The other night, while my family and I were at the dinner table, I had a song stuck in my head and began to sing it under my breath. As soon as he heard the melody Brian, my brother, opened his eyes wide and turned to the head of the table.

“Dad. Dad? The rule?”

I immediately stopped singing. I knew what rule Brian was referring to. It was the “no singing at the table” rule.

I don’t remember having a lot of rules while growing up. I didn’t go out with friends a lot so I didn’t have a “be home by” rule, I didn’t know how to turn on the TV so I didn’t have a “TV time” rule, and I was conscientious by nature so I didn’t have a “get your homework done” rule. But the “no singing at the table” rule has been actively enforced in our household for as long as I can remember and, apparently, I still have trouble following it.

Of course, Brian wishes this rule could be extended. I’m sure if it was up to him he would make it the “no singing to the ends of the earth” rule. Or at least no singing while he’s talking with his friends. I didn’t realize his buddies were so acquainted with my vocal performances until that night at the dinner table.

“Yeah,” Brian continued after I stopped singing, “whenever I’m talking to my friends on Playstation they always ask me what kind of weird music I’m listening to.”

“But Brian,” I said, “I usually don’t play loud music in my room.”

“It’s not your music,” said Brian, “it’s you! They hear you singing!”

Now that’s embarrassing.

At least it’s a relief for Brian that he’s normal. He said when he was younger he used to feel weird because my sister, Shannon, and I were constantly singing and he never did. But when he got older he realized that we were the weird ones. I’m glad for him that he realized this, though I’m not sure how I feel about being the oddball. Oh well, I like singing (obviously), so I don’t think my choruses will stop anytime soon. Though I will try to not sing at the table anymore, as well as when Brian is on Playstation.

Dear Readers,

Welcome to the new annaconnelly.com! In all honesty, it’s not that new. You’ll still find a lot of the same things you did on my old website. I just decided to keep the best of the best and then, thanks to my amazing artist father, throw in a little design update that better fits who I am and what I write about. Let me give you a tour guide so you can still find your way around this place.

First of all, since most of you come to my website for the purpose of reading my goofy stories, I now have my blog as the home page. So instead of going to annaconnelly.com/blog, you go to annaconnelly.com. Easy, right? The rest is pretty self-explanatory: to know more about me and/or this site, go to the “About” tab and to find out about the plays I have written go to the “Plays” tab.

It’s hard to believe I’ve had this blog for a year and a half now and, thanks to you readers, over this period of time I’ve had the joy of seeing more and more people take an interest in my writing. I think it’s fantastic so many of you take time to visit my website, read my blog, make comments, and talk to me about what you’ve read. You are an incredible encouragement to me as a writer. Thank you SO MUCH!!!

So that’s it… a new look for the same me! I hope you continue to enjoy my silly stories and (occasional) serious thoughts. Happy reading!

-Anna

I’m sure many of you are wondering how the Celtic Woman concert was on Sunday, and, as expected, it was wonderful! Shannon and I were happy with our seats and thoroughly enjoyed all of the songs. After the concert we waited outside to watch the girls leave, and we even had a chat with one of the members, Lisa Lambe!

The weather in Spokane has been absolutely beautiful, so on Monday afternoon Shannon and I spent some time in Riverfront Park. One of Shannon’s friends, Brady, was passing through, and he took us to a suspended bridge over the Spokane River. As you can see, I also got some exercise in.

It’s hard to believe that my time with Shannon in Spokane has already come to an end. We had so much fun these last few days, and I find myself wishing I could stay longer. It’s nice to know that Shannon’s housemates feel the same way, because this morning there was a conversation about me coming to live with them. I thought that was a great idea, but told them they needed to find me a job first. When they guaranteed me a job at the local grocery store, I decided that, at least for now, Michigan is definitely home sweet home.

I had such a fun time with Shannon, as well as her friends! Now all I have to think about is going on the second plane trip of my life. But I should have no worries, because by now I’m an expert, right?

Shannon and I both slept in on Saturday morning. We had stayed up late the night before watching reruns of Sue Thomas: F.B.Eye with Shannon’s friends, so we were glad for a morning with no alarms. We lounged long enough to make plans for the day and then headed to the mall for an afternoon of shopping, manicures, and Starbucks.

As you can see, we ran into Ariel along the way. After I took this picture I saw my camera was low on batteries, so we walked into Radio Shack.

Enter young male salesmen, slightly on the flirtatious side. He asked what we were looking for, and when I told him batteries, he said,

“Really? We’re actually having a HUGE sale on batteries today!”

Of course you are, young, flirty male salesman. I told him I just needed the smallest pack of AAs he had. He gave me a four-pack, smiled, and said,

“This is five dollars, but if you buy two-hundred twenty-three more you get two free. It’s a REALLY great deal.”

“Yeah, sounds like it,” I said, “but I don’t really want to carry around that many.”

When we finally made it out of the store Shannon turned to me and said,

“I knew that was going to be bad as soon as we walked in.”

We continued our shopping for a while until we decided it was time to get our manicures. Neither of us had had a manicure before, and we were very pleased with the results. Now our hands are ready to give Celtic Woman enthusiastic applause on Sunday! After our manicures we ended our shopping trip with iced drinks and shoe shopping. Don’t you love the shoes Shannon bought?

On our way back to the bus stop I saw from a distance the bus parked at the sign.

“Is that our bus? Should we try to catch it?” I asked Shannon.

“Yes, but I don’t think we need to….”

But it was too late. I was already running after the bus and screaming, “Wait! Wait!”

When I got to the door I saw why my sister hadn’t sprinted along with me. A woman in a wheelchair had just been lifted into the bus and there was a crowd of people waiting to get on after her. I blushed as I skidded to a halt.

“Oops,” I said. “I guess I didn’t have to run.”

“Yup,” said a man standing by me. “You’re in luck. We’re all waiting to get on.”

Despite my making a fool of myself, Shannon still let me sit by her on the bus.

Once we got back to Shannon’s house we spent the rest of the day with her housemates watching Alfred Hitchcock, giggling, baking, and pretending there was a tornado by screaming and running up and down the stairs. Ah, how I miss college life.

Time is going by fast here in Spokane! I am enjoying meeting Shannon’s friends and seeing the places she sees on a regular basis. My favorite site so far? The Davenport, a ritzy hotel in downtown Spokane. Its owner allows the first two floors to be open to the public, so Shannon showed me around the fancy-schmancy  lobby, ballrooms, and hallways. We continued our downtown excursion by going to the library, shopping mall, and passing the Bing Crosby Theater. (Bing Crosby was from Spokane… who knew?!)

My adventures have not been limited to hotels and Nordstrom. In fact, one of the most daring things I’ve done since my arrival happened yesterday afternoon while Shannon was in class.

Shannon lives in a house with six other busy college students, which means the cleanliness of their kitchen sink is not at the top of the priority list. I certainly don’t blame them, remembering that I was once a college student who let weeks go by without giving thought to the state of her sink. But yesterday afternoon, while washing out the blender after making a smoothie, my now twenty-three year old eyes couldn’t ignore the soggy onions, crusted tomato sauce, and mildewy washcloths gracing the bottom of the kitchen sink.  “Clean me! Clean me!” it cried, and I couldn’t ignore its plea, especially when I thought about making smoothies for the next five days.

I changed my clothes, dug out the cleaners, and started scrubbing. Of course, once I started with the sink I couldn’t stop. The entire kitchen received a makeover with my cleaner, paper towels, and broom. The job was actually enjoyable, besides the fact that I had to dodge around a love-struck pair who came in to “study” together at the kitchen table. I never realized you could hold hands and put ice cubes into cups at the same time.

Now that Shannon is done with classes for the week, the weekend activities begin, which will culminate with the Celtic Woman concert on Sunday. Stay tuned, because there’ll be more on that later!

I was about as prepared as I could get for my first airplane trip. My family, friends, and coworkers all contributed helpful hints in hope that my experience would go smoothly. Here are a few lessons they taught me before my trip:

Lipstick counts as a liquid – I was disappointed when I found out my most recent cosmetic obsession was limited to a small ziplock bag. For the next week I will survive on only three shades. It’ll be tough, but somehow I’ll make it.

When packing, stuff your socks into your shoes to allow for more space in your carry-on – This was an extremely helpful lesson taught to me by my shoe-lover friend that gave me twice the space for footwear as I originally had.

Listen to your mother – My mom taught me more lessons than I can count and without her help I probably would have ended up either arrested or on a plane to Nigeria.

Because of the helpful people in my life I was confident and ready to go on Wednesday morning. My dad took this picture when he dropped me off in front of the airport. It is nice that someone was able to capture me at that moment, because it was definitely the most intelligent I looked all day. For the next eight hours I might as well have walked around in circles while holding up a sign reading, “Just point me in the right direction and maybe I’ll make it.”

When I walked through the airport doors I decided to go for the “celebrity in hiding” look, so I kept my sunglasses on. This lasted for about two seconds, until I realized the lighting was too dim, took off the sunglasses, and knocked over my luggage. At this point I abandoned not only the celebrity look, but also any hint of poise, realizing maybe there were some things about flying that could only be learned from experience. Here are some of the lessons I learned along the way:

Keep your bags in the vertical position – There’s nothing like the good ol’ travel bag tumble to scream, “Look at me! I’m the doofus who has never been on an airplane before!”

Getting dressed the morning of your flight is overrated – Once I turned in my boarding pass I waited for fifteen minutes to have my outfit and three-day packing job torn apart and thrown into plastic bins. Next time I’ll remember to just come in my pajamas.

Riding on conveyor belts with your luggage should be left to the professionals - I’m not sure what they’re called, but I tried riding on this flat escalator-like-thing only once before I realized that if it’s difficult to keep your luggage stable on solid ground, it’s impossible on a continuously moving band of rubber. I’m glad my dad wasn’t there to take a picture of that scene.

Refrain from injuring people – This lesson was unfortunately the result of doing the opposite. When I was on the plane I hit a man in the head while opening up the storage compartment above our seats, and to make matters worse he was the man who had only moments before helped me with my suitcase. I apologized immensely, but the incident did not go unnoticed because throughout the rest of the flight the stewardesses continued to make comments to me about being careful and not hurting anyone.

Window seats are worth it – I am so glad I reserved a window seat! My favorite parts of the journey were definitely the take-off and landing. I’m sure I looked like a five-year old gaping wide-eyed out the window, but I couldn’t help it…..the view was incredible!

Despite my ignorance and inexperience, I made it! I arrived in Spokane right on time, with Shannon and her friend, Cassie, waiting to pick me up. And so began my Spokane adventure! Be sure to come back soon for more fun stories about my trip!

Last Thursday my mom, Brian (my brother), and I traveled to Birch Run to meet my grandpa for lunch and shop at the outlets. We had a little trouble getting started, but we persevered and ended up having a fantastic day trip! You can, too, by following these three easy steps:

If Your Debit Card is Missing, Try Checking Your Wallet

Since “day trip” often equals “shopping trip” it is crucial that you have a form of payment on hand. The evening before our trip I discovered my debit card was missing. I was in Target at the time, so after searching my entire purse I went out to the parking lot and looked through my car to see if it had fallen out somewhere. Finding nothing, I drove home and looked through two other purses as well as around my entire bedroom. My efforts were in vain. I finally called the last store I had used my card in case I had left it there. I hadn’t, and in an act of desperation I searched through my original purse one more time. I saw something sticking out from my wallet, and, lo and behold, there it was! I had left my debit card in my wallet! Imagine that.

No Matter How Long It Takes, Get Out of Town

Another important aspect of starting a day trip is that you leave your city of residence. On Thursday morning my mom, Brian, and I left bright and early in order to hit the outlets right when they opened. My mom had offered to send out a piece of overnight mail for my dad as we went out of town, so when she drove past the grocery store where she usually drops off packages, I asked where we were going.

“We’re going to a different Meijer,” she said, “I’m always afraid the packages I send out here won’t make it. Last time, when I mailed an envelope overseas, the lady working there asked if England was the same as the Netherlands.”

I have to admit, she had a point. The boy working at the further location was knowledgeable, but not altogether helpful, as he informed us that Meijer does not do overnight shipping. Frustration mounted as our little caravan took a hike to the post office. We pulled up to dark doors and hours starting at 9am. It was 8:41. Twenty-four minutes later we pulled out of the post office. We hadn’t even left our zip code and my feet were cramped, half my snacks were eaten, and I had to use the bathroom. Which brings me to my next point.

Use the Facilities Before Leaving Home, or at Least Before Getting On the Expressway

Once we pulled out of the post office I turned to my mom.

“Um, sorry, but….do you think we could stop? I have to use the bathroom.”

“It’s okay, I was thinking the same thing,” she said.

Before we got on the expressway we stopped at a gas station.

“Oh, it feels good to stretch my legs!” said my mom as she stepped out of the vehicle.

I agreed. It seemed ridiculous to stretch our legs and use the bathroom at a gas station ten minutes away from our house, but we had spent over an hour driving around town. About a quarter after nine we were finally on our way to Birch Run. We had smooth sailing from then on, and I’m sure next time it will go even better now that I have these three day trip tips.

Last week I both read The Hunger Games and saw the movie. There’s been a lot of discussion about this story, and since several people have asked me what I think about it, I’m devoting a blog post to my take on The Hunger Games.

The Hunger Games is about the dystopian country of Panem. Every year the Capitol of Panem selects twenty-four kids ages 12-18 to participate in The Hunger Games, a game broadcast on live TV where all the “tributes” are placed in a large outdoor arena and forced to fight to the death. Katniss Everdeen, a 16-year-old girl, volunteers as tribute in order to take her younger sister’s place, and the remainder of the story tells of her fight for survival in the Hunger Games.

While the subject of The Hunger Games is horrifying, this suspenseful tale is not without hope. In the midst of oppression, violence, and death several characters display admirable qualities. Katniss is a true heroine as she cares for her family, volunteers as tribute to take her sister’s place in the Games, recognizes death as sacred, and risks her life in the arena in order to help a wounded tribute. It is because of this light shining through darkness that The Hunger Games is a book I enjoyed and would recommend to others, and I would say the same about the movie since director Gary Ross did an excellent job of staying true to Suzanne Collins’ novel.

However, this is not to say that I don’t have a concern with The Hunger Games, though my concern is not with the story itself, but with how people are responding to it. Let me explain:

A couple weeks ago Parade magazine included an article on The Hunger Games that included some of the most popular books for young adults over the past several decades. Almost a century ago The Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew were standard fare for teenagers. These stories were about young people who solved mysteries, and I don’t think any of the crimes ever involved murder. They were suspenseful, yet innocent, fast-paced, but still somehow reserved.

Flash-forward to last Friday night when millions of teenagers flocked to the theaters to see the movie of their favorite book about kids who are forced to brutally murder each other in front of live television. I went to see the movie myself last Saturday evening, and as I walked through the mall to get to the theater I saw The Hunger Games plastered on every person, place, and thing in sight. There were movie posters in retail clothing stores, several different Hunger Games themed magazines displayed in Barnes and Noble, and many of the teenagers who passed me wore Hunger Games T-shirts.

While watching the movie in the theater I was surprised by how disturbing I found the images on the screen. The book is told in first person, according to the view of Katniss, so while I was reading I was her; I felt her terror and detested the games of the Capitol. But while I watched the movie I wasn’t Katniss anymore, I was just an observer, and I found this very uncomfortable. There were several times I had to fight back tears and look away from the screen as I witnessed teens ruthlessly seek to kill one another, and it was then that I thought perhaps there was something strange about our uber-enthusiasm with The Hunger Games.

There are two scenes that stick out in my mind from the movie. The first is of a group of tributes in the arena who team up to kill a fellow tribute. Once the murder is done they go tromping through the woods, making fun of their defenseless victim. The second scene I remember is of Katniss decorating a dead tribute with flowers, honoring a life that has been so brutally taken.

My concern with The Hunger Games is that our society is reacting to the story like the heartless tributes of the first scene I mentioned, not like Katniss who recognized death as sad and sacred. Instead of being horrified by the brutality, we are reveling in the excitement of it all. With all of our giddiness and “Hunger hype” we prove we are far from the Nancy Drew days and on our way to becoming just as desensitized to death as the citizens of the Capitol.

Jennifer Lawrence, the actress who played Katniss in the movie, said The Hunger Games holds up, “a terrible kind of mirror: This is what our society could be like if we became desensitized to trauma and to each other’s pain.” In a way, the carefree attitude many people have about this story ironically proves Lawrence’s point, and this reality is more chilling than any piece of fiction.

All in all, The Hunger Games is a worthwhile book/movie to read/watch for those who are age appropriate. However, let us consider the weighty topics of violence and death with thoughtfulness and not give in to viewing them for entertainment’s sake.

If you’re interested in reading more about The Hunger Games, here are a couple articles I found helpful:

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/movies/reviews/2012/hungergames.html

http://www.pluggedin.com/movies/intheaters/hunger-games.aspx

My brother, Brian, and I have been playing our own version of The Hunger Games this past week as we attempted to survive without our parents, who were out of town visiting our sister in Spokane. Last night our parents returned safe and sound, and since Brian and I were both in one piece, healthy, and properly nourished, I am proud to pronounce us both winners of The Connelly Hunger Games.

The final test came yesterday at 8:15pm when Brian said, “Hey Anna, what time will Mom and Dad be home?”

“I think in two or three hours.”

“Oh, okay. Probably a good time to look at the list of things we’re supposed to do while they’re gone.”

Good idea, Brian.

We both pulled out the list and took a look at what we had been expected to accomplish over the past six days. Fortunately, we had already done most of the tasks, so there was no reason to panic. Our parents arrived three hours later with the house just as spic and span as they had left it.

Brian and I had actually gotten pretty used to being by ourselves, so now the challenge is getting used to having two more people in the house, not having chocolate chip pancakes as a main course, and talking about things other than our personal ruminations on The Hunger Games (Suzanne Collins’ version). Thanks, Brian, for such a fun week, and thank you, reader, for coming along for the ride!

My brother, Brian, and I saw The Hunger Games last night, which was a bit of an ordeal: we pre-ordered tickets online, picked them up three hours before show time, and waited in line for an hour and fifteen minutes to insure a good seat. I know this is nothing compared to some people who waited hours for the midnight showing on Friday, but it was still quite an adventure for us.

My favorite part of the evening was when the previews ended, not because it meant the movie was about to start, but because it meant the most painful eighteen minutes of my life thus far had finally come to an end. What had begun with a trailer of a screaming woman proceeded into a ghastly entourage of haunted forests, thumping heartbeat sound effects, and sea monsters erupting from metropolitan skyscrapers. The slam-bang finish was a teaser for the next Twilight installment. Now if that doesn’t keep me away from movie theaters, I don’t know what will.

When they were finally over Brian leaned over to me and said, “I don’t even want to see the movie anymore. I just need to go home and recover from the previews.”

I couldn’t have agreed more, but we decided to stick it out, and once transported to District 12 were successfully distracted. We both thought the movie did a great job of capturing the essence of the book. Be sure to check out my own personal take on The Hunger Games, both the book and the movie, later this week!

The Hunger Games are on for Brian and me in more ways than one as we attempt to survive at home while our parents are out of town. Yesterday our dinner was pretty pathetic, as it consisted of sandwiches eaten in front of the movie theater that had been smashed in my purse. I made up for it today when I made us chocolate chip pancakes for lunch. Brian had bacon with his and I had peanut butter on mine…..you know, just to make sure we got some protein in there. So far I think we’re doing pretty good at this game!