100 Things About Me, Part I

I have been trying for the last two point five years to come up with my "100 Things" list. Here's the first 25:

1. If given the choice at a coffee shop, I’ll order a simple café au lait with Equal and skim milk. Mochas, cappuccinos, and lattes are just a little too much for me. The only exception is when there are pumpkin lattes available. Then I’m all over that.
2. Occasionally, I suffer from embarrassingly loud gastric noises. It’s mortifying actually.
3. The first live concert I ever attended was a Sonny & Cher show… when I was 2. It’s one of my earliest memories… I recall my dad lifting me up so I could see her. She was wearing something orange, red and sparkly. Quelle surprise. Apparently, Cher was my idol at that tender young age.
4. I’m utterly worthless without 8 or 9 hours of sleep at night. 9 is better.
5. In our family of 6 (hubby and 4 teenagers), I am the smallest. And they remind me of it often.
6. I am overly polite to people I don’t know well, but I am not polite enough to the people in my family.
7. I am empathetic to a fault. I know it’s supposed to be a strength, but crying about someone else’s pain—especially when I don’t even KNOW that person—sometimes borders on the ridiculous.
8. My favorite color is any shade of purple—lilac, violet, amethyst, “light urple,” ANY shade.
9. I have freakish memory… I mean really FREAKISH. Not necessarily for important things, but for those things that people would never have a need to store away. Like, remember that time when I was 5 and you were 3, and you lay down on the driveway and told me to run over you with my bike, and I did? And then I got in trouble for it, because, although you were younger, I always did what you told me, and mom said I should know better? And she sent me to our room to wait for dad to come home, while you got to eat ice cream? Yeah. Like that.
10. I am very easily irritated. Again, quelle surprise.
11. I believe in ghosts.
12. I took six years of French, and have probably forgotten 4 years worth of it. I hope not, but I’m not very optimistic.
13. I’m having a difficult time thinking of 25 things… how am I ever going to get to 100???
14. I am a classically trained singer, and I play the piano and violin. I dabble on the guitar and bass guitar. My talent strengths of each go in that order, too.
15. I took classes years ago in oil painting and love it, but haven’t had time to paint in years.
16. I used to be a better than average photographer (won awards in high school for originality, quality of shot, etc.). Now am VERY amateurish, but want to be good again. I love taking photos.
17. I think I am much older than I want to be, but am also to a point in my life where I’m comfortable with my maturity… even if it’s not in the chronological sense.
18. My birthstone is the garnet, even though people sometimes think they are rubies.
19. Sometimes I miss being a teacher. But then all I have to do is step into a school building, especially a middle school, and then I’m reminded why I don’t miss it so much.
20. Even though I’m really empathetic and highly sensitive, some people who don’t know me very well might initially think me cold or distant. It’s a defense mechanism really.
21. When I was little, I wanted to be these things when I grew up: Cher (duh!), a race car driver, a teacher, a veterinarian, a performer at Disney World, a brain surgeon, a writer… and then back to a teacher again.
22. There are days when I absolutely detest email and wish it had never been invented.
23. I’m a sucker for cheesecake.
24. I’m also a sucker for a tear-jerker movie or book and will most likely cry when reading/viewing. I’ll hide it from you, though. You won’t see me cry.
25. I’m a sucker for over-committing myself. I take on too much, because I can’t say no, and then I whine incessantly about it. (No?!? Really?!? Isn’t that why I have a blog?!? Haha)

Hoppy Easter!

http://www.jibjab.com/sendables/381/Easter/Happy_Easter

A Profession of Love and Thanks to the Farm Boy

When I opened the garage door to head out to dinner this evening, there was a new* car sitting in my driveway. Yep. That's my new* car. The Farm Boy RULES.

Pics to come later.

And you know what else this means?!?! NO MORE LOSER CRUISER FOR MRS. GRUMPY! W00T!

*ahem* This site shall be temporarily known as the Happy Frump. Grumpiness will commence again tomorrow morning, as I'm sure I'll find something to put me into my usual sour mood.

But for now.... did I mention how much I love, love, LOVE my Farm Boy?!?! He's the coolest. And he's hot. And even though I'm just a grumpy old frumpy girl, he tells me I'm pretty every day. Yes, it's usually right after I wake up, looking like hell... and he's probably just trying to convince himSELF that he didn't marry a troll... but hey. You take what you can get.

*"New" to us. It's against my principles to buy a brand new car, drive it off the lot, and lose around 20% of its initial value. You can do it if you want, I'm not judging you. ;-)

UPDATE: Lest anyone think me VERY spoiled, I just wanted to note that he didn't buy the new car outright. We still have to make the monthly payments. This isn't one of those Lexus commercials with a new car and a bow.

A Scary, Yet Hot Dude in the Bog of Eternal Stench

What a crazy few days we've had recently... I won't bore you with all the details, but on top of everything else, one of our little doggies had to have emergency surgery on Sunday. Nothing too serious, and he's fine now... and I've learned a thing or two about dogs that a) I didn't know before, and b) I still really would rather not know. ;-)

So, in a nutshell, that's my excuse for not blogging the last few days.

Today's post is about a crush I had when I was younger... not really an inappropriate crush (other than the age difference), but one that I really couldn't explain. In fact, it made me feel slightly creepy.

I'm sure few people in or around my age-group would think me odd for having a slight crush on David Bowie. Compared to his Ziggy Stardust years, he has that hot-older-guy-rockstar thing going on now. Did you see him in Zoolander? Yikes. I hope I age as well as he does (but in a girly way for me, of course!).

But that's not when the unexplainable crush happened. No, that was years earlier... back in 1986, when he played Jareth the Goblin King in Labyrinth. Jennifer Connelly starred in this movie, too.

David Bowie was SCARY as Jareth, yet strangely seductive. I was a teenager then, and I couldn't figure out why I found him so attractive! Was it the makeup? The funky 80s Goblin King hair? The strange costumes? I don't know. I still don't know. And yet... still pretty attracted to Jareth. Take a look/listen for yourself... and then tell me why.

Is It November 5th Yet?

I don't care who you are... with which party you align yourself... I'm TIRED of talk about primaries, delegates, superdelegates, candidates, and political commercials.

It's not that I don't care about the election. I do! And I exercise my right to vote. Maybe it's simply that I made up my mind a while back about my voting preference, and I'm just impatient to get it over with.

Or maybe it's just that I'm grumpy and sick of hearing of it all.

Great White North Friends, back me up here. One of your fellow nationals told me that Canada has a law about campaign publicity restrictions... something like no more than 4 or 5 months before the elections? Is that about right? As with everything else in the US, I think we just let things get a little out of hand.

But that's just me.

A "Why Haven't There Been More Why Files" Why Files...

Oh, you know WHY there haven't been more Why Files. :-)

So without further ado... I present:

Why #1: Why do we use umbrellas when it rains, but not when it snows? I saw a woman with an umbrella up during a snow storm and thought how odd it looked. BUT... her head was dry, and she wasn't going to end up with stocking-cap-head later on. So, last week when we had a really wet snow, I took my umbrella. Note: umbrellas only protect you against snow if there isn't a whirling, swirling wind that makes it look like it's snowing from all directions.

Why #2: Why am I so weird? I have a box of tissues on my desk. But that box of tissues has to be season-specific. For example, the one on my desk has snow flakes on it. If I don't use the entire box by the end of winter, I will put it in my cube cabinet, and bring it back out when it's season appropriate again. Kind of like the tissue box that is currently residing in my cube cabinet. The one with pumpkins on it. I will bring that back out next October, because I didn't use all the tissues last October. So, in 8 more months, I will have dusty tissues to use again. Hooray! How lame is that???

Why #3: After watching Sarah Silverman's Ode To Matt Damon, I wondered why is Matt Damon always such a good sport? Is he really such a good guy? I think the answer is yes. And also that he's just hilarious.

Why #4: After watching Jimmy Kimmel's response to Sarah Silverman's Ode To Matt Damon, I just wondered WHY. Actually, I laughed so hard, I almost wet my pants. But that's another "why" for another day.
Is anyone else wondering how he got all those stars to help him out? I bow down to you, Jimmy Kimmel. That was freaking hilarious. Oh, and apparently Ben Affleck is an even better sport than Matt Damon. Did you see that glittery teal shirt?!?! Oh. My. Garg. Brad Pitt? Robin Williams? Harrison Ford? Josh Groban????? This is my new "wake-up and get in a good mood" video.

Why #5: Here's our "just why" for the day. Apparently, the pavement was of age and a consenting partner. Ewww.

And that concludes this episode of The Why Files. Thanks for playing.

Blog Share Was Super Fun!

Thanks to -R- for organizing the amazing Blog Share yesterday! Even through the midst of an inconvenient illness, she pulled through for everyone, and I, for one, enjoyed every bit of it!!

If you didn't get a chance to read through all the Blog Share bloggers, please visit -R-'s post that lists all the links.

As for me... I hope to have a Why Files ready to go for you tomorrow. Wow, could it really be? No, surely she jests!

Nope! I don't jest, and please don't call me Shirley (ba-dump-BUMP!). Hope to see you all here tomorrow!

Anybody selling a good used Delorean?

Today’s post is part of Blog Share and was written by an anonymous writer. To see the other anonymous posts today, see -R-'s Blog Share list.

I might want to rig up a flux capacitor and take the scenic route down the path not taken.

I'd like to travel back in time and change some things, see how they'd play out if I did just one thing differently. Maybe. Maybe I wouldn't change anything at all, but sometimes I'd really like to have the chance.

I probably shouldn't have gone crazy with the neon clothing in the 80s. I thought it was fun! Or not.

That "bi-level" haircut that was all the rage, combined with a growing-out perm? Maybe that was a bad call. Or not.

Changing that college major from Pre-Med? Maybe that wasn't the wisest choice. Maybe I could be a wealthy doctor right now. Or not.

Turning down a part-time job my dad wanted me to take, 'cause it seemed to me to be dead-end and no-fun? A job that turned into a high-profile career for the person who DID take it? Maybe I should have given it a shot. Or not.

Not realizing in time that one of my college classmates was flirting with me for REAL, and not just kidding around? Maybe I could be the wife of a reasonably wealthy optometrist right now. (He ended up marrying one of my friends, despite her extremely cold feet, and they ended up very bitterly divorced. Maybe they both could have been spared.) Or not.

Maybe I should have been more patient with the sweet, goofy, brilliant young guy who loved me 20 years ago. Maybe the fact that he couldn't make himself a sandwich, or keep track of the car keys, or take a shower without flooding the bathroom, or wrap his brain around the fact that sometimes, love ISN'T enough, sometimes you need, oh...a place to live and money to buy food, maybe those things should NOT have made me so ready to push him away and break his heart. Maybe I should have hung in there with him. But, you know, I was young, too. And I was H-O-T hot. There'd be plenty of other good guys wanting to love me, right? Or not.

I definitely should NOT have dated that pathological liar, no matter how intense the physical chemistry. Of course, really good pathological liars don't reveal themselves right away, so there might not have been any escape from that particular trap. But if I had it to do over again, I'd try to be more alert, damn it. Maybe it wouldn't take me six months to figure it all out. Maybe I'd be smarter. Or not.

I definitely should not have let my post-pathological liar vulnerability convince me it was a good idea to let an ex back in my life. He was an ex for a reason--namely, because he disappeared from my life without a trace and stayed away for two years. When he showed up wanting to apologize for the way he treated me, I should have graciously accepted his apology (hey, I can be the bigger person) and sent him on his way. His then MARRIED way. But at the time, he seemed sincere about wanting to clear the air and be "friends." And then later, he seemed sincere about wanting to end his marriage. Or NOT.

Maybe I shouldn't have put my feet in those stirrups on that cold February morning long ago and exercised every woman's right to choose.

Maybe I should have been less scared.

Maybe I should have been stronger.

Maybe I should have trusted that it would all work out, somehow.

But certainly there would be other chances--chances to do it RIGHT, wouldn't there?

Or not.

Blog Share is TOMORROW!

W00T! Tomorrow is Blog Share, so an anonymous blogger will be posting to Grumpy Frump. You know what that means, right? You guessed it! Two days in a row with a new post on this blog. Are the planets aligned or something? They must be!

In the meantime, I'd better decide which post to send to MY Blog Share buddy. Blog buddy. Bluddy? No, that just sounds sick. Blog-Buddy???? *giving up now*

Also, I just wanted to say thank you to those of you who still read... I know I'm really inconsistent about posting, and it makes me sad. I do enjoy reading your comments, and I try to get to your blogs to read, too. While I don't always have the opportunity to comment, I still enjoy what you all post! Now if I could just find a way around that blog-blocking filter at work. Gah!

If you want to read the Blog Share posts tomorrow, in addition to the guest blogger here, head over to my friend -R-'s place. She'll be posting a list of links, I believe.

Circle, Circle, Dot, Dot...

Find more videos like this on People's Improv Theater

Closed on Account of Cold...

C'mon... admit it. You want to live in a place where the weather gets so cold, the wind chill so dangerous, that they close school. And some businesses. That's what is happening here tomorrow.

Why are all the images of hell depicted with flames, brimstone, smoke? Because I'm pretty sure those images are wrong. Yes, sirree. I am betting that hell is actually a place where the weather takes a 50 degree plunge in less than 24 hours. A place where, if you walk outside, the insides of your nostrils freeze instantly... and that is a pain you can only pretend to understand unless you've actually experienced it.

And I'm also betting that hell's real name is Nebraska.

Three Wishes... Blink Blink!

Dear Genie,

Here are my three wishes:


1) I would like a new job. One that allows me to telecommute from home, is around 4-6 hours a day, and affords me enough time to HAVE A LIFE.

2) I would like either a) a live-in maid, or b) the energy and desire to clean my home. It's pathetic. No, really. You wouldn't even want to walk past the foyer. Trust me. If I can't have A or B, could you maybe just pop in every day and BLINK it clean for me? Thanks.

3) World Peace.

Thanks. I put that last one in there just so I wouldn't seem like a total selfish pig. And maybe that would put me in your good graces, so that you would give me the first two wishes. Pretty Please?

All the News You I Need on Toes, Pete Lee, and the NFL...

1) I'm calling the doctor tomorrow about my toes. They're still messed up, and the swelling is at the joints between the metatarsals and phalanges. In other words, not the "toe knuckles," but the place where the toes meet the rest of the foot. The suckiest thing is that I think I'm messing up the rest of my foot by not walking normally. Ridiculous. Call a doctor already, you big baby. Or else I will take the advice of wire and and lori to just remove the toes or foot altogether. (Or not. )

2) Farm Boy and I went to see Pete Lee's show last Friday. I even paid Pete 50 cents for a hug (he said they weren't free anymore). Unfortunately, the Farm Boy had a few too many doubles that evening, and he forgot to take a picture with my camera phone. Loser. Can't hold his whiskey (says the girl who is looped after half a glass of wine). Anyway, love Pete Lee. LOTS. He was even kind to the heckler lady (with the Harley Davidson purse) before she was physically removed by the big, ginormous bouncer. Dinner and a show. How good is life?!?!

3) I'm hoping that I will be a Bloggy regular again someday. I do read you all... really, I do. Most of the time, it's through Google Reader, so I can't always comment. Plus, they started blocking blogs at work (sheesh! It's like they don't trust us or something), so now I have lost that time, too! Seriously, I only did that stuff during lunch. Or breaks. Or slow periods. Or when I was bored. *big cheesy grin*

4) YAY, Giants! I'm not a huge NFL fan... don't like the over-inflated egos with the over-inflated salaries. However, I was ready to root for anyone to beat the Patriots. Not that I dislike the team. I think there's some very good talent on the team, even though I've been, like, you know, SOOO over Tom Brady for some time. But Belichick? Beli-ICK. Cheater, Cheater. He didn't even have to do any of that with the all the talent on his team, and yet he tainted what could have been an amazing season for them. Wait. It still WAS an amazing season for them. Just not for him. Cause he's a cheater, and no one likes a cheater. Yeah.

5) I have not been home before 8pm any night in the last two weeks. Some nights, it's been 9pm or later. What's scarier is that I'm usually home on weekends earlier than I am on weekdays. That is MESSED UP. Perhaps that is what is eating up all my blogging time. Perhaps I should get up an hour earlier each day just to keep up on blogging. Yes, and perhaps a monkey will fly out of my.... ear and sing me an aria from Die Fledermaus.

6) My Wii Sports Tennis Pro status is at 2083. My Wii Sports Golf Pro status is 117. So, apparently, if I suck at a sport in real life, I will rule the school on the Wii. If I am half-way decent at the sport in real life, I will suck it up royally on the Wii. I think I'm okay with that.

That is all. :-)

Bubble Toes...NO. Smashed Toes... YES.

How lame do you have to be to injure your toes from doing absolutely nothing? Every toe on my right foot is "injured*," with the exception of my big toe and my pinky toe (you know... the one that went to market, and the one who went "wee, wee, wee!" all the way home).

First... let me clarify.

I did not injure my toes through:

a) a sports-related injury,
b) an accidental ramming of said toes into any type of furniture,
c) a drive-by vehicular toe accident,
d) a large mammal stomping on said toes.

No, Bloggy Friends, I injured my toes by.... wait for it... walking. I walked about 20 feet from my cubicle, and one of those steps made me feel like I had just crushed my toes. What the hell????

How can you injure your toes by just walking??? I was not wearing high heels or pinchy toe-d shoes. In fact, here's a pictorial for you.

I was not wearing these.













Nor was I wearing these.













I was wearing these. See? Low heel. Rounded toe. Perfect for NOT hurting the toes. (yes, and somewhat scuffed. I know. The weather sucks here.)



After a few days, they start to feel better, and then BLAMMO! It happens again. I try keeping pressure off the toes by walking on the left side of my foot and only putting pressure on my big toe.

Any diagnoses? Suggestions? 'Cause I feel pretty ding-dang-dong foolish right about now.

*They aren't broken. I've broken toes before due to a, b, and d above, so I know what broken toes are. They are just... sprained? I don't know!

He's My New Favorite...

JOC... spoofing Tomas Crazy. JOC rules.

If you want to see the original and haven't yet... go here.

On a sadder note, RIP Patrick Verona.

Wah. I'm Whining. What Else Is New?

I miss my blog.


I miss my bloggy friends.


I missed my blog's birthday in October. I missed posting about my fabulous "blate" with -r- and Nat back in December (they're both the coolest, you know). I missed posting about New Year's. I missed posting about my own birthday.

So... let's just see if we can get back into the swing of things, eh? I'm just going to have to suck it up, stop using how busy I am as an excuse (even though I'm tres tres busy), and blog. Right? Do I hear an AMEN?

Unwrapped is on TV right now, and Marc Summers (he of the Super Sloppy Double Dare fame) is talking about the Frosty from Wendy's. He just noted that one unusual fact about Frosty's is that people love to dip their fries into them. Something about the saltiness of the fries and the sweetness of the chocolate Frosty just go hand in hand.

Sounds digusting, right?

But I have to admit that I used to LOVE dipping fries into my Frosty. Ack. Now I'm hungry for a Frosty.

Did you ever fry-dip your Frosty? How about any other unusual food combinations?

Open Letter to A Wireless Company...

... whose name may or may not rhyme with Print.

Dear Print,

When I cancelled my services with you in mid-October, I thought I was done with you. Done with your lame, cryptic bills that even nuclear scientists and calculus scholars shake their heads at. Done with your pathetic customer service reps who fail to respond to the simplest of questions. Done with being charged outrageously for text messaging that we didn't even have. I THOUGHT.

After arguing in October with one of your lame customer service folks for 30 minutes on the phone regarding WHY I was cancelling... and really? If I say I want nothing more to do with you, do I NEED to go on for 30 minutes relating the exact same thing? No, I think not... the process was finally explained about porting my numbers over to my new company (whose bills I love, btw, and whose customer service people actually have intelligent conversation capabilities). We discussed my final bill, which was paid prior to the numbers finally being ported out. I was suspicious that the relationship was really considered "over," but you reassured me it was.

Thinking it couldn't possibly be over, a month later, November 12 actually, I called your customer service number again... since I hadn't heard "boo" from your company, I was wondering if it really was over. Additionally, I was certain there were at least SOME charges still left over. When I called customer service on that lovely November day, I was told, "No, your account balance is zero. You owe nothing more." Still uncertain, I asked if there would be any more charges, yet you told me no. I asked for some kind of final document acknowledging the finality of it all and was given a bit of a run-around, but then reassured again that this was the end.

I knew it was too good to be true. Over a month later (today to be exact), I receive a collection notice from you, Print, stating that I still owe $176. When, in my fury, I called your (lame) customer service, first I was put on hold for over 10 minutes. Then you disconnected me. So I called back. Then I spoke with a floor supervisor who proceeded to tell me that I was charged from October 15 through November 7 for three phones that we weren't even using, because you don't just cancel phones willy-nilly. Oh, no! That would be too easy. So, you charged me for three phones I didn't use because that's when the monthly billing cycle ended. Beyond how ridiculous that really is, Print, let me say this: you suck. You suck big time.

When I asked this floor supervisor why my November phone call to customer service didn't tell me I still owed $176. She tells me that it's possible that the billing cycle, which ended on November 7, hadn't posted yet to the accounts that the customer service reps can see. So it's possible that he couldn't see that I still owed nearly two hundred dollars. What a bunch of malarkey. Oh, but we're not done there.

NOW, this floor supervisor throws another one at me. I ask her for a final statement, because I never received that statement in November that she assures me was sent. Here's what she says (be sure to read this part carefully), "I'm sorry, but I can't send you a copy of that final statement. I want to, but the system won't allow me to, because your account was cancelled in mid-October." WTF? My account was cancelled, so they can't send me anymore information, but I still have to pay for something I didn't use while my account was cancelled? Again, WTF?

So, explain to me, Print, why the hell I should blindly pay this collection notice, which btw is probably affecting my credit rating thank you very much you pieces of crap, without any kind of detailed billing? Why should I pay for something I didn't even use?

I'll tell you this much... I'll probably pay it, because I am a law-abiding citizen, and I don't think it's worth the fight. But know this, Print, I will be telling EVERYONE I know about this wonderful situation you've decided to put me through. Oh, and our business is in the RFP process currently for wireless carriers. I can't wait to tell them my story. I'm pretty sure I know whose RFP will be in the garbage file.

Merry Effing Christmas, Print.

Sincerely,
A Very Disgruntled Ex-Customer

Happy ChristmaHanuKwanzaakuh!

Wishing you all a joyous holiday season!

Five Thoughts...

1. I have one final on Wednesday, and then I am done with school for this semester. Huzzah. And it should be a really, really easy final. A bigger HUZZAH.

2. One week left of work before Winter Break. A ginormous HUZZAH!

3. How many 'Js' are there in the words, "upgrade you?" Oh, yeah. NONE.

4. Burger King wanted to prove how popular their Whopper is by taking it OFF their menu for a day? Wow. That's genius. Piss off your loyal customers for a day. Good thing I never eat Whoppers, or else I'd have to boycott them. But I never really go to BK anyway, so I guess they don't really care.

5. I was in a minor car accident about 3 weeks ago... just got my vehicle back. I'm glad to have it back because that means I'm no longer paying $180 a week in rental car fees... but I do miss the satellite radio in the rental car. Maybe SOMEONE will get that for me for Christmas (Farm Boy, this means YOU).

That is all.

Snow Day

We're snowed in today... kind of. We had ice and freezing rain first, then snow on top of that, so schools and some businesses closed. I still have to go to my grad class tonight, though. Taking the day off helped, so I was able to put some finishing touches on my final draft of my paper. I can also get some last minute studying done for my exam tonight. Gah. I'll be so glad when this semester is over.

Things are almost getting back to normal around here again. It's odd to see your home and its landmarks on national (and in some cases, international) news sites for days on end. People here are intent on healing, however, so I hope the focus can stay on that instead of the incomprehensible act itself.

On a much, much lighter note... Food Network is awesome. I've been receiving the 12 Days of Cookies emails for the last couple of weeks. I can't wait to try out some of the recipes. If any of them are even minimally successful, I might even post some pictures.

So... QUIZ TIME.

For those of you who celebrate the upcoming holidays, how many of you are:

a) completely finished shopping
b) have mailed or emailed (or posted online) your holiday greetings/cards/pictures/letters.
c) both a and b
d) have almost finished a and/or b
e) have started a and/or b
f) are you kidding? I don't worry about that until the day before the holiday!

Let me know. I'm interested... and I would also say that I am at E. Surprised? You shouldn't be. ;-)

It's Time for Healing...

Just requesting your good thoughts and prayers for the members of my community who were affected by the tragedy at one of our malls today.

Thanks.

Do Not Start THAT Again!

I'm in Earworm Hell. Please. Make. It. Stop.

Was sick over the weekend. Daughter #2 decided to comfort me by snuggling with me. Nice thought, but I didn't have the heart to tell her she wiggles too much when she snuggles. Ordinarily... that's not a problem at all. But Sickly McSickerson (as I've come to be known lately) doesn't appreciate wigglers.

But that's not why I'm in hell. No, I wish that was all it was.

You see, Daughter #2 started channel surfing. And lo, it crept upon me so suddenly, I didn't even see it coming. Yes, it is the nightmare/cult classic that is Grease 2. And she begged me to watch it with her. I rolled over and tried to sleep to no avail.

Oh, sure. If you watch that cinematic feat of 1982 with the volume turned down, it's not so bad. If you listen to any of the parts that Lorna Luft sings, or even Michelle Pfeifer and Adrian Zmed (yes, THAT Adrian Zmed) in some songs, you'll be okay. But God help you once Maxwell Caulfield opens his mouth. With the volume on mute, he's a joy. Volume up? Not so much. Or Maureen Teefy. *shudder* Actors? Yes. Yes, they are. Singers. No. Not even close.

Here's the funny thing about Grease 2. Some of the songs are entertaining. We're not talking the caliber of the original Grease, but still entertaining. SOME.

Like, "Reproduction." Funny song. I might even be able to laugh at "Let's Do It For Our Country," but Maureen Teefy's voice couldn't even be helped along in post-production. Seriously? You can't make her sing in tune with all the fancy doo-dads and gadgets in the recording studio? Yikes!

As for the rest of the score? Ouch. Eeek. Gah. And because they are so bad... they stick in your head FOREVER!!!! (wait, I think I need another exclamation point or two)!! Watch that movie. I dare you not to get "Cool Rider" or "Who's That Guy" or "Score" stuck in your head. Try not to laugh during the pseudo-serious dream/heaven sequence with Michelle Pfeifer and Maxwell Caulfield. I double-dog dare you!

What's scarier is that you will be singing along with your earworm, and you won't even realize it until you're caught. I walked through the office yesterday singing, "Who's That Guy, on that motorcycle... what would they say if they knew it was Michael." Busted. Laughter erupting all around me. Those are HORRIBLE lyrics! Ack! And I was singing them! OUT LOUD!

Must go bury my head in the snow (due to lack of sand) for shame.

She AWOKE With a Start...

Okay. I had to break my blogging silence (not intentional, mind you) to beg you all for some help. Words are driving me crazy. Specifically certain words and their use... or misuse.

Isn't it scary how words are used incorrectly for such a long period of time that they eventually become REAL? Ack! The horror of it all!

How... Is... That... LOGICAL?

So, along the same lines then... if, for the next 20 years, I keep saying that 2+2=5 , we'll just accept that as fact? No, I think not.

My pet peeve word this week is AWAKE. Yes, "awake" is a word. So, is "wake," "awaken," and "awoke."

Notice: there is no "waked" or "woken." Not real words.

Au contraire, ma petite chou-chou! Not so fast. Look them up in the dictionary, and THEY. ARE. THERE.

WTF?

Those are not real words, but people use them all the time. One of my friends was telling me the other day that she was "woken up by the cries of her little dog." I didn't say anything, of course. I'm only Super Grammar Cop when I'm in disguise. I couldn't reveal my alter ego right in front of her! But I digress...

That's almost as bad as the worst possible word on the planet: irregardless. That is NOT a word. By definition, it contradicts itself. Yet, people actually use that word. Gah. Oh, yeah... and if you search enough, you'll find a dictionary that recognizes it as a legitimate word. Again, I ask, WTF?

Oh, and it gets better... "irregardless" is listed as a synonym of ... wait for it... "regardless." Exactly.

So, again, I ask WHY? I don't understand how we can accept the corruption of our own language. I'm not a complete language freak non-stop, 24/7. I do use colloquialisms, "yeah" and "yep," and we know all too well my affinity for the points of ellipsis. Not exactly perfect/proper all the time.

But for the love of Bob, how many more words are we going to just give up and say, "Oh, what the hell! Everyone THINKS it's correct, so let's just make it a word."

End rant here.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Okay, so apparently, I only blog on holidays now. NOT true... it just seems that way.

Quick recap of stuff that's been happening:


Wrote a secondary research paper for one grad class. The draft is finished and turned in, but now I have to go back and edit/revise. Bleh. I want to be done with this already.


Wrote a grant project for another grad class. Again, draft is finished and turned in... now it's revision time.


Monday, it was 73 degrees. Lovely weather, but not typical November weather for this place. In response then, it snowed all morning today. Not just "light flurries" like they said... actual snow with accumulation! Ah, I love the midwest. Or maybe not.


Other than that, I haven't done much of anything else. Work. Go to class. Cart Child #2 to activities. Attend said activities. What a glamorous life I lead. ;-)


One more thing... it just wouldn't be Thanksgiving without an appearance from Goofy Gobbles, right?


Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Halloween...

... from my dogs who are just thrilled to be in costume. Can't you tell?

Oooh! Spooky eyes!

Yep... Still Busy.

So, for your listening/viewing enjoyment:





I know. It has nothing to do with Halloween, but since I'm drowning in Baroque music history, I just have to share.

No, Not THAT Kind of Break...

Oh, my long neglected Little Blog. I miss you. And I miss all the friends we have, too. It's been over a week since I've even had a minute to read someone else's blog. Boo.

So, here's the deal-io, yo. I have two ginormous grad class projects due November 6 and 7. Until those deadlines are gone, you and I are just going to have to agree to see each other very sporadically and casually... and not fret that one is neglecting the other. Do you hear what I'm saying, Little Blog? It's not like I'm out there writing other fascinating, mind-blowing blogs*, honest. The only other blog in my life is my professional blog, which, in fact, gets updated far less frequently than you do (and that is entirely bass-ackwards, if you think about it... but c'est la vie).

I think this will make us stronger in the future. In fact, I'm sure I'll have TONS of things to write about, once we start seeing each other regularly again. Now, don't get all discouraged about readership and page views. For that matter, don't even check your SiteMeter stats. It will just get you all depressed, and then where will you be???

So, we're good now, right? Right? Good. If I get a chance, I'll stop by and say hi. But mostly, I'll have my head buried in books and articles and spiritless websites with stuffy, stale information for a secondary research project. Yippee.

Catch ya on the flip side.

One quick note, the Farm Boy and I will be making a short trip to Lost Wages this week to celebrate a birthday on his side of the family. The break might be just what I need... or else it might provide me some quiet, alone time in the hotel room to work on my projects while the Farm Boy golfs and gambles with his family. ;-)

*Hey, if we're pretending this blog has feelings, we can also pretend that it's fascinating and mind-blowing. Just roll with it.

Sick of Being Sick...

Ever seen The Boy in the Plastic Bubble? (Many of you will be too young for that reference.) Or even Bubble Boy? I'm beginning to think I need a bubble. I'm home with the flu... again. What? Is this my third or fourth time since September? I think that's about right. I can't even get my flu shot until next week.

Apparently, I have no immune system. Right about now, I'd take that bubble.

Make It Stop...

For the love of God, somebody please put some duct tape over Ann Coulter's mouth. Please. I don't care to which political affiliation you associate yourself, nor which religion, if any... this woman is just plain offensive.

My Apologies... to Blogger and to my Right Hand.

Well, I have unfairly blamed Blogger for my recent inability to login or even comment on other blogs. Apparently, we are having browser issues. On more than one computer. Yikes.

But this one works!

So, what have I been up to? I've taken two major tests in one of my grad classes. I'm certain I aced one... have no idea about the second. Not sure what he wanted, which doesn't make me feel good. But for two questions that were to be essay answers, I wrote 8 pages. EIGHT. OCHO. Excessive? I think not. However...

I can't feel my fingers on my right hand. I don't write anything anymore... it's all type-ity type type, clackety clack on a keyboard. I wasn't even sure my right hand remembered HOW to write. Apparently, eight pages later, it did.

Honestly... beyond signing a few checks here and there and maybe a few legal documents every so often... I don't write anymore! In high school and undergrad classes, writing eight pages would have been a piece of cake. Not so much now. Oh, well.

As for the school stuff, I still have a project to finish, a 25 page secondary research paper to begin (due Nov. 6... eeeek!), and three more tests. All this for 6 lousy credits. Gah. Credits that won't get me any salary advancement or that are 100% necessary. Color me stupid.

Sooooooo, now that I know Blogger doesn't hate me, I guess I'll be around again. Not that I have oodles and oodles of readers anymore. :-)

On that fabulously, self-pitying remark... please leave a comment. I just want to know who's around without having to check my Sitemeter stats. Pretty please?

So Much To Do, So Little Time- Part Infinity

Gah! Seriously. 2 graduate classes on top of full-time job on top of mommy/chauffeur duty on top of...

I need a vacation.

Or a mojito.

I sense several upcoming meme posts, because I don't think I'll have time to think of anything too original. My apologies.

Best Laid Plans

I had so much planned to do this week. I had great blog posts. I was going to study for my upcoming tests like a mad woman. I was even appropriately ambitious about cleaning house.

And then I got the flu. Boo.

Not the pukey flu... it was the "achey, feel like I'm going to die from nothing" kind of flu. Gah.

So, very little was accomplished. I did a little studying for a test I have next Tuesday, but that's about all. And now I'm sitting here, listening to a football game, and thinking I have so much to do I don't even know where to start.

I feel a little better now, so what do I do? I blog. Brilliant.

Tell me to go study. Tell me to take my youngest shopping for some clothes that fit her (she won't stop growing!). Tell me to do some laundry or something.

Really? You're Going to Wear THAT?

Pet Peeve of the Week:

Mommies who wear suggestive clothing while walking their kids to school, shopping with their kids, etc.

If you're over 30 and walking your child into his or her school, the word "JUICY" should not be printed across your chest or derriere.

Along those same lines, your child's schoolmates have no need to see your cleavage. Or your butt hanging out of those Daisy Dukes. You're a mom. Remember that.

You don't have to wear the stereotypical "mom jeans" with a waistline that reaches your ribcage. I'm not saying you need to wear a burkha, either. Just please look in the mirror... if you think you look hot*, think about changing your clothes. Save the hot clothes for the weekends with your significant other. Cover up for your kids and their friends.

That's all. Thank you for listening.


*Yes, yes. I know. Some women are lucky enough to look hot, even if they're wearing a pair of farmer's overalls. That's not what I mean. It's the moms who try to look 'sexy' when they're out with their kids that are bugging me this week. I'm a mom. I want to look good, too... I'm just not out to seduce my kids' friends or their teachers.

My Husband is Going to Freak...

I’m just going to type it, and then run like hell. So read quickly.

I’m having baby withdrawals, and the reason is two-fold, I think.

1) When my husband and I married almost 5 years ago, we each brought two children to the marriage. Our kids are all teenagers now, with the oldest in college. The other three are all in high school (yes, I know. I will accept sympathy in the form of cash… or comments. Whatever.).

I wish I had a dollar for every time my husband and I have been asked if we are going to have a child “of our own.” Well, we do have children of our own… 4 of them. But I understand what the question is really asking… are we ever going to have a child together? The answer has always been a resounding “NO.” Sometimes a resounding “Hell NO!” We’re still relatively young (we’re both in our late 30s), and it’s rather refreshing to have a date night where no babysitters are required. Also, I can’t remember the last time I had to buy diapers. Hallelujah! And even more exciting… when I’m 44, all our kids will be in their 20s. Empty nesters before the age of 45? Oh, sweet sounds of the gods!

Still… it does make me a little sad sometimes that I’ll never know what a Grumpy-Farm-Frumpy-Boy would look like. And we’ll never share that special intimacy of conceiving a child, going through birth together (granted, I’d be doing most of the work, as usual—just kidding, honey!), and sharing that special time alone together with our baby. Our kids won’t ever have a sibling they all share together.

2) This reason is a bit selfish, but there’s so much cool stuff for young moms now! Seriously. When I was pregnant with my two girls, maternity “fashion” was the equivalent of wearing a large, burlap sack with the word “BABY” and an arrow pointing at your stomach. Brilliant, right? Maternity clothes are sooooooooo much cuter now!

And… there were no blogs back then. I lived in a small town, away from my family and friends, with only my future ex and his family as a support system. I craved other “mommy” contact and conversations, but other than the women in my LaMaze classes, there were no connections for me. I am slightly envious of all the mommies who have found such a great community through their blogs. What a great opportunity, especially for those who aren't around family and friends!

Once the girls were born, I could carry around pictures with me, or mail them to friends and family, but there wasn’t an easy method with which to share pictures and video. Flickr? Yeah, nothing like that existed. Eventually, email came around, but it was slow, and believe it or not, a lot of people didn’t have it. (Okay, I am officially a dinosaur.)

And I know every generation of moms can say this… but the toys. THE TOYS. Even our kids groan when they see all the cool toys that are out there now!


I realize I have a lot of benefits of having near-grown children, and that I wouldn’t trade one ounce of my life now for anything different. Every once in a while, though, I do get these baby withdrawals and just wonder “what if?”

Arrrr! It's That Time of Year Again, Me Mateys!

Ahoy, me hearteys! What a great day i’tis to be sailin’ the mighty seas!

As you all know, I am married to the Farm Boy, who eventually becomes… the Dread Pirate Westley! Additionally, my oldest daughter is majoring in swashbuckling at Pirate College (okay, not really… but that was her first choice!). So, we’re well-versed in pirate life.

And since today is Talk Like A Pirate Day, what could be more fitting than to discuss your favorite pirate quotes.

Some of my favorites are Captain Jack Sparrow’s... here are two I particularly like:

"I have no sympathy for any of you feculent maggots and no more patience to pretend otherwise. Gentlemen, I wash my hand of this weirdness." I use this one at work almost daily. :-)

"Why would he do that? Because he's a lummox, isn't he? Well we shall have a magnificent garden party and you're not invited!" (Both quote from “Pirates…3”)


So, you scurvy little scalliwags, what is YOUR favorite pirate quote??

But My Eyes Aren't Brown...

Apparently, someone thinks I'm complètement de la merde, because I get 5-10 emails a day (in several of my email accounts) for ColoPure, Colon Purify, Colon Mate, Colon Blow... you name it.

Oh, well... it's better than the male enhancement emails I usually get. I KNOW I don't need those.

What scares me the most about spam is this: you know that spammers continue sending a gazillion emails a day, because there's a decent percentage of morons out there who actually respond to the spam.


And speaking of being full of "it," I keep seeing the commercial for the new Mountain Dew "Game Fuel." If you haven't seen it, several guys all over the world are playing an online game with others across the world. The majority of them are frustrated, because they're losing. The winner is the guy who has the new "energy" drink.

So... if you drink this crap, you'll win online games. Great message.

121mg* of caffeine PLUS 77.5 g of sugar in one 20 oz bottle. No protein. So, on top of sitting in front of a game for hours on end-- getting no exercise (unless it's a Wii)-- this is what the marketing people want you to think you NEED.

I don't know if this guy in China had any gaming fuel, but his 3 day gaming binge cost him his life. Perhaps other factors were involved, but three straight days of gaming? Yikes.

Don't get me wrong... I'm not knocking gaming at all! I've sat in front of my screen for a few hours at a time and been hooked on it, too. However, I'm not dumb enough to think that I'll be better if I imbibe any of these roided-out soft drinks. I just hate that it's being marketed to kids.

Yes, I know there's more caffeine in a cup of coffee. I rarely drink coffee, and when I do... it's definitely not in bottle form at 20 oz a shot.

A YAY for Fall Friday Why Files!

WHY #1: Why don't employers in the US have this idea?* A Russian governor advises couples to stay home and "make babies" instead of going to work.


WHY #2: Why were all the employees from upstairs (a different company) outside on the campus lawn playing kickball this morning? Maybe I need to look for a new job! I love kickball.

WHY #3: Why am I not posting about the Britney debacle at the VMAs? (because it's too sad and was even painful to watch)... although Sarcomical has provided a very interesting "play by play" account.


WHY #4: Why do some people (not from the Midwest) assume that all people who reside in my state live on farms?

Could I just state for the record that I have never lived on a farm and wouldn't have the foggiest notion of what to do on a farm?

Yes. I have seen cows. SEEN them. I have never raised one, nor taken one to a 4-H competition. To be honest, I'm not even sure what 4-H is.

I don't live in the middle of a cornfield.

I have modern conveniences in my home... no outhouses for me, thank you very much.

I don't wear overalls. Even if they came back in style, I don't think I'd wear them. They're not a good look for me. ;-)


WHY #5: Why do I have the urge to buy another new pair of shoes this weekend? And maybe a new suit? Hmmm....


And this concludes today's Friday Why Files. Happy Friday!




*Yes, I know. We don't have the same population loss that certain Russian regions do, but come on. It's a good idea, right? And no, I don't want anymore children, but I'm sure the Farm Boy wouldn't mind the day off either.

Maybe I Should Invest in Ear Plugs...

As if I haven't been grumpy enough lately... it's time for a small rant. :-)

The older I get, the more easily annoyed I become in social situations. Sad, but true. Lately, it's LOUD TALKERS who are ... well, pissing me off.

I wouldn't classify myself as an overly considerate person, but I do take measures to ensure that I don't trample other people's rights or invade their "space." Of course I make mistakes and slip up... I'm not perfect (no matter how many times people tell me I am... I KID! I kid).

LOUD TALKERS are trampling my personal space everywhere I go! I swear they're following me or something.

Loud talking is okay in certain arenas: bars/clubs with music so loud you can feel it, sports venues (as long as it's cheering and not a conversation about potty training or The Hills-- which I detest so much, I'm not even going to link it-- or anything else that isn't about the game on hand). But loud talking is not okay everywhere. It's just not!

Whenever we go out to eat, we are always seated next to the loudest table in the restaurant. Some crass girl is shouting out to the world the intimate details of her sex life and all the wild romps she's had in the last three weeks. And apparently, she only knows how to use sentences with the word "LIKE" included:

Crass Girl: It was so, like, amazing, you know? Like, I've never been with anyone who was so amazing! He was so wild, but, like, cool too. He has this tattoo, like, that circles around his chest and back, like very cool.

Me [to the Farm Boy]: she's so stupid, she's making my ears bleed.

FB: like, and LOUD, for sure. Like my ears are, like, bleeding, too. *typical FB grin*

For five minutes, she went on and on and on. Everyone in our section of the restaurant could hear each word she said. Farm Boy told me to time her... 20 "likes" in less than a minute. GAH!


Then there's the guy talking on his cell phone in the mall. Now, I understand that, sometimes, it's difficult for people on the other end of the phone to hear you... especially in areas that don't have great reception (e.g., malls). You occasionally have to speak up to be heard. In those cases, most people... considerate people... would take their phone conversations to a more isolated place with better reception (e.g. OUTSIDE the mall).

Cell Phone Guy [talking to wife on cell]: Yes! I'm waiting for you at the downstairs entrance. Come get me!

[3 seconds of silence]

CPG: The DOWNSTAIRS entrance!

[2 seconds of silence]

CPG: No! Not that one. One of the other entrances.

[3 seconds of silence]

CPG: No! Not that one either. It's by the piano store. You made me come to this stupid mall, and I'm tired of waiting for you. Come get me right this minute!


Okay, so maybe he's an impatient jerk who orders his wife around, too.

His cell phone conversation was accompanied by another man on his cell phone speaking in a language that might have been Punjabi. I'm not 100% sure, but I think that's what it was. He was also speaking very loudly, and his phone conversation lasted the entire time I shopped for hair products and lip gloss... and continued even after I purchased an ice cream cone and finished eating said ice cream cone. And yes, still LOUDLY conversing. I just wanted to tell him to take it outside. Please and thank you kindly. No dice.

I just don't get it. Farm Boy often becomes frustrated with me, because he says I mumble when we're in public. Compound the fact that his ears are about a foot above my mouth... you get the picture. Most of what I have to say to him when we're in public is not for the "public," so I don't shout it out for all to hear.

TMI, LOUD TALKERS. TMI! Please... I'm not eavesdropping purposefully. You're not giving me any choice!

Maybe I'll start writing "noise pollution" tickets. ??

Jeers to the Unsportsmanlike Conduct

You know, as much as I love football and the "rivalries" that exist, I've never let my loyalties to my team get in the way of my character. In other words, I've never derided a player on an opposing team JUST because he was on the other team. Well, maybe with the exception of the team that shall not be named where a defender tried to rip the head off our quarterback... wasn't flagged for it... and then it became a big joke at that particular school. But I digress...

Some fans are true fans, and some fans are just FANatics. My personal beliefs say that sportsmanship is a must on and off the field, for those on the roster and those in the stands. Rivalries are supposed to be healthy and promote fun competition, not an excuse to make an ass of yourself.

Still, I understand, how some people might want to be a jerk to an opposing team. It's not very classy, but I can see how our culture tends to condone such actions. And it could be worse.

Which leads me to the Michigan fans. I call "bad form" to those of you who were at your HOME game last Saturday booing. Your. Own. Team. Man, that is just shameful all the way around. Those are kids on that field. Maybe you were booing the coaches. I don't know. But for those young kids playing their hearts out, getting hurt, and already feeling down because they're not playing well... the booing? That's what they heard from their fans.

So, jeers to the booing Michigan football fans. Do us all a favor and class it up. Either support your team or don't... but if you choose not to, I'm fairly certain someone else would love to have your tickets.

If I Say I Didn't Mean It, Will I Be Able to Sleep In Again?

Apparently, I offended the god of morning people.... because this morning, I awoke at 4 AM. And could not go back to sleep. No matter how hard I tried. Gah.

Well, at least I wasn't chipper about it. ;-)

I'm going to be one hurting unit today at work. We have a 3 hour meeting to start the morning. THAT's going to be "fun," especially with me yawning every 5 minutes.

I think I'll post a Saturday Why Files, instead of a Friday.

Happy Friday! *yawn*

A PSA for Morning People

Woo-HOO! I knew there was a reason I'm not a morning person!

A Japanese study notes that early rising might not be good for the heart.

I know a lot of people who get up super early just to go exercise before going to work (like 4am early). I prefer to workout at night (on those rare occasions that I actually DO workout), either after work or around 8:00ish-9:00ish.

Have you ever noticed how morning people think they're better than everyone else? They're always all chipper and happy in the morning. Here's an example:

Morning Person: "Come on, you lazy head! Get out of bed! It's almost dawn, a new day is beginning, and life is GOOD!"

Me: "There had better be a fire or something really bad for you to be talking to me before 6am."

Morning Person: "What do you mean? Who would want to sleep during the best part of the day? The birds are singing, the sun is rising, and life is GOOD!"

Me: "No, SLEEP is good. Go away before I hurt you."

Morning Person: "Well, aren't we just a crankybottom. Some people just don't know what's good for.... grgg auugggh!"

That's the sound they make after I beat them senseless.

So what have we learned* today, kids? A) Early rising=bad, B) Waking up a non-morning person= worse.

And that concludes today's Public Service Announcement. Have a nice day.


*There's a quiz. I'm not saying when... just know that you will be expected to remember this information! ;-)

Pictures Can Say A Lot...

*I know I used a preposition to end the phrase, but I don't really care today.

A Two Weeks In A Row Friday Why Files!

WHY #1: Why do the little things always mean so much? I am thoroughly ecstatic today, because I was able to get my Inbox at work below 30 emails. It's been sitting between 180 and 300 this last month, so I consider this quite a feat. And now I will do a little happy dance of joy. I know you can't see it, but I'm sure you can picture it. If not, here is a brief pictorial for your enjoyment.





WHY #2: Why do some celebrities still believe "there's no such thing as BAD publicity?" YES, THERE IS. I'm pretty sure of it.

WHY #3: Why can't we keep our spinach clean? I can't live without my salads. *sniffle*

WHY #4: Why is this such a short Why Files? (because I have too much work to do!)

And that concludes Today's Friday Why Files. Happy Long-Weekend to all my US and Canadian Bloggy Friends!

Reach Out, Reach Out and Touch Someone... but not literally.

Ever since our class reunion this past weekend, I've been thinking about what a crappy job I do at staying in touch with people. Yes, our family is crazy busy with a million little things... but it makes me really sad that there are so many people I've just "lost." Even worse, many of those people live relatively close to me.

I pride myself at how well I manage email, how quickly I respond to people at work... but my personal email is turning into nothing but adverts and subscriptions. BORING. But why would I expect to RECEIVE emails if I rarely INITIATE them?

So here is my August resolution (I can have a resolution in August... I don't have to wait for New Year's, because I'm just cool that way!):

* I resolve to keep in contact with friends via email, via blog, whatever it takes. There's no excuse for me to go for more than a week without blogging.

* For my truly, close friends, I resolve to call at least once a week.

* For my friends who are separated by distance, I resolve to email at least once a month.

That should be a good start, don't you think?

What about you? Do you have a knack for staying in touch with your friends, old and new?

We Partied Like It Was 1987... but not really.

The reunion was fun... the informal night was better than the formal night, but that's to be expected. Saw a lot of people I hoped would come. Learned that I don't look as old as I think I do. I suppose that's a good thing. The Farm Boy was a total trooper. I owe him big time.

Quick quiz!

While at the reunion, I learned that one of my former classmates is now a(n):

a) doctor
b) lawyer
c) teacher
d) famous adult web site star
e) all of the above


Yep... lots of talent in our class, I must say.

And a question for you... is it completely narcissistic of me to be more thrilled that I had a good hair day for the dinner/dance than I was in reconnecting with some old friends??? Yeah? I thought so, too. So, umm... I guess I wasn't actually more thrilled about the hair, but it was a close second. ;-)

That's all I have... it was okay and fun at times, but nothing much really to post about.

A Could It Really BE... Friday Why Files

I'm awake early on my day off, so what else would I be doing? Yeah. The Friday Why Files. I don't even know how long it's been since I've done one of these, and I'm WAY too lazy to look it up.

WHY #1: Why, if I keep a stack of sticky notes, a journal for jotting down thoughts and doodles, AND a digital voice recorder, a Crackberry, and other digital handhelds, do I not use them to keep track of all the blog post ideas I've had in the last month? I've HUNDREDS (okay, maybe TENS) of ideas... all shot to hell, because I didn't jot them down or speak into a little red circle recorder to store them for later. Gah. I'm an idiot. I'm sure they all would have been pure gold, too. ;-)

WHY #2: Even though I've vowed never to discuss her parents, why do I see pictures of little Suri and just smile? Well, I guess you'd be that adorable, too, if you were genetically engineered by aliens. But you have to admit she's cute.

WHY #3: SPIN Rage? Wha? Huh?

WHY #4: Wh... uh, hmm. This one just makes my brain hurt. A man embarrassed by the size of his own manhood asks brother to secretly take his place. During sex. Yep. Hilarity Criminal charges to follow.

WHY #5: Did you see this score? 30-3? Although it looks like a minor trouncing in football, it's actually a record-breaking baseball score. Yes, baseball. The interesting part is the Orioles scored 3 in the first 3 innings. The Rangers were scoreless until the 4th. Maybe this is less of a WHY and more of a "HOW do you lose 30-3 in baseball when you're up 3-0???"

And this concludes today's Friday Why Files.

Where Does the Time Go?

I'm still in shock at how busy things are at work. My work year always has it's peaks and valleys, but there's not a valley in my sights right now. Gargh. Without looking back, I can't even tell you when I last posted here. This makes me a Sad Frump.

So, again... here's a quick list of stuff on my mind, since I don't have time for anything else.

1. Humidity sucks. I have stick-straight hair... I work hard to make it look "decent." And it does. Until I walk outside. I've worn my hair in an up-do more than I care to think about lately. Bring on fall weather, please!

2. I don't know why, but I can't stop craving sushi. I would eat sushi every day if I had the chance. We've had sushi probably 5 times in the last two weeks. Even the Bobblehead* was eating some sushi on the Food Network last night. Not helping the cravings.

3. People who have never lived through the destruction of a tornado do not understand the urgency of taking shelter immediately after a warning is announced. Yes, Farm Boy, this means YOU. We were lucky during this last storm... no tornado, but it was one hell of a storm. We were driving through 70-80 mph wind gusts. Scary.

4. I'm sort of looking forward to my class reunion this weekend. There are a lot of people I can't wait to see.

5. Farm Boy joined a gym. He wants me to join, and I'm all for it... unless it's a bunch of "plastics" who go at the same time I do. I left my last gym for that reason. When I go to a gym, I don't want to worry about what I look like... I just want to work out. If I have to get on an elliptical next to Barbie Anorexic with the DD implants, I'm sooooo outta there.

That's all I've got for now. I have a day off on Friday to help College Daughter move into her dorm, and then I'll be readying myself for the reunion activities (read here: try not to look older than I actually am). At any rate, it should be good for a few posts... that is, if I have time to post anything!

Over and out.


*You know who she is.

Catching Up...

Huzzah! The busiest work week of the year is past me. W00T! I might actually be able to post and read blogs again on a regular basis. Imagine that. Here's a quick peek into my brain today:


1. Thanks to those of you who gave me such fabulous suggestions for my day off this coming Monday. I decided, since the weather is so BLAZING hot and thus would prevent any outdoor activities, that I would spend some time at a day spa. I will be the recipient of a fabulous 90 minute massage. Yes. 90 minutes. That should be sheer heaven. Also on the menu is a much needed mani/pedi. Can't wait!!


2. Could this weather be a little more miserable, please? *insert sarcasm here* It's been 95 degrees F or higher with insanely high dew points... pretty much feels like you're walking around in a steam room.


3. We finally bought a new fridge. The old one was somewhat broken... it kept food cold, but mostly froze everything on the bottom shelves. Ever had a frozen head of lettuce? Yikes. Oh, and it leaked a lot, too. Yay. Old and busted fridge is gone. New fridge is in. So, the Farm Boy insisted we take a picture of it. (Sometimes, he scares me.) He even made me pose like an idiot in front of the new fridge. Trust me, under that purple blockhead is the cheesiest grin I can manage. It's a pretty cool (no pun intended) fridge. I would have preferred stainless steel, but that wouldn't match the rest of the kitchen. Oh, well.

4. I'm extremely depressed about my reading progress. Usually by this time of year, I've finished about 25-30 books. So far this year: 15. A stinking 15! It took me 6 weeks to finish my last book, mostly because I rarely had more than 5 minutes or so to devote to reading on any given day. How am I going to read 35 more books by the end of the year? Yeah. It's probably not going to happen. Gah. So depressing.

5. Daughter #1 learned yesterday that she will actually get to live on campus! Super W00T! We'd been told all spring and summer that housing was unavailable-- that she was on a huge waiting list and wouldn't be able to get a room. I was worried that she'd have to live at home and would have a tougher time getting involved in campus life. However, a room opened up yesterday, and she's in. She moves in a couple of weeks. Talk about last minute, but I'm not going to complain. She thinks I want to kick her out of my house; I just want her to be able to experience college life to the fullest. If she lived at home, it would be too much like going to high school... with a longer drive. I think I'm more excited for her new housing than she is. :-)

6. Daughter #2 and I went to Target tonight for the annual back-to-school purchasing. She starts on Monday. BUT... we couldn't find a "cute" book bag. I found several really cool book bags that would be sturdy enough... tons of pockets and cool features. Nope. Not "cute" enough. Gah. I'll be so glad when we're not 14 anymore. So, we purchased everything but a "cute" book bag, AND... I spent less than $100. I have to note these times (for posterity or something), because we rarely ever get out of Target for under $100. In fact, lately we're lucky to get out of there under $300. I love Target. So. Much.

Probably should stop with six list items... but I can't.

7. The Farm Boy and I went to Chipotle this week. It's been a loooooooooooooong time since we've gone. I got that little nervous, giddy feeling in my stomach right before we walked in. Can one have a crush on a burrito? I think "yes." One can, and one does. It was so superly tasty-licious! Of course, I couldn't finish my whole burrito (and I even asked for half the rice), but it was so worth it! I do have to mention, however, that this particular franchise is on my naughty list. This was only my second Chipotle venture in a matter of months, and both times this particular franchise had an "Out of Order" note on the Diet Coke. No other diet soda available. Boo. One cannot enjoy one's burrito with a cup of water... or lemonade. Blech. If it happens again, I might have to get cranky with them. (Or maybe just bring my own bottle of DC with me. )

Okay. Seven list items is a good place to stop. Happy Weekend!

Tell Me What I Want... (what I really really want)...

Instead of whining (again) about how busy I am, I have decided that I should come to you, O Friends of the Bloggy Cosmos, for ideas of what I should/could do to de-stress. After my "two weeks in hell" are over, I will take a day or two off (a Monday and possibly a Tuesday) for mental health.

Please send me your recommendations for my mental health day(s) via the comments. There's always the fall-back massage or pedicure (massage AND pedicure would be nice, too)... but I'm betting you all have amazing ideas that my brain is not capable of conjuring at this moment in time.

There are limited funds, of course... and because I have children, I probably can't jet off to Paris... or even anywhere outside the burgeoning metropolis I call home. Those are your limits, but you can go crazy with the rest of the details.

Thanks for playing.

Detonation in Three, Two, One...

AAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH!



Sorry... had to get that out before I exploded.


Am having busiest season of all time at that PLACE THAT SHALL NOT BE BLOGGED ABOUT*. It will all be over in two weeks, but all the same... I feel like jumping off a cliff. I hate this time of year.

On top of that, was offered my dream job, but had to turn it down. Because.Of.Money. Gah! If it were even close, I would have jumped on it, but it would have been substantially less money. With Daughter #1 starting college in a month (and three more to follow in only a few years)... no way. Even if we didn't have a child starting college, we couldn't have done it. Can I just say how much that sucks? I have literally trapped myself in this income bracket... yes, there are a lot of sacrifices we could make, but those would be sacrifices that we ALL would have to make, not just me. Plus... I'm approaching 40... is it practical to go back to the scrimping and saving and scraping by that I did in my 20s? I don't think it is. I need to be practical and think about retirement and other responsible crap like that. Gah. This SUUUUUUCCCCCKS. Oh, well. C'est la vie.

I think someone has it in for me. ** Busiest, most stressful time of work ever, PMS, and shifting weather fronts which have the tendency to give me migraines. I'm going to be such a peach this coming week!

Okay. Ending self-pity party now.




So, how was YOUR week? ;-)


On a much lighter and more fun-like note, here is my Simpsons avatar. You can make yours at the Simpsons Movie site. Please to enjoy.









* I know it's grammatically incorrect, but I really don't give a rat's bum this time.


** Of course, not really. But maybe. Perhaps?

A HodgePodge of Nothing Remotely Related...

I don't have one specific topic for today, so here are the thoughts that have been crossing my mind lately...

I think my mirror-image is more attractive than my real image. My face is ever so slightly asymmetrical, and it definitely appears to be better looking in the mirror. This is the reason that I can be fully satisfied with how I look while I'm in front of the mirror and getting ready, and so completely horrified when I see myself in pictures. Perhaps I will invent a device that only allows people to see my mirror-image.... or else I will just walk around with a bag over my head for the rest of my life. Said bag, of course, would be square and purple.

next

I know how Harry Potter ends. And I'm not telling ANYONE. ;-)

next

These are my cute new shoes. They go really well with my suit that has super long pants. I loved that the peep toes show my perfectly nicely adequately pedicured toes today. Or something like that.

Is This A Sign???

My lucky bamboo plant is dying. The same plant that I've had for over three years and which has grown and flourished. It used to look like this.

Now it looks more like this:



I am sad. :-(

A Bookseller's Dream....

I have a queue of seven books right now (eight, if you count the one I'm reading). I rarely let them pile up beyond four at time, but I can't stay away from Barnes & Noble lately. And if I walk in the store... I. Must. Buy. Something. It's a sickness, really.

I'm so hooked on reading, and I always have been. There's a website called What Book Got You Hooked... if you login and write a quick note about the book that hooked you, you can help your state (US only, I think) win 50,000 books or something. Click and find out.

Better yet, leave me a comment and tell ME which book(s) got you hooked on reading. I know I don't have just one, and I probably won't remember all of them, but here are some of mine:


Shel Silverstein's Where The Sidewalk Ends
Richard Scarry's Best Storybook Ever
Robert McCloskey's Blueberries for Sal
The Paddington Bear series
The Hobbit and The Fellowship of the Ring (do you really need the links?)
The Little House series... yes, including Farmer Boy


I'll stop now; otherwise, this list will be longer than any of my posts to date. Those on the list only represent my pre- and early elementary/primary school favorites. We haven't even touched the Judy Blume years. Or Narnia. Or John Saul. hahaha

Tell me yours!

Random nothingness... and a LIST!

Apparently, I can't add a title to this post. What's up with THAT, Blogger???

I've decided just to post about random nothingness, because I don't want to be a downer. So, instead of blogging about anything going on in my life, I'll just blog about a whole lot of nothing. Of course that means LISTS will be involved. W00T!

Today's list:

Completely Inappropriate and/or Unexplainable Crushes -- these are not people I drool over or would even necessarily want to meet; just have a little tiny crush on them. The Farm Boy need not be worried.

I know I'm not the first person to do this.... I'm pretty sure metalia had one at some point, but I'm far too lazy stressed out and busy right now to go find the link. :-)
*Okay, scratch that. I found the link. Here are metalia's five weird crushes.

And now... here is my list.

1. Nick Simmons, offspring of the Lord of Rock himself, Gene Simmons. We'll call this one inappropriate, because he's far too young for me... but he's very clever and witty. Never seen or heard of him before? Watch one episode of Gene Simmons Family Jewels, and perhaps you'll understand.

2. Hugh Grant. I don't think he's hot or anything; I found him rather pathetic after hooking up with Divine Brown whilst he was in a relationship with Liz Hurley... so let's call this one unexplainable. There's something about him that makes me watch his movies. Yes, even Music & Lyrics. Yes, he really sang in that movie, too. Yes, I'm embarrassed now that I have divulged this one.

3. James Earl Jones. Definitely unexplainable. I think it's the voice. And that's all I have to say about that.

4. Harry Potter. I know. Totally inappropriate and way too bandwagon. Again, I'm not drooling over him, nor am I trolling the internetz for his Equus pics (even though I'm sure my daughters are). I'm not even going to type his real name, because I should just go crawl in a hole right now.

5. Jason and Grant from Sci Fi's Ghost Hunters. Again, unexplainable. It's probably more Jason than Grant (I like grumpy bald guys???), although I do love to hear Grant say, "What the frig?" everytime something possibly paranormal happens. What the frig??? How cute is THAT?!?! hahahaha Anyway, I love that show, so that's the only thing I can come up with as an excuse.

6. 1950's Bobby Darin. Both inappropriate and unexplainable. Inappropriate because I hadn't yet been born during that time, and unexplainable because Bobby is up in that great nightclub in the sky. Although... who knows. This could be the start of a whole new list-- dead guys upon whom I have little crushes. Hmmmm....

Maybe I should stop while I still have a little dignity left. What's that? I have NO dignity left? Okay. *ahem* Well, thanks for stopping by. Guess I'll head back down into that hole now...

A Downer of A Return...

Overwhelmed.

That's what I am. I can't even begin to list all the crap that's weighing on my mind. The sad thing is that I have some time to deal with things right now, but there's so much to do that I don't even know where to begin.

I wish I could say that our vacation was helpful, but not really. The conference I attended in Atlanta was okay, but not great.

Ever been in the place where you stare at the ceiling in the morning, dreading what awaits you as soon as you get out of bed? I'm not depressed. Honest. There's just TOO MUCH stuff. I've even tried delegating, but ha. ha. HA! Not helping.

GAH. I hate being in this place.

So yay... I'm back. Sorry it's not more cheerful. I'm sure I'll be back to my grumpier self soon with some typical, snarky posts (not to be mistaken with actress, Markie Post, oh she of the Lifetime Movie of the Week).

See? Even my attempts at humor suck. ;-)

I'm Home... but not for long!

We arrived home from California very early this morning, and I am headed out to a conference in Atlanta very early tomorrow morning. Talk about jet lag!

Here's a quick recap of what we did in CA (I'll post more later):

6/15: arrived in Ontario (California, not Canada); drove to Menifee where brother-in-law lives. Stayed in Menifee/Canyon Lakes area.

6/16: drove the kids to Hollywood for the afternoon. Spent more time on the freeway than we did in Hollywood, but knew that was going to happen.

6/17: spent Father's Day waiting for the guys to golf and then ate dinner at BIL's house. Also spent much time being annoyed with the Farm Boy's twin. I definitely have the good twin!!

6/18: went to Knott's Berry Farm and Soak City for the day.

6/19-21: half of us sailed and half of us ferried from Long Beach/San Pedro area to Avalon on Catalina Island. Were only scheduled to stay there a day, but the sail snapped on the sailboat, and those who were sailing were stranded in the middle of the ocean for a while. Finally, they motored into Avalon. Instead of going on to Two Harbors, we stayed at Avalon the entire time. We did some horseback riding, snorkeling, beachcombing, glass-bottom boating, kayaking, eating.... you name it. The Farm Boy was able to go scuba diving with his siblings and saw the resident 300 lb black sea bass named Fred. The weather there was absolutely beautiful! I'll post some pics later!

6/22: Sailed/Ferried back to Long Beach/San Pedro. Spent some time on the boardwalk in Long Beach at Shoreline Villages... wanted to take the older kids on the Queen Mary, but ran out of time. I'm pretty bummed about that. Drove back to Menifee.

6/23: had a quick lunch at a relative's house in Upland, then drove into Ontario to the airport for the flight home. Returned just after midnight.

We had a good time, but I can definitely say that a person who is a planner to a fault (ME) will always have a stressful experience with people who decide what to do at the last minute (Farm Boy and all his family). I know the kids had a good time, as did the Farm Boy, so that's all that really matters. I will spend three days in a [NICE!] hotel all by myself while at my conference, so that's where I'll have MY vacation. ;-)

And with that... I need to get back to packing. I have lists to check off and minute details to fret over. W00T!

Sunny CA... here we come...

Not that I've been around much lately anyway... but now we're off to California for a family trip. For NINE DAYS. Can I handle being around all our kids AND the Farm Boy's family for that long??? We'll see. I don't have that much sanity left as it is. haha

I'm hoping to be able to catch a little blog time while I'm there, but who knows.

Right after we return, I'm off to Atlanta for a conference. Ugh. Atlanta in late June. My hair is already wimping out just thinking of the humidity. Oh, well.

I've been in and out of most of your blogs to see what you've been up to for the last month or so. Sounds like everyone is as busy and crazy as usual. I'm still surprised at how much I value blogging and the bloggy friends I've made. I've only ever had one "blate*," but am hoping to meet more of you someday. I don't plan to give up any of it at this point, even if I don't have a lot of time to post or read right now. So there. I'm still here to stay.

Anyway, hasta la vista, my babies. See you again soon!


*"blate" is a bloggy friend date, but I can't remember who coined the term. -R-? Stefanie? metalia? I want to be sure to credit whoever it was!

Ann Curry is Making My Brain Bleed...

Gah. I don't mean to be a stranger. Really, I don't. It's just that there's so much to do, I'm so very tired still (c'mon... it's been a month now. I want to feel NORMAL again!!!), and blogging is moseying its way down the list of priorities right now. Gah.

Here's something I had to get off my chest, though.

Please, for the love of Bob, NBC, PLEASE stop letting Ann Curry do interviews. PLEASE!

As a person, I think Ann Curry might be kind of a nice woman. In fact, she might be fun to hang out with, shoot the breeze, go shopping... you know. She seems like a very pleasant person with a decent sense of humor. A nice girlfriend-type. She also seems like a great, caring mom... I love to listen to her talk about her daughter.

As a journalist, she's fabulous reading the news. She also does great "special assignments" when she heads over to places such as Kazakhstan, Nepal, Iran*.... very interesting with the serious news. What I'm trying to say is she's a very intelligent woman with a lot of strengths.

HOWEVER...

... as a "fluff" journalist, interviewing celebrities and whatnot, she is truly painful to watch. Did anyone see her interview with the Hoff? Yes, we know all about the Hoff's little problem, but let him promote his show (it's not really his show, but let's run with it). Okay? Or how about the one with cute little Bindi Irwin and her mom, Terri? I seriously had to change channels during that one... I was that uncomfortable! I'm not even going to talk about the Brangelina interview. Yikes.

Ann, please just stop. I know you don't mean to offend your guests, but you do. You interrupt awkwardly, you say things you shouldn't, you react even more awkwardly... I find myself actually holding my breath listening to one of your interviews!!

Please just stop. Please. You're such a nice, pretty lady. You have gorgeous hair. And I'm sure you have a fabulous brain! I don't want you to leave altogether... just no more interviews, m'kay????

Thanks for listening.



*Okay, so maybe she didn't have special assignments in those places per se, but she is really good at those wherever they may be.