Light Refreshments Served

Valentine’s Day, for me, is a fun day to eat a lot of good chocolate, a reason to make fluffy sugar cookies, and a holiday to treat my kids and my husband to sweet little surprises. It is not a time for me to write a poem, wait 2 hours for a dinner reservation, or plan a romantic getaway. This year, for example, I bought myself 2 pairs of shoes and some exercise clothes for Valentine’s Day. And I was excited about that, as in : Great Valentine’s Day!

Because my maiden name is “Valentine,” Valentine’s Day has held a lifetime of expectations for me. As a child I was so excited for Valentine’s Day. It was a day of small gifts (always a cherry chapstick in there), candy, red-themed meals and lots of attention due to my name. As a preteen, I had visions of what Valentine’s Day might come to mean: romance! I envisioned dozens of roses delivered to my door–some from boys I liked and some from -gasp-secret admirers! I dreamed of sweetly penned poems, and even slightly cheesy stuffed animals that I would forgive because, well, the sentiment was felt. Those dreams were never filled and somewhere in those awkward teen years, I came to know Valentine’s Day for what it means to me still today: Friendship Day.

When I was sixteen, I got an anonymous bouquet of flowers delivered to me at school. I thought I might die, it was so exciting. Most of my friends (all of them. every. single. one) had boyfriends and I never had had one. And here it was Valentine’s Day and the note said “Have a Great Day!” with NO NAME! The rest of the day I imagined it was from Evan, an upper classman I had a crush on. I don’t know why I thought he might like me or why he’d send flowers, but I had that little glimmer of teenage hope that it could be him. I went home, my heart still fluttering, when my mom mentioned that this 27 (TWENTY-SEVEN) year-old from the local singles ward was moving and sent me the flowers because he was moving. She knew because one of his friends thought it was creepy and “thought she should know.” I had never had a conversation with him. My fluttering heart was crushed, and now I just felt stupid. I wasn’t flattered, I was embarrassed. (I learned later that this “friend” who called my mom gave this guy a barbie doll named “Lisa” for Valentine’s Day. Is it just me, or is this super creepy?)

I never did have a boyfriend on Valentine’s Day, as luck would have it, on Valentine’s Day until I Topher and I dated. We were engaged on February 26th, because he didn’t want to propose on Valentine’s Day because that would be “too obvious.” I dated one guy beginning in March and ending in September, and another broke up with me in January and we dated again in the Spring. So close, so close! A traditionally romantic Valentine’s Day was not meant for Lisa Valentine. And now, as part of Topher’s acting and directing training and job, he is required to go to an acting competition/festival for the regional area every year. He has gone every year since he proposed (15 years) and the festival always falls on Valentine’s Day. Every year.

So I hope you had a happy, fun heart-shaped, red-food, sticky sweet reason to eat something good and to send out a fun card holiday! And, in case you’re wondering, Evan and I remained friends and, years later, when he was backpacking across America with a friend, he stopped by to say hello to his friend in Utah. I came home from church to find them on our lawn cooking oatmeal on a small propane camping stove. I fed him, we chatted, gave him a few cans of food and sent him and his friend on their way. And that, my friends, is what Valentine’s Day is all about.

Sometimes reading blogs is like reading a bunch of those braggy Christmas letters. Everyday. But not all of them are unrealistic. Some of them are self-deprecating, some “awesome” (a scientific term my husband and I use regularly to describe someone who tries so hard that it’s difficult to look away, and all you want to do is put your arm around that person and say, “It’s okay, it’s okay. Calm down. We LIKE you!”), and some just matter-of-fact. But they all have an undeniable element to them. They invite readers.

When you invite someone over to read what you’re writing, you’re thinking of how to hook them. Writers, after all, do that. Public speakers, too. These artistic mediums tell you to “know your audience” and then the product will follow. So, blogging is no different, really. Only sometimes I think we fool ourselves into thinking that it IS different. That this is just a way to document our lives, you know, for our posterity (a noble pursuit), or to stay in touch with friends (nice, selfless of us to preserve friendships like that, isn’t it?), when if we really acknowledge that we have a motive to make money, or start a business, or create a readership to sell something (books, how-to’s, etc), or create a celebrity persona (gasp!), we would be embarrassed or feel we need to justify it in another way. No one acknowledges the growing trend to sell yourself in blogging. No one likes to show up to a “party” only to find that instead of eating and catching up with friends, you have to sit through an hour-long presentation that smells, walks, and quacks like a pyramid (you know the ones). Blogging, like Kacy once told me, is the new tupperware party. The new Avon.

I think blogs are more like an advertisement for your life. They’re big, glossy pictures they’re selling you something. It’s the new glossy magazine spread, the new crazy billboard, the breakthrough tv commercial. With more and more methods of getting to us, we’ve become so comfortable with advertisements around us, that we’ve become one. We don’t even need to be asked–we just morph into what has always been there.

It’s not enough to decorate your house–you have to show everyone and give tutorials because you just know they’re dying to do it, too. It’s not enough to make a good meal, you’re sure everyone will want the recipe–so you’ll include the step by step process in pictures and description. It’s not enough to clean out your cupboards, you have to tell everyone else how to clean it too (ouch. that one hurt. I hate it when I’m a hypocrite.) It’s not that it’s materialistic, either. There are blogs that tell you when they go to the temple, how much food storage they have and how you can collect it, too, or how they’re studying the scriptures. It’s not that these tutorials are bad. I have used lots of ideas I’ve found on blogs. I’ve used recipes, decorating tips, places to get a bargain, etc. I’ve used it as a tool to better my life. It’s great. My point is, do we acknowledge our motives for both posting and reading/using blogs?

Do you ever read blogs and think, “What are they selling me?” or “What is their agenda for showing me this?” or “How does this blog make me feel?”

Blogs can have giveaways, or they can be upfront and say, “Hey, I got this for free and I really like it–maybe you will, too” and have ad space on the sidebar and if you click on it, they get some sort of compensation or whatever. I’m not really talking about that aspect. If a lot of people read your blog and you want to make money off of it, I say that’s great. I have no problem with that. I’m talking about advertising your life in a way that creates an image of how you are and not owning up to that. Or the audience not acknowledging that it is not a full picture of that blogger’s life. A blog is not a complete autobiography. It is a choice and a small sliver in one aspect of a person’s life. It’s not the whole story. Even if they blog everyday. Even if they include positive and negative aspects of their lives. It’s still a filtered perspective: her (the blogger’s) filter of what happened (real or imagined), the presentation of that experience (what she decides to report and in what way), you (the reader’s) perspective when reading it, and so on.

When I read some blogs, I feel like I don’t have enough, literally, and that I’m not doing enough. Other blogs make me laugh, others inspire me to write more. One blog literally changed my life for the better in ways I won’t share here (example of my blogging persona: I’m trying to be mysterious because in real life I’m not, and so here it is). Others make me really mad. It’s interesting that, in thinking of what the difference is among these different blogs, I can’t really put my finger on the major differences. Intent, surely, has something to do with it. I’m not fully sure. I just think that there are more differences than labeling blogs like “cooking blog,” “mommy blog,” “design blog,” etc. There are better methods to determine intent and authenticity.

Hugh’s taken to answering the phone at our house, which is really unusual because, up until now, I’m the only one in our family who doesn’t loath the phone. Whenever the phone rings, I know that everyone is ignoring it, like white noise in the background, or my demands to “put your shoes IN the shoe box, not just beside it!” We hear what we want to hear (Wait! What was that sound? Donuts coming out of the bakery at Day’s Market?)

I got this handwritten letter from Phoebe, who has discovered the lost art of letter writing. In its purest form, we find little notes all over the house. Like last night, when I climbed the stairs to go to bed, I found a note reminding me to cut her toenails. I’m always forgetting that, the letter reasoned. This one is warning me about the dangers of not properly monitoring Hugh:

It reads: “Mom, someone called and Hugh picked up the phon(e) and we told Hugh to give it to us but Hugh didn’t and stol(e) it from us and then the person that called hanged up. P.S. DON’T LET HUGH GET THE PHON(E)!

As mentioned in a previous post, I’ve been using January as a month with the theme to gut it out. I overdid it one day, so the next day I sought to bring balance to the force by -gasp- taking a nap. And that’s when I got the strongly-worded letter.

And so if you worried that I’m feeling pretty good about myself now that my closets and corners are all cleaned out, don’t worry. Remember, mothers everywhere, take any credit and sense of accomplishment where you can get it. And then cling to it. Like Hugh clung to that phone and wouldn’t give it back.

Once upon a time my little sister Amanda had a boyfriend named Derrick Brown. Then, after over four years they broke up. But after so many visits and shared experiences in Target with the whole family riding those special carts, and trading favorite books and movies, we wanted to keep tabs on him. You know how people call themselves “poets” and you wanna roll your eyes because it’s such an insult to those who really are? Well, Derrick is a real poet. For. Reals. And the other day, he sent us this book I have loved (I have the earlier copy that my kids devour):

HOT HANDS AND RALPH IN THE WEIRDO WINTER
by Derrick Brown
Illustrated by Matthew Carver

“A young girl whose hands are made of fire has trouble making friends. All she wants is to do is build a snowman. She meets a boy who teaches her that being different is a wonderful thing.” A refreshing story about the joys of being different.

It is delightful! It’s original. It’s a book that is touching, and sweet, but not sentimentally sticky. It is funny and clever and all of my kids appreciate it for different reasons (ages 2-11.5!) If you are a kid book lover, you really need to get this. It’s one of those books you won’t get sick of reading (I’m so over the “book” Elmo Loves You, I want to shred it, but if I do, Margaret would never forgive me) Buy it HERE.

Writefuzzy is a great place to get creative, different, soon-to-be classic children’s books. Visit their website HERE! This is how they define themselves:

WRITE FUZZY is a privately held, successful publisher of high – quality, fiction and non – fiction children’s books. All titles are educationally sound and are age appropriate. ‘Neato’ is our favorite learning tool. Weird is our invisible friend.
These are the books we wished we had when we were kids.
WRITE FUZZY markets its books primarily to blue-chip retailers, schools, libraries, and special markets. WRITE FUZZY titles are available at bookstores including Barnes & Noble. We print 10 new titles for publishing each year, complementing an active backlist. Formats include soft cover and hardcover books. These are the books we wished we had when we were kids.

I am going to order this one for my kids for Valentine’s Day:

Doesn’t it look cool?

Speaking of cool, if you are into poetry and what the cool kids are reading, read more about Derrick Brown’s work HERE. Scandalbra, the newest collection of poems and fiction from Derrick Brown has been named one of the best books of 2009 by about.com.

I just went visiting teaching (I know, it’s January and I did it at the beginning of the month, good for me–let’s see what, oh, May looks like before I get feeling too confident about all of that.) and the message about self-reliance and organization was spot on appropriate for January:

“‘Self-reliance means using all of our blessings from Heavenly Father to care for ourselves and our families and to find solutions for our own problems.’ Each of us has a responsibility to try to avoid problems before they happen and to learn to overcome challenges when they occur. …
“How do we become self-reliant? We become self-reliant through obtaining sufficient knowledge, education, and literacy; by managing money and resources wisely, being spiritually strong, preparing for emergencies and eventualities; and by having physical health and social and emotional well-being.”

8 Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing, and establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God; D&C 109:8

In fact, one of the women I visit teach said that January was her favorite month of the year (gasp!) because nothing is expected of you (think about it–no decorations, big holidays to cook for, plans to make) and you can just get all the projects you want to get done done. How’s that for the grasshopper becoming the teacher. . . So, to take on this attitude, think lowered expectations, do what you want. It may seem counterintuitive (don’t we try to do MORE to feel more productive about what we SHOULD do?) This way of thinking, combined with my virgin viewing of the tv show Hoarders (it’s as horrible as it sounds) and a touch of a situation similar to the one Kristy recently described created the perfect storm for me to tackle my own projects.

I organized all of the books in our house by subject or author (but not necessarily always by size–that would be crazy) including our wall of books, the boys’ two book cases, Phoebe and Hugh’s bookcase, and Margaret’s book case. Now, this was not as horrible as I imagined, or even as time consuming. In fact, it was quite fun going through the books and setting aside ones I forgot we had, picking out ones Phoebe might like now that she’s reading chapter books, finding dinosaur books for Hugh, and as many Elmo books as I could find (3) for Margaret. It was like going to the library without having to pay the unexpected fines!

Then, yesterday, in what can only be described as a hormonal surge mixed in with a powerful organizational gene that has been harvested generation through generation (and may someday turn into a superpower, I wish), I organized the basement storage/playroom. I took everything off all of the shelves, put them in the middle of the room, and only put back what I really needed/wanted to keep.

Oh, did you need to get a closer look at that picture in the widow? Just me and Wendy and Cimony at Seminary graduation (gulp) 18 years ago. Can you guess which one is me? Can you? How did you guess? Did the bangs give it away?

Sound horrible, but it wasn’t! I know this sounds extreme, and a little braggy (”oh, look how organized I am! Blah Blah!”), but I don’t mean it to come off that way. I feel like 2010 is a new year for me–a new phase (I refer to it in my head as “Phase 6,” but that’s another blog entirely)–and I WANT to live this deliberate life which starts with being deliberate about each item I keep in my home. I don’t want to live with a bunch of trash/excess in my home. The kids are getting bigger (”Phase 6″), I don’t have a lot of space to begin with, so it’s time to clear out, but more than that, I am responsible for everything that comes into my home. Each item takes up space and energy. You have to think about, clean, acknowledge, move, and use every item in your house. Even if you “forget it’s there,” it has meaning. (Just watch an episode of Hoarders and you’ll quickly find that this mental illness is associated with emotional issues.)

Taking out several bags of trash to the garage, and even more to be donated to charity (Unless anyone needs some maternity clothes: anyone? Size: larger than I ever imagined my medium build could hold, but got the lovely purplish streak marks to prove it) gave me a high. It made me less sad about the past (”Phase 5″), and more confident that our house is big enough and we have enough, which left me with a grateful, satiated feeling.

It helped me know what I need (more treats in food storage and less junky fast food toys), and also left me with space. Space to initiate new creative endeavors which is what I deliberately want.

I don’t mean to be bossy and tell you what to do. I know you are avoiding guilt because, hey, aren’t those new year’s resolutions enough? I know the title of this post has you suspicious already, but I’m here to help. I want to help. And I promise not to introduce any elaborate garbage system or anything like that. I’m just here offering my support and a few helpful suggestions. Think of it as encouragement in action! (I know I’m annoying. It’s part of my plan.)

Everyone is a different cleaning type. There’s no judgement here. Just like someone can be a leader, and another an idea-person, just like some people are right-brained and some are left. There’s no “wrong way” to be. Just know who you are.

Here are some common types of cleaners with really big problems who need immediate help:

1. Avoiders: They’ll do anything to avoid cleaning. When the time to scrub comes, they have a sudden urge to call an old friend, finish that episode of Law and Order, or start a craft/project.
*Try cleaning in 5 minute increments. Literally set the timer and clean as much as they can on one project (one room, one task like dusting, etc)
*Do one task a day. Start with cleaning your kitchen sink. Go through the junk drawer the next day. The next day clean out one closet. And so on.
*Call your friend and ask her to talk with you while you accomplish one task. Do this everyday until you run out of friends.

2. Good Intentioners: They’ll make lists of what they need to clean, read books about cleaning, research the latest products to help make cleaning easier, and buy the latest organizational/product/helper.
*Stage an intervention with yourself. Explain to yourself that you have the information you need to successfully create the cleanest and most organized space in the history of mankind. Pretend you’re receiving an award for your research and that you’re being televised LIVE at this moment to share your knowledge with the world. Go from room to room organizing, cleaning and explaining your choices for each room, each item, carefully and cheerfully. Remember, syndication is where the big money is and you want people to like you so they’ll keep tuning in.

3. Delegaters: They’ll expect others to clean for them, whether they know it or not, and complain when their expectations are not met and give up.
*Make cleaning notecards. On each card put one task (example: clean downstairs bathroom) and a point by point checklist of what needs to be accomplished for this task to really be done. Hand them out to each member of the family. Be sure to carry a red Sharpie to make you look more authoritarian. Check their work. It will give you a sense of satisfaction when they’ve done it and present a teaching moment when they haven’t. You won’t always check, but they don’t know that. This is a great way to feel a sense of control in a cruel world.

4. Zealots: These are a rare breed who can’t help but create, ah hem, elaborate garbage systems, have a vacuum to clean their vacuum, and wipe up crumbs the moment they leave your mouth. They have been known to break out the vacuum cleaner or rag (mops collect too many germs for these people), before the meal is over.
*Dad, this is my way to reach out to you (intervention). I’ve been talking with the rest of my siblings and we just want to let you know that we love you. We want to help. Unfortunately, there are no treatment areas available for this particular “situation,” so we’re just going to have to get back to you about that. We may do shock therapy, which involves me giving each of your 13 grandchildren a fudgecicle and opened bag of Lay’s potato chips and foaming red cream soda with specific instructions to “Go show Grandpa! And give him a kiss!” The details are unclear. We’ll get back to you. Love you!

5. Partials: They’ll have their homes “picked up” where company can see, but cram everything under beds, in closets, and stuffed into draws to create an illusion.
*You’re on your way! If you had less stuff, not only would you save time cleaning, but you’d save time giving the illusion you did! So, just throw away as much stuff as your garbage cans will hold until trash day!

In conclusion: set a timer, one task at a time, pretend you’re giving yourself an intervention, write down cards for what you expect other people to do, call my Dad and have him clean your house, throw away your stuff. (or hire a cleaning service)

YOU’RE WELCOME!

Christmas is over, the new presents are out, there are still leftover sugary and salty neighborhood gifts of delight waiting for you in the pantry. These are wonderful days of lounging, and playing rock band and watching all of the Harry Potter movies in sucession.

But there are also little bits of chewed up bubblegum (oh yeah, that’s why it’s a once a year thing), little, clear corners of candy cane wrappers you can only see at a certain angle, shimmering in the light, and army guys to clog up your vacuum cleaner.

There are quiet moments when your children are playing with the Batman cave together quietly. And there are moments when one child is crying because the other one flushed his nose down the toliet and, in retaliation, he throws hers down, too.

It’s the beautiful balance of life.

Don’t fight it. (Notice, I didn’t say “enjoy it” or “treasure it because it will be gone soon and your children will be grown up.” This is an important note of distinction.)

Yours truly,
Lisa Valentine Clark

I didn’t manage to get Christmas cards out this year. Funny how that never seems to happen. I might need to start planning ahead on that one. I did, however, find time to go see Avatar, which is strangely captivating even though it’s predictable and preachy. I have such mixed feelings about the movie: I was drawn it by the ground-breaking special effects! But I knew what was going to happen! (and it was force-fed) I love science fiction! But I hate fantasy! I believed the aliens! But I hate the artistic choice of blue skinned cougar-looking, loincloth wearing natives! (don’t get me started on their hair) But where was I? Oh yes, Christmas cards.

I have mixed feelings about Christmas cards: I love to get them! But I hate having family pictures taken, thinking of something to write, and mailing them out (going to the post office is like going to Siberia. There is a lot of scheduling and planning to get either one done and the destination doesn’t offer anything I really enjoy)! I love hearing what other people are up to! But I am bored to death by the chronicling of what I did (or didn’t) do this year. So, in a mad dash in lowering the bar, but still being a little awesome, I offer you some bits and pieces of a Christmas card I may or may not send.

Merry Christmas!

We know, we live a glamorous life!

The cuteness captured in this picture kills me a little bit every time I look at it. We hope it brings you Christmas joy!

Topher has given up teaching and is applying for lumberjack positions across the country. Wish us luck!

This year we were reminded that “You win some. . .

. . . and you lose some. . .”

But we’re all a lot better than we deserve to be.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

(incidentally, 2009 is the year Topher and I went blonde! And we HAD MORE FUN!)

Looking for some awesome Christmas music? These are my favorite four this Season*:

1. I love this version of “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” by Joshua James. I’m not ashamed to admit that I babysat little Joshua when he was in diapers and his mom was my Merry Miss Advisor (now they call it “Activity Days,” but “Merry Miss” more accurately described our little gang of hyper 11 year-olds).

2. This song “Peace, Peace” by Sara Groves goes through my head all day. Especially the line, “Trouble comes like a wrecking ball to your peace of mind. . .” which is usually descriptive of what Margaret is doing at that very moment. Like yesterday when she smeared my favorite lipstick (not an easy feat–considering I have about a hundred) all over my checkbook and purse. And hallway. And floor.

3. Topher put this song on my ipod for a new Christmas mix (isn’t that sweet?) and it hit me in the face the only way a song can at an unspecified moment in time. For me, that time was driving to Target at night to pick up milk, oranges, tape, and a gift for a 12 year-old’s birthday party. The song is called “Born to Die” by Shane and Shane (the song starts at 2:13 minutes into the video clip).

4. I like to listen to this “Winter Song” by Sara Bareilles and Ingrid Michaelson and when I sing along (again, not too ashamed to admit it. To summarize embarrassing facts revealed in this blog: I’m old. I have an unhealthy obsession with lipstick and don’t always watch Margaret as closely as I should. I sing in the car.) I switch off singing the alto and soprano part, imagining that somehow, somewhere I’ll be called upon to sing one part and I won’t know which, ahead of time, so I want to be prepared (add to list: imagines unrealistic scenarios and anxiously prepares for them.) If you watch this video, imagine, like I do, that the two girls are me and Kacy. You’ll have to imagine that I’ve dyed my hair red and Kacy’s grown her hair out, but that’s not too hard to do, is it? I like the part when Kacy helps me out of the snow. She’s so helpful! (add to list: imagines unrealistic scenarios and anxiously tries to convince others to believe them, too.)

*This totally counts as your gift for Christmas. From me, to you! Merry Christmas! Hope it fits!

My friend, Shaunda, from our youthful days in Nebraska sent this recipe and I knew I needed to try it. We Midwestern gals have good, sensible taste when it comes to food. (We’re “for it” not “against it” with weird food hang ups.) You can trust a Nebraska woman when it comes to a good cookie. She won’t try to sneak soy flour into it or substitute oil with applesauce. She’s a woman who knows.

To me, Christmas is the flavor of chocolate and mint. I know that someday it will be the end of me. In some way, my demise will have something to do with the powerful flavor combination powerhouse of chocolate/mint. Mark my words.

Shaunda says:

Here is my newest favorite cookie recipe. I have made it many times this year and have gotten lots of compliments on it. It is a chocolate mint recipe and it is found on the back of the Hershey mint chocolate chip bag. (Those chocolate mint chips are sometimes tricky to find, but usually this time of year stores have them)

I double this recipe except for the chips. There seems to be enough with just one bag. They are so yummy if you like mint!

I didn’t double the recipe, and immediately regretted it because they’re fabulous. I, however, enjoyed the cookie to chip ratio in the single recipe because I like my cookie to have a lot of (dare I say “chocked full of”?) chocolate chips. I love these cookies because they are brownie-like. Be careful not to over bake them. If I had the right knowledge and technology, I would send a warm, slightly under baked one of these bad boys right through your computer and straight into your mouth. If I could be an evil genius of technology, I would do it! (If only!) I might put that on my New Year’s Resolution list, right after “control my love of chocolate and mint through meditation and yoga.”

(wouldn’t it be great if Martha Stewart included a picture like this in one of her cookbooks?! Too much? Maybe Rachel Ray would use it. . . ?)

In true retro-blogging form, I’m stealing Kacy’s idea of 100 Things, More or Less, About Me, she recently stole from other sources, and has perfected as an art form (Seriously, have you read her archives?).

Here are some random things about me:

I love flocked and fake looking Christmas trees best. In fact, Topher recently realized, as I was describing my perfect tree, that I want the kind they make fun of in The Charlie Brown Christmas special: shiny, commercialized, fake, and metal.

I am suspicious of people who don’t regularly clean their own toliets. Like, themselves.

I had a babysitter who never wore shoes and always brought a box of Kraft Macaroni and Cheese and a bottle of Pepsi to our house every single time she came to babysit. She never offered to share any of those food items, but I don’t blame her for that now. I later babysat for her kids once and her husband told me an offensive joke (mostly inappropriate because it wasn’t funny) on the drive home and when I didn’t laugh (again, not funny), he then immediately apologized and they never asked me to babysit again. That was the last I ever heard of either one of them.

I am never “baby hungry” when I have a toddler.

It bothers me a lot when people sing inappropriate musical numbers at Church.

Although I am “a hugger,” all of my closest friends are “non-huggers.”

My biggest cleaning tip is to throw away stuff which I secretly think is cheating. I’m such a rebel!

I was in a movie with William Shatner, but I’ve never met him.

I routinely think of opening statements I would use to introduce myself to celebrities. To William Shatner I would say, “Hey, we’re in a movie together and we’ve never even met!”

I like to make faces, particularly this face (I think it properly expresses how I feel most of the time):

This face expresses a feeling/word I have not found yet, but will continue searching for:

And this is my “Oh, bless your heart!” face I like to find occasion for at least once a day: