Friday, October 29, 2010

Friday 5 - Excess

It is almost not even Friday anymore (PST), but I'm going to go ahead and do the Friday 5 anyhow.  You know, I'm crazy like that.  And I can appreciate talking about excess...so let's!

1. What has there been too much of in your life lately?  Too much routine.  Too much worrying about cash flow.  Probably too much stress-y snacking.

2. In what areas of your life might you currently be overextended? I don't think I am particularly overextended in any area.  That implies a certain recklessness of spirit that I don't seem to possess these days.  When I need to say no, I say no :-)

3. What seems about to be going into overtime?  Even though it is only about halftime, being apart from DR feels like it's gone into overtime.  Trying to be patient and get by.

4. In what way does your cup runneth over?  I am blessed with plenty when it comes to the warmth and comfort of family and friends.  I never forget how fortunate I am.

5. What’s your favorite INXS song?  I think if I have to chose just one favorite, I will go with Listen Like Thieves.

So, there you have it.  A life of excess?  Nah, I don't really roll like that...when things are bad it usually feels like deprivation and when they are good it doesn't feel excessive...it feels juuusssttt right :-)

I hope you are having a weekend full of good stuff.  Don't forget to look down and participate in this week's Halloweencentric Choose and Defend...and Happy Halloweenie to all! 

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Trick or Treat!

It is Thursday, yet I am going to give you a Wednesday Choose and Defend.  Special Halloween edition!  Yesterday was far too crazy to get to my blog, but I don't think it is every too late to Choose and Defend :-)  So...Halloween.  What would you prefer to be doing?

Trick or Treating
OR

Attending a Halloween Party


While you are Choosing, please feel free to enjoy my adorable models.  And remember, you can get or give candy for the Trick or Treat option...and, your Party option might contain harder drinks than those pictured...no judgement here! :-)  Ready?  Choose and Defend (one day late, Halloween edition)!!!

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

You'd Say I'm Putting You On

I'm tired.   So that is what Talk Talk Tuesday will be about today.  I stay up too late, I worry about things I can't control, and I allow myself to get stuck in routines that exhaust me through sheer repetition.   When I'm tired I get so moody and tend towards pessimism.   I can do something about this!  I can go to bed earlier at times.  I can give myself permission to NOT know what is going to happen next or give myself permission to find out, even if the answer isn't what I want to hear.  And I can try to shake things up a bit!  Sure, like always, easier said than done....but it can be done.
 I'm tired of love; I'm still more tired of rhyme; but money gives me pleasure all the time.
-Hilaire Belloc

So...Talk Talk to me.  What are you tired of and what are you going to do about it?  

Monday, October 25, 2010

30 Years


Champion breeder of all who attended this reunion.  I was grateful for the pictures on the nametags...
this is how I looked Senior year...and in Kindergarten.  People really don't change, basically. 
I can't believe I just attended my *30th* High School Reunion.  I guess that makes me officially old...but I don't feel old!  And I have to say, everyone really looked fantastic!  I hadn't been to any of the other reunions.  At the 10 year reunion, I had three very young children...seemed like too much hassle to try to get away, even for one evening.  (You may already know that WTG wasn't that into being helpful like that.)  I had actually planned to go to my 20 year reunion, but that was the point when my marriage was really coming undone, WTG threw a HUGE fit about it and I just gave up the fight and didn't go.  But THIS time, I was so there! 

I went early and arranged to meet a friend and her husband for drinks.  I hadn't seen her since high school, but talking with her, it was like no time has passed.  And I actually wish I had had more time to talk to others one on one as well...I think I'm really more comfortable like that.  We had lots of good laughs about our kids, stories from school...we both love the one where when we were in 8th grade our math teacher thought it was a great idea to put us and another Laura at the same table.  He enjoyed saying, "Laura" and watching us all look up.  Awesome :-)

She didn't stay for the actual reunion, so I had to go it on my own.  I admit, it was a bit overwhelming greeting all these people in such a large group.  I honestly fell out of touch with almost everyone right after high school.  I met new people in college (with whom I have also fallen out of touch) and then started my family so young that I just didn't put in the effort.  Thank goodness for Facebook and the ease of reconnecting nowadays!  It was interesting seeing people I was once quite close to and almost just as interesting talking to people with whom I never hung out with then, but seeing that we could totally be friends now.  I wouldn't have missed this experience for the world. 

I ended up winning a few raffle items...a Workman Lobos lanyard, a $5 Domino's card, a $20 Starbucks card...and I was the hero of my table when I won a bottle of Cuervo gold.  I passed that off to a couple of more adventurous couples who were sitting near by...they would appreciate it much more than I.   I was surprised to win the title for "Most Children".  I mean, is 5 really that many?  I guess maybe people with more were saving their money for other things besides high school reunions :-)  Anyway, attending my 30th reunion was an amazing experience.  They sent around cards asking if we'd be interested in a 35th and I was all in.  The fact is, I was anxious about going and nearly talked myself out of it several times.  I am so, so glad I went though. 

Friday, October 22, 2010

Friday 5 - Holy Moly!

Ready for some more Friday 5? I hope so, because here it comes!

1.What gives you the heebie-jeebies? Most bugs. Also, this one is weird and hard to explain...but my kids know that if they put their t-shirts in their mouths I will get a shiver up my spine and look away. For some reason that really skeeves me out!


2.When were you most recently in double trouble? When my car went to that big scrap yard in the sky I was in double, even triple, trouble. But mum comes through for me AGAIN and saves the day!

3.What puts you in the mood for some hanky-panky? DR. Yes, a who, not a what :-) I guess...thinking about DR would be the "what".

4.What easy-breezy task is still a pain in the neck to accomplish? Makin' cop-pays! I always put it off, but it isn't exactly rocket science.

5.What area in your life seems especially rife with mumbo-jumbo? Anything dealing with people and their quirks...from my own kids, to co-workers, to the general population. It is like you have to know and remember some code about each individual and how they are best dealt with. Very mumbo-jumbo.

Thanks for participating, and have a mellow yellow, okie dokie, tutti-frutti weekend! (I lifted that closing phrase right off the site, because it is so cutie patootie!)

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Past / Future. Just Not Now.

Choose and Defend Wednesday is upon us.  Care to join me in the carefree world of Saturday morning cartoons?  I know I could use a break from adulthood.   Here are a couple of wacky, but loveable cartoon families.   One is from the past, the other is from the future, they both are from Hanna-Barbera!  Which one do you prefer?  And why? 

Flintstones
OR

Jetsons

Hope you are having a Yabba Dabba Doo time...and remember Eep Opp Ork Ah-Ah (Means I Love You).
Choose and Defend!

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Your Phone's Engaged



No, you haven't accidentally stumbled into a Musical Message Sunday.  I just heard this song on the radio this morning and the sweet harmonies really struck me.  I'm a huge Beatles fan and at the moment, I've decided this is my favorite*  Beatles' song.  *Subject to change at ANY time.  So, for this Talk Talk Tuesday (NOT Musical Message Sunday) why don't you tell me what your favorite Beatles song is.  And if you don't like The Beatles then be gone with you!  Nah, not really...stay.  But explain how such a thing is possible.  Talk Talk!

Monday, October 18, 2010

Spit Shine

Yeah, I am so dull lately, I need some sort of polish.  I'm not complaining.  Things have been quiet lately and I don't really mind that.  Doesn't make for very interesting blogging though.   Like, this weekend for example.  I really did nothing.  It was drizzly and grey and I pretty much hibernated.  Here is some stuff I have to relate -

-Handsome Lad has been spending a lot of time with me.  It is very nice, I love having him with me.  And I am happy that right now WTG seems to have needed a break and is not being weird or mean about it. 

-I think we are nearing the halfway point (if we are saying a year) of being apart from DR.  We talk quite a lot, but sometimes the things I want to say don't get said.  Or I say them, sort of, and it goes over like a lead balloon.  So, I don't know.  The love is there, though and that helps.

-I went out to dinner Saturday night with Kick Back Dude, Princess Diva, and the kids.  I'm not entirely sure what is going on with them, but I am hoping they are trying to work things out between them.

-Looks like I am going to have to be the one to put together a birthday dinner for WTG.  Don't exactly feel like it is my place.  Usually it is something KBD and PD might do, but not this year...and his mom is a wreck.  I don't want him to not have a family celebration on his special day, so there you go.  I'm so nice :-) 

-Getting ready for my big Trick or Treat at the Library program next week.  I've done it for the past few years and it is always very popular and great fun.  I'm not sure how I will dress up this year...

-We got this cute book in recently:
It is called Ninja Cowboy Bear Presents The Way of the Ninja.  Pure genius. 
In spite of their differences, they are best friends...and the drawings are sooo cute.

Hope you're all ready for another week of rich, creamy goodness.  And I hope my dull missive didn't bore you too much...or maybe bored you just the right amount :-)  TTFN!


Friday, October 15, 2010

Friday 5 - Every Sha-La-La-La

In honor of the sixty-fourth birthday of Richard Carpenter, this week’s Friday 5 is inspired entirely by the songs of the Carpenters.  That is what was up on the Friday 5 website.  The author also expressed a lack of confidence in the questions, but I think they are cute!  And who doesn't have some sort of pretty strong feelings about The Carpenters...one way or the other :-)  So let's shing-a-ling-ling, shall we?

1.Why do birds suddenly appear every time you are near?  I always assumed it was because they have mistaken my hair for their nest.
Photographic evidence, just taken.  Tweet, tweet!

2.What always gets you down? Both too much and not enough alone time.  It is a balancing act, for sure.

3.If you had to live yesterday once more (literally yesterday, as in Thursday the 14th), which part might be worth writing a pretty pop song about?  I wasn't feeling quite up to par yesterday, so it is difficult to pick out a magical moment.  Still, a song about a tired mom watching The Office with three of her kids could be awesome, right? 

4.Where’s the coolest place you’ve been where you could look “down on creation?” As a rule, my fear of heights makes it difficult for me to look down on or at anything.  I do like it when we drive up Glendora Mountain Road and look down on the lights of the city.  It's really quite beautiful and somehow soothing.

5.What’s something in your life that has only just begun? The whole rest of my life!  Here it comes!
 
Hope you are all looking forward in a life that is full of tomorrows for that heart of yours.  And dear friends, PLEASE...if you haven't done this week's Choose and Defend, located directly below this post, would you consider doing it now?  Thank you :-) xx

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Everybody Cut Footloose

I bet you were awaiting this Choose and Defend Wednesday in a fever of anti....cipation :-)  After all, it is that time of year again!  Time, once again, for me to force coerce IMPLORE you to participate in my Dancing with the Stars odyssey.  Yay?  Yay!   All that is required of you, is that you Choose the Dancing with the Stars participant who you think is going to walk away with the coveted mirror ball trophy this season.  You don't have to know much about them or the show...feel free to go with your gut on this one.  If you can Defend your choice, please do.  The commentor(s) who Choose the actual winner will receive a $25 gift card to Target (or the retailer of your choice). 

I started this competition two season ago.  Ananda Girl won first, choosing Donny Osmond.  Last season, Churlita was victorious, with her choice of Nicole Scherzinger.  This season, it could be YOU!  Exciting, right? 

Here are your "Stars" -
Audrina Patridge - Reality TV Personality

Brandy - Singer / Actress

Bristol Palin - Former Govenor of Alaska's Daughter

Florence Henderson - Stage and Screen Actress

Jennifer Grey - Actress

Kurt Warner - Football Player

Kyle Massey - Actor

Rick Fox - Basketball Player


There you go!  I am giving you the Top 8, as so far 4 contestants have been eliminated.  Hoping to get your choices in before next Monday (10/19) night's program.  And remember...there just might be $25 in it for you.  All you have to do is Choose and Defend!  


Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Lose Your Blues

Guily pleasure is the theme of this week's Talk Talk Tuesday.  I thought of it last night while I was watching the performance episode of  Dancing with the Stars.  And I will think about it again tonight when I watch the elimination episode.  I'm not sure why it is such a guilty pleasure...I mean, it is one of the highest rated shows on tv!  Still, that doesn't always mean something is good or worthy of attention, does it?  Still, there you have it.  That is my guilty pleasure.  There is pleasure, in that I like watching it.  I like the good and the bad dancing and following their little stories on the show.  There is also the guilt...or sort of furtive embarrassment I feel when I tell anyone else what I get up to on Mondays and Tuesdays :-)   Still like most other things we call guilty pleasures, it isn't all that bad, in the scheme of things.  I mean, if I enjoyed torturing small critters or something, I don't think it could properly be called a guilty pleasure.

But this cheese...yeah!
Short is the joy that guilty pleasure brings
-Euripides (484 BC - 406 BC)

Okay, this probably wasn't what Euripides was talking about :-)  But that doesn't mean we can't talk about it!  What is your guilty pleasure?  It doesn't have to be tv related...go crazy.  Talk Talk!

Friday, October 8, 2010

Many Happy Returns of the Day!

A very Happy Birthday to my Paul Secret Agent Man. 
 My second born is turning 24 today...wow, can that be right?  Well, yes, because I know my first born turned 25 a couple of months ago.  That's right, these two arrived just 14 months apart.  That was wacky.  And I often joked that if Secret Agent Man had been my first baby, I would never have been so cavalier about having another...um, which of course I did anyway :-)   Secret Agent Man was an impish, sensitive baby, who grew into an intelligent and sensitive young man.   He is well known in the family for playing his cards close to his vest.  Sometimes I get the feeling that none of us fully knows SAM, but he is adored for his quick, dry wit and for that rare sense of reserve that you don't see so much nowadays.  He is the one who always ends up truly caring for the animals.  In particular, he has a great way with the dogs.  I remember him as a tiny, little guy hauling one or another kitten around with him.  I've always felt you can trust a person who is good with animals :-)   

I know Secret Agent Man is still searching out his path in life.  Some people need a little more time than others.  I will continue to watch and help in his journey with all the excitement in the world.  I think he's going to surprise us all.  Happy 24th!!! 

Friday 5 - Mementos

TGI-Friday 5!  I have felt it to be a long week, but I am happy to be facing a weekend that is pretty much a blank page at this point.  The weather is supposed to be beautiful, so I am happy :-)  Now, let's see what there is to say about those little pieces of evidence we can't resist holding on to...

1.Do you still have your senior yearbook? Where is it?  I know I don't have it, but I think my mom might.  I don't really want to ask, because if it turns out she doesn't, I might be kind of bummed. 

2.What souvenir did you bring back from your last trip?  Hmmmm...when was the last time I took a trip?  I brought back some lovely edibles and cleaning products from my last trip to the grocery store...does that count?  Sure, why not?

3.What visible signs are there of your most recent injury?  I don't have any visible signs of injury at the moment.  Invisibly, my left shoulder has been a little tender, making it hard to sleep on my left side.

4.What’s the neatest wedding favor you’ve ever seen?  I haven't actually been to a wedding in a donkey's age, whatever that means.  It is so easy to order personalized stuff now at a relatively inexpensive price.  I would think people are probably getting real creative.  Personally, I might like to give out personalized bookmarks :-)

5.What do you do with playbills and movie-ticket stubs? Some of them just go by the way side, but if I think about it, I have this box in my closet that I throw them into.  Every few years I go in and weed out a bit, to keep my mementos managable.

Hope you all have a memorable weekend.   And, as I always remind myself, you can't keep everything...but the memories are still there, it still happened.
Um, okay...I keep a thing or two around at work...

Thursday, October 7, 2010

Sorry I'm Late, But I Have a Great Excuse!

Well, no, I really don't.  It was just one of those days yesterday and I never had a chance to post for Choose and Defend Wednesday.  So today will feature a special Thursday edition of Choose and Defend.   Let me start by saying that I assume everyone in the entire universe drinks soda at least once in awhile (that'd be "pop" for my readers in the Northeast)  :-D  So, given that assumption, I also assume you have a favorite.  There are so many varieties of soda, but we here at Choose and Defend are not into multiple multiple choices.  In general, you get two to choose from.  So we'll do it like this...  Do you prefer:

Colas
OR

NOT Colas

Fair enough?  It will have to be!  So now is your chance, late but here at last, to Choose and Defend.  And of course you must feel free to get specific in comments.  Thanks!

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Guy She Said She Knew Well and Sometimes Hated

On this Talk Talk Tuesday I'm gonna come right out and admit that I am not a huge fan of the telephone.  I mean, I recognize it as a necessity...I am incredibly dependent on my cell phone these days.  I like being reachable and being able to check in with my children.  What I don't care for is making idle chit chat.  Not that I don't like idle chit chat...nothing wrong with it...just not on the phone.  I am distracted on the phone, not being able to see the person I'm talking to, I think. 

However, there is no denying that the phone has become important to me, in my long distance relationship.  I am more or less forced to rely on the phone.  I appreciate that we have that option.  We don't have to make expensive long distance calls, it is "free" for us to talk.  And just because of the situation, DR is really the only person I make the time to talk with by phone.  Anyone else, I tend to get them on their way ASAP.

When I was driving to work today, I heard this old Jim Croce song....

 Operator, let's forget about this call
There's no one there I really wanted to talk to
Thank you for your time
Oh you've been so much more than kind
You can keep the dime
-Jim Croce "Operator"

So, Talk Talk to me about your phone feelings.  Do you enjoy a good gab session on the phone?  Find it a fun way to pass the time?  Or is it not really your thang?  Come on, let's Talk Talk!

Monday, October 4, 2010

What's Next?

Another week, another weekend done and gone.  Time is truly flying.  Is it for you?

Friday was an odd day.  I was off work, just home doing laundry and other chores.  It had been a blazing hot week, and Friday was hot too...but then all of a sudden there was this enormous cloud burst.  The rain was torrential, and then it began to hail!  It was so loud...very dramatic weather.  The air felt a bit cooler while it was raining, but it stopped just as suddenly as it had started and got very hot again.  Plus of course, even more humid.  I just sat on my couch with the door open, watching Fantastic Mr. Fox and the weather, both.  Bonus, got in a long phone convo. with my DR. 

Saturday I worked and had my big Fall Harvest Fun program.    There were crafts, which the kids here seem to really enjoy.  We also did a couple of stories and songs and talked about things that happen in Fall.









The program was very well attended...we had a door count of 111.  I was happy to have such a great turnout.  Here is a crowd shot of people attacking the craft tables :-)  While the kids were working, I went around telling riddles.  I gave them stickers for guessing the right answer.  Remember, kids will do just about anything for a sticker.  haha!  Use your power wisely!
After work I had dinner with Social Animal, Handsome Lad, Kick Back Dude and the kids.  Kick Back Dude and Princess Diva have separated, so KBD has been staying at his dad's.  He had the kids all weekend, which was not easy at the house, but for now it is the way it has to be. 

Sunday was a very quiet day for me.  I slept in a bit, which was heaven.  Girlie Girl had to work and the boys were busy, so I just sat around and caught up a little on my DVR'd stuff.  All that fab fall television!  I also had another nice long talk with DR.  In theory, we are about 1/3 of the way through this year of being apart.  Yeah, I am not so sure of that, but until I hear otherwise, I am thinking in those terms.  I miss him so, but I am enjoying the gift of really, really talking to one another.  You know how it is when you are with someone....of course, you talk, but days go by where it is good to just be quiet together.  Without that option of physical comfort, if we want to interact and stay connected, we have to talk to each other!  So, I'm choosing to appreciate that part of being apart. 

Anyway...here we are facing another week, moving into October and the start of the Silly Season (which I am vowing not to let make me crazy this year!)  Have a great week ahead!