Word.s.

Obligatory

2011-10-30T19:41:00.001-07:00

A couple o' Halloween parties.

I love this song and these guys and all of it

2011-10-25T09:48:00.000-07:00

Satchel to the rescue?

2011-09-10T15:57:00.000-07:00

Ash and I went to Target today to buy me a card table at which I could effectively do homework and other activities that require concentration and organization.

I left with a pair of boots and a pack of yogurt instead, but the real story here takes place in the dressing room. The only stall available had a busted lock, so we improvised.

Now, when men ask why you carry around an unwieldy purse, you'll have a reasonable answer.

What I did this summer

2011-08-28T17:58:00.000-07:00

Rather than recycle a story I thought I'd just direct you to where the good stuff is. Behold, my summer.

It's here!

2011-06-30T06:55:00.000-07:00

Beautiful people made this happen.

It's an album

2011-06-11T20:41:00.000-07:00

Raw footage of our first day in studio. I think the grainy, security camera footage really fits the mood, no?

This is NOT a post about fashion.

2011-05-22T18:21:00.000-07:00

I lost my camera charger at some point during the month of September, forcing me to take photos with my less-than-stellar iPod camera for 8 months. I found that charger recently.

The interesting part of this story (and yes, there is an interesting part) is that I found it in my scarf basket. Never mind that I found the charger amongst my accessories-- let us dwell on the fact that I have A WHOLE BASKET OF SCARVES.

(Feet pictured for scale reference)

Scarves are my most beloved sartorial adornment. I have one in every color and texture. Sometimes I just bury my face in their soft embrace and breathe in their cottony aroma.
I've never actually done that.
The whole of a scarf-centered outfit is greater than the sum of its parts. Consider this an ode to every scarf, to the collective idea of Scarf. Amen.

I ate a Happy Meal today

2011-05-16T20:47:00.000-07:00

I'm in love with Twitter. Me and Twitter, we're soulmates. Maybe one day we'll wake up, and we'll be different people, and we won't even know each other anymore, and the love will grow cold, and Twitter will sleep on the couch. But for now, Twitter's my social networking beau.

No.

2011-05-01T17:31:00.000-07:00

I'm taking a cooking class.
I learned how to play Frisbee.
That is all.

There's a fine line between manipulation and polite asking.

2011-04-26T10:52:00.000-07:00

I've been told I'm a pretty convincing person.

It's completely unintentional but ultimately, I suppose, an inevitable aspect of my nature. I've actually been banned from being around a certain sister when she is making any kind of choice, for my presence alone will dramatically alter her decision-making.

My latest achievement was convincing roommate Ashley that she NEEDED to clip my fingernails, and that it was urgent that she clip them NOW.

(I'm sure I had a good reason for not doing it myself)

She even filed and shaped them- entirely her idea, unless I have finally perfected my telepersuasis skills.

In the Suburbs

2011-04-14T17:39:00.000-07:00

I SAW ARCADE FIRE IN CONCERT AND IT WAS THIS GOOD AND I DANCED LIKE A FOOL.

Photo stolen from Marlee

The only downside to big concerts like this one is the long waiting time between sets. We SAW things in that intermission, horrible things that cannot be unseen. We were armed with only a camera. Behold, our descent into madness.

Snowpocalypse

2011-04-03T19:28:00.000-07:00

This weekend I escaped up to Sandy- beautiful, sunny, deceptively-non-sandy Sandy.

Except this is what happened.

And this is the only footwear I packed.

I got these beauties in Greece, which should tell you how appropriate they were for the snow-globe I apparently live in.

Oh, you wanted to know about the band I'm in?

2011-03-10T16:21:00.001-08:00

How kind of you to ask.

The songs of Book on Tape Worm are quite tragically beautiful. You might say we're the lullaband of the century.

We're en route to recording an album, at which point the world can be exposed to our exquisite melancholy!

For your eyes:

For your ears:

How to speak like a crazy person

2011-02-28T15:24:00.000-08:00

This is a public service announcement to commemorate a rare overachieving moment:

I naively chose Linguistics 545- Psycholinguistics as my elective course this semester.

(That 545 means it is a graduate level class with graduate level coursework and graduate level egos [Seriously, grad students are the worse. Shout out to 30 Rock (A parenthetical inside a parenthetical in another parenthetical? So meta)])

I am truly an ignorant fool in class, but the subject matter is intoxicating. Do I need this class? Will I ever use it? Was the final season of LOST just a dream? NO, but here I am all the same. Or am I? META.

Concrete and pastries

2011-02-14T21:23:00.000-08:00

I just returned from a trip to New York, the second most glittery city on earth.

While there I talked in my sleep, rode a few elevators, and got lost multiple times.

The art was fantastic, and oh, the pastries!
You don't even have to wear pants there if you don't want to- that's my kind of city.

And now for a narcissistic moment

2011-01-27T16:42:00.000-08:00

Earlier this month I announced, as a joke, that January was National Blog About Ciera Month.

I suppose that would be abbreviated NaBloAbCieMo?

Again, it was purely jest, but I actually started getting responses from real people who made real posts on their real blogs about yours truly. It was great fun, if not an exercise in egotism, to read about myself on the Interweb. Here were some of my favorites:

http://thepoindextress.blogspot.com/2011/01/national-blog-about-ciera-month.html

http://theoriginalemilybrown.blogspot.com/2011/01/i-am-blogging-about-ciera-black.html

http://marleeredford.blogspot.com/2011/01/thats-mah-roommate.html

http://katydid13.blogspot.com/2011/01/ciera-haiku.html

I have lots of homework, so I guess it's time to blog. There's lots to blog. So much blog.

2010-10-31T20:00:00.000-07:00

I'm not a Halloween person- candy corn doesn't do it for me, and I always get sick with strep on October 31.

BUT
this year I thought I'd give Halloween one more chance to prove that it isn't the second lamest holiday.

1- Art History Association- art historical costumes were a must.
My answer to the challenge was Magritte's Son of Man. It was punchy and clever, and I got to wear a blazer.

Please note the Hieronymus Bosch pin.

2- Generic Halloween party, complete with awkward dancers and guacamole dip
We went as TROLL DOLLS. There will never be picture documentation of this, but spandex was worn and prizes won.

3- Annual Allen Family Sugar Cookie Fete
I recreated the Children of Men logo on a delicious baked confection! Alfonso Cuarón would be so proud.

I didn't eat this cookie out of respect for great film making. Also because the tear looks like baby poo.

4-6
Art show (I bought a couple pieces to begin my future prestigious art collection), rooftop concert (a 7 foot tall Gothic man offered us mysterious drinks), and a mass dance party in an underground parking garage. Itwaslate.

I still dislike face paint and tacky decorations, though. There's no changing that.

I'll share something spectacular with you.

2010-07-23T15:03:00.000-07:00

Let me introduce you to joggling. It is a competitive sport where joggers juggle. There are rules, conventions, and championship events.

Never have I been so pleased with humankind.

Kalibonhallojour

2010-06-22T06:58:00.000-07:00

I have returned triumphantly from my sojourn in Europe! I had a very productive stay-- I got a fabulous foot tan, sailed a kingly boat, and ate some lamb.

Choosing which pictures to post was an unpleasant task, but I thought these three successfully summed up what we experienced: beautiful scenery, art historical sites, and excessive cold wind.

Hello from across the sea.

2010-04-30T09:03:00.000-07:00

I'm a fan of Europe.

Understatement of the year?

Goodnight and good luck

2010-04-23T16:45:00.000-07:00

So long folks, I'll be returning to the blogosphere in 2 months!

And I shall take the stage

2010-04-19T08:52:00.000-07:00

!?

2010-04-03T22:38:00.000-07:00

I wish the interrobang had caught on, I really don't know what to do about my quesclamations.

If you like to blogstalk as much as I do...

2010-03-26T09:33:00.000-07:00

My most recent interweb discovery has proven to be my best so far.
It combines my two favorite things: cynicism and lousy interior design!

http://unhappyhipsters.com/
It really was love at first read.

My ears are ringing...

2010-03-21T15:42:00.000-07:00

...from photocopying my face too many times.

Yes yes yes

2010-03-14T15:17:00.000-07:00

Navigating through my messy bedroom is like being on a Japanese game show- the obstacle course is complicated and potentially dangerous, I'm not really sure what I'll come across at any point, and the robots keeps trying to cut off my head.

To my fellow art lovers: this is gold

2010-03-03T18:01:00.000-08:00

70 Million by Hold Your Horses ! from L'Ogre on Vimeo.

It's Tuesday, and my record is 100%

2010-03-02T16:17:00.000-08:00

Pierogi! Accordions! Jonathan Safran Foer! So many wonderful things to share, but today's favorite has got to be Artemisia Gentileschi. Female artists before the twentieth century are rare, and ones with actual talent are rarer. You go, girl.

Touché

2010-02-26T22:00:00.000-08:00

Today I wore a headband. I tried on shoes that weren't mine and ate an English muffin. I started and finished a book, found a hidden bench, and listened to Bach's Cello Suite 1 on repeat.

My, but how poetic my days have become!

It's a Holy War out there

2010-02-02T22:50:00.000-08:00

I think getting a sewing machine for Christmas is the funniest thing that's ever happened to me.

That even includes the time I was told I look like Dakota Fanning.

2010 will be a treat.

2010-01-19T17:15:00.000-08:00

I'm doing a Study Abroad program with the Art History department from April til June. That means 7 weeks of museums, ugly shoes, and chances to get to know my professors way more than I would like. I can't wait.

We are starting In Greece to get our fill of naked (sorry, nude) statues, then off to Italy to eat some gelato. From there we go to Austria, who knows what's there, then hop on a plane to visit the Netherlands and Belgium. We'll jump over to London for tea, and end with a two week stay in Paris. Oh la la, I've forgotten all my French.

Meanwhile, I'll be passing the time with the final season of Lost, which starts in exactly 2 weeks. I've never been this excited about a TV event before. I'll miss the last 3 or 4 episodes due to the aforementioned European adventure, but I'm ok with that- absence makes the heart grow fonder, yes?

!!!!!!!!

2010-01-06T20:34:00.001-08:00

I have a class in a room that makes sounds like a submarine, and I am a bit too excited. It will probably take all my effort to not belt out a line or two of Yellow Submarine.
I just have a thing for submarines.

Fervor!

2009-12-27T13:46:00.000-08:00

I abhor talking animal movies.

This includes live-action movies only, of course, Pixar still has my blessing, but I can't help but notice the sudden increase in awful films with talking animal protagonists. I do not want to pay money to see a hamster crack jokes, nor will I ever have the urge to do so. Dogs do not smile, cats do not wink, and squirrels do not sing. Ever.

Here's a funky idea- they should take the money they would foolishly spend on making these abominations and use it for a good cause, such as feeding the hungry, building orphanages, or perhaps supporting legislation to ban any more animal movies.

I feel I must mention one exception- Babe will forever and always be the gold standard for what an animal movie should be, if we were to allow animal movies to continue. Unfortunately it is an anomaly, and I fear that nothing will live up to its greatness.

This is a call to arms, future filmmakers of America. There's a reason why animals are mute. Let's keep it that way.

Hall and Oates, your greatness transcends time

2009-09-30T23:19:00.000-07:00

But never will Simon and Garfunkel be replaced as my favorite musical duo of the mid 20th century.

Their breezy tunes have something that H&O could never achieve, and besides, you just can't compete with the sweaters S&G always wear.

Today

2009-09-21T22:53:00.000-07:00

Today I almost rode my bike into a car. I started an abstract on Hegelian aesthetics and decided not to finish. I killed a spider, made a chocolate quesadilla, and got lost. Then I won a staring contest.

I frequently quote myself.

2009-08-25T19:01:00.001-07:00

I'm almost positive that I can only raise my left eyebrow on odd numbered days and my right one on the evens.

More research on this subject to follow.

Just call me the....

2009-08-23T06:51:00.000-07:00

Scuba diving with a head cold was not the best idea I've ever had.

Back by popular demand

2009-08-12T15:04:00.000-07:00

Why must every party mix contain so many pretzels?
They are the snack food equivilant of radioactive waste.

I ate a honey sandwich, olé!

2009-07-31T20:24:00.000-07:00

I do not wish to expound on this honey sandwich, except to say that it was very delicious and I may have had another.

How do you feel after spending a minute of your life reading about my honey sandwich?

Honey?

Nothing irks me more than the incorrect use of apostrophes

2009-07-23T11:19:00.000-07:00

Let's all take a moment to admire my domestic prowess

2009-06-26T06:17:00.000-07:00

I tried to disinfect with nail polish remover instead of alcohol.

Luckily I caught my mistake just seconds before I poisoned myself, which, I would like to point out, was miraculous, seeing that the two bottles look almost identical.

Forget that there are labels on these bottles that identify them- I was preoccupied with crêpes.

I think that's understandable.

Today I tried on a rad pair of pants.

2009-06-18T16:45:00.000-07:00

These pants fit quite nice- straight leg (flair pants make me look like a swollen elephant), plenty of room in the booty area, a stretchy waist for comfort...

I should have known that these were not ordinary pants. They fit different, but they fit well.

And then the shocking discovery:

I BOUGHT MATERNITY PANTS.

PANTS FOR PREGNANT PEOPLE. I BOUGHT THEM AND THEY FIT.

Maybe I can share my preggo pants with my preggo sister, who would be too small to fit into these glorious pants normally.

Wonderful.

The booty was just so spacious...

I shall now proceed to tell a very true but very uninteresting story about myself.

2009-06-07T19:06:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, while I was at the plant store

(I'm afraid at this point I must cut in- I just don't know how to accurately refer to place in which I was. It was a flower store, but that wording is awkward. I guess I could say nursery, but I don't want any confused readers to wonder what babies have to do with this story. Florist doesn't quite describe it. How about The Quaint Vendor of Flowers, Shrubs and Miscellaneous Gardening Accessories? I'm all for overstating.)

Yesterday, while I was at The Quaint Vendor of Flowers, Shrubs and Miscellaneous Gardening Accessories, I was minding my own business when I was stopped by a middle-to-elderly aged lady.

(A mole (the animal, not the birthmark) wearing glasses is an accurate image of this particular specimen)

She asked me a question that involved the cigar flower she was holding.

(The cigar flower, or Cuphea ignea, is a plant native to Mexico that is often used as a decorative houseplant.)

I mumbled that I didn't know and quickly shuffled away. The poor mole-lady thought I was an employee, not a fellow shopper! I was embarassed for her, because I've done the same thing, multiple times.

(At clothing stores, sporting events...)

But my concern is this- all the employees were wearing matching purple shirts that had the name of the Quaint Vendor of Flowers, Shrubs and Miscellaneous Gardening Accessories clearly written. Needless to say, I was not wearing that shirt, nor was I in a color that remotely resembled purple. Yes, I was carrying a flat of perennials,

(apparently looking very official)

but so was every customer. It. Was. A. Flower. Store.

DUH is the first word that comes to mind.
I am the victim of Mistaken Employee Identity. Watch out folks, we have an offender, and she's not very bright.

I'm tricky

2009-05-28T19:56:00.001-07:00

We'll leave it at that.

And there was much stupification

2009-05-24T20:19:00.000-07:00

My thoughts are as closed as the sewed up pockets of my shorts,
as blank as last semester's term paper,
as empty as this comparison.

The ability to metaphor-ize must be subconscious.
Too bad these are similes, you say.

But what does this have to do with Portugal?

I met a boy named Audrey today.

2009-04-30T19:24:00.001-07:00

It was umpleasant for both of us.

I do feel for the kid though. Not only is he doomed to be followed by his girly name forever, it's a girly name that is a mash-up of the words "autistic" and "dreary".

No amount of fame or rad dance moves can make up for that.

Paper jam:

2009-04-11T12:55:00.001-07:00

caused by the Fruit Snacks that were stuck in my printer

I am not your sherpa

2009-03-22T20:42:00.001-07:00

I really want a polaroid camera and some birthday cake.

The microwave died

2009-03-08T19:49:00.000-07:00

I am therefore attempting to cook pasta on my candle warmer.

Please please

2009-03-01T20:27:00.000-08:00

Read Life of Pi, no questions asked. It's beautiful.

Then me and you and Fancy Nancy can discuss all day long about which story really happened and other philosophical things.

Though I do still believe in the zebra...

Surreal

2009-02-09T20:49:00.000-08:00

I had a dream that Patrick Dempsey was my uncle.
I also mentored a Jewish foster child, was hospitalized for mono...

And then I went shopping.

Free is a magic number

2009-02-01T22:50:00.000-08:00

My porcelain birds make lousy bookends, but they look quite chipper.

Today I had an epiphany, but that's beside the point.

2009-01-20T16:07:00.000-08:00

It's 3:40 pm. I was sprawled out on my bed, fast asleep when I was rudely awakened by what sounded like an angry rhino banging on my door.

I'm really confused at this point, and to make matters worse the rhino starts yelling "Maintenance! MAAAAINTENANCE!" I barely had to time to escape.

Yes Mr. Maintenance Man, please barge into my room with all your power tools. I'm so happy you chose to come at this exact moment even though we called you two weeks ago. Such a lovely toolbox, and my oh my what manners!

All this, just to fix a stupid drawer. Leave the dang drawer, just let me sleep, you hooligan.

Luckily I was mostly dressed, or the whole situation would have been a bit more unpleasant.

It's nice to see how far my college education is taking me

2009-01-17T14:27:00.000-08:00

It took almost an hour to produce this 22 second clip.
Sometimes my math is sketchy, but I'm pretty sure that is not proportional at all.

Jeepers creepers

2009-01-14T19:00:00.000-08:00

I was pleasantly surprised today to see two fellow students that I thought were my dear cousins Katie and Jason. And I kind of followed them.

It wasn't Katie and Jason.

I'm not sure what I was thinking. Fake Jason was six inches too short and fake Katie had a unfortunate hair color.

Mazal tov to that happy couple though.

Obviously the effects of late night escapades are taking their toll.

Hoozah

2009-01-10T13:35:00.000-08:00

Chicken nuggets taste better at 2 am
and that is a fact.

Stellar things are fun and classy

2009-01-05T22:26:00.000-08:00

Art History 202
Rad gold Pumas
Obediah Parker
French cinema
Return policies

Downtown

2008-12-13T22:05:00.000-08:00

Christmas lights are nice, almost as good as new books or eating Rice Chex in hot chocolate.

Roar

2008-12-03T21:56:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow I will be buried in sand while it snows
my magnet privileges were taken away
and I'm craving pancakes like crazy.

Salsa and grape jelly don't mix well at all.

New Things

2008-11-30T17:03:00.000-08:00

I was so adventurous during the break.

1. Tried cranberry sauce. It's just like jelly folks, nothing to be scared of.
2. Drove on a Utah highway. It's fun to go fast, real fast...
3. Got a call on the dorm phone. Thrilling!
4. Played Rock Band. I'm basically expert.
5. Cleaned my room. Enough said.

If I keep this up, I figure I'll have lived life the its absolute fullest by the age of 21.
What a productive life.

The things we do in college.

2008-11-22T10:29:00.001-08:00

Late

2008-11-10T22:23:00.001-08:00

I've spilled my bottle of creative juices,
they're soaking on the floor.

Now I'll be incredibly dull,

with boring thoughts galore!

On our merry way to Church

2008-11-09T19:31:00.000-08:00

"Ciera, if you were a boy you'd be super artsy and wear skinny jeans."

Good thing I'm not a boy, it sounds like I'd be kicked around during recess a little bit.

Peace, man.

2008-10-31T22:43:00.001-07:00

I thought I was being original when I dressed up as a hippie for Halloween.

Then I realized that everything I had on was stuff I normally wore, from the blue sweater vest and Urban Outfitters tee all the way down to the skinny jeans and brown Converse shoes.

Does that make me a tree hugger? Maybe not, but I sure look the part.

All Sorts of Haiku Goodness

2008-10-30T23:19:00.000-07:00

I ate a muffin.
Now crumbs are in my printer.
How does that happen??

Progress is a beautiful thing. That is, if you think landfills are beautiful.

2008-10-28T11:20:00.000-07:00

I actually did [some] homework for the first time in a long time.

And if that wasn't enough, I almost studied for a test right after. Studied-ish.

Before you know it I'll be doing assignments a day before they're due. What happened? This is against my nature, against everything I am! Dare I say I'm being... responsible?

Gasp.

The Daily Universe

2008-10-22T16:34:00.000-07:00

Not a lot of news worthy things happen at BYU.
Imagine my surprise when I opened the paper this morning and saw the following story:

"A female student reported a suspicious phone call in which a man made statements with the intent of hypnotizing the student. The student said she does not remember most of the conversation, but remembers calling him her master. Police say it is virtually impossible to hypnotize someone over the phone."

Moral of the story: If any one calls and refers to himself as your master, hang up. Not because they'll hypnotize you, but because they are probably a super freak, and you listening to them makes you super freakier.

Malnutrition

2008-10-20T15:22:00.000-07:00

I eat Fruity Pebbles for dinner at least three times a week. Fruity Dyno-Bites actually, I'm all about the generic brands.

25% daily value of riboflavin in every serving, and 35% with skim milk. You can't beat that.

Oh my, I've been tagged

2008-10-18T16:16:00.000-07:00

I have to answer the following questions with one word answers only. Happy reading.

1. Where is your cell phone? Desk
2. Where is your significant other? Nonexistant...
3. Your hair color? Brown
4. Your mother? Shoes
5. Your father? Motorcycles
6. Your favorite thing? Cereal
7. Your dream last night? Leather
8. Your dream/goal? Degree
9. The room you're in? Dorm
10. Your hobby? Movies
11. Your fear? Dentist
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? Living :]
13. Where were you last night? Party
14. What you're not? Naked
15. One of your wish-list items? Pony
16. Where you grew up? Texas
17. The last thing you did? Bike
18. What are you wearing? Aviators
19. Your TV? Sweeet
20. Your pet? Dead.. :(
21. Your computer? Dell
22.Your mood? Antsy
23.Missing someone? Oui
24. Your car? Bike
25. Something you're not wearing? Pants
26. Favorite store? Threadless.com
27. Your summer? Hotttt
28. Love someone? You!
29. Your favorite color? Mustard
30. When is the last time you laughed? Everyday
31. Last time you cried? Never!

I tag you, him, her, Lucius Malfoy, Superman and Hamlet.

Distractionation!

2008-10-16T21:34:00.000-07:00

I've suddenly found several urgent things to do instead of my American Heritage paper, such as writing Post-It notes, applying for absentee voting, and cleaning the muffin crumbs out of my printer.

Major Fair Epiphany. Or lack of.

2008-10-15T19:19:00.000-07:00

There were so many majors at the major fair, I though I was going to explode with joy. So many choices! Advertising, Pre-dental, the Army, all offering candy or stress balls and claiming their area of study was the superior choice. A friendly old man at the Enviromental Science table assured me I could suceed in Organic Chemistry, and the person representing the Fine Arts college knew almost nothing about the only major I really wanted to hear about.

Perhaps I'll go in to mechanical engineering, just to spite her.

On the bright side, I had a caramel apple to make everything better. And stickier.

Top Ten

2008-10-12T14:45:00.000-07:00

10. Note cards
9. Scarfs
8. "Everything in Its Right Place" by Radiohead
7. Frosted Flakes
6. The name Amelie
5. Free pens
4. Anything by Van Gogh
3. Aviator sunglasses
2. Green bean fries
1. Gravity's Rainbow by Thomas Pynchon

Ode to the Pilot Light

2008-10-07T23:10:00.000-07:00

There are some things we just consider mandetory in this civilized country: clean food, free market system, hot water...

Yes, dear friends, we have no hot water. For the second day in a row. Perhaps if our sink and bathroom and vending machines hadn't already broke I wouldn't be in a tizzy, but this addition really fried my chicken.

Me: Um, there is no hot water.
Front Desk Lady: Oh, yea, the maintenence guys haven't come yet...

Wow, Captain Obvious, thanks for that nugget of information. What a gem, Employee of the Month!

Of course I had to take a shower, and the choices laid before me were grim: either brave our freezing cold showers, or seek elsewhere out in the cold night for hot water. Either way required me risking the chance of hypothermia.

Which is how, an hour ago, I could be seen clad only in jammies and a pink fuzzy robe, walking to a neighboring dorm building to take a stupid shower. I probably looked like a raving lunatic since I could not stop laughing about the whole pathetic situation.

"Hey, did you see that creepy girl the other night?"
"The one wearing a robe and laughing to herself?"
"Yea, that one. She had a snazzy yellow loofa."
"I wonder... Has anyone we know gone missing?"

Oh pilot light, where have you gone? We long for you!