Why Netflix is ruining my life

I consider myself and pretty avid reader. I'm not entirely sure how many books you need to read in a year to qualify as avid, but I feel I typically read enough to be a self-proclaimed, avid reader. Lately, however, I have had difficulty finding time to finish the one book a month I have from my book club, let alone the additional books I usually find time to read. I blame this on one thing and one thing only - NETFLIX. Netflix has ruined my life.

It all started when Brooke gave me her user name and password to catch up and watch LOST. We all know I have a bit more time on my hands, with not working and all. But I watched the first three seasons while working in 2 weeks and the last two seasons the first week I was unemployed – watching the last 4 episodes the day of season six premiere. Don’t get me wrong, I loved the show and I’m terribly sad the series is over. But there is something addicting about the ability to watch one episode after another, after another – without commercials. It’s fantastic.

If that wasn’t bad enough, my friend Mike gifted me my own subscription for Christmas. That gift expired months ago, but I had to keep it going. Why? BECAUSE I’M ADDICTED. So far this year I have read only 10-12 books but I have watched the complete series of LOST, BONES, and the first five seasons of Buffy, and the first two seasons of Angel, not to mention the innumerable movies I have watched as I fell asleep. I feel that my social life has taken a hit – there have actually been times when I would rather sit in my room watching LOST than socialize with my friends. I do manage to multitask as I watch, but not nearly as well. I read less; I get less done in my day; I have unhealthy obsessions with whatever show I an currently watching…

What will ever become of me?

Why I love this town

In all honesty, this post is meant to make you incredibly jealous of me and life in LA. This week holds just a few examples why I absolutely love living in southern California and more specifically, LOS ANGELES. So I've lived here for about 3 years now and have made a few friends along the way, friends with connections. I started the week off going to Disneyland and seeing the new water show at California Adventure, World of Color (I have a pass, so no connections needed). Tuesday night we had an awesome bonfire including S'Mores. Then, twice this week, I have been on studio lots for parties and screenings, and I must say, I love it.

So Monday me and my roommate headed south to the Happiest Place on Earth. See, the new show - World of Color - opened on the 11th, and I have been itching to see it. So we went to play and then catch the 11 o'clock show before we left. But, I ask, what do you do when there is a earthquake in Mexico a few hundred miles south and it throws off all the ride mechanics? This is when we took the opportunity to play in Pixie Hallow and took the quiz to find out what Disney Character we were... as it turns out, I'm Tink. Then it was time for our show. It was amazing. It was seriously like paint being shot up hundreds of feet in the air and the projections were fantastic. The transitions from songs/scenes from one movie to another could use some work, but it was moving and so cool to watch. If you ever go and see it, I would be sure to get a fast pass to get the priority seating. The angle is better there in the front.

Monday was great, Tuesday we threw a bonfire and Wednesday I was invited to the Disney lot for a Toy Story 3 launch party. My friend Peyton is an imagineer so there's the in. I've been to these lot parties before. It's at the Disney lot around the sound stages and the animation buildings. They have food, face painting, games, photo opts with characters... you get the idea. First thing we do was get our pic with the celebs - Buzz was there for the photo opt but he got switched out for Jesse and Bullseye right when we got to the front. We then got food and played in the games to win some shwag. Me and Ryan (the other guy in the pic) teamed up to race to put together a puzzle. We really should have had it, but came in a very close second. All in all, it was a very good day. I love Disney. You should know this much of me.

Then we come to Saturday and what did I do, you ask, after I finished a day of nannying Holly Hunter's cute boys? Saw a screening of The A-Team on the FOX studio lot. First off I need to give my opinion of the movie - I loved it. It was loud and lots of cussing and things blowing up; not to mention the need to completely suspend your disbelief through pretty much the whole movie. But it was funny and action-packed. But I think the real highlight of the night came when, as we were leaving the lot, we stopped off at the "New York" street (the street on the backlot that looks like a street of New York or any other big, east coast city). For those of you who are fans of the show BONES, no explanation is needed for this pic. But, for those of you who don't watch this amazing show, this is the "Central Perk" of Bones. The only thing that would make it cool is if Emily Deschanel and and David Boreanaz were there too.

So yeah, living in LA has it's perks. I love it.

Will this sort of thing happen a lot?

Last Wednesday I get this call while getting my hair cut. I check the voice mail and find that it was the executive secretary from the ward I'm in; he's calling because the Bishop wants to meet with me. Immediately my stomach drops and I don't want to call back, why? Because my roommate is the Relief Society President and just aged out of the ward; ergo, there is a new need for a RSP. My worst fears were actualized Thursday night when the Bishop extended the calling of RSP.

So what do you do, I ask, when you are newly sustained as RSP and the girl visiting asks to come over to your house for dinner?

Seriously, right after church this girl visiting from Bakersfield (about 2.5/3 hrs east) wants to come over for dinner so they don't have to stop somewhere. Now my attitude is, if you can't make home in 3 hrs without starving, then plan ahead and pack a lunch or be willing to stop off some place and buy something. But whatever, I'm trying to magnify my new calling and tell her I have no idea what we are having for dinner, but sure, why not, come on over for dinner.

So she and her guy-friend came over. My friend Heather pitched in and brought over some food. My roommate made a salad and we ended up having a very nice dinner. So this is all well and good right? What is so bad about that you ask? Well this girl and her friend stayed for about 2.5 hrs just talking about the most random things. Like, for instance, how she used to be 100 lbs lighter. That she has MS, her dad have Parkinson and her brother (which she was trying to get my roommate to agree to date) used to be in shape and employed. Not really selling the family all too well. The conversation just got even more weird and awkward at times, and we didn't know how to hint that we had other things to do. They finally get ready to leave but not before taking all the cookies we had for dessert and bombing our bathroom twice.

So I wonder, will this sort of thing happen a lot with this new calling? Just curious.