Eclectic Concepts

Stop Lying To Your Children Already!

2010-04-07T05:46:00.006-05:00

Why do we tell children that they can be whatever they want to be in life? When they are young, I think we encourage this type of thinking so that they will explore the different possibilities of adulthood careers; you don't want to sink their ships before they've even set sail. But at some point you need to be honest with your child and give them a strong dose of reality. If you're not super smart, you'll never be a neuro-surgeon. If you can't hold on to the football, you'll never be a star running back, at any level. It is what it is. Bottom line.

I have a 15 year old son who has played some type of organized sport for over half of his life. Why? Because he wanted to and as a parent, you don't want your child to sit around doing nothing. Now, the latter may seem like the obvious reason but there is more to the story here.

Let's discuss Little League Baseball. As a child I spent countless summer days at the ball field watching the neighborhood boys play baseball. And every spring there were tryouts. And you know what? If you weren't good, you didn't make a team. And if you did make a team but were having an off day during a game, you got benched. Furthermore, if you didn't show up for practice you didn't play, no exceptions. Sounds reasonable, enough, yes? Well...in this day of "everyone deserves a chance at everything" the seemingly logically approach to youth sports is GONE!

Devin "tried out" for baseball every year. And every year he made a team. This is not to say that he isn't a good ball player, he is. However, the tryout procedure was merely a technicality so the coaches could stack the teams. Furthermore, there was always the kid who missed practice on a regular basis but was always in the game. And lets not even talk about the post-season "All-Star" season where the kids who were chosen were always the coach's kid who sucked or the son of the mother who ran the concession stand who couldn't hit a baseball if world peace depended on it. But that is not my point here. Today, the Little League Rules, yes RULES, state that if you're on a team, you MUST play at least a little. One or two innings, I think. And no one who "tries out" gets cut. What does this teach our children? That just because you want something you get it? Is that how life works? Hardly. In my humble opinion, it teaches our children that those who are dedicated to the team, who work hard during practice and show dedication to the team by going to practice day in and day out, are rewarded no more than the slug who shows up late or not at all for their hard work. This is just not reality.

Now, lets touch on football. In our area, at the middle school level, if you want to play football, you show up for the first practice in the fall before school starts and you're on the team. They don't even bother with the fake tryout process. And if you miss practices or perform badly during a game, you still get to play. Whatever!

My biggest problem with youth sports is this...when a child plays just because he/she wants to play for half of their life with no true dedication to the team or no reward for exceptional skill, they get a huge smack in the face when they get to the high school level. Just imagine for a moment, if you spent years and years playing a sport that you supposedly tried out for, played in every game and then all of a sudden you try out (for real) for your high school team and are cut. Or you're having an off day and can't seem to do anything right at all and you're benched. After the game, the coach throws a fit in the locker room about how poorly you performed and makes the entire team run until they puke at the next practice. The kid is left wondering what the hell is going on, it was never like this before. Youth sports often leave a child with a false sense of the team concept because some dumb ass thought that everyone should have a chance just because they want it or because their parents dumped a wad of money into the program. Does that do anything to teach a child about life? What is the point of allowing a child to believe that just because they want something bad enough they can have it when they are no good at "it"? And even worse, what is the point of allowing a child to believe they should continue to pursue something they are not good at? The truth of the matter is, even most athletes with phenomenal skill will never be professional athletes.

Thanks to Nance for planting the seed in my head for this post.

Seems Like Only Yesterday...

2010-03-29T07:09:00.000-05:00

My baby is not a baby anymore. In less than one week he will be 2. Where does the time go? The other day I looked at him and noticed that his legs are longer than they seemed to be only a week ago. Is that even possible? Of course I know he did not grow significantly overnight, but seriously, am I really so unobservant that I don't even realizing my child is growing? I didn't think I was. But it makes me sad to think about nonetheless.

He's talking more and more everyday. I'm sure every mother of a toddler says that, I know. But he says things like, "Turn that music off, mom" while riding in the car or "I want to go to Grandma's house." He tells me daily, "I wanna go downstairs and rock on the the drums!" (Not real drums, thank GOODNESS, just the ones for the video game Rock Band). I mean really, those are rather large sentences for such a little guy. The other day while on the phone with my sister Micah said, "That's amazing!" Really? Amazing? I, personally, am impressed. And yes, I know I'm biased. But just a few months ago his vocabulary was quite limited and today there is not too much he can not say. Very rarely does he have a problem expressing his thoughts for lack of vocabulary. Once again it makes me ask, where has the time gone?

Of course I'm excited to watch my child grow and learn. There really does seem to be something new everyday. I'm just glad that I've always taken too many pictures, because I don't remember the day of his birth as clearly as I did this time last year. And that too makes me sad. Will I remember it vividly at all 20 years from now? I hope so. But just to be safe, "Say CHEESE!"

So Sad...

2010-03-20T06:07:00.002-05:00

Recently my community has been witness to some devastating events. A police officer lost his life in the line of duty. As the community grieves the loss of the officer, is seems to me as though we are forgetting that another man lost his life as well. Do I think that any person has the right to take the life of another? Absolutely not. But I feel torn apart inside when I read the news, see the television interviews, and over and over you only hear, "I pray for the officer's family..." Why? Because a tragedy is just that, a tragedy. Is it is fair to put a value on any one's life? Is one life more precious than the next? Sometimes awful things happen and we tend to focus only on one side of the situation. But I believe that it is important to remember that 2 families lost a husband, a father, a son. I find it hard to believe, even for just one second, that either family is grieving any more or less than the other. Death is death. The loss of a loved one is painful no matter what the reason. If you truly are a God loving person, then do not judge. Pray for all the families involved. Everyone needs to be comforted during times of mourning. Everyone.

2010-03-17T07:19:00.004-05:00

I looked outside into my back yard other day to see a tulip breaking ground. YAY! Spring is just around the corner, I couldn't be happier. I'm beyond tired of this long Ohio winter. I really hope that we don't get anymore snow, which I know is not an impossibility. But, we shouldn't have anymore snow storms this year, I think.

Although Spring is not my favorite season, that would be fall, I do enjoy watching everything turn from grey to green. It's a sign of the fun to come. I think that Micah can sense it too, he asks to go for a walk whenever I mention to him that it's nice outside.

And so...

I'm looking forward to the late nights outside chatting with the neighbors about absolutely nothing while sitting around a fire on my patio sharing a beer.

I'm excited about seeing Micah's face when he finds a random dandy lion and picks it for me; he gets overjoyed when he can give mommy a flower.

I'm anticipating having my windows open and the smell of fresh cut grass waifing though my house as all the neighbors manicure their lawns.

I'm really happy about the prospects of my muddy back yard drying up so I can give the dogs a bath that will keep then clean for more than a day. My white dogs look brown right now and they STINK!

I'm elated at the idea of the sun being warm enough to bump me up a few (hundred) notches on the color spectrum. I'm looking pretty pale these days. Seriously, the other day at the gym when we were doing some mat work and I was looking around at all the exposed legs in the air, I could not differentiate my own from any of the white women's in my class. I need a tan.

Most of all, I'm delighted about the longer days to come. There is just something intoxicating about the sun shining at 8:30p.m. It really seems like I can get more accomplished in a day when the days are "longer".

Happy Spring, everyone! What makes you look forward to the warm and sunny days to come?

For Me, Some Things Are Just Impossible to Understand

2010-02-11T08:07:00.000-05:00

I do not consider myself to be someone who is technologically challenged. I try to stay up on the current ways of the world, otherwise, you just get left behind. Besides, I have a husband who is a bit of a tech junkie, as I've mentioned in the past, so I don't have too much of a choice in the matter. But even though I am quite capable of operating the tech gadgets that cross my path, I really am clueless when I try to imagine how they actually work.

I mean really, did you ever sit down and wonder exactly how you get music on your MP3player? I know the basics, of course. I plug the device into my computer, drag and drop a file and BOOM, there it is for my listening pleasure. But seriously, how does that happen? How is something the size of a credit card able to hold thousands of songs? Not to mention the countless pictures and full length movies. It boggles my mind!

And have you ever seen the inside of a computer? WTF? I turn the computer on and all the information I could ever want (plus some) is right there at my finger tips. But how? The guts of a computer just look like a bunch of scrap to me. Yet it really is the entire world, right there...crazy.

I received my Nook (2 weeks earlier than expected, YAY) and I turn it on, type in my email address and instantly there are over 100 books ready for me to read. All I have to do is touch "read" and there it is, without ever having to connect it to anything. Somehow the information magically transmits itself to the palm of my hand without any physical evidence that it is occurring other than the the screen displaying the word "downloading". But were is it coming from, how does it get to me, and why can't I see it happening?!

Honestly, I try not to think about this type of stuff too often. It can make me feel crazy inside. It's almost as though it just shouldn't be. It's unnatural, in a sense. And even though I consider myself to be a pretty intelligent person, I don't think I could wrap my head around all of this even if I had the most gifted of all scientists offering the explanation. Does anyone else ponder this stuff or do I just have too much time to let my mind wonder at night when I'm trying to fall asleep?

Because There is Such A Movie Buzz These Days

2010-02-02T09:40:00.019-05:00

I like to watch movies, sometimes. I go through phases. Sometimes I will watch a couple of movies a day and then I won't see anything at all for several months. And I very rarely go to the movie theater; it is way too expensive to sit through something that I ultimately don't like. So when I do go on a movie kick, I prefer it be at home, on my couch, in front of my television with a bowl of popcorn and a tall glass of Pepsi. With ice please.

Here are my top 3 movies that I will watch over and over. And No, none of them are up for an Academy Award. In fact, I don't think I've seen any of those movies yet.

1.Harry Potter 1,2,3,4,5 or 6. Yes, that is technically 6 movies on my top 3 list but it is what it is. I'm putting them all into one category. I love Harry Potter, in the book and on the screen. You should already know that about me. Moving on. I will watch a Potter movie several times in one day, if it's showing. And you better call in the back up dinner maker/house cleaner if there is a Harry Potter weekend movie marathon. Love it.

2.Crash. I've not been able to watch this movie nearly as much as I would like to. But that does not make it any less fabulous. Not only is the story line fantastic, it's true. All the stereo tying and racial slurs are spot on. They say things in that movie that we have ALL thought at some point in out lives but don't dare say out loud.

3.Pulp Fiction. I love this movie for the story, the actors and of course, the music. And I want someone to lie to me and tell me that they've never recreated the dance scene between John Travolta and Uma Thurman. Anyone who has ever seen this movie has done some form of this dance. And the quotes. There are so many fantastic quotes from this movie but I will share just one...

Jules: The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides by the iniquities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men. Blessed is he, who in the name of charity and good will, shepherds the weak through the valley of darkness, for he is truly his brother's keeper and the finder of lost children. And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who would attempt to poison and destroy my brothers. And you will know my name is the Lord when I lay my vengeance upon thee.

Care to share your favorites? Comment away.

A Truly Wonderful Day!

2010-01-23T19:33:00.008-05:00

President Obama recently visited my area. I was absolutely overjoyed when I learned he was coming and equally disappointed when I learned that I'd missed my chance to get tickets to see him speak. So I did the next best thing, I bundled up my sweet Micah and we waited outside for the Presidential motorcade to pass by.

We waited on the main street he was to travel down for just over an hour before Our President drove by. I was so pleased to have my son, niece and nephew there to experience it too. I got a pretty decent video of the procession but it was kind of hard to do as Micah, naturally, had no idea what was going on would have no parts of staying in his stroller. So I had to hold him as I tried to capture this small, yet huge piece of wonderfulness on camera. I hope to share that video with you soon.

But in the meantime, I do have some pictures from that day's event that an old high school friend was kind enough to let me post here. This is Kim and her son Reece:
Kim's son wanted very badly to go see President Obama speak but she was unable to get tickets. For several days she was on Facebook asking anyone who had tickets to the event and couldn't attend to please pass them on to her so she could take her son. No such luck on that though so she was planning on taking him to see the motorcade like most of the people without tickets would most likely do.

I started hearing rumors late Thursday night about where President Obama was supposed to be going for lunch. I thought that maybe I'd take my chances and try to go there but I dismissed that idea just as fast figuring the Secret Service would have the place on lock down and wouldn't be the slightest bit swayed by Micah's sweet face and his chant of "OBAMA! OBAMA!" (Which eventually turned into a chant of OGRANDMA! OGRANDMA!) I never really thought of going to this place for more than about two minutes, literally. But Kim took her chances and headed to the restaurant/bar where Obama did in fact dine early Friday afternoon. Even better, she and her son were able to meet him and have this awesome photo-op! I'm so happy that her son will have such a wonderful memory and story to share with his own children someday. And I'm super grateful that she let me share the pictures with my readers!

I believe Kim will be stopping by and hopefully she will give us more details in the comments about how the experience was for the two of them...hint, hint!

2010-01-17T07:42:00.000-05:00

Since the day that Oprah gave away Amazon's Kindle on one of her Favorite Things shows, my interests have been piqued in this new age of ereaders. However, I was never too serious about hunting around for the best product or to even see what was available on the market because of the high price tag. Until recently, that is.

And I'm so excited! I've been doing my research for the last several months and had my heart initially set on the Kindle, which I don't think anyone who knows about ereaders will argue, is the industry standard. It has all the bells and whistles, and I do like bells and whistles. But after further research and knowing my reading habits, I was quickly turned off to the Kindle when I realized that if I own this product, my book swapping days are essentially over. And avid readers know that books can be a huge social event as well as a self fulfilling pleasure. Not to mention that exchanging books with fellow readers saves lots of money for everyone involved. But then I stumbled upon the Barns & Noble Nook. WOOOHOOO! I immediately fell in love and found my ereader. It supports several different file formats and allows you to lend books to other Nook owners. Furthermore, it runs on the Android operating system which is growing by leaps and bounds daily. I could go on and on about the tech specs, but I won't. I'll just say that I'm in love! And mine is expected to ship on Feb. 12, just in time for a late birthday present, but right on time for Valentine's Day. And since my husband knows how much I've been drooling over this ereader, a combo gift is just fine with me, this year :)

If you'd like to check out the Nook for yourself, click here.

2010-01-10T11:50:00.000-05:00

I've been thinking a lot about the power of music. The emotions that can arise when you take the time to listen to lyrics. Or the memories that seem to hit you like a ton of bricks because you remember that song was playing when (fill in the blank).

I was in bed the other day attempting to take a nap. I was listening to the radio spilling over from Micah's room. I couldn't fall asleep because my mind was racing from all the remembering. One song brougt back a memeory from high school. Just driving around aimlessly with my best girlfriend at the time singing at the top of our lungs just for the hell of it. But it is not only the memory that the song brings that I enjoy so much, it is the emotion. I can remember exactly the way I was feeling. I can remember how much fun I was having at that very moment and I can remember thinking that I want to remember this distinct moment for the rest of my life. And because of a song, I do. I think that is amazing!

Recently I was listening to my MP3 player and a particular song from my wedding started playing. I was on the verge of tears as I remembered dancing with my husband for the first time as a married couple. Then I realized I wasn't alone and needed to pull it together. Although I doubt most people forget special songs from their weddings, I am still surprised by the enormity of emotion that comes along with that particular song each and every time I hear it. You'd think that I would be used to it by now :)

Music speaks to me in so many different ways and on so many different levels. Music has the power to evoke tears of joy or make me sob like a small child who just skinned her knee for the first time. Music has the power to bring people together who would normally have nothing common. Music is truly magical.

Time to Reflect

2009-12-29T08:18:00.006-05:00

The holiday season is coming to a close. The year is just a few days from being categorized as just another piece of history. Often this time of year brings us to a point in our lives where we reflect. We reflect on the things gone wrong, the things that have gone right and the things we hope to accomplish in the future...

It's been a trying year. My husband was out of work for almost half of it. But I can honestly say that it wasn't too awful. You learn to live on a lot less and be grateful for what you have.

Although finical difficulties can result in an overwhelming amount of familial distress, it can also result in some unexpected glorious times. My husband and I have been together for 7 years, married for 4. Never have we had the opportunity to spend so much time with each other or with our children. I am truly appreciative that my husband's time at home gave him the opportunity to watch our youngest child grow and develop in a way he never got to experience with our oldest. Time can't be recovered. Life only gives you one shot at the "firsts" and I thank God that we got to experience so many firsts as a family. From the milestones a toddler tackles to the puffing out of the chest as the teenage boy makes that awkward transition into a young man. Life is good .

As far as the future, who knows what it holds. Life is so full of uncertainty. I have learned that for sure. I can only hope that we can continue to remain, and grow to be an even stronger family. Of course, there are things that I hope the new year will bring, but as I reflect on the past, those "things" are of a different caliber this time. And THAT is a blessing.

Happy Halloween!!

2009-10-31T09:00:00.005-05:00

I've always liked to celebrate Halloween but I've never been a huge fan of dressing up and begging for candy. I prefer to decorate my house (in more of a harvest theme than Halloween) and buy candy to stash around the house. I do enjoy passing out candy to YOUNG trick-or-treaters. And I thoroughly enjoyed dressing my little one up and taking him to a handful of pre-selected neighbor's houses dressed as the most adorable lion I've ever seen before we passed out candy from home. (Yes, I know that I'm biased.)

The other side of Halloween is the Dark Side. And I do believe that there are all kinds of people out there who truly believe that the evils of the world freely walk the streets on All Hallows Eve. Which brings me to the point of this post...

DO YOU BELIEVE IN GHOSTS?

Honestly, I have mixed opinions about this topic. I've had some strange things happen to me, unexplained noises and things breaking that shouldn't. And our late Lacie dog used to stare into the same corner of the living room while barking and growling for hours upon hours sometimes. Micah often looks up to this same spot while pointing and talking his baby gibberish. IF there is indeed some type of something lurking in our house, it really doesn't seem to bother anyone. I do get a little weirded out when I think about it sometimes. But for the most part, ghosts, spirits etc., are not something that I take too seriously nor do I think every single person who claims to have some type of paranormal experience is making it up.

In the comments...what is your opinion on this matter or do you have your own experiences to share?

2009-10-16T07:30:00.002-05:00

I think just may be time to let this blog go...I just can't seem to ever find the time...

I've Discovered a New Disease, Where Are My Millions?!?!?

2009-09-02T06:43:00.006-05:00

I'm am waiting on the delivery of my 3rd cell phone in about a year and a half. I don't try to pretend that I take extra special care of my devices. I've been known to allow Micah to play with my handheld computer that no child should ever be allowed to touch let alone viciously throw onto the cement during a walk. But hey, after that one was rendered no longer viable because I could only make calls using the speakerphone (which is evidently considered to be rude in public, humph) I purchased another. This time I tried to be sensible. I bought the phone used in order to side step the outrageous cost of buying from T-Mobile before my contract was set to expire. I gave up some features that I really enjoyed (wi-fi, windows mobile) but I gained a touchscreen and a 5 mega pixel camera, super cool, eh? And ever better, I tried my hardest to take care of THIS one. Micah's sweet little hands only touched this phone if he was successful on one his his gazillion telephone robbery missions of the day. (My baby is obsessed with the telephone, he OBVIOUSLY gets this from his father.) And as far as I'm aware, he never dropped it. Well the other night the damned phone started acting like a touchy menopausal woman. Evey attempt at touching the screen yielded and unwanted and WRONG response. Never doing what I wanted. I tried to remedy the problem several different ways only to end up being told by the tech guy, "There are no other possible fixes. I'm sorry, you'll have to replace the device." WTF!!! Didn't I just go through this, not even 2 months ago!!!! So much for actually trying to take care of a phone properly. And don't EVEN tell me that I should have refrained from purchasing a used phone. I was being economical, remember? So anyway, this all happened last week. Mind you, the broken phone is a touchscreen with a virtual keyboard. When the screen is acting like a psycho by responding as though you've touched whatever option is to the left of what you're actually gunning for, texting is virtually IMPOSSIBLE! Alas, we come to the discovery of the new disease. Drum roll please...

TEXTING WITHDRAW

I text all day everyday and am very grateful for our unlimited texting plan (otherwise we'd be paying some serious overage charges). I have not been able to text in a timely fashion for about a week now. I'm getting a little anxious. I've even taken to using the husband's phone to text my sister just for the sake of texting when I don't really have anything to tell her because I just like to text. And the funny thing, I never used to like to text. I was all about texting being too impersonal, pick up the phone and talk to me dammit! But now, I really enjoy the convenience of it all and not being able to send a quick message about the awesome new thing my genius baby just did (LOL) is driving me insane!!

So just remember that you heard it here first. When something happens and the cell phone towers across the nation go down, millions of people all will find themselves experiencing strange sensations that will later be diagnosed as Texting Withdraw. Hell, it may even not even be too long before we see those in recovery on some funky VH1 reality show.

And So It Goes...

2009-08-19T20:50:00.002-05:00

At what point in life did you start to feel you're running out of time? Or have you not yet reached that point yet? I'm 31 and all of a sudden I feel as though I'm not going to get it all done. Things are starting to feel impossible. Starting to feel like I've got to do some rearranging. Is this just a phase because the end of my child bearing years are quickly approaching or maybe just because life in general has been so unpredictable the last 6 months or so? I'm not sure. But I don't like these feelings of uncertainty and maybe just putting them "out there" will help to dissolve some of the anxiety.

Yes, I'm Still Here. Promise.

2009-08-06T07:43:00.002-05:00

I should probably be but on some kind of blog probation...almost 2 months since I last posted anything. Shame on me! Well let it be recorded that I have often thought of sitting down to write and something always comes up (kids,husband,dogs). Often I'm out and see a blog worthy situation and never quite make it to the computer (kids,husband,dogs). So I am here in attempt to redeem myself and hope that at least one person stops by to see that I am still here :)

So, a quick recap of the last two months, shall we?

~I've still been hitting the gym at least 3 times a week although I'd like to go more but I that isn't always possible (kids,husband,dogs). But more importantly, I'm sticking to the commitment I made to myself...yay!!!

~My baby boy is 16 months old. He's got an incredibly strong personality, which I absolutely adore, and it seems as though he's doing something different and new every single day. And he's turning into a "big boy" for sure, he's out of mommy and daddy's bed, sleeping through the night (FINALLY!) and he's not nursing anymore! Thank God for my sister and a little patience on my part that helped all this happen in just under 2 weeks. How wonderful it is to feel like a normal human being again.

~We put up an electric fence in our backyard for the dogs. Too many people freak out when Scooter gets loose and and Scrappy just causes trouble with other neighborhood dogs. I thought the training process was going to be really crazy and long. But it wasn't so bad. Scooter got it in about 3 days. With Scrappy it was a whole different ballgame. But they're both good now and I have to admit, when one of them decides to try and chase that random squirrel or rabbit and they run into the boundary line, it can be extremely entertaining. I know, I shouldn't enjoy seeing my dogs get shocked, but hey, I do. Because really, I haven't changed my mind, I'd like to just get rid of them all and reclaim my grass.

I suppose that is all for now. Just wanted to check in with the blog-world and say I am indeed still here. I'm trying to think of a new format for my blog that will allow me post more often...so look for changes soon!

2009-06-12T14:08:00.005-05:00

I love to watch people. I can never drive past someone walking down the street without taking a peak. I like to wonder what there lives are about. Where are they going, where have they been. I wonder if the tall skinny man that I see several times a week walking with a drug mart bag who has a severe limp and deformed hand was born that way or was there some sort of accident. Is he bitter? Is is ever appropriate to ask? Probably not. I often feel sad for him. Not so much because of his abnormalities but because he always looks sad. I wonder why he looks so sad. Maybe he misses life as it once was or maybe he dreams of what life could have been. I am sad now just to wonder about it.

I wonder about the lady who wears the crazy glitter makeup and lines her lips, as well as most of the surrounding area, with a shade of red that is never truly appropriate for anyone who doesn't want to be noticed. She often acts as though she wants to be invisible, but she never presents herself in such a way. She wears her hair, or wig, I do believe it is a wig, piled high on her head and its always adorned with some type of bow or barrette that would be far better suited for a small child. I wonder why she would go to the local bar, order several beers, open one to drink now and stuff the rest in her over sized purse to drink later in the lady's bathroom. I wonder why she sometimes will speak and other times acts as if she is unable to speak and just stares. Is she able? I do not feel sad for her. Actually, she frightens me a bit. She seems to be the type who may go "postal" one day. But I do enjoy watching her, I really do. But I prefer her when she is in a non-speaking mood.

I wonder about the man who is young and handsome that walks past my house everyday to get his beer. The ambulance is called a few times a year because he often tries to commit suicide. Why would he do that? Is he just so drunk that he does not know any better? Is his life that bad and maybe that is why he is drunk all the time? He has children that he doesn't care for. That makes me sad. But from what I understand, he himself was not properly cared for as a child. That too, saddens me. Probably, I could get more answers about the handsome drunk neighbor, but then, what would I have to wonder about? And what would be the fun in that?

Some New Things, YAY!!!

2009-05-30T05:46:00.004-05:00

A while back I promised to make myself a priority. When I made that declaration, I had no idea how difficult it would be. I mean seriously, why is it so hard to take care of yourself? Why is it so hard to take some time to do something nice for yourself? Since when did we (women) get so caught up in everyday life that we tend to forget we are actually a part of that life we strive so hard to not allow to crumble? I have a theory...motherhood.

So, obviously, I've had a difficult time since my little man arrived (nearly 14 months ago) making time for me. Because for some reason, I just wasn't as important anymore. Then I woke up. If I can't take care of me then I can't take care of my family. And so here we are. I'm trying a couple of new things and reverting to some old in order to but some balance in my life.

Priority one, get in shape. After I had Micah and things settled down a bit, I was able to focus on shedding those extra baby pounds. At first I did a pretty good job. And then something happened. Life happened; we all got sick and I of course had to be the "nurse". My exercise routine went out the window and my eating habits flew out right behind. I gained back the 15 pounds I'd worked so hard to get rid of and never really resumed my healthful ways. But I'm ready. So I've started doing Zumba. It is such a blast!!! I have never had so much fun working out. I look forward to going to the gym and some days actually wish it would last just a bit longer. Plus, it gets me out of the house. ALONE. And to top it all off, I lost 6 pounds after going just 3 times in one week. Yay!!!

Priority two, hmmm...I don't remember. Can I be honest? I've been trying to get this post up for about 3 days now. I have no idea what I was going to say which tells me that I need to re-evaluate my priorities. LOL! But I have still been making it a point to read. And I'm sorry to report (Nance) that I really don't have the time to dive into anything that is going to require tons of brain power. I have to take baby steps as my baby is running me ragged. I am thoroughly enjoying reading mindless vampire novels, for now. I have moved on to the Sookie Stackouse collection. Give me time, Nance. Give me time.

Confessional Is Open

2009-05-15T07:25:00.008-05:00

Sometimes you just have to air some things out. I can totally understand why Catholics go to confession, free therapy. Maybe I need to think about converting to Catholicism...hmmm. Yeah, probably not. Anyway...

Confession #1
I really do not give a damn that our country uses torture to extract information from brainwashed psychopaths whose only goal in life is to kill Americans. If this keeps crazies from flying planes into buildings, I'm all for it.

Confession #2
I have a twitter account. I know, I know. But I don't use it to "tweet" about myself. I recently opened the account so I could follow Dr. Sanjay Gupta (don't you love him!??!) when he was discussing the Swine Flu.

**By the way, are we over that one already, the Swine Flu? Or have I just not been keeping up with the news, again?

Confession #3
I have been reading like crazy lately. It's been Fantabulous!!!! First I read the House of Night series. Its about vampires. Now I'm reading the Twilight series, also about Vampires. I have been completely immersed in vampires that I'm dreaming about flippin' vampires. I'm even starting to wonder if they truly exist. I mean, don't most stories/legends have truth behind them? How cool would that be? Ok. Maybe not so cool. But nevertheless, I'm obsessed.

Confession#4
I want to get rid of my dogs. Really. At least Scooter, the big dog. I do still adore Scrappy Doo but not as much as I used to, just as I feared would happen before my sweet Micah was born. These days I see the dogs mostly as a nuisance who screw up my back yard. I just found out that our local APL is a no kill shelter so I would only feel guilty for a couple of days about dropping Scooter off. He's beautiful. He's a pure breed that some people would pay some serious money for. I don't think it would take very long for someone to snag him up.

Confession #5
Sometimes Micah and I watch a show called Hip Hop Harry. Some days, I think I like it more than he does.

That is all for now. Feel free to step into my confessional booth/comment box.

Did You Seriously Just Do That?

2009-05-03T09:13:00.010-05:00

My husband is one of the most intelligent people that I know. He's always on the top of my list when I have a question about something. But he recently had a day where he must have left a pretty substantial amount of brain cells on his pillow when he woke up in the morning. It was just one thing after another. All Day! I shall share with you one episode of Jason's blond day.

* *no offence intended to any blonds who may be reading...it's just a saying :)

We bought a new grill. Jason has been eyeing this grill for years. He oogles over it when he sees someone using it on tv. He can even spot it the background of a scene being used as a prop, it's quite sad really. He's always waiting for it to go on sale but that pretty much never happens. Until a few weeks ago. So naturally he ran right out to buy it. Now mind you, this is a charcoal grill. Because that is the only type of REAL grill. According to Jason, gas grills are cop outs and nothing more than an outside stove and lack that "grill" flavor. However, this particular grill does have a gas ignition to light the charcoal so therefore requires a propane tank.

Moving on. The grill was purchased, assembled and placed on the patio. He even went and got the propane tank (which he was happy to report that he got at an excellent price at Sam's Club)and we're ready to go! The following day it's time to put this baby to the test. We're going to grill up some steaks and corn on the cob. Sounds good, right? We're ready!!

Now, let it be stated that I do the majority of the cooking here. Even when we're cooking out, unless there are ribs on the grill, that's Jason's thing. And as much as I want to go cook on this shiny new grill, I know that I have to let the man be the man and try out his new toy first, so I wait patiently inside peeking out through the kitchen windows every once in a while to see how things are coming along.

Naturally there is a problem. Isn't there ALWAYS a problem when you try out a new product?! Anyway, it seems as though he's having a hard time lighting the charcoal. I can't tell why because I don't dare go out there. But it SHOULD be easy enough, there is a gas ignition for Pete's sake!!! So I wait, and wait and wait. Finally after about a half hour/45 minutes I ask what the hold up is (we're all getting hungry and it's about 7pm at this point). He assures me that it will just be a few more minutes, there must be something wrong with the connection of the propane tank.

After about another 10 minutes or so, he asks me to go come outside to assist him. He wants ME to hold a match to the end of the ignition while he turns on the gas. WHAT?!?!? I'm scared, but he insists it's safe and I go ahead. Nothing. We. Get. Nothing. And then the following conversation took place:

Me: Jason, where did you get that tank? Maybe it isn't any good?
Jason: No, listen...(and he turns on the ignition)...you can hear the gas coming out.
ME: Yes, I hear somethig but I don't smell anything. We should be smelling at least a little gas. You've been trying to light this thing FOREVER!!!
Jason: Huh, you know, I bought this gauge to show how much gas is in the tank but its not working.

I immediately begin to laugh and he just kinda looks at me with that "WHAT?!?!" face.

Me: Jason, where did you get that tank again? Are you sure that it has gas in it? (as I'm walking over to the tank to read the label) Maybe what you're hearing is nothing more than AIR!!! YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME. The label clearly states, EMPTY propane tank ready for filling blah, blah blah. Its empty Jason, the fucking tank is empty! You've been out here for an hour trying to light a grill with an empty propane tank because you didn't READ the label! WOW!!!

We laugh. He says it was an honest mistake. I say it was STUPID mistake. I continue to tease. He got a little mad. I teased him some more. It was fun.

YES!!! It is a big deal!

2009-04-26T17:38:00.002-05:00

Evidently the Swine Flu has hit our area. One 3rd grader from a local elementary school has tested positive for the virus after having been in Mexico for a vacation. Evidently the boy is (thankfully) home and recovering well. My issue is this. I babysit a boy who attends that school. I drive him to school everyday.Since I have a one year old baby at home as well as a 13 year old, I'd rather take the week off if you know what I mean. I received information from a local health department official and she said the incubation period is 7 days. I'm not interested in being around anyone who may have been exposed to this boy knowing that he was in school most of last week. I'm really not into taking my chances when it comes to the health of my family or myself. Is this selfish? I'd prefer we call it smart. My guess is that if one student has been diagnosed, more are to follow. The student I watch is a 1st grader who supposedly doesn't come into regular contact with 3rd graders, according to his mother who had a bit of an attitude when I informed her that I would NOT be keeping her son this week. I'm thinking, so what! They eat lunch in the same room, they use the same bathrooms, they touch the same hand rails, yes? And we all know that children are super good about washing their hands in order to keep from spreading nasty germs. Uh huh. Right. No thank you, I'll pass. I'm sorry that if the said mother feels that I'm being overprotective, maybe I am. I really don't care. I'm sure if the situation were reversed she would take the same precautions. Seriously, I doubt that anyone believes that this is one isolated case. I hope that it is, but it's probably not. Otherwise the World Health Orginization wouldn't be having such a hissy fit.

I'm Back!!!

2009-04-20T15:21:00.002-05:00

Well, well, well. I have returned. I know. I know. It's about time. We had some serious technical issues, all of which have still not been resolved, but at least I'm back online. Ooohhh...that sounded nice, let me say it again. I'm back online. HURRAY!!!! I gotta tell ya, not being able to get on the Internet whenever I want to has truly made me realize how dependent I am on my computer. I really had no idea how often I used my computer. It may be time for me to begin therapy in order to restructure my life so that I will be better prepared for the next inevitable computer crash. Seriously.

Anyway...how about a feel good story to punctuate my return...

This post is being typed on my brand spankin' new laptop! It's quite nice and I love being mobile. However, I am worried that being able to take the Internet from room to room may enhance my Internet co-dependency issues. I shall deal with that later :) So, the new computer, aahhh, yes. This is how it came about...

Our PC crashed. It just quit functioning. Jason took it to his computer programmer friend who basically told us we're screwed after weeks and weeks of him trying to undo whatever invaded the machine. Then he informed us that our best bet would be to TRY and restore the entire system to factory settings. We're still waiting to hear if that is going to work or not. In the meantime, I'm whining about not having a computer daily. Finally I tell Jason we need to go out and purchase a new one, NOW, because the stress of being disconnected was beginning to weigh heavily on my life. And literally, as we were walking out the door to go to Best Buy determined to get something, the phone rang. The caller gave his greetings and asked if we got our computer fixed yet. When I said no he said, "Well, I bought you guys a computer. No questions asked!" I was speechless, holding back tears. I assured him that we could pay him for it and he said absolutely not. He told me that so many people have done things to help him out and it is nice for him to, in turn, be able to help someone else. The only stipulation...we are not allowed to tell anyone in the family what he has done for us because it would cause far too much drama. And who needs/wants that!?!? So what could we say other than thanks!? It is nice to know that there are still good people in the world, really. And its feels good to have been involved in this random act of kindness. And you know what else, he said if we get our computer back and decide we don't want or need that laptop to just give it to someone who can use it, to just pay it forward. Now isn't that a nice story? I'm really excited to be able to share it with everyone.

And with that, I'M BACK! So Nance, you can take me off the hiatus list!!!

out 'til...who knows!

2009-03-06T11:59:00.002-05:00

My computer died. Supposedly its being fixed as I type this quick post from my sister's house. I feel so disconnected. It's been a few weeks since it went on the fritz. I now know, and hate, how much I rely on technology for so many different aspects of my life. This really sucks. Hope to be back soon.

My Faves

2009-02-04T08:39:00.009-05:00

Happy Birthday to Me!!! I'm 31 today and feeling pretty good. So I figured today would be a great day to talk about some of my favorite things seeing as my birthday is my favorite holiday. Yes, my birthday IS a holiday!

Favorite thing #1~ This blog. I love it. Yes, I know I've been a bit negligent as of late. I do have my reasons...10 month old baby that is getting into EVERYTHING! However, this is a fabulous place for me to run my mouth! And for that I am grateful to all of those who listen!

Favorite thing #2~Buying in bulk. I hate to go grocery shopping. Really hate it. So when we're all stocked up and I don't have to go for a couple of months, I'm happy. Well, if I'm being completely honest here, I don't really like buying in bulk either. It's a pain in the ass to break everything down so things may be stored properly. Like the other day when I had to clean and package 40lbs of chicken breasts, freezer wrap 20lbs EACH of ground chuck and sausage. Not to mention the 4 picnic hams. The upside is that I won't have to go to the meat market for quite some time. And That makes me happy because I hate the way raw meat smells.

Favorite thing #3~Fuel Perks. The only really good thing to come out of grocery shopping. Spend money at Giant Eagle and get a discount on gas. Last week I was able to fill up my gas tank for $14.08. Nice, huh!? I only paid 99 cents per gallon. I haven't filled up at that price since high school!

Favorite thing #4~The Black Currant Vanilla scent from Bath and Body Works. This fragrance is sexy. It's spicy and makes me want to do things I shouldn't talk about here. Yep, gonna go stock up on that today.

Favorite thing #5~Baby kisses. 'Nuf said :)

And finally, just a little something I wanted to share...Click here!

2009-01-19T11:12:00.002-05:00

The time has come. Finally.

2008-12-23T23:00:00.004-05:00

Today is my Wedding Anniversary. And I SWEAR that my wedding rings sparkle extra bright every December 23rd. Maybe because today is not only the anniversary of our wedding but also of our first date. Awe, the memories...

Poor Baby, Poor Me!

2008-12-16T14:51:00.003-05:00

My lil' punkin has the chicken pox. Little did I know that along with an infected baby I get a paranoid husband and a know-it-all mother in law.

First of all, my husband has never had the chicken pox. So he's afraid that he will catch them and is going to pay $85 to be vaccinated even though he's already been exposed. Furthermore, he says he won't be able to touch the baby.

~NEWSFLASH~
Micah has had visible bumps for 3 days now which means he has been contagious for approximately 1 week. Getting vaccinated now, AFTER being exposed, is (in my opinion) a huge waste.

Last night my mother-in-law insisted that I need to give the baby something warm to drink because if I don't the chicken pox may "go back in" and make him really sick. I tried to keep a straight face as I told her that he gets plenty of warm milk several times a day and she shouldn't worry about him having warm liquids. She was adamant about giving him something warm to drink and then it got a little nasty when I said, "Look, Eileen, Micah is breastfed. The milk he gets from me is warm, 98.6 degrees warm. And I PROMISE you that there is nothing that I can give him that is better for him." And today, after the doctor confirmed the diagnosis as chicken pox, she told me, "You can listen to those doctors if you want to BUT ALL THE OLD PEOPLE will tell you that he needs something warm to drink." I reminded her AGAIN that Micah gets plenty of warm milk all day and all night. She was frustrated by my answer and then moved on to Jason maybe having to be quarantined at work.

Need I say more about my mother in law?

2008-11-21T22:16:00.013-05:00

Since I haven't posted ANYTHING in well over a month....thanks to anyone who even reads this.

A few weeks ago my mother, my sweet Micah and I went to the Fabulous Food Show in Cleveland. I must say that Micah was beautifully behaved, it could have been a disaster! Anyhow, we saw some amazing things. Like these cakes.

It astonishes me that anyone can make such beautiful things out of food. Very impressive.

On the flip side of the show being so lovely, we also found out that Paula Dean is very much a BITCH!!! After talking to one of the Show workers, we learned that she treated the workers like crap, would not allow guests to sit in certain seats during her performances which cost an ADDITIONAL $60 because she is not already rich enough to include her show in the general admission ticket price of $25 bucks like the other celebrity chefs highlighted in this year's show. HUMPH. Well let me just say that I saw Miss Dean a few years ago and she sucked. I was disappointed. Majorly. But I was very happy this year sitting in the audiences of Guy Fieri and Curtis Stone. Very fun. And it didn't cost us anything EXTRA.

The Holidays are here. I'm spending money like a crazy person. Its fun. But I've got to get my Christmas tree up this weekend and some presents wrapped because one entire side of my bedroom looks like a Target isle. The mess is making me go loony. Furthermore, I've got so much crap piled up everywhere, it is impossible to know what I've already bought. The latter is a CLEAR sign that I probably need to just stop shopping altogether. But I have managed to score some cute clothes and shoes for myself as well. Besides, I'm stimulating the economy.

My husband informed me the other day that we are NOT going to be able to go to Washington D.C. for the inauguration because it's going to be to hectic to take a baby. I told him to fuck off, we're going cause if there are going to be 3 million people attending, a few more (US) won't make much of a difference. The jury is still out on the final decision...

If I don't make it back here for another month and a half, have a wonderful Christmas!!

2008-10-21T11:52:00.002-05:00

I'm super excited to announce that my family and I will be traveling to Washington D.C. for the presidential inauguration in January to witness Barack Obama make his historical journey down Pennsylvania Avenue to enter the White House! I'm just praying for mild January weather so that I will be able to take the baby. If the weather is crappy, we'll still go but the baby and I will not camp out all night for the front row view with Jason, Devin and the rest of the Family. But just being in the city will be electric enough even if I can't attend in person. So excited!!

And if by chance the old man gets elected, we may go anyway to protest.

How are you planning on celebrating Obama's victory?

2008-10-11T12:02:00.003-05:00

Just a quickie post while I've got a minute...

I must say that I am over excited to be a part of the upcoming election process. This is such an important event in American history and I truly feel proud to be a part of it all. And to add to my excitement, I believe I have convinced 2 people in my family who have NEVER voted in their lives to exercise their rights and let their voices be heard. Yay for me and yay for the democratic process!!!

I'm also super excited that the ethics committee found that stupid Bitch sarah palin guilty of abusing her power as Governor. Now maybe, just maybe, the fuck nuts out there supporting her will begin to see her for psycho that she is.
Everyone should go over to The Dept. and take the palin poll...I voted for the Fargo one, I hate that about her, I really do.

2008-09-21T22:45:00.002-05:00

Devin's last football game was played at the high school stadium. It brought back all kinds of memories. I spent a lot of time at that stadium during my high school years. Marching Band was the absolute most fun I had in high school. Period. And being back there made me feel all warm and gushy inside. But it was so weird too...

Devin is in Jr. High. So there weren't too many people at the game. The stadium was emptier than I've ever seen it. I sat there, looking around. Remembering. Laughing silently as I hold my baby boy thinking, "Never in a million years would I have pictured myself sitting in these stands with my baby watching my big baby play on this field that I spend so much time on as a youngster." Hell, at that stage of my life (High School) I was never getting married. I most definitely wasn't going to have any children. "Oh. Hell. No! NO Kids!!" That is what I always said. And yet there I sat. With my Husband and my Son. I had goosebumps. My eyes teared up. I couldn't have felt more happy or proud. Even though my life has turned into the exact opposite of what I dreamed it would be, I am happy. And that is what matters most in life, yes?

2008-09-08T18:59:00.002-05:00

This is Federer's 5th consecutive US Open win. His 13th Grand Slam Title. And he is the only man in history to win 2 different tournaments 5 times in a row! His straight set victory over Andy Murry will hopefully quiet all the nay-sayers. Federer in NOT finished. He hit a little bump in the road and now he's back!

Now that all is right in the (tennis) world and Rodger Federer has won a grand slam, I will do my best to focus my attention on more blog worthy subjects. But first, we celebrate!

Golden After All!

2008-08-18T10:20:00.003-05:00

Rodger Federer may have lost early on in the singles competition, but he was the golden boy of the doubles!

But the BIG story of the Olympics...MICHAEL PHELPS!!! My God that man is something special!!! . What an outstanding athlete! I never knew that I could get so much excitement from watching swimming. But seeing Phelps win 8 Golds has definitely been the highlight of Beijing for me. Yes, even more than seeing Federer get his gold.

The End of an Era?

2008-08-01T09:11:00.006-05:00

Rodger Federer keeps losing. He lost the Australian Open. He lost the French Open (not really too big of a surprise there). But he lost Wimbledon. The king of the grass courts lost in England? WHAT?! It has been a long time since Federer lost at Wimbledon, 5 years in fact. But he hasn't won a grand slam all year. What the HELL!! My heart is broken. I'm not sure if he's in a slump or the other players are finally catching up to his greatness and raising their level of play. Only time will tell for sure.

He also lost in the Cincinnati tournament this week. If Rafa wins there, he'll be the new no.1. I'm still holding out for a win at the US Open.

Friday, July 25 Part II

2008-07-27T17:17:00.002-05:00

The visit went OK. Aunt Sue is very sick. She has cancer all over her body. She wouldn't disclose exactly what kind or even where it started. I'm not even sure that the source is known. My Mother went to visit her today. She'd been taken to the hospital but that is all the nursing home staff were able to tell her. It doesn't look good.

Friday, July 25 Part I

2008-07-25T07:43:00.003-05:00

I'm getting ready to go and visit Aunt Sue. Aunt Jo got a call from Uncle Owen, Aunt Sue's husband, earlier in the week saying that Aunt Sue is sick. Apparently very sick. She's in a local nursing home going through rehab and has some "strange type of cancer". That is really all I know.

My mother is one of 4, all girls. Aunt Jo, Aunt Sue and my Mother all live right around here. Aunt Cheryll lives in TN. No one talks to Aunt Cheryll too much just because she has almost always lived out of state and doesn't visit OH too much. So they're just not too close. Well, Aunt Jo and Aunt Cheryll have some "beef" from way back when, but I really don't know (nor do I care) what all that is about. No one, and I mean, no one, talks to Aunt Sue. She's always been the "I'm better than everyone else in this family" type of person. Everyone used to tolerate her and get together at her house for the obligatory holiday gatherings. At least we did until Grandpa died and Aunt Sue spent a large amount of the other 3 sister's inheritance. See, Aunt Sue was entrusted with being the executor of the estate because she worked for a lawyer and therefore obviously knew how it should all work better than the others. And that was the end of the Aunt Sue being tolerated by the other 3 sisters. Well at least by my Mother and Aunt Jo. Who knows what Aunt Cheryll was thinking, since she wasn't really ever around. Besides, I was just a little girl when all that happened and have had to piece it all together over the years.

Going back to where I started...Aunt Sue is sick. I'm going today with Aunt Jo and Grandma to visit her. I have absolutely no idea what to expect. And thus far, I'm not having too much emotion one way or the other about the whole ordeal. I'm not heartless, I do care. Its just that I really don't know Aunt Sue anymore. I haven't seen her in about 3 years since my Mother's wedding. And before that, God only knows! If anything, I'm kind of pissed off that it's taking an illness to get everyone together. The saddest part, in all reality this may be the only time Micah ever meets his Great Aunt Sue because the elder women in this family are so damned stubborn. (I guess I know where I get it from.)

Hopefully Aunt Sue will get better. Hopefully this will be enough to open up the eyes of this family. Hopefully this can be a sprinboard for the Sisters to start acting like sisters. Hopefully we can all appreciate life, at least a little bit more, after today.

Nas~Sly Fox

2008-07-16T13:53:00.001-05:00

This is why I love Nas.

2008-07-10T21:39:00.002-05:00

Seriously, this man should probably have HIS nuts cut off. Comments like that really make me wonder what the hell is going on in this country. And of course he's apologizing. And of course he's a supporter of Obama. He just didn't realize that his mic was on. Well duh!! I'm sure he wouldn't say such ignorant things had he known his mic was on. Give me a break. And he calls himself a reverend. The reverends I know don't go around talking about cutting people's nuts off.

Flooded With Feelings

2008-06-19T08:04:00.003-05:00

Lately my emotional cup has been over full and spilling down the sides. I'm drenched in emotion and I need to wring out my head so I can make room for a refill.

I love my husband dearly. I really do. But I often do not like him. AT ALL. And the conflicting feelings I have towards him sometimes make me feel like a crazy person. One minute I want to hold him tight and love all over him and the next I'm plotting my escape route. I just wonder if this really is the way its going to be, forever. God, help me if it is. (Or at least answer that prayer about him putting his toothbrush away). Sigh.

I don't want to go back to work. I really don't. I think I should stay home until Micah starts going to school. I shouldn't have to leave him in someone else's care (even if it is my sister) just because that is the way it is supposed to be. He should be with his mommy.

I get real pissed off when people come over to MY HOUSE and look at me cross eyed when I need to feed the baby. Breastfeeding is the most natural thing in the world yet so many people are offended by it because this fucked up society we live in has taught us that a woman's breast should only be exposed for sexual reasons. No, I'm not just popping it out in front of anyone and everyone. I am discreet and will cover up when necessary. But I will not get up and leave the room in my own house because someone is ignorant. Especially when its an uninvited guest. Screw that, if my baby is hungry I'm going to feed him. And when I'm in the comfort of my own home, anyone who doesn't like it can get the hell out.

I'm still extremely overwhelmed over my baby boy. I still hold him tight and cry because I don't even know how to express to him how much I love him. I wonder if there is any way he'll ever know how deep my love for him is. Maybe one day when he has a child of his own he'll understand. But I'm all about instant gratification. So for now, I'm just trying to give him love in every possible way that I know how. Because of Micah, I get it. I really get it.

Even though I've only managed to empty my cup about a quarter of he way, I better stop. In the comments, what's overflowing your cup these days?

Have You Ever...

2008-06-11T09:30:00.002-05:00

...Went to the fridge, found the milk spoiled and put it back? This seems to be a regular occurrence at my house. And no, it's not ME! I happen to hate milk. I think it stinks regardless of it's freshness. But WHY on earth wouldn't one just throw it away? What is the point of putting it back? Does it have to do with living in a house full of males? If I'm being honest here, this happens with WAY more than milk and it really pisses me off. Is the male species truly untrainable?

...Lied to your spouse/significant other just to avoid certain topics of conversation? I have to admit that I do this occasionally to Jason. Why? I just don't want to hear "it" sometimes. Jason has this disease, chronic sloppiness with acute paper collection disorder. So I have learned over the years to not bitch at him about picking up after himself. I'll do it, no problem. And I put things where I think they need to be, in the TRASH!!! When he says "Honey, have you seen that pamphlet I got from Home Depot?" I simply say, "No, I don't even know what you're talking about. Sorry!" I used to say, "Oh, you mean the...yes, I threw it away. It sat on the counter for 2 weeks. I figured you didn't want it." And that would just cause him to get all kinds of pissed off and walk around for a couple of hours mumbling under his breath about how a "mutha fucka can't have shit around here. Nina throws everything away just cause she thinks its junk..."

...Had a blog crush? From talking who people who blog, I've decided this is quite common. I think. Especially when the blogger starts having private conversations with their readers via email. Is this just a naughty pleasure or completely unacceptable?

In the comments, be honest :)

Ramblings....

2008-05-23T15:00:00.002-05:00

Just need to spew a few thoughts from my head...

...I was sitting outside visiting a neighbor today and all of a sudden a car full of teenagers pulls out of the garage next door and parks in the street. My neighbor and I laugh because they are skipping school and I say jokingly that I bet they were getting high. Well not five seconds later the wind blows and a familiar smell of a certain plant waffs our way. We look over and here comes the neighbor boy looking awfully glossy eyed and Michelle says, "Hey Jake, you should be a little more discreet next time!" I add, "Yeah Jake, we can smell it over here!" He gives us the "Huh?" look and really doesn't respond. Am I surprised? No. Not really. Lots of kids experiment with weed. Hell, they probably took it from Jake's step-dad's stash. He's quite the pot head. And no, I'm not going to tell his parents. Why? Because his mother believes that her son can do no wrong and always places blame on the kids he's hanging out with. My point. I hope I don't ever become that mother. I hope that I can teach my children not to even try drugs at all. But more than anything, I hope if a neighbor or friend ever sees one of my kids doing in appropriate things, they'll tell me...

...Who ever know one could get so excited about having 3 1/2 hours of sleep with no interruptions...

...There was a news segment on the other night about how to make a little money from your blog by using Google's AdSense. I thought wow, that's cool! I'm going to go add that to my page!! But then I remembered that I've lost practically all of my readers since I quit posting frequently so there would never be anyone around to click on the ads and then I'd never make any money. So scratch that. I guess I'll have to go back to work. Someday.

2008-04-27T21:27:00.003-05:00

I love The Young and the Restless. I've watched this soap opera since I was a little girl. I can remember watching it with my mom before I was even old enough to go to school. In general, I think that soaps are cheesy and just down right stupid. But in my mind The Young and The Restless is different. I have even convinced myself that is looks different. Seriously. When I'm channel surfing and stumble across any other soap opera, I stop and ask myself why anyone would watch that show because it just looks cheap. I've decided that all soap operas, except The Young and The Restless, use some sort of special generic soap opera film. But the Y&R uses high quality filming products like the evening sitcoms use. Yep, that's what I tell myself. I don't even know if it's true in any place other than in my mind (that the Y&R looks different). But you know what they say, if you tell yourself something over and over enough times, you'll begin to believe it regardless of whether or not it's actually fact.

Anyway...I DVR The Young and The Restless everyday even though I'm at home when it comes on. But I like to be able to fast forward through the commercials and any parts that I'm just not interested in. Plus, being able to watch it on demand gives me something to do when I'm feeding the baby. Although I love to sit and gaze into his sweet little eyes as he suckles greedily at my breast, I must admit that it sometimes gets boring or I get a cramp in my neck. I just wonder if little Micah will grow up to watch my little show as well. I hope not, it's such a nasty habit, soap operas are. I sometimes find myself going through withdraw when I've not watched the happenings of Genoa City for more than a week. Then I go on a binge and stare at the television for hours upon countless hours as Jason checks on me periodically asking how I can possibly still be watching such garbage. But it's not garbage, these are my childhood friends!! I grew up with many of the characters. (Even though many went away to boarding school practically as infants and came back sometimes a soon as a year later as adults with children of their own.) I get defensive when he criticizes my choice of television enjoyment. At least I'm not watching ape-like men battle uber-snakes and crocodiles on that stupid sci-fi channel.

Overjoyed!!!

2008-04-09T14:23:00.003-05:00

The baby is going to wake up any time now so I'll need to be quick. Forgive me now for typos, I'm not going check this over closely.

Micah Allen was born on April 3, 2008 at exactly 4pm. He weighed 6lbs and 3oz. and measured 19in. long. He's got a head FULL of hair and I'd say is a pretty good mix of mommy and daddy. My labor actually wasn't too bad. From what I'm told, it was a "textbook birth". Jason said that he just knows I'm going to want to do this again real soon because it was just far too easy. He's probably right!

I never knew I could love my husband anymore than I already did before the baby was born. I look at that little baby every day and thank God for putting Jason into my life because without him, Micah would not be. And I never knew I could love on this level. It's truly a beautiful and amazing phenomenon...this love I feel for my family.

In my mind I've been a mom for several years...we've always had Dev. But this is different. This is unexplainable. This is a miracle. So far, several times a day, I just hold Micah and cry because I don't have the ability to express my joy any other way. He's not even a week old yet and I can't imagine my life any other way. I fall in love with Jason all over again each time gaze into the baby's eyes and see my husband's features. This is the good life!

P.S. I must say...I'm really missing my cuddle time with Scrappy Doo. I think that once things get settled in the weeks to come, Scrappy has nothing to worry about. He's a bit jealous but overall handling the new addition quite well :)

2008-03-03T22:10:00.002-05:00

Today was an unseasonably warm day, 66 degrees. So to take advantage of the sunshine and get outside for a bit, I decided to take Scooter dog for a walk since he doesn't get out much in the winter. I know that it's most likely going to be a short walk because one of two things will happen.

A) I'll get halfway down my street and my back will be hurting so bad that I'll need to turn around.
or
B) Scooter will act like a dog who hasn't been on a leash in months and want to use all 120lbs of his muscle to drag me down the street and my back won't be able to handle that either.

Well, the walk started off wonderfully. Scooter was excited to be out and he walked slowly right by my side as I kept telling him what a good boy he was being. I must admit that he kept looking up at me as if to ask why on earth were we walking at such a slow pace, but he was patient. Such a good boy, Scoot-Scoot! As we travel, I'm feeling really good. I take off my light jacket and show off my pregnant belly (I do love my belly) as we strut down the street greeting neighbors along the way. OK, so maybe Scooter was strutting his hot muscular bod and I was just waddling hoping not to slip and fall on any wet pavement or uneven sidewalks, but either way, I fell great.

As we come to the bend in the the road that leads to the corner, I see some young kid is outside washing daddy's car (cause I'm sure this 17 or 18 year old could hardly afford the Infiniti he was so carefully scrubbing) and I notice that he's got on what I believe to be an anti-war tee shirt because at the top, right across his chest in large letters it says...MAKE LOVE. I'm not quite close enough to read the smaller print below the first line so I continue to waddle on assuming that as I get closer it will say "not war". But no, that isn't what it says at all...the shirt says, "MAKE LOVE not babies"! I was surprised, giggled to myself. I looked right at the kid and gave him a big cheesy grin as I stuck my belly out as far as humanly possible without throwing myself off balance, and I strutted (really, this time I strutted) in all my pregnant glory to the corner.

Here I was forced to turn around and head home because all of a sudden, my back was aching beyond belief and Scooter decided he didn't want to walk slow anymore and started pulling me all over the place.

Lovely, just lovely.

Blah.

2008-02-27T10:39:00.007-05:00

Blah. That about sums up my mood lately. I just don't want to do shit. I don't want to go to work (and for the most part I haven't), I don't want to clean my house, I don't want to cook, I just don't want to do anything but lay around. I'm tired of being pregnant. I'm tired of this little baby sucking away all of my energy to such extremes that I must plan to have all daily accomplishments complete by no later than 3pm. Because after that, I'm utterly useless. I either need to take a nap, and those 30min. naps just don't suffice anymore, I need a few hours to regroup or I've got to take a hot bath or sit on the heating pad because my back hurts so bad I find it impossible to move. Yep, for about the last month, that's my life. Nothing too exciting. Because excitement requires energy. And I have poured every ounce of energy I have into preparing for this baby to arrive. Now that rooms have been rearranged, the crib assembled and baby shower gifts put away (FINALLY), I feel that I need to just sit back, relax and wait for the big moment. And that is exactly what I intend to do.

So..I shall do my best to post more often and to visit other blogs. Then maybe Tera will stop sending me threatening emails reminding me that she's posted a gazillion times and I've not commented. But I will not make any promises because now my computer is downstairs in the basement. I don't spend to much time down here. Besides, if I make the trip downstairs, then I must make the climb back up. And like I said, I just don't have a lot of energy these days.

Yes We Can - Barack Obama Music Video

2008-02-05T20:13:00.001-05:00

This is really cool.

2008-01-25T20:26:00.000-05:00

Rodger Federer, the ulitmate tennis champion, lost in straight sets today to the #3 ranked player in the world, Novak Dejokovic, during the semifinal match of the Australian Open. It was sad. I knew it was a good possibility that Novak would pull his trump card today given the fight the Serb put up in last years U.S. Open final loss to the great Federer, but it made seeing the Swiss tennis god lose no easier. Every dog has his day, today it belonged to the top dog of Serbia. I really didn't think he needed to strut around without a shirt after he won though, geeze. Have some manners.

Grand Slam Time!!!

2008-01-13T19:07:00.000-05:00

I love tennis. I know the ins and outs of the game. Singles matches are my favorite. However, I do not play. I've never even tried. I'm not sure why. I'm not even sure why I enjoy watching tennis so much. I believe it stems back to my childhood when we didn't have cable television and the only non-fuzzy channel was showing the Wimbledon tournament. I will still wake up early on the final weekend of the famous English tournament to have "breakfast at Wimbledon" and watch the men's and women's finals. Love it, just love it!

This next couple of weeks is all about the Australian Open. Will Roger Federer continue to dominate the men's tennis world? Are the Williams sisters healthy and the one's to beat (Serena took the title last year) or is Henin still unstoppable? I'm so excited! I'll be rooting for Federer. That man is amazing! He seemed a bit vulnerable at times last year so we'll see how he's looking in his first major showing of the grand slam season. This may just end up being the year that Rafa Nadal takes that coveted #1 spot.

The only thing that I'm not looking forward to...given that Australia is on the underside of the world, the live coverage is on late at night. I have trouble staying awake at night these days. I hate that.

Even if you're not a tennis fan, how could you not enjoy watching this man, Roger Federer? He's yummy!

Eclectic Concepts IV

2008-01-09T23:35:00.000-05:00

Way back when I posted about baby showers. I talked about how much I loathe them. Well, my opinion has not changed. Nevertheless, I'll be having a shower of my own next month. I'd like to thank, in advance, all of the ladies on the planning committee for all their hard work that they haven't even started yet. See, Jason's family is HUGE and thus the baby shower will be gigundus. At last count, the guest list was at approximately 75 people. Of course, I don't count on all of the invitees to actually show up, but more than likely it will be a large gathering. I don't think any of these ladies who have volunteered know exactly what they've signed up for. I'm just glad that someone is taking care of this for me, I'd go crazy!!

This is Christian, from Project Runway. He seems to be doing pretty well and I usually enjoy his designs. Now, I don't want to label anyone, but I'm pretty sure that young Christian is a gay man. If he's not, he really needs to try not to be so feminine and flamboyant. Anyway, I don't have a problem with his sexuality one way or the other. None whatsoever, to each his own. However, I was enjoying my weekly dose of Project Runway last week when my homophobic husband entered the room, took one look at Christian on the television and said to me, "What's his name, Sugar Bear?" This week I just couldn't look at little Christian the same.

This is Pierre Woods. He plays in the NFL for the New England Patriots. He was signed to the Patriots as a free agent upon graduating from Michigan State. He's a linebacker but mostly plays on special teams. In fact, Woods was the leading tackler in the league for special teams this season. (At least that is what my husband tells me, I've not checked that out but I do trust him.) As many of you probably know, New England went undefeated in the regular season this year. And because they went 16-0, this Patriots team will be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. No other team has won 16 games in the regular season (although other teams have gone without losing, the season was never this long). Why is this so interesting to me? Well let me tell you. Pierre is Jason's cousin. Really. His first cousin. This isn't one of those crazy can't follow the bloodline things. 'Cause you know how black people can be, right? "Oh yeah, that's my cousin...naw man, I haven't seen him in years but that's so-and-so's son that used to be married to my half-sister's ex brother-in-law, but I could get his number if I really wanted to!" LOL! Seriously, we actually see Pierre (the family calls him Pepe) a few times a year and he's a really nice guy and deserving of all that he's accomplished. I think it's pretty cool that he's only in his second year of pro football and already going to be inducted into the hall of fame. How exciting! Now if New England wins the Superbowl...that'll be really awesome!

Talking about Pepe makes me think of Lacie, rest her puppy soul. I've told you all what a good dog she always was. And I still stand by that. But every dog has a mishap at least once, right? Well...a few years back when little D first started playing football, one of his coaches was a huge Michigan fan. So little D told his coach that his cousin was one of the starters on the Michigan football team and his coach was really excited to find out that this cousin was Pierre Woods. Some of the other boys on Dev's team didn't believe him. So, at a family reunion picnic Dev asked Pepe to take a picture with him so he could show his teammates. Someone took a polaroid picture the two of them and young Dev asked for Pepe's autograph. Now, Pepe is kind of shy and was very reluctant to sign the picture but did since Dev was just a kid. He thought it was cute that his little cousin was bragging about him but made it very clear to Dev that he never gave his autograph. He thought it was really silly to do so. Little Dev was proud, took the picture to his own football practice and impressed his coaches and his buddies. Jason and I told Dev to be sure and put the picture in a safe place because it really could be something special if Pepe went on to play in the NFL and he had an autographed picture from his college years. Dev put the picture up. But one day it must have fallen on the floor because Lacie ate all if it except a small corner. Jason and I were just talking about this the other day, how that was the ONLY thing that Lacie ever destroyed. Of all things, it had to be something that we couldn't ever replace. Yes, Dev could always ask for another picture and another autograph and I'm sure Pepe would indulge for his little cousin. But that one particular item is gone forever. Hell, if Pepe continues to do well and becomes an NFL legend, that picture could have sent Dev's children to college, who knows?!?!?

This post is much longer than I intended. So I'll end by saying....Obama for President!!!!

Looking Forward

2008-01-02T12:09:00.000-05:00

Wishing you all a Happy New Year!!! Hopefully no one has a long list of resolutions that are designed to set you up for disappointment. But I am interested in hearing if anyone has actually managed to follow through with a resolution, ever. I know that I haven't! At least not ones that I've made at the beginning of a new year. I do pretty well when I decide to tackle something new or make a change in my life as long as it happens around June or July. But for the most part, resolutions are a waste of brain activity, for me.

I must say that I am looking forward to upcoming events in 2008. It should prove to be quite exciting and challenging with the baby coming. I'm getting more excited with each glass of ice water I drink (ice water makes the baby do acrobatic maneuvers). But I'm also beginning to feel a bit impatient. It seems like every one around me is giving birth and I just want my baby to get here too! I'm trying my hardest to live in the moment and enjoy this period of my life. I've been told that I'll miss it once it has passed. Admittedly, the time is flying by and the baby will be here before I know it. Now if we could only agree on a name.

Call me crazy, but I'm also looking forward to the finding out how the political madness of this country is going to pan out this year. I'm ready to know who the presidential candidates will be and I'm ready to start focusing on them instead of trying to keep up with everyone. Listen people, this could be a HUGE year in politics and if you're not paying attention, you better start!!! Because one of my biggest pet peeves ever is people who complain about how & who run our government but don't do shit about it. Now is as good of time as any to learn about the hopeful candidates and get ready to throw your support behind him or her so that when election time rolls around you can get out and vote in an informed and responsible way!

In the comments...what are you looking forward to?

I Got a New Toy!!

2007-12-17T15:59:00.000-05:00

After reading lots of reviews and searching everywhere comparing prices, the husband approved my choice for a new digital camera. See, he doesn't let me make any type of electronic purchase without his stamp of approval because he's the tech geek and thinks his brain is superior to mine when it comes to gadgets. So I made a list of what I believed to be good camera choices for my price range and told him to check it out. He was impressed with the research I'd done and agreed with my number one choice. I couldn't believe it!! He ALWAYS finds something that he believes to be better than what I've chosen.

Of course, now that we own the camera, Jason tells me that it's not that nice. But really, he just doesn't know how to use it and therefore is not appreciative of all its fabulous features. I, on the other hand, am quite pleased with my camera and have been taking lots of pics. I'll share a few with you...mostly of how I torment poor little Scrappy Doo. As I've mentioned before, the Little Dog doesn't like to have his photo taken, he's not nearly as vain as the other mammals living in the house, and therefore he usually runs away and hides when he sees the camera or goes into attack mode and barks and lunges towards the lens. Like this...
But occasionally, he sits still long enough for me to get a nice shot of his sweet little face like this...

But I must say that my favorite is this...Scrappy in his new fisherman's outfit!

He hated the hat and tried to rip off the jacket. But he eventually chilled out and came to realize that I have far too much power over him and receive far too much enjoyment from dressing him up to allow him to destroy the lovely outfits that I so carefully choose for him. He can be so ungrateful at times, I must work on his manners.

And finally, since it is the holiday season, I'll share with you a picture of my beloved Christmas Tree...

Gosh...it sure does look lopsided...I wonder if it really is. Or maybe I took the picture on a weird angle. Who knows?!?! But I can tell you that this the only Christmas decor up in my house at the moment. It took me 3 hours to do the tree, because everything must be just so. And damn it, the more I look at this picture the more I realize that it's doing my work of art ANY justice. I wish I could invite you all over to admire it's beauty. *Sigh* Anyway, I've been exhausted ever since. I can't even bring myself to hang the stockings. Pregnancy is kicking my ass!!!

2007-12-01T13:59:00.000-05:00

This morning my neighbor and I took our dogs to Pet's Mart to have their pictures taken with Santa. How fun! This crappy grainy picture cost me almost $10. However, $5 of each picture package sold goes to benefit homeless pets. So while I was busy dressing my Scrappy Doo up in silly holiday garb I was also helping out a worthy cause. Yes, I'm a do-gooder :)

P.S. The other adorable pooch is Schroeder, Scrappy's best doggy buddy.

2007-11-20T23:22:00.000-05:00

I'd like to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving.

Hopefully the food will be good and the family will be pleasant company.

Hopefully you'll eat to your heart's content and didn't watch the Today Show and learn how much so little food can add up to (caloric wise). That way you may not be disgusted by the memories of what you ate during previous Thanksgiving meals and you won't need to consider boycotting dinner altogether this year.

Hopefully you'll take some time to reflect on this past year and give thanks to all things good.

Hopefully you'll get everything you're looking for if you're one of those insane idiots who decides to go shopping on Friday. (I was one of those idiots last year, standing outside in the cold waiting for Best Buy to open at 4am. I was far too lucky, I got everything I wanted in record time. So I won't be doing it again this year. I know how to quit while I'm ahead.)

Hopefully we can all take a moment this Thanksgiving and give thanks for the everyday things in life that we may take for granted.

And finally, just for fun...

In the comments...what are your holiday plans? Are you hosting dinner? Does your family have any strange traditions? Will you be traveling? Do you plan to go shopping on Black Friday?

And The Winner Is...

2007-11-12T11:37:00.000-05:00

Michael Symon is the new Iron Chef! This is just so cool, I think! One thing is for sure, I'll never be able to afford to eat in his restaurants now, they probably raised all the prices last night as soon as the finale of The Next Iron Chef aired which declared Symon the winner. So if anyone is in the Cleveland area and ventures to either Lola or Lolita, let me know all about your experience!

2007-11-08T23:35:00.000-05:00

IT'S A BOY!!!

There you have it, all this time of wishing for a baby girl is gone, it's a boy. I'm going to live in a house where I'm out-numbered 5 to 1 (that is counting my male dogs, of course). All in all, I'm happy and feeling fortunate, so far everything looks great and he's healthy. But I still haven't felt the baby move. So other than my ever expanding abdominal cavity, it's still somewhat of a foreign idea to me, I'm growing a tiny penis inside of me at this very second. CRAZY!!! Just blows my mind, really!

I must say that this pregnancy is flying by. I'm just shy of being 5 months pregnant but it seems like only yesterday I was peeing on a stick and looking wide eyed at the positive results. In another 5 months, I'll officially be a mother. Man, that is too freaky!

I was reading an article recently, 30 things that no one tells you will change once you've given birth. The one point that I can't stop thinking about is this...

"The dog that has always been "your baby" will become just a dog."

At first I'm thinking, not my dog, not my Scrappy Doo. He's my BABY BOY and he always will be. And then I started to feel guilty that I might not love him as much. What is it going to do to the little dog if he feels neglected?!?! He may just have to go on puppy prozac. I couldn't bear seeing him depressed. Jason says that Scrappy is going to have a really hard time when the baby comes, says he will be real jealous. Jason is also convinced that Scrappy is going to try and pull the baby off of the couch one day and try to eat him or play with him like he's a rag doll. He tells me it's all my fault because I baby him. But I don't think that it will be a problem. I babysat my girlfriend's 5 month old a couple of weeks ago and Scrappy just wanted to lick her death. That's all. He didn't even attempt to nip her cute little nose. (Halley, if you're reading this, I apologize if it seems like I turned your daughter into a lab rat. It wasn't like that, I promise!) He was a perfect angel, that Scrappy Doo. Once Jason witnessed that, he said maybe the little Scrapper will be okay with the new baby.

How I managed to turn my "It's a Boy" news into a story about my dog is beyond me. I suppose that is a sign that I need to get my priorities straight. NOW. In the comments..what else is going to change after I have the baby that most people aren't warned about. But please, try not to scare the crap out of me!

2007-11-04T22:11:00.000-05:00

I've said before what a reality television junky I am, remember? Anyway, I've been watching The Next Iron Chef on Food Network for two reasons. One being that I absolutely adore cooking competition shows. I consider myself to be a pretty well acquainted with my kitchen and my culinary skills are quite nice (if I do say so myself). However, I am amazed each and every time I watch Iron Chef...whether it be the old Japanese shows or the newer American version. I'm left feeling awestruck every time. Why? Because I have no idea how anyone could be given some random ingredient, 1 hour and produce several top quality dishes. I'd be still peeling potatoes by the time my competitor was plating their 3rd dish. With that said...the second reason I'm watching the Next Iron Chef is because there is an extremely talented chef by the name of Michael Symon who hails from from Cleveland. How exciting is that! I'm sorry to admit that I've not eaten at any of his restaurants due to the inability to get a reservation several years ago and I've not ever tried again. And now that he's a budding television star on a national network, I don't even dare try. But it's all pretty cool just that same. The show airs on Sunday nights at 9pm eastern time on the food network. The final battle to decide whose cuisine reigns supreme and will get the coveted title of Iron Chef will take place next week. If you're interested, you can learn more about Micheal Symon here. Allez Cuisine!!!

2007-10-19T17:09:00.000-05:00

Oh what a week it has been. I've had two extra children at my house all week due to the lack of parenting skills of the biological parents and the grandparents being out of town. So...the lovely 3 year old niece and the exuberant 8 year old nephew have been testing my patience and mothering skills since last Thursday evening.

Oh the stories I could tell...but I'll just share one to let you know how my week has been and why I'm so relieved to see it end.

The other evening while watching t.v. the sweet niece was happily chasing Scrappy Dog vivaciously around the living room. To my surprise, Scrappy Dog looked terrified of the sweet niece and quite unsure of how to handle the little tyke since previous attempts at her nose were severely punished. Given that Scrappy was trying to be a good boy he rolled over onto his back hoping for a belly rub. Immediately the sweet niece noticed the little dog's penis and said "Aunt Nina! Aunt Nina! What is that? Does Scrappy have a bone stuck in his belly? Is that the bone we gave him to eat the other day? Look!!! It's STUCK!!!" I tried so hard to ignore her question and stifle my giggles but she's relentless. So as calmly as I could I told her that Scrappy does not have a bone stuck in his belly. In fact, that is not a bone at all. I told her that is how Scrappy goes pee-pee. This answer was enough to tame her curiosity for all of 20 seconds before she asked me what was the "pink thing" poking out from the top. I put Scrappy back in his cage and didn't let him out for any extended periods of time for the remainder of her stay.

Thank God it's FRIDAY!!

My Truths

2007-10-10T07:17:00.000-05:00

What do I know for sure? To be honest, not too much. But I'm more than happy to share my personal truths...

1.If I decide to flat iron my extremely curly hair, it's going to either rain or be super humid outside so that I look like a crazy person with ball of frizz sitting on top of my head.

2.The moment I give my "old" clothes to the local Goodwill, I find the perfect occasion to wear that crazy gold beaded top with the faux fur collar.

3.The older I get, the more I realize, family really is most important.

4.Never let anyone borrow more money than you can afford to not have paid back. Especially when it's a family member, you almost NEVER get that money back.

5.Just when I think that everything is going well in my life, some dumb ass shows up and fucks everything up. Almost always.

In the comments...share your own person truths.

Lacie

2007-09-26T15:56:00.000-05:00

This is one of my favorite pictures of my Lacie Dog. She was our first dog. I got home from the store one day and found her in my living room. We hadn't discussed getting a dog so I thought maybe we were just dog-sitting for someone. Nope. She was ours. I think in this photo she was about 8 weeks old. Maybe even a little younger. It was sometime in July. She was such a good puppy. She was potty trained in less than two weeks and NEVER had accidents in the house. She only chewed her toys. Honestly, we had no idea how well behaved she actually was until little Srappy-Doo (a.k.a. the terror) was added to the family. As Lacie grew, she turned out to be a wonderful companion and guard dog. I never felt that anyone could harm me or anyone in the family as long as Lacie was around. But she also was super friendly to all. My friend Nicole always calls Lacie "bossy" because she makes you pet her, regardless of what you want. The sweetest dog ever, that is how I'll remember my Lacie Dog...

...Today we had to put her down. One of the hardest decisions I've had to make in a super long time. Her health had been declining for quite some time and I probably should have done this sooner. But I was selfish and wanted to keep her because I love her sooooo much. Anyway...I held her until she took her final breath. Then I held her some more. I made sure that the final thing she saw was my face. I told her over and over that I was sorry and I love her. I hope she understood. I told her that I was sorry that she wouldn't get to meet the baby. I know that some of you think I'm ridiculous, but Lacie loved babies. She watched over them. Lacie would wake me in the middle of the night when I used to keep my niece if I didn't hear her crying. She was such a good dog...

...Shortly after leaving the vet's office I had a doctor's appointment of my own. I heard the baby's heartbeat for the first time today. It was the most beautiful sound. I thought of the circle of life.

2007-09-05T09:51:00.000-05:00

Here is the major announcement that I promised a while ago...I'm having a baby!!! This is the ultrasound picture at 7.5 weeks (today I'm just a bit over 8 weeks). I know it seems to be not much more than a blob right now, but if you look closely you can see the outline of a tiny body. Amazing!!!

So, this is why I haven't been writing and hardly commenting on other blogs. Because honestly, I've been a wreck!!! My emotions are going berserk and only seem to be getting worse. I cry often and about nothing. And sometimes about everything.Furthermore, I've never been so tired in my entire life. All I want to do is sleep. When I wake up, I think about when I'm going to be able to sleep some more. It's pathetic, really. Oh...the nausea. I haven't actually thrown up at all. But I've been blessed with this looming feeling of having to vomit all the time. Why they call it morning sickness is beyond me because I have this feeling morning, noon and night. The moment I think I'm feeling alright I get woozy all over again. So I'm trying not to think about it at all, not that it helps any.

Hopefully my friends who have already experienced pregnancy are right when they tell me that these feelings should pass soon. I'm really looking forward to not being so weepy and tired. But until then, forgive me for abandoning everyone. I'll be back as soon as I'm feeling a bit better!

Today's Inspirational Quote

2007-08-22T10:47:00.000-05:00

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream." -- Mark Twain

Home Remedies

2007-08-20T20:14:00.000-05:00

My favorite home remedy for a cold is the hot tottie. However, I'm completely convinced that it only works if someone else makes it for you. For those of you out there who have never had a hot tottie, be warned, they are disgusting. It's best to try and drink it as quickly as possible.

For anyone who has dogs, lavender oil is great for keeping fleas off of your pooch. It also will make them smell quite yummy.

My favorite zit remedy is lemon juice. Either rub a piece of fresh cut lemon onto the unsightly culprit or dab some lemon juice concentrate on a cotton ball and apply it that way several times a day. This works much faster than store bought goos that you can only wear at night because they leave a nasty residue on your skin.

Jason isn't feeling well. My neighbor told me that he should rub Vic's on the bottom of his feet, put socks on and go about his business. I thought this to be strange, I've never heard of this one. But I've passed on the information and he says he may try it before he goes to work tonight. I'll keep you posted.

In comments...what are your favorite home remedies? Or maybe you've just heard of some wacky ones that you'd like to share, whichever.

2007-08-13T08:29:00.000-05:00

I woke up this morning quite sad, full of thoughts that haven't been with me in a long time. Though, I'd be lying if I said I never thought of him. But last night I had a dream, and he was there. Just as I always knew him...

You see, we met at the age of 10. We only saw each other once a week at P.A.T. (I think that stood for Program for the Academically Talented) class. We quickly became friends, the best of friends actually. As we grew older and entered Jr. High School neither of us could have been more pleased to know we'd now be attending the same school. We'd see each other every day. We had several classes together. We also decided we were in love. Awe, who doesn't remember young love without a big grin? Holding hands while walking to class, writing love letters hoping the teacher doesn't catch you, sneaking late night phone calls, scribbling "I love so-and-so" all over your folders. What fun all of that was! Oh, we were inseparable. Life was perfect. But soon, seeing each other only during school wasn't enough. So he invited me over to his house one day after school to play basketball. His mother said she was looking forward to finally meeting me after hearing only my voice after all these years. And so it goes, the walk to his house after school, introductions were made everything was great! Until I got home and he called. It was at this moment that I witnessed for the very first time how ugly the world can be. He told me that his mom thought I was really nice but she had no idea that I wasn't white. He told her it didn't matter and she had a million reasons why it did. I'll spare you the nasty details that came over the next 2 years (we were not easily separated, as I said before) except to say that it was indeed nasty. Heated conversations took place amongst his and my mother, he and his mother as well as his mother and I. Eventually, after lots of sneaking around and pretending to date other people his parents won. We just couldn't do it anymore. We were defeated. It was so uncomfortable that we hardly ever spoke to each other throughout high school. We always exchanged looks that said "I miss you" but we never spoke. Actually, I did get the courage to call him once when we were in 11th grade. And I did tell him that I missed him. He sounded as sad as I was feeling and said, "Nina, please don't."
And that was our last phone conversation, ever. My last memory, is a good one. We were at senior brunch. I told him I would like him to take a picture with with me. He looked extremely surprised, yet happy. We put our arms around each other one last time, just long enough for it to hurt.

The adults used to whisper, let them be, they're only kids. It's not like they're getting married. They don't really love each other, they don't even know what love is. Even though these people were trying to help, these words were not comforting. They were a slap in the face.

Years went by. I always wondered where he was. I was sad (for selfish reasons) when I heard he'd gotten married. I was even more sad when I heard he was getting a divorce. Because even now, the thought of him unhappy makes me unhappy.

Looking back, I can say, yes. Yes, I loved him. I loved him the only way I knew how. He was my most trusted friend. Were my feelings of love as complex as they are today for my own husband and family? Of course not, I was indeed young. But we are all capable of love, at every age. And I beg of all the parents who read this, never deny your child the opportunity to love someone because you can't get over your own shortcomings about race.

Forgive me for being all over the place, but the truth is, it's hard to think clearly, because the emotion is still so strong. The tears will not stop falling. Just know that I cry not for the friendship that was taken away, or for my heart that was so badly broken. That pain has gone, although I sometimes still hurt from the scar. I cry for the ignorance of the people in this world who can not see past the color of one's skin. I cry for the people who still think that it matters.

Hmmm...

2007-08-08T11:14:00.000-05:00

It certainly has been some time since I've posted. Tera seems to have lots to say since she posted twice today, maybe she'd like to be a guest writer here?

It isn't that I've nothing to say...God knows I've got plenty. I just haven't felt much like sharing, sorry. But I will say that I've got a major announcement to make, soon. So...until then, in comments lets talk about what's going on with everyone. Any late summer plans? Is anyone stuck in this heat wave without air conditioning? Did anyone get a new puppy? Has anyone had exciting vacation sex? How about a new hair cut? Someone has to have some news about someting...

Back To Reality?

2007-07-25T23:02:00.000-05:00

I've read Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows. I've had several days to digest my thoughts. Thanks to Dagromm I don't need to have a discussion here regarding the book. All I will say is that is was thrilling. I am super satisfied with the ending, minus the epilogue. And now I must force myself to move on.

However, since I completed the book on Sunday night, I find myself with nothing to do. I've spent all of my free time during the last 2 months reading, reading and more reading. Although the latter has been quite relaxing and extremely self-gratifying, I am in dire need of finding a new past time. Is seems as though I've forgotten who I am and I don't even remember what I used to like to do. Tera seems to believe that I've become obsessive with all my Potter talk and I'm afraid she may be correct.

In my attempt to force my mind back into a reality without witches, wizards, invisible train platform entrances, Elder Wands or horcruxes, I've poured myself a nice glass of Merlot. Wine helps everything. It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Kinda like when I was still reading the books. And when I've had too much I get sleepy, can hardly keep my eyes open. Now that I think about it, wine has the same effect on me that reading all them books did. I want more, but know it's just best to stop and get some sleep. God willing, there is always tomorrow.

Sometimes when I've had too much wine my mind wanders, easily, off into some place that is unlike any other world. My emotions flow freely, sometimes too freely. I speak my private thoughts aloud. Actually, I found myself doing that often when I was reading Harry Potter. I'd be talking, laughing or gasping, unbeknownst to me, until Jason would yell from another room to ask if someone stopped by and should he put some clothes on. (He likes to travel though the house in his birthday suit as though we don't have windows.) I did learn throughout my 2 month reading excursion that reading and wine do not mix well. Instead of my body becoming fuzzy the words on the page become fuzzy. I do not suggest combining the two, reading and drinking wine, that is.

I'm glad that I've confronted this issue. It's helped me understand that I'm not ready to move on. I just need some more time (and maybe more wine). It hasn't even been a full week since I completed the final chapter of Deathly Hallows, the end of an era. No one grieves that quickly. Hell, I studied psychology in college and this is the perfect opportunity for me to put some of those skills to use. Anyone who took Psych 101 knows that Kubler-Ross said the first stage of grief is denial. I'm defiantly in denial. I'm secretly hoping that the upcoming Dateline interview with J.K. Rowling will include an announcement for another Harry Potter installment (beyond the encyclopedia of Potter characters). So... until I'm ready to move on to the anger phase, I may just start my second read through of Book 7.

In the comments...what do you do when you can't let go.

Eclectic Concepts III

2007-07-17T09:04:00.000-05:00

The patio has been laid, the $30 per bag polymeric sand (OUCH!) has been swept into the cracks, sprayed down and hardened. Finally, the masterpiece is complete! However, as a whole, my back yard looks like hillbilly heaven. Mounds of earth that were dug out need to be re spread and grass needs to be planted. We still have to create the sidewalk that Jason deems necessary for reasons unknown to me. It is, however, nice to step back and admire all my hard work in it's final state. I took this picture with my cell phone. If I had a digital camera, the photo would probably do the finished product more justice but I don't. Hmmm...sounds like I have a reason to go shopping!

The final installment of Harry Potter will be in my hands, hopefully, this Saturday no later than 12:15am. Given that it goes on sale at 12:01am, that should allow ample time for the purchasing transaction. Of course, that's assuming I manage to obtain a spot towards the front of the line . Until then, I'm selfishly neglecting my husband, my child, my dogs, my cooking and cleaning responsibilities in order to continue my quest of reading the entire series beforehand. I began reading Book 6 last night and if I've planned properly, I shall finish just in time for the release of Book 7 while all the details will be fresh in my mind. Ooohhhh, the anticipation is heightening!!

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I plan on secluding myself from the world in order to read Book 7 in total peace (as quickly as possible) in the attempt to not be exposed to any spoilers in the media. This morning, Jason informed me that his computer geek king of illegal Internet downloads friend reported that the first 500 pages of Deathly Hallows are floating around on the web somewhere. I'm not sure that I even believe the latter, but my husband just looked at me crazy when I told him I would not be searching for this illicit document because true Potter fans appreciate the waiting part of the official release. He really does think I'm nuts.

I had a visit with my doctor yesterday. After having me stand in awkward positions, poking and squeezing my muscles, tendons and ligaments, he concluded that my bum leg (that is STILL not working to its full capacity) is not permanently damaged. He prescribed me some pain patches and ordered me to take a short daily walk to re-build muscle strength. He doesn't believe my tango with the Hayabusa has left me with an irreversible impairment, its just a severe muscle strain. However, if I'm still in pain after a week of exercising, I'm to have x-rays just to be sure. Feeling good about the prospects of my limp eventually disappearing completely, I dropped off my prescription with plans to go home and talk a walk. However, after walking through the parking lot and all the way to the back of the store where the pharmacy is located and back, my leg was exhausted and I was in a great deal of pain. My ability to rationalize most any and every thing led me to conclude that I'd done enough walking for the day and I went home and rested. Today I'm going to try again. I think I'll try the treadmill though. Then I can sit down and rest without having to borrow the neighbor's lawn.

My back-yard neighbor gave me more flowers. They're absolutely beautiful. This time, I'm happy to report that she gave me 4 plants.

I thought that summer would provide me the time to sit back and think of something clever to blog about. Maybe share funny or heartfelt stories. Given my lack of postings lately, it's safe to say that nothing could be further from the truth. Hell, I've hardly even been reading any blogs let alone posting to mine...I plan on playing catch up...soon.

Ode to the Hayabusa

2007-07-06T14:20:00.000-05:00

Feeling brave, I mount the beast.
Feet planted firm, quickly my heart beats.
Ready to go, I breathe so deep,
Into first gear I'm ready to leap.
With the lift of my foot it's time to shift,
I pull up gently and quickly yell "OH SHIT!"
Into first gear, yes, I got.
Pull in the clutch...
I remembered not.
The beast stalled out and jerked to the side.
600 pounds quickly falling on my behind.
I see myself moving swiftly towards the ground,
Never before has my heart so hardly pound.
To my rescue he came, pushing me up as I fall,
My right leg bearing the weight of it all.
Slowly we dance with the beast in limbo,
Grunting and pushing...up, up, up she goes.
Finally I'm steady, yet shaking all over.
I dismount the bike and thank Jay for his shoulder.
I think I am fine until I must move.
I attempt that first step, call it anything but smooth.
I scream out in pain as I fall to the ground,
For about one week now, I hobble around.
The Hayabusa got the best of me.
I had to scoot around on my butt unable to put pressure on my leg or knee.
About a day later I was able to crawl.
Within 2 days I could walk while leaning on the wall.
Now I'm better, walking upright,
Just a small limp reminds me of my plight.
No time soon shall I try again,
To tame the beast for which my leg must now mend.
My desire to ride has not yet gone.
But rest assured, the Hayabusa, I will not be on.
My next attempt will surely be
On a motorcycle better suited for me.

For Tera

2007-06-28T14:31:00.000-05:00

Tera said I should try this, so here it is!

One of My Many Quirks

2007-06-26T22:08:00.000-05:00

I need balance in my life. And I like nice round even numbers the best. It's a habit I picked up as a young child and I've never truly grown out of it. I believe it all started with bedtime kisses when mom tucked me in. A quick peck on the cheek would never do, oh no! I had a well thought out routine. It began with one kiss on the left eye then the right. Next was my forehead followed by my chin. Finally, a peck on my nose and then my lips. Every single night. In that order. I couldn't sleep without it. God forbid mom and I got to laughing too much and one of us screwed up the pattern 'cause I'd make her start over. On the rare occasion that I go to bed with my husband, (he works the night shift) I'll sometimes have him kiss me goodnight in this this same way. I giggle about it. He just thinks I'm a weirdo.

When I'm out shopping and there is any type of 2 for 1 deal, I HAVE to buy both items. Even if this is not required by the store in order to get one at half price. Why buy 1 when you can have 2? One is a lonely number. And when I'm buying fruit or veggies by the piece, I always get an even number. Although, when I buy 10 apples it doesn't quite work out. If we each eat one a day, being that there are 3 of us, who gets the last one?

My neighbor offered to give me some of those pretty little hanging flower bags. I got real excited because I didn't purchase any myself this year since I've been too lazy to go to a real nursery and the Home Depot doesn't seem to stock them. I thought, "Ooohhhh, I'll hang one each on either side of the garage door!!" However, I misunderstood what she said. She said that she only had "one" not "some". I tried to hide the disappointment on my face as I graciously accepted her offer. I've (accidentally on purpose) forgotten to make the journey across my back yard and pick it up. Why on earth would I only want one? I can't have flowers hanging from one side of the garage and not the other, that would be a symmetrical sin! I'm secretly hoping that she doesn't send the single bag over with her daughter. I've been thinking really hard about what I could do with one bag and I'm not coming up with any possibilities. My mind just refuses to function in terms of "one".

My husband and I are in the process of building a patio. I'm very excited at the way it's coming along. The pattern is basically one large stone surrounded by 16 smaller stones. His original design theory consisted of some crazy abstract kidney-shaped crap. The thought of which made my stomach flip. I had to very calmly state, "Now Jason, you KNOW I like things to be symmetrical." I mean really, how else am I to clearly visualize the placement of furniture, plants etc. He figured it best not to press the issue. Needless to day, the patio will be rectangular upon completion.

In the comments...tell me about your idiosyncrasies or feel free to poke fun at mine.

Hillary Clinton Sopranos Spoof

2007-06-20T14:52:00.001-05:00

Nance said that Hillary needs to show us that she is human and can relate to women on a "real" level. I think this campaign ad is a good & funny attempt to show the more personable side of Mrs. Clinton. Although, I sincerely hope there is no hidden message here that she has mafia connections :)
Anyone who saw the Sopranos finale should appreciate this.

Memories

2007-06-11T22:54:00.000-05:00

Music is amazing. It is the one and only thing in this entire world (that I can think of) that has the ability to reach all people regardless of what language they speak, what their culture is or where they live. Several years ago I had the pleasure of being the guest of my Ghanaian friend to an African themed party at Oberlin College. Most of the attendees were African born students and dressed in their native garb. I didn't understand the language of the songs nor did I know how to do the traditional dances. But I quickly joined in and thoroughly enjoyed the beat of the music while appreciating the opportunity to be a part of the experience. Music is what brought everyone together. Music has the power to transcend boundaries and unify people who may not otherwise interact.

Briliant Donkey has a post up about moving to the country. This reminded me of the short time I spent living outside of the city. Honestly, this was not my most favorite experience. I'm a city girl through and through. I hated the bugs, the field mice and the inability to jump in my car and run to the local corner store in under 2 minutes. But looking back I must take the time to appreciate one thing in particular you just don't see in the city. My most beautiful "country" memory comes from standing in the middle of the road during the dead of night and seeing the tree lined streets glowing with lighting bugs. The sight is breath-taking. The trees look as through some meticulous decorator spent months putting up Christmas lights. The trees, on a summer night, twinkle so brightly. The spectacular display of these little bugs is truly an exquisite and radiant sight.

I really miss the Saturday afternoons spent at Basil's with Tera and Rey. That was our girl time. We would eat, drink and be merry. It was during these times that we sat around and giggled like little school girls. No boys allowed, usually. On rare occasions we'd allow a significant other to crash our weekly party but not often. The afternoon aways ended in smiles and shopping. I appreciate the times when we attempt to recreate those outings when one of them is visiting but they're never quite the same. Only because they are too few and far between. I think you two should move back to Ohio!

My first solo trip in a stick shift vehicle left me feeling over-confident. I'd made the 30 minute drive from my house to a park only stalling once. The park has a couple different entry points that are all downhill. Some much steeper than others. With that said, my arrival was a cake walk. The departure, a disaster. The park had a heavy traffic flow that day and I was in the middle of it. The beginning of my up-hill travel to leave the park began well, the cars were moving at a steady pace. Then I had to stop. When it was time to move again, I rolled backwards almost hitting the car behind me. I panicked. I stalled. I was scared to death of trying to re-start the car to try again so I just sat there. The pile up of cars behind me was growing quite large. Thankfully, a man traveling down the hill stopped at my window and asked if I was driving a stick and having a hard time getting up the hill. I told him yes. He put his car in park, causing a pile-up in the opposite direction now, hopped in my truck, drove me up the hill and then ran back down to his car. I was soooo grateful, but very embarrassed too. That was about 8 years ago. For the past 5 years I've driven a standard transmission car every single day. These days shifting gears and rolling on hills feels like second nature to me. But I NEVER drive myself to that park. Ever.

The latter memory reminds me of another that also took place in the above mentioned park. This is a picture of Buck, my Aunt Jo's super fat Dalmatian.
This photo was taken by a photographer from the local newspaper and was featured in MSN's Week in Pictures last year. Pretty cool, 'eh? She was super excited and proud knowing that people all over the world may be viewing her pleasantly plump pooch.

In the comments...feel free to reminisce about your own memories!

10 in 5

2007-06-06T23:52:00.000-05:00

Susan has a group event in progress...lose 10 pounds in 5 weeks. I'm feeling up for the challenge and I'm counting on Tera to help me out. I mean, just cause we live 5 hours apart doesn't mean we can't take work out together. Maybe we can take walks together on the phone, right Tera?!?!? O.K. that's probably not going to happen, but I am going to make an honest attempt. Hell, ten pounds in the right place may just put me back into a size____! Not going there~sorry!

I gave my word to participate on Tuesday. I actually forgot about it until today when I revisited Susan's blog. Maybe I'm having some short-term memory issues. Anyway...I've decided to start immediately by only having one beer tonight. And on Thrusday I'm going to make the attempt to eat healthy and work out hard. That way I can have a few beers when I watch the CAVS game. Shit, this is going to be harder than I thought.

Cleaning House

2007-06-04T08:54:00.000-05:00

There comes a time when we must all do a bit of cleaning in our lives. Yes, we have to scrub floors, walls and toilets but today I'm referring to a different type of cleaning. Today I'm getting rid of, for good, an extremely emotional draining relationship that has caused me nothing but drama for the past several years.

I think it's safe to say that most people encounter this situation at some point. You have a friend that you've kept around just because he/she has always been there even though you have no desire or energy to nurture the relationship anymore. The conversations are dry. Sometimes combative.

In my particular situation, I think this woman just does not, can not and will not attempt to understand that life does not always go as planned. Life is part of a forever changing continuum and those who refuse to go along for the ride eventually get left behind.

Lots of people experience this for the first time when they graduate from high school. We make promises that we'll be friends forever, no matter what. And I'm sure the intentions are pure, we just have no idea that often times the promise is empty. And we try, really we do. But people go away to a far off college, join the military or just move away. Sometimes we get married. Whatever the case may be, people grow apart. Priorities change. We no longer have time for the 2 hour long conversations at 1am about the guy you met at the bar. Some of us grow up and others don't. I grew up.

For me, I learned a lot about the personal relationships in my life when I got married. Non-married girlfriends don't always understand the dynamics of a husband and wife. But then again, why should they? For the most part, this is a non-issue. However, one person in particular, always seems to find a way to attack the way I live my life and my marriage. At first, I tried to explain how things change after you get married. Especially when there is a child involved. I tried to help her understand the effort that is involved in making sure things run smoothly at home. I attempted to explain how my standards of happiness have changed from material things to emotional wealth. Anyone who is married with children, or who is a parent can relate, I'm sure, to the fact that running a house is not always an easy feat. No longer is it appropriate to only worry about yourself. Don't get me wrong, I don't ever put my friends on the back burner, but my family comes first. Period.

I am happy. I feel that thus far, my life has been a success. I have learned that success in life is not always measured by what job you have, how many degrees you hold or how many hours a week you work. Success is different things to different people. My idea of exactly what it means to be successful has changed several times over my 29 years on this earth. However, one thing is for sure, and I have learned it from my husband, success and happiness often go hand and hand. And when I realized that this so called friend of mine was incapable of accepting that this is my point of view, (for my own life, not hers) I knew it was time to put the friendship to rest. I don't need people in my life who judge the choices I make. Who refuse to be happy for me because they chose a different path in life and define things differently. I need supportive and positive people surrounding me. Not someone who attacks me when I don't answer a phone call and assumes the reason is because my marriage is in a rocky place or the kid pissed me off. Often times she even takes it personally and starts an argument that never gets resolved because there was never a basis for it to begin with. I don't have the time nor the patience for needy co-dependant people who make unwelcome attempts at analyzing my life.

Sometimes the end of a relationship is not always a direct result of how that person treats you. Sometimes you just get tired of all the negativity. Who wants to talk to someone when 90% of the conversation is "woe is me"? Married women do not want to hear about the affairs other women have with married men. We all know that misery loves company and I'm no longer interested in being that companion. Furthermore, I don't want to talk to someone who is constantly bad mouthing other people that I care about in a selfish attempt to get me on their side. No thanks, we're not in pre-school anymore and we can't kick people out of sandboxes when someone in the circle of friends has a little tiff.

I talk to my friends on a pretty regular basis. At least a few times a week, often more. Certain people, a few times a day. But in the event there is an absence in communication, my true friends never ask "why?" beyond the point of inquiring if everything is alright. They don't take it personally, they respect the fact that I have a family to care for and things often become hectic out of the blue. And I do the same for them. To those friends that I speak of, and you know who you are, thank you, and I love you.

Friendships should not be a burden. They should not be a constant battle. Sometimes things change, people change and we have to deal with those changes accordingly or the relationships can not possibly be expected to survive. Today, I have realized a relationship that I've had for almost 15 years must come to an end, for good. It's toxic, causes me stress and I'm no longer willing to try and repair it. Sometimes it is just better to understand that all damages can't be repaired. I must chalk it up as a loss and put my garbage on the curb.

Before I end I'd like to share something that rings so true to me and the judgements that have been made against me:

Happiness is not a possession to be prized, it is a quality of thought, a state of mind. ~Daphne Du Maurier, English Writer

In the comments...Toast to all things that make you happy. Cheers!

Cavs Lead the Series!!!!

2007-05-31T23:19:00.000-05:00

Seriously, is Lebron James human? NO ONE could stop him. He promised his team that if the score was close in the 4th he'd find a way to win the game. After 48 points and 50 minutes of playing time, the Cavs beat Detroit 109-107 in double overtime to take a 3-2 lead in the series. We truly are all witnesses!! GO CAVS!!!!

I'm a Pot Head!!

2007-05-24T17:14:00.000-05:00

A Harry Potter pot head, that is. I'm a friggin' junkie.

Before I'd read the books, I could not understand for the life of me why so many adults were acting like crazed maniacs over a children's series. But like I said, that was BEFORE. I don't know that I've ever read books quite so entertaining and appealing to so many different age groups and people types. Now I'm one of those crazy people too. Sad, but true. To anyone who has not read the series, I highly recomend doing so. Even if you think this is not "your type of book". I've yet to run across anyone who has read the books and thought they were just "o.k." or did not like them at all. If you enjoy reading, you'll enjoy the adventures of Harry Potter.

I also love the movies. They stay very true to the events in the books. I've never missed opening day (first showing, always) of a Potter film. Even if that means I take the day off work. Luckily, the next movie will be released in July and I'll be on summer vacation. So calling in sick with a fake belly ache won't be necessary. Furthermore, I absolutely can not surf through the channels, see that a Harry Potter movie is playing and keep on surfing. I'll stop whatever I'm doing to sit down and watch. At the very least, I turn on all the televisions in my house so I can watch as I'm cleaning from room to room. It really is a bit of an obsession. Given that The Goblet of Fire has been playing almost daily between HBO and Cinimax, I've not gotten much done around the house. Especially since the new windows have been installed and I can (thankfully) no longer hear the dogs bark while there outside. No more annoying dog interruptions, yeah buddy!

One of my friends asked me if I've ordered the new book, The Deathly Hallows, coming out in July. I have not. I'm having an awful time with this decision. Should I order it online to ensure that I get a copy? But then what if the mail/UPS/Fed Ex man is running late and I'm not able to begin the final book until late in the day? If that were to happen, I chance seeing a spoiler on the tv news or online. That would just break my heart. I'm pretty convinced that Harry will die, along with He Who Must Not Be Named, but I need to discover the fate of all on my own. So maybe I'll reserve a copy, pre-paid of course, at one of the local bookstores and hope for a midnight opening. I can not forget, though, a story I was told by my Harry Potter loving Aunt Jo who attempted to attend one of those late night escapades... When the most recent book, The Half-Blood Prince, was released and there was supposed to be a midnight opening, the people never showed up at the shopping mall to open the store! I absolutely can't chance that!!! I'm really struggling here, I need to have my muggle hands on that book as soon as humanly possible. I plan on locking myself up somewhere and reading it in its entirety as fast as possible. I may even leave my home to stay at the local Holiday Inn to ensure that my husband doesn't attempt to foil my time alone with Harry and the gang. (He gets a bit jealous when my attention is devoted so extensively to something other than him.) After all, this is the final installation. I must savour every single word on every single page.

Eclectic Concepts II

2007-05-21T23:59:00.000-05:00

The window people are coming to do the installation bright and early Tuesday morning. They told us to take down all the blinds/curtains and remove certain decorative wall hangings that are close by. Jason helped me with one friggin' window. Just one. Then he left for work. Bastard. I've got a long night ahead of me. Furthermore, my computer sits in front of a window. That means I'm going to be without the black hole, a.k.a the Internet, for close to a whole day because I'll have to move it. What the hell am I supposed to do while I have my morning java?

Sometimes you just have to suck it up and make the best of it.

The Cavs lost to Detroit tonight. Really good game. Close. Hopefully next time King James will step up and score some more points. I should have been rearranging furniture and taking down blinds instead of watching the Cavs miss game winning 3 pointers.

I taught Scooter Dog to catch a Frisbee today. Now I just have to teach him to release it from that big ass mouth of his. That's going to be the hard part, he's stingy when it comes to toys.

I still love my Zune. But I'm also still waiting for Fringes to send me some music. Hint hint!

My biological clock is tick, tick, ticking. I think I'm finally ready to begin the mating ritual for purposes other than fun. Now if I can just convince myself to stop taking that damn pill. For anyone thinking that I already have a child, he is my step-son. I need to have one of my own in order to mold him or her into my own personal slave.

For the second time in less than a month, my husband informed me that he wants to have a party. Don't get me wrong, I love having a house full of people. But this party is to watch Ultimate Fighting. Although I thoroughly enjoy watching those idiots beat the shit out of each other, I often find myself feeling super aggressive afterwards. I'll need to be on my best behavior to ensure I don't pick a fight with any of our guests. It will be difficult.

There is an ongoing debate in my head. Do I have to go to every single baseball game as long as someone from the family is there? I mean, it's not even June yet and I'm already feeling burned out from the little league drama. Can't I pass on a few? Tonight I left early and it felt good. I'm such a rebel. Or maybe I'm just a wicked step-mother.

Elliot Yamin (3rd runner up from last season's American Idol, remember?) sounds a lot like Donny Hathaway. To me, anyways. Jason says absolutely not, not at all.

A few weeks ago I put some Hawaiian bread out in the lawn for the birds. They didn't like it, I suppose, because it sat out there for days. Maybe it was too sweet for the birdie palate? Scrappy Dog scarfed it down whenever he managed to bolt out of the front door. So he, evidently, loved the bread. Yesterday I put out some plane 'ol white bread and this morning I watched the birds come and go for every single morsel. I guess birds like bland food.

Although I could go on all night with my random thought patterns, I need to shut my computer down, move this desk and take down the blinds. Only two more rooms to go before I can retire for the night :)

Favorite Music

2007-05-17T09:07:00.000-05:00

Last night I took the leap into the world of handheld digital media and purchased a Zune. So far I love it. But I'd like some suggestions for the ultimate music library. In comments, tell me a couple of your favorite songs. Especially the oldies that I may be forgetting about as I build my play lists.

Happy Birthday, Spam!

2007-05-16T10:39:00.000-05:00

With all the talk of food in the last post I thought I'd share something I learned today. Evidently, today is the birthday of Spam. It was introduced in 1891 by the Hormel Packing Company.

If you're a die-hard Spam lover, you can take a trip to the Spam Museum in Austin, Minnesota. Seriously, did anyone even know that such a place existed?

I know that it is difficult for many to admit that they indulge in the occasional Spam sandwich or fried up as a breakfast meat since we really don't even know what Spam is. But let me be the fist to say, "Hi, my name is Nina and I like Spam." But I will also say that I haven't eaten Spam in quite a while. I got kind of nervous years ago when I realized that Spam truly is a "mystery meat". But given that today is a Spam celebration day, it may just be what's for dinner.

Just a little side note: even if you do not like Spam, every household should be equipped with several cans in case of a national emergency. That stuff will last for years if you have to hide out in your bomb shelter.

That Damn Tera!!!

2007-05-15T15:53:00.000-05:00

I was tagged by Tera. So being the good sport that I am, here we go...

The meme:
1. Add a direct link to your post below the name of the person who tagged you. Include the city/state and country you’re in.

Nicole (Sydney, Australia)
velverse (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)
LB (San Giovanni in Marignano, Italy)
Selba (Jakarta, Indonesia)
Olivia (London, England)
ML (Utah, USA)
Lotus (Toronto, Canada)
tanabata (Saitama, Japan)
Andi (Dallas [ish], Texas, United States)
Todd (Louisville, Kentucky, United States)
miss kendra (los angeles, california, u.s.a)
Jiggs Casey (Berkeley, CA, USA! USA! USA!)
Tits McGee (New England, USA)
Kat (Ontario, Canada)
Cheezy (London, England)
Paula (Orange County, California, U.S.)
Jeff (Colorado, USA)
Fringes (around Houston, US)
Tera (Somewhere In KY by way of OH, USA)
Nina (Cleveland Area, OH, USA)

***I'm not adding links to everyone on this list, that seems to be a lot of work. If there is an easy way to do it, I don't have a clue as to what that way is. Sorry.

2.List your top 5 local eating places.

1.El Carreton (they don't have a website) is the greatest for Mexican food. Plus the waiters drink beers while they think no one is looking so I think they're cool.
2.The Cheesecake Factory is great for people like me who don't know exactly what they feel like eating before they go out. Their menu is enormous and there is something for everyone.
3.Applebee's has the best happy hour. All the appetizers are half off. The downside is that I often run into my students after I've had too many glasses of wine.
4.For special occasions I like Chez Francois. Great service, award winning wine lists and the food is to die for.
5.Basil's is my hands down favorite for good 'ol fashion bar food. (if you visit this site you'll find a picture of me...bonus points if you can guess who I am)

3. Tag 5 other people (preferably from other countries/states) and let them know they’ve been tagged.

1.Anali
2.Mist1
3.Nance
4.Induced Homomorphism
5.Eslocura

Old Enough

2007-05-08T06:06:00.000-05:00

At what age is it appropriate to start having children do more for themselves? I'm ready to hand over some household responsibility.

The child in my home is going to be 12 in just a couple more months. The husband says that he's going through a transformation...he's beginning to take pride in the way he dresses, he's making semi-good attempts to comb his hair in a presentable fashion and he cares if his shoes get dirty. Jason says that he's at the age where "he can smell his own piss". (Please, don't ask. There are lots of Jasonisms that fly around this house daily). So I'm wondering if I can slap some more responsibility on his ever broadening shoulders and growing ego.

Young D already has a list of chores that are posted on the fridge that need to be completed daily. The only supposed exceptions to the latter are large amounts of homework, baseball or football games/practices. Sometimes the get out of jail free card is used for a number of other less important things like American Idol or Dad wants to go somewhere and doesn't feel like waiting for Poky Joe to finish washing the dishes or walking the dog. But that's a whole other issue, let's not go there today.

Anyway...I figure it's time for the young buck to learn how to do laundry. His own, of course. I wouldn't dare let him touch my clothes. He does enough damage to mine by leaving chocolate bars and ink pens in the pockets of his blue jeans.

If I may be honest here, my motive is two fold. First, I HATE doing laundry and I have no idea how three people can create sooooo much of it. And on the rare occasion that I've managed to get all the dirty clothes washed (just as I've finished my victory dance) the little man has this magical way of conjuring up two or three more loads that have mysteriously been placed in the corner of his closet. Not by him, of course, but by the little people who live under the floor-boards. Those bastards really irk me, I'm going to have to call the little-people exterminators to handle that one. Moving on. I've decided that if he washes his own clothes, I'll no longer need to be concerned with the dirty clothes that pop up out of thin air once I'm done dealing with the laundry demons. He can have his own hamper. In his own room. Then it's no longer MY issue.

Second, I think it's time for the young man of the house to see what it's like to be a bit more responsible for himself. It's time for him to learn exactly WHY you can't tell someone that your uniform is dirty 20 minutes before the game. He needs to learn that life will run much more smoothly when you don't wait until you've completely run out of clean underware to ask if anyone washed clothes the night before.

Seriously, the most important factor here...I don't want to have to wash so many damn clothes. PERIOD. He's old enough, right? Besides, my mom always told me that one of the plus sides of having children around the house is having the authority to make them do the stuff parents don't want to do. So maybe I'll approach this new task for D as a scientific experiment proving her theory.

Pick a Side Already!

2007-05-03T21:58:00.000-05:00

In case you missed it, tonight was the Republican Party candidate's debate.

When asked whether or not he believes in evolution, Sen. John McCain answered:
"I believe in evolution. But I also believe, when I hike the Grand Canyon and see it at sunset, that the hand of God is there also."

Is it just me or is McCain's response a bit contradictory? Where I come from, the answer would be a simple "yes" or "no". I wouldn't be allowed to pick and choose which parts of the Bible I want to believe. But hey, that's just me.

I'm still pulling for Obama.

Eclectic Thoughts

2007-04-28T19:45:00.000-05:00

I've got a ton on my mind so let me apologize for the incoherent rambling before you read on...

I hold grudges. This is admittedly one of my worst flaws. And let me tell you, it's bad. The people who know me best may not even realize I am this way because I'm not always vocal about it. But I NEVER forget when someone has wronged me. And I'm wondering about this now because I'm realizing that holding grudges stresses me out. My life would be so much easier if I'd just forget about the time when...

Thinking about grudges brings me to forgiveness. If I continuously hold grudges do I truly ever forgive anyone? Or myself, for that matter. Honestly, very rarely. I really have to find a way to work through all of this.

I went bowling and ended up hurting my finger. A bowling injury? Who gets those? Whatever. The cool part...a couple of nights later I was at the local watering hole with some friends and I told one of them about my injury. He said, "Give me your hand." I obeyed. He rubbed my finger for 30 seconds or so (while I carried on a conversation with someone else) and asked if it was any better. Amazingly enough, the pain was gone! When I asked what he did the reply was, "I prayed for your finger to stop hurting." Ahh...the power of prayer even works in a bar. More so, I was touched. Deeply. (just for the record, I was not drunk.)

Window salesmen are shitty. They are all liars. Except for the one who shows up last and gives the best price, of course. He's great.

My Lacie dog has some funky skin disorder. I bathed her tonight in the "special" shampoo that has to marinate on her skin for 10 minutes. Keeping a 100+ pound dog in a bathtub for 10 minutes is not easy.

When I want to sit down and blog my mind is empty and I have nothing to write about. When I've got a million other things that I should be doing, I sit down at the computer and this strange power takes over me and I can just go on and on and on...

Today was supposed to be the beginning of the the little league baseball season. Opening day, the big hurrah! It rained. The fields were too wet. All games were cancelled. My point? Baseball season is already too long and here we are, on the first day, already extending the season. It's going to be a long summer.

I had to go to a baby shower today. We all know how I feel about "showers" of any type. But somehow I got recruited for the job of writing down who bought what gift. Really, I didn't mind. I would do anything for _______. Well, at least I didn't mind until the mother-in-law of the mommy-to-be decided to be super-grandma and it literally took her about 30 minutes to open super-grandma's gifts. Why didn't she just save some of that shit for after the baby was born? (I am happy to report that there were no games.)

Barack Obama disappointed me during Thursday's debates. He did a fine job of NOT answering the questions. I'm considering supporting the crazy guy from Alaska. I liked him, he had no problem whatsoever speaking his mind.

It's probably time that I stop. I need to finish wiping dog hair off of the bathroom walls before the effects of the wine set in.

Back In The Day

2007-04-25T06:46:00.000-05:00

Everyday I receive an inspirational quote that also comes with a "today in history" fact. I found today's trip back in time interesting and worth sharing. It said:

"...today is the birthday of the License Plate (1901)?
New York became the first state to require license plates on
cars. The first plates cost $1.00. It's gone up just a bit
since then."

I had to purchase plates last month and the going rate was $65. The renewal sticker that we must get each birthday is about $53, I think. I know that this varies from state to state. I'm curious to know what it costs elsewhere for those of you who don't live in Ohio.

The other day my son was eating a box of $.25 candy (Cherry Bombs) that my husband and I used to pay 5 cents for when we were his age. I also remember when it cost only a quarter to enjoy a fun filled day at the local pool. Last summer the price was $2.00. When I graduated from high school, the price of gas was just under one dollar per gallon and everyone was saying how high that was. A pack of cigarettes were $1.80 and I swore that if they ever went over 2 bucks I'd quit. Now here we are at over $4.00 a pack and I'm still buying...

In the comments...take a trip down memory lane. How have the prices of your favorite activities, foods or vices changed over the years?

What's For Dinner?

2007-04-23T08:24:00.000-05:00

The weekend was BEAUTIFUL! Sunny and warm. We turned off the furnace and opened all the windows. Lovely, just lovely. I woke up on Sunday morning feeling motivated to get outside and clean up the yard. I picked up sticks, pulled weeds, laid mulch, trimmed the shrubbery, scrubbed the outside table and chairs and played with the dogs. All in all I had a pretty productive day. To say I was exhausted would be an understatement. However, we must eat. Now mind you, Jason was asleep the whole time, while I'm slaving away, since he worked the night before. When he wakes up, I ask him would he like steaks on the grill for dinner. He says that sounds great. So off I go to the local Convenient store.

Upon arrival, I realize that everyone else in town must have had the same brilliant idea (a steak cookout) because my only purchasing option was New York Strip Steaks. This is fine by me, I happen to love a good strip steak. However, I know this is a potential problem for the husband as he's a t-bone or fillet lover. But what is a girl to do? The selection was limited. I choose the best looking from the bunch and head home.

When I return to the house, Jason is outside prepping the motorcycle for a ride. He informs me that he's going to pay his aunt a visit and asks when dinner will be ready so he can be back in time. Then comes the conversation I prepared myself for during the 3 minute drive home:

Jason: What kind of steaks did you buy?
Me: Strip steaks.
Jason: (rolls his eyes)
Me: That's all they had.
Jason: I didn't say anything.
Me: You didn't have to, you rolled your eyes.
Jason: It's just that strip steaks don't grill up nicely because they're not that thick. Fillets would have been better.
Me: The steaks are plenty thick enough and they'll be fine.
(Jason makes his way to the refrigerator and pulls out the package of steaks.)
Jason: Where's the meat? This isn't enough?
Me: There is more than enough for the two of us. You always tell me that I don't make enough meat and then you retract your statement after you've eaten by saying how full you are. Stop thinking you always have to eat like a pig.
Jason: This isn't enough.
ME: (I'm angry now) Well, go over to Aunt Francine's house and eat. Maybe she made steak that is the right cut and thickness and cooked properly. I'm going to make this for MYSELF. And it's going to be good!! I'm serious, Jason, I'm not cooking you a steak!

Before he left for his aunt's house, he asked me again when dinner would be ready. In a not very polite way, full of expletives, I promised him that I would not be providing him with dinner in any way, shape or form. I reminded him that what I chose to prepare was not high enough on the "Jason's meat standard list" and he better find some dinner somewhere else. Period.

He left. I cooked MY steak in my favorite Calphalon pan, INSIDE, because now I've been sucked dry of any remaining energy and don't want to wait for the grill to heat up or have to be bothered with running in and out while it cooks.

Dinner was scrumptious. The steak was juicy and cooked to perfection, medium rare. I enjoyed it thoroughly along with a baked potato smothered with butter, sour cream and cheddar cheese. I also prepared myself a nice crisp salad. I ate my dinner, ALONE. And just for the record, I did not finish the steak. I'd eaten about half of it when my belly said it was time to stop. Apparently, the steak WAS big enough.

After dinner, I decided to take a hot bath laced with baby oil to soak my aching muscles and quench my sun dried skin. I've got it all planned out. I can stay in the tub for about 30 minutes and when I'm finished it'll be time to cuddle up in bed to watch the Sopranos before nodding off for the night.

The bath was refreshing for my muscles but relaxing for my mind. I laid down, willing my eyes to stay open just a bit longer so I can catch up with the happenings of Tony and the gang. I never even heard the opening theme song. But somewhere along the way of my blissful dreams, Jason came home. He woke me up asking, "Where's my steak?" I gave him a groggy response of, "Still marinating in the fridge." He said, "You really didn't make me any dinner? I can't believe this!!" I rolled back over, anxious to return to dream-land, thinking...did he really think I wasn't serious? I thought I made myself clear when I told him to eat while he was out. I vaguely remember hearing him in the kitchen cooking the steak he didn't want. This morning, upon further investigation, my suspicion was confirmed when I found the refrigerator void of the supposedly unwanted, not good enough for Jason, steak.

Maybe next time he won't be so damn critical of my choices. Or maybe he'll volunteer to cook dinner (Jason is an excellent cook) to ensure the food is to his liking. Hopefully, he'll just keep his pie-hole shut and be grateful that I even cook. Damn it!

BLAH!

2007-04-17T17:54:00.000-05:00

Just finished paying all the bills. Depressing. I hate watching the balance in the checkbook plummet. (But I'm sure I can still manage those cute shoes I saw yesterday).

My mom gave me a copy of Martha Stewart's Homekeeping Handbook (I love Martha) but so far all I've learned is that I don't clean my house enough.

Today I received my highly anticipated sexy black leather jacket that beautifully rounds out my motorcycle attire.
But guess what? It doesn't fit & I'm going to have to send it back. I had to squeeeeeze my boobs into a very awkward position to zip the damn thing as though breathing was optional. I knew I should have ordered the other one. So now I'm faced with paying for the return shipping costs and restocking fees. I'm so disappointed. I could keep the jacket and go on a crash diet in the hopes of shrinking my breasts. Or maybe I could look into a reduction surgery. Or maybe I should just exchange it for the next size up and hope the extra room needed in the chest area will take some length off the sleeves. How and the hell am I supposed to know which size to opt for when obviously the sizing chart measurements can't be trusted? Oh the joys of online shopping!!!

My tulips are not going to make it. Not because of all the crappy weather we've had but because a certain Lacie Dog likes to lie all over them when she sun bathes and that damn Scooter eats the would-be blooms. Would anyone like to adopt a dog? I'm willing to part with Scooter, immediately! He comes with a lovely cage and I'd also be willing to feed him for a year. Furthermore, he's a wonderful running buddy/security guard. The only stipulation, no returns and no exchanges. Sorry.

Obviously I could use some cheering up. Feel free to tell a feel-good story in the comments.

Mission Accomplished

2007-04-16T09:53:00.000-05:00

Yesterday's class was challenging, full of slow curving maneuvers and making quick stops. Then end result, I passed the class with only having 5 points deducted from my riding skills evaluation test. And let me just brag a minute here...Jason passed as well. But he also had 5 points deducted on the same portion of the test as myself. Given the fact that he's been riding for years, I feel pretty damn good knowing I did equally as well!

One down-side of yesterday's class...it was freakin' cold, raining and the winds were bone chilling! Down-side #2...I crashed, hard! While practicing making a quick stop coming out of a curve, I failed to straighten out the handlebars and flew right off that damn motorcycle! It happened so fast I didn't even realize I'd wrecked until I was laying on the ground. However, my instructor told the class, "If you're going to crash, crash like Nina!" I went down, rolled away from the bike without hitting my head and jumped right up yelling, "I'm okay!!" as I gave the onlooking riders in my group a big smile and a thumbs up! I was even told that I did it all with grace :)

Anyway, I'm fine and have no major injuries. I've got some nice bruises from my beautiful shoulder rolls and my leg was throbbing last night after I'd rested for a while and the pain had time to set in. But all in all, I'm glad it happened. My biggest fear was falling off the bike because I just knew I'd kill myself. I'm happy to report that I survived. They say everyone crashes at some point in their motorcycle riding adventures. Hopefully, I got mine out of the way and I'm grateful it didn't involve being on an open road with traffic.

The next step is finding the motorcycle right for me. Although I did well in the class (minus the wreck) I'm smart enough to know that I need tons more practice. I won't be heading out to the city streets anytime soon. I will continue to practice in secluded areas until my confidence levels have raised dramatically. But I still want to ride Jason's Hayabusa...someday!

Update

2007-04-15T05:18:00.000-05:00

I'm on my way to day 2 of the motorcycle class. Yesterday was a blast...I didn't fall off the bike, drop the clutch (at least not while in motion) or run into any fellow motorcyclists (although I did have one close, very close, call). All in all it was a success. I've learned that my biggest obstacle is myself, go figure.

Today it will be colder and wet. Definitely not optimum riding conditions. I'm just hoping the $10 rain suit, that will most likely melt if it comes in contact with a hot pipe, will not be necessary.

So I'm off...and in the words of my husband, "HELL YEAH I RIDE BIKES!"

A Good Read

2007-04-12T00:44:00.000-05:00

OH OH OH!!!!! Eric Jerome Dickey has a new book out!!! I believe that I've mentioned before that I like to read smut. And boy is he smutty! I'm so excited, I haven't even read it yet and I'm recommending it to all. I know, I know, that's not legal. But I can honestly say that I've never been disappointed by this author. He really is a wonderful writer. My favorite title by him is Milk in My Coffee. How about I recommend that first...enjoy!

Shear Genuis?

2007-04-11T23:28:00.000-05:00

Tonight I was sucked into to another reality tv show, Shear Genius on Bravo. Bad. Awful. Heinous. Ghastly. That about sums is up. One of tonight's themes, hair art. Maybe I just don't possess the predisposition for hair love. I'm still trying to figure it all out. In any case, Bravo has stooped to a new low. I'm a huge fan of Project Runway (even though it seems like the winners never produce the promised fab designs after they win) and I eventually got into Top Design. Loved Jonathan Adler's cheesy "See ya later decorator!" farewell line. But this hair cutting show, wow! Since when is styling hair a competition? Does anyone really ever come out on top if the end result is a head full of feather boas? Or a treasure chest balanced on one's crown? I do remember when America's Next Top Model had a crazy hair episode:

The Top Models are not nearly as dreadful as the Shear Genius girl. Agreed?
Perhaps I prefer the Top Models because the focus was more on the modeling or maybe because I knew it would be different next time. Nevertheless, I'm praying the urge to feed my reality tv huger will not be victorious to the battle of the shears. It will be a huge waste of time and brain cells. Although one of the perks is a contest in which one lucky(?) viewer of the show, along with a friend of course, will win a $5000 hair cut from one of the stylists. But given the premiere episode theme, that could be dangerous. I suppose I'll just need to wait until June for the return of Heidi, Micheal and Nina to Auf "real" designers on Project Runway. Until then, I'm forced to boycott Bravo.

Awe hell, who am I kidding? I'll most likely succumb to the "shear" pressure and tune in next Wednesday confident that it has to be better this time. In the meantime, I'll look for a 12-step program for reality tv addicts.

Help Wanted

2007-04-11T00:31:00.000-05:00

My husband decided the other day that he wanted to read my blog posts. He sat down to the computer and started from the beginning. Every once in a while I'd hear a giggle and he'd call me in to ask a question. When he was finished the conversation went:

Me: Well, what do you think?
Jay: You have a lot of typos.
Me: I TRY to look for mistakes when I'm finished typing.
Jay: Hey look...Tera and Rey have typos too.
Me: Would you like to be my editor?
Jay: No.
Me: What should I do? Nobody is perfect, you know.
Jay: You should all go back to college.

I'm here today to acknowledge my shortcomings. I'm sure that there are readers out there, much like myself, who pick up on other people's writing errors rather quickly. (I also have a nasty habit of correcting a speaker's grammar in my head as they're talking.) But for some reason I'm just not accomplished at editing my own work, I never have been. So, forgive me if you're reading my posts and you stumble upon the occasional mishap. I do my best. What I can't quite grasp is how I always managed to excel in English courses throughout high school and college. Funny how those things work out, huh?

Just a little side thought before I end...knowing that an English teacher reads my blog does make me a bit neurotic during my editing process but apparently, according to my husband, I need to try harder.

Why is it that we always want to please the educators, no matter how old we get? :)

Just Visiting?

2007-04-06T08:32:00.000-05:00

Last night I watched The Good Shepherd. If you haven't seen the movie...in a nut shell, it is about the birth of the CIA. It follows the life of Edward Wilson, one of the first ever CIA officials, and portrays his love of the US and all he's willing to do to protect his country.

Although I did not particularly like this movie (very long and disconnected), I did find parts to be interesting. One particular scene really got the wheels spinning in my head. Edward Wilson, the white CIA agent, is talking with Joseph Palmi, an Italian mobster. Wilson is trying to get Palmi to help the U.S. bring down Castro. The lines below may not be correct word for word but they are pretty close:

Joseph Palmi: ... we Italians, we got our families, and we got the church, the Irish they have the homeland, jews their tradition; even the niggers, they got their music. What about you people, Mr. Wilson, what do you have?
Edward Wilson: The United States of America, and the rest of you are just visiting.

Keep in mind that this movie is taking place over approximately 30 years beginning right around 1920. Knowing the latter, the dialogue seems appropriate. But why does it seem to resonate so loudly in my head?

I thought maybe I was being over-analytical and super sensitive to keep thinking about these lines all day until my husband repeated the lines and said, "You know, what they said in that movie, that was f#*ked up!" And all I could say was, "Yeah, it was." I'm not offended by the stereotypes. Wilson's response is what I can't get out of my head.

I'd like to believe that our country is not run solely by white males. I'd like to believe that the number of minorities involved in our government is a sign of the times. But if I allow myself a moment to step back and TRY to be objective, I have to wonder if I'm being naive. I can't help but to deliberate over some of the questions surrounding today's presidential hopefuls. Will America vote for a woman? Is America ready for a black president? Sadly, I think the answer to both of those questions is NO. If and when the time comes for America to decide between a woman or a black man to be her leader, will the true reason for failure be due to qualifications or likability? Or will it be because there is a conglomerate of people so powerful in this county, in this world, who are able to keep minorities one step behind at all times?

Is everyone else really "just visiting"?

Still In Mourning

2007-04-05T07:49:00.000-05:00

Given that Easter Sunday is just around the corner I've realized that I'm saturated with conflicting emotions.
First of all, Easter is usually associated with Jesus, over crowded churches, cute fuzzy bunnies, family gatherings, baskets full of candy...the list goes on and on. But for me, this year, Easter has taken on a whole new meaning. This Sunday is the return of...

Aaahhhh, Sunday night HBO. I've missed it dearly and the anticipation of the return of Tony and Carmela is building daily. See, Sunday night HBO is a tradition among my circle of friends. Especially when we're talking premiere night. This is a social event that includes planning. Food prep. Invites. I need to spend the day preparing a nice Italian dinner, picking out the wine and shining the stemware. I can't be bothered with the family dinners and jumping from house to house because you're "supposed" to visit everyone on a holiday. I refuse to allow myself to become exhausted listening to family bickering. I will not take the chance that by the time 9:00pm rolls around I'll be too tired to keep my eyes open, unable to fully engross myself in the happenings of America's favorite mob family. And for those who are not fans of the show, this is no regular premiere. This is the first episode of the series finale. The beginning of the end! Therefore, I don't dare use the DVR and chance seeing a spoiler clip on the morning news. I must experience it all as it happens, with a glass of wine and a plate of lasagna made with the marinara sauce from The Sopranos Family Cookbook. (anyone interested in the recipe let me know)

And so, as I prepare myself for the return of my favorite tv night, I realize that I'm still in mourning. As much as I love Sunday night HBO, it used to be sooo much better when Sex and the City was part of the line-up. God how I miss the foursome of Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte and Miranda! Meeting at a friend's house to partake in the lives of the New York City women as they discussed men, sex, clothes and shoes. Oh, let us not forget the designer bags. All the essentials of a woman's life! But I just can't let go. I find myself, every few months or so, having a party for one as I curl up in front of the tv and watch all my favorite episodes on DVD. I crack myself up every time I see Carrie fall on the runway...

I still cry each time I watch Aiden leave for the final time. I love when Carrie looks through the shop window and sees the pair of Chrisian Louboutin heels with the pink chiffon cascade and says, "Hello Lover!" Or how about when she goes into the Vogue accessories closet and finds the Mary Jane patent leather Manolo Blahniks she believed to be an urban shoe myth!?!

I love, love, love Sex and the City. I truly believe there is a least a small piece of Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte or Miranda in every woman.

My point, and I do believe I still have one, is that when the show ended I was devastated. Sunday nights were never the same. Though I do not presume the end of the Sopranos to have such a lasting effect on my life, nonetheless, I'm sad. The end of an era is approaching fast. What else is there to look foward to? I'm going to need to find a new Sunday night tradition. Please, drop any suggestions in the comment box.

If there is anyone else out there with a favorite Sex and the City memory, do share. We can mourn together. Because it is true what they say...It's not tv. It's HBO.

Coming Soon

2007-04-04T11:01:00.000-05:00

Warning to all Northeastern Ohio Drivers: Nina is learning to ride a motorcycle!

Next week, the hubby and I are attending a motorcycle safety riding course consisting of 1 day in the classroom and 2 days on a riding course. Upon successful completion, we will both be licensed riders. I've NEVER driven a motorycycle. Not even a small dirtbike. I did ride a 4-wheeler once when I was about 12 years old but I'm guessing that doesn't qualify as having any experience. Supposedly, this class is often full of first time riders who are just as clueless as myself when it comes to operating a motorcycle. I've been told, by previous graduates, that the novice riders gennerally are the students who excell the most. Maybe I'm at an advantage? Hopefully, we'll see.

Jason, my husband, is an experienced rider and is taking the class to get the motorcycle endorsement on his drivers license. Apparently, the test given by the BMV is extremely difficult to pass (he's failed the test 4 or 5 times, each time a different section) and this is the route lots of bikers take to get their licenses. I, on the other hand, am doing this because...I'm nuts?!?! Jason says I'm going to love it. Tells me that I'll enjoy riding more because I'll be in control. He also tells me, quite often, that I'm a bad passenger, I move too much. He's constantly reminding me to lean when he leans. He tells me I'm going to kill us both one day if I don't hold still. Yet, I should learn to ride because there is no other rush like it in the world of driving. Hmm?

Given the splendid weather (that is fading fast) we've had the past few days, I've found myself begging Jason to take me to a secluded area to let me ride his bike. He tells me absolutely not, but he'll take me to the garage so I can study the parts and familiarize myself with the location of the breaks, clutch etc. What fun is that?! I feel that I need to ride at least once before I get to this class and have to be graded on my performance, but what do I know?!? The truth is, he will most likely never allow me to ride his coveted Suzuki Hayabusa. It's a MANLY bike and I need something smaller. It has too much power, I wouldn't know what to do with all that speed. He likes to remind me of Ben Rothlinsberger's Hayabusa accident and tells me that under no circumstances am I to get brave and attempt to take his motorcycle out. Even after I learn on a smaller, less powerful, girly bike.

The class is approaching quickly and my anxiety level continues to soar. I am, however, excited about the cute black riding gloves with the hot pink trim I recently purchased! I'm secretly praying they have magical powers that will keep my hands steady when it's time to pull down on the throttle.

So...everyone please, say a little prayer that I do not kill myself during this riding course. And let it be known, my ultimate goal is to tame the Hayabusa beast and prove my husband wrong!

Ahhh...a good day!

2007-03-29T14:55:00.000-05:00

Today I woke up, before my alarm began buzzing about, feeling refreshed, not dreading the thought of getting out of bed wishing for 15 more minutes. The coffee was perfectly brewed (I love coffee but I'm not the best at measuring it out) and the sun was shining. I was ready for work early enough to have some extra time to actually WATCH the news (usually I have to turn up the tv to an ungodly level and listen as I rush around) AND do a load of laundry.

I was a little apprehensive about my work assignment today. I had to face Freshman...all day. But what a lovely surprise I received. The little kiddies did not turn out to be the typical immature bunch 9th graders are often colored to be, they were well behaved respectful students! Of course there were a couple rotten apples in the bunch but of the approximately 80 or so students I had today only 2 or 3 acted like nuts. Furthermore, the video the teacher left for me to show was actually interesting AND entertaining. Amazing!

During my lunch break I decided to venture to the BMV to get plates for the new car. I figured I had a better chance of not waiting so long if I could make it before the after-work rush. I was in and out of there in under 5 minutes and the lady that waited on me was genuinely nice!!! I always thought that a bad attitude was a prerequisite for the job since usually the workers are unfriendly and rude.

I came home from work and several things were out of place. I HATE a mess. So I thought, I'm going to do what the magazines suggest and give the "speed-clean your house" a try. Again, I'm amazed. I managed to whip my house into shape in under the 15 minute allotted time slot. I always laugh at those articles and wonder if the people who write this stuff had an experienced cleaning service, team of 10, come in to do all the work. Apparently, the impossible is sometimes possible.

In the process of letting the dogs out for their afternoon potty break, little Scrappy Doo managed to sneak out. Again. But he came right home! He made no attempts at the ankles of any kids walking home from school nor did he steal any dog toys from adjacent yards. He did tease Toby dog next door. But two out of three ain't bad! Good boy, Scrappy!

To top it all off, I asked the kid, "How was school today?" He replied with a big grin and told me, "Good! It was really good!" The conversation continued with a recap of the day's events. Usually I get nothing more than a shoulder shrug or an "It was...ummm... OK. I guess." Nine times out of 10 he tells me that he didn't even learn anything new. Man this is getting weird!

I'm starting to wonder if there is going to be some type of natural disaster or something this evening. No, I'm not going to dwell on the "what ifs". Not today. I think I'll go curl up on the couch, watch Happy Feet and maybe enjoy a nice glass of vino! I'd better go to bed early before anything can ruin this lovely day.

Ha!

2007-03-27T05:40:00.000-05:00

I found this on a friend's myspace page and thought I'd share it with everyone :)

Those Days Are Gone

2007-03-23T17:00:00.000-05:00

Remember the days when you could walk into the local high school and all the kids pretty much looked like someone from Saved By the Bell? Well, maybe not exactly, but pretty darn close. You could always count on seeing certain groups of students... the jocks, the nerds, preppies. At least when I was in school the majority of students fit into those categories. Welcome to 2007. Maybe I am just naive to believe that kids really aren't that different from 10 years ago when I was a high school senior. Boy, I couldn't be more wrong!

I had the pleasure of teaching at the local high school two days this week. I'm amazed at what I see and hear every single time I enter the building but this week...wow!!! I heard the "f-bomb" dropped more times than I could possibly dream of counting and far more times than I'd care to remember. It seems as though f#*k is as common as "hello". This expletive has apparently become a staple in high school student dialect. The kicker? Not once did I hear a staff member tell a student not to use that type of language. Has it really become so much a part of everyday life that as adults we've chosen to ignore this type of behavior?

I saw 2 young girls flaunting their pregnant bellies. I'm not talking about wearing a cute maternity shirt, I'm talking bare bellies hanging out! When I was a student (at this same high school) bellies were not allowed to be shown. You'd be sent home to change if you were showing too much skin. But as I look around at the girls with their breasts hanging out, mid drifts showing and boys with underwear out for all to view, more than half of the student body would be sent home daily. Maybe it's just too much work to enforce a dress-code? More importantly, where are these kid's parents when they leave the house everyday? The school system I work for is in desperate need of uniforms!

I saw two girls making out in the cafeteria Friday morning. Lovely. It's bad enough to see opposite sex couples groping each other in the halls as though they're starring in an x-rated movie. But the girls, that was a shocker! And no, I'm not homophobic.

I saw a girl wearing a pair of 4 inch stiletto heels that I myself wouldn't dare attempt to walk in at the age of 29. I always thought high heels were reserved for prom and homecoming during this period of a young woman's life. For me, it was a right of passage. I must really be out of touch...

Several times I encountered students in which I was unable to determine their sex due to a whole new group of kids out there calling themselves "EMOS"? I think it means something about being emotionally disturbed, someone please correct me if I'm wrong. But this group consists of boys who wear make up and girls clothing. And the girls, I don't know what the hell they're doing! All I know for sure is that it makes for a difficult time when you're faced with choosing between a masculine or feminine pronoun. Look at the class roster, right? No, that doesn't always help, too many kids have uni-sex names. When I was in school we had a similar group, they were called "freaks"! And not nearly as popular as EMOS seem to be. When did being emotionally disturbed become cool?

Let me go back to the way the girls dress a moment. I saw a girl, I'm going to guess her age to be about 14, who knows. She was wearing a mini-skirt, fish net stockings and black high heeled hooker-boots. You know, the boots that rise to the bottom of the knee? Well...there is a reason those boots are called hooker boots. Enough said.

For Me?

2007-03-21T13:16:00.000-05:00

Last night I'm cuddled up on the couch ready to dive into a trashy romance/thriller novel (yes, I like the smut) when the dogs start going nuts. All three, barking, barking, barking. I have a quick peek outside to see the UPS man wandering about delivering packages. I take a moment to wonder if I've ordered anything lately and decide the answer is no since he's several houses away. So I make an attempt to shut up the poochies and return to the couch when I hear the doorbell ring. Given that I've already dismissed the idea of the UPS man bringing me a surprise, I decide it's a kid. Irritated, for being interrupted for the second time in 3 minutes, I get up to answer the door. Low and behold... what do I see...a package! For me?! I grab it quickly and have a look. My address but not my name. That's weird. I pick my brain trying to come up with sort of name recognition and wonder if this belongs to a neighbor. No one comes to mind so I'm going to open it, it was left at MY door, right? I open the box, find a card that reads, "Sorry this is so late. We wish you both a lifetime of happiness and love. Love always, The Johnsons." I get soooo excited that a friend I've recently began communicating with again (because she moved away and we'd lost touch) sent me a late wedding gift. Wow, how sweet!!! I now move on to the box inside of the box. It's a lovely red box with a beautiful cream bow and I can't wait to see what's inside...a wonderful set of high polished silver picture frames. How nice! They're going to match my house perfectly! Then I notice another small box. This one contains a personalized name plate. Cool! I open it up and it's been engraved with "Perkins". Hold on...my name isn't Perkins!?!?! Hmmmm....maybe she just made a mistake. It's possible that she was unsure of what my married name is, right? Perplexed, I decide to give my neighbor a ring. Marcy has lived on our street for at least 30 years, maybe she knows who the Perkins are. After all, the address could have just been off by a number or so and there are tons of "Johnsons" in the world. Maybe it isn't for me after all. But she doesn't have a clue who they are either! While I'm talking with my neighbor, I find the packaging slip and it specifically says the order was placed by the Johnsons I know and from the state MY Johnsons live in. That's confirmation enough for me! It's mine, I get to keep it! Later I decide to give Toni (Johnson) a call, just to be sure and to "thank you". When I ask if she sent me a gift, being the sweetheart that she is, she says she's not sure. Maybe she did, she needs a minute to think. Then I tell her about the name on the package and she immediately burst into laughter. Yes, she sent the package, and no, it wasn't for me!!! She was doing a little secret shopping while her hubby was away and made a mistake while being in such a rush so he wouldn't know about the purchase. Well, Toni is far too polite to actually say the latter, but that is how I interpreted the her story! Anyway...I delivered the gorgeous frames, that would've have meshed soooo nicely with the decor of my home, to their rightful owners today. It was hard, I'd fallen in love, you see? I already had their places picked out and I knew just what photos would would be placed in each...*sigh*

P.S. Toni is not my friend's real name. She asked that her identity be withheld in order to protect her from any further embarrassment among our circle of friends :)

Meet the Family

2007-03-18T10:19:00.000-05:00

Sunday is traditionally a family day in our house. So I thought I'd share my family.
Part of it anyways. Here are my doggies!!!

This is Lacie and Scrappy. Lacie was out first dog. She is a 4 year old American Bulldog, big baby!! In this picture I think she was about 2 years old. Scrappy was 6 months old or so. Scrappy used to cuddle with Lacie all the time but now he just terrorizes her because he believes himself to be the boss. Scrappy has little big man syndrome :)

This is Scooter at 9 months old. Another American Bulldog. He's much bigger now, eats like a horse and isn't done growing yet! We took him in about a year and a half ago because his previous owner didn't have time to take care of him. I went to see him, fell in love and he became out 3rd and FINAL addition to the pet part of our family.

And finally...Scrappy Doo, the 3 year old Jack Russell. By far, Scrappy is the most mischievous dog of the bunch. He sneaks outside at every possible opportunity to chase squirrels, chipmunks and poor little Radar, the Papillon who lives a few houses down. Scrappy has also been known to let himself out of his crate to run wildly around the house collecting any objects in his path, steal toys from other neighboring dogs and open bags of chocolate to feast upon. The little dog is lucky to be alive considering some of his past adventures!

10 Things That Make Me Tick

2007-03-17T07:56:00.000-05:00

There are some things that just send me over the edge, immediately. I thought I might share a few in attempt to rationalize my thought patterns...

1. It's 3:30 p.m. I'm real close to being from work. I've just made it around the curve in the road to my house only to find that my mother-in-law is parked in my spot in the driveway. After I've parked on the road and am lugging my crap into the house she comes out saying "Oh! I'll move!" Why the hell didn't she park on the road to begin with?

2. I've just spent all day scrubbing and shining the hardwood floors. Someone stops by, walks in and goes straight for the kitchen with their shoes ON even though there is a nice little rug and two boot trays right at the front door waiting for shoes. This never happens if the floors are dirty to begin with!

3. I wake up in the middle of the night and need to use the restroom. I stumble, blindly (I'm lost without my glasses/contacts) to the toilet to find the seat has been left up only after I almost fall in.

4. The phone rings. I answer and hear my least favorite question, "Are you busy?" I reply with a firm "YES!" only to be asked "Can you do something for me real quick?" Why bother inquiring if I'm busy if you're going to ask me to stop what I'm doing anyway?

5. I go to the store. It's time to pay. I don't have enough money. I call my beloved husband, Jason, to find out if he took any money from my purse before he left for work. He just giggles and says, "You got robbed!"

6. My husband going in my purse.

7. Honey? Have you seen my____? Yes, it's on the_______. No it's not. I just looked. Ok, let me check. Guess what? It was on the_______ exactly where I told you.

8. My alarm is set to go off at 7:30a.m. My husband knows this yet calls at 7:20a.m. to ask, "Are you up yet?"

9. J: Hey, do you want to go to dinner out to dinner tonight?
Me: Sounds great!! What do you feel like eating?
J: You pick.
Me: Ok...how about ________?
J: Makes a face.
Me: What about_______? That sounds good.
J: Naaahhh.
Me: How about we just order a pizza.
J: Ok, but I want GOOD pizza.....

10. I'm next in line at the check-out. A cashier opens a register one lane over and says, "I can help the next person in line if you'd like to step over." The bitch behind me scrambles over to the newly opened line and then has the nerve to look over at me and say "Oh, I'm sorry, were you next?" Like she really didn't notice that I was standing in FRONT of her NEXT in line!

Maybe I need to work on my coping skills. Learn to not sweat the small stuff. Pick my battles. Call it what whatever you like. But until I learn to master the aforementioned techniques, these things really tick me off!

A Good Deal?

2007-03-15T09:13:00.000-05:00

Splurge vs. steal...
Several times this week I've seen a segment on the Today Show telling us how to "get the look for less." Although I appreciate the effort, I'm not sure that I'm buying into the hype. Sure everyone likes a good deal, but come on...is $228 for a pair of pants really a steal? Sure it is, when you put them next to a pair that cost $1305! Seriously, who spends that kind of money on pants?! The cute brown leather Kenneth Cole boots I recently purchased from the clearance rack for $25 is a what I consider a steal. Not to mention the 3 adorable dresses I found at 20 bucks a pop...that is a bargain!!! Please, someone tell me, am I just out of touch with what things cost these days because I love the thrill of the hunt for a good deal? Or maybe I'm not part of the target audience that the Today Show is attempting to reach. Regardless, if I spent $200 on a pair of pants, no matter how fabulous they claim to make my ass look, I'd be in therapy working through the guilt of post purchase dissonance for the next year.

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT: FOR ANY READERS IN MY AREA...DILLARDS IS GOING OUT OF BUSINESS. GOOD DEALS GALORE!!!!

Why Is This So Acceptable?

2007-03-12T09:42:00.000-05:00

I had to attend a baby shower yesterday. YUCK! Let me just say that I really loathe these types of gatherings, especially baby and wedding showers. Why is it so appropriate to to make a list of wanted items, send potential guests a list of these items and EXPECT to receive these items while everyone has to sit there and watch the mother or bride to be open them? Don't get me wrong, I don't mind buying the gifts, shopping is my cardio. However, I really could care less about the event surrounding the "opening" ceremonies. Particularly when the food is bad. Furthermore, if the gift recipient happens to be a good friend or family member, you have to listen to them rehash the whole ordeal for weeks, sometimes months, afterwards.

Anyone who is a Sex and the City fan will remember the episode of Miranda's baby shower. She didn't want baby storks plastered everywhere, no crustless cucumber sandwiches, she didn't want to open gifts in front of everyone, and to top it off she wanted fried chicken served! That is my kinda party! Because really, you can only ooohh and aaahhh for so long over the same gift. I must admit I do enjoy watching the face of the person who bought the perfect carrier with the cute little froggie mobile when someone else bought it too. When a gift is opened, and appears to be one of a kind, the purchaser feels proud. Then the second one is opened and purchaser #1 still feels proud while purchaser #2 tries to hide the disappointment and quietly thinks "Didn't that idiot see that the registry said only one froggie carrier was wanted?!?!" Yet... purchaser #2 smiles politely and offers the option of returning the gift. I just love that part! Is that mean?

Anyway...because asking for gifts is so widely accepted in certain situations, I was thinking of beginning a new tradition...you are all invited to my house for a shoe party. The theme is Manolo Blahnik and I wear a 38.5. Please RSVP regrets only (those not in attendance WILL be bad-mouthed) and refreshemts that no one really likes will be provided. Any takers?!