie Holmes

I haven't seen Katie in much, but I have never liked her in any role that she plays. Maybe it's the parts that she gets, but seriously, when I saw the movie "Abandon," I really just wanted her to die the whole time so that the mystery would be over. She bugged me that much. And I am so glad that they got Maggie Gyllenhal to replace her in the Batman series. I didn't like her in it.

Julia Stiles

Interstingly enough, even when she's in a movie, she doesn't destroy it. I can usually make it through the movie okay without too much insanity. But still, she totally bugs me. I think a lot of it is her voice. Or the fact that she's talking. Or maybe that she's on screen at all.

Creepy Dakota Fanning

Yes, in fact, her actual name is Creepy Dakota Fanning. If I were walking on the street and I saw her, I would possibly take a different route or at least not make eye contact. She is the sort of creepy child that could kill you in your nightmares. And she's annoying. And her scream is shrill. And she's a child star. That's creepy in itself.

Bonus Bad Crier: Claire Danes

Now, I don't mind Claire Danes a lot of the time, but if she ever starts crying, hoo boy! Turn of that DVD! The very jaws of hell start to open up, and you will wonder if you can ever be happy again. Claire Danes crying is truly terrible. Truly. I can't take it.

Now that I have shown my extreme jerkiness, please go ahead and let me know if there are any actresses that really bug you, or feel free to share what you think about the aforementioned blemishes to film.

Actresses I Generally Like

A while ago I did a post about celebrities that I think are attractive. And, it is rather common knowledge that I am irritated by many actors and actresses. What can I say? I'm hard to please. In fact, one time Cash wondered if there were ANY actresses that I liked because I was always saying how annoying some of them are. Well, partially for her and partially because I am going to make a future post of celebrities that I can't stand, here is a list of female actresses that I like (thanks to imdb for allowing the photos):

Cate Blanchett

Cate just really doesn't bug me at all. It's like, my brain knows that she should bug me in "Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull," but I am not bugged. She can get away with the most annoying characters on the planet. She can even pull off Katharine Hepburn in "The Aviator" and be really good at it. Cate is good.

Dame Judi Dench

Yeah, so I think Judi is so versatile. One thing that's totally on her side is that she has years of experience. I can even watch some of her old stuff and be reminded that she was awesome then. She can be serious, fun, funny, mean, etc. Maybe acting comes easily for her? She can do everything. I actually feel the same way about Maggie Smith. Maggie should also be on this list.


Julianne Moore

The thing about Julianne is that she can be in really, really crappy movies (see The Lost World: Jurassic Park or Evolution) but play her part well. It's like, you practically have to forgive the sucktitude of the movie just because she still does a good job in it. One thing she has on her side for me, is that I haven't seen a ton of movies with her in them. So, maybe I haven't given her enough of a chance to annoy me.


Emma Thompson

Ah, Emma. You can get really quirky and ugly for roles and I know that you love it. You can play a mom, a Jane Austen character, a magical nanny, a divination professor, etc., and yet, you are still so, so cool. She totally earns her spot on this list because I've seen her in a lot of films and still like her. Yay for Emma!


Natalie Portman

Well, I haven't seen her in a ton of stuff, but you know if you can deliver horrible lines like "I truly, deeply love you" or have a baby in Wal-Mart and play characters that I would normally despise and still not have me totally hate you and scream a vile and piercing scream, you've gotta be at least a little okay. I think Natalie does a good job in her chosen roles. Her characters really aren't that great, and I haven't seen everything she's in, but I can stand her.


Laura Linney

Yippee for Laura! Again, I haven't seen a ton of movies that she's in, but I really enjoy her in the films. She hasn't ever bugged me, and I like that she delivers her lines in a direct and very real manner. She doesn't act like she's acting, and that is priceless. Give her a raise.


Zooey Deschanel

Zooey hasn't been in tons of stuff that I've seen, either, but she hasn't bugged me yet. I thought she was the redeeming point of "Elf," and she seems like she can play quirky and weird roles with ease. She doesn't seem like she would have to be type-cast; she could probably play serious, funny, adventurous, and mysterious roles.


AnnaSophia Robb

I figured that I should put a child actor on here because I am TOTALLY going to put a creepy one on my list of actresses that I can't stand. Again, I haven't seen her in tons of stuff or anything, but I really liked her in "Bridge to Terabitha." And since she had a pretty major role in that one and didn't bug me, she's on this list.

So, there you go. Do you agree/disagree? Who are some of your favorite actresses? Discuss.

Teacher, Mother, Secret Lover

No TV and no orange soda make Cardine something something.

Sometimes I put too much in my life. It goes through phases. This stretch of too much has been pretty long. Even though I usually don't feel like being overly social, I have learned to be social. My dad said once that when I was little, they thought there was something wrong with me because I really wouldn't talk to people at all. I remember being afraid of people. A bit of that shyness has carried over into my adulthood. I still feel a little awkward approaching people, but I've forced myself to do it for so long, that sometimes I forget that I hate it. But I hate being afraid of things more, hence the scuba classes, the bass guitar performances, etc. I like to conquer my fears, or at least get so that I don't feel so uncomfortable doing things that scare me.

But sometimes I need a break from doing things that I fear and really, from being around a lot of people. I confess that I love to watch movies and/or television. It really takes no effort to do it. It is one of the most relaxing things to me. I love to lie in bed snuggled up in my sheets and blankets and just let go. And if nobody is around, I don't have to worry about crying, being embarrassingly scared, or openly enjoying a crappy action/adventure movie. Lately I've been enjoying the fruits of hulu.com (thanks, Flaur and Mack!). I can scroll through and pick from a huge list of whatever they have. Since I've pretty much abandoned conventional television and started watching everything online, I've become dependent on my ability to watch things when I want. It's like Tivo or a DVR without having one. I can't remember the last time I watched something on real TV. I don't even think my TV is programmed totally with the channels right now.

So, that is one of my guilty pleasures. It's probably only better if there's someone to snuggle with while I watch a movie, but by myself suffices, as well. Do you have a guilty pleasure?

Randomness

I think it's weird that I have a blog. For some reason, I really don't have anything to say today. I'm actually pretty talkative sometimes, but it seems so pointless without a response from someone else. I like it when there is an exchange of ideas. Blogging is sort of a one-way thing. So, it's sort of weird.

Today I finished the New Testament again. The Book of Revelation is absolutely packed. It blows my mind a little.

Did you do anything fun for Cinco de Mayo? I went to a party with my coworkers, and made a big mess. I was so klutzy. I made some flan, which I practically threw around the kitchen. I had a spill of Jarritos Mandarina (my favorite soda), and I also accidentally dumped the trash bag on the floor. Just don't ask. I felt so dumb.

I know that Monet is so ... so... everywhere and basically overused, but I still can't help but liking it. I think I am generally a fan of Impressionism. I also enjoy a lot of photography, I've noticed lately. In photography, I tend to like photos of architecture. I think it would be fun to take a photography class. I don't know that I have any real skill in photography, but it would be nice to know some basics.

I have too much stuff and not enough time. I find that when my birthday comes around, I can't really think of things that I need, and I realize that what I really want is for someone to help me with something. In reality, these are just things that I need to do myself. I gave myself a material gift. Maybe I should also give myself the gift of time by making some for myself to just get some stuff done that I've been meaning to do for awhile. That's one thing that I really need to work on: my time management. I always overfill my life with activities and things to do. It seems like I hardly ever have time to myself, and that really wears on me. Yes, it keeps me out of trouble, but it also stresses me out. It seems like I'm always going somewhere or doing something. Ah well, it gets me out of bed in the morning. Not very early, but out, nonetheless.

Isn't 'nonetheless' a great word? I watched the Lord of the Rings Trilogy over February and March, and I really like that line, "...but we will meet them nonetheless." There is something really powerful about that word.

I would like to publicly thank whoever discovered butter and popularized its use. Thank you. Butter is delicious. And the same goes for olive oil. Olive oil is quite possibly my favorite oil.

If you were to name a child after a food, what would you name them? Do you like the name "Celery?" How about "Venison?" "Apple" is actually quite the cute name. And I also like "Apricot." I think that I have been brainwashed by the makers of Strawberry Shortcake characters. (The 80s version with muffin hats, not the hip ones that are around today.)

I think I should go to bed early tonight. I haven't exercised today, but I just don't feeeeeeeel like it. So there. I will be walking around with some extra salsa in my hips until I break down and exercise.

Where ever you are and whatever time it is that you read this, I hope that you are having a good day or night!

It's already March and I am eating sweets. What should I do?

Relationship Month: The Hall of Crush

Welcome to my lair of attractive celebrities (aka "The Hall of Crush" or the relationship month post where Cardine posts photos of celebrities that she thinks are attractive). Before I show you the crushes, I've gotta take a minute to word vomit.

Really. No, really. Have you ever had a celebrity crush? And, I'm not talking about a celebrity craziness where you're an angsty teenager with posters in your room of the New Kids on the Block or the Backstreet Boys or whatever group or singer is the heartthrob of that year or where you actually write letters to them to make all sorts of crazy statements, like, "I am your #1 fan" or whatnot. And not the sort where you've actually stalked them. I'm not talking about the wacky crushes that creep me out. I'm just talking about a crush like, "hey, I really think that actor/actress is good-looking" or "boy, I could sure be kissed like that" or "jeez, wouldn't it be nice if he sang that song to me."

Note to my sisters: Please don't make fun of me for these.

I would also like to thank imdb for allowing (5b) me to use photos from their site.

Now, let's get down to business. (I apologize in advance for any corniness that may ensue.)

Hi, I'm Cary Elwes. You may remember me from such films as "The Princess Bride" or "Robin Hood: Men in Tights." To a 12 year-old girl watching me portray the role of Wesley (aka the Dread Pirate Roberts), I am a handsome devil. In fact, you may refer to me as R.O.U.S., or as ravishing of unbeatable standards. I am as attractive as you wish.




Hello, I'm Christian Bale. You may remember me from such films as "Swing Kids," "Little Women," or "Batman Begins." I have had a really long and prosperous career. I also once had a really long and juicy string of saliva stretching from Winona Ryder's mouth to mine. I am so dedicated to acting that I even got really emaciated for some of my roles. When I eat food and have meat on my bones, I am really attractive.




Hi, I'm Harrison Ford. You may remember me from such trilogies as "Star Wars" or "Indiana Jones." I hope that you don't remember me from such films as "Hollywood Crapicide" or "What Lies Beneath" (too scary). Now that you mention it, what does lie beneath this rugged exterior? Possibly eccentricities, but you may never know. You may have to adore me from your chair. Go ahead, write "I love you" on your eyelids. See if I notice.




Hello, I'm Cillian Murphy. You may remember me from such films as "Batman Begins" or "Red Eye," where I specialized in being strangely attractive in spite of my creepy roles. I haven't had a huge career, but as you can see, I am most attractive in the smiling form. Perhaps someday someone will notice and cast me in a non-creepy role so I can smile.




Hello, my name is Hugh Grant. You may remember me from such delightful films as "About A Boy" or "Love Actually." It is in films such as these, as well as others, that you are able to see me acting in carefree manners, like singing "Killing Me Softly With His Song" or dancing around to "Jump (For My Love)." I look attractive doing goofy things, as well as shuffling papers. I am most attractive when I am goofy, yet real.




Hi, my name is Matt Damon. You may remember me from such films as "The Rainmaker," "Ocean's Eleven," or "The Bourne Identity." You can try to not think I'm attractive, but I am. It's a fact. If you try to deny it, you will soon learn that you are deceiving yourself. I recently received an award for being sexy. That's how attractive I am. They just give me awards for looking good.




Hi, I'm Liev Schreiber. You may remember me from such films as "Kate & Leopold" or "The Sum of All Fears." I recently had a role in "CSI" where viewers discovered that it should be a crime to look as good as I do. I was born in the 60's (you know what that means), but somehow I made it through all that weird grooviness to look as handsome as I do. That's right.




Hello, my name is James Marsden. You may remember me from such films as "X-Men" or "Hairspray." But, you may have forgotten between seeing all those movies how attractive I am. However, it was probably a real delight to rediscover my attractiveness at each movie. I especially look attractive when I'm singing and dancing. I have it going on.


So, thanks for taking a walk through Cardine's Lair of Attractive Celebrities. I hope you enjoyed your time here. Now please tell me, who is in YOUR hall of crush?

I Appreciate Good and Clever Art

I recently stumbled onto a really cool piece of art online, and I wanted to share it with you. Partially because it reminds me a little of that girl from "Nightmare Before Christmas," which I've never seen because it's claymationy, and that's truly a nightmare. So, apparently people have said that the aforementioned girl kind of looks like my sister Cash. I can kind of see it. Well, if it's true, then maybe this art will also remind you of Cash.

Click here. I dare you.

Are you proud of me? I didn't pirate it and stick in on here. Instead, I directed you to the actual site.

Anyway, I really like it. Great depiction of the fates in relation to the telephone industry. Also, it's really cool-looking. What do you think?

50,000 Coyotes

I saw a bumper sticker on Sunday that I really liked. It said:

Eat more lamb. 50,000 coyotes can't be wrong.

Hilarious. People have really taken that "can't be wrong" saying and flown with it. Maybe I can create my own. Hmm...

Live in Houston. Millions of cockroaches can't be wrong.

Your turn!

Do They Taste Like Real Girl Scouts?

Today was one of the best days of the year. It's the day when the girl scouts drop off the boxes of cookies that I ordered from them. It's definitely a fund-raiser I can get behind. I also like it when people sell those pizza kits from Little Caesar's because they have an awesome thin-crust pepperoni, and their white chocolate macadamia nut cookie dough is absolutely delightful.

This year I got a modest stock of cookies. Three boxes of the thin mints, two boxes of the samoans, and one peanut butter box. Six boxes. That's not bad. I can probably eat that in a week.

Except, today is also a significant day. It is March 1, which I decided months ago would be the start of my yearly lent, if you will. It's not actually lent because I go without sweets, but it doesn't end at Easter Eve. I will resume my chocolate inhalation on Wednesday, April 18th when I go golfing for the first time this year. And, I'm not giving it up for any Christian reason. It's actually a selfish, vain, and rational thing that I just don't want to gain as much weight as I possibly could during this time of year.

And this year I need to be looking extra good because Cash is getting married on May 12. (Yay!) I will likely see a large number of people at her wedding festivities, and it's always good to give off a good impression to relatives who think I am otherwise a lazy moocher.

So, my dilemma is: do I stick with the original plan to not eat the cookies until April 18, or do I make an exception because I make my own rules? I typically do this for only one month. This year would be the first year of the extension.

I need your votes in the comments. Peace out.

Is She I?

As I previously mentioned, over the holidays Dub and I went to Disneyland and California Adventure. I had been hearing lore that there was a picture of a girl that looked like me at The Tower of Terror in the lobby. And so that particular attraction was definitely on the must-do list for the visit.

After having gotten a FastPass (my testimony includes a portion devoted to the FastPass), we walked in the lobby pretty much right away. There she was. California Adventure royalty me. Except, I wasn't sure I saw me in her or her in me. Naturally, Dub and I proceeded to take pictures of her. We'll call her from now on Princess in California Adventure's Tower of Terror or "Princess CATT" for short. Dub also made comments (somewhat loudly) about how I was the model for the painting. And then we took an informal poll from the people with whom we were standing to see if we looked like each other. People seemed mostly to agree with it. But, I still doubt.

By the way, from the people standing in line, we met these two people from Portland, I think, and they gave us their Soarin' Over California FastPasses. This is a shout out to them. Thank you very much. ... umm... how were you related to each other?

Anyway, I am now going to poll you, the 20-something people who occasionally check my blog. Actually, I think I'm polling a smaller number of you who know what I look like. Does Princess CATT look like Cardine? You decide:

Mmmm... Enchiladas!

November is Enchilada Month here at Cardine's Blog! To celebrate, I will be posting various recipes for enchiladas. I only have a repertoire of a few of such recipes, so please, be kind enough to send me your favorite recipe for enchiladas. If you don't, I may be forced to go on the web to find other people's recipes for enchiladas and post them. This is a scary thought because I won't have tried them before posting them. Or I could post my "Cardine's Too-Lazy-to-Cook Enchiladas Montadas" recipe. That's a scary one, too.

So yes, I am begging you to send them to me. And, actually, I really like to get recipes from people. Especially if they send me something that is their specialty. Oh yeah. Send the recipes to cardinesblog*at*gmail*dot*com, and please tell me how you want to be credited on this site and if you would like your blog to be linked from the post.

Thanks a lot, and (Insert a word that sounds all authentic-y Mexican to you readers here. Perhaps:) Disfrutalo!

Ask Cardine: Part VIII - Living With Parents

Horker P. Slappy asked me if I would blog with suggestions or advice for living with parents. She will shortly be moving back home with her parents and is approximately my age. I'm also hoping that this could be useful for others to read who may shortly be in this situation again or who have recently found themselves in this situation. Here is a list of suggestions that I just made up because I pretty much think about it rarely.

#1. Don't become dependent and lazy. What this means to me is that I will not take advantage of my parents' willingness to care for me. For example, if I let him, my dad would cook me breakfast every morning. When my parents moved back in with me, I told him that he didn't need to worry about me ever for breakfast. I would get my own if I wanted it. This may not be a way in which you would maintain your independence. Find a way that works for you. Maybe you cook dinner every once in a while. Maybe you mow the lawn. Anyway, just don't get lazy because it's hard to break out of it once you are. Trust me, I know. But, also make room to allow them to serve you. Don't be so independent that you are unable to accept kindness.

#2. Laundry. Make sure your laundry habits don't clash with theirs. I know that you still have siblings at home, and I don't know what the laundry situation is for that, but be sure that you're finding a time to do your laundry that's not inconvenient for anyone.

#3. Get out of your house. Be sure that you are socializing plenty with the outside world. The last thing you want is to become weird and enclosed from only having socialized with about six people in any given week. There are added benefits to this. You could meet people that share a lot of your same interests and make good friends. Eating away from home as much as possible is a great idea, too. Just make sure that they know you won't be eating at home BEFORE your parents start cooking the meal, if you eat dinner typically with them. Of course, this depends upon your food situation in the first place.

#4. Make room for family. While I'm telling you to get out of there, I would also advise you to make some time that is specifically meant for you to spend with your family. If you have a habitual time set aside, such as Sunday dinner where they can always count on you being there, that's fantastic! I have a weekly game time with my mom. This is why I am so good at Scrabble. Hee hee.

#5. Your room is your apartment. I spend a lot of time in my own space. I like to have time by myself, and I believe that it is necessary to maintain sanity.

#6. Don't become a mom. With younger siblings in the house, it'll probably be easy to share your opinion on what works and what doesn't with regard to your parents' raising of the siblings. I suggest that you mostly keep your opinions to yourself. Also, don't become your parents' mom. You don't always have to share your opinion about everything. Let them figure stuff out for themselves, even if you disagree with it. Sure, there are some times when it's probably good to share an opinion, but I believe that it is good to let people choose for themselves, even if they're choosing poorly.

#7. Don't be the prodigal son's brother. When your siblings who have also moved out come home, your parents are probably going to spoil them or kill the fatted calf for dinner or perhaps get all excited about it. You will notice that they do not do these things for you. It's okay. They do appreciate you, and be sure that you're not jealous of your siblings and what is given to them. Remember that you are a separate person from them. Perhaps your siblings are 'given' more than you are or ever were as a child. It doesn't matter. You are you. A separate being. Allow your parents the liberty of treating you as a separate being. Be grateful for it, even if it means that you are getting the short end of the deal, or so it seems.

#8. Make use of the time you have with them to get to know them. Listen to their 'boring' stories. You may even want to write them down. Find out what sort of fantastic things they did as teenagers or in their single lives. Listen to stories about you when you were younger. These stories are priceless, I promise. They may be boring now, but you will appreciate them later. You may have to ask them specific questions. Trust me, it's some great material.

#9. Don't get annoyed by their inquisitiveness over your dating life or lack thereof. One of their parental roles is to worry about how you turn out. They want you to be happy. They think that they know how you can be happy. They are stressing over it. When they are freaking out over a date or whatnot, just remind them that you ARE happy in your life. Don't be afraid to bear your testimony of your own singlehood. They are probably also worried about you because you're living with them. I think that the best thing to do is to stay calm and reassure them that it is okay to be your age and single.

#10. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

#11. Say please and thank you. And when appropriate, tell your family that you love them and give them hugs. Okay, so I suck at it, but you should do it.

I think that's it. For now. Does anybody else have any suggestions?