Unruly climbed up on the couch next to me the other night for our nightly "snuggle time" before bed. Winter snuggle time is especially nice because we can get all nice and cozy under a warm blanket and just snuggle without sweating against each other.
She likes to mess with my hair during snuggle time and this time, she found an odd patch of hair near my right temple.
"Mommy, why are some of your hairs old?" she asked, separating the grays from the auburn.
"What do you mean 'old'?" I queried, knowing perfectly well what she was referring to but wanting to hear her answer.
"You know, old, all the color is gone and they are just white. Like old people," she explained.
"Can you pull it out for me?"
"No, mom, there are too many, I don't want to make you bald," she said.
*sigh*
"You gave them to me, you know," I chided with a smile.
"I know. And I'm going to give you more," she giggled. "Your whole hair will be old!"
Ohh...that child. She is too smart for her own darned good.
Showing posts with label randomness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label randomness. Show all posts
Friday, December 05, 2008
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Clogs!
It amazes me how accurate these silly things can be with just few seemingly mundane questions. This is pretty spot on, even the job part. And I'd LOVE to live in Europe!
You Are Clogs |
 You are a solid and down to earth person. You seek – and almost always achieve – a really sound balance in your life. You are stylish yet comfortable. Mellow but driven. Excited yet calm. You are the perfect mesh of contradictions. No matter what happens, you have the ability to stay well grounded in your life. People know that they can truly depend on you. You should live: In Europe You should work: At a company dedicated to helping the world |
Sunday, September 14, 2008
The very blustery day
While the weather outside is icky (we're in a flash flood watch and high wind advisory...thanks Ike!), there isn't much I can do outside without feeling a whole lot like a drowned rat. I'm waiting for it to quit so I can go see how many trees we've lost. I heard a few crash down early this morning.
Although it's still warm and humid, it is starting to feel like fall. The leaves are changing, the horses are losing their summer coats and slowly putting on heavier ones, the mums are blooming.
And...it's apple pickin' season!
Ever notice how many MORE apples you end up bringing home when you go out to the orchard to pick them yourself? I'd never, ever buy this many apples at the grocery store!
What to do with nearly 20 pounds of apples?
Make apple crisp, of course.
So much easier than pie. You don't have to deal with that pesky crust. I get flour everywhere...pie crust is not a pretty thing for me. Toss some oatmeal, brown sugar, white sugar, cinnamon, flour and melted butter into a bowl, mix and your done.
Throw a heap of peeled, sliced apples into a buttered pie plate.
Pile the brown sugar, butter, oatmeal mix on top. Be generous!
Bake until the apples are bubbly and crust is golden. Enjoy the wonderful cinnamony-apple smell that fills your house. Marvel at how much apples shrink in the oven. Grab a spoon and eat it warm straight out of the pie plate before anyone else in the house realizes it's done.
Just kidding.
Finally, mix all the peelings in with your horses' dinner to let them know how much you love 'em.
Although it's still warm and humid, it is starting to feel like fall. The leaves are changing, the horses are losing their summer coats and slowly putting on heavier ones, the mums are blooming.
And...it's apple pickin' season!
Ever notice how many MORE apples you end up bringing home when you go out to the orchard to pick them yourself? I'd never, ever buy this many apples at the grocery store!What to do with nearly 20 pounds of apples?
Make apple crisp, of course.
So much easier than pie. You don't have to deal with that pesky crust. I get flour everywhere...pie crust is not a pretty thing for me. Toss some oatmeal, brown sugar, white sugar, cinnamon, flour and melted butter into a bowl, mix and your done.
Throw a heap of peeled, sliced apples into a buttered pie plate.
Pile the brown sugar, butter, oatmeal mix on top. Be generous!
Bake until the apples are bubbly and crust is golden. Enjoy the wonderful cinnamony-apple smell that fills your house. Marvel at how much apples shrink in the oven. Grab a spoon and eat it warm straight out of the pie plate before anyone else in the house realizes it's done.
Just kidding.
Finally, mix all the peelings in with your horses' dinner to let them know how much you love 'em.
Thursday, September 04, 2008
Hello, Gustav
Hurricane Gustav is here. Well, the remnants are here, and we are thankful. I think it's kind of stuck over us right now, and I'm not going to complain. Things were getting awfully dry, dusty and brown 'round these parts and we needed the rain. As much damage as those hurricanes do to coastal cities and disrupt so many lives, we up here in the Midwest watch them coming and say little "thank yous," especially when it's dry. It's raining like mad outside, turning my browning grass green and my drooping flowers perky and vibrant again. We depend on those hurricane remnants every late summer. Funny how weather patterns work, isn't it? Katrina brought us pretty nasty storms, lightning, wind, tornadoes, the whole kaboodle. Gustav has brought us a steady, but soft, rain and very little destructive wind.
We've needed a day like this for a few weeks. Rainy, cool, dark and gloomy. Oh, sure, sunny, blue skies are great, we all appreciate them. But every now and then, I need a wet, gray day. For me, they are very relaxing and put me into a mood where I all I want to do is snuggle up on the couch with a good book and a mug of Earl Gray tea and just chill. I love them. And they force me to sit and just do NOTHING. I have a really hard time just sitting and doing nothing. It's a character flaw. I never stop unless something like rainy, snowy or icy weather forces me to stop. Well, most of the time it works, sometimes I just channel that need to DO DO DO and GO GO GO into inside tasks. I'm pretty sure it drives my husband crazy. He has no problem just doing nothing. I find it very hard, heck, I find it very hard to sit through an entire movie without feeling the urge to DO something while I'm watching.
The timing is perfect. Hubs has been sick for the past three days. Stay at home miserable sick. And now, I feel the bug moving in on my immune system. My neck hurts, my tummy hurts and my head is starting to ache. It's a perfect day to go home, curl up on the couch and sleep.
We've needed a day like this for a few weeks. Rainy, cool, dark and gloomy. Oh, sure, sunny, blue skies are great, we all appreciate them. But every now and then, I need a wet, gray day. For me, they are very relaxing and put me into a mood where I all I want to do is snuggle up on the couch with a good book and a mug of Earl Gray tea and just chill. I love them. And they force me to sit and just do NOTHING. I have a really hard time just sitting and doing nothing. It's a character flaw. I never stop unless something like rainy, snowy or icy weather forces me to stop. Well, most of the time it works, sometimes I just channel that need to DO DO DO and GO GO GO into inside tasks. I'm pretty sure it drives my husband crazy. He has no problem just doing nothing. I find it very hard, heck, I find it very hard to sit through an entire movie without feeling the urge to DO something while I'm watching.
The timing is perfect. Hubs has been sick for the past three days. Stay at home miserable sick. And now, I feel the bug moving in on my immune system. My neck hurts, my tummy hurts and my head is starting to ache. It's a perfect day to go home, curl up on the couch and sleep.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Why yes, that's me!
You Are An ISTP |
 The Mechanic You are calm and collected, even in the most difficult of situations. A person of action and self-direction, you love being independent. To outsiders you seem impulsive, surprising, and unpredictable. You are good at understanding how all things work, except for people. In love, you tend to be very easy going and flexible. The only thing you can't stand for is someone trying to change you or your life. At work, you can stay completely calm under pressure. You handle stress well. You would make an excellent pilot, forensic pathologist, or athlete. How you see yourself: Logical, flexible, and unconventional When other people don't get you, they see you as: Indecisive, flippant, and disrespctful |
Edited to add the definition of an ISTP personality:
ISTP (Introversion, Sensing, Thinking, Perceiving)
ISTPs excel at analyzing situations to reach the heart of a problem so that they can swiftly implement a functional repair, making them ideally suited to the field of engineering. Naturally quiet people, they are interested in understanding how systems operate, focusing on efficient operation and structure. They are open to new information and approaches. But contrary to their seemingly detached natures, ISTPs are often capable of humorously insightful observations about the world around them, and can be closet daredevils who gravitate toward fast-moving or risky hobbies (such as bungee jumping, hang gliding, racing, motorcycling, and parachuting), recreational sports (such as downhill skiing, ice hockey, and scuba diving), and careers (such as aviation and firefighting).
I KNEW I chose the wrong career!
Thursday, August 07, 2008
Friday, May 16, 2008
Mommy fails, again
I am a bad, bad mom. The worst sort possible. I'm a forgetful mom and Unruly reminds me CONSTANTLY how forgetful I can be. "Did you forget, AGAIN, mom? Sheesh." Not an uncommon phrase around here.
Yesterday Unruly lost yet another tooth. Of course, she went and lost it because she couldn't seem to keep her teeth off another little kid's WebKinz. They were playing lions, or something equally silly, and Unruly attacked that WebKinz with ferocity, yanking out a loose tooth in the process.
Anyway...the Tooth Fairy seems to be just as forgetful as Unruly's old mom. Despite carefully tucking the tooth beneath the child's pillow, the Tooth Fairy failed to materialize and leave the loot behind. I feel terrible and she was SO disappointed.
Of course, I had to come up with some kind of creative excuse for the Tooth Fairy's lax ways, right? "Maybe she couldn't find your tooth, honey," I offered hopefully.
"Mom, she's the TOOTH FAIRY of course she can find it!"
"Well, maybe LOTS of kids lost their teeth yesterday and her schedule was too packed to get to yours last night. You did go to bed kind of late," I explain. Surely she'll buy into that excuse, right?
"Hmmm...maybe. I dunno," she contemplated.
"You can try again tonight," I said, mentally admonishing myself to REMEMBER to leave the cash and take the tooth tonight.
"Hmmm...okay. But if she doesn't remember again, I'm telling Santa she was a bad Tooth Fairy."
Yesterday Unruly lost yet another tooth. Of course, she went and lost it because she couldn't seem to keep her teeth off another little kid's WebKinz. They were playing lions, or something equally silly, and Unruly attacked that WebKinz with ferocity, yanking out a loose tooth in the process.
Anyway...the Tooth Fairy seems to be just as forgetful as Unruly's old mom. Despite carefully tucking the tooth beneath the child's pillow, the Tooth Fairy failed to materialize and leave the loot behind. I feel terrible and she was SO disappointed.
Of course, I had to come up with some kind of creative excuse for the Tooth Fairy's lax ways, right? "Maybe she couldn't find your tooth, honey," I offered hopefully.
"Mom, she's the TOOTH FAIRY of course she can find it!"
"Well, maybe LOTS of kids lost their teeth yesterday and her schedule was too packed to get to yours last night. You did go to bed kind of late," I explain. Surely she'll buy into that excuse, right?
"Hmmm...maybe. I dunno," she contemplated.
"You can try again tonight," I said, mentally admonishing myself to REMEMBER to leave the cash and take the tooth tonight.
"Hmmm...okay. But if she doesn't remember again, I'm telling Santa she was a bad Tooth Fairy."
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Spring has truly begun
If the blooming flowers and fully-leafed out trees don't give spring away, Unruly surely does. How do we know spring has arrived at our house? She quits wearing shoes, entirely. As soon as she gets through the door after school, the shoes come off and don't go back on unless I force her to put them back on with threats of tossing her in the pond. I can't count the number of times I've had to mop muddy little footprints off my kitchen floor or yell at her to GET OUT! of the horse pasture without shoes on! Finding a glob of chicken poo stuck to the bottom of her feet isn't unusual. Pedicures? Forget about it.
How else? Let me count the ways:
1. Frogs and toads become regular visitors into my house. Uninvited by me and quickly evicted as soon as I learn of their presence.
2. Armloads of wild flowers picked by enthusiastic kid hands must find homes in baskets and vases before they wilt and drop their petals everywhere.
3. Worms are saved from my garden hoe on a daily basis. Unfortunately, sometimes saving them from a deadly whack of the hoe means they end up in a chicken gullet instead.
4. Unruly manages to locate every bird nest within a 1,000 foot radius of our house and I have to help her check on the hatching status of the eggs nearly every day.
5. A variety of bugs learn what it's like to live inside a jar.
6. Little bare footprints leave deep, muddy impressions along the creek as she searches for frogs, toads, turtles, minnows and snakes.
7. When she catches her first snake of the season we'll have to have our annual "what's poisonous, what's not" talk again. Garter snakes and black snakes are okay. Water moccasins and rattlers are not.
8. Keeping clothes on her becomes more and more difficult as the weather warms up. Already once this season I busted her bouncing on the trampoline in all her natural glory. The kid has NO modesty. None.
9. The inquiries to be allowed to go skinny dipping become more frequent. The pool isn't open yet, but the requests have already begun.
10. Some of the seedlings in my flower beds will undoubtedly fall victim to her indiscreet weed pulling.
How else? Let me count the ways:
1. Frogs and toads become regular visitors into my house. Uninvited by me and quickly evicted as soon as I learn of their presence.
2. Armloads of wild flowers picked by enthusiastic kid hands must find homes in baskets and vases before they wilt and drop their petals everywhere.
3. Worms are saved from my garden hoe on a daily basis. Unfortunately, sometimes saving them from a deadly whack of the hoe means they end up in a chicken gullet instead.
4. Unruly manages to locate every bird nest within a 1,000 foot radius of our house and I have to help her check on the hatching status of the eggs nearly every day.
5. A variety of bugs learn what it's like to live inside a jar.
6. Little bare footprints leave deep, muddy impressions along the creek as she searches for frogs, toads, turtles, minnows and snakes.
7. When she catches her first snake of the season we'll have to have our annual "what's poisonous, what's not" talk again. Garter snakes and black snakes are okay. Water moccasins and rattlers are not.
8. Keeping clothes on her becomes more and more difficult as the weather warms up. Already once this season I busted her bouncing on the trampoline in all her natural glory. The kid has NO modesty. None.
9. The inquiries to be allowed to go skinny dipping become more frequent. The pool isn't open yet, but the requests have already begun.
10. Some of the seedlings in my flower beds will undoubtedly fall victim to her indiscreet weed pulling.
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Rethinking the commute
These gas prices are starting to hurt. Hurt enough to make me really seriously consider job-searching closer to home. This isn't even a matter of me wanting to leave my current job, I enjoy my job, it's purely a matter of economics.
Let's put it this way. Once upon a time, when oil barons were only a little bit greedy and not wipe-their-asses-with-$100-bills greedy, I spent an average of $5 a day to commute to and from work. Now, I spend $20 a day. That's $100 a week and $400 a month. In gas. Just to get to and from work. That's just over one-fourth of my entire monthly wages. Which is INSANE. It's not a dire situation, not by any means, but when I think "$400 a month, in gas, just to get to work," my heart flip-flops a bit and all the things I would RATHER do with $400 goes through my head and I feel a little faint.
So, I started thinking about what other things I could, aside from doing the reporter gig. I could freelance, but that is so hit and miss with no guaranteed income that I'd be better off staying put. I could go back to working at a stables, mucking stalls, exercising horses, etc. etc. But that job pays dismally. There's no money in horses unless you have it to begin with.
I would really dig mowing lawns and planting trees and plants all day. I would also enjoy driving heavy equipment, like a bulldozer or a crane. That would be awesome. I could work at a dairy farm...there are plenty of those around us!
Notice a trend? I'm looking at outdoor jobs. I've always hated working inside and was really, truly happiest when I did work outside, with my hands and my whole body, rather than just driving a telephone and a keyboard most of the day. I loved the jobs I've had in the past where I can finish my day, look out over what I actually physically accomplished that day, feel the work I'd done, and called it a good days' work.
Let's put it this way. Once upon a time, when oil barons were only a little bit greedy and not wipe-their-asses-with-$100-bills greedy, I spent an average of $5 a day to commute to and from work. Now, I spend $20 a day. That's $100 a week and $400 a month. In gas. Just to get to and from work. That's just over one-fourth of my entire monthly wages. Which is INSANE. It's not a dire situation, not by any means, but when I think "$400 a month, in gas, just to get to work," my heart flip-flops a bit and all the things I would RATHER do with $400 goes through my head and I feel a little faint.
So, I started thinking about what other things I could, aside from doing the reporter gig. I could freelance, but that is so hit and miss with no guaranteed income that I'd be better off staying put. I could go back to working at a stables, mucking stalls, exercising horses, etc. etc. But that job pays dismally. There's no money in horses unless you have it to begin with.
I would really dig mowing lawns and planting trees and plants all day. I would also enjoy driving heavy equipment, like a bulldozer or a crane. That would be awesome. I could work at a dairy farm...there are plenty of those around us!
Notice a trend? I'm looking at outdoor jobs. I've always hated working inside and was really, truly happiest when I did work outside, with my hands and my whole body, rather than just driving a telephone and a keyboard most of the day. I loved the jobs I've had in the past where I can finish my day, look out over what I actually physically accomplished that day, feel the work I'd done, and called it a good days' work.
Thursday, March 06, 2008
A "wow" moment
Some of you know I also write a column/blog for the paper I work for. Awhile ago I wrote about parents who spend an insane amount of money on clothes for their kids and that I just don't see the point in it. Anyway...I received this last night in my work email:
Hi Jennifer,
I read an article of yours in the Belleville News Democrat re: designer clothes for kids. We’re doing a show on Tuesday about a child who has a personal stylists. We’re bringing on families who spend exorbitant amounts of money on parties, clothes, hair cuts, etc. We are looking for a family to come on and represent the other side- the ones who see it all around them and feel the pressure but don’t succumb. If you and your husband are interested, I would like to discuss the show with you. Please call me in the office at (redacted). Thanks!
Julie A. Ruggiero
The Tyra Banks Show
226 West 26th Street, 4th Floor
New York, NY 10001
Kind of cool, but at the same time, I know she probably sent out hundreds of emails looking for parents like us. I'll give her a call, but I know how those shows can be and I'm not ALL that willing to put my family on the chopping block.
Opinions?
Hi Jennifer,
I read an article of yours in the Belleville News Democrat re: designer clothes for kids. We’re doing a show on Tuesday about a child who has a personal stylists. We’re bringing on families who spend exorbitant amounts of money on parties, clothes, hair cuts, etc. We are looking for a family to come on and represent the other side- the ones who see it all around them and feel the pressure but don’t succumb. If you and your husband are interested, I would like to discuss the show with you. Please call me in the office at (redacted). Thanks!
Julie A. Ruggiero
The Tyra Banks Show
226 West 26th Street, 4th Floor
New York, NY 10001
Kind of cool, but at the same time, I know she probably sent out hundreds of emails looking for parents like us. I'll give her a call, but I know how those shows can be and I'm not ALL that willing to put my family on the chopping block.
Opinions?
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Google searches
I get pretty mundane Google search hits on this blog most of the time. Basic boring searches.
However, someone in London found his or her way here by Googling "nearly nude fit young girls blog." Which is better than "completely naked underage girls blog." It makes me wonder, was this individual looking for a young girl blogging about being nearly naked while playing sports, or a young fit girl who blogs nearly nude?
However, someone in London found his or her way here by Googling "nearly nude fit young girls blog." Which is better than "completely naked underage girls blog." It makes me wonder, was this individual looking for a young girl blogging about being nearly naked while playing sports, or a young fit girl who blogs nearly nude?
Thursday, February 14, 2008
A meme about me
I've been tagged to do a Four Things meme by my mommy dearest.
Here goes;
4 jobs I've had:
1- chef
2- horse poop slinger/exercise rider
3- waitress
4- carnie
4 places I've been:
1- Luxemburg
2- Chicago
3- Lexington, Ky
4- New Orleans
4 movies I've watched over and over:
1- Practical Magic
2- The Last Unicorn
3- The Lord of the Rings
4- Legend
4 shows I watch:
1- Ghost Whisperer
2- Bones
3- Medium
4- Supernatural
4 places I'd rather be right now:
1- At home
2- Trail riding
3- At the coffee shop downtown with a cafe' mocha and a book
4- Ireland
4 people who e-mail me regularly:
1- Mom
2- Jane
3- Robert
4- Grandma
4 favorite things to eat:
1- Ghiradellis dark chocolate with cayenne pepper
2- Filet mignon
3- My veggie lasagna
4- Homegrown warm tomatoes with fresh basil, olive oil and a bit o'fresh mozzarella
4 places I've lived:
1- Manhattan, Kansas
2- Carbondale, Illinois
3- Cocoa, Florida
4- Norman, Oklahoma
4 things I look forward to this new year:
1- Planting my veggie/flower gardens
2- Riding with friends
3- Getting more stuff done around my farm
4- Visiting my mom in her new digs
Here goes;
4 jobs I've had:
1- chef
2- horse poop slinger/exercise rider
3- waitress
4- carnie
4 places I've been:
1- Luxemburg
2- Chicago
3- Lexington, Ky
4- New Orleans
4 movies I've watched over and over:
1- Practical Magic
2- The Last Unicorn
3- The Lord of the Rings
4- Legend
4 shows I watch:
1- Ghost Whisperer
2- Bones
3- Medium
4- Supernatural
4 places I'd rather be right now:
1- At home
2- Trail riding
3- At the coffee shop downtown with a cafe' mocha and a book
4- Ireland
4 people who e-mail me regularly:
1- Mom
2- Jane
3- Robert
4- Grandma
4 favorite things to eat:
1- Ghiradellis dark chocolate with cayenne pepper
2- Filet mignon
3- My veggie lasagna
4- Homegrown warm tomatoes with fresh basil, olive oil and a bit o'fresh mozzarella
4 places I've lived:
1- Manhattan, Kansas
2- Carbondale, Illinois
3- Cocoa, Florida
4- Norman, Oklahoma
4 things I look forward to this new year:
1- Planting my veggie/flower gardens
2- Riding with friends
3- Getting more stuff done around my farm
4- Visiting my mom in her new digs
Friday, December 21, 2007
Seven random
Sona has tagged me with a seven random things meme.
These are the rules:
Link to the person that tagged you and post the rules on your blog.
Share 7 random and or weird things about yourself.
Tag 7 random people at the end of your post and include links to their blogs.
Let each person know that they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.
My seven random:
1. I seriously need a pedicure. My poor toes are crying for a little polish and shine.
2. In the MMORPG I play I'm a cute little warlock and I love "ganking horde."
3. I hate shaving my legs.
4. I was once a carnie.
5. Sometimes I eat sardines and smoked oysters just to gross my kids out.
6. I have intentionally farted on my children.
7. I like to drink pickle juice straight out of the jar.
I am tagging:
1. Wendy at Let the Dog In! tell us some random stuff.
2. Diesel at Mattress Police. Go ahead, Grundir the Implacable, give it your best shot.
3. I'll bet Marriage 101 has some interesting randomness to share!
4. And I KNOW Dorky Dad will provide some intensely funny randomness to make me giggle.
5. Joeprah! You're TAGGED! Get busy.
6. Lynette at Chatterbox Chit Chat is creative. Let's see some random things!
7. And last, but definitely not least, I'm tagging Nancy at World Wide Rolves.
These are the rules:
Link to the person that tagged you and post the rules on your blog.
Share 7 random and or weird things about yourself.
Tag 7 random people at the end of your post and include links to their blogs.
Let each person know that they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.
My seven random:
1. I seriously need a pedicure. My poor toes are crying for a little polish and shine.
2. In the MMORPG I play I'm a cute little warlock and I love "ganking horde."
3. I hate shaving my legs.
4. I was once a carnie.
5. Sometimes I eat sardines and smoked oysters just to gross my kids out.
6. I have intentionally farted on my children.
7. I like to drink pickle juice straight out of the jar.
I am tagging:
1. Wendy at Let the Dog In! tell us some random stuff.
2. Diesel at Mattress Police. Go ahead, Grundir the Implacable, give it your best shot.
3. I'll bet Marriage 101 has some interesting randomness to share!
4. And I KNOW Dorky Dad will provide some intensely funny randomness to make me giggle.
5. Joeprah! You're TAGGED! Get busy.
6. Lynette at Chatterbox Chit Chat is creative. Let's see some random things!
7. And last, but definitely not least, I'm tagging Nancy at World Wide Rolves.
Friday, November 16, 2007
A bit o'humor for a Friday
Why doesn't the U.S. have such entertaining ads for condoms? I am totally this kind of mom.
Warning: May be offensive to some folks, but hey, the Brits get it!
Warning: May be offensive to some folks, but hey, the Brits get it!
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Eight Things
My friend Joeprah has tagged me for a meme. It's been a while since I've done one of these, so, here goes.
Maybe ya'll will learn a thing or two about me you may not have known before.
Eight Things I am Passionate About
1. My family (yup, all of 'em! Even the crazy ones)
2. My career (as much as I bitch, I LOVE what I do)
3. Writing well
4. Being a good friend
5. Living life to its fullest, without regret
6. Finding new experiences to try
7. Horses
8. Leaving the smallest footprint I can leave on this planet
Eight Things I Want To Do Before I Die
1. Ride horseback across Ireland
2. Trek through Kenya
3. Write a book
4. See my daughters grow up and be happy
5. Get old
6. Hang glide
7. Spend a week hiking in the mountains, primitive style
8. Learn to play the fiddle
Eight Things I Say Often
1. DOGS! Knock it OFF!
2. Would you PLEASE get your crap off the floor?
3. Well, shit.
4. What's that smell?
5. Do I LOOK like your maid?
6. Momma needs a martini.
7. Where are your shoes?
8. Who ate my chocolate?
Eight Books I’ve Recently Read
1. Tuesdays With Morrie
2. Into the Wild
3. The Secret Life of Bees
4. Crime Beat: A Decade of Covering Cops and Killers
5. Stardust
6. The Blind Assassin
7. Thirteen Moons
8. Black Order
Eight Songs That I Could Listen To Over And Over
1. Carmina Burana by Carl Orff
2. Korabushka and Explosion by Bond
3. Home by Daughtry
4. Stupid Girls by Pink
5. Travelin' Soldier by The Dixie Chicks
6. The Story and Josephine by Brandi Carlile
7. Any bagpipe version of Amazing Grace
8. Louisiana Saturday Night by Alabama
Eight Things That Attract Me To My Best Friends
1. Intelligence
2. The ability to hold a political discussion without resorting to name calling or "yo momma" comebacks
3. No-nonsense personality
4. Will tell me if my butt looks fat in these jeans
5. Honesty
6. Compassion
7. A sick sense of humor
8. Intelligence
Eight Things I Have Learned This Past Year
1. Cutting down trees with a hand saw is REALLY tiring
2. Driving an hour one way to work isn't as bad as I thought it would be
3. Family is more important than anything
4. My husband is AWESOME (and damn good looking, too)
5. You CAN have too many fresh eggs
6. Teenagers truly are a challenge
7. I love blogging
8. Audiobooks are the best invention...ever
I'm not going to tag anyone for this one. If you want to do it, do it, and leave a link in the comments.
Maybe ya'll will learn a thing or two about me you may not have known before.
Eight Things I am Passionate About
1. My family (yup, all of 'em! Even the crazy ones)
2. My career (as much as I bitch, I LOVE what I do)
3. Writing well
4. Being a good friend
5. Living life to its fullest, without regret
6. Finding new experiences to try
7. Horses
8. Leaving the smallest footprint I can leave on this planet
Eight Things I Want To Do Before I Die
1. Ride horseback across Ireland
2. Trek through Kenya
3. Write a book
4. See my daughters grow up and be happy
5. Get old
6. Hang glide
7. Spend a week hiking in the mountains, primitive style
8. Learn to play the fiddle
Eight Things I Say Often
1. DOGS! Knock it OFF!
2. Would you PLEASE get your crap off the floor?
3. Well, shit.
4. What's that smell?
5. Do I LOOK like your maid?
6. Momma needs a martini.
7. Where are your shoes?
8. Who ate my chocolate?
Eight Books I’ve Recently Read
1. Tuesdays With Morrie
2. Into the Wild
3. The Secret Life of Bees
4. Crime Beat: A Decade of Covering Cops and Killers
5. Stardust
6. The Blind Assassin
7. Thirteen Moons
8. Black Order
Eight Songs That I Could Listen To Over And Over
1. Carmina Burana by Carl Orff
2. Korabushka and Explosion by Bond
3. Home by Daughtry
4. Stupid Girls by Pink
5. Travelin' Soldier by The Dixie Chicks
6. The Story and Josephine by Brandi Carlile
7. Any bagpipe version of Amazing Grace
8. Louisiana Saturday Night by Alabama
Eight Things That Attract Me To My Best Friends
1. Intelligence
2. The ability to hold a political discussion without resorting to name calling or "yo momma" comebacks
3. No-nonsense personality
4. Will tell me if my butt looks fat in these jeans
5. Honesty
6. Compassion
7. A sick sense of humor
8. Intelligence
Eight Things I Have Learned This Past Year
1. Cutting down trees with a hand saw is REALLY tiring
2. Driving an hour one way to work isn't as bad as I thought it would be
3. Family is more important than anything
4. My husband is AWESOME (and damn good looking, too)
5. You CAN have too many fresh eggs
6. Teenagers truly are a challenge
7. I love blogging
8. Audiobooks are the best invention...ever
I'm not going to tag anyone for this one. If you want to do it, do it, and leave a link in the comments.
Friday, October 05, 2007
Being a non-lactating lactivist
See that little boob and baby widget over there ----->? The one that says "Facebook Sucks?" It's there for a reason. It's there because Facebook decided that all photos of nursing moms are obscene and offensive and must be removed from Facebook pages. Then they went through and removed them all. I find that offensive.
The lactivists at the League of Maternal Justice have launched a campaign to get Facebook to change its ridiculous idea that nursing mom boobs are offensive and get enough people to delete their Facebook profiles that Facebook will feel it.
Half-dressed college girls with boobs barely covered and butt cleavage in full view, I find offensive. Facebook allows those. Mom boobs feeding our next generation, I just can't figure out how its offensive.
And obscene? There is absolutely nothing obscene about a mother nurturing, nourishing and loving her child. It's beautiful. How can people say they are offended by that? Sure, you might catch a glimpse of breast while the baby nurses, but you really have to crane your neck and stare to get a full-on boob shot, nipple and all. And usually, the baby's head is in the way for any really good boob viewing. Why do people say "awwww! How cute!" when they see a litter of puppies or kittens nursing, but gasp with horror if they see a human nursing her young? It's the same darn thing.
I nursed Unruly. I nursed in public places and I endured all kinds of looks that spoke volumes about that person's opinion of nursing moms. It was demeaning that someone, anyone, could view the most beautiful moment between a mother and a child as something to be offended by and I always managed to feel like I'd done something WRONG by feeding my daughter.
Sometimes, Americans infuriate me. They obsess about and sexualize boobs in all kinds of ways every day. Hooters, baby tees, push up bras, boob jobs, Playboy, Madonna, teeny tiny tanks and nipple piercings all seem to be okay and accepted by society in general. But toss a nursing mom into that crowd and suddenly, the boob is offensive and obscene. Is it because they view that perfectly good boob as being wasted by a nursing mouth? A hungry tummy?
I've never had a Facebook account, and after learning how they treat moms and babies, I never will. And if I was nursing again, I'd whip it out with pride and nurse in public.
The lactivists at the League of Maternal Justice have launched a campaign to get Facebook to change its ridiculous idea that nursing mom boobs are offensive and get enough people to delete their Facebook profiles that Facebook will feel it.
Half-dressed college girls with boobs barely covered and butt cleavage in full view, I find offensive. Facebook allows those. Mom boobs feeding our next generation, I just can't figure out how its offensive.
And obscene? There is absolutely nothing obscene about a mother nurturing, nourishing and loving her child. It's beautiful. How can people say they are offended by that? Sure, you might catch a glimpse of breast while the baby nurses, but you really have to crane your neck and stare to get a full-on boob shot, nipple and all. And usually, the baby's head is in the way for any really good boob viewing. Why do people say "awwww! How cute!" when they see a litter of puppies or kittens nursing, but gasp with horror if they see a human nursing her young? It's the same darn thing.
I nursed Unruly. I nursed in public places and I endured all kinds of looks that spoke volumes about that person's opinion of nursing moms. It was demeaning that someone, anyone, could view the most beautiful moment between a mother and a child as something to be offended by and I always managed to feel like I'd done something WRONG by feeding my daughter.
Sometimes, Americans infuriate me. They obsess about and sexualize boobs in all kinds of ways every day. Hooters, baby tees, push up bras, boob jobs, Playboy, Madonna, teeny tiny tanks and nipple piercings all seem to be okay and accepted by society in general. But toss a nursing mom into that crowd and suddenly, the boob is offensive and obscene. Is it because they view that perfectly good boob as being wasted by a nursing mouth? A hungry tummy?
I've never had a Facebook account, and after learning how they treat moms and babies, I never will. And if I was nursing again, I'd whip it out with pride and nurse in public.
Monday, September 24, 2007
Living for everything
I know a man who has died twice.
Have you ever been around a person who exudes such a calming, confident, quiet aura that simply being in that person's presence makes you happier to be alive? That is how I feel when I'm around the Man With Three Lives. He is inspiring and comforting and just an absolute pleasure to be around.
I think about what I would do if I'd been given another chance, or two, at life. Would I behave any differently? Would I see things through different eyes? You would have to. How could you ever approach life the same way if you've died and come back with another chance? How could you ever go grudgingly through another day, ignoring all the little things that make life such a gift?
The small things I fret about every day are becoming more insignificant and the things I've always wanted to do are more of a reality than just a dream to be put off for "later." Later is no longer an excuse to toss out there, because you never know when later might mean "never."
If I died, and was revived, I would never take the small things for granted again. I'd appreciate the blue skies and the cloudy days a little more, and savor my children's laughter and my husband's hugs and kisses with a whole lot more gratitude. I think I'm already doing that more often simply by knowing the story of the Man With Three Lives, and knowing he was given another chance to live life to it's fullest.
I don't need to die to live like I have, I'm doing it now, more than I ever have before.
And I can honestly say I am the happiest I've ever been. Ever. Who could ask for more than that?
Have you ever been around a person who exudes such a calming, confident, quiet aura that simply being in that person's presence makes you happier to be alive? That is how I feel when I'm around the Man With Three Lives. He is inspiring and comforting and just an absolute pleasure to be around.
I think about what I would do if I'd been given another chance, or two, at life. Would I behave any differently? Would I see things through different eyes? You would have to. How could you ever approach life the same way if you've died and come back with another chance? How could you ever go grudgingly through another day, ignoring all the little things that make life such a gift?
The small things I fret about every day are becoming more insignificant and the things I've always wanted to do are more of a reality than just a dream to be put off for "later." Later is no longer an excuse to toss out there, because you never know when later might mean "never."
If I died, and was revived, I would never take the small things for granted again. I'd appreciate the blue skies and the cloudy days a little more, and savor my children's laughter and my husband's hugs and kisses with a whole lot more gratitude. I think I'm already doing that more often simply by knowing the story of the Man With Three Lives, and knowing he was given another chance to live life to it's fullest.
I don't need to die to live like I have, I'm doing it now, more than I ever have before.
And I can honestly say I am the happiest I've ever been. Ever. Who could ask for more than that?
Friday, September 21, 2007
Jeans hatred
There is one thing I hate more than anything else in the whole wide world and that is trying on jeans. I hate it. When I find a pair that fit my butt and my thighs nicely, I get major gappage around the waist. And gappage, as everyone knows, is just so totally attractive because anyone can look down your jeans and see your crack and panties. Nice.
My waist is obviously smaller than my butt but the waist of the jeans has to get over the butt to get to the waist where it then has a good three or four inches of excess material just flapping around in the breeze. And belts don't work because the snugged-up waist just manages to bunch up uncomfortably.
I've tried men's jeans, but that was a no go. Men's jeans are made for a woman's curves. A typical jeans shopping trip usually requires me tugging, pulling, cursing and crying my way through at least 15 pairs of jeans before I find one pair that is halfway acceptable. Hours later I walk out of the store with a single, solitary pair of jeans and tear-streaked cheeks.
Is it no wonder I've opted to just start wearing cargos? I LURV cargos. I'm going to marry cargos. I love all the pockets cargos have and the nice, loose fit with no waist gappage.
I think I'm going to start a cargo pants revolution, where comfort is queen!
My waist is obviously smaller than my butt but the waist of the jeans has to get over the butt to get to the waist where it then has a good three or four inches of excess material just flapping around in the breeze. And belts don't work because the snugged-up waist just manages to bunch up uncomfortably.
I've tried men's jeans, but that was a no go. Men's jeans are made for a woman's curves. A typical jeans shopping trip usually requires me tugging, pulling, cursing and crying my way through at least 15 pairs of jeans before I find one pair that is halfway acceptable. Hours later I walk out of the store with a single, solitary pair of jeans and tear-streaked cheeks.
Is it no wonder I've opted to just start wearing cargos? I LURV cargos. I'm going to marry cargos. I love all the pockets cargos have and the nice, loose fit with no waist gappage.
I think I'm going to start a cargo pants revolution, where comfort is queen!
Saturday, September 01, 2007
I DO NOT titter!
This was the Literary Quote of the Day. Yes. I'm a dork. I get the Literary Quote of the Day, the Word of the Day and the Shakespeare Quote of the Day in my mailbox.
However, this one really caught my attention. Not because good ole Yeats hated journalists, I can deal with that. Lots of people hate me simply because I'm a journalist. But I've never tittered nor have I jeered. And to be hated because of tittering or jeering is hard to swallow.
But I rather enjoyed being lumped into the Dante category of the Great Refusal for my own particular seat in Hell. For those who don't know, the Great Refusal refers to "cowardly fence-sitters."I can be cowardly, especially when I have to go into the woods at night and its dark and I don't have a flashlight, and I do sit on fences quite frequently, mostly to watch horses or rodeos.
But tittering? And jeering? I will NOT own up to either of those!
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Odds and ends
It's bad enough my favorite television shows are interrupted by commercials. Now, my cell phone is being inundated by text messages. So, now not only do I get to view unwanted ads, I get to pay for them, too! When did it become an okay practice for companies to text me ads? Any idea how I can make them stop? It's not like there's a national "Do Not Text" list I can sign up for.
The weather is tolerable again so I've been able to finally get to some of the chores I've been putting off because I didn't really feel like dying of heat stroke. I FINALLY got the nest boxes up in Chateau de Plume and my feathered friends are actually using them! Yes, we have eggs! Many, many eggs. Dark brown ones, light brown ones, greenish ones, speckled ones, big ones, little ones. Pretty soon we'll have light blue ones and at least one white one every day. I'm picturing a whole lot of omelets and scambled eggs and French toast in our future, and I don't even LIKE eggs. But I like my chickens, so it's a fair trade.
I've washed my truck twice in the two weeks I've had it. Once because we picked up a load of hay and the bed got DIRTY and another time because it looked a tad bit grungy! It's a sickness. I'm wanting to buy soft chamois cloths and some wax so I can rub it's body to a high sheen. I even bought a little thing of Armor-All wipes to keep in the truck, just in case. I think I washed my Cavalier a grand total of four times in the nearly eight years I had it.
What is it about days off that inspire me to do mega-deep cleaning in the house? Could it be the complete lack of children in the house? Could it be that I can crank up the music and get lost in the cleaning part without worrying about not being able to hear the "MOM!" screeching from another room? I don't know what it is, but now, my house is CLEAN CLEAN CLEAN! And it took me ALL day to get it there. I give the girls two days to return it to its usual state of not-quite-spotless. I even steam cleaned the carpets and sanitized the ceiling fans. Yet another sickness I must contend with.
Wild seems to be buckling down so far and doing her school work. So far. We are only a week and a half into the school year, so, much remains to be seen.
Unruly is doing very well with a male teacher. So far, no "bad behavior" reports. Either she's behaving OR he hasn't deemed the behavior bad enough to warrant a "mom call" yet. Still, only a week and a half into the school year. All hell can still break loose.
The weather is tolerable again so I've been able to finally get to some of the chores I've been putting off because I didn't really feel like dying of heat stroke. I FINALLY got the nest boxes up in Chateau de Plume and my feathered friends are actually using them! Yes, we have eggs! Many, many eggs. Dark brown ones, light brown ones, greenish ones, speckled ones, big ones, little ones. Pretty soon we'll have light blue ones and at least one white one every day. I'm picturing a whole lot of omelets and scambled eggs and French toast in our future, and I don't even LIKE eggs. But I like my chickens, so it's a fair trade.
I've washed my truck twice in the two weeks I've had it. Once because we picked up a load of hay and the bed got DIRTY and another time because it looked a tad bit grungy! It's a sickness. I'm wanting to buy soft chamois cloths and some wax so I can rub it's body to a high sheen. I even bought a little thing of Armor-All wipes to keep in the truck, just in case. I think I washed my Cavalier a grand total of four times in the nearly eight years I had it.
What is it about days off that inspire me to do mega-deep cleaning in the house? Could it be the complete lack of children in the house? Could it be that I can crank up the music and get lost in the cleaning part without worrying about not being able to hear the "MOM!" screeching from another room? I don't know what it is, but now, my house is CLEAN CLEAN CLEAN! And it took me ALL day to get it there. I give the girls two days to return it to its usual state of not-quite-spotless. I even steam cleaned the carpets and sanitized the ceiling fans. Yet another sickness I must contend with.
Wild seems to be buckling down so far and doing her school work. So far. We are only a week and a half into the school year, so, much remains to be seen.
Unruly is doing very well with a male teacher. So far, no "bad behavior" reports. Either she's behaving OR he hasn't deemed the behavior bad enough to warrant a "mom call" yet. Still, only a week and a half into the school year. All hell can still break loose.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
