A Peek at the Poulsens

“I hate the way that people always talk so loud. I also hate to be alone, or being in a crowd. I hate it how bananas have those yellow peels. I hate it when I get a cut, and I hate it when it heals.” The Rantelope, you see, will hate on anything. When it comes to ranting, he’s the undisputed king. There is nothing in his life that satisfies at all. He even hates the way he looks and thinks that he’s too tall. If you should chance to meet him, run the other way, Cuz if you don’t, then he will pounce, and you’ll be there all day. He’ll love to yell and rant at you until his face is blue, He’ll love to rave and diatribe (But he’ll prob’ly hate it too).   

Have you ever done something awesome that benefits a ton of people, but nobody really notices or gives you credit? I hope not, because it's a pretty crummy feeling. But if you, like me, have felt that feeling, then I hereby dedicate this post to you. Unsung Heroes: 1. Guy in Facebook Comments Section Who Summarizes an Article so You Don't Have to Read It. One of the worst things about social media is that it's become more and more about number of page views. If a certain article generates a certain number of views, they get paid more in advertising dollars, which makes sense, I guess. But what I hate about it is the stupid 'clickbait' article titles you see everywhere. You know what I'm talking about: "You won't believe what Lebron James said about former teammate Chris Bosh!" Then you click on the article, hoping to hear some really juicy gossip that'll put a dent in Bosh's sterling reputation, but you find out that the only thing Le...

1. Mushrooms on Pizza. Who was the first person to decide that fungus was an acceptable thing to put in our mouths? Like seriously, listen to the definition of fungus: "Spore-producing organism that feeds on organic matter...something that has appeared or grown rapidly and is considered unpleasant or unattractive." I mean, Athlete's Foot is a fungus...would you put that in your mouth? No! And you shouldn't put any other fungus in there either! Why would anyone ever put a spore-producing, organic-matter-consuming, unpleasant, unattractive abomination on something so pleasant and attractive as a pizza? It doesn't make any sense, and it enrages me. Athlete's Foot on Pizza 2. Kale. The Kale Advertising Guy must be the smartest guy in the entire world. I imagine that about 10 years ago the board of directors at Kale, Inc. was getting pretty worried because their product was tanking. It looked unappealing, it was another leaf product in a market that was...

When I first met the Poulsens, I was soon introduced to "The Piano Guys," a cello/piano duo that covered popular songs and classical music in fun youtube videos. I thought they were all right but I wasn't like obsessed. Now I'm obsessed. We went to their concert last month and I was blown away. I've seen many of their videos but not even close to all of them, and it was so fun to hear it all live with a clever combo of video/special effects. Turns out, Steven Sharp Nelson, the cellist, is my mom's cousin , like actual real-life not second-or-third-or removed COUSIN, grew up together, his uncle is my grandpa, the whole nine yards. Where have I been all these years?! Cousin Steven hooked my mom up with tickets since he couldn't come to dinner when they were in town, and so to the concert we went. I HIGHLY recommend going, if they ever come to your town. It was uplifting, silly, funny, and spiritual. I loved it! parentals One of my favorite parts ...

Another birthday, check! birthday twins And what a fun birthday it was. I have always loved birthdays. I think it is so fun to celebrate YOU, whether it's your birthday or someone else's. A whole day to make someone feel special and important. I don't know if it makes me self-centered to love my own birthday but I can't deny it so there it is : ) One of my favorite things about birthdays is that they often start early and end late - for instance, we opened presents a week ago (a Jessie/Austin trait is that we have zero patience for surprises from each other...as soon as we have a gift we simply have to share!) and then you keep getting mail/comments for days after your birthday, extending it even more. I love it. Ananda called me this morning and we were laughing about how one time I was planning my birthday festivities before she had even celebrated her birthday (in July, ha). I did the paper route this morning, which sounds kind of backwards since it's ...

(by Austin, if you couldn't tell)... Things I’m sure are conspiracies: 1. Lotion. Lotion isn’t inherently evil, but people who use lotion everyday become dependent on it, just as a morphine addict becomes dependent on morphine. If they go a day without lotion, their skin becomes so dry and cracked that an elephant would get jealous. Here’s proof: This woman used lotion everyday for a year straight, and then this happened after two days without lotion. People who go without lotion are 100% happier, according to a recent survey. 2. Chapstick. Unlike lotion, Chapstick IS inherently evil. Chapstick saw what Lotion was doing to vulnerable Americans and took advantage of the same demographic. Chapstick knew that if it could convince people that Chapstick was necessary for supple lips, then it could take control of a significant portion of the world. And it has. Here is a photo of someone who has never used chapstick:  Here is a photo of someone who uses ch...

One of the things I hate about getting behind in anything, but particularly blogging, is that when I do get around to catching up it never feels as authentic . I feel like an impostor in my own life, trying to reclaim memories and moments that weeks or months ago were so clear and obvious but now have lost that glimmer of reality and truth of commentary. I hope to stay more on top of it so I can add more authenticity and actual thoughts instead of just summarily captioning pictures and travel-logging events.  Here's an assorted gathering of "leftover" pictures that I want to remember in one way or another.  These pictures remind me that... being outside is always the right choice I'm not alone at church being downtown is invigorating Each of these pictures tells a little story: Austin decided we should sing a primary song before bed each night // Natalie scratched her cornea! // Jack loves destroying blinds Natalie periodically com...