Unofficial Haircut

I want a haircut. I need something different. I don't even know what. But something.

I'm NOT going short again. My hair grows way too slow for that nonsense. I mean, serious. Last time I went short-short, it was March of senior year. It's taken me a year and a freaking half to get my hair back to a length that feels longish. And my hair is for sure not even longish. It's just closer to longish than shortish. No way. The next time I get the fool hardy idea to chop it all off again, please, someone stop me.

So, what to do. What to do. Not going short really cuts down the options. It's not like you can cut your hair longer (well, extensions are a thing, but no, that's not going to happen). So pretty much we are left with color and bangs. And here's a secret: I kinda want to try fringe bangs. I think they're freaking cute. Abby has them, and I just love them. Copying my baby sister's hair? Yeah, that's low. But they're so cute! I can't help myself! This is sorta what I'm thinking, bangs-wise:

Kinda this-ish?

Or this-ish?

Here's the problem - I am a huge chicken. And what if I look ridiculous with fringe bangs? What if they drive me absolutely crazy, and I hate them with a deep burning passion? What if I decide I don't want them anymore? What if people think I have crazy person hair? Then again, what if they freaking rock? I don't know. I just can't commit one way or the other. One second I really want them and I decide to go for it, and the next I decide maybe keeping my hair just the way it already is, isn't such a bad way to go. Decisions decisions decisions. I am BAD at decisions.

Now, color. I want to go darker. Like, legitimately darker. Not black (good gracious, no). But really dark brown. And I actually like it with a little red in it. Like, just a teeny tiny smudgeon of red. Like, barely noticable. Like, "Wow! The color of your hair is super pretty! Is there some red in there? Just a little? It's a good color!" You know. Just a hint of red.

Does anyone have any ideas for my hair? Or an opinion on the fringe? I am seeking some guidance. I mean, I don't know if I'll take your advice or not. I tend to have a bit of contrary nature, so with advice is a little bit of a crap shoot. The short haircut of senior year is a prime example of this - they all told me, "Yeah, you can cut your hair, and it'll be cute, but you'll be hating it in like, a week." True story, friends. True story. Because people were like, "Oh, you'll end up being mad you did it," I was like, "You know? I'm cutting my hair. I'm chopping it all off. What now, foos?" I may or may not have lied about hating it (I would sooner die than admit they were all right), but man, I missed my long hair. Sorry, that wasn't a great, "Yeah! Give me advice!" pep talk. Eh, whatever. I still want opinions, if you're willing to share them.

I need an un[OFFICIAL] haircut.

... Except that it will be official, once it's done. What the heck is an unofficial haircut? There's not really any middle ground with a haircut - either you get one, or you don't. But in an effort to keep with the un[OFFICIAL] theme, we've got to take some liberties. So if things don't make sense, whatever. Just use your imagination or something. You'll figure it out.

Unofficial Cougar Blue

I'm sure it's no surprise that we at the Young household are Y fans. I mean, really. It's in our name. And it goes without saying that last night was pretty rough. So now, if you will indulge me, I will go on a brief rant. As a warning, if you're a Ute fan, you might rather not read the rant. Just skip it.

*A Brief Rant*

I kind of hate the U. I think they're a bunch of idiots, and I kind of hate them. You may recall the blind date with Mr. Boy? The one that almost made me a hater? Yeah, forget the almost. I'm in the official University of Utah Sucks camp. They are scum. Not to mention dumb as dirt. Did you not see the hilarity that was the rushing of the field before the game was even over? Honestly? You people got kicked off the field TWICE! Once? That's embarrassing. I mean, I know I'd be embarrassed. But hey, we all make mistakes, and the game did look like it was over. I can forgive that. Twice? Oh gee. That is really embarrassing. And not only was the game not over, it didn't even look like it was over this time! The ball was still in play! The players were still running on the field! With the ball! What kind of idiots are you people? Good fetching grief! Someone mentioned to me the fact that the people couldn't see that the game was still going, that with all those people in front of them and with all that energy, well, it couldn't be helped. I'm sorry, does your stadium not come equipped with jumbo trons? I would've thought a big fancy Pac 12 school would be able to afford those. Get real. If they'd been paying attention, they would've seen. I also mentioned that their stupid fans almost lost them the game, and you wouldn't believe the indignant comments I got in response. Like, how dare I say they almost lost them the game? Which they did, by the way. Because of their stupid fans, BYU got the ball back and had time for one more play. Had Riley Stephenson made that field goal there at the end, and had they gone into overtime, I think BYU would've had just as much a chance as the U at winning that thing. Anyways, Utes are stupid. Sorry, Utes. You're stupid. The end.

*Still Ranting*

Also, in case anyone was planning to throw the "Brigham Young founded the U" argument in my face (I'm not guessing you were, but just in case) - yeah, I know. But if he saw what it's become now, he'd be rolling over in his grave. I'm am beyond confident that he would totally approve of me supporting the school that's  not only named in honor of him and all that he did for the church, but lives up to his standards as well.

Now that we've got that out of the way, we can return to a more civilized view of the game. What a relief. 

It was a good game. There was not a dull moment, that's for sure. Both teams made mistakes, and BYU just made too many of them. In the end, that's what really cost them the game. It wasn't the missed field goal, it was all the little mistakes that added up to one big one. And Riley Nelson was just off. You could see it. The commentators mentioned his body language really said it all - he just looked defeated. And now, let's just take a moment to enjoy the glory that was that last quarter. Man, BYU played well that last quarter. If they'd played the first three like that last one, things would've been different. And that pass to Hoffman! Dang. That was a BEAUTIFUL pass. Just beautiful. I wish they'd won. And that's not me being a whiny sore loser, that's just me wishing they'd won it. The U won, and they played a good game. You really can't contest that. But to say that BYU didn't play well, and didn't have a chance of winning - well, that's just ignorant. But here we are. Utah won and BYU lost. It sucks, but that's the way of things. Let's just hope they can pull of a win next year before the two year break from the rivalry, or we will never hear the end of it.

In victory or defeat, I am un[OFFICIALLY] Cougar Blue.

Now, where can I get me one of those "Max Hall hates you, and so do I" t-shirts ...

PS - Please, if you do happen to be a U fan, don't be offended. That was not my aim. But you know how sometimes you need to vent about stuff? This was one of those times. And while I hate the U as a whole, there are individuals Ute fans that I happen to like quite a lot. And if you feel stereotyped ... well, sorry about that, but I still stand by it (they rushed the field twice before the game was over - I just don't think I can let that one go! It's, like, epitome of stupid!). So that's all. Don't be offended. 

Unofficial Obsessions: Les Miserables

Remember how I started reading Les Mis, in like, June? For my book club? Yeah, still working on it. That thing is a beast! But it the most amazing book I've ever read. It's a book to change you. You know the kind. You can't read it and not come out a better person because of it. Not because it's going to totally change the way you look at the world, but because it's a really beautiful portrait of humanity. It shows the good, as well as the bad. The innocence and the corruption. It's really beautiful. If you haven't read it, I highly recommend it. I know, it's huge. But reading it is worth every single page. 

Since I've been reading it, I'm going through an All Things Les Mis Phase. I listen to the music practically 24/7. I am, in fact, listening to it right this exact moment. And when I'm not listening to it, the music is running through my head anyways. Oh my heck. Besides being the Most Beautiful Book Ever, they can also boast it's the Best Musical Ever. One Day More is most definitely my favorite song. All the parts, intertwined - pure musical genius. And the last song, the finale, it makes me cry. I'm not a crier, but I hear that song, and I get actual tears. And Stars is the best song sung by a villain ever. It's so beautiful. I love the music so much.

As great as the musical is (it really is great), it just can't really compare to the book as far as the story is concerned. The musical gets all the main points, but the book gives so much more. It shows how all the different characters are connected, which is so cool. *Spoiler Alert Right Here - If you're planning on reading the book, I don't want to mess it up for you.* For example, Marius (who I adore with all my whole soul because he's just adorable) has a connection to the Thenardiers. What? I know. It's madness. You see, his dad fought in the battle of Waterloo and was wounded. Meanwhile Thenardier was robbing the corpses, because he is the Scum Of The Earth. He wanders across Marius' dad, who's still living. So Marius' dad thinks Thenardier is saving him, when, in fact, he was trying to rob him. Another example. You all remember Gavroche? The precious little street urchin? I love that kid. He is the sweetest thing in the whole world. And he's the Thenardier's son. He ends up on the streets because his parents don't love him. Poor baby! And you recall the two little boys he calls "his kids" and takes care of? Well here's some news for you - those are actually his brothers. The Thenardier's sold them to a woman (one of Marius' grandfather's lovers) for 10 francs a month when her sons die (because if she still wants the child support from the old man, she has to have two sons). This lady gets arrested, so those two little boys are out on the streets. As luck would have it, Gavroche finds them and takes them in. He's the sweetest child that ever lived, and I love him. But you see what I'm saying, right? All these crazy connections between the characters? It's amazing. The book just has so much more than the musical. You all should really read it.

Also, THEY'RE MAKING A MOVIE! And it's coming out December 14th! I am so excited I can hardly stand it. PS - The movie has Hugh Jackman, and Russell Crowe, and Eddie Redmayne - The Love Of My Young Life (who was also in Tess of the d'Urbervilles, which is another piece of classic literature that everyone should read) in it. Can it possibly be bad? No! No it cannot!

Right? Right? Google more images of him. He's a babe.
I would add more, but this is a long blog post as it is.
I love this boy.

I love Les Mis. The musical, the music, the book, the characters, the story - all of it. Every single thing. I even drew Felix a cute little "Les Mis" themed bowl this time around. It's pretty dang awesome.

I am un[OFFICIALLY] obsessed with Les Miserables.

Watch the trailer.

Ahh! I just don't want to stop talking about how much I love it! I could just talk about it's greatness forever. For freaking ever. I could tell you about how much I love Marius (because he's a little bit of a goober, and stinking cute) and Gavroche (honestly, he's my favorite child in the whole world) and Enjolras (mostly because in the musical he sings like an angel and he's a fantastic person). I love Les Mis you guys! I can't make myself stop typing! Sorry! You can stop reading any time. But I'll probably keep typing because I LOVE LES MIS. It's ridiculous. Victor Hugo is my hero. He's so great. However, the sad news is I cannot name a son Victor after him. I just don't think I could name a child the name Victor, even though it's a fabulous name and I actually love it. I've met a few little girls at the daycare named Cosette. Maybe that's workable. I kind of love that name, and it's a lovely tribute to Les Mis.

A List Of Anna's Favorite Characters

Jean Valjean - Obviously. He's great. I love that he's human. He makes mistakes, but he's a good person. He started out good, but prison really hardened him and made him a criminal far more than stealing a loaf of bread did. But he changes! He realizes what's happened to him, and he resolves to become a good person. He makes the right choice, even when he knows it could send him back to prison. I love the writing, because it shows how hard it is sometimes for him to make the right choice - for example, when he goes to the court to testify that he is Jean Valjean, and not he poor sucker they caught. He finally decides to go, and he can't find a coach there, and then he finds one and it breaks down, and then he gets there late and they've already started the trial, but he goes anyways, and then he can't get in, but he tells them he's a mayor and they let him - I mean, there are so many times he could've said, "Well, I tried, I'm going home." But he keeps going! He is a great man.

Marius - He's kind of a goober, actually. But he's such a sweetie. And his back story is truly heart-breaking. His mom married his dad, and his grandpa never liked his son-in-law because he supported Napoleon and fought in the Napoleonic wars. So when his mom dies, he grandpa demands that his grandson live with him or he would cut him out of his inheritance. His dad gives him up, even though he loves him, so he can have a better future. His grandpa raises him to believe his dad is scum because of his background with Napoleon. Marius writes him twice a year (it said his letters might've been copied out of a book) and his dad always wrote back long letters for the son he loves, but his grandpa took the letters and threw them away so Marius never knew his dad loved him. He just thought he was a terrible person. His dad would even come watch Marius walking into church with his grandpa because he wasn't allowed to visit him. A priest would watch his dad, and he just sobbed behind a pillar, watching his little boy. When his dad was dying, he wrote a letter, requesting his son to visit. His grandpa gives permission, but Marius doesn't really want to go. He never loved his dad. By the time he gets there, it's too late. His dad has already died. He leaves him a note saying he loves his son and that he's now a Baron (a title given to him by Napoleon), and if he ever meets Thenardier to do all he can to help him. Marius doesn't really care, but he keeps the note. One day as he's walking to church, he meets the priest who knew his dad and watched him cry, and finds out from him that his dad really did love him. Marius is heart-broken. He idolizes his dad, gets kicked out by his grandfather, and searches for Thenardier to help him, since it was his father's dying wish. He even orders a bunch of cards, with his name, Baron Marius Pontmercy, printed on them. And watching him fall in love with Cosette is adorable. He is just adorable. I love him.

Gavroche - Even though he's just a little urchin, and his parents don't love him and he's lived on his own on the streets since he was very young, he's good. He is a good kid. He does what he has to do to survive, but he's always looking out for others. He shares what little he has with whoever is in need. I think it's amazing to see that coming from such a difficult background, and living such a difficult life, didn't ruin him. It shows the resilience of the human spirit. That you can be good, even when your life is hard. I love him for everything that he represents and all the good he does. Also, he's really funny. He's got such a cute little personality. And it's so sweet that he takes care of his two little brothers, without knowing they're his brothers, probably without even knowing he ever even had two little brothers. Isn't that sweet, and heart-breaking, all at the same time?

Eponine - Poor poor Eponine. She's madly in love with Marius, but he doesn't even see her there. He has eyes only for Cosette. And it's not that I don't like Cosette. It's impossible to begrudge her the love she shares with Marius, because she's really good too. And Marius and Cosette were made for each other. It's weird to think of either of them without the other. It's just so sad seeing Eponine, on the outside looking in, and wanting to be with Marius. It's awful. 

You guys, you have to read Les Mis. You have to read it. It's the most beautiful thing ever written, a million percent serious. It's beautiful. It's such a rich story, and there is so much going on. You really come to know the characters and feel for them. It's not happy story, but it's wonderful all the same. Every single soul in the world should read this book.

Unofficially Homesick

You know where I should be right now? Colorado. Estes Park, Colorado. Every year (almost), my family heads out to Colorado the weekend after Labor Day for the Longs Peak Scottish-Irish Highland Festival. It is my second favorite part of the year (the first being the month of December). You see, my Grandpa Young is really big into military history, Scottish military history in particular. So he has a display - an immense display - about the Battle of Bannockburn. We all go the the Scottish Festival where Grandpa puts up the display and party for the weekend. It is so great.

This is my Grandad next to his display.

Allow me to elaborate. 

First off, it's a Scottish festival. That just spells fun. 

There are bagpipes. Playing all the time. That is the music of my heart. I love bagpipes. I guess some people don't really like the sound of bagpipes, but I've grown up with it, and I absolutely love them. With all my soul. 

There are actual Scottish/Irish/British people there sometimes. They have ACCENTS! Super cool. 

They have huge tents with tons of vendors and you can buy tons of cool Scottish stuff. They have the most beautiful cashmere scarfs. There's also TONS of plaid. Everywhere. You've gotta love plaid. 

There's a cute little playground on the festival grounds, and it's freaking awesome. We spend lots of time there ... That's cool, because we are way too old to play at a playground. But it really is freaking awesome.

The actual city of Estes Park is probably the cutest place in the world. They have the most adorable little main street with a million cute little stores. And they have the BEST Christmas stores in the whole world. I freaking love it. The atmosphere is just amazing.

There's this restaurant, Poppy's. They have super delicious pizza and we go there every year, on Saturday night after the festival closes. It's so much fun, and one of my favorite Estes Park traditions. And right behind the restaurant, there's this cute little creek we like to chill by. It's gorgeous. 

There's another little creek thing with a mill by it, and this little bridge. We play in the water a little bit. Like, walk along the rocks by the side of it, up and down the creek. It's super fun.

We watch movies every night in the tent where they put up the display. It's really cold, but it's really fun, and it's just part of the experience.

The weather is perfect. It's usually a little chilly, and little drizzly - like, basically my favorite weather in the world. It's not so fun for the boys in the tents, but we ladies stay in a hotel, so it's no biggie for us.

I get to spend the whole weekend with my family. I freaking love my family. They are the coolest. Especially my dear cousin Elisabeth. She is the bomb (people still say that, right?).

Food just tastes better when you're hungry and cold and cooking in the back of a tent. It really does.

We do a testimony meeting Sunday night, and it's always really special. At the end, we always sing Families Can Be Together Forever and everyone ends up sobbing. Then we all hug and cry and cry and hug. It's my favorite.

Monday we all go shopping around town since the festival is over. We buy ornaments and stuffed animals and key chains and jewelry - lots of fun stuff. It's the best.

You guys, I really want to be in Colorado right now. It kills me that I'm not there right now. Right this exact moment. It's amazing. And the BEST kick-off to fall in the whole world. It just sets the stage for the big build up to Christmas - it's like, Estes Park, fall, Halloween, Thanksgiving, December, Christmas! Just like that. My year just isn't quite the same without it. It makes me sad. I'm sad.

And Estes Park really is my little home away from home. Not because I spend a ton of time there, but because it's a place that I really love. I have so many wonderful memories of Estes Park. It's like the home of my soul.

I am un[OFFICIALLY] homesick.

Look! It's the festival on Google Maps! Cool, right?
My most lovely Lizzie pointed this out to me.
Now I can share the joy of Estes Park with ALL of you!

Unofficial Sports Fan

I may in fact be a sports fan. Just a plain old sports fan, no longer limited to only basketball (which is still my favorite, by the way). In the past two weeks, I have been to a soccer game (Abby's game, which counts even though it's just AYSO) and four football games (two of DJ's cute little peewee football games - they are so stinking cute, a high school football game to see my cousin - who is a star of the Roy team, which is super cool, and a BYU game - my very first! And they won! Big!). Four! And next weekend I'm going to two more (another of DJ's and the BYU/Weber game next Saturday). I'm branching out, guys! I like football! And soccer (kind of)! 

I am an un[OFFICIAL] sports fan!

NEWS FLASH: Two months from yesterday the 2012-2013 Jazz season begins!!!!!!! Ahhhhh! Forget Halloween, I'm watchin' me some basketball! You have NO IDEA how long this wait has been. I think I'm going to make myself a count down paper chain to hang up in my room. I am so excited, guys. So excited.