Too good to multitask.

While traveling this year, I've developed the habit of watching television on my iPad while blogging/working on my laptop, or vice versa. I can rarely ever watch my favorite shows on television, but luckily most channels have free apps that allow me to watch shows the morning after they air. Sometimes, I stream a mindless show on my Netflix account while working (think How I Met Your Mother or Glee), but there are three shows I can't multitask while watching because they are just too darn good.

1. Scandal

I was expecting a trashy scandal, but instead I got intelligence and wit! Score!

Turtle Tuesday.

Did you know I love turtles? Well, I do, and today I wanted to share some adorable turtle pictures I've found on Pinterest over the years. Enjoy!

Source: dreamsunlimitedtravel.com via Megan on Pinterest

What I learned from Les Miserables.

Jessica hosted a very creative Book Chat today over at her blog, Sweet Green Tangerine. She challenged us to create a musical playlist based on a book, which I think is an awesome idea. I was having trouble thinking of an appropriate to book to use when I finally realized my favorite story is already a musical! So I'm going to put a little spin on this prompt (hope you don't mind, Jessica!) and share with you some life lessons presented in the music of Les Miserables. Enjoy!

Image via Bunthorne's

These are a few of my favorite things.

Hi there! Notice anything different?...

Source: google.com via Jo on Pinterest

(I'm humming the Jeopardy song right now while I wait for you to notice....)

That's right! I redesigned my blog this weekend. I'd been creating this new header in my mind for a while, and I finally decided that I wanted my blog to be fun and fresh for the launch of my first-ever book challenge. What do you think?

Tonight, I wanted to quickly take this opportunity to explain the images I chose to use in my header. Starting from the top left: Of course I had to start with a girl reading. I kept my old header picture next to my blog title for nostalgia's sake, but I think I like the first picture even better. Next, I had to include a Harry Potter image. (Let's be real here.) The next three photos represent my passion for traveling, the significance of Alpha Delta Pi in my life (our flower is the violet), and my love of riding my bike.

Second row: Oh, Mizzou columns, how I miss you. (But I will be seeing you in three short days!!!) I also included a cup of tea to represent my love of all things steamy and served in a mug (coffee, tea, hot cocoa). Next, of course, is my trusty former header picture.

Third row: Again, I am addicted to coffee! Pretty designs in my latte don't hurt, either. I included a map to again symbolize my love for travel, but also my obsession with maps in general. The final three pictures represent a few more of my favorite things: snail mail, turtles and Africa. So there you have it! That's the inspiration behind my new design.

Photo credits from top left: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10 / 11 / 12 / 13

Books & tea, tea & books.

This is my most repinned image on Pinterest by far, with nearly 350 repins:

Source: lovelyundergrad.com via Megan on Pinterest

It also represents half the theme of my "Oh How Pinteresting" link-up today with The Vintage Apple. I recently discovered the Date a Girl Who Reads Tumblr, and I'm obsessed. I think I pin one-third of the images she posts, and that's with a relatively high level of restraint. (Remember my post about "Date a Girl Who Reads"?) Last week as I was on a pinning spree, I noticed a lot of my pins included books, obviously, but also tea. Here are some of my favorites. See my Bookworm and My Favorite Things Pinterest boards for more!

Source: date-a-girl-who-reads.tumblr.com via Megan on Pinterest

If I could live in a book ...

It's Thursday, which means it's time for another book chat with Jessica at Sweet Green Tangerine. I also got my $25 Barnes & Noble gift card from her giveaway in the mail today, so the timing is quite appropriate. (Thanks, Jessica! I'll be sure to let you know what I get!) This week's question:

Initially, I was going to pick one of the Harry Potter books (duh), but the majority of link-ups on Jessica's post had already chosen the wonderful world of Hogwarts, and I wanted to provide something different. I also thought you might be sick of hearing me talk about why Harry Potter is my favorite series, my personal identification with Hermione Granger, my favorite quotes from the series, or my general obsession with the entire franchise that began in 1998. (And those aren't even all my Harry Potter posts; you can see all of them here.)

Happy birthday to me!

Source: weheartit.com via Soraya on Pinterest

In honor of my 22nd birthday, I was going to share with you 22 fabulous things that have happened to me in the past year (inspired by the lovely Jessica at Lovely Undergrad). Then I realized I already shared most of them (and more!) with you last October when I posted about my favorite college memories. So instead, I'm going to share 22 random things about me that you might not already know:

The Sunshine Award

Well, my month is starting off with all sorts of good news! My little brother might come visit me for his spring break next weekend, and Kristen at A Lovely Mist nominated me for my first-ever chain blog! (I don't really know what they're called, so I'm calling it a chain blog. Is there an "official" name?) I'm excited to share that Kristen has nominated me for:

The Sunshine Award!

Sunshine Award Rules

1. Include the award’s logo in a post or on your blog.
2. Answer 10 questions about yourself.
3. Nominate 10-12 other fabulous bloggers.
4. Link your nominees to the post and comment on their blogs, letting them know they have been nominated.
5. Share the love and link the person who nominated you.

Favorite gift: Kindle

Photo via you + me ... who used it to illustrate exactly why she wouldn't be buying a Kindle

I included a Kindle as one of my travel necessities in my most recent Friday's Fancies creation. In that post, I promised you a longer explanation to justify my newfound love of the e-reader, and here it is:

30-Day Book Challenge: Day 27

Edited to add: Jessica at Sweet Green Tangerine chose endings as the topic for her April 5th book chat. I decided to link up with this old post because it already explains one of my favorite book endings and also mentions some of my least favorite. Head over to Jessica's blog and check out her post; she hosts a book chat link-up every Thursday!

Day 27 – The most surprising plot twist or ending

Image via Google Images

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. I know I said I wouldn't use the same book twice in this challenge, but there's a reason the third Harry Potter book is my favorite of the series - the ending is insane! Who would have ever guessed that Ron's rat was an Animagi? Who is actually a Death Eater and responsible for the Potters' murders, no less? Or that Sirius Black was Harry's godfather? And is actually a really nice guy? Or that Lord Voldemort was Harry's father?? (Just kidding!) But seriously, this was always my favorite book because of the sheer twists and turns the plot takes. (What ever happened to the Time Turner, anyway?)

Just to provide a little variety, I'll also share two of my least favorite endings ever, which happen to be from two of my favorite authors:

• Handle With Care, Jodi Picoult
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, J.K. Rowling

I generally tell people just not to read the epilogues of both these books, because I think they're wonderful right up until the end of the last chapter. I don't want to give anything away in Handle With Care, but I'm assuming you all know how Harry Potter ends, so I'll just say it: I would have known who was marrying whom without J.K. telling me! I thought the epilogue was super cheesy and unnecessary. Although after seeing the epilogue in the movie, I do like how she included the part about Harry naming his son after "the bravest man [he] ever knew." That was sweet. I'm getting goosebumps just typing about it!

What surprise endings did I miss? Has the ending of a book ever ruined an otherwise great story for you?

Update: Les Miserables casting choices.

Remember last month when I went on a bit of a rampage about the Les Miserables casting? (It turned out to be my most-read post of January, actually. Lots of other Les Mis fans out there, I presume?) Well, one of my gripes was that Taylor Swift was rumored to be under consideration for the role of Eponine. Today, I discovered that's no longer the case! Instead, Samantha Barks - who played Eponine in a West End production of Les Mis for a year - has been cast. Now here's an Eponine I can get behind. Can't wait for the movie!

And in case you needed more proof:

Oh, and did I mention how adorable she is? Just check out her reaction when she found out she had landed the part - while onstage for another production. Plus, she's already brunette!

30-Day Book Challenge: Day 14

Day 14 – Favorite book by my favorite writer

 
Image via Google Images

The Pact. Ahh, I love this book so much. It was definitely one of the saddest I've read, though. It centers on a teenage couple and the legal drama that unfolds after one of them dies from a gunshot. I don't want to get into too many details, but it is absolutely phenomenal if you don't mind having your heart wrenched out of your chest every 20 pages or so. Oh, Jodi. How wonderful you are.

30-Day Book Challenge: Day 13

Day 13 – My favorite writer

Image via SquidLit

Jodi Picoult! You might be surprised that I didn't say J.K. Rowling (considering two of my book challenges thus far - Day 2 and Day 3 - have been about Harry Potter), but though I love Rowling's characters and the magical world she created, I've never felt any particular attachment to the author herself. Jodi Picoult, on the other hand, absolutely fascinates me. But I guess if you've been a regular reader of my blog, you're already aware of my slight obsession. :) Her books cover a wide range of ethically charged dilemmas, from reproductive rights to assisted suicide and abuse to adultery. Her characters are always so incredibly well developed, and I've probably cried in at least half of her books. (I'm currently all up-to-date, having read all 18 of her novels, and I can't wait for Lone Wolf to be released at the end of this month!) I also follow Jodi on Twitter, and she seems like a pretty cool mom and person. So kudos to you, Jodi Picoult! You grabbed my attention when I read Plain Truth in 2004 and haven't let go since! Keep writing!

30-Day Book Challenge: Day 3

Day 3 – My favorite series

Image via Google Images

Not to be a complete Potterhead, but I'll have to go with Harry Potter again. There are plenty of other series that I love (including His Dark Materials, The Hunger Games, etc.), but Harry Potter was just such a big part of my childhood (so cliche, right?) that I have to pick it. There is no other series that I read for nine years of my life, and there is no other series in which I believe the characters and fictional world they live in are so well developed, which allowed me to identify with the books more.

To love another person is to see the face of God.

A few months ago, I accidentally stumbled upon an IMDB listing for a 2012 version of Les Miserables. The only cast members listed at the time were Hugh Jackman as Jean Valjean (how amazing is that?!), Russell Crowe as Inspector Javert (once again - amazing!) and Anne Hathaway as Fantine (I like Anne, but I guess I always pictured Fantine as older ... and blonde). This discovery might seem trivial to the average movie-watcher, but I absolutely love Les Miserables.

I literally grew up with the story and soundtrack of Les Miserables. I even got to see the play on stage when I very young; I still vividly remember the scene where Eponine crawls over the barricade to Marius, her chest drenched in the brilliant red of fake blood. The day before my family moved to California, we played "One Day More" on repeat throughout the whole house. This was when I was 7 years old, and I knew (know!) every word. When I was 11, I read the book by Victor Hugo for a class reading assignment. (Man, were those war chapters dense. But I still have my own copy!) Even today, "I Dreamed a Dream," "Who Am I?" and "At the End of the Day" are go-to songs on my iPod when I'm on a long car ride and need to sing something to stay awake. 

After my initial discovery about the new film, I regularly checked IMDB for updates. After all, if this movie really was (is?) coming out in 2012, how could they not have a full cast listing yet? Emma Watson was later listed as "rumored" to play Cosette (which was super exciting for me!) and Helena Bonham Carter and Sacha Baron Cohen (rumored) were listed to play the Thenardiers. (Madame Thenardier is kind of the Bellatrix Lestrange of Les Mis for me, so that's just perfect!)

Since then, Emma Watson has (unfortunately) been replaced with Amanda Seyfried for the role of Cosette. What?! I'm very disappointed by this. It's not that I was totally set on Emma playing Cosette (I don't know anything about her voice), but there is just something about Amanda Seyfried that rubs me the wrong way. In the same article where I read Amanda would be playing Cosette, I read Taylor Swift might be playing Eponine. What?!?! On My Own? A Little Fall of Rain? How can Taylor sing these as they deserve to be sung?! Plus, isn't Eponine brunette? I guess Taylor can dye her hair for the role, but we all know what she really looks like.

Sorry for my little venting session. I am definitely still stoked to see the movie (opening night, no doubt), but I'm a little disappointed with some of the casting thus far. After listening to the soundtrack for two decades, I have a certain image in my mind, and this just isn't living up to that.

P.S. - The title of this post has been one of my favorite quotes for as long as I can remember. It's currently listed under my quotes on Facebook, but I also remember having it featured on my MySpace profile. Imagine how long ago that was. The quote is, of course, from one of the many wonderful songs in Les Miserables!

Are you familiar with the story of Les Miserables? What do you think about the casting choices?

The best of: Cup of Jo

Happy New Year! I hope you all had a fun and/or relaxing New Year's Eve, whichever you wanted to have. :) I spent the weekend with one of my best friends from high school at Monterey Bay, and it was so wonderful to walk the wharf with her and catch up.

Source: ourblogoflove.com via Rebecca on Pinterest

Of course, one of the first things I did when I got home was catch up on my Google Reader. Not surprisingly, it was full of "Happy New Year" posts, but my favorite was a recap of 2011 from Cup of Jo's Joanna Goddard. If you've been reading my recent posts, you'll know I voted her Best "I-want-her-life" blog and Best for a quick read blog in my best of blogs post. If you were interested in reading Cup of Jo, this post is a great way to get started and see some of her most interesting posts throughout the year. Enjoy!

Newest discovery: Goodreads.

This isn't exactly a "new" discovery; I just haven't had time to post about it yet. But a few months ago, I discovered a joyous little website/smartphone app called Goodreads. And I love it. Plus, I unwrapped a beautiful new Kindle on Christmas Eve, and I can't wait to start downloading books that I've found through the great recommendations on Goodreads. (I currently have 78 books on my "to-read" shelf, and it just keeps growing!)

Source: oldfashionedreaming.tumblr.com via Megan on Pinterest

Goodreads allows me to track every book I've ever read (or that I can remember reading, at least) and rate them on a five-star scale. I can also mark my favorite genres and authors, and Goodreads will generate recommended lists for me. My favorite part is looking at my friends' lists for ideas, but I only have about six friends on Goodreads right now. So join me! It's quick, easy and free. (And I'm there, of course.) See you soon!

Anticipation seven months in the making.

I finally pre-ordered my copy of Sing You Home in paperback today!

(It's available for 50 percent off today only on the Barnes & Noble website.) 

Photo via barnesandnoble.com

The book is scheduled to ship October 18, which seemed way too far away until I remembered I've been waiting for this book since it came out in hardcover seven months ago! I suffered this excruciating wait last year, too, with House Rules, but it's worth it to me. Not only do I love reading Jodi Picoult's novels, but I like to own them. I have quite a little collection, and to keep them all matching, it's necessary for me to wait for the paperback version each time. Plus, I just don't really enjoy reading hardcover books.

Jodi Picoult has written 18 novels in the past 20 years (and a play and a graphic novel - neither of which I have read), and I have read 17 of them. When I get my hands on Sing You Home in a few weeks, I will have read every single one.

I first discovered the masterful writing of Picoult during my sophomore year of high school. I was an insatiable little reader back then, and I often borrowed books from my mom. During this particular year, she had copies of both Plain Truth and My Sister's Keeper. (The latter has since become one of Picoult's best-known novels. It has also been adapted for film, but I still haven't seen the movie for fear I'll be disappointed.) After that, I was hooked.

May the odds be ever in your favor.

I've been meaning to write a review of The Hunger Games for a while now, but this week seems especially perfect. I finished the third book of the trilogy, Mockingjay, on Tuesday, and it also happens to be Banned Book Week. In some places, The Hunger Games trilogy has been banned for these reasons:

"sexually explicit, violence, unsuited to age group"

Source: google.com.ph via Tippi on Pinterest

Well, after reading all of them, I don't see how they are sexually explicit. Unless of course, kissing at the age of 16 is considered sexually explicit, but I don't really see that holding up against some of the other "young adult" books that are published today. As for violence, I can understand. When my friend first told me they were banned for violence, this particular line from Mockingjay came to mind:

"Weapons fall from their hands, fingers clutch their faces, as blood sprays from all visible orifices - eyes, noses, mouths, ears.... I grit my teeth and run, leaping over the bodies, feet slipping in the gore." Mmm, yummy.

In light of passages such as that, I can see why some people might think the books are "unsuited to age group." After all, when I encourage my peers to take time out of their busy college schedules to read the series, I always tell them: "It's a really fast read. I read the first book in two days during recruitment! [And if they're Greek, they understand how impossible it is to do anything except recruitment during recruitment.] Think Twilight, but better. Much better." I only compare The Hunger Games to Twilight because they are both written at a very low reading level but enjoyed by an older age group. It is there that the differences end.

You are more than you have become.

Last night, I saw The Lion King in 3D. I went with four of my female classmates, and we were all amused to notice every person in the theater seemed to be at least 18 years old.

Source: google.com via Danielle on Pinterest

Watching the classic Disney film as a 21-year-old university student was an eye-opening experience. I hold The Lion King close to my heart, as my sorority's mascot is a lion. In fact, it's a running joke among my close sisters that I like to quote inspirational sayings from the movie in my everyday life. My personal favorite is from a leadership conference I attended with Alpha Delta Pi in the summer of 2010. During one workshop, we watched the scene where Simba sees his dad's image in the stars. Mufasa tells his grown-up son (in his deep, oh-so-sexy cartoon voice):

"Look inside yourself, Simba. You are more than what you have become." (Hence my post title.)

So of course, when we discovered the movie was being re-released in 3D, we had to go. I'm proud to say that I contained myself quite well (unlike my embarrassing Harry Potter episode). I stayed dry-eyed through Mufasa's death and Simba's discovery of his body, even when Simba tugged on Mufasa's ear to wake him up. My willpower ran out, however, when Simba began crying and running across the gorge, begging for help from "somebody ... anybody!" Then I cried.

Source: google.de via A on Pinterest