Sep 29, 2006

when did the world go weird?

once again, i have submitted my resignation from the Human Race.

why? because there's nothing Human about it.

consider this: a man in Colorado, who decided he had nothing left to live for, walks into a school, takes some teenage girls hostage, assaults some of them, then kills one before offing himself.

today, in Wisconsin, a kid walked into a school and killed the principal.

why? he was tired of being called gay, when he wasn't.

i don't get it. i don't get any of it.

what happened to the good old days when you just killed yourself? why did it have to be suddenly "in" to take a few people with you? and while i'll agree that teasing is emotional abuse, every damn one of us were teased about something growing up, and i guarantee not one of us even considered shooting anyone because of it.

realizing i'll sound like someone's grandma when i say this, but what happened to the world?

so, once again, i will do my best to turn in my membership to the human race. i will shake my head in disbelief, cluck my tongue at what the world has come to.

and pray. hard.

Sep 28, 2006

i live across the street from Hell.


and this, my friends, is what Hell looks like.

every year, Knott's hosts this Haunt.
it's killer. no pun intended.

if you scare easily, don't go. this will (and has with several of my friends) scared the pee right outta them.

there's mazes. they alter the rides & instead of some of the audio-anamatronic figures, they have real people that jump out at you. they have "sliders", guys (and girls) in freaky scary masks who carry things like fake chain saws, rocks in a can that rattles when they shake 'em. the slider part comes from the knee pads they wear so when they jump out at you from the dark, foggy corners, they can hit their knees & slide towards you.

pardon...i'm having a moment.

Hubbs & i last went about three years ago...and boy did we feel old. kinda like we were narcs, keeping an eye on the kids.

or worse, parents waiting on our kids.

the hell part, comes from trying to get around the area when Haunt is in town - Friday, Saturday & Sunday. the traffic is unbelievable. when we were unlucky enough to get out when Haunt was starting, have had to drive several miles out of our way to be able to maneuver our way to our Happy Abode.

happy, happy, joy, joy.

when we got married, we chose October because it gave us enough time to really get things planned, but not close enough to the holidays to mess those up. and, when signing the contract, had a choice of times. 11a.m. or 6p.m. i would've preferred the 6p.m. slot, but had a vision of our guests walking to the reception, being chased by some freaks & ghouls.

hmmmm. not the vision i want for ever in my scrapbooks.

so - what have we learned from all this?
1) i have a love/hate relationship with the Haunt.
2) i still wanna go. again.
3) traffic blows. especially during the Haunt.

i just realized...

i've been doing this blog thing for a year now. Who knew? And who knew i would enjoy this so much? (well, i did, because i love writing)

Thanks for sticking with me.

i need a quarter to flip -

Or something.

Here's the quandary: Thursday is once again Must See TV...just on other channels than NBC.

In this corner....weighing in at at least six seasons...CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. And, if you've been reading this for awhile, you know how i love this show.

And in this corner...weighing in at two seasons...Grey's Anatomy.

What's a girl to do?

Never watched Grey's Anatomy before (i know...what rock have i been under?) our recent trip to Reno...where my SIL is a rabid fan. So i watched the season finale in preparation to the season premiere (which she taped, but we never got to watch)...and all i can say is oh my.

So now what? CSI & Grey's are across from each other. i have to tape CSI - the Hubbs loves the show as much as i. 'Sides, with Catherine's daughter going missing tonight after Catherine seems to have been date raped, well...come on! What's not to be addicted to?

So it looks like the solution is to tape CSI on the DVR, and Grey's on the VCR.

The world should have this kind of problems.

In other non-relevent news...yes, i have been up since 3a.m.. No idea why. Well, actually several ideas why, but none that i'm ready to share. Back to work today, as well, after a week off.

Happy TV Watching.

Sep 27, 2006

hy-yuk, yuk, yuk!

File this one under "watch how you say and what you say" department.

I had just finished straightening up a bill dispute with our cell phone provider, and, still feeling a little punchy, called Hubbs to share the news.

"We're DONE!" i said (perhaps a bit too forcefully)

"Pardon me?" (said by Hubbs, in a questioning tone)

"We're done...DONE! Finished!"

A pause, then Hubbs said...

"Get a grip, it's only a phone bill."

Once again - it's not what you say, but how you say it.

In other news....
got the car back today...$1800 later and it runs like a dream. And for $1800, it bloody well better.
So, it's back to work tomorrow. Unfortunately.

May the rest of your week run as smoothly as my car.

Sep 26, 2006

by the way...

i am SO dry after this trip to Reno. i swear my skin is flakier than Momma's pie crust.

ain't enough lotions in the world to make me feel better.

yep, i'm home.

and i'm exhausted!

but what a hoot it was, being in Reno, seeing the kids, Cousin Marlen from Ireland, heck - even my brother-in-law with his new/old girlfriend was fun.

yes, a good time was had by all.

it was totally fun, watching Marlen attract the boys like bees to the flower. ah, the lilt of the brogue will drag them in every time. now, our mission is to get her to move here.

and the food......oh, the food. don't get me started on that. i'm convinced i gained back everything i've lost...and probably a little more just for kicks & giggles.

why? because my sis-in-law can cook.

some highlights...
  • reading I Spy books with the Nephew.
  • going for Rover rides in the Nevada desert, while some of the boys go motorcycle riding.
  • Little Naked Girl (aka my niece) jumping up & down on the bed.
  • LNG also, after being chastised by her mother for taking off all her clothes, proceeds to cover the chest area with her arm, and the lower part with one hand "No, Mommy, i covered up.".
  • sharing some chardonnay on the back patio with family.

in other words, it's all good.

Sep 19, 2006

Not MIA....

just M. as in missing.

for a few days. taking off to the sister-in-law's - they have a cousin from Ireland currently camping (?!) in the Boston area (??!!!!), who will be flying out west towards the end of the week.
so it'll be nice to visit, relax & go off WW.

i may get a chance to post, but probably won't happen.

see you in a week....

Sep 18, 2006

it must be love, love, love...

(thanks to Mr. Costello for today's title)

And yes, this IS being posted @ 4am. Honestly i didn't know there was a 4am these days.

Hy-yuk, yuk, yuk.

Husband got up about 3:30, i followed soon afterward. Had trouble falling asleep, so it would make sense i would have problems going back to sleep. So i decided to get up, and read the new camera manual again.

Ooops. Did i forget to mention i got a new camera?

Snicker.

Yep, i was checking out the ads yesterday and found a Canon A630 @ Best Buy for a decent price plus 18 months same as cash.

Nice.

Of course, reading any manual is like reading dkjf;lri hfed the awpidl fwhorpld.

Makes no sense.

What i can't understand is why manufacturers don't team up with the good foks who write the "______ for Dummies" books to create the manuals for their products. It would make so much more sense...and be more entertaining to read as well.

Perhaps i'll start my own. Step One: Chuck all manufacturer supplied manuals.
Step Two: Get your camera and follow along with these oh, so easy instructions that even your idiot family members could follow.
Step Three: Take good pictures, and get good photo editing software just in case. Not that you'll ever need it, but it's just a safety net. You're a regular Ansel Adams.
Step Four: Use said software. Repeat.

But back to the yummy camera. 8MP. Flip-out viewfinder that rotates 180 degrees. Ability to shoot snow, beach, fireworks scenes, to single out a color in a photo & keep that color only in a black & white photo. Or to switch the color.

I could sop this up with a biscuit. i just can't understand the manual.

What. The. %$&*#!.

So i'll be trying out all the knobs, bells and whistles. And try to understand it all. But if i accomplish nothing else, at least i'll sleep good tonight.

Right?

Happy Monday, everyone.

Sep 16, 2006

regardless of your politics...

please take a moment to check out this site:

www.letssaythanks.com

no matter what you feel about the current political atmosphere, this is a quick, easy & FREE way to say thanks.

Sep 15, 2006

ah - the truth sent via email...

this just made me laugh when i got it.

When Girls Drink Too Much
1) We have absolutely no idea where our purse is.
2) We believe that dancing with our arms overhead, wiggling our butt and yelling "woo-hoo!" is truly the sexiest dance move ever.
3) We suddenly decide we want to kick someone's ass, and honestly believe we can do it, too.
4) In our last trip to pee, we realize we look less like the goddess we were just four hours ago and more like a homeless hooker.
5) We start crying & telling everyone we see that we love them sooooo much.
6) Every time a new song plays, we get extremely excited, jumping up and down and screaming "OHMYGAWD! I LOVE THIS SONG!"
7) We've found a deeper/spiritual side to the geek sitting next to us.
8) We suddenly take up smoking and we're really good at it.
9) We yell at the bartender, who we believe cheated us by giving us lemonade, but that's because we can no longer taste the gin.
10) We think we're in bed, but the pillow strangely feels like the mop in our kitchen
11) We fail to notice that the toilet lid is down when we sit on it.
12) We take our shoes off because we believe it's their fault we're having problems walking straight.

Happy Friday. Please do not try to prove the validity of any of these this weekend.

Sep 14, 2006

oh, thought i'd share one more thing...

before:

and after:

i'm in love.

what a roller coaster of a week it's been. first, i found out i need a new transmission. to the tune of about $1800.

uggggh.

then, my husband thinks that i need a new heater coil.

sucks to be me.

then today....my camera took a dump. i turned it on...looked at some pictures on my camera, then went to take a picture.

nothing. absolutely nothing.

oh joy.

so i took a peek at the Canon website, and found out that Canon has decided that there's something wrong with the viewfinder, and after you send them the camera (on their dime, thank you very much!) they will fix it for you.

drawback? takes about three to four weeks to be done.

but then...i saw this:
yes. the Canon PowerShot A620. pretty much like my old one (so i can use my lenses) but with WAY cooler features. like a color channel so i could make a picture black & white, but say, keep a red rose in the picture.

**sigh** it really doesn't take much to make me happy. wonder if we could get married?

a never ending font of useless information...

that's my job. it's what i do best. retain completely useless info and then pass it on to you. enjoy.

* a woman wearing stilettos exerts 552 lbs of pressure per square inch at the heel. ouch.

* the term "underwear" first came into use in 1879.

* no matter which way Mickey Mouse's head faces, his ears always face the front.

* 59% of women do ten or more hours of housework per week, only 22% of men do the same.

* Ty Cobb had a .22 slug lodged in his shoulder.

* polar bears have been know to swim 100 miles from shore.

* only four days of every year are exactly 24 hours long. no wonder i can't get anything done.

* if it takes a second to vacuum one square foot, it would take 12 years to vacuum Ohio. (yeah, and it would still be 59% of the women doing it)

* the star Sirius, gives off 26x more light than the sun. (yes, and more radio stations, too)

* an alligator can run as fast as a horse. (no wonder no one can catch the one dumped at a park up in Los Angeles. he's too fast for 'em)


...............and...............

more of my favorite bumper stickers:

I'm still hot - it just comes in flashes.

My other vehicle is in orbit.

Remember: it's pillage first, then burn.

It's my cat's world - I'm just here to open cans.

Coffee makes it possible to get out of bed,
chocolate makes it worth it.

Don't Drink & Derive.
Alcohol and Calculus Don't Mix.

and my two personal very favorites...

The only difference between a rut and a grave is the depth.

If I Had a Life, I Wouldn't Need a Bumper Sticker.

Happy Thursday, everyone....the weekend's almost here!

Sep 11, 2006

five years ago...

i was pulling into work, hearing that a plane had flown into the Twin Towers in NYC.

it didn't seem real.

it still doesn't.

it didn't seem real watching people jump out of the burning towers.

it still doesn't.

it was hard to believe, two days later, that my entire work location, would be standing outside our buildings, holding flags, tissues, holding back tears and holding each other.

someone said it all seemed surreal - we, the generations that grew up with special effects. it just didn't seem real.

it still doesn't.

but it was. the wound may not be as raw as it was then, but it still is a tender spot. it's still hard to watch. it's hard to believe it happened five years ago.

it never will seem real.

i pray you were not personally affected by the events of the day. i remember the words "those that forget the past are destined to repeat it."

may that never happen again. peace.

Sep 8, 2006

feelin' oh, so crafty...

hand painting a mini album...
7 Gypsies gaffer tape, Technique Tueday stamp, book from Aaron Bros.....
painting letters before i put paper to it (a la Donna)...
just feeling the vibe on a Friday night.

Sep 7, 2006

never one to back down from a challenge...

i accept the tag from Linda...
get ready to be underwhelmed!

1. Three things that scare me:
freeway flyovers (don't ask)
tomato worms (ewwwwww)
_____________ (fill in the blank)

2. Three people that make me laugh:
Robin Williams
my niece
Dubya

3. Three things I hate the most:
styrofoam egg cartons
algebra
car repairs

4. Three things I don't understand:
math (see answer above)
humans ('nuff said)

5. Three things I'm doing right now:
cheating on WW
watching "While You Were Out" reruns
trying to think of another answer to #1

6. Three things I want to do before I die:
own a beach house
wear a size 12
see more of the world

7. Three things I can do well:
write (debatable, i know)
listen
nap

8. Three ways to describe my personality:
fun
unique
trusting

9. Three things I can't do:
art (NO talent whatsoever)
math (see #4)
dance (i am SO white)

10. Three things I think you should listen to:
your heart
what people are really saying
your mom (me, too Linda!)

11. Three things you should never listen to:
politicians (especially during elections!)
your downstairs neighbors
your mom (just kidding!)

12. Three things I'd like to learn:
Photoshop
crochet
how to grow plants

13. Three favorite foods:
Mexican
any baked goods
Mrs. Knott's fried chicken

14. Three beverages I drink regularly:
Crystal Light Raspberry Ice
caffeine free Diet Coke
Sprite

15. Three shows I watched as a kid:
Carol Burnett
the Donny & Marie Show
Love, American Style (i didn't get it, but i watched it sometimes)

16...Three people I'm tagging:
you
you
and yes, you (just drop me a line so i can see your answers)

Sep 6, 2006

the passing of the torch..

Sooner or later it must happen. The older generation must step aside for the new generation's time in the sun.

In this family, that time has come.

If you've been a regular reader, you may remember that my darling Husband, at my girlfriend's house, won himself a trip to the ER by riding two Razor scooters at once, falling, and proceeded to get several stitches in his finger.

Roll over, baby...Baby's taken over.

Oh no. Not me. His 3 1/2 yr. old niece.

She took a digger last night off her trike. Eight stitches in her chin. i think she'll end up with a cleft worthy of Kirk Douglas.

And she didn't even cry.

Is my sister-in-law scared? You betcha. This kid knows no fear. Matter of fact, after they got the stitches in, the kid started pulling on the suture and almost pulled one out.

Oy.

So sorry, honey, you're out. The kid is taking over.

Sep 5, 2006

confessions of an obsessive, or vice versa

consider this: it's 3 a.m. (which i realize sounds like a country song. it isn't) and i'm fully awake.
have been since midnight, when i was rudely shaken awake by the Husband, convinced that the crashing he heard was someone breaking in.

crashing? breaking in? on a 2nd story apartment? whatev.

so Big Brave Boy got up to face the enemy. i, disgusted with the fact that i was awakened (my opinion: take the damn stuff & let me alone), rolled over. i would've gone back to sleep except that lately BBB seems unable to go quietly to bed. no, there must be heavy thumping & loud settling.

so, to make a long story even longer, after about 30 minutes of laying there, i did what all experts say you should do when you can't sleep. get out of bed.

now, at this point, i could take a sleeping aid, but then i won't get up in time to make it to work. besides, i can't seem to turn off my brain and it's current list of obsessions. such as:
  • the tight, tenseness at the base of my head, just at the beginning of my neck. stress? you betcha.
  • the $ light that came on in my car yesterday (aka Check Engine light-it always means money). Husband surmises it's a valve in my transmission. bye-bye bonus!
  • our friend's son being deployed to Iraq today.
  • the potential sale or spin-off of my company.
  • the Husband and crap that's going on for him at his work.
  • a dear friend having serious issues at home.
  • another friend who's marriage has crumbled.
  • and so on, and so on...

now i realize that the majority of these things are beyond my control. the majority are fixable and the rest needs to be handled with prayer. but that kind of reason and the prayer just ain't cutting it at 3:30 on a school day.

what do i do? how can i release this stress so i don't die an early death - or worse?

my grandmother used to say, "take it to the Lord in prayer." but right now, i feel far removed from His presence. and i don't know how to find my way back.

perhaps a little too heavy, especially considering the early hour. but, the old saw says that a burden shared is a burden halved.

halved might get me some sleep. and some peace.

Sep 4, 2006

it's kinda like a wreck -

you don't want to look, but you gotta.

you're grossed out and facinated, all at the same time.

you may have already seen this.

or eaten it.

wow.

nothing much to say..

'cept it's HOT. probably been about 90-100 the last few days. same for today.

and, in an apartment that has crappy A/C, there just isn't much allure to staying in - even though there's a bunch of stuff we should get done around here.

wait - isn't it Labor Day? should we not honor the work we do other days by not doing any work today?

'nuff said.

so...there's a water park (where half of the population will be), a movie, or hit all the stores we like going to, just to stay in their A/C that they pay for.

what i'd really like, is to find a water park that shows a movie. even better: a lazy river at a water park showing a movie.

oh - and it should serve margaritas. peace out.

Sep 1, 2006

hey, Ma! Lookit what i got in school today!


Today was our team building event at Dave & Buster's, a restaurant-slash-bar-slash-arcade for grown-ups. Did our little songs about the other supervisors, got a few laughs...actually more than i expected - and i think they weren't all about our singing.

But then....the Big Boss calls me up on the stage, along with my fellow leads, and my singing partner - one of the supervisors.

We each got one of these, along with a nice cash donation, taxed to the hilt by my Uncle (but that's another post. no bitterness here for now.)

And as hokey as it sounds, this bloody little piece of paper is more important to me than even the cash.

For me, that's saying something.

This is totally cool. And i was speechless.

Again, that's saying something. Or nothing.

Looks like the nephew ain't the only one who made Citizen of the Month.

Move over, kid. There's room enough on this pedestal for both of us.

on dreaming & sleeplessness....

First - let me go on record as saying where the bloody hell did the summer go? Cannot believe it's Labor Day weekend. And today is also our work group's team building activity - and i and a supervisor will be doing a cheesy karaoke act to boot.

That should be interesting. But on to the subject at hand.

Keep waking up early...like 4-4:30. Way too early for me, but even earlier for Hubbs. He's not sleeping, either. Sleepytime tea isn't helping. This a.m. i made him take some drugs, so we'll see how he does.

He gets home, and can't seem to wind down. So he sits up till 4 (hmmm!) then comes to bed - where he tosses & turns. Other than drugs, i got nothing in the way of advice.

Now this a.m., just before i got up, i had a dream. i was traveling with the Big Boss and a supervisor..but this time we were in Washington State (at least in my dream it was. Having never been there, i got nothing), checking out a cascade waterfall that in the 50's, you could drive through (not directly - but run-off from the waterfall covered the road, and you would drive on that), but has now been closed to traffic.

So here we are, the three of us, schlepping around the walk, enjoying the view. And someone slips, heading straight for the edge of the cliff.

Guess who?

Amazingly, i manage to regain my footing, and stump back to the road.

So what does that mean, all you out there that can interpret dreams?

And if you can translate that one, how about this one i used to have as a kid: in this dream, i am tiny...Polly Pocket tiny. And i'm tied up to a bowling pin in a bowling alley, with a ball coming at me. R-e-a-l-l-y s-l-o-w.

i always wake up before it hits me. and i wake up crying.

See if you can figure that one out.

And if you have any sure-fire cures for Hubbs, please let me know.