Has texting killed romance?

Just read this article by Ashton Kutcher in February Bazaar... Interesting...

Has texting killed romance?

ASHTON KUTCHER asks, in an Internet era, are we losing our ability to really Communicate?

I was shooting a scene in my new film, No Strings Attached, in which I say to Natalie Portman, "If you miss me … you can't text, you can't e-mail, you can't post it on my [Facebook] wall. If you really miss me, you come and see me." I began to think of all of the billions of intimate exchanges sent daily via fingers and screens, bouncing between satellites and servers. With all this texting, e-mailing, and social networking, I started wondering, are we all becoming so in touch with one another that we are in danger of losing touch?

It used to be that boy met girl and they exchanged phone numbers. Anticipation built. They imagined the entire relationship before a call ever happened. The phone rang. Hearts pounded. "Hello?" Followed by a conversation that lasted two hours but felt like two minutes and would be examined with friends for two weeks. If all went well, a date was arranged. That was then.

Now we exchange numbers but text instead of calling because it mitigates the risks of early failure and eliminates those deafening moments of silence. Now anticipation builds. Bdoop. "It was NICE meeting u." Both sides overanalyze every word. We talk to a friend, an impromptu Cyrano: "He wrote nice in all caps. What does that mean? What do I write back?" Then we write a response and delete it 10 times before sending a message that will appear 2 care, but not 2 much. If all goes well, a date will be arranged.

Whether you like it or not, the digital age has produced a new format for modern romance, and natural selection may be favoring the quick-thumbed quip peddler over the confident, ice-breaking alpha male. Or maybe we are hiding behind the cloak of digital text and spell-check to present superior versions of ourselves while using these less intimate forms of communication to accelerate the courting process. So what's it really good for?

There is some argument about who actually invented text messaging, but I think it's safe to say it was a man. Multiple studies have shown that the average man uses about half as many words per day as women, thus text messaging. It eliminates hellos and goodbyes and cuts right to the chase. Now, if that's not male behavior, I don't know what is. It's also great for passing notes. There is something fun about sharing secrets with your date while in the company of others. Think of texting as a modern whisper in your lover's ear.

Sending sweet nothings on Twitter or Facebook is also fun. In some ways, it's no different than sending flowers to the office: You are declaring your love for everyone to see. Who doesn't like to be publicly adored? Just remember that what you post is out there and there's some stuff you can't unsee.

But the reality is that we communicate with every part of our being, and there are times when we must use it all. When someone needs us, he or she needs all of us. There's no text that can replace a loving touch when someone we love is hurting.

We haven't lost romance in the digital age, but we may be neglecting it. In doing so, antiquated art forms are taking on new importance. The power of a handwritten letter is greater than ever. It's personal and deliberate and means more than an e-mail or text ever will. It has a unique scent. It requires deciphering. But, most important, it's flawed. There are errors in handwriting, punctuation, grammar, and spelling that show our vulnerability. And vulnerability is the essence of romance. It's the art of being uncalculated, the willingness to look foolish, the courage to say, "This is me, and I'm interested in you enough to show you my flaws with the hope that you may embrace me for all that I am but, more important, all that I am not."

(No, I did not type all this, I totally stole it! <3)

YES!!!!

First test in my Social Psychology class was last night, and I only missed 4 out of 50. It should have only been 3 in my opinion, but ah well an A's an A no matter how you slice it.

Photo Updates

I tried all day yesterday to upload photos to blogger, but the Internet kept going in-and-out according to the site. So, it was a big fat waste of time. Shutterfly saw no problems with the Internet connection - so you can view the pictures below. We really have been kind of lazy - so not really a bunch of new stuff. =)

11 - February

Click here to view these pictures larger

Cashing-IN

....On Christmas Gift cards!....

Nobody ever has to worry about giving us gift cards for Christmas - We (at least, I) LOVE them! Last week I cashed in the VS card from mom and dad West (New Swim Suit, Shampoo, and boulce sweater) and the Olive Garden from mom and dad Hall. Already shared the Charity Card from B-n-A-n-M (St. Jude). This weekend looks good to cash in the ColdStone card from mom and dad Hall when we head to get some CHIPOTLE. Yum!!

Rachel Pictures

So, it does not look like I ever posted the pictures from when we visited Rachel after she broke her jaw. Well, Here you go.

Poor thing is eating a smoothie through a siringe. =(

No one looks happy here.

Ski Pictures

So on January 9th - we really did go skiing at Bittersweet Resort with Penny, Jay and Donita. I didn't ski, but Chris and Emilia and they had a great time. Chris and Emilia both tried snowboarding for the first time. Emilia got the hang of it, but Chris said (and I quote) "Too late in life. I'm tired of falling down." But he gave it a good try.

New Semester

The Spring semester is underway for school. My Creative Writing class is online, and my Social Psychology class is face-to-face. Our first class this week we watched a video called "The Eye of the Storm". It is a lesson in a 3rd grade class following the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. I thought the teacher was very gutsy to try such an experiment. This clip has the students back as adults, while the video we watched in class does not, because we are watching the separate film with the students as adults this coming week. Anyway, I found it interesting and thought it might be worth while to share.

New YouTube Videos

I managed to upload the two best videos I collected over th Holiday to share with everyone. I would have shared more actually, but....I really only had these two. Hope you enjoy them.

Oh yes, Resolutions!

So, I know I am not completely on my own here with resolutions - so here I go (In No Particular Order):

1) Work out 3x's a week (does NOT have to be gym-based - walks, wii fit, sports - all count) So, let's change this to "3 Physical activities a week".
2) Read 2 books a month (just missed this last year, GAME ON in 2011).
3) Volunteer once a Month.
4) Learn to Play the Guitar (er- how 'bout begin to learn).

There they are. I don't think there are any is anything on that list that is asking too much. Nothing tooo drastic. I'm looking forward to it.

Happy New Years Pictures!!!!

Here are a lot of our pictures from our New Years trip to TN. If you like what you see, and want to see some more, click-it-up with the new Shutterfly link at the top of the page. I have the Walmart site still too, but for right now I am putting them on both sites.

Ok, some more photos.

Decided I better add the photos from my camera now that I have finally got all caught up on all other photos!


Little vain?


Our Dear Sweet Makenna! How we love her!



Kris playing with part of the Harry Potter game board.

Aunt Marianne and Uncle Andy!

We managed to talk Kristina into spending the night. Santa must have known - he dropped a little off for her here too.

Hope she got enough... but if not, more to come.

Maybe my morning breath?

Chris and Bec playing on the computer.

Sweet Little Cutie Pie Blaike! Love her hair!

Rest of 2010 (264 photos), by Lara West

I'd like to share my Walmart Digital Photo Center photos with you. Once you have checked out my photos you can order prints and upload your own photos to share.

Here are the updated pictures through the family Chistmas party in Danville. Enjoy - Next year, I vow to be more dilligent in my updates, haha.

Expanding Emilia's English Vocabulary

So... stuck at mom's house, Emilia and I decided to play a round of Scrabble Jr. All I wanted to do was expand her vocabulary. They are all real, REAL, "Real" words. How many can you find? HAHAHA, have fun and I hope you enjoy!!!!

Pictures? What are those!?!

Dad painted my nails for the colts game. I can't believe I let him do that, but they actually don't look too bad. That little basket on the table is the cutest gift that Ashley made for me. It is all blue and white/silver for the Colts. It has blue nail polish, white nail polish, a bracelet, chap stick and a pen all hot-glued to blue and silver sticks, and then a ball Christmas ornament in the middle. And... I absolutely love it.

Here we are at our seats with the Hoffman's. They are our neighbors, and they have been looking forward to this game since we got the tickets! Glad they could keep us company at the game, because they are super fun. And the Colts won - as we heard people saying - "Colts not only had to be the Jaguars, they had to beat the officials too." It was a poorly called game on several occasions. We are so sad that it was our last game of the season. My dad, brother and his kids Robert and Jenny are taking our seats for the Titans game over New Year's.

Family Christmas

One, actually two, family Christmas Parties down - one more to go.


I really love the Holidays. Just gathering together with the family that you never get to just kick back and relax with is great. Although it has been stressful up to this point... Emilia had to decorate the tree or it wouldn't have gotten done... I hope things are going to start calming down for us. Chris has one last work trip to make this year. He is in Chicago tonight, flying to Houston in the morning, and hopefully returning home on-time for Christmas Eve.... Santa may not leave his gifts here if he doesn't make it home...


And guess what? I DID get a camera from my mother and father for Christmas! Just in-time for the Holidays....well, not including the big family party, but I had it to take to the Colts game this afternoon. So, party on people - pictures will be alive and flowing from this juice box again soon. :) Meanwhile, Special shout-out to my cousin Rebecca for putting this lovely picture of all us cousins with our Grandma on FB.

We'll be seeing the rest of the family in Tennessee over New Years!

Celebration Quiz 1!

Last week of school this semester. Science Final, and two quizzes in history left till I am finished. I hear myself chugging along, "I can do it, I can do it, I can do it." Making the most of my math skills, I calculate what I need to get an A in History. I need 20 points on the last three discussion boards, which have yet to be graded. I have only lost 2 points out of all the discussion posts this semester -which is more than my average - and that was a week that I just wanted to get something done, so it was not my best work. Hopefully, I continue my hot streak and get full credit. Anyway, so I need 20 points on all three of those, and I needed at least 20/25 on both of my last quizzes. Just took my first and earned a 22/25- so as long as I don't blow this last one I should be good to go.

As for Science - I some how managed to get that D up to a 89% B. No grades on our last 2 lab reports or our only three discussion board posts, which really IRKS me, because I don't have a good gage of my grade. Just going by what is graded and a possible on the final - I can only squeeze out an A if I get a 100% - which is not likely, but something to strive for. I can get 50% and still hold on to a B...so I think it is going to be a B. Boo... but better than the D I did have.

It's boring...

to blog with out any pictures. I need a camera bad! I found one on ebay -cheapy - but it will get the job done.

Anyway - so last weekend we went to Indy and hung out with Mom and Dad West, Brent, Amanda and Makenna. Stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn - woot! Ate at The Old Spaghetti Factory - A place that Chris has been wanting to patron forever. We also took a horse and carriage ride around downtown, and swam in the pool...er... the hot tub, but it's all good. Sunday we went to Peeps for brunch, Circle Center Mall, Jillians, and then the COLTS game. Too bad the Colts lost.. bummer.

It was extremely cold, yet we all braved it. I bet it is colder now that all the snow has fallen, and wind is picking up (at least here in MC it is.) Love hanging with the family.

Chris was in Connecticut for work all last week. He came home and organized the basement, got the pool table ready to-play, set up the PS2 to the projector in the basement and washed all the dishes and started laundry.

What did I do? Well, homework.

Whew!

Twelve days of classes left at college... Twelve days till vacation at work. I am debating on classes to take next semester. I have my degree completed with the exception of the Praxis test, which I will register for at the start of the year.

My advisor...has advised me... to take a second biology class, another level 200 English class, and another Sociology class with my "free" semester to save money when I transfer. So, the Bio class is not offered at a time that I can participate in, and the only sociology class being offered that I haven't already taken is Multicultural Society... and I'm taking Multicultural Classrooms now, so I am really not interested in another multicultural class at the moment. SO... I THINK (at least at this moment) I have decided to take Social Psychology and Technical Writing. The psych classes transfers as a sociology class at PNC... so... I'm assuming it will be alright.

Christmas is just around the corner! Where has the year gone!!?!! I am so not ready for it. Shopping and Decorating left to finish in a hurry, but I think I'll be alright. Can't wait to see all the family though!

Vacation Days 3 & 4

Monday:

We woke up 6AM early.
Got hotel Danish and Yogurt for breakfast.
Shopped the French Market area.
Checked out more of the French Quarter.
Checked out the St. Louis Cathedral.
Cajun Cabin for Lunch.
"Window" shopped the paintings in Jackson Square.
Tried some dee-lish Beignets (basically, square funnel cake) - Thanks Heidi.
Watched tankers on the Mississippi River.
Witnessed a drug deal.
House of Blues for Dinner.
Pinkberry for Desert.

Haha, those are the highlights for Monday. We have had a total blast.

Tuesday:
Another 6AM wake-up.
Hotel Breakfast again - Waffles and cereal today.
Walked to St. Louis Cemetery #1.
Rode the trolley.
Checked out the Aquarium.
Bought some gummy worms and a magnet.
Fed the Sting-Rays.
Downed some Oysters and a Po-Boy at Acme Oyster House (yummy!)
Waiting to go on the Vampire Tour.
Looking forward to hitting the hay and taking these shoes off.

Another amazing day with Chris, Emilia, Thom, Heidi, Matthew and Andrew.

Andrew is amazingly cute! Hungry little bug, but cute as can be!
Matthew is adorably cute! So sweeeeeeet...most of the time. Really loves Emilia because she is wrapped so tightly around his little finger, he knows she will always put him on her shoulders.

---Emilia just asked if Matthew was going on the Vampire Tour and I shook my head, and she told me, "you look so serious." To which I responded, "I'm too tired to smile." Because it is true. I am waaaaayyyyy toooooo tired to smile.

Vacation Days 1 & 2

Friday after work/school we finished packing, ran to the bank for some cash and hit the road for Tennessee. Chris drove most of the night. I only drove for 3 hours, but I'm sure it helped. I like traveling at night if I have to drive, and during the day if Chris wants to do all the driving. Hehe.

So we arrived in Murfreesboro Saturday morning about 1am. We got up around 7 and chilled at the house till about 11, when we left to buy some shorts at Walmart, get lunch at Jim-N-Nicks BBQ, and then stop at the ever-so-amazing Geographical Center of Tennessee. (Yes, we even pointed the fingers! lol) --Pictures are on Emilia's camera since I left mine at home! It's broken anyways - needs a new one. --- Then we returned to the house, took naps, and played the Wii and watched "The Proposal" before heading to bed.

We woke up at 5am, left the drive at 6AM. We stopped in Alabama to see the rocket at the Welcome Center, and arrived in New Orleans about 2:55pm. Met up with Thom and Heidi, checked into the hotel, and then hit Bourbon Street for dinner at La Bayou. Yum!

Saints had a home game and they won, so we opted to make it an early night to avoid the crazies. But tomorrow night - the town is ours!!!!

School update -

Pulled the Physical Science grade up to a B - hopefully with an extra credit lab going in for grading I will have enough to pull that grade to an A - and then I just have to keep it through the final exam. =D

Keeping a strong 90.2% in History and rocking a 95.3% in Multicultural Classroom. Only three weeks left to go this semester. I'm looking forward to it being over, and getting a much needed break.

I was hoping to be finished with Ivy Tech this semester, but... PNC does not offer special eduction, while IUN does. It would be a longer drive for school, but it is a dual degree - which would open more doors for opportunity. If I go for IUN, I need four more classes - Decisions, decisions.

Super Stoked

New Orleans trip is getting closer!!!!! We cannot wait!! Staying in the French Quarter this time and then having Thanksgiving at Thom and Heidi's house in Biloxi! Can't wait to love on Matthew and baby Andrew! Need a new camera still, but this one will at least get us sssssooooommmmeeee pictures. =) Hopefully we run into Matthews silver guy friend - Bo!

Work at the School

I am now 2 weeks into my new job at the high school. It's exhausting, but it really does feel absolutely amazing when I'm working with the students and suddenly they realize they can understand the homework. There really is light bulb that you can just see turn on behind their eyes. One extra person in the classroom to spend just a few minutes with them really does help, and I have already had a substitute in the classroom that thinks the school is spending too much money on para's...boo to him.

One of the teachers who is totally amazing with the students, and took time everyday the first week to run through each of the students back grounds with me so I can understand them better has been hospitalized for the better portion of last week. Not sure if it was a stroke or what, but she is in the ICU - There was a rumor that she was being transferred to South Bend. I got a card with music for the students to sign on Friday and I took it to her at the hospital after school with some balloons. She did not look good. She moved all of her limbs, but couldn't move them on demand when asked to. Another teacher I work with showed up at the same I did and asked her what food she wanted her to have read when she returned to work, and we tossed some places out there, and when we got to Culver's she said "...That...sounds...good..." But then the doc asked her if 1) she knew her name - no - 2) if she knew where she was - no - 3) if she knew what city she was in - no - It was so sad. =( So we are not really sure if she knew who we were - but she smiled at the card, and her sister read her all of the students names and 'get well' 'come back soon' messages. The card had baby chickens on it, and said "Just wanted to give a little shout-out...." Open > "To one of my favorite peeps." and played SHOUT. Of course, I bought it thinking she would be back on Monday, not realizing how serious everything was.

Back to a happier note - My schedule is great because I change classrooms every period but the last 2. Second and Forth are the same teacher, but totally different classes and students.

1st: low-learning English class
2nd: US History
3rd: MO room - class with intellectual disabilities, students with autism type classroom
4th: Literature
5th: Life Science
6th: Lunch
7th: Algebra 1
8th: Algebra 1

Catch Up

So Emilia went Trick or Treating tonight...and yum! She brought home lots and lots of candy!

Tomorrow is my first day working at the school. I start at 7:45 in the am, and I can not wait.

School is going much better. I'm sticking with the Science class. The instructor has offered enough extra credit that I can score a B in the class, and though I typically would not be happy with a B - It is just going to have to do because I don't want to have to pay for it again. I am at an 89.6 B in History, but as long as I get all the points for my discussion board posts when she grades them I will be in A range again easily. The Multicultural class is good. Had a scare where I thought she gave me a zero, was just a mistake where she forgot to save before submitting, but it was really a 57/60 - which I will happily accept.

Chris has enjoyed being in China, but I think that the he is about as ready to come home as I am to have him here. He went out for a steak the other night, because the real Chinese food was getting old.

I've lost my camera... not sure if Chris has it or not, but either way - we need a new one.

Back to the Classroom!

I am so excited to be going back to school...as a teacher's aide! Thankfully, I am already an approved substitute, so I can start work on Monday and work as a multi-day substitute until the board meets again and approves my contract.

Now, I am about to log-in to the phone service and answer calls for Aber. and Fitch/Hollister. Who knows where that road may lead. I hate to quit so soon, but the school has better hours, and will be preparing for my own classroom in the future. I guess I'm slightly torn because I hate to think I just wasted the other companies time and money in training me... although... when I submitted my resume to them - I never changed the objective statement, which said "To gain working knowledge of the classroom..." So... maybe they should have known, lol.

ANNNNND.... the company just announced yesterday that all employees who are M-F - must swap out a weekday for a weekend. Everyone was really upset and the "boss" refused to even discuss it, saying we were all told about the upcoming change when we interviewed..which I know I wasn't, so I can only believe that the other people were not either....so... I don't think I really want to continue working for a company that is going to steam-roll everyone like that anyway..

Can you tell I am trying to convince myself it is alright to quit? LOL

Reading List

The reading list has been updated - Surprsie, Surprise. However, I have finished the ENTIRE Sookie Stackhouse series available.

The Pot Roast Disaster

Sunday I decided to make Pot Roast for Emilia and I. After Amanda saved the day to email me the awesome recipe, I went to work. Luckily I did have most of the ingredients memorized, and what I didn't have memorized, I had at the house already. So I didn't need to make a second trip to the store.

So, I started off with getting my oil tooooo hot. Fixed. Apparently, medium on my stove is REALLY HIGH. Because before I even realized what was happening the smoke detectors were going off...yeah the detector right above the stove has got to go...

Now, the alarms have never gone off before, and of course, they are not just simply take the battery out and everything is silent... NOoooo... they are wired through the house to the very, very, very loud and embarrassing sound box on the front of the house..

Yes, the ENTIRE neighborhood was standing in their yards looking, parents from a couple house down sent their teenage sons to see what they could do to help. ANNNND, I had no flipping clue how to turn the alarm off. I had to run across the street and ask!!! That neighbor called the Scroggins, who we bought the house from, to tell me what to do.

Needless to say, I was pretty mortified. So, I just poured in the beef stock and the veggies and tossed it in the oven. I was over making the pot roast at that point. It was still good, but obviously not as great as it could have been with some flavoring, lol! But I didn't care.

Leavin' and Cookin'

Chris is leaving for China this weekend. Emilia and I are taking him out to Chili's for our last dinner with him for a few days.

I think Saturday Emilia and I are going to try and visit a pumpkin patch so we can pick the perfect one for carving!

School is going alright. I am falling slightly behind in History with adjusting to working again, but I'm not too worried because that class is self paced all the way through. I think I am dropping the Science class. I should be able to attend the face-to-face class next semester. If so, that is what I plan to do. Have an a in History and Multi-cultural classroom courses. WooooHooooo!

We are on the prowl for Lion King tickets if anyone of you happens to find some decent priced ones laying around anywhere... =D

Tonight (Thursday the 21st, hehe) Emilia is making like 60 Cinnamon Rolls from her mom's recipe. Some are going with her to school, some are for the neighbors, but there should still be some left if you want her to freeze some for you, let me know.

Work Update

Training has included a LOT of information, but the days have flown by. We started email responses today - believe it or not - there are no automated responses, just templates to get you started - but even those leave you with much to address. :) it took me just under an hour to complete 2 of them!! BUT...I did have a room full of people chatting in my ear because the person 'sharing the screen' didn't have a clue what she was doing, and that makes me so frustrated. I can't turn the room off because there is really helpful information sometimes...and I don't want to get called on and be gone. AND THEN, I did an entire response just to get to the end and find that the shirt I recommended was only available in small! LESSON LEARNED! haha. =)