The problem with deifying Chris Pratt and Anna Faris

I hesitate to even comment on this situation I'm writing about today, but I feel like it deserves a little commentary. (Because heaven knows we certainly don't have enough commentary on the Internet, do we? *eye roll*) It's been several days since the news of Chris Pratt and Anna Faris' split hit the circuit. If …

Back-to-school jitters

About this time last year, I humbled myself to type out an embarrassing account of my first week as a college freshman. I wanted to assure former college freshmen that they weren't the only goofy kids on their campus, and I also wanted to leave no doubt in the minds of upcoming college freshmen that …

What’s in a name?

Because the days are going faster and faster here lately, it seems, I will go ahead and declare this post the last blog post I will make as Monica Spees. As a kid, I didn't hate having an odd last name, but I didn't love it either. As you can imagine, having "pees" in your …

Sometimes it’s okay to be nosy

Some of you may be familiar with that show "What Would You Do?"  It's aired since 2008, and the premise of every episode of this hidden camera show is to stage awkward or scary situations in public and gauge people's reactions. Basically, they test the waters of where human kindness and decency lie. If you're like …

Who’s on first?

The LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a suitable helper for him."... So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man's ribs and then closed up the place with flesh. …

The accidental treasure hunt

For those of you getting tired of wedding posts, this entry will be a welcome break because it's only indirectly related to my and Cory's upcoming wedding. (Sorry, I can't totally remove myself. It basically consumes my life right now.) To prepare for the wedding, which will be behind my parents' barn, we had to …

Crying over cookies

Let me tell you something pretty embarrassing. You can laugh, it's okay. I laughed at myself. But yeah, so I cried over some cookies on Friday. The setup: Three other people in my office building and myself organized a bake-off. We've had a chili cook-off four years running, and this year we wanted to add …

The definitive list of concert-goer personalities

Last week, Cory and I took in a Dwight Yoakam concert at the downtown performing arts theatre. Yes, I know Mr. Yoakam hasn't been exactly a superstar lately, and I think I could name two songs he has sung. But Cory and I had to go because Dwight Yoakam is partially responsible for why we're together …

Wedding Planning: The registry

As someone who can't always take compliments well and shies away from attention she didn't deliberately bring on herself in the moment, the most awkward time of wedding planning has come: making the registry. Or, as my brain calls it: asking people to give me stuff. Cory and I feel the same way about this, …

‘But the greatest of these is love.’

I've never been fully pro- or fully anti-Valentine's Day. Some people have strong opinions either way, but I've simply used the day as an excuse to enjoy myself with friends or a significant other. The core purpose, for me, is that love be exchanged. I don't beg for a $200 dinner, two dozen roses or a …