Boring lists

Things I like:

• Finding hidden treasures at thrift stores
• Weather that includes temperatures of 75 degrees or colder
• Feeling competent
• Dill pickles
• The good kind of soreness that reminds me of the existence of muscles I'd forgotten I had
• Free time
• Driving to the music of Steve Reich
  
• Quiet, usually
• Low expectations
• A good batch of hummus
• Funny British people
  
• Reciprocating kindness, or having kindness reciprocated
• Large open spaces
• Corduroys and strange polyester shirts
• Full-fat chocolate milk
  

Things I don't like:

• Drama (as in overreacting)
• Herbal tea
• Musicians who can't count (I don't dislike the musicians themselves necessarily, but the incorrect counting thing can really bother me)
  
• Dishes that somehow mix fruit and meat (lime chicken does not count--it's a marinade)
• The effects of procrastination
• i h8 lazy txt speech dont u >:-( lol
  
• Wearing jewelry
• Attempting to dress fancy
• Unkindness and/or conflict
  
• Having to maintain a high-maintenance person
• Black licorice
• Very specific shades of blue and pink that make me want to puke
  
• Finding my own grammar and/or spelling mistakes
• Trying something new and finding out I'm not very good at it
• Jazz flute music

Things I don't particularly care about:

• Politics, for the most part
• The fanciness of my daily attire
• T.V. (except my three shows)
• Romantic comedies
• That whole flirting competition thing
  
• Video games
• Power and/or fame
  
• Celebrity gossip
• Sharing spit (ie. eating food off someone's plate, drinking out of another person's glass, etc.)
• Personality quizzes
• Analyzing the deeper meaning behind everything
• Ironing
  

A beard is a wish your heart makes....

I have to prepare an hour-long presentation for a class on Monday, so of course I'm coming up with a blog post instead.

Some of you may know that I have a serious thing for men with beards. Not every man with a beard ever (apologies to ZZ Top and Lorenzo Snow) but I must say that a little facial hair can go a long way in making a guy look more attractive.

I'm not exactly sure where this came from. I've haven't known many men with beards in my life, and the ones I have known haven't exactly struck me as particularly tasty. I think I can attribute the realization of my follicle fixation to two guys I've met in college.

One was an oboe player in Michigan who grew the most fantastic beard. He would shave it off from time to time and it always surprised me how much less hot he was without it. Even when he shaved it off into a handlebar mustache he could still wear facial hair very well. Nothing happened there, of course. Like I would ever go for an oboe player anyway.

Example number two is a guy I met here at the U of U. What a beard! I first saw him when he conducted the music for sacrament meeting in my ward. Looking back, I can honestly say that I don't think I would have even given him a second look were it not for his lovely, tantalizing beard. It's truly a beauty to behold. Nothing has happened there, of course. Like I would ever go for a super hot guy anyway....

So there it is: I love beards. On men, that is. Thinking about this subject, I began considering famous men who definitely improve with some manly stubble. For example:

Exhibit A: Robert Downey Jr.

I never really thought of Mr. Downey as being all that attractive. There was something kind of baby-face-ish about him that didn't really do anything for me.



But with a beard....hottentot.





Exhibit B: George Clooney

Granted, Mr. Clooney is easy on the eyes in general.



But add a beard...much better.





Exhibit C: Harrison Ford back in the day

Good old Mr. Ford (emphasis on 'old') was fairly tasty back in his prime, beard or no beard.



But a beard, especially '70s-style, never hurts.



And last but not least,

Exhibit D: Hugh Laurie

Long before he became famous for portraying Dr. House, I knew Mr. Laurie from his British comedy shows, ie. Blackadder, Jeeves and Wooster, A Bit of Fry and Laurie etc. He's a great comedic actor and back then usually played the part of the goofy idiot. If you had asked me then if I thought he could ever be considered a sex symbol I would have given a hearty guffaw. Not that he's bad-looking, necessarily. He's pretty much just a non-descript British bloke.



But give him some stubble and a hit TV show...





So there you have it. Now that I've thoroughly presented myself as being completely superficial, I guess it's time to sign off. If you know any single, bearded, non-weird guys, send them my way.