Last night I attended Brigham Young University's ever popular World of Dance. Each main dance company (i.e. Cougarettes, Dancer's Company, International Folk Dance Ensemble (IFDE), Ballroom Dance Company, and Theater Ballet) each perform a few pieces. I have gone for the past 3 years. It is usually a really fun performance with great pieces to be enjoyed. This year however, I wasn't wowed like I usually am. The Cougarettes' pieces, while good, seemed to be the same thing they always do, nothing special by any means. IFDE was kinda boring this year. They did one piece that I had never seen before, but none of their pieces were amazing. Just bleh. Ballroom Dance Company was by far the best performing group of the night. Even though I had seen all three of their pieces at other shows, they did 3 of my favorites, including Do Wah Diddy, which is my favorite cha-cha ever, and my friend was in it (there were only 3 couples) and he lit up the stage as the best guy out there for sure. Theater Ballet did two pieces, both pieces that Ballet Showcase has done before, and they didn't seem as cool when we did them. They did them well, and they did better than they have done in past years at World of Dance, but honestly...Ballet Showcase has cooler pieces for our show in November right now.
Overall, I wasn't that impressed with World of Dance. I had a lot of friend and my friend Dr. Teeth that I have known since I was 14 went with me. We went in a group with some other friends of mine and prefaced the show with dinner at P.F. Chang's which was good and followed the show with games and Dr. Teeth playing his guitar. It's been ages since he and I had hung out and he had a couple new songs for me. So the company was good and I had fun, but when the show is kind of disappointing it's sad.
Now it's Sunday, and I slept through choir, mostly because I needed to catch up on sleep, it's been a rough week. Today I get to read some conference talks for my religion class and sew new pointe shoes. :P
General Conference is this next weekend, and I am so EXCITED!!! I don't really have any plans for conference. I kind of want to go to a session, but I haven't found anyone who wants to try and get tickets. Not that I've really asked around yet. lol. I'm also trying to decide if I want to carry on my tradition of making orange rolls for conference...they're yummy, but I only like to do that if it's for other people. So i guess it will depend on what my plans end up being for conference. :)
Have a great day y'all.
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
thoughts and The Tango
so I feel like I had something super good to say, a great post was being brainstormed in my head, but it has left me. However, my dad sent me this great thought today from Robert Fulghum. This is part four of His Tango Chronicles. It's totally worth it to go and read the rest of them, I really liked them! Visit his site here, and enjoy this article, I know I did!
-------------
“So, what’s new with Tango - you haven’t said much lately. Given up?”
Question from a friend. Not an unreasonable inquiry. But my silence is that
of one who has made it across the shaky Bridge of Beginning to the solid
ground of confidence where continuing on is possible. I have moved from “Can
I do it? to “This can be done.”
“Less talk - more Tango.” is my motto. Shut up and dance.
I’m encouraged by an article my Tango teacher gave me. It’s about the axiom
of “Use It or Lose It” in reference to an aging mind. In studies of mental
and physical activities that reduce the risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s
disease, the most successful was social dancing. Learning a new dance and
dancing four times a week reduced the risk of mental atrophy by 76%. And
Tango was judged the most challenging.
Why? Dancing simultaneously engages the mind, the body, and the musical and
emotional processes. Making split-second decisions using all your faculties
seems to be the key. It doesn’t hurt that you’re doing it while all dressed
up, out in the world, surrounded by people, having a good time.
When people say, “Tango? At your age? Have lost your mind?”
I can answer, “No, and I don’t intend to.”
Often I ask others, “Do you dance?”
It saddens me when they reply they cannot.
“Why?”
“I look like an idiot on a dance floor.” or “I’m just not a dancer.”
My neighbor is one of these. He does not dance.
He is 30 years old, in great shape, 6 feet 4 inches, 220 lbs., an ex
football star and two-time state heavyweight wrestling champion. A law
degree, and an MBA from Stanford. Nimble in body and mind.
He watches me go out at night. He knows where I’m going. But he ignores me.
His wife would like it if he would take her out dancing. But he’s not going.
He says he cannot dance. He would be embarrassed to try.
I said to him, “Let me get this straight. You mean you used to dress up in a
set of tights I wouldn’t wear to a Gay Pride parade, and get out in the
middle of a gym on the floor with another guy - one you don’t even know -
and get all wrapped up and sweaty with him in an intense embrace, while a
couple of thousand people screamed at you, but it would embarrass you to put
on a suit and tie and take your wife to a nightclub, hold her close, and
move around in the dark to music? ARE YOU CRAZY?”
He doesn’t want to talk about it. He knows I have him in a mental hold and
could take him down two falls out of three with this line of thinking. He’s
avoiding me now. And his wife is driving him crazy for being a chicken.
"If that old man can do it, why can't you?” My neighbor thinks that dancing
is a natural gift - something you’re either born with or not. And he’s not.
Once-upon-a-time I taught drawing and painting in a high school. My favorite
class was called “Art For Turkeys” because it was for those students who
thought they had no artistic talent, could not draw, but wished they could.
I promised I could teach them to draw - i.e. be able to report with a line
on paper an image of what they perceived.
In truth, I did not teach them to draw. I taught them to see.
Once they gave up their mental preconceptions of what the world looked like
and saw the world as it is, they could draw. Learning to See takes time and
effort, to be sure. But it can be done. All of the students could draw.
And once they gave up their image of themselves as those who had no art in
them they began to see their lives as their art. Dancing is like this. It
means giving up an untruth about yourself. To see yourself in a new light.
If I had my life to life over, I would teach dancing. Or better said, I
would teach people to see themselves as dancers - to recognize and employ
the dance within them - in tune with the beat of their hearts, the pulse of
their blood, the music in their minds. Human beings are hard-wired to dance.
It’s a natural thing to do. More natural than golf or tennis or any sport.
We are programmed to do it - all it takes is lessons and practice - like
yoga or Tai-Chi or meditation - just faster.
The secret to learning these things later in life is “Beginner’s Mind.”
An attitude that says “I don’t know - yet - but I can still learn.”
So the correct question is not, “Can you dance?”
The question is, “Can you still learn?”
If you can - take dance lessons.
And if you can’t, then you’re probably going out of your mind.
Sooner rather than later.
About the Author:
Robert Fulghum is a writer, philosopher, and public speaker, but he has also
worked as a cowboy, a folksinger, an IBM salesman, a professional artist, a
parish minister, a bartender, a teacher of drawing and painting, and a
father. All I Really Need To Know I Learned in Kindergarten has inspired
numerous theater pieces that have captivated audiences across the country.
Fulghum is also the author of many New York Times bestsellers, including It
Was on Fire When I Lay Down on It, Uh-Oh, and Maybe (Maybe Not), as well as
two plays: All I Really Needed to Know I Learned in Kindergarten and Uh-Oh,
Here Comes Christmas. He lives in Seattle, Washington.
Copyright © Robert Fulghum.
-------------
“So, what’s new with Tango - you haven’t said much lately. Given up?”
Question from a friend. Not an unreasonable inquiry. But my silence is that
of one who has made it across the shaky Bridge of Beginning to the solid
ground of confidence where continuing on is possible. I have moved from “Can
I do it? to “This can be done.”
“Less talk - more Tango.” is my motto. Shut up and dance.
I’m encouraged by an article my Tango teacher gave me. It’s about the axiom
of “Use It or Lose It” in reference to an aging mind. In studies of mental
and physical activities that reduce the risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s
disease, the most successful was social dancing. Learning a new dance and
dancing four times a week reduced the risk of mental atrophy by 76%. And
Tango was judged the most challenging.
Why? Dancing simultaneously engages the mind, the body, and the musical and
emotional processes. Making split-second decisions using all your faculties
seems to be the key. It doesn’t hurt that you’re doing it while all dressed
up, out in the world, surrounded by people, having a good time.
When people say, “Tango? At your age? Have lost your mind?”
I can answer, “No, and I don’t intend to.”
Often I ask others, “Do you dance?”
It saddens me when they reply they cannot.
“Why?”
“I look like an idiot on a dance floor.” or “I’m just not a dancer.”
My neighbor is one of these. He does not dance.
He is 30 years old, in great shape, 6 feet 4 inches, 220 lbs., an ex
football star and two-time state heavyweight wrestling champion. A law
degree, and an MBA from Stanford. Nimble in body and mind.
He watches me go out at night. He knows where I’m going. But he ignores me.
His wife would like it if he would take her out dancing. But he’s not going.
He says he cannot dance. He would be embarrassed to try.
I said to him, “Let me get this straight. You mean you used to dress up in a
set of tights I wouldn’t wear to a Gay Pride parade, and get out in the
middle of a gym on the floor with another guy - one you don’t even know -
and get all wrapped up and sweaty with him in an intense embrace, while a
couple of thousand people screamed at you, but it would embarrass you to put
on a suit and tie and take your wife to a nightclub, hold her close, and
move around in the dark to music? ARE YOU CRAZY?”
He doesn’t want to talk about it. He knows I have him in a mental hold and
could take him down two falls out of three with this line of thinking. He’s
avoiding me now. And his wife is driving him crazy for being a chicken.
"If that old man can do it, why can't you?” My neighbor thinks that dancing
is a natural gift - something you’re either born with or not. And he’s not.
Once-upon-a-time I taught drawing and painting in a high school. My favorite
class was called “Art For Turkeys” because it was for those students who
thought they had no artistic talent, could not draw, but wished they could.
I promised I could teach them to draw - i.e. be able to report with a line
on paper an image of what they perceived.
In truth, I did not teach them to draw. I taught them to see.
Once they gave up their mental preconceptions of what the world looked like
and saw the world as it is, they could draw. Learning to See takes time and
effort, to be sure. But it can be done. All of the students could draw.
And once they gave up their image of themselves as those who had no art in
them they began to see their lives as their art. Dancing is like this. It
means giving up an untruth about yourself. To see yourself in a new light.
If I had my life to life over, I would teach dancing. Or better said, I
would teach people to see themselves as dancers - to recognize and employ
the dance within them - in tune with the beat of their hearts, the pulse of
their blood, the music in their minds. Human beings are hard-wired to dance.
It’s a natural thing to do. More natural than golf or tennis or any sport.
We are programmed to do it - all it takes is lessons and practice - like
yoga or Tai-Chi or meditation - just faster.
The secret to learning these things later in life is “Beginner’s Mind.”
An attitude that says “I don’t know - yet - but I can still learn.”
So the correct question is not, “Can you dance?”
The question is, “Can you still learn?”
If you can - take dance lessons.
And if you can’t, then you’re probably going out of your mind.
Sooner rather than later.
About the Author:
Robert Fulghum is a writer, philosopher, and public speaker, but he has also
worked as a cowboy, a folksinger, an IBM salesman, a professional artist, a
parish minister, a bartender, a teacher of drawing and painting, and a
father. All I Really Need To Know I Learned in Kindergarten has inspired
numerous theater pieces that have captivated audiences across the country.
Fulghum is also the author of many New York Times bestsellers, including It
Was on Fire When I Lay Down on It, Uh-Oh, and Maybe (Maybe Not), as well as
two plays: All I Really Needed to Know I Learned in Kindergarten and Uh-Oh,
Here Comes Christmas. He lives in Seattle, Washington.
Copyright © Robert Fulghum.
Monday, September 24, 2007
I'm in love
WITH LIFE!!!!!
No honestly. Life is wonderful. I don't think I could ask for anything better than what I have right now. Let me list all the things that are making my life amazing right now.
No honestly. Life is wonderful. I don't think I could ask for anything better than what I have right now. Let me list all the things that are making my life amazing right now.
- I have an awesome new calling as an FHE mom, and my co-group leader person is awesome. He'll now be referenced as FHE Husband. He rocks. This year's FHE is going to be amazingly fun. I'm so stoked.
- Dancing is going great. Minus the little injury I'm trying to get over, everything is great. Our November show is going to rock your socks off! So don't forget to reserve your calendars for November 16th or 17th. It's honestly going to be a great show. :-D
- School...no really. I like my classes. I'm not dying...yet, and I think all will continue to go splendidly in that regard.
- my love life is doing great. I know that SS Prez broke up with me like 2 weeks ago (or something like that) but since I knew that when we broke up that it was the right thing to do, it really didn't weigh me down like some of my past relationships. There are boys that I like and I love it. :-D
- My roommates ROCK!!! I knew I was taking a gamble by only knowing one of them before moving in, but honestly, I couldn't have asked for better, cooler roommates.
- The gospel is TRUE! My testimony of the gospel has grown so much in the past year, and it's amazing to me the marvelous things that go on in this church. I love every minute of it. Church yesterday was really good and General Conference is coming up soon, and I'm super stoked about it. I love General Conference. sigh.
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Lovely
I find it really entertaining that sometimes I go forever without posting, and then wham...so much happens that you get 2 posts in one day! :) Ah well, don't get used to it y'all. ;)
So the reason for this post this Sunday afternoon, is due to the fact of how wonderfully lovely it is.
I LOVE Fall in Utah. Today was a little cloudy this morning and it's still windy now, but the sun is shining, it's like 65 degrees and absolutely gorgeous! I think it is one of my favorite seasons for many reasons. Some of my favorite holidays happen during the Fall, it's not to hot or too cold, it's "sweater weather" which I LOVE wearing sweaters and the leaves turn colors. Not to mention that after the leaves change colors they fall to the ground and I can crunch through them, or jump into them. :D Definitely a favorite past-time of mine. Hurray for Fall!!!!
So the reason for this post this Sunday afternoon, is due to the fact of how wonderfully lovely it is.
I LOVE Fall in Utah. Today was a little cloudy this morning and it's still windy now, but the sun is shining, it's like 65 degrees and absolutely gorgeous! I think it is one of my favorite seasons for many reasons. Some of my favorite holidays happen during the Fall, it's not to hot or too cold, it's "sweater weather" which I LOVE wearing sweaters and the leaves turn colors. Not to mention that after the leaves change colors they fall to the ground and I can crunch through them, or jump into them. :D Definitely a favorite past-time of mine. Hurray for Fall!!!!
Labels:
Holidays
Nice boys are the best.
So my little sister had me join this group on Facebook. It had this list of things that girls love, and I concur with most of them. So here you go 30 things girls love, with commentary by Alishka. This is going to tell a lot about what I like in my dating life, but you know what? I don’t care.
1. Be bold. Don’t wait for her to start making the moves – just take the initiative and go for it! (Being bold is only acceptable when you’re pretty sure she likes you, though. Don’t try it otherwise.)
I love bold guys. I don’t mind making the moves sometimes, I am known for being totally willing to ask guys out, BUT I LOVE it when a guy is bold and asks me out and then after that also makes the bold move to hold my hand first. Good stuff. Boldness.
2. Place your hand on the small of her back. Keep it there gently, but firmly, when guiding her to your car or going into a movie theater (or any other place that is appropriate). Confidence in touching her is a turn on.
This is probably one of my favorite things ever. I don’t care if we’re dating or not, placing your hand in the small of my back is just great. I don’t know why, but it definitely turns me on.
3. Warm up her hands by blowing on them. This may seem like an odd courtesy, but it’s the feeling of being watched-out for that really makes this so attractive.
I’ve never had this done to me, and I don’t know how I feel about it. Hmmm….
4. It doesn’t hurt to get a little mad every now and again. Mad, that is, with a good motive – such as becoming protective about someone mistreating her. Don’t stand for that, ever.
I’ve never had someone do this either. I can see standing up for something you believe in, but I’m not sure if that is getting mad per se.
5. Buy her flowers. I don’t care how poor you are or whether or not you have a specific reason – just buy them. Save up if you need to. Every girl deserves a dozen roses just because. (And for an even more effective romantic move, find out her favorite shade of rose and buy them long-stemmed.)
Oh my gosh. This will get me every time, and I mean every time. However, I don’t know if I agree with the whole dozen roses just because, I think roses have a certain connotation to them and just getting a dozen of them for no reason doesn’t make much sense to me. I would much rather get a single rose, or even better a single or bouquet of gerbera daises (since those happen to be my favorite.) I think unusual flowers and not the normal rose goes to show you were really thinking of her and what she might want. But random flowers are always a good thing. Always.
6. Find unique ways to tell her she’s beautiful. It’s nice to hear that she’s pretty, but she loves to hear that she’s gorgeous, stunning, incredibly attractive, dazzling, lovely, striking, elegant, etcetera. (Don’t abuse this tactic though – telling her how beautiful she is TOO often ends up losing its value.)
It’s true. We love to hear how good we look. :)
7. Tell her you love her eyes and why. Every girl has beautiful eyes in her own way – so be specific. Stare into them and tell her how much you love her long eyelashes, the deep brown hue, piercing green, etcetera. (A girl’s eyes are a window to her soul, so complimenting them is a huge turn on.)
This is also a good thing. Telling her about her eyes means you really truly look at her and her features and not just the general shape of her.
8. Don’t rush your first kiss with her. Prolonging the kiss for even a little bit longer shows her you regard her with high respect (instead of just wanting to get action). If you just want to get action, then forget about it! Go find a lower-level girl instead.
In my little bit of experience, I have only had one guy who I dated who did this and that was in High School, and that was mostly because I made him wait not because he wanted to wait. I think I could be okay with a boy waiting to kiss me, but only if he didn’t wait too long. Waiting too long makes it unbearable and then I’ll be frustrated, but maybe that’s just me.
9. Kiss her nose, her forehead, her hand, her cheek, her hair. (And then there’s always her lips, too.) And wherever you’re kissing: let your lips linger there for a moment longer than they were originally going to stay.
I can’t lie, I love this; especially when a boy kisses my forehead. I just think it is like the most precious thing ever.
10. Breathe in her smell (near her neck/ears/hair) and then tell her how darn good she smells. No girl can deny how erotic it can be for a guy to breathe in her smell and be satisfied.
It’s true. I can’t deny it.
11. Hold her tightly when you hug her, or just whenever you’re holding her. (Not too tightly – just firmly enough to show that you’re there to protect her, not afraid to hold her, and love spending time with her.)
I know that as a girl I love hugs and a little extra squeeze at the end of a hug means a lot. I love being held because it does make feel like I’m protected and that’s what every girl wants. Protection.
12. Tickle her.
Well…you have to be careful with this one. Some girls hate being tickled. I’m a very ticklish person but because it usually shows me that he likes me, I’m usually okay with a guy tickling me. Usually.
13. Sweep her off her feet every once in a while – literally. Every girl watches all of the old Disney movies and wishes she had a prince charming to carry her like a princess, so do it just for kicks.
For those of you who know me in real life you know that I absolutely love Disney movies like there is no tomorrow. So for me, this is a true statement. I want to be swept off my feet, my favorite would be if I haven’t seen the boy in a while and he comes over and gives me a hug and just picks me up at the same time. That would probably be my favorite thing ever.
14. Tell her how cute she is when she’s mad. She may say how much she hates you for that, but if she’s trying to hold back that smile… then she really means she loves it.
I’ve never had this happen to me either. So I don’t know how I feel about it in real life. In my mind it sounds good.
15. Treat her like the royalty that she is. Spoil her every once in a while; plan a date or a night in with all of her favorite things.
I like the idea of this, but don’t do it all the time. For me, I usually already feel like a princess when I am out on a date with a respectable guy, but having the chance to dress up and do things with the guy I like is always be fun. I think treating a girl like royalty all the time doesn’t have to mean spoiling her and what not.
16. If you love her (and only if), then tell her.
Amen. Girls like to know how you feel. Talk, be open, and don’t hide.
17. Leave little love letters on her porch or in her e-mail Inbox. (The porch is far more romantic though, and a little bit bolder.)
This would be cute. I’ve never had a boy (take that back JH left a note once, but it wasn’t a love letter…oh no it was a much different sort of note, but it made me laugh). I think this would be cute.
18. Tell her how much you miss her. Even if you haven’t seen her for a day, she’ll feel wanted. Definitely. I like this too.
19. Tell her how good she looks when you first begin your date (or when you first see her that particular day). She spent a little extra time in front of the mirror for you, so even a small compliment makes it worthwhile.
This is so true. I don’t think I have ever gone on a date where I didn’t take one last look in the mirror to make sure everything was as perfect as it possibly could be and a compliment on the fact that you like the way I look is very reassuring.
20. If she needs a shoulder to cry on, be there. Once she’s done crying, cheer her up – be goofy, take her to her favorite restaurant, tickle her, watch a movie with her. Even small things show her you’re there for her, and that’s what matters most.
Once upon a time I got fired from a job. That same day shortly after the firing I saw a boy that I liked and we had been going out on dates for a couple of weeks. When I told him what happened, I lost it all over again, but he was a good boy and just let me cry on his shoulder and then later that night took me out to dinner. It was great. A shoulder to cry on is a great thing.
21. If you’re impressed by something she does well (like singing, dancing, cooking, etcetera) then TELL her! Brag about her to others – tell the whole world how good she is at it.
Even though the girl is probably going to deny it or be somewhat bashful about what you tell her she’s good at, she likes it. Every girl likes compliments of any kind, and showering her with sincere compliments totally raises her self-esteem.
22. When she has a competition or performance (for sports or some other activity) and she purposely doesn’t tell you when it is, she’s probably still expecting you to find out yourself and to be there. Being there, when she didn’t tell you the details, isn’t stalkerish – it’s impressive. So I’ve never hidden the fact that I have a performance or competition. I like people to come and see me. However, one time someone I knew came to a competition that wasn’t a big deal for me and seeing him there cheering me on was great. If it’s a performance and I tell you about it, I really want you to come. Sometimes I forget that I’ve told someone about my shows and so then when they come, it totally makes my day to see them there. :)
23. Talk with her. Ask her about herself, her dreams, her ambitions. Chances are she’ll want to ask you too.
This is really important to me. I honestly want to know about the guy’s dreams ambitions and what not. I would also love to share what I want my life to be like with others too. It’s a great way to get to know someone and it shows you’re a real person too.
24. Bake her something. Cookies, brownies – anything. All girls have a sweet-tooth, and the fact that you cooked it for her yourself is SO cute.
Even if it doesn’t turn out very well…it’s still very cute. Boys cooking is one of the coolest things ever.
25. Open the car door for her.
I don’t care if you’re on a date or not. Opening a car door (or any door for that matter) is very respectable. I love it when boys open the car door, and I’m not going to lie, when a boy doesn’t open the door for me (only for getting in, not getting out) they lose brownie points.
26. Never tell her she looks tired. You can tell her she sounds tired or “must be tired from all that work” but NEVER tell her she looks tired. That’s just insulting and won’t get you anywhere good with her.
I agree with this whole heartedly. Many times I know I look tired, but telling me is like sticking a knife in my heart. The other suggestions are much better.
27. Be romantic. Plan a date for once where you aren’t afraid to spend money on her or to sweep her off her feet. Sunsets are ALWAYS nice, as are upper-class restaurants or concerts.
I am a hopeless romantic at heart. I watch chick-flicks and sigh at the end because I know it could never work that way, but at the same time I always hope. So this would be great, but I don't think it's something you should it that often. Being romantic is always acceptable, but there are more ways of being romantic besides just spending money and going on dates. Those are the things that really get a girl.
28. Have fun with her. Always let her know how much you love spending time with her.
Even though being romantic is wonderful and going out on a nice date is so great, many times the best dates are the ones where we’ve just sat on the couch listening to the rain, taking a walk in the mountains during the fall, or just watching a movie. Playing games are a lot of fun, and even though group dates seem so juvenile, they can be a lot of fun. Being willing to take time out of your busy life really shows a girl how much you like her.
29. If you are starting to lose interest, tell her. She doesn’t want to find out later that you didn’t like her that whole time. Even worse – she doesn’t want you to leave without explaining. This is so true.
I had a boyfriend once where this happened, and he was so honest that it made things ten times easier. We are still friends to this day and I know it’s because we were both so honest during the entire time we were dating (even if it was only a short time.) Communication people is the best.
30. CHERISH HER, LOVE HER FOR WHO SHE IS, AND BE THERE FOR HER ALWAYS.
I’ve never had this, but it’s what I want from a significant other. This would be great.
I really like what this list had to say; however, I don' think any boy should just go out immediately and try to woo a girl by doing all of these things at once. What makes these things great is when a boy does them and it seems natural for him to be doing these different things. It shouldn't feel forced or awkward in any way. Being a nice boy and doing things to treat a girl right is what makes a girl go weak at the knees. Nice boys are the best. I know that a lot of nice boys get frustrated when it seems to be that girls only go for the punks and jerks, but really we all want nice boys. We just don't always realize that that is what we want and it takes us a little bit longer to figure it out. Just keep being yourself and I guarantee that there will be a girl that will fall head over heels for you. Trust me, being a nice boy is going to be the best thing in the long run.
1. Be bold. Don’t wait for her to start making the moves – just take the initiative and go for it! (Being bold is only acceptable when you’re pretty sure she likes you, though. Don’t try it otherwise.)
I love bold guys. I don’t mind making the moves sometimes, I am known for being totally willing to ask guys out, BUT I LOVE it when a guy is bold and asks me out and then after that also makes the bold move to hold my hand first. Good stuff. Boldness.
2. Place your hand on the small of her back. Keep it there gently, but firmly, when guiding her to your car or going into a movie theater (or any other place that is appropriate). Confidence in touching her is a turn on.
This is probably one of my favorite things ever. I don’t care if we’re dating or not, placing your hand in the small of my back is just great. I don’t know why, but it definitely turns me on.
3. Warm up her hands by blowing on them. This may seem like an odd courtesy, but it’s the feeling of being watched-out for that really makes this so attractive.
I’ve never had this done to me, and I don’t know how I feel about it. Hmmm….
4. It doesn’t hurt to get a little mad every now and again. Mad, that is, with a good motive – such as becoming protective about someone mistreating her. Don’t stand for that, ever.
I’ve never had someone do this either. I can see standing up for something you believe in, but I’m not sure if that is getting mad per se.
5. Buy her flowers. I don’t care how poor you are or whether or not you have a specific reason – just buy them. Save up if you need to. Every girl deserves a dozen roses just because. (And for an even more effective romantic move, find out her favorite shade of rose and buy them long-stemmed.)
Oh my gosh. This will get me every time, and I mean every time. However, I don’t know if I agree with the whole dozen roses just because, I think roses have a certain connotation to them and just getting a dozen of them for no reason doesn’t make much sense to me. I would much rather get a single rose, or even better a single or bouquet of gerbera daises (since those happen to be my favorite.) I think unusual flowers and not the normal rose goes to show you were really thinking of her and what she might want. But random flowers are always a good thing. Always.
6. Find unique ways to tell her she’s beautiful. It’s nice to hear that she’s pretty, but she loves to hear that she’s gorgeous, stunning, incredibly attractive, dazzling, lovely, striking, elegant, etcetera. (Don’t abuse this tactic though – telling her how beautiful she is TOO often ends up losing its value.)
It’s true. We love to hear how good we look. :)
7. Tell her you love her eyes and why. Every girl has beautiful eyes in her own way – so be specific. Stare into them and tell her how much you love her long eyelashes, the deep brown hue, piercing green, etcetera. (A girl’s eyes are a window to her soul, so complimenting them is a huge turn on.)
This is also a good thing. Telling her about her eyes means you really truly look at her and her features and not just the general shape of her.
8. Don’t rush your first kiss with her. Prolonging the kiss for even a little bit longer shows her you regard her with high respect (instead of just wanting to get action). If you just want to get action, then forget about it! Go find a lower-level girl instead.
In my little bit of experience, I have only had one guy who I dated who did this and that was in High School, and that was mostly because I made him wait not because he wanted to wait. I think I could be okay with a boy waiting to kiss me, but only if he didn’t wait too long. Waiting too long makes it unbearable and then I’ll be frustrated, but maybe that’s just me.
9. Kiss her nose, her forehead, her hand, her cheek, her hair. (And then there’s always her lips, too.) And wherever you’re kissing: let your lips linger there for a moment longer than they were originally going to stay.
I can’t lie, I love this; especially when a boy kisses my forehead. I just think it is like the most precious thing ever.
10. Breathe in her smell (near her neck/ears/hair) and then tell her how darn good she smells. No girl can deny how erotic it can be for a guy to breathe in her smell and be satisfied.
It’s true. I can’t deny it.
11. Hold her tightly when you hug her, or just whenever you’re holding her. (Not too tightly – just firmly enough to show that you’re there to protect her, not afraid to hold her, and love spending time with her.)
I know that as a girl I love hugs and a little extra squeeze at the end of a hug means a lot. I love being held because it does make feel like I’m protected and that’s what every girl wants. Protection.
12. Tickle her.
Well…you have to be careful with this one. Some girls hate being tickled. I’m a very ticklish person but because it usually shows me that he likes me, I’m usually okay with a guy tickling me. Usually.
13. Sweep her off her feet every once in a while – literally. Every girl watches all of the old Disney movies and wishes she had a prince charming to carry her like a princess, so do it just for kicks.
For those of you who know me in real life you know that I absolutely love Disney movies like there is no tomorrow. So for me, this is a true statement. I want to be swept off my feet, my favorite would be if I haven’t seen the boy in a while and he comes over and gives me a hug and just picks me up at the same time. That would probably be my favorite thing ever.
14. Tell her how cute she is when she’s mad. She may say how much she hates you for that, but if she’s trying to hold back that smile… then she really means she loves it.
I’ve never had this happen to me either. So I don’t know how I feel about it in real life. In my mind it sounds good.
15. Treat her like the royalty that she is. Spoil her every once in a while; plan a date or a night in with all of her favorite things.
I like the idea of this, but don’t do it all the time. For me, I usually already feel like a princess when I am out on a date with a respectable guy, but having the chance to dress up and do things with the guy I like is always be fun. I think treating a girl like royalty all the time doesn’t have to mean spoiling her and what not.
16. If you love her (and only if), then tell her.
Amen. Girls like to know how you feel. Talk, be open, and don’t hide.
17. Leave little love letters on her porch or in her e-mail Inbox. (The porch is far more romantic though, and a little bit bolder.)
This would be cute. I’ve never had a boy (take that back JH left a note once, but it wasn’t a love letter…oh no it was a much different sort of note, but it made me laugh). I think this would be cute.
18. Tell her how much you miss her. Even if you haven’t seen her for a day, she’ll feel wanted. Definitely. I like this too.
19. Tell her how good she looks when you first begin your date (or when you first see her that particular day). She spent a little extra time in front of the mirror for you, so even a small compliment makes it worthwhile.
This is so true. I don’t think I have ever gone on a date where I didn’t take one last look in the mirror to make sure everything was as perfect as it possibly could be and a compliment on the fact that you like the way I look is very reassuring.
20. If she needs a shoulder to cry on, be there. Once she’s done crying, cheer her up – be goofy, take her to her favorite restaurant, tickle her, watch a movie with her. Even small things show her you’re there for her, and that’s what matters most.
Once upon a time I got fired from a job. That same day shortly after the firing I saw a boy that I liked and we had been going out on dates for a couple of weeks. When I told him what happened, I lost it all over again, but he was a good boy and just let me cry on his shoulder and then later that night took me out to dinner. It was great. A shoulder to cry on is a great thing.
21. If you’re impressed by something she does well (like singing, dancing, cooking, etcetera) then TELL her! Brag about her to others – tell the whole world how good she is at it.
Even though the girl is probably going to deny it or be somewhat bashful about what you tell her she’s good at, she likes it. Every girl likes compliments of any kind, and showering her with sincere compliments totally raises her self-esteem.
22. When she has a competition or performance (for sports or some other activity) and she purposely doesn’t tell you when it is, she’s probably still expecting you to find out yourself and to be there. Being there, when she didn’t tell you the details, isn’t stalkerish – it’s impressive. So I’ve never hidden the fact that I have a performance or competition. I like people to come and see me. However, one time someone I knew came to a competition that wasn’t a big deal for me and seeing him there cheering me on was great. If it’s a performance and I tell you about it, I really want you to come. Sometimes I forget that I’ve told someone about my shows and so then when they come, it totally makes my day to see them there. :)
23. Talk with her. Ask her about herself, her dreams, her ambitions. Chances are she’ll want to ask you too.
This is really important to me. I honestly want to know about the guy’s dreams ambitions and what not. I would also love to share what I want my life to be like with others too. It’s a great way to get to know someone and it shows you’re a real person too.
24. Bake her something. Cookies, brownies – anything. All girls have a sweet-tooth, and the fact that you cooked it for her yourself is SO cute.
Even if it doesn’t turn out very well…it’s still very cute. Boys cooking is one of the coolest things ever.
25. Open the car door for her.
I don’t care if you’re on a date or not. Opening a car door (or any door for that matter) is very respectable. I love it when boys open the car door, and I’m not going to lie, when a boy doesn’t open the door for me (only for getting in, not getting out) they lose brownie points.
26. Never tell her she looks tired. You can tell her she sounds tired or “must be tired from all that work” but NEVER tell her she looks tired. That’s just insulting and won’t get you anywhere good with her.
I agree with this whole heartedly. Many times I know I look tired, but telling me is like sticking a knife in my heart. The other suggestions are much better.
27. Be romantic. Plan a date for once where you aren’t afraid to spend money on her or to sweep her off her feet. Sunsets are ALWAYS nice, as are upper-class restaurants or concerts.
I am a hopeless romantic at heart. I watch chick-flicks and sigh at the end because I know it could never work that way, but at the same time I always hope. So this would be great, but I don't think it's something you should it that often. Being romantic is always acceptable, but there are more ways of being romantic besides just spending money and going on dates. Those are the things that really get a girl.
28. Have fun with her. Always let her know how much you love spending time with her.
Even though being romantic is wonderful and going out on a nice date is so great, many times the best dates are the ones where we’ve just sat on the couch listening to the rain, taking a walk in the mountains during the fall, or just watching a movie. Playing games are a lot of fun, and even though group dates seem so juvenile, they can be a lot of fun. Being willing to take time out of your busy life really shows a girl how much you like her.
29. If you are starting to lose interest, tell her. She doesn’t want to find out later that you didn’t like her that whole time. Even worse – she doesn’t want you to leave without explaining. This is so true.
I had a boyfriend once where this happened, and he was so honest that it made things ten times easier. We are still friends to this day and I know it’s because we were both so honest during the entire time we were dating (even if it was only a short time.) Communication people is the best.
30. CHERISH HER, LOVE HER FOR WHO SHE IS, AND BE THERE FOR HER ALWAYS.
I’ve never had this, but it’s what I want from a significant other. This would be great.
I really like what this list had to say; however, I don' think any boy should just go out immediately and try to woo a girl by doing all of these things at once. What makes these things great is when a boy does them and it seems natural for him to be doing these different things. It shouldn't feel forced or awkward in any way. Being a nice boy and doing things to treat a girl right is what makes a girl go weak at the knees. Nice boys are the best. I know that a lot of nice boys get frustrated when it seems to be that girls only go for the punks and jerks, but really we all want nice boys. We just don't always realize that that is what we want and it takes us a little bit longer to figure it out. Just keep being yourself and I guarantee that there will be a girl that will fall head over heels for you. Trust me, being a nice boy is going to be the best thing in the long run.
Labels:
Academy of Ballet,
boys,
dancing,
dating,
first kiss,
friends,
hair,
high school,
movies,
performance,
VA
Saturday, September 22, 2007
soaked but content
wow. I know I hardly gave you guys anything yesterday about what happened, but I'm sorry, my bed was more important. :) But I'm here now ignoring my Econ reading that I should be doing.
So let's start off with the back story leading up to the adventures of last night.
I have been reading the blog of CPM for a while and I've enjoyed his thoughts and adventures in life. Well, yesterday he posted a blog entry about his plight in searching for a date for a dinner and dance for Homecoming weekend. Well, deciding to be brave I posted a comment on his blog letting him know I was interested. I followed that up with an email and a filled out dating application for his convenience. He responded to my email twice while I was in ballet class and the training room and I got both emails when I got home at 3:45 that afternoon. He told me his real name (which, like him, I quickly facebooked. ;) ) I took a quick look in my closet analyzing what I could wear to a semi-formal dance at BYU. It was a toss up between the blue sparkly skirt and the red saucy, sparkly skirt, but I went with the red. :) I topped with a flattering black top borrowed from my roommate and did my hair up in a curly do that took me about 20 minutes to do and sealed the look with a red rose. I felt pretty darn cute (and I guess I succeeded according to my date. ;) ) CPM showed up at my door promptly at 5:45 looking fine in a burnt orange shirt with a brown-and blue striped tie and tan suit. Really...he looked way good.
We went to an Alumni dinner for his college that he graduated from. Dinner was excellent and also fun. We had time to kill in between the dinner and the dance so we went to the HFAC and looked at the Senior exhibits that were up. We also went to the MOA and walked through the Cliche and Collusion exhibit which is about the media and how it effects our lives. (is it effects or affects? I can never remember....) anyways we then went to the dance. CPM had bought tickets for the Big Band dance in the wilk, so it was a live Swing band, which was a blast. CPM didn't' know how to dance, but I taught him the basics for the triple swing and the foxtrot, and I daresay he learned very quickly, and very well. :) We had a blast dancing. I love big band music. It's so much fun to dance to and what not. I saw a few friends there, which was fun to run into people I knew. CPM introduced me to Krishna, another board writer, and I felt privileged to meet all these board writers. It somehow makes the writers seem more real to me. I love it.
All in all, I think it was the best blind date I have ever been on. It was a blast and I'm excited to have a new friend to do things with. So there you go. My crazy adventure. :) Rock on. :)
So let's start off with the back story leading up to the adventures of last night.
I have been reading the blog of CPM for a while and I've enjoyed his thoughts and adventures in life. Well, yesterday he posted a blog entry about his plight in searching for a date for a dinner and dance for Homecoming weekend. Well, deciding to be brave I posted a comment on his blog letting him know I was interested. I followed that up with an email and a filled out dating application for his convenience. He responded to my email twice while I was in ballet class and the training room and I got both emails when I got home at 3:45 that afternoon. He told me his real name (which, like him, I quickly facebooked. ;) ) I took a quick look in my closet analyzing what I could wear to a semi-formal dance at BYU. It was a toss up between the blue sparkly skirt and the red saucy, sparkly skirt, but I went with the red. :) I topped with a flattering black top borrowed from my roommate and did my hair up in a curly do that took me about 20 minutes to do and sealed the look with a red rose. I felt pretty darn cute (and I guess I succeeded according to my date. ;) ) CPM showed up at my door promptly at 5:45 looking fine in a burnt orange shirt with a brown-and blue striped tie and tan suit. Really...he looked way good.
We went to an Alumni dinner for his college that he graduated from. Dinner was excellent and also fun. We had time to kill in between the dinner and the dance so we went to the HFAC and looked at the Senior exhibits that were up. We also went to the MOA and walked through the Cliche and Collusion exhibit which is about the media and how it effects our lives. (is it effects or affects? I can never remember....) anyways we then went to the dance. CPM had bought tickets for the Big Band dance in the wilk, so it was a live Swing band, which was a blast. CPM didn't' know how to dance, but I taught him the basics for the triple swing and the foxtrot, and I daresay he learned very quickly, and very well. :) We had a blast dancing. I love big band music. It's so much fun to dance to and what not. I saw a few friends there, which was fun to run into people I knew. CPM introduced me to Krishna, another board writer, and I felt privileged to meet all these board writers. It somehow makes the writers seem more real to me. I love it.
All in all, I think it was the best blind date I have ever been on. It was a blast and I'm excited to have a new friend to do things with. So there you go. My crazy adventure. :) Rock on. :)
Craziness
so this is going to be brief. it's after one and i have to be at the studio in 6 hours. call me crazy, because i am.
okay quickly....i set myself up on a blind date tonight with curious physics minor (aka CPM) from the board. crazy, i know. but honestly, i think it was the best first date/blind date i have had in a long time. we went to a dinner on campus followed by a homecoming dance with a live 40s band. it was so much fun. i love dancing and the company was superb.
and now, i really should be in bed. rehearsal is going to be early...ugh. oh well. i had fun. and that's what matters. :)
okay quickly....i set myself up on a blind date tonight with curious physics minor (aka CPM) from the board. crazy, i know. but honestly, i think it was the best first date/blind date i have had in a long time. we went to a dinner on campus followed by a homecoming dance with a live 40s band. it was so much fun. i love dancing and the company was superb.
and now, i really should be in bed. rehearsal is going to be early...ugh. oh well. i had fun. and that's what matters. :)
Labels:
dancing
Thursday, September 20, 2007
happiness
so last night I was writing an essay for my ECON 110 class and one of the principles that I discussed was how individuals do everything they can to make themselves better off, which is usually whatever makes them happy. Well, I wanted a cool happy quote to start off my essay (I had one in mind, but couldn't find it) and although this isn't what I used, I really liked it and decided to post it here for your reading pleasure. I really liked it. :-D
A 92-year-old, petite, well-poised and proud man, who is fully dressed each morning by eight o'clock, with his hair fashionably coifed and shaved perfectly, even though he is legally blind, moved to a nursing home today. His wife of 70 years recently passed away, making the move necessary. After many hours of waiting patiently in the lobby of the nursing home, he smiled sweetly when told his room was ready. As he maneuvered his walker to the elevator, I provided a visual description of his tiny room, including the eyelet sheets that had been hung on his window. "I love it," he stated with the enthusiasm of an eight-year-old having just been presented with a new puppy. "Mr. Jones, you haven't seen the room; just wait." "That doesn't have anything to do with it," he replied. "Happiness is something you decide on ahead of time. Whether I like my room or not doesn't depend on how the furniture is arranged ... it's how I
arrange my mind. I already decided to love it. "It's a decision I make every morning when I wake up. I have a choice; I can spend the day in bed recounting the difficulty I
have with the parts of my body that no longer work, or get out of bed and be thankful for the ones that do. Each day is a gift, and as long as my eyes open, I'll focus on the new day and all the happy memories I've stored away. Just for this time in my life. Old age is like a bank account. You withdraw from what you've put in. So, my advice to you would be to deposit a lot of happiness in the bank account of memories! Thank you for your part in filling my Memory bank. I am still depositing." (found here)
Isn't that the coolest thing? I enjoyed it. Have a happy day y'all. :D
A 92-year-old, petite, well-poised and proud man, who is fully dressed each morning by eight o'clock, with his hair fashionably coifed and shaved perfectly, even though he is legally blind, moved to a nursing home today. His wife of 70 years recently passed away, making the move necessary. After many hours of waiting patiently in the lobby of the nursing home, he smiled sweetly when told his room was ready. As he maneuvered his walker to the elevator, I provided a visual description of his tiny room, including the eyelet sheets that had been hung on his window. "I love it," he stated with the enthusiasm of an eight-year-old having just been presented with a new puppy. "Mr. Jones, you haven't seen the room; just wait." "That doesn't have anything to do with it," he replied. "Happiness is something you decide on ahead of time. Whether I like my room or not doesn't depend on how the furniture is arranged ... it's how I
arrange my mind. I already decided to love it. "It's a decision I make every morning when I wake up. I have a choice; I can spend the day in bed recounting the difficulty I
have with the parts of my body that no longer work, or get out of bed and be thankful for the ones that do. Each day is a gift, and as long as my eyes open, I'll focus on the new day and all the happy memories I've stored away. Just for this time in my life. Old age is like a bank account. You withdraw from what you've put in. So, my advice to you would be to deposit a lot of happiness in the bank account of memories! Thank you for your part in filling my Memory bank. I am still depositing." (found here)
Isn't that the coolest thing? I enjoyed it. Have a happy day y'all. :D
Monday, September 17, 2007
a wonderful evening
honest to goodness last night was an amazing night. BT (my former FHE Brother) and his little brother invited me to go up to SLC to see a musical thing about pioneers put on by the institute up there. It was fun, and I really enjoyed it. Afterwards BT convinced me to come hang out at their apt. with/his roommates, and man alive I LOVE those boys! I've always had a crush on BC and he's taken me to iHop and we've hung out a lot....but it has never gone very far. I still like him a lot, and I just wish he would act on it, because I KNOW that he likes me. He's just too scared. And I know that if I ask him out, it would freak him out beyond all measure. So I just have to be patient and hope that he will eventually jump on the bandwagon. The good thing is that I think we'll hang out more, especially b/c after jamming with him and his guitar (which I have missed doing SO much!) I told him we need to hang out more and he should come over to where I live and he was all, okay. And then I said, "No seriously, BC, I expect you to come over, and if you don't come over in the next 2 weeks I am going to come after you." He laughed and I told him that I was dead serious and that we needed to hang out more. Because Honestly, I REALLY LIKE HIM. LIKE A LOT. He makes me super happy, I know that I can make him happy and that we would be good for each other. So yeah...we'll see if it goes anywhere anytime soon. It probably won't, but a girl can dream. :-D
Thursday, September 13, 2007
the end of an era
it's always kind of sad when an era comes to an end. SS Prez came over tonight. we went on a walk. yes....one of those walks. he told me that he felt that we should just be friends. which made me sad, but at the same time it felt so right. it made me realize how the spirit really does speak the truth of all things. because as he told me his feelings towards me and what he really thought about me, the spirit was so strong. He was extremely sweet in the things he told me, and I'm not going to put them all up here, but I am going to say that he told me he thinks that i am really cool and have a super sweet spirit that first attracted him to me, and is still attractive to him and that i wasn't too clingy; in fact, he said that i've been the best girl in so many ways that he has ever dated. he just doesn't feel like we can be anything more than good friends. he's still going to call from time to time and wants to hang out and be friends...but we're not dating anymore. it was good to hear so many things from him that he liked. he even said that he couldn't give me any pointers for dating anyone else, other than to just be myself. so yeah. i'm sort of sad. i'm not sad in the sense that i'm going to cry myself to sleep tonight because i miss him, because we are still going to be friends and what not. but i'm sad that i won't have someone for me anymore. i won't have someone to hold me, or kiss me for that matter. and there's a part of me that thinks its going to be a while before i have someoene like that in my life again. its a sudden realization that you're alone and you don't want to be; you don't feel right without someone there. sigh. so there you go. i don't want to type anymore. i should go to bed.
Labels:
dating,
first kiss,
friends
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
confession...
so i have a confession to make. i stayed up late last night. now, that isn't the confession taht I wanted to make...the confession is that I stayed up because I was watching this movie. I know, I know. It was stupid of me. What's even more stupid is that a) I didn't even finish the movie, b) I knew exactly what was going to happen before it did, so why did I watch it in the first place? and c) (and this is an even crazier confession) the main man who is quite attractive, but he made me think of my man: SS Prez. Now they don't look extremely alike, in fact the big and obvious difference is that "Ray" (the main man) is black, and my man is definitely white. lol. my roommate E thinks I'm crazy that Ray made me think of SS Prez. Maybe it's b/c they're both bald, that they're both super sweet and smooth, or maybe its because it was a chick flick and I just wanted to be held by SS Prez. sigh. too bad he has an almost crazier schedule than me! sigh. I'll survive.
and there you go. my confession for the week.
and there you go. my confession for the week.
Sunday, September 09, 2007
It's a Wonderful Life
really. it is. I love life. SO much! It rocks!!! :-D Today church was really awesome and then I made dinner for the SS Prez (which turned out SO good.) And I also made him dessert. :) We also watched the CES fireside together. It was a good fireside, although I kind of dozed in and out of it. oops. :P Life is really good though, I am caught up on all my homework, and I'm actually slightly ahead of myself as well. This semester is going to be a really good one I think. Minus my Econ test. *rolls eyes* but I think I'll be able to handle it all. Rehearsal went really well yesterday. We finished one of the pieces, and that's a really nice feeling. I like feeling accomplished, and finishing a piece does that for me over and over again. Wahoo! I think this week we'll get way into the other piece we've started, and hopefully start another piece. At least, that's what I want to happen. :D all in all life is splendid. Now I just need to find something to do for the rest of my sunday evening. Poor SS Prez hasn't had any time this weekend for homework so he's off being a studious student. Way to be! :) and now....i'm going to go find something to do with myself... ciao
Labels:
church
Thursday, September 06, 2007
The First Week of School
So here we are...coming to the end of the first week of school. I have already decided that my econ class is going to be my least favorite class of this semester's schedule, and my English class....I LOVE IT!!! This class is going to be absolutely amazing. I am so excited for it. Ballet classes are going well, although I'm rather sore and tight all over. Company is good....although changes have happened with the directors of the companies....drama all over the department. however, i think its going to be all okay in the end. It's going to be a good semester. :) SS Prez and I are still kind of dating. In fact....I might get to see him tonight, but he had some stuff come up so we'll see what happens there. In other areas of my life...roommates are good. I have one roommate who is older than me, one who is the same age as me, and one who is 2 years younger...but its a good mix. We al lseem tobe getting along and enjoy each other's company, so that's a good thing. overall....this year is going to rock! I'll try to update a little more frequently...but if I don't, know that it is probably because I am having so much fun being me!
Sunday, September 02, 2007
Wahoo!
Hurray! BYU so rocked Arizona this weekend. It made me really happy. Minus the fact that my seats for that game stunk, and it was really hot and i almost died from heat exhaustion, the game was a blast! My dad and little brother were able to come and we had so much fun. :D The next home game isn't until homecoming on Sept. 22nd, but that's okay. I just hope we survive UCLA next weekend....that could be a scary game for us. :S
In other news SS Prez and I are still doing well. We go out, and have lots of fun. I enjoy spending time with him. :) That's about it from my end. Ciao.
In other news SS Prez and I are still doing well. We go out, and have lots of fun. I enjoy spending time with him. :) That's about it from my end. Ciao.
Labels:
happy
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