It's TIME

As promised (and for once actually ON TIME) here are the entries for the Halloween Picture Contest! Excited? You SHOULD be. Ok, today's post is just the entries. I'm hoping to have the winner posted tomorrow but it might be Sunday. The winner will be announced by a special guest. Intrigued? You SHOULD be. Ok. Thank you so much to everyone who submitted pictures. You all win points in the "Amy's Favorite People" book of life and we all know that at the end of the day, what I think about you is what's most important. Oh yeesh. I can't even take myself seriously when I talk like that. Seriously, thanks for submitting. They were so much fun to get and I'm so happy to post these. Pictures are fun.

WITHOUT FURTHER POMP AND CIRCUMSTANCE...

Ha! Get it?


Carly sent me this picture:

This is Carly and some of her friends/family dressed as bunnies. With balloon ears. Genius.



My Auntie Bena sent this picture:

These are my other grandparents (Dad's folks). They are dressed as Wayne and Garth. The answer to your question is: Yeah. It is pretty much the best thing ever.



This picture is from Claire:

Oh Claire. How I adore puppies. And how your puppies are so adorable. They are looking super fine in their Halloween get-ups.



These pictures came from Ariana:



I have no words. Except that I really want to see these dogs RUN in these costumes. Because I think it would be a hilarious. Preferably, it should happen with the soundtrack from their respective movies playing in the background. Preferably, it should also happen that they have an epic duel with their respective evil nemesis who is (preferably) another dog dressed in costume.



These two came from Sara:



Sara. Sara. Sara. I have a whole knew respect for you. A dragon?! When you said you were going to submit a picture I thought I was going to get something cute like a princess or a kitten or a fairy. No. I get DRAGON. My friend, you are way more hardcore than I thought you were. Way more hardcore than I. I think will all remember what I was dressing up as at this age. Also, if I may say so, you are one cute dragon kid.



These two pictures came from Meghan (after much nagging from me):

Smart Ass.


Here is Meghan as Wendy from Peter Pan. She has plopped herself in the center of the circle. I love it. You are also one freakin' cute-ass kid. However, I cannot say you are as hardcore as Sara. I mean...maybe if you went as the crocodile from Peter Pan...but Wendy?



Look for the results post this weekend! Thanks again for submitting!

Fierce Firey Amy (Apparently)

So my pal David sent me a facebook message this morning.

The subject of it was:
Um...this is how fierce you are btw...

And inside the message was this video:


So I sent him a message back that said:
Seriously...you think I'm that fierce???

He said:
Even more than that.

And then I felt pretty dang good because "fierce" and the ability to ninja up walls would not be things I'd put on the list of "Amy Assets".
Thanks, David! This made my morning.


Also not on that list?
Firey.

But apparently...

So, withhold your "Ugh, theatre people are SO WEIRD" reaction and go with me for just a moment...
So I'm in this movement class. And we've been doing some "elemental" work, which basically means running around the room (or being very still) as air, water, earth, and fire. It's a way to think about movement, to think about how characters move, what moving as those elements does to your body and to your internal emotion.
Yeah?
Yeah.
So, before we started this, I thought..."I'm such an earth person. I'll be all over that, that'll feel real good to me. I'm grounded. Duh. Certainly not airy and Lord know I don't know my hips exist so why the hell would I be water?"
But then came the fire day.
And that felt way more awesome than being a tree.
Or air.
Or a river.
Please. Continue to withhold your, "Ugh, theatre people are SO WEIRD. What the hell is that shit ABOUT?" feeling that I KNOW is going through your head right now. Be honest. How do I know it's going through your head right now?
'Cause it goes through my head on a pretty regular basis too....
"Um, you want me to what, professor? Stand in front of the class and be the flame of a candle?? Um...ok. If you say so."
(Yeah Dad, that's what tuition is paying for.)
ANYWAY.
Since doing the elements we've moved onto other stuff...namely, colors. We had a day where we made paintings out of movement. That day was pretty badass. Now, over halfway through the semester, we've started working again with words (cause I hear those are important onstage) and how they relate to and/inform movement. And what sounds "move" like.
Yeah?
Yeah.
ANYWAY.
I had a meeting with my movement professor today, to talk about where I'm at in the class, for her to give me some feedback, what I'm having trouble with- that sort of deal.
And she said to me, "There's fire in everything you do."

"There's fire in everything that you do."
What?
Seriously?
Me?
FIRE?!?

Hm.

...I'm ok with that.

Muahahahahahahaha...
Look OUT. Apparently, I'm fierce and firey.
Whoa.


Reminder again:
Halloween pictures to me at:
Magoo1001@gmail.com
Multiple pictures? A-Ok.
Pictures of your dogs dressed up? A-Ok.

SEND 'EM IN! SEND 'EM IN! SEND 'EM IN!

Special Message From Some Old Time-y Sunbathers

Amy's classy Grandparents would like to remind you that the DEADLINE for the Halloween Photo Contest is fast approaching. Get 'yo pictures IN. I've had some requests and I'm willing to extend the deadline slightly to give you all extra time to scan and such. The post with all the pictures will go up on the 31st. I will announce the winner on November 1st. So to give me time to download/post/judge have all pictures in by October 30th at the LATEST. Sound cool?? Good. I'm starting to get more entries! Keep 'em coming!
ALSO in regards to the Halloween Photo Contest, I had this question in my comment box:
"Can you send multiple pictures if you can't decide on one? Also, can I send in a picture of my dogs dressed up if I don't have kids? "
The answer is YES on both counts. And that is a very emphatic YES for pictures of your dogs dressed up. I am way excited to get these pictures. Please, please, please...SEND THEM. The more, the merrier-especially if cute puppies are involved.


...Oh and by the way? Yes. My grandparents ARE the coolest ever. Just so you know...that's what happens when an Italian from da city of Chicago marries a sweet Irish lass from the farmlands of Wisconsin. Seriously. Yeah. I'm not sure how they pulled that off either or convinced the 'rents it would all be ok.
These two give me faith that people can be together and love each other for a very long time. Not that relationships are always peaches and cupcakes. But the duration of love?? Yeah. It happens. Observe my grandparents dressed to go to a party as old time-y sunbathers. Brilliance.
You know what's sorta funny about this picture? Looking at it I see my face in my Grandpa's. But maybe that's just his slight awkwardness-in-the-presence-of-a-beautiful-woman coming through. Aw, Grandpa. I'm right there with you.


QUOTE OF THE DAY

Meghan and I were heading to a coffee shop. The place we want to go to is closed so we decide to hop in my car and drive somewhere...
ME: Ok. Just...don't judge me by the state of my car.
*Meghan shoots me a look like "Give me a break*
ME: I'm just sayin'.
*Meghan looks in my backseat and starts laughing*
MEGHAN: Aww...Amy...it's like your little moveable home!

The Big Gay Marriage Debate

All right. I'm going to blog about it. I'm gonna do my best to keep it articulate and intelligent because I'm not the liberal "gotcha" media. I'm just a twenty-something lesbian trying to make sense of an issue that's important to me.

So...
Gay Marriage.
*Gasp*
The scandal!

Where to even start?

Let me start by saying this:
I ain't a-gunnin' to stick a ring on a girl's finger. I wouldn't call marriage a "life goal" of mine, meaning it's not something I have on "GOTTA DO THIS!" list. I don't equate marriage with being a "life step" like purchasing my own car or starting my 401K or buying a house.
To me, marriage is much more powerful than that. And rather than it being a step I HAVE to take...I hope it's a step I'll be LUCKY enough to take. And not "lucky" in the sense of it being legal. "Lucky" in the sense of finding that person willing to say, "I do." To me, marriage and potentially finding someone willing to put up with my shit forever, stick with me in good and bad, to be that one person who will always be there, to grate my last nerve and make me weak in the knees all in same day- is incredibly powerful.
To me, marriage is not about religion, it's not about a contract, it's not about economics or insurance. It is unequivocally and completely about love. And should the day ever come where I decide to share my life with someone I know in my heart what will be important is not the legalities of the matter. What will be important is the beautiful woman who will say to me, "Yeah Amy, I'll put up with your shit" and who I will say to, "Yeah beautiful woman, I'll put up with your shit too." The important thing will be our love and the celebration of it.
Ok?
That's where I stand on marriage. And while I've learned never to say never and while I know things and people change I do feel pretty strongly that marriage is a one-time thing. It's not something I take lightly, it's not something I would do in Vegas, and it is not a system I would take advantage of (ie I wouldn't marry David just to reap whatever benefits he might have at his place of employment or file joint taxes).
Yeah?
Yeah.

So...honestly? There are some days where I say to myself, "Amy, do you really care about the legalities? Is it really THAT important?"
I know there is no law or person that could ever take away the love I'd have for the person I'd marry.
And it would be over my cold dead body that any law or person would try and take that person away from me.
I know both these points as fact.
I know that (sorry America) there is no law that could ever preserve the sanctity of marriage. Because the sanctity of marriage is preserved by the couple in the union and by no one and nothing else.
This also is a fact.
Abuse. Incest. Infidelity. Divorce.
And you're trying to prevent me from getting married because somehow the fact that I'd want to marry a woman destroys the sanctity of marriage? Sorry, but it seems to me like the heterosexual married world has got some work to do on the "sanctity of marriage" front before they start preaching to me about what is or is not "holy."
...so I guess it isn't so much that if I got married I wouldn't have those legalities but it kinda shatters my heart that the world wouldn't see the love I have for that beautiful woman I'd marry as wonderful and WORTHY of those legalities.
And while my mother always told me it isn't important what others think as long as you're down with who you are and what you're up to in life...it hurts.

And then there's the whole issue of RIGHTS and it being ridiculous that those same rights heterosexuals enjoy in their marriage wouldn't extend to me and my partner. I could beat this out till I'm blue in the face. Suffice it to say...I'd like my wife to be able to get into the hospital to see me should I ever get hit by a bus. It'd be nice to come have her hold my hand.

Phew.

As a lesbian. This makes voting difficult.
I refuse to be the one issue voter. I know the issues at hand in the world today are greater than singular issues and greater than me. And it seems a little selfish to be concerned about my marriage rights when the world is blowing up.
I get that. I recognize that. I'm not righteous enough to be blind to that.
But dang.
I'm forced to choose between throwing away my vote or giving my vote to someone who, in some capacity, is saying that the love of same-sex couples isn't worthy of full blown marriage rights. And maybe said candidate (ahem ahem...Obama) doesn't really believe in his heart that such love is unworthy. But...that's what he has to say.
What a moral conundrum.

I don't know if what I just blogged made any sense. But it's all rolling around in my head right now.
I gotta head to the polls in a couple weeks and decide what to do about this.
I don't think I gotta go into what McCain says about the gays.
But, if you're curious about what Obama says you can read about it HERE. He does support civil unions, he does support the gays on a lot of important legislation. But there is something he does oppose. And it's marriage. And I realize he can't support gay marriage. I realize that's political suicide. I get it, I get it, I get it.
It just makes little sense.


QUOTES OF THE DAY

On AIM with David...
DAVID: sent u a text earlier!
ME: really?!
DAVID:you didn't answer
ME:....oh.
ME: oh.
ME: that MIGHT have something to do with my text box being full
DAVID: magoo! delete some! what if i was texting you to tell u ponies were being given away!?


David and I went to see a show together. At some point in the show, this actor in a really awesome full-body-suit puppet came out. She was a monster. Apparently, I got real excited. And apparently, I was moving my head around to track the monster's every move and see around the person in front me...
DAVID: I thought you were gonna jump right down to the first row when that monster came out on stage. You were way excited.
ME: Don't make fun of me! That monster was awesome!
DAVID: I'm not making fun, it was fabulous...I felt like I was with an eight year old at Walking With Dinosaurs.


I'll post a reminder picture later BUT here is ANOTHER reminder for the Halloween Photo Contest. Send all pictures to me, Amy, at:
Magoo1001@gmail.com

Chucking a Bouncy Ball at a Wall

I apologize for the serious lack of blogage of late.
I hate saying, "I've been busy" because I enjoy blogging and like to make time for it even when life is slightly nuts, but...*sigh* I've been busy.
I like to make sure you get the best possible blogage from Confusing Ideas and sometimes after a day of school/work/homework/rehearsal...that just isn't possible. Not even because I don't have the time but because my brain gets tired after working all day and says to me, "God. Amy! I need a break. Will you let me just chuck a bouncy ball at a wall for a little while??" And I say, "Ok, brain. Here's a bouncy ball. Have at it."


REMINDER
All right guys. I have two entries for the Halloween Photo Contest. I need more. I'm not gonna lie...the competition is fierce. You should make it even fiercer and send me your pictures. People have said to me, "Amy! I would love to send you a picture, but my Halloween pictures are not digital! How am I supposed to send it to you? Woe is me."
Two things:
a) A scanner. They're really easy to use. So if you have one, or your parents/friends have one, or if your local library has one-that's one way to do it. It goes like this: lift scanner lid, put picture on scanner screen, hook scanner into your computer, press "scan" on scanner, photo will appear on your computer. Done and done.
b) ALSO you can take them into Walgreens or Jewel Osco or whatevs and get them put onto a media CD or your little USB dude. This also is really easy and if you are confused I'm sure an enthusiastic member of the costumer service squad would be happy to assist you.
Ok? So it CAN be done. So...do it. Remember...there IS a prize which I will ACTUALLY send to you (yes, a real palpable prize) if you're comfortable giving me your address. If not, well...let's be honest. If you're just in it for the prize you best not play. The GLORY is really what it's all about.


Ahhh yes. How perfectly typical. Amy is dressed and ready to take on Halloween as Patch from 101 Dalmatians and Jimmy is...still in his pajamas with only his Scarecrow hat on.

Fall Colors: Red, Yellow, Orange, Brown, and...Pink?

*DISCLAIMER: This post is slightly more personal than the usual here at Confusing Ideas.*

Well, it's that time again.
The trees are turning lovely shades of orange, yellow, red, and brown and the store shelves are turning pink.
Yup, that's right.
It's BREAST CANCER AWARENESS TIME!!

So...I made it pretty clear in a post last year how I feel about certain aspects of BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH! (I think it helps to say BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH like you're a monster truck rally commentator).

I do have some slightly more intelligent things to say on the matter now that I've aged a bit.
Ok...here's the deal...
For 12 years of my life my mom had cancer on and off. I never really gave a damn during those 12 years (and still don't give a damn) that companies make over their products in pink for a month out of the year. Yes, in the end, I know I can't be too snippy about it because it does raise funds for important organizations. I get that. (But I still say, "Dyson my mom didn't die so you could sell a vacuum.")
I have to say...what made the difference for me for those 12 years were people.
People who cooked dinners for my family during times my mom was really really ill.
People who sent cards.
People who called.
And even though it ain't my thing...people who prayed.
Such people made it easier for me to sleep at night.
I am unable to even fully express how grateful I am to everyone who supported and helped my family.
...and while I appreciate the thought of making the world over in pink and sellin' shit to give portions of the proceeds to cancer organizations...
I could never be a fraction as grateful for that as I am for the people who were there for my mother.
They mean more to me than a pink vacuum cleaner ever could.

I don't live my life weighed down by grief. It's not in my personality number one. I find it infinitely easier to be upbeat that I do to be a debbie downer. Being weighed down by grief is not what my mother would want and it's not what I want. I am so excited to get up in the morning and see what potential each day has to offer and I am very much looking forward to my life and my future...
But I will be sore until the day I die.
And until the day I die, not a day will go by that I won't miss her or wish she were here.
And I know that it is this soreness that feeds my cynicism over Breast Cancer Awareness month. Because I know, like too many people know, that breast cancer couldn't be farther fluffy pink-ness.
Breast Cancer ain't pretty. Even in pink. (Is that a pun? Sort of? No? Ok. (I'm just funny))

I also feel like I need to say that I don't remember those 12 years as an awful horrible time period in my life.
Truthfully, I remember them as really happy and always filled with love- with some spots of scary and badness. And not the other way around. I think that's a huge testament to my mother and dad. They never let cancer take over and run our lives and for that I got pretty kick-ass childhood.

There. I said my piece. I vow never to speak on Breast Cancer Awareness month again unless I see something really ridiculous like pink puppies bred for breast cancer awareness.

AND

In light of breast cancer awareness, I feel it is only fitting to give a Breast Cancer Awareness PSA in Confusing Ideas fashion:



Elf Amy would like to remind you there's nothing funny about having a mother with cancer.

...but she IS wearing her mother's post-chemo wig under that elf hat AND wearing her mothers "bangs" as a beard.
But again...nothing funny about this.
At all.

Please.

Be aware of Breast Cancer.

Children shouldn't have the option of wearing their mother's post-chemo wigs as part of their Halloween costume.
...even if it is slightly amusing.
Which it isn't.
At all.

This One Time...I Did Actually Grow

This is proof that at some point in my life...I did actually grow. You'll notice this is the same unicorn outfit from the previous pictures I posted. Only, I'm like three years older and four inches taller. Oops.
I love my super colorful jacket. I loved that jacket. Hi, my name is Amy I was a kid in the late 80s early 90s, observe my flashy jacket.
...also observe my socks.
Classy.
I love that my brother's costumes always involve trying to cram that large noggin of his into something. I love that he is eating candy.

this is another reminder to submit your Halloween photos for the CONTEST!! You've got until the 25th! I still only have one entry.