All That I Ever Was

This Choose and Defend Wednesday question came to me this morning as I stumbled out of bed and the guy next to me asked...why do you get up so early?  It's true, I could sleep longer, but I have my ways!  You probably have your ways too and I'd like to know what and why they are.

What is your preferred method for beginning your day when you definitely have to be somewhere?

Ease into the Day

OR

Sleep Until the Last Minute

Alright, then...tell me true. How do mornings work for you? (Poetic!)  Choose and Defend!

This Musical Message is For I Like Your Eyes

Telephone Poles Keep the Time

Wait don't DASH off! You just got here! Whew...slow down...thank you.  Now, where was I? Oh yes, I was going to show you my Saturday Scavenger Shots post. This week's word, chosen by my comrade Jasen over at Swamp Gas & Moonlit Reflections, is DASH.

I guess I will admit that my first thought was Mrs Dash. You know, she's that pretty famous seasoning blend. But I don't happen to have any on hand.  So I had to keep thinking. Ow!  I perservered and here is what I came up with -

I found, and badly photographed, this book about Samuel Morse. He's no Mrs Dash or anything, but he was one of the inventors of the telegraph, which led to the creation of a system of dots and DASHes known as Morse Code.  ...---...  Do you recognize my call for help?

 

Here is one of the little lizards that live in the ground cover near my building. You can be sure he is about to DASH back into the bushes, because that is what those guys do. Count on it. Or maybe don't. One time my youngest son was riding his bike on the sidewalk and accidentally ran over a lizard. He saw it, but was so sure it would DASH away that he kept on rolling. It didn't DASH. He felt truly awful. It was like that Seinfeld episode where we had to ask ourselves...don't we have an agreement with the lizards? Aren't they like the birds, commited to being the ones to DASH? *sigh*

 

Okay then. Guess that is all I have for today. DASH if you must, but do stop back by anytime. I wonder who Jasen will tag and what our next ever-interesting word will be? DASHed if I know...wait, what? 

 

 

Wit' a Baseball Bat

Getting down to a basic question on this Choose and Defend Wednesday. I know I don't want to think too much...you shouldn't have to either. It is just that kind of a day.

The subject? Peanut butter. The texture? You Choose. Also, you Defend :)

Chunky



OR

 

Creamy

 

 

I've done my part...the asking! Now, won't you please do yours? That would be the Choosing and Defending!

 

Thank you, my dear goobers.

Just a Good Drinker

Hi there. Finally getting back to the land of the living after a couple of sick days and a couple of busy days. It is Tuesday, but as we all know, it is never to late to participate in one of my beloved blogging traditions.  Yes, it is the Tuesday edition of Saturday Scavenger Shots!

The word is SOCIAL. It was chosen by me last week, with something in mind. However, given the way my weekend went, I have needed to modify my thoughts on my SOCIAL life...at least for the purposes of this blog entry!

First, I can tell you that I am neither particularly SOCIAL, nor particularly anti-SOCIAL. But if I had to tip that scale, I'd say maybe a little more anti-SOCIAL in some ways. Mainly because I am shy and often feel slightly SOCIALly inept.

Among my favorite SOCIAL events are ones like this -

A concert, where I can be in a large crowd of people, feeling a part of something big and outside of myself. And yet, there are no expecations from anyone about how I should behave. I sort of enjoy the mix of intimacy and impersonality that a big crowd enjoying something together creates. That is how creatures like me can feel SOCIAL in comfort.

Also, I do think I had SOCIAL networking at the back of my mind as I thought about this word. It is a big pushy item at work....keep up with the SOCIAL networking for the library. We need to get out there and promote ourselves. Blah blah blah.  Hopefully it helps and I certainly don't mind doing it.

https://www.facebook.com/ArcadiaPublicLibrary

So, if you ever get the urge to watch me pimp the my workspace, don't be shy. I put up the Children's Room posts in an attempt to connect to the community through SOCIAL networking. And of course I do a bit of SOCIAL networking on my own behalf as well, as you may have gleaned from my blog, tumblr, twitter, personal facebook, and...that's it!

Thanks for finding me here on a Tuesday evening, doing a Saturday morning post. I am just a SOCIAL rebel like that...and I know that you are too.  I will tag Jasen for this week...sorry it is so late!!!
 
Stop in tomorrow for some Choose and Defend Wednesday too! Thanks :)

This Musical Message is For the Deepest Desires in My Mind

Be Careful You Don't Lose Yours

Hola. Choose and Defend Wednesday has arrived with another question for you! This one is just sort of a 'who are you?' type of thing. Simple.

Are you more likely to...

Speak without Thinking

OR

Think without Speaking

 

 

 

After you Choose which you are most likely to do...tell us why. I guess it can be why you think you do what you do....or at least why you think that is what you do. Or something like that. You know, Defend, in a sense, your choice!

 

Thanks for being here. And thanks for playing Choose and Defend Wednesday, a high point in my week :)

This Musical Message is For Fears Unlocked

On To Face the Music

Let us all take a moment to celebrate the fact that we made it to another Saturday! Yay us! And with Saturday comes Saturday Scavenger Shots. This week's word is VOICE and it was chosen by the sweet, petite Tara @ Eclectic Spaghetti.

I was challenged by portraying VOICE photographically. Always the sign of a good Saturday Scavenger word :)   Still, I soldiered on and this is what I have to show.

Here I am using my VOICE to read Owl Babies to my little storytime guys. I use my VOICE to sing with them, too. Because they are very young, they don't hold it against me.

I love music. This includes instrumental music, of course, but I am a sucker for smart, clever, heartfelt lyrics. I love how many types of VOICEs are currently popular on my standard radio. Seems to me to be a crazy-interesting time for music and I so enjoy hearing a VOICE coming through in stereo :)

What I like even more is a live VOICE coming at me from the stage! Live music. Can you imagine how it would feel to have a VOICE that could fill the Hollywood Bowl?

If you could hear my VOICE right now you'd be saying...."That's a man, baby!" (Hearing my own voice is still profoundly odd to me)  Or you might say I have the VOICE of an angel. That would be an untruth. But anyway, I appreciate you stopping in to add your VOICE to the darkness that is my comment section :)

Who will Tara tag for next week? I don't know! Aren't surprises fun?

And hey! Come by tomorrow for a very special VOICE-y Musical Message!

Friday 5 - Hurried

Helloandwelcometothisweek’sfriday5!  Feeling rushed? Well so was the writer of the the ever wonderful Friday 5 :) I haven't played in a few weeks, so thought I'd have a go today. Please feel free to play along in comments or on your own blog-og-og-og-og....

1. When did you last find yourself in a real hurry? Most work / school mornings I find myself in a hurry at some point. I try to ease into the day, but there is that inevitable moment when I suddenly realize I really need to step up the pace.

2. Often, when we’re in a hurry, we make stupid mistakes. What’s an example from your life that supports this, and what do you do to prevent such things from happening again? Well, here's the thing - my six-word memoir is "I used to act on impulse." And I really did. So, many rather important decisions about life were made in a hurry,
because that's just what I did! It worked out, mostly, but I still can't recommend it as a way of life...so now I take all the time I need in order to probably still make stupid mistakes...but in a more thought-out way.

3. Why are some people so loud in places where quieter voices are usually appropriate, such as this cafe that’s closing in a couple of minutes, where these high-schoolers are being so loud it’s difficult for me to write these questions? People are rebels? I don't know. I ask myself that same question everyday. After all, I work in a library, which people always imagine is so quiet and peaceful. It is not. In the morning, care givers tend to come in with their developmentally disabled charges for a little outing...and some of those folks have very raucous vocal ticks. And in the afternoons and evenings we have the kids...who also seem to have some of those same raucous vocal ticks! Appropriate doesn't even seem to figure into their equation.

4. How’s 2013 treating you so far? Eleven days in now...I'd say the good outweighs the bad. So there's that!

5. Are you more of a December person or a January person? What does this mean, anyway, and why are you whatever you are?  I am going to say that I am more of a January person. Let me explain :) I see December as a bright and riotous time, full of activity and (for me) stress. January, while tending towards gloom, is a quieter time. A new beginning and a great time for reflection. So, by nature, I see myself as more of a January person.

Now, weren't these great questions? scrivener, the author of Friday 5, finished his post by saying -  Better questions next Friday, I swear!  But I really liked these questions. Hope you readers did too! And again, you are welcomed and encouraged to answer them too. Or just leave any kind of comment...except spambots...you guys can move along.

Stop in tomorrow for some Saturday Scavenger Shots, featuring this week's word - VOICE. Hurry back!!!

What It Don't Get, I Can't Use

Today's Choose and Defend Wednesday is about money and time. I'm going to give you a choice about what to do with the rest of your year! What will you choose?

Work All Year at Double Pay

OR

Take a Year Off at Regular Pay

It is your choice...what will it be?  Also, tell us why you made your choice...that is the "Defend" part of Choose and Defend.  I anxiously await your reply :) Thanks for playing!

Tattoo Tuesday

Here is Girlie Girl getting ready to go out on her 20th with friends. You may recognize me as the hugger. This photo, although adorable, is not tattoo related.

 

Okay here we go with that -

 

We had a family dinner for her on Sunday evening. Afterward Girlie Girl and Social Animal decided to go out and get some new tattooidge.

 

This is what Girlie Girl got. It is part of a longer passage by J.R.R. Tolkien which reads:

 

All that is gold does not glitter,

Not all those who wander are lost;

The old that is strong does not wither,

Deep roots are not reached by the frost.

From the ashes a fire shall be woken,

A light from the shadows shall spring;

Renewed shall be blade that was broken,

The crownless again shall be king

 

She is not a particular Lord of the Rings devotee, but I have a t-shirt with that line on it and she really liked it. I thought it was an especially appropriate foot tattoo!

 

Social Animal had been wanting to add something to his cow skull image. He is very into philosophy and metaphysics lately and was intrigued by the imagery of the all-seeing-eye. I thought it was kind of cool that the tattoo artist made it look like his eye...the coloring, which is blue with a yellow ring around the iris.

 

As for myself, I remain ink-free. Thanks for stopping in for a look at Tattoo Tuesday :)

This Musical Message is For Let Me

Memory's Not Life

Hi there. Welcome to a rough Saturday Scavenger Shots. I honestly didn't know what to do with this word. The word, choosen by Jasen @ Swamp Gas & Moonlit Reflections , is BARE.  What the wha? Well...I could have found a BARE tree or some BARE dirt or some such. My mind got all caught up in nekky bodies, naturally. I mean, right? But...no. 

So then I thought about the phrase - BARE hands. And I like that! I like eating with my BARE hands and doing things that don't require complicated tools. That was all the inspiration I needed to devise this, uh, really lame shot.

There it is! My BARE hand, ready to take on any task! But looks like it is really down for some shadow puppet action. Bunny anyone? I can make one with my BARE hand. Amazing.

 

So. There's that :) Anyone have anything they'd like to BARE to the world? You, too, may post a Saturday Scavenger Shot. All the cool kids are doing it. Or, um, a couple of awesome nerds are at least. Anyway....let's see what happens next week, shall we? We shall.

My Only Lovely Lady

Just a quick post to say Happy Birthday to my beautiful, smart, and funny daughter Shelly Girlie Girl. Today, she is officially no longer a teenager! Hard to believe that my fourth child is entering her 20s. And me still so young ;-) But this is not about me. It is about Girlie Girl and the fun that she has brought to my life.

♥ Here is sweet baby Girlie Girl.

And here she is all growed up and such.♥

After three boys (all wonderful people!) I can't help but admit to being so glad my daughter came along. She's such a strong soul, never letting the older boys run over her or the younger boy take the whole spot light. I never worry that she won't be able to do exactly as she pleases, once she decides what that is.

Happy 20th to my favorite daughter!!!

I'll Come Into Your Dreams

Happy New Year! We made it through another event-filled trip around the sun, so congratulations! I thought that for this week's Choose and Defend Wednesday perhaps we could all use a little recognition for our hard work and will to survive. So this Choose and Defend is about getting your props.

How would you like to be recognized and remembered?

Town (of your choice) Named After You

OR

Your Face on a $50 Bill

For the sake of the game, assume the change will be permanent and that people everywhere will rejoice :)

So make a choice and tell us why in comments.

Choose and Defend!