Tuesday, October 31, 2006

Remember?

Do You Remember Your First Time?
I do.

Celebrity Women Talk About Their First Time...

And

Can 20 Million women make a difference?

Bureau County Paparazzi Strikes Again

Even more so since I got my new camera, I have fully become the Bureau County Paparazzi. You can always find me taking pictures. Today on my way to work I drove past the home of Lori's boss. First of all, let me say it was all I could do to not stop. But then I called Lori's sister CB (who I work with) and said OH MY GOD you have to see the Pirate and the AWESOME Pirate Flag at Lori's Boss's House! She said "you want it, don't you!" and I was like "well yeah, but more importantly I want to take a picture of it." She's like go back, they won't care. And I was worried that they would see me parked in their driveway and traipsing across their front yard with a camera and be upset. CB said go for it. So I whipped a shitty and went back. Is this not THE coolest Pirate Flag you have ever seen in your entire life? WHERE did they get this?! Not to mention the Pirate himself. WOW! So, for your viewing pleasure....And it was also all I could do to not take a picture of the lifesized Blues Brothers Statues that they always have on their upstairs "porch" - who are now wearing halloween masks and joined by an AWESOME lifesized Frankenstein. Okay, maybe I will have to go back and take pics of that too.... LOL!

ROAR!

What Do Women Want? Just Ask!

Thanks to ajk for this article!

Monday, October 30, 2006

Embroidery

I have the leaves on the tree! I did this tonight... and it's so amazingly relaxing and simple. I love it!

Thread Head

Break time! Today I am in Peoria for session 2 of me Visual Studio.NET Class. It's break time!



Last night I stayed up till 2:30am, winding embroidery floss and catching up on TIVO. How about Lynette- "Speak to my husband again and I will do to your back what I did to your front door." Hell Yeah! About time! We will see how long that works. I watched about 6 episodes of Robot Chicken and also some Drawn Together. I went to Wal-Mart last night and got a few things, nothing serious, just butter, laundry detergent, toothpaste, shaving cream, toilet paper and paper towels... and a few little things for my Pink and Green Swap needing to be sent out November 5th. and some embroidery stuff, a few needles and a value pack of threads, and some plastic winding bobbins and rings. Today during class I wound the last 13 bobbins while watching and listening to my mentored learning instructor. I have found that having something to do with my hands helps me to remain calm and the time passes quickly, and I am such a great multi-tasker that I can watch and learn while also being crafty or productive, kinda like how I watch TV at home while working on stuff. So now all the embroidery floss is wound. It's nice! I decided my first attempt would be flour sack towels, then I changed my mind and decided on 0-3 month onesies. I bought little tagless ones. But then I realized that the underside of the embroidery or thread might be irritating to a baby's skin. Shit. So I decided that I could always embroider the butt.... that way the diaper would be the only thing touching the onesie. I got a shitload of embroidery patterns off the internet last night, I can't wait to start! And now that my floss is all wound up, I am ready to go!

I do have something I want to blog about, but I don't have time now, so maybe at my next break. Check back later!

Sunday, October 29, 2006

I have to know....

Am I the ONLY adult on the face of the earth who is eternally pissed off at those "insert thumb and press" things on cardboard packaged food? Whether it be Minute Rice, Velveeta Cheese and Shells, Uncle Bens... I am telling you THESE THINGS DO NOT WORK!!! I have NEVER been strong enough to press through layers of cardboard with my thumb. It does NOT Fucking matter if you draw cute little dotted lines in the corner, that does not give me the super-human thumb strength that it requires to work these things! WHY do they do this? What MAN invented these things? It is easier to tear open the end of the box to get my food out than try to puch through cardboard with my thumb. What product testers proved that this was a good idea? It makes me so frustrated! Are they trying to make me feel like a failure when I can't open the food according to the directions?

Boots for Sale

Check my ebay listings to see two pair of heeled boots that I have for sale. Just in case anyone is interested....

Red Heeled Boots- Calf Length
Black Heeled Boots- Knee Length

Property of Captain Jack!

Can it be Sunday already? At least I gained an hour. Last night was the Dawg House Halloween Party. I have Lotsa Pictures on Flickr. My favorite costume was Raymond as Flava Flave. You just have to see the pictures. Husband did an awesome job drawing my tattoo on... lots of people thought it was real and "didn't know I had it" and most other people had NO Idea that Jack Sparrow had that tattoo, or that Johnny Depp really DOES have that tattoo in real life now, with Jack under it for his son Jack. I wanted to add "property of Cap'n Jack" to it but I didn't want it to be too busy and gaudy.

Today I need to clean up around home, set the clocks back, do the laundry, run the dishwasher, vacuum, feed the dogs, and carve my pumpkin. Then I need to go change the tapes at work and go to Wal-Mart and buy candy for Halloween Trick-or-Treaters. Plenty to do. Tomorrow I have class again. Keeping this short and sweet, check out the pictures when you have a moment.

Friday, October 27, 2006

It's tough being a pirate...

Ahhh.... Friday. How do I love thee. Let me count the ways!

Last night was okay. I ate pizza at work in the evening, and was home around 7:30pm. I sat down and started to tear apart the pirate costume that I bought on eBay. This is the second costume mind you. It was supposed to be adjustable to fit all plus sizes (me, I am on that line between XL and 1X) and when it came, it was super cute, but okay, it looked like a tent on me. The skirt was HUGE. It was easily twice as big around as it had to be. When you hold it up it looks like one of those "look how much weight I lost" commercials. So I tore out the side seams and cut it in half, and then removed the drawstring and put on elastic. I attempted to watch Grey's Anatomy while working on the skirt, I got all parked on the couch with my little sewing basket and then saw that it was **gasp!** a re-run!

SO I turned it off and fixed the skirt. Husband came home and I showed him, I put the skirt on under my pajamas and marched around being all pirate wench like. Then I got the brilliant idea to put on my pirate shoes, with my new legwarmers too. What an outfit that must have been! So I was traipsing around the house with my pirate Mary Janes and my legwarmers on, and my pirate skirt and my pajamas. Husband was making Taco-Roni, like Goulash but taco flavored. I said to husband "Do you think pirates wore legwarmers?" and he laughed. "No. probably not" he said. "Not even in the 80's?" I asked. He said "you look more like a stripper than a pirate." And I replied... "A Pirate Stripper. I like that!"

But he put the kabosh on all my fun when I stuck my plastic sword through the center of his beer bread on his plate, while he was eating. He was all pissy about how there were probably germs on that foreign plastic sword and I was like LIGHTEN UP! And he said "don't play in my food!" and I was all sad and dejected. I hate getting scolded for having a good time. A Pirate would have made him walk the plank for being all uptight and ruining the fun. At least he didn't take my sword away! So I took off the legwarmers, and the shoes, and the pirate skirt, and made popcorn. I was sitting cross-legged on the couch with a blanket over my legs, and eating popcorn, and Husband reached into the bowl and grabbed a handfull and I growled "DON'T PLAY IN MY FOOD." Damn husbands. He pretty much left me alone the rest of the night. I watched a Knight's Tale with Heath Ledger. How romantic. And How amazingly hot is Heath Ledger. The dirtier he is the better he looks. Why can't husband be all romantic? Of course what little of the movie he watched with me, he had to make gagging and revolting noises whenever they would kiss or he would send her a letter or flowers. Stupid men. Why is it that romance is so DEAD now? What happened to being nice to get into a woman's skirts?

Thursday, October 26, 2006

The Penny in the Pot

It's Keda's fault that I am writing this today....

I have to tell you, that when I was little kid and swallowed a penny, I had it in my mouth in bed. I stood at the top of the steps, long after I was supposed to be asleep, and told my mom "I sw-sw-swa-swallowed a pe-pe-pen-penny." (Sob sob sob) and she thought I said a PiN and had a HEART ATTACK on the spot thinking my insides were about to be poked through. Once she got me calmed down and found out it was a penny.... She said "and how did that happen." and I told her that I was lying in bed, and the penny was {*innocently*} lying on my pillow next to me, and I rolled over on my side and was facing the penny and my mouth musta been open because it just slid RIGHT down my throat!

Yeah.

And then my grandma had to squeeze and shake me and comment on how I was worth the most of any grandkid. And then when it finally came out, my dad had to videotape the "penny in the pot." Not many people can say they are lucky enough to have that videotape in their archive.

Takin' Care of Business HNT


Takin' Care of Business HNT, originally uploaded by Dazed81.

Well, today I am takin' care of business. I am wearing a suit (which rarely ever happens these days) with matching jacket and pants, grey with pink pinstripes, and black heeled loafers. Very professional, wouldn't you say? Now let's get down to business, shall we?

Last night I ended up working late (till 9:30pm) with unexpected computer problems. After work, Anya brought me some baked Mostaccoli that she had made for supper, and I was SOOO grateful because I was SOOO hungry! I hadn't eaten for 9.5 hours! Again, exhausted, I ate and we chatted, and then I took a nice hot bubble bath. Ahhh. Then (even though I wanted to go to bed) I decided that I Needed to enter all the checking transactions into Quicken and balance the last two statements. so at 1:30, my pretty little head finally hit the pillow.

I had some messed up dreams, perhaps as a resuly of watching The Lost Boys on Cable while balancing the checkbook. You know how I like Vampires and all that.

I dreamed that my mom left my dad (what?) and that she moved to Galena (where Anya is from) and lived with a Woman and her husband and two kids, in this great big cool house like the ones we saw in bishop hill, and she was going to open up a business in the house. Strange. Strange Strange. And there were more dreams but that's the only one that sticks in my mind.

Have a great HNT!

Wednesday, October 25, 2006

Workspace Contest Entry.

Today I signed up for a "workspace" contest and submitted my craft room. I have seen some pretty neat submissions, but I guess I might stand a chance. Click the photo below to view it full-sized.


See the Contest HERE

View the Entries HERE

Comment and tell me if I have a chance in hell.

Poison Spaghetti

Last night was a good night. I got home and started supper- Railroad Tracks (BBQ Ribs in a Box) and Baked Potatoes (a sweet potato for me!) and then we watched a little TV. I watched Monday's episode of CSI Miami, and we gave H a hard time. H as in our dog. I wanted to name him Horatio after Horatio Cane but He didn't look like a Horatio at all (not that David Caruso does) and so we called him Hadley with "H" for short. So I was telling H to pay attention to the TV and take a bite out of crime, and husband clarified for me that H couldn't solve a crime, he just isn't that intelligent. I beg to differ, if dog bones were at stake, he would tear someone's head off for them. He is very posessive of things like bones, beds, babies, and bowls. I think that comes from a shelter background. When you've been in the pen for a while, you protect what's yours. I can respect that.

Alex came over and he and Evan played Bully, although it looked more like Alex playing and Evan watching. I was online for a while perusing eBay, and I recalled that I forgot to setup the power bill payment online. Shit Shit Shit. So I look and it was due today, which meant it wasn't due (last night) until Tomorrow. But when I scheduled an online payment, it takes 2 days to process. So today husband has to run a check to the payment center. Oops.

Once I got bored with watching them make out with teenage girls in catholic school uniforms (on the GAME, they play kids in the game) I went into the scrapbook room and broke out the All About You album that I need to make about husband. I got started and I quite enjoyed it. It's a great album. Perhaps even better than the All About Me Album that got auto-delivered from QVC and finished months ago. I got the first 12 pages and the last page done, so that's 13/20 pages complete. I still have some journaling to do. Everytime I would journal I would cry. Isn't that retarted. Yep, Love is grand. But I found some good pictures of husband to use in the album, mostly ones that I took of him on our honeymoon, and our wedding day, but some others too. I have one somewhere of him in someone else's Austin Powers Wig with his baseball hat on over it and a beer in his hand... and I need to find that one for the book, it would be perfect.

We watched some tivo'd episodes of Robot Chicken and Freak Show, and one of Awesome X. We ate popcorn and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches at 2:15am and then we went to bed. I slept like a rock, not waking up till 9:30 and not getting OUT Of bed till 10:10am. Yeah!

Got dressed, stopped at the bank, got to work. Whole deal.

Oh and I have a soft vertical impaction of my bottom right wisdom tooth. At least that's my professional diagnoses based off internet research. My wisdom tooth has been making me wiser for about 4 years now, cutting through and going under, and one month I got tired of it so I cut off the skin over half of it. I thought that the front half of it MIGHT be underneath the molar in front of it, but then last night I feel the back half coming through. Problem is, it is still just barely too close to the molar in front of it, and so for about the last 6 months, it has been forcing my molars crooked on that side and pushing my perfectly straight teeth crooked and forward and crowding my bottom front teeth. Bummer. So I made a dentist's appointment about 3 weeks ago, and last night I was thinking "not going to make it!" it was hurting so bad, and actually the teeth in FRONT Of it were hurting the worst. And the gums around them. So I flossed alot. And used Orajel alot. And November 3rd I go to get some xrays where they will probably tell me to get it pulled, and I might not even fight it. If it's impacted, there's nothing I can do.

So, that's the word.

My piratey mary janes came in today. Hold Hot Shoes Batman! But there is the whole 3.5 inch heel thing, where you feel like a stripper without the S, as in you might trip on your ass at any minute. I tried them on this morning with my pirate socks and they are SWEET! But not sure if I will be able to wear them unless it's for Halloween and I am parked on a bar stool. LOL. I totally need to take in my pirate skirt this week, and get new cookie sheets as for some reason my wearever cookie sheet seems shot. It burns everything. I don't get it. It is about 7 years old.... but I didn't know they could just "quit" on you. I don't understand. I made up a shopping list and It reads like this:
  • Paper Towels
  • Sticks of Butter
  • Bottled H2O
  • Hamburger
  • Spaghetti Sauce
  • Poison
Yep. Poison. Looks like I am cooking up some death burgers, but really we just have mice in the basement again, and the poisons are empty.... so time to refill. Husband's life is safe. You can totally eat spaghetti with us. It's okay. Really.

Have a Nice Day!

Tuesday, October 24, 2006

They'll Make You Take a Tinkle when you wanna take a Piss...

So today my husband mentioned something to me. I don't even believe him yet (no offense husband) but He said that the government is supposed to be voting this month on whether or not the FCC should regulate podcasts.

I was like WHAT?!?! Those Dirty Fucking SOB's! The FCC has no business regulating podcasts, or any internet content! What the HELL! I was so pissed. I said to him "They can't do that" and then I started googling. And I can't find that anywhere online.

I can find that people "murmur" that FCC might try to control VoIP, mainly since one texas teenager couldn't get 911 when she tried to dial from her home when burlgars broke in and shot her parents. I have to say that when I got Vonage, it was explained to me THOROUGHLY that I have to register my 911 address with my phone number, otherwise when I dial 911 they won't know where I am at. Makes sense. I registered my phone number with my address. Nuff said I assume?

I am seeing mention of YouTube as the (obviously, duh) next big thing in broadcasting. One of the BEST things about the internet, and youtube, and podcasts... They Aren't regulated! Hello! No Fella's at the Freakin' FCC! (When PTV is shut down by the FCC, it's a great song... you really should listen to it again if you have a moment!)

So, what do you know about this rumor of regulating podcasts and broadcasts via the internet. I must investigate. Please post links or comments if you know anything.

Dirty Whores wear Stripey Socks!

Tuesday. My "calling cards" arrived today. Haven't handed any out yet. Sad sad sad. Need to see some friends. Or meet some new people.

My legwarmers came last night. They are super cute, even though I am not a japanese chick with tiny feet. I tried them on with about 4 pair of shoes. I danced around. I laid in bed. They were fun. Not sure if and when I will wear them in public, but they are so cute!

You know what someone said to me the other day? Wow. Someone who has no room to talk, said (because I had striped socks on under my jeans with my mary janes) "Oh, so now that you got married you are a whore now?" Um. Okay. So now people who wear striped socks are whores? Wow. Guess I missed that memo.

Looking back, I guess that the fact that she has only known me for 4 years, and she has only known the "follow the work dresscode and do what the boss says" Meagan - when really the outside of work Meagan is as individual as you can get. But she doesn't know that?

I am as "I don't give a shit what you think" as I can be and still be polite and employeable.... and really I have worn stripey socks for so many years, it isn't even funny.... but since this person just saw them on me for the first time, and since I got married last year, apparently she coordinated that with "you just got married and turned into a whore."

What in the HELL is up with that? I wanted so badly to respond with "No, I've always been a whore." What the Fuck? So, all you stripey sock whores out there... watch your back.

I thought to myself.... wow. good thing I didn't wear my pirate mary janes to work. Good thing she has never seen my HNT posts. I am SUCH a dirty dirty whore (let's see how many google hits we can get on this post, shall we?)

She's really not gonna like when my red boots arrive or when I get my knee high argyle socks. And she's probably gonna hate me if I win those three schoolgirl skirts, or those black boots I have wanted for like 12 years and am finally bidding on. Yep, those will really make me a whore!

You know, everytime I get something funky and cute and young, my husband loves it. I get the ass grabbing, cop a feel hello's when he sees me, and It feels great to be recognized. I like to look good. What husband wouldn't want his wife to look good? And THAT makes me a whore too I suppose? LOL. People need to pay close attention to the meaning of whore. Really.

And even if I looked like a Harijuku girl from head to toe, that doesn't make me a whore. Whores sleep around, and last I checked, whores aren't known worldwide for their fashion sense.

Monday, October 23, 2006

Like a Schoolgirl....

Ahhh. As my mind rests. Today was good and exhausting. I started out with tidying up around the homefront before the cleaning crew came through, then got cleaned up, took the dogs outside, got lunch and air in my tire, and drove to Peoria for my Mentored Learning course on ASP.NET- which is anticipated to take a total of 40 hours to complete. Of course after an hour in the class, I was like SHIT. Looks like there was a prerequisite listed at the beginning of the $150.00 5-inch thick coursebook that they "forgot" to mention when they recommended the class to me. A majorly big and important one that was preventing me from understanding 50-60% of the terminology in the class, and 90% of the Visual Studio Program that I was supposed to be using for design. So after a frustrated conversation in the hallway on my cell phone, a meeting of the minds with my account representative (like a guidance counselor), and ANOTHER cell phone conversation.... and now instead of 40 hours to complete, I have 90 hours to complete.

Whew!~ So I then started the mentored learning course Exploring Visual Studio.Net and once I finish that one I will move on to Introduction to Programming, and then I will resume the original Microsoft Course 2310B Developing Microsoft ASP.NET Web Applications Using Virtual Studio.NET - so today (despite a late start on the new course of choice and losing 2.5 hours) I got AHEAD of schedule by 4 hours. You see, Mentored Learning is kind of like a video conference, except I have dual monitors and headphones and an interactive web-based training that consists of lessons, lectures (with an actual instructor) followed by labs and quizzes. So I was able to finish 1.5 days worth of training in 1 days time. Which is nice.

The course I started (second) today didn't have a book, so I went to Office Max in search of a multiple subject notebook. I knew I wanted to find one with tabs, so that I could actually use a section for each class. These are pretty heavy duty classes, and although I usually don't take down notes, unless it's a snippet of code here or there that I want to remember for later use, or a website for reference, these classes are intense enough to warrant notes. Especially since they are mentored. I make lots of notes on things to google and research later, and places to download more information and tutorials.

I had a hard time chosing notebooks so I bought two. Of course, they were $8 a pop. One of them I started using already, it has 5 dividers, but the coolest thing, is that it works and looks like a notebook but has removeable pages like a binder. It comes with looseleaf paper and you can just add more as needed, which I like cuz if I want to add, subtract, or re-arrange pages, I can. It also has a clear sheet protector with a tab for each divider, so I can put the course outline and information in the sleeve for a divider... which is perfect. I also got a pack of new pens, since I was feeling all "back to school."

I was even able to wear my glasses today, except that the one lens keeps popping out. I have only had them a year, and I really barely remember to wear them, so that is frustrating. Need to get them fixed!

I have to mention today that Keith Urban is hot. Rehab or not. Maybe even hotter in Rehab. And I can't think of a single song he sings and I don't care. Madonna and the whole adoption thing? Honestly, do these rich chicks NEED to be adopting up all the babies in the world when there are women who can't have kids who would love to adopt? If Madonna wants to give the kid a good home and has all this money to spare, why not support a family who can't have kids and help them afford to adopt a baby? Jeez. Like she and Angelina Jolie need more kids. When Britney Spears starts adopting, I draw the line. And, I TOTALLY missed a critical piece in the death of Anna Nicole Smith's son. I didn't realize that when he died he was visiting her in the hospital because she HAD A BABY! Jeez! No one mentioned that! I swear! How was she preggo for 9 months and I didn't hear about it? And now the guy who claims he is the father is calling her to the Bahamas for a paternity test? Sounds like her life is NOT a good place to be!

I learned that when you are in a mentored learning class, it is best to have a large supply of chapstick, apply and re-apply often. And caffeine. And more caffeine. And gum.

I also learned that I was made for second shift. 1-10pm is the perfect schedule! Love it! Even with a 1 hour drive each way, it's highly tolerable. Love it! Too bad my husband was especially cranky when I got home. Oh well. I will just steer clear of him. And I will ignore the fact that he gave the dogs each a rawhide bone which they proceeded to shred all over the living room floor and the rug when the cleaning people were just here today.

Sunday, October 22, 2006

Just another Manic Monday

Sunday. Again. The weekend went too fast!

I have pictures to upload to Flickr, but for some reason none of Flickr's uploading tools are working, and I have tried on several machines. Sad Sad Sad.

Friday night was soooo long ago, I can't even remember what I did. Oh wait. I went to Anya's and Anya and I sat in the hot tub and then we sat out on the front porch where her new neighbor came over and struck up a conversation with us.

Then there was some excitement in town, police, ambulances, search and rescue teams, the whole deal. I didn't get to bed till 2am and then I got up at 9 on Saturday.

Saturday morning mom and I went to the auction in Sheffield at the school, Evan had bought two tables and I bought a little round wooden kids table for $2.50 - Then mom and I went on to the Galva Craft Fair. I bought a Lighted Christmas Decoration and a wooden witch sign and a book of spells. Then we went on to Bishop Hill (for those of you who aren't aware, it's a Swedish Colony) and had a WONDERFUL lunch. I had a linnea sandwich (turkey on a croissant with lindonberries, pecans, and dill cream cheese) and spinach bisque (soup) with Lindonberry Lemonade. Then we went around town and shopped but never bought anything. We watched mittens being knit on a loom and work with a pottery wheel, and a man making brooms.

Saturday night we rescheduled the "Haunted Fairgrounds" till next weekend, since it was raining all afternoon and night. Evan and I just hung around home, watching TV, eating Cheesy Broccolli and rice casserole with fresh baked Whole Wheat Beer Bread. I went to bed at 11pm, I was so exhausted. Tonight it's only 11:30 and I am already so tired!

Today we brought one of the new tables in and put it in the scrapbook room. It is about twice as wide, but shorter, and it works PERFECTLY. We have more room in the office and I actually have more space to scrapbook. It looks better, fits better, works better... and the table is more sturdy for eyelet setting and stamping. I cleaned the living room, the office, and the kitchen, and ran the dishwasher and started laundry. I still need (want) to wash the dog beds, and I need to clean the bedroom. (when I say clean I mean pick up.) because tomorrow is the cleaning people. The house was totally trashed before today. It needed some picking up.

Tomorrow I have class in Peoria so I will be able to get some stuff done in the morning before I go. I could totally go to sleep right now.

I think that tonight's Desperate Housewives epsiode is one of the best ones that I have seen this season. So far I have been disappointed. Carlos and Gabby breaking up, Lynette and Tom dealing with that WITCH of a woman in their lives, Mike Delfino going with Edie Brit? Come ON! It's almost to soap-opera like for me. I personally am a HUGE fan of Men in Trees now. Men in Trees and Grey's Anatomy. Althought I have to say I can't wait to see Lynette kick that bitch's door in next week.

Tonight I made Walnut Chocolate Chip Cookies, and I got 8 scrapbook pages done. I also altered the cover of my new ATC album that I bought from Stampin Up. I am not thrilled with the results, but I am sure I will be able to do another one before too long, so I can just keep practicing.

The Internet is SOOOO freaking slow! I have rebooted all my machines and it is still slow. I suppose I should probably reboot the router and cable modem. But I am just about done for the night, watching Frisky Dingo and then I think I am just going to go to bed. Awesome X (a superhero) just got a hooker, and as himself (Xander) he was screwing the hooker and his girlfriend walked in, but he heard her coming so he put on his Awesome X mask and she thought that he was a friend of Xander just "using his place" and so she left, but then the hooker knew his secret identity so he ended up paying her $5 million dollars to keep his super hero's identity a secret. It was hilarious.

I am freaking exhausted.

Friday, October 20, 2006

Call Me, Call Me Call Me Anytime!

You know, yesterday was a LONG ASS DAY. My brain was exhausted. There was so much going on at work it was unbelievable. Although I believe that I was one of the few that LOOKED untouched by it all, (others were running around like headless chickens) By the end of the day I was so exhausted that I realized that it can be especially difficult to maintain that smooth veneer. Whew! I didn't leave work until 8:30pm and I didn't get home to my house until almost 10:45pm.

Husband and I went to Country Kitchen for supper at 9pm (they have a fabulous new menu, I had Cilantro Chicken Flatbread) and I was letting out great big sighs. He was like "what's wrong" and I told him about my day. I said "you know how you take your straw wrapper and you coil it up like a snail shell? And then when you let it go, it unrolls itself and relaxes? That is my brain. All day it's been coiled up so tight and I can just feel it trying to relax."

I slept in today, when I usually get up early on Fridays so that I don't have to stay so late on Friday nights. But today I was so tired I didn't even CARE if I had to stay late.

Tonight we were scheduled to have a pumpkin carving night at my mom's, but my sister (who works two jobs) will be working too much to attend, and Evan just found out last night that he will be in the fields for most of the weekend. So mom and I decided to postpone and wait for rain. Saturday we are going to the Haunted Fairgrounds in Princeton. Now please note, I have NEVER been to a haunted house with the exception of in a barn once when I was younger at a Halloween party. I HATE not being in control and therefore the haunted anything creeps me out. It's not that I am afraid of the things inside, I am more afraid of not being able to control where I go and all that jazz. SO this should be interesting. I keep telling myself that I made it through the Alien "ride" by Stephen Spielberg at Disney (even though husband DRUG me inside against my crying whining will) and therefore I should easily be able to handle a little of this, right?

So today I am in a pretty good mood. I thought I was going to get to wear my new Pirate Mary Janes to work for casual Friday. I waited for the UPS man to come. When he brought the shoes from Zappos, I was SO disappointed because only husband's were shipped. So now I have to wait for my pirate mary janes until probably at LEAST monday. oh dear. So I wore my stripey socks and my regular mary jane's, in defiance. The cool thing about Zappos? Besides the obviously HUGE selection of shoe sin every shape size color and price range? The free shipping both ways. And free exchanges for 365 days if the shoes are still unworn. Yeah.

Yesterday I ordered new business cards, (personal cards, whatever.... my job doesn't warrant business cards apparently, but I can't complain because personal cards are SO much more fun. So here's a screenshot of the front and back of my new personal cards. I can't wait for them to arrive! Obviously a saucy pirate theme. Click to make the picture big enough to read the details. I have obviously swirled and twirled my street address and telephone number to try to avoid internet stalkers from coming to haunt me. So How's THAT for a calling card?

I figure I can send them off with my swapbot swaps, and my ATC's, and all that jazz. It's great really, because I met a new friend at a recent class that I took in Peoria and I was so upset that I didn't have a card to give her. I haven't bought any cards since I stopped selling Pampered Chef and since I got married and changed my name. SO this was especially fun. I ordered them yesterday and they already shipped! Yeah! So now I will have them in time for the wearing of my pirate costume, so I can give out calling cards if I so choose! Oh, and if you feel like you want some cool business/personal cards like that, you can always order them through me, I get a $2.00 order credit for each person I refer, and I have been ordering business/personal cards from this company for over 7 years straight and have ALWAYS been estatic with my order. Click Here to order cards and other printed products (magnets, stationary, re-inkable stampers, etc) with my referral.

Thursday, October 19, 2006

The Lost Girls

You need to visit my new renters. I keep forgetting to pimp them, so here goes:
The Lost Girls are Three twenty-something New Yorkers who ditched their media jobs to embark on a yearlong, round-the-world journey in search of adventure and inspiration.

If that's not intriguing, what is? Right now they happen to be in Kenya. November 1st they will find themselves in Dubai. Oh yeah. Can't wait to read about that.

Check it out!

Broken Blog

I know it's broken. All my background images are hosted through my personal website, www.dazed81.com, and there is an issue with that site today and yahoo geocities. I called them already this morning and they are resolving it and said it might take as soon as 2-4 hours or as long as 24-48 hours. So now, we wait. Sorry! If you are reading this, I assume you highlighted the text, so you can do that if you'd like!~

Wednesday, October 18, 2006

Legwarmers

I bought them. I know, I know. I totally remember vowing that I would NEVER wear legwarmers. But these are DIFFERENT! They are! Look. Look at how freaking CUTE they are. They are like "bootcut" legwarmers with cute buttons. LOL. I like the laced up ones too, but I bought the striped ones.

Paved with Profanity....

Okay, let me start by saying, that I have always thought that what the government has to do to stop terrorists is (in my mind) not an invasion of my privacy. I have always thought that if they feel they need to tap phone lines, etc etc to catch a terrorist, so be it. I have nothing to hide. I am not a terrorist. SO what do I care, right?

My thoughts have changed.

Today we had an especially harrowing day at work. Especially. My brain was about to explode when my husband called me. Apparently my brother-in-law, whose phone number I don't even know unless I look it up, received a telephone call ON HIS CELL PHONE from someone claiming to be looking for Meagan Rodgers-Johnson. He had been getting a bunch of calls from numbers that he didn't know, and he wouldn't answer, and they never left a message. So he finally decided to answer. Yeah. He asked them who they were and why they were calling, and they couldn't and wouldn't tell him (they claimed to be protecting my privacy.)

They told him that there was an urgent matter that they needed to contact me about. He wouldn't give them any of my information (thanks thanks thanks!) and the only thing they would tell him is that they were from Afni corporation. So obviously he called my brother right away, all freaked out I am sure. Now let me tell you, I have NEVER given by brother-in-law's name or telephone number to ANYONE. Not even to a friend or family member. I can't even tell you what his number is. I was absolutely horrified that someone was tracking me down via my brother-in-law. How creepy is that? I feel violated.

So I get online looking for this AFNI company and find they are from Bloomington, Illinois. They specialize in "collections" - imagine that.

Well if you recall, I recently had a little issue where I forgot to pay my $60 Verizon bill and we decided that instead of continuing service with them and paying a $30 fee and having to setup a new account with a new number, we would switch to Vonage and pay 1/3 that cost per month. And we did. And we love Vonage. So I have this bill for Verizon, and they added all these bogus charges onto our account (you pay a month in advance you know) and I asked them to remove them, including the month of service that we hadn't even USED, and they told me that they can't, but that once another billing cycle happens, they will credit the amounts incorrectly charged. And of course they wanted me to "pay for it in full" and then they would "issue me a refund" for what I overpaid. Yeah right. Not a fucking chance.

SO one they corrected the bill, I wrote a check and put it in the envelope, and it's above the visor of my car waiting to be mailed.

SO Verizon, in that time, sent my account to collections (not a big deal, I don't really care, what are they going to do, shut off my phone? LOL.) but since the number they had on my account before was my VERIZON number, and that obviously doesn't work anymore, so they don't have a phone number to call and harass me at (oh, poor poor Verizon.) And so they started to look through my phone records, and my previous account activity, and found someone that we called with the same last name, and sent HIS contact information, his CELL PHONE number nonetheless, to their collection company. When I got ahold of that collection company, that poor guy on the other end, whoa he got an earfull It amazes me that the only bad word that came out of my mouth was "bastards" because I wanted to say "Tell Verizon they can go fuck themselves." and it was very difficult not to. I keep thinking "this is so WRONG! I have to have some rights! Should I be calling a lawyer?"

So I called husband and he was in just about the same mood that I was in when he found out it was Verizon. He said "I ought to write a god damn letter to our senators and tell them just what I think of this." I can not believe that Verizon used my own phone records to track me down, and distributed my family's contact information to a 3rd party collections company. And all this when every fucking time you called Verizon about your own account, they had to "ask my permission" to look at the account. Because they were so worried about my fucking privacy. Right. And then they go and distribute my family's personal information in an attempt to track me down over $82 fucking dollars.

So what do you all think of wire tapping and release of phone records now? Are you even just a little bit creeped out that you can be tracked down via your family members? I'm sure my barcode arm tattoo will be in the mail anyday now. Or maybe they want it on the back of my neck and I will have to shave my head so they can scan me from behind. Not sure how I feel about getting fucked from behind by the Government.

Tuesday, October 17, 2006

Check out my Booty!

Oh another reason why I am jolly today, the ordering of my newest shoes. I can wear them with my pirate wench costume, and then, Beyond! I can not wait! Stripey socks, pirate hat, and now, Jolly Roger Mary Janes!

Monday, October 16, 2006

Don't Piss off a Pirate!

Wearing: SeXy Red Babydoll shirt with a Ruched Bust and 3/4 sleeves, black dress pants, black heeled loafers, red beaded earrings, black and red headband.
Watching: The New Adventures of Old Christine

Today was a hard day. I worked hard. I crawled around on the floor, under desks, moving PC's. I moved 8 computers complete with all accessories, and one laser printer. Whew. Tired.

Tonight Evan and I cleared of two tables in my sewing room and took the legs off. Then we carried them to the garage so that someone could pick them up tomorrow morning. Selling them back to the "employer" that I bought them from. Long story. Translates into a lot of work on our end.

Last night I watched the newest episode of Men in Trees, and then Desperate Housewives. I have to tell you, that I am more excited and entertained by Men in Trees than I am by Desperate Housewives these days. I love Men in Trees. And when Jack fought his own brother over Marin, I was like "yes!"

It rained today, which I was actually quite okay with. It was kind of fitting. This weekend Evan and I are going to carve pumpkins over at mom's and order pizza for supper. Mom bought me Pirates of the Carribbean pumpkin carving patterns. There is a Captain Jack pattern and also a pirate ship. I can not wait. She almost bought me a big jolly roger pirate flad to fly out front on Halloween, to go with my costume. I think I forgot to mention that my costume arrived, and it was too small (too short, I am tall and my ass hung out {literally}) and the dagger was broken in half. So I tried to contact the eBay seller, and of course, they ignored me.

First time I have ever had a problem buying on eBay, and it wasn't really a huge one. But I am out $45.00 (not counting shipping, which you eat) and I did open a paypal dispute. The seller responded to paypal (even though they ignored two emails from me) by saying that I might have broken the dagger myself and that they had other people satisfied with the item. And of course I didn't pay for insurance, but I have learned from experience that filing an insurance claim with the US Postal Service is worse than filing your taxes, and you almost never get through it. So I only buy insurance on expensive items, like a computer. And why would I purchase insurance on a costume, that isn't breakable. The dagger cost like $1 at a dollar store (it was really cheap) so I wouldn't even begin to go through a paypal claim AND pay return shipping on a costume that I need, if I broke a dollar store dagger?

So now I wait for Paypal to make their decision. Today when I went to the seller's feedback, I see that they *suddenly* have 3 "neutral" feedbacks all added to their account today. And the way the seller responds to the feedback, NOT GOOD. The seller turns around and slanders the buyer on their own profile, and leaving slanderous feedback for another ebay member as a way to get back at them for their feedback is a big ebay no no. Not to mention petty and ridiculous. One of the neutral feedbacks they received said "Item too small and short to wear" and I was like BAM! Aha! So I am not the only one. And I hope that the paypal mediator sees that.

So I did get another costume ordered, the one that I wanted to order in the beginning but obviously screwed up and ordered one that I was skeptical about. So, now I wait for the second costume to arrive. And my pirate hat and stripey socks sit calmly and wait for the rest. And of course since I bought my costume back at the end of August, I have found two more people in Wyanet who are going to be Pirate Wench's, and it makes me cranky.

Keep your fingers crossed that this pirate costume arrives swiftly and fits perfectly!

Martin

I went online to look for clips for a recent episode of Drawn together.

What I found is quite the opposite. The story of Martin, a Harvard Graduate who enlisted in the army, and fought in World War II. After the war he was sent to Yale and the University of Paris, and then took over the publishing company founded by his father in 1899.

Martin's wife Theresa just recently posted a video that Martin has passed away. Like most older men, he has quite a story to tell. He talks openly about the horrors of the war. I have only begun to watch his movies.

You can see the first one here and go from there if you so choose.
Hip Hip Hooray Part 2
War Years Part 1
War Years Part 2
With Gun and Camera Down the Ailmentary Canal
Re: Telling it all
Re: War Years
Goodbye Martin

Sunday, October 15, 2006

Recipe: Footloose Chicken Salad

Entertainment: Dancing around the kitchen in a red flannel winnie the pooh bathrobe, singing Sammy Hagar's The Girl Get's Around into a (microphone) bottle of heinz dill relish, while the Boyd the wonder beagle watches from the sidelines.

Tomorrow is boss's day. We decided to surprise our boss with a little potluck celebration and a card. My boss follows the weight watchers core plan, so we had to bring in foods that she can eat. We have a veggie tray, fruits, and my thing to bring? Chicken salad with whole wheat pitas. Yum! So today I made chicken salad... 4 frozen chicken breasts that I defrosted and then oven roasted and ran through the Kitchen-Aid Shredder attachment on my stand-mixer. Heinz Dill Relish. Chopped White Onion. Kraft Fat Free Mayonaisse, and Mrs. Dash Table Blend. It's mighty tasty.I happen to love Footloose. It's my second favorite movie of all time, and I am a sucker for the soundtrack. I need to buy the CD because I still have the tape, and whenever I am home alone I pop in that tape and crank it up. It is IMPOSSIBLE to listen to the footloose soundtrack and not dance and sing along. Last week my husband came home from working in the fields and I was in the kitchen doing dishes. My hands were in the sink, but my ass was shaking to Shalamar's Dancin in the Sheets. I can't help it. It of course made Evan laugh and shake his head. He understands my passion for footloose, but I don't think he even remotely shares it. Although, he must REALLY love me because when I wanted desperately to go see Footloose on stage at Circa 21 in the Quad Cities, he went without a single complaint and even some enthusiasm. Maybe it's just not "cool" for a guy to let on to liking footloose. But that movie put Kevin Bacon (and Lori Singer and Chris Penn, may he rest in peace) in my hearts forever. On a quiet Sunday in the winter, I can be found curled up in bed watching a Dazed and Confused/Footloose/Dirty Dancing Marathon. These are the moments that it's good to have some time to yourself, where you can shake your ass with no one watching, and sing into a relish bottle without being committed to a mental institution by your husband.

Chocolate Chip Cookies and a Bathrobe.

Since I was in training on Thursday and Friday, this weekend feels unbelievably too good to be true, long and satisfying. I know that today is the end. Yesterday I cleaned around home, particularly picking up the living room, vacuuming and dusting. And the kitchen. Today I really need to do the office. I did pick up the scrapbook table a bit last night, and then I made the three woman themed ATC's that I am so terribly behind on. I wrote a little apology note to my recipient and called her "jean" when later I discovered (after the enelope was sealed and addressed) that I should have been addressing her as Jenn. Damn.I got the pictures from Anya yesterday, that I took when we went to Tanner's orchard. I also had prints made and am prepared to scrapbook them. I am strange that way. I always thought that I liked to scrapbook. I have every tool of the trade. But it takes me FOREVER to create a page. I stress and toil and fret about every aspect of it, and I can spend 4 hours designing a 2-page spread. It's not really relaxing. But give me a pre-matched paper and embellishment packet and I have a ball with it. It's become that I only scrapbook about 1/8th of what I should. But scrapbooking takes so LONG and I don't have much time. My wedding was 1 year ago and I have one shower, dress shopping, and a bachelorette spa day done. I still have another shower, the trip to Vancouver (14 days and HUNDREDS of pictures) and then the weddingp pics themselves (LOTS of them) and then the reception too (like 200 pictures there.) And I know I am behind. But it doesn't get my ass in gear. I realize now, after several years of scrapbooking attempts, that I am a lover of 8x8. 12x12 can kiss my ass. I don't have the time or the attention span to do 12x12. I get so frustrated that it is taking SO LONG because I am SO PARTICULAR and anal about it all. 8x8 pages just seem to fly by and you have an album in a heartbeat. I love it. But until I fill my 12x12 album.... I am stuck. And that will be a long time unless I have to go on disability and I can sit home and scrapbook all day. Then I could crank out some major stuff. Ahh... a person can dream.

I just baked some chocolate chip cookies, and the candles are burning. The dogs are lounging in the living room. And I, still in my robe. All is well.

Stuff Hung on the Wall in the living room
Trip to Tanner's Orchard

Friday, October 13, 2006

I love to sleep

Today was a LONG day. LOOONNNGGG. I got up at 6am, left home at 7am, got to Peoria for class just before 8am. Forced myself to listen (partially) throughout a day-long class of Access. Had a very nice lunch with a classmate (Mexican, fajitas are my weakness!) and drove home. Evan helped me hang up the rest of my stuff in the living room. We hung two shelves last night, and I hung my little black chair and my plate. Then tonight we hung a picture with a swag over it. It feels SO good to have everything hung up. The house is clutteres with things that have needed to get hung up since the remodeling last fall... and I am super pleased. There are only two things that we need to hang yet, that is until We get some different furniture and I know where I want the other stuff. But it clears up some clutter and looks nice. (see flickr for some pics)

I can say that the house is practically a wreck again. Spic and Span on Monday. Spic and Span on Tuesday. Then Evan came home. Now, it's a wreck. I am not BLAMING him, but together, we make a total disaster. He did wash dishes today, but there is stuff on every surface, the hamper is full, shoes all over, dirty socks. It will be a good thing if I get everything organized over the weekend. Ahhh... the weekend! Sleeping in! Especially after 5:30 and 6 am rises the past two days. I can't WAIT!

Tonight we went to a birthday party for Starr and Abigail, Eric's daughters. Starr is Evan's goddaughter. The girls got lots of neat gifts and we sat around and talked with Eric's family for a while. We stopped by Evan's grnadma's and chatted, and then went to Sheffield for supper (at 10pm) and I had an awesome Cheeseburger and Fries and 6&34. Yum!!! It was awesome. Now I am at home and going to go to sleep because I am so tired I can't keep my eyes open.

Ahhh.... weekend!

Thursday, October 12, 2006

In the Dark

So last night on my way home from work, I was driving through Wyanet and noticed that the bank sign was not lit up. Thought that was strange. Then I went by the café, and there were three OPEN signs on display, but it was entirely dark, and when I turned the corner I could see all the staff hovering inside by the kitchen, in the light of the doorway. Strange. I figured they were closed but hadn’t flipped the signs yet or something.

So I get home, and the garage door won’t open. I was like “hmmm. Is the power out?” and then I go in the house and try the lights. Nothing. So I try the lights in another room (how much proof do I NEED that we don’t have electricity, eh?) and then I rack my brain for the power bill stats- CHECK, it’s been paid. So I think “I’ll call Brad and Anya and see if they have power across town (our side of town is always the one out, and they have power 90% of the time) and so I pick up the PHONE which is CORDLESS and on VONAGE so double whammy there. Then I go to pick up my cell phone, and realize the battery is about dead, so I go into the living room to plug it in and charge it. Yeah. And before I can even get that far, I try to turn the lamp on so I can see where to plug it in. No lights. Yeah. No power, can’t charge the phone. After about 10 minutes I think that I can charge it in my car, so I run outside, plug in the phone, and make my phone calls. The whole town is out of power!

So I call Evan to tell him that I can’t cook our pizza so would he get something for supper? Then I light every candle in the house and settle down on the couch with a book and a flashlight. The dogs are sitting there looking at me like “why are we in the dark??” So I feed them. I have a flashlight sitting on the table, and it is off. About 15 minutes into reading my book, the flashlight on the table TURNS ITSELF ON and scares the crap out of me.

Of course, right before Evan comes home, about two hours after I get there, the power comes on. I was glad, because it was 58 degrees in the house and I was getting COLD.

This morning I had to go to training in Peoria and I had a heckuva morning. I had to get up at 5:50am, which is about 3.5 hours earlier than normal. I was still awake at 1:30 am so that means about 4 hours of sleep that I got. So I busted ass and got all cute and presentable and got my coffee mug and my lunch money and my warm coat, gloves, and scarf. Of course I had to cut all the tags off my scarves and gloves because I haven’t worn them yet this year. Then I went to work and picked up the company car, which ended up being an ordeal because I had to SCRAPE THE WINDSHIELD and when I got to the car, there was no ice scraper, and I had to pop the trunk and crawl INTO the trunk in my pink peacoat and get the ice scraper that had slid all the way to the back of the trunk. So I am already behind schedule.

Then I proceed to get behind a loaded semi AND then a school bus. Christ. And it’s snowing. And there is a jackass that flies up behind me and rides my ass and drives 2 foot over the center line and I can TELL that he is totally going to cock-block me from passing the semi when the no passing zone ends.

So I do the customary “get off my ass” brake check and get over in the other lane, proceeding to give him some yelling and facial expressions in my rearview mirror.

So classes went well, I ate an Arby’s Chicken Salad Wrap for lunch and went to Dots- THE GREATEST Store on earth. Shit’s so cheap there, it puts Wal-Mart to shame, with clothes that are fashionable (or more so) than those I can find in the mall. I got a bunch of new shirts, and two of them are SUPER awesome. Red. A tight ruched bust area and flowy bottom. Matching Red and Silver necklace and earrings. HOT! I love when I get a good deal and clothes that fit good. The best part, I was in a dressing room, put on a shirt, and was like WHOA that looks AWESOME and actually sucked in my breath, and then when I put my clothes back on and walked out of the room, there was another girl, probably 16, standing outside her dressing room, wearing the same shirt and looking HORRIBLE in it. Her mom said “is it too tight?” and she said “no” and the mom said “it looks great on you.” And I almost choked. She wasn’t a small girl, but she was smaller than me, but her shirt was literally TWO sizes too small. And her mom said it looked GOOD? Oh lord. Who can we count on to tell us the truth if not our own Mothers? I was horrified. I wouldn’t have even been caught dead by my husband in a shirt that looked like that on me. It was silly. And it made me feel bad for her, and GOOD for me. Almost 30 (okay, almost 28) and looking better than a 16 year old?

Well, that’s all for now. I had better just post this!

Wednesday, October 11, 2006

My next car will be a cupcake!

So tonight we have a freeze warning. That basically means if you have any plants that you don't want dead by morning, get them inside this evening. Ugh. I have ONE planter that I want to steal the ivy out of. Besides that I think I am good.
Of course the skies are all cloudy and dark looking, and the leaves are swirling from the trees and gathering in piles alongside the curbs. It's windy and it just looks gloomy, like one of those days when you need to drink cappuccino or cocoa and read a book on the couch.

It was a challenge to get up this morning, a Bigger challenge to get dressed. It was one of those days where, if I didn't have to follow a dress code, I'd be wearing a hooded sweatshirt and track pants with my hair in a ponytail and no jewelry with the exception of the valentine's day diamonds in my ears every single day, and the wedding ring on my finger. It's a day to wear my sweater mules and curl my feet up underneath me.

But NOOOO - Work beckons. This is allot like my Friday again this week, since I have to attend some training/education in Peoria Thursday and Friday. The only bad thing about it is that I will have to get up at 6am to be in Peoria by the time my classes start, but I will be home by 5pm, so it's a small sacrifice I suppose. My biggest morning issue (besides getting up and trying to get all the bumps out of my hair without washing it AGAIN this morning {I washed it before bed}) Was SOCKS. I have an ENTIRE Drawer full of black socks. ENTIRE Drawer people. And not a small drawer, and the drawer is full mind you, but NONE of the socks match. Except 1 pair of snowflake socks. Black with silver snowflakes. Yeah. That's my life. I desperately need more black socks. No- not MORE Black socks, just more MATCHING black socks. Black socks disappear around our house like nothing else (except maybe Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.)

I love cakes. I love decorating cakes, I love cupcakes, and I really have a HUGE appreciation for the talented cake decorators out there. Recently I have come across LOTS of cool cakes on Flickr. If It's awesome, I add it to my Flickr faves (See my favorites here!) So now I have been thinking about cupcakes. I have been thinking about buying one of those cupcake trees. But the ones at wal-mart are too small. I thought I could make some cool cupcakes for my girl's night out party in November. (sex toys and cupcakes, what could be better?) Maybe my next car will be a cupcake? Wouldn't ya'll just shit if I built one?
And one thing that I can't wait for about having kids? PARTIES! Yay! Birthday cakes and pinatas and party hats. If it were up to me, I would have a party for my birthday every single year. And hopefully I can have little girls who can have tea parties and picnics. I would also like to try making these bullseye cupcakes.

So I guess I had better get to work listening to Italian Language CD's and decorating cupcakes!

I want a new drug.

In Local News: Woman tries to sell her son to cover a wedding dress debt
Wearing: Black Pants, Black Shirt with white stripes on sleeves, back tennis shoes with grey stripes. Messy hair. Mascara. Wedding Ring.
Listening: Flyleaf- I'm so sick

I can't hardly keep my eyes open today! I think it has something to do with husband coming home last night, and me not getting a whole lot of sleep. But believe me, I am not complaining!

I might just write this entire post in italics. It looks kinda slanted, like I am today.

I am seriously coveting an iPod nano for Christmas. Husband thinks he is getting me one. Of course, being the geek that I am, I want the black 8GB Nano, and he is fine with that. I am starting to get into podcasts and the coolest is that if you miss an episode of your favorite show (Grey's Anatomy per say) you can purchase it for like $1.99 and put it on your computer and your iPod and watch it at your convenience. It's awesome. Now if they were FREE, that would be even more awesome, but it's like "I could be on a plane, or in a car, and watching Grey's Anatomy, or Drawn Together, or Family Guy? HELL YEAH!" So. Nano I love you. I covet you. Please come to me.

Speaking of loving and coveting, I am trying to move on from Edward Cullen, but it's fantastically impossible. Last night when husband came home, he picked up the book and read the first chapter. He said "
I am intrigued" and this morning it was on his nightstand. Let's just say that in the 10 years I have known my husband I have seen him read TWO books. Ever. American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis and Fear and Loathing in America by Hunter S. Thompson. SO the fact that he read the first chapter. Amazing. I know that he has read CS Lewis and all kinds of fantasy books in his childhood, but as a rule, husband reads magazines and bathroom readers, and perhaps the occasional Role Playing or Mythical Guide of some sort. I had a strict discussion that if he was going to read the book, he was going to READ it. He has a history of skipping around or only reading the end of books, and then pissing me off with his "opinion" and I am like YOU TOTALLY CANNOT GIVE AN OPINION ABOUT A BOOK YOU HAVEN'T READ! Jackass! And his other cute trick is to have his friend John work like a stack of Cliffnotes- and then later husband tries to give his opinion or an intelligent conversation about a book with me and I want to KILL him. So I told him, I won't let you ruin this book for me. Either read it, or put it down and don't open your mouth about it to me.

I am excited that for the first time in 10 years he COULD potentially
actually read a book that I have read and be able to conversate about it. Potentially.

I am sick of italics. It was fun while it lasted.

Oh Edward Cullen, it's so hard to let go!
But I have started Marlena DeBlasi's A Thousand Days In Tuscany, which I have had forever. I read her A Thousand Days In Venice, and it was great, if not a painful reminder that the one place I want to visit so badly is beyond my reach financially, and that I would never get whistled at by hot italian men with wavy dark hair and piercing eyes dressed in creamy colored suits and italian leather shoes. And I will never carry bread back to my Tuscan home from a bread baker in the piazza (pronounced pjatsa). I will probably never get to wear an apron in a floury kitchen with cobblestone floors, where wonderful italian women with lines on their faces will make Tortellini with me and drink wine. And even more devestating, because I am from America, where we only learn English, I won't be able to understand the language of love when it is spoken to me. Ahhh.

So while reading in the tub last night, I remembered that I think PG (who is italian, if I could just say his last name here, you wouldn't doubt me for a second) bought CD's to learn italian, before his trip recently. He brought me back a beautiful scarf that I just love to death. I don't get many chances to wear a scarf, but I love to tie it around my head or wear it as a shirt (that's how large it is) whenever I am at home alone. It's very satiny and there are pictures of the Coliseum and other fabulous Italian Landmarks, in browns and blues and golds. I thought to myself, I wonder if PG would let me borrow said Italian CD's, to rip into my iTunes and put on my new iPod. I mean christ people, no one even pronounces Bruchetta correctly here in Illinois. Me included up until very recently. [brusˈket.ta]

I thought to myself, If I am going to be obsessed with italian cooking, drinking wine (and not in a wine snob way) drooling over italian men, baking bread at home, and making my own homemade tortellini, It might not be a bad idea to get myself ready, just in case, I ever get to visit Pienza in Tuscany, and stay in a beautiful rose colored bed and breakfast where men ride by on bicycles with baskets full of parcels. Why not learn a little italian? Maybe it will get my mind off Edward Cullen? Although I am SURE that Edward would be most impressed if I could speak Italian, just in case I need to come face to face with the Volturi someday. Right. Italian. We were talking about Italian. Not vampires. *Ahem* Cough. How can one mythical vampire inside my head be more beautiful than Italy? Not possible, right? Back on Topic!



Tuesday, October 10, 2006

Dear Readers...

Thank You all so much for the bunches of comments you have left me the past few days when It appears I may have been all alone and becoming an emotional basketcase who is deeply involved with lovely and romantic vampires. I tried to fill the voids with shopping, but it couldn't compare to the happiness and comfort I felt when reading your comments.

Readers? Uh.... Readers?

Oh RIGHT I don't HAVE any readers... Thank God I didn't spiral into a serious and long-lasting depression!

Hey La, Day La, My husband's back!

Wearing: Black Skirt, Black Tank Top, Denim Blazer, Black heeled Mary Janes, Black Beaded cuff bracelet, silver and black earrings, pewter haunted house pin.
Listening: Boogie, Oogie, Oogie by A Taste of Honey (I didn't CHOOSE to listen to it, it was just on the radio when my alarm went off this morning. I need to change the station obviously.)
Link of the Day: Chick needs to invest in some dixie cups!

You're a big man now, but he'll cut you down to size....

So husband comes back tonight. Yeah! So happy! I think. It's like before he left I was all "this will be great! I will get so much DONE! I will relax!" and really, I have. But still it sucked to be all alone. Brad and Anya were gone over the weekend too, so it made it double hard. But Anya brought me Homemade chicken pot pie for supper last night, which was super nice and a great comfort. And I did some yoga, which was great. Watched some adult entertainment. Also great. Washed the mini-blind in the bathroom... not great but at least that's done! Hand washed my travel mug to prepare for a new day, and my dishes from supper. I washed the shower curtain in the bathroom and the bathroom window valance. Fed the dogs and put a new bag of dog food in the food bin. I cleared off the bed, put on a clean comforter, and watched some Roseanne Marathon. I drank Hazelnut Hot Cocoa and drifted off into a lovely sleep.

Being Tuesday, I am reminded of things I am behind of. Icky. Later this week I go to Peoria for training, which means messed up hours. The hours of "other people." Ugh. I am such a non-conformist.

Last night I watched the New Adventures of Old Christine. It was excellent. Her son Richie was taken to church by his father and his father's girlfriend, and Christine was very upset. I could SO relate to the way she discussed her experiences with church, and when she went to church and everyone stared at her instead of welcoming her, and didn't accept her sense of humor... It was like "there it is! A perfect example of the reasons I loathe organized relgion!" It made me think of the politics of church and the way people say that everyone is loved and welcome.... and how organized christian religion is still so judgemental and materialistic. No wonder I am attracted to religions who practice meditation and simplicity, and love for all creatures. When I went to church, it was all about what you wore and where you sat and what you drove, and how much you donated. And God doesn't give a shit about any of that. And I don't need a male minister who has never been married or had kids to tell me the right way to have a family and sustain a relationship. How screwed up is that? So anyway, excellent episode.

Still waiting for my halloween costume. I just have to galavant around with my pirate hat on because I am so upset. This morning on the way to work, I was listening to Flyleaf. I started thinking (for some odd reason) if my husband would look like a pirate if I put eyeliner on him like Johnny Depp. However, I know that I will probably never know. Although when we were FIRST dating, way back when, he was in a play and the makeup artist put mascara and blush on him because he was supposed to be a child... and he bitched and moaned about how the mascara was bothering his eyes and he wanted it off and I was like Oh Puh-Lease! I wear it EVERY SINGLE DAY!

I am still pretty messed up by the book. I often find myself thinking Edward Cullen would do this. Or Edward would like that. It's driving me mad. Each day I am able to let it go just a little bit more. I feel a little less stressed out by it, a little less wrapped up. Although this proves that I am still pretty obsessed. And the fact that I can't wait for the next book to come out.

I am anxious for my husband's plane to land and for him to get home. It makes me antsy and worried. I hate it when people I love fly. Whenever Carrie flies home I get so unnerved. I know that's crazy, but I always have to call her about an hour after her flight lands and make sure she is okay.

Did I mention how BORED I am?

Monday, October 09, 2006

What Goes Around.....

I am gonna get all judgemental and catty here for a bit.

Going to lunch at 4:00 this evening (again, it's when I remembered that I hadn't eaten yet. I am all screwed up) and there is a cop on 6th street. Now first let me say that he was pretty damn close to entrapment, if you were coming from the south and speeding, you were gonna get nailed because he was parked perpindicular to a white semi with a large trailer. You couldn't see him till it was WAYY too late. From the north, you had the stretch of road where EVERYONE goes above the speed limit. That's the reason most people TAKE that road, so that they can avoid traffic and stop lights. Of course the City of Princeton puts more stop signs on that road every month, in what I believe is an attempt to slow us all down.

So I am coming from the south, heading north, meeting people who are speeding. Trying to make the "there's a cop ahead" flash with meaningful eye contact. I see one chick who I meet at the stop sign of 6th and route 34, and First she's screwing around at the stop sign and not going, when it's her turn. Everyone there is looking at her like "come ON lady!" She was probably 40. She had the "MILF" thing going on. Hair in a ponytail, sunglasses, and the whole "I am SOOOO Better than you" look on her face. She turned in front of me and I was just instantly disliking her.

It may have been the "I have a 15 carat wedding ring and my husband bought me this car" look on her face, which I also can personally transmit to the "I was the cheerleading slut in high school who flipped up her skirt and took it from behind from all the football players behind the equiptment shed before games." look. Yep. Mmm-hmm. You know the one. My shit don't stink, "check out my new car", and "How much is left on my charge card daddy?"

And I was just thinking "wow. I so hope that you get nailed by that cop." because she also had that "I don't ever get into trouble and I do whatever I want" look on her face, also translated to "When I was a sophomore I dated seniors and then I wrecked a Hurst 442 collector's car that my daddy gave me because I was so trashed. The EMT's found my car in the ditch and me in the passenger seat without a seatbelt on, passed out drunk." And then the whole "but I didn't get into trouble (no arrest, no tickets, everything hush hush) or anything because of my last name- so daddy rewarded my behavior and bought me a brand new purple/blue beretta instead." (It was probably an '86 or '87 Olds Cutlass Supreme Hurst 442, black with silver- red striped decals..... Beautiful. This is all hypothetically speaking, of course.)

So on the way back from lunch, just 15 minutes later, low and behold... MILF was pulled over AND getting a ticket from a dashing young officer who obviously knew her type. I am guessing that he was the guy who the football players made fun of in high school and he probably took one look at her and thought "You're the bitch that wrecked the Hurst 442. You are getting a ticket today." But I am sure she paid cash... right? Or maybe she just thought she would be back to the squad car and sort it all out with him?

LOL. Okay done now. How's that for judgemental?

Testing Fucking Bullets

This is a test of the blogger bullet system.

  • Bullets have never ever worked for me in blogger
  • Every time I use bullets, they look great until I publish and then they disappear
  • I saw bullets work at Lime's Place and I was like "wha?"
  • Lime says they work for her
  • I decided to test bullets here again, in case a miracle has happened since my migration to Beta.
  • Everything looks great but I wonder how it will when I publish
  • Supercalifragilousticexpialadocious!
  • To eat or not to eat, that is the question
  • Did you know that Saturday and Sunday I only ate once a day, at 6pm when I thought WHY am I so HUNGRY?
  • I hope my husband comes back soon to straighten me out.
  • These damn bullets better work.

Is that an Apple in your pocket, or are you.....

Wearing: Pink Button Down with sparkly silver threads and pearl snaps. New Graphite colored dress pants from Old Navy, Black Loafers, pink earrings, wedding ring.
Listening: Evanescence because it reminds me of vampires in love

I am not especially thrilled that it's Monday. I am especially thrilled that it's cleaning peeps Monday, because SOMEONE needs to vacuum my house and clean it up. The dog hair is about to choke me. But since I spent the weekend horse-assing around, I didn't get a whole lot accomplished. I told husband that I wasn't getting anything accomplished, and he said "Meagan, that's okay! You don't have to accomplish EVERY day!" and I felt a little better. But still.

I cried allot last night. For lots of reasons, and for no apparent reason. All at once. I don't know that men have those days, but women have those days when they just need a good cry. A book or a movie can set it off, but it almost always has to be when you are alone, otherwise someone tries to comfort you and you stop crying when really all you want to do is bawl while you match pairs of socks.

So today my eyes are kinda sore and swollen, which almost never happens to me. I made myself a chai latte this morning, in my new Trudeau pink to go cup. Who ever thought that you could love a cup so much. I bought it at Bed Bath and Beyond when I went with Anya. It was like $14.00 and it truly IS Spill proof. I can put milk and "Oh My! Chai" mix together in it, screw on the lid and shake shake shake to mix it up. Then I can pop open the "drink top" and you can drink from any side. It's awesome. I really wanted the pink boxing gloves, so I could spar and kick some ass. But that's just not practical I suppose. Although I think I would make an excellent boxer, seeing how an ex-boyfriend once got me cornered and took a swing at my face, but I saw it coming and ducked. He hit the wall behind me. I was so pissed that I stood up and gave him a left hook right under the eye and then (like a true girl) I ran like a bat out of hell up the stairs, right past his family, out the front door, and down the sidewalk where I ran right into my friend Michael and said "TAKE ME HOME BEFORE HE CATCHES ME AND KILLS ME." I had been seriously panicking because when I got outside I knew I didn't have a car to leave in, and I didn't know how the hell I was going to get away from him once he wasn't too stunned to come after me, but I got super lucky that Michael had just pulled up to visit. The ring that I had on cut my ex under his eye and he had a shiner. So see, if I hadn't had an ex that thought that picking up his girlfriend and throwing her across the room was acceptable, I wouldn't have learned how to swing a punch and take a cheap shot at his balls. Ahh, a healthy relationship. I think it would be cool to take a self defense class and just beat the shit out of some guy in a padded suit. I bet that would be good exercise and stress relieving. I think that this agression that I have deep down inside is the reason that my husband says no one in their right mind would want to kidnap me. Between being loud and mouthy and not afraid to hit back, he has always said I would be a big pain in a kidnappers ass.

I saw this great you tube movie over at Matt's place. It's totally worth watching. Careful where you watch, It does use the terms oral sex, hand job, and intercourse. LOL.

You know, now that I think about it, I kinda have a headache today.

This weekend Anya and I took Ava to Tanner's Orchard and I bought a picture for the living room, a swag to go over it, and then the customary Apple Cider Donuts, Johnathan apples, and Apple Cider. We went to Bed Bath and Beyond and Old Navy (where I got a pair of adorable jeans and the black dress pants I have on today) and we ate at Fazoli's. I love the jeans I bought because the front pockets are lower, and more cargo like, and they have back flap pockets like Cargo khakis. They fit GREAT and stay up with a belt, and look good... plus I can fit a whole apple into the front pocket! How cool is that! I think that over the weekend, when I wore them, I had three apples in the pocket (not at once, just over the course of the weekend.) It was great to actually be able to FIT something useful into your pocket. I am one of those people that, when walking from room to room, is always multi-tasking and carrying more things than an octopus should carry. And I would always be so happy that I could stuff an apple in my pocket so that when I got to where I was going, there would be one. Of course this morning I will have to carry two apples on top of my purse since I have to wear dress pants to work.

Can you believe the forecast is calling for SNOW here this week? Illinois. Go figure. Ground temps will be too warm to get any actual accumulation, but it's supposed to be in the 20's overnight like Wednesday and Thursday. Today is supposed to be the only warm day this week, and tomorrow the cool front moves in. I am really glad husband gave me a birthday coat a little early! I left the windows open today at home, but it sounds like they will be shut and the heat will come on in a couple of days. Bummer. But it probably won't last long.

Saturday night, I went out for supper with my friend Heather, to Mi Margarita's in Peru. It was especially tasty, as usual. I had chicken and steak combo fajitas. I love me some fajitas. Then we went to the mall for a bit, and I bought a cute denim blazer and a necklace and bracelet that matched. AND they had my hairspray on sale at JC Penney, when I went through to use the bathroom, you got a root treatment and hairspray for $15.00, which is awfully cheap. Half price basically. Not to mention that in Princeton, the hairspray is marked up allot more and it costs $19.99 alone. So I got more hairspray since I had just run out.

Let's see, what other useless bumbling crap can I blabber about?

I watched Desperate Housewives last night, and honestly I just wasn't into it. I don't know why, but I just didn't really care. Musta been my mood. But I enjoyed the Girls Next Door (Kendra's 21st Birthday in Vegas.) The cake that Hef had made for her was ADORABLE! Jealous! Then I watched the episode of South Park where they are trying to save the World of Warcraft. Husband used to play warcraft on the computer, but not online, and we have some friends that are pretty intense online gamers, to the point of being ridiculous. So it was really quite hilarious. I enjoyed it. I also watched the Season Premire of Drawn Together on Comedy Central. It was good. I love that cartoon, it's parodies make me think of Family Guy just a teeny bit. I have a Drawn Together T-shirt that has Foxxy Love and Princess Clara making out, and it always freaks people out. It says "drawn together" and everyone doesn't know that's the name of the cartoon so they think the shirt means I am a lesbian. LOL. Cracks me up. If you don't know what I mean, watch the music video of their makeout session here where Foxxy Love sings "I 'm frenching this racist ho" and Captain Hero Sings "I can't believe I've only been here a day and I'm already in a three-way." It's freaking hilarious. Of course the Princess is a parody of most disney princesses, who express their emotions via song. The show is hilarious. I think that my favorite character is Ling Ling, who is like a spin-off of Pikachu from the Pokemon or Japanese Pocket Monsters. I was a huge fan of Pikachu, and have TONS of Pikachu merchandise, including a pikachu camera, a pikachu electronic pocket monster, and TONS of action figures and stress balls, along with a great big Stuffed Pikachu. I love how Ling Ling's tail is an exclamation point instead of a lightening bolt, and how he talks in sub-titles. It cracks me up. You can watch lots of videos of Ling Ling in action on his profile page. My favorite is the sweat shop video where Spanky Ham makes Ling Ling sew shoes for money, and Ling Ling reminisces (with song) of happier times with his master (who looks amazingly like Ash with a triangular Pokeball. LOL.)
Related Posts with Thumbnails